Randy's Guide CXL (140)

Today is "Transformers" actor Shia LaBeouf's 23rd and Hawaii's Kamehameha Day; Friday is Philippines' Independence Day; Saturday is Nobel Prize-winning mathematician John Forbes Nash's 81st and Weezer musician Rivers Cuomo's 39th; Sunday is Oscar-winning "Little Miss Sunshine" screenwriter Diablo Cody's 31st and Malawi's Freedom Day; Monday is Cy Young Award-winning Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum's 25th and L.A. Lakers owner Jerry Buss' 75th; Tuesday is Ireland's Bloomsday (in honor of James Joyce); and Wednesday is House member John "Jack" Murtha's (D-PA) 77th and politician Newt Gingrich's 66th.


Local News
All major broadcast television stations in the Bay Area and nationwide will shift from analog to digital signals on Friday. This transition helps to offer clearer pictures and transmit more signals in a given frequency range. Digital antennas, converter boxes, and televisions all can be used as ways to access the programming. www.mercurynews.com/ci_12563692


Change for Change
Charity to consider: Ashoka. Reader Darlene D's organization, started in 1980, supports socially responsible entrepreneurs and promotes infrastructure development in more than 60 nations. www.ashoka.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, San Francisco Women Against Rape, and Sustainable Conservation.


Bay Area Weekend Weather
One of the coolest Junes on record. Continued persistent coastal and bay clouds; mild inland.

Highs: upper-50s (coast); mid-60s (bay); mid-70s (inland)
Lows: low-50s


Deal of the Week
Hershey's is offering up a total of 5.5 million free chocolate bars, with its online promotion. You can claim your coupons every Friday until September 25, 2009. Limit of one coupon per e-mail address per Friday, and four coupons per household during the entire giveaway. www.realchocolate.com


The Environment
Instead of puttering in traffic along Highway 101, try out CalTrain as a neat driving alternative. Express trains in the morning and early-evening hours can get you from San Jose to downtown San Francisco in less than an hour. www.caltrain.com

Previous:
When upkeeping your garden, choose a less-toxic or non-toxic pesticide such as Greenlight products or a homemade ammonia or dishwashing soap solution. Conventional pesticides may kill not only unwanted pests but also beneficial insects such as ladybugs and aquatic animals like fish and crustaceans.


Music Videos
"100% Pure Love" by Crystal Waters (Silver Spring, Md.)


A nod back to the danceable '90s, Ms. Waters will be making a special appearance at San Jose's Pride Festival

Previous:
"Very Busy People" by The Limousines (Campbell, Calif.)


Local electronica group hits the big time, with a spot at the LIVE 105 BFD show this past Saturday.


Movies (domestic revenues through June 7)
Raunchy comedy "The Hangover" surprised insiders with $45.0 million (rated R, 3269 screens, $13,759 per screen), enough to push "Up" to second place (rated PG, $44.1 million, $137.2 million overall, 2nd weekend, 3818 screens, $11,561 per screen). Neither "Land of the Lost" (PG-13, $18.8 million, 3521 screens, $5,350 per screen) nor "My Life in Ruins" (PG-13, $3.2 million, 1164 screens, $2,769 per screen) found its target audience and opened weakly in third and ninth, respectively.

Away We Go (R): Comedy-drama; about a couple expecting their first child and searching North America for their new residence; co-starring John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph, Jeff Daniels, Allison Janney, and Maggie Gyllenhaal; directed by Sam Mendes; written by Dave Eggers

Food, Inc. (PG): Documentary; highly recommended; about the U.S. food industry and the corporations that now control most of our food supply; co-starring "Fast Food Nation" author Eric Schlosser and "Omnivore's Dilemma" author Michael Pollan

Imagine That (PG): Comedy; about a financial executive who suddenly must re-engage with his young daughter to boost his career; co-starring Eddie Murphy and Martin Sheen

Munyurangabo (NR): Drama; about two teens who travel from the city to the countryside of Rwanda in a search for justice after the lengthy genocide

The Song of Sparrows (PG): Drama; about an ostrich farmer who searches for work in the city in order to support his family

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (R): Action; about a subway dispatcher matching wits with a criminal hijacker; co-starring Denzel Washington, John Travolta, and James Gandolfini

DVD Pick - Sweet Land (PG): With its genuine heart and wondrous story-telling style, this romantic drama focuses on a Norwegian-speaking German mail-order bride's entry into a Norwegian-American town in rural Minnesota during the post-WWI period. Winner of Best First Feature at the Independent Spirit Awards. Co-starring Ned Beatty and Alan Cumming. Domestic box office: $1.7 million; foreign box office: $69 thousand.


Free Activities
Temescal Street Cinema [Thu 8p]: Featuring Bay Area filmmakers. This week is a documentary about bilingual education, "Speaking in Tongues," preceded by a program of shorts made by kids at Children's Hospital of Oakland. At Telegraph and 49th (Oakland). www.temescaldistrict.org

Dolores Park Movie Night [Thu 8:30p]: Featuring "Sita Sings the Blues." At Dolores Park (SF). www.doloresparkmovie.org

Grace Cathedral concert [Fri 6:30-8:30p]: Featuring harpist Diana Stork and rare-instrumentalist Jaron Lanier. At Grace Cathedral (SF). www.multiculturalmusicfellowship.org

Muni Diaries [Fri 7-9:30p]: Open stage for MUNI- and BART-related stories. At Make-Out Room (SF). www.makeoutroom.com

Film Night in the Park [Fri-Sat 8p]: Featuring "Over the Hedge" on Friday (Fairfax Central Field) and "Kung Fu Panda" on Saturday (Mill Valley Old Mill Park). www.filmnight.org

Italian Street Painting Festival [Sat-Sun 9a-7p]: 16th annual. Featuring hundreds of street painters, live entertainment stages, Italian food and drink, and more. Near Fifth Ave. and A St. (San Rafael). www.youthinarts.org

Dia de Portugal Festival [Sat 10a-6p]: 11th annual. Celebrating Portuguese culture with cooking demos, the Portuguese Historical Museum, children's activities, and more. At History Park (San Jose). www.diadeportugalca.org

North Beach Festival [Sat-Sun 10a-6p]: 55th annual. Featuring animal blessings, live music stages, world champion pizza tosser Tony Gemignani, street chalk art, and more. In and around Washington Square (SF). www.sfnorthbeach.org

Juneteenth Festival [Sat 10a-5p]: Featuring African-American performances, food, and culture. Along Adeline and Alcatraz (Berkeley). www.berkeleyjuneteenth.org

Novato Festival of Art, Wine & Music [Sat-Sun 10a-6p]: 26th annual. Featuring a petting zoo, two live music stages, high school battle of the bands, and more. Along Grant Avenue. www.novatochamber.com

Fiesta FIlipina USA [Sat-Sun 10a-6p]: Featuring competitions for Rubik's Cube, Idol, Dance Crew, Binibining, and Ginoong. In Civic Center Plaza (SF). www.fiestafilipinausa.net

Live Oak Park Fair [Sat-Sun 10a-6p]: 39th annual. Featuring 110 arts & crafts booths and live music amid oaks and redwoods. At Live Oak Park (Berkeley). www.liveoakparkfair.com

Art in the Park [Sat-Sun 10a-5p]: 39th annual. Featuring arts & crafts, live music, and children's activities. In Washington Park (Burlingame). www.pacificfinearts.com

Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon [Sat 11a-6p, Sun 5a-3p]: 30th annual. Fitness festival at the Marina Green; triathlon begins with swim at 8a. At Marina Green, Presidio, and Golden Gate Park (SF). www.escapefromalcatraztriathlon.com

Free Folk Festival [Sat-Sun noon-10p]: 33rd annual. Featuring about 100 music and dance workshops, 50+ concerts, and evening dances. At Presidio Middle School (SF). www.sffolkfest.org

Realistic Orchestra [Sat 1-2:30p]: Featuring 20 Bay Area jazz musicians. At Yerba Buena Gardens (SF). www.ybgf.org

Haight Street Festival [Sun 11a-5:30p]: 32nd annual. Featuring live entertainment, arts & crafts, food, and a children's alley. Along Haight Street (SF). www.haightashburystreetfair.org


Paid Activities
Harmony Festival [Fri 1-10p, Sat-Sun 10a-10p]: 31st annual. Featuring musical guests Cake, India.Arie, and Michael Franti & Spearhead, an Eco-Village, and a speaker series including Julia Butterfly Hill. At Sonoma County Fairgrounds (Santa Rosa), free-$119. www.harmonyfestival.com

San Jose Pride Parade and Festival [Sat-Sun 11a-7:30p]: 34th annual. On Saturday, free community day and women's concert with live performances. On Sunday, 11a parade and performances by Brandy, Crystal Waters, Cheer SF, and more. In Discovery Meadow (San Jose). Free Saturday, $15 Sunday. www.sanjosepride.com

Great American Food and Music Fest [Sat noon-10p]: Featuring chefs Bobby Flay and Guy Fieri, cooking demonstrations, restaurants including Katz's Deli and Pink's Chili Dogs, and musical guests Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. First plate of food free. At Shoreline Amphitheatre (Mountain View), $35. www.greatamericanfoodandmusicfest.com

The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess [through June 27]: Featuring Broadway classics such as "Summertime" and "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'." At the Opera House (SF), $10-290. www.sfopera.com

Monty Python's Spamalot [through July 5]: A musical remake of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." At the Golden Gate Theatre (SF), $30-99. www.shnsf.com

Previous: Theatre - Dead Man's Cell Phone [through Saturday in SF]; Theatre - Faust, Part 1 [through June 21 in Berkeley]; Art - Looking In: Robert Frank's The Americans [through June 27 in SF]


Upcoming July Activities
The Preservation Hall Jazz Band with fireworks [Jul 4 in Napa]; Death Cab [Jul 11 in Berkeley]; for Cutie concert, with Andrew Bird Glasvegas concert [Jul 27 in SF]