Guardian's SF

Farewell, Guardian's SF blog

2008-10-09T23:45:55Z

"In Japan neglected or abandoned blogs are called ishikoro, pebbles," blog expert Sarah Boxer tells us -- and it's time for us to cast a pebble into the humongous Web quarry, as we at the Guardian refocus our energies on our Pixel Vision Arts and Culture blog. Look for all our fab local content to be posted there from now on. Thanks, Guardianites!

Bomb(ers) away: Roller Derby 2.0

2008-10-08T03:33:07Z

By G. Martinez Cabrera

I can see the Kezar Pavilion from my bedroom window. It isn’t a very attractive building. Its Spanish red tiles, chipped peach paint, and round arched entranceway make it look a little bit like those old stand-alone Taco Bells that were around in the ‘70s. As with a lot of buildings in big cities, you could pass by it a million times and never think about why it exists or why it matters or who it matters to. But like any old gym, long faded dreams of glory are everywhere in Kezar. You just have to know where to look.

This became clear to me after spending some time with members of the San Francisco Bay Bombers. If you’re of a certain age, you might remember the name. In the ‘70s, the Bombers playing at Kezar was an Event with a capital “E”. Roller derby was as big then as any other sport — some say bigger. Coaches and team managers who’ve been around the game for decades are quick to explain that in its heyday, the Bombers would get more television viewers for its games than the A’s, the Raiders, or the 49ers.

From the mouths of babes ... and Bombers. Video by Jamie Moore and G. Martinez Cabrera.

If you don’t already know, unlike some of the all-women leagues, traditional roller derby is a co-ed game played on a wooden, banked track. Each team has five skaters on the track at a time, with one skater from each team (the jammer) trying to lap opposing players. Points are given for every opposing player that the jammer is able to pass. There are variations, though for the most part, the rules have not changed since the 1930’s, when the term “Roller Derby” was coined.

But a lot has changed since then. Roller derby faded from public view in the late ‘70s, only to return recently as a primarily female, amateur sport with a DIY, third-wave-feminism sensibility. More traditional teams, like the Bombers, have struggled to keep going. Unlike many of the all-women teams, the Bombers pay their players -- and because they don’t play in roller rinks like the new teams, they have the added expense of having to build up and take down a track for every game. These added expenses had a lot to do with why the Bombers stopped playing in 1987 and did not have a regular season again until last year. And yet, for many die-hard Bomber fans, it’s almost as if no time had passed.

There are a couple reasons for this loyalty. Partly, it’s the Bomber’s women players. In roller derby, by and large, women are the stars, known for aggressive play. Aside from the legal body checks and blows, slapping and hair-pulling also abound. Some of the more raucous players have even been known to spit at fans of the opposing team as they roll by at high speed. As one of the coaches joked, “People come to Bomber games to see something unique: women fighting on skates.”

But there’s another reason why the Bomber fans are coming back to Kezar. Historically, roller derby has been open to people who didn’t feel they fit in. A common theme among older players and fans is that roller derby is a sport for the underdog and for the misfit: women in the ‘30s and ‘40s who wanted to be free of gender stereotypes, black and Latino athletes in the ‘50s and ‘60s who wanted to compete against whites, and openly gay men and women in the ‘70s who wanted to be who they were without jeopardizing their careers. All of them were welcomed into the ranks of roller derby. Because of this openness, people who’ve been around the sport for some time view the game in almost mythic terms. It was roller derby that allowed them and their heroes to be gods on the track, even if elsewhere they were anything but. So it’s not any big surprise that even over roller derby’s lean years in the ‘80s and ‘90s, certain fans and players stuck with the game. It’s also why they hope that some of roller derby’s past glory will return. “Derby is back,” so their hopeful chant goes.

But like most attempts to get back to the past, it would be difficult for traditional roller derby to make the type of comeback that these older fans, players, and coaches are hoping for. It isn’t for a lack of interest. Even without much publicity, games at Kezar have started attracting thousands, and there’s talk now that Bomber games will be televised on Channel 20 starting in January. But a sport known for being open to the underdog can’t stay the same in these ironic times. If you ask younger players why they came to roller derby, you get a completely different answer than you do from the older players. Younger players look at roller derby as a game. They’re passionate, but not as earnest as the older players are. And the new fans, though just as feisty as the older ones, seem more interested in the campiness of the sport than with identifying with its players.

Maybe these changes are necessary. Maybe roller derby is making a come back, after all, and in order to do so, it might have to stop looking at itself as the sport for underdogs and misfits. Maybe it should allow itself to be like any other entertainment. From my window, I can see that even old Kezar, the historic home of the Bombers, is getting a face lift -- new paint to cover old cracks. Buildings change; sports change. I guess dreams have to change as well.

See the Bay City Bombers yourself this weekend, when they play longtime rivals Brooklyn Red Devils at Kezar.

Bombers vs. Red Devils
Oct. 11, 8pm
$5-$20
Kezar Pavilion
755 Stanyan, SF
www.baycitybombers.com
www.freewebs.com/bombersrollerderby

Fashion Hause: Liberals like fashion too

2008-10-07T21:19:55Z

Style intern Chloe Schildhause talks trends and togs. Check out her last installment here.

Politics and fashion may seem like polar opposites, but much like lox and bagels, they actually go together quite nicely. To prove this point, to convince US citizens to vote for Obama, and to dispel the myth that progressives have no style, Environmentalists for Obama are hosting the fundraiser “Fashioning Change: A Fashion Show for Obama” on October the 17th.

There is no doubt that Obama is a fashionable man, with many comparing him and his family to the stylish political stars of Camelot. Michelle Obama is set to be a style icon as fashionable as the beloved Jackie O. Robin Gihvan, fashion writer for the Washington Post, said about the couples’ style, “Barack and Michelle Obama dressed for history…in a blend of the patriotic, the regal, the authoritative and the fashionable,” and praised Michelle Obama for “wearing a violet sheath with a wide black belt and matching shoes.”

The fashionable fundraiser will feature clothing by local designers such as Erica Tanov and Cari Borja as well as a silent auction, music by DJ Heco, scrumptious hourdevoures and plenty of Sangria. Donations are highly encouraged.

Fashion Hause: Green is (sometimes) good

2008-10-07T00:51:42Z

Style intern Chloe Schildhause talks trends and togs. Check out her last installment here.

Though the green fashion trend has been growing in recent years, it really seemed to take off last summer, with brands like Loomstate, Anya Hindmarch, and Linda Loudermilk using hemp and bamboo materials, as well as catchy slogans, as part of a new design aesthetic. These brands are proof that eco-friendly fashion can be done right. But sadly, most of the clothing I witnessed at the Fashions With Responsibility-sponsored event late last month was less thrilling.

Vanessa Wolfe's designs are green and good.

The fashion showcase, held at 111 Minna Gallery, featured designers who had created eco-friendly garments, i.e. using no sweat shops, composed of fair trade sustainable materials, yadda yadda yadda. Basically: highlighting the fashion trend that’s been growing on the scene for the last few years. Most of what I saw was underwhelming.

But one designer did stand out from the rest. Vanessa Wolfe, lingerie designer for Rose Hips, displayed hand-sewn, delicate undergarments using silk from Bali and lace from France -- all very exotic. The panties are delicate and soft (who said you can’t be a sexy environmentalist?), and always made out of natural fibers or recycled lace when possible. All lingerie, including bras, have a vintage aesthetic (bra designs are often reminiscent of ‘50s-style bikini tops).

In short? Wolfe understands the concept of designing green while still making something pretty. (She doesn’t have a website … check out my photos instead.)

Sustainable is sexy.

Get yer bike on: Gas-Free Fridays start tomorrow

2008-10-03T00:34:36Z

By Amanda Witherell

I've become a happier person since I sold my Jetta and started traveling almost exclusively by bicycle. Every time I've driven a car in San Francisco the experience has left me frustrated, annoyed, and feeling like I didn't get where I was going any faster than I would have on my bicycle. I'm not alone -- car sales statewide are down, the big three automakers are crying poverty and just got a $25 billion loan from President George W. Bush, and according to a recent national survey by Bikes Belong, of 150 bike stores polled, 73 percent said they're selling more bikes this year.

So, it's fantastic to see this new initiative designed to get people out of their cars at least once a week. Launched by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, they make the case for picking the bike over the car by pointing out that 50 percent of the city's emissions come from transportation and half of all car trips within the city are less than two miles -- an easy pedal on a bicycle. Furthermore, cars emit the most pollution during the first few minutes they're running, which means that short car trips are the worst for the environment.

"Bicyclists will also be rewarded by knowing that riding a bicycle 10-miles a day versus owning and driving will save them $8,000/year, will burn an average of 110,250 calories (that's 35lbs of fat!), and save our city 3,500 lbs. of greenhouse gas emissions every year," states a press release from the SFBC.

They'll be hosting warm-up stations at various locations where cyclists can grab free snacks and cups of fair-trade coffee and tea. Look for them tomorrow at:

Oct. 3rd: Market and 12th Streets, 7:30-9:30am
Oct. 10th: Valencia and 17th Streets, 7:30-9:30am
Oct. 17th: Embarcadero (between the Ferry Building and Justin Herman Plaza), 7:30-9:30am
Oct. 24th: City Hall, Polk and Grove Streets, 7:30-9:30am
Oct. 31st: Folsom and 7th Streets, 7:30-9:30am

Touching procession honors slain bicyclist

2008-10-02T01:12:18Z

Story and photos by Kristin A. Smith

Some came on fixed gears with spotless rims, others on basement bikes with balding tires. Some were clad in safety orange, others in business suits. They came from all parts of the city, with pants rolled and lights blinking, to mourn the loss of one of their own.

Jordan McKay, 23, was shot and killed on September 17 while commuting home from the East Bay. Police are chalking the incident up to “road rage” but aren’t close to making an arrest.

Last night’s route followed McKay’s final ride through the Panhandle and Golden Gate Park to 15th and Cabrillo, the site of the murder. A black and white spoke card with McKay’s picture and the words “Live. Love. Laugh. Ride.” spun in the riders’ wheels.

“His death is shocking,” said Bert Hill, who taught a bike safety class that Jordan took last year. “The kind of people who spend four hours on a Friday night learning about bike safety are not the kind who get into rough and tumble fights.”

Jordan, a University of California at Santa Cruz graduate who dreamed of starting a micro-lending business to help people rise above poverty, was known for his peaceful nature. “He was really loved,” said Elisa Litsky, Jordan’s girlfriend. “And he was so dedicated to those that he loved; he held them so close to his heart.”

Upon Litsky’s suggestion, mourners threw out adjectives that represented Jordan. “Fun, hilarious, beautiful, creative…” the words flew from the crowd. Bike bells dinged in applause.

Jordan’s father, a statuesque and handsome man, spoke next. “They have killed Jordan,” he said, eyes misting up, “but his light continues to shine in each of us—every one of us who tries to make this a better place.”

In Jordan’s mind, part of making the world a better place was riding his bike. As a San Francisco Bicycle Coalition member, he was active in the cycling community. “Part of why he started biking was because of his ethics…this is what he would really want,” said Litsky, looking out over the crowd. She never wavered, never cried. “Our purpose tonight is to celebrate Jordan’s life and do part of his commute.”

The event was more “Take Back the Night” than “Critical Mass.” Richmond residents were shocked that a murder took place in their normally quiet neighborhood and many were afraid to venture out. “We want to show them it’s safe,” said Litsky.

The ride, which had police escorts, serpentined slowly through the city. More than 200 riders pedaled to the site of the shooting, where a delicate memorial blanketed a tree. Litsky held Jordan’s mother closely; riders bowed their heads. When all the candles were lit and the flowers placed, the group rode toward the ocean, wheels spinning silently.

Fashion Hause: Kittinhawk frickin’ rocks

2008-10-01T23:00:32Z

Style intern Chloe Schildhause talks trends and togs. Check out her last installment here.

A glorious headdress adorned with hand-painted leather sourced from a vintage leather jacket and shaped into a flower with white netting overlapping the eye, pieces of vintage lace and, of course some white bird feathers? This is one of the creations by fashion designer Allysun Dutra for her line KittinHawk.

The San Franciscan designer, who goes by Ally (or to her close friends, Sparrowhawk) never expected to become a fashion designer. Luckily for everyone with good taste, Allysun Dutra has created a clothing line that is gorgeous, innovative, over the top, and far more exciting than the mundane fashions one may find at a department store.

More photos at www.myspace.com/kittinhawk9.

Everything Dutra makes is hand-made and reconstructed from vintage materials, making them both couture and environmentally conscious. In her studio, there are racks of vintage clothes she has found at thrift stores and estate sales, waiting to turn into a fabulous KittinHawk creations. “I never wanted to do fashion,” said Dutra, who started cutting clothes apart as a student at San Francisco State. “I didn’t read fashion magazines.”

In fact, Dutra was turned off by the fashion industry and disgusted with the way many companies sourced materials for their clothes. A self-described hardcore activist, she’d done research on what occurred in sweatshops in third world countries. “The way the fashion industry is run, I just didn’t want to be a part of it,” she said.

But while studying photography and art at SF State, success as a fashion designer fell into her lap. “It just happened -- it was totally amazing! I just started messing around with fabric and thread,” she said. Soon, what started out as a hobby of cutting up and reconstructing vintage clothes became a bigger deal than Dutra could have imagined.

All of a sudden, people were stopping her on the street to ask what she was wearing, or complimenting her on the elaborate outfits she wore to work as a server at Café Gratitude. When one woman wanted to sell her clothes at her friend’s boutique in the Marina, Dutra realized the potential of her artsy hobby.

KittinHawk is now available at RAG (541 Octavia, SF. 415-621-7718, www.ragsf.com) in Hayes Valley, Trunk (544 Haight, SF. 415-861-5310, www.pandorastrunk.com) in the Lower Haight, and most recently Bell Jar (3187 16th St., SF. 415-626-1749, www.belljarsf.com), a fabulous little treasure chest of goods in the Mission. When describing the KittinHawk girl, Dutra said, “She’s in-between 17 and 35, or 40. But she’s beautiful and small, very petite and fabulous. She has a flair for fashion and understands style.”

You can see the fashions of KittinHawk at the upcoming runway show Planet X on October 2nd. “I feel really fucking blessed. In my world, doing runway shows is a big deal.”

As an artists Dutra said, “Putting my art on the wall people would look at it for maybe a minute.” But with fashion it is different. “It’s living art. I found a way for people to look at my art that’s accessible and real.” And thank god she did.

More Street Threads: What are you wearing?

2008-09-30T02:30:56Z

Street fashion photog Ariel Soto hits us with a fllow-up to her last Street Threads feature, highlighting fierceness on the concrete catwalk.

Dani, Haight and Clayton

Shannon, Haight and Clayton

Allison and Jess, 19th St. and Stanyan

Alice, 19th St. and Valencia

Fran and Gena, Haight and Stanyan

Laura, 22nd St. and Valencia

Maya, Stanyan and Fell

Fashion-spiration

2008-09-27T01:40:47Z

Fashion Hause: Guardian style intern Chloe Schildhause talks trends and togs.

A shopping experience should be a symphony of contradictions. It should take your breath away and make you hyperventilate with excitement. It should make you feel deprived if you have purchased nothing, and yet somehow satisfied by just by witnessing the awesome creations that you have just touched and caressed (or possibly even tried on!)

Few boutiques create such an emotion to that ultimate climax. My favorites are both in Europe: Dover Street Market in London and Colette in Paris. But, there is American hope in a little boutique called Acrimony, nestled on a side street on the Hayes Valley strip.

The Hayes boutique carries fashionable couture from designers like Nuj Novakhett.

Shopping at Acrimony is an amazing experience. Their collection includes pieces by high brow designers such Hussein Chalayan and the well-constructed fashions of Quail, Hellz Bellz, United Bamboo, and YMC. It’s the place where you can spot all those too-cool-to-be true fashion you find in magazines like i-D and Purple.

On my first visit, I tried on a gorgeous sailor-inspired strapless dress with navy fabric and white trim on the bodice. It was sailor inspired, but not costumey and tacky, and it felt like a dream. I’d have to be in a dream to afford the $500 price tag, but I felt happy in that moment just being able to wear it. Too bad I had to leave it behind.

Although I left with no dress, I did leave with some Japanese candy offered at the counter and a shaky feeling of excitement that comes when one has just experienced a euphoric moment. That is Acrimony – just go, trust me.

515 Gough, SF. (415) 861-1025, www.shopacrimony.com

The three-minute romance

2008-09-26T23:32:44Z

By G. Martinez Cabrera

I had heard that there were free swing dance lessons given in Golden Gate Park every Sunday from 11am to 2pm, and being a lover of all things quirky, I thought it might be worth seeing just how many people showed up. When I stopped by a few weeks ago, I assumed I’d find a few couples, some guys in fedoras and black and white wing tips, maybe a few women in chiffon. But what I found instead was a group of probably three hundred dancers of all ages, races, and ethnicities.

The day I visited, San Francisco was host to something called a Dance Exchange—think dance convention with 2,000 swing dancers from all over the US converging on the city for three days and nights of swing-a-ling fun. In part, this explained the huge turn out, though I’m told that Lindy in the Park (www.lindyinthepark.com) regularly pulls in about 100 dancers every week.

Swing dancing is not hip anymore, but I mean that as high praise.

If you think about it, a lot of things that are considered hip, smart, and alternative usually include a good bit of sulking and swimming in black pools of angst. Hey, nothing wrong with that. But after giving it some thought, maybe it’s not so bad to have some alternative cultural activities that stress uninhibited, non-drug induced glee. Maybe unhip happiness is the new alternative.

For me, I’m still deciding if I should go back. After asking people why they took the time out of their lives to learn what seems like a pretty technical dance, each person, in his or her own way, said the same thing: connection. “It’s a three-minute romance,” one of the dancers told me. And that’s the line that has stuck with me since.

If you can dig down under the piles of cynicism that the world heaps on you daily, you know what this woman is talking about and you get a much better feel for why all of these dancers were smiling. In cities, even friendly ones like San Francisco, the opportunity to find three-minute romances that stress the romance and not the quickness may not be a bad thing. “Connect,” a poet once said, “always connect.”

Iron crotches, wonder dogs, and Qi

2008-09-25T00:30:28Z

By G. Martinez Cabrera

Until last weekend, I didn’t know much about Qi Gong, the foundation of Chinese Medicine. But as I entered the Golden Gateway Holiday Inn last weekend, when more than 600 international practitioners of Qi Gong flooded SF for the four-day-long Eleventh Qi Gong Congress, it was clear I was about to find out.

At first glance, the event seemed like any other hotel convention: conference rooms submerged in a sea of dark carpet, depressing lighting everywhere, vendors looking longingly for potential customers. At an event that was supposedly all about teaching people to create and manipulate energy (Qi), there seemed to be quite a shortage of positive vibes.

Qi Gong at the Holiday Inn.

There were, however, some small sparks of life. A Chinese dance troupe with colorful costumes and a loud battery of percussionists seemed to wake everyone up a bit. There was also a Qi Gong Grand Master known for “iron crotch weight lifting.” (Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see a demonstration of his skills, but the possibility of seeing what an iron crotch could do did pique my interest.) But other than these exceptions, I didn’t feel the Qi. After an hour, I was convinced that maybe the hotel’s aesthetic was just too strong. Could the wild paisley wallpaper and the chandeliers be too powerful for even Qi Gong to overcome?

And yet once I moved away from the vendors and the performers, I realized I had been confusing focus and intensity for boredom and apathy.

During the Cultural Revolution, practitioners of Qi Gong were persecuted. Mao’s regime accused them of fakery and witchcraft. According to some of the participants I spoke to, some elements of persecution still exist today. I almost asked them what they thought of scheduled performer Ziggy (a wonder dog whose highly advanced Qi allowed him to paint pictures), but it became clear most people were not there for the performances.

Instead, each interviewee explained the importance that Qi Gong held in their lives. They had all started the meditation and breathing exercises that are part of the Qi Gong regimen because they had been suffering from chronic illnesses and because Western medicine had failed them. Some suffered from asthma, some from chronic migraines —one woman even had Grave’s disease and was days away from having her pituitary gland removed. Qi Gong cured them all. Even more interesting was the fact that all kept up with their exercises because now that they were cured, they wanted to teach others how to do the same. (All the schools represented at the Congress stressed the importance of helping others.)

Qi Gong may not be for everyone, but I left the Congress on Friday with a sense that even with the outlandish performances, and despite horrendous carpeting, the Qi was indeed flowing at the Holiday Inn. Though I still have some doubts about Ziggy the wonder dog and a twisted admiration for Master Iron Crotch, I’m willing to believe that Qi works in mysterious ways.

Street Threads: What the heck are you wearing?

2008-09-23T22:59:55Z

By Ariel Soto

Maya, Haight and Ashbury

Is anyone else addicted to the Sartorialist? The photographer of that blog goes around New York and Europe capturing the young and beautiful as they strut their stylish threads down the street. (Much like the late, lamented Street Fancy did here.) I decided to hit the pavement and do some street fashion scouting of my own and found that San Francisco has many of its very own fashion forward citizens ... and fashionable visitors as well.

Sho, Union Square

David, Powell and Bush

Annie, Haight and Ashbury

Alex, Valencia and 18th St.

Joel and Page, Haight and Clayton

Ted, Valencia and 22nd St.

SPORTS: Make Martz the head coach

2008-09-23T02:35:34Z

By A.J. Hayes

As temping as it was to run down the middle of Geneva Ave. shrieking “Forty Fuckin’ Niners” after San Francisco’s 31-13 blowout of Detroit on Sunday, let’s remember that the 2007 49ers also won two of their first three contests before disintegrating into putrid tire fire.

But while the record is exactly the same as it was heading into Week Four last season, the two clubs are worlds apart. While last season’s 2-1 Niners team was timid, plodding, conservative, scared and clueless, this Niners club is confident, experimental, focused and just a bit cocky. Over their first three games the 49ers have scored 76 points; it took seven games last season to get there.

For the first time since Steve Mariucci left the team five seasons ago, the 49ers are starting to resemble the 49ers and not a confused NFL Europe squad.

Thank you Mike Martz.

Without the addition of Martz as offensive coordinator this season, it’s very likely this fall’s Niners club would be a redo of last season’s abomination.

The Niners fortunes changed for the better when San Francisco head coach Mike Nolan was essentially forced to bring in the darning Martz to run the team’s offense.

But the former Super Bowl coach of the St. Louis Rams has done more than rework the passing attack. Martz has infused hope and excitement back into the once proud franchise where last year there was none.

Martz is a renegade in the Bill Walsh tradition, someone who’s always a step ahead of the competition and not afraid to play games with the oppositions head. Does anyone think that back-up, back-up tight end Delanie Walker, who caught a touchdown Sunday, would be even remotely involved in the game plan if Martz wasn’t on board?

Which leads to the next point: The Niners have to start thinking about retaining Martz beyond this year.

During the game, analyst Brian Baldinger commented that there was “no ambiguity” between Nolan and Martz as to who was in charge. Well, you couldn’t tell that from the coverage of the game. The focus of the sideline cameras was on Martz, not Nolan, and after the game all anyone could talk about was the guy who supposedly takes orders from Nolan.

Martz’s star is on the rise again. And while many teams – including the Raiders -- have shied away from naming him a head coach in the past, because of his brash, some say arrogant, approach, he will be on many short lists for openings next fall. The Niners will have to beat other teams to the punch or risk losing him and retuning to squalor.

JTO

If there was any question about Martz’s player evaluation judgment, look at his move in encouraging the 49ers to bring career nomad J.T. O’Sullivan on board. While Nolan wasted money and time with No. 1 pick Alex Smith at quarterback for three laborious seasons, O’Sullivan has cone in and played better in three games than Smith did in three seasons as starter. And O’Sullivan is making strides from week to week. After absorbing eight sacks in week two’s win at Seattle, O’Sullivan was much more nimble vs. the Lions, scrambling away from the pressure and rushing for 32 yards and getting sacked just one time.

Giants’ Checklist

You can pretty much cross the bullpen off the Giants grocery list for 2009. A major question mark heading into the 2008 season, All-Star closer Brian Wilson has established himself as one of the games best end of game arms, becoming just the third Giants pitcher to notch 40 saves, reaching the benchmark number in Sunday’s 1-0 win at Los Angeles.

The flamethrower lives on adrenaline, and actually looked forward to facing slugger Manny Ramirez in the ninth. He fanned Man-Ram to lead off the ninth.

"I wanted that situation from the beginning of the game,” he said. “I actually wanted him to be batting third (in the inning), but first is fine. You know the crowd was going to be amped up and into it, and that gets me into it."
Meanwhile, the set-up jobs are being nailed down by lefty Alex Hinshaw and the fearless Sergio Romo -- two young arms so far removed from the big league picture heading into this season that their photos aren’t even in the Giants media guide.
After throwing three shutout frames in Sunday’s win Romo – who also K’ed Ramirez -- had worked 15 consecutive scoreless innings over his last 11 games. If the hard-throwing Merkin Valdez, can ever stay healthy the Giants bully can lay waste to any other relief staff in the bigs.

Foul Tips

What’s with NFL wide receivers? Either they’re complete megalomaniacs or they’re borderline recluses. The FOX TV crew praised WR Isaac Bruce for his unselfishness. But Bruce is also an odd duck, shying away from reporters to the point of facing his locker when giving interviews. Then again, maybe his socks ask better questions… Without any hint of irony, the NFL Network is using a lite rock version of Morrissey’s morose “Everyday is Like Sunday” as promo music… “Express” the film about Ernie Davis, the first African American Heisman Trophy winner, may be as corny as Iowa but the film has the vibrant hand-painted color of an old Sport magazine from the 1950s… There’s a lot of talk about the Giants possibly moving starting pitcher Matt Cain this winter in a deal to Milwaukee for first baseman Prince Fielder. We’ve all for it if it’s a straight up trade, but not if the Giants have to send rising star Pablo Sandoval with Cain. Sandoval is the real deal, a natural hitter with power and a charisma to match… If the Giants really want to add a power bat, how about inking Jason Giambi, whose expiration date is about to come with the Yankees… Another name to keep in mind next year is outfielder Nate Schierholtz. On Sunday he made the two best plays on any San Francisco outfielder all season. His diving catch to rob James Loney in the fifth inning should be enough to earn an opening day start somewhere in the vast emerald expanse of the China Basin yard.

A message from Angels?

2008-09-19T03:28:46Z

By Jeremy Spitz

If I were Christopher Ablett -- who police say shot Frisco Hells Angels head Mark “Papa” Guardado on Sept. 2 in the Mission District -- I would seriously consider turning myself in to the police. If the 1500-2000 grieving bikers with their mile long chrome and leather procession didn’t send a clear enough message then surely the three pipe bombs detonated early this morning at the San Jose home of Mongols leader Robert Rios must have gotten their point across.
There is no proof that the Hells Angels were responsible for the attack, but if I were Ablett I would feel a lot safer in custody than facing retribution from the “filthy few,” the club’s fabled death-squad. No one was hurt when the bombs went off around 4 a.m. this morning, but authorities have begun to express fear that the attack may herald an “all out war” between the rival clubs.

A walk in the PARK

2008-09-17T03:01:22Z

Think metered parking spaces can only be used for cars? Think again. The forward-thinking, public space-obsessed art collective REBAR has been exploiting a legal loophole that allows just about any use of those car-sized spots – as long as the meter’s being fed – since 2005.

Back then, the small Bay Area-based collective started by building miniature public parks in places where private SUVs usually live. The result was so surprising and delightful that the idea’s caught on worldwide – and now, on Friday, September 19, in 600 cities globally, metered spaces will be used for everything from extended sidewalk seating outside a café to, in one Bay Area case, a marriage locale. (Watch the two men wed on Friday at 137 Scott, from 3 to 5pm.)

Even if you don't have time to build your own park, take a walking tour and join in the fun as businesses, individuals, and arts groups all over the city transform gutters into gardens. For more info on PARK(ing) Day, visit www.parkingday.org. Or, for maps of the day’s haps, check out the Trust for Public Land’s national info at their website.

For more information on REBAR, including other projects such as a commission for the City of Amsterdam and a presentation at the world-renowned Venice Architecture Biennale, check out their website at www.rebargroup.org.

Sure beats a carpool. Flickr photo by Plaid Iguana.