Randy's Guide CXXVIII (128)

Today is actor Bruce Willis' 54th; Friday is the Vernal Equinox (first day of spring); Saturday is Persian New Year's Day; Sunday is CNN newsman Wolf Blitzer's 61st; Monday is the Day of Hungarian-Polish Friendship; Tuesday is Colts' quarterback Peyton Manning's 33rd; and Wednesday is Dominos' founder Tom Monaghan's 71st.


Local News
San Francisco-based Gap Inc. announced that its Chairman-CEO Glenn Murphy will lower his salary by 15% this year, and its board will reduce in size by three members and take a 15% compensation cut. Merit-based salary increases will also be eliminated for most employees based at headquarters. www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/03/18/financial/f135540D66.DTL


Deal of the Week
Dr. Pepper is offering one free 20-ounce or 2-liter bottle per person. Register at www.freedietdrpepper.com by March 31 to receive your voucher by mail.


Change for Change
Congrats to San Francisco Women Against Rape (SFWAR)! Hopefully you have made some effort to support the organization.

New charity to consider: Sustainable Conservation. Founded in 1993, the San Francisco-based nonprofit organization partners with businesses, government leaders, and private landowners to combat climate change and protect natural resources. The group has been recognized by the EPA, Governor Schwarzenegger, USA Today, and National Public Radio. www.suscon.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, Bay Localize, and now San Francisco Women Against Rape.


Bay Area Weekend Weather
Mild weather will give way to a showery weekend.

Highs: low-60s (coast) to low-70s (inland) dropping to mid-50s on Sunday
Lows: low-50s dropping to low-40s on Sunday


Environmental Tips
A family trip to the farmers market will engage everyone - from meeting the farmer who grows the food, to seeing the wide array of organic produce and other edibles.

Previous:
An MIT team appears to have figured out how to quick charge lithium-ion batteries in a matter of seconds, rather than minutes or hours. This could prove especially useful as plug-in hybrids, electric cars, lightweight laptops, smart phones, and other advanced electronics will become increasingly common in the marketplace.


Music Videos
"I Love College" by Asher Roth (Morrisville, Pa.)


I guess I'm a bit behind, with over 2.5 million views for this video featuring the best of one's university days... namely, booze at fraternity parties, cheap pizza, and random hookups. The future looks bright for the 21-year-old rapper, whose debut album will be released in April.

Previous:
"Strange Lights" by Deerhunter (Atlanta, Ga.)


The ambient punk band recently made a stop in San Francisco for Noise Pop. Previous tours they've opened include Nine Inch Nails, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The quartet is en route to Europe for stops including London, Glasgow, Dublin, Paris, Helsinki, and Brussels.


Movies (domestic revenues through March 15)
#1 Race to Witch Mountain (PG): $24.4 million opening; 3187 screens;
#2 Watchmen (R): $17.8 million; $85.8 million overall (2nd weekend); 3611 screens;
#3 The Last House on the Left (R): $14.1 million opening; 2401 screens;
#23 Two Lovers (R): $0.4 million; $1.6 million overall (5th weekend); about a young troubled man who returns home and promptly meets two different, though appealing, women; co-starring Joaquin Phoenix and Gwyneth Paltrow

Cherry Blossoms (NR): Drama; about a widower who travels to Japan and meets a Butoh dancer

Duplicity (PG-13): Drama; a so-so espionage tale about two former agents who enter the corporate world to score millions; co-starring Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, and Tom Wilkinson

The Great Buck Howard (PG): Comedy; about a law-school dropout who helps a mentalist regain his fame; co-starring Tom Hanks, Colin Hanks, and John Malkovich

I Love You, Man (R): Comedy; about a real estate agent who scrambles to find a Best Man for his wedding; co-starring Paul Rudd and Jason Segel

Knowing (PG-13): Sci-fi; about a professor's attempts to uncode a girl's cryptic message about devastating events; co-starring Nicolas Cage

Portrait of a Beauty (NR): Romance; about a woman who disguises herself as a man to pursue a career in artistry during 17th century Korea

Sin Nombre (R): Thriller; about a Mexican teenager who kills his gang's leader and then joins a family of immigrants travelling to the United States

Sunshine Cleaning (R): Comedy; this season's "Juno" or "Little Miss Sunshine," about a single mom who convinces her sister to start up a crime-scene clean-up business; co-starring Amy Adams, Alan Arkin, and Steve Zahn

Tokyo! (NR): Drama; a triptych of short films about Tokyo

DVD Pick - Kung Fu Panda (PG): Very amusing and clever, this DreamWorks-Paramount co-production focuses on a panda whose destiny lies in kung fu, not noodle making; co-voiced by Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, and Seth Rogen. Domestic box office: $215.4 million; foreign box office: $416.5 million.


Activities
Bela Fleck & Toumani Diabate [Thu-Sat 8p/10p, Sun 2p/7p]: Hot off of a documentary about his travels in Africa, Bela Fleck brings his famed banjo for several shows. At Yoshi's (Oakland), $5-35. www.belafleck.com

Daniel Everett: Endangered Languages, Lost Knowledge and the Future [Fri 7p]: The field linguist discusses his 20 years living among the Amazon's Piraha tribe. At Cowell Theatre of Fort Mason (SF), $10. www.longnow.org

San Francisco Chocolate Salon [Sat 10a-6p]: 3rd annual. Over 50 chocolatiers and other culinary artisans. At Fort Mason (SF), FREE-$25. www.sfchocolatesalon.com

Harvey Milk Academy Not So Silent Auction and Carnival [Sat noon-5p]: 12th annual. Featuring a petting zoo, live music, food, and games. Silent auction items include gift certificates to Rainbow Grocery, diPietro Todd Salon, Books Inc., Foreign Cinema, and Firefly Restaurant, and a private lunch with Supervisor Bevan Dufty. At Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy (SF), FREE. www.harveymilk.com

Googoosh [Sat 8p]: This famous Iranian entertainer was forbidden to sing for two decades under house arrest and finally fled the nation to pursue freedom. At the Paramount Theatre (Oakland), $49-250. www.googoosh.com

It Ain't Nothing but the Blues [through April 11]: This retraces the story of the blues from spirituals and chants to the nightclubs of Chicago. At Lucie Stern Theater (Palo Alto), $24-65. www.theatermania.com

Burn the Floor [through April 12]: A Latin and ballroom dance extravaganza that precedes recent television hits "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Dancing with the Stars." At the Post Street Theatre (SF), $30-69. Half-price tickets at www.theatrebayarea.org. Other information at www.unionsquaretheatres.com

Previous: Theatre - Bat Boy, the Musical [through Sunday in Los Altos Hills]; Film - International Asian American Film Festival [through Sunday in San Jose, SF, and Berkeley]; Theatre - Not a Genuine Black Man [through Mar 28 in SF]


Upcoming April Activities
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band concert [Apr 1 in San Jose]; B.B. King concert [April 16 in Oakland]; Dr. Dog concert [April 16 in SF]