In rapid-fire, back-to-back actions Thursday afternoon, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced he was restoring the lost Vehicle License Fund (VLF) fees to California’s cities and counties, and Berkeley City Council immediately authorized joining a lawsuit in order to make sure the governor keeps his promise. 

The two decisions pile an added level of uncertainty on top of Berkeley’s already-confused budget situation. 

On Tuesday night, Council approved some $4.9 million in mid-year budget cuts to make up for the anticipated loss of VLF payments from the state for the rest of the current fiscal year. Left up in the air, however, was how to implement a $250,000 hit to the city’s fire department. 

Under pressure from city firefighters—who picketed outside the meeting and packed the chambers inside—City Council voted down the only two fire department budget-cutting proposals on the table: one to temporarily take one of the city’s two ladder trucks out of service for short periods of time under limited conditions, the alternative to implement limited closings of the city’s seven fire stations on a rotating basis. 

But Council kept the $250,000 projected Fire Department cut in place, later directing City Manager Phil Kamlarz to work with department management and the firefighters union to come up with recommendations on how to make the budget adjustments. 

Fire Department representatives had described the ladder trucks as carrying, among other things, the department’s vehicle rescue apparatus (the so-called “jaws of life”) as well as its high-rise building rescue equipment. They told Council that even the temporary, intermittent removal from service of even one of the trucks would cause dangerous delays in service—up to 20 minutes if assistance by a truck from a neighboring city’s Fire Department had to be requested. 

With the governor’s announcement on the possible restoration of the VLF to Berkeley and other local governments, however, it’s unclear just how much of those $4.9 million in council-mandated cuts will now be actually implemented during the present fiscal year, which ends in July. 

Contacted late Thursday afternoon, Rama Murty of the city manager’s office said the projected cuts may go forward, regardless. Or may not. 

“It’s hard for [our office] to actually say what we would do or what we wouldn’t do until we know what’s going to happen in Sacramento,” Murty explained. 

Still, he added that “the idea of taking [Tuesday night’s] cuts was to deal with the shortfall in this year for the VLF, as well as to start trying to deal with the shortfall next year. But even if the VLF is restored in full, I think [the city manager’s office’s] interpretation is that we are still looking at a shortfall for fiscal year 2005.” 

He explained that fiscal year 2005 runs from July, 2004 through June, 2005. Murty stressed that he could not speak for the city manager, who was out of the office on Thursday. 

In a Thursday noon Sacramento press conference announcing the restoration of some $6.2 billion lost to local governments when he lowered the VLF, Gov. Schwarzenegger said “I was elected by the people of this state to lead; since the Legislative leadership refuses to act, I will act without them. I support local governments.” 

Berkeley City Council went into a previously-scheduled closed session about an hour and a half later to discuss Mayor Tom Bates’ call for the city to join a lawsuit against Schwarzenegger’s original lowering of the VLF payments to Berkeley and other local governments. At 4 p.m., mayoral aide Cisco DeVries issued a press release announcing city council’s unanimous authorization of the lawsuit. 

“I am encouraged [by the governor’s noon announcement] to provide this vital source of funding,” Mayor Bates said in the release. “However, several times [the governor] has promised to provide this money but then failed to do so. Until our funding is provided in full, we will continue to prepare legal action.” 

The release said that Berkeley was joining “more than a dozen cities and counties [which] have already officially authorized lawsuits.” 

While council’s vote on the VLF lawsuit was unanimous, its deliberations on the proposed fire department cuts were anything but. 

After hearing impassioned argument from both citizens and firefighters that even temporary, limited loss of one of the ladder trucks would put Berkeley residents at an unacceptable risk, a vote to implement the ladder truck cut lost on a 4-4 tie (Spring, Hawley, Shirek, and Bates voting yes, Maio, Olds, Worthington, and Wozniak voting no; 5 votes are needed to pass a Council measure). 

After Fire Chief Reginald Garcia told said he thought the ladder truck proposal was the least onerous of the two proposed cuts, Council then killed the rotating station proposal on a 4-3-1 vote (Olds, Worthington, and Wozniak voting no, Maio abstaining; Councilmember Margaret Breland was not present at Tuesday’s meeting due to illness). 

Firefighters cheered and applauded both decisions. 

But as one firefighter patted Chief Garcia on the back and congratulated him on “a good job,” a grim-faced Garcia cautioned him that “it’s not over yet; we’ve got a long ways to go.” 

Actually, it wasn’t long at all. Firefighters were still congregating in the hallway outside Council chambers celebrating their dual victories when Council voted 6-2 (Olds and Worthington voting no) to direct the city manager to come up with the $250,000 in cuts from the fire department budget. 

Council postponed until January action on a significant portion of the city manager’s proposals for the $69 million in as-yet-unspent funds carried over from last year’s budget, agreeing with Kamlarz’s recommendation to approve the allocation all unspent funds that were already committed by contracts, or were part of bonds or grants from other sources. That took care of only $40 million of the total, leaving $29 million unspent funds for Council to decide on when it reconvenes in January. At that time, Council must decide how much of that $29 million to keep in this year’s budget, and how much to save to help out with the budget crunch that is anticipated for the fiscal year beginning next July.

FRIDAY, DEC. 19 

City Commons Club Noon Luncheon with Tom Hughes, “An Artist in Action.” Hughes will offer commentary while painting a portrait. Luncheon at 11:45 a.m. for $11.50 - $12.50, speech at 12:30 p.m., at the Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant St. For information and reservations call 526-2925 or 665-9020. 

Berkeley Youth Alternatives, Blue and Gold Basketball Tournament, 13 years and under Division, Dec. 19-21, at the Emery High School Gym, Emeryville. Team fee is $75, individual fee $15. For information call 845-9066. 

Kol Hadash Hanukkah Shabbat Pot Luck Dinner with Rabbi Kai Eckstein at 6:30 p.m. at the Albany Community Center, 1249 Marin Ave. Come light the first candle of Hanukkah and enjoy the music of the Klezhumanists with Kol Hadash, the Bay Area’s only Jewish Humanistic Congregation. Call 428-1492 or email kolhadash@aol.com for information and pot luck assignment. We also collect non-perishable food for the needy. 

Women in Black Vigil, from noon to 1 p.m. at UC Berkeley, Bancroft at Telegraph. wibberkeley@yahoo.com 548-6310, 845-1143. 

Meditation, Peace Vigil and Dialogue, gather at noon on the grass close to the West Entrance to UC Berkeley, on Oxford St. near University Ave. People of all traditions are welcome to join us. Sponsored by the Buddhist Peace Fellowship. 655-6169. www.bpf.org 

Overeaters Anonymous meets every Friday at 1:30 p.m. at the Northbrae Church at Solano and The Alameda. Parking is free and is handicapped accessible. For information call Katherine, 525-5231. 

SATURDAY, DEC. 20 

Berkeley Rep Forum, “Party Politics--Ideological Integrity and Issue Jumping,” at 5 p.m. with Chip Neilsen, specialist in federal and California political law, and Joe Simitian, California Assemblymember for the 21st Assembly District (San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties). Free and open to the public, with priority given to Continental Divide ticket holders. 2025 Addison St. 647-2900.  

Café de la Paz Holiday Craft Sale with handmade items from artisans in Borneo, Tibet, Burma and Afghanistan, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1600 Shattuck at Cedar. 547-4258. 

Telegraph Avenue Holiday Street Fair, with 350 craftspeople and food, held between Bancroft and Dwight, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 649-9500. www.telegraphberkeley.org  

Holidays on Solano Ave. with photos with Santa from 1 to 3 p.m. at Peralta Park, 1561 Solano. 

Holiday Sing-A-Long, a candlelight community ceremony from 5 to 7 p.m. at Ray’s Christmas Tree Lot, 1245 Solano Ave. 527-5358. 

Berkeley Artisans Holiday Open Studios, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 100 professional artists and craftspeople at studio buildings in Berkeley open their doors to the public. Crafts include blown glass, functional and decorative ceramics, ornaments, Menorahs, clocks, lamps and lighting, painted and custom furniture, garden art, bird houses, egg dioramas, floor cloths, clothing, textiles, jewelry, sculpture, photography, paintings, original prints, and other works on paper. All work is handcrafted, many pieces are one-of-a-kind. A self-guided tour presents opportunities to meet the artists and see working craft studios. 845-2612. www.berkeley.artisans.com  

Amsterdam Art Studios Holiday Sale, with a dozen artists’ paintings and crafts, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 1007 University Ave., between 9th and 10th Sts. 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market Holiday Craft Fair A variety of handcrafted gifts, including jewelry, fabric arts, leather, ceramics, hats, dolls, fine art, photos, soaps and herbal potions. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park. 548-3333 www.ecologycenter.org  

The Crucible Opens Its Doors With a Free Open House for the community from noon to 6 p.m. with a performance by Mystress Fyre and her students at 4 p.m. The Crucible 1260 - 7th Street at Union, Oakland, For more information, visit our web site at www.thecrucible.org or call 444-0919.  

Albany Bowl Path Walk sponsored by Berkeley Path Wanderers. Meet at the end of Buchanan St. in Albany at 10 a.m. For more information call Susan Schwartz, 848-9358.  

Carpentry Basics for Women An introduction to basic carpentry tools and skills for women with little or no previous hands-on experience. After a morning lecture and demonstration, you will build your own bookshelf unit (we provide the materials). Students are asked to bring their own hand tools. From 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Building Education Center, 812 Page St. Cost is $195. 525-7610.  

The Life of Mary Magdalene Workshop, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Oakland. Suggested donation $25, no one turned away. For more information and location call 635-7286. www.orderofchristsophia.org 

Yoga for Seniors at the Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant St., on Saturdays from 10 to 11 a.m. The class is taught by Rosie Linsky, who at age 72, has practiced yoga for over 40 years. Open to non-members of the club for $8 per class. For further information and to register, call Karen Ray at 848-7800. 

Pet Adoptions, sponsored by Home at Last, from noon to 5 p.m., Hearst and 4th St. 548-9223. 

Car Wash Benefit for Options Recovery Services of Berkeley, held every Sat. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lutheran Church, 1744 University Ave. 666-9552. 

SUNDAY, DEC. 21 

“Revolution Will Not Be Televised” at 7 p.m. with a discussion following the film with Michael Parenti, at the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, Cedar St. at Bonita. 528-5403. 

Shut Down Bush and Co. Inc., an anarchist campaign to stop war, with Rod Coronado speaking about direct action and campaigns. At 6 p.m. at the Long Haul Infoshop, 3124 Shattuck Ave.  

Winter Solstice Early Morning Hike and Breakfast Meet at 8 a.m. in Tilden Nature Area for beverages and buns and a brief look at the cultural history of the solstice, followed by a hike to see nature in action on the shortest day of the year. We’ll finish with a smorgasbord and music. Registration required. Cost is $5 residents, $7 nonresidents. 525-2233.  

Winter Solstice Gathering Meet at 4 p.m. at the Solar Calendar in Cesar Chavez Park at the Berkeley Marina. Dress warmly. www.solarcalendar.org 

Magic Wand-Making Workshop at Gravity Feed Gallery, 1959 Shattuck Ave., From 4 to 6 p.m. Hosted by Berkeley psychic Jessica Rabbit. Come make a wand and be your own fairy godmother in 2004! All necessary materials provided. $10 donation requested, no one turned away for lack of funds. Please RSVP 548-4814 or divarabbit@aol.com  

Café de la Paz Holiday Craft Sale with handmade items from artisans in Borneo, Tibet, Burma and Afghanistan, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1600 Shattuck at Cedar. 547-4258. 

Telegraph Avenue Holiday Street Fair between Bancroft and Dwight, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 649-9500. www.telegraphberkeley.org  

Holidays on Solano Ave. with photos with Santa from 1 to 3 p.m. at Sweet Potatoes, 1224 Solano. 

Berkeley Artisans Holiday Open Studios, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 100 professional artists and craftspeople at studio buildings in Berkeley open their doors to the public. Crafts include blown glass, functional and decorative ceramics, ornaments, Menorahs, clocks, lamps and lighting, painted and custom furniture, garden art, bird houses, egg dioramas, floor cloths, clothing, textiles, jewelry, sculpture, photography, paintings, original prints, and other works on paper. All work is handcrafted, many pieces are one-of-a-kind. A self-guided tour presents opportunities to meet the artists and see working craft studios. 845-2612. www.berkeley.artisans.com  

Amsterdam Art Studios Holiday Sale, with a dozen artists’ paintings and crafts, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 1007 University Ave., between 9th and 10th Sts. 

Epic Arts Channukah Party with musicians, performers, puppets, latkes, dreidels, storytelling, and revelry, at 7 p.m. at the 1923 Teahouse. Feel free to bring something to eat, drink, and share. 644-2204. www.epicarts.org 

Eckhart Tolle Talks on Video, free gatherings at 7:30 p.m. to hear the words of the author of “The Power of Now” at the Feldenkrais Ctr., 830 Bancroft Way. 547-2024. EdScheuerlein@aol.com  

MONDAY, DEC. 22 

Berkeley CopWatch organizational meeting at 8 p.m. at 2022 Blake St. Join us to work on current issues around police misconduct. Volunteers needed. For information call 548-0425. 

Grief Information Session at the Women’s Cancer Resource Center. If you have lost someone you love to cancer, come for gentle guidance through the basic steps of grieving. RSVP 420-7900. For more information call or visit www.wcrc.org 

TUESDAY, DEC. 23 

Telegraph Avenue Holiday Street Fair with 350 craftspeople and food, held between Bancroft and Dwight, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 649-9500. www.telegraphberkeley.org  

St. John’s Prime Timers meets at 9:30 a.m. at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave. Christmas Party at noon. We offer ongoing classes in exercise and creative arts, and always welcome new members over 50. 845-6830. 

Tuesday Tilden Walkers We are a few slowpoke seniors who walk between a mile or two each Tuesday, meeting at 9:30 a.m. in the Little Farm parking lot. To join us, call 215-7672 for information or check our web page, http://home.comcast.net/~teachme99/tildenwalkers.html or email teachme99@comcast.net 

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 24 

Telegraph Avenue Holiday Street Fair with 350 craftspeople and food, held between Bancroft and Dwight, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 649-9500. www.telegraphberkeley.org  

ONGOING 

Holiday Food Drive Help the Alameda County Community Food Bank help people in need. Offer to run a food drive, or donate healthy nonperishable food at Safeway stores, Berkeley Bowl and Bay Street Emeryville. For more information call 834-3663. www.accfb.org 

The Berkeley School Board is now accepting applications for Board Committees and Commissions. Applicants interested in representing a Board Member will find information and applications on the BUSD web site www.berkeleypublicschools.org or by contacting the Public Information Officer at 644-6320. Applications can also be picked up in the Superintendent’s office. 

City of Berkeley Commissioners Sought If you are interested in serving on a commission, applications can be downloaded from www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/ 

commissions/general.htm#applications or contact the City Clerk, 981-6900.  

The Online Civilian Conservation Corps Museum is seeking the stories about the CCCs, CCC Enrollees, Staff, or Technical Advisors for publication to this online historical resource. If you would like to participate please send your stories, with name company number and location if known, to CCC Collection, PO Box 5, Woodbury NJ 08096 or email to JFJmuseum@aol.com

Elton John wrote a song called Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word, He, of course, was referring to human relationships. The quagmire in the Middle-East, though certainly not romantic in nature, surely could benefit from the application of such a maxim. There is plenty of “sorry” to go around there, and it cannot be confined to the Israelis, despite George Bishrat’s implications to the contrary, in his recent commentary for the Berkeley Daily Planet. 

If Professor Bishrat is serious about the “untapped reservoir of Palestinian magnanimity” then the apologies can extend to the chronic misinformation campaigns that have permeated Palestinian text books and education for the last half century. Ignoring and denying the holocaust, dismissing the Jews’ historical connection to the “holy land,” and inciting “wrath toward the alien” has contributed as much to perpetuating the truly murderous environment muddling this conflict, as any Israeli transgressions. 

Wherever the responsibility lies in this miserable ‘condition inhumane,’ it is in the genesis of history itself. Palestinian scholars can cite Israeli leaders, such as Bishrati does, alluding to Ben Gurion’s admission that “the Palestinians only see one thing. We have come here and stolen their country.” Meanwhile, Israelis can cite remarks such as Arab League Secretary-General Azzam Pasha, on September 16, 1947 to Jewish Agency representatives David Horowitz and Abba Eban: 

“The Arab world is not in a compromising mood. It's likely, Mr. Horowitz, that your plan is rational and logical, but the fate of nations is not decided by rational logic. Nations never concede; they fight. You won't get anything by peaceful means or compromise. You can, perhaps, get something, but only by the force of your arms. We shall try to defeat you. I am not sure we'll succeed, but we'll try. We were able to drive out the Crusaders, but on the other hand we lost Spain and Persia. It may be that we shall lose Palestine. But it's too late to talk of peaceful solutions.” 

Indeed, we can go on, ad nauseam, assigning blame here. Perhaps, “sorry” is as good as it can get for now, given the utter complexity of the problem and the generations of incriminating energy that are possible here. A ‘sorry state of affairs,’ for sure, but a ‘sorry start’ is better than the continuing, monotonous, futility of failure that has defined this abomination of humanity for far too long. 

Marc Winokur is a Berkeley resident.

Do you hate wasting the few sunlit hours at this time of year on indoor shopping trips? Berkeley offers great outdoor shopping, and it’s even environmentally friendly. 

The Berkeley Flea Market at the Ashby BART station lets you select “re-use” gifts of all kinds, even Chinese antiques at one stall. Telegraph Avenue has locally made craft items sold by the craftspeople. And the Berkeley Ecology Center hosts outdoor markets which have the perfect gifts for people who “have everything”—consumables which are both tasty and environment-friendly. 

There are two Berkeley farmers’ market days left before Christmas this year. They’re open rain or shine. 

On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. you can go to the biggest one, next to City Hall on Addison Street between Martin Luther King and Milvia Street. It has an enormous variety of mostly organic produce and products. There’s also a crafts fair in Martin Luther King Park, with handmade wares from around the world—the sweaters from South America are particularly nice.  

The Tuesday fair, on Derby Street between MLK and Milvia from 2 to 6 p.m., is smaller but has plenty of good choices. This report will spotlight Tuesday’s vendors, as an aid to desperate last minute shoppers. Some of them also come on Saturdays.  

A few stars: 

• Aurthur Davis, the owner of Ludwig Avenue Farm in Santa Rosa, features potatoes and eggs grown without pesticides year-round. But for gift-givers, the real find is the assortment of baked goods made by his wife, Thelma Davis, whose family roots are in Louisiana. She specializes in what Southern cooks, especially African American cooks, are famous for: poundcake which tastes like it’s all butter, sweet potato pie, and at this time of the year, fruitcake. Yes, that’s right, real old-fashioned heavy, dark fruitcake. You’ve always been a yuppie anti-fruitcake snob? Time to grow up and get over it. These fruitcakes, made with home-grown pecans, are authentic and delicious. Start dousing them with brandy the day you bring them home, and they’ll last a year in a tin, getting better all the time. At our house, we finished off the last piece of last year’s cake just in time to put the new one down after Thanksgiving. Good to have around in case of earthquakes, nuclear wars, who knows?  

• Frog Hollow Farm (Al Courchesne, founder) is almost too obvious, now that it’s been written up in the New York Times. But the jams and jellies, made from California specialties like Meyer lemons, are unusual—nice to send, if you hurry, to out-of-state grandmothers. 

• For local giving, how about some smelly goat cheese? Or not so smelly goat cheese? Redwood Hill Farm, out of Sebastopol, has a great selection. Their hard goat cheddar keeps forever—good for backpackers to take along.  

• And for the really sweet tooth: honey. Marshall’s Farm sells “natural honey” in many, many flavors which are derived from where the bee sucked its nectar. They also claim, and it might be true, that if pollen allergy sufferers eat a tablespoon or so of local honey everyday, they will better resist local allergens. You can put together cunning gift packages in fancy boxes with an assortment of their little jars of different kinds of honey. 

And if you’re looking for something tasty to serve from all those Farmers’ Market offerings, here’s a suggestion from a member of our own Berkeley City Council. 

Holiday Greens 

By Linda Maio 

Our family is big on greens—chard, kale, rapini, greens of all kinds, fresh organic greens that are simmered slowly in a big cast iron skillet with lots of garlic. The basic recipe I learned from my mother, who learned from hers. Neither ever cooked from a book. Over time several cooks in our family have come up with a few special touches for birthdays and holidays.  

A few things to know about cooking leafy greens: The golden rule of greens is to start, always, with young, fresh produce. The stems of each type of green are treated differently from the leaves. Kale stems are tough and have to be removed, but the thick spine of young chard softens nicely in a slow, long-cooked recipe. If a stem looks thick and tough, remove it. It is always advisable to trim the big bottom stem of any plant.  

Basic recipe 

The basic recipe is perfect for broccoli rabe, a southern Italian vegetable. Rabe (also known as rapini) has a strong, somewhat bitter and wonderful flavor that is enhanced by the simple basic recipe. Some people cut the bitterness by parboiling the rabe first. This recipe serves 4 people. 

Two bunches of rabe 

A large, heavy skillet and lid 

A wooden spatula 

Lots of garlic 

Virgin olive oil 

Salt to taste 

Place skillet on the lowest possible flame. I use a big cast iron skillet. While the skillet is heating, mince garlic, about 5-6 cloves, or more if you like. 

Plunge the rabe into cold water, rinse well, and place in a colander. Cut off an inch of the bottom stem and peel the remaining lower stalks so the cooked vegetable will be tender. Chop the rabe roughly into big pieces. The skillet should be hot but not smoking. If it’s smoking, it is too hot; pull it off the burner for a minute or two. Cover the bottom of the skillet with olive oil (4-5 T, or more if you like) and allow it to heat, slowly. Add the minced garlic and simmer until the garlic softens. This will fuse the garlic flavor into the olive oil. Be careful not to let the garlic turn brown. Turn up the flame to medium and add the rabe. Using the wooden spatula, mix the rabe well with the olive oil and garlic until it is clearly hot and simmering. Turn down the heat to quite low and cover. Stir the rabe around every 5 minutes or so. If it appears to be drying out, add a little water. Add salt to taste. The rabe should be ready to serve after 15-20 minutes, but I (and Mama) advise a taste. Makes tasty leftovers. 

To make Holiday Greens 

Chard, kale, or collards make great Holiday Greens. Add 1/2 diced onion with the garlic, simmering both in the olive oil. Throw in a small handful of golden raisins when adding the chopped greens. A few minutes before the greens are done, stir in a sprinkle of nutmeg. (Note: If I am preparing chard, I chopped the chard’s spines and add these at the same time I add the onion and garlic.)

FRIDAY, DEC. 19 

EXHIBITION OPENINGS 

ACCI Gallery, “Peace on Earth” Ornament show reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Show runs to Jan 3. Mon. - Thurs. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sat. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 1652 Shattuck Ave. 843-2527.  

www.accigallery.com 

THEATER 

“The Christmas Revels” at the Scottish Rite Theatre, 1547 Lakeside Drive, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $17-$35 and are available from www.calrevels.org or by calling Frantix at 415-621-1216.  

Shotgun Players, “The Death of Meyerhold,” through Dec. 28 at the Live Oak Theater, 1301 Shattuck Ave. Thurs.-Sat. performances at 8 p.m. and Sun. at 7 p.m. 704-8210. www.shotgunplayers.org 

Shotgun Theatre Lab, “Heavy Days,” a collaborative ensemble piece at 8 p.m. at La Val’s Subterranean, 1834 Euclid, at Hearst. Cost is $10. 704-8210. www.shotgunplayers.org 

FILM 

Yasujiro Ozu: “Tokyo Twilight” at 7 p.m. and “The Munekata Sisters” at 9:40 p.m.at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

BHS Jazz Lab Band Winter Concert at 7:30 pm at Florence Schwimley Little Theatre. $5 for students/seniors/BHS staff and $10 general admission. 

SONiA of Disappear Fear at 8 p.m. at Rose Street House of Music, a house concert and grassroots musical community featuring women singer/songwriters. 594-4000 ext. 687. www.rosestreetmusic.com 

Women's Antique Vocal Ensemble presents a concert of Christmas music at 8 p.m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 2300 Bancroft Way. Admission is $5-$10. 233-1479. 

Let’s Go Bowling, Aggrolites, Soul Captives at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $8. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

Palenque performs Cuban Son at 9 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $13. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Avotcja and Modupue, perfrom Afro-Asian jazz at 8 p.m. at La Peña. Cost is $12. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Dynamic, Freeway Planet and Bambu at 9:30 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $6.  

848-0886. www.blakesontelegraph.com 

Eggplant Casino performs lounge, tango, polka at the 1923 Teahouse at 8 p.m. Suggested donation of $7-$10. 644-2204. www.epicarts.org 

Hot Buttered Rum String Band performs high altitude bluegrass at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $15.50 in advance, $16.50 at the door. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Julie Kelly at 8:30 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810. 

Brainoil, Street Trash, Slit Wrists, Bury the Living, Friday Night Youth Service at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $5. 525-9926. 

Millicent Wood, jazz vocalist performs a Christmas Celebration at 8 p.m. at The Jazz House. Donation of $10 requested. 649-8744. www.thejazzhouse.com 

Anton Schwartz, saxophonist, at 8 p.m. at the Jazzschool. Tickets are $12-$18. 845-5373. www.jazzschool.com 

Syncrosystem at 9 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Jazz Mine from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Il Porcino Restaurant, 1403 Solano Ave. 528-1237. 

Seventy at 9:30 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

SATURDAY, DEC. 20 

CHILDREN  

Los Amiguitos de La Peña with Betsy Rose at 10:30 a.m. at La Peña. Cost is $4 for adults, $3 for children. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

EXHIBITION OPENINGS 

“Dimensions in Fiber” at the Assison Street Windows Gallery, with textile works by George-Ann Bowers, Nina Jacobs, Beth Shipley and Andrea Tucker-Hody. Reception for the artists at 6:30 p.m., 2018 Addison St., between Shattuck and Milvia. 981-7533. 

THEATER 

“The Christmas Revels” See listing for Dec. 19. 

FILM 

Ysaujiro Ozu: “Good Morning” at 2 and 7 p.m. and “Late Autumn” at 4 and 8:55 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Geoffrey Blum, author of new adventures involving the classic Disney character, Uncle Scrooge, at 2 p.m. at Dr Comics and Mr Games, 4014 Piedmont Ave., Oakland. 601-7800. And at 3 p.m. at Eastwind Books, 2066 University Ave. 548-2350. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Berkeley Community Chorus and Orchestra perform Handel’s “Messiah” at 8 p.m. at St. Joseph the Worker Church, 1640 Addison St. 964-0665. www.bcco.org 

Bart Davenport, Thom & Nedelle, Dave Gleason, Snowpark& Sam Keener in concert at 9 p.m. at the Oakland Metro, 201 Broadway at 2nd St., Oakland. Tickets are $7. 763-1146. www.oaklandmetro.org 

Jackeline Rago and the Venezuelan Music Project at 8:30 p.m., at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $12 in advance, $14 at the door. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Mikey Dread, performs reggae at 9:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $16 in advance, $18 at the door. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

My Hero, Research and Development, at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $5. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com  

Tom Rush, legendary folk singer, at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage Coffee House. Cost is $20.50 in advance, $21.50 at the door. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Holiday Bluegrass Celebration with David Thom and Homespun Row at 4 p.m. at The Jazz House. Donation $8-15, sliding scale. 649-8744. www.thejazzhouse.com 

Angel of Thorns, Hidden Tracks and Truckasaurus Sex at 9:30 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $5. 848-0886. www.blakesontelegraph.com 

Cuarteto Sonando performs Latin jazz at the 1923 Teahouse at 8 p.m. Suggested donation of $7-$15, no one turned away for lack of funds. 644-2204. www.epicarts.org 

Monkey Knife Fight at 9 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Nicole McRory at 9:30 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

Sylvia and the Silvertones at 8:30 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810. 

Plan 9, Tabaltix, Ashtray, Live Ammo, Brutal Death at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St. Cost is $5. 525-9926. 

SUNDAY, DEC. 21 

THEATER 

“The Christmas Revels” See listing for Dec. 19.  

FILM 

Yasujiro Ozu: “Floating Weeds” at 2:30 and 7:35 p.m. and “The End of Summer” at at 5:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at 4:30 p.m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 2300 Bancroft Way. Donations requested. 845-0888. 

Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, with violinist Andrew Manze, in an all-Bach Christmas programat 7:30 p.m. at the First Congragational Church, 2345 Channing Way. Tickets are $29-$60 and are available from 415-392-4400. www.philharmonia.org 

ACME Observatory Contem- 

porary Performance Series presents EKG, the duo of Kyle Bruckmann and Ernst Karel, and the Matt Volla ensemble at 8:15 p.m. at The Jazz House. Admission is free, donations accepted. 649-8744. http://music.acme.com 

Winter Solstice Ritual with Caroline Casey, KPFA host at 8 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $20. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Oka Road, The Latrells, and Melissa Rapp Band at 9:30 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $3. 848-0886. www.blakesontelegraph.com 

Laurie Lewis’ Holiday Revue and Freight Fundraiser at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $15.50 in advance, $16.50 at the door. 548-1761 www.freightandsalvage.org 

MONDAY, DEC. 22 

CHILDREN 

“Wind in the Willows” performed by the The Oakland Public Theater at 2 p.m. in the Community Room of the Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge. Sponsored by the Friends of the Berkeley Public Library. 981-6223.  

MUSIC 

Steve Gannon Band and Mz. Dee at 9:30 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $4.  

848-0886. www.blakesontelegraph.com 

TUESDAY, DEC. 23 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Mimi Fox, solo guitar, at 8 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810. 

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 24 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Nicole and the Soul Sisters at 9:30 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

Jules Broussard, Bing Nathan and Ned Boynton at 8 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810. 

THURSDAY, DEC. 25 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

10th Annual Dykelah Escape-from-you-know-what-day Musical Extravaganza, benefit for Shalom Bayit (Jewish women working to end domestic violence) concert & potluck, featuring Cofi Kwango, the Rivkin Twins, Eileen Hazel, Helen Chaya, Lia Rose, at 4 p.m. at Rose Street House of Music. For information and location call 594-4000 ext. 687. www.rosestreetmusic.com 

Jerry Christmas, Grateful Dead DJ Night with Digital Dave at 10 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $6. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Keni El Lebrijano, flamenco guitar, at 8 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810.  

FRIDAY, DEC. 26 

CHILDREN 

Drumming with Nigerian Masters, Rasaki Aladokun and Olusola Adeyemi, at noon and 1:30 p.m. at Lawrence Hall of Science, Centennial Drive. Cost is $4.50 to $8.50. 642-5132. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Caribbean Allstars and Pan Extasy at 9:30 p.m. at Ashkenez. Cost is $13. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

ELMNOP and FourOneFunk at 9:30 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $7. 848-0886. www.blakesontelegraph.com  

Frank Johnson at 8:30 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810. 

Blowout Trio at 9 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Sterling Dervish at 9:30 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

SATURDAY, DEC. 27 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Surco Nuevo performs salsa at 9 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $13. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Through Walls, Thriving Ivory, Drive Line at 9:30 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $6. 848-0886. www.blakesontelegraph.com 

World Beat Celebration with Neal Cronin, Joyce Wermont, and Vlad Ulyashin perform acoustic rhythmic/harmonic sounds of the Middle East, and Rap, Tuvan harmonic singing, at 7 p.m. at A Cuppa Tea, 3200 College Ave., corner of Alcatraz. 654-1904. 

Hobo Jungle, 7th Direction at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $5. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

Kammen and Swan at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $15.50 in advance, $16.50 at the door. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Reggae Party with Irie Productions at the 1923 Teahouse at 8 p.m. Suggested donation of $7-$15. 644-2204. www.epicarts.org 

Nicole McRory at 9:30 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

Spencer Day at 8:30 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810. 

The Phenomenauts, The Soviettes, The Stellas, No Apologies Project, The Skyflakes at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $5. 525-9926. 

Blue and Tan at 9 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277.

The Berkeley Unified School District will consider tearing up its former high school tennis courts to put up a better parking lot—and maybe more. 

The school board voted unanimously Wednesday to study the possible development of its roughly 40,000-square-foot lot on the corner of Milvia Street and Bancroft Way across the street from the main high school campus. 

Until three years ago, the lot housed tennis courts. Then fallout from a building fire and construction of new school buildings forced the space into service as a supplemental teachers’ parking lot. 

Now, with the district $2.4 million in the red and teachers’ cars still spilling onto the main campus, the district’s School Construction Oversight Committee has been contemplating a solution that could exile cars from the main campus and make the district some money on the side. 

The committee’s notion is to partner with a developer who would build apartment units over a parking garage that could serve residents, teachers and shoppers, simultaneously earning the district some much needed cash. 

“We’re all quite sold on it,” said Committee Chair Bruce Wicinas. 

Two months ago, developer Patrick Kennedy of Panoramic Interests and city parking czar Matt Nichols—at the behest of school board member Terry Doran—met with the committee to pitch a mixed-use development on the site that would feature the robotic three-spaces-in-one parking lifts Kennedy has installed in several of his downtown developments. 

The lot could fit 300 parking spaces in a relatively small area and at a low cost, committee members said, since the robotic lifts don’t require concrete ramps. 

Patrick Kennedy didn’t return phone calls for this story. 

Committee members cautioned that they are solely an advisory board with no policy power and that other options for the property include a conventional parking lot or a lot beneath an athletic field. 

Their recommendation, adopted by the board as an amendment to the Yearly Facilities Plan Modifications, called for studying the best use of the lot for the community and district, while considering ways to optimize district profit.  

Wicinas believed there was lots of money to be made from a parking lot. But Denny Yang, manager of the parking lots at Allston Way and Kittredge Street, said business was improving but that during most of the recent economic downturn, lots were not filled to capacity and profit margins were tight. 

A 1993 campus master plan identified the parcel as a future parking lot, and Doran said that after a decade of delays, the pieces are finally in place to pursue development. 

With the Library Garden’s project at Milvia and Kittredge streets set to deprive the city of over 200 parking spots and the new Vista College campus having closed 50 spots—and promising to bump up downtown parking demand—city planners and merchants are hungry to bolster the parking supply. 

“This piece of property has been a political football for 10 years,” Doran told the school board. “Now we have indications from city staff, developers, and city officials that it wouldn’t be the political football it was in the past. 

Cisco Devries, aide to Mayor Tom Bates, said Bates was interested in the district’s lot as replacement parking, though he is more focused on upgrading the Center Street garage. 

The political minefield, however, hasn’t been entirely cleared. Officials acknowledged the potentially explosive public backlash that could accompany any for-profit partnership between Kennedy—or any other developer—and the district which doesn’t pay city assessments and isn’t bound by the city permit process.  

BUSD Director of Facilities and Maintenance Lew Jones said the district would submit to “more outside control processes” for a mixed-use development and committee members urged the district to perform extensive community outreach to bolster public support. 

“In order to get there the process is more important than the product,” said committee member Lloyd Lee. “If you do a Request For Proposal without doing a process, everyone will turn on you.” 

Then there’s the problem of the teachers. Currently, high school teachers are the only downtown workers who park for free. Doran and some committee members agreed that the privilege would likely have to end, though committee members convinced Doran to delay broaching the issue to the board until they had time to inform teachers of their plan. 

They also shot down a Doran idea to possibly pave over a district parcel housing portable classrooms and overgrown grass at Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Derby Street if parking at the old tennis courts was unattainable. 

The future look of the high school is still in flux. With construction on the east side of the campus nearly complete, the district must decide what to do with the south portion—home to athletic fields, a structurally unsound gym, and a makeshift parking lot that holds about 100 cars. 

To add class space and possibly new tennis courts to bring the tennis team back from its current home at Grove Park, about a half-mile from campus, committee members resolved to banish cars from the main campus. 

Under Kennedy’s concept, the robotic lot could fit about 300 spots—enough for building residents and the approximately 210 teachers, as well as the public, with more space available after school hours. 

The lot could also provide spaces for Vista College students and possibly qualify the district for a share of the $3.5 million Vista will pay the city for parking mitigations. 

Jones said that if the district realized such a plan, it would lease the land to a developer who would operate the building, while the district received parking or other revenue. 

“This is not an area of great expertise for the district,” Jones said. “My sense is we would have a hands-off relationship.” 

The state of downtown parking remains a source of contention. Merchants argue that the loss of lots has made more parking vital, while others push for spending dollars on better mass transit access. An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) from the Vista College development on Center Street forecast future parking shortages, but the Library Gardens EIR predicted overflow parking only during peak early afternoon hours. 

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second of two articles on the Mayor’s Task Force on Permitting and Development. This article addresses the final Task Force report. 

The citizens of Berkeley should be delighted with the final report just issued by the Mayor’s Task Force on Permitting and Development. Why? Because it is packed with hard-hitting recommendations that strike to the heart of Berkeley’s development problems? No, far from it—a deep structural analysis or neighbors’ wish list of development “fixes” it is not. Nor should we celebrate just because the recommendations are “not as bad as we expected.” We should be happy because the report reflects a changing mood in Berkeley, encouraging the city and staff to facilitate rather than suffocate democracy and public participation. It addresses some of the fundamental problems for neighbors: Inadequate public noticing, the problematic roles of some commissions, lack of early discussion between applicants and neighbors, density, and Berkeley’s restrictive ex parte rule.  

The report’s overwhelming flaw, however, is that it fails to address the major problem: Berkeley’s pro-developer, anti-neighborhood, extremist “smart-growth” planning staff culture. The prior draft had included this already overly hedged statement: “There is a perception among some members of the community that the Planning Department staff is too closely allied with applicants. In particular, some are concerned that staff appear to act as advocates for a project rather than as impartial analysts.” Thanks to member Polly Armstrong, and over the heated objections of even the most mild-mannered task force members, that statement was watered down to this spineless drivel: “There is a concern that staff members appear to act as advocates for or against an application.” The fact is, Berkeley’s current zoning code and planning process would work pretty well if staff enacted them properly and in good faith. This report encourages that, albeit indirectly, and City Council should demand it. 

One of the report’s best recommendations, which could be implemented immediately, is that a huge sign be placed on the site of a development when an application is first submitted. The sign would include graphic representations and information about the proposed project. This guarantees that everyone in the area will know about the project, but even more importantly, they will know about it several months earlier than they do now. Currently, citizens receive minimal noticing shortly before public hearing dates; this noticing occurs only after a project application is “complete,” which can be months after submittal. Since lack of time early in the process greatly disadvantages the defense against an undesirable project, this recommendation will help level the playing field in what is still, unfortunately, an adversarial process. 

The report also recommends that meetings of the Design Review Commission (DRC) and Housing Advisory Commission (HAC) be noticed in the same way as Zoning Adjustment Board (ZAB) hearings—which presumably means mailed notices as opposed to mere postings. Presently there is no noticing requirement for DRC meetings, where contentious design issues are decided long before the public hears about the project through mailed notices. In addition, at the HAC and City Council, funding decisions that lead to project “buy in” by the city are decided without any public awareness—sometimes years before the public knows about the project. The task force was rightfully disturbed by this, although because the topic of housing funding is so complex, the report contains only a “review and clarify” recommendation. 

To make the development process less adversarial, several recommendations “strongly encourage” applicants to talk to neighbors early in the process: for larger developments, through a “formal pre-application process,” and for small projects, through mediation. Although the language is weak, the intent and hopefully the implementation will be good, if we have the material and philosophical support of the planning Staff and the ZAB. 

Other recommendations that help neighborhoods include: expanding the noticing radius for large projects, incentivizing larger units, addressing the transition zone between large developments and nearby neighborhoods, and instituting an educational program to inform citizens about the development process. An acknowledged problem that yielded no recommendation (probably an oversight) was lack of enforcement of use permits. Not only does this result in tangible damage to neighbors, but knowing that the conditions attached to a use permit will ultimately be ignored understandably makes neighbors leery of supporting any development at all. 

The task force discussed at length the highly contentious and political issue of density—but this is an issue that must be decided by the people, not the task force. Accordingly the substance of the density controversy was passed on to the Planning Commission—where the citizens should be sure to make their voices heard. But the report acknowledges that the state density bonus law is having a disastrous impact on Berkeley, and recommends that the city work with the state to allow Berkeley to continue its own existing methods of encouraging affordable housing “without the need to exceed the development standards.” I’m delighted to see this in print, but when will this negotiation start and how long would it would take an agreeable Legislature to do act? Meanwhile, the task force asked staff to clarify its current mysterious methods of determining allowable density. And City Council should immediately insist that our staff apply the state law as parsimoniously as legally possible, to protect our own planning vision.  

Finally, although most members of the task force favored modifying or eliminating the ex parte rule that prohibits unofficial discussion of developments with decision makers, not having full consensus they recommended only that City Council consider the matter. I hope that with the support of the mayor and most of the community, Council will soon change this rule so decision makers can start to play a constructive role in the development process. 

Sharon Hudson is a member of Benvenue Neighbors.

Our family is big on greens—chard, kale, rapini, greens of all kinds, fresh organic greens that are simmered slowly in a big cast iron skillet with lots of garlic. The basic recipe I learned from my mother, who learned from hers. Neither ever cooked from a book. Over time several cooks in our family have come up with a few special touches for birthdays and holidays.  

A few things to know about cooking leafy greens: The golden rule of greens is to start, always, with young, fresh produce. The stems of each type of green are treated differently from the leaves. Kale stems are tough and have to be removed, but the thick spine of young chard softens nicely in a slow, long-cooked recipe. If a stem looks thick and tough, remove it. It is always advisable to trim the big bottom stem of any plant.  

The basic recipe is perfect for broccoli rabe, a southern Italian vegetable. Rabe (also known as rapini) has a strong, somewhat bitter and wonderful flavor that is enhanced by the simple basic recipe. Some people cut the bitterness by parboiling the rabe first. This recipe serves 4 people. 

Two bunches of rabe 

A large, heavy skillet and lid 

A wooden spatula 

Lots of garlic 

Virgin olive oil 

Salt to taste 

Place skillet on the lowest possible flame. I use a big cast iron skillet. While the skillet is heating, mince garlic, about 5-6 cloves, or more if you like. 

Plunge the rabe into cold water, rinse well, and place in a colander. Cut off an inch of the bottom stem and peel the remaining lower stalks so the cooked vegetable will be tender. Chop the rabe roughly into big pieces. The skillet should be hot but not smoking. If it’s smoking, it is too hot; pull it off the burner for a minute or two. Cover the bottom of the skillet with olive oil (4-5 T, or more if you like) and allow it to heat, slowly. Add the minced garlic and simmer until the garlic softens. This will fuse the garlic flavor into the olive oil. Be careful not to let the garlic turn brown. Turn up the flame to medium and add the rabe. Using the wooden spatula, mix the rabe well with the olive oil and garlic until it is clearly hot and simmering. Turn down the heat to quite low and cover. Stir the rabe around every 5 minutes or so. If it appears to be drying out, add a little water. Add salt to taste. The rabe should be ready to serve after 15-20 minutes, but I (and Mama) advise a taste. Makes tasty leftovers. 

To make Holiday Greens: 

Chard, kale, or collards make great Holiday Greens. Add 1/2 diced onion with the garlic, simmering both in the olive oil. Throw in a small handful of golden raisins when adding the chopped greens. A few minutes before the greens are done, stir in a sprinkle of nutmeg. (Note: If I am preparing chard, I chop the chard’s spines and add these at the same time I add the onion and garlic.)

The Berkeley Unified School District has found the legal champion they hope can beat back a lawsuit that threatens to end racial balance in its elementary schools. 

Jon Streeter, a 1981 Boalt Hall graduate and a partner at San Francisco law firm Keker & Van Nest, won’t charge the district to defend it against the suit filed in August by the Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF). The conservative advocacy law group has charged that the district’s student assignment policy—requiring each school’s racial mix to come within five percent of the district-wide tally—violates Proposition 209. 

That measure, passed by voters in 1996, precludes racial preferences or discrimination in public education, employment and contracting. 

Despite continued silence from district officials, Streeter confirmed his appointment to represent the district, which in 1968 became the first in the nation to voluntarily desegregate. 

“Berkeley has an extraordinary legacy that deserves to be honored, and I’m pleased to be an advocate for it,” he said. 

PLF had been threatening to sue Berkeley for several years, but decided to proceed after winning a similar case, Crawford v. Huntington Beach Union High School District, in California’s Fourth District Court of Appeals last year. 

In that case, the judge ruled that Huntington Beach’s transfer policy—which in one instance prohibited a white student from transferring out of a white-minority high school unless another white student could be found to take his place—violated Proposition 209. 

PLF lead attorney Cynthia Jamison said the Huntington precedent would weigh heavily on the Berkeley case.  

“The court found that children have the right to attend school without being labeled based on their race,” she said. “That is the heart of 209.” 

Under Berkeley’s plan, parents fill out a form indicating their child’s race as African American, White or Other along with their top three choices of elementary schools. The district retains final authority to place students, in part, based on race. 

PLF filed the suit on behalf of Berkeley resident Lorenzo Avila, who has two sons in district elementary schools. 

Streeter, who has argued pro bono civil rights cases in the past but never a school desegregation case, refused to divulge his line of argument. He is scheduled to file a brief Jan. 9 in Alameda County Superior Court. 

In the aftermath of the Huntington Beach case, a host of attorneys and legal foundations offered to defend the district from what they perceive as the PLF’s drive to expand Proposition 209 deeper into public schools than voters intended. 

“This is an extremely important case because there are so many unanswered questions about 209,” said American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California Legal Director Alan Schlosser, adding that the ACLU might join the defense. 

For years the district has debated changes to its school assignment policy, last amended in 1995. 

Last year the board declined to vote on a recommendation from its School Assignment Advisory Committee that would have replaced race as an enrollment criterion in favor of four other factors: Household income, parental education level, English proficiency and single-parent status. 

Advocates of the plan said it would yield a nearly identical racial makeup for elementary schools while placing the district on firm legal footing. But a majority of the board feared that, over time, those factors might not guarantee racial diversity. 

Gary Orfield, co-director of the Civil Rights Project at Harvard University, said his research has shown that other factors substituted for race have in most cases failed to achieve racially diverse schools. 

“Nothing works as well as race,” he said, pointing to increased resegregation in San Francisco schools after a 1999 court case forced the city to eliminate race as a factor in school assignments. 

Orfield said he thought the Supreme Court’s decision this year upholding race as one among several valid criteria in determining enrollment for universities could aid the district’s case. 

The district is working on a revised school assignment plan that would add socio-economic factors along with race in determining placement. 

Berkeley Unified is not the only district in California that still uses race as a factor in school assignment, but Jamison said Berkeley caught her attention because of its refusal to consider a compromise. 

“What struck me was how insistent they were about using race,” she said, noting Boardmember Joaquin Rivera’s declaration that he was determined to continue the board’s policy unless a higher court told him he couldn’t. 

“That simply said litigation was the only route,” Jamison added. 

Should Berkeley lose the case, it would likely be allowed to consider other factors for assigning students to elementary schools so long as the district could prove they weren’t merely proxies for race. 

Huntington Beach dropped their race-based transfer program entirely, opting for a purely random system, according to Carolyn Shirley, a school district employee. She said that the high school in question, Westminster, had not seen an exodus of white students this year despite the change in policy. 

Berkeley’s school assignment plan is hardly an exact science. Several schools have racial demographics that exceed the five percent limit. 

Although African Americans comprise 31 percent of district enrollment and whites 29 percent, Washington Elementary is 37 percent African American and 19 percent white, while Cragmont, which is in the same student assignment zone, is 23 percent African American and 31 percent white, according to the California Basic Educational Data System. 

Also since Latinos and Asians are grouped together as “Others,” their representation in schools is unbalanced. Latinos comprise 16 percent of the district’s population but make up 37 percent of students at Thousand Oaks and 35 percent of students at Rosa Parks. The next highest concentration of Latinos is at Cragmont where they comprise 22 percent of students.

CURB CUTS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I’m writing in response to Dona Spring’s op-ed piece, “Services for Disabled Face Cuts” (Daily Planet, Dec. 16-18). Ms. Spring’s article pointed out that $346,000 in funding for 30 curb cuts ($11,533 each) in Berkeley may be on the chopping block. 

Recently, in my neighborhood of Eunice and Amador streets at Shattuck Avenue, five curb cuts were put in. The problem is that on three of those corners, perfectly usable curb cuts already existed. They were jack hammered up and replaced with new curb cuts over a period of six weeks of badly coordinated repairs, during which time the corners of all those sidewalks were unusable by anyone. So, in that recent instance, $34,600 in taxpayer money was unnecessarily thrown away. 

In August and September of 1996, curb cuts on Shattuck Avenue between Rose Street and University Avenue were jack hammered up and replaced by seemingly identical curb cuts. Only three of those corners did not have existing curb cuts before the work was done. In that case, several hundred thousand dollars—at least—of taxpayer money was used to no benefit, other than to the construction company doing the work. I wrote letters at the time to the director of public works, Vicki Elmer, and to Councilmember Diane Wooley-Bauer, asking why this completely unnecessary and disruptive work was being done, and received no response from either of them. A woman in a wheelchair who was unable to use the pre-existing curb cut on the northwest corner of Virginia and Shattuck Avenue, which was being replaced, was, while crossing the street in the middle of the block, hit by a truck, and sued the city for taking the existing curb cut out of service. 

Lest I be accused of not empathizing with the needs of the disabled, I should make it clear that I have Multiple Sclerosis and get around in a wheelchair. It is because of my daily experiences that I am so familiar with where curb cuts do and do not exist and how serviceable they are. 

Is there no one in the City of Berkeley whose job it is to go over authorized work to see whether it is necessary, before spending hundreds of thousands of dollars? Are there other reasons for giving large contracts to outside contractors? 

I am disgusted by the ineptitude of the city and by the incessant waste of money and lack of response to taxpayers inquiring about the reasons for large expenditures. A city government unresponsive to the taxpayers who are footing the bills should be replaced. 

Susan Fleisher 

• 

APOLOGY 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

George Bisharat is right that the Palestinians are due an apology. He’s wrong, though, about who should do the apologizing.The Palestinians are entitled to and should demand multiple apologies from their own uncaring Arab brethren for: 

1) Refusing to accept the UN’s offer for a Palestinian state in 1948. 

2) Choosing instead to launch in 1948 the first of several failed wars to destroy Israel. 

3) Creating hundreds of thousands of refugees as a result of the war. 

4) Snatching and occupying land (from 1948-1967) intended for the might-have-been state. 

5) Forcing refugees into camps as pawns against Israel. 

6) Denying (except Jordan) resettlement Palestinian war refugees. 

7) Shaming Palestinians as the only permanent refugees in the history of the world. 

8) Inciting hatred in Palestinian schools and mosques. 

9) Exploiting and victimizing peace-loving Palestinians. 

10) Making “Palestinian” a synonym for suicide bomber. 

11) Hating Jews and Israelis more than caring about fellow Palestinians. 

June Brott 

Oakland 

• 

FOREIGN POLICY 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

In a letter in the last issue of the Daily Planet, James Harris queried: “Why in the midst of dealing with a city budget crisis did Mayor Tom Bates see fit to attend a pro-Israel dinner?” I am amazed that Mr. Harris forgets that he himself appeared at a City Council meeting several months ago to urge it to pass an anti-Israel resolution concerning Rachel Corrie. At that time Mr. Harris did not express any interest in Berkeley’s budget, only in Berkeley’s foreign policy. I am happy to hear of Mr. Harris’ change of heart, and would join with him to press Berkeley’s City Council to get out of the business of passing divisive foreign policy resolutions so that it might focus on our roads, our schools, and our homeless. I hope that Mr. Harris will join me in support of a ballot measure to disband the Peace and Justice Commission because it forces the City Council to waste its time and the taxpayer’s money (the Peace and Justice Commission requires paid staff time) on these divisive foreign policy initiatives. 

John Gertz 

• 

BUDGET BLIND SPOTS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Letter writer Bob Archibald (Daily Planet, Dec. 12-15) seems to have some blind spots himself concerning Berkeley’s budget deficit. Archibald rages against city spending, emoting that City Council has “an insatiable habit of spending money.” He further rants on that Berkeley “outspends just about every other city.” It is true that unlike other cities, Berkeley has its own Department of Health. Among the department’s programs are free vaccinations for families who can’t afford them. Does Archibald advocate shutting down our Department of Health? Berkeley also supplements Measure B transportation funds for seniors and disabled persons. Does Archibald think Council ought to cut that program as well and strand those vulnerable populations?  

It would appear that Archibald has bought the Republi-can/Schwarzenegger mega-lie about “government waste,” a sound byte for cutting social services, e.g.  

to disabled children and the Healthy Families program. I recognize Archibald’s anger but he needs to aim that anger at the proper targets. Among these targets are tax loopholes for oil companies, the very wealthy who don’t/won’t pay their fair share of taxes, and prison industry pork. Appropriate action in these areas would yield the billions in funding for the state and its cities to maintain the programs and educational system that distinguish the humane from barbarians.  

The USA is still a very rich country; California is still a very rich state. The money is there. It’s a question of priorities. Council as well as state Democratic legislators have to go after the big money instead of nickle and diming us all. Alas, so far they have only proven to be Democratic Party loyalists (reference Matt vs. Gavin).  

Maris Arnold 

• 

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Editors, Daily Planet: 

On Sunday, Dec, 14 a goodly crowed gathered at Strawberry Creek Lodge to Honor Helen Lima. Eighty-six year old Lima is a long-time “Lodger” who, after working many years as a cook at Herrick Hospital, and despite poor health, “retired” to community activism and service as SCL’s Tenants Association president. 

Strawberry Creek Lodge is a unique, nonprofit, senior housing facility located at 1320 Addison St. in Berkeley, providing 149 housekeeping studios and one-bedroom units. The rents of one third of the tenants are subsidized by Section 8, which refers to a portion of federal legislation administered by HUD. 

Helen Lima understands the crucial difference between low-income and “affordable” housing! She has a Section 8. In 1997, when continuance of Section 8 was in jeopardy in Washington, Lima began SAVE SECTION 8 as a self-help, grassroots effort in behalf of low-income “seniors” who rent—or need to be able to rent—federally-subsidized apartments. Her testimony for Oakland’s Institute for Food and Development Policy at that time included this : 

“Our mission is difficult, but necessary: to get Congress to allocate enough money into the housing assistance programs that we have to keep them  

going, and to consider allocating money to build more housing for low-income seniors and others. They need to keep in mind and be reminded that seniors are the fastest growing group in the population.” 

Today, Section 8 is again faltering in Congress. Locally there are people on the Berkeley Housing Authority’s waiting list questioning whether the BHA’s Section 8 vouchers are being shared with or given away to housing developers. Too many of the City’s 40-plus boards and commissions are not representative of seniors—21 percent of the population—even at a token level, the existence of the Commission on Aging notwithstanding. Moreover —like Helen Lima—most low-income seniors are women. (According to the 2000 Census, the 102,743 Berkeley population includes 21,076 persons aged 55 and over, which the senior  

centers use as their starting age. Twelve percent if one prefers the passe 65 and over.) 

Helen Rippier Wheeler 

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Editors, Daily Planet: 

Writing history sine ira et studio (without anger and partiality) seems to have been abandoned in our own age. Increasing numbers of people approach Clio’s art with anger and partiality, especially when the Middle East is concerned. George Bisharat’s long article epitomizes this trend. Sadly, his one-sided presentation, which has been reprinted in several newspapers including the Berkeley Daily Planet (Dec. 9-11), spreads misinformation and prejudice. 

In my rabbinic career I have met hundreds of Jews, who are representatives of the nearly 900,000 Jewish refugees of Muslim countries, the Diaspora that has really been forgotten by the world. The vast majority of them recount how they were first mistreated and humiliated and then forced out of their respective home towns and villages, regardless of the fact that, in many cases, like Iraq and Iran, their ancestors had lived there for several centuries before Islam occupied and conquered those lands. I heard stories of children whose parents were mercilessly slaughtered by Islamic extremists. Their testimonies are validated by numerous printed documents such as Rahamim Rejwan’s account: “beheaded corpses of Jews were lying on the streets and dismembered infants‚ limbs could be seen strewn in every corner.” [Annals of Iraqi Jewry]. 

I hope that the good and educated people of Berkeley will be motivated to learn about history, written sine ira et studio.  

Ferenc Raj  

• 

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Editors, Daily Planet: 

The parcel tax was defeated due to the help of Mark Mestrovith, head of the Berkeley Firefighters Union Local 1227 and his e-mail to Mayor Tom Bates. Now the city states that it will have to close some firestations on a rotation basis. 

A few days later, Mark wrote to the Daily Planet asking Berkeley citizens to call the mayor’s office to prevent cuts of funds to the firefighters. 

It is time that Mark should admit that he was wrong to oppose this parcel tax. He is responsible for this mess and closing of firestations. Many Berkeley residents, of which of I am one, want to vote on the parcel tax and support the parcel tax. We do not want cuts in schools, firestations or social services. 

Let’s all band together to fight the cut of taxes being forced on the citizens by the pro-Republican administrations in Washington, Sacramento and now Berkeley. Their plan is to cut social services and to privatized the city government. 

Let’s get this parcel tax on the ballot for March or November, 2004. 

John Murcko 

• 

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Editors, Daily Planet: 

I hope Zelda Bronstein’s knowledge of city planning exceeds her knowledge of punctation. 

Her letter (Daily Planet, Dec. 9-11), in which she claims the Planet is guilty of typographical discrimination by capitalizing Realtor and not teacher, ignores the fact the the former is a trademark and the latter merely a trade. 

Paul Slater 

EDITOR’S NOTE: The trademark law does not mandate any particular usage by journalists, and we prefer to use lower case for all trades, including doctors, plumbers, attorneys, teachers, editors and realtors. We lower-cased two of the three references in the story, but accidentally missed the third. Though the Associated Press style book does in fact capitalize “Realtor,” it recommends that newspapers instead use the generic term for all real estate agents, which we will do in the future. 

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Editors, Daily Planet: 

It is unfortunate (once again) that the Berkeley Daily Planet does not employ ethical and objective journalism. In a time when we need our peace officers, and we face the real reality that budget cuts will significantly impact the amount and quality of police services in the future, the Planet is laying the foundation of mistrust and slander against our cops. Think about it,in Berkeley, we are so fortunate to have some of the very best (check out some our neighboring towns to note the lack of diversity, accountability, excellent training and compassion but the instances of corruption, scandal....) police officers in the whole state.  

I learned via a witness at Mr. Mopps that the woman that Mr. Artz touts in so many ways as “a victim” violently and without provocation, punched customers and hit one in the face with a piece of merchandise. Geez, it is a children's store. She then tried to flee in a 2,000-pound weapon, think about it, striking an officer in the process. My understanding is that officers are authorized to use the force necessary given the circumstances and to overcome her resistance. If the cops had not nabbed her, we would have heard another story about how incompetent they are and how they should have done this and that. Stop making them the easy targets. Start looking at the increase in violent crime in Berkeley, and think about all the ways in which a small constituency (like you) contribute to making it impossible for our officers to keep the city safer by continuing to print a biased story.  

Also, when you are writing about the budget, salaries and such, think about it, what other employees put their lives on the line each day for this community? What percentage have been permanently disabled by violent suspects? 

Please be reponsible. Get some journalistic ethics and stop pretending that the Daily Planet represents us. 

The Curtis family 

• 

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Editors, Daily Planet: 

The twelve days of Halliburtonmas,  

On the twelfth day of Halliburtonmas, my true 

corporation gave to me: twelve no-bid contracts 

asmellin’. 

On the eleventh day of Halliburtonmas, my true 

corporation gave to me: eleven cost overruns arunnin’. 

On the tenth day of Halliburtonmas, my true 

corporation gave to me: ten insurgents insurgin’. 

On the ninth day of Halliburtonmas, my true 

corporation gave to me: nine CFOs acookin’. 

On the 8th day of Halliburtonmas, my true corporation 

gave to me: eight tanker trucks overchargin’. 

On the seven day of Halliburtonmas, my true 

corporation gave to me: seven war profiteers 

aprofitin’. 

On the sixth day of Halliburtonmas, my true 

corporation gave to me: six Pentagon auditors 

awhitewashin’. 

On the fifth day of Halliburtonmas, my true 

corporation gave to me: five broken pipelines. 

On the fourth day of Halliburtonmas, my true 

corporation gave to me: four bawling Kurds. 

On the third day of Halliburtonmas, my true 

corporation gave to me: three French freezeouts. 

On the second day of Halliburtonmas, my true 

corporation gave to me: two dead doves. 

On the first day of Halliburtonmas, my true 

corporation gave to me: a chickenhawk in a date palm 

tree. 

Very truly yours,  

James K. Sayre 

Oakland 

• 

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[The following is an open letter to Delta Upsilon fraternity. Please run it in your opinion section.] 

December 12, 2003 

Open letter to Delta Upsilon fraternity, 

As members of the Oscar Wilde House, an openly lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT) themed co-op, we are outraged by a series of homophobic acts by some residents of the Delta Upsilon (DU) fraternity. These actions have continued despite repeated protests and must stop. 

At 9:40 PM on the night of December 5, Marcio von Muhlen, DU’s new president, was left by his fraternity brothers on our front porch, tied to a chair, and drenched in a nauseating combination of salad dressing, salsa, and beer. This person told us he was DU’s new president and this was the fraternity using its one opportunity to treat him badly before his term started. 

Other incidents of harassment occurred this year as well. This letter does not include more commonplace occurrences of people on the front steps of DU heckling Wilde members entering and leaving our house. On June 28, four men walked into our house uninvited at 3 in the morning, were obnoxiously loud and drunk, and told a female member of our house, “It’s okay. We love lesbians. Show us your pussy—but God hates faggots and we hate faggots.” These men had Irish accents, as did some others in other incidents listed here who identified themselves as residents of DU. 

At 3:40 AM on July 1, five individuals from DU carried a man who was saran-wrapped to a chair across the street to our front porch and left him there. The group returned to the DU lawn, where about ten people yelled at us to “Fuck him up the ass!” among other things, while laughing. 

On the street near our house at 12:30 AM on July 15, a man, accompanied by another man and a woman, hit the buttocks of a member of our house with a purse repeatedly and unprovoked as they passed by. When asked if they were from DU, they replied yes. When our house member replied he was from Wilde, this man said, “You’re gay then.” When the house member said he was not, this man said, “Well, you live there. That’s the gay house. If you live there you are gay. 

After these and other incidents this summer, we spoke with von Muhlen, who was then DU’s house manager, and made clear we felt these incidents were harassment and homophobic. However, the events of December 5 proved that DU has so far refused to change its behavior. 

DU’s idea of humiliating their new president is to tie him up and put him on public display in front of a queer house, as if this would subject him to unwanted gay sexual advances. DU’s ritual is homophobic and based on a dehumanizing stereotype of LGBT people. It is intolerable that prejudice against queer people should be institutionalized in DU’s culture. 

These are not the only incidents of harassment we have received from DU. In October or November of 1999, a friend of a current member of the Wilde House was dropped off in front of our house, when approximately ten men rushed out of DU and ran after him. Two women of our house stepped outside to confront the men. The men left after yelling “dyke” at the two women. 

These incidents have occurred repeatedly, and we can only conclude that there is an anti-queer sentiment in DU and that we have been targeted for harassment because we are an LGBT-themed house. These actions will not be tolerated. 

We are DU’s neighbors and equals, as completely deserving of respect as any other human beings. We want to make the street we both live on a safe and tolerant community for all. 

The Oscar Wilde House is a proud community of queer and straight people who support and recognize the dignity and equality of everyone. We expect DU to make a written apology to our house and to the public for its homophobic actions, and to make a formal commitment to stop harassing LGBT people in the future. 

Sincerely, 

The Oscar Wilde House, lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender themed student co-op

When Christopher Edley Jr. won the post of dean of Boalt Hall law school last week, those in the know hailed the appointment as a major coup for UC Berkeley. 

His placement marks the first time since the 1940s Boalt has gone outside the faculty to pick a dean, his credentials are among the strongest in the country, and he will be the first African American to lead a top-tier law school.  

Supporters also hope his appointment will draw Boalt out of recent problems concerning a lack of racial and gender diversity in both the student body and the faculty.  

Since the passage of Proposition 209 in 1996, banning affirmative action, Boalt, like the rest of UC Berkeley, has seen a decline in minority enrollment. Critics hold Boalt directly responsible for the decline because the school has a poor record recruiting faculty of color. 

Boalt faces strong competition from other leading schools whose stronger records for diversity and larger endowments have snatched many of the top recruits.  

“We’ve been competing for highly qualified applicants and losing them to schools like Harvard, Yale and NYU,” said Linda Krieger, a civil rights lawyer and professor at Boalt who teaches employment discrimination, legal ethics and civil procedure. “[Edley’s] presence in the Civil Rights movement and as co-director of the Civil Rights Project will have a tremendous effect on countering Prop. 209, which has definitely put us at a competitive disadvantage.” 

Numbers at Boalt are not representative of the state’s overall minority population but according to Robert Berring, Boalt’s interim dean, the school has managed to slowly claw its way back to pre-Prop. 209 percentages. 

“The challenge that I face is to work with people to preserve that gain,” Edley said during a recent telephone press conference. “It’s an absolutely critical challenge because I believe quite adamantly, as the U.S. Supreme Court recognized this past June in the University of Michigan affirmative action cases, that inclusion, diversity, is an ingredient of excellence when its done properly, and that it is central to the mission of a great university, especially a public university.” 

Boalt’s Coalition for Diversity quickly applauded the appointment. 

“The hiring of Edley represents a paradigm shift. The fact that Boalt decided to hire an African American man is significant, not just in California but across the country,” said Guy Johnson, chair of the coalition. 

Jeff Selbin, executive director of the East Bay Community Law Center—which partners with Boalt to run their largest clinical program—says increased minority recruitment will certainly benefit the center’s work which focuses primarily in communities of color. 

“It’s better for our program and our clients if the people who are working here come from the communities that they serve,” he said. 

On another front, some hope the spotlight on Edley as a strong and positive recruit will help Boalt shed some of the controversy generated last year when former Dean John Dwyer resigned following accusations that he’d sexually harassed a Boalt student and the resulting storm of bad press focusing on Boalt’s weak sexual harassment policies and disproportionately male staffing. 

Broad-based cuts in public education funding and outreach coupled with increasingly difficult fiscal problems rank high on the list of challenges facing Edley—challenges he said only added to the job’s appeal. 

“Frankly, the challenges facing higher education in California and facing the law school in particular, were a substantial part of the attraction in bringing me to this job,” he said. 

“A great public law school…should be immediately and powerfully engaged in tackling the toughest problems that are facing the public sector and the private sector in California, in the nation, and in the world. Boalt is poised to play that role in a way that will stand out from the rest of the top law schools in the country.”

The neighbors of Berkeley’s “floating cottage” won a significant victory Tuesday night when City Council voted 7-0 to deny owner Christina Sun’s appeal, sending the 3045 Shattuck Ave. project back into the hands of the Zoning Adjustment Board (ZAB), and into an uncertain future. 

The ruling means that further renovations on the uncompleted three-story structure at Shattuck Avenue and Essex Street can’t go forward unless and until ZAB approves. The house is presently uninhabitable. 

In the spring and summer of 2002, Berkeley’s Planning Department staff approved two applications by Sun, a Taiwanese immigrant, to convert the two-story house into a three-story residential-commercial building, allowing her to raise the structure several feet into the air in order to build a new commercial space on the ground floor. 

Sun has said she wants to live in the house herself, moving in her elderly mother who currently lives in Taiwan, while she operates a flower shop on the ground floor. 

Neighbors have countered that they believe the property will actually become a rooming house, and shortly after construction began, they began a campaign to halt the project, culminating in a decision by the Zoning Adjustment Board to pull the building permit and issue a stop work order. 

Tuesday’s Council hearing was an appeal from that decision. 

The construction stoppage left the older, previously existing top story of the bungalow sitting above two floors of foundation and plywood structure, giving the appearance of a house hovering high in the air and earned the edifice the nickname “floating cottage.” 

Berkeley attorney William Segesta, who represented Ms. Sun at the hearing, refused to give a statement to the Daily Planet. “Your paper is anti-development,” he said. “If you write anything truthful, they’ll just kill the story. The Daily Planet is a rag that prints only lies and misrepresentations. And you can quote me on that.” 

Segesta was similarly testy and combative during the hearing, alternately complaining about procedural rulings by Mayor Tom Bates and Deputy City Attorney Zack Cowan or jumping to his feet to object to evidence presented by neighbors’ attorney Rena Rickles. 

In his written notice of appeal to City Council, Segesta called the Zoning Adjustment Board’s decision “illegal, draconian, and, indeed, racist. ... The picture painted by ZAB is of a rich, rapacious, totally dishonest, tasteless outsider coming in to build a trashy Hong Kong type building...” 

He expounded on those views before Council, criticizing ZAB for taking the position that his client was “so slippery that there can only be a hearing before ZAB [to determine how Ms. Sun will operate the property] because she’s too crooked to trust.” 

While neighbor complaints have centered around the appearance and appropriateness of the project to the surrounding community, Council’s Tuesday night decision hinged on ZAB’s stated reason for pulling the building permit: an allegation that Sun had lied on her May, 2002 permit application. 

The application, filled out by her architect and signed by Sun, lists the “existing use” of the property as “single family house.” In revoking the permit, ZAB ruled that Sun was actually operating what it called a “group living accommodation” and also decided that the “unusual physical configuration of the proposed modified residential structure” was “in violation of the Zoning Ordinance and thereby called into question [Sun’s] intended future use of the property.” 

Sun told councilmembers that the property was empty when she filled out the permit application, making its designation as a “single family house” correct. Segesta also argued that the legal difference between a “single family house” and a “group living accommodation” was so vague and confusing that Sun’s answer shouldn’t be considered a deliberate misrepresentation. City Council rejected that argument. 

In sending the matter back to ZAB, Council passed over a potential alleged conflict by ZAB chair and announced District 5 City Council candidate Laurie Capitelli. Part of the public record of the Council hearing included an e-mail, presumably to neighbors opposing the project, by opposition leader Robert Lauriston. 

Describing an April 28 meeting between himself, another neighbor, Capitelli, and City Planner Debbie Sanderson, Lauriston wrote: “Sanderson is going to check with the city attorney about whether [the rental of the basement for storage use would constitute a zoning violation]. Capitelli seems to think that the most promising avenue for us to make that argument stick is to get evidence that the basement was rented out for storage to people other than the ones living in the house, since in that case the ground floor was already commercial use.”  

Lauriston’s e-mail goes on to describe two other instances when Capitelli appeared to advise neighbors how to make their case against the project. 

City staff’s summary of the actions leading up to ZAB’s decision indicated that neighbors brought concerns about the project to ZAB during the board’s April 10 and 24 meetings, prior to the decisive April 28 meeting. 

When Sun’s attorney protested before City Council last Tuesday that Capitelli’s actions were improper and, therefore, negated the ZAB decision, Deputy City Attorney Cowan ruled that Capitelli violated no city regulation because no decision on the 3045 Shattuck Ave. property was actually pending before the Zoning Adjustments Board at the time of the final April meeting. 

In a telephone interview on Thursday, Capitelli said Lauriston’s email did not accurately describe the circumstances of the April 28th meeting. Capitelli declined further comment about that meeting, but said he did not believe that any of his actions at that meeting would prevent him from participating in a fair and impartial decision on the 3045 Shattuck Ave. project should it come back to ZAB for any further review.

NEW YORK—As the North American Free Trade Agreement commemorates its 10th anniversary this month, the United States, Canada and Mexico are confronting an unexpected challenge: China.  

All three NAFTA nations lost almost 2 million jobs in the United States and several hundred thousands in each of Canada and Mexico, mostly in manufacturing.  

Economists in the United States have debated whether China was to blame for the job loss. “The bulk of the current U.S. manufacturing weakness cannot be attributed to rising imports and outsourcing,” economist William Testa, head of regional programs at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, argued last November. “Manufacturing jobs have grown at a slower pace than jobs in services, largely because productivity gains in manufacturing have exceeded those in most service industries.”  

This view stands in sharp contrast to the findings, issued two weeks before Testa’s report, by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. “China’s undervalued currency and government investment strategies are having a deleterious effect on the competitiveness of U.S. manufactured goods and contributing to a migration of world manufacturing capacity to China, with a concurrent erosion of the U.S. manufacturing base,” the commission concluded.  

China “is engaged in manipulating the rate of exchange between its currency and the U.S. dollar to gain an unfair competitive trade advantage,” said the commission. Calling for Washington to negotiate with Beijing on revaluing China’s currency, the commission warned that should such efforts prove ineffective, “the Congressional leadership should use its legislative powers to force action by the U.S. and Chinese governments to address this unfair and mercantilist trade practice.”  

For Mexico, the latter view is more persuasive: Mexico’s loss of hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs can be directly linked to companies shutting “maquiladora” facilities—border assembly plants run by U.S. and global companies—and setting up shop in China. “Apparently the cost factors in China are low enough so that increased transportation is not a knockout feature” for multinationals, says Jon Amastae, director of the Inter-American Border Studies program at the University of Texas-El Paso.  

Fearing that a strong Canadian dollar would undermine economic growth, Canadian Labor Congress economist Andrew Jackson argued recently that the Bank of Canada will have to cut interest rates to avoid huge job losses in manufacturing. “Over 15,000 manufacturing jobs disappeared in September (2003),” Jackson said.  

China’s fingerprints are everywhere. “In America, people in varying capacities—business, labor, academia, the media, and government—need to better understand the almost tectonic economic forces now shaping the U.S.-China economic relationship,” the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission reported. The Commission’s conclusion that China is engaged in “mercantilist behavior,” including “tax incentives, preferential access to credit, capital, and materials, and investment conditions requiring technology transfers” is confirmed by Mexico’s experience.  

“Labor costs only represent 10 percent of total costs of exporting companies and of maquiladoras in general,” says Mexico City-based economist Roberto Salinas, “so clearly there is something beyond the labor issue that is making China a more attractive investment regime for transnational companies.”  

When the experiences of manufacturing job loss in the United States, Canada and Mexico is analyzed as a whole, it is clear that:  

• China, in violation of both its International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organization obligations, continues to manipulate foreign exchange markets to keep its currency significantly undervalued.  

• China subsidizes manufacturers through a wide range of national industrial policies that include unfair tariffs, limits on foreign firms’ access to domestic markets, unfair requirements for technology transfer by foreign investors, privileged access to listings on national and international stock markets, tax relief and direct support for research and development from the government budget in excess of allowable limits as defined by the WTO.  

• China’s undervalued currency and government mercantilism have affected the ability of U.S., Canadian and Mexican manufacturers to compete, resulting in a sustained erosion of the manufacturing base of the NAFTA nations.  

Washington, Ottawa and Mexico City must meet this challenge with a single voice. Specifically, the NAFTA nations must:  

• Make a determination that China is manipulating its foreign exchange rate, which constitutes an unfair and mercantilist trade practice.  

• Identify which of China’s industrial policies violate China’s WTO obligations.  

• Enact uniform legislation that addresses China’s de facto government subsidies.  

• Demand that China revalue its currency, end all subsidies to its national industries and halt its requirement that foreign companies transfer technology to Chinese subsidiaries.  

The economies of the three NAFTA nations have become so integrated that the integrity of North America must be defended in a single voice. The United States, Canada and Mexico must stand united to meet China’s challenge. 

Louis E.V. Nevaer is author of the forthcoming book, Nafta’s Second Decade: Assessing Opportunities in the Mexican and Canadian Markets.

Councilmember Kriss Worthington and former Councilmember Diane Wooley have added their names to the arguments opposing Measure J. The March 2004 referendum, put on the ballot by Berkeley City Council, would add new requirements to running for office in Berkeley if it is passed by Berkeley voters. 

The measure sets a limit of a combination of $150 or an equivalent substituted number of petition signatures for a candidate to qualify to run for any Berkeley office. During Council debate last month, Worthington had threatened to “actively campaign” against the measure if language was left in to allow future Councils to raise the dollar or signature amount at its discretion. That discretionary language was later withdrawn by Mayor Tom Bates. 

—J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

The campaign of presidential candidate Rep. Dennis Kucinich, an Ohio Democrat, has not garnered the same high media profile enjoyed by some of his Democratic opponents such as former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean and retired U.S. general Wesley Clark. ABC News has announced it will stop having producers travel full time with the candidate’s campaign. Kucinich says it is this kind of corporate control of media, industries and government that he will fight against as president. It is stifling free speech, he says.  

There used to be monopolies in such industries as steel and shipping, but today the monopolies are “in media, energy, health care and banking,” Kucinich said. 

“The media should not dictate presidential debates based on polls and endorsements. How can they tell voters who to vote for?” Kucinich said. He told an audience of ethnic media on Dec. 15 in San Francisco that he supports more community access in media and that he would go on with his grassroots campaign. “I’m the Seabiscuit of 2004,” he said referring to the legendary underdog racehorse that won the hearts and minds of Depression-era America.  

The press briefing was co-sponsored by NCM, a national coalition of ethnic news organizations, the Media Alliance, the San Francisco Immigrant Voter Coalition, San Francisco Tabernacle Congregations, and Accion Latina/El Tecolote.  

Kucinich is no stranger to battling corporate interests. In 1978, at the age of 31—the youngest mayor to ever govern a major city, Cleveland—he refused when the city’s banks demanded he sell Cleveland’s city-owned power company to a private group, which was partly backed by local banks. As a result of his decision, Kucinich lost office when the banks drove the city to a major loan default. It took 15 years before Kucinich returned to public office and he would be credited for resisting the corporate power grab and saving Cleveland residents millions on their electric bills.  

Mei Ling Sze with the Chinese language television station KTSF in San Francisco asked Kucinich how he would proceed with the anti-terror campaign in Iraq a day after the capture of former Iraq President Saddam Hussein. Kucinich said he would use the opportunity to take U.S. troops out of Iraq, embrace the world community in efforts against terrorism and seek out the United Nations for leadership and peacekeeping troops. Kucinich also detailed plans to put Iraqi oil interests in a trust for the Iraqi people and eliminate “sweetheart” deals in Iraqi reconstruction for specific American companies. “The sons and daughters of middle class Americans are paying the price for this war,” he said.  

Addressing concerns on the sagging economy, Kucinich said there is too wide a gulf between the “haves” and the “have nots.” “Some are doing well, others are not. The minimum wage is frozen at $5.15 an hour nationally.” He says he also opposes Republican efforts to reduce overtime.  

In response to the recent Medicare reform approved by Congress, Kucinich said that the term “reform” was being used very loosely. “Every time you hear this administration use the term reform, get hold of your wallets, lock your doors, and bolt your windows” because special interests are coming to “raid your wallets.” He said the new Medicare plan would favor private insurers and allow pharmaceutical companies to charge Medicare whatever they want for drugs. It took cost containment out of the bill and hurts the program, he said.  

Beatriz Ferrari, with Spanish language television network Univision asked Kucinich his view on U.S.-Mexico relations. “I propose to ‘take down the wall’ and encourage a new cooperation between Mexico and the United Sates,” he said. This would include canceling the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which only decreases wages for workers under threats of moving jobs overseas, Kucinich said. He would instead replace NAFTA with bilateral trade agreements, which take into consideration workers’ rights, human rights and environmental principles.  

Kucinich also supports amnesty for millions of undocumented workers. For too long these “immigrants have been used to reinforce the wealth of private companies while being relegated to second class citizens,” he said. The workers are exploited as cheap labor and if they complain, companies only need to threaten to report their status to immigration officials. “We must change this system,” he cried. Additionally Kucinich said that he supports the controversial measure to offer drivers’ licenses to undocumented immigrants.  

Kucinich stressed that his immigrant roots helped him understand the plight of immigrants in the United States. His grandfather came through Ellis Island from Croatia. The United States must continue to extend a light of freedom and hope to immigrants, he said, and he opposes any efforts that stands in the way including the Patriot Act. Kucinich is the only presidential candidate to vote against the Patriot act. “As president, I want to see again a connection from our heart to the hearts of the world,” he said.

The woman police say assaulted three shoppers at Mr. Mopps Children’s Books last week and was then yanked from her car by officers and detained face-down on the pavement for approximately 20 minutes will face a judge today (Friday, Dec. 19). 

Tonita Wiemels, 40, of Albany—who has spent the past week in Santa Rita jail after failing to post $13,000 bail—will enter pleas on two counts of battery, three counts of battery on a police officer, one count of resisting arrest, and a probation violation, said Deputy Public Defender Ray Plumhoff. 

The case was referred to Plumhoff Thursday, who said he is not her attorney of record and does not know how she intends to plead or whether she will opt for a different attorney. He was not aware of the circumstances behind her probation. 

While inside the children’s store on the 1400 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Way Thursday afternoon, Wiemels allegedly shoved one person, kicked another and smacked a third in the face with a box of Legos. 

Wiemels retreated to her car parked outside the store and, ignoring police demands to surrender, pulled out of her parking spot, bumping an officer in the process. Three patrol cars boxed her in further down the block, and officers ultimately smashed her drivers’ side window, pulled her from the car and detained her on the street. Police said their response was warranted because Wiemels struggled with them, though some witnesses questioned the degree of force employed by police.

Class acts in American public life are so rare these days, even the term itself has fallen into disuse. It’s noteworthy, therefore, to witness two examples occurring in the same issue, and coming from the same family. 

The first example comes from Ms. Essie Mae Washington-Williams, the 78-year-old African-American daughter of the late United States Senator, J. Strom Thurmond and a black South Carolina woman, Carrie Butler. There had been rumors for years in Thurmond’s home state of South Carolina that the senator had a black child out of wedlock, made all the more scandalous because Thurmond was one of the most vocal anti-black segregationists of our lifetime. During the 1990s, Ms. Washington-Williams began being identified in the press as that child. She always denied that rumor, quietly, and with dignity, explaining her visits to the senator’s Washington office by saying only that Thurmond was a good friend. 

Her recent acknowledgment of the details of her ancestry was handled with equal taste. She was not asking for money, she explained, nor trying to make some social or political point. She only wanted to tell the world who she was, something she had not been able to do for some 60 years. “Strom Thurmond was my father,” she began, in a prepared statement. “I have known this since 1941, when I was 16 years old.” She later added, “I am Essie Mae Washington-Williams, and I am free.” Free, presumably, from a longtime burden of secrecy. 

But equally classy was the response from the late Senator Thurmond’s white descendants. Asked if Ms. Washington-Williams’ claim was true, a spokesperson for Thurmond’s white children answered, simply, yes. “As J. Strom Thurmond has passed away and cannot speak for himself,” the family attorney said, “the Thurmond family acknowledges Ms. Essie Mae Washington-Williams’ claim to her heritage. We hope this acknowledgment will bring closure for Ms. Williams.” 

You have only to note the contrast with the sad, woeful example of the white descendants of Thomas Jefferson, who continue to roll around in the dust trying to rid themselves of the mud of history, kicking their legs in protest at the thought that they might have distant cousins who happen to be black. 

I first heard Ms. Washington-Williams’ name from a man named Lamar Dawkins, a little over 20 years ago, while we sat on top of some boxes of whiskey in the front of one of his Orangeburg, South Carolina, liquor stores. I don’t remember how the subject came up, but he confirmed that he knew that Thurmond had a black daughter. “She used to room with us while she attended South Carolina State College,” he said. Having heard the rumors many times over myself, I was skeptical. “How do you know that this was Thurmond’s daughter?” I asked him. “Because he used to visit her,” Dawkins said. 

I had been in the Deep South for more than 10 years, by then, walking in the deep faultines of the black-white racial divide and fighting in the battles to wipe out the lingering residue of slavery. Since I first started seeing Senator Thurmond on television in the 1960s—his cries against the civil rights demonstrators and his calls for the retention of segregation—I considered him an enemy of black people. I later learned that Thurmond got his political training sitting on the knee of Senator Ben “Pitchfork Ben” Tillman—an American race-terrorist by most definitions—one of the architects of Southern segregation, who once publicly boasted that white folks ran black people out of South Carolina government in the 1870s, at the end of Reconstruction, using “fraud and violence.” At the time of my conversation with Mr. Dawkins, I was part of a statewide South Carolina coalition that was conducting a spirited and vocal campaign against Senator Thurmond and his stated desire to kill the 1965 Voting Rights Act. 

That Thurmond had a black daughter came as absolutely no surprise to me. Like most African-Americans, I have my own black-white stories I could tell. What surprised me about Mr. Dawkins’ revelation was that Thurmond visited her. I remember going home and sitting up, thinking, for much of the rest of the night, staring out across moonlit fields where slavery crews once labored, aware of how little I knew both about Strom Thurmond, and about the complexities of race relations in the South. 

The story that the old folks used to tell me in South Carolina was that Ben Tillman, Strom Thurmond’s political mentor, went somewhat crazy at the end of his life, spending his last days waving a wobbly cane at the stray black person passing by his front porch, screaming “Keep the niggers off the polls! Keep the niggers off the polls!” Tillman is supposed to have died that way, thrashing against long-gone black enemies who visited him at his bedside, unseen by anyone but him. 

We do not know if any similar apparitions haunted Senator Thurmond at his end. 

The Mormons believe that the actions of the living can redeem the sins of the ancestors. If that is true, then the actions of Strom Thurmond’s children—both the white and the black—must go a long way toward bringing him peace. A long way, too, towards healing the great American rift that is race.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Rob Wrenn spent some time as a Gonzalez campaign volunteer in the final week of the campaign. He makes no claims to being an impartial observer. 

Gavin Newsom’s margin of victory over Matt Gonzalez widened slightly as San Francisco election officials finished counting absentee ballots in San Francisco’s mayoral election. 

In the unofficial statement of vote released last Friday afternoon, Newsom had 131,280 votes to 116,610 votes for Gonzalez. Gonzalez won 47.0 percent of the votes cast for the two candidates. An official statement will be available by early January.  

Turnout in last Tuesday’s runoff election was the highest turnout in any San Francisco mayoral election since the 1979 mayoral race that took place in the aftermath of the November 1978 assassination of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk.  

53.4 percent of registered voters cast ballots in the runoff. Over 39,000 more San Franciscans voted in the runoff than in the November election, an increase of about 19 percent. 

Turnout, however, was well below that in the 2000 presidential election (66.59 percent) or the recent recall election (59.16 percent).  

San Francisco has had mayoral runoffs before, but none have seen such a big jump in turnout over the November general election. The excitement generated by the Gonzalez campaign certainly contributed to the higher turnout. 

What Gonzalez Achieved 

Gonzalez did remarkably well considering what he was up against. 

Gonzalez joined the race for mayor at the last minute, or more precisely a half-hour before the filing deadline in August. Newsom’s campaign had been underway for a year by then; he raised over a half-million dollars in 2002.  

In the November election, Newsom won 41.9 percent of the vote to Gonzalez’ 19.6 percent. Third place finisher Angela Alioto (16.1 percent) and fifth place finisher Susan Leal (8.5 percent) both subsequently endorsed Newsom. Gonzalez won the endorsement of fourth place finisher Supervisor Tom Ammiano (10.3 percent). 

In the runoff, Gonzalez’ vote total was higher than the combined votes received by himself, Alioto, Ammiano and Leal in the November election. 

Newsom outspent Gonzalez by at least 10-1.  

As of the Nov. 22, 2003 filing, his campaign had reported expenditures totaling $3.96 million, a huge sum for a municipal campaign, while Gonzalez had spent about $304,000 of the $392,000 he had raised. Newsom’s expenditures up to the Nov. 22 filing work out to about $30 for each vote he ultimately received in the runoff. And that doesn’t include expenditures made between Nov. 22 and the conclusion of the campaign on Dec. 9. 

To put these expenditures in perspective, you can look at the 2002 mayoral election in Berkeley. The winner, Tom Bates, spent an amount equal to about $10 for every vote he received, while his opponent, Shirley Dean spent about $11. Final figures aren’t available, but Gonzalez may have spent about $4 per vote received.  

Newsom also benefited from additional spending by other organizations supporting his campaign. The San Francisco Association of Realtors reported spending about $72,000 between Dec. 2 and Dec. 5.  

Some of the Realtors Association money paid for a hit piece that claimed that “Matt Gonzalez wants to raise taxes on homeowners.” Gonzalez was attacked for wanting to “double the city’s real property transfer tax.” Of course, the mailer failed to mention that Gonzalez favored raising the transfer tax only on properties selling for over $2 million.  

With all the money he raised, Newsom was able to buy up phone banks, including some in other states. With paid staff to phone San Francisco voters, he was able to mount an extremely successful absentee ballot campaign.  

Why Did Newsom Win? 

According to San Francisco State University Political Science professor Rich DeLeon, who has been analyzing San Francisco elections for years, “the single most important factor was the absentee operation.” 

Of votes cast in the runoff, 37 percent came from absentee ballots, a record for a San Francisco mayoral runoff. Of Newsom’s votes, 44 percent were cast by absentees, compared to 28 percent for Gonzalez. 

Gonzalez got 11,000 more votes at the polls than Newsom, but Newsom trounced Gonzalez among absentee voters, winning them by a margin of 64 percent to 36 percent. Many votes had already been cast when Gonzalez began his big get-out-the-vote push in the final days of the campaign. 

Democrat vs. Green 

While the election was portrayed as a contest between a Democrat and a Green, it was also a continuation of the ongoing electoral contest between progressives and centrists in San Francisco. 

Gavin Newsom and Matt Gonzalez are both members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Gonzalez is currently president of the board. Before the November election, Newsom hadn’t been endorsed by any of the other nine members on the board.  

After he came in first in November, two supervisors, Bevan Dufty and Fiona Ma, both Democrats, endorsed him in the runoff. But five supervisors, also Democrats, supported Gonzalez, who also garnered the support of former Mayor Art Agnos, also a Democrat. 

With limited support among elected Democrats at the local level, Newsom relied on high-profile Democrats at the state and national level, including Al Gore and Bill Clinton, who made campaign appearances for him during the runoff. 

Newsom also won endorsements from most of the Democratic presidential candidates, with the notable exception of Howard Dean—who may have gotten the word that many of his rank-and-file supporters in San Francisco were backing Gonzalez. Some Gonzalez volunteers I saw sported Dean buttons alongside their Gonzalez buttons. 

It’s quite possible, indeed likely, that a majority of the Democrats who voted in the runoff voted for Gonzalez, the Green candidate, over Newsom, the Democrat.  

San Francisco’s registered voters are 53.9 percent Democrats, 12.5 percent Republicans, 3.4 percent Greens and 26.9 percent “decline to state.” In the absence of exit polls, it can’t be said with certainty how members of various parties voted, but it’s likely that Republican voters provided Newsom with his 6 percent margin of victory.  

In a letter to the San Francisco Chronicle after the runoff, the chairman of the San Francisco Republican Party asserted that Republican votes “saved San Francisco.” The New York Times reported that an informal survey of Republicans found that 85 percent had voted for Newsom. 

Professor Rich DeLeon looked at how voters in Newsom’s and Gonzalez best precincts in November voted in the October recall and gubernatorial election. His “voting pattern analysis” appeared on the San Francisco Sentinel website shortly before the runoff election. 

One generalization he arrived at: “Voters in top Newsom precincts were the most supportive of the Davis recall… and they were clearly the least supportive of Bustamante.” In Gonzalez top precincts, voters were strongly opposed to the recall and strongly supportive of Cruz Bustamante. 

All five supervisors who backed Gonzalez were elected with him in the 2000 election that marked the return of district elections in San Francisco. Four of these supervisors—Aaron Peskin, Jake McGoldrick, Gerardo Sandoval and Chris Daly—were elected for the first time, defeating candidates backed by incumbent mayor Willie Brown. Together with Tom Ammiano, first elected in 1994, they constitute a progressive majority on the current board of supervisors. Supervisor Sophie Maxwell may also vote with them. 

Where Gonzalez Won 

In the last mayoral election in November 1999, Tom Ammiano was the progressive standard bearer. He entered the race even later than Gonzalez did this year and waged a dramatic and successful write-in campaign that led to a runoff with incumbent mayor Willie Brown, who got 39 percent of the vote to Ammiano’s 25 percent. 

But in the December 1999 runoff, Brown defeated Ammiano by a comfortable 60 percent to 40 percent margin, and Ammiano carried four of the 11 supervisorial districts—the same four districts Gonzalez carried this year, while losing the other seven. Election officials also report results from 25 neighborhoods. Gonzalez won in ten of these neighborhoods, one more than Ammiano won in 1999. 

Gonzalez dramatically improved on Ammiano’s performance in many areas of the city. 

Get-out-the-vote and “visibility” activities were key to Gonzalez’ relative success. 

Gonzalez’ stronghold was the Mission District, a neighborhood where over 80 percent of the residents are tenants. He captured 74 percent of the vote in the predominantly Latino neighborhood that is also home to many young white progressive voters.  

In the days preceding the election, I walked two precincts in the Mission. While Latinos are the largest ethnic group in the Mission, in one precinct where I walked a large majority of the names on the voter list were not Latino. Store and apartment windows in every block featured numerous Gonzalez signs—including some in windows of apartments with no registered voters, suggesting that Gonzalez was admired by many of the Latino immigrant non-citizens living in the area. 

On election night, I followed Gonzalez volunteer Ben Murillo, who was very familiar with the Mission, into apartment buildings on Mission Street, where we banged on doors in search of anyone who hadn’t voted yet.  

We also went into a half dozen bars on Mission, Gonzalez signs in hand. We got a good reception in each bar, and were greeted with cheers and applause in a couple of them. We ended our get-out-the-vote activity when we sat down with a well-dressed couple in their forties who had offered to buy us drinks. It turned out that they knew Matt Gonzalez and were long-time San Francisco residents who were very familiar with the city’s political scene. 

The mostly young, mostly white, hip crowds that frequent these bars were part of Gonzalez’ base of support.  

Other neighborhoods that backed Gonzalez include the Western Addition, Potrero Hill, Bernal Heights, Haight Ashbury and Noe Valley. Areas that backed Gonzalez tended to have more youthful populations and large white tenant populations living in relatively affordable (by San Francisco standards) apartments.  

Gonzalez lost in more affluent white areas like Pacific Heights, Sea Cliff and West of Twin Peaks, and Newsom’s best neighborhood was Marina/Pacific Heights—where he won 70.3 percent of the vote, a margin a bit larger than Gonzalez’ win in the Mission. 

Newsom also carried areas where Asians or American-Americans were the largest ethnic group. But in these areas, Gonzalez improved greatly both in comparison to his vote in the November election and in comparison to the vote for Tom Ammiano in the 1999 mayoral runoff.  

In the runoff, Gonzalez won 43 percent of the vote in Chinatown, a big improvement over the 19 percent he won in November and a lot more than the 34 percent Ammiano won in 1999.  

Gonzalez didn’t do very well in predominantly African-American Bay View/Hunter’s Point, capturing only 35 percent of the vote. But this was still a big improvement over the eight percent he got in November, and it was achieved despite active opposition from Mayor Willie Brown. 

In addition to a very successful effort to get supporters to display signs, the Gonzalez campaign also sent a “Mexican bus” and a fire truck, both festooned with signs and full of volunteers, on tours of the city. Gonzalez also did very visible walks with lots of supporters in various parts of the city.  

Gonzalez also won the support of numerous artists and musicians. On election night, people arriving at the 16th and Mission BART station were greeted with live music and Gonzalez doorhangers. 

SurveyUSA’s computerized telephone polls showed Gonzalez slightly ahead or in a virtual tie, inspiring supporters to work harder and contributing to the higher turnout. Gonzalez supporters believed they could actually win despite Newsom’s commanding lead in the November election. And these polls kept Newsom supporters from becoming complacent. 

As it turned out, more traditional polls, including one commissioned by SEIU Local 250, which showed Newsom with an 43 percent to 35 percent lead with 14 percent undecided, proved more accurate. 

Why Matt Gonzalez? 

I interviewed 20 Gonzalez volunteers on the Sunday before the election and asked them why they were supporting Gonzalez.  

“Anyone but Newsom” was not what was motivating them to participate in the campaign, and few even mentioned the opposition candidate. They admired Gonzalez and saw him as a different kind of politician, repeating invoking two words to describe him: “honest” and “integrity,” followed by “thoughtful” and “down-to-earth.” 

Tracy, a 28-year-old Noe Valley tenant, had worked on the campaign for a month when I talked to her. Before Matt Gonzalez, she had “never seen a candidate speak to the issues I care about: the needs of working class people.”  

A 21-year old member of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition liked Gonzalez’s stands on public transit, bicycles and tenants rights. She described Gonzalez as “pro-people rather than pro-business.” 

Quite a few people framed their reasons for supporting Gonzalez in a broader political context. One woman, a homeowner living near Alamo Square, had joined the massive anti-war protests in San Francisco earlier in the year. That was her first involvement in protest activity; for her supporting Gonzalez flowed naturally from that involvement. 

John Rowson, a tenant living in the Richmond district, liked Gonzalez because “no one represents anti-war people.” John Walsh, a 33-year-old Green Party member who works at City College, said he was “tired of the wealthy running the country.” 

One of the organizations that backed Gonzalez was the Sierra Club, and John Rizzo, the group’s San Francisco chair, saw the campaign as the “culmination of the past year.” With the war in Iraq, the recall election and country moving to the right, the campaign offered an alternative progressive direction.  

The Sierra Club’s endorsement of Gonzalez was based on an evaluation of votes cast by Gonzalez and Newsom on issues including pedestrian safety, clean air and airport expansion. The Sierra Club awarded Gonzalez an “A+” while Newsom earned a “D.” 

Two of the people I interviewed turned out to be artists, and both talked about the problems artists have in finding affordable “live-work” space. They saw Gonzalez as someone who was committed to helping artists remain in San Francisco. 

A few of the volunteers came from outside California. I talked to one young Green Party member from Florida who had joined a group of about 17 Greens from Oregon who drove to San Francisco to help on the final weekend. A few volunteers also came from other parts of the Bay Area, including Berkeley.  

What Happens Now? 

Can progressives build on the momentum from this election? Will the thousands who volunteered for Gonzalez, some working on their first election campaign, stay active? Can Gonzalez win if he runs again for mayor in 2007?  

According to Rich DeLeon, “the November 2004 board election will be the key test.”  

Four of the progressives elected in the November 2000 election will be up for re-election, including Gonzalez.  

Gonzalez carried his own District 5 with 62 percent of the vote. But Newsom carried the districts represented by McGoldrick, Peskin and Sandoval. DeLeon expects Newsom and his big business allies to support efforts to oust all three Gonzalez allies.  

In his concession speech, Gonzalez noted that Democratic officeholders who supported him would be targeted for supporting a Green candidate. “We have to be there to support them,” he said. 

Gonzalez, however, got 45 percent in both McGoldrick’s Richmond district (District 1) and in Peskin’s North Beach/Chinatown district (District 3). In both districts, he picked up a large majority of the votes that went to Alioto, Ammiano and Leal in the first round. The relative strength of Gonzalez in these districts bodes well for McGoldrick and Peskin, who should also benefit from the fact that the election for supervisor will take place at the same time as a high turnout presidential election. 

District 11 (the Excelsior and Ingleside) Supervisor Sandoval may have a harder time holding his seat as Gonzalez got only 41 percent of the vote in his district. 

Progressives will have to survive this crucial test. DeLeon says that Gonzalez will have “solidify and consolidate his base” to have a shot at the next mayoral race. 

If Gonzalez runs for mayor again, DeLeon says that his campaign will need more professional management to succeed. The campaign will have to raise and spend a few more dollars per voter and will have to develop its own voter data bases and absentee operation.  

It seems clear that Gonzalez will also have to broaden his base beyond the neighborhoods that traditionally have supported more progressive candidates. 

To accommodate the crowds on election night, the campaign headquarters at 13th and Mission put up tents. Reportedly, there was room for 2,000 people. By the time Matt Gonzalez took the stage to make his concession speech, the tents and the rest of his spacious multi-room headquarters were packed wall-to-wall with his supporters.  

While a few cried or looked dejected, the overall mood was remarkably upbeat for a defeated campaign. Many believed that they had accomplished something important. They greeted Gonzalez with thunderous applause and many stayed after the speeches were over. 

“There is a certain inevitability to what we are trying to accomplish,” Gonzalez told the crowd. “It doesn’t matter whether we win one particular race in this city.” 

It was clear that the campaign was seen by Gonzalez, and by the speakers who preceded him, as a beginning. If the phenomenal energy and enthusiasm that permeated the campaign doesn’t dissipate, and if those who volunteered or voted for the first time stay engaged, then what Gonzalez had to say may turn out to be more than just brave talk. 

As Gonzalez went on to say: “It really matters whether or not we can regroup, whether or not we come back and whether or not when Mayor Newsom is wrong we are there to oppose him.”

At the north end of Lake Merritt, the fabulous urban lake in the center of Oakland, is the “downtown” of a whole neighborhood. Grand Avenue has morphed from an old-fashioned shopping street, highlighted by the Grand Lake Theater with its colorful neon signs, to a few blocks where nail salons outnumber bookstores by eight-to-one and ethnic restaurants abound, along with a chain supermarket and several savings and loans. 

The grand Grand Lake now shows several movies at once, and movie-goers can sustain themselves with Colonel Mustard’s Hot Dogs and a burrito stand right next door, only slightly healthier than expensive popcorn. 

On the west side of Grand Avenue, Yang Chow Mandarin Restaurant’s murky windows insulate tanks of live crab and lobster, as well as great orchids, which somehow survive. Yang Chow offers complete vegetarian dinners, along with 42 “specials of the day” printed on the permanent menu, beef, chicken, and its seafood special a la carte. 

Lee’s Discount Florist is an excellent hole-in-the-wall place to pick up brilliantly colored blooms for that last-minute gift. 

Silver Moon Baby and Children’s Resale Shop offers good quality recycled children’s clothing, and my favorite shop along the street is Donna Ricketts-Ajike’s Cultural Crossroads. Accompanied by her 10-month-old daughter, Adeniko, Donna imports and sells home furnishings and accessories for Africa, India, China, and other Asian lands, dealing only with fair trade vendors. A former exercise nutritionist and programmer with two degrees from Hayward State, Donna also showcases with great pride the works of several strictly local artists. CDs of unusual Cuban, African, and other music from around the globe may be found on the counter, including the pack of Cuban music in an imitation cigar box that goes for $55. 

Next door to Cultural Crossroads at Glow, Jenny Geshwind, a form tech staffing consultant, has followed her dream and create an Oakland-style Sex in the City clothing store swarming with customers looking for trendy affordable clothes such as Blue Cult jeans, Hot Sauce and Beaubois. With a copy of Laura Weisberger’s The Devil Wears Prada next to her ipod, Gehswind and friends have a separate shoe store downstairs with the sort of spiky-heeled shoes by Steven and Luchinney that Carrie Bradshaw would buy. 

Cycle Sports sells bikes and does a lot of work to repair and/or customize your cycle. Locals frequent Jenny’s Cafe for cheap and good sandwiches, while auld sods like The Alley with Rod Dibble at the piano bar and Smitty’s Bar, both still bearing cigarette smoke on the windows and walls from the old days. Lynn & Lu’s Escapade Cafe is a good place for breakfast and lunch, with huge portions of eggs and potatoes topped with sour cream, and a spinach omelet with Muenster cheese goes for $6.95. Slightly dreary Coffee Mill boasts of being “Oakland’s oldest coffee house”—though the staff didn’t even know who owns the place—and offers several flavors of oat cakes, biscotti, scones, coffees and teas from around the world. Music livens up the scene on weekends. 

The percentage of business on Grand that’ve been there less than a year is striking. Many of the restaurants are new, hence very clean, and others are well-established. Millennia Case Szechuan is the spanking new baby of Chung and Kincent Tse, who offer excellent takeout (few tables) with a constant stream of neighborhood folks coming in for the clean, sharp food. The lunch buffet is a bargain at $3.65. 

Ristorante Milano is the only non-Asian dinner house on the street, the second of the Yekta family’s growing restaurant group. Milano occupies what we natives knew as Mitch and Jim’s Sirloin, where for years my parents enjoyed their Old Fashioneds and steaks. Now dramatic lighting, a full modern bar and good Italian food served in especially large portions attract the neighborhood crowd along with many players from the A’s and Raiders who drop in for both lunch and dinner. 

On the east side of Grand is the new BBQ Pavilion, featuring the Korean variety, and the fabulous three-decade-old Walden Pond Books, where three generations of Curtolos oversee a large collection of new and used books, including a wide selection of radical thought of all varieties—a must visit. And, in a drinking neighborhood, Kingman’s Lucky Lounge handles the libations on this side of the street. 

Miakado II offers elegant and fresh sushi, with piles of fresh fish displayed behind the glass of the counter. The menu features many items for under a dollar, along with combination dinners ranging up to $11.95 and seafood dinners to $9.95. 

The hands-down favorite of grand Avenue shopkeepers is Hunan Village, a cozy place with adults and babies everywhere. Lunch specials are mostly under $5, and everything on the menu is excellent. 

To work off all this food—since eating seems to be a prime goal here—stroll, roll, or jog around the lake and park, or take the kids to nearby Children’s Fairyland, a great 10-acre park featuring rides and exhibits designed around children’s literature in fairy tales, nursery rhymes and stories. Adults are allowed only if accompanied by a child, and vice versa. “Small folk” rides include the Fletco Carousel and Jolly Trolly, with family crafts projects also on offer. Admission is $6, free for children under one. 

Created in 1950 by Oakland nurseryman Arthur Navlet, then-Superintendent of Parks and Recreation William Penn Mott and the Oakland Breakfast Club, Oakland’s Fairyland was the nation’s first three-dimensional storybook-themed park. Have fun!

Alarmed by news that American manufacturers have run out of flu vaccine, people showed up starting at 5 a.m. Saturday for the flu shot clinic at Longs Drug Store at 5100 Broadway in Oakland. 

Co-sponsored by Longs and by Sutter VNA & Health, Saturday’s clinic was officially open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and had 680 doses of vaccine available.  

When a reporter arrived at 10 a.m., several hundred people were already standing in line outside the store waiting to sign up and receive a numbered slip. It took about an hour to get to the front of the number line and another hour to get a shot. 

Standing in the check-in queue, Matt Garber, an engineer who lives in Oakland, said he was there because his doctor had run out of the vaccine. Pamela Lindsey, also from Oakland, had gotten to Kaiser on Friday “thirty minutes after they ran out.” Jorge Maezono of Berkeley had gone to the Over Sixty Health Center in Berkeley, where he was told to go to Longs before 10 a.m. Saturday morning.  

“We thought maybe a thousand people would show up,” said Longs store manager Gerry Otto. By noon, Otto had checked in 550 people, and the line had dwindled to a handful. 

By mid-afternoon, all 680 doses of the vaccine had been administered. 

Some parents were disappointed to find that children aged 9-13 could get shots only if their parents brought in a signed note from their doctor, and that no shots were available to anyone under the age of 9. 

Thanks to good organization by the Longs staff, who called out numbers in batches of 20 over the store’s public address system, people could wander about after receiving a slip. Inside, four Sutter nurses and other personnel dispensed advice and vaccine with patience, efficiency and good humor. This will be the last flu shot clinic at Longs until next fall.  

A “Vaccination Information Statement” distributed at the clinic and prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said protection from the flu develops about two weeks after getting the shot and may last up to a year. “Influenza vaccine is expected to be plentiful in 2003, so no one should have to wait to get the shot.” 

The flyer is dated May 6, 2003.  

“The Alameda County Public Health Department is making every effort to secure as much additional vaccine as possible,” said Sherri Willis, the agency’s Public Information Officer. “We are hoping to get 400 additional doses from the State of California Health Department.” 

That vaccine, Willis said, will be provided only to high-risk populations—people over 60 with chronic illnesses and children, assuming that pediatric vaccine is available. She emphasized that so far most of this season’s flu cases in California have occurred in the Central Valley.  

For more information, call the Alameda County’s Immunization Assistance Project, 267-3230, the County Health Department’s main number, 267-8000, or go to www.cdc.gov/flu.

TUESDAY, DEC. 16 

Wellstone Democratic Club meets at 6 p.m. for a pot luck and social hour, followed by a meeting at 7 p.m., at the First Congregational Church, 24th and Harrison. 733-0996.  

Radio For Peace International at 7:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Cedar and Bonita Sts. Join James Latham, Co-Founder and Director of Radio For Peace International, a shortwave station based in Costa Rica that was recently shut down. $5 - $10 sliding scale; no one turned away for lack of funds.  

Sauerkraut-Making Demonstration, with Sandor Ellix Katz, at 3 p.m. at Berkeley Farmers’ Market, Derby St. and Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. www.ecologycenter.org 

St. John’s Prime Timers meets at 9:30 a.m. at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave. Sharon Stalkfleet will speak about her ministry in local nursing homes at 11 a.m. We offer ongoing classes in exercise and creative arts, and always welcome new members over 50. 845-6830. 

Tuesday Tilden Walkers We are a few slowpoke seniors who walk between a mile or two each Tuesday, meeting at 9:30 a.m. in the Little Farm parking lot. To join us, call 215-7672. Or check our web page, http://home.comcast.net/~teachme99/tildenwalkers.html  

Berkeley Camera Club meets at 7:30 p.m., at the Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda. Share your slides and prints and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 525-3565. www.berkeleycameraclub.org 

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 17 

Holiday Blood Drive Hosted by Berkeley Rep The Red Cross Blood Mobile will be parked in front of Berkeley Repertory Theatre, 2025 Addison St. from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome, but you can also can sign up online by logging on www.BeADonor.com (sponsor code: BRT) or by calling 1-800-GiveLife. 

Berkeley Communicators Toastmasters meets the first and third Wednesdays of the month at 7:15 a.m. at Hide-A-Way Café, 6430 Telegraph Ave. For information call Fred Garvey, 925-682-1111, ext. 164. 

Fun with Acting class meets at 11 a.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center. Free, all are welcome. 985-0373. 

Berkeley Peace Walk and Vigil at the Berkeley BART Station, corner of Shattuck and Center. Vigil at 6:30 p.m. followed by Peace Walk at 7 p.m. www.geocities. 

com/vigil4peace/vigil 

Prose Writers Workshop We're a serious but lively bunch whose focus is on issues of craft. Novices welcome. Experienced facilitator. Community sponsored, no fee. Meets 7 to 9 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center, 1414 Walnut, at Rose. For information call 524-3034. 

Berkeley CopWatch open office hours 7 to 9 p.m. Drop in to file complaints, assistance available. For information call 548-0425. 

Community Dances, traditional English and American dances, 8 p.m. every Wednesday, $9. 7 p.m. first Sunday, $10. Grace North Church, 2138 Cedar St. 233-5065. www.bacds.org 

Free Feldenkrais ATM Classes for adults 55 and older at 10:30 and 11:45 a.m. at the Jewish Community Center, 1414 Walnut at Rose. For information call 848-0237.  

THURSDAY, DEC. 18 

Public Meeting on the Santa Fe Right-of-Way Bike and Pedestrian Path which runs from Delaware to University, at 7 p.m. at the West Berkeley Senior Center. For information call Niran at 981-6396 or Michael at 981-2490.  

Environmental Resource Center Open House Come visit your local environmental center for a warm winter get-together. There will be music, food, games, and a free raffle of environmental books and products. From 6 to 8 p.m. at the Ecology Center, 2530 San Pablo Ave, near Dwight Way. 548-2220, ext. 233. www.ecologycenter.org 

Amphibians After School The wet weather brings out the frogs and salamanders. Let’s learn about them and look for them. For young naturalists, age 8-10, without their parents. From 3 to 4:30 p.m. Tilden Nature Area, in Tilden Park. Cost is $3, registration required. 525-2233.  

Wheels of Justice Benefit at  

9 p.m. at the Starry Plough, 3101 Shattuck Ave., with Bands Against Occupation, the Singing CIA Agent, WoJ participants including John Farrell/Voices, and Uda Walker/ MECA. $10-$20 donation. 548-0542. www.mecaforpeace.org 

Berkeley Liberation Radio 104.1 FM holds public meetings for all interested people first and third Thursdays, 7 p.m. at the Long Haul Info Shop, 3124 Shattuck Ave. 595-0190.  

Avatar Metaphysical Toastmasters Practice public speaking with out-of-this-world subjects, at 6:15 p.m. at 2515 Hillegass Ave. 898-1993. www.MetaphysicallySpeaking.org 

FRIDAY, DEC. 19 

City Commons Club Noon Luncheon with Tom Hughes, “An Artist in Action.” Hughes will offer commentary while painting a portrait. Luncheon at 11:45 a.m. for $11.50 - $12.50, speech at 12:30 p.m., at the Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant St. For information and reservations call 526-2925 or 665-9020. 

Berkeley Youth Alternatives, Blue and Gold Basketball Tournament, 13 years and under Division, Dec. 19-21, at the Emery High School Gym, Emeryville. Team fee is $75, individual fee $15. For information call 845-9066. 

Kol Hadash Hanukkah Shabbat Pot Luck Dinner with Rabbi Kai Eckstein at 6:30 p.m. at the Albany Community Center, 1249 Marin Ave. Come light the first candle of Hanukkah and enjoy the music of the Klezhumanists with Kol Hadash, the Bay Area’s only Jewish Humanistic Congregation. Call 428-1492 or email kolhadash@aol.com for information and pot luck assignment. We also collect non-perishable food for the needy. 

Women in Black Vigil, from noon to 1 p.m. at UC Berkeley, Bancroft at Telegraph. wibberkeley@yahoo.com 548-6310, 845-1143. 

Meditation, Peace Vigil and Dialogue, gather at noon on the grass close to the West Entrance to UC Berkeley, on Oxford St. near University Ave. People of all traditions are welcome to join us. Sponsored by the Buddhist Peace Fellowship. 655-6169. www.bpf.org 

Overeaters Anonymous meets every Friday at 1:30 p.m. at the Northbrae Church at Solano and The Alameda. Parking is free and is handicapped accessible. For information call Katherine, 525-5231. 

SATURDAY, DEC. 20 

Café de la Paz Holiday Craft Sale with handmade items from artisans in Borneo, Tibet, Burma and Afghanistan, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1600 Shattuck at Cedar. 547-4258. 

Telegraph Avenue Holiday Street Fair between Bancroft and Dwight, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 649-9500. www.telegraphberkeley.org  

Holidays on Solano Ave. with photos with Santa from 1 to 3 p.m. at Peralta Park, 1561 Solano. 

Holiday Sing-A-Long, a candlelight community ceremony from 5 to 7 p.m. at Ray’s Christmas Tree Lot, 1245 Solano Ave. 527-5358. 

Berkeley Artisans Holiday Open Studios, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 100 professional artists and craftspeople at studio buildings in Berkeley open their doors to the public. Crafts include blown glass, functional and decorative ceramics, ornaments, Menorahs, clocks, lamps and lighting, painted and custom furniture, garden art, bird houses, egg dioramas, floor cloths, clothing, textiles, jewelry, sculpture, photography, paintings, original prints, and other works on paper. All work is handcrafted, many pieces are one-of-a-kind. A self-guided tour presents opportunities to meet the artists and see working craft studios. 845-2612. www.berkeley.artisans.com  

Amsterdam Art Studios Holiday Sale, with a dozen artists’ paintings and crafts, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 1007 University Ave., between 9th and 10th Sts. 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market Holiday Craft Fair A variety of handcrafted gifts, including jewelry, fabric arts, leather, ceramics, hats, dolls, fine art, photos, soaps and herbal potions. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park. 548-3333 www.ecologycenter.org  

Albany Bowl Path Walk sponsored by Berkeley Path Wanderers. Meet at the end of Buchanan St. in Albany at 10 a.m. For more information call Susan Schwartz, 848-9358.  

Carpentry Basics for Women An introduction to basic carpentry tools and skills for women with little or no previous hands-on experience. After a morning lecture and demonstration, you will build your own bookshelf unit (we provide the materials). Students are asked to bring their own hand tools. From 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Building Education Center, 812 Page St. Cost is $195. 525-7610.  

The Life of Mary Magdalene Workshop, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Oakland. Suggested donation $25, no one turned away. For more information and location call 635-7286. www.orderofchristsophia.org 

Yoga for Seniors at the Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant St., on Saturdays from 10 to 11 a.m. The class is taught by Rosie Linsky, who at age 72, has practiced yoga for over 40 years. Open to non-members of the club for $8 per class. For further information and to register, call Karen Ray at 848-7800. 

Pet Adoptions, sponsored by Home at Last, from noon to 5 p.m., Hearst and 4th St. 548-9223. 

Car Wash Benefit for Options Recovery Services of Berkeley, held every Sat. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lutheran Church, 1744 University Ave. 666-9552. 

SUNDAY, DEC. 21 

“Revolution Will Not Be Televised” at 7 p.m. with a discussion following the film with Michael Parenti, at the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, Cedar St. at Bonita. 528-5403. 

Shut Down Bush and Co. Inc., an anarchist campaign to stop war, with Rod Coronado speaking about direct action and campaigns. At 6 p.m. at the Long Haul Infoshop, 3124 Shattuck Ave.  

Winter Solstice Early Morning Hike and Breakfast Meet at 8 p.m. in Tilden Nature Area for beverages and buns and a brief look at the cultural history of the solstice, followed by a hike to see nature in action on the shortest day of the year. We’ll finish with a smorgasbord and music. Registration required. Cost is $5 residents, $7 nonresidents. 525-2233.  

Winter Solstice Gathering Meet at 4 p.m. at the Solar Calendar in Cesar Chavez Park at the Berkeley Marina. Dress warmly. www.solarcalendar.org 

Magic Wand-Making Workshop at Gravity Feed Gallery, 1959 Shattuck Ave., From 4 to 6 p.m. Hosted by Berkeley psychic Jessica Rabbit. Come make a wand and be your own fairy godmother in 2004! All necessary materials provided. $10 donation requested, no one turned away for lack of funds. Please RSVP 548-4814 or divarabbit@aol.com  

Café de la Paz Holiday Craft Sale with handmade items from artisans in Borneo, Tibet, Burma and Afghanistan, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1600 Shattuck at Cedar. 547-4258. 

Telegraph Avenue Holiday Street Fair between Bancroft and Dwight, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 649-9500. www.telegraphberkeley.org  

Holidays on Solano Ave. with photos with Santa from 1 to 3 p.m. at Sweet Potatoes, 1224 Solano. 

Berkeley Artisans Holiday Open Studios, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 100 professional artists and craftspeople at studio buildings in Berkeley open their doors to the public. Crafts include blown glass, functional and decorative ceramics, ornaments, Menorahs, clocks, lamps and lighting, painted and custom furniture, garden art, bird houses, egg dioramas, floor cloths, clothing, textiles, jewelry, sculpture, photography, paintings, original prints, and other works on paper. All work is handcrafted, many pieces are one-of-a-kind. A self-guided tour presents opportunities to meet the artists and see working craft studios. 845-2612. www.berkeley.artisans.com  

Amsterdam Art Studios Holiday Sale, with a dozen artists’ paintings and crafts, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 1007 University Ave., between 9th and 10th Sts. 

Epic Arts Channukah Party with musicians, performers, puppets, latkes, dreidels, storytelling, and revelry, at 7 p.m. at the 1923 Teahouse. Feel free to bring something to eat, drink, and share. 644-2204. www.epicarts.org 

Eckhart Tolle Talks on Video, free gatherings at 7:30 p.m. to hear the words of the author of “The Power of Now” at the Feldenkrais Ctr., 830 Bancroft Way. 547-2024. EdScheuerlein@aol.com  

MONDAY, DEC. 22 

Berkeley CopWatch organizational meeting at 6 p.m. at 2022 Blake St. Join us to work on current issues around police misconduct. Volunteers needed. For information call 548-0425. 

Grief Information Session at the Women’s Cancer Resource Center. If you have lost someone you love to cancer, come for gentle guidance through the basic steps of grieving. RSVP 420-7900. For more information call or visit www.wcrc.org 

ONGOING 

Holiday Food Drive Help the Alameda County Community Food Bank help people in need. Offer to run a food drive, or donate healthy nonperishable food at Safeway stores, Berkeley Bowl and Bay Street Emeryville. For more information call 834-3663. www.accfb.org 

The Berkeley School Board is now accepting applications for Board Committees and Commissions. Applicants interested in representing a Board Member will find information and applications on the BUSD web site www.berkeleypublicschools.org or by contacting the Public Information Officer at 644-6320. Applications can also be picked up in the Superintendent’s office. 

City of Berkeley Commissioners Sought If you are interested in serving on a commission, applications can be downloaded from www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/ 

commissions/general.htm#applications or contact the City Clerk, 981-6900.  

The Online Civilian Conservation Corps Museum is seeking the stories about the CCCs, CCC Enrollees, Staff, or Technical Advisors for publication to this online historical resource. If you would like to participate please send your stories, with name company number and location if known, to CCC Collection, PO Box 5, Woodbury NJ 08096 or email to JFJmuseum@aol.com 

CITY MEETINGS  

City Council meets Tues., Dec. 16, at 7 p.m., with a special session on the budget at 5 p.m. in City Council Chambers, Sherry M. Kelly, city clerk, 981-6900. www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/citycouncil 

Berkeley Housing Authority meets Tues., Dec. 16, at 6:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers, Sherry M. Kelly, city clerk, 981-6900. www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/ 

commissions/housingauthority 

Citizens Humane Commission meets Wed., Dec. 17, at 7 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. Katherine O’Connor, 981-6601. www.ci.ber 

keley.ca.us/commissions/humane 

Civic Arts Commission meets Wed., Dec. 17, at 6:30 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. Mary Ann Merker, 981-7533. www.ci.berkeley.ca. 

us/commissions/civicarts 

Commission on Aging meets Wed., Dec. 17, at 1:30 p.m., at the South Berkeley Senior Center. Lisa Ploss, 981-5200. www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/commissions/aging 

Commission on Labor meets Wed., Dec. 17, at 6:30 p.m., at Berkeley Work-Source, 1950 Addison St., Suite 105. Delfina M. Geiken, 644-6085. www.ci.-berkeley.ca.us/commissions/labor 

Energy Commission meets Wed., Dec. 17, at 6:30 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. Neal De Snoo, 981-5434. www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/commissions/energy 

Human Welfare and Community Action Commission meets Wed., Dec. 17, at 7 p.m., at the South Berkeley Senior Center. Marianne Graham, 981-5416. www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/ 

commissions/welfare 

Mental Health Commission meets Wed., Dec. 17, at 6:30 p.m., at 2640 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. Harvey Turek, 981-5213. www.ci.berkeley. 

ca.us/commissions/mentalhealth  

School Board meets Wed. Dec. 3, Dec. 17, at 7:30 p.m., in the City Council Chambers. Queen Graham 644-6147 or Mark Coplan 644-6320. 

Disaster Council meets Wed., Dec. 18, at 7 p.m., at the Emergency Operations Center, 997 Cedar St. Carol Lopes, 981-5514. www.ci.berkeley.ca. us/commissions/disaster 

Fair Campaign Practices Commission meets Thurs., Dec. 18, at 7:30 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. Prasanna Rasaih, 981-6950. www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/commissions/faircampaign 

Transportation Commission meets Thurs., Dec. 18, at 7 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. Peter Hillier, 981-7000. www.ci.berkeley.ca. 

us/commissions/transportation

First off, you could start a pretty good argument about the title of the Shotgun Players’ new production—and brand new it is—The Death of Meyerhold. 

It’s a great title all right, short and dramatic and all that, and the play certainly does get around to that issue in the very end, but, aside from seeming a bit gloomy, it’s just not what the play is really about. You’ve got three acts in which only the last one gets to anything about killing the poor guy—and, after all, he was about 66 by then. 

It would be more accurate to call it something like Meyerhold and the Modern Theater or Early 20th Century Theater in Russia, or best of all: Meyerhold, Modern Theater and the Rise of the Soviet Union. Granted, these sound more like thesis titles than they do an evening’s entertainment; however, there’s no question but that they may strike you as a lot more interesting after you see the play than they do right now. 

This play, this production, is an act of love—love for the theater, love for its history, love for its potential. You could almost view it as a duet warbled between Mark Jackson, who both wrote and directed the play, and the Shotgun Players Company, which has unhesitatingly poured into Meyerhold double the money it has ever invested in a previous production. 

Patrick Dooley, founder and artistic director of the company’s productions (and an actor in this one) and who has carefully nursed the company from its vagabond beginnings 12 years ago, made a most astonishing statement. He said that he “didn’t care about the risk” the company is taking. He “just wants people to see the play.” He figures that “we’ll make it up somehow.” 

That’s love. 

(You might want to check the schedule for Thursday’s $10 performances). 

So who is this Meyerhold? Probably most theatergoers have at least heard about Stanislavsky, the Russian who laid the foundation for what we consider modern acting. Meyerhold is a different matter. But he was Stanislavsky’s contemporary, and something of a rival. Meyerhold was his student who broke away and developed his own distinctive philosophy and style of acting. 

In the early part of the twentieth century, Meyerhold became equally as important and as influential as Stanislavsky in the Russian theater but had less opportunity to influence the West. An early Bolshevik, Meyerhold’s career flourished into Stalin’s era, until he challenged Stalin’s ideas about what theater should be. For reasons that this play does not elaborate, Meyerhold was arrested and murdered by the Soviets in 1940. 

A successful effort was then made to wipe out all traces of his life and work. His wife was immediately killed, and, within a week, his apartment had a new tenant. It was not until “The Wall” went down in East Germany in 1960 that Meyerhold’s very existence, as much as his work and extraordinary ideas, were reintroduced into the theater world.  

It’s still new stuff—rather like finding an untouched diamond mine. So the excitement with which the playwright, the artistic director, and the actors have greeted this play is certainly understandable. 

While the theater community’s fascination with the work is almost guaranteed, there remains the question of the play’s relevance for a more general audience. For that there is the background creation of the world of the Soviet Union (it can be startling to realize how much of that horror has receded from memory). It would have been helpful to have these themes fleshed out, particularly since Meyerhold’s murder is left unexplained—as it was in real life, of course. Here it seems almost perfunctory. 

Among them, the 12 talented actors who comprise the cast successfully create some 40 characters. Even Cassidy Brown, who does a fine job as Meyerhold—obviously a lengthy part—has one other small role. The acting thought the production is fascinating: quite stylized. 

According to Patrick Dooley, there are only a few places in the play where Meyerhold’s acting methods are actually used. 

The material, by the way, contains what must be the most extraordinary number of famous characters from the 30s artistic scene that have ever been collected in one evening’s performance. One entire scene is devoted to the Group Theatre in New York—Lee Strasberg, Clifford Odets, Stella Adler, Elia Kazan and on and on—who add a sense of universality to a text which has been saturated with such names as Chekov and Shostakovich and their ilk. 

The net result of portraying the brutality of the Soviet regime largely as a background to artistic issues is interesting: This play provides a peephole in which the audience can get a glimpse of what it must be like to try to continue a private life with its own concerns in a world ruled by authoritarians. 

May we never get closer to that knowledge. 

The Death of Meyerhold, through Dec. 28 Thursdays-Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m., at the Live Oak Theater, 1301 Shattuck Ave. at Berryman in Berkeley. Tickets $10-$18 at the box office or at www.shotgunplayers.org/current/curr.cfm. 

TUESDAY, DEC. 16 

THEATER 

Shotgun Theatre Lab, “Heavy Days,” a collaborative ensemble piece about four women who resist and succumb to madness, at 8 p.m. at La Val’s Subterranean, 1834 Euclid, at Hearst. Cost is $10. 704-8210. www.shotgunplayers.org  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

“The Kindness of Strangers” edited by Don George, an anthology of stories from those who have experienced an unexpected act of compassion, at 7:30 p.m. at Easy Going Bookstore, 1385 Shattuck Ave. 843-3533. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Chanticleer Christmas, 12-man a cappella ensemble performs medieval and Renaissance music, spirituals and traditional carols at 8 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 2345 Channing Way. Tickets are $25-$37 and are available on-line at www.chanticleer.org or from 415-392-4400 or 800-407-1400. 

Mimi Fox, solo guitar, at 8 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810. 

Creoles Belles at 8:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cajun dance lesson with Diana Castillo at 8:00 p.m. Cost is $9. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Dayna Stephens House Jam at 8 p.m. at The Jazz House. Donation $5. 649-8744.  

www.thejazzhouse.com 

Independent Voices Tour with Shawn Smith and Happy Chichester at 9:30 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $4.  

848-0886. www.blakesontelegraph.com 

Christmas Jug Band at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $16.50 in advance, $17.50 at the door. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 17 

FILM 

Cuban Film: “Strawberry and Chocolate” at 7 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $8-$15, benefit for Pastors for Peace. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Yasujiro Ozu: “Early Spring” at 7:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

“Images of Mary in Art: The Pregnant Virgin” with Pamela Thomas, at 7:30 p.m. at All Souls Episcopal Church, 2220 Cedar St. 848-1755. 

Berkeley Poetry Slam with host Charles Ellik at 8:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $7, $5 with student i.d. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

Café Poetry and open mic, hosted by Paradise at 7:30 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Hot Club Sandwich at 8:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Swing dance lesson at 8:00 p.m. Cost is $9. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

The Supplicants perform Afro-Kosmic-Indian-Jazz improv at 8 p.m. at The Jazz House. Cost is $8-$15 sliding scale. 649-8744. www.thejazzhouse.com 

Dazed and Confused and Green Hell at 9:30 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $6. 848-0886. www.blakesontelegraph.com 

Nicole and the Soul Sisters at 9:30 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

Jazz Mine from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Il Porcino Restaurant, 1403 Solano Ave., in Albany. 528-1237. 

Whiskey Brothers performs oldtime bluegrass at 9 p.m. at at Albatross, 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473. www.albatrosspub.com 

Jules Broussard, Bing Nathan and Ned Boynton at 8 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810. 

Crowsong at 9 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

THURSDAY, DEC. 18 

EXHIBITION OPENINGS 

Pro Arts Gallery, “Annual Juried Exhibition,” featuring 15 local artists. Reception from 6 to 8 p.m. at 461 Ninth St., Oakland. 763-4361. www.proartsgallery.org 

THEATER 

Shotgun Theatre Lab, “Heavy Days,” a collaborative ensemble piece about four women who resist and succumb to madness, at 8 p.m. at La Val’s Subterranean, 1834 Euclid, at Hearst. Cost is $10. 704-8210. www.shotgunplayers.org 

FILM 

Yasujiro Ozu: “The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice” at 7 p.m. and “Equinox Flower” at 9:15 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Scott Hill, “BustaNutCracker,” modern jazz, at 8 p.m. at The Jazz House. Cost is $8-$15 sliding scale. 649-8744. www.thejazzhouse.com 

Chelsea Beauchamp, The Tiny and Roberta Chevrette at the 1923 Teahouse at 8 p.m. Suggested donation of $7-$15, no one turned away for lack of funds. 644-2204. www.epicarts.org 

Guilding the Lily, Fojimoto, Ear Rotator, in a benefit for the Wheels of Justice Bus Tour and Middle East Children’s Alliance at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $10-$20. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

Palm Wine Boys at 7:30 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $8 in advance, $10 at the door. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Box Set, contemporary folk duo, at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $15.50 in advance, $16.50 at the door. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Andy Smith Band at 9:30 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

Bizar Bazaar at 9 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Keni El Lebrijano, flamenco guitar, at 8 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810. 

FRIDAY, DEC. 19 

EXHIBITION OPENINGS 

ACCI Gallery, “Peace on Earth” Ornament show reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Show runs to Jan 3. Mon. - Thurs. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sat. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 1652 Shattuck Ave. 843-2527.  

www.accigallery.com 

THEATER 

“The Christmas Revels” at the Scottish Rite Theatre, 1547 Lakeside Drive, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $17-$35 and are available from www.calrevels.org or by calling Frantix at 415-621-1216.  

Shotgun Theatre Lab, “Heavy Days,” a collaborative ensemble piece about four women who resist and succumb to the allure of madness, at 8 p.m. at La Val’s Subterranean, 1834 Euclid, at Hearst. Cost is $10. 704-8210. www.shotgunplayers.org 

FILM 

Yasujiro Ozu: “Tokyo Twilight” at 7 p.m. and “The Munekata Sisters” at 9:40 p.m.at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

BHS Jazz Lab Band Winter Concert at 7:30 pm at Florence Schwimley Little Theatre. $5 for students/seniors/BHS staff and $10 general admission. 

SONiA of Disappear Fear at 8 p.m. at Rose Street House of Music, a house concert and grassroots musical community featuring women singer/songwriters. 594-4000 ext. 687. www.rosestreetmusic.com 

Women's Antique Vocal Ensemble presents a concert of Christmas music at 8 p.m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 2300 Bancroft Way. Admission is $5-$10. 233-1479. 

Let’s Go Bowling, Aggrolites, Soul Captives at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $8. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

Palenque performs Cuban Son at 9 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $13. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Avotcja and Modupue, perfrom Afro-Asian Jazz at 8 p.m., at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $12. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Dynamic, Freeway Planet and Bambu at 9:30 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $6.  

848-0886. www.blakesontelegraph.com 

Eggplant Casino performs lounge, tango, polka at the 1923 Teahouse at 8 p.m. Suggested donation of $7-$10, no one turned away for lack of funds. 644-2204. www.epicarts.org 

Hot Buttered Rum String Band performs high altitude bluegrass at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage Coffee House. Cost is $15.50 in advance, $16.50 at the door. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Julie Kelly at 8:30 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810. 

Brainoil, Street Trash, Slit Wrists, Bury the Living, Friday Night Youth Service at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $5. 525-9926. 

Millicent Wood, jazz vocalist performs a Christmas Celebration at 8 p.m. at The Jazz House. Donation of $10 requested. 649-8744. www.thejazzhouse.com 

Anton Schwartz, saxophonist, at 8 p.m. at the Jazzschool. Tickets are $12-$18. 845-5373. www.jazzschool.com 

Jazz Mine from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Il Porcino Restaurant, 1403 Solano Ave., in Albany. 528-1237. 

Seventy at 9:30 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

Syncrosystem at 9 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

SATURDAY, DEC. 20 

CHILDREN  

Los Amiguitos de La Peña with Betsy Rose at 10:30 a.m. at La Peña. Cost is $4 for adults, $3 for children. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

EXHIBITION OPENINGS 

“Dimensions in Fiber” at the Assison Street Windows Gallery, with textile works by George-Ann Bowers, Nina Jacobs, Beth Shipley and Andrea Tucker-Hody. Reception for the artists at 6:30 p.m., 2018 Addison St., between Shattuck and Milvia. 981-7533. 

THEATER 

“The Christmas Revels” at the Scottish Rite Theatre, 1547 Lakeside Drive, at 1 and 5 p.m. Tickets are $17-$35, available from www.calrevels.org or by calling Frantix at 415-621-1216.  

FILM 

Ysaujiro Ozu: “Good Morning” at 2 and 7 p.m. and “Late Autumn” at 4 and 8:55 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Geoffrey Blum, author of many new adventures involving the classic Disney character, Uncle Scrooge, at 2 p.m. at Dr Comics and Mr Games, 4014 Piedmont Ave., Oakland. 601-7800. And at 3 p.m. at Eastwind Books, 2066 University Ave. 548-2350. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Berkeley Community Chorus and Orchestra perform Handel’s “Messiah” at 8 p.m. at St. Joseph the Worker Church, 1640 Addison St. 964-0665. www.bcco.org 

Bart Davenport, Thom & Nedelle, Dave Gleason, Snowpark& Sam Keener in concert at 9 p.m. at the Oakland Metro, 201 Broadway at 2nd St., Oakland. Tickets are $7. 763-1146. www.oaklandmetro.org 

Jackeline Rago and the Venezuelan Music Project at 8:30 p.m., at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $12 in advance, $14 at the door. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Mikey Dread, performs reggae at 9:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $16 in advance, $18 at the door. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

My Hero, Research and Development, at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $5. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com  

Tom Rush, legendary folk singer, at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $20.50 in advance, $21.50 at the door. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Holiday Bluegrass Celebration with David Thom and Homespun Row at 4 p.m. at The Jazz House. Donation $8-15, sliding scale. 649-8744. www.thejazzhouse.com 

Angel of Thorns, Hidden Tracks and Truckasaurus Sex at 9:30 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $5. 848-0886. www.blakesontelegraph.com 

Cuarteto Sonando performs Latin jazz at the 1923 Teahouse at 8 p.m. Suggested donation of $7-$15, no one turned away for lack of funds. 644-2204. www.epicarts.org 

Monkey Knife Fight at 9 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Nicole McRory at 9:30 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

Sylvia and the Silvertones at 8:30 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810. 

Plan 9, Tabaltix, Ashtray, Live Ammo, Brutal Death at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $5. 525-9926. 

SUNDAY, DEC. 21 

THEATER 

“The Christmas Revels” at the Scottish Rite Theatre, 1547 Lakeside Drive, at 1 and 5 p.m. Tickets are $17-$35 and are available from www.calrevels.org or by calling Frantix at 415-621-1216.  

FILM 

Yasujiro Ozu: “Floating Weeds” at 2:30 and 7:35 p.m. and “The End of Summer” at at 5:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at 4:30 p.m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 2300 Bancroft Way. Donations requested. 845-0888. 

Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, with violinist Andrew Manze, new Music Director of the English Concert, in an all-Bach Christmas programat 7:30 p.m. at the First Congragational Church, 2345 Channing Way. Tickets are $29-$60 and are available from 415-392-4400. www.philharmonia.org 

ACME Observatory Contem- 

porary Performance Series presents EKG, the duo of Kyle Bruckmann and Ernst Karel, and the Matt Volla ensemble at 8:15 p.m. at The Jazz House. Admission is free, donations accepted. 649-8744. http://music.acme.com 

Winter Solstice Ritual with Caroline Casey, KPFA host at 8 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $20. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Oka Road, The Latrells, and Melissa Rapp Band at 9:30 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $3. 848-0886. www.blakesontelegraph.com 

Laurie Lewis’ Holiday Revue and Freight Fundraiser at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage Coffee House. Cost is $15.50 in advance, $16.50 at the door. 548-1761 www.freightandsalvage.org

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one in a continuing series by UC Berkeley students on the paths of Berkeley. 

An empty 40-ounce bottle of Mickey’s malt liquor, Styrofoam burger boxes and a variety of disposable cups fill the top of a five-foot tall concrete urn at the foot of Indian Trail in the Berkeley neighborhood of Thousand Oaks. But the trail remains almost pristine.  

Alternating between stone steps and stretches of packed earth, the trail climbs from The Alameda to Yosemite Street, linking the neighborhood and its history and leading to the possible site of an ancient burial ground. 

Nearly a century ago, decorative urns adorned the top of the trail and the rest of the area to demark the new subdivision, said local historian Trish Hawthorne in a phone conversation.  

But only this one remains. Residents are making an “urn fund” to bring the vessels back to Thousand Oaks, an area north of Marin Avenue, where Berkeley juts between Kensington and Albany, neighborhood association president Zelda Bronstein said by phone.  

The Indian Trail opens across from the Great Stoneface Park, whose namesake is a natural rock formation said to be an Indian burial ground, said Richard Schwartz, a local historian and author. 

“In those days, that was a way to sell real estate,” said Schwarz in a telephone interview. But it could be true, he added. The area around the rock had the burial ground reputation before development, he said. And though little research has been done about it, there was once a sizable Indian population in what is now north Berkeley, he said 

Paths like the Indian Trail were built by developers as shortcuts through long streets that followed the natural contours of the hills, said Tom Edwards, member of the Berkeley Path Wanderers Association during a phone interview. “The paths were a way for the developers to market easy access to the rail system,” he said.  

But before development, as early as the 1890s, the Great Stoneface was a popular picnic destination, Schwartz said. With its shaded table and grill, the park still draws people carrying baskets of food. 

The Indian Trail, itself, seems to be somewhere other than in the middle of a suburban neighborhood. Past jutting boulders and weathered stone walls, the path at one point offers three choices — steps to the park, a trail to a private home, or straight into a shallow cave. 

Michaela Reyman, a local resident, says the trail feels “woodsy” and makes a good shortcut.  

“It’s kind of like a little fairyland,” she said.

One of the University of California’s best-heeled rivals for the contract to manage Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) has dropped out of the competition before it even began. 

“The Berkeley lab is so integrated with Cal Berkeley we don’t think it’s in our interest to compete that straight up,” said William Madia, Executive Vice President for Laboratory Operations at Battelle Corp, a nonprofit that already manages four Energy Department labs. 

Madia doubted that other companies and institutions would battle UC for the Berkeley Lab, but he said Battelle is one of several companies and institutions considering bids for UC’s other two federal labs—Lawrence Livermore and Los Alamos—set for open competition when UC’s management contracts expire in 2005. 

Representatives for the University of Texas and Lockheed Martin—UC’s two other most publicized rivals—declined comment on their potential interest in the UC labs. 

Two weeks ago, with the stroke of a pen, President Bush ended UC’s more than half-century stranglehold over its three national laboratories. A provision tucked into a $27 billion energy bill calls for the Department of Energy to hold competitive bidding for lab contracts not contested for over 50 years.  

In addition to the UC labs, the bill affects three other labs—one operated by Iowa State University and the other two operated by the University of Chicago. 

The legislation comes amid repeated allegations of UC mismanagement at Los Alamos and Livermore—the nation’s premier nuclear weapons labs.  

UC faces tough decisions on whether to bid on all three laboratories, the operations of which UC spokesperson Chris Harrington estimated could cost more than $25 million—paid for primarily with lab management fees from the Energy Department.  

While university advisors question the wisdom of retaining Livermore—about 30 miles from UC headquarters—and far-flung Los Alamos—nestled on a high plateau in the New Mexico desert—they insist that LBNL, situated on UC Berkeley grounds and home to hundreds of UC Berkeley faculty and students, must remain with the school. 

“It’s a no-brainer,” said California Institute of Technology Provost Steven Koonin, who advises UC on its labs. “From an institutional sense it’s hard to imagine anyone else able to compete or doing an effective job managing it.” 

Lawrence Berkeley Lab was founded in 1931 and despite becoming a federal lab in 1942, it retains close ties to the university. Among the lab’s 1250 scientists and engineers, 241 are members of the UC Berkeley faculty. Additionally the lab employs 447 graduate students and 67 undergraduates, said Lab spokesperson Ron Kolb said. 

“A lot of what makes the lab work so well is the coordination with UC,” said Staff Scientist Robert Clear. “Bringing in [the University of] Texas could break that special relationship and that would hurt tremendously.” 

Although UC’s contract to run LBNL expires in January, the legislation allows the Department of Energy to delay bidding for up to two years, and UC advisors expect the competition for Berkeley Lab to follow those of Livermore and Los Alamos whose contracts expire in September, 2005. 

The UC Board of Regents will make the final call on whether it will bid for all three labs, Harrington said, based in part on the university’s financial resources and an electronic vote by the Academic Senate scheduled for May. 

Academic Senate Vice Chair George Blumenthal is conducting the poll and said the tough call will be what to do with Livermore and Los Alamos.  

“Everyone wants Berkeley to stay with UC, but there are many questions on the other two.” Some faculty members, he said, have expressed concern that with the mission of Livermore and, especially, Los Alamos shifting towards design and manufacture of next-generation nuclear weapons, it was time for the university to relinquish control. Berkeley lab does not perform weapons research. 

Blumenthal said he hoped that unlike previous polls taken in 1990 and 1996, which most professors skipped, the May vote will accurately reflect the will of the 13,000 member faculty. 

“The Board of Regents stakes its reputation on the prestige of its faculty,” he said. “If the faculty are opposed to bidding to retain the labs, the Regents should know about it and the Department of Energy should know about it.” 

Future UC management of Livermore and Los Alamos will likely include a corporate partner to handle financial management, Koonin said. 

Los Alamos has been plagued by scandal in recent years, which led to the dismissal of the lab director and 18 other officials, and just last week lab officials acknowledged that they had lost 10 disks with classified data. In October, LBNL suspended its chief financial officer after an audit uncovered faulty bookkeeping practices, but found no sign of fraud. 

The Department of Energy has awarded two of their last three lab management contracts to university-corporate partnerships, but Koonin said that since Berkeley lab is so different from the weapons labs, “it was not obvious that UC would need or want corporate partners.” 

Kolb didn’t expect major staff turnover in the event UC lost control of Berkeley lab, but feared that transferring retirement benefits could be tricky. 

Asked if the government might just move the whole operation out of Berkeley, Koonin replied that the lab is “so closely tied to the expertise of Berkeley faculty and has such a huge physical plant, I don’t see how the government could pick it up and move it elsewhere.”

Saddam Hussein’s capture and eventual trial, if properly conducted, could begin a new and more positive phase in the saga of the United States and Iraq. Or it could devolve into a continuation of the pattern of exploitation of Saddam’s monster image that the Bush administration has adopted throughout the conflict to justify its actions.  

Saddam Hussein was the most useful kind of villain—maximally useful to his enemies as a symbol of evil even as they destroyed him.  

If there is any doubt about this, one need only witness the near-universal judgment that while Saddam Hussein’s capture is a military victory, it is primarily a political victory for President George W. Bush. Mere hours after the news of the capture, pollsters moved to gauge the effect of the event on the president’s popularity. The news media immediately turned from discussion of Saddam to the length of the “boost” that Bush would get from the capture.  

In and of itself, Saddam’s capture has little real effect on the ongoing Iraqi conflict—it is an afterthought to the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Saddam had ceased to have any real significance almost immediately after the first tanks rolled over the border from Kuwait. In subsequent months his sons and heirs had been killed, and his military infrastructure scattered in disarray.  

Despite his terrible crimes, Saddam had been so weakened in the last decade that he was no longer a danger to the world, although he continued to oppress the Iraqi people. He had been contained so tightly that he would likely never have been able to deploy his purported weapons of mass destruction—if they even exist. He was easily toppled in March, and on Dec. 14, just as easily captured.  

Saddam’s earlier, highly publicized crimes allowed the U.S. administration to exploit him as a bogeyman with impunity. Not only was invective and violence directed against him for his real crimes, but also for crimes he did not commit—most prominently the terrible tragedy of the attack against the World Trade Center and Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.  

When the U.S. occupation began to go sour, with attacks against troops resulting in more deaths after the invasion than during, Saddam was conveniently blamed for masterminding the opposition in spirit, if not in person. In fact, there are many disparate opposition groups fighting U.S. troops, largely without central control. As even U.S. officials now acknowledge, the attacks will continue for the immediate future.  

Finally, U.S. administration officials and supporters tried immediately to squeeze the last drop of political juice from his capture in a manner particularly patronizing to the long-suffering Iraqi citizens. The picture they painted was one of an entire population cowering in fear and unable to move forward for fear that Saddam would return.  

In the best of all possible worlds, Saddam would be tried by Iraqis in open court, where every mystery concerning his rule would be revealed to the world. Such an event would have a cleansing effect, allowing the Iraqi people and the world to move forward. It would show the world that the United States was committed to the rule of law, advocating treatment of even the worst criminals with equanimity. To his credit, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has called for just such a trial.  

However, Saddam may know so much that the United States will try to control the proceedings. The ghost of Hermann Goering, who revealed every embarrassing skeleton in the Nazi closet at Nuremberg, hangs heavy over Saddam’s trial.  

Having him alive and talking to the world may implicate his captors in a particularly uncomfortable manner. The decade-long Iran-Iraq conflict of the 1980s is one particularly thorny event, in which the United States is complicit in supplying intelligence support—and perhaps weaponry—to Iraq. The conduct of current U.S. government figures, such as Vice President Dick Cheney, Richard Perle, and indeed, President George H. W. Bush during this period is especially problematic. Saddam can easily make the case that if he had not been boosted by the United States, he would never have been the international threat he was purported to be.  

Providing Saddam with an open speaker’s platform in court will undoubtedly be uncomfortable, but it is the right way to proceed. The world will then see the real Hussein, rather than the symbolic villain the United States has been fighting for the past two years. The United States will survive the embarrassment arising from its past intemperate behavior. However, more important is for Iraqi society to experience the healing of the “truth and reconciliation” that will come from such an event.  

William Beeman teaches anthropology and directs Middle East Studies at Brown University. He is author of the forthcoming book, Iraq: State in Search of a Nation.

Berkeley citizens tired of hearing about the city’s ongoing budget problems will certainly want to skip tonight’s (Tuesday, Dec. 16) City Council meeting, which features two sessions on the subject. 

The 5 p.m. work session includes discussions of City Manager Kamlarz’ proposed Budget Crisis Recovery Strategy, his recommendations for dispersal of some $69 million in carryover funds from the last fiscal year. Council action on both items are scheduled to be taken at the 7 p.m. regular session. 

Kamlarz has proposed a nine-point program to cut $4.9 million in funds that will be lost to Berkeley in the next fiscal year due to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s rescinding of the Vehicle License Fee (VLF). 

Along with giving a timeline for preparing final cuts for the Fiscal Year 2004-05 budget, the city manager has recommended a “hard hiring freeze” (the quotations are Kamlarz’), a moratorium on all new expenditures, “aggressively” pursuing cost recovery from nonprofit landowners, and recovering the infamous “escaped” property taxes and fees. 

The most controversial part of Kamlarz’ budget-cutting plan may be in the area of what he calls “labor saving programs.” Mayor Tom Bates has already publicly indicated that such programs may include closing city fire stations on a rotating basis. 

Berkeley firefighters reacted immediately, announcing plans for an informational picket and protest rally against the proposed cuts at tonight’s Council meeting. 

Over the weekend, members of Berkeley Firefighters Association Local 1227—the union credited with striking the death blow to the mayor’s proposed parcel tax—also stood on city streetcorners passing out slick, two-color handouts featuring a picture of a firefighter holding a presumably rescued infant and proclaiming “The City wants to close your fire station. They call it ‘brownouts.’ We call it response time roulette.” 

The firefighters local also issued a press statement opposing the proposed rotating closures, stating that “station closures of any type will increase response time and make our citizens less safe” and calling on Council to “cut the fat, not the fire department.” 

Kamlarz has recommended that City Council hold back $2.8 million of the approximately $43 million in funds from this year’s budget that were not tied up in contracts and are not yet spent. His proposal will almost certainly come under attack from both ends of the spectrum: those who want the city to hold back more, and those who want to preserve items already budgeted. 

Under pressure of the budget crunch, several councilmembers are expected to ask Kamlarz to increase the projected $2.8 million holdback. At the same time, some councilmembers will oppose some of the cuts already proposed. Opposition to Kamlarz’ recommendations is expected to center around the city’s disabled community. 

In an op-ed article published today in the Daily Planet (see Page Seven), Councilmember Dona Spring calls for restoration of budgeted funds for the city’s warm water pool and sidewalk curb cuts, two projects earmarked for disabled citizens that Kamlarz wants to postpone. 

“No other community group is being targeted with cuts of this magnitude,” Spring writes. “These cuts will not solve the structural budget deficit problems connected to employee cost-of-living increases and retirement benefits.” 

In other action tonight, council will hold a public hearing on implementing an automated, photo traffic light enforcement system in Berkeley. If approved, the proposal would authorize a contract with an outside agency to place cameras at several city intersections to catch drivers running red lights. The cost of the contract is expected to be more than made up by the extra revenue generated from fines. A controversial portion of the proposed contract sets aside 10% of the fine for each ticket to the private company operating the cameras. 

Council will also take its first look at the report of the Mayor’s Permit Task Force, though no more than that. Implementation of the task force’s recommendations is not expected to be discussed until sometime next year.

DISAPPOINTED 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I was disappointed in the coverage of the events inside and outside of Mr. Mopps (Daily Planet, Dec. 12-15). Your reporter appears more interested in condemning the police than in finding out what happened. 

The report begins by stating that “a woman inexplicably attacked two shoppers with her bare hands...at Mr. Mopps Children’s Books.” That’s the only explanation readers get for why police were called to the scene. 

And yet, we are told that the Daily Planet’s photographer believes “excessive force” was used by the police on the scene. A woman at a nearby bus stop is said to have believed “excessive force” was used. (It’s unclear from the article whether the phrase was used by the witness herself or by the reporter’s prompt, as in “Do you believe the police used excessive force?” Given the obvious slant of the article, I would not be surprised if this were the case.) 

The reporter appears to have made no effort to question witnesses inside the store. Or if he did, he did not include this in his report.  

If it’s true that the woman in the photograph attacked people without provocation in a toy store, why wouldn’t the police assume that she was a danger?  

Rosemary Graham 

• 

BUSD FOOD SERVICES 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Berkeley Unified School District’s Food Services is slated to lose at least another $600,000 this year. This would total a loss of $2.4 million over the last three years. This loss has contributed to teacher layoffs and severe over crowding of classes at the high school. Half of the classes for my sophomore at BHS have over 40 students in each class.  

Three years ago, Michele Lawrence was asked at a meeting how long it is reasonable for taxpayers to endure incompetence in Food Service management. She didn’t answer the question. I guess three years is not too long; $2.4 million is not too much to lose. A state report from FCMAT this July stated that as of July no one in the administration had instructed Food Services to stop losing money. Unbelievable! To add insult to injury, the Food Services administrator, who is paid a six-figure salary, received a 7.5 percent raise this past summer, courtesy of Nancy Riddle, John Selawsky, and Terry Doran. Only Shirley Issel and Joaquin Rivera expressed the common sense to oppose this raise.  

This fall, the School Board wants to put a school parcel tax on the ballot asking us for tax money. Before the school board does so, please tell us, how long will BUSD use tax payers money to pay for incompetent administrators at the expense of teachers in the classroom.  

John Selawsky, you’re the new board president. You stated publicly before you voted for the pay raise that “hard work deserves reward.” Tell us how this incompetent administrator deserved a raise, and why hasn’t this administrator been held accountable for her incompetence? Let’s see a reply in this paper.  

Yolanda Huang  

• 

LIKE ALL THE REST 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

The Daily Planet has sunk to the quality of the rest of the media with Becky O’Malley’s editorial (“Anatomy of a Failed Tax Vote,” Daily Planet, Dec. 5-8). Ms. O’Malley generalized that the higher hills are increasingly populated by rich people who shop in San Francisco and Walnut Creek, read the New York Times, summer on Cape Cod and send their kids to private school. She further opined that “Hill People” don’t care about school closings, big box invasions and fast food culture because we don’t read the Planet. 

Ms. O’Malley needs correcting. We’ve lived in the “higher hills” for more than 15 years. Our kids steadfastly attend Berkeley public schools and so do most of our neighbors’ kids. In fact, we’re proud of our oldest son’s observation (a Berkeley High graduate) of his alma mater, “our strongest institutions recognize that everyone has something to contribute.” 

Ms. O’Malley could learn something from that sentiment before she alienates people who generally oppose big-box, fast-food culture; oppose the Bush administration’s exploitative attitude towards the rest of the planet; generously support Berkeley’s public schools with money and time; and who support sustainability through organic farming and buying local whenever possible. Some of our neighbors are retired, and live on fixed incomes; and almost everyone we know up here has to be frugal to make it to the next paycheck. Our youngest son, a Berkeley High student, is curious why a newspaper with such liberal credentials would engage in such stereotypes in the first place! 

Don’t generalize about us, because you obviously don’t know us, and, for heaven’s sake, don’t alienate us. In the spirit of marshaling Berkeley’s meager resources in an increasingly hostile America, we need each other.  

By the way, we avidly read the Daily Planet. We love Berkeley and its diversity, and we’ve been proud of the way our “daily” knits our community together by provoking thought and dialogue, and by standing apart from the rest of the media. Editorials like “Anatomy...” however, simply provoke! 

Bryan Sheridan 

• 

SCAPEGOAT 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

It was reported in the local media that City Council voted down the appeal of neighbors to stop construction at the city’s Corporation Yard. Council blamed the budget difficulties for their decision. This is very disturbing and alarming because it shows City Council is willing to sacrifice truth and justice for the sake of budget. Or, perhaps, the city is now using the budget problem as a scapegoat to push for its pro-development agenda by voting down appeals by neighbors. It appears that the city is offering Berkeley on a silver platter to developers and corporations. The city is now run by Kennedy, Starbucks, AT&T, etc. Residents and local businesses are being sacrificed for such entities. Not long ago, people in Berkeley had power, and there were UC Theater, Shambhala Book-store, etc. Mayor Bates and Councilmembers, could you be fair to the people of Berkeley, please? Honorable mayor, according to the news, you plan to file a lawsuit against the governor for his repeal of the vehicle license fee increase. If you believe what the governor has done is unfair, then look how unfair rulings of City Council or other city offices affect lives of Berkeley residents. 

Mina Davenport 

• 

GETTING COZY 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

This year’s annual membership dinner for AIPAC was held at the Oakland Marriot on Dec. 8. AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, is the premier lobby group that convinces Congress to give $5 billion every year to fund the military occupation of Palestine.  

Outside this gathering was a picket line, with a demand for a foreign policy of peace and justice, and money for human needs, not occupation.  

This did not deter many of the guests from attending, however. Among them were Mayor Tom Bates and his wife, Assemblymember Loni Hancock. Why, in the midst of dealing with a city budget crisis, does Mr. Bates feel the need to cozy up to a lobby that insists that U.S. taxpayers fund this brutal occupation?  

Berkeley is a city known worldwide for its questioning of U.S. policy, most of us have outgrown that kind of blind allegiance to U.S. government policy that we know is really destructive to the well-being of our planet, and the real interests of our own country. So why does Mayor Bates support this gathering that Jewish Weekly described as an “Israel pep rally,” showing that same kind of destructive devotion to the policies of the Israeli government?  

Just what were you thinking, Mr. Bates?  

We are organizing a write-in to Mr. Bates, demanding that he listen to the other side for a few hours, to those of us who are desire an end to occupation, and U.S. funding of this tragedy. More information can be found at www.tomjoad.org.  

James F. Harris  

• 

CODY’S BOOKS  

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I so enjoyed Dorothy Bryant’s article about Pat Cody (“Cody’s Books Co-founder Leads an Activist’s Life,” Daily Planet, Dec. 9-11). Well written and really useful to those of us who live in Berkeley and care about its historical legacy as a center of real change. 

The article, however, left out an important source on Pat and Fred Cody, Pat and Fred’s own book: Cody’s Books, made of up letters by Fred and commentary by Pat, covering the years 1956-1977, published in 1992 by Chronicle Books. Cody’s is sure to have some copies of this important document of Berkeley history. 

Paul Heller 

• 

DISTORTIONS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

The article by George Bishwarat (“The Other Diaspora Israelis Must Confront,” Daily Planet, Dec. 9-11) is full of errors and distortions. Palestinians were not “driven out of Israel” in 1948 but left on the advice of the leaders of the Arab states. Israel absorbed over 600,000 of the 900,000 Jews who were driven out Arab lands. The United States supported the UN’s 1947 mandate which established two states, but the Arab states and the Arabs of Palestine rejected it. The combined aries of the Arab states attacked Israel the day after Israel was created.  

Today Arabs are citizens of Israel and serve in the Parliament. More than 1.2 million Arabs live in Israel. If they were driven out in 1948, then where did they come from? 

Professor Bishwarat’s article is full of outright lies and is a pure propaganda piece.  

Sanne DeWitt  

• 

XXXXXXXXXX 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

George Bisharat’s propaganda piece on the Palestinian refugee problem was so full of twisted “facts” that it’s hard to know where to begin. Let’s start with the fact that what Bisharat calls refugees are not really refugees, but rather (unlike any other recognized refugee group in history) these are the children and grandchildren of refugees. All other refugee groups have been taken in by their hosts—just as Israel took in nearly 800,000 Jewish refugees who fled Arab lands after the 1948 war, just as Germany resettled displaced German nationals after World War II, just as India and Pakistan resettled their people after the partition of Pakistan. Only the Arab nations, like Egypt and Syria, refused to patriate the original refugees (and their descendants)—in fact, the Palestinians still may not become citizens of most Arab countries. In truth, the Arabs have kept their brethren in squalid camps for decades as a political ploy—to keep hope alive that the Jews will be defeated and that Arabs will rule what is now Israel.  

James Sinkinson 

Oakland 

• 

XXXXXXXXXX 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Regarding your article by George Bisharat on the Palestinian refugee history and current problem. 

I thought it might be interesting for you and your readers to read what Arab and Palestinian leaders published in the immediate aftermath of the “Nakba”, which I agree was a terrible catastrophy for the Arabs of Palestine. 

“The Arab states do now want to solve the refugee problem. They want to keep it as an open sore, as an affront to the UN and as a weapon against Israel. Arab leaders do not give a damn whether Arab refugees live or die” RUTH GALLOWAY, former head of UNWRO-1956 

“Since 1948, the Arab leaders have approached the Palestinian problem in an irresponsible manner. They have used to Palestinian people for political purposes; this is ridiculous, I might even say criminal...” KING HUSSSEIN 1996 

“Since 1948, it is we who have demanded the return of the refugees, while it is we who made them leave. We brought disaster upon the refugees by inviting them and bringing pressure on them to leave. We have accustomed them to begging...we have participated in lowering their morale and social level...Then we exploited them in executing crimes of murder, arson and throwing stones upon men, women and children...all this in the service of political purposes...”  

KHALED AL-AZM Syrian prime mistier after the 1948 War, in his 1972 memoirs. 

“The fact that there are these refugees is the direct consequences of the Arab of the Arab states in opposing partition and the Jewish state. The Arab states agreed upon this policy unanimously, and they must share in the solution of the problem” 

Emil Ghoury, secretary-general of the Arab Higher Committee - Beirut Telegraph, Sept. 6 1948 

In the historical context Prof. Benny Morris, who Mr. Bisharat refered to as a recognized expert on the subject of the Palestinian refugees, at the end of his book concludes with the comment that had the Palestinian Arabs not rejected the UN partition plan for Palestine and had the Arab League not declared war on Israel, there would have been NO refugee problem  

I trust your news paper, if truly responsible, will share this information with your readers. 

Yoram Getzler 

• 

XXXXXXXXXX 

[The following is an open letter to Delta Upsilon fraternity. Please run it in your opinion section.] 

December 12, 2003 

Open letter to Delta Upsilon fraternity, 

As members of the Oscar Wilde House, an openly lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT) themed co-op, we are outraged by a series of homophobic acts by some residents of the Delta Upsilon (DU) fraternity. These actions have continued despite repeated protests and must stop. 

At 9:40 PM on the night of December 5, Marcio von Muhlen, DU’s new president, was left by his fraternity brothers on our front porch, tied to a chair, and drenched in a nauseating combination of salad dressing, salsa, and beer. This person told us he was DU’s new president and this was the fraternity using its one opportunity to treat him badly before his term started. 

Other incidents of harassment occurred this year as well. This letter does not include more commonplace occurrences of people on the front steps of DU heckling Wilde members entering and leaving our house. On June 28, four men walked into our house uninvited at 3 in the morning, were obnoxiously loud and drunk, and told a female member of our house, “It’s okay. We love lesbians. Show us your pussy—but God hates faggots and we hate faggots.” These men had Irish accents, as did some others in other incidents listed here who identified themselves as residents of DU. 

At 3:40 AM on July 1, five individuals from DU carried a man who was saran-wrapped to a chair across the street to our front porch and left him there. The group returned to the DU lawn, where about ten people yelled at us to “Fuck him up the ass!” among other things, while laughing. 

On the street near our house at 12:30 AM on July 15, a man, accompanied by another man and a woman, hit the buttocks of a member of our house with a purse repeatedly and unprovoked as they passed by. When asked if they were from DU, they replied yes. When our house member replied he was from Wilde, this man said, “You’re gay then.” When the house member said he was not, this man said, “Well, you live there. That’s the gay house. If you live there you are gay. 

After these and other incidents this summer, we spoke with von Muhlen, who was then DU’s house manager, and made clear we felt these incidents were harassment and homophobic. However, the events of December 5 proved that DU has so far refused to change its behavior. 

DU’s idea of humiliating their new president is to tie him up and put him on public display in front of a queer house, as if this would subject him to unwanted gay sexual advances. DU’s ritual is homophobic and based on a dehumanizing stereotype of LGBT people. It is intolerable that prejudice against queer people should be institutionalized in DU’s culture. 

These are not the only incidents of harassment we have received from DU. In October or November of 1999, a friend of a current member of the Wilde House was dropped off in front of our house, when approximately ten men rushed out of DU and ran after him. Two women of our house stepped outside to confront the men. The men left after yelling “dyke” at the two women. 

These incidents have occurred repeatedly, and we can only conclude that there is an anti-queer sentiment in DU and that we have been targeted for harassment because we are an LGBT-themed house. These actions will not be tolerated. 

We are DU’s neighbors and equals, as completely deserving of respect as any other human beings. We want to make the street we both live on a safe and tolerant community for all. 

The Oscar Wilde House is a proud community of queer and straight people who support and recognize the dignity and equality of everyone. We expect DU to make a written apology to our house and to the public for its homophobic actions, and to make a formal commitment to stop harassing LGBT people in the future. 

Sincerely, 

The Oscar Wilde House, lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender themed student co-op 

• 

XXXXXXXXXX 

to: The Mayor and City Council Members, City of Berkeley 

from: The Berkeley Budget Oversight Committee 

re: Reasons for our opposition to the proposed rotating closure of fire companies during daylight hours from Jan. 1, 2004 to June 24, 2004 for an estimated savings of $250,000. 

1. Implementing this City Council proposed cut in fire safety services will potentially negatively impact the response time of a fire truck reaching an incident; a fire or a medical emergency. 

2. If a death or a health hazard to an individual or property damage results from a delayed response time, the city will probably be sued for damage. Since the city is self-insured, it means that tax payers will pay this bill.  

3. The potential delay in response time also a reassessment of the “ISO” fire rates used by insurance companies in assigning home owner’s fire insurance. Therefore, our insurance rates will probably increase. 

4. Can you honestly stand by a proposal to save $250,000 gambling with Berkeley residents lives when you continually fund projects that have no impact on public safety. 

Can you do this in good conscience? Don’t you think that your constituency will remember this when you are up for re-election? We feel that that there is an implied contract between the elected body that represents government and their constituency to provide adequate public safety for it’s constituency. Essential public safety services are fire, police, sewers, clean water and air, and eliminating toxic environmental spills. Almost everything else is secondary. 

In this instance, we would recommend that the need for overtime would best be addressed by filling the vacancies in both the fire and police departments. 

Viki Tamaradze

Nearly 3,000 people packed the Berkeley Community Theater Sunday evening to remember and celebrate the life of Father Bill O’Donnell, Berkeley’s well-known and beloved priest who passed away early last week. 

Before his plain pine coffin draped in a United Farm Workers flag in front of the stage, friends, family and fellow activists of Father Bill spent the evening telling stories, singing songs and recalling their favorite memories of a priest who served Berkeley since 1973.  

The diversity embodied in those assembled attested to the reach of Father Bill, who among other things was known as one of the last activist priests—with over 240 arrests on his record for his participation in pro-peace, pro-labor, and anti-nuclear demonstrations.  

Among the luminaries in the crowd were Mary O’Donnell, Bill’s sister, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Representative Barbara Lee, United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta, actor Martin Sheen, State Attorney General Bill Lockyer, Mayor Tom Bates, Assemblywoman Loni Hancock, Berkeley City Council Members Linda Maio, Kriss Worthington and Maudelle Shirek, Bishop John Cummins, and UFW President Arturo Rodriquez. 

“Have you nothing better to do with your lives? Why are you at my funeral? That’s what Bill would be asking,” said Mary O’Donnell, first to speak at the event.  

Throughout the night, speakers referred to the priest’s dedication as an activist, many recounting their favorite arrest experiences with the priest they said had inspired and motivated them. 

His list of involvements, like his police record, was long, including work with Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta and the Farm Worker’s movement, his work in Central America, the Middle East, the anti-Apartheid and anti-nuclear movements and at Georgia’s Fort Benning, home to what was formerly known as the School of the Americas. 

Alongside the highlights of his national and international activist career, several speakers talked about the priest’s impact on the local community. 

“We need to figure out how to honor Bill. I suggest we make him the patron saint of Berkeley,” said Mayor Tom bates to cheers. 

Tom Gorom, a recent graduate from Berkeley’s Options Recovery Services—a program Father Bill championed—recalled the mix of humor and compassion Bill embodied.  

“He called me after graduation and asked me if I wanted to go have a drink,” joked Gorom, who before enrolling was also homeless. “Bill was the definition of empathy. I will continue to model my life after this great man. I love you Bill.” 

The event also included a slide show and short movie clips showed Father Bill as a child and during some of his more notorious arrests. Crowd favorites included the shots of him in the back of police vans and behind bars with activist friend Martin Sheen. 

What some found especially moving was the movie made about the UFW grape boycott. Unknowingly, many in the crowd discovered that the sweeping shot of the priest standing on the line with Chavez decades ago while they confronted Teamsters Union thugs was none other than Father Bill. 

Testifying to the death of that old animosity was Teamsters International Vice President Chuck Mack, who with Dolores Huerta in the front row, openly admitted his union had been in the wrong. He along with Huerta, Arturo Rodriguez from the UFW, Judy Goff from the Alameda Central Labor Council, and Fred Ross Jr. from the Service Employees International Union all recalled Father Bill’s work with labor and his dedication to the working people. 

Also present both in the crowd and among the speakers were those who had worked with Bill on anti-nuclear campaigns and Dr. Davida Cody who worked closely with Bill in Berkeley and on his several trips to South America and the Middle East. 

Rounding out the speakers were Martin Sheen and the often-arrested Father Roy Bourgeois, founder of the movement working to close the School of the Americas, now known as the Western Hemisphere Institute of Security. As Bill’s friends, both were present to watch Bill trespass last year during a protest at the Institute of Security, an action that landed him in the Atwater Penitentiary for six months. Bourgeois also watched as Bill called the sentencing judge a “pimp for the Pentagon,” a statement Bourgoisie said defined the life of a man who was never afraid to speak truth to power. 

Following the ceremonies at the Community Theater, a candlelight procession headed from the theater to Father Bill’s church, St. Joseph the Worker. Carrying pictures of the priest and following his coffin, the throng filled the streets singing songs as they went.  

“Que viva Father Bill!,” shouted walkers. “Father Bill, Presente!” 

At the church, the throng passed by the open coffin where with Father Bill lay in his cassock, a simple wooden cross in his hands. Viewers shed tears silently and gathered together to remember the man that touched so many of them, one last time. 

“This was a celebration, that’s the only way it could be,” said Sheen as he made his way out of the church. “Someone like Bill only comes once in a lifetime.”  

John Geluardi contributed to this story.

I took time off from my San Francisco State MFA studies to take my husband, Ralph, to the doctor. It was a routine appointment with his urologist but we had some concerns. Due to his paralysis, Ralph cannot feel pain below his shoulders. But I can tell when he’s sick in a variety of ways: fever, slurred speech, lethargy, sediment in his urine, unpleasant smells. 

It does not take a rocket scientist to know when Ralph is not well. Wait, I need to clarify this statement. Ralph IS a rocket scientist. He holds a PhD in nuclear physics from Cal Tech, but he doesn’t always know when he’s sick. It doesn’t take a medical degree for me to know when Ralph needs help. 

After almost ten years of living with his disabilities and more visits to the emergency room and stays in intensive care unit than I can count, I should get one of those honorary doctorates just for hanging around Kaiser. Hell, Ralph and I may put in more time there then some staff members. 

But the urologist disagreed with the urgency of my urinary track diagnosis. I don’t think he ever actually looked inside the tube inserted directly into Ralph’s bladder and I’m sure he didn’t try to make a diagnosis by smelling its content. He told us, as he has in the past, that Ralph would always have these kinds of problem and that urinary tract infections are routine in a quadriplegic. 

I took Ralph home, put him to bed and attempted to make him as comfortable as possible. What do I know? I thought. I may live with Ralph for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but isn’t it “the doctor who knows best?” 

Throughout the week Ralph grew sicker and sicker, and finally, after 24 hours of his not being able to keep food or liquids down, I called an advice nurse at Kaiser. I explained that I thought he had a urinary tract infection and that he was dehydrated. She advised me to get him to the emergency room as soon as possible. He needed immediate attention.  

Surprisingly, after a few hours in the ER, Ralph’s urologist showed up. He told the attending physician that Ralph always has urinary tract infections. Give him some tests, he advised, and plenty of fluids. Eight hours later we were sent home.  

But Ralph grew sicker. He did not keep down the IV liquids he had been given. By the time I got him back to Kaiser to see his general practitioner his blood pressure had plummeted to an almost unreadable level. 

The doctor looked at Ralph’s massive, eight-inch thick file. “Why didn’t someone read the results of the test he was given on Thursday in the ER?” he asked me. “Why wasn’t your husband given antibiotics?” 

“I don’t know,” I shrugged. “I don’t actually know how to read those tests and I’m not allowed to prescribe drugs.”  

The GP called the ER and told them to get a room ready for us. Ralph was given antibiotics through tubes in both arms and dopamine to bring up his blood pressure. After 10 hours we were sent to the intensive care unit where he continued to get drugs intravenously. I suppose this was to make up for the antibiotics he should have gotten a week earlier. But hey, what do I know? 

I take that back. I did know. And someone should have listened to me. We could have saved Kaiser a bundle of money. We could of saved ourselves $100, the bill for two visits to the ER (soon to go up to $200 I’m told) and we could have kept Ralph from suffering. Lord (and Kaiser) knows, he has suffered enough already.  

By the light of the green wavy lines from various machines that Ralph is hooked to, and with the sound of his labored breath beside me, I crack open one of my text books from SFSU and try to study. But it seems silly and pointless. Maybe I really should be going to school for a medical degree instead of an MFA.

Some Berkeley restaurant and café goers found closed doors at their favorite spots Friday after employees took the day off to join a statewide strike in support of immigrant rights. 

The strike, called in reaction to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s decision to repeal the law to license undocumented immigrant drivers, helped shut down businesses across the state. But unlike Oakland, where most of International Boulevard was closed, only a handful of shops were affected in Berkeley. 

Adding to the strike here was a protest led by the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action and Integration and Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary, or BAMN. The rally, which drew over a hundred marchers, started at the downtown BART station and proceeded to UC Berkeley. 

“We’re sick and tired of racism and of Schwarzenegger,” said Tania Kappner, BAMN organizer and an Oakland school teacher. “We’re here to say that immigrants should have full rights in this state.” 

Protesters voiced fury over the governor’s decision to repeal the law, which they called a slap in the face to the immigrants they called the backbone of the state’s economy. 

“We harvest your food, we take care of your kids, we clean your houses, so we deserve the same rights as everyone else,” said several protesters. 

Shihaddi Kitani, owner of Razan’s Organic Kitchen on Kittredge, was one of the few employers who closed to show his support. 

“My employees said they wanted to strike, and I’m an immigrant myself, so I said why not,” said Kitani who was born in Jordan. “The strike is a way to show that we can still put pressure on those who are in charge.”

The community should be alerted to the fact that with almost no warning, City Council is currently considering cutting funding for people with disabilities and seniors. On the chopping block at the next Council meeting is $149,000 that is appropriated for the warm water pool and almost $346,000 for new curb cuts. These cuts would be in addition to approximately $212,500 (one third of the overall allocation) that was already cut from this year’s budget for compliance with the federally mandated American Disabilities Act (ADA). No other community group is being targeted with cuts of this magnitude. 

Even though there are many repairs needed for the warm water pool (used by many disabled and seniors for doctor-prescribed physical therapy) this funding has languished. City staff has not wanted to use this allocation because of the voter approved bond money to build a new pool. Unfortunately, it is unknown if and when this bond money can be spent because the school district is half a decade or more away from making a decision as to the future of the old BHS gymnasium building which houses this pool. Taking the funds away now will leave the warm water pool in its current inaccessible and dilapidated condition with no future assistance since the bond money cannot be used for repairs. 

The $346,000 proposed cut would kill the installation of up to 30 curb cuts. Over 212 (unfunded) curb cuts have already been identified as needing replacement. The funding has accumulated because curb cuts are a low priority for the city. In addition, last year, the city staff and council rejected my initiative to require that new curb cuts be located inside of the crosswalks so that wheelchair users would not have to endanger themselves while crossing the street. The response was it is too expensive because it requires bigger crosswalks or two ramps, one at each corner. Many of the city’s curb cuts are dangerously steep and unsafe for electric wheelchair users, which forces them onto the street where they get injured or killed by automobiles. 

The City of Berkeley spends very little general fund money on people with disabilities compared to other constituency groups. The money allocated is mainly for making buildings and facilities accessible. The city will increase its susceptibility to lawsuits under the ADA if it does not make a reasonable attempt at improving accessibility. 

At the last Council meeting, I pleaded (to no avail) with the mayor and council to take these funding allocations off the chopping block so that panicked disabled people would not have to pay for personal-care assistants so they can come out in the cold rainy weather to protest these cuts. These cuts will not solve the structural budget deficit problems connected to employee cost-of-living increases and retirement benefits.  

At the same meeting, Council increased the city manager’s authority to spend (without Council approval) contracts of up to $50,000 for services and $100,000 for capital improvements. In addition, $90,000 was approved for a consultant to just study parking signs—the cost of these signs will be up to an additional $1.4 million—all money that could be shifted into the general fund. At this time the council is currently spending millions of dollars on new city buildings, furnishings and facilities. This council does not need to balance the budget by going after the small funding allocations of the most vulnerable. 

In the memory of Fred Lupke and Ed Roberts (who are no doubt turning over in their graves) members of the community should call and come to the Tuesday Dec. 16 meeting where there will be a 10-minute public comment period around 6 p.m. and a 30-minute public comment at 7 p.m.—not much time given the gravity of the cuts. If the Berkeley City Council cuts the under funded disabled what chance to they have fighting the draconian cuts proposed by the governor?  

Dona Spring is a Berkeley City Councilmember. Anyone interested in more information can contact her at 981-7140. 

We reprinted Professor George Bisharat’s essay (Daily Planet, Dec. 9-11) on Palestinians’ desire to return to the homes they left after 1948 at the request of a Jewish friend, who believed that it was a moving and temperate piece of personal history and opinion. She feared, however, that it would provoke some angry letters from her fellow Jews, and she was right—it did. We’ve reprinted many of them, leaving out a few which were scatological or ungrammatical, and we’ll probably print more. Painful though it is, we believe that letting everyone express their point of view in an open venue is a crucial first step to resolving conflicts.  

Disagreements with the Bisharat article seem to have centered mainly on differing versions of history. As a law professor, Bisharat is undoubtedly familiar with the law school trick of having a crime enacted before a class, and then asking everyone in the room to write down what they think they saw happen. Inevitably, all the students have different reports of what they saw. Since even eyewitnesses to current events have dramatically different perceptions about what’s actually going on, it’s no surprise that we can’t get agreement among our contributors about events that happened long ago and far away. 

What most of us recognize, though, is that the land which is called Holy by all of the major monotheistic religions is now home to pain and death. Many would agree that most current victims, both Jews and Arabs, are innocent, suffering from what Bisharat called “the special wound of victimization for who you are, not what you have done.” California is full of refugees from both sides, sick at heart because of the ongoing conflict, who have chosen to live here in peace.  

A generation of young Israelis has dispersed around the world, much as a previous generation of Americans did during the Vietnam war, trying to avoid participation in a fight that they cannot support. Many of them are here in the Bay Area, illegally overstaying on tourist visas, working at menial jobs, losing out on their educational opportunities, because they can’t bear to go home. Others are living in Europe. A French Jewish friend suggested that sympathetic people in our two countries should form an international support network for these young people, much as the Swedes and Canadians did for young Americans during Vietnam. Some of them are complete pacifists, but most are simply conscientious objectors to this particular war.  

Many Palestinians have become U.S. citizens, and many live in California. They are peacefully carrying on with their lives here, not waiting for the opportunity to return to their former home. 

Even though writers to the Planet might not be able to agree on the genesis of the war, all can surely agree that it’s a tragedy. Even though Palestinians and Israelis are in conflict at home, it’s time for them to make an effort to find common ground here in neutral California, where several harmonious Indian-Pakistani organizations now flourish despite the on-going antagonisms in South Asia.  

Israelis and Palestinians will share some kind of future, whether they want to or not. Our letter writers are entitled to express their own interpretations of the past, but it would also be nice to hear from anyone who has positive ideas on how the future of the Holy Land can be different, and on what we can start doing here and now to create that better future. 

Becky O’Malley is executive editor of the Daily Planet.

Cash-strapped AC Transit is set to implement its second major service cut of the year Monday, slashing service on six Berkeley routes and laying off over 100 drivers and mechanics just four days before Christmas. 

System-wide, 45 lines are slated for elimination with an additional 48 facing service alterations. 

In all, nearly 10 percent of service will be discontinued—paring $16 million from the transit agency’s $50 million budget shortfall. 

As in the first round of cuts this summer, Berkeley emerges relatively unscathed. Most of the affected routes travel to San Francisco, with Route HX discontinued and service on Routes E, G and H scaled back from every 20 minutes to every half hour. 

Of the local lines, Route 17—which crossed Alcatraz Avenue on its way from Rockridge Bart to Emeryville—will be discontinued, while Route 9—which snakes around Berkeley from Ashby and Claremont Avenue to the Marina—will scale back afternoon service to every half hour. 

In June, Berkeley lost Route 8, which served the Hills, and suffered service cuts on Routes 65 and 52. In September, the transit agency raised prices for bus passes and stopped offering free rides to poor schoolchildren. 

AC Transit Spokesperson Mike Mills blamed the budget shortfall on the sluggish economy and said that if revenue didn’t pick up soon, further service cuts could come as early as June. 

Though Mills couldn’t provide ridership statistics, Dean Metzger, chair of Berkeley’s Transportation Commission, said Berkeley has the highest percentage of riders in the system, which insulates the city from more severe cuts. 

“[Service] has been pretty stable,” he said. “I’m not hearing a lot of people complaining.” 

With UC Berkeley student activity fees paying for student bus passes, Berkeley offers the system a base of loyal riders and guaranteed income. 

Metzger hopes to one day expand the bus pass system citywide by combining a parcel tax hike with business subsidies to offer any Berkeley resident unlimited free service on AC Transit. 

He criticized AC Transit for failing to flex the necessary political muscle to win such concessions as dedicated bus lanes that could improve service and draw more customers. “If they were reliable and got fares down more people would ride it,” he said. 

To minimize layoffs, AC Transit is temporarily offering added early retirement incentives starting at age 53. 

While it’s too early gauge the success of the program, Christine Zook, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 192, said 112 of her members have received pink slips—about five percent of union membership. 

“Anytime you have 100 people getting laid off the week of Christmas, you can’t be happy,” she said. 

Zook blamed the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) for the service cuts arguing the regional transportation power broker favors BART, which caters to a more affluent clientele.  

Union activists protested outside MTC headquarters Friday, demanding increased long-term funding for a project to provide service for low income neighborhoods bringing people to schools and jobs. 

“AC Transit is a little fish,” she said. “The MTC is making planning decisions 20 years out that disadvantage poor people.” 

Mills insisted AC Transit’s future was not all gloom and doom. He touted the new rapid bus service along San Pablo Avenue and other expansions better linking the system to BART. 

“We’re still building towards a bright future,” he said. “This is just a bump in the road.”