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

Previous:
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]