Randy's Guide LIII

Happy Sukkot (starting today), 20th to Hilary Duff (Friday), Botswanan Independence Day (Sunday), and World Vegetarian Day (Monday)! Welcome to all new readers. A year ago, only 22 people directly received this -- now that number is more than 130! Please forward on to friends, family, and colleagues... and update me about any e-mail changes.


Special Events Alert #1:
A live simulcast of Camille Saint-Saens' "Samson and Delilah" (featuring Russian star Olga Borodina) will be broadcast on AT&T Park's Jumbotron screen this Friday evening at 8pm. You can register for free advanced tickets online at www.sfopera.com; ticket-holders can enter the stadium field or seats beginning at 6:30pm, while non-ticketholders must wait until 7pm.


Special Events Alert #2:
Hillary Clinton, the junior Senator from New York running for President, will host a Block Party in Oakland's City Center Plaza this Sunday afternoon. Free tickets are available at www.hillaryclinton.com/events/ticketed/20070930Oakland/?sc=e469&utm_source=e469&utm_medium=e.


Local News Story of the Week:
As of today, more than 2,500 online signatures at www.petitiononline.com/norummy/petition.html from Stanford students, faculty, and alumni protest the decision by the Hoover Institution to appoint former U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld as a visiting fellow. http://daily.stanford.edu/article/2007/9/18/donaldRumsfeldComingToStanford


~ CHANGE FOR CHANGE ~
Charity to consider: Bay Area Community Services. For over 50 years, BACS has served both adults with severe mental illness as well as seniors throughout Alameda County. http://www.bayareacs.org

Previous organizations Randy's Guide has spotlighted and donated: Common Ground Relief, LYRIC, Aldea Inc., Glide Memorial, City CarShare, Maitri, Loaves and Fishes, Friends of the Urban Forest, and Farm Sanctuary.

Donate through the non-profit's Web site or your corporate donation program.


Weekend Weather:
fall-like weather w/ partly-cloudy skies
High 65, Low 50: Bolinas, SF, Richmond, Berkeley
High 68, Low 47: Petaluma, Oakland
High 72, Low 49: Walnut Creek, San Jose

High 70, Low 40: Albany (Friday rain, Sat-Sun clear)
High 87, Low 67: Dallas (humid)
High 79, Low 69: Honolulu (rain)
High 71, Low 55: Minneapolis (chance of t-storms)
High 58, Low 46: Portland, OR (rain likely)High 70, Low 60: San Diego (mostly sunny)


Environmental Tip of the Week:
For those looking to remodel their homes, consider an eco-friendly home contractor. Green building practices are the foundation for the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), which lists accredited professionals at www.usgbc.org.

Previous: As we approach this holiday season, look for toys with unfinished solid wood or those finished with linseed oil, tung oil, or beeswax. You can also buy lead testing kits at http://www.leadcheck.com.


Video of the Week:
"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by Jake Shimabukuro (Hawaii)

- video based on George Harrison's classic song, Shimabukuro's ukelele-based video has received more than 1 million views. He's currently on tour in Japan and Hawaii, but will be returning to Washington, Oregon, Nevada and California later in October.

Previous: "Umbrella" by Rihanna (Barbados)

Turned down by both Mary J. Blige and Britney Spears, this #1 single in 13 nations picked up two awards at the MTV Video Music Awards. Buy your own Rihanna umbrellas through Isotoner at http://www.totes-isotoner.com.


New Films: {#1 Resident Evil: Extinction (R), $23.7M, 2,828 screens; #2 Good Luck Chuck (R), $13.7M, 2,612 screens; #3 The Brave One (R), #7.3M, 2,755 screens; #17 In the Valley of Elah (R), $1.3M, 317 screens}
- Angels in the Dust (NR): Documentary; about a therapist who leaves Johannesburg to establish a village for South African orphans

- Feast of Love (R): Romantic comedy; about a local professor who observes the love and attraction taking place in a small Oregon community; co-starring Morgan Freeman and Greg Kinnear

- Game Plan (PG): Comedy; about a quarterback who suddenly must take care of his daughter; co-starring Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson

- Into the Wild (R): Drama; about a top student-athlete who abandons his possessions and money to live in the Alaska wilderness; co-starring Vince Vaughn and William Hurt; directed by Sean Penn

- Ira and Abby (R): Romantic comedy; about a couple happily married until the husband finds out that his wife has divorced twice already

- King of California (PG-13): Drama; about a 16-year-old girl, abandoned by her mom and dropped out of school, who must deal with the re-entry of her father following his release from a mental institution; co-starring Michael Douglas and Evan Rachel Wood

- The Kingdom (R): Thriller; about a team of U.S. investigators trying to find the perpetrators behind an attack in a Middle Eastern country; co-starring Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Chris Cooper, and Jeremy Piven

- Last Winter (NR): Horror; about an oil-exploration team that becomes disoriented and desperately bids for survival; co-starring Ron Perlman

- Outsourced (PG-13): Comedy; about an American salesman sent to work in an office in India

- Trade (R): Drama; about the bond formed between a Texas police officer and the brother of a 13-year-old kidnapped Mexican girl; co-starring Kevin Kline


Ongoing Freebies:
- http://www.sfjazz.org: Live jazz in Levi's Plaza (SF). Next Wednesday's show at noon is Mitch Marcus Quintet.

- http://www.sfmt.org: 38th year of free shows in the parks. "Making a Killing" closes its schedule at the Bolinas Community Center on Saturday at 2pm, and the Progressive Festival in Petaluma on Sunday at 4pm.


Performances of the Week:
- 35th San Francisco Blues Festival [Sat-Sun 11am-6pm]: At Great Meadow of Fort Mason (SF), $35-50. http://www.sfblues.com

- Theatre Rhinoceros: The First Thirty Years [Through Oct. 14]: At Theatre Rhinoceros (SF), $15-25. http://www.therhino.org

Previous Performances: Jersey Boys [through Sep 30]; Tannhauser [through Oct 12]; Sweeney Todd [through Oct 14]


Activities of the Week: (free, unless noted)
- 43rd Big Book Sale [Th-Sun 10am-8pm]: More than 250,000 books on sale, to benefit the San Francisco Public Library system. In Festival Pavilion of Fort Mason (SF). http://www.friendssfpl.org

- World Vegetarian Day Festival [Sat-Sun 10am-6pm]: In SF County Fair Building near Golden Gate Park, $5. http://www.sfvs.org

- 59th semi-annual Walnut Creek Fair [Sat-Sun 10am-5pm]: Near Cypress Ave and Locust. http://www.pacificfinearts.com

- 25th Folsom Street Fair [Sat-Sun 11am-6pm]: World's largest leather event, with live alt-rock bands and demonstrations. Expected attendance of 400,000 people. Along Folsom St, between 7th and 12th St (SF). http://www.folsomstreetfair.org

- Treasure Island Festival [Sat 11am-3pm]: Along the Great Lawn of Treasure Island (SF). http://www.tihdi.org

- Home Front Festival [Sat-Sun 11am-6pm]: At Marina Bay Park (Richmond), $3-5. http://www.homefrontfestival.com
- 16th Feria del Mariachi [Sat-Sun 11am-7pm]: Featuring Ozomatli and Linda Ronstadt. At San Jose Arena Green, $5. http://www.mhcviva.org

- 4th San Francisco LoveFest [Sat 11:30am-night]: Parade down Market Street to Civic Center Plaza (SF); live DJs and booths, encouraging dancing amongst the floats. http://www2.sflovefest.org

- 12th How Berkeley Can You Be? Festival [Sun 11am-6pm]: In Martin Luther King Park (Berkeley). http://www.howberkeley.com

- 10th Progressive Festival [Sun 12-6pm]: In Walnut Park (Petaluma). http://www.progressivefestival.com

- Out and About Rockridge [Sun 12-6pm]: Along College Ave (Oakland). http://www.rockridgedistrict.com