If French director Louis Leterrier's goal in rebooting the "Hulk" saga for the big screen was to distance Marvel's franchise from Ang Lee's brooding 2003 deconstruction of the not-so-jolly green giant, you'd have to consider "The Incredible Hulk" a rousing success: While Lee incurred the wrath of comic-book disciples with his thoughtful character study, Leterrier and screenwriter Zak Penn dispense with the angst and focus on the smash.

The Giants and A's, who start an interleague series at AT&T Park tonight, are just across the Bay from each other, but they might as well be a continent apart in judging their organizational approach.

In a saloon town such as San Francisco, the bartender plays a crucial role. Confessor, friend, sounding board - the man or woman behind the plank sees to it that our needs are met with elegance, grace and often wit. They see humanity at its best and most convivial, but also offer a nod and a welcome to the lonely. But what do they see when they look at us? What are the tricks of their trade? And what lessons have they learned along the way? In this Examiner weekly feature, we talk to some of our local bartenders to find out.

These are excerpts from the San Francisco Police Department's daily log of activities. Incidents are listed by police precincts and the neighborhoods they patrol.

When political pundits say Barack Obama has mastered the use of the Internet in his campaign, they are referring in some small part to the work of San Francisco's LaunchSquad.

The former Warriors center will be among the familiar pro, college and high school faces playing in the San Francisco Bay Area Pro-Am Basketball League, where his S.F. City team tips off at 8 p.m. Monday at Kezar Pavilion. After his first season with the Orlando Magic, the 6-foot-10 center from the Caribbean island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines opted out of his NBA contract and is a free agent.

Tim Russert, who pointedly but politely questioned hundreds of the powerful and influential as moderator of NBCs Meet the Press, died suddenly Friday while at work in Washington. The networks Washington bureau chief was 58. In addition to his weekly...

Police in Concord have identified the two people fatally shot at a soda bottling plant about 25 miles north of Charlotte. Concord deputy police chief Guy Smith says 59-year-old Donna Barnhardt and 44-year-old Darrell Noles were killed Friday morning at the...

R. Kelly was acquitted of all charges Friday after less than a day of deliberations in his child pornography trial, ending a six-year ordeal for the R&B superstar. Kelly dabbed his face with a handkerchief and hugged each of his four attorneys after the...

A hiker who lost his life on Mount Rainier lay down in the snow and used his bodys warmth to protect his wife and a friend from the 70-mph winds of a freak June blizzard, national park officials said. When it became obvious the trio could not find their way...

Rising water from the Cedar River forced the evacuation of a downtown hospital Friday after residents of more than 3,000 homes fled for higher ground. A railroad bridge collapsed, and 400 city blocks were under water. In Des Moines, 100 miles to the...

Cuba on Friday turned over to U.S. authorities an American fugitive sought on charges of sexual abuse of a minor and possession of child pornography. Cuban authorities said they arrested Leonard B. Auerbach, a 61-year-old mortgage specialist from Orinda,...

Tamalpais Bank's parent adopts new name
San Rafael-based Tamalpais Bancorp is the new name adopted for the parent company of Tamalpais Bank and Tamalpais Wealth Advisors. (TAMB)

United Airlines, US Airways latest carriers to charge for checked bag
United Airlines and US Airways will become the second and third major U.S. carriers to charge passengers $15 for their first checked bag. (UAUA) (LCC) (AMR)

Yahoo, Google strike ad deal
Yahoo Inc. agreed Thursday to a search-advertising deal with rival Google Inc. just hours after announcing that Microsoft Corp. was no longer in the picture. (YHOO) (GOOG)

Macrovision buys tech from ThoughtWorthy Media
Macrovision Solutions Corp. will buy certain web and technology assets from ThoughtWorthy Media in a deal that originally was executed by Gemstar-TV Guide International Inc. in January. (MVSN)

U.S. airlines 'have never faced a darker future,' study says
If gas prices don't fall quickly, the U.S. airline industry will have a "massive failure" that will cause more bankruptcies, including liquidations, according to a study published jointly Friday by AirlineForecasts LLC and the Business Travel Coalition.

Controversial Bishop Speaking In San Francisco
An Australian bishop with controversial ideas about the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal was scheduled to speak in San Francisco Friday night, in defiance of the local Archbishop.

Marin Man Guilty Of Carving Illegal Bike Path
A Marin County bicyclist will probably serve time in a work program after pleading guilty to charges he dug an illegal trail in China Camp State Park.

Some Evacuated Homes Deemed Safe From Martin Fire
Residents living on Ice Cream Grade, Smith Grade and Pine Flat roads with were allowed access to their homes after the roads were found safe at 11 a.m. Friday.

Court Rejects Chevron Bid For $101M Tax Refund
A federal appeals court in San Francisco Friday rejected a bid by San Ramon-based Chevron Corp. for a $101 million income tax refund.

Santa Rosa Men Deny Charges In Brutal Kidnapping
Five Santa Rosa men pleaded not guilty in Sonoma County Superior Court Friday to 13 felony charges in connection with the alleged assault and kidnapping of two developmentally disabled men at the Fulton Skate Park in April.