Randy's Guide CXVIII (118)

Today is physicist Stephen Hawking's 67th; Friday is Panama's Martyrs' Day; Saturday is the 53rd anniversary of the opening of the United Nations General Assembly; Sunday is Nepal's Unity Day; Monday is radio host Howard Stern's 55th; Tuesday is Sweden's St. Knut's Day and English actor Orlando Bloom's 32nd; and Wednesday is the Eastern Orthodox New Year's Day and journalist Andy Rooney's 90th.


Local News
Beware what you write online about businesses. A San Francisco artist has been sued for libel and invasion of privacy by a local chiropractor for negative comments about his billing practices posted on Yelp. The back-and-forth between the two men has been ongoing since November 2007 and may go to trial in March in San Francisco Superior Court. www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/08/MNN81559L2.DTL


Change for Change
Charity to consider: Bay Localize. The Oakland nonprofit, which promotes regional self-reliance, is working with Glide Memorial Church to produce vegetables atop its Tenderloin offices. Kale, turnips, carrots, and radishes are currently in full production. http://www.baylocalize.org/

Donate through the nonprofit's Web site or your corporate donation program.

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, Vital Life Services, Little Angel Fund, San Francisco Health Services Coalition, and Natural Resources Defense Council.


Bay Area Weekend Weather
Gradual warming trend, no rain in sight. Possible record-breaking temperatures Sunday and Monday.

Highs: low-60s (coast) to low-70s (inland)
Lows: mid-30s (inland) to mid-40s (coast)


Environmental News
Packaging makes up one-third of all garbage created in the U.S. Cut back on buying single servings of snacks and drinks. Yes, those small bags of chips and 8-ounce bottles add up. Instead, plan bulk purchases in advance, and portion them out into reusable containers.

Previous:
25 million Christmas trees are sold each holiday season. Please recycle your tree so that your local community can turn it into valuable mulch, trail chippings, and shoreline erosion barriers. Remove tinsel, decorations, lights, and non-wood tree stands. For San Francisco residents, Sunset Scavenger will collect the trees during the regular pick-up day next week, January 5-11.


Music Videos
"Seeing Hands" by Dengue Fever (Los Angeles, Calif.)

Two brothers found Cambodian lead singer Chhom Nimol in a Long Beach nightclub, and the group (six in all) has released three albums infusing Khmer lyrics with psychedelic rock. Upcoming shows are in Hoboken (Saturday) and New York City (Sunday).

Previous:
"The Show" by Lenka (Los Angeles, Calif. / Sydney, Australia)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nTSU-mFWGs
Lenka, a popular Czech-Slovak name, derives from her dad (who immigrated from Czechslovakia to Australia). You might have heard her song on an Old Navy commercial, or perhaps "Ugly Betty." She'll make a stop in San Francisco on January 15, in addition to shows in Denver, Chicago, Minneapolis, Washington DC, Portland, and Charlottesville.


Movies (domestic revenues through January 4)
#1 Marley & Me (PG): $24.3MM; $106.7MM overall; 3505 screens; $6,923 per screen
#2 Bedtime Stories (PG): $20.5MM; $85.5MM overall; 3684 screens; $5,565 per screen
#3 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (PG-13): $18.7MM; $79.3MM overall; 2988 screens; $6,255 per screen; nominated for 5 Golden Globes, including Best Picture and Actor (Brad Pitt)
#17 The Reader (R): $1.6MM; $3.6MM overall; 398 screens; $4,016 per screen; about a 15-year-old boy who begins a lifetime of chance meetings with an older woman; co-starring Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes; nominated for 4 Golden Globes, including Best Picture and Supporting Actress (Winslet)

Bride Wars (PG): Comedy; about childhood best friends who are helping to plan the details of their respective weddings; co-starring Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway

Che (R): Drama; about the famous Argentine doctor who took part in Fidel Castro's revolution and later became an invaluable resource for guerrilla fighting; co-starring Benicio Del Toro; directed by Steven Soderbergh

How About You (NR): Comedy; about four rude residents in an elderly home, and the woman in charge of the home during Christmas; co-starring Vanessa Redgrave

Last Chance Harvey (PG-13): Romantic comedy; about an unlikely pairing between a down-and-out New Yorker and a spry London woman; co-starring Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson

Not Easy Broken (PG-13): Drama; about a happily married couple who faces some difficult decisions following a devastating auto crash; co-starring Morris Chestnut

The Unborn (PG-13): Horror; about a young woman (previously an orphan) who begins to see strange dreams and ghosts; co-starring Gary Oldman

Waltz with Bashir (R): Animation; about a director and his friend's investigation into a recurring nightmare about 26 vicious dogs

DVD Pick - Introducing the Dwights (R): Co-star Brenda Blethyn ("Secrets and Lies"), a single mom who dreams of reigniting her comedy career, contends with her two sons' pursuits. Domestic box office: $0.4 million; foreign box office: $1.6 million (mostly Australia).


Activities
Chinese New Year's Spectacular [Thu-Fri 7:30p, Sat 2:30p/7:30p, Sun 2:30p, Tue 7:30p, Wed 2:30p/7:30p, Thu 7:30p]: Classical Chinese dance and music, based on ancient legends and featuring elaborate costumes. At Opera House (SF) and Flint Center (Cupertino), $30-180. http://www.sfshow.net/

Downtown Ice [Thu 5-10p, Fri 5pm-midnight, Sat noon-midnight, Sun noon-10p]: Ice skating around the Circle of Palms in downtown San Jose. $11-15. www.sjdowntown.com/eve_eve_ice.html

Tony Martin [Thu-Sat 7p]: The 96-year-old crooner steps out of mourning for his recently deceased wife for a local stop. At Rrazz Room (SF), $50. http://www.therrazzroom.com/

South Bay Home & Garden Show [Fri noon-8p, Sat 11a-7p, Sun 11a-6p]: At Santa Clara Convention Center, FREE-$11. $3 online savings. http://www.southbayhomeshow.com/

Jack London's Birthday Celebration [Sat noon-2p]: Featuring a history walk around Jack London Square, birthday cake reception, a book reading, and more. At Jack London Square (Oakland), FREE. http://www.jacklondonsquare.com/

Walking Tours of the Presidio [Sat-Sun 1p]: 90-minute tours, entitled "Little War, Big Impact" (Sat) and "Buffalo Soldiers in a Jim Crow Army" (Sun). Meet at Presidio Officers' Club (SF), FREE. http://www.presidio.gov/

Qadim Ensemble [Sat 7:30p]: Music from the Middle East, northern India, and the Mediterranean regions. At Red Poppy Art House (SF), $12-15. http://www.redpoppyarthouse.org/

Family Appreciation Day [Sun various hours]: For San Francisco families with children ages 0-18, free entry to 32 museums and attractions. Featuring AT&T Park tours, California Academy of Sciences, Coit Tower, Exploratorium, Golden Gate Park Carousel, Japanese Tea Garden, and San Francisco Zoo. Free MUNI rides for kids too! At various SF museums, FREE. http://www.sfkids.org/

John Legend [Mon 8p]: At the Paramount Theatre (Oakland), $51-77. http://www.johnlegend.com/

Previous: Theatre - Macbeth [through Sunday in Berkeley]; Art - Maya Lin: Systematic Landscapes [through Jan 18 in SF]; Theatre - The Arabian Nights [through Jan 18 in Berkeley]; Event - Holiday Ice Skating [through Jan 19 in SF]; Art - Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul [through Jan 25 in SF]


Upcoming February Activities
Kodo [Feb 6 in San Rafael]; Music in 12 Parts, by Philip Glass [Feb 16 in SF]; Monster Jam Monster Truck Racing [Feb 28 in Oakland]