Two Berkeley women whose bid to marry will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday said today they will be proud and excited to be in the courtroom in Washington, D.C., during the arguments.

But Kristin Perry, 48, and Sandra Stier, 50, said they want the focus to be on the case and not on themselves.

"We are very excited to have the end in sight," said Perry. "We think that when we get to the Supreme Court and hear Ted Olson arguing on our behalf, we'll be very proud and very moved." -more-

On March 11, 2011, an earthquake-tsunami double-punch delivered a knockout blow to Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor complex. Electric power was lost, causing a failure of the emergency cooling systems which, in turn, left three reactor cores to overheat and explode, sending clouds of radiation across land, sea and air. The atmospheric contamination was detected across the US, in Stockholm and below the Equator.

History may be repeating itself. On the morning of March 18, 2013, the damaged Fukushima facility once again lost outside electrical power.

In the early hours of the blackout, the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) assured the press that the site's reactors were "unaffected and no other abnormalities were found." (Of course, these reactors are still suffering from the "abnormality" of having exploded and experienced meltdowns — with molten fuel, in at least one case, escaping the metal reactor vessel and spilling onto the floor of the containment room.) -more-

Last month, an abandoned printshop at 2120 Dwight Way was reborn as Lindgren's, a bright and trendy café-restaurant featuring house-roasted coffee and homemade pastries. The arrival of Lindgren's was part of the larger restoration of the historic Williamson Building but it didn't take long for graffiti to appear on the 1905 City Landmark. On March 20, the previously pristine wall bore three fresh tags. But there's much more to this story…. -more-

March 8^th is a celebration for a worldwide Women’s History Month. It is an appreciation for women’s contribution to society’s progress. For instance, American women were struggling to pursue a higher education as society believed that they were incompatible in developing their intellectual skills.

It was not until 1972 in which Title IX of the Education Codes of the Higher Education Act Amendments prohibited gender discrimination in federally funded institution. Seeing it as a door to opportunity, women began to become involved in an advanced education.

For Muslim women, we are fortunate that we didn’t have to wait until 1972 for our status, rights and role to be recognized because Islam already set systematic guidelines as mentioned in the Quran and through the practice of Prophet Muhammad ^{(peace be on him)}. -more-

It’s safe to say to 95% of the Bay Area goes to sleep every night with the secure knowledge that easily between 100 to 1,000 people within a five to ten mile radius are asleep nearby behind dumpsters and under bushes.

It’s safe to say that by now most of them have realized that every trip to the grocery store and the BART Station will necessitate walking past between two and twenty people with outstretched hands, shadowed by at least twice that number in severe, specific, and immediate need.

This isn’t the full picture. This is just their picture, the picture that colors their neighborhood, their day, their sense of community and fairness, and whether or not the world is a good place to be.

It’s safe to say most of them have hit the breaking point and can no longer imagine that handing out dollars and dimes represents any kind of solution to poverty. It’s safe to say that most of them recognize that a radical change in housing policy is not just a civic, but also a moral obligation.

None of them were protesting the policy of building housing specifically for the out-of-town Prada/Lexus crowd in front of the opening of Berkeley Central’s new luxury apartments on Thursday, March 21, 2013. They don’t believe homelessness can happen to them, or that squandering scarce square footage on pied-a-terre techies plays any role in the housing crisis. -more-

On the tenth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, my thoughts are with all of the veterans of the Iraq War, but especially for the Iraqi veterans - by which I mean, every person living in Iraq during the invasion and occupation. I deployed twice to Iraq. I've been home for almost five years and I still think about it every day. I think about it every day, and I'm not even physically there. -more-

I am writing this email to several friends of mine who I spoke with this morning about Obama's speech on Israeli-Palestinian relations. I am also sending this email to others who I think would be interested in the discussion.

Because the President rhetorically urges Israelis to make a strong effort for peace, my friends were very pleased since it presumably represents a step forward in US policy toward Israel. But actually, the speech was a step backward. A very critical issue for the Palestinians is that Israel is currently constructing settlements for Jews in Palestinian territories. -more-

I am going to start this the way my 20-year-old daughter started her phone call to me several weeks ago. With a phrase that as a parent makes your heart pound the moment you hear the tone in your child’s voice even before the words come. “I’m OK, everyone is ok but . . .”

This is how my daughter a junior at UC Berkeley, told me that she and two girl friends had been mugged the night before while walking home from her work study job on campus. No one was hurt badly, but there was a struggle and physical contact. The girls were frightened, freaked out, but it could have been worse. Much worse. My daughter and her friends called 911 and made a full report of the crime, but I also encouraged my daughter to tell everyone she knew what happened, including posting it on Facebook. To let people know it can and does happen. -more-

Here's a good report by Emilie Raguso on berkeleyside.com of why the Berkeley City Council sent the Acheson Commons proposal back to ZAB. Most intriguing is the way developers' shill Mark Rhoades tries and fails to spin the numbers in the comments which follow the piece. . -more-

Rachel Corrie, a 22-year old peace activist from Washington State, was killed on March 16, 2003 by a Caterpillar bulldozer operated by the Israeli military while trying to stop a Palestinian family’s home from being destroyed. Some witnesses claimed she was struck deliberately, but an Israeli inquiry found her death to be an accident. -more-

When an important leader of the political opposition hints that a military coup might be preferable to the current chaos, and when a major financial organization proposes an economic program certain to spark a social explosion, something is afoot. Is Egypt being primed for a coup? -more-

Treatment for mental illnesses, including that for schizophrenia, is an imperfect deal. Those who are in treatment will almost invariably have some residual symptoms. A person with schizophrenia will sometimes be delusional while taking medication. Sometimes the dosage is wrong, either too low or too high. (Too much medication can be just as bad, sometimes worse, compared to too little medication.) Also, antipsychotic medications do not always work. About a third of people with schizophrenia aren't helped by medication. -more-

After two months of the 113th Congress, it’s clear there’s a cadre of Tea Party Republicans blocking most meaningful Federal legislation – jobs, taxes, global climate change, immigration, and gun control. These ultra-conservatives are intent on dismantling the federal government. Where did these Republicans come from and why do they believe government is their enemy? -more-

Herstory was coined to emphasize that women’s and girls’ lives, deeds, and participation in human affairs have been neglected, undervalued, or distorted in standard works. “Celebrating Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics” is the theme of this year’s Women’s History Month, March 2013. -more-

When the pesky poor people panhandling underneath the Berkeley Central high-rise luxury apartments at get clonked on the head with a stray wineglass, at least they'll note the quality of the Cabernet thanks to the concerted efforts of the dashing developers at the new residences’ high-end helm.

“We’re setting a tone,” explained one of Berkeley Central’s “brand ambassadors” at the ribbon cutting ceremony where swells stood in an uneasy row under the “luxury apartments” sign listening to each other’s euphemisms about the “new” people they hope to drag into town to replace the scruffy bunch they have right now. -more-

The Berkeley Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee is pleased to announce a two-part program for April and May focused on Telegraph Avenue. Telegraph Avenue has been the subject of a great deal of planning and attention over the last year. There has been broad recognition in the City and in the Southside neighborhood that strong efforts must be taken to revitalize the declining commercial strip as a destination but also as neighborhood serving, most particularly between Dwight Way and Bancroft Avenue. -more-

"One of the lovely things about 'making noise,' being a composer, is that what you make ends up belonging to everyone. And everyone has their own interpretation--and some of them make sense!"

Composer-in-residence Steven Stucky was discussing the world premiere of his piece The Stars and the Roses, an orchestral setting of three poems by the late Nobel laureate, longtime Berkeley resident and UC professor Czeslaw Milosz, commissioned by Berkeley Symphony for the final performance in Zellerbach Hall this season, 8 p. m. Thursday, March 28--and the question of whether The Stars and the Roses is a song cycle.

Symphony music director Joana Carneiro suggested Stucky write orchestral songs, and that they work with well-known tenor Noah Stewart, a former San Francisco Opera Adler Fellow and Merola program alumnus.

"I've been a fan of Milosz for a long time," said Stucky. "And his connection to Berkeley was too good to pass up." -more-

Now playing at the Shattuck Landmark Theater, A Fierce Green Fire has been a long time coming but it's worth the wait. -more-

—'Weller: International Mad Man': "A collection of insane stories told ... as only the International Mad Man can, with a mix of comedy, storytelling—& fear!" From Heavy Metal to Martial Arts ... Another notch up in the new performance series at the East Bay Media Center in Berkeley's downtown Arts District. 8 p. m. Saturday, 1939 Addison (between Milvia & MLK). $20. 843-3699; eastbaymediacenter.com -more-

Piedmont Center--in a partnership with the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra--will host a talented, professional quartet playing Mozart and Brahms featuring violinist Rene Mandel, who also is the Executive Director of the Berkeley Symphony. -more-

The San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC) has announced the nominees for its 37^th annual theatre awards. Nearly 60 Awards will be bestowed on theatre artists from the nine Bay Area counties, along with three special achievement citations. For the first time SFBATCC will held its Awards Gala in the East Bay, at the fabled California Ballroom, 1736 Franklin Street in Oakland’s uptown business district. The theme for the Gala is as new as the venue – a big, blow-out dance party with live band and a catered smorgasbord to help sustain the party-goers’ energy. -more-