“Pediatrics does not deal with miniature men and women,” wrote Abraham Jacobi, MD, considered the father of American pediatrics, in his 1889 book, Contributions to Pediatrics.  Echoed repeatedly through the halls of pediatric wards during residency training, Jacobi’s words form the guiding principle of modern pediatric practice.  Not only do children’s physiologies and disease exposures differ vastly from adults, so too does their capacity for self-advocacy.  With little political voice, society’s most vulnerable members are dependent on adults to meet their medical needs.   

Michel Shehadeh, the Arab Film Festival’s (AFF) executive director, is a man on a quest.  He yearns for the day when he’ll be able to produce his screenplay about an Arab poet-warrior into a feature-length film.  On a sunny afternoon at San Francisco’s Crossroads Café courtyard, Shehadeh discussed the arcs and archetypes of different storytelling cultures:  will western popular culture ever be able to understand the deep literary traditions of the Arab world and, in particular, appreciate its emphasis on lyrical poetry? Or will Arab identity remain trapped by politics and stereotypes?

Sometimes reading isn’t as easy as A-B-C, especially for preschool age children who don’t have access to books and a structured educational environment.  By the time they start kindergarten, students without preschool experience tend to fall behind, especially in reading skills.  One Potrero Hill early literacy group, The Reading Tree, is working to close this learning gap.

The San Francisco Giants began their 128th season in April, bringing crowds – and demand for nearby restaurants and bars – to their home at AT&T Park, which borders the Mission Bay and South Beach neighborhoods. “We survive through the Giants fans,” said Darren Fanelli, public relations director at O’Neill’s Irish Pub on Third Street.