The Wall Street Journal

Federal Agents Used Controversial Trackers Without Warrants

Controversial devices used to track cell phones and mobile Internet devices were used by local federal law enforcement without the necessary permission from a judge, according to recent e-mails. Federal investigators in Arizona have been taken to court over the use of "stingrays," electronic devic ... More >>

Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" Is 45 Years Old Today

It's the song that defines Otis Redding, and one of the most famous songs about San Francisco (or at least San Francisco Bay), ever. It was released 45 years ago today, on Jan. 8, 1968, on the great Stax/Volt label. And despite the song's close association with one of the greats of '60s soul -- and ... More >>

The Wall Street Journal Makes San Francisco Geeks' Dream Come True With Free WiFi

It's not news that publications are doing anything and everything to retain declining readership, but what is news is how far the Wall Street Journal has gone for those few extra clicks. According to media outlets, the WSJ is trying to lure its readers with something better than free news: free ... More >>

How to Speak Republican: Decoding the GOP

Nancy Pelosi Investment Allegations Spur Congress to Address Insider Trading

Nancy Pelosi​Members of Congress are taking up legislation this week aimed at dealing with allegations that a form of "insider trading" is taking place among lawmakers whose knowledge of pending bills could give them a leg up in the stock market.The Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) ... More >>

The U.S. Revolutionizes Its Fishing Policy

​The United States may have a reputation for being an ecological scofflaw, refusing to sign global carbon-emissions agreements and selling GM crops to farmers ill equipped to pay for copyright-protected seeds, but when it comes to managing fish populations, this country has just defined a new gold ... More >>

Steve Jobs' Memorial: Apple to Close Retail Stores Today

iSad​If you were planning to honor Steve Jobs today by purchasing an Apple product or you were hoping to make a stop at the Genius Bar, you might want to hold off. The Wall Street Journal reports that many retail stores are planning to close down for a few hours so that employees can participate i ... More >>

Apple's Secret Sales Tricks Leaked

Turns out, not even this is considered unfortunate​Have you ever noticed that you consistently experience positive interactions with Apple employees? Theoretically, you should be able to go to any of the 326 Apple stores and receive the same kind treatment. Here is the reason why: The Silicon Vall ... More >>

Unborn Babies Found with Bt, David Chang Picks iPads Over TVs

​Today's notes on national stories, local trends, random tastes, and other bycatch dredged up from the food media. 1. Farming pays? According to an article in the Bay Citizen, despite a drought and a recession, California farmers earned record profits from 2007 to 2009, provoking an uptick in far ... More >>

Junk Food Vendors at Marin High School Get Caught Up in Food Fight

The kids are all mine! No, mine!​Like a group of unruly teenagers, mobile junk food vendors at a Marin high school have been physically fighting each other outside the school to get the best spot where they can easily sell sugar and fatty foods to students. According to a Wall Street Journal artic ... More >>

Phil Bronstein, Chronicle Editor, Discovers MS-13 Trial

Hey Bronstein, presta atencion!​When you're Phil Bronstein, all other members of the media are mere gnats. Perhaps so insignificant as to be rendered invisible.   The Chronicle's editor-at-large writes in his column today about the ongoing federal trial of members of MS-13 -- Mara Salvatrucha ... More >>

Brevity Is the Soul of It

If It's Good Enough for Pigs, It's Good Enough for Your Legs

​Today's notes on national stories, local trends, random tastes, and other bycatch dredged up from the food media. Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal published "Why China Struggles with Food Safety," an overview of the recent food-related scandals we've learned about in the United States: ... More >>

Out with the Kids: Sushi at ICHI

Alex HochmanWho cares if she'll never earn an athletic scholarship? She eats shrimp heads, dammit!​In my twisted little food-obsessed world, my daughters' sushi-eating exploits are just as important, if not more, than their academic achievements or athletic prowess. Your son scored two goals t ... More >>

Black Cod Returns, Dude Jr. Abides, Foodborne Illnesses Plot a Comeback in Maine

Notes on national stories, local trends, random tastes, and other miscellanea dredged up from the food media. avrene just posted a pic of The House's black cod with rabbit ears.​1. Black cod season. In the past few weeks, I've been seeing one of my favorite ocean fish on menus: Pacific black cod, ... More >>

Larry Ellison Too Good for His Own Golden Gate Yacht Club

Not Larry Ellison's style​While the rich like to brag that they lunch at the yacht club, the really, really rich apparently boast that they never go near the place.Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, for one, avoids his own Golden Gate Yacht Club, despite the fact he and his employees spend hundreds of doll ... More >>

Clean Cheese, Ginger Ale, and the Mighty Subway

Madame Fromage/FlickrSally Jackson's amazing cheese, now lost to the world after an FDA crackdown.​A new daily column: Notes on national stories, local trends, random tastes, and other miscellanea dredged up from the food media.1. Cheese makers under attack? San Francisco diners haven't felt the i ... More >>

Wall Street Journal Reports on JapaCurry Story

John Birdsall​Oh, look: The Wall Street Journal noticed JapaCurry's struggle to find a parking spot Downtown. Tomorrow's online edition of the WSJ includes a story by Jim Carlton, who talks to restaurant owners in the FiDi and beyond. One owner is conspicuous by her silence, though: Alison Row ... More >>

John Dennis, Republican Challenger to Nancy Pelosi, Seeks YouTube Fame

Will John Dennis be our next Congressman, or next YouTube laugh riot -- or both?​Harking to the analogies you probably last dealt with on the SAT, John Dennis is to Nancy Pelosi as squirrel is to highway-driving big rig. The Republican Congressional candidate will not beat the Speaker of the House ... More >>

Baylinks: Lice, Coffee, & Kanye West

Just pump it right into my veins, please​Kanye West visits Twitter headquarters in "Silicone" Valley; will have best Twitter of all time [Wall Street Journal]Missed connection: To the prostitute peeing on Polk Street between Ellis & Eddy [The Tens]San Francisco is No. 5 U.S. hotspot for coffee ... More >>

Run a Long

Interpol, World Anti-Doping Agency Launch Investigations of Lance Armstrong

No, no, not that way. This way...​At this point, who isn't investigating Lance Armstrong? The World Anti-Doping Agency has joined the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Attorney's office to look into allegations that directors of Armstrong's former U.S. Postal Service Cycling Team conducted ... More >>

Everyone Sing the Bay Area Media Songs!

Joyce GoldschmidGet out your banjo, Warren, and sing the company song!​On May 26, financier Warren Hellman invited throngs of hangers-on to a Great American Music Hall bash to celebrate the launch of the Bay Citizen, the news nonprofit he tossed $5 million.The highlight, apparently, was an offici ... More >>

The Wall Street Journal Bay Area Section Debut Looks a Lot like the New York Times Bay Area Section

Eh.​We'd like to award the Wall Street Journal's Bay Area section with an even slightly less enthusiastic response than we gave the New York Times. And here it is: "Eh." We have our reasons.  At first, the the addition of Bay Area sections to the nation's most prominent national ... More >>

Taking flight, back to the nest

What Don't Kill You Makes You Stronger: The Week in SFoodie

• It was a trying week for lovers of the new-school street-food scene: Sexy Soup Lady got shut down last weekend, prompting all kinds of Twitter-gazing. Were public tweets too indiscrete? Or have Linda Street residents just turned all grampa-cranky? • Local news took notice, enlisting SFoodie' ... More >>

Chronic City: An End To The War On Drugs -- Impossible Dream? Political Ploy? Or Inevitable?

Gil KerlikowskeNew White House Drug Czar and former Seattle police chief Gil Kerlikowske didn't wait long before making big waves as the top drug enforcement officer in the country.  In his first public appearance since being confirmed on May 7, Kerlikowske, in a new interview with the Wall Str ... More >>

Aliens and Monsters to Destroy San Francisco, Golden Gate Bridge

"Hey, nothing personal here. I love your sourdough bread!" A Wall Street Journal blog announced yesterday that, starting on March 27, our picturesque city will be decimated by fighting monsters and aliens. Those of you who are older than eight - and if you read this Web page, you&nbs ... More >>

Aargldy - Bigargldy - Aargldy - Bigargldy - BLAAM! [The Sound of The Commentariat's Head Exploding.]

By Matt Smith Like magicians, opinion writers live under a special code that says practitioners may not reveal the profession's tricks lest audiences lose their sense of wonderment. This code also preserves commentators' valued role as American tribal society's social glue, without which the common ... More >>

WSJ Captures SF Online Gamers Outdoors

You Need a $500 Swedish Coat

WSJ Journo Remembers Sexism in 70s SF Newsrooms, Blames Women for Today's Problems

Getting Fat Will Drive You Crazy

SF Weekly's Seven-Day Dish

So Does That Mean Weeklies Were Ahead Of Their Time? Shit, They've Always Been Free

SF's Boing Boing in New York Times for BoingBoingTV

The House of Mondavi: The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty

Coming Soon

The summer season always brings out the worst in Hollywood, but there are also gems to be found

This Movie Sucks

Little People Win!

A bland supervisor, a high school student, an industrious bureaucrat, and Pamela Anderson prove that any of us can change the world for the better

Best White-Trash Bargain Gourmet Dinner

Dom Pérignon and Chicken Wings at Hooters

The Rabbi Who Would Save the World

Michael Lerner has won many followers with his ideas for world peace. But if all he is preaching is the Golden Rule, why is he so controversial?

The PeopleSoft Touch

Software Hard Times

Dog Bites

The Grid

Mulch

Unspun

Samples

REAL ASTROLOGY For An Unreal World

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