Randy's Guide LXXXIV (84)

Today is May Day, Ireland's Beltane (start of summer), and Czech Republic's National Love Day; Friday is Iran's Teacher's Day, Poland's Flag Holiday, and singer Lily Allen's 23rd; Sunday is China's May Fourth Movement Day; Monday is Cinco de Mayo and Albania's Martyrs' Day; Tuesday is boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter's 71st; and Wednesday is 49ers quarterback Alex Smith's 24th.


Local News Story
Waste Management has announced plans to convert excess methane from its Altamont landfill into liquefied natural gas, which would power some of its trucks. The landfill already generates about 8 megawatts of electricity from methane, enough to power 6,000 homes. www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/30/BUTS10DSNP.DTL


Change for Change
New charity to consider: College Track. As featured in Bill Clinton's book "Giving," College Track offers high-school students in East Palo Alto, San Francisco, and Oakland free tutoring, internships, and university application assistance. To date, all 226 students have enrolled in college. www.collegetrack.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, Blue Energy, and My New Red Shoes.

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


Weekend Weather
Bay Area: Mild, with light afternoon breezes. Highs 59-64 beaches, 65-70 bay, 71-76 inland; lows 45-50.

High 59, Low 43: Chicago, IL (chance of rain before clearing Sunday)
- About 15,000 rallied for immigration rights on May Day, smaller than previous years due to deportation fears and increased efforts to register voters instead

High 74, Low 56: Los Angeles, CA (partly cloudy)
- The city remains the worst U.S. city for smog and year-round particle pollution, while Pittsburgh was tops for soot

High 64, Low 41: North Bonneville, WA (rain, then weekend clearing)
- Sea lions have been captured near Bonneville Dam in an attempt to save the chinook salmon

High 69, Low 51: Washington, D.C. (mostly cloudy)
- Cabbies have until June 1 to install meters for calculating fares, replacing a decades-old system that divided the city into zones


Environmental Tips
With graduation, birthday, and wedding parties upon us, preparation should account for the impact on our planet. Consider fair-trade, organic chocolate and nuts as exiting party gifts. Also consider planted herbs, flower seeds, and bamboo baskets filled with fresh, in-season fruit.

Previous:
With gas prices averaging $4/gallon in San Francisco and over $3.50/gallon nationwide, it's time to do a quick check on your car. Replacing your dirty air filter and properly inflating your tires can improve gas mileage up to 13%, the equivalent of about 50 cents per gallon.


Music Videos
"In the Night" by Basia Bulat (Canada)

She wowed the crowd at the Fillmore as the opening act to DeVotchKa. You may have heard her song as part of a TV promotion on AMC. Catch her playing the autoharp in Seattle, Chicago, Asheville, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Boston, and NYC later this month.

"Waiting for a War" by The Morning Benders (Berkeley, Calif.)

On Tuesday, the local indie-pop quartet releases its first album, chock-full of winning jingles. To celebrate, they stop by Virgin Megastore for a free performance on Tuesday evening, before paid (many already sold-out) performances at 330 Ritch (May 9), Los Angeles, San Diego, Portland, Denver, Chicago, and NYC over the next two months.


Movies (through Apr. 27)
#1 Baby Mama (PG-13): $17.4MM opening; 2543 screens; $6,845 per screen
#2 Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (R): $14.9MM opening; 2510 screens; $5,940 per screen
#3 The Forbidden Kingdom (PG-13): $11.2MM; $38.2MM overall; 3151 screens; $3,558 per screen
#24 Tashan (NR): $0.3MM opening; 75 screens; $4,016 per screen; the latest Bollywood film hits American shores

Dhamma Brothers (NR): Documentary; about a maximum-security prison in the Deep South that has embraced an ancient meditation program

Dark Matter (R): Drama; about a young Chinese astrophysics student and his mentorship to a scientist; co-starring Meryl Streep and Aidan Quinn

Graduation (NR): Drama; about three graduating seniors who decide to rob a family member's bank

Iron Man (PG-13): Sci-fi; about a wealthy industrialist who leads a double life as a superhero; co-starring Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, and Gwyneth Paltrow

Made of Honor (PG-13): Comedy; about a man secretly in love with his best friend, who is about to be married; co-starring Patrick Dempsey, Michelle Monaghan, and Sydney Pollack

Roman De Gare (R): Drama; about a popular writer seeking characters for her next novel

Standard Operating Procedure (R): Documentary; about the events at Abu Ghraib prison

The Singing Revolution (NR): Documentary; about the use of music in the Estonian struggle against Soviet and Nazi occupation

Then She Found Me (R): Comedy-drama; about a widowed woman who is contacted by her apparent birth mother; co-starring Helen Hunt, Bette Midler, and Matthew Broderick

Netflix pick – Maxed Out (NR): Informative, involving documentary about the nation's addiction to debt and credit cards


Free Activities
Sausalito Spring Faire [Sat-Sun 10am-6pm]: In downtown Sausalito. www.sausalitonurseryschool.org

Livermore Wine Country Festival [Sat-Sun 10am-5pm]: Wine tasting, food pairings, local art, olive oil samples, and live music. In historic downtown Livermore. www.livermoredowntown.com

Cinco de Mayo Festival [Sat 10am-5pm]: At Dolores Park (SF). www.sfcincodemayo.com

Pow Wow Festival [Sat-Sun 10am-7pm]: Native American arts & crafts, dancers, drums, and food. At Mission San Juan Bautista. www.oldmissionsjb.com

Brass Menazeri [Sat 1-3pm]: Slavic brass music. With Rupa and the April Fishes. At Yerba Buena Gardens (SF). www.ybgf.org

International Dance Show [Sat 8pm]: Dance performed to live music from Hawaii, Tahiti, and Bali. At the Mahea Uchiyama Center (Berkeley). www.mahea.com

Healthy Living Fair [Sun 10am-2pm]: At the JCC (SF). www.jccsf.org

9th Annual How Weird Street Faire [Sun 11:11am-5:55pm]: Bright costumes, electronic music, and food... with a green streak, with biodiesel, biodegradable forks, and sustainability exhibits will play a prominent role. At Howard and First St (SF). www.howweird.org

40th Annual Neighborhood Arts Festival [through Saturday]: Featuring a series of workshops, poetry readings, and community events at SF venues ranging from Glide Memorial to the Bayview Opera House. www.sfartscommission.org

Chris Hardman [through Sunday]: A fusion of light, movement, space, art, and textured sound. At the Presidio Officers' Hall (SF). www.presidio.gov


Paid Activities
Live Music - Peter Moren [Th 7pm]: As in, the "Peter" in Peter Bjorn and John. With Tobias Frobert and Big Search. At Cafe du Nord (SF), $15. www.cafedunord.com

Live Music - Fishtank Ensemble [Fri 8pm]: A fusion of Gypsy jazz, Japanese shamisen, French lyrics, and flamenco guitar. At the Red Poppy Art House (SF), $12-15. www.fishtankensemble.com

Event - Norway Day Festival [Sat-Sun 10am-4pm]: At Herbst Pavilion (SF), $8-12. www.norwayday.org

Event - Maker Faire [Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 11am-6pm]: Great for do-it-yourselfers. At the San Mateo County Fairgrounds (San Mateo), $10-25. www.makerfaire.com

Live Music - KT Tunstall [Wed 8pm]: Pop. With Paddy Casey opening. At the Warfield (SF), $30. www.kttunstall.com

Opera - The Little Prince [through May 11]: Based on the Antoine de Saint-Exupery classic. At Zellerbach Hall (Berkeley), $20-60. www.calperformances.org

Previous: Film - United Artists 90th Anniversary Film Festival [through Saturday in SF]; Film - 51st Annual San Francisco International Film Festival [through May 8 in SF]; Art - Annie Leibovitz [through May 25 in SF]; Theatre - Insignificant Others [extended through July 27 in SF]


Upcoming Activities in May
Margaret Cho [May 9 in Davis]; KFOG Ka-Boom [May 10 in SF]; Bay to Breakers [May 18 in SF]; Great America Gay Day [May 23 in Santa Clara]