Architect Toyo Ito listens as translator Noriko Takaguchi explains the concerns of the Berkeley residents and officials for the new Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive building he is designing on Center Street for UC Berkeley. Photograph by Richard Brenneman.
Architect Toyo Ito listens as translator Noriko Takaguchi explains the concerns of the Berkeley residents and officials for the new Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive building he is designing on Center Street for UC Berkeley. Photograph by Richard Brenneman.

Page One

BAM Architect Listens to Community Ideas

By Richard Brenneman
Friday December 22, 2006

Tuesday morning Berkeley met the man who will help transform the face of downtown. -more-



The Planet Takes a Holiday

Friday December 22, 2006

The Daily Planet will not publish on Tuesday, Dec. 26, but will be back on Friday, Dec. 29, with the annual holiday readers’ contribution issue. Thank you to all who sent in material for the issue. -more-



Temblor Punctuates Debate Over Stadium

By Richard Brenneman
Friday December 22, 2006

Raked by a legal broadside, the University of California beat a temporary retreat Wednesday, agreeing to halt development at Memorial Stadium pending a hearing in Alameda County Superior Court. -more-



How Berkeley Voted in the November Elections

By Rob Wrenn
Friday December 22, 2006

There were no big surprises in the way that Berkeley voters cast their votes this year. As usual, Berkeley led the state in opposition to Republican candidates while showing continued support for abortion rights, public education, the environment and affordable housing. -more-



Hancock to Vie for Senate Seat

By Judith Scherr
Friday December 22, 2006

With the November 2006 elections recently certified, candidates are already pushing at the gate for 2008. -more-



Features

Downtown Plan, Landmarks Committee Near Compromise

By Richard Brenneman
Friday December 22, 2006

While preservationists worry that a new downtown plan could give short shrift to landmark buildings in the city center, the planner hired to draft the document says not to worry. -more-


District 4 Challenger Wilson Moves Out of Berkeley

By Judith Scherr
Friday December 22, 2006

To some—especially incumbent Councilmember Dona Spring who clobbered him in a nasty District 4 race in November—Raudel Wilson looks like a carpetbagger. The 30-year-old banker moved to Berkeley just two years ago and now, after being shut out by Spring’s win with 71 percent of the vote, has moved out of town. -more-


Oak-to-9th Lawsuit Will Move Forward

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Friday December 22, 2006

As was expected, a California Superior Court judge dismissed the City of Oakland’s early attempt to throw out the Oak To Ninth referendum lawsuit late last week, with both sides downplaying the significance of the judge’s ruling. -more-


Oakland Schools Mislabel Some Teachers Unqualified

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Friday December 22, 2006

Earlier this fall, in compliance with a provision of the national No Child Left Behind Act, the Oakland Unified School District sent out some 13,000 letters informing parents of the names of teachers who do not meet the “highly qualified” standards required by the act. -more-


Report: Local Bus Riders Shortchanged

By Judith Scherr
Friday December 22, 2006

A study released Wednesday asserts that Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission funding policies maintain “separate and unequal” transit systems. -more-


Police Blotter

By Richard Brenneman
Friday December 22, 2006

Not sham pain -more-


A Guide to Finding Green Gifts This Holiday Season

By Judith Scherr
Friday December 22, 2006

’Tis the weekend before giftmas -more-


10 Questions for Darryl Moore

By Jonathan Wafer, Special to the Panet
Friday December 22, 2006

1. Where were you born and where did you grow up, and how does that affect how you regard the issues in Berkeley and in your district? -more-


Give of Yourself This Holiday Season

By Marta Yamamoto, Special to the Planet
Friday December 22, 2006

Each of us approaches the idea of gift-giving according to our own set of standards. We consider needs, desires, cost and degree of closeness. For family we solicit suggestions, for friends we debate possibilities, for “duty” gifts we head to Sees or BevMo. We purchase, wrap and present our offerings, awaiting response. In this sense we have given a bit of ourselves. -more-


Public Comment

Letters to the Editor

Friday December 22, 2006

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM? -more-


Commentary: Grameen Bank: Micro-Credit for Marginalized Families

By Krishna P. Bhattacharjee
Friday December 22, 2006

This year’s Nobel Peace prize has been awarded to Dr. Mohammad Yunus (economist, Ph.D from an American university) and to Grameen Bank, an institution he founded. His concept of micro-credit has received international recognition after 30 years of dedicated service. It is a story of giving shape to a dream. -more-


Commentary: The Serious Business of Play

By Stevanne Auerbach (aka Dr. Toy)
Friday December 22, 2006

Facing a barrage of advertising and marketing ploys, adults may exhibit some childish behavior when looking for kids’ toys. Have you ever been in a stampede for this year’s must-have game or plaything? With great places to find the right toys like—The Ark Toy Store, Sweet Dreams or Mr. Mopps, the challenge of finding the right toy is much simpler to solve for Berkeley residents. -more-


Editorial

Editorial: Humans Still Missing Peace at Home

By Becky O’Malley
Friday December 22, 2006

Peace on earth. People talk it up at this time of year, but what’s being done to make it a reality? Quite a lot, and not nearly enough. -more-


Columns

Column: Dispatches From the Edge: Spy vs. Spy; War With Syria?

By Conn Hallinan
Friday December 22, 2006

Spy vs. spy, the gang that couldn’t poison straight, or welcome to the new Cold War? -more-


Undercurrents: Debating the Use of the Word ‘Nigger’

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Friday December 22, 2006

I waited a bit to comment on comedian Michael Richards’ comedy club “nigger” meltdown, in part because there were other more pressing things to write about, in part because the use of the word “nigger” in American life is a serious, long-term discussion that need not rise to the surface only when it has become the talk-show, blogsphere fad of the moment. I’ve written on the subject before, at length, and expect to do it again, from time to time. -more-


About the House: The Benefits of Solar Water Heating

By Matt Cantor
Friday December 22, 2006

The practice of home inspection is tied, to a surprising degree, to a study of history. Some of that history is ancient and broad and some of it is as diaphanous as the study of the last five presidencies. -more-


Garden Variety: Aunt Ron’s Holiday Advice For The Gift-Lorn

By Ron Sullivan
Friday December 22, 2006

Uh-oh. It’s the 22nd. Last-minute gift shopping! If you celebrate Solstice, you’re late already. No matter. ’Tis the season on some calendar or other, and there’s a good chance you’ve forgotten someone, maybe or the quasi-mail service lost that perfect present you found in the Fussbudgets International catalogue. You’ve just now fished it out of your spamtrap, the email notice about the Christmas party at the executive director’s husbands’ brother-in-law’s stepdaughters’ new club, and you know that if you don’t show up you’ll be nominated to that Interminable Search Committee again. And you’re the Human Resources Director’s Secret Santa, oh joy. -more-


Quake Tip of the Week

By Larry Guillot
Friday December 22, 2006

Why Are We So Complacent? -more-


Arts Listings

Arts Calendar

Friday December 22, 2006


Moving Pictures: Two Films of Transformation and Enlightenment

By Justin DeFreitas
Friday December 22, 2006

The Theater: Circus Finelli Clowns Around at Julia Morgan Center

By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet
Friday December 22, 2006

Events Listings

Berkeley This Week

Friday December 22, 2006

Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

Editorial: Humans Still Missing Peace at Home 12-22-2006

Editorial: PC or Not, Trader Joe’s is Coming 12-19-2006

Public Comment

Letters to the Editor 12-22-2006

Commentary: Grameen Bank: Micro-Credit for Marginalized Families By Krishna P. Bhattacharjee 12-22-2006

Commentary: The Serious Business of Play By Stevanne Auerbach (aka Dr. Toy) 12-22-2006

Letters to the Editor 12-19-2006

Commentary: Examining the Opposition to the New LPO By Alan Tobey 12-19-2006

Commentary: The 2008 Presidential Primaries: Another Inconvenient Truth By Thomas Gangale 12-19-2006

Commentary: Who’s Being Served? By Erin Wolfe 12-19-2006

News

BAM Architect Listens to Community Ideas By Richard Brenneman 12-22-2006

The Planet Takes a Holiday 12-22-2006

Temblor Punctuates Debate Over Stadium By Richard Brenneman 12-22-2006

How Berkeley Voted in the November Elections By Rob Wrenn 12-22-2006

Hancock to Vie for Senate Seat By Judith Scherr 12-22-2006

Downtown Plan, Landmarks Committee Near Compromise By Richard Brenneman 12-22-2006

District 4 Challenger Wilson Moves Out of Berkeley By Judith Scherr 12-22-2006

Oak-to-9th Lawsuit Will Move Forward By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 12-22-2006

Oakland Schools Mislabel Some Teachers Unqualified By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 12-22-2006

Report: Local Bus Riders Shortchanged By Judith Scherr 12-22-2006

Police Blotter By Richard Brenneman 12-22-2006

A Guide to Finding Green Gifts This Holiday Season By Judith Scherr 12-22-2006

10 Questions for Darryl Moore By Jonathan Wafer, Special to the Panet 12-22-2006

Give of Yourself This Holiday Season By Marta Yamamoto, Special to the Planet 12-22-2006

Cheerful Crowd Celebrates Stadium Grove Tree-Sitters By Richard Brenneman 12-19-2006

Zoning Board Approves Trader Joe’s Building, Project Foes Planning Lawsuit By Richard Brenneman 12-19-2006

Drayage Demolition Moves Forward; ZAB OKs Bus Yard, Condos By Richard Brenneman 12-19-2006

Oakland School Takeover Investigation Gets Key Support By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 12-19-2006

Army Subpoenas Oakland Journalist in Watada Court Marshal By Judith Scherr 12-19-2006

Woodfin Workers Protest Pre-Christmas Suspension By Judith Scherr 12-19-2006

Problems With Measure A, Says Former Peralta Counsel By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 12-19-2006

Curt Flood: 10 Years Later and No Closer To the Hall of Fame By Bill Fletcher, Jr., New America Media 12-19-2006

Law Students Help Score Win for Immigrants in Supreme Court By Rene P. Ciria-Cruz, New America Media 12-19-2006

Columns

Column: Dispatches From the Edge: Spy vs. Spy; War With Syria? By Conn Hallinan 12-22-2006

Undercurrents: Debating the Use of the Word ‘Nigger’ By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 12-22-2006

About the House: The Benefits of Solar Water Heating By Matt Cantor 12-22-2006

Garden Variety: Aunt Ron’s Holiday Advice For The Gift-Lorn By Ron Sullivan 12-22-2006

Quake Tip of the Week By Larry Guillot 12-22-2006

Column: Christmas in Las Vegas, Part One By Susan Parker 12-19-2006

Crow Talk and Chickadee Alarms: What Birds Are Saying By Joe Eaton, Special to the Planet 12-19-2006

Arts & Events

Arts Calendar 12-22-2006

Arts and Entertainment Around the East Bay 12-22-2006

Moving Pictures: Two Films of Transformation and Enlightenment By Justin DeFreitas 12-22-2006

The Theater: Circus Finelli Clowns Around at Julia Morgan Center By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 12-22-2006

About the House: The Benefits of Solar Water Heating By Matt Cantor 12-22-2006

Garden Variety: Aunt Ron’s Holiday Advice For The Gift-Lorn By Ron Sullivan 12-22-2006

Quake Tip of the Week By Larry Guillot 12-22-2006

Berkeley This Week 12-22-2006

Arts Calendar 12-19-2006

Arts and Entertainment: Around the East Bay 12-19-2006

Arts: Hits and Rarities From the Cole Porter Songbook By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 12-19-2006

Arts: Mussorgsky’s ‘Khovanchina’ at First Congregational Church By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 12-19-2006

Crow Talk and Chickadee Alarms: What Birds Are Saying By Joe Eaton, Special to the Planet 12-19-2006

Berkeley This Week 12-19-2006