“Can we have some carrots?” 

An unusual request for a second grader? Not for Malcolm X Arts & Academic Magnet School students Terra Dudley and Emma Tadlock, who like to spend their recess time planting flowers and vegetables in the school’s organic garden. 

“Look at this cabbage,” says Malcolm X Garden Coordinator Rivka Mason in mock despair. “They just come and eat the leaves.” 

The demand for fresh vegetables out of the garden is so strong that Mason has taken to demanding garbage in exchange for veggies. 

“If you can find five pieces of trash anywhere on the playground you can get a carrot,” Mason tells Dudley and Tadlock, explaining, “This is how we keep the playground clean.” 

A community coalition working to educate the public about nutrition programs in the Berkeley Unified School District hosted an afternoon of gardening and healthy snacking at Malcolm X Friday. 

Parents perused healthy recipe books and sampled fresh fruit from the Berkeley Farmers Market as students planted in the garden, made fresh squeezed lemonade and played a game designed to broaden their exposure to different kinds of edible plants. 

Thanks in part to $1 million in grants from the California Nutrition Network, BUSD has built four school gardens (including the Malcolm X garden) and hired cooking and gardening instructors to work at all the district’s elementary schools, said BUSD Garden Resource Coordinator Travis Smith. 

“We’ve found that when kids plant vegetables they will eat them,” said Beebo Turman of the Berkeley Community Gardening Collaborative. “It’s an ‘if they grow it they will eat it’ kind of philosophy.” 

The basic idea behind the programs is to impress upon the students, on a daily basis, the importance of exercising and eating well – specifically, at least five servings of fruit and vegetables each day. In addition to classes, many schools have organic salad bars at lunch, afterschool physical activity programs and field trips to the Berkeley Farmer’s Market. 

“It’s going to be reinforced every day they come to school that eating healthy is going to influence the rest of their lives,” Smith said. “This will do a lot to alleviate diseases in our society like cancer and diabetes.” 

In the United States, childhood obesity has doubled in the last ten years and Type 2 diabetes in children has tripled in the last five years according to BUSD Nutrition Network Program Supervisor Erica Peng. 

But it’s not just about nutrition. 

“Not only do we see the clear health benefits, but also the significant impact that improved diet, better nutrition and adequate exercise have on students’ self-esteem, confidence and ability to learn...,” Peng said. 

In addition to teaching students how to prepare healthy meals, from the garden to the kitchen, cooking and gardening instructors work with the rest of the faculty to help reinforce lessons in culture, history and math.  

Mason plans to plant corn, squash and beans at the end of the year to deepen students’ understanding of Native American agricultural practices. She has planted beets, red onions and purple carrots in the past to help a class of third graders see how some cultures make clothing dyes from plants.  

“It’s bringing the culture into agriculture,” Mason said 

Saturday, March 3

Free Sailboat Rides  

1 - 4 p.m. 

Cal Sailing Club 

Berkeley Marina 

The Cal Sailing Club gives free rides on a first come, first served bases on the first full weekend of each month. Wear warm clothes and bring a change of clothes in case you get wet. Children must be at least five years old and must be accompanies by an adult.  

Visit www.cal-sailing.org  

Wild About Books? 

10:30 a.m. 

Central Berkeley Library  

2121 Allston Way  

Mary Miche, leader of Song Trek Music, will lead a sing-along that will send everyone home humming. Call 649-3913 

Residential Solar Electricity  

1 - 3 p.m. 

Ecology Center  

2530 San Pablo Ave.  

Hal Aronson, director of the Solar Energy Education Program for Berkeley EcoHouse, will cover how solar electric cells work, different types of systems, and costs of a solar system. Participants will also produce electricity using photovoltaic panels and power a range of appliances.  

$10 - $15  

548-2220 x233  

Feathered Dinosaurs  

11 a.m.  

Lawrence Hall of Science 

UC Berkeley’s Dr. Kevin Padian talks about the discovery of feathered dinosaur fossils in northern China. Included with museum admission. $3 - $7 642-5132 

“Socialism & the Struggle  

for Global Justice”  

10:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

200 Wheeler Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Discussions will include “Why Socialism?”; crisis in Palestine; race, class and the fall out from the 2000 elections; and fighting misogyny and sexism.  

$5 donation 552-8236  

Emergency!: Personal  

Preparedness 

9 a.m. - 11 a.m.  

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar St.  

A class sponsored by the Berkeley Fire Dept. and the Office of Emergency Services. Free. 

644-8736 

Community Forum on  

Displacement & the Impacts  

of Gentrification 

10 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Rosa Parks Elementary School  

920 Allston Way  

Sponsored by the City of Berkeley and the Institute of Urban and Regional Development of UC Berkeley.  

Sunday, March 4

Free Sailboat Rides  

1 - 4 p.m. 

Cal Sailing Club 

Berkeley Marina 

The Cal Sailing Club, a non-profit sailing and windsurfing cooperative, give free rides on a first come, first served bases on the first full weekend of each month. Wear warm clothes and bring a change of clothes in case you get wet. Children must be at least five years old and must be accompanies by an adult.  

Visit www.cal-sailing.org  

Salsa Lesson and Dance Party  

6 - 9 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Professional instructors Mati Mizrachi and Ron Louie will lead you through the steps. Israeli food will be provided by Holy Land Restaurant.  

$10 

RSVP 237-9874 

Spiritual and Social  

Transformation  

2 - 5 p.m. 

7th Heaven Yoga & Body Awareness Studio  

2820 Seventh St.  

Acarya Dada Shambhushivananda Avadhuta & Norie Huddle. 

$5 - $15 sliding scale  

231-0382  

“Time, Space, Knowledge/ 

Consciousness” 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Pl. 

Tom Morse and Ken McKeon on “Time, Space, and Knowledge: An Invitation to Inner Healing.” Free  

843-6812 

Monday, March 5

Your Legal Rights with HMOs 

6 - 7:30 p.m. 

YWCA Oakland  

1515 Webster St., Second Floor  

Presented by the Women’s Cancer Resource Center, UCSF Cancer Resource Center and the San Francisco Bar Volunteer Legal Services, this free workshop covers what your legal rights are and how to guard them. 415-885-3693 

Beginning Bicyclist Workshop  

7 - 9 p.m. 

YMCA 2001 Allston Way  

Community Room 1, Main Floor  

Jason Meggs and Zed Lopez will teach you how to keep yourself and your bike safe and even how to use your bike for shopping. Free Call 549-RIDE 

“Stop Medical Apartheid” 

Noon  

Parker & Seventh St.  

Local non-violent civil disobedience in reaction to Bayer Corp. involvement in a lawsuit against the government of South Africa. Bayer and 39 other large drug companies are suing the governement to prevent them from producing generic AIDS drugs or importing them at the lowest market price. Call 568-1680 

Self-Care and Wellness  

Health Fair 

Pre-Registration Deadline 

9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Registration deadline for the March 10 event. A day of workshops offering ways to maintain and improve health of the body, mind and spirit.  

$10 admission, $5 per workshop  

— compiled by  

Chason Wainwright 

Beginning Spanish  

10 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

With Edie Wright.  

Call 644-6107 

Tuesday, March 6

“Great Decisions” - U.S. & Iraq 

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy.  

$5 single session 

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Intelligent Conversation  

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

Jewish Community Center  

1414 Walnut Ave. (at Rose)  

With no religious affiliation, this twice-monthly group, led informally by former UC Berkeley extension lecturer Robert Berent, seeks to bring people together to have interesting discussions on contemporary topics. This evenings discussion topic is health, nutrition and science; bioengineering.  

Call 527-5332  

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

International Women’s Day 

11:10 a.m. 

Pacific School of Religion Chapel 

1798 Scenic Ave.  

Join students, staff, and faculty in the celebration of International Women’s Day. The theme is “A Call to Place: Quilting Resistance,” highlighting women’s religious experiences and women of the world.  

649-2490 

Aquinas, Creation and Cosmic Evolution 

7:30 p.m. 

2400 Ridge Road 

Flora Lamson Hewlett Library  

Dinner Board Room  

Benedict Ashley, author, advisor to the Theological Commission of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, and faculty member of the Aquinas Institute, gives the eleventh annual Aquinas lecture. Free 

883-2085 

National Nutrition Month Cooking Demonstration 

11:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Five a Day with Natalie.  

Call 644-6107 

“Women’s Voices / Women’s History” 

6 p.m. 

YWCA Main Lounge  

UC Berkeley  

2600 Bancroft Way (at Bowditch)  

A talk with Lisa Rubens of the Regional Oral History Office. Learn about the unique challenges in studying women’s history, and get practical advice for conducting your own oral history research. Free  

848-6370 

Anti-GMO Mobilization 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave.  

Help the Ecology Center mobilize a response to the FDA’s failure to regulate the biotech industry in any meaningful way. Also to be discussed will be preparations for the Biodevastation Protest and Counter-Conference which will be taking place in San Diego in June.  

548-2220 x233 or www.ecologycenter.org 

Wednesday, March 7

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Women in Interfaith Relationships  

9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Led by Dawn Kepler, this workshop will explore interfaith relationships on many levels, in relation to culture, religion, and gender. People of all backgrounds and orientations are invited to attend.  

$10 

848-0237 x127 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Attic Conversions  

7 - 10 p.m. 

Building Education Center 

812 Page St.  

Taught by architect Andus Brandt.  

$35  

525-7610 

Keeping New People Out of Old Neighborhoods 

7 - 9 p.m.  

Graduate School of Journalism 

Main Floor  

121 North Gate Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Invited are students, industry professionals, community members and activists to join in dialogue to explore how the media and urban development issues effect each other.  

(415) 989-1111 

Thursday, March 8

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet Judy Wells and host Dale Jensen.  

644-0155 

Trekking Northern India  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Professional wilderness guide Randy Pomeroy will take you on a journey from Ladakh to Rajasthan. Free 

Call 527-4140 

“Fifty Years in the Making” 

Boalt Hall School of Law  

UC Berkeley 

A gathering of some of the most prominent diplomats, scholars, and legal practitioners in the field of World War II reparation and restitution claims. Free and open to the public.  

Backyard Birding & Beyond  

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Bird watching with Stan Scher.  

Call 644-6107 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Take the Terror Out of Talking 

12:10 - 1:10 p.m. 

California Dept. of Health Services  

2151 Berkeley Way  

Room 804  

Session four of six in a series of classes presented by the State Health Toastmasters, this one is called “Creating An Introduction.”  

649-7750 

“Energy, Ecology and Humanism” 

7 p.m. 

Fellowship of Humanity  

390 27th St. (at Broadway) 

Oakland 

George Matthews, of Community Energy Services, will discuss how energy conservation and solar power can benefit low-income and minority people.  

451-5818 

HIVAC for Beginners 

7 - 10 p.m. 

Building Education Center 

812 Page St.  

Taught by contractor/engineer Eric Burtt.  

$35  

525-7610 

Friday, March 9

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Berkeley PC Users Group 

7 p.m. 

Vista College 

2020 Milvia St., Room 303 

E-Mail: meldancing@aol.com 

Europe on a Shoestring  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Scott Mcneely, co-author of the Lonely Planet book will share slides and information on some of his favorite adventures off the beaten path. Come learn about smart budget travel.  

Call 527-4140 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Yiddish Conversation  

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

With Allen Stross.  

Call 644-6107 

Energy Teach-In & Action Forum  

6:45 p.m. 

Berkeley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall  

1924 Cedar (at Bonita)  

Graham Brownstein of TURN, Charles Kalish of Citizens Power Campaign and Todd Creiten of Campaign Against Utilities Rate Hike give an update on the vital struggle for public power. Find out what you can do about your utility bill.  

233-3175 

“Torture in 2001 - The Violations Continue” 

Stephens Hall, Geballe Room  

Townsend Center for the Humanities  

UC Berkeley  

Despite nearly universal prohibition against the use of torture in laws of most nations, the incidence of torture is epidemic. Dr. Kathi Antolak, an expert on the treatment of torture victims will speak.  

Trees Forum  

12:30 p.m. 

Starr King School for Ministry Chapel  

2441 LeConte Ave.  

A discussion on “The Ecology of The Great Work: Thomas Berry and the New Cosmology,” led by Dody Donnelly.  

trees@gtu.edu 

Rebound! Program offers needed help; still have to fix underlying BHS ills 

PCAD is on the Scene! 

In the Fall 2000 the Parents of Children of African Descent came together, not as PCAD, but as a group of concerned parents and grandparents to discuss our children’s progress reports that we had recently received in the mail. It appeared to us that most of our children’s friends had also received progress reports showing that they too were failing. We were not sure what we were going to do. We just felt strongly that something needed to be done. 

Clearly in our hearts and minds we did not believe that our children were failing because they should have been retained in the eighth grade or that they were skipping 15 or more of their classes. As parents we had basically known one another because our kids attended school together in a Berkeley middle school. Many of them played sports together, attended summer enrichment programs together, and participated in discussions about college requirements and entrance exams. 

We wanted to see if our personal concerns were valid, so we took these concerns to the principal of Berkeley High School. We were also concerned that our children would not be prepared to take the newly required state exit exam. We wrote a letter requesting statistics with exact numbers of failing ninth grade students. Upon meeting with the principal and getting data directly from his staff, our sense of urgency was confirmed when we discovered that there was a large number of African American and Latino students who were probably going to fail at least one of their core courses. 

When we asked the principal what was being done to save these struggling students, we were invited to “put something together” and bring it back to him. We also expected him and his staff to address what we as parents felt was a crisis that needed immediate intervention. During the winter break we met to discuss how we envisioned a school where all students were academic achievers. It was at that time that we began to draft the intervention plan that was presented by PCAD to the principal Jan. 4. 

Need was for more  

than an after-school program 

We compared our suggested plan with the high school’s ninth grade after-school intervention program, which was to begin Jan. 8. As parents we wanted more than this program for students, who obviously were having a difficult time being engaged in their classes during regular school hours. We wanted these students to continue onto the 10th grade in the fall of 2001; we wanted them to feel confident that they had the skills to remain on track for graduation; and we wanted them to pass their exit exam. 

Throughout the month of January we shared our draft intervention plan with the Berkeley community. We purposefully designed a website to make our plan accessible, so that members of the community could read it and respond to it with comments and/or suggestions. Recognizing that not all households have a computer and access to the Internet, we reached out to parents and held community meetings. On Jan. 15, Martin Luther King’s Birthday, we hosted a Stone Soup Luncheon and presented our draft plan to over seventy community members. 

Many of us believe that a private education may be a supportive environment for academic engagement, but many more of us believe in public education. A number of parents in PCAD are alumni of Berkeley High. We choose instead to keep our children in Berkeley High and help improve education for more than just our own. 

The academic disparity that exists at Berkeley High is well known. We as PCAD want to acknowledge and honor all the work that has gone into addressing this disparity. The amount of time and research contributed by the Diversity Project has empowered us as parents to develop this intervention plan and move it forward.  

Furthermore, we are well aware of some of the work that Ms. Issel has contributed. She has publicly announced her desire to develop strategies to address the achievement gap in Berkeley. However, we have to accept the fact that she is a school board member who has voted against the PCAD proposal. She even refused to support paying the teachers in the Rebound! Program for their work this past month. Her actions, not her words, are on the record. 

Our efforts, we feel, are generated from the place of being parents. We felt from the beginning that we need input from the educators, school administrators and community members. It has been and will continue to be our priority to work collaboratively with those individuals and entities that feel as strongly as we do about the achievement gap, in order that we may build a broad band of support for all of our children. 

PCAD’s Intervention Plan  

& The Rebound! Program 

PCAD’s total intervention program “Rebound!” has been getting a lot of attention. Although we are very proud of this program, we do wish to remind everyone that it is just one component of our overall intervention plan. 

We view the high failure rate among students of color as a symptom of a much larger underlying problem. We believe that the intervention programs already in existence at BHS are effective if accessed and applied to “this symptom” and then, only for a short term. One could even view this approach to solving failure as suppressive, meaning that improvement only occurs while the programs are being utilized. Unless the underlying problems are addressed, when students discontinue utilizing these programs, the symptoms of failure reappear.  

The Rebound! Program was developed to offer relief to a crisis. We wanted these struggling ninth grade students to have a stable, hope-filled experience, while preparing them to rejoin their classmates in the 10th grade. We know that our Rebound! students will continue to need the support of some of the other Berkeley High School intervention programs. But, Rebound! was to be a demonstration to the students, to the parents, to the Berkeley High School administration, the school district, and the community of Berkeley that by giving some stability and hope to a chaotic situation, people would begin to believe that the impossible is possible.  

PCAD believes that by taking a leadership role and encouraging parents to become involved with their children’s education, we are better able to address the underlying causes that are interfering with our children’s academic performance.  

We want to begin helping our students to achieve by doing things differently. We want long term, permanent “cures.” We believe that by addressing some of the underlying causes of students not performing well in school, we can help them get to a point where they can eventually become independent of any intervention program. 

We understand that there are wonderfully staffed intervention programs at Berkeley High. Because some of these programs are being underutilized, there is a wealth of resources available to our students. It only makes sense to connect these programs to those students who are in need of additional support. As Mary Friedman of the Berkeley Education Foundation says, “…it is time to refine and maximize all resources at the high school so that they work for kids.” 

924 Gilman St. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted $5; $2 for a year membership March 2: Books Lie, Living Under Lies, Remnants, No Regrets, The Fadeaways, LWL; March 3: Dr. Know, The Dread, Hot Box, Anal Mucus; March 9: Dead and Gone, Sworn Vengence, Punishment, Misoura, The Computer Kills; March 10: The Varukers, 46 Short, Scarred for Life, Oppressed Logic, Faced Down; 525-9926  

Albatross Pub All music at 9 p.m. unless noted March 1: Keni “El Lebrijano”; March 6: PickPocket Ensemble; March 7: Whiskey Bros.; March 8: Keni “El Lebrijano”; March 10: PickPocket Ensemble; March 13: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Duo; March 15: Keni “El Lebrijano”; March 17: Maureen Brennan Group 1822 San Pablo 843-2473 

Ashkenaz March 24, 2 p.m. - 2 a.m.: Ashkenaz fourth annual dance-a-thon featuring Lavay Smith, African, Caribbean, reggae, Balkan, North African and cajun bands for 12 hours of nonstop dance music. 1370 San Pablo Ave. (at Gilman) 525-5054 or www.ashkenaz.com  

Eli’s Mile High Club Doors open at 8 p.m. March 2: Henry Clement; March 3: J.J. Malone; March 9: Ron Hacker; March 10: Red Archibald 3629 MLK Jr. Way Oakland  

Jazzschool/La Note All music at 4:30 p.m. March 4: Ray Obiedo; March 11: Stephanie Bruce Trio; March 18: Wayne Wallace Septet $6 - $12 2377 Shattuck Ave.  

Live Oak Concert Series All music at 7:30 p.m. March 4: Marie Carbone, harpsichord, plays music of Frescobaldi, Sweelinck, Froberger, and Weckmann; March 11: Stephen Bell, guitar, plays music of Bach, Villa-Lobos, Ponse, and Albeniz Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St.  

Cal Performances March 2 - March 11, call for times: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; Zellerbach Hall UC Berkeley. 642-9988 or www.calperfs.berkeley.edu March 4, 3 p.m.: Baritone Nathan Gunn sings Brahms, Wolf, and a selection of American songs $36; March 11, 3 & 7 p.m.: Burhan Ocal & The Istanbul Oriental Ensemble perform traditional Turkish music $24 Hertz Hall UC Berkeley 

Berkeley Symphony Orchestra April 3, and June 21, 2001. All performances begin at 8 p.m. Single $19 - $35, Series $52 - $96. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley 841-2800  

“Dido and Aeneas” March 2, 8 p.m.; March 4, 2 p.m. A tale of English Baroque opera that follows the tale of Dido, queen of Corinth, as she is courted and won by Aeneas, conqueror and future founder of Rome. $5 - $10 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. Call 925-798-1300 

“Aywah!” March 2, 8 p.m. An evening of music and dance from Egypt, Turkey, Morocco and Balkan Roma. Featuring Aywah! Dance Company. Guest singer Eva Primack. $13 - $15 La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 or www.lapena.org 

Mozart Requiem Singalong March 3, 8 p.m. Bella Musica Chorus and Orchestra in their third annual presentation. Bring your own score or buy/borrow one of theirs. $10 suggested donation St. Joseph the Worker Church 1640 West Addison (at McGee) Call 526-5393 

Young People’s Symphony Orchestra March 3, 8 p.m. David Ramadanoff conducts the orchestra in a program featuring Schubert, Tchaikovsky, and a suite from Piston’s ballet “The Incredible Flutist” $5 - $10 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. Call 925-798-1300  

Wildfire Compilation Concert March 3, 8 p.m. With a new CD of independent women’s music and art benefiting the Rose St. House of Music and KPFA, Berkeley this show features a few of the artists featured on the CD. Deb Pasternak, Shelly Doty, Melissa Crabtree will perform. $10 Tuva Space 3192 Adeline St.  

“In Song and Struggle” March 4, 4 - 10 p.m. Copwatch presents the second annual event bringing together some of the best women artists from around the Bay Area and beyond in commemoration of International Women’s Day. Artists include Shelley Doty, Rebecca Riots, Rachel Garlin, and many others. $8 - $15 Ashkenaz 1317 San Pablo Ave. Call Copwatch, 548-0425  

Mingus Amungus & Allstar Jazz Jam March 4, 7 - 10 p.m. A benefit concert for 65 Cuba-bound Berkeley High students. $10 - $15 Florence Schwimley Little Theater 1930 Allston Way 587-3201  

“The Magic Flute” March 3 & 4, 8 p.m. Mozart’s most famous opera adapted by International House resident Kalinka Cichon and presented by a multicultural cast. $5 International House Auditorium 2299 Piedmont Ave. (at Bancroft) e-mail for tix: kalinka@cichon.com  

Eric Glick Reiman, Tom Nunn, Toychestra March 4, 7:48 p.m. $8 donation TUVASpace 3192 Adeline (at MLK Jr.) 649-8744 

Young Emerging Artists March 6, 7 - 8 p.m. John McCarthy will direct students from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music’s Prepatory Division through a performance of works by Sov, Barber and others. $5 - $10 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. (at Derby) 925-798-1300 

Carol Denney, Folk This!, J.D. Nelson March 7, 8 p.m. CD release party for Denney’s “The Rich Will Never Be Poor” $16.50 Freight & Salvage 1111 Addison St. 548-1761 

Canto Para Una Semilla March 9, 8 p.m. La Pena Community Chorus present an homage to Violeta Parra. This is a benefit for Berkeley High School’s CAS program. $10 La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 

Country Joe McDonald March 9 & 10, 8 - 10 p.m. McDonald will play a solo acoustic set of old & new songs and a tribute to Woody Guthrie. $20 Live Oak Theater 1301 Shattuck Ave. (at Berryman) www.countryjoe.com  

“Mystic Journey” March 10, 8 p.m. Suzanne Teng and Mystic Journey are a unique contemporary world music ensemble, based in Los Angeles, making their Bay Area debut. $15 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. Call 925-798-1300 

Berkeley High School Concert Orchestra March 8 & 15, 7 p.m. Performing works by Beethoven, Haydn, Shostakovich, as well as student compositions. Sponsored by North Branch, Berkeley Public Library’s Teen Services, and the Friends of the Library Free North Branch Library 1170 The Alameda 

Maria Marquez in Concert March 10, 8:30 p.m. A special evening of Marquez’s songs from her latest CD, “Eleven Love Stories.” $15 La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 

“Treacherous Crossings” March 14, 10 a.m., March 15 & 16, 10:30 a.m. & 7 p.m. An opera about people looking for a better life, leaving Mexico to come to California. Produced entirely by 8 - 11 year olds Malcolm X Arts & Academics Magnet School Malcolm X Auditorium 1731 Prince St. 644-6313 

Theater 

“Fall” by Bridget Carpenter Through March 11. $15.99 - $51. Berkeley Repertory Theatre 2025 Addison St. 647-2949, www. berkeleyrep.org 

“Nightingale” presented by Central Works Theater Through March 4, Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 24 & Saturday, March 3, 5 p.m. $8 - $14 LaVal’s Subterranean 1834 Euclid Ave. 558-1381 

“Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me” by Frank MacGuinness Through March 17, Thursday - Saturday, 8 p.m. Sunday, 8:30 p.m. The story of three men - an Irishman, an Englishman and an American held in a prison in Lebanon. $10 - $15 8th St. Studio Theatre 2525 Eighth St. (at Dwight) 655-0813 

“A New Brain” by William Finn Through March 18, Fridays & Saturday, 8 p.m. Sunday, 7 p.m. Watch as Gordon Schwinn, in the face of a life-threatening brain tumor, composes a farewell concert in which all the important figures in his life make show-stopping appearances. Presented by BareStage Productions $8 - $12 Choral Rehearsal Hall, Lower Level of Caesar Chavez Student Center UC Berkeley 642-3880  

“Glory Box” by Tim Miller March 9, 8 p.m. In this one-time performance, Miller explores the themes of same-sex marriage and binational gay/lesbian immigration rights. $15 Zellerbach Playhouse UC Berkeley 601-8932 or www.ticketweb.com  

“Little Shop of Horrors” March 9 through Apri 1, Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m., Saturday & Sunday, 2 p.m., no show Friday, March 23; $12 Berkeley Community Little Theatre Allston Way at Martin Luther King, Jr. Way Call 943-SHOW  

“The Oresteia” by Aeschylus March 14 - May 6 Directed by Tony Taccone and Stephen Wadsworth, Aeschylus trilogy will be the first production staged on the Berkeley Rep’s new prosenium stage. Please call Berkeley Repertory Theatre for specific dates and times. $15.99 - $117 Berkeley Repertory Theatre 2015 Addison St. (at Shattuck) 647-2949 or www.berkeleyrep.org 

“Chappy Knuckles (Semi-Regional Motorcross And) Family Fun Hour” March 19 & 20, 7 & 9 p.m. Shotgun Players’ Black Box Productions presents Old Man McGinty, who has a rubbing stone that he would love for you to touch. $10 LaVal’s Subterranean Theatre 1834 Euclid Ave. 655-0813 or visit www.shotgunplayers.com  

“The Tempest” by William Shakespeare March 8 - April 14, Thursday - Saturday, 8 p.m. Presented by Subterranean Shakespeare and directed by Stanley Spenger $8 - $10 LaVal’s Subterranean Theatre 1834 Euclid Ave. (at Hearst) 237-7415 

Films 

“Magnetic North” Six programs of experimental Canadian video from the past 30 years that range from documentary to conceptual art. In all, 40 tapes from 46 artists will be shown on six Wednesday evenings. Through Feb. 28. $7. Pacific Film Archive 2575 Bancroft (at Bowditch) 642-1412  

“A.K.A. Dominga” A video documentary film following the personal journey of one woman uncovering her history 18 years after surviving the Rio Negro Massacre in Guatemala. March 1, 7:30 p.m. La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 x15 

“Tragos” Antero Alli’s vision of a future where the desire to escape from the government and media thought-control drives people underground. March 8, 7 & 9:30 p.m. $7 Live Oak Theatre 1301 Shattuck Ave. 464-4640 

“Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win” March 18, 6 p.m. A historic documentary of the May - June 1968 General Strike in France. Directed by Paris working class filmmaker Jean Pierre Thorn. Also to be shown is “France on Strike,” on the 1995 French public workers strike by rail workers, teachers, electrical and postal workers. $7 La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. (at Prince) 849-2568  

Women of Color Film Festival March 2, 3 & 6, 7:30 p.m. A series of shorts exploring issues of family dynamics, gender equity, empowerment, identity, and sexuality. Pacific Film Archive 2575 Bancroft Way (at Bowditch) 642-1412 

Exhibits 

Berkeley Historical Society “Berkeley’s Ethnic Heritage.” An overview of the rich cultural diversity of the city and the contribution of individuals and minority groups to it’s history and development. Thursday through Saturday, 1 – 4 p.m. Free. 1931 Center St. 848-0181 

“Dorchester Days,” the photographs of Eugene Richards is a collection of pictures portraying the poverty, racial tension, crime and violence prevalent in Richards’ hometown of Dorchester, Massachusetts in the 1970s. Through April 6. UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism 121 North Gate Hall #5860 642-3383 

“Still Life & Landscapes” The work of Pamela Markmann Through March 24, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Red Oak Gallery 1891 Solano Ave. 527-3387 

“Unequal Funding: Photographs of Children in Schools that Get Less” An exhibit of black & white photographs by documentary photographer Chris Pilaro. Through March 16, Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Photolab Gallery 2235 Fifth St. 644-1400 

“Contemporary Photogravure” Printing from hand-inked plates etched from a film positive, a unique exhibition of photographs with luxurious tones. Through March 30, Tuesday - Friday, Noon - 5 p.m. or by appointment Kala Art Institute 1060 Heinz Ave. 549-2977 

“Musee des Hommages,” Masterworks by Guy Colwell Faithful copies of several artists from the pasts, including Titian’s “The Venus of Urbino,” Cezanne’s “Still Life,” Picasso’s “Woman at a Mirror,” and Boticelli’s “Primavera” Ongoing. Call ahead for hours 2028 Ninth St. (at Addison) 841-4210 or visit www.atelier9.com 

Amanda Haas, New Paintings and Olivia Kuser, Recent Landscapes Through March 24, Tuesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Traywick Gallery 1316 Tenth St. 527-1214 

“Travels in Color” Wax crayon sketches by Pamela Markmann made over the past 35 years Through March 31, 5 - 8 p.m. daily Voulez Vouz Bistro 2930 College Ave. 548-4708 

“Chicano Art and Visions of David Tafolla” Vivid color acrylic and oil paintings with Latino imagery. March 5 - April 12, Tuesday - Thursday, 1 - 7 p.m., Saturday Noon - 4 p.m. and by appointment. Opening reception March 10, 1 - 3 p.m. Women’s Cancer Resource Center 3023 Shattuck Ave. 548-9272 or www.wcrc.org 

Nylan Jeung and David Lippenberger Lippenberger renders figures in acrylic and Jeung work with ink and watercolor on rice paper, using traditional eastern techniques. March 4 through April 7, Wednesday through Sunday, Noon - 5 p.m. Opening reception March 4, 2 - 4 p.m. Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St. 644-6893  

Readings 

Boadecia’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted March 2: Stephanie A. Brill will read from “The Queer Parents Primer: A Lesbian and Gay Families’ Guide to Navigating Through a Straight World”; March 3: Susan Stryker will read from and discuss “Christine Jorgensen: A Personal Autobiography”; March 4, 7 p.m.: Diana Rivers will read from the books in her Hadra series; March 9: Annette Madden will read from “In Her Footsteps: 101 Remarkable Black Women from the Queen of Sheba to Queen Latifah:; March 10: Dyke Open Myke! To particpate call Jessy 655-1015; March 16: Rik Isensee will read from his novel “The God Squad: A Spoof on the Ex-Gay Movement”; March 24, 7 p.m.: Aliza Sherman will read and sign “Cybergrrl@Work: Tips and Inspiration for the Professional You” 398 Colusa Ave. Kensington 559-9184. www.boadeciasbooks.com 

Cody’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted March 5: Daniel Quinn reads “After Dachau”; March 6: Martin Waddell, in celebration of his two new picture books “A Kitten Called Moonlight” and “Tom Rabbit”; March 6: Terry Kupers talks about “Prison Masculinites.” Joining Kupers will be Christian Parenti, Susanne Paczensky, Lige Dailley, Jr. and Don Specter; March 8: K.C. Cole explores “A Hole in the Universe”; March 12: Ken Baker will discuss “Man Made: A Memoir of My Body”; March 13: Patrick McCabe reads “Emerald Germs of Ireland”; March 15: Randy Shaw talks about “The Activist’s Handbook: A Primer”; March 19: Jean Rouverol talks about “Refugees From Hollywood: A Journal of the Blacklist” 2454 Telegraph Ave. 845-7852  

“Strong Women - Writers & Heroes of Literature” Fridays Through June, 2001, 1 - 3 p.m. Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program. North Berkeley Senior Center 1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 549-2970  

Duomo Reading Series and Open Mic. Thursdays, 6:30 - 9 p.m. March 8: Judy Wells; March 15: Elanor Watson-Gove; March 22: Anna Mae Stanley; March 29: Georgia Popoff; April 5: Barbara Minton; April 12: Alice Rogoff; April 19: Garrett Murphy; April 26: Ray Skjelbred. Cafe Firenze 2116 Shattuck Ave. 644-0155. 

Lunch Poems First Thursday of each month, 12:10 - 12:50 p.m. April 5: Galway Kinnell; May 3: Student Reading Morrison Room, Doe Library UC Berkeley 642-0137 

Class Dismissed Poetry Posse March 2, 7:30 p.m. Afro-Haitian dancers, Dance Production dancers, the BHS poetry slammers, an opening a capella number and a few surprises. A benefit for a Berkeley High school student trip to Cuba. $5 - $10 Little Theater Berkeley High School 2246 Milvia St.  

Bamboo Ridge Writers Reading March 4, 4 p.m. Five authors published in the book, “Intersecting Circles: The Voices of Hapa Women in Poetry & Prose.” Bamboo Ridge publishes literature which nurtures the voices of Hawaii and celebrates its literary tradition. Eastwind Books of Berkeley 2066 University Ave. 548-2350 

Anita Barrows March 4, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Barrows will read from her poem “A Record” inspired by an exhibit done in Theresienstadt and her translation of Rosa Luxenburg’s letters. Free Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237 

Umi Satsang March 6, 7:30 p.m. Satsang will share his love and freedom as expressed in his new book “Footprints in the Snow” Barnes & Noble 2352 Shattuck Ave. 644-0861 

Rhythm & Muse Open Mike March 11, 2 p.m. Featuring Sacramento poet Johnny Heart Berkeley Art Museum Conference Room 2621 Durant (at Bowditch) 527-9753 

Women’s Word March 14, 7:30 p.m. An evening of women’s word honoring International Women’s month and featuring Avotcja, Straight Out Scribes, Tureeda & Kira Allen. Hosted by Joyce Young. Open mic will follow. $4 La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 

Tours 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Free. University of California, Berkeley. 486-4387 

Berkeley City Club Tours 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. The fourth Sunday of every month, Noon - 4 p.m. $2 848-7800  

Golden Gate Live Steamers Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Lomas Cantadas Drive at the south end of Tilden Regional Park Small locomotives, meticulously scaled to size. Trains run Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rides: Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., weather permitting. 486-0623  

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden Centennial Drive, behind Memorial Stadium, a mile below the Lawrence Hall of Science The gardens have displays of exotic and native plants. Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 1:30 p.m. $3 general; $2 seniors; $1 children; free on Thursday. Daily, 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. 643-2755 or www.mip.berkeley.edu/garden/  

Lectures 

Berkeley Historical Society Slide Lecture & Booksigning Series Sundays, 3 - 5 p.m. $10 donation requested March 11: Director of Berkeley’s International House, Joe Lurie, will show a video and dicuss the history and struggle to open the I-House 70 years ago; March 18: “Topaz Moon,” Kimi Kodani Hill will discuss artist Chiura Obata’s family and the WWII Japanese relocation camps. Berkeley Historical Center Veterans Memorial Building 1931 Center St. 848-0181 

UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Research Seminars Noon seminars are brown bag March 7, 4 p.m.: Akhil Reed Amar will discuss his book “The Bill of Rights: Creation and Reconstruction.”; March 8, 5 p.m.: E.J. Dionne, Jr., Jefferson lecturer and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, will speak on “Is There a Politics of the Common Good?” (IGS Library); March 9, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.: “Interpreting Governance: Narratives of Public Sector Reform” A one-day colloquiem with Mark Bevir of UC Berkeley, Rod Rhodes of the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and many others; March 12, Noon: Catherine Hafer of Ohio State will discuss “The Political Economy of Emerging Property Rights”; March 14, 4 p.m.: Akhil Redd Amar will discuss his book “The Bill of Rights: Creation and Reconstruction”; March 19, Noon: Anne Balsamo of Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, will explore IT issues within the humanities; April 23, 4 p.m.: Mary Dudziach of USC will discuss “Cold War Civil Rights: Race and the Image of American Democracy.” 119 Moses Hall UC Berkeley 642-4608  

“Great Decisions” Foreign Policy Association Lectures Series Tuesdays, 10 a.m. - Noon, Through April 3; An annual program featuring specialists in the field of national foreign policy, many from University of California. Goal is to inform the public on major policy issues and receive feedback from the public. $5 per session, $35 entire series for single person, $60 entire series for couple. Berkeley City Club 2315 Durant Ave. 526-2925 

A genuine team effort vaulted the Berkeley High girls’ basketball team over Pittsburg High Friday night and into the North Coast Section championship game, as 14 players contributed in the Lady ’Jackets 73-58 win over the visiting Pirates. 

Pittsburg kept pace with the taller Berkeley squad through much of the first quarter, trailing by two with 2:56 remaining. But the Pirates couldn’t break the ’Jackets full-court press and turned the ball over five times in just under three minutes. Led by senior forward Robin Roberson’s nine first-quarter points, Berkeley led Pittsburg 24-13 at the end of one. 

“We knew they were a smaller, quicker team than us,” Roberson said. “We let them control the game early by us not coming out hard on defense.” 

Berkeley’s momentum didn’t carry over to the second quarter as the ’Jackets were outscored 8-2 in the first three minutes of the period. Then, at the 3:06 mark, Roberson picked up her third foul and put Pittsburg’s Meghan Spurling on the line. The two free throws cut the ’Jackets lead to five, but Berkeley’s Kalyca Seabrook and Rebekah Payne each added a bucket to give the ‘Jackets a 34-26 half-time advantage. 

With just over a minute elapsed in the second half, Roberson was called for her fourth foul and was forced to the bench. Berkeley’s starting center Sabrina Keys also picked up her fourth personal midway through the third quarter. Roberson, who led the ’Jackets with 17 points, didn’t return until the 4:31 mark of the fourth quarter. 

“We wore them down and I thank my bench tonight because the way the referees were officiating the game, I needed everyone on my bench (to play),” Nakamura said. “Basically, they (officials) weren’t allowing our kids to be athletes.” 

The game was slowed by an abundance of foul calls. Berkeley converted 17-of-28 free throw attempts while Pittsburg made 17-of-26. For the Pirates, starter Akilah Hicks fouled out while Keys got called for her fifth personal with 1:37 left in the game. 

Nakamura was also upset by a lack of traveling calls and a time-out originally charged to the Pirates that was later given back to Pittsburg only after both teams had met with coaches. 

“This is supposed to be a championship series and it’s not right to have referees like that out there that don’t let you play,” Nakamura said. “I tell my kids to not get in a situation where the referees can make a difference.” 

Pirates’ guard Alexis Mack kept Pittsburg close by scoring a game-high 20 points. But after the guard recorded nine points in the opening period, the ’Jackets contained Mack by adding pressure each time she touched the ball. Berkeley’s Roberson scored eight fourth quarter points, including two 3-pointers to keep the ’Jackets on top. 

“We were right there with them the whole game,” Pittsburg coach Maureen Mattson said. “They just got a quick run and a couple of 3-pointers right there at the end of the game that hurt us.” 

In addition to Roberson’s 17, Berkeley guard Angelita Hutton scored 14 and Payne tossed in 10. Behind Mack’s 20, Pittsburg’s Courtney Warren added 10 as the only other Pirate in double figures. 

“They are a great outside shooting team,” Nakamura said of Pittsburg, adding that the relatively close win will benefit the ’Jackets as the postseason continues. 

“Coming out of our league (ACCAL) that’s not real strong, a positive is that all of our kids got a lot of playing time,” Nakamura said.  

While Roberson and Keys spent much of the second half on the bench, the Berkeley guards stepped up their intensity and maintained a comfortable cushion over the Pirates. Hutton especially, Nakamura said, played a strong game. 

“She’s my veteran in there,” he said. “She’s started three straight years and I count on her experience and court sense to keep everybody calm. I was very happy with the way she played.” 

The No. 1 seed Lady ’ Jackets face No. 3 Monte Vista in the title game Saturday night in Berkeley at 8 p.m.

The formerly bickering Community Environmental Advisory Commission conducted its meeting Thursday with the harmonious rapture of newlyweds making up after their first fight. 

CEAC was able to complete its monthly meeting without any scenes and take action on several items of business, including electing a new chair and vice chair. The success of the meeting was in stark contrast to the last two meetings, which collapsed when disgruntled commissioners abruptly left in protest over the acting chair’s refusal to recuse himself from issues related to his employer, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. 

City Attorney Manuela Albuquerque wrote two opinions in January saying that Acting Chair Gordon Wozniak should resign because of his employment as a senior scientist at the laboratory. Wozniak has steadfastly disagreed with Albuquerque and has refused to step down from the commission or recuse himself from lab-related issues.  

“I feel strongly I should not be made a second class citizen because of my occupation,” he said at the beginning of Thursday’s meeting. 

The opinions were issued shortly before a controversial draft report was issued by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research that claims the National Tritium Labeling Facility at LBNL may pose a danger to residents who live near the laboratory during a fire or natural disaster. 

The report polarized the commission adding to the conflict over Wozniak’s role on the commission. 

The two previous meetings on Feb. 1 and Feb. 22 ended when three commissioners abruptly walked out. In both cases, their departure left too few commissioners to legally continue. At the Feb. 1 meeting Commissioners Jami Caseber, Pam Webster and temporary Commissioner Susan Chang left the meeting when Wozniak refused the request to recuse himself from LBNL issues. 

On Feb. 22, the CEAC meeting ended for the same reason, when Caseber, Webster and new Commissioner LA Wood walked out. In both cases the commission was unable to take any action on items on its agenda. 

But on Thursday, commissioners seemed willing to forget the infighting and move forward.  

Wood said the previous meetings had been unruly. “In the last year there has been a loss of confidence in what this body does,” he said. “I hope we can go forward in a more parliamentary manner.” 

Commissioner Elmer Grossman said the usual decorum that citizens expect from a government body was not evident at recent CEAC meetings. “There was so much name calling and cat calls at the last meeting, I went home and had a stiff drink and wondered about remaining on the commission.” 

Part of the reason the commission was able to get along may have been a communication from the city attorney clarifying the commission’s role in relation to her opinion of Wozniak’s conflict of interest.  

On Feb 27, Albuquerque wrote that while she had advised that there was a conflict of interest “the implementation of this advice requires either Mr. Wozniak’s action to resign or the action of the appointing Councilmember to replace him. Thus he is on the commission until replaced.” 

Wozniak was appointed by Councilmember Polly Armstrong who is currently out of the state. Several weeks ago Armstrong told the Daily Planet that she would stand behind Wozniak, but she could not be reached more recently to respond to questions about continued support for the controversial commissioner. 

There were unconfirmed reports on Friday that Wozniak was considering resigning from the commission.  

One of the first actions the commission took Thursday was to elect a new chair and vice chair. Commissioner Caseber was approved as the new chair of the commission by a 7-0-1 vote with Wozniak abstaining.  

Caseber has served on the commission for eight years including one year as chair in 1996. Several of the commissioners said the 56-year-old Caseber was the best choice because he could bring a sense of stability to the commission. 

Caseber said he would agree to the role on the condition he would chair for only three-to-six months. Most terms last one year. 

“This job is stressful,” Caseber said. “And I promised my wife I wouldn’t do this anymore.” 

Caseber said he wants to see the board function better in the next few months “and the only way that can happen is if everybody pulls their weight and hangs together.” 

Wood, recently appointed by Councilmember Maudelle Shirek, was elected as vice chair of the commission over Grossman by a vote of 5-3.  

Shortly after Caseber was elected chair, commission members were discussing how much authority the chair actually has, when Commissioner Daniel Luten interjected an observation. “Being chair of this commission is like herding cats,” he said. 

Combine an excellent opponent, an unfamiliar court and a cold shooting day, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. All those ingredients came together on Friday night for the Berkeley boys’ basketball team, and the Yellowjackets ended their season with a 66-32 loss to defending state champion De La Salle in the North Coast Section semifinals at St. Mary’s College. 

Starting with a horrid first quarter that saw the ’Jackets hit just one of their 11 shots and ending with a 27-7 fourth quarter onslaught from the top-seeded Spartans, the game was never really in doubt. Although Berkeley managed to cut the deficit to six points at the half, they couldn’t get good shots, taking long jumpers and mad dashes into the lane.  

“We had a goal of getting the ball inside, and we weren’t able to do that,” Berkeley head coach Mike Gragnani said. “They matched up really well, and every time we got an opening, they shut it down. They made us play their game.” 

The Berkeley defense held up well until the fourth quarter, when the Spartans broke out with an 11-point run that put the game well out of reach at 50-25. After Berkeley forward Ramone Reed hit two free throws, De La Salle piled on seven more points before coach Frank Allocco removed his starters. 

The ’Jackets never got going offensively, and shot just 11-of-47 from the floor, including 0-for-14 on three-pointers. No Berkeley player scored more than eight points, and just one, center Jahi Milton, made even half of his shots. 

“They certainly didn’t make our lives any easier, but we just had an off-night,” said senior forward Louis Riordan. 

“When you’re playing the defending state champion, you can get overly pumped-up,” Gragnani said. “But the fact that we’re here this year will help us when we get back to the same point next year.” 

The Spartans, on the other hand, took quality shots and were 24-of-43 from the floor. Senior guard Joe See had 20 points, and fellow seniors Charles Brown and DeMetrius Williams had 12 and 14, respectively. 

Berkeley started the game by missing its first six shots, an ominous sign. Nearly six minutes were gone before Riordan made a layup, the ’Jackets’ lone field goal of the quarter. 

The ’Jackets came out with renewed energy in the second quarter, as Ryan Davis hit a leaner and drew a foul, followed by a Byron St. Jules drive for a layup. Reed pulled down a long rebound and found Riordan for a layup soon after, and the Spartans’ lead was cut to 12-10. But Brown came back and nailed a three, and See did the same on the next possession. Even when Davis hit a jumper at the buzzer, the ’Jackets were down 22-16 at halftime. 

Senior forward Williams made sure Berkeley would get no closer, converting a steal into an easy layup, then hitting a three to put his team up 30-20. He scored seven points in the quarter, and the Spartans had a 39-25 lead heading into the final period.  

Williams, who will be teammates with Berkeley’s Reed on the Oregon football team next year, made another three to open the fourth, then picked off another Berkeley pass and took it home for a ferocious dunk, putting an exclamation point on the Spartans’ victory. 

“They smelled the blood in the water, and they finished us off,” Gragnani said. 

The Spartans will face No. 3 Bishop O’Dowd for the NCS title on Saturday at St. Mary’s at 2 p.m. 

Overall, Berkeley’s season has to be considered a remarkable success. Returning just two players with varsity experience, the ’Jackets finished the year with a 15-game winning streak before the final loss, including a perfect 12-0 record in the Alameda Contra Costa Athletic League. Gragnani, who completed his first year with Berkeley with a 22-6 overall record, said he was extremely proud of what the team accomplished. 

“It’s been a wonderful first year,” he said. “I knew I was going to like it, but I couldn’t ask for anything more.” 

Riordan, who was in his third year on the Berkeley varsity, said this season was his favorite. 

“We went through a lot, but I feel like we’re a family. We met my expectations for the season. The season was great, and I love this team.” 

Just five years ago, Terry Abeyta lived on the streets of California. Today she has a home and is coordinator and manager of the Clothing Ministry for the nonprofit Chaplaincy to the Homeless.  

Abeyta was homeless for five years. In 1996 she found her way to Haste House, a halfway house run by Chaplaincy. Seven people lived in the house and each worked at the Clothing Ministry one day a week.  

Abeyta said she put in more hours than the other residents. “They noticed I had a real interest in running this.” She voluntarily took on organizing the Clothing Ministry and became a paid employee in 1999. She moved out of Haste House, which closed last year due to budget cuts, and now lives independently in Oakland.  

The Clothing Ministry, located in the basement of Trinity United Methodist Church at 2362 Bancroft Way, provides free clothing to about 250 people each week. Each person is allowed three visits a week. They are often referred by local shelters, drop-in centers and churches.  

Despite the small space in which it is located, Abeyta and her volunteer assistant, Mary Stiver of Oakland, have organized the clothing well. Men’s and women’s garments hang on separate racks that have been donated. Shoes neatly line the walls. This makes it easy for people to come in and find what they need, Abeyta said.  

Peggy Roppel, 54, who has been homeless in Berkeley for five months, has been coming to the Clothing Ministry for four months. “The services are beautiful. It’s all organized and Terry makes sure people get what they need. Everybody comes here,” she said.  

Abeyta said she has seen at least 20 people select clothes from the Clothing Ministry in order to secure jobs.  

Abeyta has instituted some rules to keep things running smoothly. People are asked not to re-sell the clothing. Alcohol drugs, and violence are not tolerated. 

The Clothing Ministry, which is partially funded by the city, accepts donations during its operating hours: Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Abeyta said she is currently in special need of underwear, socks, personal hygienic items and warm clothing.  

Located on Dana Street at the First Congregational Church, the 11-year-old Chaplaincy is a nonprofit. In addition to the Clothing Ministry, the Chaplaincy also provides services for homeless youth and runs a men’s shelter.  

Berkeley Observed 

Looking back, seeing ahead 

The University of California was founded in 1868, but its origins date back to 1860 when the College of California, a small, private institution then located in Oakland, purchased thirty acres of land for the “benefits of a country location.”  

On April 16, 1860, the Trustees of the College of California met at the location of Founder’s Rock to dedicate their new campus.  

Among those present were the Reverends S. H. Willey, D. B. Cheney, Henry Durant, and Frederick Billings. Billings is credited with choosing the name “Berkeley” for the college, and popular tradition has him standing on the rock when the name “Berkeley” came to him. 

In 1866 the California legislature, established the College of Agriculture, Mining, and Mechanical Arts.  

Two years later, with the passage of the Charter Act by the legislature the new state college joined with the College of California, and the University of California was formed. 

Founder's Rock, located at Hearst Avenue and Gayley Road, is a natural outcropping of unusual geologic composition which may have been thrust up by activity centuries ago on the nearby Hayward Fault.  

It was once the most prominent feature in the surrounding landscape. The plaque commemorating Founders' Rock was placed there by the graduating class of 1896.  

Susan Cerny, author of Berkeley Landmarks, writes this column in conjunction with the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association

SAN FRANCISCO — The district attorney’s office has completed its behavioral testing of Hera, a 113-pound dog involved in the deadly attack on a San Francisco woman in late January, a move that could clear the way for killing the dog. 

“The dog was being kept alive so certain behavioral and physical tests could be conducted,” Fred Gardner, a spokesman for District Attorney Terence Hallinan, said Friday. “Those tests were conducted last night.” 

Hera was declared “vicious and dangerous” at a hearing last week. But Hallinan got a court order to keep the dog alive, saying it might serve as evidence should charges be brought against the dogs’ owners, Robert Noel and Marjorie Knoller. 

Hera was tested late Thursday to see how it reacted to a man, a woman and a child. Behaviorists were not asked to determine whether Hera had been trained to attack.  

“At this point we’re satisfied with what we’ve accomplished, but we haven’t made a final determination or decision that we’re finished,” prosecutor Kimberly Guilfoyle said Friday. “That decision has not been made yet, but when we do we will go before the court and that may be soon. It could be tomorrow, it could be two weeks from now.” 

Guilfoyle said two dog evaluators, Jean Donaldson of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Ian Dunbar of Sirius Puppy Training, observed the dog in its kennel. She refused to comment on how the dog responded. 

“All I can say is that it is a very impressive dog, a big, powerful dog. They tested the reaction with a child, with a woman, with a man,” Hallinan, who also witnessed the testing, told the San Francisco Chronicle late Thursday. 

The experts compared Hera’s reactions to those of 10 other dogs being held at the city’s Animal Care and Control facility. Police and prosecutors witnessed the testing. 

Hera has been kept in a 10-by-5-foot cage at the shelter with about 30 other dogs, some of which also are considered aggressive and being kept until their fates are decided. Others are in protective custody because they were abused. 

Handlers avoid touching Hera. They stick to a routine aimed at controlling the dog’s behavior. No one, including Noel and Knoller, is allowed in to see it. 

A call to Animal Care and Control was not immediately returned Friday, but director Carl Friedman has said he would keep Hera alive until Hallinan’s office had completed its investigation. 

Noel and Knoller lived with their two Presa Canario-mastiffs, Hera and Bane, in the upscale apartment building where 33-year-old Diane Whipple was attacked by the animals Jan. 26. 

The couple repeatedly has said the dogs were kept as house pets and were not trained to attack. They have the right to appeal the order to kill Hera.  

Calls to their office Friday were not immediately returned. 

Bane, the primary attacker, was killed immediately after the incident. 

A snapshot taken of California on a single day last year captured the most detailed look of the nation’s largest melting pot, a portrait that will help shape its future. 

The picture taken by the U.S. Census Bureau is suspected to confirm what social scientists have long believed: that the nation’s most populous state is also one of its most diverse, and growing more so every day. 

The numbers, which will be released later this month, may seem like material for policy wonks, demographers and number crunchers, but there’s a lot at stake and the figures will help chart the state’s course for the next decade. 

Details on the 33,871,648 residents counted April 1, 2000, will help determine everything from where a new congressional district is carved to how billions of federal dollars are spent, to where future roads will be paved. 

“The census is the only ballgame in town,” said Richard Rogers, a Sonoma County planner. “Aside from being all knowing and all seeing ... it’s the best and most accurate set of data. To that degree it becomes reality. It’s not perfect, but it’s the best we’ve got.” 

Although much already is known from county surveys and birth and death certificates, the census serves as the once-a-decade basis for all other measurements. 

Birth records, for example, don’t track if a mother moves soon after giving birth. And death records may mark the fatality of a tourist from out of town. 

The information to be released toward the end of March — population counts from the county level down to blocks of about 100 people, broken down by race and divided by those under age 18 and over 18 — will be used primarily to carve up political boundaries determining districts ranging from Congress down to local school boards. 

The state gained one congressional seat as the population grew by 4.1 million over the decade. 

However, the state’s hopes to gain additional federal dollars was hurt Thursday when the Census recommended to Commerce Secretary Don Evans not to use statistical sampling to reflect the number of people, mostly poor and minorities, estimated to be missed by the count. 

The use of raw numbers 10 years ago cost the state more than $2 billion and an additional seat in congress, said Hans Johnson, a research fellow with the Public Policy Institute of California, a San Francisco-based think tank. 

California has a disproportionately high undercount because of a large share of migrant workers, illegal immigrants and poor who are reluctant to report. 

As the population swelled over the last 10 years, the ratio of non-Hispanic whites shrank and the new figures could confirm that California’s minority population is now the majority for the first time. The Census Bureau projected last summer that non-Hispanic whites made up less than half the population. 

In offering the most detailed racial profile of the state so far, new figures will show how cities are changing racially and which neighborhoods are most integrated. 

For the first time, the Census Bureau last year let people select more than one of six racial categories. Combined with a Hispanic ethnicity option, there are 126 possible ethnic and racial combinations, giving the best look yet at the state’s diverse population. 

“It’s going to give us a real statistical portrait of the multiracial population of the U.S. and make us all quit pretending that these categories are a fixed and accurate summary of peoples’ ancestry,” said Michael Hout, a sociology professor at the University of California, Berkeley. 

City dwellers and youths are expected to be the most diverse, but suburbanites may not be monotone, said Christopher Williams, associate professor of geography at the University of Southern California. 

Compared with the rest of the nation, the Golden State should be more diverse. 

“The coasts are much more different than the heartland, the great square states that we all fly over,” Williams said. 

In coming months, information on age, income, education and home ownership will give county and city officials the more detailed information they need to plan for the future. 

In Sonoma County, for example, Rogers is anxious to see whether coastal vacation houses are increasingly becoming year-round residences because of a healthy economy and a high demand for housing. 

Census information ultimately will dictate where state and federal dollars are spent, where construction is needed, where schools and roads are built and where to provide social services. 

By combining race with other information, such as income, researchers can see how neighborhoods such as San Francisco’s Mission District, once predominantly Hispanic, is changing and becoming more gentrified. 

It will also quantify the exodus from the cities, beyond the suburbs to the “exurbs,” communities such as Tracy in the northern San Joaquin Valley, said Johnson. 

Businesses will look at population density and concentrations of poverty and wealth for marketing decisions, and to determine whether to relocate or expand. 

As state officials, demographers and planners wait to see the numbers, they also know to expect the unexpected. Surprises probably won’t come in large numbers, but in neighborhoods where data will show smaller evolutions. 

A decade ago, social scientists were thrown by a huge jump in Santa Ana’s population due to an influx in extended Hispanic families living under one roof. 

City planners said they weren’t taken off guard by the numbers, because they had been providing social services to the community. But what came as a surprise was a trend of wealthier families moving out of the Orange County community because there weren’t enough expensive homes for sale. 

Ultimately, the census data led to more housing construction at all economic levels, said Kenneth Adams, planning manager for Santa Ana. 

——— 

On the Net: 

Census Bureau: http://www.census.gov/index.html 

Public Policy Institute of California: http://www.ppic.org 

END Advance 

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gray Davis told Wall Street analysts this week that he can’t raise electricity rates to solve California’s power crisis because voters would approve an initiative blocking them “in a heartbeat.” 

As the Davis administration continued debt-relief negotiations with the state’s two huge cash-strapped utilities Friday, his Finance Department announced the state will need another $500 million to buy electricity for their customers. 

That brings the state’s power-buying costs to some $3 billion so far. 

Davis told 25 investment officials at a private meeting in New York on Wednesday that he believes he can persuade out-of-state suppliers who have made “more money than God” selling power to California to accept less than the full amount utilities owe them. 

However, analysts said Davis did not explain how he would finance his utility debt-relief plan for Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas and Electric Co. without raising rates for their customers. And several major power suppliers said Friday that they want the entire amounts they are owed. 

Davis was back in California after trying to assure federal officials and Wall Street that his plan will solve the state’s power problems. 

California has struggled with a tight supply and soaring wholesale power prices for months. 

Edison and PG&E say they’ve lost some $13.7 billion since early summer and are verging on bankruptcy due to soaring wholesale prices that California’s deregulation law blocks them from recovering from customers. 

Davis’ energy advisers continued negotiations Friday with Edison, PG&E and the state’s third investor-owned San Diego Gas & Electric. 

Davis’ plan centers on buying their 26,000 miles of transmission lines, getting 10-year contracts from Edison and PG&E to buy power from their remaining plants at cost and convincing Edison’s and PG&E’s parent companies to help cover their debts. 

The short-term drain on the state’s budget worsened Friday, as Davis’ Finance Department announced the state will need an additional $500 million by March 12 to buy power for Edison and PG&E customers. 

That brings the total the state has committed to costly short-term power purchases for Edison and PG&E since early January to $3.2 billion. The state so far has actually spent just over $2 billion of that, Finance spokesman Sandy Harrison said. 

The state is buying about one-third of the power used by the customers of Edison and PG&E, both denied credit by suppliers. The money will be repaid when the state issues $10 billion in revenue bonds in May, largely to finance cheaper long-term power contracts; those bonds will be repaid by utility customers. 

According to a transcript of Davis’ Wall Street meeting released Friday, the governor told analysts electricity rate increases could not be part of the solution because customers already face higher natural gas bills. 

“If we were to pass on the full cost of electricity, an initiative to eliminate deregulation would pass in a heartbeat,” he said. 

From the moment that initiative qualified until court challenges were resolved, no power plants would be built in the state, worsening the electricity shortage, Davis said. 

Several consumer groups are threatening action at the ballot box in 2002 if Davis’ power plan causes electricity rates to rise. 

Davis has insisted the plan can be accomplished within the current rates, including a 7 to 15 percent temporary increase approved by the Public Utilities Commission in December and a 10 percent rise scheduled a year from now, when a previous rate cut is to expire. 

“I think the governor’s right,” said Harvey Rosenfield of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights. “We wouldn’t have to do an initiative if he would take the actions necessary to bring these profiteers and utility companies under public control.” 

Financial analysts question whether California’s crisis can be resolved without rate increases. 

“Other states seem to be able to handle the idea of a rate increases, dramatic rate increases, to avoid such things happening,” said Richard Cortright of Standard & Poor’s. 

He said he was surprised Davis failed to tell the analysts exactly how his plan would be financed, leaving it “a big mystery.” 

“If it’s politically impossible to raise rates, how is it possible to strike a working deal so all the governor’s goals will be met?” Cortright asked. 

Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc., called Davis’ proposals “stopgap measures at best,” adding: “We saw no information presented which solved the main issue of rate structure reform.” 

Davis also told analysts “a couple” of electricity suppliers have volunteered to accept less than the full amounts the utilities owe them. 

Davis spokesman Steve Maviglio said the governor is not disclosing the names of the suppliers or the amounts involved. 

Davis told analysts the suppliers are likely to capitulate because they want to sign lucrative long-term power contracts with the state. 

“These people didn’t fall off the turnip truck,” Davis said. 

However, several major suppliers, Duke Energy and Reliant Energy among them, said Friday that they want the full amounts the utilities owe them. 

Reliant, owed more than $300 million, would not “voluntarily offer to take partial payment” for electricity provided under legal contracts, spokesman Richard Wheatley said. 

S&P’s Cortright said he is skeptical generators would accept less than the full amounts, and wonders why Davis risks alienating them with his criticism. 

“These are the guys he really needs to stick with California to build the generating plants,” Cortright said. 

Davis spokesman Maviglio said a deal might be complete early next week to buy the San Diego utility’s transmission lines. Davis told Wall Street analysts the purchase price will probably be $700 million. 

A week ago, Davis announced a tentative agreement to buy Edison’s lines for an estimated $2.7 billion. 

It has not been as easy to persuade PG&E to part with its lines and an agreement could be several weeks away, Davis told the analysts. 

“I think their initial opposition to selling transmission lines is more emotional than financial,” Davis said. “These are not big money makers for PG&E. But they think this is their soul, their core.” 

PG&E spokesman Ron Low declined to comment on the negotiations. 

The state ended its work week as it began — with enough electricity for grid managers to avoid reviving the power alerts that have been a nearly constant part of California life for the past two months. 

——— 

On the Net: 

California Independent System Operator: www.caiso.com 

LOS ANGELES — His name is known throughout the country, and a decade after his notorious beating he remains a potent symbol of police abuse and racial unrest. 

But Rodney King never sought that role and he’s never known how to play it. 

In the years since he uttered his famous plea – “Can we all get along?” – King has seldom spoken in public, even though he has repeatedly found himself in the media spotlight. 

His life after the beating has been marked by run-ins with the law and squabbles with attorneys over the $3.8 million settlement in his lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles. 

He flirted with a music career and started a rap recording label, but quickly abandoned it. He earned his high school-equivalency degree, went to work for his brother’s construction company and honed his surfing skills. 

“Rodney never chose to be an icon,” said Renford Reese, a political science professor at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona who has counseled King and brought him in to address his classes. “He got beat one night, and all of a sudden he becomes a symbol for racial reconciliation and police reform. But he was never trained to be a change agent.” 

King, now 35, declined to be interviewed for this article. 

Renee L. Campbell, one of his attorneys, said the memory of what happened on March 3, 1991, still brings flashbacks and remains too painful to revisit. 

That night, a bystander videotaped the surreal scene as four white Los Angeles police officers beat King, who is black, after a car chase. The events captured on the tape, shown repeatedly on television, eventually forced Police Chief Daryl Gates to resign and made King a household name. 

When the four officers were acquitted a year later, the city erupted in riots. Two of the officers were later found guilty in federal court of violating King’s civil rights. 

Before the beating, King’s missteps went unnoticed. He was on probation the night of the beating, but who knew or cared that a janitor’s son and one-time Dodgers Stadium usher had been convicted of robbery? 

After the beating, King’s life has stayed under the microscope. 

“Rodney is an ordinary guy, he has the same kind of typical problems that everyone has, normal family problems, what have you,” Campbell said. “To his misfortune, because of his celebrity, whatever happens to him, be it an argument or a shouting match, it can get escalated and turned into something completely different than what it was.” 

Just two months after the beating, King was arrested on suspicion of trying to run down a police officer after officers in Hollywood allegedly saw him pick up a transvestite prostitute. No charges were filed. 

He’s been pulled over by police and convicted once of drunken driving. He also was convicted of hit-and-run driving for an incident involving his wife and later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor spousal abuse in a separate incident. He’ll be on probation until 2003. 

Through it all, King has made stabs at giving his life a positive direction, handing out gift certificates on Martin Luther King Day, starting the rap label and exploring plans for a book and a youth foundation. He lives in Pasadena, spending time with his three daughters and doing construction work. 

For now, his grand plans have faded. King lost about half his settlement money in ongoing litigation with former attorneys over payment of legal bills. Those who hoped he’d emerge as a civil rights figure or a force behind police reform have been disappointed. 

“I’ve thought about what an opportunity (was) lost,” said Milton Grimes, King’s attorney between 1992 and 1994. 

Grimes later sued him over legal bills. 

“Racism and police brutality was captured on a $300 video camera. We’ve spent millions of dollars trying to prove it exists, and here we’ve captured it on tape,” Grimes said. “Had it been someone more worldly, more articulate, more insightful, the public might have benefited from it.” 

King is described as gentle and thoughtful, a person who values his privacy. Campbell said King still believes in what he said during the riots – that people need to get along. 

WASHINGTON — Black students end up in special education classes much more often than whites, setting them apart and saddling them with less-demanding work and lower expectations, new studies say. 

School officials respond that special education often is the only resource they have to help children with learning and emotional difficulties. 

“In some places, schools are confronted with kids who are not learning adequately, and they search for solutions,” said Paul Houston of the American Association of School Administrators. “Special ed is one of those solutions. ... Realistically, in many cases, schools don’t have those resources available to them, outside of the special ed system.” 

A series of studies commissioned by The Civil Rights Project at Harvard University said black public school students are three times as likely as whites to be identified as “mentally retarded” and in need of special education services, which ideally include placement in smaller classes with more individual tutoring and instruction by specially certified teachers. 

In many cases, the researchers said, students in special education classes are kept apart from their peers and have teachers who are not certified in special education. The curriculum is watered down and school districts often label black students as emotionally disturbed when they have learning disabilities. 

The richer the school district, the more likely that black male students would be labeled mentally retarded, the studies said, pointing to especially high incidences in five states – Connecticut, Nebraska, South Carolina, Mississippi and North Carolina. 

“Across the board, this is a problem for minority students,” said Daniel J. Losen, a lawyer for the civil rights project. 

Losen said minority students often end up in special education programs because their parents lack both knowledge of the system and of their legal rights under federal law. 

Nationally, there were fewer Latino students proportionally in special ed classes. This did not hold true, however, in districts that had large numbers of Latino students. 

Using 1997 Education Department data, the studies found that, nationwide, black students were 2.9 times as likely as whites to be identified as having mental retardation. They were 1.9 times as likely to be identified with an emotional problem, 1.3 times as likely to be identified with a specific learning disability. 

American Indian students also were slightly more likely to be identified as mentally retarded, emotionally disturbed or with a specific learning disability. 

A spokeswoman for Education Secretary Rod Paige said the department is awaiting results of a separate study conducted by the National Academy of Sciences. The report will be issued as early as this summer, she said. 

Teachers’ unions welcomed the findings. National Education Association President Bob Chase said the NEA “has long decried the misplacement of minority students in special education programs and classrooms.” 

Alex Wohl, a spokesman for the American Federation of Teachers, said, “One of the things that we emphasize ... is the ability to help teachers develop better teaching skills, particularly in the early grades, because that’s where they’re overloaded.” 

Among other recommendations: 

• Graduation tests, which determine if a student receives a diploma, should be put on hold until schools can show that all students have had a “meaningful opportunity” to learn the material. 

• Schools should provide better training in special education issues and better services for children with emotional disturbances, while reducing classroom sizes. 

On the Net: 

The Civil Rights Project: http://www.law.harvard.edu/groups/civilrights/

WASHINGTON — Labor unions, struggling to block an attempted repeal of new safety rules, brought out workers to describe careers wrecked and lives ruined by workplace injuries. 

One worker said she was permanently injured when she had to lift a paralyzed, 250-pound student from a wheelchair. For their part, business groups who oppose the regulations conducted their own lobbying effort in the run-up to an expected showdown vote next week. 

“OSHA’s rush to issue an ill-conceived, expensive and unscientific ergonomics standard is irresponsible government at its worst,” said a U.S. Chamber of Commerce summary being handed out on Capitol Hill. “The rule will cost businesses billions of dollars, yet the benefits to workers – if any – are uncertain.” 

Several Democratic aides conceded privately the barring last-minute switches, the GOP likely has the votes to prevail in an attempt to overturn the regulations. 

“It’s going to be a tough battle, but we’re going to win it,” said Randy Johnson, vice president of the U.S. Chamber for labor and employee benefits. As a result, Democrats were trying to determine whether they have the option under Senate rules of filibustering the measure. 

GOP aides, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said the bill would be brought up quickly in the House if it passes the Senate, possibly within two or three days. 

President Bush has not said whether he would sign the measure, although Republicans say they expect he would. 

The Clinton administration issued the more than 600-pages of regulations in mid-November after a decade-long struggle by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to regulate repetitive motion injuries. 

The rules took effect Jan. 16, four days before President Bush took office. Businesses have until October to comply with the first regulation by distributing information to employees and begin the process of receiving and responding to injury reports. 

Organized labor supports the rules, which could force companies to alter work stations, redesign facilities or change tools and equipment once employees are found to have sustained work-related injuries. 

Business groups generally oppose them as too far-reaching, costly and unscientific and threatening to override existing workers’ compensation laws. Several lawsuits have been filed to block them. 

Republicans plan to bring the issue to the Senate floor as early as Tuesday under rules that require a swift vote, according to lobbyists, union leaders and GOP officials. 

“Congress has no choice but to head off the devastating side effects of the Clinton ergo rule by dismantling it,” Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., said Friday. 

Stafford, a member of the United Federation of Teachers union, said she eventually fell while trying to lift the student, who toppled on top of her and caused spinal disc injuries that have delayed her pursuit of a college degree and require her to take pills daily, go to physical therapy twice a week and remain under the care of a neurologist and an orthopedist. 

“I’m a young girl, and it hurts when I wear heels,” she said, in tears. 

Unions protested this week outside a National Association of Manufacturers meeting that Vice President Dick Cheney addressed. They also have been distributing information at work sites, showcasing workers with injuries, bombarding lawmakers with e-mails and phone calls and specifically targeting freshman lawmakers and several Democratic senators who voted against the rules last year. 

The U.S. Chamber and other business groups also have been lobbying heavily and want lawmakers to move under the Congressional Review Act, a 1996 law that permits the House and Senate to pass legislation rejecting regulations issued by federal departments and agencies. The act would kill the regulations and prevent similar standards from being issued. 

Unions contend that would effectively kill hope for any ergonomics standards. 

OSHA estimates the rules would cost businesses about $4.5 billion in compliance costs but result in $9 billion in benefits by reducing injuries. Officials say 1.8 million workers in the United States have injuries related to ergonomics, with 600,000 missing work each year as a result. 

Business organizations put the cost of compliance much higher, at more than $90 billion a year. 

On the Net: Occupational Safety and Health Administration: http://www.osha.gov 

U.S. Chamber of Commerce on ergonomics standards: http://www.uschamber.org/—Political+Advocacy/This+Week/—Face+Off.htm 

National Association of Manufacturers on ergonomics: http://www.nam.org/tertiary.asp?TrackID&CategoryID4&DocumentID226 34 

AFL-CIO: http://www.aflcio.org/home.htm 

LOS ANGELES — As the calendar flipped over into the year 2000, the future looked promising for fledgling Internet retailer eToys. 

Sure, the company got a load of bad publicity when it failed to deliver some Christmas toys on time, and its stock had fallen 70 percent from its peak of $84 a share three months earlier. 

But it had quintupled its customer base to 2 million, and had sold more toys than rival Toys R Us during the all-important holiday season. And its recently opened British site was successful beyond all expectations. 

“We believe our largest quarterly loss is behind us,” founder and chief executive Toby Lenk wrote to shareholders last March. 

Lenk turned out to be an optimist. The losses got bigger – so much bigger, in fact, that they eventually drove eToys out of business. 

The company said Monday it will file for bankruptcy protection within days.  

Its Web site is scheduled for shutdown next week, and its stock price is measured in pennies. At the end of March its cash will run out, and shortly after that, the remaining employees will leave their Los Angeles headquarters for the last time. 

So what went wrong? 

Analysts say eToys’ swift demise was the result both of the company’s ambitious plans and a sour investing climate that began last spring and has since buried dozens of dot-com companies. 

“What they did right was create a wonderful brand name, increase sales at a phenomenal rate and become the premier online resource for people to buy toys,” said T.K. MacKay, a stock analyst with Morningstar Inc. 

“What they did wrong was to operate a business without the financial capacity to weather a downturn in the retail market. Everyone expected sales to continue to be robust last Christmas and they weren’t. Their balance sheet couldn’t handle a hiccup like that.” 

When he founded eToys in 1997, Lenk rejected the notion that an online toy store couldn’t compete with traditional outlets. That may yet be true, but for now it seems the physical presence of Toys R Us, Wal-Mart and others are too hard to overcome. 

“You need to have a healthy respect for the presence that bricks and mortar have in this business,” said Melissa Williams, an analyst at Gerard Klauer Mattison. “Wal-Mart and Toys R Us dominate toy retailing and continue to dominate toy retailing online. It’s not just as simple as building something online and they will come.” 

Lenk declined to be interviewed by The Associated Press. Calls to three eToys board members who resigned last week were not immediately returned. 

Lenk left his job as a corporate vice president in the strategic planning group at the Walt Disney Co. to found eToys. Early investors included Intel Corp. and Sequoia Capital. 

The company raised $166 million when it went public in May 1999. On the first day of trading, its stock price on the Nasdaq Stock Market nearly quadrupled to about $76.50 a share. 

During its first holiday shopping season after going public, the site was swamped by orders, as were other online toy sites. eToys sold more than any of its competitors, but the publicity over late shipments dogged the company.  

Analysts say it also made customers wary of holiday Web shopping during the 2000 holiday season. 

After the 1999 experience, eToys embarked on an ambitious and expensive plan to increase its capacity and expand its product offerings. 

It spent $150 million to build two distribution centers – one in California and the other in Virginia. Together the facilities covered 2 million square feet. To smooth out the seasonal nature of the toy business, the company would soon introduce a Summer Store, selling such items as swimming pools, camping gear and hopscotch chalk. 

“They ramped up spending pretty aggressively,” Williams said. “They could have run the business much more modestly. But when they made those decisions, it was a much different market than what it ended up being.” 

The change was marked by the dark days of March and April 2000, when Wall Street’s no-questions-asked romance with tech companies was replaced by an impatient demands for profits. Funding for Internet companies dried up.  

Once-soaring stocks plummeted and dot-coms began announcing lower revenue and wider losses. 

In the notoriously low-margin toy industry, competitors such as Toysmart.com, Toytime.com and Redrocket.com closed their doors. The shakeout left eToys and Toys R Us as the two largest competitors online. 

Toys R Us made a smart move in late summer by partnering with Amazon.com – Amazon would host the toyseller’s Web operations and Toys R Us would provide the toys. The move allowed both companies to weather what few anticipated – a slowing economy and weak holiday sales. 

eToys had told investors to expect sales of up to $240 million in the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2000, and an operating loss up to $67 million. With that performance, all that was needed was one more round of financing in 2001 before turning its first profit by 2002. 

But the Christmas-time sales never came. Wary shoppers passed up virtual stores and instead visited Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, Target and other physical stores. 

In mid-December, the company dropped its bombshell – sales would be about half of what was expected. The operating loss turned out to be nearly $86 million, more than half of its overall revenue in the pivotal quarter. 

In January, the company laid off more than half its staff. In February, it sent layoff notices to its remaining workers and reiterated it had only enough cash to stay open until the end of March. Trading in eToys stock was halted Monday at 9 cents a share. 

“In the end, it may just have been too small a market to pursue on the grand scale they did,” Williams said. “Their management team was as good as it gets. The business model was just too aggressive and was going to take longer than they had.” 

In early December, just days before breaking the bad news, Lenk sounded optimistic in an interview published in The Wall Street Journal. 

“We’re just a little bit short of the finish line,” he said. “The only thing that doesn’t work is that I didn’t start this two or three years earlier. Then I’d be profitable by now, I believe.”

SAN FRANCISCO — Napster wrangled in court Friday with record industry attorneys over exactly how an injunction against the song-swapping service would work, and who should bear the heavy burden of detailing exactly what music to keep off the service. 

Attorneys for the popular file-sharing company said they are trying to comply with an upcoming injunction from a federal judge. As a show of good faith toward record labels, Napster announced it will begin a new screening technology this weekend to block access to 1 million files – as requested by several record labels and the artists Metallica and Dr. Dre. 

“Some time this weekend, we will have completed the software implementation so that those filenames will be blocked,” Napster attorney David Boies told the court. “We have a group of people at Napster working night and day to develop a system to block access to these files.” 

Attorneys for record labels suing Napster for copyright infringement urged U.S. District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel to include in her injunction instructions that Napster has to preemptively program its system to block access to a much greater number of songs from various music catalogs, even without proof that those songs had actually been or were being traded on the system. 

Otherwise, pre-released recordings such as advance copies of Madonna’s latest album sent to music reviewers could be traded via Napster and obtained illegally by music fans. 

“What’s the harm to Napster if we tell them ahead of time, two weeks, three weeks, that we’re coming out with Madonna’s album – and block it,” asked recording industry attorney Russell Frackman. 

Frackman also suggested that Napster should start by blocking the swapping of Billboard Top 100 singles and Top 200 albums and by policing its system to keep those lists current. 

Napster said that burden should be more equally shared between the two parties, and asked the judge to tailor her injunction forcing the record labels to limit their notice only to files that had actually appeared on Napster’s index of available songs 

The new screening technology would be bogged down by such voluminous requests, Boies argued. 

“If you’re talking about a large number of songs, and clearly they are, the more that is imposed on this screen, the larger the screen becomes. And the system becomes degraded,” Boies said. 

Patel recessed the three-hour hearing without issuing an injunction, but said that one would be forthcoming. 

Napster said its new technology effectively would block searches for the material identified by copyright holders, by programming the material into the screening system by song name and artist name. 

The recording industry wasn’t impressed by the technology, and said better digital watermarking and fingerprinting methods of identifying music were available, and charged that Napster was selectively deciding not to employ them. 

“They are picking the worst way to filter out these recordings,” Frackman said, suggesting Napster could more finely tune the service for better results in weeding out MP3 files. 

“It’s their system. They know what happens there,” Frackman said. 

Hilary Rosen, president of the Recording Industry Association of America, said that she will take Napster on its word that it is trying to develop a method to comply with the issues raised by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ instructions for a more focused injunction. 

But she added that Napster’s latest technology was only a start. 

“We think that the screening technology has the potential to be effective, but we’ll see,” Rosen said. 

In mid-February, an appeals court ordered Patel to rewrite her July order in a way that may allow Napster to survive — albeit in a much more inhibited way. 

Napster users were downloading with a vengeance Friday morning as the court hearing began. More than 8,500 people were sharing more than 1.7 million files through just one of Napster’s more than 50 servers. 

These Napster machines could be shut down by Patel, but many others are beyond her immediate reach. As of 10 a.m., more than 164 million files were being shared by nearly 700,000 people on Napster-like servers, many of which are based in foreign countries including Italy, New Zealand and Russia, according to Napigator Web site, which tracks such computers. 

Napster’s popularity exploded in 1999 after founder Shawn Fanning released software making it easy for personal computer users to locate and trade songs stored as computer files in the MP3 format, which compresses digital recordings without sacrificing quality. 

The five largest record labels — Sony, Warner, BMG, EMI and Universal — quickly sued, saying Napster could rob them of billions of dollars in profits. But the concept of peer-to-peer song trading proved wildly popular, as millions flocked to Napster and similar services. 

Music fans downloaded 2.7 billion files in January using Napster, and research firm Webnoize said more than 96 million songs were traded on Feb. 12 — the day the appellate court said Napster likely would lose at trial. Accenture, another research firm, predicts that by 2005, the digital music market will grow to $3.2 billion, or 15 percent of overall music sales. 

Napster last week offered to settle for $1 billion — in exchange for a 40 percent cut of online music sales. The offer was soundly rejected by the recording industry, which is anticipating victory in the landmark case. 

The RIAA sent out 85 letters last month asking Internet service providers to take down OpenNap servers — homegrown personal computers set up to facilitate Napster-like activity. 

But OpenNap is just one of any number of networks where people can trade music without paying for it, and going after actual users could prompt a buyer backlash. 

“They’ll have no choice but to sue their customers and they just can’t do that,” said Phil Leigh, an analyst with Raymond James & Associates. “It would be anarchy.” 

——— 

On the Net: 

http://www.napster.com 

http://www.riaa.com 

http://www.bearshare.com 

NEW YORK — Enticed by bargain prices and heartened by the possibility of a tax cut, investors did some tentative buying Friday, limiting most of their purchases to safer blue chips. 

Comments by Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, who told Congress he favors income tax cuts to reduce federal budget surpluses, helped boost some stocks. Still, another set of profit warnings, including one from software maker Oracle, reminded the market it could be some time before earnings and the economy show signs of substantial improvement. Analysts didn’t expect any of Friday’s gains to last and they described investors as cautious.  

“Until investors have more confidence that we are not going to get blindsided every day by a new wave of companies giving us bad news, the tone of the market will stay as it is – guarded at best,” said Hugh Johnson, chief investment officer for First Albany Corp.  

Defensive stocks – called that because they fare better in a bear market – accounted for much of the Dow’s advance. Philip Morris climbed $1.15 to $49.70, while Procter & Gamble rose $1 to $69.65.. 

Analysts saw hope in the fact that some tech stocks moved higher while others recovered some of the steep losses they incurred on profit warnings from big-name companies like Oracle. 

— The Associated Press 

“People were worried that we might get another leg down in the Nasdaq, because of yet another warning from one of the glamour tech stocks, and that just didn’t happen,” said Richard A. Dickson, a technical analyst at Scott & Stringfellow in Richmond, Va. 

Software maker Oracle, which issued a profit warning late Thursday, fell nearly 21 percent, down $4.50 at $16.88. 

Tech stocks’ mixed day came from investors being torn between the lure of lower prices and fear generated by earnings warnings, Dickson said. 

While investors are afraid the Nasdaq is going to keep sliding, Dickson said, they’re also thinking, “What if these thing have hit the bottom and I missed the boat?” 

Advancing issues outnumbered decliners about 5 to 4 on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated volume was 1.48 billion shares, down slightly from 1.51 billion on Thursday. 

The Russell 2000 index gained 3.58 to close at 476.88. 

Overseas markets were mostly lower. Japan’s Nikkei stock average fell 3.3 percent, Britain’s FT-SE 100 lost 0.8 percent, and France’s CAC-40 declined 0.9 percent. But Germany’s DAX index gained 0.6 percent 

During a public hearing at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, a Berkeley parent said one of the city’s public summer camps has a registration practice that has resulted in a “lack of diversity.” 

A camp official said the questionable registration practice for Tuolumne Family Camp was instituted as an attempt to keep the camp’s enrollment up. He said that for the first time the camp’s rolls are already full early in the year for the coming summer’s program and that the three-year-old registration practice has already been changed. 

The council held a public hearing Tuesday on raising fees for two of the city’s three summer camps, the Echo Lake Youth Camp and the Berkeley Day Camp. The council approved the fee hikes unanimously with Councilmember Polly Armstrong absent. 

Only one person, Gen Fujioka, spoke during the public hearing, which began at 11 p.m. Fujioka used the opportunity to address the council about the city’s third camp, the Tuolumne Family Camp, which was not being considered for a fee hike. 

According to camp Program Director David Poock, the TFC is attended by children and their parents. The camp, open from June 23 to Aug. 26, provides meals and organizes activities, such as hiking, swimming and festivals. Fees vary depending on Berkeley residency and the age of children. For one adult, one teenager and one child under 10, the cost per day ranges from $141 for residents to $161 for non-residents. 

The camp is located on the south fork of the Tuolumne River about 40 minutes from the valley floor of Yosemite National Park. 

All three of Berkeley’s camps have a policy of giving Berkeley residents preference in registration. According to a staff report, last year Berkeley Day Camp was attended by 90 percent Berkeley residents and Echo Lake Youth Camp had 100 percent resident attendance.  

But at the council meeting, Poock said TFC falls far short of its stated goals with only 46 percent of Berkeley residents attending. 

Fujioka attends the camp with his two children who are nine and 12 years old. He said the registration practices, while probably not discriminatory, favor insiders. 

“When you’re at the camp, there is an apparent lack of diversity,” he said. 

Fujioka said one of the reasons was the practice of allowing families who are attending the camp to sign up for the following year.  

“The camp is a very special place and families from all over the state want to attend,” Fujioka said. “But this year, 92 percent of the places were already reserved (in the summer of 2000) for the following summer. It’s a way non-residents can get around the preference policy.” 

Poock said one reason for the camp’s popularity is that families can attend the camp at the same time as extended family and friends. He said the pre-registration program was put in place to provide a place for families to spend time together with families they know. He said the policy was adopted three years ago to help keep sagging registration up. 

Poock said now that TFC has become so popular they have re-evaluated the policy and have already ended it. 

“We are thinking of having an extended registration period possibly from September to November for Berkeley residents only,” he said. “After that non-residents would be able to register.” 

Poock said the camp wants to recruit more minority families but outreach and advertising campaigns for summer camps aren’t always the best method. “The American Camping Association has done a lot of research and determined only 8 percent of camp enrollment comes from advertising and outreach programs,” He said “92 percent comes from word of mouth.” 

Poock said the more minorities who attend the camp and have a positive experience will result in more diversity attending the camp. 

Councilmember Kriss Worthington said camp officials have already taken steps to correct the problem. He added that the camp was more diverse 10 years ago.  

“There were things that we used to do that encouraged more diversity in the camp,” he said. “We used to do more outreach.” 

Friday, March 2

Stagebridge Free Acting  

& Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Call 444-4755 or  

visit www.stagebridge.org 

Class Dismissed Poetry Posse 

7:30 p.m. 

Little Theater 

Berkeley High School  

2246 Milvia St.  

Afro-Haitian dancers, Dance Production dancers, the BHS poetry slammers, an opening a capella number and a few surprises. A benefit for a Berkeley High school student trip to Cuba.  

$5 - $10  

Colombia In Context  

9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

Bancroft Hotel  

2680 Bancroft Way  

A conference bringing together leading experts from both Latin America and the U.S. to discuss both the roots of the current Colombian crisis, and the future effects of U.S. strategy on the region. There will be a break between Noon and 2 p.m. 

Visit www.clas.berkeley.edu/clas 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Lockdown America 

7 - 9:30 p.m. 

2040 Valley Life Sciences Bldg.  

UC Berkeley  

Christian Parenti, author of “Lockdown America, on Police and Prisons in the Age of Crisis” will speak. Free 552-8236 

Cosi Fan Tutte Pt. II 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

The second part of this opera will be presented.  

Call 644-6107 

Saturday, March 3

Free Sailboat Rides  

1 - 4 p.m. 

Cal Sailing Club 

Berkeley Marina 

The Cal Sailing Club gives free rides on a first come, first served bases on the first full weekend of each month. Wear warm clothes and bring a change of clothes in case you get wet. Children must be at least five years old and must be accompanies by an adult. www.cal-sailing.org  

Wild About Books? 

10:30 a.m. 

Central Berkeley Library  

2121 Allston Way  

Mary Miche, leader of Song Trek Music, will lead a sing-along that will send everyone home humming. Call 649-3913 

Residential Solar Electricity  

1 - 3 p.m. 

Ecology Center  

2530 San Pablo Ave.  

Hal Aronson, director of the Solar Energy Education Program for Berkeley EcoHouse, will cover how solar electric cells work, different types of systems, and costs of a solar system. $10 - $15  

548-2220 x233  

Feathered Dinosaurs  

11 a.m.  

Lawrence Hall of Science 

UC Berkeley’s Dr. Kevin Padian talks about the discovery of feathered dinosaur fossils in northern China. Included with museum admission. $3 - $7 642-5132 

“Socialism & the Struggle  

for Global Justice”  

10:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

200 Wheeler Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Discussions will include “Why Socialism?”; crisis in Palestine; race, class and the fall out from the 2000 elections; and fighting misogyny and sexism.  

$5 donation 552-8236  

Emergency!: Personal  

Preparedness 

9 a.m. - 11 a.m.  

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar St.  

A class sponsored by the Berkeley Fire Dept. and the Office of Emergency Services. Free. 644-8736 

Sunday, March 4

Free Sailboat Rides  

1 - 4 p.m. 

Cal Sailing Club 

Berkeley Marina 

The Cal Sailing Club, a non-profit sailing and windsurfing cooperative, give free rides on a first come, first served bases on the first full weekend of each month. Wear warm clothes and bring a change of clothes in case you get wet. Children must be at least five years old and must be accompanies by an adult.  

Visit www.cal-sailing.org  

Salsa Lesson and Dance Party  

6 - 9 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Professional instructors Mati Mizrachi and Ron Louie will lead you through the steps. Irsraeli food will be provided by Holy Land Restaurant.  

$10 

RSVP 237-9874 

Spiritual and Social  

Transformation  

2 - 5 p.m. 

7th Heaven Yoga & Body Awareness Studio  

2820 Seventh St.  

Acarya Dada Shambhushivananda Avadhuta & Norie Huddle. 

$5 - $15 sliding scale  

231-0382  

“Time, Space, Knowledge/Consciousness” 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Pl. 

Tom Morse and Ken McKeon on “Time, Space, and Knowledge: An Invitation to Inner Healing.” Free  

843-6812 

Monday, March 5

Your Legal Rights with HMOs 

6 - 7:30 p.m. 

YWCA Oakland  

1515 Webster St., Second Floor  

Oakland  

Presented by the Women’s Cancer Resource Center, UCSF Cancer Resource Center and the San Francisco Bar Volunteer Legal Services, this free workshop covers what your legal rights are and how to guard them.  

Call 415-885-3693 

Beginning Bicyclist Workshop  

7 - 9 p.m. 

YMCA  

2001 Allston Way  

Community Room 1, Main Floor  

Jason Meggs and Zed Lopez will teach you how to keep yourself and your bike safe and even how to use your bike for shopping. Free  

Call Jason Meggs, 549-RIDE 

“Stop Medical Apartheid” 

Noon  

Parker & Seventh St.  

Local non-violent civil disobedience in reaction to Bayer Corp. involvement in a lawsuit against the government of South Africa. Bayer and 39 other large drug companies are suing the governement to prevent them from producing generic AIDS drugs or importing them at the lowest market price. Speakers or arrestees includes Councilors Maudelle Shirek and Kriss Worthington, Father Bill O’Donnell and Rev. Mark Wilson and South African Bongane Byatai.  

Call 568-1680 

Self-Care and Wellness Health Fair 

Pre-Registration Deadline 

9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center 

Ashby Campus, Auditorium  

2450 Ashby Ave.  

Registration deadline for the March 10 event. A day of workshops offering ways to maintain and improve health of the body, mind and spirit.  

$10 admission, $5 per workshop  

Beginning Spanish  

10 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

With Edie Wright.  

Call 644-6107 

Tuesday, March 6

“Great Decisions” - U.S. & Iraq 

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy.  

$5 single session 

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Intelligent Conversation  

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

Jewish Community Center  

1414 Walnut Ave. (at Rose)  

With no religious affiliation, this twice-monthly group, led informally by former UC Berkeley extension lecturer Robert Berent, seeks to bring people together to have interesting discussions on contemporary topics. This evenings discussion topic is health, nutrition and science; bioengineering.  

Call 527-5332  

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

International Women’s Day 

11:10 a.m. 

Pacific School of Religion Chapel 

1798 Scenic Ave.  

Join students, staff, and faculty in the celebration of International Women’s Day. The theme is “A Call to Place: Quilting Resistance,” highlighting women’s religious experiences and women of the world.  

649-2490 

Aquinas, Creation and Cosmic Evolution 

7:30 p.m. 

2400 Ridge Road 

Flora Lamson Hewlett Library  

Dinner Board Room  

Benedict Ashley, author, advisor to the Theological Commission of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, and faculty member of the Aquinas Institute, gives the eleventh annual Aquinas lecture. Free 

883-2085 

National Nutrition Month Cooking Demonstration 

11:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Five a Day with Natalie.  

Call 644-6107 

“Women’s Voices / Women’s History” 

6 p.m. 

YWCA Main Lounge  

UC Berkeley  

2600 Bancroft Way (at Bowditch)  

A talk with Lisa Rubens of the Regional Oral History Office. Learn about the unique challenges in studying women’s history, and get practical advice for conducting your own oral history research. Free  

848-6370 

Wednesday, March 7

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Women in Interfaith Relationships  

9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Led by Dawn Kepler, this workshop will explore interfaith relationships on many levels, in relation to culture, religion, and gender. People of all backgrounds and orientations are invited to attend.  

$10 

848-0237 x127 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Attic Conversions  

7 - 10 p.m. 

Building Education Center 

812 Page St.  

Taught by architect Andus Brandt.  

$35  

525-7610 

Thursday, March 8

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet Judy Wells and host Dale Jensen.  

644-0155 

Trekking Northern India  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Professional wilderness guide Randy Pomeroy will take you on a journey from Ladakh to Rajasthan. Free 

Call 527-4140 

“Fifty Years in the Making” 

Boalt Hall School of Law  

UC Berkeley 

A gathering of some of the most prominent diplomats, scholars, and legal practitioners in the field of World War II reparation and restitution claims. Free and open to the public.  

Backyard Birding & Beyond  

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Bird watching with Stan Scher.  

Call 644-6107 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Take the Terror Out of Talking 

12:10 - 1:10 p.m. 

California Dept. of Health Services  

2151 Berkeley Way  

Room 804  

Session four of six in a series of classes presented by the State Health Toastmasters, this one is called “Creating An Introduction.”  

649-7750 

“Energy, Ecology and Humanism” 

7 p.m. 

Fellowship of Humanity  

390 27th St. (at Broadway) 

Oakland 

George Matthews, of Community Energy Services, will discuss how energy conservation and solar power can benefit low-income and minority people.  

451-5818 

HIVAC for Beginners 

7 - 10 p.m. 

Building Education Center 

812 Page St.  

Taught by contractor/engineer Eric Burtt.  

$35  

525-7610 

Friday, March 9

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Berkeley PC Users Group 

7 p.m. 

Vista College 

2020 Milvia St., Room 303 

E-Mail: meldancing@aol.com 

Europe on a Shoestring  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Scott Mcneely, co-author of the Lonely Planet book will share slides and information on some of his favorite adventures off the beaten path. Come learn about smart budget travel.  

Call 527-4140 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Yiddish Conversation  

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

With Allen Stross.  

Call 644-6107 

Energy Teach-In & Action Forum  

6:45 p.m. 

Berkeley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall  

1924 Cedar (at Bonita)  

Graham Brownstein of TURN, Charles Kalish of Citizens Power Campaign and Todd Creiten of Campaign Against Utilities Rate Hike give an update on the vital struggle for public power. Find out what you can do about your utility bill.  

233-3175 

“Torture in 2001 - The Violations Continue” 

Stephens Hall, Geballe Room  

Townsend Center for the Humanities  

UC Berkeley  

Despite nearly universal prohibition against the use of torture in laws of most nations, the incidence of torture is epidemic. Dr. Kathi Antolak, an expert on the treatment of torture victims will speak.  

Trees Forum  

12:30 p.m. 

Starr King School for Ministry Chapel  

2441 LeConte Ave.  

A discussion on “The Ecology of The Great Work: Thomas Berry and the New Cosmology,” led by Dody Donnelly.  

trees@gtu.edu 

Saturday, March 10  

The Secrets of Sacred Cinema 

10 a.m. - 6 p.m. 

Pacific School of Religion  

1798 Scenic Ave., Mudd 103 

Kevin Peer, a documentary film maker for the past 25 years, gives a two-day intensive for people interested in exploring documentary filmmaking. No equipment or prior experience required.  

$200 per person and registration is required 

Call 486-1480 

Narratives of Public Sector Reform: A Colloquium  

10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

223 Moses Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Mark Bevir of the department of Political Science of UC Berkeley, will present his paper on “Decentered Theory of Governance” and Rod Rhodes of the University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne will present his paper, “Entering British Governance.” There will also be a session to discuss the broader issues their works raise.  

Greece Adventure 

1 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Linda Pearson of REI Adventures will introduce you to Greece in slides and discussion.  

Call 527-4140 

Healing Garden  

10 a.m. - Noon  

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave.  

Kathi Kinney will teach how to integrate medicinal herbs into existing gardens and landscapes and how to design and maintain a practical, aromatic, easy-care herb garden.  

$10 - $15  

548-2220 x233 

West Coast Live  

10 a.m. - Noon  

Freight & Salvage  

1111 Addison St.  

Sedge’s guests this week will be Patrick McCabe, author of The Butcher Boy and Emerald Germs of Ireland, a capella singers M-Pact, Naturalist Claire Peaslee and pianist Mike Greensill.  

664-9500 

Self-Care and Wellness Health Fair 

9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center 

Ashby Campus, Auditorium  

2450 Ashby Ave.  

A day of workshops offering ways to maintain and improve health of the body, mind and spirit. Learn the process one might go through when deciding to stay with self-help, when to seek out assistance, and how to integrate care.  

$10 admission, $5 per workshop  

Fire Suppression Class  

9 a.m. - Noon  

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar St.  

A free class as part of Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). Sponsored by the Berkeley Fire Dept. and the Office of Emergency Services.  

Call 644-8736 

Water-Wise Trees 

10 a.m.  

UC Botanical Garden  

Stew Winchester, ecologist and horticulturist, and instructor at several Bay Area community colleges will talk about some of the more outstanding choices of small trees for water conserving gardens.  

$15  

643-2755 

Sunday, March 11 

Reimagining Pacific Cities  

6 - 8:30 p.m. 

New Pacific Studio  

1523 Hearst Ave.  

“How are Pacific cities reshaping their cultural and environmental institutions to better serve the needs and enhance the present and future quality of life of all segments of their societies?” A series of ten seminars linking the Bay Area, Seattle, Portland, and other pacific cities.  

Call 849-0217 

Myths & Realities of the International House  

3 - 5 p.m. 

Berkeley Historical Society  

1931 Center St.  

Director Joe Lurie will show a video and talk about the history and the struggle to open the International House.  

$10 donation  

Call 848-0181 

Walk on the Moon  

2 & 7 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

A mother and daughter explore their identities as they summer in the Catskills in 1969 amidst the news of Woodstock and the first lunar landing. Peer led discussion to follow film.  

$2 suggested donation  

Energy Attack  

4 - 6 p.m.  

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave.  

PUC Commissioner Carl Wood, labor journalist David Bacon and Environmentalist architect Mark Gorrell will discuss the energy crisis and how to get involved in solutions.  

549-0816 

Community Health & Wellness Fair 

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2345 Channing Way  

Review health from a holistic perspective, personally and communally. Stop by for practical health screenings and explore wellness practices such as Taoist Tai Chi, Hatha Yoga and Rosen Bodywork in introductory workshops. Free except for cholesterol screening.  

649-1383 

Monday, March 12  

Weight Loss & Gain  

10:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

New theories about weight loss and gain with Dr. McGillis.  

Call 644-6107 

Tuesday, March 13  

Berkeley Rep. Proscenium Opening 

8 p.m. 

Berkeley Repertory Theater 

2015 Addison St.  

Featuring the premiere performance of “The Oresteia” by Aeschylus. Opening gala dinner held prior to performance. Performance will be at 8 p.m. 

Call 647-2949 

“Great Decisions” - International Health Crisis 

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy.  

$5 single session 

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

Reclaim the Seeds! 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave.  

Bring seeds, questions, stories, and ambitions to swap. The center will be coordinating the growout of local quality seed and announcing their season-long workshops, discussions, processing parties, and advisory-consultation team. Free 

Call 923-0733 

Time & Thing Management  

1:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

With Mary Ann.  

Call 644-6107 

Wednesday, March 14 

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

St. Patrick’s Day Musical Celebration  

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Guitar duo with Devon and Mark.  

Call 644-6107 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Making Additions Match  

7 - 10 p.m. 

Building Education Center 

812 Page St.  

Avoid the tacked-on look with architect/columnist/instructor Arrol Gellner.  

$35  

525-7610 

Thursday, March 15  

Simplicity Forum 

7 - 8:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Library 

Claremont Branch  

2940 Benveue Ave.  

Facilitated by Cecile Andrews, author of “Circles of Simplicty,” learn about this movement whose philosophy is “the examined life richly lived.” Work less, consume less, rush less, and build community with friends and family.  

Call 549-3509 or visit www.seedsofsimplicity.org  

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet Elanor Watson-Gove and host Mark States.  

644-0155 

Berkeley Metaphysical Toastmasters Club  

6:15 - 7:30 p.m.  

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysics come together. Ongoing first and third Thursdays each month.  

Call 869-2547 

Cancer Support Group 

Noon - 2 p.m. 

Summit Medical Center 

Markstein Cancer Education & Prevention Center 

450 30th St., Second Floor  

Oakland  

Free support group for families, friends, and patients diagnosed with cancer.  

869-8833 to register  

Myanmar: The Golden Kingdom  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Philip Hassrick of Lost Frontiers will introduce you to Myanmar’s unique history and culture.  

Call 527-4140 

“Respecting Creation”  

7:30 p.m. 

King Middle School  

1781 Rose St.  

Winona LaDuke, Native American Indian activist, environmentalist, author, and Green Party Vice Presidential candidate will speak about the environmental situation under the Bush administration, including California’s power dilemma. A benefit for KPFA and Speak Out.  

$10 - $12  

Call 848-6767 x609 or visit www.kpfa.org 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Celtic Theology  

6:30 p.m. 

Dinner Board Room  

Flora Lamson Hewlett Library  

2400 Ridge Rd.  

Thomas O’ Loughlin, lecturer a the University of Wales, will present a lecture entitled “A Celtic Theology: The Dream, the Myth, and Some Questions for Academics.”  

649-2490 

Jazz Singers’ Collective  

8 - 10 p.m. 

Anna’s Bistro  

1801 University Ave.  

Featuring Marya Ashworth, Rory Bakke, Vicki Burns and Kathy Freeburg with Mark Little on piano.  

Friday, March 16  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Gay & Lesbian Panel Discussion 

1:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Everyone is welcome.  

Call 644-6107 

Saturday, March 17  

Rockridge Writers 

3:30 - 5:30 p.m. 

Spasso Coffeehouse  

6021 College Ave.  

Poets and writers meet to critique each other’s work. “Members’ work tends to be dark, humorous, surreal, or strange.”  

e-mail: berkeleysappho@yahoo.com 

Light Search & Rescue  

9 a.m. - Noon  

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar St.  

A free class as part of Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). Sponsored by the Berkeley Fire Dept. and the Office of Emergency Services.  

Call 644-8736 

Burma Human Rights Day  

2 p.m.  

Berkeley Fellowship Hall  

1924 Cedar (at Bonita)  

KPFA Journalist Dennis Bernstein and members of the Burmese Resistance Movement will speak. Sponsored by the Burmese American Democratic Alliance and the Berkeley Fellowship Unitarian Universalists Social Action Committee.  

528-5403  

Sunday, March 18 

East Bay Men’s Chorus Rehearsal  

6:30 p.m. 

UC Berkeley 

Calling for gay and bisexual men and their allies and friends to join this choral ensemble directed by J.R. Foust. There is no obligation to join the chorus after the first rehearsal.  

Call to RSVP 664-0260 or e-mail eastbaymenschorus@yahoo.com 

“Parenting in the Second Half of Life” 

10:30 a.m.  

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Author Roberta Maisel will discuss ways parents and their grown children can get on a positive and guilt-free path.  

848-0237  

“Hope Against Darkness”  

7:30 p.m. 

Newman Hall  

2700 Dwight Way (at College) 

Richard Rohr will respond to the questions: What is the darkness? What is hope?  

848-7812  

The Bungalow - Tradition & Transformation 

10 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Building Education Center 

812 Page St.  

Taught by architect/contractor and West Berkeley bungalow restorer Barry Wagner.  

$35  

525-7610 

Monday, March 19  

Timber Framing  

7 - 10 p.m. 

Building Education Center 

812 Page St.  

Instructed by builder/timber framer Doug Eaton.  

$35  

525-7610 

Tuesday, March 20 

“Great Decisions” - Mexico Reexamined  

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy.  

$5 single session 

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Intelligent Conversation  

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

Jewish Community Center  

1414 Walnut Ave. (at Rose)  

With no religious affiliation, this twice-monthly group, led informally by former UC Berkeley extension lecturer Robert Berent, seeks to bring people together to have interesting discussions on contemporary topics. This evenings discussion topic is death and dying in celebration of the Ides of March.  

Call 527-9772  

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

Lavendar Lunch 

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. 

Pacific School of Religion 

1798 Scenic Ave.  

Mudd Bldg., Room 103  

Unitarian-Universalist minister Sean Parker Dennison discusses his experiences as a transgender minister working in parish ministry.  

849-8206 

Rethinking Creation  

7 p.m. 

Tucson Common Room  

Church Divinity School of the Pacific 

2450 Le Conte Ave.  

Dr. Sjoerd L. Bonting will speak on “Rethinking Creation: ‘Chaos Events’ and Theology.”  

Call 848-8152 

Wednesday, March 21  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Chimneys From A - Z  

7 - 10 p.m. 

Building Education Center 

812 Page St.  

Taught by Irish Sweep Sally McKnight.  

$35  

525-7610 

Thursday, March 22  

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet Anna Mae Stanley and host Louis Cuneo.  

644-0155 

Trekking in Bhutan  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Ruth Ann Kocour and Elizabeth Rassiga will share slides of their 25-day journey along the Snow Leopard Trek to the sacred mountain Chomolhari and beyond. Free 

Call 527-4140 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Basic Electrical Theory & National Electrical Code 

7 - 10 p.m. 

Building Education Center 

812 Page St.  

Taught by author, speaker and retired City of Oakland Building Inspector Redwood Kardon. 

$35  

525-7610 

Friday, March 23 

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Saturday, March 24 

Ashkenaz Dance-A-Thon 

2 p.m. - 2 a.m.  

Ashkenaz  

1370 San Pablo Ave.  

Join Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers along with African, Cajun, North African, Balkan, reggae, and Caribbean bands in this twelve hour dance music-fest. This is Ashkenaz big fundraiser for making improvements, including a new dance floor and ventilation system.  

$20 donation  

525-5054 or visit www.ashkenaz.com  

Disaster First Aid 

9 a.m. - Noon  

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar St.  

A free class as part of Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). Sponsored by the Berkeley Fire Dept. and the Office of Emergency Services.  

Call 644-8736 

“LGBT Family Night at the Y” 

6 - 9 p.m. 

Berkeley YMCA  

2001 Allston Way  

The third annual free night for gay and lesbian families at the Y. The event will feature floor hockey, swimming, soccer, basketball and other sports, as well as arts and crafts. Free; donation requested.  

Call 848-9622 

Sunday, March 25 

Reimagining Pacific Cities  

6 - 8:30 p.m. 

New Pacific Studio  

1523 Hearst Ave.  

“How are Pacific cities reshaping their cultural and environmental institutions to better serve the needs and enhance the present and future quality of life of all segments of their societies?” A series of ten seminars linking the Bay Area, Seattle, Portland, and other pacific cities.  

$10 per meeting  

Call 849-0217 

Tuesday, March 27 

“Great Decisions” - European Integration  

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy.  

$5 single session 

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

Wednesday, March 28 

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Conversations in Commedia 

7:30 p.m. 

La Pena Cultural Center 

3105 Shattuck Ave. (at Prince) 

Mime Troupe/Reinhabitory Theatre legends Judy Goldhaft, Jane Lapiner and Peter Berg 

$6 - $8  

Call 849-2568 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Thursday, March 29  

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet Georgia Popoff and host Mark States.  

644-0155 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Friday, March 30 

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center

Amazed that anything from New Deal exists 

Editor: 

I was astonished to read that independent bookstores have sued Borders and Barnes & Noble under the Robinson-Patman Act of 1936 which you describe as "enacted to prevent large businesses from using their purchasing power to gain market advantage." 

How can it be that in the year 2001 there is ANY law remaining from the New Deal that the bought Republicrats have not weakened or repealed?  

I suspect that the Robinson-Patman Act will soon follow the Sherman Anti-Trust Act onto history's trash heap as the great corporations finalize their domination of our minds through their control of the mass media and Washington, D.C. 

Gray Brechin 

UC Department  

of Geography 

Every Bush thought is new 

Editor: 

To George Bush, every sentence is a new thought on a clean slate. Witness his speech (Tuesday). At one moment he said that our schools should be controlled locally, not by the Federal government. A moment later he said that if a school accepts Federal money, it must submit to annual, standardized, Federal testing. This is not a contradiction to George W. Bush.  

Every sentence is a new thought on a clean slate. 

Bruce Joffe 

Oakland

Judah L. Magnes Museum “Telling Time: To Everything There Is A Season” Through May, 2002 An exhibit structured around the seasons of the year and the seasons of life with objects ranging from the sacred and the secular, to the provocative and the whimsical. “Second Annual Richard Nagler Competition for Excellence in Jewish Photography” Through February. Featuring the work of Claudia Nierman, Jason Francisco, Fleming Lunsford, and others. 2911 Russell St. 549-6950  

UC Berkeley Art Museum “The Mule Train: A Journey of Hope Remembered” through March 26. An exhibit of black and white photographs that capture the fears and faith of those who traveled from Marks, Mississippi to Washington, D.C. ,with mule-drawn wagons to attend the Poor People's Campaign in December, 1967; “Joe Brainard: A Retrospective,” Through May 27. The selections include 150 collages, assemblages, paintings, drawings, and book covers. Brainard’s art is characterized by its humor and exuberant color, and by its combinations of media and subject matter; Muntadas - On Translation: The Audience, Through April 29. This conceptual artist and pioneer of video, installation, and Internet art presents three installations. $6 general; $4 seniors and students age 12 to 18; free children age 12 and under; free Thursday, 11 a.m. to noon and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. 2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. 642-0808. 

The Asian Galleries “Art of the Sung: Court and Monastery” A display of early Chinese works from the permanent collection. “Chinese Ceramics and Bronzes: The First 3,000 Years,” open-ended. “Works on Extended Loan from Warren King,” open-ended. “Three Towers of Han,” open-ended. $6 general; $4 seniors and students age 12 to 18; free children age 12 and under; free Thursday, 11 a.m. to noon and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. 642-0808 

UC Berkeley Museum of Paleontology Lobby, Valley Life Sciences Building, UC Berkeley “Tyrannosaurus Rex,” ongoing. A 20 by 40-foot replica of the fearsome dinosaur 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 22-23 feet. The Pteranodon lived at the same time as the dinosaurs. Free. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 642-1821 

UC Berkeley Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology “Approaching a Century of Anthropology: The Phoebe Hearst Museum,” open-ended. This new permanent installation will introduce visitors to major topics in the museum’s history.“Ishi and the Invention of Yahi Culture,” ongoing.This exhibit documents the culture of the Yahi Indians of California as described and demonstrated from 1911 to 1916 by Ishi, the last surviving member of the tribe. $2 general; $1 seniors; $.50 children age 17 and under; free on Thursdays. Wednesday, Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way and College Ave. 643-7648  

Holt Planetarium Programs are recommended for age 8 and up; children under age 6 will not be admitted. $2 in addition to regular museum admission. “Constellations Tonight” Ongoing. Using a simple star map, learn to identify the most prominent constellations for the season in the planetarium sky. Daily, 3:30 p.m. $7 general; $5 seniors, students, disabled, and youths age 7 to 18; $3 children age 3 to 5 ; free children age 2 and younger. Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Centennial Drive, UC Berkeley 642-5132 or www.lhs.berkeley.edu  

924 Gilman St. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted $5; $2 for a year membership March 2: Books Lie, Living Under Lies, Remnants, No Regrets, The Fadeaways, LWL; March 3: Dr. Know, The Dread, Hot Box, Anal Mucus; March 9: Dead and Gone, Sworn Vengence, Punishment, Misoura, The Computer Kills; March 10: The Varukers, 46 Short, Scarred for Life, Oppressed Logic, Faced Down; 525-9926  

Albatross Pub All music at 9 p.m. unless noted March 1: Keni “El Lebrijano”; March 6: PickPocket Ensemble; March 7: Whiskey Bros.; March 8: Keni “El Lebrijano”; March 10: PickPocket Ensemble; March 13: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Duo; 1822 San Pablo 843-2473 

Eli’s Mile High Club Doors open at 8 p.m. March 2: Henry Clement; March 3: J.J. Malone; March 9: Ron Hacker; March 10: Red Archibald 3629 MLK Jr. Way Oakland  

Jazzschool/La Note All music at 4:30 p.m. March 4: Ray Obiedo; March 11: Stephanie Bruce Trio; March 18: Wayne Wallace Septet $6 - $12 2377 Shattuck Ave.  

Live Oak Concert Series All music at 7:30 p.m. March 4: Marie Carbone, harpsichord, plays music of Frescobaldi, Sweelinck, Froberger, and Weckmann; March 11: Stephen Bell, guitar, plays music of Bach, Villa-Lobos, Ponse, and Albeniz Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St.  

Cal Performances March 2 - March 11, call for times: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; Zellerbach Hall UC Berkeley. 642-9988 or www.calperfs.berkeley.edu March 4, 3 p.m.: Baritone Nathan Gunn sings Brahms, Wolf, and a selection of American songs $36; March 11, 3 & 7 p.m.: Burhan Ocal & The Istanbul Oriental Ensemble perform traditional Turkish music $24 Hertz Hall UC Berkeley 

“Dido and Aeneas” March 2, 8 p.m.; March 4, 2 p.m. A tale of English Baroque opera that follows the tale of Dido, queen of Corinth, as she is courted and won by Aeneas, conqueror and future founder of Rome. $5 - $10 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. Call 925-798-1300 

“Aywah!” March 2, 8 p.m. An evening of music and dance from Egypt, Turkey, Morocco and Balkan Roma. Featuring Aywah! Dance Company. Guest singer Eva Primack. $13 - $15 La Peña Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 or www.lapena.org 

Mozart Requiem Singalong March 3, 8 p.m. Bella Musica Chorus and Orchestra in their third annual presentation. Bring your own score or buy/borrow one of theirs. $10 suggested donation St. Joseph the Worker Church 1640 West Addison (at McGee) Call 526-5393 

Young People’s Symphony Orchestra March 3, 8 p.m. David Ramadanoff conducts the orchestra in a program featuring Schubert, Tchaikovsky, and a suite from Piston’s ballet “The Incredible Flutist” $5 - $10 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. Call 925-798-1300  

WildFire Compilation Concert March 3, 8 p.m. With a new CD of independent women’s music and art benefiting the Rose St. House of Music and KPFA, Berkeley this show features a few of the artists featured on the CD. Deb Pasternak, Shelly Doty, Melissa Crabtree will perform. $10 Tuva Space 3192 Adeline St.  

“In Song and Struggle” March 4, 4 - 10 p.m. Copwatch presents the second annual event bringing together some of the best women artists from around the Bay Area and beyond in commemoration of International Women’s Day. Artists include Shelley Doty, Rebecca Riots, Rachel Garlin, and many others. $8 - $15 Ashkenaz 1317 San Pablo Ave. Call Copwatch, 548-0425  

Mingus Amungus & Allstar Jazz Jam March 4, 7 - 10 p.m. A benefit concert for 65 Cuba-bound Berkeley High students. $10 - $15 Florence Schwimley Little Theater 1930 Allston Way 587-3201  

“The Magic Flute” March 3 & 4, 8 p.m. Mozart’s most famous opera adapted by International House resident Kalinka Cichon and presented by a multicultural cast. $5 International House Auditorium 2299 Piedmont Ave. (at Bancroft) e-mail for tix: kalinka@cichon.com  

Eric Glick Reiman, Tom Nunn, Toychestra March 4, 7:48 p.m. $8 donation TUVASpace 3192 Adeline (at MLK Jr.) 649-8744 

Young Emerging Artists March 6, 7 - 8 p.m. John McCarthy will direct students from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music’s Prepatory Division through a performance of works by Sov, Barber and others. $5 - $10 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. (at Derby) 925-798-1300 

Carol Denney, Folk This!, J.D. Nelson March 7, 8 p.m. CD release party for Denney’s “The Rich Will Never Be Poor” $16.50 Freight & Salvage 1111 Addison St. 548-1761 

Canto Para Una Semilla March 9, 8 p.m. La Pena Community Chorus present an homage to Violeta Parra. This is a benefit for Berkeley High School’s CAS program. $10 La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 

Country Joe McDonald March 9 & 10, 8 - 10 p.m. McDonald will play a solo acoustic set of old & new songs and a tribute to Woody Guthrie. $20 Live Oak Theater 1301 Shattuck Ave. (at Berryman) www.countryjoe.com  

“Mystic Journey” March 10, 8 p.m. Suzanne Teng and Mystic Journey are a unique contemporary world music ensemble, based in Los Angeles, making their Bay Area debut. $15 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. Call 925-798-1300 

Boadecia’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted March 2: Stephanie A. Brill will read from “The Queer Parents Primer: A Lesbian and Gay Families’ Guide to Navigating Through a Straight World”; March 3: Susan Stryker will read from and discuss “Christine Jorgensen: A Personal Autobiography”; March 4, 7 p.m.: Diana Rivers will read from the books in her Hadra series; March 9: Annette Madden will read from “In Her Footsteps: 101 Remarkable Black Women from the Queen of Sheba to Queen Latifah:; March 10: Dyke Open Myke! To particpate call Jessy 655-1015; March 16: Rik Isensee will read from his novel “The God Squad: A Spoof on the Ex-Gay Movement”; March 24, 7 p.m.: Aliza Sherman will read and sign “Cybergrrl@Work: Tips and Inspiration for the Professional You” 398 Colusa Ave. Kensington  

559-9184. www.boadeciasbooks.com 

Cody’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted March 5: Daniel Quinn reads “After Dachau”; March 6: Martin Waddell, in celebration of his two new picture books “A Kitten Called Moonlight” and “Tom Rabbit”; March 6: Terry Kupers talks about “Prison Masculinites.” Joining Kupers will be Christian Parenti, Susanne Paczensky, Lige Dailley, Jr. and Don Specter; March 8: K.C. Cole explores “A Hole in the Universe”; 2454 Telegraph Ave. 845-7852  

“Strong Women - Writers & Heroes of Literature” Fridays Through June, 2001, 1 - 3 p.m. Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program. North Berkeley Senior Center 1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 549-2970  

Class Dismissed Poetry Posse March 2, 7:30 p.m. Afro-Haitian dancers, Dance Production dancers, the BHS poetry slammers, an opening a capella number and a few surprises. A benefit for a Berkeley High school student trip to Cuba. $5 - $10 Little Theater Berkeley High School 2246 Milvia St.  

Bamboo Ridge Writers Reading March 4, 4 p.m. Five authors published in the book, “Intersecting Circles: The Voices of Hapa Women in Poetry & Prose.” Bamboo Ridge publishes literature which nurtures the voices of Hawaii and celebrates its literary tradition. Eastwind Books of Berkeley 2066 University Ave. 548-2350 

Anita Barrows March 4, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Barrows will read from her poem “A Record” inspired by an exhibit done in Theresienstadt and her translation of Rosa Luxenburg’s letters. Free Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237 

Umi Satsang March 6, 7:30 p.m. Satsang will share his love and freedom as expressed in his new book “Footprints in the Snow” Barnes & Noble 2352 Shattuck Ave. 644-0861 

Rhythm & Muse Open Mike March 11, 2 p.m. Featuring Sacramento poet Johnny Heart Berkeley Art Museum Conference Room 2621 Durant (at Bowditch) 527-9753 

Women’s Word March 14, 7:30 p.m. An evening of women’s word honoring International Women’s month and featuring Avotcja, Straight Out Scribes, Tureeda & Kira Allen. Hosted by Joyce Young. Open mic will follow. $4 La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 

Tours 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Free. University of California, Berkeley. 486-4387 

Berkeley City Club Tours 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. The fourth Sunday of every month, Noon - 4 p.m. $2 848-7800  

Golden Gate Live Steamers Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Lomas Cantadas Drive at the south end of Tilden Regional Park Small locomotives, meticulously scaled to size. Trains run Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rides: Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., weather permitting. 486-0623  

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden Centennial Drive, behind Memorial Stadium, a mile below the Lawrence Hall of Science The gardens have displays of exotic and native plants. Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 1:30 p.m. $3 general; $2 seniors; $1 children; free on Thursday. Daily, 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. 643-2755 or www.mip.berkeley.edu/garden/  

Lectures 

Berkeley Historical Society Slide Lecture & Booksigning Series Sundays, 3 - 5 p.m. $10 donation requested March 11: Director of Berkeley’s International House, Joe Lurie, will show a video and dicuss the history and struggle to open the I-House 70 years ago; March 18: “Topaz Moon,” Kimi Kodani Hill will discuss artist Chiura Obata’s family and the WWII Japanese relocation camps. Berkeley Historical Center Veterans Memorial Building 1931 Center St. 848-0181 

UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Research Seminars Noon seminars are brown bag March 7, 4 p.m.: Akhil Reed Amar will discuss his book “The Bill of Rights: Creation and Reconstruction.”; March 8, 5 p.m.: E.J. Dionne, Jr., Jefferson lecturer and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, will speak on “Is There a Politics of the Common Good?” (IGS Library); March 9, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.: “Interpreting Governance: Narratives of Public Sector Reform” A one-day colloquiem with Mark Bevir of UC Berkeley, Rod Rhodes of the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and many others; March 12, Noon: Catherine Hafer of Ohio State will discuss “The Political Economy of Emerging Property Rights”; March 14, 4 p.m.: Akhil Redd Amar will discuss his book “The Bill of Rights: Creation and Reconstruction”; March 19, Noon: Anne Balsamo of Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, will explore IT issues within the humanities; April 23, 4 p.m.: Mary Dudziach of USC will discuss “Cold War Civil Rights: Race and the Image of American Democracy.” 119 Moses Hall UC Berkeley 642-4608  

“Great Decisions” Foreign Policy Association Lectures Series Tuesdays, 10 a.m. - Noon, Through April 3; An annual program featuring specialists in the field of national foreign policy, many from University of California. Goal is to inform the public on major policy issues and receive feedback from the public. $5 per session, $35 entire series for single person, $60 entire series for couple. Berkeley City Club 2315 Durant Ave. 526-2925 

Facing a hostile road crowd and overzealous referees, the St. Mary’s boys’ basketball team advanced to the semifinals of the North Coast Section Division IV playoffs, beating Justin-Siena (Napa) 82-65 on Thursday night. 

The top-seeded Panthers had to travel to Napa because of NCS regulations concerning gym size. Once they got there, they proved that they are the class of the division, with or without home court advantage. 

Sparked by a 10-point first quarter run, the Panthers were in control for nearly the entire game. Although leading scorer DeShawn Freeman was plauged with foul trouble and only played 10 minutes, his backcourt partner, John Sharper, picked up the slack, scoring 23 points in the first half on his way to a game-high 29 with five steals. Sharper hit seven three-pointers, including five in the first half, and was 9-of-15 from the field. The junior said he was surprised how much room he was given on offense. 

“They scouted us for a while, so I figured they would be on me,” he said. “But they left me open for threes, so I was pretty happy.” 

St. Mary’s forward Chase Moore pitched in with 17 points and five rebounds. With Freeman a non-factor for most of the game, head coach Jose Caraballo was forced to depend on his bench for some scoring. Guard Terrence Boyd scored all seven of his points in the second half, and guard Matt Straus scored six points. 

The Braves, on the other hand, got most of their production from their bench. With leading scorer Garrett Halverson out due to suspension, the only reliable scorer left was guard Jerrad Bullock, who scored 22 points. Forwards Ryan Harrison and Brent Brockmeyer came off the bench to score 18 and 11, respectively, but no other Justin-Siena player scored more than five points. 

Sharper keyed the Panthers’ early run, hitting two three-pointers to put his team up 18-6. St. Mary’s extended the lead to 26-8 in the second quarter, but Freeman drew his third foul with 4:10 left in the half and sat down. The Panthers were called for several touch fouls, and Justin-Siena was in the bonus quickly, heading to the line 15 times in the quarter. The Braves made 12 from the charity stripe, keeping them in the game in the face of the tenacious Panther defense. 

“We’ve been in foul trouble before, but it was a little bit ridiculous,” Caraballo said. 

St. Mary’s was on the verge of pulling away again in the third quarter, but Freeman was called for his fourth foul and sat for most of the period. Upon his return in the fourth quarter, he drove the lane and was called for a charge, ending his night with just four points. 

But as Freeman left, Boyd entered and hit a three-pointer and a jumper to put the Panthers up 67-49, ending any hopes of a comeback for Justin-Siena. 

“We’re very pleased. Our starters didn’t play that much, and our bench got in a lot. We’re rested, which is what we wanted,” Caraballo said. 

The Panthers will play No. 5 Marin Catholic on Friday night, and the championship game will be on Saturday. So the Panthers will have to win three games in three days to move on to the next level, the Northern California playoffs. Caraballo feels that his team, which is the highest ranked of any Division IV team in the state, can go even farther than that. 

“I feel we can win it all, period,” he said. “If we lose, everyone will be upset and talk about me.”

An ad opposing reparations for descendants of slaves that appeared in Wednesday’s edition of the Daily Californian, the UC Berkeley student-run newspaper, outraged a group of students and faculty who have come together to protest what senior De Carlo Wilson says is a “blatantly racist” attack on people of color. 

The $1,200 full-page advertisement paid for by the Los Angeles-based Center for the Study of Popular Culture, founded by former Ramparts Magazine editor David Horowitz, makes 10 arguments against reparations. It says, for example, that the number of slave-holders was small and many whites “gave their lives to free (slaves).” It claims there is no proof that people living today suffer the effects of slavery and argues that African Americans have already received reparations in the form of welfare. 

“If slave labor created wealth for Americans, then obviously it has created wealth for black Americans as well, including the descendants of slaves,” according to the ad. 

Wilson says an apology printed in Thursday’s paper by Daily Cal editor Daniel Hernandez is not enough. “The (Daily Cal’s) general manager should be fired. He was derelict in his duty.” 

In addition to the front page apology, Hernandez wrote an editorial to give further apologies, but Wilson said the editor addressed “readers” in general and not those the advertisement insulted. 

In a short interview with the Daily Planet, Hernandez said he agreed that the advertisement was “inflammatory,” but he did not say it was the fault of the general manager. Rather, he contended there was a miscommunication – the advertising department thought the editorial department would pull the ad and the ad escaped the scrutiny of the editorial department, he said. 

“Printed with terrible irony on the last day of Black History Month, the ad essentially said that the black community should not complain about slavery,” Hernandez says in the editorial he calls “Holding Ourselves Accountable.” 

“The Daily Cal’s ad policy does not allow the publishing of ads with incorrect ore blatantly inflammatory content,” Hernandez writes. 

Wilson said students and faculty will be answering the ad point by point. One of Horowitz’s statements that particularly enraged him was the one which said that African Americans have already received reparations in the form of welfare. “So, are all blacks on welfare?” Wilson asked rhetorically. 

As for the notion that African Americans do not suffer the remnants of slavery today, he pointed out that “land is passed down from generation to generation.”  

Horowitz argues that blacks are better off in America than Africans are in Africa, but Wilson points out that whites earn many times more than blacks in America. “None of this is factual,” Wilson said.  

John Campbell, executive director of the Center for the Study of Popular Culture, said the wording of the ad was intentionally strong to promote dialogue. In a telephone interview, he stressed that the center’s founder, David Horowitz has long-time civil rights credentials, having worked with the Black Panther Party. 

The center opposes affirmative action “which puts people into various groups based on the color of skin and not on their character,” Campbell said. 

In a letter to the Daily Cal, which Campbell e-mailed to the Daily Planet, Horowitz says pulling the ad would have been a violation of First Amendment rights to freedom of speech. 

David Nabti, a student who described the advertisement as “outrageous,” said that the only way it should have run would have been to alert opponents ahead of time and to have run a page of their comments along side the advertisement. The Daily Cal has promised to print the students’ rebuttal on Monday. 

A number of campus newspapers have refused to print the ad, the center’s John Campbell said, including the University of Washington, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University and Cal State Northridge. “This one sort of slipped through,” he said, laughing.  

LOS ANGELES – Matt Barnes scored 13 points, including the go-ahead basket with 1:03 remaining, as No. 12 UCLA defeated California 79-75 on Thursday night for its eighth straight win. 

The Bruins (20-6) held on to second place in the Pac-10 at 12-2 and set up a showdown for first place with No. 1 Stanford on Saturday. 

UCLA’s victory avenged a 29-point loss at Cal a month ago and snapped Cal’s four-game road winning streak. The Golden Bears (19-8, 10-5) had won 18 of their previous 22. 

Barnes’ basket snapped a tie at 74, then Cal was forced to foul Jason Kapono, who made both for a 78-74 lead with 24.8 seconds left. 

Shantay Legans made one of two free throws to draw Cal within three. Cal controlled the rebound, but Dennis Gates missed a 3-pointer and Barnes was fouled in grabbing the rebound. Barnes made one of two as UCLA used an 18-8 run to close out the game. 

Sean Lampley led the Golden Bears (19-8, 10-5) with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Legans added 16 points. 

The Bruins trailed by seven in the second half. They scored eight straight, including four by Earl Watson, to take their first lead, 69-67, since early in the half. 

It became a one-point game until Barnes’ basket off an assist by Watson put UCLA ahead for good. 

Watson led the Bruins with 20 points. Kapono and Billy Knight added 14 each. Knight had four of UCLA’s eight 3-pointers. Dan Gadzuric had 11 points and 11 rebounds, although UCLA was outrebounded 34-27. 

Cal opened the second half with a 13-4 run to take a 50-44 lead as UCLA missed its shots and Gadzuric committed two turnovers. 

UCLA coach Steve Lavin, on probation by the Pac-10 for the rest of the season because of a tirade against an official Saturday at Oregon State, was noticeably subdued. He clapped his hand over his mouth when the Bruins were called for traveling early in the game.

Berkeley landlords turned out en masse Wednesday night to protest language in a Planning Commission Draft General Plan that calls for continuation of rent control and other rent stabilization measures in Berkeley. 

Other Berkeley residents packed into the auditorium of the North Berkeley Senior Center Wednesday called for more measures to reduce traffic congestion and increase green space in the city.  

It was the commission’s last public hearing to take input for the draft plan. A statement of community priorities intended to guide public decision making, the General Plan would replace the Berkeley Master Plan of 1977. The Planning Commission has taken public comment on the various iterations of the plan for the last year-and-a-half and hopes to submit its Draft General Plan to the City Council for consideration and adoption by May. 

“Rent control in many communities has reduced the quality and quantity of available housing,” Robert Cabrera, president of the Berkeley Property Owners Association, told the commission Wednesday. “It’s regrettable that the city of Berkeley continues to promote a policy whose costs fall disproportionately on the poor.” 

Cabrera blamed rent control for a precipitous decline in rented single family homes since 1980, saying landlords opt to sell into the lucrative market for home ownership rather than rent at low rates sure to limit their profits. 

Half a dozen other property owners lambasted the draft plan for promoting rent stabilization policies such as rent control, calling the policies unfair and counterproductive. 

“Some of my tenants make more money than I’m making and I’m supporting them,” complained Berkeley landlord Colette Ford.  

“Where’s the means test?” Ford asked the commission. “Are we really providing affordable housing for those people who need it? I don’t think so.” 

Berkeley landlord Dave Myers agreed. 

“I have tenants who make more than $50,000 a year and pay less than my low income residents,” Myers said.  

Planning Commission Chair Rob Wrenn disputed the claims in an interview after the meeting. 

“There is a lot of mythology around rent control, like the myth of the affluent tenant,” Myers said. “The actual data from the census and surveys (conducted by the city) shows that the majority of tenants (in rent controlled units) are either low income or very low-income.” 

That’s not including UC Berkeley students, Wrenn added, whose low-income status is could easily be called into question. 

“Rent control has clearly allowed many low-income residents to stay in Berkeley (over the last 20 years),” Wrenn said.  

Wrenn conceded that there has been a decline of affordable rental units, in part due to landlords fleeing rent control restrictions by converting to owner-occupancy units such as condominiums.  

But citing the high costs of non-rent-controlled units in Berkeley today – an average of $1,450 for a two-bedroom apartment – Wrenn said: “I find it really kind of amazing in this particularly over-heated market that people can argue against rent controls.” 

Wrenn also dismissed the landlord argument that an end to rent control would lead to more affordable housing. The only new affordable housing being built today is subsidized housing. “That’s going to get built regardless of whether we have rent control or not,” Wrenn said. 

Landlords Wednesday also protested the Draft General Plan’s recommendation that the city advocate the repeal of – or exemption from – the state’s Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. The act allows landlords to raise rents to whatever level they want after tenants vacate rent controlled units and guarantees that all new rental construction will be exempt from rent control. 

Rent control already “exacerbates housing shortages by discouraging maintenance and construction of new housing,” said a letter signed by several Berkeley landlords and submitted to the planning commission Wednesday. If the guarantee that new housing will be exempt from rent control is lost, developers will be very reluctant to invest in “desperately needed new units,” the letter contends. 

Another vocal group of citizens Wednesday reiterated their protests from the last planning commission meeting that language in the Draft General Plan advocates increased car traffic control measures for some residential streets and not for others.  

“A guiding principle of Berkeley’s general plan should be that every residential area deserves relief from traffic-related air pollution, noise, visual impacts and safety hazards...,” said Berkeley resident Kate Nichol. 

Others went further, calling on the commission to devise more strategies to reduce, and not just control, automobile traffic. 

“We’re drowning in car traffic,” said Jason Meggs of the Bicycle Friendly Berkeley Coalition. “Traversing downtown Berkeley on a bike is much like traversing a mine field...as the tanks roll in.” 

Supporters of a so-called Ecocity Amendment to the draft general plan called for stringent, environmental-friendly requirements for all new construction. They advocated, among other things, a policy that would allow developers to build buildings with more floor area than is currently allowed if they contribute money to a fund for environmental restoration projects. 

Wrenn said the draft plan already addresses many of the concerns mentioned Wednesday. It promotes energy efficient buildings, calls for future development to be concentrated around transit centers to reduce auto traffic, and proposes an “eco-pass” where employers could buy bus and BART transit passes for their employees at discounted rates, he said.  

An “eco-pass” plan in Silicon Valley has greatly increased public transit use by employees of participating companies, Wrenn added.  

As for the idea allowing developers to build bigger buildings if they contribute to environmental restoration, Wrenn said he would like to see the idea included in the General Plan. The city has already considered plans to restore underground streams to daylight, creating new green corridors, Wrenn said. An environmental restoration fund could be used for such projects, he added. 

After a game in which her team was never close to victory, UCLA head coach Kathy Olivier sat in thought in the press room. Her team had just lost, and her young backcourt had been taken to school by Cal’s experienced guards.  

Her thoughts, however, were on her team’s development. Olivier took some comfort in having her guards play against Cal’s senior backcourt. “I definitely think they can pick some things up from them,” she said. 

Oliver thought back to a time when Cal had young guards, one in particular who has done a lot of growing in the past four years. 

“I remember when Courtney (Johnson) was a freshman in this league,” said Olivier. “She took her bumps and bruises, but she’s turned into a great leader for her team.”  

Needing to win three of their last four games to ensure a .500 record for the season, the Bears wasted little time with cellar-dwelling UCLA. Kenya Corley scored 22 points and Johnson added 17 to lead Cal to a 83-59 victory over an overmatched Bruin squad. 

The win improved the Bears to 12-13 on the season, and 8-7 in the conference. With three conference games left, the Bears are striving for a winning conference record and a possible berth in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament. Though Arizona State was granted a berth last season with a .500 overall record, Cal head coach Caren Horstmeyer still feels that talk of the postseason is premature. 

“It’s a reality, but we must keep doing what we’re supposed to do,” explained Horstmeyer. “We’re not in the position to talk about it.” 

The Bears jumped on the Bruins almost immediately, scoring the game’s first seven points and opening with a 16-6 run. Corley led the charge with five points, including a three-pointer from the right side. The senior guard was able to create for herself with her quickness and leaping ability all evening.  

“(Corley) is really quick,” said Olivier. “She has a quick first step, and her hang time is just unbelievable.” 

One of the game’s better moments came at 19:39 in the second half, when Johnson sank the second of her two free throws. The shot was Johnson’s 1,000th career point at Cal. As the fact was announced, Johnson’s teammates gave her high-fives, and the crowd gave a warm ovation.  

“The ovation I got was great,” said Johnson. “I was really excited.”  

Though the Bruins would claw back to as close as 23-15, the Bears pulled steadily away, leading by 15 at halftime. The Bears went on a 12-4 run midway through the second half, and the Bruins were firmly in the rear view mirror.  

The Bears hammered the Bruins on the boards, out-rebounding them 46-33, with Ami Forney and Lauren Ashbaugh pacing the team with eight apiece. 

The Bears have one final game at Haas Pavilion this season: Saturday afternoon at USC. A win over the Trojans would give Cal their first sweep against both Los Angeles area schools ever.  

“I think USC is a very dangerous team,” said Horstmeyer. “They pressure you into making mistakes. They’re a very good team.”

Two men and a woman allegedly kidnapped a women at gun point as she waited for her husband to pick her up on University Avenue Saturday night, police said. 

The victim told police she was repeatedly raped and sexually abused by the two men over a 12-hour period as the car drove to different parts of the city, according to Berkeley Police Lt. Russell Lopes. 

After coming out of a late meeting, the woman called her husband in Oakland and arranged for him to pick her up at a bus stop near the intersection of University and McGee avenues, Lopes said.  

About 9 p.m. Saturday night the white Ford stopped in front of the victim and the driver began asking for directions, Lopes said. When the woman approached the car the driver produced a gun and demanded that she get into the car, he added. 

The victim reportedly told police she was released about 9 a.m. Sunday morning at another location in Berkeley and immediately called her husband. Her husband took her Kaiser Hospital in Oakland, where she was treated for razor blade cuts on her stomach and chest and released, Lopes said. 

Police describe the two men as “heavily tattooed” on their face and hands, Lopes said. They were said to be driving a white Ford four-door vehicle. 

Police have no suspects in custody, Lopes said. Anyone with information relevant to the case should call the Berkeley Police Sex Crimes Detail at 981-5735. 

••• 

A domestic dispute escalated to attempted murder Sunday morning as a woman allegedly chased down her common law husband and stabbed him twice in the back with a kitchen knife, police said. 

After a verbal argument about 8 a.m., a woman police identified as Theresa Ann Washington of who lives on the 1900 block of Fairview Street allegedly became enraged, grabbed a 3-inch kitchen knife and chased her husband through the house screaming “I’m going to kill you,” said Berkeley Police Lt. Russell Lopes.  

Washington finally cornered the man and stabbed him twice in the upper back, Lopes said. The district attorney charged Washington with attempted murder and she is in police custody awaiting trial, Lopes said. The victim was treated for his injuries and then released, Lopes said.

SAN FRANCISCO — A health watchdog group plans to sue some manufacturers of over-the-counter anti-diarrheal drugs because it says they contain high levels of lead, and no warning of those levels on their packages. 

The Oakland-based Center for Environmental Health charges the companies are violating Proposition 65, a California law that requires manufacturers to label their products when they knowingly expose residents to certain levels of toxic chemicals, including lead. 

Lead is listed by the state as a carcinogen, and can cause reproductive damage, brain damage and behavioral problems in children. 

The group filed suit Thursday in San Francisco Superior Court against Pharmacia Corp., the maker of Kaopectate, and plans to notify at least 11 other manufacturers that it intends to sue them. 

The CEH is seeking to have the companies reduce the levels of lead in their products and label them so consumers know how much lead is in them. A judge agreed to hear a bid for a preliminary injunction the group also filed Thursday, seeking to have the companies label their products in the meantime. 

“We’re hoping they will do the right thing and come clean to consumers about the lead in their products,” said Katie Silberman of CEH. “There’s no reason there should be lead in medicine.” 

The allowable amount of lead for these medicines is 0.5 micrograms before a warning label must be put on the package. 

According to the CEH, children’s Kaopectate contains 27.9 micrograms of lead, which is more than 55 times the 0.5 level. The maximum dosage for one day is seven two-tablespoon servings, which amounts to more than 195 micrograms of lead. That’s almost 400 times the recommended limit. 

“That’s a serious amount of lead,” said CEH executive director Michael Green. 

Mary-Fran Faraji, the director of public affairs for New Jersey-based Pharmacia, said the company had not seen the complaint yet, but was confident in the safety of the product. She said the active ingredient, the mineral attapulgite, is recognized as safe by the Food and Drug Administration. 

“It’s safe when used as directed,” she said. “We of course are going to look very seriously at this; we just don’t have the details yet.” 

The level at which a warning about lead has to be put on the package was set by Proposition 65, which was passed in 1986. That level is based on exposures that could subject a person taking the medication to a risk of birth defects or reproductive damage. 

But the law is conservative, said Allan Hirsch, a spokesman with the state Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. 

“The way Proposition 65 is written, the maximum allowable daily level would have to be at a level at which even if a person were exposed to 1,000 times that, that there would be no observable effects,” he said. 

The manufacturers to receive a notice of intent to sue include Columbia Laboratories, Walgreen Company, Wyeth-Ayerst Pharmaceuticals, American Procurement and Logistics Co., Perrigo Co., Procter & Gamble, Kmart Corp., Longs Drug Stores, Dayton Hudson Corp., McNeil Consumer Healthcare and Safeway Inc. 

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE — NASA sent two of its space shuttles on the first leg of a trip back to Florida from California’s Mojave Desert on Thursday, each flying piggyback atop its own specially modified 747. 

After separate morning takeoffs, both shuttles landed safely after roughly four-hour flights, Columbia at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, and Atlantis at Altus Air Force Base, Okla. 

Columbia had been scheduled to land at another Oklahoma base, but bad weather forced the diversion to Texas. Weather permitting, both were scheduled to continue on to Florida on Friday. 

Shuttle Columbia left California first, taking off at 11 a.m. from Palmdale, where it underwent a 17-month major overhaul and upgrade. Atlantis followed 37 minutes later, taking off from nearby Edwards Air Force Base. 

The back-to-back flights were unprecedented. Atlantis landed at Edwards on Feb. 20 after a 13-day mission to the international space station, Alpha, where the crew delivered and installed Destiny, a $1.4 billion laboratory considered the most sophisticated research module ever to fly in space. 

Each cross-country flight atop the modified Boeing 747s costs the National Aeronautics and Space Administration nearly $1 million. \Atlantis is scheduled to return to space on May 17, when it delivers a new airlock to Alpha. NASA plans to launch Columbia in late fall, either on a research mission or on a maintenance flight to the aging Hubble Space Telescope, a NASA spokesman said. 

NASA has four space-going shuttles, Atlantis, Columbia, Discovery and Endeavour.

SACRAMENTO — The Davis administration is misusing hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars slated for jobs that are never filled, the Senate’s Republican leader said Thursday. 

Sen. James Brulte produced an internal e-mail from a budget manager at the Department of Transportation that he said illustrates the problem. 

The November e-mail, which Brulte provided to reporters Thursday, states that Caltrans abolishes vacant positions before the state Controller’s Office reviews vacancies every six months. Then it recreates the post later in the year, allowing the department to continue to receive the funding. 

“We abolish positions all of the time and we never lose the resources with it,” the e-mail states. 

Brulte said his office has learned that many, if not all, state departments are directing dollars budgeted for vacant posts to such uses as purchasing and travel. 

He said 30,000 government posts are unfilled statewide. 

“It goes into a bureacratic slush fund that the Legislature has no oversight responsibility on,” Brulte, R-Rancho Cucamonga, said. 

Caltrans spokesman Dennis Trujillo denied that his agency misuses its personnel funds. 

“All personnel service dollars are used for personnel service purposes. All positions, either eliminated or restored, are done through the state Controller’s Office and we have been and will continue to work with the Department of Finance to ensure the proper controls are in place,” Trujillo said. 

However, Democratic Gov. Gray Davis’ Department of Finance has launched an investigation into the Caltrans e-mail and Brulte’s accusations. 

“If this department is in fact appropriating money for salaries and using it for other things, then we are concerned about that and we want to get to the bottom of it,” said Finance spokesman Sandy Harrison. 

The Finance Department has eliminated 6,600 vacant positions statewide because of similar concerns over the past two years, Harrison said. 

Sen. Dick Ackerman, R-Fullerton, vice-chairman of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, said he will propose legislation next month to return to the state’s general fund $380 million in this year’s budget for department positions that have not been filled. 

Brulte first raised the issue in 1999, when he questioned $250 million budgeted for salaries but spent for other purposes. 

Despite legislation passed and signed by Davis last year to try to remedy the problem, Brulte said Thursday the Caltrans e-mail illustrates that the “shell-game” continues. 

“We believe that it’s time to put an end to this shell game and the phantom employees that these departments insist on having,” Brulte said. 

——— 

On The Net: 

Brulte’s press release can be found at: 

http://republican.sen.ca.gov/web/31/news.asp 

SACRAMENTO — A federal judge Thursday threw out sections of a 1996 campaign finance initiative that regulated paid “slate mailers” – campaign pieces that urge voters to support a list of candidates or issues. 

Those regulations, designed to show voters that candidates and ballot measure campaigns paid to be included on the mailers, are unconstitutional because they violate the First Amendment right to political speech, U.S. District Judge Lawrence Karlton ruled. 

Karlton had been considering the constitutionality of Proposition 208 for several years. 

The initiative, which limited campaign donations, was only in effect for the non-election year of 1997 and a few days in 1998 before Karlton halted its enforcement. 

Voters last November approved Proposition 34, which imposed different campaign contribution limits and invalidated almost all of Proposition 208. 

One of the few things left in Proposition 208 were regulations aimed at “slate mailers,” which are brochures or cards that voters commonly receive in the mail right before elections. 

The mailers are produced by commercial firms that solicit money from campaigns to be included in their list of “recommended” candidates and issues. 

Proposition 208 required slate mailers to put three dollar signs next to the candidates and ballot measures that paid to be included.  

It also required slate mailer producers to tell voters the names of the two biggest contributors who donated more than $50,000 to pay for the mailer. 

Karlton said those requirements were unconstitutional even though the companies producing the mailers are paid. 

The regulations, he wrote, “are content-based regulations of political speech and not a form of commercial speech.” 

Tony Miller, a former chief state elections officer and a leading sponsor of Proposition 208, said he had not seen the ruling but was “disappointed, but not really surprised.” 

Jim Knox, executive director of California Common Cause, a campaign reform group that backed Proposition 208, said he hoped the ruling would be appealed. 

The Fair Political Practice Commission, the state’s political watchdog agency, will decide whether to appeal Karlton’s decision at its next meeting on March 9. 

Karlton also approved an agreement requiring the state to pay $3 million in fees to attorneys representing some of the plaintiffs that challenged 208, including the California Democratic and Republican parties.

The giant puppets on parade, the banners slung high on buildings overhead, the interlocked arms as protesters wait for their arrests at key intersections in Seattle, the rousing chants in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Prague. 

These protests did not happen in a spontaneous outpouring against the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. They were consciously planned. Their leaders were trained. 

A film, shown tonight at 9:30 p.m. on KQED, tells the story of the protests and the role the Berkeley-based Ruckus Society played in training its leaders.  

Filmmakers Sharon Tiller, Josiah Hooper and Katie Galloway look beyond the images that dominate TV screens during the various demonstrations – youth dressed in black, faces covered by bandannas, smashing windows or lighting fires.  

Instead, they peer through their lens and focus clearly on who the activists are and the purpose that underlies their activism. 

Ruckus Society Director John Sellers spent a few days in a Philadelphia jail on $1 million bond before all charges were dropped against him for allegedly orchestrating the violence at the Republican National Convention. 

He says he thought the film did a good job getting out the underlying philosophy of the Ruckus Society.  

However, he said he felt the filmmakers focused too much on the “white fairly privileged” leaders of the Ruckus Society.  

He said it should have honed in on participants of color such as the Third Eye Movement and Just Act, organizations that promote activism among youth of color. 

In the film, Sellers is quoted minimizing the role of the Ruckus Society. He is shown coming to the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles, after being let out of jail.  

“This isn’t a movement with a body and a head, where you take out the head and the movement will die,” he says. 

The film shows the Ruckus-Society led training camp, how activists learn to climb ropes – to place banners – civil disobedience training, and learning to deliver their message to the media in sound bites. 

It also shows how the message gets garbled when it hits the airwaves.  

“The film does a good job of grappling with the issues,” Sellers said Wednesday. It puts the demonstrations into context and “allows people to make the decision for themselves.”

With instant gratification seemingly the law of the land, it’s nice to know that decorating on the installment plan can be more satisfying than getting it all done the day after tomorrow. 

It’s not only easier on the budget, it can be more interesting. “If you do it all at once, the room lacks the richness that a room put together over time will have – it’s like a song with only one note,” says Lyn Peterson. 

Peterson is founder and president of Motif Designs, a wallpaper and fabric design firm headquartered in New Rochelle, N.Y., and has decorated innumerable homes over several decades.  

Those just starting out need to outfit a home with the basics. “These days, that’s typically defined as a bed, sofa, table, chairs, TV, decent lighting, and I would add, a computer, but most of these items can start out as hand-me-downs or as inexpensive new purchases, if that’s all the budget allows. 

“Shop at Mom’s, and find out if your town has a bulk garbage day when people put unwanted items out on the curb,” she advises. “Americans generate a lot of waste, including old TVs, sofas, unused tiles and much more that’s usable.” 

Peterson says this early period when people are making do with second-hand items is an ideal time to experiment with taste. Especially for young people who are furnishing a first home when their tastes are not set, it’s a good idea to not to rush into expensive purchases. “Instead of buying a costly dining room table, for example, why not buy a kitchen table and use it in the dining room with six side chairs?” she asks. “Later, when you can afford it and your taste is formed, you can use the kitchen table in the kitchen and buy the dining room table and new chairs.” 

When a room is furnished with number of mismatched items, either color or pattern can be the unifier. One strategy is to emphasize two colors that go well together, like red and green or blue and yellow. Make one color dominant and the other an accent. Various hues of the colors can be used. 

When furniture is not perfect – say sofa and chair hand-me-downs – patterned covers can disguise the wear and tear. Similarly, a table that has seen better days can be covered with a patterned cloth. 

When it is time to buy new pieces, try to steer clear of fads and focus on selections that represent trends. Often there’s a longer-lived version of the faddish item. For example, to Peterson the all-white room (walls, furniture, fabrics, accessories) is a fad that will wear thin, while a room that emphasizes neutrals is a trend that will continue to be fresh for a longer time. Well-made down-stuffed throw cushions are a trend, while pillows decorated with dangling crystals are a fad.  

To avoid fads, Peterson advises that you “never buy anything that is in the height of fashion. If something is not a hot fashion item, it will never get cold.” Some tips from Peterson on how to have an attractive room regardless of budget: 

• Choose comfortable, sturdy furniture in classic styles that can take abuse. Two of her favorites for comfort are sofas with low rolled arms and footstools that can be pulled up to easy chairs. 

• Even when there’s overhead lighting, include table lamps in your plan. Overhead lighting is good general illumination but not so good for tasks, and it’s harsh and unflattering. Your head casts a shadow on a book in overhead lighting. An inexpensive lighting enhancer is a dimmer switch for $10 or less that you can install yourself. 

• Even with wall-to-wall carpeting, a patterned area rug provides visual warmth and color. 

• Select paint colors carefully. Eastern and western exposures are more flexible, but be careful how you use gray and blue in rooms with northern light, which tends to make these colors feel cold. Yellow can be too intense in a room with a southern exposure. 

Several years ago, we traveled to Lisbon, Portugal, where we were amazed to find that nearly every home had a TV antenna. 

The skyline was dotted with masts of horizontal and vertical aluminum tubing – some low, some high, some crooked – a forest of manmade metal trees. They were everywhere. 

When we made this trip to the Mediterranean, we had already enjoyed cable in our own community for nearly two decades, and we had forgotten how ugly a hoard of antennas could be. Lisbon in the ’90s looked exactly like a typical ’60s American community. In fact, after seeing all the antennas, we were thankful that cable had come along when it did. 

If you have a television set, there is an excellent chance that you have cable. And if you have cable, there is a likelihood that you will want to relocate or add a cable outlet at some point. 

Relocating or adding a cable outlet pretty much involves the same basic principle. You can either run a length of cable to the new location from the termination box (on the outside of the house) or you can tie in to an existing outlet and go from there. However, in both cases you will need the same device to meet the task – a splitter. A splitter simply converts one input to two (or more) outputs. 

Splitters come ready to use, right off the shelf. 

Remove the existing cable from your television set, stereo or radio and screw that end into the splitter port marked “in.” Normally, there is only one port on the “in” side of a splitter. “In” is short for “signal in,” which is short for “this is the side of the splitter that receives the incoming signal from the cable company.” 

The opposite side of the splitter is the “out” or “signal out” side. There will be two or more outlets on the “out” side of the splitter depending upon how many new connections you intend to add. You don’t have to use all the outputs. For example: If you have three outputs on your splitter and wish only to connect to two units, simply leave one unused. Each output will provide the same amount of signal – one is no better than the other. 

With the input connected, the next thing to do is to reconnect the unit from which you got the cable (the cable box, television, radio or stereo). That’s all it takes to get your initial unit back in service again. Usually, only a very short length of cable will be needed for this task (a foot or so). 

Next, you will need to connect a second length of cable from one of the other splitter outputs. This will feed a signal to the cable that will extend to the new location. 

In every instance, you will need cables that are fitted with female connectors at each end. You can purchase cables “ready-made” in varying lengths. This is the easiest way to get the cable you need. The advantage is that no special tools are needed to attach the connectors to the cable.  

If you intend to add lengthy extension, consider the addition of an inline amplifier. The rule of thumb with cable is: The longer the cable, the poorer the signal. If you add an extension and find that the picture isn’t as good at the second location as it was at the first one, consider amplification. Sorry, but there is no distance rule of thumb when it comes to amplification. When you have a bad signal – amplify. 

An amplifier will run you about $35 and requires power from a standard 110-volt outlet. If the incoming signal from the cable company is bad to begin with, an amplifier probably won’t help. We recently complained to our cable company about a bad signal and they reran the main wire to our home and within.  

Before you extend your cable, check with your local cable company to determine which type of cable to purchase.  

Although most cables will work in most instances, various types of cables actually transmit signals differently. It doesn’t hurt to check. 

——— 

Readers can mail questions to: On the House, APNewsfeatures, 50 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020, or e-mail Careybro(at)onthehouse.com. To receive a copy of On the House: Plumbing or On the House: Painting, send a check or money order payable to The Associated Press for $6.95 per booklet and mail to: On the House, PO Box 1562, New York, NY 10016-1562, or through these online sites: www.onthehouse.com or apbookstore.com. 

Travelers often go to the ends of the earth to bring home colorful indigenous crafts to add distinctive notes to their homes. 

Except for missing out on the adventure of travel itself, armchair travelers can buy some of the same unusual objects. 

Crafts from faraway places can be found in home furnishings specialty stores, crafts galleries and, increasingly, via the Internet through dot-com companies and nonprofit groups. 

For example, the wares of Bangladeshi artisans were displayed to retailers shopping a gift fair in January. They are being offered through a joint venture between an American company, One Nest.com, Inc. (http://www.onenest.com) and the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee and include textiles, baskets, woodworking items and clothing. 

“People of Bangladesh can sell more products and use the income to educate their children, live in better conditions, and gain respect among their peers,” said Durreen Shahnaz, a Bangladesh native and CEO of One Nest. In return, Americans have access to interesting decorative objects. 

One Nest is one of a number of Web sites now putting artisans from the developing world and American retailers together for mutual benefit. Another example is http://www.viatru.com. 

There are also Web sites for consumers, such as http://www.novica.com, with a database of approximately 8,500 items made by 1,700 artisans and artists from around the world. Customers order directly from the maker. 

Logging onto http://www.peoplink.org results in access to large database of products, countries and prices. In January, there was even a sale section with serving spoons from Africa, baskets and birdhouses from the Philippines and musical instruments from various countries. 

“While many craftspeople in underdeveloped parts of the world have no electricity, those that do have access to computers and cameras to present their objects, as well as the marketing know-how to take advantage of them, and can find it helpful to sell on the Internet,” says Paola Gianturco of Mill Valley. 

Gianturco, co-author of “In Her Hands: Craftswomen Changing the World” (Monachelli Press, $60, hardcover), recently completed a five-year project in which she saw firsthand how making craft objects is helping sometimes desperately poor women raise their families’ standard of living. 

She became intrigued with the subject in 1995 and decided to take a sabbatical from her corporate consulting business to photograph and write about the phenomenon.  

She invited a former colleague, Toby Tuttle of Evergreen, Colo., to join the adventure. Before each of six trips, the women lined up interpreters knowledgeable about crafts who spoke English as well as the native language.  

Their book showcases the crafts and lives of some 90 women in 12 countries in Latin America, Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia. Altogether 18 different crafts are represented, including rugs from Turkey; textiles such as applique panels, woven fabrics and knitted doll purses; pottery from Latin America; flower painted panels from Poland; straw baskets and mats from Africa; and batik work from Indonesia. 

There is a great variety in both the crafts themselves and the methods for marketing them. “Some of the handicrafts are exquisite and elegant and some are funky, some expensive and others inexpensive, some for sale locally and others internationally,” Gianturco said. 

Not all the customers for crafts are foreigners. “In Bali, women used to spend as much as a third of their day creating elaborate religious offerings of arrangements of fruit and flowers,” Gianturco said.

SAN FRANCISCO — Napster users enthusiastically downloaded free songs Thursday on the eve of a court hearing that could finally end its great music giveaway – and present record labels with a new set of problems. 

Napster Inc. tried to buy time with a series of legal appeals ahead of the hearing by U.S. District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel. 

But it was unclear whether that would delay Patel from quickly issuing a reworked order that would effectively shut down the free service. 

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco last month largely affirmed Patel’s July decision ordering the company to stop allowing music the swapping of copyrighted music. 

The judges asked Patel to rewrite the order in a way that allows Napster to survive if it can do what even its lawyers say is impossible – keep pirates off its network. 

Soon afterward, Napster offered $1 billion – in exchange for a 40 percent cut of online music sales – to the recording industry to settle the copyright infringement suit. 

The Recording Industry Association of America has soundly rejected Napster’s offer, anticipating victory in the landmark case. 

Still, breaking the habits of more than 50 million Napster users accustomed to free online content will be anything but simple. 

The RIAA sent out 85 letters on Feb. 19, asking Internet service providers to take down OpenNap servers – homegrown personal computers set up to facilitate Napster-like activity. But OpenNap is just one of any number of networks where people can trade music without paying for it, and going after actual users could prompt a buyer backlash. 

“They’ll have no choice but to sue their customers and they just can’t do that,” said Phil Leigh, an analyst with Raymond James & Associates. “It would be anarchy.” 

Already, Congress is being called upon to tweak federal law in response to the latest copyright and technology issues. Lawmakers interested in preserving online music sharing include GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch, himself a musician and Napster user. In response, the RIAA has hired former Montana Gov. Marc Racicot, a Republican who is close to President Bush, as a lobbyist. Racicot’s position: despite the popularity of file-sharing technology, lawmakers shouldn’t rush to weaken copyright law. 

“We are confronted with some circumstances presently that make it very complex because of the explosion of technology available to us,” Racicot said this week. “Frankly, in my judgment, you cannot mutate the property rights of others or diminish them in any way or diminish the law to conform to technology and to private demand.” 

Music fans downloaded 2.7 billion files in January using Napster, more than double September’s activity, and more than 96 million songs were traded on Feb. 12, the day an appellate court said Napster would likely lose its case at trial, according to Webnoize. Another research firm, Accenture, predicts that by 2005, the digital music market will grow to $3.2 billion, or 15 percent of overall music sales. 

Napster, now funded primarily by German media giant Bertelsmann AG, offered to pay record labels $200 million a year for five years, and work together to deliver music online. 

But the major labels – all of which are now developing their own online music distribution businesses – rejected Napster CEO Hank Barry’s offer even before he made it public. 

But that won’t solve the problems, since other ways of getting free music are sprouting up. These difficult-to-trace peer-to-peer applications have funny names such as Gnutella, LimeWire, ToadNode and BearShare, but they’re becoming easier to use with every hacker’s tweak. 

The BearShare program – software that scours a constantly expanding number of hard-drives for text, music and movie clips – has been downloaded more than 500,000 times since it was made available Dec. 4, according to its designer, Vincent Falco. 

Interest in non-Napster file-sharing programs has exploded with every headline in the RIAA’s case against Napster. PC Data Online reported that such programs had more than 90,000 visitors per day in February. 

Hilary Rosen, president of the RIAA, told other content providers at a conference in New York Thursday that the recording industry started seriously investing in online music delivery 18 months too late. 

“Don’t make the same mistake we made,” she said before flying to San Francisco, where she said she would implore the judge to deny Napster any more delays. 

“If there is a vacuum in the marketplace, it will be filled by pirates,” she warned. “Then no one makes any money, but a level of consumer expectation is developed that is hard to recapture.” 

——— 

On the Net: 

http://www.napster.com 

http://www.riaa.com 

http://www.bearshare.com 

NEW YORK — The nation’s manufacturing activity showed signs of hitting bottom in February as it extended its decline for a seventh month, a key industry group said Thursday. 

The report from the National Association of Purchasing Management supported the contention Wednesday by Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan that the downturn in the economy appeared to be slowing in the early months of 2001. 

Other reports issued Thursday showed improvements in personal income and construction spending, while a fourth survey charted a rise in first-time claims for unemployment insurance. 

The NAPM, an organization of corporate purchasing executives, said its index of business activity rose to 41.9 in February from 41.2 in January. 

An index above 50 signifies growth in manufacturing, while a figure below 50 means contraction. A level below 42.7 also generally indicates a contraction in the overall economy. 

The upturn in manufacturing followed a January figure that showed manufacturing at its lowest level since early 1991. 

The purchasing management group said that while the February reading means the overall economy contracted for the second consecutive month, the uptick in the index and its components might signal that the decline has reached its low point. 

However, “we must caution that it takes more than one month’s data to make that determination,” said Norbert J. Ore, who oversees the monthly survey for the NAPM. He noted that an important component of the index, new orders, showed a slower rate of decline, a more positive sign for manufacturers’ business. 

The new figure was roughly in line with analysts’ expectations and marked the seventh straight month of contraction in the manufacturing sector. Of the 20 industries in the manufacturing sector, only food and tobacco reported an improvement in business in February. 

The NAPM reading was one of four economic reports Thursday. The Commerce Department said Americans’ incomes rose sharply in January and spending shot up even more quickly as mild weather and deep discounts lured people into stores and malls. In addition, spending on construction projects in January posted the biggest increase in 10 months. With mild weather, spending rose for new homes, office buildings and highways. 

Those upbeat figures were countered by another report by the government that new claims for state unemployment insurance last week rose by 39,000 to 372,000, reflecting layoffs in automobile manufacturing and bad weather in some parts of the country. 

The economic figures did not dispel Wall Street’s gloom about the economy. The Dow Jones industrial average at early afternoon was down 159.13 at 10,336.15, while the Nasdaq composite index was down 55.60 at 2,096.23, a level not seen since December 1998. 

In his comments Wednesday, Greenspan had disappointed investors by largely dismissing the idea that the Fed might lower interest rates before its March 20 scheduled meeting. 

Economists were split in their views of the purchasing managers’ report. 

The report should not be interpreted as a sign the economy is in recovery, but it does show business is headed in a positive direction, said economist Sung Won Sohn of Wells Fargo & Co. in Minneapolis. 

“I would view this as a ray of hope,” Sohn said. 

David H. Resler of Nomura Securities International in New York said there was no way to see the report as good news. Instead, it shows the manufacturing sector continues to struggle, he said. 

“The reality is you cannot say we’ve stopped falling. We’re just not falling as fast,” Resler said. 

OAKLAND – The Metropolitan Transportation Commission is calling all those who spend their time waiting at bus stops, or idling in traffic, dreaming up ways to fix the transportation system. The primary agency for regional transportation planning, MTC is holding a series of meetings to receive public input on the development of the Regional Transportation Plan. The plan is revised every three years and guides funding priorities for Bay Area transportation projects. That includes highways, roads and public transit as well as bike and pedestrian roadways. 

The kick-off for these public meetings was held Tuesday at MTC’s Oakland offices. According to MTC officials, almost two hundred people circulated through the exhibit identifying their priorities for transportation funding.  

“We’re making a really concerted effort to reach out and involve the public around the choices and decisions that have to be made,” said Marjorie Blackwell, spokesperson for the transportation commission. “We’re really doing a much more concerted effort.” 

The public meetings are part of a larger attempt to get more public involvement, particularly from low-income and minority individuals. A 19-member group directs MTC; it includes 14 appointed officials representing each of the nine Bay Area counties, two representatives from regional development organizations, and three representatives of federal agencies.  

The planning agency came under fire during a 1999 federal review by the Federal  

Transit and Federal Highway Administrations, agencies that oversee the use of federal funds. They gave MTC conditional certification to receive public money, saying they needed to increase public participation.  

Although public meetings were held three years ago during the last regional plan review, this time the questions involve basic transportation values. “Instead of saying, these are proposals and what do you think? We’re trying to get them involved up front,” Blackwell said. 

Those larger questions include where money should be spent, on public transportation or on roadways, and who should pay the cost for service enhancements. “Underlying all of the choices are values,” said consultant Daniel Lacofano, who mediated the discussion, “We want to try and elucidate these values more than we have in the past.” 

MTC spokesperson Randy Rentschler said that getting the message out to “John Q Public” is one of MTC’s biggest challenges. The commission advertised Tuesday’s meeting by sending out a press release and notifying a contact list, a self-selecting group of individuals who have shown concern about transit issues. They chose not to place an ad in local papers because of the high cost.  

The choice impacted the event: Although many cities and counties were represented, the comments showed a common mindset.  

Participants believed that more money should be spent on alternatives to “single-occupancy vehicles” the one person per car model that congests Bay Area roadways. 

Anthony Rodgers, representative of the Amalgamated Transit Union 192, received shouts and claps when appealing for a focus on alternatives. “We can not continue to build our way out of our transit problems,” he said, referring to new highways, bridges and tunnels. “If we build it, it is dumb.” Instead, he insisted that what are now last-choice alternatives of public transit must become viable options. 

People overwhelmingly favored an increase in the gasoline tax and bridge tolls to fund projects, and participants almost unanimously agreed that it’s important to coordinate development and transportation.  

“I’m concerned about sprawl,” said Bob Sarnoff of Berkeley. He made an organic analogy. “Transportation is like blood,” he said, because wherever you extend transportation lines such as BART or extensive freeways, housing and development will grow.  

But Sarnoff added that containing growth and development often conflicts with communities that want to prevent growth inside the city. “Perhaps that development should be in Berkeley,” He said. “Do we agree to have infill?” 

The information that comes from the public meetings will be synthesized and presented to the Transportation Commissioners at a meeting March 28. Of the $130 billion in government funds projected to make up the transportation budget in the next 25 years, the majority of it is already tied up in long-term maintenance and projects. The Regional Transportation Plan will direct the disbursement of the estimated $13 billion that is available for new projects, Rentschler said. And $13 billion, he said, is still a lot of money.  

However, MTC spokespeople said that the best place for people to give input is at the county level. Each county has a Congestion Management Agency that recommends specific projects to be included in the Regional Transportation Plan. The information from the public meetings will also be given to those agencies. 

“I’m certainly going to be requesting that we get a detailed itemization of any suggestions put forward,” said Councilmember Kriss Worthington, Berkeley’s representative to the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency. 

Although Berkeley resident Jeff Hobson, East Bay Coordinator of the Bay Area Transportation and Land Use Coalition, felt satisfied with the consensus produced in the meeting, he was still concerned about the accountability of the officials to the public input. “I think we really want to see how the comments will be turned into action,” he said. 

Thursday, March 1

Berkeley Metaphysical  

Toastmasters Club  

6:15 - 7:30 p.m.  

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysics come together. Ongoing first and third Thursdays each month.  

Call 869-2547 

Berkeley High PTSA General Meeting 

7:30 p.m. 

Little Theater  

Discussion of life after high school and the alternatives that don’t require a four year degree such as community college, trade schools, apprenticeships and the military.  

Cancer Support Group 

Noon - 2 p.m. 

Summit Medical Center 

Markstein Cancer Education & Prevention Center 

450 30th St., Second Floor  

Oakland  

Free support group for families, friends, and patients diagnosed with cancer.  

869-8833 to register  

Cycling Journey  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Leo Tenenblat and Jean Philippe Boubli set off on their mountain bikes from Lhasa, Tibet to Kathmandu, Nepal. They will share slides and stories of their 52-day adventure. Free 

Call 527-4140 

Micro Marketplace  

9:30 - 11:15 a.m. 

1150 Virginia St. (at San Pablo)  

Presented by the City of Franklin MicroSociety Magnet School, the marketplace will feature student entrepreneurs and their products: Recycled art, masks, jewelry, games, T-shirts, tile magnets, pottery, plant holders and more.  

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Community Environmental Advisory Commission 

7 p.m. 

Planning and Development  

Second Floor Conference Room  

2118 Milvia St.  

Discussions will include the Department of Toxic Substances Control notice on cleanup at the Lawrence Berkeley Lab and election of new chair/vice chair.  

Friday, March 2

Stagebridge Free Acting  

& Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Call 444-4755 or  

visit www.stagebridge.org 

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program. 549-2970  

Class Dismissed Poetry Posse 

7:30 p.m. 

Little Theater 

Berkeley High School  

2246 Milvia St.  

Afro-Haitian dancers, Dance Production dancers, the BHS poetry slammers, an opening a capella number and a few surprises. A benefit for a Berkeley High school student trip to Cuba.  

$5 - $10  

Colombia In Context  

9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

Bancroft Hotel  

2680 Bancroft Way  

A conference bringing together leading experts from both Latin America and the U.S. to discuss both the roots of the current Colombian crisis, and the future effects of U.S. strategy on the region. There will be a break between Noon and 2 p.m. 

Visit www.clas.berkeley.edu/clas 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets. 644-6226 

Lockdown America 

7 - 9:30 p.m. 

2040 Valley Life Sciences Bldg.  

UC Berkeley  

Christian Parenti, author of “Lockdown America, on Police and Prisons in the Age of Crisis” will speak. Free 552-8236 

Cosi Fan Tutte Pt. II 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

The second part of this opera will be presented. 644-6107 

Saturday, March  

Free Sailboat Rides  

1 - 4 p.m. 

Cal Sailing Club 

Berkeley Marina 

The Cal Sailing Club gives free rides on a first come, first served bases on the first full weekend of each month. Wear warm clothes and bring a change of clothes in case you get wet. Children must be at least 5 years old and must be accompanies by an adult.www.cal-sailing.org  

Wild About Books? 

10:30 a.m. 

Central Berkeley Library  

2121 Allston Way  

Mary Miche, leader of Song Trek Music, will lead a sing-along that will send everyone home humming. Call 649-3913 

Residential Solar Electricity  

1 - 3 p.m. 

Ecology Center  

2530 San Pablo Ave.  

Hal Aronson, director of the Solar Energy Education Program for Berkeley EcoHouse, will cover how solar electric cells work, different types of systems, and costs of a solar system. Participants will also produce electricity using photovoltaic panels and power a range of appliances.  

$10 - $15  

548-2220 x233  

Feathered Dinosaurs  

11 a.m.  

Lawrence Hall of Science 

UC Berkeley’s Dr. Kevin Padian talks about the discovery of feathered dinosaur fossils in northern China. Included with museum admission.  

$3 - $7  

642-5132 

“Socialism & the Struggle for Global Justice”  

10:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

200 Wheeler Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Discussions will include “Why Socialism?”; crisis in Palestine; race, class and the fall out from the 2000 elections; and fighting misogyny and sexism.  

$5 donation  

552-8236  

Emergency!: Personal Preparedness 

9 a.m. - 11 a.m.  

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar St.  

A class sponsored by the Berkeley Fire Dept. and the Office of Emergency Services. Free. 

644-8736 

“Fifty Years in the Making” 

Boalt Hall School of Law  

UC Berkeley 

A gathering of some of the most prominent diplomats, scholars, and legal practitioners in the field of World War II reparation and restitution claims. Free and open to the public.  

Backyard Birding & Beyond  

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Bird watching with Stan Scher.  

Call 644-6107 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Take the Terror Out of Talking 

12:10 - 1:10 p.m. 

California Dept. of Health Services  

2151 Berkeley Way  

Room 804  

Session four of six in a series of classes presented by the State Health Toastmasters, this one is called “Creating An Introduction.”  

649-7750 

Friday, March 9

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Berkeley PC Users Group 

7 p.m. 

Vista College 

2020 Milvia St., Room 303 

E-Mail: meldancing@aol.com 

Europe on a Shoestring  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Scott Mcneely, co-author of the Lonely Planet book will share slides and information on some of his favorite adventures off the beaten path. Come learn about smart budget travel.  

Call 527-4140 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Yiddish Conversation  

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

With Allen Stross.  

Call 644-6107 

Energy Teach-In & Action Forum  

6:45 p.m. 

Berkeley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall  

1924 Cedar (at Bonita)  

Graham Brownstein of TURN, Charles Kalish of Citizens Power Campaign and Todd Creiten of Campaign Against Utilities Rate Hike give an update on the vital struggle for public power. Find out what you can do about your utility bill.  

233-3175 

“Torture in 2001 - The Violations Continue” 

Stephens Hall, Geballe Room  

Townsend Center for the Humanities  

UC Berkeley  

Despite nearly universal prohibition against the use of torture in laws of most nations, the incidence of torture is epidemic. Dr. Kathi Antolak, an expert on the treatment of torture victims will speak.  

Saturday, March 10  

The Secrets of Sacred Cinema 

10 a.m. - 6 p.m. 

Pacific School of Religion  

1798 Scenic Ave., Mudd 103 

Kevin Peer, a documentary film maker for the past 25 years, gives a two-day intensive for people interested in exploring documentary filmmaking. No equipment or prior experience required.  

$200 per person and registration is required 

Call 486-1480 

Narratives of Public Sector Reform: A Colloquium  

10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

223 Moses Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Mark Bevir of the department of Political Science of UC Berkeley, will present his paper on “Decentered Theory of Governance” and Rod Rhodes of the University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne will present his paper, “Entering British Governance.” There will also be a session to discuss the broader issues their works raise.  

Greece Adventure 

1 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Linda Pearson of REI Adventures will introduce you to Greece in slides and discussion.  

Call 527-4140 

Healing Garden  

10 a.m. - Noon  

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave.  

Kathi Kinney will teach how to integrate medicinal herbs into existing gardens and landscapes and how to design and maintain a practical, aromatic, easy-care herb garden.  

$10 - $15  

548-2220 x233 

West Coast Live  

10 a.m. - Noon  

Freight & Salvage  

1111 Addison St.  

Sedge’s guests this week will be Patrick McCabe, author of The Butcher Boy and Emerald Germs of Ireland, a capella singers M-Pact, Naturalist Claire Peaslee and pianist Mike Greensill.  

664-9500 

Self-Care and Wellness Health Fair 

9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center 

Ashby Campus, Auditorium  

2450 Ashby Ave.  

A day of workshops offering ways to maintain and improve health of the body, mind and spirit. Learn the process one might go through when deciding to stay with self-help, when to seek out assistance, and how to integrate care.  

$10 admission, $5 per workshop  

Fire Suppression Class  

9 a.m. - Noon  

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar St.  

A free class as part of Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). Sponsored by the Berkeley Fire Dept. and the Office of Emergency Services.  

Call 644-8736 

Water-Wise Trees 

10 a.m.  

UC Botanical Garden  

Stew Winchester, ecologist and horticulturist, and instructor at several Bay Area community colleges will talk about some of the more outstanding choices of small trees for water conserving gardens.  

$15  

643-2755 

Sunday, March 11 

Reimagining Pacific Cities  

6 - 8:30 p.m. 

New Pacific Studio  

1523 Hearst Ave.  

“How are Pacific cities reshaping their cultural and environmental institutions to better serve the needs and enhance the present and future quality of life of all segments of their societies?” A series of ten seminars linking the Bay Area, Seattle, Portland, and other pacific cities.  

Call 849-0217 

Myths & Realities of the International House  

3 - 5 p.m. 

Berkeley Historical Society  

1931 Center St.  

Director Joe Lurie will show a video and talk about the history and the struggle to open the International House.  

$10 donation  

Call 848-0181 

Walk on the Moon  

2 & 7 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

A mother and daughter explore their identities as they summer in the Catskills in 1969 amidst the news of Woodstock and the first lunar landing. Peer led discussion to follow film.  

$2 suggested donation  

Energy Attack  

4 - 6 p.m.  

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave.  

PUC Commissioner Carl Wood, labor journalist David Bacon and Environmentalist architect Mark Gorrell will discuss the energy crisis and how to get involved in solutions.  

549-0816 

Community Health & Wellness Fair 

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2345 Channing Way  

Review health from a holistic perspective, personally and communally. Stop by for practical health screenings and explore wellness practices such as Taoist Tai Chi, Hatha Yoga and Rosen Bodywork in introductory workshops. Free except for cholesterol screening.  

649-1383 

Monday, March 12  

Weight Loss & Gain  

10:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

New theories about weight loss and gain with Dr. McGillis.  

Call 644-6107 

Tuesday, March 13  

Berkeley Rep. Proscenium Opening 

8 p.m. 

Berkeley Repertory Theater 

2015 Addison St.  

Featuring the premiere performance of “The Oresteia” by Aeschylus. Opening gala dinner held prior to performance. Performance will be at 8 p.m. 

Call 647-2949 

“Great Decisions” - International Health Crisis 

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy.  

$5 single session 

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

Reclaim the Seeds! 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave.  

Bring seeds, questions, stories, and ambitions to swap. The center will be coordinating the growout of local quality seed and announcing their season-long workshops, discussions, processing parties, and advisory-consultation team. Free 

Call 923-0733 

Time & Thing Management  

1:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

With Mary Ann.  

Call 644-6107 

Wednesday, March 14 

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

St. Patrick’s Day Musical Celebration  

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Guitar duo with Devon and Mark.  

Call 644-6107 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Thursday, March 15  

Simplicity Forum 

7 - 8:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Library 

Claremont Branch  

2940 Benveue Ave.  

Facilitated by Cecile Andrews, author of “Circles of Simplicty,” learn about this movement whose philosophy is “the examined life richly lived.” Work less, consume less, rush less, and build community with friends and family.  

Call 549-3509 or visit www.seedsofsimplicity.org  

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet Elanor Watson-Gove and host Mark States.  

644-0155 

Berkeley Metaphysical Toastmasters Club  

6:15 - 7:30 p.m.  

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysics come together. Ongoing first and third Thursdays each month.  

Call 869-2547 

Cancer Support Group 

Noon - 2 p.m. 

Summit Medical Center 

Markstein Cancer Education & Prevention Center 

450 30th St., Second Floor  

Oakland  

Free support group for families, friends, and patients diagnosed with cancer.  

869-8833 to register  

Myanmar: The Golden Kingdom  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Philip Hassrick of Lost Frontiers will introduce you to Myanmar’s unique history and culture.  

Call 527-4140 

“Respecting Creation”  

7:30 p.m. 

King Middle School  

1781 Rose St.  

Winona LaDuke, Native American Indian activist, environmentalist, author, and Green Party Vice Presidential candidate will speak about the environmental situation under the Bush administration, including California’s power dilemma. A benefit for KPFA and Speak Out.  

$10 - $12  

Call 848-6767 x609 or visit www.kpfa.org 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Celtic Theology  

6:30 p.m. 

Dinner Board Room  

Flora Lamson Hewlett Library  

2400 Ridge Rd.  

Thomas O’ Loughlin, lecturer a the University of Wales, will present a lecture entitled “A Celtic Theology: The Dream, the Myth, and Some Questions for Academics.”  

649-2490 

Friday, March 16  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Gay & Lesbian Panel Discussion 

1:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Everyone is welcome.  

Call 644-6107 

Saturday, March 17  

Rockridge Writers 

3:30 - 5:30 p.m. 

Spasso Coffeehouse  

6021 College Ave.  

Poets and writers meet to critique each other’s work. “Members’ work tends to be dark, humorous, surreal, or strange.”  

e-mail: berkeleysappho@yahoo.com 

Light Search & Rescue  

9 a.m. - Noon  

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar St.  

A free class as part of Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). Sponsored by the Berkeley Fire Dept. and the Office of Emergency Services.  

Call 644-8736 

Burma Human Rights Day  

2 p.m.  

Berkeley Fellowship Hall  

1924 Cedar (at Bonita)  

KPFA Journalist Dennis Bernstein and members of the Burmese Resistance Movement will speak. Sponsored by the Burmese American Democratic Alliance and the Berkeley Fellowship Unitarian Universalists Social Action Committee.  

528-5403  

Sunday, March 18 

East Bay Men’s Chorus Rehearsal  

6:30 p.m. 

UC Berkeley 

Calling for gay and bisexual men and their allies and friends to join this choral ensemble directed by J.R. Foust. There is no obligation to join the chorus after the first rehearsal.  

Call to RSVP 664-0260 or e-mail eastbaymenschorus@yahoo.com 

“Parenting in the Second Half of Life” 

10:30 a.m.  

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Author Roberta Maisel will discuss ways parents and their grown children can get on a positive and guilt-free path.  

848-0237  

“Hope Against Darkness”  

7:30 p.m. 

Newman Hall  

2700 Dwight Way (at College) 

Richard Rohr will respond to the questions: What is the darkness? What is hope?  

848-7812  

Tuesday, March 20 

“Great Decisions” - Mexico Reexamined  

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy.  

$5 single session 

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Intelligent Conversation  

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

Jewish Community Center  

1414 Walnut Ave. (at Rose)  

With no religious affiliation, this twice-monthly group, led informally by former UC Berkeley extension lecturer Robert Berent, seeks to bring people together to have interesting discussions on contemporary topics. This evenings discussion topic is death and dying in celebration of the Ides of March.  

Call 527-9772  

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

Lavendar Lunch 

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. 

Pacific School of Religion 

1798 Scenic Ave.  

Mudd Bldg., Room 103  

Unitarian-Universalist minister Sean Parker Dennison discusses his experiences as a transgender minister working in parish ministry.  

849-8206 

Rethinking Creation  

7 p.m. 

Tucson Common Room  

Church Divinity School of the Pacific 

2450 Le Conte Ave.  

Dr. Sjoerd L. Bonting will speak on “Rethinking Creation: ‘Chaos Events’ and Theology.”  

Call 848-8152 

Wednesday, March 21  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Thursday, March 22  

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet Anna Mae Stanley and host Louis Cuneo.  

644-0155 

Trekking in Bhutan  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Ruth Ann Kocour and Elizabeth Rassiga will share slides of their 25-day journey along the Snow Leopard Trek to the sacred mountain Chomolhari and beyond. Free 

Call 527-4140 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Friday, March 23 

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Saturday, March 24 

Ashkenaz Dance-A-Thon 

2 p.m. - 2 a.m.  

Ashkenaz  

1370 San Pablo Ave.  

Join Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers along with African, Cajun, North African, Balkan, reggae, and Caribbean bands in this twelve hour dance music-fest. This is Ashkenaz big fundraiser for making improvements, including a new dance floor and ventilation system.  

$20 donation  

525-5054 or visit www.ashkenaz.com  

Disaster First Aid 

9 a.m. - Noon  

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar St.  

A free class as part of Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). Sponsored by the Berkeley Fire Dept. and the Office of Emergency Services.  

Call 644-8736 

“LGBT Family Night at the Y” 

6 - 9 p.m. 

Berkeley YMCA  

2001 Allston Way  

The third annual free night for gay and lesbian families at the Y. The event will feature floor hockey, swimming, soccer, basketball and other sports, as well as arts and crafts. Free; donation requested.  

Call 848-9622 

Sunday, March 25 

Reimagining Pacific Cities  

6 - 8:30 p.m. 

New Pacific Studio  

1523 Hearst Ave.  

“How are Pacific cities reshaping their cultural and environmental institutions to better serve the needs and enhance the present and future quality of life of all segments of their societies?” A series of ten seminars linking the Bay Area, Seattle, Portland, and other pacific cities.  

$10 per meeting  

Call 849-0217 

Tuesday, March 27 

“Great Decisions” - European Integration  

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy.  

$5 single session 

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

Wednesday, March 28 

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Conversations in Commedia 

7:30 p.m. 

La Pena Cultural Center 

3105 Shattuck Ave. (at Prince) 

Mime Troupe/Reinhabitory Theatre legends Judy Goldhaft, Jane Lapiner and Peter Berg 

$6 - $8  

Call 849-2568 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Thursday, March 29  

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet Georgia Popoff and host Mark States.  

644-0155 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr.

One can be both citizen and scientist 

Editor: 

Does being a chemist mean that one is a second class citizen? In Berkeley the answer is yes! 

As a U.S. citizen I always believed that my rights as a citizen were not dependent on choosing a politically correct profession or employer. Recently, I was sadly disabused of this notion. Because of my occupation as a nuclear chemist, employed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, I have been judged by the City of Berkeley to be unfit to serve on a city environmental commission. 

Although in my day job I am a research scientist, I devote a large fraction of my spare time to issues in Berkeley, where I have lived for 34 years. During the last five years, I have served on the Parks & Recreation Commission and the Community Environmental Advisory Commission. I have also served as the treasurer for three city parks initiatives (Measures A, S & W) as well as for a councilperson. I am currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. I am also the Chair of the Division of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology of the American Chemical Society. 

For the last year, I was vice-chair and more recently ‘acting’ chair of CEAC when the previous chair stepped down. During my tenure on this commission, I was active in several debates on air and water quality as well as radiation issues. In all of these debates, I have argued that CEAC should base its recommendations on the scientific facts and the merits of the issue before them. 

Inevitably, my advocacy of a science-based decision making policy has brought me in conflict with a local citizens group, the Committee to Minimize Toxic Waste, which feels that it is politically incorrect to base policy on mere scientific fact. In particular, they believe that when facts contradict their political beliefs, the facts should be disregarded. Unable to tolerant any dissent from their orthodoxy, they decided to remove me from the commission, by declaring that both my profession (nuclear chemist) and my employer (LBNL) are politically incorrect. 

Under what I believe to be political pressure, the city attorney issued an opinion stating that I have a conflict of interest under Government Code section 1126, even though it was acknowledged that I have no conflict of interest under the 1974 California Political Reform Act. Since the Political Reform Act was passed by the voters, the Courts have ruled that its provisions prevail if there is conflict with any act of the Legislature, but the city attorney has chosen to disregard this point of law. 

Although I do not enjoy being at the center of this controversy, I can not relinquish my right as a citizen to serve on city commissions. To be declared a second class citizen because of my profession and my employer is unfair and infringes on my basic rights as a citizen.  

Letting this injustice go unchallenged will stand the principle of citizen involvement on it head, chill citizen participation by scientists, and frustrate the policies of the Political Reform Act. To all members of the Berkeley community who believe that scientists are full fledged citizens and should be able to participate in public policy discussions, I request that you write a letter to the Mayor Dean (Dean@ci.Berkeley.ca.us) protesting this discrimination. 

In the words of Patrick Henry “If we do not hang together, we will surely hang separately.” 

Gordon Wozniak 

Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, ‘acting’ chair, CEAC 

Wozniak, a man of integrity 

Editor: 

I’ve known Gordon Wozniak for many years now. First through his work on neighborhood parks, later through his involvement with the Parks Measure S and W and most recently as a member of the Berkeley Rep Board of Trustees. 

Over the years, I’ve found Gordon to be a man of real integrity.The same qualities that makes him a good scientist make him a good member of any public deliberating body. He brings an intellectual rigor to any discussion. He is even-handed. He is willing to change his mind. And he is a generous and open listener. These are, in my estimation, the attributes that should be required of any commissioner. We are lucky to have someone in this community with Gordon’s knowledge and thoughtfulness who is willing to put his expertise to work on behalf of this City by serving as a volunteer commissioner. 

Susie Medak 

Berkeley 

Work at LBNL conflicts with commission role 

Editor: 

If Gordon Wozniak is truly incapable of understanding how his employment with Lawrence Berkeley Lab represents a conflict of interest with his serving on Berkeley's Community Environmental Advisory Board, this in itself represents sufficient reason to doubt that he possesses enough intelligence to adequately serve on this board anyways. Much more difficult to understand is how Polly Armstrong could regard him as an appropriate appointee to this board in the first place. Whose interests, one wonders, does she intend to serve by such appointments? 

Jim Powell 

Berkeley 

Talk about your good timing. 

Heading into Wednesday’s North Coast Section playoff game against San Leandro, the Berkeley Yellowjackets hadn’t had a tough game in weeks. They went a perfect 12-0 in ACCAL play, but observers were wary of a letdown against a tough Pirates squad. 

All Berkeley did was respond with perhaps their best overall game of the year. The ’Jackets, the No. 4 seed in the playoffs, put all fears to rest with a scorching 24-0 run bridging the first and second quarters, giving them a 26-7 lead that was insurmountable, thanks to their trademark scrapping full-court press. The No. 5 Pirates never got closer than 13 points for the rest of the game, and Berkeley won 68-55 to move on to the NCS semi-finals. 

“These guys were really focused to play this game. We had not played a real competitive game in a long time, and we knew we were going to be challenged,” Berkeley head coach Mike Gragnani said. “This was one heck of a defensive effort. San Leandro didn’t know what hit them.”  

The ’Jackets were led on offense by guard Byron St. Jules. The senior scored 11 points in the first quarter on his way to a game-high 23, after scoring 22 in the regular season finale against El Cerrito last Friday. 

“It’s the playoffs, so I’ve got to step up,” said St. Jules, who averages 10 points per game. “I had some low games this year, but when playoffs come, I know what to do.” 

St. Jules strong first half was a blessing for the Yellowjackets, as leading scorers Ryan Davis and Louis Riordan struggled early, combining to shoot just 2-of-12 from the floor in the half. St. Jules got help from fellow senior Ramone Reed, who showed surprising touch from the outside. Reed scored eight points in the first half to go with four rebounds, and the rugged forward ended the game with 12 and nine. 

But the real story was the ferocious Berkeley defense, which harrassed the San Leandro guards all game. St. Jules, Davis and junior guards Muhammed Nitoto and Darryl Perkins provided constant pressure, and the vaunted Pirate backcourt struggled mightily. Shooting guard Shawn Broadnax, who came into the game averaging 20 points per game, scored just four and was in foul trouble all night thanks to Reed’s hounding defense. Point guard Tyrce Gardner tied St. Jules with 23 points, but 20 came in the second half after the outcome was clearly decided. 

The Berkeley crowd was raucous for much of the game, and Nitoto brought the house down at the finish, flying across the court to block the final Pirate shot. Nitoto, who had two blocks and three steals in the game, had an MRI on his knee recently and was questionable for the game. 

“I feel like I let the team down when I don’t play,” he said. “I just threw on a knee brace and let it go. It hurts now, but during the game I didn’t feel it that much.” 

Davis and Riordan both came around in the second half, and ended up with 10 and 11 points, respectively. They combined with fellow seniors Reed and St. Jules to score 56 of Berkeley’s 68 points, indicating that they aren’t quite ready to pull off their ’Jacket jerseys for the last time just yet. 

“We’re seniors, and we’ve got nothing to lose,” St. Jules said. “We just play good ball together.” 

Next up is a greater challenge, No. 1 seed De La Salle on Friday. The consensus top team in the section, the Spartans bring as much depth as Berkeley, and are heavy favorites to move on to the championship game. But don’t tell that to the ’Jackets. 

“I can’t wait for De La Salle. I want (star guard) Joe See. I gotta have him, and Coach already gave me the green light to take him,” St. Jules said. “We’re all ready for all of them.” 

“They’re driving the fastest car on the track,” Gragnani said. “But I’ve been telling these kids since November that we can defend anyone. We’re going to give it our best shot.”

Health officials gave the City Council a progress report Tuesday on the community outreach and education program designed to close the city’s health disparity gap through empowering the communities most effected. 

In June the City Council approved $200,000 to develop the Community Capacity Building Program in south and west Berkeley. Program directors have since been able to increase the fund by $358,000 through matching funds from federal and state grants as well as donations from private sources. 

The Community Capacity Building Program came out of the 1999 City of Berkeley Health Status Report, which exposed major health disparities between Caucasian residents and residents of color. The report showed the rates of serious health problems such as AIDS/HIV, tuberculosis, and low birth weight were more likely to impact blacks than whites. 

Director of Health and Human Services Fred Medrano said the program is a new concept that is designed to use the strengths of the communities most impacted by poor health. 

“The community response is very important to the solution,” Medrano said. “We need to develop a sense of empowerment and awareness of existing health services so they can take action.”  

Councilmember Linda Maio said the goal of the program is to create proactive communities by developing the skills within the community to recognize problems and then taking the appropriate action to solve them. 

“There’s nothing like figuring out there’s a problem, figuring out a solution and then solving it,” she said. “It’s very empowering and how most activists are born.” 

Maio said the blueprint for success will create a proactive infrastructure in the community that will naturally address health issues. 

CCB director Sheryl Walton said west and south Berkeley’s single parents, unskilled and low-income residents will be trained how to asses community needs, develop solutions and plans of action to carry them out.  

Residents who volunteer will be organized into Community Action Teams. They will receive a stipend to attend meetings and will take a 16-hour course instructing them in skills such as data collection and community organization. 

“Then they will go door to door to determine the needs and the strengths of their neighborhoods,” Walton said. “Next they will organize community forums which will include everybody in the community and the various city service providers.” 

At the forums the volunteers will present the information they have gathered and develop solutions for the most serious problems.  

Walton said solutions could range from putting in a traffic light at a certain intersection to providing more youth programs, to reducing the number of liquor stores in a particular neighborhood and replacing them with grocery stores. 

Walton said it will take time for the community to form a sustainable organization and that the city will have to be willing to support the Community Action Teams. “It will take time and trust,” she said. “Politicians will have to trust the community to solve these problems and the community will have to trust the politicians will stand behind them.” 

Regular Community Action Team meetings in south Berkeley are held at 7 p.m. at the Over 60s Clinic at Sacramento Street and Alcatraz Avenue on the first Wednesday of the month. 

They are held in west Berkeley on the first Thursday of the month at the Liberty Hill Missionary Church at Ninth Street and University Avenue at 7 p.m.  

For more information call the Department of Health and Human Services at 665-6809 

It wasn’t supposed to be the same old story, but it was. 

The Berkeley Lady ’Jackets took their first step towards yet another North Coast Section Division 1 title Tuesday night, beating the Mission San Jose Warriors 88-36. The win continued a streak of lopsided victories for Gene Nakamura’s top-seeded team, and he wasn’t happy about it.  

“I thought (Mission San Jose) were going to be more competitive than they were,” Nakamura said. “Hopefully we’ll get more of a challenge on Friday.” 

Friday’s game will be against No. 5 seed Pittsburg (22-5), which beat No. 4 Castro Valley 76-63 on Tuesday. The game will be at Berkeley High at a time to be announced. 

The ’Jackets (23-5) jumped out to a quick 14-2 lead against the Warriors and never looked back. They led by 16 after the first quarter, and held the Warriors (16-15) to just two field goals in the second to claim a 53-17 lead. Nakamura called the dogs off in the second half, pulling his team back into a half-court defense while Mission San Jose slowed the tempo of the game. 

Berkeley senior forward Robin Roberson led had game-high 21 points, and also led the ’Jackets with eight rebounds and five steals. She said after the game that she is setting high goals for the team in her final year. 

“It’s become a tradition for us to win NorCal, so it’s one of our main goals to get past that,” she said. “It’ll get tougher as we narrow down the teams.” 

Nakamura expressed concern that his team could go into the next playoff phase, the Northern California Sectionals, lacking big-game experience. 

“We won’t go very far if the competition doesn’t get any better,” he said. “When you go to NorCals, basically everyone is a section champ or runner-up, and we’ve got to be ready to face them. I’ve been trying to stress to the girls that we can’t play stupid basketball, but we did tonight.” 

Nakamura was disappointed with his players handling of the ball, as they committed numerous unforced turnovers. But the lopsided score allowed the coach to use all of his players, including three junior varsity players who were called up for the playoffs. All three were in the game together for the end of the third quarter, and they outscored the Warriors 4-0. 

“They’re just so quick. They’re excellent at all phases of the game. We just aren’t at their level in size, quickness, anticipation on defense,” Warrior coach Jack Boterenbrood said. 

Just three Berkeley players failed to score on Tuesday, including two of the JV players and Berkeley’s lone freshman, Joy White. Junior guard Rebekah Payne took advantage of a rare start to score 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting, and center Sabrina Keys pitched in with 10 points and seven rebounds. In all, nine Lady ’Jackets scored at least five points in the win. 

MIssion San Jose got 10 points each from forward Kelly Gallacher and guard Sabrina Mejia.

The City Council adopted a resolution to change the terms expressing the relationship between Berkeley residents and their pets in hopes of using language as a tool to reduce animal abuse. 

The council unanimously adopted the recommendation from the Citizens Humane Commission to change “owner,” to “owner/guardian.” Councilmember Polly Armstrong was not present. The change in terminology will only affect the language of the Berkeley Municipal Code and not change laws regarding pet ownership. 

“I want to thank Berkeley for being on the cutting edge,” said veterinarian Elliot Katz who formed the nonprofit In Defense of Animals, which has launched a nationwide effort to change the language of pet ownership. 

“So much of the insensitivity and callous treatment has occurred from people seeing pets as a thing.” Katz said. “The change of the paradigm is in the terminology of pet ownership.” Only two other cities have changed pet ownership terminology, West Hollywood and Boulder, Colo. 

IDA member Rita Anderson said the state of Rhode Island is considering making the change statewide. 

Anyone who wants to understand the heroic efforts it takes to keep the 3,200-student Berkeley High School running need only visit the school’s temporary administrative office – a collection of trailers plopped down in the middle of the campus, presumably by the swinging arm of a construction crane. 

Despite its modest appearance, the atmosphere inside the office is reminiscent of a major airport terminal on Thanksgiving weekend. Teachers, security guards and administrators hustle to and fro, sidestepping one another in the narrow corridor leading from one trailer to the next.  

By next fall new computer software custom designed for the school may spare these frenzied public servants at least one recurring logistical nightmare: The biannual ordeal of getting students scheduled for the classes they need and want. 

It is a more complex process that it seems at first blush, said Berkeley High Principal Frank Lynch. To begin with, the high school has an eight-period day, as opposed to the more typical six-period high school day. Students are supposed to sign up for six classes, but they often sign up for more, Lynch said.  

All the data is then entered by hand into a computer that calculates which teachers will teach which classes at what times, based on the demand reflected in the student requests.  

“This actually drives the schedule for Berkeley High School,” said Paul Monroe, manager of information technology for the Berkeley Unified School District. Monroe said the process is the reverse of most academic scheduling processes, where administrators and teachers decide which classes will be offered and then students compete for limited spaces in those classes. 

At Berkeley High, a number of elective classes are proposed, but it’s the scheduling process that determines which will actually be taught and to how many students.  

“(Berkeley High) students just have so many choices of what they want to do now,” Monroe said. “We’re really interested in meeting demand and knowing what the demand is,” Monroe said, adding it is part of the district’s philosophy that students be allowed freedom of choice.  

But the process does not run smoothly in the best of times, with students waiting in long lines at the beginning of each semester to get errors in their schedules corrected. Berkeley High student Megan Greenwell said her math and English classes – core classes that she has to take – were some how dropped from her schedule between first and second semester this year.  

While she waited to get her schedule changed, Greenwell said she “missed the first three days of classes sitting in the counselor's office.” 

Other students have similar horror stories.Berkeley High senior Dorian Peters said part of the problem comes when students cannot get electives they want and are randomly assigned to other electives instead. 

“If you don’t get into a class you thought they were going to offer, that’s when they spin the wheel,” Peters said, referring to a recent cartoon in the school’s newspaper, the Jacket, that shows school administrators spinning a wheel-of-fortune-like object to determine student schedules. 

“Instead of physics they gave me underwater basket-weaving,” exclaims one student depicted in the cartoon. 

With the new software, there will be far fewer errors, said BUSD public information officer Karen Sarlo. All students will have password access to a personalized Web page where they can learn exactly what classes they need to graduate, or what classes they need to apply for entrance into the University of California system, Sarlo said. They can then enter their class preferences for the upcoming semester right there on the Internet, Sarlo added, freeing school employees from the huge task of entering that data themselves from papers filled out by students, and reducing the risk that data will be entered incorrectly. 

Because the Web pages will answer many of the students’ questions, students will be less likely to request classes they’re not eligible for, Sarlo said.  

Another benefit to the plan, said Sarlo, is that the school’s seven counselors won’t have to spend so many hours fielding basic scheduling questions and can instead “actually do what they are trained to do,” like helping students develop better study habits or work through emotional problems. 

Berkeley High has computer labs and computers in every classroom where students can access their personalized Web pages, Sarlo said.  

School administrators hope to have the plan online this Spring so students can enter their scheduling preferences for next fall. If the system works as designed “it will cut anxiety and labor on the part of students, frustration on the part of parents and labor by the staff,” Lynch said. 

LOS ANGELES — Federal agents arrested seven people who used a charity scam to solicit money from travelers arriving in Los Angeles to support a terrorist Iranian opposition group believed to have used the funds to buy arms, the FBI said Wednesday. 

The seven people, who also solicited from the city’s large Iranian community, are a cell of the Mujahedeen Khalq Organization of Iran, or the People’s Holy Warriors, known as the MEK, said James DeSarno, assistant director of the Los Angeles FBI office. 

A woman identified as the cell leader and six men were taken into custody Tuesday. Each was charged with one count of supporting a terrorist organization, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.  

They were expected in court Wednesday afternoon. 

The cell did not have an armed wing, the FBI said. 

“The subjects in this case targeted travelers, primarily of Asian descent, as they arrived at Los Angeles International Airport. They dressed in business attire and used binders containing photographs of starving children and other documents,” he said. 

The FBI official said that during one 12-month period the group deposited $1 million in a Turkish bank. 

“It is believed that the money was used to buy arms, such as mortars and rocket propelled grenades,” DeSarno said. 

“Although the members of this cell are not known to have been involved in any of those specific actions, they are part of the same organization which is on the State Department’s list of terrorist groups,” he said. 

The Iraq-based Mujahedeen Khalq wants to overthrow Iran’s Islamic government. The group recently said its forces were involved in heavy fighting with Iran’s army this month. Britain, meanwhile, said Wednesday it will ban the group under a new anti-terrorism law. 

“The MEK is a known terrorist group and is believed to have participated in the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Iran and to have killed several U.S. military personnel and civilians,” DeSarno said. 

The FBI said the cell’s leader was Tahmineh Tahamtan, 39. The others were identified as Mustafa Ahmady, 46; Hossein Afshari, 43; Ali Reza Moradi, 30; Hassan Rezai, 46; Mohammad Omidvar, 44, and Najaf Eshkoftegi, 50. 

The FBI said Eshkoftegi is a naturalized citizen and the others are Iranian nationals. 

Omidvar’s wife, however, said that he is a citizen, too. 

“My husband is in this country 23 years,” Sabrina Omidvar, 32, said as she waited for his court appearance. “The only thing he had in his whole life was a parking ticket and that was dismissed. He’s a good citizen. These are all false.” 

Mrs. Omidvar said her husband, who manages a jewelry store, was arrested at gunpoint outside their Anaheim home as she and their 2-year-old daughter watched. 

She said she and her husband do not contribute to any causes but are political and dislike the government of Iran. Omidvar “cares about human rights,” she said. 

She said the Iranian regime imprisoned her for two years for being an opponent, jailed her father for seven years and executed three of her cousins. 

“The criminals are in Iran,” she said. 

The arrests capped a three-year investigation prompted by a report from German authorities and a separate report by Los Angeles television station KCBS. 

The FBI said German federal police reported in mid-1997 that they were investigating money laundering that included large sums being sent from Los Angeles. KCBS-TV reported on solicitations targeting Asians at Los Angeles International, the world’s fourth busiest airport in number of passengers. 

DeSarno said the cell raised $5,000 to $10,000 a day. FBI Special Agent Matthew McLaughlin said the cell had been soliciting since the early 1990s. 

“No evidence in the case supports the fact that any of these persons solicited either at the airport or in the Iranian community had knowledge of the fact that this money was being used to support terrorist activity,” DeSarno said. 

The cell raised the funds on behalf of a charity fund known as the Committee for Human Rights, which is known as CHR in Iran, he said. 

“The CHR purported to use the money for humanitarian aid,” he said. “This investigation has revealed that money was really used to support terrorist actions.” 

In addition to the $1 million transferred to bank accounts in Turkey, DeSarno said the FBI tracked $400,000 that was transferred to a used auto parts store in the United Arab Emirates in April 1989. 

“This transfer was not related to any humanitarian aid,” he said. 

Passengers traveling through Los Angeles International often face solicitors. 

John Martin, 29, of Oklahoma City handed over some spare change to one as he passed through the airport Wednesday. 

“I just saw the sign that said for abused children and that’s why I gave,” he said, adding that he was surprised to hear of the scheme alleged by the FBI. 

“I’m definitely going to think twice the next time around,” he said.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee today voiced her support for legislation to repeal a provision in the 1998 Higher Education Act (HEA) that prohibits students convicted of any state or federal drug related offense from receiving federal financial aid for college. 

According to Department of Education Statistics, 8,162 students were denied federal financial aid during the 2000-2001 school year because of the HEA provision on drug convictions. 

“This unfair law is overwhelmingly targeted at preventing low- and middle-income students from attending college because they are denied access to Pell Grants, student loans, and other much-needed forms of assistance,” Lee said. “Wealthy students can afford to pay for college on their own, without the help of federal financial aid. It is the low-income families that depend on these federal funds for higher education.” 

According to the Department of Justice, in 1997, the most recent year for which data is available, over 66,000 juveniles age 17 and younger were adjudicated on drug-related cases. Drug related cases are the only convictions that prevent students from receiving financial aid. No such automatic ban on federal financial aid exists for any other crime, including murder, rape, or other violent crimes.  

“Education is the most critical weapon we have in the fight against poverty and crime,” Lee said. “We cannot allow youthful indiscretions to hold back individuals who want to better themselves by attending college. Under the HEA, low- and middle-income children who cannot afford to pay for college, are further disenfranchised by a limitation of options for education, and are therefore less likely to make a positive contribution to their community.” 

The legislation was introduced by Representative Barney Frank, D-Mass., in the 106th Congress and has garnered support from more than 70 university student government associations, including the University of California Berkeley, and national education, student, drug policy reform, religious, women’s and civil rights groups.

Free speech… People’s rights…. Anarchy rules….  

Few people expressed these principles more demonstratively than the iconic Rosebud Abigail Denovo, the tormented homeless 19-year- old People’s Park resident who was fatally shot by an Oakland police officer on Aug. 25, 1992, after she illegally entered the UC Berkeley Chancellor’s residence, machete in hand. 

“What Really Killed Rosebud?,” a new book by Claire Burch, documentary filmmaker and East Bay homeless rights activist, investigates Rosebud’s short life and untimely death and gives a multifaceted view into her character.  

Was Rosebud Abigail Denovo – who’d changed her name from Laura Miller so her initials would spell the word “RAD” – fighting injustice and greed?  

Or was she a mentally ill and dangerous troublemaker who posed a threat to herself and others? 

Several chapters contain interviews with Rosebud’s friends and lovers, who speak evocatively of their appreciation for this 5-foot-1, 105 pound, blue eyed, brown haired, fierce, energetic and often angry activist.  

She’s remembered as articulate, opinionated and intelligent.  

Her friends’ grief is brought home to the reader by cold-blooded reportage from autopsy reports. 

What Really Killed Rosebud? Were the police impatient and disrespectful? Did they kill a young woman in order to protect the chancellor’s home furnishings? Did they send in a jittery officer – freshly back on the force after being shot five times by a burglar on his last case – on purpose to wipe Rosebud out?  

Or was Rosebud on a suicide mission, despondent over facing a court date for sentencing on a previous offense, seeking martyrdom by adding yet another act of near-futile resistance to a history of near-futile revolts against authority.  

One thing is certain: Rosebud’s short life was rough. Institutionalized in a psychiatric ward in childhood, she’d moved into an adulthood in which she couldn’t be certain of sleeping through the night.  

Homeless shelters were dicey, there were rumors she’d been raped, and when she slept outdoors she was often wakened in the early hours by a police officer’s flashlight shining in her face and curt orders: “Get moving, Denovo!”  

The officer who shot Denovo claimed he acted in self-defense. 

Rosebud’s friends felt regret that they hadn’t rushed to her defense. 

As with any legend, there are unanswered questions. 

The truth about Rosebud’s last moments will probably never be known. 

But Rosebud’s fight to provide a haven for the homeless in People’s Park, and to homeless rights, is broadly acknowledged. People’s Park – bordered by Telegraph Avenue, Bowditch Street, Dwight Way and Haste Street – has long been at the center of the struggle between people’s and institutional rights. 

A chronology at the close of Burch’s book describes the controversy over People’s Park, which started in 1957 when residents were evicted and houses demolished in order to make room for a UC Berkeley dormitory – which was never built. Eventually, the lot became an eyesore.  

But in 1969 – when locals planted flowers and put in a playground – UC Berkeley put up a fence and “No Trespassing” signs and then the real trouble began. People’s Park was at the center of riots against the Vietnam War.  

A “state of emergency” was called, and shotguns were fired. Over a hundred demonstrators were wounded, including Allen Blanchard who was permanently blinded, and James Rector who was killed.  

Does Rosebud’s spirit keep watch over the tamped down grass and the damp, worn, pawed-over donations in the “free box?” What will happen to small bedraggled People’s Park? And what will happen to the legacy that Rosebud and other protesters left behind?

The flock of the One True Church of the Great Green Frog adorned sacred vestments of capes, masks and wizard’s caps, for their annual parade through Berkeley streets to celebrate Fat Tuesday. 

The leader of the church’s local chapter, who gave his name as Rev. Jim, was dressed as a large green frog as he ceremoniously led the parade. “We hopped out here in solidarity with the Rev. Dan of New Orleans and the people of Brazil and now, I guess, Seattle,” he said referring to other cities where the church celebrates Mardi Gras Day or Fat Tuesday. “This is a traditional New Orleans style march.” 

About 75 celebrants gathered at sunrise at Claremont Open Space above UC Berkeley’s Clark Kerr Campus. Soon after they made their way to a co-op, whose location they did not disclose, where they had breakfast. And then, throwing strings of beads and yelling “Happy Mardi Gras” and “Hoppa-la-yah!” along Telegraph Avenue and Haste Street, the parade wound its way to People’s Park. 

To the best recollection of parade organizers, this is the fifth year Fat Tuesday has been celebrated in Berkeley by the One True Church of the Great Green Frog.  

The parade stopped at People’s Park for lunch, which was served by costumed workers for Food Not Bombs. One server who would only identify himself as John Hoppa-Lu-Yah, said FNB serves food in the park every weekday afternoon. 

After lunch the parade headed for the Berkeley Farmers Market on Derby Street at Martin Luther King Jr. Way where they listened to music provided by the Wild Buds: West Coast Mardi Gras Band and The Sons and Daughters of Orphius. 

The entire parade route runs above the entombed Derby Creek. Along with smashing television sets and drinking not driving, celebrants advocated daylighting the creek, especially the section underneath People’s Park. 

Costumed musicians played guitars and drums in the park while some revelers danced and others ate lunches of fruit and cauliflower salad and all enjoyed the first warm weather after a unusually cold winter.  

One reveler Elisa Smith dressed as a space monkey, said she has be a participating in the parade for five years. “Happy Mardi Gras and hoppa-la-yah!” she said. “I wouldn’t miss this parade it’s always fun. Although it’s a little hot for this costume.” 

The weather, in the high 60s, was welcomed by the group, many who said the parade usually takes place in the rain. The Rev. Jim said the rain was so bad the last two years he had to wear his salamander costume.  

Mardi Gras, French for fat Tuesday, is an annual festival that marks the last day before Ash Wednesday, or the beginning of Lent, a Christian tradition that calls for 40 days of self denial and abstinence from merrymaking. Fat Tuesday is considered by many to be the last chance to “get it all out.” 

Rev. Jim said the Great Green Frog Church was formed (although he’s not quite sure when) as a anecdote to organized groups from bible colleges that would preach to the New Orleans Mardi Gras revelers about their evil ways and demand repentance.  

“The One True Church of the Great Green Frog is to counter their preaching,” he said. “We conducted a survey in Jackson Square on Mardi Gras Day and eight out of 10 revelers chose the frog over Jesus.” 

Rev. Jim handed out green flyers that reminded readers that “the Christians will tell you Jesus walked on water, once, yet frogs do it every day.” 

Five UC Berkeley police monitored the festivities from a respectful distance. Bicycle patrol officer Sean Aranas said there had been no incidents and the group seemed to be enjoying the day “and especially such a beautiful day,” he said. 

Wednesday, Feb. 28

Stagebridge Free Acting  

& Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Call 444-4755 or  

visit www.stagebridge.org 

Conversations in Commedia 

7:30 p.m. 

La Peña Cultural Center 

3105 Shattuck Ave. (at Prince) 

Mime Troupe founder Ron Davis and icon clown Wavy Gravy give dialogues on satire.  

$6 - $8 Call 849-2568 

Women in Interfaith  

Relationships  

9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish  

Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Led by Dawn Kepler, this workshop will explore interfaith relationships on many levels, in relation to culture, religion, and gender. $10 848-0237 x127 

Planning Commission Public Hearing  

7 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave.  

The commission is holding public hearings on the Planning Commission Draft General Plan. The commission requests that all written comments on the plan be submitted by March 1. 

Guide Dogs for the Blind 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave.  

T. Duncan, a low vision speaker, will talk about guide dogs. 644-6107 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Parent Advocacy in the BUSD 

7 - 8:30 p.m. 

Martin Luther King Middle School Library 

1781 Rose St.  

Representative from various parent advocacy groups will discuss organizing strategies. Free 558-8933 

Disaster Council  

7 p.m. 

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar St.  

Presentation on sheltering issues in Turkey by Doug Sandy, American Red Cross. Also, proposed budget for office for emergency services.  

Commission on Disability  

6:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Discussion of the Commission on Aging’s recommendation to the City Council regarding small cab companies’ participation in Berkeley Paratransit Program, with certain conditions or comments.  

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Thursday, March 1

Berkeley Metaphysical  

Toastmasters Club  

6:15 - 7:30 p.m.  

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysics come together. Ongoing first and third Thursdays each month. Call 869-2547 

Cancer Support Group 

Noon - 2 p.m. 

Summit Medical Center 

Markstein Cancer Education & Prevention Center 

450 30th St., Second Floor  

Oakland  

Free support group for families, friends, and patients diagnosed with cancer.  

869-8833 to register  

Cycling Journey  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Leo Tenenblat and Jean Philippe Boubli set off on their mountain bikes from Lhasa, Tibet to Kathmandu, Nepal. They will share slides and stories of their 52-day adventure. Free 

Call 527-4140 

Micro Marketplace  

9:30 - 11:15 a.m. 

1150 Virginia St. (at San Pablo)  

Presented by the City of Franklin MicroSociety Magnet School, the marketplace will feature student entrepreneurs and their products: Recycled art, masks, jewelry, games, T-shirts, tile magnets, pottery, plant holders and more.  

— Compiled by  

Chason Wainwright 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Friday, March 2

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Class Dismissed Poetry Posse 

7:30 p.m. 

Little Theater 

Berkeley High School  

2246 Milvia St.  

Afro-Haitian dancers, Dance Production dancers, the BHS poetry slammers, an opening a capella number and a few surprises. A benefit for a Berkeley High school student trip to Cuba.  

$5 - $10  

Colombia In Context  

9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

Bancroft Hotel  

2680 Bancroft Way  

A conference bringing together leading experts from both Latin America and the U.S. to discuss both the roots of the current Colombian crisis, and the future effects of U.S. strategy on the region. There will be a break between Noon and 2 p.m. 

Visit www.clas.berkeley.edu/clas 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Lockdown America 

7 - 9:30 p.m. 

2040 Valley Life Sciences Bldg.  

UC Berkeley  

Christian Parenti, author of “Lockdown America, on Police and Prisons in the Age of Crisis” will speak. Free 

552-8236 

Cosi Fan Tutte Pt. II 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

The second part of this opera will be presented.  

Call 644-6107 

Saturday, March 3

Rockridge Writers 

3:30 - 5:30 p.m. 

Spasso Coffeehouse  

6021 College Ave.  

Poets and writers meet to critique each other’s work. “Members’ work tends to be dark, humorous, surreal, or strange.”  

e-mail: berkeleysappho@yahoo.com 

Free Sailboat Rides  

1 - 4 p.m. 

Cal Sailing Club 

Berkeley Marina 

The Cal Sailing Club, a non-profit sailing and windsurfing cooperative, give free rides on a first come, first served bases on the first full weekend of each month. Wear warm clothes and bring a change of clothes in case you get wet. Children must be at least five years old and must be accompanies by an adult.  

Visit www.cal-sailing.org  

Wild About Books? 

10:30 a.m. 

Central Berkeley Library  

2121 Allston Way  

Mary Miche, leader of Song Trek Music, will lead a sing-along that will send everyone home humming.  

Call 649-3913 

Residential Solar Electricity  

1 - 3 p.m. 

Ecology Center  

2530 San Pablo Ave.  

Hal Aronson, director of the Solar Energy Education Program for Berkeley EcoHouse, will cover how solar electric cells work, different types of systems, and costs of a solar system. Participants will also produce electricity using photovoltaic panels and power a range of appliances.  

$10 - $15  

548-2220 x233  

Feathered Dinosaurs  

11 a.m.  

Lawrence Hall of Science 

UC Berkeley’s Dr. Kevin Padian talks about the discovery of feathered dinosaur fossils in northern China. Included with museum admission.  

$3 - $7  

642-5132 

“Socialism & the Struggle for Global Justice”  

10:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

200 Wheeler Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Discussions will include “Why Socialism?”; crisis in Palestine; race, class and the fall out from the 2000 elections; and fighting misogyny and sexism.  

$5 donation  

552-8236  

Emergency!: Personal Preparedness 

9 a.m. - 11 a.m.  

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar St.  

A class sponsored by the Berkeley Fire Dept. and the Office of Emergency Services. Free. 

644-8736 

Sunday, March 4

Free Sailboat Rides  

1 - 4 p.m. 

Cal Sailing Club 

Berkeley Marina 

The Cal Sailing Club, a non-profit sailing and windsurfing cooperative, give free rides on a first come, first served bases on the first full weekend of each month. Wear warm clothes and bring a change of clothes in case you get wet. Children must be at least five years old and must be accompanies by an adult.  

Visit www.cal-sailing.org  

Salsa Lesson and Dance Party  

6 - 9 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Professional instructors Mati Mizrachi and Ron Louie will lead you through the steps. Irsraeli food will be provided by Holy Land Restaurant.  

$10 

RSVP 237-9874 

Spiritual and Social Transformation  

2 - 5 p.m. 

7th Heaven Yoga & Body Awareness Studio  

2820 Seventh St.  

Acarya Dada Shambhushivananda Avadhuta & Norie Huddle. 

$5 - $15 sliding scale  

231-0382  

Monday, March 5

Your Legal Rights with HMOs 

6 - 7:30 p.m. 

YWCA Oakland  

1515 Webster St., Second Floor  

Oakland  

Presented by the Women’s Cancer Resource Center, UCSF Cancer Resource Center and the San Francisco Bar Volunteer Legal Services, this free workshop covers what your legal rights are and how to guard them.  

Call 415-885-3693 

Beginning Bicyclist Workshop  

7 - 9 p.m. 

YMCA  

2001 Allston Way  

Community Room 1, Main Floor  

Jason Meggs and Zed Lopez will teach you how to keep yourself and your bike safe and even how to use your bike for shopping. Free  

Call Jason Meggs, 549-RIDE 

“Stop Medical Apartheid” 

Noon  

Parker & Seventh St.  

Local non-violent civil disobedience in reaction to Bayer Corp. involvement in a lawsuit against the government of South Africa. Bayer and 39 other large drug companies are suing the governement to prevent them from producing generic AIDS drugs or importing them at the lowest market price. Speakers or arrestees includes Councilors Maudelle Shirek and Kriss Worthington, Father Bill O’Donnell and Rev. Mark Wilson and South African Bongane Byatai.  

Call 568-1680 

Self-Care and Wellness Health Fair 

Pre-Registration Deadline 

9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center 

Ashby Campus, Auditorium  

2450 Ashby Ave.  

Registration deadline for the March 10 event. A day of workshops offering ways to maintain and improve health of the body, mind and spirit.  

$10 admission, $5 per workshop  

Beginning Spanish  

10 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

With Edie Wright.  

Call 644-6107 

Tuesday, March 6

“Great Decisions” - U.S. & Iraq 

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy.  

$5 single session 

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Intelligent Conversation  

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

Jewish Community Center  

1414 Walnut Ave. (at Rose)  

With no religious affiliation, this twice-monthly group, led informally by former UC Berkeley extension lecturer Robert Berent, seeks to bring people together to have interesting discussions on contemporary topics. This evenings discussion topic is health, nutrition and science; bioengineering.  

Call 527-5332  

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

International Women’s Day 

11:10 a.m. 

Pacific School of Religion Chapel 

1798 Scenic Ave.  

Join students, staff, and faculty in the celebration of International Women’s Day. The theme is “A Call to Place: Quilting Resistance,” highlighting women’s religious experiences and women of the world.  

649-2490 

Aquinas, Creation and Cosmic Evolution 

7:30 p.m. 

2400 Ridge Road 

Flora Lamson Hewlett Library  

Dinner Board Room  

Benedict Ashley, author, advisor to the Theological Commission of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, and faculty member of the Aquinas Institute, gives the eleventh annual Aquinas lecture. Free 

883-2085 

National Nutrition Month Cooking Demonstration 

11:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Five a Day with Natalie.  

Call 644-6107 

Wednesday, March 7

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Women in Interfaith Relationships  

9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Led by Dawn Kepler, this workshop will explore interfaith relationships on many levels, in relation to culture, religion, and gender. People of all backgrounds and orientations are invited to attend.  

$10 

848-0237 x127 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Thursday, March 8

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet Judy Wells and host Dale Jensen.  

644-0155 

Trekking Northern India  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Professional wilderness guide Randy Pomeroy will take you on a journey from Ladakh to Rajasthan. Free 

Call 527-4140 

“Fifty Years in the Making” 

Boalt Hall School of Law  

UC Berkeley 

A gathering of some of the most prominent diplomats, scholars, and legal practitioners in the field of World War II reparation and restitution claims. Free and open to the public.  

Backyard Birding & Beyond  

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Bird watching with Stan Scher.  

Call 644-6107 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Take the Terror Out of Talking 

12:10 - 1:10 p.m. 

California Dept. of Health Services  

2151 Berkeley Way  

Room 804  

Session four of six in a series of classes presented by the State Health Toastmasters, this one is called “Creating An Introduction.”  

649-7750 

Friday, March 9  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Berkeley PC Users Group 

7 p.m. 

Vista College 

2020 Milvia St., Room 303 

E-Mail: meldancing@aol.com 

Europe on a Shoestring  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Scott Mcneely, co-author of the Lonely Planet book will share slides and information on some of his favorite adventures off the beaten path. Come learn about smart budget travel.  

Call 527-4140 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Yiddish Conversation  

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

With Allen Stross.  

Call 644-6107 

Energy Teach-In & Action Forum  

6:45 p.m. 

Berkeley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall  

1924 Cedar (at Bonita)  

Graham Brownstein of TURN, Charles Kalish of Citizens Power Campaign and Todd Creiten of Campaign Against Utilities Rate Hike give an update on the vital struggle for public power. Find out what you can do about your utility bill.  

233-3175 

“Torture in 2001 - The Violations Continue” 

Stephens Hall, Geballe Room  

Townsend Center for the Humanities  

UC Berkeley  

Despite nearly universal prohibition against the use of torture in laws of most nations, the incidence of torture is epidemic. Dr. Kathi Antolak, an expert on the treatment of torture victims will speak.  

Saturday, March 10  

The Secrets of Sacred Cinema 

10 a.m. - 6 p.m. 

Pacific School of Religion  

1798 Scenic Ave., Mudd 103 

Kevin Peer, a documentary film maker for the past 25 years, gives a two-day intensive for people interested in exploring documentary filmmaking. No equipment or prior experience required.  

$200 per person and registration is required 

Call 486-1480 

Narratives of Public Sector Reform: A Colloquium  

10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

223 Moses Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Mark Bevir of the department of Political Science of UC Berkeley, will present his paper on “Decentered Theory of Governance” and Rod Rhodes of the University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne will present his paper, “Entering British Governance.” There will also be a session to discuss the broader issues their works raise.  

Greece Adventure 

1 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Linda Pearson of REI Adventures will introduce you to Greece in slides and discussion.  

Call 527-4140 

Healing Garden  

10 a.m. - Noon  

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave.  

Kathi Kinney will teach how to integrate medicinal herbs into existing gardens and landscapes and how to design and maintain a practical, aromatic, easy-care herb garden.  

$10 - $15  

548-2220 x233 

West Coast Live  

10 a.m. - Noon  

Freight & Salvage  

1111 Addison St.  

Sedge’s guests this week will be Patrick McCabe, author of The Butcher Boy and Emerald Germs of Ireland, a capella singers M-Pact, Naturalist Claire Peaslee and pianist Mike Greensill.  

664-9500 

Self-Care and Wellness Health Fair 

9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center 

Ashby Campus, Auditorium  

2450 Ashby Ave.  

A day of workshops offering ways to maintain and improve health of the body, mind and spirit. Learn the process one might go through when deciding to stay with self-help, when to seek out assistance, and how to integrate care.  

$10 admission, $5 per workshop  

Fire Suppression Class  

9 a.m. - Noon  

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar St.  

A free class as part of Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). Sponsored by the Berkeley Fire Dept. and the Office of Emergency Services.  

Call 644-8736 

Sunday, March 11 

Reimagining Pacific Cities  

6 - 8:30 p.m. 

New Pacific Studio  

1523 Hearst Ave.  

“How are Pacific cities reshaping their cultural and environmental institutions to better serve the needs and enhance the present and future quality of life of all segments of their societies?” A series of ten seminars linking the Bay Area, Seattle, Portland, and other pacific cities.  

Call 849-0217 

Myths & Realities of the International House  

3 - 5 p.m. 

Berkeley Historical Society  

1931 Center St.  

Director Joe Lurie will show a video and talk about the history and the struggle to open the International House.  

$10 donation  

Call 848-0181 

Walk on the Moon  

2 & 7 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

A mother and daughter explore their identities as they summer in the Catskills in 1969 amidst the news of Woodstock and the first lunar landing. Peer led discussion to follow film.  

$2 suggested donation  

Energy Attack  

4 - 6 p.m.  

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave.  

PUC Commissioner Carl Wood, labor journalist David Bacon and Environmentalist architect Mark Gorrell will discuss the energy crisis and how to get involved in solutions.  

549-0816 

Community Health & Wellness Fair 

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2345 Channing Way  

Review health from a holistic perspective, personally and communally. Stop by for practical health screenings and explore wellness practices such as Taoist Tai Chi, Hatha Yoga and Rosen Bodywork in introductory workshops. Free except for cholesterol screening.  

649-1383 

Monday, March 12  

Weight Loss & Gain  

10:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

New theories about weight loss and gain with Dr. McGillis.  

Call 644-6107 

Tuesday, March 13  

Berkeley Rep. Proscenium Opening 

8 p.m. 

Berkeley Repertory Theater 

2015 Addison St.  

Featuring the premiere performance of “The Oresteia” by Aeschylus. Opening gala dinner held prior to performance. Performance will be at 8 p.m. 

Call 647-2949 

“Great Decisions” - International Health Crisis 

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy.  

$5 single session 

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

Reclaim the Seeds! 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave.  

Bring seeds, questions, stories, and ambitions to swap. The center will be coordinating the growout of local quality seed and announcing their season-long workshops, discussions, processing parties, and advisory-consultation team. Free 

Call 923-0733 

Time & Thing Management  

1:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

With Mary Ann.  

Call 644-6107 

Wednesday, March 14 

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

St. Patrick’s Day Musical Celebration  

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Guitar duo with Devon and Mark.  

Call 644-6107 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Thursday, March 15  

Simplicity Forum 

7 - 8:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Library 

Claremont Branch  

2940 Benveue Ave.  

Facilitated by Cecile Andrews, author of “Circles of Simplicty,” learn about this movement whose philosophy is “the examined life richly lived.” Work less, consume less, rush less, and build community with friends and family.  

Call 549-3509 or visit www.seedsofsimplicity.org  

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet Elanor Watson-Gove and host Mark States.  

644-0155 

Berkeley Metaphysical Toastmasters Club  

6:15 - 7:30 p.m.  

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysics come together. Ongoing first and third Thursdays each month.  

Call 869-2547 

Cancer Support Group 

Noon - 2 p.m. 

Summit Medical Center 

Markstein Cancer Education & Prevention Center 

450 30th St., Second Floor  

Oakland  

Free support group for families, friends, and patients diagnosed with cancer.  

869-8833 to register  

Myanmar: The Golden Kingdom  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Philip Hassrick of Lost Frontiers will introduce you to Myanmar’s unique history and culture.  

Call 527-4140 

“Respecting Creation”  

7:30 p.m. 

King Middle School  

1781 Rose St.  

Winona LaDuke, Native American Indian activist, environmentalist, author, and Green Party Vice Presidential candidate will speak about the environmental situation under the Bush administration, including California’s power dilemma. A benefit for KPFA and Speak Out.  

$10 - $12  

Call 848-6767 x609 or visit www.kpfa.org 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Celtic Theology  

6:30 p.m. 

Dinner Board Room  

Flora Lamson Hewlett Library  

2400 Ridge Rd.  

Thomas O’ Loughlin, lecturer a the University of Wales, will present a lecture entitled “A Celtic Theology: The Dream, the Myth, and Some Questions for Academics.”  

649-2490 

Friday, March 16  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Gay & Lesbian Panel Discussion 

1:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Everyone is welcome.  

Call 644-6107 

Saturday, March 17  

Rockridge Writers 

3:30 - 5:30 p.m. 

Spasso Coffeehouse  

6021 College Ave.  

Poets and writers meet to critique each other’s work. “Members’ work tends to be dark, humorous, surreal, or strange.”  

e-mail: berkeleysappho@yahoo.com 

Light Search & Rescue  

9 a.m. - Noon  

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar St.  

A free class as part of Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). Sponsored by the Berkeley Fire Dept. and the Office of Emergency Services.  

Call 644-8736 

Burma Human Rights Day  

2 p.m.  

Berkeley Fellowship Hall  

1924 Cedar (at Bonita)  

KPFA Journalist Dennis Bernstein and members of the Burmese Resistance Movement will speak. Sponsored by the Burmese American Democratic Alliance and the Berkeley Fellowship Unitarian Universalists Social Action Committee.  

528-5403  

Sunday, March 18 

East Bay Men’s Chorus Rehearsal  

6:30 p.m. 

UC Berkeley 

Calling for gay and bisexual men and their allies and friends to join this choral ensemble directed by J.R. Foust. There is no obligation to join the chorus after the first rehearsal.  

Call to RSVP 664-0260 or e-mail eastbaymenschorus@yahoo.com 

“Parenting in the Second Half of Life” 

10:30 a.m.  

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Author Roberta Maisel will discuss ways parents and their grown children can get on a positive and guilt-free path.  

848-0237  

“Hope Against Darkness”  

7:30 p.m. 

Newman Hall  

2700 Dwight Way (at College) 

Richard Rohr will respond to the questions: What is the darkness? What is hope?  

848-7812  

Tuesday, March 20 

“Great Decisions” - Mexico Reexamined  

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy.  

$5 single session 

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Intelligent Conversation  

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

Jewish Community Center  

1414 Walnut Ave. (at Rose)  

With no religious affiliation, this twice-monthly group, led informally by former UC Berkeley extension lecturer Robert Berent, seeks to bring people together to have interesting discussions on contemporary topics. This evenings discussion topic is death and dying in celebration of the Ides of March.  

Call 527-9772  

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

Lavendar Lunch 

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. 

Pacific School of Religion 

1798 Scenic Ave.  

Mudd Bldg., Room 103  

Unitarian-Universalist minister Sean Parker Dennison discusses his experiences as a transgender minister working in parish ministry.  

849-8206 

Rethinking Creation  

7 p.m. 

Tucson Common Room  

Church Divinity School of the Pacific 

2450 Le Conte Ave.  

Dr. Sjoerd L. Bonting will speak on “Rethinking Creation: ‘Chaos Events’ and Theology.”  

Call 848-8152 

Wednesday, March 21  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Thursday, March 22  

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet Anna Mae Stanley and host Louis Cuneo.  

644-0155 

Trekking in Bhutan  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Ruth Ann Kocour and Elizabeth Rassiga will share slides of their 25-day journey along the Snow Leopard Trek to the sacred mountain Chomolhari and beyond. Free 

Call 527-4140 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107. 

Friday, March 23 

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Saturday, March 24 

Ashkenaz Dance-A-Thon 

2 p.m. - 2 a.m.  

Ashkenaz  

1370 San Pablo Ave.  

Join Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers along with African, Cajun, North African, Balkan, reggae, and Caribbean bands in this twelve hour dance music-fest. This is Ashkenaz big fundraiser for making improvements, including a new dance floor and ventilation system.  

$20 donation  

525-5054 or visit www.ashkenaz.com  

Disaster First Aid 

9 a.m. - Noon  

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar St.  

A free class as part of Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). Sponsored by the Berkeley Fire Dept. and the Office of Emergency Services.  

Call 644-8736 

“LGBT Family Night at the Y” 

6 - 9 p.m. 

Berkeley YMCA  

2001 Allston Way  

The third annual free night for gay and lesbian families at the Y. The event will feature floor hockey, swimming, soccer, basketball and other sports, as well as arts and crafts. Free; donation requested.  

Call 848-9622 

Sunday, March 25 

Reimagining Pacific Cities  

6 - 8:30 p.m. 

New Pacific Studio  

1523 Hearst Ave.  

“How are Pacific cities reshaping their cultural and environmental institutions to better serve the needs and enhance the present and future quality of life of all segments of their societies?” A series of ten seminars linking the Bay Area, Seattle, Portland, and other pacific cities.  

$10 per meeting  

Call 849-0217 

Tuesday, March 27 

“Great Decisions” - European Integration  

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy.  

$5 single session 

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photograph

Mail problems 

Editor: 

I moved to Berkeley in November, and opened a P.O. Box on Allston Way immediately. I have had problems with delayed mail and packages taking ages to arrive and arriving damaged. I have filed several complaints, but the local people say the problem must lie somewhere else. 

Am I alone in this? There must be others who are experiencing problems with the post office?  

A package sent to me via priority mail from Florida on December 27th arrived around February 10th. A package sent on January 2nd from New York arrived damaged February 21. 

A package from Oregon in January sent priority mail took TWO WEEKS to arrive. A package sent to my house via first class mail took 3 weeks to arrive. 

There must be a problem somewhere. 

Luther Miller 

Berkeley 

Wozniak speaks for citizens 

The Daily Planet received this letter to the Community Environmental Advisory Commission: 

We have known Gordon Wozniak for more than 20 years. The idea that he would represent his employer, LBL, rather than the citizens of Berkeley is ludicrous. Gordon is a brilliant scientist, who has been active in the Berkeley community for several decades. He has nothing but the welfare of the people of this city at heart. He is knowledgeable, intelligent, an independent thinker. It would be a great loss to the city and the environmental cause if Gordon Wozniak were no longer involved in problems facing our city. We urge the city’s CEAC to not only retain Gordon as a member but to make him chairman as well. 

Thank you for your consideration. 

Linda Schacht 

John Gage 

Berkeley 

Massage studio practices healing 

Editor: 

We are- writing in response to the Berkeley Daily Planet article entitled, “Temporary Ban On Massage Parlors in Works (Jan. 18).” We are quite upset at being referred to as a massage “parlor”. We realize you stated that we are a reputable business, but then we were referred to us as an “adult-oriented” business. Nowadays the terms “parlor” and “adult-oriented” business are used to refer to sexual/sensual services.  

We call ourselves Berkeley Massage and Self-Healing Center because we are a reputable, therapeutic establishment. Through the years we have endeavored to educate the public as to what therapeutic bodywork is and are very distressed when we are referred to as a “parlor” or an “adult-oriented business”.  

We feel that what is said in this article is a set-back to the work that we have done. We understand your concerns about the existence of massage parlors/adult oriented businesses in the downtown Berkeley area. However, we would appreciate being recognized for who we are. 

We have been offering bodywork and self-healing modalities to the community for thirty-two years, and consider ourselves to be a family oriented business. We work with parents, grandparents, children and pregnant women, and our clientele include local business owners, university faculty and students, teachers, lawyers, and computer programmers, to name only a few. Clients state that our work helps them to better cope with the stresses of our fast paced society, which in turn enhances their personal and work relationships. We also help to alleviate sports and work--related injuries. 

We have been a member of the Downtown Berkeley Association since its inception and are currently listed in their new brochure under the Health and Fitness section. We are also members of the Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. Enclosed is our brochure. We would be happy to meet with you to discuss this issue further. 

The Berkeley Massage and Self-Healing Center 

Editors note: We agree and regret the mischaracterization. 

Should have pardoned Peltier  

Editor: 

Criticism of Clinton’s pardons have focused on individuals believed to have received tainted pardons – but where is the outcry over pardons that were tragically passed over? Why, for example, didn’t Clinton commute the sentence of Leonard Peltier, whose case would have demonstrated the proper use of clemency power? 

Peltier has been wrongfully imprisoned for 25 years. He was convicted after a shoot-out on the Pine Ridge Reservation took the lives of two FBI agents and one Native man whose death was never investigated. Peltier was found guilty in a trial where witnesses were coerced, false testimony was utilized, and a ballistic test reflecting his innocence was withheld from the defense. Today the U.S. prosecutor admits, “We can’t prove who shot those agents.” The appellate court found that Peltier might have been acquitted absent the FBI abuses, but denied a new trial on a legal technicality. This appellate judge expressed firm support for Peltier’s release through executive clemency. 

Executive clemency for Peltier would have exemplified a proper use of the power, and an honorable decision to correct a terrible injustice and take a historical step towards healing relations between the U.S. government and native people. Instead, January 20, 2001 marked another betrayal of the first peoples of this land by a government who has yet to grant reparations for the many atrocities committed against them. Clinton’s legacy will be forever tainted by his abuse of the clemency process, both in the pardons he granted, and the ones he did not.  

boona cheema 

Berkeley 

Bulldozed trees, organic gardens  

Editor:  

It’s beyond my comprehension that this has occurred in Berkeley: The city promoting organic gardens in it’s middle schools, creating a “Good Food Cafe” at the high school, the city considering re-surfacing it’s concrete-covered creeks, the city where people teach their children to care about the environment and encourage active participation is respecting and saving it.  

Where am I, then? And what happened to all these trees? To see them cut them down would have been bad enough, but one after another, they still stand tall - there are no stumps - stripped of their bark, mutilated horrendously. As if a giant claw had grabbed each of them and lifted it to some monster’s mouth to be gnawed and spit out. Lightning? But they are not blackened. Devastated and tortured, they have literally been torn up or down. Someone please put them out of their misery. 

I read the local papers often enough to have been aware of any publicized plan to remove these trees in order for construction work to begin at Berkeley High. I have seen nothing, no notification, no warning. When the city plan went through to remove trees along downtown Shattuck Ave. and replace them with others, the papers were full of it and protests went out loud and clear. But nothing about this.  

And I watched some of the trees being removed along Shattuck: They were sawed down quickly, cut up and taken away. The barren spots where they had stood were upsetting, but nothing like this scene of devastation. And why the trees on the sidewalk and those just inside the school grounds? Couldn’t construction have been planned around them? But the thing that left me with such a feeling of shock and anger is how it was done. And it is not done. The poor ravaged trees stand there testifying to the fact that no one gave a good god damn about the life that was in them. 

My daughter, who is a student at Berkeley High, is also upset.  

B. Jacobs 

Berkeley

924 Gilman St. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted $5; $2 for a year membership March 2: Books Lie, Living Under Lies, Remnants, No Regrets, The Fadeaways, LWL; March 3: Dr. Know, The Dread, Hot Box, Anal Mucus; March 9: Dead and Gone, Sworn Vengence, Punishment, Misoura, The Computer Kills; March 10: The Varukers, 46 Short, Scarred for Life, Oppressed Logic, Faced Down. 525-9926  

Albatross Pub All music at 9 p.m. unless noted March 1: Keni “El Lebrijano”; March 6: PickPocket Ensemble; March 7: Whiskey Bros.; March 8: Keni “El Lebrijano”; March 10: PickPocket Ensemble; March 13: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Duo; March 15: Keni “El Lebrijano”; 1822 San Pablo 843-2473 

Ashkenaz Feb. 28, 8 p.m.: “Fling Ding!” A night of Appalachian music featuring the Bluegrass Intentions; March 24, 2 p.m. - 2 a.m.: Ashkenaz fourth annual dance-a-thon featuring Lavay Smith, African, Caribbean, reggae, Balkan, North African and cajun bands for 12 hours of nonstop dance music. 1370 San Pablo Ave. 525-5054  

Eli’s Mile High Club Doors open at 8 p.m. March 2: Henry Clement; March 3: J.J. Malone; March 9: Ron Hacker; March 10: Red Archibald  

Jazzschool/La Note All music at 4:30 p.m. March 4: Ray Obiedo; March 11: Stephanie Bruce Trio; March 18: Wayne Wallace Septet $6 - $12 2377 Shattuck Ave.  

Live Oak Concert Series All music at 7:30 p.m. March 4: Marie Carbone, harpsichord, plays music of Frescobaldi, Sweelinck, Froberger, and Weckmann; March 11: Stephen Bell, guitar, plays music of Bach, Villa-Lobos, Ponse, and Albeniz Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St.  

Cal Performances March 2 - March 11, call for times: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; Zellerbach Hall UC Berkeley. 642-9988 or www.calperfs.berkeley.edu Feb. 28, 8 p.m.: Clerks’ Group performs music from the Burgundian Courts; March 4, 3 p.m.: Baritone Nathan Gunn sings Brahms, Wolf, and a selection of American songs $36; March 11, 3 & 7 p.m.: Burhan Ocal & The Istanbul Oriental Ensemble perform traditional Turkish music $24 Hertz Hall UC Berkeley 

“Dido and Aeneas” March 2, 8 p.m.; March 4, 2 p.m. A tale of English Baroque opera that follows the tale of Dido, queen of Corinth, as she is courted and won by Aeneas, conqueror and future founder of Rome. $5 - $10 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. Call 925-798-1300 

“Aywah!” March 2, 8 p.m. An evening of music and dance from Egypt, Turkey, Morocco and Balkan Roma. Featuring Aywah! Dance Company. Guest singer Eva Primack. $13 - $15 La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 or www.lapena.org 

Mozart Requiem Singalong March 3, 8 p.m. Bella Musica Chorus and Orchestra in their third annual presentation. Bring your own score or buy/borrow one of theirs. $10 suggested donation St. Joseph the Worker Church 1640 West Addison (at McGee) Call 526-5393 

Young People’s Symphony Orchestra March 3, 8 p.m. David Ramadanoff conducts the orchestra in a program featuring Schubert, Tchaikovsky, and a suite from Piston’s ballet “The Incredible Flutist” $5 - $10 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. Call 925-798-1300  

“In Song and Struggle” March 4, 4 - 10 p.m. Copwatch presents the second annual event bringing together some of the best women artists from around the Bay Area and beyond in commemoration of International Women’s Day. Artists include Shelley Doty, Rebecca Riots, Rachel Garlin, and many others. $8 - $15 Ashkenaz 1317 San Pablo Ave. Call Copwatch, 548-0425  

Mingus Amungus & Allstar Jazz Jam March 4, 7 - 10 p.m. A benefit concert for 65 Cuba-bound Berkeley High students. $10 - $15 Florence Schwimley Little Theater 1930 Allston Way 587-3201  

“The Magic Flute” March 3 & 4, 8 p.m. Mozart’s most famous opera adapted by International House resident Kalinka Cichon and presented by a multicultural cast. $5 International House Auditorium 2299 Piedmont Ave. (at Bancroft) e-mail for tix: kalinka@cichon.com  

Eric Glick Reiman, Tom Nunn, Toychestra March 4, 7:48 p.m. $8 donation TUVASpace 3192 Adeline (at MLK Jr.) 649-8744 

Young Emerging Artists March 6, 7 - 8 p.m. John McCarthy will direct students from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music’s Prepatory Division through a performance of works by Sov, Barber and others. $5 - $10 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. (at Derby) 925-798-1300 

Carol Denney, Folk This!, J.D. Nelson March 7, 8 p.m. CD release party for Denney’s “The Rich Will Never Be Poor” $16.50 Freight & Salvage 1111 Addison St. 548-1761 

Canto Para Una Semilla March 9, 8 p.m. La Pena Community Chorus present an homage to Violeta Parra. This is a benefit for Berkeley High School’s CAS program. $10 La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 

Country Joe McDonald March 9 & 10, 8 - 10 p.m. McDonald will play a solo acoustic set of old & new songs and a tribute to Woody Guthrie. $20 Live Oak Theater 1301 Shattuck Ave. (at Berryman) www.countryjoe.com  

“Mystic Journey” March 10, 8 p.m. Suzanne Teng and Mystic Journey are a unique contemporary world music ensemble, based in Los Angeles, making their Bay Area debut. $15 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. Call 925-798-1300 

Maria Marquez in Concert March 10, 8:30 p.m. A special evening of Marquez’s songs from her latest CD, “Eleven Love Stories.” $15 La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 

Theater 

“Fall” by Bridget Carpenter Through March 11. $15.99 - $51. Berkeley Repertory Theatre 2025 Addison St. 647-2949, www. berkeleyrep.org 

“Nightingale” presented by Central Works Theater Through March 4, Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 24 & Saturday, March 3, 5 p.m. $8 - $14 LaVal’s Subterranean 1834 Euclid Ave. 558-1381 

“Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me” by Frank MacGuinness Through March 17, Thursday - Saturday, 8 p.m. Sunday, 8:30 p.m. The story of three men - an Irishman, an Englishman and an American held in a prison in Lebanon. $10 - $15 8th St. Studio Theatre 2525 Eighth St. (at Dwight) 655-0813 

“A New Brain” by William Finn March 2 - 18, Fridays & Saturday, 8 p.m. Sunday, 7 p.m. Watch as Gordon Schwinn, in the face of a life-threatening brain tumor, composes a farewell concert in which all the important figures in his life make show-stopping appearances. Presented by BareStage Productions $8 - $12 Choral Rehearsal Hall, Lower Level of Caesar Chavez Student Center UC Berkeley 642-3880  

“Glory Box” by Tim Miller March 9, 8 p.m. In this one-time performance, Miller explores the themes of same-sex marriage and binational gay/lesbian immigration rights. $15 Zellerbach Playhouse UC Berkeley 601-8932 or www.ticketweb.com  

“The Oresteia” by Aeschylus March 14 - May 6 Directed by Tony Taccone and Stephen Wadsworth, Aeschylus trilogy will be the first production staged on the Berkeley Rep’s new prosenium stage. Please call Berkeley Repertory Theatre for specific dates and times. $15.99 - $117 Berkeley Repertory Theatre 2015 Addison St. (at Shattuck) 647-2949 or www.berkeleyrep.org 

Films 

“Magnetic North” Six programs of experimental Canadian video from the past 30 years that range from documentary to conceptual art. In all, 40 tapes from 46 artists will be shown on six Wednesday evenings. Through Feb. 28. $7. Pacific Film Archive 2575 Bancroft (at Bowditch) 642-1412  

“A.K.A. Dominga” A video documentary film following the personal journey of one woman uncovering her history 18 years after surviving the Rio Negro Massacre in Guatemala. March 1, 7:30 p.m. La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 x15 

“Tragos” Antero Alli’s vision of a future where the desire to escape from the government and media thought-control drives people underground. March 8, 7 & 9:30 p.m. $7 Live Oak Theatre 1301 Shattuck Ave. 464-4640 

“Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win” A historic documentary of the May - June 1968 General Strike in France. Directed by Paris working class filmmaker Jean Pierre Thorn. Also to be shown is “France on Strike,” on the 1995 French public workers strike by rail workers, teachers, electrical and postal workers. March 18, 6 p.m. $7 La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. (at Prince) 849-2568  

Exhibits 

Berkeley Historical Society “Berkeley’s Ethnic Heritage.” An overview of the rich cultural diversity of the city and the contribution of individuals and minority groups to it’s history and development. Thursday through Saturday, 1 – 4 p.m. Free. 1931 Center St. 848-0181 

“Dorchester Days,” the photographs of Eugene Richards is a collection of pictures portraying the poverty, racial tension, crime and violence prevalent in Richards’ hometown of Dorchester, Massachusetts in the 1970s. Through April 6. UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism 121 North Gate Hall #5860 642-3383 

“Still Life & Landscapes” The work of Pamela Markmann Through March 24, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Red Oak Gallery 1891 Solano Ave. 527-3387 

“Kick Back,” the Department of Art Practice of UC Berkeley spring faculty show Through March 2 Worth Ryder Gallery Kroeber Hall UC Berkeley Call 642-2582 

“Unequal Funding: Photographs of Children in Schools that Get Less” An exhibit of black & white photographs by documentary photographer Chris Pilaro. Through March 16, Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Photolab Gallery 2235 Fifth St. 644-1400 

“Contemporary Photogravure” Printing from hand-inked plates etched from a film positive, a unique exhibition of photographs with luxurious tones. Through March 30, Tuesday - Friday, Noon - 5 p.m. or by appointment Kala Art Institute 1060 Heinz Ave. 549-2977 

“Musee des Hommages,” Masterworks by Guy Colwell Faithful copies of several artists from the pasts, including Titian’s “The Venus of Urbino,” Cezanne’s “Still Life,” Picasso’s “Woman at a Mirror,” and Boticelli’s “Primavera” Ongoing. Call ahead for hours 2028 Ninth St. (at Addison) 841-4210 or visit www.atelier9.com 

“Evolution,” No problem quilters exhibit their soft-cloth sculptures. New Pieces is the only gallery that exclusively exhibits quilts in the Bay Area. Through March 1, Tuesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sunday Noon - 5 p.m. 1597 Solano Ave. 527-6779 

Amanda Haas, New Paintings and Olivia Kuser, Recent Landscapes Through March 24, Tuesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Traywick Gallery 1316 Tenth St. 527-1214 

“Travels in Color” Wax crayon sketches by Pamela Markmann made over the past 35 years Through March 31, 5 - 8 p.m. daily Voulez Vouz Bistro 2930 College Ave. 548-4708 

“Chicano Art and Visions of David Tafolla” Vivid color acrylic and oil paintings with Latino imagery. March 5 - April 12, Tuesday - Thursday, 1 - 7 p.m., Saturday Noon - 4 p.m. and by appointment. Opening reception March 10, 1 - 3 p.m. Women’s Cancer Resource Center 3023 Shattuck Ave. 548-9272 or www.wcrc.org 

Readings 

Boadecia’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted March 24, 7 p.m.: Aliza Sherman will read and sign “Cybergrrl@Work: Tips and Inspiration for the Professional You” 398 Colusa Ave. Kensington 559-9184. www.boadeciasbooks.com 

Cody’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted Feb. 28: Poetry of Sandra Gilbert & Wendy Barker 2454 Telegraph Ave. 845-7852  

Easy Going Travel Shop & Bookstore All events at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28: Travel writer Christopher Baker will read and talk about his 7000 miles motorcycle odyssey through Cuba as chronicled in his book “Mi Moto Fidel: Motorcycling Through Castro’s Cuba” 1385 Shattuck Ave. (at Rose) 843-3533  

“Strong Women - Writers & Heroes of Literature” Fridays Through June, 2001, 1 - 3 p.m. Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program. North Berkeley Senior Center 1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 549-2970  

Duomo Reading Series and Open Mic. Thursdays, 6:30 - 9 p.m. March 1: Eliza Shefler; March 8: Judy Wells; March 15: Elanor Watson-Gove; March 22: Anna Mae Stanley; March 29: Georgia Popoff; April 5: Barbara Minton; April 12: Alice Rogoff; April 19: Garrett Murphy; April 26: Ray Skjelbred. Cafe Firenze 2116 Shattuck Ave. 644-0155. 

Lunch Poems First Thursday of each month, 12:10 - 12:50 p.m. March 1: Aleida Rodrigues; April 5: Galway Kinnell; May 3: Student Reading Morrison Room, Doe Library UC Berkeley 642-0137 

Class Dismissed Poetry Posse March 2, 7:30 p.m. Afro-Haitian dancers, Dance Production dancers, the BHS poetry slammers, an opening a capella number and a few surprises. A benefit for a Berkeley High school student trip to Cuba. $5 - $10 Little Theater Berkeley High School 2246 Milvia St.  

Bamboo Ridge Writers Reading March 4, 4 p.m. Five authors published in the book, “Intersecting Circles: The Voices of Hapa Women in Poetry & Prose.” Bamboo Ridge publishes literature which nurtures the voices of Hawaii and celebrates its literary tradition. Eastwind Books of Berkeley 2066 University Ave. 548-2350 

Anita Barrows March 4, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Barrows will read from her poem “A Record” inspired by an exhibit done in Theresienstadt and her translation of Rosa Luxenburg’s letters. Free Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237 

Women’s Word March 14, 7:30 p.m. An evening of women’s word honoring International Women’s month and featuring Avotcja, Straight Out Scribes, Tureeda & Kira Allen. Hosted by Joyce Young. Open mic will follow. $4 La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 

Tours 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Free. University of California, Berkeley. 486-4387 

Berkeley City Club Tours 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. 848-7800  

The fourth Sunday of every month, Noon - 4 p.m. $2  

Golden Gate Live Steamers Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Lomas Cantadas Drive at the south end of Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley. 486-0623  

Small locomotives, meticulously scaled to size. Trains run Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rides: Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., weather permitting.  

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden Centennial Drive, behind Memorial Stadium, a mile below the Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley. 643-2755 or www.mip.berkeley.edu/garden/  

The gardens have displays of exotic and native plants. Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 1:30 p.m. $3 general; $2 seniors; $1 children; free on Thursday. Daily, 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. 

Lectures 

Berkeley Historical Society Slide Lecture & Booksigning Series Sundays, 3 - 5 p.m. $10 donation requested March 11: Director of Berkeley’s International House, Joe Lurie, will show a video and dicuss the history and struggle to open the I-House 70 years ago; March 18: “Topaz Moon,” Kimi Kodani Hill will discuss artist Chiura Obata’s family and the WWII Japanese relocation camps. Berkeley Historical Center Veterans Memorial Building 1931 Center St. 848-0181 

UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Research Seminars Noon seminars are brown bag March 7, 4 p.m.: Akhil Reed Amar will discuss his book “The Bill of Rights: Creation and Reconstruction.” March 12, Noon: Catherine Hafer of Ohio State will discuss “The Political Economy of Emerging Property Rights.” April 23, 4 p.m.: Mary Dudziach of USC will discuss “Cold War Civil Rights: Race and the Image of American Democracy.” Feb. 30, Noon: Daniel Diermeier of Northwestern University will discuss “Mass Political Action.” 119 Moses Hall UC Berkeley 642-4608  

“Great Decisions” Foreign Policy Association Lectures Series Tuesdays, 10 a.m. - Noon, Through April 3; An annual program featuring specialists in the field of national foreign policy, many from University of California. Goal is to inform the public on major policy issues and receive feedback from the public. $5 per session, $35 entire series for single person, $60 entire series for couple. Berkeley City Club 2315 Durant Ave. 526-2925 

OAKLAND – The Metropolitan Transportation Commission is calling all those who spend their time waiting at bus stops, or idling in traffic, dreaming up ways to fix the transportation system. The primary agency for regional transportation planning, MTC is holding a series of meetings to receive public input on the development of the Regional Transportation Plan. The plan is revised every three years and guides funding priorities for Bay Area transportation projects. That includes highways, roads and public transit as well as bike and pedestrian roadways. 

The kick-off for these public meetings was held Tuesday at MTC’s Oakland offices. According to MTC officials, almost two hundred people circulated through the exhibit identifying their priorities for transportation funding.  

“We’re making a really concerted effort to reach out and involve the public around the choices and decisions that have to be made,” said Marjorie Blackwell, spokesperson for the transportation commission. “We’re really doing a much more concerted effort.” 

The public meetings are part of a larger attempt to get more public involvement, particularly from low-income and minority individuals. A 19-member group directs MTC; it includes 14 appointed officials representing each of the nine Bay Area counties, two representatives from regional development organizations, and three representatives of federal agencies.  

The planning agency came under fire during a 1999 federal review by the Federal  

Transit and Federal Highway Administrations, agencies that oversee the use of federal funds. They gave MTC conditional certification to receive public money, saying they needed to increase public participation.  

Although public meetings were held three years ago during the last regional plan review, this time the questions involve basic transportation values. “Instead of saying, these are proposals and what do you think? We’re trying to get them involved up front,” Blackwell said. 

Those larger questions include where money should be spent, on public transportation or on roadways, and who should pay the cost for service enhancements. “Underlying all of the choices are values,” said consultant Daniel Lacofano, who mediated the discussion, “We want to try and elucidate these values more than we have in the past.” 

MTC spokesperson Randy Rentschler said that getting the message out to “John Q Public” is one of MTC’s biggest challenges. The commission advertised Tuesday’s meeting by sending out a press release and notifying a contact list, a self-selecting group of individuals who have shown concern about transit issues. They chose not to place an ad in local papers because of the high cost.  

The choice impacted the event: Although many cities and counties were represented, the comments showed a common mindset.  

Participants believed that more money should be spent on alternatives to “single-occupancy vehicles” the one person per car model that congests Bay Area roadways. 

Anthony Rodgers, representative of the Amalgamated Transit Union 192, received shouts and claps when appealing for a focus on alternatives. “We can not continue to build our way out of our transit problems,” he said, referring to new highways, bridges and tunnels. “If we build it, it is dumb.” Instead, he insisted that what are now last-choice alternatives of public transit must become viable options. 

People overwhelmingly favored an increase in the gasoline tax and bridge tolls to fund projects, and participants almost unanimously agreed that it’s important to coordinate development and transportation.  

“I’m concerned about sprawl,” said Bob Sarnoff of Berkeley. He made an organic analogy. “Transportation is like blood,” he said, because wherever you extend transportation lines such as BART or extensive freeways, housing and development will grow.  

But Sarnoff added that containing growth and development often conflicts with communities that want to prevent growth inside the city. “Perhaps that development should be in Berkeley,” He said. “Do we agree to have infill?” 

The information that comes from the public meetings will be synthesized and presented to the Transportation Commissioners at a meeting March 28. Of the $130 billion in government funds projected to make up the transportation budget in the next 25 years, the majority of it is already tied up in long-term maintenance and projects. The Regional Transportation Plan will direct the disbursement of the estimated $13 billion that is available for new projects, Rentschler said. And $13 billion, he said, is still a lot of money.  

However, MTC spokespeople said that the best place for people to give input is at the county level. Each county has a Congestion Management Agency that recommends specific projects to be included in the Regional Transportation Plan. The information from the public meetings will also be given to those agencies. 

“I’m certainly going to be requesting that we get a detailed itemization of any suggestions put forward,” said Councilmember Kriss Worthington, Berkeley’s representative to the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency. 

Although Berkeley resident Jeff Hobson, East Bay Coordinator of the Bay Area Transportation and Land Use Coalition, felt satisfied with the consensus produced in the meeting, he was still concerned about the accountability of the officials to the public input. “I think we really want to see how the comments will be turned into action,” he said. 

When Alta Bates Summit announced its plan to consolidate services between its two facilities – Alta Bates Medical Center in Berkeley and Summit Medical Center in Oakland – East Bay lawmakers cried foul. The plan, which calls for “Centers of Excellence” to be instituted at both hospitals, seemed to break an agreement the hospitals made with the community at the time of their merger in 1999. 

According to the consolidation plan, Alta Bates maternity services and oncology will be located at Alta Bates, while cardiovascular services and orthopedics go to Summit. Alta Bates Summit officials say that the consolidation will allow the system to provide better care in each of these areas. 

Alta Bates Summit CEO Warren Kirk, recently named to his post, and Dr. James Cuthbertson, the president of the Alta Bates medical staff and member of the Alta Bates Summit board of trustees, sat down with the Daily Planet on Friday to discuss the changes they will undertake and to defend the hospital against its critics. 

The second part of this interview will appear in Monday’s paper. 

A lot of people are concerned that the plan calls for obstetrics to be located here at Alta Bates and removed from Summit. This would seem to contravene one of the promises that was made to the community when the two hospitals merged.  

One person, Supervisor Keith Carson, says that it’s not fair to ask someone from East Oakland to come all the way to Berkeley to deliver a baby. Could you respond? 

Kirk: First of all, it is true that when we first did our merger, we did say that we would make commitments to the community. One was around medical surgery services, the other was around the emergency departments and one was around obstetrics. We said we would keep those services in the community, at both hospitals. So that’s true. 

The truth is that things in health care change dramatically. We’ve found ourselves, now, losing money at the rate of around $1 million per week. We’ve had to look at how we can reorganize ourselves so that we can be financially stable. If we can’t get these facilities financially healthy, they won’t be here. 

So we need to figure out what we can do to become financially stable. Now, we’re not trying to be the most profitable hospital. We’re just trying to be stable enough to buy equipment, replace our facilities, give our employees raises – do the things we need to do to be a hospital. When we looked at the consolidation of services, bringing obstetrics to one place was an important part of that.  

Now, there is absolutely no evidence that driving an extra 2.9 miles is a detriment to patient care. That’s just not true. Those kind of comments are being made by people who just don’t understand the delivery of health care.  

Currently, Alta Bates has relationships with clinics all over Alameda and Contra Costa counties. We have community clinics from as far away as Pleasanton whose patients come here to deliver babies. We have people from much farther away than East Oakland – people who don’t have a lot of means, on the lower end of the socioeconomic scale, and they still come here to deliver babies. So it’s just not the case that it’s a burden to come to Alta Bates to deliver babies.  

We want to change our view of ourselves. Alta Bates is not a Berkeley hospital, and Summit is not an Oakland hospital. These hospitals take care of patients in the East Bay. We take care of patients from the far north of Alameda county, far south, east... We have a huge cachement area. We delivered 7,000 babies at Alta Bates last year. Those weren’t just Berkeley women.  

The services are still in the East Bay. We’re organizing them into “Centers of Excellence” that will increase our ability to expand our care. That’s where we’re heading. 

There are people who have a different agenda. But the truth is that they’re not health care experts. 

There were 3,300 babies delivered at Summit last year. How will Alta Bates cope with those patients? 

Kirk: The relationship changes.  

Cuthbertson: Some patients are going to move away from this facility with the consolidation of other services at Summit. That’s going to open space for the 3,000 deliveries that are moved over here. We’ll have expanded facilities for the deliveries, for the babies and for the moms. 

It’s not a matter of expanding the volume of service that we have here. We’re going to be very careful not to do that. One of our responsibilities, being a neighbor here – it’s not so much what the patients in the hospital are here for, but to make sure that having patients in the hospital doesn’t impinge on the neighborhood through traffic. That’s what we’re trying to arrange, with the city and with the neighbors. Whether it’s noise, whether it’s parking, whether it’s the number of people driving up and down the street, we want to say, “This is our limit and we’re going to stay within it,” and be very careful to do that.  

Another thing that people have suggested about the consolidation is that emergency services will be cut back, or concentrated at one or the other hospital. 

Kirk: When you think about it, women in labor don’t come into the emergency room. They come into the lobby, and they go right up. Oncology patients who get admitted here, a large proportion of them, don’t go through emergency room, they are admitted directly by their physician.  

But cardiovascular or orthopedics patients, a lot of the time, are brought in by an ambulance. Those kinds of patients will be going to Summit. So we expect, over time, that we’ll have less volume (at Alta Bates).  

We’re not planning to downgrade the ER, but I think that we will see, over time, fewer visits – which, for this community, is a good thing. That’s what they’ve been asking us to do, to reduce traffic congestion. But for the patient who lives in this neighborhood and needs to go to the ER, we’ll still be here and available to take care of them. 

So emergency services associated with “Centers of Excellence” at Summit will go to Summit. 

Kirk: Right. Cardiovascular, orthopedic... 

Cuthbertson: If an ambulance picks up someone who is having a cardiac event, they will know to go to Summit. Same with orthopedic injuries.  

Certainly, though, if your loved one is having a heart attack and you put them in the car to go to the closest emergency room, (Alta Bates) might be it. That’s why we want to have the emergency room here. We’re still going to have patients in this hospital who will need a range of critical care services. 

People have also been concerned about the psychological services provided at (Alta Bates’) Herrick Hospital in Berkeley. They feel that they are in peril, and from what I understand, from a letter you sent to employees, is that you feel they are imperiled as well. You say they are not supporting themselves financially. What is the problem at Herrick – why are psych. services not making money? – and what steps will be taken? 

Kirk: The main problem is that the insurers, from whom we get patients, have been unwilling to pay enough to cover our costs. When the hospital stands to lose $40 million this year, we don’t have the ability to subsidize other campuses. So we have to find a way for them to be self-supporting. They don’t have to make huge profits, but they have to be self-supporting. 

We believe we have an obligation to provide this service. There aren’t a lot of these services available in the county. If we don’t provide it, people will have a hard time finding a place for mental health. So we really feel that anything we can do to keep this service open, we need to do. That was the direction from the Board of Trustees and management – to find a way. But we can’t do that if we can’t get the people who send patients to us to pay us at least our costs. 

Who are we talking about? Kaiser? 

Kirk: The main problems we’ve had, traditionally, have been Kaiser and Medical. In the last couple of months, we’ve got a new contract with the county. Dave Kears at Alameda County Health Services was extremely helpful in helping us get a rate that will be sufficient to meet our costs, and that’s a very good thing.  

Now we’re going to talk to Kaiser. We’re negotiating with them now, and they realize that if they want to continue sending patients to our facility, they need to be willing to pay us for the cost of taking care of them. They’ll decide. 

It’s one of those things – every year, our costs go up. We give our employees raises, we have our union relationships that have built-in raises for many of our employees. The county and other organizations who send us patients need to recognize that and continue to give us the raises we need to stay ahead of costs. 

So if you can work out a satisfactory relationship with Kaiser, there won’t be any danger to Herrick. 

Kirk: Yes. But you have to realize that it’s an ongoing event. If you ask me a year from now, it could be a different story. Our costs go up, and the county and the insurers have to continue to be willing to raise our rates. As long as we can do that – stay ahead of our costs – we plan to stay in that service. 

Saturday, Sept. 29

Antiwar Rally 

11 a.m. 

Dolores Park 

19th and Dolores streets, San Francisco 

10 minutes from the 16th Street BART Station (415) 821-6545 

Disaster First Aid 

9 a.m. - noon 

Office of Emergency Services 

997 Cedar St. 

Free classes in Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). 981-5605  

www.ci.berkeley.ca.us 

Strawberry Creek Work Party 

9 a.m.- noon 

Seabreeze Market 

University Avenue and Frontage Road 

Remove non-native pepperweed at the outflow to the Bay and learn about efforts to restore native Oysters to the San Francisco Bay. 

848-4008  

bjanet@earthlink.com 

Forum on Censorship 

7 p.m. 

Berkeley Art Center 

1275 Walnut St. 

Terri Cohn, Paul Cotton and Kate Delos lead a discussion of the implications of censorship on the arts and other areas of life in the past and future. 644-6893 

Redwood Sequoia Congress 

9 a.m. through the evening 

1606 Bonita Ave. 

Human rights and environmental activists will gather in an annual examination of the human condition and the status of the planet.  

841-1182 

Get Published Workshop 

noon - 3 p.m. 

Albany Library 

1247 Marin Ave., Edith Stone Room 

Led by writing coach Jill Nagle and will cover query letters, book proposals, finding an agent and more. Preregistration strongly recommended. (415) 431-7491 jill@jillnagle.com 

Berkeley Historical Society Walking Tour 

10 a.m. - noon 

Trish Hawthorne knows the Thousands Oaks neighborhood like no one else. Tours are restricted to 30 participants and require pre-paid reservations, $10. 848-0181  

www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/histsoc/  

Idealist.org Nonprofit Career Fair 

1 p.m. 

Preservation Park 

MLK Jr. Way and 13th St. 

For individuals interested in employment or internship positions in the nonprofit sector.  

(212) 843-3973 www.idealist.org 

The Crucible’s Open House and Fix-A-Thon Fundraiser 

noon - 6 p.m. 

The Crucible 

1036 Ashby Ave. 

Parking and entrance on Murray Street  

Featuring the faculty performing hands-on demonstrations of the skills and techniques they teach. Try blacksmithing, welding, stone carving, glass enameling, and other stuff. Bring broken or cracked metal objects and low-tech electric devices in need of repair. The staff will assess the damages and if the items are reparable, they will fix them for a reasonable fee. Free event.  

843-5511 www.thecrucible.org 

Sunday, Sept. 30

Sixth Annual How Berkeley Can You Be? Parade 

11 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

University Ave. 

The grand parade leaves from California Street and concludes at Civic Center Park where festival continues. Over 80 art cars, art bikes, Cal Marching Band, Electric Couch, Go Carts, plus live music and circus. 849-4688  

www.howberkeleycanyoube.com  

Potluck Brunch 

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Bateman Park 

Rockridge/Elmwood Gay Lesbian Potluck Brunch. 595-1999 

West Berkeley Market 

11 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

University Avenue between Third and Fourth streets  

Family-oriented weekly market. Crafts, music, produce, and specialty foods. 654-6346 

Yoga/ Tibetan 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Instructor Jack van der Meulen will discuss the three levels of Kum Nye practice and demonstrate some of the practices. Free. 843-6812 

Monday, Oct. 1

Rent Stabilization Board  

Meeting 

Second Floor Council Chambers 

2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way 

Landlord and tenants of 1704 Francisco St. Apt. An appeal decision that the rent for the apartment was not set by making a good-faith estimate of the median rent for comparable units. 

Community Health Commission Meeting 

7 p.m. 

The Beanery 

2925 College Ave. 

Discussion of health care cuts affecting maternal and child care programs. Omowale Fowels will be a guest speaker. 

Personnel Board Meeting 

7 p.m. 

Bay Laurel Conference Room 

2180 Milvia St., first floor 

Disscussion of recommendation to revise salary ranges for Auditor I/II and accountant I/II Classifications. 

Peace and Justice Commission 

7 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Discussion of the Council Referral to work with staff in order to determine what contracts are subject to the Nuclear Free Act, what contracts may be approved as a categorical matter because there is no reasonable alternative and what contracts must be reviewed on an individual basis. 

Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults Inquiry Program 

7:30 p.m. 

St. Mary Magdalen Parish 

2005 Berryman St. 

A program to learn everything you wanted to know about the Catholic Church but never had the chance to ask. 526-4811 

– compiled by Guy Poole 

Franciscanism, Understanding the Vision 

1 - 2 p.m. 

Franciscan School of Theology 

1712 Euclid Ave. 

Graduate Theological Union presents seminar exploring the lives, times and writings of and about Francis and Clare of Assisi. 848-5232 

Dancing with the Witchdoctor 

7:30 p.m. 

Easy Going Travel Shop & Bookstore 

1385 Shattuck Ave. 

Kelly James presents a slide show and recounts experiences based on her experiences as a private investigator in Africa. 843-3533 

Cal Ink: Etched into the history of the 20th century  

During the first 75 years of the 20th century, west Berkeley was the location of many manufacturing plants which produced diverse products from vegetable oil to ink, and huge hydraulic pumps to tanned hides.  

Cal Ink originated in 1891, in Los Angeles, as a subsidiary of Union Oil Company, and was sold to an E. L. Hueter of San Francisco in 1896. Sometime between 1900 and 1903 the company moved its manufacturing plant to west Berkeley, into buildings which had been part of the Raymond Tannery. In 1999 Cal Ink, now Flint Ink of Michigan, was the oldest factory in Berkeley operating at its original location. 

On the blocks bounded by Camelia, Gilman, Fourth, and Fifth streets there were about 20 buildings dating from 1906 to 1978. The sprawling factory included manufacturing buildings, laboratories, storage tanks and offices. 

Over the years Cal Ink made almost every type of ink product, from a white ink for marking bees to perfumed ink used in advertising. The products developed and manufactured at this plant included: moisture-proof and heat-resistant inks, inks that resist scratching and oxidation, inks used for newspapers, magazines, boxes, bags, labels, and linoleum, plastic, steel, aluminum, airplane parts, and fabric. It is one of the largest suppliers of ink to the graphic arts industry. From time to time it produced many of the raw materials for ink, such as pigment colors and varnishes. An international company, it uses materials from all over the world including: drying oils from South America, shellac from India, pigments from Europe, and carbon and mineral oil from the United States. It then exports its various inks around the world. During World War I, Cal Ink developed and produced the first "Litho Red" ink made in the United States.  

After 1919 the company changed ownership several times, merging with, or buying other companies, and occasionally creating subsidiaries. Today the company is a division of the Flint Ink Company of Detroit. Although ink was still being made at this location in 1999, portions of the complex have been sold and some buildings demolished 

Editor:  

I will let history decide whether Barbara Lee is a profile in courage in being the sole dissenter in Congress to approve giving war powers to the president. Right now, she is nothing but an asterisk along side Jeanette Rankin, the pacifist congresswoman from Montana who cast the lone vote against declaring war on Japan after the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor.  

Assuming that Councilwoman, Maudelle Shirek, was quoted correctly in the DailyPlanet when she characterized those who denounced Barbara Lee as part of a “lynch mob,” I think she owes us an apology or at least a retraction. It’s not the first time that Maudelle has shot from the hip and doubtless it won’t be the last. But, many of us who strongly disagree with Ms. Lee’s vote, are also card-carrying members of the ACLU and the NAACP  

Dennis Kuby 

Berkeley

LOS ANGELES — Even as networks delay or drop potentially sensitive episodes and clip violent scenes in terrorism’s immediate wake, network executives expressed uncertainty Tuesday about how deep or lasting the effects of Sept. 11 will be. 

“Everyone wants to see this as a demarcation line in popular culture, and it may very well prove to be,” NBC Entertainment President Jeff Zucker said. “But I think it’s too early to know exactly what that is.” 

The attacks bumped the official start of the new season a week, to Monday. While networks gingerly returned to regular fare after grueling, nonstop news coverage, viewers seemed eager for the change. 

“You can see it in the prime-time ratings,” Zucker said. “Clearly, people are looking for some diversion and clearly that is a role that entertainment can play.” 

A repeat episode of “Friends” with the wedding of Monica and Chandler on NBC last Thursday drew 17.6 million viewers — unusually high for a rerun. 

Late-night shows returned somberly last week, but already have returned to comedy. 

In general, networks took no chance of giving offense: Even a lightweight comedy like “Ellen,” the new CBS series starring Ellen DeGeneres, was subject to revision. 

DeGeneres’ character spoke in Monday’s premiere episode of losing her job in the dot-com collapse. Her mother’s reply — “I hope you didn’t get caught in the building” — was removed from the show. 

The change was made “in light of the recent tragic events,” the network said, referring to the terrorist destruction of New York’s World Trade Center towers and damage at the Pentagon. 

In an upcoming “Friends” episode, changes are being made in a scene in which newlyweds Monica and Chandler (Courteney Cox and Matthew Perry) run into airport problems on their honeymoon. 

More problematically, a number of new series are set in the world of the CIA or other government agencies, with stories that edge perilously close to aspects of the tragedy. 

CBS pulled the pilot episode for “The Agency,” which opened with a Middle Eastern scene of a booby-trapped hostage, a U.S. flag stuffed in his mouth as a gag, dying in an explosion. 

Airing in its place Thursday will be an episode about a plot to assassinate Cuban leader Fidel Castro. 

In the new Fox series, ”24,” a drama starring Kiefer Sutherland as the head of a U.S. counterterrorist unit, the pilot included a now-edited scene in which a bomb explodes on a plane. The show debuts Nov. 6. 

NBC has scrapped a script with a terrorist story line for the new action series “UC: Undercover,” which starts Sept. 30 and focuses on a Justice Department crime-fighting unit. 

Lloyd Braun, ABC entertainment chief, said Tuesday he wondered whether viewers would have much patience for reality shows with petty conflicts when the real news is so dramatic. 

“I’m not sure the country is going to be as accepting of these shows as they’ve been in the past,” he said. “You have to wonder whether people are going to look at that and say, ‘please, I don’t care.”’ 

There have been a number of other changes, including the removal of potentially unsettling shots of the World Trade Center from programs including NBC’s “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” 

In contrast, NBC’s White House drama “The West Wing” is tackling the issue of terrorism head-on in an episode written by series creator Aaron Sorkin. The administration of President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) will be shown coping with fallout from a terrorist attack in the Oct. 3 episode. The planned season premiere episode was moved to Oct. 10. 

“We didn’t feel comfortable going back to our fictional White House without taking a moment,” executive producer John Wells told Daily Variety. “Hopefully, we can say something that’s useful and not at any way appear like we’re trying to exploit the tragic events that occurred.” 

924 Gilman Street Sept. 29: DS-13, Beware, Blown To Bits, (+tba); Oct 5: Subincision, Gary’s Agenda, Eugene (+ tba); Oct 6: Tight Brothers from Way Back When, Smash Your Face, Cherry Valence, Bare Bones; Oct 12: One Line Drawing, Funeral Dinner, Diefenbaker, Till 7 Years Pass Over Him; Oct 13: Dead and Gone, Cattle Decapitation, Vulgar Pigeons, Wormwood, Antagony; Most shows are $5 and start at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 

Albatross Pub Oct 3: Wesley Brothers; Oct 4:Keni “El Lebrijano” Flemenco Guitar; All free shows begin at 9 p.m. 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473  

albatrosspub@mindspring.com  

Anna’s Sept. 28: Anna sings jazz standards, 10 p.m. Bluesman Hideo Date; Sept. 29: Robin Gregory, Bliss Rodriguez, 10 p.m. The Distones Jazz Sextet, Donald Duck Bailey; Sept. 30: Acoustic Soul; All shows begin at 8 p.m. 1801 University Ave. 849-ANNA www.annasbistro.com 

Café de la Paz Poetry Nitro, performance showcase with open mike. Sept. 24: Jim Watson-Gove; All shows free, 7 - 10 p.m. 

Cal Performances Sept. 30: 7 p.m. Kronos Quartet, David Barron, $30; Oct. 12 - 14: Fri. and Sat., 8:00 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m. Ballet Nacional De Cuba, $24 - $46; Oct. 17 and 18: 8 p.m. Cesaria Evora, $24 - $36; Oct. 19: 8 p.m. Karnak, $18 - $30. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley Campus, Bancroft Way at Telegraph, 642-0212,  

tickets@calperfs.berkeley.edu 

Eli’s Mile High Club every Friday, 10 p.m. Funky Fridays Conscious Dance Party with KPFA DJs Splif Skankin and Funky Man. Doors open at 8 p.m. unless noted. 3629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland. 655-6661 

Freight & Salvage Sept. 29: The Nigerian Brothers, $16.50; Sept. 30: Vasen, $17.50; Oct 2: Budowitz; Oct 3: The Robin Nolan Trio; Oct 4: Darol Anger & Mike Marshall; Oct 5: Golden Bough; Oct 6: The Limeliters; Oct 7: Eddie From Ohio; Oct 8: All Nation Singers, Walter Ogi Johnson, Thunder; All shows start at 8 p.m. 1111 Addison St. 548-1761  

www.freightandsalvage.com 

Jazzschool/La Note Sept. 30: 4 p.m., John Santos and the Machete Ensemble. $15. 2377 Shattuck Ave. 845-5376 

Jupiter Sept 29: moderngypsies.net; All music starts at 8:00 p.m. 2181 Shattuck Ave. 843-7625 www.jupiterbeer.com  

La Peña Cultural Center Oct 6: 10:30 a.m. Gary Lapow, $4 Adults, $3 Children; Oct 13: 10:30 a.m. Derique- the high tech clown, $4 Adults, $3 Children; 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 www.lapena.org 

Music Sources Sept. 30: 5 p.m. Ole Scarlatta! Portuguese and French keyboards and fortepiano joined by Jason McGuire on flamenco guitar, $18 General, $15 members, seniors, students. 1000 The Alameda 528-1685 

Sedge Thomson’s West Coast Live Radio Show Sept. 29: Nancy Miford, The Nigerian Brothers, Caroline Dahl. The Freight and Salvage, 1111 Addison St. All shows 10 a.m. - noon. 252-9214 www.wcl.org 

UC Berkeley Symphony Orchestra Collaborates with Art Department Sept. 29: 8 p.m. The Symphony will perform several works during an exhibition featuring examples of Leonardo diptychs for the basis of portraying art in motion. $8 general admission, $2 students. Hertz Hall solotoff@uclink.berkeley.edu 

“The Complete Shostakovich String Quartets--Part One” Sept. 29: 10 a.m. Quartets III & IV; Oct. 20: 10 a.m. Quartets V & VI. Performed by the prize-winning Alexander String Quartet with Robert Greenberg. $ 30, $84 for the Trio of concerts. Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. 845-8542 www.juliamorgan.org. 

Magnificat Sept. 29: 8 p.m. First Congregational Church. The San Francisco early music ensemble of voices and period instruments present their thenth anniversary season with music of seventeenth century composers. Tickets $12-$45  

(415) 979-4500 

The Mike Yax Jazz Orchestra Sept. 30: 2 p.m., Longfellow School of the Arts, 1500 Derby St. 420-4560 

“Le Cirque des Animaux” Sept. 29: 8 p.m. Hausmusik presents a wacky baroque musical cabaret on the subject of animals. Parish Hall of St. Alban’s Espiscopal Church, 1501 Washington St. (not wheelchair accessible). $18 general admission, $15 seniors, students and SFEMS members) 527-9029 

“Murder Dressed in Satin” by Victor Lawhorn, ongoing. A mystery-comedy dinner show at The Madison about a murder at the home of Satin Moray, a club owner and self-proclaimed socialite with a scarlet past. Dinner is included in the price of the theater ticket. $47.50 Lake Merritt Hotel, 1800 Madison St., Oakland. 239-2252 www.acteva.com/go/havefun 

“Twelfth Night” Sept. 25 - 30, Oct. 2 - 7, Tue. - Thurs. 7:30 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 4 p.m., Student Matinees: Sept. 18, 20, 25, Oct. 2, @ 1 p.m. California Shakespeare Festival presents William Shakespeare’s comic tale of romance, loneliness, love and glory. Directed by Jonathan Moscone. $12 - $41. Bruns Memorial Amphitheater, Highway 24, Gateway Exit, one mile east of the Caldecott Tunnel. 548-9666 www.calshakes.org 

“Swanwhite” through Oct. 21: Thur. - Sat., 8 p.m., Sun. 7 p.m. A new translation of the Swedish Play that asks the question what good is romantic love, directed by Tom Clyde. $20, Sundays are “Pay What You Can.” Transparent Theater, 1901 Ashby Ave. 883-0305, www.virtuous.com 

“Orestes” Oct. 5 through Oct. 21: Fri. - Sat., 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. An adaptation of the classical play by Euripides that incorporates passages inspired or taken from various 20th century texts. Written by Charles Mee, Directed by Christopher Herold. $6-12. Zellerbach Playhouse on the UC Berkeley campus 642-8268 

“36 Views” through Oct. 28: Tues. 8 p.m., Wed. 7 p.m., Thu. 8 p.m. w/ 2 p.m. matinee every other Thu., Fri. 8 p.m., Sat. 8 p.m. w/ 2 p.m. matinee every other Sat., Sun. 2 p.m., 8 p.m. Written by Naomi Lizuka, Directed by Mark Wing-Davey. $10 - $54. Berkeley Repertory’s Roda Theatre, 2015 Addison St. 647-2949  

www.berkeleyrep.org 

Fine Arts Cinema through Oct 3: 10 p.m. daily and 5:20 p.m. Sunday, “Dead Man” Johnny Depp plays a young man who embarks on a journey to a new town in search of a new life, and finds a heated love triangle that ends in double murder leaving William Blake (Depp) a wanted man. Directed by Jim Jarmusch; Oct 4 - Oct 9 “Battleship Potemkin” Directed by Sergei Eisenstein; 2451 Shattuck Ave 848-1143 

Pacific Film Archive Sept. 29: 7 p.m. Dr. Mabuse the Gambler, Part I, Joel Adlen on piano; Sept. 30: Dr. Mabuse the Gambler, Part II, Joel Adlen on piano; general admission $7, The New PFA Theatre 2575 Bancroft Way 642-1412 

“Tree-Sit: The Art of Resistance” Oct 4: 7 p.m. Feature-length documentary chronicles 10 years of young activist’s struggle to protect ancient redwoods. La Pena Cultural Centre, 3105 Shattuck Ave. (415) 820-1635 

“Reykjavik” through Oct. 4: A young man’s sexual impulses go haywire when he discovers the women he has just been to bed with also happens to be his mother’s lesbian lover. Shattuck Cinemas, 2230 Shattuck Ave. 843-3456 

Nexus Gallery through Sept. 30: noon - 6 p.m. Jan Eldridge- Large charcoal drawings and acrylic collages; Tricia Grame- visual and textural autobiography of her spiritual evolution; Tanya Wilkinson- A sensuous exploration of the possibilities inherent in the medium of handmade paper. 

Bahman Navaee is exhibiting his paintings. Through Sept. 29: Persian Center, 2029 Durant Ave. 848-0264 

UC Berkeley Symphony Orchestra Collaborates with Art Department Sept. 29: 8 p.m. The Symphony will perform several works during an exhibition featuring examples of Leonardo diptychs for the basis of portraying art in motion. $8 general admission, $2 students. Hertz Hall solotoff@uclink.berkeley.edu 

“Debbie Moore’s Autobiographical Paintings” through Sept. 30 at Good Vibrations. Portraits of the artist’s sensual explorations spanning 25 years and reflecting changing ways of intimacy and body play. 2504 San Pablo Ave. 848-1985. 

“Three Visions” through Sept. 30: 12 - 6 p.m., An Exhibition of Mixed Media. Nexus Gallery, 2707 Eighth St.  

(707) 554-2520 

“The Decade of Change: 1900 - 1910” through September. Chronicles the transformation of the city of Berkeley in this 10-year period. Thursday through Saturday, 1 – 4 p.m. Berkeley History Center, Veterans Memorial Building, 1931 Center St. Wheelchair accessible.  

848-0181. Free.  

“Squared Triangle” through Oct. 5: noon - 6 p.m. A minimalist art exhibit featuring three Bay Area artists working in different mediums while achieving the same elegant simplicity. The Crucible, 1036 Ashby Ave. 843-5511 www.thecrucible.com 

“Inside Editions” through Oct. 12: Nine printmakers exhibit their work. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tue. - Fri. Free. Kala Art Insitute, 1060 Heinz Ave. 549-2977 kala@kala.org 

“Census 2000: Asian Pacific Islander Americans” through Oct. 13; Wed. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Asian Pacific Islander American artists in roughly the demographic proportions indicated by the recent census. Free. Pro Arts, 461 Ninth St., Oakland 763-9470  

“MWP Perspectives” Jon Orvik: One artist’s journey. Through Oct. 27 Tues. - Fri. 12 - 5 p.m., Sat. & Sun. 12 - 4 p.m. Solo artist exhibiting his journey through metal, wood and paint. Adapt Gallery and Design, 2834 College Ave. 649-8501  

www.adaptgallery.com  

“50 Years of Photography in Japan 1951 - 2001” through Nov. 5: An exhibition from The Yomiuri Shimbun, the world’s largest daily newspaper with a national morning circulation of 10,300,000. Photographs of work, love, community, culture and disasters of Japan as seen by Japanese news photographers. Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. U.C. Berkeley, Graduate School of Journalism, North Gate Hall, Hearst and Euclid. Free. 642-3383 

“Jesus, This is Your Life - Stories and Pictures by Kids” Through Nov. 16: California children, ages four through twelve, from diverse backgrounds present original artwork, accompanied by a story written by the artist. Mon. - Thur. 8:30 a.m. -10 p.m., Fri. 8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sun. 12 p.m. - 7 p.m. Flora Lamson Hewlett Library, 2400 Ridge Rd. 649-2541. 

“Changing the World, Building New Lives: 1970s photographs of Lesbians, Feminists, Union Women, Disability Activists and their Supporters” Sept. 15 through Nov. 17: An exhibit of black and white photographs by Oakland photographer Cathy Cade, who captured the interrelationships of the different struggles for justice and social change. Opening reception Sept. 15, 5 - 8 p.m. Gallery Hours, Mon. - Fri. 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Photolab Gallery, 2235 Fifth St. Free. 644-1400 cathycade@mindspring.com 

“The Whole World’s Watching: Peace and Social Justice Movements of the 1960s and 1970s” Sept. 16 through Dec. 16: A documentary photo exhibition which examines the rich history of the social movements of the 1960’s and 1970’s. Wed. - Sun., noon - 5 p.m. Berkeley Art Center, 1275 Walnut St., Live Oak Park. Free. 644-6893 

“Musee des Hommages” Masterworks by Guy Colwell Faithful copies of several artists from the pasts, including Titian’s “The Venus of Urbino,” Cezanne’s “Still Life,” Picasso’s “Woman at a Mirror,” and Botticelli’s “Primavera” Ongoing. Call ahead for hours. Atelier 9 2028 Ninth St. (at Addison) 841-4210 or visit www.atelier9.com 

Readings 

Boadecia’s Books Sept. 21: Deborah Kesten, “The Healing Secrets of Food;” Sept. 22: A special All Poetry Dyke Open Myke, to participate call 655-1015 or feroniawolf@yahoo.com; Sept 28: The Return of Gaymes Night; Sept 29: Ellen Samuels and other contributors to “Out of the Ordinary: Essays on Growing Up with Gay, Lesbian & Transgender Parents”; Mark Pritchard reads from “How I Adore You”; Oct 6: Terry Ryan reads from “The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 words or Less”; All events start at 7:30 p.m. unless noted otherwise. All events are free. 398 Colusa Ave. 559-9184 www.bookpride.com 

Cody’s on 4th Street Sept. 20: 7 p.m. Jamie Oliver, The Naked Chef, “The Naked Chef Takes Off”; Sept. 22: 10:30 a.m. Cody’s for Kids, Walter the Giant Storyteller; Sept. 25: 7 p.m. Nancy London has been cancelled; Oct 5: 7 p.m. Glen Davis Gold reads from “Carter Beats the Devil”; Oct 12: Cody’s For Kids- Rosemary Wells and Bunny Party; 1730 Fourth St. 559-9500 

Cody’s on Telegraph Ave. Sept. 17: Aldo Alvarez describes “Interesting Monsters”; Sept. 18: Clarence Walker discusses “We Can’t Go Home Again: An Argument About Afrocentrism; Sept. 19: Douglas Coupland reads “All Families Are Psychotic”; Sept. 24: Theodore Roszak discusses “Longevity Revolution: As Boomers Become Elders”; Sept. 25: Ken Croswell discusses “The Universe At Midnight: New Discoveries Illuminate the Hidden Cosmos” with a slide show presentation; Sept. 27: Bill Ayers talks about “Fugitive Days”; Oct 1: Urdsula K. Le guin reads from “The Other Wind”; Oct 2: Jonathan Franzen reads from “The Corrections”; Oct 4: Eric Seaborg looks at “Adventures in the Atomic Age: From Watts to Washington”; Oct 5: Victor Villasenor reads from “Thirteen Senses”; All shows at 7:30 p.m. 2454 Telegraph Ave. 845-7852 

Cody’s Other Venues - Sept. 20: 7:30 p.m. Cody’s presents an evening with Margaret Atwood in conversation with professor Robert Alter. $12. First Congregational Church 2345 Channing Way; Sept. 28: 7:30 p.m. Cody’s presents a Community Forum on Race and the Achievement Gap at Berkeley High School. Little Theater, Berkeley High School; Oct 7: 7 p.m. Coleman Barks- The Soul of Rumi First Congregational Church of Berkeley 2345 Dana 

Coffee Mill Poetry Series Sept. 18: Ben Brose and Jen Iby followed by open mike reading. 3363 Grand Ave., Oakland 465-3935 ksdgk@earthlink.net 

Eastwind Books of Berkeley Sept. 29: 7 p.m. Kip Fulbeck reads from his first novel, “Paper Bullets.” 2066 University Ave. 548-2350 

Easy Going Travel Shop & Bookstore Sept. 20: 7:30 p.m. Antarctica & The Nature of Penguins, An evening with Jonathan Chester; Oct 2: 7:30 p.m. “Dancing with the Witchdoctor: One Woman’s Adventure in Africa” by Kelly James. 1385 Shattuck Ave. 843-3533 

Lunch Poems reading Series Oct 4: 12:10 p.m. Ishmael Reed; Morrison Libary in Doe Library at UC Berkeley. Free 642-0137 http://www.berkeley.edu/calendar/events/poems/ 

Spasso Sept. 10: Sharron Jones-Reid, Fruit of the Spirit poets, acoustic musicians, comedians, rappers, performance artists, writers. All welcome. 6021 College Ave. Free admission. 

Tours 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Fridays 9:30 - 11:45 a.m. or by appointment. Call ahead to make reservations. Free. University of California, Berkeley. 486-4387 

Golden Gate Live Steamers Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Lomas Cantadas Drive at the south end of Tilden Regional Park Small locomotives, meticulously scaled to size. Trains run Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rides: Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., weather permitting. 486-0623  

Museums 

Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm” An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels, look into a mirrored fish pond, don farm animal costumes, ride on a John Deere tractor and more. “Recycling Center” Lets the kids crank the conveyor belt to sort cans, plastic bottles and newspaper bundles into dumpster bins. $4 adults; $6 children age 7 and under; $3 for each additional child age 7 and under. Monday and Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Tuesday and Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Sundays, Memorial Day through Labor Day) Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 647-1111 or www.habitot.org  

UC Berkeley Museum of Paleontology Lobby, Valley Life Sciences Building, UC Berkeley “Tyrannosaurus Rex,” ongoing. A 20 foot by 40 foot replica of the fearsome dinosaur 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 22-23 feet. The pteranodon lived at the same time as the dinosaurs. Free. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 642-1821 

UC Berkeley Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology will close its exhibition galleries for renovation. It will reopen in early 2002. On View until Oct. 1 : “Ishi and the Invention of Yahi Culture.” “Sites Along the Nile: Rescuing Ancient Egypt.” “The Art of Research: Nelson Graburn and the Aesthetics of Inuit Sculpture.” “Tzintzuntzan, Mexico: Photographs by George Foster.” $2 general; $1 seniors; $.50 children age 17 and under; free on Thursdays. Wednesday, Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way and College Avenue. 643-7648 or www.qal.berkeley.edu/~hearst/ 

University of California Berkeley Art Museum Pacific Film Archive has reopened after its summer-long seismic retrofit. “Martin Puryear: Sculpture of the 1990s” through Jan. 13; “The Dream of the Audience: Theresa Hak Kyung Cha (1951 - 1982)” through Dec. 16; “Face of Buddha: Sculpture from India, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia” ongoing rotation through 2003; “Matrix 194: Jessica Bronson, Heaps, layers, and curls” Sept. 16 through Nov. 11; “Matrix 192: Ceal Floyer 37’4”” Sept. 16 through Nov. 11; Wed., Fri., Sat., Sun. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Thur. 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., PFA Theater, 2575 Bancroft Way; Museum Galleries 2626 Bancroft Way; 642-0808 www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

Lawrence Hall of Science “Within the Human Brain,” ongoing. Visitors test their cranial nerves, play skeeball, master mazes, match musical tones and construct stories inside a simulated “rat cage” of learning experiments. “Saturday Night Stargazing,” First and third Saturdays each month. 8 - 10 p.m., LHS plaza. Space Weather Exhibit now - Sept. 2; now - Sept. 9 Science in Toyland; Saturdays 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. $7 for adults; $5 for children 5-18; $3 for children 3-4. 642-5132 

Holt Planetarium Programs are recommended for age 8 and up; children under age 6 will not be admitted. $2 in addition to regular museum admission. “Constellations Tonight” Ongoing. Using a simple star map, learn to identify the most prominent constellations for the season in the planetarium sky. Daily, 3:30 p.m. $7 general; $5 seniors, students, disabled, and youths age 7 to 18; $3 children age 3 to 5 ; free children age 2 and younger. Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Centennial Drive, UC Berkeley 642-5132 or www.lhs.berkeley.edu  

Oakland Museum of California “Half Past Autumn: The Art of Gordon Parks,” through Sept. 23; Wednesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday, noon - 5 p.m., Closed Monday and Tuesday. $6 general; $4 youths (6-17), seniors and students with ID. Free for museum members and children 5 and under. Free admission the second Sunday of the month. 10th & Oak streets, Oakland. 238-2200 www.museum.org 

Send arts events two weeks in advance to Calendar@berkeleydailyplanet.net, 2076 University, Berkeley 94704 or fax to 841-5694.

Berkeley comes back to beat  

El Cerrito, get Bissell’s first win  

At the end of every third quarter, a Berkeley High football coach asks his team what quarter is coming up. The players respond by screaming “Jackets’ quarter! Jackets quarter!” And on Friday at El Cerrito High, the players were finally right. 

Coming off of three straight blowout losses to start the season, the Yellowjackets finally got into the win column on Friday, scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to win, 32-29, in the ACCAL opener for both teams. Running back Roger Mason’s 20-yard touchdown run with 5:44 left in the game was the difference, and highlighted just how talented the Berkeley squad is: Mason is the ’Jackets’ fourth-string tailback. 

“That run let me know that no matter who’s in the game, we can produce,” Berkeley defensive end Akeem Brown said of Mason’s run, during which he broke three tackles and dragged two defenders into the end zone. “We finally gave the offense the ball, and they put it in the end zone a bunch of times.” 

Five times, to be exact, which was unexpected considering Berkeley (1-3, 1-0 ACCAL) had scored just two touchdowns in their first three games. The ’Jackets exploded with a balanced offense, gaining 276 yards on the ground and 201 passing yards. Starting tailback Germaine Baird rumbled for 106 rushing yards, backup Aaron Boatwright gained 47, and seldom-used Craig Hollis picked up 61 yards on just seven carries, all in the second half. 

Fullback Nick Schooler also pitched in with 25 yards on the ground, but showed amazing versatility as he also made big contributions in the passing game as well as on defense and special teams. With the ’Jackets down 15-6 and on the El Cerrito 11-yard line, quarterback Raymond Pinkston dropped back to pass and was nearly sacked, just managing to dump the ball off to Schooler well behind the line of scrimmage. Schooler shook off the first two tacklers, then broke left, picking up a block from Baird and racing to the corner of the end zone for a touchdown with just 23 seconds left in the half. 

“There was nothing there, so I just headed towards my blockers,” Schooler said. 

After Mason’s touchdown put Berkeley ahead, Schooler came to the rescue on defense, picking off a Randy Gatewood pass with 4:40 left in the game. And when El Cerrito stopped the ’Jackets and forced a punt from midfield, it was Schooler who took the ball with starting punter Jason Goodwin on the sideline with an arm injury. Schooler’s line-drive punt drove the Gauchos back to their own 12. 

El Cerrito managed to get the ball to the Berkeley 27-yard line with four seconds left in regulation, but another Berkeley senior came through when it counted. Lineman Matt Toma, who missed last week’s loss to Dos Palos with a hip pointer, didn’t play on defense until the final play of the game, as the Berkeley coaches wanted him rested for offense. But Toma convinced them to put him in for the final play, then broke through and dragged down Gatewood to end the game. 

“I was doing anything I could to get on the field for that last play,” Toma said. “That was one of the greatest feelings I’ve ever had.” 

The ’Jackets were almost done in early by mistakes on special teams. El Cerrito took a 15-0 lead in the first quarter by taking advantage of a Lee Franklin punt fumble, then smothering Goodwin on the Berkeley five-yard line after he fumbled a snap.  

Although Goodwin reeled in a 26-yard touchdown catch before Schooler’s score, the ’Jackets were still down 15-12 heading into the second half even though the defense had allowed just 86 total yards. Then came the runback that should have broken the game wide open, as El Cerrito’s John Norman took the opening kickoff back 82 yards for a touchdown and a 22-12 Gaucho lead. 

But unlike the three previous games, the ’Jackets didn’t drop their heads and give up. Pinkston answered right back with a 55-yard bomb to wide receiver Sean Young for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 22-18. And after El Cerrito running back Jamonte Cox rinally broke through for a 63-yard run that led to another Gaucho touchdown that put his team up 29-18, Berkeley still refused to go away. Pinkston went back to Young, this time hitting him for a 32-yard gain that put the ’Jackets on the El Cerrito three-yard line. Two plays later Baird dove into the end zone from two yards out, setting the stage for Mason’s final score. 

The ’Jackets piled up 477 yards to El Cerrito’s 262, dominating the line of scrimmage on both sides. Their turnovers kept them from dominating the scoreboard, but head coach Matt Bissell was encouraged by his team’s heart. 

“This is the first time that we’ve made mistakes early and came back from them,” said Bissell, who picked up his first varsity win. “It’s very good to see us not give up when we get down.”

Even after teacher salaries jumped 9.5 percent last year as part of new four-year contact, Berkeley Unified School District is struggling to recruit the teachers it needs. 

Jefferson Elementary School Principal Laura Saunders says she needs “bodies” -- people to help with a crushing work load and free her for some critical work that she can only dream about today, such as compiling data to determine her staff’s most urgent professional development needs. 

“Having some additional support at the elementary level is critical,” Saunders said, citing a need for bilingual  

teachers and more teachers in the school’s literacy program. 

Beyond these specifics needs, Saunders said she just needs more teachers overall to help spread the work load and give all teachers more time for professional development. Currently Jefferson Elementary teachers have only two days of professional development at the beginning of the school year, Saunders said.  

“They need more time to develop lessons and practice them,” Saunders said. 

She said this would allow teachers to learn more effective instructional strategies in the critical areas of literacy and numeracy. 

For Berkeley High Principal Frank Lynch the situation is even more pressing. Lynch said he could have to recruit as many as 20 new teachers by the end of the summer just to meet Berkeley High’s basic needs next year.  

Although the latest teachers’ contract will bring Berkeley teacher salaries a little above the median for 30 comparable school districts in the state, Lynch worries teachers could be lured away by higher paying opportunities in nearby districts.  

While the pay range for first-year teachers started at $31,778 before the new contract, it now begins at $36,337. Under the current contract, the high end of the range will reach $63,335 in four years. 

But in the nearby Hayward Unified School District the pay range stands at $43,848 – $73,000, said Brenda Carter-Stroud, administrative secretary for the Hayward Unified School District Personnel Department. 

Citing this discrepancy, Lynch said teachers could end up saying to themselves, “All I have to do is drive further south every day.” 

“Your in a competitive market place,” Lynch said. “If you don’t do something to jack salaries up, you’re going to be behind the eight ball.” 

The BUSD’s first estimate for next year’s budget calls for increasing the total outlay for teacher salaries another 3.9 percent, from $24.9 million to $25.8 million. But with the district facing a potential budget shortfall of several million dollars, it’s too early to say what next year’s increase will be, according to Berkeley Federation of Teachers President Barry Fike. 

And salaries aren’t the only obstacles for the district in overcoming its recruitment and retention challenges, said Shirley Issel, Vice President of the BUSD school board. 

“(The School district’s) bureaucracy is not even into the 80s,” Issel said, decrying a failure to generate important data to help various school administrators do their jobs. “We don’t know how many employees are on the books. Many have not been evaluated in a timely fashion if ever.” 

Bureaucratic disarray is bad for morale, Issel said, because it creates a gulf between the district’s leadership and its employees. 

“We have an inability to hold anyone accountable for doing their job,” Issel said. “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” 

Still, BFT’s Fike said things have come a long way. He said Berkeley’s teacher salaries today “are approaching a level where we would be competitive,” as compared to just a few years ago when they were near the bottom of the list for 30 comparable schools. 

“Teacher transiency is a problem statewide,” Fike added, because teachers with advanced degrees can earn more by simply shifting to more lucrative professions.  

“Berkeley teachers have a lot of things really going for us,” Fike said, citing the high availability of grants for teachers pursuing special projects, large investments in “enrichment” programs such as music and the arts, and a bond measure passed last year that promises to rebuilt the district’s maintenance department, ending years of frustration when maintenance issues were not adequately addressed.  

BUSD Elementary Schools have an added recruitment advantage, Fike said: they are very attractive to teachers because of their relatively small size compared to other districts in the state. 

Fike said one of the next hurdles to tackle is the issue of finding affordable housing “for teachers to really be able to afford to live in the areas where they teach.” 

Fike said the BFT is working with the University of California and the City of Berkeley on a project that would build affordable housing for public employees above the parking lots at the Ashby BART station. 

But the key to winning the recruitment battle may lie in the district’s academic reputation, according to Jefferson Elementary School’s Saunders. 

“I think that Berkeley has an edge in that people see us as a progressive district, which we are, and people want to come here,” Saunders said. “Throughout the state we’re really known for doing what’s right for children. And that’s the bottom line for teachers.” 

The Berkeley Unified School District filed suit in Alameda County Superior this week to recoup money mistakenly paid to dozens of service employees. 

In March, 552 non-instructional employees – maintenance, accounting, and secretarial personnel, among others – received overpayments in their monthly paychecks. Most consented to pay the money back through deductions to two later paychecks, but some, claiming hardships, have fought to return the money more gradually. 

“It’s awful to be in a position where in order to recover a significant amount of funds, you have to sue your employees,” said Shirley Issel, vice president of the Berkeley Unified School Board. 

“If they aren’t going to (reschedule the payments) voluntarily, I’m going to get a judge to get them to do it,” said Stephanie Allan, representative for the union that went to court to prevent the district from taking back the money by reducing the May and June paychecks. 

In March, due to computer and clerical errors, 552 monthly paychecks were printed with twice the bonus due under a new contract that had raised those employees’ pay by 6 percent, retroactive to July 2000. 

The district discovered the problem after direct deposits and some paper checks had already gone out, said Tina Breyer, the district’s director of classified personnel, so the rest were sent as well, with a letter noting the problem. 

The Public Employees Union Local 1, which holds the contract with the district to represent the employees affected by the overpayment agreed to let the district recoup the money in two deductions so long as individuals could claim hardship exceptions to work out a repayment timetable separately with the district.  

“April is not a good month to take money back, so we negotiated with district to take it out in two payments,” said Rick Spaid, who represents Local 1 in the district office’s technical business unit.  

“The district was very forthcoming to help us.” 

However, the mistake caused many employees serious cash-flow problems. It increased paychecks by well over $1,000 in many cases, pushing some employees into tax brackets as high as 43 percent, Allan said, and brought oversized one-time IRS deductions and increases in other garnishments such as child support and alimony. 

“We’re not making a whole lot of money, and when those deductions are added up, they add up,” said Rickey Brantley, the school safety officer at Willard Middle School, who said Friday morning he expected a process server to show up in the schoolyard at any time. “I’m really perturbed because during the time that all this happened, my mama passed away, so I didn’t know anything about the overpayment until I got back from Louisiana,” Brantley said. 

Further complicating the question, the Stationary Engineers Local 39, bidding to represent the district employees, had unsuccessfully petitioned the Public Employment Relations Board on March 14 to decertify Local 1. Amidst the overpayment fracas, it rounded up 67 affected employees, offering to help them win a more gradual repayment schedule. 

“I’m standing on the sidelines saying to the district, ‘you can’t do this, this violates the law,” Allan said. “You can’t take that much money, not in one check, not in one deduction, not in two deductions.” 

Allan said the 67 had already signed documents to switch unions, but Spaid said Local 39 “definitely gave people the impression they would not have to pay this money back.” 

Local 39 sought an injunction in county court against the May deduction, but it was denied and the deduction went ahead. Allan said this left one food service worker with $80 in her monthly check. 

Local 39 returned to court and on June 20 won an injunction based on state statutes regarding wages and garnishment. Allan said the law limits employer deductions in cases of error to no more than 30 percent of a single paycheck, and less if the remainder leaves employees with less than they need to meet their average monthly expenses. 

Meanwhile, according Spaid, the district lagged on the hardship requests. “We found out last month that the district never answered the hardship letters, so Local 1 raised a little stink and said you need to answer these things,” he said. 

Michele Lawrence, the district superintendent, said she had granted five hardship exceptions out of about 54 among the Local 39 group who had requested them, allowing those people to repay on extended schedules. She said the district had a contract solely with Local 1 and had no legal authority to reach separate agreements with Local 39. 

“The school district was very reluctant to file this suit,” said Lawrence, “but after seven and a half months of conversation, we can no longer negotiate separately with this group of people when in fact our other employees, through their representative group, have already paid back their money.” 

Allan maintains that the agreement with Local 1 to draw the money back in two payments “violates the law, and you can’t stick to an illegal agreement.” 

“The judge is going to tell (Lawrence) to work out agreements with these people,” Allan said. “None of this is necessary. This is, ‘You’re going to work this out our way or you’re going to pay a price.’” 

Spaid also criticized the district – “their idea of communicating,” he said, was to serve them with a lawsuit – but he reserved his harshest criticism for the competing union. 

“They basically have put these 54 people in the position where they’ve told them to tell the district, ‘If you want your money back, you have to sue me,’” he said, adding that if the court rules against them, it may affect their credit ratings. 

“At this point, that’s where it is,” he said. “It’s now between the district and these individuals.” 

According to Breyer, about $25,000 is still not paid back, and as of Friday all but 44 people in the dissenting group had agreed to repay the district in order to be dismissed from its lawsuit.

What a dream! Was it a dream? 

Just a thought! But what a thought. 

How could one be sure, but then again maybe. 

Was this our Whale, was this our Lesson? 

The Wars of Man becoming so numerous 

With such devastating means of destruction. 

Suffering from outbreaks all over our Lands 

The recent Terrorists guided by the same great Hands? 

Do we really expect to win always? 

To be the Leader of the Free World? 

(Now, what Free World?) 

To perpetuate the killing and retribution? 

Is that our role in this Game of Life? 

Fear and torment because we can’t understand 

Maybe our Gold and God ARE the same 

With lessons coming from the same Beam of Light. 

Over and over the same lessons learned. 

Or just passed off as ‘the way things are’. 

“We can’t be wrong; we have all the Love.” 

But we never thought we were repeating  

Our transgressions in Volumes stretching 

Over 2000 years of our Love of possessions. 

Compassion for others has been our sanctity 

To rectify our minds and spiritual Salvation. 

Again we will pass over the meaning of 

God’s love and in His Name we will 

Take the high road to ‘Punish the Infidels’. 

Maybe the lightning and thunder of last night 

Awakened a Truth in others besides me- 

Maybe put the Sword back in the ‘Holster’? 

Finding the men responsible for our Plight 

And having those who listen to the same God as ours 

Over for Supper some Evening.  

Joy Flaherty  

Berkeley

Laura Schott returned to her goal-a-game pace as the Cal women’s soccer team shut out Fresno State, 2-0.  

Schott, an All-American forward, scored both goals in the Golden Bears’ first home game at Edwards Stadium since completing a five-game road trip.  

The win moved Cal’s record to 7-1, while Fresno State fell to 2-4.  

The first goal, a penalty kick, came after Fresno State defender Kristi Nicholls fouled Brittany Kirk in the Bulldogs’ penalty area. Schott put the kick past Fresno State goalkeeper Mary-Tyler Wahl and into the lower-left corner of her net.  

Kirk, a junior midfielder for Cal, definitely went down in the box, but whether it was worth a PK call was debatable.  

“I got the ball and was trying to dribble around the girl and they came from both sides and hit me,” said Kirk, who claimed she collided with two Bulldogs. “It was definitely a foul. I don’t know if most refs would have called it. But it was a foul.”  

“Any good forward understands when they get bumped when’s a good time to go down or not,” said Stacy Welp, Fresno State’s first-year coach. “I think it’s a questionable call. I think our player was trying to get position with her body. But that’s the way it goes. Referees don’t make or break a game. We do.”  

Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, they were losing 2-0 at the half, thanks to another Kirk-Schott connection. Kirk got the ball in midfield and played what she thought was a bad ball to Schott just to her right. But Schott caught up to it, dribbled through the defenders, rounded the keeper and scored.  

“The pass was off a few yards from where I wanted to play it, but she just came running out of nowhere,” Kirk said. “She made my ball look good.”  

Both teams possessed the ball well in midfield, but Fresno State could not generate many scoring chances. They forced Cal freshman goalkeeper Mallory Moser into just two saves. 

Through eight games now, Schott has eight goals and two assists, leading the Bears in scoring with 18 points. She’s slightly behind the pace she set last season, when she finished third in the nation with a 1.15 goals-per-game average.  

Against Fresno State, Schott had six shots overall and three shots on goal. Schott had a great chance to score in the 87th minute, when a Moser punt was deflected by a Bulldog defender right into Schott’s path, but she tried to dribble the keeper and lost the ball.  

“Sometimes she’s going to have to shoot before she dribbles the keeper,” Cal head coach Kevin Boyd laughed. “But her composure is outstanding. She gets in there and looks for the best chance she can take. She had a great game today.”

UC Berkeley’s proposed seismic retrofit and expansion on its northeast quadrant has run afoul of neighbors who criticize the project for potential increases in traffic and air pollution, creek pollution and the loss of recreational space.  

The university, however, says it has no choice but to make its buildings earthquake safe. While doing so, its expansion has a humanitarian mission: “To conduct research in order to learn about the human body’s molecular machinery and genetic blueprint,” according to the university’s description of the project in the Initial Study, an overview of the projects’ possible impacts. The projects “are proposed to facilitate new research and teaching efforts in the public interest,” an introduction to the study says. 

The study is preliminary to a full-blown Environmental Impact Report, which will detail the impacts of the project on the community and propose mitigation measures.  

Jim Sharp lives in the north-of-campus area. He says the neighborhood will suffer from the project and takes a cynical view of its stated purpose. The research “allows the university to sell patents of its research,” he said. 

According to the proposal detailed in the Initial Study Davis Hall, just south of Hearst Avenue is now about 38,000 square feet and would be replaced by a building that is about 145,000 square feet. There are now some 25 faculty and staff who work in the laboratories and offices there, but there will be about 460 people working there when the new project is completed. 

Stanley Hall is also located on the northeast portion of the campus. The university says it will grow four times its current size to about 285,000 square feet. There will be 600 to 700 faculty, researchers and lab assistants working at the facility, compared to the current 288 people working there. 

Soda Hall, north of the campus proper, will also expand. The historic Naval Architecture Building may be moved temporarily while work is being done under it, then moved back, though Sharp said critics from the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association say they don’t think it is possible to move the building without destroying it. 

The lower Hearst Parking Structure at Scenic and Hearst avenues, which has tennis courts and a skateboard park on it’s top tier, may have the recreational uses replaced by 150 to 180 parking spaces. 

“There will be more traffic and less parking,” Sharp said. Neighbors also oppose the proposed loss of the recreational space.  

“They’re planning on 900 (staff). They’re not going to be flying in,” Sharp said, noting that traffic in the area is already very bad. University spokesperson Marie Felde said she believes many of the 900 staff that will work in the new buildings will simply shift their work sites temporarily when they join others on the projects at these new buildings, but she was unable to confirm the numbers of new staff who would come to the campus. 

When asked if the EIR would study where to house new staff, UC Berkeley Principal Planner Jennifer Lawrence said that it would not. It would simply look at traffic impacts. “I believe we’ll hire Berkeley residents,” she said. However, she conceded that the university does not follow a hire-Berkeley-first policy, due to state law which prohibits them from doing so. 

Sharp said the university ought to have written one collective environmental report for both the expansion of the Goldman School of Public Policy, a nearby project that is under way, and the northeast quadrant projects. It is as if “the two operate in different universes,” he said. 

But Lawrence explained that the university has to wait until it has the funds to build each project before it considers the impacts of each. 

Asked why the university wanted to put laboratories so near earthquake faults – one runs through nearby Memorial Stadium – Felde explained that there are already laboratories in these buildings and that it makes sense to expand the current use. There will be a particularly high degree of earthquake safety in these buildings, Felde said. 

The university held a meeting Monday night to get comments on the scope of the Environmental Impact Report. Sharp said some 70 people attended. The next step is for a consultant to write a Draft Environmental Impact Report, which the university says will be completed by April 1. 

Sharp says that is too quick. “I want a very elaborate transportation element,” he said. 

He and his north side neighbors plan to see what they can do to oppose the project. “There is not any discussion of livability of the adjacent area,” he said. 

But Councilmember Betty Olds said the fight is no use. “A lot of (the proposal) I don’t like,” she said. But the city loses every time it goes head to head with the university. 

“I bow to the inevitable,” she said. 

For copies of the Initial Plan or to comment on the plan by March 10, contact Jennifer Lawrence, principal planner, UC Berkeley, Physical and Environmental Planning Office, 1 A & E Building, #1382, Berkeley CA 94720-1382.0

The Berkeley Housing Authority has opened up the Section 8 waiting list as part of the agency’s aggressive attempt to add 300 households to the housing-subsidy program by April. 

In the past, the Section 8 waiting list was limited to a restricted number of applicants. Now, for the first time, the BHA has opened up the list to all qualified people who submit applications by Oct. 5. 

Furthermore, the BHA has prioritized low-income tenants who already have housing and landlords who have rental units leased below market rates.  

“Our primary focus is to locate people who are leasing units and are paying more than a third of their income on rent,” said Housing Department Director Stephen Barton, who oversees the BHA. “We also want to attract the attention of landlords who are renting to low-income tenants at below market rates because that’s a potential win, win situation.” 

Barton said a shortage of housing has turned the BHA focus to low-income tenants, living in Berkeley who are already occupying housing, because the Section 8 vouchers are not of much use if there is no available housing to occupy. 

Barton said landlords can benefit from the program by increasing their rents and avoiding Berkeley’s rent control laws. Units that are leased to Section 8 tenants are no longer subject to the rent control ordinance and can immediately begin collecting market, or close to market rents, if a current tenant qualifies for the Section 8 program.  

HUD recently increased rental subsidies on all residential units. An example of the new rental ceiling is $1,105 for one-bedroom units and $1,380 for two-bedroom units. 

“We’re very happy to see the Section 8 program is beginning to really get on the ball,” said Frank Davis, Jr., president of the Black Property Owners Association. “One thousand three hundred and eighty dollars is pretty close to what you can get on the open market, especially in west Berkeley.” 

To get the word out, the BHA has spent $40,000 for mailings, advertising and installing informational phone lines, according to a Sept. 25 BHA report.  

The BHA is anxious to issue as many Section 8 vouchers as possible by a HUD-imposed April deadline, Barton said. 

More typical of a business than a government agency, the Housing Authority receives administrative funding according to how productive it is. That is to say, that the more households that are leased under the Section 8 program, the more funding the BHA receives. The under-leasing of Section 8 units has caused the agency large budget shortfalls in recent years – last year there was a shortfall of $255,000. BHA officials said it expects a similar loss this year. 

HUD has authorized the BHA to subsidize 1,800 households, of which 1,600 can be subsidized by the BHA budget. But currently there are only 1,280 households under lease. 

If the BHA cannot add 300 Section 8 units by the April deadline, HUD will likely cut funding for the program, which will mean cutbacks in BHA staff, or worse, the BHA Board may decide to dissolve the agency and turn over the subsidized housing program to another agency such as the Alameda County Housing Authority. 

“I think this is like the last stand,” said Mayor Shirley Dean, who also sits on the BHA Board. “If we don’t get this thing worked out, it’s gone.” 

For information on the section 8 program tenants can call 981-5406 and interested landlords can call 981-5407 . For a copy of the pre-application on the Web go to www.ci.berkeley.ca.us.

Editor:  

Kudos to Mayor’s staffers Tamlyn Bright and Jennifer Drapeau for adroitly handling the overwhelming number of hate calls the Mayor’s office received concerning flags on fire trucks. (Daily P, 9/26). Knowing Tamlyn and Jennifer, I’m sure they handled each call with their usual aplomb, intelligence, and patience. No small feat. 

However, I’m a little troubled by the Mayor’s statements, putting on the same level Barbara Lee’s courageous stand and the Scout skirmish in the cultural war with the anti-Muslim Daily Cal cartoon and the flap over fire truck flags, saying in effect these events cast her in a strange role when she attends national, state, and county meetings.  

I can sympathize with her receiving weird looks, but the city of Berkeley is world famous for its cutting edge social services and impassioned democratic participation by its citizenry. The mayor is, if you will, our “ambassador” to less progressive cities. I wish she’d feel proud of Berkeley’s reputation and the actions that earned it instead of feeling apologetic. 

Maris Arnold 

Berkeley

Twice acting city manager, Weldon Rucker has been appointed to the permanent post of city manager. 

The deal was made during closed session Tuesday, with few members of the public aware the appointment was eminent, although a “public employee appointment” of a city manager was noticed on the executive session agenda. Councilmembers had proposed a nationwide search for a manager several months previous. 

The vote in support of Rucker was 8-0, with Councilmember Polly Armstrong absent. 

“I think it was scandalous that Weldon Rucker wasn’t hired six years ago,” Councilmember Kriss Worthington said in a phone interview. “We imported (former city manager) Jim Keene. He didn’t understand Berkeley.” 

Worthington said the process for the appointment was wrong, however. “It should have been done at public session,” he said. 

When the appointment was announced in open session, and Worthington said Rucker should have gotten the appointment the first time he was acting city manager, Mayor Shirley Dean rushed to say that Rucker had been offered the job and declined it. (The Daily Planet was unable to confirm this independently with Rucker.) Rucker served as acting city manager for several years before Keene’s appointment. 

“We’ve all welcomed him and given him a vote of confidence,” Dean said. 

As for Rucker, he didn’t make a long speech: “Maybe now that I’m permanent I can get a working microphone,” he quipped. 

Rucker, who will receive the same compensation as he had while he was acting city manager, has worked for the city for over 30 years, serving in various positions including director of public works and deputy city manager. 

As city manager, Rucker will have several key appointments to make. The city lacks a director for its Planning Department. The police chief has said he is leaving his post soon. The head of the transportation division has recently given up his post after occupying it for only a short time. 

An occasional column of  

commentary about those who’d rather shine us on. 

When the media spews disinformation, it’s shameful. So I say to those talk-show types who blatantly lied when they told the world our mayor refused to fly the flag: love it or leave it – your jobs, you idiots. 

But there’s more to media disinformation, than prevarication. 

Sometimes we want to bring you the complete story, but we’re foiled by our public officials, who reveal scant or no data. 

Public agencies are required under the Brown Act, California’s open meeting law, to provide specific kinds of information to the press and public and to allow the press and public presence at most meetings. 

But we have a problem getting some local officials to follow the rules. Our school leaders are a case in point. 

Remember earlier in the year when the school board flew to LA to gather information about Michele Lawrence (who has since become superintendent)? They let the public know they were going, only after they’d already gone. 

And this very day, perhaps while you’re reading your Planet over a cup of (organic fair-trade) coffee, you’re being shut out of a meeting. 

It’s a closed session. And even though the Brown Act requires an open public comment period, none appears on the agenda. 

So if you’re lucky enough to read this before 9 a.m., with your lawyer and copy of the Brown Act in tow, you might want to forgo your second cup of java and hightail it to the first minutes of the closed-door session.  

Don’t bother to go to Old City Hall, where board meetings usually take place. Head straight up to the meeting at the superintendent’s home, at 1921 San Antonio Ave. If you use a wheelchair to get around and want to comment, sorry, you’re out of luck - the home’s not accessible. (The Brown Act as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act mandates that public meetings be held in accessible locations, by the way.) 

How did the school board come to schedule the meeting without a comment period? I put a call in to School Board President Terry Doran, well known as a fighter for democracy. Referring to a public comment period, Doran, who should know better, said: “I don’t know if we’re providing that or not.” He suggested I call the superintendent’s secretary. 

Sorry, Terry, it’s not for you to decide to provide or not. It’s a public right. 

As for the Saturday meeting itself, you’ve got to wonder why it’s so sensitive that it has to be held out of the public’s sight. 

The intent, says the agenda faxed to the Daily Planet, is for a “Public employment performance evaluation: Superintendent.” 

Doran explained the closed-door session as “a work meeting.” He said “it’s something Michele suggested to get feedback.” The board plans to meet at regular intervals in closed session to provide the feedback, he said. 

Terry Francke, general counsel to the California First Amendment Coalition, pointed out that “you’re talking about the chief executive of an agency. It’s hard to imagine what is not fair game for discussion.” 

Generally, evaluations are held annually. If they are to be held more often, “I would find that highly suspect,” Francke said. “The reason for an open board meeting is that the board is to be seen grappling with the problems” of the district. 

Francke said if the superintendent wanted feedback on how she was doing, she could put in calls to the board president. 

Then there’s the question of holding the meeting at the superintendent’s house. 

“It is just my opinion,” Francke said, “a matter of appearance rather than law,” that holding the meeting at the home of the person being evaluated is “singularly strange and inappropriate.” 

“If she expects feedback, she should go to them,” he said. 

To her credit, once the Daily Planet pointed out that holding a meeting without an open comment period and in an inaccessible location was not a good thing to do, the superintendent conceded that it would probably have been better to hold a public portion of the meeting in a public and accessible place. “I didn’t think about opening up in public,” she said apologetically. 

*** 

Brown Act non-compliance is not limited to the school board, here in the city where the Free Speech movement was born. 

Take our police department, for example. 

(But before we tear into the problems of getting information from the department, I should note that, without being defensive or making excuses, Police Chief Dash Butler promised Friday to make improvements in his department in order to serve the press and public with more complete and timely public information.) 

While Terry Francke says the police should give the press “timely” information in response to their requests, it often takes days for the Planet to get the info it is seeking – usually simple stuff like what happened in the latest bank robbery. 

PIO Lt. Cynthia Harris, currently on vacation, told the Planet a week ago or so that delays often happen because her first concern is taking care of criminal investigations. 

And isn’t that as it should be?  

If I had my favorite gizmo ripped off, wouldn’t I want the good lieutenant to be meeting with her detectives on my case, rather than giving some reporter the low-down on a bank robbery. Sure I would. 

So hire a civilian as PIO, I suggested to the chief. 

But Butler said civilians wouldn’t know what information is sensitive and what could be given out.  

Maybe you could hire a smart civilian. Go figure. 

But why hire a PIO at all, Francke asked, underscoring that the very best source is the cop on the beat who’s most familiar with the crime. 

*** 

If we don’t start getting better information from the cops, and the schools don’t start opening up their meetings as they should, the Daily Planet won’t rip a page out of G. Gordon Liddy or Rush Limbaugh’s book of Anything Goes – which they used to accuse the mayor of UnAmerican activity. We’ll keep plugging away for the truth, supporting Kriss Worthington’s Sunshine Ordinance – buried for the winter in the bowels of the bureaucracy – and hope the school district has the guts to adopt it as well. 

Editor: 

We support Barbara Lee’s courageous and moral stand in this moment of crisis and decision.  

The loss of life at the World Trade Center, in the destroyed aircraft, and at the Pentagon is a horrifying shock to the people of the United States and of the whole world. We are united in our intention to see that those responsible for organizing this criminal action are brought to justice. 

Congresswoman Lee has appropriately cautioned us. She voted against giving the Administration a blank check. We agree with her that this is not a conventional war and that an appropriate response will not be one that takes the lives of innocent people. 

We agree with Congresswoman Lee that “this crisis involves issues of national security, foreign policy, public safety, intelligence gathering, economics, and murder. Our response must be equally multifaceted. As we act, let us not become the evil that we deplore.”  

Thank you, Barbara, for having the courage to speak these truths at the time that they most need to be spoken. 

Terry S. Doran, President, Berkeley School Board 

Keith Carson, Supervisor, Alameda County 

Darryl Moore, Trustee, Peralta Community College District 

John Selawsky, Director, Berkeley School Board 

Max Anderson, Commissioner, Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board 

Maudelle Shirek, Vice Mayor, City of Berkeley 

Kriss Worthington, Berkeley City Council 

Linda Maio, Berkeley City Council 

Donna Spring, Berkeley City Council 

Larry Harris, Commissioner, Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board 

Selma Specter, Commissioner, Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board 

Stefanie Bernay, Commissioner, Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board 

Marc Janowitz, Commissioner, Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board 

Sharon Maldonado, Commissioner, Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board 

Judy Ann Alberti, Commissioner, Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board

A shot fired from a car outside a San Pablo Avenue grocery store Tuesday morning blasted into a freezer box full of frozen fruit bars just a few feet from one of the store’s owners.  

Javiar Mendez, a co-owner of Mi Tierra Foods at the corner of Addison Street and San Pablo Avenue, said two men shopping in the store started a threatening conversation with him, left the store and then fired one shot at him from a nearby car before making a speedy getaway. Mendez said the younger of the two men, approached him in the store and started trying to pick a fight. 

“He said, ‘You don’t know me. The call me Peligroso,’ ” Mendez said, using the Spanish word for “dangerous.”  

Mendez said he told the two men “I’ve got nothing to do with that,” and they eventually left the store. They then called him from a car at the curbside, Mendez said, and one fired a shot at him when he turned to look. 

“I’d seen them before in the store, but I’d never communicated with them before,” Mendez said of the men.  

Police at the scene declined to answer any questions. 

Herman Leung, an employee of a furniture store next door to Mi Tierra Foods, said he heard the shot about 10:30 a.m., but had no idea what it was at first. 

“I though somebody had dropped something on the floor,” Leung said. 

Leung said there have been numerous problems in the area recently, and police had visited Mi Tierra Foods as recently as Monday for another matter. 

“You always see people yelling and fighting on the street,” Leung said. But, he said, “I’ve worked here for five years and I’ve never see this kind of thing ever.” 

Berkeley Police Lt. Russell Lopes called the alleged attempted shooting an “unusual” event for the area. 

“San Pablo itself is usually relatively quiet,” Lopes said. “The vast majority of the problems are low level quality of life stuff, like people drinking in the streets, some drug dealing and hanging out.”

Editor: 

UC Berkeley students have a new rallying cry: they want their own district. 

The vociferous proponents of this proposal appear to think that it would be perfectly democratic and fair if students were given their own fiefdom in Berkeley and thus a voice on the City Council in running the entire town. 

Most students, constituting a constantly shifting 22 percent of Berkeley’s population, come here from out of town. Their parents no doubt claim them as tax write-offs. Berkeley students are able to vote here. That vote includes the opportunity to decide on local bond and assessment measures, to which the multitudes of eager student voters never have to contribute a penny. 

The Berkeley City Council should think long and hard about this issue. Do we need another “Only in Berkeley” here? 

Doris E. Willingham 

Berkeley

Bulent Altan put on his Planet Hollywood T-shirt Thursday to make sure no one thought he was a terrorist. 

Then Altan, a 24-year old native of Turkey, boarded a plane bound for Germany heading on a month-long trip. Like other passengers of Middle Eastern, South Asian, or West Asian descent, he feared he would be regarded with increased suspicion in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.  

He decided to make the trip anyway. 

“I definitely don’t change my plans for terrorist attacks,” said Altan, who lives in South Berkeley. In Turkey, he said, terrorism was a regular threat. 

Speaking to a crowd of travelers at O’Hare airport yesterday, President Bush urged Americans to support the failing airline industry. He told the public to “get on the airlines, get about the business of America.” 

But for travelers who may be perceived as Arab-American, the business of getting on an airplane may be more daunting. Bay Area travelers of Middle-Eastern or South Asian descent have experienced a range of emotions when it comes to air travel. Some, like Altan, said they won’t let a fear of scapegoating change their travel plans. Others said they have been reluctant to board airplanes since Sept. 11. Psychologists said these are all normal responses for those facing heightened discrimination. 

“It’s a dilemma for people who are targets of stereotypes,” said Clark McKown, a faculty fellow in the Psychology Department at UC Berkeley who specializes in the psychology of stereotyping. He said some people “choose to accommodate the environment” by limiting their activities to avoid situations where they face discrimination. Others move ahead with business as usual, deciding to express “their ethnic identity in a clear way and risk being targets of discrimination.” 

“It’s a dilemma that people of color have faced in different contexts,” said McKown, who compared the current situation for Arab-Americans to the climate Japanese-Americans faced during World War II.  

A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll conducted last week found that a majority of Americans favor requiring Arabs, including U.S. citizens, to undergo “separate, more intensive security procedures at airports.” About half of those polled support the idea that Arabs, even U.S. citizens, should carry special identification. 

But in recent weeks, suspicion has also been cast on Americans who are not of Arab descent. 

“I was afraid of what I was going to confront,” said Gurvinder Singh, 36, who said he has been under intense stress since the attacks. “I am a Sikh, I wear a turban, I have a beard.”  

Singh flies from Chino to the Bay Area weekly for work. He was in Santa Clara when the attack happened, and drove the nearly 400-mile trip home. He refused to get on a plane the following week. 

Singh’s fears were not unfounded. Since Sept. 11, pilots on several flights have ordered South Asian or Middle Eastern passengers to deplane because the crew “felt unsafe.” Helal Omeira, Executive Director of the Northern California Council on American-Islamic relations, said he was working to find legal counsel for a mother and child who were removed from a flight at San Jose Airport last week. 

Jo Murray, a spokesperson for Oakland Airport, said she was not aware of any incidents in which passengers were asked to get off aircrafts. 

Omeira said that such removals are embarrassing for passengers, who are usually released after questioning. “It’s just humiliating, because there’s nothing to hide,” said Omeira.  

“They find out that this guy grew up in California, or was born here, or that this woman has a head scarf on because she’s exercising freedom of religion.” 

Singh echoed Omeira’s statement. “When I took my oath and became an American citizen, it came from my heart,” he said.  

Singh said he considered changing jobs to avoid frequent air travel.  

“But for a person who looks as I do in the eyes of so many fellow Americans, I had to ask myself, ‘Am I going to be able to find another job?’” he said. 

Then, he had to ask himself a harder question, one he said every Sikh-American asked in the wake of the attacks. “Do Sikhs fit into America anymore?” 

Omeira said his group had received “a lot of pre-emptive calls” from Muslim travelers seeking advice as they headed to the airport.  

“I tell them to be very forthcoming with information, to answer all the questions,” he said. Omeira recommends Arab-American travelers arrive four or five hours in advance of their flights to “give law enforcement the necessary time to do what they need to do.”  

But he said, he prays and hopes any questioning “is not racially motivated.”  

Jerry Snyder, spokesperson from the Western Regional office of the Federal Aviation Administration, said that although strict security measures are in place, none are “aimed or directed at any ethnic group in any way, shape, or form.” He said that it is not in the FAA’s jurisdiction to require any sensitivity training for security personnel. 

Omeira said he expects air travel to pick up among Arab-Americans. “We all have our reasons for flying,” he said. “We all have family that we want to see.” 

He plans to visit his mother in Oklahoma for Thanksgiving.  

“I can’t think of a reason on this planet that would keep me away from my mom,” he said. 

RIVERSIDE — A group of University of California, Riverside scientists are tackling a curious problem for parks and wilderness areas in the West: smog. 

Seen as an urban ill, smog and haze also can shroud remote, otherwise scenic spots like the Grand Canyon, Yosemite’s Half Dome and Joshua Tree National Park in the desert east of Los Angeles. 

Armed with $1 million in federal research money, UC Riverside scientists will start work this month with a consortium of 12 Western states, as well as Native American and federal officials, to develop the first model explaining how car exhaust and other pollutants find their way to the sites. 

The two-year project, centered at the university’s Bourns College of Engineering Center for Environmental Research and Technology, will address the air quality in 160 national parks, monuments and wilderness areas. 

“The national parks are national parks for a reason,” said Mitch Boretz, a technical planning manager at the environmental center.  

“We really want to make all the effort we can to protect them.” 

The typical visual range at monuments and national parks in the West is 62 to 93 miles – half to two-thirds what it would be without pollution, according to Environmental Protection Agency documents. 

At times, visitors to the Grand Canyon, which drew 4.8 million people last year, can’t see the other side. 

Under a plan announced two years ago by then-Vice President Al Gore, the federal government demanded that the air quality around national parks be returned to pre-industrial clarity. 

On Wednesday, members of California Peace Action, an anti-war group, reported that their group had received several hateful e-mails over the last few weeks, some of which may have risen to the level of threats. 

Police said that the group received two threatening messages on Sept. 13 and another on Tuesday. The first two messages included passages such as “Outfits like yours should be reduced to rubble,” “You disgust me to the core of my being,” and, simply, “Die.” 

The third e-mail contained nothing in its body, but its subject header read, “Be careful what you do, you may not like the results.” 

Sgt. Kay Lantow of the BPD said that the messages were all sent from different e-mail servers. 

“The number of these messages doesn’t compare to the overwhelming number of e-mails in support of what we’re doing,” said Andrew Page, Northern California director of Peace Action. 

Page said that while the messages were somewhat disturbing, they are not nearly so disturbing as the “race crimes” being committed across the country. 

“This doesn’t compare to the actual hate crimes against Arab Americans that are occurring,” he said. “We’re just trying to cover our butts.” 

*** 

Also on Wednesday, a woman who lives on the 1000 block of Cedar Street reported that her American flag had been vandalized. 

The officer who responded to the call noted that he had seen the flag on the victim’s wooden fence during the previous week. He reported that it had since been ripped down and stomped into the dirt, leaving it ripped and full of holes. 

The police have no suspects.

LOS ANGELES — Despite a presidential pardon, Patty Hearst’s criminal record could be mentioned at trial if she testifies against Sara Jane Olson, the former fugitive accused of a Symbionese Liberation Army plot to bomb police officers, experts said. 

Evidentiary laws probably will bar defense lawyers from bringing up her federal bank robbery conviction because of the pardon by former President Clinton. 

But that pardon didn’t cover her no-contest plea to state charges of felony assault and robbery for a shootout at a Los Angeles sporting goods store. Conceivably, defense attorneys might mention the record in an effort to impeach her honesty as a witness. 

Olson, 53, is an alleged former member of the SLA, a defunct revolutionary group. She is charged with conspiracy to murder police officers with pipe bombs placed under patrol cars in Los Angeles 25 years ago.  

The bombs did not explode. She was a fugitive until her 1999 arrest in St. Paul, Minn., where she had become a doctor’s wife and mother of three. 

Hearst was kidnapped by the SLA in 1974 and later was convicted of taking part in a bank holdup with them. A security camera showed her wielding a semiautomatic weapon, and the photograph was widely publicized. 

She has claimed Olson took part in SLA crimes and is expected to be a key witness at the trial, which is scheduled to begin April 30. 

Despite the pardon, jurors are unlikely to be ignorant of Hearst’s history, said Laurie Levenson, a professor at Loyola Law School. 

“Pretending no one will know about the conviction is kind of like trying to say, ’O.J. Simpson never went on trial,”’ Levenson said. 

“Jurors who have been on the planet for the last 25 years are going to have some idea about why she is famous.” 

Stuart Hanlon, Olson’s former attorney who remains an adviser in the case, said that even if the jury hears about Hearst’s pardon, he doubts that it would have much impact. 

“Everyone knows Clinton’s pardons are suspect,” Hanlon said.  

“I think a lot of people don’t understand why she did get a pardon, other than she is a Hearst. I don’t think it is going to play a major role in the trial at all.”

Dear Tom and Ray: 

I am horizontally and vertically challenged. Yep, that's right - I'm fat. I am as tall as I am wide (5 feet 3 inches in both directions). I would like a no-nonsense practical car like a Camry or an Accord, but I have discovered that they don't have enough room for ALL of me. I test drove a '94 Lexus this weekend, and it, too, left me looking for more room (although the car was so beautiful, I wouldn't mind if half my rear dragged out the front door, but the neighbors might!). The practical side of me would like a car that is about a year or two old, reliable and roomy. I can only spend about $18,000. What would you suggest? - Isabel 

TOM: Well, Isabel, we have a friend, children's author Daniel Pinkwater, who has similar problems. He refers to himself as "circumferentially challenged." 

RAY: I don't know if he's quite as wide as you are (or even if YOU'RE quite as wide as you suggest), but his biggest problem was always getting himself in and out of cars. 

TOM: No. His biggest problem was always getting anyone to buy his books. But getting in and out of cars was a close second. 

RAY: Then he called us one day and said he'd found the car of his dreams. It's a VW New Beetle. We were kind of skeptical, since we think of that as a small car. But according to Daniel, it's got very big doors, nice, big door openings and a tremendous amount of room inside due to its unusual "bubble" shape. He didn't say anything about the size of the seat itself. But I presume that if it can contain Daniel without a breach, it can probably hold you, too. 

TOM: And it happens to sell for about $18,000 brand new. So I think the Beetle is definitely worth a "test sit." 

RAY: If the Beetle's seat does prove too small, then I'd suggest you look at a few cars that come with bench seats in the front. In that category are the Toyota Avalon, the Ford Crown Victoria and the Mercury Gran Marquis - any of which can be had used for $18,000. And I've never seen anyone NOT be able to fit on a bench seat. 

TOM: And when your search is complete, post a note in the Special Needs Zone of our Web site (the Car Talk section of www.cars.com) so that other overextended people can benefit from your experience. Best of luck, Isabel.  

*** 

Dear Tom and Ray: 

My wife drives a Toyota Camry. Recently, it was stolen from in front of our house and abandoned, rather banged up. The locks, however, were undamaged. The cop said Camrys are so common that car thieves have master keys for them. Yikes! It's very disturbing to think that anyone who wants to can just get in our car and drive off. My wife feels that a good solution would be to replace our Camry's locks with a set of locks from a '78 Pinto or some car that thieves are unlikely to have keys for. How tough would that be for a mechanic to do? --Jacob 

RAY: Well, it's true that master keys are available. In fact, I have a set of them at the garage that allows me to get into just about any car. We have them on hand for those not-so-rare occasions when customers lock their keys in their cars. 

TOM: At least that's his story, and he's sticking with it. 

RAY: The keys are made of plastic or thin-gauge metal -- and there's usually a different one for each manufacturer. They work better on some cars than on others. Some locks require patience and a bit of careful jiggling, and some locks are nearly impossible to open. Unfortunately for you, the Camry is one of the easier ones. 

TOM: And I agree with you that it's unconscionable that, for about a hundred bucks, some enterprising teen-ager can get his hands on a set of master keys like this. 

RAY: Unfortunately, installing a lock from a different car isn't easy -- whether it's on the door or the ignition. Most locks are not interchangeable and won't fit other cars. The more cost-effective thing to do is to get an alarm system with an ignition-kill device. Or a deadly snake. 

TOM: And more importantly, you need a decal that lets people know that you HAVE an alarm system ... or the aforementioned deadly snake. You want potential thieves to see your decal, decide it's not worth it and go on to another car. Because even if they realize once they get in that they can't start your car, they might vandalize it in frustration. 

RAY: In fact, if you could buy JUST the warning decals, that would probably be enough. 

TOM: Hey, we should sell them. A set of four for $39.95. They could say: "Warning, Please Do Not Feed My Anaconda." 

*** 

Dear Tom and Ray: 

How do automatic gas-pump nozzles know when the car's gas tank is almost full, and therefore when to shut off? This question has bothered me since I was 16 and gas was two bits a gallon -- neither of which is true anymore. -- Ross 

RAY: Great question, Ross. The nozzle uses a simple mechanism that's been around for decades. 

TOM: Basically, there's a little hole near the end of the nozzle. You can look for it the next time you fill up. And attached to that hole is a tube that's connected to the handle. 

RAY: When gasoline is flowing freely (i.e., when the tank is not full), the moving liquid creates a vacuum as it pours into the tank, and air gets sucked freely through that tube. But as the tank gets full, the vacuum is reduced. 

TOM: And there's a mechanical, vacuum-activated switch in the handle that -- get this -- senses when the vacuum reaches a critical low point and then switches off the gas flow. 

RAY: This system is far superior to the previous method used to determine when the tank was full. My brother remembers using that system. 

TOM: Yeah, when you felt the gasoline trickle down your pant leg into your shoes, you knew it was just past time to stop squeezing the handle.  

*** 

Dear Tom and Ray: 

I need your help in solving a problem that really has me stumped. My 1992 Nissan Sentra has a few strange habits, most of which I can live with -- but not this one: When the car sits in the sun with the windows closed, it just will not start. I turn the key and get absolutely nothing. If I open the window and wait about five minutes, it starts up just fine. I replaced the battery, the starter and the battery cables. Nothing worked. Then I took it to a shop, and the mechanic wanted to replace the battery, the starter and the battery cables. Naturally, I declined. It started fine all winter. But now every time I go to the beach, it won't start. -- Erik 

TOM: You gave us two excellent hints, Erik. Now, wouldn't it be impressive if we could actually put them to some intelligent use? 

RAY: It would, wouldn't it? Well, one hint is that it's related to high temperatures inside the passenger compartment. So that would limit it to parts located where, Tommy? 

TOM: Inside the passenger compartment! 

RAY: Very good. And the second hint is that absolutely nothing happens when Erik turns the key. And that means what? 

TOM: It means Erik's sleeping on the beach tonight. 

RAY: Thank you, Dick Tracy. It means it's got to be a part that can completely interrupt current to the starter, because otherwise you'd get at least some sound or hear some effort by the car to start. 

TOM: So my guess is that it's a bad ignition switch. 

RAY: Good guess, but probably wrong. My guess is a bad clutch interlock. Assuming this car has a stick shift (you don't say, but many Sentras of this vintage do), there's a switch on the clutch pedal that prevents you from starting the engine unless the pedal is fully depressed. My guess is that the contacts are being affected by the extreme heat. 

TOM: It's an easy thing to test, Erik. Have your mechanic remove the clutch interlock and just shunt those two wires together -- taking the interlock completely out of the circuit. If the problem goes away, have him install a new clutch interlock (it's cheap), and you'll be all set. 

RAY: Just be careful during the test period, when you're driving around without a clutch interlock. You'll be able to start the car with the transmission in gear. And your delight in having the car actually start might dissipate quickly as you realize you just "started it" into a sand dune. 

WASHINGTON — President Bush can’t rely solely on Republican votes for his budget’s centerpiece across-the-board tax cut, and his debut prime-time speech Tuesday night put his persuasive and political powers to a crucial test in courting Democratic and moderate support. 

While Democratic leaders rushed to try to put their own stamp on the tax issue, there was little doubt the president with his tightly controlled agenda had already begun to nudge the closely divided Congress his direction on his $1.6 trillion tax cut. 

On the 39th day of his presidency, Bush vowed to set the nation on “a different path” by slashing federal debt while increasing spending for popular programs. 

“The people of America have been overcharged and on their behalf, I am here to ask for a refund,” Bush said. “Some say my tax plan is too big, some say it is too small. I respectfully disagree. This tax relief is just right.”  

“Government should be active but limited, engaged but not overbearing,” he said. 

Republicans cheered with enthusiasm, Democrats without it, as Bush made his way down the center aisle of the House chamber to begin his speech. 

Not even the pageantry of the moment – both houses of Congress, diplomats and Cabinet officials assembled – could extinguish all echoes of last fall’s recount. 

There were audible boos on the Democratic side of the aisle as justices of the Supreme Court were announced. Justice Stephen Breyer was the only one of nine in attendance – and he was one of four who dissented from the historic high court ruling that sealed Bush’s victory 10 weeks ago. What size tax cut will be “just right” is now the prime battleground between the new president and Congress. 

In spite of a questionable mandate, Democratic criticism and low expectations, Bush already has managed to steer the national debate to the topics he spotlighted in his presidential campaign. 

Democrats balk at the size of his tax cut, but their leaders are now talking about across-the-board cuts just as Bush is – not the narrowly focused tax breaks that former Vice President Al Gore advocated in his presidentail campaign. 

“I think that rate reductions are clearly appropriate. But the devil is in the details,” said Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, senior Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee. “The goal here is to put together and pass a budget that meets the nation’s needs. I’m less concerned about who wins and who doesn’t win.” 

Democrats have already suggested their own $750 billion version, with hints that they might go even further. 

Beyond taxes, Democrats are also generally on the same page as the president – even if they are slaming individual parts. Democrats don’t like Bush’s school voucher plan – but they generally support other parts of his plan for an increase in federal education spending. 

They’re skeptical about his modest proposal to give only poor seniors prescription drug coverage, at least at first, but support pumping more federal money into the financially troubled Medicare system and setting up a prescription-drug program. 

Bush’s proposal for a military pay increase, with down-the-road boosts in defense spending and a commitment to newer-age weaponry, is winning support from military-minded lawmakers of  

both parties. 

And his proposal to pay down the national debt has wide appeal, although many Democrats would like to go further than Bush’s plan to pay off $2 trillion of the $3.2 trillion in publicly held debt. Bush also proposed a $1 trillion “contingency fund” for unexpected budgetary needs. 

On the national debt issue, it was Bush who was coming closer to the Democrats. 

Bush also saluted several prominent Democrats in and quoted President John F. Kennedy’s advocacy for tax cuts “to get this country moving again.” 

Bush summed up his budget as also advocating “excellent schools, quality health care, a secure retirement, a cleaner environment and a stronger defense.” All hard goals for members of either party to oppose. 

But few dispute that there will be bruising battles over the specifics, particularly of the tax cut proposal. 

“In the end, I’m very comfortable we’re going to see a different tax package on the president’s desk,” said Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota. 

Democrats continue to complain that the Bush plan is too biased in favor of the wealthy. At the same time, they’ve vastly expanded their own proposal for tax relief. 

“The facts have changed. The surplus is bigger. We are in some kind of an economic slowdown. I think everybody agrees we can do a generous tax cut that affects everyone, especially people at the bottom and in the middle,” House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., told NBC. 

Gephardt later made it clear there are limits to how close to Bush Democrats would inch. “President Bush’s budget numbers simply don’t add up. Ours do. His plan leaves no money for anything except tax cuts. Ours does,” he said in the prepared Democratic response to Bush’s speech. 

Bush kept his budget priority list short, focusing mostly on issues he had championed during his campaign. He borrowed a page from former President Reagan, whose first budget also included a big tax cut. 

On a personal level, Democrats have given Bush some slack, reacting positively to his sunny disposition and personal charm. 

“There’s been sort of a feeling that there’s a new sheriff in town, and he’s doing a great job reaching out to everybody and trying to get his message across,” said Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss. 

Bush has long made his tax cut a point of personal pride, pushing it in spite of polls suggesting questionable public support for so large a cut. 

“I believe the president has started his term very well by focusing on things on which he did campaign,” said former Rep. Bill Frenzel, R-Minn., an expert on budget and tax policy and a scholar at the Brookings Institution. 

“Democrats can’t be expected to be for everything the president is for,” Frenzel added. “No president ever gotten every word and line he sent up to the Congress. I don’t expect this one will either.” 

SAN JOSE — With the high-tech industry settling down and the economy slowing, Silicon Valley can expect slower growth over the next 10 years, according to a study released Friday. 

That should lessen the strain Silicon Valley’s meteoric growth has put on the availability and quality of resources, such as water, air and open space. But in order to ensure that trend continues, local businesses must shift their focus — from using the resources to build the hub of the high-tech industry to making sure the resources continue to be available and to maintain their quality, according to the report by the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group. 

From 1990 to 2000, the population of Silicon Valley, which encompasses parts of four counties, grew 12.6 percent to 2,370,120 people. By 2010, the growth rate is expected to be only 10.8 percent for a total of 2,625,219 people. 

The slower growth means communities will be better able to help their infrastructure, such as water and sewage lines, transportation systems and schools, keep pace with development, according to the report. But it still has a potential to harm the environment. 

“Just because our growth is declining doesn’t automatically mean it’s better for the environment,” said Joyce Taylor, Bay Area Regional president of Pacific Bell and member of the manufacturing group. 

If special attention isn’t paid to air and water, the protection of open space and the reduction of waste, then air and water quality could be severely diminished, habitat for species could be threatened, and landfills could become crowded and toxic. The report advocates monitoring these aspects of growth over the next 10 years. 

“This growth puts significant constraint on air, water and land resources,” Taylor said. “As we continue to improve our infrastructure, we need to make sure these improvements don’t negatively impact the environment.” 

Air quality officials in Silicon Valley have not yet presented state and federal regulatory agencies with an acceptable plan for cleaning up the air. The Bay Area could lose more than $1 billion in federal highway funds for 30 projects if it doesn’t come up with a plan that meets approval. 

Water is scarce and many of the region’s waterways are polluted by metal particles, oil, pesticides, debris and other contaminants. 

The report cites possible ways to sustain air and water resources, such as telecommuting and increased use of public transportation for air quality, and recycling water. 

“Industry has an incentive to be more sustainable because it benefits them economically,” said Terry Watt, of the Silicon Valley Conservation Council. 

Some businesses already use these tactics, and doing more will actually help companies because they’ll have more resources to draw from, Watt said. 

WASHINGTON — The nation’s premier environmental law withstood a major industry challenge Tuesday as the Supreme Court upheld the way the government sets air-quality standards under the Clean Air Act. 

The court unanimously rejected industry arguments that the Environmental Protection Agency must consider financial cost as well as health benefits in writing standards. 

The American Lung Association called the ruling “a victory for the Clean Air Act and for the health of the American people.” 

The Clean Air Act became law in 1970, and the challenge by industry groups was viewed as the most significant environmental case before the Supreme Court in years. 

The justices rejected industry arguments that the EPA took too much lawmaking power from Congress when it set tougher standards for ozone and soot in 1997. 

Nevertheless, the court threw out the EPA’s policy for implementing new ozone rules and ordered the agency to come up with a more “reasonable” interpretation of the law. 

Edward Warren, the lawyer for industry groups that challenged the law, said they retain a right to challenge the ozone and soot standards in a lower court under traditional legal rules. “There’s a good chance that both of these standards will fall,” he said. 

The American Trucking Associations, leader of the industry group, said it was “clearly disappointed” by the ruling. It said its goal in the case was “to obtain clear, understandable legal standards to promote clean air in a sensible fashion.” 

EPA Administrator Christie Whitman said the decision was “a solid endorsement of EPA’s efforts to protect the health of millions of Americans from the dangers of air pollution.” She gave no indication of what EPA might do to implement the tougher standards, which had been withdrawn to await a ruling from the Supreme Court. 

Frank O’Donnell of the Clean Air Trust environmental advocacy group, called the decision a “huge victory for breathers.” 

Justice Antonin Scalia wrote for the court that the clean-air law “unambiguously bars cost considerations” from the process of setting air-quality standards. 

The federal law, which “we interpret as requiring the EPA to set air quality standards at the level that is ‘requisite’ – that is, not lower or higher than is necessary – to protect the public health with an adequate margin of safety, fits comfortably within the scope of discretion permitted by our precedent,” Scalia wrote. 

All nine justices agreed on the result of the ruling, although sometimes for different reasons. 

In setting air-quality standards, the EPA is required to use criteria that “accurately reflect the latest scientific knowledge” for identifying pollution’s effects on health. 

Business groups that long have chafed under the clean-air law argued that the EPA was setting standards without clear criteria and without considering the financial costs of complying with them. 

Scalia said that even though the law bars the EPA from considering economic costs in setting clean-air standards, the agency can consider costs in its instructions for implementing the rules. 

A federal appeals court had ruled that the EPA went too far, interpreting the federal law so loosely that it took over Congress’ lawmaking authority. But the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia also refused to require the government to weigh financial costs against health benefits. 

The Supreme Court decided the appeals court was right in ruling the EPA could not consider costs in setting air-quality standards, but wrong in saying the agency unlawfully usurped Congress’ authority. 

Scalia said the EPA’s authority was similar to the Federal Communications Commission’s authority to regulate the airwaves in the “public interest.” 

On ozone, the justices ruled against the EPA’s implementation of revised ozone standards, saying the agency ignored a section of law that restricted its decision-making authority. 

In addition, the lower court had ruled that in setting the ozone standard, the EPA must consider any beneficial health effects of ozone, such as protection against skin cancer. 

The 1997 air standards limited ozone, a major component of smog, to 0.08 parts per million instead of .12 parts per million under the old requirement. States also were required to limit soot from power plants, cars and other sources to 2.5 microns, or 28 times smaller than the width of a human hair. 

Industry groups that challenged the clean-air rules included the American Trucking Associations, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers and three states — Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. 

The cases are Whitman v. American Trucking Associations, 99-1257, and American Trucking Associations v. Whitman, 99-1426. 

——— 

Associated Press writer H. Josef Hebert contributed to this report. 

On the Net: Supreme Court: http://www.supremecourtus.gov 

SAN FRANCISCO — Natural gas prices are dropping nationwide, and two California utilities say their customers can expect substantially lower heating bills — a relief after gas bills exploded last winter by as much as 150 percent. 

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and Southern California Gas Co. both said Friday that increased drilling for natural gas and a boost in underground storage mean their customers can expect October gas bills to fall by up to half from last year’s levels. Between them, the two utilities deliver natural gas to more than 20 million customers. 

“The indications are that we’re seeing a downward trend in natural gas prices,” said Christy Dennis, a PG&E spokeswoman. 

In PG&E’s territory, residential customers with average use can expect to pay $14.33 for around 30 therms of natural gas in October, down from $28.77 last year. PG&E did not have breakdowns based on home size, nor an exact bill forecast for the rest of winter. 

The average single family in Southern California Gas’s territory can expect to pay less than $60 per month for about 75 therms of natural gas, down from $80 for the same amount last winter. For apartment dwellers, that’s about $25 — as opposed to $35 during the same months last year, said Denise King, a spokeswoman for Sempra Energy, parent company of SoCal Gas and San Diego Gas and Electric Co. 

Those low prices likely will carry through the winter months of November through February, both utilities predicted. SDG&E, which serves 740,000 natural gas customers in San Diego and north Orange counties, did not have its forecast available Friday morning. 

Analysts said prices have reached their current lows — after being the nation’s highest last year — because inventories are high. 

The futures market for wholesale gas suggests prices will rise gradually over the next two years. Prices could climb again as early as next summer as more gas fired-power plants begin running, said Greg Haas, an equity analyst in the Houston office of the investment brokerage firm Raymond James. 

Several factors conspired to boost natural gas prices last winter. 

Unusually cold weather caused consumers to crank up the heat, boosting demand. Drought-like conditions in the Northwest meant California could import less electricity from hydroelectric dams, forcing natural gas-fired power plants to churn out more megawatts by burning more supply. 

In addition, the state Public Utilities Commission, PG&E, and other natural gas sellers have accused natural gas marketer El Paso Corp. of driving up gas prices by preventing competitors from moving California-bound natural gas along its pipeline. El Paso maintains it did nothing illegal. 

A Federal Energy Regulatory Commission judge will soon decide whether there was wrongdoing and advise FERC commissioners in early October whether California gas customers are due refunds. 

I sit . . .  

reeling from the weight of my internal contradictions . . .  

Poet Ariana Waynes says it is important for people to tell their own stories, “particularly the ones whose stories don’t tend to be told,” she says. 

“There are all these people who don’t exist as far as mainstream culture is concerned. And if we’re not telling our stories, if we’re not saying ‘This is true,’ then somebody else is going to decide what’s real. So we have a responsibility. Storytelling is a political act.”  

A voracious reader since early childhood, she wrote her first poem in third grade. As a teen in Lansdale, Penn., she wrote “angry little poems” to alleviate depression. “I had a miserable youth, but very few people to talk to about how awful things were. Instead, I filled up notebooks with the kind of truth that would make your skin crawl,” she wrote.  

She came to UC Berkeley on a scholarship in 1997, intending to study cognitive science. Toward the end of her freshman year, she got wind of poet June Jordan’s Poetry for the People program – a course designed for “political and artistic empowerment of students.” She attended its end-of-spring readings. “I went to three nights of very political, revolutionary poetry. I was amazed and I was kicked open.” In response, she wrote a poem entitled “To the Patriots and the Activists Poets.”  

The following fall, she saw signs on campus for a poetry slam at Tower Books. She entered, performed “To the Patriots . . .” and, to her amazement, won the slam, along with a $200 Tower gift certificate.  

Since that event, barely two and half years ago, the trajectory of Ariana’s performance poetry career has been straight up. Out of 30 contestants, she tied for first place in a slam at La Peña Cultural Center and took home half of the $1,000 grand prize. Immediately, the local slam community embraced her and invited her to various slams in the East Bay and San Francisco.  

Several months later, she made the San Francisco slam team that went to the National Poetry Slam competition in Chicago and, out of 48 teams, tied with Team San Jose for first place.  

Less than a year after her first slam, Ariana had attained the pinnacle of slam success. Excerpts from her poetry appeared in the New York Times, and she was interviewed on a PBS news show. 

Afterward, she was deluged by invitations to perform for colleges and other organizations, including Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, Norman Lear’s People for the American Way at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City and national events for Planned Parenthood in Washington, D.C., and San Marco, Fla. She was sponsored to perform in Denmark and London, and she toured large sections of the country performing poetry with her fellow slam-team members. She gave a performance at Yale on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and she taught a master class in poetry writing at Smith College in Northampton, Mass., – all before her 21st birthday.  

Today, at 21, Ariana is a student teacher in the Poetry for the People program at UC Berkeley. She describes teaching as “a revelation.” And she has designed her own major under Interdisciplinary Studies: “Cross-Cultural Approaches to Creative Writing as Political Action.”  

Ariana’s personality is warm and generous, comfortably rubbing against the grain of dominant culture because she is “black, bisexual, female, a young person operating in an adult world, and a polyamorist.” She takes on many voices. In one poem she becomes a redwood tree; in others, such as “As You Brace for the Beating” and “Even the Sky Looks Away,” she confronts the roots of violence. She stresses that her poetry is “an act of communication,” not merely an abstraction to be put on display. 

Her second chapbook in particular, More Joy Than Flesh, is extraordinarily open about her intimate life. “I’m not a particularly private person . . . I’ll get really raw and personal, and sometimes it’s a little scary but . .. What will someone else do with the information? When I don’t place a value on privacy, it’s not really an issue. 

“If we’re teaching our children how to be, but we don’t talk openly about sex, then that silence says something. I don’t want to promote silence. . . . I want to promote a vast openness where you can talk about anything that’s true. I want there to be less that we hide away.” 

Ariana Waynes can be reached at FyreflyPress@hotmail.com. Her diary can be found online at http://joyfulgrl.diaryland.com.  

Marc Polonsky is the author of The Poetry Reader’s Toolkit. He can be contacted at marcwordsmith@sfo.com.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The state Department of Education may have to reclaim $750,000 it mistakenly awarded to San Joaquin Valley schools after a scoring error on a standardized test. 

The publisher of the Stanford 9 achievement test said scores were inflated because it measured the results of about 19,000 students on last year’s test against the wrong national sample. 

The money, which was awarded for improvement on the test, was erroneously sent to six public schools and more money was supposed to go to 16 schools where staff members expected bonuses up to $25,000. 

Teachers are upset about the prospect of having to return cash they received for achieving certain goals on the test. 

“We have some mad people,” said Scott Bishop, a high school math teacher and president of the Kerman Unified teachers union in Fresno County where teachers received nearly $600 each. “That’s a lot of money.” 

State Department of Education officials are looking into whether it can allow schools to keep the money they received and whether it can be reimbursed by test publisher Harcourt Educational Measurement. 

“We know that teachers have cashed these checks; we know schools are using this money,” said Paul Warren, the state’s deputy superintendent for accountability. “It would be difficult to ask for it back. We’re trying to find a solution that creates as little upset as possible.” 

Harcourt said it plans to work with the state to resolve the issue that arose when a Central Valley school district expressed concerns about test scores. 

Harcourt reported scores as if the students had taken the test in December rather than the following spring when they would have had more instruction. 

The Stanford 9 is the basis for the state’s testing and accountability program and is the sole criterion for ranking schools and determining their eligibility for taxpayer-funded rewards. 

The six schools that erroneously received money were all in Fresno County; five are in Reedley and one is in Kerman. 

Some teachers and administrators, who are critical of the rewards program want to see it dismantled. 

“We were seeing some divisiveness as a result of that program,” said Jean Fetterhoff, superintendent of Kings Canyon Joint Unified. “If I’m working really hard in a classroom for the right reasons and my kids don’t happen to test very well, but I see a neighbor across the district that is receiving big bucks for what I’m doing, there is a sense of unfairness about that.” 

NEW YORK — Worries about jobs and the business climate dragged consumer confidence in February to its lowest level in more than four years. 

The Conference Board said Tuesday its Consumer Confidence Index fell to 106.8, down from 115.7 in January. It was the fifth consecutive drop in the monthly index, which has not been this low since June 1996. 

“Consumers are seeing all the layoff news, they’re hearing all the doom-and-gloom comments, and they’ve gotten worried. There’s no question about it,” said Joel Naroff of Naroff Economic Advisors in Holland, Pa. 

The pessimism was reinforced by two reports released by the Commerce Department on Tuesday: Orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket items plunged in January to their lowest level in 19 months, while new home sales plummeted 10.9 percent, the biggest drop in seven years. 

For now, the economy continues to walk a tightrope, avoiding a plunge into recession, said Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board’s Consumer Research Center. 

“The erosion in consumer confidence continues to be fueled by weakening expectations regarding business and employment conditions,” Franco said. 

The overall February confidence figure was lower than the reading of 110.5 that had been expected by analysts. 

Still, one economist noted that some figures in the Conference Board’s report are not as worrisome. 

“Generally, it’s a weak number on the headline, but the details show a little more encouragement,” said Gary Thayer, chief economist for A.G. Edwards & Sons in St. Louis. 

Thayer pointed to figures showing a growing number of people believe the economy is exhibiting normal conditions, as well as figures indicating more consumers plan to buy  

new homes and cars in the  

next six months.  

The report comes amid intense speculation about whether the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates again before its next meeting, March 20. Thayer and Naroff said they do not believe the drop in confidence will be enough to push the Fed into taking early action. 

Consumers continue to be pessimistic about the outlook over the next six months, the Conference Board said. The percentage of consumers expecting a pickup in business conditions declined from 13.1 percent to 11.1 percent, while those anticipating conditions to worsen increased from 15.2 percent to 17.8 percent. 

In addition, only 10.2 percent of American consumers expect more jobs to become available, down from 11.7 percent last month. Those expecting fewer jobs increased from 21.5 percent to 27.2 percent. 

But 57.9 percent of consumers now believe the economy is exhibiting normal conditions, up from 54.8 percent last month. The numbers of people with plans to buy new homes and cars in the next six months also increased. 

On the Net: http://www.conferenceboard.org 

TOPEKA, Kan. — A female state senator says she views women’s suffrage as a sign that American society doesn’t value the family enough but she wouldn’t deprive women of the vote. 

Sen. Kay O’Connor on Friday confirmed reports that she told leaders of the Johnson County League of Women Voters she does not celebrate the enactment of the 19th Amendment in 1920, which gave women the right to vote. 

“We have a society that does tear families apart,” said O’Connor. “I think the 19th Amendment, while it’s not an evil in and of itself, is a symptom of something I don’t approve of.” 

O’Connor, 59, who describes herself as an “old-fashioned conservative lady,” serves as vice chairwoman of the Senate Elections and Local Government Committee. 

She says she believes women should have the right to cast their ballot but if men were doing their job of taking care of women and children, then women wouldn’t be required to vote. 

“The 19th Amendment is around because men weren’t doing their jobs, and I think that’s sad,” she said. “I believe the man should be the head of the family. The woman should be the heart of the family.” 

O’Connor, one of the Legislature’s most conservative members on social issues, has said she was forced into the workplace because of her ailing daughter’s medical bills. 

She is serving her first year in the Senate after having served eight years in the House. 

Delores Furtado, co-president of the Johnson County League of Women Voters, told The Kansas City Star she asked the 59-year-old Republican to the league’s “Celebrate the Right to Vote” luncheon, and O’Connor responded: “You probably wouldn’t want me there because of what I would have to say.” 

Furtado said she was shocked because as a state senator “she is the beneficiary of a system she doesn’t support.” 

Thirteen of the Kansas Senate’s 40 members are women, and 10 are Republicans. In the House, women hold 40 of 125 seats, and they include 23 Republicans. 

“It takes both genders to cover the wide variety of issues in state government,” said Republican Senate Majority Leader Lana Oleen. “Kansans didn’t start out as homemakers. They started out as pioneer women.” 

O’Connor said she did not fear any reprisals for making her views known. 

“If I don’t get re-elected, my only punishment is to go home to my husband and my roses and my children and my grandchildren,” she said. “And if the trips to Topeka get to be too much and my husband asks me to quit I would.” 

Still, two statewide officeholders said she should resign and the chairman of the state GOP repudiated her remarks, while saying that the party doesn’t intend to censure her because she’s entitled to her opinion. 

“She should resign, so she can give her seat to someone who believes in the right of everyone to vote,” said Attorney General Carla Stovall, a Republican. 

Legislative leaders say they weren’t planning any action against O’Connor. 

“I admire her for the courage of her convictions; I just can’t imagine anyone in 2001 having those convictions,” said state Rep. Bill Reardon, a Democrat. 

PORT GIBSON, Miss. — A jury awarded $100 million Friday to plaintiffs who claimed a drug-maker pushed sales of a heartburn drug even as the federal government moved to ban it. 

Jurors returned the verdict after less than three hours of deliberations in the $1.2 billion lawsuit against drug-maker Janssen and its parent company, Johnson & Johnson. Plaintiffs said they suffered from anxiety, heart conditions and other health problems after using Propulsid. 

The trial was the first in the nation involving Propulsid. Hundreds of other suits are pending nationwide. 

During closing arguments, plaintiffs’ lawyer Jim Shannon said the drug maker changed Propulsid labels five times since 1994 to keep damaging information from the public. He said the companies also launched a marketing campaign to spur sales of the drug two years before it was taken off the market. 

“The quality of their life has been damaged,” Shannon said. “That’s what this is all about — 10 human beings and what happened to them just because a corporation wanted to make money.” 

Robert Johnson III, the drug makers’ lead attorney, said many of the plaintiffs had health problems unrelated to Propulsid and the manufacturer itself alerted the government to potential problems. 

“Janssen provided that information,” Johnson said. “They have 10,000 employees who are good people who work for a company that has been saving people’s lives.” 

Propulsid has been linked to 80 deaths. Janssen took it off the shelves in 2000, but it is still used in limited cases. 

The trial was for the original 10 plaintiffs, out of a total of 155. Each was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages. Circuit Judge Lamar Pickard set a hearing on possible punitive damages Saturday. 

LOS ANGELES — In the nation’s “new kind of war” on terrorism, defense spending is likely to focus as much on information and surveillance as bombs and bullets. 

Unlike previous conflicts, which relied heavily tanks, fighter jets and ships, a prolonged campaign against terrorists will place increased emphasis on an electronic battlefield that will require sensors and software, analysts said. 

Companies such as Northrop Grumman Co., which is developing a long-range unmanned surveillance vehicle and has invested heavily in electronic warfare systems, should benefit. Other contractors building the next generation of satellite-guided missiles and sensitive snooping devices also will play a role. 

“This is a new war that will require new weapons,” said John Kutler, chairman and chief executive officer of Quarterdeck Investment Partners, a Los Angeles investment bank that focuses on aerospace and defense. “The Pentagon has been paying lip service over the past 10 years to its need to find a new mission in the post-Cold War environment. Unfortunately, it didn’t find the mission. The mission found it.” 

It’s too early to predict which companies and which weapons systems will be funded until the administration outlines the scope of its military response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. Bush, two days after the attacks, said “a new kind of war” had been declared on the United States and added, “My resolve is steady and strong about winning this war.” 

Analysts said the new kind of warfare will rely more than ever on collecting and interpreting data, then communicating that information quickly and securely to troops in the field. That need is even greater if the United States attacks countries with few stationary military targets such as missile silos or bases. 

Companies including General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., which makes the Predator unmanned spy plane, and Raytheon, which makes radar systems and cruise missiles, should benefit. 

Bullets and bombs will still be needed to fight a sustained war, especially if ground troops are used to invade countries that harbor terrorists, analysts said. Money to upgrade existing weapons systems already was part of the Defense Department’s budget plans before the terrorist attacks. 

“During the Kosovo air war, we almost ran out of stuff to drop,” said John Williams, a spokesman for the National Defense Industrial Association, a trade group. “Munitions are probably the first thing, depending on how massively we want to do this and what the eventual targets are.” 

Congress will soon receive a Pentagon review of military spending, which should reveal the defense department’s priorities for the next four years. 

The Senate is considering a request for $343 billion for Defense and Energy department needs. The spending bill already has passed the House after legislators there diverted some money President Bush wanted for his missile-defense program to counterterrorism efforts. 

And an announcement on the next generation fighter plane, the joint strike fighter, should be made within the next month. Boeing and Lockheed Martin are competing for the contract. 

Other weapons programs, including a next-generation unmanned spy plane from Grumman, the Global Hawk, and computer warfare systems that can protect domestic computer networks and attack enemy systems, also are likely to receive funding. 

The Defense Department doubled spending for the Global Hawk program in its 2002 budget. The remote-controlled plane, with a wingspan comparable to a Boeing 737, will carry more surveillance equipment and systems designed to track moving targets than similar aircraft now in use. 

Grumman also is developing an unmanned combat craft called Pegasus, which will carry missiles and other weapons. Boeing is working on a similar system. Both are in the early testing stages. 

In March, the U.S. Air Force bought seven more Predators and signed an option for another seven, bringing the total number in service to 79. General Atomics is working on a jet-powered Predator that will carry more equipment and fly at higher altitudes, above the range of enemy fire. 

The Defense Department’s research arm also is working on a system to allow surveillance planes or satellites to track moving targets, something existing bombs and missiles cannot do with precision. The system uses airborne radar that tracks a target and provides the information immediately to missiles in flight. 

In addition to large, well-known contractors, a number of smaller firms, called special access defense companies, are conducting classified research on cyber warfare, analysts said. 

Companies involved in this area will discuss only their efforts to defend commercial and military computer systems against what Grumman chief executive officer Kent Kresa called an electronic Pearl Harbor in a speech last year. 

But analysts said the Defense Department is likely developing cyber warfare weapons of its own, designed to confound enemy weapons and scramble enemy communications. 

“There are people working to prevent terrorist hackers,” said Jacques Gansler, a University of Maryland professor and undersecretary of defense in the Clinton Administration. “On the other end of the spectrum, there are people working on highly classified offensive and defensive information warfare systems. On the offensive side, they can give false information or prevent (enemy) systems from working.” 

Computer Sciences Corp. of El Segundo declined to say whether it was working on such projects. But the company does provide software to protect military and civilian computer systems from intrusion, a service expected to play a pivotal role as the newly established Cabinet-level office of Homeland Security gets organized. 

“Cyber defense will be a part of the homeland defense,” said Thomas Burke, director of information assurance for CSC. 

POUND RIDGE, N.Y. — Sooner or later a gardener finds the need to keep a journal. From simple jottings in a notebook to entries in a computer database, today’s diary helps to grow tomorrow’s garden. 

No garden is like another and thus a journal is especially valuable in recording what happens in your own. When do your flowers bloom or your vegetables mature? Knowing the dates lets you create a garden that flowers in spring, summer and fall and keeps fresh vegetables on the table through the seasons. 

What’s the weather like each day? When did rabbit, raccoon or deer last get over or through the fence? 

To aid you in crop rotation, keep track of where you plant your tomatoes, corn or beans each year. Moving them around makes for healthier plants. And your records show whether your harvests from perennials like asparagus and raspberries are in good shape or if the plants need help. You might think your tomatoes are late, but looking in your journal you find they’re actually early compared to two years ago. 

Also, you can record where you bought plants, seeds, fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, their performance and their cost. 

Thomas Jefferson, a tireless gardener, started a journal when he was only 22. His first note, written in Virginia on March 30, 1766, said, “purple hyacinth begins to bloom.” He kept such brief reminders even when he was president. All of these, together with his garden correspondence and writings, are preserved in Thomas Jefferson’s Garden Book, published by the American Philosophical Society, Independence Square, Philadelphia. 

Always interested in new technology, Jefferson would likely have welcomed and experimented with today’s gardening software, which helps you keep a many-sided gardening journal, including even video and design. You can buy ready-made programs or craft your own from generic database applications. A big plus in a computerized journal is the search facility, enabling you to find an old record instantly. 

If you want to try out software, a Canadian firm offers one that you can download online or mail-order cheaply. Go to www.gardeners-shop.com/GardenersJournal/Index.html or write to Marco Software, 9 Cellini Court, Ottawa, Ontario, K1G 5J7, Tel. (613) 247-1336. 

Over the years, I’ve kept records with programs like that one and designed my own database, but settled finally with just doing the job with my word processor. I print them out at the end of the year, thus having both a paper and an electronic record. The beauty, of course, is that you can edit as you go along. 

Jottings do the job, too, but your handwriting better be good if you expect to read them next year. 

White flowers and leaves are not the first things that come to mind when planning a colorful garden. Nonetheless, they can really spruce up a flower bed. 

White mixes well with all colors and makes for harmonious transitions between colors that would otherwise clash. Picture a mass of red zinnias next to some blue lobelias. Disturbing, isn’t it? Put an island of white, perhaps something soft such as baby’s breath, between the zinnias and lobelias and they peacefully coexist. Use the soft whites of flowers, or plants with grayish leaves, to harmonize a garden’s many hues. 

White not only pacifies clashes, it also adds zest to already bright colors. The flowers of rose campion are pink-magenta, but they sparkle even more brightly against the plant’s silvery-white leaves. The same goes for the white, woolly leaves of dusty miller, which highlight bright red geraniums or blue salvias. 

White flowers also are useful for cheering up dark areas. White alyssum can brighten up a somber row of yews, and night-blooming white flowers, such as moonflower and nicotiana, seem to glow through the night. 

Although white flowers are useful as complements in a garden, they can also stand on their own. The different textures and shapes offer infinite variety: dainty lilies-of-the-valley, sunny daisies, corpulent peonies, eerie angel’s trumpets, spires of hollyhocks and spidery cleomes. There is also a broad range of white shades: a beige lily, a yellowish-white marigold, a bluish-white anemone, a greenish-white hydrangea. 

The renowned British writer and gardener Vita Sackville-West (1892-1962) planted a garden of only white flowers at her Sissinghurst Castle garden. The overcast, misty climate of Sackville-West’s England puts an extra glow into white flowers. On this side of the Atlantic, however, bright and sunny afternoons often wash the life out of whites. Here, whites are reliably at their best in the soft light of morning or evening. 

SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden Gate Bridge will reopen to pedestrian and bike traffic Monday, but for reduced hours. 

The bridge’s walkways and bike lanes will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. said Mary Currie, a bridge spokeswoman. she said it will remain closed during night hours for security reasons, as it has been since the this month’s terrorist attacks. 

Patrols by the California Highway Patrol and Coast Guard will continue, Currie said. The bridge will also keep running a bike shuttle service when the span is closed to bikes and pedestrians. 

Also reopening will be Vista Point on the bridge’s north side, as well as the southeast lot. 

*** 

SAN FRANCISCO — The FBI has requested the records of all 736 foreign students at Fresno State University, said California State University spokeswoman Colleen Bentley-Adler. 

Colleges and universities statewide have been approached by federal agents for records of specific students who are believed to be tied to this month’s terrorist attacks. 

At least one man, Ramez Noaman, has been taken into custody, Bentley-Adler said. Noaman was a student at California Polytechnic State University at Pomona since 1999 and also was taking business courses at San Diego State in fall of 2000. 

In the Bay Area, at least three schools — California State University at Hayward, Chabot Community College and the California Maritime Academy in Vallejo — have turned over students’ records. 

Seven of the 23 California State University campuses — Hayward, Maritime Academy, Fresno, Dominguez Hills, Fullerton, Pomona and San Diego— have been asked for student records. 

At most of the campuses, aside from the blanket request for records at Fresno and a request for records on 17 students at the Maritime Academy, the FBI asked for records for only one or two students, Bentley-Adler said. 

*** 

SARATOGA — Hundreds of South Bay residents awoke early Thursday morning to the sound of an aircraft that many feared was a terrorist attack. 

The plane was harmless, performing an annual check of electrical emissions from utility lines. The yearly check is mandated by the Federal Communications Commission. 

But emergency switchboards were inundated with 911 calls starting about 3 a.m. 

“We thought for sure it was a crop duster because it kept dipping and popping up, dipping and popping up,” said Lori Fox, a Saratoga resident. “We all started closing our windows and thought, ’This is it.”’ 

Chris Duros, owner of Flight Trax since 1989, said the airplane was flying at night because air space is far less congested. 

The plane covered an area in the South Bay that included Saratoga and neighboring cities. 

Fox said residents should have received prior notice of the flight. 

*** 

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE — The military has canceled next month’s open house and air show due to safety, security and workload requirements. 

“While it’s important to provide American taxpayers demonstrations of current air power capabilities, conducting an open house safely at this time would divert critical resources from the war on terrorism,” base commander Maj. Gen. Doug Pearson said. 

The open house and air show were scheduled for Oct. 20-21. It annually draws up to 500,000 weekend spectators. 

The air show is among more than half a dozen others that have been canceled since the Sept. 11 attacks. 

*** 

INDIO — Rep. Mary Bono told elementary school students that the United States war on terrorism was genuine and the government is committed to “bring the bad guys to justice.” 

Bono, R-Palm Springs, on Thursday praised President Bush for building an international coalition to fight terrorism and his plan to beef up airport security while pushing Congress for a $15 billion bailout package for the cash-strapped airlines. 

“The most important thing is to tell these bad people that this is going to stop, and we’re going to make them stop,” Bono told about 40 students, teachers and parents gathered at Mountain Vista Elementary School. 

Principal Ann Reinhagen said parents are alarmed about reports that the terrorists may be considering chemical weapons in their attacks. Bono said officials were “starting to look at where we might be vulnerable and how we can protect our water and the air we breathe.” 

“I think our preparation has been lacking in the past,” Bono said. “I think we all knew terrorism would rear its head on American soil in the next 20 years. It just came a little sooner than we were prepared for.” 

*** 

LOS ANGELES — Firefighters have been selling up to 20,000 aluminum bracelets each day in a fund-raising effort for fallen heroes in New York. 

When city firefighter Kevin Lowe and Orange County firefighter Ray Hoffman initially ordered 3,000 bracelets, they wondered if they would be able to get rid of all of them. 

“That turned out not to be an issue at all,” Lowe said. 

Just days after word spread about the fund-raising effort, Lowe and Hoffman were selling 20,000 bracelets a day and by Thursday they had raised $300,000. 

“Our mail order is astronomical; we are receiving phone calls from all over the country,” Lowe said. “Our current manufacturer is producing 20,000 a day, and it’s not enough to deal with the demand.” 

After the Sept. 11 terrorist attack, Hoffman telephoned Lowe to remind him about a Newport Beach police officer shot and killed a few years ago. Fellow officers had bracelets made, which were then sold to raise money for the fallen officer’s family. 

The brief brainstorming session soon led to the order for red, anodized aluminum bracelets, which are inscribed with two crossed axes, and the words: In Memory of our Fallen Heroes F.D.N.Y. 9-11-01. 

Money raised goes directly to the wives and children of the New York firefighters who died. 

“Fire departments and other agencies are like one big family,” Lowe said. 

*** 

SANTA BARBARA — Muslim students are heading home. 

Santa Barbara City College student Sari Asiri, who was beaten unconscious last week by two strangers, is returning to Saudi Arabia on Saturday. College officials said he was leaving at the urging of his parents, who fear for his safety. 

The 21-year-old was slashed and knocked out in as he walked on Calle Real on Sept. 17, a week after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. There were no arrests. 

The beating led other area foreign students to leave. 

Mesfer Alkaltham, a 26-year-old Saudi Arabian in the University of California, Santa Barbara, Extension-International Program, said he was cutting short a scholarship from his government to go back home. 

“Before, my family was happy for me to be here to get a higher education. But first you have to have the essential things in life, such as food, shelter and safety. Now we miss the basic things,” Alkaltham said. 

At City College, four students — two from Kuwait, one from Jordan and one from Saudi Arabia — are also leaving, said Derrick Banks, director of the international students support program at the school. There are still about 20 Middle Eastern students at City College. 

In addition, about 15 Middle Eastern students from Chico State University have withdrawn. Another five students from non-Arab countries have also withdrawn, including a Brazilian student whose mother was afraid. 

——— 

LONG BEACH — It turned out legendary flag-waver Thomas “Ski” Demski’s giant Old Glory was a poor fit at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport event featuring President Bush. 

Demski, known for his massive American flags that have flown at monuments and stadiums across the United States, traveled to Chicago late Tuesday after he was asked to bring one of his flags for display at O’Hare. 

Created in honor of the release of American hostages from Iran in 1981, the flag measures 47 feet by 82 feet and weighs 127 pounds. Demski said organizers didn’t provide a big enough space for the flag. 

“We were only able to unfurl the field, and maybe one stripe,” Demski said. 

He later packed up his flag and returned to Long Beach. 

“I guess I’m back to being a Democrat,” he laughed. “But it’s not the president’s fault.” 

Demski still plans to take the flag to New York, where he is arranging to have it fly at ground zero on Oct. 11. The New York Islanders contacted Demski asking him if they could use the flag for their opening game on Oct. 13. 

SAN FRANCISCO — Supermarket giant Safeway Inc. on Friday announced higher quarterly profits amid weakening sales growth that executives said should continue as consumers react to the economic fallout from this month’s terrorist attacks. 

The chain of 1,759 stores earned $309.2 million, or 60 cents per share, in the three months ended Sept. 8 — a 15 percent improvement from net income at the same time last year of $270 million, or 53 cents per share. The earnings matched the consensus estimate among analysts polled by Thomson Financial/First Call. 

Revenue in the quarter rose 7 percent to $8 billion, but most of the gain stemmed from Safeway’s recent $530 million takeover of Genuardi’s, a 39-store grocery chain in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. 

In the most telling measure of growth, Safeway’s so-called “identical store” sales edged up by just 0.8 percent, the slowest pace in two years. This category tracks stores that have been open at least a year without being expanded. 

The Pleasanton-based company’s shares gained $1.22 to close at $39.72 Friday on the New York Stock Exchange. 

Safeway CEO Steve Burd told industry analysts that the company is bracing for sales growth in the 1 percent range in this year’s final quarter. As long as the sales growth doesn’t fall far below that rate, Burd said the company expects to meet the consensus earnings estimate of 81 cents per share for the quarter. 

The final quarter could suffer from a threatened strike at 173 Safeway stores in the San Francisco Bay area. Earlier this week, Safeway made its “last and best” offer to store workers. Union leaders recommended that the employees reject the proposal, which would raise pay by 50 cents per hour. 

If the workers turn down the offer they could strike as early as Oct. 8 and embroil the company in a bitter labor dispute for the second straight year. A year ago, a 47-day strike by truck drivers at Safeway’s Northern California distribution center lowered Safeway’s earnings by $66 million. 

In a conference call Friday, Burd emphasized that management won’t budge from its “compelling offer” to store workers. Safeway already has been hiring potential replacement workers and, in a video delivered to current employees, Burd warned the company is prepared to reduce its latest contract offer if there is a strike. 

“If you are an employee and think rationally about things, you vote for this (offer),” Burd told analysts Friday. 

Safeway store workers in the Sacramento area accepted a nearly identical offer earlier this year. 

Union leaders insist the offer isn’t enough to offset the high cost of living in the San Francisco Bay area, where a mid-priced home sells for $476,000, a 66 percent increase since the store workers signed their last contract in 1997. 

Most of the affected Safeway store workers make $11.07 per hour under the current contract, according to labor leaders. The best-paid clerks make $17.58 per hour, which Safeway says is the highest retail rate in the region. 

“We are not saying that a clerk should make $90,000 per year, but they need to make enough to buy a home or pay for gas if they have to drive into work from somewhere else,” said Dennis Kimber, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 428 in San Jose. 

Safeway paid Burd $2.53 million last year, a 92 percent raise from his 1997 paycheck. 

A Community Environmental Advisory Commission meeting ended abruptly Thursday, making it the third city commission meeting to collapse in confusion and acrimony under allegations of conflict of interest. 

After a heated public comment period, acting chair of the commission, Gordon Wozniak, refused to recuse himself from an issue related to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory where Wozniak is a senior scientist. Frustrated by his refusal, three commissioners walked out of the meeting leaving too few commissioners to legally continue.  

Commissioners Pratap Chatterjee  

and Elmer Grossman were not present at the meeting. 

City Attorney Manuela Albuquerque has issued two opinions that allege Wozniak has a conflict of interest serving on the commission while he is employed at LBNL. 

In her Jan. 2 and Jan 31 opinions  

Albuquerque recommended Wozniak resign from the commission because a large percentage of items the commission considers are related to laboratory environmental issues. 

Wozniak is the second CEAC commissioner said by the city attorney to have a conflict of interest. Former Chair John Selawsky resigned when the city attorney alleged his election to the school board created a conflict of interest with his duties as a commissioner. Selawsky resigned shortly after taking his school board post. 

Wozniak said he has a right to be on the commission and will not resign until forced to do so. “I’ve lived in Berkeley for 34 years and the city attorney is trying to make me a second class citizen by not allowing me to serve my community,” he said. 

Commissioners Jamie Casaba, Pam Webster and LA Wood walked out of the meeting Thursday shortly after Wozniak said he would not recuse himself. This is the second time in three weeks a CEAC meeting has ended without the commission considering any of the items on its agenda.  

“There was tension and anger in the room from the very beginning of the meeting,” said Commissioner Nicholas Morgan. “Things just weren’t going well and then the commissioners left and that was it.” 

Morgan said the commentary from the public was hostile and unproductive. The meeting was attend by 25 members of the public, most associated with the Committee to Minimize Toxic Waste, which has aggressively opposes LBNL’s use of the radioactive material, tritium. 

“The commentators thought it was more important to say what a scoundrel Gordon Wozniak is rather than to respect the process,” Morgan said. “It was disgraceful, immature and rude.” 

The first CEAC meeting to implode was on Feb. 1. At that meeting Commissioners Jami Caseber, Pam Webster and Susan Chang, who was standing in for Pratap Chatterjee, walked out, which ended the meeting. 

The CEAC is the second commission to be disabled by allegations by the city attorney of conflict of interest. A Landmarks Preservation Commission meeting came to a sudden halt when four commissioners, Becky O’Malley, Lesley Emmington-Jones, Carrie Olson and Doug Morse were asked by the chair of the commission to not discuss or vote on any issues related to the proposed Beth El synagogue at 1301 Oxford St. The four commissioners refused and the meeting was immediately adjourned. 

Albuquerque said conflict of interest issues are nothing new and that newly appointed commissioners are routinely given information about possible conflicts and some chose to disregard it. 

“Conflict of interest laws are necessary for government to conduct its business in a fair manner that’s impartial and accessible,” she said. 

Wozniak, who has retained San Leandro attorney James Harrison, said he will not resign until he is forced to do so. According to Wozniak the city attorney can issue an opinion about his possible conflict of interest but she cannot remove him from the commission. 

According to Wozniak, he can only be removed by the state attorney general and the councilmember who appointed him. “I serve at the pleasure of Councilmember Polly Armstrong and she hasn’t asked me to step down yet,” he said. 

Armstrong couldn’t be reached by the Daily Planet before press time, but has said she plans to stand by her commissioner. 

CMTW member Pam Sihzola said her group agrees with the city attorney. “He should step down as long as he’s employed by the LBNL because as commissioner he will have to make decisions on subjects that are related directly to his employer,” she said. 

Commissioner Chatterjee agrees. “Commissioner Wozniak has done his level best to focus the commission’s attention on insignificant issues like exit signs rather than the huge amounts of tritium stored at LBNL,” he said. 

Wozniak contends that there is tritium all over the city contained in illuminated “EXIT” signs and that no one seems to care unless it’s in the Berkeley Hills. 

Commissioner Webster said she has been frustrated by the commission’s failure to address any of the items on its agenda. 

“I find myself wondering why Commissioner Wozniak won’t at least recuse himself from items related to the LBNL,” she said. “Because as long as he’s there we won’t get to discuss these issues.” 

The next CEAC meeting is scheduled for Thursday at 2118 Milvia St. in the second floor conference room at 7 p.m. 

Tuesday, Feb. 27

“Great Decisions” - Missile Defense  

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy.  

$5 single session 

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

City Council Meeting 

7 p.m 

2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. 

Sheryl Walton of the Community Action Team that is looking at poor healthcare outcomes among African Americans in the flatlands will provide an overview of the CAT and its model to the City Council and Berkeley viewers.  

Farmers’ Market Fat Tuesday 

Mardi Gras Celebration  

1 p.m. - Dusk 

Derby St. at MLK Jr. Way 

With live performances by The Sons & Daughters of Orpheus and Wild Buds: West Coast Mardi Gras Band. Free and always wheelchair accessible.  

BHS Jazz Band  

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave.  

A Black History celebration performance. Free 

Call 644-6107 

Mardi Gras Improv Show  

7:30 p.m. 

Live Oak Theatre  

1301 Shattuck Ave.  

Renowned comedians from Bay Area Theater Sports, the proceeds will benefit Good Shepard Episcopal Church in Berkeley.  

$10 - $20  

234-6586 

Telegraph Area Association  

9 a.m.  

2509 Haste St.  

Discussions will include committee updates, TAA workshop, and funding/budget.  

Organizing for Public Power  

7 p.m. 

Temescal Branch  

Oakland Library, Rear Entrance  

5205 Telegraph Ave.  

Dan Berman, co-author of “Who Owns the Sun?” and advisor to Ralph Nader, Robin Davis, PG&E worker, Eugene Coyle, energy policy economist, and Gail Bateson, labor party, will discuss the electricity crisis.  

373-9219  

Fat Tuesday Celebration 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Berkeley Peace & Justice Ministries Center 

2075 Eunice St.  

Tour the new Berkeley Peace & Justice Center after the renovations are complete. Community open house, complete with building blessing, Cajun food and jazz.  

524-1618 

Rhoda Berenson  

on Lori Berenson 

7 p.m. 

Hodgekin Hall, Arrowsmith  

Academy 

2300 Bancroft Way 

Rhoda Berenson, mother of Lori Berenson, imprisoned in Peru for 5 years, will speak about her daughter’s current condition and her book on it. 

Wednesday, Feb. 28

Stagebridge Free Acting  

& Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Conversations in Commedia 

7:30 p.m. 

La Pena Cultural Center 

3105 Shattuck Ave. (at Prince) 

Mime Troupe founder Ron Davis and icon clown Wavy Gravy give dialogues on satire.  

$6 - $8  

Call 849-2568 

Women in Interfaith  

Relationships  

9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Led by Dawn Kepler, this workshop will explore interfaith relationships on many levels, in relation to culture, religion, and gender. People of all backgrounds and orientations are invited to attend.  

$10 848-0237 x127 

Planning Commission Public Hearing  

7 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave.  

The commission is holding public hearings on the Planning Commission Draft General Plan. The commission requests that all written comments on the plan be submitted by March 1. 

Guide Dogs for the Blind 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave.  

T. Duncan, a low vision speaker, will talk about guide dogs. Free  

Call 644-6107 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Parent Advocacy in the BUSD 

7 - 8:30 p.m. 

Martin Luther King Middle School Library 

1781 Rose St.  

Representative from various parent advocacy groups will discuss organizing strategies. Free 

558-8933 

Disaster Council  

7 p.m. 

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar St.  

Presentation on sheltering issues in Turkey by Doug Sandy, American Red Cross. Also, proposed budget for office for emergency services.  

Thursday, March 1

Berkeley Metaphysical  

Toastmasters Club  

6:15 - 7:30 p.m.  

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysics come together. Ongoing first and third Thursdays each month. Call 869-2547 

Cancer Support Group 

Noon - 2 p.m. 

Summit Medical Center 

Markstein Cancer Education & Prevention Center 

450 30th St., Second Floor  

Oakland  

Free support group for families, friends, and patients diagnosed with cancer.  

869-8833 to register  

Cycling Journey  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Leo Tenenblat and Jean Philippe Boubli set off on their mountain bikes from Lhasa, Tibet to Kathmandu, Nepal. They will share slides and stories of their 52-day adventure. Free 527-4140 

Friday, March 2

Stagebridge Free Acting  

& Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland 444-4755  

or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Class Dismissed Poetry Posse 

7:30 p.m. 

Little Theater 

Berkeley High School  

2246 Milvia St.  

Afro-Haitian dancers, Dance Production dancers, the BHS poetry slammers, an opening a capella number and a few surprises. A benefit for a Berkeley High school student trip to Cuba. $5 - $10  

Colombia In Context  

9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

Bancroft Hotel  

2680 Bancroft Way  

A conference bringing together leading experts from both Latin America and the U.S. to discuss both the roots of the current Colombian crisis. Visit www.clas.berkeley.edu/clas 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets. 644-6226 

Lockdown America 

7 - 9:30 p.m. 

2040 Valley Life Sciences Bldg.  

UC Berkeley  

Christian Parenti, author of “Lockdown America, on Police and Prisons in the Age of Crisis” will speak. Free 552-8236 

Saturday, March 3

Rockridge Writers 

3:30 - 5:30 p.m. 

Spasso Coffeehouse  

6021 College Ave.  

Poets and writers meet to critique each other’s work. “Members’ work tends to be dark, humorous, surreal, or strange.”  

berkeleysappho@yahoo.com 

Wild About Books? 

10:30 a.m. 

Central Berkeley Library  

2121 Allston Way  

Mary Miche, leader of Song Trek Music, will lead a sing-along that will send everyone home humming. 649-3913 

Residential Solar Electricity  

1 - 3 p.m. 

Ecology Center  

2530 San Pablo Ave.  

Hal Aronson, director of the Solar Energy Education Program for Berkeley EcoHouse, will cover how solar electric cells work, different types of systems, and costs of a solar system. $10 - $15  

548-2220 x233  

— compiled by  

Chason Wainwright 

Feathered Dinosaurs  

11 a.m.  

Lawrence Hall of Science 

UC Berkeley’s Dr. Kevin Padian talks about the discovery of feathered dinosaur fossils in northern China. Included with museum admission.  

$3 - $7  

642-5132 

“Socialism & the Struggle for Global Justice”  

10:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

200 Wheeler Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Discussions will include “Why Socialism?”; crisis in Palestine; race, class and the fall out from the 2000 elections; and fighting misogyny and sexism.  

$5 donation  

552-8236  

Emergency!: Personal Preparedness 

9 a.m. - 11 a.m.  

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar St.  

A class sponsored by the Berkeley Fire Dept. and the Office of Emergency Services. Free. 

644-8736 

924 Gilman St. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted $5; $2 for a year membership March 2: Books Lie, Living Under Lies, Remnants, No Regrets, The Fadeaways, LWL; March 3: Dr. Know, The Dread, Hot Box, Anal Mucus; March 9: Dead and Gone, Sworn Vengence, Punishment, Misoura, The Computer Kills 525-9926  

Albatross Pub All music at 9 p.m. unless noted Feb. 27: Larry Stefl Jazz Trio; March 1: Keni “El Lebrijano”; March 6: PickPocket Ensemble; March 7: Whiskey Bros.; March 8: Keni “El Lebrijano”; March 10: PickPocket Ensemble; March 13: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Duo; 1822 San Pablo 843-2473 

Ashkenaz Feb. 27, 8:30 p.m.: Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Party with Tee Fee, costume party and king and queen to be crowned; Feb. 28, 8 p.m.: “Fling Ding!” A night of Appalachian music featuring the Bluegrass Intentions; 1370 San Pablo Ave. (at Gilman) 525-5054 or www.ashkenaz.com  

Eli’s Mile High Club Doors open at 8 p.m. March 2: Henry Clement; March 3: J.J. Malone; March 9: Ron Hacker; March 10: Red Archibald 3629 MLK Jr. Way Oakland  

Jazzschool/La Note All music at 4:30 p.m. March 4: Ray Obiedo; March 11: Stephanie Bruce Trio; March 18: Wayne Wallace Septet $6 - $12 2377 Shattuck. 

Live Oak Concert Series All music at 7:30 p.m. March 4: Marie Carbone, harpsichord, plays music of Frescobaldi, Sweelinck, Froberger, and Weckmann; March 11: Stephen Bell, guitar, plays music of Bach, Villa-Lobos, Ponse, and Albeniz Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St.  

Cal Performances March 2 - March 11, call for times: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; Zellerbach Hall UC Berkeley. 642-9988 or www.calperfs.berkeley.edu Feb. 25, 3 p.m.: Prazack Quartet $32; Feb. 28, 8 p.m.: Clerks’ Group performs music from the Burgundian Courts; March 4, 3 p.m.: Baritone Nathan Gunn sings Brahms, Wolf, and a selection of American songs $36;  

Berkeley Symphony Orchestra April 3, and June 21, 2001. All performances begin at 8 p.m. Single $19 - $35, Series $52 - $96. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley 841-2800  

“Dido and Aeneas” March 2, 8 p.m.; March 4, 2 p.m. A tale of English Baroque opera that follows the tale of Dido, queen of Corinth, as she is courted and won by Aeneas, conqueror and future founder of Rome. $5 - $10 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. Call 925-798-1300 

“Aywah!” March 2, 8 p.m. An evening of music and dance from Egypt, Turkey, Morocco and Balkan Roma. Featuring Aywah! Dance Company. Guest singer Eva Primack. $13 - $15 La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 or www.lapena.org 

Mozart Requiem Singalong March 3, 8 p.m. Bella Musica Chorus and Orchestra in their third annual presentation. Bring your own score or buy/borrow one of theirs. $10 suggested donation St. Joseph the Worker Church 1640 West Addison (at McGee) Call 526-5393 

Young People’s Symphony Orchestra March 3, 8 p.m. David Ramadanoff conducts the orchestra in a program featuring Schubert, Tchaikovsky, and a suite from Piston’s ballet “The Incredible Flutist” $5 - $10 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. Call 925-798-1300  

“In Song and Struggle” March 4, 4 - 10 p.m. Copwatch presents the second annual event bringing together some of the best women artists from around the Bay Area and beyond in commemoration of International Women’s Day. $8 - $15 Ashkenaz 1317 San Pablo Ave. Call Copwatch, 548-0425  

Mingus Amungus & Allstar Jazz Jam March 4, 7 - 10 p.m. A benefit concert for 65 Cuba-bound Berkeley High students. $10 - $15 Florence Schwimley Little Theater 1930 Allston Way 587-3201  

“The Magic Flute” March 3 & 4, 8 p.m. Mozart’s most famous opera adapted by International House resident Kalinka Cichon and presented by a multicultural cast. $5 International House Auditorium 2299 Piedmont Ave. (at Bancroft) e-mail for tix: kalinka@cichon.com  

Eric Glick Reiman, Tom Nunn, Toychestra March 4, 7:48 p.m. $8 donation TUVASpace 3192 Adeline (at MLK Jr.) 649-8744 

Young Emerging Artists March 6, 7 - 8 p.m. John McCarthy will direct students from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music’s Prepatory Division through a performance of works by Sov, Barber and others. $5 - $10 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. (at Derby) 925-798-1300 

Carol Denney, Folk This!, J.D. Nelson March 7, 8 p.m. CD release party for Denney’s “The Rich Will Never Be Poor” $16.50 Freight & Salvage 1111 Addison St. 548-1761 

Canto Para Una Semilla March 9, 8 p.m. La Pena Community Chorus present an homage to Violeta Parra. This is a benefit for Berkeley High School’s CAS program. $10 La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 

“Fall” by Bridget Carpenter Through March 11. $15.99 - $51. Berkeley Repertory Theatre 2025 Addison St. 647-2949, www. berkeleyrep.org 

“Nightingale” presented by Central Works Theater Through March 4, Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 24 & Saturday, March 3, 5 p.m. $8 - $14 LaVal’s Subterranean 1834 Euclid Ave. 558-1381 

“Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me” by Frank MacGuinness Through March 17, Thursday - Saturday, 8 p.m. Sunday, 8:30 p.m. The story of three men - an Irishman, an Englishman and an American held in a prison in Lebanon. $10 - $15 8th St. Studio Theatre 2525 Eighth St. (at Dwight) 655-0813 

“A New Brain” by William Finn March 2 - 18, Fridays & Saturday, 8 p.m. Sunday, 7 p.m. Watch as Gordon Schwinn, in the face of a life-threatening brain tumor, composes a farewell concert in which all the important figures in his life make show-stopping appearances. Presented by BareStage Productions $8 - $12 Choral Rehearsal Hall, Lower Level of Caesar Chavez Student Center UC Berkeley 642-3880  

“Glory Box” by Tim Miller March 9, 8 p.m. In this one-time performance, Miller explores the themes of same-sex marriage and binational gay/lesbian immigration rights. $15 Zellerbach Playhouse UC Berkeley 601-8932 or www.ticketweb.com  

“The Oresteia” by Aeschylus March 14 - May 6 Directed by Tony Taccone and Stephen Wadsworth, Aeschylus trilogy will be the first production staged on the Berkeley Rep’s new prosenium stage. Please call Berkeley Repertory Theatre for specific dates and times. $15.99 - $117 Berkeley Repertory Theatre 2015 Addison St. (at Shattuck) 647-2949 or www.berkeleyrep.org 

Boadecia’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted March 24, 7 p.m.: Aliza Sherman will read and sign “Cybergrrl@Work: Tips and Inspiration for the Professional You” 398 Colusa Ave. Kensington 559-9184. www.boadeciasbooks.com 

Cody’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted Feb. 28: Poetry of Sandra Gilbert & Wendy Barker 2454 Telegraph Ave. 845-7852  

Easy Going Travel Shop & Bookstore All events at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27: Barbara Wagner, co-founder of Lost Frontiers, gives a slide presentation and talk about “Pakistan & the Lost Tribes of teh Hindu Kush”; Feb. 28: Travel writer Christopher Baker will read and talk about his 7000 miles motorcycle odyssey through Cuba as chronicled in his book “Mi Moto Fidel: Motorcycling Through Castro’s Cuba” 1385 Shattuck Ave. (at Rose) 843-3533  

Duomo Reading Series and Open Mic. Thursdays, 6:30 - 9 p.m. March 1: Eliza Shefler; March 8: Judy Wells; March 15: Elanor Watson-Gove; March 22: Anna Mae Stanley; March 29: Georgia Popoff; Cafe Firenze 2116 Shattuck Ave. 644-0155. 

Lunch Poems First Thursday of each month, 12:10 - 12:50 p.m. March 1: Aleida Rodrigues; April 5: Galway Kinnell; May 3: Student Reading Morrison Room, Doe Library UC Berkeley 642-0137 

Class Dismissed Poetry Posse March 2, 7:30 p.m. Afro-Haitian dancers, Dance Production dancers, the BHS poetry slammers, an opening a capella number and a few surprises. A benefit for a Berkeley High school student trip to Cuba. $5 - $10 Little Theater Berkeley High School 2246 Milvia St.  

Bamboo Ridge Writers Reading March 4, 4 p.m. Five authors published in the book, “Intersecting Circles: The Voices of Hapa Women in Poetry & Prose.” Bamboo Ridge publishes literature which nurtures the voices of Hawaii and celebrates its literary tradition. Eastwind Books of Berkeley 2066 University Ave. 548-2350 

Anita Barrows March 4, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Barrows will read from her poem “A Record” inspired by an exhibit done in Theresienstadt and her translation of Rosa Luxenburg’s letters. Free Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237 

Women’s Word March 14, 7:30 p.m. An evening of women’s word honoring International Women’s month and featuring Avotcja, Straight Out Scribes, Tureeda & Kira Allen. Hosted by Joyce Young. Open mic will follow. $4 La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 

Tours 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Free. University of California, Berkeley. 486-4387 

Berkeley City Club Tours 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. 848-7800  

The fourth Sunday of every month, Noon - 4 p.m. $2  

Golden Gate Live Steamers Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Lomas Cantadas Drive at the south end of Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley. 486-0623  

Small locomotives, meticulously scaled to size. Trains run Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rides: Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., weather permitting.  

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden Centennial Drive, behind Memorial Stadium, a mile below the Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley. 643-2755 or www.mip.berkeley.edu/garden/  

The gardens have displays of exotic and native plants. Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 1:30 p.m. $3 general; $2 seniors; $1 children; free on Thursday. Daily, 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. 

Lectures 

Berkeley Historical Society Slide Lecture & Booksigning Series Sundays, 3 - 5 p.m. $10 donation requested March 11: Director of Berkeley’s International House, Joe Lurie, will show a video and dicuss the history and struggle to open the I-House 70 years ago; March 18: “Topaz Moon,” Kimi Kodani Hill will discuss artist Chiura Obata’s family and the WWII Japanese relocation camps. Berkeley Historical Center Veterans Memorial Building 1931 Center St. 848-0181 

UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Research Seminars Noon seminars are brown bag March 7, 4 p.m.: Akhil Reed Amar will discuss his book “The Bill of Rights: Creation and Reconstruction.” March 12, Noon: Catherine Hafer of Ohio State will discuss “The Political Economy of Emerging Property Rights.” April 23, 4 p.m.: Mary Dudziach of USC will discuss “Cold War Civil Rights: Race and the Image of American Democracy.” Feb. 30, Noon: Daniel Diermeier of Northwestern University will discuss “Mass Political Action.” 119 Moses Hall UC Berkeley 642-4608  

“Great Decisions” Foreign Policy Association Lectures Series Tuesdays, 10 a.m. - Noon, Through April 3; An annual program featuring specialists in the field of national foreign policy, many from University of California. Goal is to inform the public on major policy issues and receive feedback from the public. $5 per session, $35 entire series for single person, $60 entire series for couple. Berkeley City Club 2315 Durant Ave. 526-2925 

There is a growing consensus that the top issue for the next superintendent of the Berkeley Unified School District will be tackling the achievement gap between white students and students of color. 

There is less agreement, however, about how this ought to be accomplished.  

Leadership Associates, a search firm hired by the board in January to recruit candidates for the superintendent position from all over the country, will take applications for the job until April 6. The board hopes to hire a new superintendent by July. 

A series of community meetings held by Leadership Associates consultants revealed the school board and the public are looking for much the same characteristics in the next district leader. They want someone who has been successful working in a diverse, urban community, someone who will be highly visible and accessible as a superintendent, and someone who can be a consensus builder in a city where school policy is often a divisive political issue. 

Above all, they want someone who can put an end to a long-standing trend of minority students underperforming their white peers on standardized tests.  

“The overriding theme that came through...from virtually all the groups was this whole issue of the achievement gap,” Jake Abbott of Leadership Associates told the board at its regular meeting last week. 

Just what the new superintendent ought to do to address the achievement gap, however, is an issue still open to debate. 

For Corinne Thompson, member of the parents group Parents of Children of African Descent, the best thing the board could do to address the achievement gap is to hire a minority superintendent who will make opening channels of communication with minority students and their parents a top priority.  

“We need someone who can relate (to minority students),” Thompson said, adding that many teachers in the school district “have no idea how to relate to those kids.” 

“The new superintendent needs to tell the teachers, ‘Please change the way you react and talk to these kids.’ ” Thompson said. 

Since more than half the district’s students are minority students, Berkeley School Board President Terry Doran said he considers it very important to find a person of color for the superintendent position if possible. 

“If we have three candidates who all look good and one is a person of color, my preference would be to hire the person of color,” Doran said.  

Doran said finding candidates from school districts that have dealt effectively with the issue of the achievement gap is just as important. 

The school hired Superintendent Jack McLaughlin who left the district at the end of January. Doran said McLaughlin was hired shortly after the district launched a major effort to rebuild many of its buildings in the wake of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. It chose McLaughlin, in part, because he had experience with overseeing a major school building project.  

Similarly, today the school district is looking for a candidate who impresses the board with his or her knowledge of strategies for addressing the achievement gap, Doran said. 

More than just programs, however, the district needs someone who can rally support for those programs in the minority community, Doran said. 

“All over the country, the programs that get more parental buy-in are more successful,” Doran said, citing the REBOUND! program recently instituted at Berkeley High as an example. 

When 242 students were failing ninth grade English or math in the first semester this year, many parents said school efforts to help failing students – a schoolwide tutorial program in all subjects, math tutors for all Algebra I classes, an extra period of English – were a failure themselves.  

Desperate for a solution, Parents of Children of African Descent proposed the REBOUND! program, where failing students could opt to attend special classes all day long. There is one REBOUND teacher for roughly every 10 students, and math and English are taught in double periods to give the students more instructional time. 

Although many “institutional” programs have tried to help students failing multiple classes at Berkeley High, Doran said, none have succeeded in involving parents to the extent that REBOUND! has in the last several weeks. 

“The REBOUND! program was put together and promoted by the parents themselves,” Doran said. “That really is the key.” 

School Board Vice President Shirley Issel takes issue with the REBOUND! program being offered as the model for success.  

“The REBOUND! program was designed to engage disengaged students and their parents,” Issel said. “It really doesn’t address academic standards. It doesn’t relate to any other aspects that I think are critical to affecting students’ achievement.” 

Issel was dismayed by the parents’ rush to judge existing programs for struggling students a failure and their demand that a program of their own devising be implemented instead. This approach to the problem of the achievement gap leads to “polarization rather than partnership” between parents and school administrators, Issel said. 

Issel said the first job of the new superintendent will be “to build consensus as to what’s the problem and what will work to solve it.” 

“We need to get agreement among leaders, and then we need to support the agreements that we make,” Issel said. “That’s the framework for working together.” 

At its meeting tonight, the City Council will hear a report by the Community Action Team discussing its work plan to address the health disparities in Berkeley. The gap in health outcomes between wealthier Caucasian people who live in the hills and lower income people of color who live in the flatlands was pointed out in a Berkeley Health Department study last year.  

Smoke shop ban 

The City Council will hold a public hearing on whether to extend the moratorium for about 10 months on permits for new retail businesses that sell tobacco. 

On Feb. 15, the City Council adopted a 45-day moratorium on the issuance of permits for the expansion of existing, or new stores that primarily sell tobacco. State law allows interim ordinances to be extended for the 10-month period after a public hearing.  

According to a staff report, there are more than 150 locations in the city that sell tobacco products, one for every 80 Berkeley smokers. 

“This high level of saturation may create a willingness to compete for customers, including minors,” according to a report. 

Echo Lake Youth Camp 

The council will hold a public hearing on raising fees for the Echo Lake Youth Camp and Berkeley Day Camp. 

The popular day camp program is used by 90 percent of Berkeley families according to a staff report. In order for the camp’s staff to provide important elements of the program it will have to increase its fees.  

Camp expenditures are expected to rise next year by $5,400 next year, and $5,744 the following year.  

Under the proposal, session fees for the Day Camp will rise from $65 to $71 during the summer of 2001 and the fees for Echo Lake Youth Camp will be raised from $166 to $200. 

The day camp is a series of one-week sessions that include a 3 days in Tilden Park and two days at the Berkeley Marina. The focus of the camp is outdoor experiences related to a variety of bay environments. 

Echo Lake Youth Camp is a residential camp for Berkeley teenagers that allows them to experience the High Sierras. There are three one-week sessions. 

Tree planting in south Berkeley 

The council will hear an information report from the Department of Parks and Waterfront regarding tree planting in south Berkeley. The department will be able to move up the tree planting schedule this Spring without reneging on commitments to plant trees in other areas of the city. 

The council asked Parks and Waterfront to see if they could move the schedule forward without too much disruption of their schedule. 

The city received over 800 applications for tree planting around the city and had only anticipate 600. Because of the popularity of the program the city had to spread the plantings out over two seasons, fall and spring, instead of just fall.  

The council will also look at giving the Association for Sport Field Users the maintenance contract for the soccer fields at Harrison and Fourth streets. 

Two projects may be referred to a future budget discussion: the Chaplaincy for the Homeless and Berkeley Cougars and Cheerleader Program. 

The council meets in executive session at 5:30 p.m., then will meet in public session at 7 p.m. The public session is at 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way and is broadcast on KPFB, 89.3 and TV-25.  

The University of California, Berkeley, concluded an academic fraud investigation Monday by reporting that two student football players were given credit for work they did not do. 

The school told the Pacific-10 Conference that the two students should not have been allowed to play during the 1999 season because they enrolled retroactively in a class in which they did no work. 

The university recommended to the conference that as punishment it lose four football  

scholarships for the next two years and a two-year probation period. 

The investigation found none on the coaching or athletic program staff was involved – the school said head football coach Tom Holmoe told officials he thought the credit might not be deserved. 

“I’m gratified that the report shows it to be an isolated case and that our staff played no role in the improprieties,” Holmoe said in a statement Monday. “There is some pain we’ll feel in the proposed sanctions, but it’s not going to undermine our goal to achieve major success over the next few seasons.” 

UC Berkeley spokesman Matthew Lyon would not name the two students or professor involved, citing confidentiality concerns. The San Francisco Chronicle said wide receivers Michael Ainsworth and Ronnie Davenport, and Chicano Studies professor Alex Saragoza were involved in the case. 

Lyon said neither of the students is at the school now. He was not sure if they had graduated. The Academic Senate is examining the professor’s conduct and will decide what to do. 

The university’s investigation began after an anonymous letter to the conference. The school concluded its first investigation in January 2000, but the Pac-10 said it still had cause for concern. 

The university then hired independent investigator Michael Glazier of the Kansas law firm Bond, Schoeneck & King. He found the initial investigation was incomplete. 

The Pac-10 will recommend any sanctions in June to the NCAA, and the NCAA will make a final decision. The conference does not need to follow the university’s recommendation, and the NCAA doesn’t need to follow the conference’s recommendation. 

“Though an isolated incident of academic impropriety, its seriousness must be acknowledged in order for us to restore Berkeley’s integrity,” Chancellor Robert Berdahl said in a statement. 

Gerald M. Rubin, professor of genetics in the Department of Molecular & Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, has been awarded the Newcomb Cleveland Prize for 2000 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for a review paper he published last year on the sequencing of the fruit fly genome. He shares the prize with about 100 co-authors, including CraigVenter, head of Celera Genomics Corp. 

The paper was an important milestone on the road to sequencing the entire human genome. A large portion of the human genome was published last week inScience and Nature magazines.  

Rubin, who since the first of last year has split his time between UC Berkeley and Chevy Chase, Md., where he serves as vice president for biomedical research for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, received the prize Feb. 17 during the annual AAAS meeting. Also present to receive the award were Susan E. Celniker, staff scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and co-director of the Berkeley Drosophila Genome Project (BDGP) Sequencing Center at LBNL, and Mark D. Adams of Celera. 

In selecting the paper, the AAAS said in a statement that, "This collaborative effort by academic and industry researchers was considered by our committee to represent a landmark event in the effort to understand the organization of the hereditary material at the finest structural level." 

The feat, a collaboration between Celera and the BDGP, was achieved in record time with new techniques pioneered by Celera. Rubin is director of the BDGP, which is based at UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. 

Rubin, 50, received his bachelor's degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1971 and earned his PhD in molecular biology from the University of Cambridge in England in 1974. He did postdoctoral work at the Stanford University School of Medicine before joining Harvard Medical School in 1977 as an assistant professor of biological chemistry. 

In 1980, he joined the Carnegie Institution of Washington as a staff member in the department of embryology, and three years later he moved to the faculty of UC Berkeley. Rubin is a member of the National Academy of Sciences. 

The AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Prize was established in 1923 with funds donated by Newcomb Cleveland of New York City and was originally called the AAAS Thousand Dollar Prize. Now known as the AAAS-Newcomb Cleveland Prize, its value has been raised to $5,000.

SANTA BARBARA — Prosecutors charged a college freshman with four counts of murder and other crimes Monday for allegedly running down pedestrians with his car in a neighborhood near the University of California, Santa Barbara. 

David E. Attias, 18, accused of being behind the wheel of a car that killed four people and injured a fifth as it barreled down an Isla Vista street Friday night, was scheduled for arraignment on 13 felony counts Tuesday in Santa Barbara County Superior Court. 

Attias, of Santa Monica, was charged with four counts of murder, four counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and five counts of driving while under the influence of drugs and causing great bodily injury. 

The scene of victims strewn on the street and Attias fighting with other young men before his arrest was videotaped by a local cameraman. 

Attias, who was held without bail, is the son of Daniel Attias, who has directed episodes of “Ally McBeal,” “The Practice” and “The Sopranos.” 

The Attias family could not be reached for comment Monday despite several calls to their Santa Monica home. Officials said that Attias was being represented by a Los Angeles lawyer, but the attorney’s identity was not released. 

Killed in the crash were Nicholas Shaw Bourdakis and Christopher Edward Divis, both 20 and UCSB students; Ruth Dasha Golda Levy, 20, a Santa Barbara City College student; and Elie Israel, 27, of San Francisco. 

Levy’s older brother, Albert Arthur Levy, 27, remained in critical condition Monday after multiple surgeries. 

Albert Levy was in town from San Francisco, where he lived with Israel, to visit his sister, said sheriff’s Lt. Mike Burridge. 

Witnesses said Attias got out of the car and shouted, “I am the angel of death!” the Santa Barbara News-Press reported. Police said they could not confirm the report. 

Neighbors and fellow students in newspaper reports described Attias as a loner with a hyperactive nature. He was known as “Crazy Dave” in the private 10-story dormitory where he lived near campus. 

They said Attias would barge into rooms, follow people into elevators for companionship and invite himself into dining groups at the cafeteria. 

“He was always fidgeting. He looked like he was kind of whacked-out,” neighbor Zack Chancer told the Los Angeles Times. 

A freshman told the Times and the Santa Barbara paper that Attias made claims of speaking with God and sometimes acted erratically. He also had become a recent fan of techno music and played it loudly at the dorm. 

Attias, who has not declared a major, graduated from Concord High School in Santa Monica last year. 

“He was a very regular student and did what he was supposed to do,” said Susan Packer Davis, 49, administrator of the school. “He didn’t cause any scenes and did not do anything untoward at all.” 

A candlelight service was scheduled for Monday night at Isla Vista and a memorial service will be held Thursday at Storke Plaza on the UCSB campus. 

Students have organized distribution of yellow ribbons to remember the victims, said school spokeswoman Joan Magruder. 

“I’ve been on this campus for 20 years and I’ve never seen anything like this,” Magruder said. “Students start crying when they see the flag at half-staff. There is so much grief and they are so traumatized by it. ... Students are walking with their head down and I haven’t heard one bit of laughter at all today.” 

SACRAMENTO — The U.S. Supreme Court’s refusal Monday to hear Gov. Gray Davis’ challenge of a ruling overturning a fee for handicapped parking placards is a victory for disabled rights, advocates say. 

“It’s wonderful,” said Ben Rockwell, secretary of Californians for Disability Rights. “I think part of what was at risk is whether the state is able to charge for things that should be rights.” 

The $3-a-year fee has not been collected since the first federal court ruling in 1997. 

Davis last year appealed the 1999 appeals court ruling against the fees, upsetting disabled rights groups who feared his action could threaten many basic rights, such as handicapped access to schools. 

Last June, Davis offered to negotiate a settlement of the lawsuit and drop his appeal, saying he didn’t want to jeopardize the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. 

However, since then, the governor’s office and the groups that filed the original lawsuit have remained deadlocked over lawyers’ fees and monetary damages and his appeal remained alive before the nation’s highest court. 

Disabled people can get a special license plate with the disabled symbol, enabling them to park in special parking spaces at no cost above the normal license fee. 

From 1977 to 1997, disabled people had to pay the fee to get a separate placard that allowed them to park in handicapped spaces when they were in someone else’s car. 

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last year upheld the lower court’s ruling that the placard fee the state violated the ADA. 

The state had argued in court filings that it was unconstitutional for the federal government to prohibit states from charging a fee, which the state maintained was lower than its costs for an extra service. 

A spokeswoman for the governor said Monday that Davis has been pushing for negotiations to settle the suit, but the two sides have yet to discuss the matter. 

“For the last nine months we have had the door open to full negotiations with nothing off the table and have been urging the plaintiffs in this case into settlement talks,” said Davis spokeswoman Hilary McLean. 

Disabled rights lawyer Guy Wallace disagreed. 

“If the court had granted the review and it came out against us, it could set us back 50 years with disabled rights,” Wallace said. 

“You don’t threaten the rights of citizens in your state because you oppose the lawyers’ fees. That’s nonsense. It’s spin control,” he said. 

The Supreme Court action also refused to hear similar cases from North Carolina and Texas. 

The cases are California v. Dare, 99-1417; Brown V. North Carolina, 99-424; and Neinast v. Texas, 00-263. 

LOS ANGELES — The state’s booming housing market shows little sign of a slowdown despite the softening economy, a report released Monday by the California Association of Realtors shows. 

Sales of existing homes increased 6.6 percent in January compared with the same period last year, the report said. Sales were also up 6 percent in January over the previous month. 

The median price of an existing single-family home during January was $246,380, an 8.6 percent rise compared with the same time last year. The January median price decreased 1.1 percent from December. 

“Affordability remains a concern for most California households despite a decline in mortgage interest rates,” Leslie Appleton-Young, CAR’s vice president and chief economist, said. 

Thirty-year fixed mortgage rates averaged 7.03 percent during January, down from the 8.21 percent average of January 2000. 

It also took fewer days to sell a house last month. The median number of days was 29, compared with 52 days during January 2000. 

Supply continued to be tight, especially in Northern California. 

In the San Francisco Bay area, the median price of a single family house was $472,280 in January, compared with $389,380 one year ago. 

In Los Angeles, the median price in January was $217,710 compared with $199,000 one year ago. 

The Associated Press 

LOS ANGELES — California’s ongoing power crisis has led neighboring states to accuse the Golden State of hogging electricity, saying its appetite for energy threatens to plunge the entire West into darkness. 

But the numbers paint a different picture, one of a California that does use a vast amount of electricity but consumes less on a per-capita basis than all other states except Rhode Island. 

Mild weather and having proportionately fewer energy-gobbling industries than some other states are part of the reason. However, experts say credit also must go to stringent conservation guidelines. 

“It’s true we’re big, and it’s true we didn’t build a lot of power plants because of restructuring. But we’re not energy hogs at all,” said Arthur Rosenfeld, who sits on the five-member California Energy Commission. “We’re almost as good as Western Europe, and Western Europe is about twice as energy efficient as the United States.” 

Among the 50 states, only Texas consumes more energy – its total use of electricity, natural gas and oil – than California. 

However, California ranks 47th in per-capita energy use – well below No. 4 Texas, No. 20 Washington and No. 27 Oregon, according to statistics from the Energy Information Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Energy. 

When looking specifically at per-capita electricity consumption, California ranks 49th. The state’s residents use 60 percent as much electricity as the average American. 

For air conditioning alone, a typical California household uses one-third the amount of electricity as a household in Texas or Florida, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s 1997 Residential Energy Consumption Survey. 

Experts say both weather and conservation measures play large roles in that figure. 

“It’s a different climate, so even if you do have warm summers, they’re not humid (in California), so you don’t have the big, huge air conditioning load you see in Florida or Texas,” said Robert Latta, the survey’s manager at the Energy Information Administration. 

California also uses electricity, as well as natural gas, oil and coal, more wisely than most states thanks to aggressive conservation efforts started during the oil shocks of the early 1970s, federal and state data show. 

Key to those efforts are stringent standards for new homes and commercial buildings that dictate such guidelines as the types of windows and lighting that can be used to the amount of insulation. Roughly 60 percent of the electricity used in California goes to heat, cool and light those structures. 

“If (California) is not the leading state, they are at least tied for it” in efficiency standards, said Ed Wisniewski, deputy director of the Boston-based Consortium for Energy Efficiency. “Historically, they have been very progressive, and many of the programs we advocate nationally were started in California.” 

The California Energy Commission, which shapes state energy policy and planning, estimates California’s average demand for electricity at any given time at about 50,000 megawatts. That figure would be much greater if not for conservation efforts, Rosenfeld said. 

“If we used as much electricity as Texas, we’d be a 100,000-megawatt state,” he said. 

Texas has more heavy industry, less stringent conservation mandates and a harsher climate. On the residential side, Texans use 50 percent more energy per household than Californians, much of that for heating and cooling. 

California’s per-capita use also is lower because many energy-intensive industries are located elsewhere. Aluminum smelting and paper manufacturing, for example, cluster in the Pacific Northwest, where power is cheap and abundant. 

The industries that are located in California, however, are generally more efficient in their use of electricity than industries elsewhere. 

Companies use just 0.2 kilowatt-hours of electricity to produce every dollar’s worth of goods and services in California, according to 1998 California Energy Commission statistics. Businesses in neighboring states use twice as much. 

“The concept that California is a big, wasteful state really isn’t true,” said Latta, of the Energy Information Administration. 

There’s still room for improvement in California, particularly when it comes to conservation. California ranks just 17th among all states in spending by utilities on energy-efficiency programs as part of their revenues. 

In 1998, California utilities reduced spending on energy-efficiency programs, although the current crisis has prompted the major utilities to reverse that, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. 

Gov. Gray Davis recently unveiled a $404 million conservation program designed to control — if not reverse — any growth in the state’s demand for electricity. 

Maintaining energy efficiency and keeping overall demand in check as the population grows will be among the state’s toughest power-related problems in the years ahead. 

Energy use per capita is up 10 percent over the past two decades. Californians used about 7,000 kilowatt hours per year in 1980, compared with about 7,700 kilowatt hours last year, according to scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. 

Making the job more difficult is the sprawling nature of the state’s growth. 

Many people are moving to inland areas where they find cheaper housing but also face more severe summer temperatures that require greater use of air conditioners, Rosenfeld said. 

In the region served by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, the demand for electricity is growing by 3 percent to 5 percent a year. 

“That’s based almost entirely on new customers,” said Gregg Fishman, a SMUD spokesman. “But what we’re seeing is our average per-customer use is remaining almost stable.” 

PASADENA — A U.S.-Russian group announced Monday it plans an April test launch of a space sail that relies not on wind but the gentle pressure of the sun’s rays to propel it. 

Backers hope the 30-minute suborbital test flight will show that a tightly packed sail can be unfurled in space.  

The test will be a step toward an October mission that will send an even larger version sailing around the Earth for the first time. 

“We’ll count ourselves as successful if we fly even a short time in that mode,” said Louis Friedman, manager of the Cosmos 1 project and executive director of The Planetary Society, a space advocacy group.  

“The Wright brothers flew for 12 seconds and they had a successful flight. If we can fly not 12 seconds, but 12 minutes, 12 days or 12 weeks, we’ll be happy,” 

Both missions will use converted intercontinental ballistic missiles launched from a Russian nuclear submarine in the Barents Sea – an unlikely but relatively inexpensive option that has kept the project’s budget to $4 million. 

Cosmos Studios, a science-based entertainment company founded by Ann Druyan, widow of the late astronomer Carl Sagan, and Joe Firmage, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and sometimes UFO investigator, is footing the bill. 

“We are proud to be a part of this historic mission, which is a critical baby step to the stars,” said Druyan, Sagan’s longtime collaborator. 

Solar sails, first proposed in the 1920s, rely on the steady pressure of sunlight to move forward. Like a sailboat, a solar sail-driven spacecraft does not have to carry its own fuel, which can be expensive to launch into space. 

The American and European space agencies, and at least one private company, hope that future missions can rely on the technology. 

“If the Planetary Society mission is successful, it will be very useful to NASA,” said Hoppy Price, manager of solar sail technology development at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 

Although solar-driven spacecraft will be slow to accelerate, with time they should reach high velocities that will enable travel across great distances. 

“It allows you to travel, come back and go out again because you don’t have to refuel,” Price said. 

The April launch will test the deployment of just two petal-shaped blades of Mylar polyester film about one-fifth as thick as a garbage bag.  

At the end of the brief flight the sail will fall back into Earth’s atmosphere. 

For the orbital flight later this year, a larger eight-petal design will be used. Inflatable trusses will pull the sail material from a canister and become rigid to support the sail’s shape.  

Each of the triangular petals can be turned to steer the spacecraft, allowing it to tack like a sailboat. 

“The goal is to be the first solar sail flight,” Friedman said. “It doesn’t have an application other than to be the first to demonstrate the technology.” 

The orbiting spacecraft will gradually spiral away from Earth as sunlight pushes on the 720-square-yard sail.  

The 88-pound craft will carry two cameras and several instruments and should appear in the night sky as a point of light as bright as the full moon. 

On the Net: 

The Planetary Society: http://planetary.org/ 

Cosmos Studios: http://carlsagan.com/

Skyrocketing energy costs, teacher pay raises and growing enrollments are just a few reasons the Berkeley Unified School District is facing a budget crunch in the fiscal year beginning July 1, according to a financial report released last week. 

The district could face a shortfall of nearly $5 million, according to a first estimate of the fiscal 2002 budget presented to the district board Wednesday. The board has scheduled a special meeting for March 5 to consider ways to pare back next year’s budget.  

District Interim Superintendent Steve Goldstone said the numbers represent a “worst case scenario” and are likely to improve before the final 2002 budget is presented to the board in June.  

Since 85 percent of the district’s funding comes from the state, much of the estimates are based on a preliminary state budget issued last month, Goldstone said.  

The state budget numbers have a history of improving as the date of their implementation nears, he added. In the current year, the budget proposed by Gov. Gray Davis last January grew by several billion dollars before it was implemented last summer, Goldstone said.  

But things might not turn out so well this year because of budget pressures generated by California’s energy crisis, Goldstone said. 

The district has watched its own expenditures for natural gas double during the current year and expects another 100 percent increase next year, Goldstone said. Electricity costs for the district could climb by as much as 50 percent next year, according to financial report. 

In the year 2000, the district budgeted $1.9 million for utilities expenses — including electricity, water, sewage, gas and garbage services. Next year it expects to spend $2.8 million for utilities.  

“That’s the big surprise right now,” said John Selawsky, board director. 

Selawsky said it was not unusual for the district to face multi-million dollar shortfalls in the first budget estimate, but added that this year’s numbers made him “a little nervous.” 

Selawsky said the district is facing higher health care premiums for its employees and higher salary expenses as a result of a new teachers union contract. A parcel tax created to fund smaller class sizes is no longer generating enough money to meet the district’s class size reduction needs, he added.  

“As teachers salaries increase and overhead increases ... we can fund fewer and fewer teachers out of that pool of money,” Selawsky said. 

While the district has reduced class sizes to a maximum of 20 students from kindergarten through third grade, it has yet to meet its goal of limiting higher elementary school grade classes to 25 students and secondary classes to 27 students. 

If the current numbers don’t improve, Goldstone said, the board will have to make cuts elsewhere in the budget to meet its class size reduction goals next year. 

Goldstone said the district is already looking at several ways to cut this year’s expenses to help reduce the shortfalls in next year’s budget. If employees are lost through retirement, the district may opt to leave the positions open, he said. The district’s purchases of general supplies will also be analyzed with a view to saving money. 

In the effort to balance the budget by June, Goldstone said the district will do everything it can to avoid cutting academic programs or laying employees off. 

“We want to keep cuts as far away from the classroom as we can so we don’t hurt kids,” he said.

Monday, Feb. 26 

“Passages Into Aging” 

7:30 - 9:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Miriam Chaya Fields, co-producer and director, of Timbrels & Torahs, will lead in a discussion about celebrating the wisdom and inspiration of the elder years.  

$5 donation Call 549-9447 x110 

Black History Dance Celebration  

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave.  

The Imhotet Dancers will perform. Free 

Call 644-6107 

West Berkeley Neighborhood Development Corporation  

11th Annual Membership Meeting  

Rountree’s R&B Music Museum  

2618 San Pablo Ave.  

Celebrating Sunday Fourth St. Open-air Market due to open in May. 845-4106 

National Women’s Political  

Caucus Meeting  

5 - 7 p.m. 

2017 Stuart St. (off Adeline)  

Florence D. McDonald Community Room  

Berkeley City Councilmember Linda Maio will speak and ask questions. An opportunity to learn more about the NWPC.  

Tuesday, Feb. 27 

“Great Decisions” - Missile Defense  

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy. $5 single session 

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

City Council Meeting 

8 p.m. 

Sheryl Walton of CAT will provide an overview of the CAT and its model to the City Council and Berkeley viewers.  

Farmers’ Market Fat Tuesday 

Mardi Gras Celebration  

1 p.m. - Dusk 

Derby St. at MLK Jr. Way 

With live performances by The Sons & Daughters of Orpheus and Wild Buds: West Coast Mardi Gras Band. Free and always wheelchair accessible.  

BHS Jazz Band  

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave.  

A Black History celebration performance. Free 

Call 644-6107 

Mardi Gras Improv Show  

7:30 p.m. 

Live Oak Theatre  

1301 Shattuck Ave.  

Renowned comedians from Bay Area Theater Sports, the proceeds will benefit Good Shepard Episcopal Church in Berkeley.  

$10 - $20  

234-6586 

Telegraph Area Association  

9 a.m.  

TAA  

2509 Haste St.  

Discussions will include committee updates, TAA workshop, and funding/budget.  

Organizing for Public Power  

7 p.m. 

Temescal Branch  

Oakland Library, Rear Entrance  

5205 Telegraph Ave.  

Dan Berman, co-author of “Who Owns the Sun?” and advisor to Ralph Nader, Robin Davis, PG&E worker, Eugene Coyle, energy policy economist, and Gail Bateson, labor party, will discuss the electricity crisis.  

373-9219  

Fat Tuesday Celebration 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Berkeley Peace & Justice Ministries Center 

2075 Eunice St.  

Tour the new Berkeley Peace & Justice Center after the renovations are complete. Community open house, complete with building blessing, Cajun food and jazz.  

524-1618 

Wednesday, Feb. 28  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Conversations in Commedia 

7:30 p.m. 

La Pena Cultural Center 

3105 Shattuck Ave. (at Prince) 

Mime Troupe founder Ron Davis and icon clown Wavy Gravy give dialogues on satire.  

$6 - $8 Call 849-2568 

— compiled by  

Chason Wainwright 

Women in Interfaith Relationships  

9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Led by Dawn Kepler, this workshop will explore interfaith relationships on many levels, in relation to culture, religion, and gender. People of all backgrounds and orientations are invited to attend.  

$10 

848-0237 x127 

Planning Commission Public Hearing  

7 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave.  

The commission is holding public hearings on the Planning Commission Draft General Plan. The commission requests that all written comments on the plan be submitted by March 1. 

Guide Dogs for the Blind 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave.  

T. Duncan, a low vision speaker, will talk about guide dogs. Free  

Call 644-6107 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Parent Advocacy in the BUSD 

7 - 8:30 p.m. 

Martin Luther King Middle School Library 

1781 Rose St.  

Representative from various parent advocacy groups will discuss organizing strategies. Free 

558-8933 

Disaster Council  

7 p.m. 

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar St.  

Presentation on sheltering issues in Turkey by Doug Sandy, American Red Cross. Also, proposed budget for office for emergency services.  

Thursday, March 1  

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet Eliza Shefler and host Dale Jensen.  

644-0155 

Berkeley Metaphysical Toastmasters Club  

6:15 - 7:30 p.m.  

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysics come together. Ongoing first and third Thursdays each month.  

Call 869-2547 

Cancer Support Group 

Noon - 2 p.m. 

Summit Medical Center 

Markstein Cancer Education & Prevention Center 

450 30th St., Second Floor  

Oakland  

Free support group for families, friends, and patients diagnosed with cancer.  

869-8833 to register  

Cycling Journey  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Leo Tenenblat and Jean Philippe Boubli set off on their mountain bikes from Lhasa, Tibet to Kathmandu, Nepal. They will share slides and stories of their 52-day adventure. Free 

Call 527-4140 

Friday, March 2  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Class Dismissed Poetry Posse 

7:30 p.m. 

Little Theater 

Berkeley High School  

2246 Milvia St.  

Afro-Haitian dancers, Dance Production dancers, the BHS poetry slammers, an opening a capella number and a few surprises. A benefit for a Berkeley High school student trip to Cuba.  

$5 - $10  

Colombia In Context  

9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

Bancroft Hotel  

2680 Bancroft Way  

UC Berkeley  

A conference bringing together leading experts from both Latin America and the U.S. to discuss both the roots of the current Colombian crisis, and the future effects of U.S. strategy on the region. There will be a break between Noon and 2 p.m. 

Visit www.clas.berkeley.edu/clas 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Lockdown America 

7 - 9:30 p.m. 

2040 Valley Life Sciences Bldg.  

UC Berkeley  

Christian Parenti, author of “Lockdown America, on Police and Prisons in the Age of Crisis” will speak. Free 

552-8236 

Saturday, March 3 

Rockridge Writers 

3:30 - 5:30 p.m. 

Spasso Coffeehouse  

6021 College Ave.  

Poets and writers meet to critique each other’s work. “Members’ work tends to be dark, humorous, surreal, or strange.”  

e-mail: berkeleysappho@yahoo.com 

Free Sailboat Rides  

1 - 4 p.m. 

Cal Sailing Club 

Berkeley Marina 

The Cal Sailing Club, a non-profit sailing and windsurfing cooperative, give free rides on a first come, first served bases on the first full weekend of each month. Wear warm clothes and bring a change of clothes in case you get wet. Children must be at least five years old and must be accompanies by an adult.  

Visit www.cal-sailing.org  

Wild About Books? 

10:30 a.m. 

Central Berkeley Library  

2121 Allston Way  

Mary Miche, leader of Song Trek Music, will lead a sing-along that will send everyone home humming.  

Call 649-3913 

Residential Solar Electricity  

1 - 3 p.m. 

Ecology Center  

2530 San Pablo Ave.  

Hal Aronson, director of the Solar Energy Education Program for Berkeley EcoHouse, will cover how solar electric cells work, different types of systems, and costs of a solar system. Participants will also produce electricity using photovoltaic panels and power a range of appliances.  

$10 - $15  

548-2220 x233  

Feathered Dinosaurs  

11 a.m.  

Lawrence Hall of Science 

UC Berkeley’s Dr. Kevin Padian talks about the discovery of feathered dinosaur fossils in northern China. Included with museum admission.  

$3 - $7  

642-5132 

“Socialism & the Struggle for Global Justice”  

10:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

200 Wheeler Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Discussions will include “Why Socialism?”; crisis in Palestine; race, class and the fall out from the 2000 elections; and fighting misogyny and sexism.  

$5 donation  

552-8236  

Emergency!: Personal Preparedness 

9 a.m. - 11 a.m.  

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar St.  

A class sponsored by the Berkeley Fire Dept. and the Office of Emergency Services. Free. 

644-8736 

Sunday, March 4  

Free Sailboat Rides  

1 - 4 p.m. 

Cal Sailing Club 

Berkeley Marina 

The Cal Sailing Club, a non-profit sailing and windsurfing cooperative, give free rides on a first come, first served bases on the first full weekend of each month. Wear warm clothes and bring a change of clothes in case you get wet. Children must be at least five years old and must be accompanies by an adult.  

Visit www.cal-sailing.org  

Salsa Lesson and Dance Party  

6 - 9 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Professional instructors Mati Mizrachi and Ron Louie will lead you through the steps. Irsraeli food will be provided by Holy Land Restaurant.  

$10 

RSVP 237-9874 

Monday, March 5  

Your Legal Rights with HMOs 

6 - 7:30 p.m. 

YWCA Oakland  

1515 Webster St., Second Floor  

Oakland  

Presented by the Women’s Cancer Resource Center, UCSF Cancer Resource Center and the San Francisco Bar Volunteer Legal Services, this free workshop covers what your legal rights are and how to guard them.  

Call 415-885-3693 

Beginning Bicyclist Workshop  

7 - 9 p.m. 

YMCA  

2001 Allston Way  

Community Room 1, Main Floor  

Jason Meggs and Zed Lopez will teach you how to keep yourself and your bike safe and even how to use your bike for shopping. Free  

Call Jason Meggs, 549-RIDE 

“Stop Medical Apartheid” 

Noon  

Parker & Seventh St.  

Local non-violent civil disobedience in reaction to Bayer Corp. involvement in a lawsuit against the government of South Africa. Bayer and 39 other large drug companies are suing the governement to prevent them from producing generic AIDS drugs or importing them at the lowest market price. Speakers or arrestees includes Councilors Maudelle Shirek and Kriss Worthington, Father Bill O’Donnell and Rev. Mark Wilson and South African Bongane Byatai.  

Call 568-1680 

Self-Care and Wellness Health Fair 

Pre-Registration Deadline 

9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center 

Ashby Campus, Auditorium  

2450 Ashby Ave.  

Registration deadline for the March 10 event. A day of workshops offering ways to maintain and improve health of the body, mind and spirit.  

$10 admission, $5 per workshop  

Tuesday, March 6  

“Great Decisions” - U.S. & Iraq 

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy.  

$5 single session 

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Intelligent Conversation  

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

Jewish Community Center  

1414 Walnut Ave. (at Rose)  

With no religious affiliation, this twice-monthly group, led informally by former UC Berkeley extension lecturer Robert Berent, seeks to bring people together to have interesting discussions on contemporary topics. This evenings discussion topic is health, nutrition and science; bioengineering.  

Call 527-5332  

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

International Women’s Day 

11:10 a.m. 

Pacific School of Religion Chapel 

1798 Scenic Ave.  

Join students, staff, and faculty in the celebration of International Women’s Day. The theme is “A Call to Place: Quilting Resistance,” highlighting women’s religious experiences and women of the world.  

649-2490 

Aquinas, Creation and Cosmic Evolution 

7:30 p.m. 

2400 Ridge Road 

Flora Lamson Hewlett Library  

Dinner Board Room  

Benedict Ashley, author, advisor to the Theological Commission of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, and faculty member of the Aquinas Institute, gives the eleventh annual Aquinas lecture. Free 

883-2085 

Wednesday, March 7  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Women in Interfaith Relationships  

9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Led by Dawn Kepler, this workshop will explore interfaith relationships on many levels, in relation to culture, religion, and gender. People of all backgrounds and orientations are invited to attend.  

$10 

848-0237 x127 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Thursday, March 8 

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet Judy Wells and host Dale Jensen.  

644-0155 

Trekking Northern India  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Professional wilderness guide Randy Pomeroy will take you on a journey from Ladakh to Rajasthan. Free 

Call 527-4140 

“Fifty Years in the Making” 

Boalt Hall School of Law  

UC Berkeley 

A gathering of some of the most prominent diplomats, scholars, and legal practitioners in the field of World War II reparation and restitution claims. Free and open to the public.  

Friday, March 9  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Berkeley PC Users Group 

7 p.m. 

Vista College 

2020 Milvia St., Room 303 

E-Mail: meldancing@aol.com 

Europe on a Shoestring  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Scott Mcneely, co-author of the Lonely Planet book will share slides and information on some of his favorite adventures off the beaten path. Come learn about smart budget travel.  

Call 527-4140 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Saturday, March 10  

The Secrets of Sacred Cinema 

10 a.m. - 6 p.m. 

Pacific School of Religion  

1798 Scenic Ave., Mudd 103 

Kevin Peer, a documentary film maker for the past 25 years, gives a two-day intensive for people interested in exploring documentary filmmaking. No equipment or prior experience required.  

$200 per person and registration is required 

Call 486-1480 

Narratives of Public Sector Reform: A Colloquium  

10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

223 Moses Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Mark Bevir of the department of Political Science of UC Berkeley, will present his paper on “Decentered Theory of Governance” and Rod Rhodes of the University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne will present his paper, “Entering British Governance.” There will also be a session to discuss the broader issues their works raise.  

Greece Adventure 

1 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Linda Pearson of REI Adventures will introduce you to Greece in slides and discussion.  

Call 527-4140 

Healing Garden  

10 a.m. - Noon  

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave.  

Kathi Kinney will teach how to integrate medicinal herbs into existing gardens and landscapes and how to design and maintain a practical, aromatic, easy-care herb garden.  

$10 - $15  

548-2220 x233 

West Coast Live  

10 a.m. - Noon  

Freight & Salvage  

1111 Addison St.  

Sedge’s guests this week will be Patrick McCabe, author of The Butcher Boy and Emerald Germs of Ireland, a capella singers M-Pact, Naturalist Claire Peaslee and pianist Mike Greensill.  

664-9500 

Self-Care and Wellness Health Fair 

9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center 

Ashby Campus, Auditorium  

2450 Ashby Ave.  

A day of workshops offering ways to maintain and improve health of the body, mind and spirit. Learn the process one might go through when deciding to stay with self-help, when to seek out assistance, and how to integrate care.  

$10 admission, $5 per workshop  

Sunday, March 11 

Reimagining Pacific Cities  

6 - 8:30 p.m. 

New Pacific Studio  

1523 Hearst Ave.  

“How are Pacific cities reshaping their cultural and environmental institutions to better serve the needs and enhance the present and future quality of life of all segments of their societies?” A series of ten seminars linking the Bay Area, Seattle, Portland, and other pacific cities.  

Call 849-0217 

Myths & Realities of the International House  

3 - 5 p.m. 

Berkeley Historical Society  

1931 Center St.  

Director Joe Lurie will show a video and talk about the history and the struggle to open the International House.  

$10 donation  

Call 848-0181 

Walk on the Moon  

2 & 7 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

A mother and daughter explore their identities as they summer in the Catskills in 1969 amidst the news of Woodstock and the first lunar landing. Peer led discussion to follow film.  

$2 suggested donation  

Energy Attack  

4 - 6 p.m.  

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave.  

PUC Commissioner Carl Wood, labor journalist David Bacon and Environmentalist architect Mark Gorrell will discuss the energy crisis and how to get involved in solutions.  

549-0816 

Community Health & Wellness Fair 

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2345 Channing Way  

Review health from a holistic perspective, personally and communally. Stop by for practical health screenings and explore wellness practices such as Taoist Tai Chi, Hatha Yoga and Rosen Bodywork in introductory workshops.  

649-1383 

Tuesday, March 13  

Berkeley Rep. Proscenium Opening 

8 p.m. 

Berkeley Repertory Theater 

2015 Addison St.  

Featuring the premiere performance of “The Oresteia” by Aeschylus. Opening gala dinner held prior to performance. Performance will be at 8 p.m. 

Call 647-2949 

“Great Decisions” - International Health Crisis 

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy.  

$5 single session 

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

Wednesday, March 14 

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Thursday, March 15  

Simplicity Forum 

7 - 8:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Library 

Claremont Branch  

2940 Benveue Ave.  

Facilitated by Cecile Andrews, author of “Circles of Simplicty,” learn about this movement whose philosophy is “the examined life richly lived.” Work less, consume less, rush less, and build community with friends and family.  

Call 549-3509 or visit www.seedsofsimplicity.org  

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet Elanor Watson-Gove and host Mark States.  

644-0155 

Berkeley Metaphysical Toastmasters Club  

6:15 - 7:30 p.m.  

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysics come together. Ongoing first and third Thursdays each month.  

Call 869-2547 

Cancer Support Group 

Noon - 2 p.m. 

Summit Medical Center 

Markstein Cancer Education & Prevention Center 

450 30th St., Second Floor  

Oakland  

Free support group for families, friends, and patients diagnosed with cancer.  

869-8833 to register  

Myanmar: The Golden Kingdom  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Philip Hassrick of Lost Frontiers will introduce you to Myanmar’s unique history and culture.  

Call 527-4140 

Friday, March 16  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Saturday, March 17  

Rockridge Writers 

3:30 - 5:30 p.m. 

Spasso Coffeehouse  

6021 College Ave.  

Poets and writers meet to critique each other’s work. “Members’ work tends to be dark, humorous, surreal, or strange.”  

e-mail: berkeleysappho@yahoo.com 

Sunday, March 18 

East Bay Men’s Chorus Rehearsal  

6:30 p.m. 

UC Berkeley 

Calling for gay and bisexual men and their allies and friends to join this choral ensemble directed by J.R. Foust. There is no obligation to join the chorus after the first rehearsal.  

Call to RSVP 664-0260 or e-mail eastbaymenschorus@yahoo.com 

“Parenting in the Second Half of Life” 

10:30 a.m.  

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Author Roberta Maisel will discuss ways parents and their grown children can get on a positive and guilt-free path.  

848-0237  

Tuesday, March 20 

“Great Decisions” - Mexico Reexamined  

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy.  

$5 single session 

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Intelligent Conversation  

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

Jewish Community Center  

1414 Walnut Ave. (at Rose)  

With no religious affiliation, this twice-monthly group, led informally by former UC Berkeley extension lecturer Robert Berent, seeks to bring people together to have interesting discussions on contemporary topics. This evenings discussion topic is death and dying in celebration of the Ides of March.  

Call 527-9772  

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

Lavendar Lunch 

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. 

Pacific School of Religion 

1798 Scenic Ave.  

Mudd Bldg., Room 103  

Unitarian-Universalist minister Sean Parker Dennison discusses his experiences as a transgender minister working in parish ministry.  

849-8206 

Wednesday, March 21  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Computer Literacy Class 

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

MLK Youth Services Center  

1730 Oregon St.  

A free class sponsored by the City of Berkeley’s Young Adult Project. The class will cover basic hardware identification and specification, basic understanding of software, basic word-processing and basic spreadsheets.  

Call 644-6226 

Thursday, March 22  

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet Anna Mae Stanley and host Louis Cuneo.  

644-0155 

Trekking in Bhutan  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Ruth Ann Kocour and Elizabeth Rassiga will share slides of their 25-day journey along the Snow Leopard Trek to the sacred mountain Chomolhari and beyond. Free 

Call 527-4140 

Friday, March 23 

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland