Graduation ceremonies kicked off Friday at UC Berkeley's Greek Theatre with words of wisdom for the Class of 2002 from professors, alumni and an Olympic gold medalist. Thousands of parents, alumni, faculty and friends watched and cheered as a portion of the university's 6,000 graduating seniors donned caps and gowns and participated in the commencement convocation. -more-

In 1896 the first motion picture in the United States was presented to the public in a New York City music hall, and for the next decade most films were shown as fillers in travelling vaudeville shows. The films were short and the subjects — such as dancing girls and moving trains — were limited. Partially because of lawsuits over patent infringements, the U.S. film industry lagged behind France and England until there was a patent settlement in 1908. -more-

Saturday, May 18

LOS ANGELES — Mexican singer Paulina Rubio has topped People en Espanol’s list of the ”25 Most Beautiful” Latin entertainers. -more-

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Complicated tie-breakers keep Berkeley in suspense as NCS playoffs loom -more-

Berkeley is oft maligned by much of the nation for being divisive and living in a sort of time warp, but no more. A new monument is being developed in Cesar Chavez Park that will provide Berkeleyans not only with a sense of time but also of universal direction -- a solar calendar. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

What happens when catty people collide? -more-

FRESNO – The fifth-ranked Golden Bears (50-19 overall) won their 50th game of the season, only the third team to do so in Cal history, on junior Courtney Scott’s double to center in the bottom of the sixth inning to defeat No. 2 seed Stanford, 1-0, in the second round of the NCAA West Regional at Bulldog Diamond. -more-

Five Berkeley High School students were among 140 East Bay girls at a young women’s health conference convened Friday afternoon by State Assemblywoman Dion Aroner, D-Berkeley, at Mills College in Oakland. -more-

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Some news stories that may seem too small to thrive, actually grow to haunt a culture. In this country the Jon Benet Ramsey murder lives on in seemingly endless permutations, while the shame and scandal of Stephen Lawrence’s death plagues England nearly a decade after the bloody act. -more-

Today’s Bay Shore Athletic League baseball championship game has been moved from Washington Park in Alameda to Salesian High School in Richmond. -more-

Today is Sunday, May 19, the 139th day of 2002. There are 226 days left in the year. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

I recognize the scene of John Osborne’s dark and disturbing “The Entertainer,” now at Berkeley’s Aurora Theater, a play about the travails of a family of music hall performers in a declining British seaside resort. -more-

Armored car spills -more-

LOS ANGELES — “Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones” took in more money Thursday than any weekday release in movie history but failed to beat the best single-day box office take of all time, set this month by high-flying “Spider-Man.” -more-

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Computer security firm Network Associates restated its earnings from 1998 to 2000 on Friday, reducing reported profits by about $28 million, after completing an internal probe that uncovered accounting irregularities. -more-

Almost everywhere you turn, flats of seedlings are crying out to be bought — from drugstores, from supermarkets, from department stores, and, of course, from nurseries. -more-

Outdoor grills aren’t just for flame-broiled burgers and steaks anymore. -more-

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Photography is history in the making. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Telephone clerks at the state’s largest HMO were given bonuses for keeping calls with patients brief and limiting the number of doctor appointments scheduled, a program some opponents argue was deceitful and harmful to patients with serious medical problems. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — The family firm of millionaire Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon was fined and censured by securities regulators in the 1990s, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday. -more-

HOUSTON — Former Arthur Andersen partner David Duncan wrapped up a week of testimony in the firm’s obstruction of justice trial Friday by saying he never explicitly told his colleagues to “destroy” Enron documents. -more-

WASHINGTON — Two years before the Sept. 11 attacks, an analysis prepared for U.S. intelligence warned that Osama bin Laden’s terrorists could hijack an airliner and fly it into government buildings like the Pentagon. -more-

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A co-leader of an Internet software piracy group that authorities say was responsible for billions of dollars in lost sales was sentenced to nearly four years in prison Friday. -more-

HAVANA — Jimmy Carter ended a historic visit to Cuba Friday sharply at odds with the Bush administration over how to deal with Fidel Castro. The former president said limits on tourism and trade often hurt Americans more than Cubans. -more-

HYDERABAD, India — India baked in a heat wave Friday so intense that mud huts became as hot as ovens and birds in trees dropped dead, villagers said. This month’s heat has killed 638 people nationwide. -more-

A revised state budget may have Berkeley residents paying more for a pack of cigarettes and reaching deeper into their pockets to register an automobile, but residents aren’t likely to lose out on many city services, Berkeley officials say. -more-

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Keanu Reeve’s Dogstar, Russell Crowe’s Thirty Odd Foot of Grunts, now Billy Bob Thornton… the list of crossover stars (or attempted crossovers) is longer than a Hollywood rap sheet. -more-

Friday, May 17

Maybe the St. Mary’s High baseball team should start a psychic hotline. -more-

City Councilmember Linda Maio waded into school politics last week, moderating a meeting of high-powered activists — predominately African-American and Latino — intent on fielding more minority candidates for the November Board of Education race. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

The Berkeley High boys’ lacrosse team slew an old foe on Thursday, beating University High (San Francisco), 8-6, in a Northern California semifinal game. The win put the Yellowjackets into the NorCal final on Saturday for a shot at the first CIF-sponsored title game in the sport. -more-

Peace proclamation approved in No. Calif. town -more-

To the Editor: -more-

NEW YORK — The Fox network, stuck with sagging ratings and the end of two signature shows, will replace “Ally McBeal” this fall with another drama about lawyers produced by David E. Kelley. -more-

CANNES, France — From “Star Wars” to a small Iranian film, offerings at Cannes are showing how digital cameras give new freedom to directors, whether they want to create dazzling asteroid showers or more intimate settings. -more-

Today is Friday, May 17, the 137th day of 2002. There are 228 days left in the year. -more-

CANNES, France — From “Star Wars” to a small Iranian film, offerings at Cannes are showing how digital cameras give new freedom to directors, whether they want to create dazzling asteroid showers or more intimate settings. -more-

By Peter Crimmins -more-

Couple scales Everest -more-

Berkeley loves to emphasize its diversity, but all too often ignored among the hodgepodge of ethnicities, religions, nationalities, and linguistic groups is a proud community of dedicated science fiction fans. -more-

Oakland - Partnerships among local artists and public school teachers in Berkeley will allow arts education to flourish in classrooms thanks to a $70,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. -more-

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LOS ANGELES — California violates a federal law requiring that it provide education help to its poorest children, although it is receiving $1.2 billion in federal funding this year for that purpose, a civil rights group said in a report issued Thursday. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — California’s $23.6 billion budget deficit exposed a glaring financial weakness that lawmakers knew about but didn’t want to think about — the state’s dependence on money collected from relatively few taxpayers profiting from steadily rising stock prices. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Amgen Inc. shareholders on Thursday approved the company’s proposed acquisition of rival Immunex Corp. -more-

Dear Tom and Ray: -more-

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Facing pressure from the United States, Europe and his own people, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat agreed Thursday to hold presidential and parliamentary elections within six months. -more-

According to Census 2000 data released Tuesday, Berkeley is fifth among Bay Area cities when it comes to using mass transit to get to and from work, passing neighboring Oakland and coming in behind other neighbors Emeryville, Albany and El Cerrito. -more-

NEW YORK — ABC has pulled the plug on “Politically Incorrect,” which battled sinking ratings and, after Sept. 11, advertising erosion because of host Bill Maher’s reference to past U.S. military action as “cowardly.” -more-

To the Editor: -more-

Friday, May 17

It’s rare that a high school coach blames a loss on the officiating. Coaches usually choose to gloss over blown calls, concentrating on their team’s mistakes that made a difference. But on Wednesday, there was little doubt about what decided the Berkeley-El Cerrito baseball game and perhaps the ACCAL championship. -more-

East Bay Municipal Utility District representatives met with Berkeley leaders this week to share their curiosity about becoming a power provider. -more-

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Dear Editor: -more-

Staff Report -more-

The chief U.S. representative for the Palestine Liberation Organization said the Palestinian Authority will pursue democratic reform at a UC Berkeley appearance Wednesday afternoon. -more-

Today is Thursday, May 16, the 136th day of 2002. There are 229 days left in the year. -more-

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Charges against two FBI special agents were dropped Wednesday in the Earth First v. FBI and Oakland Police Department trial in an attempt to narrow the scope of the case accusing the FBI and OPD of mishandling the 1990 car bombing of environmental activists Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney. -more-

United offers $5 flights -more-

Cal junior catcher John Baker has been selected as one of 10 finalists for Johnny Bench Award, it was announced May 15 by The Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission. -more-

Parents at Willard Middle School are concerned about the Board of Education’s decision last week to layoff one of the school’s two safety officers next year, and transfer him to another school. -more-

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OAKLAND — A report released by an environmental research group in Oakland Wednesday says that dirty air accounts for more deaths in California than traffic accidents, homicides and AIDS combined. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco cycling enthusiasts are congregating in the South of Market neighborhood today to celebrate new bike lanes on half of busy Howard Street -- painted just in time for Bike to Work Day on Thursday. -more-

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LOS ANGELES — A nationwide postcard campaign aimed at winning legal rights for illegal immigrants, was launched Wednesday in 30 American cities by a coalition of immigrant groups, labor unions and church officials. -more-

SACRAMENTO — State police will replace National Guard troops who began patrolling three major California bridges after last fall’s terrorist attacks, Gov. Gray Davis said Wednesday. -more-

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sen. Jackie Speier has been trying for two years to pass financial privacy legislation in the California Legislature. -more-

Council bans sexually-explicit shows before midnight -more-

To The Editor, -more-

Sitcoms even less diverse than last year; children’s hour has fewest minorities -more-

Playoff win sets up rematch with University -more-

The chair of the UC Berkeley English Department said her office has received a stream of hate mail from Israeli partisans in recent days for sponsoring a fall, 2002 course called “The Politics and Poetics of Palestinian Resistance.” -more-

To the Editor: -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Chinese speakers nationwide have a new late-night talk show host to turn to with the syndication of a nightly Mandarin-language call-in show. -more-

St. Mary’s golfer wins North Coast title -more-

African-American Studies chair calls for “healing” in school community -more-

To the Editor: -more-

Today is Wednesday, May 15, the 135th day of 2002. There are 230 days left in the year. -more-

Senior Prank Has Town Buzzing -more-

Utility district officials deny charges of mishandling asbestos -more-

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Out-of-state students may have to pay hundreds of dollars more for tuition this fall at California State University under a proposal by the 23-campus system. -more-

Dry, arid Imperial Valley appears miles removed from the bucolic green pastures where happy cows are seen frolicking in those popular California milk ads. -more-

SACRAMENTO — Legislative committees advanced twin bills Tuesday repealing a provision in state law that shields gunmakers from lawsuits over their marketing of firearms. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Napster’s chief executive resigned Tuesday, after founders of the troubled song-swap company refused to be bought out by the German media conglomerate Bertelsmann AG. -more-

xSAN FRANCISCO — Napster’s chief executive resigned Tuesday, after founders of the troubled song-swap company refused to be bought out by the German media conglomerate Bertelsmann AG. -more-

Wednesday, May 15

NEW YORK — Better-than-expected April retail sales sent stocks sharply higher Tuesday, extending Wall Street’s winning streak to two sessions, as investors grew more confident about consumer spending. The Dow Jones industrials surged nearly 190 points, its third triple-digit finish in five trading days. -more-

LOS ANGELES — An attorney who has taken the American Dental Association to court in several states over the amount of mercury used in fillings was the target of a defamation lawsuit filed Tuesday by the organization. -more-

A television-oversight policy being entertained by city leaders would make city officials the “moral conscience” of the community, according to Berkeley Community Media Executive Director Brian Scott. -more-

St. Mary’s High sprinting and hurdling standout Danielle Stokes has an impressive track resume. Literally. She has it available by fax. -more-

Today is Tuesday, May 14, the 134th day of 2002. There are 231 days left in the year. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

Tuesday, May 14

Tuesday, May 14

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Parking on the -more-

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Local 1, the Martinez-based union that has represented employees of the Berkeley Unified School District for years, is on the ropes. -more-

The Earth First! v. FBI and Oakland Police Department trial moved one step closer to closing arguments and jury deliberation Monday. Attorneys for both sides questioned the last few witnesses in the case that accuses the FBI and OPD of mishandling the 1990 car bombing of environmental activists Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney. -more-

SACRAMENTO — The Assembly on Monday defeated a bill that would have allowed motorcyclists age 21 and older to ride without helmets. -more-

HALF MOON BAY, Calif. — A San Francisco bicyclist collapsed and died Monday on the first day of a charity long-distance bike ride. -more-

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The nation’s largest public pension fund can once again invest in Filipino stocks after the ambassador of that nation convinced financial analysts that his country’s economy is solid. -more-

Long before Hallmark cornered the market on greeting cards, Julia Ward Howe, author of the famous poem, “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” wrote the Mother’s Day Proclamation. That was 1870. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

Monday, May 13

St. Mary’s boys claim 16th straight league title, while girls take sixth in a row as Panthers avoid mistakes -more-

Amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East, dozens of incidents meant to hurt or harass Berkeley’s Jewish community have been reported over the past two months. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

Fifth-ranked Cal swept No. 15 Oregon State in a Saturday afternoon doubleheader to conclude its regular season schedule. -more-

By Neil G. Greene -more-

To the Editor: -more-

Tuesday -more-

Today is Monday, May 13, the 133th day of 2002. There are 232 days left in the year. -more-

Mother’s Day flowers take long trail to U.S. homes -more-

PALO ALTO — Five people were arrested this weekend in raids on three health centers police said were part of a prostitution ring. -more-

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s Likud party voted early Monday to reject the creation of a Palestinian state, a major defeat for Sharon that he feared would increase international pressure on Israel and tie his hands in potential negotiations. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — The premise of the latest Star Wars film doesn’t surprise Andy Mecca, president of the California Mentor Foundation. -more-

CHICAGO — Longtime tea-drinking may strengthen bones, researchers in Taiwan have found. -more-

ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. — Firefighters started to gain the upper-hand Sunday against a 4,000-acre wildfire fueled by stiff winds and dry, hot conditions, fire officials said. -more-

Automobile and home rate hikes could cost average Californian hundreds of dollars next year -more-

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Governor to reveal his plan to close $20 billion budget gap on Tuesday -more-

Pet lovers plan to take complaints to Board of Supervisors’ meeting -more-

SAN FRANCISCO – An endangered garter snake has stalled construction on the Bay Area Rapid Transit extension to San Francisco International Airport for the second time. -more-

Last week, Verlon Bourd was shot and killed at 1001 Chester St. in Oakland, making him the sixth young black man to be murdered in Oakland this month and rounding out a recent spat or similar murders in the last month. -more-

Subsidized housing plan at Acton and University avenues moves forward -more-

Deep cuts to health programs proposed by Gov. Gray Davis to help fill a $23.6 billion budget hole unfairly target those who need state help the most, California health care officials and advocates for the poor said Wednesday. -more-

GILROY, Calif. — A moderate earthquake shook the San Francisco Bay area, rattling the stands at hockey and baseball games, sending frightened customers running from businesses and briefly tying up phone lines. -more-

BERKELEY A scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and chemistry professor at the University of California at Berkeley has been named to a society that includes such notable names as Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Ken Yoshida was 19 years old when he was ordered to go to war by the government that had herded him to an internment camp. He refused and was sent to prison where he was ostracized by his community and branded a traitor by the powerful Japanese American Citizens League. -more-