This Tuesday, February 8, the Berkeley City Council will continue its public hearing on the West Berkeley Plan, carried over from the January 25^th meeting when dozens of commentators lined up to speak. Plan changes and accompanying zoning changes are supposed to be aimed at increasing the amount of economic activity in West Berkeley, especially industrial production. Backers say they are focused on the reuse of existing buildings, the development of large multi-parcel sites, and start-up of new types of industrial activities. Public commentators have expressed concern about the proposed 75-foot height limit for buildings and the preservation of the arts in the area. 

The Council's agenda also returns to the labor dispute between the KPFA union and Pacifica Radio. There is a resolution to call on the management of Pacifica Radio to “negotiate in good faith” with Communication Workers of America Local 9415. The resolution also offers mediation assistance to the disputing parties. 

Council is considering a resolution supporting California State Assemblymember Nancy Skinner's bill (153) requiring online-only out-of-state retailers to apply California's sales tax when selling in California. 

Councilmembers are going to pledge money to celebrations of the Persian New Year and Black History Month. Each Councilmember's office can pledge up to $1,000 for the Persian New Year Festival and up to $250 to the Harriet Tubman Terrace Resident Tenant Council for their Black History Month Celebration.

[Editor's Note: This press release was sent by John Lineweaver, who is referred to in the third person in the text. It is our policy to post press releases which we think are of general interest, but readers should be aware that there might be other interpretations of this story.]

After 71 years in business at Telegraph & Durant in Berkeley, Larry Blake’s Restaurant & Bar, also known as Blake’s on Telegraph, has closed its doors. Blake’s was once among the most popular hangouts for the Cal community—both students and faculty/employees—and until the late1990’s was famous for the Blake Burger, voted Best Hamburger in the East Bay numerous times, and for the delicious salad dressing developed in the 1940’s by Larry Blake, himself. 

Blake’s, however, was not solely the victim of a difficult economy, the culprit in the recent disappearance of many other restaurants. Over the past 8 years, Blake’s has shifted its focus from serving the finest in pub food and beverages to an emphasis on the club and music scene. While popular with the young crowd, the shift took its toll on the loyal Cal-centric customers as the quality of food and service steadily declined. 

“Blake’s has made more changes to its business plan in the past 8 years than the Raiders have made head coaching changes”, said building owner John Lineweaver. “Quality meats, salads, beverages and great service leading to fantastic lunch and dinner dining experiences have been deemphasized, as Blake’s ownership focused on loud, live music and the youth-oriented night scene from 10pm-2am. As a result, the traditional customers seeking good food and beverage have stayed away in droves.” said Lineweaver. 

“It is a shame that a business grossing nearly $2,000,000 as recently as 2003 could have declined so dramatically, resulting in the inability to pay its bills and a default on its lease”, said Lineweaver, the building’s owner since 1984. Even after the building owner invested nearly $350,000 in building improvements and a 30% rent reduction, Blake’s couldn’t sustain its business. 

Asked about future plans for the nearly 8,500 square foot space, located just one block south of Sather Gate, Lineweaver, said he expected to find a new restaurant and bar operator who would focus on the obvious—the 50,000+- person Cal community who comes to campus nearly every day, not to mention the numerous food-savvy neighborhood residents. The space may be divided into 2-3 components, as it currently includes the 3,000 sq.ft. main floor and mezzanine areas, a full basement and a prep kitchen in another building wing. 

Larry Blake, a colorful figure who died in 1992, purportedly started the Telegraph restaurant in 1940 with a $700 investment. His numerous publicity stunts to promote Blake’s included arranging for a Cal student to ride an elephant across the Bay Bridge during the 1949 Big Game, with a sign reading “I’m going to Larry Blake’s for a good steak”. Cal greats from Jackie Jensen to Joe Kapp were frequent visitors, and Cal grad and Super Bowl quarterback Craig Morton once waited tables at Blake’s. Blake’s basement, known for years as “The Rathskeller”, featured a sawdust-covered floor and a lively bar area, and was the scene of numerous bachelor parties, frat events, jazz performances and similarly active events. 

Sadly, Blake’s had clearly lost its way, and time had run out.

A small but heartfelt demonstration engaged UC Berkeley's Sproul Plaza lunch hour throngs mid-day on Thursday as Egyptian students and their supporters staged a die-in at Sather Gate to support anti-Mubarak protesters in Egypt. 

At about 12:30 there were about 75 individuals participating in the protest which blocked the center arch of Sather Gate. Pedestrians could still move through the two side archways. Some of the demonstrators lay with Egyptian flags. A wide arc of curious spectators formed on the Sproul Plaza side. 

Some demonstrators held signs, some lay on the ground at the end of Sproul Plaza, and others handed out literature. Individuals rose from among the "dead" to make brief speeches, several talking about their families or friends in Egypt and their own fears about what might happen if the Mubarak government continues to suppress demonstrations there, or if they tried to return to Egypt. 

Several tied their concerns to a demand that United States aid to Egypt be suspended during the crisis. "What we're asking is that the international community create pressure, raise awareness, and let people know what's going on", one said, as others called "Lay down in Solidarity with Egypt!" 

"Our tax dollars shouldn't be used to stifle democratic dissent abroad", said another. "Every human being has the right to assembly. Berkeley students proved that here." 

"This is serious, we need to act now", said another. "The U.S. talks about democracy all the time. This is your chance to act." 

"No justice, no peace! Egypt must be free!" the demonstrators chanted. "Down! Down! with Mubarak!" 

Fliers handed out by the protestors urged readers to "Stand in Solidarity with Egyptians And Denounce Mubarak's Human Rights Violations" and provided a rough timeline of recent events in Egypt. "We have created a facebook page titled "Calling International Support for the Egyptian People" one of the fliers added. 

Many in the watching crowd seemed sympathetic, others merely curious. "There's some sort of demonstration going on", one shorts-clad student was saying into his cell phone as he pushed through the side of the crowd. "Buncha people lying on the ground."

This week there’s a special garden feature from author Robert Kourik. He’s offering an ebook version of downloadable chapters from two of his books, Drip Irrigation and Roots Demystified, on his website. 

Each chapter is usually $3.00, but the author has made one chapter of the Roots book available for free for Planet readers.  

It’s the chapter on Vegetables. 

The rest of these ebook chapters can be purchased from www.robertkourik.com 

Police are continuing to investigate a fatal drive-by shooting in San Pablo that happened Tuesday evening, but so far they have no leads and only a minimal description of the shooter's vehicle, a San Pablo police lieutenant said today. 

The Bay Area News Group reports that the victim, 26-year-old Douglas Stevenson, was an aspiring rapper from Berkeley who had just returned from a trip to Las Vegas to perform. 

At about 6:35 p.m. he was across the street from a house in the 2900 block of 17th Street transferring luggage from one vehicle to another when a car pulled up and someone inside shot him multiple times, Lt. Jim Creekmore said. 

The suspect's vehicle was described only as a dark-colored compact car with tinted windows, Creekmore said. 

Stevenson was taken to Doctors Medical Center, where he died. 

Investigators worked the case all night but still have not been able to establish a motive for the shooting, Creekmore said. 

Stevenson is the city's first homicide victim this year. Last year there were two homicides in San Pablo, Creekmore said. 

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Police Department's investigation's bureau at (510) 215-3150. 

Describing knife wounds to the fingertips of Austin D. White, 35, allegedly inflicted by Matt Dodt, 54, as "serious," and later "very serious," Alameda Superior Court Judge Rhonda Burgess refused to lower his $100,000 bail, declined to release him on his own recognizance, and set Feb. 17 for a pre-trial hearing on an assault with a deadly weapon charge. 

Dodt pleaded not guilty to assault with a deadly weapon and to aiming a laser at an officer a week before the alleged stabbing. He had been previously accused by U.C. Berkeley police of attempted murder, but the Alameda County district attorney charged him with assault, a lesser offense, in a hearing January 31, as reported in the Planet.  

Just how serious those wounds are could be contested by his attorney, C. Zadik Shapiro, if he argues self-defense at a pre-trial hearing February, 17th.  

Dodt's continued confinement at Santa Rita Jail, Dublin, seriously affects the hopes of the organizer of the People's Park tree-sit, Zachery Running Wolf Brown, 47, to get Dodt back to work in the tree. Running Wolf organized the longest urban tree sit in America at U.C.'s Oak Grove, 2006-08. 

White told U.C. police that when he climbed Dodt’s tree, he was met by Dodt, who had descended to a lower branch. White alleged that Dodt kicked him in the throat, and then grabbed him from behind. He said he covered his neck with his hand to protect it from Dodt's knife when he was stabbed, according to the UCPD report. 

Reached in his tree by this reporter the night of the alleged stabbing, Dodt claimed he only "grazed" an attacker. 

White says it was clear that Dodt was aiming with a knife for his throat, which he tried to protect with his hand, saying, "You're going cut me over a tree? Really?" 

Really. 

Matt Dodt has a long bay area history of community service and lives in a shared house in Oakland. He worked more than 12 years for the Coalition to End Homelessness, San Francisco, before it was de-funded, where he managed their databases, according to a longtime friend. White is described by university police as a "nomad." 

Before the hearing, Dodt's supporters gathered outside the court to ponder the news that a key prosecution witness, Michael Schiarone, 30, A.K.A. Sasquatch, might not testify. Sasquatch was among park west-enders who allegedly joined White at the tree, but did not go up. Talk outside the courtroom turned to conciliation among park regulars. "I can understand what he (Dodt) did," Sasquatch is reported to have said. "I might have done the same thing." 

Although tempers in the park, which had peaked prior to the incident at 9 p.m. Thursday, may have cooled, the university's case has not. 

Dodt could be fined up to $10,000 and be sentenced 3-12 years in state prison. According to on-line sources, the outcome of the case will hinge on how seriously White was wounded. 

On the night of the alleged stabbing, an officer at the scene commented that the wounds were "serious; serious enough to require emergency room treatment." 

This reporter has seen the bandages on White's fingers. The bandages were thick. 

Officers found him in the park near the basketball courts Thursday night heavily bleeding after they received a call from the park for help. An ambulance was dispatched to treat him, according to the University spokesperson. 

White refused treatment for 20 hours to tend to his dog who was seriously freaked out by the incident. According to the UCPD report, Drayco’s “dog was agitated and 

barking," The report states that further surgery was needed. 

According to Tim Lawlor, a retired Highland emergency room doctor, a deep wound could have been unintended or accidental. In an exclusive interview with the Planet, Jan. 31, White said, "one of his fingers was cut to the bone." Further surgery, according to Lawlor, could involve sewing together cut tendons or setting broken bones. 

White told university police that he had been "invited" up the tree. Witnesses say White and other “Westenders” in the park had taunted Dodt for hours. 

"I can't hear you from the ground," White recalls hearing the tree-sitter say by way of invitation. Dodt was the inviter, according to White.  

White was not armed. But he did have the support of three others. who were also there to challenge Dodt. 

Dodt said something in anger to which White replied,” you wouldn't say that if you were down here," as reported Jan. 30 in the Planet. This could have been White's idea of an "invitation." 

Throughout the long siege of the crime-scene tree, Thursday, involving nearly a dozen officers and multiple squad cars, a command vehicle, and an additional police van, the northwest end of the park was lit up until 3:30 a.m. and caused Hillegass Ave. to be closed. 

A steady stream of students passed by on the periphery of the crime scene Thursday and late Friday. When informed of the incident, they all sympathized with the alleged slasher and expressed admiration for his tree-sitting endurance--90 days. 

Ted Friedman has covered the tree-sit in People's Park since October. This is his sixth piece on it. 

When Layma Murtaza touched down at Cairo International Airport in late August 2010, the first image she saw was of families sitting on the floor, yelling and having a picnic as they waited for their luggage. 

But when civil unrest erupted across Egypt last week, the Newark resident studying abroad was among thousands anxiously scrambling to board a plane out of the country. 

"We just knew we had to get out when we heard gun shots in our neighborhood and outside of our doors," Murtaza wrote in an e-mail message from Zurich, where she managed to evacuate safely on Monday. 

Murtaza, 27, is a graduate of University of California, Davis currently studying migration and refugee issues at the American University of Cairo. Like most people, she did not anticipate being swept up in the tide of revolution that began last week when demonstrators started calling for an end to President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule. 

Mubarak announced Tuesday he will step down when his term ends in September, but protesters are demanding his immediate dismissal. 

The demonstrations in Egypt ensued soon after protests in Tunisia last month when its citizens forced President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali to step down. 

Following a massive anti-government demonstration on Friday, the Egyptian state implemented a curfew and shut down phone and Internet access. Looting and chaos soon followed, Murtaza said. 

On Sunday, she and a friend went out for a walk and noticed that the streets, typically flooded with cars and people, were "eerily quiet." 

"We heard something loud flying towards us and we fell to the ground because we thought it was like a missile or some type of bomb being thrown in our direction," Murtaza said. "But when we got up we saw that it was a fighter jet flying very low to the ground." 

Murtaza and others speculated the jets were being used to intimidate demonstrators. 

"In the evening because the chaos was so close to our home we would push furniture in front of the door and keep forks and knives near us in case we had to use it and looters were able to break in," she said. "We turned off all the lights but kept CNN on and hid behind our curtains watching the commotion that happened from the window." 

The demonstrations were just getting under way when Robert Sproul, the assistant dean of development at Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law, and his wife, stepped off a plane in Egypt on Jan. 22. 

Sproul was leading a group of Cal alumni on a trip to Cairo, but it was cut short as a result of the widespread looting, violence and chaos that escalated over the next few days. 

During their weeklong trip, the group stayed in a hotel two blocks away from Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo. Sproul recalled that on Jan. 23, he and his group saw 50 to 60 people running past their hotel and he realized that they weren't jogging but were getting chased. 

Then on Thursday, it was the beginning of violent confrontations resembling "a typical Berkeley clash with police," Sproul said. 

He said it was surreal that at the hotel, while waiters served drinks and children swam in a pool, violence was breaking out all around them. 

The sound of loud explosions from cars that had been set afire filled the streets, but police were nowhere to be seen that night, he said. When Sproul and his group walked out of their hotel the next morning, they found burned cars and graffiti with messages like "Mubarak goodbye." 

Sproul said in Tahrir Square, vandals were setting fire to a chain food restaurant. 

"You know, at 63, I've been in riots. I've always been distrustful of mob scenes," he said. 

Sproul and his group decided it was time to leave, but even that proved to be difficult. He recalled experiencing "sheer pandemonium" at the airport. 

"People were yelling, screaming, crying," he said. 

It took 12 hours for half of the group to get on a plane home, and the other half followed shortly after. 

Writing from London on Tuesday, Murtaza said she plans to return to Cairo eventually, but could not say when that would be. 

"I'm really hoping that a solution is near for the Egyptian people and the government because I want to go back," she said. "I have really grown fond of Egypt and its people." 

Hisham Ahmed, a politics professor at Saint Mary's College of California, said the movement in Egypt and in surrounding Arab countries is irreversible and signifies the beginning of a revolutionary change. 

"Most of these people, they were born and grew up under the rule of Mubarak," he said of the country's large youth population facing high unemployment rates and poverty. 

Ahmed said he believes Mubarak will eventually step down, but that "no one knows how things will be beyond that." 

Mubarak has been a longtime ally of the U.S., but the Obama administration, which has thus far taken a cautious approach in its handling of the crisis, now must be more vocal in its support for the people, Ahmed said. 

"It's a delicate situation for the Obama administration, but these are historic times. These are serious times," Ahmed said. "I hope the administration won't be making the mistake of sending a message to the Egyptians that their friendship with a dictator is more important than the welfare of the people." 

Human rights activists with CODEPINK, including Sharat Lin of Fremont, CA, joined Egyptian protesters this week in Cairo as perhaps the only international solidarity delegation on the ground in the country. They have been in the streets with the Egyptian people for the last five days. Several members of the group of nine activists are available by phone for interviews this week. Tomorrow the delegation plans to do a solidarity action at the US Embassy. Medea Benjamin, a leader of the delegation and co-founder of CODEPINK Women for Peace, is currently available by cell phone in Cairo at 011 20-107148431. Sharat Lin is the president of the San Jose Peace and Justice Center and first visited Gaza and the region in 1973. He will return to the Bay Area by the end of the week. Bay Area groups are planning a protest and march to stand in solidarity with the people of Egypt and Tunisia this Saturday, February 5th at 1 pm at the UN Plaza (Market and 8th in San Francisco), and a march across the Golden Gate Bridge on Sunday, February 13.  

The activists report that Egyptians have been excited to see their message of solidarity from the American people. Many Egyptian protesters are carrying signs that say "My address is Tahrir square until Mubarak leaves" and they are holding firm. The activists also report that many Egyptian youth seem ecstatic that President Obama has acknowledged their voice in Egypt's political affairs but they want him to put more pressure on Mubarak to step down. Women are in the streets and have played a major role in the grassroots movement for democracy in Egypt. Today, as violence towards peaceful demonstrators escalates, the activists said rumors have circulated that the pro-Mubarak agitators are paid supporters of the dictator. 

The international CODEPINK delegation had been en route to Gaza via Egypt but with the Rafah border closed they are unable to enter Gaza, and remain in Cairo. The activists will stay in Cairo until they can safely make their way to Gaza, where they intend to continue their delegation for peace. The delegation includes people from the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, Switzerland and India. This is CODEPINK's ninth trip to Egypt and Gaza in the past two years.  

CODEPINK is calling on the President, State Department, and Congress to stop funding the Mubarak regime, which currently receives over $1.8 billion dollars in military assistance annually from the US.  

See photos from CODEPINK delegation in Egypt here: http://bit.ly/idIODQ 

For more information on CODEPINK in Egypt, see the latest news and e-alerts at: www.codepink.org 

For more information about the delegation to Gaza: http://bit.ly/f9Ca2X 

This Saturday, thousands of community members from the San Francisco Bay Area will stand in solidarity with Egyptians, Tunisians, and all the people in the Arab world fighting for freedom and dignity. The International Solidarity Day events in San Francisco will include live interviews with journalists on the ground in Egypt, and a march to call upon the American government to take a firm stance in support of the Egyptian people’s just demands. Endorsers of the demonstration on Saturday include ANSWER Coalition, Arab Resource and Organizing Center, Berkeley Egyptian Students Association, Berkeley Muslim Students Association, Berkeley Students for Justice in Palestine, Cafe Intifada, CODEPINK Women for Peace, Jewish Voice for Peace - Bay Area, Middle East Children's Alliance, San Jose Peace & Justice Center, South Bay Mobilization, Stanford Says No War, Stanford Students Confronting Apartheid, and US Palestinian Community Network. 

In early 1994, two men violently robbed, kidnapped, and carjacked an Oakland couple. The victims were forced into their own trunk, driven around to ATMs for the purpose of withdrawing cash (which was unsuccessful), and brought to a clearing in the hills only to see the male violently beaten, tased and forced back into the trunk before the female was violently raped. With no expectation but being buried alive, the couple was released. In the short time it took for someone who lived nearby to allow the couple to call the police, the two men disappeared. 

Over fifteen years later, Dewayne Ewing and Kevin Barnes are being accused of the crime and have been in jail for the past three years without trial. While the charges are serious, there is little, if any, evidence against them. 

Police investigators found four major pieces of evidence. First, photos were taken of the assailants by ATM machines. Second, fingerprints collected from the scene of the crime which do not match the victims are assumed to be those of the assailants. Third, the rape kit, which was collected within a few hours of the couple’s release, found the semen of two men, which are from one of the assailants and her husband. Lastly, a used condom was found near the scene of the rape. 

The ATM photos show skin tones and facial structures which do not match those of Ewing or Barnes. The fingerprints are also unhelpful, as they give no match. It’s the combination of the second and third pieces of evidence which make the case especially peculiar. 

The rape victim told police and doctors that her assailants did not use condoms during the rape, and the semen from her rape kit appears not to have been matched to Ewing or Barnes. Semen found in the condom was matched to Ewing. However, the condom was found at the scene of the rape, which is a public space—a clearing in the Oakland hills—where Ewing says he went with his girlfriend completely separately from this crime. There is a clear discrepancy between the DNA match and the victim’s account of the rape. 

In late 2010, $13,000 of further DNA testing proved unhelpful, and an apparent waste of city money in the middle of a budget crisis. While it’s possible that the testing would have proved inconclusive anyway, the results probably also had to do with mishandling of evidence by the Oakland Police Department. The condom and rape kit were found a few years ago in non-refrigerated storage, after all instructions including tags on the evidence itself gave instructions for refrigeration. Without refrigeration, the DNA in the evidence deteriorates relatively quickly. 

Kevin Barnes was apparently arrested simply because he and Ewing, who are cousins, had been arrested together in 1992 on charges that were dropped. There is no evidence against him in this case. 

On Tuesday, January 18^th, the case was scheduled to go to pre-trial, and was pushed back another two months until mid-March. Ewing and Barnes, who were arrested in 2007, remain in jail without trial. By their next pre-trial date, they’ll have served almost four years each. 

Experiences like those of the victims and charges of these types of intensely violent crimes should not be taken lightly. However, in the midst of the court’s process of justice, our judicial system has apparently created more victims as opposed to finding justice for anyone concerned. The targeting of young Black men by the police or court system should also not be taken lightly. This targeting has cost the lives of numerous community members, including Oscar Grant and much more recently Derrick Jones, and it continues to victimize Kevin Barnes and Dewayne Ewing through untried incarceration.

Don't miss the extra stories from last week. They include city council reports, People's Park updates, and more.

Famously, Calvin Coolidge said in a speech to the American Society of Newspaper Editors, "After all, the chief business of the American people is business." He did qualify it a bit: "Of course the accumulation of wealth cannot be justified as the chief end of existence." But the main theme of his speech was his attempt to refute a maxim from Oliver Goldsmith’s poem "The Deserted Village":

“Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey,
Where wealth accumulates, and men decay.”

Making the accumulation of wealth possible, which Coolidge promoted, seems to have again become the chief function of government in the last couple of decades. It’s interesting that we’ve recently seen a crash rivaled only by the one which followed the accumulative period under Coolidge in the 1920s.The late and much lamented Tony Judt devoted his last book (title from Goldsmith: Ill Fares the Land) to examining how and why this has happened.

The people who run Berkeley these days are engaged in a major push to re-shape the zoning of West Berkeley and modify the West Berkeley Plan. A lot of politicians and professional planners who know very little about business, especially about science-based entrepreneurial ventures, are behind this effort, as are the corporate owners of big West Berkeley parcels who are eager to build big buildings on them, along with representatives of all levels of building trades from construction workers’ unions to architects. 

It seems that one motivation behind the drive to re-zone West Berkeley is the desire to promote as many high-value enterprises there as possible. Some in Berkeley have always lusted after the entrepreneurial start-ups which changed the former Valley of Heart’s Delight into Silicon Valley. Those with a land-use background (Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates, for example, had a brief fling as a developer before becoming a politician) are sure that land-use policy must be the reason Berkeley has never matched the area around Stanford University in numbers of high tech enterprises. 

As it happens, at the tail end of the last Jerry Brown administration, I was co-author of a study commissioned by Grey Davis for the California Commission on Industrial Innovation, which he then headed. My collaborator was a social scientist with survey research experience, and our task was to find out exactly what the new biotechnology entrepreneurs wanted, so that the state of California (flush with money in those days) could give it to them. Much to the chagrin of our commission sponsors, we discovered that what scientific innovators wanted most was to be left alone: no redevelopment-funded office parks, no state grants, just peace and quiet while they did their research wherever they wanted. 

The study was never released—I wonder why? Could it have been pressure from those who had invested heavily in land which they hoped to turn into industrial parks with state backing? 

I learned a lot doing that study—enough, in fact, to launch a high-tech startup with my scientist husband with essentially no capital. It eventually turned into a profitable business, and we didn’t need anything re-zoned in order to do it. Our first office/laboratory, at a ridiculously low per-square-foot rent, was upstairs in the charming turn-of-the-century building which now houses Rasputin Records. Telegraph Avenue then (about 1980) as now was home to a variety of untidy street people, dope dealers and other diversions, but that just kept the rent down. Being near UC made it possible for us to attract top-notch grad-student talent, and since Telegraph was half-way between Berkeley High and our house the kids could come by to do their homework after school. 

Right now there’s a whole lot of empty space in downtown Berkeley which is ideal for similar startups and even mature businesses. In fact, a hotshot ex-employee of ours is now happily ensconced in a think-tank for a cutting-edge company in a downtown building the Landmarks Preservation Commission rescued from demolition,. 

We stayed on Teley until the 1989 earthquake caused us to worry about being in an unreinforced masonry building. Then we moved to West Berkeley, to another pleasant older building. This was the former Berkeley Pump Company which had been rehabbed for small businesses by the astute Denny Abrams, who also turned Fourth Street into shopping nirvana. Again, the rent was reasonable, though not super low like Telegraph. 

Here’s the lesson I see in our experience: entrepreneurial startups absolutely don’t need fancy buildings. In fact, it’s just the reverse. What they need is low rent and pleasant surroundings. 

So let’s return to the main theme: is the business of Berkeley business? Is it the responsibility of city government to re-zone West Berkeley in order to permit landowners to build out their sites to the max for maximum profit? 

Probably not. And will turning West Berkeley into a mega-office-park be good for all the citizens of Berkeley? It now works well for homeowners, artists, artisans and small businesses. There’s little reason to expect that the big operations that the entrepreneur wanna-bes envision will do anything worthwhile for the city or its citizens. 

The main problem with what the pols and their hired planners would like to call the West Berkeley Project is that it would surely jack up land prices, at least for a while. Far from helping start-up businesses, even if that’s the goal, it would price them out of the market. 

And there’s been a lot of whining about high tech businesses moving elsewhere when they grow. Well, why shouldn’t they? West Berkeley already has one huge business, formerly a factory but increasingly a laboratory, on the Bayer Corporation’s “campus", despite Bayer’s self-serving denials. Union workers there are now threatened with layoffs, because it’s clear that Bayer values the space much more for R&D, with highly educated researchers, than for manufacturing. 

What’s already working in West Berkeley, and would be endangered by the new zoning scheme, is small enterprises of all kinds. The city of Berkeley planning staff’s proposal which is on the table has been widely criticized by currently successful groups because it offers them inadequate protection from builder-speculators’ whims. The Berkeley Planning Commission has undergone what’s known as “regulatory capture”—it’s now dominated by people from the building industry, so it rubber-stamped the scheme. A city government which likes to call itself progressive should not be working overtime to facilitate unrestrained market capitalism, but should make sure that local regulatory powers are exercised as needed to provide what’s best for all of Berkeley, not just for the big property owners. 

Another example: Last week we learned that some developers have discovered a lucrative new market: big-time marijuana dispensaries. One unfortunate feature of the way government has gone about promoting use of marijuana for medical purposes is the creation of defacto monopolies for favored vendors. 

Our story was followed later in the week by a feature on the Berkeleyside website profiling the newest drugsellers, real estate developers who have been quick to seize the opportunity to profit from addressing patients’ needs. One is a former Berkeley Planning Department manager who also sat for while on Berkeley’s Medical Cannabis Commission—regulatory capture at work again. It’s all too reminiscent of Tom Lehrer’s immortal song about the Old Dope Peddler “doing well by doing good”. 

Not, of course, that anyone who’s been around the block believes that most of the cannabis sold in Berkeley or anywhere else is used for medical purposes only. High school kids are well aware that anyone of any age who wants one can acquire a medical marijuana card with no trouble. 

Some innocents have suggested that cannabis for pharmaceutical use should be sold in pharmacies like other medical drugs—but where’s the profit for developers in that? If it’s approved for recreational use, it could be sold in liquor stores like that other recreational drug, but again, how can local property owners make money? Consumers could grow it for personal use just as they can make a small amount of beer or wine at home, but that really cuts into profits. 

The central question raised by the West Berkeley proposals, all joking aside, is whether or not the business of Berkeley is business. Is governmental action supposed to optimize profits for greedy corporate landowners, or is promoting the common good more complicated than that? As my old high school buddy Cicero used to say, “Cui bono?” Who profits? 

Would it be better for all of us to preserve the stunning and unexpected views of the Golden Gate and the Bay which the low buildings in West Berkeley now permit? Would Aquatic Park continue to be a haven for shorebirds if it were surrounded on three sides by office buildings? Do we really want Berkeley to become Emeryville North, with a wall of 75 foot towers stretching to the Albany border? 

Anyone who cares about what happens should [1] watch the segment (Item 12) of last week’s city council video which covers these proposals, especially Mayor Bates’ closing peroration on what he thinks is going on. His signature quote, twice repeated: “If you don’t change, you die.” 

But change for the sake of change is pointless. It’s true that if you don’t change, you die, but it’s also true that if you do change you die anyway. The salient question is how you spend your life. 

The citizens of Berkeley should make darn sure that the changes proposed for West Berkeley, which is working pretty well already, are for the benefit of all of us, not just to satisfy what Councilmember Kriss Worthington characterized as “corporate greed”. A maxim in the high tech world when I was in it was “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” Still a smart idea. 

And if you do care what becomes of Berkeley, you should [2] go to next week’s city council meeting for the conclusion of the public hearing on the West Berkeley proposals and speak your piece. As we’ve seen from this week’s events in the Middle East, sometimes citizens’ voices can be heard, sometimes even in Berkeley. 

Dan O'Neill

Joseph Young

Can You Hear Me Now? Keith Olberman’s Firing; Don’t Gut the Clean Air Act; Alzheimer’s Reign of Terror;Street Music; Basic Needs;Republicans are at It Again; Tree-Sit as Viewed by a Yahoo from La-La Land 

Can You Hear Me Now? 

AT&T wireless now covers 97% of Americans. That is, everything but the left ear, the right ear, and the mouth. 

Dave Blake 

* * * 

Keith Olberman’s Firing  

MSNBC's release of Keith Olbermann reminds me of an old myth of liberal media bias. Actually commercial TV news is dominated by just a few corporations: NBC Universal/GE, ABC/Disney, CBS/Viacom, CNN/Time Warner, Fox/News Corp., New York Times Co., Washington Post/Newsweek, Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones, Tribune Co., Gannett, and Knight-Ridder. 

And these media corporations share members of the board of directors with a variety of other large corporations, including banks, investment companies, oil companies, health care and pharmaceutical companies, and technology companies. 

For example, NBC Universal, which was recently acquired by ComCast, is the parent company of MSNBC. NBC has interlocking directorates with the following companies, Anheuser-Busch, Ann Taylor, Avon, Banco Nacional de Mexico, Cambridge Technology Partners, Chase Manhattan, Chubb Corporation, Coca-Cola, Dell Computer, Community Health Systems, Morgan Chase & Co., Home Depot, Kellogg, Morgan Gauranty Trust, New York Stock Exchange, Oglivy & Mather, State Street Bank and Trust, Sun Microsystems, Texaco, and Unilever. And this is only a partial list. Hardly a hot bed of liberalism. 

Who are the major advertisers on TV, the ones who pay the media bills: oil companies, beer companies, auto manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, electronics manufacturers, etc. Who are the usual talking heads, the so-called experts on TV news: retired military officers and former government employees. We don't often hear from union leaders, environmentalists, and critics of the administration. Given the makeup of commercial TV news, it is easy to understand why MSNBC didn't want a liberal/progressive like Olbermann on the air anymore even though his "Countdown" show had the highest ratings. 

We are going to miss you Mr. Olbermann. Hopefully, your departure from the media will only be a temporary one. 

Ralph E. Stone 

*** 

Don’t Gut the Clean Air Act 

I am very concerned about the environmental and health impacts of the
unlimited amounts of carbon pollution that big polluters are currently
allowed to dump into our air. 

One of our country's most iconic species--polar bears located off the
coast of Alaska--only stand a chance of survival if we hold big
polluters accountable to reducing their carbon pollution, starting
today. 

That's why I am disturbed to hear that Congress is currently
considering rollbacks to our country's clean air protections as a favor
to big polluters 

Only polluters benefit by attacking the Clean Air Act. Our elected
officials must come to understand that this was not what anyone had in
mind when people voted last November. 

Call your US Congressman now! 

Marilyn Campbell 

*** 

Alzheimer’s Reign of Terror 

Yesterday's mail brought heartbreaking letters informing me that not only one, but two, close friends have been diagnosed with advanced Alzheimer's. In both cases it was family members who revealed the grim news -- one a husband, the other a son. The cases are eerily similar, with both victims themselves recognizing that their thinking is confused. 

My one friend, who I'll call Mary, willingly agreed to seek diagnostic assistance from the University of California San Francisco Center for Memory and Aging. The results of a very thorough medical, neurologist and cognitive diagnosis conducted by the Staff of UCSF CMA showed that Mary has a combination of Alzheimer's and Lewy Body Disease -- an affliction that causes her to believe that her husband of 48 years is an imposter! Mary has long expected to be afflicted by Alzheimer's as her mother died of this disease 20 years ago. At the suggestion of her doctor, she's trying out the drug Aricept to see if this will help with her memory problems. Her understanding and compassionate husband advises against extending well-meaning expressions of condolences, but rather "to interact with her in a as normal and respectful manner as possible and to let any anomalies we hear from her float by as gracefully as possible." 

My other friend, let's call her Jane, has also showed evidence of dementia, in particularly her short term memory. Her daughter therefore took her to a specialist for cognitive assessment. It was determined that she should have round-the-clock companionship. But, given her social nature, the idea of a good group living setting seemed far better than a home-care attendant. Fortunately her daughter found an excellent facility in Alameda, where no more than fourteen women live in their own wing. Jane has a large, lovely room with her own art and furniture and a private bath. She enjoys communal meals with other women and leads the group in songs, and is alight with joy -- still the positive and loving person we all know. 

By coincidence, with the distressing news about my two friends, I received an appeal from the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center in Berkeley pointing out that Alzheimer's has become America's sixth leading cause of death, with more than 5 million Americans in the grip of this disease. All of us live in fear that WE will become the next victim! We can only hope and pray that a cure will be found to end this sinister reign of terror. 

Dorothy Snodgrass 

* * * 

Street Music 

It is music to the mind to hear the Tunisian and Egyptian street sounds. It is however John Cage music. The other tunes made in Tunisia don’t travel on the Internet, nor are the rap takes translated by NYT or WSJ. 

Nevertheless I remembered the title of a Dizzy tune “Nights in Tunisia” that could be an appropriate song to play before a review of Tunisia’s uprising. 

Ben Ali is the first elected dictator to go, followed by another elected American/Israeli clone in Egypt followed (we hope) by Yemen’s leadership and with a push from Arabs against another military recipient of US foreign policy, the King of Jordon who is rumored to be changing his name to Prime Minister. 

The people’s shove against the US military funded Arab dictators is a delight. However, also hair raising, understanding the connection the Egyptian Military has to the Pentagon: 1.3 - 2 billion a year devoted to purchasing US military equipment, Egypt’s bonus for 1979 recognition of Israel. 

The Rafah Gaza crossing will eventually be opened to Egypt. Is it possible for Israel to maintain that concentration camp? For those of us in despair of the Empire’s juggernaut we can see the Palestinian people’s chance to survive, as the militarized US/Israeli foreign policy wrangles, wobbles and weakens. 

R. G. Davis, Ph.D. 

* * * 

Basic Needs 

The basic needs for all human beings are food, clothing and shelter. It seems wrong to take away the basic means of living from low income people. This should not happen in any society that considers itself civilized. I know that intelligence and hard work bring just monetary rewards, but what happens to those who don't have the brains or the employment opportunity to make a living? How should such people be able to buy food, clothing and shelter? How should these people be able to survive on our planet? 

When we want to balance the budget, we forget the poor and their families. I have been thinking about the budget crisis and I feel tax increases on luxury items such as movie tickets, cosmetics, alcohol and cigarettes makes sense. But tax increases on gas or bus and train fares should never happen. Such taxes only hurt the poor or low income families. I am not an advocate of socialism but I believe that "let live" builds a community. The least able are not just cast out and told to fend for themselves. 

Please suggest remedies for solving the budget problem which keeps the condition of poor people in mind. 

Romila Khanna 

*** 

Republicans are at It Again 

Here we go again. Republicans start off the new year pushing for one of the most extreme anti-abortion bills ever; that's after they introduced 600 measures last year in state legislatures to limit access to abortion. 

Anti-abortion extremists are alive and well in America. They continue their relentless demonstrations and vicious intimidation of anyone who is involved and supports abortion clinics. They taunt abortion clients with their hellfire screeds and are big fans of Rush Limbaugh. 

Their heros live in the Old Testament and they use the Bible to justify their actions and agenda. Anti-choice forces carry out their malfeasance under the guise of the Lord. 

Many in the anti-abortion movement still assert that killing doctors who perform abortions is fully justified. These people are religious fanatics. 

There is nothing new in this information, and yet, Americans seem
oblivious to the nature of their scurrilous activities. 

Ron Lowe  

* * * 

Tree-Sit as Viewed by a Yahoo from La-La Land 

Please permit me to offer a solution to the problem of Democrat community activist "tree sitters". Bees....Lots of bees. Maybe a wasp nest as well. Just add a garden hose with a strong stream of H2O, and the angry bees and/or wasps will provide a quick solution to the "tree sitters" problem. Repeat as necessary, or add one or two tree climbing black [politically correct] bears or a puma [America Mountain Lion] to the mix. Glad to help. 

J. Craig Herman,Pahoa, HI

As the planning effort to revise West Berkeley zoning approaches its second public hearing before the City Council on Tuesday February 8, the environmental impacts of increased development on Aquatic Park, the aesthetics of scale, traffic, and air quality are emerging as community concerns. 

At the end of the first hearing on January 25, Councilman Kriss Worthington voiced the rising alarm among neighbors, visitors, and ecologists that the beauty and health of the 100 acre park, its lagoon and open space, will be compromised by buildings that could rise to 75 feet along its eastern edge. 

The Council should be concerned, he said about “how close and how much is going to happen” if the current building allowances are approved, and added “We should be very careful about what impacts we have on Aquatic Park.” He suggested that language protecting Aquatic Park be “separated out” as a special focus. 

The DEIR (Draft Environmental Impact Report) for the West Berkeley Project, executed by the consultants Lamphier-Gregory of Oakland, ignored Aquatic Park, which features a play area for children, picnic sites, boating facilities, and a hiking and biking path for the human population as well as home and migratory abode for ducks, grebes, egrets, terns, herons and sandpipers, according to a 2004 study of the bird population by Avocat Research for the City. 

In response to my DEIR comments, the consultants admitted to the following potentially significant impacts on Aquatic Park: change in visual character, project-specific shadows falling onto public open space or recreational areas, possible exposure of sensitive receptors to toxic air contaminants and particulate matter, odors, and excessive noise levels. They did not elaborate. (FEIR page C&R-89) 

Architects Cathleen Quandt and Patrick Sheahan, a married team who have voiced the concerns of the MUR (mixed use residential zone) property owners, submitted numerous photos of the houses in the MUR as well as simulations of the impacts of 75 foot buildings on the visual character of West Berkeley, including changes to the aesthetics of Aquatic Park. The MUR, where small business and houses co-exist, runs along Fifth and Sixth Streets and some blocks south of Dwight Way; it is usually characterized by planning staff as “a buffer zone” between the purely residential blocks (R-1A) and the manufacturing zones. 

In a letter that accompanied their numerous pictures, Ms. Quandt told the Council that such buildings “are simply too tall and out of scale” with the surrounding neighborhoods. The current development standards for the MUR are a height of 35’ and a maximum FAR (floor area ratio) of one-and-a-half and for the manufacturing zones, a height of 45’ and an FAR of two. 

The floor-area ratio controls the mass of a building, the building floor area, parking excluded, related to the area of the lot; the higher the FAR the more massive the building. An FAR of two, the current standard in the manufacturing zones, means the building is allowed twice the area of the lot. 

The proposed building standards for the potential nearby MUP (Master Use Permit) sites would be 75 feet, increased from the current height in the manufacturing zones of 45 feet, and an FAR of three. Sites that would qualify for MUPs must be four or more contiguous acres or a complete block under single ownership. Most West Berkeley blocks are approximately three acres. 

Ed Moore, a West Berkeley attorney and long-time activist in waterfront and other planning issues, echoed concerns about aesthetics of scale at the public hearing, asking the Council to consider what the area would “look like in one hundred years because that’s how long the buildings are going to last.” 

The effects on air quality from construction pollutants and emissions from increased traffic have been noticeably missing from the public discussion to date. So too has the EIR’s voluminous traffic study that details vehicle use along residential streets such as Dwight Way, 6^th Street, Allston Way, Hearst, and Delaware, as well as the major arteries of Gilman, University, Ashby and San Pablo Avenues, which are already congested at peak hours with several “ failing” intersections that have unacceptable delays. The traffic study shows at least a 20% increase in evening traffic up Ashby Avenue and Dwight Way within the next twenty years. Traffic along San Pablo Avenue, measured at Virginia Street, will more than double in that time, even without the project. 

West Berkeley neighbors will be most impacted by the increased traffic, as most streets are residential. According to the 2000 census, approximately 1300 people resided in the MUR and another 5600 lived in the R-1A zones west of San Pablo Avenue that are surrounded by the manufacturing zones. 768 minors under 18 and 369 elders over 65 lived in this diverse working class neighborhood that has become a magnet for young people. 

We are awaiting the new census figures to assess the changes that would indicate gentrification, a trend that could be accelerated by the West Berkeley Project. The old figures indicate a mixed-race neighborhood with 39% white, 29% African-American, 14% “other” (Hispanic), 9% Asian, and the rest native, mixed race, and Pacific Islander. A marked increase in the young white population in West Berkeley could contribute social pressure towards conversion of warehouse and manufacturing to R&D and other uses that require a higher education. 

Whatever its demographic changes, this community as well as neighborhoods to the east of San Pablo Avenue will be most affected by the environmental impacts of increased development. It remains to be seen whether neighbors will have the opportunity to learn more about the proposals and to respond. No hearings have been held in West Berkeley such as the special session that the Council held at Emerson School to consider the controversial BRT (Bus Rapid Transit). Many of the participants fear that the public hearing will be terminated this week and further discussions held in private meetings. 

The final compromises would then be hashed out behind the scenes in a process that has been criticized by many participants. Whereas the original West Berkeley Plan was crafted in sessions when all the players – developers, employees, business owners, and residents - sat at the table together, in the West Berkeley Project the constituent groups with their various interests have held separate discussions with City planners in what was termed “stakeholders’” meetings, mostly West Berkeley commercial property owners and developers and WEBAIC, the West Berkeley Artisans and Industrial Companies, whose staffer Rick Auerbach has been the chief spokesperson for retaining the industrial protections of the West Berkeley Plan. 

Residents were excluded from this process until last year when the inhabitants of the MUR insisted on being included. Those who live in the R-1A were never invited to participate in the stakeholders’ process or even noticed about the proposed zoning changes. Those of us from residential West Berkeley who attended the West Berkeley Project tour and the subsequent Planning Commission meetings were given mere minutes to voice our concerns. 

If you too feel excluded from this process, please attend the public hearing on Tuesday night, voice your concerns, and ask for the hearing to be continued so that the public can catch up on the nature of these zoning changes and their impacts, which will be felt throughout Berkeley, not just on its western edge. 

Toni Mester represented the Sierra Club in the Waterfront zoning effort and the Bayer Development Agreement. 

Sit Down With Council Members Demonstrates Strength of Existing Production & Distribution Economy 

Owners and/or representatives of Meyer Sound, Acme Bakery, Alliance Graphics, The Ecology Center, George M. Martin Co, Urban Ore, Libby Labs, Adams & Chittenden Scientific Glass, Heartwood Woodworking, and the Business Agent for ILWU Local 6 (Bayer) met this week with Council members Linda Maio, Darryl Moore, and Laurie Capitelli. One after another each businessperson detailed their enterprises’ history, robust contributions to Berkeley’s economy and jobs creation, and how existing industrial protections have benefited them and contributed to their continuing, vibrant presence in West Berkeley. The Council members asked questions and a productive discussion ensued. WEBAIC would like to thank the participating Council members for taking this opportunity to hear on-the-ground West Berkeley voices of industry, artisans, and labor. 

Only your presence before the decision makers at City Hall can dispel ignorance and misinformation with facts and the indisputable, living reality of a productive and successful West Berkeley 

Throughout this process a narrative has continuously arose minimizing and misrepresenting West Berkeley’s robust industrial and arts economy and culture. A simple calculus is at work here: if something and/or someone can be described as non-existent, implementing policies to remove these “non-existent” entities is not only harmless, but requisite and good. Conversely, if the reality of low vacancy rates, productive activity, and good jobs is acknowledged, the logic behind radical proposals to rezone large swaths of West Berkeley evaporates and is revealed as socially and economically destructive (if not moderated and re-tuned to the existing dynamic). Some existing misinformation is simply due to very few of our citizens, staff, and politicians not knowing much about an area of the City they have little interaction with. For those without this familiarity, a “blank” spot on Berkeley’s map creates susceptibility to the “there be dragons there”, or “not” there, tales. Some misinformation is due to less neutral factors. 

Two recent, unfortunate examples are detailed here, not as personal criticisms, but to demonstrate how critically important your presence, a reality that can’t be denied, is, on February 8 th at City Council: 1.) An architect working with several of the largest developers in West Berkeley, stated during his testimony before Council on January 25th: “Your traditional blue collar jobs don’t exist anymore”. The disrespect to the almost 7000 “non-existent” West Berkeley blue collar workers contained in this statement consists not only in the denial of their existence, but a denial of the dignity of their work and strenuous efforts to provide a good life to their families and children. 2.) Until removed yesterday (though still cached on the City’s website), a City Council web page highlighted an “Industrial West Berkeley” link leading to an official page containing the statement: “Traditional industrial jobs are going overseas, en masse, leaving industrial West Berkeley a virtual wasteland (italics ours 

For three years WEBAIC has attempted to inform the disturbingly data-deficient West Berkeley Project with facts, on-the-ground knowledge, and testimony from scores of business people with over a thousand employees in West Berkeley that unequivocally shows our part of town to be the polar opposite of a “virtual wasteland”. After three years of testimony, West Berkeley tours, and government-commissioned studies quantifying West Berkeley’s robust contributions the persistence of such myths is unsettling and telling. 

Instead of an objective examination of fact leading to enlightened policy, from its initial proposals to incentivize removal of the industrial protections on most West Berkeley property, the West Berkeley Project has presented as a pre-determined outcome in search of rationales, ignoring or minimizing inconvenient truths. Our experience tells us that the reasons for this approach are manifold, from an honest desire to accommodate change, to an ill-considered drive for City revenue at all costs, to a paucity of interest in providing for our citizens with lesser opportunities, to private profit motives unmitigated by a search for the common good. Not being an originator of this process, the above “reasons” can only be speculation, but such motivations are not unknown nor historically absent in present and past urban development struggles. 

The examples above are simply demonstrations of the challenge WEBAIC continues to face in attempting to bring factual information combined with living truth to a process that, instead of putting blinders on, should be aggressively seeking such truths. 

WEBAIC hopes that our recent meeting with the three gracious Berkeley City Council members is a turn toward that robust examination of the facts required to make positive policy choices for the broad spectrum of our community and its long term sustainability. With the simplest of gestures, showing up and a speaking a few words, you can dispel the myths and keep Berkeley a diverse and productive community, all by making the vibrant reality of our community between San Pablo and the Bay a living presence for those sitting on the dais at Old City Hall on the evening of February 8^th 

WEBAIC Positions to Achieve Responsible, Sustainable, & Equitable Development: 

1.) WEBAIC Compromise Cap Proposal on Protected Wholesale Trade & Warehouse space:Allow 100,000 sq ft of protected Wholesale Trade/Warehouse space for R&D, NOT All SPACE 

2.) No Housing or Retail in M, MM, & MULI Manufacturing Zones on Master Use Permit (MUP) sites 

3.) No Office Parks in the Manufacturing (M) Zone on Master Use Permit sites 

4.) Yes to 6 Master Use Permits in 10 Years – No to unlimited expansion of Master Use Permit sites 

5.) Maintain Existing Height & Density Standards 

6.) No Full Parking Waivers for MUPs 

The recent arrival of the library’s new bookmobile represents a door slammed shut on expectations of first-class interim service during planned closure of branches for Measure FF-related construction. 

The Library’s interim service is one very small bookmobile – the smallest of seven models that are offered by its vendor. 

It is the smallest bookmobile I’ve ever seen. 

Dubbed the “BranchVan” by the library, it would be more appropriately called the Twig Van. 

Berkeley citizens and library users had every reason to expect the library administration to do what it did several years ago when the Main library closed for renovations. At that time, an interim space was fitted out in a downtown storefront just a few blocks from the Central library. The location was 2121 Allston Way. The interim service hours were extensive, including weekends and four nights a week until 9 pm. 

This past might well be expected to set the example for the future, where the library plans to close two branches at a time temporarily, for two renovations and two reconstructions after demolition. 

That is because the library has said nothing about interim services in its publicity for the public, including bond descriptions, booklets, and fliers. A visit to the library’s website provides dead links – no information available – for “Services During Closure,” that is listed under “Branch Construction Projects” 

Berkeley citizens might well expect the library to provide interim service in a storefront or other fixed location for another reason: The Board of Library Trustees (BOLT), the library’s governing body, never placed interim service on any agenda in the last year and a half. There only mention of bookmobile plans was at the June 9, 2010 BOLT meeting, where it was clear that Library Services Director Donna Corbeil had already made a decision to obtain a bookmobile. She presented the trustees with a decision to purchase a specific van from a specific vendor, OBS, Inc. of Canton, Ohio, at a cost “not to exceed $83,200.” There was no discussion of alternatives, or about a bookmobile’s specific size or capacity. There was also no discussion of how many hours of public service one vehicle would provide per week, when shared by two closed branch locations. The library plans to work on renovations – or demolitions and replacements -- of two branches at a time. Consequently, a single bookmobile cannot provide the same open hours at each location as each branch provides now, six days a week including two evenings until 8 pm. 

There are alternatives – better alternatives – to service from a single, tiny, bookmobile. 

The library trustees and administration could have, and should have, discussed numerous alternatives – and they still can. Alternatives include opening interim library services in storefronts or public facilities – or renting portable structures or trailers. Such options could provide much more space than bookmobiles, as well as the ability to provide full-time service. Portables in Washington DC provided 4000-square foot interim library-like facilities. Another option could be to park a single trailer outside each closed branch. 

BPL’s administration chose a bookmobile with “up to 1,500 volume capacity,” while its vendor’s website shows seven models with capacities ranging from 1,500 to 4,000 books, and a single trailer with a capacity of 3,000 to 6,000 books. 

Why did the library choose a bookmobile with the smallest capacity of those offered? 

Our contact with a national company renting construction site trailers revealed that a 32-foot trailer, could be provided parked at the curb of a library renovation site, with a wheelchair accessible ramp, at a cost of under $10,000 for twelve months, including hauling. Each additional month would cost $250. 

For less than the cost of purchasing the tiny twig-mobile, Berkeley could provide trailers for library service at closed branches for eight years. Another plus with trailers or fixed locations: there would be no ongoing costs for gasoline or engine maintenance or tire replacement, and the entire operation could be expected to be greener than a bookmobile. 

Steven Finacom, writing in the Berkeley Daily Planet January 19, 2011, found that the library had spoken about interim service at a March 31, 2010 community meeting. (“Library Buys temporary Bookmobile -- Paid for out of Branch Permanent Renovation Funds.”) 

Finacom wrote: 

In further research, I found this statement by Library staff from the notes describing a March 31, 2010 Community Meeting held at the Claremont Branch Library. 

(Question) “Will there be a temporary site during the closure?” 

(Answer) “The plan is to close two branches at a time and Claremont and North will be closed first. We would like patrons to visit the other branches that will be open, including the Central Library. South Branch is the closest branch to Claremont. The Board of Library Trustees is discussing the option of a book van to deliver holds and pick up materials in the neighborhoods of the closed branches.” 

IV. ACTION CALENDAR 

A. Contract: OBS, Inc.; for Purchase of a 2010 Model Year Explorer I Sprinter Customized 

Bookvan 

Recommendation: Adopt a resolution to recommend the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute a purchase order with OBS Inc. of Canton, Ohio for the acquisition of a van configured for the provision of off‐site library services during the closure periods of the four branch libraries while undergoing construction related to the Measure FF funded Branch Libraries Improvement Program in an amount not to exceed $83,200. 

The Board of Library Trustees unanimously approved this action. The Minutes for that item show the following: 

A. Contract: OBS, Inc.; for Purchase of a 2010 Model Year Explorer I Sprinter Customized Book Van 

Sample photos provided (Attachment 12) 

The Board discussed the van presented to provide mobile library services during branch closures for construction. Staff responded to questions regarding the vehicle, it will be ADA accessible, have flexibility with moveable carts to take services inside partner organizations, and due to the size it will not require a special State of CA license to operate. Director Corbeil reported that Measure FF funds can be used to purchase the vehicle with the caveat it will be used to continue providing library services when a branch is closed. Following approval by the board, staff will bring to City Council, following their approval a purchase order will be issued and the custom vehicle will be ordered. Preliminary schedule is for late fall delivery. Staff will explore local vendors for the personalized graphics/wrap, security system and bio‐diesel options. Price does not include licensing and taxes. In addition, the staff is planning for the parking of vehicle, ideally loading and unloading at the Central Library Bancroft Street entrance can be secured. The item as presented includes a recommendation to City Council to approve changing the yellow zone on Bancroft south of the library to a gray zone for library parking only. 

R10‐050 Moved by Trustee Moore, seconded by Trustee Henry‐Golphin, to adopt a resolution to recommend the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute a purchase order with OBS Inc. of Canton, Ohio for the acquisition of a van configured for the provision of off‐site library services during the closure periods of the four branch libraries while undergoing construction related to the Measure FF funded Branch Libraries Improvement Program in an amount not to exceed $83,200.  

Motion passed unanimously. 

What should be done? 

We recommend carrying out a full review of alternatives available for providing substantial interim library service. Alternatives to be considered include obtaining use of storefronts and other fixed spaces; portable structures; trailers; and larger bookmobiles than the one purchased. The library should do a thorough cost and benefit analysis, including ongoing operational costs. For a bookmobile, costs include gasoline, engine maintenance, tire replacement, etc.; for storefronts, rental and temporary fitting out for library services. 

Only after making such an analysis publicly, and with public input, should BOLT decide on a course of action that provides reasonable interim service for Berkeley’s generously-funded, much-used, and much-appreciated, public libraries. 

Most of the nation enjoyed a white holiday season so now we fully should be prepared to enjoy a white Academy Awards. Not one African American appears on the 2011 nominees list. 

Ordinarily this circumstance might not qualify for comment because most Academy Awards are mostly all white; but other circumstances, beyond Hollywood, qualify it for some examination because the absence of any acknowledgement to blacks exposes the existence of linguistic opposition, or discrimination based upon the way a person talks. 

Say what? 

Maybe the fact there are no black nominees this year should be seen as a victory for multi-culturalism. 

Multiculturalists and the Skip Gates’ “let’s get beyond race” crowd argue now that we have a Black president “We have overcome.” 

See how well it works, when you shut your eyes to race, blacks simply disappear. 

But perhaps we should be grateful not one of us made the cut. 

Recent African Americans who’ve been honored by white Hollywood have been so for portraying black pathologies, giving white America a voyeuristic peek at the dark underside of Black America. Consider Monique, a winner last year for instance, in “Precious,” or earlier winners Halle Berry in ”Monsters Ball” and Denzel Washington, for “Training Day.” 

Regarding Monsters Ball Angela Bassett was asked why she turned down the role Halle Berry accepted, “You would have won an Academy Award,” the interviewer said. “Yeah,” Bassett quipped, “ but I’d still have to get up in the morning and look at myself in the mirror.” 

Apparently Tyler Perry was overworked this past year recycling his kitchen garbage into TV sitcoms. Oh wait, some of it did spill into the nation’s theaters in the form of “For Colored Girls.” But whites, and especially blacks, stayed away in droves. 

The only positive black image acknowledged by Hollywood recently was the long overdue Life Time Achievement Oscar to Sidney Poitier in 2008. 

On one hand it can be surmised there were good films last year in which blacks gave stand out performances and were simply ignored by the Academy. 

On the other hand the argument can be made an increasing number of English speaking white actors are being imported and that Black actors have diminished opportunities at roles the blacks could play as easily as whites. 

But let’s be real. Hollywood has been importing Brits to the American cinema industry since before there was a Hollywood. 

But today this phenomenon extends beyond Hollywood into all branches of electronic media that produce visual images, where the person who is speaking can be seen. We can refer to as the British Invasion II, although Australia and to a lesser degree South Africa are in the mix as well. 

The first invasion of course was in the 1960’s in popular music. Just as blacks were beginning to reach cross over audiences with their music and make some money, the Brits were imported to whiten the presentation of popular music and overnight African Americans were thrown out of work, literally. 

In the US, and elsewhere around the world, the Beetles and Rolling Stones were hailed as geniuses and transformed into multimillionaires for their interpretations of African American music forms. 

In 2011 economic and working conditions are different, they’ve shrunk and are more constrained. But still, more and more artists, reporters, “experts on America,” talking heads, almost anyone with an English or Australian accent keep coming into view through films but especially through televisions news rooms.. 

The latest import is the awful celebrity reporter on CNN, Piers Morgan, an evil and contemptible version of the delightful Robin Leech of the whimsical Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous series of many years ago who proved to be harbinger of what was to come. 

In this regard one can be forgiven for surmising that accent, or more specifically a British or Australian accent has become a new dimension of whiteness in the US. 

Likely linguistic opposition has been around forever. Episcopalian Boston Brahmins regularly discriminated against everyone else who didn’t talk like they did. Wealthy New Yorkers looked down their noses at workers who spoke with Italian or Jewish accents. Even today well meaning whites “compliment” blacks who “don’t talk like the rest of them.” 

In America’s labor force linguistic opposition first came to be recognized as the economy moved from an industrial economy to a service economy, where unlike in factories workers regularly come into contact with customers. 

In the hotel industry for instance it’s been widely documented African Americans routinely have difficulty gaining access to those well paying “front of the house” jobs that provide tips but necessitate they come in contact with customers. 

Hotel managers have declared this untrue because they often hire Africans for those jobs. 

So why not hire African Americans? 

“Well, Africans have a better work ethic,” is the response most often heard. 

Oh, so African Americans work ethic is good enough to be a dishwasher or maid but not good enough to be a waiter or bartender. Questionable logic at best. 

No, usually if you press close enough the issue is often that managers in industries that come in contact with customers cringe when the hear many African Americans talk. They’ll hire an African any day of the week before an African American. 

Which brings us back to British accents or what are perceived to be British accents. 

A British accent elevates the speaker in the viewers eyes, television producers likely reason, above those with American accents and style of speech that is, to be frank, beginning to sound way too black. 

When young, white newsreaders, reporters and correspondents begin referring to each other, on air, as “my brother,” or giving each other high fives or fist bumps they signal to producers that it’s time to whiten things up. Just as in the 1960’s when popular music was becoming too black, the most logical antidote was to bring in the Brits. 

Today the British accent in all its whiteness is ubiquitous on national television. We’ve already mentioned Piers Morgan, but CNN’s walking hand grenade Richard Quest (who three years ago was arrested in NYC’s Central Park for possession of methamphetamines-don’t you just love America’s spirit to overlook transgressions Michael Vick?) appears on television numerous times each day and also 60 Minutes’ Lara Logan from South Africa, to mention just the most well known. 

In the case of Logan it should be noted she’s more than qualified for the job having put in years as a war correspondent in the Middle East. But here’s the rub. Why wasn’t Ed Bradley, the African American who was hired during the height of the Black Power era ever replaced? Instead they hired a white South African. 

At the moment there are several African Americans holding down serious news anchor weekend positions and CNN employs several black smiley faces for morning news reading and light commentary. 

So here’s the question to consider and it brings us finally to Isha Sesay. 

With all the British sounding accents being imported to US television, why aren’t any of the voices black? Why are they all white? Why hasn’t Ishay Sesay ever been seen on US television? 

Isha Sesay is a young UK citizen of Sierra Leonean descent who spectacularly hosts morning editions of CNN news outside the US. 

The only logical conclusion one can reach is that Isha Sesay gives lie to the outrageous and racist fiction, apparently being promoted by US television, that a British accent is the exclusive and ultimate expression of whiteness. 

For an example of Isha Sesay’s work go to: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4kbLumOSco&feature=related

it hails me from the recess of my mind
I park and cross the threshold of the store
to shop, perhaps to drift among my kind
forgetting that I should have one thing more
I have my wallet, keys, my shopping list
my patience, my forbearance all in hand
my willingness to change should I insist
on suddenly a switch from fresh to canned
I’m ready! I’m a shopper! Hear me roar.
I’m headed for the register and then
that voice, that sense of something from before
speaks out just as my items hit the scan
my urge to green is sturdy, true and strong
like bags that I forgot to bring along

I hope to see thousands of Americans on the street yelling and holding signs saying "Mubarek Go NOW!" We need to support the Egyptian people's desperate struggle for freedom. I heard a man in Cairo being interviewed this morning and the interviewer asked him if he would stop protesting now because of the violence. He said "Never. For the first time I feel like a man. I never knew freedom before but now I have freedom." When asked if he expected to be protesting for a year he said, "Inshallah, I will always protest for freedom." 

It would be a powerful support for Egyptians if thousands of Americans everywhere protested the Mubarek regime with them. And God knows, it would help America's ugly image which is so tarnished by support of monstrous regimes in Egypt and everywhere it pays us. 

I urge people to try to be as tech savvy as Egyptians and get on Face Book and Twitter and organize a movement that can't be stopped by Mubarek's police.

Matthew Hallinan knows perfectly well that KPFA lost over half a million dollars in 2008-2009. And lost another half a million in 2009-2010. He himself voted, not once, but twice – for budgets that called for hundreds of thousands of dollars in salary reductions at KPFA. What did he expect to happen after he did that? 

He is pretending way too many things. Pretending Pacifica’s joint services fee is 24% when the real amount is 19.8% (actually 17% for Pacifica and 2.8% for the network archives). He is pretending the budget proposal he references balanced the budget when it barely addressed half the annual deficit. He is pretending the local board didn’t discuss the budget for 3 hours on October 15th. He is pretending the on-air hosts with the least seniority weren’t those who hosted the old Morning Show and Letters and Politics and the contract says “in the event of layoffs for financial necessity, seniority must prevail”. He’s also pretending the Berkeley City Council supported a resolution condemning Pacifica’s actions. They didn’t. 

KPFA’s listener support dropped 30% from 2007-2010, 3 consecutive annual 10% decreases. It’s understandable – the economy is terrible. But because layoffs were delayed for 2 years, KPFA spent its entire ¾ of a million cash reserve and fell behind another $300,000 in bills. That is why the executive director acted. It’s not about $60,000. It is about a million dollars that left the building in two years of foolish overspending. 

I’m pretty sure the listeners don’t want KPFA to go into bankruptcy. What that means is supporting the foundation’s efforts to instill financial responsibility in a place that wasn’t exercising any. 

There’s a lot to be excited about. Broadcasting Al Jazeera’s English news broadcast at 6am is a great service to the Bay Area. And Project Censored bringing their journalistic critique to Thursday mornings is an asset to the Bay Area media landscape. More will come. But in a financially responsible manner that keeps us out of a pile of red ink. That’s the only way to another 60 years. 

Editor's Note: The latest issue of the Pepper Spray Times is now available. 

You can view it absolutely free of charge by clicking here . You can print it out to give to your friends. 

Grace Underpressure has been producing it for many years now, even before the Berkeley Daily Planet started distributing it, most of the time without being paid, and now we'd like you to show your appreciation by using the button below to send her money.  

This is a Very Good Deal. Go for it! 

Why is the New York Times claiming the laws of physics are different in Iran then they are anywhere else? Well, the tip off to that answer is the word “Iran.” 

First, a few basics: 

The thing about physics is that it is black and white: things happen or they don’t. Want to live forever? The Second Law of Thermodynamics says, nope, can’t do that (unless you can get rid of entropy, and you can’t). Want to rocket off to the nearest star a la Star Trek? Well, okay, but it is going to take a really, really long time to get there because you can’t go faster than the speed of light (and inertia would kill you long before you got close to 186,000 miles per second). 

Back to the Times. 

For the past several weeks the Times has been claiming that Iran is very close to producing weapons-ready nuclear fuel. On Jan. 23, Steven Erlanger, in an article entitled “Talks on Iran’s Nuclear Program Close With No Progress,” wrote that Iran is stepping up its production of enhanced uranium and has “enriched about 90 pounds of it to 19.75 percent, which is more than halfway to the level required for a bomb.” 

Not close. Again, a little physics. 

Uranium occurs naturally as U-238, with tiny traces of U-235. In order to make a bomb you have to separate out the U-235 from the U-238 (or make Plutonium 239). “Enrichment” is used for a lot of things besides obliterating cities. Uranium enhanced to 3 percent can run a power plant. Uranium enhanced to 19.75 percent can be used for medical purposes, like zapping cancer. For a nuclear weapon, however, uranium must be enhanced to between 80 percent and 90 percent. 

Virtually all nuclear warheads currently use uranium that is 90 percent enhanced, although it is possible to produce a weapon with as little as 80. To detonate a weapon using U-235, all you need to do is blast two pieces of sub-critical fuel into one another. Two sub-criticals equal one critical, you achieve “fission” and a really big “bang!” The so-called “nuclear gun” is virtually foolproof and was the design of the Hiroshima bomb. In fact scientists were so confident it would work that they never bothered to test it. 

Plutonium is trickier. The “gun” method doesn’t work because of the unique properties of Pu-239. You have to wrap plutonium with an explosive, and then implode it. The Nagasaki bomb (Fat Man) was composed of both U-235 and Pu-239, and it was the device that was tested at White Sands New Mexico in 1945. Today almost all nuclear weapons in the world use this implosion method. 

The Hiroshima bomb carried 64.1 kg of U-235 enhanced to 80 percent. The South Africans also produced at least six nuclear weapons that worked on the “gun” model, and those were enhanced to between 80 percent and 93 percent. The greater the enhancement, the less fuel you have to use. U-235 makes a perfectly serviceable nuke, but plutonium gives you more bang for the buck. The Department of Energy estimates that you can make a small nuclear weapon with a little as 4 kg of plutonium, and some scientists say you can make a nuke with as little as 1 kg of plutonium. 

Keep in mind what they mean by “small.” The Hiroshima bomb—“Little Boy”—had an explosive force of between 12 and 15 kilotons of TNT. It killed over 70,000 people in the initial blast, and more than 30,000 in the weeks and years that followed. Its fireball reached 6,000 degrees centigrade at ground zero, and it utterly destroyed 62,000 buildings. Today “Little Boy” would be considered a tactical nuclear weapon. 

Here is “big”: 

The W76 warhead-100 kt 

The B61 warhead-350 kt 

The W88 warhead-475 kt 

The B53 warhead-9, 000 kt 

The B41warhead-25 megatons 

The Tsar Bomba (Russian)-50 megatons. 

What the laws of physics tell us is that 19.75 percent enhancement is not even a quarter of the way toward producing fuel that could be turned into a weapon. It is not nice stuff, mind you. Do not hug a container of 19.75 percent fuel. Radiation poisoning is really not the way you want to go. 

The problem with the Time’s error (and it was repeated several times in other articles) is that it makes it sound like the Iranians are on the threshold of producing weapons-grade fuel. By virtually every account, they are not. Even Israeli military intelligence says Teheran is not currently working on producing a nuclear weapon, although it adds that Iran could produce the requisite fuel within two years if it wanted to. 

According to Agence France Presse, Israeli Brigadier General Aviv Kochavi told the Knesset’s foreign affairs and defense committee that “it was unlikely that Iran, which currently enriches uranium to 20 percent, would start enriching it to the 90 percent level needed for a bomb, because it would be an open breach of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, exposing it to harsher sanctions or even a U.S. or Israeli military strike.” 

But the Times has Teheran more than halfway there—providing you ignore those annoying laws of physics. It is one thing to get someone’s name wrong, or misspell a word. Getting things about nuclear weapons wrong can have very dire consequences in the real world. 

The Jerusalem Post reports that Israel has just acquired a new mid-air fuel tanker from the U.S. that would make an attack on Iran easier. The Israeli daily Ha’artz says the Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his defense secretary Ehud Barak are seriously considering a strike at Iran. And according to UPI, the new Israeli chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Yoav Galant, also favors attacking Iran. If Iran is “more than half way to the level required for a bomb,” why not? 

In the real world bad science has the potential to produce dangerous politics. 

Twenty-two months will pass before Americans cast their votes on November 6th, 2012, but few who saw Barack Obama’s State-of-the-Union address on January 25th doubted that the Presidential campaign had begun. The President’s stirring speech contrasted with the tepid Republican responses delivered by Representatives Paul Ryan and Michele Bachmann and established the ideological battle lines for the next election. 

Since the Democrats “shellacking” in the November 2nd Midterm election, President Obama has regained focus and the 2011 State-of-the-Union address found him in top form. At the moment, Republicans don’t have a consensus national spokesperson and so they countered Obama with two voices from the extreme wings of the Grand Old Party. Representative Ryan gave the official Republican response, while Representative Bachmann spoke for the “Tea Party” faction. 

Obama delivered a positive message: America is recovering from “the worst recession most of us have ever known.” “We are poised for progress” and if we work together the US can have another “Sputnik moment,” create jobs and heal our society, because “we do big things.” In contrast Ryan and Bachmann trumpeted alarm. They warned that America is on the road to bankruptcy and to avoid our “day of reckoning” we must drastically reduce the size of government and cut taxes. 

Obama portrayed government as a force for good, an agency to harness America’s energy and innovation and create jobs. In contrast, Ryan and Bachmann described government as an obstacle that needs to be removed so the free market can create jobs. Thematically, Obama pushed “reform, responsibility, and innovation,” while Ryan and Bachmann called for “a renewed commitment to limited government.” The President made specific proposals for job creation, education, infrastructure development, tax code reform, and debt reduction. Representatives Ryan and Bachmann had one focus: repeal of Healthcare reform. 

Thus the 2012 Presidential campaign opened with clear statements of the polarized perspectives. For Democrats the Great Recession was produced by failed conservative policies, but the actions of the Obama Administration and the Democratically controlled 211th Congress solved most of our economic woes, and the remaining challenges can be met by thoughtful government action. The GOP claims the Obama Administration caused the Great Recession and the President’s actions increased the Federal bureaucracy and the national debt. For Republicans the only solution is a drastic reduction in the size of government in order to “unshackle our economy.” 

Most Americans are concerned about both high unemployment and the national debt. How the contrasting State-of-the-Union speeches were received depends upon which problem was seen as needing the most attention. In the most recent New York Times/CBS News poll respondents overwhelmingly (43 percent) believed that Congress should focus on job creation. In contrast, only 14 percent saw the “federal budget deficit” as Congress’ top priority. President Obama got this message and the vast majority of his State-of-the-Union remarks concerned job creation. Ryan and Bachmann didn’t get the message and, therefore, focused on the deficit. 

Not surprisingly, spot polls showed that a strong majority of viewers (84 percent) had a positive view of the President’s remarks. And swing voters were also favorably impressed. Ryan and Bachmann were unsuccessful. 

Therefore Obama won the opening round of the 2012 Presidential campaign. And, by discussing most of the problems that vex Americans, the President established the context for a series of Congressional battles that will likely take the same general form: the White House will propose a program to tackle a particular problem; the Republican controlled House of Representatives will refuse to take his proposal seriously and, instead, pass draconian budget cuts; and these will stall in the Democratically controlled Senate. 

For example, in his State-of-the-Union address the President proposed to create jobs by an investment in “innovation:” a “level of research and development we haven't seen since the height of the Space Race… in biomedical research, information technology, and especially clean energy technology.” Obama continued, “to help pay for it, I'm asking Congress to eliminate the billions in taxpayer dollars we currently give to oil companies.” Even though Americans in general liked this idea, Obama’s proposal likely will not get a hearing in the House and, instead, Republicans will try to slash the Federal budget, to magically create jobs by bleeding the body politic. 

The next major battle between the President and Republican ideologues will occur in March. This past December, Congress failed to pass a yearlong budget and, therefore, Federal agencies were funded by a continuing resolution that expires on March 4th. Republicans will use the necessity for another continuing resolution as an opportunity to savagely reduce funds for many Federal agencies. Extremists, such as Representatives Ryan and Bachmann, will threaten to “shut down” the federal government unless their demands are met. 

Over the next twenty-two months Americans should expect total political gridlock. Whether this ultimately benefits Democrats or Republicans on November 6th, 2012, depends upon how effectively the President uses the bully pulpit. The good news about the President’s State-of-the-Union address is that Obama appeared to have found his Mojo. He’ll need it to fight battle after battle with Republican obstructionists and address America’s most pressing problems. 

January marked the fiftieth anniversary of the assassination of Patrice Émery Lumumba, a Congolese independence leader and the first legally elected Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo after he helped win its independence from Belgium in June 1960. Ten weeks later, the United States helped orchestrate a coup of Lumumba's government. Lumumba was then imprisoned and murdered. 

In our various trips through a number of African countries, we now better understand the terrible legacy of Western colonialism. In 2002, we saw the docudrama Lumumba (www.imdb.com/title/tt0246765) in Cape Town, South Africa. Lumumba is an excellent depiction of this interference. Fittingly, at the same time the movie was showing to sizeable crowds, South Africa was mediating the internecine dispute between the Congolese government and rebel factions.  

Lumumba was elected prime minister of a coalition-government prime minister of the Congo. It was the first democratic national election the territory had ever had. Lumumba believed that political independence was not enough to free Africa from its colonial past; it had to cease being an economic colony of Europe. His fiery speeches immediately alarmed the West. Why? Because Belgium, British, and American corporations had vast investments in the Congo, which was rich in copper, cobalt, diamonds, gold, tin, manganese, and zinc. An inspired orator, his message was being heard beyond Congo's borders. Western governments feared his message would become contagious to other African countries. And Lumumba could not be bought. Finding no allies in the West, he sought assistance from the Soviet Union. Thus, his days became numbered. 

Less than two months after his election as prime minister, a U.S. National Security Council subcommittee on covert operations, which included CIA chief Allen Dulles, authorized his assassination. Richard Bissell, CIA operations chief at the time, later said, "The President [Dwight D. Eisenhower] would have preferred to have him taken care of some way other than by assassination, but he regarded Lumumba as I did and a lot of other people did: as a mad dog . . . and he wanted the problem dealt with." 

Alternatives were debated for dealing with "the problem," among them poison (a supply of which was sent to the CIA station chief in Leopoldville), a high-powered rifle, and free-lance hit men. But it was hard to get close enough to Lumumba to use these, so, instead, the CIA supported anti-Lumumba elements within the factionalized Congo government, confident that before long they would do the job. They did. After being arrested and suffering a series of beatings, the prime minister was secretly shot in Elizabethville in January 1961. A CIA agent ended up driving around the city with Lumumba's body in his car's trunk, trying to find a place to dispose of it.  

We will never know what would have happened in the Congo or Africa or elsewhere if he had survived. But the United States saw to it that he never had a chance. Instead, he ended up in an unmarked grave. 

Joseph Desiree Mobutu, then chief of staff of the army and a former NCO in the old colonial Force Publique, was the key figure in the Congolese forces that arranged Lumumba's murder. The Western powers had spotted Mobutu as someone who would look out for their interests. He had received cash payments from the local CIA man and Western military attaches while Lumumba's murder was being planned. He later met President Kennedy at the White House in 1963. Kennedy gave him an airplane for his personal use -- and a U.S. Air Force crew to fly it for him. With United States encouragement, Mobutu staged a coup in 1965 that made him the country's dictator. Mobutu remained dictator until rebel leader Laurent Kabila seized control of the country in 1997. 

How many times before and since Lumumba's assassination has the United States interfered in the affairs of other countries? Iraq and Afghanistan are the most recent examples. ------------------ 

Adam Hochschild's, King Leopold's Ghost, at pp.301-302 (Houghton Mifflin Co. 1988), is the source of this brief summary of Lumumba's assassination. I also recommend Barbara Kingsolver's Poisonwood Bible, a novel set against the Congo's fight for independence from Belgium, the murder of Lumumba, and the CIA-backed coup to install his replacement,

Syndicated political cartoonist Bulbul says it well. Hands on hips, faced with a lengthy medical bill and zero Medicare, an elder confronts a gent who displays a MedBiz diploma on his office wall. She grrrs “No it’s not senile dementia— It’s too much MEDI and not enough CARE!” 

This column is about some of the care-giving and care-givers of the elderly. Nursing homes, care homes, in-home social services, and Ombuds. 

An October 2010 press release announced "With first baby boomers on the verge of turning 65, Eldercare Locator gears-up for a rapidly aging population." The Eldercare Locator is said to be the first step to finding resources for older adults in any U.S. community, enabling them to live independently in their communities and to offer support to caregivers. “Just one free phone call (1-800-677-1116) or website visit (www.eldercare.gov) instantly connects people to community resources. Eldercare Locator is a free, national service of the U.S. Administration on Aging.” If you have time and patience, try it. I waited 20 minutes, gave up. Doubtless, it’s still gearing up. 

Alameda County Social Service’s In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) is “a federal, state, and locally funded program designed to provide assistance to those eligible aged, blind, and disabled individuals who, without this care, would be unable to remain safely in their own homes.” I tried the phone number provided in its website (510-577-1900)and couldn’t get a real live person: in short, if you are a low-income old and or disabled person, to apply you are advised to go online or come in to the office! Many low-income senior citizens need a capable caregiver (“a chore provider”) until they go to a nursing home or otherwise depart. They may live alone or be without families. They may need temporary care following hospitalization or a fall. Following major surgery, I was unable even to get a response to my application. I am aware of two excellent IHSS caregivers of low-income disabled senior citizens; I am also aware pf unacceptable treatment by others. 

This is not, by definition, “assisted living.” For a timely account of costly “assisted living,” read Patrick Egan’s New York Times (December 7, 2010) article concerning his father, “When the assisted-living bill balloons.” 

A grannycam is a camcorder that records 24/7 how your older relative is being treated by any given caregiver, assuming it’s plugged in! Cynthia Hubert reports "Grannycam video spurs state to shut Fair Oaks care home." (January 14, 2011 Sacramento Bee) How is your older relative being treated? How are you being treated? Whether in a group home, nursing home, or in the care of a relative?  

The patient mentioned in the Bee article had a relative, and a video camera was near her bed and wheelchair but someone unplugged it. A small video clip was preserved. A law suit charging abuse, neglect, and wrongful death was filed. The nursing home denies all accusations. The California Department of Social Services did an investigation, and ordered the operators of the home to close by the end of that day. The same thing might happen if a relative or hired caregiver is taking care of a patient at home. Will the state revoke the home's license? Or will the home open again? Emergency actions to close a nursing home are rare. Were there regular Ombudsman visits and reports? 

There it was, the March 22. 2010 TV news. Events associated with the Elmwood 

Nursing and Rehabilitation Center [for profit-corporation owned by Shattuck Health Care, Inc., certified in 2005, rated below average, participates in Medicare and Medicaid, 74 beds, reports the presence of a Resident Council] once again brought nursing homes and caretakers into the news. Then-Attorney General Jerry Brown's office had charged theft, elder abuse, false imprisonment and other charges.The Department of Justice also found that an administrator had conned a patient’s son into paying her to keep his mother at Elmwood. (For an account of my visits to this place of care and caregivers, see Planet, April 1, 2010). 

When were the last Ombudspersons’ visits? Did they consult the so called Resident Council? When a low-income senior is hospitalized, where s/he goes after the three-day hospital stay is pretty much up to the surgeon or other physician, who may or may not record a recommendation on the chart. Another human factor is whether there is family.  

Fraud and exploitation by staff are inevitable precursors to abuse of patients, senior citizens especially (especially those without family and low-income), in nursing homes and hospitals. CalQualityCare provides free ratings of such long term care providers as nursing homes, home health care agencies, and assisted living facilities. Medicare compares nursing homes and rehabilitation centers. 

Closely related to successful nursing home support services is the Ombudsman: “1. A man who investigates complaints and mediates fair settlements, especially between aggrieved parties such as consumers or students and an institution or organization. 2. A government official, especially in Scandinavian countries, who investigates citizens' complaints against the government or its functionaries.” (American Heritage dictionary, 4 ed.) The ombudsman concept has been adopted in individual states in the United States, and the term has also been expanded to include people who perform the same function for business corporations or newspapers. 

Local Ombudsman programs in California are listed, by county, by the California Department of Aging at www.aging.ca.gov. AlamedaCounty’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is listed as (510) 638-6878, where I spoke with a person who was willing to listen, repeat, and respond! I learned that the ombudsman is not applicable to elders renting in Section 8 housing projects: a “police report” must be made. I recently wrote the Alameda County Social Services Agency Ombudsman requesting that she share ombudsmen's reports relative to nursing homes located in Berkeley. Not even acknowledged. 

An online document titled California Department of Aging Ombudsman / Advocacy Assistance Program Narrative it includes the following regarding “Access:” Ombudsman program Information and Assistance is available 24 hours a day via the CRISIS line at 1-800-231-4024. Every licensed long-term care facility in the State is required to display at least one poster, in an area accessible to residents, advertising this number. Ombudsman and information about services and can also be accessed through the Information and Assistance programs by calling the statewide toll free line at 1-800-510-2020, the local Area Agency on Aging (Alameda County’s Area Agency on Aging “Senior Information Line). 

So, if you have a relative in need of full time care, you may need an ombudsman plus a grannycam plus someone who visits frequently and checks to see whether the camera is operating. 

I am weary of the assumption that every senior citizen has “family members,” a decent income (one in six American seniors lives in poverty), and choice. People who can't help themselves need a caregiver who will not be abusive to older, helpless people out of frustration, anger, or emotional problems. Most elders want is to stay in their homes and be surrounded by those who love them. What type of care do you want for yourself? Cuidado. Be careful choosing a nursing home or elder care residence just because the operators have similar ethnic origins to yourself or your relative.  

It has been suggested that, sometimes for the same cost, you might as well build an extra room and bath onto your house for your relative and perhaps a caregiver. Again, what about old people who have no family and or significant income? 

Old people are still hidden away when they start falling instead of finding out what in their activities, nutrition, or medication might unsteady their ability to balance and to take action such as exercise that strengthens their balance and prevents continuous falls.  

xxxx 

In November 2010, National Public Radio (NPR) featured a series of reports on nursing home care titled "Home or Nursing Home: America's Empty Promise to Elderly, Disabled."  

Many people mistakenly believe that nursing home residents are too sick to live at home. Yet many people who have the same disabilities found in nursing homes are able to live in their own homes with assistance from family or aides (“caregivers”). Care at home is a new civil right according to Joseph Shapiro. A growing body of law and federal policy states that when the government pays for someone's care in a nursing home, that person should be able to choose to get that care at home. NPR’s Investigative Unit looked at this emerging civil right to live at home and found that although it has been established in law and federal policy, the chance to live at home remains an empty promise for many people. States are slow to create new programs. Government's enforcement record is spotty. There are often contradictory federal and state policies about how to pay for long-term care. (National Public Radio's All Things Considered December 2, 2010 show, is at http://www.npr.org/2010/12/02/131751461/care-at-home-a-new-civil-right). 

State-To-State Nursing Home Data Differences, an NPR analysis of unpublished data on nursing homes in America, shows that nursing home residents and the degree of their disability vary from state to state. Data were obtained by NPR's Investigative Unit via a Freedom of Information Act request. The study concludes that home-based care may save states money over time; the degree to which nursing home residents can do things for themselves varies from state to state; states vary in the portion of Medicaid (called Med-I-Cal in California) spending they devote to serving the elderly and disabled. 

States are supposed to create programs to help with that hard work of moving home, and to get people with mild and moderate disabilities out of nursing homes. Many state Medicaid directors get nervous about the idea that living at home is now a civil right. 

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a 20-year-old law that bans discrimination on the basis of disability. Twelve years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Olmstead v. L.C. that people who live in such institutions as state hospitals and nursing homes but who could live successfully on their own have a civil right, under the ADA, to get their care at home. Since then, federal policy was updated in the recent health care overhaul, which says that states need to spend more money on Medicaid programs for people to receive their long-term care at home. But federal law requires states to pay for nursing homes, while community-based care programs are optional.So states only slowly add, or even cut, programs designed to help elderly and disabled people live at home. State officials say they don't disagree in principle, but there's a shortage of wheelchair-accessible apartments and thousands of people on a waiting list.  

Multiple studies have shown that over the long run, home-based care is cheaper. An AARP Public Policy Institute study found that nearly three people can get care at home for the same cost of one in a nursing home. When the Supreme Court established a civil right to home-based care, it specified that it was not an unlimited responsibility for states. It had to be something they could do within existing budgets. 

xxxx 

Similar, but sometimes different, caregiver problems exist in Australia, Canada, China, Japan, and the United Kingdom. 

In the news in AUSTRALIA: "Experts call for reform as aged care gripes rise."  

CANADA: "Program to fight seniors abuse: Suffering In Silence. Information campaign launched across Quebec."  

CHINA: "Mercy may be shown to the elderly."  

IRELAND: "An 'appalling vista' in our nursing homes.”  

JAPAN: "Protecting the elderly from abuse.” 

SCOTLAND: "Proposal to rein in treatment for elderly 'horrifying'."  

UK: “One in five nursing homes failing to offer 'good' care.”
 

IN THE NEWS: 

The American Society on Aging’s annual conference -- “the largest gathering of a diverse, multidisciplinary community of professionals in aging, health care and education” -- will be held in San Francisco, April 26-30. Reduced early registration is available until Feb. 15. (My application for a Press Pass was denied.) The Conference Schedule at a Glance lists numerous topics and events that should interest anyone concerned with aging and about ageism.  

On Thursday, Feb. 10, 2011, 5:30-7 PM, “Old People Driving”award-winning documentaryby Shaleece Haas, will be shown in Room 470 of UC,B Stephens Hall (See UC Berkeley campus map: http://berkeley.edu/map/maps/CD45.html ; Stephens is located in area 5D.) Note: RSVP is required: email Desi Owens asap at: desiowens@berkeley.edu. Space is limited.

During last week’s warm dry spell, I finally got around to attacking the Bermuda sorrel. (You never quite get it all, but you can make a dent; and in theory it will die out if sufficiently discouraged.) In the process, I was gratified to find two California slender salamanders (Batrachoseps attenuatus) in the front bed. Ron reported a couple more in the back yard. We hadn’t seen any of these odd amphibians for a while; good to know they’re still around. 

As the accompanying photo shows, slender salamanders resemble chunky earthworms with eyes and legs. They live under logs, bark, rocks, and the cardboard box you forgot to recycle; in leaf litter and various crevices and crannies. With almost vestigial limbs that are useless for burrowing, slender salamanders use worm tunnels to move through the soil, feeding on mites and other small creatures. Sticky skin secretions protect them against would-be predators like garter snakes: one snake still had its jaws gummed together 48 hours after an encounter with a B. attenuatus. 

They don’t get around much. One study in the Berkeley Hills found a typical cruising range of 5.5 feet. A Batrachoseps can spend its entire live under the same log. Populations can be dense: UC-Berkeley emeritus professor Robert C. Stebbins reported that attenuatus was the most abundant vertebrate in the redwoods around Canyon, exceeding 700 per acre. Otherwise asocial, several females may lay their eggs at the same site. There’s no larval stage: the young are miniatures of the adults. 

Some of their peculiarities are shared with other kinds of small salamanders. Their genomes tend to be huge—larger than those of mammals, birds, or reptiles—and their cells are correspondingly large. No one seems to know why. Even allowing for size, their brains are small and their neural wiring is stripped down; some species have fewer neurons than a honeybee. They may be able to get away with this because of their low metabolic rates and limited need for food. Salamanders, writes David B. Wake, another Cal emeritus professor and a salamander specialist, “are much smaller than they appear to be.” 

When Stebbins published the first edition of his Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians in 1966, taxonomists recognized three species of slender salamander, mostly in California with one extending into southern Oregon. Now there are twenty. Some turned up in remote corners of the southern Sierra; others were identified through genetic analysis in Wake’s lab at UC Berkeley’s Museum of Vertebrate Zoology. 

Twenty species could be conservative. Wake and two biologists at the University of Connecticut sampled mitochondrial DNA across the range of the California slender salamander and described five genetically distinct lineages. The authors raise the possibility that B. attenuatus “is actually a complex of several cryptic species.” Genetic diversity was unusually high even at the local population level. Elsewhere, Wake has characterized the diversity of small, direct-developing salamander species as “fractal.” 

Wake calls the slender salamanders’ evolutionary trajectory a “nonadaptive radiation.” An adaptive radiation is what happens when a species colonizes a new environment and its descendants 

diverge in ways that allow them to exploit different ecological niches. The classic example would be the Darwin’s finches of the Galapagos, in which the generalized beak of an ancestral bird became modified in descendant species for feeding on large or small seeds or insects. A more spectacular adaptive radiation occurred in the Hawai’ian islands, where another ancestral finch 

population diversified into species with beaks adapted for seed-cracking, nectaring, prying buds open, and extracting insect grubs from wood. In the African Great Lakes, the jaws of founding species of cichlid fish morphed into specialized tool kits for algae-grazing, mollusk-crunching, and ripping off the scales of other fish. 

None of that happened with the slender salamanders. The twenty species vary somewhat in size, shape, and habitat preferences, but they all look and behave very much alike. In 40 million years, there have been no radical innovations in jaw morphology (or anything else) and no exploration of new niches. But there has been plenty of genetic divergence. These forms behave like “good” biological species; where their ranges overlap, they don’t hybridize. 

The key to this apparent paradox may lie in what Wake calls Batrachoseps’ “fidelity to pieces of the planetary crust.” Our state, as readers of John McPhee’s Assembling California will be aware, is a geological jigsaw puzzle, an amalgamation of micro-plates called terranes. It appears that at least some slender salamander species became geographically isolated as their home terranes shifted into new positions. The salamanders didn’t so much colonize vacant habitats as go along for the ride. This is vicariance with a vengeance. Cut off from neighboring populations, the salamanders accumulated enough genetic differences that they could no longer interbreed with them, or at least were not interested. 

The case of the slender salamanders is a valuable counter to the common notion that evolution has to be “for” something—that most physical features are adaptations that allow an organism to leave behind more copies of its genes. The surviving salamander species didn’t outcompete less fit rivals. Even more than most of us, they’re the creations of time and chance.

Viewed through the prism of the American mainstream media, Lebanon always appears a place that best defines the term Byzantine: a bewildering mélange of different religions, rival militias, cagey politicians, and shadowy regional proxies taking orders from Teheran, Tel Aviv, Damascus, Riyadh, and Ankara. 

Lebanon is a complex place indeed, but it is not quite the labyrinth it is made out to be, and, if France, the United States, and Israel would stop putting their irons in the fire, the country’s difficulties are wholly resolvable. But solutions will require some understanding of the pressures that have forged the current crisis, forces that lie deep in Lebanon’s colonial past. While history is not the American media’s strong suit, to ignore it in Lebanon is to misunderstand the motivations of the key players. 

Lebanon, like a number of other countries in the region—Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Israel, to name a few—is a child of colonialism, created from the wreckage of the World War I and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The colonial power in Lebanon was France, although Paris’ interest in the area goes back to 1861. In that year the French helped Maronite Christians establish a “sanjack,” or separate administrative region around Mt. Lebanon within the Ottoman Empire. 

Christian Maronites and French Catholics were natural allies, and the French saw the potential of controlling traffic going from the Mediterranean coast to inland Mesopotamia. For their part, the Maronites had picked up a powerful ally for their dreams of creating a “Greater Lebanon” that would take in not only the mountains they lived in, but the fertile Bakaa Valley to the east and the rich coastline to the west. 

Lebanon’s mountains are mostly Christian dominated, though not all Christians are Maronites. There are also Greek and Syrian Orthodox, Armenians, Copts, and Roman Catholics. But the Bakaa—the northern extension of Africa’s Great Rift Valley—is mostly Muslim, as is much of the coastal plain. The Muslims themselves are divided between Shiites and Sunnis. As in much of the Middle East, Shiites have been marginalized politically and economically. 

Those divisions were set in stone when the great imperial powers carved up the corpse of the Ottoman Empire at San Remo in 1920. France got “Greater Lebanon,” while the British seized oil-rich Mesopotamia—modern Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan and Israel. Since Britain already had Egypt, it now dominated the Persian Gulf, and hence Iran’s oil, as well as the Red Sea. While Lebanon may have seemed small potatoes in that exchange, it was the gateway to Damascus and the easiest land route for land-based goods going east and west. It also became the banking capital of the Middle East, with the French skimming off the cream. Manufactured goods flowed east, raw materials and gold flowed west. 

“Greater Lebanon,” however, was formed by slicing off a big hunk of western Syria. Indeed, many Syrians still think of Lebanon as “occupied.” Since the Maronites were France’s allies, they got to run the place, and the Sunnis and Shiites—particularly the Shiites—took the hindmost. The latter became day laborers and peasants, squeezed by absentee landlords and taxed and exploited by the colonial government. 

In many ways, Lebanon resembled Ireland, where religion was used to drive a wedge between landless Catholics and privileged Protestants. In reality, Protestants were also exploited, but the fact that they also had rights and privileges denied the Catholics—including the right to own land— kept the two communities divided and easily manipulated by the British. 

And so it was in Lebanon. There the religious mix was more complex—it also included a sizable minority of Druze—but the strategy of divide and conquer through the use of religious and ethnic divisions was much the same. Those divisions pretty much defined the country until two great catastrophes befell Lebanon: the 1975-1990 civil war and the 1982 Israeli invasion and occupation. 

It was the Israeli invasion that ignited the Shiite community and led to the creation of Hezbollah. And it was Hezbollah that finally drove Israel out of southern Lebanon, though it took 18 years of ambushes and roadside bombs to make the price of occupation unacceptable. And, for the first time in Lebanese history the Shiite community had a voice. It is the sound of that voice we are hearing these days. 

Shiites are not a majority in Lebanon, but they may be a plurality. Christian communities likely make up about 32 percent of the population, and the Druze 5 percent, although no one actually knows how large each community is. There has not been a census since 1932, because the Christians, in particular, are nervous about what it would show. Political power in Lebanon is divided up on the basis of ethnicity. 

The Israelis characterize Hezbollah as an Iranian proxy, and the Americans dismiss the organization as terrorist. Indeed, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently warned that the U.S. would cut off aid to Lebanon if a government friendly to Hezbollah emerges from the current crisis. The Americans are currently backing away from that threat. 

But Hezbollah is not al-Qaeda, it is a homegrown organization that represents the long pent-up frustrations of the Shiite community, nor is it a cat’s paw for Iran, and any thought that the organization would go to war because Teheran ordered it to is just silly. For starters, Lebanese Shiites are very different than their Iranian counterparts. The latter come from a strain of Shiism that believes clerics and religious figures should govern directly. Lebanese Shiites think political power eventually corrupts religion, which is why they are backing Sunni Najib Mikati for the post of prime minister. Under Lebanon’s ethnic-driven system, that office must go to a Sunni. 

As for the “terrorism” charge: That all depends on how you define the term. There is no question that Hezbollah has used assassinations and bombs to deal with its enemies, but then so have Israel and the U.S. In any case, Hezbollah is a major player in Lebanese politics, and any attempt to sideline it is the one thing that actually might touch off a civil war. 

The current uproar was sparked by the refusal of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri to reject the findings of a United Nations-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) investigating the death of Hariri’s father, Rafik al-Hariri, in a massive bomb attack in 2005. The bombing led to the so-called “Cedar Revolution” that pushed Syria out of Lebanon and brought Saad Hariri into power. 

The STL investigation is apparently ready to pin the blame for the attack on Hezbollah, and when Hariri backed the Tribunal’s findings, Hezbollah withdrew its allies and the government collapsed. 

Reading U.S. press accounts, one would assume that an unbiased investigation found Hezbollah the guilty party and that the Shiite organization ignited the crisis to avoid getting blamed. But a closer look suggests that the STL’s case is less than a slam-dunk. An investigation by the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) late last year found several key witnesses had apparently lied to the Tribunal, including the man responsible for Hiriri’s security that day, Lebanese Colonel Wisam Hassan. 

The Tribunal started off blaming the Syrians, then jailed four Lebanese generals—after four years, the generals were released for lack of evidence—and finally settled on the Shiite organization. Hezbollah presented documents to the STL this past summer indicating that the Israelis were monitoring Hariri the day of the assassination and may have been behind the bombing. If so it would notbe the first time that Tel Aviv has resorted to assassination in Lebanon. But the STL has not questioned any Israeli officials to date, nor has it examined Hassan’s alibi, one that the CBC called “flimsy, to put it mildly.” 

Chief UN inspector Garry Loeppky considered Hassan a suspect in the murder, but the Tribunal refused to investigate his alibi because, according to the CBC investigation, he was considered “too valuable to alienate.” Hariri says Hassan’s loyalty is “beyond question.” 

Hezbollah and its allies are also upset that the STL leaked its investigation to the Israeli Chief of Staff, General Gabi Ashkenazi, as well as the CBC, Der Spiegel, and the French newspaper Le Figaro. 

It may be that Hezbollah—or a rogue element within the organization—is behind the bombing, but the STL’s consistent missteps have lost it a good deal of credibility, and many in the region view it as deeply politicized, and little more than a way for France and the U.S. to pressure Syria and Hezbollah. 

In any case, the crisis in Lebanese politics is not over “terrorists” seizing a government. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech Jan. 23 that his organization wanted a national unity government and that “We are not seeking authority.” A U.S. effort to influence who governs in Beirut has not been well received. “Mikati is not coming to power by force of a coup or by civil unrest,” said Hassan Khalil, publisher of the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, “Mikati is coming to power by the parliamentary system of Lebanon.” 

Nor is this a proxy war between Iran and Israel. It is an attempt by Lebanese players to rebalance and reconfigure a political system that has long favored a rich and powerful minority at the expense of the majority. The U.S., France and others may want to turn this into an international crisis—Israeli Vice Prime Minister Silvan Shalom called it an “Iranian government” on Israel’s northern border— but its roots and solutions are local. 

Certainly there is a role for regional powers, including Turkey, Syria, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. But talk of proxy wars or a triumph for “terrorists” is the language of war and chaos, something the Lebanese are heartily sick of. 

In the past, you have seen a person with bizarre or unusual behavior, and may have heard a comment from someone next to you that “he is off his medication…” People often believe medication is the solution for problems with mentally ill people. And while there is significant truth to this belief, a solid recovery requires more than taking the prescribed medication. If this weren‘t true, mentally ill people would be relapsing much less than they do. 

Gaining insight about life is vital to sustained recovery. These insights are about oneself, one’s behavior patterns, one’s condition, and even some insight that has arisen from meditative practices. The basic discovery that oneself is not perfect, which is an essential part of adulthood, has happened to some people with schizophrenia, in fact. 

The insight that says medication is needed, while a simple idea, is hard to learn for a person who is frequently in and out of psychosis. Yet gaining this insight is a necessary step. 

It would not be a symptom of cancer if someone were in denial that they were sick, or if that person refused conventional treatment in favor of homeopathic remedies. Mental illnesses, however, affect the mind. Because of this, one’s beliefs about one’s illness are affected by the illness. 

According to one source, approximately ten to twenty percent of women with breast cancer refuse conventional treatment, while, according to another source, approximately 75 percent of people diagnosed with schizophrenia will stop taking their neuroleptic medication in the first two years of treatment. 

“Noncompliance” with treatment is so common among people with schizophrenia that I believe it is a symptom of the illness. I also believe it is helpful to see it that way; it removes blame from the mentally ill person for the “noncompliance.” This should allow doctors and family to have a non-punishing attitude toward the afflicted person. In fact, the medication side effects can be fairly unbearable, which means that the person taking them must be very convinced of their necessity. So, not only is noncompliance a symptom of the illness, it is also a result of the primitiveness of the drugs that are being prescribed. 

Learning something the hard way is frequently a trait of mentally ill people. 

It can take the repeated hardship of devastating and dangerous psychiatric relapses before a person makes a lifetime commitment to taking medication. Sometimes, middle age appears first. Some mental health consumers go their entire lives without understanding the nature of their illness. However, this is still one of the very first rungs of the ladder of recovery. 

The acknowledgment that medication is necessary is sometimes a product of being forced to take medication for several months to a year. This gives the brain a chance to recover from psychosis and begin to function and reason normally. It is only upon emerging from the psychotic and delusional state of mind that the afflicted person realizes the treatment is working. 

While most persons with mental illness are against involuntary commitment, I can see the argument made by mental health treatment providers and family: People with schizophrenia often need to be forced to take medication, and this is often the only way such a person ever gets well. 

Once stabilized, that person can begin to make a life for him or her self. One insight that can occur is about how others may be perceiving him or her. It can come as a shock to realize that one hasn’t always been perceived in a positive light. At that point, the individual can amp up their resentment, or else they can begin to take steps toward remedying a checkered reputation. 

If there is a behavior that the person has that is objectionable to others, this can be a good stage at which it might get resolved, if the consumer is confronted about it. 

Mentally rehashing the past, with my present level of insight, I can see past behavior that hasn’t always been pristine. I can also see numerous missed opportunities that I could have used to make things better for myself. Had I known what I know now… 

Upcoming topics: Common myths about mental illness; Caring for a mentally ill family member. Comments can be sent care of the Berkeley Daily Planet, or can be sent directly to me at: bragenkjack@yahoo.com.

A GREAT GOOD PLACE FOR BOOKS  

Michael David Lukas, Feb. 9, 7 p.m. "The Oracle of Stamboul.''  

6120 LaSalle Ave., Oakland. (510) 339-8210, www.ggpbooks.com.< 

BOOKS INC., BERKELEY  

David Vann, Feb. 8, 7 p.m. "Caribou Island.''  

Michael Koryta, Feb. 13, 3 p.m. "The Cypress House.''  

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

DIESEL, A BOOKSTORE  

Alan Senauke, Feb. 13, 3 p.m. "The Bodhisattva's Embrace.''  

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

UNIVERSITY PRESS BOOKS  

Erich Gruen, Feb. 8, 5:30 p.m. "Rethinking the Other in Antiquity.''  

Steve Martinot, Feb. 9, 5:30 p.m. "The Machinery of Whiteness.''  

2430 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. (510) 548-0585, www.universitypressbooks.com.< 

YWCA  

"17th Annual Festival of Women Authors," Feb. 5, 8:45 a.m. A full day festival featuring authors Carolina De Robertis, Sara Houghteling, Jacqueline Winspear, and Vicki Ward. The event will be held at H's Lordships Restaurant on the Berkeley Marina. $70-$80.  

Free. 1515 Webster St., Oakland. (510) 839-0851.<

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

"Steve Silver's Beach Blanket Babylon," ongoing. 8 p.m. Wed. - Thurs.; 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. Fri. - Sat.; 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sun.  

$25-$134. Club Fugazi, 678 Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd. (formerly Green Street), San Francisco. (415) 421-4222, www.beachblanketbabylon.com.< 

CHANCELLOR HOTEL UNION SQUARE  

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

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

CLIMATE THEATRE  

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

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

KIMO'S BAR  

"Fauxgirls," ongoing. 10 p.m. Every third Saturday. Drag cabaret revue features San Francisco's finest female impersonators. Free. (415) 695-1239, www.fauxgirls.com. 

1351 Polk St., San Francisco. (415) 885-4535, www.kimosbarsf.com.< 

THE MARSH  

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

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

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

PIER 29 SPIEGELTENT  

"Teatro Zinzanni," through March 6, 6 p.m. Wed.-Sat.; 5 p.m. Sun. Teatro Zinzanni presents a new production, "License To Kiss II, A Sweet Conspiracy,'' offering a blend of European cabaret, circus arts, music, comedy and more. $117-$145.  

Embarcadero at Battery Street, San Francisco. (415) 438-2668, www.zinzanni.org.< 

PIER 39 A pier filled with shops, restaurants, theaters and entertainment of all sorts from sea lions to street performers.  

"SAN FRANCISCO CAROUSEL" -- The Pier's two-tiered, San Francisco-themed carousel with hand-crafted ponies that rock and move up and down and tubs that spin. In addition, carousel has hand-painted pictures of San Francisco scenes like the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown and Coit Tower. $3 per ride. "FREQUENT FLYERS'' -- A bungee trampoline where people can safely jump and flip over 20 feet in the air thanks to the help of bungee cords and a harness. Jumpers must weigh at least 30 pounds and not more than 230 pounds. $10 per session. (415) 981-6300.  

"RIPTIDE ARCADE" -- A 6,000-square-foot, surfer-themed arcade offering the Bay area's only 10-gun, Old West-style shooting gallery and 100 cuttingedge video games, virtual reality units and popular novelty games. Included are the "Dance Dance Revolution'' game, driving and roller coaster simulators, the "Global VR Vortex'' virtual reality machine, "Star Wars Trilogy,'' "Jurassic Park,'' "Rush 2049,'' and classics such as "Pac Man'' and "Galaga.'' Games are operated by 25-cent tokens and range in price from 25 cents to $1.50. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; through Feb. 26: Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (415) 981-6300.  

"TURBO RIDE" -- Three simulated rides where the hydraulic seats move in synchronization with events on a giant screen are available at the Turbo Ride complex. The 12-minute-long rides in 3-D and 4-D are: "Dino Island II''; "Haunted Mine Ride,'' and "Extreme Log Ride.'' $12 general for one ride; $8 seniors and children ages 3 to 12 for one ride; $15 general for two rides; $11 seniors and children ages 3 to 12 for two rides; $18 general for multi-rides; $14 seniors and children ages 3 to 12 for multi-rides. (415) 392-8872.  

STUDIO 39 MAGIC CARPET RIDES -- A comedy action adventure utilizing special effects to created a personalized movie with visitors as the "stars'' flying above San Francisco. The Magic Carpet Ride is free. No reservations required. Ride is approximately five minutes. Personalized videos will be available for $30 for one: $10 for each additional tape. (415) 397-3939. SEA LIONS -- California sea lions, nicknamed "Sea Lebrities,'' "hauled out'' on Pier 39's K-Dock shortly after the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake and by January of 1990 had taken over the docks. Due to a plentiful supply of herring and a protected environment, the population has grown and now reaches as many as 900 during the winter months. Weather permitting, free educational talks are provided by Marine Mammal Center volunteers on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Free. (415) 705-5500. 

"Tony n' Tina's Wedding," ongoing. The original interactive comedy hit where audience members play the roles of "invited guests'' at a fun-filled wedding ceremony. The popular dinner comedy performs at Swiss Louis Italian Restaurant. Thursday-Saturday, 7 p.m.; Matinees: Thursday and Saturday, noon. $88.50-$115.50. (888) 775-6777, www.pier39shows.com. 

Free. 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; certain attractions and shops have differing hours. The Embarcadero and Beach Street, San Francisco. (415) 623-5300, (800) SEADIVE, www.pier39.com.< 

SHELTON THEATER  

"Shopping! The Musical," by Morris Bobrow, ongoing. A quick-paced musical about those obsessed with buying things. Friday-Saturday, 8 p.m. $27-$29. (800) 838-3006, www.shoppingthemusical.com. 

Big City Improv, ongoing. 10 p.m. Fridays.  

$20. (510) 595-5597, www.bigcityimprov.com. 

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

THE STUD  

"Trannyshack," ongoing. A drag cabaret show that incorporates popular music, dance, props and outrageous humor into a stage show. Hosted by Heklina. Tuesday, midnight. $7. (415) 252-7883, www.heklina.com/. 

399 Ninth St., San Francisco. < 

THRILLPEDDLERS HYPNODROME  

"Pearls Over Shanghai," ongoing. 8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat.; 7 p.m. Sun. See San Francisco's longest running Cockettes musical, running through Dec. 19. $30-$35.  

575 10th Street, San Francisco. www.thrillpeddlers.com/.< 

WAR MEMORIAL OPERA HOUSE  

San Francisco Ballet: Giselle, through Feb. 13, Performances vary; see website for complete schedule. Composed by Adolphe Adam. Choreography by Helgi Tomasson. $48-$150.  

301 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 865-2000.<

AUDIUM  

"Audium 9," ongoing. 8:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat. An exploration of the spatial dimension of music in a unique environment of 176 speakers. $15.  

$15. 8:30 p.m. 1616 Bush St., San Francisco. (415) 771-1616, www.audium.com.< 

DAVIES SYMPHONY HALL  

San Francisco Symphony, through Feb. 5, 8 p.m. Wed., Fri.-Sat.; 2 p.m. Thu. Works by Beethoven. Conducted by Marek Janowski. $15-$150.  

San Francisco Symphony, Feb. 9 through Feb. 12, 8 p.m. Wed., Sat.; 6:30 p.m. Fri. Works by Bach, Haydn and Schubert. Conducted by Ton Koopman. $15-$140.  

Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Ivari Ilja, Feb. 13, 7 p.m. Works by Tchaikovsky, Liszt, and Faure. $15-$83.  

201 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 864-6000, www.sfsymphony.org.< 

LEGION OF HONOR MUSEUM DOCENT TOUR PROGRAMS -- Tours of the permanent collections and special exhibitions are offered Tuesday through Sunday. Non-English language tours (Italian, French, Spanish and Russian) are available on different Saturdays of the month at 11:30 a.m. Free with regular museum admission. (415) 750-3638.  

ONGOING CHILDREN'S PROGRAM --  

"Doing and Viewing Art," ongoing. For ages 7 to 12. Docent-led tours of current exhibitions are followed by studio workshops taught by professional artists/teachers. Students learn about art by seeing and making it. Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to noon; call to confirm class. Free with museum admission. (415) 750-3658. 

ORGAN CONCERTS -- Ongoing. 4 p.m. A weekly concert of organ music on the Legion's restored 1924 Skinner organ. Saturday and Sunday in the Rodin Gallery. Free with museum admission. (415) 750-3624. 

$6-$10; free for children ages 12 and under; free for all visitors on Tuesdays. Tuesday-Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Lincoln Park, 34th Avenue and Clement Street, San Francisco. (415) 750-3600, (415) 750-3636, www.legionofhonor.org.< 

OLD FIRST CHURCH  

Wooden Fish Ensemble, Feb. 6, 4 p.m. Works by Young-ja Lee.  

$14-$17; children 12 and under free. 1751 Sacramento Street, San Francisco. (415) 474-1608, www.oldfirstconcerts.org.< 

WAR MEMORIAL OPERA HOUSE  

San Francisco Ballet: Giselle, through Feb. 13, Performances vary; see website for complete schedule. Composed by Adolphe Adam. Choreography by Helgi Tomasson. $48-$150.  

301 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 865-2000.<

LESHER CENTER FOR THE ARTS  

"Smuin Ballet: Oh, Inverted World," Feb. 4 through Feb. 5, 8 p.m. Fri.; 2 and 8 p.m. Sat. Choreography by Trey McIntyre; music by The Shins. $49-$59. www.smuinballet.org. 

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

COUNTERPULSE  

"2nd Sundays," ongoing. 2-4 p.m. Sun. Sept. 12: Philein Wang, ZiRu Tiger Productions, Tammy Cheney, Lenora Lee. Free.  

1310 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 626-2060, www.counterpulse.org.< 

ODC THEATER  

Courage Group, through Feb. 6, 8 p.m. Program includes "The Dance of Listening,'' with choreography by Todd Courage. $25. (415) 863-9834, www.couragegroup.org. 

3153 17th St., San Francisco. (415) 863-9834, www.odctheater.org.< 

PENA PACHAMAMA  

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

Brisas de Espana Ballet Flamenco, ongoing. 6:15 and 7:15 p.m. Sun.  

$10-$15. 

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

PIER 29 SPIEGELTENT  

"Teatro Zinzanni," through March 6, 6 p.m. Wed.-Sat.; 5 p.m. Sun. Teatro Zinzanni presents a new production, "License To Kiss II, A Sweet Conspiracy,'' offering a blend of European cabaret, circus arts, music, comedy and more. $117-$145.  

Embarcadero at Battery Street, San Francisco. (415) 438-2668, www.zinzanni.org.< 

WAR MEMORIAL OPERA HOUSE  

San Francisco Ballet: Giselle, through Feb. 13, Performances vary; see website for complete schedule. Composed by Adolphe Adam. Choreography by Helgi Tomasson. $48-$150.  

301 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 865-2000.< 

YERBA BUENA CENTER FOR THE ARTS THEATER  

Jess Curtis/Gravity, through Feb. 6, 8 p.m. Program includes "Dances For Non/Fictional Bodies,'' with choreography by Jess Curtis. $20-$25.  

700 Howard St., San Francisco. (415) 978-2787, www.ybca.org.<

924 GILMAN ST. All ages welcome. 

Three Bad Jacks, Moonshine, Dirty Filthy Mugs, Brass Hysteria, Feb. 4, 7 p.m. $10. 

Scream, Deathtoll, Oppressed Logic, Visual Discrimination, The Need, Guantanamo Dogpile, Feb. 5, 7 p.m. $10. 

The Mighty Regis, Edge City Ruins, Economen, Feb. 10, 7 p.m. $7. 

Emily's Army, I.V., The Vat, Sarchasm, Thezarus, Feb. 11, 7 p.m. %8. 

Bite, Snowball, Pyschology of Genocide, The Corruptors, Loose Tights, Feb. 12, 7 p.m. $8. 

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

ALBATROSS PUB  

Whiskey Brothers, ongoing. 9 p.m. First and third Wed.  

Free.  

BEEP, Michael Coleman Jazz Trio, Feb. 5, 9:30 p.m. $3. 

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

ARMANDO'S  

The Craig Horton Blues Band, Feb. 4, 8 p.m. $10. 

Redwing, Feb. 5, 8 p.m. $10. 

West Coast Songwriters Association Songwriters Competition, Feb. 9, 7 p.m. $5. 

The Delbert Bump Organ Trio, Feb. 11, 8 p.m. $10. 

The West Coast Ramblers, Feb. 12, 8 p.m. $10. 

The Hopeful Romantics, Feb. 13, 3 p.m. $10. 

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

ASHKENAZ  

Rosemond Jolissaint, Sophis & Kalbass Kreyol, Jacques Wilkens, Africombo, Maestro JT & Afro-Rhythm, Feb. 4, 8:30 p.m. $10-$13. 

Felix Samuel Band, Feb. 5.  

Clear Conscience, Bellyfull, Feb. 6, 8:30 p.m.  

Z'Amico, Renee Asteria, Feb. 10.  

Tambores Julio Remelexo, Palavra, Feb. 11, 9:30 p.m. $10-$13. 

Shimshai, Seraphim Sound System, Yaquelin, Jamie, Feb. 12, 9 p.m. $12-$15. 

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

BLAKE'S ON TELEGRAPH  

One After Another, Two Left Feet, Gavilan, Feb. 4, 9 p.m.  

"KGE Presents A Nite of Acoustic Bliss," Feb. 13, 7 p.m.  

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

CHOUINARD VINEYARDS AND WINERY The winery features an exhibit of stone craft and baskets honoring the rich culture of the Ohlone Indians. Palomares Canyon was a summer home to the Ohlone Indians. The exhibit also includes historical photos and artifacts that document more recent colorful inhabitants to the canyon."Music at Chouinard," ongoing. 4:30-8:30 p.m. on select Sundays June-August. The rest of the year features live music in the tasting room on the second Sunday of each month. Enjoy the best of Bay Area artists at Chouinard. Bring your own gourmet picnic (no outside alcoholic beverages). Wines are available for tasting and sales.  

$40 per car. 

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

FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER  

Wesla Whitfield, Feb. 13, 2-4 p.m. $15-$25. 

4444 Railroad Ave., Pleasanton. (925) 931-4848, www.firehousearts.org.< 

FREIGHT AND SALVAGE  

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

"Arhoolie Records 50th Anniversary Celebration," Feb. 4 through Feb. 6, 8 p.m. Featuring Peter Rowan, Country Joe McDonald, Taj Mahal, Ry Cooder and more. $75.50-$85.50.  

Teresa Trull, Feb. 8, 8 p.m. $22.50-$24.50. 

Larry Ochs, Fred Firth, Miya Masaoka, Feb. 9, 8 p.m. $20.50-$22.50. 

California Guitar Trio, Feb. 10, 8 p.m. $24.50-$26.50. 

Alasdair Fraser, Natalie Haas, Feb. 11, 8 p.m. $24.50-$26.50. 

Laurie Lewis, Tom Rozum, The Foghorn Trio, Feb. 12, 8 p.m. $20.50-$22.50. 

The Bee Eaters, Family Lines, Feb. 13, 8 p.m. $18.50-$20.50. 

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

JAZZSCHOOL  

Patrick Wolff Trio and Sextet, Feb. 5, 8 p.m. $12. 

The Vnote Ensemble, Feb. 6, 4:30 p.m. $12. 

Mike Zilber/John Stowell Quartet, Feb. 11, 8 p.m. $15. 

Melanie O'Reilly & Trio, Feb. 12, 8 p.m. $15. 

"African Music & Dance Celebration," Feb. 13, 4:30 p.m. $12. 

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

JUPITER  

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

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

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

KIMBALL'S CARNIVAL  

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

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

LA PENA CULTURAL CENTER  

"Los Amiguitos Saturday Morning Children's Show," Feb. 5, 10:30 a.m. Featuring Ira Levin. $4-$5.  

"Los Amiguitos Saturday Morning Children's Show," Feb. 12, 10:30 a.m. Featuring Alphabet Rockers. $4-$5.  

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

THE NEW PARISH  

Le Heat, The Hottub Djs, Amp, Feb. 4, Call for opening time.  

Free before 11 p.m.; $5 after 11 p.m.  

Zigaboo Modeliste, Feb. 5, 9:30 p.m. $10-$15. 

"Exodus! A Bob Marley Birthday Celebration," Feb. 6, Call for opening time. Featuring DJ Polo, DJ Toks and Hen Roc. Free before 9 p.m.; $10 after 9 p.m.  

Laughter Against The Machine, Janie Brito, Feb. 8 through Feb. 9, 8 p.m. $12-$16. 

Mystic Journeymen, Nocando, Feb. 10, 9:30 p.m. $15. 

John Vanderslice, Tartufi, Feb. 11, 9 p.m. $12. 

Cyndi Harvell, Cameron Ochs, Feb. 12, 8:30 p.m. $8. 

Re: Creation, Feb. 12.  

Ghosts of Electricity, Feb. 13, 8 p.m. $18-$20. 

579 18th St., Oakland. (510) 444-7474, www.thenewparish.com.< 

PARAMOUNT THEATRE  

Sarah McLachlan, Feb. 6, 8 p.m. $39.50-$55. 

2025 Broadway, Oakland. (510) 465-6400, (415) 421-8497, www.paramounttheatre.com or www.ticketmaster.com.< 

ROUND TABLE PIZZA  

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

Free.  

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

SHATTUCK DOWN LOW For ages 21 and older. 

"King of King's," ongoing. 9 p.m. Sun. $10. 

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

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

Forest Floor, John Barnacle, Spooky Flowers, Caldecott, Mitchell Thomas, Feb. 4, 9 p.m. $5. 

2284 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 548-1159, www.shattuckdownlow.com.< 

STARRY PLOUGH PUB  

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

Sonny Pete, Collisionville, Spidermeow, Sweet Chariot, Feb. 4, 9 p.m. $8. 

Bye Bye Blackbirds, Headslide, The Parties, Feb. 5, 9 p.m. $8. 

Panthelion, So, Loveseat, Golden Path, Feb. 10, 9 p.m. $8. 

Scott Alexander, Nickel Slots, Astral Kitchen, Jay Rosen and the Chuckelberries, Feb. 11, 9 p.m. $8. 

Redwood Wires, Felsen, Pomegranate, Feb. 12, 9 p.m. $8. 

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

UPTOWN NIGHTCLUB  

Grass Widow, Human Baggage, Death Sentence: Panda!, Bam! Bam!, Feb. 4, 9 p.m.  

Free.  

The Swingin' Utters, La Plebe, Complaints, Feb. 5, 9 p.m. $15. 

Oakland Active Orchestra, Feb. 8, 9 p.m.  

Free.  

Big Long Now, Feb. 9, 9 p.m.  

Free.  

Fito Reynoso, Feb. 10, 7:30 p.m. $8-$10. 

The Dave Rude Band, The Butlers, Deck Neck, DJ Tim, Feb. 11, 9 p.m. $10. 

Sidecar Tommy, Lynx, DJ Kentinuim, Feb. 12, 9 p.m. $10. 

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

YOSHI'S  

"The Tony Williams Lifetime Tribute Band," through Feb. 5, 8 and 10 p.m. Featuring Jack Bruce, Vernon Reid, John Medeski, Cindy Blackman. $35.  

Kahil El'Zabar's Heritage Ensemble, Feb. 6, 7 p.m. $20. 

Fortune Smiles, Feb. 7, 8 p.m. $10-$14. 

Kenny Garrett Quartet, Feb. 8 through Feb. 9, 8 p.m. $20. 

The George Duke Quartet, Feb. 10 through Feb. 11, 8 and 10 p.m. $26-$30. 

Tower Of Power, Feb. 12 through Feb. 14, 8 and 10 p.m. $45. 

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

The days of Cockney flower girls and Indiana librarians as our heroines are long past. Admittedly,NEXT TO NORMAL pushes limits: it’s a contemporary story could have been written by Ibsen. It takes us behind the façade of normal into domestic despair. 

Diana, our heroine in NEXT TO NORMAL is having a little trouble with reality. Unable to cope, medicated, trying to be a mom and wife but failing miserably, she is still exciting to be around and exhausting to live with. She is too bold and quick-witted for her good-guy husband. One of her best lines in the show is, “Most people who think they’re happy just haven’t thought about it enough.” Diana tells her shrink, “Most people who think they’re happy are actually just stupid.” 

Since Diana doesn’t function well in the outside world, she is trapped in a failed attempt at 1950’s housewifery which made a lot of women crazy back then. Crazy-in-the-family affects everyone, and the book by Brian Yorkey lays out how each character’s world is turned upside down. It is a roller-coaster, tear-inducing ride that lets you walk in the shoes of each character.  

Alice Ripley (born in San Leandro!) won the Best Actress in a Musical Tony Award for her performance. Ms. Ripley is the image of a trophy wife with her ice blue eyes and silky blonde hair. Her strangely hollow and steely singing tones are perfect for the role.  

Along about the time that Sondheim started to write by himself and reintroduced the operetta format where almost everything is sung, musicals changed. Used to be that musical plays were just that—a play where every once in a while they stopped, the music started, they sang, and then they went back to being in a play. That interruption sort of strained one’s disbelief. Now the dialogue is mostly sung. 

In NEXT TO NORMAL, the sung dialogue, sometimes with four-part harmony, moves the plot and character development along, sometimes at a presto pace. As in many rock operas, some words are lost, but generally most come through. The music ranges from rock to country to typical musical theatre lyric ballads with the LOL lines and rhymes reminiscent of the wit of Sondheim and Porter.  

Often the upbeat music runs counter to the seriousness of the lyrics--which works well. This mode is also a metaphor for dad trying to be happy in the face of waiting for mom’s next disastrous outburst or acting-out.  

The first act is manic and happy with a foreboding undertone. When mysteries are revealed, the second act becomes more dire and dramatic. As the stakes are raised, this change of tone sometimes becomes overindulgent in the duration of some songs. 

Regrettably, Act Two goes on a little too long. This domestic tragedy has a dark and side-lighted natural end-point. But it doesn't stop there. The play has to bring us hope with a little bit of “everything’s all right.” Back in the day, Ibsen’s “The Doll’s House” had to be softened for an audience who railed against Nora’s abandonment of her family; we too, in this uncertain and scary era, are in no mood for the tragic and want to walk out with a song in our heart. 

Directed by Michael Greif of “Rent” fame, the casting nears perfection: Dan, the committed husband (Asa Somers) has a sweet tenor that fits his character and is the opposite of acerbic Diana. Geeky-smart daughter (Emma Hunton) has her dad’s soft-looks, and his big bones which makes having a mom who could be a model doubly difficult for her self-image. Her voice is a treasure with substantial range and power and a full array of emotions. 

Curt Hansen as their son, has demonic energy and a head-turning physique. All the men, including the daughter’s supportive boyfriend (Preston Sadleir), have the ability to sustain the rock-opera high notes made popular in the 70’s by “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Tommy.” 

The psychiatrist (Jeremy Kushnier) reassures Diana and Dan in the tones of any TV ad for “Abilify” anti-depressives. His encouragement and optimism to try the next therapeutic measure are couched in words that avoid lawsuits and reveal the well-intentioned but still clumsy experimentation of “Cuckoo’s Nest” with techniques ranging from psychopharmacology to ECT (which is a new and friendlier way of referring to electro-shock therapy). 

The set consists of scaffolding and platforms with living quarters on the deck, bedroom on the second level, and the ominous attic atop. It is a perfect modular set for a road show and enables quick set changes. The levels allow stage pictures to change quickly as family members run up and down the stairs to avoid one another or exit raving. Actors hang precariously over the edge of the platform--which is full of metaphor, too. With sliding panes of white clapboard siding and blue shutters, the set is reminiscent of that white picket fence in the film “Blue Velvet” behind which lurked demons. 

The changing back lighting of the entire stage in blues, reds, pinks, and ghastly green draws from the rock opera genre and big glitzy musicals and changes our mood in a flash. The excellent, flexible house band is nestled on the far-reaches of the various levels. 

On the way out, I heard a fellow audience member comment, “That was exhausting.” I agreed, and a quote from an insightful reviewer came to mind, “We don’t go to theatre to feel good. We go to theatre to feel.” And that you will. 

NEXT TO NORMAL was chosen as “one of the year’s ten best” by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Time Out New York, and New York Daily News. 

At the Curran Theatre, 445 Geary Street, between Mason and Taylor (next to ACT)
Playing Tue-Sun through February 20^th
http://shnsf.com/shows/nexttonormal or (888) 746-1799 

Music by Tom Kitt, book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, musical staging by Sergio Trujillo, direction by Michael Greif, set design by Mark Wendland, costume design by Jeff Mahshie, lighting design by Kevin Adams, sound design by Brian Ronan. musical direction by Bryan Perri, orchestrations by Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt, and vocal arrangements by AnnMarie Milazzo. 

WITH: Alice Ripley (Diana), Asa Somers (Dan), Curt Hansen (Gabe), Emma Hunton (Natalie), Jeremy Kushnier (Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine) and Preston Sadleir (Henry). 

John A. McMullen II will be in NYC next week at the American Theatre Critics Conference, and will return with some Broadway and Off-Broadway reviews for those of you who must travel into that deep-freeze. EJ Dunne edits.  

We all love it when the curtain is pulled and the hubristic man behind it is revealed. We don’t all love it when the I-thing we just turned off and slipped into our pocket is shown to be the product of something near slave-labor. 

For an uninterrupted 105 minutes, without rising from behind his transparent glass desk, Mike Daisey hypnotized his Berkeley Rep audience with interwoven stories about Apple, Mac, China, and the corporate, out-sourced horror-show that feeds our electronic habit. THE AGONY AND ECSTASY OF STEVE JOBS had them laughing out loud and cringing within, and they all rose to applaud his mastery as a raconteur, as well as his Michael Moore exposé spirit.  

Rotund with happy features, Daisey resembles Dom DeLuise, uses the indignant outbursts of Lewis Black, and occasionally growls like a perturbed Jackie Gleason. His delivery often recalls the late Spaulding Gray. With a glass of water, a few loose sheets of yellow legal paper with notes which he turns emphatically to accent his point, and a cross-hatch patch of lighting behind—likewise used to emphasize and turn the page—he monologues with machine-gun rapidity and but with sniper-like accuracy at the failed messiah. 

Daisey makes it personal and confesses to being Apple/Mac-o-phile. He traces the lineage and legend of the computer from its hobbyist base to its proprietary everything under Job’s vision. He agonizes over the realities that he uncovers, but still revels in the ecstatic hold the contraptions have over him. 

Daisey characterizes Steve Jobs as the only one able to hold together all the other mad geniuses at Apple. From his pristine aesthetic of the software to the outer shell, Jobs is the mastermind, the sui generis, the necessary emperor that they can’t do without. 

Then his tale shifts to Shen-Jen, that model city of industry where most all of the world’s cell phones are made by hand by Chinese workers doing 14 hour shifts. I’d never heard of this place, which has as many workers as Oakland has people, and who are turned into human machines for your consumer pleasure. 

Custom has been that theatrical biographical fare occurred after the demise of the subject. This is fascinating stuff, since Jobs is alive, if not too well. Curiously, Daisey avoids Job’s pancreatic cancer and 10 day old announcement of his second medical leave. Indeed, online business website IT Business Edge just ran a story entitled “Steve Jobs Leaves Apple: The Problem of an Iconic CEO.” This could be a subtitle for Daisey’s work. 

Don’t worry about the no-intermission thing. It was a shoulder-to-shoulder full-house, and nobody moved. Just get there a few minutes early, for the pre-show bathroom queue is considerable. 

More Michael Moore-like divulgences are unwrapped in Daisey’s companion piece “Last Cargo Cult” which plays in repertory and purports to bear witness to the collapse of the world’s financial system. 

John A. McMullen II writes as “Eye from the Aisle.” Comments to eyefromtheaisle@gmail.com EJ Dunne edits.

Grab your popcorn and fasten your seatbelts — San Francisco’s 13^th annual explosion of independent cinema is set to light up the Bay Area beginning February 3. This year, Indiefest’s intrepid organizers plan to screen more than 80 films from the US, Britain, Canada, France, Israel, Mexico, Sweden, Switzerland and Taiwan at the Roxie Theater (3117 16^th at Valencia) over two event-packed weeks. 

If you’re the kind of movie freak who can handle watching a slew of six cinema slam-dunks in sequence at one sitting, Indiefest is your cup of tea. (Better make that your “strong pot-of-coffee,” ‘cause catching a six-pack of Indies will have you locked inside a theater from 2 in the afternoon to well past midnight — a small price to pay, perhaps, for the chance to catch a line-up that includes “The Beast Pageant,” “Seed of Chucky,” and “Nude Nuns with Big Guns”). 

And it’s not just films! 

In addition to the event’s eleven MusicFest screenings — music-themed films like “Bloodied but Unbowed,” “Corpusse,” and “Superstonic Sound” (not a typo) — Indiefest has booked seven rocking nights of live music with more that 40 bands descending on CELLspace (2050 Bryant at 18^th). Get your hot, mammal-juices bouncing to the blasts of Spawn Atomic, Bad Boy Sinister, Los Shimmy Shakers, Sistas in the Pit, The Impalers and MC Meathook & the Vital Organs. And, for the younger crowd, there’s a day of “Next Gen” teen and pre-teen bands — School of Rock, Malicious, La Tosca and The Agent Deadlies. 

The festival kicks off with an opening night showing of Gregg Araki’s scary-hilarious “Kaboom,” a comedy-horror coming-of-angst film that combines Donnie Darko’s sense of haunted doom with a pyrotechnically snappy script that echoes the snarky bite of Juno’s Diablo Cody. As a bonus, there is director Gregg Araki’s trademark sexiness with every body-gorgeous cast-member from the “ambisexual” hero to his growing circle of star-crossed cohorts — male and female — enthusiastically climbing into bed with each other (with what could fairly be called “mixed results”). Although the film ends with an ultimate “kaboom,” I predict a sequel. These characters are just too ingratiating to leave behind. You’ll want to follow their “future adventures.” 

Indiefest filmes aren’t for everyone and many will certainly prove a challenge to average moviegoers but here are a few selections that could rank as “family entertainment.” “Worst in Show” is a documentary about the “World’s Ugliest Dog Contest” (the latest edition returns to Petaluma this summer), Geoff Marslett has crafted a thoughtful and amusing graphic-novel-styled trip to “Mars,” “The Singularity Is Near” explores how increasingly “intelligent” technology is redefining what it means to be “human,” and “The Happy Poet” celebrates the career-choice of a push-cart vendor who opts to replace his menu of hot-dogs with a line of all-organic veggie entrees. 

But wait! There’s more! 

In addition to the seven nights of musical mayhem, Indiefest’s off-screen antics will include a sub-culture-collision of patented Indiefest parties that includes the traditional Big Lebowski Party, the Superbowl-themed Men in Tights Party and the end-of-festival Roller Disco Wrap Party. 

And, for those who would rather not have to face another Valentine’s Day, Indiefest will devote February 14 to “Love Bites: A Power Ballads Sing-Along.” The Indiefesters promise that this 100-minute compilation of “badass music” from Guns & Roses, REO Speedwagon and Warrant, will be celebrated in the appropriate manner: “We’ll hold lighters in the air and sway, we’ll pound fists in the sky in defiance of those who would not dare love us, and we’ll do it all with teased hair and animal-print tights on.” 

Tickets and Times 

Movie tickets are $11 at the door (five films for $50/ 10 films for $90/ $150 for all films and parties). Tickets for MustcFest events go for $10. An additional $40 will get you a pass to all eight CELLspace shows. A $65 Music/Film Pass will open the doors to all the live performances plus all seven MusicFest flicks. And for the big-spenders, a $180 Everything Pass will put you first-in-line for every film and party you can find the time and stamina to tackle. 

For full listings and descriptions of all 85 films in this year’s Indiefest (and for information on online advance purchases), go to: www.indiefest.com

I’m nearing Medicare age, so when I go to a place where everybody is under 30, I get a little antsy; then, with a little liquor, I start to transform and regress and get back to 25 again--in about 5 minutes.

Many times I have bemoaned that too many gray and bald heads comprise the view of the audience in local theatre. I am pleased to tell you that there is a bonfire of theatrical talent glowing bright in a garage down on 55^thSt. near MLK in Oakland mysteriously named the K & S Ranchito.

MAD STASH (or Mad Stache) is a series of bawdy, hysterically funny and insightful “sketches” combined with professionally edited short films combined with a band whose lead singer may well shortly become a star. It follows the Saturday Night Live model with the major difference being that MAD STASH is entertaining and you don’t want to change the channel. It makes me wish I tweeted. 

Colin Johnson writes and performs the “sketches.” What a dumb word. Used to be, in the 16^thCentury street theatre called Commedia, they’d sketch-out the action and plot points, then improvise—that’s where that dumb word comes from. This stuff is well-scripted. Funny is as funny does, and he and Joshua Han have assembled an ensemble of very funny actors. 

His wife, Theresa Kelly has a voice to kill. She writes the songs and fronts the band “Korolenko,” which sounds like some Chechen terrorist group (but I’m guessing is named after some the writer and human rights activist). This young Kelly woman throws herself into her song and stage performance like Janis Joplin. Her “Born to Die” wailing blues brings tears. One Dylan-on-acid-like song rocks to give you goose-bumps. Only trouble is, most of the time you can’t make out the lyrics; kind of like trying to discern early Elvis on AM radio (yeah, yeah, that’s how freaking old I am). Here’s hoping that they throw the lyrics up on the film screen (follow the bouncing ball). There are a lot of lyrics, and my guess is that they have some poetic quality, but that’s just a guess. E and I just pretended the lyrics were in Danish and rocked along. Some of the stuff is downright discordant which serves up an enigmatic mix that swirls your mind. Plus, her high lyrical range sends you soaring. The lady has some serious chops. 

The set is a stage portal frame topped with a moustache cartouche, (the other “stash” denotation), a black hand-pulled curtain with a bed sheet screen for the films, seating on folding chairs with those worthless built-in cushions for the pretense of gluteal comfort. 

One misanthropic, smart-ass comedian named Quakenbush is reminiscent of a young Jim Carrey with that Donald Duck sensibility when DD was up in Mickey’s face (after I made this note in my book, then looked up his name in the program, I LOL’d). 

Melissa Keith has comedy written all over her, Rinabeth Astopol and Equity actress is surprisingly versatile, but her comic turns still smack of professional acting, whereas the others are transformed with Dionysiac hilarity. Kelly plays a wacked Valley girl and the Drunk Bitch, falling around and humping the MC with jelly-joints only the young and possessed can muster. 

A sampling of “sketch” titles: “That Guy Goes to the Theater,” “Mark Twain’s Big Release,” “Translated from the Greek,” “The Immaculate Massage”an all too true insight into this parlor game, “The Sack Rack” a new device for velocipedists, “This Amoral Life—Know Your Dealer” with homage to Ira Glass and NPR, and “Undercova Mutha” in which sweet-faced Apostol shines as a bad mutha (shut yo’ mouth!) 

Han, Johnson’s co-conspirator (co-director/co-writer) along with Brian Quakenbush, is a diminutive comic presence who puts on the Pee Wee/Alfalfa mad cowlick with top button buttoned. There are many other insane presences and they will crack you up if. WAIT WAIT…this is for cool people who watch the Comedy Channel and laugh at slapstickian, anonymous guerilla groin-punching, as well as a New Yorker cartoon sensibility about the plight of the waiter in a fine restaurant dealing with supercilious, entitled customers. 

Honestly, these folks should bundle up the truck and move to Beverly where they can be put on Teee Veee. Check out their YOUTUBE VIDEOS full of sophisticated silliness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OltSamjIIfA. Instead, each being so dauntingly talented, they’ll probably go their own way to other things. But who knows. Their website graphics give the feeling that you’re in for German Expressionism, but that could not be further from the laugh-riot you get. 

Anyway, don’t muck about; grab the most fun you’ll have this side of sex and drugs (yes, we Bay Area oldsters still do have our fun), and become young again for an evening. Excellent art is on display, and the integration of film, theatre, music, and painting saturates the senses. 

Mad Stash Thu Fri Sat February 3-5, 8 p.m at K&S Ranchito (839 55th St., Oakland). $10-$15. BattleStacheStudios.Wordpress.com (573) 529-6853 

Heartbreak House, a comedy Bernard Shaw began writing before the First World War and finished after war's end, is playing now at Live Oak Theater, an Actors Ensemble production directed by Robert Estes. Shaw called it "a fantasia in the Russian manner, on English things"--and fingered Chekhov's plays as an inspiration to write a comedy with a sting in its tail about the leisure classes of Europe in the build-up to the holocaust that lit up from the tinder of their studied obliviousness in 1914. 

"Chekhov's plays being less lucrative than swings and roundabouts, got no further in England, where theaters are only ordinary commercial affairs, than a couple of performances by the Stage Society. We stared and said How Russian. They did not strike me in that way ...” 

Shaw, in his show of unity with other artists around Europe in their anatomy of their societies, made a great leap forward in his art. 

If Chekhov's comedy is usually sentimentalized, or reduced to a sketchy kind of thing out of a sitcom, Shaw has been shrunk to fit as well. Berkeley Rep produced Heartbreak House, a few seasons back, with the effect of a screwball comedy. Shaw was after bigger--and more theatrical--game, in that theater can be the live arena to enact--and talk out--society and the times. He created a play with characters who explain themselves, shamelessly self-conscious, even burlesquing themselves and each other, obviously influenced by a playwright of whom he disapproved: Oscar Wilde. These knowing denizens of the stage can also speak as orators, debaters and storytellers, lending exposition and argument to issues above and beyond the plot or their own interest in it. It's something Bertolt Brecht, a devotee of Shaw's plays early on, would carefully note and carry further. 

At Heartbreak House, no one's more self-reflective than the oldest and most eccentric, seemingly half-senile Captain Shotover (Jeff Trescott), the host--though a host aloof from his own party. An inventor, the Captain has built his family's retreat with the gains from military devices, war materiel ... the whole existence of this nest of peaceful frivolity balances on what will whisk it away. 

A young lady comes visiting (Taylor Diffenderfer as Ellie Dunn), befriended by one of the Captain's daughters, Hesione Hushaby (Michele Delattre). So the audience sees the flaunted and various eccentricities of the household and its other guests at first through her eyes--until her own very knowing proclivities--and those of her father (Matthew Surrence as Mazzini Dunn)--come out. She's fallen for an older man--the self-styled Player King of the bunch, Hector (Stanley Spenger)--yet intends to marry one yet older, financier and philistine Boss Mangan (Keith Jefferds). Arriving in the midst of it all is haughty Lady Utterword (Amaka Izuchi), nee long-lost Shotover sister Adriane gone parvenu; her brother-in-law, Randall Utterword (Brian McManus), another guest making a grand entrance, then an utter fool of himself--and a marauder, as W. C. Fields would've said, played by Joseph O' Loughlin, yet another meta-professional egotist, with hidden ties to the Shotovers--and their down-to-earth retainer, Nurse Guinness (Lynn Sotos). 

It's not an easy play, but one that should relentlessly go forward--and all kinds of sideways--on its own genially mad logic, which rotates every character and situation 180 degrees (at least), or pulls them all inside-out ... remaining clueless at the great catastrophe which befalls them all, and Humanity, at the end. 

"Every drunken skipper trusts to providence," says Captain Shotover. "But one of the ways of providence with drunken skippers is to run them on the rocks." 

The Actors Ensemble production, a courageous thing, started out a little rocky on opening night, but soon some vivid--and very funny--characterizations of these self-assured loons began to take shape. The second act found the whole show taking off, finding its wings, as a second act should. The third act, starting out by moonlight, with the denizens of Heartbreak House rearranged into a strange set of couples, was a little lax; it begins quietly, but mayhem--to flute music!--overtakes it. 

This was at the start; it's now going into its third weekend. It's energizing to see a small local company serve the script so engagingly--community theater at its best, fulfilling its mission. Estes has found his cast; they all deserve a lot of credit. In particular, opening night, Keith Jeffries outdid himself with a complete personification of the awful--and awfully funny--Mangan. Matthew Surrence had a good physically comic turn. And Taylor Diffenderfer captured perfectly the precociously self-serving Ellie. 

Jerome Solberg produced and designed the set, William Curry the costumes, Alecks Rundell the lights and Steve Jemera the sound. Gian Banchero painted the backdrop. 

There's been something of a Shaw revival--a glimmer, anyway--the past few years. This is a show to see, to get an idea what it's all about. And to give a good community production a hand for what they're trying to do--and doing remarkably well at. 

A play about Shaw from letters to and from Mrs. Patrick Campbell, Dear Liar, will be presented in a staged reading one night only, Tuesday, February 13 at 8, directed by Vicki Siegel (assistant director for Heartbreak House). 

Fridays, Saturdays at 8 (Sunday, February 13 at 2; Thursday, February 17 at 8) through February 19, at Live Oak Theater, 1301 Shattuck, in Live Oak Park. $12-$15. 649-5999; aeofberkeley.org

ARDENWOOD HISTORIC FARM ongoing. Ardenwood farm is a working farm that dates back to the time of the Patterson Ranch, a 19th-century estate with a mansion and Victorian Gardens. Today, the farm still practices farming techniques from the 1870s. Unless otherwise noted, programs are free with regular admission.  

ONGOING PROGRAMS --  

"Blacksmithing," Thursday, Friday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Watch a blacksmith turn iron into useful tools.  

"Horse-Drawn Train," Thursday, Friday and Sunday. A 20-minute ride departs from Ardenwood Station and Deer Park.  

"Animal Feeding," Thursday-Sunday, 3-4 p.m. Help slop the hogs, check the henhouse for eggs and bring hay to the livestock.  

"Victorian Flower Arranging," Thursday, 10:15-11:30 a.m. Watch as Ardenwood docents create floral works of art for display in the Patterson House.  

$1-$5; free children under age 4. Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont. (510) 796-0199, (510) 796-0663, www.ebparks.org.< 

BAY AREA RAIL TRAILS ongoing. A network of trails converted from unused railway corridors and developed by the Rails to Trails Conservancy.  

BLACK DIAMOND MINES REGIONAL PRESERVE RAILROAD BED TRAIL -- ongoing. This easy one mile long rail trail on Mount Diablo leads to many historic sites within the preserve. Suitable for walking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. Accessible year round but may be muddy during the rainy season. Enter from the Park Entrance Station parking lot on the East side of Somersville Road, Antioch.  

IRON HORSE REGIONAL TRAIL -- ongoing. The paved trail has grown into a 23 mile path between Concord and San Ramon with a link into Dublin. The trail runs from the north end of Monument Boulevard at Mohr Lane, east to Interstate 680, in Concord through Walnut Creek to just south of Village Green Park in San Ramon. It will eventually extend from Suisun Bay to Pleasanton and has been nominated as a Community Millennium Trail under the U.S. Millennium Trails program. A smooth shaded trail suitable for walkers, cyclists, skaters and strollers. It is also wheelchair accessible. Difficulty: easy to moderate in small chunks; hard if taken as a whole.  

LAFAYETTE/MORAGA REGIONAL TRAIL -- ongoing. A 7.65 mile paved trail converted from the Sacramento Northern Rail line. This 20-year old trail goes along Las Trampas Creek and parallels St. Mary's Road. Suitable for walkers, equestrians, and cyclists. Runs from Olympic Boulevard and Pleasant Hill Road in Lafayette to Moraga. The trail can be used year round.  

OHLONE GREENWAY -- ongoing. A 3.75-mile paved trail converted from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railway. Suitable for walkers, strollers and skaters. It is also wheelchair accessible. The trail runs under elevated BART tracks from Conlon and Key Streets in El Cerrito to Virginia and Acton Streets in Berkeley.  

SHEPHERD CANYON TRAIL -- ongoing. An easy 3-mile paved trail converted from the Sacramento Northern Rail Line. The tree-lined trail is gently sloping and generally follows Shepherd Canyon Road. Suitable for walkers and cyclists. It is also wheelchair accessible. Begins in Montclair Village behind McCaulou's Department Store on Medau Place and ends at Paso Robles Drive, Oakland. Useable year round. 

Free. (415) 397-2220, www.traillink.com.< 

BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL ongoing. The Bay Area Ridge Trail, when completed, will be a 400-mile regional trail system that will form a loop around the entire San Francisco Bay region, linking 75 public parks and open spaces to thousands of people and hundreds of communities. Hikes on portions of the trail are available through the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council. Call for meeting sites. ALAMEDA COUNTY -- "Lake Chabot Bike Rides." These rides are for strong beginners and intermediates to build skill, strength and endurance at a non hammerhead pace. No one will be dropped. Reservations required. Distance: 14 miles. Elevation gain: 1,000 feet. Difficulty: beginner to intermediate. Pace: moderate. Meeting place: Lake Chabot Road at the main entrance to the park. Thursday, 6:15 a.m. (510) 468-3582.  

ALAMEDA-CONTRA COSTA COUNTY -- "Tilden and Wildcat Bike Rides." A vigorous ride through Tilden and Wildcat Canyon regional parks. Reservations required. Distance: 15 miles. Elevation gain: 2,000 feet. Difficulty: intermediate. Pace: fast. Meeting place: in front of the North Berkeley BART Station. Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. (510) 849-9650. 

Free. (415) 561-2595, www.ridgetrail.org.< 

BERKELEY CITY CLUB TOURS Guided tours through Berkeley's City Club, a landmark building designed by architect Julia Morgan, designer of Hearst Castle."Aquatics class," ongoing. 4 p.m.-5 p.m. Mon., Wed., and Fri. The BCC pool is open to the public for classes that teach how movement in the water can help improve strength, balance, coordination and endurance. $8-$10. 

Free. The last Sunday of the month on the hour between 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. (510) 848-7800, www.berkeleycityclub.com.< 

BLACK PANTHER LEGACY TOUR ongoing. A bus tour of 18 sites significant in the history of the Black Panther Party, conducted by the Huey P. Newton Foundation. By reservation only. 

$25. West Oakland Branch Library, 1801 Adeline St., Oakland. (510) 884-4860, www.blackpanthertours.com.< 

BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP ongoing. An interactive place where children, and adults, can learn how a stuffed animal is made, then choose an animal pattern from the offering of bears, elephants, dogs and rabbits; stuff the chosen animal; dress it; and create a birth certificate. Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

$10-$25; clothing and accessories extra. Mondays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sundays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Broadway Plaza, 1248 Broadway, Walnut Creek. (925) 946-4697, www.buildabear.com.< 

CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY  

HISTORY WALKABOUTS -- ongoing. A series of walking tours that explore the history, lore and architecture of California with veteran tour guide Gary Holloway. Walks are given on specific weekends. There is a different meeting place for each weekend and walks take place rain or shine so dress for the weather. Reservations and prepayment required. Meeting place will be given with confirmation of tour reservation. Call for details.  

678 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 357-1848, www.californiahistoricalsociety.org.< 

CAMRON-STANFORD HOUSE ongoing. The Camron-Stanford House, an 1876 Italianate-style home that was at one time the Oakland Public Museum, has been restored and furnished with appropriate period furnishings by the Camron-Stanford House Preservation Association. It is the last Victorian house on Lake Merritt's shore. Call ahead to confirm tours and hours. 

$3-$5; free children ages 11 and under when accompanied by a paying adult; free the first Sunday of the month. Third Wednesday of the month, 1-5 p.m. 1418 Lakeside Drive at 14th Street, Oakland. (510) 444-1876, www.cshouse.org.< 

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

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

CHABOT SPACE AND SCIENCE CENTER State-of-the-art facility unifying science education activities around astronomy. Enjoy interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, indoor stargazing, outdoor telescope viewing and films. 

ASK JEEVES PLANETARIUM -- ongoing. The planetarium features one of the most advanced star projectors in the world. A daily planetarium show is included with general admission. Call for current show schedule.  

"Astronaut," ongoing. What does it take to be part of the exploration of space? Experience a rocket launch from inside the body of an astronaut. Explore the amazing worlds of inner and outer space, from floating around the International Space Station to maneuvering through microscopic regions of the human body. Narrated by Ewan McGregor. 25 min. 

"Two Small Pieces of glass," ongoing. Celebrating the International Year of Astronomy, this show examines the history of the telescope, beginning 400 years ago, with Galileo's discoveries. 

"Dawn of the Space Age," ongoing. Starting with the launch of Sputnik, this show covers important Russian space history as well as the American Gemini, Apollo and Shuttle programs. Be transported to the International Space Station, the X-prize winning private space ship and on to future Mars exploration. 

"Tales Of The Maya Skies," ongoing. A full-dome planetarium show that explores the cosmology of the ancient Maya, along with their culture and their contributions to astronomy. 

"Space NOW!", ongoing. Each week, this real-time ride through constellations, stars, and planets will reflect current happenings in our sky. Space NOW! will also tie in activities going on throughout the center. This is Chabot's first daytime guided tour of the universe. 

"Sonic Vision," ongoing. Friday-Saturday, 9:15 p.m. This show uses the latest digital technology to illuminate the planetarium with colorful computer-generated imagery set to today's popular music, including Radiohead, U2, David Bowie, Coldplay, Moby and more. 

CHALLENGER LEARNING CENTER -- ongoing. "Escape from the Red Planet,'' a cooperative venture for families and groups of up to 14 people, age 8 and up. The scenario on this one hour mission: You are the crew of a shuttle to Mars that has been severely damaged in a crash landing. Your replacement crew is gone, the worst dust storm ever recorded on Mars approaches, and air, food, and water are extremely low. The mission: get the shuttle working again and into orbit before the dust storm hits. Reservations required. Children age 8-12 must be accompanied by an adult; not appropriate for children under age 8. $12-$15; Does not include general admission to the Center. Reservations: (510) 336-7421."Destination Universe," ongoing. Take a journey from our Sun to the farthest reaches of the cosmos. 

"Bill Nye's climate lab," ongoing. Features Emmy-award-winning Bill Nye the Climate Guy as commander of the Clean Energy Space Station, and invites visitors on an urgent mission to thwart climate change. 

"One giant leap: a moon odyssey," ongoing. For all astronaut wannabees -take a simulated Moon-walk, try on a space helmet, climb into a Mercury capsule and land a lunar module in this hands-on exhibit that explores the legends and science fiction about the Moon. 

"Tales of the Maya Skies," ongoing. A companion exhibit for the planetarium show which features the scientific achievements and cosmology of the Maya. All content is bilingual in English and Spanish. 

"Dinner, Movie and the Universe," ongoing. Every Friday and Saturday evening. Enjoy a bistro-style dinner, then cozy up for a film in the 70-foot MegaDome theater and end the evening with a telescope viewing. Call to purchase general admission tickets and to make dinner reservations. (510) 336-7373. 

"Chabot Observatories: A View to the Stars," ongoing. This new permanent exhibit honors the 123-year history of Chabot and its telescopes. The observatory is one of the oldest public observatories in the United States. The exhibit covers the three different sites of the observatory over its history as well as how its historic telescopes continue to be operated today. Included are informative graphic panels, multimedia kiosks, interactive computer programs, hands-on stations, and historic artifacts. 

"Beyond Blastoff," ongoing. Get a glimpse into the life of an astronaut and experience the mixture of exhilaration, adventure, and confinement that is living and working in space. 

"Valentine's day love missions," Feb. 12 through Feb. 13, 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Celebrate with your valentine on a simulated space mission to the Red Planet. The package includes an all access pass to Chabot, savory treats, fizzy Martian beverages, and a souvenir of your trip. $85 per couple. 

TIEN MEGADOME SCIENCE THEATER -- ongoing. A 70-foot dome-screen auditorium. Show times subject to change. Call for current show schedule. Price with paid general admission is $6-$7. Theater only: $7-$8. (510) 336-7373, www.ticketweb.com. 

"Mysteries of Egypt," ongoing. Experience the magic and majesty of Egypt as never before. Soar over the great pyramids of Giza, cross the Valley of the Kings, and descend into the shadowy chambers of the sacred tomb of King Tutankhamen. Suitable for families. 

"Dinosaurs Alive," ongoing. A global adventure of science and discovery, featuring the earliest dinosaurs of the Triassic Period to the monsters of the Cretaceous, "reincarnated" life-sized for the giant screen. Audiences will journey with some of the world's preeminent paleontologists as they uncover evidence that the descendents of dinosaurs still walk (or fly) among us. From the exotic, trackless expanses and sand dunes of Mongolia's Gobi Desert to the dramatic sandstone buttes of New Mexico, the film will follow American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) paleontologists as they explore some of the greatest dinosaur finds in history. 

Center Admission: $14.95; $10.95 children 3-12; free children under 3; $3 discount for seniors and students. Telescope viewing only: free. Wednesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Also open on Tuesdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. after June 29. 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 336-7300, www.chabotspace.org.< 

CHOUINARD VINEYARDS AND WINERY The winery features an exhibit of stone craft and baskets honoring the rich culture of the Ohlone Indians. Palomares Canyon was a summer home to the Ohlone Indians. The exhibit also includes historical photos and artifacts that document more recent colorful inhabitants to the canyon."Music at Chouinard," ongoing. 4:30-8:30 p.m. on select Sundays June-August. The rest of the year features live music in the tasting room on the second Sunday of each month. Enjoy the best of Bay Area artists at Chouinard. Bring your own gourmet picnic (no outside alcoholic beverages). Wines are available for tasting and sales. $40 per car. 

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

CLOSE TO HOME: EXPLORING NATURE'S TREASURES IN THE EAST BAY -- A yearlong program of monthly talks and Saturday outings about the natural history of the East Bay. In this hands-on program learn about the plants, wildlife and watershed of the East Bay's incredibly rich and dynamic bioregion. The 11 Saturday outings will take place in either Alameda or Contra Costa counties. The 10 talks at the Montclair Presbyterian Church will be on the Monday prior to the Saturday outing. A notebook of relevant readings and resources for each outing is available to all participants for an additional $30 per person. The program is co-sponsored by the Oakland Museum of California, BayNature Magazine and Earthlight Magazine. Fee for the year covers all outings, talks, site fees, orientation and a party."Nature's Beauty," Feb. 7. John Muir Laws, author and illustrator, discusses the relationship harmonies of plants and animals. 

"Wildlife Hike," Feb. 12, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Enjoy a 4.2 mile hike with naturalist Jessica Sheppard. 

$375 per person for yearlong participation; $30 additional for binder with written materials. Montclair Presbyterian Church, 5701 Thornhill Drive, Oakland. (510) 655-6658, (510) 601-5715, www.close-to-home.org.< 

DEAN LESHER REGIONAL CENTER FOR THE ARTS TOUR ongoing. A behind-the-scenes tour of this multi-million dollar arts facility. Tours last for one hour and include walks on both the Hofmann and Lesher stages, a look at the Hofmann fly-loft, the dressing rooms, the Green Room and an amble down the Center's opulent spiral staircase. Reservations required. Call for tour dates and times. 

$5 per person. 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. (925) 295-1400, www.dlrca.org.< 

DUNSMUIR HOUSE AND GARDENS HISTORIC ESTATE ongoing. Nestled in the Oakland hills, the 50-acre Dunsmuir House and Gardens estate includes the 37-room Neoclassical Revival Dunsmuir Mansion, built by coal and lumber baron Alexander Dunsmuir for his bride. Restored outbuildings set amid landscaped gardens surround the mansion.  

ESTATE GROUNDS -- ongoing. Self-Guided Grounds Tours are available yearround. The 50 acres of gardens and grounds at the mansion are open to the public for walking Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Booklets and maps of the grounds are available at the Dinkelspiel House. Free.  

GUIDED TOURS -- Docent-led tours are available on the first Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. (except for July) and Wednesdays at 11 a.m. $5 adults, $4 seniors and juniors (11-16), children 11 and under free. 

Dunsmuir House and Gardens, 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland. (510) 615-5555, www.dunsmuir.org.< 

EAST BAY FARMERS MARKETS  

ALAMEDA COUNTY --  

PLEASANTON SATURDAY CERTIFIED FARMERS MARKETS -- ongoing. A chance to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, baked goods and more. Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. (800) 949-FARM. West Angela and Main Streets, Pleasanton.  

ALAMEDA CERTIFIED FARMERS MARKET -- ongoing. A chance to buy local organic produce, baked goods and flowers. Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Taylor Avenue and Webster Street, Alameda. (800) 949-FARM. 

"Oakland Claremont Ave Sunday CFM," ongoing. Sunday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 5300 Claremont Ave. (DMV parking lot), Oakland. (510) 745-7100. 

SAN LEANDRO BAYFAIR MALL CERTIFIED FARMERS MARKET, ongoing. A chance to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, baked goods and more. Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Bayfair Mall, Fairmont Drive and 14th Street, San Leandro. (800) 806-FARM. 

HAYWARD CERTIFIED FARMERS MARKETS -- ongoing. A chance to buy local organic produce and baked goods.  

Hayward: Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. At Main and B streets.  

Hayward Kaiser: Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. At Hesperian Boulevard and W. Tenneyson Road. Main and B Streets, Hayward. (800) 897-FARM. 

UNION CITY CERTIFIED FARMERS MARKETS -- ongoing. A chance to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, baked goods and more.  

Kaiser Market: Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. At 3553 Whipple Road. (800) 949-FARM.  

Old Alvarado Market: May-November: Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. At Ceasar Chavez Park, Watkins and Smith streets. (800) 949-FARM. Union City.  

BERKELEY CERTIFIED FARMERS MARKETS -- ongoing. A chance to buy local organic produce, baked goods and flowers. The three markets operate rain or shine.  

Tuesday Market: April-October: Tuesdays, 2-7 p.m.; November-March: Tuesdays, 2-6 p.m. At Derby Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way.  

Thursday Organic Market: Thursdays, 3-7 p.m. At Shattuck Avenue and Cedar Street.  

Saturday Market: Saturdays, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. At Center Street at Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Shattuck Avenue & Rose Street, Berkeley. (510) 548-3333. 

Fremont Centerville Certified Farmers Market, ongoing. A chance to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, baked goods and more. Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Bonde Way and Fremont Boulevard, Fremont. (510) 796-0102. 

OAKLAND CERTIFIED FARMERS MARKETS -- ongoing. A chance to buy local organic produce and baked goods.  

East Oakland Market: May-November: Fridays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. At 73rd Avenue and International Boulevard. (510) 638-1742.  

East Oakland Senior Center Market: Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. At 9255 Edes Avenue. (510) 562-8989.  

Sunday Fruitvale Market: Sundays, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. At 34th Avenue and 12th Street. (510) 535-6929.  

Thursday Fruitvale Market: June-November: Thursday, 2-7 p.m. At 34th Avenue and 12th Street. (510) 535-6929.  

Grand Lake Market: Saturdays, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. At Splash Pad Park, Grand Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard. (800) 897-FARM.  

Jack London Square Market: May-October: Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. At Broadway and Embarcadero. (800) 949-FARM or www.jacklondonsquare.com.  

Kaiser Market: Fridays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. At Howe Street between MacArthur Boulevard and 40th Street. (800) 949-FARM.  

Mandela Market: Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. At Fifth Street and Mandela Parkway. (510) 776-4178.  

Millsmont Market: May-October: Saturdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. At MacArthur Boulevard at Seminary Avenue. (510) 238-9306.  

Montclair Market: Sundays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. At La Salle and Moraga avenues. (510) 745-7100.  

Old Oakland Market: Fridays, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. At Ninth Street and Broadway. (510) 745-7100.  

Temescal Market: Sundays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. At DMV Parking Lot, 5300 Claremont Ave. (510) 745-7100. Oakland.  

FREMONT CERTIFIED FARMERS MARKETS -- ongoing. A chance to buy local organic produce, baked goods and flowers.  

Irvington Market: Sundays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. At Bay Street and Fremont Boulevard.  

Kaiser Market: Thursdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. At 39400 Paseo Padre Parkway.  

Nummi Market: May-November: Fridays, 2-6 p.m. At Grimmer and Fremont boulevards. (510) 796-0102. Fremont Boulevard and Bay Street, Fremont. (800) 897-FARM. 

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY --  

EL CERRITO CERTIFIED FARMERS MARKET -- ongoing. A chance to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, baked goods and more.  

Tuesday Market: Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.  

Saturday Market: Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. El Cerrito Plaza, San Pablo and Fairmont Avenues., El Cerrito. (925) 279-1760. 

"Walnut Creek Kaiser CFM," ongoing. Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.  

1425 S. Main St., Walnut Creek.  

"Kensington CFM," ongoing. Sundays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.  

303 Arlington Ave., Kensington. (510) 525-6155. 

CONCORD TUESDAY AND THURSDAY FARMERS MARKETS -- ongoing. A chance to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, baked goods and more.  

Tuesday Market: Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.  

Thursday Market: May-October. Thursdays, 4-8 p.m. Todo Santos Park, Willow Pass Road at Grant Street, Concord. (800) 949-FARM. 

RICHMOND CERTIFIED FARMERS MARKET -- ongoing. A chance to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, baked goods and more. Fridays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Civic Center Plaza Drive and McDonald Avenue, Richmond. (510) 758-2336. 

WALNUT CREEK CERTIFIED FARMERS MARKETS -- ongoing. A chance to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, baked goods and more.  

Sunday Market: Sundays, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. At North Broadway and Lincoln Avenue. 925-431-8351.  

Rossmoor Market: May-October: Fridays, 9 a.m.-noon. At Golden Rain Valley Road and Tice Valley Boulevard. 800-806-FARM. Broadway and Lincoln Avenue, Walnut Creek.  

MARTINEZ CERTIFIED FARMERS MARKETS -- ongoing. A chance to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, baked goods and more.  

Thursday Market: May-November. Thursdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. At Court and Main Streets. (800) 949-FARM.  

Sunday Market: May-September. Sundays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. At Main and Castro Streets. (925) 431-8361.  

Kaiser Market: Thursdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. At 200 Muir Road. (800) 949-FARM. Martinez.  

Free. www.cafarmersmarkets.com.< 

EUGENE O'NEILL NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE ongoing. Closed on New Year's Day. Visit Eugene O'Neill's famous Tao House and its tranquil grounds. Phone reservations required for a ranger-led, twoand-a-half-hour tour. Tours are given Wednesday through Sunday at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Please note: The National Park Service provides a free shuttle van for transportation to Tao House. Access via private vehicle is not available. 

Free but reservations required. Wednesday-Sunday. 1000 Kuss Road, Danville. (925) 838-0249, www.nps.gov/euon.< 

FENTONS CREAMERY Fenton's Creamery, founded in 1894, offers "backstage" tours that show how ice cream is made, how flavors are created, and all that goes into their famous sundaes. The history of Fenton's is also covered. Tours last 20-30 minutes (including samples). Children must be 6 years and accompanied by an adult. 

"Arctic Tour," ongoing. 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. daily, except Sundays. This backstage 20-30 minute tour shows how Fenton's handmade ice cream is made and flavored. As well, the tour will give some history about this venerable ice cream parlor, a 100-year-old staple for families with a desire for ice cream sundaes and sodas. Tour participants can taste ice cream at its various stages, step into the minus 25 degree blast freezers, and receive a soda jerk's hat. Minimum of eight people for a tour, maximum of 12-- larger groups are welcome, but will be split into multiple tours. No children under age 5. Reservations required.  

For those who wish to have ice cream after the tour, the following prices apply:  

Arctic tour plus kid's dish of ice cream, $6.95 plus tax and tip.  

Arctic tour plus kid's sundae, $7.50 plus tax and tip.  

Arctic tour plus kid's lunch and kid's sundae, $11.95 plus tax and tip.  

Arctic tour plus kid's lunch and sundae bar, $15.95 plus tax and tip. $3.95. (510) 658-8500. 

4226 Piedmont Ave., Oakland. (510) 658-7000, www.fentonscreamery.com.< 

FIFTY-PLUS ADVENTURE WALKS AND RUNS ongoing. The walks and runs are 3-mile round-trips, lasting about one hour on the trail. All levels of ability are welcome. The walks are brisk, however, and may include some uphill terrain. Events are held rain or shine and on all holidays except Christmas and the Fifty-Plus Annual Fitness Weekend. Call for dates, times and details. 

Free. (650) 323-6160, www.50plus.org.< 

FOREST HOME FARMS ongoing. The 16-acre former farm of the Boone family is now a municipal historic park in San Ramon. It is located at the base of the East Bay Hills and is divided into two parts by Oak Creek. The Boone House is a 22-room Dutch colonial that has been remodeled several times since it was built in 1900. Also on the property are a barn built in the period from 1850 to 1860; the Victorian-style David Glass House, dating from the late 1860s to early 1870s; a storage structure for farm equipment and automobiles; and a walnut processing plant. 

Free unless otherwise noted. Public tours available by appointment. 19953 San Ramon Valley Blvd., San Ramon. (925) 973-3281, www.ci.sanramon. ca.us/parks/boone.htm.< 

GOLDEN GATE LIVE STEAMERS ongoing. Small locomotives, meticulously scaled to size, run along a half mile of track in Tilden Regional Park. The small trains are owned and maintained by a non-profit group of railroad buffs that offer rides. Come out for the monthly family run and barbeque at the track, offered on the fourth Sunday of the month.  

Free. Trains run Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; Rides: Sunday, noon-3 p.m., weather permitting. Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Lomas Cantadas Drive at the south end of Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley. (510) 486-0623, www.ggls.org.< 

GOLDEN STATE MODEL RAILROAD MUSEUM -- ongoing. The museum, which is handicapped accessible, features extensive displays of operating model railroads constructed and operated by the East Bay Model Engineers Society. Covering some 10,000 square feet, steam and modern diesel-powered freight and passenger trains operate in O, HO and N scales on separate layouts as well as narrow gauge and trolley lines. Of special interest is the Tehachapi Pass and Loop on the N-scale layout showing how the multiple engine trains traverse the gorges and tunnels, passing over themselves to gain altitude to cross Tehachapi Summit just east of Bakersfield. The layouts include such famous railroad landmarks as Niles Canyon, Donner Pass and the Oakland Mole where transcontinental passengers were ferried across San Francisco Bay from their arriving trains. VIEW THE LAYOUTS ONLY ON WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS; WATCH TRAINS RUN ON THE LAYOUTS ON SUNDAYS. 

$2-$4 Sunday, $9 family ticket; free on Wednesday and Saturday. April-November: Saturday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; Wednesday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. December: layouts are operational on weekends. Miller-Knox Regional Shoreline, 900-A Dornan Dr., Point Richmond. (510) 234-4884, www.gsmrm.org.< 

GONDOLA SERVIZIO ongoing. "Gondola Servizio.'' Weather permitting. Take a ride around Lake Merritt in a real Venetian gondola rowed by a Venetian-style gondolier. The boats of Gondola Servizio were built by hand in Venice. Each gondola seats up to six people and reservations are required.  

Marco Polo: Bring a picnic lunch and/or a beverage to enjoy on this 30 minute private gondola tour. $40 per couple, $10 for each additional person.  

Casanova: A 50-minute private gondola tour,$65 per couple, $10 for each additional person.  

Promessi Sposi: For photo or film shoots. Perfect for engagement photos, family portraits, or any other occasion. $225 per hour for the first couple; $10 per additional person.  

Group Tours: $150 per hour for groups of 13 people or more. Multiple mini tours are given within the hour to accommodate a group of any size. Call for more details. 

September-May: Wednesday-Sunday, 5 p.m.-midnight; June-August: Daily, by appointment. Lake Merritt Sailboat House, 568 Bellevue Ave., Oakland. (866) 737-8494, (866) 737-8494, www.gondolaservizio.com.< 

GREENBELT ALLIANCE OUTINGS A series of hikes, bike rides and events sponsored by Greenbelt Alliance, the Bay Area's non-profit land conservation and urban planning organization. Call for meeting places. Reservations required for all trips.  

ALAMEDA COUNTY --  

"Self-Guided Urban Outing: Berkeley," ongoing. This interactive smart growth walking tour of central Berkeley examines some of the exciting projects that help alleviate the housing shortage in the city as well as amenities important to making a livable community. The walk, which includes the GAIA Cultural Center, Allston Oak Court, The Berkeley Bike Station, University Terrace and Strawberry Creek Park, takes between an hour-and-ahalf to two hours at a leisurely pace. Download the itinerary which gives specific directions by entering www.greeenbelt.org and clicking on "get involved'' and then "urban outings.'' Drop down and click on Berkeley. Free. 

"Berkeley waterfalls and walkways," Feb. 13, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Visit the relatively unknown waterfalls and cascades of the Berkeley hills. 

Free unless otherwise noted. (415) 255-3233, www.greenbelt.org.< 

JOHN MUIR NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE The site preserves the 1882 Muir House, a 17-room Victorian mansion where naturalist John Muir lived from 1890 to his death in 1914. It was here that Muir wrote about preserving America's wilderness and helped create the national parks idea for the United States. The house is situated on a hill overlooking the City of Martinez and surrounded by nine acres of vineyards and orchards. Take a self-guided tour of this well-known Scottish naturalist's home. Also part of the site is the historic Martinez Adobe and Mount Wanda. Public Tours of the John Muir House, ongoing. Begin with an eight-minute park film and then take the tour. The film runs every 15 minutes throughout the day. Wednesday through Friday, 2 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.  

MOUNT WANDA -- The mountain consists of 325 acres of grass and oak woodland historically owned by the Muir family. It offers a nature trail and several fire trails for hiking. Open daily, sunrise to sunset. 

JOHN MUIR HOUSE, ongoing. Tours of this well-known Scottish naturalist's home are available. The house, built in 1882, is a 14-room Victorian home situated on a hill overlooking the city of Martinez and surrounded by nine acres of vineyards and orchards. It was here that Muir wrote about preserving America's wilderness and helped create the national parks idea for the United States. The park also includes the historic Vicente Martinez Adobe, built in 1849. An eight-minute film about Muir and the site is shown every 15 minutes throughout the day at the Visitor Center. Self guided tours of the Muir home, the surrounding orchards, and the Martinez Adobe: Wednesday-Sunday, 1 a.m.-5 p.m. Public tours or the first floor of the Muir home: Wednesday-Friday, 2 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Reservations not required except for large groups.  

$3 general; free children ages 16 and under. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 4202 Alhambra Ave., Martinez. (925) 228-8860, www.nps.gov/jomu.< 

LAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL LABORATORY ongoing. Scientists and engineers guide visitors through the research areas of the laboratory, demonstrating emerging technology and discussing the research's current and potential applications. A Berkeley lab tour usually lasts two and a half hours and includes visits to several research areas. Popular tour sites include the Advanced Light Source, The National Center for Electron Microscopy, the 88-Inch Cyclotron, The Advanced Lighting Laboratory and The Human Genome Laboratory. Reservations required at least two weeks in advance of tour. Wear comfortable walking shoes. Photography is permitted. Due to heightened security after Sept. 11, 2001, tour participants will be asked for photo identification and citizenship information. Tours are periodically available by special request. For reservations call (925) 424-4175, or register online. 

Free. 10 a.m. University of California, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley. (925) 424-4175, www.lbl.gov.< 

LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY ongoing. The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory offer two different tours of its facilities.  

Livermore Main Site Tours are scheduled on most Tuesdays, 8:45 a.m.-11:45 a.m. Highlights of the three hour tour are visits to the National Ignition Facility, National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center, and Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry. All tours begin at the Lab's Discovery Center, located at the intersection of Greeneville Road and Eastgate Drive in Livermore. Visitors must be U.S. citizens and 18 years or older. Twoweek advance reservations required. Tours are available for non-U.S. citizens with 60 to 90 days advance reservation.  

Site 300 is the Laboratory's 7,000 acre non-nuclear explosive test facility in the Altamont Hills southwest of Tracy. Tours may include Western vantage points for observation of the site, an external view of the Contained Firing Facility, and environmental remediation facilities and wetlands. Tours are conducted on an as-requested basis. Visitors must be U.S. citizens and 18 years or older. Two-week advance reservations required. Tours are available for non-U.S. citizens with 60 to 90 days advance reservation. 

NATIONAL LABORATORY DISCOVERY CENTER -- ongoing. 1-4 p.m. Tues. - Fri.; 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturdays. The Center is a window into the Laboratory where visitors can experience a broad-based display of the scientific technology developed at the Laboratory as well as highlights of the Lab's research and history in such areas as defense, homeland security, the environment, cancer and new energy sources.  

There is no citizenship limitation or age limit for visiting the Discovery Center. Call ahead to confirm the Center is open. Located off Greenville Road on Eastgate Drive, just outside the Laboratory's East Gate. Free. (925) 423-3272. 

Free. 7000 East Ave., Livermore. (925) 424-4175, www.llnl.gov.< 

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

WILDLIFE HOSPITAL -- September-March: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hospital is open daily including holidays to receive injured and orphaned animals. There is no charge for treatment of native wild animals and there are no public viewing areas in the hospital.$5-$7; free children under age 2. June 16-Sept. 15: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sun.; Sept. 16-June 15: noon.-5 p.m. Wed.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.< 

MOUNT DIABLO SUMMIT MUSEUM ongoing. The museum is located in a historic stone building atop Mt. Diablo's highest peak and features ongoing exhibits that chronicle the history of the mountain. An instructional video examines the geological forces that created the mountain and panel displays describe the Native American history of the region. A diorama provides an overview of the mountain's ecosystems. Telescopes are mounted on the Observation Deck so visitors can enjoy one of the finest views in the world. 

Museum: free; Park entrance fee: $5-$6 per vehicle. Daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Park hours: daily, 8 a.m.-sunset. Oak Grove Road or North Gate Road, Walnut Creek. (925) 837-6119, (925) 837-6119, www.mdia.org/museum.htm.< 

MOUNTAIN VIEW CEMETERY WALKING TOURS Take a three-hour, docent-led walking tour of this cemetery, designed by renowned architect Fredrich Law Olmsted, where many historical figures, both local and national, are buried. 

Special Events,  

"Black history month tour," Feb. 26, 10 a.m. Visit the gravesites and hear stories of some African American community leaders and residents who lived that history. Free. 

Free. Second and fourth Saturdays of the month, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. 5000 Piedmont Ave., Oakland. (510) 658-2588, www.mountainviewcemetery.org.< 

NILES DEPOT MUSEUM ongoing. The Niles Depot, built in 1904 to replace a depot that had occupied the site since 1869, served as a passenger station until the 1950s and as a freight station until the 1960s. It was moved to its current location in 1982 and houses a small railroad library plus railroad artifacts. The Tri-City Society of Model Engineers operates HO and N scale model railroad layouts at the depot. The model trains run when the museum is open. 

Free but donations requested. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sundays 36997 Mission Blvd., Fremont. (510) 797-4449, www.nilesdepot.org.< 

NIMITZ WALK ongoing. A level, paved walk originally constructed when the army was considering putting a missile site in the hills above Berkeley. Near Inspiration Point; from San Pablo Dam Road turn west onto Wildcat Canyon Road in Orinda. The entrance to the walk, and a parking lot, is at the top of the ridge. This is an easy hike for people of all ages and especially ideal for the very old, the very young, and the disabled. Bicycles and roller blades are allowed. 

Free. Daily, sunrise-sunset. Tilden Park, near Inspiration Point, Berkeley Hills. (510) 525-2233, www.ebparks.org.< 

OAKLAND ARTISAN MARKETPLACE ongoing. www.oaklandartisanmarketplace.org/. A weekly market featuring the fine arts and crafts created by local artists. Included will be handmade jewelry, sculptures, ceramics, paintings and drawings, photography, dolls, floral arrangements, clothing, soaps, and greeting cards. The three weekly markets are at different sites in Oakland. 

Free. (510) 238-4948.< 

OAKLAND CASTING CLUB MEETINGS ongoing. The Oakland Casting Club and Department of Parks and Recreation present free fly-casting clinics in this monthly meeting. Experts of the club will be on hand to offer tips and training techniques for youths and adults. Everything from basic casting to advanced techniques will be taught. Beginners or experienced anglers welcome. No registration or appointment necessary, but please e-mail ahead (and include relative skill level) to give notice of your participation, if possible.  

Meetings are held at McCrea Park, located at Carson Street and Aliso Avenue (just off Hwy. 13), Oakland. 

Third Saturday of the month March-July. Oakland. www.oaklandcastingclub.org.< 

OAKLAND ZOO The zoo includes a Children's Petting Zoo, the Skyride, a miniature train, a carousel, picnic grounds and a gift shop as well as the animals in site specific exhibits, which allow them to roam freely. Included are "The African Savanna,'' with its two huge mixed-animal aviaries and 11 African Savanna exhibits; the Mahali Pa Tembo (Place of the Elephant), with giraffes, chimpanzees and more than 330 other animals from around the world; "Simba Pori,'' Swahili for "Lion Country,'' a spacious 1.5-acre habitat offering both a savanna and woodland setting for African lions; "Footprints from the Past,'' an anthropology exhibit showcasing four million years of human evolution and an actual "footpath'' of the first hominids to emerge from the African savanna; "Sun Bear Exhibit,'' a stateof-the-art space the zoo has developed for its two sun bears; and Siamang Island, a state-of-the-art, barrier-free area that emulates the gibbons' native tropical rain forest habitat. Also see the Malayan Fruit Bats from the Lubee Bat Conservancy in Florida that are now roosting in trees at the zoo. In addition there are special exhibits and events monthly. "Valley Children's Zoo," ongoing. The three-acre attraction offers a completely interactive experience for both children and adults. The exhibits include lemurs, giant fruit bats, otters, reptiles, insects and more. Daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  

"Endangered Species," ongoing. An exhibit of photographs about the most endangered animals on the Earth and what can be done to save them. At the Education Center. Open daily during zoo hours. ONGOING EVENTS --  

"Valley Children's Zoo," ongoing. Daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The three-acre attraction will offer a completely interactive experience for both children and adults. The exhibits include lemurs, giant fruit bats, otters, reptiles, insects and more. Free with regular Zoo admission.  

"Wildlife Theater," ongoing. Saturday, 11:45 a.m.; Sunday, 1:45 p.m. On Saturday mornings listen to a story and meet a live animal. On Sunday afternoon meet live animals and learn cool facts about them. Meet in the Lobby of the Zoo's Maddie's Center for Science and Environmental Education. Free with regular Zoo admission. (510) 632-9525, ext. 142."For the love of primates," Feb. 14, 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m. Enjoy Rhythmic Village, the premiere Afro-fusion performance ensemble and interactive music experience. There will be a silent auction. All proceeds support Budongo Snare Removal Project in Uganda. $20 suggested donation. 

$7.50-11; free children under age 2; $6 parking fee. Daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Knowland Park, 9777 Golf Links Road, Oakland. (510) 632-9525, www.oaklandzoo.org.< 

OLD MISSION SAN JOSE ongoing. Take a self-guided tour of the Mission, a replica of the original mission church that was one of a chain of California missions begun by Father Junipero Serra in 1769. Mission San Jose was founded in 1797. The mission chain stretches from San Diego to San Rafael. The tour includes the church, grounds, an adobe building and historic memorabilia. 

$2-$3. Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Closed New Years, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. 43300 Mission Blvd., Fremont. (510) 657-1797, www.missionsanjose.org.< 

PARAMOUNT THEATRE TOUR ongoing. The historic Paramount Theatre is a restored art deco masterpiece from the movie palace era. The two-hour tour covers areas not usually accessible to the public. Cameras are allowed. Children must be at least 10 years old and accompanied by adult chaperones. 

$5. First and third Saturday of the month, 10 a.m. Meet at the 21st Street Box Office Entrance, 2025 Broadway, Oakland. (510) 465-6400, (510) 893-2300, www.paramounttheatre.com.< 

PARDEE HOME MUSEUM ongoing. The historic Pardee Mansion, a three-story Italianate villa built in 1868, was home to three generations of the Pardee family who were instrumental in the civic and cultural development of California and Oakland. The home includes the house, grounds, water tower and barn. Reservations recommended. Group tours may be arranged between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tues.-Sun.  

Private Tours and Teas: Take a private tour followed by tea in the Pardee family dining room (available for 4-12 persons).  

Tour with light tea: $12 per person  

Tour with high tea: $25 per person.  

High tea without tour: $20 per person. 

$5-$25; free children ages 12 and under. House Tours: 10:30 a.m. every Wednesday and second Saturday of each month; 2 p.m. the second Sunday or each month. 672 11th St., Oakland. (510) 444-2187, www.pardeehome.org.< 

PIXIELAND AMUSEMENT PARK ongoing. This amusement park for children features pixie-sized rides such as a dragon roller coaster, swirling tea cups, a carousel, red baron airplanes, an antique car ride and a miniature train among other attractions sure to please the little ones. Classic carnival-style food and souvenirs round out the experience. Admission to the park is free; ride tickets are $1.25 each or 10 tickets for $10; Day wrist band for unlimited rides, $25. Specials and season passes are also available. 

Dec. 1-12 2010: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Closed Dec. 13-Jan. 8. 2740 E. Olivera Road, Concord. (925) 689-8841, www.pixieland.com.< 

PREWETT FAMILY WATERPARK ongoing. There are pools and water slides for all ages, from the Tad Pool for toddlers to Boulder cove for older swimmers. In addition to fun pools and slides there are fitness pools for lessons and exercise, lawns for relaxing, locker rooms, community room and kitchen. Lap lanes are open year round. Food and beverages are not permitted in the park. Picnic tables are available outside the park. 

$4-$11. Sunday through Friday: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; closed Aug.23-27, 30-31. 4701 Lone Tree Way, Antioch. (925) 776-3070, www.ci.antioch.ca.us/CitySvcs/Prewett.< 

RUTH BANCROFT GARDEN One of America's finest private gardens, the Ruth Bancroft Garden displays 2,000 specimens from around the world that thrive in an arid climate. Included are African and Mexican succulents, New World cacti, Australian and Chilean trees, and shrubs from California. 

DOCENT TOUR SCHEDULE -- ongoing. 10 a.m. Saturdays. Docent-led tours last approximately an hour and a half. Plant sales follow the tour. By reservation only. $7; free children under age 12.  

SELF-GUIDED TOURS -- ongoing. 9:30 a.m.-noon Mon. - Thurs.; 9:30 a.m. Fri.; 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sat.; 5 p.m. Sunday. Self-guided tours last two hours. No reservations required for weekday tours; reservations required for Friday and Saturday tours. Plant sales follow the tours. $7; free children under age 12.  

Gardens open only for tours and special events listed on the garden's telephone information line. 1500 Bancroft Road, Walnut Creek. (925) 210-9663, www.ruthbancroftgarden.org.< 

SHADELANDS RANCH HISTORICAL MUSEUM ongoing. Built by Walnut Creek pioneer Hiram Penniman, this 1903 redwoodframed house is a showcase for numerous historical artifacts, many of which belonged to the Pennimans. It also houses a rich archive of Contra Costa and Walnut Creek history in its collections of old newspapers, photographs and government records. 

$1-$3; free-children under age 6. Wednesday and Sunday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.; Closed in January. 2660 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek. (925) 935-7871, www.ci.walnut-creek.ca.us.< 

SULPHUR CREEK NATURE CENTER A wildlife rehabilitation and education facility where injured and orphaned local wild creatures are rehabilitated and released when possible. There is also a lending library of animals such as guinea pigs, rats, mice and more. The lending fee is $8 per week. "Toddler Time," ongoing. Learn about animals by listening to stories and exploring. Themes vary by month. Call for schedule. $7 per family.  

"Day on the Green Animal Presentations," ongoing. Meet an assortment of wild and domestic animals. Wildlife volunteers will present a different animal each day from possums to snakes, tortoises to hawks. Saturday and Sunday, 2:30 p.m. 

CHILDREN'S EVENTS -- ongoing.  

Free. Park: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Discovery Center: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Animal Lending Library: Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Wildlife Rehabilitation Center: daily, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 1801 D St., Hayward. (510) 881-6747, www.haywardrec.org/sulphur_creek.html.< 

USS HORNET MUSEUM ongoing. Come aboard this World War II aircraft carrier that has been converted into a floating museum. The Hornet, launched in 1943, is 899 feet long and 27 stories high. During World War II she was never hit by an enemy strike or plane and holds the Navy record for number of enemy planes shot down in a week. In 1969 the Hornet recovered the Apollo 11 space capsule containing the first men to walk on the moon, and later recovered Apollo 12. In 1991 the Hornet was designated a National Historic Landmark and is now docked at the same pier she sailed from in 1944. Today, visitors can tour the massive ship, view World War II-era warplanes and experience a simulated aircraft launch from the carrier's deck. Exhibits are being added on an ongoing basis. Allow two to three hours for a visit. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to climb steep stairs or ladders. Dress in layers as the ship can be cold. Arrive no later than 2 p.m. to sign up for the engine room and other docent-led tours. Children under age 12 are not allowed in the Engine Room or the Combat Information Center. "Limited Access Day," ongoing. Due to ship maintenance, tours of the navigation bridge and the engine room are not available. Tuesdays.  

"Flight Deck Fun," ongoing. A former Landing Signal Officer will show children how to bring in a fighter plane for a landing on the deck then let them try the signals themselves. Times vary. Free with regular Museum admission.  

"Protestant Divine Services," ongoing. Hornet chaplain John Berger conducts church services aboard The Hornet in the Wardroom Lounge. Everyone is welcome and refreshments are served immediately following the service. Sundays, 11 a.m.Closed on New Year's Day. 

"Family Day," ongoing. Discounted admission for families of four with a further discount for additional family members. Access to some of the areas may be limited due to ship maintenance. Every Tuesday. $20 for family of four; $5 for each additional family member. 

"History Mystery After Hours Tour," ongoing. 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Explore the USS Hornet after hours and learn the history of this ship while it is illuminated in red lights used for "night ops." Also, hear stories about the ships' legendary haunts. Reservations required. (510) 521-8448 X282. 

"Flashlight Tour," ongoing. 8:30 a.m. Receive a special tour of areas aboard the ship that have not yet been opened to the public or that have limited access during the day. $30-$35 per person. 

$6-$14; free children age 4 and under with a paying adult. Daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Pier 3 (enter on Atlantic Avenue), Alameda Point, Alameda. (510) 521-8448, www.uss-hornet.org.< 

WATERWORLD CALIFORNA ongoing. ` 

$19.95-$31.95 General Admission; Season pass: $39.99-$59.99. Park closes in October and reopens in May. 1950 Waterworld Parkway,, Concord. (925) 609-1364, www.waterworldcalifornia.com.<

ASIAN ART MUSEUM OF SAN FRANCISCO The Asian Art Museum-Chon-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture recently unveiled its new building in San Francisco's Civic Center. The building, the former San Francisco Public Library, has been completely retrofitted and rebuilt to house San Francisco's significant collection of Asian treasures. The museum offers complimentary audio tours of the museum's collection galleries. "In a New Light," ongoing. There are some 2,500 works displayed in the museum's new galleries. They cover all the major cultures of Asia and include Indian stone sculptures, intricately carved Chinese jades, Korean paintings, Tibetan thanksgas, Cambodian Buddhas, Islamic manuscripts and Japanese basketry and kimonos.  

ONGOING FAMILY PROGRAMS --  

Storytelling, Sundays and the first Saturday of every month, 1 p.m. This event is for children of all ages to enjoy a re-telling of Asian myths and folktales in the galleries. Meet at the Information Desk on the Ground Floor. Free with general admission.  

"Target Tuesday Family Program," first Tuesday of every month. Free with general admission.  

"Family Art Encounter," first Saturday of every month, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Drop in to make art related to the museum's collection. Children must be accompanied by an adult. In the Education Studios. Free with admission.  

DOCENT-LED ART TOURS -- The museum's docents offer two types of tours: a general introduction to the museum's collection and a highlight tour of specific areas of the collection. Free with museum admission.  

ARCHITECTURAL GUIDES -- Tuesday through Sunday at noon and 2:30 p.m., Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Learn about the former Main Library's transformation into the Asian Art Museum on this 40-minute tour. Free with museum admission.  

RESOURCE CENTER -- Tuesday through Sunday, 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Watch a video, or learn more about Asian art with slide packets, activity kits and books. Free with museum admission.Ongoing. Free with general admission unless otherwise noted.  

$7-$12; free children under age 12; $5 Thursday after 5 p.m.; free to all first Sunday of each month. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. 200 Larkin St., San Francisco. (415) 581-3500, www.asianart.org.< 

BEAT MUSEUM Formerly located on the California coast in Monterey, the Beat Museum now sits in historic North Beach. The Museum uses letters, magazines, pictures, first editions and more to explore the lives of leading beat figures such as Jack Kerouac, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg, Neal Cassady and many others. A gift shop and bookstore are open to the public free of charge."North Beach Walking Tour,", ongoing. A 90-minute walking tour of North Beach with Beat Museum curator Jerry Cimimo. See the bars, coffeehouses, homes, and other Beat-related highlights of North Beach. Call for info. $15.Ongoing.  

$4-$5. Monday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. CLOSED MONDAY. 540 Broadway, San Francisco. (800) KER-OUAC, www.kerouac.com.< 

CABLE CAR MUSEUM The museum is located in the historic Cable Car Barn and Powerhouse. Visitors can see the actual cable winding machinery, grips, track, cable and brakes, as well as three historic cable cars, photo displays and mechanical artifacts. The best way to get to this museum is by cable car; street parking is practically non-existent.Ongoing.  

Free. April 1-Sept. 30: daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 1-March 31, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 1201 Mason St., San Francisco. (415) 474-1887, www.cablecarmuseum.org.< 

CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES  

"Nightlife," ongoing. 6 p.m. Thursdays. Every Thursday night, the Academy transforms into a lively venue filled with provocative science, music, mingling and cocktails, as visitors get a chance to explore the museum.  

"Where the Land Meets the Sea," ongoing. Exhibition features sculpture by Maya Lin.  

BENJAMIN DEAN LECTURE SERIES -- Ongoing.  

$14.95-$24.95. Daily, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. (415) 379-8000, www.calacademy.org.< 

CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY  

HISTORY WALKABOUTS -- Ongoing. A series of monthly walking tours that explore the history, lore and architecture of California with veteran tour guide Gary Holloway. Walks take place rain or shine so dress for the weather. Reservations and prepayment required. Meeting place will be given with confirmation of tour reservation. Tour price includes admission to the Museum.  

MUSEUM -- Ongoing. The museum's permanent collection is made up of the Fine Arts Collection, consisting of 5,000 works of art that represent the history of California from pre-Gold Rush days to the early decade of the 20th century; and The Photography Collection, containing nearly a halfmillion images in an array of photographic formats documenting the history of California in both the 19th and 20th centuries. The Library and Research Collection contain material relating to the history of California and the West from early exploration time to the present including texts, maps, and manuscripts.  

"Landscape and Vision: Early California Painters from the Collections of the California Historical Society," open-ended. An exhibit of oil paintings including a large number of early landscapes of California, from the museum's collection.  

"Think California," through Feb. 5, Wed.-Sat. noon-4:30 p.m. An exhibition highlighting the colorful history of California through the institution's remarkable collection of artwork, artifacts and ephemera. Themes include: Coming to California, Scenic Splendors, Earthquakes, Floods and Volcanoes, and more. $1-$3; members are always free. 

"Think California," through Feb. 5. Exhibition features artworks, artifacts and ephemera exploring California's colorful history.  

$1-$3; free children under age 5. Wednesday-Saturday, noon-4:30 p.m. 678 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 357-1848 X229, www.californiahistoricalsociety.org.< 

CHINESE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA The CHSA Museum and Learning Center features a permanent exhibition, "The Chinese of America: Toward a More Perfect Union'' in its Main Gallery, and works by Chinese-American visual artists in its Rotating Galleries. "Leaders of the Band," ongoing. An exhibition of the history and development of the Cathay Club Marching Band, the first Chinese American band formed in 1911.Ongoing.  

$1-$3; free children ages 5 and under; free for all visitors first Thursday of every month. Tuesday-Friday, noon-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, noon-4 p.m. 965 Clay St., San Francisco. (415) 391-1188, www.chsa.org.< 

DE YOUNG MUSEUM The art museum has now reopened in a new facility designed by Swiss architecture firm Herzog and de Meuron and Fong and Chan Architects in San Francisco. It features significant collections of American art from the 17th through the 20th centuries; modern and contemporary art; art from Central and South America, the Pacific and Africa; and an important and diverse collection of textiles. 

"Van Gough, Gauguin, Cezanne and Beyond: Post-Impressionist Masterpieces from the Musee d'Orsay," ongoing. Exhibit open through Jan. 18, 2011.  

LECTURES AND SYMPOSIA -- Ongoing.  

$6-$10; free for children ages 12 and under; free for all visitors the first Tuesday of every month. Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday-Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-5:15 p.m.; Friday, 9:30 a.m.-8:45 p.m. Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco. (415) 863-3330, www.deyoungmuseum.org.< 

GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM The museum is a project of the GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender) Historical Society.Ongoing.  

EXHIBITS Ongoing.  

$2-$4. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. 657 Mission St., Suite 300, San Francisco. (415) 777-5455, www.glbthistory.org.< 

INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM OF WOMEN Ongoing.  

101 Howard Street, Suite 480, San Francisco. (415) 543-4669, www.imow.org/home/index.< 

LEGION OF HONOR MUSEUM DOCENT TOUR PROGRAMS -- Tours of the permanent collections and special exhibitions are offered Tuesday through Sunday. Non-English language tours (Italian, French, Spanish and Russian) are available on different Saturdays of the month at 11:30 a.m. Free with regular museum admission. (415) 750-3638.  

ONGOING CHILDREN'S PROGRAM --  

"Doing and Viewing Art," ongoing. For ages 7 to 12. Docent-led tours of current exhibitions are followed by studio workshops taught by professional artists/teachers. Students learn about art by seeing and making it. Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to noon; call to confirm class. Free with museum admission. (415) 750-3658. 

ORGAN CONCERTS -- Ongoing. 4 p.m. A weekly concert of organ music on the Legion's restored 1924 Skinner organ. Saturday and Sunday in the Rodin Gallery. Free with museum admission. (415) 750-3624. 

$6-$10; free for children ages 12 and under; free for all visitors on Tuesdays. Tuesday-Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Lincoln Park, 34th Avenue and Clement Street, San Francisco. (415) 750-3600, (415) 750-3636, www.legionofhonor.org.< 

MARKET STREET RAILWAY MUSEUM ongoing. The museum will permanently display a variety of artifacts telling the story of San Francisco's transportation history, including dash signs, fare boxes, a famed Wiley "birdcage'' traffic signal and more. 

Free. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 77 Steuart St., San Francisco. (415) 956-0472, www.streetcar.org.< 

MEXICAN MUSEUM ongoing.  

THE MEXICAN MUSEUM GALLERIES AT FORT MASON CENTER ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED --  

The Mexican Museum holds a unique collection of 12,000 objects representing thousands of years of Mexican history and culture within the Americas. The permanent collection, the Museum's most important asset and resource, includes five collecting areas: Pre-Conquest, Colonial, Popular, Modern and Contemporary Mexican and Latino, and Chicano Art. The Museum also has a collection of rare books and a growing collection of Latin American art. 

Fort Mason Center, Building D, Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. (415) 202-9700, www.mexicanmuseum.org.< 

MUSEO ITALOAMERICANO ongoing. The museum, dedicated to the exhibition of art works by Italian and Italian-American artists, has a small permanent collection of paintings, sculptures, photographs and works on paper by such renowned artists as Beniamino Buffano, Sandro Chia, Giorgio de Chirico and Arnaldo Pomodoro.  

DOCENT TOURS -- Wednesdays, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Free. 

$2-$3; free children under age 12; free to all first Wednesday of the month. Wednesday-Sunday, noon -4 p.m.; first Wednesday of the month, noon-7 p.m. Fort Mason Center, Building C, Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. (415) 673-2200, www.museoitaloamericano.org.< 

MUSEUM OF ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS AT SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY Ongoing.  

Free. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Humanities Building, Room 510, SFSU, Font Boulevard and Tapia Drive, San Francisco. (415) 405-0599, www.sfsu.edu/~museumst/.< 

MUSEUM OF PERFORMANCE AND DESIGN Ongoing.  

Free. Wednesday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Veterans Building, 401 Van Ness Avenue at McAllister, 4th Floor, San Francisco. (415) 255-4800, www.mpdsf.org.< 

MUSEUM OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA A new museum exploring and celebrating the influence of the African Diaspora on global art and culture through interactive, permanent and changing exhibits and special programs. The museum occupies the first three floors of the new St. Regis Hotel at Third and Mission streets.  

PERMANENT EXHIBITS --  

"Celebrations: Rituals and Ceremonies," "Music of the Diaspora,'' "Culinary Traditions,'' 'Adornment,'' "Slavery Passages,'' and "The Freedom Theater.''Ongoing.  

"Urban Kidz Film Series," ongoing. Noon-3 p.m. An offshoot of the San Francisco Black Film Festival, featuring a striking assemblage of short and feature films designed to spark the imaginations of the 5-to-12-year-old set. $10 adults; children free. (415) 771-9271.Ongoing.  

$5-$8; free children age 12 and under. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; CLOSED MARCH 13 THROUGH MARCH 21. 685 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 358-7200, www.moadsf.org.< 

NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM LIBRARY (THE J. PORTER SHAW MARITIME LIBRARY) ongoing. Closed on federal holidays. The library, part of the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park, focuses on sail and steam ships on the West Coast and the Pacific Basin from 1520 to the present. The museum library holdings include a premiere collection of maritime history: books, magazines, oral histories, ships' plans and the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park's 250,000 photographs. 

Free. By appointment only, Monday-Friday, 1-4 p.m., and the third Saturday of each month 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Fort Mason Center, Building E, Third Floor, Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. (415) 560-7080, (415) 560-7030, www.nps.gov/safr.< 

PACIFIC HERITAGE MUSEUM ongoing. The museum presents rotating exhibits highlighting historical, artistic, cultural and economic achievements from both sides of the Pacific Rim. The museum features a permanent display documenting the history and significance of the Branch Mint and Subtreasury buildings. 

Free. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 608 Commercial St., San Francisco. (415) 399-1124.< 

RANDALL MUSEUM "Earthquake Exhibit," ongoing. Learn about plate tectonics. Make a small quake by jumping on the floor to make a "floor quake'' that registers on the seismometer in the lobby. See the basement seismometer that registers quakes around the world. Walk through a full-size earthquake refugee shack that was used to house San Franciscans after the 1906 earthquake that destroyed so many homes.  

"Creativity and Discovery Hand in Hand," ongoing. A photography exhibit that gives visitors a look into the wide variety of programs the Museum offers in the way of classes, workshops, school field trips, and special interest clubs.  

"Toddler Treehouse," ongoing. Toddlers may comfortably climb the carpeted "treehouse'' and make a myriad of discoveries, from the roots to the limbs.  

"Live Animal Exhibit," ongoing. Visit with more than 100 creatures including small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, raptors and small birds, insects, spiders and tide pool creatures. "Saturdays Are Special at the Museum," ongoing. Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A series of drop-in ceramics and art and science workshops. All ages are welcome, though an adult must accompany children under age 8. $3 per child, $5 per parent-child combination.  

"Bufano Sculpture Tours," first and third Saturdays of the month, 10:15 a.m. A tour of the giant animal sculptures of Beniamino Bufano. The sculptures were carved out of stone in the 1930s and include a giant cat and a mother bear nursing her cubs.  

"Animal Room," ongoing. Visit some of the animals that live at the museum, including reptiles, raptors, tide pool creatures and small mammals.  

"Meet the Animals" Saturdays, 11:15 a.m. to noon. See the Randall's animals close-up and in person.  

"Animal Feeding," Saturdays, noon. Watch the animals take their meals.  

"Golden Gate Model Railroad Exhibit," Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

DROP-IN ART AND SCIENCE WORKSHOPS -- Ongoing. 1-4 p.m.  

$3-$5. "Meet the Animals," ongoing. 11:15 a.m.-noon. 

"Golden Gate Model Railroad Exhibit," ongoing. Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 

"Drop-in Family Ceramics Workshop," ongoing. Saturday, 10:15-11:15 a.m. $5. 

"Drop-in Family Ceramics Workshop," ongoing. Saturday, 1:15-2:15 p.m. 

"Film Series for Teenagers," ongoing. Fridays, 7 p.m. 

"Animal Feeding," ongoing. Saturday, noon. 

"Meet the Animals," ongoing. Saturdays, 11:15 a.m. Learn about the animals that live at the Randall Museum. 

"Third Friday Birders," ongoing. 8 a.m. The hike through Corona Heights Park allows participants to enjoy the early morning views and learn more about the feathered inhabitants of the area. Children aged 10 and older if accompanied by adult. 

Free. All ages welcome; an adult must accompany children under age 8. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; CLOSED ON CHRISTMAS. 199 Museum Way, San Francisco. (415) 554-9600, www.randallmuseum.org.< 

SAN FRANCISCO CABLE CAR MUSEUM ongoing. The museum is located in the historic Cable Car Barn and Powerhouse. Visitors can see the actual cable winding machinery, grips, track, cable and brakes, as well as three historic cable cars, photo displays and mechanical artifacts. The best way to get to this museum is by cable car; street parking is practically non-existent. 

Free. October 1-March 31: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Daily; Closed on New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving and Christmas. 1201 Mason St., San Francisco. (415) 474-1887, www.cablecarmuseum.com.< 

SAN FRANCISCO MARITIME NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK One of only a few "floating'' national parks, the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park includes four national landmark ships, a maritime museum, a maritime library and a World-War-II submarine named the USS Pampanito.  

HYDE STREET PIER -- Demonstrations, ship tours, programs, music and special events offered throughout the day. Check ticket booth for schedule. At the foot of Hyde Street, Hyde and Jefferson streets.  

Entering the Pier is free but there is a fee to board the ships.  

HISTORIC SHIPS AT THE HYDE STREET PIER -- The historic ships at the Pier are the 1886 square-rigger "Balclutha,'' the 1890 steam ferryboat "Eureka,'' the 1895 schooner "C.A. Thayer'' (not available at this time due to restoration), the 1891 scow schooner "Alma,'' the 1907 steam tug "Hercules,'' and the 1914 "Eppleton Hall,'' a paddlewheel tug.  

"Balclutha." This historic ship, a three-mast square-rigger, has undergone extensive repairs and preservation work. She now contains more original materials and fittings than any other historic merchant square-rigger in the United States. The Balclutha is a designated National Historic Landmark. At Hyde Street Pier.  

"Eureka." Explore this 1890 ferryboat with a 40-foot walking-beam engine. The boat once carried passengers and autos across the San Francisco Bay. At Hyde Street Pier. Daily, call for times of boat tour.  

"C.A. Thayer." A three-mast schooner used in the lumber and cod fishing trades. At Hyde Street Pier.  

"Alma." Between 1850 and the early 1900s, the best highways around the San Francisco Bay area were the waterways and the delivery trucks and tractortrailer rigs of the time were the flat-bottomed scow schooners. Able to navigate the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta region's shallow creeks, sloughs and channels, the scows' sturdy hulls could rest safely and securely on the bottom providing a flat, stable platform for loading and unloading. Made of inexpensive Douglas fir, scow's designs were so simple they could be built by eye or without plans.  

"Hercules." Tugs in the early part of the 20th century towed barges, sailing ships and log rafts between Pacific ports. Because prevailing north/west winds generally made travel up the coast by sail both difficult and circuitous, tugs often towed large sailing vessels to points north of San Francisco. In 1916 Hercules towed the C.A. Thayer to Port Townsend, Wash., taking six days to make the trip. At the end of the sail era, the Hercules was acquired by the Western Pacific Railroad Company and shuttled railroad car barges back and forth across San Francisco Bay until 1962.  

"Eppleton Hall." Built in England, the steam side-wheeler plied the Wear and Tyne rivers of Northeast England. Designed to tow ocean-going colliers (coal-carrying sail vessels) the tugs saved transit time getting the sail vessels upriver to load. The side-wheelers were also used to tow newly built ships out to sea. From 1969 to 1979, the Eppleton Hall served as a private yacht. She was modified for an epic steam via the Panama Canal to San Francisco, passing through the Golden Gate in March of 1970.  

HISTORIC SHIP AT FISHERMAN'S WHARF --  

"USS Pampanito." This World-War-II-era submarine is berthed at Fisherman's Wharf. The submarine celebrated her 50th anniversary in November of 1993 and is perhaps best known for her participation in a "wolf pack'' attack on a convoy of enemy ships during World War II. The entrance fee includes a taped audio tour that describes what life on this submarine was like. At Pier 45, near foot of Taylor Street. Monday through Thursday, Sunday and holidays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. $9 general; $5 seniors, $4 active duty military, $4 youth ages 6 to 12; free children under age 6. (415) 775-1943. "Historic Ship Volunteer Work Party," Saturday, 9 a.m. Become part of an effort to preserve four of the park's nautical treasures. Work on a different ship each Saturday. Bring work clothes, work shoes and lunch. Call for meeting place. (415) 332-8409.  

Unless noted otherwise, events take place on the Hyde Street Pier, located at the foot of Hyde Street on Jefferson Street.Ongoing. Current Exhibits at the Visitor Center:  

"What's Your Pleasure? Recreational Boats of California's Past," openended. This exhibit includes 1940s Sacramento Hydroplanes, a Russian River launch from the 19th century, classic wooden motor launches and motor boats, and other smaller crafts.  

"Hydroplanes and Racing Boats," open-ended. A small exhibit showcasing 1930s racing engines and hydroplane boats.  

"Frisco Bound," an exhibition about immigration to San Francisco, clipper ships, and the Gold Rush era.  

"Hyde Street Ship Models," an exhibit of models of the historic ships at the Hyde Street Pier.  

"Discovery Room," a preview of the Maritime Library where visitors can look up documents and photographs.  

(415) 447-5000.Ongoing.  

"Adventures at Sea: Life Aboard a 19th century Sailing Ship," ongoing. Daily, 2:15 p.m.-3 p.m. Take a guided tour of the sailing ship Balclutha and learn about the hardships and awards of the sailors show fought for survival during the treacherous Cape Horn passage. Vessel admission. 

"Historic Waterfront Walking Tour," ongoing. 10:30-11:30 a.m. Park Rangerled, hour long tour of San Francisco's northern waterfront. Tour takes place on various days throughout December; see website for full details. Free. 

"Chantey Sing," ongoing. 8 p.m.-12 a.m. Monthly sing-a-long aboard a historic ship. Bring a mug for hot apple cider served from the ship's galley. Free; reservations required. Reservation line: (415) 561-7171. 

"HERCULES Engineering Tour," Feb. 6, 3-3:45 p.m. Explore the major engineering spaces and learn about steam engine technology and its effects on the working environment of the marine steam engineer. $5; under 16 free. 

"Animals of Hyde Street Pier," Feb. 7 and Feb. 21, 1:30-2 p.m. Experience the sea life of Hyde Street Pier. Free. 

VISITOR CENTER -- Ongoing. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Daily  

Entering the Pier is free but there is a fee to board the ships. The fee allows access to all ships and is good for seven days. $5; free children under age 16. May 28-Sept. 30: daily, 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; Oct. 1-May 27: Daily, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Foot of Hyde Street, San Francisco. (415) 561-7100, www.nps.gov.< 

SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF CRAFT AND DESIGN A museum celebrating and promoting the art of contemporary craft and design. The museum showcases diverse exhibitions from regional, national and international artists, working in mediums such as wood, clay, fiber, metal and glass.Ongoing. TEMPORARILY CLOSED.  

$2-$4; free youths under age 18. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 550 Sutter St., San Francisco. (415) 773-0303, www.sfmcd.org.< 

SAN FRANCISCO PERFORMING ARTS LIBRARY AND MUSEUM ongoing. "Dance in California: 150 Years of Innovation," ongoing. This permanent exhibit traces the history and artistic range of modern dance in California, with photographs and documents highlighting the achievements of Lola Montez, Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, Martha Graham, the Christensen brothers, the Peters Wright School, the company of Lester Horton, Anna Halprin and Lucas Hoving.  

"Maestro! Photographic Portraits by Tom Zimberoff," ongoing. This permanent exhibit is a comprehensive study of a generation of national and international conductors. In Gallery 5.  

"San Francisco 1900: On Stage," ongoing. In Gallery 4.  

"San Francisco in Song," ongoing. In Gallery 3. 

Free. Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 1-5 p.m. San Francisco War Memorial Veteran's Building, 401 Van Ness Ave., Fourth Floor, San Francisco. (415) 255-4800, www.sfpalm.org.< 

SEYMOUR PIONEER MUSEUM ongoing. The museum, owned by The Society of California Pioneers, houses a permanent research library, art gallery and history museum. Exhibits include a photography collection documenting California history. 

$1-$3. Wednesday-Friday and the first Saturday of the month, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Society of California Pioneers, 300 Fourth St., San Francisco. (415) 957-1859, www.californiapioneers.org.< 

TREGANZA ANTHROPOLOGY MUSEUM AT SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY ongoing. The museum, founded in 1968, houses collections of archaeological and ethnographic specimens from Africa, Oceania, Asia, and North America as well as small collections from Central and South America. There are also collections of photographs, tapes and phonograph records from Africa and Europe. In addition, there is an archive of field notes and other materials associated with the collections. The museum also houses the Hohenthal Gallery that is used for traveling exhibits as well as exhibits mounted by students and faculty. 

Free. Museum office: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-noon and 1 p.m.-4 p.m.; Hohenthal Gallery, SCI 388: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Science Building, SFSU, 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco. (415) 338-2467, www.sfsu.edu/~treganza/.< 

ZEUM Zeum is a technology and arts museum for children and families featuring exhibits and workshops that cover a variety of fascinating subjects.Ongoing.  

$8-$10. 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday. 221 Fourth St., San Francisco. (415) 820-3220, www.zeum.org.<

ARDENWOOD HISTORIC FARM Ardenwood farm is a working farm that dates back to the time of the Patterson Ranch, a 19th-century estate with a mansion and Victorian Gardens. Today, the farm still practices farming techniques from the 1870s. Unless otherwise noted, programs are free with regular admission.  

ONGOING PROGRAMS --  

"Blacksmithing," Thursday, Friday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Watch a blacksmith turn iron into useful tools.  

"Horse-Drawn Train," Thursday, Friday and Sunday. A 20-minute ride departs from Ardenwood Station and Deer Park.  

"Animal Feeding," Thursday-Sunday, 3-4 p.m. Help slop the hogs, check the henhouse for eggs and bring hay to the livestock.  

"Victorian Flower Arranging," Thursday, 10:15-11:30 a.m. Watch as Ardenwood docents create floral works of art for display in the Patterson House. "Horse-Drawn Train Rides," ongoing. Thursday, Friday and Sunday, 10:15 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Meet Jigs or Tucker the Belgian Draft horses that pull Ardenwood's train. Check the daily schedule and meet the train at Ardenwood Station or Deer Park. 

"Country Kitchen Cookin'," ongoing. Sundays, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Enjoy the flavor of the past with treats cooked on Ardenwood's wood burning stove. Sample food grown on the farm and discover the history of your favorite oldtime snacks. 

"Animal Feeding," ongoing. Thursday-Sunday, 3 p.m. Feed the pigs, check for eggs and bring hay to the livestock. 

"Toddler Time," ongoing. Tuesdays, 11-11:30 a.m. Bring the tiny tots out for an exciting morning at the farm. Meet and learn all about a new animal friend through stories, chores and fun.  

"Potato Harvesting," ongoing. Learn the spectacular history of this New World native as you dig with your spade and help find the spuds. 

$1-$5; free children under age 4. Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont. (510) 796-0199, (510) 796-0663, www.ebparks.org.< 

BAY AREA RAIL TRAILS ongoing. A network of trails converted from unused railway corridors and developed by the Rails to Trails Conservancy.  

BLACK DIAMOND MINES REGIONAL PRESERVE RAILROAD BED TRAIL -- Ongoing. This easy one mile long rail trail on Mount Diablo leads to many historic sites within the preserve. Suitable for walking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. Accessible year round but may be muddy during the rainy season. Enter from the Park Entrance Station parking lot on the East side of Somersville Road, Antioch.  

IRON HORSE REGIONAL TRAIL -- Ongoing. The paved trail has grown into a 23 mile path between Concord and San Ramon with a link into Dublin. The trail runs from the north end of Monument Boulevard at Mohr Lane, east to Interstate 680, in Concord through Walnut Creek to just south of Village Green Park in San Ramon. It will eventually extend from Suisun Bay to Pleasanton and has been nominated as a Community Millennium Trail under the U.S. Millennium Trails program. A smooth shaded trail suitable for walkers, cyclists, skaters and strollers. It is also wheelchair accessible. Difficulty: easy to moderate in small chunks; hard if taken as a whole.  

LAFAYETTE/MORAGA REGIONAL TRAIL -- Ongoing. A 7.65 mile paved trail converted from the Sacramento Northern Rail line. This 20-year old trail goes along Las Trampas Creek and parallels St. Mary's Road. Suitable for walkers, equestrians, and cyclists. Runs from Olympic Boulevard and Pleasant Hill Road in Lafayette to Moraga. The trail can be used year round.  

OHLONE GREENWAY -- Ongoing. A 3.75-mile paved trail converted from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railway. Suitable for walkers, strollers and skaters. It is also wheelchair accessible. The trail runs under elevated BART tracks from Conlon and Key Streets in El Cerrito to Virginia and Acton Streets in Berkeley.  

SHEPHERD CANYON TRAIL -- Ongoing. An easy 3-mile paved trail converted from the Sacramento Northern Rail Line. The tree-lined trail is gently sloping and generally follows Shepherd Canyon Road. Suitable for walkers and cyclists. It is also wheelchair accessible. Begins in Montclair Village behind McCaulou's Department Store on Medau Place and ends at Paso Robles Drive, Oakland. Useable year round. 

Free. (415) 397-2220, www.traillink.com.< 

BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL ongoing. The Bay Area Ridge Trail, when completed, will be a 400-mile regional trail system that will form a loop around the entire San Francisco Bay region, linking 75 public parks and open spaces to thousands of people and hundreds of communities. Hikes on portions of the trail are available through the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council. Call for meeting sites. ALAMEDA COUNTY -- "Lake Chabot Bike Rides." These rides are for strong beginners and intermediates to build skill, strength and endurance at a non hammerhead pace. No one will be dropped. Reservations required. Distance: 14 miles. Elevation gain: 1,000 feet. Difficulty: beginner to intermediate. Pace: moderate. Meeting place: Lake Chabot Road at the main entrance to the park. Thursday, 6:15 a.m. (510) 468-3582.  

ALAMEDA-CONTRA COSTA COUNTY -- "Tilden and Wildcat Bike Rides." A vigorous ride through Tilden and Wildcat Canyon regional parks. Reservations required. Distance: 15 miles. Elevation gain: 2,000 feet. Difficulty: intermediate. Pace: fast. Meeting place: in front of the North Berkeley BART Station. Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. (510) 849-9650. 

Free. (415) 561-2595, www.ridgetrail.org.< 

BICYCLE TRAILS COUNCIL OF THE EAST BAY ongoing. The Council sponsors trail work days, Youth Bike Adventure Rides, and Group Rides as well as Mountain Bike Basics classes which cover training and handling skills. "Weekly Wednesday Ride at Lake Chabot," ongoing. Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. A 13- to 20-mile ride exploring the trails around Lake Chabot, with 1,500 to 2,000 feet of climbing. Meet at 6:15 p.m. in the parking lot across from the public safety offices at Lake Chabot in Castro Valley. Reservations requested. (510) 727-0613.  

"Weekly Wednesday 'Outer' East Bay Ride," ongoing. Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. Ride some of the outer East Bay parks each week, such as Wild Cat Canyon, Briones, Mount Diablo, Tilden and Joaquin Miller-Redwood. Meeting place and ride location vary. Reservations required. (510) 888-9757. 

Free. (510) 466-5123, www.btceb.org.< 

BOTANIC GARDEN Ongoing.  

Intersection of Wildcat Canyon Road and South Park Drive, Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley. www.ebparks.org.< 

CRAB COVE VISITOR CENTER At Crab Cove, you can see live underwater creatures and go into the San Francisco Bay from land. You can also travel back in time to Alameda's part. The goal is to increase understanding of the environmental importance of San Francisco Bay and the ocean ecosystem. Crab Cove's Indoor Aquarium and Exhibit Lab is one of the largest indoor aquariums in the East Bay."Catch of the Day," ongoing. Sundays, 2-3 p.m. Drop by to find out more about the Bay and its wildlife through guided exploration and hands-on fun. 

"Sea Squirts," ongoing. 10-11:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Discover the wonders of nature with your little one. Registration is required. $6-$8. 

"Sea Siblings," ongoing. Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Explore the natural world and take part in a theme related craft. Designed for the 3-5 year old learner. Registration is required.  

$4. (888) 327-2757. 

Free unless otherwise noted; parking fee may be charged. 1252 McKay Ave., Alameda. (510) 521-6887, www.ebparks.org.< 

DUNSMUIR HOUSE AND GARDENS HISTORIC ESTATE ongoing. Nestled in the Oakland hills, the 50-acre Dunsmuir House and Gardens estate includes the 37-room Neoclassical Revival Dunsmuir Mansion, built by coal and lumber baron Alexander Dunsmuir for his bride. Restored outbuildings set amid landscaped gardens surround the mansion.  

ESTATE GROUNDS -- Ongoing. Self-Guided Grounds Tours are available yearround. The 50 acres of gardens and grounds at the mansion are open to the public for walking Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Booklets and maps of the grounds are available at the Dinkelspiel House. Free.  

GUIDED TOURS -- Docent-led tours are available on the first Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. (except for July) and Wednesdays at 11 a.m. $5 adults, $4 seniors and juniors (11-16), children 11 and under free. 

Dunsmuir House and Gardens, 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland. (510) 615-5555, www.dunsmuir.org.< 

FIFTY-PLUS ADVENTURE WALKS AND RUNS ongoing. The walks and runs are 3-mile round-trips, lasting about one hour on the trail. All levels of ability are welcome. The walks are brisk, however, and may include some uphill terrain. Events are held rain or shine and on all holidays except Christmas and the Fifty-Plus Annual Fitness Weekend. Call for dates, times and details. 

Free. (650) 323-6160, www.50plus.org.< 

FOREST HOME FARMS ongoing. The 16-acre former farm of the Boone family is now a municipal historic park in San Ramon. It is located at the base of the East Bay Hills and is divided into two parts by Oak Creek. The Boone House is a 22-room Dutch colonial that has been remodeled several times since it was built in 1900. Also on the property are a barn built in the period from 1850 to 1860; the Victorian-style David Glass House, dating from the late 1860s to early 1870s; a storage structure for farm equipment and automobiles; and a walnut processing plant. 

Free unless otherwise noted. Public tours available by appointment. 19953 San Ramon Valley Blvd., San Ramon. (925) 973-3281, www.ci.sanramon. ca.us/parks/boone.htm.< 

GARIN AND DRY CREEK PIONEER REGIONAL PARKS ongoing. Independent nature study is encouraged here, and guided interpretive programs are available through the Coyote Hills Regional Park Visitor Center in Fremont. The Garin Barn Visitor Center is open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. In late summer, the Garin Apple Festival celebrates Garin's apple orchards. The parks also allow picnicking, hiking, horseback riding and fishing. 

Free; $5 parking fee per vehicle; $2 per dog. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. 1320 Garin Ave., Hayward. (510) 562-PARK, (510) 795-9385, www.ebparks.org/parks/garin.htm.< 

GREENBELT ALLIANCE OUTINGS A series of hikes, bike rides and events sponsored by Greenbelt Alliance, the Bay Area's non-profit land conservation and urban planning organization. Call for meeting places. Reservations required for all trips.  

ALAMEDA COUNTY --  

"Self-Guided Urban Outing: Berkeley," ongoing. This interactive smart growth walking tour of central Berkeley examines some of the exciting projects that help alleviate the housing shortage in the city as well as amenities important to making a livable community. The walk, which includes the GAIA Cultural Center, Allston Oak Court, The Berkeley Bike Station, University Terrace and Strawberry Creek Park, takes between an hour-and-ahalf to two hours at a leisurely pace. Download the itinerary which gives specific directions by entering www.greeenbelt.org and clicking on "get involved'' and then "urban outings.'' Drop down and click on Berkeley. Free. 

"Berkeley waterfalls and walkways," Feb. 13, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Visit the relatively unknown waterfalls and cascades of the Berkeley hills. 

Free unless otherwise noted. (415) 255-3233, www.greenbelt.org.< 

HAYWARD REGIONAL SHORELINE With 1,682 acres of salt, fresh and brackish water marshes, seasonal wetlands and the approximately three-mile San Lorenzo Trail, the Hayward Shoreline restoration project is one of the largest of its kind on the West Coast, comprising 400 acres of marshland. Part of the East Bay Regional Park District.Ongoing.  

Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. 3010 W. Winton Ave., Hayward. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org/parks/hayward.htm.< 

HAYWARD SHORELINE INTERPRETIVE CENTER Perched on stilts above a salt marsh, the Center offers an introduction to the San Francisco Bay-Estuary. It features exhibits, programs and activities designed to inspire a sense of appreciation, respect and stewardship for the Bay, its inhabitants and the services they provide. The Habitat Room offers a preview of what may be seen outside. The 80-gallon Bay Tank contains some of the fish that live in the Bay's open waters, and the Channel Tank represents habitats formed by the maze of sloughs and creeks that snake through the marsh. The main room of the Center features rotating exhibits about area history, plants and wildlife. Part of the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District. "Exploring Nature," ongoing. An exhibit of Shawn Gould's illustrations featuring images of the natural world.Ongoing.  

"Nature Detectives," ongoing. 11 a.m.-noon. An introduction and exploration of the world of Black-Crowned Night-Herons. Ages 3-5 and their caregivers. Registration required. 

"Weekend Weed Warriors," ongoing. 1-4 p.m. Help the shoreline to eliminate the non-native plants that threaten its diversity. Ages 12 and older. Registration required. 

"Waterfowl of the Freshwater Marsh," ongoing. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Join an expert birder to go "behind the gates'' to areas of the marsh that are not open to the public. 

Free. Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 4901 Breakwater Ave., Hayward. (510) 670-7270, www.hard.dst.ca.us/hayshore.html.< 

JOHN MUIR NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE The site preserves the 1882 Muir House, a 17-room Victorian mansion where naturalist John Muir lived from 1890 to his death in 1914. It was here that Muir wrote about preserving America's wilderness and helped create the national parks idea for the United States. The house is situated on a hill overlooking the City of Martinez and surrounded by nine acres of vineyards and orchards. Take a self-guided tour of this well-known Scottish naturalist's home. Also part of the site is the historic Martinez Adobe and Mount Wanda. Public Tours of the John Muir House, ongoing. Begin with an eight-minute park film and then take the tour. The film runs every 15 minutes throughout the day. Wednesday through Friday, 2 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.  

MOUNT WANDA -- The mountain consists of 325 acres of grass and oak woodland historically owned by the Muir family. It offers a nature trail and several fire trails for hiking. Open daily, sunrise to sunset. 

JOHN MUIR HOUSE, ongoing. Tours of this well-known Scottish naturalist's home are available. The house, built in 1882, is a 14-room Victorian home situated on a hill overlooking the city of Martinez and surrounded by nine acres of vineyards and orchards. It was here that Muir wrote about preserving America's wilderness and helped create the national parks idea for the United States. The park also includes the historic Vicente Martinez Adobe, built in 1849. An eight-minute film about Muir and the site is shown every 15 minutes throughout the day at the Visitor Center. Self guided tours of the Muir home, the surrounding orchards, and the Martinez Adobe: Wednesday-Sunday, 1 a.m.-5 p.m. Public tours or the first floor of the Muir home: Wednesday-Friday, 2 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Reservations not required except for large groups.  

$3 general; free children ages 16 and under. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 4202 Alhambra Ave., Martinez. (925) 228-8860, www.nps.gov/jomu.< 

KENNEDY GROVE REGIONAL RECREATION AREA ongoing. The 95-acre park contains picnic areas, horseshoe pits and volleyball courts among its grove of aromatic eucalyptus trees.  

$5 parking; $2 per dog except guide/service dogs Through September: daily, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. San Pablo Dam Road, El Sobrante. (510) 223-7840, www.ebparks.org.< 

LAKE CHABOT REGIONAL PARK ongoing. The 315-acre lake offers year-round recreation. Services include canoe and boat rental, horseshoe pits, hiking, bicycling, picnicking and seasonal tours aboard the Chabot Queen. For boat rentals, call (510) 247-2526. 

Free unless noted otherwise; $5 parking; $2 per dog except guide/service dogs. Daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. 17930 Lake Chabot Road, Castro Valley. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.< 

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

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

SPECIAL EVENTS Ongoing.  

$5-$7; free children under age 2. June 16-Sept. 15: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sun.; Sept. 16-June 15: noon.-5 p.m. Wed.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.< 

LIVERMORE AREA RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT ongoing.  

4444 East Ave., Livermore. (925) 373-5700, www.larpd.dst.ca.us/.< 

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. SHORELINE ongoing. This 1,200-acre park situated near Oakland International Airport offers picnic areas with barbecues and a boat launch ramp. Swimming is not allowed. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Grove, a group of trees surrounding a grassy glade, is at the intersection of Doolittle Drive and Swan Way. The area also includes the 50-acre Arrowhead Marsh (part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network) and a Roger Berry sculpture titled "Duplex Cone,'' which traces the summer and winter solstice paths of the sun through the sky. 

Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless otherwise posted Doolittle Drive and Swan Way, Oakland. (510) 562-PARK, Picnic reservations: (510) 636-1684, www.ebayparks.org.< 

MILLER-KNOX REGIONAL SHORELINE ongoing. A 295-acre shoreline picnic area with a secluded cove and swimming beach, and a hilltop offering panoramic views of the north Bay Area. 

Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless otherwise posted. 900 Dornan Dr., Richmond. (510) 562-PARK, Picnic Reservations: (510) 636-1684, www.ebparks.org.< 

MOUNT DIABLO STATE PARK ongoing. The 3,849-foot summit of Mount Diablo offers great views of the Bay Area and an extensive trail system. Visitors to the park can hike, bike, ride on horseback and camp. Notable park attractions include: The Fire Interpretive Trail, Rock City, Boy Scout Rocks and Sentinel Rock, Fossil Ridge, Deer Flat, Mitchell Canyon Staging Area, Diablo Valley Overlook, the Summit Visitor Center (open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), the Art Gallery, the Observation Deck and the Mitchell Canyon Interpretive Center. 

Free. $6 per vehicle park-entrance fee; $5 for seniors. Daily, 8 a.m. to sunset. Mount Diablo Scenic Boulevard, from the Diablo Road exit off Interstate Highway 680, Danville. (925) 837-2525, www.mdia.org or www.parks.ca.gov.< 

PLEASANTON RIDGE REGIONAL PARK ongoing. This 3,163-acre parkland is on the oak-covered ridge overlooking Pleasanton and the Livermore Valley from the west. A multi-purpose trail system accommodates hikers, equestrians and bicyclists. 

Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Foothill Road, Pleasanton. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.< 

POINT PINOLE REGIONAL SHORELINE ongoing. The 2,315-acre parkland bordering Pinole, Richmond and San Pablo offers views of Mount Tamalpais, the Marin shoreline and San Pablo Bay. There are trails through meadows and woods, and along the bluffs and beaches of San Pablo Bay. Visitors can hike, ride bikes or take the park's shuttle bus to reach the 1,250-foot fishing pier at Point Pinole. 

$5 per vehicle; $4 per trailered vehicle; $2 per dog (guide/service dogs free). Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless otherwise posted. Giant Highway, Richmond. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.< 

PREWETT FAMILY WATERPARK ongoing. There are pools and water slides for all ages, from the Tad Pool for toddlers to Boulder cove for older swimmers. In addition to fun pools and slides there are fitness pools for lessons and exercise, lawns for relaxing, locker rooms, community room and kitchen. Lap lanes are open year round. Food and beverages are not permitted in the park. Picnic tables are available outside the park. 

$4-$11. Sunday through Friday: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; closed Aug.23-27, 30-31. 4701 Lone Tree Way, Antioch. (925) 776-3070, www.ci.antioch.ca.us/CitySvcs/Prewett.< 

QUARRY LAKES REGIONAL RECREATION AREA ongoing. The park includes three lakes sculpted from former quarry ponds. The largest, Horseshoe Lake, offers boating and fishing, with a swim beach that will open in the spring. Rainbow Lake is for fishing only, and the third lake, Lago Los Osos, is set aside for wildlife habitat. In addition, there are hiking and bicycling trails that connect to the Alameda Creek Regional Trail. The park includes three lakes sculpted from former quarry ponds. The largest, Horseshoe Lake, offers boating and fishing, with a swim beach that will open in the spring. Rainbow Lake is for fishing only, and the third lake, Lago Los Osos, is set aside for wildlife habitat. In addition there are hiking and bicycling trails that connect to the Alameda Creek Regional Trail. 

$5 parking; $2 per dog except guide/service dogs; boat launch fees; Park District fishing access permit fee of $3. Through Labor Day: daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sept. 6 through Sept. 30, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. 2100 Isherwood Way,, between Paseo Padre Parkway and Osprey Drive,, Fremont. (510) 795-4883, Picnic reservations:: (510) 562-2267, www.ebparks.org.< 

REI CONCORD A series of lectures on hikes and outdoor equipment. 

"Climbing the Indoor Wall," ongoing. Saturdays, noon-4 p.m.; Wednesdays, 6-8:30 p.m. $5.  

"Free Bicycle Classes," ongoing. 2:30-3 p.m. Sundays. Learn how to remove a wheel, fix a flat and more.  

Events are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 1975 Diamond Blvd., Concord. (925) 825-9400.< 

REI FREMONT A series of lectures on hikes and outdoor equipment. 

"Climb the Indoor Pinnacle," ongoing. 1-6 p.m. Saturdays. $5. 

Events are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 43962 Fremont Blvd., Fremont. (510) 651-0305.< 

ROBERT SIBLEY VOLCANIC REGIONAL PRESERVE ongoing. East Bay residents have several volcanoes in their backyard. This park contains Round Top, one of the highest peaks in the Oakland Hills. 

Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. 6800 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.< 

RUTH BANCROFT GARDEN One of America's finest private gardens, the Ruth Bancroft Garden displays 2,000 specimens from around the world that thrive in an arid climate. Included are African and Mexican succulents, New World cacti, Australian and Chilean trees, and shrubs from California. 

DOCENT TOUR SCHEDULE -- ongoing. 10 a.m. Saturdays. Docent-led tours last approximately an hour and a half. Plant sales follow the tour. By reservation only. $7; free children under age 12.  

SELF-GUIDED TOURS -- Ongoing. 9:30 a.m.-noon Mon. - Thurs.; 9:30 a.m. Fri.; 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sat.; 5 p.m. Sunday. Self-guided tours last two hours. No reservations required for weekday tours; reservations required for Friday and Saturday tours. Plant sales follow the tours. $7; free children under age 12.  

Gardens open only for tours and special events listed on the garden's telephone information line. 1500 Bancroft Road, Walnut Creek. (925) 210-9663, www.ruthbancroftgarden.org.< 

SHADOW CLIFFS REGIONAL RECREATION AREA ongoing. The 296-acre park includes an 80-acre lake and a four-flume waterslide, with picnic grounds and a swimming beach. Water slide fees and hours: (925) 829-6230. 

$6 per vehicle; $2 per dog except guide and service dogs. May 1 through Labor Day: daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; shortened hours for fall and winter. Stanley Boulevard, one mile from downtown, Pleasanton. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.< 

SULPHUR CREEK NATURE CENTER A wildlife rehabilitation and education facility where injured and orphaned local wild creatures are rehabilitated and released when possible. There is also a lending library of animals such as guinea pigs, rats, mice and more. The lending fee is $8 per week. "Toddler Time," ongoing. Learn about animals by listening to stories and exploring. Themes vary by month. Call for schedule. $7 per family.  

"Day on the Green Animal Presentations," ongoing. Meet an assortment of wild and domestic animals. Wildlife volunteers will present a different animal each day from possums to snakes, tortoises to hawks. Saturday and Sunday, 2:30 p.m. 

CHILDREN'S EVENTS -- Ongoing.  

Free. Park: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Discovery Center: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Animal Lending Library: Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Wildlife Rehabilitation Center: daily, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 1801 D St., Hayward. (510) 881-6747, www.haywardrec.org/sulphur_creek.html.< 

SUNOL REGIONAL WILDERNESS This park is full of scenic and natural wonders. You can hike the Ohlone Wilderness trail or Little Yosemite. There are bedrock mortars that were used by Native Americans, who were Sunol's first inhabitants."Sunol Sunday Hike," ongoing. Sundays, 1:30-3 p.m. A natural history walk in the wilderness. 

"Sunol Sunday Hike," ongoing. Sundays, 1:30-3 p.m. A natural history walk in Sunol Regional Wilderness. 

Free unless otherwise noted; $5 parking; $2 dog fee. Geary Road off Calaveras Road, six miles south of Interstate Highway 680, Sunol. (510) 652-PARK, www.ebparks.org.<

AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM AND LIBRARY AT OAKLAND ongoing. The Oakland Public Library's museum is designed to discover, preserve, interpret and share the cultural and historical experiences of African Americans in California and the West. In addition, a three-panel mural is on permanent display. 

Free. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-5:30 p.m. 659 14th St., Oakland. (510) 637-0200, www.oaklandlibrary.org.< 

ALAMEDA MUSEUM ongoing. The museum offers permanent displays of Alameda history, the only rotating gallery showcasing local Alameda artists and student artwork, as well as souvenirs, books and videos about the rich history of the Island City. 

Free. Wednesday-Friday and Sunday, 1-4 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 2324 Alameda Ave., Alameda. (510) 521-1233, www.alamedamuseum.org.< 

BADE MUSEUM AT THE PACIFIC SCHOOL OF RELIGION The museum's collections include the Tell en-Nasbeh Collection, consisting of artifacts excavated from Tell en-Nasbeh in Palestine in 1926 and 1935 by William Badh, and the Howell Bible Collection, featuring approximately 300 rare books (primarily Bibles) dating from the 15th through the 18th centuries. 

"Tell en-Nasbeh," ongoing. This exhibit is the "heart and soul" of the Bade Museum. It displays a wealth of finds from the excavations at Tell en-Nasbeh, Palestine whose objects span from the Early Bronze Age (3100-2200 BC) through the Iron Age (1200-586 BC) and into the Roman and Hellenistic periods. Highlights of the exhibit include "Tools of the Trade" featuring real archaeological tools used by Badh and his team, an oil lamp typology, a Second Temple period (586 BC-70 AD) limestone ossuary, and a selection of painted Greek pottery.  

"William Frederic Bade: Theologian, Naturalist, and Archaeologist," ongoing. This exhibit highlights one of PSR's premier educators and innovative scholars. The collection of material on display was chosen with the hopes of representing the truly dynamic and multifaceted character of William F. Badh. He was a family man, a dedicated teacher, a loving friend, and an innovative and passionate archaeologist.  

Free. Tuesday-Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Holbrook Hall, Pacific School of Religion, 1798 Scenic Ave., Berkeley. (510) 848-0528, www.bade.psr.edu/bade.< 

BERKELEY ART MUSEUM AND PACIFIC FILM ARCHIVE  

"Thom Faulders: BAMscape," through Nov. 30. This commissioned work, a hybrid of sculpture, furniture, and stage, is the new centerpiece of Gallery B, BAM's expansive central atrium. It is part of a new vision of the gallery as a space for interaction, performance, and improvised experiences.  

2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. < 

BLACKHAWK MUSEUM ongoing.  

AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM -- The museum's permanent exhibition of internationally renowned automobiles dated from 1897 to the 1980s. The cars are displayed as works of art with room to walk completely around each car to admire the workmanship. On long-term loan from the Smithsonian Institution is a Long Steam Tricycle; an 1893-94 Duryea, the first Duryea built by the Duryea brothers; and a 1948 Tucker, number 39 of the 51 Tuckers built, which is a Model 48 "Torpedo'' four-door sedan. "International Automotive Treasures," ongoing. An ever-changing exhibit featuring over 90 automobiles.  

"A Journey on Common Ground," ongoing. An exhibit of moving photographs, video and art objects from around the world exploring the causes of disability and the efforts of the Wheelchair Foundation to provide a wheelchair for every person in need who cannot afford one. Free Public Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. Docent-led guided tours of the museum's exhibitions. 

$5-$8; free for children ages 6 and under. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Danville. (925) 736-2280, (925) 736-2277, www.blackhawkmuseum.org.< 

CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY  

HISTORY WALKABOUTS -- Ongoing. A series of walking tours that explore the history, lore and architecture of California with veteran tour guide Gary Holloway. Walks are given on specific weekends. There is a different meeting place for each weekend and walks take place rain or shine so dress for the weather. Reservations and prepayment required. Meeting place will be given with confirmation of tour reservation. Call for details.  

678 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 357-1848, www.californiahistoricalsociety.org.< 

CHABOT SPACE AND SCIENCE CENTER State-of-the-art facility unifying science education activities around astronomy. Enjoy interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, indoor stargazing, outdoor telescope viewing and films. 

"Beyond Blastoff: Surviving in Space," ongoing. An interactive exhibit that allows you to immerse yourself into the life of an astronaut to experience the mixture of exhilaration, adventure and confinement that is living and working in space.  

"Chabot Observatories: A View to the Stars," ongoing. Explore the history of the Chabot observatories and how its historic telescopes are used today. Daytime visitors can virtually operate a telescope, experiment with mirrors and lenses to understand how telescopes create images of distant objects and travel through more than a century of Chabot's history via multimedia kiosks, historical images and artifact displays. Ongoing.  

"Live Daytime Planetarium Show," ongoing. Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Ride through real-time constellations, stars and planets with Chabot's full-dome digital projection system. 

"Daytime Telescope Viewing," ongoing. Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. View the sun, the moon and the planets through the telescopes during the day. Free with general admission. 

"Galaxy Explorers Hands-On Fun," ongoing. Saturday, noon-4 p.m. The Galaxy Explorers lead a variety of fun, hands-on activities, such as examining real spacesuits, creating galaxy flipbooks, learning about telescopes, minerals and skulls and making your own comet. Free with general admission. 

Center Admission: $14.95; $10.95 children 3-12; free children under 3; $3 discount for seniors and students. Telescope viewing only: free. Wednesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Also open on Tuesdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. after June 29. 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 336-7300, www.chabotspace.org.< 

HABITOT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM A museum especially for children ages 7 and under. Highlights include "WaterWorks,'' an area with some unusual water toys, an Infant Tree for babies, a garden especially for toddlers, a child-scale grocery store and cafe, and a costume shop and stage for junior thespians. The museum also features a toy lending library. "Waterworks." A water play gallery with rivers, a pumping station and a water table, designed to teach about water.  

"Little Town Grocery and Cafe." Designed to create the ambience of shopping in a grocery store and eating in a restaurant.  

"Infant-Toddler Garden." A picket fence gated indoor area, which includes a carrot patch with wooden carrots to be harvested, a pretend pond and a butterfly mobile to introduce youngsters to the concept of food, gardening and agriculture.  

"Dramatic Arts Stage." Settings, backdrops and costumes coincide with seasonal events and holidays. Children can exercise their dramatic flair here.  

"Wiggle Wall." The floor-to-ceiling "underground'' tunnels give children a worm's eye view of the world. The tunnels are laced with net covered openings and giant optic lenses. 

"Architects at Play," ongoing. This hands-on, construction-based miniexhibit provides children with the opportunity to create free-form structures, from skyscrapers to bridges, using KEVA planks. Ongoing.  

$6-$7. Wednesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Closed Sunday-Tuesday. 2065 Kittredge St., Berkeley. (510) 647-1111, www.habitot.org.< 

HALL OF HEALTH ongoing. A community health-education museum and science center promoting wellness and individual responsibility for health. There are hands-on exhibits that teach about the workings of the human body, the value of a healthy diet and exercise, and the destructive effects of smoking and drug abuse. "Kids on the Block'' puppet shows, which use puppets from diverse cultures to teach about and promote acceptance of conditions such as cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, leukemia, blindness, arthritis and spina bifida, are available by request for community events and groups visiting the Hall on Saturdays. "This Is Your Heart!" ongoing. An interactive exhibit on heart health.  

"Good Nutrition," ongoing. This exhibit includes models for making balanced meals and an Exercycle for calculating how calories are burned.  

"Draw Your Own Insides," ongoing. Human-shaped chalkboards and models with removable organs allow visitors to explore the inside of their bodies.  

"Your Cellular Self and Cancer Prevention," ongoing. An exhibit on understanding how cells become cancerous and how to detect and prevent cancer. 

Suggested $3 donation; free for children under age 3. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 2230 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 549-1564, www.hallofhealth.org.< 

HAYWARD AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM The museum is located in a former post office and displays memorabilia of early Hayward and southern Alameda County. Some of the features include a restored 1923 Seagrave fire engine and a hand pumper from the Hayward Fire Department, founded in 1865; a Hayward Police Department exhibit; information on city founder William Hayward; and pictures of the old Hayward Hotel. The museum also alternates three exhibits per year, including a Christmas Toys exhibit and a 1950s lifestyle exhibit.Ongoing.  

50 cents-$1. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 22701 Main St., Hayward. (510) 581-0223, www.haywardareahistory.org.< 

JUDAH L. MAGNES MUSEUM The museum's permanent collection includes objects of Jewish importance including ceremonial art, film and video, folk art and fine art, paintings, sculptures and prints by contemporary and historical artists. 

"Projections," ongoing. Multimedia works from the museum's extensive collections of archival, documentary and experimental films. Located at 2911 Russell Street. Ongoing.  

$4-$6; free for children under age 12. Sunday-Wednesday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. CLOSED APRIL 3-4 AND 9-10; MAY 23-24 AND 28; JULY 4; SEPT. 3, 13 AND 27; OCT. 4; NOV. 22; DEC. 24-25 AND 31. 2911 Russell St., Berkeley. (510) 549-6950, www.magnes.org.< 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Animal Discovery Room,,' ongoing. 1:30-4 p.m. Visitors of all ages can hold and touch gentle animals, learn about their behavior and habitats and play with self-guided activities and specimen models.  

"Forces That Shape the Bay," ongoing. This science park shows and explains why the San Francisco Bay is the way it is, with information on water, erosion, plate tectonics and mountain building.  

"Ingenuity in Action," ongoing. Summer 2010. Enjoy the best of the Ingenuity Lab. Engage your creative brain and use a variety of materials to design, build and test your own innovations.  

"Kapla," ongoing. Play with simple, versatile building blocks that can be used to build very large, high and stable structures.  

"KidsLab," ongoing. This multisensory play area includes larger-than-life blocks, a crawl-through kaleidoscope, the Gravity wall, a puppet theater and a reading area.  

"NanoZone," ongoing. Discover the science of nanotechnology through handson activities and games.  

"Planetarium," ongoing. Explore the skies in this interactive planetarium.  

"Science on a Sphere," ongoing. Catch an out-of-this-world experience with an animated globe. See hurricanes form, tsunamis sweep across the oceans and city lights glow around the planet. Ongoing.  

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

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

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

SPECIAL EVENTS Ongoing.  

$5-$7; free children under age 2. June 16-Sept. 15: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sun.; Sept. 16-June 15: noon.-5 p.m. Wed.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.< 

MEYERS HOUSE AND GARDEN MUSEUM The Meyers House, erected in 1897, is an example of Colonial Revival, an architectural style popular around the turn of the century. Designed by Henry H. Meyers,the house was built by his father, Jacob Meyers, at a cost of $4000.00.Ongoing.  

$3. Fourth Saturday of every month. 2021 Alameda Ave., Alameda. (510) 521-1247, www.alamedamuseum.org/meyers.html.< 

MUSEUM OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY SCIENCE VILLAGE ongoing. A science museum with an African-American focus promoting science education and awareness for the underrepresented. The science village chronicles the technical achievements of people of African descent from ancient ties to present. There are computer classes at the Internet Cafi, science education activities and seminars. There is also a resource library with a collection of books, periodicals and videotapes. 

$4-$6. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, noon-6 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m.-6 p.m. 630 20th St., Oakland. (510) 893-6426, www.ncalifblackengineers.org.< 

MUSEUM OF CHILDREN'S ART A museum of art for and by children, with activities for children to participate in making their own art.  

ART CAMPS -- Hands-on activities and engaging curriculum for children of different ages, led by professional artists and staff. $60 per day.  

CLASSES -- A Sunday series of classes for children ages 8 to 12, led by Mocha artists. Sundays, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.  

OPEN STUDIOS -- Drop-in art play activities with new themes each week.  

"Big Studio." Guided art projects for children age 6 and older with a Mocha artist. Tuesday through Friday, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. $5.  

"Little Studio." A hands-on experience that lets young artists age 18 months to 5 years see, touch and manipulate a variety of media. Children can get messy. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $5.  

"Family Weekend Studios." Drop-in art activities for the whole family. All ages welcome. Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. $5 per child.  

FAMILY EXTRAVAGANZAS -- Special weekend workshops for the entire family.  

"Sunday Workshops with Illustrators," Sundays, 1 p.m. See the artwork and meet the artists who create children's book illustrations. Free.Ongoing.  

"Saturday Stories," ongoing. 1 p.m. For children ages 2-5. Free. 

Free gallery admission. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m. 538 Ninth St., Oakland. (510) 465-8770, www.mocha.org.< 

MUSEUM OF THE SAN RAMON VALLEY The museum features local artifacts, pictures, flags and drawings commemorating the valley's history. It also houses a historical narrative frieze. In addition to a permanent exhibit on the valley's history, the museum sponsors revolving exhibits and several guided tours. The restored railroad depot that houses the museum was built on the San Ramon Branch Line of the Southern Pacific Railroad 108 years ago.Ongoing.  

Free. August: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The Depot, West Prospect and Railroad avenues, Danville. (925) 837-3750, www.museumsrv.org.< 

MUSEUM ON MAIN STREET Located in a former town hall building, this museum is a piece of local history. It has a photo and document archive, collection of artifacts, local history publications for purchase, and a history library. It is supported by the Amador-Livermore Valley Historical Society.Ongoing.  

$2. Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.; CLOSED DEC. 23-JAN. 8. 603 Main St., Pleasanton. (925) 462-2766, www.museumonmain.org.< 

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA "Art a la Carte," Wednesdays, 12:30 p.m. Art docents offer a variety of specialized tours focusing on one aspect of the museum's permanent collection. Free with museum admission.  

"Online Museum," Thursdays, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Explore the museum's collection on videodisks in the History Department Library.  

Docent Gallery Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 1:30 p.m. 

"Explore our New Gallery," through Dec. 2. The new Gallery of California Art showcases more than 800 works from OMCA's collection-one of the largest and most comprehensive holdings of California art in the world.  

"Gallery of California History," through Dec. 2. This new gallery is based on the theme of Coming to California.  

$5-$8; free for children ages 5 and under; free to all on the second Sunday of the month. Special events are free with museum admission unless noted otherwise. Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; first Friday of the month, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. 1000 Oak St., Oakland. (510) 238-2200, www.museumca.org.< 

PARDEE HOME MUSEUM ongoing. The historic Pardee Mansion, a three-story Italianate villa built in 1868, was home to three generations of the Pardee family who were instrumental in the civic and cultural development of California and Oakland. The home includes the house, grounds, water tower and barn. Reservations recommended. Group tours may be arranged between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tues.-Sun.  

Private Tours and Teas: Take a private tour followed by tea in the Pardee family dining room (available for 4-12 persons).  

Tour with light tea: $12 per person  

Tour with high tea: $25 per person.  

High tea without tour: $20 per person. 

$5-$25; free children ages 12 and under. House Tours: 10:30 a.m. every Wednesday and second Saturday of each month; 2 p.m. the second Sunday or each month. 672 11th St., Oakland. (510) 444-2187, www.pardeehome.org.< 

SAN LEANDRO HISTORY MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY ongoing. The museum showcases local and regional history and serves as a centerpiece for community cultural activity. There are exhibits on Ohlone settlements, farms of early settlers, and contributions of Portuguese and other immigrants. There will also be exhibits of the city's agricultural past and the industrial development of the 19th century. "Yema/Po Archeological Site at Lake Chabot," ongoing. An exhibit highlighting artifacts uncovered from a work camp of Chinese laborers, featuring photomurals, cutouts and historical photographs. 

Free. Thursday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 320 West Estudillo Ave., San Leandro. (510) 577-3990, www.ci.sanleandro. ca.us/sllibrarymuseum.html.< 

SHADELANDS RANCH HISTORICAL MUSEUM Built by Walnut Creek pioneer Hiram Penniman, this 1903 redwood-framed house is a showcase for numerous historical artifacts, many of which belonged to the Pennimans. It also houses a rich archive of Contra Costa and Walnut Creek history in its collections of old newspapers, photographs and government records.Ongoing.  

$1-$3; free-children under age 6. Wednesday and Sunday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.; Closed in January. 2660 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek. (925) 935-7871, www.ci.walnut-creek.ca.us.< 

SMITH MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY AT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, HAYWARD The museum houses significant collections of archaeological and ethnographic specimens from Africa, Asia and North America and small collections from Central and South America. The museum offers opportunities and materials for student research and internships in archaeology and ethnology.Ongoing.  

Free. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Meiklejohn Hall, Fourth Floor, 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd., Hayward. (510) 885-3104, (510) 885-7414, www.isis.csuhayward.edu/cesmith/acesmith.html.< 

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY HEARST MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY ongoing. "Native California Cultures," ongoing. This is an exhibit of some 500 artifacts from the museum's California collections, the largest and most comprehensive collections in the world devoted to California Indian cultures. The exhibit includes a section about Ishi, the famous Indian who lived and worked with the museum, Yana tribal baskets and a 17-foot Yurok canoe carved from a single redwood.  

"Recent Acquisitions," ongoing. The collection includes Yoruba masks and carvings from Africa, early-20th-century Taiwanese hand puppets, textiles from the Americas and 19th- and 20th-century Tibetan artifacts.  

"From the Maker's Hand: Selections from the Permanent Collection," ongoing. This exhibit explores human ingenuity in the living and historical cultures of China, Africa, Egypt, Peru, North America and the Meditteranean. 

$1-$4; free for children ages 12 and under; free to all on Thursdays. Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon-4:30 p.m. 103 Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way and College Avenue, Berkeley. (510) 643-7648, www.hearstmuseum.berkeley.edu.< 

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY MUSEUM OF PALEONTOLOGY ongoing. "Tyrannosaurus Rex," ongoing. A 20-foot-tall, 40-foot-long replica of the fearsome dinosaur. The replica is made from casts of bones of the most complete T. Rex skeleton yet excavated. When unearthed in Montana, the bones were all lying in place with only a small piece of the tailbone missing.  

"Pteranodon," ongoing. A suspended skeleton of a flying reptile with a wingspan of 22 to 23 feet. The Pteranodon lived at the same time as the dinosaurs.  

"California Fossils Exhibit," ongoing. An exhibit of some of the fossils that have been excavated in California. 

Free. During semester sessions, hours generally are: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.-10 p.m. Hours vary during summer and holidays. Lobby, 1101 Valley Life Sciences Building, #4780, University of California, Berkeley. (510) 642-1821, www.ucmp.berkeley.edu.< 

USS HORNET MUSEUM Come aboard this World War II aircraft carrier that has been converted into a floating museum. The Hornet, launched in 1943, is 899 feet long and 27 stories high. During World War II she was never hit by an enemy strike or plane and holds the Navy record for number of enemy planes shot down in a week. In 1969 the Hornet recovered the Apollo 11 space capsule containing the first men to walk on the moon, and later recovered Apollo 12. In 1991 the Hornet was designated a National Historic Landmark and is now docked at the same pier she sailed from in 1944. Today, visitors can tour the massive ship, view World War II-era warplanes and experience a simulated aircraft launch from the carrier's deck. Exhibits are being added on an ongoing basis. Allow two to three hours for a visit. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to climb steep stairs or ladders. Dress in layers as the ship can be cold. Arrive no later than 2 p.m. to sign up for the engine room and other docent-led tours. Children under age 12 are not allowed in the Engine Room or the Combat Information Center. "Limited Access Day," ongoing. Due to ship maintenance, tours of the navigation bridge and the engine room are not available. Tuesdays.  

"Flight Deck Fun," ongoing. A former Landing Signal Officer will show children how to bring in a fighter plane for a landing on the deck then let them try the signals themselves. Times vary. Free with regular Museum admission.  

"Protestant Divine Services," ongoing. Hornet chaplain John Berger conducts church services aboard The Hornet in the Wardroom Lounge. Everyone is welcome and refreshments are served immediately following the service. Sundays, 11 a.m.Ongoing. Closed on New Year's Day. 

"Family Day," ongoing. Discounted admission for families of four with a further discount for additional family members. Access to some of the areas may be limited due to ship maintenance. Every Tuesday. $20 for family of four; $5 for each additional family member. 

"History Mystery After Hours Tour," ongoing. 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Explore the USS Hornet after hours and learn the history of this ship while it is illuminated in red lights used for "night ops." Also, hear stories about the ships' legendary haunts. Reservations required. (510) 521-8448 X282. 

"Flashlight Tour," ongoing. 8:30 a.m. Receive a special tour of areas aboard the ship that have not yet been opened to the public or that have limited access during the day. $30-$35 per person. 

$6-$14; free children age 4 and under with a paying adult. Daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Pier 3 (enter on Atlantic Avenue), Alameda Point, Alameda. (510) 521-8448, www.uss-hornet.org.<

924 GILMAN ST. All ages welcome. 

Scream, Deathtoll, Oppressed Logic, Visual Discrimination, The Need, Guantanamo Dogpile, Feb. 5, 7 p.m. $10. 

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

FREIGHT AND SALVAGE  

"Arhoolie Records 50th Anniversary Celebration," Feb. 4 through Feb. 6, 8 p.m. Featuring Peter Rowan, Country Joe McDonald, Taj Mahal, Ry Cooder and more. $75.50-$85.50.  

California Guitar Trio, Feb. 10, 8 p.m. $24.50-$26.50. 

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

LESHER CENTER FOR THE ARTS  

"Smuin Ballet: Oh, Inverted World," Feb. 4 through Feb. 5, 8 p.m. Fri.; 2 and 8 p.m. Sat. Choreography by Trey McIntyre; music by The Shins. $49-$59. www.smuinballet.org. 

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

THE NEW PARISH  

Zigaboo Modeliste, Feb. 5, 9:30 p.m. $10-$15. 

579 18th St., Oakland. (510) 444-7474, www.thenewparish.com.< 

PARAMOUNT THEATRE  

Sarah McLachlan, Feb. 6, 8 p.m. $39.50-$55. 

2025 Broadway, Oakland. (510) 465-6400, (415) 421-8497, www.paramounttheatre.com or www.ticketmaster.com.< 

UPTOWN NIGHTCLUB  

The Swingin' Utters, La Plebe, Complaints, Feb. 5, 9 p.m. $15. 

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

YOSHI'S  

"The Tony Williams Lifetime Tribute Band," through Feb. 5, 8 and 10 p.m. Featuring Jack Bruce, Vernon Reid, John Medeski, Cindy Blackman. $35.  

The George Duke Quartet, Feb. 10 through Feb. 11, 8 and 10 p.m. $26-$30. 

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

ZELLERBACH HALL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY  

Kodo, Feb. 4, 8 p.m. High energy drummers and performers from Japan are visiting the Bay Area and celebrating their 30th anniversary. $22-$52.  

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

ARDENWOOD HISTORIC FARM Ardenwood farm is a working farm that dates back to the time of the Patterson Ranch, a 19th-century estate with a mansion and Victorian Gardens. Today, the farm still practices farming techniques from the 1870s. Unless otherwise noted, programs are free with regular admission.  

ONGOING PROGRAMS --  

"Blacksmithing," Thursday, Friday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Watch a blacksmith turn iron into useful tools.  

"Horse-Drawn Train," Thursday, Friday and Sunday. A 20-minute ride departs from Ardenwood Station and Deer Park.  

"Animal Feeding," Thursday-Sunday, 3-4 p.m. Help slop the hogs, check the henhouse for eggs and bring hay to the livestock.  

"Victorian Flower Arranging," Thursday, 10:15-11:30 a.m. Watch as Ardenwood docents create floral works of art for display in the Patterson House. "Potato Harvesting," ongoing. Learn the spectacular history of this New World native as you dig with your spade and help find the spuds. 

"Toddler Time," ongoing. Tuesdays, 11-11:30 a.m. Bring the tiny tots out for an exciting morning at the farm. Meet and learn all about a new animal friend through stories, chores and fun.  

"Horse-Drawn Train Rides," ongoing. Thursday, Friday and Sunday, 10:15 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Meet Jigs or Tucker the Belgian Draft horses that pull Ardenwood's train. Check the daily schedule and meet the train at Ardenwood Station or Deer Park. 

"Country Kitchen Cookin'," ongoing. Sundays, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Enjoy the flavor of the past with treats cooked on Ardenwood's wood burning stove. Sample food grown on the farm and discover the history of your favorite oldtime snacks. 

"Animal Feeding," ongoing. Thursday-Sunday, 3 p.m. Feed the pigs, check for eggs and bring hay to the livestock. 

$1-$5; free children under age 4. Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont. (510) 796-0199, (510) 796-0663, www.ebparks.org.< 

BAY POINT LIBRARY  

"Monthly Craft Night," ongoing. 4-5 p.m. Last Friday of every month. Each month features a different themed craft.  

Riverview Middle School, 205 Pacifica Ave., Pittsburg. (925) 458-9597.< 

BLACKHAWK MUSEUM ongoing.  

AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM -- The museum's permanent exhibition of internationally renowned automobiles dated from 1897 to the 1980s. The cars are displayed as works of art with room to walk completely around each car to admire the workmanship. On long-term loan from the Smithsonian Institution is a Long Steam Tricycle; an 1893-94 Duryea, the first Duryea built by the Duryea brothers; and a 1948 Tucker, number 39 of the 51 Tuckers built, which is a Model 48 "Torpedo'' four-door sedan. "International Automotive Treasures," ongoing. An ever-changing exhibit featuring over 90 automobiles.  

"A Journey on Common Ground," ongoing. An exhibit of moving photographs, video and art objects from around the world exploring the causes of disability and the efforts of the Wheelchair Foundation to provide a wheelchair for every person in need who cannot afford one. Free Public Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. Docent-led guided tours of the museum's exhibitions. 

$5-$8; free for children ages 6 and under. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Danville. (925) 736-2280, (925) 736-2277, www.blackhawkmuseum.org.< 

BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP ongoing. An interactive place where children, and adults, can learn how a stuffed animal is made, then choose an animal pattern from the offering of bears, elephants, dogs and rabbits; stuff the chosen animal; dress it; and create a birth certificate. Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

$10-$25; clothing and accessories extra. Mondays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sundays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Broadway Plaza, 1248 Broadway, Walnut Creek. (925) 946-4697, www.buildabear.com.< 

CHABOT SPACE AND SCIENCE CENTER State-of-the-art facility unifying science education activities around astronomy. Enjoy interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, indoor stargazing, outdoor telescope viewing and films. 

ASK JEEVES PLANETARIUM -- Ongoing. The planetarium features one of the most advanced star projectors in the world. A daily planetarium show is included with general admission. Call for current show schedule.  

"Astronaut," ongoing. What does it take to be part of the exploration of space? Experience a rocket launch from inside the body of an astronaut. Explore the amazing worlds of inner and outer space, from floating around the International Space Station to maneuvering through microscopic regions of the human body. Narrated by Ewan McGregor. 25 min. 

"Space NOW!", ongoing. Each week, this real-time ride through constellations, stars, and planets will reflect current happenings in our sky. Space NOW! will also tie in activities going on throughout the center. This is Chabot's first daytime guided tour of the universe. 

"Sonic Vision," ongoing. Friday-Saturday, 9:15 p.m. This show uses the latest digital technology to illuminate the planetarium with colorful computer-generated imagery set to today's popular music, including Radiohead, U2, David Bowie, Coldplay, Moby and more. 

"Dawn of the Space Age," ongoing. Starting with the launch of Sputnik, this show covers important Russian space history as well as the American Gemini, Apollo and Shuttle programs. Be transported to the International Space Station, the X-prize winning private space ship and on to future Mars exploration. 

"Two Small Pieces of glass," ongoing. Celebrating the International Year of Astronomy, this show examines the history of the telescope, beginning 400 years ago, with Galileo's discoveries. 

"Tales Of The Maya Skies," ongoing. A full-dome planetarium show that explores the cosmology of the ancient Maya, along with their culture and their contributions to astronomy.Ongoing.  

"Beyond Blastoff," ongoing. Get a glimpse into the life of an astronaut and experience the mixture of exhilaration, adventure, and confinement that is living and working in space. 

"Chabot Observatories: A View to the Stars," ongoing. This new permanent exhibit honors the 123-year history of Chabot and its telescopes. The observatory is one of the oldest public observatories in the United States. The exhibit covers the three different sites of the observatory over its history as well as how its historic telescopes continue to be operated today. Included are informative graphic panels, multimedia kiosks, interactive computer programs, hands-on stations, and historic artifacts. 

"Dinner, Movie and the Universe," ongoing. Every Friday and Saturday evening. Enjoy a bistro-style dinner, then cozy up for a film in the 70-foot MegaDome theater and end the evening with a telescope viewing. Call to purchase general admission tickets and to make dinner reservations. (510) 336-7373. 

"Tales of the Maya Skies," ongoing. A companion exhibit for the planetarium show which features the scientific achievements and cosmology of the Maya. All content is bilingual in English and Spanish. 

"Bill Nye's climate lab," ongoing. Features Emmy-award-winning Bill Nye the Climate Guy as commander of the Clean Energy Space Station, and invites visitors on an urgent mission to thwart climate change. 

"Destination Universe," ongoing. Take a journey from our Sun to the farthest reaches of the cosmos. 

"One giant leap: a moon odyssey," ongoing. For all astronaut wannabees -take a simulated Moon-walk, try on a space helmet, climb into a Mercury capsule and land a lunar module in this hands-on exhibit that explores the legends and science fiction about the Moon. 

"Valentine's day love missions," Feb. 12 through Feb. 13, 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Celebrate with your valentine on a simulated space mission to the Red Planet. The package includes an all access pass to Chabot, savory treats, fizzy Martian beverages, and a souvenir of your trip. $85 per couple. 

TIEN MEGADOME SCIENCE THEATER -- Ongoing. A 70-foot dome-screen auditorium. Show times subject to change. Call for current show schedule. Price with paid general admission is $6-$7. Theater only: $7-$8. (510) 336-7373, www.ticketweb.com. 

"Dinosaurs Alive," ongoing. A global adventure of science and discovery, featuring the earliest dinosaurs of the Triassic Period to the monsters of the Cretaceous, "reincarnated" life-sized for the giant screen. Audiences will journey with some of the world's preeminent paleontologists as they uncover evidence that the descendents of dinosaurs still walk (or fly) among us. From the exotic, trackless expanses and sand dunes of Mongolia's Gobi Desert to the dramatic sandstone buttes of New Mexico, the film will follow American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) paleontologists as they explore some of the greatest dinosaur finds in history. 

"Mysteries of Egypt," ongoing. Experience the magic and majesty of Egypt as never before. Soar over the great pyramids of Giza, cross the Valley of the Kings, and descend into the shadowy chambers of the sacred tomb of King Tutankhamen. Suitable for families. 

Center Admission: $14.95; $10.95 children 3-12; free children under 3; $3 discount for seniors and students. Telescope viewing only: free. Wednesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Also open on Tuesdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. after June 29. 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 336-7300, www.chabotspace.org.< 

CHILDREN'S FAIRYLAND A fairy tale theme park featuring more than 30 colorful fantasy sets. Designed especially for children ages 10 and under, there are gentle rides, a train, the "Peter Rabbit Village,'' puppet shows, story-telling and lots of slides and animals. Admission price includes unlimited rides, special shows, guest entertainers and puppet shows.  

OLD WEST JUNCTION -- Children's Fairyland's newest attraction is a Wild West-themed town sized just for children, with a livery stable, bank, jail and a water tower slide.  

PUPPET SHOWS -- Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. All shows are at the Open Storybook Theatre. Free with regular Fairyland admission.  

ARTS AND CRAFTS CENTER -- Activities on Saturday and Sunday, noon to 3 p.m.  

ANIMAL OF THE DAY -- Saturday and Sunday, 1-1:20 p.m. at the Humpty Dumpty Wall. Learn about one of Fairyland's animal friends."Animal of the Day!" ongoing. Saturdays and Sundays, 1-1:20 p.m. Come up close and learn about Fairyland's creatures. 

"Arts and Crafts," ongoing. Noon-3 p.m. Event features arts and crafts projects for children and their families. $6. 

$6; free for children under age 1; $2 for a Magic Key. No adult admitted without a child and no child admitted without an adult. Summer (June through Labor Day): Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Fall and Spring: Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Winter: Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. CLOSED DEC. 25-JAN. 4. 699 Bellevue Ave., Oakland. (510) 452-2259, www.fairyland.org.< 

CRAB COVE VISITOR CENTER At Crab Cove, you can see live underwater creatures and go into the San Francisco Bay from land. You can also travel back in time to Alameda's part. The goal is to increase understanding of the environmental importance of San Francisco Bay and the ocean ecosystem. Crab Cove's Indoor Aquarium and Exhibit Lab is one of the largest indoor aquariums in the East Bay."Sea Siblings," ongoing. Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Explore the natural world and take part in a theme related craft. Designed for the 3-5 year old learner. Registration is required.  

$4. (888) 327-2757. 

"Catch of the Day," ongoing. Sundays, 2-3 p.m. Drop by to find out more about the Bay and its wildlife through guided exploration and hands-on fun. 

"Sea Squirts," ongoing. 10-11:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Discover the wonders of nature with your little one. Registration is required. $6-$8. 

Free unless otherwise noted; parking fee may be charged. 1252 McKay Ave., Alameda. (510) 521-6887, www.ebparks.org.< 

DUNSMUIR HOUSE AND GARDENS HISTORIC ESTATE ongoing. Nestled in the Oakland hills, the 50-acre Dunsmuir House and Gardens estate includes the 37-room Neoclassical Revival Dunsmuir Mansion, built by coal and lumber baron Alexander Dunsmuir for his bride. Restored outbuildings set amid landscaped gardens surround the mansion.  

ESTATE GROUNDS -- Ongoing. Self-Guided Grounds Tours are available yearround. The 50 acres of gardens and grounds at the mansion are open to the public for walking Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Booklets and maps of the grounds are available at the Dinkelspiel House. Free.  

GUIDED TOURS -- Docent-led tours are available on the first Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. (except for July) and Wednesdays at 11 a.m. $5 adults, $4 seniors and juniors (11-16), children 11 and under free. 

Dunsmuir House and Gardens, 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland. (510) 615-5555, www.dunsmuir.org.< 

FOREST HOME FARMS ongoing. The 16-acre former farm of the Boone family is now a municipal historic park in San Ramon. It is located at the base of the East Bay Hills and is divided into two parts by Oak Creek. The Boone House is a 22-room Dutch colonial that has been remodeled several times since it was built in 1900. Also on the property are a barn built in the period from 1850 to 1860; the Victorian-style David Glass House, dating from the late 1860s to early 1870s; a storage structure for farm equipment and automobiles; and a walnut processing plant. 

Free unless otherwise noted. Public tours available by appointment. 19953 San Ramon Valley Blvd., San Ramon. (925) 973-3281, www.ci.sanramon. ca.us/parks/boone.htm.< 

HABITOT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM A museum especially for children ages 7 and under. Highlights include "WaterWorks,'' an area with some unusual water toys, an Infant Tree for babies, a garden especially for toddlers, a child-scale grocery store and cafe, and a costume shop and stage for junior thespians. The museum also features a toy lending library. "Waterworks." A water play gallery with rivers, a pumping station and a water table, designed to teach about water.  

"Little Town Grocery and Cafe." Designed to create the ambience of shopping in a grocery store and eating in a restaurant.  

"Infant-Toddler Garden." A picket fence gated indoor area, which includes a carrot patch with wooden carrots to be harvested, a pretend pond and a butterfly mobile to introduce youngsters to the concept of food, gardening and agriculture.  

"Dramatic Arts Stage." Settings, backdrops and costumes coincide with seasonal events and holidays. Children can exercise their dramatic flair here.  

"Wiggle Wall." The floor-to-ceiling "underground'' tunnels give children a worm's eye view of the world. The tunnels are laced with net covered openings and giant optic lenses.Ongoing.  

$6-$7. Wednesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Closed Sunday-Tuesday. 2065 Kittredge St., Berkeley. (510) 647-1111, www.habitot.org.< 

HALL OF HEALTH ongoing. A community health-education museum and science center promoting wellness and individual responsibility for health. There are hands-on exhibits that teach about the workings of the human body, the value of a healthy diet and exercise, and the destructive effects of smoking and drug abuse. "Kids on the Block'' puppet shows, which use puppets from diverse cultures to teach about and promote acceptance of conditions such as cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, leukemia, blindness, arthritis and spina bifida, are available by request for community events and groups visiting the Hall on Saturdays. "This Is Your Heart!" ongoing. An interactive exhibit on heart health.  

"Good Nutrition," ongoing. This exhibit includes models for making balanced meals and an Exercycle for calculating how calories are burned.  

"Draw Your Own Insides," ongoing. Human-shaped chalkboards and models with removable organs allow visitors to explore the inside of their bodies.  

"Your Cellular Self and Cancer Prevention," ongoing. An exhibit on understanding how cells become cancerous and how to detect and prevent cancer. 

Suggested $3 donation; free for children under age 3. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 2230 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 549-1564, www.hallofhealth.org.< 

HAYWARD SHORELINE INTERPRETIVE CENTER Perched on stilts above a salt marsh, the Center offers an introduction to the San Francisco Bay-Estuary. It features exhibits, programs and activities designed to inspire a sense of appreciation, respect and stewardship for the Bay, its inhabitants and the services they provide. The Habitat Room offers a preview of what may be seen outside. The 80-gallon Bay Tank contains some of the fish that live in the Bay's open waters, and the Channel Tank represents habitats formed by the maze of sloughs and creeks that snake through the marsh. The main room of the Center features rotating exhibits about area history, plants and wildlife. Part of the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District. "Exploring Nature," ongoing. An exhibit of Shawn Gould's illustrations featuring images of the natural world.Ongoing.  

"Waterfowl of the Freshwater Marsh," ongoing. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Join an expert birder to go "behind the gates'' to areas of the marsh that are not open to the public. 

"Weekend Weed Warriors," ongoing. 1-4 p.m. Help the shoreline to eliminate the non-native plants that threaten its diversity. Ages 12 and older. Registration required. 

"Nature Detectives," ongoing. 11 a.m.-noon. An introduction and exploration of the world of Black-Crowned Night-Herons. Ages 3-5 and their caregivers. Registration required. 

Free. Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 4901 Breakwater Ave., Hayward. (510) 670-7270, www.hard.dst.ca.us/hayshore.html.< 

JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF THE EAST BAY  

"Shabbat Celebration for Young Children," ongoing. Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Join other families with young children to sharethis weekly Jewish holiday of joy and renewal.  

1414 Walnut St., Berkeley. (510) 848-0237, www.jcceastbay.org/.< 

JUNIOR CENTER OF ART AND SCIENCE ongoing. A center dedicated to encouraging children's active wonder and creative response through artistic and scientific exploration of their natural urban environment. The center's classes, workshops, exhibits and events integrate art and science. Three educational exhibits are mounted in the "Children's Gallery'' each year. A docent-led tour, demonstrations, hands-on activities and art projects are available to school groups throughout the year.  

"Jake's Discovery Garden," ongoing. Jake's Discovery Garden is a new interactive studio exhibit designed for preschool-aged children and their adult caregivers that teaches young visitors about the natural environments found in their backyards, playgrounds and neighborhoods.Ongoing.  

Free; programs and special exhibits have a fee. September through May: Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June through August: Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 558 Bellevue Ave., Oakland. (510) 839-5777, www.juniorcenter.org.< 

LA PENA CULTURAL CENTER  

"Los Amiguitos Saturday Morning Children's Show," Feb. 5, 10:30 a.m. Featuring Ira Levin. $4-$5.  

"Los Amiguitos Saturday Morning Children's Show," Feb. 12, 10:30 a.m. Featuring Alphabet Rockers. $4-$5.  

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

LAKE CHABOT REGIONAL PARK ongoing. The 315-acre lake offers year-round recreation. Services include canoe and boat rental, horseshoe pits, hiking, bicycling, picnicking and seasonal tours aboard the Chabot Queen. For boat rentals, call (510) 247-2526. 

Free unless noted otherwise; $5 parking; $2 per dog except guide/service dogs. Daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. 17930 Lake Chabot Road, Castro Valley. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.< 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HOLT PLANETARIUM Ongoing. Shows on Saturdays and Sundays. Programs recommended for ages 6 and up unless otherwise noted. $2.50-$3 in addition to general admission.  

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

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

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

$5-$7; free children under age 2. June 16-Sept. 15: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sun.; Sept. 16-June 15: noon.-5 p.m. Wed.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.< 

MUSEUM OF CHILDREN'S ART A museum of art for and by children, with activities for children to participate in making their own art.  

ART CAMPS -- Hands-on activities and engaging curriculum for children of different ages, led by professional artists and staff. $60 per day.  

CLASSES -- A Sunday series of classes for children ages 8 to 12, led by Mocha artists. Sundays, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.  

OPEN STUDIOS -- Drop-in art play activities with new themes each week.  

"Big Studio." Guided art projects for children age 6 and older with a Mocha artist. Tuesday through Friday, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. $5.  

"Little Studio." A hands-on experience that lets young artists age 18 months to 5 years see, touch and manipulate a variety of media. Children can get messy. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $5.  

"Family Weekend Studios." Drop-in art activities for the whole family. All ages welcome. Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. $5 per child.  

FAMILY EXTRAVAGANZAS -- Special weekend workshops for the entire family.  

"Sunday Workshops with Illustrators," Sundays, 1 p.m. See the artwork and meet the artists who create children's book illustrations. Free.Ongoing.  

"Saturday Stories," ongoing. 1 p.m. For children ages 2-5. Free."Saturday Stories," ongoing. 1 p.m. For ages 2-5. Free. 

Free gallery admission. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m. 538 Ninth St., Oakland. (510) 465-8770, www.mocha.org.< 

PIXIELAND AMUSEMENT PARK ongoing. This amusement park for children features pixie-sized rides such as a dragon roller coaster, swirling tea cups, a carousel, red baron airplanes, an antique car ride and a miniature train among other attractions sure to please the little ones. Classic carnival-style food and souvenirs round out the experience. Admission to the park is free; ride tickets are $1.25 each or 10 tickets for $10; Day wrist band for unlimited rides, $25. Specials and season passes are also available. 

Dec. 1-12 2010: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Closed Dec. 13-Jan. 8. 2740 E. Olivera Road, Concord. (925) 689-8841, www.pixieland.com.< 

POINT PINOLE REGIONAL SHORELINE ongoing. The 2,315-acre parkland bordering Pinole, Richmond and San Pablo offers views of Mount Tamalpais, the Marin shoreline and San Pablo Bay. There are trails through meadows and woods, and along the bluffs and beaches of San Pablo Bay. Visitors can hike, ride bikes or take the park's shuttle bus to reach the 1,250-foot fishing pier at Point Pinole. 

$5 per vehicle; $4 per trailered vehicle; $2 per dog (guide/service dogs free). Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless otherwise posted. Giant Highway, Richmond. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.< 

PREWETT FAMILY WATERPARK ongoing. There are pools and water slides for all ages, from the Tad Pool for toddlers to Boulder cove for older swimmers. In addition to fun pools and slides there are fitness pools for lessons and exercise, lawns for relaxing, locker rooms, community room and kitchen. Lap lanes are open year round. Food and beverages are not permitted in the park. Picnic tables are available outside the park. 

$4-$11. Sunday through Friday: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; closed Aug.23-27, 30-31. 4701 Lone Tree Way, Antioch. (925) 776-3070, www.ci.antioch.ca.us/CitySvcs/Prewett.< 

ROBERT SIBLEY VOLCANIC REGIONAL PRESERVE ongoing. East Bay residents have several volcanoes in their backyard. This park contains Round Top, one of the highest peaks in the Oakland Hills. 

Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. 6800 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.< 

SHADOW CLIFFS REGIONAL RECREATION AREA ongoing. The 296-acre park includes an 80-acre lake and a four-flume waterslide, with picnic grounds and a swimming beach. Water slide fees and hours: (925) 829-6230. 

$6 per vehicle; $2 per dog except guide and service dogs. May 1 through Labor Day: daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; shortened hours for fall and winter. Stanley Boulevard, one mile from downtown, Pleasanton. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.< 

SULPHUR CREEK NATURE CENTER A wildlife rehabilitation and education facility where injured and orphaned local wild creatures are rehabilitated and released when possible. There is also a lending library of animals such as guinea pigs, rats, mice and more. The lending fee is $8 per week. "Toddler Time," ongoing. Learn about animals by listening to stories and exploring. Themes vary by month. Call for schedule. $7 per family.  

"Day on the Green Animal Presentations," ongoing. Meet an assortment of wild and domestic animals. Wildlife volunteers will present a different animal each day from possums to snakes, tortoises to hawks. Saturday and Sunday, 2:30 p.m. 

CHILDREN'S EVENTS -- Ongoing.  

Free. Park: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Discovery Center: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Animal Lending Library: Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Wildlife Rehabilitation Center: daily, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 1801 D St., Hayward. (510) 881-6747, www.haywardrec.org/sulphur_creek.html.< 

USS HORNET MUSEUM Come aboard this World War II aircraft carrier that has been converted into a floating museum. The Hornet, launched in 1943, is 899 feet long and 27 stories high. During World War II she was never hit by an enemy strike or plane and holds the Navy record for number of enemy planes shot down in a week. In 1969 the Hornet recovered the Apollo 11 space capsule containing the first men to walk on the moon, and later recovered Apollo 12. In 1991 the Hornet was designated a National Historic Landmark and is now docked at the same pier she sailed from in 1944. Today, visitors can tour the massive ship, view World War II-era warplanes and experience a simulated aircraft launch from the carrier's deck. Exhibits are being added on an ongoing basis. Allow two to three hours for a visit. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to climb steep stairs or ladders. Dress in layers as the ship can be cold. Arrive no later than 2 p.m. to sign up for the engine room and other docent-led tours. Children under age 12 are not allowed in the Engine Room or the Combat Information Center. "Limited Access Day," ongoing. Due to ship maintenance, tours of the navigation bridge and the engine room are not available. Tuesdays.  

"Flight Deck Fun," ongoing. A former Landing Signal Officer will show children how to bring in a fighter plane for a landing on the deck then let them try the signals themselves. Times vary. Free with regular Museum admission.  

"Protestant Divine Services," ongoing. Hornet chaplain John Berger conducts church services aboard The Hornet in the Wardroom Lounge. Everyone is welcome and refreshments are served immediately following the service. Sundays, 11 a.m.Ongoing. Closed on New Year's Day. 

"Family Day," ongoing. Discounted admission for families of four with a further discount for additional family members. Access to some of the areas may be limited due to ship maintenance. Every Tuesday. $20 for family of four; $5 for each additional family member. 

"History Mystery After Hours Tour," ongoing. 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Explore the USS Hornet after hours and learn the history of this ship while it is illuminated in red lights used for "night ops." Also, hear stories about the ships' legendary haunts. Reservations required. (510) 521-8448 X282. 

"Flashlight Tour," ongoing. 8:30 a.m. Receive a special tour of areas aboard the ship that have not yet been opened to the public or that have limited access during the day. $30-$35 per person. 

$6-$14; free children age 4 and under with a paying adult. Daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Pier 3 (enter on Atlantic Avenue), Alameda Point, Alameda. (510) 521-8448, www.uss-hornet.org.< 

WATERWORLD CALIFORNA ongoing. ` 

$19.95-$31.95 General Admission; Season pass: $39.99-$59.99. Park closes in October and reopens in May. 1950 Waterworld Parkway,, Concord. (925) 609-1364, www.waterworldcalifornia.com.<

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

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

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

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

San Francisco. < 

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

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

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

JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF SAN FRANCISCO  

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

Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. 3200 California St., San Francisco. (415) 292-1200, Box Office: (415) 292-1233, www.jccsf.org.< 

SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY, BAYVIEW-ANNA E. WADEN BRANCH  

"Bayview's Historical Footprints," ongoing. A permanent photographic exhibition celebrating the diverse history of Bayview Hunters Point featuring multimedia oral histories from community elders.  

Free. Monday, Tuesday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Wednesday, 1 p.m.-8 p.m.; Thursday, 1 p.m.-7 p.m.; Friday, 1 p.m.-6 p.m. 5075 Third St., San Francisco. (415) 355-5757, www.sfpl.org.< 

SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY, MAIN BRANCH  

"Digging Deep: Underneath San Francisco Public Library," ongoing. Exhibition collects archaeological remains from the Gold Rush-era cemetery and the ruins of old City Hall destroyed in the 1906 earthquake.  

Free. Monday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday, noon-6 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. 100 Larkin St., San Francisco. (415) 557-4400, www.sfpl.org.<

ASHKENAZ  

"I Like My Bike Night," ongoing. 9 p.m. First Fridays of the month. This monthly series brings bicycle innovators, enthusiasts, artists and organizations together under one roof, as well as encourages regular Ashkenaz show-goers to leave their cars in the driveway and arrive at the venue by bicycle instead. $8-$25.  

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

AUCTIONS BY THE BAY  

"ArtiFacts: A Lecture Series for Collectors," ongoing. 3 p.m. First Sundays of the month Guest curators, scholars and conservation experts from throughout the Bay Area discuss the art of collecting. First Sunday of every month, 3 p.m. $7; includes a preview of the monthly estate auction which takes place the following day at 10am.  

Auctions by the Bay Theater-Auction House, 2700 Saratoga St., Alameda. (510) 835-6187, www.auctionsbythebay.com.< 

BAY AREA FREE BOOK EXCHANGE  

"Free Books," ongoing. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat. - Sun. Donate your unwanted books and receive new titles for free.  

10520 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito. (510) 526-1941, www.bayareafreebookexchange.com.< 

CALIFORNIA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY AND LIBRARY  

"California Genealogical Society and Library Free First Saturday," ongoing. 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Event takes place on the first Saturday of every month, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Trace and compile your family history at this month's open house event. Free. www.calgensoc.org. 

2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland. (510) 663-1358.< 

CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY  

HISTORY WALKABOUTS -- Ongoing. A series of walking tours that explore the history, lore and architecture of California with veteran tour guide Gary Holloway. Walks are given on specific weekends. There is a different meeting place for each weekend and walks take place rain or shine so dress for the weather. Reservations and prepayment required. Meeting place will be given with confirmation of tour reservation. Call for details.  

678 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 357-1848, www.californiahistoricalsociety.org.< 

CALIFORNIA MAGIC THEATER  

"Dinner Theater Magic Show," ongoing. 7:30 p.m. Fri - Sat. Enter the joyous and bewildering world of illusion while chowing down on a home cooked meal. Each weekend features different professional magicians. Recommended for ages 13 and older. $54-$64 includes meal.  

729 Castro St., Martinez. (925) 374-0056, www.calmagic.com.< 

CHABOT SPACE AND SCIENCE CENTER State-of-the-art facility unifying science education activities around astronomy. Enjoy interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, indoor stargazing, outdoor telescope viewing and films. 

ASK JEEVES PLANETARIUM -- Ongoing. The planetarium features one of the most advanced star projectors in the world. A daily planetarium show is included with general admission. Call for current show schedule.  

"Two Small Pieces of glass," ongoing. Celebrating the International Year of Astronomy, this show examines the history of the telescope, beginning 400 years ago, with Galileo's discoveries. 

"Sonic Vision," ongoing. Friday-Saturday, 9:15 p.m. This show uses the latest digital technology to illuminate the planetarium with colorful computer-generated imagery set to today's popular music, including Radiohead, U2, David Bowie, Coldplay, Moby and more. 

"Space NOW!", ongoing. Each week, this real-time ride through constellations, stars, and planets will reflect current happenings in our sky. Space NOW! will also tie in activities going on throughout the center. This is Chabot's first daytime guided tour of the universe. 

"Tales Of The Maya Skies," ongoing. A full-dome planetarium show that explores the cosmology of the ancient Maya, along with their culture and their contributions to astronomy. 

"Astronaut," ongoing. What does it take to be part of the exploration of space? Experience a rocket launch from inside the body of an astronaut. Explore the amazing worlds of inner and outer space, from floating around the International Space Station to maneuvering through microscopic regions of the human body. Narrated by Ewan McGregor. 25 min. 

"Dawn of the Space Age," ongoing. Starting with the launch of Sputnik, this show covers important Russian space history as well as the American Gemini, Apollo and Shuttle programs. Be transported to the International Space Station, the X-prize winning private space ship and on to future Mars exploration. 

CHALLENGER LEARNING CENTER -- Ongoing. "Escape from the Red Planet,'' a cooperative venture for families and groups of up to 14 people, age 8 and up. The scenario on this one hour mission: You are the crew of a shuttle to Mars that has been severely damaged in a crash landing. Your replacement crew is gone, the worst dust storm ever recorded on Mars approaches, and air, food, and water are extremely low. The mission: get the shuttle working again and into orbit before the dust storm hits. Reservations required. Children age 8-12 must be accompanied by an adult; not appropriate for children under age 8. $12-$15; Does not include general admission to the Center. Reservations: (510) 336-7421.Ongoing.  

"Dinner, Movie and the Universe," ongoing. Every Friday and Saturday evening. Enjoy a bistro-style dinner, then cozy up for a film in the 70-foot MegaDome theater and end the evening with a telescope viewing. Call to purchase general admission tickets and to make dinner reservations. (510) 336-7373. 

"Bill Nye's climate lab," ongoing. Features Emmy-award-winning Bill Nye the Climate Guy as commander of the Clean Energy Space Station, and invites visitors on an urgent mission to thwart climate change. 

"Chabot Observatories: A View to the Stars," ongoing. This new permanent exhibit honors the 123-year history of Chabot and its telescopes. The observatory is one of the oldest public observatories in the United States. The exhibit covers the three different sites of the observatory over its history as well as how its historic telescopes continue to be operated today. Included are informative graphic panels, multimedia kiosks, interactive computer programs, hands-on stations, and historic artifacts. 

"One giant leap: a moon odyssey," ongoing. For all astronaut wannabees -take a simulated Moon-walk, try on a space helmet, climb into a Mercury capsule and land a lunar module in this hands-on exhibit that explores the legends and science fiction about the Moon. 

"Beyond Blastoff," ongoing. Get a glimpse into the life of an astronaut and experience the mixture of exhilaration, adventure, and confinement that is living and working in space. 

"Tales of the Maya Skies," ongoing. A companion exhibit for the planetarium show which features the scientific achievements and cosmology of the Maya. All content is bilingual in English and Spanish. 

"Destination Universe," ongoing. Take a journey from our Sun to the farthest reaches of the cosmos. 

"Valentine's day love missions," Feb. 12 through Feb. 13, 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Celebrate with your valentine on a simulated space mission to the Red Planet. The package includes an all access pass to Chabot, savory treats, fizzy Martian beverages, and a souvenir of your trip. $85 per couple. 

TIEN MEGADOME SCIENCE THEATER -- Ongoing. A 70-foot dome-screen auditorium. Show times subject to change. Call for current show schedule. Price with paid general admission is $6-$7. Theater only: $7-$8. (510) 336-7373, www.ticketweb.com. 

"Dinosaurs Alive," ongoing. A global adventure of science and discovery, featuring the earliest dinosaurs of the Triassic Period to the monsters of the Cretaceous, "reincarnated" life-sized for the giant screen. Audiences will journey with some of the world's preeminent paleontologists as they uncover evidence that the descendents of dinosaurs still walk (or fly) among us. From the exotic, trackless expanses and sand dunes of Mongolia's Gobi Desert to the dramatic sandstone buttes of New Mexico, the film will follow American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) paleontologists as they explore some of the greatest dinosaur finds in history. 

"Mysteries of Egypt," ongoing. Experience the magic and majesty of Egypt as never before. Soar over the great pyramids of Giza, cross the Valley of the Kings, and descend into the shadowy chambers of the sacred tomb of King Tutankhamen. Suitable for families. 

Center Admission: $14.95; $10.95 children 3-12; free children under 3; $3 discount for seniors and students. Telescope viewing only: free. Wednesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Also open on Tuesdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. after June 29. 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 336-7300, www.chabotspace.org.< 

DUNSMUIR HOUSE AND GARDENS HISTORIC ESTATE ongoing. Nestled in the Oakland hills, the 50-acre Dunsmuir House and Gardens estate includes the 37-room Neoclassical Revival Dunsmuir Mansion, built by coal and lumber baron Alexander Dunsmuir for his bride. Restored outbuildings set amid landscaped gardens surround the mansion.  

ESTATE GROUNDS -- Ongoing. Self-Guided Grounds Tours are available yearround. The 50 acres of gardens and grounds at the mansion are open to the public for walking Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Booklets and maps of the grounds are available at the Dinkelspiel House. Free.  

GUIDED TOURS -- Docent-led tours are available on the first Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. (except for July) and Wednesdays at 11 a.m. $5 adults, $4 seniors and juniors (11-16), children 11 and under free. 

Dunsmuir House and Gardens, 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland. (510) 615-5555, www.dunsmuir.org.< 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HOLT PLANETARIUM Ongoing. Shows on Saturdays and Sundays. Programs recommended for ages 6 and up unless otherwise noted. $2.50-$3 in addition to general admission.  

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

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY PACIFIC FILM ARCHIVE ongoing. Exploring cinema from the Bay Area and cultures around the world, the Pacific Film Archive offers daily film screenings, including rare and rediscovered prints of movie classics; new and historic works by world famous directors; restored silent films with live musical accompaniment; retrospectives; and new and experimental works. Check Web site for a full schedule of films.  

"First Impressions: Free First Thursdays," first Thursday of every month. Special tours and movie presentations. Admission is free. 

Single feature: $5-$8; Double feature: $9-$12 general. PFA Theater, 2575 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. (510) 642-5249, www.bampfa.berkeley.edu.< 

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, MORRISON LIBRARY  

"Lunch Poems," ongoing. 12:10-12:50 p.m. First Thursdays of each month  

2600 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. (510) 642-3671.< 

USS HORNET MUSEUM Come aboard this World War II aircraft carrier that has been converted into a floating museum. The Hornet, launched in 1943, is 899 feet long and 27 stories high. During World War II she was never hit by an enemy strike or plane and holds the Navy record for number of enemy planes shot down in a week. In 1969 the Hornet recovered the Apollo 11 space capsule containing the first men to walk on the moon, and later recovered Apollo 12. In 1991 the Hornet was designated a National Historic Landmark and is now docked at the same pier she sailed from in 1944. Today, visitors can tour the massive ship, view World War II-era warplanes and experience a simulated aircraft launch from the carrier's deck. Exhibits are being added on an ongoing basis. Allow two to three hours for a visit. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to climb steep stairs or ladders. Dress in layers as the ship can be cold. Arrive no later than 2 p.m. to sign up for the engine room and other docent-led tours. Children under age 12 are not allowed in the Engine Room or the Combat Information Center. "Limited Access Day," ongoing. Due to ship maintenance, tours of the navigation bridge and the engine room are not available. Tuesdays.  

"Flight Deck Fun," ongoing. A former Landing Signal Officer will show children how to bring in a fighter plane for a landing on the deck then let them try the signals themselves. Times vary. Free with regular Museum admission.  

"Protestant Divine Services," ongoing. Hornet chaplain John Berger conducts church services aboard The Hornet in the Wardroom Lounge. Everyone is welcome and refreshments are served immediately following the service. Sundays, 11 a.m.Ongoing. Closed on New Year's Day. 

"Family Day," ongoing. Discounted admission for families of four with a further discount for additional family members. Access to some of the areas may be limited due to ship maintenance. Every Tuesday. $20 for family of four; $5 for each additional family member. 

"History Mystery After Hours Tour," ongoing. 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Explore the USS Hornet after hours and learn the history of this ship while it is illuminated in red lights used for "night ops." Also, hear stories about the ships' legendary haunts. Reservations required. (510) 521-8448 X282. 

"Flashlight Tour," ongoing. 8:30 a.m. Receive a special tour of areas aboard the ship that have not yet been opened to the public or that have limited access during the day. $30-$35 per person. 

$6-$14; free children age 4 and under with a paying adult. Daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Pier 3 (enter on Atlantic Avenue), Alameda Point, Alameda. (510) 521-8448, www.uss-hornet.org.< 

ZELLERBACH HALL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY  

Kodo, Feb. 4, 8 p.m. High energy drummers and performers from Japan are visiting the Bay Area and celebrating their 30th anniversary. $22-$52.  

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

CARMEN FLORES RECREATION CENTER  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

$5-$7; free children under age 2. June 16-Sept. 15: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sun.; Sept. 16-June 15: noon.-5 p.m. Wed.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.< 

OAKLAND ASIAN CULTURAL CENTER  

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

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

OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT  

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

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

ELKS LODGE, ALAMEDA  

"All You Can Dance Sunday Socials," ongoing. Sunday, 4-6 p.m. Marilyn Bowe and Robert Henneg presents monthly socials with ballroom, swing, Latin and rock & roll themes. www.dancewithme.info. 

2255 Santa Clara Ave., Alameda. (510) 864-2256.< 

SHATTUCK DOWN LOW For ages 21 and older. 

"King of King's," ongoing. 9 p.m. Sun. $10. 

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

2284 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 548-1159, www.shattuckdownlow.com.< 

SOLAD DANCE CENTER  

"Persian Dance," ongoing. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:30 and 10 p.m. Rosa Rojas offers traditional dance classes. $10.  

Citrus Marketplace, 2260 Oak Grove Rd., Walnut Creek. (925) 938-3300.< 

STARRY PLOUGH PUB  

"Ceili and Dance," ongoing. Traditional Irish music and dance. The evening begins with a dance lesson at 7 p.m. followed by music at 9 p.m. Mondays, 7 p.m. Free.  

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