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Hundreds of never-used English and math workbooks were tossed into the recycling bin last week at a San Francisco school, stunning neighbors who called it a waste of taxpayer money, particularly at a time when budget cuts are forcing the district to lay off teachers, increase class sizes and eliminate summer school. "My first thoughts were: Here's the district begging for money, and they're throwing out perfectly good, unread, unused books," said David Toerge, who lives across the street from Paul Revere Elementary School and first saw the books Friday. The practice of tossing unused and obsolete books isn't unheard...

San Francisco -- The head of a children's art organization, arrested three weeks ago for possession of child pornography, placed "offensive" tiles in murals he created at four city schools, San Francisco police said Friday. Some 100 "inappropriate" tiles have been found in murals at Sunset Elementary School and three other unnamed schools in the city, said Police Chief Greg Suhr. Anthony Josef Norris, founder and director of Kid Serve Youth Murals,designed and worked on all the projects. The San Francisco man surrendered June 2 to the FBI after agents investigating a website known for child pornography traced the log-on...

For Kearsley Higgins, raising a baby in San Francisco was idyllic. She and her husband owned a small two-bedroom house in the Castro, she found plenty of activities for her daughter, Maya, and made friends through an 11-member mothers' group. Now as the mother of an almost 4-year-old, with a baby boy due in September, Higgins has left. A year ago, she and her husband, a digital artist, bought a four-bedroom home with a large backyard in San Rafael. Maya easily got into a popular preschool and will be enrolled in a good public elementary school when the time comes....

San Francisco's ever-active Animal Control and Welfare Commission has renewed its push for a pet sale ban in the city - only this time, it even covers goldfish. The idea is to put the squeeze on puppy and kitten mills that supply pet stores, and to discourage "impulse buys" of hamsters and other small pets that often wind up being dumped at shelters. But goldfish, guppies and tropical fish?

San Francisco would be the first city in California to require that crisis pregnancy centers prominently disclose whether they are antiabortion facilities that don't offer comprehensive health care, under legislation being developed by a city supervisor. Critics say that despite giving the impression that women facing unplanned pregnancies are offered a full range of medical services and counseling, many of these clinics try to talk patients out of terminating their pregnancies and do not provide any care or referrals beyond limited prenatal and postnatal services. "Legislation is a priority because there are clinics using misleading advertising tactics," said Supervisor Malia...

SAN FRANCISCO -- In November, San Francisco voters will be asked to weigh in on what was until now a private family matter: male circumcision. City elections officials confirmed Wednesday that an initiative that would ban the circumcision of males younger than 18 in San Francisco has received enough signatures to appear on the ballot. The practice would become a misdemeanor.

Even loyal Obama supporters are raising their eyebrows at the very pricey fundraising -- like that exclusive $35,800-per-person dinner in San Francisco -- planned as part of the President's April 20 visit to the Bay Area. The April Western U.S. swing by the President, which includes a stop in Reno and Los Angeles as well as San Francisco, is part of Obama's 2012 re-election kickoff campaign. But also scheduled .. a jobs and economy event in the Bay Area on April 20. On April 21, Obama heads to Los Angeles. ... Obama supporters acknowledge that the $35,800 per person San...

Supporters of Bradley Manning stripped down to their skivvies outside the office of US Senator Diane Feinstein to protest the treatment of the suspected WikiLeaker, who is being held in solitary confinement, often without being allowed to wear clothes. Chanting slogans such as “Solitary confinement is inhumane” and “Due process, humane treatment,” the protesters called on Feinstein to oppose Manning's prison conditions, which also prevent him from exercising, sleeping during the day, or reading except during certain hours. He has also been forced to sleep naked many nights and then stand at full attention the following morning for inspection, according...

Eye-popping pension costs are the issue du jour at City Hall these days, but city officials say skyrocketing health care benefits are a far bigger concern - and some of them blame a little known group of seven for exacerbating the problem. They're the members of the obscure Health Service Board, which meets monthly to select the medical and dental plans for employees and retirees, set the amount members pay for each plan, and set policy for the plans' administration. It sounds innocuous enough, but the City Charter requires that four of the seven be employees or retirees who are...

SAN FRANCISCO -- The seats of some well used methods of public transportation have been analyzed by a biologist and the results might keep commuters on their feet. A supervisor with San Francisco State University's biology lab recently tested the bacterial content of a random BART seat and a Muni seat. The Bay Citizen commissioned the study. On Muni's plastic seats she found two forms of harmless bacteria, and after using an alcohol wipe on the seat no bacteria was detected. But the cloth seats on BART told an entirely different story: tests of the seats on BART revealed fecal...

Updated 9:35 AM PST, Thu, Jan 13, 2011 Print Share Buzz up! 2retweet 1diggdigg Despite President Obama's speech about healing, shared responsibility and shared pain, conservative pundit Sarah Palin is plastered, unflatteringly, along one San Francisco street (so far). The posters -- found and publisehd by SFist.com -- espouse "Enrage them with fear until they feel justified in their violence."

...In any case, the twenty-first century is undeniably the century science fiction built—if not in utter hands-on reality (though even that proposition is debatable, given the inspiration the genre has provided for influential scientists and geeks), then in the public imagination...

(CNSNews.com) - The Center for Science in the Public Interest said Thursday it plans to go ahead with its lawsuit against McDonald’s to ban children's Happy Meals, which include free toys. On Tuesday, San Francisco became the first major U.S. city to pass a law regulating the practice of giving away free toys with restaurant meals for children. Stephen Gardner, litigation director for CSPI, told CNSNews.com that his group applauds San Francisco’s action, but it won’t have any impact on the CSPI lawsuit, which is close to being filed. “We have been talking with them (San Francisco) behind the scenes,...

The SCI-FI AIR SHOW’s purpose is to preserve and promote the rich and varied history of Sci-Fi/fantasy vehicles.

What is billed as the biggest Fleet Week in San Francisco in 20 years gets started with a roar this afternoon when the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels precision flying team begins the first of four days of ear-shattering flights over San Francisco Bay. The Angels will be making survey flights over San Francisco and the bay starting at 1 p.m. in preparation for a dress rehearsal Friday afternoon and air shows Saturday and Sunday. Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/07/BAQ91FONKC.DTL#ixzz11kR9PoZR

OAKLAND, Calif. – Hundreds of protesters condemning Israel's recent raid on an international flotilla bound for Gaza are picketing at the Port of Oakland, where an Israeli ship is due to arrive. The demonstrators gathered Sunday to prevent the incoming ship from being unloaded. The dock's day shift of longshoremen agreed to not cross the picket line. Meanwhile Sunday, Israel said it will immediately allow all goods into Gaza except weapons and items deemed to have a military use under its decision to ease its three-year-old blockade of the Palestinian territory. Israeli officials had decided last week to ease the...

National Security: There seems to be only one thing White House arms negotiators want more than a reduction in U.S. nuclear weapons — a reduction in U.S. missile defenses to protect us from such weapons. The Washington Times' Bill Gertz reports that U.S. diplomats are secretly negotiating with Russia to link nuclear arms reduction to limits on our anti-missile defenses. As Gertz points out, "Pro-arms-control officials within the administration dislike missile defenses, viewing them as an impediment to offensive arms agreements." Ellen Tauscher, the undersecretary of state for international security and arms control, has been talking to Moscow's deputy foreign...

Come to free and wild Arizona. We don't allow open container but we allow open carry. There always seem to be a gun show. Bring your weapon and get it outfitted or buy a new side piece. http://www.tucsonguns.net/Gun_Shows.php This is a reprint of the list of Southern Arizona wineries I posted Wednesday. CALLAGHAN VINEYARDSKent & Lisa Callaghan 336 Elgin Road (Elgin) (520) 455-5322 www.callaghanvineyards.com CANELO hILLS VINEYARD & WINERYTim & Joan Mueller 342 Elgin Road (Elgin) (520) 455-5499 www.canelohillswinery.com CHARRON VINEYARD & WINERYMilton & Susan Craig 18585 S. Sonoita Hwy (Vail) (520) 762-8585 www.charronvineyards.com DOS CABEZAS WINEWORKSTodd & Kelly Bostock...

Coleman said he issued the order as a protest, following several other cities and organizations that are boycotting Arizona. "This law sets a dangerous example for the rest of the country," Coleman said in a press release. "It will create a culture where racial profiling is acceptable, and will create a dangerous wedge between police officers and the communities they serve."

SAN FRANCISCO — Three Hayward cousins have pleaded guilty to shooting a man in the face with a BB gun because they thought he was gay, and were sentenced to six months in jail. Mohammad Habibzada, 24, Shafiq Hashemi, 21, and Sayed Bassam, 21, also will be on probation for three years and must complete as much as 400 hours of community service, including 40 hours of hate-crime sensitivity training, according to the San Francisco District Attorney's Office. Police said the men went to San Francisco on Feb. 26 armed with an air rifle and video camera, targeting people who...