Features

Letters to the Editor

Friday September 10, 2004

WINTER SWIM TRIUMPH 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I would like to thank Matthew Artz for writing a well researched and balanced article about the continuing community drama around the Berkeley pools (“Swimmers Fight For Public Acess in Winter,” Daily Planet, Sept. 3-6). For three years, with the help of King Pool swimmers, Berkeley politicians and taxpayers, we have forestalled the closure of Willard and West Campus pools for the winter. We from South and West Berkeley would like to thank all of you for supporting public access to public recreation during these difficult financial times. The success of this citizen movement reminds me of why I live in Berkeley. 

We are again faced with the closure of Willard and possibly West Campus pools to the public this year. I must make some important observations. 

• Swimming has universal appeal for people of all ages and conditions. 

• Serious swimming is not seasonal. 

• Life guarding is a great entry level job for both sexes and people from all economic backgrounds. 

• Recreational opportunities must be extended to all citizens of all economic backgrounds, especially during difficult times. 

• BUSD must find a way to reestablish a meaningful aquatics program that promotes aquatic recreation, sportsmanship, and health and safety, for all students, not just the lucky few who can afford the expensive Bears program. Students, parents, and the public are natural allies when it comes to managing the public pools. We must demand that the city and BUSD find a way to work together. 

Why is it that we are all of a sudden requiring that city pools be self sufficient? Would it not be a better goal to require that city pools be managed well enough to provide maximum services to the most people in the city? This should be the long term goal that the City Council requests of Parks and Recreation. 

In the short run, the United Pool Council has scheduled a Swim-A-Thon on Oct. 2-3 at King Pool to raise enough money to keep West Campus pool open for all of us during this next winter. Please be part of this by swimming an hour or pledging some money for a swimmer. 

Bill Hamilton 

 

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SLOGAN SUGGESTION 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Thank you for the report on the candidates for the Board of AC Transit, especially H.E. Christian Peeples who is described as the “seven-ear incumbent.” I can imagine his campaign slogan: He may be a mutant, but he has the capacity to listen.  

Thomas Yamaguchli 

 

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MURPHY MEADOW 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Years ago (the early ‘90s), Berkeley’s waterfront sustained a concerted push for intensive development. To remove this threat, a deal was made with a powerful deity for a state park. Now the down-side of this bargain is apparent to me. The Murphy Meadow, that refuge from civilization just west of the freeway, and north of University Avenue, has been laid waste. 

For those of you who have walked on those time-worn trails with friends, dogs or alone, there were many surprises to be found; varieties of birds, interesting plants, mysterious areas, such as the gathering places of rabbits. It was nice that a bit of wilderness was allowed to evolve—a balance of competition of plants, animals (wild and domestic) and Man. A nice compromise. I was personally fond of the patches of seeded grasses which, wet with the morning’s dew, caught the sunlight, stirring in my buried instincts to pick up the camera again. Of course, the territorial red-winged blackbirds, puffing out their red feathers, were a special pleasure for me, as were the house finches reflecting the Sun’s colors off their crimson breast. The hawks, in their now looping, now cruising flight, roused my appreciation for the beauty of flight. In the spring, ducks rested in the seasonal ponds. 

What greets the eye now is a chain-link fence, yellow earth-movers and diggers, a broad stretch of denuded soil and a few odd bunches of bushes with orange tags tied to them—the lucky few “natives” chosen to remain. Down is the giant eucalyptus on the southeast corner of the meadow, down are the berry bushes and grasses which fed the birds. Destroyed are the rabbit burrows and the paths I used to follow. 

Inquiring among the now displaced former-strollers, the following picture emerges. On this land, the state park developers will not allow non-native species of plants. Being an old dump, capped in the 1970s, a joyous cacophony of native and non-native types prevailed. Animals came to populate the land; an ecology developed; a happy balance. But the ecological “aberrants” are being removed. 

Ecological purists—eco-nazis I am calling them this morning—through their persistence and dedication to an ideal, have risen to positions of power, and have imposed their will on this formerly happy place. 

Just so you know, somebody noticed, and I think it stinks. 

Curtis Manning 

 

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CONVENTIONS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I found your editorial on the Republican National Convention very interesting (“Republicans Rant, Kerry Conciliates,” Daily Planet, Sept. 3-6). 

It’s funny how both sides sounded pretty much the same concerning the conventions. My observance is that whichever side your on the opinions are the same. And as a Republican I just wonder why the candidate from the Democratic side did not mention his years in the Senate, or explain why he suddenly became a dove when he was about to get run over in the primaries. I have a feeling that a vote for the Democratic candidate is really not a vote for him but rather a vote against the incumbent. I think that it would be detrimental to this country and the world if we change presidents, but in the same vein, since we do live in the greatest country in the world, we would come through. I noticed in your article all that was focused on was anger and not specifics; it makes it hard to take the article very seriously. 

Thank you for upholding freedom of speech. 

Stefan Nelson 

 

 

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GILBERT ON SEAGATE 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I have been following with dismay and some amusement the “affordable penthouse saga,” written by my District 5 Council race opponent, developer Laurie Capitelli, and some other affordable housing fanatics on our Zoning Adjustment Board. The story goes like this: While we ordinary middle-class folks pay through the nose to live in Berkeley, poor people are entitled to luxury ownership accommodations at the expense of taxpayers and a lower-density livable Berkeley. My opponent Capitelli and some other affordable housing fanatics on the Zoning Adjustment Board insist that some number of the “penthouse” condominium units in the unpopular and dense proposed nine-story new downtown Seagate project should be allocated to poor people, since to do otherwise would be to “segregate” them amongst the less-than-elite occupants of the downstairs units. 

I am not making this up! You read all about it recently right here in the Planet.  

The cost of buying a home in Berkeley is about $700,000 with a real property tax bill of at least $10,000. Middle-income incomes are down and employee confidence in the Bay Area is among the lowest of major metropolitan areas. Berkeley local taxes are the highest in California and yet our city political establishment is proposing unnecessary new taxes. Some of these new taxes, if passed, would probably help buy penthouses for poor people. Many ordinary Berkeley homeowners are having real problems paying their tax bills and meeting their family needs. In walking my District 5, I have seen evidence of homeowner inability to properly maintain their homes, and many persons have contacted me to complain about the city drain on their family coffers. Few residents are happy with the type of multi-unit construction appearing all over town , or with the way our downtown is, literally, shaping up. 

It is time for some common sense. If elected, I will pursue policies to help and expand Berkeley’s middle-class population. I will not support subsidized penthouses for anyone. 

Barbara Gilbert  

City Council candidate,  

District 5 

 

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CRITIQUING THE EDITOR 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Regarding your recent editorial ( “Hostility and Ineffectiveness,” Daily Planet, Sept. 7-9): 

1. The Berkeley Daily Planet has always been prejudicial and bias in their perspectives and opinions. Printing whatever it is that catches your flavor. 

2. Becky O’Malley, the world does not stop and take notice just because you want to satisfy your curiosity. 

3. Becky O’Malley, you really must don’t have any other interesting story to write. 

4. Becky O’Malley, stop being a “hater” of anything apart from your world. 

5. Becky O’Malley, you are not “The People.” 

Peter Hong 

 

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POLICE AND THE PUBLIC 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

“Hostility and ineffectiveness” describes the editor’s attempt to communicate with one of our peace officers. Page Three featured a photo with what appears to be one of these fearless public servants shielding his face (preserving his anonymity, I’m guessing.) 

What gives? 

Do these officers have something to hide? 

Or is this fellow a private citizen dressed in storm trooper regalia? 

More than a year ago I approached University at Shattuck and saw what I surmised was a cataclysmic event: a tower fire engine, ambulance, three unmarked police cars, and four BPD squad cars.  

Bomb threat? 

Demonstration?? 

No. A fellow was passed out on the sidewalk. 

Padding the budget the old fashioned way. Is anyone accountable for this crap??? 

Neal Rockett 

 

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DEFENDING THE BPD 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Becky O’Malley’s editorial depends on the reader’s acceptance of her dubious assertion that the police officers investigating a crime scene—a child on a bicycle had been hit by a car—had nothing better to do than to satisfy the curiosity of passing motorists. (If O’Malley thought that something serious was going on, how come she didn’t even bother getting out of her car? Must be a new trend: Drive-by journalism!) I don’t know O’Malley, but I’m very familiar with the officer she attacked. Jim Marangoni has been, yes, unfailingly courteous and effective as the beat cop in our troubled South Berkeley neighborhood. O’Malley’s peevish screed says far more about the arrogance of a small-town prima dona than it does about the state of the Berkeley Police Department.  

Paul Rauber  

 

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UNIVERSITY AVENUE 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

The new landscaping on the University Avenue median is very nice. However, the sprinklers are wasting water and can easily be changed. The sprinklers are using a “spray” nozzle. The wind causes “misting” and the water is lost. There is a frequent breeze coming up University Avenue. 

The small nozzles on top can be easily changed. There are nozzles called “stream” and “stream spray.” Also a “flat” or lower angle nozzle is available. These will help to avoid the fine drops being whipped up, around and away. 

Richard List 

 

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WILLARD GARDEN  

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Michael Yovino-Young’s comments about the Willard garden as an “eyesore” is very grinch-like indeed. Some see the flowers, he sees only the garbage. 

Garbage and the homeless are not the responsibility of volunteers. Where has the school district been for 20 years? Why haven’t they at least picked up the garbage? And indeed, after this conspicuous absence, to plow over and destroy is entirely inappropriate. Parents and volunteers should be supported and thanked for their efforts. We all lead busy lives. I would wager that Yovino-Young, like the school district, had contributed neither money nor time towards this commendable volunteer effort. 

Ten years ago, prior to the Willard Greening Project, the front of Willard was barren, with cars parked on it. There was the misshapen eucalyptus on the corner, whose seeds plugged the storm drain and caused regular flooding. Friends of mine then opined that the Willard building was really a penal facility, especially viewed at night in the sulfur lights. 

Lately, as more and more street trees have been removed along that part of Telegraph, I appreciate the Willard garden even more. The trio of yellow flowered trees are spectacular. And I look forward to the tree with pendulous wisteria-like blossoms in the spring. Telegraph Avenue is a challenging place to garden. As a neighbor, thanks for your work. 

Michael Haven 

 

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THE PRESIDENT AND HIS MEN 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Yesterday Vice President Cheney threatened the American people— saying if they voted the wrong way in November there were likely to be more and devastating terrorist attacks. Is he trying to scare us into voting for George Bush? 

Also yesterday—the same day that the number of American soldiers killed in Iraq reached 1,000—Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld talked about Iran. He said Iran was a threat and called Iran uncivilized. Now that scares me! Rumsfeld is making an argument for the expansion of American foreign aggression. 

The reckless, unilateral, violent foreign policy of President Bush and the men who surround him is leading us further and further down a path to war, bankruptcy and national disgrace. Four more years? No thank you! 

Carole Bennett-Simmons 

Piedmont 

 

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ABU GHRAIB 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I’d like to add a domestic view to the excellent letter about the national and international damage to the U.S.A. caused by the Abu Ghraib prison atrocities: Blowback. The young men and women who should be considered sexual predators and punished as such will be returning to their spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends, and communities having imprinted and eroticized brutal, destructive, humiliating, and sometimes lethal acts. These newly created monsters will be among us for a long time.  

Idea for a horror film: Mommy Lindy. 

Ruth Bird?