San Francisco Bay Guardian

By Tim Redmond

The more I think about this cookie-odor thing, the worse it sounds. There's some real agitiation out there from people who are allergic to or offended by chemical odors, and who rely on public transit. Read more »

By Steven T. Jones
Now, the Guardian hasn't always seen eye-to-eye with our congressional rep, incoming Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. In fact, it's fair to say the relationship has been downright chilly as she's made compromises to attain her leadership post and we've wanted someone to take stronger stands against the unchecked rise of Bush-brand imperialism, corporatism, and theocracy.
But I'm happy to see her take a strong stand against letting the hawkish Jane Harman take over the House Intelligence Committee, making the solid choice of Rep. Silvestrie Reyes instead. Read more »

By Steven T. Jones
I have a prediction for the new session of the California Legislature, which begins on Monday: there won't be as much anti-gay rhetoric as we sometimes hear from the social conservatives in Sacramento. Why? Because the Assembly's two remaining gay men -- John Laird from Santa Cruz and our own Mark Leno -- have risen to the chairs of two of the most powerful committee. Leno will chair the Appropriations Committee, through which most bills must pass, and Laird will chair the Budget Committee. Or as one insider told me, the word have gone out: you gotta deal with the gay guys. Read more »

Fiona Ma's last Board of Supervisors' meeting

By Sarah Phelan
Sometimes you have to be thankful that you can only have ONE last day at work.
Take Fiona Ma’s last Board of Supervisor’s meeting, at which her colleagues variously praised her, waxed misty-eyed, or made some San-Francisco-values jokes:
Sup. Bevan Dufty called Ma “The Energizer Bunny.:
Alioto-Pier bemoaned the loss of a fellow female Supervisors. “Sophie and I are now it!”
Sophie Maxwell recalled how the “boys” on the Budget Committee once tried to push her and Ma’s concerns aside. Read more »