After 8 difficult days, the flu is on its way out, alhamdolillah!

Education, entertainment and a way to save the world. What’s not to like, especially in light of recent food shortages and riots?

Slate asks “Does going to Mecca make Muslims more moderate?“

Hop over to Islamosphere and add yourself to the cool new directory of Muslim/Islam-friendly bloggers.

Awesome guerrilla gardeners raid unused urban landscapes and till it with their imagination and seed bombs. May 1st marks their 2nd International Sunflower Guerrilla Day, they have a a training manual, and run-ins with the law in SF.

Grab a cup of coffee - and a purring feline - in Tokyo’s cat cafes. (Please let this catch on in SF!)

The Squaw Valley Writers’ Workshop deadline is coming up on May 10th.

The San Francisco International Film Festival is in full flow - locals take the festival very seriously so show up well ahead of time or risk your seats being resold. We saw the French film Two Ladies yesterday - a lovely film about Kosher-cooking Muslims and Koran-reading Jews.

And, hear Maithri, writer of the one of my all-time favorite blogs, the inspirational Soaring Impulse, reveal yet another amazing talent at Don’t Die with Your Music in You.