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Review: In ‘Chinglish’ at SF Playhouse, mistranslation spells hilarity

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 11:06:02 GMT

You’ve probably seen photos of bafflingly mistranslated English signs in China, some of which couldn’t be quoted in a family newspaper. “Chinglish,” David Henry Hwang’s comedy now onstage at San Francisco Playhouse, uses those risible flubs as a jumping-off point for a masterful series of reversals about language, different cultural expectations, American complacency and the social complexities of doing business in China.In fact, the play begins with a seminar exactly about doing business in China from a white American man with a salesman’s veneer of easy amiability and warmth. This is Daniel Cavanaugh, played by Michael Barrett Austin with an endearing air of bewilderment and the persistence to carry on anyway.We quickly dive deep into Daniel’s own experience trying to pitch his sign-making family firm to city officials in a mid-level Chinese city. He quickly finds that his practiced sales pitch is of limited usefulness when everything’s filtered and warped by translation and subte...

Why did California doctor drive family over cliff in Tesla at Devil's Slide?

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 11:06:02 GMT

(KRON) -- Newly unsealed court records reveal more about why a Pasadena doctor and father of two drove his family off a cliff at Devil's Slide in January. Dharmesh Patel, 41, his wife, and their children aged 4 and 7 were heading south on the Highway 1 when their car plunged over the side of a cliff and fell more than 200 feet to the water's edge. Miraculously the entire family survived, though they each suffered injuries. Dodgers un-invite SF drag group from pride event, appearing to bow to conservative pressure The Patel family had to be extricated from the vehicle by emergency services, and authorities said Patel's wife was screaming that he had driven them over the cliff on purpose, court records show. Court documents say that while aboard a rescue helicopter, Patel's wife told officers, “He drove off. He’s depressed. He’s a doctor. He said he was going to drive off the cliff. He purposely drove off.”San Mateo County District Attorney Steven Wagstaffe tells KRO...

Ex-49er appears to threaten Rep. Swalwell on Twitter

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 11:06:02 GMT

(KRON) -- U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) shared a screenshot Wednesday of what appeared to be a threatening direct message from an account belonging to ex-San Francisco 49er Bruce Miller."Almost time !!! Would you rather Guantanamo or just execution f--kin traitor," read the message, which was sent from an account with the handle @BruceMillerIII."Who is this guy threatening to execute me? And how does he have so many followers?" Swalwell tweeted. Bob Lee’s accused killer pleads not guilty, judge denies bail Although the account that sent the screenshot is unverified and the profile photo is blacked out, it's followed by several prominent local sports and media figures, including ex-Niner Colin Kaepernick and SF Chronicle sports columnist, Ann Killion.On Thursday, the Bruce Miller account responded to Swalwell making the tweet public in a tweet thread in which the account owner doubled down on what they'd said in the DM."Eric Swalwell I was content with trolling corrupt politicians...

Petaluma man armed with kitchen knife arrested for domestic violence, burglary, stalking

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 11:06:02 GMT

(KRON) -- A Petaluma man who broke into a Stinson Beach residence and assaulted the residents before arming himself with a kitchen knife was arrested on Tuesday, according to the Marin County Sheriff's Office. Deputies received a report of a burglary and violent assault just after 10:30 p.m. Tuesday.The reporting party told the Marin County Sheriff's Communication Center that Jack Ehlermann had broken in and was being physically assaultive. Ex-49er appears to threaten Rep. Swalwell on Twitter According to police, Ehlermann, 21, turned off the power, forced his way into the home and forced his way into at least one interior room. The victims were eventually able to stop Ehlermann, who ultimately left the residence, after arming himself with a kitchen knife.Deputies who arrived on the scene found Ehlermann in the driveway, still armed with the kitchen knife. Over a period of about 10 minutes, deputies were able to deescalate the situation and persuade Ehlermann to surrender without ...

Abortion Rights Activists Face Attack From DeSantis and Conspiracy Lawsuit — for Spray Painting

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 11:06:02 GMT

Abortion rights activists hold signs at a protest in support of abortion access on July 13, 2022 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.Photo: John Parra/Getty ImagesThis Past winter, the Biden administration appeased the far right by leveling severe charges against abortion rights defenders. Now, the activists targeted in the federal crackdown are also facing legal attacks from an anti-abortion group and Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.In addition to the federal criminal charges — which carry a sentence of 12 years in prison — Florida’s attorney general sued two of the activists for damages. Heartbeat of Miami, a “crisis pregnancy center,” is also absurdly alleging that all four activists were engaged in a conspiracy.The purported crime, the conspiracy, the federal charges? Spray painting.“The underpinning of these prosecutions is absolutely political, and Florida political specifically,” Lauren Regan, executive director of the Civil Liberties Defense Center and attorney for defendant Amber...

Mental Health Action Day: Why a DC nonprofit asked students to pause learning and start dancing

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 11:06:02 GMT

Our Minds Matter, a D.C. nonprofit, is reminding students about the importance of taking time to move in honor of Mental Health Action Day.The student-led nonprofit received funding from MTV Entertainment Studios and TaskForce for its  “Move with Music for Mental Health Action Day,” on Thursday.At participating schools, classroom instruction was paused Thursday and Our Minds Matter invited students to get up and dance, or just move in general, to the music.The third annual event is all about encouraging conversations with peers, movement through dance and time with loved ones and friends.Laura Beth Levitt, who serves as program director for the student-led group made up of thousands of kids across the country, said the goal is to create more access to educational resources for students.“The idea was, ‘Can we start to shift the culture from awareness into action?'” Levitt said. “School doesn’t have to be super rigid and academic.”Organizers a...

Teen facing charges after loaded ‘ghost gun’ falls onto gym floor at Md. school

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 11:06:02 GMT

A 17-year-old student is facing charges after his loaded gun fell onto the gym floor at a Prince George’s County, Maryland, alternative school on Thursday morning, police said.It happened at Non-Traditional Program 9-12 South school in Cheltenham, Prince George’s County police said.A “ghost gun”— a gun without a serial number — fell out of the teenage boy’s waistband in the gym at around 9:15 a.m., police said.The 9th-grade student is being charged with having a handgun, having a dangerous weapon on school property, possession of a firearm by a minor and having loaded handgun.Run by Prince George’s County Public Schools, the alternative school is designed for students in 9th-12th grades, according to its website. It used to be known as Croom Vocational.Source

Major Russian airline could idle 30% of helicopter fleet as part supplies dry up

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 11:06:02 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — One of Russia’s largest airlines, with an extensive network throughout Siberia, may have to take a third of its helicopter fleet out of service because of trouble getting parts, the airline’s head said Thursday.The statement by Utair chief executive office Andrei Martirosov at an aviation trade show indicates that sanctions imposed by the West after Russia sent troops into Ukraine are making a dent in Russia’s economy.Russian officials have claimed that the country can find substitutes for foreign parts and other other items.“Of the helicopters in circulation, the fleet may be reduced by 30%. This is mainly due, of course, to engines for both foreign-made helicopters and domestic helicopters, in which the engines are not of domestic production,” Martirosov was quoted as saying by state news agency Tass.Utair is Russia’s fourth-largest airline, with both fixed-wing aircraft and a helicopter fleet of more than 200 that provides both scheduled serv...

The difference between banks and credit unions

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 11:06:02 GMT

Nearly all of us have some kind of business with a financial institution – a checking or savings account, a mortgage or other type of loan, maybe some investments. But a lot of us could still use a little help navigating the crowded field of financial accounts, products, and services. Jeff Bentley has made that his mission. Bentley is President and CEO of Northwest Federal Credit Union. But having started his career working with several large regional banks, he knows the differences between banks and credit unions better than most.Bentley describes his years in banking as primarily focused around profit. “We had shareholders to please. And frankly, you were incented to keep your job to make money,” he explains. “And so you found ways to enhance profits, whether it be prepayment penalties, or fees, kind of ‘gotcha fees.’”It’s about building trustBut Bentley describes a different world in credit unions, which he discovered later in his career. Now, he says “we’re focused on serv...

Storied rugby club Wasps forced to start again at bottom of English league pyramid

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 11:06:02 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Wasps, one of England’s most storied rugby teams and a two-time European champion, must begin rebuilding from the bottom of the country’s league pyramid after having a license to play in the second-tier Championship revoked on Thursday.The club was expelled from the top-flight Premiership after falling into administration — a form of bankruptcy protection — in October amid debts totaling 95 million pounds ($118 million). It had been hit by a winding-up order from the revenue department for 2 million pounds in unpaid tax after financial issues stemming from its relocation from London to Coventry in 2014.Wasps’ new owners, HALO22 Limited, failed to meet a deadline by the Rugby Football Union for proving the club could operate at the second-tier level. Among the commitments that have not been kept are the provision of evidence that creditors have been paid and the creation of a suitable governance structure.The RFU has also been told by Wasps that the cl...