It's Finals-Have a Laugh

In case you haven't already seen it-or if you can watch it multiple times without it ever getting old (like myself) here is The Landlord. Featuring Will Ferrell and Adam McKay's (director and co-write of Anchorman and Talladega Nights) two year old daughter, Pearl.

Conan Comes to SF

Would you be herded like sheep into a caged claustrophobic line for at least five hours on bustling Market Street? Would you be forced into a chaotic stampede within the famous walls of the elegant Orpheum Theatre? And would you do all of this for a lanky redheaded man who enjoys horny manatees? I would- And I did. But this wasn’t for any man-it was for Conan O’Brien.

For one week only Conan O’Brien moved his famous string controlled hips out west to San Francisco to tape his show, Late Night with Conan O’Brien. The NBC show, which airs from 12:35am to 1:30am, attracted 3,000people (who emailed for the free tickets months in advanced) a day to the Orpheum Theatre to see celebrity guests, which ranged from the raunchy Robin Williams and Snoop Dogg to the creative genius of George Lucas. I was lucky enough to attend Monday’s show, which featured actor Dana Carvey, comedian Jasper Redd, and musical guest the Arctic Monkeys.

When the Emmy award winning O’Brien made his way to the set, which featured an elaborate replica of the Golden Gate Bridge, he easily joked, “we had a replica of the bay bridge but it collapsed,” the audience erupted into a roaring frenzy. “I can’t explain the energy that was going through the room,” said 2nd row fan, Jason Palone. “I lost my voice by the end.” The ecstatic cheers reached deafening levels for a video short of O’Brien sightseeing in China Town, pretending to be a tour guide at the “penis tower (Coit Tower),” and loudest of all, was when O’Brien went to the Full House house in Alamo Square and was greeted by Danny Tanner himself (Bob Saget).

The rowdy and reactive crowd was so loud that O’Brien was quoted later that night by NBC11 saying, “tomorrow we are going to encourage the crowd to start drinking two hours before, so by the time they get here they are in nap mode.” But the cheers could not be subsided even with O’Brien’s signature “simmer down my babies,” when O’Brien and Marin County resident and Saturday Night Live Alum, Dana Carvey, who wasn’t promoting any project, burst into the songs “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair)” by Scott McKenzie and “Lights” by Journey.

A Transgender Transamerica Building driving a Trans Am, the endorsement of Sam Wong’s restaurant in China Town, traffic insights on “Late Night Talk,” and trips to the winery bliss of Napa County, made Late Night with Conan O’Brien an unforgettable San Francisco treat. The tailor-made San Francisco pokes and jokes could only be heard on the shows during April 30th to May 4th but it’s never to late for insomniacs, night owls, and camera happy tourists visiting the Big Apple (where O’Brien is based), to catch the charismatic Conan for some late night laughs.

Butter and Egg Days Parade

Mouths watering, taste buds buzzing with delight, and stomachs brimming over our jeans to the point of unbuttoning. What sinful combination always hits these marks? Butter and Eggs. The quaint town of Petaluma, California understands the capability of butter and eggs and relishes in it every year as strollers and straw hats cluttered Petaluma Boulevard for their Butter and Egg Days Parade.

Situated in the winery bliss of Sonoma County, Petaluma, has been celebrating their agricultural heritage and close-knit community with the Butter and Egg Days Parade for the past 26 years. This year on a sticky 80 something Saturday, the theme of the parade was “Super Town, Super Heroes,” with the fire department, who is celebrating their 150th anniversary, as the grand marshal. Other parade floats and participants included Boy Scout troops, Churches, Banks, High School cheerleading squads, Vietnam vets, and a group of mothers who were representing their soldier sons that are serving in Iraq.

But before the two hour parade got under way there was cow chip throwing contests, a multitude of arts and crafts for the kids, and the Cutest Chick Contest, where parents were given the guilt free pleasure of dressing their toddlers up in fluffy feathered frocks. Despite the cuteness of these kids the highlight of the parade was celebrating the Petaluma Fire Department, which is the third oldest Fire Department in California. Because of this landmark year for the Fire Department, 20 firefighting vehicles which ranged from modern to historic, paraded throughout town as firemen traded their hoses for squirt guns to relieve the fiery heat. And as the sun began to set behind the Petaluma hills, hotspots like McNears changed the atmosphere from parade to party as Petalumans spilled out onto the streets with red cups in hand.

Awwwing at the ‘cutest chick,’ sucking down some cold brewskys, and leisurely viewing float after float makes for the community warmth only found in small towns and at the Butter and Egg Days Parade in Petaluma.

Don't Make a Promise You Can't Keep

And be these juggling fiends no more believed,
That palter with us in a double sense,
That keep the word of promise to our ear,
And break it to our hope.
-Shakespeare in Macbeth

Decoding Shakespeare’s famous words is always a daunting task. Yet from this excerpt I reason that Shakespeare meant, promises are serious-and when broken the results can be devastating. President Bush’s recent promise of combating HIV/AIDS through a five-year plan and $15 billion dollar budget is one promise that we all hope he can keep.

The United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was announced by President Bush at the State of the Union address in 2003 and was to occur over the following five years. The plan is the largest commitment ever by a single nation toward an international health initiative with the goal of support for treatment for 2 million HIV infected people, support for prevention of 7 million new infections, and support for care for 10 million people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS (according to PEPFAR). Last Thursday, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, Ambassador Mark Dybul and Executive Director of the AIDS Support Organization (TASO), Dr. Alex Coutinho came to the University of San Francisco to discuss PEPFAR amongst Nursing students, African Studies students, and students with a global perspective and concern.

PEPFAR is a plan that incorporates many strategies and partnerships in its fight against HIV/AIDS. One strategy is the ABC (Abstain, Be faithful, and the correct and consistent use of Condoms) approach. Ambassador Dybul said that this approach specifically aids children, as they are able to remember a simple acronym that is often accompanied with a song and dance. “With sensitive topics, especially dealing with sexuality we use music, dance, and drama to make topics non threatening,” said Dr. Coutinho. Methods like ABC are teaching preventative measures in the 150 countries that PEPFAR is associated with. However, PEPFAR specifically focuses in 15 countries, which is where half of the world’s HIV/AIDS disease is: Botswana, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guyana, Haiti, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanada, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, and Zambia.

And although results are occurring, “if PEPFAR hits the target, my estimate is that it will avert eight million orphans,” said Dr. Coutinho, there is still much to do. What can we do now? “What’s most important is your compassion,” said Dr. Coutinho who suggested raising money to send over soccer balls which helps children who are infected with HIV/AIDS to rise from the stigma of the disease and enjoy the simple pleasures of childhood. “We need more innovative approaches,” said Ambassador Dybul. “This isn’t just a medical problem, it affects every aspect of life.”

Lets hope Bush and company deliver on their promise. And, we need to take it upon ourselves to do more to help the more than 39 million people currently living with HIV worldwide.

I don’t believe those evil creatures anymore.
They tricked me with their wordgames, raising my hopes
And then destroying them.
-Translated version of Shakespeare's excerpt from Macbeth

Go Dad!

According to Hands on Greater Portland:

Carlos Perez,
Individual Volunteer Award

As Washington County experiences unprecedented growth and change, Carlos Perez, Deputy Superintendent of Hillsboro Public Schools, is helping to ensure that this transition will result in unifying experiences for its residents. In response to an article released by the Oregonian in November of 2003 entitled “Experts: Findings On Latinos No Surprise: Experts say anti-Latino views expressed in a survey reflect Hillsboro’s growing diversity and economic stress”, Carlos formed “Hillsboro For All”, a group that included leaders from across the community (including the chief of police, CEO of the community hospital, and many others) in an effort to combat the potentially negative impact on the community’s Latino residents. As a board member of Vision Action Network, a catalyst for new initiatives that meet emerging community needs, Carlos also provides leadership for VAN’s Diversity and Human Rights initiative. During his tenure, Carlos has helped create the first-ever Human Rights Council of Washington County. He is currently serving as the Council’s initial chair.

Happy Earth Day!

Dread heads, deadheads, hippies, and more…Families, fairies, ganja galore, converged together to form an eclectic crowd, that San Francisco is synonymous for. Unlike 4/20, this time it was for a cause, as the Green Apple Music and Arts Festival hosted a celebration for Earth Day, April 22nd, in Golden Gate Park.

The second annual Green Apple Music and Arts Festival, presented by JP Morgan Chase, was held on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Speedway Meadows of Golden Gate Park. The festival, accommodated over 30 booths that included the San Francisco Green Party, Greenopia, a massage parlor, and a global mourning-global awakening area by Creative Community Catalysts, where artists work to inspire more ecologically sustainable and socially connected communities. The main attraction to the event, however, was the free musical line up that brought San Franciscans out in throngs, to hear Bob Weir and Rat Dog, Stephen and Damian “Jr Gong” Marley, The Greyboy Allstars, Martin Sexton, and Jonah Smith all in the name of mother earth. Earth Day, was created as a result of the conscious awakening by Rachel Carson’s bestselling novel, Silent Spring. Silent Spring, among other things, inspired United States Senator Gaylord Nelson, to speak out on a need for an environmental teach-in. Thus, Earth Day was created and began on April 22, 1970 with the participation of more than 20 million people. Today, the once grassroots rally, has turned into a celebration by more than 500 million people in 175 countries.

The Green Apple festival held in San Francisco was also held in New York and Chicago, and celebrated by 15,000 people in each city, said the MC for the event (event staff declined interview). For one of the 15,000 in attendance, Brandon Redman, a student at the University of San Francisco, Sunday turned into Funday as he described the celebration as “a well organized event that did a good job of bringing all different types of people together to celebrate Earth Day.” Emily Stetson, a young adult festival goer, said “I’ve never seen this at a festival before,” in response to the overwhelming large attendance as she waited for her garlic fries.

As bubbles and smoke hovered above the crowd, San Franciscans enjoyed free music and good food as the need for global environmental awareness grows stronger with every passing gas guzzling Hummer. Which begs the question, shouldn’t Earth Day be everyday?

In Remembrance

On Sunday, April 22nd, at 9:00 p.m. in Xavier Chapel/Fromm Hall, a special mass will be held for all affected by the tragedy at Virginia Tech.

USF will join numerous colleges in gathering books of prayers that will be sent to the Virginia Tech ecumenical/interfaith campus ministry group. These condolence books will be placed in Koret, the Outtakes Café on Lone Mountain, and the Market in University Center.