Randy's Guide XCVI (96)

Today is "X-Files" actor David Duchovny's 48th and British Columbia Day; Friday is the start of the Beijing Olympics, a Very Lucky Day indeed (8-8-08); Saturday is Singapore's National Day and singer Whitney Houston's 45th; Sunday is National Smores Day; Monday is Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's 65th and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak's 58th; Tuesday is financier George Soros' 78th; and Wednesday is International Left-Handers' Day.


Local News Story
Your charitable contributions may not be getting to their intended source. According to a Los Angeles Times recent audit, more than 12% of 5,800 nonprofit fundraising campaigns over the past decade either cost the charity money or raised nothing, after accounting for the fundraising company's fees. Local examples include the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the San Francisco Ballet. www.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=6864&catid=4


Change for Change
Charity to consider: The Little Angel Fund. A tip from Elvin Z. points out this New York-based group of parents supporting premature infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and their families. http://www.littleangelfund.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, My New Red Shoes, College Track, Foundation for the People of Burma, and Vital Life Services.

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


Weekend Weather
Bay Area: Continued cool, with Sunday being warmest. Highs 55-65 coast, 65-75 bay, 75-85 inland. Lows 50-55.

High 86, Low 58: Denver, Colo. (slight chance of t-storms)
- More than half of the 75,000 seats at Invesco Field will be given to Colorado residents, in the build-up to Barack Obama's speech during the Democratic Convention

High 77, Low 61: Detroit, Mich. (showers, then weekend clearing)
- Embattled Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick will spend at least one night in jail, following an unauthorized trip to Canada in July

High 94, Low 76: Houston, Tex. (mostly cloudy)
- Victoria Osteen, who helps lead a local megachurch with her husband, sat in court to defend herself against allegations that she assaulted a Continental Airlines flight attendant in 2005


Environmental Tips
A new driver term has been founded: hypermiler. It is an individual who strives to achieve every last mile per gallon possible. Some key tips: parking with the front of the car facing out (to exit without braking); slowing down well before a red light (to prevent idling); and using the car's momentum while on flat or downhill roads (to avoid rapid starts and stops).

Previous:
Compost bags tend to run a bit pricey and are a bit hard to find in local stores. Use your empty juice or milk cartons (half-gallon) for composting your food scraps, q-tips, used coffee grounds, and dirty napkins.


Music Videos
"I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You" by Black Kids (Jacksonville, Fla.)

They've hit the top 10 in the UK charts with their debut album, and Rolling Stone and the BBC both have spotlighted them for 2008. No surprise, they're touring twice in Europe over the next few months, with a few October U.S. dates including Atlanta, Boston, Minneapolis, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and San Diego.

Previous:
"I Do" by Larkin Gayl (Fairfax, Calif. and Santa Fe, N.M.)

The Bay Area native's debut album largely came about from winning a Marin Idol contest. Now she has Norah Jones' drummer and Sting's guitarist to support her, with an upcoming performance at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco (Aug 22).


Movies (revenues through August 3)
#1 The Dark Knight (PG-13): $42.7MM; $393.8MM overall; 4266 screens; $10,001 per screen
#2 The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (PG-13): $40.5MM opening; 3760 screens; $10,760 per screen
#3 Step Brothers (R): $16.5MM; $63.2MM overall; 3094 screens; $5,335 per screen
#13 Brideshead Revisited (PG-13): $1.2MM; $1.7MM overall; 189 screens; $6,156 per screen; the Emma Thompson romantic drama expanded well in its second weekend

Bottle Shock (PG-13): Comedy; about a small American winery that defeated the best French wines in a 1976 competition; co-starring Bill Pullman

Boy A (R): Drama; about a young man given a new identity following his release from a juvenile institution

Elegy (R): Drama; about a skirt-chasing professor who gets too close to one of his students; co-starring Penelope Cruz, Ben Kingsley, and Dennis Hopper

Forsaken Land (NR): Drama; about an isolated home in a forsaken land

Hell Ride (R): Action; about two rival biker gangs

Man on Wire (PG-13): Documentary; about a young Frenchman who planned several years for his successful walk on a wire between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in 1974

Pineapple Express (R): Comedy; about a lazy stoner and his dealer's rare new marijuana strain; co-starring James Franco and Seth Rogen

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (PG-13): Sequel drama; about four life-long friends who remain in close contact even after their first year of college; co-starring America Ferrera

To the Limit (NR): Documentary; about two German brothers who strive to speed climb up Yosemite's El Capitan

Netflix pick – Grbavica (NR): This character-driven drama packs an emotional wallop by focusing on a woman still recovering from the Bosnian conflict with Serbia; winner of three prizes at the Berlin Film Festival, including Best Film; $43,000 U.S. box-office gross


Free Activities
Best of the Bay Party [Th 8pm]: Featuring the best vendors in San Francisco, along with live music and burlesque acts. At 1015 Folsom (SF). www.sfbg.com/bobparty

World Hoop Day [Fri 1-8pm]: 2nd annual event, with special appearances by HoopGirl Allstars and the founder of World Hoop Day. On Treasure Island (SF). http://www.worldhoopday.org/

Olympics Telecast [Fri 6pm]: Featuring live Olympic telecast, music, free drawings, and more. At Courthouse Square (Redwood City). http://www.redwoodcityevents.com/

Burlingame Festival [Sat-Sun 10am-6pm]: 16th annual event. On Burlingame Avenue. http://www.burlingamechamber.org/

Nihonmachi Street Fair [Sat-Sun 11am-6pm]: 35th annual event, featuring live music and Asian-American artisans. On Post Street in Japantown (SF). http://www.nihonmachistreetfair.org/

Pistahan [Sat-Sun 11am-5pm]: 15th annual event celebrating Filipino-American culture, featuring musical guests Nerio DeGracia Mambo Jazz Quintet and Little Brown Brother. At Yerba Buena Gardens (SF). http://www.ybgf.org/

Japanese Summer Festival [Sat 1-10pm, Sun noon-8:30pm]: Featuring bon odori folk dancing, taiko drumming, calligraphy and judo demonstrations, and more. At Concord Japanese Cultural Center. http://www.diablojaclub.com/

The Good Person of Szechuan [Sat-Sun 1pm]: Presented by Woman's Will, the Bay Area's all-female Shakespeare company. At Dolores Park (SF). http://www.womanswill.org/

~ Ongoing ~
Film Night in the Park [Fri-Sat 8pm]: "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane" (Fri, San Anselmo); "The Goonies" (Sat, San Anselmo); "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (Sat, SF Union Square). http://www.filmnight.org/

Live Jazz in the Square [Th 6pm]: Featuring Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers. In Union Square Park (SF). http://www.sfjazz.org/

San Francisco Mime Troupe [Sun 1:30pm]: Its latest sparkling production, "Red State," focuses on a small Kansas town that is the last to vote in the 2008 presidential election. At Golden Gate Park (SF). http://www.sfmt.org/

Shakespeare in the Park [Sat 7:30pm, Sun 5pm]: 25 years of Free Shakespeare. Performing "Pericles." At Central Park (San Mateo). http://www.sfshakes.org/

Shotgun Players Theatre [Sat-Sun 4pm]: "Ubu for President." Through Sep 14. In John Hinkel Park (Berkeley). http://www.shotgunplayers.org/

Stern Grove Festival [Sun 2pm]: Featuring One Hawai'i, an all-star line-up of Hawaiian performers. At Stern Grove (SF). http://www.sterngrove.org/

Walking Tours in the Presidio [Wed/Sun 2pm]: Through August 27. At Presidio Officers' Club (SF). http://www.presidio.gov/


Paid Activities
Event - San Jose Jazz Festival [Fri 5pm-midnight, Sat noon-midnight, Sun noon-8pm]: 19th annual event, featuring 11 stages of live jazz. In downtown San Jose, free-$25. http://www.sanjosejazz.org/

Comedy - Bill Maher [Fri 8pm]: At Davies Symphony Hall (SF), $40-66. http://www.billmaher.com/

Event - US Air Guitar Championships [Fri 8pm]: At the Grand Ballroom (SF), $20. http://www.usairguitar.com/

Live Music - Projekt Revolution [Sat 1pm]: Featuring Linkin Park, Chris Cornell, and the Bravery. At Shoreline Amphitheatre (Mountain View), $20-71. http://www.projektrevolution.com/

Live Music - Robin Thicke [Tue 7pm]: At Mezzanine (SF), $45. http://www.robinthicke.com/

Theatre - Uncle Vanya [through Aug 31]: As part of the California Shakespeare Theater season. At Bruns Amphitheatre (Orinda), $32-62. http://www.calshakes.org/

Previous: Theatre - What You Will [through Saturday in SF]; Theatre - Los Gatos Shakespeare Festival [through Saturday in Los Gatos]; Art - Dead Sea Scrolls [through Sunday in SF]; Film - 28th Jewish Film Festival [through Monday in SF, Berkeley, Palo Alto, and San Rafael]; Live Music - Idols in Concert [through Aug 16 in SF]; Theatre - The Drowsy Chaperone [through Aug 17 in SF]; Theatre - Oh My Godmother! [extended through Aug 31 in SF]; Art - Women Impressionists [through Sept 21 in SF]; Theatre - Insignificant Others [extended through Sept 21 in SF]; Art - Ming Dynasty [through Sept 21 in SF]; Art - Frida Kahlo [through Oct 26 in SF]


Upcoming Activities in September
Margaret Cho [Sept 12 in Saratoga]; Herbie Hancock [Sept 20 in SF]; A Bronx Tale [starts Sept 23 in SF]