AltWeeklies Wire
New Doc Reveals Many of Scott Walker's Mysteriesnew
In a new documentary, Stephen Kijak takes us through Scott Walker's history, methodology, and cultural relevance by collecting interviews with the underground legend and the musicians he's influenced, as well as vintage performance and modern studio footage.
Rappers With Low Self-Esteem: Bragging About Going Brokenew
In our ironic age, it shouldn't be surprising that a new crop of MCs is boasting about a lack of cars, women, and riches. San Francisco actor and comedian Erik Weiner can genuinely hold his own on the mike.
SF Weekly |
Ben Westhoff |
01-21-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Hope, Change, and Parking: Support for a Modest Condo Project in San Francisconew
San Francisco faces a life-or-death question: Are we willing to behave like a dynamic city and grow, or even flourish? The debate over the Valencia Street project serves as an indicator as to how the city might answer that question.
SF Weekly |
Matt Smith |
01-21-2009 |
Housing & Development
Exporting The Dead in San Francisconew
With 36 percent of the city's residents born outside the United States, a significant portion of the city sees funeral homes as a mere way station before shipping the deceased to graves in their homelands.
SF Weekly |
Lauren Smiley |
01-21-2009 |
Immigration
How 'Douchebag' Became Everyone's Favorite Insultnew
James Matisoff, an emeritus professor in UC Berkeley's linguistics department, concurs that douchebag's pejoration -- its change from neutral to negative meaning -- has snowballed in recent years. The culprits: Jon Stewart and his comedic brethren.
SF Weekly |
Joe Eskenazi |
01-07-2009 |
Commentary
San Fran's Plastic Bag Ban Has Left the City with More Pollution and Costnew
It has become apparent that many of the rationales used to justify the ban -- such as its benefiting the environment and alleviating the city's litter problems -- are not playing out in the real world.
SF Weekly |
Joe Eskenazi |
01-07-2009 |
Environment
The Scalawags of San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharfnew
With its criminals and poachers, its deviants and scalawags, Fisherman's Wharf is in fact a far more interesting -- if disquieting -- place than any travel brochure would have tourists believe.
SF Weekly |
Ashley Harrell |
12-17-2008 |
Crime & Justice
Gay Porn Star Michael Brandon Vows Comebacknew
To the fans of the beloved San Franciscan gay porn star with a 10-inch cock named Monster, a stubborn crystal meth addiction, and pending drug charges against him: Fear not. If all goes well, he could avoid prison and be back in porn by next year.
California Regulators Admit 'Shredder Waste' from Junked Cars is Unsafenew
In September, regulators wrote to auto recyclers saying that the state's 1988 policy on shredder-waste handling would be rescinded. This policy shift largely went unnoticed by the public, but it was momentous.
SF Weekly |
Matt Smith |
12-03-2008 |
Environment
Von Iva Hits the Big Time with Jim Carreynew
How do you amass a large audience from outside the traditional music industry? If you're San Francisco's Von Iva, the answer has moved from labels to licensing -- a direction that recently landed the group in the onscreen company of Jim Carrey and Zooey Deschanel.
SF Weekly |
Jennifer Maerz |
12-03-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Car Recycling is a Huge Generator of Hazardous Wastenew
Donating your old car to charity may make you feel good, but it doesn't necessarily create a net benefit for the environment.
SF Weekly |
Matt Smith |
12-03-2008 |
Environment
Kanye's Latest is a Singular Testament to Indescribable Sufferingnew
Thematically, 808s and Heartbreak plunges deeper into West's usual neuroses (insecurity, spiritual unease, and the difficulties of celebrity). The death of his mother and a relationship fissure have brought these concerns into sharper focus.
Windsurf's Beach Blanket Disconew
The pair's newly released debut, Coastlines, evokes the carefree surf 'n' sand lifestyle its title suggests, with echoing synths, dubby basslines, and lush songs that stretch out to luxurious lengths.
SF Weekly |
Jennifer Maerz |
11-19-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: coastlines, Windsurf
The Origins of Biodynamic Wine Are Steeped in the Occult and Bad Sciencenew
Biodynamic wines' sign is ascending -- even if no one involved in making or selling them wants to volunteer information about the severed cows' heads or a bevy of other animal and vegetable preparations that read like a shopping list for Shakespeare's three weird sisters.
SF Weekly |
Joe Eskenazi |
11-19-2008 |
Food+Drink
Change Hasn't Come to San Francisconew
While the city's streets may have filled on the night of Nov. 4 to celebrate an electoral revolution against racial injustice, its famous left-wing politicians frequently ally themselves against African-American interests. And those politicians' most cherished dreams have no practical effect on improving city slums, stemming violence, or creating jobs.
SF Weekly |
Matt Smith |
11-13-2008 |
Commentary
