It’s under our feet and under our fingernails, but what is it? And how did it get there? Inspired by William Bryant Logan’s acclaimed book Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth, find out how industrial farming, mining and urban development have led us toward cataclysmic droughts, starvation, floods and climate change. Dirt is a part of everything we eat, drink and breathe. Which is …

Get a glimpse into beautiful Persian traditions and the culture of the Iranian-American community in the US and dance your way into ‘1399’ by jumping over the bonfires for Persian New Year, Tuesday, March 16, 6-10pm at Durant and Shattuck in Berkeley.
Shake off the darkness of winter and welcome the lightness of spring, a Persian ritual passed down since ancient Zoroastrian times.  People jump over …

Tree Frog Treks will be having its first annual animal care and scholarship fundraiser on St. Patrick’s Day. Families, children, and vendors are encouraged to attend to meet our animals, get a snake massage, and enjoy some green eggs and ham, root beer floats, wine, Irish coffee, and fresh buttered popcorn. We will also be having a silent auction featuring gifts from some of our …

Participate in the Third International Kriya Yoga Congress on March 18, 2010 at the Wyndham Hotel in San Jose , an inspired gathering for spiritual insight and renewal. The Congress theme, Infinite Life, is an invitation to live fully by naturally expressing our innate divine capacities. Free, but donations accepted.
The Congress program will offer an opportunity to learn the philosophical principles and practices of Kriya …

The popular admission-free Rush Hour Concert series provides a preview of the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra’s Home Season repertoire in a convenient downtown location. Perfect for pre- or post-happy hour gatherings! “Mandolin Magic” features Israeli mandolinist Avi Avital in a scintillating program of great classical music. Stick around after the concert and visit the Contemporary Jewish Museum for only $5
Program Highlights:
Beethoven, Andante con Variazioni (arr. …

Bay Area–artist Lisa Curet’s work channels and incorporates qualities found in pattern painting. Layer upon layer of shapes and color are applied, creating a tension between the varied surfaces. The combined results are flooded with resin, sealing and fusing the multiple applications. Inspired by travel and human interaction, she views her works as metaphors for one’s conscious perception of the world outside.
Keira Kotler is interested …

Enjoy live music and dancing during a complimentary wine tasting with  paired appetizers for $5.
Featuring the musical stylings of Rudy Salvini’s “big band”.

Shaping San Francisco presents discussion and reflection on the history of Bay Area ecological activism. We will explore the evolution of nature and ecological activism, how we thought about it 40 years ago vs. how we think about it now and follow the compelling shift from conservation to environmentalism to environmental/social justice over the last half-century.
With Jerry Mander (International Forum on Globalization), Karen Pickett …

Presenting a wide-ranging synthesis of approaches, the book attempts to shed light on the construction of and challenges to the military, economic, and cultural imperial projects of the United States in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Opposing US imperialism and global domination, Francis Shor combines academic and activist perspectives to analyze the crises endemic to empire and to propose a vision for the realization …

Come play Capture the Flag on campus at SF State in front of the Cesar Chavez building. The rules are simple and will be explained at the game, just wear some good active clothes. Bring friends and prepare for fun.
Friday, March 19, 2010 – Game starts at 6pm. This is a free event and the community is more than welcome.
Questions/Info: criticalslinky@gmail.com

Noted Israeli mandolinist Avi Avital plays music of Bach and Beethoven, plus a wonderful Corelli Concerto Grosso and Oswaldo Golijov’s “Last Round”, a simmering tango-infused work for double string quartet and double bass. The concert is put on by the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra.
Program:

Corelli Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 8
Bach Concerto in A minor (arrangement of the violin concerto)
Beethoven Andante con Variazioni …

Featuring 200+ toy, comic book and collectible vendors selling new and vintage items…huge variety of Hot Wheels, GI Joes, LEGO, Godzilla, dolls, Transformers, Star Wars, Disney, model kits, robots, trading cards, records: rock n roll, jazz, surf, pop, hip hop, blues… Marvel, DC and small press comic books, posters, little bit of jewelry and original art…

Tour aircraft inside and out, meet real life pilots, learn what it takes to become a pilot and enjoy free snacks as the Hayward Flight School is hosting their free Spring Welcome Event at the Hayward Airport.
In addition to airplane tours, the flight school will also give a short presentation about what it takes to become a pilot. And if you’re up for it, you …

Enjoy specialty tequila overlooking beautiful Lake Merritt at night. The Terrace Room is hosting a tequila tasting, accompanied with Mexican inspired appetizers, for a great deal. Taste three tequilas for only $2 and a Mexican side especially paired for only $5
The Terrace Room is conveniently located a few blocks from the 19th Street BART station in Downtown Oakland.

In late March the Treasure Island Museum will unveil a new exhibit – Treasure Island Salutes the Sea Services, highlighting a century of events in San Francisco Bay Area sea services history.
The exhibit will feature a timeline of naval history, as well as objects, uniforms, and photographic material interpreting activities of the Navy, Coast Guard, Naval Reserve, Marines and Merchant Marines.
The Sea Services exhibit, …

Throughout the 75th anniversary exhibitions at the SFMOMA, artists take up San Francisco’s cityscapes as subject and muse. This program of experimental films and videos from the late 1950s to the present offers evocative records of individual experiences of street life
These psychogeographic tours look at North Beach’s Broadway strip and the window reflections of a Beat poet protagonist. We examine the Mission’s storefronts for evidence …