Opinion

Editorials

Now It’s West Berkeley’s Turn to Be Colonized

By Becky O'Malley
Wednesday April 01, 2009 - 09:32:00 PM

During my midlife career break, which lasted about 18 years, we ran a small software development group. We started on Telegraph in the late 1970s, upstairs in the brick building which now houses Rasputin’s at the corner of Channing. At that time the building was owned by a southern California cheap- clothing chain which absolutely didn’t get Berkeley. They attached no value to the upstairs offices, so we were able to rent vast spaces with high ceilings, big windows and crown molding for about 30 cents a square foot, with no lease. We bought some used metal desks and a big table, and we were in business. -more-


Cartoons

Berkeley's Dangerous Newsracks

By Justin DeFreitas
Wednesday April 01, 2009 - 10:14:00 PM

Public Comment

Letters to the Editor

Wednesday April 01, 2009 - 09:43:00 PM

MARINE RECRUITING CENTER -more-


Density, Schmensity

By Albert Sukoff
Wednesday April 01, 2009 - 09:32:00 PM

Sometimes when a large majority of a group holds the same opinion, the opinion takes on the aura of fact. It can even become a group mantra. Such is the case with the supposed fact that “Berkeley is dense.” -more-


Making Electronic Voting Transparent and Public

By Judy Bertelsen
Wednesday April 01, 2009 - 09:33:00 PM

In late November, 2008, the California Humboldt County Registrar of Voters and a group of citizen volunteers working together as the Election Transparency Project detected an error in the November 4 final vote tally: 197 ballots had been eliminated by the Premier (formerly Diebold) electronic election system. How was this possible? The quiet story of the Election Transparency Project demonstrates that true election transparency is possible now, given the winning combination of strong commitment by a County’s Registrar of Voters and generous volunteer citizen effort, including volunteer technical expertise. -more-


The ‘Karmic Justice’ of Lovelle Mixon’s Act

By Joseph Anderson
Wednesday April 01, 2009 - 09:33:00 PM

This perspective might be very hard for many sociopolitically naive white people to read. But it’s very important to understand the sheer depth of negative feelings that many people of color (even those with no criminal record) have against the police. This is due to lifelong and often unpredictable, almost always potentially life-threatening, negative experiences (from petty to lethal), that they or their loved ones and friends, as people of color, have had from the police. -more-


Shooting at OPD Officer’s Funeral Goes Unreported

By Jean Damu
Wednesday April 01, 2009 - 09:34:00 PM

The Oakland Police Department suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the foot when it further racialized the March 28 shootings by rescinding Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums’ invitation to speak at the public funeral of the four officers who were gunned down. -more-


On Tristan’s Case, Barbara Lee Gets in Gear

By Henry Norr
Wednesday April 01, 2009 - 09:34:00 PM

What a difference a week makes! In the previous issue of this paper, I criticized Rep. Barbara Lee for, among other things, failing to speak out promptly and strongly after Israel forces critically injured one of her constituents, Tristan Anderson, by firing a high-velocity tear-gas canister at his head in the aftermath of a non-violent demonstration in the occupied West Bank. -more-


The More They Change, the More They Stay the Same

By Robert Cabrera
Wednesday April 01, 2009 - 09:35:00 PM

When it comes to Berkeley rental property owners, the more things change the more they remain the same. At the council meeting of March 24, the agenda included a proposed increase in the yearly fee landlords pay to maintain the Rental Housing Safety Program. Other agenda items covered discussed a common theme, the state of the economy, local unemployment and how it affects small businesses. The council went as far as helping developers allowing the deferral of permit fees up to $200,000. This is essentially an interest-free loan to large developers for the duration of a project. One member of the public objected and claimed the city ran the risk of never collecting these fees as had been the case with a large developer. One council member eloquently defended a local electrical contracting business which threatened to leave its Berkeley location. The councilperson added how the city must be willing to work with the business community in these rough economic times. -more-


Behind the Lyrics: Alcohol Marketing and Youth

By Sarah Rodriguez
Wednesday April 01, 2009 - 09:35:00 PM

Can’t tell you what I learned from school -more-