Berkeley police have arrested a man they believe could be responsible for a string of arsons set in the South Campus area of the city during the past week, a police spokeswoman said today. 

On Tuesday, police arrested 25-year-old Travis Eugene Churchill, of Berkeley, in People's Park for allegedly setting a fire in a recycling bin earlier that day, police Sgt. Mary Kusmiss said. 

A surveillance video shows the suspect setting fire to a recycling bin in front of Sam's Market at 2312 Telegraph Ave., Kusmiss said. A passerby reported the fire at about 3:50 a.m. 

Tuesday's fire was one of nine suspicious fires that have been set in the South Campus area since July 16. 

Detectives had photographed Churchill earlier in the investigation as part of a special operation related to the arsons, Kusmiss said. 

The suspect in the video allegedly had the same clothes Churchill was wearing in the photographs, and he was "easily recognizable" in the video, she said. 

The Alameda County District Attorney's Office charged Churchill with one felony count of arson on Thursday. He was arraigned this morning and pleaded not guilty, Kusmiss said. 

The investigation into the remaining suspicious fires continues, but detectives said there appears to be a definite link between the Sam's Market arson case and the others. 

Churchill has only been charged with the one count of arson, but Kusmiss said the other fires "share the same m.o.," or modus operandi. She added that there have been no similarly suspicious fires in the city since his arrest. 

City of Berkeley Police Department (BPD) Property Crimes detectives have arrested a man responsible for a suspicious fire in front of Sam’s Market, 2312 Telegraph Avenue. This fire was one of nine (9) fires that had been deliberately set on city property in the South Campus area since Friday, July 16th. Detectives found Travis Eugene Churchill, 25 of Berkeley in People’s Park on July 20, 2010 and took him into custody without incident.  

Surveillance video of the suspect setting a City of Berkeley recycling bin on fire in front of the business and keen work by BPD patrol officers soon after the fire proved instrumental in identifying Churchill. The fire was reported by a passerby at approximately 3:50 a.m. on the morning of Tuesday, July 20th. Patrol officers who were working as part of a special project focused on the series detained Churchill nearby and took photographs as part of their investigative efforts.  

Detectives were able to compare the photographs taken by the officers with the surveillance tape. Churchill was wearing the same clothing as the suspect in the surveillance tape.  

Detectives booked Churchill into the City of Berkeley Jail. He is being held on $50,000 bail. On Thursday, July 22nd, the Alameda County District Attorney charged Churchill with one count of 451(d) PC – Arson/Structure. The investigation of the remaining suspicious fires continues, but BPD detectives state that there appears to be a definitive link between the Sam’s Market arson case and the others in the series. Since Churchill’s arrest there have been no suspicious fires in the City of Berkeley with the same or similar elements as this series.  

Beginning on Sunday, AC Transit changed the entire service structure of our massive system without informing the public, so there has been massive chaos for our workers and the public. AC Transit single-handedly "imposed" a non-negotiated contract on bus drivers and mechanics; they changed work schedules, service routes and responsibilities without any training for our workers. Drivers are driving routes without training, resulting in passengers having to tell them where to turn. One driver with diabetes and poor night vision has been assigned to a night shift. A senior driver who lives in Pittsburgh was reassigned to a Trans-Bay bridge route, which he has never done. A single mom with three kids in Vallejo was reassigned without notice to a 5 a.m. shift but childcare doesn't begin until 7 a.m. Naturally, she was late to work the first couple of days. Drivers are being forced to be behind the wheel for 10 hours or more, a direct violation of Department of Transportation regulations and a threat to the safety of riders. Many have been assigned to 13 hour shifts.  

Last Friday, an Alameda Superior Court judge ordered our union and AC Transit to select a neutral arbitrator and settle our contract. The District has delayed hiring the arbitrator and instead has chosen to deliberately mess up this great transportation system and deliberately blame it on front line workers. Drivers are working and doing their best under the circumstances. They, not executives at AC Transit, are on the front line and helping the passengers deal with the delays and confusion caused by the District.  

What the AC Transit District is doing is illegal, unfair, and unsafe to the drivers and riders of AC Transit. For some reason the district doesn't want to resolve this reasonably. Now they've hired "an outside public relations spokesperson" named Sam Singer to try to explain all this. Why does the District need to hire "an outside spokesperson"? I'm the chief negotiator for bus drivers and mechanics. I don't need a spokesperson to say what has to be said:  

Let's hire the neutral arbitrator. Let's finish these negotiations and sign a fair contract. Let's focus on providing the highest level of safety and service to the riders of AC Transit.  

I am available any time at 510-316-0406 for comment and clarification. I can also help arrange interviews with bus drivers, mechanics and dispatchers who can tell you first hand and personal about the chaos the District has created.  

Claudia Hudson

President and Chief Negotiator

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 192

Like most high schools, Berkeley High shuts down during the summer months. When I walked into the school last week, I found the place eerily quiet. Apart from a small summer school program, the classrooms and corridors are empty. But then I stepped into the principal’s office, discovering a beehive of intense activity there. The brand new principal, Pasquale Scuderi, is already at his post, preparing for the coming year, which will mark a major transition in the history of the school.

Especially in an era of economic crisis, the high school faces enormous challenges. Can resources be found to meet the needs of all the students, numbering about 3400, widely diverse in their family backgrounds, their motivations to learn, and their capacities to do high-school level work? Is there any way to assure educational coherence and quality, given that the high school is divided into six “small learning communities,” each with its own curriculum, employing its own pedagogy, and hungry for scarce resources?

These are among the questions that will face the school administration and the newly constituted School Site Council in the fall. I stepped into the new principal’s office and we spoke for an hour. Here is our interview, somewhat abridged for the sake of clarity.

 

Question. How’s it going so far?  

Having been here as a vice-principal and having seen the school also from a different point of view [Scuderi was previously BUSD human resources director], I knew exactly what I was getting into. Despite that, it still strikes me every morning so far, two weeks in, how large and complex and dynamic, and how many different interests and different groups of folks make up this community. So managing relationships with all those people and meeting people’s needs has already shown itself to be challenging. I’m flying here right now with limited staff, and my direct clerical support is out of the office. I suppose I could run and hide until August 2, which is when my administrators come back, but you’ve got to get a jump on things and that’s why we’re here now. 

Question about economic crisis. If state funding for the high school continues to decline, and costs (staff salaries, health care and pensions, infrastructure, school supplies, etc.) stay the same or rise, what can be done to maintain quality education and quality of life for staff?  

Managing a school program in the current economic climate is even more difficult to do. The positive is that if you’re in my position or you work in public education in Berkeley, and you know people in other districts, you realize that we’ve been fairly insulated by a community that has contributed significantly through their tax dollars at the ballot box to make sure that we have supplemental funding. We rely a lot on the local parcel tax and local measures for the programs we have that other folks don’t have. I’m not saying that we don’t have challenges, I’m saying when you look at a district like LA Unified which canceled all its summer programs, or Mt. Diablo that is taking massive cuts to arts and music programs and that laid off 400 people, we haven’t been hit in that kind of way yet. 

I’ve been in human resources for the past two years, and we didn’t hand out layoff notices to certificated employees this year, and in the previous year we were able to rescind those notices, and that is due almost entirely to local support. 

That said, people say that the storm still is coming, that federal monies are going away, that we’re going to be looking at an even tighter and more challenging environment. My fear for us is that the work that’s been done at this school, towards personalizing this large and complex organization – we could see those things go away, with increased class sizes, leaving less room for the programs that are currently paid for by local support. I think that if we have to continue to rely on local support to bring down class sizes, that is going to take that money away from supplemental programs.  

Question about influencing federal/state policy. Is there some way (along the lines of the march in Sacramento this past April, or other forms of action) that school communities can affect federal/state/local priorities and policy-making to protect education?  

This probably sounds like old hat but it’s proven and true: parents on the phone talking to their local legislators, their assembly people , their congressional representatives – pressure needs to be put on legislators on a very local level. As for district employees, we’ve seen some very good things happen here in our district. The Berkeley Federation of Teachers is headed up by one of the smartest, toughest professionals I know who is also a school parent. In addition to being calm and smart and fair, Cathy [Campbell] is also an expert organizer and I think BFT has used their organizing prowess in a very commendable way to get people and teachers up to the capital. Administrators I think could do a bit more, as far as making their voices heard through their professional organizations. There is a state association for school administrators that has been working hand in hand with the union. It’s that rare opportunity for agreement among all of us involved in the education process. I would encourage administrators to make their views know in that way. 

Continuing to use those existing channels is good, as is keeping our parent communities really informed. I think that we as educators who probably pay closer attention to the inner workings of the education infrastructure and bureaucracy have a responsibility to make sure the communities we serve have access to that information, have an understanding of what’s going on, so that they can advocate for the programs that directly impact their lives. I can’t think of another place where government more intimately interfaces with families than the school system, and so I would absolutely be in favor of us providing all the information necessary for parents to become advocates in this debate. 

Question. Do you aim to hire more teachers of color?  

Hiring teachers of color has been and always will be a priority. We have very high standards for the caliber of professionals that we hire. We also want our staff to be reflective of our student body. There’s huge value in having students learn from people who share their experiences, be they cultural, ethnic, or racial. The challenge has always been that the credential programs out there — and when I was in human resources we were working on this as a staff – did not have the diversity in their enrollments that would have helped us make the type of mass recruitment that would really influence a change in the number of teachers of color that we hired. So what we’ve started doing [in human resources] is making contact with people as undergraduates, young people who are still considering moving into the teaching profession -- trying to make inroads with them and influence them to choose teaching as a career choice. What I would like to do here too is use some of the classified positions that we have, some of the instructional assistant positions, some of the instructional specialist positions, people who work as tutors in our after school program, to find college students, young folks of color who would probably be interested in teaching, and get them connected to our school before they are even certified –up at Cal, for example -- and then I think that gives us a leg up for recruitment because hopefully by the time they are certified we have already got a relationship, a pleasant professional relationship with them that would make us more appealing. So it is definitely a priority. I also find that some of our best hires have come from just relying on our own staff, and networking, finding out who’s out there. I’m all for having a formal process but sometimes, like in any sector or business, it is networking and relationships, and we’ve pulled in some pretty good hires who were staff recommendations or staff referrals and we’ll continue to work that in too. 

Question about the achievement gap. What can and should be done to close the gap between high-performing and struggling students?  

I’ve been in public education for over ten years now, and I’ve sat in on endless meetings and endless discussions, a surplus of events that talk about closing the achievement gap, and I think this school is pretty on board with having the narrowing of that gap be a priority. What I would like to do is set a tone here that makes the addressing of that gap a little more actionable. In other words rather than spending time crafting another plan on how we’re going to do this, I would like to see that just become a very detailed part of the discussion about instructional practices within our small school and program team meetings. What I’m going to be looking for when I go into classrooms is whether or not those black and brown students who are most adversely affected by that achievement gap are in class and actively engaged in the lesson. I think you have to start with whether or not what you’re doing is even grabbing a child’s attention, whatever their background, their challenges or academic deficits. I think that a lot of it has to do with teachers being cognizant of themselves not just as information delivery systems but as creative professionals. There is an outmoded style of teaching that has historically failed with certain segments of our community and is probably not all that effective with our community as a whole. If teachers are coming to work thinking that they’re going to close the gap with just straight information delivery – I’m going to assign something and you’re going to do the exercises and we’re going to take the test at the end of the week – I don’t think that’s the way we pull those kids in. I think teachers and administrators really have to understand that our job is not just information delivery, but it’s partly performance, it’s partly a sales pitch, and it’s partly a facilitative job, getting kids involved in conversation, allowing kids to collaborate, to discover ideas and concepts on their own. Good teaching is a multi-layered endeavor that requires a level of thinking that goes beyond what the pay scale of the average teacher would imply about what they’re supposed to do. To have a classroom in which you are truly differentiating instruction and laying things out in a way that all kids can actually grasp it, takes hours and hours and hours of thought and preparation. So we’re going to be supportive however we can for teachers to continue to develop that skill. We have people here now who are closing that gap. When we look at attendance rates, when we look at drop out rates, when we look at matriculation to college – these are victories that don’t get talked about as much because people want to define performance exclusively by the measure of one or two standardized tests. That is certainly valuable data and worthwhile information, but I think there are lot of things that are happening already that are positive, that we don’t talk about a lot. 

Question. Do you support teacher collaboration to improve the quality of teaching? In the spring of this year, an excellent biology teacher who headed up a collaboration project to improve teaching in her department was dismissed, under controversial circumstances. How can such collaboration be supported?  

I’m not familiar with that collaborative effort, though I’m generally in favor of teachers putting their heads together and improving their practices. That’s essential. I think teachers who work in isolation are doomed to failure. I don’t believe that you can get coaching or advice that is more practical or applicable from an administrator that is half as good as what you can get from a peer; I think that’s a totally different experience. As for the matter of the science teacher being dismissed, I certainly don’t know the particulars. 

Question. Under your administration, how will teachers be evaluated?  

My decision or my team’s decision to non-reelect an employee will be based entirely on performance, not only taking the guidelines that are outlined by the California standards for the teaching profession, which we rely on as a framework with which to look at teaching, but [using] broad categories for evaluating teachers. This sounds kind of funny, but I heard this recently, from a very successful principal from DC who said, “You have two choices: you can be an exemplary teacher here or you can be working toward being an exemplary teacher. And if you’re not interested in fitting into one of those categories, this is probably not the place to work.” With that as a starting point, I would say specifically the things I’ll look for are: can I see that you are striving to improve your practice?  

Will you visit the classroom?  

I will be hyper-present. Kids need to see that and it’s a school culture issue as well. The more I am in class rooms, the more that will normalize my presence and give me a more genuine sense of what’s going on. If the principal pops in once a year, that sort of changes the dynamics in the room. I think that if kids get used to seeing me, moving through the classrooms, even for just little walkthroughs or snapshots, they become more acclimated to that, and I think that benefits me in the sense that I get a more genuine read on what’s going on in the classroom.  

Back to the issue specifically of how we’re going to engage, I need to see evidence that a teacher is striving to make their practice effective. In other words if I drop by your class once and what you’re doing appears not to be working – two weeks later if I come back and you’re doing the same thing, my question would be, how have you shaken this up? Have you given any thought, have you talked with any peers about maybe altering how you’re doing, how you’re delivering this reading curriculum or this proof in mathematics or whether or not this particular progression of movements in dance class is working? Those are the kinds of questions I would ask. I want to see people who are experimenting, building quality relationships. I have to see that teachers have found a way to connect with their kids. I don’t believe that in a high school – maybe this works under some circumstances in a university, but not in a high school – you have very good odds of kids learning from a teacher they don’t either respect or enjoy being around. So there is, I think, an obligation for teachers to find a way to connect with kids. That’s not always easy and I’m not simplifying that – saying that everybody is going to love everybody -- it’s going to take some work. But I need to see that kids have a sense that teachers have a genuine interest in their success and are not just there throwing concepts at them. 

And organization counts too. When I walk into a class room and the place is physically in disarray, I get no sense that what a teacher is teaching is pre-planned, that’s a problem. There’s a lot of times in my experience when I drop into a classroom where it seems like an evening at the improv, and that won’t work for me either. My talking with kids is also important. Not that kids are going to be formal evaluators, but I should be able to ask a kid in a class at any time, what are you learning, why are you learning it, and how are you going to use it or what are going to do with it. That is my simplified barometer for how I can tell whether or not a kid is a) interested in what they’re learning and b) making sense of it. 

Question about values and politics. How politicized should school programs be? Is it appropriate for the school to teach “social justice” or “environmental values,” for example?  

I think a school has a responsibility to bring to the forefront of the classroom the issues of the day, concerns over the environment, concerns about all types of justice are certainly relevant and worthy, if not essential topics that kids should be exposed to and allowed to discuss. I think perspectives on the environment are critical, perspectives on justice are critical. Now, do I feel that teachers should use their classrooms as pulpits from which to proselytize? No, I think its OK for teachers to express themselves in their classes, but I think it’s important to draw a clear distinction. When I was a teacher I would often infuse my own opinion into the discussion, but I was very, very careful to quality that as my opinion, and not as a given or a fact. I also took on the responsibility to make sure that multiple perspectives were put out there. So I think concepts of social justice and of environmental issues are essential, but I think it’s our job to genuinely teach and not preach, and to create thinkers, not disciples. 

Question about the six small learning communities (small schools). Board policy is that students are to be allowed to change from one small school to another if they choose to do so. But apparently, such transfers have in some or many cases not been allowed. Can you comment on this? What will your policy be?  

The board policy is that after a year in a program, families can re-enter the lottery that places students into the small schools, and, providing that there is room in that small school or program, adhering to the rules of our student placement formula, a student can switch schools. I will not mischaracterize it as a guarantee, but folks have the option of re-entering the lottery at the end of the year and trying to get into another school. You are not stuck. 

Question about school choice. I believe that Board policy is that graduating 8^th graders who express a preference for a large school cannot be placed into a small school against their will. Is that your understanding?  

It should be clearly stated that we provide six programmatic options for families. No one is every forced to elect a small school. We ask you to rank Academic Choice and Berkeley International High School -- two larger programs within the school -- one and two because your placement will be there if you do not opt into a small school. I happen to think that there are absolutely wonderful things happening in all of these programs, and that they offer tailored curricular options for people whose interests are in the arts, for people who want to get out into the community a little more – I can tell you several reasons why I think those are great options for any of our kids. But the fact of the matter is that nobody is forced into a small school. Do we want you in the smaller schools? Yes. We want everybody to consider those options. But we are not going to force you into any of them. 

Question. Are resources distributed equitably across the small schools? There have been complaints that class sizes in the large programs are larger than class sizes in the smaller ones. Anything to that? Is attention being given to equitable class sizes within the six schools? What is being done to insure that class sizes between and within the small schools comply with BSEP and other policies?  

Obviously we feel that class size is something that needs to be paid attention to. We have such a complicated schedule here, because you really have different scheduling needs for six different programs that somehow all need to come together. Sometimes issues with class sizes don’t come from an unequal distribution of resources, they come from an immensely byzantine scheduling process that happens every year. I don’t know if people in the community really have a grasp of how mammoth and complex the project of building a master class schedule for this school actually is. It’s a huge undertaking that probably requires more resources than we’re putting towards it, and I’m working on fixing that with the Superintendent right now. We will do whatever we can to maintain equitable class sizes. To the larger question of whether resources are being allocated fairly, we’re not paying anyone any more who works in a small school, we’ve got teachers that I would say are among the best teachers you can find in every one of the programs here. Inevitably when you have a place that that has been divided up the way that we’ve divided this school up, to create more personalization and to allow for a little more creativity, you’re going to have disagreements, and I think that sometimes leads to the perception that someone is being given more than someone else. I’m still digging into that and looking at budgets, but right now I don’t see anything glaring. That’s not to say that I won’t find something that concerns me. 

Question. Is representation on governance bodies allocated equitably among the SLCs? Will representation on the new School Site Council be equitably distributed among all the small schools?  

There was a tremendous amount of community input, both positive and negative, about the pre-existing state of the School Governing Council [SGC] I believe it was at the same meeting where my appointment was approved by the Board, that the Board also approved the new set of bylaws for the School Site Council [which will replace the SGC]. My administrative team and I will be reading those through line by line, come August first, in preparation for elections which will happen early in September.  

Question: Representation on the SGC was deemed by critics to be unbalanced and out of compliance with the state education code. There is a fear that this situation will continue. Will anything change?  

I definitely understand that that was one of the issues. I have to actually read through these rules. I’m in the process of doing that now, before I can comment on whether I feel that what we have now is equitable. There certainly were concerns expressed. I cannot say now whether or not that issue has been remedied. 

Question: Do you agree with the principle that if a larger school has three or four times as many students as a smaller school, it should have representation in proportion to the number of students being served?  

I wouldn’t assume that having proportional representation is necessarily the thing that’s going to solve all of our problems. I understand those concerns. I will say that sometimes – and this is a much bandied-about response – equity sometimes is in fact not the same as equality. So sometimes -- whether it’s a program or body that is there to address issues of student achievement -- sometimes that means giving a little more to some and giving a little less to others. Now I’m not saying that I’m for or against proportional representation, what I would really want to do first is get an idea of what folks feel is not being heard in the absence of that representation. I think that has been partially addressed, partially remedied by the new (site council) rules, but again I don’t know the rules well enough yet to say whether we‘ve got something that everyone will be happy with. 

Question about test scores and program evaluation. Might it be possible to use test score results to evaluate education in the high school overall and to assess how well each of the small schools are teaching their students? SGC parent representative Margit Roos-Collins has suggested that longitudinal data could be used to track a school-wide cohort of students over time. For example, the California Standards Test (CST) scores achieved by eighth graders (which, at this grade-level, are fairly good indicators of student achievement levels) could be compared to their subsequent test scores in high school (PSAT, SAT, ACT, CAHSEE, and STAR) to measure progress. Do you find such an approach promising? Will you support efforts of this kind to measure academic achievement and help assess the educational value of different programs?  

I am sympathetic to that approach, and I’m interested in it. I can’t commit this early on in the game to which specific data sets we’re going to use to determine what success is, but I have a very, very strong interest in having this school become more outcome-based . Education in general, I think, favors the idea of layering programs, whether or not what we doing is really working. I think that sometimes programs that are ineffective become so embedded in the culture of an organization that they end up just becoming habits and nobody asks whether they’re working. We want to make sure we have programs, not habits – that’s one way of putting it.  

But I am very interested in looking at longitudinal data as an indicator of student success. Performance data on standardized tests is definitely a part of that. I also want to look at things that I’ve talked about before: discipline data, attendance data, matriculation rates to 2 and 4 year colleges. All of that stuff is very important to me when we are going to be bold enough to say we’re making determinations about whether or not we’re successful. I do want to find out how well the schools are doing, but I want to make sure that the data points that are being used to define success are comprehensive enough to assess all the work that is being done in the small schools.  

Question. If we down-play the importance of test scores, do we risk giving an easy excuse to teachers whose students are really learning very little? A teacher can say, ”What I teach is not measured by the standardized tests.”  

That is not a particularly persuasive argument. If we had a kid who came to us as an 8^th grader and was far below basic in both math and English language arts, but ended up passing the CAHSEE (California High School Exit Examination) in 10 grade, perhaps not with a stunning score, but passing, but also we saw that the same student was also engaged in the school, by noticing that the attendance rates for that student improved, by seeing that that student may have gone on to a junior college rather than drop out of high school, that’s significant. I think that a more comprehensive measure that not only measures performance data but measures the level of engagement a student has with the school community, I think that’s important.  

Kids who have the weakest test scores – this is no stunning statistical revelation -- on average tend to have correlative attendance rates that are awful, so if we make a small performance gain and we see that we’ve engaged them and they’re getting to school more, then we’ve at least pushed them in the direction they need to go.  

Question about different academic standards in the six schools. Do some or all of the smaller four school programs adhere to lower academic standards (e.g. easier grading, less home work, less asked of the students), with the consequence that they are fostering, rather than really addressing and changing, academic under-performance at Berkeley High? I’ve been told that it’s very demoralizing for a student working hard in AC or BIHS to get a solid B grade in a class, when he or she discovers that a peer in the smaller schools is getting easy As. Are there students who are coming to school but scarcely learning anything? What can be done to create a better learning environment at the school?  

Well, the issue you raise is one that is a national debate at the secondary level, both in high school and at the university level, talking about grade inflation, social promotion.  

That has to be looked at on a case by case basis. What I do resent is the implication that some of our programs as a whole are not as rigorous; that I don’t buy. There are different pedagogies, there are different expectations, there are different approaches to learning in all of our programs, but anyone who tells me that small schools are not rigorous hasn’t sat in on Susannah Bell’s class in CPA, hasn’t sat in on Matt Bremer’s math class in CPA, hasn’t watched Amy Crawford teach English in CAS. The notion that our small school teachers do not provide rigor and complexity in their curriculum is something that I completely disagree with.  

Question about safety. A BUSD Healthy Kids Survey 2009 Report indicates that nearly half of the students at Berkeley High do not feel safe at school. Incidents of violence and harassment at and near the school are common. (See the discussion on Berkeley Parents Network: l) What can be done to create a safer environment?  

Safety is a huge issue. We are a downtown school, we are very visible. A lot of schools experience the occasional fight, a lot of students deal with disruptions. We are no different in that sense. Safety is on my short list to maintain and to address right away. I think this place is a much, much safer place than it was 10 years ago. I would largely give credit for that to my predecessor. I am meeting with the Berkeley police department tomorrow to talk about our partnership in making sure that it’s safe. Given our location – and this is not to take the responsibility off of us – safety really is a community concern, we’re located in the heart of downtown and in order to make this as safe a campus as possible, we’ve got to partner with the police department, we’ve got to partner with our parent communities. We have to make sure that our safety officers are out and about. My administrators are going to be expected to be very visible. Safety is obviously a concern, and we want to get student input on that; hopefully we’ll work through our student leadership. My activities director has some very interesting ideas about making student government a forum that actually presents opinion papers and position papers directly to the administrative team, and hopefully we’ll get specifics about those safety concerns through that channel so that we can hear directly from the students. But we’re going to do all the things that are proven that we know make a campus safer: high visibility of our safety personal, high acceptability for our safety personnel, administrators out and about. And we’re going to do the best job we can to make students feel comfortable. 

Question about drug use. According to the same BUSD report, “Twice as many 9^th graders reported being high on drugs compared to the state…. BUSD had twice as many reports of being drunk or high on [high] school property than the state and the nation.”  

A BUSD and the City of Berkeley Task Force Report (presented at the BUSD meeting on June 23, 2010) alleges that “During the daily school lunch break, numerous students go across the street to Civic Center Park and indulge in ATOD (alcohol, tobacco, other drugs) use and other negative behaviors. Due to limited police monitoring, school security and availability of other school staff during BHS lunch breaks, students find it easy to ‘get high’ while on lunch break in Civic Center Park.”  

Will you support the recommendations made by the Task Force to address drug use problems in and near the school?  

Honestly I’m not fluent enough with their recommendations yet, though this is something our safety people will be on. My dean of students will be looking at that as well as my counseling staff, to see how those recommendations can be incorporated. Obviously, when it comes to drug and alcohol abuse, we’re doing to take our own steps. I’ve already had a brief discussion with the county Superintendent Sheila Jordan about resources that the county might be able to push in for us to deal with drug and alcohol. Obviously there are things that are not going to be permissible at all on campus, and that will continue to be enforced.  

We are going to keep a closer eye on the Park, and will allow our teachers, through programs like we have in Academic Choice and our social living curriculum, to really explicitly talk and educate kids about what they’re getting into. Kids have had a propensity to alter their consciousness for a long, long time. I don’t know if we as a high school class are going to completely eradicate that curiosity, but what we will do is absolutely make sure as much information as possible, as much clear and detailed information, gets into the hands of kids so that they have an understanding of the risks they’re taking when they’re getting into that stuff. Again, it goes back to visibility. We will consider any perspective or recommendations that come forward from the task force.  

Question about science labs controversy. This past spring, students were apparently not allowed to enroll in the before- and after-school labs; contrary to Board policy, counselors refused to sign them up. Is this what happened?  

My investigation into that matter is that counselors telling students they could not sign up for the labs is absolutely not true. In fact, my predecessor not only encouraged counselors to allow people to sign up for labs, but there was a discussion in the administration team meeting that allowed schedule changes until the last day of school to accommodate those supplemental labs and also allowed science teachers themselves to make course changes or course requests for kids who went to them looking for those lab sections.  

On the science issue, the intent, what was proposed [cutting the labs] was maybe not put out in as clear a manner … it was a move whose underpinnings were certainly not malicious and in fact well-intended, but did in fact polarize folks. I want to get to a place where we as a community can have those difficult conversations when in fact we see a need to push more resources toward kids whose situations are more trying. The one thing that I would say, moving forward – and I hope that our community and our school learn from the controversy over the science labs – it that we all take away from that a willingness to manage dissent and be respectful and civil through whatever conflict we have. Because Lord knows, we won’t agree on everything. I think that if we are in agreement on everything, that is not indicative of a real thoughtful or dynamic learning community. 

Question. Can resources and attention be given to struggling students without taking resources and attention away from students who are higher performing?  

Advocating for equity does often include giving more resources to those who are in need or whose situations are more pressing, than to folks who aren’t. That doesn’t mean that you make those moves in a clumsy or unsophisticated way that jeopardizes kids whom folks see as being taken way from. We need to continue to look at that. I like to put it this way: If you bring me two problems in the morning and one of them is whether a kid is going to graduate or go to jail, and the other dilemma is whether or not a kid is going to get into Dartmouth or Colgate, my priority is going to be on the former. Sometimes, when you’re addressing disparities that are that wide, people have a tendency to think it’s about getting resources pulled from them. Our goal is to make sure that everybody achieves and everybody fulfills their potential to the highest degree possible. Sometimes, if you want to make your community or your team better, it does require an allocation of resources that on paper does not look equal, but in fact is equitable.  

Question about school plan review and evaluation. According to the state education code, the School Plan is supposed to be reviewed and evaluated every year, in order to improve education at the school. But it appears that there has not been an annual review. Will you take steps to see that in this case and others, education code regulations are followed?  

We want to be in compliance as much as possible. Where we haven’t been in compliance, that may have something to do with certain capacity issues. With the school site plan, I won’t be driven to meet those deadlines just because they’re written down in the Ed Code – I think that the school plan and the WASC self-study [which will be conducted at Berkeley High during the coming school year] is actually a document that benefits us, it becomes a blueprint for what we’re doing. In a place this big, it is so easy for the threads to unwind and go in fifty different directions. Having that blueprint, and a written direction for where we’ve decided to put our energy – I see that as helpful, not a hindrance. 

Question about military recruiting. Should it take place on campus? 

My predecessor had an opt-in policy that I believe was fair. With something as sensitive as military recruitment, families should be involved in the decision. And so previously we fulfilled our obligation by notifying families that military recruiters have requested access to them [students], and what we did was allow families to determine whether or not they wanted them to attend those sessions. Which is really not that different from what we would do for any private college, for any public university that wanted to come out and do a presentation, saying hey have your kid come to UC Davis or have your kid come to Hamilton or Barnard. I think it’s a good position and we want to continue to keep families in on this. If the family decides they want their kid to hear military recruiters on campus and to consider that option for their careers, that is a family decision.

The Berkeley City Council District 7 election race this fall will include two familiar opponents and a political newcomer. Four-term incumbent Councilmember Kriss Worthington will be facing, for the third time, Willard neighborhood resident George Beier as well as a new opponent from across Telegraph Avenue, Cecilia “Ces” Rosales. 

All have lived in the District for several years. This is also, at present, a race in which all of the declared candidates are gay or lesbian, still an unusual—but not unique—event in Berkeley election history. The filing deadline is August 6. 

I sent questions to, and interviewed, all three of them to get a sense of their campaign focus and election issues, which include swimming pools, planning for downtown, school bonds and rapid transit. 

District 7 

What’s the nature of the area they’re seeking to represent? 

District 7 may cover the most diverse territory of all the Council districts in Berkeley. More than a mile long north to south, and narrow (3-5 blocks wide) east to west, it stretches from a small enclave on the immediate Northside of the UC campus to the Oakland border. It encompasses the Euclid Avenue and Telegraph Avenue business districts and a piece of the Elmwood, large parts of several residential neighborhoods, most UC residence halls, and a number of institutional properties including the entire main UC campus, Willard Junior High School, Alta Bates Hospital, and People’s Park. 

South of campus it includes the Southside neighborhood between Dwight and Bancroft and both the eastern portion of the Le Conte neighborhood and the western side of the Willard neighborhood, before widening out near the Oakland border to include the Halcyon district west of Telegraph and south of Ashby, and the corresponding Bateman neighborhood on the eastern side of Telegraph. 

The constituents range from first year students at Cal living in high-rise residence hall triples to middle-aged leftists in Le Conte bungalows to genteel Post-Modern burghers in stately Elmwood homes. 

The district is physically dense. Students crowd into the apartments and residence halls north of Parker Street, where a single block may have upwards of a thousand residents, while what appear to be “single family” neighborhoods to the south actually have a large number of multi-unit properties, including apartments, condos, in-law rentals, backyard cottages, flats, and houses subdivided into multiple units. 

The District also has a large number of businesses, from the cafes, pizza joints and pubs of Telegraph north of Dwight to medical and professional offices that predominate further south. 

Perennial District 7 issues include crime and neighborhood safety, institutional development and expansion (UC and Alta Bates Hospital), traffic congestion and circulation (particularly along Ashby, and also close to the UC campus), neighborhood parking, and the character and future of the Telegraph Avenue business district. 

Telegraph Avenue runs through the District for its entire Berkeley length so proposals for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) along Telegraph have been a key issue for many residents in recent years. The July closure of the Willard Swim Center by the City has also been a hot button issue, along with disputes over some permits for new businesses. 

Election History 

Worthington has represented the District for 14 years. He was elected in 1996, defeating incumbent Carla Woodworth who had been the first Councilmember elected in District 7 after the District system was created. Woodworth had, in turn, defeated Councilmember Don Jelinek who resided in District 7 but had been elected at large under the previous voting system.  

Worthington has represented the District for 14 years. He was elected in 1996, defeating incumbent Carla Woodworth. Woodworth had replaced Don Jelinek who had been elected to the City Council at large in 1984, then successfully run for the District 7 seat in 1986 after Districts were created. Woodworth had challenged, but lost to, Jelinek in 1986. When he retired from the Council she defeated Judy Heumann in an open race for the vacant seat.  

The candidates have already lined up endorsements from their colleagues on the Council and in elected office. 

Worthington has endorsements from Council members Jesse Arreguin and Max Anderson, as well as County Supervisor Keith Carson and State Assembly member Sandre Swanson. 

Beier has endorsements from Mayor Tom Bates, and Council members Laurie Capitelli, Gordon Wozniak and Susan Wengraf. Former Mayor Shirley Dean has also endorsed him. When we talked Sunday he said he was expecting some other key endorsements, but might not be able to announce them before press time for this article. 

Rosales has also been endorsed by Mayor Tom Bates, and by Councilmember Linda Maio. 

Key Priorities 

I asked all of the candidates for a brief summary of what they see as the most important issues facing the district. 

Beier lists his priority issues as “revitalization of Telegraph Avenue, improving public safety, bringing the neighborhood perspective to City Council, building a stronger community, better fiscal management” and reopening Willard Pool. 

“Telegraph Avenue is continuing to deteriorate, which will be exacerbated by the loss of Willard Pool”, he says. “The south side of campus is now the 4^th most dangerous campus in terms of property crime in the nation and is crying out for change. In terms of the district’s issues from four years ago, they’re the same, if not worse-and that’s the most troubling.” 

“I will fight for real change, real solutions, and real progress. The City Council needs someone they can work with, not against. Conditions on Telegraph have worsened and the tone of the Council has become so caustic”, he says. 

He says his work as President of the Willard Neighborhood Association has shown he can “cultivate common interests and build coalitions on the council.” 

Rosales says her primary goals are “to support and build alliances to advance economic development in our city so we can generate more revenue so we can continue to provide and sustain the great services our city offers to the community; to ensure public safety through crime prevention and community policing; to provide a diverse and courageous voice to our community to lead the change that needs to happen now.” 

She stresses her history as a small business operator and the skills it brings her. “My business worked a lot with non-profit organizations”, she says. “I am very much a community, small business-conscious, person.” “I think one of the big things I can bring is being able to build coalitions.” 

Worthington points to both his progressive legislative record and constituent problem solving as a Councilmember. He cites his efforts to speed up the permitting process for small businesses, and specific ways he’s assisted business, such as getting short-term loading zones in front of bookstores, ATM machines, and dry cleaning establishments in the Telegraph business district. 

“If you look at a wide range of issues, women’s issues, ethnic diversity, consumer, affordable housing, I have sponsored the most legislation (on the Council) of anybody for years, and also advocated for the various proposals that have come to us from City staff”, Worthington says. 

“I feel like I’ve been a strong advocate for the consumers and the taxpayers,” noting he is working to raise public awareness of a large proposed PG & E rate increase for the Bay Area. 

He also stresses his record of demographically diverse City Commission appointments. Every Councilmember has numerous Commission and Committee spots to fill. “I’ve appointed the highest percentage of women, Asians and Latinos of anybody on the Council. I think it’s pretty clear I don’t just give lip service to diversity, I’ve reached out to people.” 

“If you just appoint your friends and they look like you, you’re going to get one segment of the population.” 

School Bonds & Downtown Plan 

I asked all three candidates for their views on two of the higher profile City issues on the November ballot, the Mayor’s Downtown Area item and the bond issues proposed by the Berkeley Unified School District. 

Rosales says, “I haven’t seen the full details of the bond measure. In general I support and encourage any effort to improve and help our schools. So, barring any major surprises, I expect to support this measure strongly.” 

Beier’s answer is similar. In an initial response a few weeks ago he said, “I haven’t seen the final language yet, but am fairly certain I’ll support both school bonds.” In our most recent conversation he says, “I’m definitely supporting” the school bonds. 

“Excellent public education is perhaps the most important thing government can provide,” Worthington says. Although he hasn’t taken a formal position yet, “I’ve never met a school bond measure I didn’t vote for.” 

On Downtown, Beier says he needs to study what the Council has put on the ballot, and a major factor for him will be the borders of the development areas. He says he’ll be concerned if it appears there will be too much intensification in the residential blocks adjoining the Downtown. 

He also says he supports more density and housing in the center of Downtown and “I‘d love for the University to get more faculty housing and work force housing” in areas like the Downtown. 

Rosales returns frequently to the theme of encouraging more development and business activity as a local generator of tax revenue, including in the Downtown. 

“There is so much resistance to economic development, because people are afraid it will change the face of Berkeley”, she says. “It’s really important to do what we can to get the economic engine running in Berkeley.” 

“I expect to support it,” she says of the Mayor’s Downtown Plan ballot item. “The nature of Downtown is to be a vibrant commercial district. If it can generate income and revenue for the city I will support it, within reason.” 

She feels it’s likely that permitting taller buildings in the Downtown will allow developers to achieve economies of scale in their projects. 

“One important thing for people to understand is that the Downtown Plan is not on the ballot”, Worthington says in response to my question. “All of that progress is being delayed in order to vote on a five page document that says virtually nothing.” 

He faults the Mayor and Council majority for deferring a new Downtown Plan until after the election, rather than adopting the aspects of a plan on which there is consensus or near-consensus agreement and separating out the few controversial items such as building height. 

“Let’s do by consensus the things we all agree on, and if you want to have a vote on tall buildings, let the people vote on that.” 

“To me this whole thing is pretty absurd to be voting on whether or not we’re going to have a plan when we could already have had a plan. It’s tragic to me that we could have a plan in place now; all the good things we could agree on are being blended in with the controversial parts.” 

“I’m hoping we will actually get to vote on the consensus plan of the things that we all agree on and we won’t have to wait a year and a half.” The time estimate is due to the fact that the Mayor and city staff, including City Attorney Zach Cowan, have said the November ballot measure is not a full legal area plan, though it contains a few binding provisions. The City Council would need to go through a process in 2011 and 2012 to adopt a detailed plan if voters approve the November conceptual advisory. 

Worthington also criticizes a specific in the Mayor’s ballot proposal that he feels would allow developers to skirt creation of affordable housing. “It’s problematic to me that we’re being asked to endorse the concept that you could buy your way out of affordable housing by some minute amount” of money. 

Other Issues 

I did not specifically ask the candidates about Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) but Worthington brought it up in our interview. While he’s an advocate of alternative transportation, “the (AC Transit) proposal was unacceptable and had serious flaws”, he said. 

He favors a free “eco-pass” for Telegraph business employees to get them to use the bus, arguing that similar programs for UC students, City of Berkeley employees and—to an extent—for UC staff have increased ridership without requiring large investments in physical infrastructure. “We’ve seen this work with the City and students, we have a proven model right here in Berkeley, which I initiated”, referring to the Eco-pass for City employees. 

He also said AC Transit should consider as an alternative to round-the-clock dedicated lanes: bus use of the curbside parking lane, just during the morning commute period, when most Telegraph businesses aren’t open and don’t need customer parking on the street. San Francisco is studying that option for some bus routes, he said. 

Worthington also emphasized the idea of continuing some form of “rapid bus”—not dedicated lanes—down University Avenue from Downtown rather than ending the Telegraph line in the downtown area. This, he argues, would better connect bus commuters to the existing Rapid Bus line on San Pablo Avenue, and also to a future ferry terminal on the Berkeley waterfront, emphasizing intermodal transportation. 

“The alternatives and compromises I’ve put forward (on BRT) haven’t been adopted yet, but I’m not giving up.” 

Beier, as president of the Willard Neighborhood Association, has also been involved with BRT, organizing forums and polling residents. Much of the vocal sentiment in the Willard and Le Conte neighborhoods was against dedicated bus lanes on Telegraph Avenue. 

Both Beier and Rosales brought up the issue of relations with the University, a large presence, demographically and geographically, in District 7. 

“I want to be able to make [City-UC relations] much more cooperative” says Rosales. “The relationship has to be better.” She’d also like to attract more student patrons to Berkeley businesses. 

“We [city and UC] can live as peaceful neighbors”, Beier says. “We have to change the whole dynamics.” “I live two blocks from People’s Park and I want to change this place”, he adds. 

Beier expresses distaste for some current City Council practices. He said that last week he and other Willard Pool supporters went to the Council meeting and waited until after midnight for the item to be discussed, while the Council reviewed a position on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and a foreign relations statement amongst other agenda items. 

“They ruled on the pool at 1 am”, he says in disgust. And “there was a murder in the Anna Head parking lot [part of District 7], no mention of that.” 

Instant Runoff Voting 

This will be the first Berkeley municipal election for several decades in which instant runoff voting will be used. District 7 may have a leg up on the rest of the City in this regard, because the Associated Students (ASUC) elections at Cal have used instant runoff for decades, making many student voters familiar with the process. 

Voters in District 7 (and in other Berkeley races) will have the opportunity to rank the candidates in a priority order, with as many preferences as there are candidates. A voter might choose, for example, to rank “Washington” first, “Jefferson” second and “Adams” third. 

If “Washington” gets the smallest number of first place votes, s/he is dropped and this voter’s choice then becomes a first place vote for “Jefferson”. The process continues until one candidate has a majority. 

Voters can also choose to “bullet vote”, ranking only a first choice. If their first choice is dropped, their vote then disappears rather than moving to another candidate. 

In a three way race the second place candidate in the first round of voting can advance to first place and win when the lowest-ranking candidate is eliminated and his/her second place votes are transferred to other candidates. 

Or it may mean that the first place candidate in the first round will simply strengthen his/her lead as the second place votes are re-distributed. 

This may be one reason behind the double endorsement of Rosales and Beier which Mayor Bates made in District 7. Bates has clashed with Worthington in recent years. Endorsing two candidates against Worthington, rather than one, could be a strategy to enlarge the total pool of voters and to try to direct the second place votes from the weaker of the two opponents to the stronger, giving them an edge over the incumbent, Worthington. 

Some Worthington supporters have alleged that Rosales was encouraged to enter the race for just this reason, setting up an election where Beier brands himself as the “neighborhood” candidate getting votes of moderates, Worthington is the progressive incumbent, and Rosales is the new progressive who splits the left-wing vote with Worthington. 

Worthington argues the Beier / Worthington / Rosales, moderate / progressive / progressive meme is a false distinction. “To me the philosophical differences and the emphasis we put on things are astronomically different,” he says. “It’s about what your values and principles are.” 

“I see the contrast between the candidates. With one candidate you get an outspoken neighborhood leader, and in the other you get someone who presents themself as a progressive voice, and with me you can get a progressive voice who has a long track record, but you also get someone who has gotten things done for the neighborhood.” 

“It’s like American Idol”, Beier says wryly about instant runoff voting. “My goal is to be in the top two.” He finds encouragement in the fact that Bates—who didn’t endorse him in 2006—has endorsed him in this election, and says he’s getting a good response going door-to-door talking to voters. 

Regarding the fact that this is his third try for the District 7 Council seat, he sighs and says, “the first time I ran as a lark, the second time I was serious, and I’m serious this time.” 

When asked about the other two candidates, Beier says, “I am going to be running a positive campaign. We’ll never solve the city’s problems by blaming or criticizing each other. Kriss Worthington has worked hard—I respect that. He also had 14 years to make his mark—it’s time for fresh ideas. I very much appreciate the energy and enthusiasm that Ces Rosales brings to the campaign.” 

“You’ve got a 14 year incumbent and I’m challenging him. People will know the themes.” 

Candidate Backgrounds 

Beier has not held public elective office but has served on several Berkeley Boards and Commissions and is a long-time president of the Willard Neighborhood Association. 

Rosales is currently an elected member of the Alameda County Democratic Central Committee (since 2008) but will give up that office when her term expires this year, so she can concentrate on the Council election. “You try to be responsible for the office for which you’re running.” 

Rosales co-owns a flat in the Le Conte neighborhood in a complex of three buildings containing five units, bought as a co-housing community with a group of friends about a decade ago. This is also her first Berkeley home; she has lived in the Bay Area for about 25 years. She owns a graphic design business that was, for twenty years, based in San Francisco, but has shut down the office there and has been thinking of transitioning her work to the East Bay. 

She and her spouse, Sue Ferrera, have been together for more than twenty years. They were married in Canada, and are registered domestic partners in California. Ferrera is currently working as the City of Berkeley’s Superintendent of Parks. 

Beier owns a house near Willard Park and founded a software engineering firm that made him modestly wealthy. He first lived in Berkeley as a Cal undergraduate in the early 1980s and has been a resident here for most of the past three decades. He notes that his house is just around the corner from the bedroom he rented as a student on an adjacent street. 

Beier and current Downtown Berkeley Association Executive Director John Caner were a couple for many years. They separated earlier this year. In mid-April Beier wrote to the widely distributed Willard Neighborhood Association e-mail list, “On the personal side, my partner John is now my ex-partner…Fortunately we're still good friends…Thanks to many of you who offered your support to both of us.” 

Worthington rents an apartment in the Willard neighborhood and has lived in Berkeley since the 1980s. He has a partner who he describes somewhat tongue-in-cheek as “my dearly beloved boyfriend”, who is “not political” and avoids Berkeley politics. 

At least two of the candidates have dogs, both of which were with their human companions during my interviews; one dog was firmly asked to leave the room after trying to become the focus of the interview. I have not done a candidate cat canvass. 

Worthington has a campaign website address, KrissWorthington.com, that is currently being updated and plans to open an office closer to the election. 

Beier has already opened a campaign office on Telegraph Avenue at Parker, in a vacant commercial storefront. He’s sharing the space with District 8 Councilmember Gordon Wozniak who is also running for re-election (District 8 starts a few blocks east of the office). Beier’s campaign website is GeorgeforBerkeley.com 

Rosales has a campaign website at CesforBerkeley.com and is considering having a campaign kickoff event this coming weekend. 

(Steven Finacom has lived in the Le Conte neighborhood during most of his time in Berkeley. He supported Councilmember Carla Woodworth when Kriss Worthington ran against her and defeated her in 1996, and supported Worthington in his last re-election bid four years ago. He knows George Beier through various neighborhood activities, and lives not far from Ces Rosales. He has not yet made a personal endorsement in the District 7 race.)  

A new contract imposed on an AC Transit employees' union will be in effect until at least the end of next week after a judge delayed deciding on an injunction sought by the union today that would have blocked the contract.  

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 192 had sought the injunction to block the new contract, which the AC Transit board voted to impose on the union when the prior three-year contract expired on June 30.  

The imposed contract took effect Sunday.  

A hearing was held today in Alameda County Superior Court on the injunction, but a decision on the matter was postponed until another hearing on July 30.  

On Friday, an Alameda County Superior Court judge ordered the transit agency and its 1,600 employees to enter into legally binding arbitration, a process that could be lengthy.  

AC Transit, which serves parts of Alameda and Contra Costa counties, faces a $56 million deficit by the end of the two-year fiscal period ending June 30, 2011.  

The imposed contract would save the agency $15.7 million by changing overtime rules and co-pay policies for employee health insurance, and by implementing a two-tier pension plan.  

Since the new contract took effect Sunday, AC Transit's outside spokesman Sam Singer said roughly 20 percent of union members have staged a "sick-out" by calling in sick to work Monday and today, leading to widespread delays on the system.  

"A 'sick-out' is a terrible thing to do," Singer said. "Bus drivers ought to be driving the buses."  

He said the district was "deeply sorry" for the delays and is asking the drivers to return to work.  

"That's in everyone's best interest," he said.  

ATU Local 192 lead negotiator Claudia Hudson said the imposed contract is endangering AC Transit passengers by making bus operators work long shifts on regular pay and drive routes they are not used to.  

"AC Transit has thrown safety out the window," Hudson said. "We are working to the best of our ability with what AC Transit gave us."  

Talks between the two sides began on April 1, but, "AC Transit did not come to the table with the intention of negotiating," Hudson said.  

"From day one, they've said they'd rather have us strike," she said.  

Union officials have said they have no plans to strike. AC Transit's collective bargaining agreement requires arbitration when management and the union are at an impasse, and the agreement prohibits the union from striking during the arbitration process.  

The injunction hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. on July 30 in the courtroom of Judge Frank Roesch.  

Police and fire officials are investigating a string of 13 arson fires on and near the University of California at Berkeley campus, police said.  

The most recent fire was reported about 3:50 a.m. today in front of Sam's Market at 2312 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley police spokeswoman Sgt. Mary Kusmiss said. Police are obtaining surveillance video footage captured by a camera in front of the market. Ten fires have occurred in the city's jurisdiction south of the campus and three others have burned on campus, Kusmiss said.  

The first two fires were reported Friday. Most of the small blazes were set by lighting cardboard and paper on fire inside recycling bins, Kusmiss said. There is no indication an accelerant was used to start any of the fires. 

"The M.O. has been predominantly the suspect or suspects lighting the contents of a city of Berkeley recycle bin and then shoving it either against a car...or against a building," Kusmiss said. The blazes have not resulted in any injuries but all have caused property damage, Kusmiss said. Two cars and one scooter were seriously damaged and a portable bathroom was found "fully engulfed," Kusmiss said.  

An exterior stucco wall at 2398 Bancroft Way was charred, Kusmiss said. At least two of the fires were put out by a responding police officer using a fire extinguisher or nearby hose. "But our greatest concern is, if a structure were to catch on fire as a result of the suspect or suspects, a community member could be injured," Kusmiss added. 

Anyone who witnessed any of the fires or saw something suspicious, such as a person videotaping or photographing a fire or hiding nearby, is asked to call police. 

"In our experience, arsonists or people who set malicious fires like to watch their work. They get a certain thrill out of watching the flames and watching the emergency response," Kusmiss said. The public can provide tips by calling (510) 981-5900. If calling from a cell phone, dial (510) 981-5911.

The City of Berkeley is offering a $15,000 reward, and Bay Area Crime Stoppers (BACS) is offering an additional $2,000 reward, for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect or suspects responsible for the shooting death of Marcus Isiah Mosley Jr., 29 years old. 

On Friday evening, July 16, 2010 at 5:11 p.m., City of Berkeley Police Department (BPD) patrol officers responded to calls from community members who said they had heard gunshots. Officers found Marcus Isiah Mosley, Jr. slumped over the steering wheel in the driver’s seat. City of Berkeley Fire Department (BFD) paramedics removed him from the car and tried to save his life, and yet, his wounds were not survivable. Mosley was pronounced dead at the scene. 

BPD Homicide detectives and a compliment of other BPD personnel began an investigation immediately. Thus far, BPD has not made any arrests or confirmed a possible motive in the case. BPD investigators do not believe that this was a random shooting. 

BPD is urging anyone who may know anything about this homicide to call the BPD Homicide detail at (510) 981-5741 or the 24 hour BPD non emergency number of (510) 981-5900. If a community member wishes to remain anonymous, he/she is encouraged to call the Bay Area Crimes Stoppers (BACS) at (800)-222-TIPS (8477). Any information may be critical to solving this crime. Sometimes the smallest or seemingly insignificant detail can be the key to arresting the suspect or suspects in any crime. 

A while back we dropped in on a softball panel discussion about what the economic future might hold. The panelists were UC Berkeley academic economists. They glanced at a variety of topics, among them how their institution could weather the current storm, with the larger economy tanking and state support for education effectively collapsing.

            If this were a news article, I could go out over the internet to cite chapter and verse about how bad things are at this point, but since we’re among friends let’s not bother with that, because we all know it’s true and getting worse.   There are real problems with California’s ability and willingness to support education at all levels, including at the university level. 

            The panelists offered two silver bullets which would make it all go away. At this remove I can’t remember exactly who said what, but at the time both fixes, regardless of who proposed them, struck me as fraught with peril.  And now both are on the road to being implemented.

            Fix #1 was bringing in lots and lots of foreign students, who would presumably come with fists full of cash.  But also, with problems.

            I yield to no one in my appreciation of UC Berkeley’s traditional international flavor. (Being old school, when I say Berkeley, I mean the city. If I mean the local university, I now say UC Berkeley, though I used to say Cal.)

            I vividly remember the first time I approached Sather Gate. A woman wearing a sari was coming out as I went in, and I thought to myself that I was—finally—a true citizen of the world, privy to all its delights and entertainment. Among the international friends I made as an undergraduate were a Kurd, (from an ethnic group I’d only encountered in books) a Chilean Socialist (two firsts there), an Israeli woman who though I was an Indian because of the sound of my name, and my whole rooming-house full of women physics students from Taiwan, who taught me how to cut up a chicken with a few swift strokes of a cleaver without removing any fingers by mistake. And they were all amazing people, brilliant high-achievers, admitted because of their outstanding abilities—not, however, including their ability to pay big bucks for tuition. 

            There’s a real danger that today’s international students will become nothing more than cash cows. There’s the possibility that the student body will be overloaded with the privileged offspring of the ruling classes who couldn’t cut the mustard back home, and that merit will go out the window.

            It doesn’t have to happen that way, but the risk is there. The same caveat applies to out-of-state American students, who will also be paying those lucrative higher tuition fees. 

            Overall, the percentage of these special categories is jumping from 6% to 8% of the student body in the whole UC system, with UC Berkeley getting the biggest increase. Berkeley continues to be a very saleable brand in brand-conscious Asia, with much more cachet than Los Angeles or Riverside. 

            A major difficulty with embarking on the mission of educating the world, even if we get nothing but the cream of the crop, is that these students are not nearly as likely as they used to be to stick around after they graduate. India and China in particular are developing their own industries which will employ their own top graduates. This might leave California, high-tech California in particular, short of top talent, having educated too few Californians and too many people who just go home after they graduate.

            Fix #2 is offering some classes as online-only, with no human face-to-face contact at all. The godfather of this program is UC Berkeley Law School Dean Christopher Edley, reportedly jealous of the number of community college transfer students who choose the phone-it-in for-profit University of Phoenix over UC Berkeley.

            Now, it’s not hard to understand why some of Edley’s students might prefer to take their civil procedure course online so they don’t have to look at the creepy face of the disgusting John Yoo, still teaching at Berkeley Law despite his record of condoning torture. But many of the other professors are well worth chatting with from time to time. 

            Law schools in particular can easily slip into being not much more than trade schools without the leavening provided by the varying personalities and backgrounds of faculty members as revealed in the classroom back-and-forth. If that happens, it soon might be possible to do away with law school altogether. 

            Bar Review courses, run efficiently by real businessmen, do an excellent job of teaching in six weeks just exactly what you need to pass the Bar exam, if that’s the only goal. And all those classroom discussions of ethics and values which law students enjoy so much wouldn’t be needed any more, especially if (see preceding paragraph) people like John Yoo are now considered role models for attorneys-in-training.

            Online-only might not work so well for that old chestnut, liberal arts education. Since the traditional liberal arts curriculum is anything but preparation to take up a lucrative profession, it wouldn’t be such a good fit into the one-size-fits-all mold that might work for engineering or law. (Defensive note: one engineer, one lawyer in this household.) 

            Some experiences aren’t transferable to the Internet. Before I saw the light and learned a trade, I majored in comparative literature, and one of my fondest memories is of the elderly Russian professor who invited us to her house for Russian conversation and cookies which she swore were prepared by the domovoi, or household spirit. I suppose cookies can be mailed, but it wouldn’t be the same, would it?

            The universities which make up the California State University system are already experimenting with extreme ways to save money. A friend who teaches at Cal State San Jose tells me that student enrollment there has been cut, with little publicity, from 30,000 to 20,000 in the last few years. 

            She says that the school is instead offering more and more mini-courses on technical subjects taught within Silicon Valley companies, which carry no degree credit but command big price tags. This poses a terrible problem for cost-conscious local students who count on living at home with their parents, but are forced to go farther away, to CSU Monterey or beyond, to get the classes they need to graduate. 

            California universities of all kinds are now dominated by corporate shills. The recent revelations in these pages and elsewhere of Regent Richard Blum’s financial interest in a pair of schools which could only be called diploma mills are just the tip of the iceberg—it’s no wonder the UC regents swallowed the Edley proposal so enthusiastically. 

            Chto delat? What Is To Be Done? That’s the title of a famous Russian novel by Nikolai Chernyshevsky, a Russian philosopher who proposed reform of much that was wrong in Russia in the mid-nineteenth century—in fact, I read the book when I was at Cal. It turned out to take a revolution to change much in Russia, and then it wasn’t all good.  But it’s still a good question, and it has still no obvious answer.

            There are two promising proposals for ending the crisis in California higher education: Professor George Lakoff’s campaign for a ballot measure which would let the California legislature pass taxes for education with a simple majority instead of the currently required two-thirds, and the recurrent calls for popular election of university regents, which Michigan and many other states have done for years. And San Francisco State Senator Leland Yee is doing his darndest to get the universities under some sort of control in a variety of ways, though with mixed results so far.

            But it seems clear that the strategy of seeking out more big spenders, whether from the U.S. or abroad, won’t do anything to improve the quality of higher education which California has always promised its young people. And the plan to cheapen the “product” which Edley touts is another bad idea. 

            Both of these ill-considered ideas amount to tossing out the baby with the bathwater. Anything that’s done to save our institutions of higher education must be consistent with the high standards which have always characterized our universities in the past—we must accept no less.           

Wall Street Crooks;Nuclear Weapons Are History;New Ghandi?; Loss of City Revenue; Deflation;;Down with Voting Machines ;Tea Party is even Worse Than You Think;End Corporate Influence;Reduce Oil Addiction through Livable Communities Act;Cell Phones;

Wall Street Crooks

Goldman Sachs has agreed to pay $550 million to resolve a civil fraud lawsuit over selling a mortgage investment that was established to fail. It was representative of everything that investment banks, in general, were into for the last twenty years, but also because it was a special case, because Goldman is politically connected in a way that no other company in America really is. The penalty is only one-twentieth of the $10 billion in bonuses the firm handed out last year. 

     "I want to bet against this stuff. Can you make a deal full of, you know, credit default swaps, or a synthetic credit default swap, full of subprime-referenced entities that I can bet against?"  If you defraud somebody, just somebody off the street, if you’re a con man and you defraud somebody out of a thousand dollars, $50,000, you’re going to jail. I mean, it’s not like, you know, you’re going to have to pay the money back and you can walk on your merry way. That’s not the way it works. But on Wall Street, if you commit a massive crime, if you steal not a thousand dollars, but a billion dollars, you get to walk away from it.

      They began stealing from each other the things that belonged to others or tricking them out of some of these things so they themselves could have more. But there will be no escape for them as there'll be no place to go and nowhere to hide, as they can't stop the world and get off as they'll wish they could!

Ted Rudow III,MA

Nuclear Weapons Are History

Nuclear weapons belong to history. Whatever value they once may have;had is long since passed. The various devices are now points of terror;for every thinking person on the planet. They are potential tools for;terrorists and invalid tools for warfare. Our national leaders need to;make every effort possible to reduce and then eliminate the arsenal of;nuclear nightmare devices.;;

David Dresser

***

New Ghandi?

It may well be more difficult for Israelis to comprehend the idea of Palestinian non-violence than for Palestinians to do so. For many Israelis, the very thought of non-violent Palestinian protest goes so far against the grain as to be incomprehensible, lethally suspicious, a violation of a bedrock narrative. ;

In many cases, Israeli media have actively ignored or obscured non-violent Palestinian protest. Last month, hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians marched together through the streets of Silwan, East Jerusalem, protesting a plan by Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat to evict Arab residents and raze 22 houses for a settler-oriented tourism project.

At a time when use of overwhelming force has cost Israel dearly in its world standing, what will it take for Israelis to rethink the idea that what they have can only be maintained by force? A new kind of leader. A Gandhi, a Dr. King. The only way the Palestinians will ever get their independence is with the help of outsiders.

The U.S. never could have won its independence if it hadn't had the help of several other European nations, particularly France.;

Ted Rudow III,MA

***

Loss of City Revenue

In these tough economic times I find it strange that the city is so unwilling or unable to enforce simple business codes.

There is currently an empty lot at 1050 Parker street.  It has no permit to be used as a parking lot, in fact it has no current use permits. Cars parked on the lot have notices that state they are from the Zaentz Media Center. So it appears that the lot is being rented out as a private parking lot. Is the loss of the tax money of no concern to the city too?  The city has been informed and seems to not care. I first contacted them in mid June and it is apparent that nothing has been done. Gregory Daniel of code enforcement says that it will take months to look into it.  Local councilman Moore has responded only via his assistant Mr Lau that they will look into it.  

Meanwhile the lot has no drainage for vehicle runoff.  No parking barriers to prevent vehicles from rolling off the lot. It has uneven pavement, a portion is even unpaved.  In fact it violates at least 4 provisions of the Berkeley municipal code for parking lots pertaining to environmental, safety, and aesthetic requirements.

In these times of cuts to services to the citizens of Berkeley shouldn't the city be doing all it can to find ways to generate revenue?

How may of these unlicensed business operate in Berkeley?

Is it fair to those that pay for the business licenses to be out competed by those that flaunt the law?

I think a solution could be as simple as a reward to those that report violations.  A small portion of the fines?

Lets help to save Berkeley's small businesses and generate much needed revenue by just enforcing the rules we currently have.

Dave Juarez

Deflation

In the great economic depression of the late 20's and 30's , they had no economic guarantees on wages.The auto business was one of the first places where people cut their spending, because it's a luxury to buy a new car. ;       It was a vicious cycle, a downward spiral that just couldn't stop, and industry kept cutting prices to where people could afford to still buy. This was the deflation. Inflation at home mostly hurts the rich, but it mostly helps the poor, except for those who are on set incomes, like pensions. That's why the rich are trying to bring about deflation. The very rich, however, profit from the deflation, because their dollars grow in value even though they're doing nothing with them.    ;        We're on a crash course to bankruptcy again, but they think they're going to patch it all up instead of curing the disease: which is that they're hanging onto their riches instead of putting them into circulation. In the past, deflation and depression have frequently led to a vicious circle of nationalism, xenophobia, the disintegration of states, and even war which is happening today.;Ted Rudow III,MA;Down with Voting Machines

We need to get rid of electronic voting machines   throughout our entire nation.  The recent election   in South Carolina clearly demonstrates how corrupt   electronic voting machines can be.  The Presidential   2004 election also had widespread reports of false   representation of our citizens’ votes.      

Mrs. Nancy Byers

Tea Party is even Worse Than You Think

   Hey Americans, get it right, before you make another George Bush   mistake. The   Tea Party isn't your "mom and pop" grass roots movement  they claim to be. The   Tea Party has racist and extremist undertones. Cases in point: The North Iowa   Tea Party from   Mason City, Iowa, put up a "billboard" that compares President Obama with   fascist and communist leaders Adolf Hitler and Vladimir Lenin. And I am sure   most people have seen the grotesque signs at Tea Party protests depicting   President Obama in a negative light. The Tea Party movement flys in the face of   national unity and true patriotism.

           The Tea Party is not diversified like America, being almost totally a   "whites only" organization, and is composed of many of the same people and   hardcore elements who pushed the anti-abortion, anti-gay and anti-immigration   movements into national prominence. Nonpartisan the Tea Party is not. 73% of its      members claim afilliation with the Republican Party and will most surely cast    their votes for Republan candidates this election.  

         I have to laugh at the doubletalk that comes from the Tea Party: They   stress protecting the Constitution and restoring fiscal responsibility.   Overwhelingly Tea Partiers support Arizona's new unconstitutional immigration   law. And did you hear a peep from any of these Tea Party Republicans during the   Bush "borrow and spend" years of fiscal irresponsibility. The Tea Party wants to      put Bush-Republicans back in charge of the economy come November. We've been   down this road already and are still recovering.  

Ron Lowe   

End Corporate Influence

The DISCLOSE Act which will be voted on soon in Congress is an attempt to try to limit the huge influence of mega-corporations on elections. Now that the Supreme Court says they can spend all the money they want to influence elections and legislators, the only recourse is informed voters paying attention. The DISCLOSE Act requires the corporations to reveal their identities as the funders of specific ads and reveal their campaign contributions. This information is critical for voters to understand who stands to gain and who stands to lose as a result of certain legislators winning office. Please contact your senators and representatives to support this Act so corporations cant pour their money in secret.

Dr. Margaret Copi

Reduce Oil Addiction through Livable Communities Act

The BP Gulf oil disaster is a tragic reminder that America must reduce   our oil addiction. Transportation is the number one consumer of oil in   the United States, in large part due to our sprawling communities and   lack of convenient low-carbon transportation options such as transit,   walking or biking. The Livable Communities Act, introduced by Senator   Dodd (D-CT), would invest in transit in combination to compact local   transit oriented projects which create affordable housing, provide   convenient low-carbon transportation options, and improve public   health.   Our Senators should co-sponsor this bill because it will reduce   our dependence on oil and provide the above mentioned benefits

Roy Nakadegawa P,E.

***

Cell Phones

Thank you for your continuing vital publications for our education!   

 Concerning "Cell Phone Health Hazards" ( July 6, '10),   There is obviously no hope of separating this miracle-appendage from the human ear,  but I hope the same geniuses can devise a way to make the phone at least as radiation-safe (?) as a microwave oven!  

Gerta Farber

***

Limbaugh Lies

Rush Limbaugh, as a radio DJ, does a fantastic job of distorting the reality of what is happening in our society. Limbaugh's words and actions betray a malignant philosophy. The viciousness of his anti-liberal and "attack politics" shows the darkness of his character. 

What I can't understand is why educated, informed, responsible and wealthy people support an obvious demagogue like Limbaugh! Can Limbaugh's daily and deliberate distortion of facts, ridicule and name-calling be good for the nation? 

Republicans have put him up on a pedestal so high that none in the party now dare challenge him. This says more about themselves and their values than any spin they may put out. 

What a sad state of affairs when the "talking head" of your party is Rush Limbaugh. The extreme arrogance of this man mirrors the image of the Republican Party. 

Ron Lowe.

I am the neighbor to the east of Ryan Lau's property, and have been expressing my husband's and my objection to his project since, after reading Fred Dodsworth's article in the Planet, we finally became aware of what he was actually up to. I requested that this case be heard directly by the ZAB, and it shall be, this Thursday evening. I find it quite disconcerting that in the findings sent out by the planning department, which unfortunately recommend full approval of his project, that there were omissions in the package sent out to the board for review, as well as in what is posted on the ZAB website.

 

I wrote an initial letter, which is contained in the package; it was followed by a second letter which appealed for a hearing, more clearly elucidated our concerns, and most importantly, was assented to in separate letters by three of the closest neighbors on Carleton Street. This second letter, as well as those of the neighbors, were not included for review in the package, as I had been assured by the planning department they would be, and in the findings it appears, erroneously, that I am the lone neighbor who is in opposition to Ryan Lau's project. I am sending you a copy of that second letter, in hopes that you might post it for perusal by the citizenry of Berkeley.  

 

To: Debra Sanderson 

Zoning Officer 

2120 Milvia 

Berkeley, California 

 

From: Lorna Kollmeyer 

1440 Carleton Street 

Berkeley, California 94702 

RE: AUP Application for Ryan Lau, 2nd Letter 

Date: April 18, 2010 

 

Dear Ms. Sanderson,  

I am writing on behalf of myself and my husband, David Jones, to request that Ryan Lau's application for Administrative Use Permits be elevated from a staff decision to that of a decision, with a public hearing, by the Zoning Adjustments Board, as, after speaking with the planning department, it is my understanding that this is the strongest gesture we can make to incorporate our opposition to this project into its permanent record, and to insure that our concerns are addressed.  

Let me clearly state that we fully respect Ryan's right to have an accessory structure which, by conforming to all zoning restrictions, as a citizen of Berkeley he is allowed to have and fully enjoy. Ryan however, built an unpermitted structure which in at least three ways exceeds what he could have built by right, and for which he would have needed to seek Administrative Use Permits, which obviously involve the awareness and consent of his neighbors. Had we been granted the respect of seeing Ryan's plans, we would have voiced from the start our opposition to a structure which, at 42' long, is almost double that which is allowed by right, and which, with a half bath, will no longer serve as a garage, but as a unit suitable for long-term accommodation.  

My husband and I have already been mislead by Ryan as to the intended scope and use of the structure, and therefore, as much as we would like to trust what he says are his stated intentions, have a healthy skepticism as to what the reality of those intentions might be, as well as the intentions of subsequent owners of the property which could adversely affect our home. By nature of its size alone, in addition to containing a toilet, this structure has the potential to invite habitation by numerous persons, and despite the only reassurance we are offered - that there will be a deed restriction on the property - we would have a nightmare on our hands if we were to try to stop an illegal tenancy. Trying to prove that a long term "roommate" or "guest" is indeed in violation of the intended use of this building would involve a long, miserable and costly process of private investigation and legal proceedings. In fact, we were informed by an eviction attorney that we would indeed have no recourse whatsoever to try to evict someone from that structure, since we are not the owners of 1436.  

It is for this reason that we call upon the Board to help us do everything we can right now to insure that this situation will never arise. We understand that the ZAB cannot deny Ryan a permit based on "potential" use, or incorporate any enforceable stipulation of usage, such as overnight sleeping; but you do have ultimate say over what he can build, down to the details of its physical characteristics. Since Ryan so egregiously disregarded the law in building an oversized structure easily large enough to function as a second residential unit, and in light of the history of his initial intention for illegal usage, we find it appropriate that the Board consider that he may have forfeited his right to have everything in his accessory building exactly as he would have liked, had he started out following the proper permitting process.  

It seems fair and appropriate for us to request that Ryan either tear down his structure and start over, or at least reduce its footprint to an acceptable size; however, in the spirit of compromise, we would be willing to withdraw our opposition to his building's size if the following physical reconfigurations are demanded of him by the Board:  

1) First, and of utmost importance, that the toilet be eliminated, and the four-inch sewer line be physically excavated and removed well away from the building.  

2) That the size of the hot water heater be reduced to one much smaller, suitable for a small sink and shower, in lieu of the one he plans to, or has already installed, which has the capacity to provide unlimited hot water for an entire home.  

3) That the inside access of the "work room" be sealed off from the "office" preferably in some manner more difficult to remove than the usual studs and sheetrock, such as cinderblock, to make it harder to function as a back bedroom.  

4) That, if the existing structure is allowed under the terms above, there be a deed restriction for 1436 Carleton in place stipulating that there can never be a toilet in the accessory building, without reducing the footprint of the structure.  

We want to do everything we can to put our opposition to this project on record, and glean as much reassurance from the City of Berkeley that this structure will never become a dwelling unit, either legal or illegal; that to do so everything will be done now to change its physical configuration to make it as difficult as possible to reconvert it to an illegal unit; and that the Board will incorporate language into this permit which will add ultimate clarity as to the allowable use of this structure, so that down the road, if and when we suspect illegal usage, the recourse of code enforcement might be less problematic. 

I close by stating that it is sad that, had we been consulted truthfully about this project up front, we would have had the opportunity to voice our concerns, deal with this in an efficient and neighborly way, save us hours of distress and distraction, and achieve an equitable compromise; but we were not granted that respect. It is distressing to think that Ryan could build whatever he pleases, with no regard for the law or the concerns of his neighbors, and by merely weathering the hassle and paying the fines, end up with exactly what he wants. I am certain the Zoning Adjustments Board will not want to set a precedent of rewarding such behavior, and will find it prudent to incorporate our suggestions of compromise into its decision, as our only chance of having any say in a matter so close to our home is woefully after the fact of this building's construction. 

Respectfully, 

Lorna Kollmeyer 

 

cc: Ryan Lau, Greg Heidenreich, Jason Kaldis 

Introduction On July 13, 2010, the Obama administration unveiled a new national HIV and AIDS strategy, which sets a goal of reducing new infections by 25 percent over the next five years. The strategy also calls for a renewed focus on increasing access to care, with the goal of getting treatment for 85 percent of patients within three months of their diagnosis; concentrating HIV prevention efforts at the highest-risk populations, which include gay and bisexual men as well as African-Americans; and increasing education about the virus, even in communities with low rates of infection. The administration is allocating $30 million from the health care overhaul Congress passed earlier this year toward implementation of the strategy. 

Before unveiling the strategy, the Office of National AIDS Policy hosted 14 HIV/AIDS community discussions, reviewed suggestions from the public via the White House website, organized a series of expert meetings on several HIV-specific topics and worked with federal and community partners who organized their own meetings to support the development of a national strategy. 

In one step toward reducing disparities in access to care, on July 9th, the Obama administration reallocated $25 million to states that have waiting lists for their AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAP), which provide treatment help for the uninsured and underinsured. The National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors reported that more than 2,200 people in 12 states were on waiting lists for ADAP help. 

The San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles County, where two-thirds of all Californians living with HIV reside, should greatly benefit from the new national strategy. 

Criticism of Strategy 

Why did it take 15 months to develop the strategy? And why didn't President Obama even mention AIDS for the first five months of his presidency and for underfunding AIDS programs? The new HIV/AIDS strategy does not call for a major increase in the roughly $19 billion the federal government spends on HIV/AIDS programs, though administration officials claim new benefits will be provided by the recently passed health care reform law. We shall see. 

Background 

Once an AIDS diagnosis was virtually a death sentence. Now it is largely treatable as a chronic illness although medications are costly. But although it is treatable, AIDS is still a public health emergency. There are about 1.7 million Americans who have been infected with HIV since 1981; approximately 56,000 become infected each year; and more than 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV. There is a new HIV infection every 9-1/2 minutes in the U.S. But about one of every five people living with HIV doesn't know it. The population groups at the greatest risk are gay and bisexual men, who make up about 50 percent of new infections annually, and African-Americans. 

According to the AIDS Foundation, San Francisco has over 1,000 new infections each year with 87 percent being gay men. AIDS/HIV has affected about 28,114 San Franciscans since the epidemic started in 1981. San Francisco accounts for 18 percent of all cases in California and 3 percent of cases nationwide. According to the AIDS Foundation, at the end of 2008, there were 15,757 San Franciscans living with HIV/AIDS 

HIV/AIDS Basics 

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This condition progressively reduces the effectiveness of the immune system and leaves individuals susceptible to opportunistic infections and tumors . HIV is transmitted through direct contact of a mucous membrane or the bloodstream with a bodily fluid containing HIV, such as blood , semen , vaginal fluid , preseminal fluid , and breast milk . This transmission can involve anal , vaginal or oral sex , blood transfusion , contaminated hypodermic needles , exchange between mother and baby during pregnancy , childbirth , breastfeeding or other exposure to one of the above bodily fluids. Although treatments for AIDS and HIV can slow the course of the disease, there is currently no vaccine or cure. 

On a positive note, a week before President Obama's announcement of the new HIV/Aids strategy, scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases announced that they had found three human antibodies that neutralize more than 90 percent of the current circulating HIV-1 strains. "This is significant because we've now found antibodies that are good templates for HIV vaccine development," said Peter Kwong, co-author of the study, Structural Basis for Broad and Potent Neutralization of HIV-1 by Antibody VRC01, published in the July 8, 2010, issue of the journal Science. 

A Personal Note 

The announcement of the new HIV/AIDS strategy brought back memories of the death of our only child Michael, who died of AIDS in November 1984, the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Michael was 19 and a senior at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He would be 45 today. My wife Judi and I received a call on Saturday morning from a physician at a Santa Cruz hospital, who said that Michael had been admitted to the hospital with a serious illness. The physician indicated that if we wanted to see our son alive, we had better rush down to Santa Cruz. 

He was indeed diagnosed with pneumocystis, a common AIDS-related illness. We remember the medical staffs' contagion hysteria: gowned and masked up. One of the nurses insisted that we get someone to give him last rites. We declined. Basically, the medical staff had written Michael off. And indeed, back in 1984, AIDS was a death sentence. If he had been diagnosed today, Michael would probably be still alive. 

After Michael's death, my wife Judi went back and got her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at San Francisco State University. While at school, she started an AIDS volunteer program at Kaiser Permanente Hospital here in San Francisco. Michael had our emotional support during his illness, but Judi realized how often many AIDS patients had little or no emotional support. And back then, the air was filled with hysteria and misinformation about the disease. The AIDS volunteer program provided emotional support and information to patients and their loved ones. After receiving her degree, Judi became the social worker in Kaiser's dedicated AIDS unit. 

From our own experience, we know that parents of a child suffering from a life-threatening illness face special problems. The death of a child is a devastating experience. It severely taxes a parent's adaptive capacities. In our society, a child's death is unexpected because children are supposed to outlive their parents. A child's death can tear a marriage apart. In our case, it brought us closer together. 

Conclusion 

The plight of those infected with the HIV virus has improved since 1981 as have Gay rights in general. The announced HIV/AIDS strategy is a modest beginning for the Obama administration, but there is still much more to be done.

For the past several Thursdays from noon to 1:00 pm a group of older women activists have gathered at the south-west corner of Union Square in San Francisco to protest the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are Grandmothers Against the War (Bay Area). We are sometimes twelve and sometimes only four or five but we plan to continue bringing our leaflets and signs every Thursday. We invite you to join us. 

GAW, originally formed in 2005 to protest the war in Iraq, has participated in many actions and held a number of forums, first on the war in Iraq and more recently on the war in Afghanistan. However, recently we grew tired of preaching to the converted and so we decided to try something new. Emulating our sisters in New York City, who picket at Rockefeller Plaza every Wednesday, we decided to go to Union Square. So far we like our choice - we meet tourists getting on and off tour buses, San Franciscans on their way from here to there and workers from the many stores and businesses in the area looking for a little fresh air during lunch hour. 

Folks are mostly friendly, rarely hostile (although it has happened) and a few want to chat. We think it is worth reaching out in San Francisco so that people can see our GRANDMOTHERS AGAINST THE WAR banner and our signs and at least have to think about whether or not to take our fliers which urge them to contact President Obama and Congressional Representatives and tell them to bring the troops home now.  

We hope you will consider joining us . It's an easy BART ride from Berkeley to the Powell Street station and then three blocks up Powell to Geary. You'll find us there every Thursday from noon to 1:00 pm. Come for the hour, for half an hour, for a few minutes. We'd love to see you. 

To learn more about GAW check out our web site: www.gawba.org; email us at info@gawba.org ; write to us at PO Box 9476, Berkeley, CA 94709; or call us at (510) 845-3815.

The scheme to privatize and sell Berkeley's 75 public housing units has stalled, and currently the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has not completed its review of the disposition plan filed with HUD to dispose of Berkeley's public housing. 

Around December 31, 2009, the Berkeley Housing Authority (BHA) filed an application with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to dispose of its public housing units, and expected HUD approval of the scheme in around 90 days. HUD approval has not occurred. 

The City of Berkeley plans to sell its public housing units to one or more non profit housing developers, and the BHA plans to finance the privatization of Berkeley's public housing units by looting the Section 8 program. 

If all goes as planned, the developer/s plan to convert the units into the Section 8 Project-Based voucher program, a program for landlords in the private housing sector that allows landlords to charge above market rate rents to the poor, and the units will be subsidized with federal funding taken from the poor, in the Section 8 program. 

In opposition, public housing and Section 8 tenants appeared at several Berkeley City Council meetings and other public meetings to protest and speak out against alleged illegal activities of the BHA, and the scheme to privatize and sell their 75 public housing units to an unnamed non profit housing developer. 

Additionally, on January 19, 2010, public housing tenants held protest signs in front of Berkeley's Old City Hall in between harsh rain storms pounding the Bay Area before stepping inside the City Council meeting to demand the resignation of BHA Director Tia Ingram and BHA's Chair Carole Norris, for their involvement in the actions to privatize and sell Berkeley's public housing units. 

Nearly 7 months later, Director Tia Ingram and BHA Commissioner Chair Carole Norris still remain in power, HUD has not yet approved of the BHA's disposition plan, and many of Berkeley's long-time public housing residents facing displacement from their housing feel the stress and anxiety, regarding the outcome of their future housing situation. 

Meanwhile, the BHA hired Overland, Pacific and Cutler (OPC) to relocate Berkeley's public housing residents from their housing if the disposition plan is approved, and on July 16, OPC consultant Chad Wakefield started working on some notices to send out to Berkeley's public housing residents to let them know that he wants to have two half-hour meetings with the residents some time during early August. Wakefield wants to ask Berkeley's public housing residents what they want to do regarding their housing situation if the disposition plan is approved by HUD, even though many have already spoken out publicly against the scheme to sell off Berkeley's public housing, and Wakefield is already well aware of this. 

In a bizarre effort to hoodwink Berkeley's public housing residents into believing that their public housing units are not really being privatized once ownership of the public housing units are transferred to a new owner in the privatized housing sector, in a recent June 17, letter from BHA Director Tia Ingram to public housing resident Keith Carlisle and Berkeley's public housing resident organization called Residents Awareness in Action (RAIA), Ingram congratulates Carlisle for reactivating RAIA, and formally acknowledges the groups opposition to the scheme to privatize and dispose of Berkeley's public housing, which she refers to as the repositioning project. 

In part, BHA's Ingram writes; "I use the term repositioning as it more accurately reflects what we are attempting to do, and that is transfer assisted families from Public Housing to Section 8, not "removing" or even worse "disposing" of units. It is my hope that with time, and careful, thoughtful and consistent effort, we will be able to provide RAIA, and every current resident, sufficient information about how and why we arrived at the decision to pursue repositioning, and equally important, how repositioning can result in a win-win situation for current and future residents and the Berkeley Housing Authority." 

Berkeley's public housing residents are not fooled by the campaign of lies and deceit, knowing very well that Section 8 is the subsidized program for tenants in the privatized housing market, and that it should not be confused with the public housing program, no matter what BHA's Ingram wants them to believe. 

Documents clearly reveal that it was BHA Director Tia Ingram that signed the disposition plan that was filed with HUD to dispose of and remove Berkeley's public housing from the inventory of public housing units in Berkeley, with the intent to sell the units to one or more so-called non profit housing developers, upon HUD approval. 

The Affordable Housing Swindle 

During 1937, the U.S. Housing Act created the first public housing program, authorizing local housing authorities across the nation to build public housing that is financed through long-term bonds to serve low-income families. 

Since the creation of public housing, additionally there are currently around 13 other major federal subsidized housing programs to assist the poor, including the Section 8 Tenant-Based voucher program, and the Section 8 Project-Based voucher program for tenants being subsidized in the private housing market place. 

So-called privatized affordable housing developments should not be confused with public housing, despite the fact that the backers of a scheme to privatize our nation’s 1.2 million public housing units are doing their best to hoodwink the public into believing that public housing, and so-called affordable housing developments are one and the same. 

Public housing provides housing to low-income families, the elderly, blind, disabled and households with no income at all, while so-called affordable housing developers have minimum income requirements that discriminate against the poor. 

Affordable housing developers often charge above market rate rents in their buildings and want the public to believe that that they offer housing to the poor, but often these developers refuse to rent to the poor unless the poor are being subsidized through the Section 8 program, or some other federal subsidized housing program. 

PETRA - Preservation, Enhancement and Transformation of Rental Assistance 

The so-called affordable housing industry stands to make billions of dollars in a scheme called PETRA that would accelerate the privatization of public housing units all across the nation, if approved by Congress. 

If the backers of a right-wing scheme to privatize Berkeley's public housing have it their way, and an Obama administration proposal called PETRA ( The Preservation, Enhancement and Transformation of Rental Assistance ) is approved by Congress, public housing programs across the nation may be terminated and around 1.2 million public housing units may become privatized in the near future, and placed at risk of bank foreclosures. 

The Obama administration has been promoting far-reaching legislation (PETRA) to change the way our nations 2,400 public housing authorities (Phase) operate in an effort to privatize our nations public housing, setting off a feud between 2.3 million public housing residents who are in opposition to the privatization of their housing, and the advocates and proponents of public housing privatization from the so-called affordable housing industry, who stand to make billions if they can get their hands on our nations 1.2 million public housing units. 

The problem -- Congress has underfunded public housing through the years creating a huge backlog of repairs and maintenance, and all Congress needs to do is provide more funding to remedy the situation. 

Instead of asking for more funding from Congress, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan and the Obama administration want to privatize the 1.2 million public housing units in a complicated scheme to transfer ownership of our public housing units to so-called affordable housing developers that will charge above market rate rents being subsidized by the Section 8 program, believing that the new owners would then be able to tap into the equity of the properties to get loans from the private sector for the backlog of maintenance and repairs, as other property owners do in the market of privatized housing. 

The privatization scheme threatens to displace hundreds of thousands of low-income families, elderly and the disabled from their public housing units if enacted into law, and future funding shortfalls in the Section 8 program would place the housing units at risk of bank foreclosure. 

In addition, if PETRA is approved by Congress, the nation’s major 13 federal subsidized housing programs will be converted into one huge new hybrid program, with only one funding stream for the whole program. Currently each of the 13 subsidized housing programs have their own budget and funding streams, to make certain the funding reaches its intended target. Once the funding streams are converted into one huge slush fund, no one will be able to tell how much funding for the poor, elderly or the disabled has been diverted to finance the public housing privatization scheme, called PETRA. 

PETRA has been rejected by thousands across the nation including Congresswoman Maxine Waters and Congressman Barney Frank, but HUD and the Obama administration are moving forward as though they already have Congressional approval for PETRA as is evidenced in the recent HUD budget submitted for 2011. 

HUD wants to reduce public housing funding by around $500 million in 2011, in addition to reducing funding for the elderly in the Section 202 housing program from $825 million to $274 million, and reducing funding for persons with disabilities in the Section 211 housing program currently from $300 million, to $90 million in 2011. 

The Obama administration also wants to reduce the family reunification voucher program from $15 million in funding to zero, and wants to reduce the veterans supportive housing voucher program from $75 million to zero, for 2011. 

HUD and the Obama administration are clearly trying to grab as much funding as is possible from the federal subsidized housing programs for veterans, low-income families, the blind, elderly and disabled to finance the PETRA scheme to privatize 1.2 million public housing units, in an effort to enrich the so-called affordable housing sector by billions of dollars with funding taken from the poor. 

PETRA Forums -- As recent as July 13, the first of three special forums to promote PETRA on behalf of HUD and the Obama administration took place at the Urban Institute in Washington D.C., and two other forums are to take place sometime later during July. 

Lynda Carson may be reached at tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com

It appears that due to serious budget shortfalls in Oakland 80 police officers will be laid off. One newscast showed a long list of police services that are expected to be severely reduced. On this list is responding to burglary calls. 

Several years ago Oakland, in the never ending quest to come up with new categories to tax the citizens and raise revenues, decided to charge an annual fee to homeowners, renters and businesses that install burglar alarm systems hooked to monitoring companies. “Fees” and “surcharges” are euphemisms for taxes and allow Oakland to in fact raise taxes by bypassing the ballot. Oakland claims that this fee is needed to cover the high cost of money and manpower to deal with false alarms.  

Alarm owners must register their alarm for a valid permit and provide the required information and pay the annual permit fee of; $25 residential, $35 commercial. If an alarm goes off and the police respond there is a $70 fee charged for each response if the owner does not have a valid permit. Additionally, for all alarms, there is also a false alarm services fee schedule. Each false burglar alarm activation : $84. Each false robbery or panic alarm activation: $156. (Unless canceled by your monitoring center dispatcher prior to police arrival.) Appeals cost $25, a waste of time and money since one is unlikely to win an appeal. Oakland will not release statistics regarding the percentage of appeals that prevail.  

Until this year there was a waiver of the annual permit fee for seniors. This year I qualify for this waiver. Unfortunately, this year the senior waiver has been discontinued. I have an alarm system on my home because, as a widow and senior I fear for my safety and have long felt that the police are unable to provide basic protections to the citizens of Oakland.  

To add insult to injury, the address for sending the annual permit fees is a P O Box in San Francisco! It appears that our dear police department is farming out this collection and registration system to workers in another city. It is also noteworthy that Oakland is not held accountable for providing exact figures for how much money this permit fee process generates and how all of that money is actually spent. It is likely that alarm permit holders are unfairly subsidizing other budget deficits in money strapped Oakland. 

Alarm owners pay monthly monitoring fees, usually in the $20 to $30 range to their alarm company. Besides an enhanced sense of security and peace of mind, having an alarm that is hooked up to monitoring sometimes gains owners an annual homeowners/renters insurance fee reduction or discount. (Now wiped out by the City annual permit fee.) 

What exactly will these fees and fines be providing in burglary protection if the police chose to decline responding to alarm calls? To those stuck paying the “permit fee” it feels more like a “penalty fee” for having an alarm and not trusting the police to meet their basic imperative to “serve and protect” and reduce and prevent burglaries and catch perpetrators. I’ve had an alarm for 26 years and have never had a false alarm requiring police response. Perhaps I would be better off canceling my alarm company and spending my money on a gun? I should have some measure of feeling safe in my home. 

For alarms and monitoring companies to provide burglary protection there must be an appropriate and prompt local police response. If Oakland is going to intentionally reduce appropriate burglary response due to budget cuts there is a strong case for all local alarm service providers to coordinate a class action preemptive lawsuit demanding that Oakland provide timely response to alarm company dispatch calls to the police. Property insurance companies also have a stake in this issue and may decide to join legal action. I am urging my alarm company and homeowners insurance carrier to become proactive in this regard. It is likely that Oakland insurance rates will increase if police response to burglaries declines. 

Further observations and comments on the high cost of the Oakland Police Department shed more light on the disastrous economic situation facing Oakland and the consequences from a decline in law enforcement protections and responses. 

It has been reported in the Oakland Tribune Letter to Editor 6/24/10, Rashidah Grinage, Director of PUEBLO Oakland: “Oakland Taxpayers spend 75 cents of every city tax dollar on police and fire. Lowest starting pay is $71,841 compared to New York City with a 59.4 % higher cost of living starting pay of $46,228.” Also, the 6/29/10 “Our Opinion” piece: “City police employees can retire at age 50 with an annual retirement of $100,000 from a retirement system that they have not had to pay any money into.” 

Obviously, Oakland and other cities cannot afford to continue to compensate employees with such generous packages. I spent my working career as a Local 250 Service Employees Union member. My retirement does not come even close to such lucrative benefits. Historically, the trade union movement in America was fought and struggled over for many years and generations by predominantly blue-collar workers. At one time most union workers were employed by major corporations such as railroads, steel mills, coalmines and factories all across America.  

In more recent years manufacturing jobs in this country have been shipped to third world countries leaving countless workers unemployed and underemployed and struggling with minimum wage/non union jobs. Over the years nurses, hospital workers, teachers, university employees, law enforcement, fire protection, prison guards and many other assorted public employees have become unionized. Instead of corporations and businesses employing the largest portion of unionized workers more likely than not, nowadays union workers are paid with tax dollars. When businesses and corporations were negotiating union contracts they had bottom line financial issues to contend with. If private sector company profits were insufficient, wages and benefits improvements could not be justified. 

Unfortunately, in the public sector there are no CEOs and boards of directors obliged to deal with present and future bottom line cost constraints. Elected officials locally, state and nationally could ignore future realities and acquiesce to union demands and voter/constituent pressure to ever increasing and generous salaries and benefits for workers. Elected officials were/are likely to be retired and living with generous retirement benefits by the time the economic realities come home to roost. 

Unfortunately, tough economic times and financial commitment realities have collided and most lower 48 states and communities are facing impossible budget deficits. Alaska has huge oil interests’ cash to manage economic issues. The rest of the country has generous union benefits that can no longer be sustained without huge tax increases.  

In cities such as Oakland, the population is largely low and moderate-income homeowners. The portion of wealthy taxpayers in Oakland is too small to make up budget shortfalls. It is becoming more apparent that as horrible as bankruptcy is for a community it may be the only way out of long-term obligations to retired public workers. 

The citizens of Oakland need to pay close attention to Vallejo and any other city that goes through the process. Bankruptcy may be the only sensible solution to the many economic problems confronting Oakland. It would allow for a thorough, top to bottom clean out/clean up/streamlining of city government and processes, not to mention sensible and fair renegotiation of all city wide union contracts. Clearly, underserved and crime riddled Oakland residents who live on low incomes and are struggling just to pay rent, mortgages, insurance, taxes, utilities, food, transportation, clothes and other necessary costs of living are less than sympathetic to the plight of highly paid unionized city workers. The majority of us are retiring with little more than minimum Social Security benefits, shrunken 401Ks and minimum private retirement coverage and have seething resentment that the Oakland City Council is now considering putting a property parcel tax on the next ballot of over $300 per parcel to continue to compensate the local city workforce so that they can comparatively live and retire like aging kings and queens. 

By Carol Gesbeck DeWitt

Today’s items: Further efforts to save PACE programs and Berkeley’s leading edge approach to marijuana regulation. 

Ten Square Miles of Influence 

Berkeley has a strange way of influencing legislation and politics throughout the state and around the nation, but not always as it might intend. In the 1970s, for example, Berkeley passed one of the strongest rent control ordinances in the nation only to see significant provisions of it overturned by the 1995 Costa-Hawkins act at the state level. Another example: when Berkeley City Council admonished the US Marine Corp for recruiting downtown, howls of outrage were raised around the nation among military hawks, setting off ridicule on the Internet that persists to this day. 

This is not say that Berkeley was right or wrong in either action, only that consequences can be hard to predict or control. 

Currently, two other initiatives from Berkeley are taking on national significance. First, there are the woes and troubles of the PACE programs (“Property Assessed Clean Energy”) that sprung up around the nation after originating in Berkeley City Hall. Second, there is an odd emerging conservative reaction against the Berkeley marijuana initiative upcoming on the November ballot, not because it liberalizes pot—but because it restrains trade. 

PACE-saving Legislation Introduced 

Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA) has introduced new legislation which, if passed, would conceivably rescue PACE programs. Interestingly, he thinks PACE should be saved by some other means. 

PACE programs, invented in Berkeley, allow a municipality to finance the up-front costs of energy efficiency improvements to residences and commercial structures. In exchange, property taxes on the improved structures go up for a time. After starting in Berkeley, PACE programs spread rapidly throughout the state and to many other states. Recently, as earlier reported in the Berkeley Daily Planet, mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Finance Authority forced the suspension of nearly all PACE programs around the country. In response, Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. filed a suit in federal court in an attempt to force a reversal of those actions. 

Thompson, with 29 Democratic co-sponsors, introduced the “PACE Assessment Protection Act of 2010”. The act would “order lenders to adopt standards that support Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs, rather than stymie green energy efforts,” according to a press release from Thompson’s office.  

The legislative attempt to save PACE comes alongside Brown’s lawsuit and yet there is something odd about both attempts: neither Brown nor Thompson regard their efforts as the desired solution. 

Thompson told the environmental issues blog grist.org, “"I think we can do this without legislation, and I think we should do it without legislation. PACE does everything from reducing greenhouse-gas emissions to creating jobs to reduce our reliance on traditionally generated energy. This is something that needs to continue. There are hundreds of jobs that have been created by this program." 

Brown, similarly, in his letter to President Obama, wrote “I reluctantly filed a lawsuit against these federal entities, but it would be much better to solve this problem without litigation.”  

These are hardly the words of a legislator and an Attorney General who are confident in the success of their attempts to save PACE programs. Perhaps this is because PACE programs have been questioned on both federal and (in multiple states) constitutional grounds.  

For example, as PACE programs took root in New York, government news site “The Capital” reported “Gov. David Paterson’s administration expressed strong concerns that allowing the state and counties to issue PACE bonds would violate a provision in the state constitution that bars public money from going to someone’s private benefit—in this case, the benefit being the reduced utility bills of homeowners.” State constitutional concerns have been raised in Georgia, California, and Washington as well. Additionally, there are concerns that PACE programs violate a provision in the federal Constitution forbidding legislative alteration of contracts.  

PACE advocates have argued that, at least in California and the federal level, PACE programs don’t violate the constitution. If they are mistaken, however, neither Brown’s lawsuit nor Thompson’s proposed legislation can prevail. 

Pot Protectionism? 

Berkeley’s upcoming referendum on revised medical marijuana ordinances is widely regarded as a liberalization of the law. Similarly, the upcoming Prop. 19 legalization issue on the state ballot. Not everyone sees it that way, though. For some, what is at stake is a restraint of trade. Some are in favor, others against. 

Here are two contrasting yet compatible views to contemplate: 

The blog investingcontrarian.com blog writes: “Other cities’ government regulations could be even more severe — As in, forced redistribution of production, trade barriers, and the creation of a marijuana oligopoly: The Berkeley City Council last week approved a measure for the November ballot that would authorize the city to license and tax six pot cultivation sites. Companies running the facilities must agree to give away some pot to low-income users, employ organic gardening methods to the extent possible and offset in some way the large amount of electricity needed to grow weed. 

“Long Beach officials want to reduce the amount of medical marijuana being sold in the city that isn’t grown there.” 

Oddly enough, some marijuana businessmen don’t disagree with the analysis – they just like the trade restraints. A dispensary operator in Venice Beach, CA told Huffington Post: “Last month there were 24 operating marijuana collectives in Venice. A month from now, there will only be two. And we'll be one of them." Later, he remarked, explaining his opposition to proposition 19, “Did you know that Phillip Morris just bought 400 acres of land up in Northern California? The minute marijuana becomes legal, they'll mass produce and flood the market. And of course, they'll add the same toxins they put in regular cigarettes to get you addicted, and very little THC, so you'll have to buy more... In short, they're going to ruin weed.” 

At least they agree about something. 

Until next time, do be in touch: lord@emf.net 

Here’s one from the vaults, in honor of the recent discovery of nesting white-throated swifts at the Lawrence Hall of Science. 

You can hear it over the traffic on Shattuck Avenue: a high-pitched chittering, coming from somewhere overhead. Looking up, you may be able to spot a couple of small, torpedo-shaped black-and-white birds with an elegant Art Deco look, looping through the air above the downtown buildings. They’re white-throated swifts, foraging the urban canyons for airborne insects. 

Swifts are odd birds. Although they have a superficial resemblance to swallows, hummingbirds are their closest relatives (the fossil record suggests hummers had swiftlike ancestors). They’re built for speed, with cylindrical bodies and long narrow wings like miniature sailplanes. They have short legs and pamprodactyl feet, the first and fourth toes capable of pivoting either forward or backward—a good design for clinging to vertical surfaces, like cave walls or cliffs. 

I’ve wondered for years where the downtown swifts built their nests and only recently learned that they use the building across the street from the main library. Like most swifts, white-throats construct shelflike structures of moss, grass, and feathers, glued together with saliva. Some of their relatives, like the edible-nest swiftlet of Southeast Asia and Indonesia, have nests that are almost pure concealed spit, the active ingredient of bird’s-nest soup. Unregulated harvesting of the nests—mostly in hard-to-reach sea caves, although one flock reportedly uses the roof of a Chinese restaurant--has caused drastic population declines in that species.  

Although it’s a relatively common bird, the white-throated swift hasn’t had much attention from ornithologists. We do know that it’s highly social, nesting in colonies and sometimes gathering in flocks of over a thousand. We know that it’s migratory in part of its range, and that—again, like some hummingbirds—it can enter a torpid state when temperatures drop. We know the swift is an insect-eater, sustained by “aerial plankton” that includes both flying insects and others that drift passively on the wind. White-throated swifts have been seen following a combine harvester and scarfing the insects flushed by the machine. 

But there have been few descriptions of the bird’s social behavior. Thomas Ryan and Charles Collins of California State University, Long Beach have filled some of that gap with a recent series of articles in Western Birds. Ryan and Collins observed flocks of white-throated swifts at two Southern California sites, near San Juan Capistrano and Rancho Palos Verdes, monitoring their activity patterns: arrivals at and departures from their overnight roosts. Collins, with other researchers, also intercepted the food parent swifts brought their young and analyzed the contents—mostly flies and true bugs, with a smattering of weevils and the occasional spider or silverfish. (The less common black swift was found to specialize in flying ants, a patchy but rich food source). 

Back to behavior, though: Ryan and Collins describe several characteristic things white-throated swifts do, including the Courtship Fall, the Screaming Party, and the Silent Dread. “Courtship Fall” makes me think of a Butch Hancock song: 

Fools fall in love 

Wise men they fall too 

Wise men hit the bottom 

Fools just fall on through 

I’ve seen Courtship Falls myself, down at Pinnacles National Monument, and they’re pretty spectacular. Here’s W. Leon Dawson, from the 1920s: “The birds come together from opposite directions, engage with the axes of their bodies held at a decided angle laterally, and begin to tumble slowly downward, turning over and over the while for several seconds, or until earth impends, whereupon they separate without further ado.” They’ve been known to plummet for 500 feet. Mating likely takes place during these falls, although it’s also been observed at the nest site.  

Screaming Parties involve large groups of swifts flying past a roost site or nesting colony, all yelling their heads off. Other birds may emerge from the roost to join them. Then they break and go back to foraging. Ryan and Collins don’t provide a context for the behavior, but I have to wonder if it’s anything like the flock screams 

Mark Bittner has seen the cherry-headed conures of Telegraph Hill perform. Maybe it’s just avian exuberance. 

Silent Dreads: who among us hasn’t experienced those? In a Silent Dread, a group of swifts “stops calling and…departs in an uncoordinated rush, regrouping at a substantial distance from the previous center of activity.” They sometimes take place when a credible predator, a peregrine falcon or Cooper’s hawk, is nearby, although never during an actual attack. There’s a higher frequency of Silent Dreads near or after sunset, just before a flock of swifts re-enters a night roost. A swift sees something in the fading light that could be a stooping falcon and somehow, silently, communicates its panic to the whole flock.  

Are these false alarms adaptive? A bird that lives such a high-velocity existence has to be able to react quickly---when a cliff looms up in the fog, when a peregrine comes at you at 200 miles an hour. 

That may be worth an occasional bout of the gratuitous jitters. 

If anyone had doubts about the outcome of recent talks between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Barak Obama, they were put to rest July 13 when Israeli authorities demolished three Palestinian houses and announced the construction of 32 new homes in East Jerusalem. According to the British Guardian, “A further 48 housing units are expected to be approved next week.” 

So much for the “freeze” on evictions and settlement building; so much for the “peace process” According to Jeff Halper of the International Committee against Home Demolitions, “The rule of thumb in this part of the world is that in the run-up to the U.S. elections Israel has a free hand. Israel is now taking advantage of that.” 

The collapse of the “freeze”—which wasn’t a freeze in any case because it did not cover East Jerusalem or “existing settlements”—will spike any negotiations between the Netanyahu government and the Palestinians, and accelerate Israel’s take-over of the West Bank. According to a recent study by the Israeli human rights group, B’Tselem, that process is rapidly reaching the point of no return. 

The B’Tselem report found that settlers now control 42 percent of the West Bank, far more than was previously thought, and much of the land seized from private Palestinian landowners. Any settlement land in the Occupied Territories is considered a violation of international law, but taking privately owned land also contravenes rulings by the Israeli Supreme Court. 

“The settlement enterprise has been characterized, since its inception, by an instrumental, cynical, and even criminal approach to international law, local legislation, Israeli military orders, and Israeli law, which has enabled the continuous pilfering of land from Palestinians in the West Bank,” the report states. 

Settler councils have either fenced off or designated massive tracts of land for future expansion, and they have seized 21 percent of the privately owned land on the West Bank. This drive to take over the entire West Bank has been greatly aided by Israeli government policies, including subsidized housing, tax breaks, bypass roads, and the seizure of scare water resources. 

Israeli groups that oppose the settler expansion, or are critical of government policies vis-à-vis Gaza, are finding themselves increasingly under fire. In recent months demonstrators have been arrested for peacefully assembling and picketing, and a bill that demonizes non-governmental organizations (NGO) that accused the government of war crimes during the 2008-09 “Cast Lead” operation in Gaza is working its way through the Knesset. 

The bill would outlaw any NGO that provides information to foreign or international organization, like the United Nations, that results in a charge of war crimes. When the Israeli government refused to cooperate with the UN’s investigation of Cast Lead, groups like B’Tselem provided about 14 percent of the information that eventually went into the Goldstone Report. The Report found that both Israel and Hamas had committed war crimes. 

According to the Forward, “The proposed legislation would apply to NGOs that provide information directly to accusers, or to NGOs that put information in the public domain that leads to such accusations.” 

Some 17 Knesset members from the Kadima Party and other rightwing parties have signed on to the legislation. Some observers say it has little chance of passing, but that will depend on the position of the government. 

“Instead of defending democracy, the sponsors of this bill prefer to reduce it to ashes,” reads a statement signed by 10 human rights NGOs. 

Polls show the legislation—ramrodded by Kadima Knesset member Ronit Tirosh—has support. A Tel Aviv University survey found that 57.6 percent thought that NGOs that exposed “immoral conduct” by Israel should not be allowed “to operate freely.”  

There is a growing chasm “between the slogans like, ’Israel is a great democracy,’ and ‘the army is the most moral in the world’—and the reality,” says Professor Daniel Bar-Tal who conducted the poll. Israelis, he says, “do not look in the mirror” and do not wish to be reminded by NGOs about their image. The result, he says, is that “the foundations” of democracy in the country are under siege. 

The mood to pull the wagons in a circle has helped revive a push by rightwing Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman to cancel Israeli citizenship for the country’s 1.3 million Arabs, and transfer them to a “Palestinian state.” The plan—which would violate international law—was first proposed in 2003, but then shelved. In the current atmosphere, Lieberman has dusted it off and put it back on the agenda. 

The Obama Administration says Netanyahu accepts a two-start solution, but the Prime Minister has filled his pledge with so many caveats that there appears little possibility that such an entity could ever appear under his government. Indeed, his national security advisor and close friend, Uzi Arad, recently attacked the “magic” of the two-state solution and told a meeting of the Jewish Agency, “The more you market Palestinian legitimacy, the more you bring about a detraction of Israel’s legitimacy.” 

Israel has never been so isolated internationally. Several nations recalled their ambassadors in the aftermath of the Israeli commando raid on the Gaza flotilla, and leading politicians, including Kadima leader Tzipi Livini and Vice Prime Minister Mosche Ya’alon, have decided to curb travel to Britain because they fear an arrest warrant.  

This isolation is likely to get worse with the Goldstone Report coming before the UN’s General Assembly in late July and Turkey assuming the chair of the Security Council in September. 

The current Israeli leadership is a major part of the problem. “Ever since the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin in 1995, Israel has been ruled by one of the stupidest and least responsible leaderships in the world. Their failings have been masked by propaganda and by Israel’s American insurance policy,” says the Independent’s Patrick Cockburn.  

Cockburn points out that the last Israeli military victory was the 1973 war against Syria and Egypt, and that over the past 37 years Israel has lurched from one failure to another. “Israel’s only victories these days are won on the sofa of the White House.” 

The reason, he argues, “is that Israelis believe their own propaganda and their supporters abroad adopt a skewed view of events as if it was an article of faith. Israelis, leaders and followers alike, acquire a wholly distorted picture of the world around them. Hubris breeds self-righteousness and arrogance robs Israel of friends and allies and repeatedly leads its leaders to underestimate their enemies.” 

None of that is likely to be changed by refusing to look in the mirror or by killing the NGO messenger . 

Every Saturday morning, me and my granddaughter Mena do pretty much the same thing. First we walk over to Sconehenge on Shattuck and buy Mena a carrot-zuchini muffin. Then we walk up to Whole Foods on the corner of Telegraph and Ashby and get some bacon and eggs from their "salad bar" breakfast buffet. For just two or three dollars, you can pick up enough bacon and eggs to keep you going all morning. 

And then it's on to the Claremont branch of the Berkeley Public Library for the toddler story time. Mena loves books. Plus they've got a great Lego table in the children's section. 

After that we walk up on College Avenue to pick out a balloon at Sweet Dreams toy store. Today Mena wanted an orange balloon. "Watch out for trees," the sales clerk said. Right you are. Last week's balloon ended up getting popped by a balloon-eating tree. 

Next we turn right on Russell Street, go to Nabalom Bakery, get a nice slice of cheesecake for only two dollars and listen to a jazz band playing oldies on a keyboard, ukulele and slide guitar. And then we walk back home down Stuart Street. 

That's pretty much been our schedule every Saturday for the last year or so, rain or shine. But today was different. Today me and Mena were on a mission -- everywhere we walked, we collected flowers. Sorry, Stuart Street gardeners, but it was for a good cause. 

After the library and the cheesecake and the walk, we went home, got some chalk and went over to write "I love you" on the sidewalk where young Marcus Mosley had been killed Friday night. 

I've known Marcus since he was four years old. He used to play with my son Joe. Joe and Marcus were born just three months apart. Joe will turn 31 this October. Marcus will not. Hearing about Marcus's death was like a punch in the gut for me -- but it must have been so much more terrible and even a whole lot worse for his mother. I can't even imagine what it would be like to lose a son. I can't even imagine the anguish that his mother must be going through right now. 

I remember Marcus when he was seven years old, playing football with Joe and Nigel out in the play area next to Nigel's home. I remember it like it was yesterday. And now Marcus is gone. Shot and killed in a drive-by. "Maybe Marcus was up to no good," someone said. I don't the freak care! I don't care if he was a saint or a devil or an avatar in disguise or whatever. I just want Marcus back here, back home -- and ALIVE. 

Today at a benefit concert for Arnieville, Michael Parenti spoke about the tragedy of Marcus's death and equated Friday's waste of human life here in Berkeley with the daily waste of human life that is constantly going on all over the world -- as the oligarchs and corporatists who own America spend all our wealth on weapons, guns and instruments of death instead of on life. And Parenti is right. 

Imagine a world where guns and weapons are no longer allowed to be manufactured and sold and promoted as being the best way -- the ONLY way -- to solve disagreements or settle feuds. What if mothers all over the world no longer had to cry out for their dead sons? What if the only loud, scary, popping sound we were to ever hear again would only be caused by Mena's balloon running into a tree? 

What if all of us mothers in the world finally united together and said, "No more! Enough! Not one more mother's son more will ever have to die under the gun." 

I think that Marcus would have liked that.  

About one-third of people over age 65 report hearing impairment, hypertension, or heart disease. More than one-third of men and one-half of women over 65 report some form of arthritis. Many people have more than one condition. 

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) conducts research to learn about the changes that take place as we age. The NIA supports the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA), America's longest-running scientific study of human aging. More than 1,400 men and women are currently study volunteers, ranging in age from their 20s to their 90s. Since 1958, more than 1,500 male participants have entered the BLSA. Starting only in 1978, 700 women were enrolled so, considerably less information is available about the female volunteers. 

Changes in the senses have been revealed by the BLSA. The sense of hearing changes with age in most people. There is a progressive loss in the ability to hear sound at all frequencies. Hearing loss in males 70+ years of age is greatest at the highest frequencies. 

Presbycusis is a progressive hearing impairment accompanying age, typically affecting sensitivity to higher frequencies (above about 2 kHz). Otosclerosis is a hardening of the stapes (or stirrup) in the middle ear causing conductive hearing loss. Neither of these changes is considered a disease by the people who define disease… 

For most people, the ability to hear higher sound frequencies begins to diminish in their thirties. However, there is considerable variation when the process begins and in the rate at which it occurs. In one large study, from 2 to 5 times more men aged 30 to 59 showed a decline in ability to hear the higher notes than did women; whatever level of loss that was found, increased from one and a half to 4 times more in each subsequent decade. The diminution in ability to hear high notes is accompanied by a decreased ability to hear louder sounds. Age-related sensory changes can be traced to degeneration in some of the cells that compose the sense organ itself. 

The vowel sounds of words are generally heard in the lower notes and consonant sounds mainly in the higher range. Because most of the information in speech is encoded in the consonant sounds, the loss of high-frequency hearing makes speech unintelligible. About one-third of people over age 65 have hearing impairment to the extent that some unfavorable social consequences can occur. However, some older people who have a hearing loss actually suffer from blockage of the ear canal by normal wax buildup. 

Many people can estimate the age of an older person from the sound of his or her voice, based on such signs as a lower pitch for females (Elaine Stritch), a higher pitch for males, increased hoarseness (Bill Clinton), changes in the rate of speaking, and imprecise articulation. 

xxxx 

True or false? 

Medicare does not provide even partial coverage of hearing aid costs… In California, there is no charge for a deaf person to obtain an amplified phone… Rush Limbaugh's hearing loss was at least in part caused by narcotic pain killers … In the U.S., there are Telecommunications Relay Services enabling a hearing impaired person to communicate over the phone with a hearing person via a human translator… Use of the term impaired implies that deafness presents an inherent disadvantage, a view that is rejected within the Deaf Culture… Most private U.S. health care providers do not provide coverage for hearing aids … The cost of hearing aids is a tax-deductible medical expense… For low-income senior citizens whose rents are subsidized under HUD Section 8, whether costs related to hearing aids are viewed as medical expense and or acceptable to the project operator when computing ones annual rent recertification is up for grabs… Helen Keller believed that “The problems of deafness are deeper and more complex, if not more important, than the problems of blindness.”… 

They are all true! 

Medicare does not cover hearing aids for adults. However, diagnostic 

evaluations are covered if they are ordered by a physician for the purpose of assisting the physician in developing a treatment plan. Since Medicare has declared the BAHA ( Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid) implant a prosthetic device and not a hearing aid, Medicare will cover the BAHA if other coverage policies are met. Some nonprofit organizations provide financial assistance for hearing aids, while others may help provide used or refurbished aids. Contact the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders’ (NIDCD’s) Information Clearinghouse with questions about organizations that offer financial assistance for hearing aids.  

Commentators have speculated that radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh 's hearing loss was at least in part caused by his admitted addiction to narcotic pain killers, in particular Vicodin and OxyContin. Some medications cause irreversible damage to the ear, and are therefore limited in their use. Extremely heavy hydrocodone (Vicodin or Lorcet) abuse is known to cause hearing impairment. Various medications may reversibly affect hearing. They include some diuretics, aspirin, NSAIDs, and macrolide antibiotics. 

The Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program (DDTP) is a California State mandated program, administered by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). The programs are funded by a surcharge on all telephone bills in the state. This surcharge appears on bills as "CA Relay Service and Communications Devices Fund." The DDTP has 2 components: The California Telephone Access Program (CTAP) which provides assistive telephone devices, and the California Relay Service (CRS). 

Use of the term impaired implies that deafness presents an inherent disadvantage, a view that is rejected within the Deaf culture movement, where the terms Deaf and hard of hearing are preferred. 

In the U.S., U.K., Netherlands and many other Western nations, there are Telecommunications Relay Services so a hearing impaired person can communicate over the phone with a hearing person via a human translator. 

Most private U.S. health care providers do not provide coverage for hearing aids, so all costs are usually borne by the recipient. 

The cost of hearing aids is a tax-deductible medical expense. 

For low-income senior citizens whose rents are subsidized under HUD Section 8, whether hearing aid-related costs may or may not be acceptable as health-related medical expenses when one’s annual rent recertification is computed is “unpredictable”. 

Helen Adams Keller (1880-1968) was an American author, political activist and lecturer and the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. The story of how Keller's teacher, Anne Sullivan, broke through the isolation imposed by a near complete lack of language, allowing the girl to blossom as she learned to communicate, has become known worldwide through the dramatic depictions of the play and film The Miracle Worker. 

xxxx 

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: 

“ Insurance Agents Trained to Take Advantage of Seniors ,” reported California Health Advocates in June. Agents for 100-year-old insurance giant, Bankers Life and Casualty, were caught on tape training new recruits how to take advantage of the elderly. A report produced by American news magazine Inside Edition has prompted the U.S. Senate Committee on Aging (neither California Senator is a member) to launch an investigation into company practices. Among the many questionable sales pitches used is calling on seniors to sell them Medicare supplemental insurance (Medigaps), but switching the subject to annuities as soon as they arrive. Agents were told to think of themselves as “buzzards” and the elderly as their “prey.” Trainers told them to play on the fears of seniors, particularly their fear of confinement to a nursing home. “You need to almost bring them to tears,” said one. One even encouraged company agents to drive elderly clients to the bank to close a deal. (For further information about California Health Advocates and Medicare, contact Karen Fletcher, MPH, California Health Advocates. Medicare: Policy, Advocacy and Education http://www.cahealthadvocates.org/ http://blog.cahealthadvocates.org/ 

Potatoes and strawberries among the Dirty Dozen? Yes! July’s Tri-Center Nugget reprints USDA lists of fruits and vegetables with the lowest and highest average levels of chemicals and pesticide residues. Sweet corn and cantaloupe are among the Clean 15. 

!SINGLE PAYER, UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE IN CALIFORNIA! 

Helen Rippier Wheeler can be reached at pen136@dslextreme.com 

No email attachments; use “Senior Power” for subject. 

Well, apparently people outside of Berkeley do read the Planet online. After my last column I got an email and a phone call from someone in NACA’s Online Operations department, offering help. Of course it’s all been phone tag since then, but maybe he’ll be able to help. I did speak with a NACA negotiator last Friday, who reopened my file, but of course now I have to fax two forms I’ve already faxed previously, because apparently they start to stink like dead fish after ninety days, or something.  

She also told me that at the Save the Dream event in DC, I needed to get in line early. Asked to define early, she suggested “the night before.” I guess it’s all part of the many indignities in the process. But seriously- do you think in the internet age there could be something like first come-first served online registration, or they could hand out wristbands like they do at the Apple store when a new I-Phone comes out? Apparently not. Or do you think they could provide a checklist of the documents you need to bring with you? Because I won’t exactly be going home to my house in suburban Virginia to get anything I forgot. The good thing about the event is that at least the lenders won’t be able to claim they didn’t get the paperwork, and as the negotiator said, they won’t be able to run away. 

I’ve been doing a little online research into the whole HAMP mortgage modification scam, and apparently the new horror is lenders rescinding “permanent modifications” on completely flimsy excuses, demanding back payments and huge fees, and then foreclosing. This after using the temporary modifications to ruin people’s credit and put them even further into a hole they can never get out of. It’s turned into a really ugly world- we’re no longer citizens, the elites just view us as serfs. It’s indentured servitude- to the corporations. They want us desperate and in debt, willing to take any job at any wage they care to pay. 

And speaking of hateful corporations, the only corporations I hate more than banks are insurance companies. When I bought my house, the only insurance I could get was through Lloyd’s of London. No one else would take me because my house has “GASP” knob-and-tube wiring. Now, knob-and-tube wiring in good condition, that hasn’t had any funky modifications done to it, is perfectly safe. But insurance companies have set themselves up as the arbiters of what is allowable- in fact, the building codes are largely driven by insurance companies, who have made a study of how people injure themselves in houses, and how to prevent these injuries. They are not interested in preventing injuries and death because they care about human lives- they are interested in preventing injuries and death so they never have to pay claims. So insurers have refused to insure houses with knob-and-tube wiring, in some cases they have refused to insure houses with galvanized plumbing, and have even refused to insure houses on which there had been a previous insurance claim, even if it was something like a tree falling on the house during a storm. And of course you know that they have a database, and that if you call your agent to inquire about making a claim, even if you don’t actually do so, it goes into the database as a claim, possibly causing your rates to go up. And God forbid you actually make a claim- that will cause your rate to double. Insurance has turned into nothing more than legalized extortion. 

Anyway, I thought I’d give it another try, that maybe I could get another insurer to take on my house, and maybe save a little money. So I called a local agent, said I was looking for a homeowner policy, and wondered if knob-and-tube wiring would be a problem. She said no, worked up a quote, and sent someone out to take pictures of the house. Then I didn’t hear anything for a couple of days. When I finally called to see what was happening, I was told the underwriter had a problem with my unpainted trim- that it was “unprotected” and did I have any plans to paint it in the near future? I explained that it had been unpainted for 105 years, was not intended to be painted, and no, I was not going to paint it. I think they were just looking for an excuse not to offer the policy. Back to Lloyd’s of London. 

Jane Powell writes for the Planet whenever she feels like it. Enjoy it while you can, and contact her at hsedressng@aol.com. 

They say there are four seasons in California: fire, slide, flood, and quake. Fire is the one that most concerns me each year, since the home that my husband and I built in 1948 above the Clarement Hotel was lost in the Firestorm of 1991.  

Luckily, because we had built the house ourselves, we had the advantage of knowing we could do it again. So, joined in the process by our original architect, the three of us reunited, four decades older, but no less determined and enthusiastic, in the challenging and fulfilling task of rebuilding our home in the hills. 

More than a decade after the rebuild, sitting at my desk overlooking the glorious view of the San Francisco Bay, surrounded by new oaks and lush re-growth, the devastating firestorms in San Diego prompted me to write “Our Home, Our Passion. ” to encourage the fire victims to rebuild. Ours is the story of building two homes, of paradise lost and regained, in two very different eras. It is also a story of learning a difficult but wondrous lesson: to go with the flow; a lesson I must embrace, as the publication of the book has opened me to new experiences, not the least of which is performing readings for the public, at Montclair’s A Great Good Place for Books, for Mills College alumni, and, next up, on July 29th, at University Press Books in Berkeley. 

My story begins with discovering the site, in the then uninhabited hills above the bay, that would turn us into pioneering homebuilders. What follows is a selection from Chapter 7, “Higgenbotham et al”: 

Even though we had intended to build our home entirely with our own hands, we gladly welcomed Higginbotham into our lives. Higginbotham was to become our legendary hero. He was the one who demolished my husband’s wall as Henry put his thumb bob against his four foot block wall and proudly challenged him to build one as straight. With his contemptuous reply, Higginbotham boomed, “You make it easy for me. I’ll have your wall, as well as your massive chimney, up to grade in less than two weeks.” True to his word he finished in ten days. Had it been one more day, I wouldn’t be here to tell the tale... 

...To see the walls and piers that we had struggled all summer to get up to four feet, rise to eight feet, was so exhilarating that we slaved willingly. No matter that our hands were scraped raw, our backs were breaking from the strain of lifting blocks, that we were choking from cement dust and exhausted from too little sleep and a skimpy diet, we carried on, never complaining, not even to each other. 

Then fate stepped in to save us from this death struggle. Higginbotham, while jumping from one scaffold to another, slipped and sprained his knee badly. Any normal human would have been out of a commission for a week. Not our hero. He wrapped his knee in an Ace bandage and kept on working. However, the sprain slowed him down just enough to set a pace that we could handle. 

It wasn’t until the last day when the walls were up to grade and the massive chimney completed, that Higginbotham surveyed the job and became enamored of his handiwork. I can see him leaning against an impressive front pier sneering, “Would you take a hundred thousand dollars for this place?” I still hear my husband’s response, “Nothing but the gravest calamity could drive us from this place.”  

Elaine C. McGee is a published writer and poet. In her 9ist year, she continues to write from her home in the hills. Information: www.ourhomeourpassion.com Elaine will be reading and signing copies of OUR HOME OUR PASSION on July 29 at 5:30 pm at University Press Books, 2430 Bancroft Way Berkeley, CA 94704-1609 (510) 548-0585. 

ALTARENA PLAYHOUSE  

"Steel Magnolias," by Robert Harling, through Aug. 8, Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m.; Jul. 29, Aug. 5, 8 p.m. Truvy's beauty salon in small-town Louisiana is the social nucleus for a close-knit circle of women. $19-$22.  

1409 High St., Alameda. (510) 523-1553, www.altarena.org.< 

BERNAL COMMUNITY PARK  

OPENING -- "Two Gentlemen of Verona," by William Shakespeare, July 24 through Aug. 8, Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 p.m.; Jul. 31, 6 p.m. Julia conspires to win back Proteus by dressing up like a boy.  

Off Valley Ave. south of Bernal Ave., Pleasanton. < 

CALIFORNIA SHAKESPEARE THEATER  

"Mrs. Warren's Profession," by George Bernard Shaw, through Aug. 10, Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 4 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Forthright Cambridge student Vivie Warren comes home to discover a shocking secret about her mother and the source of her family fortune.  

$112-$220 for series. Bruns Memorial Amphitheater, 100 Gateway Blvd., Orinda. (510) 548-9666, www.calshakes.org.< 

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, EAST BAY (HAYWARD CAMPUS)  

"New Works Showcase," July 26 through July 27, 8 p.m. Featuring women empowering women by taking on their relationships with the opposite sex.  

"Halie!," by Wendy E. Taylor, July 29 through Aug. 1, Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 4 p.m. The life and legacy of Mahalia Jackson is recreated onstage. $5-$15.  

25800 Carlos Bee Blvd., Hayward. www.csueastbay.edu.< 

CASA PERALTA Once the home of descendants of the 19th-century Spanish soldier and Alameda County landowner Don Luis Maria Peralta, the 1821 adobe was remodeled in 1926 as a grand Spanish villa, using some of the original bricks. The casa features a beautiful Moorish exterior design and hand painted tiles imported from Spain, some of which tell the story of Don Quixote. The interior is furnished in 1920s decor. The house will be decorated for the holidays during the month of December. Call ahead to confirm hours. 

OPENING -- "Earth vs. Altair, Queen of Outer Space! Episode II, the Deadly Ray," by Daniel Dickinson, July 24 through Aug. 22, Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. San Leandro Players Theatre Company presents the saga of Pilot Craig Domer. $10-$15. www.sanleandroplayers.org. 

Free but donations accepted. Friday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 384 Estudillo Ave., San Leandro. (510) 577-3474, (510) 577-3491, www.ci.sanleandro. ca.us/sllibrarycasaperalta.html.< 

CONCANNON VINEYARD  

"Romeo and Juliet," by William Shakespeare, through Aug. 7, Jul. 10-11; 18, 24, Aug. 1, 6-7. Featuring Patrick Jones, Jennifer Le Blanc, Hope Mirlis, Ryan Taster, Joseph Salazar, Ashley Wickett, William Wolak and Tiffany Hoover. $25-$39.  

OPENING -- "The Real Thing," by Tom Stoppard, through July 31, Jul. 16-1, 23, 25, 30-31. Featuring Patrick Jones, Jennifer Le Blanc, Hope Mirlis, Ryan Taster, Joseph Salazar, Ashley Wickett, William Wolak and Tiffany Hoover. $25-$39.  

4590 Tesla Road, Livermore. < 

DIABLO ACTORS ENSEMBLE THEATRE  

"Laughter on the 23rd Floor," through Aug. 7, Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. A team of writers vie for the approval of Max Prince, the star of '50s TV variety show. $10-$25.  

1345 Locust Street, Walnut Creek. (925) 482-5110, www.diabloactors.com.< 

JULIA MORGAN CENTER FOR THE ARTS  

CLOSING -- "The Mothers of Ludlow," through July 25, Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. Youth Musical Theater Company presents a world premiere musical drama about the massacre of striking coal miners and their families in Ludlow, Colorado in 1914. $12-$22.  

OPENING -- "Chicago," July 30 through Aug. 1, Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. Stage Door Conservatory's Teens on Stage Ensemble presents this musical  

2640 College Ave., Berkeley. (510) 845-8542, www.juliamorgan.org.< 

LA PENA CULTURAL CENTER  

"La Esquinita USA," through July 23, 8 p.m. Ruben C. Gonzalez presents a solo performance about a town whose main source of employment has gone to China. $8-$10.  

3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 849-2568, www.lapena.org.< 

LESHER CENTER FOR THE ARTS  

"The Pirates of Penzance," July 29 through July 31, 8 p.m. Lamplighters Music Theatre presents a comedy by Gilbert and Sullivan. $17-$50. (925) 943-7469. 

1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. (925) 943-7469, www.lesherartscenter.com.< 

LIVE OAK THEATRE  

OPENING -- "Blithe Spirit," by Noel Coward, July 23 through Aug. 21, 8 p.m. A medium and his two wives vie for his attention. $12-$15.  

1301 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 841-5580.< 

THE MARSH BERKELEY  

CLOSING -- "East 14th -- True Tales of a Reluctant Player," through Aug. 1, Jun. 18, 20, 26-27, Jul. 2-3, 9, 11, 16, 18, 24-5, 31, Aug. 1; Friday, 9 p.m.; Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 7 p.m. Hear the true tale of a young man raised by his mother and ultra-strict stepfather as a middle class, straight-A, god-fearing church boy. $20-$50  

The Gaia Building, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. Info: (415) 826-5750, Tickets: (800) 838-3006, www.themarsh.org.< 

WILLARD PARK  

"Possibilidad," July 24 through July 25, 2 p.m. San Francisco Mime Troupe presents a modern song and tango about politics in the workplace. Free. (415) 285-1717, www.sfmt.org. 

Hillegass Avenue and Derby Street, Berkeley. < 

WILLOWS THEATRE COMPANY  

CLOSING -- "Avenue Q," through Aug. 1, Wednesday, 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday, 3 p.m. This "adult Sesame Street'' romp features puppets and live actors in highenergy, naughty fun. $25-$30.  

Willows Theatre, Willows Shopping Center, 1975 Diamond Blvd., Concord. (925) 798-1300, www.willowstheatre.org.<

BOOKS INC., BERKELEY  

Frank Bruni, July 26, 7 p.m. The author talks about "Born Round.''  

Suzanne Rivecca, July 27, 7 p.m. The author talks about "Death is Not an Option.''  

Harold Jaffe, July 28, 7 p.m. The author talks about "Anti-Twitter.''  

David Neiwert and John Amato, July 29, 7 p.m. The author talks about "Over the Cliff.''  

1760 4th Street, Berkeley. (510) 525-7777, www.booksinc.net.< 

CENTURY HOUSE  

"Laugh Out Loud Poetry," Aug. 1, 2-4 p.m. Pleasanton Poet Laureate Deborah Grossman hosts an afternoon of humor. $5.  

2401 Santa Rita Road, Pleasanton. (925) 931-5350, www.civicartsliterary.org.< 

DIESEL, A BOOKSTORE  

Stefanie Syman, July 25, 3 p.m. The author talks about "The Subtle Body.''  

Dian Kirsten Martin and Lisa Gluskin Stonestreet, Aug. 1, 3 p.m. Martin reads from "Conjugated Visits'' and Stonestreet reads from "Tulips, Water, Ash.''  

5433 College Avenue, Oakland. (510) 653-9965.< 

EASTWIND BOOKS  

Brian Tom, July 24, 3:30 p.m. The author talks about "Sacramento's Chinatown.''  

2066 University Ave., Berkeley. (510) 548-2350.< 

MOE'S BOOKS  

Bettina Rotenberg, July 27, 7:30 p.m. The author talks about "I Dare to Stop the Wind: Challenging Children in the Public Schools Through the Arts and Poetry.''  

Stefanie Marlis and Carol Moldaw, July 29, 7:30 p.m. Marlis talks about "Cloudlife'' and Moldaw talks about "So Late, So Soon: New and Selected Poems.''  

Laura Regan, July 31, 10:30 p.m. The author talks about "Pierre the Penguin.''  

10 a.m.-11 p.m. daily. 2476 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley. (510) 849-2087, www.moesbooks.com.< 

MRS. DALLOWAY'S  

Adrienne McDonnell, July 29, 7:30 p.m. The author talks about "The Doctor and the Diva.''  

2904 College Avenue, Berkeley. (510) 704-8222.<

"BAY AREA HEART GALLERY," -- Exhibit consists of photographs of children, youth and families, accompanied by their compelling stories. The joint exhibit opens in the Alameda County Administration Building, 1221 Oak Street, Oakland and at the Eden Area Multi-Service Center, 24100 Amador Way, Hayward. 

Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.< 

ALBANY ARTS GALLERY  

CLOSING -- "Silk Painting," through July 31. Works by Natasha Foucault.  

1251 Solano Ave., Albany. (510) 526-9558.< 

ALPHONSE BERBER GALLERY  

Kamau Patton, through Aug. 7. Works by the artist.  

2546 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. < 

BEDFORD GALLERY  

"Unbound: A National Exhibition of Book Art," through Sept. 19. Works by Ed Ruscha, Andy Warhol, Sas Colby, Lisa Kokin, Francesca Patine, Maria Porges, Nancy Selvin, Richard Shaw and others.  

$3 general; $2 youth ages 12 through 17; free children ages 12 and under; free Tuesdays. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. (925) 295-1417, www.bedfordgallery.org.< 

CHANDRA CERRITO CONTEMPORARY  

CLOSING -- "Stillness," through July 24. Works by Keira Kotler.  

480 23rd St., Oakland. (415) 577-7537, www.chandracerrito.com.< 

COMPOUND GALLERY  

"Compounding," through Aug. 8. Annual group exhibition and open studios.  

1167 65th St., Oakland. (510) 817-4042.< 

CRAFT AND CULTURAL ARTS GALLERY  

"Celebration of Life," through Aug. 27. Works by Michael Grbich.''  

Free. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. State of California Office Building, 1515 Clay St., Oakland. (510) 622-8190, www.oaklandculturalarts.org.< 

EXPRESSIONS GALLERY  

"Labor and Art," through Aug. 6. Group art show features paintings, photography, sculpture, mixed media, digital art, monotypes and more.  

Free. Wednesday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-3 p.m. 2035 Ashby Ave., Berkeley. (510) 644-4930, www.expressionsgallery.org/.< 

GALLERY 555 --  

CLOSING -- Nemo Gould, through July 30. Presented by the Oakland Museum of California.  

Free. Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; third Thursdays, 7 a.m-8 p.m. Oakland City Center, 555 12th St., Oakland. < 

GALLERY CONCORD  

"Summertime Hues," through Sept. 25. Works by Irene Brydon and Susan Helmer.  

1765 Galindo St., Concord. (925) 691-6140.< 

HALL OF PIONEERS GALLERY  

"Oakland Chinatown Pioneers," Twelve showcases, each focusing on historic leaders and personalities of the community.  

Free. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Chinese Garden Building, 275 Seventh St., Oakland. (510) 530-4590.< 

K GALLERY  

CLOSING -- "The Locals II," through July 31. Works by Jon Kerpel, Ginny Parsons, K.C. Rosenberg, Peter Tonningsen and Danielle Wallis.  

Free. Thursday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. 2515 Blanding Ave., Alameda. (510) 865-5062, www.rhythmix.org.< 

LAFAYETTE GALLERY  

"Summer Daze," through Aug. 7. Works by Nancy Hartley and Jill Landau.  

50 Lafayette Circle, Lafayette. www.lafayettegallery.net.< 

OLIVE HYDE ART GALLERY  

OPENING -- "Domicile," July 23 through Aug. 21. Works by Carol Lawton, Sally Sellers, Mary White.  

Free. Thursday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m. 123 Washington Blvd., Fremont. (510) 791-4357, www.olivehydeartguild.org/.< 

PHOTOLAB  

CLOSING -- "Between Borders," through July 31. Works by Patricia Monaco.  

2235 5th St., Berkeley. (510) 644-1400, www.photolabratory.com.< 

ROYAL NONESUCH GALLERY  

CLOSING -- "Alula Editions," through July 30. Works by Jason Jagel.  

4231 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. (415) 690-3041, www.royalnonesuchgallery.com.< 

SUN GALLERY  

"High Art," through Sept. 25. Works by local high school students and high school homeschoolers.  

1015 E. St., Hayward. (510) 581-4050, www.sungallery.org.< 

TRAYWICK CONTEMPORARY  

"2-D/3-D," through Sept. 18. Works by Mari Andrews, Jessica Martin, David McDonald, Aurora Robson and Lucrecia Troncoso.  

895 Colusa Ave., Berkeley. (510) 527-1214.<

BERKELEY ART MUSEUM AND PACIFIC FILM ARCHIVE  

SLEEP, July 23, 7:30 p.m. Featuring Liz Harris and Eugene Petrushansky. $5.  

Gamelan Sekar Jaya, July 30, 7:30 p.m. The percussion ensemble and dancers performing $5.  

2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. < 

CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD  

Temescal String Quartet, July 25, 7 p.m. Works by Samuel Barber Robert Schumann. $12-$15. (510) 769-2968. 

1005 Hearst Ave., Berkeley. (510) 549-1433, www.goodshepherdberkeley.org.< 

CROWDEN MUSIC CENTER  

Lee/Graber Duo, through July 23, Jul. 16, 20, 23, 7:30 p.m. Wayne Lee and Miles Graber play the complete Beethoven violin sonatas. Free. (510) 388-7437. 

1475 Rose St., Berkeley. (510) 559-6910, www.crowdenmusiccenter.org.< 

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF BERKELEY  

"Midsummer Mozart Festival Program Two," July 25, 7 p.m. All-Mozart program features performances by pianist Seymour Lipkin and basso Jeremy Galyon. George Cleve conducts. $20-$65. (415) 627-4191, www.midsummermozart.org. 

2345 Channing Way, Berkeley. (510) 848-3696, www.fccb.org.< 

FIRST COVENANT CHURCH OF OAKLAND  

"Summer Sing-ins," through Aug. 10, 7 p.m. Jul. 27: Haydn's "Lord Nelson Mass,'' conducted by Michael Morgan.  

4000 Redwood Road, Oakland. (510) 531-5244, www.oaklandfcc.org.< 

HOLY NAMES UNIVERSITY CHAPEL  

"Kodaly Institue Choral Performance," July 30, 7:30 p.m. Judit Hartyanyi conducts. Free.  

3500 Mountain Blvd., Oakland. < 

ORINDA COMMUNITY CENTER  

Open Opera, July 25, 4 p.m. Opera singers perform classics and favorites. Free. (510) 547-2471, www.openopera.net. 

26 Orinda Way, Orinda. (925) 254-2445, www.ci.orinda.ca.us/.< 

PERFORMING ARTS THEATER, EL CERRITO HIGH SCHOOL  

"Legend of the Ring," July 31 through Aug. 8, Jul. 31, Aug. 6 and 8, 8 p.m.; Aug. 4, 7:30 p.m. Works by Wagner. $25-$65. www.berkeleyopera.org. 

540 Ashbury Ave., El Cerrito. < 

RETZLAFF VINEYARDS  

"A Picnic and Opera in a Vineyard," Aug. 1, 5 p.m. Arias from classic operas are performed by professional singers in an informal setting. $30-$35. www.livermorevalleyopera.org. 

1356 S. Livermore Ave., Livermore. <

ACTORS THEATRE OF SAN FRANCISCO  

"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," through Sept. 4, Wednesday-Saturday, 8 p.m. A wealthy Southern family deals with a shocking revelation. $26-$38.  

855 Bush St., San Francisco. (415) 345-1287, (866) 468-3399, www.actorstheatresf.org or www.ticketweb.com.< 

BEACH BLANKET BABYLON This long-running musical follows Snow White as she sings and dances her way around the world in search of her prince. Along the way she encounters many of the personalities in today's headlines, including Nancy Pelosi, Condoleezza Rice, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Harry Potter, Tiger Woods, Oprah Winfrey, Britney Spears, Dianne Feinstein, Barbara Boxer, Hillary Clinton, George and Laura Bush, Michael Jackson, Martha Stewart, Tom Cruise, Angelina, characters from Brokeback Mountain and Paris Hilton. Persons under 21 are not admitted to evening performances, but are welcome to Sunday matinees. 

"Steve Silver's Beach Blanket Babylon," Wednesday and Thursday, 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.  

$25-$78. Club Fugazi, 678 Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd. (formerly Green Street), San Francisco. (415) 421-4222, www.beachblanketbabylon.com.< 

CHANCELLOR HOTEL UNION SQUARE  

"Eccentrics of San Francisco's Barbary Coast," Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m. Audiences gather for a 90-minute show abounding with local anecdotes and lore presented by captivating and consummate conjurers and tale-tellers. $30.  

433 Powell St., San Francisco. (877) 784-6835, www.chancellorhotel.com.< 

CLIMATE THEATRE  

"The Clown Cabaret at the Climate," First Monday of the month, 7 and 9 p.m. Hailed as San Francisco's hottest ticket in clowning, this show blends rising stars with seasoned professionals on the Climate Theater's intimate stage. $10-$15.  

285 Ninth St., Second Floor, San Francisco. www.climatetheater.com.< 

EUREKA THEATRE  

"Piaf: Love Conquers All," through Aug. 7, Tuesday-Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 3 and 8 p.m. Naomi Emmerson stars in this musical tribute. $25-$36.  

215 Jackson St., San Francisco. (415) 255-8207, (415) 978-2787, www.42ndstmoon.org/42newweb/finding/eureka.htm or www.ticketweb.com/.< 

EXIT THEATRE  

"Obscura -- A Magic Show," through Aug. 14, Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m. Featuring illusionist Christian Cagigal. $15-$25.  

"San Francisco Olympians Festival," through July 31, 8 p.m. No Nude Men Productions presents staged readings of 12 new full-length plays by 14 local writers, each focusing on one of the 12 Olympian gods of ancient Greece. Plays include "Dionysus'' by Nathan Tucker (Jul. 8), "Apollo'' by Garret Groenveld (Jul. 9), "Poseidon'' by Bryce Allemann, Danca Constance and Kathy Hicks (Jul. 10), "Hermes'' by Ben Fisher (Jul. 15), "Artemis'' by M.R. Fall (Jul. 16), "Zeus'' by Helen Noakes (Jul. 17), "Demeter'' by Claire Ann Rice (Jul. 22), "Aphrodite'' by Nirmala Nataraj (Jul. 23), "Ares'' by Sean Kelly (Jul. 24), "Athena'' by Ashley Cowan (Jul. 29), "Hera'' by Stuart Bousel (Jul. 30) and "Hephaestus'' by Evelyn Jean Pine (Jul. 31). $10.  

OPENING -- "A Most Notorious Woman," by Maggie Cronin, July 23 through Aug. 14. One-woman show features Christina Augello as the Irish pirate queen Grace O'Malley. $15-$25.  

OPENING -- "Agnes the Barbarian," by Jason Harding, July 30 through Aug. 14, Thursday-Sunday, 8 p.m. Thunderbird Theatre Company presents an original play that is part homage, part lampoon of the sword and sorcery genre. $20-$25.  

156 Eddy St., San Francisco. (415) 673-3847, www.theexit.org.< 

GOLDEN GATE THEATRE  

CLOSING -- "Young Frankenstein," by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, through July 25, Wednesday and Sunday, 2 and 8 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. When Frederick Frankenstein, an esteemed New York brain surgeon and professor, inherits a castle and laboratory in Transylvania from his grandfather, deranged genius Victor Von Frankenstein, he faces a dilemma. Does he continue to run from his family's tortured past or does he stay in Transylvania to carry on his grandfather's mad experiments reanimating the dead and, in the process, fall in love with his sexy lab assistant Inga? $30-$99.  

1 Taylor St., San Francisco. (415) 512-7770, www.shnsf.com.< 

THE MARSH  

"The Mock Cafe," Stand-up comedy performances. Saturday, 10 p.m. $7.  

"The Monday Night Marsh," An ongoing series of works-in-progress. Monday, 8 p.m. $7.  

EXTENDED -- "The Real Americans," by Dan Hoyle, through Sept. 25, Thursday and Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 5 p.m.; Sunday, 3 p.m. Hoyle connects liberal city life with small-town America. $18-$50.  

1062 Valencia St., San Francisco. (415) 826-5750, www.themarsh.org.< 

NEW CONSERVATORY THEATRE CENTER  

"Cowardly Things," through July 31, Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m. Cindy Goldfield and Scrumbly Koldewyn explore and evaluate the work of Noel Coward. $20-$28.  

25 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 861-8972, www.nctcsf.org.< 

OFF-MARKET THEATER  

"City Solo," Aug. 1 through Aug. 22, Sunday, 7 p.m. Aug. 1 show features Mary Samson's "Bedside Drawer,'' Thao P. Nguyen "Fortunate Daughter,'' Howard Petrick's "Rambo: The Missing Years'' and Zahra Noorbahksh's "All Atheists Are Muslim.'' $15-$20.  

965 Mission St., San Francisco. < 

OUR LITTLE THEATER  

"What Mama Said About Down There," through Aug. 28, Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m. An "educational show'' for ages 18 and up. $15.  

287 Ellis St., San Francisco. (415) 928-4060.< 

PHOENIX THEATRE  

CLOSING -- "How the Other Half Loves," by Alan Ayckbourn, through July 31, Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m. Three maried couples are tangled up in love, laughter, meals and mayhem. $35.  

414 Mason St., Sixth Floor, San Francisco. (800) 838-3006, www.offbroadwaywest.org.< 

SAN FRANCISCO COMEDY COLLEGE CLUBHOUSE (800) 838-3006, www.clubhousecomedy.com.  

"Hump Day Comedy," Host Rich Stimbra and a variety of stand-up comics will get you over the Wednesday work hump. BYOB for 21 and over. Wednesday, 8 p.m. $5. 

"Naked Comedy," A comedy showcase featuring some of the best comedians in San Francisco. BYOB for 21 and over. Saturdays, 9 p.m. $10. 

414 Mason St., Suite 705, San Francisco. (415) 921-2051, www.sfcomedycollege.com.< 

SHELTON THEATER  

"Shopping! The Musical," by Morris Bobrow, A quick-paced musical about those obsessed with buying things. Friday-Saturday, 8 p.m. $27-$29. www.shoppingthemusical.com. 

Big City Improv, Friday, 10 p.m. $20. (510) 595-5597, www.bigcityimprov.com. 

533 Sutter St., San Francisco. (415) 433-1227, www.sheltontheater.com or www.sheltontheater.com.< 

STAGE WERX THEATRE  

"Nymph O' Mania," by Morgan Ludlow, through Aug. 15, Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m. Willy West Productions presents a modern twist on "A Midsummer Night's Dream.'' $12-$24.  

533 Sutter Street, San Francisco. < 

THICK HOUSE  

"Bay Area Playwrights Festival," July 23 through Aug. 1. Plays include Erin Marie Bregman's "Tva Kamila,'' Sheila Callaghan's "Port Out, Starboard Home,'' Jeanne Drennan's "Atlas of Longing,'' Elizabeth Gjelten's "Hunter's Point,'' Yussef El Guindi's "Three Wolves and a Lamb,'' Cory Hinkle's "The Killing of Michael X, A New Film by Celia Wallace,'' JC Lee's "Pookie Goes Grenading'' and Steven M. Salzman's "The Expiration Date.''  

1695 18th St., San Francisco. www.thickhouse.org.<

924 GILMAN ST. -- All ages welcome. 

Violation, Decent Criminal, IV, Detach Dolls, Automatic Machine, Spirits in the Basement, July 30, 7:30 p.m.  

$5 unless otherwise noted. Shows start Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 924 Gilman St., Berkeley. (510) 525-9926, www.924gilman.org.< 

ALBATROSS PUB  

Whiskey Brothers, First and third Wednesdays, 9 p.m. Free.  

Derek Smith, July 24, 9:30 p.m. $3.  

Free unless otherwise noted. Shows begin Wednesday, 9 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 1822 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. (510) 843-2473, www.albatrosspub.com.< 

ARMANDO'S  

Savannah Blue, July 23, 8 p.m. $10.  

Epicenter, July 24, 8 p.m. $10.  

Derek Rolando, Ray Obiedo and Friends, July 25, 3 p.m. $10.  

Blues Jam, July 26, 7-10 p.m. $3.  

Bluegrass Jam, July 28, 7 p.m. $3.  

Gillette Brothers, July 29, 8 p.m. $15-$20.  

Jeff Magidson Blues Band, July 30, 8 p.m. $10.  

Wendy Dewitt and Friends, 8 p.m. $10.  

707 Marina Vista Ave., Martinez. (925) 228-6985, www.armandosmartinez.com.< 

ASHKENAZ  

Play Live Dead, Thugz, David Gans, July 23, 9 p.m. $10.  

Zydeco Flames, July 24, 9 p.m. $10-$13.  

Tropical Vibrations, July 25, 8:30 p.m. $10.  

Courtableu, July 27, 8:30 p.m. $10.  

Mark Forry and Friends, July 28, 8:30 p.m. $10.  

Justin Ancheta Band, July 29, 9 p.m.  

Forro Brazuca and DJ Carioca, July 30, 9:30 p.m. $10-$12.  

Caribbean Allstars, Bluss Culture with Nez B., July 31, 9:30 p.m. $10-$13.  

Baraka Moon, Aug. 1, 8 p.m. $10-$12.  

1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. (510) 525-5054, www.ashkenaz.com.< 

BECKETT'S IRISH PUB  

Bassment, July 23.  

Jacques Ibula, July 24.  

Eastbay Beastgrass, July 25.  

Dark, July 28.  

Mojo Stew, July 29.  

The P-PL, July 30.  

The Mundaze, July 31.  

Free. Shows at 10 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2271 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 647-1790, www.beckettsirishpub.com.< 

BLAKE'S ON TELEGRAPH  

Soft White Sixties, Dandelion War, Travis Bill, July 24, 8:30 p.m. $10.  

Swoon, Studmuffin, Natalie Amaya, C Lewis and the Might, Rachel Hanna, July 30, 9 p.m. $10.  

Add Moss, Thirstbusters, Build Us Airplanes, July 31, 8:30 p.m. $10.  

For ages 18 and older. Music begins at 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2367 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley. (510) 848-0886, www.blakesontelegraph.com.< 

CHOUINARD VINEYARDS AND WINERY The winery features an exhibit of stone craft and baskets honoring the rich culture of the Ohlone Indians. Palomares Canyon was a summer home to the Ohlone Indians. The exhibit also includes historical photos and artifacts that document more recent colorful inhabitants to the canyon. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Music at Chouinard," 4:30-8:30 p.m. on select Sundays June-August. The rest of the year features live music in the tasting room on the second Sunday of each month. Enjoy the best of Bay Area artists at Chouinard. Bring your own gourmet picnic (no outside alcoholic beverages). Wines are available for tasting and sales. $40 per car. 

Free. Tasting Room: Saturdays-Sundays, noon-5 p.m. 33853 Palomares Road, Castro Valley. (510) 582-9900, www.chouinard.com.< 

FOX THEATER  

Wolf Parade, Moools, Zola Jesus, July 30, 8 p.m. $27.50.  

Black Star, Zion-I, DJ Mr. E, July 31, 8 p.m. $41.50.  

1807 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. (510) 452-0438.< 

FREIGHT AND SALVAGE  

"Freight Open Mic," Tuesdays. $4.50-$5.50.  

Iris Dement, July 23. $28.50-$29.50.  

Victor Krummenacher, July 24. $18.50-$19.50.  

Hani Naser Band, July 25. $22.50-$23.50.  

Three at Last, Family Lines, July 29. $18.50-$19.50.  

Jim Bruno, Bonnie Hayes and Carol Denney, July 30. $18.50-$19.50.  

Darryl Henriques, July 31. $18.50-$19.50.  

Dar Williams, Aug. 1. $24.50-$25.50.  

Music starts at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 548-1761, www.freightandsalvage.org.< 

GREEK THEATRE  

Jackson Brown with David Lindley, July 24, 8 p.m. $55.50-$85.50.  

Hearst Avenue and Gayley Road, Berkeley. (510) 548-3010, www.apeconcerts.com.< 

JACK LONDON SQUARE  

Mestiza Trio, July 23, Noon-2 p.m.  

Fazz, July 27, Noon-2 p.m. Free.  

Foot of Broadway, Oakland. (866) 295-9853, www.jacklondonsquare.com.< 

JAZZSCHOOL  

Lost Trio, July 23, 8 p.m. $15.  

Rikki Gibson and Kathy Blackburn, July 24, 8 p.m. $15.  

Chase Baird, July 25, 4:30 p.m. $10.  

"Advanced High School Jazz Intensive Concert," July 30, 8 p.m. $10.  

Polyhymnia, July 31, 8 p.m. $10.  

Ian Faquini, Aug. 1, 4:30 p.m. $10.  

Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 4:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2087 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 845-5373, www.jazzschool.com.< 

JUPITER  

"Americana Unplugged," Sundays, 5 p.m. A weekly bluegrass and Americana series.  

"Jazzschool Tuesdays," Tuesdays, 8 p.m. Featuring the ensembles from the Berkeley Jazzschool. www.jazzschool.com. 

Kat 010, Teodross Avery, July 23, 5 p.m.  

Polyglot Quartet, July 24.  

Perry Smith Trio, July 25, 8 p.m.  

The Skinny, July 25, 5 p.m.  

DJ fflood and Cali, July 29, 8 p.m.  

Kat 010, Zoe Ellis, July 30, 8 p.m.  

Citizens Quartet, July 31, 8 p.m.  

8 p.m. 2181 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 843-8277, www.jupiterbeer.com.< 

KIMBALL'S CARNIVAL  

"Monday Blues Legends Night," 8 p.m.-midnight. Enjoy live blues music every Monday night. Presented by the Bay Area Blues Society and Lothario Lotho Company. $5 donation. (510) 836-2227, www.bayareabluessociety.net. 

522 2nd St., Jack London Square, Oakland. < 

LA PENA CULTURAL CENTER  

Orquesta la Moderna Tradicion, July 24, 9:30 p.m. $14.  

Avotcja's 69th Birthday Basy, July 25, 7 p.m. $10-$20.  

Mexican Tardeada, July 25, 3 p.m. Free.  

Infinitism, July 29, 8 p.m. $5-$10.  

Grupo Falso Baiano and Samba de Raiz, July 30, 9 p.m. $12-$14.  

"Celebrate Peruvian Independence Day," July 31, 8:30 p.m. Featuring music from Vladimir Vukanovich, Pedro Rosales and Rosa Los Santos. $15.  

Domingos de Rumba, Aug. 1 and Aug. 15, 3:3 p.m. Free.  

3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 849-2568, www.lapena.org.< 

LAFAYETTE PUBLIC LIBRARY  

"The Future of Books," July 28, 6:30 p.m. Hear about the advancement of ereaders and how authors feel about these changes. $7-$22. www.commonwealthclub.org. 

3491 Mt Diablo Blvd., Lafayette. (925) 283-3872, www.lafayettelib.com.< 

MEMORIAL PARK, HAYWARD  

Hayward Municipal Band, through July 25, Sunday, 2:30 p.m. Free.  

24176 Mission Blvd., Hayward. < 

OAKLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY, GOLDEN GATE BRANCH  

Bill Bell Trio, July 25, 3 p.m.  

Herb Gibson and Combo, Aug. 1, 3 p.m.  

Free. Tuesday, 12:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Friday, noon to 5:30 p.m. 5606 San Pablo Ave., Oakland. (510) 597-5023, www.oaklandlibrary.org.< 

ORACLE ARENA  

Aerosmith, Sammy Hagar and the Wabos, July 23, 7:30 p.m. $45.50-$200.  

Shankar Ehasaan Loy, July 24, 8 p.m. $33.25-$142.75.  

Hegenberger Road and Interstate 880, Oakland. (510) 625-8497, (925) 685-8497, (415) 421-8497, www.ticketmaster.com or www.theoaklandarena.com.< 

PIEDMONT PIANO CO.  

Tom McDermott and Frank French, July 31, 4 p.m.  

1728 San Pablo Ave., Oakland. (510) 547-8188, www.piedmontpiano.com.< 

PLEASANT HILL PARK  

Tommy Castro, July 24, 4:30 p.m. Free.  

147 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill. < 

RHYTHMIX CULTURAL WORKS  

"Taiko Concert," July 23 through July 24, 8 p.m. $20-$25.  

Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 2513 Blanding Ave., Alameda. (510) 845-5060, www.rhythmix.org.< 

ROUND TABLE PIZZA  

East Bay Banjo Club, Tuesdays, 7:30-9:30 p.m. Free.  

1938 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill. (925) 930-9004.< 

SHATTUCK DOWN LOW  

"It's the Joint," Thursdays, 9:30 p.m. Featuring DJs Headnodic, Raashan Ahmad and Friends. $5.  

"King of Kings," Doors 10 p.m. $6-$8.  

"Live Salsa," Wednesdays. An evening of dancing to the music of a live salsa band. Salsa dance lesson from 8:30-9:30 p.m. $5-$10.  

"Thirsty Thursdays," Thursday, 9 p.m. Featuring DJ Vickity Slick and Franky Fresh. Free.  

Nio the Gift, J Meyers, Davinci, Freshmen, Willie Joe, July 23, 9:30 p.m.  

$10.  

DJ CJ Flash, July 24, 9 p.m. $10.  

Montuno Swing, July 28, 8:30 p.m. $10.  

Chop Tops, July 30, 9 p.m. $8-$10.  

DJ Fuze, July 31, 9 p.m. $10.  

For ages 21 and older. 2284 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 548-1159, www.shattuckdownlow.com.< 

STARRY PLOUGH PUB  

The Starry Irish Music Session led by Shay Black, Sundays, 8 p.m. Sliding scale.  

"Across the Western Ocean: An Evening of Lively Irish and American Traditional Music," July 31, 9 p.m. Featuring Culann's Hounds, Black Crown Stringband and Little Black Train. $10.  

For ages 21 and over unless otherwise noted. Sunday and Wednesday, 8 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday, 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 3101 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 841-2082, www.starryploughpub.com.< 

UPTOWN NIGHTCLUB  

Attitude Adjustment, Everything Must Go, Cheapskate, Loose Endz, July 23, 9 p.m. $10.  

Minipop, Trophy Fire, Hot Toddies, Geoff Register, July 24, 9 p.m. $10.  

Make Me, Dreamdate, Schande, July 30, 9 p.m. Free.  

1928 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. (510) 451-8100, www.uptownnightclub.com.< 

YOSHI'S  

Lee Ritenour & Dave Grusin, July 23 through July 25, Friday and Saturday, 8 and 10 p.m.; Sunday, 2 and 7 p.m. $18-$26.  

Brian Gore & Scheherazade Stone, July 26, 8 p.m. $12.  

Sexto Sentido, July 27 through July 28, 8 and 10 p.m. $22.  

LoCura, July 29, 8 and 10 p.m. $16.  

John Pizzarelli, July 30 through Aug. 1, Friday and Saturday, 8 and 10 p.m.; Sunday, 2 and 7 p.m. $18-$24.  

Shows are Monday through Saturday, 8 and 10 p.m.; Sunday, 2 and 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted. 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland. (510) 238-9200, www.yoshis.com.<

BERKELEY ART MUSEUM AND PACIFIC FILM ARCHIVE  

Gamelan Sekar Jaya, July 30, 7:30 p.m. The percussion ensemble and dancers performing $5.  

2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. < 

ZELLERBACH HALL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY  

Berkeley/Oakland Aileycamp, July 29, 7 p.m. "Ambassador Bridges'' features lights, costumes and music from Alvin Ailey's youth program. Free.  

UC Berkeley campus, Bancroft Way and Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley. (510) 642-9988.< 

DANCE MISSION THEATER  

Labayen Dance/SF, July 23 through July 25, Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 7 p.m. Featuring "Tadtarin,'' inspired by the Philippine matriarchal ritual of the same name. $25-$30.  

3316 24th St., San Francisco. (415) 826-4441, www.dancemission.com.< 

PENA PACHAMAMA  

"Carnaval Del Sur," Saturdays, 8:30 p.m. Sukay, Eddy Navia and the Pachamama Dancers present a program of Latin music and dance. $13.50.  

"Cuban Nights," Fridays, 8:30 p.m. Fito Reinoso, Sukay and Eddy Navia present Latin dancing Buena Vista style. $13.50.  

"Flamenco Thursdays" with Carola Zertuche, Thursdays, 8:30 p.m. Music and dance with performers of traditional flamenco. $10.  

Georges Lammam Ensemble, Sundays, 8:30 p.m. Event features music and dancing from the Middle East. $10.  

Brisas de Espana Ballet Flamenco, July 25, 6 and 7:15 p.m. Featuring Carolina Lugo and Carole Acuna. $10-$15.  

For ages 21 and older. 1630 Powell St., San Francisco. (415) 646-0018, www.penapachamama.com.< 

SAN FRANCISCO OLD MINT  

Joe Goode Performance Group, through Aug. 1, Wednesday-Sunday, 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 p.m. Program features "Traveling Light.'' $30-$37.  

88 5th St., San Francisco. www.themintproject.org.<

A440 GALLERY --  

"Experience Painting," through Aug. 30. Works by Peter Onstad.  

49 Geary St., San Francisco. www.AA40gallery.com.< 

ANDREA SCHWARTZ GALLERY  

CLOSING -- "Leisure Quest," through July 30. Works by Patrick Dintino.  

Free. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 1-5 p.m. 525 2nd St., San Francisco. (415) 495-2090, www.asgallery.com.< 

ARTHAUS  

"The Back Yard," through Sept. 30. Works by Chris Schiavo.  

Free. Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 411 Brannan St., San Francisco. (415) 977-0223, www.arthaus-sf.com.< 

ARTZONE 461 --  

Keith Gaspari, Heidi McDowell, Brian Tepper, July 24 through Aug. 22. New works by the artists.  

461 Valencia Street, San Francisco. (415) 441-8680, www.artzone461.com.< 

BRAUNSTEIN-QUAY GALLERY  

CLOSING -- "New Work," through July 31. Works by Dennis Luedeman.  

Free. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 430 Clementina St., San Francisco. (415) 278-9850, www.bquayartgallery.com.< 

BRIAN GROSS FINE ART  

"Airborne," through Sept. 10. Works by Ed Moses.  

"Gesture," through Aug. 27. Group exhibition explores various uses of gesture in abstract painting.  

Free. Tuesday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 49 Geary St., San Francisco. (415) 788-1050, www.briangrossfineart.com.< 

CALDWELL SNYDER GALLERY  

CLOSING -- "Rusted Roses," through July 31. Works by Michael Kalish.  

Free. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 341 Sutter St., San Francisco. (415) 296-7896, www.caldwellsnyder.com.< 

CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF INTEGRAL STUDIES, MINNA STREET GALLERY  

CLOSING -- "No Place But Now," through July 30. Transcontinental collaborative works created specifically for the Minna Gallery.  

Free. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 695 Minna St., San Francisco. (415) 575-6175, www.ciis.edu/lifelong.< 

CHINESE CULTURE CENTER GALLERY  

"Stella Zhang," through Sept. 5. Five large scale installation pieces in the artist's first major Bay Area solo exhibition.  

Free. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Hilton Hotel, Third Floor, 750 Kearny St., San Francisco. (415) 986-1822.< 

CREATIVITY EXPLORED GALLERY  

"Spectrum," through Aug. 11. Exhibition features psychedelic-style art.  

Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday, 1-6 p.m. 3245 16th St., San Francisco. (415) 863-2108, www.creativelyexplored.org.< 

DOLBY CHADWICK GALLERY  

"Renaissance," through Aug. 28. Works by Bill Armstrong.  

"The Long Year, New Paintings," through Aug. 28. Works by Gary Edward Blum.  

Free. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 210 Post St., Suite 205, San Francisco. (415) 956-3560, www.dolbychadwickgallery.com.< 

DON SOKER CONTEMPORARY ART  

CLOSING -- "Sublimating," through July 31. Wall-mounted ceramic works by Shoichi Seino.  

100 Montogomery St., Suite 1430, San Francisco. (415) 291-0966.< 

FEMINA POTENS GALLERY  

CLOSING -- "Speaking to Las Vegas in the Language of Las Vegas," through July 31. Exhibit focuses on the world of sex workers.  

Free unless otherwise noted. Thursday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. 2199 Market Street at Sanchez, San Francisco. (415) 217-9340, www.feminapotens.org.< 

GALLERY 645 AND MICHAEL THOMPSON FRAMING --  

"Etchings," through Aug. 6. Works by Beth Weintraub.  

645 7th St., San Francisco. (415) 861-5717.< 

GALLERY PAULE ANGLIM  

Gary Lapow, through Aug. 14. Works by the artist.  

James Drake, through Aug. 14. New works by the artist.  

Free. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 14 Geary St., San Francisco. (415) 433-2710, www.gallerypauleanglim.com.< 

GEORGE KREVSKY GALLERY  

"Summer Reading," through Oct. 2. Works by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Helen Berggruen, Ken Kalman, Rockewell Kent, Clifford Odets, Man Ray, Raymond Saunders, Ben Shahn and others.  

Free. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 77 Geary St., San Francisco. (415) 397-9748, www.georgekrevkygallery.com.< 

GREGORY LIND GALLERY  

"Cooler Heads Prevail," through Aug. 21. Works by Thomas Campbell, Jim Gaylord, Chris Gentile, Jake Longstreth and others.  

49 Geary Street, Fifth Floor, San Francisco. www.gregorylindgallery.com.< 

HAINES GALLERY  

"Wildfires," through Aug. 21. Works by Youngsuk Suh.  

49 Geary St., Suite 540, San Francisco. www.hainesgallery.com.< 

HOSFELT GALLERY  

"Seascapes and Surf Works," through Aug. 14. Works by Russell Crotty.  

430 Clementina St., San Francisco. (415) 495-5454, www.hosfeltgallery.com.< 

INCLUSIONS GALLERY  

CLOSING -- "Original Collage," through July 30. Works by Kim Smith.  

627 Cortland Ave., San Francisco. (415) 817-1493.< 

JENKINS JOHNSON GALLERY  

"Summertime," through Sept. 3. Works by Nicolas Africano, Ben Aronson, Katherine Chang Liu and many others.  

Free. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 464 Sutter St., San Francisco. (415) 677-0770, www.jenkinsjohnsongallery.com.< 

JOHN BERGGRUEN GALLERY  

CLOSING -- "Pre-existing Conditions," through July 31. Works by Alexander Gorlizki.  

228 Grant Ave., San Francisco. (415) 781-4629, www.berggruen.com.< 

LUGGAGE STORE  

CLOSING -- "Rehistoricizing Abstract Expressionism," through July 31. Works by Carlos Villa.  

Free. Call for times 1007 Market St., San Francisco. (415) 255-5971, www.luggagestoregallery.org.< 

MARKET STREET GALLERY  

CLOSING -- "Arkeeteckt, Vybrant, Image," through July 30. Works by Getbizi.  

Free. 1544 Market St., San Francisco. (415) 290-1441, www.marketstreetgallery.com.< 

MARX & ZAVATTERO --  

OPENING -- "Tilt," July 24 through Aug. 21. Works by Timothy Nolan.  

Tuesday-Friday, 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 77 Geary Street at Grant Avenue, 2nd Floor, San Francisco. (415) 627-9111, www.marxzav.com/index.php.< 

MICAELA GALLERY  

"Cold and Hot 2010," through Aug. 28. Works by Peter Bremers, Kathleen Elliot, Michael Janis, Michelle Knox, Weston Lambert and others.  

Free. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. 333 Hayes St., San Francisco. (415) 551-8118, www.micaela.com.< 

MODERNISM  

"Asymmetrical Chromachords," through Aug. 28. Works by James Hayward.  

"Paradise Lost," through Aug. 28. Works by Michael Dweck.  

"Photographs," through Aug. 28. Works by Michael Dweck.  

Free. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 685 Market St., San Francisco. (415) 541-0461, www.modernisminc.com.< 

MODERNISM WEST  

CLOSING -- "Alexandra's Heteronyms," through July 31. Works by Alex Nichols.  

Free. Evenings, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. (call to confirm). 2534 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 648-7600, www.modernismwest.com.< 

PAUL THIEBAUD GALLERY  

"Cigar Box Paintings," through Aug. 21. Works by Ed Musante.  

"Recent Paintings," through Aug. 21. Works by Eileen David.  

Free. Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 718 Columbus Ave., San Francisco. (415) 434-3055, www.paulthiebaudgallery.com.< 

ROBERT KOCH GALLERY  

"Photographs," through Aug. 21. Works by Miroslav Tichy.  

Free. Tuesday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 49 Geary St., Fifth Floor, San Francisco. (415) 421-0122, www.kochgallery.com.< 

ROBERT TAT GALLERY  

CLOSING -- "Classic Photographs," through July 31. Photographs by Horst P. Horst and George Hoyningen-Huene.  

49 Geary St., Suite 211, San Francisco. (415) 781-1122, www.roberttat.com.< 

SAN FRANCISCO WOMEN ARTISTS GALLERY  

"Reflections," through Aug. 7. Juried exhibition features sculpture, jewelery, paintings and photography.  

Free. Wednesday through Saturday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. 3489 Sacramento St., San Francisco. (415) 440-7392, www.sfwomenartists.org.< 

SANDRA LEE GALLERY  

"Clouds and Abstractions," through July 28. Works by Donna McGinnis.  

251 Post St., Suite 310, San Francisco. (415) 291-8000, www.sandraleegallery.com.< 

SHOOTING GALLERY  

"ILL Romantic," through Aug. 7. Works by Casey Gray.  

839 Larkin Street, San Francisco. (415) 931-8035.< 

SPACE GALLERY  

"Ease Yourself and GLide," July 24. Group show features paintings, drawings, prints, collage and photography.  

Free. 1141 Polk St., San Francisco. (415) 377-3325, www.spacegallerysf.com.< 

STEPHEN WIRTZ GALLERY  

EXTENDED -- "Photographs," through July 31. Works by Michael Kenna.  

Free. Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 49 Geary St., Third Floor, San Francisco. (415) 433-6879, www.wirtzgallery.com.< 

SUITE FIVE SALON  

CLOSING -- Cynthia Milionis, through July 31. Featuring new works by the artist.  

305 Grant Ave., Suite 5, San Francisco. (415) 362-5005, www.suitefivesalon.com/blog.< 

TOOMEY TOURELL GALLERY  

"Recap," through Aug. 7. Works by Clinton Fein.  

Free. Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 49 Geary St., San Francisco. (415) 989-6444, www.toomeytourell. com.< 

TRIANGLE GALLERY  

"49th Anniversary Show," July 31 through Sept. 11. Works by gallery artists.  

47 Kearny St., San Francisco. (415) 392-1686, www.triangle-sf.com.< 

VELVET DA VINCI  

CLOSING -- "Dichotomies in Objects," through July 31. Featuring contemporary South African studio jewelry from the Stellenbosch Area.  

Free. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-6 p.m.; Sunday, noon-4 p.m. 2015 Polk St., San Francisco. (415) 441-0109, www.velvetdavinci.com.<

CARMEN FLORES RECREATION CENTER  

"El Corazon de la Communidad: The Heart of the Community", Painted by Joaquin Alejandro Newman, this mural installation consists of four 11-foot panels that mix ancient Meso-American and contemporary imagery to pay homage to local activists Carmen Flores and Josie de la Cruz.  

Free unless otherwise noted. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. 1637 Fruitvale Ave., Oakland. (510) 535-5631.< 

CREATIVE GROWTH ART CENTER  

CLOSING -- "Straight to the Bone," through July 23. Works by Regis-R, Prince of Plastic and Creative Growth artists.  

Free. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 355 24th St., Oakland. (510) 836-2340 X15, www.creativegrowth.org.< 

DAVID BROWER CENTER  

"Water, Rivers and People/ Agua, Rios y Pueblos," through Aug. 31. Exhibition depicts those who are fighting to defend rivers and the people who depend on them.  

2150 Allston Way, Berkeley. < 

FLOAT  

CLOSING -- "Surrender," through July 31. Digital paintings by Android Jones and light sculptures by Michael Clarke.  

Free. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; by appointment. 1091 Calcot Place, Unit 116, Oakland. (510) 535-1702, www.thefloatcenter.com.< 

FRANK BETTE CENTER FOR THE ARTS  

CLOSING -- "Alameda Plein Air Paintout," July 26 through July 31. View artists create their works in person.  

Free. Wednesday and Friday-Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. 1601 Paru St., Alameda. (510) 523-6957, www.frankbettecenter.org.< 

JOHANSSON PROJECTS  

"Some Math," July 30 through Sept. 11. Works by Jana Flynn and Jill Gallenstein.  

Free. Thursday-Saturday, noon-6 p.m. 2300 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. (510) 444-9140, www.johanssonprojects.com.< 

LAWRENCE HALL OF SCIENCE  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"NanoZone," Discover the science of the super-small: nanotechnology. Through hands-on activities and games, explore this microworld and the scientific discoveries made in this area.  

"Forces That Shape the Bay," A science park that shows and explains why the San Francisco Bay is the way it is, with information on water, erosion, plate tectonics and mountain building. You can ride earthquake simulators, set erosion in motion and look far out into the bay with a powerful telescope from 1,100 feet above sea level. The center of the exhibit is a waterfall that demonstrates how water flows from the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the Bay. Visitors can control where the water goes. There are also hands-on erosion tables, and a 40-foot-long, 6-foothigh, rock compression wall.  

"Real Astronomy Experience," A new exhibit-in-development allowing visitors to use the tools that real astronomers use. Aim a telescope at a virtual sky and operate a remote-controlled telescope to measure a planet.  

"Biology Lab," In the renovated Biology Lab visitors may hold and observe gentle animals. Saturday, Sunday and holidays, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.  

"The Idea Lab," Experiment with some of the basics of math, science and technology through hands-on activities and demonstrations of magnets, spinning and flying, puzzles and nanotechnology.  

"Math Around the World," Play some of the world's most popular math games, such as Hex, Kalah, Game Sticks and Shongo Networks.  

"Math Rules," Use simple and colorful objects to complete interesting challenges in math through predicting, sorting, comparing, weighing and counting.  

"Kapla," The hands-on exhibit features thousands of versatile building blocks that can be used to build very large, high and stable structures and models of bridges, buildings, animals or anything else your mind can conceive.  

$6-$12; free children ages 2 and under. Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. University of California, Centennial Drive, Berkeley. (510) 642-5132, www.lawrencehallofscience.org.< 

LINDSAY WILDLIFE MUSEUM This is the oldest and largest wildlife rehabilitation center in America, taking in 6,000 injured and orphaned animals yearly and returning 40 percent of them to the wild. The museum offers a wide range of educational programs using non-releasable wild animals to teach children and adults respect for the balance of nature. The museum includes a state-of-the art wildlife hospital which features a permanent exhibit, titled "Living with Nature,'' which houses 75 non-releasable wild animals in learning environments; a 5,000-square-foot Wildlife Hospital complete with treatment rooms, intensive care, quarantine and laboratory facilities; a 1-acre Nature Garden featuring the region's native landscaping and wildlife; and an "Especially For Children'' exhibit.  

WILDLIFE HOSPITAL -- September-March: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hospital is open daily including holidays to receive injured and orphaned animals. There is no charge for treatment of native wild animals and there are no public viewing areas in the hospital. 

EXHIBITS --  

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

$5-$7; free children under age 2. Wednesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.< 

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ART AND DISABILITIES  

"Word Play," through Aug. 20. NIAD artists manipulate and repeat letters to create their own language, transform words into hybrid forms, utilize captions to tell a story, or their autograph can become a focal point of their work.  

551 23rd St., Richmond. (510) 620-0290, www.niadart.org.< 

OAKLAND ASIAN CULTURAL CENTER  

"Oakland's 19th-Century San Pablo Avenue Chinatown," A permanent exhibit of new findings about the rediscovered Chinatown on San Pablo Avenue. The exhibit aims to inform visitors about the upcoming archaeological work planned to explore the lives of early Chinese pioneers in the 1860s.  

Free. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Pacific Renaissance Plaza, 388 Ninth St., Suite 290, Oakland. (510) 637-0455, www.oacc.cc.< 

OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT  

"Going Away, Coming Home," A 160-foot public art installation by Mills College art professor Hung Liu. Liu hand painted 80 red-crowned cranes onto 65 panels of glass that were then fired, tempered and paired with background panes that depict views of a satellite photograph, ranging from the western United States to the Asia Pacific Area. Terminal 2.  

Free. Daily, 24 hours, unless otherwise noted. Oakland International Airport, 1 Airport Drive, Oakland. (510) 563-3300, www.flyoakland.com.< 

OAKLAND MARRIOTT CITY CENTER  

CLOSING -- "Spirits Known and Unknown," through July 31. Photographs of Kamau Amen-Ra.  

1001 Broadway, Oakland. (510) 451-4000.< 

ORINDA LIBRARY  

"Its Own Nothingness," Aug. 1 through Aug. 31. Works by Wenda Pyman.  

24 Orinda Way, Orinda. (925) 254-2184.< 

RICHMOND ART CENTER  

"Innovations in Contemporary Crafts," through Aug. 21. Juried exhibition features works by 30 San Francisco Bay Area artists.  

Free. Tuesday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m. 2540 Barrett Ave., Richmond. (510) 620-6772, www.therichmondartcenter.org.< 

SCULPTURE COURT AT OAKLAND CITY CENTER  

CLOSING -- Shawn E. HibmaCronan, through July 30. Presented by the Oakland Museum of California.  

Free. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; third Thursdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oakland City Center, 1111 Broadway, Oakland. < 

WOMEN'S CANCER RESOURCE CENTER  

"Benny's Garden," through Sept. 3. Works by Benny Alba, Jen Downey, Anna Edwards, Jeremy Qwan and L. Hickox Robinson.  

5471 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. <

"SUN SPHERES," -- "Sun Spheres'' is a trio of mosaic sculptures by artist Laurel True at the intersection of Ocean and Granada Avenues in the OMI District of San Francisco. 

(415) 252-2551, www.sfartscommission.org/pubart.< 

CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF THE ARTS WATTIS INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS  

CLOSING -- "We Have As Much Time As it Takes," through July 31. Works by Nina Beier and Marie Lund, David Horvitz, Jason Mena, Sandra Nakamura, Roman Ondak, Red76, Zachary Royer Scholz, Tercerunquinto, Lawrence Weiner and Christine Wong Yap.  

Free. Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 1111 Eighth St., San Francisco. (415) 551-9210, www.wattis.org.< 

CONSERVATORY OF FLOWERS The Victorian landmark has 1,500 species including rare and beautiful tropical plants from 50 countries. Exhibits include Highland Tropics, the Aquatic Plants, Lowland Tropics, Potted Plants and the new Special Exhibits gallery. Opened in 1879, the wood and glass greenhouse is the oldest existing conservatory in the Western Hemisphere. 

"Chomp 2! Return of the Carnivorous Plants," through Oct. 31. Special exhibition of carnivorous plants features living plants and activities for families.  

$5 general; $3 seniors, students and youth ages 12-17; $1.50 children ages 5-11; free for ages 4 and under; free first Tuesdays. Tuesday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. John F. Kennedy Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. (415) 666-7001, www.conservatoryofflowers.org.< 

EVENING GALLERY WALKS These monthly evening gallery walks or "crawls'' are a way to learn about art for the casual viewer without the intimidation of visiting a gallery with no one else around. Generally the galleries are filled on the "walk'' evenings with people drinking wine and talking. Gallery owners are happy to answer questions about the art on view. The important thing to remember is that it is free to gaze and drink. 

"First Thursday," 5:30-8 p.m. Generally some 20 galleries participate in this monthly evening of open galleries. Many are located around Union Square. Some of the galleries that participate on a regular basis are Pasquale Iannetti Gallery, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, and Hackett-Freedman Gallery, all on Sutter Street; Meyerovich Gallery and Dolby Chadwick Gallery on Post Street; and Rena Bransten Gallery and Stephen Wirtz Gallery on Geary Street. Sponsored by the San Francisco Art Dealers Association. First Thursday of the month. Free.  

San Francisco. < 

FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH  

CLOSING -- "Paintings of Albania, Serbia and Moldava," through July 29. Works by Joan Colllet Brown.  

1187 Franklin St., San Francisco. (415) 771-3352.< 

FLAX ART AND DESIGN  

CLOSING -- "STILLmatic: Documenting the StreetSmARTS Urban Murals," through July 31. Exhibition addresses graffiti vandalism in San Francisco.  

1699 Market St., San Francisco. (415) 552-2355, www.flaxart.com.< 

HOTEL DES ARTS The boutique 51-room art hotel in Union Square features an art gallery by Start SOMA. 

"Painted Rooms," An exhibit of painted rooms in the hotel by emerging artists.  

Free. Daily, 8 a.m.-11 p.m. 447 Bush St., San Francisco. (415) 956-4322, www.sfhoteldesarts.com.< 

JAZZ HERITAGE CENTER  

"The Art of Michael Rios," through Aug. 22. Features a Rios retrospective and a tribute to Miles Davis and Carlos Santana.  

1320 Fillmore Street, San Francisco. < 

JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF SAN FRANCISCO  

"The Digital Liberation of G-d," A permanent interactive media installation created by New York-based artist Helene Aylon, which examines the influences of patriarchal attitudes upon Jewish traditions and sacred texts.  

Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. 3200 California St., San Francisco. (415) 292-1200, Box Office: (415) 292-1233, www.jccsf.org.< 

JEWISH COMMUNITY LIBRARY  

CLOSING -- "The Jew and the Mask," through July 31. More than 25 Bay Area artists provide a contemporary perspective on Jewish identity.  

1835 Ellis Street, San Francisco. (415) 567-3327.< 

MILTON MARKS CONFERENCE CENTER  

"Local Color," through Oct. 10. Works by 27 artists from the Peninsula Chapter of the Women's Caucus for Art.  

455 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco. < 

RAYKO PHOTO CENTER  

OPENING -- "(Por)trait Revealed," July 28 through Sept. 10. Works by Hiroyo Kaneko, Mark Menjivar, Fritz Liedtke and others.  

Free. Tuesday-Thursday, noon-10 p.m.; Friday-Sunday, noon to 8 p.m. 428 Third St., San Francisco. (415) 495-3773, www.raykophoto.com.< 

SAN FRANCISCO ART INSTITUTE  

"We Remember the Sun," Artwork by 15 Bay Area artists.  

"Pure Consciousness at 19 Kindergartens," through Sept. 18. Works by On Kawara.  

Free unless noted otherwise. Lecture Hall, 800 Chestnut St., San Francisco. (415) 771-7020, www.sfai.edu/.< 

SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY, BAYVIEW-ANNA E. WADEN BRANCH  

"Bayview's Historical Footprints," A permanent photographic exhibition celebrating the diverse history of Bayview Hunters Point featuring multimedia oral histories from community elders.  

Free. Monday, Tuesday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Wednesday, 1 p.m.-8 p.m.; Thursday, 1 p.m.-7 p.m.; Friday, 1 p.m.-6 p.m. 5075 Third St., San Francisco. (415) 355-5757, www.sfpl.org.< 

SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY, MAIN BRANCH  

"Digging Deep: Underneath San Francisco Public Library," Exhibition collects archaeological remains from the Gold Rush-era cemetery and the ruins of old City Hall destroyed in the 1906 earthquake.  

"Hand Bookbinders of California 38th Anniversary Exhibition," through Aug. 15. Exhibition features work of professional bookbinders, as well as amateurs and students of the art and craft of hand bookbinding.  

CLOSING -- "Empire of Thirst," through Aug. 1. Photographs by Robert Dawson.  

Free. Monday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday, noon-6 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. 100 Larkin St., San Francisco. (415) 557-4400, www.sfpl.org.< 

SF CAMERAWORK  

"Soldiers' Stories from Iraq and Afghanistan," through Aug. 7. Works by Jennifer Karady.  

"Theater of War: Pretend Villages of Iraq and Afghanistan," through Aug. 7. Works by Christopher Sims.  

$2-$5. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. 657 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 863-1001, www.sfcamerawork.org.< 

SOMARTS CULTURAL CENTER  

CLOSING -- "Totally Unrealistic: The Art of Abstraction," through July 30. Works by Cecil C. Childress, Ralph Joachim, and Marilyn Kuksht.  

Free unless otherwise noted. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-7 p.m. 934 Brannan St., San Francisco. (415) 552-2131, www.somarts.org.< 

YERBA BUENA CENTER FOR THE ARTS The center's visual arts exhibitions feature contemporary art and popular culture by local, national and international artists. There are four rounds of exhibitions in the galleries each year. 

"The Bowls Project: Secrets of the Apocalyptic Intimate," through Aug. 22. An interactive sound sculpture/immersive performance installation by Jewlia Eisenberg and Charming Hostess.  

"PlayCRAFT: A Game of Your Design," through Oct. 3. Create your own design object as you explore the "TechnoCRAFT'' exhibition.  

"Something from Nothing: Films on Design and Architecture," through Sept. 5. Jul. 25, 2 p.m.: "Wow and Flutter.''  

"TechnoCRAFT: Hackers, Modders, Fabbers, Tweakers and Design in the Age of Individuality," through Oct. 3. Exhibit explores disappearing boundary between designer and consumer.  

$3-$6; free the first Tuesday of every month. Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday, noon-8 p.m. 701 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 978-2787, www.ybca.org.<

CALVARY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH  

San Francisco Choral Society, July 31, 8 p.m. Works by Beethoven and Britten. $25-$31. www.cityboxoffice.com. 

San Francisco Choral Society, Aug. 1, 4 p.m. Works by Beethoven and Britten. $25-$31. (415) 392-4400, www.cityboxoffice.com. 

2515 Fillmore St., San Francisco. (415) 346-3832, www.calvarypresbyterian.org.< 

COMMUNITY MUSIC CENTER  

MultiVox, July 23, 8 p.m. Featuring Reconnaissance Fly, the Cornelius Cardew Choir and Amy X. Neuburg. $10  

Soundscapes, July 24, 8 p.m. A night of sculpted noise art with phog masheen, Headboggle, Kadet Khune and Chen Santa Maria. $10.  

544 Capp St., San Francisco. (415) 647-6015, www.sfcmc.org.< 

DAVIES SYMPHONY HALL  

co Symphony, July 23, 8 p.m. Works by Glinka, Rachmaninoff, Mussorgsky and Dvorak. $15-$70.  

San Francisco Symphony, July 24, 8 p.m. Works by John Adams, Ives, Copland and Gershwin. $15-$90. (415) 864-6000. 

201 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 864-6000, www.sfsymphony.org.< 

GOLDEN GATE PARK  

Golgen Gate Park Band, Aug. 1, 1 p.m. A concert of overtures, suites, marches and showtunes featuring soloist Adam Frey. Free. (510) 530-0814. 

Fulton at 36th Avenue, Lincoln at 41st Avenue, San Francisco. < 

LEGION OF HONOR MUSEUM DOCENT TOUR PROGRAMS -- Tours of the permanent collections and special exhibitions are offered Tuesday through Sunday. Non-English language tours (Italian, French, Spanish and Russian) are available on different Saturdays of the month at 11:30 a.m. Free with regular museum admission. (415) 750-3638.  

ONGOING CHILDREN'S PROGRAM --  

"Doing and Viewing Art," For ages 7 to 12. Docent-led tours of current exhibitions are followed by studio workshops taught by professional artists/teachers. Students learn about art by seeing and making it. Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to noon; call to confirm class. Free with museum admission. (415) 750-3658. 

ORGAN CONCERTS -- 4 p.m. A weekly concert of organ music on the Legion's restored 1924 Skinner organ. Saturday and Sunday in the Rodin Gallery. Free with museum admission. (415) 750-3624. 

$6-$10; free for children ages 12 and under; free for all visitors on Tuesdays. Tuesday-Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Lincoln Park, 34th Avenue and Clement Street, San Francisco. (415) 750-3600, (415) 750-3636, www.thinker.org.< 

MAGIC THEATRE  

"The Magic Flute," July 24 through Aug. 1, Jul. 24, 30, 31, 8 p.m.; Jul. 25, Aug. 1, 2:30 p.m. Bay Area Summer Opera Theater Institute presents Mozart's opera. $20-$35. (415) 522-7376. 

Building D, Fort Mason Center, Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. (415) 441-8822, www.magictheatre.org.< 

OLD FIRST CHURCH  

Solo Acoustic Wizards: Ancient and Modern, July 23, 8 p.m. Featuring Michael Chikuzen Gould. $14-$17.  

Trevor Stephenson, July 25, 4 p.m. Works by Bach, Handel and Scarlatti. $14-$17.  

Ultra World X-tet, July 30, 8 p.m. Original works that fuse eastern and western traditions.  

1751 Sacramento Street, San Francisco. (415) 474-1608.< 

OLD ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL  

Temescal String Quartet, July 27, 12:30 p.m. Works by Brahms. $5.  

$5 donation requested. 660 California St., San Francisco. www.oldsaintmarys.org/.< 

SAN FRANCISCO CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC  

"Midsummer Mozart Festival Program Two," July 23, 8 p.m. All-Mozart program features performances by pianist Seymour Lipkin and basso Jeremy Galyon. George Cleve conducts. $20-$65. (415) 627-4191, www.midsummermozart.org. 

Bay Area Summer Opera Theater Institute, July 29, 7:30 p.m. An evening of opera scenes from works such as "Aida,'' "Marriage of Figaro,'' "Fledermaus'' and more. $15-$25.  

$15 to $20 unless otherwise noted. Hellman Hall, 50 Oak St., San Francisco. (415) 864-7326, www.sfcm.edu.< 

SEVENTH AVENUE PERFORMANCES  

"The Armed Woman -- Music of Early Women Composers," July 31, 7:30 p.m. Works by Isabella Leonarda, Trobairitz, Hildegard von Bingen, Maddelena Casulana and others. $15-$20. (415) 664-2543 X3, www.sfrv.org. 

1329 7th Ave., San Francisco. (415) 664-2543, www.sevenperforms.org.< 

WAR MEMORIAL OPERA HOUSE  

Shen Yun Performing Arts, July 23, 8 p.m. Dance meets music and storytelling. $34-$80.  

301 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 865-2000.<

I flew back home on frequent flyer miles last week to visit my elderly mom in a small town fifty miles southwest of Pittsburgh from which there is no public transportation. It’s a sleepy, idyllic little place to retire if you have a nice big house with a shady porch, a guaranteed income, and don’t mind 10 degree weather and a foot of snow for about a quarter of the year and ninety degree heat for another couple of months. My nonagenarian mama still cleans the entire enormous house every week and forsakes the dryer to hang her laundry out on the line. She doesn’t get out much, so when I go back, we make the most of the entertainment available.

The movies that played at the local mall cinema were limited to Twilight/Eclipse, Toy Story 3, and a couple of other cartoons. I have a penchant for the vampire thing since I wrote my thesis on subliminal underpinnings and psychoanalytical literature of the Dracula play, so I watch “True Blood” and other popular versions to keep up with the refashioning of the myth and its implications. 

And I don’t remember a movie ever getting a 99% rating in the Rotten Tomatoes reviewing website that Toy Story 3--by our own Emeryville Pixar—has earned.  

So we went to see those two.

To catch you up, vampires can now come out in the sunlight and are attempting to mainstream. Many are attempting to break the human habit, while others continue with the old voracious ways. They are deadly enemies of werewolves.  Twilight is shot in the gorgeous outback of the Pacific Northwest with some of the grandest vistas in the land. At the center of our story is a 17 year old Bella—whose face devours the screen and transfixes you—who has fallen in love with mainstreaming vampire Edward, who is even more beautiful than she. However, she also has feelings for Jacob, a Native American teenager with lupine eyes. Jacob seldom appears with a shirt and belongs to a tribe whose members transform into wolves when the need arises. The two warring factions have to team up to protect Bella from a red-haired vampiress who seeks revenge on her.  

The role reversal is that our impulsive, alienated, teenage heroine wants to be “made” into a vampire so that she can live her life eternally with Edward, and she wants to have sex with him. (Seems vampires can do that too in the modern retelling. Sort of transgresses the whole vampire thing wherein the bloodsucking was more ecstatic than regular ol’ sex with a more metaphorical fluid transfer, but we’ll go with the flow.) Edward however is from a different time and has maintained the mores of a more modest era; he wants to marry her before deflowering her. He is also reluctant to visit his frozen state of existence on her, but she is dogged in her insistence, while Jacob desperately tries to dissuade her and woo her to his side.

That’s the premise. It’s a back and forth of “I love Edward” / “You love me too you just don’t know it” / “Sure I love you but not like that” / “Are you sure you want to be with me?”/ “Until the end of time, my love” in endless repetition—not unlike the loop of many love triangles. 

The movie is meant for teenagers, but it is sumptuously beautiful. Each frame of these fabulous faces, the special effects, and the Great Northwest forest and seacoast shot from the treetops is worth the price of admission. It can transport you to your teens if you let it. If I were 17 years old and in love, I would have seen it three times by now. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t seen the first two installments, just, well, go with the flow. Pure summer escapism.

 It occurred to me in my over-intellectualizing that this might actually be a dilemma we may soon face. With genetic research searching for a way to turn off the aging gene, and the bio-medical world seeking to fix anything that ails or befalls us, we might have the option to live to biblical longevity. “Methusaleh lived 900 years, but who calls that livin’ when no gal will give in to any guy that is 900 years?” sings Sportin’ Life in Porgy and Bess.  It is age and pain and decrepitude we fear.   But if you can maintain your beauty as it is, it would be a monumental existential dilemma and decision much like the one presented to Bella.   With the One Looming Inevitability removed, with the Joke of the Gods suspended, what are the implications? Time to re-read Anne Rice with a different eye.

Toy Story is nearly flawless. I laughed out loud; I seldom laugh out loud in a movie. In the last 15 minutes, I wept for my lost toys. If you want to get your memories touched and your heart opened, go see this with someone you love. In 3-D. Truly doesn’t matter if you haven’t seen the preceding installments.

We also drove the 50 miles to Pittsburgh in a blinding rainstorm to see the Civic Light Opera’s production of The Producers. My mom and pop took me to the CLO 50 years ago where I saw Gwen Verdon dance Lola in Damn Yankees  which fostered my love for musicals. Then they played in a tent, and now they are in the Benedum Center which “out-opulents” the Orpheum. Not Broadway, but a very polished production. Hard not to compare to the movie version, but solid by comparison; actually, maybe knowing the dialogue so well helped me enjoyed it more.

But a trip back home makes me glad I live in temperate Oakland with culture galore, an earthquake or riot every twenty years notwithstanding.

John A McMullen II, who regularly reviews theatre for the BDP, grew up in SW PA in the only overwhelming Democratic county in PA in which Obama did not receive a majority vote. In the 70’s the mines closed and steel-making moved to Mexico, and the non-diversified economy went to hell. Still it’s home and beautiful.

Comments and feedback to EyeFromTheAisle@gmail.com

"Lord help the world if everybody took to doing the right thing!" Bernard Shaw's Mrs. Warren, who cuts the figure of a self-made woman in a man's world, delivers that shot at her prudish, utilitarian daughter Vivie near the close of Mrs. Warren's Profession, now onstage at CalShakes, over the hill in Orinda. But the implications of what she says in high dudgeon ricochet ironically around the Bruns Amphitheatre. 

Shaw's late Victorian play about a young woman discovering how her absentee mother made a living, all the years she was growing up and sent to choice schools, was kept off the stage for years. There's nothing particularly shocking anymore about its content; it's the form of the argument—just that, argument, with satire to give it edge—that's so cogent to the present moment, when the values and ethics of economics and class are once more a subject of even casual conversation. 

Vivie's confrontations with her mother describe the reverse of the usual, melodramatic curve. When they first lock horns, the sheltered daughter starts in with resentment and high-handed anger, only to end in admiration of what seems to be the figure of a brave lady who stood alone, taking the low road that perversely was the high. No knee-jerk moral judgment prevails here... 

It's only later the real moral situation becomes clear: not what Mrs. Warren is in herself, but the spider's web of associations that is her element. As William Blake put it in The Marriage of Heaven & Hell, "The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship."  

(Blake also put it, in his "Proverbs of Hell," "Prisons are built with stones of Law, Brothels with bricks of Religion." Under a picture of Nebuchadnezzar crawling on all fours in the desert, he inscribed, "One Law for the Lion & the Ox is Oppression.") 

Shaw takes up the visionary social psychology of Blake's working-class poetic (and Biblical) rhetoric and applies it, stiffened with the realism of the novelists, which his idol Ibsen volatilized onstage, to the "friendly" associations and social codes—rigid, seemingly eased by the double standard—of a century later. 

The local reverend, pretending a high moral tone, turns out to be an old customer of Mme. Warren. His wastrel son Frank, on whom the reverend endeavors to ride shotgun, is Vivie's suitor—but immediately flirts rather daringly with her mother, explaining, “There’s a freemasonry among the thoroughly immoral!" Solicitous Mr.Praed, old friend—emphatically not customer—of Mama, hopes Vivie will escape with him—Platonically, of course—into the Platonic world of Art, of Italian tours, what a bank account offers to the disenchanted. Crofts, old client and business partner, a slumming member of the gentry, offers the daughter a deal she obviously won't be able to refuse. 

There's much buying and selling—or at least offers, some way above market price. The saddest—and most explosive, finally—is the lifelong attempt by Mrs. Warren to buy a respectable daughter and her devotion. 

Vivie chooses a joyless pragmatism, an above-board commercial career for her life. 

It's a stand-off of exhaustion. Courage displayed, with no one finally backing down—or winning. As I put it here, April 1, 2008, in a review of Shotgun Players' excellent production of Mrs. Warren, directed by Susannah Martin, it's not Nora fleeing her dollhouse, but a calculated break, one which displays all the contradictions, even in Vivie's own lonely position. 

There's good, thoughtful reflection on these themes, in both historical and contemporary aspects, mostly—rightly so—on the ongoing exploitation of women, not economic exploitation and co-option overall, by dramaturg Laura Hope and Philippa Kelly, resident dramaturg, as well as assistant director Robert Estes, in the CalShakes' program. 

The cast assembled for the show is a good one, Stacy Ross in particular a fine choice for Mrs Warren herself, often depicted matronly, but here with vigorous energy, unafraid of who she is or her own vulgarity. 

The men comport themselves well, too, but were maybe mis-assigned: Ron Gnapp's serviceable as Rev. Gardner, playing off his irritable, hypocritical side, but could have been a better Crofts—with a touch more menace—than the also-serviceable Andy Murray, who in turn may have been a sweet Praed, "old Praddy." Dan Hiatt comes off well as Praed, accenting the gentle bumbler, the compromiser, out of place in the real world—though perhaps the chagrin and impotence of the Reverend would have worn better with his comic abilities ... 

Sadly, Timothy Near's direction undermines it all, dolling it up with overwrought business that breaks down the rhythm of the dialogue and its satirical—and genuinely humorous—show of contradiction in both characters and situation. The skilled players are never able to settle down to business—and business with Shaw is words, the action of words: how they reveal through dialogue the characters in contradiction, which in turn discloses a social situation ... one, in this case, that has never let up in its unspoken brutality, Victorian trappings or the latest fashions and news from Wall Street. 

The most regrettable thing of all is the insipid characterization of Vivie that Anna Bullard, a worthy actor, has been saddled with, stamping her foot like the "little missy" Crofts mockingly calls her, gagging at every revelation—this the brave young woman who makes a hard choice to go it alone, at a time when conventional wisdom—and hindsight—declared a woman couldn't. The prudishness her mother accuses her of is real enough, but of a different—and almost tragic—order. Such a little female milquetoast as we see at Cal Shakes wouldn't be worth considering: lacking contradictions, only capable of inanity—or inanition. 

I write this having just come from the remarkable first program of the Midsummer Mozart Festival, remarkable not least of all because of fourteen-year-old Audrey Vardanega’s performance of the Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K.467. I don’t believe I have ever heard a teenager play with both the facility and understanding that Ms. Vardanega displayed.  

Leaving her age to one side, she played with the kind of freedom, authority and strength, especially in the first movement, that one expects from the world’s finest pianists. The movement of her hands during the Allegro maestoso was as beautiful to watch as the performance of a great dancer, while the notes flowed from her fingers with a brilliant poetic logic. The music became so transparent, that, if it had been jazz, I would have felt free to laugh out loud with delight. My only criticism, and that needs must be uttered sotto voce, would be that her interpretation of the Andante, the famous “Elvira Madigan” movement, veered ever so slightly towards the emotional instead of balancing its lyricism with the muscular rigor that Mozart included in the piece. But this is carping. The whole concert was magnificent and Program II promises to be just as excellent.  

Speaking of age, my wife asked me why I so often give the age at which Mozart created his compositions since the music should stand on its own merits and not need special pleading. True enough, but there are reasons for wanting to know Mozart’s age when he composed particular pieces. If we look around for other examples of creativity in the very young, they are rare and instructive. There are many examples from math and chess of young geniuses, but these disciplines do not require the life experience component usually thought necessary for artistic creation. Then we might think of Chatterton or Rimbaud, both of whom wrote all their poetry in their teens, or of tap dancers like Sammy Davis, Jr., or Fayard and Harold Nicholas, creative performers in their youth as well as in their maturity. Remarkable as these people are, there is something preternatural about Mozart. Between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one, he composed the Symphony No. 15 in G major, K.124, part of this year’s Program I; Divertimento in D major, K.136 (125a); Exsultate, jubilate, K.165 (158a); Symphony No. 25 in G minor, K.183 (173dB); Symphony No. 29 in A major, K.201 (186a); Violin Concerto No. 4 in D major, K. 218, also featured in Program I; and Serenade No. 7 in D major, K.250 (248b), known as “Haffner.” Each of these pieces is a work of genius. Together, they could represent a lifetime’s achievement for any great composer, yet Mozart continued composing greater and more complex works every succeeding year of his brief life.  

Program II of the Midsummer Mozart Festival will focus on just a few of these great pieces from Mozart’s mature years. Internationally renowned pianist Seymour Lipkin joins the Festival orchestra to perform two of Mozart’s wonderful late piano concertos. The Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K.488, is a well-known masterpiece with a moving adagio and virtuosic piano weaving in and out of the ensemble in the third movement. No. 25 in C major, K.503, is less well-known, but just as beautiful. Getting to hear Lipkin play both in one concert is a real treat.  

Three less well-known pieces round out the program. Bass vocalist Jeremy Galyon will perform two of Mozart’s concert arias, Alcandro, lo confesso…Non so d’onde vieni, K.512, and Mentre ti lascio, K.513. The first, based on a text by Metastasio that he had already set to music for his early crush, soprano Aloysia Weber Lange, was newly written for the virtuoso Karl Ludwig Fischer who was the first Osmin in The Abduction from the Seraglio. In 1778 Mozart had altered the text so Aloysia could deliver it as a mother to a son. In 1787, for Fischer, he returned it to the original father to son relationship.  

K.513 was written for the amateur bass vocalist, Gottfried von Jacquin, a friend of the composer. Mozart found the text in Paisiello’s opera La Disfatta di Dario from 1777 where a father says goodbye to his daughter. These arias are rarely heard in concert and are hard to find on record, but they are undeservedly neglected since Mozart, who was simultaneously writing Don Giovanni, was at the height of his powers.  

The evening will begin with Ballet music for Idomeneo, K.367. The first two parts, the Chaconne and Pas Seul, are particularly noteworthy for their variety of moods. The emotional movement is breathtaking as Mozart carries us without a false step through half a dozen changes of feeling and texture. The sense of surprise he achieves is on the level of Jelly Roll Morton’s Grandpa’s Spells or Sun Ra’s Enlightenment. Some years ago, when I first heard Maestro Cleve conduct this overlooked gem, he completely recast the five disparate pieces so that they became parts of a unified work. George Cleve is a masterful conductor who can transform an ensemble of well-trained players into a living, breathing music-making organism. Beyond technical excellence, there is also the question of conception. It is this personal combination of expertise, inspiration and insight that makes the Midsummer Mozart Festival such a treasure.  

Program II of the Midsummer Mozart Festival will be performed Thursday, July 22, 8 pm, Mission Santa Clara, SCU Campus in Santa Clara; Friday, July 23, 8 pm, San Francisco Conservatory of Music Concert Hall, in San Francisco; Saturday, July 24, 6:30 pm, Gundlach Bundschu Winery, in Sonoma (outdoors); and Sunday, July 25, 7 pm, First Congregational Church, in Berkeley. For more information call 415-627-9141 or visit www.midsummermozart.org .

Well, apparently people outside of Berkeley do read the Planet online. After my last column I got an email and a phone call from someone in NACA’s Online Operations department, offering help. Of course it’s all been phone tag since then, but maybe he’ll be able to help. I did speak with a NACA negotiator last Friday, who reopened my file, but of course now I have to fax two forms I’ve already faxed previously, because apparently they start to stink like dead fish after ninety days, or something.  

She also told me that at the Save the Dream event in DC, I needed to get in line early. Asked to define early, she suggested “the night before.” I guess it’s all part of the many indignities in the process. But seriously- do you think in the internet age there could be something like first come-first served online registration, or they could hand out wristbands like they do at the Apple store when a new I-Phone comes out? Apparently not. Or do you think they could provide a checklist of the documents you need to bring with you? Because I won’t exactly be going home to my house in suburban Virginia to get anything I forgot. The good thing about the event is that at least the lenders won’t be able to claim they didn’t get the paperwork, and as the negotiator said, they won’t be able to run away. 

I’ve been doing a little online research into the whole HAMP mortgage modification scam, and apparently the new horror is lenders rescinding “permanent modifications” on completely flimsy excuses, demanding back payments and huge fees, and then foreclosing. This after using the temporary modifications to ruin people’s credit and put them even further into a hole they can never get out of. It’s turned into a really ugly world- we’re no longer citizens, the elites just view us as serfs. It’s indentured servitude- to the corporations. They want us desperate and in debt, willing to take any job at any wage they care to pay. 

And speaking of hateful corporations, the only corporations I hate more than banks are insurance companies. When I bought my house, the only insurance I could get was through Lloyd’s of London. No one else would take me because my house has “GASP” knob-and-tube wiring. Now, knob-and-tube wiring in good condition, that hasn’t had any funky modifications done to it, is perfectly safe. But insurance companies have set themselves up as the arbiters of what is allowable- in fact, the building codes are largely driven by insurance companies, who have made a study of how people injure themselves in houses, and how to prevent these injuries. They are not interested in preventing injuries and death because they care about human lives- they are interested in preventing injuries and death so they never have to pay claims. So insurers have refused to insure houses with knob-and-tube wiring, in some cases they have refused to insure houses with galvanized plumbing, and have even refused to insure houses on which there had been a previous insurance claim, even if it was something like a tree falling on the house during a storm. And of course you know that they have a database, and that if you call your agent to inquire about making a claim, even if you don’t actually do so, it goes into the database as a claim, possibly causing your rates to go up. And God forbid you actually make a claim- that will cause your rate to double. Insurance has turned into nothing more than legalized extortion. 

Anyway, I thought I’d give it another try, that maybe I could get another insurer to take on my house, and maybe save a little money. So I called a local agent, said I was looking for a homeowner policy, and wondered if knob-and-tube wiring would be a problem. She said no, worked up a quote, and sent someone out to take pictures of the house. Then I didn’t hear anything for a couple of days. When I finally called to see what was happening, I was told the underwriter had a problem with my unpainted trim- that it was “unprotected” and did I have any plans to paint it in the near future? I explained that it had been unpainted for 105 years, was not intended to be painted, and no, I was not going to paint it. I think they were just looking for an excuse not to offer the policy. Back to Lloyd’s of London. 

Jane Powell writes for the Planet whenever she feels like it. Enjoy it while you can, and contact her at hsedressng@aol.com. 

They say there are four seasons in California: fire, slide, flood, and quake. Fire is the one that most concerns me each year, since the home that my husband and I built in 1948 above the Clarement Hotel was lost in the Firestorm of 1991.  

Luckily, because we had built the house ourselves, we had the advantage of knowing we could do it again. So, joined in the process by our original architect, the three of us reunited, four decades older, but no less determined and enthusiastic, in the challenging and fulfilling task of rebuilding our home in the hills. 

More than a decade after the rebuild, sitting at my desk overlooking the glorious view of the San Francisco Bay, surrounded by new oaks and lush re-growth, the devastating firestorms in San Diego prompted me to write “Our Home, Our Passion. ” to encourage the fire victims to rebuild. Ours is the story of building two homes, of paradise lost and regained, in two very different eras. It is also a story of learning a difficult but wondrous lesson: to go with the flow; a lesson I must embrace, as the publication of the book has opened me to new experiences, not the least of which is performing readings for the public, at Montclair’s A Great Good Place for Books, for Mills College alumni, and, next up, on July 29th, at University Press Books in Berkeley. 

My story begins with discovering the site, in the then uninhabited hills above the bay, that would turn us into pioneering homebuilders. What follows is a selection from Chapter 7, “Higgenbotham et al”: 

Even though we had intended to build our home entirely with our own hands, we gladly welcomed Higginbotham into our lives. Higginbotham was to become our legendary hero. He was the one who demolished my husband’s wall as Henry put his thumb bob against his four foot block wall and proudly challenged him to build one as straight. With his contemptuous reply, Higginbotham boomed, “You make it easy for me. I’ll have your wall, as well as your massive chimney, up to grade in less than two weeks.” True to his word he finished in ten days. Had it been one more day, I wouldn’t be here to tell the tale... 

...To see the walls and piers that we had struggled all summer to get up to four feet, rise to eight feet, was so exhilarating that we slaved willingly. No matter that our hands were scraped raw, our backs were breaking from the strain of lifting blocks, that we were choking from cement dust and exhausted from too little sleep and a skimpy diet, we carried on, never complaining, not even to each other. 

Then fate stepped in to save us from this death struggle. Higginbotham, while jumping from one scaffold to another, slipped and sprained his knee badly. Any normal human would have been out of a commission for a week. Not our hero. He wrapped his knee in an Ace bandage and kept on working. However, the sprain slowed him down just enough to set a pace that we could handle. 

It wasn’t until the last day when the walls were up to grade and the massive chimney completed, that Higginbotham surveyed the job and became enamored of his handiwork. I can see him leaning against an impressive front pier sneering, “Would you take a hundred thousand dollars for this place?” I still hear my husband’s response, “Nothing but the gravest calamity could drive us from this place.”  

Elaine C. McGee is a published writer and poet. In her 9ist year, she continues to write from her home in the hills. Information: www.ourhomeourpassion.com Elaine will be reading and signing copies of OUR HOME OUR PASSION on July 29 at 5:30 pm at University Press Books, 2430 Bancroft Way Berkeley, CA 94704-1609 (510) 548-0585. 

"LASTSUNDAYSFEST," -- July 25. Event features two stages, one spotlighting up-and-coming and well known Bay Area bands, and a second outdoor cafi stage presenting smaller groups and individual performers, food, games and more. Event held on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley from Dwight to Bancroft Ave. 

Noon-7 p.m.www.lastsundaysfest.com.< 

FOX THEATER  

Wolf Parade, Moools, Zola Jesus, July 30, 8 p.m. $27.50.  

1807 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. (510) 452-0438.< 

FREIGHT AND SALVAGE  

Iris Dement, July 23. $28.50-$29.50.  

Victor Krummenacher, July 24. $18.50-$19.50.  

Music starts at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 548-1761, www.freightandsalvage.org.< 

GREEK THEATRE  

Jackson Brown with David Lindley, July 24, 8 p.m. $55.50-$85.50.  

Hearst Avenue and Gayley Road, Berkeley. (510) 548-3010, www.apeconcerts.com.< 

JACK LONDON SQUARE  

Urban Wine Experience, July 31, Noon. East Bay Vintners Alliance presents a tasting with over 50 wines from all 15 members of the Alliance.  

Foot of Broadway, Oakland. (866) 295-9853, www.jacklondonsquare.com.< 

OAKLAND METRO  

Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company, July 23 through July 24, 8 and 9:30 p.m. $20-$25. (800) 838-3006, www.comedyimprovshows.com. 

630 3rd St., Oakland. < 

PARAMOUNT THEATRE  

Steve Harvey, July 31, 7:30 p.m. $57.50-$75.50.  

2025 Broadway, Oakland. (510) 465-6400, (415) 421-8497, www.paramounttheatre.com or www.ticketmaster.com.<

"LASTSUNDAYSFEST," -- July 25. Event features two stages, one spotlighting up-and-coming and well known Bay Area bands, and a second outdoor cafi stage presenting smaller groups and individual performers, food, games and more. Event held on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley from Dwight to Bancroft Ave. 

Noon-7 p.m.www.lastsundaysfest.com.< 

ASHKENAZ  

"I Like My Bike Night," First Friday of the month, 9 p.m. This monthly series brings bicycle innovators, enthusiasts, artists and organizations together under one roof, as well as encourages regular Ashkenaz show-goers to leave their cars in the driveway and arrive at the venue by bicycle instead. $8-$25.  

1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. (510) 525-5054, www.ashkenaz.com.< 

AUCTIONS BY THE BAY  

"ArtiFacts: A Lecture Series for Collectors," Guest curators, scholars and conservation experts from throughout the Bay Area discuss the art of collecting. First Sunday of every month, 3 p.m. $7.  

Auctions by the Bay Theater-Auction House, 2700 Saratoga St., Alameda. (510) 835-6187, www.auctionsbythebay.com.< 

BAY AREA FREE BOOK EXCHANGE  

"Free Books," Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Donate your unwanted books and receive new titles for free.  

10520 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito. (510) 526-1941, www.bayareafreebookexchange.com.< 

CALIFORNIA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY AND LIBRARY  

"California Genealogical Society and Library Free First Saturday," 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Event takes place on the first Saturday of every month, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Trace and compile your family history at this month's open house event. Free. www.calgensoc.org. 

2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland. (510) 663-1358.< 

CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY  

HISTORY WALKABOUTS -- A series of walking tours that explore the history, lore and architecture of California with veteran tour guide Gary Holloway. Walks are given on specific weekends. There is a different meeting place for each weekend and walks take place rain or shine so dress for the weather. Reservations and prepayment required. Meeting place will be given with confirmation of tour reservation. Call for details.  

678 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 357-1848, www.californiahistoricalsociety.org.< 

CALIFORNIA MAGIC THEATER  

"Dinner Theater Magic Show," Friday-Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Enter the joyous and bewildering world of illusions and magic while chowing down on a home cooked meal. Each weekend features different professional magicians. Recommended for ages 13 and older. $54-$64 includes meal.  

729 Castro St., Martinez. (925) 374-0056, www.calmagic.com.< 

CHABOT SPACE AND SCIENCE CENTER State-of-the-art facility unifying science education activities around astronomy. Enjoy interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, indoor stargazing, outdoor telescope viewing and films. 

ASK JEEVES PLANETARIUM -- The planetarium features one of the most advanced star projectors in the world. A daily planetarium show is included with general admission. Call for current show schedule.  

Center Admission: $14.95; $10.95 children 3-12; free children under 3; $3 discount for seniors and students. Telescope viewing only: free. Wednesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Also open on Tuesdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. after June 29. 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 336-7300, www.chabotspace.org.< 

DUNSMUIR HOUSE AND GARDENS HISTORIC ESTATE Nestled in the Oakland hills, the 50-acre Dunsmuir House and Gardens estate includes the 37-room Neoclassical Revival Dunsmuir Mansion, built by coal and lumber baron Alexander Dunsmuir for his bride. Restored outbuildings set amid landscaped gardens surround the mansion.  

ESTATE GROUNDS -- Self-Guided Grounds Tours are available yearround. The 50 acres of gardens and grounds at the mansion are open to the public for walking Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Booklets and maps of the grounds are available at the Dinkelspiel House. Free.  

GUIDED TOURS -- Docent-led tours are available on the first Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. (except for July) and Wednesdays at 11 a.m. $5 adults, $4 seniors and juniors (11-16), children 11 and under free. 

Dunsmuir House and Gardens, 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland. (510) 615-5555, www.dunsmuir.org.< 

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF BERKELEY  

"A Spirited Life in the Secular World," July 30 through July 31, Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. Benefit for Network for Grateful Living features Brother David Steindl-Ras and Sam Keen exploring questions of getting beyond the veneer of gratitude in popular culture and living a spirited life. $10-$100.  

2345 Channing Way, Berkeley. (510) 848-3696, www.fccb.org.< 

FRANK OGAWA PLAZA  

"Oakland Artisan Marketplace," Fridays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The City of Oakland and Cultural Arts & Marketing Department presents a weekly market featuring fine arts and crafts of local artists. Free. (510) 238-4948, www.oaklandartisanmarketplace.org. 

14th Street and Broadway, Oakland. < 

JACK LONDON AQUATIC CENTER  

"Oakland Artisan Marketplace,"' Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sundays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The City of Oakland and Cultural Arts & Marketing Department presents a weekly market featuring fine arts and crafts of local artists. Free. (510) 238-4948, www.oaklandartisanmarketplace.org. 

115 Embarcadero, Oakland. < 

JACK LONDON SQUARE  

"Dancing Under the Stars," July 23 and July 30, 8:30-10 p.m. The Linden Street Dance Studio provides free dance lessons to all at the foot of Broadway.  

Mestiza Trio, July 23, Noon-2 p.m.  

"Market Cooking Demonstration," July 25, 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Sim Peyron presents a cooking demonstration that utilizes seasonal ingredients.  

"Oakland Underground Film Salon," July 30, 7 p.m. The producers of the Oakland Underground Film Festival present speakers, artists, films and fun.  

Urban Wine Experience, July 31, Noon. East Bay Vintners Alliance presents a tasting with over 50 wines from all 15 members of the Alliance.  

Foot of Broadway, Oakland. (866) 295-9853, www.jacklondonsquare.com.< 

JEWISH GATEWAYS  

"Chocolate Chip Challah," July 25, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Join other families with young children to make and take home challah.  

409 Liberty St., El Cerrito. < 

LA PENA CULTURAL CENTER  

"Avotcja's 69th Birthday Bash," July 25, 7 p.m. Musicians and poets celebrate Avotcja's 68th birthday. $10-$20.  

"Celebrate Peruvian Independence Day," July 31, 8:30 p.m. Featuring music from Vladimir Vukanovich, Pedro Rosales and Rosa Los Santos. $15.  

"Domingos de Rumba," Aug. 1 and Aug. 15, 3:30 p.m. Community participatory event features drumes, dancing and the songs of rumba.  

3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 849-2568, www.lapena.org.< 

LAWRENCE HALL OF SCIENCE  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"NanoZone," Discover the science of the super-small: nanotechnology. Through hands-on activities and games, explore this microworld and the scientific discoveries made in this area.  

"Forces That Shape the Bay," A science park that shows and explains why the San Francisco Bay is the way it is, with information on water, erosion, plate tectonics and mountain building. You can ride earthquake simulators, set erosion in motion and look far out into the bay with a powerful telescope from 1,100 feet above sea level. The center of the exhibit is a waterfall that demonstrates how water flows from the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the Bay. Visitors can control where the water goes. There are also hands-on erosion tables, and a 40-foot-long, 6-foothigh, rock compression wall.  

"Real Astronomy Experience," A new exhibit-in-development allowing visitors to use the tools that real astronomers use. Aim a telescope at a virtual sky and operate a remote-controlled telescope to measure a planet.  

"Biology Lab," In the renovated Biology Lab visitors may hold and observe gentle animals. Saturday, Sunday and holidays, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.  

"The Idea Lab," Experiment with some of the basics of math, science and technology through hands-on activities and demonstrations of magnets, spinning and flying, puzzles and nanotechnology.  

"Math Around the World," Play some of the world's most popular math games, such as Hex, Kalah, Game Sticks and Shongo Networks.  

"Math Rules," Use simple and colorful objects to complete interesting challenges in math through predicting, sorting, comparing, weighing and counting.  

HOLT PLANETARIUM Shows on Saturdays and Sundays. Programs recommended for ages 6 and up unless otherwise noted. $2.50-$3 in addition to general admission.  

$6-$12; free children ages 2 and under. Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. University of California, Centennial Drive, Berkeley. (510) 642-5132, www.lawrencehallofscience.org.< 

THE PASTA SHOP  

"Hog Heaven III," July 31, 1 p.m. Event features artisan and sustainable pork with demos, tastings, book signings and patio grilling.  

1786 4th St., Berkeley. (510) 250-6004, www.pastashop.net.< 

RHYTHMIX CULTURAL WORKS  

"Voice Circle Workshop, July 29, 7 p.m. Join Kodo artist Yoko Fujimoto for a workshop on singing and the power of the human voice. $35.  

Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 2513 Blanding Ave., Alameda. (510) 845-5060, www.rhythmix.org.< 

RODA THEATRE  

"San Francisco Jewish Film Festival," July 31 through Aug. 7. For complete lineup, list of discussion programs, guests and more, see website. (415) 256-8499, www.sfjff.org. 

Berkeley Repertory Theatre, 2015 Addison St., Berkeley. www.berkeleyrep.org.< 

SAN RAMON LIBRARY  

"19th Annual International Storytelling Festival," through Aug. 2, 7 p.m. Jul. 26: Linda Gorham.  

Aug. 2: Bharata Natyam Free.  

100 Montgomery St, San Ramon. (925) 973-2850.< 

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY PACIFIC FILM ARCHIVE Exploring cinema from the Bay Area and cultures around the world, the Pacific Film Archive offers daily film screenings, including rare and rediscovered prints of movie classics; new and historic works by world famous directors; restored silent films with live musical accompaniment; retrospectives; and new and experimental works. Check Web site for a full schedule of films.  

"First Impressions: Free First Thursdays," first Thursday of every month. Special tours and movie presentations. Admission is free. 

Single feature: $5-$8; Double feature: $9-$12 general. PFA Theater, 2575 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. (510) 642-5249, www.bampfa.berkeley.edu.< 

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, MORRISON LIBRARY  

"Lunch Poems," First Thursday of the month, 12:10-12:50 p.m.  

2600 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. (510) 642-3671.< 

USS HORNET MUSEUM Come aboard this World War II aircraft carrier that has been converted into a floating museum. The Hornet, launched in 1943, is 899 feet long and 27 stories high. During World War II she was never hit by an enemy strike or plane and holds the Navy record for number of enemy planes shot down in a week. In 1969 the Hornet recovered the Apollo 11 space capsule containing the first men to walk on the moon, and later recovered Apollo 12. In 1991 the Hornet was designated a National Historic Landmark and is now docked at the same pier she sailed from in 1944. Today, visitors can tour the massive ship, view World War II-era warplanes and experience a simulated aircraft launch from the carrier's deck. Exhibits are being added on an ongoing basis. Allow two to three hours for a visit. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to climb steep stairs or ladders. Dress in layers as the ship can be cold. Arrive no later than 2 p.m. to sign up for the engine room and other docent-led tours. Children under age 12 are not allowed in the Engine Room or the Combat Information Center.  

ONGOING EVENTS --  

"Limited Access Day," Due to ship maintenance, tours of the navigation bridge and the engine room are not available. Tuesdays.  

"Flight Deck Fun," A former Landing Signal Officer will show children how to bring in a fighter plane for a landing on the deck then let them try the signals themselves. Times vary. Free with regular Museum admission.  

"Protestant Divine Services," Hornet chaplain John Berger conducts church services aboard The Hornet in the Wardroom Lounge. Everyone is welcome and refreshments are served immediately following the service. Sundays, 11 a.m. 

SPECIAL EVENTS -- Closed on New Year's Day. 

"Flashlight Tour," Receive a special tour of areas aboard the ship that have not yet been opened to the public or that have limited access during the day. 

"Living Ship Day," Experience an aircraft carrier in action, with simulated flight operations as aircraft are lifted to the flight deck and placed in launch position. Some former crewmembers will be on hand. 

"Family Day," Discounted admission for families of four with a further discount for additional family members. Access to some of the areas may be limited due to ship maintenance. Every Tuesday. $20 for family of four; $5 for each additional family member. 

$6-$14; free children age 4 and under with a paying adult. Daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Pier 3 (enter on Atlantic Avenue), Alameda Point, Alameda. (510) 521-8448, www.uss-hornet.org.<

ARDENWOOD HISTORIC FARM Ardenwood farm is a working farm that dates back to the time of the Patterson Ranch, a 19th-century estate with a mansion and Victorian Gardens. Today, the farm still practices farming techniques from the 1870s. Unless otherwise noted, programs are free with regular admission.  

ONGOING PROGRAMS --  

"Blacksmithing," Thursday, Friday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Watch a blacksmith turn iron into useful tools.  

"Horse-Drawn Train," Thursday, Friday and Sunday. A 20-minute ride departs from Ardenwood Station and Deer Park.  

"Animal Feeding," Thursday-Sunday, 3-4 p.m. Help slop the hogs, check the henhouse for eggs and bring hay to the livestock.  

"Victorian Flower Arranging," Thursday, 10:15-11:30 a.m. Watch as Ardenwood docents create floral works of art for display in the Patterson House.  

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Country Kitchen Cookin'," Sundays, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Enjoy the flavor of the past with treats cooked on Ardenwood's wood burning stove. Sample food grown on the farm and discover the history of your favorite oldtime snacks. 

"Potato Harvesting," Learn the spectacular history of this New World native as you dig with your spade and help find the spuds. 

"Animal Feeding," Thursday-Sunday, 3 p.m. Feed the pigs, check for eggs and bring hay to the livestock. 

"Horse-Drawn Train Rides," Thursday, Friday and Sunday, 10:15 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Meet Jigs or Tucker the Belgian Draft horses that pull Ardenwood's train. Check the daily schedule and meet the train at Ardenwood Station or Deer Park. 

"Toddler Time," Tuesdays, 11-11:30 a.m. Bring the tiny tots out for an exciting morning at the farm. Meet and learn all about a new animal friend through stories, chores and fun.  

"Barnyard Buddies," July 3 and July 31, 11 a.m. Get close to your favorite barnyard pals. 

"Perfectly Tasty Peach Marmalade," July 24, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Learn to make this food. 

"Peacocks with Pizazz," July 24, 1-2 p.m. Learn about these birds and look for feathers. 

"Saturday Rail Adventure," July 24 and Aug. 28, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Explore the fields and eucalyptus groves. 

"Lovely Ladies Croquet," July 25 and Aug. 22, 1-3 p.m. Participate in a very Victorian game. 

"Women's Work," July 31, 1-2:30 p.m. Explore jobs Victorian women had to do. 

"Happy Ice Cream Sandwich Day," Aug. 1, Noon-1:30 p.m. Make farm fresh ice cream to put between wafers. 

"Bunny Love," Aug. 1 and Aug. 15, 2-3 p.m. Pet the farm rabbits and learn about them. 

$1-$5; free children under age 4. Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont. (510) 796-0199, (510) 796-0663, www.ebparks.org.< 

BAY POINT LIBRARY  

"Monthly Craft Night," Last Friday of every month, 4-5 p.m. Each month features a different themed craft.  

Riverview Middle School, 205 Pacifica Ave., Pittsburg. (925) 458-9597.< 

BLACK DIAMOND MINES REGIONAL PRESERVE Originally the home of several Native American tribes, white men began coal mining in the area in the 1860s. The preserve today features old mines and displays of the history of the area. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Green Aliens," July 24, 10 a.m.-noon. Meet chlorophyllous aliens. 

"Somersville Shadows," July 31, 9:30-11 a.m. View the remains of a oncethriving mining town. 

Free unless otherwise noted; $5 seasonal parking fee on weekends. Daily, 8 a.m. to dusk Somersville Road, about five miles south of state Highway 4, Antioch. Information: (925) 757-2620, Tickets: (925) 555-1212, www.ebparks.org.< 

BLACKHAWK MUSEUM  

AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM -- The museum's permanent exhibition of internationally renowned automobiles dated from 1897 to the 1980s. The cars are displayed as works of art with room to walk completely around each car to admire the workmanship. On long-term loan from the Smithsonian Institution is a Long Steam Tricycle; an 1893-94 Duryea, the first Duryea built by the Duryea brothers; and a 1948 Tucker, number 39 of the 51 Tuckers built, which is a Model 48 "Torpedo'' four-door sedan.  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"International Automotive Treasures," An ever-changing exhibit featuring over 90 automobiles.  

"A Journey on Common Ground," An exhibit of moving photographs, video and art objects from around the world exploring the causes of disability and the efforts of the Wheelchair Foundation to provide a wheelchair for every person in need who cannot afford one.  

ONGOING EVENT --  

Free Public Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. Docent-led guided tours of the museum's exhibitions. 

$5-$8; free for children ages 6 and under. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Danville. (925) 736-2280, (925) 736-2277, www.blackhawkmuseum.org.< 

BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP An interactive place where children, and adults, can learn how a stuffed animal is made, then choose an animal pattern from the offering of bears, elephants, dogs and rabbits; stuff the chosen animal; dress it; and create a birth certificate. Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

$10-$25; clothing and accessories extra. Mondays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sundays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Broadway Plaza, 1248 Broadway, Walnut Creek. (925) 946-4697, www.buildabear.com.< 

CHABOT SPACE AND SCIENCE CENTER State-of-the-art facility unifying science education activities around astronomy. Enjoy interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, indoor stargazing, outdoor telescope viewing and films. 

ASK JEEVES PLANETARIUM -- The planetarium features one of the most advanced star projectors in the world. A daily planetarium show is included with general admission. Call for current show schedule.  

"The Sky Tonight," Saturdays, 8 p.m. Take a live tour of the starry sky overhead on the night of your visit. The show includes a look at constellations, planets and special celestial objects. 

"The Search for Life: Are We Alone?" A voyage from the ocean deep to the outer reaches of the cosmos in search of life, narrated by Harrison Ford. 

Center Admission: $14.95; $10.95 children 3-12; free children under 3; $3 discount for seniors and students. Telescope viewing only: free. Wednesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Also open on Tuesdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. after June 29. 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 336-7300, www.chabotspace.org.< 

CHILDREN'S FAIRYLAND A fairy tale theme park featuring more than 30 colorful fantasy sets. Designed especially for children ages 10 and under, there are gentle rides, a train, the "Peter Rabbit Village,'' puppet shows, story-telling and lots of slides and animals. Admission price includes unlimited rides, special shows, guest entertainers and puppet shows.  

OLD WEST JUNCTION -- Children's Fairyland's newest attraction is a Wild West-themed town sized just for children, with a livery stable, bank, jail and a water tower slide.  

PUPPET SHOWS -- Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. All shows are at the Open Storybook Theatre. Free with regular Fairyland admission.  

ARTS AND CRAFTS CENTER -- Activities on Saturday and Sunday, noon to 3 p.m.  

ANIMAL OF THE DAY -- Saturday and Sunday, 1-1:20 p.m. at the Humpty Dumpty Wall. Learn about one of Fairyland's animal friends. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Animal of the Day!" Saturdays and Sundays, 1-1:20 p.m. Come up close and learn about Fairyland's creatures. 

"Arts and Crafts," Noon-3 p.m. Event features arts and crafts projects for children and their families. $6. 

"Puppet Show: The Petrified Princess," July 24 through July 25 and July 31 through July 25, 11 a.m., 2 and 4 p.m. Baron Bullyrag wishes to marry the lovely princess. The baron owns most of the lands and the poor, indebted princess is being forced into marriage. When she refuses, he turns her to stone. The knight Puff Louse has twenty four hours to find the ingredients to reverse the curse.  

Buki the Clown, July 24 through July 25, 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. Buki entertains with her crazy antics.  

The Fairyland Musicians, July 24 through July 25, 12:30 and 3 p.m. Written by Tony Jonick.  

"The Golden Reed," July 31 through Aug. 1, 12:30 and 3 p.m. In this tale from China, a dragon is kidnapping the children, and a young boy sets out to rescue them.  

Mother Goose, July 31 through Aug. 1, 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. Mother Goose, with her friends Grieselda the Goose and Humpty Dumpty, entertains both adults and children with her music and tales.  

$6; free for children under age 1; $2 for a Magic Key. No adult admitted without a child and no child admitted without an adult. Summer (June through Labor Day): Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Fall and Spring: Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Winter: Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. CLOSED DEC. 25-JAN. 4. 699 Bellevue Ave., Oakland. (510) 452-2259, www.fairyland.org.< 

COYOTE HILLS REGIONAL PARK The park is located on the shoreline of Fremont Bay and features rich wetland areas as well as Ohlone Indian shellmound sites. Hiking in the park allows scenic views of San Francisco Bay and southern Alameda County. The 12-mile Alameda Creek Trail runs from the Bay east to the mouth of Niles Canyon and features an equestrian trail as well as a bicycle trail; hikers are welcome on both. The park conducts naturalist programs and has a visitor center with a nature store and Ohlone, natural history and wildlife exhibits.  

SPECIAL EVENTS -- Free unless otherwise noted.  

"Reptiles with Styles," July 25, 1-3 p.m. Get up close and personal with reptiles. 

"Reptiles with Styles," July 25, 1-3 p.m. Discover the unique qualities of reptiles. 

"Bow Drill and Hand Drill Fire Making," July 31, 9:30 a.m.-noon. Learn the secrets of making fire. 

"Skills of the Past: Paleolithic Tools," July 31, 1-4:30 p.m. Explore the world of human technological prehistory through stone tools. 

"Ohlone Village Site House Repairs," Aug. 1, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Glimpse 2,000 years of history as you help repair the frameworks of three structures built at a Tuibun Ohlone village site. 

Free unless otherwise noted; A parking fee may be charged. Registration required for events. April through October: daily, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; October through April, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., unless otherwise posted. 8000 Patterson Pass Road, Fremont. (510) 636-1684, (510) 795-9385, www.ebparks.org.< 

CRAB COVE VISITOR CENTER At Crab Cove, you can see live underwater creatures and go into the San Francisco Bay from land. You can also travel back in time to Alameda's part. The goal is to increase understanding of the environmental importance of San Francisco Bay and the ocean ecosystem. Crab Cove's Indoor Aquarium and Exhibit Lab is one of the largest indoor aquariums in the East Bay. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Sea Siblings," Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Explore the natural world and take part in a theme related craft. Designed for the 3-5 year old learner. Registration is required. $4. (888) 327-2757. 

"Sea Squirts," 10-11:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Discover the wonders of nature with your little one. Registration is required. $6-$8. 

"Catch of the Day," Sundays, 2-3 p.m. Drop by to find out more about the Bay and its wildlife through guided exploration and hands-on fun. 

Free unless otherwise noted; parking fee may be charged. 1252 McKay Ave., Alameda. (510) 521-6887, www.ebparks.org.< 

DUNSMUIR HOUSE AND GARDENS HISTORIC ESTATE Nestled in the Oakland hills, the 50-acre Dunsmuir House and Gardens estate includes the 37-room Neoclassical Revival Dunsmuir Mansion, built by coal and lumber baron Alexander Dunsmuir for his bride. Restored outbuildings set amid landscaped gardens surround the mansion.  

ESTATE GROUNDS -- Self-Guided Grounds Tours are available yearround. The 50 acres of gardens and grounds at the mansion are open to the public for walking Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Booklets and maps of the grounds are available at the Dinkelspiel House. Free.  

GUIDED TOURS -- Docent-led tours are available on the first Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. (except for July) and Wednesdays at 11 a.m. $5 adults, $4 seniors and juniors (11-16), children 11 and under free. 

Dunsmuir House and Gardens, 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland. (510) 615-5555, www.dunsmuir.org.< 

FOREST HOME FARMS The 16-acre former farm of the Boone family is now a municipal historic park in San Ramon. It is located at the base of the East Bay Hills and is divided into two parts by Oak Creek. The Boone House is a 22-room Dutch colonial that has been remodeled several times since it was built in 1900. Also on the property are a barn built in the period from 1850 to 1860; the Victorian-style David Glass House, dating from the late 1860s to early 1870s; a storage structure for farm equipment and automobiles; and a walnut processing plant. 

Free unless otherwise noted. Public tours available by appointment. 19953 San Ramon Valley Blvd., San Ramon. (925) 973-3281, www.ci.sanramon. ca.us/parks/boone.htm.< 

HABITOT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM A museum especially for children ages 7 and under. Highlights include "WaterWorks,'' an area with some unusual water toys, an Infant Tree for babies, a garden especially for toddlers, a child-scale grocery store and cafe, and a costume shop and stage for junior thespians. The museum also features a toy lending library.  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"Waterworks." A water play gallery with rivers, a pumping station and a water table, designed to teach about water.  

"Little Town Grocery and Cafe." Designed to create the ambience of shopping in a grocery store and eating in a restaurant.  

"Infant-Toddler Garden." A picket fence gated indoor area, which includes a carrot patch with wooden carrots to be harvested, a pretend pond and a butterfly mobile to introduce youngsters to the concept of food, gardening and agriculture.  

"Dramatic Arts Stage." Settings, backdrops and costumes coincide with seasonal events and holidays. Children can exercise their dramatic flair here.  

"Wiggle Wall." The floor-to-ceiling "underground'' tunnels give children a worm's eye view of the world. The tunnels are laced with net covered openings and giant optic lenses. 

SPECIAL EXHIBITS --  

$6-$7. Wednesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Closed Sunday-Tuesday. 2065 Kittredge St., Berkeley. (510) 647-1111, www.habitot.org.< 

HAYWARD SHORELINE INTERPRETIVE CENTER Perched on stilts above a salt marsh, the Center offers an introduction to the San Francisco Bay-Estuary. It features exhibits, programs and activities designed to inspire a sense of appreciation, respect and stewardship for the Bay, its inhabitants and the services they provide. The Habitat Room offers a preview of what may be seen outside. The 80-gallon Bay Tank contains some of the fish that live in the Bay's open waters, and the Channel Tank represents habitats formed by the maze of sloughs and creeks that snake through the marsh. The main room of the Center features rotating exhibits about area history, plants and wildlife. Part of the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District.  

ONGOING EXHIBIT --  

"Exploring Nature," An exhibit of Shawn Gould's illustrations featuring images of the natural world. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Nature Detectives," 11 a.m.-noon. An introduction and exploration of the world of Black-Crowned Night-Herons. Ages 3-5 and their caregivers. Registration required. 

"Weekend Weed Warriors," 1-4 p.m. Help the shoreline to eliminate the non-native plants that threaten its diversity. Ages 12 and older. Registration required. 

"Waterfowl of the Freshwater Marsh," 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Join an expert birder to go "behind the gates'' to areas of the marsh that are not open to the public. 

Free. Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 4901 Breakwater Ave., Hayward. (510) 670-7270, www.hard.dst.ca.us/hayshore.html.< 

JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF THE EAST BAY  

"Shabbat Celebration for Young Children," Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Join other families with young children to sharethis weekly Jewish holiday of joy and renewal.  

1414 Walnut St., Berkeley. (510) 848-0237, www.jcceastbay.org/.< 

JEWISH GATEWAYS  

"Chocolate Chip Challah," July 25, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Join other families with young children to make and take home challah.  

409 Liberty St., El Cerrito. < 

JUNIOR CENTER OF ART AND SCIENCE A center dedicated to encouraging children's active wonder and creative response through artistic and scientific exploration of their natural urban environment. The center's classes, workshops, exhibits and events integrate art and science.  

EXHIBITS -- Three educational exhibits are mounted in the "Children's Gallery'' each year. A docent-led tour, demonstrations, hands-on activities and art projects are available to school groups throughout the year.  

"Jake's Discovery Garden," Jake's Discovery Garden is a new interactive studio exhibit designed for preschool-aged children and their adult caregivers that teaches young visitors about the natural environments found in their backyards, playgrounds and neighborhoods. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

Free; programs and special exhibits have a fee. September through May: Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June through August: Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 558 Bellevue Ave., Oakland. (510) 839-5777, www.juniorcenter.org.< 

LAKE CHABOT REGIONAL PARK The 315-acre lake offers year-round recreation. Services include canoe and boat rental, horseshoe pits, hiking, bicycling, picnicking and seasonal tours aboard the Chabot Queen. For boat rentals, call (510) 247-2526. 

Free unless noted otherwise; $5 parking; $2 per dog except guide/service dogs. Daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. 17930 Lake Chabot Road, Castro Valley. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.< 

LAWRENCE HALL OF SCIENCE  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"NanoZone," Discover the science of the super-small: nanotechnology. Through hands-on activities and games, explore this microworld and the scientific discoveries made in this area.  

"Forces That Shape the Bay," A science park that shows and explains why the San Francisco Bay is the way it is, with information on water, erosion, plate tectonics and mountain building. You can ride earthquake simulators, set erosion in motion and look far out into the bay with a powerful telescope from 1,100 feet above sea level. The center of the exhibit is a waterfall that demonstrates how water flows from the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the Bay. Visitors can control where the water goes. There are also hands-on erosion tables, and a 40-foot-long, 6-foothigh, rock compression wall.  

"Real Astronomy Experience," A new exhibit-in-development allowing visitors to use the tools that real astronomers use. Aim a telescope at a virtual sky and operate a remote-controlled telescope to measure a planet.  

"Biology Lab," In the renovated Biology Lab visitors may hold and observe gentle animals. Saturday, Sunday and holidays, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.  

"The Idea Lab," Experiment with some of the basics of math, science and technology through hands-on activities and demonstrations of magnets, spinning and flying, puzzles and nanotechnology.  

"Math Around the World," Play some of the world's most popular math games, such as Hex, Kalah, Game Sticks and Shongo Networks.  

"Math Rules," Use simple and colorful objects to complete interesting challenges in math through predicting, sorting, comparing, weighing and counting.  

HOLT PLANETARIUM Shows on Saturdays and Sundays. Programs recommended for ages 6 and up unless otherwise noted. $2.50-$3 in addition to general admission.  

$6-$12; free children ages 2 and under. Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. University of California, Centennial Drive, Berkeley. (510) 642-5132, www.lawrencehallofscience.org.< 

LINDSAY WILDLIFE MUSEUM This is the oldest and largest wildlife rehabilitation center in America, taking in 6,000 injured and orphaned animals yearly and returning 40 percent of them to the wild. The museum offers a wide range of educational programs using non-releasable wild animals to teach children and adults respect for the balance of nature. The museum includes a state-of-the art wildlife hospital which features a permanent exhibit, titled "Living with Nature,'' which houses 75 non-releasable wild animals in learning environments; a 5,000-square-foot Wildlife Hospital complete with treatment rooms, intensive care, quarantine and laboratory facilities; a 1-acre Nature Garden featuring the region's native landscaping and wildlife; and an "Especially For Children'' exhibit.  

WILDLIFE HOSPITAL -- September-March: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hospital is open daily including holidays to receive injured and orphaned animals. There is no charge for treatment of native wild animals and there are no public viewing areas in the hospital. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

$5-$7; free children under age 2. Wednesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.< 

MUSEUM OF CHILDREN'S ART A museum of art for and by children, with activities for children to participate in making their own art.  

ART CAMPS -- Hands-on activities and engaging curriculum for children of different ages, led by professional artists and staff. $60 per day.  

CLASSES -- A Sunday series of classes for children ages 8 to 12, led by Mocha artists. Sundays, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.  

OPEN STUDIOS -- Drop-in art play activities with new themes each week.  

"Big Studio." Guided art projects for children age 6 and older with a Mocha artist. Tuesday through Friday, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. $5.  

"Little Studio." A hands-on experience that lets young artists age 18 months to 5 years see, touch and manipulate a variety of media. Children can get messy. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $5.  

"Family Weekend Studios." Drop-in art activities for the whole family. All ages welcome. Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. $5 per child.  

FAMILY EXTRAVAGANZAS -- Special weekend workshops for the entire family.  

"Sunday Workshops with Illustrators," Sundays, 1 p.m. See the artwork and meet the artists who create children's book illustrations. Free. 

EVENTS --  

"Saturday Stories," 1 p.m. For children ages 2-5. Free. 

SPECIAL EVENT --  

"Saturday Stories," 1 p.m. For ages 2-5. Free. 

Free gallery admission. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m. 538 Ninth St., Oakland. (510) 465-8770, www.mocha.org.< 

OHLONE COLLEGE  

"Ohlone for Kids and Teens," through Aug. 12. Learn about biology, try lego robotics, journey into outer space and more. www.ohloneforkids.com. 

43600 Mission Blvd., Fremont. (510) 659-6285, www.ohlone.edu.< 

POINT PINOLE REGIONAL SHORELINE The 2,315-acre parkland bordering Pinole, Richmond and San Pablo offers views of Mount Tamalpais, the Marin shoreline and San Pablo Bay. There are trails through meadows and woods, and along the bluffs and beaches of San Pablo Bay. Visitors can hike, ride bikes or take the park's shuttle bus to reach the 1,250-foot fishing pier at Point Pinole. 

$5 per vehicle; $4 per trailered vehicle; $2 per dog (guide/service dogs free). Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless otherwise posted. Giant Highway, Richmond. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.< 

ROBERT SIBLEY VOLCANIC REGIONAL PRESERVE East Bay residents have several volcanoes in their backyard. This park contains Round Top, one of the highest peaks in the Oakland Hills. 

Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. 6800 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.< 

SAN RAMON LIBRARY  

"19th Annual International Storytelling Festival," through Aug. 2, 7 p.m. Jul. 26: Linda Gorham.  

Aug. 2: Bharata Natyam Free.  

100 Montgomery St, San Ramon. (925) 973-2850.< 

SHADOW CLIFFS REGIONAL RECREATION AREA The 296-acre park includes an 80-acre lake and a four-flume waterslide, with picnic grounds and a swimming beach. Water slide fees and hours: (925) 829-6230. 

$6 per vehicle; $2 per dog except guide and service dogs. May 1 through Labor Day: daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; shortened hours for fall and winter. Stanley Boulevard, one mile from downtown, Pleasanton. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.< 

SULPHUR CREEK NATURE CENTER A wildlife rehabilitation and education facility where injured and orphaned local wild creatures are rehabilitated and released when possible. There is also a lending library of animals such as guinea pigs, rats, mice and more. The lending fee is $8 per week.  

ONGOING EVENTS --  

"Toddler Time," Learn about animals by listening to stories and exploring. Themes vary by month. Call for schedule. $7 per family.  

"Day on the Green Animal Presentations," Meet an assortment of wild and domestic animals. Wildlife volunteers will present a different animal each day from possums to snakes, tortoises to hawks. Saturday and Sunday, 2:30 p.m. 

CHILDREN'S EVENTS --  

Free. Park: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Discovery Center: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Animal Lending Library: Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Wildlife Rehabilitation Center: daily, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 1801 D St., Hayward. (510) 881-6747, www.haywardrec.org/sulphur_creek.html.< 

TILDEN REGIONAL PARK This park is large and contains hiking trails, a golf course, a miniature scaled train to ride, The Brazilian Building and picnic areas. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Wonders of Watersheds," July 25, 2-3 p.m. Find out about the intricacies of the wayerways in your neighborhood. 

"Backcountry Gourmet," July 25, 2:30-4 p.m. Learn the fundamentals of making your own backpackign food and trail snacks. 

"Getting' Nutty With Squirrels," Aug. 1, 10-11 a.m. Discover this creature's habits and habitat. 

Free unless otherwise noted. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Entrances off Wildcat Canyon Road and Grizzly Peak Boulevard, Berkeley. (510) 525-2233, www.ebparks.org.< 

USS HORNET MUSEUM Come aboard this World War II aircraft carrier that has been converted into a floating museum. The Hornet, launched in 1943, is 899 feet long and 27 stories high. During World War II she was never hit by an enemy strike or plane and holds the Navy record for number of enemy planes shot down in a week. In 1969 the Hornet recovered the Apollo 11 space capsule containing the first men to walk on the moon, and later recovered Apollo 12. In 1991 the Hornet was designated a National Historic Landmark and is now docked at the same pier she sailed from in 1944. Today, visitors can tour the massive ship, view World War II-era warplanes and experience a simulated aircraft launch from the carrier's deck. Exhibits are being added on an ongoing basis. Allow two to three hours for a visit. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to climb steep stairs or ladders. Dress in layers as the ship can be cold. Arrive no later than 2 p.m. to sign up for the engine room and other docent-led tours. Children under age 12 are not allowed in the Engine Room or the Combat Information Center.  

ONGOING EVENTS --  

"Limited Access Day," Due to ship maintenance, tours of the navigation bridge and the engine room are not available. Tuesdays.  

"Flight Deck Fun," A former Landing Signal Officer will show children how to bring in a fighter plane for a landing on the deck then let them try the signals themselves. Times vary. Free with regular Museum admission.  

"Protestant Divine Services," Hornet chaplain John Berger conducts church services aboard The Hornet in the Wardroom Lounge. Everyone is welcome and refreshments are served immediately following the service. Sundays, 11 a.m. 

SPECIAL EVENTS -- Closed on New Year's Day. 

"Family Day," Discounted admission for families of four with a further discount for additional family members. Access to some of the areas may be limited due to ship maintenance. Every Tuesday. $20 for family of four; $5 for each additional family member. 

"Living Ship Day," Experience an aircraft carrier in action, with simulated flight operations as aircraft are lifted to the flight deck and placed in launch position. Some former crewmembers will be on hand. 

"Flashlight Tour," Receive a special tour of areas aboard the ship that have not yet been opened to the public or that have limited access during the day. 

$6-$14; free children age 4 and under with a paying adult. Daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Pier 3 (enter on Atlantic Avenue), Alameda Point, Alameda. (510) 521-8448, www.uss-hornet.org.<

ARDENWOOD HISTORIC FARM Ardenwood farm is a working farm that dates back to the time of the Patterson Ranch, a 19th-century estate with a mansion and Victorian Gardens. Today, the farm still practices farming techniques from the 1870s. Unless otherwise noted, programs are free with regular admission.  

ONGOING PROGRAMS --  

"Blacksmithing," Thursday, Friday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Watch a blacksmith turn iron into useful tools.  

"Horse-Drawn Train," Thursday, Friday and Sunday. A 20-minute ride departs from Ardenwood Station and Deer Park.  

"Animal Feeding," Thursday-Sunday, 3-4 p.m. Help slop the hogs, check the henhouse for eggs and bring hay to the livestock.  

"Victorian Flower Arranging," Thursday, 10:15-11:30 a.m. Watch as Ardenwood docents create floral works of art for display in the Patterson House.  

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Horse-Drawn Train Rides," Thursday, Friday and Sunday, 10:15 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Meet Jigs or Tucker the Belgian Draft horses that pull Ardenwood's train. Check the daily schedule and meet the train at Ardenwood Station or Deer Park. 

"Country Kitchen Cookin'," Sundays, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Enjoy the flavor of the past with treats cooked on Ardenwood's wood burning stove. Sample food grown on the farm and discover the history of your favorite oldtime snacks. 

"Animal Feeding," Thursday-Sunday, 3 p.m. Feed the pigs, check for eggs and bring hay to the livestock. 

"Toddler Time," Tuesdays, 11-11:30 a.m. Bring the tiny tots out for an exciting morning at the farm. Meet and learn all about a new animal friend through stories, chores and fun.  

"Potato Harvesting," Learn the spectacular history of this New World native as you dig with your spade and help find the spuds. 

"Barnyard Buddies," July 3 and July 31, 11 a.m. Get close to your favorite barnyard pals. 

"Peacocks with Pizazz," July 24, 1-2 p.m. Learn about these birds and look for feathers. 

"Saturday Rail Adventure," July 24 and Aug. 28, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Explore the fields and eucalyptus groves. 

"Perfectly Tasty Peach Marmalade," July 24, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Learn to make this food. 

"Lovely Ladies Croquet," July 25 and Aug. 22, 1-3 p.m. Participate in a very Victorian game. 

"Women's Work," July 31, 1-2:30 p.m. Explore jobs Victorian women had to do. 

"Happy Ice Cream Sandwich Day," Aug. 1, Noon-1:30 p.m. Make farm fresh ice cream to put between wafers. 

"Bunny Love," Aug. 1 and Aug. 15, 2-3 p.m. Pet the farm rabbits and learn about them. 

$1-$5; free children under age 4. Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont. (510) 796-0199, (510) 796-0663, www.ebparks.org.< 

BAY AREA RAIL TRAILS A network of trails converted from unused railway corridors and developed by the Rails to Trails Conservancy.  

BLACK DIAMOND MINES REGIONAL PRESERVE RAILROAD BED TRAIL -- This easy one mile long rail trail on Mount Diablo leads to many historic sites within the preserve. Suitable for walking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. Accessible year round but may be muddy during the rainy season. Enter from the Park Entrance Station parking lot on the East side of Somersville Road, Antioch.  

IRON HORSE REGIONAL TRAIL -- The paved trail has grown into a 23 mile path between Concord and San Ramon with a link into Dublin. The trail runs from the north end of Monument Boulevard at Mohr Lane, east to Interstate 680, in Concord through Walnut Creek to just south of Village Green Park in San Ramon. It will eventually extend from Suisun Bay to Pleasanton and has been nominated as a Community Millennium Trail under the U.S. Millennium Trails program. A smooth shaded trail suitable for walkers, cyclists, skaters and strollers. It is also wheelchair accessible. Difficulty: easy to moderate in small chunks; hard if taken as a whole.  

LAFAYETTE/MORAGA REGIONAL TRAIL -- A 7.65 mile paved trail converted from the Sacramento Northern Rail line. This 20-year old trail goes along Las Trampas Creek and parallels St. Mary's Road. Suitable for walkers, equestrians, and cyclists. Runs from Olympic Boulevard and Pleasant Hill Road in Lafayette to Moraga. The trail can be used year round.  

OHLONE GREENWAY -- A 3.75-mile paved trail converted from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railway. Suitable for walkers, strollers and skaters. It is also wheelchair accessible. The trail runs under elevated BART tracks from Conlon and Key Streets in El Cerrito to Virginia and Acton Streets in Berkeley.  

SHEPHERD CANYON TRAIL -- An easy 3-mile paved trail converted from the Sacramento Northern Rail Line. The tree-lined trail is gently sloping and generally follows Shepherd Canyon Road. Suitable for walkers and cyclists. It is also wheelchair accessible. Begins in Montclair Village behind McCaulou's Department Store on Medau Place and ends at Paso Robles Drive, Oakland. Useable year round. 

Free. (415) 397-2220, www.traillink.com.< 

BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL The Bay Area Ridge Trail, when completed, will be a 400-mile regional trail system that will form a loop around the entire San Francisco Bay region, linking 75 public parks and open spaces to thousands of people and hundreds of communities. Hikes on portions of the trail are available through the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council. Call for meeting sites.  

ONGOING EVENTS --  

ALAMEDA COUNTY -- "Lake Chabot Bike Rides." These rides are for strong beginners and intermediates to build skill, strength and endurance at a non hammerhead pace. No one will be dropped. Reservations required. Distance: 14 miles. Elevation gain: 1,000 feet. Difficulty: beginner to intermediate. Pace: moderate. Meeting place: Lake Chabot Road at the main entrance to the park. Thursday, 6:15 a.m. (510) 468-3582.  

ALAMEDA-CONTRA COSTA COUNTY -- "Tilden and Wildcat Bike Rides." A vigorous ride through Tilden and Wildcat Canyon regional parks. Reservations required. Distance: 15 miles. Elevation gain: 2,000 feet. Difficulty: intermediate. Pace: fast. Meeting place: in front of the North Berkeley BART Station. Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. (510) 849-9650. 

Free. (415) 561-2595, www.ridgetrail.org.< 

BICYCLE TRAILS COUNCIL OF THE EAST BAY The Council sponsors trail work days, Youth Bike Adventure Rides, and Group Rides as well as Mountain Bike Basics classes which cover training and handling skills.  

ONGOING EVENTS --  

"Weekly Wednesday Ride at Lake Chabot," Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. A 13- to 20-mile ride exploring the trails around Lake Chabot, with 1,500 to 2,000 feet of climbing. Meet at 6:15 p.m. in the parking lot across from the public safety offices at Lake Chabot in Castro Valley. Reservations requested. (510) 727-0613.  

"Weekly Wednesday 'Outer' East Bay Ride," Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. Ride some of the outer East Bay parks each week, such as Wild Cat Canyon, Briones, Mount Diablo, Tilden and Joaquin Miller-Redwood. Meeting place and ride location vary. Reservations required. (510) 888-9757. 

Free. (510) 466-5123, www.btceb.org.< 

BLACK DIAMOND MINES REGIONAL PRESERVE Originally the home of several Native American tribes, white men began coal mining in the area in the 1860s. The preserve today features old mines and displays of the history of the area. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Green Aliens," July 24, 10 a.m.-noon. Meet chlorophyllous aliens. 

"Somersville Shadows," July 31, 9:30-11 a.m. View the remains of a oncethriving mining town. 

Free unless otherwise noted; $5 seasonal parking fee on weekends. Daily, 8 a.m. to dusk Somersville Road, about five miles south of state Highway 4, Antioch. Information: (925) 757-2620, Tickets: (925) 555-1212, www.ebparks.org.< 

BOTANIC GARDEN  

EVENTS --  

Intersection of Wildcat Canyon Road and South Park Drive, Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley. www.ebparks.org.< 

COYOTE HILLS REGIONAL PARK The park is located on the shoreline of Fremont Bay and features rich wetland areas as well as Ohlone Indian shellmound sites. Hiking in the park allows scenic views of San Francisco Bay and southern Alameda County. The 12-mile Alameda Creek Trail runs from the Bay east to the mouth of Niles Canyon and features an equestrian trail as well as a bicycle trail; hikers are welcome on both. The park conducts naturalist programs and has a visitor center with a nature store and Ohlone, natural history and wildlife exhibits.  

SPECIAL EVENTS -- Free unless otherwise noted.  

"Reptiles with Styles," July 25, 1-3 p.m. Discover the unique qualities of reptiles. 

"Reptiles with Styles," July 25, 1-3 p.m. Get up close and personal with reptiles. 

"Skills of the Past: Paleolithic Tools," July 31, 1-4:30 p.m. Explore the world of human technological prehistory through stone tools. 

"Bow Drill and Hand Drill Fire Making," July 31, 9:30 a.m.-noon. Learn the secrets of making fire. 

"Ohlone Village Site House Repairs," Aug. 1, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Glimpse 2,000 years of history as you help repair the frameworks of three structures built at a Tuibun Ohlone village site. 

Free unless otherwise noted; A parking fee may be charged. Registration required for events. April through October: daily, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; October through April, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., unless otherwise posted. 8000 Patterson Pass Road, Fremont. (510) 636-1684, (510) 795-9385, www.ebparks.org.< 

CRAB COVE VISITOR CENTER At Crab Cove, you can see live underwater creatures and go into the San Francisco Bay from land. You can also travel back in time to Alameda's part. The goal is to increase understanding of the environmental importance of San Francisco Bay and the ocean ecosystem. Crab Cove's Indoor Aquarium and Exhibit Lab is one of the largest indoor aquariums in the East Bay. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Sea Squirts," 10-11:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Discover the wonders of nature with your little one. Registration is required. $6-$8. 

"Catch of the Day," Sundays, 2-3 p.m. Drop by to find out more about the Bay and its wildlife through guided exploration and hands-on fun. 

"Sea Siblings," Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Explore the natural world and take part in a theme related craft. Designed for the 3-5 year old learner. Registration is required. $4. (888) 327-2757. 

Free unless otherwise noted; parking fee may be charged. 1252 McKay Ave., Alameda. (510) 521-6887, www.ebparks.org.< 

DUNSMUIR HOUSE AND GARDENS HISTORIC ESTATE Nestled in the Oakland hills, the 50-acre Dunsmuir House and Gardens estate includes the 37-room Neoclassical Revival Dunsmuir Mansion, built by coal and lumber baron Alexander Dunsmuir for his bride. Restored outbuildings set amid landscaped gardens surround the mansion.  

ESTATE GROUNDS -- Self-Guided Grounds Tours are available yearround. The 50 acres of gardens and grounds at the mansion are open to the public for walking Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Booklets and maps of the grounds are available at the Dinkelspiel House. Free.  

GUIDED TOURS -- Docent-led tours are available on the first Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. (except for July) and Wednesdays at 11 a.m. $5 adults, $4 seniors and juniors (11-16), children 11 and under free. 

Dunsmuir House and Gardens, 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland. (510) 615-5555, www.dunsmuir.org.< 

FIFTY-PLUS ADVENTURE WALKS AND RUNS The walks and runs are 3-mile round-trips, lasting about one hour on the trail. All levels of ability are welcome. The walks are brisk, however, and may include some uphill terrain. Events are held rain or shine and on all holidays except Christmas and the Fifty-Plus Annual Fitness Weekend. Call for dates, times and details. 

Free. (650) 323-6160, www.50plus.org.< 

FOREST HOME FARMS The 16-acre former farm of the Boone family is now a municipal historic park in San Ramon. It is located at the base of the East Bay Hills and is divided into two parts by Oak Creek. The Boone House is a 22-room Dutch colonial that has been remodeled several times since it was built in 1900. Also on the property are a barn built in the period from 1850 to 1860; the Victorian-style David Glass House, dating from the late 1860s to early 1870s; a storage structure for farm equipment and automobiles; and a walnut processing plant. 

Free unless otherwise noted. Public tours available by appointment. 19953 San Ramon Valley Blvd., San Ramon. (925) 973-3281, www.ci.sanramon. ca.us/parks/boone.htm.< 

GARIN AND DRY CREEK PIONEER REGIONAL PARKS Independent nature study is encouraged here, and guided interpretive programs are available through the Coyote Hills Regional Park Visitor Center in Fremont. The Garin Barn Visitor Center is open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. In late summer, the Garin Apple Festival celebrates Garin's apple orchards. The parks also allow picnicking, hiking, horseback riding and fishing. 

Free; $5 parking fee per vehicle; $2 per dog. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. 1320 Garin Ave., Hayward. (510) 562-PARK, (510) 795-9385, www.ebparks.org/parks/garin.htm.< 

GREENBELT ALLIANCE OUTINGS A series of hikes, bike rides and events sponsored by Greenbelt Alliance, the Bay Area's non-profit land conservation and urban planning organization. Call for meeting places. Reservations required for all trips.  

ALAMEDA COUNTY --  

"Self-Guided Urban Outing: Berkeley," This interactive smart growth walking tour of central Berkeley examines some of the exciting projects that help alleviate the housing shortage in the city as well as amenities important to making a livable community. The walk, which includes the GAIA Cultural Center, Allston Oak Court, The Berkeley Bike Station, University Terrace and Strawberry Creek Park, takes between an hour-and-ahalf to two hours at a leisurely pace. Download the itinerary which gives specific directions by entering www.greeenbelt.org and clicking on "get involved'' and then "urban outings.'' Drop down and click on Berkeley. Free. 

Free unless otherwise noted. (415) 255-3233, www.greenbelt.org.< 

HAYWARD REGIONAL SHORELINE With 1,682 acres of salt, fresh and brackish water marshes, seasonal wetlands and the approximately three-mile San Lorenzo Trail, the Hayward Shoreline restoration project is one of the largest of its kind on the West Coast, comprising 400 acres of marshland. Part of the East Bay Regional Park District. 

EVENTS --  

Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. 3010 W. Winton Ave., Hayward. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org/parks/hayward.htm.< 

HAYWARD SHORELINE INTERPRETIVE CENTER Perched on stilts above a salt marsh, the Center offers an introduction to the San Francisco Bay-Estuary. It features exhibits, programs and activities designed to inspire a sense of appreciation, respect and stewardship for the Bay, its inhabitants and the services they provide. The Habitat Room offers a preview of what may be seen outside. The 80-gallon Bay Tank contains some of the fish that live in the Bay's open waters, and the Channel Tank represents habitats formed by the maze of sloughs and creeks that snake through the marsh. The main room of the Center features rotating exhibits about area history, plants and wildlife. Part of the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District.  

ONGOING EXHIBIT --  

"Exploring Nature," An exhibit of Shawn Gould's illustrations featuring images of the natural world. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Nature Detectives," 11 a.m.-noon. An introduction and exploration of the world of Black-Crowned Night-Herons. Ages 3-5 and their caregivers. Registration required. 

"Weekend Weed Warriors," 1-4 p.m. Help the shoreline to eliminate the non-native plants that threaten its diversity. Ages 12 and older. Registration required. 

"Waterfowl of the Freshwater Marsh," 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Join an expert birder to go "behind the gates'' to areas of the marsh that are not open to the public. 

"Introduction to Botanical Drawing for Adults," through July 25, Noon-3 p.m. Practice your drawing skills and learn about the ecosystem.  

"Exploring Estuaries," July 24, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Learn about tides, plants and wetlands.  

"Freshwater Marsh Birding Exploration," July 24, 8 a.m. Search for Egrets, Black-necked Stilts and Killdeer.  

"Shoreline Van Tour for Seniors," July 25, 10 a.m. Join a naturalist for a van tour to discuss human and natural history. $5.  

"Leopard Shark Feeding Frenzy," July 31, 3 p.m. Assist the staff in feeding.  

"Who's Bones Are These?" Aug. 1, Noon-1:30 p.m. Examine an extensive animal bone collection.  

Free. Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 4901 Breakwater Ave., Hayward. (510) 670-7270, www.hard.dst.ca.us/hayshore.html.< 

JOHN MUIR HISTORIC SITE Guided tours around the first floor of the Muir home are available to the general public Wednesday-Friday at 2 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. The tour is about 30 minutes long.  

Self-guided tours of the home, orchards, and Martinez adobe are available Wednesday-Sunday. 

"Full Moon Walk," July 25. Join National Park Service rangers for a free evening full moon walk. (925) 228-8860. 

$3; free children age 16 and under. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 4202 Alhambra Ave., Martinez. (925) 228-8860, www.nps.gov/jomu.< 

JOHN MUIR NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE The site preserves the 1882 Muir House, a 17-room Victorian mansion where naturalist John Muir lived from 1890 to his death in 1914. It was here that Muir wrote about preserving America's wilderness and helped create the national parks idea for the United States. The house is situated on a hill overlooking the City of Martinez and surrounded by nine acres of vineyards and orchards. Take a self-guided tour of this well-known Scottish naturalist's home. Also part of the site is the historic Martinez Adobe and Mount Wanda.  

ONGOING EVENT --  

Public Tours of the John Muir House, Begin with an eight-minute park film and then take the tour. The film runs every 15 minutes throughout the day. Wednesday through Friday, 2 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.  

MOUNT WANDA -- The mountain consists of 325 acres of grass and oak woodland historically owned by the Muir family. It offers a nature trail and several fire trails for hiking. Open daily, sunrise to sunset. 

JOHN MUIR HOUSE, Tours of this well-known Scottish naturalist's home are available. The house, built in 1882, is a 14-room Victorian home situated on a hill overlooking the city of Martinez and surrounded by nine acres of vineyards and orchards. It was here that Muir wrote about preserving America's wilderness and helped create the national parks idea for the United States. The park also includes the historic Vicente Martinez Adobe, built in 1849. An eight-minute film about Muir and the site is shown every 15 minutes throughout the day at the Visitor Center. Self guided tours of the Muir home, the surrounding orchards, and the Martinez Adobe: Wednesday-Sunday, 1 a.m.-5 p.m. Public tours or the first floor of the Muir home: Wednesday-Friday, 2 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Reservations not required except for large groups.  

$3 general; free children ages 16 and under. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 4202 Alhambra Ave., Martinez. (925) 228-8860, www.nps.gov/jomu.< 

KENNEDY GROVE REGIONAL RECREATION AREA The 95-acre park contains picnic areas, horseshoe pits and volleyball courts among its grove of aromatic eucalyptus trees.  

$5 parking; $2 per dog except guide/service dogs Through September: daily, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. San Pablo Dam Road, El Sobrante. (510) 223-7840, www.ebparks.org.< 

LAKE CHABOT REGIONAL PARK The 315-acre lake offers year-round recreation. Services include canoe and boat rental, horseshoe pits, hiking, bicycling, picnicking and seasonal tours aboard the Chabot Queen. For boat rentals, call (510) 247-2526. 

Free unless noted otherwise; $5 parking; $2 per dog except guide/service dogs. Daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. 17930 Lake Chabot Road, Castro Valley. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.< 

LINDSAY WILDLIFE MUSEUM This is the oldest and largest wildlife rehabilitation center in America, taking in 6,000 injured and orphaned animals yearly and returning 40 percent of them to the wild. The museum offers a wide range of educational programs using non-releasable wild animals to teach children and adults respect for the balance of nature. The museum includes a state-of-the art wildlife hospital which features a permanent exhibit, titled "Living with Nature,'' which houses 75 non-releasable wild animals in learning environments; a 5,000-square-foot Wildlife Hospital complete with treatment rooms, intensive care, quarantine and laboratory facilities; a 1-acre Nature Garden featuring the region's native landscaping and wildlife; and an "Especially For Children'' exhibit.  

WILDLIFE HOSPITAL -- September-March: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hospital is open daily including holidays to receive injured and orphaned animals. There is no charge for treatment of native wild animals and there are no public viewing areas in the hospital. 

EXHIBITS --  

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

$5-$7; free children under age 2. Wednesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.< 

LIVERMORE AREA RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT  

4444 East Ave., Livermore. (925) 373-5700, www.larpd.dst.ca.us/.< 

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. SHORELINE This 1,200-acre park situated near Oakland International Airport offers picnic areas with barbecues and a boat launch ramp. Swimming is not allowed. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Grove, a group of trees surrounding a grassy glade, is at the intersection of Doolittle Drive and Swan Way. The area also includes the 50-acre Arrowhead Marsh (part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network) and a Roger Berry sculpture titled "Duplex Cone,'' which traces the summer and winter solstice paths of the sun through the sky. 

Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless otherwise posted Doolittle Drive and Swan Way, Oakland. (510) 562-PARK, Picnic reservations: (510) 636-1684, www.ebayparks.org.< 

MILLER-KNOX REGIONAL SHORELINE A 295-acre shoreline picnic area with a secluded cove and swimming beach, and a hilltop offering panoramic views of the north Bay Area. 

Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless otherwise posted. 900 Dornan Dr., Richmond. (510) 562-PARK, Picnic Reservations: (510) 636-1684, www.ebparks.org.< 

MOUNT DIABLO STATE PARK The 3,849-foot summit of Mount Diablo offers great views of the Bay Area and an extensive trail system. Visitors to the park can hike, bike, ride on horseback and camp. Notable park attractions include: The Fire Interpretive Trail, Rock City, Boy Scout Rocks and Sentinel Rock, Fossil Ridge, Deer Flat, Mitchell Canyon Staging Area, Diablo Valley Overlook, the Summit Visitor Center (open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), the Art Gallery, the Observation Deck and the Mitchell Canyon Interpretive Center. 

Free. $6 per vehicle park-entrance fee; $5 for seniors. Daily, 8 a.m. to sunset. Mount Diablo Scenic Boulevard, from the Diablo Road exit off Interstate Highway 680, Danville. (925) 837-2525, www.mdia.org or www.parks.ca.gov.< 

PLEASANTON RIDGE REGIONAL PARK This 3,163-acre parkland is on the oak-covered ridge overlooking Pleasanton and the Livermore Valley from the west. A multi-purpose trail system accommodates hikers, equestrians and bicyclists. 

Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Foothill Road, Pleasanton. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.< 

POINT PINOLE REGIONAL SHORELINE The 2,315-acre parkland bordering Pinole, Richmond and San Pablo offers views of Mount Tamalpais, the Marin shoreline and San Pablo Bay. There are trails through meadows and woods, and along the bluffs and beaches of San Pablo Bay. Visitors can hike, ride bikes or take the park's shuttle bus to reach the 1,250-foot fishing pier at Point Pinole. 

$5 per vehicle; $4 per trailered vehicle; $2 per dog (guide/service dogs free). Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless otherwise posted. Giant Highway, Richmond. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.< 

PREWETT FAMILY WATERPARK There are pools and water slides for all ages, from the Tad Pool for toddlers to Boulder cove for older swimmers. In addition to fun pools and slides there are fitness pools for lessons and exercise, lawns for relaxing, locker rooms, community room and kitchen. Lap lanes are open year round. Food and beverages are not permitted in the park. Picnic tables are available outside the park. 

$4-$10. Sunday through Friday: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. 4701 Lone Tree Way, Antioch. (925) 776-3070, www.ci.antioch.ca.us/CitySvcs/Prewett.< 

QUARRY LAKES REGIONAL RECREATION AREA The park includes three lakes sculpted from former quarry ponds. The largest, Horseshoe Lake, offers boating and fishing, with a swim beach that will open in the spring. Rainbow Lake is for fishing only, and the third lake, Lago Los Osos, is set aside for wildlife habitat. In addition, there are hiking and bicycling trails that connect to the Alameda Creek Regional Trail. The park includes three lakes sculpted from former quarry ponds. The largest, Horseshoe Lake, offers boating and fishing, with a swim beach that will open in the spring. Rainbow Lake is for fishing only, and the third lake, Lago Los Osos, is set aside for wildlife habitat. In addition there are hiking and bicycling trails that connect to the Alameda Creek Regional Trail. 

$5 parking; $2 per dog except guide/service dogs; boat launch fees; Park District fishing access permit fee of $3. Through Labor Day: daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sept. 6 through Sept. 30, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. 2100 Isherwood Way,, between Paseo Padre Parkway and Osprey Drive,, Fremont. (510) 795-4883, Picnic reservations:: (510) 562-2267, www.ebparks.org.< 

ROBERT SIBLEY VOLCANIC REGIONAL PRESERVE East Bay residents have several volcanoes in their backyard. This park contains Round Top, one of the highest peaks in the Oakland Hills. 

Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. 6800 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.< 

RUTH BANCROFT GARDEN One of America's finest private gardens, the Ruth Bancroft Garden displays 2,000 specimens from around the world that thrive in an arid climate. Included are African and Mexican succulents, New World cacti, Australian and Chilean trees, and shrubs from California. 

DOCENT TOUR SCHEDULE -- Saturdays, 10 a.m. Docent-led tours last approximately an hour and a half. Plant sales follow the tour. By reservation only. $7; free children under age 12.  

SELF-GUIDED TOURS -- Monday-Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-noon; Friday, 9:30 a.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m. Self-guided tours last two hours. No reservations required for weekday tours; reservations required for Friday and Saturday tours. Plant sales follow the tours. $7; free children under age 12.  

Gardens open only for tours and special events listed on the garden's telephone information line. 1500 Bancroft Road, Walnut Creek. (925) 210-9663, www.ruthbancroftgarden.org.< 

SHADOW CLIFFS REGIONAL RECREATION AREA The 296-acre park includes an 80-acre lake and a four-flume waterslide, with picnic grounds and a swimming beach. Water slide fees and hours: (925) 829-6230. 

$6 per vehicle; $2 per dog except guide and service dogs. May 1 through Labor Day: daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; shortened hours for fall and winter. Stanley Boulevard, one mile from downtown, Pleasanton. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.< 

SULPHUR CREEK NATURE CENTER A wildlife rehabilitation and education facility where injured and orphaned local wild creatures are rehabilitated and released when possible. There is also a lending library of animals such as guinea pigs, rats, mice and more. The lending fee is $8 per week.  

ONGOING EVENTS --  

"Toddler Time," Learn about animals by listening to stories and exploring. Themes vary by month. Call for schedule. $7 per family.  

"Day on the Green Animal Presentations," Meet an assortment of wild and domestic animals. Wildlife volunteers will present a different animal each day from possums to snakes, tortoises to hawks. Saturday and Sunday, 2:30 p.m. 

CHILDREN'S EVENTS --  

Free. Park: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Discovery Center: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Animal Lending Library: Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Wildlife Rehabilitation Center: daily, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 1801 D St., Hayward. (510) 881-6747, www.haywardrec.org/sulphur_creek.html.< 

SUNOL REGIONAL WILDERNESS This park is full of scenic and natural wonders. You can hike the Ohlone Wilderness trail or Little Yosemite. There are bedrock mortars that were used by Native Americans, who were Sunol's first inhabitants. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Sunol Sunday Hike," Sundays, 1:30-3 p.m. A natural history walk in the wilderness. 

"Sunol Sunday Hike," Sundays, 1:30-3 p.m. A natural history walk in Sunol Regional Wilderness. 

Free unless otherwise noted; $5 parking; $2 dog fee. Geary Road off Calaveras Road, six miles south of Interstate Highway 680, Sunol. (510) 652-PARK, www.ebparks.org.< 

TILDEN REGIONAL PARK This park is large and contains hiking trails, a golf course, a miniature scaled train to ride, The Brazilian Building and picnic areas. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Backcountry Gourmet," July 25, 2:30-4 p.m. Learn the fundamentals of making your own backpackign food and trail snacks. 

"Wonders of Watersheds," July 25, 2-3 p.m. Find out about the intricacies of the wayerways in your neighborhood. 

"Getting' Nutty With Squirrels," Aug. 1, 10-11 a.m. Discover this creature's habits and habitat. 

Free unless otherwise noted. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Entrances off Wildcat Canyon Road and Grizzly Peak Boulevard, Berkeley. (510) 525-2233, www.ebparks.org.<

ASIAN ART MUSEUM OF SAN FRANCISCO The Asian Art Museum-Chon-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture recently unveiled its new building in San Francisco's Civic Center. The building, the former San Francisco Public Library, has been completely retrofitted and rebuilt to house San Francisco's significant collection of Asian treasures. The museum offers complimentary audio tours of the museum's collection galleries.  

ONGOING EXHIBIT --  

"In a New Light," There are some 2,500 works displayed in the museum's new galleries. They cover all the major cultures of Asia and include Indian stone sculptures, intricately carved Chinese jades, Korean paintings, Tibetan thanksgas, Cambodian Buddhas, Islamic manuscripts and Japanese basketry and kimonos.  

ONGOING FAMILY PROGRAMS --  

Storytelling, Sundays and the first Saturday of every month, 1 p.m. This event is for children of all ages to enjoy a re-telling of Asian myths and folktales in the galleries. Meet at the Information Desk on the Ground Floor. Free with general admission.  

"Target Tuesday Family Program," first Tuesday of every month. Free with general admission.  

"Family Art Encounter," first Saturday of every month, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Drop in to make art related to the museum's collection. Children must be accompanied by an adult. In the Education Studios. Free with admission.  

DOCENT-LED ART TOURS -- The museum's docents offer two types of tours: a general introduction to the museum's collection and a highlight tour of specific areas of the collection. Free with museum admission.  

ARCHITECTURAL GUIDES -- Tuesday through Sunday at noon and 2:30 p.m., Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Learn about the former Main Library's transformation into the Asian Art Museum on this 40-minute tour. Free with museum admission.  

RESOURCE CENTER -- Tuesday through Sunday, 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Watch a video, or learn more about Asian art with slide packets, activity kits and books. Free with museum admission. 

SPECIAL EVENTS -- Free with general admission unless otherwise noted.  

"Shanghai," through Sept. 5. Exhibition features more than 130 artworks including oil paintings, Shanghai Deco furniture, revolutionary posters, works of fashion and more.  

"Japan's Early Ambassadors to San Francisco, 1860-1927," through Nov. 21. Timed to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the ship Kanrin Maru and the first Japanese embassy to the United States, this thematic exhibit focuses on some of the first Japanese diplomats and cultural emissaries in San Francisco, and how they responded to the experience of being in America.  

$7-$12; free children under age 12; $5 Thursday after 5 p.m.; free to all first Sunday of each month. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. 200 Larkin St., San Francisco. (415) 581-3500, www.asianart.org.< 

BEAT MUSEUM Formerly located on the California coast in Monterey, the Beat Museum now sits in historic North Beach. The Museum uses letters, magazines, pictures, first editions and more to explore the lives of leading beat figures such as Jack Kerouac, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg, Neal Cassady and many others. A gift shop and bookstore are open to the public free of charge. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"North Beach Walking Tour,", A 90-minute walking tour of North Beach with Beat Museum curator Jerry Cimimo. See the bars, coffeehouses, homes, and other Beat-related highlights of North Beach. Call for info. $15. 

SPECIAL EXHIBITS --  

$4-$5. Monday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. CLOSED MONDAY. 540 Broadway, San Francisco. (800) KER-OUAC, www.kerouac.com.< 

CABLE CAR MUSEUM The museum is located in the historic Cable Car Barn and Powerhouse. Visitors can see the actual cable winding machinery, grips, track, cable and brakes, as well as three historic cable cars, photo displays and mechanical artifacts. The best way to get to this museum is by cable car; street parking is practically non-existent. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

Free. April 1-Sept. 30: daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 1-March 31, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 1201 Mason St., San Francisco. (415) 474-1887, www.cablecarmuseum.org.< 

CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES  

"Nightlife," Thursdays, 6 p.m. Every Thursday night, the Academy transforms into a lively venue filled with provocative science, music, mingling and cocktails, as visitors get a chance to explore the museum.  

"Where the Land Meets the Sea," Exhibition features sculpture by Maya Lin.  

BENJAMIN DEAN LECTURE SERIES --  

"Extreme Mammals," through Sept. 12. Exhibition features a far-reaching survey of members of the mammal family.  

$14.95-$24.95. Daily, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. (415) 379-8000, www.calacademy.org.< 

CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY  

HISTORY WALKABOUTS -- A series of monthly walking tours that explore the history, lore and architecture of California with veteran tour guide Gary Holloway. Walks take place rain or shine so dress for the weather. Reservations and prepayment required. Meeting place will be given with confirmation of tour reservation. Tour price includes admission to the Museum.  

MUSEUM -- The museum's permanent collection is made up of the Fine Arts Collection, consisting of 5,000 works of art that represent the history of California from pre-Gold Rush days to the early decade of the 20th century; and The Photography Collection, containing nearly a halfmillion images in an array of photographic formats documenting the history of California in both the 19th and 20th centuries. The Library and Research Collection contain material relating to the history of California and the West from early exploration time to the present including texts, maps, and manuscripts.  

"Landscape and Vision: Early California Painters from the Collections of the California Historical Society," open-ended. An exhibit of oil paintings including a large number of early landscapes of California, from the museum's collection.  

"Extreme Mammals," through Sept. 12. Exhibition explores mammals, from the towering to the tiny.  

"Think California," through Feb. 5. Exhibition features artworks, artifacts and ephemera exploring California's colorful history.  

$1-$3; free children under age 5. Wednesday-Saturday, noon-4:30 p.m. 678 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 357-1848 X229, www.californiahistoricalsociety.org.< 

CARTOON ART MUSEUM  

ONGOING EXHIBIT --  

"An Exploration of Cartoon Art," This exhibit explores the history of cartoon art including works from the most renowned and creative cartoonists of the last century. The exhibit traces the evolution of cartooning through its many forms including animation, comic strips, comic books, editorial cartoons and underground cartoons.  

CARTOONING CLASSES FOR KIDS -- Saturday, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. For children ages 6 to 14. Call for schedule. Free with admission. 

"60 Years of Beetle Bailey," through Sept. 19. Exhibition showcases the comics of Mort Walker.  

$2-$6; free children ages 5 and under; the first Tuesday of the month is paywhat-you-wish day. Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 655 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 227-8666, www.cartoonart.org.< 

CHINESE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA The CHSA Museum and Learning Center features a permanent exhibition, "The Chinese of America: Toward a More Perfect Union'' in its Main Gallery, and works by Chinese-American visual artists in its Rotating Galleries.  

ONGOING EXHIBIT --  

"Leaders of the Band," An exhibition of the history and development of the Cathay Club Marching Band, the first Chinese American band formed in 1911. 

SPECIAL EXHIBITS --  

$1-$3; free children ages 5 and under; free for all visitors first Thursday of every month. Tuesday-Friday, noon-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, noon-4 p.m. 965 Clay St., San Francisco. (415) 391-1188, www.chsa.org.< 

CONTEMPORARY JEWISH MUSEUM The museum, formerly known as the Jewish Museum San Francisco, has a new addition designed by Daniel Libeskind and is dedicated to exploring the richness and diversity of Jewish thought and culture.  

GALLERY TOURS -- Sunday and Wednesday, 12:30 p.m. Free. 

"Jews on Vinyl," through Aug. 22. Exhibition showcases the history of Jewish recorded music from the 1940s to the 1980s.  

"As It Is Written: Project 304,805," through Oct. 3. Exhibition centers around a soferet (a professionally trained female scribe) who writes out the entire text of the Torah, at the Museum, over the course of a full year. She will be one of the few known women to complete an entire Torah scroll, an accomplishment traditionally exclusive to men.  

"Reinventing Ritual: Contemporary Art and Design for Jewish Life," through Oct. 3. The first major international exhibition to examine the reinvention of Jewish ritual in art and design.  

"Maira Kalman: Various Illuminations (of a Crazy World)," through Oct. 26. The first major museum survey of the award-winning illustrator, author and designer.  

$4-$5; free for children under age 12; free third Monday of every month. Sunday -Thursday, noon-6 p.m. DEC. 25, NOON TO 4 P.M.; CLOSED JAN. 1. 736 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 655-7800, www.thecjm.org.< 

DE YOUNG MUSEUM The art museum has now reopened in a new facility designed by Swiss architecture firm Herzog and de Meuron and Fong and Chan Architects in San Francisco. It features significant collections of American art from the 17th through the 20th centuries; modern and contemporary art; art from Central and South America, the Pacific and Africa; and an important and diverse collection of textiles. 

ARTIST STUDIO PROGRAM -- Wednesday-Sunday, 1-5 p.m. A monthly interactive program during which the public can meet and work with a featured artist. Demonstrations take place in the Kimball Education Gallery, which does not require paid admission. (415) 750-7634. 

CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES --  

"Children's Workshops: Doing and Viewing Art and Big Kids-Little Kids," Saturdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon and 1:30-3 p.m. Family tour and art activity for ages 4-12. 

LECTURES AND SYMPOSIA --  

LECTURES BY DOCENTS -- These lectures are free and are held in the Koret Auditorium unless otherwise noted.  

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Poetry Series," 7-8:30 p.m. $8-$12. (415) 750-7634. 

"Friday Nights at the de Young: Cultural Encounters," 5-8:45 p.m. The de Young stays open until 8:45 p.m. each Friday night and hosts special events including live music, dance, film, lectures and artist demonstrations.  

Aug. 22: "Cultural Encounters presents Hot Brazilian Nights.''  

Event features music by Forro for All and art-making for the entire family.  

Aug. 29: "Cultural Encounters.''  

Event features live music by the Scott Amendola Trio. Free with admission. 

"Photo/Synthesis," through Oct. 3. Exhibition highlights the dynamic trend in the field of contemporary photography, collages, assemblages, and other multi-part or composite photo-based projects.  

"Birth of Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Musee d'Orsay," through Sept. 6. Exhibition puts forth nearly 100 works by the famous masters who called France their home during the mid-19th century and from whose midst arose one of the most original and recognizable of all artistic styles, Impressionism.  

"Pat Steir: After Hokusai, after Hiroshige," through Jan. 30. Exhibition shows the continued influence of the Japanese print on Western artists into the late twentieth century.  

OPENING -- "To Dye For: A World Saturated in Color," July 31 through Jan. 9. Exhibition features over 50 textiles and costumes from the Fine Arts Museums' comprehensive collection of textiles from Africa, Asia and the Americas.  

$6-$10; free for children ages 12 and under; free for all visitors the first Tuesday of every month. Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday-Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-5:15 p.m.; Friday, 9:30 a.m.-8:45 p.m. Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco. (415) 863-3330, www.deyoungmuseum.org.< 

EXPLORATORIUM A hands-on museum of science, art and human perception.  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"Tactile Dome," ongoing installation. The dome is composed of many chambers, which are pitch black inside and full of different tactile sensations. The only way to find one's way through is by using the sense of touch. Reservations required. $12 includes museum admission.  

"Distorted Room," Watch your friends inside the room grow to twice their size by walking left to right or shrink to half their size by walking in the opposite direction. A series of geometric tricks and optical illusions in the room makes the brain think that people shrink and grow before one's eyes.  

"Play Lab," An area for children ages 4 and under, designed to help them develop their motor skills and exercise their imaginations and social skills.  

"Listen: Making Sense of Sound," This "ears-on'' exhibit helps visitors focus on subtle and profound aspects of hearing, experiment with new ways of listen deeply and carefully, and think about how others hear the world. 

"Geometry Playground," through Sept. 6. Explore giant 3d shapes, curved mirrors and more.  

"Geometric Threads," through Aug. 22. Experience geometry as found in traditional handicrafts and contemporar design as artisans demonstrate the mathematics in crafts across the globe.  

$9-$14; free children ages 4 and under. Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Dec. 24, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; CLOSED DEC. 25. 3601 Lyon St., San Francisco. (415) EXP-LORE, (415) 563-7337, (415) 561-0360, www.exploratorium.edu.< 

GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM The museum is a project of the GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender) Historical Society. 

EVENTS --  

EXHIBITS --  

$2-$4. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. 657 Mission St., Suite 300, San Francisco. (415) 777-5455, www.glbthistory.org.< 

INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM OF WOMEN  

EVENTS --  

101 Howard Street, Suite 480, San Francisco. (415) 543-4669, www.imow.org/home/index.< 

LEGION OF HONOR MUSEUM DOCENT TOUR PROGRAMS -- Tours of the permanent collections and special exhibitions are offered Tuesday through Sunday. Non-English language tours (Italian, French, Spanish and Russian) are available on different Saturdays of the month at 11:30 a.m. Free with regular museum admission. (415) 750-3638.  

ONGOING CHILDREN'S PROGRAM --  

"Doing and Viewing Art," For ages 7 to 12. Docent-led tours of current exhibitions are followed by studio workshops taught by professional artists/teachers. Students learn about art by seeing and making it. Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to noon; call to confirm class. Free with museum admission. (415) 750-3658. 

ORGAN CONCERTS -- 4 p.m. A weekly concert of organ music on the Legion's restored 1924 Skinner organ. Saturday and Sunday in the Rodin Gallery. Free with museum admission. (415) 750-3624. 

SPECIAL EVENTS -- In the Gould Theater unless otherwise noted. $4 after museum admission unless otherwise noted. (415) 682-2481. 

"Sunday Jazz Brunch," 11 a.m.-3 p.m. $21-$53. 

"Very Postmortem: Mummies and Medicine," Oct. 31. Exhibition explores the modern scientific examination of mummies providing new insights into the conditions under which the Egyptians lived, bringing us closer to understanding who they were.  

"Impressionist Paris: City of Light," through Sept. 26. Exhibition explores various aspects of life in and around the city in which artists came of age. Visitors to the exhibition are transported to Impressionist Paris as represented in over 150 prints, drawings, photographs, paintings, and illustrated books from the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and several distinguished private collections.  

$6-$10; free for children ages 12 and under; free for all visitors on Tuesdays. Tuesday-Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Lincoln Park, 34th Avenue and Clement Street, San Francisco. (415) 750-3600, (415) 750-3636, www.thinker.org.< 

MARKET STREET RAILWAY MUSEUM The museum will permanently display a variety of artifacts telling the story of San Francisco's transportation history, including dash signs, fare boxes, a famed Wiley "birdcage'' traffic signal and more. 

Free. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 77 Steuart St., San Francisco. (415) 956-0472, www.streetcar.org.< 

MEXICAN MUSEUM  

THE MEXICAN MUSEUM GALLERIES AT FORT MASON CENTER ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED --  

The Mexican Museum holds a unique collection of 12,000 objects representing thousands of years of Mexican history and culture within the Americas. The permanent collection, the Museum's most important asset and resource, includes five collecting areas: Pre-Conquest, Colonial, Popular, Modern and Contemporary Mexican and Latino, and Chicano Art. The Museum also has a collection of rare books and a growing collection of Latin American art. 

Fort Mason Center, Building D, Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. (415) 202-9700, www.mexicanmuseum.org.< 

MUSEO ITALOAMERICANO The museum, dedicated to the exhibition of art works by Italian and Italian-American artists, has a small permanent collection of paintings, sculptures, photographs and works on paper by such renowned artists as Beniamino Buffano, Sandro Chia, Giorgio de Chirico and Arnaldo Pomodoro.  

DOCENT TOURS -- Wednesdays, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Free. 

$2-$3; free children under age 12; free to all first Wednesday of the month. Wednesday-Sunday, noon -4 p.m.; first Wednesday of the month, noon-7 p.m. Fort Mason Center, Building C, Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. (415) 673-2200, www.museoitaloamericano.org.< 

MUSEUM OF ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS AT SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY  

EXHIBITS --  

Free. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Humanities Building, Room 510, SFSU, Font Boulevard and Tapia Drive, San Francisco. (415) 405-0599, www.sfsu.edu/~museumst/.< 

MUSEUM OF CRAFT AND FOLK ART The museum, now open at a new downtown location, features craft and folk art from various cultures, both past and present, and includes styles ranging from utilitarian objects to contemporary art. 

"Clare Rojas: We They, We They," through Aug. 22. Where neo-folk meets contemporary art, artists operate as "authors'' of the collective voice. The new exhibition showcases the first solo exhibition of the Bay Area artist who identifies and inserts herself in the folk art continuum. MOCFA is proud to present new work that has yet to be seen by the public.  

$4-$5; free for youths under age 18. Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 51 Yerba Buena Lane, Mission Street between Third and Fourth streets, San Francisco. (415) 227-4888, www.mocfa.org.< 

MUSEUM OF PERFORMANCE AND DESIGN  

EXHIBITS --  

Free. Wednesday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Veterans Building, 401 Van Ness Avenue at McAllister, 4th Floor, San Francisco. (415) 255-4800, www.mpdsf.org.< 

MUSEUM OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA A new museum exploring and celebrating the influence of the African Diaspora on global art and culture through interactive, permanent and changing exhibits and special programs. The museum occupies the first three floors of the new St. Regis Hotel at Third and Mission streets.  

PERMANENT EXHIBITS --  

"Celebrations: Rituals and Ceremonies," "Music of the Diaspora,'' "Culinary Traditions,'' 'Adornment,'' "Slavery Passages,'' and "The Freedom Theater.'' 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Urban Kidz Film Series," Noon-3 p.m. An offshoot of the San Francisco Black Film Festival, featuring a striking assemblage of short and feature films designed to spark the imaginations of the 5-to-12-year-old set. $10 adults; children free. (415) 771-9271. 

SPECIAL EXHIBITS --  

$5-$8; free children age 12 and under. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; CLOSED MARCH 13 THROUGH MARCH 21. 685 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 358-7200, www.moadsf.org.< 

NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM LIBRARY (THE J. PORTER SHAW MARITIME LIBRARY) Closed on federal holidays. The library, part of the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park, focuses on sail and steam ships on the West Coast and the Pacific Basin from 1520 to the present. The museum library holdings include a premiere collection of maritime history: books, magazines, oral histories, ships' plans and the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park's 250,000 photographs. 

Free. By appointment only, Monday-Friday, 1-4 p.m., and the third Saturday of each month. Fort Mason Center, Building E, Third Floor, Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. (415) 560-7080, (415) 560-7030, www.nps.gov/safr/local/lib/libtop.html.< 

PACIFIC HERITAGE MUSEUM The museum presents rotating exhibits highlighting historical, artistic, cultural and economic achievements from both sides of the Pacific Rim. The museum features a permanent display documenting the history and significance of the Branch Mint and Subtreasury buildings. 

Free. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 608 Commercial St., San Francisco. (415) 399-1124.< 

RANDALL MUSEUM  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"Earthquake Exhibit," Learn about plate tectonics. Make a small quake by jumping on the floor to make a "floor quake'' that registers on the seismometer in the lobby. See the basement seismometer that registers quakes around the world. Walk through a full-size earthquake refugee shack that was used to house San Franciscans after the 1906 earthquake that destroyed so many homes.  

"Creativity and Discovery Hand in Hand," A photography exhibit that gives visitors a look into the wide variety of programs the Museum offers in the way of classes, workshops, school field trips, and special interest clubs.  

"Toddler Treehouse," Toddlers may comfortably climb the carpeted "treehouse'' and make a myriad of discoveries, from the roots to the limbs.  

"Live Animal Exhibit," Visit with more than 100 creatures including small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, raptors and small birds, insects, spiders and tide pool creatures.  

ONGOING EVENTS --  

"Saturdays Are Special at the Museum," Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A series of drop-in ceramics and art and science workshops. All ages are welcome, though an adult must accompany children under age 8. $3 per child, $5 per parent-child combination.  

"Bufano Sculpture Tours," first and third Saturdays of the month, 10:15 a.m. A tour of the giant animal sculptures of Beniamino Bufano. The sculptures were carved out of stone in the 1930s and include a giant cat and a mother bear nursing her cubs.  

"Animal Room," Visit some of the animals that live at the museum, including reptiles, raptors, tide pool creatures and small mammals.  

"Meet the Animals" Saturdays, 11:15 a.m. to noon. See the Randall's animals close-up and in person.  

"Animal Feeding," Saturdays, noon. Watch the animals take their meals.  

"Golden Gate Model Railroad Exhibit," Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

DROP-IN ART AND SCIENCE WORKSHOPS -- 1-4 p.m. $3-$5.  

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Meet the Animals," Saturdays, 11:15 a.m. Learn about the animals that live at the Randall Museum. 

"Animal Feeding," Saturday, noon. 

"Film Series for Teenagers," Fridays, 7 p.m. 

"Drop-in Family Ceramics Workshop," Saturday, 10:15-11:15 a.m. $5. 

"Third Friday Birders," 8 a.m. The hike through Corona Heights Park allows participants to enjoy the early morning views and learn more about the feathered inhabitants of the area. Children aged 10 and older if accompanied by adult. 

"Drop-in Family Ceramics Workshop," Saturday, 1:15-2:15 p.m. 

"Meet the Animals," 11:15 a.m.-noon. 

"Golden Gate Model Railroad Exhibit," Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 

Free. All ages welcome; an adult must accompany children under age 8. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; CLOSED ON CHRISTMAS. 199 Museum Way, San Francisco. (415) 554-9600, www.randallmuseum.org.< 

SAN FRANCISCO CABLE CAR MUSEUM The museum is located in the historic Cable Car Barn and Powerhouse. Visitors can see the actual cable winding machinery, grips, track, cable and brakes, as well as three historic cable cars, photo displays and mechanical artifacts. The best way to get to this museum is by cable car; street parking is practically non-existent. 

Free. October 1-March 31: Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; April 1-September 3-: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Closed on New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving and Christmas. 1201 Mason St., San Francisco. (415) 474-1887, www.cablecarmuseum.com.< 

SAN FRANCISCO MARITIME NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK One of only a few "floating'' national parks, the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park includes four national landmark ships, a maritime museum, a maritime library and a World-War-II submarine named the USS Pampanito.  

HYDE STREET PIER -- Demonstrations, ship tours, programs, music and special events offered throughout the day. Check ticket booth for schedule. At the foot of Hyde Street, Hyde and Jefferson streets.  

Entering the Pier is free but there is a fee to board the ships.  

HISTORIC SHIPS AT THE HYDE STREET PIER -- The historic ships at the Pier are the 1886 square-rigger "Balclutha,'' the 1890 steam ferryboat "Eureka,'' the 1895 schooner "C.A. Thayer'' (not available at this time due to restoration), the 1891 scow schooner "Alma,'' the 1907 steam tug "Hercules,'' and the 1914 "Eppleton Hall,'' a paddlewheel tug.  

"Balclutha." This historic ship, a three-mast square-rigger, has undergone extensive repairs and preservation work. She now contains more original materials and fittings than any other historic merchant square-rigger in the United States. The Balclutha is a designated National Historic Landmark. At Hyde Street Pier.  

"Eureka." Explore this 1890 ferryboat with a 40-foot walking-beam engine. The boat once carried passengers and autos across the San Francisco Bay. At Hyde Street Pier. Daily, call for times of boat tour.  

"C.A. Thayer." A three-mast schooner used in the lumber and cod fishing trades. At Hyde Street Pier.  

"Alma." Between 1850 and the early 1900s, the best highways around the San Francisco Bay area were the waterways and the delivery trucks and tractortrailer rigs of the time were the flat-bottomed scow schooners. Able to navigate the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta region's shallow creeks, sloughs and channels, the scows' sturdy hulls could rest safely and securely on the bottom providing a flat, stable platform for loading and unloading. Made of inexpensive Douglas fir, scow's designs were so simple they could be built by eye or without plans.  

"Hercules." Tugs in the early part of the 20th century towed barges, sailing ships and log rafts between Pacific ports. Because prevailing north/west winds generally made travel up the coast by sail both difficult and circuitous, tugs often towed large sailing vessels to points north of San Francisco. In 1916 Hercules towed the C.A. Thayer to Port Townsend, Wash., taking six days to make the trip. At the end of the sail era, the Hercules was acquired by the Western Pacific Railroad Company and shuttled railroad car barges back and forth across San Francisco Bay until 1962.  

"Eppleton Hall." Built in England, the steam side-wheeler plied the Wear and Tyne rivers of Northeast England. Designed to tow ocean-going colliers (coal-carrying sail vessels) the tugs saved transit time getting the sail vessels upriver to load. The side-wheelers were also used to tow newly built ships out to sea. From 1969 to 1979, the Eppleton Hall served as a private yacht. She was modified for an epic steam via the Panama Canal to San Francisco, passing through the Golden Gate in March of 1970.  

HISTORIC SHIP AT FISHERMAN'S WHARF --  

"USS Pampanito." This World-War-II-era submarine is berthed at Fisherman's Wharf. The submarine celebrated her 50th anniversary in November of 1993 and is perhaps best known for her participation in a "wolf pack'' attack on a convoy of enemy ships during World War II. The entrance fee includes a taped audio tour that describes what life on this submarine was like. At Pier 45, near foot of Taylor Street. Monday through Thursday, Sunday and holidays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. $9 general; $5 seniors, $4 active duty military, $4 youth ages 6 to 12; free children under age 6. (415) 775-1943.  

ONGOING EVENTS --  

"Historic Ship Volunteer Work Party," Saturday, 9 a.m. Become part of an effort to preserve four of the park's nautical treasures. Work on a different ship each Saturday. Bring work clothes, work shoes and lunch. Call for meeting place. (415) 332-8409.  

Unless noted otherwise, events take place on the Hyde Street Pier, located at the foot of Hyde Street on Jefferson Street. 

EXHIBITS -- Current Exhibits at the Visitor Center:  

"What's Your Pleasure? Recreational Boats of California's Past," openended. This exhibit includes 1940s Sacramento Hydroplanes, a Russian River launch from the 19th century, classic wooden motor launches and motor boats, and other smaller crafts.  

"Hydroplanes and Racing Boats," open-ended. A small exhibit showcasing 1930s racing engines and hydroplane boats.  

"Frisco Bound," an exhibition about immigration to San Francisco, clipper ships, and the Gold Rush era.  

"Hyde Street Ship Models," an exhibit of models of the historic ships at the Hyde Street Pier.  

"Discovery Room," a preview of the Maritime Library where visitors can look up documents and photographs.  

(415) 447-5000. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Adventures at Sea: Life Aboard a 19th century Sailing Ship," Daily, 2:15 p.m.-3 p.m. Take a guided tour of the sailing ship Balclutha and learn about the hardships and awards of the sailors show fought for survival during the treacherous Cape Horn passage. Vessel admission. 

VISITOR CENTER -- Daily, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.  

Entering the Pier is free but there is a fee to board the ships. The fee allows access to all ships and is good for seven days. $5; free children under age 16. May 28-Sept. 30: daily, 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; Oct. 1-May 27: Daily, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Foot of Hyde Street, San Francisco. (415) 561-7100, www.nps.gov.< 

SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF CRAFT AND DESIGN A museum celebrating and promoting the art of contemporary craft and design. The museum showcases diverse exhibitions from regional, national and international artists, working in mediums such as wood, clay, fiber, metal and glass. 

EVENTS --  

"FourSite: 4 Artists, 4 Materials, 4 Sites," through Sept. 18. Artists Tanya Aguiniga, Paul Hayes, Tom Hill and Christine Lee transform the museum space with four distinct, large-scale installations of fiber, paper, metal and wood.  

$2-$4; free youths under age 18. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 550 Sutter St., San Francisco. (415) 773-0303, www.sfmcd.org.< 

SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"Matisse and Beyond: The Painting and Sculpture Collection," This newly reconceived exhibition of SFMOMA's modern art collection features paintings, sculptures and works on paper from the first 60 years of the 20th century. Featured artists include: Joseph Cornell, Ellsworth Kelly, Yves Klein, Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo, Piet Mondrian, Pablo Picasso, Diego Rivera, Andy Warhol and Paul Klee.  

"Between Art and Life: The Contemporary Painting and Sculpture Collection," This new presentation of the SFMOMA collection features works from the past five decades by Louise Bourgeois, Robert Gober, Eva Hesse, Anish Kapoor, Sherrie Levine, Brice Marden, Gordon Matta-Clark, Barry McGee, Bruce Nauman, Robert Rauschenberg and Kara Walker.  

"The Art of Design: Selections from the Permanent Collection of Architecture and Design," The exhibit will feature 100 selections from their architecture, graphic design and industrial design collections on a rotating basis. It features classic works plus new designs by up-andcoming artists.  

"Picturing Modernity: Photographs from the Permanent Collection," Photography is possibly the quintessential modern art medium because its 160-year history corresponds almost exactly with Modernism's duration as a cultural movement. This exhibit looks at the photograph's unique pictorial ability and its ever-growing pervasiveness in modern culture, putting the medium in dialogue with paintings and other kinds of art.  

KORET VISITOR EDUCATION CENTER -- This facility includes multimedia display technology, "Pick Up and Go'' guides for adults and children, art videos, and a community art gallery created by participants in school, teen and family programs. Thursday, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Tony Labat's I Want You," The latest installment in the newly launched program series "Live Art at SFMOMA.'' The artist invites denizens of the Bay Area to make their own demands of the public which riffs on the iconic "I Want You'' army recruitment campaigns of World Wars I and II, he asks you what you would do if you had only one minute to seize the voice of authority, to be the finger-pointing Uncle Sam. 

CLOSING -- "Paul Klee: Three Exhibitions from the Djerassi Collection," through Aug. 1. Carl Djerassi's generous promise to give SFMOMA a substantial group of intimate works - mostly drawings, prints, and watercolors - by Paul Klee allowed the museum to begin in 1984 what would become an ongoing series of exhibitions devoted to this beloved artist.  

"Calder to Warhol," through Sept. 19. Exhibition showcases the quality of the Fisher Collection, much of which has never been seen by the public.  

Jesse Hazelip, through Nov. 13. Artists Gallery showcases the work of the Oakland-based artist.  

$7-$12.50; half price on Thursdays after 6 p.m.; free for all visitors on the first Tuesday of every month. Monday, Tuesday and Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m.-5:45 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-8:45 p.m. 151 Third St., San Francisco. (415) 357-4000, www.sfmoma.org.< 

SAN FRANCISCO PERFORMING ARTS LIBRARY AND MUSEUM  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"Dance in California: 150 Years of Innovation," This permanent exhibit traces the history and artistic range of modern dance in California, with photographs and documents highlighting the achievements of Lola Montez, Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, Martha Graham, the Christensen brothers, the Peters Wright School, the company of Lester Horton, Anna Halprin and Lucas Hoving.  

"Maestro! Photographic Portraits by Tom Zimberoff," This permanent exhibit is a comprehensive study of a generation of national and international conductors. In Gallery 5.  

"San Francisco 1900: On Stage," In Gallery 4.  

"San Francisco in Song," In Gallery 3. 

Free. Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 1-5 p.m. San Francisco War Memorial Veteran's Building, 401 Van Ness Ave., Fourth Floor, San Francisco. (415) 255-4800, www.sfpalm.org.< 

SEYMOUR PIONEER MUSEUM The museum, owned by The Society of California Pioneers, houses a permanent research library, art gallery and history museum. Exhibits include a photography collection documenting California history. 

$1-$3. Wednesday-Friday and the first Saturday of the month, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Society of California Pioneers, 300 Fourth St., San Francisco. (415) 957-1859, www.californiapioneers.org.< 

TREGANZA ANTHROPOLOGY MUSEUM AT SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY The museum, founded in 1968, houses collections of archaeological and ethnographic specimens from Africa, Oceania, Asia, and North America as well as small collections from Central and South America. There are also collections of photographs, tapes and phonograph records from Africa and Europe. In addition, there is an archive of field notes and other materials associated with the collections. The museum also houses the Hohenthal Gallery that is used for traveling exhibits as well as exhibits mounted by students and faculty. 

Free. Museum office: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-noon and 1 p.m.-4 p.m.; Hohenthal Gallery, SCI 388: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Science Building, SFSU, 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco. (415) 338-2467, www.sfsu.edu/~treganza/.< 

ZEUM Zeum is a technology and arts museum for children and families featuring exhibits and workshops that cover a variety of fascinating subjects. 

EVENTS --  

$6-$8. 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday. 221 Fourth St., San Francisco. (415) 820-3220, www.zeum.org.<

AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM AND LIBRARY AT OAKLAND The Oakland Public Library's museum is designed to discover, preserve, interpret and share the cultural and historical experiences of African Americans in California and the West. In addition, a three-panel mural is on permanent display. 

Free. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-5:30 p.m. 659 14th St., Oakland. (510) 637-0200, www.oaklandlibrary.org.< 

ALAMEDA MUSEUM The museum offers permanent displays of Alameda history, the only rotating gallery showcasing local Alameda artists and student artwork, as well as souvenirs, books and videos about the rich history of the Island City. 

"Cross Currents," through July 30. Works by 38 California artists in various media.  

Free. Wednesday-Friday and Sunday, 1-4 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 2324 Alameda Ave., Alameda. (510) 521-1233, www.alamedamuseum.org.< 

BADE MUSEUM AT THE PACIFIC SCHOOL OF RELIGION The museum's collections include the Tell en-Nasbeh Collection, consisting of artifacts excavated from Tell en-Nasbeh in Palestine in 1926 and 1935 by William Badh, and the Howell Bible Collection, featuring approximately 300 rare books (primarily Bibles) dating from the 15th through the 18th centuries. 

"Tell en-Nasbeh," This exhibit is the "heart and soul" of the Bade Museum. It displays a wealth of finds from the excavations at Tell en-Nasbeh, Palestine whose objects span from the Early Bronze Age (3100-2200 BC) through the Iron Age (1200-586 BC) and into the Roman and Hellenistic periods. Highlights of the exhibit include "Tools of the Trade" featuring real archaeological tools used by Badh and his team, an oil lamp typology, a Second Temple period (586 BC-70 AD) limestone ossuary, and a selection of painted Greek pottery.  

"William Frederic Bade: Theologian, Naturalist, and Archaeologist," This exhibit highlights one of PSR's premier educators and innovative scholars. The collection of material on display was chosen with the hopes of representing the truly dynamic and multifaceted character of William F. Badh. He was a family man, a dedicated teacher, a loving friend, and an innovative and passionate archaeologist.  

Free. Tuesday-Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Holbrook Hall, Pacific School of Religion, 1798 Scenic Ave., Berkeley. (510) 848-0528, www.bade.psr.edu/bade.< 

BERKELEY ART MUSEUM AND PACIFIC FILM ARCHIVE  

"Thom Faulders: BAMscape," through Nov. 30. This commissioned work, a hybrid of sculpture, furniture, and stage, is the new centerpiece of Gallery B, BAM's expansive central atrium. It is part of a new vision of the gallery as a space for interaction, performance, and improvised experiences.  

"Perpetual and furious refrain / MATRIX 232," through Sept. 12. Exhibition features works by Brent Green.  

"Marisa Olson: Double Bind," through Aug. 31. With a pair of provocative YouTube videos, Olson unravels the promise and pitfalls of online participatory culture.  

"Himalayan Pilgrimage," through Dec. 19. Exhibition features sculpture and painting dating from the ninth to the eighteenth centuries and drawn from a private collection on long-term loan to the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive.  

OPENING -- "Hauntology," through Dec. 5. Drawn primarily from the museum's recent acquisitions of contemporary art, this exhibition explores a wide range of art through the lens of the concept of "hauntology,'' a term coined by the French philosopher Jacques Derrida in 1993 to refer to the study of social, psychological, and cultural conditions in the post-Communist period.  

2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. < 

BLACKHAWK MUSEUM  

AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM -- The museum's permanent exhibition of internationally renowned automobiles dated from 1897 to the 1980s. The cars are displayed as works of art with room to walk completely around each car to admire the workmanship. On long-term loan from the Smithsonian Institution is a Long Steam Tricycle; an 1893-94 Duryea, the first Duryea built by the Duryea brothers; and a 1948 Tucker, number 39 of the 51 Tuckers built, which is a Model 48 "Torpedo'' four-door sedan.  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"International Automotive Treasures," An ever-changing exhibit featuring over 90 automobiles.  

"A Journey on Common Ground," An exhibit of moving photographs, video and art objects from around the world exploring the causes of disability and the efforts of the Wheelchair Foundation to provide a wheelchair for every person in need who cannot afford one.  

ONGOING EVENT --  

Free Public Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. Docent-led guided tours of the museum's exhibitions. 

$5-$8; free for children ages 6 and under. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Danville. (925) 736-2280, (925) 736-2277, www.blackhawkmuseum.org.< 

CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY  

HISTORY WALKABOUTS -- A series of walking tours that explore the history, lore and architecture of California with veteran tour guide Gary Holloway. Walks are given on specific weekends. There is a different meeting place for each weekend and walks take place rain or shine so dress for the weather. Reservations and prepayment required. Meeting place will be given with confirmation of tour reservation. Call for details.  

678 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 357-1848, www.californiahistoricalsociety.org.< 

HAYWARD AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM The museum is located in a former post office and displays memorabilia of early Hayward and southern Alameda County. Some of the features include a restored 1923 Seagrave fire engine and a hand pumper from the Hayward Fire Department, founded in 1865; a Hayward Police Department exhibit; information on city founder William Hayward; and pictures of the old Hayward Hotel. The museum also alternates three exhibits per year, including a Christmas Toys exhibit and a 1950s lifestyle exhibit. 

EVENTS --  

50 cents-$1. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 22701 Main St., Hayward. (510) 581-0223, www.haywardareahistory.org.< 

JUDAH L. MAGNES MUSEUM The museum's permanent collection includes objects of Jewish importance including ceremonial art, film and video, folk art and fine art, paintings, sculptures and prints by contemporary and historical artists. 

"Projections," Multimedia works from the museum's extensive collections of archival, documentary and experimental films. Located at 2911 Russell Street.  

SPECIAL EXHIBITS --  

$4-$6; free for children under age 12. Sunday-Wednesday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. CLOSED APRIL 3-4 AND 9-10; MAY 23-24 AND 28; JULY 4; SEPT. 3, 13 AND 27; OCT. 4; NOV. 22; DEC. 24-25 AND 31. 2911 Russell St., Berkeley. (510) 549-6950, www.magnes.org.< 

LAWRENCE HALL OF SCIENCE  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"NanoZone," Discover the science of the super-small: nanotechnology. Through hands-on activities and games, explore this microworld and the scientific discoveries made in this area.  

"Forces That Shape the Bay," A science park that shows and explains why the San Francisco Bay is the way it is, with information on water, erosion, plate tectonics and mountain building. You can ride earthquake simulators, set erosion in motion and look far out into the bay with a powerful telescope from 1,100 feet above sea level. The center of the exhibit is a waterfall that demonstrates how water flows from the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the Bay. Visitors can control where the water goes. There are also hands-on erosion tables, and a 40-foot-long, 6-foothigh, rock compression wall.  

"Real Astronomy Experience," A new exhibit-in-development allowing visitors to use the tools that real astronomers use. Aim a telescope at a virtual sky and operate a remote-controlled telescope to measure a planet.  

"Biology Lab," In the renovated Biology Lab visitors may hold and observe gentle animals. Saturday, Sunday and holidays, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.  

"The Idea Lab," Experiment with some of the basics of math, science and technology through hands-on activities and demonstrations of magnets, spinning and flying, puzzles and nanotechnology.  

"Math Around the World," Play some of the world's most popular math games, such as Hex, Kalah, Game Sticks and Shongo Networks.  

"Math Rules," Use simple and colorful objects to complete interesting challenges in math through predicting, sorting, comparing, weighing and counting.  

"Animal Discovery Room,,' 1:30-4 p.m. Visitors of all ages can hold and touch gentle animals, learn about their behavior and habitats and play with self-guided activities and specimen models.  

"Forces That Shape the Bay," This science park shows and explains why the San Francisco Bay is the way it is, with information on water, erosion, plate tectonics and mountain building.  

"Ingenuity in Action," Summer 2010. Enjoy the best of the Ingenuity Lab. Engage your creative brain and use a variety of materials to design, build and test your own innovations.  

"Kapla," Play with simple, versatile building blocks that can be used to build very large, high and stable structures.  

"KidsLab," This multisensory play area includes larger-than-life blocks, a crawl-through kaleidoscope, the Gravity wall, a puppet theater and a reading area.  

"NanoZone," Discover the science of nanotechnology through handson activities and games.  

"Planetarium," Explore the skies in this interactive planetarium.  

"Science on a Sphere," Catch an out-of-this-world experience with an animated globe. See hurricanes form, tsunamis sweep across the oceans and city lights glow around the planet.  

EVENTS --  

"Scream Machines -- The Science of Roller Coasters, through Jan. 2. This head-spinning, stomach-churning exhibition for thrill-seekers features interactive exhibits, artifacts and images to explore.  

"Summer Fun Days," through Aug. 18. Become a raptor expert, learn the science of the trapeze, engineer the perfect boat or test the ice cream that you yourself make.  

$6-$12; free children ages 2 and under. Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. University of California, Centennial Drive, Berkeley. (510) 642-5132, www.lawrencehallofscience.org.< 

LINDSAY WILDLIFE MUSEUM This is the oldest and largest wildlife rehabilitation center in America, taking in 6,000 injured and orphaned animals yearly and returning 40 percent of them to the wild. The museum offers a wide range of educational programs using non-releasable wild animals to teach children and adults respect for the balance of nature. The museum includes a state-of-the art wildlife hospital which features a permanent exhibit, titled "Living with Nature,'' which houses 75 non-releasable wild animals in learning environments; a 5,000-square-foot Wildlife Hospital complete with treatment rooms, intensive care, quarantine and laboratory facilities; a 1-acre Nature Garden featuring the region's native landscaping and wildlife; and an "Especially For Children'' exhibit.  

WILDLIFE HOSPITAL -- September-March: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hospital is open daily including holidays to receive injured and orphaned animals. There is no charge for treatment of native wild animals and there are no public viewing areas in the hospital. 

EXHIBITS --  

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

$5-$7; free children under age 2. Wednesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.< 

MEYERS HOUSE AND GARDEN MUSEUM The Meyers House, erected in 1897, is an example of Colonial Revival, an architectural style popular around the turn of the century. Designed by Henry H. Meyers,the house was built by his father, Jacob Meyers, at a cost of $4000.00. 

EXHIBITS --  

$3. Fourth Saturday of every month. 2021 Alameda Ave., Alameda. (510) 521-1247, www.alamedamuseum.org/meyers.html.< 

MUSEUM OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY SCIENCE VILLAGE A science museum with an African-American focus promoting science education and awareness for the underrepresented. The science village chronicles the technical achievements of people of African descent from ancient ties to present. There are computer classes at the Internet Cafi, science education activities and seminars. There is also a resource library with a collection of books, periodicals and videotapes. 

$4-$6. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, noon-6 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m.-6 p.m. 630 20th St., Oakland. (510) 893-6426, www.ncalifblackengineers.org.< 

MUSEUM OF CHILDREN'S ART A museum of art for and by children, with activities for children to participate in making their own art.  

ART CAMPS -- Hands-on activities and engaging curriculum for children of different ages, led by professional artists and staff. $60 per day.  

CLASSES -- A Sunday series of classes for children ages 8 to 12, led by Mocha artists. Sundays, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.  

OPEN STUDIOS -- Drop-in art play activities with new themes each week.  

"Big Studio." Guided art projects for children age 6 and older with a Mocha artist. Tuesday through Friday, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. $5.  

"Little Studio." A hands-on experience that lets young artists age 18 months to 5 years see, touch and manipulate a variety of media. Children can get messy. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $5.  

"Family Weekend Studios." Drop-in art activities for the whole family. All ages welcome. Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. $5 per child.  

FAMILY EXTRAVAGANZAS -- Special weekend workshops for the entire family.  

"Sunday Workshops with Illustrators," Sundays, 1 p.m. See the artwork and meet the artists who create children's book illustrations. Free. 

EVENTS --  

"Saturday Stories," 1 p.m. For children ages 2-5. Free. 

Free gallery admission. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m. 538 Ninth St., Oakland. (510) 465-8770, www.mocha.org.< 

MUSEUM OF THE SAN RAMON VALLEY The museum features local artifacts, pictures, flags and drawings commemorating the valley's history. It also houses a historical narrative frieze. In addition to a permanent exhibit on the valley's history, the museum sponsors revolving exhibits and several guided tours. The restored railroad depot that houses the museum was built on the San Ramon Branch Line of the Southern Pacific Railroad 108 years ago. 

SPECIAL EXHIBITS --  

Free. August: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The Depot, West Prospect and Railroad avenues, Danville. (925) 837-3750, www.museumsrv.org.< 

MUSEUM ON MAIN STREET Located in a former town hall building, this museum is a piece of local history. It has a photo and document archive, collection of artifacts, local history publications for purchase, and a history library. It is supported by the Amador-Livermore Valley Historical Society. 

EXHIBITS --  

"The Horse, Of Course," through Aug. 15. Exhibit examines how the horse has played an important role in the life of the Amador-Livermore Valley.  

$2. Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.; CLOSED DEC. 23-JAN. 8. 603 Main St., Pleasanton. (925) 462-2766, www.museumonmain.org.< 

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA  

ONGOING EVENTS --  

"Art a la Carte," Wednesdays, 12:30 p.m. Art docents offer a variety of specialized tours focusing on one aspect of the museum's permanent collection. Free with museum admission.  

"Online Museum," Thursdays, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Explore the museum's collection on videodisks in the History Department Library.  

Docent Gallery Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 1:30 p.m. 

"Explore our New Gallery," through Dec. 2. The new Gallery of California Art showcases more than 800 works from OMCA's collection-one of the largest and most comprehensive holdings of California art in the world.  

"Gallery of California History," through Dec. 2. This new gallery is based on the theme of Coming to California.  

"Mini Okubo: Citizen 13660," through Aug. 1. Curated by Senior Curator of Art Karen Tsujimoto, this small exhibition of Okubo's poignant works on paper from the Museum's collection charts Okubo's odyssey.  

$5-$8; free for children ages 5 and under; free to all on the second Sunday of the month. Special events are free with museum admission unless noted otherwise. Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; first Friday of the month, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. 1000 Oak St., Oakland. (510) 238-2200, www.museumca.org.< 

PACIFIC PINBALL MUSEUM  

"Pinball Style: Drama and Design," through Aug. 1. Exhibition comments on pinball art from the 1940s through the 2000s.  

1510 Webster St., Alameda. www.pacificpinball.org.< 

PARDEE HOME MUSEUM The historic Pardee Mansion, a three-story Italianate villa built in 1868, was home to three generations of the Pardee family who were instrumental in the civic and cultural development of California and Oakland. The home includes the house, grounds, water tower and barn. Reservations recommended. 

EVENTS --  

$5; free children ages 12 and under. House Tours: Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sundays by appointment. 672 11th St., Oakland. (510) 444-2187, www.pardeehome.org.< 

SAN LEANDRO HISTORY MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY The museum showcases local and regional history and serves as a centerpiece for community cultural activity. There are exhibits on Ohlone settlements, farms of early settlers, and contributions of Portuguese and other immigrants. There will also be exhibits of the city's agricultural past and the industrial development of the 19th century.  

ONGOING EXHIBIT --  

"Yema/Po Archeological Site at Lake Chabot," An exhibit highlighting artifacts uncovered from a work camp of Chinese laborers, featuring photomurals, cutouts and historical photographs. 

Free. Thursday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 320 West Estudillo Ave., San Leandro. (510) 577-3990, www.ci.sanleandro. ca.us/sllibrarymuseum.html.< 

SHADELANDS RANCH HISTORICAL MUSEUM Built by Walnut Creek pioneer Hiram Penniman, this 1903 redwood-framed house is a showcase for numerous historical artifacts, many of which belonged to the Pennimans. It also houses a rich archive of Contra Costa and Walnut Creek history in its collections of old newspapers, photographs and government records. 

EXHIBITS --  

$1-$3; free-children under age 6. Wednesday and Sunday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.; Closed in January. 2660 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek. (925) 935-7871, www.ci.walnut-creek.ca.us.< 

SMITH MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY AT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, HAYWARD The museum houses significant collections of archaeological and ethnographic specimens from Africa, Asia and North America and small collections from Central and South America. The museum offers opportunities and materials for student research and internships in archaeology and ethnology. 

SPECIAL EXHIBITS --  

Free. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Meiklejohn Hall, Fourth Floor, 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd., Hayward. (510) 885-3104, (510) 885-7414, www.isis.csuhayward.edu/cesmith/acesmith.html.< 

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY HEARST MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"Native California Cultures," This is an exhibit of some 500 artifacts from the museum's California collections, the largest and most comprehensive collections in the world devoted to California Indian cultures. The exhibit includes a section about Ishi, the famous Indian who lived and worked with the museum, Yana tribal baskets and a 17-foot Yurok canoe carved from a single redwood.  

"Recent Acquisitions," The collection includes Yoruba masks and carvings from Africa, early-20th-century Taiwanese hand puppets, textiles from the Americas and 19th- and 20th-century Tibetan artifacts.  

"From the Maker's Hand: Selections from the Permanent Collection," This exhibit explores human ingenuity in the living and historical cultures of China, Africa, Egypt, Peru, North America and the Meditteranean. 

$1-$4; free for children ages 12 and under; free to all on Thursdays. Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon-4:30 p.m. 103 Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way and College Avenue, Berkeley. (510) 643-7648, www.hearstmuseum.berkeley.edu.< 

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY MUSEUM OF PALEONTOLOGY  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"Tyrannosaurus Rex," A 20-foot-tall, 40-foot-long replica of the fearsome dinosaur. The replica is made from casts of bones of the most complete T. Rex skeleton yet excavated. When unearthed in Montana, the bones were all lying in place with only a small piece of the tailbone missing.  

"Pteranodon," A suspended skeleton of a flying reptile with a wingspan of 22 to 23 feet. The Pteranodon lived at the same time as the dinosaurs.  

"California Fossils Exhibit," An exhibit of some of the fossils that have been excavated in California. 

Free. During semester sessions, hours generally are: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.-10 p.m. Hours vary during summer and holidays. Lobby, 1101 Valley Life Sciences Building, #4780, University of California, Berkeley. (510) 642-1821, www.ucmp.berkeley.edu.< 

USS HORNET MUSEUM Come aboard this World War II aircraft carrier that has been converted into a floating museum. The Hornet, launched in 1943, is 899 feet long and 27 stories high. During World War II she was never hit by an enemy strike or plane and holds the Navy record for number of enemy planes shot down in a week. In 1969 the Hornet recovered the Apollo 11 space capsule containing the first men to walk on the moon, and later recovered Apollo 12. In 1991 the Hornet was designated a National Historic Landmark and is now docked at the same pier she sailed from in 1944. Today, visitors can tour the massive ship, view World War II-era warplanes and experience a simulated aircraft launch from the carrier's deck. Exhibits are being added on an ongoing basis. Allow two to three hours for a visit. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to climb steep stairs or ladders. Dress in layers as the ship can be cold. Arrive no later than 2 p.m. to sign up for the engine room and other docent-led tours. Children under age 12 are not allowed in the Engine Room or the Combat Information Center.  

ONGOING EVENTS --  

"Limited Access Day," Due to ship maintenance, tours of the navigation bridge and the engine room are not available. Tuesdays.  

"Flight Deck Fun," A former Landing Signal Officer will show children how to bring in a fighter plane for a landing on the deck then let them try the signals themselves. Times vary. Free with regular Museum admission.  

"Protestant Divine Services," Hornet chaplain John Berger conducts church services aboard The Hornet in the Wardroom Lounge. Everyone is welcome and refreshments are served immediately following the service. Sundays, 11 a.m. 

SPECIAL EVENTS -- Closed on New Year's Day. 

"Family Day," Discounted admission for families of four with a further discount for additional family members. Access to some of the areas may be limited due to ship maintenance. Every Tuesday. $20 for family of four; $5 for each additional family member. 

"Living Ship Day," Experience an aircraft carrier in action, with simulated flight operations as aircraft are lifted to the flight deck and placed in launch position. Some former crewmembers will be on hand. 

"Flashlight Tour," Receive a special tour of areas aboard the ship that have not yet been opened to the public or that have limited access during the day. 

"The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra," July 17, 8 p.m. Keeping the sound and spirit of the legendary World War II era big band leader alive, this swingin' concert will be in the perfect location, the historic aircraft carrier USS Hornet. $45-$98. 

$6-$14; free children age 4 and under with a paying adult. Daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Pier 3 (enter on Atlantic Avenue), Alameda Point, Alameda. (510) 521-8448, www.uss-hornet.org.<

ELKS LODGE, ALAMEDA  

"All You Can Dance Sunday Socials," Sunday, 4-6 p.m. Marilyn Bowe and Robert Henneg presents monthly socials with ballroom, swing, Latin and rock & roll themes. www.dancewithme.info. 

2255 Santa Clara Ave., Alameda. (510) 864-2256.< 

JACK LONDON SQUARE  

"Dancing Under the Stars," July 23 and July 30, 8:30-10 p.m. The Linden Street Dance Studio provides free dance lessons to all at the foot of Broadway.  

Foot of Broadway, Oakland. (866) 295-9853, www.jacklondonsquare.com.< 

LA PENA CULTURAL CENTER  

"Ballroom Dancing," July 26 through Aug. 16, Jul. 26, Aug. 9 and 16. Free ballroom dances classes are held during the afternoons.  

"Domingos de Rumba," Aug. 1 and Aug. 15, 3:30 p.m. Community participatory event features drumes, dancing and the songs of rumba.  

3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 849-2568, www.lapena.org.< 

SHATTUCK DOWN LOW  

"Live Salsa," Wednesdays. An evening of dancing to the music of a live salsa band. Salsa dance lesson from 8:30-9:30 p.m. $5-$10.  

For ages 21 and older. 2284 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 548-1159, www.shattuckdownlow.com.< 

SOLAD DANCE CENTER  

"Persian Dance," Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:30 and 10 p.m. Rosa Rojas offers traditional dance classes. $10.  

Citrus Marketplace, 2260 Oak Grove Rd., Walnut Creek. (925) 938-3300.< 

STARRY PLOUGH PUB  

"Ceili and Dance," Traditional Irish music and dance. The evening begins with a dance lesson at 7 p.m. followed by music at 9 p.m. Mondays, 7 p.m. Free.  

For ages 21 and over unless otherwise noted. Sunday and Wednesday, 8 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday, 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 3101 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 841-2082, www.starryploughpub.com.<

With hot, dog day summer heat replacing our usual blessed fog, Planet readers may be seeking outdoor activities and events   to cool off.  Listed below, but in no particular order of important or easy access, are just a few of the attractions to be had in the Bay Area, most of them free.

The Bee Hive Market, 1701 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley, Every Saturday, 10 - 3.   Food of every description, provided by select vendors, with a noon concert, "The Bare Wires."

Berkeley Art Museum, a Friday night series of performances show casing some of the Bay's best local music.  $5.00.
 

2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley.

"The World Comes to Berkeley", a Music Festival on Telegraph Avenue, July 25 - August 29.  Outdoor Cafe Stage at Larry Blakes.

U.C. Botanical Gardens, 200 Centennial Drive, Oakland, featuring 34 acres of landscapes corresponding to various regions of the world, as well as a glorious view of the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.

U.S.S. Potomac, (FDR's Presidential Yacht, Jack London Square.  Dockside tours Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, year round.  History cruise (2 hours), on going, May - November.

Summer Sounds, Free outdoor concerts every Wednesday, 12 - 1 p.m, City Center Plaza, 13th and Broadway, Oakland.

Free Summer Concert Series, Thursday Nights, 5:30 - 9:00 p.m., 9th Street and Broadway.

Jack London Square Farmer's Market, Sundays  9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. year round.  Free yoga and cooking demos.  Live concerts.

Whole Food Launch Party, July 24, 12:00 - 5:00 p.m.  Costume contest, games and more.  230 Bay Place, Oakland.

"Mrs. Warren's Profession," George Bernard Shaw's  once banned play.  Cal Shakes, Brun Ampitheatre, Orinda.  Dress warmly and bring a blanket or risk frost bite.  Through August 1st.  For tickets, call (510) 809-3290.

Ålameda Point Antique Faire, antiques and collectibles.  August 1st.  195 Monarch Street, Alameda.  $5.00.

Best of the East Bay Party, Jack London Square, 3 stages, August 6th, 5:00 - 11:p.m.

Show Your Oakland Pride, Diversity in Action, September 5th.  19th Street and Franklin Street, Oakland.  (510) 465-7433.

Comedy Improv Show, Oakland Metro,  630 3rd Street, Oakland, July 23 and 24, 8 p.m and 9:30.  1-800-838-3006.

"Packing for Mars:  The Curious Science of Life in the Void," a book reading by Mary Roach, Friday, Aug. 20th at 7:30 p.m.
 

2904 College Avenue, Berkeley.

There now, don't say there's a lack of interesting, enjoyable and mostly free summer events in the East Bay!

                                                                               Dorothy Snodgrass