Sherlock rules the domain
Because an increasing number of cultural icons have existed for 95 years or more, they’ve legally entered the public domain and can now be exploited without paying for the right to use them in new narratives. They include the earliest version of Mickey Mouse, which explains why someone made the weird, 2025 live-action horror…
San Francisco flunks algebra once again
The San Francisco school district just released its latest proposal for providing algebra in eighth grade. Backed by fancy research from Stanford, the school district unveiled a plan that does…
City College needs to downsize further rather than bleed taxpayers
City College of San Francisco recently announced plans to close its Downtown Center at Fourth and Market streets in July, marking a rare acknowledgment that the institution operates at a…
Failing the honest equity test, again
Thank you for calling Elizabeth’s voicemail in response to SFUSD’s new eighth- grade Algebra-1-only-with-Math 8 policy. Your call is very important to us, so please listen to the following options before making your selection. To express your frustration with the new math policy, press 1. To express your sense of…
San Francisco receives $100M from state for additional behavioral health beds
“For years we have seen the same pattern play out on our streets — people struggling with mental health and drug addiction cycling through our systems without the treatment to get better,” San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie began his March 12, 2026, press conference as he announced a nearly $100…
City Hall to tap $200M unused health care mandate dollars to fill budget gap
In April 2026, more than $200 million in unused funds from the health care mandate fund will be transferred to the general fund to help patch a $1 billion city budget deficit. In 2022, the city’s Health Commission decided unused funds would be transferred to the city’s general fund instead…
Mayor to Board of Supervisors: Tighten up the bureaucracy with leaner contracting system, shorter ballot, and more accountability
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie made his monthly appearance at the Board of Supervisors meeting this week. There were no submitted questions, nor any live…
I chose the turquoise wall
When they told me I could pick a color for one wall in my new apartment, I chose turquoise. Not navy, not pink — turquoise, because it felt bright and happy and like something a…
San Francisco leaders unveil plan to expand curbside EV chargers across the city
San Francisco is taking steps to expand the number of curbside electric vehicle charging stations to make it easier for residents, including renters who own electric vehicles, to find stations closer to home. Mayor Daniel…
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“FCC: Federal Conformance Commission,” by Nomi Kane | @Nomikane
Has the oppressor-oppressed binary passed its freshness date?
Is this the beginning of the end for the oppressor-oppressed binary in K-12 education? Now that it’s being recognized as a form of knowledge poisoning, this question is finally gaining some traction. This isn’t about minimizing racialized injustices in our history. But over the last several decades, the oppressor-oppressed framework…
San Francisco’s secret AI
Last July, San Francisco rolled out Copilot to 30,000 city employees as part of the largest AI deployment by any local government in the country. The rollout marks a major shift as city departments adopt AI tools for everything from stroke detection to drone surveillance. Unfortunately, the city’s mandatory AI…
As transit taxes loom, voters should look to Waymos on S.F. streets for an alternative
To close the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s $307 million budget gap, the city’s political establishment is preparing to ask voters to approve two transit tax measures on the November 2026 ballot: a regional sales tax and a local parcel tax targeting property owners. Throwing more taxpayer money at an…
A suspect was sent to pretrial diversion — 36 days later he killed someone
A San Francisco judge granted pretrial diversion to a man arrested with a loaded pistol, ordering a gun safety course and a “reflective essay.” Thirty-six days later, he allegedly murdered someone with a shotgun. Two felony charges became misdemeanors. Misdemeanors became pretrial diversion. The court’s prescription for a man caught…
Out and about March 13–18, 2026
This week offers women musicians, a Pi Day celebration, the Saint Paddy’s Day parade, and more including young kids playing Bach, a concert on Angel…
School district risks a deficit in public trust
The aftermath of the historic teachers’ strike enables, or forces, the San Francisco Unified School District to return attention to its ever-present and looming challenge…
91% of SFMTA transit operators work overtime, totaling $41M in 2024
A chilling video that surfaced in late 2025 captured the N-Judah Muni train traveling through San Francisco at speeds exceeding 50 mph, with footage showing…
Can California innovate its way out of its homegrown housing crisis?
Though opposition by entrenched interests is a leading cause of California’s — and the nation’s — housing shortage, another key player is cost, and it…
Spring exhibitions at YBCA shine a light on community and storytelling
Through tapestry, archival media, and contemporary works, two new exhibitions explore themes of queer identity, migration, and collective resistance. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts…
Pop-culture potpourri
It may be a bit of a surprise when the most satisfying feature film to premiere in a given week is only available to stream…
Charter reform may spell big impacts for arts funding
Big changes are coming to San Francisco’s City Hall, including alterations to governance and leadership, and a sweeping charter review that could significantly affect the…
The Museum of Craft and Design bridges media and material in ‘Video Craft’
The Museum of Craft and Design (MCD) presents Video Craft, an exhibition exploring the unlikely partnership between the heavily embodied practices of craft and the…
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