When it comes to ACCAL play, the Berkeley High girls’ volleyball is a machine, chewing up opponents and spitting them out. The Yellowjackets went undefeated in league play last year, and head coach Justin Caraway is confident of repeat. 

“You’re looking at another undefeated league season,” Caraway said after his team had finished mopping the floor with Pinole Valley on Wednesday, 15-7, 15-1, 15-1. 

With 6-foot-5 USA youth team member Desiree Guilliard-Young manning the middle for the ’Jackets, no team in the league can match them at the net. And though Caraway lost four key members of last year’s squad to graduation, he has simply reloaded with a new set of talented players. 

Outside hitters Vanessa Williams and Amalia Jarvis are the keys to Berkeley’s post-season hopes. If they can maintain a threat on the outside and keep teams from keying on Guilliard-Young, things should go smoothly for Caraway’s team. The two combined for 10 kills against the Spartans and impressed their coach. 

“We had an outstanding game from all of our outside hitters, which we can do when we pass well,” Caraway said. “If we have a good passing day, we can get the ball to Desiree in the middle early, then get our swings on the outside later.” 

The ’Jackets started slowly against Pinole Valley, perhaps feeling some malaise from their lackluster effort against Richmond on Tuesday. Several Berkeley errors handed points to the much smaller Spartans, who held a lead of 7-6 before the ’Jackets got on track. With Nadia Qabazard serving, Berkeley ran off nine straight points to take the first game. 

“There’s no way (Pinole Valley) should get seven points on us,” Caraway said. “We didn’t pass particularly well, and we didn’t adjust to their different servers.” 

It was all ’Jackets from there on out. The Spartans struggled just to set up their hitters, and when they did, the ball usually was stuffed right back at them as Guilliard-Young and Williams combined for four blocks. Williams also had three kills in the final game, and Jarvis finished off the Spartans with the final two kills. 

Caraway doesn’t expect much competition in league play, with the exception of Encinal. With last year’s league MVP in Jackie Randolph, Caraway points the Jets out as the only team that could threaten his team’s dominance.  

Last year, Berkeley blew through the regular season, but was stopped in the first round by Bishop O’Dowd. Caraway hopes to toughen his team for post-season play this year by playing in several top-level tournaments, including the Bishop Montgomery/Piner event this weekend in Santa Rosa. 

“We have to play good teams to get ready to face tough teams in the playoffs,” Caraway said.

924 Gilman Street Sept. 28: Erase Errata, The Intima, Ibobuki, (+tba); Sept. 29: DS-13, Beware, Blown To Bits, (+tba); Oct 5: Subincision, Gary’s Agenda, Eugene (+ tba); Oct 6: Tight Brothers from Way Back When, Smash Your Face, Cherry Valence, Bare Bones; Oct 12: One Line Drawing, Funeral Dinner, Diefenbaker, Till 7 Years Pass Over Him; Oct 13: Dead and Gone, Cattle Decapitation, Vulgar Pigeons, Wormwood, Antagony; Most shows are $5 and start at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 

Albatross Pub Sept. 27: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Oct 3: Wesley Brothers; Oct 4:Keni “El Lebrijano” Flemenco Guitar; All free shows begin at 9 p.m. 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473  

albatrosspub@mindspring.com  

Anna’s Sept. 27: David Jeffrey Fourtet, Brendan Milstein; Sept. 28: Anna sings jazz standards, 10 p.m. Bluesman Hideo Date; Sept. 29: Robin Gregory, Bliss Rodriguez, 10 p.m. The Distones Jazz Sextet, Donald Duck Bailey; Sept. 30: Acoustic Soul; All shows begin at 8 p.m. 1801 University Ave. 849-ANNA www.annasbistro.com 

Café de la Paz Poetry Nitro, performance showcase with open mike. All shows free, 7 - 10 p.m. 

Cal Performances Sept. 30: 7 p.m. Kronos Quartet, David Barron, $30; Oct. 12 - 14: Fri. and Sat., 8 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m. Ballet Nacional De Cuba, $24 - $46; Oct. 17 and 18: 8 p.m. Cesaria Evora, $24 - $36; Oct. 19: 8 p.m. Karnak, $18 - $30. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley Campus, Bancroft Way at Telegraph, 642-0212, tickets@calperfs.berkeley.edu 

Eli’s Mile High Club Every Friday, 10 p.m. Funky Fridays Conscious Dance Party with KPFA DJs Splif Skankin and Funky Man. $10. Doors open at 8 p.m. unless noted. 3629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland. 655-6661 

Freight & Salvage Sept. 27: Dick Gaughan, $18.50; Sept 28: Jenna Mammina, $16.50; Sept. 29: The Nigerian Brothers, $16.50; Sept. 30: Vasen, $17.50; Oct 2: Budowitz; Oct 3: The Robin Nolan Trio; Oct 4: Darol Anger & Mike Marshall; Oct 5: Golden Bough; Oct 6: The Limeliters; Oct 7: Eddie From Ohio; Oct 8: All Nation Singers, Walter Ogi Johnson, Thunder; All shows start at 8 p.m. 1111 Addison St. 548-1761 www.freightandsalvage.com 

Jack’s Bistro Sept. 28: 9 p.m. Tomas Michaud’s New World Flamenco Quartet, Jack London Square. 444-7171  

www.starland-music.com 

Jazzschool/La Note Sept. 30: 4 p.m., John Santos and the Machete Ensemble. $15. 2377 Shattuck Ave. 845-5376 

Jupiter Sept. 28: Anton Schwartz Quartet; Sept 29: moderngypsies.net; All music starts at 8 p.m. 2181 Shattuck Ave.  

843-7625 www.jupiterbeer.com  

La Peña Cultural Center Sept. 27: 7:30 p.m. The local Friends of the MST will host a screening of the new documentary "Raiz Forte" or "Strong Roots" to present our community with a vision of their work and struggle. A discussion will follow. $5-$10; In the Cafe, 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 www.lapena.org 

Music Sources Sept. 30: 5 p.m. Ole Scarlatta! Portuguese and French keyboards and fortepiano joined by Jason McGuire on flamenco guitar, $18 General, $15 members, seniors, students. 1000 The Alameda 528-1685 

Sedge Thomson’s West Coast Live Radio Show Sept. 29: Nancy Miford, The Nigerian Brothers, Caroline Dahl. The Freight and Salvage, 1111 Addison St. All shows 10 a.m. - noon. 252-9214 www.wcl.org 

Benifit Concert for the Native  

American Health Center Sept. 28: 8 p.m. Buffy Sainte-Marie, Ulali, Lorrie Church, The Mankillers. Paramount Theater, 2025 Broadway, Oakland. 625-8497  

UC Berkeley Symphony Orchestra Collaborates with Art Department Sept. 28 and 29: 8 p.m. The Symphony will perform several works during an exhibition featuring examples of Leonardo diptychs for the basis of portraying art in motion. $8 general admission, $2 students. Hertz Hall solotoff@uclink.berkeley.edu 

“The Complete Shostakovich String Quartets--Part One” Sept. 29: 10 a.m. Quartets III & IV; Oct. 20: 10 a.m. Quartets V & VI. Performed by the prize-winning Alexander String Quartet with Robert Greenberg. $ 30, $84 for the Trio of concerts. Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. 845-8542 www.juliamorgan.org. 

Magnificat Sept. 29: 8 p.m. First Congregational Church. The San Francisco early music ensemble of voices and period instruments present their tenth anniversary season with music of seventeenth century composers. Tickets $12-$45 (415) 979-4500 

The Mike Yax Jazz Orchestra Sept. 30: 2 p.m., Longfellow School of the Arts, 1500 Derby St. 420-4560 

“Le Cirque des Animaux” Sept. 29: 8 p.m. Hausmusik presents a wacky baroque musical cabaret on the subject of animals. Parish Hall of St. Alban’s Espiscopal Church, 1501 Washington St. (not wheelchair accessible). $18 general admission, $15 seniors, students and SFEMS members) 527-9029 

“Murder Dressed in Satin” by Victor Lawhorn, ongoing. A mystery-comedy dinner show at The Madison about a murder at the home of Satin Moray, a club owner and self-proclaimed socialite with a scarlet past. Dinner is included in the price of the theater ticket. $47.50 Lake Merritt Hotel, 1800 Madison St., Oakland. 239-2252 www.acteva.com/go/havefun 

“Twelfth Night” Sept. 25 - 30, Oct. 2 - 7, Tue. - Thurs. 7:30 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 4 p.m., Student Matinees: Sept. 18, 20, 25, Oct. 2, @ 1 p.m. California Shakespeare Festival presents William Shakespeare’s comic tale of romance, loneliness, love and glory. Directed by Jonathan Moscone. $12 - $41. Bruns Memorial Amphitheater, Highway 24, Gateway Exit, one mile east of the Caldecott Tunnel. 548-9666 www.calshakes.org 

“Swanwhite” through Oct. 21: Thur. - Sat., 8 p.m., Sun. 7 p.m. A new translation of the Swedish Play that asks the question what good is romantic love, directed by Tom Clyde. $20, Sundays are “Pay What You Can.” Transparent Theater, 1901 Ashby Ave. 883-0305, www.virtuous.com 

“Orestes” Oct. 5 through Oct. 21: Fri. - Sat., 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. An adaptation of the classical play by Euripides that incorporates passages inspired or taken from various 20th century texts. Written by Charles Mee, directed by Christopher Herold. $6-12. Zellerbach Playhouse on the UC Berkeley campus 642-8268 

“36 Views” through Oct. 28: Tues. 8 p.m., Wed. 7 p.m., Thu. 8 p.m. w/ 2 p.m. matinee every other Thu., Fri. 8 p.m., Sat. 8 p.m. w/ 2 p.m. matinee every other Sat., Sun. 2 p.m., 8 p.m. Written by Naomi Lizuka, directed by Mark Wing-Davey. $10 - $54. Berkeley Repertory’s Roda Theatre, 2015 Addison St. 647-2949  

www.berkeleyrep.org 

Pacific Film Archive Sept. 28: 7 p.m. Ugetsu, 8:55 Sansho the Bailiff; Sept. 29: 7 p.m. Dr. Mabuse the Gambler, Part I, Joel Adlen on piano; Sept. 30: Dr. Mabuse the Gambler, Part II, Joel Adlen on piano; general admission $7, The New PFA Theatre 2575 Bancroft Way 642-1412 

“Tree-Sit: The Art of Resistance” Oct 4: 7 p.m. Feature-length documentary chronicles 10 years of young activist’s struggle to protect ancient redwoods. La Pena Cultural Centre, 3105 Shattuck Ave. (415) 820-1635 

“Reykjavik” Sept. 28 - Oct. 4: A young man’s sexual impulses go haywire when he discovers the woman he has just been to bed with also happens to be his mother’s lesbian lover. Shattuck Cinemas, 2230 Shattuck Ave. 843-3456 

Nexus Gallery through Sept. 30: noon - 6 p.m. Jan Eldridge- Large charcoal drawings and acrylic collages; Tricia Grame- visual and textural autobiography of her spiritual evolution; Tanya Wilkinson- A sensuous exploration of the possibilities inherent in the medium of handmade paper. 

Women’s Cancer Resource Gallery “Catastrophe, Crisis, and Other Family Traditions,” the photography of Jessamyn Lovell. Through Sept. 26; “The Arthur Wright and Gerald Parker,” through Sept. 26; Tues. - Thurs. 1 - 7 p.m., Sat. 12 - 4 p.m. 3023 Shattuck Ave. 548-9286 Ext. 307 www.wcrc.org 

Bahman Navaee is exhibiting his paintings. Through Sept. 29: Persian Center, 2029 Durant Ave. 848-0264 

UC Berkeley Symphony Orchestra Collaborates with Art Department Sept. 28 and 29: 8 p.m. The Symphony will perform several works during an exhibition featuring examples of Leonardo diptychs for the basis of portraying art in motion. $8 general admission, $2 students. Hertz Hall solotoff@uclink.berkeley.edu 

“Debbie Moore’s Autobiographical Paintings” through Sept. 30 at Good Vibrations. Portraits of the artist’s sensual explorations spanning 25 years and reflecting changing ways of intimacy and body play. 2504 San Pablo Avenue 848-1985 

“Three Visions” through Sept. 30: 12 - 6 p.m., An Exhibition of Mixed Media. Nexus Gallery, 2707 Eighth St. (707) 554-2520 

“The Decade of Change: 1900 - 1910” through September. Chronicles the transformation of the city of Berkeley in this 10-year period. Thursday through Saturday, 1 – 4 p.m. Berkeley History Center, Veterans Memorial Building, 1931 Center St. Wheelchair accessible. 848-0181. Free.  

“Squared Triangle” through Oct. 5: noon - 6 p.m. A minimalist art exhibit featuring three Bay Area artists working in different mediums while achieving the same elegant simplicity. The Crucible, 1036 Ashby Ave. 843-5511 www.thecrucible.com 

“Inside Editions” through Oct. 12: Nine printmakers exhibit their work. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tue. - Fri. Free. Kala Art Insitute, 1060 Heinz Ave. 549-2977 kala@kala.org 

“Census 2000: Asian Pacific Islander Americans” through Oct. 13; Wed. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Asian Pacific Islander American artists in roughly the demographic proportions indicated by the recent census. Free. Pro Arts, 461 Ninth St., Oakland 763-9470  

“MWP Perspectives” Jon Orvik: One artist’s journey. Through Oct. 27 Tues. - Fri. 12 - 5 p.m., Sat. & Sun. 12 - 4 p.m. Solo artist exhibiting his journey through metal, wood and paint. Adapt Gallery and Design, 2834 College Ave. 649-8501 www.adaptgallery.com  

“50 Years of Photography in Japan 1951 - 2001” through Nov. 5: An exhibition from The Yomiuri Shimbun, the world’s largest daily newspaper with a national morning circulation of 10,300,000. Photographs of work, love, community, culture and disasters of Japan as seen by Japanese news photographers. Opening Reception Sept. 5: 6 - 8 p.m. open to the public; Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. U.C. Berkeley, Graduate School of Journalism, North Gate Hall, Hearst and Euclid. Free. 642-3383 

“Jesus, This is Your Life - Stories and Pictures by Kids” through Nov. 16: California children, ages four through twelve, from diverse backgrounds present original artwork, accompanied by a story written by the artist. Mon. - Thur. 8:30 a.m. -10 p.m., Fri. 8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sun. 12 p.m. - 7 p.m. Flora Lamson Hewlett Library, 2400 Ridge Rd. 649-2541. 

“Changing the World, Building New Lives: 1970s photographs of Lesbians, Feminists, Union Women, Disability Activists and their Supporters” through Nov. 17: An exhibit of black and white photographs by Oakland photographer Cathy Cade, who captured the interrelationships of the different struggles for justice and social change. Opening reception Sept. 15, 5 - 8 p.m. Gallery Hours, Mon. - Fri. 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Photolab Gallery, 2235 Fifth St. Free. 644-1400 cathycade@mindspring.com 

“The Whole World’s Watching: Peace and Social Justice Movements of the 1960s and 1970s” Sept. 16 through Dec. 16: A documentary photo exhibition which examines the rich history of the social movements of the 1960’s and 1970’s. Wed. - Sun., noon - 5 p.m. Berkeley Art Center, 1275 Walnut St., Live Oak Park. Free. 644-6893 

“Musee des Hommages” Masterworks by Guy Colwell Faithful copies of several artists from the pasts, including Titian’s “The Venus of Urbino,” Cezanne’s “Still Life,” Picasso’s “Woman at a Mirror,” and Botticelli’s “Primavera” Ongoing. Call ahead for hours. Atelier 9 2028 Ninth St. (at Addison) 841-4210 or visit www.atelier9.com 

Readings 

Boadecia’s Books Sept. 21: Deborah Kesten, “The Healing Secrets of Food;” Sept. 22: A special All Poetry Dyke Open Myke, to participate call 655-1015 or feroniawolf@yahoo.com; Sept 28: The Return of Gaymes Night; Sept 29: Ellen Samuels and other contributors to “Out of the Ordinary: Essays on Growing Up with Gay, Lesbian & Transgender Parents”; Mark Pritchard reads from “How I Adore You”; Oct 6: Terry Ryan reads from “The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 words or Less”; All events start at 7:30 p.m. unless noted otherwise. All events are free. 398 Colusa Ave. 559-9184 www.bookpride.com 

Cody’s on 4th Street Sept. 20: 7 p.m. Jamie Oliver, The Naked Chef, “The Naked Chef Takes Off”; Sept. 22: 10:30 a.m. Cody’s for Kids, Walter the Giant Storyteller; Sept. 25: 7 p.m. Nancy London has been cancelled; Oct 5: 7 p.m. Glen Davis Gold reads from “Carter Beats the Devil”; Oct 12: Cody’s For Kids- Rosemary Wells and Bunny Party; 1730 Fourth St. 559-9500 

Cody’s on Telegraph Ave. Sept. 17: Aldo Alvarez describes “Interesting Monsters”; Sept. 18: Clarence Walker discusses “We Can’t Go Home Again: An Argument About Afrocentrism; Sept. 19: Douglas Coupland reads “All Families Are Psychotic”; Sept. 24: Theodore Roszak discusses “Longevity Revolution: As Boomers Become Elders”; Sept. 25: Ken Croswell discusses “The Universe At Midnight: New Discoveries Illuminate the Hidden Cosmos” with a slide show presentation; Sept. 27: Bill Ayers talks about “Fugitive Days”; Oct 1: Urdsula K. Le guin reads from “The Other Wind”; Oct 2: Jonathan Franzen reads from “The Corrections”; Oct 4: Eric Seaborg looks at “Adventures in the Atomic Age: From Watts to Washington”; Oct 5: Victor Villasenor reads from “Thirteen Senses”; All shows at 7:30 p.m. 2454 Telegraph Ave. 845-7852 

Cody’s Other Venues - Sept. 20: 7:30 p.m. Cody’s presents an evening with Margaret Atwood in conversation with professor Robert Alter. $12. First Congregational Church 2345 Channing Way; Sept. 28: 7:30 p.m. Cody’s presents a Community Forum on Race and the Achievement Gap at Berkeley High School. Little Theater, Berkeley High School; Oct 7: 7 p.m. Coleman Barks- The Soul of Rumi First Congregational Church of Berkeley 2345 Dana 

Coffee Mill Poetry Series Sept. 18: Ben Brose and Jen Iby followed by open mike reading. 3363 Grand Ave., Oakland 465-3935 ksdgk@earthlink.net 

Eastwind Books of Berkeley Sept. 29: 7 p.m. Kip Fulbeck reads from his first novel, “Paper Bullets.” 2066 University Ave. 548-2350 

Easy Going Travel Shop & Bookstore Sept. 20: 7:30 p.m. Antarctica & The Nature of Penguins, An evening with Jonathan Chester; Oct 2: 7:30 p.m. “Dancing with the Witchdoctor: One Woman’s Adventure in Africa” by Kelly James. 1385 Shattuck Ave. 843-3533 

Lunch Poems reading Series Oct 4: 12:10 p.m. Ishmael Reed; Morrison Libary in Doe Library at UC Berkeley. Free 642-0137 http://www.berkeley.edu/calendar/events/poems/ 

Spasso Sept. 10: Sharron Jones-Reid, Fruit of the Spirit poets, acoustic musicians, comedians, rappers, performance artists, writers. All welcome. 6021 College Ave. Free admission. 

Tours 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Fridays 9:30 - 11:45 a.m. or by appointment. Call ahead to make reservations. Free. University of California, Berkeley. 486-4387 

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

Museums 

Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm” An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels, look into a mirrored fish pond, don farm animal costumes, ride on a John Deere tractor and more. “Recycling Center” Lets the kids crank the conveyor belt to sort cans, plastic bottles and newspaper bundles into dumpster bins. $4 adults; $6 children age 7 and under; $3 for each additional child age 7 and under. Monday and Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Tuesday and Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Sundays, Memorial Day through Labor Day) Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 647-1111 or www.habitot.org  

UC Berkeley Museum of Paleontology Lobby, Valley Life Sciences Building, UC Berkeley “Tyrannosaurus Rex,” ongoing. A 20 foot by 40 foot replica of the fearsome dinosaur made from casts of bones of the most complete T. rex skeleton yet excavated. When unearthed in Montana, the bones were all lying in place with only a small piece of the tailbone missing. “Pteranodon” A suspended skeleton of a flying reptile with a wingspan of 22-23 feet. The pteranodon lived at the same time as the dinosaurs. Free. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 642-1821 

UC Berkeley Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology will close its exhibition galleries for renovation. It will reopen in early 2002. On View until Oct. 1 : “Ishi and the Invention of Yahi Culture.” “Sites Along the Nile: Rescuing Ancient Egypt.” “The Art of Research: Nelson Graburn and the Aesthetics of Inuit Sculpture.” “Tzintzuntzan, Mexico: Photographs by George Foster.” $2 general; $1 seniors; $.50 children age 17 and under; free on Thursdays. Wednesday, Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way and College Avenue. 643-7648 or www.qal.berkeley.edu/~hearst/ 

University of California Berkeley Art Museum Pacific Film Archive has reopened after its summer-long seismic retrofit. “Martin Puryear: Sculpture of the 1990s” through Jan. 13; “The Dream of the Audience: Theresa Hak Kyung Cha (1951 - 1982)” through Dec. 16; “Face of Buddha: Sculpture from India, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia” ongoing rotation through 2003; “Matrix 194: Jessica Bronson, Heaps, layers, and curls” Sept. 16 through Nov. 11; “Matrix 192: Ceal Floyer 37’4”” Sept. 16 through Nov. 11; Wed., Fri., Sat., Sun. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Thur. 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., PFA Theater, 2575 Bancroft Way; Museum Galleries 2626 Bancroft Way; 642-0808 www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

Lawrence Hall of Science “Within the Human Brain,” ongoing. Visitors test their cranial nerves, play skeeball, master mazes, match musical tones and construct stories inside a simulated “rat cage” of learning experiments. “Saturday Night Stargazing,” First and third Saturdays each month. 8 - 10 p.m., LHS plaza. Space Weather Exhibit now - Sept. 2; now - Sept. 9 Science in Toyland; Saturdays 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. $7 for adults; $5 for children 5-18; $3 for children 3-4. 642-5132 

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

Oakland Museum of California “Half Past Autumn: The Art of Gordon Parks,” through Sept. 23; Wednesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday, noon - 5 p.m., Closed Monday and Tuesday. $6 general; $4 youths (6-17), seniors and students with ID. Free for museum members and children 5 and under. Free admission the second Sunday of the month. 10th & Oak streets, Oakland. 238-2200 www.museum.org 

Send arts events two weeks in advance to Calendar@berkeleydailyplanet.net, 2076 University, Berkeley 94704 or fax to 841-5694.

Love it or leave it 

Editor: 

At a rally in Berkeley last week, you reported Gloria La Riva saying that everywhere she has traveled - including Iraq, North Korea and Palestine - people have told her that while they love American people, they hate the American government. 

“It’s time for us to show that we hate our government as well,” she said. 

I feel some people really don’t get the grasp of things that happen in the world sometimes, especially when I see someone telling people we should hate our government. Seems to me that we have lately had that viewpoint moved into our back yard in New York and in Washington, D.C. Maybe some of the people the government should be looking for are still in our own back yards. 

I heard today some government official told the fire department to remove the American flags from the fire trucks in Berkeley. Now who in the hell is the Anti American in your city offices?  

We fly the flag out of respect and the fact we love our country. This land is free, fly your flags America and if there are people who don’t want to see those flags fly, then send them to some place where they don’t have flags of any kind.  

Since when does a political figure tell anyone not to fly the flag of the United States of America. You are telling people who risk their lives every day they can’t show respect for their brothers who have lost their lives and I think it’s time someone spoke up about it.  

Thank God for America my friends because if we didn’t live here we could be living in a place that always had wars and loss of lives.  

Would you really love to see our country be torn apart by destruction everyday? Would you really like to raise your children in streets where guns are fired all the time? Would you really like to live in a place where the people have no way to better themselves? I feel the people of Berkeley need to look at what some of your people are doing. 

I think for those right now who suggest we should hate our government maybe they should be living in a land like Iran and then let them open their mouths about how everyone should hate their government. Please fly the flags of our country with honor and show the world we will not stand for the innocents of our country being killed. Its one thing to have military against military but to kill people and leave about 1,000 children without parents who were just like you and I is not honorable but cowardly. 

Show the world how you feel by saying a prayer for those who have died and the ones who are still searching. Say a prayer for your families and friends that they may never have to experience the horrible deaths like we have seen take place on the 11th of this month. If you are an American then show it and if you don’t like this country then please catch the next plane out. 

Fly those flags where you feel you want to fly them because we are a free nation and yes to be proud of our country and its flag is being an American. 

God Bless America and all she stands for.  

Thursday, Sept. 27

Exploring Chile 

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment 

1338 San Pablo Ave. 

Wayne Bernhardson will present slides and provide information about this increasingly popular adventure destination. Free.  

527-4140 

Even Stronger Women 

1:15 - 3:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Free weekly cultural discussion class. This week: feminist influence on children. Discussion of Judy Blume’s books for girls.  

549-1879 

Café Literario 

7 p.m. 

Public Library West Branch 

1125 University Ave.  

A bilingual reading and discussion series. The book, “Odyssey to the North” by Mario Bencastro, will be discussed.  

644-6870 

Daily Prayer and Meditation 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

First Congregational Church 

Dana at Durant 

Chapel open for prayer and meditation. 

Friday, Sept. 28

Redwood Sequoia Congress 

1606 Bonita Ave. 

Human rights and environmental activists will gather in an annual examination of the human condition and the status of the planet.  

841-1182 

Anti-War Art Making  

at Pro Arts  

6-10 p.m. 

461 Ninth Street, Oakland (near 12th Street BART)  

Pro Arts is providing an opportunity for artists to make their anti-war expressions visible, playable, audible and readable. Posters and other artwork can be used in the rally the next day at Dolores Park in San Francisco or for any other event the artist wishes.  

763-4361 

Third Annual BFD Blood Drive 

8:30 a.m. - 2 :30 p.m. 

Fire Station #2 

2029 Berkeley Way 

In conjunction with the Red Cross, the Berkeley Fire Department is having it’s annual blood drive. Drop in or make an appointment. 981-5599 Ext. 4408 

City Commons Club 

12:30 p.m. 

Berkeley City Club 

2315 Durant Ave. 

“Inside North Korea” with Timothy Savage, Senior Planner, East Asian Security, Nautilus Institute. 848-3533 

Autumn Moon Festival 

1:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Presented by the North Berkeley Senior Center’s Chinese Club. Refreshments will include moon cakes. Free.  

644-6107  

Daily Prayer and Meditation 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

First Congregational Church 

Dana at Durant 

Chapel open for prayer and meditation. 

Race and Achievement at Berkeley High 

7:30 p.m. 

Berkeley High School, Little  

Theater 

2246 Milvia St. 

An evening of poetry, spoken word, and testimonials. 

Saturday, Sept. 29

Antiwar Rally 

11 a.m. 

Dolores Park 

19th and Dolores streets, San Francisco 

10 minutes from the16th Street BART Station 

(415) 821-6545 

Disaster First Aid 

9 a.m. - noon 

Office of Emergency Services 

997 Cedar St. 

Free classes in Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). www.ci.berkeley.ca.us 

981-5605 

Strawberry Creek Work Party 

9 a.m.- noon 

Seabreeze Market 

University Avenue and Frontage Road 

Remove non-native pepperweed at the outflow to the Bay and learn about efforts to restore native oysters to the San  

Francisco Bay. 

bjanet@earthlink.com 

848-4008 

Redwood Sequoia Congress 

1606 Bonita Ave. 

Human rights and environmental activists will gather in an annual examination of the human condition and the status of the planet.  

841-1182 

Get Published Workshop 

noon - 3 p.m. 

Albany Library 

1247 Marin Ave., Edith Stone Room 

Led by writing coach Jill Nagle and will cover query letters, book proposals, finding an agent and more. Preregistration strongly recommended.  

(415) 431-7491 jill@jillnagle.com 

Berkeley Historical Society Walking Tour 

10 a.m. - noon 

Trish Hawthorne knows the Thousands Oaks neighborhood like no one else. Tours are restricted to 30 participants and require pre-paid reservations, $10. 848-0181 www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/histsoc/ 848-0181  

Idealist.org Nonprofit Career Fair 

1 p.m. 

Preservation Park 

MLK Jr. Way and 13th Street 

For individuals interested in employment or internship positions in the nonprofit sector. www.idealist.org  

(212) 843-3973 

The Crucible’s Open House and Fix-A-Thon Fundraiser 

noon - 6 p.m. 

The Crucible 

1036 Ashby Ave. 

Parking and entrance on Murray Street 

Featuring the faculty performing hands-on demonstrations of the skills and techniques they teach. Try blacksmithing, welding, stone carving, glass enameling, and other stuff. Bring your broken or cracked metal objects and low-tech electric devices in need of repair: furniture, lamps, castings, dull knives, cracked bike frames, etc. The staff will assess the damages and if the items are reparable, they will fix them for a reasonable fee. Free event.  

www.thecrucible.org 

843-5511  

Sunday, Sept. 30

Sixth Annual How Berkeley Can You Be? Parade 

11 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

University Avenue 

The grand parade leaves from California Street and concludes at Civic Center Park where festival continues. Over 80 art cars, art bikes, Cal Marching Band, Electric Couch, Go Carts, plus live music and circus.  

www.howberkeleycanyoube.com 849-4688  

Potluck Brunch 

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Bateman Park 

Rockridge / Elmwood Gay Lesbian Potluck Brunch.  

595-1999 

West Berkeley Market 

11 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

University Avenue between Third and Fourth streets  

Family-oriented weekly market. Crafts, music, produce, and specialty foods. 

654-6346 

Yoga/ Tibetan 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Instructor Jack van der Meulen will discuss the three levels of Kum Nye practice and demonstrate some of the practices. Free. 843-6812 

Monday, Oct. 1 

Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults Inquiry Program 

7:30 p.m. 

St. Mary Magdalen Parish 

2005 Berryman St. 

A program to learn everything you wanted to know about the Catholic Church but never had the chance to ask. 526-4811 

Franciscanism, Understanding the Vision 

1 - 2 p.m. 

Franciscan School of Theology 

1712 Euclid Ave. 

Graduate Theological Union presents seminar exploring the lives, times and writings of and about Francis and Clare of Assisi.  

848-5232 

–compiled by Guy Poole 

A press conference and culture festival in the Florence Schwimmley Little Theater on Wednesday capped off Berkeley High School’s three-day student-led effort to raise campus consciousness of scapegoating in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. 

At the press conference, several students recounted incidents of verbal harassment in the last two weeks. City Councilmember Kriss Worthington presented the resolution, passed unanimously by the City Council Tuesday, that declared Berkeley a “Hate-Free Zone.” 

“This resolution is just the beginning,” Worthington said. “There will be a series of events to address individual cases, such as students discouraged from wearing their ethnic clothing and being verbally harassed.” 

School Board President Terry Doran also attended. “Young people are showing us the way, and they’re an inspiration,” he said. 

The student organizers, members of two campus groups vocal on minority issues, were prepared with name tags, some saying “press person.” Their press release stated that even in Berkeley, “the Muslim, Arab and Sikh communities, as well as those bearing a physical resemblance to them, live in a climate of fear, under the threat of daily violence. Physical and sexual violence, verbal threats, threatening phone calls, and a deluge of negative media images have created this climate of fear.” 

Shortly afterward, the Little Theater filled up for a “cultural festival,” organized by the Youth Together and Culture and Unity student groups, after school administrators nixed an outdoor rally-type event last week. (Students were allowed to attend in lieu of classes.) 

One by one, girls wearing the light-fabric dresses of South Asia and boys wearing green armbands went out on stage and read poems or sang songs in front of their schoolmates, each in some way expressing the urgency that people learn not to discriminate. Backstage, the students nervously fanned themselves with their poems, scrawled on lined notebook paper. Viveca Hawkins, a senior who sang a song named “Reflections” to screams of approval, shed tears when she came offstage. 

In a slightly trembling voice, Lily Colby, a freshman, read a poem she had written, with flowers as a metaphor for racial harmony. 

“It’s hard to talk to the teenagers,” she said afterwards, “because they’re always looking for the bad side – because they’re teenagers. It’s not like talking to adults.” 

Indeed, amidst the earnest message emanating from the stage, occasional wisecracks punctuated the audience chatter. When the performing students assembled side-by-side on stage toward the end, some in the audience sang a few bars of “We Are the World,” a 1980s rock fundraiser anthem that came to represent pop-culture kitsch among many youth. Scattered groans could be heard during the more politically strident moments, including anti-Bush comments by Josh Parr, the outreach coordinator at the school’s Student Learning Center and coordinator of Youth Together, one of the two student groups involved in the event and teach-ins. 

“He’s still George Bush, he’s still George junior, and he’s still following in the footsteps of his pops,” Parr said, attributing the current military buildup in South Asia to economic reasons, rather than political ones. 

“Some would say that war is another business,” he said. 

Barbara Lubin, head of the Middle Eastern Children’s Alliance, a Berkeley-based non-profit group that has organized trips to Iraq and the Occupied Territories, spoke to the audience about the consequences of U.S. policies there. 

“I was not surprised when I looked at those pictures” of the east coast attacks, she said, “because I saw pictures like this in Iraq at the beginning of the Gulf War when we killed 200,000 people.” 

Eman Tai, a Moslem woman and law student who teaches an American government class, said a prayer and told the students of the importance of identifying with those who suffer. 

“You guys really are the future,” she said. “How you really see these things, and how you treat one another, is the best part of being American.” 

The most rousing cheers and applause came during a Pakistani traditional dance by eight students, at least one of whom hit the floor for a brief interlude of break-dancing as exotic rhythmic music filled the hall. 

The festival ended with an attempt to teach everyone how to say “hello” and “good-bye” in Arabic, and a ritual of everyone clapping faster and faster in unison. 

Afterwards, the indefatigable Culture and Unity students left the theater and served a few dishes of Pakistani food from a table in the central courtyard during lunchtime.

Three Cal women’s soccer players won honors for their recent play this week, including freshman Kacy Hornor’s first career award. 

Hornor was named the Pac-10 Player of the Week for Sept. 17-23. Hornor, from San Francisco, posted three goals and an assist on the weekend, helping the Golden Bears to a pair of 3-1 road victories over UNLV and San Diego State. Against the Rebels Sept. 21, Hornor tallied two goals, including her first collegiate goal and the game-winner. She earned her first collegiate start against the Aztecs, responding with the game-winning goal and an assist on Cal’s final goal. Hornor is third on the team with nine points (3 goals, 3 assists). 

Junior forward Laura Schott and sophomore midfielder Kim Yokers were also honored this week. Both players were named to the Soccer America Team of the Week for their play during the week of Sept. 17-23, and Yokers was named to Soccer Buzz’s National Elite Team of the Week for her contributions in each of the Golden Bears’ three wins.  

Schott netted the game-winning goal in the 83rd minute to beat previously unbeaten and third-ranked Santa Clara, 2-1. She also scored twice and had an assist in the final 10 minutes to beat San Diego State, 3-1. Schott now leads the team with 14 points on six goals and two assists. 

Yokers dished off two assists in the 2-1 upset of the Broncos. She also scored a goal to clinch the 3-1 win over UNLV and had an assist on an insurance goal in the 3-1 victory over San Diego State. She has seven points (1 goal, 5 assists) this season and is tied for the Pac-10 lead for assists.  

This marks Schott’s second and Yokers first career selection to the Soccer America Team of the Week.  

The Golden Bears (6-1-0) return home to face Fresno State Sept. 28 at Edwards Stadium.

Solution to come from Israelis and Palestinians 

Editor: 

I feel compelled to respond to a letter to the editor published in Monday’s edition. Barbarous syntax aside, Leo Breiman’s letter about the Students for Justice in Palestine was rife with unfounded accusations and utterly baffling propositions. He makes oblique reference to our “tactics” without ever delineating what exactly are those tactics he finds so objectionable. 

Peacefully occupying the office of the Daily Cal along with other student organizations while waiting for the editorial board to apologize for a racist cartoon hardly constitutes a call to violence. In response to his most ludicrous claim, I challenge Mr. Breiman to produce evidence of an SJP member ever advocating the “destruction of the state of Israel.” (Perhaps he has confused SJP with an obsolete PLO charter.) I suggest he consult the SJP Mission Statement.  

Mr. Breiman demonstrates a poor grasp of how Israeli/American political decisions are actually made. His plan is for SJP to meet with unspecified Jewish groups to draft a proposal for a resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict that would be “favorably received by Israeli and American-Jewish groups.” Apparently the needs and concerns of Arabs are of no significance at all.  

Any lasting resolution must come from the Palestinian Arabs and Israelis who live there.  

SJP is concerned with university divestment from Israel, not with brokering diplomatic accords. Moreover, the commitment of these Jewish groups to “peace” can be evinced in the disgraceful behavior of the Israeli Action Committee and Jewish Student Union in support of the pro-war rally on the UC Berkeley campus on Sept. 25, 2001 (which was a thinly veiled pro-Israel, pro-America rally) who used obscenities and chanted “coward” at a Muslim student who was silently protesting.  

Cheryl Leung, 

Students for Justice in Palestine 

SJP-UC Berkeley 

A lawsuit brought by West Berkeley landowners against the city may force the City Council to review the landmark status of one disputed corner of the West Berkeley Shellmound. 

The suit was filed last December by the 620 Hearst Group, White West Properties and Richard and Charlene deVecchi, all of whom own land on the west side of Second Street between University and Hearst avenues. They charge that their properties do not, in fact, lie on top of the subterranean mound. 

The plaintiffs, represented by Walnut Creek attorney Christian Carrigan, hold that the various city agencies that have studied the Shellmound, an ancient Native American site that today lies buried, have never had proof that the Shellmound was on their property. In fact, they say, many of the studies performed by the city show the contrary. 

Furthermore, they charge, their appeal of the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s designation of the Shellmound as a landmark was never properly heard by the City Council. Their suit against the city asks Judge James A. Richman of the Alameda Superior Court to issue them a “writ of mandamus,” a court order that would exclude their properties from the boundaries of the shellmound. 

City Attorney Zack Cowan appeared in Judge Richman’s courtroom Wednesday to defend the Shellmound boundaries as defined by the Landmarks Preservation Commission and the City Council. 

After Cowan and Carrigan presented their cases, Judge Richman, who repeatedly interrogated Cowan about the city’s evidence, asked Cowan what the city would wish for him to rule. 

Cowan requested that in place of issuing the writ of mandamus, Richman should ask the City Council to return to the issue, so that the plaintiffs’ arguments could be heard.  

Carrigan objected, saying that to send the issue back to the council would be “extremely prejudicial to (his clients).” The civic process in Berkeley, he noted, is often more time-consuming and expensive than it is in other cities. 

“The legal expenses incurred during these proceedings would be substantial,” he said. 

Cowan said that the issue would go back to the council only – not back to the Landmarks Preservation Commission – and that the council would only concern itself with the properties in question, not the landmark status of the whole Shellmound. 

Stephanie Manning, a Berkeley resident who was among the first to push for the Shellmound’s landmark status, said that she was “extremely unpleased” by Cowan’s offer. 

“I felt like he was arguing for the plaintiffs,” she said. “This would remove the Landmarks Commission from the process entirely. I think a deal has been cut.” 

The plaintiffs in the case charge that the city only has, at best, “inferential” evidence that the shellmound ever extended to their property lines. At the beginning of the hearing Wednesday, Judge Richman indicated that he agreed with this assessment, and asked Cowan for clarification. 

Cowan relied principally on the so-called “Dore map,” which was drawn in 1999 by Christopher Dore of Archaeological Mapping Specialists based on sketches done by early Berkeley archaeologist Nels Nelson in 1910.  

The map shows that the shellmound does not, in fact, reach the plaintiffs’ properties, but Cowan argued that Dore had insufficient data when he drew the map, and later recanted. 

“Mr. Dore agreed that the original boundary may have been incorrect” at a meeting of an ad hoc committee of the Landmarks Preservation Commission set up to study the Shellmound boundaries, Cowan said. 

Judge Richman, though, said that this was not noted in the minutes of the ad hoc committee meeting.  

In an interview Wednesday, Dore said that his map might not indicate the entire area of the Shellmound because the original archaeological sketches it is based on are themselves incomplete. 

The 1910 sketches by Nelson were necessarily incomplete, Dore said, because there was a large factory located on the disputed property at the time. Dore said that in his notes, Nelson wrote that the survey was incomplete. 

“So there’s no direct data to say anything about the presence or absence of archaeological material west of Second,” said Dore. “On the other hand, there is plenty of reasonable evidence that suggests it did (exist).” 

The Dore map shows the Shellmound as a large oval, abruptly blunted at one end by the east side of Second Street. 

If the issue does go back to the City Council, Dore said, new archaeological evidence would show that the Shellmound very likely did extend west of Second Street and the council would be able to affirm the current boundaries based on that data.  

Judge Richman is expected to rule on the case within the next few weeks. 

There are many shades of gray 

Editor: 

President Bush’s reiteration of “You’re either with me or you’re against me” is scary. On the face of it, this sounds reasonable. He is going to fight a war and he wants to know where other countries stand. But he is painting everything in colors of black or white.  

What is even scarier is the way some Americans are interpreting his words. “If someone does not look exactly like me, they are the enemy.” or “If someone does not think exactly like me, they are the enemy.” This is really, really scary. It brings up hauntingly horrible memories of McCarthy and Japanese internment camps and slavery. There is no room for any shade of gray or another other color for that matter. 

America is built on diversity. We cannot go down another path now. 

Anne Smith 

Berkeley 

Despite heavy UC Berkeley student lobbying for a student-majority council district at a public hearing Tuesday, the City Council focused mostly on two other proposals that adhered to charter guidelines. 

About 35 students spoke at the hearing calling for the council to choose a plan devised by the Associated Students of the University of California. The plan would create a council district in which 75 percent of the registered voters would be between the ages of 18 and 24. 

But City Attorney Manuela Albuquerque issued an opinion last week stating that the student plan violated the City Charter because it too drastically moved district boundary lines and shifted too many people into other districts. 

Councilmembers focused their attention mostly on two of the five plans that were submitted to the city. One was the David Blake and Michael O’Malley Plan and the other was the Mary Ann McCamant Plan, submitted by 25 residents, mostly belonging to District 8 neighborhood associations. 

The city is required to redraw the boundaries of its eight districts every 10 years according to population shifts recorded in the census. The council will hold another public hearing on redistricting on Oct. 2 and choose a plan no later than Oct. 9, according to City Clerk Sherry Kelly. 

Prior to opening the public hearing, Albuquerque advised the council that the plans should follow the charter requirement that “any redistricting shall preserve, to the extent possible, the council districts originally established in 1986.” 

But there was a difference of opinion on the council on how to interpret the requirement. The moderates interpreted the work “preserve” to mean that as few people as possible should be moved to other districts and the progressives argued “preserve” refereed to maintaining the geographical shape of the districts.  

Albuquerque advised the council that the charter did not specify which interpretation was more correct and said they could use either interpretation or both to judge the district proposals. 

The plan popular with the council’s progressive faction was the Blake-O’Malley plan, which shifted district lines by no more than one block to maintain their geographical shapes. But this plan also moved over 9,300 people into new districts. 

The council’s moderate faction appeared to lean toward the McCamant plan, which moved only 7,800 people into new districts but shifted the southern line of District 8, six blocks into District 7, thereby significantly altering the geographical shape of the two districts. 

Councilmember Miriam Hawley, who represents District 5, said she did not care for the Blake-O’Malley Plan because the population shift in her district was too large.  

Blake argued he was only “nibbling” at the borders of her district by shifting the boundary lines by only one block as opposed to the “gobbling” that was occurring in other plans. 

“District 5 had an average of only 118 people (according to the 2000 census) and in your plan, you move 1,200 people to other districts,” said a skeptical Hawley. “That certainly can qualify as a ‘gobble.’” 

Mayor Shirley Dean agreed, saying that the plan underestimated how much people identify with their council districts. “You have not only gobbled but destroyed whole neighborhoods with your plan,” she said.  

Councilmembers Linda Maio, Dona Spring and Kriss Worthington said they favored the Blake-O’Malley Plan because of the minor changes to district shapes. 

“The original intent of the City Charter was to stay as close to the boundaries laid out in 1986,” Spring said, “and if you look at the maps, the Blake-O’Malley Plan boundaries are the most similar.” 

Worthington said no matter which plan is approved, he intends to put a proposal on the council agenda that would create a student advisory seat. “They wouldn’t have voting power because of charter restrictions, but they would certainly be able to give us the student perspective,” he said.  

A plan submitted by Elliot Cohen as a representative of Nuclear Free Berkeley made some significant changes to district boundaries and moved 8,400 people into new districts.  

Of the 44 speakers who addressed the council, the majority were students. Approximately 75 students attended the meeting, some waiving placards reading “Cal students deserve a voice,” and “Where’s my representative?”  

ASUC representatives said they don’t accept Albuquerque’s opinion and argued the student district should be allowable under federal law because it creates a community of interest. 

“We make up 22 percent of this city,” said ASUC President Wally Adeyemo, “and we still don’t have a voice on this council.”

Anti-war protesters do get it 

Editor: 

$30 billion dollars a year was not sufficient for U.S. intelligence to detect and prevent the attacks on 9/11.  

Heads should roll – instead; we are upping their budget. The apparent perpetrators were Saudi and Egyptian. Many had German passports. Do we intend to bomb Hamburg? The United States has provided $7 billion to the Taliban, a band of vigilante “students” until we began funding them.  

One-half million Iraqi children have died since our government began its inept attempt to hunt down the last great Hitler, Bush senior’s minion Saddam.  

Gratuitous bombing of the Middle East and the intentional ignorance of the citizens of this great country will not save us. 

Should you want to challenge my patriotism, my ancestors have fought in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War, and WWI. My Grandmother was a five-star mother during WWII. The Vietnam War devastated my high school graduating class.  

The world court is the place to take our grievance against an as yet unknown assailant. These attacks were a crime, and also a clear communication of immense pain and desperation. To compound the loss and pain of the victims’ families and the walking wounded of Manhattan would be also be a crime.  

To murder 20 million Afghanis is not a way to honor them. 

L.A. Miller 

Berkeley 

There’s a story Paul Freedman tells about playing basketball at Ohlone Park with his high-school friend Bobby Winslow. Unlike the usual lay-up where, if all goes well, ball meets backboard, hand brushes net, and two points are chalked up – Bobby could drive the hole like a pro. “Bobby was an incredibly graceful player,” said Freedman. Five-foot-eleven and slender, Winslow may not have been an obvious candidate for the fly-through-the-air-with-the-ball-behind-your-back acrobatics of their idol Michael Jordan, but in basketball, as in life, Bobby was exceptional.  

“Bobby could fly,” recalled Freedman, 22. “He probably had the best jump shot I’ve ever seen in a pick-up player.” And while his friends remained in the ranks of junior varsity basketball, Bobby made varsity his sophomore year. “There were numerous times when the coach gave Bobby the ball at the last minute,” Freedman said. “If Bobby makes the shot, we’d win – if he misses we’d lose.” They usually won.  

Robert Kim Winslow won at most things. The only son of Robert and Jennifer Winslow, Bobby grew up in a small two-bedroom apartment on Hearst Avenue, in west Berkeley. His father worked as a salesman at Levitz Furniture, and his Korean-born mother was an assistant in the University of California president’s office. Though they couldn’t afford their son’s private education, through scholarships and his parents’ sacrifice, Bobby managed to attend Bentley Middle School, and later, the prestigious College Preparatory School, both in Oakland. He graduated with honors, winning an award for academic and athletic excellence. He then went on to Yale, where he majored in economics and won an award upon graduation for kindness, dedication, and courage.  

After graduation Bobby took a job in Manhattan with Goldman Sachs. Everything seemed to be going his way – he had just passed a test to trade securities for the firm, and he was on his way to realizing his dream of buying his parents a house of their own – when he collapsed while jogging in Central Park. Unknown to Bobby, his friends and family, he was born with a misrouted artery exiting his heart. Its circulation was momentarily blocked, and he died in the park Sept. 9, 2000, 13 days after his 22nd birthday.  

A year after his death, Bobby’s friends and family have won approval from the Berkeley City Council to erect a memorial and rename the basketball court at Ohlone Park in his honor. His friends are designing the plaque, and they plan to finance the memorial without the city’s help. 

Bobby’s friends say they’re still amazed that with his superior basketball skills, he continued to play with them throughout high school. But skill was only part of their games’ meaning. In the coded languages teenagers create, basketball became their lingua franca. “When we played basketball it was a reflection of our personalities,” said Noam Pines, 23, another of Bobby’s friends. They were classmates at CPS, but the court was where they said they got to know each other. It was the place they went when they wanted to escape the pressures of home and school. They talked about their lives while taking free throws. They spoke of their futures while practicing jump shots. And, of great importance to 16-year-old boys, basketball was an excuse to ham and goof with friends. Bobby was the group’s center. “We needed to tease him about something,” said Freedman. “He just didn’t play defense very hard.”  

On the court and in the classroom Bobby was a leader. “To all of his friends he was a role model,” said Freedman. Friends say he taught them determination and kindness. “I can’t even start to list all the things I’ve learned from him,” Freedman said. “I say things all the time and I’m like, ‘I got that straight from Winslow.’”  

Kids from the neighborhood also gravitated to Bobby and the court. Guyve Shalileh, his downstairs neighbor during high school, said that whenever he heard Bobby bounce the ball down their apartment-complex’s stairs, he knew it was time to play.  

Bobby cared about school, and, say friends, his passion for learning rubbed off on them. Shalileh, who is now a student at UC Berkeley, credits Bobby for getting him interested in school. “He could always fit everything in, he could make the day longer,” said Freedman. “Bobby showed a way that you could study really hard and achieve traditional forms of success, and not give up cool.”  

And by all accounts, Bobby was cool. Friends say his sense of humor made people feel comfortable. “He would find tremendous humor in little tiny things,” said Freedman. He loved to play on words, and friends say he had an inside joke with everyone he knew. After mercilessly teasing Bobby one day for coming home from college wearing dress shoes, Pines showed up to a game wearing rugged brown sneakers reminiscent of hiking boots. “Every time I missed a shot, Bobby was like, ‘what’s up Hikel Jordan?,’” Pines said. “Every person that was his friend considered him one of his best friends.”  

The point was reinforced by Freedman, who figures that in high school he spent more time with Bobby than away from him. “Being Bobby’s friend was also an incredible letter of recommendation for people,” he said. “You gave people a lot of slack just because they were friends with Bobby.” 

But Bobby wasn’t all basketball, jokes, and school. He also played classical and jazz piano. He had a weakness for California rolls, and he was bowled over when he found out his mom had taken a sushi-making class. His mother said he was an extraordinarily loving son who appreciated little things as much as large. “Every single meal he sincerely appreciated,” said his mother Jennifer. “Whenever I wanted to give him something he said, ‘Mom, I don’t need it.’ But whenever we gave him something he really appreciated it.” 

He was also very close to his father, and was deeply affected when Robert Winslow suffered a stroke in 1996. “He took on his father’s sickness as another responsibility,” said Freedman. Bobby began leaving the court early so his father wouldn’t be left unattended. His mother said that although he had planned to go to Yale, when his father became ill he decided to go to Stanford instead. He wanted to be able to come home to help on the weekends. “I told him, ‘Son, you’ve got to live your life,’” she said. Bobby reluctantly accepted Yale.  

It’s been a long year for Bobby’s friends and parents. But the renaming of the court at Ohlone Park is only one of many honors bestowed on him. “Every place he’s been they’ve wanted to do something to honor him,” Freedman said. Yale has named an award after him. His high school is erecting a memorial in his honor.  

But the court on Hearst is special. “Anybody that played on the court knew it was Bobby’s court,” said Freedman. He said one of their favorite activities during high school was to watch a video called “Michael Jordan’s Playground,” (which Freedman described as “a video for ridiculous fans”). “Bobby always said this was ‘Bobby Winslow’s playground.’”  

Freedman and Pines plan to erect the plaque within the next month. When they conceived the project they were concerned that the city would say no because Bobby was so young when he died, and hadn’t done many of the things people who are memorialized usually do. Still, they went ahead with a neighborhood petition and approached the City Council. “If there’s any kind of person that you’d want to commemorate, this is the kind of person,” said Freedman. “Not only is this a great honor for Bobby, it’s a great honor for the city of Berkeley.” 

War on drugs fuels terrorists 

Editor: 

Now, perhaps more than ever, there is an even stronger case for changing our government’s positioning in the “War on Drugs.” 

In addition to disenfranchising hundreds of thousands of non-violent citizens, wasting our tax dollars on programs that get larger and deliver fewer results each year, and helping the spread of corruption among our police officers, prohibition of marijuana and other substances creates a black market, which is an easy source of funding for terrorists. 

Yes, that’s right. Terrorists profit directly from America’s “War on Drugs.” They grow crops and sell them at the black market’s outrageously inflated prices. 

That’s exactly what the Taliban was doing until this year, when George Dubbya handed over $40 million to coax them to stop.  

They destroyed the crops, but how much do you want to bet they will start right up after Bush pulls any future funding? 

Ending the ‘War on Drugs’ would remove the threat of prison from people who don’t belong there, generate tax dollars that aren’t there now, and pull money right out of the terrorists’ pockets.  

Christopher Palkow 

Norfolk, Virginia 

By David Kravets 

Associated Press Writer 

SAN FRANCISCO — The California Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to review an appeals court decision requiring a Catholic charity to comply with a state law demanding employers include contraception in health plans that cover prescription drugs. 

Without comment, the high court’s six judges voted in private to review the July decision by the 3rd District Court of Appeal in Sacramento. Catholic Charities of Sacramento argued in a lawsuit filed in 2000 that the law should be set aside because it violates the group’s religious freedom. 

But the appellate panel thought otherwise in the first challenge to the law. 

The 1999 law “was enacted to eliminate discriminatory insurance practices that had undermined the health and economic well being of women,” the appeals court said in its July ruling, and “does not advance or inhibit religion.” 

The Roman Catholic Church considers contraception wrong. After the decision, Catholic Charities said the decision is forcing it “to act in direct contradiction of its religious, moral and ethical beliefs and any people of faith should be deeply disturbed.” 

The appellate court said the decision does not constrain Catholic Charities from advising employees and the public that it opposes contraceptives. 

Weeks before the decision, a Seattle federal judge ruled that federal anti-discrimination laws required employers to provide contraceptives to women if their health plans include prescription drugs. That case has been appealed. 

California’s law was adopted in 1999 and signed by Gov. Gray Davis. Former Gov. Pete Wilson had vetoed the measure three times. 

Catholic Charities spends about $80 million a year on California social services. It employs and serves mostly non-Catholics. 

The case is Catholic Charities v. Superior Court, S099822 

UC Berkeley gets grant to control binge drinking 

U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige announced that three California universities, including University of California at Berkeley, will receive federal grants for programs aimed at curbing binge drinking and violent behavior on college campuses. 

“Higher education institutions have a unique opportunity to encourage responsible behavior and help young men and women avoid excessive drinking,” Paige said on Tuesday. “These grants complement efforts already underway to reduce high-risk drinking and related behavior among America’s college students.” 

The one-year grants to UC Berkeley, California State University, Chico and San Diego State University are among 14 colleges nationwide to be awarded the grants. The schools were selected from a pool of 110 proposals.  

The grants can be extended for an additional year with a successful progress report. 

Chico State, where a freshman from Palo Alto died last year after heavy drinking at a fraternity event, received the largest grant of $139,956, while San Diego State received $136,429 and UC Berkeley received $96,062. 

Caltrans stops  

Bay Bridge work to  

investigate fatal accident 

Caltrans has halted all construction work on the Bay Bridge while investigators determine what caused a steel and plywood panel to fall and kill a Hayward motorist driving on the lower deck Tuesday. 

The San Francisco Medical Examiner today identified the victim as 47-year-old Anthony Menolascino of Hayward. Menolascino was reportedly crushed to death at about 11:37 a.m. Tuesday as he was driving eastbound in his 1993 Toyota pickup. 

CHP officials said the panel, which weighed about 1,500 pounds, fell on top of Menolascino’s vehicle about a mile west of the Bay Bridge center anchorage. It landed on the hood of the truck and sheared off the vehicle’s roof. 

The impact caused Menolascino’s vehicle, which had been traveling in the number five lane, to rotate out of control across the number four lane and into the number three lane where it came to rest, authorities said. 

According to a CHP report, the 12-by-24 foot panel was part of a containment wall used by construction workers working Caltrans’ seismic retrofit project to prevent debris from blowing into the lanes. 

Caltrans crews have been doing seismic retrofitting work on the bridge since 1998 and are expected to complete the project by 2003. However, officials said Wednesday, that in light of Tuesday’s fatality, Caltrans is postponing all construction work on the bridge while it conducts a full investigation to determine the cause of the accident and how to prevent any similar occurrences in the future. 

“We intend to go forward with project once we know that safety issues have been addressed and solved. So we’re in a difficult position because we’re trying to make the bridge as safe as possible for earthquakes,” Caltrans spokesman Jeff Weiss said. 

Looking for volunteers 

Volunteers are being sought to work on projects for the Eighth Annual Community Impact Day Oct. 6.  

More than 1,000 volunteers are needed for a variety of projects in the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz. Volunteers can choose projects benefiting the environment, children, single parents, and dozens of other community-based causes. 

To volunteer or to get more information on a project near you, telephone (650) 965-0242 or go to www.communityimpact.org. 

Help restore a creek 

Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon, Friends of Strawberry Creek will remove non-native pepperweed at the Strawberry Creek outflow to the Bay and learn about efforts to restore native oysters to San Francisco Bay. Eco-crones will perform a short ritual. Save the Bay will offer an optional oyster workshop at 10:30 a.m.  

Meet at Seabreeze Market, University Avenue and Frontage Road.  

If you get there after 9 a.m., walk behind the market along University Avenue to the outflow and you’ll see us. Bring shovels and work gloves if you have them. Call 848-4008 for more info. 

WASHINGTON — Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., wants to close U.S. borders to new foreign students for six months to give immigration authorities time to put in place initial background checks and a tracking system once students are in this country. 

The proposal was prompted by the discovery that a suspected hijacker in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks entered the country with a student visa. Hani Hanjour, suspected of being on the airliner that crashed into the Pentagon, said he would study English at Holy Names College in Oakland, Calif., but never enrolled. 

“I know this isn’t politically correct, but what has happened ... indicates I think serious caution is a prudent thing on our part,” Feinstein said in an interview Wednesday. 

Feinstein, who plans to introduce her proposal in coming weeks, would suspend student visas for six months while the Immigration and Naturalization Service readied a system of performing background checks on applicants for student visas. 

Foreign students apply to U.S. schools from their home countries, then go to the nearest U.S. consulate or embassy to apply for a visa. The State Department decides whether a visa should be issued, but Feinstein said it is crucial to have INS involved in the screening process. 

Her legislation also will call for giving the INS $32.3 million for a computerized monitoring system to track foreign students once they are in the country. The system would apply to the nearly 600,000 foreign students at U.S. colleges and universities. 

Congress authorized such a database in response to the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. But the program languished amid political opposition and remains only a pilot project involving 25 schools in the Southeast. 

The database program, which is supposed to be fully operational by 2003, would require schools to report any change in a foreign student’s status, such as enrollment, change of major or a move to a new address. 

“Our country is a sieve,” Feinstein said. “These visas are being misused and the time has come to do something about it.” 

The University of Southern California, New York University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have the highest number of foreign students, according to the American Council on Education. Its members include most accredited American colleges and universities. 

David Ward, the council’s president, said he opposes a suspension of visas, but supports a tracking system and stepped-up screening of visa applicants. 

“Our view would be that since student visas are only 2 percent of the total, it really isn’t solving the security problem,” Ward said. “People can come as visitors and in many other ways.” 

Ward said similar legislation proposed by Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., would tighten screening and hold institutions more accountable for their foreign students without shutting down the visa program. 

Meanwhile, Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., said Wednesday she would propose legislation to bring back the U.S. Travel and Tourism Administration to aid the battered travel industry in attracting foreign visitors to the United States. The Republican-led Congress abolished the agency and its $16 million annual budget in 1996. 

SACRAMENTO (AP) — California could face another energy crisis by relying too heavily on new natural gas-fired plants to boost electricity production, said the author of a study released Wednesday. 

After a year of volatile natural gas prices, the state should not depend too much on gas and should instead invest more in renewable energy, according to “Predictably Unpredictable,” a study by the California Public Interest Research Group. 

“By putting all of our eggs in one basket, California is setting itself up for another energy crisis,” said Susanna Churchill of CalPIRG. 

Even before the start of California’s energy crisis, the state depended on natural gas for more than one-third of its energy needs, the report said. Eighty-five percent of that gas came from out of state. 

“Because the state is so dependent on this one fuel source, the price spikes had a tremendous impact on our energy markets,” the report says. 

Increasing that dependence will only cause future price spikes, said Brad Heavner, a CalPIRG policy analyst and author of the report. about 95 percent of the plants that have been built or are under construction are fired by natural gas. 

Natural gas “is being treated as a magic bullet in this state and around the country,” Heavner said. 

Natural gas is cleaner than coal, less expensive than nuclear and the state’s new fleet of peaker plants — small gas-fired power plants that come online when demand is highest — can be built quickly. 

But Heavner said California’s demand for natural gas is rising faster than the federal Department of Energy forecast that calls for a 2.3 percent annual increase in the next 20 years. 

“This just means California is particularly vulnerable to any supply disruptions nationwide,” Heavner said. 

As demand is rising, natural gas production is waning, he said. There are 2 1/2 times the number of natural gas wells nationwide as there were in 1973, but each well produces a third as much gas, Heavner said. 

To stabilize the state’s energy supply, CalPIRG recommends that officials encourage a broader mix of fuels by requiring utilities to buy 20 percent of their power from renewable resources. 

The new California Consumer Power and Conservation Financing Authority has set a goal of increasing the state’s renewable energy output to 20 percent by 2006, said Amber Pasricha, spokeswoman for the authority. 

The authority has signed 14 letters of intent for new renewable power plant projects, including 12 wind and two bio-fuel projects, she said. 

CalPIRG also recommends that state energy regulators deny any pending applications for natural gas-fired plants and offer government subsidies to renewable power providers and customers. 

The report also recommends the state review all contracts that the Department of Water Resources has signed with natural gas-fired power producers and explore canceling contracts that involve the construction of new gas-fired plants. 

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has denied a challenge to the development of the Northstar oil field in the Beaufort Sea. 

The environmental group Greenpeace and a group of North Slope Natives had argued that the environmental impact statement for the project was inadequate. The group also said BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. did not have an adequate oil spill response plan. 

In its ruling Wednesday, a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit said the impact statement “reasonably documented the environmental effects of Northstar.” The panel denied a request to review the Interior Department’s approval of the project. 

The judges dismissed the group’s complaint about the adequacy of BP’s oil spill response plan, saying that was an issue for U.S. District Court, not the appellate court. 

Jenna App, the lawyer who argued the case for Greenpeace, said she was surprised at the speed with which the court ruled and disappointed with the decision. The court heard arguments in the case in Anchorage just last month. 

“We had obviously hoped for a lot better,” she said. 

BP spokesman Ronnie Chappell said the decision was not unexpected. 

“The Northstar project is one that has undergone a tremendous amount of scrutiny by the regulatory agencies here in Alaska, both local, state and federal and we were confident that their decisions would stand up to judicial scrutiny,” Chappell said. 

The 176 million-barrel Northstar field lies primarily beneath the Beaufort Sea and is the first offshore oil project in the Alaska Arctic. Drilling would take place on an island, six miles offshore and oil would be carried to shore through a six-mile-long pipeline. Production at Northstar is expected to begin in November. 

Greenpeace filed the lawsuit nearly two years ago on behalf of Natives who fear an oil spill at the site could hurt the marine mammals they depend upon for subsistence. 

Greenpeace and the Native group complained that the Minerals Management Service didn’t collect data on the effects of an oil spill from the Northstar site. Instead, the federal agency used data from an oil spill risk analysis done prior to the August 1998 Beaufort Sea oil lease sale in approving the impact statement. 

But the court said that the data was relevant and yielded a useful analysis of the extent to which spilled oil would spread under the least favorable conditions. 

The lawsuit also charged that the EIS didn’t adequately analyze cumulative impacts of the project, including effects on air quality, vegetation, subsistence and the use of fresh water from lakes to build ice roads. 

The court found that the study was adequate and reasonable. 

Greenpeace campaigner Melanie Duchin said her group would look at other options to stop the Northstar Development. 

“We still are very interested in stopping this project for a number of reasons, from global warming to subsistence to the very real threat of a spill,” Duchin said. 

WASHINGTON — The military, which ended armed patrols on the U.S.-Mexico border after a Marine fatally shot a West Texas teen-ager in 1997, could return under an amendment approved by the U.S. House. 

The amendment, authored by Rep. Jim Traficant, D-Ohio, was approved 242-173 late Tuesday. Similar amendments sponsored by Traficant have been approved by the House the past three years and then killed in the Senate. 

Some opponents say the same will happen this year. But the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks have brought new scrutiny to immigration and border policies, and have some lawmakers rethinking border security. 

“If 300,000 illegal immigrants can gain access to America every year, trying to find a better life, do not doubt for one moment that a larger contingent of people with evil intentions could gain entry into America and continue to kill American citizens,” Traficant said during Tuesday’s debate. 

His spokesman Charles Straub said Wednesday that Traficant’s amendment is not a “knee-jerk reaction” to the attacks. Because of new concern about homeland security, the amendment this year “may resonate better with the Senate,” Straub said. 

The use of the military to guard the border became a flashpoint in 1997 when camouflaged Marines on a drug-fighting mission fatally shot 18-year-old Esequiel Hernandez Jr. in West Texas near the U.S.-Mexican border. 

Marines said Hernandez fired first, and were cleared of wrongdoing. 

Hernandez at the time carried an antique .22-caliber rifle. His death and the exoneration of the soldiers left the boy’s family and many on the border outraged. 

The military suspended its patrols after the shooting, and armed soldiers have not returned. The military has been on the border only to assist in construction, training or other unarmed capacities. 

Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, has opposed Traficant’s amendments each time they have emerged, writing letters to senators and conferees asking them to defeat the measure. This year will be no different, his office said, despite the terrorist attacks. 

He suggested spending some of the $40 billion Congress approved last week at the president’s request to hire immigration and customs inspectors, FBI, Border Patrol and drug agents and U.S. marshals. 

“Militarization of the border with soldiers unfamiliar with border situations and not trained to deal with them is an invitation to disaster,” said Reyes, a former Border Patrol chief. 

Opponents also argue using military on the borders violates the 1878 Posse Comitatus act prohibiting the military from performing civilian law enforcement functions. 

Traficant’s amendment would allow military to inspect cargo, vehicles and cargo at points of entry and to be accompanied by a law enforcement agent. 

The troops could be assigned only at the request of the attorney general or treasury secretary in coordination with the director of the new Homeland Security agency and the president. 

WASHINGTON — The International Monetary Fund warned Wednesday that severe fallout from the terrorist attacks in the United States could trigger a growth recession worldwide. But the 183-nation lending agency insisted that this outcome could still be avoided by aggressive government policy actions to stimulate growth. 

IMF chief economist Kenneth Rogoff called a recession in the United States a “done deal.” However, later in his briefing he sought to soften that comment by saying it was still too early to tell whether the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks would push the already weak U.S. economy into a full blown recession. 

Rogoff said the real question was whether the United States had entered a sustained recession or would bounce back quickly. 

Rogoff said there was “every reason” to believe the U.S. economy would enjoy a quick rebound next year, noting that the Federal Reserve has been cutting interest rates aggressively all year and Congress has approved billions of dollars in increased funding for reconstruction and to help cushion the economic fallout at U.S. airlines. 

The global economy was already flirting with recession because of a longer-than-expected slowdown in the United States and spreading weakness around the world, the IMF said in its latest “World Economic Outlook” forecast. 

Even before the Sept. 11 attacks, the IMF had slashed its global growth forecast to just 2.6 percent for this year. That would be the poorest showing since 1993 and down 0.6 percentage point from a May forecast of 3.2 percent growth for 2001. 

In the view of economists, global growth below 2.5 percent constitutes a growth recession because economic activity at that pace is not strong enough to keep unemployment from rising substantially in parts of the world with high population growth. 

The IMF said even its reduced figure of 2.6 percent may not be realized depending on the severity of the fallout from the terrorist attack which Rogoff said was having “a negative effect on activity now in many regions of the globe.” 

Rogoff said that there are reasons to be optimistic that a global recession can be avoided. He cited the sizable government stimulus that has been injected through interest rate cuts in the United States and many other countries and large increases in U.S. spending for reconstruction and increased security. 

For that reason, Rogoff said, the IMF would not be changing its reduced 2.6 percent growth forecast for this year or its projection of 3.5 percent growth for 2002. 

He conceded that actual growth in 2002 is likely to be rather lower than 3.5 percent. 

The IMF compared the attacks to the costliest natural disaster in modern history, the 1995 earthquake in Kobe, Japan. That quake caused over 6,400 deaths, 35,000 injuries and property damage of $120 billion, or about 2.5 percent of Japan’s gross domestic product. 

The direct impact of the Kobe quake on the Japanese economy was larger than that of the attacks on the American economy, the IMF said. The total effect of the terrorist attacks on the U.S. economy could be more far-reaching, particularly if shaken consumer confidence does not rebound, it said. 

“Since the terrorist attack was a deliberate action with long-term security implications, the effects on consumer psychology may well not be comparable,” the IMF said. 

The IMF’s latest “World Economic Outlook” described unusually large uncertainties and risks facing industrialized countries and the developing world. 

“There is now no major region providing support to global activity,” the IMF said. “This has increased the vulnerability of the global economy to shocks and heightened the risk of a self-reinforcing downturn whose consequences could prove difficult to predict.” 

For the United States, the IMF projected the GDP would grow a weak 1.3 percent this year, 0.2 percentage point lower than its May forecast. For 2002, the IMF forecast U.S. growth would rebound slightly to 2.2 percent. The U.S. economy grew 4.1 percent in 2000. 

The IMF’s outlook for Japan, the world’s second-largest economy, was even gloomier. Japan is probably already in its fourth recession of the decade, the IMF said in projecting Japan’s GDP would shrink by 0.5 percent this year and manage only a tiny 0.2 percent gain in 2002. 

For Germany, the largest economy in Europe, the IMF put growth this year at 0.8 percent, 1.1 percentage point below its May projection. It forecast Germany would grow by 1.8 percent next year. 

The 12 European nations that have adopted the euro as a joint currency will see growth of 1.8 percent this year and 2.2 percent in 2002, the IMF estimated. 

The IMF said it expected China’s economy would grow by 7.5 percent this year, up by 0.5 percentage point from the May forecast, and by 7.1 percent in 2002. 

Growth in developing countries was expected to be 4.3 percent this year and 5.3 percent in 2002. Last year, the developing world managed growth of 5.8 percent. 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Carl Chambers’ job crumbled with the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, and since, he has relied on his union and government help to make ends meet. 

Chambers, 56, monitored elevators and escalators in the Twin Towers for contractor AMB, his employer for 27 years. He knew many, many employees in the towers, he said. 

“I lost my family and my friends and my job,” he said. “I lost everything.” 

Workers employed at or near the World Trade Center, by the airline industry and in other jobs related to travel, are feeling reverberations of Sept. 11. More than 100,000 layoffs have been announced in the airlines and related industries, and many of those workers are being let go without severance pay, health care and other benefits. 

“I think there’s a recognition that there is a crisis upon us,” said AFL-CIO legislative director Bill Samuel. 

Chambers’ local of the Service Employees International Union represents 1,820 janitors, elevator operators, security guards, window washers and tour guides displaced by the attack that destroyed the World Trade Center and nearby buildings. 

Twenty-six of the local’s members were among more than 6,000 missing and presumed dead. Chambers said he was late for work on Sept. 11 and had not arrived when the hijacked jetliners struck the towers. 

Union leaders met with employers after the attack and negotiated for those workers to receive six months of health and supplemental unemployment benefits. 

“I’m waiting and hoping for the best, but I need to keep working,” Chambers said. 

Thousands of airline workers are getting pink slips without severance packages included in their union contracts. Carriers say there is a war emergency that justifies withholding those benefits. 

Many employees at hotels and restaurants are nonunion and part-time and weren’t promised severance benefits. 

Layoffs could climb to 500,000 in industries related to the airlines and travel, said economist Mark Zandi of Economy.com. The nation’s unemployment rate soared to 4.9 percent in August from 4.5 percent, the biggest one-month jump in more than six years. 

More layoffs will take a toll on the economy because consumer spending has been keeping it from tipping into a recession. 

“Almost everyone now is being touched by unemployment,” Zandi said. “You may not have lost your job, but you know someone who has.” 

President Bush was considering ways Tuesday to help laid-off workers. One option under discussion was to extend unemployment benefits to workers caught in the aftermath of the attacks. 

The economic output lost from the attack is expected to amount to some $25 billion in September alone. The air passenger and freight industry will take the biggest hit, losing almost $5 billion in the month, followed by the hotels and securities industries, Zandi said. 

Congress approved a $15 billion bailout last week for the airline industry that includes nothing for the estimated 100,000 laid-off workers. Organized labor is pressing Congress for a relief package that would include health care coverage, extended unemployment benefits and job training for displaced workers. 

A proposal by Sen. Jean Carnahan, D-Mo., is aimed at laid-off airline workers, and would extend employment benefits beyond 26 weeks and provide job training, health care coverage and relocation benefits. 

Airlines, including American, Continental, Northwest, United and US Airways, have cited clauses in some of their labor contracts that void severance packages in emergencies, airlines and unions said. 

Unions say they will fight for the benefits workers are guaranteed in contracts, such as severance pay, seniority benefits and relocation assistance. 

“It’s not for one side or another to unilaterally determine what that agreement means, says or which portions of it they’ll honor or ignore,” said International Association of Machinists spokesman Frank Larkin. 

Northwest Airlines announced Wednesday it would not pay severance to laid-off workers, then later reversed that decision. 

AirTran Airways mechanics and other workers represented by the Teamsters union have agreed to a shorter work week and reduced compensation to avoid layoffs. 

The Teamsters also represents airport food service workers, cargo handlers, curbside check-in employees and rental car workers, all of which are facing layoffs, said Teamsters spokesman Bret Caldwell. 

A vote to dissent is not unpatriotic 

Editor: 

It is shocking the number of calls for Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s proverbial head because of her vote against giving President Bush unlimited authority to fight the terrorists. Anyone can join a parade, but it takes a strong and principled person to vote her conscience in the face of a national call for unity.  

Her vote was not against finding and eradicating the terrorists but a lone cry that we should have a period of reflection, and thoughtfulness before engaging the full resources of the United States and its allies against an elusive enemy that is driven by an unflinching hatred for the American way of life.  

Historically, Barbara Lee has demonstrated an abiding commitment for protecting the most vulnerable members of the world populations.  

Her words and vote suggest that she is fearful that the rush for revenge without careful consideration will cause many more innocent people to be killed.  

She believes Congress should at least require the President to come forward with a plan before being given unbridled authority to fight a war where there are no identifiable geographical boundaries and where the enemy lives amongst us.  

Whether her concerns will manifest themselves remains to be seen but at least she had the courage to vote her convictions when many other similar thinking Congresspersons did not.  

John Burris 

Oakland civil right attorney

Pacific Film Archive Sept. 26: 7:30 p.m. Touch Tones; Sept. 28: 7 p.m. Ugetsu, 8:55 Sansho the Bailiff; Sept. 29: 7 p.m. Dr. Mabuse the Gambler, Part I, Joel Adlen on piano; Sept. 30: Dr. Mabuse the Gambler, Part II, Joel Adlen on piano; general admission $7, The New PFA Theatre 2575  

Bancroft Way 642-1412 

Nexus Gallery Sept. 26-30: noon - 6 p.m. Jan Eldridge- Large charcoal drawings and acrylic collages; Tricia Grame- visual and textural autobiography of her spiritual evolution; Tanya Wilkinson- A sensuous exploration of the possibilities inherent in the medium of handmade paper. 

Women’s Cancer Resource Gallery “Catastrophe, Crisis, and Other Family Traditions,” the photography of Jessamyn Lovell. Through Sept. 26; “The Arthur Wright and Gerald Parker” Through Sept. 26; Tues. - Thurs. 1 - 7 p.m., Sat. 12 - 4 p.m. 3023 Shattuck Ave. 548-9286 Ext. 307 www.wcrc.org 

Bahman Navaee is exhibiting his paintings, through Sept. 29: Persian Center, 2029 Durant Ave. 848-0264 

“Debbie Moore’s Autobiographical Paintings” through Sept. 30 at Good Vibrations. Portraits of the artist’s sensual explorations spanning 25 years and reflecting changing ways of intimacy and body play. 2504 San Pablo Ave. 848-1985 

“Three Visions” Sept. 26 through Sept. 30: 12 - 6 p.m., An Exhibition of Mixed Media. Nexus Gallery, 2707 Eighth Street (707) 554-2520 

“The Decade of Change: 1900 - 1910” through September. Chronicles the transformation of the city of Berkeley in this 10-year period. Thursday through Saturday, 1 – 4 p.m. Berkeley History Center, Veterans Memorial Building, 1931 Center St. Wheelchair accessible. 848-0181. Free.  

“Squared Triangle” through Oct. 5: noon - 6 p.m. A minimalist art exhibit featuring three Bay Area artists working in different mediums while achieving the same elegant simplicity. The Crucible, 1036 Ashby Ave. 843-5511 www.thecrucible.com 

“Inside Editions” through Oct. 12: Nine printmakers exhibit their work. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tue. - Fri. Free. Kala Art Insitute, 1060 Heinz Ave. 549-2977 kala@kala.org 

“Census 2000: Asian Pacific Islander Americans” through Oct. 13; Wed. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Asian Pacific Islander American artists in roughly the demographic proportions indicated by the recent census. Free. Pro Arts, 461 Ninth St., Oakland 763-9470  

“MWP Perspectives” Jon Orvik: One artist’s journey. Through Oct. 27 Tues. - Fri. 12 - 5 p.m., Sat. & Sun. 12 - 4 p.m. Solo artist exhibiting his journey through metal, wood and paint. Adapt Gallery and Design, 2834 College Ave. 649-8501  

www.adaptgallery.com  

“50 Years of Photography in Japan 1951 - 2001” through Nov. 5: An exhibition from The Yomiuri Shimbun, the world’s largest daily newspaper with a national morning circulation of 10,300,000. Photographs of work, love, community, culture and disasters of Japan as seen by Japanese news photographers. Opening Reception Sept. 5: 6 - 8 p.m. open to the public; Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. U.C. Berkeley, Graduate School of Journalism, North Gate Hall, Hearst and Euclid. Free. 642-3383 

“Changing the World, Building New Lives: 1970s photographs of Lesbians, Feminists, Union Women, Disability Activists and their Supporters” through Nov. 17: An exhibit of black and white photographs by Oakland photographer Cathy Cade, who captured the interrelationships of the different struggles for justice and social change. Opening reception Sept. 15, 5 - 8 p.m. Gallery Hours, Mon. - Fri. 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Photolab Gallery, 2235 Fifth St. Free. 644-1400 cathycade@mindspring.com 

“The Whole World’s Watching: Peace and Social Justice Movements of the 1960s and 1970s” Sept. 16 through Dec. 16: A documentary photo exhibition which examines the rich history of the social movements of the 1960’s and 1970’s. Wed. - Sun., noon - 5 p.m. Berkeley Art Center, 1275 Walnut St., Live Oak Park. Free.  

644-6893 

“Musee des Hommages” Masterworks by Guy Colwell Faithful copies of several artists from the pasts, including Titian’s “The Venus of Urbino,” Cezanne’s “Still Life,” Picasso’s “Woman at a Mirror,” and Botticelli’s “Primavera” Ongoing. Call ahead for hours. Atelier 9 2028 Ninth St. (at Addison) 841-4210 or visit www.atelier9.com 

Readings 

Boadecia’s Books Sept. 21: Deborah Kesten, “The Healing Secrets of Food;” Sept. 22: A special All Poetry Dyke Open Myke, to participate call 655-1015 or feroniawolf@yahoo.com; Sept 28: The Return of Gaymes Night; Sept 29: Ellen Samuels and other contributors to “Out of the Ordinary: Essays on Growing Up with Gay, Lesbian & Transgender Parents”; Mark Pritchard reads from “How I Adore You”; Oct 6: Terry Ryan reads from “The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 words or Less”; All events start at 7:30 p.m. unless noted otherwise. All events are free. 398 Colusa Ave. 559-9184 www.bookpride.com 

Cody’s on 4th Street Sept. 20: 7 p.m. Jamie Oliver, The Naked Chef, “The Naked Chef Takes Off”; Sept. 22: 10:30 a.m. Cody’s for Kids, Walter the Giant Storyteller; Sept. 25: 7 p.m. Nancy London has been cancelled; Oct 5: 7 p.m. Glen Davis Gold reads from “Carter Beats the Devil”; Oct 12: Cody’s For Kids- Rosemary Wells and Bunny Party; 1730 Fourth St. 559-9500 

Cody’s on Telegraph Ave. Sept. 17: Aldo Alvarez describes “Interesting Monsters”; Sept. 18: Clarence Walker discusses “We Can’t Go Home Again: An Argument About Afrocentrism; Sept. 19: Douglas Coupland reads “All Families Are Psychotic”; Sept. 24: Theodore Roszak discusses “Longevity Revolution: As Boomers Become Elders”; Sept. 25: Ken Croswell discusses “The Universe At Midnight: New Discoveries Illuminate the Hidden Cosmos” with a slide show presentation; Sept. 27: Bill Ayers talks about “Fugitive Days”; Oct 1: Urdsula K. Le guin reads from “The Other Wind”; Oct 2: Jonathan Franzen reads from “The Corrections”; Oct 4: Eric Seaborg looks at “Adventures in the Atomic Age: From Watts to Washington”; Oct 5: Victor Villasenor reads from “Thirteen Senses”; All shows at 7:30 p.m. 2454 Telegraph Ave. 845-7852 

Cody’s Other Venues - Sept. 20: 7:30 p.m. Cody’s presents an evening with Margaret Atwood in conversation with professor Robert Alter. $12. First Congregational Church 2345 Channing Way; Sept. 28: 7:30 p.m. Cody’s presents a Community Forum on Race and the Achievement Gap at Berkeley High School. Little Theater, Berkeley High School; Oct 7: 7 p.m. Coleman Barks- The Soul of Rumi First Congregational Church of Berkeley 2345 Dana 

Coffee Mill Poetry Series Sept. 18: Ben Brose and Jen Iby followed by open mike reading. 3363 Grand Ave., Oakland 465-3935 ksdgk@earthlink.net 

Eastwind Books of Berkeley Sept. 29: 7 p.m. Kip Fulbeck reads from his first novel, “Paper Bullets.” 2066 University Ave. 548-2350 

Easy Going Travel Shop & Bookstore Sept. 20: 7:30 p.m. Antarctica & The Nature of Penguins, An evening with Jonathan Chester; Oct 2: 7:30 p.m. “Dancing with the Witchdoctor: One Woman’s Adventure in Africa” by Kelly James. 1385 Shattuck Ave. 843-3533 

Lunch Poems reading Series Oct 4: 12:10 p.m. Ishmael Reed; Morrison Libary in Doe Library at UC Berkeley. Free 642-0137 http://www.berkeley.edu/calendar/events/poems/ 

Spasso Sept. 10: Sharron Jones-Reid, Fruit of the Spirit poets, acoustic musicians, comedians, rappers, performance artists, writers. All welcome. 6021 College Ave. Free admission. 

Tours 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Fridays 9:30 - 11:45 a.m. or by appointment. Call ahead to make reservations. Free. University of California, Berkeley. 486-4387 

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

Museums 

Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm” An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels, look into a mirrored fish pond, don farm animal costumes, ride on a John Deere tractor and more. “Recycling Center” Lets the kids crank the conveyor belt to sort cans, plastic bottles and newspaper bundles into dumpster bins. $4 adults; $6 children age 7 and under; $3 for each additional child age 7 and under. Monday and Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Tuesday and Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Sundays, Memorial Day through Labor Day) Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 647-1111 or www.habitot.org  

UC Berkeley Museum of Paleontology Lobby, Valley Life Sciences Building, UC Berkeley “Tyrannosaurus Rex,” ongoing. A 20 foot by 40 foot replica of the fearsome dinosaur made from casts of bones of the most complete T. rex skeleton yet excavated. When unearthed in Montana, the bones were all lying in place with only a small piece of the tailbone missing. “Pteranodon” A suspended skeleton of a flying reptile with a wingspan of 22-23 feet. The pteranodon lived at the same time as the dinosaurs. Free. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 642-1821 

UC Berkeley Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology will close its exhibition galleries for renovation. It will reopen in early 2002. On View until Oct. 1 : “Ishi and the Invention of Yahi Culture.” “Sites Along the Nile: Rescuing Ancient Egypt.” “The Art of Research: Nelson Graburn and the Aesthetics of Inuit Sculpture.” “Tzintzuntzan, Mexico: Photographs by George Foster.” $2 general; $1 seniors; $.50 children age 17 and under; free on Thursdays. Wednesday, Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way and College Avenue. 643-7648 or www.qal.berkeley.edu/~hearst/ 

University of California Berkeley Art Museum Pacific Film Archive has reopened after its summer-long seismic retrofit. “Martin Puryear: Sculpture of the 1990s” through Jan. 13; “The Dream of the Audience: Theresa Hak Kyung Cha (1951 - 1982)” through Dec. 16; “Face of Buddha: Sculpture from India, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia” ongoing rotation through 2003; “Matrix 194: Jessica Bronson, Heaps, layers, and curls” Sept. 16 through Nov. 11; “Matrix 192: Ceal Floyer 37’4”” Sept. 16 through Nov. 11; Wed., Fri., Sat., Sun. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Thur. 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., PFA Theater, 2575 Bancroft Way; Museum Galleries 2626 Bancroft Way; 642-0808 www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

Lawrence Hall of Science “Within the Human Brain,” ongoing. Visitors test their cranial nerves, play skeeball, master mazes, match musical tones and construct stories inside a simulated “rat cage” of learning experiments. “Saturday Night Stargazing,” First and third Saturdays each month. 8 - 10 p.m., LHS plaza. Space Weather Exhibit now - Sept. 2; now - Sept. 9 Science in Toyland; Saturdays 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. $7 for adults; $5 for children 5-18; $3 for children 3-4. 642-5132 

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

Oakland Museum of California “Half Past Autumn: The Art of Gordon Parks,” through Sept. 23; Wednesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday, noon - 5 p.m., Closed Monday and Tuesday. $6 general; $4 youths (6-17), seniors and students with ID. Free for museum members and children 5 and under. Free admission the second Sunday of the month. 10th & Oak streets, Oakland. 238-2200 www.museum.org 

Send arts events two weeks in advance to Calendar@berkeleydailyplanet.net, 2076 University, Berkeley 94704 or fax to 841-5694.

Wednesday, Sept. 26

New Dates for PRC Meeting 

The meetings of the Police Review Commission scheduled for Sept. 26, Oct. 10 have been cancelled. A special PRC meeting will be held Oct. 3 at South Berkeley Senior Center. Regular PRC meetings will resume on Oct. 24 

A Taste of the World: Cultural Understanding Through Food 

6 - 9 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St. 

Enhance your cooking skills and experience the cuisines of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Morocco and Israel with chef Daniel Herskovic. All classes are “hands on.” Class includes meal and cooking lesson. $25. Every Wednesday through Nov. 1. 655-8487 

Socratic Circle Discussions 

5 - 6 p.m. 

1309 Solano Ave. 

Cafe Eclectica 

Does your brain need a workout? All ages welcome. 527-2344 

"Nels Nelson: The Early Days of Berkeley Archaeology"  

noon 

ARF, 2547 Channing, Room 101 

Brown Bag Lunch Lecture 

After Kent's talk, we'll go to the 2 p.m. court hearing before Judge Richman, Alameda Co. Superior Court to watch Berkeley Asst. City Attorney Zack Cowen defend the landmark designation of the West Berkeley Shellmound. The hearing is at the Post Office Building, 201-13th Street, Department 31, second floor, Oakland. The Shellmound is being challenged by the property owners who filed suit against the City's designation of the mound site. 841-8562 sfbayshellmounds@yahoo.com 

Lion’s Center for the Blind 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

A representative of this organization will discuss its services.  

644-6107 

Prose Writers’ Workshop 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Berkeley/Richmond Jewish  

Community Center Library 

1414 Walnut St.  

From op-ed to fiction, memoir to the feature article - a community 

writers' group to support and encourage a community of interests. Workshop format. Free.  

524-3034 

Jose Bove 

7:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Adult School 

1222 University Ave. 

Jose Bove and fellow farmer Francois Dufour will assure us “The world is not for sale.” For them, food is more than fuel; it is sacred relationship, family, love, tradition and well-being. $12.  

(415) 255-7296 x200 

Daily Prayer and Meditation 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

First Congregational Church 

Dana at Durant 

Chapel open for prayer and meditation. 

Thursday, Sept. 27

Exploring Chile 

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment 

1338 San Pablo Ave. 

Wayne Bernhardson will present slides and provide information about this increasingly popular adventure destination. Free. 527-4140 

Even Stronger Women 

1:15 - 3:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Free weekly cultural discussion class. This week: feminist influence on children. Discussion of Judy Blume’s books for girls. 549-1879 

Café Literario 

7 p.m. 

Public Library West Branch 

1125 University Ave.  

A bilingual reading and discussion series. The book, “Odyssey to the North” by Mario Bencastro, will be discussed. 644-6870 

Daily Prayer and Meditation 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

First Congregational Church 

Dana at Durant 

Chapel open for prayer and meditation. 

Friday, Sept. 28

Anti-War Art Making  

461 Ninth Street, Oakland (2 blocks from 12th BART Station, near Broadway)  

6 to 10 p.m. Pro Arts is providing this opportunity for artists to make their anti-war expressions visible, playable, audible and readable. Musicians, please come with instruments. Posters and other artworks can be used in the Rally the next day at Dolores Park in San Francisco or for any other event the artist wishes. 763-4361 

Redwood Sequoia Congress 

1606 Bonita Ave. 

Human rights and environmental activists will gather in an annual examination of the human condition and the status of the planet. 841-1182 

Third Annual BFD Blood Drive 

8:30 a.m. - 2 :30 p.m. 

Fire Station #2 

2029 Berkeley Way 

In conjunction with the Red Cross, the Berkeley Fire Department is having it’s annual blood drive. Drop in or make an appointment. 981-5599 Ext. 4408 

City Commons Club 

12:30 p.m. 

Berkeley City Club 

2315 Durant Ave. 

“Inside North Korea” with Timothy Savage, Senior Planner, East Asian Security, Nautilus Institute. 848-3533 

Autumn Moon Festival 

1:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Presented by the North Berkeley Senior Center’s Chinese Club. Refreshments will include moon cakes. Free. 644-6107 

Daily Prayer and Meditation 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

First Congregational Church 

Dana at Durant 

Chapel open for prayer and meditation. 

Saturday, Sept. 29 

Disaster First Aid 

9 a.m. - noon 

Office of Emergency Services 

997 Cedar St. 

Free classes in Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). 981-5605 www.ci.berkeley.ca.us 

Strawberry Creek Work Party 

9 a.m.- noon 

Seabreeze Market 

University Avenue & Frontage Road 

Remove nonnative pepperweed at the outflow to the Bay and learn about efforts to restore native Oysters to the San Francisco Bay. 

848-4008 bjanet@earthlink.com 

Redwood Sequoia Congress 

1606 Bonita Ave. 

Human rights and environmental activists will gather in an annual examination of the human condition and the status of the planet.  

841-1182 

Get Published Workshop 

noon - 3 p.m. 

Albany Library 

1247 Marin Ave., Edith Stone Room 

Led by writing coach Jill Nagle and will cover query letters, book proposals, finding an agent and more. Preregistration strongly recommended. 415-431-7491 jill@jillnagle.com 

–compiled by Guy Poole 

Berkeley Historical Society Walking Tour 

10 a.m. - noon 

Trish Hawthorne knows the Thousands Oaks neighborhood like no one else. Tours are restricted to 30 participants and require pre-paid reservations, $10. 848-0181 www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/histsoc/  

Idealist.org Nonprofit Career Fair 

1 p.m. 

Preservation Park 

MLK Jr. Way and 13th St. 

For individuals interested in employment or internship positions in the nonprofit sector. 212-843-3973 www.idealist.org 

The Crucible’s Open House and Fix-A-Thon Fundraiser 

noon - 6 p.m. 

The Crucible 

1036 Ashby Ave. 

Parking and entrance on Murray St.  

Featuring the faculty performing hands-on demonstrations of the skills and techniques they teach. Try blacksmithing, welding, stone carving, glass enameling, and other stuff. Bring your broken or cracked metal objects and low-tech electric devices in need of repair: furniture, lamps, castings, dull knives, cracked bike frames, etc. The staff will assess the damages and if the items are repairable, they will fix them for a reasonable fee. Free event. 843-5511 www.thecrucible.org 

Sunday, Sept. 30 

6th Annual How Berkeley Can You Be? Parade 

11 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

University Ave. 

The grand parade leaves from California St. and concludes at Civic Center Park where festival continues. Over 80 art cars, art bikes, Cal Marching Band, Electric Couch, Go Carts, plus live music and circus. 849-4688 www.howberkeleycanyoube.com  

Potluck Brunch 

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Bateman Park 

Rockridge / Elmwood Gay Lesbian Potluck Brunch. 595-1999 

West Berkeley Market 

11 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

University Avenue between 3rd and 4th streets  

Family-oriented weekly market. Crafts, music, produce, and specialty foods. 

654-6346 

Yoga/ Tibetan 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Instructor Jack van der Meulen will discuss the three levels of Kum Nye practice and demonstrate some of the practices. Free. 843-6812 

The Berkeley Montessori School has gone into high gear with plans to renovate the former Santa Fe Railway depot at 1310 University Ave., currently home to the Santa Fe Bar and Grill restaurant. 

In June, the school purchased the site from the Catellus Corporation, which inherited the assets of the now-defunct Santa Fe and Pacific Railroad. It developed Mission Bay in San Francisco, among other projects. 

Assistant Head of School Lynne Miles said the eventual look and feel of the school would be influenced by the Montessori educational philosophy, which puts a premium on appealing visual environments and large classrooms with space for independent projects. 

“One of the things we’re working on is to get the new design to give a nice flow from the inside to the outside,” Miles said.  

Five architectural firms from as far away as Santa Monica have been invited to submit proposals for the domed Mission Revival structure, built in 1904 with a major addition to the rear in the 1940s. 

A panel of judges, including three University of California faculty, noted architects and Montessori school board members, will decide on the architect in December. 

With encouragement from the school, the Berkeley Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously on Sept. 10 to designate the depot as a city landmark, and a vote by the City Council is pending. Commission officials could not be reached by press time to discuss how such a designation might impact renovation plans. 

“When we bought the property we knew it would be landmarked,” said Wes Boyd, a parent who chairs the site committee. “It’s going to be the gem of Berkeley Montessori, so we wanted to leave it in its historic form.” 

The school will hold a public input session at the restaurant on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. A similar meeting for parents and supporters was held at a school facility last Saturday.  

Boyd said that neighbors’ concerns might include parking and the daily pick-up and drop-off of kids. “It’s hard to guess what the neighbors’ concerns would be, but those are the obvious things,” he said. “We want to get feedback up front rather than waiting for design to be done.” 

The school runs two facilities with 260 students: a kindergarten and a pre-school it owns on Francisco Street, and an elementary and middle school in leased space at the former Hillside Primary School at 1581 LeRoy Ave. Though the Hillside site has more space than the old depot, administrators decided to move partly because the Hayward Fault is 200 meters away. 

“Nobody could guarantee us how the building would perform if it’s right on the trace,” said Boyd. 

In addition, said Sharline Chiang, the school’s spokesperson, leasing from the Berkeley public school system had kept the school in a somewhat uncertain position. “We don’t want to build our future here,” she said. 

David Madson, chairman of the school’s fundraising campaign, said that “a handful” of individual donors had already donated $400,000 toward a goal of $1 million. The school intends to raise another $2.2 million he said. 

The Berkeley depot began passenger service in 1904, after the fast-expanding Santa Fe Railway ran a line from Richmond to Oakland. It was designed by Charles Whittlesey, a key innovator of Mission Revival architecture who also designed the landmark El Tovar hotel at the Grand Canyon’s south rim. Oakland’s similarly styled depot was demolished in 1963, but trains still rumbled across University Avenue and by the Berkeley depot and nearby residences into the 1970s. 

In 1969, the site became the home of the Santa Fe Bar and Grill. Today, it is well-shrouded with shrubs, and an organic garden out back – laid out where rails once ran – provides owner Ahmad Behjati with fresh produce. 

Behjati, who owns two other high-end restaurants downtown, has not yet made plans to relocate. “We’ll stay in Berkeley,” he said, adding that the restaurant will remain open at its current spot until the renovation begins. 

According to Boyd, work is due to commence in the second half of 2002 and the school hopes to teach there in the 2003 fall semester. 

The former Jay Vee liquor store next door has been closed and will be replaced by the Netivot Shalom congregation’s new synagogue. The neighborhood currently offers a mixture of residences and businesses, the Berkeley Adult Learning Center, and, on Addison, Strawberry Creek Park. 

“It’s very significant that a synagogue and a private school are moving into that neighborhood,” said Chiang, who added that the two institutions may coordinate on site planning, parking and other issues. The school, she added, will strongly support establishing a public bicycle and walking trail along the railroad right-of-way, which still stretches off to the north and south of University Avenue, fenced off and mostly vacant. 

“We think it’s a great neighborhood,” said BMS Head of School Lairolyn (Lee) Davis. The school, she said, would retain the Santa Fe Grill’s organic garden “as much as we possibly can.”

Look at whole picture 

Editor: 

I want to address the anti-war rallies occurring at college campuses. Although my Alma Mater is UC Davis, I was present at the sit-in at Sproul Hall in 1964 when Mario Savio made his memorable speech. I was at Bloody Thursday when James Rector was shot. Therefore, I hope my letter will be regarded as I express my reserve about the recent protests against our country. This is not like anything that has happened before. And although, restraint is needed, I fear that young people will become carried away with the momentum of rhetoric and hucksters who love to stir things up for their own adrenaline rush and ambitious dreams.  

I hung my head in shame the day the World Trade Center came crashing down killing so many of my countryfolk. I know if the intelligence agencies had not been so restricted by civil privacy laws, the terrorist cells would have been sniffed out sooner. I console myself that the CIA and FBI were “corrupt and needed to be leashed.” Now, I wish them to be unleashed for the protection of our people and our environment.  

Young people, research into the short reign of the Taliban. Learn how they treat their women and children and how it directly conflicts with the religion they profess. Protest that. 

I commend young people today for their social conscience – a conscience that seemed to be asleep for a couple decades. Just be sure to choose your battles wisely for the protests of today will undoubtedly shape government policies in the future.  

Kathie Griego Jermstad 

Camino, Calif. 

There is a worldwide shortage of medicines to treat hemophilia, due partly to the fact that the Bayer Pharmaceuticals plant in west Berkeley has been under fire by the Food and Drug Administration for its deficient quality control procedures. 

The National Hemophilia Foundation issued a “medical advisory” on Monday that called the shortage a “crisis” and said that “given the current severe shortage, there is a real danger that (the medicines) might not be readily available for someone in a critical emergency.” 

Berkeley’s Bayer plant is its principal producer of Kogenate and Kogenate FS, drugs that can coagulate the blood of most hemophilia patients. In December 2000, the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, a division of the FDA, performed inspections at the Berkeley site.  

The agency found several violations of quality control standards at the plant, including failure to establish cleaning procedures for equipment and failure to establish appropriate procedures to test drugs for strength and purity. 

According to the National Hemophilia Foundation, the FDA inspection has meant that Bayer has been able to release very little product so far this year, and will not be able to do so “for the foreseeable future.” 

In addition, several batches of Kogenate FS, the company’s successor to Kogenate, have been recalled due to the fact that they were stored at improper temperatures. After Kogenate FS went on sale, it was found that one of its ingredients decomposed at room temperature, weakening the product. 

FDA spokesperson Lenore Gelb said that “the company has responded, and we are working with them.” 

The NHF estimates that the product manufactured at the Bayer facility in Berkeley accounts for 30 percent of the global supply of all types of blood coagulants. 

Hemophilia is a genetically inherited disease, in which the body is unable to produce one of the “factors” – a type of protein – that causes blood to clot. The active ingredient in Kogenate is octocog alpha, also known as “factor VIII.” It is used to treat “type A” hemophiliacs, which account for approximately 85 percent of those who suffer from the disease.  

Kogenate and Kogenate FS are genetically engineered drugs, relatively new treatments for hemophilia. Bayer first introduced the Kogenate in 1993, after buying rights to it from Genentech, Inc.  

Previously, type A hemophilia could only be treated with octocog alpha extracted directly from human blood plasma. This approach, which is still employed in some cases, carried with it a number of serious problems. The plasma, which is donated by or purchased from volunteers, is mixed into large batches before the coagulants are removed, increasing the chance that diseases such as hepatitis or HIV are passed from donor to recipient. In the 1980’s, thousands of hemophiliacs were infected by HIV after taking plasma-based coagulants. 

Val Bias, president of the Hemophilia Foundation of Northern California, was one. 

“I got hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV from plasma,” he said. “In the old days, these things were seen as normal side-effects of hemophilia.” 

Kogenate is made by introducing human proteins into the kidney cells of baby hamsters and growing the resultant tissue in sterile cultures. The procedure eliminates the risk of transmissible disease.  

“Because of these drugs and their success in the hemophilia community, we have children that are actually playing sports – baseball, even karate and hockey,” said Bias. “This has been a dream come true for the community.” 

But with the current shortage of the genetically engineered product, many people have to return to plasma-based remedies. Even though the risks of plasma have been greatly reduced, Bias said, the substitution is “deeply disturbing.”  

“The return to blood products is a step backward that this community is very concerned about,” he said. “To say to a parent in 2001 that they are going to move children to plasma is absolutely horrifying.” 

In addition, according to the NHF, so many patients have been forced to switch to plasma-based coagulants that supplies of that drug are becoming scarce. Hemophiliacs are being asked to postpone any elective surgery they have planned and to reduce their intake of coagulants. 

“I’m hearing from patients is that they are not going to let their kids play,” said Bias. “It’s a return to the days when hemophiliac kids were allowed to color, and that’s it.” 

Bayer Pharmaceuticals could not be reached for comment.  

Don’t blame the United States 

Editor: 

The common wisdom in Berkeley holds that America is an evil empire, justly hated around the world. One of the speakers at a Berkeley rally (Protesters rally against war, Sept. 19) encouraged us to, “show that we hate our government too.” Apparently, the blame for most of the human suffering that occurs in the world is our fault. 

While acknowledging that we’ve made plenty of mistakes in the past, I wonder how much better off the world would be without a United States of America.  

What if, by the wave of some magician’s wand, this country vanished from the Earth tomorrow? Would the world’s chances for peace, justice, and freedom be any greater? 

Why not place the blame where it belongs - on the inability of other governments to create a free and just society for their citizens? 

Joshua Hurwitz 

Oakland 

In the aftermath of the fire chief’s decision last week to remove the American flag from city fire trucks – a temporary measure, in fact – work in the mayor’s office has been brought to a screeching halt, with an endless succession of angry telephone calls.  

Mayor Shirley Dean said the calls seemed to become more hostile Tuesday after conservative radio talk show host G. Gordon Liddy, not only falsely accused the Berkeley mayor of ordering the removal of the flags, but also gave out her office phone number to his estimated 8 million listeners. 

“Well, now I’m an un-American, stinko, commie bitch,” said the mayor’s Executive Assistant Tamlyn Bright after fielding another hostile call. At the next desk over, another of the mayor’s aides had a blank look on her face while she held a telephone receiver arms’ length from her ear.  

Bright said she has spent the last four days trying explain to callers that the mayor had nothing to do with the removal of the flags and in fact is a supporter of the city’s fire department displaying the flags on fire trucks.  

The issue received national attention last Wednesday when Berkeley Fire Chief Reginald Garcia, concerned about protecting firefighters during an anti-war demonstration, ordered American flags removed from all of the city fire trucks.  

Concerned that firefighters, with flags on their trucks, responding to an emergency situation related to the demonstration might incite demonstrators to turn their attention to the vehicles as they did during Gulf War protests, Garcia had the flags removed.  

“As soon as I heard they were going to remove the flags, I argued against it, and argued mightily as a matter of fact,” Dean said. “But this idea that I’m responsible is persisting.” 

City Manager Weldon Rucker agreed with Garcia that protecting the firefighters during the demonstration was of paramount concern and agreed to the removal of the flags, according to the manager’s Chief of Staff Arrietta Chakos. 

Chakos explained that the flags were to be removed only for the duration of the demonstration and were replaced on the fire vehicles last Friday. 

But the talk show hosts somehow attributed Rucker and Garcia’s decision to Dean. Bright said the misconception that Dean ordered the removal of the flags began last week on the Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage radio shows, and despite staff efforts to correct the error, other talk hosts like Liddy and Dr. Laura Schlessinger have not let it stop them from broadcasting the inaccurate information. 

“None of the shows called this office to fact check first,” Bright said. The calls began to come in Wednesday afternoon as soon as a local raidio show aired news of the decision and they haven’t stopped since, according to the mayor’s Chief of Staff Jennifer Drapeau. 

“We’re all shell-shocked here,” Drapeau said with a sweeping gesture toward her desk piled with documents. “Nothing has been done in this office since last Wednesday afternoon.” 

Drapeau said the calls have ranged from curious to upset to outright hostile. “There has been a lot of ranting and name calling,” she said. “And when we try to explain they just hang up.” 

She added that those who take the time to listen to the staff’s explanation seem to be satisfied, and that the office has received some e-mails of apology. 

Dean said the notoriety is not good for Berkeley. There have been a series of news events that have reflected badly on Berkeley beginning with the decision not to hold a ceremony at City Hall for a group of Japanese Boy Scouts because of the anti-gay policy of the Boy Scouts of America, Dean said. Controversies over an alleged anti-Muslim cartoon in the campus newspaper, the Daily Californian, and Rep. Barbara Lee’s sole anti-war vote have made Berkeley a national target, the mayor said.  

“This is hurtful to Berkeley,” Dean said. “I go to national, state and even county meetings and they look at me like I’m from Mars.” 

The Daily Planet was unable to reach any of the talk show hosts who had targeted Dean in the flag controversy. 

Justice, not revenge 

The Daily Planet received this letter addressed to Rep. Barbara Lee: 

Thank you for your courageous voice of conscience and reason in opposing the rush to all-out war against an undetermined enemy within hours of the horrendous attacks in New York and Washington.  

I just returned from a rally in downtown Berkeley where people of all ages and colors voiced their fervent desire for justice, not revenge, and against war as a solution to any world problems. 

I am among the thousands who are proud to be your constituents and who are working every day for peace and justice, not domination, racism, and hatred at home and abroad. We are committed to organizing the voices for peace, justice and sanity so that they will be heard loud and strong by the powers-that-be. As ordinary citizens, we do not equate patriotism with war and violence and domination, and we do not want to be hated and feared by people in countries our government has exploited and manipulated to maintain its power and political advantage. 

Keep up the good work and know that we are with you. 

Marianne Robinson 

Berkeley 

Clerical workers at the University of California say the chairs, desks and computers they are forced to sit at all day are crippling them. Their union, which began contract negotiations with the university at its Oakland headquarters on Monday, is seeking a complete overhaul of university policies on ergonomics. 

Although a 14 percent wage increase over three years is the biggest single issue for the 18,000-strong Coalition of University Employees, the union is also targeting what it says is an outdated and wholly inadequate program for ensuring safe clerical work areas. 

CUE wants a certified ergonomic specialist to test every clerical worker’s computer workstation in the University of California system within 30 days of being hired or of the new contract going into effect. 

Repetitive motion injuries are a growing problem across the University of California system and at UC Berkeley in particular, according to Chloe Osmer, a volunteer organizer for CUE. 

“There is so much outdated furniture,” Osmer said. “Old desks are not set up for eight-hour computer days. 

“It’s a problem that the UC is going to have to deal with soon or Workers’ Compensation claims are going to skyrocket.” 

Workers’ Compensation claims for repetitive motion injuries have been steadily rising at Berkeley over the last three years, according to Steve Lustig, assistant vice chancellor of Health and Counseling Services. 

Two years ago, 211 injury claims were processed. That figure rose to 274 in the last fiscal year, which ended in June. Some of them were lifting injuries, but most were computer related, he said. 

Repetitive motion injuries are also growing as a percentage of total injuries, up from 26 percent two years ago to 29 percent today. 

The numbers may be climbing, but the average cost of treating each injury seems to be dropping. The figures could be misleading because they do not reflect the full cost of treatment, Lustig said. 

“You don’t really know the full cost of a claim until two or three years down the road.” 

Claudette Begin, a member of CUE’s governing board, said the university needs to take a broader look at working conditions and workstations and help prevent injuries. 

“The university is totally underestimating or overlooking this problem,” she said. “A number of clerical workers have become injured and are no longer able to work. Sometimes it is for short periods. Sometimes they are never able to do work on a computer again. What opportunities are there for working in an office if you can’t use a computer?” 

Hillary FitzGerald-Nicholson, 46, said she filed a workers compensation claim last year, after transferring to the UC Berkeley Office of the Registrar and being ordered by her supervisor to “workstation hop” and train other employees on how to use the computer system. 

“Because I had carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms before, I told them it was something I couldn’t do,” she said. “But they didn’t care.” 

FitzGerald-Nicholson, a member of the CUE negotiating team, said her reports of neck aches and shooting pain in her arms were not taken seriously by her supervisors. 

“Management just treats you like a criminal, like you’re a liar,” she said. “They just think you are playing a game and because they can’t see your injury, they question it.” 

Her claim was approved within three months, she said. She was off work for a month and received regular medical treatment afterwards. 

Paul Schwartz, a university spokesman, declined to comment on the rising number of reported injuries, saying only that the health and welfare of all UC employees is a “top priority” for the university. 

“We take the matter of safe working conditions extremely seriously,” he said. 

On the Berkeley campus, the entire ergonomics program is a two-person operation. 

“I would need a huge staff to test every workstation at Berkeley,” said Barbara Pottgen, ergonomics program manager for the campus. 

“That’s a huge job. We train department-based evaluators to go and do preventative evaluation in their departments. 

“What we have really tried to do is develop a program that works with the resources that we have.” 

Two hundred department evaluators have been trained in the last two years, Pottgen said. 

But the evaluators do not have enough training, and the self-enforcement system gives departments too much power over their employees, according to CUE’s Osmer. 

“It’s being done very haphazardly,” said Osmer. “Some departments are good and some aren’t. We want to get it done throughout the campuses.” 

Pottgen said departments have the responsibility for enforcing evaluations, which might have caused some “unevenness” across campus. 

CUE has also proposed a mandated 10-minute break every hour for workers that spend more than 60 percent of their time at computers. The union wants to establish a joint-committee with the university to recommend and review ergonomic policy as well. 

Schwartz declined comment on any of the unions’ specific proposals. 

“We believe that bargaining should take place at the bargaining table and not in the arena of public opinion,” he said. 

The current contract was set to expire at the end of the month, but CUE’s chief negotiator said the union would ask for the deadline to be extended until the end of October. 

Understanding Afghanistan’s history 

Editor: 

It’s fascinating to read in my old encyclopedia that the United States signed a treaty of friendship with Afghanistan in 1926 – but an American official (the minister to Iran) didn’t visit Kabul until 1941. (US Trade with the Afghans included fur from the Persian caracul lynx.) Of course the tyro colonialist Americans lagged behind the British imperialists, who made many earlier incursions into Afghanistan and once even made it a virtual protectorate. 

The Brits finally recognized Afghan independence in 1921, after signing a treaty in Rawalpindi in 1919.  

American military leaders today should ponder on Afghan history – those descendants of Genghis Khan made the Brits pay dearly for their misdeeds by killing virtually the entire army in Kabul in 1842. After the Brits occupied Kandahar in 1878, their entire garrison was similarly wiped out. And of course the Russians, who had signed a treaty much earlier in 1878, in the 20th century created their own Vietnam in that country.  

Afghan history is replete with assassinations of their leaders and constant anarchy. Emir Amanullah, a progressive ruler who visited Europe in 1928, was fiercely opposed by the mullahs infuriated by his reforms decreeing the unveiling of women, free education for both boys and girls, the adoption of western clothing and the order for men’s beards to be shaved off but mustaches retained (shades of the Taliban!).  

What did the Emir in was when his Queen Suriya appeared at a state function unveiled and clad in the latest Paris fashion. Incited by the mullahs, Afghanis revolted and forced the Emir to flee. All his modern projects were abolished, and Kabul’s trolley line was torn up, with the remaining car put in the Kabul museum.  

Who knows, the Afghans’ legendary toughness could be the result of their preference to tackle their country’s rugged terrain by caravan, rather than getting soft by travelling in that decadent Western invention, the railway. 

Beatriz Coda  

Berkeley  

Berkeley Police are asking for help in identifying a man they say may have been involved in three bank robberies, or attempted bank robberies, over the last few weeks. 

The latest attempt was foiled Monday when a teller refused to cooperate. 

Police say that a man approached a Wells Fargo teller at the College Avenue branch around noon. The man allegedly told the teller to give him money, and that he was carrying a bomb.  

Upon hearing the word “bomb,” the teller backed away from the suspect. When he saw this, the suspect left a suspicious package on the counter and walked away, police said. 

The bomb squad was called upon to deal with the package. It was removed from the premises and x-rayed, whereupon it was determined to be a fake, police said. Meanwhile, all traffic within a block of the bank was diverted. 

The suspect is described as African American, 30-35 years old, approximately six feet tall and weighing around 180 pounds. He had a goatee, and wore black frame glasses with light blue lenses. He had on shiny blue denim jeans with a matching jacket, a white cap with a dark bill and white shoes with red, or partly red, soles. 

Berkeley police say a man with a similar appearance and mode of operation was involved in two previous bank robberies earlier in the month: one at Bank of the West in Orinda on Sept. 4, and one at a branch of the Mechanics’ Bank in Berkeley on Sept. 13. 

“We don’t get fake bombs very often, so when something like this comes through, we take notice,” said Detective Steve Rigo. 

Anyone who can provide the police with information is asked to call Detective Rigo at 981-5742. 

*** 

The suspect who attempted to rob a real estate agency Monday morning may also be the suspect in an El Sobrante bank robbery, according to Berkeley Police Sgt. Kay Lantow. 

The suspect, described as a 5 feet 6 inches, 180 pound white or Latino male in his early 20s with a mustache, walked into the real estate office on 1400 block of Shattuck Avenue Monday and demanded money, apparently thinking he was in a bank, Lantow said. When an employee of the agency said, “excuse me,” the suspect grabbed her by the arm and pulled out a small steel automatic pistol and said, “this is not a joke” 

The worker told the man that he was in a real estate agency and not a bank and the suspect left, according to Lantow. 

The suspect was wearing a blue beanie, a blue sweater and blue jeans; he fit the description of a man that El Sobrante police gave chase to after he allegedly robbed a bank in their jurisdiction, Lantow said. No further information about the El Sobrante case is available. 

SACRAMENTO (AP) — California regulators fined two HMOs a total of $404,000 for late payments to doctors, hospitals and emergency rooms, officials said Tuesday. 

Daniel Zingale, director of the state Department of Managed Health Care, said a $100,000 fine against Health Net of California was the second largest amount levied against an HMO in the 15 months the department has existed. 

Health Net of California paid the fine, plus $54,000 in interest on the late payments, Zingale said. 

“Late and nonpayment to emergency rooms, providers and hospitals isn’t a problem unique to Health Net, but it was disrupting patient care,” Zingale said. “It was creating a situation where doctors didn’t want to be on-call in emergency rooms because they weren’t assured of getting paid.” 

The HMO serves more than 2.4 million Californians and is the fourth largest health plan in the state. 

Health Net spokesman David Olson said the company had corrected a computer problem that had resulted in the late payments. 

“We’re very, very confident that the claims processes are fully in compliance with state regulations,” Olson said. 

The state also issued a $50,000 fine against Heritage Provider Network, a health plan that serves 150,000 enrollees in Southern California. 

Heritage, based in Reseda, Calif., was also ordered to pay $200,000 in interest penalties, Zingale said. 

BERKELEY — The National Science Foundation announced Tuesday a five-year, $7.1 million grant to a technology research center, a new University of California, Berkeley-led initiative. 

The NSF grant will support work in two of the major application areas the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) is exploring: energy efficiency and disaster preparedness. 

The awards are part of the federal government’s Information Technology Research (ITR) initiative, a program that began in 2000 and is designed to foster innovative information technology research. 

CITRIS is a partnership between UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis and UC Merced. The state is investing $100 million in the CITRIS institute over the next four years, and that amount will be matched by at least $200 million in additional support from companies, federal agencies and private donors.

CHICAGO — Sections of ovaries taken from two patients were implanted in their arms and continued to function there, raising hopes women can avoid the loss of fertility that often accompanies treatments for cancer and other diseases. 

In both cases, the tissue produced clearly visible welt-sized bumps — mini ovaries, really — on the forearm, just below the elbow. But more important, the tissue appears to be functioning normally and has produced mature eggs and regulates the menstrual cycle. That offers hope that the women, both in their 30s, could become pregnant. 

“It’s very promising,” said Dr. Kutluk Oktay, a Cornell University reproductive endocrinologist who performed the transplants at New York Methodist Hospital. 

Oktay and colleagues describe the procedure in a report in Wednesday’s Journal of the American Medical Association. 

Oktay said the procedure could potentially benefit the estimated 40,000 to 50,000 U.S. women diagnosed annually with cancer during reproductive years, who may require chemotherapy or radiation that can damage the ovaries. The tissue could be removed before treatment begins, then implanted in the arm after chemotherapy has finished and kept out of the way of radiation. 

Thousands of others who take sterility-inducing drugs for ailments such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis also could potentially benefit, Oktay said. 

If pregnancy were attempted, it would be through in-vitro fertilization, and eggs would be retrieved in a simple procedure through a syringe, similar to drawing blood, he said. 

Other attempts at preserving fertility include freezing patients’ unfertilized eggs, but only a few such cases have resulted in successful pregnancies. Whether tissue implants will prove more successful is unknown, said Dr. William Keye, director of reproductive endocrinology at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich. 

Still, Keye called the research “a pretty unique and exciting new development.” 

“It’s certainly an important step forward in our understanding of this whole process,” Keye said. 

A few hundred women nationwide already have had ovarian tissue removed and frozen before undergoing cancer treatment, hoping that a medical advance will allow them to use it someday to become pregnant, said Dr. Michael R. Soules, president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. 

Soules said it’s uncertain how long implanted tissue will continue to function. He noted that while Oktay’s patients show functioning for more than a year so far, their tissue was never frozen, a procedure that could “traumatize” the tissue and make long-term success more doubtful. 

Oktay and his colleagues used only part of the patients’ ovaries because it wasn’t necessary to take more, and it allows doctors to take only healthy tissue from damaged ovaries. 

In a previous experiment, Oktay transplanted a patient’s ovarian tissue inside her pelvis, near the original ovary site, but he said the newer procedure is less invasive and the implanted tissue is much more accessible for monitoring. In addition, the forearm can be kept out of the way in cancer patients who may require repeated pelvic radiation. 

Oktay noted that forearms also have been used successfully as an implant site for tissue from parathyroid glands located in the back of the neck. Those glands produce a hormone that helps control the level of calcium in the blood. 

Rebecca Pryce, a 28-year-old television producer in Charleston, S.C., had ovarian tissue frozen after she was diagnosed with lymphoma, a lymph-tissue cancer, in January 2000. 

Single, with no children, Pryce said learning she’d become sterile was almost harder to accept than the cancer diagnosis. 

“That was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” she said. “That’s when I started to cry.” 

Although she won’t be ready for an implant for several years, Pryce said she’s thrilled to learn of Oktay’s preliminary success. 

“When you are in my shoes,” Pryce said, “any bit of positive news takes on a phenomenal amount of importance.” 

Oktay said the patients in the JAMA report did not want to discuss their experiences. 

One, a 35-year-old woman, had her ovaries removed before undergoing radiation for cervical cancer. After biopsies showed no cancer cells had spread to the ovaries, small strips of tissue were transplanted in November 1999 into her forearm, using local anesthesia. 

That patient wanted children right away, so she was given fertility drugs to stimulate the tissue to produce several mature eggs. An attempt at in vitro fertilization failed, but the woman has continued to show normal ovarian function, Oktay said. 

The second patient, a 37-year-old, had her ovaries removed because of benign cysts. Healthy ovarian tissue was transplanted to her forearm in April last year, and it also has functioned like a normal ovary. 

SEATTLE — The head of a Brooklyn ambulance company said Tuesday that the president of Starbucks has personally apologized after rescue workers in New York City were forced to pay a Starbucks shop $130 for water to treat victims of the terrorist attack. 

Midwood Ambulance Service President Al Rapisarda said he received a hand-delivered reimbursement check — and a personal call from Starbucks President Orin Smith — after reports of the incident became public. 

“It was a misunderstanding with Starbucks,” Rapisarda said after talking to Smith. 

Midwood Ambulance Service alerted Starbucks to the incident in an e-mail, which was obtained by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. 

Smith said Tuesday he had no idea why the coffee shop near the World Trade Center towers charged the rescue workers. 

“It’s totally inconsistent with the kind of behavior we would have expected from our people, so it has been very upsetting to learn of this,” Smith said in an interview with The Associated Press. 

Shortly after the Sept. 11 attack, rescue workers rushed into a nearby Starbucks store to get water to treat shock victims, Rapisarda said. Ambulance company workers said employees in the shop demanded they pay $130 for three cases of bottled water. The workers paid cash, out of their own pockets. 

Reached by telephone, the manager of the shop, the Battery Park Plaza Starbucks, declined to comment. Smith said the company felt confident the tale was true. 

Later, suspecting the workers had been overcharged, ambulance company officials called Starbucks and sent e-mail to the company, but said their queries were ignored. 

Smith said he didn’t know why the ambulance company apparently got a cold shoulder, but he defended the company’s New York City operations. 

“It’s not the way I want our people to behave in those circumstances, but I wasn’t there,” he said. “They are having to deal with several thousand people who are in a state of shock.” 

Rapisarda said he has been assured the rescue workers weren’t overcharged and was happy with Starbucks’ conciliatory gestures, which Smith said included free coffee and other gifts. 

“It’s not a big deal anymore,” Rapisarda said. 

Starbucks closed stores nationwide for a day after the attacks, although the company said several stores near the World Trade Center and New York City hospitals served coffee — and water — to rescue workers for free. 

He said the company also has donated coffee and other services throughout New York City since the attacks. 

By Christina Almeida 

Associated Press Writer 

LOS ANGELES — Television in California has long been tuned to freeway congestion, car crashes and chases. So when news helicopters were grounded Sept. 11 because of the terrorist attacks, traffic reporting lost a dimension. 

“People aren’t able to get the kind of coverage they need,” said Dave Corsello, general manager of Helinet Aviation Services, which contracts helicopters to five Los Angeles news stations. 

The Radio and Television News Directors Association has asked the Federal Aviation Administration to lift the restriction, calling it “constitutionally suspect.” 

But FAA spokesman Hank Price said the helicopter flights are restricted “because of national security.” He would not comment further. 

The situation has made it tough for news crews to get compelling video. 

“A story we could tell with pictures has to be told with just words or a map with an arrow showing where something has happened,” said Kevin Keeshan, news director for KGO-TV in San Francisco. 

At KTLA-TV in Los Angeles, producers recently had to wait for a ground crew to arrive at a brush fire and transmit footage instead of showing live video from the air. 

“It has certainly curtailed our ability to cover news,” said Jeff Wald, news director of the station. “With Los Angeles being as spread out as it is, helicopters are an essential part of our newsgathering operation.” 

Some viewers welcomed the change. 

“It’s refreshing not to turn on the TV set and see another police chase,” said Enrique Robles, 23, of Los Angeles. 

“I really don’t need to see every disaster from a million different perspectives,” added Kali Pappas, a Web designer in Los Angeles. “It’s so easy for bad pictures to substitute for good journalism.” 

For the past two weeks, KTLA’s morning traffic reporter, Jennifer York, has been reporting live from her helicopter — as it sits on the tarmac at Van Nuys Airport. Without the ability to monitor traffic conditions from above, York has been relying on information from Web sites run by the California Highway Patrol and Caltrans. 

“Those don’t serve me well,” she said. “A lot of the time we get to the scene of an accident and it’s already been cleared.” 

All-news radio stations have also been grappling with their traffic segments. Crys Quimby, news and program director for KFWB-AM in Los Angeles, said traffic reporters in helicopters are essential in helping motorists avoid trouble spots. 

Some television stations have downplayed the impact of the ban. KCBS-TV news director Roger Bell said his newsroom has been focused on stories about the terrorist attacks. 

“If somehow the war on terrorism were to recede, and we were covering more local stories, then the helicopter becomes much more important,” he said. 

LA VERKIN, Utah (AP) — The City Council has voted to sell $10 honorary citizenship certificates to defray costs from its anti-United Nations campaign. 

The largest bills related to the U.N.-free zone ordinance total about $4,700, and do not include telephone calls, employees’ time and faxes, said City Manager Douglas Wilson. 

The City Council was presented with the two largest bills at its council meeting last Wednesday. Attorney fees totaled $3,600 and fees for city spokeswoman Tracie Sullivan amounted to $1,100. 

The expenses were incurred from July 4, when the council first adopted its ordinance declaring the community to be United Nations-free, through the end of August. The city’s postage was also approximately $500 above normal during that period. 

Wilson said that after the ordinance was passed, for about four weeks he was busy fielding telephone calls and answering e-mails, taking a majority of his time. 

Councilmember Al Snow suggested selling certificates declaring the purchaser to be an honorary citizen of La Verkin. 

“This man called me last week from Maryland and inquired about annexing three acres of land he had in Maryland into the city of La Verkin,” Snow said. “I told him that wasn’t possible but told him maybe we could make him an honorary citizen.” 

The council agreed with Snow, and voted to sell the certificates for $10 each. 

Snow has no idea how many certificates the city may sell, but he said he has more than 400 people who have requested forms from across the country. 

“Quite a few people in La Verkin have requested to be an honorary citizen to show their support for the ordinance,” Snow said. “I don’t know how much money we will get, but I hope it is enough to pay the expenses. I really don’t know what the potential is.” 

City Council members, blaming the United Nations for environmentalism and other perceived dangers, watered down their anti-U.N. ordinance in late July to avoid being sued. 

The changes were made after Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and City Attorney Lowry Snow advised them that their original law violated residents’ constitutional rights of speech, assembly and equal protection. 

The revised ordinance no longer requires residents and businesses working for the United Nations or its supporters to post signs on their property and file reports with the city. 

A clause barring the city from contracting or investing with companies with U.N. ties also was deleted. 

Instead of banning U.N. flags and symbols from city property, the city now only forbids flying the U.N. flag from the flagpole at City Hall. 

The council left intact provisions declaring La Verkin a U.N.-free zone and banning that organization from taxing the city or stationing troops there unless authorized by the state or federal government. 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is set to rule on a zero-tolerance policy intended to purge drugs from public housing projects. 

The court agreed Tuesday to review the national one-strike-and-you’re-out rule that critics say unfairly punishes relatives of troublemakers. 

The court accepted an appeal from a 63-year-old great-grandmother that arose from the policy endorsed by the Clinton administration in 1996 and by the Bush administration this year. 

The Bush administration wants the court to overturn a lower federal appeals court, which called the policy needlessly harsh. The ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals made the one-strike policy unenforceable in the nine states plus Guam covered by the California-based court. 

The zero-tolerance policy allows entire families to be evicted if one member is caught once with narcotics, regardless of where an arrest was made or whether anyone else in the family was aware of the crime. 

Supporters of the initiative say the fear of losing a home is a powerful deterrent and that law-abiding families are on waiting lists for public housing. One-strike eviction laws have been on the books since 1988, but were spottily enforced before President Clinton made tougher national standards a campaign-year pledge. 

“For some, one strike and you’re out sounds like hardball. Well, it is,” Clinton said in announcing the policy in 1996. “If you mess up your community, you have to turn in your key.” 

The Department of Housing and Urban Development followed up with an enforcement program that stated a tenant could not avoid eviction simply by claiming ignorance of the crime or an inability to stop it. 

That year, Congress also toughened eviction rules to include drug activity outside the public housing unit. 

Evictions rose 84 percent in the first six months of the tougher 1996 policy, an analysis by The Associated Press at the time showed. 

The Department of Housing and Urban Development does not have recent statistics on people who have lost their government-subsidized housing because of drugs. 

At issue for the high court is whether Congress intended the rule to be as far-reaching as HUD and local public housing agencies have made it. 

The 9th Circuit ruling in January arose from eviction orders issued to four tenants in Oakland public housing. 

Pearlie Rucker got an eviction notice after her mentally disabled daughter was caught with cocaine three blocks from the apartment she shared with her mother and other family members. 

In the other three cases, eviction notices came to an elderly person whose grandchild or hired nurse was the drug abuser. 

The four went to federal court to block enforcement of the one-strike rule in Oakland unless the housing agency had proof that a tenant personally used drugs, or knew of the drug crime beforehand and had the ability to prevent it. 

The tenants won, but a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit overruled the first court. Then, the full appeals court reversed that finding and upheld the original court’s order blocking enforcement. 

“The decision of the court of appeals drains much of the meaning and significance,” from the 1996 law and HUD’s rules for enforcing it, the Justice Department wrote in asking the high court to get involved. 

“The result is to deprive public housing authorities of an important tool to achieve safe and livable public housing, and to deprive public housing tenants of protection that Congress found to be of central importance for their security and well-being.” 

Lawyers for the four tenants argued that the Supreme Court should not get involved at this stage, because there has never been a trial on the merits of the issue in lower court. 

The cases are Department of Housing and Urban Development v. Rucker, 00-1770. 

OKLAHOMA CITY — A police chemist was fired Tuesday for allegedly performing shoddy work and giving false or misleading testimony in criminal cases, including some in which she helped send men to death row. 

Joyce Gilchrist was dismissed by Chief of Police M.T. Berry, who said the decision was based on the recommendations of an administrative panel who heard testimony about Gilchrist’s alleged misconduct. 

Reasons for firing Gilchrist “include laboratory mismanagement, criticism from court challenges and flawed casework analysis,” a statement from Berry’s office said. Berry said the termination was effective Tuesday. 

“I am very, very disappointed,” said Gilchrist, who disputed Berry’s findings. Gilchrist faces allegations in an undetermined number of criminal cases. Hundreds of her cases are being re-examined. 

Her attorney, Melvin Hall, said the termination letter was inaccurate and vague. He said the letter does not outline the specific misconduct that led to her dismissal. 

“Joyce Gilchrist doesn’t know what she did wrong,” Hall said. 

Gilchrist, whose work is being investigated by the FBI and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, has been on paid administrative leave from the Police Department since February, earning a base salary of $59,528. 

“This is just the first step in Joyce Gilchrist’s long, long fall,” said Jack Dempsey Pointer, president of the Oklahoma Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, who has been critical of Gilchrist and the Police Department’s forensic laboratory. 

No criminal charges have been filed, but Pointer has said he wants Gilchrist to be investigated by a state grand jury impaneled by Attorney General Drew Edmondson. A spokesman for Edmondson, Gerald Adams, declined to comment on the grand jury’s investigative agenda. 

In May, Jeff Pierce, who was convicted of rape in 1986 after Gilchrist testified about hair evidence, was freed after 15 years behind bars when new testing indicated his DNA did not match that of the person who committed the crime. 

Last month, a federal appeals court overturned a convicted killer’s death sentence because of problems with Gilchrist’s testimony about DNA evidence. And a few years ago, a death row inmate who was put there in part by Gilchrist’s testimony was exonerated after a DNA semen analysis proved he didn’t attack the victim. 

Pointer said he believes other innocent people have been wrongly convicted based on Gilchrist’s testimony. 

“We don’t even have a clue how many,” Pointer said. 

Hall said Gilchrist has been evaluated by the department 17 times during the past two decades and each time was rated either competent or commendable. The termination letter is “the first negative piece of paper in 21 years to be placed in her personnel file,” Hall said. 

In April, the FBI recommended a review of all cases in which Gilchrist’s work was significant to securing a conviction. 

Gilchrist has been involved in 11 cases in which people were put to death, but the state attorney general’s office has said there is no indication that any innocent people have been executed. 

State investigators said this month that a forensic team had reviewed 583 case files and marked 99 for further review. There were 574 case files left to review. 

Police spokeswoman Sgt. Cris Cunningham said Gilchrist has the right to file a grievance to appeal her dismissal. Gilchrist has not decided whether to appeal, Hall said. 

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — With added urgency, emergency officers from across the country met with terrorism experts Tuesday to discuss ways to respond to a possible new wave of attacks, including assaults with chemical or biological weapons. 

“We in law enforcement know how to take care of people with guns,” said John Skipper, a sheriff’s captain in Anderson, S.C. “We need to learn more about biohazardous stuff. Law enforcement is in the dark on a lot of this.” 

“The way we are going to find it ... we are going to find five or six dead cops,” he said. 

Skipper was among scores of officers from 45 states attending the first day of the National Institute for Urban Search and Rescue fall conference. The annual event took on new significance in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. 

Anthony Wood, the institute’s chief of staff, said the program was designed for “first responders” to help them focus on how to better coordinate response and management. 

“Perhaps the next time we will be a little bit more prepared,” said Roland Monette, a board member of the institute, based in Santa Barbara, Calif. He said America is “at war. The rules change in war, especially when you live in a war zone.” 

Leon Schenck, a former FBI agent and anti-terrorism specialist who is now Huntsville’s deputy police chief, told the conferees that “New York was a soft target,” unlike military bases or other protected places. He said other American cities are just as vulnerable. 

Schenck said that in dealing with suicide-terrorists, “any target they want to destroy, we have to make it difficult.” 

“If somebody wants to kill you and they are willing to sacrifice their lives to do it, chances are they are going to be successful,” he said. 

Schenck said terrorists are much more likely to use chemical or biological weapons than nuclear weapons. He said a biological attack with smallpox could be catastrophic because there is not enough vaccine to protect America’s population. 

“It’s going to take years to build up enough,” he said. 

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gray Davis will call state lawmakers back to Sacramento next week in an attempt to keep Southern California Edison from declaring bankruptcy, an aide to the governor said Tuesday. 

Davis will bring the Legislature back by calling his third extraordinary session to address energy. The governor will issue a proclamation by Wednesday, and the session will likely start Tuesday, said Davis’ spokesman Steve Maviglio. 

Edison, the state’s second largest utility, amassed $3.9 billion in debts from high wholesale electricity costs last year that they could not pass on to customers. The state’s largest utility, Pacific Gas and Electric Co., also ran up billions in debts and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April. 

That month, Davis said he and Edison had agreed on a rescue plan, and the Senate and Assembly each passed their versions of the plan this summer. But the two houses couldn’t reconcile their plans before the regular session adjourned Sept. 15. 

Davis’ original plan called for the state to buy the utility’s high-voltage transmission grid for $2.76 billion and allow Edison to sell revenue bonds for the remaining debt. 

Both houses passed plans that gave the state a five-year option to buy the Edison lines. The Senate limited the price to the lines’ book value, about $1.2 billion, and the Assembly offered twice that. 

The two plans diverged on how much in bonds Edison could sell. The company backed an Assembly plan that offered $2.9 billion, while the Senate plan limited the bonds to $2.5 billion. 

Edison said the Senate’s plan wouldn’t keep it from following PG&E into bankruptcy. 

PG&E filed its reorganization plan Thursday, proposing to put its power plants, electrical transmission lines and natural gas pipelines into three new companies. Those companies would be under the umbrella of the utility’s unregulated parent company, PG&E Corp. 

Assemblyman Fred Keeley, D-Boulder Creek, last week called the PG&E reorganization plan “the worst of what many of us predicted would happen if you let these companies go bankrupt.” 

PG&E’s plan would shift its prime assets from state regulation to that of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which has not supported California leaders during the energy crisis, Keeley said. 

Such a flawed plan would motivate lawmakers to help Edison, he said. 

But Assemblyman Dean Florez, D-Shafter, said the PG&E plan helps consumers because it doesn’t involve a rate increase. That’s why the Legislature should let Edison file for bankruptcy, too. 

“The PG&E plan, from a ratepayer’s point of view, seems to be a better deal,” said Florez. “In this deal, all creditors get paid, either in cash or with bonds, but they get paid 100 percent.” 

Florez, a member of the Assembly Energy Committee, said he hasn’t seen any new plans from Davis or other lawmakers and he doesn’t “see any sense in going back unless there’s a new deal on the table.” 

A Field Poll released Tuesday found that a majority of California voters didn’t support a rescue plan either. The statewide poll found 68 percent of those polled opposed Davis’ plan to allow the utility to issue bonds that would be paid by ratepayers. 

The statewide poll questioned 1,003 California adults by telephone on Sept. 7-10. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points. 

SAN FRANCISCO — Already beaten down by the collapse of the technology industry, venture capitalists are hunkering down for even rougher times ahead as the economy recovers from the devastation of this month’s terrorist attacks. 

While remaining bullish on the industry’s long-term prospects, venture capitalists generally are pessimistic about the outlook through 2002, according to two informal industry surveys taken over the past week. 

Venture capitalists are preparing for “an extremely difficult” environment for the next 12-18 months, said the National Venture Capital Association, an industry trade group that polled 60 major firms across the country last Friday and Monday. 

Most of the 56 firms that responded to a survey by VentureWire — an online news service focused on the industry — also predicted the fallout from the terrorist attacks will slow the money flow to start-ups at least through next year. 

“To say we are in for choppy times is an understatement,” said Jim Breyer, managing partner with Accel Partners in Palo Alto. Breyer predicted the financial fallout from the Sept. 11 tragedy will be even more dramatic than the October 1987 stock market crash, which hurt the venture capital industry for at least three years. 

After furiously raising money last year to finance the buildup of the Internet Economy, venture capitalists still have plenty of money to invest — an estimated $45 billion, according to the National Venture Capital Association. A large chunk likely will be earmarked for previously financed start-ups as venture capitalists scramble to salvage their previous investments. 

“I would not want to be an entrepreneur searching for my first round (of capital) right now,” said Mark Heeson, president of the National Venture Capital Association. “Venture capitalists are going to be a lot tougher even with more seasoned entrepreneurs. It’s just going to be a harsher environment.” 

Venture capitalists “will have to be prepared to support their companies for longer periods of time and recognize that they might not be able to meet their original budgets because this recession is going to make everything more difficult,” said Howard Cox, a general partner with Greylock Financial in Boston. 

Like most of the technology start-ups that they helped fund, venture capitalists were grappling with a sharp contraction in their industry well before the Sept. 11 tragedy. 

As tech stocks have plummeted on Wall Street, venture capitalists have been forced to pour more money into their existing portfolio of companies instead of cashing out in initial public offerings, or IPOs. The shift has saddled venture capitalists with unprecedented losses after reveling in record profits in the late 1990s. 

Before Sept. 11, some venture capitalists had been hoping that the worst was just about over in the tech sector and the window for IPOs might crack open again early next year. 

“This has pretty much splashed cold water on that talk,” said Geoff Yang, a partner at Redpoint Ventures in Menlo Park. 

In many ways, venture capitalists say their duties won’t change much from the past six months. They expect to continue their triage on their existing start-ups while keeping an eye out for promising new ideas. 

“This just is going to elongate the cycle. We already knew things were tough, and this just really puts a hammer in it,” said Wes Raffel, general partner of Advanced Technology Partners in Palo Alto. 

The venture capital downturn already has produced ripple effects beyond the start-ups that depended on the money to stay afloat. Thousands of workers have lost their jobs at well-established technology and media companies that have dismantled expansions undertaken to cash in on new business financed by the venture capital boom. 

Venture-backed companies generated $736 billion in revenue and accounted for 7.4 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product last year, according to WEFA, an economic consulting firm. 

Venture capitalists invested a record $103 billion last year, but are rapidly backpedaling this year. Through the first half of this year, venture capital investments totaled $22.8 billion, a 58 percent decrease from last year’s pace. 

A rally at the UC Berkeley campus to show support for America’s proposed war against terrorism quickly turned into an emotional confrontation between those who called themselves “pro-America” and anti-war demonstrators on Monday. 

The “Rally for America” at Sproul Plaza was organized in part as a response to the anti-war protests in the community and on campus last week. Organizers said that they also wanted to make a stand against the racism – including, they said, racism directed against Jews – that has surfaced on campus after Sept. 11. 

Around 400 students and members of the community attended to support the rally, with about half that many there to protest it.  

“Let the nation know that thousands of Berkeley students stand behind the country,” said event organizer Randy Barnes.  

The demonstration was organized by a number of campus groups – including the College Republicans, the Cal Democrats, the Delta Upsilon fraternity and the Israel Action Committee – but speakers emphasized that they were not speaking on behalf of their organizations, but as individual students and Americans. 

“Part of the rally today is to verbalize our rage at the backlash against the U.S.,” said Barnes, who works with the IAC. “We felt that this needs to be voiced – there are students who oppose terrorism, and equally stand against racism.” 

A few minutes before the rally began, anti-war activists mixed with the demonstrators and exchanged views. Their conversations were mostly civil, but both sides were clearly frustrated. 

“People are saying they’re against terrorism – I’m just saying that this won’t stop terrorism,” said Hoku Jeffrey of the Stop the War Coalition. “How can you say you are against racism and then do something that will exacerbate it?” 

Rob McFadden, president of the College Republicans said that the sentiments expressed at last Thursday’s anti-war rally were not supported by most students. 

“Like the country, most of the campus stands together in this cause – Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians,” said McFadden. “It’s just that there’s a very vocal minority in opposition.” 

Speaking from the podium, Barnes recalled the words of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain after the Munich conference in 1938: “I believe it is peace for our time. Go home and get a nice quiet sleep.” Barnes went on to say that appeasement, in this case, should not be an option. 

Barnes said that acts of hatred directed at Muslim students were unacceptable, but that anti-Semitism was also in evidence over the past two weeks. 

In particular, he said, several anti-Semitic messages were found on the posterboards on which students wrote their thoughts Sept. 11. 

Among the messages, Barnes said, were “It’s the Jews, stupid,” “Jews control the media” and “Jews are happy because this makes Israel look good.” 

Ajay Kshatriya, a chemical engineering senior, said that the United States was the only country in which kids from middle-class families could get a first-class education. He said that while the country has clearly made foreign policy mistakes in the past, he was tired of hearing it run down. 

“No country in existence has been as respectful and tolerant of other countries as the U.S.A.,” he said. 

Shortly after Kshatriya’s speech, a verbal confrontation between a group of people attending the rally and a group of anti-war demonstrators broke out on the west side of Sproul Plaza. Mike Vallarelli, a student who lost friends in the World Trade Center and the father of a friend on one of the hijacked airlines, argued with the anti-war activists. He lunged for a sign, held by one of the anti-war people, that read “The USA is still the world’s greatest terrorist.” 

“They’re just misinformed,” said Vallarelli. “They think it’s noble to be a pacifist. They have a lot of noble ideals. But this thing didn’t affect them.” 

At one point, separated only by a line of camera-toting journalists, each side erupted in warring chants: 

“U.S.A.! U.S.A.!” 

“One, two, three, four – We don’t want your racist war! 

The shouting was temporarily interrupted when the sound of a air horn came over the loudspeaker, and the silence held while “Taps” played. After Barnes thanked everyone for coming, impromptu groups formed again to express their mutual rage. 

Near the end of the rally, a man walking his dog through the campus joined a circle of people arguing. He said that 20 years ago, he was a UC Berkeley student involved in the anti-war movement; now, he said, he lived near Yosemite and was in town to work on an environmental lawsuit. 

“Personally, I see a lack of honesty among the people protesting the war here,” said the man, who did not wish to be identified. “First, a lack of honesty about what’s just happened and second, a lack of historical honesty about America’s role in the world.” 

The man said he thought that the left should play a serious role during the crisis, especially in the upcoming debate over the restriction of civil liberties, but that what he heard from anti-war protesters Monday did not impress him. 

“What I’ve been hearing is that this was the U.S.’s fault, that the people that did this were fighting for freedom,” he said. “Well, sorry, that doesn’t work.”

Tuesday, Sept. 25

Berkeley Housing Authority Monthly Meeting 

6:30 p.m. 

City Council Chambers  

2134 MLK Jr. Way, 549-2970  

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 525-3565 

Redistricting of Berkeley City Council Districts 

7 p.m. 

2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way 

Public hearing to consider proposals to amend Council District boundaries based on the 2000 census figures. Members of the public are invited to comment on all proposals. 981-7000 www.ci.berkeley.ca.us 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market 

2-7 p.m. 

Derby Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Milvia Street, 548-3333 

Free Early Music Group 

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Small group sings madrigals and other voice harmony every Tuesday. 655-8863 

New Student Reception 

5 - 7 p.m. 

UC Berkeley- Institute of  

Government Services 

109 Moses Hall 2370 

Welcome new Cal students and share in food and drinks. 

Annual PTA Reception 

6 - 8 p.m. 

Rosa Parks Environmental  

Science Magnet School 

920 Allston Way 

Multi-Purpose Room 

Reception for the 2001 - 2002 PTA Officers. 644-8764  

Daily Prayer and Meditation 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

First Congregational Church 

Dana at Durant 

Chapel open for prayer and meditation. 

Wednesday, Sept. 26

New Dates for PRC Meeting 

The meetings of the Police Review Commission scheduled for Sept. 26, Oct. 10 have been cancelled. A special PRC meeting will be held Oct 3 at South Berkeley Senior Center. Regular PRC meetings will resume on Oct. 24 

A Taste of the World: Cultural Understanding Through Food 

6 - 9 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish  

Community Center 

1414 Walnut St. 

Enhance your cooking skills and experience the cuisines of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Morocco and Israel with chef Daniel Herskovic. All classes are “hands on.” Class includes meal and cooking lesson. $25. Every Wednesday through Nov. 1. 655-8487 

Socratic Circle Discussions 

5 - 6 p.m. 

1309 Solano Ave. 

Cafe Eclectica 

Does your brain need a workout? All ages welcome. 527-2344 

"Nels Nelson: The Early Days of Berkeley Archaeology"  

noon 

ARF, 2547 Channing, Room 101 

Brown Bag Lunch Lecture 

After Kent's talk, we'll go to the 2 p.m. court hearing before Judge Richman, Alameda Co. Superior Court to watch Berkeley Asst. City Attorney Zack Cowen defend the landmark designation of the West Berkeley Shellmound. The hearing is at the Post Office Building, 201-13th St., Department 31, Second floor, Oakland. The Shellmound is being challenged by the propertyowners who filed suit against the City's designation of the mound site. 841-8562 sfbayshellmounds@yahoo.com 

Lion’s Center for the Blind 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

A representative of this organization will discuss its services. 644-6107 

Prose Writers’ Workshop 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Berkeley/Richmond Jewish Community Center Library 

1414 Walnut St.  

From Op-ed to fiction, memoir to the feature article - a community 

writers' group to support and encourage a community of  

interests. Workshop format. Free.  

524-3034 

Jose Bove 

7:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Adult School 

1222 University Ave. 

Jose Bove and fellow farmer Francois Dufour will assure us “The world is not for sale.” For them, food is more than fuel; it is sacred relationship, family, love, tradition and well-being. $12. (415) 255-7296 Ext. 200 

Daily Prayer and Meditation 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

First Congregational Church 

Dana at Durant 

Chapel open for prayer and meditation. 

Thursday, Sept. 27

Exploring Chile 

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment 

1338 San Pablo Ave. 

Wayne Bernhardson will present slides and provide information about this increasingly popular adventure destination. Free. 527-4140 

Even Stronger Women 

1:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Free weekly cultural discussion class. This week: feminist influence on children. Discussion of Judy Blume’s books for girls. 549-1879 

Café Literario 

7 p.m. 

Public Library West Branch 

1125 University Ave.  

A bilingual reading and discussion series. The book, “Odyssey to the North” by Mario Bencastro, will be discussed. 644-6870 

Daily Prayer and Meditation 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

First Congregational Church 

Dana at Durant 

Chapel open for prayer and meditation. 

Friday, Sept. 28

Redwood Sequoia Congress 

1606 Bonita Ave. 

Human rights and environmental activists will gather in an annual examination of the human condition and the status of the planet. 841-1182 

Third Annual BFD Blood Drive 

8:30 a.m. - 2 :30 p.m. 

Fire Station #2 

2029 Berkeley Way 

In conjunction with the Red Cross, the Berkeley Fire Department is having it’s annual blood drive. Drop in or make an appointment. 981-5599 Ext. 4408 

City Commons Club 

12:30 p.m. 

Berkeley City Club 

2315 Durant Ave. 

“Inside North Korea” with Timothy Savage, Senior Planner, East Asian Security, Nautilus Institute. 848-3533 

Editor: 

Congressional Representative Barbara Lee has been heavily criticized for her lone vote against the War Powers Resolution, being called anti-patriotic and divisive to our united front. With the rest of the House and Senate unanimously supporting the measure, our government and nation’s resolve to respond to the horrendous terrorist acts is unquestionable. Knowing the measure would be enthusiastically passed, Lee took a symbolic stand reminding America that peace is still an option and that there are many who support it. During these past tumultuous weeks much of the country has been whipped into a pro-vengeance, pro-war fervor. Lee’s vote does not undermine justice for the victims and their families, rather she is asserting that Congress should retain its right to check Bush’s power and maintain limits on the military’s actions. In the tense times preceding potential war, when civil rights are tightened and national ethics are softened, Barbara Lee is the voice for the basic American Ideals we must not lose sight of Freedom and Democracy.  

Stephanie Don 

Berkeley 

MUSIC 

924 Gilman Street Sept. 28: Erase Errata, The Intima, Ibobuki, (+tba); Sept. 29: DS-13, Beware, Blown To Bits, (+tba); Oct 5: Subincision, Gary’s Agenda, Eugene (+ tba); Oct 6: Tight Brothers from Way Back When, Smash Your Face, Cherry Valence, Bare Bones; Most shows are $5 and start at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 

Albatross Pub Sept. 25: Mad and Eddie Duran; Sept. 27: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Oct 3: Wesley Brothers; Oct 4: Keni “El Lebrijano” Flemenco Guitar; All free shows begin at 9 p.m. 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473 albatrosspub@mindspring.com  

Anna’s Sept. 25: Tangria; Sept. 26: Bob Schoen Jazz Quintet, Cheryl McBride; Sept. 27: David Jeffrey Fourtet, Brendan Milstein; Sept. 28: Anna sings jazz standards, 10 p.m. Bluesman Hideo Date; Sept. 29: Robin Gregory, Bliss Rodriguez, 10 p.m. The Distones Jazz Sextet, Donald Duck Bailey; Sept. 30: Acoustic Soul; All shows begin at 8 p.m. 1801 University Ave. 849-ANNA www.annasbistro.com 

Café de la Paz Poetry Nitro, performance showcase with open mike. Sept. 24: Jim Watson-Gove; All shows free, 7 - 10 p.m. 

Cal Performances Sept. 30: 7 p.m. Kronos Quartet, David Barron, $30; Oct. 12 - 14: Fri. and Sat., 8 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m. Ballet Nacional De Cuba, $24 - $46; Oct. 17 and 18: 8 p.m. Cesaria Evora, $24 - $36; Oct. 19: 8 p.m. Karnak, $18 - $30. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley Campus, Bancroft Way at Telegraph, 642-0212, tickets@calperfs.berkeley.edu 

Eli’s Mile High Club Every Friday, 10 p.m. Funky Fridays Conscious Dance Party with KPFA DJs Splif Skankin and Funky Man. $10; Sept. 3: 2 - 8 p.m. Big West Coast Harmonica Bash, afternoon benefit for Red Archibald. $10 donation; Doors open at 8 p.m. unless noted. 3629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland. 655-6661 

Freight & Salvage Sept. 26: Clive Gregson, $16.50; Sept. 27: Dick Gaughan, $18.50; Sept 28: Jenna Mammina, $16.50; Sept. 29: The Nigerian Brothers, $16.50; Sept. 30: Vasen, $17.50; Oct 2: Budowitz; Oct 3: The Robin Nolan Trio; Oct 4: Darol Anger & Mike Marshall; Oct 5: Golden Bough; Oct 6: The Limeliters; Oct 7: Eddie From Ohio; Oct 8: All Nation Singers, Walter Ogi Johnson, Thunder; All shows start at 8 p.m. 1111 Addison St. 548-1761 www.freightandsalvage.com 

Jack’s Bistro Sept. 28: 9 p.m. Tomas Michaud’s New World Flamenco Quartet, Jack London Square. 444-7171  

www.starland-music.com 

Jazzschool/La Note Sept. 30: 4 p.m., John Santos and the Machete Ensemble. $15. 2377 Shattuck Ave. 845-5376 

Jupiter Sept. 25: Craig Graham Trio; Sept. 26: Starvin Like Marvin; Sept. 28 Anton Schwartz Quartet; Sept 29:  

moderngypsies.net; All music starts at 8 p.m. 2181 Shattuck Ave. 843-7625 www.jupiterbeer.com  

La Peña Cultural Center Sept. 27: 7:30 p.m. The local Friends of the MST will host a screening of the new documentary "Raiz Forte" or "Strong Roots" to present our community with a vision of their work and struggle. A discussion will follow. $5-$10; In the Cafe, 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 www.lapena.org 

Music Sources Sept. 30: 5 p.m. Ole Scarlatta! Portuguese and French keyboards and fortepiano joined by Jason McGuire on flamenco guitar, $18 General, $15 members, seniors, students. 1000 The Alameda 528-1685 

Sedge Thomson’s West Coast Live Radio Show Sept. 29: Nancy Miford, The Nigerian Brothers, Caroline Dahl. The Freight and Salvage, 1111 Addison St. All shows 10 a.m. - noon. 252-9214 www.wcl.org 

Benifit Concert for the Native  

American Health Center Sept. 28: 8 p.m. Buffy Sainte-Marie, Ulali, Lorrie Church, The Mankillers. Paramount Theater, 2025 Broadway, Oakland. 625-8497  

“The Complete Shostakovich String Quartets--Part One” Sept. 29: 10 a.m. Quartets III & IV; Oct. 20: 10 a.m. Quartets V & VI. Performed by the prize-winning Alexander String Quartet with Robert Greenberg. $ 30, $84 for the Trio of concerts. Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. 845-8542 www.juliamorgan.org. 

Magnificat Sept. 29: 8 p.m. First Congregational Church. The San Francisco early music ensemble of voices and period instruments present their tenth anniversary season with music of 17th century composers. Tickets $12-$45 (415) 979-4500 

The Mike Yax Jazz Orchestra Sept. 30: 2 p.m., Longfellow School of the Arts, 1500 Derby St. 420-4560 

THEATER 

“Le Cirque des Animaux” Sept. 29: 8 p.m. Hausmusik presents a wacky baroque musical cabaret on the subject of animals. Parish Hall of St. Alban’s Espiscopal Church, 1501 Washington St. (not wheelchair accessible). $18 general admission, $15 seniors, students and SFEMS members) 527-9029 

“Murder Dressed in Satin” by Victor Lawhorn, ongoing. A mystery-comedy dinner show at The Madison about a murder at the home of Satin Moray, a club owner and self-proclaimed socialite with a scarlet past. Dinner is included in the price of the theater ticket. $47.50 Lake Merritt Hotel, 1800 Madison St., Oakland. 239-2252 www.acteva.com/go/havefun 

“Twelfth Night” Sept. 25 - 30, Oct. 2 - 7, Tue. - Thurs. 7:30 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 4 p.m., Student Matinees: Sept. 18, 20, 25, Oct. 2, @ 1 p.m. California Shakespeare Festival presents William Shakespeare’s comic tale of romance, loneliness, love and glory. Directed by Jonathan Moscone. $12 - $41. Bruns Memorial Amphitheater, Highway 24, Gateway Exit, one mile east of the Caldecott Tunnel. 548-9666 www.calshakes.org 

“Swanwhite” through Oct. 21: Thur. - Sat., 8 p.m., Sun. 7 p.m. A new translation of the Swedish Play that asks the question what good is romantic love, directed by Tom Clyde. $20, Sundays are “Pay What You Can.” Transparent Theater, 1901 Ashby Ave. 883-0305, www.virtuous.com 

“36 Views” through Oct. 28: Tues. 8 p.m., Wed. 7 p.m., Thu. 8 p.m. w/ 2 p.m. matinee every other Thu., Fri. 8 p.m., Sat. 8 p.m. w/ 2 p.m. matinee every other Sat., Sun. 2 p.m., 8 p.m. Written by Naomi Lizuka, Directed by Mark Wing-Davey. $10 - $54. Berkeley Repertory’s Roda Theatre, 2015 Addison St. 647-2949 www.berkeleyrep.org 

FILMS 

Pacific Film Archive Sept. 25: 7:30 p.m. Alternative Requirements 2001, Artists in Person; Sept. 26: 7:30 p.m. Touch Tones; Sept. 28: 7 p.m. Ugetsu, 8:55 p.m. Sansho the Bailiff; Sept. 29: 7 p.m. Dr. Mabuse the Gambler, Part I, Joel Adlen on piano; Sept. 30: Dr. Mabuse the Gambler, Part II, Joel Adlen on piano; general admission $7, The New PFA Theatre 2575 Bancroft Way 642-1412 

EXHIBITS 

Nexus Gallery Sept. 26-30: noon - 6 p.m. Jan Eldridge- Large charcoal drawings and acrylic collages; Tricia Grame- visual and textural autobiography of her spiritual evolution; Tanya Wilkinson- A sensuous exploration of the possibilities inherent in the medium of handmade paper. 

Women’s Cancer Resource Gallery “Catastrophe, Crisis, and Other Family Traditions,” the photography of Jessamyn Lovell, through Sept. 26; “The Arthur Wright and Gerald Parker,” through Sept. 26; Tues. - Thurs. 1 - 7 p.m., Sat. 12 - 4 p.m. 3023 Shattuck Ave. 548-9286 Ext. 307 www.wcrc.org 

Bahman Navaee is exhibiting his paintings, through Sept. 29: Persian Center, 2029 Durant Ave. 848-0264 

“Debbie Moore’s Autobiographical Paintings” through Sept. 30 at Good Vibrations. Portraits of the artist’s sensual explorations spanning 25 years and reflecting changing ways of intimacy and body play. 2504 San Pablo Ave. 848-1985 

“Three Visions” Sept. 26 through Sept. 30: 12 - 6 p.m., An Exhibition of Mixed Media. Nexus Gallery, 2707 8th St. (707) 554-2520 

“The Decade of Change: 1900 - 1910” through September. Chronicles the transformation of the city of Berkeley in this 10-year period. Thursday through Saturday, 1 – 4 p.m. Berkeley History Center, Veterans Memorial Building, 1931 Center St. Wheelchair accessible. 848-0181. Free.  

“Squared Triangle” through Oct. 5: noon - 6 p.m. A minimalist art exhibit featuring three Bay Area artists working in different mediums while achieving the same elegant simplicity. The Crucible, 1036 Ashby Ave. 843-5511 www.thecrucible.com 

“Inside Editions” through Oct. 12: Nine printmakers exhibit their work. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tue. - Fri. Free. Kala Art Insitute, 1060 Heinz Ave. 549-2977 kala@kala.org 

“Census 2000: Asian Pacific Islander Americans” through Oct. 13; Wed. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Asian Pacific Islander American artists in roughly the demographic proportions indicated by the recent census. Free. Pro Arts, 461 Ninth St., Oakland 763-9470  

“MWP Perspectives” Jon Orvik: One artist’s journey. Through Oct. 27, Tues. - Fri. 12 - 5 p.m., Sat. & Sun. 12 - 4 p.m. Solo artist exhibiting his journey through metal, wood and paint. Adapt Gallery and Design, 2834 College Ave. 649-8501 www.adaptgallery.com  

“50 Years of Photography in Japan 1951 - 2001” through Nov. 5: An exhibition from The Yomiuri Shimbun, the world’s largest daily newspaper with a national morning circulation of 10,300,000. Photographs of work, love, community, culture and disasters of Japan as seen by Japanese news photographers. Opening Reception Sept. 5: 6 - 8 p.m. open to the public; Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. U.C. Berkeley, Graduate School of Journalism, North Gate Hall, Hearst and Euclid. Free. 642-3383 

“Changing the World, Building New Lives: 1970s photographs of Lesbians, Feminists, Union Women, Disability Activists and their Supporters” through Nov. 17: An exhibit of black and white photographs by Oakland photographer Cathy Cade, who captured the interrelationships of the different struggles for justice and social change. Opening reception Sept. 15, 5 - 8 p.m. Gallery Hours, Mon. - Fri. 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Photolab Gallery, 2235 Fifth St. Free. 644-1400 cathycade@mindspring.com 

“The Whole World’s Watching: Peace and Social Justice Movements of the 1960s and 1970s” through Dec. 16: A documentary photo exhibition which examines the rich history of the social movements of the 1960’s and 1970’s. Wed. - Sun., noon - 5 p.m. Berkeley Art Center, 1275 Walnut St., Live Oak Park. Free. 644-6893 

“Musee des Hommages” Masterworks by Guy Colwell. Faithful copies of several artists from the pasts, including Titian’s “The Venus of Urbino,” Cezanne’s “Still Life,” Picasso’s “Woman at a Mirror,” and Botticelli’s “Primavera” Ongoing. Call ahead for hours. Atelier 9 2028 Ninth St. (at Addison) 841-4210 or visit  

www.atelier9.com 

READINGS 

Boadecia’s Books Sept 28: The Return of Gaymes Night; Sept 29: Ellen Samuels and other contributors to “Out of the Ordinary: Essays on Growing Up with Gay, Lesbian & Transgender Parents;” Mark Pritchard reads from “How I Adore You;” Oct 6: Terry Ryan reads from “The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 words or Less;” All events start at 7:30 p.m. unless noted otherwise. All events are free. 398 Colusa Ave. 559-9184 www.bookpride.com 

Cody’s on Fourth Street Sept. 25: 7 p.m. Nancy London has been cancelled; Oct 5: 7 p.m. Glen Davis Gold reads from “Carter Beats the Devil;” Oct 12: Cody’s For Kids- Rosemary Wells and Bunny Party; 1730 Fourth St. 559-9500 

Cody’s on Telegraph Ave. Sept. 25: Ken Croswell discusses “The Universe At Midnight: New Discoveries Illuminate the Hidden Cosmos” with a slide show presentation; Sept. 27: Bill Ayers talks about “Fugitive Days”; Oct 1: Urdsula K. Le guin reads from “The Other Wind”; Oct 2: Jonathan Franzen reads from “The Corrections”; Oct 4: Eric Seaborg looks at “Adventures in the Atomic Age: From Watts to Washington”; Oct 5: Victor Villasenor reads from “Thirteen Senses”; All shows at 7:30 p.m. 2454 Telegraph Ave. 845-7852 

Cody’s Other Venues - Sept. 20: 7:30 p.m. Cody’s presents an evening with Margaret Atwood in conversation with professor Robert Alter. $12. First Congregational Church 2345 Channing Way; Sept. 28: 7:30 p.m. Cody’s presents a Community Forum on Race and the Achievement Gap at Berkeley High School. Little Theater, Berkeley High School; Oct 7: 7 p.m. Coleman Barks- The Soul of Rumi First Congregational Church of Berkeley 2345 Dana 

Coffee Mill Poetry Series Sept. 18: Ben Brose and Jen Iby followed by open mike reading. 3363 Grand Ave., Oakland 465-3935 ksdgk@earthlink.net 

Eastwind Books of Berkeley Sept. 29: 7 p.m. Kip Fulbeck reads from his first novel, “Paper Bullets.” 2066 University Ave. 548-2350 

Easy Going Travel Shop & Bookstore Sept. 20: 7:30 p.m. Antarctica & The Nature of Penguins, An evening with Jonathan Chester; Oct 2: 7:30 p.m. “Dancing with the Witchdoctor: One Woman’s Adventure in Africa” by Kelly James. 1385 Shattuck Ave. 843-3533 

Lunch Poems reading Series Oct 4: 12:10 p.m. Ishmael Reed; Morrison Libary in Doe Library at UC Berkeley. Free 642-0137 http://www.berkeley.edu/calendar/events/poems/ 

Spasso Sept. 10: Sharron Jones-Reid, Fruit of the Spirit poets, acoustic musicians, comedians, rappers, performance artists, writers. All welcome. 6021 College Ave. Free admission. 

Tours 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Fridays 9:30 - 11:45 a.m. or by appointment. Call ahead to make reservations. Free. University of California, Berkeley. 486-4387 

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

Museums 

Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm” An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels, look into a mirrored fish pond, don farm animal costumes, ride on a John Deere tractor and more. “Recycling Center” Lets the kids crank the conveyor belt to sort cans, plastic bottles and newspaper bundles into dumpster bins. $4 adults; $6 children age 7 and under; $3 for each additional child age 7 and under. Monday and Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Tuesday and Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Sundays, Memorial Day through Labor Day) Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 647-1111 or www.habitot.org  

UC Berkeley Museum of Paleontology Lobby, Valley Life Sciences Building, UC Berkeley “Tyrannosaurus Rex,” ongoing. A 20 foot by 40 foot replica of the fearsome dinosaur made from casts of bones of the most complete T. rex skeleton yet excavated. When unearthed in Montana, the bones were all lying in place with only a small piece of the tailbone missing. “Pteranodon” A suspended skeleton of a flying reptile with a wingspan of 22-23 feet. The pteranodon lived at the same time as the dinosaurs. Free. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 642-1821 

UC Berkeley Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology will close its exhibition galleries for renovation. It will reopen in early 2002. On View until Oct. 1 : “Ishi and the Invention of Yahi Culture.” “Sites Along the Nile: Rescuing Ancient Egypt.” “The Art of Research: Nelson Graburn and the Aesthetics of Inuit Sculpture.” “Tzintzuntzan, Mexico: Photographs by George Foster.” $2 general; $1 seniors; $.50 children age 17 and under; free on Thursdays. Wednesday, Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way and College Avenue. 643-7648 or www.qal.berkeley.edu/~hearst/ 

University of California Berkeley Art Museum Pacific Film Archive has reopened after its summer-long seismic retrofit. “Martin Puryear: Sculpture of the 1990s” through Jan. 13; “The Dream of the Audience: Theresa Hak Kyung Cha (1951 - 1982)” through Dec. 16; “Face of Buddha: Sculpture from India, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia” ongoing rotation through 2003; “Matrix 194: Jessica Bronson, Heaps, layers, and curls” Sept. 16 through Nov. 11; “Matrix 192: Ceal Floyer 37’4”” Sept. 16 through Nov. 11; Wed., Fri., Sat., Sun. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Thur. 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., PFA Theater, 2575 Bancroft Way; Museum Galleries 2626 Bancroft Way; 642-0808 www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

Lawrence Hall of Science “Within the Human Brain,” ongoing. Visitors test their cranial nerves, play skeeball, master mazes, match musical tones and construct stories inside a simulated “rat cage” of learning experiments. “Saturday Night Stargazing,” First and third Saturdays each month. 8 - 10 p.m., LHS plaza. Space Weather Exhibit now - Sept. 2; now - Sept. 9 Science in Toyland; Saturdays 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. $7 for adults; $5 for children 5-18; $3 for children 3-4. 642-5132 

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

Oakland Museum of California “Half Past Autumn: The Art of Gordon Parks,” through Sept. 23; Wednesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday, noon - 5 p.m., Closed Monday and Tuesday. $6 general; $4 youths (6-17), seniors and students with ID. Free for museum members and children 5 and under. Free admission the second Sunday of the month. 10th & Oak streets, Oakland. 238-2200 www.museum.org 

Send arts events two weeks in advance to Calendar@berkeleydailyplanet.net, 2076 University, Berkeley 94704 or fax to 841-5694.

Students took the helm at dozens of classes at Berkeley High School Monday in a blitz of consciousness-raising seminars on tolerance, scapegoating, and the meaning of terrorism.  

“It’s an incredible direction for them to be taking at the beginning of a school year,” said Susan Werd, a ninth-grade counselor. 

Amid nationwide harassment of people of Middle East origins, Muslims and even Sikhs, in the wake of the East Coast terrorist attacks, two campus groups teamed up to educate the school community and the public that Berkeley has not been immune to racist intimidation and scapegoating. 

Some 20 members of Culture and Unity, a campus group founded by students of mostly South Asian descent, and Youth Together, which acts on issues important to students of color, spent their lunch periods Monday comparing notes on the morning’s classes and finalizing teaching schedules. 

“I had such a great morning!” said junior Maliyah Coye, capturing the electric energy in the room. “We reached them, but we entertained them at the same time.” 

Sarena Chandler, a senior and the school’s representative on the school board, and junior Deborah Ortiz took over David Bye’s 12th grade advanced placement English class shortly before lunchtime. They hung posters on the chalkboard with various definitions of terrorism and scapegoating written in magic marker. 

“After Sept. 11 a large community of people including Afghans, Pakistanis and Indians have been tremendously harassed,” Chandler told the class. School girls had been followed home, she added; people had gone through the Yellow Pages to call up and “cuss out” proprietors with Arabic-sounding names. 

“Students and even teachers are being incredibly unjust,” she said. 

In an exercise, Chandler asked a student a question and then cut her off in mid-sentence to illustrate how commonly people indulge “this whole little twist about putting their own side into it.” 

“When is the last time anyone actually listened to you?” she said. 

Students were then paired off with one required strictly to listen while the other talked for two full minutes about the forms discrimination took, in their own lives or in others’. Afterwards, Emil Reyes volunteered to leave the classroom and come back in with a sign on his back that said something unknown to him. Chandler told the rest of the class to start calling Reyes names based on their associations with the word on the sign: terrorist. 

“Watch his psyche and how he physically turns around,” she said. 

Reyes entered the room and the calls began with “Arab!” This was followed by “Guy with a beard,” “7-11 owner,” “Murderer,” “Camel jockey” and others. A female student said “male!” and David Bye, the class’s usual teacher, said “CIA trainee.” 

“This is really degrading,” Reyes said. 

“He’s not a terrorist,” Chandler said, “but because we’ve put this label on him, it’s easy to dehumanize him.” 

Students then shared their stories from the discussion time. Adam Akullian said he flew on Saturday and when four Middle Eastern-appearing passengers boarded, some passengers could be heard hoping aloud that they weren’t Arabs. Immanuel Foster blamed the media for dwelling on the race of the hijackers, and said, “They should just be talking about ‘those people who went over the edge.’” 

“We all have to appeal to the better side of our natures, otherwise it’s just going to lead to hate crimes that are unfounded,” said Sarah Goodin. 

In a wide-ranging discussion of the varying sects of Islam, the origins of the term “jihad,” and the State Department definition of terrorism posted on the chalk board, Bye encouraged the class to ask if the acts of Sept. 11 might be rooted in economics. To the terrorists, he said, “Those World Trade Centers could represent American greed and how America has taken so much of the world’s wealth for itself.” 

Chandler ended the class by urging the students to “analyze” the media’s representations. “And when you see other people who you don’t think have as conscious a view as you do, educate them,” she said. 

About 45 such teach-ins, four or five per class period all day, were scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. Chandler said she had thought up the teaching devices with help from family members over the weekend. 

Some classes went more smoothly than others, Bye said.  

“They’re quiet at first,” he said. “I think people are really hesitant to talk about it.” 

Later, Madeleine Tajima’s tenth grade world literature class was much less talkative. Yasmeen Drummond, one of the teach-in leaders, tried to spark a class-wide discussion about the current wave of discrimination. 

“Did anybody see it on the news?” she asked. 

“Yeah,” said two or three students. 

“Did anybody know it was taking place?” 

“Yeah.” 

Gradually, when the class leaders turned the discussion from discrimination to the bombings and the U.S. response, some students spoke up. 

“A lot of the times we go and bomb other countries and they don’t tell us about it,” said Brandis Monroe. “That’s the reason why so many people are like, you know, finally America got what it deserved.” 

Others voiced the opinion that anyone who would bomb America was “really, really stupid” and should expect retaliation. 

Students in both classes attended by the Daily Planet said they felt that fear, stereotyping, and discrimination were simply a part of human nature that had to be struggled against but also accepted. 

“Don’t listen to those people who put you down,” LaToya Dowell told the student teachers in the tenth grade class – Drummond, Amelia Maffin, Manjinder Kaur, and Umair Khan. “They don’t know what they’re saying.” 

Watching coverage of the two recent family massacres in Sacramento, Dowell admitted, “I thought white people were crazy.” 

“I don’t hate you guys,” she added. 

Friday, Sept. 28 

Anti-War Art Making  

Pro Arts 

461 Ninth Street, Oakland (2 blocks from 12th BART Station, near Broadway)  

6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Pro Arts is providing this opportunity for artists to make their anti-war expressions visible, playable, audible and readable. We are gathering donations of art materials for people to use. Musicians, please come with instruments. Posters and other artworks can be used in the Rally the next day at Dolores Park in San Francisco or for any other event the artist wishes. At this moment, works will be for immediate use and are not intended for use in an exhibition at Pro Arts. 763-4361 

Sunday, Sept. 30 

Peace walks  

Lake Merritt Neighbors Organized for Peace leads weekly peace walks around Lake Merritt in Oakland every Sunday at 3 p.m. 

People meet at the columns, between Grand and Lakeshore avenues.  

763-8712, lmno4p@yahoo.com

Editor: 

Imagine that! The first amendment guarantees the right to freedom of speech. The courts have interpreted that as meaning displaying symbols as well, including our flag. As a police officer in Southern California I find it appalling that the Berkeley Fire Department ordered its firefighters to remove U.S. flags from its trucks prior to a UC Berkeley anti-war demonstration. It is obvious that the Berkeley Firefighters have no rights, especially first amendment rights. How narrow-minded are you folks anyway?  

Imagine what would happen if the Berkeley Police Department was directed to stop all vehicles with U.S. flags and have them removed ... think there would be a few problems?  

It is interesting to note that the residents, students etc. have the right to protest under the first amendment, but others are denied that same right. A true double standard that only Berkeley, California could be accused of.  

Nick Zingo 

Los Angeles 

Editor’s note: city officials have apologized and the flags are flying on the trucks. 

In the wake of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s surprise announcement that it will close its controversial Tritium Labeling Facility, the City Council will consider a resolution tonight asking the lab to thoroughly clean up the site and to allow public monitoring of the cleanup. 

“Since there has been some denial from the lab about problems related to the facility, we want to make sure that attitude doesn’t prevail in the effort to remove radioactive materials and equipment from the site,” said Councilmember Kriss Worthington, who, along with Councilmember Dona Spring, put the item on tonight’s City Council agenda. 

The agenda item also seeks to thank the lab and the National Institutes of Health for closing the tritium facility and asking that the decommissioning and decontamination of the facility be open for public review.  

The National Tritium Labeling Facility attaches radioactive tritium to pharmaceuticals and other medical compounds, in a process known as labeling, so they can be accurately traced by medical researchers as they course through living organisms. 

The lab announced on Sept. 14 that, after 19 years of operation, it will close the facility in December. A lab spokesperson said the closure was the result of the National Institutes of Health withdrawal of funding for the facility.  

But Worthington and Spring both speculate that the scheduled closure is related to public pressure put on the lab by the Committee to Minimize Toxic Waste, a group that has criticized the facility since 1996. 

Largely through CMTW efforts, the City Council unanimously approved resolutions calling for the closure of the facility in 1996 and again in 1998.  

CMTW member Gene Bernardi said she was glad the LBNL decided to close down the facility. But she is also concerned the lab thoroughly cleans up the facility and surrounding area.  

“There’s a big job to be done there and it has to be complete,” Bernardi said. “The clean up should conform to the California Environmental Quality Act and the National Environmental Protection Act.” 

Last year the council commissioned a study of the tritium facility by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, in Heidelberg, Germany. The $33,000, 53-page report, evaluated the level of public exposure to tritium and assessed potential health risks. The final version of the report was released on Aug. 23. 

Dr. Bernd Franke, who prepared the report, concluded that data, provided by the facility, showed tritium emissions were lower than the Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended exposure levels. But Franke was also critical of the agency for not deploying a sufficient number of air monitoring devices in the area surrounding the tritium facility. 

Franke also challenged an LBNL report that claimed the labeling facility posed no, or very little, risk in the event of a fire, earthquake or other disaster. 

According to LBNL spokesperson Ron Kolb, after the lab closes, there will be a two-phase clean up process. The first phase will take six months and include the removal of all remaining tritium stock. The second phase will take an estimated 12 months and include the dismantling of the four-room facility and decontamination of any equipment or materials that may have traces of radioactivity. 

“We are confident the site will be completely cleaned up,” Kolb said. “We certainly will follow all regulations that govern decommission and decontamination.” 

Kolb added that operations at the facility have begun to wind down in anticipation of the December closing and that the four people employed at the tritium facility have been given notices of termination. 

Worthington and Spring are also asking that members of the CMTW be given 10 minutes to express their appreciation to the council and the community for their support to close the facility.

Editor: 

When I look at the anti-war protesters I am reminded of a spoiled child who closes its eyes and makes its demands known by screaming at the tops of its lungs. The protesters have decided to close their eyes to the fact that over 6,000 innocent American lives were lost in New York City, taken by the worst fascist-tyrant the world has seen in generations. After seeing images of innocent human beings plummeting from the World Trade Center, how can these protesters rationalize the position they have taken? Let’s not kid ourselves about what is going on, bin Laden is practicing genocide upon Americans of all color. The destruction at the WTC did not discriminate against its victims.  

We can modify our foreign policy as much as we like, it will not stop the attacks on innocent Americans lives. Bin Laden needs an outside enemy to keep his terrorists united, without an outside enemy they would soon turn to fighting amongst themselves. As a freedom-loving people, we must use every means at our disposal to rid the world of this evil that we do not want to face. If we chose to ignore the problem, our grandchildren will curse us for having placed the yoke of slavery about their necks. 

Eric Watkinson 

Newark 

When the Berkeley City Council tackles citywide redistricting at tonight’s public hearing, it will be stuck with a population count from the 2000 census that, by most accounts, missed thousands of Berkeley residents. 

The council must redraw district boundaries every 10 years in order to keep the population of each district roughly equal. The City Charter requires the council to base the whole process on numbers from the most recent census.  

So now the city must rework its district map using numbers it is nearly certain are way off.  

“My best estimate is that the census undercounted about 6,000 people,” said Patrick DeTemple, a senior systems analyst for the city who has been working with the Census Bureau. “At least three-fourths of them were in the area south of campus, so the vast majority were students.” 

The presumed undercount disproportionately affected a swath that runs across the northern portions of districts 7 and 8, containing many of the university’s large dormitories and student apartment housing.  

“This issue is generally what is fueling the entire redistricting process,” said Kriss Worthington, council member from District 7. “If students had not been undercounted, there would be incremental changes here and there, but there would not be the dramatic shifts in districts 7 and 8.” 

And while redistricting may make the populations in each district equal according to the census numbers, an undercount would mean districts 7 and 8 will have several thousand more people than the other districts.  

“The fluke of the student undercount means that districts 7 and 8 will actually have more residents that any other district in the city,” Worthington said. “So in those two districts, each individual person’s vote is worth a tiny bit less.” 

The presumed undercount also means that any federal money doled out to cities on a per-resident basis would short Berkeley by 3-5 percent, depending on the actual size of the undercount. 

University officials who worked closely with the Census Bureau in the months leading up to the count said the problems began when the bureau was supposed to put surveys in the students’ mailboxes.  

“The census folks didn’t have the right numbers of envelopes,” said Je Nell Padilla of the university’s residential and family living/new student services department. “In some cases they had envelopes with no surveys in them. They missed whole chunks of people; they’d miss a building or whatever.”  

There was supposed to be a second round of counting, Padilla said, when census workers would return to catch the students they had missed. But it never materialized. 

“I went back and asked what they were doing with round two,” said Padilla. “And they said they didn’t have the staff to do it – even though it was part of the plan we had cooked up together. It was just crazy and disorganized.” 

The city first suspected a massive undercount just days after the Census Bureau released its initial figures in May. According to the 2000 census, Berkeley has a population of 102,743. Its population in 1990 was 102,724.  

“We saw that it was virtually the same as 10 years ago, even though we’ve had a big increase in housing,” said DeTemple. “Then we did a block-by-block comparison between 1990 and 2000. Specific blocks that contained dorms revealed radical drop-offs, when we knew that the dorms were still there and still inhabited.” 

One block, said DeTemple, dropped from 1,070 residents in 1990 to exactly one resident in 2000.  

“That was when we knew there was a very specific and serious problem.” 

The city alerted the Census Bureau of the problem within weeks. Soon after, a report from California’s department of finance confirmed the city’s findings, estimating that 6,000-7,000 Berkeley residents were missing from the census tallies.  

It is the bureau’s policy not to recount. The bureau is moving the city’s complaint through its count question resolution program, which can adjust the totals if residents were counted but missed in the final tally because of processing errors.  

Still, according to the program guidelines, any Berkeley residents who were never counted to begin with cannot be added at this point. Moreover, even if the bureau adjusts its official numbers at all, it will likely be too late to affect redistricting.  

That leaves the city few options to correct the problem.  

“We haven’t found a way,” said Worthington. “There is a possibility that after we get new numbers we could redistrict again and get people all bent out of shape again. But I don’t know if people will want to go through it all again.” 

Editor: 

On the morning of Sept. 13, 2000, a Modesto SWAT team burst into the home of the Sepulveda family on the premise of apprehending drug pushers.The SWAT team ordered family members to lay on the floor. Eleven year old Alberto Sepulveda did as he was told,without any type of struggle. Minutes later the 11 year old was dead, shot in the back by a shotgun wielding SWAT member. The officer said the shotgun discharged on its own,though he is the only witness. No drugs or paraphernalia were found. The officer, SWAT team, city and county so far have been cleared of any wrong doing. They have pledged to upgrade their training. This is no small comfort to the Sepulveda family. I would like to thank this newspaper for being the only Bay Area paper to print (the Associated Press’) detailed article at the time. None of the main television stations or main newspapers covered this tragedy and miscarriage of justice as they should have.This is a newspaper worth reading.  

Robert Torres  

Oakland 

Praising Rep. Barbara Lee 

The City Council is expected to approve a commendation for Rep. Barbara Lee’s “wise and courageous vote in opposition to authorizing President Bush to wage war against terrorism.” 

On Sept. 14, Lee was the only member of Congress to vote against giving President Bush absolute authority to make decisions about using military force against terrorism. Lee’s lone stance has drawn both harsh criticism and high praise from around the country. 

The commendation, submitted by Councilmember Miriam Hawley and Vice Mayor Maudelle Shirek, applauds Lee for recommending justice over retribution. Hawley and Shirek also wrote in the commendation that “Lee’s leadership will be a rallying point for citizens seeking a reasoned and measured response to the atrocities of September 11.” 

ECO Pass 

The council is expected to approve a contract with AC Transit that will provide all city employees with a trial transit pass for AC Transit routes including Transbay lines. The ECO Pass program will go into service on Nov. 1 and expire on Dec. 31, 2002. 

The cost of the program is estimated to be $100,000 and will cover the city’s 1,600 full-time employees. The cost per employee is about $60 for the entire year. Employee ridership will be monitored by AC Transit and a monthly report will be provided to the city. If the program is successful it will become permanent. 

The council asked the city manager on June 12 to look into expanding the program to cover Berkeley Unified School District employees and also negotiating with BART for a similar program. Both of those proposals are still being considered. 

Law enforcement block grant 

The council will hold a public hearing prior to authorizing the city manager to accept a $250,000 federal grant, which would be used to hire two patrol officers for approximately 24 months. 

The money would come from the federal Local Law Enforcement Block Grant. The council has supported the use of LLEBG grant money to hire patrol officers since 1997. The grant amount is based on a formula that includes population and rates of various types of crimes. 

In past years the city has been able to fund three officers with the two-year grant. Because of increased salaries and a reduction of available grant money, only two officers will be funded for the next two-year cycle.  

According to a police department staff report the grant will help the city reach its goal of 204 sworn officers. Currently there 194 sworn officers.  

Redistricting 

The council will hold the first of two public hearings on five proposals to redraw the boundary lines of the city’s eight council districts. The city collected four plans from Berkeley residents and another was submitted by city staff.  

After the public hearing, the council will select one redistricting plan and hold another public hearing on Oct. 2, after which the council is expected to approve the selected plan possibly contingent on some minor changes.  

One controversial plan was submitted by the Associated Students of the University of California. The plan drastically redesigned districts 7 and 8 to create a student-dominated district. ASUC members have said their goal is to elect a student to the City Council who will represent student interests such as housing and safety.  

The city attorney described the student plan as non-conforming because it was in conflict with the City Charter, which requires only small adjustments to existing districts.  

The council will also discuss: 

• Signing a contract with the Berkeley Alliance for $80,000 for administrative support to the school district. 

• The purchase of 96 energy efficient refrigerators for low-income households at a total amount of up to $53,000. 

• Reestablishing food-cart licenses 

• Supporting the efforts of local organizations to eliminate racism and discrimination against people of Arabic descent and Muslim faith through education and media campaigns and establish Berkeley as a Hate Free Zone. 

• Funding for sign-language interpretation at the city’s Free Folk Festival. 

Other related meetings: 

Closed session 

The City Council will hold an executive session meeting at 4 p.m. at 2180 Milvia St. on the sixth floor to hold a a conference with the Berkeley Police Association, the department’s union, which is in the process of negotiating a new contract.  

Housing Authority 

The Berkeley Housing Authority will hold a meeting at 5 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at 2134 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, to discuss several issues including a plan to reorganize the BHA and review an information report about reopening section enrollment for 8 applications. Section 8 enrollment began on Sept. 7 and will end Oct. 5. 

Editor: 

Patrick Kennedy's proposal for a new building housing a new Fine Arts Theater seems to me to be an admirable one, especially in alleviating the structural drawbacks of the current theater and building, but I have a couple of suggestions: I would hope that this new theater, in addition to its art-deco exterior, have an art-deco (or similarly grand) interior as well (and perhaps Kennedy is already considering this), particularly in the auditorium.  

One need look no further than the Shattuck (at least the original ones) or the Grand Lake's two small screens for examples of what can be done. Make the Fine Arts a real “Fine Art.” 

I would also suggest that Kennedy make every single effort he can to help the Fine Arts operation continue to progress and prosper in the interim. It is a wonderful asset to Bay Area filmgoers, and it would be a shame if it befell a similar fate to Gaia Bookstore. While I do not necessarily blame Kennedy for that, losing two venerated institutions on his watch would not help his already fairly controversial reputation. 

Garrett Murphy 

Oakland

SACRAMENTO (AP) — Gov. Gray Davis vetoed a bill Monday that called for a state study of the amount of weight California pupils are carrying in their backpacks. 

The measure, by Assemblyman Rod Pacheco, R-Riverside, sought to determine if a shortage of locker space exists and whether increasingly heavy backpacks are hurting children’s spines. 

But Davis said the $140,000 to conduct the study was not included in the 2001-02 budget. 

He also said in a statement that the weight of backpacks and the length of time students carry them “varies widely among districts and solutions need to be developed at the local level.” 

The state education and health departments would have conducted the study, which was to include the weight of hardcover textbooks, the lack of lockers on many campuses and possible alternatives to students carrying heavy backpacks. 

Lawmakers wrapped up their 2001 session on Sept. 14 and Davis has until Oct. 14 to sign hundreds of bills approved at the last minute. 

BELLE GLADE, Fla. — The government grounded thousands of crop-dusters across the country for a second straight day Monday amid fears the planes could be used in an airborne chemical or biological attack. 

The move came after it was learned that one of the suspected hijackers in the attack on the World Trade Center, Mohamad Atta, had shown interest in crop-dusters and that another person now in federal custody had downloaded information about the planes, Attorney General John Ashcroft said. 

The “intelligence community came to us and encouraged us to shut down the crop-dusters,” Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Scott Brenner said. The FAA said the ban was in effect through 12:05 a.m. Tuesday local time. 

Ashcroft told lawmakers on Capitol Hill that the FBI had gathered information raising fears that the small farm planes could be used in a biological or chemical attack. But he said there was “no clear indication of the time or place of these attacks.” 

It was the second time the planes have been grounded since the FAA cleared the way for most flights to resume Sept. 14, three days after terrorists slammed planes into the twin towers and the Pentagon. 

James Callan, executive director of the National Agricultural Aviation Association, said the ban covered about 3,500 agricultural aviators. 

The association posted a message from the FBI on its Web site, urging members to “continue to be vigilant to any suspicious activity relative to the use, training in or acquisition of dangerous chemicals or airborne application” of the chemicals. 

The FBI is believed to be investigating a group of Middle Eastern men — including Atta — who repeatedly visited a Florida fertilizer company before the Sept. 11 attacks. 

J.D. “Will” Lee, general manager of South Florida Crop Care in Belle Glade, said Monday he told FBI agents that the men, in groups of two or three, visited nearly every weekend for six or eight weeks before the attacks. The visits included the weekend before the assaults. 

Co-worker James Lester told the FBI that one of the men was Atta, who is believed to be one of the suicide hijackers aboard the first airliner to hit the trade center. He said Atta was persistent with questions about a crop-duster during a visit in February. 

“I recognized him because he stayed on my feet all the time. I just about had to push him away from me,” Lester said. 

Lee said the men pestered employees with “odd questions” about his 502 Air Tractor crop-duster. He said they asked about the range of the airplane, how much it could haul in chemicals, how difficult it was to fly and how much fuel it could carry. 

During one visit, they followed Lester around, asking questions while he was working on one of the planes. Another time, they carried video equipment and asked to photograph the inside of the cockpit. 

Lee said he declined their repeated requests. 

“I wouldn’t spend any time talking to them or telling them anything because I didn’t think it was any of their business,” Lee said. 

In Belle Glade, a small community in the Florida Everglades surrounded by sugar cane fields, police closed one entrance to the airport where Lee’s business is based and allowed only employees to enter the second entrance. The airport is about an hour’s drive from the beachfront communities where some of the suspected hijackers stayed before the attacks. 

The Washington Post has also reported that investigators found a crop-duster manual among the possessions of Zacarias Moussaoui, who was detained after he sought flight training in Minnesota and the school grew suspicious. 

Ray Dyson, chief pilot of Southeastern Aerial Crop Service in Fort Pierce, said crop-dusting aircraft — typically carrying 200 gallons of fuel and 500 to 600 gallons of fertilizer and liquid spray — require extensive training and are extremely difficult for a novice pilot to fly. “When they’re heavily loaded they take a very deft hand to fly,” Dyson said. “One false move and you fall out of the sky and crash.” 

Florida officials have checked with all registered aerial applicators about their security measures, said Terence McElroy, spokesman for the state Agriculture Department. 

When flights resume, pilots will be required to notify state officials of their flight times and aircraft tail numbers, McElroy said. 

“It’s damn sure going to ruin our industry and us, but it’s a small price to pay for the security of our nation,” said Jerry White, an aerial applicator based in Orlando. 

The ban affected the state’s spraying for mosquitoes as part of its effort to battle the West Nile and Eastern equine encephalitis viruses. 

In New Jersey, helicopters used for spraying against mosquitoes have been grounded indefinitely because of the attacks. In Georgia, the ban will affect cotton growers who need to defoliate plants before harvest. 

Kelly Wingate, owner of Wingate Flying Service of Camilla, Ga., said the groundings were inconvenient but pilots and growers understood the need. 

“The aerial applicators and the farmers — you won’t find bigger patriots,” he said. “We know what this country is going through and we’re in 100 percent support of what they’re doing.” 

CINCINNATI — A white police officer who fatally shot an unarmed black man, sparking rioting, acted carelessly and lied to investigators to save to his job, a prosecutor argued Monday. 

Officer Stephen Roach had his finger on the trigger of his revolver and rashly fired in a dark alley rather than use other means to stop the fleeing suspect, prosecutor Stephen McIntosh said in closing arguments. 

Other officers chasing Timothy Thomas, 19, on April 7 testified they had not drawn their weapons, he said. 

“At some point, Officer Roach is moving down the alley with his finger on the trigger, discharging the weapon into the darkness,” McIntosh said. “Tim was essentially cornered. There was no place to go.” 

Judge Ralph E. Winkler, who heard the case without a jury, said he will announce his verdict Wednesday. 

The shooting sparked three days of rioting, the city’s worst racial unrest since the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in 1968. A dawn-to-dusk curfew was ordered, dozens of people were injured and more than 800 were arrested. 

Roach, 27, could face nine months in jail if convicted of negligent homicide and obstructing official business. 

Defense lawyer Merlyn Shiverdecker said the officer’s fear caused him to involuntarily fire his weapon. He also said the dim light in the alley affected the officer’s sight and hearing. 

The prosecution failed to counter scientific testimony on either point, and police homicide investigator Charles Beaver failed to investigate those things at the scene, he said. 

“He was precipitous and premature,” Shiverdecker said of Beaver. “His logic was faulty and flawed.” 

Roach, a city officer since 1997, did not testify at the trial. He declined comment in the courtroom after sitting quietly through the closing arguments. 

McIntosh said Roach told homicide investigators differing versions of what happened to save his job. 

The officer initially told investigators that Thomas made a threatening move toward him, and he thought Thomas had a gun. Investigators said they interviewed Roach again after finding discrepancies between their evidence and his statement. 

Three days later, Roach told investigators that Thomas stepped around a corner in the alley and startled him, and that the officer accidentally shot him. 

Police later found that Thomas — who was wanted on 14 charges, including traffic offenses and fleeing from police to avoid arrest — had no weapon. 

OAKLAND (AP) — With increased responsibilities and fewer recruits, the Oakland Police Department is moving its recruiting office downtown. 

The office will open in its new location Friday. 

The department currently has 40 vacancies. Another 44 officers are off, injured or sick. 

The department is being stretched further as it takes over security for Oakland’s public schools and beefs up patrols at the airport. 

Police hope the office’s new location will attract more potential officers and will speed up the hiring process.

SAN JOSE — The dangers of Internet worms and viruses are well known, but security experts are warning of a more pernicious and potentially more damaging kind of attack — the manipulation of content on trusted Web sites. 

Last week, Yahoo was alerted by security intelligence company SecurityFocus.com that a hacker had rather easily entered Yahoo’s news pages and inserted phony quotes and wrong information on stories. 

The hacker, 20-year-old Adrian Lamo of San Francisco, says he wanted to show Yahoo! Inc. that it needed to fix what he considers a basic mistake in its network setup. 

Yahoo said it has taken steps to solve the problem. Nevertheless, the incident highlights how vulnerable the Internet could be as a tool for quickly spreading misinformation. 

That premise could be dangerous, considering the sensitivity of the news surrounding the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and their aftermath. 

Yahoo, which claims to have 200 million registered users, is one of the Internet’s most popular sources of information. The company aggregates information from several news providers, including The Associated Press. 

“A lot of attention has been given to the fact that data is stolen, but not necessarily that the integrity has been altered,” said Elias Ladopoulos, a former hacker who is launching a wireless security company in New York called Digital Frameworks. 

“Any hacker, given enough skill, can change the content to produce whatever they like,” Ladopoulos said. “Once content gets out on the Internet, it’s pretty hard to retract that.” 

Bruce Schneier, chief technology officer at Counterpane Internet Security in Cupertino, said he expects a new wave of such incidents. He calls them “semantic attacks,” or assaults on meaning, rather than on computer networks themselves. 

With network administrators improving their detection of viruses, worms and other threats, Schneier said some hackers will resort to subtle tactics that play off people’s tendency to believe everything they read. 

News organizations’ sites have been defaced by boastful hackers before, but the changing of their content is a more damaging assault on their credibility. 

Last year, someone broke into the Orange County Register’s Web site and replaced the name of an arrested hacker with that of Microsoft Corp. chairman Bill Gates. 

Last Wednesday, someone put a false story on the site of the Daily Californian, the student newspaper at the University of California, Berkeley. The bogus piece said the paper’s editors had apologized for a controversial political cartoon. 

Lamo said he was troubled by how easily he got access to Yahoo’s news pages. He exploited a flaw that let its corporate network be tricked into thinking it was communicating with an internal computer. 

He also said he believes other parts of Yahoo’s site and other Internet content providers are vulnerable in similar ways, with video archives and stock prices subject to being manipulated. 

In particular, Lamo tinkered with an Aug. 23 story by the Reuters news agency about Dmitry Sklyarov, the Russian computer programmer charged with circumventing copyrights on Adobe Systems Inc. software. 

The converted piece said Sklyarov could face the death penalty if convicted (the real maximum is five years in prison), and included a fake quote from Attorney General John Ashcroft. 

Lamo said he had doctored quotes in other Reuters articles that eventually expired from Yahoo’s news pages, though he kept images of how those stories appeared. Yahoo said it could not confirm Lamo had altered more than one story. 

Lamo alerted Yahoo to what he had done by telling SecurityFocus.com. Lamo said he did not inform Yahoo directly because “hackers contacting companies personally have a dismal success rate.” 

“I’d be gratified to see it bring about sweeping changes in network security,” he told the AP. 

Yahoo released a statement saying it had taken “appropriate steps to block unauthorized access to help ensure that we maintain a secure environment.” A spokesman would not elaborate, nor would he say whether the company would complain to federal authorities. 

The FBI said Monday it did not appear that a complaint has been filed, however. 

Reuters spokeswoman Nancy Bobrowitz said Yahoo has given the agency “strong assurances” that its news pages could not be hacked again. 

“They have taken it very seriously,” she said. “Our priority is to make sure subscribers are protecting the integrity of the news which we take such great care to produce. ... We are not aware of any other incidents where our content has been hacked.” 

Some security experts say the integrity of online information could be assured with more certainty if more companies would use digital signatures, which are based on a technology that makes a signature invalid if content is changed after it is sent. 

But the technology is not being widely implemented because it increases networks’ cost and complexity. 

And Schneier thinks digital signatures would only make the problem worse — he believes they are not as foolproof as advertised. He suggests companies use monitoring software that alerts network administrators when Web pages have been changed. 

——— 

On the Net: 

http://www.yahoo.com 

http://www.counterpane.com 

PULLMAN, Wash. — The dormitories of this college town are 2,200 miles from the East Coast, but Arab students are feeling the reverberations of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. 

Some 47 students from the United Arab Emirates have dropped out of Washington State University, called back home by parents fearful of war and anti-Arab sentiments in the United States. 

Other Arab students are leaving colleges across the country, although the numbers do not appear to be large. 

“There are some students who feel anxiety,” said Shafeeq Ghabra, spokesman for the embassy of Kuwait in Washington, D.C. “Their parents back home in Kuwait are more anxious than they are. Some would like to be together with their children.” 

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are providing financial and other assistance to any students from their countries who want to return home. 

About 570,000 foreign students are in the United States, about 40,000 of them from Arab countries, according to the American Council on Education. 

While it’s unclear how many are leaving, one of the biggest exoduses appears to be from Washington State, a land-grant institution with 18,000 students in the Palouse wheat country in the southeast corner of the state. 

About 47 students from the UAE, mostly junior college transfers who arrived on the Pullman campus a few weeks ago for the start of school, are leaving the country, officials said. 

“For the most part it’s because their parents want them back,” said Ranna Daud, 20, head of the Muslim Student Association at WSU. 

Daud, an Arab-American raised in Pullman, said there has been no overt discrimination against the students, although some have received verbal harassment. 

Efforts to contact some of the departing students were not successful. 

The vast majority of Arab students seem to be staying. 

At Montana State University in Bozeman, all the Arab students appear to be staying, said Abdullah Bahazig, head of the university’s Muslim Student Association. 

“I think Bozeman is one of the safest places in the U.S. for an international student,” Bahazig said. 

The worst terrorist attack on American soil took place two weeks ago, when hijacked jetliners were flown into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. A fourth plane crashed in the Pennsylvania countryside after doomed passengers apparently struggled with the hijackers. More than 6,000 people are dead or missing. 

The Saudi Arabian government is providing free airfare to students who wish to go home. Those who choose to do so will not lose their scholarships. 

Kuwait has more than 3,000 students in the United States, Ghabra said. 

“We have encouraged students to stay,” he said. 

Those who are fearful are getting Kuwaiti government assistance to come home, but are being asked to return to the United States in three months, Ghabra said. 

“I am assuming we’ll end up with several hundred doing that,” Ghabra said. “Then we ask them to come back and be there for spring semester.” 

Ghabra has a daughter who is a junior at American University in Washington, D.C. 

“There were some difficult times for her in the first days, but she is over it,” he said. “My daughter is staying on and her friends are staying on.” 

However, more than 30 Arab students have left American University. 

There were scattered reports of Arab students leaving other colleges. 

—About two dozen Arab students have left both the University of Missouri and the University of Colorado at Denver. 

— Up to 30 students from Arab countries have left California State University, Long Beach. 

—Four Middle Eastern students have left the University of Arizona. 

—At Boston University, five Arab students have left. 

—Three students from the United Arab Emirates have withdrawn from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma. 

In light of recent events, a planned conference of activists calling for divestment from Israel will not take place in October. 

Students for Justice in Palestine, a UC Berkeley campus group that has led the divestment movement nationally, has decided to postpone the conference until at least next semester. 

The organization also said the scope of its “Intifada Week,” a series of demonstrations which began Monday, has been altered.  

“In light of Israel’s escalation of its siege on the Palestinian people, SJP has decided to proceed with the week of events,” the organization said in a prepared statement. “The calendar has been scaled down and modified for several reasons.” 

Some events, including a “mock trial” of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, have been canceled. 

Events will include: a discussion on International Law and and the Intifada at 12:30 p.m. today at 140 Boalt Hall on the UC Berkeley Campus. Wednesday at 7 p.m. there will be a talk on the backlash after Sept. 11 against Middle-Eastern and South Asian people at 2040 Valley Life Sciences Building.  

SAN JOSE — Edging closer to legitimacy, Napster Inc. on Monday tentatively settled a suit filed by music publishers and struck a deal that could lead to legal and fee-based song distribution online. 

Under the proposed settlement with the National Music Publishers’ Association, Napster will pay $26 million for past unauthorized use of music and $10 million down payment on future royalties. 

The deal also sets up terms under which songwriters and music publishers can license music to Napster’s upcoming fee-based service, which is now expected to be launched by the end of the year. 

“This will enable Napster to move forward with the launch of its new service, knowing that a growing range of content will be available to consumers,” said Napster chief executive Konrad Hilbers. 

But Napster, which has been shut down since early July, still has big hurdles to overcome, including the resolution of suits filed by the major labels that own the performance rights. 

Both the performance and publishing copyright issues must be resolved before a song can be legally distributed on Napster or anywhere else. Monday’s deal covers only the publishing rights of up to 700,000 songs. 

Officials were hopeful that the agreement could serve as a framework for future settlements. 

Under the agreement, a portion of the revenue collected for each song would be reserved for royalty payments. Of that amount, one-third would be paid to the publishers and songwriters, officials said. 

The remaining two-thirds would be reserved for holders of the performance rights. Specific terms, such as the size of the overall royalties chunk, were not disclosed. 

However, officials said the fractions reserved for songwriters and publishers is significantly larger than what is now paid out. 

“We’re very pleased we were able to assist each other in breaking new ground in new areas of delivering more product and at a much better rate to our songwriters and creators of American music,” said Ed Murphy, NMPA’s chief executive. 

The settlement must be approved by a judge, the board of directors of the NMPA and individual publishers. 

The Recording Industry Association of America, which represents the major music labels, declined to comment on the NMDA’s settlement. Hilbers, however, said some progress is being made in talks. 

The association led efforts to have Napster’s free service turned off earlier this year for allowing copyright infringement. And its members are now developing their own fee-based services for distributing music online. 

Napster has been shut down since late summer, when it tried to better comply with a federal judge’s order and strengthen the filtering of copyright music turned into extended downtime. 

Napster’s paid service had been expected to launch this summer. On Monday, Hilbers said it will launch before the end of the year. 

The Redwood City, Calif.-based pioneer could be re-entering a crowded field. One competitor, pressplay, is a collaboration between Sony and Universal Music Group. 

Napster previously announced it has signed a distribution deal with another potential competitor, MusicNet, which was founded by RealNetworks, AOL Time Warner, Bertelsmann and EMI. 

A lot has changed since Napster’s heyday, when it boasted of millions of people freely swapping billions of songs. 

As Napster’s legal woes increased, alternative song-swapping services started to take off. Though not as easy to use as Napster, they offer the same tunes plus other digital content such as software and movies. 

There also are questions about how useful Napster’s service will be and whether consumers will be able to transfer music to portable players or onto compact discs. 

”(Monday’s agreement) will matter only when the service comes up and we can see what it looks like,” said P.J. McNeally, an analyst at Gartner Dataquest. “From a consumers’ standpoint, this means nothing.” 

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The bankrupt Industry Standard sold the subscriber lists and other assets of its once-thriving technology magazine for $1.4 million in a court-supervised auction Monday. 

Media giant AOL Time Warner, which publishes the rival technology magazine Business 2.0, bought the Standard’s paid subscriber list and liabilities for unfulfilled subscriptions for $500,000. 

The Standard’s majority owner, the International Data Group, will pay $900,000 for the lists of readers who received free copies of the magazine or electronic newsletters through e-mail. 

In an internal memo to its employees, IDG disclosed that it has no plans to revive the Industry Standard in the United States. After abruptly closing last month, the Standard held out hope that it might return to newsstands under another owner. 

Before the past year’s high-tech slump dried up the magazine’s advertising support, the Industry Standard cashed in on the dot-com boom in the Silicon Valley. The San Francisco-based magazine and its operations generated $140 million in revenue last year, but suffered a 70 percent drop-off in business this year. 

——— 

On The Net: 

http://www.industrystandard.com 

BERKELEY — Sen. John McCain gave a tearful eulogy Saturday for one of the heroic victims of United Airlines Flight 93, calling passenger Mark Bingham’s political support “one of the greatest honors of his life.” 

McCain once met Bingham, a longtime admirer of the Republican from Arizona. The senator is one of 15 senators co-sponsoring a bill that would award the 44 passengers and crew members with the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress’ highest civilian honor. 

It would recognize Bingham and three other passengers who investigators believe helped thwart terrorist highjackers from crashing Flight 93 into its intended target, possibly a Washington landmark. 

“I very well may owe my life to Mark,” McCain told mourners. “He supported me, and his support now ranks among one of the greatest honors of my life.” 

Monday, Sept. 24

Free Legal Workshop 

6 - 8 p.m. 

Women’s Cancer Resource Center 

3023 Shattuck Ave. 

Find out about the Family Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disability Act, and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. Laws protect you from termination during an experience with cancer or other serious medical condition. 601-4040 x302 

Eastshore State Park Regional Workshop #2 

7 p.m. 

Hs Lordship’s Restaurant 

2nd Floor Georgian Ballroom 

199 Seawall Drive, Berkeley Marina 

The public is being asked for their input and suggestions on the long-term master plan for the development of the new Eastshore State Park (ESP), stretching along the shoreline from the touchdown of the Bay Bridge to Marina Bay in Richmond. www.eastshorestatepark.org 

NOW Meeting 

6:30 - 8 p.m.  

Mama Bears Bookstore & Coffee House  

6536 Telegraph Ave. 

Monthly meeting of the Oakland East Bay Chapter of the National Organization for Women. Nonmembers welcome.  

Free. 549-2970 

Psychology Discussion 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Psychologist Betty Goren will lead a discussion titled “Does Talking Help Get Rid of the Blues.” 644-6107 

Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults Inquiry Program 

7:30 p.m. 

St. Mary Magdalen Parish 

2005 Berryman St. 

A program to learn everything you wanted to know about the Catholic Church but never had the chance to ask. 526-4811 

Affordable Housing Advocacy Project Open Forum 

5:30 - 7 p.m. 

South Branch Public Library 

1901 Russell St. 

Maintain and increase landlords and property management firms participation in the section 8 program, while building a better rapport with all those concerned. 548-8776 

Daily Prayer and Meditation 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

First Congregational Church 

Dana at Durant 

Chapel open for prayer and meditation. 

Tuesday, Sept. 25:

Berkeley Housing Authority Monthly Meeting 

6:30 P.M. 

City Council Chambers, 2134 MLK Jr. Way  

549-2970.  

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 525-3565 

Redistricting of Berkeley City Council Districts 

7 p.m. 

2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way 

Public hearing to consider proposals to amend Council District boundaries based on the 2000 census figures. Members of the public are invited to comment on all proposals. 981-7000 www.ci.berkeley.ca.us 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market 

2-7 p.m. 

Derby Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Milvia Street. 

548-3333 

Free Early Music Group 

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Small group sings madrigals and other voice harmony every Tuesday.  

655-8863 

Annual PTA Reception 

6 - 8 p.m. 

Rosa Parks Environmental Science Magnet School 

920 Allston Way 

Multi-Purpose Room 

Reception for the 2001 - 2002 PTA Officers. 644-8764  

Daily Prayer and Meditation 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

First Congregational Church 

Dana at Durant 

Chapel open for prayer and meditation. 

Wednesday, Sept. 26

A Taste of the World: Cultural Understanding Through Food 

6 - 9 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St. 

Enhance your cooking skills and experience the cuisines of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Morocco and Israel with Chef Daniel Herskovic. All classes are “hands on.” Class includes meal and cooking lesson. $25. Every Wednesday through Nov. 1. 655-8487 

Socratic Circle Discussions 

5 - 6 p.m. 

1309 Solano Ave. 

Cafe Eclectica 

Does your brain need a workout? All ages welcome. 527-2344 

"Nels Nelson: The Early Days of Berkeley Archaeology"  

noon 

ARF, 2547 Channing, Room 101 

Brown Bag Lunch Lecture 

After Kent's talk, we'll go to the 2 p.m. court hearing before Judge Richman, Alameda Co. Superior Court to watch Berkeley Asst. City Attorney Zack Cowen defend the landmark designation of the West Berkeley 

Shellmound. The hearing is at the Post Office Building, 201-13th Street, Department 31, 2nd floor, Oakland. The shellmound is being challenged by the propertyowners who filed suit against the City's designation of the mound site. 841-8562 sfbayshellmounds@yahoo.com 

Editor: 

Representative Barbara Lee, the only member of Congress to vote against using force against the so called terrorists, is the only sane voice in Washington. 

If the United States sincerely wants to destroy terrorists, they should start in their own backyard with the KKK and other white supremacist hate groups. These groups have been allowed to terrorize americans of color, especially blacks for decades. 

They have bombed black churches and killed innocent children. Where were all the flags and tears then? 

When Timothy McVeigh bombed the federal building in Oklahoma City, why weren’t other whites attacking every white male in sight? 

As long as the United States was bombing and killing black and brown babies all over the world and supporting terrorists for its own capitalistic gains, there was no national outcry. 

I support representative Barbara Lee. She has more balls then all those white males in Congress and Colin Powell put together. 

Nicole Williams 

Richmon

924 Gilman Street Sept. 28: Erase Errata, The Intima, Ibobuki, (+tba); Sept. 29: DS-13, Beware, Blown To Bits, (+tba); Oct 5: Subincision, Gary’s Agenda, Eugene (+ tba); Oct 6: Tight Brothers from Way Back When, Smash Your Face, Cherry Valence, Bare Bones; Most shows are $5 and start at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 

Albatross Pub Sept. 25: Mad and Eddie Duran; Sept. 27: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Oct 3: Wesley Brothers; Oct 4:Keni “El Lebrijano” Flemenco Guitar; All free shows begin at 9 p.m. 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473 albatrosspub@mindspring.com  

Anna’sSept. 24: The Renegade Sidemen, Calvin Keyes, Dave Rokeach and Pals; Sept. 25: Tangria; Sept. 26: Bob Schoen Jazz Quintet, Cheryl McBride; Sept. 27: David Jeffrey Fourtet, Brendan Milstein; Sept. 28: Anna sings jazz standards, 10 p.m. Bluesman Hideo Date; Sept. 29: Robin Gregory, Bliss Rodriguez, 10 p.m. The Distones Jazz Sextet, Donald Duck Bailey; Sept. 30: Acoustic Soul; All shows begin at 8 p.m. 1801 University Ave. 849-ANNA www.annasbistro.com 

Café de la Paz Poetry Nitro, performance showcase with open mike. Sept. 24: Jim Watson-Gove; All shows free, 7 - 10 p.m. 

Cal Performances Sept. 30: 7 p.m. Kronos Quartet, David Barron, $30; Oct. 12 - 14: Fri. and Sat., 8:00 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m. Ballet Nacional De Cuba, $24 - $46; Oct. 17 and 18: 8 p.m. Cesaria Evora, $24 - $36; Oct. 19: 8 p.m. Karnak, $18 - $30. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley Campus, Bancroft Way at Telegraph, 642-0212, tickets@calperfs.berkeley.edu 

Eli’s Mile High Club Every Friday, 10 p.m. Funky Fridays Conscious Dance Party with KPFA DJs Splif Skankin and Funky Man. $10; Sept. 3: 2 - 8 p.m. Big West Coast Harmonica Bash, afternoon benefit for Red Archibald. $10 donation; Doors open at 8 p.m. unless noted. 3629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland. 655-6661 

Freight & Salvage Sept. 24: April Verch, $16.50; Sept. 26: Clive Gregson, $16.50; Sept. 27: Dick Gaughan, $18.50; Sept 28: Jenna Mammina, $16.50; Sept. 29: The Nigerian Brothers, $16.50; Sept. 30: Vasen, $17.50; Oct 2: Budowitz; Oct 3: The Robin Nolan Trio; Oct 4: Darol Anger & Mike Marshall; Oct 5: Golden Bough; Oct 6: The Limeliters; Oct 7: Eddie From Ohio; Oct 8: All Nation Singers, Walter Ogi Johnson, Thunder; All shows start at 8 p.m. 1111 Addison St. 548-1761 www.freightandsalvage.com 

Jack’s Bistro Sept. 28: 9 p.m. Tomas Michaud’s New World Flamenco Quartet, Jack London Square. 444-7171 www.starland-music.com 

Jazzschool/La Note Sept. 30: 4 p.m., John Santos and the Machete Ensemble. $15. 2377 Shattuck Ave. 510-845-5376 

Jupiter Sept. 25: Craig Graham Trio; Sept. 26: Starvin Like Marvin; Sept. 28 Anton Schwartz Quartet; Sept 29: moderngypsies.net; All music starts at 8:00 p.m. 2181 Shattuck Ave. 843-7625 www.jupiterbeer.com  

La Peña Cultural Center Sept. 27: 7:30 p.m. The local Friends of the MST will host a screening of the new documentary "Raiz Forte" or "Strong Roots" to present our community with a vision of their work and struggle. A discussion will follow. $5-$10; In the Cafe, 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 www.lapena.org 

Music Sources Sept. 30: 5 p.m. Ole Scarlatta! Portuguese and French keyboards and fortepiano joined by Jason McGuire on flamenco guitar, $18 General, $15 members, seniors, students. 1000 The Alameda 528-1685 

Sedge Thomson’s West Coast Live Radio Show Sept. 29: Nancy Miford, The Nigerian Brothers, Caroline Dahl. The Freight and Salvage, 1111 Addison St. All shows 10 a.m. - noon. 252-9214 www.wcl.org 

Benifit Concert for the Native American Health Center  

Sept. 28: 8 p.m. Buffy Sainte-Marie, Ulali, Lorrie Church, The Mankillers. Paramount Theater, 2025 Broadway, Oakland. 625-8497  

“The Complete Shostakovich String Quartets--Part One” Sept. 29: 10 a.m. Quartets III & IV; Oct. 20: 10 a.m. Quartets V & VI. Performed by the prize-winning Alexander String Quartet with Robert Greenberg. $ 30, $84 for the Trio of concerts. Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. 845-8542 www.juliamorgan.org. 

Magnificat Sept. 29: 8 p.m. First Congregational Church. The San Francisco early music ensemble of voices and period instruments present their thenth anniversary season with music of seventeenth century composers. Tickets $12-$45 (415) 979-4500 

The Mike Yax Jazz Orchestra Sept. 30: 2 p.m., Longfellow School of the Arts, 1500 Derby St. 420-4560 

“Le Cirque des Animaux” Sept. 29: 8 p.m. Hausmusik presents a wacky baroque musical cabaret on the subject of animals. Parish Hall of St. Alban’s Espiscopal Church, 1501 Washington St. (not wheelchair accessible). $18 general admission, $15 seniors, students and SFEMS members) 527-9029 

“Murder Dressed in Satin” by Victor Lawhorn, ongoing. A mystery-comedy dinner show at The Madison about a murder at the home of Satin Moray, a club owner and self-proclaimed socialite with a scarlet past. Dinner is included in the price of the theater ticket. $47.50 Lake Merritt Hotel, 1800 Madison St., Oakland. 239-2252 www.acteva.com/go/havefun 

“Twelfth Night” Sept. 25 - 30, Oct. 2 - 7, Tue. - Thurs. 7:30 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 4 p.m., Student Matinees: Sept. 18, 20, 25, Oct. 2, @ 1 p.m. California Shakespeare Festival presents William Shakespeare’s comic tale of romance, loneliness, love and glory. Directed by Jonathan Moscone. $12 - $41. Bruns Memorial Amphitheater, Highway 24, Gateway Exit, one mile east of the Caldecott Tunnel. 548-9666 www.calshakes.org 

Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck, 849-2568, www.lapena.org  

“Swanwhite” Through Oct. 21: Thur. - Sat., 8 p.m., Sun. 7 p.m. A new translation of the Swedish Play that asks the question what good is romantic love, directed by Tom Clyde. $20, Sundays are “Pay What You Can”. Transparent Theater, 1901 Ashby Ave. 883-0305, www.virtuous.com 

“36 Views” Through Oct. 28: Tues. 8 p.m., Wed. 7 p.m., Thu. 8 p.m. w/ 2 p.m. matinee every other Thu., Fri. 8 p.m., Sat. 8 p.m. w/ 2 p.m. matinee every other Sat., Sun. 2 p.m., 8 p.m. Written by Naomi Lizuka, Directed by Mark Wing-Davey. $10 - $54. Berkeley Repertory’s Roda Theatre, 2015 Addison St. 647-2949 www.berkeleyrep.org 

Cal Performances Sept. 19 - 20: 8 p.m. American Ballet, “Bruch Violin Concerto,” “Jabula,” “Gong,” and “Black Tuesday.”; Sept. 21: 8 p.m., Sept. 22: 2 p.m. & 8 p.m., Sept. 23: 3 p.m. American Ballet, the full-length 19th Century “Giselle” $36 - $64; Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley Campus, Bancroft Way at Telegraph, 642-0212, tickets@calperfs.berkeley.edu 

Pacific Film Archive Sept. 24: 7 p.m. Chile, Obstinate Memory and For These Eyes; Sept. 25: 7:30 p.m. Alternative Requirements 2001, Artists in Person; Sept. 26: 7:30 p.m. Touch Tones; Sept. 28: 7 p.m. Ugetsu, 8:55 Sansho the Bailiff; Sept. 29: 7 p.m. Dr. Mabuse the Gambler, Part I, Joel Adlen on piano; Sept. 30: Dr. Mabuse the Gambler, Part II, Joel Adlen on piano; general admission $7, The New PFA Theatre 2575 Bancroft Way 642-1412 

Nexus Gallery Sept. 26-30: noon - 6 p.m. Jan Eldridge- Large charcoal drawings and acrylic collages; Tricia Grame- visual and textural autobiography of her spiritual evolution; Tanya Wilkinson- A sensuous exploration of the possibilities inherent in the medium of handmade paper. 

Women’s Cancer Resource Gallery “Catastrophe, Crisis, and Other Family Traditions” The photography of Jessamyn Lovell. Through Sept. 26; “The Arthur Wright and Gerald Parker” Through Sept. 26; Tues. - Thurs. 1 - 7 p.m., Sat. 12 - 4 p.m. 3023 Shattuck Ave. 548-9286 x307 www.wcrc.org 

Bahman Navaee is exhibiting his paintings. Through Sept. 29: Persian Center, 2029 Durant Ave. 848-0264 

“Debbie Moore’s Autobiographical Paintings” Through Sept. 30 at Good Vibrations. Portraits of the artist’s sensual explorations spanning 25 years and reflecting changing ways of intimacy and body play. 2504 San Pablo Avenue 848-1985 

“Three Visions” Sept. 26 through Sept. 30: 12 - 6 p.m., An Exhibition of Mixed Media. Nexus Gallery, 2707 8th Street 707-554-2520

Dons score 21 in 2nd half 

Using a relentless style and a horde of running backs, the De Anza Dons outscored St. Mary’s 21-0 in the second half on Friday to claim a 28-14 victory. 

Running back Tyke Moore led the Dons (2-1) with 92 yards and scored one touchdown, while teammate Marcus Russell ran for two second-half scores. In all, De Anza used six different running backs in the game, gaining 218 yards on the ground, including 188 in the second half. 

“It pretty much came down to line play today,” St. Mary’s head coach Jay Lawson said. “My guys just started getting tired.” 

The Dons tied the game 14-14 on a Russell 14-yard run at the end of the third quarter, then broke the Panthers with a six-minute, 12-play, 53-yard drive culminating with a Moore nine-yard touchdown run. 

It’s hard to blame the Panthers (1-2) for their second-half letdown, as they suited up just 22 players for Friday’s game. Among the players in street clothes on the St. Mary’s sideline were starting offensive linemen Rodny Acda and Jonathon Tarranto, and they were joined before halftime by fellow linemen Jarrell Booker and Nick Osborne. Although Booker and Osborne played in the second half, they were clearly less than 100 percent. 

“Our numbers were already light, and they just started wearing our line down,” Lawson said. “There were times we wanted to send in a substitute, but we didn’t have anyone on the sideline who could play.” 

The depleted roster also contributed to the Panthers’ offensive woes. St. Mary’s has yet to score a second-half offensive touchdown, and tailback Trestin George was forced to play nearly every down on defense on Friday. After a 75-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to open the scoring, George had just 65 yards in the final three quarters, finishing with 165 yards on 21 carries. 

While the St. Mary’s defense sagged late in the game, the De Anza defenders seemed to get stronger as the game went on, especially linebacker George Morris. After forcing a fumble from St. Mary’s quarterback Steve Murphy on a blindside hit to open the game, Morris disappeared until the end of the game. But when the Panthers made a late defensive stop and got the ball back at their own 30 down 21-14, Morris came to life. On third down, he combined with Russell to sack Murphy on the 15, then finished the Panthers’ hopes with another sack on fourth down. Morris came unblocked on both plays, as the makeshift St. Mary’s offensive line struggled with their assignments. 

“We just kept pounding on them, beating up their line,” De Anza head coach George Pye said. “I know what it’s like to have players going both ways, and I know fatigue will kick in eventually.” 

Two plays later, Russell scored from a yard out to cap the scoring. 

The Panthers had a 14-6 halftime lead, thanks to the long run by George and a 2-yard touchdown dive by Murphy with just one second left on the clock. But the Dons dominated the second half and could have scored more points. Their opening drive was impressive as they used eight runs to go 43 yards down to the St. Mary’s 25. But when they tried to go to the air, St. Mary’s defensive back Ryan Coogler made a leaping interception of Gary Davenport’s pass to temporarily save his team’s lead. Davenport completed just one pass in the game, but it was a big one, a 50-yard bomb that set up Russell’s tying touchdown.

The City Council will hold a public hearing tomorrow on five redistricting plans that some are saying could alter the balance of power on the city’s governing board.  

The City Charter requires the city’s eight districts be re-drawn every 10 years according to population shifts reported by the United States census. The charter also requires the council to approved the new district boundaries by Dec. 31. 

According to the census, Berkeley’s population is 102,743, which requires the city to redraw district lines so that as close to 12,843 people are in each district. 

The council will consider five redistricting plans, four submitted by citizens and one submitted by the office of city manager Weldon Rucker. According to the city’s July 2 Redistricting 2001 Information Packet, redistricting plans were to meet three legal requirements, districts should be as close to equal in population as possible, districts should be preserved as much as possible according to how they were originally established in 1986 and compliance with the Federal Voting Rights Act.  

According to the packet, redistricting plans could also consider other criteria such as communities of interest, topography and geography.  

After tomorrow’s public hearing, the council will choose one of the five plans. The council will hold another public hearing on the chosen plan at a special meeting on Oct. 2. After the second public hearing, the council may make some final adjustments to the plan before adopting it as a city ordinance on Oct. 9. 

Redrawing the 2001 district lines was made especially difficult because of alleged census

Editor: 

As your article implied, the central debate over funding seismic retrofit of state-owned Bay Area toll bridges concerned how much subsidy the rest of California should contribute. Bay Area legislators ensured that nobody be dissuaded from driving by something so crass as higher tolls. If you thought Bay Bridge congestion was already bad, think again. 

Legislators showed remarkable indifference about what the$2.6-$3 billion designated for the east span of the Bay Bridge buys. As local readers know, the California Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission jointly chose a design to which added capacity in the form of passenger trains cannot readily be added. The new span is to have five traffic lanes in each direction, same as the existing one.  

There is more that Caltrans and MTC choose not to discuss. The design is an invitation to calamity. Competent, well credentialled engineers warn that the (self-anchored) single tower suspension design is uniquely vulnerable to terrorist attack.  

The roadbed serves as an integral part of the suspension structure. Tension in the cables that support the roadbed is maintained by compression of the roadbed itself. Failure of the roadbed would cause the entire structure to collapse. Experts say that explosives delivered in a pick-up truck could do the job. The same bomb set off on a conventional structure would just leave a hole that could be repaired. A tanker truck accident like the one in the Caldecott Tunnel could do equivalent damage. 

The suspension section was adopted simply as an adornment to make the bridge look pretty. It adds about $1 billion to construction cost but serves no transportation function. As a symbolic gateway and as vital infrastructure, it will make a tempting target.  

Legislation (AB 1171), awaiting the governor’s signature, mandates the risky, self-anchored suspension design. Deleting this requirement would allow engineers to re-evaluate safety from a terrorism standpoint. They could then adopt a design that is simpler and safer. Such a bridge might be built quicker and cheaper.  

Robert R. Piper 

Berkeley

PULLMAN, Wash. – Setting a record is sweet, but it’s even sweeter when it comes with an impressive win. 

Jason Gesser threw for a career-high 432 yards and four touchdowns as Washington State adjusted to California’s blitzes and put the Bears away 51-20 Saturday in the Pacific-10 Conference opener for both teams. 

“It’s always fun getting a record, especially in addition to getting a win,” Gesser said after the Cougars (3-0, 1-0 Pac-10) started the season with three wins for the first time since 1998. The Cougars had 513 total passing yards, surpassing the school record of 492 set in the 1992 Copper Bowl. 

“The important thing is that we won,” Gesser said. “The record is just a pleasure on top of that.” 

The Bears (0-3, 0-1) lost 118 yards on 12 penalties, lost two fumbles and Cal quarterbacks were intercepted twice. 

“We are struggling to wrap up a game. Today on offense, we dropped a lot of balls,” Cal coach Tom Holmoe said. “Their offense is better than our defense. We had a good pass rush today, but Gesser is better out of the pocket than he is in the pocket.” 

Defensively, “we missed a lot of tackles, and that’s frustrating,” Holmoe said. “You can’t win without attacking. Breakdowns cost us the game.” 

With California blitzing and pressuring Gesser, Washington State trailed for much of the first half, but outscored the Golden Bears 35-7 in the second half. 

“We were just a bit jittery in the first half from all the blitzing, but we just calmed down and I just started seeing everything in slow motion,” Gesser said. “We just came out and adjusted in the second half. We did a good job getting ahead before halftime and in the second half, we just put them away.” 

Washington State coach Mike Price credited his defense with keeping the team in the game in the first half, and his coaches for making adjustments to handle Cal’s defensive schemes. 

“We said all along that we needed a challenge. I was interested to see how this team would play through adversity,” he said. “Sure enough, they came out and we fought through it. Our players competed really hard and we finished them off in the second half.” 

Gesser’s favorite target was Nakoa McElrath, who caught nine passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns. 

Two other Cougars receivers caught passes for more than 100 yards. It was the first time in school history that three receivers had over 100 yards in a single game. Mike Bush caught five for 144 yards and a touchdown and Jerome Riley had 124 yards and a touchdown on three catches. 

Gesser completed 19 of 43 passes and was intercepted once. Washington State had 605 yards of total offense, compared to Cal’s 367 yards. 

Dave Minnich scored on a 2-yard run and Allen Thompson ran 6 yards for another score. 

Drew Dunning hit field goals of 38, 23 and 37 yards as Washington State took a 16-13 halftime lead. 

Charon Arnold hauled in a 45 yard pass from Kyle Boller to put Cal up 7-3 early. 

Terrell Williams, starting in place of injured Cal running back Joe Igber, carried 17 times for 63 yards and caught a 15-yard scoring pass from Boller. 

Eric Holtfreter took over for Cal starter Boller early in the second period, but Boller returned in the fourth quarter. Boller finished with 10 of 22 pass attempts for 135 yards and two touchdowns. Holtfreter was 10-of-27 for 161 yards. 

Mark Jensen hit field goals of 45 and 20 yards for Cal. 

Gesser’s performance surpassed his previous best game total of 348 last year against Arizona.

The Berkeley Unified School District Board offered cautious praise at last Wednesday’s meeting to Critical Pathways, a new Berkeley High School program intended to give a boost to ninth graders in danger of failing. 

“I’m very pleased with what I’ve heard, and I’m very hard to please,” said Board Vice President Shirley Issel. The program, she said, “required a tremendous amount of coordinating and commitment.” 

“I thought it went really well,” Berkeley High School Principal Frank Lynch said after the meeting, “Only because we have our

Editor: 

Regarding your 9/21 story entitled “Youth soccer field air tests shows cause for concern,” your story left out a couple of things. While I am heartened that it showed concern for the welfare of a soccer playing child who spends probably two hours a week at the site (at most six), what about the homeless people who live at the site seven days a week? The story didn't even have a word for them.  

I also think it would be a nice touch if the reporter would do a little research to help inform rather than inflame readers. For example, it is mentioned that on one day (Sept. 8), the PM10 was three times the state's 24-hour standard. What does this mean for a child who spends two hours (out of 24) on the field? Do they have an exposure that is 75 percent below the state’s standard? Also, the story neglected to tell readers that the readings referred to are only for a two-hour period, not the entire day. Are we entering the world of irresponsible journalism here? 

Doesn’t the Planet have the resources to put out well researched, well thought out think pieces on the issue of air quality rather than these shallow sound bites? There are lots of good questions that need to be answered. For example, what is the relationship between the state’s 24-hour standard and a person who is exercising for two hours in this environment? Are there health issues at the homeless shelter that might be related to air quality? If the transfer station is a source of air pollution is there anything that could be done to reduce its emissions? There are lots of really good and interesting stories here — give us these.  

Doug Fielding 

Berkeley 

Chairperson, Association of Sports Field User

California (3-3-0) collected its second shutout win of the season as the Bears took out Cal Poly (1-1-1), 4-0, Saturday afternoon at Edwards Stadium.  

It may have been the long layoff or just a superior Cal team, but the Mustangs definitely had no answer for the Bears' attack. Cal freshman Mike Munoz, further established himself as a playmaker after assisting on three goals and netting one of his own.  

Pat Fisher scored off a corner kick set up by Munoz in the third minute to open the scoring for the Bears. 16 minutes later, Fisher returned the favor sending a long through-ball that Munoz converted for his first career goal.  

In the second stanza, forward Austin Ripmaster put home his fourth goal of the season in the 61st minute chipping a shot over an aggressive Greg Blevin, who came 15 yards out of the goal in an attempt to make the save.  

Freshman Alex Martinez wrapped up the scoring in the 76th minute as he dribbled into the box uncontested for his first goal as a collegian.  

The Bears out shot Cal Poly 15-11 for the game. Junior keeper Josh Saunders made seven saves to preserve the shutout.

At a windswept lot on the San Francisco Bay, hundreds of thousands of worms are happily munching on yesterday’s pizza crusts, leftover meals, and apple cores — the stuff that even Berkeley’s starving students won’t touch. 

Berkeley Worms, or the Associated Students of the University of California Composting Project, is a student-run collective that gathers food waste from dorm cafeterias, campus restaurants, sororities, and other shared housing units and turns it over to a resident colony of red wriggler worms. Red wrigglers are voracious eaters with a real fondness for food waste. Collective members harvest the castings (what worm lovers call poop) as a high-end fertilizer, which sells for $300 a cubic yard or $12.50 a cubic foot. 

Berkeley Worms was founded in 1994. Its mission was simple:

Editor: 

Their tactics of the Students for Justice for Palestine are unfortunate. The implications of their activities serves to convince the public that the Palestinians will settle for nothing less than the complete destruction of Israel and that negotiations with the Palestinians for anything less is impossible. 

Instead I suggest that these students meet with the Jewish student groups on campus which are more in favor of a just and lasting peace with the Palestinians that the present Sharon government. Let the two groups draw up the parameters for a Palestinian state existing side by side with a Jewish state. Then both groups can work together to push their solution which would, I’m sure, be received favorably by a large number of American Jews and Israelis. 

Leo Breiman 

Berkeley

No. 7 Oregon 24, USC 22 

EUGENE, Ore. – Jared Siegel kicked a 32-yard field goal with 12 seconds left as the Ducks pulled off yet another breathtaking victory over USC, 24-22 Saturday night. It was Oregon’s unprecedented fourth straight over the Trojans. 

No. 12 UCLA 13, No. 21 Ohio State 6 

PASADENA – UCLA stymied Ohio State throughout Saturday’s only matchup of Top 25 teams in beating the Buckeyes 13-6 before an enthusiastic crowd of 73,723 at the Rose Bowl. 

No. 13 Washington 53, Idaho 3 

SEATTLE – The Huskies had another spectacular day on defense and special teams and the offense finally managed to get untracked in a 53-3 victory over Idaho on Saturday. 

Arizona 38, UNLV 21 

TUCSON, Ariz. – The quality of the opposition may not have been impressive, but it’s still three up and three down for new Arizona coach John Mackovic. 

Jason Johnson threw for three touchdowns, two to Bobby Wade, and Tremaine Cox scored on an 80-yard run Saturday night as the Wildcats beat winless UNLV 38-21. 

Stanford 51, Arizona State 28 

STANFORD – Randy Fasani led Stanford’s offense to 548 total yards and a blowout victory that embarrassed Arizona State. 

Fasani threw for 295 yards and four scores, and seven Stanford players scored touchdowns in a 51-28 victory over the Sun Devils on Saturday night.

Disruptions caused by attacks may steer customers back to using agents’ services 

For the past several years, major airlines have been attempting to shift ticket sales to the Internet to eliminate the need for travel agents, but the confusion in air travel ensuing from last week’s terrorist attacks has once again put travel agents in demand. 

“Airlines were telling people to call their travel agents,” said travel agent Janine Stagg of Ocean View Travel on Delaware Street. “We did whatever we could to help.” 

Ocean View and other Berkeley agencies were inundated by the flood of travelers’ problems and invested the majority of their manpower in refunding and rescheduling. 

“People could not get through to the airlines last week; they were stranded all over the world,” said Stagg. “We were here every day to see if we could get them out.” 

One morning last week, David Shepherd, manager at Northside Travel on Euclid Avenue, was busy at his desk canceling a Eurail Pass, one of many recent cancellations handled by his office.  

“Last week was primarily a scramble to assist distressed passengers,” Shepherd said, referring to customers caught in the middle of trips or about the take one. 

Most cancellations have been made by travelers unable to make it to planned meetings or conferences because their flight had been canceled or postponed.  

Some, however, were due to fear.  

“There’s a lot of shock and confusion right now,” said Shepherd.  

For customers who needed to postpone their trips, Shepherd and his agents created alternative travel plans. A when these fell through, they created more alternatives, a situation Shepherd described as “a lot of churn.”  

Northside, like most of the other travel agencies, has not been charging for these travel changes. 

“This rescheduling has made us very busy with work that had already been completed,” said Cheryl Bickley, agent and part-owner of Great Escapes travel agency on The Alameda. “Here we’ve had a few cancellations but most people going on their trips are still going to go.”  

In addition to being buried with unbillable work, business at these travel agencies has taken a hit as a result of the number of canceled travel plans.  

“We refunded more tickets last week than we sold,” said Shepherd. “That’s a first in this office.”  

Shepherd, however, was confident that the volume of air travel will return to normal within a few months, and added that sales have already increased in the current week. “We are doing new bookings, people are gong forth with their travel plans,” he said. 

“Rather than selling we have been giving back money,” said Stagg. “Business has been significantly slower, but this week we have seen the business travelers come back. … We’re hoping for the best.”  

She expressed concern about how the downturn in the airline industry will affect small travel agencies like Ocean View, which have already been hit hard by the airlines’ recent commission cuts.  

Travelers who bought their tickets on the Internet are finding themselves caught in a bind, said Shepherd.  

“Every day we’ve had numerous people call and come by who bought their tickets on the Internet,” he said. 

Agents can only offer advice to these people, as they have no capability to change tickets booked on the Internet.  

Most travelers who purchase tickets on the Web do so for reasons of convenience or to avoid commission fees. In addition to the commission, Northside charges an extra $20 for every ticket booked, but Shepherd believes that that is a small price to pay for the security offered by a travel agency.  

“Our customers really got something for their money,” he said. 

Stagg said that while travelers may feel like they are saving money by purchasing tickets on the Internet, many are beginning to realize that it is not worth the potential problems.  

“People are coming back to travel agents,” she said. 

Travel agencies expressed hope that airlines will reconsider their attempts to eliminate the need for travel agents in light of recent events. Bickley believes transferring all ticket sale transactions to the Internet would be a mistake.  

“This past week’s crisis has shown that you cannot have an information system that does not include a human being to give information,” she said.

A public workshop for input on the masterplan for development of the new Eastshore State Park is scheduled for today. The park stretches along the shoreline from the Bay Bridge to Marina Bay in Richmond.  

The ESP will become an 8.5-mile ribbon of park land, seamlessly connecting recreational and habitat areas of Oakland, Emeryville, Berkeley, Albany and Richmond.  

The workshop is to assist in the creation and preparation of the park plan.  

The workshop is 7 p.m. at H’s Lordship’s Restaurant, 2nd Floor, Georgian Ballroom, 199 Seawall Drive. For more information visit www.eastshorestatepark.org.  

– Guy Poole 

SAN JOSE – When insurance agent Yolanda Barba went shopping for a new home computer, she sought a faster system that could run more programs than her old PC. 

A salesman told her the speed of the processor – measured in megahertz or gigahertz – is the best measure of performance. She bought the pitch and an 800 megahertz PC. 

Now, Barba isn’t so sure she made the right decision. 

“It’s slower than the ones I use at work. I should have researched it a little bit more,” the Patterson, Calif., resident said. “In the end, you get what you pay for.” 

For years, clock speed has been a reliable yardstick to compare the performance of processors, the “brains” of a computer. Now, analysts say, faster chips do not necessarily perform better. 

“It has become an increasingly poor predictor of performance over the years because there are so many things that affect system performance,” said Nathan Brookwood, with the research firm Insight 64. 

Clock speed defines time within the microprocessor, in cycles per second. It’s the rate – in millions or billions of ticks per second – at which the processor performs its most basic functions. 

But like the revolutions per minute of a car engine, the raw power can be harnessed in different ways. That’s the role of the chip’s architecture. 

Starkly different designs have never been directly comparable. Apple Computer Inc., which uses PowerPC chips in its Macintosh computers, has long claimed its processors perform better than those designed with the dominant Intel architecture, even though PowerPC chips run at a lower speed. 

For years, however, competing chips from Advanced Micro Devices Inc. and Intel Corp. shared similar architectures. A megahertz war erupted, with each company trying to top the other’s highest frequency. 

“Because the AMD chip and the Intel chip had similar designs, it still was reasonable to compare the two processors based on megahertz ratings,” Brookwood said. “Even though it was not an ideal metric, it didn’t give you the wrong answer.” 

All that changed late last year when Intel introduced a new architecture along with its Pentium 4. 

Early versions of the Pentium 4 carried a faster clock speed yet underperformed AMD’s lower-megahertz Athlon processors in tests involving some common business applications. 

At the same time, the Pentium 4 outperformed the AMD in tasks involving multimedia, such as video editing. Intel also points out that overall performance will improve as more software is optimized for the new design. 

“In the beginning of any architectural shift, you create the hardware and put it into the marketplace, and you work with software community to take full advantage of it,” said Louis Burns, vice president and general manager of Intel’s Desktop Platforms Group. 

Though AMD was the first to reach the 1 GHz threshold with its Athlon series last year, it has since fallen behind in sheer numbers. The Athlon now tops out at 1.4 GHz, while Intel recently introduced a 2 GHz Pentium 4. 

Not surprisingly, AMD is now downplaying megahertz, joining Apple in the dismissal of what has become known as the “megahertz myth.” 

Executives say what matters is the number of instructions performed per cycle, as set by the chip’s architecture. And, AMD claims, the Athlon executes more instructions per cycle than the Pentium 4. 

“Performance used to equal frequency. Now, it’s a combination of instructions per clock cycle times frequency,” said Pat Moorhead, AMD’s vice president of desktop and mobile marketing. “It’s really a new paradigm.” 

Both Intel and AMD plan to keep pushing the megahertz envelope, and Intel maintains that the frequency remains a valid guide for consumers in addition to reviews and benchmark tests.  

But analysts say it’s now more important than ever to look at other factors – including a PC’s total memory, hard drive, graphics card and software – that play critical roles in determining overall performance.

As American war planes and ground troops speed toward the Middle East and President Bush intensifies war rhetoric directed at the Taliban, 40 Afghan Americans held a press conference at UC Berkeley Friday to remind their neighbors that they are not the enemy. 

Citing a backlash of hate crimes against Afghan Americans, including name calling, hate mail and isolated incidents of violence, organizers said the press conference was called to reach out to the Bay Area communities in which an estimated 40,000 Afghan Americans live, work and study. 

“We must distinguish between the terrorists and innocent people,” said Rona Popal, the executive director of the Afghan Coalition. “If we cannot, we become like the terrorists.” 

Louna Amin, 24, a member of the Society of Afghan Professionals, said the tires of her father’s car were slashed Saturday night outside of the family’s home in Tracy. Assuming the incident was a random act of vandalism, Amin said her father did not report the incident to police. But the following night, the tires of her car were slashed.  

“It was very shocking for us to realize that it could have been any of our neighbors,” said Amin, whose family has lived in the United States for 17 years. “It was also shocking to learn that no matter how much I believe in the constitution, no matter how much I believe in this country, my neighbors did not see me that way.” 

Popal said her organization has been advising Afghan Americans not to get into verbal arguments over the terrorist attacks and to stay home as much as possible. 

The Afghan Coalition joined 10 other organizations, including the Associated Students of the University of California, the UC Berkeley Afghan Student Association and the Society of Afghan Professionals to denounce the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington D.C. and to call for Bay Area communities to embrace innocent Afghan-Americans.  

“History will judge us by how we treat each other during this crisis,” said ASUC President Wally Adeyemo. “I hope we can treat our Afghan brothers and sisters with dignity.” 

UC Professor Wali Ahmadi said Afghanis have been through two decades of war and that most of them do not support the Taliban. He said 1.5 million Afghans lost their lives during the war with Russia which lasted from 1979 to 1989, then after a Russian-installed Communist government failed in 1992 , four years of factional fighting followed. 

“Then in 1996 the Taliban emerged and misery became more misery for the average Afghani,” Ahmadi said.  

Each of the speakers expressed sadness and empathy for the victims of the terrorist attacks.  

Hadi Azimi, a member of the Society of Afghan Professionals, said Afghan Americans regard the United States as their second home and are very distressed about the terrorist attacks and also full of dread about the impact of American retaliation on innocent Afghan citizens. 

“Regular Afghanis have suffered tremendously over the last two decades,” Azimi said. “We know very well the pain victims of the attacks are going through and we share their pain as Americans now.” 

Saturday, Sept. 22

1st Annual Guinness & Oyster Festival 

11 a.m. - 6 p.m.  

MLK Jr. Civic Center Park 

Cake, Mingus Amungus, Ponticello, Stolen Bibles, Alamo 66 w/ Destani Wolf, The Culann’s Hounds. Free.  

Free Emergency Preparedness Class 

9 a.m. - noon 

997 Cedar St. 

Disaster mental health class. Free to anyone 18 or older who lives or works in Berkeley. 644-8736 www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/fire.oes.html 

What You Need to Know Before You Build or Remodel 

10 a.m. - noon 

Building Education Center 

812 Page St.  

Preview of the Homeowner’s Essential Course – learn to solder pipe and more. By Glen Kitzenberger. Free.  

525-7610 

Choosing to Add On: The Pros and Cons of Building an  

Addition 

noon - 2 p.m. 

Building Education Center 

812 Page St.  

By author and instructor Skip Wenz. Free. 525-7610 

Julia Morgan Center for the Arts Open House 

1 -4 p.m. 

Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 

2640 College Ave. 

Free family friendly Open House and community celebration. Entertainment by Shotgun Players, Berkeley Ballet and Berkeley Opera. Newcomers are encouraged to drop by and get to know the JMCA. 845-8542 www.juliamorgan.org 

Life from a Spiritual Perspective  

5 p.m. 

St. John’s Presbyterian Church 

2727 College Avenue 

Free talk by Dr. Richard Seader, vegetarian reception to follow, childcare, free parking under church. (707) 226-7703 sfsos@aol.com. 

Disaster Mental Health 

9 a.m. - noon 

Office of Emergency Services 

997 Cedar St. 

Free classes in Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). 981-5605 

Sunday, Sept. 23

West Berkeley Market 

11 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

University Avenue, between Third and Fourth streets  

Family-oriented weekly market. Crafts, music, produce and specialty foods.  

654-6346 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute Open House 

3 - 5 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Free introduction to Tibetan Buddhist Culture.  

843-6812 

Tibetan Buddhism 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Sylvia Gretchen on “Bringing the Tibetan Wisdom Tradition into our Lives Today.” Free.  

843-6812 

Hands-On Bicycle Repair Clinics  

11 a.m. - noon  

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Learn how to adjust your brakes from one of REI’s bike technicians. All you need to bring is your bike, tools are provided. Free. 527-4140 

Monday, Sept. 24 

Free Legal Workshop 

6 - 8 p.m. 

Women’s Cancer Resource Center 

3023 Shattuck Ave. 

Find out about the Family Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. Laws protect you from termination during an experience with cancer or other serious medical condition. 601-4040 Ext. 302 

Eastshore State Park Regional Workshop #2 

7 p.m. 

Hs Lordship’s Restaurant 

Second Floor Georgian Ballroom 

199 Seawall Drive, Berkeley Marina 

The public is being asked for their input and suggestions on the long-term master plan for the development of the new Eastshore State Park (ESP), stretching along the shoreline from the touchdown of the Bay Bridge to Marina Bay in Richmond.  

www.eastshorestatepark.org 

NOW Meeting 

6:30 - 8 p.m.  

Mama Bears Bookstore & Coffee House  

6536 Telegraph Ave. 

Monthly meeting of the Oakland East Bay Chapter of the National Organization for Women. Nonmembers welcome.  

Free. 549-2970 

Psychology Discussion 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Psychologist Betty Goren will lead a discussion titled “Does Talking Help Get Rid of the Blues.”  

644-6107 

Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults Inquiry Program 

7:30 p.m. 

St. Mary Magdalen Parish 

2005 Berryman St. 

A program to learn everything you wanted to know about the Catholic Church but never had the chance to ask.  

526-4811 

Affordable Housing Advocacy Project Open Forum 

5:30 - 7 p.m. 

South Branch Public Library 

1901 Russell St. 

Maintain and increase landlords and property management firms participation in the section 8 program, while building a better rapport with all those concerned.  

548-8776 

Daily Prayer and Meditation 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

First Congregational Church 

Dana at Durant 

Chapel open for prayer and  

meditation. 

Tuesday, Sept. 25

Berkeley Housing Authority Monthly Meeting 

6:30 p.m. 

City Council Chambers, 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way  

549-2970.  

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 525-3565 

Redistricting of Berkeley City Council Districts 

7 p.m. 

2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way 

Public hearing to consider proposals to amend Council District boundaries based on the 2000 census figures. Members of the public are invited to comment on all proposals. 981-7000 www.ci.berkeley.ca.us 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market 

2-7 p.m. 

Derby Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Milvia Street. 548-3333 

Free Early Music Group 

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Small group sings madrigals and other voice harmony every Tuesday.  

655-8863 

Annual PTA Reception 

6 - 8 p.m. 

Rosa Parks Environmental  

Science Magnet School 

920 Allston Way 

Multi-Purpose Room 

Reception for the 2001 - 2002 PTA Officers. 644-8764  

The Campanile is Berkeley's most prominent landmark and is the most important visual symbol of UC Berkeley. It can be seen from the hills of San Francisco, most parts of Berkeley, North Oakland, Albany, El Cerrito, and on a clear day, from as far away as the Golden Gate Bridge. 

The Campanile was constructed in 1914 and designed by campus architect John Galen Howard. It is a version of its namesake in the Piazza San Marco in Venice. The square granite shaft has an inset central section with seven small narrow windows. The clock at the top can be seen from any place on the campus.  

Above the shaft is an observation loggia with a classically detailed balustrade and three open arches. A Classic entablature supports another balustrade with four corner posts that have pyramidal obelisks capped with bronze urns. Above is a small tower element which terminates in a spiked bronze lantern. The chimes, cast in England, were first played on Nov. 2, 1917. 

The Campanile is set on a raised podium that contains an esplanade extending north from the entrance to the tower. In the center of the esplanade is a drinking fountain and four benches. At the entrance to the tower is a granite square inscribed in honor of the architect John Galen Howard. The Campanile/Sather Tower and its bells were a gift from Mrs. Jane K. Sather as a memorial to herself.  

The University of California was founded in 1868, but its origins date back to 1860 when the College of California, a small, private institution then located in Oakland, purchased thirty acres of land for the “benefits of a country location.” In 1866 the California legislature, established the College of Agriculture, Mining, and Mechanical Arts. Two years later, with the passage of the Charter Act by the legislature the new state college joined with the College of California, and the University of California was formed. The Berkeley campus opened in 1873.  

Susan Cerny writes “Berkeley Observed” in conjunction with the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association. 

Editor: 

I'm scared. Each day as I read the paper I read more and more letters from people who have no ability to conceive of a solution to problems without resorting to violence. In Thursday’s march on the U.C. campus, out of the 2,500 people of diverse races, classes, women, men, children and elderly, there were a small number of people enthusiastically supporting the use of violence towards the Middle Eastern nations (they seemed to not care which one. To be Arabic was enough for them). They were almost exclusively white men. As they chanted “U.S.A” they may as well have been chanting “White Male Privilege!” It would have been more accurate. 

The domestic and foreign policy of this nation has never been for the benefit of women and people of color. It worries me as I watch the violence in people calling for war. I can't help thinking of their families. As a society in which the politicians and mass media glorify might and think compassion a sign of weakness, I see why there is such a need for domestic abuse shelters and self defense classes for women. I see why we imprison so many of our citizens for nonviolent crimes. I see why our children are at risk of never learning to resolve problems without resorting to violence themselves. 

There is another way. 

Thomas Wandall 

Oakland

A sumo wrestler, a ground splitting earthquake, the Beatles, and the funeral of an emperor share the halls of history at the UC Berkeley Center for Photography’s current exhibit, “50 Years of Photography in Japan 1951-2001.” 

Japan’s The Yomiuri Shimbun is the world’s largest daily morning newspaper with a circulation of nearly 10,300,000 and the source of the five decades of photojournalism on display. 

The idea for the exhibit came from Masahiko Sasajima, reporter for The Yomiuri Shimbun, while he was a visiting fellow at U. C. Berkeley last spring. Sasajima said his paper would love to do a news photo exhibit at the School of Journalism. 

“We thought it was a fab idea,” said Ken Light, curator of the Photojournalism Center at the school. “It was a challenge for them and us.” 

Culling through 50 years of newspaper photos sent from The Yomiuri Shimbun took Light and Carolyn Wakeman, head of the Asian reporting center, several days to make their selection. 

With the history of a country in photographs that reflect a half-century of daily life, culture, politics, and natural disasters, the predominant number of photos was sports and local events. This helped narrow the selection to those few that were major historical events or kitsch culture, according to Light. 

After choosing the images, some of which date back to the 1940’s, Light requested the negatives from The Yomiuri Shimbun. They found all of the negatives in their archives, made the prints and shipped them to the Center for Photography. 

The variety of subject matter includes events that dramatically mark each decade they represent. The photos are strikingly mounted along the wood paneled halls of the journalism department overlooking a quiet courtyard. 

The 50 black and white, 16-by-20 inch photos are on display through Nov. 5. 

The exhibit was co-sponsored by the Graduate School of Journalism, The Japan Society and The Yomiuri Simbun in co-operation with the U.S.-Japan Twenty-first Century Project to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the San Francisco Peace Treaty. 

Growing team still looking for first win 

The Berkeley High girls’ field hockey team was unable to find the goal against University High (San Francisco) on Friday, losing 1-0. The loss dropped the ’Jackets to 0-1-1 on the season. 

University put their lone point on the board late in the first half. Berkeley didn’t display much offense until the final minutes of the game, but put a lot of pressure on the Red Devils until the final whistle. 

Field hockey is an emerging sport at Berkeley High, with 38 girls on the varsity and junior varsity levels, a new high for the team. Berkeley Athletic Director Robert Traum said he has tried to help the sport come to an even level with football as a fall sport. 

“In the past, football has dominated the fall,” Traum said. “We want to encourage the other sports to step up.” 

In the past, field hockey has had second-class citizenship when it came to getting practice time on the Berkeley High field. But that changed this season, according to head coach Amy Meehan. 

“We sat down with the football coaches in the spring to work out the schedule, and it’s been perfect so far,” Meehan said. 

With very few schools in Northern California fielding teams, it has been hard in the past for Berkeley to find enough games to fill the schedule. The ’Jackets will face just four different teams this season, but next season will be a different story as they join the Blossom Valley Athletic League, based in San Jose. 

Another obstacle for Meehan, who played at University of Pennsylvania, and her assistants is the fact that no Bay Area middle schools have field hockey teams. That means every player Meehan gets is a novice at the sport and must be taught the rules as well as learning to play the game. 

This is Meehan’s second season coaching at Berkeley, so she does have a few players back with whom she is familiar. Last year, she didn’t start coaching until mid-season, which presented some problems with scheduling and practices, as Meehan was playing catch-up in addition to teaching the game to new players. 

“It’s much more organized this year, so that offsets having more girls to coach,” she said. 

The ’Jackets next face Los Altos on Tuesday. The varsity game will be at 5:30 p.m. on the Berkeley High field.

OAKLAND – Advocates of better access to health care for people with disabilities gathered Friday to share ideas for reform amidst grim stories of illness aggravated by bureaucracy. 

State Assemblymember Dion Aroner, D-Berkeley, who presided over the forum at the Elihu Harris State Building, said in opening comments that the events of Sept. 11 “make us all sit back and think a bit about what kind of services we provide for people who are vulnerable.” 

Several participants presented case studies on people with disabilities who have endured needless and health-threatening delays and denials of service far worse than non-disabled patients confront. As reasons for this disparity, they cited poor understanding of disability issues by health-care providers and a lack of communication among multiple layers of government and health-care agencies. 

Participant Rosalee Schubert told of a financially well-off female wheelchair user who did not have a pap smear until she was 48 years old because doctors disregarded her body below her waistline. She died, Schubert said, of uterine cancer. 

“The attitude of health-care providers – not seeing them in their wholeness rather than as just a disability – is a critical problem,” said Rocio Smith, executive director of the Area 5 (Alameda County) Developmental Disabilities Council. 

In another example of disabled people falling between the cracks, Schubert offered a case study of a young man with a terrifying case of schizophrenia who was released to his solitary apartment on Tuesday, Sept. 11 – right after his second suicide attempt, with footage from the east coast attacks spilling from the television. Those with mental health disabilities, she said, sometimes suffer because mental health professionals “view developmentally disabled people as having a rich service system and not being truly needy.”  

Steve Zolno, who said he ran nine facilities housing people with developmental disabilities – chronic conditions that arise early in life and severely inhibit independence – told of a patient who needed anesthesia to undergo even minor dental work. The dental insurer refused coverage for anesthesia, Medi-Cal refused to fund the dental work, and painful months elapsed before the work took place. 

Snafus like these over dental work, Zolno and others said, were so common that care facilities had huge incentives to simply pull all their patients’ teeth, and regularly did so. 

“The stories are all the same,” said Aroner. “You don’t even have to be on Medi-Cal; you can be in an HMO and they say, ‘You have a bad tooth, let’s just pull it.’” It needs to be highlighted, and we need to deal with it.” 

Stories of bureaucratic snafus abounded. Roswitha Robinson, a parent and head of the Health Care Task Force of the Alameda County Developmental Disabilities Council, which convened the forum, said months of out-of-pocket expenses resulted from the loss of her developmentally disabled daughter’s membership card in a health maintenance organization contracting to Medicare. Robinson said she found herself bounced among the Social Security Administration, the HMO, and the county social service department for months. 

“When you call these offices,” she said, “people are very accommodating, but you get the answers with such finality: ‘Sorry, you’re not eligible.’” 

Melissa Rodgers, a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County, offered advice on how and why to start a community watchdog agency for health care. She said she had dealt with disabled patients’ lack of access to prostheses and to specialists, unfair denials of service, improper billing by providers and pharmacies, and other problems. 

“Our priority is to resolve the issues at the lowest level of conflict and adversarialness possible,” she said. Independent advocates were more likely to be effective than ones based in the health plans, governments, or public health agencies themselves, she said. 

Sherri Novick, chief of staff to Aroner, noted that the federal government had set up a pilot program of county-based health consumer advocacy organizations several years ago, but some had voiced concerns about confining that function to government. 

In an overview of the crisis, Barbara Garcia, a disabled patients’ advocate, reported that people with disabilities logged twice as many customer service complaints as people without, and three times as many service denials. 

The forum’s suggestions to improve the situation ranged from the creation of advocacy offices and changes in existing agency procedures to wholesale reform of the health-care system on civil-rights grounds. 

“For me,” said Vanessa White, who spoke from the audience, “the issue of access is a civil rights issue and it affects everyone.” 

On the bureaucracy front, participants recommended creating an early-payment system for people with disabilities to smooth out potentially devastating delays and using the Internet for patient information among the various agencies. Aroner welcomed a suggestion that case managers be appointed to supervise individuals’ care across disconnected agencies. 

“We have state agencies that haven’t talked to each other for 25 years and have no intention of doing so,” she said, “so how can they provide leadership on the local level?” 

To increase understanding of the special needs of those with disabilities, speakers advocated outreach to nurses and doctors in their workplaces and education for caseworkers on conservators’ rights in order to keep important decisions in the hands of developmentally disabled people’s loved ones. Rodgers drew applause with the recommendation that the state legislate “to give people enforceable rights and the means to enforce them.” 

The forum organizers will compile their results and present them at another gathering scheduled for Feb. 6 at the same place. Aroner said she would draw from the results of both to recommend legislation in Sacramento.

The Daily Planet received this letter addressed to Rep. Barbara Lee: 

Thank you for your vote against our ongoing war against terrorists. There are other ways to combat these attacks on our people, (boycotts, embargoes, etc.) but I fear we are going to bomb Afghanistan “for Jesus,” just like we did in Vietnam. 

To those of you who forget (or were not around) at the time, please remember that as bombs were being rolled out and hoisted into our planes, Roman Catholic priests sprinkled holy water on the bombs and “blessed” them. 

That is why we in Berkeley raised the slogan “We are bombing for Jesus.” 

Expect more of the same. 

George and Aileen Kauffman 

Berkeley

924 Gilman Street Sept. 23: 5 p.m. Subtonix, Running Ragged, (+t.b.a.); Sept. 28: Erase Errata, The Intima, Ibobuki, (+t.b.a.); Sept. 29: DS-13, Beware, Blown To Bits, (+t.b.a.); Most shows are $5 and start at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 

Albatross Pub Sept. 22: Larry Stefl Jazz Quartet; Sept. 25: Mad and Eddie Duran; Sept. 27: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Free. All shows begin at 9 p.m. 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473  

albatrosspub@mindspring.com  

Anna’s Sept. 22: Vicki Burns and Felice York, Ellen Hoffman Trio, 10 p.m. The Distones Jazz Sextet, Donald Duck Bailey on piano; Sept. 23: Ed Reed, Alex Markel’ Group; Sept. 24: The Renegade Sidemen, Calvin Keyes, Dave Rokeach and Pals; Sept. 25: Tangria; Sept. 26: Bob Schoen Jazz Quintet, Cheryl McBride; Sept. 27: David Jeffrey Fourtet, Brendan Milstein; Sept. 28: Anna sings jazz standards, 10 p.m. Bluesman Hideo Date; Sept. 29: Robin Gregory, Bliss Rodriguez, 10 p.m. The Distones Jazz Sextet, Donald Duck Bailey; Sept. 30: Acoustic Soul; All shows begin at 8 p.m. 1801 University Ave.  

849-ANNA www.annasbistro.com 

Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community Center Sept. 22: 9:30 p.m. Don Carlos and Reggae Angels, $15; Sept. 23: 8 p.m. Funky Nixons, Mokai, Green & Root’s Womyn’s Music and more, $8 - $15.  

1317 San Pablo Ave. 525-5054  

www.ashkenaz.com  

Café de la Paz Poetry Nitro, performance showcase with open mike. Sept. 24: Jim Watson-Gove; All shows free, 7 - 10 p.m. 

Cal Performances Sept. 30: 7 p.m. Kronos Quartet, David Barron, $30; Oct. 12 - 14: Fri. and Sat., 8 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m. Ballet Nacional De Cuba, $24 - $46; Oct. 17 and 18: 8 p.m. Cesaria Evora, $24 - $36; Oct. 19: 8 p.m. Karnak, $18 - $30. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley Campus, Bancroft Way at Telegraph, 642-0212, tickets@calperfs.berkeley.edu 

Crowden School Sept. 23: 4 p.m. “Sundays at Four Concert” Jeremy Cohen’s jazz violin. Admission $10 (free if under 18) 1475 Rose 559-6910 

Eli’s Mile High Club Every Friday, 10 p.m. Funky Fridays Conscious Dance Party with KPFA DJs Splif Skankin and Funky Man. $10. Doors open at 8 p.m. unless noted. 3629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland. 655-6661 

Freight & Salvage Sept. 22: The Bluerass Intentions, $17.50; Sept. 23 Tony Marcus & Patrice Haan, $16.50; Sept. 24: April Verch, $16.50; Sept. 26: Clive Gregson, $16.50; Sept. 27: Dick Gaughan, $18.50; Sept 28: Jenna Mammina, $16.50; Sept. 29: The Nigerian Brothers, $16.50; Sept. 30: Vasen, $17.50; All shows start at 8 p.m. 1111 Addison St. 548-1761 www.freightandsalvage.com 

Jack’s Bistro Sept. 22 and 28: 9 p.m. Tomas Michaud’s New World Flamenco Quartet, Jack London Square. 444-7171 www.starland-music.com 

Jazzschool/La Note Sept. 23: 4:30 p.m. Dick Hindman Trio, $6 - $12; Sept. 30: 4 p.m., John Santos and the Machete Ensemble. $15. 2377 Shattuck Ave. 845-5376 

Jupiter Sept. 22: New Garde Philosophers; Sept. 25: Craig Graham Trio; Sept. 26: Starvin Like Marvin; Sept. 28 Anton Schwartz Quartet; Sept 29: moderngypsies.net; All music starts at 8:00 p.m. 2181 Shattuck Ave. 843-7625 www.jupiterbeer.com  

La Peña Cultural Center Sept. 27: 7:30 p.m. The local Friends of the MST will host a screening of the new documentary "Raiz Forte" or "Strong Roots" to present our community with a vision of their work and struggle. A discussion will follow. $5-$10; In the Cafe, 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 www.lapena.org 

Music Sources Sept. 30: 5 p.m. Ole Scarlatta! Portuguese and French keyboards and fortepiano joined by Jason McGuire on flamenco guitar, $18 General, $15 members, seniors, students. 1000 The Alameda 528-1685 

Sedge Thomson’s West Coast Live Radio Show Sept. 22: Garrison Keillor, Paula West, Douglas Coupland. Julia Morgan Theatre, 2640 College Ave.; Sept. 29: Nancy Miford, The Nigerian Brothers, Caroline Dahl. The Freight and Salvage, 1111 Addison St. All shows 10 a.m. - noon.  

252-9214 www.wcl.org 

The 1st Annual Guinness & Oyster Festival 2001 Sept. 22: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Free. Cake, Mingus Amungus, Ponticello, Stolen Bibles, Alamo 66 w/ Destani Wolf, The Culann’s Hounds. MLK Jr. Civic Center Park 

13th Annual Blues ‘n Jazz Festival Sept. 23: noon - 6 p.m. Jeffrey Osborne Jazz Crusaders with Ronnie Laws, Ricardo Scales, Sonata Pi (and more). $35, Lawn $25, Child $6 (6-12 years, lawn only). Dunsmuir House & Gardens Historic Estate, 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland. 583-1160 

Benifit Concert for the Native  

American Health Center Sept. 28: 8 p.m. Buffy Sainte-Marie, Ulali, Lorrie Church, The Mankillers. Paramount Theater, 2025 Broadway, Oakland.  

625-8497

Ball’s diatribe offends coaches as Cal tries for first Washington win since 1979 

When the Cal football team takes the field in Pullman, Wash., today to face the Washington State Cougars, the Bears will have two big factors going against them: momentum and history. 

Cal is coming off of two crushing defeats, having been outscored 88-33 so far this season, while the Cougars are 2-0 and have scored 77 points in their victories. For the two worst Pac-10 teams of the past decade, the conference opener could set the tone for the rest of the season. 

Add in the fact that the Bears haven’t won a game in Washington since 1979, and the Cougars have to be feeling confident. 

“We’re running on all eight cylinders right now,” Washington State head coach Mike Price said this week. “We feel good about ourselves right now, we’re very confident. I can see us getting better.” 

Price’s usual air-it-out attack is working well so far this season, as starting quarterback Jason Gesser is the eighth-ranked passer in the country, while wideout Nakoa McElrath was leading the nation in receiving yards heading into this week’s games. Throw in running back Dave Minnich averaging 102 yards per game on the ground, and it could be another long day for the Cal defense. 

While the Cougars try to keep their hot start going, Cal will be trying for a new start. Head coach Tom Holmoe said his players have to put their mistakes behind them. 

“It’s a new start, even though it’s slightly artificial,” Holmoe said of the Pac-10 opener. “We can’t run away from the issues we have, but we do have a clean slate.” 

Considering Holmoe probably needs to reach a bowl game to save his job, his team had better use that clean slate to their advantage. Turnovers have killed several promising drives for the offense, which has averaged 396 yards per game but scored just 33 points. Holmoe said offensive coordinator Al Borges expects quarterback Kyle Boller to continue his improvement all year. 

“Al sees the mistakes (Boller) is making, and they’re mostly bad reads,” Holmoe said. “Al sees that and tells me, ‘he won’t do that again.’” 

Some fans have called for Boller to be benched in favor of backup Eric Holtfreter, who has played in relief in both games and looked solid. But Holmoe said while Borges has confidence in Holtfreter, the move isn’t called for just yet. 

“We have no problem switching if it’s needed, but we don’t need a quarterback controversy right now,” he said. 

The Bears are enmeshed in a different kind of controversy right now. Linebacker Chris Ball upset the coaches with his comments earlier this week, saying some of his teammates are “soft,” and that the coaches had “silenced” some players from trash-talking. 

“I think there are guys here who are playing football because it’s fun and they can,” Ball said. “‘Hey, I’ve got a degree in engineering, I don’t need football.’ I question the heart of this entire team.” 

Holmoe later questioned Ball’s reasoning, and said some players were also upset by the quotes. 

“Some guys came to me and said (Ball’s comments) were ridiculous and some guys were really mad,” said Holmoe. 

Ball may have just been trying to fire up his defensive mates with his comments, and it’s hard to blame him. The Bears haven’t forced a turnover or recorded a sack yet this season, and the secondary has been a vast disappointment, allowing five touchdown passes and nearly 300 yards per game.

Residents living near Delaware Street and San Pablo Avenue woke up Wednesday morning to find fresh fliers on their windshields warning, “Neighborhood Alert!!” Popeyes, a chicken and biscuits fast-food chain restaurant would be coming to their neighborhood, moving into the unoccupied space where Rich’s Bulky Burger once operated. 

“San Pablo becomes the dumping ground for undesired businesses in Berkeley,” said Mark Woo, analyst for the California Budget Project who lives nearby. 

This new business would not be subject to a ban against so-called quick-service restaurants on San Pablo that the Planning Commission is proposing to the City Council. It is exempt because Popeyes purchased Rich’s use permit, but whether the business will open in the end is unclear. 

The project went before the Design Review Committee last week. Committee members asked the restaurant to make changes in its proposed plan, so that it would fit better into the neighborhood. At least 10 neighbors spoke against the project. Project manager Allen Hui postponed the Zoning Adjustments Board’s hearing and will propose a new design in another Design Review meeting in two weeks. Ultimately, the Zoning Adjustments Board will have to approve the plan for it to be able to operate.  

Until the city’s final determination, the locals have vowed to fight. At its annual neighborhood barbecue last week, 50 people signed up to join the battle. 

“We are trying to have a residential identity, and a national franchise restaurant doesn’t fit this plan,” said Cynthia Wooten-Cohen who held the barbecue. “We need a cafe in the neighborhood or a more pedestrian-oriented restaurant for families to come over to eat, rather than trash food.” 

“Popeyes will bring more traffic on Delaware street and less parking for the residents,” said Deborah Brown, who lives next to the site. The residents are also concerned about litter and noise.  

“We are fearful about the odors of the deep fryers coming into our houses and yards,” said Mark Woo. 

Not so, said Kevin Stong, Popeyes’ architect. “There won’t be any smells or noises coming from that establishment. It’s the city conditions for getting the use permit, but we already designed the place with a good filtering system.” 

Project manager Hui said the neighborhood can be convinced. “I hope they can understand that we are a business, but we are also over there for them as much as they are for us.” 

Hui said a Popeyes would mean jobs. “We will be hiring workers from the neighborhood,” she said adding that they would target teen-agers involved in work study programs and mothers who want part-time work. She said the chain would also mount charity drives at Christmas for the community.  

Residents aren’t impressed. The new business will have only four employees, they said. 

It’s not that the neighborhood is completely opposed to restaurants or insistent on one that serves good food. The main objection seems to be to be the genre known as fast-food. 

Rich’s Bulky Burger closed last year and John McBride, an art books salesman and resident of the area described it as a quiet place. “They served breakfast and lunch; mediocre food for a small clientele of workers and seniors.” 

McBride was unclear why it closed, but he doesn’t want Popeye’s to replace it.  

“I don’t want to smell fried chicken for the rest of my life,” he said. “One of my pleasures is to read a book with open windows to get the breeze. I don’t want this to be changed.” 

But Hui argued that the restaurant might be the best they could get. “If it isn’t Popeyes, it will be a different restaurant. Because we are a chain we have higher standards than others.”  

Editor: 

I have just suffered a two-pronged attack of common sense:  

Prevention is at least as important as retribution. Kudos to Rep. Barbara Lee for that, and; 

They can’t do it if they’re not here. 

Now what? 

Peter B. Jansen 

Berkeley

As East Bay residents turn to their faith for support, leaders of different religious congregations are dealing with questions of how a just God could permit last week’s terrorist acts in New York and Washington, D.C. and whether war is the correct response.  

Father Gary Kyraicou, of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension in Oakland, said he tries to communicate the notion of free will to his parishioners. God, he said, is not to blame because God has granted each human the ability to choose right from wrong.  

“Unfortunately, some have chosen to do evil,” Kyraicou said.  

Kyraicou also said free will motivates him to argue against war. He tells his congregation of 1,700 families that Americans must understand why people are angry with the United States. “In reflecting on it,” he asks, “how much good could we do if we poured billions of dollars into a peace plan? Let’s return a good for an evil.” 

To answer what to do next, Debbie Whaley, Associate Pastor for Congressional Care of the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, said her essential message is to use caution and restraint. When considering whether to engage in war, she tells members of her 2,000-person congregation to think hard.  

“We believe that life is sacred and that there are no throw-away people,” she said. “Let’s be cautious. We don’t always see things clearly.”  

Though justice is important, she said, our leaders must act with caution. U.S. citizens and leaders must consider the country’s role in engendering hate, and use “sober reflection to see these events from a global perspective.”  

She said she also asks the church members for a “call to prayer for leaders to exert wisdom and restraint.” 

On the other hand, Rabbi Yehuda Ferris of Chabad House in Berkeley, said that war is justified now. “There is a concept of war in the bible,” Ferris said. “This would be a war of defense.” 

Rabbi Stuart Kelman of Netivot Shalom, a 350-family synagogue in Berkeley, said he was not yet thinking about the larger question because he was still recovering from the trauma of ensuring that his own family was safe. One member escaped from the World Trade Center.  

Although some wars have been justified, he said, right now his focus is trying to support his congregation. 

“My task is to provide comfort to people who are deeply hurting,” Kelman said. 

To those people, he offers a similar message as Kyraicou’s: God did not let the bombings happen; people did. “God gave us a phenomenal gift,” Kelman said, “the gift of choice.”  

The question of how a benevolent God could allow for absurd, evil things, he said, “it’s a question asked for thousands of years.” 

Editor: 

The controversial dismissal of Karen Craig from the city’s Commission on Disability has diverted a great deal of attention from significant issues of disabled access and rights. Ms. Craig is to be commended for her service on the Commission on Disability, but under the present Berkeley City leadership, she can do more good away from the Commission. 

Having read through a City of Berkeley Commissioner’s Manual I learned that the role of a Commissioner is primarily as an advisor to the City Council and City Manager. The Manual states that Commission Reports presented to the Council “should reflect all opposing viewpoints.” This leads one to wonder why Ms. Craig’s “fundamental differences” with Council member Maio’s viewpoint should lead to her dismissal. Nevertheless, all Berkeley City Commissioner’s serve at the pleasure of the Council ember who appointed them and Karen Craig has been asked to leave the Commission. I believe that the disability community in Berkeley will benefit from Ms. Craig’s leadership away from the Commission because she will no longer be constrained by political requirements, such as bowing to the opinion of the City Council. 

Any City-operated Commission is political. I would like to see some strong, non-political advocacy for the disabled, the unsheltered and other under-represented minorities throughout Berkeley. Such advocacy should rest with members of the community unconstrained by the Mayor and Council. Karen Craig is one of the few leaders in the disability community with the courage to speak out, even when her voice is being muffled by Berkeley’s political leadership. If the Daily Planet wants to write long articles on Karen Craig’s story, they should follow her to the controversial sites such as lack of physical access at public events, fairs and forums; public transportation venues; sidewalks rendered impassible by sandwich board signs; and the problematic and often failing emergency attendant care by EDI, inc. I for one think it is a waste of time to protest Karen’s dismissal from the Commission. We, the disabled of Berkeley, would benefit more from meeting with Karen and supporting her efforts outside the commission, not just while it is the stuff of headlines, but for the long haul. 

E. Campos 

Berkeley

Mandated chemical dependency treatment vouchers to treat problems caused by powerful opiates and other similar drugs would be more apropos and effective at responding to medical and criminal justice problems than by hiring cops.  

Industry would set up assigned risk pool for funding it.  

The perverse and fragmented forces of marketplace and health consequences are nowhere more apparent than with oxycontin. This powerful opiate has significant physical dependence producing properties. This has been known for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Somehow this basic pharmacological fact has been forgotten by the company as it sought to increase its sales.  

Time to remember.  

But no. Infinitely made more complex by the enforcement corrections involvement from incidents in diversion and illicit trafficking. Worsened by FDA and other health regulatory agency passivity and pharmaceutical industry power, Purdue Pharma continues maneuvering and perigrinations to cope with the situation. A better and more appropriate solution would be treatment vouchers for chemical dependency treatment programs and a fund for compensation for criminal justice agencies involved in problematic uses of Oxycontin. This appropriate and responsible move would motivate development of effective sales and security policies and initiate a connection between adverse effects of the drug and policy.  

Tod Mikuriya, M.D. 

Berkeley

OAKLAND – A week after four commercial flights were hijacked and crashed in terrorist attacks, Oakland International Airport officials said that up to 85 percent of its flights are operating again, but with far fewer passengers. Terminal Two, used by Southwest Airlines, was packed while Terminal One, used by other airlines, was nearly empty Thursday. 

“We are used to having between 200 and 300 customers in the morning peak hours, but today we had only 40,” said Dora Ortega, a cashier at the Hertz car rental counter in Terminal One. 

Sheila Johnson, Ortega’s colleague at Hertz, said business was down 75 percent. 

“Usually there are long lines, the parking lots are full, but not today,” said James More, a shuttle driver. “I think in two weeks everything should be back to normal.” 

But normal will look different. New security measures required by the Federal Aviation Administration have ended curbside check-in, and cars parked curbside are immediately towed away. Drivers are still allowed to drop off and pick up passengers at the curb. 

The new rules are putting skycaps out of work. “It’s horrible,” said one, who said she was not allowed to talk to the press. “We aren’t allowed to do check-in any more so we don’t get any (tips).” 

Nevertheless, she and other skycaps stood outside Thursday to help travelers move their bags inside. “We used to earn between $100 to $200 from tips and now we have nothing,” said another skycap. “We aren’t the terrorists; why don’t they let us do it?” he said. 

The new measures require every passenger to check in at the ticket counter. Although airline employees declined to explain how they make their decisions, some passengers must have their bags checked by hand. All passengers proceed from the ticket counter to another desk where they once again show their tickets and identification. Before going on to the gates, they pass through the metal detector and X-ray machine. Before last Tuesday’s attack, passengers without luggage to check could go straight to the metal detector and on to the gate. 

Blake Suttle, a 26-year-old graduate student from the integrative biology department at UC Berkeley, arrived Thursday at the airport two hours before his flight to Chile. Suttle wasn’t scared. “I’ve been in a plane crash before and survived, so I don’t think it can happen to a person twice,” he said. 

Suttle was lucky again. The lines for his American Airlines flight were short, and after less than 30 minutes he was on his way to the next security point. 

Ben Halay and Tom Medlock from Ohio were not as fortunate. Their luggage was hand checked and the process took more than an hour. “It’s probably because we have tool boxes,” they said. “Everything we had was taken out. They emptied all of it on the table. Don’t take things that you don’t won’t people to see.” 

Arriving passengers spoke about their fears during the flight. “I think I prayed half the way,” said Jennifer Lockney, an 18-year-old student from UC Irvine. “I found myself profiling people. You start noticing things which you didn’t before.” 

She was relieved when the plane landed, but said it was weird to arrive to an empty gate. “You are so used to people waiting for you in the gate and now they can’t get there anymore,” she said. 

At Terminal Two, passengers were lined up outside the terminal, waiting patiently to be checked. It took John Henry from Oakland two-and-a-half hours just to pass the first counter and his bags were not even hand-checked. Waiting to pass through the metal detector, Henry was calm. He had considered canceling his flight, but said he “decided not to be a terror victim.” 

Southwest doesn’t give out boarding cards until passengers reach the gates. This allows passengers without luggage to skip check-in, a must in Terminal One. 

Oakland airport officials suggested that passengers call their airlines in advance to be ready for their different check-in procedures. 

For additional information and updates, call 577-4000.

At 12:17 a.m. Friday morning Vivianne Scott kneeled on the ground and began lighting 70 candles spread out in the shape a of a peace sign. 

“It's what we stand for,” said the UC Berkeley sophomore. 

She’s one of about 35 students and community members from the Stop The War Coalition who spent Thursday night on Lower Sproul Plaza in front of Eshleman Hall on the UC Berkeley campus to protest a controversial cartoon published in Tuesday's Daily Californian. The group was demanding an apology for the “racist” cartoon depicting mid-eastern-looking men in hell, celebrating the attack on the World Trade Center. 

Daily Cal editor Janny Hu, however, has been adamant in her refusal to issue an apology. The opinion page, where the cartoon was published, provides a space for diverse ideas and does not represent the paper, she said. Not allowing the cartoon would be taking away the author’s freedom of speech, she argued. 

On Tuesday about 150 students protested at the paper’s offices and a group among them was arrested early Wednesday morning. 

The demand for an apology continued Thursday. An anti-war rally and march ended directly beneath the Daily Cal’s windows.  

About 60 students set up there for an all-night encampment, but they couldn’t sleep. Under article three of the Berkeley Campus Code of Student Conduct, camping or lodging on university property other than in authorized facilities is a violation. 

“If it's a vigil and they're not sleeping they will be fine,” said Assistant Chancellor John Cummins. “But they'll get in trouble if they fall asleep or set up tents and sleeping bags.” 

Some students went home and others decided to take turns sleeping or resting at a nearby all-night study lounge. 

In the end, the protesters decided their strategy wasn’t working. 

“I don't think that they’re going to apologize,” said Scott as she looked up at the windows of the Daily Cal’s offices. 

At about 6 a.m. the sleep-deprived students left, having decided that they would change their tactics and try to get advertisers to boycott the paper and to educate their fellow students on the reasons for protesting the cartoon. 

DIAMOND BAR, Calif. — More than 400 Los Angeles-area dry cleaners showed their opposition to plans that would make them the first in the country forced to give up their industry’s most commonly used chemical. 

Perchloroethylene — or perc — has been identified as a likely human carcinogen and linked to chronic kidney, liver and gastrointestinal problems. But dry cleaners said at a South Coast Air Quality Management District meeting Thursday that they have greatly reduced their use of the chemical, and insisted their operations are safe. 

“I have not heard one instance where one of our colleagues has passed away due to perc-related cancer,” Young Lin, a member of the Korean Dry Cleaners Association of Southern California, said through an interpreter. 

After imposing rules that reduced perc use in new operations by about 90 percent, air district officials now propose banning dry cleaners from using the chemical by 2011. 

A few dozen cleaning operations in the district have turned to of one of three suggested alternatives to perc: petroleum-based solvents, computer-controlled “wet cleaning” and liquid carbon dioxide. 

Some dry cleaners complained that carbon dioxide operations are too expensive; some of the solvents may have their own toxic problems; and that wet-cleaning is time-consuming and potentially damaging to clothes. 

“I cannot put an Armani suit or a Versace dress in a wet-cleaning solvent,” said Robert Smerling, a Brentwood dry cleaner. 

Joe Whang, owner of Cypress Plaza Cleaners in Cypress, said he converted to wet cleaning more than three years ago and cleans everything he did as a dry cleaner without problems. 

Whang, who made the switch to combat a thyroid problem, said that not only has his health improved, but so has his business. 

“In order to start up new, it takes courage,” Whang said. “Fear is the No. 1 handicap.” 

Peter Sinsheimer, director of the Pollution Prevention Education and Research Center at Occidental College, said his research has found wet-cleaning equipment to be “less expensive to buy and less expensive to operate” than dry cleaning equipment. His center is in the process of awarding eight grants to set up Southern California wet-cleaning facilities, which are rare in the United States but are more numerous in Europe. 

Dry cleaners said they shouldn’t be forced to spend thousands on new equipment, especially because many of them own small businesses that already have made investments aimed at curbing their perc use. 

The state classifies perc as a toxic air contaminant, and just over half of perc emissions come from dry cleaners. 

Dry cleaners, however, claim the district overstates the cancer risk and point out that new equipment has allowed them to reduce their perc use by as much as 90 percent. 

PASADENA — NASA’s Deep Space 1 spacecraft will swoop within 1,240 miles of a comet on Saturday in an attempt to image for only the second time ever the dark nucleus of one of the frozen balls of dust and ice. 

The robotic probe will make its closest approach to the comet Borrelly at 3:30 p.m. PDT Saturday. If the flyby is successful — and the odds are slim — the battered probe’s camera will snap up to 32 black-and-white images of the comet’s heart. 

Confirmation of whether the attempt succeeded will take 12 minutes to reach Earth. Mission members hope to receive the first image of the comet’s nucleus within three hours of the encounter. 

The probe will also attempt to learn more about Borrelly’s surface, measure and identify the gases it gives off and study the interaction of the solar wind with the comet. That process creates the comet’s distinctive tail. 

The risky flyby may be the swan song for Deep Space 1, which wrapped up its main mission to test a dozen new technologies two years ago. 

Engineers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory fear that dust and debris kicked off by the comet will knock the probe off kilter and possibly destroy it. Even if the probe survives the battering by minute particles traveling at 36,900 mph, its $164 million mission will end in November as its supply of fuel dwindles to nothing. 

At the time of flyby, the comet and spacecraft will be approximately 137 million miles from Earth. 

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE — A rocket carrying a pair of NASA and commercial satellites and cremated remains of 50 people failed during launch and apparently fell into the Indian Ocean on Friday. 

The Taurus rocket veered from its intended flight path around the time of first-stage separation, then appeared to right itself and continue south over the Pacific. 

A investigation board was being established by the rocket maker, Orbital Sciences Corp., to determine the cause of the failure, said NASA spokesman Ed Campion, spokesman for Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. 

NASA lost its ozone-monitoring QuikTOMS satellite at a cost of $50 million, including $11 million for its share of the launch. Orbital Imaging Corp. lost its OrbView-4 satellite. 

Flight managers believe the problem was associated with the staging process and that they received enough data from the rocket to pinpoint the cause, Campion said. 

Although the failure came in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on the United States, sabotage was not under consideration. 

“There really is no reason to suspect any kind of sabotage,” Campion said. 

“Absolutely not,” added Orbital Sciences spokesman Barron Beneski. 

The Taurus reached an orbit 266 miles high and could have placed the satellites there but lacked the proper velocity, causing the satellites to re-enter the atmosphere, he said. 

OrbView-4 was to have been placed in orbit about 11 1/2 minutes after launch, followed within three minutes by NASA’s QuikTOMS. 

Instead, they apparently hit the water northeast of Madagascar, Campion said. 

“They were essentially low and slow,” he said 

It was the first failure of Orbital Sciences’ four-stage Taurus in six launches since 1994. 

Celestis Corp., a Houston company that launches small capsules of human remains into space for $5,300 apiece, had portions of ashes of 50 people riding on the rocket. 

Shortly after launch, chief executive Charles Chafer declared a success for Celestis, then learned that things had gone wrong and that the ashes were likely scattered at sea. 

“We like everything else, appear to have gone into the ocean,” he said. 

Families of the deceased are repeatedly made aware of the risk and are asked to provide a second sample of cremated remains for a second attempt free of charge should a launch fail, Chafer said. 

Orbital Imaging Corp.’s OrbView-4 satellite was designed to snap high-resolution images of the Earth for sale. Its view was sharp enough to see things a yard wide. 

Although cash-strapped, the Dulles, Va., company claims a $400 million backlog of orders. 

The company has two other satellites, but neither provides imagery as sharp as that designed into the OrbView-4. 

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s QuikTOMS satellite was the fifth in a series of NASA instruments designed to keep tabs on ozone levels in the upper atmosphere since 1978. 

The TOMS — “total ozone mapping spectrometer” — instruments are best known for their monitoring of the ozone hole that opens up over Antarctica each spring. 

——— 

On the Net: 

http://quiktoms.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 

http://www.orbimage.com/ 

http://www.celestis.com/ 

http://www.orbital.com/ 

Dear Tom and Ray: 

I've got a 1990 Buick with a new set of tires. The sidewall says 45 psi, and the mechanic put in 40 psi because of the rating on the sidewall. On the driver's- side door, it says to put 30 psi in the tires. The mechanic says that only applies to the original tires. Who's right? The door or the mechanic? - Doug 

RAY: Well, isn't this a tough one? Which is smarter, a mechanic or a doorjamb? Can I get back to you on that? 

TOM: Well, let's start by giving the mechanic partial credit. He's right that the rating on the doorjamb is for the original tires. And if you replace your original tires with a different type of tire, the optimal pressure might be different, too. 

RAY: But overall, I think we're going to have to give the nod to the door. If you checked with Buick and asked what size replacement tires are acceptable for this car, Buick would probably recommend the original size, or something very close to it. Whatever Buick recommended would NOT be so different as to increase the optimal tire pressure from 30 to 40 - which is a huge increase. 

TOM: So it's possible your mechanic got the tire size right, but he's confusing "maximum pressure" with "recommended pressure." The rating on the sidewall of the tire is maximum allowable pressure. That's the pressure after which the tire can explode. That doesn't mean you should use that much pressure, it just means "don't EVER use any more than that." It's also the pressure above which the tire wear increases dramatically, and handling can become dangerous. 

RAY: Maximum pressure is like elevator capacity. Just because an elevator has a maximum capacity of 15 people doesn't mean you should ALWAYS have 15 people in there. 

TOM: Especially if my brother's one of them, and he's just coming back from Nunzio's Sub Shop. 

RAY: The other reason I doubt that 40 psi is correct is because you're driving a Buick. Buicks are known for their soft rides. And if you're driving on 40 psi, you've probably got swollen lumps on your head from hitting the roof every time you go over a bump. And that can't be what Buick intended. 

TOM: Here's what I'd do, Doug. First call Buick Customer Service at (800) 521-7300 and ask for the acceptable sizes of replacement tires for your car. And ask if any of them have different recommended pressures. My guess is that all of them will call for 30 psi. 

RAY: If your new tires are correctly sized, then go down to your local gas station and set all the pressures to 30 psi. 

TOM: If your tires are not among the recommended sizes, go back to your tire dealer and ask him to give you a set that's appropriate for your car. Bring the information from Buick to show him, in case he hems and haws. And then have him set your pressure at 30 all around. 

RAY: Then you'll be driving safely, Doug. And those lumps on your head will heal in a couple of weeks. Good luck.  

Dear Tom and Ray: 

I recently bought a used '98 3.0-liter Ford Taurus with no cruise control. It has about 10,000 miles on it. When driving at speeds above 40 mph, I've noticed that when I take my foot off of the accelerator to allow the car to slow down on its own, it seems to maintain its speed for up to 4/10 of a mile -- and then it finally starts to slow down very gradually. While cars ahead of me are able to slow down by coasting, I find my car rapidly closing in on them, forcing me to constantly brake hard just to keep from running into their back bumpers. Do you have any thoughts as to what might be causing this? -- Frank 

TOM: Well, now you know why the previous owner sold it with only 10,000 miles on it, Frank! 

RAY: Actually, it's not clear to me that there's anything wrong. I haven't driven a '98 Taurus recently, but some cars are just better "coasters" than others. 

TOM: My brother's a particularly good coaster. He coasted through all three of his years in eighth grade. 

RAY: Actually, I was thinking of the most recent Buicks we've driven, which were particularly good coasters. That said, 4/10 of a mile is a long way to coast without any sign of slowing down. 

TOM: You need to do an experiment, Frank. You probably have a tachometer in your car (if not, ask your dealer to hook up a temporary one for you). The tachometer measures your engine speed. What you want to do is take the car out on a level road and get it up to 40 or 50 mph. Then take your foot off the gas. When your foot comes off the gas, you ought to see an immediate drop in the engine speed. It won't drop all the way down to idle speed, but it should drop down to between 1,000 and 1,500 rpm. 

RAY: If it DOES drop, then I'd say nothing is wrong, and your car is just a particularly accomplished coaster. But if the engine speed doesn't drop -- and I suspect that's going to be the case -- then something is causing your throttle to stay open, and that's what's causing you to coast for so long. 

TOM: Armed with that information, your dealer should be much better able to help you, Frank. Good luck.  

Got a question about cars? Write to Click and Clack or e-mail them by visiting the Car Talk section of cars.com on the World Wide Web. 

SAN FRANCISCO — With the Golden Gate Bridge temporarily closed to bike and pedestrian traffic for security reasons, tourists eager for a close-up look at the landmark are gazing at it from afar. 

That’s only one of the disappointments facing tourists in San Francisco, which usually enjoys a heavy influx of sightseers in September and October. Fleet Week has been canceled, Pier 39 is cutting hours and tour buses are altering routes. 

That all has translated into less business for the city’s $6.5 billion tourism industry, with cancellations everywhere from hotels to tour buses. About 16 million tourists visit San Francisco each year, and 82,000 jobs in the city are supported by the tourism industry. 

“Business is terrible,” said Jack Abof, general manager of Adventure USA, a local tour bus company. “We’ve lost between $35,000 and $45,000. And there have been several canceled charter tours.” 

For the tourists already in San Francisco, there are some advantages. 

A line that usually curls around itself at the Powell Street cable car station was short enough Friday for riders to hop on with each approaching cable car. An operator said ridership was extremely low for one of San Francisco’s most popular tourist attractions. 

The Golden Gate Bridge’s walkways and bike lanes will remain closed until at least Friday, when officials will decide whether to extend the closure. Bridge spokeswoman Mary Currie said there have been no direct threats to the bridge. 

Elizabeth Murphy, who was visiting from Ireland, said she didn’t realize the bridge was closed for security reasons. 

“I did not have a clue,” she said. “I thought maybe it was a special day, and it was closed for painting.” 

The bridge has been closed to pedestrian and bike traffic since Sept. 11, the day of the terrorist attacks on the East Coast. Officials are operating a shuttle service that takes bikers and their bicycles across the bridge, and visitors still can cross in cars or buses, Currie said. 

A visitors’ center and scenic spots around the bridge, such as the popular Vista Point, all are closed as well. 

“Business is very slow, because no tourist buses can park here, no tourist cars can park,” said May Mui, 34, who has worked at the Bridge Cafe for four years. 

Volker Hirsch and his wife, Birgitt, from Bremen, Germany, said it was the first time they had found something closed in San Francisco. 

“There is nothing to see, it’s closed,” Hirsch said, adding he was unaware of the closure before arriving there. 

Local tour companies are altering their routes, since they no longer can drop off visitors at the bridge. Grayline’s city tour buses are driving across the bridge, but not stopping. 

Abof said his buses aren’t taking people to the bridge, and are limiting the three-hour tour to the Palace of Fine Arts and other city landmarks. 

Kelly Chamberlain, a spokeswoman for the San Francisco Visitors and Convention Bureau, said this is usually a peak time for tourism in the city. But she said the cancellation of Fleet Week, scheduled for Oct. 5-7, will have a big impact on the city. 

The California Dental Association canceled its convention in San Francisco the weekend after the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, but Chamberlain said so far most other conventions are still on. 

“We’re seeing a decline in the business and leisure traveler,” she said. “But this time is also a huge convention time, and we don’t have cancellations for those yet. That should pump hotels back up.” 

Ron Vinson, deputy press secretary for Mayor Willie Brown, said the city is focusing on encouraging residents to resume normal activities. 

“We don’t want people to live in fear,” Vinson said. “We’re telling everyone to do what they normally do — to go see a movie or go out to dinner or go to the zoo.” 

But, in a city that counts on spending by tourists, the decline in visitors will hit hard. Pier 39, a waterfront tourist attraction, will shift to winter hours on weekdays starting Monday — at least a month earlier than normal — because of the loss in customers. The winter schedule, which shaves one to two hours from the peak season schedule, normally doesn’t go into effect until November. 

Pier 39 spokeswoman Alicia Vargas said 82 percent of all San Francisco hotel guests visit the pier, but hotel vacancies are way up. She said some shops along the pier are mulling layoffs. 

“The past week has been like the business in January or February, when we know things are going to be slow anyway,” said Claudia Valentine, manager of The Pier Market, a seafood restaurant. 

Heather Hovey, a spokeswoman for the Argent Hotel, said hotels suffered when the dentists’ convention was canceled, and that “September won’t be what we thought it was going to be.” 

Taxi companies also are feeling the brunt of the tourism decline. The downturn may lead to some vans being taken out of service temporarily, and to shorter shifts for drivers. 

“Usually, each driver transports 30 to 50 passengers a day,” said Thadius Vinson, a dispatcher at American Taxi Cab. “Now they’re transporting maybe 12, some as low as six, a day.” 

NEW YORK — Wall Street, consumed by political and economy uncertainty, sold stocks sharply lower for the fourth time in five sessions Friday, giving the Dow Jones industrials their biggest one-week point decline ever. 

The stock market’s best-known indicator fell more than 140 points for the day and 1,369.70 for the week, by far eclipsing the previous one-week record drop of 821.21 set March 16. 

Clearly, Americans were in no mood to take chances in the first week of trading after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The market was closed for four days after the attacks, and so this week’s trading, which sent stocks to their lowest levels in almost three years, represented Wall Street’s reaction to the assaults. 

Friday’s trading was volatile amid worries about how the United States will retailiate for last week’s terrorist attacks and how much the economy will suffer in the months ahead. Technical factors that can make prices fluctuate in the best of times also affected the activity. 

The Dow had several big swings — falling 313 points in the opening minutes of trading, surging to a gain of more than 50 points an hour later and then falling back again. 

“This is an extraordinarily emotion-filled stock market environment,” said Hugh Johnson, chief investment officer at First Albany. “Investors are scrambling to defend their nest eggs.” 

The Dow fell 140.40 to 8,235.81, a loss of 1.7 percent, according to preliminary calculations. The Dow’s drop for the week amounted to 14.26 percent; that is the fifth-largest percentage decline and the biggest since May 1940, when the Dow traded at 122, less than the decline alone on Friday. 

The Nasdaq composite index was down 47.74 or 3.3 percent at 1,423.19, while the broader Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 18.74 or 1.9 percent to 965.80. 

Three stocks fell for every one that rose on the New York Stock Exchange — an improvement over the 10-to-1 ratio in early trading. NYSE volume was extremely heavy at more than 2 billion shares, ahead of the 1.93 billion traded Thursday. 

Another sign of the heavy selling: One of out of every four stocks that traded on the NYSE posted a new 52-week low. 

While the market historically falls in the first few weeks or months following catastrophes and other conflicts, such as the Persian Gulf war in 1991, and then heads higher over the long term, Johnson said that’s no comfort to investors right now. 

“They are saying, ‘Just get me out at all costs. I can’t stand anymore,”’ Johnson said. “I try to give them perspective by looking at other crises. But even when you give them perspective, they dismiss it, because they are so scared.” 

Friday’s volatility was also due to what’s known as a triple witching session, the quarterly expiration of index futures and index and stock options. Many of the expirations occurred at the opening of trading and investors chose to sell rather than roll the contracts forward amid the political and economic uncertainty. 

Analysts also said there was a great deal of mutual fund redemptions and margin calls by large institutions — a demand that investors repay money borrowed to buy stocks earlier. 

“It’s monolithic. Everyone is on one side of the market,” said Ronald J. Hill, investment strategist at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. 

Analysts said it was unclear why the Dow briefly flirted with positive territory Friday. The most likely factor, they said, was a positive outlook by General Electric, which said in late morning it is on track to deliver double-digit earnings growth in 2001 and 2002. GE rose 93 cents at $31.30. 

Analysts expected the market to continue to swing throughout the session, particularly as another round of expirations was to come at the close of trading. 

“There is another storm to weather at the close,” Hill said. 

Stocks also fell overseas amid uneasiness about U.S. plans to retaliate against last week’s terrorist attacks. Japan’s Nikkei stock average finished the day down 2.4 percent. Britain’s FT-SE index closed with a loss of 2.7 percent, France’s CAC-40 fell 2.3 percent, Germany’s DAX index declined 0.6 percent. 

The fact that the Dow industrials — America’s most stalwart companies — have fallen so sharply proves how afraid investors are. Investors see no choice but to sell amid uncertainty following the terrorist attacks. 

Until the market gets some answers about what the future holds for the economy and the overall country, analysts expect investors to continue to sell stocks across market sectors. 

The economic repercussions from the attacks have already appeared as companies have announced thousands of layoffs and plans to reduce operations. 

All major U.S. airlines have announced layoffs. Insurance companies have said they will suffer monumental payouts from the country’s worst-ever crisis. Retailers, bankers, hotel chains and travel agents say skittish consumers are further clamping their spending. 

Among Friday’s losers were Northwest Airlines, falling 56 cents to $10.45 after announcing 10,000 layoffs. 

And, insurer MetLife declined $1.23 to $25.20, retailer Best Buy fell $2.20 to $43.26, banker J.P. Morgan Chase stumbled 74 cents to $30.82 and online travel agent Expedia slipped 93 cents to $21.75. 

Data storage company EMC, which said it is cutting about 2,400 jobs and will likely post a third-quarter loss, tumbled $1.47 to $11.15. 

Volume was extremely heavy at more than 2 billion shares, ahead of the 1.93 million shares traded Thursday. 

The Russell 2000 index, which tracks smaller company stocks, was down 8.76 at 378.89. 

SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden Gate Bridge, the Transamerica Pyramid and the San Francisco Bay area’s water supply are three potential terrorist targets, according to experts. 

Since the Sept. 11 attacks, officials here have increased security at several sites and are reviewing plans to take additional steps to make San Francisco’s landmarks harder to hit. 

“The question then is ’What do we do?’ You do your level best to take care of the bigger areas — the Hetch Hetchy water system, airport security, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge, the California Water Project,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif, told the San Francisco Chronicle. 

Tourists also are not permitted to enter the lobby of the 48-story Transamerica Pyramid. Golden Gate Bridge sidewalks are closed to the public through the weekend and the California Highway Patrol is helping beef up security on all bridges. 

State water suppliers and Pacific Gas and Electric said they’ve increased security since last week’s attacks. 

The California State Water Project provides water to about 23 million people while the federal Central Valley Project delivers water to about 3 million people. PG&E has electrical transmission lines covering 18,500 miles going through some of the state’s most rural areas. 

*** 

CORONA — Families of World Trade Center victims will soon have $6,250 in cash and 41 hand-woven quilts with matching pillows, thanks to inmates at the California Institution for Women. 

The money, to be turned over to the Catholic Charities of San Diego, was raised from contributions from nearly all the prison’s 1,875 inmates, said spokesman Lt. Robert Sebald. 

“I have worked at the California Institution for Women for 29 years and I have never seen such a rally of inmates,” Sebald said. 

Those with skills at the sewing machine also made quilts and pillows. 

The prison, where inmates include murderers, drug abusers and other violent felons, is one of 10 penal facilities around the state raising money for the families of terrorism victims, said state Department of Corrections spokesman Russ Heimerich. 

*** 

COACHELLA — Despite last week’s terrorist attacks, officials at Coachella Valley High School plan to keep the nickname that dates back before World War II — the Arabs. 

The school, which opened in 1910, draws its nickname from the Middle-Eastern influence that began emerging in the area in the late 1800s. 

Law enforcement agencies across the nation have reported a backlash against Arab Americans in recent days but teachers and students said they haven’t had any problems. The school will host the rival Indio Rajahs and school officials said both teams may hold hands in a moment of silence before the game. 

*** 

LOMA LINDA — Two Loma Linda University faculty members are canceling a humanitarian trip to Afghanistan. 

The teachers were planning to visit the University of Kabul to provide supplies for its library and medical school. Dr. Gordon Hadley, a retired Loma Linda University faculty member, worked with Kabul officials to create its medical school in the 1960s. 

There were no immediate plans to reschedule the trip. 

“We’re not really clear on when conditions will allow them to go,” said Augustus Cheatham, Loma Linda’s vice president for public affairs and marketing. 

*** 

LOS ANGELES — New York natives transplanted to Southern California are having a tough time being away from their native city after the terrorist attacks. They fear the Big Apple will change without them. 

“From now on, one of the things that identifies New Yorkers will be the experience of having been there in this crisis,” said Greg Heyman, a Manhattan native. “And I don’t have it.” 

Many New Yorkers who live in the Southland say they have called their friends to get firsthand accounts of the tragedy. Some transplants want to return to New York City to lend a helping hand or see the devastation themselves. 

*** 

IRVINE — The largest English-language Pakistani weekly in the nation is devoting pages usually reserved for home country news to last week’s terrorist attacks. 

The Pakistan Link, which has offices in Irvine, features stories about Pakistan’s supportive pledge to help the U.S. fight terrorism and President Bush’s meeting with the Islamic community. The paper eliminated its entertainment section and increased its circulation from 25,000 to 27,000. 

There are approximately 170,000 Muslims in Orange County according to the Council on Islamic Relations in Anaheim. 

“American Muslims feel accused (because of) the tremendous amount of misunderstanding,” said reader Mahboob Akhter of Mission Viejo. “Pakistan Link promotes understanding of different faiths.” 

*** 

SAN JOSE — The Bay Area has a new anti-terrorism czar who will work with investigators nationwide in tracking and thwarting potential future attacks. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Caldwell will head a regional task force and work with federal agencies and other anti-terrorism officials across the country. She is the former head of the criminal division for the U.S. attorney’s office in San Francisco, which is responsible for prosecuting federal offenses from Monterey to the Oregon border. 

Caldwell, 44, was selected after Attorney General John Ashcroft ordered all U.S. attorneys to create anti-terrorism task forces. 

Caldwell has a history of prosecuting mobsters, Asian gangs and executives accused of fraud. She came to San Francisco two years ago and she became the head of the securities fraud unit that has emphasized fraud investigations in Silicon Valley and San Francisco. 

*** 

PETALUMA — Military fighter jets were scrambled to the city’s airport Thursday night in search of a small plane that slipped off Federal Aviation Administration radar screens, police said. 

At the FAA’s request, Petaluma police officers met the plane at Petaluma Municipal Airport, said Lt. Mike Cook. Authorities relayed the pilot’s name, information and plane identification number to the FAA. 

The plane landed before the jets arrived and was not forced down, Cook said. The pilot was not detained or arrested. Police and the FAA on Friday would not release the pilot’s name, the type of plane or the type of military fighter jet that responded. 

Current FAA protocol calls for dispatching military aircraft as a precaution for any planes that fail to follow current regulations. 

Dozens of startled residents called 911 around 7:30 p.m. to report the low-flying fighters, which roared overhead shortly after President George W. Bush concluded a televised address to Congress about the nation’s war on terrorism. 

*** 

HESPERIA — The fourth annual High Desert Balloon Festival won’t lift off this month. 

The Sept. 28-30 event was canceled because of airspace restrictions following last week’s terrorist attacks. The Federal Aviation Administration has enforced tight restrictions on flights, including hot-air balloons. 

“I realize there are going to be disappointed people, but it’s out of our hands,” said festival coordinator Charlotte Kroepil. 

The FAA restrictions were the final blow to the festival, which was already in jeopardy because organizers got a late start on planning. 

*** 

LOS ANGELES — An emerging anti-war movement held a Thursday evening vigil that lured up to 400 people to downtown’s Pershing Square. 

Protesters played flutes, held up rainbow flags with peace symbols and signs that read, “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind — Gandhi” and “The death of more innocents will not make us safe.” 

Men in Aztec dress pounded on drums and women in colorful headdresses danced as protesters hoisted the signs in front of passing motorists, eliciting both horn honking and jeers. 

“We are forming it to counterbalance the retaliatory and militaristic attitudes in the country, and we are trying to resolve this in a peaceful way,” said Sally Marr, an organizer for the new Coalition for World Peace. “It’s the beginning of an anti-war movement.” 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A jury found in favor of Cher on Friday, dismissing a lawsuit by an accountant who said he lost his job and was harassed for noting labor violations during construction of the entertainer’s Malibu mansion 

Salvatore Sampino had accused Cher of wrongful termination, retaliation, sexual harassment, defamation, unfair competition, negligence and unpaid wages. He was seeking $100,000 in lost wages and $150,000 in emotional distress. 

He said he was forced to quit his job in May 2000 because of harassment after he brought attention to the labor violations. Sampino, who is homosexual, said his co-workers made offensive comments about his sexual orientation and that it got worse after he complained about it. 

He also said in his lawsuit that undocumented day laborers were hired to work on Cher’s home and were paid in cash, with no workers’ compensation benefits or overtime. 

Cher insisted that Sampino never actually worked for her but for a subcontractor, Artemis Design and Consulting, and that she had nothing to do with his leaving his job. 

“I’m really happy with the verdict,” the 55-year-old entertainer, who signed autographs for jurors after the trial, said outside court. “The only thing I can tell you for sure was that (Sampino) never worked for me.” 

Sampino, 40, complained that jurors, who deliberated for one day, didn’t consider all the facts of what he indicated was a complicated case. 

“There were a lot of facts, a lot of testimony. I think what the jury said is, ‘Well, we don’t believe any of this.”’ 

A week after the terrorist attacks on the United States, a Berkeley High football player has been suspended for tonight’s game at Dos Palos for putting an “anti-American” quote on the team Web site. 

Joshua Sabbah, a senior, put “F*** USA” on his player profile for the varsity team’s Web site. When Berkeley head coach Matt Bissell found out about the quote on Monday, he ordered it removed and suspended Sabbeh for this week’s game. 

“I think it was a case of a kid saying something without thinking about it,” Bissell said. “I just want him to sit and reflect on what he said and how it represents the team and the school.” 

Bissell said he probably would have reacted the same way if last week’s attacks hadn’t occurred. 

“It’s not so much what he said. He has First Amendment rights,” Bissell said. “But he did it in a medium that wasn’t appropriate. It represents me, the football team, and Berkeley High. It was just compounded by last Tuesday.” 

Sabbeh’s quote had been on the site for nearly two weeks before Berkeley High officials found out about it. The quote was found by a Dos Palos assistant coach, Steve Hobbs, on Monday. Hobbs told the Dos Palos athletic director, Bill Van Orth, who called Berkeley High officials. 

“We were concerned that with everything going on in the nation, we should take a closer look,” Van Orth said. “We always talk to the other school about game issues, and I said maybe you should check out your Web site, especially (Sabbeh).” 

Nick Schooler, a Berkeley High player who helped put together the Web site, said he didn’t think much of the quote when he put it on the site two weeks ago, prior to the attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. The only change he made was to insert the asterisks to mask the profanity. 

According to Bissell, a Berkeley High teacher was supposed to go through everything on the Web site for content, but Schooler said the teacher only looked at “two or three of them.” 

“It was my understanding that a teacher would look through everything and filter stuff out,” Bissell said. “It’s just an unfortunate situation at an unfortunate time.” 

Sabbeh, who transferred to Berkeley High from St. Mary’s High this year, was absent from Thursday’s practice and unavailable for comment. 

Berkeley High Principal Frank Lynch supported Bissell’s reaction. 

“I made the recommendation that the the student did something inappropriate and that it’s up to the coach to make that decision,” Lynch said. 

Sabbeh’s teammates, on the other hand, seemed less sure about the suspension. 

“It’s nothing,” one player said. “The form just asked for a quote. It didn’t say anything about what we could put on there.” 

Several Berkeley players said they heard the Dos Palos officials were concerned with Sabbeh’s safety if he attended the game, but both Van Orth and Berkeley High officials denied that was ever discussed. 

“My feeling is that the school handled it and took care of it,” Van Orth said. “If the kid came to the game we would support that.”

A 

924 Gilman Street Sept. 21: Slow Gherkin, 78 RPMS, Enemy You, Wisecracker; Sept. 23: 5 p.m. Subtonix, Running Ragged, (+t.b.a.); Sept. 28: Erase Errata, The Intima, Ibobuki, (+t.b.a.); Sept. 29: DS-13, Beware, Blown To Bits, (+t.b.a.); Most shows are $5 and start at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 

Albatross Pub Sept. 22: Larry Stefl Jazz Quartet; Sept. 25: Mad and Eddie Duran; Sept. 27: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Free. All shows begin at 9 p.m. 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473  

albatrosspub@mindspring.com  

Anna’s Sept. 21: Anna sings jazz and blues, Fred Harris on piano, 10 p.m. Bluesman Hideo Date; Sept. 22: Vicki Burns and Felice York, Ellen Hoffman Trio, 10 p.m. The Distones Jazz Sextet, Donald Duck Bailey on piano; Sept. 23: Ed Reed, Alex Markel’ Group; Sept. 24: The Renegade Sidemen, Calvin Keyes, Dave Rokeach and Pals; Sept. 25: Tangria; Sept. 26: Bob Schoen Jazz Quintet, Cheryl McBride; Sept. 27: David Jeffrey Fourtet, Brendan Milstein; Sept. 28: Anna sings jazz standards, 10 p.m. Bluesman Hideo Date; Sept. 29: Robin Gregory, Bliss Rodriguez, 10 p.m. The Distones Jazz Sextet, Donald Duck Bailey; Sept. 30: Acoustic Soul; All shows begin at 8 p.m. 1801 University Ave. 849-ANNA www.annasbistro.com 

Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community Center Sept. 21: 9:30 p.m. Hip Hop Party: Emphatics, Self Jupitor, Professor Whaley, Bas 1, DJ Riddim and DJ Malik. $10; Sept. 22: 9:30 p.m. Don Carlos and Reggae Angels, $15; Sept. 23: 8 p.m. Funky Nixons, Mokai, Green & Root’s Womyn’s Music and more, $8 - $15. 1317 San Pablo Ave. 525-5054 www.ashkenaz.com  

Café de la Paz Poetry Nitro, performance showcase with open mike. Sept. 24: Jim Watson-Gove; All shows free, 7 - 10 p.m. 

Cal Performances Sept. 30: 7 p.m. Kronos Quartet, David Barron, $30; Oct. 12 - 14: Fri. and Sat., 8 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m. Ballet Nacional De Cuba, $24 - $46; Oct. 17 and 18: 8 p.m. Cesaria Evora, $24 - $36; Oct. 19: 8 p.m. Karnak, $18 - $30. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley Campus, Bancroft Way at Telegraph, 642-0212, tickets@calperfs.berkeley.edu 

Crowden School Sept. 23: 4 p.m. “Sundays at Four Concert” Jeremy Cohen’s jazz violin. Admission $10 (free if under 18) 1475 Rose 559-6910 

Eli’s Mile High Club Every Friday, 10 p.m. Funky Fridays Conscious Dance Party with KPFA DJs Splif Skankin and Funky Man. $10; Sept. 3: 2 - 8 p.m. Big West Coast Harmonica Bash, afternoon benefit for Red Archibald. $10 donation; Doors open at 8 p.m. unless noted. 3629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland. 655-6661 

Freight & Salvage Sept. 21: The Waybacks, $17.50; Sept. 22: The Bluerass Intentions, $17.50; Sept. 23 Tony Marcus & Patrice Haan, $16.50; Sept. 24: April Verch, $16.50; Sept. 26: Clive Gregson, $16.50; Sept. 27: Dick Gaughan, $18.50; Sept 28: Jenna Mammina, $16.50; Sept. 29: The Nigerian Brothers, $16.50; Sept. 30: Vasen, $17.50; All shows start at 8 p.m. 1111 Addison St. 548-1761 www.freightandsalvage.com 

Jack’s Bistro Sept. 22 & Sept. 28: 9 p.m. Tomas Michaud’s New World Flamenco Quartet, Jack London Square. 444-7171 www.starland-music.com 

Jazzschool/La Note Sept. 23: 4:30 p.m. Dick Hindman Trio, $6 - $12; Sept. 30: 4 p.m., John Santos and the Machete Ensemble. $15. 2377 Shattuck Ave. 845-5376 

Jupiter Sept. 21: Netwerk: Electric; Sept. 22: New Garde Philosophers; Sept. 25: Craig Graham Trio; Sept. 26: Starvin Like Marvin; Sept. 28 Anton Schwartz Quartet; Sept 29: moderngypsies.net; All music starts at 8:00 p.m. 2181 Shattuck Ave.  

843-7625 www.jupiterbeer.com 

La Peña Cultural Center Sept. 27: 7:30 p.m. The local Friends of the MST will host a screening of the new documentary "Raiz Forte" or "Strong Roots" to present our community with a vision of their work and struggle. A discussion will follow. $5-$10; In the Cafe, 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 www.lapena.org 

Music Sources Sept. 30: 5 p.m. Ole Scarlatta! Portuguese and French keyboards and fortepiano joined by Jason McGuire on flamenco guitar, $18 General, $15 members, seniors, students. 1000 The Alameda 528-1685 

Sedge Thomson’s West Coast Live Radio Show Sept. 22: Garrison Keillor, Paula West, Douglas Coupland. Julia Morgan Theatre, 2640 College Ave.; Sept. 29: Nancy Miford, The Nigerian Brothers, Caroline Dahl. The Freight and Salvage, 1111 Addison St. All shows 10 a.m. - noon.  

252-9214 www.wcl.org 

The 1st Annual Guinness & Oyster Festival 2001 Sept. 22: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Free. Cake, Mingus Amungus, Ponticello, Stolen Bibles, Alamo 66 w/ Destani Wolf, The Culann’s Hounds. MLK Jr. Civic Center Park 

13th Annual Blues ‘n Jazz Festival Sept. 23: noon - 6 p.m. Jeffrey Osborne Jazz Crusaders with Ronnie Laws, Ricardo Scales, Sonata Pi (and more). $35, Lawn $25, Child $6 (6-12 years, lawn only). Dunsmuir House & Gardens Historic Estate, 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland. 583-1160 

Benifit Concert for the Native  

American Health Center Sept. 28: 8 p.m. Buffy Sainte-Marie, Ulali, Lorrie Church, The Mankillers. Paramount Theater, 2025 Broadway, Oakland. 625-8497  

“The Complete Shostakovich String Quartets--Part One” Sept. 29: 10 a.m. Quartets III & IV; Oct. 20: 10 a.m. Quartets V & VI. Performed by the prize-winning Alexander String Quartet with Robert Greenberg. $ 30, $84 for the Trio of concerts. Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. 845-8542 www.juliamorgan.org. 

Magnificat Sept. 29: 8 p.m. First Congregational Church. The San Francisco early music ensemble of voices and period instruments present their tenth anniversary season with music of seventeenth century composers. Tickets $12-$45 (415) 979-4500 

The Mike Yax Jazz Orchestra Sept. 30: 2 p.m., Longfellow School of the Arts, 1500 Derby St. 420-4560 

American Ballet Theatre Sept. 21, 22, 8 p.m., Sept 22, 2 p.m., Sept 23, 3 p.m.: David Briskin conducts Berkeley Symphony Orchestra. Zellerbach Hall Tickets $36, $48 and $64. 

“Hecho En Califas Chicano-Latino Teatro Festival” Sept. 21, 22, at 8 p.m. Sept. 23 matinee. The Alameda Civic Light Opera’s fifth summer season ends with the musical of Frances Hodson Burnett’s classic story of life, death, purpose and hope. Adults $22, Students 18 and under $14. Kofman Auditorium, 2200 Central Ave., Alameda. www.aclo.com 

“Le Cirque des Animaux” Sept. 29: 8 p.m. Hausmusik presents a wacky baroque musical cabaret on the subject of animals. Parish Hall of St. Alban’s Espiscopal Church, 1501 Washington St. (not wheelchair accessible). $18 general admission, $15 seniors, students and SFEMS members) 527-9029 

“Murder Dressed in Satin” by Victor Lawhorn, ongoing. A mystery-comedy dinner show at The Madison about a murder at the home of Satin Moray, a club owner and self-proclaimed socialite with a scarlet past. Dinner is included in the price of the theater ticket. $47.50 Lake Merritt Hotel, 1800 Madison St., Oakland. 239-2252 www.acteva.com/go/havefun 

“Twelfth Night” Sept. 18 - 23, 25 - 30, Oct. 2 - 7, Tue. - Thurs. 7:30 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 4 p.m., Student Matinees: Sept. 18, 20, 25, Oct. 2, @ 1 p.m. California Shakespeare Festival presents William Shakespeare’s comic tale of romance, loneliness, love and glory. Directed by Jonathan Moscone. $12 - $41. Bruns Memorial Amphitheater, Highway 24, Gateway Exit, one mile east of the Caldecott Tunnel. 548-9666 www.calshakes.org 

“Swanwhite” Sept. 22 through Oct. 21: Thur. - Sat., 8 p.m., Sun. 7 p.m. A new translation of the Swedish Play that asks the question what good is romantic love, directed by Tom Clyde. $20, Sundays are “Pay What You Can”. Transparent Theater, 1901 Ashby Ave. 883-0305,  

www.virtuous.com 

Readings 

Boadecia’s Books Sept. 21: Deborah Kesten, “The Healing Secrets of Food;” Sept. 22: A special All Poetry Dyke Open Myke, to participate call 655-1015 or feroniawolf@yahoo.com; Sept 28: The Return of Gaymes Night; Sept 29: Ellen Samuels and other contributors to “Out of the Ordinary: Essays on Growing Up with Gay, Lesbian & Transgender Parents. All events start at 7:30 p.m. unless noted otherwise. All events are free. 398 Colusa Ave. 559-9184 www.bookpride.com 

Cody’s on 4th Street Sept. 20: 7 p.m. Jamie Oliver, The Naked Chef, “The Naked Chef Takes Off”; Sept. 22: 10:30 a.m. Cody’s for Kids, Walter the Giant Storyteller; Sept. 25: 7 p.m. Nancy London has been cancelled; 1730 Fourth St. 559-9500 

Cody’s on Telegraph Ave. Sept. 17: Aldo Alvarez describes “Interesting Monsters”; Sept. 18: Clarence Walker discusses “We Can’t Go Home Again: An Argument About Afrocentrism; Sept. 19: Douglas Coupland reads “All Families Are Psychotic”; Sept. 24: Theodore Roszak discusses “Longevity Revolution: As Boomers Become Elders”; Sept. 25: Ken Croswell discusses “The Universe At Midnight: New Discoveries Illuminate the Hidden Cosmos” with a slide show presentation; Sept. 27: Bill Ayers talks about “Fugitive Days”; Oct 1: Urdsula K. Le guin reads from “The Other Wind”; All shows at 7:30 p.m. 2454 Telegraph Ave. 845-7852 

Cody’s Other Venues - Sept. 20: 7:30 p.m. Cody’s presents an evening with Margaret Atwood in conversation with professor Robert Alter. $12. First Congregational Church 2345 Channing Way; Sept. 28: 7:30 p.m. Cody’s presents a Community Forum on Race and the Achievement Gap at Berkeley High School. Little Theater, Berkeley High School.  

Coffee Mill Poetry Series Sept. 18: Ben Brose and Jen Iby followed by open mike reading. 3363 Grand Ave., Oakland 465-3935 ksdgk@earthlink.net 

Eastwind Books of Berkeley Sept. 29: 7 p.m. Kip Fulbeck reads from his first novel, “Paper Bullets.” 2066 University Ave. 548-2350 

Easy Going Travel Shop & Bookstore Sept. 20: 7:30 p.m. Antarctica & The Nature of Penguins, An evening with Jonathan Chester. 1385 Shattuck Ave. 843-3533 

Spasso Sept. 10: Sharron Jones-Reid, Fruit of the Spirit poets, acoustic musicians, comedians, rappers, performance artists, writers. All welcome. 6021 College Ave. Free admission. 

Tours 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Fridays 9:30 - 11:45 a.m. or by appointment. Call ahead to make reservations. Free. University of California, Berkeley. 486-4387 

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

Museums 

Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm” An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels, look into a mirrored fish pond, don farm animal costumes, ride on a John Deere tractor and more. “Recycling Center” Lets the kids crank the conveyor belt to sort cans, plastic bottles and newspaper bundles into dumpster bins. $4 adults; $6 children age 7 and under; $3 for each additional child age 7 and under. Monday and Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Tuesday and Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Sundays, Memorial Day through Labor Day) Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 647-1111 or www.habitot.org  

UC Berkeley Museum of Paleontology Lobby, Valley Life Sciences Building, UC Berkeley “Tyrannosaurus Rex,” ongoing. A 20 foot by 40 foot replica of the fearsome dinosaur made from casts of bones of the most complete T. rex skeleton yet excavated. When unearthed in Montana, the bones were all lying in place with only a small piece of the tailbone missing. “Pteranodon” A suspended skeleton of a flying reptile with a wingspan of 22-23 feet. The pteranodon lived at the same time as the dinosaurs. Free. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 642-1821 

UC Berkeley Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology will close its exhibition galleries for renovation. It will reopen in early 2002. On View until Oct. 1 : “Ishi and the Invention of Yahi Culture.” “Sites Along the Nile: Rescuing Ancient Egypt.” “The Art of Research: Nelson Graburn and the Aesthetics of Inuit Sculpture.” “Tzintzuntzan, Mexico: Photographs by George Foster.” $2 general; $1 seniors; $.50 children age 17 and under; free on Thursdays. Wednesday, Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way and College Avenue. 643-7648 or www.qal.berkeley.edu/~hearst/ 

University of California Berkeley Art Museum Pacific Film Archive has reopened after its summer-long seismic retrofit. “Martin Puryear: Sculpture of the 1990s” through Jan. 13; “The Dream of the Audience: Theresa Hak Kyung Cha (1951 - 1982)” through Dec. 16; “Face of Buddha: Sculpture from India, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia” ongoing rotation through 2003; “Matrix 194: Jessica Bronson, Heaps, layers, and curls” Sept. 16 through Nov. 11; “Matrix 192: Ceal Floyer 37’4”” Sept. 16 through Nov. 11; Wed., Fri., Sat., Sun. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Thur. 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., PFA Theater, 2575 Bancroft Way; Museum Galleries 2626 Bancroft Way; 642-0808 www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

Lawrence Hall of Science “Within the Human Brain,” ongoing. Visitors test their cranial nerves, play skeeball, master mazes, match musical tones and construct stories inside a simulated “rat cage” of learning experiments. “Saturday Night Stargazing,” First and third Saturdays each month. 8 - 10 p.m., LHS plaza. Space Weather Exhibit now - Sept. 2; now - Sept. 9 Science in Toyland; Saturdays 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. $7 for adults; $5 for children 5-18; $3 for children 3-4. 642-5132 

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

Oakland Museum of California “Half Past Autumn: The Art of Gordon Parks,” through Sept. 23; Wednesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday, noon - 5 p.m., Closed Monday and Tuesday. $6 general; $4 youths (6-17), seniors and students with ID. Free for museum members and children 5 and under. Free admission the second Sunday of the month. 10th & Oak streets, Oakland. 238-2200 www.museum.org 

Send arts events two weeks in advance to Calendar@berkeleydailyplanet.net, 2076 University, Berkeley 94704 or fax to 841-5694.

Save Florida – please 

Editor, 

“Make no mistake,” the president delivered these tough words pledging to hunt down and punish the terrorists and those who harbor them. But now that the FBI has determined that 15 of the 19 terrorists were living in Florida and learned to fly passenger jets in Florida schools, I can only hope that Mr. Bush will show some restraint. Sure, retaliation is necessary to show the world that they can’t mess with the United States. But Bush must remember that not all Floridians supported the perpetrators. If the Florida Governor and Secretary of State give themselves up peacefully, perhaps further bloodshed can be avoided. The good people of Disneyworld, and there are many, must not suffer the responsibility of those who govern them. 

Bruce Joffe 

Oakland

Friday, Sept. 21

Dancing The Dark 

8 p.m. 

First Congregational Church 

2345 Channing Way 

An evening of spirtual-political strategy to celebrate the autumnal equinox. $15. 848-6767 x609 www.kpfa.org 

Center of Elders Independence 

11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

A representative of this organization will discuss its services. 644-6107 

Reading Ulysses 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

A discussion of James Joyce’s Ulysses, including the presentation of taped portions of the novel. 644-6107 

Berkeley Adult Literacy  

Program Orientation  

for New Volunteer Tutors 

6 - 8 p.m. 

West Branch Library 

1125 University Ave. 

Join adult literacy learners and the Berkeley Reads Staff to find out how you can become a volunteer literacy tutor. 644-8595 

City Commons Club 

12:30 p.m. 

Berkeley City Club 

2315 Durant Ave. 

“The Promises and Problems of Stem Cell Research” with Grange Coffin, M.D., retired Physician. 848-3533 

Even Stronger Women 

1:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Free weekly cultural discussion class. This week: movie, “Beloved,” followed by discussion of author Toni Morrison. 549-1879 

Nuclear Secrecy, Human Rights, and Mordechai Vanunu: Voices of Witness from the Bay Area and Israel/Palestine 

6:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists 

1924 Cedar St. 

Speakers will be Maurice Campbell of the Hunters Point Community First Coalition, Robert Lipton of A Jewish Voice for Peace, and Jeanie Shaterian of the Campaign to Free Vanunu. Supper will be served. 548-3048 

3rd Annual Family Festival of the Arts 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Downtown YMCA 

2001 Allston Way 

A family event open to the public. Activities include arts and crafts, music, dance, face painting, sports, swimming, and Kindergym times. Opportunities for families to spend an evening together and meet other families in the community. $1. 549-4524 

Daily Prayer and Meditation 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

First Congregational Church 

Dana at Durant 

Chapel open for prayer and  

meditation. 

Saturday, Sept. 22

1st Annual Guinness & Oyster Festival 

11 a.m. - 6 p.m.  

MLK Jr. Civic Center Park 

Cake, Mingus Amungus, Ponticello, Stolen Bibles, Alamo 66 with Destani Wolf, The Culann’s Hounds. Free.  

Free Emergency Preparedness Class 

9 a.m. - noon 

997 Cedar St. 

Disaster mental health class. Free to anyone 18 or older who lives or works in Berkeley. 644-8736 www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/fire.oes.html 

What You Need to Know Before You Build or Remodel 

10 a.m. - noon 

Building Education Center 

812 Page St.  

Preview of the Homeowner’s Essential Course – learn to solder pipe and more. By Glen Kitzenberger. Free. 525-7610 

–compiled by Guy Poole 

Choosing to Add On: The Pros and Cons of Building an Addition 

noon - 2 p.m. 

Building Education Center 

812 Page St.  

By author and instructor Skip Wenz. Free. 525-7610 

Julia Morgan Center for the Arts Open House 

1 -4 p.m. 

Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 

2640 College Ave. 

Free family friendly Open House and community celebration. Entertainment by Shotgun Players, Berkeley Ballet, and Berkeley Opera. Newcomers are encouraged to drop by and get to know the JMCA. 845-8542 www.juliamorgan.org 

Life from a Spiritual Perspective  

5 p.m. 

St. John’s Presbyterian Church 

2727 College Avenue 

Free talk by Dr. Richard Seader, vegetarian reception to follow, childcare, free parking under church. 707-226-7703 sfsos@aol.com. 

Disaster Mental Health 

9 a.m. - noon 

Office of Emergency Services 

997 Cedar St. 

Free classes in Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). 981-5605 

Sunday, Sept. 23

West Berkeley Market 

11 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

University Ave., between 3rd and 4th streets  

Family-oriented weekly market. Crafts, music, produce and specialty foods. 

654-6346 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute Open House 

3 - 5 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Free introduction to Tibetan Buddhist Culture. Free. 843-6812 

Tibetan Buddhism 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Sylvia Gretchen on “Bringing the Tibetan Wisdom Tradition into our Lives Today.” Free. 843-6812 

Hands-On Bicycle Repair Clinics  

11 a.m. - noon  

Recreational Equipment Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Learn how to adjust your brakes from one of REI’s bike technicians. All you need to bring is your bike, tools are provided. Free. 527-4140 

Monday, Sept. 24

Free Legal Workshop 

6 - 8 p.m. 

Women’s Cancer Resource Center 

3023 Shattuck Ave. 

Find out about the Family Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disability Act, and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. Laws protect you from termination during an experience with cancer or other serious medical condition. 601-4040 x302 

Eastshore State Park Regional Workshop #2 

7 p.m. 

Hs Lordship’s Restaurant 

2nd Floor Georgian Ballroom 

199 Seawall Drive, Berkeley Marina 

The public is being asked for their input and suggestions on the long-term master plan for the development of the new Eastshore State Park (ESP), stretching along the shoreline from the touchdown of the Bay Bridge to Marina Bay in Richmond. www.eastshorestatepark.org 

NOW Meeting 

6:30 - 8 p.m.  

Mama Bears Bookstore & Coffee House  

6536 Telegraph Ave. 

Monthly meeting of the Oakland East Bay Chapter of the National Organization for Women. Nonmembers welcome.  

Free. 549-2970 

Psychology Discussion 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Psychologist Betty Goren will lead a discussion titled “Does Talking Help Get Rid of the Blues.” 644-6107 

Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults Inquiry Program 

7:30 p.m. 

St. Mary Magdalen Parish 

2005 Berryman St. 

A program to learn everything you wanted to know about the Catholic Church but never had the chance to ask. 526-4811 

Affordable Housing Advocacy Project Open Forum 

5:30 - 7 p.m. 

South Branch Public Library 

1901 Russell St. 

Maintain and increase landlords and property management firms participation in the section 8 program, while building a better rapport with all those concerned. 548-8776 

Daily Prayer and Meditation 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

First Congregational Church 

Dana at Durant 

Chapel open for prayer and meditation. 

Tuesday, Sept. 25

Berkeley Housing Authority Monthly Meeting 

6:30 P.M. 

City Council Chambers, 2134 MLK Jr. Way  

549-2970.  

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 525-3565 

Redistricting of Berkeley City Council Districts 

7 p.m. 

2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way 

Public hearing to consider proposals to amend Council District boundaries based on the 2000 census figures. Members of the public are invited to comment on all proposals. 981-7000 www.ci.berkeley.ca.us 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market 

2-7 p.m. 

Derby Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Milvia Street. 

548-3333 

Free Early Music Group 

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Small group sings madrigals and other voice harmony every Tuesday.  

655-8863 

Annual PTA Reception 

6 - 8 p.m. 

Rosa Parks Environmental Science Magnet School 

920 Allston Way 

Multi-Purpose Room 

Reception for the 2001 - 2002 PTA Officers. 644-8764  

Daily Prayer and Meditation 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

First Congregational Church 

Dana at Durant 

Chapel open for prayer and meditation. 

Wednesday, Sept. 26 

A Taste of the World: Cultural Understanding Through Food 

6 - 9 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St. 

Enhance your cooking skills and experience the cuisines of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Morocco and Israel with Chef Daniel Herskovic. All classes are “hands on.” Class includes meal and cooking lesson. $25. Every Wednesday through Nov. 1. 655-8487 

Socratic Circle Discussions 

5 - 6 p.m. 

1309 Solano Ave. 

Cafe Eclectica 

Does your brain need a workout? All ages welcome. 527-2344 

"Nels Nelson: The Early Days of 

Berkeley Archaeology"  

noon 

ARF, 2547 Channing, Room 101 

Brown Bag Lunch Lecture 

After Kent's talk, we'll go to the 2 p.m. court hearing before Judge Richman, Alameda Co. Superior Court to watch Berkeley Asst. City Attorney Zack Cowen defend the landmark designation of the West Berkeley 

Shellmound. The hearing is at the Post Office Building, 201-13th Street, Department 31, 2nd floor, Oakland. The shellmound is being challenged by the propertyowners who filed suit against the City's designation of the mound site. 841-8562 sfbayshellmounds@yahoo.com 

Lions Center for the Blind 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

A representative of this organization will discuss its services. 644-6107 

Prose Writers’ Workshop 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Berkeley/Richmond Jewish Community Center Library 

1414 Walnut St.  

From Op-ed to fiction, memoir to the feature article - a community 

writers' group to support and encourage a community of interests. Workshop format. Free. 524-3034 

Josà Bovà

7:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Adult School 

1222 University Ave. 

Josà Bovà and fellow farmer Francois Dufour will assure us “The world is not for sale.” For them, food is more than fuel; it is sacred relationship, family, love, tradition and well-being. $12. 415-255-7296 x200 

Daily Prayer and Meditation 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

First Congregational Church 

Dana at Durant 

Chapel open for prayer and meditation. 

Thursday, Sept. 27 

Exploring Chile 

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment 

1338 San Pablo Ave. 

Wayne Bernhardson will present slides and provide information about this increasingly popular adventure destination. Free. 527-4140 

Even Stronger Women 

1:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Free weekly cultural discussion class. This week: feminist influence on children. Discussion of Judy Blume’s books for girls. 549-1879 

Café Literario 

7 p.m. 

Public Library West Branch 

1125 University Ave.  

A bilingual reading and discussion series. The book, “Odyssey to the North” by Mario Bencastro, will be discussed. 644-6870 

Daily Prayer and Meditation 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

First Congregational Church 

Dana at Durant 

Chapel open for prayer and meditation. 

Friday, Sept. 28 

Redwood Sequoia Congress 

1606 Bonita Avenue 

Human rights and environmental activists will gather in an annual examination of the human condition and the status of the planet.  

841-1182 

3rd Annual BFD Blood Drive 

8:30 a.m. - 2 :30 p.m. 

Fire Station #2 

2029 Berkeley Way 

In conjunction with the Red Cross, the Berkeley Fire Department is having it’s annual blood drive. Drop in or make an appointment. 981-5599 x4408 

City Commons Club 

12:30 p.m. 

Berkeley City Club 

2315 Durant Ave. 

“Inside North Korea” with Timothy Savage, Senior Planner, East Asian Security, Nautilus Institute. 848-3533 

Autumn Moon Festival 

1:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Presented by the North Berkeley Senior Center’s Chinese Club. Refreshments will include moon cakes. Free. 644-6107  

Daily Prayer and Meditation 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

First Congregational Church 

Dana at Durant 

Chapel open for prayer and meditation. 

Saturday, Sept. 29 

Disaster First Aid 

9 a.m. - noon 

Office of Emergency Services 

997 Cedar St. 

Free classes in Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). 981-5605 www.ci.berkeley.ca.us 

Redwood Sequoia Congress 

1606 Bonita Avenue 

Human rights and environmental activists will gather in an annual examination of the human condition and the status of the planet.  

841-1182 

Get Published Workshop 

noon - 3 p.m. 

Albany Library 

1247 Marin Ave., Edith Stone Room 

Led by writing coach Jill Nagle and will cover query letters, book proposals, finding an agent and more. Preregistration strongly recommended. 415-431-7491 jill@jillnagle.com 

Berkeley Historical Society Walking Tour 

10 a.m. - noon 

Trish Hawthorne knows the Thousands Oaks neighborhood like no one else. Tours are restricted to 30 participants and require pre-paid reservations, $10. 848-0181 www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/histsoc/  

Idealist.org Nonprofit Career Fair 

1 p.m. 

Preservation Park 

MLK Jr. Way and 13th St. 

For individuals interested in employment or internship positions in the nonprofit sector. 212-843-3973 www.idealist.org 

The Crucible’s Open House and Fix-A-Thon Fundraiser 

noon - 6 p.m. 

The Crucible 

1036 Ashby Ave. 

Parking and entrance on Murray St.  

Featuring the faculty performing hands-on demonstrations of the skills and techniques they teach. Try blacksmithing, welding, stone carving, glass enameling, and other stuff. Bring your broken or cracked metal objects and low-tech electric devices in need of repair: furniture, lamps, castings, dull knives, cracked bike frames, etc. The staff will assess the damages and if the items are repairable, they will fix them for a reasonable fee. Free event. 843-5511 www.thecrucible.org 

One day after President George W. Bush ordered aircraft carriers fixed with more than 100 bombers to move within striking distance of Afghanistan, thousands of students converged on the steps of Sproul Hall at UC Berkeley to protest any U.S. military action in response to last week’s terrorist attacks.  

Maryam Gharavi, a third-year English major, greeted the crowd as if at a rock concert asking, “How are you feeling Berkeley?”  

While many in the crowd responded with enthusiastic whoops, at least one student, reacting to the unimaginable tragedy that inspired the rally, yelled “terrible.”  

Eight speakers – students, professors and activists – addressed the crowd. 

Hatem Baziah, a UC Berkeley lecturer, stressed that denouncing terrorism without calling for retaliation isn’t a cowardly act. “Being a patriot doesn’t mean you have to believe in war,” he said to the day’s loudest applause. 

He also denounced recent hate crimes committed in the wake of the attacks. “As Muslims in America, we are not being treated as equal citizens.” 

There were more than 100 counter-protesters who waved American flags, chanted and held signs that read “Remember the WTC,” “Fight Terrorism,” and “Pacifism Breeds Violence.” 

The small but vocal counter-protest group, a mix of College Republicans and College Democrats, showed rare unity in their support for President Bush, and whatever actions he may choose to take. 

Jereme Albin, a senior math student, holding a sign reading, “Barbara Lee doesn’t represent me. Support the U.S.A.” said the protesters were missing the point, that a response to the attacks is the only route to take. 

“The protesters almost give validity in some ways to the countries that have done this. If bombs were falling on Berkeley, they would still be protesting.” 

The most moving speech came from the first speaker, Yes Duffy, a 22 year-old senior. Before he could speak, Duffy was interrupted by the counter protesters who began chanting “U.S.A., U.S.A.” Anti-protesters drowned them out with yells of “Stop the War.” 

When one of the organizers asked for a moment of silence to remember those who lost their lives, the counter protesters became muted. It became apparent that Duffy was speaking because he had a personal connection to the tragedy. 

“I lost my aunt to terrorism,” Duffy told the crowd, all of whom listened in silence as he told how his father’s sister, Renee Newell, had been a flight attendant on the first plane to slam into the World Trade Center. 

“If she were alive today, she would be standing right here with us.” 

After speaking to the crowd, Duffy told reporters it was the first time he had spoken of his aunt since her death, and that he was still experiencing conflicting emotions. 

“I’m not really sure how to deal with all of this.” 

City Councilmember Kriss Worthington, after addressing the crowd, said he chose to appear at the rally to show his support for the victims of the attacks and to call for the prosecution of the perpetrators in an international court of law. 

“Calling them acts of war is giving the criminals more credit than they deserve. They were horrid, wretched criminal acts.” 

Berkeley city police, and campus police officials said no arrests were made and no problems were reported at the rally or march through the city that ensued. It was one of more than 130 protests occurring at universities across the country Thursday as a part of a “National Day of Student Action.” 

The group organizing the protest, the Stop the War Coalition, came into existence only last Tuesday. Rally organizer Hoang Phan, an English graduate student, said the coalition consists of about 300 students from a wide spectrum of groups who came together quickly. At the first meeting last Friday, they decided to organize a response to what Phan calls, “the racist backlash against Arab-Americans, and war hysteria” which followed last week’s attacks.  

After much debate, coalition members agreed on a platform for Thursday’s rally. They would oppose America’s “new” war on terrorism, racist incidents against Arab Americans and other minorities, and the scaling back of any civil liberties that may occur in the wake of last week’s attacks. 

Although protesters disagreed about an appropriate response to last Tuesday’s attack, everyone agreed that the United States should use restraint.  

“We should try and understand what may have motivated” the attacks, Phan said. 

Among the crowd were veterans of several other anti-war movements, including 60’s iconoclast Wavy Gravy, who said the large turnout bodes well for a new anti-war movement. 

“I am nostalgic for the future with these kids.” 

When it became clear that Trestin George was a full contact player playing a non-contact sport, he fled the baseball diamond and found refuge on the gridiron. It took exactly one tackle at age eight for George to realize his passion for football. 

It was while playing a Pop Warner game for the Berkeley Cougars that George first hit an opposing player without suffering the consequences of illegally taking out a middle infielder. 

“When I was younger I played baseball,” George said. “I would run around the bases and push every guy out of the way until I made it home.” 

That’s when his mom thought her son might be better suited for football. 

“One day we lined up to hit and I hit this guy and didn’t get in trouble for it,” George said of his early days in a helmet and pads. “I’ve been in love with football ever since.” 

Now a senior tailback at St. Mary’s, George is a four-year starter for one of the Bay Shore Athletic League’s top teams. Most recently against El Cerrito, George showcased his quickness and power as he carried the ball 23 times for 161 yards and scored three touchdowns to help the Panthers upend the Gauchos 28-27. 

And that could be considered a below-average game for George, who ran for more than 1,300 yards and scored 27 touchdowns in seven outings last season.  

“He’s been a huge part of our program ever since he got here,” St. Mary’s head coach Jay Lawson said. “It’s even more so this year and not just by how he carries the ball, but also by being more of a leader.”  

As a secondary coach during George’s freshman year, Lawson took a chance on the young player, starting him at cornerback on the varsity team midway through the season. 

The gamble paid of in his first game against Richmond, as George intercepted a pass. After playing just five games, the freshman finished the season tied for the team lead with four interceptions. 

During George’s sophomore year, St. Mary’s running back Eddie Smith got knocked out of the lineup with an injury and George stepped in to lead the team’s ground-dominated offense, running for at least 200 yards in five of the last seven games. 

But it’s not just his ability on the field that separates George from other high school running backs. It’s also George’s work ethic and spirited demeanor that gains him the respect of teammates and coaches, Lawson said. Training to be the best is something that the 5-foot-9, 187-pounder takes seriously. 

“If I’m not working out, that guy in Florida is working out and he’s competing for the same scholarship I’m working for,” George said. “I may be watching TV and that guy’s in the weight room.” 

As his mother says, “If you do things people won’t do, you’ll end up doing things people can’t.” 

George began working out regularly with a personal trainer last summer, often escaping to the family’s garage for some late-night exercise. His mother learned to live with weights clanking at midnight and the shower running at 2:30 in the morning. 

“She’s my critic as well as my manager,” George said of his mother. “When I have a bad game she’ll say I need to hit the hole lower. She’s been learning the game the way I have.”  

Recruiters from schools such as the University of Washington and USC, as well as the rest of the Pac-10 Conference, have taken notice of George’s stringent training regimen and impressive on-field performance. George, who was born in Pasadena and moved to Berkeley when he was 5 years old, said he’s leaning toward Washington but his mother’s pushing for USC. “Whatever I decide, she said she’d support me,” he said. 

Between friendly sessions of Playstation, an athlete from a local Pac-10 program attempted to lure George to his school. Cal freshman Lorenzo Alexander, formerly a star lineman for the Panthers, has tried to convince his former teammate to play for the Golden Bears.  

“I tell him I’ll look into it,” George said with a smile.  

Despite George’s dedication to football, the well-rounded student-athlete still manages to save time for his interests off the field. 

“I like to write poems and short stories,” he said. “I like to expand my imagination.” 

When considering which college to attend, George said he’s looking for a program that will let him train for a career in business, possibly marketing or management.  

“Football will take care of itself once I get into college,” he added. 

In addition to anchoring the St. Mary’s football running game, George also competes on the school’s track team and was ranked as high as 10th in the state in the triple jump during his sophomore and junior years, Lawson said. 

But it’s on the football field that George really demonstrates his talent.  

“He runs hard, is extremely explosive and never gives up,” Lawson said. “That kind of attitude carries over to everyone else.”

Fire department should fly flag as sign of unity 

Editor: 

I was born in Berkeley, raised nearby, schooled at Cal and I usually rejoice in showing out of town visitors the wonders, diversity and weirdness of Berkeley. 

I for one, will not shop or dine in Berkeley for a very long time in protest of the Fire Department’s decision to drop the U.S. flag from it’s trucks. This one, little unifying emblem, at a time of horrific violence should be proudly shown by us all. From all political perspectives, period. 

John French 

Albany, CA

Friday, Sept. 21 

Don’t turn tragedy into war 

7 p.m. 

Fellowship of Humanity 

390 27th St., Oakland 

Supporters include the Ecumenical Peace Institute, the American-Arab Anti-discrimination Committee, Global Exchange, the Middle East Children’s Alliance.  

Preaching and pastoral care in a time of terror 

A workshop for clergy of all faith traditions  

9:30 a.m. - 12 noon 

Pacific School of Religion 

Chapel of the Great Commission 

1798 Scenic Ave. 

In a time that presents enormous challenges for those who minister to churches, congregations, synagogues, mosques, parishes and all communities of faith, the faculty of the member schools of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley invite clergy to attend a workshop focused on providing reflection and resources for the work of ministry in times of trial and terror.  

Sunday, Sept. 23 

Peace Walks  

Lake Merritt Neighbors Organized for Peace leads weekly peace walks around Lake Merritt in Oakland every Sunday at 3 p.m. 

People meet at the columns, between Grand and Lakeshore avenues.  

763-8712, lmno4p@yahoo.com

Berkeley High School has turned down a student group’s request to hold a rally next Wednesday in favor of tolerance toward South Asian, Muslim, and Arabic students. 

Principal Frank Lynch said that under equal-access laws, the school might have to approve a rally expressing the opposite viewpoint. 

“If we had a rally which would be a peaceful demonstration along the lines of acceptance and anti-war, we would then be putting ourselves in a position where, if somebody wanted to come in and do a rally about pro-war, then we’d have to let those people onto campus,” he said. “We think in the long run it would create more headaches.” 

Lynch said no pro-war groups had asked to hold a rally. However, he added, “I’m using ‘yet’ as the operative word.” 

Josh Parr, an outreach coordinator at the school’s Student Learning Center who advises the student groups leading an effort to educate Berkeley High students on South Asian, Arabic, and Muslim cultures, criticized the decision, saying the campus had hosted “hundreds” of peace rallies in the past. 

“I don’t think (the decision) was well-thought through,” he said. “When you consider that they let the army come and recruit on campus last year, but then they won’t let the students have a peace rally, it seems there’s a large contradiction.” 

Organizers had somewhat different descriptions of what sort of event they envisioned. Parr termed it a “peace rally and press conference” to coincide with an anticipated City Council proclamation of a “no-hate zone” in Berkeley, while a student active in the effort spoke of Pakistani food, dances, poetry, and a speaker. After hearing of the school administration’s decision, Sarena Chandler, the student director on the school board, said, “We’re not making a political statement against anything, just trying to provide people with information.” 

To that end, Culture and Unity and Youth Together, two student leadership groups formed by students of color, will send small teams about the school Monday and Tuesday to teach tolerance, media savvy, the history of scapegoating in America, and South Asian, Muslim and Arab cultures. 

“This is just a beginning,” said junior Maliyah Coye, a member of one of the groups helping organize the teach-in, Thursday. “I don’t see (these) workshops being ‘it’ on people’s education against ignorance.” 

Lynch called the teach-ins “absolutely wonderful.” 

At Wednesday’s School Board meeting, eight Berkeley High students of South Asian extraction gathered at a small table and, passing around a microphone, described how they and others had been intimidated on and off campus since last week’s terrorist attacks. One told of a female student who had been followed and jeered on her way to school for wearing her hijab, or traditional head scarf. She went home, took it off, and had her father accompany her back to school. The students asked for students who intimidate Muslims to be suspended and for the school to check IDs at the campus entrances.  

Michele Lawrence, the district superintendent, told the students to report any incidents to their counselors. 

“You should not be feeling this alone, and we will be stepping up our vigilance in ID checking,” she said. 

Sarmed Anwar, an 11th grader, said after the meeting that when he broke ahead of the team during cross-country practice one afternoon this week, a man outside the school grounds made a disparaging comment. 

“People from outside who are not even in the school are like, yelling over the fences,” he said. 

The students said they were also concerned by reports and rumors of abuse filtering in from elsewhere in California and around the country. 

“We are scared because of what we have heard from other schools,” said Hira Qureshi, a senior. 

“This shouldn’t happen,” said Deborah Ortiz, a member of the group, “because we’re human beings and we should have the sense to know that those kids need to be left alone.” 

Barbara Lubin, director of the Middle East Children’s Alliance, a Berkeley-based nonprofit organization, said it was common right now for parents to forbid their children from wearing their hejabs. 

“It’s absolutely despicable that young people, Muslim people, have to hide their beliefs and hide what’s really important to them,” she said. “It’s an important part of their belief to cover their heads.” 

Principal Lynch said the school had dealt with “a couple of situations that have occurred to individuals,” which would be handled “as a case-by-case situation.”  

“If kids are taunting, or there’s an assault or something, we’re putting the tag of a hate crime on it,” he said.

Not time for rallies 

Editor: 

One would think the political opportunism could wait (”Protesters rally,” Daily Planet, 9-19-01) until we bury our dead. 

Carol Denney 

Berkeley

Twenty-five current and former employees of Skates by the Bay filed a complaint with the city manager’s office Thursday, charging that their employer has not paid them the salaries due to them under the city’s living wage ordinance. 

The complaint said that Skates, a bayfront restaurant on the Berkeley Marina, has not paid them a living wage, has not provided medical benefits and has not given them paid vacations, as the living wage ordinance requires. 

The action followed a press conference, arranged by the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy, on the steps of City Hall.  

Constance Slider, a cocktail server, and Edwin Gonzaga, Skates’ lead night cook, spoke on behalf of their colleagues, whom they said wished to remain anonymous for fear that Skates’ management would retaliate against them. 

Gonzaga said that while he does earn $15 per hour – above the city’s mandated $9.75 – he was not given paid vacation time. More importantly, he said, most of his crew was earning well under the living wage, and they were too afraid for their jobs to speak out. 

“I’m not doing this because of money,” he said. “I’m here today on behalf of my crewmembers and staff.” 

Slider, who is paid the minimum wage of $6.25 per hour, said that while she, too, worried about her job security, she would not allow her concerns to prevent her from signing the complaint.  

“I’ve never been a person to allow someone to treat me unjustly and not speak up about it,” she said.  

The city’s living wage ordinance was passed in June 2000, and covered most businesses that contract with the city. In September of that year, it was extended to cover companies that leased city-owned land at the Berkeley Marina. 

Skates, which is a subsidiary of Restaurants Unlimited, a Seattle-based chain, protested the so-called Marina Amendment. When the council passed it anyway, Restaurants Unlimited claimed it was unconstitutional and filed suit against the city in federal court. 

The company claims that the Marina Amendment impairs the terms of its lease with the city, because it was introduced after the lease was signed. It also claims that the amendment creates two different “business zones” in the city, and that companies located at the Marina are unfairly penalized. 

“Skates on the Bay has tried every means at their disposal to deny workers a living wage,” said Martha Benitez, an EBASE organizer. 

In their suit against the city, Restaurants Unlimited said that the company was holding the difference between its employees’ actual wage and the living wage in a separate fund until a decision was reached in the case. 

Benitez called the action “illegal.” 

“They’ve received no permission from the city or any judge to do this,” she said. “They’ve just taken upon themselves to be above the law.” 

“They’ve told their employees they’ve got the money in a bank account – but that’s not what the law tells them to do. The law tells them to pay that money to their employees.” 

Zachary Wasserman, Restaurants Unlimited’s attorney, confirmed that the company has not asked the judge hearing the case to suspend Skates’ obligation to pay the living wage while the lawsuit is pending. 

At the press conference, Councilmember Kriss Worthington praised the courage of the Skates’ employees, and said that their action renewed the vitality of the city’s law. 

“The living wage ordinance cannot be a piece of paper sitting in a drawer somewhere,” he said. “The living wage ordinance must have life.” 

Councilmember Linda Maio told the workers that “the City Council is behind (them).” 

After handing the written complaint to Yolanda Lopez of the city manager’s office, a delegation including Benitez, Berkeley Labor Commissioner Wendy Alfsen and Father Bill O’Donnell of St. Joseph the Worker Church, went to Skates and presented the complaint to Mark Turner, Skates’ general manager. 

Benitez said that Turner promised not to retaliate against the workers who filed the complaint, but she said that EBASE would continue to monitor their situation. 

“We are being vigilant to make sure that workers are not harassed,” she said. 

Turner said he could not talk about the workers’ complaint while the lawsuit against the city was pending. Restaurants Unlimited could not be reached for comment. 

Thanks for courageous vote 

The Daily Planet received a copy of this e-mail sent to Rep. Barbara Lee: 

I greatly admire your personal fortitude in voting, as one out of over 400 Representatives, against last week’s resolution invoking the War Powers Resolution of 1973, in response to the abominable and disastrous terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. 

While such resolutions have no force of law as to what the President or Congress may do, any resistance within our federal representation – to a retaliatory response to terrorism that gives indication of perpetrating widespread, indiscriminate extinction of innocent lives or withdrawing basic sustenance to same, in any part of the world, in defiance of justice and in pursuit of vindictiveness – is highly appreciated. The task of stamping out terrorism not directly brandished by sovereign states is one of precise excision based on well-studied information and skillful craft, not one of broad military campaigns. We labeled our national campaign against illicit drugs a “war,” even without a similar resolution. It has not been a success, now after several decades. 

Though nearly all the world wants to wipe out terrorism, hastily formed alliances will soon fall apart under demands of this country to exceed standards of forceful behavior that threaten to evolve to appear nearly as loose as those that would condone the very terrorism under siege. 

Thank you very much for your negative vote on this matter. 

Raymond A. Chamberlin 

Berkeley 

It’s hard to be lite, in these trying and tragic times, but the Berkeley political rumor mill stops for nothing – so let me tell you, in case you’re one of the few who’s missed it, what most everyone in town’s whispering. 

Loni Hancock’s running for Dion Aroner’s Assembly seat.  

At this point, of course, it’s just a rumor, but one almost a dozen local politicos seem to be quite sure of. 

“I understand Loni Hancock is in. I heard it was announced by (Assemblymember) Dion Aroner,” said Mayor Shirley Dean, who’s once again thinking about plunging into the race. (She told this column, some months back, that she wasn’t running.)  

Could it be that Dean doesn’t want to face former assemlymember Tom Bates - Loni’s husband – who’s rumored to be running for mayor? (To be truthful, we heard that rumor from only one source – Jane Brunner, vice mayor of Oakland who’s running for the assembly.) 

The possibility that Loni will run doesn’t faze Oakland attorney and candidate Charles Ramsey, who seems to be well on his way to picking up funds and endorsements for the March primary. To date, he says he’s raised $125,000 and has been endorsed by several pages-worth of folk, including five Richmond City Councilmembers, the entire San Pablo City Council, and three former Berkeley council members. He says he’s a progressive, considered a moderate by many who cling to labels and is the only African American in the race. 

Jane Brunner said she’d heard Hancock was in the running. 

“I welcome Loni to run,” she said. “She will be a serious opponent. We’ll have a good debate.” Asked what issues she felt she could best Hancock on, Brunner, who’s amassed a campaign war chest of $80,000, said the specifics would have to wait for the race to heat up some. 

Brunner, who’s about to move into the district she was redistricted out of, said she thought she’d do well in Lamorinda, having worked as a labor lawyer in Walnut Creek for 10 years. 

Others - not Hancock, who did not return messages – said the former mayor knew Lamorinda well, since the district of her hubby, assemblymember for 18 years, used to include that part of Contra Costa County. 

But Brunner said Lamorindans would see Hancock running in their district as “the old guard coming back.” 

Dean said she’s not married to running a race for the Assembly. She gets calls asking her to run again for mayor. The Assembly race “crosses my mind once every 24 hours,” she said, adding that she has to make up her mind soon. 

She said she would not be afraid to run against the former mayor, who left office in 1994 to take a post in Clinton’s Department of Education. 

“I believe the last time Loni ran for mayor, she won by 85 votes,” Dean said. “I don’t know how short or long the electorate’s memory is.” 

And so, what does this do to the candidacies of Councilmember Kriss Worthington, who announced he was running months ago, and former councilmember Nancy Skinner, who had been mulling over the race. 

Skinner said she’d decided against running for personal reasons, one of them being that she loves her job working internationally against global warming. But she said that, though she had originally opposed term limits, the turnover means there will be a chance for her to run down the line. (A promise, perhaps?) 

Does she support Hancock? “Yes, I suppport Loni,” she said. Comparing her to Brunner, she said Hancock has “far more experience,” having served as city councilmember, mayor and having worked with the Department of Education. 

And Worthington won’t be in the race. He said he’d promised that if the progressives came up with a “concensus” candidate – particularly if it was a woman or a person of color – he would not run. “I am a man of my word,” he said, noting that he was afraid he would disappoint the 1,900 people who had signed on as his supporters. Worthington declined to say who he’d support until the “concensus” candidate formally announces. 

Apparently, the folks that come together to make the consensus are such luminaries as U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, Aroner, Supervisor Keith Carson and, do you think? Tom Bates. They may be crossing t’s and such as you read your Daily Planet today. 

While Carson would not say he endorses Hancock, he said “her entry into the race brings some excitement.”  

How will she play in Lamorinda?  

Given her experience (and I assume her husband’s) “she won’t have to go through a learning curve,” Carson said. “She probably knows the issues that affect people in that part of the district.” 

Will she have a hard time catching up, given that Ramsey and Brunner are already campaigning heavily? “People know her,” Carson said. “There’s already a level of support.” 

Gratitude for courageous vote 

The Daily Planet received a copy of this letter to Rep. Barbara Lee: 

I am writing to express my deepest and most sincere gratitude to you for your courageous and principled vote concerning the course of action that our country should take in the wake of the tragedy our nation suffered on September 11, 2001.  

Your vote may have been the only one registered against ceding the authority of Congress to influence the country’s course of actions and keep in check the activity of the president in regards to his apparent march toward war. But I know that many, many citizens agree with your vote, and would have voted with you, given the chance.  

I am the mother of a five-month-old son, and the events of last Tuesday will forever be seared into my memory. I sat on my living room floor holding my son and crying as I watched with sheer horror the World Trade Centers and Pentagon being engulfed in flames. I looked at my son and said, “I wish you had been born into a world where things like this never happened.” I know I’ll have to explain to him eventually the things that happened that day. I fervently hope that I don’t have to explain how our President chose to ignore the cries and pleading of so many people from his own country and others around the world to avoid starting a war that can only harm more civilians, even though they may not be American. I thought of all the children born on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. Each year that they celebrate a birthday the world will remember the day the world changed in some fundamental way. I think of the children that will be born on the day that President Bush starts a war. The anniversary of that day will be even harder to explain; “This was the day that retribution was sought, that peace was overlooked.” 

Please know that you have the support of so many people in voting your conscience. My husband and I are not California natives, but we are thankful that we lived in a district where our representative voted with her heart and represented all those who chose peace. I also encourage you to pursue the course of action that will bring those responsible for this tragedy to justice in the eyes of the world, according to international law. I will be writing to President Bush to encourage him to do the same.  

I thank you again for your courage on behalf of myself and especially my son.  

Laura Bartels Goldsborough 

Albany

As a youth soccer league kicks off its fall season, the city received more preliminary information that a highly used west Berkeley soccer field has excessive levels of airborne particulate matter that may pose a health risk. 

The city commissioned a $40,000 air study to determine the levels of Particulate Matter 10 at Harrison Field, located at Fifth and Harrison streets. The most recently released test results show particulate matter exceeded state standards seven times from Aug. 1 to Sept. 15. During July, the PM10 levels exceeded state standards nine times. 

The city commissioned the air study because of Harrison Field’s location in the midst of Interstate 80, a waste disposal transfer station and the site of several industrial manufacturing facilities. The field opened in 1999. 

The test results also show particulate matter levels were the highest between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., the same times the Alameda-Contra Costa Soccer League will be holding soccer matches during its fall season. According to a league Web site, 137 games are scheduled at the soccer field between Sept. 8 and Nov. 10, when the season ends. 

The air study results for the early afternoon of Sept. 8, while four soccer games were taking place, showed particulate matter levels were above 150 micrograms per cubic meter or three times the state’s 24-hour standard for PM10. 

The air study, which began in July, is being conducted by Applied Measurement Science. AMS will continue to collect air samples from Harrison Field for nine months so air quality can be measured during a variety of climates and weather conditions. Hazardous Materials Supervisor Nabil Al-Hadithy cautioned it would be unwise to draw conclusions about health risks until the study is completed and the data is analyzed, some time next summer. 

The city’s air study contract with AMS also included measurements of particulate matter 2.5 but equipment problems have delayed the collection of that data for another one to three weeks, according to AMS president Eric Winegar. 

The Bay Area Air Quality Control Management District considers PM2.5 to be a greater health risk than PM10 because the PM2.5 is smaller and capable of embedding deeper in the lung’s membrane. Though the PM2.5 information is not available, Al-Hadithy said it is reasonable to assume high levels of PM10 mean high levels of PM2.5. 

Melanie Marty, chief of Air Toxicology and Epidemiology Section of the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, said there is a growing body of information that shows particulate matter is related to respiratory problems in children, seniors and people who suffer from respiratory illnesses. Marty, who did not see the Harrison Field air study results, said generally high levels of particulate matter is worthy of concern.  

“There are a number of studies that show particulate matter exacerbates asthma and kids have worse asthma symptoms because their air passages are smaller,” she said. “It sounds like the study results is reason for concern, but not panic.” 

Parks and Waterfront Director Lisa Caronna said she had not had a chance to review the recently released study results and said she was not willing to jump to any conclusions until the study has been completed and the data is analyzed.  

“We need to find out what the scope of this thing is,” she said. “We want to see what time of day the levels are the highest and what’s causing it.” 

Caronna said if the numbers are consistently high, the city might “implement warning information, as needed.” 

Alan Fong, Manager of the Albany Berkeley Soccer Club, said the league will be watching the study closely and monitoring children who have respiratory problems. 

Community Environmental Advisory Commissioner L.A. Wood suggested the city require that parents sign a waiver if their children are scheduled to play soccer at Harrison Field. He added that he is anxious to find out the PM2.5 results. 

“If the PM2.5 levels are running as high as the PM10, it becomes a much more serious situation,” he said. “If parents are required to sign a health waiver it will be an excellent device to make sure parents know there may be a risk at the field.” 

For to-date test data from the Harrison Field air study go to www.airmeasurement.com/berkeley.html and for more information about particulate matter 10 go to www.baaqmd.gov/pie/pm10bacm.htm. 

A noontime anti-war rally and march from Sproul Plaza ended at the north side of Eshleman Hall Thursday, where protesters, upset over an editorial cartoon planned to spend the night.  

About 30 people, mostly students, prepared to sleep below the windows of the Daily Californian’s sixth floor offices to protest the printing Tuesday of a cartoon the protesters called “blatantly racist.” 

The protest marks the second time this week the newspaper’s offices have been ground zero for demonstrators. Approximately 150 people occupied the sixth floor Tuesday to demand an apology for the cartoon; 17 were arrested early Wednesday after they refused to leave.  

The cartoon, by syndicated cartoonist and UC Berkeley alumnus Darrin Bell, depicted two middle-eastern men standing in the palm of a large hand in hell, apparently rejoicing at their good fortune for having achieved a massive terrorist attack on the United States. 

About 2,500 people attended Thursday’s “National Student Day of Action” rally on Sproul Plaza. 

The rally was followed by a march that ended at Eshleman Hall, where roughly 500 people remained to show support for the newspapers’ protesters. By evening approximately 30 protesters were preparing to spend the night to keep pressure on the newspaper. 

“Our demands have not changed,” said mechanical engineering graduate student Abdul Zahzah. “Right now they’re merely allowing letters to the editor” in the newspaper. “That’s not enough.” 

Daily Californian Editor in Chief Janny Hu stuck to her earlier refusal to issue an apology. The cartoon was one person’s commentary, she said, and did not constitute an endorsement of racism or hatred. “It goes down to freedom of speech,” she said. “Obviously freedom of speech comes with responsibilities, but we feel (publishing) the cartoon is within that responsibility.” 

Zahzah argued, however, that “Freedom of speech has boundaries. It’s not (about) saying everything you want. The cartoon doesn’t fall into freedom of speech because it incites violence, harassment and hate crimes.” 

The Daily Californian’s website was hacked into Wednesday night, when someone posted a fake apology. 

Police as yet have no suspects. Film and English major Maryam Gharavi, a Stop the War Coalition member, said protesters had nothing to do with the hacking. “This is definitely not endorsed by the coalition,” she said. 

SAN FRANCISCO — Gov. Gray Davis illegally seized an estimated $200 million in energy contracts from Southern California Edison Co. and Pacific Gas & Electric Co., a divided federal appeals court ruled Thursday. 

Invoking constitutionally vested powers, the governor seized the energy contracts in January and February to keep the California Power Exchange from liquidating them. 

The now-defunct exchange, which was the state’s middleman for the buying and selling of electricity, wanted to sell the contracts so it could recoup hundreds of millions the two utilities owed it for previous power buys. 

Now the state is the middleman for the buying and selling of power. The state uses the contracts in question to buy electricity at a set price, and can avoid the high prices it has to pay for power in a fluctuating market. Therefore, the value of the contracts changes with the volatile price of electricity. 

North Carolina-based Duke Energy sued the governor, alleging that Davis illegally took control of the long-term contracts that required the company to deliver energy at a generally cheaper price than the going market rate. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed, ruling 2-1 that Davis did not have the authority to take the contracts because Congress has not granted the states such rights in energy matters. 

“This is great news,” Duke spokesman Tom Williams said Thursday. 

Attorney General Bill Lockyer’s office, which defends the governor in suits, said it was reviewing whether to ask the circuit to reconsider its decision, spokeswoman Sandra Michioku said. 

Among other things, Duke claimed the Power Exchange should have been able to liquidate the contracts so it could repay Duke and other energy concerns the millions in outstanding debt the exchange accumulated as the state’s power buyer. Duke also said it should have been able to sell those contracts to other utilities for perhaps even a greater profit than when they were originally sold to the exchange. 

The Power Exchange’s debt began accumulating when wholesale energy prices started skyrocketing. That is because California law did not allow its utilities to increase consumer rates to keep up, which caused the utilities to default on their payments to the exchange. 

PG&E has since filed for bankruptcy protection, and Edison has said power companies to which it owns billions could force it to do the same. 

The case is Duke v. Davis, 01-55770. 

CINCINNATI — A judge Thursday refused to throw out charges against a white police officer whose fatal shooting of an unarmed black man sparked the city’s April riots. 

Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge Ralph E. Winkler ordered that the trial of Officer Stephen Roach continue. 

Defense lawyer Merlyn Shiverdecker argued that the state failed during three days of testimony to prove that Roach was guilty of negligent homicide and obstructing official business. 

But Prosecutor Steve McIntosh argued that the trial should go on. 

“We cannot conclude that the state failed to meet its burden just because the defendant is a creative storyteller,” he said. 

McIntosh said evidence showed that Roach’s actions in the April 7 shooting of Timothy Thomas, 19, amounted to criminal neglect, and that the state demonstrated that Roach hindered the police investigation by telling different stories to officers. 

The rioting, which lasted three nights, was the city’s worst racial violence since the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in 1968. A citywide curfew was ordered, dozens of people were injured and more than 800 were arrested. 

The judge is hearing the case without a jury. With his ruling Thursday, the trial shifted to defense testimony. Shiverdecker has declined to say if Roach will be called as a witness. If convicted of both charges, Roach faces up to nine months in jail. 

Roach shot Thomas after chasing him down a dark alley with other police officers. Thomas was wanted on 14 charges, including traffic offenses and fleeing from police to avoid arrest. 

Thursday afternoon, William Lewinski, who has studied the stresses on police involved in shootings, testified that many officers report distorted vision or hearing. Others say time seemed to slow down or speed up. 

Officers often react instinctively, Lewinski testified, which could explain Roach’s initial statement to other officers, within minutes of the shooting, that his police revolver “just went off.” 

“The decision to shoot is a reactive decision,” Lewinski said. “What happened to officer Roach is, he made the most serious mistake of his life and he doesn’t know why he did it.” 

Homicide investigators testified Wednesday that they doubted Roach’s initial explanation of the shooting and called him back for a second interview. 

Investigator Charles Beaver testified that evidence found at the scene and on a police cruiser videotape contradicted statements Roach made about five hours after the shooting. 

“Our conclusion was that he realized that he had made a mistake and was trying to justify his actions,” Beaver told Winkler. 

Prosecutors contend that Roach violated several police procedures and should have tried other means of stopping Thomas before shooting him. Roach said his gun discharged accidentally. 

Roach, 27, has been suspended without pay. 

MONTEBELLO — For Balbir Singh Sahni, Thursday was a bittersweet day, one in which the native of India became a U.S. citizen and had to go shopping for new tires to replace the ones vandals had slashed. 

“It’s been a little frustrating,” the Sikh businessman, wearing a beige turban and matching suit, said minutes after he and 903 others took the oath of citizenship. “Unfortunately my son’s car at school had all four of its tires slashed, and I’m going to have to take care of that later today.” 

His 17-year-old son likely fell victim to misplaced retaliation for the terrorism that struck the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon last week, Sahni said. 

His wife, Loveleen, called on the U.S. media to tell the world that Sikhs are not connected to the attackers, who are believed to be Islamic fundamentalists. 

“They are a peaceful, religious sect originally from India,” she said of Sikhs, whose male members wear turbans and flowing beards that look similar to those of Muslim clerics. 

She and her husband were among an estimated 2,710 people from 100 countries who crowded onto the Montebello Municipal Golf course in this suburb just east of Los Angeles to be sworn in as citizens during three separate ceremonies. 

The events filled the golf course’s cavernous Quiet Cannon Banquet Facility to capacity, with proud relatives lining the walls to cheer and hand flowers to the newly initiated, who waved small American flags. 

Whoops of joy went up as U.S. District Judge Jennifer Lum told one group: “Ladies and gentlemen, congratulations, you have taken the oath and you are now American citizens.” 

The judge made just one reference to the attacks. 

“After the tragic events of last week it is clear that the importance of these liberties and these opportunities cannot be doubted and cannot be taken for granted,” she said. “We must do everything we can to uphold, defend and respect these freedoms.” 

Among those in the crowd were some touched personally by the tragedy. 

“I have a cousin in New York City who is missing,” said Arif Ullarthan, who came to the United States from Pakistan in 1985. 

“He was in the World Trade Center for a job interview and now he’s missing. He’s missing, that’s all we know,” added the Muslim businessman who runs an International House of Pancakes restaurant in Inglewood. 

“This is not what our people believe in, this is an act of war,” he said. 

Still, the somber events couldn’t completely subdue the joy of many who had waited 10 years or more for this moment. 

“I’m very grateful,” said an exuberant Jagdeep Singh, who arrived from India in 1987. 

“I came for freedom. For freedom of religion, for a better standard of living, for a better life for my kids,” added the 33-year-old father of two who was sworn in wearing his red turban and blue-and-white USA T-shirt. 

“America’s the best,” he shouted afterward. “You better believe it.” 

Six steel columns in the lobby and atrium and cross-braced skylights look more like a new installation piece at the Berkeley Art Museum than the result of the initial phase of the museum’s ongoing retrofit project. 

The museum celebrated its reopening to the public by opening four new exhibitions in one week. 

The first of the fall shows features a 10-piece exhibition by sculptor Martin Puryear who was recently profiled in Time Magazine’s series, “America’s Best.” In addition to four wire-mesh and tar pieces there are a selection of sculptures that incorporate weaving, wrapping, tying and laminating wood into abstract shapes that are elegant, dramatic and thought provoking.  

One of the most striking pieces, “Ladder for Booker T. Washington” made from two ash trees, climbs skyward 36 feet, with a width of two feet at the base, narrowing to two inches at the top.  

Sharing the inauguration of the fall season is the first retrospective exhibition by conceptual artist and Berkeley alumna Theresa Hak Kyung Cha (1951-1982). In the show, “The Dream of the Audience,” themes of language, memory and cultural heritage are explored. 

Primarily a performance artist, Cha’s body of work includes film, video, ‘mail art’ and books. The viewer is invited to page through her books online at a computer placed in a corner of one of the two galleries displaying her works. 

“Exilee,” Cha’s 1980 installation described as a “poetic fusion of film and video evoking memory and language” will be shown monthly at the Pacific Film Archive Theater in conjunction with the exhibit.  

The third and fourth exhibits are part of the museum’s program for new and experimental art. Ceal Floyer’s MATRIX 192 / 37’4” and Jessica Bronson’s MATRIX 194 / “heaps, layers and curls,” are site-specific works created for the fall reopening. 

Bronson’s video installation was commissioned for the MATRIX program. Her three-screened work projects the image of digitally altered clouds backed with a sound track. The large screens, set at angles to each other, create an environmental experience for the viewer who is surrounded and dwarfed by the shapes and images of the clouds on the textured screens.  

Ceal Foyer’s installation, MATRIX 192 / 37’4” is her first solo museum exhibit in North America. According to the museum her work has been described as “good old-fashioned Conceptual Art with a late-90’s attitude.”  

In addition to these four exhibits, three smaller shows round out the initial fall premiere: “Hans Hofmann - Real/Life,” “Figure Painting in the Qing Dynasty” and “Fast Forward - Our Growing Collection.”  

Many of the exhibits have speakers’ series, featuring talks with the artists and the curator of the exhibit. Also, patrons may request a special appointment to study the works of an individual artist.  

By the end of the year the retrofitting will be complete and the museum will have added two more exhibits and opened the entire building to the public, including the garden café. Outdoors, the steel braces that are being planted in the garden area and fixed to the exterior of the building will be integrated into the environment. 

Working closely with the structural engineers on the project, deputy director of publicity and marketing for the museum, Dr. Rod Macneil, said they were very accommodating to the daily operations of the museum. As an educational facility, maximum access to the collection of over 13,000 objects during the renovation was a major consideration. To keep the works onsite, Gallery 6 was converted to a storage area relieving concerns about security, climate and dust control. 

The retrofit project is scheduled for completion by January 2002 when the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive plan to host a grand reopening celebration. 

What colors make you happy? Which ones help you relax after a busy day? The colors you choose to decorate with really do influence your emotions. 

To stimulate conversation when guests visit, for example, choose active colors such as red, yellow and orange, which inspire camaraderie and an upbeat attitude. 

Colors play off your mood in three basic ways — active, passive and neutral. These are important factors when choosing colors for various rooms and how you plan to use those rooms in your home. 

Accents of red can greet guests in an entry or add a cozy touch to a den. Yellows, good for home offices and kitchens, can inspire creativity. 

Need a room to rejuvenate your soul? Passive colors, such as blue, green and purple, help pacify and restore. They work well in bedrooms or restful sitting rooms. If, however, your home is in a cold climate, the cool colors might be too “chilly,” so you might want to add some visual warmth with sunny accents to spark your spirit. 

Neutral colors, such as beige, gray, white and taupe, help bridge other colors and rooms. Dark neutrals tone down other colors, while crisp white intensifies them. 

What power do various colors have in home decorating? Their strength might surprise you. Some clues: 

—Pink: soothes; promotes affability and affection. 

—Yellow: expands the space, cheers your spirit; increases energy. 

—Black: disciplines, authorizes, strengthens what’s around it; encourages independence. 

—White: purifies, energizes, unifies; in combination, makes all other colors stronger. 

—Orange: cheers, commands; stimulates appetites and conversation. 

—Red: empowers, stimulates, dramatizes; symbolizes passion. 

—Green: balances, normalizes, refreshes; encourages emotional growth. 

—Purple: comforts, spiritualizes; creates mystery and draws out intuition. 

—Blue: relaxes, refreshes, cools; produces tranquil feelings and peaceful moods. 

Don’t be shy about playing with color. Choosing compatible colors is as easy as taking a look at the color wheel. It’s a cinch when you choose similar or analogous colors, those located side-by-side on the color wheel. Simply choose a favorite color as your main one, then look on either side of it for accent colors. 

For choosing high-energy schemes, consider complementary colors, hues opposite each other on the color wheel. Red and green, blue and orange, and yellow and purple are examples. In these schemes, warm and cool hues play off each other for interesting results. 

SAN FRANCISCO — California regulators fined local phone service giant Pacific Bell nearly $25.6 million Thursday for allegedly marketing products to customers in a deceptive manner. 

In a 3-2 vote at the Public Utilities Commission’s meeting Thursday, the PUC ordered the company to first help customers with their service requests before trying to sell them new services and products. 

While commissioners praised workers for their “excellent customer service,” they did not hold back criticizing the company’s marketing strategies. 

“Pacific Bell turned customer service representatives into sales agents,” said PUC Commissioner Carl Wood. 

Pac Bell spokesman John Britton said the company followed commission rules, and plans to challenge the PUC’s decision. 

“We will fight on every front to overturn this unjust decision,” Britton said. “It’s a ruling that’s anti-consumer, anti-labor and anti-business.” 

Britton said the order restricts customer service workers from earning more than 5 percent commission for sales they make, which violates Pac Bell’s collective bargaining agreement with its employees. 

“You have to ask yourself whether this harms California’s economy,” Britton said. “You have to think twice about growing and investing in such an arbitrary regulatory environment. We followed every rule.” 

Though commissioners disagreed on the size of the fine, all said Pac Bell needed to change how it interacts with its more than 10 million customers. 

When describing service options to customers, Pac Bell now must begin with the least-expensive choice, rather than offering the most-expensive choice first. 

Pac Bell also must tell tenants that landlords are responsible for indoor wire maintenance. The phone company had marketed a wire maintenance package to tenants, even though landlords are required by state law to maintain internal infrastructure. Britton said Pac Bell discontinued such practices years ago. 

“Clearly, millions of customers were affected by these practices and do not have the option of switching to another provider,” Wood said. 

Alisha DaVault, a Pac Bell business services representative, said the company only was trying to show customers all of the service options. 

“I think a lot of the things (PUC commissioners) have said have been blown out of proportion,” DaVault said. 

Pacific Bell is a unit of San Antonio-based SBC Communications. SBC operates in 13 states and is the nation’s second-largest local phone company. 

Only blowing off steam 

Editor: 

I might be a little more impressed by the "pro-war rally" on the University of California at Berkeley campus if it had ended at the recruiting office instead of looking like a bunch of football fans blowing off steam during half-time. The participants must have returned to their safe and privileged lifestyles afterwards feeling oh-so-good about themselves for having flapped that flag around for a few minutes. 

Patriotism used to be called the last refuge of scoundrels. Now it appears to be the first.  

Steve Wagner 

Oakland

WASHINGTON — The Forest Service is proposing to give its local managers more discretion to skip environmental analysis and public input for small logging and road-building projects in some of the most pristine areas of the national forests. 

The agency is seeking public input on the proposal, which environmentalists say is further indication of the Bush administration’s desire to roll back the Clinton-era “roadless rule” banning logging and road building on a third of national forest lands. 

“The Forest Service is changing the rules so that it doesn’t have to do the environmental reviews” in some cases, said Mike Anderson, senior research analyst with the Wilderness Society. “There are a number of forest activists that are quite alarmed about it.” 

Rhey Solomon, the Forest Service’s assistant director for ecosystem management coordination, acknowledged the way the proposal is written gives some environmentalists cause to be upset. 

“I would be the first to say that using the words we have used now, there may be some significant concerns,” he said. 

Solomon said the intent was to clarify conflicting court decisions to allow some limited projects in sensitive areas — such as installing a rain gauge or collecting mushrooms — to go forward without lengthy review. 

However, as written, the proposal also could give Forest Service officials discretion to decide on a case-by-case basis whether analysis or public comment are needed before allowing small timber sales, limited road construction, certain mining projects, off-road vehicle trails and other development in environmentally sensitive areas. 

“It has some bad implications for roadless area protection,” Anderson said. “What is going on is the Forest Service is making it easier for managers to do management activities in roadless areas and other environmentally sensitive areas by giving them greater discretion.” 

Roadless areas have been a controversial issue for the Bush administration, which promised revisions to the roadless rule in May, arguing that all local interests hadn’t provided input before Clinton adopted the rule just before leaving office. The administration officially reopened debate on the issue in July, asking the public 10 questions about the policy. The responses still are under evaluation. 

A timber industry representative was hoping that the latest proposal would lead to faster decision-making, particularly on projects to remove trees from dense forests to reduce wildfire risks, called thinning. 

“You’ve got to look at the consequences of not doing something, and those may be greater than the consequences of doing ... something minor,” said Chris West, vice president of the American Forest Resource Council. “That’s how the assessment needs to be done, especially in times where we’ve got so many areas at risk for catastrophic wildfire.” 

The Forest Service made the proposal in the Sept. 20 Federal Register. It is seeking public input until Nov. 19. 

Maio’s dismissal of Craig correct 

Editor: 

I have read your recent articles about the dismissal of Karen Craig from the commission on disability. I have been living and working in Berkeley for the past seven years. I would like to take this opportunity to give praise to Councilmember Linda Maio for her actions around Karen. I have participated in many meetings and discussions with Karen both on the commission and around disability issues which were both related and unrelated to EDI. I have witnessed inappropriate conduct where Karen persists with her own agenda and cannot open her mind to other ideas or speak in a professional way about matters concerning the entire disability community. 

I liked Karen and her persistence about making Berkeley more accessible to all residence with disabilities. However, I cannot condone the outlandish way she speaks to both other commissioners as well as city staff. It takes a lot for a councilwoman in the city of Berkeley to differentiate between someone with a disability who sits on a commission because of their disability and someone who is professional enough to carry out the mission of responding and acting for the entire community and not just for personal gain.  

I believe that Karen has served her time and done the community a lot of good. But, like most good things, it must end eventually. I wish that people will let Karen keep doing her brilliant activism and let the new commissioner, Bob Allamand show his new perspectives and carry on with the rest of the commissioners to keep leading the country in the large disability community which Berkeley is so lucky to have.  

I commend Karen for all of the progressive work she has done and I also commend Linda Maio for taking a stand and knowing when it is time for change.  

I sincerely hope that commissioners do not let this delay the work that lies ahead for the commission as well as the entire Berkeley disability community. Thank you for your time. 

Nicholas W. Feldman 

Berkeley 

Tuesday evening, the City Council unanimously passed a resolution commending Rep. Barbara Lee for her “wise and courageous vote in opposition to authorizing President Bush to wage war on terrorism.” It also unanimously passed a resolution establishing Berkeley as a Hate Free Zone, which means the city will support the efforts of local organization to eliminate racism, discrimination and actions of hate against people of Arabic descent and the Muslim faith. 

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California’s attorney general filed a $179.4 million claim Monday in the bankruptcy of Pacific Gas and Electric Co., for power the state bought for PG&E customers. 

Other state claims estimated to top $230 million for items such as unpaid taxes and pollution cleanup will be filed by the Oct. 3 deadline, said Attorney General Bill Lockyer. 

Lockyer had earlier advised state agencies not to file any claims in the bankruptcy because it could jeopardize the state’s sovereign immunity, the state’s right not to be sued in federal court. But since the judge had set a deadline for claims, the state had to file or risk not being included in the bankruptcy settlement. 

“In seeking to recover money owed by PG&E, the state of California is limiting its waiver of sovereign immunity as to these claims only,” Lockyer said. 

Lockyer said his office was examining PG&E’s reorganization plan “because of serious concerns that the utility is seeking to evade further scrutiny” from state regulators. 

The first state claim covers electricity purchased by the Department of Water Resources from April 6 to May 31 for PG&E customers. 

The state has been buying power on behalf of PG&E, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric Co., since January when generators, alarmed that the utilities had amassed billions in debts, refused to sell electricity to the companies. 

PG&E filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April. State lawmakers and Gov. Gray Davis have been trying to craft a deal for Edison that would prevent that utility from following PG&E into bankruptcy. 

The Daily Planet received this letter addressed to Pres. Atkinson of the University of California and Chancellor Berdahl of UC Berkeley: 

Worsening recruitment and retention problems!!!! Our Librarian's office just reported a 37 percent turnover in library staff last year.  

Offering library assistants an atrociously small insulting 0.9 percent and no merits will cause EVEN MORE serious consequences and losses. UC knows staff salaries and merits have become a TOP priority, but do UC bargaining team??!  

Norah Foster 

Berkeley

It was neither a malevolent plot of one who hates the IRS nor some communist conspiracy. 

Standing beneath an American flag affixed to a blazing red engine Friday afternoon, City Manager Weldon Rucker, Fire Chief Reg Garcia and Berkeley Firefighters Association President Rick Guzman, issued a public apology for the confusion over the removal of the stars and stripes from the city’s fire trucks. 

The reason top brass in the department called for the couple-of-hour removal of the flags from the vehicles Thursday was for the firefighters’ own safety, they said, explaining that critical information hadn’t been passed on to the rank and file who had mounted the flags in memory of comrades lost in the aftermath of the World Trade Center. 

Firefighters called the press anonymously when the flags were removed. The incident was blown out of proportion, speakers said. 

City Manager Rucker was anxious for the Bay Area press, assembled in front of Fire House No. 2 on Berkeley Way, to understand that the removal was not a political statement: “We believe we were one of the first to lower our flags” after the tragedy on Sept. 11, he said. 

“The Berkeley Fire Department has been proudly flying the American flag on all our vehicles since the tragedy,” Garcia added. “We have a profound sense of loss and grief for all of those killed in the tragedy.” 

Top brass hadn’t told firefighters clearly that the stars and stripes were to be removed only during the duration of a demonstration at UC Berkeley on Thursday, for fear that the protesters would try to destroy the Union Jack. 

There was a flag burned during a demonstration the previous week, Guzman said, explaining that the flag burned belonged to the protester. In previous years, however, “we have had rocks and bottles thrown at the engines,” Guzman said. The conclusion was that the flags might become an attractive target for angry demonstrators. 

“We try to avoid confrontations,” Guzman said. 

“It was never our intent to infringe on anyone’s First Amendment rights,” Garcia said. 

“It was blown way out of proportion,” Guzman said emphatically.

We ought not become terrorists ourselves  

Editor: 

I have been in a state of shock since the acts of terrorism in NYC and DC. Unable to work, I have spent my time trying to collect my thoughts.  

Naturally, we must first protect our country against future attacks, and find the people responsible for this atrocity. In doing so, we must guard against becoming terrorists ourselves by indiscriminately bombing innocent people. The rest of the world would see this act of aggression as an unjustified immoral crime against humanity. This great nation’s basic principals of freedom must be protected as well. 

Turning the other cheek is not an option. But I am asking that everyone step back and think before proceeding. Think about exactly who is to blame, why this has happened, when it started, and what could be done to end it peacefully.  

In 500 B.C., the Chinese sage Sun Tzu wrote “there is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare.” He also wrote that the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy “without any fighting.” Revenge will never bring back the dead or reassemble the buildings. It would only harm us, and environment. 

There are reasons for the actions of the two worlds; us and those we’ve labeled as terrorists. We each see our stance as justified by the actions of the other. Since a multitude of historic events clearly illustrate that violence solves nothing, we need a new way of dealing with this conflict.  

If we could see the view of the others, to view the world from the perspective of those that we now view as the enemy, we would be doing a very big thing. We would be making an investment in a true and lasting peace, and steering humanity in the right direction for a change. 

While understanding may seem to be more difficult than dropping millions of tons of bombs on whoever is responsible. In the long run, a war would create a horrible legacy for many future generations to deal with, as we have had to deal with those of the past.  

One such recent example is the largescale destruction of Vietnam’s forests with Agent Orange, which did not accomplish its intended goal of stopping the enemy. Quite the contrary, it poisoned millions of people and acres of both sides of the conflict with dioxin, an extremely long-lasting and toxic chemical. Its cancers, genetic damage, and suffering have been and will be passed on to the future generations of all affected, without regard to which side they were on. 

Without understanding, there can be no peace and many lives will be lost on both sides. Many would be of people that just want peace. We who want peace through understanding must be louder than the drums of war.  

The most vocal are the warmongers, making orders and pushing buttons from secure military bases. But why would they make such bold statements? Could it be they will profit immensely on investments in oil and implements of destruction? Could it be for political reasons? Historically, these have been among the key reasons for wars. 

There is no amount bombing that will accomplish what is intended by terrorists or those seeking revenge. There is too much at stake to ignore the power of peace and understanding.  

Paul Goettlich 

Berkeley 

Editor: 

The government wants to bail out the airlines with the taxes of travel agents whom the airlines are putting out of business. This just after a crisis where travel agents were the only ones helping stranded passengers all over the world. 

Terrence M Regan, CTC 

President Northside Travel 

Berkeley 

Despite the uproar over the Berkeley Fire Department’s decision to remove U.S. flags from its trucks prior to a UC Berkeley anti-war demonstration Thursday, the protest was peaceful and rigs were not deployed to the campus. Officials who had been concerned that peace demonstrators might take down or destroy the flags said miscommunication to the press had overblown the issue.  

Assistant Fire Chief David Orth said the problem was the size of the flags in question. Large flagpole-sized flags, attached to the trucks after last week’s terrorist attacks, “presented a hazard,” he said. Orth confirmed the department is looking for smaller flags of a “reasonable size” for the trucks.  

Mayor Shirley Dean expressed her opposition to the decision to remove the flags in a statement released Thursday. “Our country, its citizens, and its constitution have been attacked. This is a time when our firefighters need to be able to express their respect for the firefighters who gave their lives in New York,” it read. 

City Councilmember Kriss Worthington was also outraged about the department’s decision. “It’s sending the wrong message for people mourning and in a state of grief,” he said. “The possibility of protesters destroying the flag, he said, “is no reason for them not to display the sympathy for thousands of people who have died.” 

Worthington wore a stars-and-stripes necktie to the UC protest. Earlier in the day, he and Councilmember Linda Maio – both known as progressives – sent a request to the city manager asking him to override the department’s decision.  

“We had some experience during the Gulf War where people hopped up on the rigs to take the big flags down, and that puts firefighters at a disadvantage,” said Stephanie Lopez, spokesperson in the city manager’s office. “We’re looking for a smaller flag that could go on the rigs.” 

Barbara Wittstock, a resident of North Berkeley, marched into the city manager’s office to complain. “If 300 firemen and police officers have given their lives to rescue people, there’s no reason why they can’t exhibit any size flag under any circumstances,” she told the receptionist. “They ought to be wearing two flags, not one.” 

Wittstock said she was frustrated with “radical fanatics” in Berkeley, and suggested jailing those who would attack the flag on a fire truck. 

Orth said that an unidentified employee of the fire department had called the press anonymously Wednesday to complain about the decision to remove the flags. The employee was probably upset, Orth said, “because of stress and the patriotic fever we all feel.” But now, he said, the firefighters understand the decision was designed to ensure they could do their job safely rather than having to “protect the flag while doing a rescue.” 

At past demonstrations, the Berkeley Fire Department has put out fires set by demonstrators or intervened in medical emergencies. The department readied four extra companies for Thursday’s protest, said Assistant Chief Michael Migliore. But no rigs were dispatched. 

Anti-war protesters at Thursday’s rally, said they didn’t think anyone would attack the flag, even if the rigs were present. “It’s not a likely scenario,” said Shoshana Weiner, a health educator who lives in Berkeley. “Most people who are here are here because they believe that peaceful democratic action is more effective and meaningful than violence.” 

“Even though personally I object to the flag as a symbol of the U.S. empire, I doubt there is danger that people would rip down flags,” said Aaron Aarons, a retired Berkeley resident. 

But Kelly Nordli of the Berkeley College Republicans had another view. 

“Of course it’s likely,” he said, describing himself as a “counter-protester.” No one attacked the numerous U.S. flags his group was carrying.