Mideast conflict shows up on UC campus
The Berkeley Daily Planet received this letter addressed to City of Berkeley Project Manager Carmella Rejan, as well as Berkeley taxpayers. -more-
Berkeley Video and Film Festival showcases two Berkeley artists during its 37-film run -more-
Jason Han glided across the floor with a series of fast round-house kicks delivered so powerfully that the UC Berkeley martial arts studio echoed with each blow. -more-
In early October George Lakoff began to receive hate mail. The correspondences followed a Wall Street Journal op-ed piece, which quoted the UC Berkeley linguistics professor as an illustration of the “imbecility” with which university professors responded to the Sept. 11 attacks and the aftermath. -more-
Cal soph holds marks in both 100- and 200- meter backstroke -more-
While the number of new AIDS cases are down in Alameda County, two Berkeley clinics are among those still fighting a pitched battle to suppress the deadly disease, which continues to increase in the county’s most vulnerable communities. -more-
The United States Soccer Federation announced this week that Cal freshman Troy Roberts has been selected to participate in the Under-20 National Team Training Camp to be held January 2-12 in Chula Vista. -more-
Editor: -more-
If all goes according to plan, the next Tom Brokaw may emerge from Washington Communications and Technology Magnet School. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — A state appeals court on Thursday limited the defenses available to California employers whose managers are accused of sexual harassment in the workplace. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — Contra Costa County government was cleared Thursday in a federal suit accusing it of discriminating against women- and minority-owned businesses in awarding contracts. -more-
A rally against the pharmaceutical industry will be held today at noon. -more-
Along with free and anonymous HIV testing on Saturday, the Berkeley Free Clinic will also offer free testing for the rising scourge of Hepatitis A, B and C. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — Elections officials spent Thursday counting 240 ballots found more than three weeks after Election Day, another in a string of embarrassments that has infuriated some city leaders. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — Police have arrested two San Francisco men in the slaying of state Sen. Bruce McPherson’s son. -more-
PASADENA — Recent photographs from NASA’s Galileo spacecraft provide supporting evidence to the theory that Callisto, Jupiter’s outermost moon, may hold an underground ocean, scientists said Thursday. -more-
SAN RAFAEL — A serial rapist who was the first man to successfully complete the state’s sexually violent predator treatment program will be released Saturday unless state officials can come up with new evidence to keep him locked up. -more-
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gray Davis said Thursday that he supports placing a $10 billion to $12 billion school bond measure before voters next year. -more-
ONTARIO — A man who says he uses marijuana for medicinal purposes received $5,525 from his insurance company after arguing that the backyard crop police ripped up was covered by his homeowner’s policy. -more-
Putting up holiday decorations is fun. Taking them down is not. -more-
It’s special to bring out treasured holiday decorations each year, but it’s also fun to have family members cooperate on some new ones to add to the mix. Besides lending a holiday look to a home, it adds to the festive spirit of those living there. Pine cone parade -more-
What do an oak door, walnut mantle and a cherry rocker have in common? -more-
Muck has some bad connotations, but it’s really wonderful stuff. Plant roots revel in this fluffy material, and the result is dazzling flowers, luscious fruits and cushiony, green lawns. Other words for muck are “humus” and “organic matter.” Compost is a kind of muck. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — Just months ago, Enron Corp.’s dominance of the nation’s energy markets prompted California Gov. Gray Davis to accuse the company of profiteering and holding his state hostage with high prices. -more-
LOS ANGELES — Last year, hundreds of immigrant janitors marched through the streets with raised fists chanting “si se puede!” – yes, it can be done – after winning raises from employers. -more-
NEW YORK — A new survey suggests that the Internet is not cutting into the time people spend with their friends and families. Rather, it’s cutting into their time for television. -more-
PORTLAND, Ore. — After swelling the ranks of Oregon high-tech manufacturing and helping shift the state economy from its dependence on timber to a new base in computer chips, Fujitsu announced Thursday it will close its only U.S. semiconductor plant and lay off 670 workers. -more-
Storm plods across Mississippi Valley after leaving snow on Plains -more-
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The FBI severely underestimates the number of crimes of bigotry and racism, from petty vandalism to murder, a report released Thursday says. -more-
NEW YORK (AP) — More than 50 AT&T Corp. employees or former employees in nine states have filed complaints against the company alleging discrimination based on race, gender, disability or national origin. -more-
The rhythms of Afro-Cuban dance, the history of the Brazilian slave trade and the finer points of big sisterhood – these are just some of the lessons Elisabeth Newton, 13, a freshman at Berkeley High School, is learning through her World Arts and Movement Class at Common Ground, a school-within-a-school at BHS, which focuses on social justice and multi-culturalism. -more-
Cal has depended on freshman Jamal Sampson to score points so far this young season, but on Wednesday night the Bears got the points they needed from some old heads. -more-
21 Grand Nov. 29: 9 p.m., Lemon Lime Lights, Hillside, Moe! Staiano, $6; Nov. 30: 9 p.m., Fred Frith, Damon Smith, Marco Eneidi, Sabu Toyozumi Ensemble, Phillip Greenlief, $10; Dec. 1: 9 p.m., Toychestra, Rosin Coven, Darling Freakhead, $6; All ages. 21 Grand Ave., Oakland. 444-7263 -more-
Three people were among those attending the orientation workshop at the Berkeley WorkSource One Stop Career Center Wednesday morning: one holds a doctorate in history, another is homeless and a third has worked as a computer assistant. This is the face of unemployment in Berkeley and it’s not going to change soon. -more-
The Cal women’s basketball team squandered a big lead but recovered to defeat Fresno State, 62-55, Wednesday night at Haas Pavilion. -more-
Editor: -more-
Before a vocal audience Tuesday, the City Council scrapped a controversial, seven-week-old redistricting ordinance and decided to start the contentious process from scratch. -more-
St. Mary’s senior Danielle Stokes committed to run track for Cal State Northridge this week, according to her high school coach. -more-
Officials at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory announced Wednesday that lab researchers are working on three projects that could strengthen homeland security and help combat terrorist activities. -more-
EAST MEADOW, NY - Cal’s Natalie Coughlin, the 2001 Pac-10 and NCAA Swimmer of the Year, added another accolade to her outstanding career Tuesday at the FINA World Cup in East Meadow, NY. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — They were walking corpses, the once-beautiful men who dragged themselves to pray at the Metropolitan Community Church each Sunday. Too sick to sit, many would drape their gaunt, lesion-covered bodies across the pews. -more-
Spencer Dornin was among five Golden Bears receiving All-MPSF honors this week. The senior two-meter man from Laguna Beach was named to the All-Conference First Team. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — Police arrested two AIDS activists Wednesday for allegedly stalking and threatening newspaper reporters and Public Health Department workers. -more-
SACRAMENTO — A coalition attacking suburban sprawl and urban disinvestment rallied Wednesday around a bill aiming to curb both by making cities share sales taxes. -more-
ROSEVILLE — The nation’s preoccupation with security after this fall’s terrorist attacks could help revive the hard-hit high technology industry, experts from top tech firms said Wednesday. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — A bitter battle between the creditors and business partners of bankrupt ExciteAtHome threatens to unplug the cable network’s high-speed Internet service for 4.2 million subscribers as early as Friday, depending on the outcome of a pivotal court hearing. -more-
In early October, Keith “Kiki” Bell, a junior at Berkeley High School, found out that two of his friends are HIV positive. The news was devastating. -more-
In a rematch of last year’s hard-fought Northern California Regional championship game, the Berkeley Yellowjackets used their inside power to beat Oakland, 64-50. -more-
MUSIC
UC Berkeley student Andy Katz, perhaps the first student ever appointed to the Zoning Adjustments Board, took a seat on one of the city’s most influential governing bodies Monday. -more-
OAKLAND – Tuesday’s pre-trial hearing in federal court for brothers Vijay and Prasad Lakireddy centered on one disputed point: does the defense have the right to subpoena documents that would show how much time a certain translator/ interviewer spent with the witnesses to the Lakireddys’ alleged misdeeds? -more-
The Daily Planet received the following letter to the president. (Spelling has not been edited.) -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — An investment real estate agent accused of bilking more than $20 million from four Bay Area banks has been sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison by a judge in Israel. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — A 20-year-old San Bernardino man has been arrested and charged with threatening three people by sending them letters he claimed were laced with anthrax. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — Now may be the time to buy for those who have always wanted to own a house in the San Francisco Bay area. The cost of mid-priced homes fell in October to less than a year earlier, marking the first time since 1995, but that trend didn’t hold true in Southern California, a real estate firm reported. -more-
MARTINEZ — A trio accused of killing five people, including the daughter of blues guitarist Elvin Bishop, wanted to bring truth to the world through a self-awareness program, prosecutors say. -more-
LOS ANGELES — An attorney for former Symbionese Liberation Army fugitive Sara Jane Olson says he was partly to blame for his client pleading guilty to attempting to blow up police cars when she is really innocent. -more-
LOS ANGELES — A breakaway San Fernando Valley city would own nothing except streets and would have to buy parks, libraries and other assets from Los Angeles, according to a legal opinion for the agency overseeing possible secession. -more-
LOS ANGELES — A memorial to California journalists who died while pursuing news stories was given a new home and an 18th name on Tuesday at California State University, Northridge. -more-
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gray Davis plans to meet with Mexican President Vicente Fox in Mexico City next week in an effort to boost the slumping economies of California and its southern neighbor. -more-
SAN SIMEON— In a dressing room in the remote recesses of Hearst Castle, Diane Marchetti glanced at a mirror, and had to like what she saw. Her evening gown shimmered like silver and sheathed her slender figure like a second skin. She tucked her hair beneath a curly blond wig and checked the mirror again. -more-
FRESNO — State Sen. Jim Costa, a longtime politician who has served 23 years in the Legislature and cannot seek re-election because of term limits, said Tuesday he is leaving public office and will not run for Congress. -more-
MEMPHIS, Tenn.— Harvard molecular biologist Don Wiley was last seen leaving a banquet in Memphis just before midnight on Nov. 15. His rental car was found a few hours later, abandoned on a Mississippi River bridge with the keys in the ignition and the tank full of gas. -more-
NEW YORK — Most major airlines plan to maintain a fuel surcharge of $20 on each one-way ticket even though the price of jet fuel has dropped by half during the past year. -more-
The words came to Ann Travers as she watched her husband sleep that night: “He’s going to make an excellent father.” -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Chronicle announced plans Tuesday to cut 220 jobs, adding Northern California’s largest newspaper to the list of media companies jettisoning workers to offset steep advertising losses. -more-
MONTEBELLO — Once a week, Tim Moynahan makes a half-hour drive from the San Fernando Valley to a small dairy east of Los Angeles. -more-
SAN JOSE — A leading maker of diabetes monitors has agreed to pay $45 million to diabetics across the country to settle a class-action suit that alleged its products were dangerously defective. -more-
The City Council will consider a recommendation at its meeting tonight to monitor Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s cutting, chipping and shipping of eucalyptus trees that a local group says are contaminated with the radioactive material, tritium. -more-
Governor Davis’ cuts from the state budget for 2002 include $150 million gained by postponing the expansion of the Healthy Families health insurance program to cover low income parents as well as their children. -more-
MUSIC
Tigers, by a long shot, are the most popular animals in the zoo. -more-
At tonight’s meeting, the council will examine its options in light of a successful petition drive to repeal the recently-approved council districts. -more-
OAKLAND — The body of a missing photographer for the San Jose Mercury News was found Sunday outside a cemetery, police said. -more-
SANTA BARBARA — Picture it: a flood roaring down from foothills above this scenic coastal town, carrying room-sized boulders hurtling at 50 mph. -more-
SAN DIEGO — Despite a brief decline after the Sept. 11 attacks, the Customs Service seized a record 244 tons of narcotics along the U.S.-Mexico border in California over the past year. -more-
LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Coast Guard unveiled a new port security program Monday that trains reservists to board cruise ships and commercial vessels on the high seas in search of terrorists. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — Beleaguered credit card issuer Providian Financial Corp. hired industry veteran Joseph Saunders as its new CEO Monday, ending a six-week search for a new leader to repair the company’s ailing loan portfolio and battered reputation. -more-
NEW YORK — Economists officially declare a recession exists, you might say, months after ordinary folks have sensed it coming, experienced it, and if able to, taken action to deal with it. -more-
SAN JOSE — Two former Cisco Systems Inc. accountants were sentenced to two years and 10 months in prison Monday for illegally transferring $7.9 million in Cisco stock to themselves. -more-
SAN JOSE — A resolution appears unlikely any time soon in the closely watched case of a Russian computer programmer charged with violating copyrights on Adobe Systems Inc. software. -more-
SALEM, Mass. — Once upon a time, there was money, and there were S&H Green Stamps. -more-
SEATTLE — Boeing Co. laid off 2,900 workers Monday as part of the company’s already announced plan to trim as many as 30,000 workers by the end of 2002. -more-
JALALABAD, Afghanistan — The bodies of four journalists were brought out of Afghanistan on Nov. 21, two days after the group was ambushed by gunmen on the road to Kabul. -more-
National Guard major general calls Berkeley his home -more-
St. Mary’s High senior Bridget Duffy captured her second straight CIF Division IV cross country state championship on Saturday at Woodward Park in Fresno, running through a heavy rain to take the lead during the race’s second mile and winning with a time of 18:33. -more-
Prior to approving the Draft General Plan, the City Council will begin a fine tuning process Tuesday on some of the document’s housing, transportation and environmental management policies. -more-
Editor: -more-
Cardinal earn spot in NCAA -more-
John Boss said he heard the crack around 8:00 a.m. -more-
The University of California women’s volleyball team defeated Auburn, 3-0 (30-19, 30-21, 30-15), Saturday afternoon at Haas Pavilion. -more-
OAKLAND – An Oakland airport terminal was evacuated Saturday after it was determined that passengers aboard a Southwest Airlines flight arriving from Seattle had passed through a broken metal detector. -more-
A psychologist from the University of California at Berkeley suggests that the best methods for waging the war against drugs are often overlooked, caught somewhere in the middle of the rhetoric of legalization and “zero-tolerance’’ plans. -more-
Angry airport security screeners at Oakland International Airport today rallied in protest of a clause in the new federal aviation security law that requires that the workers be U.S. citizens. -more-
Public transit extensions, solar power among issues -more-
SACRAMENTO – In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, Don Detrich is on a mission to keep airline travel a little safer. -more-
Accidents abound on highways as harsh weather makes travel difficult -more-
SACRAMENTO — The group that promoted California’s medical marijuana initiative in 1996 wants to set up a showdown with the federal government with a ballot measure that would set up a state-controlled network to distribute the drug to patients. -more-
Company says new equipment will use less power -more-
American flags, firefighters used to attract customers, encourage spending -more-
Toll roads are holding back freeway work -more-
SANTA ANA – A Nebraska man who travels around to gun shows trying to sell his how-to book on germ warfare was banned from an exhibit this weekend at the Orange County Fairgrounds. -more-
Protests come fast and furious from religious and political groups -more-
OXFORD, Conn. – Less than a day after investigators swabbed Immanuel Lutheran Church for any signs of anthrax, about 250 people gathered there Saturday to remember the 94-year-old woman who is the nation’s fifth anthrax victim. -more-
Those who have worked with Dr. Rebecca Wheat would have to say she embodies the title of her new book “The Spirited Principal.” Becky Wheat’s spirit is indomitable. -more-
The Vine Street Pumping Plant is a modest, unobtrusive building, set quietly back from the street. It was built in 1930 by the East Bay Municipal Water District (EBMUD) and is part of a larger story about water rights, the commerce of water, water monopolies, and finally, the creation of the publicly owned East Bay Municipal Utility District in 1923. -more-
Berkeley Rep opened a stylish and visually rich production of William Shakespeare’s dark sex comedy “Much Ado About Nothing” on Tuesday in the company’s new Roda Theater performance space on Addison Street. -more-
21 Grand Nov. 29: 9 p.m., Lemon Lime Lights, Hillside, Moe! Staiano, $6; Nov. 30: 9 p.m., Fred Frith, Damon Smith, Marco Eneidi, Sabu Toyozumi Ensemble, Phillip Greenlief, $10; Dec. 1: 9 p.m., Toychestra, Rosin Coven, Darling Freakhead, $6; All ages. 21 Grand Ave., Oakland. 444-7263 -more-
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — California avoided its first winless season since 1897 and gave outgoing coach Tom Holmoe a going-away present by beating Rutgers 20-10 on Friday. -more-
Shoppers from around the Bay Area made the traditional post-Thanksgiving pilgrimage to the region’s retail outlets on Friday, and more than a few of them chose Berkeley’s Fourth Street shopping district as their primary destination. -more-
Once upon a time, long before the San Francisco SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) had the resources it has today, it had a special small fund reserved for the most pathetic of cases. -more-
Recent rains have been a harsh reminder to local public transit users that 125 promised bus shelters are apparently bogged down in the city’s permitting process. It has been nearly a year since the city approved an agreement for their installation. -more-
DALLAS — Video-rental giant Blockbuster Inc. has canceled its annual awards show because it was uncertain how many viewers would watch in the post-Sept. 11 climate. -more-
The East Bay Sanctuary Covenant has been doing its good works for more than two decades – seeking asylum for refugees and planting trees in Haiti are among its projects. -more-
LONDON — Three people have been arrested on suspicion of cheating on the British version of the TV game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” -more-
MINEOLA, N.Y. — Pollio Italian Cheese Co. announced a recall of certain Polly-O ricotta cheese packages and some foodservice ricotta products because of potential contamination from Salmonella bacteria. -more-
LOS ANGELES — O.C. Smith, best known for singing a Grammy Award-winning rendition of “Little Green Apples, died Friday. He was 65. -more-
About 15 years ago, our company offices were located in a building that our grandfather built at the turn of the century. We first rented a small space in the rear and later, as our business grew, we moved to the front where we occupied several offices. -more-
Q. Olivia asks: What can I do to repair a small hole next to my hot water handle in my fiberglass shower? -more-
Here’s a great moneymaking scheme: advertise and sell a solar-powered shredder that is nonpolluting and low maintenance for the cost of a mere $75. This product would surely appeal to every gardener confronted this time of year with masses of old tomato and squash vines, corn stalks, and marigold plants needing to be reduced to a manageable size for composting. -more-
RENO, Nev. — Sierra ski resorts used a little snow and a lot of snowmaking to open a handful of runs in time for the holiday weekend as they anticipated the week’s second storm on Saturday. -more-
WASHINGTON — Unless someone really has to go, most drivers zip past interstate rest areas without a second thought. Why stop if there’s no gas, no burgers, no sweet icy drinks? -more-
ALTURAS, Calif. (AP) — All five people aboard a light plane owned by an East Wenatchee, Wash., aviation company were found dead Friday when the plane’s wreckage was located in the rugged Warner Mountain Range of northeast California. -more-
WOODBURN — An old woman in peasant clothes and a kerchief around her head stands in front of a Russian church that’s topped by gilded cupolas. The scene could be out of a century in the distant past — if it weren’t for a Ford pickup parked nearby and a TV antenna sprouting from a house. -more-
LOS ANGELES — From red, white and blue gift bags at one mall to New York firefighters lighting decorations on Beverly Hills’ Rodeo Drive, stores made patriotic pitches Friday to jump start what is expected to be a slow holiday shopping season. -more-
SACRAMENTO —They were abandoned buildings in a forlorn part of downtown Santa Ana. Now they’re lively monuments to a shakeup in state investment strategy. -more-
Get this car some coffee! -more-
Michael Rogin, a political science teacher at the University of California, Berkeley for more than three decades, has died after contracting hepatitis in Paris. He was 64. -more-
UC Berkeley mechanical engineer Werner Goldsmith is on a mission to reform the way doctors and prosecutors view the thousands of suspected cases of shaken baby syndrome each year, according to a university press statement. -more-
SAN DIEGO — A Southern California Marine Corps unit trained in special operations led the first wave of a ground campaign designed to root out Osama bin Laden and his terror network in Afghanistan. -more-
Oakland is expected to become the latest Bay Area city to require that companies it does business with provide benefits for the domestic partners of their employees. -more-
CAMARILLO — An Amtrak Surfliner train crashed into a tractor, killing the farm vehicle’s driver and causing minor injuries to 12 rail passengers Friday, authorities said. -more-
HOUSTON — Sitting at his desk at Enron Corp.’s 50-story world headquarters, Nathan Will knows his days are numbered, but he isn’t worried about losing his job. He is worried about finding another. -more-
SACRAMENTO — For years, FBI agents probing possible terrorist activity have worked under restrictions meant to protect the free-expression rights of political and religious groups that might come under investigation. -more-
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA called off Thursday’s launch of space shuttle Endeavour to the international space station because of danger from a Russian supply ship hanging from the orbiting outpost. -more-
MORRISVILLE, N.C. — The Babymoon Cafe has witnessed an unhappy miracle of sorts: The recession has turned wine into water. -more-
NEW YORK — The holiday shopping rush has just begun and there is already a shortage of hot toys, particularly those inspired by “Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone.” -more-