PG&E's Dangerous Game

While spending more than $40 million on a failed political campaign, the utility also disclosed that the gas-line that blew up in San Bruno was slated to be replaced.

• By Robert Gammon
• Tags: Seven Days, PG&E, Proposition 16, natural-gas pipelines, San Bruno, California Public Utilities Commission, San Mateo County Coroner's Office, National Transportation Safety Board, don't ask, don't tell, US Constitution, Virginia Phillips, First Amendment, Fifth Amendment, Obama Justice Department, Vaughn Walker, gay marriage, San Francisco police, Johannes Mehserle verdict protests, Jean Quan, Rebecca Kaplan, Alameda County District Attorney's Office, Sierra Club Bay Chapter, Kent Lewandowski, Don Perata, Lena Tam, SunCal, Alameda Point, Alameda City Council, BART, Oakland airport connector, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, California Supreme Court, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Proposition 8, Oakland A's, Lew Wolff, Major League Baseball, Interstate 680, toll lane

Confessions of a Pregnant Wine Writer

Just how much wine can one safely consume during pregnancy? That depends on how much you listen to the Sanctimommies.

• By Blair Campbell
• Tags: Feature, Longreads, wine, pregnancy, Wineau, Promethazine, Berkeley Parents Network

Don Perata to Buy Oakland Mayor's Race?

Friends of the ex-senator have found a legal loophole that could allow him to greatly exceed the city's campaign spending cap.

• By Robert Gammon
• Tags: Full Disclosure, Don Perata, Coalition for a Safer California, Oakland City Attorney's Office, Oakland Public Ethics Commission, Jean Quan, Rebecca Kaplan, Pat Kernighan, Nancy Nadel, Desley Brooks

Thinking Holistically About Energy Efficiency

Federal stimulus funds help some Berkeley residents increase whole-home energy efficiency.

• By Nate Seltenrich
• Tags: Eco Watch, Energy efficiency, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Department of Energy, California Public Utilities Commission, PG&E

California Marijuana Tax Stamps Readied

Meanwhile, the feds and state tussle over cannabis cash.

• By David Downs
• Tags: Legalization Nation, State Board of Equalization, Anita Gore, Proposition 19, Kevin Reed, Richard Lee, Coffeeshop Blue Sky, cannabis, marijuana, medical marijuana, legalization, taxes, Berkeley Patients Group, Brad Senesac, Barbara Boxer, Weeds, Mary-Louise Parker 

Letters for September 15

Readers sound off on legalization and medical marijuana, the doctors at HempCon, and rape and anonymity.

Youth Radio Beyond the Airwaves

Almost two decades in, the Oakland organization is giving kids the tools to create content — and possibly revolutionizing public media in the process

• By Ellen Cushing
• Tags: Culture Spy, Ellin O'Leary, Youth Radio, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Nashat Kurwa, Elisabeth Soep, Vivian Chavez

B.A.D. Girls' Demolition Derby

The Richmond Wrecking Belles and the Oakland Outlaws duke it out in women's roller derby.

• By Ellen Cushing
• Tags: Events, Roller derby, Jen Atherton, Michelle Kirian, Bay Area Derby Girls, Richmond Wrecking Belles, Oakland Outlaws, Craneway Pavilion

Slideshow

Walter James Mansfield's Material World

Sacramento-based artist creates lyrical topographies.

• By DeWitt Cheng
• Tags: Visual Art, Vessel Gallery, Slideshow

Fowl Play at Impact Theatre

Berkeley company stages a new coming out narrative, with chickens as the main metaphor.

• By Rachel Swan
• Tags: Theater, MilkMilkLemonade, Desdemona Chiang, Impact Theatre, Joshua Conkel, Sarah Coykendall, Charlie Cromer, Cecele Levinson, Michael Garrett McDonald, Cindy Im, Ching Chong Chinaman, LaVal's Subterranean Theatre

Watching Rome Burn with Steven Saylor

Berkeley novelist invokes ancient persecutions and transgenderism under the emperors.

• By Anneli Rufus
• Tags: Books, Books Inc. Berkeley

Making Faith Gay-Friendly With Bernard Schlager

The Pacific School of Religion's Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies celebrates ten years of education and activism.

• By Anneli Rufus
• Tags: Body & Soul, Pacific School of Religion

Resistance and Rebellion

For the week of September 15-21, 2010.

• By Ralfee Finn

Tampons As Sex Toys

Plus, porn in Utah and more on maple syrup.

• By Dan Savage

Video

The Agony and Ecstasy of Joaquin Phoenix

If Phoenix is really and truly a washed-up drunk with delusions of grandeur, I'm Still Here is a worthy swan song. Way to go.

• By Kelly Vance
• Tags: Movie Review, Video

One-Night Stands

Repertory film listings for September 16-22, 2010.

Top-Shelf Ingredients and Creative Preparation at Locanda da Eva

New Berkeley trattoria knows how to showcase the sunny flavors of September.

• By Matthew Stafford
• Tags: Restaurant Review, Locanda da Eva, Casa de Eva, Robert Lauriston, East Bay Expres, Lucky Hand Lager

Jazz Warriors Fred Hersch and Nancy King to Reunite at Yoshi's

Pianist and vocalist will renew their collaboration for performance at Yoshi's.

• By Andrew Gilbert
• Tags: Music, Nancy King, Fred Hersch, Brad Mehldau, The Bad Plus, Ethan Iverson, Vijay Iyer, Taylor Eigsti, Glen Moore, Ralph Towner, Oregon, Pony Poindexter, Jon Hendricks, Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, So, Yoshi's, Yoshi's Oakland

Slideshow

Karyn Paige Trips the Light Fantastic

A refugee from corporate America makes her promising debut.

• By Rachel Swan
• Tags: Music, Karyn Paige, The Jazz Mafia, Joe Bagale, Supertaster, The KP EP, Adam Theis, Brass, Bows, & Beats, Nino Moschella, Matt Berkeley, Stephen Bradley, Rich Armstrong, Chris McGee, Lyrics Born, Max McVeety, Monterey County Fairgrounds, Slideshow

Live Music Coming to Downtown Oakland

New venue, Vitus, to open in Oakland, plus more restaurants and bars — and maybe shopping?

• By Kathleen Richards
• Tags: Ear Bud, Brian Kendall, Community and Economic Development Agency, Hibiscus, Vitus, Damon Gallagher, Damon & the Heathens, Awaken Cafe, Flora, Dona Savitsky, Daniel Patterson, Plum, Franklin Square Wine Bar, Mike Dirnt, Green Day, Another Planet Entertainment, Gregg Perloff, Fox Theater, The Den, Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe, Emporium Capwell, I. Magnin, Sears, Urban Outfitters, Bay Street, Whole Foods, 21 Grand, Club Sandwich, Machine Head, Rob Flynn, Pantera, Dimebag Darrell

Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan

Hawk

• By Mark Keresman
• Tags: CD Reviews, Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan, Hawk, Great American Music Hall

Interpol

Interpol

• By David Downs
• Tags: CD Reviews, Interpol, Fox Theater

Lyfe Jennings

I Still Believe

• By Lee Hildebrand
• Tags: CD Reviews, Lyfe Jennings, The Independent

Local Licks

This week we review Callow, The Fancy Dan Band, Red Meat, and Il Gato.

• By Rachel Swan
• Tags: Local Licks, Callow, The Fancy Dan Band, Red Meat, Il Gato, Mama Buzz Cafe, Cafe du Nord, The Uptown, Telegraph

Boxer and Brown Leading in New Polls

• By Robert Gammon
• Tags: Politics, People

53rd Monterey Jazz Fest Unveils the New School of Jazz

• By Rachel Swan
• Tags: Local Show Reviews, Monterey Jazz Festival, Gretchen Parlato, Troy “Trombone Shorty��� Andrews, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Taylor Eigsti, Kendrick Scott, Alan Hampton, Lisa Mezzacappa, Bait & Switch, The Nice Guy Trio, Diane Reeves, ObliqSound, Brass, Bows & Beats Hip-Hop Symphony, Billy Childs, Kronos Quartet

Jerry Brown Scores Endorsement from Perata’s Employer

• By Robert Gammon
• Tags: Politics, People, Law Enforcement & Crime

Appeals Court Tosses Desley Brooks’ Suit Against Chip Johnson

• By Robert Gammon
• Tags: Politics, People, Law Enforcement & Crime

Tuesday Must Read: PG&E Gas-Line List Is Incomplete: AC Transit to Slash Weekend Service

• By Robert Gammon
• Tags: Business, Transportation

Why I’m Rooting Against the Niners

• By Robert Gammon
• Tags: Sports

Daily Roundup: Indoor vs. Outdoor Fight Heating Up

• By David Downs
• Tags: Cannabis Culture, marijuana, cannabis, legalization, medical marijuana, Proposition 19, X-Pac, Mike Corral, International Cannabis and Hemp Expo

Monday Must Read: PG&E Lied About Pipe Pressure, Uses Unreliable Tests: Judge Threatens OPD

• By Robert Gammon
• Tags: Politics, Business

Slumdog Millionaire’s A.R. Rahman Takes Bollywood Global

• By Susan Fry
• Tags: Local Show Reviews, A.R. Rahman

BREAKING NEWS: New Poll Shows Perata Leads a Close Oakland Mayor’s Race

• By Robert Gammon
• Tags: Politics, People

Daily Roundup: DEA Continuing Dispensary Raids In Secret

• By David Downs
• Tags: Law Enforcement & Crime

Friday Must Read: Was It Pipe Corrosion, SmartMeters, or too Much Pressure in PG&E’s Pipeline; Reports of Gas Odors Appears to be a Rumor

• By Robert Gammon

Woodfin and Workers Settle

• By Madeleine Bair
• Tags: Breaking News, Woodfin Suites, Emeryville, EBASE, Unite Here

Violent Crime Wave Strikes Cal

• By Anneli Rufus
• Tags: Law Enforcement & Crime, uc berkeley, ucpd

Oakland Mayor’s Race Cap Is $95,000 for ‘Independent Committees’

• By Robert Gammon
• Tags: Politics, People, Oakland City Clerk’s Office, Oakland mayor’s race, independent expenditure committees, spending cap, Don Perata, Coalition for a Safer California, Jean Quan, Rebecca Kaplan, Oakland City Attorney’s Office, Public Ethics Commission, Paul Kinney

Daily Roundup: San Francisco Chronicle Says Vote No on "219"? [Oops]

• By David Downs
• Tags: Legalization, marijuana, cannabis, Proposition 19, medical marijuana, legalization, High Times, High Times Medical Cannabis Cup, drug war

Thursday Must Read: PG&E Never Fixed Pipe; Whitman Sets Self-Funding Record

• By Robert Gammon
• Tags: Politics, People, Business

Local Vegan Wants to Set New Standards for Gelato

• By Anneli Rufus
• Tags: Food, Books, barry schenker, slow food, gelato

Live Review: Ambrose Akinmusire's Homecoming at Yoshi's

• By Madeleine Bair
• Tags: Bay Area Bands, Local Show Reviews, Ambrose Akinmusire

Video

James Franco's 'Howl' Resonates Beyond the Beats

• By David Downs
• Tags: Cannabis Culture, Howl, James Franco, Allen Ginsberg, Rob Epstein, Video

Wednesday Must Read: PG&E Ignored Chance to Lessen Disaster; Jerry Brown Launches Attack Ads

• By Robert Gammon
• Tags: Politics, Business

Raiders Tailgate Party, Bratwurst and All, to Be on TV

• By Anneli Rufus
• Tags: Media, Sports, Food, laura mcintosh, josh thomsen, chris lilly, keith urban, dean dupuis, peter kahl, oakland raiders, oracle arena, bringing it home, ktvu