Federal prosecutors in San Francisco announced today they filed passport or visa fraud charges against 17 Bay Area and Northern California residents in the past six months. U.S. Attorney Joseph Russoniello said, "The charges are part of the zero-tolerance policy towards imposters who try to obtain or use authentic American passports and entry visas." The 13 men and four women were charged between April and September with either making a false statement on a passport application or providing fraudulent identification documents. Ten have pleaded guilty or been convicted in federal court and eight of those were sentenced to one or two years of probation. Another convicted defendant, Bruce Marshall, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White of San Francisco Tour on Aug. 27 to nine months in jail. Marshall pleaded guilty to falsely altering his own passport to contain the name Francois Delacroix. He admitted living under that identity and working as a computer programmer for IBM Corp. and eBAy Inc. in San Jose under that name for several years. The 10th convicted defendant, Amir Rashidifar of San Jose, is awaiting sentencing in federal court in San Jose after having pleaded guilty to applying for a passport with a counterfeit birth certificate. Another defendant, Christina Chavez of Walnut Creek, was accused of applying for a passport with another person's birth certificate, but was allowed to enter a pretrial diversion program. Three other defendants are awaiting trials and three are fugitives. One of the fugitives, Wandell Santana, 33, of San Bruno, is allegedly a Brazilian citizen who previously overstayed a tourist visa and then was deported in 2002 for trying to re-enter the United States without a valid visa, according to prosecution documents. He was charged in April with applying for a passport at a San Bruno post office last year by using a birth certificate in the name of another man who was born in Puerto Rico. Santana was granted bail on a $25,000 bond by U.S. Magistrate Wayne Brazil of Oakland, but when he failed to show up for a hearing in San Francisco in May, another magistrate issued a no-bail arrest warrant.
 Just in San Francisco would a house with a tree that shoots fire be measured a future museum site. That is, if saw player extraordinaire and former hotelier Bob Pritikin has his way. According to a statement in the San Francisco Chronicle, Pritikin, who often throws lavish fundraisers at his residence-sort of an adult's fun house with kitschy memorabilia strewn throughout-is hoping to "pay the bills, make a nice contribution to the community and have some daytime visitors" by transforming his mansion into a museum. He originally suggested the less-than-humble "Only in San Francisco" name for the prospective museum site, though his hopes were dashed after learning that the city's Convention & Visitors Bureau already owns said URL. The visiting groups would be quite small, limited to 20 people per day, six days a week, says the Chronicle. Pritikin's idea, if realized, would place his home in the esteemed, eccentric company of one of the Bay Area's other homes-turned-tourist attractions, the Winchester Mystery House. This isn't Pritikin's first hubris-driven campaign on behalf of his home, having previously lobbied for it to have it turned into San Francisco's mayoral residence in 2004. That plan predictably never took off, and handsome politico Gavin Newsom is dwelling elsewhere these days. Don't expect a day at the hypothetical Pritikin Museum to come cheap, despite it being decidedly less distinguished than the de Young, MoMA, Academy of Sciences, and basically every one of San Francisco's other noted museum destinations. Its owner plans to charge "$49 a pop for a docent- guided tour, a magic show, and a Mexican lunch," with highlights including a three-foot tall Transamerica building look-alike constructed from condom boxes, and a mural depicting a famous topless dancer riding a zebra.
 Up factors helped increase Hawaii's entire major tourist markets for the first time in 19 months; however, industry watchers say that September's strong finish might not continue. An increase in arrivals from the U.S. West for the fifth following month, as well as holiday and convention traffic, contributed to the 7.2 percent increase in overall visitor arrivals, which rose to 494,376 in September, according to preliminary statistics unrestricted yesterday by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Results contrasted with the year-ago 19.5 percent decline in arrivals experienced by the visitor industry after the financial markets collapsed. Although Canada was flat, Hawaii saw strong September arrivals from all other major markets, including the U.S. West, U.S. East and Japan, the HTA said. Growth from Hawaii's major markets helped counteract a drop in traffic from cruise passengers and all other markets, the agency reported. "The last time all four major markets were positive in monthly arrivals was February 2008," said Daniel K. Nahoopii of HTA's tourism research division. Increased traffic from marketing targets like Los Angeles; San Francisco; Portland, Ore.; and Seattle grew U.S. West arrivals by 10.1 percent, said Mike McCartney, the HTA's president and chief executive officer. "There's no question in my mind that the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau campaigns in Los Angeles and other West Coast cities were very effective," said Jack Richards, president of California-based Pleasant Holidays LLC, Hawaii's largest travel wholesaler. Hawaii also benefited from Mexico's continued problems with drug cartels and the H1N1 swine flu, Richards said. Likewise, aggressive marketing in Japan and the "Silver Week" national holidays increased arrivals in that market by 16.7 percent to 110,634, McCartney said. U.S. East arrivals grew 6.9 percent, the first increase from this region since February 2008, as conventions like the American Dental Association Convention helped increase business travel by 140.6 percent over last September, he said. "From our perspective out of the last 90 days, we've seen a steady increase in travel to Hawaii," Richards said. While the gain in arrivals was good news for Hawaii last month, October arrivals are projected to flatten and November's could worsen, said state Tourism Liaison Marsha Wienert. "It was an anomaly," Wienert said. "All of the positives were in place in September." Hawaii's visitor industry benefited from increased arrivals, which muted spending losses, she said. "That helps immensely overall, but it's not a long-term strategy," she said. "Our destination was never built on pure volume." September's visitor expenditures were $737.1 million, a drop of $22.7 million, or 3 percent, compared with the prior year. However, there were wider declines in per-person-per-day spending, Nahoopii said. Per-person-per-day expenditures from Japan fell 12.9 percent, while the U.S. West dropped 12.6 percent; Canada, 6.5 percent; and the U.S. East, 6.1 percent, he said. "In an effort to remain competitive in the short term, Hawaii's visitor industry was forced to re-evaluate and reposition its product offerings, which often resulted in the reduction of rates," McCartney said. Still, Star wood Hotels & Resorts saw a few of its Waikiki hotels beat last September's revenue per available room, said Keith Vieira, senior vice president of operations for Starwood Hotels and Resorts in Hawaii and French Polynesia. "It was a decent September and October, but we don't think it's a trend yet," Vieira said. "Starwood saw some rebounding in Waikiki, but it hasn't made its way to the neighbor islands." Without major citywide conventions on the horizon, it is doubtful that September's increases will continue, Vieira said. "We still have plenty of availability for the holidays," he said.
 Adventures by Disney is giving away a three-night Disney Cruise to the Bahamas when you buy a vacation on select Adventures by Disney trips to Europe, China, Australia, Costa Rica and the American Southwest. There are 19 itineraries to choose from including "Southwest Splendors in the Grand Canyon," "Safari to South Africa," "Path to Pura Vida" in Costa Rica and "Taming the Last Frontier" in Alaska. I consideration I'd look into some trips close to home as a way of keeping the cost down, but even Adventures by Disney trips in Northern California had starting costs of $3,279 for adults and $2,949 for children for a weeklong trip to Lake Tahoe, Yosemite and San Francisco. The trip includes accommodations, many meals and VIP touches that Disney vacations are known for. When I looked for prices on 3-night Disney Cruises to the Bahamas, I saw rates starting at $1,464 per person for a Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom departing Jan. 7, 2010. I found a range of dates to choose from in both the Adventure trip and the Disney Cruise to the Bahamas vacation.
 Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) were recently award the agreement to create a stunning new Central Business District in Beijing. The project will integrate into the existing downtown urban district and will improve transportation infrastructure while introducing energy-efficient buildings green public space. The plan also provides a framework for new sustainable growth that would result in eliminating 215,000 tons of CO2 per year, which is the equivalent of planting 14 million adult trees.  SOM is fine known for its architecture and urban plan projects, and is also responsible for San Francisco's Treasure Island Redevelopment Plan as well as the plan for Jumiera Gardens in Dubai. Their plan for Beijing's new CBD calls for the creation of three new areas - the Cultural, Chaoyang, and the Gateway Districts, which will be anchored around new parks and green boulevards. The CBD will comprise a network of smaller, more walk able city blocks to encourage pedestrian travel and time spent in the expansive downtown parks system. Additionally, all of the streets will be built to accommodate safe bicycle travel. A new streetcar system has been proposed to link all of the new areas with existing districts and popular destinations, providing commuters with easy access to high speed rail service. Updated transportation infrastructure will also include express commuter rail service between the Beijing Capital International Airport, the CBD, and high speed rail service to Beijing South Station. SOM's redevelopment plan also defines strategies for growth and expansion. They have created a framework for new infrastructure and high performance buildings that will enable the city to grow in a more sustainable manner. If implemented, the plan could reduce energy consumption within the district by 50%, reduce water consumption by 48%, reduce landfill waste by 80%, and result in a 50% reduction in carbon emissions.  SOM's exciting new plan combines many of the necessary elements of a sustainable city - transportation, open space, pedestrian and bike friendly streets, and energy-efficient buildings. The Beijing CBD Administration Committee has stated that the plan would "enable China's capital city to grow as a global center for commerce, yet be a green and ecological setting for healthy life."
 Whenever we're stressed and have to go to our happy place, we picture the beaches of Hawaii. But now, probably thanks to how hard the recession has hit tourism to the islands, everyone has a chance to actually go there, thanks to Travelzoo's $499-for-five-Hawaiian-nights package. The deal includes round-trip airfare to Honolulu, where you'll be greeted with a lovely-smelling lei and thus the right to brag that you got "lei'd" in Hawaii, like tourists do for days after their arrival. Your accommodations will be at the Castle Ocean Resort Hotel Waikiki. And if you want to upgrade to an ocean-view pad, the hotel gives you the option for $25 and up per person. The "Hawaii Your Way" package is good for select dates in November to January. The price will change depending on your departing city, like if you leave from San Francisco it'll cost $559, New York's JFK will cost $829 and Pittsburgh will be $839. You'll get the best prices if you book a midweek departure. Try to avoid holiday dates, which will be more expensive. Whichever you choose, you must book the package by October 30. We got some weird error messages when we tried booking this deal online, so we suggest calling Apple Vacations at 800-517-2000. Just mention "Travelzoo" to score the special price. You'll be in a happy place in no time.
Seven-time Tour de France victor Lance Armstrong force compete in the 2010 Tour of California, which will boast a new route and new dates to avoid the West Coast's wet winter weather. Sixteen host communities were announced on Thursday morning via an exchange on the Twitter micro-blogging site that included California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Armstrong and three-time Tour of California champion Levi Leipheimer. Leipheimer will be joining Armstrong in the newly formed Team RadioShack. The race will be held from May 16-23, so riders can expect balmy weather, a marked change from the wet, chilly conditions that prevailed for much of this year's race in February. For the first time the event will begin with a road stage, from Nevada City, California, to the state capital of Sacramento. It will pass through Davis, Santa Rosa, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, San Jose, Modesto, Visalia, Bakersfield, Pasadena, Big Bear Lake, Los Angeles and end in the Los Angeles suburb of Thousand Oaks, home of title sponsor Amgen. Stage seven will be the individual time trial in downtown Los Angeles next to the Staples Center arena - home of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team. "For the 2010 Sanfrancisco Tour of California we had the unique opportunity to move our race to a part of the year when we are almost guaranteed great weather in California," said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports. "This timing will help us to better showcase the beautiful features the state of California has to offer, while allowing us to travel to parts of the state that just weren't feasible in previous years." Organizers said the use of Twitter to announce the schedule was a first for an event of this stature. Twitter was much in evidence in the 2009 edition of the race, as Armstrong mobilized his army of followers on the networking site to be on the lookout for his stolen time trial bike, which was eventually turned in to police in Sacramento.
 The Real Deal: Round-trip airfare on Air China; four nights at the Beijing Joy City Hotel & Apartment in Beijing, two nights at the Xian Jianguo Hotel in Xi'an, and two nights at the Shanghai Crowne Plaza Hotel in Shanghai; transfers and ground transportation; 13 meals; flights within China (also on Air China); and private sightseeing tours and entrance fees, from $888 per person - plus about $286 in taxes. When: Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29, Feb. 12, 19, 26, 2010; add $200 for March 5, 12, 19, 26; add $400 for April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, May 7, 14, 21, 28, June 4, July 9, 16, 23, 30; add $700 for June 11, 18, 25, July 2; additional dates in 2010 available. Gateways: San Francisco; add $300 for New York City.
 Recology, the California-based trash company that takes over Ashland Sanitary and Recycling last week, has a program in San Francisco that takes food scraps from homes and restaurants and turns them into dung. Recology official inform Ashland City Council members on Oct. 6 that they force listen to the desires of the community and could adopt expanded composting and recycling programs here if they are cost-effective and feasible. San Franciscans have been able to have their food scraps - even meat and bones - taken away for composting for years. Yard trimmings also go into the nutrient-rich compost that is used by vineyards and farms. Starting Wednesday, composting in San Francisco will become mandatory as the city pushes toward its goal of diverting 75 percent of material from landfills. The city hopes to achieve zero net waste by 2020. The law is believed to be the first mandatory composting law in the country, according to the food service industry news service Nation's Restaurant News. Businesses and residents there must sort food scraps and yard trimmings into a green garbage can. Regular recyclables such as paper go into a blue can, while remaining garbage goes into a black can. Bread, dairy products, meat and bones, greasy pizza boxes, waxy paper milk and juice cartons, vegetables, fruits, leftovers scraped off restaurant customers' plates and tree branches less than 6 inches in diameter are among the items that San Francisco can toss in their green garbage cans for composting. The slogan used to help people understand what can go in the composting can is "Anything that used to be alive." Ashland Sanitary and Recycling already has a composting program, but it is less far-reaching than the one in San Francisco. Ashland Sanitary and Recycling - which will continue to operate under that name - has a composting program in which businesses that serve food can put uncooked vegetable and fruit trimmings, paper coffee filters, coffee grounds, tea bags and floral clippings in 35-gallon garbage cans. Meat, cooked food and post-consumer material, such as scrapings off customers' plates, are not allowed. The monthly fee for a 35-gallon garbage can to hold compostable material is $5.65. That fee includes weekly pick-up. If a restaurant got rid of the same material in a regular garbage can, the fee would be $16.61 per month, according to Ashland Sanitary and Recycling.More than 30 local businesses and organizations take part in the commercial compost program, including restaurants, coffee shops, schools, bed and breakfast inns, Ashland Food Cooperative and Mountain Meadows retirement community. Yard trimmings and the commercial food scraps are used to make Oakleaf Compost, which is sold at the Valley View Transfer Station at 3000 Valley View Road outside Ashland. A 60-pound bag of the compost costs $4. Ashland Sanitary and Recycling Waste Reduction Educator Risa Buck said it's still too early to tell what new services the company could provide now that it's owned by Recology. But Buck said she does think that many restaurants would like to be able to compost more material. Many homeowners may also be interested in a composting service with curbside pick-up, she said. Steve DiFabion, the new general manager at Ashland Sanitary and Recycling, said composting programs that can handle meat scraps and other material are much more difficult and expensive than the type of "clean green" composting program here that takes pre-consumer food material and yard trimmings. DiFabion said a facility to handle diverse compostable material would cost about $6 million to $6.5 million. He's not aware of anyone in Oregon who has a permit to build such a facility, although one company believes it's close to getting a conditional permit, DiFabion said. If such a facility were built, possibly in northern Oregon, he said Recology would have to figure out the costs of transporting material to the site. Building a facility would likely cause concerns among neighbors about odors and pests, he said. DiFabion recently began working for Recology after previously working for Allied Waste in the Seattle area. Western Washington has one facility that can handle a large range of compostable material, he said. The Seattle area has a very active food waste program that can take material such as bones. It serves residents as well as businesses, he said."There's a huge demand. It's rapidly approaching the point where there is more material than processing capacity," DiFabion said. "It's not unusual to have only one or two sites in a state." Although Ashland Sanitary and Recycling doesn't offer residential food scrap pick-up, it does frequently hold free composting classes on Saturdays at its recycling center on Water Street near Van Ness Avenue. Call 482-1471 for information. North Mountain Park will have a worm composting class from 7 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday. The cost is $5. Dress warmly. Call 488-6606 for more information.North Mountain Park Stewardship Coordinator Linda Chesney said she believes there is demand out there for a residential food scrap and composting program. The park has on-site compost bins to take vegetation trimmings and food scraps, but only from the park itself.People sometimes call park staff to ask if they can put their food scraps in the compost bins, Chesney said.
 Combine urban landscapes, live dance artists and dedicated performance " Tour guides," and you get Trolley Dances, a series of outdoor site specific works to which the audience is escorted aboard a transit car. Far from any double-decker sightseeing bus or Duck Tour, Trolley Dances offer a sensory ride through the dance community with a celebratory spirit. The concept of Trolley Dances was born in San Diego by Jean Isaacs, Artistic Director of the San Diego Dance Theater, to honor the bi-cultural nature of a city on the border. This year, during the last weekend in September and the first weekend in October, the 11th Annual San Diego Trolley Dances took place at sites along the Trolley line south of downtown San Diego to the San Ysidro border crossing between California and Tijuana. Inspired by Isaac's Trolley Dances, Bay Area choreographer Kim Epifano brought the tradition to northern California six years ago, showcasing San Francisco's diverse dance community. This weekend, audiences can climb aboard the J-Church Muni Metro at Mission Dolores Park to experience San Francisco Trolley Dances, winding through many parts of the city. For a $2 fare, riders will be escorted to performances by Deborah Slater Dance Theater, Deep Waters Dance Theater, SF Merionettes Sychronized Swim Club, Epiphany Productions Sonic Dance Theater, Kathleen Hermesdorf, and Rosamaria Garcia and Jorge Rodolfo De Hoyos. Tours begin at the statue of Miguel Hidalgo in the middle of Mission Dolores Park starting at 11:00am, and leave every 45 minutes until 2:45pm. San Francisco's Trolley Dances will be performed Oct. 17 and 18.
 Guided walks in London, Rome, Paris, Dublin, New York, and San Francisco are now available on ever more popular Ipods, but a live tour can present a much richer experience. Or so says Paul Bennett, owner of the highly acclaimed Context Tours, who maintains that "there's no substitute for the impromptu interaction with a knowledgeable and personable guide-best of all, one with a Ph.D. in the topic! Socrates had it right. When you can ask questions and engage in a real dialogue, learning happens." On a guided walking tour, travelers are not only listening, but also seeing, hearing, and feeling. Most guides are constantly researching and thinking of clever ways to explain historical background and current happenings in a city. If a new building is going up, they know about it. If a place has just been renovated, they will tell you why and how. Unlike the voice on the Ipod, live guides live right in the city and know the enchanting alleys and shortcuts. After the overview a guided walk provides, it's much easier to return to places along the way. And walkers learn a lot while they are strolling along.
SoulOfAmerica.com is announcing its 15th year provided that African Americans with exceptional, convincing, updated and comprehensive travel content. In October 1994, the black-owned company published its first print guide map pinpointing restaurants, innkeepers, spas, galleries, boutiques, churches, cultural and historical landmarks of interest to black people. For example, the inaugural Soul Of Los Angeles map directed diners to Georgia's on Melrose Avenue, culture hounds to Biddy Mason Memorial and film fans to more than 100 African American stars on Hollywood's Walk of Fame in 1994.
"The idea of SoulOf America was a dream of mine long before the Internet was popular," said Publisher Thomas Dorsey. "We were the only publishing company to recognize the distinctive needs of black leisure travelers via guide maps when print was king." National resellers such as Barnes and Nobles and Borders carried our guide maps, which also included Soul Of Oakland/ San Francisco, Soul Of Atlanta, and Soul Of Washington DC. But Dorsey soon realized that he could reach an order of magnitude more travelers, and offer more depth, types of content and timeliness by moving his content online in 1997.  Via the Web, the company pioneered showcasing Black cultural destinations worldwide, as millions have visited SoulOfAmerica.com over the years. Today, it provides over 200 guides with more than 17,000 pages and has more photos of black cultural sites than any website or print publication. Over 500,000 voters in the annual Black Web Awards have recognized SoulOfAmerica.com as the best black travel website in 2007, 2008 and 2009. To enable its seasoned travel experts to better interact with visitors, the website launched SoulOfAmerica Community. Now fans can follow us on Facebook, tweet us on Twitter, track topical updates via Enewsletter and Blogs, and share YouTube travel videos. "Though we've met our objective of adding the most Black Travel content, our mission is to remain the most accurate and useful travel resource," Dorsey said. "Steadily increasing visitors, the honors we've won and milestones achieved indicate that we've earned our status as the 'Premier Black Travel Website'. We encourage fans to spread the word about SoulOfAmerica.com, which categorizes Black Cultural Travel by U.S. City, Beaches, the Caribbean, International, Family Travel, Sports Travel, Black Towns, Black Innkeepers, Black Colleges, Black Cruises, Events, Heritage Tours and more." A limited number of full-color, collectible 1995 Soul Of Atlanta and 1996 Soul Of Washington DC guide maps can be purchased at SoulOfAmerica.com
 Halloween…. For many, this once frightening night conjures narrow escapes from life-sucking ghosts as we took the dare of running into the neighborhood cemetery and placing an item on the most haunted grave.
Were we more likely to see the ghost of the dead girl belonging to the haunted grave on that specific evening?
What if we knew the tragic legend behind the 16-year-old on her way home from the prom?
What if we were privy to the fact that her spirit was supposed to rise on the stroke of midnight every Halloween announcing November 1st - the day she was so tragically killed?
Then we'd probably be more likely to see our ghost, says best-selling author of the paranormal Jeff Belanger.
"Infamous haunts have a reputation that will affect the paranormally-minded visitor," says Belanger, who makes a living as an investigator of such matters and is the founder of www.ghostvillage.com.
"If you already know the legends and history before walking into a location, you may be more likely to experience something," Belanger says. "Whether that's a psychosomatic effect, or that your senses are heightened because of that tingly fear, can be debated."
Let's face it - some of us like to be frightened.
So, blow off that Halloween party where the only thing you'll have to show for the evening you once held sacred is a hangover. Take a vow to recapture the fear you embraced so willingly so many years ago.
 This weekend is packed with tons of local events that are great for couples. Try to get out this weekend and attend these fun Bay area attractions: San Francisco Fleet Week: Fleet week has lots of activities going on from 10/9-10/13. Take your mate to watch the beautiful Blue Angels air show or take a ship tour. There will be tons of food, music and even the Italian Heritage Day Parade. Don't miss out on the great annual even that supports our troops and is totally fun. The Haunted Haight Walking Tour: Are you in the mood for a little pre-Halloween scare? Well on 10/9 you and your mate can experience San Francisco's own haunted areas. You will stroll through the famous Haight-Ashbury area as you hear stories of famous murders, cult leaders who lived there and other spooky tales. The tour lasts about 2 hours and tickets cost $20 per person. Vampire Tour of San Francisco: If you and your mate are Twilight fans and want to explore the world of vampires, then this tour is for you. This is a fun Halloween event that will get you in the spirit a little earlier than October 31st. The tour takes you around the Nob Hill area and creates a fun way to learn about vampires that are rumored to have lived in San Francisco Tour. To make a reservation call (650) 279-1840. Private Wine Tour By SUV: This romantic tour will take you and your loved one around in a private luxury SUV while you tour several private wineries in Napa. This trip will let you get a closer look at the wine making process to help you both become a wine experts. At $165.49 each, this tour is a little pricey but well worth the money for a great trip through the beautiful Napa.
 New York City is home to a important Muslim population, and the community is a suggestion of the city tour itself: vibrant, diverse, and colourful. Muslims in New York are South Asian, Middle Eastern, African, East Asian, European and African-American, speak an arrangement of languages and practice Islam in their own culturally nuanced ways. Aman Ali and Bassam Tariq, two young South Asian Muslims living in New York City, certain to explore the range within the city's Muslim community, visiting a different mosque every day during Ramadan-from Malcolm X's mosque in Harlem, to the Bosnian Cultural Centre, to the Islamic Center at New York University. Their journey, documented on their blog 30 Mosques in 30 Days (30mosques.tumblr.com), gained an enormous following, with up to 1,500 people visiting the website each day to learn of the previous night's discoveries. Towards the end of the month, they reached their goal of 20,000 unique visits to the blog. When asked what inspired 30 Mosques, Aman noted that the project began as a simple personal experiment, since there were so many mosques he and Bassam wanted to explore in the New York area. They were overwhelmed with the unexpected number of responses they received from both Muslims and non-Muslims around the world, writing in to express their desire to pursue a similar experiment in their own cities or communities. What started as an innovative personal adventure soon became a way of connecting people throughout the world. The two young Muslims wanted the experience to be as natural as possible, despite the subsequent media attention their website received as the month progressed. Ultimately, Aman and Bassam wanted to document the treatment any Muslim would receive walking into a mosque in the city. The overwhelming hospitality they received at each place surprised them both. On Day 28, Aman visited a mosque in the Bronx that had burned down the night before. Despite the tragedy, the congregation was united in their resilience. In his post, Aman wrote: "Bilal [a man in the congregation] brought up one of my favourite sayings from Prophet Muhammad that really captured the mood in the air tonight. That the Muslim community is like a body. When one part of the body is in pain, the entire body is in pain. In other words, when one of us suffers we all feel the pain. But Bilal brought up an interesting point. He said this saying also applies to happiness. When one of us is feeling good, the rest of us should feel the same as well. He told me this was not a time for us to be sad and depressed. Instead, this is a time for us to smile and be thankful that everyone is here to support each other during the end of this blessed month." On Day 9, Bassam blogged about the Masjid Aqsa, a predominately West African mosque in his neighbourhood. He told me how a man insisted he stay after his prayers to eat, making sure everyone there knew he was a guest and should be welcomed. In the corresponding post, he wrote, "The hospitality during Ramadan has been unbelievable. There's something in the air, and the weather only seems to get better." Each post on 30 Days further cements this notion, that despite their ethnic, cultural and sectarian differences, the Muslims Aman and Bassam encountered were universally hospitable and inclusive. Aman told me, "The Islamic Centre at NYU was built by college students, while one mosque on Staten Island was established by a guy who worked in a factory during World War II. Each one of these threads make up the Muslim-American narrative-we are united by the belief in Allah, hospitality and welcoming others."
 On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court asked the Obama administration to weigh in before it decides whether to hear a case challenging Healthy San Francisco's provision requiring all employers to contribute to workers' health care coverage, the San Francisco Tours Chronicle reports. Healthy San Francisco aims to provide health care access for all city residents by requiring city employers with 20 or more workers to: * Contribute to employee health care spending accounts; * Pay into the city's fund for Healthy San Francisco; or * Provide health insurance benefits (California Healthline, 8/25).  Lawsuit DetailsThe Golden Gate Restaurant Association's lawsuit alleges that Healthy San Francisco's travel employer mandate violates a 1974 law giving the federal government exclusive control over employee benefit plans. Last year, a federal appeals court rejected GGRA's argument and ruled that the city does not regulate benefits because it lets employers decide how to provide health coverage. In March, the Supreme Court denied GGRA's request for an emergency order to block the employer fees. Calling on ObamaThe Supreme Court frequently asks the federal government to state its position on important cases, particularly those involving a potential conflict between federal and local regulations, the Chronicle reports. Such requests typically indicate that at least one justice is undecided about whether to grant the case a review. President Obama has praised Healthy San Francisco and also has expressed support for health care reform plans that leverage employer contributions. However, the Obama administration has yet to issue a formal stance on the legal proceedings surrounding San Francisco's program
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday asked the Obama administration for its views on a San Francisco law that requires medium and large-sized companies to pay for minimum employee health-care benefits. Under the law, businesses operating in the city must either offer their employees health-insurance coverage or pay into a city fund that provides health care to uninsured San Francisco residents. A local restaurant association, with the support of other business groups, filed a lawsuit challenging the city ordinance, saying it was burdensome on businesses and interfered with a federal law that governs employee-benefit plans. The Supreme Court on Monday asked U.S. Solicitor General Elena Kagan, the federal government's lawyer at the high court, for the administration's views on whether the justices should consider the case. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the city law last year. San Francisco officials said they were facing a health-care crisis and were well within their rights to enact a law to address that crisis. The city said nothing in federal law immunized businesses from being required to spend money on health care. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and an association of retailers are among those urging the high court to strike down the San Francisco tour law. The case is Golden Gate Restaurant Assn. v. City and County of San Francisco, 08-1515. The high court also asked the Obama administration Monday for its views on three other business cases. One case involves Costco Wholesale Corp.'s (COST) appeal of a ruling that said the discounter could be held liable for copyright infringement for re-selling luxury Swiss watches it obtained through second-hand sources. At issue is a lawsuit filed by Omega SA, a unit of Swatch Group AG (UHR.VX ), alleging that Costco violated U.S. copyright law in 2004 by selling Omega Seamaster watches it obtained from third parties who had imported them into the U.S. Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN), eBay Inc. (EBAY), Target Corp. (TGT) and a trade association of retailers are supporting Costco in the case. They said the lower court ruling was a concern to companies that re-sell foreign-made goods and could lead to higher prices for consumers. The case is Costco Wholesale Corp. v. Omega SA, 08-1423. Another case centers on whether federal motor vehicle safety standards preempt a product liability lawsuit against Mazda Motor Corp. (7261.TO ) for installing lap-only seat belts in certain rear-seating positions. The lawsuit stems from a fatal collision involving a 1993 Mazda MPV minivan. A California court ruled for Mazda, deciding that federal law preempted the lawsuit. The case is Williamson v. Mazda Motor of America, 08-1314. Finally, the high court asked the administration to weigh in on a dispute involving an Oklahoma county government's decision to tax natural gas that passes temporarily through a local pipeline storage facility. The case is Missouri Gas Energy v. Schmidt, 08-1458. The justices will reconsider the cases after the administration submits legal briefs expressing the government's views.
 U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton force construct her first trip to Russia during a European tour on October 9-15, the U.S. State Department said in a press release on Friday. Clinton will also SF travel to London, Dublin and Belfast to argue a large range of bilateral and global issues. "In Moscow, the Secretary will meet with senior Russian officials to discuss progress on a successor agreement to START, cooperation on nonproliferation and counterterrorism, and next steps for the Clinton-Lavrov commission," the statement said. U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed in July in Moscow on the outline of a deal to replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-1), which expires on December 5, including cutting their countries' nuclear arsenals to 1,500-1,675 operational warheads and delivery vehicles to 500-1,000. Medvedev told the UN Security Council Summit on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Disarmament in late September that both countries were "ready to move further and cut the number of delivery vehicles for strategic offensive armaments by more than three times, and this issue is now being discussed at the negotiating table with our American partners." He also said that a new Russian-U.S. strategic arms reduction treaty is likely be ready by December this year. According to a report published by the U.S. State Department in April, as of January 1 Russia had 3,909 nuclear warheads and 814 delivery vehicles, including ground-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) and strategic bombers. The same report said the United States had 5,576 warheads and 1,198 delivery vehicles.
 The downturn appears to be loosening its hold on the Flagstaff economy. However, even as national vend sales begin to rebound; many Flagstaff businesses in the downtown area are considering a much slower recovery. The U.S. Census Bureau reported that, nationwide, retail sales improved 2.7 percent in August from the previous month. However, sales still lagged behind last year's numbers, with August sales 5.3 percent below August 2008 figures. Despite encouraging national trends, many downtown business owners in Flagstaff maintain that they still haven't seen enough local recovery to bolster their sales. Jonathan S. Day, the owner of Indian Arts and Antiquities on North San Francisco Street, says that business at his store has been very incompatible since the recession hit. "July is my best month of the year. This July was my worst month in 10 years," said Day. He attributes his slow business to the fact that the items in his shop are not necessities for most people. "I don't sell things anyone needs. When the economy goes down the toilet, people's discretionary income is the first thing that goes," he said. Carolyn Young, owner of the West of the Moon Gallery in downtown Flagstaff, has experienced a similar drop in business over the last year-and-a-half. She hasn't seen any relief, as her biggest customers are locals, and people in Flagstaff are still suffering from the effects of the recession. "They say we're out of [the recession], but I'm not so sure," she said. The stores in the downtown area that have fared best in the economic storm of the past year are those that cater to people on a tight budget, offering low cost alternatives to the more expensive gift shops like Indian Arts and Antiquities and the West of the Moon Gallery. These stores have thrived where other stores have suffered. Animas Beads has actually seen an increase in business. Carrie Ann DeConte, the assistant manager, said that, "If anything, we're more busy." She attributes the store's success to their base of regular local customers. Also, because Animas Beads sells cheap supplies to make gifts rather than pre-made and more expensive products, DeConte believes that their store offers exactly what people are looking for in tough economic times. Animas Beads moved to a new, larger location two years ago and has been able to maintain momentum through the economic downturn. The Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce sees signs that local businesses are rebounding thanks to a recent increase in tourism, even if the effects are yet to be felt by some parts of the local economy. " Tourism is up," said Julie Pastrick, President and CEO of the Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber found that all of the hotels they spoke with were filled beyond capacity when the Arizona Cardinals training camp was in town this summer, bringing millions of dollars into Flagstaff. It is estimated that between 3,000-4,000 people attended just one practice during the team's stay and poured $2.3 million into the Flagstaff economy. Pastrick sees no indication of the positive tourism trend reversing and expects another big boost to local businesses when Snowbowl opens later this year, bringing visitors from Phoenix and Tucson back to the area.
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