Claiming the University of California has not fairly negotiated a new labor contract, laboratory technicians and firefighters staged a one-day strike at the entrance to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory on Wednesday. 

About 60 LBNL union employees participated in a strike action along Cyclotron Road, near the entrance to the laboratory early Wednesday morning, greeting fellow workers with strike signs and shouts of “take the day off,” and “support workers, honk your horn.”  

The University Professional and Technical Employees contract expired in September and for nine months the union and the university have been negotiating for a new statewide contract that will cover technical workers throughout the nine-campus UC system – LBNL comes under the purview of the UC Regents. On Monday workers staged a one-day strike at the UC San Francisco campus. Union representatives said more strikes will be scheduled at other campuses. 

UPTE represents various types of workers including fire department employees and radiation and laboratory technicians. There are 300 UPTE employees at LBNL and 10,000 system wide. 

Union representatives claim that in addition to a general pattern of bad faith bargaining practices, the University of California negotiators have violated the state’s Unfair Practice Law by not providing data necessary for negotiations. The union’s attorney, Oakland-based lawyer James Eggleston, filed a claim of unfair practices against the university with the state Public Employment Board on Jan. 25. 

UC spokespeople and negotiating staff deny the union’s charges saying they have offered fair salary increases. UC’s Chief Negotiator Peter Chester said the university has tried its best to work with the unions.  

He said the unions know negotiations are ongoing and they are simply trying to put pressure on the university to get larger raises. 

UPTE systemwide coordinator Daniel Martin said the union requested individual employee data from the university to determine if a merit-based salary system negotiated 15 years ago has been abused to favor  

some employees. The merit-based system increases salaries based on performance rather than a mandatory-raise system. 

“There’s no accountability for the merit-based system,” Martin said. “An outstanding employee in one department might get a 4 percent raise and someone else in another department will get a 6 percent raise and there’s no record of who’s getting what.” 

Martin said they requested individual race, ethnicity and gender salary data to determine if the university was favoring white workers. 

Chester said the university has cooperated with the majority of the union’s requests for information.  

“The underpinning of the unfair practice charge is that we did not provide the union with the information they requested,” Chester said. “In fact, they are up to date with all the information they’ve requested except the individual salary data which we can’t provide because it would violate the individual employee’s right to privacy.” 

Martin said the university’s reasons for not supplying the individual data was a smoke screen. “All they have to do is ink out the employee’s name,” he said. “They gave us the same information last year for non-unionized employees.” 

LBNL Fire Captain Wayne Nordby said the 15 firefighters employed by the laboratory are paid 20 percent less than firefighters in Berkeley or the at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. 

“The last three guys we’ve hired are commuting three hours each way because they can’t afford to live in the Bay Area on what LBNL is paying,” he said. 

Mayor Shirley Dean, who participated in the strike action to show support for the firefighters, said it’s important that LBNL have experienced firefighters because of fire danger posed by nearby wildlands. 

“If another fire were to come up from the wildlands, like it has twice before in 1929 and 1991, these guys are the first responders,” she said. “It’s so important that there are qualified and experienced firefighters here.” 

LBNL spokesperson Ron Kolb said it’s true the laboratory’s firefighters are paid less than those for the City of Berkeley and Lawrence Livermore Laboratory but there are also different circumstances. “There is a larger radius of responsibility for both those fire departments,” he said. “Berkeley has a variety of fire dangers it has to worry about and the firefighters at LBNL are required to have ‘acute clearance’ because its a nuclear facility.” 

Assemblyman Tony Cardenas, D-Sylmar, who is the Assembly Budget Committee chair, is watching the system-wide union negotiations carefully. His Chief of Staff Jose Cornejo said the university has a history of not being forthright with union employees. “The assemblyman wants to make sure the workers are treated fairly and will do what he can to ensure that they are,” he said.  

Cornejo said they will pay close attention to how the University responds to the workers during the 2002 budget discussions which have begun and will continue through May. 

The nine campuses in the UC system received $15 billion in funding last year compared to $5.1 billion for the 20-campus California State University system. 

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 Simplicity,” 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  

LGBT Catholics Group  

7:30 p.m. 

Newman Hall  

2700 Dwight Way (at College)  

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender Catholics group are “a spiritual community committed to creating justice.” This meetings discussions will center on Lenten Service.  

654-5486 

Harriet Tubman Re-created 

3:30 p.m. 

South Branch Library  

1901 Russell St.  

Storyteller and musician Jamie Myrick will present an interactive musical performance which introduces a heroine and her deeds. Information about the secret codes and maps used as part of the Underground Railroad will be shared. Free 

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  

Fair Campaign Practices  

Commission  

7:30 p.m.  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. Discussion and action regarding possible violations of the Berkeley Election Reform Act with respect to the first and second pre-election statements filed Oct. 5 and Oct. 26, 2000, late contribution reports and semi-annual statements filed Jan. 31, 2001.  

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. 

Dam Them Rivers  

7 - 9 p.m. 

Wheeler Hall, Room 30  

UC Berkeley  

Steve Rothert of American Rivers and Steve Linaweaver of International Rivers Network will discuss the damming of the Nile and the Bujagoli Dam. Free  

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.  

Time Windows  

4 p.m. 

North Branch Library  

1170 The Alameda  

Kathryn Reiss, Oakland author of nine suspense novels for middle school and young adult readers will speak. Free 649-3943  

Scholastic Book Fair  

8 - 9 a.m. & 1:45 - 3:45 p.m. 

Jefferson School Cafetorium  

Acton & Rose  

Reasonably-priced Scholastic books will be sold to promote books and reading and to raise money for the school 525-7567  

Evaluate to Motivate  

12:10 - 1:10 p.m.  

California Department of Health Services  

2151 Berkeley Way, Room 804 

The State Health Toastmasters present “Take the Terror Out of Talking!” Session five of six. Free  

649-7750 

Berkeley Path Wanderers  

7 - 9 p.m.  

Live Oak Park Recreation Center 

1200 Shattuck Ave.  

Richard Schwartz, author of “Berkeley 1900: Daily Life at the Turn of the Century,” will speak on Berkeley’s early biways. Free  

527-2693 

“Hear. Youth. Speak.” 

6 - 8:30 p.m.  

La Pena Cultural Center 

3105 Shattuck Ave.  

Speaker panel and community meeting. Speakers will include students from BHS who are part of the Activist Youth Coalition and members of Asian Pacific Environmental Network, a youth-driven environmental activist group. Free and open to the public.  

642-4475 

University Ave. Transportation Improvements  

Project Community Workshop 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Berkeley Adult School Cafeteria  

1222 University Ave. 

The project is intended to make the segment of University Ave. between San Pablo Ave. and Sacramento St. more pedestrian and bicycle-friendly, improve the appearance of public areas, link residential and business districts on either side of University, and create easier access to the North Berkeley BART Station. Comments anyone?  

Friday, March 16

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 

Living Philosophers  

10 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. Hear and entertain the ideas of some modern day philosophers: Jacob Needleman, J. Revel, Hilary Putnam, John Searle, Saul Kripke, Richard Rorty and others. Every Friday, except holidays. Facilitated by H.D. Moe.  

Free Writing, Cashiering  

& Computer Literacy Class 

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.  

AJOB Adult School  

1911 Addison St.  

Free classes offered Monday through Friday. Stop by and  

register or call 548-6700. 

www.ajob.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. 644-6226 

—Compiled by 

Chason Wainwright 

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 

Scholastic Book Fair  

8 - 9 a.m. & 1:45 - 3:45 p.m. & 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. 

Jefferson School Cafetorium  

Acton & Rose  

Reasonably-priced Scholastic books will be sold to promote books and reading and to raise money for the school. Children and adults are invited to wear pajamas for Pamjama-Rama reading night from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.  

525-7567  

Perspectives on Work 

9:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. 

Room 370  

Dwinelle Hall  

UC Berkeley  

A day-long conference featuring prominent sociologists and graduate students from UC Berkeley, Harvard and other universities. The conference will bring together research from around the country on work, the lure of work and consequences of overwork.  

643-7944 

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  

Berkeley Folk Dancers Fun Night 

7:45 - 10:45 p.m. 

Live Oak Park Hall  

Shattuck at Berryman  

“The Green Party” Dance  

$5 - $7  

655-3074 

Feminist Politics of Family  

9 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.  

Maude Fife Room (315) 

Wheeler Hall  

UC Berkeley  

A yearly symposium highlighting graduate student work. The focus of the conference this year is re-envisioning feminist conceptions of the 21st century family. Keynote speakers include Evelyn Nakato Glenn on “Caring” and Carol Queen on “Erotic Families in Choice.” Free and open to the public.  

643-3040 

Free Puppet Shows 

1:30 & 2:30 p.m. 

Hall of Health  

2230 Shattuck Ave.  

The Kids on the Block, the award-winning educational puppet troupe, which includes puppets with cerebral palsy, blindness and Down syndrome, promotes acceptance and understanding of physical and mental differences.  

549-1564 

Greenbelt Outing: Clean Up Cerrito Creek 

9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Meet at El Cerrito BART 

Join Greenbelt Alliance and Friends of Five Creeks for a work party to clear invasive plants and restore native habitat to Cerrito Creek. Afterwards, take a moderate loop hike up to Albany Hill and down to the Bay Trail. Bring work gloves, weeding tools, rain gear if necessary, and a lunch. Snacks will be provided.  

415-255-3233 

Sunday, March 18

East Bay Men’s Chorus Rehearsal  

6:30 p.m. 

University Lutheran Chapel  

College & Haste  

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. Rehearsal season runs March through July.  

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 

Awareness In Action  

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute  

1815 Highland Place  

Barr Rosenberg will speak on the Skillful Means teachings and practices toward a joyous, energetic, and relaxed approach to work.  

843-6812 

T. Rex: Mover & Shaker  

2 p.m.  

Lawrence Hall of Science 

UC Berkeley  

John Hutchinson of the Department of Integrative Biology at UCB, using video and hands-on activities, will demonstrate how some of the largest creatures roamed the earth. Free with museum admission.  

Comments taken out of context 

Editor: 

Zoning Board Commissioner David Blake defamed me personally at a public meeting by taking my comments out of context and by misinterpreting my remarks.  

I want to set the record straight.  

Mr. Blake recalled my noting at the Zoning Board meeting on November 9 that that day was the anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Night of the Broken Glass. On that night in 1938 Jewish homes and institutions in Germany and Austria were desecrated and destroyed. The “Berkeley Daily Planet” article of Weekend March 10-11, 2001, referred to Mr. Blake’s remark that my comment was a gentle way of reminding the board that its members could be considered anti-Semitic if a permit to develop the site at 1301 Oxford St. wasn’t approved. 

The truth is that, for me, it was very gratifying that the November 9 hearing was held on that day, because, as a refugee who saw the destruction of synagogues in my native Hungary, I was thrilled to be able to be part of a building project to construct a new synagogue in free America. That’s what I said, on more than one occasion. In fact, in the Nov. 10, 2000 “Express” I was quoted as follows: “You can imagine how happy I am to be building a synagogue when I saw in my lifetime the desecration and destruction of so many synagogues.” 

That’s what I said, and that’s what I meant.  

I strongly object to Mr. Blake’s interpreting my remarks in a way calculated to harm me and my congregation.  

Rabbi Ferenc Raj 

Congregation Beth El,  

Berkeley 

Sell KPFA; doesn’t reflect diverse territory covered 

Editor: 

I agree with the letter by Mel Baker advocating the selling of Pacifica in your March 7 edition. 

Since I‘ve been an occasional listener to KPFA I‘ve noticed that they put out one-sided propaganda of the crudest and most amateurish sort. Everyone interviewed seems to be of people within a narrow spectrum of political views. Not just interviews but chats, livingrooms and call ins seem to be of people who fall within this narrow band. I will admit that there is some good music and interesting narratives that I catch late at night while driving home. 

But regardless of my opinion it seems that the station should serve its listeners throughout its broadcast area. I am able to hear KPFA down to Monterey, up to Clearlake and almost to Tahoe. Shouldn’t the station be responsive to all its (potential) listeners which runs into the millions rather than some 10,000 who demonstrate on University Avenue? I realize that there are local listeners who contribute to Pacifica ( along with the Federal Government) but I feel the entire listening audience should vote with their dial on Pacifica. 

Wayne Huber 

Berkeley 

Fight against chemophobia; be scientific 

Editor: 

The Bauce letter (”Science not always the answer,” March 10) carries a critique (for environmental and health) as “science based” with a terminal comment that today’s (science) becomes tomorrow’s science fiction. He obviously knows neither science fiction nor science, as yesterday’s science fiction is today’s science fact.  

However, we scientists have been dealing with such ignorance for centuries. We tend to dismiss such, probably to our own detriment, instead of dealing with the debate. I have published (in print and on my web page) a discussion of the alternative objectives ecohysterics and chemophobics have in the critiques of our advancing society. See “Combatting Chemophobia and Ecohysteria” at “www.atheytechnologies.com”.  

Fortunately, there are medical/scientific communities that deal with environment and health issues in a rational manner. Those communities have protocols for what is acceptable evidence for a problem, and may recommend a solution of known, or do the research necessary to solve the problem if it is not known.  

I am reminded of the Shakespearean quote on “tale told by an idiot signifying nothing” by those who would downplay our scientific advances in health, medicine and life in general.  

Robert D. Athey Jr. 

El Cerrito 

Davis should back up claims with some facts 

Dear Editor, 

In response to Frank Davis, Jr.’s opinion of 13 March, 2001: 

At the bottom of Mr. Davis’ argument I hear the bitter whine of a greedy landowner who has been prevented from gouging absurdly high prices for modest accommodations.  

We’ve heard the same arguments from Peggy Schioler and Robert Cabrera; why, why, why can’t we just kick those low-paying tenants out and get us some new ones that bring in twice as much dough? After all, there was so much money to be had during the dot-com boom (R.I.P.)--what a shame that it was over so quickly! 

The people of Berkeley have made it clear, through their elections to the Rent Stabilization Board and the passage of Measure Y, that they support rent control for Berkeley; this despite heavy lobbying, generous monetary subsidies from out of town, and misleading campaign flyers from Mr. Cabrera and company. No amount of arm-flapping, hand-wringing and finger-pointing will change this fact. 

Mr. Davis claims, somewhat disingenuously, that rent control has somehow caused Berkeley’s population of black tenants and landlords to decrease. I‘m unclear as to how this has come about. To me, the opposite effect is implied: as long-term tenants leave their residences, landlords are free to charge whatever prices the market will bear for their properties. It would seem self-evident that this situation would not favor low-income tenants, black or otherwise, and that low-income blacks are leaving Berkeley because it’s too expensive to live here – but then perhaps Mr. Davis is privy to information I don’t have.  

Certainly he wouldn’t be referencing black issues in order to provide moral gravitas for his venality. Perhaps he’d be willing to share with us some of his “compelling evidence.” It might be very interesting to compare the rates of black flight from Berkeley pre-and post-Costa-Hawkins. 

Matthew Weber 

Curatorial Assistant 

Music Library, UC Berkeley 

Tool-lending library staff deserves support 

Editor:  

As relatively new home owners in Berkeley, we would just like to say thank you, thank you, thank you to Mike, Adam and Candida, who patiently instruct all of us lucky enough to have access to the tool library at the Martin Luther King (South Berkeley) branch of the Berkeley Public Library system.  

These guys (and woman) are always gracious and so helpful while schlepping those tools in and out for us come rain, shine or locusts. We sure hope the powers that be give these employees the hours and benefits they so richly deserve.  

Nestor Padron and 

Elizabeth Padron Vos 

Berkeley

924 Gilman St. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted $5; $2 for a year membership March 16: The P.A.W.N.S., Kill the Messenger, Phoenix Thunderstone, Lesser of Two, Dory Tourette & The Skirtheads; March 17: The Hoods, Benumb, Above The World, Chrome Disorder, Eulogy; March 23: 18 Visions, Walls of Jericho, Time In Malta, Undying, Betray the Species; March 24: Workin’ Stiffs, The Bodies, Strychnine, East Bay Chasers, For the Alliance; March 30: Deathreat, Ahimsa, F*** God In the Face, The Black, Creation Is Crucifixion 525-9926  

Albatross Pub All music at 9 p.m. unless noted March 15: Keni “El Lebrijano”; March 17: Maureen Brennan Group 1822 San Pablo 843-2473 

Ashkenaz March 15, 9 p.m.: Babatunde Olatunji; March 16, 9:30 p.m.: Samba Ngo; March 18, 5 - 10 p.m.: Aid for Ahmedabad Earthquake Relief Concert featuring Vinyl, New Monsoon, Raja & Srini, plus Henry Kaiser, $20; March 22, 9:30: Groundation; 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 or www.ashkenaz.com  

Eli’s Mile High Club Doors open at 8 p.m. March 16: Little Jonny & the Giants; March 17: Sugar G; March 23: Carlos Zialcita; March 24: Daniel Castro; March 30: Craig Horton Blues Band 3629 MLK Jr. Way Oakland  

Jazzschool/La Note All music at 4:30 p.m. March 18: Wayne Wallace Septet $6 - $12 2377 Shattuck Ave.  

Live Oak Concert Series All music at 7:30 p.m. March 18: Mark Sanders, flute, David Cheng, violin, Darcy Rindt, viola, Paul Rhodes, cello. Flute quartets of Haydn and Mozart; March 25: Horizon Wind Quartet play music of Mendelssohn, Rossini, Ravel, Ligetti and others All concerts $8 - $10 Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St.  

Cal Performances March 23, 7 p.m. & March 24, 1 & 8 p.m.: “The King Stag: A Tragicomic Tale for the Theatre” by Carlo Gozzi $24 - $46; Zellerbach Hall UC Berkeley. 642-9988 or www.calperfs.berkeley.edu March 25, 3 p.m.: Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio perform music of Beethoven, Ravel and Tchaikovsky $32; 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  

“Treacherous Crossings” 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 

Za’atar Performance/Community Jam March 15, 7:30 p.m. $14 - $16 Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237 

Berkeley High School Concert Orchestra March 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 

BHS Jazz Ensemble March 23, 7:30 p.m. The spring concert performance from the award-winning jazz ensemble. Proceeds benefit the students who will travel to Europe this summer to perform in Italy and Switzerland. $5 - $8 Florence Schwimley Little Theatre 1920 Allston Way  

Hillbillies From Mars April 8, 2 p.m. Rocking the Bay for twenty years, the Hillbillies fuse rock n’ roll, swing, Latin and African beats. $5 - $10 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. 925-798-1300 

“Bravo! Opera!” April 8, 7:30 p.m. A veritable Opera chorus smorgasbord with Bizet’s “Carmen,” Verdi’s “IL trovatore,” and Copland’s “The Tenderland.” $8 - $12 Hertz Hall UC Berkeley 643-9645 

Young Emerging Artists Concert April 10, 7 - 8 p.m. The Young Musicians Program Jazz Combo will perform jazz standards and original compositions. $5 - $10 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. 925-798-1300 

“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  

“Little Shop of Horrors” 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 Through 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 Through 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 

“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  

The Bullfighter & the Lady and Seven Men From Now March 17, 6:30 p.m. Join Budd Boetticher, director of Westerns, who will discuss his career and screen two of his favorites. $7 Pacific Film Archive 2575 Bancroft Way (at Bowditch St.) 642-1412 

“Dreamers” March 17 - 24 The American feature film debut of Chinese-born writer/director Ann Lu. The executive producer of the film is UC Berkeley alumnus Peiti Feng Fine Arts Cinema 2451 Shattuck Ave. 848-1143 

Boadecia’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted March 16: Rik Isensee will read from his novel “The God Squad: A Spoof on the Ex-Gay Movement”; March 21, 7 p.m.: Gay/Bi Men’s Book Group will discuss “Lost Language of Cranes” by David Leavitt; 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 15: Randy Shaw talks about “The Activist’s Handbook: A Primer”; March 18: Poetry of Yvonne Cannon, Lara Gularte, Richard Rocco; March 19: Jean Rouverol talks about “Refugees From Hollywood: A Journal of the Blacklist”; March 21: Poetry of James Schevill; March 25: Poetry of Beverly Matherne & A.J. Rathbun; March 28: Poetry of Craig Van Riper & Jaime Robles; 2454 Telegraph Ave.  

845-7852  

Easy Going Travel Shop & Bookstore All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted March 15: Lecture and demonstration by Philip Smith, editor of the “Gerardus Mercator’s 1595 Historic Atlas” of cartography, “Octavo” Editor Philip Smith will discuss the history of the Mercator Atlas; March 27: Travel writer Edward Hasbrouck, author of “The Practical Nomad” will provide essential tips, advice, and consumer skills for the independent traveler; March 29: Katherine Widing, author of “Cycling France” will give a slide presentation/talk on just that 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 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 

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 

“Slam the Prisons” April 6, 6 p.m. - 1 a.m. A benefit for prison activism featuring Tang, Company of Prophets, Sheryl D. Mebane and many others. Proceeds benefit the defense of New Afrikan political prisoner Khalfani X. Khaldun and the Prison Activist Resource Center. $10 La Pena Cultural Center 3205 Shattuck Ave. 898-0431  

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 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 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 

City Commons Club Lecture Series Fridays, 12:30 p.m. $1 general Students Free March 16: Paul H. Young, Jr. retired foreign service officer, will present “A Pilgrim’s Visit to Athos”; March 23: Guy Colwell, master painter of Nasters, will speak on “Using Painting to Teach Art History”; March 30: Jana Grittersova, professor of International Relations, UC Berkeley will speak on “The European Union - Integration and Expansion” Berkeley City Club 2315 Durant Ave. 848-3533 

The St. Mary’s baseball team finally got on track Wednesday, beating Redwood Christian 11-0 in just five innings. The Panthers (2-5) open league play Friday, visting St. Joseph’s to kick off BSAL play. 

Starting pitcher Tom Carman threw four shutout innings, giving up just two hits and two walks to get the win. Second baseman Chris Alfert supplied much of the offense for St. Mary’s, hitting a long three-run home run in the first inning and driving in two more runs with a triple in the second. 

“He’s been swinging the bat really well, and we’re hoping it’ll continue,” St. Mary’s head coach Andy Shimabukuro said. 

Alfert’s homer was hit to straightaway centerfield, the longest part of the ballpark, giving his team the early 3-0 lead. The Panthers tacked on two more runs in the first, three in the second, one in the third and two more in the fourth. Since they were winning by more than 10 runs after retiring Redwood Christian in the fifth, the game was called after four and a half innings. 

“We needed a win badly,” Shimabukuro said. “Our pitching has been the one good thing so far this year. Our defense has let us down and we haven’t started to hit the ball yet. Hopefully come Friday when league starts, we’ll be ready to go.” 

Right fielder Jeff Marshall came in to pitch the final inning for the Panthers, giving up one hit before retiring the side. 

The Panthers have struggled a bit so far this season, which is understandable considering they’ve played without two key starters. Shortstop Jeremiah Fielder and outfielder Chase Moore are members of the school’s basketball team, which will play for the Division IV state championship this Saturday, after which they will return to the diamond. Shimabukuro said the two will bring a new attitude with them. 

“The most important thing is their leadership, the energy they bring,” he said. “They’re good ballplayers, but the energy they bring can’t be measured.”

Malcolm X arts magnet school teachers Marilyn Hiratzka and Jennifer Adcock have directed enough student theatrical productions to know what’s doable and what’s dream. 

That’s why the fourth- and fifth-grade teachers turned to each other a few hours into a week-long New York Metropolitan Opera Guild teacher-training program last summer with knowing looks. 

“It can’t be done. What are they talking about?” Adcock said, remembering what she was thinking to herself. 

The Opera Guild experts had dreamed up the theatrical equivalent of JFK’s 1961 promise to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. Give a group of fourth- and fifth-graders six months, they said, and they cannot only create a musical from scratch – write and perform the script, design and build the set, compose and play the music – but put on a performance they and their teachers would never forget. 

Adcock and Hiratzka were skeptical, but curious. Two theater veterans themselves, they understood the rewards of seeing a dramatic production through from start to finish. But could the kids stay focused on so many details? Could they make the tough decisions needed to move the production forward with limited teacher intervention? 

After six long months of labor, the answers to these questions are now on display for all to see. Forty Malcolm X fourth- and fifth-graders launched the world premier of their musical, “Treacherous Crossings,” Wednesday morning at the Malcolm X auditorium, to the roaring acclaim of a kindergarten and first grade audience. 

Through a democratic process, the students had decided to create a musical that would portray four Mexican youth attempting the hazardous crossing into California in search of work, education and “a better life.”  

There are few Latinos in the group, Adcock said, but fifth-grader Dylan Moniz persuaded his classmates to tackle the issue after he learned that hundreds of Mexicans die of thirst and exposure to the elements each year, attempting to cross into California over mountains or through the desert. 

“Mexicans don’t really have a chance to have a better life,” said Moniz, the musical’s production manager. “They have to work in the fields - and kids like my age have to do it too. I’m lazy and I couldn’t imagine working like that all day long.” 

Adcock and Hiratzka were at first a little mystified that Northern California students would choose this topic. But as they watched the musical develop the choice began to make sense, they said. 

“They feel injustice very strongly at their age,” Hiratzka said. 

Back in September it took a while for the musical to catch on with some students, but Adcock and Hiratzka demanded absolute dedication, telling the students to treat their roles in the production as a job that could be lost if they failed to live up to certain expectations. 

“People actually got fired,”said Erin McLaughlin, who portrayed one of the Mexican migrants Thursday. “We learned what it’s like to work with others, and what it is to keep a job.” 

In recent weeks the students’ enthusiasm for the project has gone beyond anything Adcock and Hiratzka have experienced before. 

“When they finally saw what it was they had done they went, ‘Ooo, this is good,’” Hiratzka said. 

“In all the productions I’ve done with kids this is the first time they’ve had a hand in everything,” Adcock said. “Boy howdy, did we get a totally different kind of focus and intensity.” 

“I’ll never go back to using a script that the students didn’t create because it makes all the difference in how committed they are (to the production),” Adcock said. 

In addition to the one period a day devoted to working on the musical, Adcock adjusted her fifth-grade curriculum to teach students more about the Mexican-American experience. In essence, she let the students dictate the focus in their instruction around issues such as civil rights and labor history, so students’ enthusiasm for the musical could carry over into the classroom. 

It’s students who typically are not engaged by classwork and homework who have benefited most by their involvement in the musical, Adcock said. 

“You put them in this context and they shine, and that’s reason enough to do it.” 

Treacherous Crossing shows at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday in the Malcolm X Arts & Academic Magnet School auditorium, 1731 Prince St. Those interested in seeing the show are advised to call ahead to reserve seats: 644-6313. 

In a game that took only two hours to complete, Andrew Sproul pitched five solid innings and Brian Horwitz had three hits and drove in a run to lead California past Columbia, 5-2, this afternoon at Evans Diamond. The win was the third in a row for the Bears, and improves their record to 13-9 on the season. 

Sproul (2-0) was solid in his five innings of work, striking out four and walking only one batter. The Cal right-hander gave up an RBI double to Columbia catcher Joe Catsom in the second inning, then settled in to shut down the Lion offense.  

“I thought our pitchers did well today, and we took advantage of opportunities to score,” said Cal head coach David Esquer. “We don’t always take advantage; we’re a young team, and we show that sometimes.” 

The Bears, meanwhile, were hitless going into the fourth inning. With two outs, Horwitz sent a Brian McKitish (0-2) fastball over the left field fence to tie the score. Horwitz’s first home run as a Golden Bear was followed by a walk to first baseman Clint Hoover and consecutive doubles into the left-centerfield gap by Conor Jackson and John Baker, giving the Bears a 3-1 lead. Horwitz was 3-for-4 on the afternoon, extending his hitting streak to 17 games.  

“(Horwitz) is hitting the ball very well for us,” said Esquer. “We need to get other guys to hit at his level.” 

The Bears tacked on insurance runs in the later innings. In the 6th, rightfielder Rob Meyer reached on a throwing error by shortstop Billy Hess, and advanced to third on Horwitz’ single to right. He scored on a groundout to second by Jackson. In the 7th, Carson White hit a leadoff double off of reliever Adam Schwartz and advanced to third on leftfielder PJ Monyihan’s fielding error, then scored on a sacrifice fly by catcher Spencer Wyman. 

The Lions’ final rally came in the top of the 8th inning. With one out, Keith Palmieri and Monyihan hit back-to-back singles off of reliever Ryan Lubner to put runners on first and third with one away. Matt Buckmiller popped up to short, but senior rightfielder Justin Berti came through with a two-out single to drive in Palmieri and push the score to 5-2. Hess, representing the tying run, hit a hard line drive to rightfield that ended up in Meyer’s glove, ending the inning and the threat. Matt Brown struck out two batters in the 9th to record his fourth save. 

The Bears will open their Pac-10 conference schedule this weekend as 4th-ranked Arizona State comes to Evans Diamond.  

“We have to pay attention to detail even more against a team like Arizona State,” commented Esquer. “Against teams like (ASU) and Stanford, the game is often decided by a small details.”  

Friday’s game begins at 2 p.m.; both weekend contests will start at 1 p.m.

The California Highway Patrol’s high-speed pursuit of a suspect alleged to be driving erratically ended at San Pablo and Ashby avenues in the death of a 33-year-old man from San Francisco, police said. 

The victim was not involved in the chase. 

The incident began in Richmond a little before 1 a.m. when CHP officers spotted a car driven by a man whom they allege appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.  

The officers chased the suspect, Lyle Eric Norbert, 41, down San Pablo Avenue through the cities of Richmond, San Pablo, El Cerrito, Albany and Berkeley, said Lt. Russell Lopes, spokesperson for the Berkeley Police Department. The speed was clocked at 85 mph, Lopes said. 

The Highway Patrol has the primary responsibility for patrolling the freeways, “but they can go anywhere they want,” Lopes said. HE said San Pablo and Ashby avenues are state highways. 

The victim, Theodore Resnick of San Francisco, was making a left turn from San Pablo onto Ashby when the car he was driving was hit by the car driven by the suspect, Lopes said. 

When asked about the Berkeley Police Department’s rules about high-speed pursuit, Lopes characterized it as “a very strict pursuit policy.” He declined to go into the policy in more detail. “I do not want to get into a question and answer about the pursuit,” he said, explaining that “the media” was trying to compare the BPD and CHP’s regulations and he did not want to do that until after the investigation into the incident was compete. 

Norbert, who lives in San Francisco, is in police custody, charged with felony hit and run, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and fleeing police officers. Lopes said. Berkeley police are likely to push for vehicular manslaughter charges against him for Resnick’s death, Lopes said.  

Cal senior Sean Lampley continued to add to his pile of awards on Wednesday, picking up an Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention. The award comes on the heels of Lampley being named the Pac-10 Player of the Year on Monday. 

Lampley, who leads the Pac-10 in scoring with 19.7 ppg, was the fourth Golden Bear to receive the Pac-10 honor, joining Jason Kidd (1994), Shareef Abdur-Rahim (1996) and Ed Gray (1997).  

Also an All-Pac-10 selection in 2000, Lampley was a member of the Pac-10 All-Freshman team in 1998. In addition to his scoring average, he ranks seventh in the conference in rebounding (7.2 rpg) and 10th in field goal shooting (51.0%).  

Earlier this season, Lampley passed Lamond Murray to become the school’s all-time leading scorer, and he heads into the NCAA Tournament with 1,763 points. The Bears take on Fresno State on Friday. 

Other awards for Lampley include The Sporting News Pac-10 Player of the Year, NABC first team All-District and collegeinsider.com All-American.

SAN FRANCISCO – At 9 p.m. on a quiet night 20 to 30 people moved trance-like around the stage of a small park in the Potrero Hill neighborhood, waving their arms in large circles while weaving amongst each other. In each of their hands they carried a flaming torch.  

“When you’re working with fire you need to be completely in the moment,” said Jehanne Rogowski-Hale, who led the group. “You can’t be thinking about anything except the fire in your hands and the people around you.” 

Tuesday was the final night of a series of fire handling classes Rogowski-Hale teaches twice a month in her artist studio near the Ashby BART station. These classes are attracting crowds of students, drawn by the mystique of the art of handling fire. 

Thus far, Rogowski-Hale has taught 20 classes with between eight and 10 people per group. She teaches students to make their own long-lasting torches (with a 10 to 15 year life span), what lighter fluids to use and how to move safely while holding fire. Her protégés can be found lighting torches on Tuesday nights in the park or demonstrating their art at parties.  

“I saw fire-dancing at Burning Man” was a common refrain amongst the new devotees of the dance, who referred to the week-long art festival held in the Nevada desert, where art isn’t subject to the stricter rules of polite society. Most of them do not intend to perform publicly with fire; they took the class for the experience of working with fire – safely.  

Towards the end of this final lesson in the series, Rogowski-Hale passes out a box of matches to each of the graduates saying, “May you always have fire.”  

The concept is a first for many of the newly-trained fire handlers.  

Christina Garden of Berkeley wasn’t allowed to touch matches until she was 13; for her, dancing with lighted torches means delving into the forbidden. “It challenges me in what I’m most afraid of,” she said. “It’s just really exciting because of that.”  

Rogowski-Hale first worked with fire for the first time during a stage performance in 1992, and she fell in love with it. “The thing that surprised me and that I think is part of the allure is the sound,” she said.  

Berkeley resident Anca Mosiu agreed, describing what she hears when she grips the ends of two flaming torches. “It’s a big roar like a waterfall, only it’s fire,” she said. “It’s something that’s only slightly out of control but not really because it’s at the end of your hand.” 

As far as Rogowski-Hale can tell, she is the only one giving fire-handling lessons in the Bay Area. Some of the same skills are passed along through informal teaching, but in Rogowski-Hale’s experience many people tend to guard their knowledge. 

“That seems to be the way with circus skills, some people are protective,” she said. But Rogowski-Hale is not concerned about the growing number of fire-handlers coming out of her studio. “I don’t feel any worry about competition. You don’t not teach people about playing the piano.” 

At the end of the final choreographed dance, the handlers all brought their fire together to make a huge flaming torch that lit up the concrete stage they were dancing on. Afterwards, a few continued slowly moving the fire, twisting it around their bodies and through their legs in careful, precise motions. 

Fire dancing requires practice, said Jacob Corbin adding, “In that sense it’s very “martial arty.”  

“You need to practice a lot in order to be good,” he said. 

Corbin compared fire-handling to another art form with resurgent popularity, partner dancing. “You have to feel another person when you’re partner dancing,” he said, “and you have to feel the torch’s momentum in order to work with it.” 

While students began to pack up, an advanced student did a fire-eating demonstration. A cloud of smoke swirled out of the woman’s open mouth and Rogowski-Hale applauded.  

Kids, don’t try this trick at home.  

Fire-handling, said Rogowski-Hale, requires careful attention to safety issues. Although fabrics won’t catch on fire if they get bumped by a flaming torch, polyester may melt against the skin causing burns. The biggest danger for fire-handlers is their very flammable hair, which is why all of Rogowski-Hale’s students wear hats. She also keeps a thick blanket near by to smother any accidental flames.  

Rogowski-Hale considers herself liable for any accident that does occur. Although she does have her students sign disclaimers, she doesn’t have a permit to practice fire-handling in public. After nine years of working with fire, however, she’s developed a strict policy for dealing with the fire department or police. Do what they say.  

In Vancouver, Rogowski-Hale’s past residence, she developed a relationship with the fire department after they came out on a fire call and found her group dancing with lit torches. She said she’s had no complaints so far in the Bay Area.  

At the end of the evening students put out their torches – homemade under Rogowski-Hale’s tutelage and then many of them headed out together for a beer.  

Garden says that part of what attracts her to fire-handling is the community of “dare devil free thinkers” who are drawn to the same dangerous, exciting, element – fire. Rogowski-Hale agrees that fire-handling as an important source of community; she teaches, in part, to create that special community of similar minded artists.  

“With fire either people want to do it or don’t want to do it. There’s no middle ground here,” she said. 

NEW YORK — The prospect of the economic slowdown spreading around the globe shook Wall Street Wednesday, sending the Dow Jones industrials below 10,000 and setting the blue chip index up for its worst week in more than 11 years. The drop followed a nosedive in prices overseas as investors simply had no reason to buy. 

The fears on U.S. markets matched those on exchanges in Europe and Asia – that slowing economies will continue to hurt corporate profits and, in turn, stock prices. 

“Anyway you put it, this is bad,” said Gary Kaltbaum, a technical analyst for First Union Securities. “You are in the vicious cycle now.” 

“It’s a combination of Japan and Europe getting slaughtered, and the ’throw in the towel’ mentality here,” Kaltbaum said. “I do not know where it ends.” 

While sellers have dominated the U.S. stock market recently, believing that poor earnings and the weakening economy in this country won’t recover in the near future, the prospect of economic crises in other countries, especially Japan, unnerved investors around the globe Wednesday. 

“You put all that together and this is more than the market (here) could take,” said Charles Pradilla, chief investment strategist at SG Cowen Securities. 

Wednesday’s session also brought a litany of other bad numbers for the stock market’s best-known barometer: 

• Already down about 6.3 percent this week, the Dow is poised to have its worst week in terms of a percentage decline since 1989, when it fell 7.76 percent the week ended Oct. 13. 

• So far this week, the Dow has lost 671.16, the second-largest weekly point drop. The most the Dow has ever lost in one week was nearly a year ago, when it fell 805.71 the week of April 14. 

Broader market indicators also skidded Wednesday. The Nasdaq composite fell 42.69 to 1,972.09, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 tumbled 30.95 to 1,166.71. 

It all added up to $270 billion loss in the total market value of New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange and Nasdaq stocks on top of a staggering $554.5 billion beating Monday, according to Wilshire Associates of Santa Monica. 

Although Wednesday’s session was dismal for the Dow, analysts were quick to point out that blue chips have held up much better over the long term than other market indicators that include a greater number of riskier technology stocks. 

The Nasdaq composite index is about 61 percent off its record high of 5,048.62 set on March 10, 2000. Meanwhile, the Dow is down just 15 percent from its closing high, 11,722.98, recorded on Jan. 17, 2000. 

One reason for the Dow’s slide Wednesday was that it had nowhere to go but down; investors had recently bid blue chips higher while they bailed out of tech stocks. 

The Dow’s decline began as soon as the market opened. Investors, already struggling with a bleak outlook for U.S. corporate profits, were further shaken by news Japan’s admission Tuesday that the world’s second-biggest economy is in a state of deflation, an economic situation that can lead to recession. 

The fear is that Japan’s economic problems will cut into demand in that country for U.S. goods and services and in turn lead to a further drop in American stock prices. 

“The reaction to word that Japan is in a pretty tough spot is perhaps the prevailing issue driving the market down today,” said Charles G. Crain, strategist for Spears, Benzak, Salomon & Farrell, a division of Key Asset Management in New York. 

U.S. financial stocks suffered after 19 Japanese banks were placed on “negative watch” by an international rating agency. Uncertain how exposed American banks are to Japan’s crisis, investors drove J.P. Morgan Chase down $3.65 to $43.75, and Citibank down $3.49 to $44.90. Both are Dow components. 

Some tech companies, which have suffered the most from the U.S. economic slowdown, already have said business has suffered declining demand abroad, particularly in Asia. 

Cisco Systems’ CEO John T. Chambers, for example, told investors at Tuesday’s Merrill Lynch Global Communications Conference in New York business is getting tougher in Asia. The world’s biggest supplier of Internet networking equipment, whose grim outlook issued late Friday helped spur Monday’s big selloff, tumbled $1.13 Wednesday to close at $20.25. 

Japan’s Nikkei stock average closed up 0.2 percent Wednesday after falling to a 16-year low Tuesday. Japan’s economic problems were significant enough to turn investors’ attention away from bleak profit outlooks for American companies, which have been propelling stocks downward since late last year. 

“The earnings worries are sort of institutionalized now,” Crain said. 

Stocks fell hard in Europe, plummeting to 16-month lows. The biggest losses came from technology and telecommunications stocks, which recoiled on the Nasdaq’s instability. 

Germany’s DAX index tumbled 2.8 percent, Britain’s FT-SE 100 dropped 1.7 percent, and France’s CAC-40 fell 1.4 percent. 

Reports of weaker economies abroad dashed Wall Street’s hopes that the market here had put in a bottom on Monday and that Tuesday’s made modest gains could be the start of a rebound or even a short-term rally. 

While the U.S. Federal Reserve has lowered interest rates twice this year and is widely expected to push rates lower again next week, the central bank’s actions are not being viewed as aggressive enough to lift the economy out of its slump. 

Investors, who had thought business would pick up in the second half of the year, are now afraid earnings and the economy will remain in a slump all year. 

“A lot of this reporting about being in a bear market has started to seep through,” said Pradilla, the strategist for SG Cowen. 

There was no safe haven in the Dow on Wednesday when Procter & Gamble dropped $1.54 to $66.60 and Merck fell $1 to $71.93. 

Tech losses were widespread, including Yahoo!, down 75 cents at $15.31, and Intel, off 31 cents at $29.06. The companies, along with Cisco, brought about the market’s recent major tumble after warning late last week of poor business conditions. 

Declining issues outnumbered advancers more than 3 to 1 on the New York Stock Exchange, where consolidated volume was 1.62 billion, compared with 1.60 billion on Tuesday. 

The Russell 2000 index, which tracks the performance of smaller company stocks, dropped 8.57 to 453.69. 

——— 

On the Net: 

New York Stock Exchange: http://www.nyse.com 

Nasdaq Stock Market: http://www.nasdaq.com 

Debate on a new bankruptcy law isn’t just about credit card abuses, as it sometimes seems, but over a much larger issue, that of the power of professional marketers over amateur consumers. 

Credit cards are the current focus their role in bankruptcies, their indiscriminate issuance, the questionable enticements offered, the targeting of the poor and student groups — but the issue is decades old. 

As old, at least, as the consumer revolt of the 1970s and the movement leading to the creation of consumer magazines, advocates, adult education courses, lobbying groups, research institutions and legislation. 

Issues then were rudimentary. With inflation raging, consumers felt exploited, and sought answers from grocery chains and others. Questions then spread to product quality, services, lending practices. Seeking to level the playing field, consumers demanded an education in marketing. 

They received it, and succeeded in shrinking the gap between them and the more sophisticated marketers. But gradually their zeal waned as living standards rose. All the same, the issue’s been there. And maybe growing. 

Critics find it difficult to argue against a strengthening of the personal bankruptcy law, which the credit card issuers seek, since clearly it is being misused by many consumers to avoid paying bills they incurred. 

But that’s just one side of the issue, the other being that many of these people were enticed into opening credit accounts by means of highly sophisticated marketing efforts that, some argue, bordered on deception. 

The intensity of the issuers’ effort, which reached a crescendo of as many as 3 billion solicitations a year, was unmatched by that of any other industry, except perhaps by magazine subscription sweepstakes. 

So intense was the quest for new users that eventually the poorest were seen as a relatively untapped market. Individuals with little credit history were offered minimal credit amounts, and those amounts raised if they managed to pay on time. Small print sometimes disguised terms. 

Students with little income or marketplace experience were cultivated in hopes they’d remain bonded to a card later in life. Colleges sometimes cooperated for a price, lending their names, an imprimatur of sorts. 

Going the limit without exceeding it has become an art among marketing people, one that perhaps can be practiced without dire consequences on educated consumers. 

The question, however and always, is whether or not the recipient is an informed consumer. 

Thanks to the consumer movement, the mass of consumers are vastly more informed than those of the 1970s. But times have changed, and maybe consumers haven’t changed with the times, as professional marketers have. 

The marketers have continued to grow in knowledge of the consumer, who is analyzed as never before, but the consumer may not be as industrious in analyzing the marketers. 

When you join a food chain’s in-house club you may receive discounts, but your purchases may be analyzed and profiled. In using your personal computer, you may leave a trail of your buying habits and interests for the edification of marketing people. When you buy a direct mail product, your name and address may be sold to another merchandizer. 

The gap may have widened again. Consumers may have to make a renewed effort. 

John Cunniff is a business analyst for The Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO — Napster Inc. told a federal judge it is complying with her order to police its system for unauthorized songs, but the company gave the recording industry low marks for allegedly failing to share the workload and provide required information. 

Napster told U.S. District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel in a document filed Monday that “critical disputes” have arisen as to what is required by an injunction  

and what has been requested by the recording industry. 

The Redwood City-based company says the record labels suing it have misconstrued the burdens the court placed on Napster, and have falsely interpreted the March 5 order to mean Napster must search for infringing content even prior to proper notification form copyright holders. 

More specifically, Napster says many of the submissions of copyright works from the recording industry have no associated file names for the company to block. 

“Where a file name is connected to the work in the notice, Napster will exclude them. Where no file name is connected to the work, Napster will not,” the company’s compliance report to the court read. 

Patel had ordered Napster to identify the steps it had taken to comply with the injunction within five business days of service of notice. 

The Recording Industry Association of America did not immediately return calls Wednesday, but a spokeswoman said Monday that Napster simply was trying to buy more time with the courts by wrangling over the intent of the injunction. 

“We believe the court’s intent is clear. Napster is required to stop infringing. Stall tactics are unacceptable,” RIAA spokeswoman Amy Weiss said Monday. 

Napster also requested in Monday’s compliance report that the court convene a hearing at which the parties could address their differences in understanding the injunction handed down by Patel. 

Napster said the growing costs of implementing the new screening technology has interrupted other business plans. 

Napster claims it has spent $150,000 and more than 2,700 employee hours to develop and implement a screening technology to block access to unauthorized content. 

On Tuesday, Napster announced it had signed a deal with Gracenote, a Berkeley-based company that maintains a database of more than 12 million musical works cataloged by artist and title, including spelling variations that may have slipped through Napster’s system in the past. 

——— 

On the Net: 

http://www.napster.com 

http://www.riaa.org 

http://www.gracenote.com 

NEW YORK — With corporate America unable to quiet its drumbeat of earnings and revenue warnings, economists and analysts say a dramatic rate cut by the Federal Reserve is needed to jolt sagging financial markets and restore investor confidence. 

Investors looking for indications that markets are healthy should wait for a string of solid days on Wall Street, analysts said. 

Worries of an international economic slowdown dragged down stocks Wednesday. The Dow Jones industrial average fell more than 317 points, closing below the 10,000 level for the first time since October. 

While the Fed is expected to slash interest rates by one-half point next Tuesday, Wall Street is seeking a fatter rate cut to trigger a rebound. 

Stock market declines “usually end when investor frustration is at its highest level,” said Gary Thayer, chief economist at A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc. “What is historically an encouraging sign is a market recovery on big volume. We’ve had some rally attempts, but the sentiment is still very negative.” 

Ricky Harrington, an analyst at Wachovia Securities, said a market rebound will not occur until investor sentiment is downright “pessimistic.” 

The dominant feeling among investors “has moved from complacency to concern,” he said. 

While investors remain focused on pessimistic financial forecasts by some of the nation’s biggest companies, including Intel Corp. and Cisco Systems Inc., earnings reports tend to be lagging indicators and not the best way to gauge the health of the U.S. economy, said Sung Won Sohn, an economist at Wells Fargo & Co. 

Low unemployment and rising wages, Sohn argued, suggest the average American is in reasonable financial shape. The key, he added, is to restore consumer confidence, which fell for the fifth month in a row in February to its lowest level in more than four years. 

“The reality is not as bad as the perception,” Sohn said. 

Sohn said Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan needs to pleasantly surprise investors by cutting rates by three-quarters of a point or more. “That could not only stop the slide, but start a small rally,” Sohn said. 

But not all economists believe reversing Wall Street’s slide is as simple as a shift in monetary policy. 

William V. Sullivan Jr., a senior economist at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, said evidence of a rebound in corporate profits is essential. And Steven Milunovich, the top strategist for technology investing at Merrill Lynch, believes the outlook for a near-term recovery in corporate profits remains grim. 

“We’re pretty much writing off 2001,” Milunovich said. “So you’re looking at 2002.” 

The 18-year-old cat complains mildly as veterinarian Bruce Max Feldmann inserts a needle in his neck and prepares to give him a fluid infusion.  

Veterinary nurse Annie Van Nes holds the animal firmly and croons in his ear as he growls softly. But for the most part, the procedure passes quickly and quietly. As soon as he’s done, Thomas Cat gets a nibble treat and instant gratification – release in the familiar surroundings of his own home.  

No hated cat carrier, no barking dogs or strange smells, no fluorescent lights or metal tables.  

Thomas is one of hundreds of local pets that get the doctor to come to him, rather than the other way around. While house calls for sick humans may have gone  

the way of the horse and buggy, a growing number of American veterinarians are switching to a traveling practice. The American Association of Housecall Veterinarians estimates there are at least 1,000 vets nationwide who make house calls their primary business. And many veterinary hospitals today offer the option of a home visit for certain procedures, most notably euthanasia. 

Vets are willing to make house all for one major reason: freedom. The cost of owning and operating a fixed clinic, especially with the Bay Area’s astronomic rents and housing prices, means that veterinarians today have to take on a lot of overhead. Most veterinary hospitals have several owners and a large staff. Feldmann, a Berkeley resident who ran his own practice in Kensington for 10 years, said, “I had a huge ‘nut’ of fundamental expenses I had to cover each month just to stay in business.” Now he has almost eliminated his overhead and he has much more flexibility to travel and take days off when he wants. 

Oakland-based Dr. Charles McKinney, who runs the All-Seasons Mobile Veterinary Clinic, went to work in a veterinary hospital when he graduated from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 1975. He assumed that was the setting in which he’d serve out his career. But as he got to know the business better, he could envision himself “suffocating in bills,” he said. 

“At a fixed clinic, I’d have to see at least eight patients a day, and I’d have to average $600 each to make my overhead,” McKinney said. Since he created his mobile practice 10 years ago, McKinney limits himself to a maximum of six visits a day.  

Making house calls inevitably takes the veterinarian into some unusual situations. While both Feldmann and McKinney decline to tell tales, McKinney says he’s “eliminated a whole class of people,” difficult and sometimes unreliable clients, by giving up night calls. As for the day-to-day experience of examining a pet in its own home, there are some tricks of the trade: See the animal in the kitchen (where the best light usually is), and ask the owner to be prepared for the visit (confine your cat before it runs under the bed). 

Feldmann and McKinney bill more up front for their visits than clinics charge. A typical office visit for a cat or dog runs $38 in Berkeley. Feldmann charges $60 for his house calls; McKinney charges $70 for his. But the traveling vets also can save their clients some money. Feldmann provides flea medicine at a discount to his customers, and McKinney says that while most pet vaccinations run $28 at a clinic, he charges only $11. 

House-call veterinarians are a minority among their colleagues. In the East Bay, there are three: Feldmann, McKinney, and Dr. Jenny Taylor, a holistic vet who runs a business called Creature Comforts out of Alameda. Initially, they may be viewed with a bit of suspicion by established clinics, but both Feldmann and McKinney say they often have customers referred to them now.  

“My best advertising is other vets,” McKinney said. “They realize there is a need for someone to go to the home to perform euthanasia, or where the owner is elderly and can’t easily get out.” Other clients include parents of young children or those with multiple animals.  

Veterinarians like Feldmann and Taylor do not have access to the specialized medical equipment of a fixed clinic, but all the same, they can take care of many of a pet’s basic needs: vaccinations, teeth cleaning, even minor surgeries. Feldmann claims he can take care of “98 to 99 percent of what needs to be done” right in the family kitchen. 

“He does surgery right on the counter; it’s so cool!” said Kim Zvik, who has had Feldmann come to her home to remove an abscess from her cat, Bear. With a menagerie that includes two dogs, a fish, a horse, and a couple of children, Zvik is only too happy to have a vet who comes right to her house. She’s been a customer for four years. 

McKinney is able to perform even more procedures with his mobile clinic, including spaying, neutering and treatment of simple fractures and wounds. More serious or specialized cases are referred to a veterinary hospital.  

The largest part of the house-call visit is also the hardest. Feldmann and McKinney estimate that about 20 percent of their calls involve putting a pet to sleep. Performing euthanasia at home eases the pain both of the animals and of the human guardians, who don’t want their sick pet to endure the stress of a trip to the hospital at the end of its life. As one client told Feldmann, “I don’t want my dog’s last experience to be the place he hates the most.”  

Wednesday, Mar. 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.  

Guitar duo with Devon and Mark.  

Call 644-6107 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave.  

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 

Ethics, Genetic Technologies  

& Social Responsibility 

3 - 6 p.m. 

Townsend Center for the Humanities 

220 Stephens Hall  

UC Berkeley  

What are the social responsibilities of scientists, policy analysts, and citizens in the proposed applications of genetic technologies? Join a panel of experts, including Charles Weiner of UC Berkeley, in attempting to answer this question.  

Scholastic Book Fair  

8 - 9 a.m. & 1:45 - 3:45 p.m. 

Jefferson School Cafetorium  

Acton & Rose  

Reasonably-priced Scholastic books will be sold to promote books and reading and to raise money for the school. Free  

525-7567  

Politics of Global Warming 

Noon  

Harris Room  

119 Moses Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Peter Lydon, IGS visiting scholar, and Antonia Herzog, UC San Diego/UC Berkeley, will discuss the political aspects of this global issue. Bring a brown bag lunch. 

Planning Commission  

7 p.m.  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave.  

Discussion and possible action on a recommended set of General Plan Subcommittee Amendments to the Safety, Open Space and Environmental Management Elements. 

Commission on Disability  

6:30 p.m.  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Discussion of the general plan and recommendations from the Housing Subcommittee and the Transportation Subcommittee. Also to be discussed will be the ADA Transition Plan.  

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 Simplicity,” 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  

LGBT Catholics Group  

7:30 p.m. 

Newman Hall  

2700 Dwight Way (at College)  

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender Catholics group are “a spiritual community committed to creating justice.” This meetings discussions will center on Lenten Service. 654-5486 

Harriet Tubman Re-created 

3:30 p.m. 

South Branch Library  

1901 Russell St.  

Storyteller and musician Jamie Myrick will present an interactive musical performance which introduces a heroine and her deeds. Information about the secret codes and maps used as part of the Underground Railroad will be shared. Free 

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. 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  

Fair Campaign Practices  

Commission  

7:30 p.m.  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Discussion and action regarding possible violations of the Berkeley Election Reform Act with respect to the first and second pre-election statements filed Oct. 5 and Oct. 26, 2000, late contribution reports and semi-annual statements filed Jan. 31, 2001.  

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 - $12 848-6767 x609  

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave.  

Call Maggie for an appointment, 644-6107 

— compiled by  

Chason Wainwright 

— 

Dam Them Rivers  

7 - 9 p.m. 

Wheeler Hall, Room 30  

UC Berkeley  

Steve Rothert of American Rivers and Steve Linaweaver of International Rivers Network will discuss the damming of the Nile and the Bujagoli Dam. Free  

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.  

Time Windows  

4 p.m. 

North Branch Library  

1170 The Alameda  

Kathryn Reiss, Oakland author of nine suspense novels for middle school and young adult readers will speak. Free 

649-3943  

Scholastic Book Fair  

8 - 9 a.m. & 1:45 - 3:45 p.m. 

Jefferson School Cafetorium  

Acton & Rose  

Reasonably-priced Scholastic books will be sold to promote books and reading and to raise money for the school. Free  

525-7567  

Evaluate to Motivate  

12:10 - 1:10 p.m.  

California Department of Health Services  

2151 Berkeley Way, Room 804 

The State Health Toastmasters present “Take the Terror Out of Talking!” Session five of six. Free  

649-7750 

Berkeley Path Wanderers  

7 - 9 p.m.  

Live Oak Park Recreation Center 

1200 Shattuck Ave.  

Richard Schwartz, author of “Berkeley 1900: Daily Life at the Turn of the Century,” will speak on Berkeley’s early biways. Free  

527-2693 

Empowering Youth for Social Change 

6 - 8:30 p.m.  

La Pena Cultural Center 

3105 Shattuck Ave.  

Speaker panel and community meeting. Free and open to the public.  

642-4475 

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 

Living Philosophers  

10 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Hear and entertain the ideas of some modern day philosophers: Jacob Needleman, J. Revel, Hilary Putnam, John Searle, Saul Kripke, Richard Rorty and others. Every Friday, except holidays. Facilitated by H.D. Moe.  

Free Writing, Cashiering & Computer Literacy Class 

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.  

AJOB Adult School  

1911 Addison St.  

Free classes offered Monday through Friday. Stop by and register or call 548-6700. 

www.ajob.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 

Scholastic Book Fair  

8 - 9 a.m. & 1:45 - 3:45 p.m. & 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. 

Jefferson School Cafetorium  

Acton & Rose  

Reasonably-priced Scholastic books will be sold to promote books and reading and to raise money for the school. Children and adults are invited to wear pajamas for Pamjama-Rama reading night from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.  

525-7567  

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  

Berkeley Folk Dancers Fun Night 

7:45 - 10:45 p.m. 

Live Oak Park Hall  

Shattuck at Berryman  

“The Green Party” Dance  

$5 - $7  

655-3074 

Feminist Politics of Family  

9 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.  

Maude Fife Room (315) 

Wheeler Hall  

UC Berkeley  

A yearly symposium highlighting graduate student work. The focus of the conference this year is re-envisioning feminist conceptions of the 21st century family. Keynote speakers include Evelyn Nakato Glenn on “Caring” and Carol Queen on “Erotic Families in Choice.” Free and open to the public.  

643-3040 

Sunday, March 18 

East Bay Men’s Chorus Rehearsal  

6:30 p.m. 

University Lutheran Chapel  

College & Haste  

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. Rehearsal season runs March through July.  

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 

Awareness In Action  

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute  

1815 Highland Place  

Barr Rosenberg will speak on the Skillful Means teachings and practices toward a joyous, energetic, and relaxed approach to work.  

843-6812 

T. Rex: Mover & Shaker  

2 p.m.  

Lawrence Hall of Science 

UC Berkeley  

John Hutchinson of the Department of Integrative Biology at UCB, using video and hands-on activities, will demonstrate how some of the largest creatures roamed the earth. Free with museum admission.  

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 

Socratic Solutions  

7:30 - 9 p.m.  

International House  

Home Room  

UC Berkeley  

The Socratic Society presents a lecture by Theoharis Kemos on Socratic insights into our social problems. Celebrate Socrates’ 2470th birthday anniversary. Free 

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 

TREES Forum  

12:30 p.m. 

Hewlett Library  

2400 Ridge Rd., Dinner Board Room  

Marty Kheel will present “Women, Animals and Nature: Eco-feminist Reflections.”  

trees@gtu.edu 

Debate Lobbying 

Noon  

Harris Room  

119 Moses Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Kevin Esterling, Robert Wood Johnson Fellow, UC Berkeley, will discuss “Does Policy Research Matter in Lobbying Debates?” Bring a brown bag lunch. Free  

Advice for Life  

12:30 - 2:30 p.m. 

Albany Senior Center 

646 Masonic Ave.  

Albany  

A series of Tuesday presentations and discussions that will cover: Memory loss, assertiveness, loss, grief, insight into life changes, opening communication in relationships, and independence in the later years. Free  

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 

Free Writing, Cashiering & Computer Literacy Class 

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.  

AJOB Adult School  

1911 Addison St.  

Free classes offered Monday through Friday. Stop by and register or call 548-6700. 

www.ajob.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 

Design Dung  

7 - 9 p.m.  

School of Journalism Library  

121 North Gate Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Part of the Terner Series, an informal salon-style discussion series, which brings together industry professionals, students, and interested community members. This session is a discussion of the failure to communicate good and bad architecture. Free 

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 

Living Philosophers  

10 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Hear and entertain the ideas of some modern day philosophers: Jacob Needleman, J. Revel, Hilary Putnam, John Searle, Saul Kripke, Richard Rorty and others. Every Friday, except holidays. Facilitated by H.D. Moe.  

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 

“Jewish Holidays from a Secular Perspective”  

8 p.m.  

Albany Community Center  

1249 Marin Ave.  

Albany  

Hershl Hartman, international authority on secular humanistic Judaism, will speak. Sponsored by Kol Hadash, Northern California Community for Humanistic Judaism.  

428-1492 

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 

Diabetes & Cardiovascular Disease Health Clinic 

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church  

2024 Ashby Ave.  

Dr. Lenore Coleman, Bayer Clinical Science specialist and certified diabetes educator and Dr. Cassandra Herbert Whitman, Alta Bates Medical Associates will be available to answer questions. Free comprehensive screenings will be given people to identify cardiovascular risk factors. Free 

848-2050 

Energy Ideas for Remodeling  

9:30 - 11 a.m.  

City Energy Officer Neal De Snoo will conduct a seminar on the options available for incorporating energy efficient fixtures and systems into residential remodeling and renovation projects. Sponsored by Truitt & White Lumber Company of Berkeley. Free 

Call 649-2674 for reservations  

Visit www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/energy for info. on energy conservation and efficiency 

Hunger Hike in the Redwoods  

10 a.m.  

Joaquin Miller Park  

Ranger Station on Sanborn Dr.  

Oakland  

Join the Alameda County Community Food Bank for this educational hike. Enjoy the views while learning about local edible and medicinal plants. Bring a bag lunch.  

$25 donation  

834-FOOD x327 

Sunday, March 25  

Women in Science & Technology  

1 - 4 p.m.  

Lawrence Hall of Science  

UC Berkeley  

In celebration of Women’s History Month, LHS presents a day to inspire and inform students. Women who work in such fields as computer graphics, geology, and astronomy demonstrate how they use math, science, and technology in their professional lives. Free with museum admission.  

Monday, March 26  

The New House of Representatives 

Noon  

Harris Room  

119 Moses Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Lois Capps, congresswoman, (D., Santa Barbara), will discuss “The Makeup of the New House of Representatives.” Bring a brown bag lunch. Free 

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 

Free Writing, Cashiering & Computer Literacy Class 

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.  

AJOB Adult School  

1911 Addison St.  

Free classes offered Monday through Friday. Stop by and register or call 548-6700. 

www.ajob.org 

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  

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  

Living Philosophers  

10 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Hear and entertain the ideas of some modern day philosophers: Jacob Needleman, J. Revel, Hilary Putnam, John Searle, Saul Kripke, Richard Rorty and others. Every Friday, except holidays. Facilitated by H.D. Moe.  

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 

“Yellowstone Buffalo” Screening 

7 p.m.  

Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists  

Cedar & Bonita  

A compilation video exposing the ongoing slaughter of Yellowstone’s wild buffalo herd. Seventy five percent of donations go to the Buffalo Field Campaign’s front-line efforts to protect the buffalo herd. Sponsored by A First Amendment Center, Berkeley. Free 

287-9406  

Saturday, March 31  

Shelter Operations 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 

Compiled by Chason Wainwright 

Rumors of demise nonsense 

Editor: 

I‘d like thank all of the kind people who called with condolences, thinking the beleaguered LPC Commissioners had lost our effort to insert some rationality into the city of Berkeley’s conflict of interest dogmas.  

To paraphrase Mark Twain, however, rumors of our defeat are greatly exaggerated. In fact, to quote John Paul Jones, “we have not yet begun to fight”. We petitioned the Court of Appeal to hear our case, but since they’re too busy we’ll just start our case in Superior Court instead. That’s all that’s happening. I hope it won’t take too long to get a decision on the merits.  

And on the Mark Twain web page (yes, there is one) I found an even better quote to paraphrase: We have a commission system which is superior to any in the world; and its efficiency is only marred by the difficulty of finding nine people every month who don’t know anything and can’t read. 

Becky O’Malley 

Berkeley 

Wozniak should step down 

Editor: 

The teapot tempest in Berkeley’s Community Environmental Advisory Commission over conflicting interests continues. Berkeley’s attorney has twice declared that senior scientist and general radiation booster Gordon Wozniak’s longtime employment at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab prevents him from voting on lab pollution issues without the appearance of personal benefit. Refusing to resign, Mr Wozniak is waving a writ from his own lawyer defending the right of public employees to serve in public positions like commissions.  

Unfortunately, this has nothing to do with the problem outlined by the city attorney. Mr. Wozniak is welcome to serve on any public body that is not regularly addressing controversial issues between the city and his employer, where his vote in the lab’s favor will always be suspect. Presently, there are serious environmental contamination issues with LBNL like their Tritium Labeling Facility, which has been regularly unloading radioactive waste on us in the form of tritiated water for decades.  

After the trees, groundwater and the next- door Lawrence Hall of Science were found to be radioactive enough to qualify for Super-Fund Status, the Berkeley City Council hired an independent science consultant whose first draft report just arrived. The report did not address all the concerns raised by the local watchdog group, the Committee to Minimize Toxic Waste, but it does demonstrate in numerous ways why the Tritium Facility should close immediately . Berkeley is depending on their environmental commission to translate the report and recommend an appropriate course of action, which probably means huge clean-up and relocation expenses for LBNL and the Dept. of Energy who run this circus. Mr. Wozniak claims that he is not rewarded for his 100 percent pro-Lab votes but I have to wonder whether he would have succeeded as well as he has if he had joined the growing chorus of scientific voices critical of DOE’s self-serving radiation standards.  

Another CEAC commissioner resigned after the city attorney claimed conflict with his newly elected school board position. I’ve been unable to imagine the school board pitted against CEAC over a pollution problem, but I do respect the ex-commissioner’s sacrifice for integrity and less controversy for our environmental process. It’s time to quiet this teapot.  

Mark McDonald 

Berkeley 

Teachers should take public transit 

Editor: 

I find it hard to sympathize with BUSD workers or neighborhood residents in their complaints about not having enough on-street parking. 

Here are some thoughts I had after reading Wendy Alfsen’s letter (3/5). 

Residents with cars should have a parking space on their property. It they don’t, then they shouldn’t expect the city to reserve them a free one on the street. 

People working at BUSD or nearby have no more right to the street parking than residents do. The street is public property, but I suppose people or carpools could be leased a parking slot for their exclusive use. This would put a price on scarce parking resources. 

People working at BUSD really shouldn’t be coming by car.  

The area is abundantly served by buses. People who come to work alone, carrying minimal baggage, and don’t use the car during the day, really should be using our fine public transit. 

How much stuff do teachers and administrators have to lug with them? Is it so much 

that it can’t be carried in a briefcase or a knapsack? Even people who have chosen to live far from transit, can find a parking lot for the car, and walk or ride the bus the rest of the way. 

I guess ‘m biased, because I use the bus and my knapsack to get about Berkeley.  

I know it can be done.  

Steve Geller 

Berkeley 

Need budget before tax cut 

Dear Editor,  

I think the Emperor has new clothes!  

How can President Bush justify giving back a huge amount of money to the rich when he doesn’t have an approved budget in place so he knows how much he’s going to spend?  

Are we all going to sit back and tell him what a marvelous new suit he’s wearing?  

Anne Smith 

Berkeley  

Bailey corrected 

Editor: 

I don’t know a pet who isn’t thrilled by Bailey the Labrador’s run for Berkeley City Council, but I do know a few Malamutes, Rottweillers, Dobermans, etc who would like to have a word with Bailey’s owner/guardian/belly scratcher/campaign manager, Doug Fielding, for his misstatement of the party platform (Berkeley Daily Planet, Forum, 3/9/01). 

There are two animal shelters in Berkeley. One is operated by the Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society. The other - the Berkeley Animal Care Shelter - is operated by the city. Pets are unanimous in their desire to see both supported by the community, but it is the latter, the municipal shelter, that must be replaced. Notwithstanding the ongoing efforts of its compassionate staff and volunteers, the facility is at best a marginally humane physical space for impounded pets. So, clearly, Fielding misquoted our candidate when he called for a new Humane Society building. 

Cats are singing it from moonlit fences. Dogs are digging up favors and fetching votes. Bailey is their man. Or at least their pup.  

His willingness to do the dirty work is apparent, as Fielding pointed out, in his scurrying about with the household toilet brush. No one’s quite sure what it means when he does the same with the household’s shoes and socks, but all are confident it serves the public. 

Paul Klein 

Albany 

Don’t relax standards 

Editor: 

The UC president and the outreach director should be fired for easing standards; the latter should be made to repay the $207,000 he received in salary for the year in which he retroactively awarded credit to students for nonexistent coursework.  

Richard Thompson 

San Diego

Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm.”An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels like an earthworm, look into a mirrored fish pond, don farm animal costumes, ride on a John Deere tractor and more. $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. Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 647-1111 or www.habitot.org  

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. Ernesto Neto/MATRIX 19 A Maximum Minimum Time Space Between Us and the Parsimonious Universe, Through April 15. Made from disposable materials such as styrofoam pellets, glass, paper, paraffin wax, and nylon stockings, Neto’s sensual sculptural works provoke viewers to interact with his art. $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. 

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 

Lawrence Hall of Science “Math Rules!” Ongoing. A math exhibit of hands-on problem-solving stations, each with a different mathematical challenge.“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. “Vision,” Through April 15 Get a very close look at how the eyes and brain work together to focus light, perceive color and motion, and process information. “T. Rex on Trial,” Through May 28 Where was T. Rex at the time of the crime? Learn how paleontologists decipher clues to dinosaur behavior. “Saturday Night Stargazing,” First and third Saturdays each month. 8 - 10 p.m., LHS plaza. Computer Lab, Saturdays 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. $7 for adults; $5 for children 5-18; $3 for children 3-4. 642-5132 

924 Gilman St. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted $5; $2 for a year membership March 16: The P.A.W.N.S., Kill the Messenger, Phoenix Thunderstone, Lesser of Two, Dory Tourette & The Skirtheads; March 17: The Hoods, Benumb, Above The World, Chrome Disorder, Eulogy; March 23: 18 Visions, Walls of Jericho, Time In Malta, Undying, Betray the Species; March 24: Workin’ Stiffs, The Bodies, Strychnine, East Bay Chasers, For the Alliance; March 30: Deathreat, Ahimsa, F*** God In the Face, The Black, Creation Is Crucifixion 525-9926  

Albatross Pub All music at 9 p.m. unless noted March 15: Keni “El Lebrijano”; March 17: Maureen Brennan Group 1822 San Pablo 843-2473 

Ashkenaz March 14, 9 p.m.: West Coast Swing AllStars, dance lesson at 8 p.m.; March 15, 9 p.m.: Babatunde Olatunji; March 16, 9:30 p.m.: Samba Ngo; March 18, 5 - 10 p.m.: Aid for Ahmedabad Earthquake Relief Concert featuring Vinyl, New Monsoon, Raja & Srini, plus Henry Kaiser, $20; 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; May 6, 7 p.m.: Berkeley High School Jazz Ensemble 1370 San Pablo Ave. (at Gilman) 525-5054 or www.ashkenaz.com  

Eli’s Mile High Club Doors open at 8 p.m. March 16: Little Jonny & the Giants; March 17: Sugar G; March 23: Carlos Zialcita; March 24: Daniel Castro; March 30: Craig Horton Blues Band 3629 MLK Jr. Way Oakland  

Jazzschool/La Note All music at 4:30 p.m. March 18: Wayne Wallace Septet $6 - $12 2377 Shattuck Ave.  

Live Oak Concert Series All music at 7:30 p.m. March 18: Mark Sanders, flute, David Cheng, violin, Darcy Rindt, viola, Paul Rhodes, cello. Flute quartets of Haydn and Mozart; March 25: Horizon Wind Quartet play music of Mendelssohn, Rossini, Ravel, Ligetti and others All concerts $8 - $10 Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St.  

Cal Performances March 23, 7 p.m. & March 24, 1 & 8 p.m.: “The King Stag: A Tragicomic Tale for the Theatre” by Carlo Gozzi $24 - $46; Zellerbach Hall UC Berkeley. 642-9988 or www.calperfs.berkeley.edu March 25, 3 p.m.: Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio perform music of Beethoven, Ravel and Tchaikovsky $32; 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  

“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 

Za’atar Performance/Community Jam March 15, 7:30 p.m. $14 - $16 Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237 

Berkeley High School Concert Orchestra March 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 

BHS Jazz Ensemble March 23, 7:30 p.m. The spring concert performance from the award-winning jazz ensemble. Proceeds benefit the students who will travel to Europe this summer to perform in Italy and Switzerland. $5 - $8 Florence Schwimley Little Theatre 1920 Allston Way  

Hillbillies From Mars April 8, 2 p.m. Rocking the Bay for 20 years, the Hillbillies fuse rock n’ roll, swing, Latin and African beats. $5 - $10 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. 925-798-1300 

UC Alumni Chorus presents “Bravo! Opera!” April 8, 7:30 p.m. A veritable Opera chorus smorgasbord with Bizet’s “Carmen,” Verdi’s “IL trovatore,” and Copland’s “The Tenderland.” $8 - $12 Hertz Hall UC Berkeley 643-9645 

Young Emerging Artists Concert April 10, 7 - 8 p.m. The Young Musicians Program Jazz Combo will perform jazz standards and original compositions. $5 - $10 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. 925-798-1300 

“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  

“Little Shop of Horrors” 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 Audience Is Onto Us: An Evening of F*cked-up Theatre (of Paranoid Proportions)” March 14, 8 & 10 p.m. A comedy cabaret-style show with a bizarre and wicked bent. $4 LaVal’s Subterranean Theatre 1834 Euclid Ave. e-mail: laughdamnyou@hotmail.com 

“The Oresteia” by Aeschylus Through 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 Through 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 

Boadecia’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted March 14, 7 p.m.: Women’s Book Group will discuss “Wicked: The Life & Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” by Gregory Maguire; March 16: Rik Isensee will read from his novel “The God Squad: A Spoof on the Ex-Gay Movement”; 398 Colusa Ave. 559-9184. www.boadeciasbooks.com 

Cody’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted March 14: Poetry of Murray Silverstein & Helen Wickes; March 15: Randy Shaw talks about “The Activist’s Handbook: A Primer”; March 18: Poetry of Yvonne Cannon, Lara Gularte, Richard Rocco; March 19: Jean Rouverol talks about “Refugees From Hollywood: A Journal of the Blacklist” 2454 Telegraph Ave. 845-7852  

Duomo Reading Series and Open Mic. Thursdays, 6:30 - 9 p.m. March 15: Elanor Watson-Gove; March 22: Anna Mae Stanley; March 29: Georgia Popoff; April 5: Barbara Minton. 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 

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 

“Slam the Prisons” April 6, 6 p.m. - 1 a.m. A benefit for prison activism featuring Tang, Company of Prophets, Sheryl D. Mebane and many others. Proceeds benefit the defense of New Afrikan political prisoner Khalfani X. Khaldun and the Prison Activist Resource Center. $10 La Pena Cultural Center 3205 Shattuck Ave. 898-0431  

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 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 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 

City Commons Club Lecture Series Fridays, 12:30 p.m. $1 general Students Free March 16: Paul H. Young, Jr. retired foreign service officer, will present “A Pilgrim’s Visit to Athos”; March 23: Guy Colwell, master painter of Nasters, will speak on “Using Painting to Teach Art History”; March 30: Jana Grittersova, professor of International Relations, UC Berkeley will speak on “The European Union - Integration and Expansion” Berkeley City Club 2315 Durant Ave. 848-3533 

For public art downtown, beauty’s not enough. It has to stand up to acts of God and bow to community regulation.  

Two art projects were approved by the Civic Arts Commission last September for placement on Shattuck Avenue. Six months later finds them still being reviewed to make certain that the spot chosen is perfect.  

Far from frustrated, the artists see the wait and the regulations as part of an important process of artistic creation. 

John Toki, whose sculpture “s-Hertogenbosch” – named after the city in Holland where he began the work – is already completed. Toki has had public art commissions in the past. 

“I’ve learned that the reason these things take a long time is because the public wants to get it right,” he said. “I’d rather have a group be totally satisfied, and everybody’s informed about what they’re going to get. I think they get a better piece.” 

Any public work of art must satisfy a number of very specific rules. 

“People don’t realize how much work there is behind each one of these pieces before it goes up,” said Mary Anne Benton, secretary for the Civic Arts Commission. The process of selecting the pieces involves extensive public involvement and a long selection and interview process. Once a piece is selected, the artist must prove its long-term durability.  

That means, for example, that in an earthquake it won’t fall down. 

For Wang Po Shu one of the artists whose sculpture will be placed along Shattuck Avenue, that restriction is just fine.  

“As an artist you don’t want that to happen anyway,” he said, referring to the possibility that unstable art might injure somebody. “All your life you’d be thinking about that,” he said. “You wouldn’t want to work.” 

When selecting a piece, the commission considers whether the materials and design are strong, and the artist submits an engineering report that proves the project will be stable long term.  

The art must withstand more than natural disasters. In addition to structural viability, the piece must come with a maintenance plan and have some graffiti protection.  

John N. Roberts, a Berkeley landscape architect who’s been on several of the advisory panels said artists now know they have to work within certain guidelines. “What you’re looking for with public art is someone who understands (the guidelines) but is also going to bring something totally unusual,” he said.  

“The difficult thing is to do this within a budget,” he said. “Often the requirements are so stringent and the budget is so limited that you have difficulty doing the kind of piece that you want to do.” 

Berkeley is paying $50,000 each for the two sculptures with money from Measure S. That includes the costs of material and installation. 

The artists chosen for the Shattuck Avenue projects understand well the difficulties of making sustainable art and address the questions within the design of the projects.  

Toki has spent 20 years perfecting his design for earthquake-proof ceramic sculptures. He began constructing his 14- foot ceramic sculpture, while living in Holland, helping create earthquake safe ceramic projects. “So the piece for Berkeley is earthquake proof,” he said. “The (art) commission knew that, if I put it up it was going to stay.” 

Toki hopes the brightly colored sculpture will arrest passers-by and draw them to look closer at the piece and even to touch it. He doesn’t worry about damage from too much contact. “It’s four inches thick and it will weigh close to two tons when it’s finished,” he said. “It’s going to be physically strong, the interior is fiber-glass lined. It’s going to take something pretty durable to scratch it.” 

But for Toki, the best protection is the art itself. “There’s something about ceramic that doesn’t draw vandals to my piece,” he said. 

Wang’s sculpture, “An Earth Song for Berkeley,” is in the form of a giant tuning fork that will vibrate at an inaudible frequency. He said that part of artistic creation means taking the requirements of earthquake and public safety into account.  

“My work is always site specific,” he said, meaning not only specific to physical environment like surrounding buildings, or mountains, but also to the environmental factors that affect a piece of art. He included both the fact that California is “earthquake country” and the “social reality of graffiti” as environmental factors an artist must work with. “Even when I work indoors, it’s always site specific, there’s another set of criterion or factors that one has to deal with,” he said mentioning problems associated with particular solvents. “If we want to put something in public it’s natural that we consider that part of the reality.” 

The placement of these pieces is complicated by their location. The commissioners want them at the corner of Center Street and Shattuck, near the central BART entrance.  

“The sites are so complex, there’s so much happening there,” said Steven Huss, a consultant who’s helping Berkeley through the process of placing the art. But, he said that the movement and excitement around that area is “also what makes it desirable for public art.” 

Any projects on land that BART uses, or above the BART tunnels, must also be approved for use by BART. “They have to make sure that whatever is above their tunnel has to be constructed safely so if there was an earthquake a sculpture wouldn’t crash through onto the BART train,” said Benton of the Civic Arts Commission. 

In addition, any sculpture must fit in with the long range plans BART has for that site. 

Added conditions do not phase Wang. If an artist knows the situation he or she is working with ahead of time, he said, they can tailor the project accordingly, using the complications from boundaries to force new levels of creativity.  

“It’s within the conditions you find freedom, if you pose the conditions as limitations your are restricting yourself, you are imprisoning yourself,” he said. “We do live in a society we do not live on an island.”

At a time when the Berkeley School Board is struggling to come up with money to protect programs from cuts, music education advocates say the district’s music programs are in sore need of additional support. 

The Berkeley Unified School District’s music programs were once the envy of the Bay Area. The Berkeley High School Jazz Ensemble is still considered one of the best high school bands in the country. It tours Europe or Japan every year and regularly plays at the prestigious Monterey Jazz Festival.  

But other BUSD music programs suffer from a lack of resources, leadership and overall organization, a number of music advocates said Tuesday. 

“Berkeley used to be renowned for its music program and it still is in some ways,” said Karen McKie, a member of a Instrumental Music Committee for the district and former Parent Coordinator for the BHS Jazz Ensemble. “But we cannot get the consistent support we need for this program (from the school board). 

“We need to know that they understand the history of it, that they understand the importance of it, and that they are committed to building this program,” McKie said. “They need to say to the community at large, ‘We are building this. This is a community value.’” 

At the heart of critics’ complaints is the idea that too few music teachers are spread across too many schools, and that no full-time coordinator oversees the program to set standards and make sure they are met. 

“That students can get out of the music program and not know the difference between an oboe and a saxophone – this is unusual in the civilized world,” said Kevin A. Madden, education director at the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra. 

“We really need to think about giving this program the things its needs to be successful,” Madden said. “There needs to be a vision shared by music teachers. Kids need to have something to shoot for.” 

The district is not to blame for the state of music programs, Madden and others said. Many music programs across California have been decimated since Proposition 13 drastically cut state funding for schools in 1978. 

BUSD public information officer Karen Sarlo said Berkeley music programs have faired better than most. The district offers instrumental and vocal music instruction to all fourth and fifth graders two days a week. In middle schools (grades six through eight) and high school students can participate in a choir, orchestra or jazz band by taking the appropriate music elective. 

Much of the program’s $650,000 budget comes from money earmarked for enrichment programs in the Berkeley Public Schools Educational Excellence Project tax measure, approved overwhelmingly by Berkeley voters in 1994, Sarlo said. 

But McKie said the music program has developed new needs since the measure passed that can only be met by pouring more money into the programs.  

Berkeley schools were reconfigured in 1995. Where there were once K-3 schools, 4-6 schools, and 7-8 grade junior highs there are now K-5 schools and 6-8 grade middle schools. In practice this means the district’s 17 music teachers for grades four through eight are spread across far more schools than they were in the past. To visit the district’s 11 elementary schools and three middle schools many teachers must hit three or more schools in a single day. 

The music program needs more money, more staff and more dedicated space to operate more effectively, said Theresa Saunders, part-time coordinator for the district’s music programs today – when she can find time away from her duties as principal of Jefferson Elementary School. 

“There needs to be a real strategic plan for how the program can move from what it is to what it needs to be,” Saunders said. “Music is not a frill. It is one of the essential things that kids need to know and experience to be whole, healthy people.  

“There’s nothing else in the world like it.”  

Saunders said the music program’s long history in the district, and the fact that it is offered to students at all grade levels in some form, makes it an ideal place for the district to invest more money in arts education. 

“We don’t have arts, dance or visual arts at all grade levels,” Saunders said. “This is what we have.” 

Faced with an estimated $5 million budget deficit for next year, it may come as no surprise that directing additional funding to music is not a top priority for the Berkeley School Board. But board Vice President Shirley Issel said the board recognizes the need. 

“I think it’s widely agreed...that this program needs a director and that its not what we want it to be,” Issel said. “I’m very hopeful that we’ll find the money. I haven’t heard anyone close the door on it.” 

In a dining room turned art gallery, an antique wooden bowl bears a mark distinguishing it from other antiques. It cracked and was then wired back into use by an owner who had come to depend on it. 

“I think most people who go out looking for antiques want something old and something perfect,” said Bonnie Grossman, who runs the Ames Gallery with her husband Sy. “I think there’s beauty in imperfection.” 

A show called “On The Mend” will be running until April 14 and is made up of pre-1920, common household items such as kitchenware, clothing, tools and toys. The pieces, repaired with staples, strips of tin and leather patches bespeak another time when people who lived in rural areas or had few resources would repair goods rather than buy new ones.  

“I like the history that’s unspoken,” Grossman said pointing to a well-worn, handmade rag doll that has a patch of new fabric under its left arm where the seam had torn. “You can just see the child pulling it by the arm until it ripped and someone put gusset under its arm.” 

The Ames Gallery first opened in the back of a friend’s crafts shop on Vine Street in 1970. Sixteen months later the shop sold and the Grossmans moved the gallery temporarily into their home on Cedar Street. “We thought we could keep it going while we looked for another space, but people seemed to like coming here so we stayed.” 

Grossman said in a busy month the gallery will have 10 visitors and in a slow month, none. She said, because of the publications she advertises in, the gallery has a stronger reputation nationally and internationally than it does locally. In fact, she said if there are any local visitors they are usually brought by someone who is visiting from out of state. 

Grossman said the 78 pieces of the On The Mend Show are for sale but it’s rare to find a buyer. She said interest in mended antiques is growing but her collection is still the only one of its kind.  

Grossman holds up a teetering glass that had a broken base that was replaced with a round piece of leather. She gently removes a Blue Willow Ware Platter from its mounting on the wall to show how it had been repaired with lead staples after it had broken in half.  

Grossman is also fascinated in the time and care of some of the repair work. She points to apron hanging on the wall with barely noticeable patchwork. The mender took a great deal of time to match the fabric and laboriously line up the dots in a way in which the pattern would not be broken. 

“To match that minuscule check so you might not notice it’s been patched must have been a painstaking task,” she said. 

Grossman is selective about the mended antiques she shows. “It can be subtle but it has to be thoughtfully repaired with creativity or humor,” she said. 

Grossman has taken repair humor to heart around the house. When a settling crack appeared in the kitchen wall she didn’t have it spackled and painted, instead she hired an artist to come in and paint metal staples over the crack. She is currently looking for a craftsman to replace a broken piece of her marble kitchen counter with brass staples.  

“There’s no way to hide the crack and why would I if I can have a beautiful repair?” she said. 

Grossman said even though the pieces don’t sell very often she will continue to present the On The Mend Show every so often. “Its a favorite of mine,” she said. “I would like people to learn to look at the art and creativity of repair and not always look for the perfect pieces. A wood bowl is a wood bowl, but a wood bowl with a mend is really something.” 

For gallery information and hours, call 845-4949.

SAN FRANCISCO — Two environmental groups sued state and local regulators Tuesday for increasing the amount of dioxin an oil refinery is allowed to release into San Francisco Bay. 

Communities for a Better Environment and San Francisco BayKeeper filed suit in San Francisco Superior Court charging that the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board and the State Water Resources Control Board violated state and federal guidelines on dioxin pollution. 

The regional control board changed the amount of dioxin that the Golden Eagle Refinery, owned by Ultramar Diamond Shamrock, could release into the Bay from 0.14 picograms per liter to 0.65 picograms per liter, and the state board approved the permit.  

The groups say that the Clean Water Act prohibits the weakening of dioxin regulations. 

“The permit has gone through two sets of public hearings – first here in the region, and in the state. The environmental groups made their arguments, and in both cases state attorneys looked at it and disagreed,” said Wil Bruhns, senior engineer at the regional water board.  

“We don’t agree that their interpretation of the law is apropos in this case.” 

The suit is seeking to have the level of acceptable dioxin discharge reduced to 0.14 picograms per liter again. 

“At the end of the day, this is a very disturbing precedent for any hope of restoring water quality in San Francisco Bay and around the state,” said Jonathan Kaplan of San Francisco BayKeeper. “The bay is already so impaired by dioxins that it’s unsafe to eat any quantity of fish caught out of the bay.” 

Dioxin is a highly toxic chemical that can damage the immune system and interfere with hormones.  

The two groups also are concerned that the higher levels of dioxin that can be released will poison fishermen who eat their catches from the bay. 

Shelia Vassey from the state regulatory board declined comment on the matter, saying she had not yet seen the complaint.

In a move that could force power generators to open their books and justify their profits, the state Senate is launching its own probe into whether California’s electricity market has been illegally manipulated to drive up prices. 

Senate leader John Burton, D-San Francisco, will announce the formation of a select special committee Wednesday morning in Sacramento, said an aide to Sen. Joe Dunn, D-Garden Grove, who will serve on the committee. 

It is not unusual for such committees to subpoena records and compel testimony – efforts that energy watchdogs hope will produce evidence proving that a “cartel” of power companies have conspired to gouge California. 

“If they are the crooks they appear to be we need to get them to discuss their behavior in the public’s eye,” said Doug Heller, consumer advocate for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights. 

Burton declined comment other than to say that Wednesday’s announcement concerns “potential manipulation in the energy market,” said his aide, Dave Sebeck. Dunn also wouldn’t comment. 

The power generators have consistently denied any wrongdoing and blamed the high prices on the poor planning of California lawmakers who voted to deregulate the state’s electricity market in 1996. 

The power generators imposed “unjust and unreasonable” charges totaling $555 million during December and January, according to the California Independent System Operator, which runs the state’s electricity grid. 

Even the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, a strong supporter of deregulation, found that wholesalers have been overcharging for California electricity, ordering 13 companies to refund $69 million. 

Attorneys general in California, Washington and Oregon are pursuing similar investigations into the generators’ pricing practices, and U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo, a Democrat from Palo Alto, called Tuesday for the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to launch inquiries as well. 

“There appears to be evidence of price-gouging in the market. If in fact that’s the case, generators deserve to be brought to justice,” Eshoo said Tuesday. 

Much of the outrage over the high prices has been focused on a handful of out-of-state energy companies whose profits doubled and tripled last year as California’s wholesale electricity prices soared. 

They include: Houston-based Dynegy, Houston-based Reliant Energy, Charlotte, N.C.-based Duke Energy, Atlanta-based Mirant, and Tulsa, Okla.-based Williams Energy, which sells power produced by AES. 

The companies entered the California market after a 1996 deregulation law prompted the state’s major utilities to sell their power plants. 

Combined, the out-of-state generators control California power plants with a capacity to produce 17,000 megawatts – slightly more than one-third of the in-state supply. 

At least five lawsuits seeking class-action status on behalf of all Californians have been filed against the out-of-state generators, alleging they colluded to drive up prices by illegally sharing sensitive market information and withholding power to create artificial shortages. 

TAX DEFAULT 

Nine California counties will lose $11 million in property taxes in the next five months because the five energy producers who owe the money say they are due even more from Southern California Edison. 

Some school districts in those counties – Imperial, San Joaquin, Riverside, Alameda, Contra Costa, Inyo, Kern and San Bernardino – said Tuesday the defaults could hurt their ability to finance expansions or repairs. 

More immediate needs, such as teacher pay, are expected to be covered through state programs. But budgets for rural counties such as Inyo were expected to suffer. 

“This has huge potential impact,” said Pat Leary, legislative representative for the California State Association of Counties. “We can put tax liens on the properties, so we will get paid, but those things can take years.” 

The suppliers – FPL Energy LLC, CalEnergy Operating Corp., Caithness Energy LLC, Coram Energy Group and EnXco Inc. – provide environmentally friendly power through sources such as solar, wind or geothermal technology.  

The generators, also called qualifying facilities, or QFs, said Edison’s debt to them is in the hundreds of millions of dollars. 

The problem stems from California’s 1995 attempt at electricity deregulation. Southern California Edison was among big utilities required to buy power through the soaring open market but limited in what rates they could charge consumers. The utilities’ resulting financial straits have spread through the industry’s food chain. 

CalEnergy real estate manager Vincent Signorotti said his company won’t be making $3.8 million of the $4.7 million owed to Imperial County in April. The $3.8 million covers CalEnergy facilities serving Edison, which has not paid the geothermal plants since November, Signorotti said. 

“The whole situation gets more desperate every day,” said Signorotti, whose plant employs 200 and is one of the Imperial County’s top three employers. 

“There is a limit to how long we can go on operating those facilities,” he said. 

More than 1,000 megawatts worth of California QF plants have already been forced to shutter operations for lack of utility payments. Still more have said they will also shut down if they don’t get some payments within the next several weeks. 

School officials said the tax defaults could hurt. 

Calipatria school district business manager Lori Wigg said her Imperial County district recently issued two sets of bonds for projects. The bonds are insured and will be paid, but if the district decides it needs another round of financing, the blow from CalEnergy could hurt its ability to sell bonds at a decent interest rate, she said. 

Other counties said they would be less affected. Riverside County is set to lose more than $195,000 from wind generator EnXco Inc. 

“It’s bad news, but quite honestly it is a drop in the bucket,” said Riverside County treasurer-tax collector Paul McDonnell. “We collect $1 billion a year. It will have no significant effect on our operations.” 

FRESNO — Rural crime fighters in the state’s agricultural heartland are hunting for a gang of thieves who for the last year have absconded with thousands of immature orange, almond and cherry trees. 

Under cover of darkness, the thieves steal into the vast unpatrolled orchards of Tulare, Kern and Fresno counties to dig up hundreds of newly planted saplings and truck them off well before the pre-dawn arrival of farmworker crews. 

“The first time they did it, they took young orange trees from certain parts of the field so you couldn’t tell anything was wrong if your weren’t looking from the road at just the right angle,” said farmer John Yohannes, owner of the 1,000-acre J.A. Ranch just north of Visalia. 

“The second time, they took trees from the middle of the field. Last time, they hit the three last rows from the road,” Yohannes said. 

Altogether, Yohannes has lost about 1,000 trees worth about $10 each, and because he has to wait until next year to replant, he’s also lost at least one year of growing time. 

Since last April, more than 2,000 citrus trees, several dozen cherry trees and a handful of apple trees have been taken from the three counties and over the last six weeks or so about 1,200 almond trees were uprooted from a Kern ranch. 

Rural detectives believe they’re dealing with professional thieves who know their way around a farm. While it’s not clear yet if all the thefts are related, the Kern and Tulare sapling heists do share some common elements. 

All the 1- to 3-foot-tall trees were pulled out of the ground soon after being planted, when the soil around the root systems was soft and easily dug up.  

Also, while the first trees were taken from rows next to roads, the bandits soon learned to removed them from areas and in patterns that tended to conceal their absence from anyone looking into the groves. 

“It was not a crime of opportunity, it was a planned-out theft. They planned out how they wanted to cover their tracks. They probably have (the almond trees) sold already,” said Kern County Sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Lakey. 

Anyone who would take more than a few trees likely has a market for them, maybe in another Central Valley county or in Mexico, because it’s just not that easy to unload 1,200 trees at a pawn shop, Lakey said. Officers have been scouring swap meets and flea markets in the area with no success. 

The theft of saplings isn’t new to the three counties, which account for roughly $9 billion of the state’s $26 billion a year agricultural sector.  

But in the past, trees were mainly stolen in twos and threes by people who’d replant them in their back yards. 

“People have a really distorted view of the farm. They see it along the side of the road and the larceny in their heart comes out. The impulse to load the car trunk up with tomatoes or whatever is more than they can stand,” Lakey said. 

The mass theft of recently planted saplings, however, is something new in all the counties. 

“We have collected evidence at the scenes and all the thefts are pretty similar. Most likely they’re going to be connected to the same individuals,” said Lt. Greg Wright, head of the agricultural crimes unit at the Tulare County sheriff’s office. 

A possible break in the case came when officers in Fresno County arrested Cutberto Jimenez, 52, in May for a heist last year. He was caught after officers discovered about 900 young trees in a small orchard in Fresno County with paint brands that identified them as belonging to a Tulare county farmer. The new owner bought them without realizing they were stolen, and helped detectives track Jimenez down. 

Jimenez pleaded guilty in June to theft charges and was sentenced to 200 days in jail.  

Detectives say they are still looking into the possibility that his crime is connected in some way to the others. 

To protect growers, the Legislature has freed up $3.54 million in grants for area counties, and a $2 million federal grant is financing a high-tech system of computers and surveillance equipment. But many farmers worry that stopping determined criminals may be something beyond the scope of these programs. 

“I don’t really know if there’s any preventative measures to take,” Yohannes said. “The number of trees in this county alone is phenomenal. You can’t get security for all of them.” 

——— 

On the Net: 

Tulare County sheriff agricultural crimes unit: http://userzweb.lightspeed.net/(tilde)agunit/ 

California Farm Bureau Rural Crime Watch: http://www.cfbf.com/crime.htm 

LOS ANGELES — A subsidiary of Texaco Inc. has pleaded guilty to two felony counts of dumping waste into Southern California waterways and has been ordered to pay $4 million in fines, federal prosecutors said Monday. 

Texaco Refining and Marketing Inc. representatives agreed to the plea agreement Monday before U.S. District Judge Margaret M. Morrow in Los Angeles, said Assistant U.S. Attorney William Carter. 

The company also was placed on one year’s probation. 

“It’s the first time TRMI has been prosecuted for water pollution,” Carter said.  

He said $3 million of the fine will be used in environmental protection projects, including repairing the waterways damaged by Texaco. 

Roger Hadley, a vice president of Houston-based Texaco Refining and Marketing, entered the plea and told the judge he had no further comment. 

In one count, Texaco workers at a petroleum refinery in Wilmington failed to properly treat wastewater on Jan. 23, 1995 before discharging it into the nearby Dominguez Channel, which runs from Carson into the Pacific, Carter said. 

The refinery had a permit to discharge wastewater containing oil and grease with up to 15 parts per million. However, inspectors found water with 940 ppm. 

“Inspectors saw sheen on the water and took a sample. They found they were way over that (limit),” Carter said. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state Regional Water Quality Control Board have identified Dominguez Channel as one of the most severely polluted waterways in Los Angeles County. 

In the second count, an employee at a Texaco service station in San Luis Obispo told contractors to dump between 2,000 gallons and 8,000 gallons of petroleum-filled waste into a storm drain that runs into Prefumo Creek, which also flows into the ocean. 

The contractors there used pumps and hoses to remove the waste from an underground storage tank and discharged it into a nearby storm drain on March 11, 1997, Carter said. 

The Associated Press 

EL CAJON — The high school freshman accused of killing two classmates and wounding 13 other people in and around a campus bathroom told investigators he planned to use his last bullet on himself, according to court papers. 

Charles Andrew “Andy” Williams, 15, said he counted out 40 bullets before class, stowed his father’s gun in his backpack and hid in a bathroom stall to load the revolver, investigators said in an affidavit for a search warrant that a judge unsealed late Monday afternoon. 

“He understood that his behavior was wrong and that it would result in injuring or killing people,” Sharon Lunsford, a San Diego County Sheriff’s Department investigator, wrote in the affidavit used to support a search of the apartment in Santee where Williams lived with his father. 

Williams was charged with 28 felonies, including two counts of murder, for the March 5 shooting at Santana High School in Santee, about 15 miles from downtown San Diego. 

The court papers suggest Williams carefully planned the shooting even though he had no specific target.  

He told investigators he planned to run away and kill himself after the shooting but that police and deputies thwarted his plan by arriving sooner than he expected. 

“He said that, while he did not intend to kill any particular person, if someone died, they died,” Lunsford wrote. 

The documents provide few clues to the motive for the shooting.  

Williams told investigators he had made a few friends since moving from Twentynine Palms six months earlier, that the people in Santee were “different” from those he had known before and he was disappointed with school. 

He had begun to skip school and was barred from classes several times because he was late. His father, Charles, told investigators his son had recently started talking back to him. 

The father said he had taken the boy shooting several times and kept other guns in the house in a locked cabinet. 

Lawyers for Williams in the San Diego County public defender’s office declined to comment Tuesday through a spokeswoman, Linda Miller. 

The attorneys are busy researching the case and a possible challenge to Proposition 21, the voter-approved initiative that prosecutors used to charge the boy in adult court, Miller said. 

Under Proposition 21, the San Diego district attorney was obligated to file charges in adult court because Williams is alleged to have committed murder with the special circumstances of lying in wait and killing more than one person, spokeswoman Denise Vedder said. 

The spokeswoman declined to comment on the contents of the affidavit for a search warrant and the sheriff’s department investigator did not immediately return a message left on her voice mail. 

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — Opposition leaders said they would urge the president to invoke a state of emergency to give South Africans with HIV access to cheaper generic drugs. 

That won’t happen, the country’s health minister, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, said Tuesday. Invoking a state of emergency won’t solve the dilemma, she said. 

“The issue of affordable medicines cannot be reduced to a one-dimensional debate on declaring a national emergency to secure anti-retroviral drugs for AIDS management,” she said. 

The intensity of the debate over declaring a state of emergency has shown how divided South Africa – with 10 percent of its 45 million citizens infected with HIV – remains on the AIDS issue.  

By 2010, the average life expectancy rate in South Africa is expected to drop to 36 because of the epidemic. 

A South African law allows the import of cheap, generic medications in the case of a national emergency.  

But it has never been put into force because of a lawsuit filed by many of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. That court challenge has been postponed to April 18. 

Tony Leon, leader of the opposition Democratic Alliance, said he planned to ask during a parliamentary session Wednesday that President Thabo Mbeki to declare a state of emergency. 

The act, which would give the president wide-ranging powers to create new regulations, is not perfect for the AIDS crisis, his spokesman, Anthony Hazell, acknowledged Tuesday. Instead of battling the pharmaceutical firms in court, South Africa should look into narrowing the law to suit the drug firms better, he said. 

“It’s not ideal, because it’s too broad, but it’s all we have at the moment,” he said. 

But at the very least, calling for action would widen debate over how South Africans can gain access to cheaper AIDS drugs, he said. 

Declaring the epidemic a national emergency could prove counterproductive because it would infringe on South Africans’ rights and surround AIDS policy with cumbersome legal requirements, said Zachie Achmat, chairman of the Treatment Action Campaign, which has joined the government in  

the lawsuit. 

Achmat dismissed the opposition group’s move as a political ploy. “The Democratic Alliance is playing games. It is not serious about HIV and AIDS.” 

Achmat’s group is calling for the government to draft a comprehensive treatment plan.  

“We want the government to handle this as an emergency without necessarily declaring it,” he said. 

South Africa’s biggest trade federation, the Congress of South African Trade Unions, on Monday repeated its appeal for Mbeki to declare the epidemic a national disaster. The group, an ally of the ruling African National Congress, first called on the government to declare the epidemic an emergency in August 1999. 

The trade federation accused the Democratic Alliance of “political opportunism” but spokesman Sipiwe Mgcina said Tuesday: “We welcome all the people who are joining the bandwagon.” 

SAN FRANCISCO — Napster Inc., in its quest to appease the recording industry and block access to unauthorized songs, has signed an agreement with a company that maintains an online database with millions of song titles to help identify copyright material. 

Napster announced Tuesday it will lean on music catalog specialist Gracenote to help it weed out copyright music. Berkeley-based Gracenote catalogs music for online information access and software applications. 

Gracenote also catalogs the spelling variants that have proved troublesome for Napster as the song-swap service tries to comply with a federal court injunction to block the trading of unauthorized content. Gracenote’s database of song titles, including misspellings, is about 12 million and is based on user submissions. 

“We’ve been exploring a partnership with Gracenote for months and the ability to quickly enlist their support in our file-filtering efforts will greatly improve our effectiveness,” Napster CEO Hank Barry said in a statement. “We are leaving no stone unturned in our efforts to comply with the court’s injunction.” 

Gracenote normally provides its services as an added feature to desktop music playing software such as MusicMatch and Winamp, popping up artist and song titles on PCs when users insert an audio CD. 

“Our core business is really not helping peer-to-peer networks filter. But it was just a perfect fit,” Gracenote president David Hyman said. 

Although terms of the deal between the two online companies were not revealed, Hyman confirmed that Napster will have full access to Gracenote’s database of music information. 

“Personally, I feel like it’s a great moment in digital music,” Hyman said. “It’s part of the solution that keeps the Napster phenomenon alive.” 

Napster has struggled to comply with an injunction that requires it to block access to certain songs after receiving proper notice from the copyright holders.  

The Recording Industry Association of America, on behalf of its members, submitted 135,000 filenames to Napster last Friday to have them blocked from the file-sharing service. 

A Napster spokeswoman said the company actually received a total of 6 million filenames, including spelling variations, from the recording industry on Friday. That number represented 26,000 artist/song title pairs that Napster claims have been effectively blocked from its service. 

Napster is continually getting more submissions from the recording industry and the screening technology is an “ongoing process,” said Napster spokeswoman Tracy Malakar. 

The RIAA appeared unimpressed by Napster’s progress thus far. 

“We are not going to debate the fine points of the order’s implementation. We believe the court’s intent is clear. Napster is required to stop infringing. Stall tactics are unacceptable,” said RIAA spokeswoman Amy Weiss. 

Napster’s efforts have been slowed somewhat by the large number of misspellings and variants on song and artist names. Some Napster users even have resorted to Pig Latin to sneak their favorite tunes onto the service. 

Spelling variants of artists’ names — “MMetallica” or “etallicaMay,” for instance — have lessened the effectiveness of Napster’s week-old screening technology, the company said. 

——— 

On the Net: 

http://www.gracenote.com 

http://www.napster.com 

http://www.riaa.org 

CHICAGO — Motorola Inc. is eliminating 7,000 more jobs in its cellular phone division, bringing to 16,000 the number of cuts announced at the company over the past three months. 

The world’s No. 2 cell phone maker blamed the latest reductions Tuesday on the cooling economy, which has put a big chill on sales. 

Motorola’s work force has shrunk more than 10 percent since December as it heads toward the end of what it expects to be its first quarter since 1985 with an operating loss. 

The job cuts will take place by summer and will affect manufacturing, engineering and administrative jobs throughout its worldwide cell-phone operations, the Schaumburg, Ill.-based tech giant said. No breakdown was given. Motorola currently employs about 140,000 and has cellphone plants or offices in Illinois, Florida, Mexico, Europe, Asia and elsewhere. 

Todd Bernier, an analyst for Chicago-based Morningstar, said: “It’s a classic case of what’s bad for Main Street is good for Wall Street.” 

Motorola’s latest restructuring began at the end of last year, barely two years after it cut 20,000 jobs and took a $1 billion loss in 1998. 

Motorola was the world’s leading manufacturer of cellular phones until being overtaken by Nokia in late 1998. Its share of the booming global market sank to 13 percent by the end of 2000, according to the Gartner Dataquest research firm. Finland’s Nokia claimed a 34 percent share. 

Motorola had been slow to switch to digital phones and overestimated demand for fancy, expensive phones. 

The company eliminated 2,500 jobs at its cell-phone plant in Harvard, Ill., in January, a month after disclosing 2,870 layoffs in Iowa, Florida and Ireland. Last month, Motorola announced it was eliminating 4,000 jobs from its semiconductor business. 

Leif Soderberg, head of strategy for Motorola’s phone unit, said no further job cuts are planned. 

Industry forecasts for worldwide cellphone sales in 2001 have been scaled back from close to 600 million to the current 475 million or fewer. 

Motorola’s hopes for a recovery hinge on the success of a series of next-generation phones and other products it is introducing starting this month. 

On the Net: 

http://www.motorola.com 

If the City Council and its staff had its way, Berkeley would build all the affordable housing it needs, every house would be linked to the Internet, 126 new folks would join the city bureaucracy, funds would be available for more traffic police and there would be a place available for daily showers for the homeless. 

One of the principle jobs of the council each year is whittling down annual wish lists to fit funding realities. 

There’s little room in future budgets for the people and programs the City Council, department heads, and nonprofit service providers want to fund, cautioned Deputy City Manager Phil Kamlarz. More than 70 percent of Berkeley’s annual $300 million budget goes to fixed personnel costs; and most of the rest goes to fixed programmatic costs, such as sewers or street lighting.  

At last week’s budget workshop, the council approved 8-1 – Councilmember Betty Olds dissented – three expenditures, the last new spending allocations for this fiscal year’s budget.  

The Ecumenical Chaplaincy for the Homeless, which provides food, counseling and shelter to homeless youth among other services, will receive $25,000 to carry it to the end of this fiscal year. A $1,000 grant was awarded to Lamile Perry to send the high school wheelchair athlete to the junior wheelchair games in Australia. There was $5,000 that went to Easy Does It, the nonprofit that provides emergency services to the disabled. The funds will be spent on “assistive devices,” such as lifts to help move a disabled person in and out of bed. It is hoped that this equipment will help some disabled people retain regular attendants so that they use the emergency services less. 

On paper, there’s about $2 million available, Kamlarz said, but in reality that money will be needed over the next few years to prevent the city from going into the red. That’s because the city anticipates less revenue, especially from transfer taxes, as the economy slows down. 

Most of the focus of the budget workshop was on the next two years’ budget. The council engaged in a “brainstorming” session, whose aim is to eventually prioritize council goals. 

Among the funding priorities individual councilmembers tossed into the stew were: traffic enforcement, affordable housing, council chambers upgrades, strategies to get people out of their automobiles, including making bike routes safer; righting the housing-jobs imbalance, so that people who live in Berkeley work here as well; detoxification programs; creating a plan for citizens in case of disaster, including evacuation and shelter; developing solar power, a teen center, helping the high school’s Rebound! program, resolving the problem of the antenna at the new police station that the neighborhood wants removed; and Internet access to seniors. 

At one point, Councilmember Betty Olds was characteristically blunt in her questioning of the usefulness of the exercise. “I consider this silly,” she said. “I’m not going to add anything.” 

Kamlarz said city staff will refine the list and probably turn it back to the council for councilmembers to cast votes on their preferences in order to end up with a final list of council priorities. Councilmember Kriss Worthington objected to this method, saying it leaves the public out of the equation, but Councilmember Polly Armstrong said it was the most rational way to quantify what the council wants to do. 

The council did not delve into the two-year $32 million wish list created by department heads. Kamlarz said they probably won’t discuss these items until May, after the City Manager’s Office has discussed the items with department heads and refined it. It includes over 100 new positions the managers would like to create over the next two years. A few of those include: a building superintendent for city-owned buildings, a half-time public information officer to interface with the media, janitors to maintain civic center, three new traffic enforcement officers and two bicycle officers to patrol San Pablo Avenue. 

Programs managers have listed as funding priorities include: the project to blunt the city’s health disparities, job training programs, upgrading the city’s Internet connection, meal programs, professional training and increases in postage costs. 

The council will next discuss the budget at its March 20 meeting. 

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 

Real Deal Seminar  

12:45 - 1:45 p.m.  

Pacific School of Religion  

1798 Scenic Ave., Mudd 103  

Philip Wickeri will speak on “The New Ecumenism and/or the Real Deal on Interfaith Issues. Bring your lunch.  

849-8229 

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.  

Guitar duo with Devon and Mark.  

Call 644-6107 

Income Tax Assistance  

9 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave.  

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 

Ethics, Genetic Technologies & Social Responsibility 

3 - 6 p.m. 

Townsend Center for the Humanities 

220 Stephens Hall  

UC Berkeley  

What are the social responsibilities of scientists, policy analysts, and citizens in the proposed applications of genetic technologies? Join a panel of experts, including Charles Weiner of UC Berkeley, in attempting to answer this question.  

Scholastic Book Fair  

8 - 9 a.m. & 1:45 - 3:45 p.m. 

Jefferson School Cafetorium  

Acton & Rose  

Reasonably-priced Scholastic books will be sold to promote books and reading and to raise money for the school. Free  

525-7567  

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 Simplicity,” learn about this movement whose philosophy is “the examined life richly lived.” Call 549-3509 or  

visit www.seedsofsimplicity.org  

LGBT Catholics Group  

7:30 p.m. 

Newman Hall  

2700 Dwight Way (at College)  

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender Catholics group are “a spiritual community committed to creating justice.” This meetings discussions will center on Lenten Service. 654-5486 

Harriet Tubman re-created 

3:30 p.m. 

South Branch Library  

1901 Russell St.  

Storyteller and musician Jamie Myrick will present an interactive musical performance which introduces a heroine and her deeds. Information about the secret codes and maps used as part of the Underground Railroad will be shared.  

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  

— compiled by  

Chason Wainwright 

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. 

Dam Them Rivers  

7 - 9 p.m. 

Wheeler Hall, Room 30  

UC Berkeley  

Steve Rothert of American Rivers and Steve Linaweaver of International Rivers Network will discuss the damming of the Nile and the Bujagoli Dam. Free  

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.  

Time Windows  

4 p.m. 

North Branch Library  

1170 The Alameda  

Kathryn Reiss, Oakland author of nine suspense novels for middle school and young adult readers will speak. Free 

649-3943  

Scholastic Book Fair  

8 - 9 a.m. & 1:45 - 3:45 p.m. 

Jefferson School Cafetorium  

Acton & Rose  

Reasonably-priced Scholastic books will be sold to promote books and reading and to raise money for the school. Free  

525-7567  

Evaluate to Motivate  

12:10 - 1:10 p.m.  

California Department of Health Services  

2151 Berkeley Way, Room 804 

The State Health Toastmasters present “Take the Terror Out of Talking!” Session five of six. Free  

649-7750 

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 

Living Philosophers  

10 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Hear and entertain the ideas of some modern day philosophers: Jacob Needleman, J. Revel, Hilary Putnam, John Searle, Saul Kripke, Richard Rorty and others. Every Friday, except holidays. Facilitated by H.D. Moe.  

Free Writing, Cashiering & Computer Literacy Class 

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.  

AJOB Adult School  

1911 Addison St.  

Free classes offered Monday through Friday. Stop by and register or call 548-6700. 

www.ajob.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 

Scholastic Book Fair  

8 - 9 a.m. & 1:45 - 3:45 p.m. & 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. 

Jefferson School Cafetorium  

Acton & Rose  

Reasonably-priced Scholastic books will be sold to promote books and reading and to raise money for the school. Children and adults are invited to wear pajamas for Pamjama-Rama reading night from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.  

525-7567  

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  

Berkeley Folk Dancers Fun Night 

7:45 - 10:45 p.m. 

Live Oak Park Hall  

Shattuck at Berryman  

“The Green Party” Dance  

$5 - $7  

655-3074 

Sunday, March 18

East Bay Men’s Chorus Rehearsal  

6:30 p.m. 

University Lutheran Chapel  

College & Haste  

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. Rehearsal season runs March through July.  

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 

Awareness In Action  

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute  

1815 Highland Place  

Barr Rosenberg will speak on the Skillful Means teachings and practices toward a joyous, energetic, and relaxed approach to work.  

843-6812 

Olds’ first duty is to stand up for her constituents 

Editor: 

In your article on 2/28/01 about UC Berkeley's latest expansion plans for the northeast side of campus, you reported Betty Olds (the council member for District 6, as saying “A lot of the proposals I don't like, but I bow to the inevitable.” As a resident of district 6, this comment is outrageous and unacceptable. This is possibly UC's biggest expansion plan in its history and not only will it have a severe negative impact on my neighborhood (north of campus including “holy hill”), but it will also be felt like an earthquake throughout the city. 

It is the duty of an elected official to defend her constituents against threats to their quality of life. Betty Olds' statement sounds like a betrayal of the trust our community has placed in her. Betty Olds should be taking action to bring the whole community, including representatives of UC, together to talk about our issues and find positive solutions to our problems. Such an action would place Olds in a position of respect and standing in the community. Olds could follow the lead of San Jose council member Cindy Chavez, as an example of this type of leadership. Chavez has organized an annual neighborhood summit on Sat., 3/24, for neighbors in her district and others, to take part in interactive workshops on issues such as traffic calming, neighborhood development, parks and recreation, code enforcement and community leadership. Its all free and even includes complimentary lunch. (Reservations can be made by calling 408-277-5231.) 

At this time of unprecedented threat to our neighborhoods by UC expansion, our councilmembers must draw on their skills, courage and knowledge to help us protect our neighborhoods. We must embrace change, but we should not passively accept changes that are negative and damaging to the character and livability of our city. 

Roger Van Ouytsel 

Berkeley 

Peace will come when people see the real enemy 

Editor:  

There will be peace in the middle-east, some day. And in East Timor and Kashmir and Sri Lanka and Kurdistan and Sudan and Congo and Kosovo and Ireland and Columbia, and all the other places in the world where nation fights nation, tribe fights tribe, neighbor fights neighbor.  

But it will not come from sitting around a conference table with the U.S. President.  

What the U.S. calls “peace” in the middle-east is for the workers and poor to accept the existing situation, that is poverty and exploitation, while the huge oil wealth of the region goes undisturbed into the pockets of the U.S. corporations.  

It is to this end that the United States long-ago armed the Israeli state to the teeth. And more recently recruited Arafat’s PLO as an additional police force.  

Peace will come when enough people understand how the world really works, and are ready to take their share of the responsibility for creating a more humane and democratic world.  

Some day the Israeli soldier, with his rifle, and the young Palestinian, with his rocks, will arrange their own cease-fire. And ask:  

“Why are we fighting each other? Our common enemies are the oil companies, the royal families, the imperialists, the priests, the politicians. They have brought us only misery and exploitation in a region of enormous wealth. Maybe it’s time to turn the guns the other way.”  

Of course, we are a long way from that point. How soon we will get there depends, in part, on us. Whether we will continue to support the great Democratic-Republican-Imperialist swindle, or take some small, serious steps towards building a movement that can eliminate the profit system. So that, some day, there will be peace in the middle-east.  

Marion Syrek 

Oakland 

UC Berkeley needs to practice IPM 

Editor:  

The Gill Tract isn’t the only place to which the University applies the toxic herbicide ‘Roundup’ (Parents Mad Over Herbicide Spraying, Feb. 16).  

Anyone seeking shade under a tree on the UC Berkeley campus ought to think twice. The university sprays the herbicide without even posting warnings. A groundskeeper recently told me “as soon as it’s dry, it’s safe.”  

Irene Hegarty, director of community relations, says it “dissipates into the soil,” and assures us that the College of Natural Resources (i.e. biotech giant Novartis) “believes...there is no danger.”  

Hogwash. The University owes it to the public to be more responsible by implementing an effective, non-toxic Integrated Pest Management system. At the very least, it should post warnings in sprayed areas.  

Philip Batchelder 

Berkeley 

644-1342 

To the Editor; 

The teapot tempest in Berkeley’s Community Enviromental 

Advisory Commission (CEAC) over conflicting interests continues. Berkeley’s attorney has twice declared that senior scientist and general  

radiation booster Gordon Wozniak’s longtime employment at Lawrence  

Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) prevents him from voting on lab pollution issues without the appearance of personal benefit. Refusing to resign, Mr Wozniak is waving a writ from his own lawyer defending the right of public employees to serve in public positions like commissions.  

Unfortunately, this has nothing to do with the problem outlined by the city attorney. Mr. Wozniak is welcome to serve on any public body that is not regularly addressing controversial issues between the city and his employer, where his vote in the lab’s favor will alway’s be suspect. Presently, there are serious enviromental contamination issues with LBNL like their Tritium Labeling Facility, which has been regularly unloading radioactive waste on us in the form of tritiated water for decades.  

After the trees, groundwater and the next- door Lawrence Hall of Science were found to be radioactive enough to qualify for Super-Fund Status, the Berkeley City Council hired an independant science consultant whose first draft report just arrived. The report did not address all the concerns raised by the local watchdog group, the Committee to Minimize Toxic Waste, but it does demonstrate in numerous ways why the Tritium Facility should close immediately . Berkeley is depending on their enviromental commission to translate the report and recommend an appropiate course of action, which probably means huge clean-up and relocation expenses for LBNL and the Dept. of Energy (DOE) who run this circus. Mr. Wozniak claims that he is not rewarded for his 100% pro-Lab votes but I have to wonder whether he would have succeeded aswell as he has if he had joined the growing chorus of scientific voices critical of DOE’s self-serving radiation standards.  

Another CEAC commissioner resigned after the city attorney claimed conflict with his newly elected school board position. I’ve been unable to imagine the school board pittedagainst CEAC over a pollution problem, but I do respect the ex-commissioner’s sacrifice for integrity and less controversy for our enviromental process. It’s time to quiet this teapot .  

Mark McDonald 

(510) 849-1255 

Subject:  

Why Park on the Street? 

Date:  

Tue, 06 Mar 2001 20:26:51 -0800 

From:  

Steve Geller  

To:  

opinion@berkeleydailyplanet.net 

I find it hard to sympathize with BUSD workers or neighborhood residents  

in their complaints about not having enough on-street parking. 

Here are some thoughts I had after reading Wendy Alfsen's letter (3/5). 

Residents with cars should have a parking space on their property. It they 

don't, 

then they shouldn't expect the city to reserve them a free one on the street. 

People working at BUSD or nearby have no more right to the street parking 

than residents do. 

The street is public property, but I suppose people or carpools could be 

leased a parking 

slot for their exclusive use. This would put a price on scarce parking 

resources. 

People working at BUSD really shouldn't be coming by car.  

The area is abundantly served by buses. People who come to work alone, 

carrying minimal baggage, and don't use the car during the day, really 

should be 

using our fine public transit. 

How much stuff do teachers and administrators have to lug with them? Is it 

so much 

that it can't be carried in a briefcase or a knapsack? Even people who 

have chosen to 

live far from transit, can find a parking lot for the car, and walk or ride 

the bus the 

rest of the way. 

I guess I'm biased, because I use the bus and my knapsack to get about 

Berkeley.  

I know it can be done.  

Steve Geller 

2540 College #311 

Berkeley 94704 

913-4682 

Editor:  

There is one thing missing in the ongoing debate over “integrity” and “function”; and that is if Gordon Wozniak is in conflict over his role with the Rad Lab and his civic functions, then why not is Becky O’Malley in conflict with the many things she belongs to vs. city commissions on which she sits like a mother hen.  

Let me give you an example of scientific “integrity”: “The mass poisoning of as many as five hundred thousand German human beings was given to Fermi, who swore (at Oppenheimer’s request) to secrecy within the larger secrecy of the Manhattan Project. This dust was mixed with other dust or liquid, then mixed with strontium 90 (Teller’s formula). “Oppenheimer created this dust with great enthusiasm.” - (pages 510-11 in Richard Rhodes’ book “The Making of the Atomic Bomb” 1988).  

But the Atomic Bomb “worked”, over 30,000 Japanese at Hiroshima (just for starters), so we didn’t have to use Oppenheimer’s dust. Who are we to speak of “integrity”? 

George Kauffman 

Berkeley 

843-7216 

Anne Read Smith  

61 San Mateo Road, Berkeley, CA 94707-2015  

(510) 525-4434 FAX (510) 525-4708  

March 9, 2001  

Dear Editor,  

I think the Emperor has new clothes!  

How can President Bush justify giving back a huge amount of money to the rich when he doesn't have an approved budget in place so he knows how 

much he's going to spend?  

Are we all going to sit back and tell him what a marvelous new suit he's wearing?  

Sincerely,  

Anne Smith  

Subject:  

Bailey misquoted 

Date:  

Fri, 9 Mar 2001 13:58:02 -0800 

From:  

Paul Klein  

To:  

opinion@berkeleydailyplanet.net 

CC:  

fieldings@mindspring.com 

I don't know a pet who isn't thrilled by Bailey the Labrador's run  

for Berkeley City Council, but I do know a few Malamutes,  

Rottweillers, Dobermans, etc who would like to have a word with  

Bailey's owner/guardian/belly scratcher/campaign manager, Doug  

Fielding, for his misstatement of the party platform (Berkeley Daily  

Planet, Forum, 3/9/01). 

There are two animal shelters in Berkeley. One is operated by the  

Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society. The other - the Berkeley Animal  

Care Shelter - is operated by the city. Pets are unanimous in their  

desire to see both supported by the community, but it is the latter,  

the municipal shelter, that must be replaced. Notwithstanding the  

ongoing efforts of its compassionate staff and volunteers, the  

facility is at best a marginally humane physical space for impounded  

pets. So, clearly, Fielding misquoted our candidate when he called  

for a new Humane Society building. 

Cats are singing it from moonlit fences. Dogs are digging up favors  

and fetching votes. Bailey is their man. Or at least their pup.  

His willingness to do the dirty work is apparent, as Fielding pointed  

out, in his scurrying about with the household toilet brush. No  

one's quite sure what it means when he does the same with the  

household's shoes and socks, but all are confident it serves the  

public. 

Again, persons wishing to join the campaign should contact Bailey for  

City Council, 2149 Stuart Street, Berkeley, CA 94705, or email  

fieldings@mindspring.com. 

Paul Klein 

Albany 

510.643.7330 or 510.525.1593 

Subject:  

Bike Path at Aquatic Park 

Date:  

Sun, 11 Mar 2001 13:59:57 -0800 

From:  

Alexandra Yurkovsky  

To:  

news@berkeleydailyplanet.net 

As an Aquatic Park fan, I've been please at some of the attention you've 

given the multi-use park. But I wonder if all of us realize what the new 

bike path on the west side is doing to the view of the horizon (yes, it 

can be seen beyond the cars on the highway), Mt. Tam, the sunset, the 

trees that are being cut down. A Friend of Aquatic Park has assured me 

that the loss of habitat is not affecting the birds, and that the Black 

Crowned Night Heron, for example, has always roosted mostly by the far 

pool near the road to Emeryville and the highway entrance-- but my 

amateur birding observations indicate they've been to an extent 

displaced. And as a biker, I could've found other ways of getting to 

nature trails.... 

Anyhow, I'll probably be sending you an editorial soon, and I plan to 

call the Parks Dept. myself for more info on exactly how much of the west 

side is to be denuded of trees, but I'm hoping you'd also like to do a 

story. A good picture of the fantastic tree silhouettes can be taken from 

Bancroft at Bolivar, or even at Addison or is it Alston at Bolivar, where 

you can contrast the trees w/the growing bridge. 

Thanks for considering this idea. 

Sincerely, 

Alexandra Yurkovsky 

Mr. Worthington: 

Do you have any clout with Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown ? 

Could you possibly use your influence with him to have a larger capacity  

water heater installed in the bowling alley (winter/overflow shelter) at the  

Oakland Army Base to serve the men's (and I presume, women's)  

restrooms/lavatories ? The present one is insufficient to meet the demands  

of the morning rush, and shaving daily with cold water is a most  

disagreeable experience. 

Thank you. 

John W. Bush 

Berkeley has a great reputation as a center of creative thinking, and in his  

letter published 3-9-01, Jan Visser has managed to push the bounds. 

For starters, while I respect Berkeley's decision to change the wording of  

certain laws from 'ownership' to 'guardian', I doubt this will have the  

desired effect of lowering neglect / abuse. Having worked for years at both  

animal shelters and veterinary hospitals, I have found that with those  

people who choose to treat their pet as an object instead of family are very  

loath to change their ways. 

He later statement, decrying "The idea that the president and Congress of  

the U.S. have the right to send young men to die in World War I and II,...  

to force these young men to destroy these countries and the people there,  

after labeling these people anti-American fascists". As I recall of  

history, 1) After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, more people VOLUNTEERED than  

our armed forces could handle, 2) Nazi Germany had done a good job  

supplanting the governments of Poland, Austria, France while massacring  

about 12 million of her own citizens and those of conquered countries, 3)  

many of the European countries attacked & threatened by Hitler requested far  

more help than we offered, and welcomed American troops, 4) Hitler was  

obsessed with the idea of the A-10 rocket, which would carry a large warhead  

from Germany to New York (america), implying that at least the leader of the  

Nazis was anti-American, 5) the Nazi government was, in fact, fascist. 

(I will concede that Korea & Vietnam were likely sizable blunders...  

though China, the USSR, N. Vietnam, & N. Korea were self-labeled communists  

at the time) 

(World War I was just a mess for all countries involved (as though the  

others weren't)) 

As for the state "ordering our children to go to these public schools",4  

words: 'Private School', 'Home Schooling'. 

Or shall our kids not have the abilities to make any sort of living for  

themselves as adults? After all, there are only so many McDonald jobs  

available. 

David Zucker 

Emeryville 

Dear Mr. Banks,  

On February 16, I sent you a letter of complaint that the mail box in front of Walgreens on Allston Way has not been emptied since at least June 5, 2000.  

This is only one of the many cases that first class mail has been destroyed in Berkeley since August 1999.  

Will you please answer the letter and send back my mail because many of the letters are out of date. Among other things, there is a money order for $40.  

There is definite chance that the mail has been destroyed to suppress evidence. If I do not hear from you by March 7, I will press charges with the Federal District Attorney.  

Alfred Hartz, M.D. 

Oakland 

Editor: 

Since the inception of the U.S. Postal Service, no mail is forwarded, not even in Washington D.C. All change of address cards are destroyed. I am then informed in an undated and unsigned letter from Tennessee that my address is still the same. The mail to be forwarded is then destroyed. However, mail addressed to me from overseas is returned to the senders. They got this from the Mexicans.  

In October, 1977 my mail was at least held for three weeks and then delivered after intervention from my German family. The change of address card had allegedly been mis-routed. After that, no more forwarding took place anywhere.  

Postmaster Banks ( “I am big, bad black Berkeley boy Banks” as he introduced himself in 1986) can no longer be reached. He does not have his name on his door, nor does his assistant, secretary, or customer services. Customer service in Oregon give a telephone number that has long been disconnected.  

His very hostile secretary does not give her name. She does not wear a name tag. Her door does not carry her name. She refuses to surrender U.S. Postal Service regulations in defiance of federal law. She asks me pointedly how I got into the office. When I pointed that I came in through the door, the door was locked the next time and the bell was not answered. When I asked for an appointment or a telephone connection, that was denied.  

Banks refuses to answer letters. The postal inspectors no longer send complaint forms. I have asked Representative Lee to have Banks answer my complaint. I have asked Representative Pelosi to see to it that the postal inspectors send the complaint form. I have asked the mayor to hold a public hearing. 

To speed things up, I will contact the FBI. I have already written to the Universal Postal Service in Geneva.  

Alfred Hartz, M.D. 

Oakland 

(no phone #) 

(The following is a letter to Postmaster Banks from Alfred Hartz, who wrote the above letter) 

Museums 

Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm.”An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels like an earthworm, look into a mirrored fish pond, don farm animal costumes, ride on a John Deere tractor and more. $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. Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 647-1111 or www.habitot.org  

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. 2911 Russell St. 549-6950  

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 

Lawrence Hall of Science “Math Rules!” Ongoing. A math exhibit of hands-on problem-solving stations, each with a different mathematical challenge.“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. “Vision,” Through April 15 Get a very close look at how the eyes and brain work together to focus light, perceive color and motion, and process infomation. “T. Rex on Trial,” Through May 28 Where was T. Rex at the time of the crime? Learn how paleontologists decipher clues to dinosaur behavior. “Saturday Night Stargazing,” First and third Saturdays each month. 8 - 10 p.m., LHS plaza. Computer Lab, 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  

Music 

924 Gilman St. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted $5; $2 for a year membership March 16: The P.A.W.N.S., Kill the Messenger, Phoenix Thunderstone, Lesser of Two, Dory Tourette & The Skirtheads; March 17: The Hoods, Benumb, Above The World, Chrome Disorder, Eulogy; March 23: 18 Visions, Walls of Jericho, Time In Malta, Undying, Betray the Species; March 24: Workin’ Stiffs, The Bodies, Strychnine, East Bay Chasers, For the Alliance; March 30: Deathreat, Ahimsa, F*** God In the Face, The Black, Creation  

Is Crucifixion 525-9926  

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

Ashkenaz March 13, 9 p.m.: Creole Belles, dance lesson at 8 p.m.; March 14, 9 p.m.: West Coast Swing AllStars, dance lesson at 8 p.m.; March 15, 9 p.m.: Babatunde Olatunji; March 16, 9:30 p.m.: Samba Ngo; March 18, 5 - 10 p.m.: Aid for Ahmedabad Earthquake Relief Concert featuring Vinyl, New Monsoon, Raja & Srini, plus Henry Kaiser, $20; 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; May 6, 7 p.m.: Berkeley High School Jazz Ensemble 1370 San Pablo Ave. (at Gilman) 525-5054 or www.ashkenaz.com  

Eli’s Mile High Club Doors open at 8 p.m. March 16: Little Jonny & the Giants; March 17: Sugar G; March 23: Carlos Zialcita; March 24: Daniel Castro; March 30: Craig Horton Blues Band 3629 MLK Jr. Way Oakland  

Jazzschool/La Note All music at 4:30 p.m. March 18: Wayne Wallace Septet $6 - $12 2377 Shattuck Ave.  

Live Oak Concert Series All music at 7:30 p.m. March 18: Mark Sanders, flute, David Cheng, violin, Darcy Rindt, viola, Paul Rhodes, cello. Flute quartets of Haydn and Mozart; March 25: Horizon Wind Quartet play music of Mendelssohn, Rossini, Ravel, Ligetti and others All concerts $8 - $10 Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St.  

Cal Performances March 23, 7 p.m. & March 24, 1 & 8 p.m.: “The King Stag: A Tragicomic Tale for the Theatre” by Carlo Gozzi $24 - $46; Zellerbach Hall UC Berkeley. 642-9988 or www.calperfs.berkeley.edu March 11, 3 & 7 p.m.: Burhan Ocal & The Istanbul Oriental Ensemble perform traditional Turkish music $24; March 25, 3 p.m.: Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio perform music of Beethoven, Ravel and Tchaikovsky $32; 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  

Cantor Ramon Tasat: Music of Italian, Turkish & Spanish Jews March 13, 2 & 7:30 p.m. $10 - $20 Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237 

“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 

Za’atar Performance/Community Jam March 15, 7:30 p.m. $14 - $16 Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237 

Berkeley High School Concert Orchestra March 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 

BHS Jazz Ensemble March 23, 7:30 p.m. The spring concert performance from the award-winning jazz ensemble. Proceeds benefit the students who will travel to Europe this summer to perform in Italy and Switzerland. $5 - $8 Florence Schwimley Little Theatre 1920 Allston Way  

Theater 

“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  

“Little Shop of Horrors” 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 Audience Is Onto Us: An Evening of F*cked-up Theatre (of Paranoid Proportions)” March 13 & 14, 8 & 10 p.m. A comedy cabaret-style show with a bizarre and wicked bent. $4 LaVal’s Subterranean Theatre 1834 Euclid Ave. e-mail: laughdamnyou@hotmail.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 

“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 Through 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 

“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  

The Bullfighter & the Lady and Seven Men From Now March 17, 6:30 p.m. Join Budd Boetticher, director of Westerns, who will discuss his career and screen two of his favorites. $7 Pacific Film Archive 2575 Bancroft Way 642-1412 

“Dreamers” March 17 - 24 The American feature film debut of Chinese-born writer/director Ann Lu. The executive producer of the film is UC Berkeley alumnus Peiti Feng Fine Arts Cinema 2451 Shattuck Ave. 848-1143 

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” Call ahead for hours 2028 Ninth St. 841-4210  

“Sugar N’ Spice N’ Everything Nice: Live, Loves and Legacies of Women of Color” March 14 - April 21, Wednesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Opening reception: March 15, 6 - 8 p.m. Pro Arts Gallery 461 Ninth Street Oakland 763-9425 

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. Through April 12, Tuesday - Thursday, 1 - 7 p.m., Saturday Noon - 4 p.m. and by appointment. 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. Through April 7, Wednesday through Sunday, Noon - 5 p.m Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St. 644-6893 

Recent Works of Narangkar Khalsa & Pete Glover Through March 31; Opening reception March 10, 7 - 9 p.m. !hey! Gallery 4920-B Telegraph Ave. Oakland 428-2349  

Readings 

Boadecia’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted March 14, 7 p.m.: Women’s Book Group will discuss “Wicked: The Life & Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” by Gregory Maguire; March 16: Rik Isensee will read from his novel “The God Squad: A Spoof on the Ex-Gay Movement”; March 21, 7 p.m.: Gay/Bi Men’s Book Group will discuss “Lost Language of Cranes” by David Leavitt; 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 13: Patrick McCabe reads “Emerald Germs of Ireland”; March 14: Poetry of Murray Silverstein & Helen Wickes; March 15: Randy Shaw talks about “The Activist’s Handbook: A Primer”; March 18: Poetry of Yvonne Cannon, Lara Gularte, Richard Rocco; March 19: Jean Rouverol talks about “Refugees From Hollywood: A Journal of the Blacklist”; March 21: Poetry of James Schevill; March 25: Poetry of Beverly Matherne & A.J. Rathbun; March 28: Poetry of Craig Van Riper & Jaime Robles; April 4: Poetry of Carole Simmons Oles & Matthew McKay; April 11: Poetry of Kurt Brown & Al Young 2454 Telegraph Ave. 845-7852  

Easy Going Travel Shop & Bookstore All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted March 13: 40th Anniversary of the Peace Corps, learn the challenges of alternative international travel, work, and life; March 15: Lecture and demonstration by Philip Smith, editor of the “Gerardus Mercator’s 1595 Historic Atlas” of cartography, “Octavo” Editor Philip Smith will discuss the history of the Mercator Atlas; March 27: Travel writer Edward Hasbrouck, author of “The Practical Nomad” will provide essential tips, advice, and consumer skills for the independent traveler; March 29: Katherine Widing, author of “Cycling France” will give a slide presentation/talk on just that 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 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 

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 

Holloway Poetry Series March 13, 8 p.m.: Brenda Hillman, author of many books of poetry including “Loose Sugar” will read. Sponsored by the Department of English of UC Berkeley. Free. Maude Fife Room (315) Wheeler Hall UC Berkeley 653-2439 

“Slam the Prisons” April 6, 6 p.m. - 1 a.m. A benefit for prison activism featuring Tang, Company of Prophets, Sheryl D. Mebane and many others. Proceeds benefit the defense of New Afrikan political prisoner Khalfani X. Khaldun and the Prison Activist Resource Center. $10 La Pena Cultural Center 3205 Shattuck Ave. 898-0431  

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 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 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 

City Commons Club Lecture Series Fridays, 12:30 p.m. $1 general Students Free March 16: Paul H. Young, Jr. retired foreign service officer, will present “A Pilgrim’s Visit to Athos”; March 23: Guy Colwell, master painter of Nasters, will speak on “Using Painting to Teach Art History”; March 30: Jana Grittersova, professor of International Relations, UC Berkeley will speak on “The European Union - Integration and Expansion” Berkeley City Club 2315 Durant Ave. 848-3533 

A handful of employees from the city’s Public Health Department and volunteers gather at YMCA on Allston Way Monday to put together safe sex packages that include condoms and information on HIV and AIDS. On Friday evening, they will be handing out the  

packages at the downtown Berkeley BART station as part of the city’s Condom Availability Program.  

With less than a month left before 73 Berkeley High students leave for Cuba, the race is on to prepare the students for what could be a once in a lifetime experience. 

“We’re in a full-blown education process,” said Rick Ayers, coordinator of the Communication Arts and Sciences Program (CAS) at Berkeley High. “We don’t want them to go just as tourists. We want them to have some grounding.” 

The Berkeley students have spent the last several months organizing bake sales, car washes and concerts to raise more than $30,000 of the trip’s $120,000 cost.  

“It was one of the hardest things we had to do, but also the biggest community building,” Berkeley High student Portia Boni told the Berkeley School Board last week. 

Now comes the really fun part: getting ready to go. 

In addition to watching videos and reading books the students meet every other week for lectures from Cuba experts.  

They’ve not only read a guide book to prepare for their trip, but heard from its author, Christopher Baker, who traveled thousands of miles across Cuba on motorcycle. 

Monday morning the students heard from Tiffany Mitchell, associate director of The Caribbean Project at Georgetown University and an expert on race relations inside Cuba. 

Compared to the United States, Cuba is a very racially integrated society, Mitchell told the students. But integration on the surface masks some disturbing racial inequalities, she said.  

Poverty weighs disproportionately on Cubans of African descent, Mitchell said. Afro-Cubans often tend to have lower salaries and live in subpar housing. They are less likely to participate in higher education and are underrepresented in government and other institutions, Mitchell said. 

Mitchell’s lecture provided a welcome opportunity to view race and racism outside of the U.S. context, students said afterward. 

“Our only case study in the United States,” said senior Gabe Zeldin. “It’s really interesting to see that we’re not the only ones who struggle with this problem.” 

Sophomore Deborah Ortiz, whose godmother is Cuban, asked Mitchell about pressures to “marry white” in Cuba as a way moving up in society. Mitchell confirmed her suspicion, using anecdotes from her own experiences to show how status and race go hand and hand in Cuban. 

“No race problem in any country is the same,” Ortiz said after the lecture. She said she looks forward to discussing race and racism with Afro-Cubans themselves.  

“I want to ask them, ‘How do you see it on a day to day basis?’” Ortiz said. 

During their two week stay in Havana and rural areas nearby the Berkeley students will visit schools, hospitals and museums. They’ll make videos and prepare reports on Cuba’s health and education systems to share with their fellow Berkeley High students when they return, Ayers said.  

They’ll also lay the foundations for future trips by establishing relationships with groups of Cuban students and professionals, said CAS history teacher Tom Kordick. 

“We’re trying to do more experiential learning because we find that kids respond a lot more when they’re out of the classroom,” Kordick said of the trip.  

“In some cases they’re life-changing experiences. These trips help kids decide what they want to do with their lives.” 

Dr. Gary Bacon, a teacher at Los Altos High School on the Peninsula led twenty students on a trip to Cuba last February to study U.S foreign policy as it relates to Cuba. He said students had a hard time overcoming common U.S. stereotypes of communist societies until they’d spent a few days on the ground in Cuba. 

“Even though they went there having done a lot of reading and research they were still surprised,” Bacon said. “In Cuba there are no homeless. Everybody had a job, everybody had health care, everybody had education.” 

“We could go anywhere and do anything...What students basically saw people going about their lives in a very happy way.” 

Ayers said he expects some Berkeley High students to be surprised that Cubans live happily without so many things Americans take for granted. 

“They just don’t realized how much wasteful consumption fills up our day,” Ayers said.  

“History is written by winners... and the bad witch is old.” 

— Child, interviewed on “The Goddess Remembered” Public Broadcasting Stations. 

March is National Women’s History Month, a time for re-examining and celebrating the wide range of females’ contributions and achievements. 

The month is of special significance to senior citizens and those who care about and for us. Records still omit the history of females, and when something is noted, it is often distorted. The majority of senior citizens and caregivers are women.  

Herstory was coined to emphasize that women’s lives, deeds and participation in human affairs have been neglected or undervalued in standard histories. I asked at random several well–known local women how they have grown through feminism – belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes – and how they have coped, or sometimes, not.  

For some, like 87–year old professional librarian and educator Betty Bacon, feminism is a lifestyle reflecting her attitudes and values. She declares that “feminism has greatly influenced me by the fact that it is something on which I rely. It has been a part of my person and of my life.” Betty has served extensively on her tenants’ association executive committee. Her book, “How Much Truth Do We Tell the Children?: The Politics of Children’s Literature” was published in 1988.  

When I asked 71–year old award–winning novelist and playwright Dorothy Bryant about herstory, she responded heartily, “Do women and men grow through feminism? Or does feminism grow through us? My grandmother and my mother knew very well that women didn’t get a fair shake, but they couldn’t act to change anything (wouldn’t have dreamt of it!). They did what they could, which was to pass their consciousness on to me, along with exhortations to make myself independent enough to act. I took a step beyond them, and I think my tiny step helped contribute to the big leaps by younger women in the 1970s. Now we need more women and men to stop the backlash, and go on growing toward deeper feminism.”  

Joyce Jacobson and Joanna Ok Yone Selby mentioned denial of equal rights in the area of credit. “My former husband claims we were divorced because I became a feminist. In 1971, I couldn’t get credit in my own name because of the now–illegal practice of requiring a male relative to co–sign. I can go on and on about feminism – a subject dear to my heart.”  

Aware of her feminist responsibilities, Joyce was a founder of the Oklahoma City National Women’s Political Caucus, and recently accepted appointment to the Alameda County Advisory Commission on Aging, serving on its Legislative Advocacy Committee. Joanna was born in Korea in 1931, “...somewhat different from the rest of the young women. As my mother always said, dowry can be exhausted but acquired knowledge will stay with you. So I always felt (being a) housewife was not my future. I went to the Ewha Women’s University in Seoul and took course of political science.”  

She said she lived during the Korean “antiquated” concept of male superiority over women, and the years of war and post–war survival that impinge on females inordinately. “So I became a feminist and independent without relying on anyone else.”  

Today Joanna volunteers in behalf of seniors, chairing the Alameda County Advisory Commission on Aging.  

Pat Cody concentrates her activism on health, in particular, DES (Diethylstilbestrol) mothers and daughters. DES was a drug given to women in risk of miscarriage. 

Co–founder of Cody’s Books, she now serves as DES Action Program Director. Pat said she considers the feminist movement “critical in the development of the women’s health network. That in turn provided the support and model to develop DES Action, a consumer group for those exposed in utero to DES and their mothers.”  

Another activist is 81–year old Charlotte Lichterman, who works as NOW Treasurer and League of Women Voters Consultant for Reproductive Choice. Having grown up in a “very traditional orthodox Jewish family where the father was the dominant figure, I went on to life in an all–male family – one husband and 2 sons – again, the father was the dominant figure.” Shy, quiet and retiring, it took many years of toil in behalf of human rights to imbue Charlotte with courage to speak up in public and eventually to run for a School Board seat. “That election changed my life. For the first time I recognized my own worth and the ways in which women were denigrated.” Status–of–women and reproductive choice in particular have been her feminist focus ever since.  

Fulbright Scholar and UCB Lecturer in Human Rights, 72–year old Rita Maran reports that “a great deal of my work inside the university and out among grassroots organizations marks the point of convergence of feminism and human rights, spoken of globally as ‘women’s human rights.’ Whether in Bosnia, Argentina, or Indonesia, women’s struggles for peace and human rights face sky–high obstacles.”  

In contrast, 75–year old UC Berkeley Professor of Anatomy Marian Cleeves Diamond says she “grew before feminism, because I had a mission that I wished to pursue. Having direction certainly helps through the rough spots.”  

Helen Rippier Wheeler is a feminist senior who teaches a women studies class in the Berkeley Adult School Older Adults Program; her book, A Guide to the Literature of Women and Aging, is available in the Berkeley Public Library. She can be reached at pen136@inreach.com 

SAN FRANCISCO — Napster Inc. said Monday it is doing its best to block all those copyright songs that once flowed freely on the company’s service, including tunes by the heavy metal band Metallica. 

But what about songs by “Metalllica,” or “MMetallica,” or “Etallicamay?” 

Spelling tweaks such as those have infiltrated Napster’s new screening technology. Nonetheless, Napster CEO Hank Barry says his company is simply following the law as it tries to fend off a copyright infringement suit filed by the recording industry. 

“I’m happy to say that I think Napster is complying with the injunction both in letter and in spirit,” Barry told reporters Monday in a conference call. But he downplayed the effectiveness of Napster’s new screening technology as a “work in progress.” 

Some songs are still slipping through the cracks, while other titles haven’t been submitted by the recording industry in a format that Napster can easily block, Barry said. 

The Recording Industry Association of America, on behalf of its members, submitted 135,000 filenames on Friday that Napster was to block from its file-sharing service. 

But as soon as the screening technology started making a dent in online song trading, crafty Napster users began misspelling band and song titles to circumvent the block. Other services popped up on the Internet with various solutions to the screening barrier, including several online Pig Latin translators that turn Britney Spears into “Itneybray Earsspay.” 

Barry said some 50 percent of the list presented to Napster by Sony was flawed and gave the Redwood City-based company no way to comply with the injunction. 

Of 96,000 artist/title pairs given to Napster by Sony 46,000 contained no specific filenames to block, Barry said. 

“In the database, they give us the artist and they give us the title and then the field where it’s supposed to say filename it says ‘null’ ” Barry said. “So we think that that’s a clear violation of the terms of the injunction.” 

A spokeswoman confirmed Monday the recording industry had sent song information and filenames to Napster. 

“We have not seen they’re compliance plan,” said RIAA spokeswoman Amy Weiss. “We have no reason to believe that they won’t comply with the court’s order.” 

Napster was due to file documents in court late Monday detailing the company’s efforts to follow the injunction. 

Barry also said Napster has held some discussions with Gracenote, a Berkeley-based company that provides an online database of millions of song titles and artists.  

Gracenote, formerly know as CDDB.com, could offer a comprehensive way for Napster to track those that major record labels seek to remove from the song-sharing service

Union workers of the University of California's research labs and other facilities are striking in San Francisco today to protest wages they say fall far below the “living wage.” 

Allison Brown, local chapter president of the University Professional and Technical Employees union, estimates that between 50 and 60 people are striking in front of the UC San Francisco campus on Parnassus Avenue.  

“What this is is an unfair labor practice one-day strike,” Brown said from the event. “We're telling the university that they need to get back to the bargaining table (and) start bargaining in good faith.” 

Brown said a typical animal technician at UCSF deserves to make the “living wage” of $14.50 an hour. Instead, she said, they average between $10.35 and $11.35 and hour, “and some of them not even that.” 

Brown said strikers will be at the campus throughout the day. She expected a total of about 125 members from her union alone, adding that other unions, including the Teamsters, were present to show solidarity. 

Wallace Ravven, spokesman for UC San Francisco, gave a much lower estimate of the number of picketers at Monday's event. 

“The number of picketers at the peak was about 30 or 35,” he said. Ravven added the strikers were mostly technical staff, and “did not interfere with patient care in any way” at the UCSF facility. Today's strike comes after 10 months of failed contract negotiations between the university system and the union. 

SACRAMENTO — A Republican lawmaker said Monday he’s prepared to sue Gov. Gray Davis if he doesn’t release records showing how much power the state has purchased and how much it paid. 

Assemblyman Tony Strickland requested the information from the state Department of Finance earlier this month, but was told it didn’t have the documents. 

Strickland said he has sent a second request to state Controller Kathleen Connell, the Department of General Services and the Department of Water Resources, which makes the power purchases. 

“This is particularly surprising since the governor’s requests for more spending authority are all signed by Department of Finance officials,” said Strickland, R-Thousand Oaks. 

The Davis administration has committed $3.7 billion in taxpayer money to buy power for customers of Pacific Gas and Electric and Southern California Edison since early January. The utilities, who say they are nearly $14 billion in debt due to high wholesale electricity costs, have been denied credit by wholesalers. 

Davis has refused to release details of the power buys, saying it would place state negotiators at a competitive disadvantage. 

“Mr. Strickland’s proposal is similar to showing your opponent your cards in the middle of a card game,” said Davis spokesman Steve Maviglio. “It will result in higher electric rates for California consumers, which is in direct conflict with everything the governor is doing.” 

Strickland said he doesn’t believe it would drive up the prices the state will pay for power. Californians should know what they’re getting for their money, he said. 

Maviglio said details on the contracts will be released six months after they’re signed. 

Several news organizations, including The Associated Press, have filed requests for the information under the state public records act. 

The state has pledged to buy one-third of the power Edison and PG&E customers use, and plans to spend upward of $10 billion on it over the next decade. 

The Davis administration plans to issue revenue bonds in May to cover the costs; the bonds will be repaid by Edison and PG&E customers over several years. 

The state Public Utilities Commission is now reviewing whether the utilities’ rates are sufficient for the state to recoup its costs, or whether a rate increase is needed. 

In addition to Edison’s and PG&E’s financial troubles, the state has been struggling with high natural gas costs and a tight power supply, due in part to power plant maintenance and scarce hydroelectric power. 

California started the week with enough power to avoid declaring an electricity alert Monday. 

Lawmakers and Davis are considering several plans to help the utilities regain their financial footing, including purchasing their transmission systems to give them much-needed cash. 

Davis announced a tentative deal with Edison late last month to purchase the utility’s transmission system for $2.7 billion to help the company pay its bills. 

Negotiations continue between the state and executives from PG&E and the state’s third investor-owned utility, San Diego Gas & Electric, over the purchase of their power lines, Maviglio said. 

The University of California and California State University systems are seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent Enron Energy Services, Inc., from changing its contract to deliver electrical power. 

The motion for the injunction, filed late Friday, accuses Enron of seeking to change its contract a year before it expires. The university systems signed a four-year deal with Houston-based Enron in 1998 for the electricity and other services. 

Enron spokeswoman Peggy Mahoney said Monday the company will “continue to honor all terms of its agreement, including all financial terms” with the university systems. 

The motion claims Enron hopes to return UC and CSU to the electrical power distribution, scheduling and billing systems of Pacific Gas and Electric and Southern California Edison, and that such a move would allow Enron to sell power previously intended for the universities on the spot market at a higher price. 

“A move by Enron to escape the requirements of the UC-CSU contract would mean higher profits for Enron, but it has the potential for costing California students, parents, and taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in additional expenses,” Joe Mullinix, UC senior vice president for business and finance, said Monday. 

But Mahoney stressed that Enron officials have no plans to resell any power intended for the two university systems. 

UC’s annual electric bill is about $87 million and its natural gas bill is about $26 million. CSU annually pays about $40 million for electricity and $20 million for natural gas. 

ENERGY CRISIS DEVELOPMENTS 

• President Bush is considering replacing Curtis Hebert, the chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, just two months after he appointed him, according to government sources. Bush is said to be planning to nominate Pat Wood III, chairman of the Texas Public Utility Commission, to the commission with the intention of making him chairman. 

• Baltimore-based Constellation Power Source signs a 10-year, $3.6 billion deal to provide power to California. The company’s headquarters are more than 2,700 miles from California’s state capital of Sacramento. 

• Assembly Speaker Robert Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, appoints a subcommittee to focus on natural gas supplies and prices. 

• An Assembly committee approves a bill that would require new power plants to offer their electricity to California first. The bill’s author Assembly Speaker Robert Hertzberg says the bill will increase the state’s electricity supply. Assemblyman John Campbell calls it a protectionist measure and would encourage other states to hoard power. The bill now goes to the full Assembly. 

• The Senate Appropriations Committee passes a bill to expedite power plant approval. The measure by Sen. Byron Sher would allot $50 million for rebates for small renewable energy systems. SB28x also allows local governments to keep 100 percent of the property tax revenue from new power plants and shortens the public comment period from 90 to 45 days during the California Energy Commission approval process. The bill now goes to the Assembly. 

What’s next: 

• The Davis administration continues negotiations with Edison, PG&E and San Diego Gas & Electric over the governor’s plan to buy their transmission lines to help Edison and PG&E pay their debts. 

• The Legislature considers dozens of bills to encourage energy conservation, increase alternative power and streamline power plant siting. 

• The California Public Utility Commission meets Thursday to consider whether to prohibit PG&E and Edison from laying off about 3,000 workers. The utilities say it could help them cut costs and ease their $14 billion debt. A PUC administrative law judge says the layoffs could cause response times to customer outages to suffer. The PUC will also discuss restructuring the interruptible customer program. The program gives big electricity users a discounted rate in return for shutting down their power when the state is short of electricity. After January’s rolling blackouts, the PUC froze the program and said PG&E and Edison could no longer fine interruptible customers for not complying. 

On the Net: 

The California Independent System Operator www.caiso.com 

LOS ANGELES — An Algerian national accused of conspiring to bomb Seattle and other cities during millennium celebrations went on trial in federal court Monday and most prospective jurors said they already knew about the case from media reports. 

Ahmed Ressam, 33, sat with a slight smile on his face as he listened to the jury prospects’ responses through earphones in which the proceedings were translated. 

Only one prospect in the first group brought in for questioning asked to be excused because of fears involving terrorism. The man said he was a federal worker handling parcels and became frightened at the time of the Oklahoma City federal building bombing. He said he would prefer not to serve on the case and was excused. 

U.S. District Judge John Coughenour said he would screen an initial 36 prospects before attorneys could begin using peremptory challenges to remove some of them. 

The prospects had already filled out lengthy questionnaires, seen only by the lawyers and the judge, which gave indications of how they felt about the case and provided details of their own backgrounds. 

Those questioned in the initial group included several with law enforcement backgrounds or with law officers in their families. A probation officer passed the first round of questioning, as did a woman who works as a medical transcriber at a prison hospital. 

Defense attorneys asked prospects if they spoke foreign languages or if they would be prejudiced because the defendant does not speak English and is a foreigner. All said they had no problem with Ressam’s origins. 

One woman was excused from the panel after she declared that she was a deeply religious daughter of a policeman and believed that “right is right and wrong is wrong” and there is no gray area. She said she also believed she was biased in favor of law enforcement witnesses. 

The trial began under heavy security, with metal detectors at both the entry to the building and again outside the courtroom. Federal officers patrolled outside and dogs sniffed packages and briefcases being brought into the building. 

Ressam, said to be a graduate of Osama bin Laden’s training camp for terrorists, is accused of entering the state of Washington aboard a ferry from Canada with a car loaded with bomb making materials. His intention, authorities say, was to set off explosions that would kill hundreds at U.S. millennium celebrations. 

The arrest was a factor that motivated Seattle officials to cancel celebrations at the Space Needle. 

Federal prosecutors say the arrest exposed an international terrorist plot that has resulted in three other arrests in Washington, Montreal and New York. 

Richard A. Clarke, the National Security Council adviser in charge of counterterrorism at the time, has said that bin Laden planned to hit U.S. targets worldwide in the first days of 2000 causing hundreds of casualties. 

“What if January last year had started with 1,000 Americans dead at six or seven locations around the world?” Clarke has said. “We came very close to having that happen.” 

He said that attacks were thwarted by arrests including the apprehension of Ressam by customs authorities at Port Angeles, Wash. on Dec. 14, 1999. Authorities believe that Ressam planned several West Coast attacks at the New Year. 

Bin Laden, who lives in Afghanistan, is a Saudi millionaire and the alleged mastermind of the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed 224 people. Authorities have linked bin Laden to the Oct. 12 bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen, when two suicide bombers detonated their explosives-packed boat next to the warship as it refueled in Aden, killing 17 U.S. sailors and wounding 39. 

Terrorism experts say Ressam and several others implicated with him in the millennium plot trained in Afghanistan camps where bin Laden’s Al Qaida group develops terrorists. 

Ressam’s federal trial was transferred to Los Angeles because of widespread publicity in Washington state. 

He is currently on trial in absentia in France where prosecutors allege he was part of a group that bombed a Paris subway in 1996 and more recently was the Montreal link in a network that supplied false passports and documents to Islamic militants worldwide.

SACRAMENTO — A quarter-century after his mother was shot to death in a Carmichael bank, Jon Opsahl wants a former fugitive and others charged with the killing. 

“The real people that committed the crime should be held accountable in a criminal court,” said Opsahl, 41, one of the four children of Myrna Opsahl. She was killed while depositing church donations at Crocker Bank in 1975 during a bank robbery allegedly committed by the Symbionese Liberation Army, the group that kidnapped newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst in the 1970s. 

Opsahl started talking to prosecutors and victims’ advocates after the 1999 arrest of Sara Jane Olson. Olson, formerly Kathleen Soliah, is alleged to have taken part in an SLA plot to kill Los Angeles police officers with pipe bombs in 1975. 

Opsahl said he didn’t know about the evidence until after Olson was arrested. And now he is believes Olson and others should be charged with her death. 

“My outrage started just last summer,” said Opsahl, a doctor at Loma Linda University Medical Center.  

“Twenty-five years after we were told that there was no physical evidence, we find out there is all kinds.” 

Investigators matched pellets taken from Myrna Opsahl’s body to ammunition found in a San Francisco area house used by the SLA, Opsahl told The Sacramento Bee for a story published Monday. Additionally, he said, authorities recovered money from the robbery and clothing used in the heist. 

The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office reopened its investigation several times over the years, but after each review determined there wasn’t enough evidence to file charges in Myrna Opsahl’s death. 

In February, the FBI and Sacramento County Sheriff said they would re-examine the evidence. 

Hearst has linked the Carmichael robbery to the SLA. She wrote in a 1982 book about her SLA kidnapping that Olson and five others were involved in the Carmichael robbery and Emily Harris shot Myrna Opsahl. 

Harris, who was convicted of kidnapping and paroled in 1982, lives under a new name in Southern California. 

Olson attorney Stuart Hanlon said there’s no evidence linking Olson to the killing. 

“Until that changes, there’s not much to say,” the San Francisco lawyer said. 

Olson, a federal fugitive for 24 years, faces trial in April on attempted murder charges of planting pipe bombs under two LAPD police cars. The bombs didn’t explode. 

In February, attorney J. Tony Serra said the defense does not concede that Olson was a member of the SLA. 

“We’re not here to defend the ideology or political strategy or activities of the SLA,” he said in arguing against the admission of some evidence at one pre-trial hearing. 

But it wasn’t until Olson’s arrest that Opsahl began his quest for answers. 

“Our way of dealing with it was to put on the stiff upper lip, stay with routine,” said Opsahl, who was 15 when his mother was killed. He has now posted a Web page on his mother’s case.

NEW YORK — Investors alarmed by a series of warnings from high-tech companies pummeled stocks Monday, sending the Nasdaq composite index skidding below 2000 for the first time in 27 months and slicing more than 400 points from the Dow Jones industrial average. 

The extent and speed of the selloff stunned even investors who have become accustomed to the bearish atmosphere that has pervaded Wall Street for months. Monday’s losses extended a selloff that began last week when tech bellwethers Yahoo!, Intel and Cisco Systems said the weak economy will hurt business in the coming months. 

“I’m not going to jump out any windows ... but this is significant,” said Jim Jordan, a Lexington, Ky., marketing executive who estimates he’s lost as much as $200,000 recently. “I’m going to ride out the storm, though.” 

The selling spilled over to blue chips that lately had escaped investors’ fury. The Dow fell 436.37 to 10,208.25, a 4.1 percent decline, leaving it nearly 13 percent off the closing high of 11,722.98 it reached Jan. 14, 2000. 

While the decline was the Dow’s fifth-biggest point loss, it was not even among the index’s top 25 percentage drops. The index managed to recover from a decline of 477 points shortly before the close. 

Wall Street’s broadest measure, the Standard & Poor’s 500, plunged 53.26 to 1,180.16 for a loss of 4.3 percent. The S&P has lost nearly a fourth of its value since its closing high of 1,527.46 reached March 24 last year. 

Losses were widespread, reflecting investors’ worries that technology stocks are still overpriced and might take a while to recover because of the weakened economy. 

Cisco dropped as Wall Street continued to react to the networking company’s announcement Friday it will trim several thousand jobs because of soft demand for its products. Cisco was off $1.81 at $18.81, a nearly 9 percent loss. 

Investors also sold off Intel, down $1.69 at $27.75, and Microsoft, down $4.75 at $51.94. 

“The Nasdaq is in a freefall and every time you try to time the bottom of this market, you get your head handed to you,” said Bill Barker, an investment consultant with Dain Rauscher. 

The Dow fell along with its technology components, which include Intel and Microsoft, but stocks considered less risky investments in times of economic weakness also declined. Merck fell $1.54 to $74.15, while Philip Morris dropped $2.15 to $49.60. 

Financials suffered, among them J.P. Morgan, down $3.46 at $45.49. 

Barker said the market’s decline is the result of several factors, including disappointment that the Federal Reserve isn’t lowering rates more aggressively. Margin calls might be another factor, as the sinking market forces investors to sell stocks to repay brokerage loans. 

The biggest reason, however, is frustration over the fact that there’s no apparent end to weak earnings.  

With the end of the first quarter approaching and earnings warnings season beginning, the bad news may just be starting. 

“We just don’t have anything to look forward to,” Barker said. “The interest rate cut we’ll get later this month has already been factored into stock prices. The tax bill will probably get hung up in the Senate. And this bad earnings news keeps coming.” 

Analysts have been saying for weeks that the market’s tumble appeared to be over, but the intensity of the market’s negative feeling Monday showed that it’s impossible to predict when the market will bottom. 

“People are pitching stocks over the side no matter what,” said Peter Anderson, chief investment officer at American Express Financial Advisors. 

There was scattered buying in after-hours trading. But most investors appeared to be staying on the sidelines. 

“I’ve lost about 20 to 25 percent of my investments,” said Tim Penning, a 37-year-old public relations director in Grand Rapids, Mich. “I do feel a little worried but I’m constantly being told by my broker and friends that I’ve got plenty of time before I’ll need this money, and not to get upset.” 

Declining issues outnumbered advancers 4 to 1 on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated volume came to 1.45 billion, compared with 1.28 billion Friday. 

The Russell 2000 index fell 15.25 to 458.40, a 3.2 percent loss. 

Overseas, Japan’s Nikkei stock average lost 3.6 percent. Wall Street’s decline was also felt in Europe: Germany’s DAX index closed down 2.5 percent, Britain’s FT-SE 100 fell 1.5 percent, and France’s CAC-40 slipped 2.4 percent.

MOUNTAIN VIEW — Hand-to-hand combat in the booming market of personal digital assistants escalated a notch Monday. 

Handspring Inc. introduced a sleek, metal-encased PDA to directly compete with Palm Inc.’s top-selling Palm V. 

The Visor Edge is Handspring’s first slim-design handheld device. It is .44 inches thick, 4.7 inches tall and 3.1 inches wide, and weighs 4.8 ounces. 

The Mountain View-based company, founded in 1998, makes electronic organizers that run on the same operating system as Palm Pilots.  

But, until Monday, its line of devices were thicker and vastly different from Palm devices because they came only in colorful plastic cases and featured expansion slots that allow users to turn the devices into digital cameras, mobile phones, MP3 music players and other things. 

The Visor Edge comes with a detachable slot that is compatible with existing expansion modules. 

“Up until now, everyone who wanted a Springboard slot went with a Visor, and everyone who wanted thin-and-light went with a Palm V, and now Handspring has come directly after the Palm V marketplace,” said Jerry Purdy, an analyst with Mobile Insights. 

Palm has been the undisputed leader in the market for handheld organizers, enjoying more than 70 percent of all sales in the category.  

The handheld computer industry is predicted to grow an average of 28 percent a year through 2004, according to Cahners In-Stat Group. 

But Palm has been making strides to remain competitive as Handspring and other PDAs using Microsoft’s CE operating system cut into its territory. 

In December, Palm officials said the company would be coming out with new models early this year, featuring expansion slot options similar to those offered now by Handspring. 

Handspring’s Visor Edge features a monochrome display and comes in silver, blue and red anodized aluminum cases. It has 8 megabytes of memory and runs on a 33-megahertz Motorola processor. It is priced at $399. 

The new products are available immediately on Handspring’s Web site and will be available in stores by the end of the month. 

On the Net: 

http://www.handspring.com 

http://www.palm.com

WASHINGTON — Hispanics now rival non-Hispanic blacks as the country’s leading minority group, a phenomenon suggested by population forecasts and confirmed Monday in the first nationwide race data release from Census 2000. 

The long-awaited figures also documented explosive growth in the Asian and American Indian populations and offered the first coast-to-coast look at how many people classified themselves as member of more than one race. 

The result goes beyond the snapshots of America contained in reports last week to several individual states, and provides a more complete picture of the U.S. populace. 

University of Michigan demographer William Frey called it a “celebration of our diversity that’s always been at the core of our society.” 

The increasing presence of Hispanics “means African-Americans have a better partner” in terms of shared political and socioeconomic issues, said Dr. William Spriggs, director of the Institute for Opportunity and Equality at the National Urban League. 

“Things like improving poverty, education and urban development – these are all things that African Americans and Hispanics will have to work together at,” Spriggs said. 

The Founding Fathers foresaw the need to periodically count its people, for a variety of reasons. Beyond the information released this month on the racial and ethnic makeup of the citizenry, the information from the national headcount also will be used to redraw political boundary lines. The disbursement of $185 billion in federal funds will depend to some degree on these figures. 

Also, figures compiled on race and ethnicity are critical for enforcement of a wide array of civil rights law, including voting rights, and workplace regulations. 

The data released Monday officially documented the results of a broader set of options the Census Bureau gave people last year in which to identify themselves. 

About 2.4 percent, or 6.8 million of the country’s 281 million people, checked off more than one race. Some chose combinations such as “white” and “black”, and “white” and “Asian.” 

Meanwhile the Hispanic population skyrocketed by about 58 percent over the past decade, up from 22.4 million in 1990 to 35.3 million in 2000. The number of non-Hispanic blacks, meanwhile may have increased to as much as 21 percent from a decade ago, to 35.4 million. 

Direct comparisons on race were impossible though, since Americans in 2000 had 63 racial categories to identify with, up from five categories in 1990. Also, “Hispanic” is considered an ethnicity, not a race; people of Hispanic ethnicity can be of any race. 

Still, the Hispanic population caught up with non-Hispanic blacks faster than Census Bureau experts had predicted. One projection showed that would not happen until at least July 2002. 

Analysts attributed that to higher-than-expected rates of immigration, and a massive outreach program by the Census Bureau designed to get more immigrants – regardless of their status — counted. 

Asked to what degree the headcount accounted for immigrants who are in the country illegally, senior Census Bureau official Jorge del Pinal said the agency “make no attempt to ascertain the legal status of anybody.” 

Other national findings included: 

• The non-Hispanic Asian population surged as much as 74 percent, to 11.6 million. 

• The population of American Indians and Alaska Natives who were not Hispanic nearly doubled, up as much as 92 percent, to 3.4 million. 

• The growth rate for non-Hispanic whites, meanwhile, lagged behind, up no more than 5.3 percent, to 198.2 million. 

“Certainly within the last 40 or 50 years, there is probably more diversity now than ever before,” said del Pinal, chief of special population statistics at the Census Bureau. 

The national-level figures come at the start of a hectic period in which the Census Bureau must transmit by April 1 detailed population data to all 50 states. 

On Monday, data for Iowa, Oklahoma, Texas and Vermont were released to the public, with numbers for another 11 states scheduled to be sent to governors and state legislative leaders this week. 

Of the the 6.8 million people who identified themselves as members of more than one race, the vast majority — nearly 6.4 million — checked off just two races. The three combinations people most identified with were: “White” and “Some other race”, 2.2 million; “White” and “American Indian and Alaska Native”, 1.1 million; and “White” and “Asian,” 868,395. 

However, despite all the choices available, the overwhelming majority of the U.S. population – roughly 98 percent – reported only one race. 

Census 2000 gave people the option of choosing from one of 63 race options, including “white,” “black or African American,” “American Indian and Alaska Native,” “Asian,” “Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander” and “some other race.” 

Democrats contend the data could have accounted for even more people if the actual headcount in raw numbers had been statistically adjusted to reflect traditional undercounts of minorities, the poor and children. 

The Census Bureau said there was a net national undercount of about 1.2 percent of the population, or 3.3 million people, down from 1.6 percent or 4 million people in 1990. 

Republicans opposed to census “sampling,” or adjusting the numbers, highlighted the count’s improve accuracy and insist the Constitution calls for raw numbers must be used for redistricting. 

On the Net: 

http://www.census.gov

SACRAMENTO — Hospital nurses would have to care for at most five patients under staffing ratios suggested Monday by the state’s largest registered nurses’ union. 

The California Nurses Association’s ratios for different types of registered nurses allows about half the number of patients requested by the California Healthcare Association, a group representing hospitals. 

The hospital association numbers – which range from a 1-3 ratio for postoperative care to a 1-16 ratio for patients in transitional care – allow for hospital flexibility while maintaining safe care standards, said CHA spokeswoman Jan Emerson. 

But many nurses say the higher ratios reflect current staffing levels that have forced nurses out of hospitals for fear they will be unable to adequately care for patients and lose their license. 

“I go home every day thanking God that we haven’t killed anybody,” said Karen Rothblatt, a nurse at Alameda Hospital. 

The final ratios will be set by the state Department of Health Services and go into effect Jan. 1, 2002. California is the first state to implement minimum staffing requirements for hospital nurses. 

Draft regulations are expected to be released early this summer. 

Minimum ratios of one nurse for every two patients are already in place for Intensive Care Units. Patients under anesthesia or in labor must be in the care of one nurse. 

Emergency, psychiatric, postpartum, surgical and pediatric nurses, among others, would be assigned between two to four patients and five healthy newborns could be assigned to nurses under CNA’s ratios. 

Industry officials say minimum ratios set at the lowest levels will do little to relieve nurses’ stress levels. California is expected to be short 25,000 registered nurses by 2006, said CHA’s Emerson. 

“A low ratio will not solve that,” she said. “Our concern is that hospitals can’t find nurses now but what if we can’t find enough for a lower ratio? Is the state going to shut down the hospital? Nobody wins then.” 

Union officials say improved ratios will help improve work conditions and eventually encourage more nurses to work in hospitals. Only about 60 percent of registered nurses work in hospitals, said Jill Furillo, a nurse and CNA’s government liaison. 

The ratio’s effect on the market will be analyzed by the state, although it will not play a role in the final ratios, said Gina Henning, who is overseeing the ratio project for the state. 

State policy makers are expected to make surprise visits to many state hospitals in the next few months to judge staffing needs. The state has also contracted with experts through the University of California to advise on the ratios, Henning said. 

Two other nurses’ organizations have submitted ratio proposals that closely mirrors CNA’s. 

On the Net: 

Department of Health Services: http://www.dhs.cahwnet.gov 

California Nurses Association: http://www.calnurse.org 

California Healthcare Association: http://www.cha-cahhs.org/

Solidarity with exiles in sixth annual event  

By 10 a.m. Saturday — National Uprising Day for Tibet — the bright sun glared off the white pyramid marking the center of a third flag next to the state and U.S. flags in Berkeley’s Civic Center Park.  

The pyramid represents Tibet, commonly known as the land surrounded by snowy mountains, according to the official exile Tibetan government web site. But the snowy mountains seemed far away, as the flag flew over the green grass.  

But Tibetans living in the Bay Area believe that Berkeley’s willingness to raise the flag plays an important part in fostering the Tibetan resistance to what they term Chinese domination. 

"It helps Tibetans in Tibet," said Ugyen Tsering, vice president of the Tibetan Association of Northern California. "It encourages them to know their brothers in other countries are also fighting."  

The Chinese entered Tibet, which the United States recognizes as an occupied country, in 1949. Ten years later, on March 10, the Tibetans staged a massive protest against the Chinese.  

That was 42 years ago. The Chinese still occupy Tibet and the fifty Tibetans who sang the national anthem to commemorate Saturday’s National Uprising Day in a semi-circle around the flag did so thousands of miles away from home.  

International solidarity and support can also produce tangible results, Tsering said, noting that some Tibetan political prisoners who had been sentenced to death by the Chinese government have had their sentences commuted because of such demonstrations. 

This is the sixth year that the City Council has elected to raise 

the Tibetan flag in solidarity with the Tibetan movement for self-determination.  

One of hundreds of cities worldwide to raise the Tibetan flag, Berkeley is purportedly the only U.S. city to take that step.  

"It’s a positive affirmation of the Tibetan Community in exile and the Tibetan government in exile," said Tsering.  

City Councilmember Kriss Worthington attributes the support in part to the "small but significant" Tibetan community in both Berkeley and Northern California. Tsering estimated that the Berkeley Tibetan community comprises about 200 people and about 500 to 600 Tibetans reside in Northern California. 

But the flag raising has much to do with the character of the city as well. 

"We believe that Berkeley has always stood behind the people who were oppressed," said Dhonyo Tenzin, former president of the regional Tibetan Association. "We went to City Hall and put our case before them and they were happy to do that for Tibet." 

University of California at Davis student Jamyang Wangden was born in India, where she grew up in a Tibetan exile community. Now her family is one of the many Tibetan families living in Berkeley. As a friend wrote "Free Tibet" in black marker on her white T-shirt, Wangden discussed the personal importance of raising the flag. 

“Being raised in a Tibetan village, I never heard somebody say ‘I don’t know about Tibet being independent,’” said Wangden. She first heard those words when she moved to the United States from India. The sentiment "hurts me," she said, "and when I first came it made me cry."  

But Wangden firmly believes in Tibetan Independence and said that she learned to deal with people’s questioning Tibetan’s right to statehood.  

The Berkeley flag raising does not go unnoticed by the Chinese government. Worthington said that the Chinese Consulate sends a letter to the Council each year urging them not to continue the practice of raising the flag. "They used to aggressively pursue us," said Worthington. "They would tell us that we didn’t know what’s going on in Tibet."  

No one from the Chinese Consulate was available to confirm China’s stance on the Berkeley flag raising. 

Amongst city councilmembers, Worthington says that the Tibetan flag raising is not a contentious issue. "We could just do it in perpetuity," he said, "But having this on the agenda once a year reminds people at City Council meetings that this is going on."  

After the Berkeley ceremony, the group moved to San Francisco to protest outside the Chinese Consulate. Wangden and two friends, all members of the student group Students for a Free Tibet, planned a dramatic re-enactment of China’s occupation of Tibet that ends with the international community freeing Tibet. The presentation involves tearing up a Chinese flag.  

Not all Tibetans feel as comfortable protesting publicly as Wangden. Many people who still have family in Tibet don’t want to publicly stand against the Chinese government for fear that the government will take reprisal against their families, according to the president of the Regional Youth Congress, who gave only Kunga as his name.  

Wangden herself said she used to worry that her activities would prevent her from visiting Tibet, a trip that she desperately wants to make.  

But now, she said, “I don’t care anymore.”

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 

Free Writing, Cashiering & Computer Literacy Class 

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.  

AJOB Adult School  

1911 Addison St.  

Free classes offered Monday through Friday. Stop by and register or call 548-6700. 

www.ajob.org 

Genetically Modified Humans? 

4 - 5 p.m. 

159 Mulford Hall 

UC Berkeley  

With the prospect of cloned and genetically designed children, the ethical questions arrising are numerous.  

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. 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 

Real Deal Seminar  

12:45 - 1:45 p.m.  

Pacific School of Religion  

1798 Scenic Ave., Mudd 103  

Philip Wickeri will speak on “The New Ecumenism and/or the Real Deal on Interfaith Issues. Bring your lunch.  

849-8229

Lab’s tritium report is lacking 

Editor: 

Gene Bernardi wishes to exclude Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory from the city workshop on the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research report regarding tritium (Daily Planet Feb 2). Given Committee to Minimize Toxic Waste’s oft quoted stand on the tritium issue this would be the political equivalent of a kangaroo court. CMTW appears to want LBNL to have safety problems, and they don’t want LBNL to fix them, because they want LBNL to shut down. 

The IEER statement that has received the most press is that LBNL’s claim that a fire would not cause significant localized consequences due to tritium exposure “may be false.” The report does not provide a detailed analysis to support this charge, and in fact notes that the large volume of work and its finite resources did not “allow addressing every question in appropriate depth.” 

At issue is whether a complete abrupt release, conversion of the entire inventory of tritium into HTO (or T2O), and venting of the HTO could occur without a major fire. IEER posited this as a possibility, and then noted that in a worst case scenario this could cause a significant dose to member of the public. 

To be dangerous the tritium has to be released as HTO. One possibility is mechanical disruption of the tritium apparatus and a fire which heats the apparatus to 660° F or above to drive off the tritium and then oxidizes it. A second possibility is a fire that heats the apparatus above 1100° F, as this would make the apparatus leak. To get the tritium outside the building the LBNL safety analysis document assumed that the fire burns a hole in the roof (the facility has no windows, and the walls are masonry), but this large a fire dilutes the exposure to an insignificant level. The IEER report does not describe how a fire can be both big enough to release HTO, and small enough not to dilute it. 

For a further dose of unreality, all this supposedly happens despite the presence of an automatic sprinkler system with its own backup water supply, plus manual fire extinguishers. 

Robert Clear 

Berkeley 

Drug companies  

willing to kill? 

Editor: 

I am outraged that a pharmaceutical executive would tout the glories of intellectual property as millions in Africa die from AIDS (see BDP Forum Mar 2) . Didn't millions of Americans die in a civil war to prove that just because something is called a property doesn't mean that it is? Echoing the sentiments of plantation masters who claimed that they were kind to their negroes, and had no incentive to grow cotton or tobacco without slave properties; he went on to say how kind they were to Africans, while at the same time faithfully declaring that without intellectual property there is no incentive to innovate. Well I digress, hasn't America already had this discussion. If pharmaceutical executives truly believe in these kind of property rights, then we should be asking how many people are they willing to kill to “defend” these rights? 

David Christy 

San Diego 

San Francisco, Marin windmills may help power  

Editor:  

During dry years, hydro-electric power from Washington and Oregon is only sparingly available to California, and the transmission grid at Lob Banos up from the south is stated to be inadequate. Consequently, increased power generation in North and Central California is highly desirable.  

Would it not be possible for the federal government to enable windfarms to be speedily installed (by the state?) on the federally-owned headlands of San Francisco Bay in Marin County and the western Presidio and possibly Fort Funston? The Presidio National Park Trust appears to be ready to rent land for commercial building to the Lucasfilm outfit.  

The emplacement of slender propeller-like blades up on poles could surely make the prevailing winds from the Pacific as reliably remunerative as may be the nearly permanent blockbuster encampment of the digital progeny of Mickey Mouse — and at an earlier date, and to satisfy a much greater immediate need.  

Possibly, San Francisco’s Park and Recreation Department might allow installation of a small windfarm atop the escarpment of Sutro Heights. Its revenue could bridge the financial gap to complete restoration of the historic and beautiful glass conservatory of flowers in Golden Gate Park, etc.  

Judith Segard Hunt 

Berkeley 

Tritium doctor seems at odds  

Editor:  

I found the Daily Planet’s Feb. 27 front page news article on the controversy surrounding Community Environmental Advisory Commission member Dr. Gordon Wozniack (“Chairman Won’t Quit”) very interesting.  

As a District Eight constituent, I am puzzled as the why Dr. Wozniack apparently does not consider his employment status as a potential commission conflict of interest issue.  

According to the Feb. 27 article, Dr. Wozniack is employed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He is also acting chair of the Environmental Commission and represents District Eight residents (part of the LBNL facility is located within District Eight’s boundaries).  

The Environmental Commission periodically discusses and takes action upon agenda items directly connected to LBNL. It seems to me, given this situation, that it is reasonable to expect Dr. Wozniack to rescue himself from voting on LBNL agenda items.  

Another LBNL employee, Berkeley City Councilmember Linda Maio, has recused herself on a half dozen occasions — to avoid potential conflict of interest — from voting on Council LBNL agenda items over the last several years. I don’t understand why Dr. Wozniack feels compelled to ignore this particular parliamentary rule policy and tradition.  

George Azar 

Berkeley 

Bush’s oil policy 

Editor: 

President Bush’s report to Congress was full of promises and covered many topics, except a few important ones: Women’s’ reproductive rights were not mentioned (does he think that they have none?) and nothing was said about the administration’s foreign policy (does he have one?).  

The president was mainly concerned with returning the current surplus of funds to the tax payers. He logically claims that the tax refund would help most lower and middle class tax payers to pay for the recent increase in oil and energy prices (his own words, as reported in a front page article of the S.F. Chronicle Feb. 6). Of course, the public could be helped if the administration imposed restraints on the price of gas but Bush would not want to cut the profits of their friends in the petroleum business.  

Despite our own shortage, the oil currently recovered in Alaska is mostly sent to Japan for sale. The president now proposes to extend oil recovery to still another part of Alaska which is suspected to contain a measly supply of six months on the domestic market. I actually heard a person phoning in to a talk radio program that the sight of oil rigs along a coast line were beautiful. I wonder if the polar bears and caribou feel the same way?  

Max Alfert 

Albany 

Museums 

Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm.”An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels like an earthworm, look into a mirrored fish pond, don farm animal costumes, ride on a John Deere tractor and more. $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. Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 647-1111 or www.habitot.org  

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. 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 exhuberant 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. Ernesto Neto/MATRIX 19 A Maximum Minimum Time Space Between Us and the Parsimonious Universe, Through April 15. Made from disposable materials such as styrofoam pellets, glass, paper, paraffin wax, and nylon stockings, Neto’s sensual sculptural works provoke viewers to interact with his art. $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  

Lawrence Hall of Science “Math Rules!” Ongoing. A math exhibit of hands-on problem-solving stations, each with a different mathematical challenge.“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. “Vision,” Through April 15 Get a very close look at how the eyes and brain work together to focus light, perceive color and motion, and process infomation. “T. Rex on Trial,” Through May 28 Where was T. Rex at the time of the crime? Learn how paleontologists decipher clues to dinosaur behavior. “Saturday Night Stargazing,” First and third Saturdays each month. 8 - 10 p.m., LHS plaza. Computer Lab, 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  

Music 

924 Gilman St.  

All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted $5; $2 for a year membership March 9: Dead and Gone, Sworn Vengence, Punishment, Misoura, The Computer Kills; March 10: The Varukers, 46 Short, Scarred for Life, Oppressed Logic, Facedown; March 16: The P.A.W.N.S., Kill the Messenger, Phoenix Thunderstone, Lesser of Two, Dory Tourette & The Skirtheads; March 17: The Hoods, Benumb, Above The World, Chrome Disorder, Eulogy; March 23: 18 Visions, Walls of Jericho, Time In Malta, Undying, Betray the Species; March 24: Workin’ Stiffs, The Bodies, Strychnine, East Bay Chasers, For the Alliance; March 30: Deathreat, Ahimsa, Fuck God In the Face, The Black, Creation Is Crucifixion 525-9926  

Albatross Pub  

All music at 9 p.m. unless noted 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 9, 8 p.m.: Funky Nixons, Gary Gates Band, Brew Glass Jug Band; March 10, 9:30 p.m.: Tom Rigney & Flambeau, dance lesson at 8:30 p.m.; March 11, 7:30 p.m.: Flamenco Open Stage featuring Sarita Ayala and more; March 13, 9 p.m.: Creole Belles, dance lesson at 8 p.m.; March 14, 9 p.m.: West Coast Swing AllStars, dance lesson at 8 p.m.; March 15, 9 p.m.: Babatunde Olatunji; March 16, 9:30 p.m.: Samba Ngo; March 18, 5 - 10 p.m.: Aid for Ahmedabad Earthquake Relief Concert featuring Vinyl, New Monsoon, Raja & Srini, plus Henry Kaiser, $20; 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; May 6, 7 p.m.: Berkeley High School Jazz Ensemble 1370 San Pablo Ave. (at Gilman) 525-5054 or www.ashkenaz.com  

Eli’s Mile High Club Doors open at 8 p.m. March 9: Ron Hacker; March 10: Red Archibald; March 16: Little Jonny & the Giants; March 17: Sugar G; March 23: Carlos Zialcita; March 24: Daniel Castro; March 30: Craig Horton Blues Band 3629 MLK Jr. Way Oakland  

Jazzschool/La Note  

All music at 4:30 p.m. 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 11: Stephen Bell, guitar, plays music of Bach, Villa-Lobos, Ponse, and Albeniz; March 18: Mark Sanders, flute, David Cheng, violin, Darcy Rindt, viola, Paul Rhodes, cello. Flute quartets of Haydn and Mozart; March 25: Horizon Wind Quartet play music of Mendelssohn, Rossini, Ravel, Ligetti and others All concerts $8 - $10 Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St.  

Cal Performances  

Through March 11, call for times: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; March 22, 8 p.m., March 23, 7 p.m. & March 24, 1 & 8 p.m.: “The King Stag: A Tragicomic Tale for the Theatre” by Carlo Gozzi $24 - $46; Zellerbach Hall UC Berkeley. 642-9988 or www.calperfs.berkeley.edu March 11, 3 & 7 p.m.: Burhan Ocal & The Istanbul Oriental Ensemble perform traditional Turkish music $24; March 25, 3 p.m.: Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio perform music of Beethoven, Ravel and Tchaikovsky $32; 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  

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 

Gwen Avery  

March 9, 8 p.m. A benefit concert for KPFA also featuring Making Waves, Erica Ballinger, and Arin Simonian $7 - $20 Rose Street House of Music 1839 Rose St.  

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 

Pharaoh’s Daughter  

March 10, 8 p.m. New York-based world music sextet melding Hasidic, Moroccan, Indian and Turkish melodies and rhythms $18 - $20 Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237

The Berkeley Lady ’Jackets have proved they don’t always have to play well to win. They won a record sixth CIF Northern Region Division I championship on Saturday, beating Oakland 55-40 at the ARCO Arena in Sacramento despite suffering through one of their worst shooting efforts of the season.  

But according to their coach, the ’Jackets had better shape up before this weekend’s matchup with Southern Section champion Narbonne (Harbor City), a rematch of last year’s state championship game. 

“Tonight, I would have rated us as a C-minus, and against Narbonne, you have to play and A or an A-plus,” Berkeley head coach Gene Nakamura said. 

The Lady ’Jackets looked out of sorts on offense the entire game, shooting just 25 percent from the floor. Luckily for Berkeley, the Wildcats weren’t much better at 28 percent.  

Berkeley’s starting frontcourt, forwards Robin Roberson and Gelater Fullwood and center Sabrina Keys, were just 9-of-42 on the night. Each of the three missed several shots from close range in the first quarter, and the score was 2-1 Berkeley after three minutes of action. 

“I don’t know how many layups we missed tonight, but there must have been at least 10 in the first few minutes,” Nakamura said. “I think this venue, even though we’ve played here several times, it can be intimidating. The backboards are a lot different from the ones at our school. There’s an adjustment we have to make.” 

Berkeley’s saving grace came from an unexpected source. Reserve Natasha Bailey, who has struggled to produce points this season, came on late in the period and kick-started the offense. She drove the lane for a layup to make the score 8-7 in Berkeley’s favor. She then drew an offensive foul on Oakland forward Ebony Clark, then made two free throws at the other end. A Fullwood bank shot at the buzzer gave the ’Jackets a 12-7 lead at the first break. 

“Natasha stepped up, made key shots and played great defense,” Nakamura said. “Robin Roberson was having an off night, and Natasha stepped up into the gap. We were kind of riding her shoulders for a little while.” 

Bailey continued her hot streak in the second quarter, using a spin move inside for another layup, then hitting a jumper. Roberson finally got on the board with two free throws, then made her first bucket of the game to make the score 22-13. Oakland’s Nicol Berry answered with a jumper of her own, but the ’Jackets scored the next four points to cap a 10-2 run, and Berkeley held a 30-20 lead at halftime. 

The second half was more of the same, as both teams struggled to find their offenses. Clark got two Oakland baskets to start the second half, but the Wildcats could never get closer than six. 

“I didn’t think we played our style of game,” Oakland coach Jeff Duncan-Andrade said. “We need to be emotional to play our kind of defense. We tried every press we have in our system, but we just couldn’t find that spark.” 

Clark scored a game-high 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. She was the only Wildcat to score in double figures, although forward Angela Gibson helped her on the glass, pulling down 17 boards. Roberson led Berkeley with 14 points to go with 11 rebounds, followed by 12 points each from Bailey and Fullwood. But overall, the ’Jackets were clearly not quite right on offense. 

“Oakland’s game is based on hustle and defensive pressure, and that’s part of the reason we had such a tough game,” Nakamura said. “There is a bit of a Berkeley-Oakland rivalry, and every time we get together it’s a mess out there.” 

The Lady ’Jackets will face Narbonne, which beat Lynwood, 67-41, in the Southern Section championship, at 6 p.m. on Saturday at the ARCO Arena in Sacramento. 

District votes to reduce solid waste and promote recycling 

The Berkeley Unified School District Board approved a policy last week aimed at reducing solid waste at schools through recycling and other environment-friendly practices last week in a move that board President Terry Doran called “long over due.” 

The new policy could reduce garbage pick up at various schools from three days a week to one, saving the district $2,200 per school per year, according to Yolando Huang, one of the proponents of the new policy. 

Following the example of the city and the University of California at Berkeley, the school district resolution creates a comprehensive set of rules for reducing waste. From this day forward, the district must recycle cardboard, mixed papers, bottles and cans in every classroom, staff room and administration area. It must recycle construction and demolition materials and promote the use of recycled products wherever feasible. 

Under the new policy, every district department with be evaluated for its effectiveness in meeting these goals. 

“I have been hampered by the lack of a policy to back up my requests to principals and the maintenance department,” BUSD Recycling Coordinator Beebo Turman told the board Wednesday. 

Turman, who became Recycling Coordinator in 1997 after she obtained grants to start recycling programs at various schools, said the district has a spotty record for recycling. Many principals are simply too busy to oversee recycling efforts effectively, she said.  

At Berkeley High School, Turman said custodial workers have yet to receive training to empty recycling bins around campus even though they were supposed to be trained last summer.  

Unlike the city, Turman said BUSD doesn’t even purchase recycled paper. 

“We can reduce our waste by a huge amount,” Turman said. 

Turman is applying for a $50,000 State Integrated Waste Management Board grant to install dishwashers and garbage disposals in John Muir and Emerson elementary schools and Willard Middle School. 

A dishwasher already in place at Oxford Elementary school has eliminated the need for disposal paper plates and other paper products, Turman said.

The St. Mary’s boys’ basketball team won the school’s first CIF Northern Region championship Saturday night, beating Monte Vista Christian (Watsonville) 79-63 at Delta College in Stockton. 

The Panthers were led by guard John Sharper’s 26 points. Sharper has been dominant in the regional playoffs, averaging 25 points per game. 

Sharper got help from forward Chase Moore, who had 18 points and eight rebounds. 

St. Mary’s used their trademark pressure defense to put together two 10-3 runs early in the fourth quarter to ice their victory. 

St. Mary’s will face Crossroads (Santa Monica) next Saturday at 11:15 a.m. at Arco Arena in Sacramento. 

Sharper scored 11 points in the first quarter to help the Panthers to a 20-16 lead. St. Mary’s couldn’t quite break it open in the second quarter, and held a 37-30 lead at halftime. But Moore’s 12 second-half points helped the Panthers pull away.

High school students have received their fair share of bad press recently, but in Berkeley, it is teens like Lamille Perry who represent what young people can accomplish.  

As the vice president of the Berkeley High School class of '02, Perry is hoping to use his leadership skills while competing for team USA in Australia this summer. 

Perry is currently raising funds to travel to Australia to compete in an international disabled sports competition that takes place every two years. He was introduced to international competition through Berkeley Outreach Program (BORP), and will be competing in 10 track and field events; the 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1,500 meters, the team relay, the shot-put, javelin, discus throw and the pentathalon.  

When asked how he prepares for so many events, he said, "I work on the sprints every day but I don't really practice the other stuff." 

That’s not to say he is weak in the other events — Perry brought home first place in all ten of his events at the Australia competition two years ago . 

He is no stranger to out of state competition and has traveled to St. Louis and Oklahoma for events. He has also been to the national championships for wheelchair basketball with his local team, the Bay Cruisers, one of four junior league wheelchair basketball teams in California.  

Perry's love of sports has been an ongoing affair since he was young. He has been playing wheelchair basketball for thirteen years (he is now 17 years old), and it is one of his favorite pastimes.  

Sports is not his only interest however. Besides aspiring to compete in the Para-olympics one day, and possibly earn an athletic scholarship to play collegiate sports, he wants to be a doctor.  

His eyes light up at the thought of going to college and playing college sports. 

“I just want to work hard and do my best ... so I can attain my goals,” he said.  

He enjoys working on the computer, talking to girls, and science is his favorite subject. He loves to learn new things as well as teach them which he gets the opportunity to do as a tutor at Young Adults Program (YAP) where he works after school. 

Perry was born two months premature with Cerebral Palsy, a congenital disease that affects the muscular and nervous system, which required him to be hospitalized and hooked up to a life-saving respirator for the first few months of his life.  

His determination to meet goals he sets for himself is inspiring to say the least. 

Perry must reach the $3,000 mark before he sets out for Australia. If you or someone you know is interested in donating to Lamille's travel costs, please send donations in his name to Paige Jackson in the Administrative office at: 

Berkeley High School  

2223 Martin Luther King Way 

Berkeley, CA 94704  

Dan Seeman is a student at Berkeley High School

Cal to face Fresno St. 

The tension of anticipation could be felt through the Haas Pavilion Club room on Sunday afternoon. Players, press, and fans of Cal basketball had waited patiently as the brackets for the East, West, and Midwest regions were announced. Finally, the South region was announced and the Bears learned their fate: they were going to Memphis.  

“I’m very excited,” said senior forward Sean Lampley. For Morgan (Lingle) and I, being our last year here, we’ll leave with great memories.” 

Cal, the eighth seed in the 2001 NCAA Tournament, will face Fresno State in a South region first-round matchup on Friday. Jerry Tarkanian’s Bulldogs finished 25-6 on the season, and were the regular season champions of the Western Athletic Conference.  

“I’ve seen Fresno State on TV; they’re a very explosive, very talented, competitive group,” Cal head coach Ben Braun said. “It’s the best team Tarkanian’s had since he’s been there.”  

Other teams playing in Memphis include Virginia, Gonzaga, Oklahoma, and defending national champions Michigan State, whom the Bears would likely face if they get by the Bulldogs. 

More important to the Bears is their reappearance on the national scene. Cal’s last NCAA appearance came in 1997. Braun was a new coach, adapting to a program on probation. The program was trying to right itself, and Braun credits his team for their fortitude.  

“(These players) came here to Cal when lots of other players wouldn’t because of probation, because we weren’t going to postseason tournaments,” said Braun.  

Now, Braun looks to use their appearance in the tournament to help recruit new talent to the program.  

“This will be great for recruiting,” said sophomore guard Shantay Legans. “This will put the school back on the map.” 

Cal enters the tournament with a 20-10 overall record and 11-7 in the Pac-10, good enough for a fourth place tie with USC. As expected, the Pac-10 sent five teams to the tournament; Stanford was the top seed in the West, while UCLA and USC ended up the fourth and sixth seeds in the East, respectively. Arizona is the second seeded team in the Midwest.  

Though some thought the Bears deserved a higher seed, Braun refused to argue.  

“A lot is made of seeding; it’s about going and competing,” explained Braun. “If you go deep into the tournament, you have to beat some very good teams eventually. It’s about proving yourselves.”  

The start time of Cal’s game will not be announced until Monday.  

Using a form of genetic hitchhiking, researchers have developed a method of placing genes in barley and other cereals in a way that eases safety concerns and minimizes the problem of “gene-silencing.” 

Developed by scientists at the University of California at Berkeley, the new method uses so-called “jumping genes” to ferry new genes into cereals like barley. The technique will allow plant biologists to boost nutritional content, improve pest resistance, reduce allergens and even perhaps speed up beermaking. The process does not use viral particles for transporting genes, nor does it rely on antibiotic-resistence screening — two methods that have raised safety concerns for some people.  

“Our method is ready to use by plant biologists to create new varieties of cereal crops in a manner that is both quick and very safe,” said Peggy Lemaux, a plant biologist at UC Berkeley’s Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, in the college of Natural Resources.  

Lemaux and her colleagues devised a way to overcome the challenge of maintaining gene’s activities over time. By delivering just one copy of the gene and coax it into an area where genes can be expressed, away from dense regions of repeating DNA.  

But creating a plant that contains only one genetic copy is difficult using some conventional techniques. Instead, Lemaux and her colleagues engineered the genes to hitchhike on mobile pieces of DNA called jumping genes.  

When the jumping gene hops through the plant’s genome, it usually lands in low-density DNA territory where conditions are favorable for making the protein that is encoded by the inserted gene.  

To harness the system, Lemaux and colleagues hitch their gene of interest to the part of the gene that allows it to jump.  

With this technique, Lemaux’s group can quickly generate single-copy plants. The group is also working on a technique to insert genes to reduce allergens, boost digestible protein content of animal feed and produce a barley with a shorter malting time.  

From the UC Berkeley press office.

TUCSON, Ariz. – California fought a hard battle but closed out the regular season with a 75-62 loss to Arizona Saturday at the McKale Center. With the loss, the Golden Bears close out the year with a 12-16 record and an 8-9 Pac-10 mark. Arizona, which will likely earn a bid to the NIT tomorrow, ends the regular season with a 19-11 record and a 9-9 league mark.  

Cal coach Caren Horstmeyer shook up the starting lineup by adding senior Genevieve Swedor, sophomore Amber White and freshman Latasha O’Keith into the starting lineup along with regulars Courtney Johnson and Lauren Ashbaugh.  

“We played a defensive starting lineup with players that work the hardest,” said Horstmeyer. “I felt that was a group which had the winningest attitude. They pressure the ball. They’re aggressive. Their quick. They talk on defense. That group also has great chemistry.”  

Johnson led Cal with 25 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. She concludes her career ranked 12th in Cal history with 1072 points and second in Cal and Pac-10 history with 286 steals. The tri-captain also finished her career with eight-straight games of scoring at least 16 points. White also was in double figures for Cal with 10 points.  

California jumped out to a 7-0 lead behind five points from Johnson, but Arizona responded with a 13-3 run. With the score tied at 30-30 with just under three minutes to play, a three-pointer from Jen Chesney capped a 7-2 Arizona closing burst which sent it into the locker room up 37-32.  

Six straight-points from Ashbaugh evened the score at 40-40 with 16:24 remaining in the game. The Bears went the next four minutes without a point as the Wildcats jumped out to a 48-40 advantage. A three-point play from Candace Allen extended UA’s lead into double figures for the first time at 58-48 with 7:48 to go. The Bears closed to within seven at 69-62 with 1:47 to go following a basket by Johnson, but that was as close as they would get the rest of the game.  

Elizabeth Pickney paced a quartet of double figure Arizona scorers with 20 points. Reshea Bristol added 18, followed by reserves Aimee Grzyb with 13 and Candice Allen with 10.  

Arizona shot a commanding 50 percent from the floor, while Cal shot only 32 percent.

A California Highway Patrol spokesman says an officer and a man suspected of driving under the influence were injured when another DUI driver hit a patrol car on Interstate Highway 80 in Berkeley today. 

Sgt. Fred Bowe said the officer and his partner had 31-year-old Seng Sy of Long Beach in a patrol car parked on the shoulder just west of the Gilman Street exit after arresting him as he was westbound on the freeway at about 2:30 a.m. 

Bowe said one officer was talking with the driver of a tow truck called to move Sy's car while the other was waiting with Sy in the patrol car on the freeway shoulder when the car was hit by a pick-up truck driven by 45-year-old Federico Arvizu of Daly City. 

Bowe said the collision caused moderate damage to the patrol car and minor injuries to Arvizu and to the officer inside the car. He said the two were taken to Highland Hospital in Oakland, where they were treated for their injuries.

It was very nearly a storybook ending. 

Every one of the 12,172 fans at Haas Pavilion Saturday night knew that following a Cal time out with 8.3 seconds remaining and a chance for the Bears to either tie or win the game, Cal’s all-time leading scorer would get the ball.  

In the final seconds of his last game in Berkeley, Sean Lampley did indeed get the ball. The senior forward who has carried Cal (20-10, 11-7 Pac-10) on his shoulders the entire season forced a 12-foot turnaround jumper as time expired.  

With the towering 7-foot-1 Loren Woods in his face, Lampley’s shot came up short and the No. 8 Arizona Wildcats escaped with a 78-76 win. 

“We just didn’t have enough time to finish the (last) play,” said an obviously dejected Lampley, who finished the game with 27 points, five rebounds and four assists. “I knew I short-armed it.” 

Cal played catch-up throughout much of the first half, trailing by as many as nine points, and was down 38-33 at the break. The Wildcats were led in the first half by Gilbert Arenas’ 13 points.  

The Bears kept Arizona’s star guard contained in the second half, allowing Arenas only five more points, but other Wildcats quickly rose up to fill the scoring void. Michael Wright scored 12 of his 20 points in the second half while center Woods caught fire and scored 15 of his team-high 22 points after the break. 

“Probably the thing that makes me the happiest is the kind of performance we got out of Loren Woods today,” said Arizona (23-7, 15-3) head coach Lute Olson. “He was much more aggressive and I felt like that’s been the missing link for us.” 

Less than five minutes into the second half, Cal fell behind 51-41 following a pair of free throws by Wright and a bucket by Woods. But then the Bears went on a tear, outscoring Arizona 10-0 in the next five minutes to tie the game. Following another Arizona run, a lob pass from Cal’s Shantay Legans that ended in a Lampley dunk with 7:10 remaining brought the Bears to within four points and whipped the sold-out crowd into a frenzy. 

A 3-pointer by Legans tied the game at 67-67 with just over three minutes to play. After that neither team led by more than two until Jason Gardner’s 3-pointer with 58 seconds left gave Arizona a 77-74 advantage.  

A pair of Lampley free throws with 39 seconds remaining brought the Bears to within a point of the Wildcats. Cal’s Ryan Forehan-Kelly fouled Arizona’s Eugene Edgerson as the shot clock was winding down, and Edgerson hit 1-of-2 from the line to give the Wildcats a two-point edge with just over 11 seconds on the clock.  

“That was an outstanding college basketball game,” Olson said. “In the end we hit the bucket and they missed the bucket.” 

And that was the difference. 

“It’s frustrating,” Cal head coach Ben Braun said. “If we could have had just one extra stop, one extra loose ball, one extra rebound, take one extra charge, the results may have been different.” 

Following the game Braun reluctantly talked about the final play.  

“I know Sean was disappointed that he didn’t get to knock down the last shot,” he said, quickly changing the subject. “But we are playing a team that’s one of the top teams around that is playing extremely well and they’re playing like that. I don’t know of anybody that’s come in here all year long and swept the games in the Bay Area (like Arizona did).”years.”

SAN JOSE – With gifts of flashlights, batteries and glow-in-the-dark mousepads, economic development officials across the country are poking fun at California’s power crisis in hopes of luring high-tech businesses away. 

But cutesy radio ads and other come-ons to Silicon Valley companies are unlikely to cause a mass exodus from the self-proclaimed capital of technology, even though rising electricity prices and an unstable power supply are legitimate concerns. 

“It sounds like it’s a waste of their money,” Thayer Watkins, an economics professor at San Jose State University, said of the other states’ pitches. 

While the valley’s humming stacks of servers and data storage centers are notorious power-suckers, nearly all electricity-intensive manufacturing is done elsewhere. Many tech companies have been expanding into other states for years for a variety of business reasons. 

Despite all of Silicon Valley’s problems, such as high real-estate costs, mind-blowing traffic, the threat of earthquakes and a tight labor market, technology companies and venture capitalists like being located near each other, in an area famed for entrepreneurial innovation. 

“There’s a great deal of electric power capacity scheduled for development in the next few years,” Watkins said. “I’m pretty sure Silicon Valley companies would be conscious of that. The story’s overplayed.” 

Still, economic boosters elsewhere aren’t about to let even a perceived opportunity pass by. 

On Feb. 1, the 17th straight day California grappled with a Stage 3 power emergency, Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt dropped by Silicon Valley to remind techies about the room to grow in his state. 

The Michigan Economic Development Corp., has been sending 4,500 glow-in-the-dark mouse pads to high-tech companies and airing ads on San Jose and San Francisco radio stations. 

“Happy birthday, Mr. President,” a Marilyn Monroe-esque voice croons in one ad. 

“Some things are a turn on,” the announcer intones. 

“Power will be shut down for two hours today in the following counties,” a not-very-realistic-sounding newscaster sputters. 

“Some things are a turn off,” the announcer intones again. “The state of Michigan is big on turning things on.” 

It’s too soon to gauge whether the ads are having any effect, said Jennifer Kopp, a spokeswoman for the Michigan agency, though she said in general, the power crisis has made companies more receptive to the state’s courting. 

Michigan can offer tax credits to high-tech companies and is building “smart zones” — industrial parks with built-in fiber-optic lines, day care centers and video conferencing capabilities, she said. 

Like the radio ad, Kopp boasted that Michigan was recently named No. 1 in attracting new business by Site Selection magazine. 

“Blew your state out of the water, I guess,” she said. 

The Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce sent 9-volt batteries and letters to 89 Silicon Valley companies, reminding them of the bountiful power, lower cost of living and high-tech experience in North Carolina’s Research Triangle. 

“In the dark about where to grow your business?” the letter asks. 

Four companies have already responded, and one plans to go check out a North Carolina site, said Demming Bass, vice president of communications for the Raleigh group. Bass said the goal is not to take businesses away from California, just to encourage them to expand into the Raleigh area. 

“It’s not like a natural disaster. No one would ever take advantage of that,” he said. The power crunch is “man-made. It’s a business issue.” 

Michelle Montague-Bruno, a spokeswoman for the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group, said her trade organization’s blue-chip member companies are used to being wooed. But she said she’s found some of the recent ads a little strange. 

“We’ve got concerns of transportation and housing, and energy is an issue that is quite important,” she said. “But companies want to be here, and they’ve weathered these things before.” 

However, she added: “We do not know specifically of companies moving elsewhere. But any smart company has a backup plan.”

After three and one-half hours of debate the Zoning Adjustments Board approved the use permit for a controversial, 33,000-square-foot synagogue and school at 1301 Oxford St. 

The ZAB approved the permit after midnight by a vote of 5-3-1. Boardmembers Gene Poshman, Carrie Sprague and David Blake opposed the permit and new member Corey Alvin recused himself from the vote because he did not know enough about the complicated project to make an informed vote. The project has been on the ZAB’s agenda for each of its meetings for nine months. 

The ZAB approved a 33,000-square-foot structure as well as 32 surface parking spaces. The original plan called for a 35,000-square-foot structure and 35 parking slots. 

ZAB Chair Carolyn Weinberger said the board had spent a lot of time on the project because of its controversial nature. 

“There was a lot of public concern and comment on the project,” Weinberger said. “We wanted to go over all the information we received to fairly weigh whether there were detriments and if so, what could be done to mitigate them.” 

Just prior to the vote, Commissioner Blake criticized the congregation for using political influence during the approval process. 

Beth El member Harry Pollock, who declined to comment on Blake’s  

statements, said the congregation is happy with the approval of the use permit and looked forward to getting the building permit approved. 

“This is a great moment for our congregation and the Jewish community,” he said. “It's also a win for our city, because the ZAB's decision will allow Beth El to go on serving people in need in this community for years to come.” 

Beth El has sponsored a variety of homeless and education programs in Berkeley. 

The project is opposed by the Live Oak Codornices Creek Neighborhood Association, which has argued that the structure is too large and that synagogue activities will cause parking and traffic problems in the neighborhood. They also say a proposed 32-car parking lot will make it difficult to daylight a culverted section of Codornices Creek that runs through the northern section of the property. 

In addition, the property is a Berkeley historical landmark and opponents have said the Environmental Impact Report for the project did not properly take into consideration its historic value. 

“This project simply does not take into consideration the historical significance of this site.” said LOCCNA spokesperson Juliet Lamont. “And I think its interesting that the ZAB never discussed the recommendations that the Landmarks Preservation Commission submitted to the board.” 

On Monday the LPC voted not to approve the Environmental Impact Report for the project and denied an alteration permit. They also sent ZAB a series of suggestions for consideration including concerns about the size of the structure and the possibility that a dwelling on the east side of the property may have been occupied by freed slaves while the Byrne mansion was being built.  

Napoleon Byrne was a former plantation owner who came to Berkeley from Missouri and built a mansion on the site in 1868. Then mansion was destroyed by fire in 1985. The EIR does not address the possibility that the remaining dwelling is historically significant. 

LOCCNA spokesperson Juliet Lamont said that it was “horrific” that during the hours of deliberation Thursday night the board never discussed the suggestions from the Landmarks Preservation Commission. 

“It suggests there is a problem in the governing of this city and it will likely come back to haunt some elected officials in the next election, which is a good thing,” she said. 

Beth El members argue the activities at the school and synagogue will have minimal impact on the neighborhood and they intend to restore an exposed section of the creek by stabilizing its banks and planting native vegetation. 

Members said they will maintain many elements of the property that are reminders of the Byrne era such as landscaping and portions of a wall and gate that still exist on the property. 

The most controversial moment of the night was a speech by Commissioner Blake just prior to the board’s vote. Blake suggested the congregation had exercised political power to get the project approved. “I believe this project was approved because of who it is rather than what it is,” he said. 

Blake also criticized the congregation’s spiritual leader, Rabbi Ferenc Raj, for reminding the board at a Nov. 9 meeting that it was the anniversary of “Kristallnacht” or The Night of Glass.  

On Nov. 9, 1938, shortly after the Nazis took power in Germany, propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels made an anti-Semitic speech that resulted in 24 hours of looting and violence. Dozens of Jews were killed and as many as 30,000 were arrested. Thousands of Jewish businesses and synagogues were destroyed. It is widely believed that the violence signaled the beginning of the Holocaust. The violence was called The Night of Glass because of the piles of glass in the streets from the thousands of broken storefront windows. 

Blake, who is Jewish, said the comment was a gentle way of reminding the board that its members could be considered anti-Semitic if the permit wasn’t approved.  

“Beth El lost all credibility with me when he made that comment,” Blake said. 

Pollock said he had no comment on Blake’s remarks. 

Lamont said Blake’s comments were accurate. “It was a great speech,” she said. “It encapsulates exactly what’s going on with this project.” 

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.$200 per person and registration is required Call 486-1480 

Tibetan National Uprising Day  

9 a.m. - 5 p.m.  

Berkeley City Hall  

Mayor Shirley Dean and Councilman Kriss Worthington will speak at the Tibetan Flag raising ceremony which precedes march in San Francisco which will end at the Chinese Consulate. The event marks the 42nd anniversary of the Tibetan uprising against the illegal Chinese occupation of Tibet.  

Symposium on  

Information Technology  

9 a.m. - 9 p.m.  

Booth Auditorium  

Boalt Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Banquet location:  

International House’s Great Hall 

2299 Piedmont Ave. 

Banquet keynote address will be by Kenneth Starr, former independent counsel who investigated the Clinton White House. $5 students, $25 general  

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. 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 

Free Worm Compost Workshop  

10 a.m. - Noon  

Magic Gardens Nursery  

729 Heinz Ave.  

Learn to recycle fruit and vegetable scraps using redworms in an enclosed bin. Especially appropriate for people with little or no yard space. 444-SOIL 

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?” Aiona Teu, a member of the Tongan American community, will discuss Storytelling through Textiles: Reading Tongan History  

& Culture. 849-0217 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute Open House  

3 - 5 p.m.  

Nyingma Institute  

1815 Highland Place  

A public open house featuring a prayer wheel and meditation garden tour, Tibetan yoga demonstration, information on Tibetan art projects and more. Followed by chanting and a lecture by dean Sylvia Gretchen. Free  

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 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. Free except for cholesterol screening. 649-1383 

— compiled by  

Chason Wainwright 

Art & Consciousness in Tibetan Buddhism  

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute  

1815 Highland Place  

Sylvia Gretchen, dean of Nyingma Studies, will discuss how art is used in meditation and what we can learn from Tibetan art today. Free 

843-6812 

Adopt a Plot Work Day  

10 a.m.  

Memorial Grove 

Berkeley High School  

The Grounds Committee and Adopt a Plot are requesting volunteers for a couple of hours on Sunday which will entail mulching in Memorial Grove and planting MLK. Come with wheelbarrows, shovels, rakes, brooms, trowels, and tell friends.  

Call Corinee Eno, 524-9754 

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 

Free Writing, Cashiering & Computer Literacy Class 

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.  

AJOB Adult School  

1911 Addison St.  

Free classes offered Monday through Friday. Stop by and register or call 548-6700. 

www.ajob.org 

Genetically Modified Humans? 

4 - 5 p.m. 

159 Mulford Hall 

UC Berkeley  

With the prospect of cloned and genetically designed children, the ethical questions arrising are numerous. Speakers will include Tania Simocelli and Marcy Darnovsky of Exploratory Initiative on the New Human Genetic Technologies.  

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 

Real Deal Seminar  

12:45 - 1:45 p.m.  

Pacific School of Religion  

1798 Scenic Ave., Mudd 103  

Philip Wickeri will speak on “The New Ecumenism and/or the Real Deal on Interfaith Issues. Bring your lunch.  

849-8229 

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 

Ethics, Genetic Technologies & Social Responsibility 

3 - 6 p.m. 

Townsend Center for the Humanities 

220 Stephens Hall  

UC Berkeley  

What are the social responsibilities of scientists, policy analysts, and citizens in the proposed applications of genetic technologies? Join a panel of experts, including Charles Weiner of UC Berkeley, in attempting to answer this question.  

Scholastic Book Fair  

8 - 9 a.m. & 1:45 - 3:45 p.m. 

Jefferson School Cafetorium  

Acton & Rose  

Reasonably-priced Scholastic books will be sold to promote books and reading and to raise money for the school. Free  

525-7567  

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  

LGBT Catholics Group  

7:30 p.m. 

Newman Hall  

2700 Dwight Way (at College)  

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender Catholics group are “a spiritual community committed to creating justice.” This meetings discussions will center on Lenten Service.  

654-5486 

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 

Harriet Tubman Re-created 

3:30 p.m. 

South Branch Library  

1901 Russell St.  

Storyteller and musician Jamie Myrick will present an interactive musical performance which introduces a heroine and her deeds. Information about the secret codes and maps used as part of the Underground Railroad will be shared. Free 

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. 

Dam Them Rivers  

7 - 9 p.m. 

Wheeler Hall, Room 30  

UC Berkeley  

Steve Rothert of American Rivers and Steve Linaweaver of International Rivers Network will discuss the damming of the Nile and the Bujagoli Dam. Free  

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.  

Time Windows  

4 p.m. 

North Branch Library  

1170 The Alameda  

Kathryn Reiss, Oakland author of nine suspense novels for middle school and young adult readers will speak. Free 

649-3943  

Scholastic Book Fair  

8 - 9 a.m. & 1:45 - 3:45 p.m. 

Jefferson School Cafetorium  

Acton & Rose  

Reasonably-priced Scholastic books will be sold to promote books and reading and to raise money for the school. Free  

525-7567  

Evaluate to Motivate  

12:10 - 1:10 p.m.  

California Department of Health Services  

2151 Berkeley Way, Room 804 

The State Health Toastmasters present “Take the Terror Out of Talking!” Session five of six. Free  

649-7750 

Don’t need fox’s advice to save Pacifica chicken coop 

Editor: 

Thank you, Mel Baker, for your helpful letter suggesting that Pacifica management should sell KPFA and WBAI.  

It is quite an impressive show of arrogance for someone like yourself, involved as you are with commercial and so-called public radio (PBS,) to give your opinion on the subject of progressive radio. People of your ilk are the very type that Lew Hill created KPFA to defend against, the ones who would relish nothing better than to eradicate the last free, independent radio network in this country for the sake of “expanding our audience,” as if that, in itself, were the ultimate objective. 

Perhaps PBS with its underwritings from Exxon and Mobil and what not is your idea of progressive media, Mr. Baker. Thanks for suggesting we destroy the village in order to save it. 

Thank you kindly, Mr. Baker, but I think we, the listeners of Pacifica will do just fine without this sort of advice. I think we can manage without the fox's advice on how to manage the chicken's coop. 

Khalil Bendib 

Berkeley 

Editor: 

In response to the opinion expressed by Mel Baker (Letters March 7, 2001), I would offer that we only need to look at this past election cycle to be very aware of what the “professional media” has to offer the American people. NBC, National Public Radio and the other mass communication outlets that Mr. Baker hasn't worked for, failed by a large margin to adequately inform their huge audiences, and are complicit in the coup d'etat that just occurred. It doesn't much matter how many people are listening if the content is no better than a snow job, even if an impeccably produced one. 

The mission of the Pacifica Foundation is to broadcast radical voices of resistance, not just “alternative” ones, voices that are saying unpopular things about war, class, race, culture, sex and all of the other things that Americans don't want to talk about. Early programmer's objected to a WWII mobilization that had the support of 98 percent of the American public. I'm sure they understood why their listenership wasn't off the charts. They made a decision to reserve this portion of the dial for the lonely voices of the opposition that had no where else to broadcast.  

That is what Save Pacifica is fighting for.  

Tracy Rosenberg 

Administrative Director 

Media Alliance, San Francisco 

City attorney’s opinion flies in face of civic discourse 

Editor: 

I am writing to object to recent attempts by the city attorney's office to widen the definition of “conflict of interest” to the point where few citizens will meet the test of near-complete noninvolvement in the community to qualify to serve on a Berkeley commission. 

The pattern of opinions should give cause for concern to all who care about full democratic participation in our civic discourse. According to the city attorney's recent interpretations, those who serve on the boards of nonprofits, even on a purely volunteer basis, should be disqualified from many votes (recent cases include a Parks and Recreation commissioner as well as the Landmarks commissioners who have been prominent in the news). Those who work for the “wrong” employer should be excluded altogether. 

While I disagree with Commissioner Gordon Wozniak on the issue of tritium, in good conscience I must fully support his right to serve on the Community Environmental Advisory Committee (CEAC). I have worked closely with Gordon on the Parks and Recreation Commission (where he served as an effective watchdog on budgetary matters) and on two campaigns securing funding for our parks, and I know him to be an independent-minded person with genuine concern for the well-being of the people of Berkeley. Nevertheless, his unquestionable integrity and his good works in the community are not the point here. Nor is my disagreement with him on the environmental impact of tritium. At issue is the right of citizens to serve on our commissions without exclusion based on their participation in the wider community (whether through employment, nonprofit volunteerism, or advocacy on neighborhood issues). 

It is unfortunate that a community group whose position I otherwise support has chosen to use the City Attorney's flawed opinion to serve a political goal of excluding Gordon from participation on the CEAC. There are eight other commissioners on the CEAC. Those who disagree with Gordon's opinions about tritium should stick with the merits of their case and stop the unworthy campaign to silence him through public pressure and heckling (evidenced to a discouraging degree at the aborted CEAC meeting of February 22). 

Surely a city as steeped in the tradition of free speech as Berkeley can tolerate a diversity of opinions on our commissions. Surely we can understand that broadening the definition of “conflict of interest” beyond obvious financial gain will come at the expense of fewer opinions being heard and less participation in the democratic process. When free speech and full citizen participation are hindered, ultimately we all pay the price. 

Nancy Carleton 

Former Chair, Zoning  

Adjustments Board 

Former Vice Chair, Parks and Recreation Commission 

City events should be accessible to all 

The Berkeley “Free” Folk Festival held most recently in November had workshops in a room completely inaccessible to people who use wheelchairs. One wheelchair user was told the area, an area obviously listed on fliers as the location for some of the workshops, was “off limits”. 

Don't tell me to call the Mayor, who forwarded last year's letter of concern about the previous festival's violations to the City Manager. Don't tell me to call the City Manager, who conferred with the City Attorney, who sent a response courteously outlining a circuitous chain of logic in which the City of Berkeley magically emerges without responsibility or, more to the point, liability, despite the fact that the festival's budget includes public money and is officially sponsored by the city. 

Don't tell me to call the Disability Compliance Officer, who once told me that it wasn't his job to help the City of Berkeley avoid lawsuits and signed off on the use of the most recent inaccessible venue. Don't tell me to talk to the Commission on Disabilities, who with a few honorable exceptions voted not only to allow the festival to be held in the  

problematic private venue but signed off on allowing public money to be used to “enhance” the accessibility slightly without requiring even matching funds. 

Don't tell me to talk to the festival directors, who insist that any effort to talk about or improve the festival's access is an effort to “destroy” it. Don't tell me to speak with the “festival advisors” who refuse to meet or return phone calls and disparage anyone who raises the issue. Don't tell me to talk to the other musicians, who are content to sing about justice but get uncomfortable when asked to actually do anything  

practical to help with the problem. 

Don't tell me to call the NEA site evaluator, who gave a glowing review to the first festival which featured an inaccessible entrance, an inaccessible exit, inaccessible bathrooms, inaccessible workshop rooms, blocked aisles, and an inaccessible stage. 

Don't tell me to call the festival sponsor, who never returns my calls although she is a city councilmember who uses a wheelchair. 

Don't fall for the fallacy that the accessibility problems would have been resolved years ago if those who raised the issue “hadn't pushed so hard” or had been “less aggressive.” I've learned that no matter how softly you speak, how politely you inquire, how thoroughly you document your concern, if you raise the subject of disabled access people will perceive you as shouting. I've learned that once you're perceived in this way, the anger directed toward you will be perceived by others as “a feud” justifying their apathy. I've learned that five long years of dogged effort to create a festival which all members of the public can attend together without jeopardizing their health and safety is clearly not long enough. 

Carol Denney 

Berkeley 

Science not always the answer 

Editor:  

Gordon Wozniak, argues that decisions regarding the environment and health should be exclusively “science-based”.  

Unfortunately science cannot explain what life is, only what it is made up of.  

The human organism is much more than a collection of cells and molecules; we have minds and imaginations.  

May I humbly remind Mr. Wozniak that what is considered scientific fact today often becomes tomorrow's science fiction.  

Michael Bauce 

Berkeley 

Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm.”An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels like an earthworm, look into a mirrored fish pond, don farm animal costumes, ride on a John Deere tractor and more. $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. Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 647-1111 or www.habitot.org  

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. 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. Muntadas - On Translation: The Audience, Through April 29. Ernesto Neto/MATRIX 19 A Maximum Minimum Time Space Between Us and the Parsimonious Universe, Through April 15. $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 

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 10: The Varukers, 46 Short, Scarred for Life, Oppressed Logic, Facedown; March 16: The P.A.W.N.S., Kill the Messenger, Phoenix Thunderstone, Lesser of Two, Dory Tourette & The Skirtheads; March 17: The Hoods, Benumb, Above The World, Chrome Disorder, Eulogy 525-9926  

Albatross Pub All music at 9 p.m. unless noted 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 10, 9:30 p.m.: Tom Rigney & Flambeau, dance lesson at 8:30 p.m.; March 11, 7:30 p.m.: Flamenco Open Stage featuring Sarita Ayala and more; March 13, 9 p.m.: Creole Belles, dance lesson at 8 p.m.; March 14, 9 p.m.: West Coast Swing AllStars, dance lesson at 8 p.m.; March 15, 9 p.m.: Babatunde Olatunji; 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 or www.ashkenaz.com  

Eli’s Mile High Club Doors open at 8 p.m. March 9: Ron Hacker; March 10: Red Archibald; March 16: Little Jonny & the Giants; March 17: Sugar G; March 23: Carlos Zialcita; March 24: Daniel Castro; March 30: Craig Horton Blues Band 3629 MLK Jr. Way Oakland  

Jazzschool/La Note All music at 4:30 p.m. 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 11: Stephen Bell, guitar, plays music of Bach, Villa-Lobos, Ponse, and Albeniz; March 18: Mark Sanders, flute, David Cheng, violin, Darcy Rindt, viola, Paul Rhodes, cello. Flute quartets of Haydn and Mozart; March 25: Horizon Wind Quartet play music of Mendelssohn, Rossini, Ravel, Ligetti and others All concerts $8 - $10 Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St.  

Cal Performances Through March 11, call for times: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; March 22, 8 p.m., March 23, 7 p.m. & March 24, 1 & 8 p.m.: “The King Stag: A Tragicomic Tale for the Theatre” by Carlo Gozzi $24 - $46; Zellerbach Hall UC Berkeley. 642-9988 or www.calperfs.berkeley.edu March 11, 3 & 7 p.m.: Burhan Ocal & The Istanbul Oriental Ensemble perform traditional Turkish music $24; March 25, 3 p.m.: Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio perform music of Beethoven, Ravel and Tchaikovsky $32; Hertz Hall UC Berkeley 

Country Joe McDonald March 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 

Pharaoh’s Daughter March 10, 8 p.m. New York-based world music sextet melding Hasidic, Moroccan, Indian and Turkish melodies and rhythms $18 - $20 Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237 

Brundibar Children’s Opera March 11, 11:30 a.m. & 2 p.m. Featuring members of the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, children from the Crowden School, and Ela Weissberger, a survivor and original cast member. $12 - $24 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. 848-0237  

“The Mirrored Ball Benefit Concert Featuring Rebbe Soul” March 11, 6 - 9 p.m. Also to play Times 3 Proceeds from the concert go to the Derek Israel Memorial Scholarship Fund of the greater East Bay Jewish Community Foundation. $18 - $45 Redwood Gardens 2951 Derby St. Call 223-8223 or purchase tickets online: www.dims41.com 

Cantor Ramon Tasat: Music of Italian, Turkish & Spanish Jews March 13, 2 & 7:30 p.m. $10 - $20 Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237 

“Treacherous Crossings” March 14, 10 a.m., March 15 & 16, 10:30 a.m. & 7 p.m. Produced entirely by 8 - 11 year olds Malcolm X Arts & Academics Magnet School Malcolm X Auditorium 1731 Prince St. 644-6313 

Za’atar Performance/Community Jam March 15, 7:30 p.m. $14 - $16 Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237 

Berkeley High School Concert Orchestra March 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 

BHS Jazz Ensemble March 23, 7:30 p.m. The spring concert performance from the award-winning jazz ensemble. Proceeds benefit the students who will travel to Europe this summer to perform in Italy and Switzerland. $5 - $8 Florence Schwimley Little Theatre 1920 Allston Way  

Theater 

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

“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” 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 Audience Is Onto Us: An Evening of F*cked-up Theatre (of Paranoid Proportions)” March 13 & 14, 8 & 10 p.m. A comedy cabaret-style show with a bizarre and wicked bent. $4 LaVal’s Subterranean Theatre 1834 Euclid Ave. e-mail: laughdamnyou@hotmail.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 

“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 Through 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 

“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  

The Bullfighter & the Lady and Seven Men From Now March 17, 6:30 p.m. Join Budd Boetticher, director of Westerns, who will discuss his career and screen two of his favorites. $7 Pacific Film Archive 2575 Bancroft Way (at Bowditch St.) 642-1412 

“Dreamers” March 17 - 24 The American feature film debut of Chinese-born writer/director Ann Lu. The executive producer of the film is UC Berkeley alumnus Peiti Feng Fine Arts Cinema 2451 Shattuck Ave. 848-1143 

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 

“Sugar N’ Spice N’ Everything Nice: Live, Loves and Legacies of Women of Color” March 14 - April 21, Wednesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Opening reception: March 15, 6 - 8 p.m. Works by Aissatoui Vernita, Flo Oy Wong, Tomoko Negishi, Consuelo Jimenez and many others. Pro Arts Gallery 461 Ninth Street Oakland 763-9425 

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. Through 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. Through April 7, Wednesday through Sunday, Noon - 5 p.m Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St. 644-6893 

Recent Works of Narangkar Khalsa & Pete Glover Through March 31; Opening reception March 10, 7 - 9 p.m. !hey! Gallery 4920-B Telegraph Ave. Oakland 428-2349  

Readings 

Boadecia’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted 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 12, 7 p.m.: FTM Book & Discussion Group will discuss “Making the Body Beautiful” by Sander Gilman; March 14, 7 p.m.: Women’s Book Group will discuss “Wicked: The Life & Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” by Gregory Maguire; March 16: Rik Isensee will read from his novel “The God Squad: A Spoof on the Ex-Gay Movement”; March 21, 7 p.m.: Gay/Bi Men’s Book Group will discuss “Lost Language of Cranes” by David Leavitt; 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 12: Ken Baker will discuss “Man Made: A Memoir of My Body”; March 13: Patrick McCabe reads “Emerald Germs of Ireland”; March 14: Poetry of Murray Silverstein & Helen Wickes; March 15: Randy Shaw talks about “The Activist’s Handbook: A Primer”; March 18: Poetry of Yvonne Cannon, Lara Gularte, Richard Rocco; March 19: Jean Rouverol talks about “Refugees From Hollywood: A Journal of the Blacklist”; March 21: Poetry of James Schevill; March 25: Poetry of Beverly Matherne & A.J. Rathbun; March 28: Poetry of Craig Van Riper & Jaime Robles; April 4: Poetry of Carole Simmons Oles & Matthew McKay; April 11: Poetry of Kurt Brown & Al Young 2454 Telegraph Ave. 845-7852  

Easy Going Travel Shop & Bookstore All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted March 13: 40th Anniversary of the Peace Corps, learn the challenges of alternative international travel, work, and life; March 15: Lecture and demonstration by Philip Smith, editor of the “Gerardus Mercator’s 1595 Historic Atlas” of cartography, “Octavo” Editor Philip Smith will discuss the history of the Mercator Atlas; March 27: Travel writer Edward Hasbrouck, author of “The Practical Nomad” will provide essential tips, advice, and consumer skills for the independent traveler; March 29: Katherine Widing, author of “Cycling France” will give a slide presentation/talk on just that 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 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 

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 

Holloway Poetry Series March 13, 8 p.m.: Brenda Hillman, author of many books of poetry including “Loose Sugar” will read. Sponsored by the Department of English of UC Berkeley. Free. Maude Fife Room (315) Wheeler Hall UC Berkeley 653-2439 

“Slam the Prisons” April 6, 6 p.m. - 1 a.m. A benefit for prison activism featuring Tang, Company of Prophets, Sheryl D. Mebane and many others. Proceeds benefit the defense of New Afrikan political prisoner Khalfani X. Khaldun and the Prison Activist Resource Center. $10 La Pena Cultural Center 3205 Shattuck Ave. 898-0431  

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 

City Commons Club Lecture Series Fridays, 12:30 p.m. $1 general Students Free March 9: Morgan McNamara, visiting professor, Lawrence Berkeley Lab, will speak on “Genetic Analysis of Population - Origin & Migration”; March 16: Paul H. Young, Jr. retired foreign service officer, will present “A Pilgrim’s Visit to Athos”; March 23: Guy Colwell, master painter of Nasters, will speak on “Using Painting to Teach Art History”; March 30: Jana Grittersova, professor of International Relations, UC Berkeley will speak on “The European Union - Integration and Expansion” Berkeley City Club 2315 Durant Ave. 848-3533 

“Jews of Africa: Lecture with Jay Sand” March 12, 7:30 p.m. $8 - $10 Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237 

“Isn’t that a Clinton thing?” “Didn’t the Republicans de-fund that?” 

AmeriCorps has gotten the short shrift in the public’s worldview. Filmmaker Rick Goldsmith says what he has heard from most people is only the most vague understanding of the government-sponsored volunteer program, which the Clinton administration spearheaded in 1993 to foment community improvement. 

From their office in the Fantasy Building on Tenth Street in Berkeley, Goldsmith (whose documentary (“Tell the Truth and Run: George Seldes and the American Press” was nominated for an Academy Award) and his filmmaking partner Abbey Ginzberg have created a documentary about the working side of the constantly budget-threatened AmeriCorps.  

“Everyday Heroes” will have a premiere screening this Sunday at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco at 5 p.m. Goldsmith and Ginzberg didn’t have to travel far to find subjects: In the East Bay there are dozens on AmeriCorps projects in action. 

The film follows eleven members during the 1998-1999 school year as they taught, tutored, and mentored school children in various disciplines from reading to gardening to HIV prevention. Participants in AmeriCorps were paid a small wage and earned an educational stipend at the end of their year-long term. 

Sonya Dublin is one such participant. As a recent college graduate with some grassroots community organizing experience – and a whole lot of waitressing jobs – she had been hoping to gain some professional training. 

“I went into AmeriCorps thinking I would do a year or two of community service,” said Dublin, who was placed in Berkeley High School’s HIV prevention program. “Now I want to do it for the rest of my life.” 

Another of the film’s subjects is Kelsey Siegel, was placed in the Edible Schoolyard program of Berkeley’s Willard Middle School.  

The Edible Schoolyard is a gardening project on the Willard campus which enables students to learn to grow, harvest, and prepare produce on the school campus. The project allowed Siegel to bring together his professional experiences in farming, cooking, and teaching. 

It also let him bring his passion for Latin American and African drumming to his job. “Drumming is important in the agricultural tradition,” said Siegel, who tried to instill in the middle school students drumming as a means of ceremony and celebration. 

Filmmaker Abbey Ginzberg has been on the lookout for community programs for at-risk youth for several years. Her previous films (“Movin’ On Up,” “Vanguard in the Vanguard”) have been about experimental social programs.  

Ginzberg said she was drawn to documenting AmeriCorps because it is designed to reward the participants as much as the kids they are teaching “Some members of the team could be considered at-risk themselves,” she said. 

Part of the program charter stipulates that members of regional projects work as a group, and meet weekly to discuss and plan the direction of their team. “Everyday Heroes” captures some of their meetings, which were prone to bickering and arguments. 

“It was the most diverse group I’ll probably will ever work with,” said Siegel, who admitted he was wary of the team element. “It could get intense.” 

The film witnesses heated debates about race, personal expression, and group leadership, snits not unlike what could be seen among the young people in MTV’s “The Real World.” But while most reality-television programs are propelled by cash or career advancement, AmeriCorps and “Everyday Heroes” places its altruistic motivation in the betterment of the community. 

Goldsmith first realized the documentary potential of AmeriCorps while working on another MTV production, “Summer of Service,” when he discovered there were many young people interested in this kind of work. 

Kelsey Siegel knew he wanted to be a part of the Edible Schoolyard before he learned AmeriCorps existed.  

When King Middle School told him he could not work there because they couldn’t pay him, they pointed him in the direction of AmeriCorps as a way to get involved.  

Although initially hesitant to the team dynamic in favor of working with kids in the garden, Siegel now says that he got more out of the AmeriCorps experience from the team, learning to find resolution and comradery among the group. 

He also got a job. King Middle School eventually hired Siegel as their Edible Schoolyard’s group supervisor, where he still works today. 

For information about this weekend’s screening of “Everyday Heroes,” call 415.355.9988 x10.

By Jared Green 

Daily Planet Staff 

This was a game Robin Roberson just wasn’t going to lose. 

Berkeley’s senior star ended her home-court career Friday night by leading the Lady ’Jackets past Kennedy (Sacramento), 68-47, in a CIF Northern Section Division I semifinal. Berkeley will play at ARCO Arena in Sacramento on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the final for the right to play the next weekend for the state championship. 

Roberson led all scorers with 32 points, including 17 in the final quarter to seal the deal. The ’Jackets went into the fourth with a nine-point lead, but Roberson put the nail in the Cougars’ coffin with four buckets to key a 13-1 Berkeley run. 

Berkeley head coach Gene Nakamura challenged his star after the third quarter, as she had just 14 points and the ’Jackets had let Kennedy back in the game after leading by as much as 21 points. 

“I was rushing my shot, and Coach took me aside and said, ‘Is this how you want to end your last game here, playing like this?’ I said no, and I went out and made my shots,” Roberson said. 

Roberson got help from her fellow frontcourters, as forward Gelater Fullwood and center Sabrina Keys combined for 16 points and 16 rebounds, dominating the inside against the smaller Cougars. Fullwood was particularly ferocious on the offensive glass, pulling down six rebounds and getting three inside baskets in a row in the third quarter. 

“Gelater has been a warrior the last two games,” Nakamura said. “She’s gone out there like it’s the last game for her.” 

Early on, it looked as if the ’Jackets would have no problems with Kennedy, as they jumped out to a 21-5 lead after the first quarter. The Cougars’ lack of big-game experience showed, as they shot just 1-for-14 from the floor in the opening period and 9-for-49 in the game.  

But Berkeley was called for several touch fouls, and the Cougars were in the bonus early in the second quarter. The cut the lead to single digits at 30-21, thanks to 13 trips to the free throw line, 10 of which they converted. But Fullwood hit a free throw, and Lauren Chambers made a sweet turnaround jumper at the buzzer, and the ’Jackets had a 33-21 halftime lead. 

Nakamura squad came out firing to start the second half, and a Roberson 3-pointer gave them a 42-21 advantage early. But both Roberson and Keys earned their third fouls with five minutes to go in the quarter and had to go to the bench. The Cougars responded with a 12-point run. Roberson came back in and hit a short jumper, but Kennedy’s Christina Johnson answered with a layup to draw back within nine to start the fourth quarter. 

“They’re a transition team like us, and they make runs,” Nakamura said. “I didn’t want them to keep running, so I told my team to be patient and get good shots. When we did that, we were okay.” 

Johnson and freshman sensation Alisha Hicks led the Cougars with 14 points each, and Diana Fong pitched in 11 points. But the ’Jackets shut down Kennedy’s leading scorer, junior Smartt Kidd, holding her to no field goals and just four points. 

One Berkeley player who will have to step up in Sacramento is junior guard Angelita Hutton. The ’Jackets’ third-leading scorer in the regular season, Hutton has now scored just 11 points in the two regional games combined, shooting just 5-for-20 from the floor. Hutton has had foul trouble in recent games, including a technical foul in the first quarter on Friday. 

“(Hutton) takes herself out of the game with foul trouble,” Nakamura said. “She tries to block everything, and ends up on the bench. We need her in the game.” 

Nevertheless, the Lady ’Jackets are heading back to ARCO, where they lost to Narbonne in the state championship last year. 

“Our main goal was to make it to ARCO,” Roberson said. “Our goal now is to win state. We always get there, but we never win.”

With bike horns honking, hundreds of pink balloons pushing skyward on their strings and one pink contraption on wheels filled with balloons described as a “velorutionary pink bloc,” some 200 riders took off through the streets of Berkeley Friday evening, celebrating the eighth anniversary of Critical Mass, an organization that aims to take streets back for cyclists. “I don’t believe in cars for use in an urban area,” said Brendan Casey, who rides with Critical Mass in New York City and was in town visiting a friend. Casey said another friend, a bike messenger in the Big Apple, was knocked to the ground by a fire truck and broke his leg. “(Critical Mass) makes the public aware of bicyclers,” he said.

SUNNYVALE – The No. 4 Cal Bears squeaked past the Southern Illinois Salukis, 2-0 in game one of pool play at the National Invitational Softball Tournament and followed that win with a 7-2 victory over the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos in game two.  

The opening game was a scoreless stalemate for five innings, until sophomore Mikella Pedretti took action into her own hands for the Bears (23-0), sending a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence to give Cal the 1-0 lead. Junior Jocelyn Forest followed with a single up the middle and then stole second to move into scoring position. Sophomore Kristen Morley then singled to bring in Forest from second and give the Bears a two-run advantage.  

DiSalvio earned the win for Cal, improving to 10-0 on the year. She struck out seven SIU batters, walked two and allowed four hits.  

The Bears spotted the Gauchos two runs in the first inning of game two, but Cal chipped away at the UCSB (7-12) lead, stringing together five straight hits, along with a sophomore Veronica Nelson walk, to cut the Gauchos lead in half, 2-1.  

In the fourth with one out, sophomore Courtney Scott drilled a double down the left field line. Forest followed with a walk to put Cal runners on first and second. After the runners moved up one base apiece on a wild pitch. Sophomore Eryn Manahan came up next and sent a double to the left field gap to drive in Andrew and Forest, and give Cal the lead for good, 3-2.

Faced with an estimated $5 million budget shortfall next year, Berkeley School Board representatives have intensified a 14-month campaign to escape a $1.16 million state penalty for missing a bureaucratic deadline. 

“The penalty far outweighs the crime,” said Board President Terry Doran Thursday after a meeting in Sacramento where he and Interim Superintendent Stephen Goldstone asked the State Board of Education to consider reducing or eliminating the penalty. 

The battle dates back to December 1999, when the Berkeley school district submitted paperwork to the State Board of Education 45 days later than state law allowed.  

State law in 1999 required districts to account for staff professional development days during the school year in order to receive state education funding for those days. Berkeley was the only district out of more than 600 that failed to account for these days in writing by the Oct. 31 deadline. 

“We made a mistake,” Doran said.  

Doran and others are mystified by the severe punishment for what they call a simple administrative error. 

“Does the state benefit in any way from dinging us for $1.1 million because we missed the deadline by a month and a half?” Doran said. 

Doran said he would understand if the Berkeley school district had substituted professional development time for student instructional time in a way that was not permissible under the law. But Berkeley did nothing different from hundreds of other school districts except fail to file papers on time, Doran said. 

California lawmakers demonstrated their sympathy to the Berkeley argument when they voted overwhelmingly to scrap the penalty last year, but Gov. Gray Davis vetoed the legislation in September, putting the Berkeley school district back at square one. 

The school board turned to the State Board of Education for help in November 2000, but the state board declared it had no legal authority to exempt Berkeley from the penalty. In February, the state board agreed to give Berkeley four years to pay the penalty in $290,000 installments, with the state in effect deducting that amount from its funding for Berkeley schools each year. 

The first deduction has already taken place but is not counted in the district’s $5 million budget deficit for next year because the district is still hoping to have the penalty erased by this summer. 

In a meeting with State Assemblymember Dion Aroner Friday, Doran and Goldstone discussed the possibility of new legislation that would free BUSD from paying the penalty. 

“We want to word the legislation in a different way to better explain our position,” Doran said. 

When Davis vetoed last year’s bill providing relief to Berkeley he argued that “releasing school districts from penalties for noncompliance with these laws...sets an undesirable precedent.” To preempt this argument in the future, any new bill would be worded in a way that deals more specifically with Berkeley, Doran said. 

Berkeley school representatives have also appealed to the State Board of Education one more time to reduce the penalty in some way. Greg Geeting, interim executive director for the state board of education, said Friday that a panel of legal experts for the state legislature is reviewing the matter of the board’s legal authority to intervene in the matter.  

“Our legal council might change their view if the Legislative Counsel’s opinion were different than their own,” Geeting said. 

If efforts to reduce the penalty fail, the Berkeley board may ask for more time to pay up. 

“Given the fact that the penalty is spread out over four years instead of eight or 12 it’s very onerous,” said Shirley Issel, vice president of the Berkeley Board of Education.  

California field hockey coach Shellie Onstead has been selected as head coach of the Under-16 U.S. Men’s National Team for this spring. This is the third stint for Onstead as head coach. In 1999 and 2000, she was also appointed the same position en route to becoming the first woman in U.S. field hockey to be named head coach of a men’s team at any age level.  

In her first year with the Under-16 squad, the U.S. Olympic Committee named Onstead the U.S. Field Hockey Association’s National Coach of the Year. This spring, she will take the team on tours to Holland and Canada for their respective annual tournaments.  

“I’m thrilled and honored to be named again (as the head coach),” Onstead said. “It’s a good age group to work with and I’m glad that I have another chance to see if we could win the tournament in Holland.”  

In addition to the head coaching position, Onstead was also selected by the USFHA to join the Senior Men’s National Team as an assistant coach. She will travel with the team in July to Scotland for the World Cup qualifier tournament.  

At Cal, Onstead has been a part of the field hockey program for more than 20 years - three years as a player, 11 years as an assistant and six seasons as head coach. In 2000, she guided the Bears to their second consecutive undefeated NorPac Conference season and a runner-up spot in the NorPac Postseason Tournament.  

In five years as head coach, Onstead has an overall record of 62-42, including a conference record of 23-9.

The state Court of Appeal denied a lawsuit on Wednesday filed by three Landmarks Preservation Commissioners over an opinion by the city attorney that said they had a conflict of interest with a proposed development project. 

A panel of three Court of Appeal judges, Douglas Swager, James Marchiano and Gary Strankman summarily denied the suit two days after the commissioners called a press conference to announce the filing by their attorney, Antonio Rossmann. The judges gave no written explanation for the denial.  

The suit sought the reinstatement of the commissioners’ full voting power on the LPC, not monetary damages. 

On Oct. 30, City Attorney Manuela Albuquerque issued an opinion that the three commissioners, Becky O’Malley, Carrie Olson and Lesley Emmington-Jones, had a conflict of interest in their duties as commissioners with respect to the proposed Beth El Synagogue development, because they were either directors or employees of the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association.  

The conflict arose from a letter BAHA president Sarah Wikander wrote that was critical of the Environmental Impact Report for the proposed synagogue and school at 1301 Oxford St. As a result, Albuquerque said the commissioners should recuse themselves from voting on any issues related to the Beth El project. 

The commissioners refused, causing the chair of the commission, Burton Edwards to direct staff not to acknowledge their votes or comments on Beth El issues.  

“I have no idea why they even bothered to file a suit,” Albuquerque said. “I think it’s pretty clear that they don’t have any standing.” 

O’Malley said it was no surprise the court denied the suit. “The denial was most likely due to workload,” she said. “All we really wanted to do by going to the Court of Appeal was save the city some time and money.” 

O’Malley said Rossmann is considering where he will file the suit next. It could be in Superior Court, she said. 

Albuquerque said she is perplexed by some of the actions of the commissioner’s lawyer. She said that she doesn’t understand why Rossmann failed to provide documents to the State Attorney General that would have facilitated an opinion regarding the issue. 

“I have no idea what they are trying to accomplish,” she said. “It’s like writ writing 101.” 

Berkeley Observed 

Looking back, seeing ahead 

Although the 1906 earthquake toppled chimneys and cracked walls in Berkeley, the city was considered safer than San Francisco, and many refugees became permanent residents.  

Between 1900 and 1910 Berkeley’s population grew from 13,000 to 40,000 and every part of the city experienced growth.  

In west Berkeley 30 factories were relocated or established within three months after the earthquake including Macaulay Foundry.  

The foundry is located at 811 Carleton St. and is the oldest west Berkeley industry still operating under its original name in its original location.  

Macaulay Foundry was founded in San Francisco in 1896 and primarily made castings for the Byron Jackson Iron works which developed water pumps used across the state for municipal water and irrigation systems. 

In 1906 both businesses burned to the ground, and both relocated to Berkeley. Located side-by-side, both in San Francisco and Berkeley.  

From 1896 until 1937 Macaulay Foundry’s largest customer was Byron Jackson Iron Works.  

It also made castings for several other Berkeley companies including Hawes Sanitary Drinking Faucet, Scott-Hall Motor Car Company, Jacuzzi Brothers., Johnson Gear, Pan-American Manufacturing and Peet Brothers (later Colgate-Palmolive) once located across the street. 

This is among Berkeley's few remaining early 20th century manufacturing plants, and one of the largest and oldest jobbing foundries in the West.  

On June 3, 1996 the California Historical Society designated Macaulay Foundry, Inc. a Historic Business: “In recognition of the historic contribution to California's growth for 100 Years.”  

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

SAN JOSE — A program to use tobacco settlement money to provide every child in Santa Clara County with health care has garnered an overwhelming response – especially from other cities wishing to do the same, proponents say. 

The Santa Clara County Children’s Health Initiative is designed to let parents know what local, state and federal health insurance programs their children qualify for, and to make up for any coverage gaps left by those programs. 

“We have had interest from all over the country from people that would like to copy this program,” said Kevin Malone, a community organizer for People Acting in Community Together, a faith-based group that helped organize the program. “As far as we know, there’s nothing like this one.” 

The Rev. Rex Police, a member of the San Diego Organizing Project that is trying to get a similar initiative in that county, told a story of his own experience with health care at a news conference Friday marking the official start of the Santa Clara program. 

Three years ago, Police’s 1-month-old grandson was found to have a hole in his heart, and because the boy’s mother had taken a 3-month leave from work after giving birth, their insurance had lapsed. 

The hospital refused to operate on the boy without insurance, but Police said his wife camped out in the hospital for two weeks to get them to agree to perform the lifesaving surgery. The boy now is fine. 

“I hope our (county) supervisors in San Diego can see that the supervisors here have stepped up to the plate,” Police said. 

The initiative officially starts Sunday, but more than 5,000 children already have been signed up in the past two months. That exceeds the initiative’s projection of signing up 500 children a month. 

San Jose resident Irma Perez, a mother of two, learned of the initiative through a teacher at her children’s school and will sign up for the program Sunday. Her two daughters, 9 and 5, have been without health insurance for at least six months because her husband changed jobs, and his new job does not offer health insurance. 

“Thank God, up to now, they haven’t gotten sick,” she said in Spanish. “In this country, the cost of health care is very expensive.” 

An estimated 70,000 children in Santa Clara County are without health insurance, and more than half of them are in San Jose. The initiative also aims to sign up undocumented children. 

The initiative, which signs people up for Medi-Cal, the state and federal Healthy Families program and the county’s Healthy Kids program, also teaches participants how to use the insurance to make sure that they stay part of their program, Malone said. 

The initiative is expected to cost $14 million a year and can cover kids in families making up to three times the federal poverty level, meaning a family of four that makes almost $52,000 is eligible. Proponents have said that’s important in an area known for its high cost of living. 

The county will spend $3 million of the $18.5 million it is expecting each year for the next 25 years under the tobacco settlement. The city of San Jose will contribute nearly $3 million of tobacco settlement money over the next three years. Another $2 million will from tobacco taxes and $1 million from a county-run health maintenance organization.  

That leaves about $5 million left to raise. 

The 1998 tobacco settlement resulted from 46 states, including California, suing the tobacco industry to recoup the costs of treating sick smokers. The states will split $206 billion over 25 years. Four other states settled separately for another $40 billion. 

SAN JOSE — The recording industry said Friday it planned to send a list of 135,000 copyright songs to Napster Inc., giving the file-swapping company until Wednesday to block their free exchange on the online service. 

The Recording Industry Association of America planned to send the list to Napster electronically Friday night, said spokeswoman Amy Weiss. 

Napster then would have three business days to block the songs, according to an injunction issued Monday by U.S. District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel. The injunction followed a lawsuit by record companies, who are seeking to shut Napster down for facilitating copyright infringement. 

The list, compiled from music owned by the five largest record labels, arranges the songs by artist name, song title and album name. Also included are names under which the songs are stored. 

A Napster spokeswoman said late Friday afternoon the company had not yet received the list of songs. 

In a Web posting to its more than 60 million users, Napster said it earlier received names of some songs and expects the record companies to send more. 

“You will still be able to share music that we haven’t been asked to block,” the statement read. “The Napster file-sharing service is and will continue to be up and running.” 

Napster did not specify how many files have been blocked, but a wide range of files remained available Friday. 

A computer search for “Metallica” revealed more than 100 files on one server. A search for the band’s name and the song “The Unforgiven” was unsuccessful. Yet a search for “The Un4given” was successful. 

Howard King, an attorney who represented Metallica in a lawsuit against Napster, said he has been in contact with Napster officials since Patel’s order and has noticed efforts at blocking. 

“I learned patience waiting four months for the court of appeals to rule,” he said. “As long as I think they’re trying to (implement the screening system), I’m not going to jump up and down.” 

Napster appeared in 1999 when founder Shawn Fanning released software making it easy for people to locate and trade songs stored as computer files in the MP3 format, which compresses digital recordings without sacrificing quality. 

Five record labels – Sony, Warner, BMG, EMI and Universal – quickly sued, saying Napster could rob them of billions in profits. 

Napster argued no music was stored on its servers, which contained only the names of songs and where to find the music among its users’ hard drives. 

In July, Patel issued a preliminary injunction ordering Napster to shut down, but a federal appeals court set aside the injunction pending its own decision. On Feb. 12, the appeals court ordered Patel to rewrite her injunction.

SAN FRANCISCO — A law firm sued Oracle chief executive Larry Ellison on Friday, alleging the world’s second-richest man engaged in insider trading when he dumped a large amount of company stock prior to a dismal earnings report. 

Oracle spokeswoman Jennifer Glass said the federal suit brought by Milberg Weiss Bershad Hynes & Lerach on behalf of a small pension fund is “entirely without merit and will be defended vigorously.” 

The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco.  

It alleges that Ellison unlawfully dumped at $32 per share nearly $900 million worth of shares, a fraction of his holdings, during the fiscal third-quarter, which ended Feb. 28.  

Ellison is accused of taking advantage of insider information that included knowledge that the software giant would not meet third-quarter expectations. 

The Redwood Shores company warned March 1 that third-quarter earnings would fall below forecasts because of a sudden slowdown in sales caused by the country’s slumping economy.  

The suit, however, said Oracle knew but concealed that it would experience costly outlays to fix what the lawyers called “massive technical problems” with its 11iSuite software. 

Preliminary results for the third quarter estimated earnings will be 10 cents a share.  

Analysts surveyed by First Call/Thomson Financial were expecting 12 cents a share for Oracle stock. 

On Friday, Oracle shares dropped $1.13 to $16.38 on the Nasdaq Stock Market, nearly half their value when Ellison sold shares and well below a 52-week high of $46.47. 

All told, the executive sold 29.1 million shares in January, generating $894.8 million. 

Ellison reaped about $681 million in profits by exercising stock options that were expiring in August.  

Ellison told the Securities and Exchange Commission he exercised options to purchase 22.2 million shares for about 22.5 cents each.  

He then sold the shares in the open market for as much as $32 each. Those were his first share sales in five years. 

Ellison also sold about 7 million shares that he already owned, according to an SEC report. 

Ellison owns about 1.4 billion common Oracle shares plus other options. 

The suit is Local 144 Nursing Home Pension Fund vs. Oracle Corp., C010988.

LOS ANGELES — Excerpts of 911 calls from the Santana High School shooting were released Friday, the family of the teen-ager accused in the fatal attack said they were horror-stricken and the governor called on teachers to spend more time talking to students. 

Just hours before a public memorial for Randy Gordon and Bryan Zuckor, the students killed in Monday’s rampage at the suburban San Diego school, the family of Charles Andrew “Andy” Williams issued a statement. 

Williams has been charged with two counts of murder and 26 other counts for allegedly killing his classmates and wounding 13 other people during a six-minute shooting spree. 

“They would like all of you to know that they were horror-stricken by the events that took place at Santana High School and they remain shocked and confused,” read the statement, issued through the public defender’s office. 

Sheriff’s deputies released edited tapes of three calls received Monday as the shooting started. 

The most dramatic came from an injured student, breathing fast and heavy. 

“He was in the boy’s bathroom. ... I don’t know where he went. Everyone was running around,” she said in brief portions of the 17-minute call that were released. 

In Los Angeles, Gov. Gray Davis said metal detectors and better communication in public schools might help prevent tragedies like Santee. 

Metal detectors could be a way to keep weapons out of classrooms, Davis said in brief comments about the shooting at a California Federation of Teachers conference. 

Many of the 400 teachers in the audience moaned at the suggestion by Davis, who went on to say that airports have become safer places because of such precautions. 

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that there have been far fewer shootings on airplanes than in schools,” he said. 

It might be time to teach children to resolve their own conflicts, one teacher said. 

“We as adults and teachers have taken care of the problems for kids instead of teaching the kids how to take care of their own problems,” said Marilyn Chapman, a third-grade teacher from Litchfield, a tiny community north of Sacramento. 

Davis was on his way to visit one of the two victims still hospitalized. Both victims were reported in good condition and expected to be released in the next few days. 

Davis and his wife Sharon, a 1972 Santana graduate, then planned to attend the memorial service. 

Funerals for Gordon and Zuckor were scheduled this weekend. 

Four students who heard Williams threaten to shoot classmates and failed to report him will be barred from Santana High School for the rest of the year for their own safety, officials said Thursday. 

Several people said they heard Williams talk of planning to shoot up the school on Monday but passed it off as one of his frequent jokes. Students and community members have expressed anger over their failure to notify authorities. 

Most of the school’s 1,900 students returned to classes Wednesday. Grief counselors will continue to be available on campus for at least 45 days. 

Two teachers were out sick the first day, including one Ward said suffered a mild heart attack during the shooting. 

SACRAMENTO — Mexican President Vicente Fox is scheduled to tour California this month to discuss trade, technology and immigration issues with government and business leaders. 

“If we are going to be good neighbors and good partners, we need to be able to talk about all of the good things that we can partner in doing,” California’s Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante said Friday. 

“We also need to talk about the problems that take place in order to be able to air them openly, discuss them frankly and deal with them.” 

The March 21-23 visit will be Fox’s first trip to California since he took office Dec. 1 and falls on the heels of President Bush’s February visit to Mexico to boost cooperation between the two countries. 

Despite a thorny relationship between California and Mexico in the past, Gov. Gray Davis and Fox have pledged cooperation.  

Then President-elect Fox visited Los Angeles in November and Davis and Bustamante attended Fox’s inauguration. 

In addition to trade and immigration, Fox likely will address issues involving the environment, drug interdiction and technology on his trip, Bustamante said. 

During the three-day trip, he is slated to address a joint session of the California Legislature; visit with technology officials in Silicon Valley; meet with business leaders in Los Angeles; and open a Mexico Trade Center in Santa Ana, Bustamante said. 

Fox, the first opposition presidential candidate ever to defeat the Institutional Revolutionary Party that has ruled Mexico since 1929, has pledged sweeping reforms including tackling corruption and improving foreign relations. 

An official announcement of Fox’s visit has not been made, nor a detailed itinerary released.  

A Davis spokesman said the Mexican president still has to follow a protocol of formally notifying his Congress to approve the trip. 

But tickets for a luncheon with business leaders in Los Angeles already are sold out and preparations are under way statewide to welcome Fox. 

“The president probably is one of the most popular people in the world and there are great, high expectations everywhere for him and his new administration,” said James Clark, executive director of the California Pacific Office of the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce.

SACRAMENTO — Federal regulators ordered power wholesalers Friday to refund $69 million in excessive charges to California utilities, hundreds of millions less than state officials are seeking. 

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission found that January electricity prices wholesalers charged the California Independent System Operator, which oversees the state grid, and the Power Exchange, the state’s power trading center, exceeded “just and reasonable” amounts. 

The ISO earlier this month told FERC that suppliers should have to refund roughly $550 million they overcharged in December and January for the last-minute power it buys for utilities to fill gaps in the grid and avoid blackouts. 

FERC said it looked only at January and would address December in a later order. 

In addition, it said it could only address potentially excessive charges by private generators, not public utilities that sold to the grid and the exchange during that period.  

The public utilities accounted for $170 million of the overcharging alleged by the ISO. 

ISO spokeswoman Lorie O’Donley declined immediate comment on the federal order. 

FERC’s order requires refunds from more than a dozen major power suppliers, including Duke Energy, Dynegy, Reliant, Williams, Mirant, and Sempra, which is the parent of the San Diego Gas & Electric Co. 

Several suppliers contacted by The Associated Press, including Duke, Williams, Reliant and Dynegy, said they had not seen the order and couldn’t comment. 

“We’re reviewing it and not only want to review the conclusion, but the basis for those conclusions,” said Jeremy Dreier, a spokesman for North Carolina-based Duke Energy. 

California has been reeling under soaring wholesale power prices – driven in part by rising natural gas costs – and a tight power supply for months. 

The supply became particularly tight in December and January, as rain and snow fell short in the Pacific Northwest, straining hydroelectric production, and dozens of power plants shut down for scheduled and unplanned maintenance. 

Grid officials conducted an almost-daily scramble for power in January and February. Supplies fell short of demand on Jan. 17 and 18, causing rolling blackouts struck the northern two-thirds of the state. 

In addition, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and Southern California Edison – the state’s two biggest utilities and the largest recipients of the last-minute power the ISO buys – are on the brink of bankruptcy. 

They say soaring wholesale prices have left them more than $13 billion in debt since June, leading suppliers to deny them credit.  

State government has been spending roughly $45 million a day since early January to buy power for the utilities’ customers.  

The ISO report to FERC said electricity wholesalers overcharged during the period, even when high natural gas prices and other problems are taken into account. 

DEVELOPMENTS 

• Federal regulators order 13 generators to refund $69 million in power charges for January. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission required suppliers to justify prices exceeding $150 per megawatt hour. It determined that some sales were priced too high, even taking into account high natural gas prices, air quality control costs and plant maintenance. 

• The FERC staff recommends the commission repeal that $150 per megawatt hour “soft cap” it imposed in December on wholesale power prices. Instead, commissioners recommend that the Independent System Operator, keeper of the state’s power grid, overhaul the methods it uses to buy last-minute power. FERC staff recommends that during power emergencies, the cap be replaced with a set price and generators be required to sell any available power to the ISO. 

• The Power Exchange, the state’s power trading center, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The nonprofit exchange was created as part of deregulation. It ceased operations in January after PG&E and Edison were barred from trading because they had defaulted on payments. 

In a statement, the exchange said the filing will not effect the delivery of power by the utilities, “nor does it adversely impact the efforts of elected officials and stakeholders to find a solution to the electricity crisis in California.” 

• The Davis administration continues negotiations with Edison, PG&E and San Diego Gas & Electric over the governor’s plan to buy their transmission lines to help Edison and PG&E pay their debts. 

• The Legislature considers dozens of bills to encourage energy conservation, increase alternative power and streamline power plant siting. 

• The State and Consumer Services Agency and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown sponsor an Energy Efficiency Fair in San Francisco on Saturday to demonstrate power-saving techniques. 

• An order from Davis requiring businesses to substantially reduce outdoor lighting after business hours takes effect next week. Businesses that fail to comply face a potential fine of $1,000 a day. 

• Attorneys for three generators and the ISO return to federal court March 19, when a judge is expected to decide whether power suppliers can be forced to sell to the grid. 

LOS ANGELES — In a move union leaders say bodes well for farm laborers nationwide, the United Farm Workers signed a contract Thursday with the nation’s largest strawberry employer, ending a five-year struggle to unionize the company’s pickers. 

The agreement comes amid efforts by the UFW, best known for its charismatic founder Cesar Chavez, to unionize other agriculture industries and boost sagging membership. Leaders hope workers elsewhere will be inspired by the strawberry pickers’ success, allowing the union to make inroads in places like California’s mushroom fields and vineyards. 

“As the agriculture business grows, exploitation of workers gets worse. This is an important statement that says there’s an alternative,” said Art Pulaski, executive secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation. “There’s been a significant breakthrough here. So, they will build on this to bigger things.” 

Under the agreement with Watsonville-based Coastal Berry Co., the largest single employer of strawberry pickers in the country, more than 750 workers will receive free medical and dental care and a 7 percent pay raise over three years. The contract includes room to negotiate for productivity bonuses. 

The agreement, retroactive to Feb. 15, also provides for protection from firings and the establishment of a grievance and arbitration procedure. 

Workers will have a week to decide individually if they want to join the union. They will have to resign if they don’t, said UFW President Arturo S. Rodriguez. The union will take 2 percent of the workers’ wages for dues. 

Javier Vasquez, a strawberry picker who said he makes about $6.25 an hour at this point in the season, added he expects the contract to improve his working environment and looks forward to having “respect in the place of work.” 

There have been “too many firings and a lot of discrimination toward the workers (and) sexual harassment that I saw almost every day,” he said in Spanish through an interpreter. “That’s what motivated me to get involved and to organize my co-workers.” 

The union’s ability to organize the Coastal Berry employees should be an inspiration to other workers, Rodriguez said, because strawberry pickers are among the poorest-paid. 

California’s fast-growing strawberry industry brings in about $600 million a year. 

“As our companies do well and our industries do well, our workers should do well, too,” said Los Angeles mayoral candidate Antonio Villaraigosa, a former union leader himself. 

David Gladstone, chairman of Coastal Berry, joined union leaders and pickers at a news conference to sign the agreement as members of other unions stood by waving UFW flags and chanting “si se puede,” Spanish for “yes you can.” 

The crowd broke open packages of fresh strawberries and emptied bottles of champagne in celebration. 

Gladstone encouraged labor leaders to try to organize pickers at other strawberry companies, noting the wage increases will make it difficult for his company to keep from raising prices. Fifty-three percent of the price of a package of strawberries goes to pay wages, he said. 

Coastal Berry’s willingness to negotiate with the union made it difficult at times for the company to lease land and get bank loans, Gladstone said. An industry group even sued the company, he said. 

Despite the union leaders’ optimism, one labor expert warned against using the UFW’s success at Coastal Berry as an indicator of its odds for success at other companies. 

Gary Chaison, a professor of labor management relations at Clark University in Worcester, Mass., said Coastal Berry was a “friendly employer” that was more willing to work with UFW than the union can expect from other companies. 

“I think the UFW contract is probably significant in what it represents not as a turning point for the union ... but an indication of where labor sees itself going,” he said. “They have been trying to show themselves as appealing to the emerging sectors of the work force ... and trying to go back to their old days when they represented disenfranchised workers.” 

The victory could be a sign the union known for its successes in the mid-1970s and 1980s is alive and well after years of dwindling membership and financial troubles, he said. 

The union has been trying to get a stake in the strawberry industry since 1995, but was slowed by battles with another upstart union along the way. The Coastal Berry of California Farm Workers Committee gained the right to represent Coastal Berry workers in Salinas, while the UFW represents Oxnard workers. 

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A boy who says he was imitating body-slamming pro wrestlers when he killed a little girl at age 12 was sentenced to life in prison without parole Friday after a judge refused to reduce his first-degree murder conviction. 

Tears rolled down Lionel Tate’s cheeks as the boy, now 14, was led away in handcuffs and leg shackles to begin serving the sentence, which was mandatory under a tough-on-crime Florida law enacted in the mid-1990s. 

Tate becomes one of the youngest defendants in the United States ever to be sentenced to spend the rest of his life behind bars. 

The prosecutor himself suggested the sentence was too harsh, but he also noted that the boy’s lawyer and his mother had repeatedly rejected a plea bargain that would have meant only three years in a juvenile prison. 

In imposing sentence, Judge Joel Lazarus called the slaying of 6-year-old Tiffany Eunick “cold, callous and indescribably cruel.” 

Tate was found guilty Jan. 25 of beating Tiffany to death at his home. Tiffany suffered a fractured skull, a lacerated liver and more than 30 other injuries on July 28, 1999, from being punched, kicked, stomped and thrown. 

During the trial, the defense argued that the 170-pound boy did not mean to kill the 48-pound girl and thought he could body-slam people and they would walk away unhurt, just like his wrestling idols on television. 

On Friday, the judge rejected a defense request to throw out Tate’s conviction or reduce it to second-degree murder or manslaughter, saying: “The evidence of Lionel Tate’s guilt is clear, obvious and indisputable.” 

The judge also questioned the defense argument that Tate was imitating pro wrestlers. “It is inconceivable that such injuries could be caused by roughhousing or horseplay or by replicating wrestling moves,” he said. 

Tate’s mother, Kathleen Grossett-Tate, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper who described Tiffany’s death to the judge as a “tragic accident,” showed no reaction to the sentence.  

Several family friends and relatives wailed. 

Defense attorney Jim Lewis had tried to put pro wresting and TV itself on trial. But the judge blocked him from calling as witnesses wrestling stars Hulk Hogan and The Rock, or from summoning psychologists to testify about the effect of pro wrestling on children. 

Lewis said he will appeal and also ask Gov. Jeb Bush to reduce the sentence. 

Prosecutor Ken Padowitz urged the judge to uphold the first-deg ree murder conviction but said he will support the request for clemency from the governor. However, he added: “That by no means is an indication that I don’t believe that the jury’s verdict was correct.” 

He said the Legislature should change the law so that judges have leeway in sentencing juveniles convicted as adults of first-degree murder. 

Padowitz would not say what sentence he believes Tate deserves, but pointed out that before the trial, Tate, his mother and his lawyer repeatedly rejected a plea bargain that offered three years in a juvenile prison, one year of house arrest and 10 years of probation. 

“That was a fair plea offer and if I could turn back time I would take it,” the boy’s lawyer said. 

The judge also rejected a defense request Friday for a mental competency hearing. The defense had argued that Tate did not understand before his trial that he faced life in prison if convicted. 

A few days after Tiffany’s death, Tate told police he picked her up and accidentally hit her head on a table. In a videotaped interview with a court-appointed psychologist, Tate claimed to have accidentally thrown Tiffany into a stairway railing and a wall while trying to toss her onto a sofa. 

The defense’s own experts conceded that Tate’s story would not have accounted for all of Tiffany’s injuries, which one prosecution expert said were comparable to falling from a three-story building. 

Housing sales are viewed by economists as an indicator of the economy’s good or poor health, so when a real estate group reported a big sales decline in January, it deepened an already gloomy outlook. 

And it should have. Homes are catalysts. When people change addresses they tend also to spend on furniture, appliances, landscaping and various supplementary items. They may renovate, and maybe even buy a second car. 

It explains the consternation that greeted the National Association of Realtors’ announcement of a sudden, 6.6 percent drop in January sales of existing homes. It tipped the indicator arrows toward recession. 

That was on February 26. On March 7, the arrows snapped back to a more  

neutral position. 

We erred, said a Realtor spokesman, blaming computer software. Instead of a 6.6 percent decline in sales of existing homes, that sector rose a healthy 3.8 per cent, adding 480,000 sales to the original estimate. 

Because this is a big economy producing big numbers, small glitches can become magnified into popular misinterpretations. But it isn’t glitches alone that cause problems. The best numbers can do it, too. 

It has become that way, ironically, as more people with more money react to government economic numbers that once concerned only a circle of professionals – academics, economists, executives, government officials. 

Now, more people than ever are directly invested in the economy via home ownership, stocks, mutual funds, 401(k)s and other individual retirement plans, corporate pension plans, credit cards and the like. They are better educated, too, and the media serves them more and more information. 

The reaction to computer numbers can be immediate rather than delayed, as it once was. And magnified, too. And, unlike the old days when the pros knew the limitations of numbers, worsened by imperfect understanding. 

It is not fully understood, for example, that numbers may be subject not only to errors, but to incomplete data. That they are often revised. That they may be seasonally adjusted, perhaps imperfectly. That some are meaningful, some not. 

But as reliance on computer-driven numbers grows, the pros are having their problems and those problems can cause economic landslides. 

The evidence is played out daily: semiconductor and other industries overestimating their markets’ growth rates; bad guidance from Wall Street; corporate chiefs lowering earnings estimates made just a month earlier. 

There may be no substitute for running an economy by the numbers, but a bit of old fashioned intuition can occasionally help lessen the impact. 

It is difficult, though, and can be embarrassing to attempt defending instinct and intuition, while the worst of decisions can find an alibi and security in blaming the computer numbers. Ask weather forecasters. 

Numbers in a modern economy, though off the mark and misinterpreted to boot, seem chiseled out of the hard rock of truth. They dictate. 

John Cunniff is a business analyst for The Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO — Caught in a technology downdraft, Loudcloud Inc. barely made a peep in its stock market debut Friday. 

Shares in the Sunnyvale-based Web services company closed at $6.16 on the Nasdaq Stock Market, up 16 cents from its sharply discounted initial public offering price. Loudcloud helps to build and maintain the Web sites of other companies, a niche that isn’t expected to produce a profit for the company until 2004. 

Loudcloud’s offering represented the most closely watched IPO in months, largely because of its chairman and co-founder, Marc Andreessen. 

The 1995 IPO of Andreessen’s last company, Web browser maker Netscape Communications, helped launch the Internet stock craze. Netscape’s rise provided the bulk of Andreessen’s estimated $500 million fortune. 

Market observers were curious to see if Andreessen, 29, could work his magic again at Loudcloud and shore up the badly slumping IPO market. 

But Andreessen received a dramatically different reception this time around. 

Loudcloud slashed its IPO price in half before eking out Friday’s 3 percent gain. In contrast, Netscape raised its IPO price before the stock doubled in value on its first day of trading in August 1995. 

The times are much different now. Netscape’s IPO came in the midst of a bull market more willing to gamble on unproven companies dabbling in the Internet. 

Loudcloud pushed through its IPO amid a squall of investor pessimism that swept through Wall Street again Friday as the market reacted to more bad news from technology bellwethers Intel Corp. and Cisco Systems Inc. 

“It’s extraordinary that (Loudcloud) was even able to get this IPO priced in the face of these market conditions,” said Greg Gallo, a Palo Alto attorney who specializes in IPOs. 

Burned by huge losses over the past year, investors are especially leery of unprofitable Web-based businesses such as Loudcloud, which lost $107.6 million in the nine months ended Oct. 31. 

Venture capitalists now are advising their technology start-ups to string together three consecutive profitable quarters before pursuing an IPO. 

To make its IPO happen, Loudcloud had to make substantial concessions. The company originally hoped to sell 10 million shares for as much as $12 apiece. After investors balked, Loudcloud twice lowered the IPO price and increased the number of shares to 25 million to ensure it would raise enough money to stay afloat. 

After paying its expenses, Loudcloud will net $137.9 million from the IPO, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Friday. The company raised an additional $5 million by selling 877,192 shares at $5.70 apiece to one of its business partners, Compaq Computer, according to the filing. 

The company’s other notable partners and customers include business consultants Accenture, America Online, Nike, Ford Motor, News Corp. and Blockbuster. The company says it has signed customer contracts totaling $120 million.

NEW YORK — For a few hours this past week, Wall Street got a mild reminder of the euphoria that sent stocks roaring last year to some of their highest levels ever. 

Goldman Sachs chief investment strategist Abby Joseph Cohen issued a research note Wednesday advising clients to buy and predicting the Dow Jones industrials would hit 13,000 by year’s end. 

But the reaction was muted, an illustration of just how much has changed since this time a year ago, when the Nasdaq hit its all-time high of 5,048.62. Although stocks moved up somewhat, a string of earnings warnings and downgrades quickly took back control of the market. By Friday, blue chips and technology stocks had tumbled precipitously. 

“I’ve heard of Abby Cohen and I’ve seen her on TV, but I don’t really listen to her much,” said Kathleen Greer, a bank customer service representative in Chicago. She worries that some analysts may be promoting the same stocks their firms underwrite or want to do business with. “My investment club uses its own tools to analyze stocks.” 

The same Wall Street analysts who presided over the Nasdaq’s dramatic ascension are still around, but their influence has waned somewhat as the stocks they covered have fallen sharply. 

“The market gets into times of euphoria and depression. Right now, it’s hard for people to get excited,” said Kent Womack, a finance professor at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. “I’m sure people are somewhat comforted to hear that she’s positive on the market, but there’s also the reality that earnings don’t look good and probably won’t another quarter from now.” 

The superstar strategists, including people like Cohen, Merrill Lynch’s Henry Blodget and Morgan Stanley’s Mary Meeker, can still be found on TV and in newspapers. But their influence has lessened as individual and institutional investors, scarred by weak earnings and the shuttering of dot-coms, have moved away from sectors  

that ignited many of these analysts’ careers. 

“It’s definitely quieted down,” said Robert B. Walsh, a financial adviser in Jersey City, N.J., who used to regularly field calls from clients interested in stocks they had seen touted on TV. “People still listen to that stuff, but they’ve lost a lot of wealth and don’t have the money to go back in.” 

Two unexpected earnings warnings from Intel and Yahoo! this past week were a reminder of how fundamentally attitudes and expectations have shifted on Wall Street. Caution, not euphoria, is the rule now. 

“Making money is hard again,” Blodget was quoted in the New York Post as telling a Merrill Lynch Internet Conference audience this week. 

Blodget, a Merrill Lynch analyst, rose to fame three years ago on a prediction that Amazon.com’s stock would double. Since then Amazon’s stock has fallen sharply and Pets.com, one of Blodget’s high-profile stock picks, has shuttered its doors. 

Rival Internet stock-picker Mary Meeker at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter has been quiet in recent months, but has no apologies for her bullish forecasts. 

Cohen, the Goldman Sachs strategist and perhaps the most senior and respected member of the group, was never a Nasdaq stock picker. Her forecast Wednesday, in fact, omitted the Nasdaq entirely. 

“We believe that attractive equity valuation has been restored and forecast year 2001 price levels of 1,650 and 13,000 for the S&P 500 and DJIA,” her note said, adding, “Opportunities are often the best when uncertainty is rampant.” 

With the market so volatile, it’s hard to know whether Wall Street’s less enthusiastic response to analysts is temporary or the beginning of a trend. 

Womack, the Tuck professor, isn’t sure, either. He also doesn’t believe it’s fair to blame analysts for the inflation or deflation of the Nasdaq bubble, as some have done. 

But he said good lessons can be learned from this. Forecasting what the overall market’s trajectory is tricky and hazardous. Investors need to look to more than analysts before making their portfolio decisions. 

“Many analysts wear multiple hats. One is to recommend their favorite stocks and the other is to get investment banking business done,” he said. “These two jobs conflict with each other. So we need to treat the advice we get from them like we would treat advice of someone selling a car or TV.” 

For the week, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 178.31, a 1.7 percent gain, to 10,644.62, despite tumbling 213.63 Friday. 

The Nasdaq composite index fell 64.85, or nearly 3.1 percent, to end the week at 2,052.78, a level not seen since December 1998. It lost 115.95 Friday. 

The Standard & Poor’s 500 ended the week off 0.76, a decline of nearly 0.1 percent. It finished at 1,233.42 after losing 31.32 on Friday. 

The Russell 2000 index, which tracks the performance of smaller company stocks, fell 3.23, or 0.7 percent, for the week after slipping 7.84 on Friday. It closed at 473.65. 

The Wilshire Associates Equity Index — which represents the combined market value of all New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange and Nasdaq issues — ended the week at $11.331 trillion, off nearly $43 billion from the previous week. A year ago the index was nearly $11.374 trillion. 

End adv for weekend editions 

St. Mary’s beats up on Buffaloes, will face Monte Vista in Stockton for shot at state championship 

St. Mary’s is headed to Delta College. 

It doesn’t quite have the ring of the Arco Arena, the site of the higher division CIF Northern Regional finals, but the Panthers will take it. They beat an overmatched Amador (Sutter Valley) squad, 78-67, on Thursday night in a semifinal matchup, and will take on Monte Vista Christian in Stockton on Saturday at 3 p.m. The winner will then play the following Saturday at Arco in Sacramento for the state championship. 

St. Mary’s lost in the semifinals last year, and this will be their first trip ever to the final. 

The Panthers beat Amador soundly despite the fact that two starters sat for the entire first half. Forwards Jeremiah Fielder and Chase Moore violated team rules earlier this week, according to St. Mary’s head coach Jose Caraballo, and their punishment was to watch the first half from the bench. 

The replacement starters, guard Terrence Boyd and forward Lorenzo Alexander, filled in nicely. Boyd was more aggressive with the ball than usual, driving to the hole several times, and he scored 13 first-half points and finished with 15 and five rebounds. Alexander used his considerable heft to muscle inside for eight points and eight rebounds. 

“Terrence and Lorenzo stepped up real big tonight,” St. Mary’s guard John Sharper said. “It was hard playing without (Fielder and Moore), but we got through it.” 

Boyd said he was concentrating on defense to start, and offense just came naturally. 

“I just had to step up my game,” Boyd said. “I tried to play aggressive on defense, and that made me more aggressive on offense.” 

As they have throughout the postseason, the Panthers leaned heavily on the scoring of shooting guard John Sharper, who poured in a game-high 28, including all four St. Mary’s 3-pointers. Point guard DaShawn Freeman added 13 points and six steals. 

“DaShawn and John, they prove night in and night out that they’re great players,” Caraballo said. 

After Amador took an early 2-0 lead, the St. Mary’s press took effect, causing five consecutive Buffalo turnovers in a 12-point run that put the Panthers up for good. Freeman had three steals in the stretch, and easily penetrated the lane on the slower Amador backcourt. 

Amador’s leading scorer, forward John Meath, drew two fouls early in the game and sat for much of the first quarter. He came back in in the first minute of the second with his team down 20-14, but couldn’t stop the bleeding. The Panthers went on a 12-4 run upon his return, as the Panthers once again turned Buffalo turnovers into easy baskets. When Boyd stole an inbounds pass with 3.1 seconds left in the half and scored an easy layup, the top-seeded Panthers had a 43-25 halftime lead. 

The halftime stats were almost compeletely lopsided in favor of the Panthers. They shot 50 percent from the floor, outrebounded the Buffaloes 19-13 and had 10 steals to Amador’s one. The only place the visitors were better was from the free throw line, where they were 13-of-16, while the Panthers were a miserable 8-of-16. 

Moore and Fielder finally got into the game to start the second half, but Moore was apparently a little antsy, picking up four fouls in seven minutes and missing three shots. Other than a short St. Mary’s seven-point spurt, the quarter belonged to the Buffaloes, as they hit 9-of-15 from the floor and cut the Panther lead to 59-45. Meath hit a 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter to get his team within 12 points, but they wouldn’t get any closer until the final seconds of the game. 

“We have the chance to represent the north in the state championship, and that’s our goal,” Caraballo said. 

Sharper put the his own goals into a different perspective. 

“We’re just getting a little farther every year,” the junior said.  

He was asked what the Panthers would do for an encore if they win the state championship. 

“We’ll have to win state again,” he said. 

Thousands of students, teachers and activists from around the Bay Area packed UC Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza Thursday for a sometimes tense “Day of Action” to call for the reinstatement of affirmative action in the UC system. 

“Mass meetings” in the morning and afternoon and a midday rally attracted placard-totting high school and middle school students from San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley and as far away as Fresno.  

Heated exchanges between students on different sides of the affirmative action issue sometimes escalated to fist fights, said UC Berkeley Police Capt. Bill Cooper. City police closed down Telegraph Avenue between Brancroft and Channing ways for several hours after a group of youth looted a Athlete’s Foot store during the demonstrations. 

By-in-large, the demonstrations were peaceful, with students, union representatives and civil rights activists taking turns at the microphone to demand greater integration and equality in education.  

“It’s clear that there is just a huge movement building,” said Yvette Felarca, a founding member of the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action & Integration and Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary (BAMN), which organized the Day of Action. 

Felarca said there has been a decrease of more than 50 percent in the number of blacks and Latinos admitted to UC Berkeley since the affirmative action ban was instituted in 1995. 

According to the University’s Web site, African Americans and Latinos comprised 4.5 percent and 10 percent respectively of undergraduates in the Fall of 2000, compared to 5.9 percent and 14 percent in the Fall of 1995. 

Some UC Berkeley students said Thursday that racial diversity on campus is almost non-existent. 

“The only black people I see on campus are on my track team,” said sophomore Kristopher Cuaresma-Primm, a Hawaiian Islander. “Without that I wouldn’t see much diversity in the school.” 

The contrast to the Bay Areas secondary schools, where blacks and Latinos are often in the majority, is “scandalous,” Felarca said.  

A substitute teacher in Oakland middle schools and high schools, Felarca said the lack of minorities at UC Berkeley is a direct result of admission policies based on standardized tests that are biased against minorities. 

“We have students whose strengths and skills aren’t being recognized in the admissions process,” Felarca said. 

Oakland High School Senior Delondo Bellamy, an African-American and one of the speakers during a mass meeting for high school students at the beginning of Thursday’s Day of Action, agreed. Oakland public school students simply aren’t prepared to do as well on the SATs as students at other schools, he said. 

“A 4.0 at an Oakland school (would be) a 2.0 at a Piedmont school,” Bellamy said.  

“A lot of people have money to spend on SAT training,” Bellamy added. “We don’t have that.” 

Sixteen-year-old Kristian Walker, a student at Oakland’s Merritt College, said she left Oakland High School because she wasn’t being prepared for college. In a remark that received a roar of recognition from the crowd of minority students, Walker recalled the response she got when she asked an Oakland teacher for help: “Sorry, Kristian. I have so many students. I can’t keep up with everybody’s papers.” 

Summing up the teachers attitude, Walker said, “I guess it doesn’t matter. We’re not going to college anyway.” 

Without affirmative action this attitude may well be justified, many demonstrators said. 

“(UC Berkeley) is prejudiced against all minorities and all women,” said Berkeley High School freshman Brandis Monroe, an African-American. “They don’t have an opportunity to come here and get an education.” 

“If affirmative action stops then I’ll have a hard time getting into college,” Oakland eighth-grader Alexis O’Neal said flatly. 

Walker said she is resting her college hopes on Arizona State University – a school that still practices affirmative action. 

But a significant group of demonstrators Thursday, while acknowledging the problem of unequal schools, said affirmative action is the wrong solution. 

“I’ve been discriminated against because I’m white,” said UC Berkeley Junior Danielle Smith in an argument with an affirmative action supporter in the Sproul Plaza. 

“The color of your skin does not determine how intelligent you are or how much of a hard worker you are,” Smith said. “It would be great to see more minorities here but it would be better to see them come here based on merit rather than based on the color of their skin or what they do or don’t have hanging between their legs.” 

Many demonstrators for affirmative action said they would be the last ones to ask that admissions be based on anything but merit. It’s how you determine that merit that is at issue, they said. 

“We don’t want to make it easier academically (for minority students),” said Corinne Thompson, parent of a Berkeley High freshman. “You don’t just hand it on a plate to them if they’re not ready for it. But help them. That’s all we’re asking.” 

BAMN members said Thursday they hope the demonstrations will persuade UC regents to include a vote on a measure to reverse the ban on affirmative action at their March 14 meeting in Los Angeles. 

But UC regent William Bagley, who first proposed reversing the ban in January, said after the protest Thursday that it’s logistically impossible to call a vote that soon. Bagley, who was not at the protest, said the issue will likely come up for a vote in May or July. He is confident that a substantial majority of the board will vote in favor of the measure. 

Bagley acknowledged that a regent vote to reverse the ban will have no practical effect on admission policy since the 1995 voter approved proposition 209 outlaws racial preferences throughout the state government. Still, Bagley said, the vote would go a long way to repair the UC system’s reputation. 

Pointing to the large number of secondary school demonstrators Thursday, Bagley said, “The very fact that the message has gotten down to the high school level proves my point that the university is being tainted by having a reputation as being against diversity.” 

Of 18 qualified African-Americans accepted to UCLA law school last year only three chose to attend, Bagley said.  

They may have thought, he speculated, “I’m not sure you want me around so I’m going somewhere else.” 

UC Regent Ward Connerly, a major opponent of affirmative action, did not return a call from the Daily Planet for comment. 

BAMN’s Felarca expressed confidence that a regent vote to reverse the ban would sound the death knell for Proposition 209. 

“It would put us in a strong position to overturn Proposition 209 because the regents are the ones who started the whole attack on affirmative action,” Felarca said. The regent vote to ban affirmative action in the UC system preceded that passage of Proposition 209. 

After Thursday’s demonstration, many students vowed to keep up the fight for affirmative action. 

“I learned that it’s up to us, the future leaders, to speak out and not let anyone shut us up,” said Janelle Charles, a junior at San Francisco’s Thurgood Marshall Academic High School who cut class after a planned district-wide field trip to attend the rally was canceled. 

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 

Free Writing, Cashiering  

& Computer Literacy Class 

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.  

AJOB Adult School  

1911 Addison St.  

Free classes offered Monday through Friday. Stop by and register or call 548-6700. 

www.ajob.org 

Berkeley PC Users Group 

7 p.m. 

Vista College 

2020 Milvia St., Room 303 

Wayne Calhoon, a computer technician who operates a local specialized computer store, will assemble a computer. If you are interested in purchasing this computer, call Wayne at 848-8363.  

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.  

With Allen Stross. 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  

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 

Living Philosophers  

10 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Hear and entertain the ideas of some modern day philosophers: Jacob Needleman, J. Revel, Hilary Putnam, John Searle, Saul Kripke, Richard Rorty and others. Every Friday, except holidays. Facilitated by H.D. Moe.  

Symposium  

on Information Technology  

7 p.m.  

Booth Auditorium  

Boalt Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Panelists, including federal appeals court judges, journalists, legal scholars and corporate attorneys, will be discussing whether technology is changing societal relations; if the law should, or can, protect privacy; whether technology is indeed raising any new legal issues; and related topics.  

$5 for students, $25 general  

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. $200 per person and registration is required 486-1480 

Tibetan National Uprising Day  

9 a.m. - 5 p.m.  

Berkeley City Hall  

Mayor Shirley Dean and Councilman Kriss Worthington will speak at the Tibetan Flag raising ceremony that precedes a march in San Francisco ending at the Chinese Consulate. The event marks the 42nd anniversary of the Tibetan uprising against the illegal Chinese occupation of Tibet.  

—compiled by  

Chason Wainwright 

Symposium on Information Technology  

9 a.m. - 9 p.m.  

Booth Auditorium  

Boalt Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Banquet location:  

International House’s Great Hall 

2299 Piedmont Ave. 

Panelists, including federal appeals court judges, journalists, legal scholars and corporate attorneys, will be discussing whether technology is changing societal relations; if the law should, or can, protect privacy; whether technology is indeed raising any new legal issues; and related topics. Banquet keynote address will be by Kenneth Starr, the former independent counsel who investigated the Clinton White House.  

$5 students, $25 general  

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 

Free Worm Compost Workshop  

10 a.m. - Noon  

Magic Gardens Nursery  

729 Heinz Ave.  

Learn to recycle fruit and vegetable scraps using redworms in an enclosed bin. Especially appropriate for people with little or no yard space.  

Call 444-SOIL 

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?” Aiona Teu, a member of the Tongan American community, will discuss Storytelling through Textiles: Reading Tongan History & Culture.  

Call 849-0217 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute Open House  

3 - 5 p.m.  

Nyingma Institute  

1815 Highland Place  

A public open house featuring a prayer wheel and meditation garden tour, Tibetan yoga demonstration, information on Tibetan art projects and more. Followed by chanting and a lecture by dean Sylvia Gretchen. Free  

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 

Art & Consciousness in Tibetan Buddhism  

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute  

1815 Highland Place  

Sylvia Gretchen, dean of Nyingma Studies, will discuss how art is used in meditation and what we can learn from Tibetan art today. Free 

843-6812 

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 

Free Writing, Cashiering & Computer Literacy Class 

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.  

AJOB Adult School  

1911 Addison St.  

Free classes offered Monday through Friday. Stop by and register or call 548-6700. 

www.ajob.org 

Genetically Modified Humans? 

4 - 5 p.m. 

159 Mulford Hall 

UC Berkeley  

With the prospect of cloned and genetically designed children, the ethical questions arrising are numerous. Speakers will include Tania Simocelli and Marcy Darnovsky of Exploratory Initiative on the New Human Genetic Technologies.  

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 

Real Deal Seminar  

12:45 - 1:45 p.m.  

Pacific School of Religion  

1798 Scenic Ave., Mudd 103  

Philip Wickeri will speak on “The New Ecumenism and/or the Real Deal on Interfaith Issues. Bring your lunch.  

849-8229 

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 

Ethics, Genetic Technologies & Social Responsibility 

3 - 6 p.m. 

Townsend Center for the Humanities 

220 Stephens Hall  

UC Berkeley  

What are the social responsibilities of scientists, policy analysts, and citizens in the proposed applications of genetic technologies? Join a panel of experts, including Charles Weiner of UC Berkeley, in attempting to answer this question.  

Scholastic Book Fair  

8 - 9 a.m. & 1:45 - 3:45 p.m. 

Jefferson School Cafetorium  

Acton & Rose  

Reasonably-priced Scholastic books will be sold to promote books and reading and to raise money for the school. Free  

525-7567  

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  

LGBT Catholics Group  

7:30 p.m. 

Newman Hall  

2700 Dwight Way (at College)  

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender Catholics group are “a spiritual community committed to creating justice.” This meetings discussions will center on Lenten Service.  

654-5486 

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 

Harriet Tubman Re-created 

3:30 p.m. 

South Branch Library  

1901 Russell St.  

Storyteller and musician Jamie Myrick will present an interactive musical performance which introduces a heroine and her deeds. Information about the secret codes and maps used as part of the Underground Railroad will be shared. Free 

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. 

Dam Them Rivers  

7 - 9 p.m. 

Wheeler Hall, Room 30  

UC Berkeley  

Steve Rothert of American Rivers and Steve Linaweaver of International Rivers Network will discuss the damming of the Nile and the Bujagoli Dam. Free  

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.  

Time Windows  

4 p.m. 

North Branch Library  

1170 The Alameda  

Kathryn Reiss, Oakland author of nine suspense novels for middle school and young adult readers will speak. Free 

649-3943  

Scholastic Book Fair  

8 - 9 a.m. & 1:45 - 3:45 p.m. 

Jefferson School Cafetorium  

Acton & Rose  

Reasonably-priced Scholastic books will be sold to promote books and reading and to raise money for the school. Free  

525-7567  

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 

Living Philosophers  

10 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Hear and entertain the ideas of some modern day philosophers: Jacob Needleman, J. Revel, Hilary Putnam, John Searle, Saul Kripke, Richard Rorty and others. Every Friday, except holidays. Facilitated by H.D. Moe.  

Free Writing, Cashiering & Computer Literacy Class 

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.  

AJOB Adult School  

1911 Addison St.  

Free classes offered Monday through Friday. Stop by and register or call 548-6700. 

www.ajob.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 

Scholastic Book Fair  

8 - 9 a.m. & 1:45 - 3:45 p.m. & 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. 

Jefferson School Cafetorium  

Acton & Rose  

Reasonably-priced Scholastic books will be sold to promote books and reading and to raise money for the school. Children and adults are invited to wear pajamas for Pamjama-Rama reading night from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.  

525-7567  

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. 

University Lutheran Chapel  

College & Haste  

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. Rehearsal season runs March through July.  

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 

Awareness In Action  

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute  

1815 Highland Place  

Barr Rosenberg will speak on the Skillful Means teachings and practices toward a joyous, energetic, and relaxed approach to work.  

843-6812 

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 

TREES Forum  

12:30 p.m. 

Hewlett Library  

2400 Ridge Rd., Dinner Board Room  

Marty Kheel will present “Women, Animals and Nature: Eco-feminist Reflections.”  

trees@gtu.edu 

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 

Free Writing, Cashiering & Computer Literacy Class 

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.  

AJOB Adult School  

1911 Addison St.  

Free classes offered Monday through Friday. Stop by and register or call 548-6700. 

www.ajob.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 

Design Dung  

7 - 9 p.m.  

School of Journalism Library  

121 North Gate Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Part of the Terner Series, an informal salon-style discussion series, which brings together industry professionals, students, and interested community members. This session is a discussion of the failure to communicate good and bad architecture. Free 

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 

Living Philosophers  

10 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Hear and entertain the ideas of some modern day philosophers: Jacob Needleman, J. Revel, Hilary Putnam, John Searle, Saul Kripke, Richard Rorty and others. Every Friday, except holidays. Facilitated by H.D. Moe.  

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 

“Jewish Holidays from a Secular Perspective”  

8 p.m.  

Albany Community Center  

1249 Marin Ave.  

Albany  

Hershl Hartman, international authority on secular humanistic Judaism, will speak. Sponsored by Kol Hadash, Northern California Community for Humanistic Judaism.  

428-1492 

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 

Diabetes & Cardiovascular Disease Health Clinic 

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church  

2024 Ashby Ave.  

Dr. Lenore Coleman, Bayer Clinical Science specialist and certified diabetes educator and Dr. Cassandra Herbert Whitman, Alta Bates Medical Associates will be available to answer questions. Free comprehensive screenings will be given people to identify cardiovascular risk factors. Free 

848-2050 

Energy Ideas for Remodeling  

9:30 - 11 a.m.  

City Energy Officer Neal De Snoo will conduct a seminar on the options available for incorporating energy efficient fixtures and systems into residential remodeling and renovation projects. Sponsored by Truitt & White Lumber Company of Berkeley. Free 

Call 649-2674 for reservations  

Visit www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/energy for info. on energy conservation and efficiency 

Hunger Hike in the Redwoods  

10 a.m.  

Joaquin Miller Park  

Ranger Station on Sanborn Dr.  

Oakland  

Join the Alameda County Community Food Bank for this educational hike. Enjoy the views while learning about local edible and medicinal plants. Bring a bag lunch.  

$25 donation  

834-FOOD x327 

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 

Free Writing, Cashiering & Computer Literacy Class 

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.  

AJOB Adult School  

1911 Addison St.  

Free classes offered Monday through Friday. Stop by and register or call 548-6700. 

www.ajob.org 

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  

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  

Living Philosophers  

10 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Hear and entertain the ideas of some modern day philosophers: Jacob Needleman, J. Revel, Hilary Putnam, John Searle, Saul Kripke, Richard Rorty and others. Every Friday, except holidays. Facilitated by H.D. Moe.  

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 

“Yellowstone Buffalo” Screening 

7 p.m.  

Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists  

Cedar & Bonita  

A compilation video exposing the ongoing slaughter of Yellowstone’s wild buffalo herd. Seventy five percent of donations go to the Buffalo Field Campaign’s front-line efforts to protect the buffalo herd. Sponsored by A First Amendment Center, Berkeley. Free 

287-9406  

Saturday, March 31  

Shelter Operations 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 

Compiled by Chason Wainwright 

Bailey throws paw into city’s 

political ring 

Editor:  

Bailey, a seven-month-old Labrador retriever, has announced he is throwing his paw in the Berkeley political ring by announcing he is a candidate for the Berkeley City Council.  

Bailey has been described as outgoing, well-liked by both children and adults, energetic and not afraid to do the work to dig into the issues. “He’ll be a very determined councilmember,” said guardian Doug Fielding, “He’s not afraid to tackle the dirty work, either. Just the other day, he was coming out of the backyard studio with a toilet brush in his mouth.”  

Bailey’s primary concerns are field space for pets and a new building for the East Bay Humane Society. “Have you seen that building? It should be a disgrace to every guardian in the city.”  

Although rather young for the city council, Bailey has already been doing community service. When they needed somebody to chase the geese off the new playing fields at Harrison Park, Bailey volunteered his services. When Bailey became aware of the overpopulation issue among his constituents, he set an example by getting neutered. 

Bailey has not yet decided which council seat he will pursue. “He spends a lot of time in Northwest Berkeley at Harrison Park and is well known by residents of Harrison House, but he also is a fixture on Telegraph Avenue because his other guardian, Laura Tibbals, works at Moe’s books.  

Bailey has decided he will not accept any monetary donations in support of his campaign and persons donating dog biscuits should know that their biscuits will be turned over to the East Bay Humane Society for the welfare of all animals at the shelter.  

Persons wishing to make donations or join the campaign should contact Bailey for City Council, 2149 Stuart Street, Berkeley, CA 94705 or they can e-mail Bailey at fieldings@mindspring.com. All those wishing to join Bailey’s campaign will receive a Bailey for City Council button.  

Bailey Tibbals-Fielding 

Doug Fielding (guardian) 

Berkeley 

We need less control over all living creatures  

Editor:  

What a good beginning to redefine dog ownership as guardianship. The idea of at-pleasure ownership and control of living creatures needs relegation to the past. All mighty man is now in control of all life on this planet and he can continue to rule as a predator or rise to be a guardian.  

A man is the guardian of his wife, a woman is the guardian of her husband, a parent is the guardian of his child and his dog and the tree that grows in his garden and must care for them before he cares for himself.  

But worst of all ideas of ownership is the belief that the State owns its citizens and can order them around. The idea that the president and Congress of the U.S. have the right to send young men to die in World War I and II, Korea, and Vietnam and to force these young men to destroy these countries and the people living there, after labeling these people anti-American fascists and communists, is absurd.  

It is also absurd that the State can order our children to go to these public schools. This is imprisonment and brainwashing of children whose only crime is to be born in this ‘free’ country.  

We must rethink this whole idea of controlling other human beings before we get worked up over cats and dogs and endangered species.  

Jan H. Visser 

Berkeley 

Mediocrity is in the eye of the beholder 

Editor: 

Mel Baker (March 7) oddly writes to your paper to urge the board of Pacifica to “move forward with bylaw chnges that would allow Pacifica to sell the licenses of KPFA and WBAI.” 

He accuses these stations of mediocrity and says that they have become vehicles for “the egos of individuals who are broadcasting ‘college level’ and 'amateur' broadcasting.” While the letter sounds much like a press release from the expensive new PR firm that Pacifica has used listener donations to hire, Baker identifies himself as former NPR producer and NBC editor in San Francisco. 

One doesn't have to work for commercial and “public” television (as did in the 1980s) to recognize mediocrity and worse, but it sure helps if one has any critical faculties left. Any reasonably intelligent person knows that since Tony Tiano inaugruated advertising (and the censorship that inevitably comes with it), KQED-TV has perfected mediocrity by ridding itself of local programming and news, icing out documentaries, and laying on such prime-time educational features as Antique Roadshow and competitive ballroom dancing. Meanwhile, commercial and “professional” television has steadily devolved into little more than pornographic mind poison and propaganda for an increasingly illegitimate power elite. Anyone who works in mass media quickly learns not to delve too deeply into the hidden structures of power lest they jeopardize their own careers. Ursula K. LeGuin calls such internalized censorship the “Stalin in the Soul.” 

As for ego-driven, Baker surely knows that TV networks do all in their considerable power to give their blow-dried teleprompter readers the status and salaries of movie stars and opera divas in order to cloak them with legitimacy. 

Tony Tiano used the same arguments that Baker and Pacifica are now using to suck the controversy out of what was intended to be public, educational television. Controversy and serious investigation of power are the oxygen of a fucntioning democracy, and within the increasingly castrated Pacifica network, only KPFA and WBAI now fullfil that role. Hence, Baker recommends their sale. Technically sloppy they may sometimes sound in contrast to the processed world of big-money media, but shows such as those produced by Dennis Bernstein, Larry Bensky, and Amy Goodman are our last breathing holes to reality, and that is precisely why those of us who recognize the need for oxygen will fight for the right to continue breathing. And that is why such hard-working producers are far more “professional” than the slickly-produced dope that now monopolizes the commercial airwaves. 

Gray Brechin 

Berkeley 

Brechin worked for KQED and NBC-affiliate KRON 

Density creates more problems 

Editor: 

As an undergraduate student at UC Berkeley, I have now been living in the city of Berkeley for three years. In this time, I have become increasingly exposed to problems that the density of our city creates. These problems are evident in the high demand for housing in the area, the traffic and parking problems, and the slow disappearance of nature within the city. Due to the inevitable influx of students every year and the popularity of the bay area, this will prove to be a continuous problem. In his book, Contemporary Urban Planning, John M. Levy suggests that a solution to this problem is growth management, which is “defined as the regulation of the amount, timing, location, and character of development” (Levy, p. 215). He states that the reasons for implementing growth management include “ensuring that community facilities such as schools, roads, utilities, and recreation will be adequate for future needs” (Levy, p. 215), and it is becoming increasingly apparent that Berkeley is in need of such certainty. 

In theory, growth management must take place in one of two ways: controlling residential growth, or limiting commercial development. Many cities have chosen the option of limiting residential development because it “produces tight labor markets and high housing prices” (Levy, p. 221). However, this type of housing market is already established in Berkeley, yet the density continues to grow. The solution, therefore, lies in the management of large commercial growth within our city and concentrating on accommodating our current population. Many cities, including Boulder, CO and Davis, CA, are examples of successful growth management. 

Known for its environmentally conscious population, Berkeley will benefit from growth management because “fewer tress will be cut down, less ground will be covered with impervious cover, and fewer sources of air and water pollution will be present in the area” (Levy, p. 217). A professor of Landscape Architecture, Anne Whiston Spirn, states that “all cities, by virtue of density and people and buildings . . . alter the character of their original environment” (Sprin, Stein ed., p.482). As residents, I hope that we can minimize this alteration by eventually slowing the rapid commercialization of our city. 

Kari Williams 

Berkeley 

Increased supply will solve city’s housing woes 

Editor: 

Congratulations to the Daily Planet for its excellent coverage of last week’s public hearing on the Draft General Plan (DGP), including landlords’ en masse presentations. Chairman Rob Wrenn’s subsequent dismissal of “the myth of the wealthy tenant” was, however, quite misleading if it is not accompanied by an even stronger rejection of two other myths which permeate Berkeley’s thinking on the subject of rental housing. We refer to the popular misconceptions that tenants, as a group, are poor and exploited, while all landlords are wealthy profiteers, tainted somehow by the fact that they own rentals. The truth, of course, lies somewhere in the middle of this muddle of myths.  

The shortage of rental housing forces prices up — in Berkeley as elsewhere in the Bay Area. The way to bring them down is to increase supply, which could be accomplished by encouraging development and investment. Instead, the DGP offers a Ponzi scheme with the City buying up 6,500 rental units to keep them “affordable.” Where will it get the money for such an acquisition, and how would that increase the supply of rentals? 

Peggy Schioler 

Berkeley 

Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm.”An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels like an earthworm, look into a mirrored fish pond, don farm animal costumes, ride on a John Deere tractor and more. $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. Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 647-1111 or www.habitot.org  

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. 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 exhuberant 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. Ernesto Neto/MATRIX 19 A Maximum Minimum Time Space Between Us and the Parsimonious Universe, Through April 15. Made from disposable materials such as styrofoam pellets, glass, paper, paraffin wax, and nylon stockings, Neto’s sensual sculptural works provoke viewers to interact with his art. $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  

Lawrence Hall of Science “Math Rules!” Ongoing. A math exhibit of hands-on problem-solving stations, each with a different mathematical challenge.“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. “Vision,” Through April 15 Get a very close  

look at how the eyes and brain work together to focus light, perceive color and motion, and process infomation. “T. Rex on Trial,” Through May 28 Where was T. Rex at the time of the crime? Learn how paleontologists decipher clues to dinosaur behavior. “Saturday Night Stargazing,” First and third Saturdays each month. 8 - 10 p.m., LHS plaza. Computer Lab,  

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  

924 Gilman St. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted $5; $2 for a year membership March 9: Dead and Gone, Sworn Vengence, Punishment, Misoura, The Computer Kills; March 10: The Varukers, 46 Short, Scarred for Life, Oppressed Logic, Facedown; March 16: The P.A.W.N.S., Kill the Messenger, Phoenix Thunderstone, Lesser of Two, Dory Tourette & The Skirtheads; March 17: The Hoods, Benumb, Above The World, Chrome Disorder, Eulogy; March 23: 18 Visions, Walls of Jericho, Time In Malta, Undying, Betray the Species; March 24: Workin’ Stiffs, The Bodies, Strychnine, East Bay Chasers, For the Alliance; March 30: Deathreat, Ahimsa, F*** God In the Face, The Black, Creation Is Crucifixion 525-9926  

Albatross Pub All music at 9 p.m. unless noted 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 9, 8 p.m.: Funky Nixons, Gary Gates Band, Brew Glass Jug Band; March 10, 9:30 p.m.: Tom Rigney & Flambeau, dance lesson at 8:30 p.m.; March 11, 7:30 p.m.: Flamenco Open Stage featuring Sarita Ayala and more; March 13, 9 p.m.: Creole Belles, dance lesson at 8 p.m.; March 14, 9 p.m.: West Coast Swing AllStars, dance lesson at 8 p.m.; March 15, 9 p.m.: Babatunde Olatunji; 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 9: Ron Hacker; March 10: Red Archibald; March 16: Little Jonny & the Giants; March 17: Sugar G; March 23: Carlos Zialcita; March 24: Daniel Castro; March 30: Craig Horton Blues Band 3629 MLK Jr. Way  

Jazzschool/La Note All music at 4:30 p.m. 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 11: Stephen Bell, guitar, plays music of Bach, Villa-Lobos, Ponse, and Albeniz; March 18: Mark Sanders, flute, David Cheng, violin, Darcy Rindt, viola, Paul Rhodes, cello. Flute quartets of Haydn and Mozart; All concerts $8 - $10 Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St.  

Cal Performances Through March 11, call for times: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; March 22, 8 p.m., March 23, 7 p.m. & March 24, 1 & 8 p.m.: “The King Stag: A Tragicomic Tale for the Theatre” by Carlo Gozzi $24 - $46; Zellerbach Hall UC Berkeley. 642-9988 or www.calperfs.berkeley.edu March 11, 3 & 7 p.m.: Burhan Ocal & The Istanbul Oriental Ensemble perform traditional Turkish music $24; March 25, 3 p.m.: Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio perform music of Beethoven, Ravel and Tchaikovsky $32; 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  

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 

Gwen Avery March 9, 8 p.m. A benefit concert for KPFA also featuring Making Waves, Erica Ballinger, and Arin Simonian $7 - $20 Rose Street House of Music 1839 Rose St.  

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 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 

Pharaoh’s Daughter March 10, 8 p.m. New York-based world music sextet melding Hasidic, Moroccan, Indian and Turkish melodies and rhythms $18 - $20 Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237 

Brundibar Children’s Opera March 11, 11:30 a.m. & 2 p.m. Featuring members of the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, children from the Crowden School, and Ela Weissberger, a survivor and original cast member. $12 - $24 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. 848-0237  

“The Mirrored Ball Benefit Concert Featuring Rebbe Soul” March 11, 6 - 9 p.m. Also to play Times 3 Proceeds from the concert go to the Derek Israel Memorial Scholarship Fund of the greater East Bay Jewish Community Foundation. $18 - $45 Redwood Gardens 2951 Derby St. Call 223-8223 or purchase tickets online: www.dims41.com 

“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 

“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 Audience Is Onto Us: An Evening of F*cked-up Theatre (of Paranoid Proportions)” March 13 & 14, 8 & 10 p.m. A comedy cabaret-style show with a bizarre and wicked bent. $4 LaVal’s Subterranean Theatre 1834 Euclid Ave. e-mail: laughdamnyou@hotmail.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 

“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 

“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  

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. Through April 7, Wednesday through Sunday, Noon - 5 p.m Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St. 644-6893  

Readings 

Boadecia’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted 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 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 14: Poetry of Murray Silverstein & Helen Wickes; March 15: Randy Shaw talks about “The Activist’s Handbook: A Primer”; March 18: Poetry of Yvonne Cannon, Lara Gularte, Richard Rocco; March 19: Jean Rouverol talks about “Refugees From Hollywood: A Journal of the Blacklist”; March 21: Poetry of James Schevill; March 25: Poetry of Beverly Matherne & A.J. Rathbun; March 28: Poetry of Craig Van Riper & Jaime Robles; April 4: Poetry of Carole Simmons Oles & Matthew McKay; April 11: Poetry of Kurt Brown & Al Young 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 

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 

“Jews of Africa: Lecture with Jay Sand” March 12, 7:30 p.m. $8 - $10 Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237 

Cal may be re-discovering its offensive balance just in time to try out some new dance steps. 

Brian Wethers scored a career-high 27 points and Sean Lampley added 13 points and 11 rebounds as the California Golden Bears defeated Arizona State, 86-67, Thursday night at Haas Pavilion. The win pushed the Bears’ record to 20-9, and gives them 11 conference wins for the first time since 1997. The 1997 team was the last to play in the NCAA Tournament, and this year’s Bears believe that they deserve their own ticket to March Madness.  

“Do I think we should be in (the tournament)? Yeah, I do,” said Cal head coach Ben Braun. “But we don’t play just to get into tournaments. We have to keep playing like we have been, playing to get better each game.” 

It would be hard for the Bears to improve on their shooting from Thursday; Cal scorched the nets all game, shooting 51 percent from the field and draining 12 3-pointers. Five of those trifectas were made by Wethers, who connected on 10 of his 13 shots in the game.  

“We all had to step up; we have to help Lampley out,” said Wethers. “I needed to step up tonight, and my teammates trusted me and got me the ball.” 

Lampley didn’t have a field goal in the first half, and took just nine shots from the floor all game. However, the senior forward found his teammates for open looks, particularly Wethers and Ryan Forehan-Kelly (18 points), racking up five assists to go with 11 rebounds.  

“All of our perimeter guys were shooting well, so I just tried to get them the ball,” said Lampley. “I didn’t feel the need to try to force anything to happen.” 

The Sun Devils were led by Tommy Smith, who racked up 21 points and 12 rebounds, both team-highs. Awvee Storey, the Pac-10’s leading rebounder, got into foul trouble early and was forced to leave the game later in the 1st half because of a lacerated eye. 

The Bears used a 14-5 run midway through the first half to sprint out to a 30-15 lead. Wethers was instrumental in the run, hitting two 3-pointers and a short jumper in the three-minute span. The Sun Devils were able to come as close as six points near the end of the half, but Wethers responded with a lay-up and two free throws to end the half with Cal leading 42-32. 

The second half brought much of the same, as seemingly every Sun Devil rally was killed with a Cal 3-point dagger. Finally, the Bears went on a 21-7 run to finish ASU off. The exclamation point came in the final four minutes of play as Wethers raced into the open court for two rim-rocking alley-oop dunks. Wethers’ high-flying aerial show brought the crowd to its feet and the Sun Devils to their knees. “Cal has a nice ballclub,” said Evans after the game. “They have a great player in Lampley, and they have good complimentary players that know and play their roles.” 

Former Cal legend and NBA All-Star Kevin Johnson was honored before the game; Cal re-retired his number 11 and raised it to the Haas Pavilion rafters.

A judge delayed a decision Wednesday in a case related to the arrest of an apparently able-bodied man who claimed he was disabled and insisted on bringing his service dog, King, an 80-pound German shepherd into a Berkeley restaurant. 

Michael Minasian has filed a request with Alameda County Superior Court to have the arrest removed from his record. Minasian claims there were no grounds for the arrest and the record may hurt employment opportunities. Superior Court Judge Carol Brosnahan said she was not prepared to rule on Minasian’s request and put off her decision until April 9, Minasian said. 

“I was led to believe at yesterday’s hearing that the judge intends to learn the nature of my disability,” Minasian said. “And that is a violation of the American Disabilities Act.” 

According to the ADA disabled individuals can refuse to disclose the nature of their disabilities to maintain privacy. This section of the ADA can cause confusion when a person who appears to be perfectly healthy claims to be disabled and wishes to bring a service animal into a restaurant where state and local laws prohibit animals. 

In September, 2000, Minasian walked with King into the Jupiter Restaurant for a Caesar salad and ended up spending 17 hours in Santa Rita jail. The restaurant manager Joe Bisbiglia asked him to leave with the dog and Minasian replied he was disabled and that King was a service animal. 

But Minasian, who has no apparent disability, refused to disclose the nature of his disability citing his right to privacy under the Americans With Disabilities Act and presented no documentation or service animal license for King. A scene ensued and police arrested Minasian for trespassing. 

In addition to his filing with the Alameda Superior Court, he has asked for a ruling from the Civil Rights Department of the U.S. Department of Justice, filed a complaint with the Police Review Commission and brought the incident to the attention of the Commission on Disability. 

At a Feb. 1 appearance in Brosnahan’s court there was almost another incident when Minasian arrived with King and the judge refused to let him in the courtroom without some kind of documentation verifying King was a service animal or Minasian was disabled.  

Brosnahan relented when Minasian produced a letter from his doctor. 

“The judge was close to denying me my right to due process and luckily I had the letter, but I think it was wrong to have to present it,” Minasian said.  

Brosnahan did not ask for any certification in court on Wednesday. 

Commission on Disability Chair Miya Rodolfo-Sioson said the disabled should not be required to produce documents for service animals.  

“What if somebody who relies on a service dog doesn’t have a license or certification with them for some reason,” she said. “They should be able to just say they have a disability.” 

The district attorney decided not to file the trespassing charge against Minasian. But, According to Minasian, Deputy District Attorney Lance Cubo argued forcefully that his arrest record should not be cleared. Cubo did not return calls from the Daily Planet before press time on Thursday. 

“I think 100 years from now this treatment of the disabled will be looked on as bigotry,” Minasian said. “In my opinion this is bigotry and all bigotry is just ignorance.” 

Mianasian still refuses to disclose the nature of his disability. 

TEMPE, Ariz. – Senior guard Courtney Johnson did all she could to extend California’s season into the postseason for the first time since 1993, but she didn’t get enough support from her teammates as the Bears fell to Arizona State, 70-58, Thursday at Wells Fargo Arena.  

The loss dropped Cal to 12-15 and 8-9 in the Pac-10, making it impossible for the Bears to finish at the necessary .500 mark to qualify for the NIT with one game remaining. ASU improved to 20-9, 12-5 in league play and moved back into a tie for first place in the conference with Washington following its loss to USC Thursday.  

“I thought we needed people to help Courtney Johnson,” said Cal coach Caren Horstmeyer. “Courtney was trying to do everything out there. She needed people to step up around her. I didn’t feel that people were stepping up the way they could. Courtney gives every single thing that she has on the floor all of the time.”  

Johnson, who entered the game as Cal’s leading scorer this season at 14.7 ppg, paced Cal with 17 points, five steals and four assists. With her effort, she moved from third to second in Pac-10 history for steals with 284, surpassing Stanford’s Sonya Henning’s (1988-91) 280. She also now has 1052 points, moving past Paige Bowie (1043) for 14th all-time at Cal in scoring.  

Sophomore forward Amber White had a solid night for the Bears, posting eight points, a team-high seven rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal.  

The Sun Devils shot 51.1 percent behind four players in double figures – Amanda Levens with 20, Betsy Boardman with 14, Melody Johnson with 13 points and 12 boards, and Leah Combs with 11 off the bench. The Bears shot 40.0 percent from the field.  

Cal’s Johnson picked up her second foul less than three minutes into the game, and Arizona State was able to build a 14-4 lead with 12:26 left in the first half with Johnson on the bench. Horstmeyer was forced to put Johnson back in the game to jumpstart the Bears offense. The Sun Devils led 20-10 before the Bears went on a 12-5 run capped by an end-to-end steal and score from Amber White to close the gap to 25-22 with 5:39 to play. ASU capitalized on three-straight Cal turnovers to go on an 8-0 run to extend its lead back to double figures (33-22) with 3:25 until the break. A three-pointer by Brook Coulter spurred a 7-0 Bear run, which brought them within four, but that was as close as Cal would get the rest of the game.  

“When Courtney went out, they went on a little bit of a run,” said Horstmeyer. “It’s a big factor when she picks up a couple of fouls like that. I had to take her out, but I’ll always put her back in because she’s smart.”  

ASU extended its 37-29 halftime edge to 15 less than three minutes into the second half with a 9-2 run keyed by seven points from Combs. The Sun Devils built their lead to as much as 18 on two occasions in the second half, and the Bears never got any closer than 11 points during the remainder of the game.  

On a positive note, Cal committed a season-low 13 turnovers, while forcing ASU into 20.  

Cal wraps up its first campaign under Horstmeyer’s direction Saturday at Arizona. Tip-off is at 1 p.m.. The Wildcats (18-11, 8-9 Pac-10) are coming off a loss to Stanford and are the only team this year’s seven Cal seniors haven’t defeated during their collegiate careers.

A salon discussion on NIMBYism Wednesday night, sponsored by UC Berkeley and the nonprofit Bridge Housing corporation, broached the touchy subject of balancing the need for new housing with protecting the rights of current residents and preserving the neighborhood environment. 

Journalism students, planners, developers, activists and homeowners debated the question at the UC Berkeley graduate school of journalism. The discussion produced an over-riding sense that the complicated issues around housing will not be satisfied by simply bringing the parties together to talk it over.  

No, in fact, we can’t all just get along.  

Rather, housing issues force communities to examine their basic values. 

“What we begin to do when we talk about displaced communities is develop an ethical framework where we credit some people more than others,” said Larry Rosenthal, executive director of Berkeley’s Housing and Urban Development Program.  

As rents rise, middle-income people are forced to rent and buy in low-income neighborhoods. This can raise the surrounding rent and force the current low-income residents out.  

Choosing between community residents becomes a question of, Rosenthal said, “means testing people’s incumbency against each other.”  

Does a person who has lived in an area for three generations have more rights than a recent arrival who wants to stay? Rosenthal questioned how society makes that choice, listing possible values to decide by such as length of stay and contribution to the community. 

John Quigley, director of the UC Housing and Urban Development Program, mentioned the rental community’s frustration with higher housing prices. But, he said, the 61 percent of Bay Area residents that are homeowners are benefiting from the high housing prices. And although some people characterized as NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard) may feel hostile towards private development they should recognize, he said, that “virtually all the housing provided to low-income households are provided by the private sector.”  

Rick Holliday from Bridge Housing, said that development itself is often pitted as the enemy to quality of life.  

He refuted the notion that more people in an area make it a worse place to live, saying that only a large population can support the kind of local businesses that give neighborhoods their flavor. 

“Our communities get better as we grow,” he said. “As we get denser we can support more bookstores and more coffeeshops.” 

One self-professed low-income renter and UC Berkeley student, Duane De-Witt of Santa Rosa, asked whether people should have a right to live in the communities in which they were born.  

While there is no legal right in the United States to live in one community for one’s whole life, the question evoked the larger paradox in the American theme of migration as a way to better oneself. 

“Social mobility is a key to the successful economic engine,” said Deirdre English, professor of journalism. “We also know there’s something beautiful about established communities. The very engine of economic success is also what tears us apart. We can get richer and richer and have a quality of life that’s being continuously degraded.” 

Ryan Russo, who works on projects for sustainable communities, said the discussion did not bring up two of the thorniest questions plaguing Berkeley – density and parking. During the meeting, someone mentioned that Berkeley is the third densest city in the Bay Area. Russo said this oft-cited figure is used to prove that Berkeley can’t handle more development. But he said, “Linking gentrification with development is a specious argument.” 

“NIMBYism is the right people have to that space next to their house,” Russo said. “Old people keep new people out because of parking.” 

Non-journalists participating agreed on one point. They disapproved of the press’s role in helping or hindering development by reporting the opinions of only a few or not reporting on unwelcome projects. 

“The media has a great role in what gets built and where,” said Jessica Berg. “Reporters don’t have an understanding of the deeper issues.”  

She said news stories reflect the complaints of a few disgruntled “squeaky wheels.”  

Unfortunately, she said, public officials take their cue from the press. 

The discussion, “NIMBYs and the Press: The unholy alliance to keep new people out of old neighborhoods,” was one in a series of discussions funded in honor of Don Terner, an affordable housing activist and CEO of Bridge Housing. 

Friday 

Baseball – Cal vs. UC Santa Barbara, 2 p.m. at Evans Diamond 

Baseball – Berkeley at California, 3:30 p.m. at California High School 

Girls’ Basketball – Berkeley vs. Kennedy (Sacramento) (CIF Northern Section Semifinal), 7:30 p.m. at Berkeley High School 

Saturday 

Rugby – Cal vs. BYU, 1 p.m. at Witter Field 

Baseball – Cal vs. UC Santa Barbara, 1 p.m. at Evans Diamond 

Baseball – Berkeley at Irvington, 1 p.m. at Irvington High School 

Boys’ Basketball – St. Mary’s vs. Monte Vista Christian (CIF Northern Section Final), 3 p.m. at Delta College, Stockton 

Men’s Basketball – Cal vs. Arizona, 5 p.m. at Haas Pavilion 

Sunday 

Baseball – Cal vs. UC Santa Barbara, 1 p.m. at Evans Diamond

Disabled activist named  

to state board by Gov. Davis 

Former Berkeley disability compliance coordinator Anne L. Steiner was appointed by Gov. Gray Davis to the state Rehabilitation Appeals Board yesterday.  

The Rehabilitation Board helps Californians with disabilities live independently and obtain and keep jobs. 

Steiner was Berkeley’s disability compliance coordinator in the early ‘90s and helped form the Center for Independent Living on Telegraph Avenue, said Councilmember Dona Spring. 

Spring, herself disabled, said Steiner’s experience making sure that Berkeley’s buildings were in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1989 will make her a great activist in Sacramento.  

“[Berkeley] is the place on the cutting edge of disabled rights,” she said. “She’s been in the throws of that for a long time and she’ll be a good advocate especially because we don’t have a governor who’s that educated or that motivated. Hopefully she can light a fire for disabilities rights issues at the state level.” 

Music of Holocaust  

featured in Jewish Music Festival 

A survivor of the Nazi concentration camp where the best and brightest Jewish musicians were taken during World War II met with a musician in San Francisco tonight to discuss the long-ago tragedy.  

“When I was 11, Feb. 10, 1942, I came through the Theresienstadt, and I was there for 31/2 years,'' recalled Ela Weissberger. Weissberger met tonight with musician Sylvie Braitman – a mezzo-soprano who will be performing music from Theresienstadt in the upcoming Jewish Music Festival in Berkeley – to recall the remarkable setting where so much music came alive, however briefly. 

“After the last performance of Verdi's Requiem, the whole music world was put to gas,” Weissberger said. 

Located in northern Czechoslovakia, Theresienstadt served as a kind of way station, where the Third Reich could show international observers how well they were treating Jews, before shipping them off to the gas chambers of Auschwitz once the world looked away. The deception culminated in a Nazi propaganda film titled “The Fuerer Gives the Jews a Town,” which features happy-looking Jews engaged in normal activities, including a young Weissberger singing in a play. Braitman said the more famous Jews were taken to Theresienstadt, because the Nazis knew they couldn't kill them off right away without drawing too much attention. For this reason, she said, the camp “was populated with intellectuals, artists, people who were very well educated.” 

Directed by Braitman, the Theresienstadt performance will take place March 14, 7:30 p.m. at St. John's Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave., Berkeley. The 16th annual Jewish Music Festival runs from March 10 to 17. 

BERKELEY — The University of California, Berkeley, said Thursday it has raised $1.44 billion, beating the target for its eight-year fund-raising campaign. 

The campaign, which was launched under Chancellor Chang-Lin Tien in 1993 and ended in December, had a goal of raising $1.1 billion. 

Chancellor Robert M. Berdahl said the amount raised by the university sets a record for the highest dollar amount ever raised by a public university. 

The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, held the previous record by raising $1.41 billion in a campaign that ended in 1997. The University of California, Los Angeles, aims to raise $1.6 billion by 2002. 

“We compete at the highest intellectual levels in teaching and research,” said Donald McQuade, UC Berkeley’s vice chancellor for university relations.  

“We also need to marshal the same kind of private support to recruit and retain the best faculty and students in the world.” 

Of the $1.44 billion, $747.2 million will go toward faculty research and school projects, including university museums and performances. 

About $181.5 million will be spent on 68 faculty chairs, 50 professorships and 501 graduate fellowships. 

Some $160.7 million will fund research to benefit the sciences and engineering. Other major objectives include undergraduate scholarships, a fund to be used at the chancellor’s discretion, library collections and the new Walter A. Haas Jr. Pavilion sports complex. 

The funds raised came from more than 500,000 gifts from UC Berkeley alumni and friends, as well as from corporations and foundations. 

SAN JOSE — Three men were charged Thursday with joining together to drive up prices in Internet art auctions on eBay, including one in which a Dutch user bid $135,000 for a fake Richard Diebenkorn painting. 

The men allegedly created more than 40 different user names on eBay with false registration information, then used those aliases to inflate bids on paintings they were auctioning. 

The scheme garnered bids totaling $450,000 in hundreds of auctions from November 1998 to June 2000, according to federal prosecutors in Sacramento. 

Self-bidding, known as shill bidding, is forbidden by San Jose-based eBay Inc. and is generally illegal in traditional auctions. EBay’s deputy general counsel, Rob Chesnut, said he believed this was the first criminal case to result from alleged shill bidding online. 

Kenneth A. Walton, 33, a lawyer in Sacramento; Kenneth Fetterman, 33, of Placerville, and Scott Beach, 31, of Lakewood, Colo., were charged with a total of 16 counts of wire and mail fraud, which carry up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and possible restitution to victims. 

Fetterman also is charged with money laundering, which carries up to 20 years and a $500,000 fine. 

Walton is cooperating with the investigation, said his attorney, Harold Rosenthal. 

“He feels very bad about all of this and is going to do whatever he can to make it right,” Rosenthal said. 

Beach did not return a message seeking comment. No listing for Fetterman could be found. 

According to the federal indictment, Walton put the initials “RD 52” in the bottom right corner of an unsigned orange and green abstract painting that he and Fetterman had picked up at an antique store. 

Prosecutors said Walton then listed the painting on eBay — with photos showing the signature — and wrongly said he had bought it in Berkeley, where Diebenkorn worked in the early 1950s. 

The three men allegedly made more than 50 phony bids on the painting, driving its price from 30 cents to $135,505, before a Dutch man stepped in and bought it for $135,805. Diebenkorn’s real paintings have sold for millions. 

Investigators for eBay later dissolved the sale and barred Walton from the site after discovering he had placed a $4,500 bid on the painting himself. Walton has said that bid was made for a friend. The indictment said the three men also drove up bids together on another work purportedly by Diebenkorn and artists such as Alberto Giacometti, Clyfford Still and Maurice Utrillo. Fetterman and Walton allegedly came up with fake user names with “Giacometti” and “Still” in them, to make it seem as if the painters’ family members were bidding. 

In one case, prosecutors said, the men created a phony e-mail account for a supposed expert on Still and congratulated the buyer for recognizing an “excellent example” of the American abstract expressionist’s work. 

EBay rules prohibit overt shill bidding and even legitimate bids from relatives and roommates of sellers. Chesnut said eBay constantly is monitoring for violations of that policy.  

Still, he suggested that buyers check the bid histories of their fellow auction participants to see if they notice suspicious patterns. 

“Anything that might in any way undermine trust in the commmunity is unacceptable,” Chesnut said.

POUND RIDGE, N.Y. — If you want vegetables real early, a lot of state-of-the art aids promise to speed you on your way. 

Catalogs abound with contraptions, simple to complex, to get a jump on the season, especially with early greens like lettuce and spinach that can stand frosts once they’re transplanted into the ground. 

We’re talking of annuals and not the few perennial vegetables like asparagus and rhubarb that, after an initial planting, show up early year after year. 

Chives, a perennial herb, also comes up before the chill is out of the ground. 

At the simplest and lowest-cost level, fabric row covers, cloches and hot caps will warm your plants and also protect them from wind and insects. 

A coldframe, especially a heated one, helps greatly. Transplanting seedlings to this covered space can be done even in March to get super-early greens. Prefab coldframes are available from seed houses, but at a cost that can top $200 if you want to link a couple together to make a 6-foot-long container. You can make serviceable frames cheaply yourself with a few boards and a window sash. 

Electric heating cables are also available from providers like Charley’s Greenhouse Supply, Mount Vernon, Wash., 800-322-4707; www.charleysgreenhouse.com. These are inserted a few inches under the soil of a coldframe and come equipped with thermostats to turn off the heat automatically. For prefab frames, solar props are available to raise the sash for ventilation. 

Growing the earliest spring vegetables means a lot of winter work. 

You may have two feet of snow out in the garden when you start lettuce in late February or March. If all goes well, you’ll have nice plants to put outside early in April. 

The same goes for spinach, arugula, cabbages like chois and other hardy greens. Such vegetables can stand severe frost in April and will give welcome harvests long before it’s safe to plant tender crops like tomatoes, beans, peppers and corn. 

Some of these tender crops – tomatoes, peppers, eggplant – also are started indoors in March or April in the North to get good sturdy plants by planting time in May or June. While sunny windowsills can be the starter site, fluorescent stands are more reliable for their steady supply of light. Such equipment is available from many suppliers – Charley’s having an especially wide range of growlight possibilities. 

In using lights, it’s important to remember that after your seeds have germinated you must keep the seedlings close to the tubes until they become sturdy. This is because tube light is nowhere near as strong as the sun. Most stands come equipped with devices to lower or raise the tubes. 

Some tender crops like beans and corn are normally grown by sowing the seed directly in the ground. 

Looking for the proper time, don’t be fooled by a balmy day. It’s the soil, not the air, that must be properly warm. A soil thermometer is the best gauge of this. 

If you want an early vegetable that doesn’t require all this fuss, do radishes. Planted as soon as the soil can be worked, radishes take only 18 days to mature.

By Barbara Mayer 

The Associated Press 

Last year when I updated the kitchen in my small 1970s-era house, it wasn’t easy finding full-featured small appliances. So the new range is a little too deep for its space, and the new refrigerator a size smaller than I would have liked. Others have difficulty finding suitable furniture for small living rooms and bedrooms. 

It seems that everything readily available is just too big and too bulky. Those who don’t live in “McMansions” especially are affected. 

“The problem is the manufacturers are selling to the soccer moms,” says kitchen designer Deborah Krasner of Putney, Vermont. “You can still buy a 30-inch stove, but the high-performance ones are 36-inch stoves and the refrigerators with more features are the larger sizes.” 

If you think that major appliances are bigger than they used to be, you are right. “Over the long term of two or more decades, the footprint of appliances has gotten larger,” says Mark Buss, vice president of Maytag Appliances of Newton, Iowa. The preferred refrigerator, for example, is now 36 inches wide compared to 30 inches some years ago 

But Krasner is one of those who see a sea change coming. “Looking ahead, simplicity seems to be the direction we are going in. As the kids grow up and move away, some of those really big houses are going to feel uncomfortable.” 

Architect Sarah Susanka of Raleigh, N.C., agrees. “Big rooms are great for a party but are less livable,” she says. In 1998, Susanka published “The Not So Big House” advocating building houses “smaller than you thought you needed, but with more quality, comfort and character.” Somewhat to her surprise, she had a runaway best seller which to date has sold about 300,000 copies. Her new book, “Creating the Not So Big House,” came out this past winter  

Now Susanka has a Web site (http://www.notsobighouse.com) with a bulletin board that features spirited discussions among those who choose to build small. 

Recently, one visitor to the site asked where to find furniture that can be used in small rooms. Solutions offered ranged from buying antique and vintage pieces made to fit smaller rooms to shopping in stores that specialize in imports. “Scandinavian furniture design tends to be for smaller bodies, and they don’t assume you are going to want to lie down on every piece,” says Susanka. 

Working against the “small is beautiful” philosophy is that most Americans equate larger size with greater comfort and convenience. 

“With appliances, it’s about solving life’s little annoyances,” Mark Buss says. Maytag’s latest offering – or available in March at $1,649 and up – is in this vein. The freezer shelves in the side-by-side unit are variable, accommodating a large frozen pizza stored flat (having to stack them vertically annoys a surprisingly large number of people, it seems). In the refrigerator section, wider shelves at the top can easily hold a large watermelon or big platter. 

A few appliance companies like Sub-Zero of Madison, Wis., maker of refrigerators and freezers in two-drawer modules, and European manufacturers such as Asko, Gaggenau and Miele make small high-end appliances beloved by affluent urbanites and their decorators. 

Barbara Mayer is a columnist for The Associated Press

What will homeowners do when the nation’s top two chemical pesticides disappear from store shelves, as required in rulings handed down in 2000 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)? 

More to the point, will insects or people rule the yard when Dursban and diazinon are no longer available to fight aphids, grubs, caterpillar and other garden pests that chew, eat and suck the life from plants popular the country over? 

Fear not. New alternatives are coming out and old ones dusted off. And at least one entomologist doubts that insect populations will blossom just because these pesticides will no longer be available. 

Dursban and diazinon and pesticides with different brand names but of the same class of organophosphates have been banned by the EPA because the agency considers them no longer safe based on standards of the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996. 

Bayer-Pursell LLC, Birmingham, Ala., seems to be leading the charge with a line of garden and lawn products called “Advanced.” Its active ingredient, imidacloprid, is not affected by the EPA’s action. 

“Controlling insects will not be as quick and easy now,” according to Michael P. Hoffmann, associate professor of entomology at Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., and director of the New York State Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. 

“Gardeners will have to plan better – what they plant, when and where they plant it and the amount of insect damage they, and their plants, can tolerate.” 

Hoffmann believes the EPA’s decision will force gardeners to turn to the practices collectively known as IPM. Some enthusiasts make a habit of practicing IPM, he said, but the average gardener does not – turning instead to chemical pesticides for control. 

“IPM is about all kinds of control – biological, physical and cultural,” he said, citing practices like picking worms off of cabbage, planting flowering plants that provide nectar to useful insects, avoiding varieties that insects favor and so on. 

Should the gardener insist on pesticides, plenty of choices are available. 

The chemistry – imidacloprid – used in Bayer-Pursell “Advanced” products has recently been made available for consumer use, according to Mark Schneide, director of marketing for the company. Its first use by the company in a consumer product was to control soil insects, chiefly grubs in lawns. 

“Advanced Garden Tree and Shrub” insect control is new this spring and offers gardeners something that has not been available before – year-long, do-it-yourself control of most insects regardless of the size of the tree or shrub. The kind of sprayers homeowners use aren’t very effective beyond a range of 15 to 20 vertical feet. The alternative is to do nothing, implant an insecticide capsule in the trunk of the tree or call a professional. 

The Bayer-Pursell product is a liquid concentrate that is mixed with water and poured on the ground, around the base of the tree or shrub. The liquid is absorbed by the soil, where the roots take it up which in turn distributes it throughout the plant. It stays active for 12 months, protecting new and old growth. A big tree with a trunk circumference of 16 inches requires 16 ounces of product, or about $10 to protect it from insects all year. A one-quart container sells for about $20. 

Other alternatives include products that have been in commerce in one fashion or another for some time – products made from chrysanthemum flowers, the seed of the neem tree, cottonseed oil, citrus peels and other sources. Among the more interesting products from Gardens Alive!, Inc., of Lawrenceburg, Ind., and a major mail-order retailer of alternative pesticide products, is something called “Grub-Away.” 

Bayer-Pursell – www.bayera vanced.com 

Gardens Alive! – http://www.gardensalive.com

What will homeowners do when the nation’s top two chemical pesticides disappear from store shelves, as required in rulings handed down in 2000 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)? 

More to the point, will insects or people rule the yard when Dursban and diazinon are no longer available to fight aphids, grubs, caterpillar and other garden pests that chew, eat and suck the life from plants popular the country over? 

Fear not. New alternatives are coming out and old ones dusted off. And at least one entomologist doubts that insect populations will blossom just because these pesticides will no longer be available. 

Dursban and diazinon and pesticides with different brand names but of the same class of organophosphates have been banned by the EPA because the agency considers them no longer safe based on standards of the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996. 

Bayer-Pursell LLC, Birmingham, Ala., seems to be leading the charge with a line of garden and lawn products called “Advanced.” Its active ingredient, imidacloprid, is not affected by the EPA’s action. 

“Controlling insects will not be as quick and easy now,” according to Michael P. Hoffmann, associate professor of entomology at Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., and director of the New York State Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. 

“Gardeners will have to plan better – what they plant, when and where they plant it and the amount of insect damage they, and their plants, can tolerate.” 

Hoffmann believes the EPA’s decision will force gardeners to turn to the practices collectively known as IPM. Some enthusiasts make a habit of practicing IPM, he said, but the average gardener does not – turning instead to chemical pesticides for control. 

“IPM is about all kinds of control – biological, physical and cultural,” he said, citing practices like picking worms off of cabbage, planting flowering plants that provide nectar to useful insects, avoiding varieties that insects favor and so on. 

Should the gardener insist on pesticides, plenty of choices are available. 

The chemistry – imidacloprid – used in Bayer-Pursell “Advanced” products has recently been made available for consumer use, according to Mark Schneide, director of marketing for the company. Its first use by the company in a consumer product was to control soil insects, chiefly grubs in lawns. 

“Advanced Garden Tree and Shrub” insect control is new this spring and offers gardeners something that has not been available before – year-long, do-it-yourself control of most insects regardless of the size of the tree or shrub. The kind of sprayers homeowners use aren’t very effective beyond a range of 15 to 20 vertical feet. The alternative is to do nothing, implant an insecticide capsule in the trunk of the tree or call a professional. 

The Bayer-Pursell product is a liquid concentrate that is mixed with water and poured on the ground, around the base of the tree or shrub. The liquid is absorbed by the soil, where the roots take it up which in turn distributes it throughout the plant. It stays active for 12 months, protecting new and old growth. A big tree with a trunk circumference of 16 inches requires 16 ounces of product, or about $10 to protect it from insects all year. A one-quart container sells for about $20. 

Other alternatives include products that have been in commerce in one fashion or another for some time – products made from chrysanthemum flowers, the seed of the neem tree, cottonseed oil, citrus peels and other sources. Among the more interesting products from Gardens Alive!, Inc., of Lawrenceburg, Ind., and a major mail-order retailer of alternative pesticide products, is something called “Grub-Away.” 

Bayer-Pursell – www.bayera vanced.com 

Gardens Alive! – http://www.gardensalive.com

WASHINGTON — A colorful but complex demographic portrait of America emerged Thursday from the first official release of Census 2000 data as hundreds of thousands of people took advantage of the opportunity to identify themselves as members of more than one race. 

The data, made available first to New Jersey, Mississippi, Virginia and Wisconsin, also confirmed forecasts of explosive growth in the Asian and Hispanic population, especially in the biggest and fastest-growing counties. 

“We’re on our way to becoming a country literally made up of every other nation in the world,” said social scientist Kenneth Prewitt, former head of the Census Bureau. 

The figures documented trends long predicted, depicting an increasingly diverse society as the new century dawned. Among the revelations: 

• New Jersey saw its Asian population soar at least 77 percent over the last 10 years, from 270,839 in 1990 to at least 480,276 in 2000. 

• The Hispanic population soared by 14 percent in Virginia, to nearly 7.1 million. But that was dwarfed by the Hispanic growth rate in Loudon County, Va., in the outer suburbs of the nation’s capital. The number of Hispanics there skyrocketed by 368 percent over the decade, to 10,089. 

• In Wisconsin, Milwaukee County recorded a slight 2 percent decrease in population from the 1990 headcount, 940,164. But it’s Hispanic population shot up by 84 percent, to 82,406. 

• The black population in Mississippi, in the Deep South, increased at least 13 percent, to just over 1 million. 

Direct comparisons of figures for 1990 and 2000 were impossible, however, because people previously could choose from only five racial categories compared to 63 in the latest census. 

State lawmakers will use the long-awaited data to reshape congressional, state, and local legislative district boundaries. The figures also will be used to redistribute over $185 billion a year in federal money among states and communities. 

Because of changes in federal guidelines for collecting statistics on race and ethnicity, Census 2000 was the first which allowed people to “mark one or more races.” 

The release of the figures to the four states Thursday was the first in a series of reports for the various states that the Census Bureau will make public throughout March. 

Figures for seven other states – Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas and Vermont – also were to be sent this week. 

The numbers are made available to the public by the Census Bureau only after officials in the states notify federal officials that they have received them. 

The first set of figures were answers Americans gave to questions about their racial and ethnic makeup. Among other things, the Census Bureau also asked: “Where do you live?”, “How much money do make?”, and “Do you own or rent?” 

Information based on the answers supplied to these more detailed demographic questions will pour out from the government over the next several years. 

“America isn’t just described as black and white. It should be described in many hues, many colors, many ethnicities,” said Hilary Shelton, director of the NAACP’s Washington bureau. 

But, Shelton also said the new descriptions bring “new challenges to ensure that people are treated equally and fairly, and not discriminated against in our society.” 

Respondents in 1990 could only select from one of five categories: “white”, “black”, “American Indian, Eskimo or Aleutian”, “Asian or Pacific Islander”, and “some other race.” 

The 2000 census gave people the option of choosing from one of 63 race options, including “white”, “black or African American”, “American Indian and Alaska Native”, “Asian”, “Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander”, and “some other race.” 

As a result, there are no direct comparisons for race data between 1990 and 2000.  

In New Jersey, for instance, 480,276 people classified themselves as Asian only, but another 44,080 people identified themselves as Asian and some other race. 

A separate question asked people to identify themselves as either “Hispanic” or “non-Hispanic.” “Hispanic” is considered an ethnicity, not a race; people of Hispanic origin can be of any race. 

The new classifications documenting the broader swath of racial characteristics could instigate changes in social policy and be the focus of civil rights lawsuits, said University of Michigan demographer William Frey. 

“There is a potential of a real blurring of the lines in racial identity,” Frey said. These “numbers coming out are just the tip of the iceberg.” 

On the Net: http://www.census.gov 

The Associated Press 

YAKIMA, Wash. — In a bittersweet gesture to protest the low prices for apples, a Yakima Valley farmer and a warehouse on Thursday donated 20,000 pounds of apples to Northwest Harvest, a charity that feeds the poor. 

“We give our apples away every day,” said Gary Holwegner, a Sunnyside farmer. “Today, we’re giving them to somebody who really needs them.” 

Northwest Harvest will distribute the apples to food banks statewide, said Yakima coordinator Lisa Hall. 

“I think it’s great. It’s far better than dumping the apples somewhere,” she said. “There’s a lot of people who can’t afford to buy apples.” 

Nowadays, many farmers here in the country’s No. 1 apple state say they can’t afford to grow them, either. For the last three years, some farmers have let their fruit rot in the orchard rather than spend the money to harvest the crop. 

The apples were donated by Rick Derrey, a Zillah farmer, and Olympic Fruit Co. as part of a tractor parade and protest, organized to raise consumer awareness about tough times in the fruit orchard. 

“We don’t even get the cost of production anymore,” said Forrest Baugher, 65, who grows apples, cherries, pears and peaches south of Union Gap. “For the last three years, I haven’t made a profit with apples. I haven’t broke even.” 

A similar rally was held last month in Wenatchee and East Wenatchee that concluded with a symbolic dumping of a bin of apples for television camera crews at a Douglas County park. 

Apple and pear growers blame their troubles on high tariffs for exports and other trade restrictions; competition from Southern Hemisphere imports; powerful grocery store conglomerates that very nearly set their own prices for fruit; huge crops; and flat domestic consumption. 

Farmers on average get as little as 5 cents a pound for apples that cost 15 cents a pound to produce, and sometimes sell for more than $1 in the grocery store, according to the Yakima County Farm Bureau.

WASHINGTON — NAACP leader Kweisi Mfume and House Majority Leader Dick Armey said Thursday it was time to start discussing differences rather than using them to accuse the other side of racism. 

“The NAACP clearly does not believe that all Republicans are racists or bigots, nor do we believe that all Democrats are saints or saviors,” Mfume said after an hourlong meeting in Armey’s Capitol Hill office.  

“At some point in time, we’ve got to sort of tone down the rhetoric so that we are not disrespecting people.” 

Armey, R-Texas, requested the meeting because of what he said was a recent trend of “racial McCarthyism” or “reverse race-baiting” – inferring racist motives from Republican policies.  

Armey said he was Mfume’s close friend when the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People president was a congressman from Maryland from 1987 to 1996.  

At their meeting Thursday, Armey said, he spoke to Mfume of “the casualness with which racial allegations are hurled around.”  

He mentioned an NAACP television ad last fall that accused George W. Bush, then the GOP presidential nominee, of callous indifference to the brutal murder by three white men of a black Texan, James Byrd. 

Bush picked up only one of every 10 black votes and found many blacks further alienated because of the handling of the vote count in Florida, where many minorities felt their ballots were ignored, and Bush’s choice of conservative former Sen. John Ashcroft to be attorney general.

WASHINGTON — In a study giving new evidence that AIDS can be controlled by vaccine, inoculated monkeys stayed healthy despite exposure to high levels of virus, researchers say. The new vaccine is being fast-tracked toward human testing. 

In a report appearing Friday in the journal Science, researchers said the vaccine uses a one-two-three punch, with two shots to prime the immune system to resist the AIDS virus, and a final shot with a modified pox virus to boost protection. 

The first two shots use a vaccine containing DNA for three proteins like those found in the AIDS virus. These proteins create a memory that prompts the immune system to attack when the proteins are later detected, said Harriet L. Robinson, senior author of the study. 

The booster shot uses a modified smallpox vaccine with the three HIV proteins added. This intensifies the immune system’s response against the AIDS virus proteins, she said. 

“Our results show that we can protect monkeys against an HIV-like virus using an immunization scheme that is practical for use in people,” she said. Robinson noted, however, that the vaccine has not been tested for use in people already infected with HIV. 

Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the study “provides some of the best evidence to date that a preventive HIV vaccine may protect against AIDS.” 

“Although the vaccine did not prevent infection, it continues to keep the virus at nearly undetectable levels for at least several months,” he said. “We do not know yet if this vaccine will work in humans, but plans for the necessary clinical studies are under way.” 

Robinson said the first human trials are expected in less than a year. 

The procedure being used gives “a much more effective immunization than with the pox virus alone or by the DNA alone,” said Robinson, a professor at the Emory University Vaccine Center and the Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center. “The DNA vaccine has the ability to prompt a very focused response.” 

In the study, 24 monkeys were inoculated with varying doses of the new vaccine. Four other monkeys received only placebo. Seven months later, all the monkeys were exposed to lethal doses of a virus that mimics HIV, the virus that causes AIDS in humans. 

The HIV-mimic virus is used because monkeys cannot be lethally infected by HIV itself. The mimic is constructed from both HIV and SIV, a virus that causes AIDS in monkeys, and is widely accepted as a simian model for HIV. 

All four of the control monkeys developed AIDS and were dead within 28 weeks. All the vaccinated monkeys became infected with the virus, but their immune systems, prompted by the vaccine, were able to control the virus and the animals did not become sick. 

Robinson said one vaccinated monkey, which received a low dose of the vaccine, has an elevated level of virus and could become sicker. But all the rest “are very, very well,” she said. 

Dr. Bernard Moss of the NIAID, a co-author and developer the pox virus part of the vaccine system, said that the researchers waited seven months after the monkeys were vaccinated before exposing the animals to the AIDS virus. 

“A real vaccine has to provide long-term protection,” he said. In earlier vaccine studies, the animals were often exposed to virus within weeks of their shots. 

Also, said Moss, the monkeys were exposed to virus loads hundreds of times higher than the typical human exposure to HIV. This proves that the vaccine has a very powerful effect. 

Additionally, the monkeys were exposed to the virus rectally. Moss said this more closely resembles the way that the AIDS virus is typically spread among humans. HIV is a sexually transmitted disease. 

The two-step booster vaccine “is among the most exciting concepts that we’ve seen in” monkey testing, Dr. Peggy Johnston, head of the AIDS vaccine program at the National Institutes of Health, said in Science. 

The new vaccine resembles one developed at Harvard that also tested successfully. The Harvard vaccine technique required six inoculations and used more of the HIV proteins. Robinson said her vaccine requires only three shots and uses only three proteins. 

“Ours is a simpler vaccine,” said Robinson, “but the fact that both our studies have achieved this type of control is really encouraging and shows that this will work against the AIDS virus.” 

Another HIV vaccine made with DNA and a booster using the smallpox vaccine has been developed in England. Tests on humans started this week, with part of the vaccine being tested in England and part in Kenya. 

More than a dozen other types of HIV vaccines are currently being studied in programs sponsored by various governments, universities and pharmaceutical companies, but Robinson said her vaccine has the best results in monkey experiments. 

“We are ahead with our results in monkeys, but we will need to be fast-tracked to catch up with some of the others” in human trials, Robinson said. 

WASHINGTON — The Republican-controlled House voted Thursday for an across-the-board tax cut of nearly $1 trillion over the next decade, handing President Bush a major victory only 48 days into his term. 

The vote was 230-198, largely along party lines, in favor of the reductions at the heart of the president’s economic program, and came over the objections of Democrats who said the cut was too big and aimed at upper-income taxpayers. 

“One house down, and now the Senate to go,” Bush exulted a few moments after the vote as he delivered the news to an audience in North Dakota.  

“The American people had a victory today. The American family had a victory today. The American entrepreneur had a victory today.” 

Approval of Bush’s plan sent the bill to an uncertain fate in the Senate, where a pivotal bipartisan group of lawmakers has expressed concern about the $958 billion price tag. Bush’s overall tax cut proposal runs to $1.6 trillion over the next 10 years. 

“Who among us can say that the economy doesn’t need a little encouragement,” said Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., as the House debated the first priority piece of legislation of the new president. In addition, he said, cutting taxes “will give consumers more money to pay off credit card bills. It will give families more money to pay off high energy bills. It will give parents more money to pay for education expenses.” 

House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt of Missouri countered that the plan was so big it would complicate efforts to pay down the national debt and make it more difficult to safeguard programs such as Medicare and Social Security. Underscoring Democratic complaints the GOP was favoring upper-income taxpayers, he added, “If we’re going to deliver tax relief let’s deliver it to people who need it.” 

The legislation would gradually reduce and condense the current five graduated income tax rates of 15 percent, 28 percent, 31 percent, 36 percent and 39.6 percent. By 2006, rates would be pegged at 10 percent, 15 percent, 25 percent and 33 percent. 

To provide relief immediately, the measure also would create an interim 12 percent bracket, retroactive to Jan. 1, 2001, applied to the first $12,000 of taxable income for couples and $6,000 of taxable income for individuals. 

Officials said that would mean a maximum tax cut this year of $360 for a couple and $180 for an individual. 

Beyond that, the administration says that when the plan is fully phased in six million families who now pay taxes would no longer be required to. 

At the direction of Hastert and other GOP leaders, House Republicans are expected to advance other elements of Bush’s larger tax cut program to the floor over the next several weeks, including “marriage penalty” relief, a child tax credit and estate tax relief or repeal. 

In a striking show of unity, all 219 Republicans who voted did so in support of Bush’s plan.  

Ten Democrats, mostly Southerners, crossed the aisle to vote with them. One independent also supported the measure. 

In opposition were 197 Democrats and one independent. 

House Democrats crafted an alternative, knowing in advance it was doomed to defeat but eager to highlight competing budget priorities. It was rejected on a vote of 273-155. 

It called for $586 billion in tax cuts over 10 years, little more than one third the size of the GOP measure. It would lower the tax rate from 15 percent to 12 percent on the first $20,000 of income for a couple, and provide marriage penalty relief and an additional break for lower-wage earners. Unlike the GOP measure, it includes no reductions in the income tax rates that apply further up the income ladder. 

At the same time, it provided more money for national debt reduction than the GOP measure — a priority that consistently rates high in public polling. 

Democrats forced a series of time-consuming votes on parliamentary motions early in the day, part of their effort to protest the Republicans’ decision to advance the tax cut before completing work on an overall tax and spending plan. 

Moderate and conservative Democrats led the argument on that point, saying they are ready to support higher tax cuts than other members of their party, but only if they fit into a plan that also continues to reduce the debt and cover other obligations. 

“I know of no prudent business person” who would follow the example of the Republicans, said Rep. John Tanner, D-Tenn. 

“But we have a surplus this year, and we want to help American taxpayers this year,” countered Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, the GOP whip. 

Much of the day was consumed with debate that contained echoes of the presidential campaign, in which Bush argued that the surplus belongs to the taxpayers, not the government. 

“The government shouldn’t spend money it doesn’t have or give away money it might need,” said Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio at one point. 

Rep. Clay Shaw, R-Fla., was on his feet within minutes, arguing, “This is the taxpayers’ money. It’s not the government’s money.” He added, “It is our obligation to let American taxpayers keep more of what they earn.” 

The legislation is unlikely to move quickly in the Senate, which is divided 50-50 along party lines. To avoid subjecting the measure to a filibuster by Democrats, Republicans must first win approval of the type of overall tax and spending plan that House Democrats sought. 

Bush faces a challenge beyond that, though. Nine senators, five Democrats and four Republicans, called a news conference on Wednesday to endorse the idea of a “trigger” that would make tax cuts conditional on progress in paying down the debt. The administration has promised to fight that idea.

SAN JOSE — Shares of Yahoo! Inc. plunged nearly 19 percent Thursday after the former dot-com darling warned that it is struggling to turn a profit and is looking for a new chief executive. 

CEO Tim Koogle, who has been with the company almost since it started, will step aside when a replacement is found. He will stay on as chairman. 

Koogle, 49, said he felt Yahoo needed new talent. 

“I’m looking over the horizon and saying, when the economy starts to firm and Yahoo has weathered through this, what do we need to have in place so that we’ve got enough bench strength to scale continuously as we grow for the next five to 10 years?” Koogle said in a conference call with financial analysts. 

The company announced Wednesday that its first-quarter operating earnings will come in at “approximately break-even,” well short of Wall Street’s expectations. Full-year results also could miss targets. 

Shares of Yahoo, which had been halted for most of the day Wednesday on the Nasdaq Stock Market for the release of pending news, fell $3.94 to $17.06 in afternoon trading Thursday. 

“The best dot-com can’t make it, and that’s troubling for the entire Internet economy,” said Jordan Rohan, media analyst for Wit Soundview.  

“If Yahoo is only marginally profitable, then players like Terra Lycos don’t stand a chance. And smaller players aren’t even in the game.” 

After starting as a search engine in the mid-1990s, Santa Clara-based Yahoo grew into a full-service information and shopping portal and at one point was the world’s most popular destination on the Internet. Yahoo also was one of the Internet’s biggest financial success stories, with revenue nearly doubling last year, to $1.1 billion, and profits of $291 million. 

But the company’s dependence on advertising, which accounted for nearly 90 percent of last year’s revenue, has proven problematic in the dot-com meltdown. Also, the overall slowing of the economy has forced companies to slash their spending on marketing. 

“All businesses in the United States are facing challenging economic conditions that have weakened further in recent weeks, and as consumer confidence and spending has deteriorated, a broad range of customers have delayed their spending across all media formats until their economic outlook improves,” Koogle said. 

Yahoo said Wednesday that it will buy up to $500 million of its outstanding shares over the next two years, a move that could boost the price.  

Shares of Yahoo are trading more than 90 percent off their 52-week high of $205.63, set last March. 

Salomon Smith Barney analyst Lanny Baker said in a report that the company faces serious challenges but still should weather what he considers a cyclical downturn, considering the company’s excellent brand and $1.7 billion in cash. 

He also found what he thought was a silver lining, pointing out that the conditions choking Yahoo will likely hurt its rivals even worse, narrowing the competition in the long run. 

WASHINGTON — Meeting with a group of pivotal Senate moderates Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill stressed the importance that President Bush is giving across-the-board income tax cuts as a tonic for the flagging economy. 

After meeting with seven Republican and six Democratic members of the Centrist Coalition, O’Neill told reporters the group talked about “everything you can imagine” involving how to get President Bush’s tax cut through the Senate, divided evenly between the GOP and Democrats. 

“It’s great to have this kind of opportunity to talk to people of good will who are working hard to figure out how we can do something that represents the best interests of the American people,” O’Neill said. 

Participants said O’Neill was particularly insistent that the Senate follow the House lead in passing as quickly as possible the 10-year, $958 billion cut in marginal income tax rates, indirectly suggesting that other parts of Bush’s $1.6 trillion plan were of lesser urgency as an economic stimulus. 

Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, framed the administration message this way: “Given the fact that we are in a dropping economy ... this may give a measure of confidence that we are moving expeditiously with one significant aspect of the package.” 

Many of the moderates support a “trigger” concept that would permit tax cuts to go forward in a given year only if projected surplus revenues actually materialize.  

O’Neill signaled a willingness to consider the idea, which the Bush administration had rejected out of hand previously. 

Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said the meeting produced no “magic bullet” to bring aboard a group that has many problems about the tax cuts, including its size and the relatively high level of relief that goes to upper-income people.  

Several participants said, however, that O’Neill recognized that moderates could hold the key to passing the plan. 

“If our centrist coalition could agree as a group, it would be weighed very seriously by the White House,” Specter said. 

Earlier Wednesday, conservative House Republicans rallied around a broad plan that would raise the ante on Bush’s tax cuts to $2.2 trillion over 10 years. 

The group, which includes Majority Leader Dick Armey and Majority Whip Tom DeLay, both from Texas, said passing the president’s plan remains their first priority.  

But they said ample room remains for greater tax relief within the projected $5.6 trillion surplus over the next 10 years. 

“Our first responsibility will be to move the president’s package,” Armey said. “Let’s start the debate about what we can do in addition to that.” 

The 65 conservative members of the Republican Study Committee have lined up behind a proposal by Rep. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., that would enact deeper across-the-board income tax cuts than under the Bush plan and phase them in more quickly. 

It also would eliminate the tax marriage penalty paid by millions of two-income couples, and give tax relief to other one-income couples who don’t pay a penalty, while Bush’s plan only partly eases the penalty by giving couples a limited deduction for one spouse’s income. 

The conservatives also want to cut capital-gains taxes on investments by 25 percent, phase out the estate tax more quickly than does Bush, increase contribution limits for Individual Retirement Accounts, repeal the century-old telephone excise tax and increase the business meal deduction.  

On the Net: Congress: http://thomas.loc.gov 

Republican Study Committee: http://www.house.gov/burton/RSC

SAN FRANCISCO — An Oakland man claims Pacific Bell unfairly has charged him and other customers $1.99 a month for WirePro, a “worthless, sham service,” according to a suit filed Tuesday in Alameda County Superior Court. 

Daniel J. Mulligan claims in his suit the telephone company has charged him $1.99 a month since March 1997 for a useless service he never requested or authorized. 

While Pacific Bell spokesman John Britton said he was unfamiliar with the details of Mulligan’s account, he insisted that customers never pay for unwanted services. 

“Nobody is asked to pay charges they don’t owe,” he said. “We stand ready to take care of something that’s not accurate. ... We always tell consumers, ’Read your bill and if there’s something you don’t understand, call us.”’ 

Britton said WirePro covers any problems with a customer’s inside wiring. Those kinds of problems are a “significant part” of Pac Bell’s daily maintenance calls, he said, refusing to be more specific. 

But Mulligan’s lawyer disagreed. 

James C. Sturdevant said the charges started appearing on his residential phone bills, without his consent, about seven months ago. For six months, he wrote on his bills that he did not want WirePro and would not pay for it. However, Pac Bell continued to charge him. 

“This is a classic case of billing customers for a worthless service which they never requested, authorized or knew about,” Sturdevant said. “It is patently illegal and has resulted in millions of Pacific Bell customers unknowingly paying substantial sums for a service they never authorized and will most likely never use.” 

WirePro, which now costs $2.99 a month, is touted as “protection against costly repairs on your wiring and jacks,” according to the company’s Web site. “If a technician finds the cause of the problem to be on the inside wiring or phone jack, the necessary repairs will be done at no charge to you.” 

———— 

On the Net: 

www.pacbell.com 

SAN FRANCISCO — An analysis of a Northern California watershed gives mostly positive findings on the state of water creatures and their habitats on the land owned by a logging company, but some environmental groups question the report’s credibility. 

The analysis of the Freshwater Creek watershed found fish and amphibian habitats are getting healthier, but that high levels of fine sediment still can be found there.  

The stream analysis was the first to be completed as part of the Headwaters agreement between Pacific Lumber Company and federal negotiators. 

The watershed analyses, of the company’s 211,000 acres of forest 250 miles north of San Francisco, must be done to create site-specific protective measures to fit each watershed in the forest, eventually replacing the blanket protective measures the company now uses. 

The new protective measures, called “prescriptions,” will govern logging in each area. 

The analysis said the major problem at the Freshwater Creek watershed, high levels of fine sediment in some areas of the creek, comes mainly from roads and logging practices of years past. 

But the credibility of the report, done by consultants hired by Pacific Lumber, is questionable, said Paul Mason, executive director of the Environmental Protection Information Center. 

“They were faced with a certain reality that they just couldn’t deny, like Freshwater Creek was full of sediment,” he said Monday.  

But the findings were better than even Pacific Lumber had expected, said Jeff Barrett, director of Fish and Wildlife Programs for Pacific Lumber. 

“I think that was a little bit of a surprise for everyone involved,” he said. “We found there were much better stream conditions than many people expected. We found there were widely distributed and abundant fish populations, although there are some management-related problems.” 

Other organizations, such as the National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, California Department of Fish and Game, California Division of Mines and Geology and the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, have given comment during the analysis period. 

The true test will be to see how the analysis is used, said Bruce Halstead, a project leader for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

“The big concern is going to be once we see the analysis and what it says and how it will be used to change the prescriptions to make them stronger or less restrictive,” he said. 

The analyses are part of the March 1999 Headwaters agreement that established a 7,470-acre forest reserve, following a 10-year struggle over logging in the area. 

While this first analysis took two years to complete, there are up to 15 watersheds left to examine, Barrett said. He said they will take only about six months each, because the method for examining them was established with the Freshwater Creek analysis. 

The analysis will be available for comment from the public, including review from scientists, Barrett said. 

THE REPORT 

The stream analysis was the first to be completed as part of the Headwaters agreement between Pacific Lumber Company and federal negotiators. The watershed analyses, of the company’s 211,000 acres of forest 250 miles north of San Francisco, must be done to create site-specific protective measures to fit each watershed in the forest, eventually replacing the blanket protective measures the company now uses.

SAN JOSE – Although millions of airport dollars have been tossed toward retrofitting buildings and disaster planning since the 1989 Bay area earthquake, airports here are in no better shape than Seattle was during the major shaker there last month. 

“If it were a major deal, we’d just wing it,” said Kyle Johnson, spokesman for air traffic controllers at Oakland International. “We’d go stand on top of a building somewhere with some radios and a cell phone and land some planes — assuming the runways are still there.” 

Following the 6.8-magnitude Seattle quake, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association is calling for inspections of control towers throughout the earthquake-prone West. The move came after the tower’s windows shattered and three of its support beams buckled at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport during the Feb. 28 quake. 

Controllers there were forced to evacuate the tower and set up temporary operations at a nearby jet hangar. They landed planes using hand-held radios, all part of their emergency plan. 

Air traffic controllers at San Jose International Airport would be “running around like ants, not knowing where to go,” if a big quake shook the airport said Rich Burton, spokesman for San Jose controllers. He says there are no updated preparedness plans to establish a temporary control center. 

In addition, airport personnel safety is of concern along with the ability to use runways to transport quake victims or vital supplies, equipment and recovery groups. 

A government report says Oakland’s runways stand a 61 percent chance of damage severe enough o close the facility for a month or longer if the Hayward fault begins rumbling.

After two years of planning and community discussion, the City of Berkeley and the University of California, Berkeley have released a co-sponsored Transportation Demand Management Study. The City and Campus will host a community meeting to present the Study on Monday, March 19 at 7 p.m. at the Trinity United Methodist Church at 2362 Bancroft Way, 

The study is the next step in a series of efforts by the City and the Campus to address traffic congestion and transit use in and around the campus area. It draws from a comprehensive Existing Conditions Report, published in Spring 2000, which details commute conditions in a study area extending roughly from Martin Luther King, Jr. to the west, Hearst Avenue on the north, Dwight Way to the south, and the eastern edge of the UC Campus/Prospect Street to the east. 

The study is intended to play an important role in informing planning programs and strategies of the university and the city such as in formulating the city’s General Plan, Southside Plan, and Campus Long Range Development Plan Update. Key findings outlined in the study suggest that employment growth in the area may be accommodated through expanding the use of alternatives to driving alone. And added parking in the area may be necessary to address impacts of commuter cars parked on neighborhood streets.  

Copies of the study are available for review at all branches of the Berkeley Public Library; on the City’s Web site (www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/planning/advance/TDM/tdmnoti.htm); and may be obtained at the City’s Planning and Development Department, 2118 Milvia Street, 3rd Floor (enter at 2120 Milvia Street). People are encouraged to take public transportation or ride bikes to the March 19 meeting.  

From the city’s press office. 

5. ated costs, implementation steps, and examples of success.  

These include items such as development of transit passes for area employees, expansion of existing shuttle systems, coordination of existing parking resources, and improved directional signage directing people to parking.  

Some of the current TDM projects involving the City and Campus include: An Events Coordinating Committee comprised of representatives from the City, Campus, local arts and entertainment venues, and athletic programs. They work together to anticipate and coordinate parking demand and traffic congestion associated with area events in the south campus and downtown area. Berkeley TriP, jointly funded by the City and UC for over a decade, which provides transit sales and services in the downtown. 

A pilot shuttle program linking the campus and the Rockridge BART Station, through collaboration between the City, UC Berkeley, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and AC Transit. A series of bicycle improvements, including the City’s new Bicycle Plan and additional bike parking and improved 

bike paths through the campus, with over $250,000 in campus investment in bicycle improvements since 1990. 

A transit “Class Pass” for UC Berkeley students, which provides students with unlimited use of the AC Transit 

system, funded through registration fees.  

The Study itself is a tool for policy makers to address issues and ensure a creative and balanced approach to reduce traffic 

congestion and encourage transit use with the goal of improving the overall quality of life in the area.  

Copies of the Study, including the Existing Conditions Report, are available for review at all branches of the Berkeley Public 

Library; at Doe, Moffitt, and the College of Environmental Design libraries on campus; on the City’s web site 

(www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/planning/advance/TDM/tdmnoti.htm); and may be obtained at the City’s Planning and Development 

Department, 2118 Milvia Street, 3rd Floor (enter at 2120 Milvia Street).  

We encourage you to take public transportation or ride your bike to the March 19th event. For more information on transit 

options, please contact Berkeley TriP at http://publicsafety.berkeley.edu/trip/ , call them at 510-644-7665, or visit them at 2033 Center Street.

Daily Planet wire services 

Spring is rapidly approaching, bringing with it Cal's annual campuswide open house, when the entire campus throws open its doors for a day.  

From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., on April 21, students, families, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends will enjoy faculty lectures, campus tours, athletic events, exhibits, demonstrations, music, drama, and dance, at events sponsored by departments across campus.  

Enclosed in this newsletter, current parents will find a brochure highlighting some of the Cal Day offerings. Newly admitted families should have received the brochure in their students' admit packets. Beginning April 1, the entire program will be available online at www.berkeley.edu/calday. Programs will be available for pick-up at information centers when you arrive on campus April 21. 

Cal Day is the perfect occasion for families to get a feeling for what makes Berkeley such a special and diverse place. You might choose to tour science laboratories, watch student music performances, or take advantage of the opportunity to hear Cal's world-class faculty members deliver lectures in their areas of expertise. For those with adventurous culinary tastes, International House presents its annual SpringFest, a sampling of world cultures and cuisine. For many visitors, the lure is the campus's museums,which are open free of charge this one day each year.  

Cal Parents will be available at a hospitality tent in Dwinelle Plaza, in the center of campus. Stop by to meet board members and network with other parents. All newly admitted students and their families are invited to attend a special orientation session, and many departments will hold informational events. If you know families who are interested in Cal but have never had the chance to visit, feel free to bring them along.  

The event will feature walking and motorized cable car tours of campus and the opportunity to visit residence halls that day. The Main Library offers tours of its facilities, including the stacks. 

Athletics fans won't want to miss the spring football scrimmage in Memorial Stadium followed by a women's lacrosse game against UC Davis. Also scheduled is an exciting men's tennis match versus USC.  

Visitors are urged to arrive early. Parking is free in designated campus lots; however, space is very limited. We highly recommend public transportation as an alternative.  

If you are traveling to campus from out of the area, you should book your hotel accommodations right away. Refer to the summer 2000 issue of Letter Home or the parent handbook, A Resource Guide for Parents, for a lodging guide. Both are available online at www.berkeley.edu/calparents. The Berkeley Convention and Visitors Bureau also has information at (800) 847-4823.  

For general Cal Day information, call (510) 642-2294 or visit www. berkeley.edu/calday. To request services for disabled visitors, call (510) 642-5215 or send e-mail to calday@uclink. berkeley.edu.