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Fifty local musicians expand the tracks off 'Paranoid' in a one-off performance

This Week's Paper

Our 2012 Small Biz Awards, sonic attacks, summer fairs, Best Coast, meaty bliss, more. Online articles here, digital edition here.

From the Blogs

SF-born legend Terry Bozzio on UK's reunion, his dad's accordion, and the importance of drum lessons

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Bay Area-born and raised drummer extraordinaire Terry Bozzio (who plays the Regency Ballroom Fri/18 with reunited band UK) has performed with Frank Zappa, Missing Persons, Jeff Beck, Fantomas, and a host of other musicians over the years. Recognized as one of the best modern drummers, he has recorded a variety of instructional videos, been honored by Guitar Center’s RockWalk in Hollywood, and has created some of the most insane custom drum sets ever seen on stage. Read more »

Facebook IPO: The good and the bad

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Facebook went public and the people who got in at the initial price of $38 made a little money, but the stock is hardly exploding in the way that suggests social-networking is the next stock market darling. Read more »

Sex Talk with Princess Donna: Squirting and the ass icon

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You have to have communication skills if you're going to responsibly wield the amount of sexual power that Princess Donna holds in her sexy little hands in the depths of the Mission District's very own porn palace, Kink.com. The director-actor of such sites as Kink's Ultimate Surrender, Bound Gang Bang, and Public Disgrace knows about expanding sexual horizons -- which is why it's so rad we've tapped her for this new love and sex advice column.

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Head of the (dance) class

Students and alumni celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts

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DANCE Complaining about the quality of public schools is about as ubiquitous as whining about MUNI. Admittedly, the quality of the former has a bigger impact on our future than having to wait for the N another 10 minutes. The good news is that the San Francisco Unified School District is not nearly as bad as its reputation; talk to some parents who have kids in it. While its art components are woefully underfunded, at least they exist. The yearly "Young at Art" exhibit at the de Young Museum (through Sun/20) has a selection from this year's crop.Read more »

Meister: Another presidential step against anti-gay bias

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By Dick Meister

Dick Meister, former labor editor of the SF Chronicle and KQED-TV Newsroom, has covered labor and politics for more than a half-century. Contact him through his website, www.dickmeister.com, which includes more than 350 of his columns.

President Obama's bold endorsement of same-sex marriage should be only the first of his key acts in behalf of gay Americans. It's now past time for him to redeem a 2008 campaign promise to issue an executive order barring federal contractors from discriminating against gay workers.

Such discrimination is already banned in Washington, D.C., and 21 states, including California. A presidential order would cover the millions of federal contractor employees in the other states. Building roads, bridges and dams are among the many essential tasks they perform throughout the country. Read more »

New JFK bike lanes are bad for everyone

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Golden Gate Park visitors have had a couple months to get used to the confusing new lane configurations on JFK Drive – with bike lanes along the edges of the road and a row of parked cars in the middle – and I have yet to hear from anyone who likes this design. Nice try, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, but this design isn't working for any road users and should be scrapped.Read more »

"Charitable beer circus"? Is this a miracle?

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Come one, come all (unless you’re under 21) to Petaluma this Sat/20, and witness death-defying displays -- with a twist. A screw-top twist, that is (sorry). Attendees of the Lagunitas Beer Circus can “ooh” and “aah” at aerialist acts, laugh at outrageously face-painted clowns, watch a lithesome figure breathe fire or swallow swords, and gape at the magnificence of exotic burlesque dancers, all the while drinking the fine beers and sweet ales of Lagunitas. It'll be three rings of tastiness! And it's charitable.

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June 6 hearing may spell the end of HANC recycling center

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It’s just a triangle of land on Frederick Street, right next to Kezar Stadium. But the Haight Ashbury Neighborhood Council (HANC) recycling center has been the subject of years of political battles- and depending on the results of a June 6 hearing, they may get shut down for good. Read more »

Round the outside

Two crackin' new nightlife venues open. Plus: Wunmi, Deetron, Andre Lodemann, Harvey Milk's birthday, more parties

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SUPER EGO Zounds and gulldurnit. Figures I'd fall ill right at the start of street festival season, when the weather was gorgeous, the freaks were How Weirding, and two new clubs were throwing open their fresh-painted portals. Why can't my body just obey my mind and be invincible! It's nothing but an overgrown orang-oo-tang. Oh well, I guess when you have only one sinus left — thanks, 1997 — every day of health is a smelly blessing.Read more »

Battles without honor and humanity: this week's new movies

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While all the cool kids are at Cannes, us losers are stuck stateside to contemplate the two big Hollywood movies opening this week: Battleship, which stars Liam Neeson, the guy still smarting from his titular role in the reigning biggest flop of all time, and aliens (and has no chance of being the best movie based on a board game); and The Dictator (review below). Your choice is clear.

You could also feed your Jack Black obsession (already running red-hot with the new Tenacious D album, natch) with Richard Linklater's new comedy, Bernie (review here). You could expand your cinematic horizons at the San Francisco Cinematheque's third annual "Crossroads" festival. Or, while weeping over blogs detailing Cannes flicks you won't get to see until 2013, you could organize your summer movie plan of attack.

And, of course, feed your Sno-Cap habit with The Dictator and other top picks from the rest of this week's opening slate:

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The Performant: Traveler's tales

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The WE Players' courageous Odyssey on Angel Island

It’s an overcast morning, typical San Francisco springtime, but upon disembarking from the Angel Island ferry at Ayala Cove, we are transported imaginatively to the island kingdom of Ithaca, where a merry band of brash suitors vie for the attentions of the fair Penelope (Libby Kelly) outside her palace, which might have otherwise been mistaken for the Angel Island visitor’s center.

A bevy of serving girls approach each disoriented oddience member to offer sustenance and mysterious smiles, as the suitors challenge a stalwart few to join in the contests for Penelope’s hand -- tug-of-war, footraces, pushing competitions. So begins the WE Players newest production “The Odyssey on Angel Island,” an all-day performance combining the elements of a hero’s quest with a day hike around Angel Island State Park -- one of the Bay Area’s loveliest natural treasures.

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The Beat: The two sides of Birds & Batteries

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What do a parrot and a vibrator have to do with a well-known San Francisco band you ask? Well let me tell you.

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Live Shots: Livening up Mendell Plaza

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Every Saturday, as part of a 12-week free concert series, the Bayview Opera House transforms Mendell Plaza into a music-filled oasis. (I visited on May 12 and fell in love with the sounds and sights of this Bayview spot.)

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Recology's slate cards

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Wow. Every single slate card I've seen so far for this election has been paid for at least in part by Recology, which is fighting a measure that would require competitive bidding on its garbage contract.

The Richmond Democratic Club. The Teacher's Union. The SF Women's Political Committee. The SF Democratic Party. The Milk Club. The Alice B. Toklas Club. I'm sure there are a few more out there. And every one has a big "No on A" ad on the back.Read more »