Jackie Speier

Facebook Says It Will Start Weeding Out All the Haters on Its Social Media Site

Whatever horrible things you had to say on Facebook, hopefully, you've gotten it out of your system by now. Or might we suggest biting your tongue and taking up some form of daily exercise. The hate speech free-for-all is coming to an end -- hopefully. Facebook announced via a blog post that it ... More >>

Man Sues National Park Service After Getting Tased by a Ranger

On January 29, 2012, Gary Hesterberg went for a run through the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in Montara. He brought along his two dogs, a beagle, which was on a leash, and a rat terrier, which was not. A month-old policy prohibited unleashed dogs at the park, though, so Ranger Sarah Cavallar ... More >>

Meet the California Lawmakers Who Are Enabling the Marijuana War

Losing efforts sometimes score wins. Medical marijuana scored such a moral victory late Wednesday, when 163 members of Congress voted in favor of not allowing federal dollars to be spent on busting pot growers, distributors, and dispensaries in states with medical cannabis laws.The brainchild o ... More >>

Nancy Pelosi, Dianne Feinstein Are Stinking Rich

​Here is something that might inspire the dwindling Occupiers to return to their tents: While our very own Nancy Pelosi was pushing to extend unemployment  benefits that will, ideally, keep Spam on the tables of the 99 percent -- and provide a boatload of jobs! -- the San Francisco Democrat h ... More >>

U.S. Lawmakers Reintroduce Bill To Help Same-Sex Couples Sponsor Foreign Partners

A new push to change the law for same-sex binational couples. ​U.S. lawmakers reintroduced a bill Thursday that would allow gay Americans to sponsor their same-sex partner for a visa, just as straight married couples can. At the same time, Congress members wrote a letter to Attorney General Eric H ... More >>

Yosemite Buffalo Soldiers' History Should Be Part of School Curriculum, Jackie Speier Says

Buffalo Soldiers remembered​Too bad Mark Matthews, the last surviving Buffalo Soldier who died six years ago at age 111, isn't around to mark this historic moment.Congresswoman Jackie Speier is pushing through a bill that would --for the first time ever --give the nation's all black cavalry a prom ... More >>

Newsom Tweets His Support for Planned Parenthood; Asks Followers to Sign Petition

A message from Gavin Newsom​With the U.S. Congress on the precipice of stripping away federal funds for Planned Parenthood, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom is asking Californians to sign an open letter opposing the controversial legislation. True to form, the former San Francisco mayor tweeted out a message ... More >>

Feinstein and Boxer Crack Down on Pipeline Safey After San Bruno Blast

This sucks​It's kind of hard to imagine that any agency could be more disorganized than San Francisco's Housing Authority which can't keep its records straight long enough to collect a month's worth of rent. But it appears that Pacific Gas and Electric Co. might be surpassing the SFHA's notoriousl ... More >>

Jackie Speier Blasts PG&E for Sloppy Record-Keeping

This is what happens when you are disorganized​Congresswoman Jackie Speier tells the Chronicle this morning that she is "appalled" by the fact that Pacific Gas and Electric Co. leaders "don't know what's underground." This became transparent after the company admitted it can't find important docum ... More >>

Iron Man Free of Lead, Test Finds

Congrats, Dakari! That toy won't poison you! ​When 4-year-old Dakari Vieyra was made to hand over his prized Iron Man toy, he wept bitterly. When Caroline Cox of the Center for Environmental Health determined that Iron Man was lead-free, Vieyra was all smiles. He probably doesn't know the differen ... More >>

The Year in Gay, 2010 Edition

What a year it was​Who Will Be The Uppity Fag Of The Year?Let's face it -- this was a messy, messy year for the gays. Much of the news was good, ultimately, but shit dragged on! There were three major federal trials (four, technically -- but two were sorta merged in Massachusetts), promises ... More >>

Week in Gay: Carrie Prejean to Wed 'Jesus in Cleats'

Her prince has come!​On Thursday, members of the LGBT media were invited to participate in some kind of weird press conference at the White House. Was it a show of good faith (this is a first for queer journalists) or just another attempt to appear attentive? An administration official named Melod ... More >>

The Week in Gay: Gays Invade San Francisco!

Adam Hood loves you​What is the best way to kick off San Francisco Pride Weekend? By listening to an ex-gay, ex-San Franciscan who wears an ascot and just loves him some pussy! Adam Hood doesn't want the gays to bring the gangrene into heaven but he does want to bring flavor savers. Imagine hi ... More >>

McDonald's Shrek Recall Is Just What Ogre Would Have Wanted

Perhaps this is what it means to behave like a 'real ogre'? ​Unless you enjoy the taste of Cadmium with your McDonald's fare, take note. The fast-food giant recalled 12 million glasses tied in with the current film Shrek Ever After. Now, children being exposed to toxins is not funny -- but hear us ... More >>

Bleeding Green

Forget about Sharp Park’s endangered frogs and snakes. The real problem with the golf course is its enormous cost to the city.

S.F. Business Group Spurns Pelosi's Health Care Plea

Not winning the vote of San Francisco's business community...​Despite 30 minutes of face time, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi failed to convince a delegation of San Francisco Chamber of Commerce business leaders to endorse the most important piece of legislation a San Francisco politician has shepherd ... More >>

Report: GOP Candidates Both Have Vaginas, But Different Styles

Who will be the face of the state's GOP?​That pretty much sums up the Chron's story today about Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina. I gotta agree with Rep. Jackie Speier on this one -- there wouldn't be a story about the contrasting styles of two dudes running for public office. Some insiders followi ... More >>

Hey, Gavin: List of Upwardly Mobile Lieutenant Governors Is Truly Brief

BrainchildvnGavin Newsom might stop applauding if he better knew the career outcomes of previous lieutenant governors -- and failed candidates for the office​UPDATE: Newsom insists he's not making any statements about running for lieutenant governor. At least not now. First things first, our calls ... More >>

If Newsom Serious About Lt. Gov Run, Political Timing Is Right

Aloha, Gav? ​The new hot rumor du jour is that San Francisco's erstwhile mayor, Gavin Newsom, will announce he's going to run for lieutenant governor -- perhaps as soon as Tuesday. If so, the timing would work out eerily well for Newsom -- if he accepts the voluntary expenditure limit for a statew ... More >>

Will a big-name Dem run away with the attorney general's race?

Dwindling Dollars in Attorney General Race May Not Be Due to Recession

Do I have any money? Not for you!​Guess what? Jackie Speier isn't running for Attorney General. Who knew? Now that we've gotten that out of the way, on to the article. We thought it was interesting last week when the campaign of San Francisco District Attorney -- and would-be AG -- Kamala Harris s ... More >>

Speier Not Running for AG, Horde of Upwardly Mobile Pols Staying Put

Rep. Jackie Speier, seen here with Stephen Colbert, will continue her ride in Washington, D.C. ​Rep. Jackie Speier's newly minted spokesman Nathan Ballard just informed the world that his boss will not be leaving Congress to run for state Attorney General. Congressional seats rarely open -- especi ... More >>

Et Tu Elsbernd? Supe Apparently Latest To Enter Jackie Speier Sweepstakes.

When Sean Elsbernd had this photo taken, he ostensibly wasn't interested in running for higher office. Now he is. Also, watch out for that truck. ​The Chronicle's Marisa Lagos has done a bang-up job handicapping the myriad political possibilities that could result if Rep. Jackie Speier leaves Cong ... More >>

John Avalos Amused By Rumors He's Seeking Assembly Seat

Joe EskenaziJohn Avalos says he's going nowhere...​Earlier today, we confirmed that rumors Supervisor Sean Elsberd's attention has been piqued by a potentially vacant Assembly seat are true. Consider him piqued. But while Elsbernd wouldn't mind a move to Sacramento, his colleague, John Avalos, tel ... More >>

In Wake of Unpleasant Poll, Kamala Harris Trumpets Fund-Raising Totals

'One million dollars!'​According to a press release Attorney General candidate Kamala Harris fired off about an hour ago, her campaign raised more than a million bucks in the last half of 2009. But according to a poll leaked to the San Francisco Chronicle -- she'll need it. The J. Moore Methods su ... More >>

Where Does S.F. Department of Elections Get Those Wonderful Pictures For Voter Pamphlets? Would You Believe -- Flickr?

​Thousands upon thousands of San Franciscans were greeted by Voter Information Pamphlets in their mail boxes this week. And yet -- as always -- the dread of a pending election featuring confusing ballot measures, the oft-bizarre arguments expended for and against them, and a handful of unopposed c ... More >>

Get a Job: White House Report Details Employment Boosts in Each Congressional District. Check Out Yours Here.

Every morning about this time/ she get me out of my bed/ a-crying get a job. After breakfast, everyday, she throws the want ads right my way/ And never fails to say, Get a job Sha na na na, sha na na na na -- The Silhouettes, "Get a Job." It may not do the mind well to note that the members o ... More >>

Newsom-Linked Non-Profit SF Connect Twice As Inefficient As National Average

Sixty-two percent of budget spent on overhead in 2006

Rev. Death

A new documentary about populist preacher Jim Jones is a fascinating portrait of folly and power

Muscle & Fitness for Office

Did a multimillion-dollar deal with bodybuilding magazines sour you on the Schwarzenegger? Take quiz, find out.

The Daily Lickspittle

Journalism has a lot of problems, but too many of them are manifestations of a sycophantic attitude toward the big-e Establishment

Big Doctor Is Watching

As of April 14, the national security police can monitor your medical records without your knowledge. So can the local police.

Brownout at SFO

Mayor's attempt to end-run city voters on runways-in-bay reflects dimming of his political star

Dirty Laundry

Literally and figuratively, the UCSF-Stanford hospital merger gets fouler every day

Night & Day

Inside the Big Floop

Threatening Mount Zion means curtains for the clowns who have mismanaged the UCSF-Stanford hospital merger

Deadbeat Heaven

Parents who refuse to pay child support don't have much to worry about in California. Or, for that matter, San Francisco.

Dead Heat

Despite the deaths of Aaron Williams and Mark Garcia, the SFPD continues to use pepper spray on suspects who stand a good chance of dying in custody.