Randy's Guide LXX (70)

Today is National Pie Day; Friday is singer Alicia Keys’ 27th; Saturday is Australia’s National Day and India’s Republic Day; Sunday is Holocaust Remembrance Day; Tuesday is media mogul Oprah Winfrey’s 54th.


Election ’08 Alert
Super Tuesday is in less than two weeks! To volunteer or receive news from the upcoming campaign stops in California (and elsewhere), check out:
- Hillary Clinton: www.hillaryclinton.com
- John Edwards: www.johnedwards.com
- Rudy Giuliani: www.joinrudy2008.com
- Mike Gravel: www.gravel2008.us
- Mike Huckabee: www.mikehuckabee.com
- John McCain: www.johnmccain.com
- Barack Obama: www.barackobama.com
- Ron Paul: www.ronpaul2008.com
- Mitt Romney: www.mittromney.com


Local News Story
Mill Valley becomes the latest California city to pass a “social host law,” for which parents will be responsible should minors drink at their homes. This comes in the face of a recent Marin high school survey, which revealed that 11% of youths received alcohol from their parents. www.marinij.com/marin/ci_8060889


Change for Change
New charity to consider: My New Red Shoes. Founder 30-year-old Heather Hopkins, a Princeton University graduate, provides new school clothes to Bay Area homeless and poor children. www.mynewredshoes.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, Farm Sanctuary, Bay Area Community Services, and now Blue Energy.

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


Weekend Weather
Bay Area: A good soaking rain at least through Monday. Chains likely required en route to Lake Tahoe. Highs near 50; lows 35-45.

High 73, Low 58: Boca Raton, FL (mostly cloudy)
- The five remaining Republican presidential candidates – Ron Paul, Mike Huckabee, Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and Mitt Romney – will hold their final debate before Tuesday’s Florida primary
High 37, Low 30: Gorman, CA (snow showers)
- Several inches of snow forced the closure of Interstate 5’s Tejon Pass for the first time in seven years, leaving motorists stranded and the Red Cross scrambling to provide food and water
High 31, Low 20: Muncie, IN (slight chance of snow)
- 60-year-old Toni Anderson is fighting with the government to receive her Social Security benefits, after the agency mistakenly recorded that she, not her husband, had died
High 33, Low 23: New York, NY (snow, then clearing)
- The tragic death of 28-year-old Australian actor Heath Ledger has left his neighbors and acting colleagues speechless
High 34-67, Low 33-53: Stephenville, TX (ice pellets, then much warmer)
- The Air Force reversed its earlier claim and stated that fighter jets were, in fact, flying in the area where multiple eyewitnesses claim to have seen a UFO


Environmental Tips
Consider purchasing totebags made from recycled or organic cotton. Check out Western Textiles, which has made its bags in San Francisco since 1919. www.bagmakers.com

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Use cloth napkins instead of paper ones for dinner or household clean-ups. FYI: Each person uses approximately 2,200 paper napkins per year.


Music Videos
“Cubicle” by Rinocerose

Electro-rock comes alive with this French duo, who should be releasing a new album in the next few months. Stay tuned!

Previous:
“Can I Get Get Get” by Junior Senior (Denmark)

The Danish duo recently released a new album, which features collaborations with Le Tigre, Kate Pierson, the B-52’s Cindy Wilson, and the Motown quartet Velvelettes.


Movies (through Jan. 21)
#1 Cloverfield (PG-13): $46.1MM opening; 3411 screens; $13,529 per screen
#2 27 Dresses (PG-13): $27.4MM opening; 3057 screens; $8,977 per screen
#3 The Bucket List (PG-13): $16.7MM; $44.2MM overall; 2915 screens; $5,717 per screen
#26 The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (PG-13): $0.5MM; $2.6MM overall; 107 screens; $4,400 per screen; 4 Oscar nominations

Alice Neel (NR): Documentary; about 20th century portrait painter Alice Neel and her various subjects, from Andy Warhol to Allen Ginsburg; co-starring artist Chuck Close and directed by Andrew Neel

Alice’s House (NR): Drama; about a large working-class household in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and its mother seeking a separate life

Foot Fist Way (NR): Comedy; about a Tae Kwon Do instructor dealing with his wife’s betrayal

How She Move (PG-13): Drama; about a gifted young woman who must return from a private school to her old neighborhood

Meet the Spartans (PG-13): Comedy spoof; about a range of films from “300” to “You Got Served”; co-starring Method Man and Kevin Sorbo

Rambo (R): Action; about the action fighter who must come out of his peaceful life in Thailand to rescue aid workers in Burma; co-starring and directed by Sylvester Stallone

Teeth (R): Horror; about a high-school student who discovers that she has a toothed vagina

Untraceable (R): Thriller; about an FBI cybercrime agent who must investigate a serial killer displaying his graphic murders online; co-starring Diane Lane

This week’s movie review: Atonement (R): B-plus. If nothing else, you’ll want to see the massive beach war scene in its full glory. Nominated for 6 Oscars, including Best Picture.

This week’s video review: Away from Her (PG-13): A-minus. Julie Christie steals the show (and will likely win an Oscar) for her portrayal of a devoted wife slowly falling victim to Alzheimer’s.


Free Activities
Concerts at the Presidio [Th/Fri 7:30pm]: Featuring works by Chopin and Liszt. RSVP to 415.447.6274. At The Golden Gate Club (SF). www.presidio.gov

Civil War Heritage Day [Sat 10am-5pm]: Live music, family activities, and discussions. At the Fort Point National Historic Site (SF). www.nps.gov/fopo

Avon Walk Great Start Party [Sat 1-3pm]: At the Palace of Fine Arts (SF). www.avonwalk.org

One Tree hill casting call [through Monday]: Create a 30-second casting video on-site, to win a non-speaking walk-on role through Macy’s West and a weekend for two on the North Carolina set. At Macy’s, Level 5 (SF). www.macys.com/onetreehill


Paid Activities
Event - Blue Gay-La [through Sunday]: Featuring comics Paula Poundstone and ANT, drag races down Heavenly Resort, and DJ Christopher Cox inside Montbleu’s BLU nightclub. In South Lake Tahoe, varying entry fees. www.bluelaketahoe.com

Performance - Chinese New Year Spectacular [Th 8pm, Fri 2pm/8pm, Sat 2pm/8pm]: Traditional dances, songs, and stories, as seen through 5,000 years of civilization. At the Orpheum Theatre (SF), $28-98. www.bestchineseshows.com

Event - Vagina Monologues Benefit [Fri 7pm]: An evening of music, poetry, and burlesque. Benefitting the Marin Abused Women’s Services and Marin County’s “Vagina Monologues.” At Larkspur Café Theater, $10-20. www.vday.org

Discussion - Creation Museum: An Inside Look [Fri 8pm]: With Jim Underdown, the executive director of Center for Inquiry. At World Affairs Council (SF), $10. www.centerforinquiry.net/sf

Event - 2008 All-Breed Dog Show [Sat-Sun 8:30am-5pm]: Sponsored by the Golden Gate Kennel Club. At the Cow Palace (Daly City), $5-10. www.goldengatekc.com

Event - Oakland A’s FanFest [Sat 10am-3pm]: Autograph and photo sessions, individual game ticket sales, baseball clinic and batting cages, and more. At McAfee Coliseum (Oakland), $10. www.oaklandas.com

Event - 2008 Supercross GP [Sat 12:30pm-10pm]: Practice sessions prior to 7pm show. At SBC Park (SF), $25-70. sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/sf/ballpark/sbcpark_events.jsp

Live Music - Mardi Gras Ball [Sat 7pm]: Featuring Phil Lesh and other performers. At Bill Graham Civic Auditorium (SF), $45. www.phillesh.net

Live Music - Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra [Sat 8pm]: At Zellerbach Hall (Berkeley), $34-68. www.calperformances.net

Theatre - Taking Over [through Feb 10]: At the Berkeley Rep, $17-69. www.berkeleyrep.org

Previous: Comedy - SF SketchFest [through Sunday in SF]; Festival - Women on the Way [through Sunday in SF]; Theatre - Speed the Plow [through Feb 3 in SF]

Randy's Guide LXIX (69)

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Randy's Guide LXVIII (68)

Today is the Islamic New Year; Friday is singer Mary J. Blige’s 37th and Albania’s Republic Day; Saturday are radio hosts Rush Limbaugh’s 57th and Howard Stern’s 54th; Sunday is Michigan’s Steve Yzerman Day; Monday is India’s Pongal (Harvest Festival); Tuesday is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.


Local News Story of the Week
Stanford University, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute are teaming up to establish the Center for Ocean Solutions. With the help of an initial $25 million bequeath from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the group will address concerns of global warming, pollution, and overfishing. http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_7924205


Change for Change
Hooray! Randy’s Guide has donated to Blue Energy. I hope you have done your part to support this organization.

New charity to consider: My New Red Shoes. Founder 30-year-old Heather Hopkins, a Princeton University graduate, provides new school clothes to homeless and poor children in the Bay Area. http://www.mynewredshoes.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, Farm Sanctuary, Bay Area Community Services, and now Blue Energy.

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


Weekend Weather
Bay Area: Drying out from a week of rain. Highs near 55-60, lows in the 40s.

High 10, Low -5: Anchorage, AK (light snow)
- Global warming has forced the Iditarod to move its race start northward, shorten the ceremonial route, and truck in snow to ensure adequate field conditions

High 51, Low 30: Blairsville, GA (partly cloudy)
- Gary Hilton is the prime suspect in the decapitation of hiker Meredith Emerson and Cheryl Dunlap

High 33, Low 23: Grand Rapids, MI (light snow)
- Republican candidates John McCain and Mitt Romney began their last-minute pushes before next Tuesday’s Michigan primaries

High 53, Low 30: Park Hill, OK (partly cloudy)
- About 40 employees disappeared from the 600-acre Greenleaf Nursery in late October, following passage of a strict anti-immigration bill

High 24, Low 11: St. Paul, MN (mostly cloudy)
- The Minnesota Wild will now be owned by former Nashville Predators owner Craig Leipold


Environmental Tip of the Week
With the influx of new clothes into our wardrobes, tons of used items will be leaving our closets shortly. Consider donating to a non-profit such as Soles4Souls or Dress for Success, which do not resell clothes to third-world nations. Regardless, though, we need to reduce the amount of reusable clothing items entering landfills (9 million tons in 2005!).

Previous:
Time to recycle that Christmas tree! Most municipalities now offer curb-side recycling services, which often put the trees to good use by turning it into mulch, hiking trail chippings, and beachfront erosion barriers.


Video of the Week
“Walkie Talkie Man” by Steriogram (New Zealand)

The rap-rock band emerged from obscurity after signing with Capitol Records and finding a home with iPod commercials.

Previous:
“World on Fire” by Sarah McLachlan (Canada)

$150,000 was sent to numerous global organizations in lieu of shooting an expensive music video. Check out all the different ways that expenses add up in a typical shoot… and how far that money can go in developing nations. Check out www.worldonfire.ca/donations.html for the full list of recipients.


Movie Box Office (through Jan. 6)
#1 National Treasure: Book of Secrets (PG): $20.0MM; $170.9MM overall; 3762 screens; $5,333 per screen
#2 Juno (PG): $41.3MM; $15.9MM overall; 1925 screens; $8,239 per screen; 3 Golden Globe nominations; recommended
#3 I Am Legend (PG-13): $15.7MM; $228.1MM overall; 3648 screens; $4,309 per screen
#18 There Will Be Blood (R): $1.3MM; $1.8MM overall; 51 screens; $25,905 per screen; 2 Golden Globe nominations

First Sunday (PG-13): Comedy; about two bumbling criminals who attempt to rob a church to pay off a loan; co-starring Ice Cube and Regina Hall

In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale (PG-13): Fantasy; about a family man’s attempts to find his kidnapped wife, amidst a massive backdrop of war; co-starring Ray Liotta and Matthew Lillard

Nanking (R): Documentary; about Chinese survivors of the Japanese invasion of Nanking, China; appearances by Woody Harrelson, Mariel Hemingway, and Stephen Dorff

Persepolis (PG-13): Animation; about a young girl coming-of-age in Iran during the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq war; co-voiced by Catherine Deneuve; 1 Golden Globe nomination; recommended

Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie (G): Animation; about three stage hands who dream of becoming theatre stars

Running with Arnold (NR): Documentary; about California’s fascinating actor-turned-governor; narrated by Alec Baldwin, appearances by Bill Maher and Rob Schneider

Violin (NR): Drama; about a musician family who doubles as a supporter of the guerrilla movement; winner of 46 festival awards, the most in Mexican film history


Free Activities
Family Appreciation Day [Sun, varying hours]: Free admission for San Francisco families with children to all 35 museums and attractions in the City. Must provide proof of residency. Free MUNI rides for children accompanying adults from 10am-4pm. Locations include the Exploratorium, Zoo, MoMA, AT&T Park, and Japanese Tea Garden. www.sfkids.org

Akatombo Ensemble [Sun 2pm/4pm]: Classical and folk styles of Japanese music and dance. 200 free tickets distributed one hour before the shows. At Tateuchi Hall (Mountain View). http://www.arts4all.org/


Paid Activities
Opera - Deborah Voigt [Th/Sat 8pm, Sun 2pm]: Soprano singing the works of Strauss, Barber, and Beethoven, with the SF Symphony supporting her. At Davies Symphony Hall (SF), $25-125. www.sfsymphony.org

Club - BT [Fri 8pm-2am]: With DJs Alain Ocavo, James Williams, and Jonathan Williams assisting. At Ruby Skye (SF), $15. http://www.rubyskye.com/

Live Music - Bill Graham Foundation Benefit [Fri 8:30pm]: With duets by Aaron Neville, Linda Ronstadt, Roy Rogers, and others. At the Fillmore (SF), $100-350. http://www.billgrahamfoundation.org/

Festival - Taste of Copia: Sonoma County [Sat 1-4pm]: Featuring more than 40 wineries, including Medlock Ames and Chateau St. Jean. At Copia (Napa), $30-45. www.copia.org/sonoma

Jazz - Monterey Jazz Festival [Sat 8pm]: 50th Anniversary tour. At Zellerbach Hall (Berkeley), $34-52. http://www.calperformances.net/

Film - 13th annual Berlin & Beyond [through Jan 16]: Films from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. At the Castro Theatre (SF), $5-100. http://www.berlinandbeyond.com/

Dance - Ethnic Dance Festival Auditions [weekends through Jan 20]: Check out more than 100 Northern California dance companies, as they perform the hula, Native American trick roping, and more. At the Palace of Fine Arts (SF), $7. http://www.worldartswest.org/

Comedy - SF SketchFest [through Jan 27]: Opening night party tonight featuring Aimee Mann and Paul Tompkins. At various locations through SF, $10-250. http://www.sfsketchfest.com/

Festival - Women on the Way [through Jan 27]: Opening gala on Friday night, with appearances by Sarah Bush Dance Project, Joshua Klipp, and others. At the Shotwell Studios and The Garage (SF), $15-25. http://www.ftloose.org/

Theatre - Speed the Plow [through Feb 3]: About two movie moguls and one seductive secretary. Written by David Mamet. At the ACT (SF), $15-80. http://www.act-sf.org/

Previous: Theatre - Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza [through Jan 20 in SF]

Randy's Guide LXVII Update

Another movie screening! Please RSVP to randysguide@gmail.com (guests permissible) if you wish to attend an advanced screening of the film PERSEPOLIS. This French animated story is about a young Iranian girl growing up during the Islamic Revolution and eventually going to school in Austria. It’s currently nominated for Best Foreign Film (Golden Globes and Independent Spirit Awards), and it’s already won the Jury Prize (Cannes Film Festival) and Best Animated Film (NY Film Critics and LA Film Critics).

Tuesday, January 8
7:30pm
Downtown San Francisco

-Randy

Randy's Guide LXVII

Today is actor Mel Gibson’s 52nd; Friday is Burmese National Day; Sunday is Three Kings Day (The Twelfth Day of Christmas); Tuesday is physicist Stephen Hawking’s 66th. Welcome to all readers!


Local News Story of the Week
U.S. House Representative Tom Lantos (D-San Mateo) announced he will retire from Congress after 28 years in office. After surviving the Holocaust and working to improve global human rights, Lantos must now battle cancer of the esophagus. www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=85406


Change for Change
Charity to consider: Blue Energy. The San Francisco-based nonprofit, which started as a graduate project at MIT, provides low-cost wind and solar electric systems in Nicaragua and eventually will spread its model worldwide. http://www.blueenergygroup.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, Farm Sanctuary, and Bay Area Community Services.

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


Weekend Weather
Bay Area: Remember the 2005 New Year’s Eve storm, which flooded much of Marin County? The forecast is for something similar over the next four days – 40mph wind gusts, local flooding, 3-5 inches of rain, whiteout mountain conditions, thunderstorms and possible hail. Highs near 50; lows in the 40s.

High 30-50, Low 30-45: Burlington, IA (clear and cold turning to weekend rain)
- Republican candidate Mike Huckabee made a last-minute plea for votes at a casino, in advance of this evening’s presidential caucuses

High 70, Low 55: Dallas, TX (warmer)
- 47-year-old Charles Chatman was released after DNA testing proved his innocence following 26 years in prison

High 65, Low 55: Daytona Beach, FL (warmer)
- Snow flurries fell along the coast, the first snowfall in Florida since 2006

High 45, Low 35: New York, NY (partly cloudy)
- David Letterman returned to work, hosting Robin Williams and sporting a bushy gray beard


Environmental Tip of the Week
Time to recycle that Christmas tree! Most municipalities now offer curb-side recycling services, which often put the trees to good use by turning it into mulch, hiking trail chippings, and beachfront erosion barriers.

Previous:
Disposal sites for your electronic waste have popped up around the Bay Area. With the holiday season providing a bounty of new equipment, return your unwanted DVD players, televisions, CDs, and other electronics to Green Citizen (in SF and Los Altos), Hayward’s E-Recycling, or Santa Clara’s Zak Enterprises, among others.


Video of the Week
“World on Fire” by Sarah McLachlan (Canada)

$150,000 was sent to numerous global organizations in lieu of shooting an expensive music video. Check out all the different ways that expenses add up in a typical shoot… and how far that money can go in developing nations. Check out www.worldonfire.ca/donations.html for the full list of recipients.

Previous:
“If I Have My Way” by Chrisette Michele (New York)

Nominated for one Grammy, Ms. Michele evokes past jazz singers on her debut album, while providing vocals on multiple songs for Jay-Z and Nas. She’s currently performing in the Washington D.C./Baltimore area.


Movie Box Office (through Jan. 1)
#1 National Treasure: Book of Secrets (PG): $54.5MM; $142.9MM overall; 3832 screens; $14,233 per screen
#2 Alvin and the Chipmunks (PG): $41.3MM; $153.6MM overall; 3484 screens; $11,842 per screen
#3 I Am Legend (PG-13): $39.1MM; $206.1MM overall; 3636 screens; $10,741 per screen
#18 The Savages (R): $0.8MM; $2.0MM overall; 111 screens; $7,217 per screen; 1 Golden Globe nomination

Aliens vs. Predator - Requiem (R): Sci-fi; about two sets of film monsters battling in a small Colorado town

Meeting Resistance (NR): Documentary; about eight insurgents in Baghdad and their pathway to resistance

One Missed Call (PG-13): Horror; about a young woman who has two friends suffer gruesome deaths days after receiving phone messages recording their final moments; co-starring Edward Burns

There Will Be Blood (R): Drama; about a frontiersman who moves West in search of oil; co-starring Daniel Day-Lewis; directed by Paul Thomas Anderson; 2 Golden Globe nominations


Free Activities
Tom Stoppard [Sat 10am]: The famed playwright of “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” speaks with Carey Perloff. At the American Conservatory Theatre (SF). http://www.act-sf.org/

Coro Hispano [Sat 2pm]: 40-person chorus spanning Latin America. At Mission Cultural Center (SF). http://www.coro-hispano.org/

Great Migration Celebration [Sun 10am-5pm]: The California Academy of Sciences is closing shop and moving to its new site. Festivities include slide shows, arts and crafts. Bring a housewarming gift (see Web site for details) to gain free admission (SF). http://www.calacademy.org/


Paid Activities
Live Music - Social Distortion [Fri/Sat 9pm, Sun/Tue 8pm]: With American Steel opening. At the Fillmore (SF), $30. www.socialdistortion.com

Live Music - Kitka [Fri/Sat 8pm, Sun 2pm]: All-female Balkan and Slavic vocalists performing Rusalski. At the Jewish Community Center (SF), $15-28. www.kitka.org

Dance - Theatre Flamenco [Fri 8pm]: San Francisco’s venerable group journeys south. At the Center for Performing Arts (Mountain View), $30. www.theatreflamenco.org

Live Music - Next Wave of Bluegrass [Sun 6:30pm]: A fundraiser for February’s Bluegrass & Old-Time Festival. At Café Du Nord (SF), $10-20. www.cafedunord.com

Previous: Theatre - Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza [through Jan 20 in SF]