Randy's Guide CXXV (125)

Today is the beginning of the Bahai Faith's Ayyam-i-Ha; Friday is activist Ralph Nader's 75th; Saturday is Secretary of Energy Steven Chu's 61st and Finland's Kalevala (Culture Day); Sunday is Tasmania's Eight Hours Day; Monday is 007 actor Daniel Craig's 41st; Tuesday is Japan's Hinamatsuri (Girl's Day); and Wednesday is Vermont's Admission Day.


Local News
Our beloved hometown newspaper, The San Francisco Chronicle, may be nearing its end. Hearst Corp., a privately held New York conglomerate of 16 papers, says that cuts are imminent and a sale or closure is possible given financial circumstances. Publishing since 1865, the Chronicle has weekly readership of 1.6 million and online readership at SFGate among the top 10 news Web sites in the nation. www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/25/MNO2164F73.DTL


Deal of the Week
Visit the famed de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park on Tuesday, March 3 for free. While there, you can pay an additional $10 for either the new Andy Warhol exhibit (through May 17) or the Yves Saint Laurent exhibit (through April 5). www.famsf.org/deyoung


Change for Change
Charity to consider: San Francisco Women Against Rape (SFWAR). Providing free rape crisis services for over 30 years, the San Francisco-based organization also offers information and resources to healthcare workers, educators, and law enforcement officers. www.sfwar.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, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Bay Localize.


Bay Area Weekend Weather
Unsettled, with warmer sub-tropical moisture likely for Saturday afternoon and Sunday.

Highs: upper-50s (coast) to mid-60s (inland)
Lows: low-40s (inland) to upper-40s (coast)


Environmental Tips
Dirty disposable diapers - the EPA estimates that we send 3.5 million tons of them every year. Look into either cloth diapers or flushable diapers (www.gdiapers.com) as better solutions.

Previous:
Plastic containers with a "microwave-safe" label only means that it will not melt or fall apart if used in the microwave. Chemicals may still leach into the foods when heated. Instead, transfer the food into a glass or ceramic container for quick reheating.


Music Videos
"Mexico City" by Jolie Holland (San Francisco, Calif.)


Bred in Houston and now living in New York City, Ms. Holland released her fourth album in October of last year. Her next gig is at Carnegie Hall on March 11.

Previous:
"Hope There's Someone" by Antony and the Johnsons (New York, N.Y.)


A Noise Pop headliner in San Francisco, the cabaret group is known to explore transgender issues in its music. Three months of upcoming shows in Europe (ranging from Brussels to Zurich to Edinburgh) are broken up by a lone U.S. performance at Coachella on April 19.


Movies (domestic revenues through February 23)
#1 Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail (PG-13): $41.0 million opening; 2032 screens; $20,192 per screen
#2 Coraline (PG): $11.4 million; $53.8 million overall (3rd weekend); 2155 screens; $5,305 per screen
#3 Taken (PG-13): $11.3 million; $95.0 million overall (4th weekend); 3102 screens; $3,637 per screen
#44 The Dark Knight (PG-13): $94 thousand; $533.2 million overall (32nd weekend); 55 screens; $1,708 per screen; congratulations are in order for its two Oscars, including one for Heath Ledger's chilling performance as the Joker

The Betrayal (NR): Documentary; about the struggle of filmmaker Thavisouk Phrasavath's family to survive U.S. economic sanctions in Laos

Echelon Conspiracy (PG-13): Thriller; about a young American engineer caught in the middle of a deadly international plot; co-starring Shane West, Edward Burns, Ving Rhames, and Martin Sheen

Garrison Keillor: The Man on the Radio in the Red Shoes (NR): Documentary; about Garrison Keillor, who began a one-man radio show in 1974 that formed the basis for "A Prairie Home Companion"; co-starring Robin Williams and Garrison Keillor

Gomorrah (R): Drama; about six short stories involving criminals in southern Italy

Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience (G): Documentary; about a day in the life of Joe, Nick, and Kevin Jonas

One Day You'll Understand (NR): Drama; about a Gestapo trial that reveals the truth behind the actions of a man's parents during WWII

Silent Light (NR): Drama; about a traditional married man who falls in love with another woman

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (PG-13): Action; about the famed video-game warriors in a battle in Bangkok; co-starring Chris Klein and Michael Clarke Duncan

Two Lovers (R): Drama; about a young troubled man who moves back home and promptly becomes involved with two women of opposing characteristics; co-starring Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Isabella Rossellini

DVD Pick - Cloverfield (PG-13): This tense disaster film, made from the perspective of a hand-held camera, has limited dialogue but a surprisingly good premise and execution. Domestic box office: $80.0 million; foreign box office: $90.7 million.


Activities
Martha Wainwright [Thu 8p]: As part of Noise Pop; sister of Rufus Wainwright. With AA Bondy, Ryan Auffenberg, and Karin Denike opening. At Slim's (SF), $12. www.marthawainwright.com

WonderCon [Fri 12-7p, Sat 10a-7p, Sun 11a-5p]: Hundreds of comic-book vendors and artists, with appearances by cast members of Watchmen, Star Trek, and Terminator Salvation. At Moscone Center South (SF), $12-40. www.comic-con.org

Maus Haus [Fri 5p]: As part of Noise Pop; assembled through friends and Craigslist. At Benders Bar (SF), FREE. www.maushaus.com

Guitar Blues [Fri 8p]: With Jorma Kaukonen, Robben Ford, and Ruthie Foster. At Marin Center (San Rafael), $18-40. www.marincenter.org

Celebrity Crab Crack-Off [Sat noon-3p]: 7th annual. Join local celebrities and members from the San Francisco 49ers. Proceeds benefit the 49ers Foundation. In Union Square Park (SF), FREE though food/alcohol tickets are $5 each.

The Sacred Arts of Bhutan [Sun 10a-5p]: Exhibit runs through May 10. At Asian Art Museum (SF), FREE first Sundays. www.asianart.org

Nicole Cabell - soprano [Sun 3p]: 2005 winner of the BBC Singer of the World competition in Wales. Her solo debut album also captured multiple awards. Including works by Liszt and Bernstein. At Hertz Hall (Berkeley), $41-46. www.calperformances.net

Chris Isaak [Mon 6p]: At Amoeba Music (SF), FREE. www.chrisisaak.com

Museum of African Diaspora [through Sat]: Celebrate Black History Month with exhibits about food origins and slave narratives. At MoAD (SF), FREE. www.moadsf.org

Betrayed [through Mar 8]: Based on journalist George Packer's New Yorker article about Iraqi translators working for Americans in Baghdad. At Aurora Theatre (Berkeley), $40-42. www.auroratheatre.org

International Children's Film Festival [through Mar 15]: 3rd annual. Featuring more than 150 short films. At Moscone Center South (SF), Zeum Theatre (SF), and Children's Discovery Museum (San Jose), FREE with museum/festival admission. www.sfchildrensfilm.org

Bat Boy, the Musical [through Mar 22]: About a half-bat, half-human boy. At Foothill College's Lohman Theatre (Los Altos Hills), $18-26. www.foothill.edu/FA/theater

Previous: Comedy - The W. Kamau Bell Curve [through Saturday in SF]; Dance - Swan Lake [through Sunday in SF]; Theatre - Angry Black White Boy [extended through Mar 8 in SF]; Theatre - In the Next Room (or the vibrator play) [through Mar 15 in Berkeley]; Theatre - Souvenir [through Mar 15 in SF]


Upcoming April Activities
Lily Allen concert [Apr 4 in SF]; UB40 concert [Apr 17 in San Rafael]; Fleet Foxes concert [Apr 21 in Oakland]