Paying more for wireless Mar 23, 2006
Wednesday, March 22, 2006. We live in an increasingly wireless world. (San Francisco Chronicle)
TOWERING QUESTION -- WILL IT FINALLY BE BUILT? Mar 22, 2006
TOWERING QUESTION -- WILL IT FINALLY BE BUILT. Planners hope the Bay Bridge's new eastern span, beset by political squabbles since the 1989 earthquake, has cleared its final hurdle. (San Francisco Chronicle)
ODD FINDING: WARHEADS TEND TO RIPEN WITH AGE Mar 22, 2006
Tuesday, March 21, 2006. Modern thermonuclear weapons contain a reported 6,000 or so parts, but the most critical, expensive and dangerous is the pit, a hollow sphere made of a plutonium alloy, encased in high explosives. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Cost basis questions rolling in Mar 22, 2006
Tuesday, March 21, 2006. The questions on cost basis just keep rolling in. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Late music critic, radio broadcaster Phil Elwood gets an exuberant tribute Mar 22, 2006
Tuesday, March 21, 2006. Music critics don't get into this line of work to make friends. (San Francisco Chronicle)
SAN FRANCISCOSurvey finds many playgrounds lacking Mar 22, 2006
SAN FRANCISCO / Survey finds many playgrounds lacking / Almost half graded C or lower in first tally by volunteers. " Recreation and Park Department officials have not yet had a chance to review the survey's findings in detail, Dennis said. The comments, however, could be used to help guide the department's priorities for park improvements, she said. The most prevalent problems volunteers found included a lack of sufficient lighting, and equipment with splinters. Volunteers also found rusted... (San Francisco Chronicle)
SAN FRANCISCONewsom rips ballot measures Mar 22, 2006
SAN FRANCISCO / Newsom rips ballot measures / Issues A, C and D up for June vote draw mayor's wrath. " Newsom's take on the ballot measure: "This is about politics, not good policy. (San Francisco Chronicle)
OAKLANDRampaging teens go on vandalism spree Mar 21, 2006
OAKLAND / Rampaging teens go on vandalism spree / After-party group smashes windshields on one city block. " "At one point, someone had counted 30 cars and only three hadn't been damaged," Personett said. The spree was the latest in a series of incidents marking a rise in violence and property crimes in Oakland. The pattern has prompted an outcry among city residents and calls for more police patrols. "This is nothing compared with what we go through every week," said Dewayne Crone, a car... (San Francisco Chronicle)
Young black men experiencing terrible times Mar 21, 2006
" Many of the new studies go beyond the traditional approaches to looking at the troubles of black men, especially when it comes to unemployment. For example, official unemployment rates can be misleading, because they do not include those not seeking work or incarcerated. "If you look at the numbers, the 1990s was a bad decade for young black men, even though it had the best labor market in 30 years," said Harry Holzer, an economist at Georgetown University and a coauthor, with Peter Edelman... (San Francisco Chronicle)
Eddie D's Sin City soiree to recollect 49ers' glory days Mar 21, 2006
Joe Montana, Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Bill Walsh and George Seifert have all RSVP'd -- as have ex-team president "Charmin' " Carmen Policy and former San Francisco mayors Dianne Feinstein, Frank Jordan and Willie Brown, who will help emcee. (Mayor Gavin Newsom was also invited, but he can't make it. (San Francisco Chronicle)
In state's GOP heartland, questions Mar 21, 2006
But these days, Dalbey, a Republican and a self-described conservative who voted for President Bush, is not nearly as supportive of the commander in chief. "Enough is enough,'' he said of the war while showing Lance Cpl. Aaron Kernell, 19, from Tennessee, to a red Naugahyde chair for a cut. "If they haven't got this thing settled by year's end, it's time to bring the boys home. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Fighting the spam invaders Mar 21, 2006
Monday, March 20, 2006. Q: Lately I've been getting spammed while I'm engaged in instant messaging with my friends on America Online. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Speeches by justices veer toward the political Mar 20, 2006
" Ginsburg also revealed that she and O'Connor, who retired in January, had been the targets of an Internet death threat over their practice of citing the decisions of foreign courts in their rulings. The justices' speeches were mostly a reaction, students of the court said, to attacks on judicial independence in Congress. "The volume is being turned up on both sides," said David Garrow, a legal historian, "both in the attacks on the court and in the justices' response. " The recent speeches,... (San Francisco Chronicle)
ON SFGATE.COM NOW Mar 20, 2006
Sunday, March 19, 2006. Back Story: Insight writer Vicki Haddock talks about the high personal costs for Cindy Sheehan, the country's most prominent anti-war activist. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Google must divulge data Mar 19, 2006
The subpoena has been drastically limited, most importantly the order excludes search queries. " The Department of Justice could not be immediately reached for comment. E-mail Verne Kopytoff at . Page C - 1 Educational Sales $600-$1200/WK The AGI PUBLISHING Account F/T Custom S.F . Upholstery Shop OFFICERS ProTech is Hiring: We SERVICES West Oakland Health TXESystems, Inc . is currently ED/TEACHER - FT Spanish at AGENT Full Time in San Francisco F/T with CPA firm specializing in Jobs for the... (San Francisco Chronicle)
The Road To Change? Mar 19, 2006
SAN FRANCISCO / The twists and turns of fixing Doyle Drive obstacle course / One plan would create a parkway, tunnels. " The current roadway has numerous safety issues: its eastern end is located in a liquefaction zone and needs to be reinforced to prevent failure in an earthquake, Saage said; and head-on collisions have plagued the road, where cars travel at high speeds without a median barrier. The parkway plan has received support because it would restore scenic views by eliminating parts of... (San Francisco Chronicle)
Thousands march against the war Mar 19, 2006
Nearly 10,000 anti-war protesters gather for march through S.F.. Nearly 10,000 anti-war protesters gather for march through S.F.. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Even as support for war shrinks, few speak out Mar 19, 2006
Saturday, March 18, 2006. Even though polls say a majority of Americans think President Bush has bungled the war in Iraq and now oppose it, anti-war organizers are struggling to get new converts to tell someone besides pollsters that the country needs to change course. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Bitter fight over sweet pot treats Mar 19, 2006
" Rick Steeb, 55, of San Jose, who uses marijuana to treat the pain from glaucoma, said he's "never seen (the candy) outside the dispensaries. It's not like they were being sold in convenience stores. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Bitter fight over sweet pot treats Drug agents fear candies appeal ... Mar 19, 2006
Bitter fight over sweet pot treats / Drug agents fear candies appeal to kids -- medical marijuana users insist they're legal. " Rick Steeb, 55, of San Jose, who uses marijuana to treat the pain from glaucoma, said he's "never seen (the candy) outside the dispensaries. (San Francisco Chronicle)
CALIFORNIAAuthenticity of statements backing appeals doubted Mar 18, 2006
CALIFORNIA / Authenticity of statements in support of appeals doubted / Investigator suspected in Morales forgeries; 2 other cases probed. "She is proud of her work; she doesn't really know what's happening here.'' In one of his letters, dated March 6, Laurence said he had learned that "five witnesses from whom Ms. Kathleen Culhane purportedly obtained signed declarations did not sign those declarations. (San Francisco Chronicle)
BAY AREAHip-hop trends spread to suburbia Mar 18, 2006
BAY AREA / Hip-hop trends spread to suburbia / Lyrics, dance moves too explicit for some parents. Things I can't relate to," said Nicholas' mother, Gail Martin, who has started listening to and reading articles about hip hop to better understand her son's tastes. "He always wants to listen to rap and no other type of music. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Chiron pulls measles vaccine Mar 18, 2006
But Chiron is recalling all unused supplies and will stop manufacturing the vaccine as a precautionary measure, the company said. Chiron spokeswoman Alison Marquiss said the company had already been considering dropping the product. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Awakening pinch from a mysterious new crustacean Mar 18, 2006
Friday, March 17, 2006. You're up to your neck in it, right. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Copyright and technical issues postpones PlayStation 3 debut Mar 17, 2006
NEW Customize your news from SFGate and beyond. Wednesday, March 15, 2006. (San Francisco Chronicle)
SACRAMENTOBond measure fails to make the ballot Mar 17, 2006
SACRAMENTO / Bond measure fails to make the ballot / Assembly approves package, but Senate doesn't take vote. " With the backing of the governor, members of the Assembly passed a nearly $24 billion bond measure that would have provided money for new classrooms and for fixing the state's aging flood control system. But the proposal had no support in the state Senate and was never taken up during the late-night session. Senators instead voted without dissent to allocate $1 billion out of the state... (San Francisco Chronicle)
Immigration bill showdown for GOP in Senate Mar 17, 2006
" Specter is trying to forge a consensus on his committee by plowing through a forest of amendments, searching for compromise the old-fashioned way. He has yet to tackle the most difficult elements, however, and progress has been painful. Most committee members in both parties agree that a bipartisan bill is necessary to achieve the first major overhaul of U.S. immigration law in two decades. "I think we have to get it done right," Specter said. "There's no alternative. We have to take the time... (San Francisco Chronicle)
CALIFORNIAAngelides' past tactic to tap corporate funds now under scrutiny Mar 17, 2006
CALIFORNIA / Angelides' past tactic to tap corporate funds now under scrutiny / Governor's race puts new spotlight on 1989 donations. Angelides was a successful developer in 1989 when he created a nonprofit committee called the California Legislative Forum, which he stated in papers on file with the secretary of state was formed to "foster strong state and federal relations" between California legislators and Washington. (San Francisco Chronicle)
NEW CRISIS HITS HURRICANE VICTIM Mar 17, 2006
She needs that support now. " Gary hopes to leave for New Orleans eventually, perhaps as soon as in a month. But the theft of the FEMA funds has made that more difficult. She is figuring out how much she will need to move back to Louisiana. The home invasion on Feb. 27 on the 200 block of Cherry Way was just the latest hurdle faced by Gary and her five children -- ages 24, 15, 10, 5, and 2 -- who came to the Bay Area in November. "It (the robbery) set me back," said Gary. "In Katrina, I lost... (San Francisco Chronicle)
Colonel says he OKd dogs at Abu Ghraib Mar 17, 2006
" Pappas -- who was testifying at the trial of a military police dog handler accused of abuse at the prison -- is the highest-ranking officer to take responsibility for misconduct there. The abuse in late 2003 and early 2004 included soldiers putting detainees in painful stress positions, keeping them naked and sexually humiliating them. The dispute between the military and the accused is whether the actions were the work of a few bad soldiers or if they were part of a system of aggressive... (San Francisco Chronicle)
Garden show in full bloom Mar 17, 2006
Thursday, March 16, 2006. Robert Daily of Orinda, above, takes a closer look at a plant framed by a sculpture in an exhibition called "The Garden of Rocky Disengagement" by the Living Land, at the San Francisco Flower n Show, which opened Wednesday and runs through Sunday at the Cow Palace. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Finding affordable Vegas hotels Mar 17, 2006
Thursday, March 16, 2006. It was once a place that gloried in its down-home, Western-style cheapness (think cowboy hats and self-serve buffets); now it's advertising VIP bottle lounges, thousand-dollar dinners and butler service. (San Francisco Chronicle)
New controls on spending for UC homes and offices Mar 17, 2006
Thursday, March 16, 2006. Los Angeles -- The University of California, stung by disclosures that it paid $30,000 for a dog run and $132,000 for an office remodeling, among other projects, said Wednesday it has tightened the rules for improvements at university-owned homes and the offices of top executives. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Coppola in Sonoma: There goes the neighborhood Mar 17, 2006
Thursday, March 16, 2006. The mistake has been made too many times, by too many who should know better: Sonoma County is not a part of Napa Valley. (San Francisco Chronicle)
On patrol with a new army in Fallujah Mar 17, 2006
Thursday, March 16, 2006. Fallujah, Iraq -- If you want to know how much longer U.S. troops need to remain in Iraq, talk to the X.O.. (San Francisco Chronicle)
U.N. OKs rights council -- U.S. votes 'no' Mar 17, 2006
U.N. OKs rights council -- U.S. votes 'no. U.N. OKs rights council -- U.S. votes 'no. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Did someone say 'The child is father of the man'? Yep. Mar 16, 2006
Did someone say 'The child is father of the man. Did someone say 'The child is father of the man. (San Francisco Chronicle)
BAY AREAIrish join battle over illegal immigration Mar 16, 2006
BAY AREA / Irish join battle over illegal immigration / St. Patrick's Day vehicle for activists seeking reform. The relationship between Ireland and America is so long and fantastic, but it's in danger now. (San Francisco Chronicle)
MIND YOUR BUSINESS Mar 16, 2006
" Rosen cautions that for an ESOP to succeed, your company will need to generate enough cash to pay back the loans taken out by the trust. "It's a matter of profitability," he said. "Ask yourself: Will the business be able to generate enough cash to cover all our current expenses and over time buy me out as well. " Your company will also need capable managers who can run the business after you retire. "ESOPs often don't work for very small companies with under 10 or 15 employees," Rosen said.... (San Francisco Chronicle)
Santa Cruz students nurture anti-war role Mar 16, 2006
" Students Against War brought the attention of both the left and the Pentagon to the hilly, redwood-studded campus through counter-recruiting -- a tactic of directly taking on military recruiting that has become the leading edge of the anti-war movement. Marches are still a staple of the movement, and there will be an 11 a.m. rally Saturday in San Francisco's Civic Center and others elsewhere nationally to mark the third anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Members of Students Against War... (San Francisco Chronicle)
NOTEBOOKTechnology is not always your friend Mar 16, 2006
NOTEBOOK / Technology is not always your friend / Author warns of intrusive gear, 'toilets crashing. " Aside from the civil liberties implications -- which Greenfield said are significant -- he also said the technology won't always be pretty. In fact, he said, "I see a lot of misery. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Fed health chief says U.S. unready for bird flu Mar 16, 2006
"It would only be a crisis if it began to infect people.". Leavitt was in San Francisco for a talk before the Commonwealth Club, where he discussed a broad range of health issues, from the high cost of medical care to local preparation for a flu pandemic. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Fatal Mission shooting leaves 1 dead, 3 wounded Mar 16, 2006
Chronicle Staff Report. Tuesday, March 14, 2006. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Bay Area blessed with jade that blooms Mar 16, 2006
Wednesday, March 15, 2006. Plant: Crassula argentea. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Senators fill up on mergers, gas prices and regulations Mar 16, 2006
Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. said at Tuesday's hearing. (San Francisco Chronicle)
CHRONICLEWATCH Mar 15, 2006
" Ehrlich said he had phoned Muni's central control earlier this month and was told that the track department had known about the problem since Feb. 27 but that it was BART's responsibility because BART had built the ventilation shaft during construction of the Market Street subway in the late 1960s. We spoke to San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency spokeswoman Maggie Lynch, who said her agency had to get BART's permission to do the repairs and that the work needed to be done at night.... (San Francisco Chronicle)
NOVATOInternet makes Sweet Pea get tough Mar 15, 2006
NOVATO / Internet makes Sweet Pea get tough / Trademark-holder tells little clothiers: Pay $5,000 or $16 million. " Sweet Pea Limited, operated by Stacy Frati, filed the multi-million dollar action only against individuals who lacked the resources to defend themselves, Ostrowski said. Among the targets were hobbyists, stay-at-home moms and a woman who attempted to sell her own copyrighted design of a pea-pod crammed with hearts on Cafepress.com. According to the defendants, Sweet Pea Limited... (San Francisco Chronicle)
Deal for papers raises queries Mar 15, 2006
" MediaNews already has a track record of owning a block of suburban papers in a major metropolitan region. "(Justice) allowed MediaNews to acquire a string of (newspaper) properties around Los Angeles; it has most of them except the Orange County Register and the Los Angeles Times," Morton said. The advantages of a heavy Bay Area concentration for MediaNews CEO Singleton are obvious: "It enlarges his footprint," Morton said. "It enables him to sell a lot more advertising collectively to all his... (San Francisco Chronicle)
Chain of ocean reserves considered for state Mar 15, 2006
The proposed protections also would attempt to offset the negative effects of coastal development, water pollution and other harmful assaults from a growing human population. And the state is proceeding with the marine reserve program amid concerns that the state Fish and Game Department does not have the money to carry out its mission. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Cleric rips officials over Iraq violence Mar 15, 2006
" Al-Sadr criticized the U.S. administration for interfering in Iraqi affairs, and the Iraqi government for being weak and self-involved. The politicians "are busy. I want to be president, I want to be minister. (San Francisco Chronicle)
$265 million to buy Jamba Juice Mar 15, 2006
$265 million for Jamba Juice / Florida businessman makes deal to buy San Francisco firm (San Francisco Chronicle)
Capital One to Buy North Fork for $15B Mar 14, 2006
By EILEEN ALT POWELL, AP Business Writer. Monday, March 13, 2006. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Fast tax exemptions for Katrina charities criticized Mar 14, 2006
" But the organization does not know how many evacuees it has helped. "It's hard to say exactly," said Millena Gay, its director of operations. "We have a lot of patients that don't have insurance, and it's difficult to track where they all come from. " Right after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, the Wise Giving Alliance of the Better Business Bureau, a charity watchdog and research group, urged the IRS not to do what it did after Sept. 11, when it quickly approved about 350 new... (San Francisco Chronicle)
Plan to unify immigrant appeals Mar 14, 2006
Specter's provision to centralize jurisdiction draws fire. "I think it will limit representation'' by requiring noncitizens to find lawyers who will travel to Washington to argue their cases. In addition, Schroeder said, the judges on the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, where the cases would be heard, "have no background'' in immigration. (San Francisco Chronicle)
War follows refugees to Darfur Mar 14, 2006
No one has harassed us yet," she said. But the trouble from which she fled may have followed her. Operating from bases inside Sudan, Chadian rebels have begun launching cross-border attacks on their home country. Since their first major attack, on the eastern city of Adre in December, their numbers have grown to between 8,000 and 9,000 well-armed men. A similar number of Chadians have sought refuge in western Sudan's dangerous Darfur region, fleeing attacks from rival tribesmen backed by the... (San Francisco Chronicle)
Graham Leggat makes friends and mends fences, punching up the S.F. International Film Festival Mar 14, 2006
Monday, March 13, 2006. When Graham Leggat kicks off the San Francisco International Film Festival on April 20, he'll already be familiar to many in the influential opening night crowd. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Illegal parking still has curb appeal Mar 14, 2006
Monday, March 13, 2006. Phillip Matier & Andrew Ross. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Internet telephones heed the call Mar 14, 2006
" Internet telephoning, otherwise known as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), broke out last year in a big way with first-time subscribers like Hirson. Internet phone subscribers more than tripled from 1.3 million customers in the United States at the start of 2005 to 4.5 million at the end of last year, according to TeleGeography, a research firm. The growth was intensified in particular by an aggressive advertising campaign by Internet phone company Vonage, of New Jersey, which spent $220... (San Francisco Chronicle)
Bonds homers, and all is well, it seems Mar 14, 2006
Monday, March 13, 2006. -- That could have been anyone playing left field for the Giants on Sunday. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Just saying 'no' is no-no for parents Mar 14, 2006
Monday, March 13, 2006. If one message came through loud and clear during a community discussion at Albany High about teen drinking, it was this: Telling your kids not to drink is no way to keep them from doing so, or even engage in a discussion about it. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Struck Presidio Jogger Dies Mar 14, 2006
A memorial for jogger in hit-run / Marathon runner dies of injuries in S.F.. " Early on March 2, Dyer was running south along Washington Boulevard near Kobbe Avenue, an area popular with cyclists and joggers but only sparsely traveled by cars, said Sgt. Robert Jansing, a detective with the U.S. Park Police. Sometime between 6:45 and 7 a.m., police say, a car sped southbound around a curve on Washington and struck Dyer, catapulting her over a fence and into a ditch. She lay there, face-down and... (San Francisco Chronicle)
Sun Micro trying hard to break through clouds Mar 13, 2006
" Sun's story is fascinating to many in Silicon Valley, who wonder how it will unfold. Will the Santa Clara company stage the most incredible comeback since IBM in the 1990s? Or will the once-fabled dot in dot-com finally collapse, or be gobbled up like former technology giants such as Digital Equipment Corp. or Compaq Computer? "It's either another Digital Equipment or another turnaround like HP or IBM," said analyst Andrew Neff of Bear Stearns. "Right now, the jury is still out. " Just as... (San Francisco Chronicle)
Prison reform needs reform Mar 13, 2006
" Scholars such as Petersilia who have studied California's overcrowded, $8 billion corrections system have repeatedly concluded that many of the system's troubles stem from poorly thought out criminal justice policies. Sentencing laws enacted more than 30 years ago, and repeatedly described as a failure, require nothing of inmates, who sit in cells or on yards instead of entering drug treatment or vocational education programs. Corrections administrators have little power to determine when an... (San Francisco Chronicle)
Nanotech field no longer small Mar 13, 2006
" In order to make the water-resistant fabric washable, Offord used a chemical trick. Imagine that the "moss" is only repellent when it stands up straight. Offord designed a chemical "hinge" into the structure that makes the protective layer lie flat in the presence of soap. Once the garment has been cleaned, running it through a hot dryer or ironing the fabric supplies enough heat to reactivate the hinge and snap the protective layer back into stand-up position, he said. "That's what... (San Francisco Chronicle)
SUV owners have a champion on the Web Mar 13, 2006
" Evangelicals distributed leaflets that posed the query, "What Would Jesus Drive. " Vandals torched and defaced SUVs before they ever left the dealers' lots. The Kelley Blue Book's last annual New-Vehicle Buyer Attitude Study showed nearly 9 out of 10 people in the new vehicle market said SUV drivers should not be described as patriotic. Just when it seemed that SUV owners were on the path to pariahood -- the kind of social status already attained by chain smokers and pit bull owners -- an... (San Francisco Chronicle)
