Features

Letters to the Editor

Tuesday September 13, 2005

THE HAND OF GOOD 

Last week Professor David Baggins at Cal State East Bay valiantly toed the conservative line in the face of facts to the contrary.  

In his sarcastic rebuttal to a Daily Planet article about the dangers of letting housing prices rise above the reach of most Americans he asserted: “As middle-income families increased ...” Has the good professor missed the recent news (to some) that poverty in this country is on the rise? The middle class has been shrinking ever since the Republican Party de-emphasized formal education and political experience for its candidates—though you probably don’t see the effects if you live in Orinda.  

At Cal State East Bay, where the comical Doc works, Adam Smith’s “mysterious hand of good” (unproved “economic science” used to shove “Reaganomics” down our throats) is still being drilled into first-year business students—presumably to allay any remnants of social conscience that may impede their progress in the business world.  

Glen Kohler  

 

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DEPLORABLE 

I find the substance of Professor David Baggins’ letters morally deplorable.  

Professor Baggins regards Berkeley as a bastion reserved for relatively high-income people. Inside this bastion, none of the problems afflicting the rest of the country should be permitted to manifest themselves. 

The professor believes that the foremost threat to the ability of BUSD to provide an excellent education is its failure to bar children who live outside the bastion. These “outsiders” doom BUSD’s efforts to boost test scores. The reason the alleged non-residents have such a damaging impact is unstated but nonetheless clear: It is their less-than-affluent backgrounds. 

On the other hand, he welcomes housing developments with few units affordable to low- and moderate-income people. The high economic status of those who are able to pay what it costs to live in the new apartments and condominiums assures that they will spend money downtown and not commit street crimes. 

Despite occasional attempts to suggest that he is a leftie like the rest of us, Professor Baggins shows little concern for economic fairness or diversity in his vision of Berkeley. 

There should be nothing exceptional about Berkeley’s commitment to social justice; it should be a universal goal. I would be sympathetic if Professor Baggins rejected Berkeley’s fighting the good fight alone, and called for equitable nationwide funding of public schools or creating an effective mix of public investment and regulation to ensure that every community provided its proper share of affordable housing. But in his letters he is concerned only with well-off people within the bastion. 

Professor Baggins seeks to shut this city’s doors to the rabble. He wants Berkeley to be as exclusive as Piedmont. Fortunately, most of the people who live here disagree with him. 

Randy Silverman 

 

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DIVERSITY 

“Does Berkeley Still Believe in Diversity?” Yes! Does the Daily Planet believe in Berkeley? Apparently not. 

Berkeley today is the most diverse it has been in its history. By ethnic group, Asians have become the second largest at 17 percent, Latinos have risen to 10 percent, Blacks have fallen to the national average of 12 percent. The New York Times recently rated our city as the second most diverse economically in the country. Fear of absence of diversity in Berkeley can only be interpreted as masking another agenda. 

Berkeley had 40 years ago a non-diverse segregated concentration of low-income African-Americans. This community helped to sponsor the spirit of revolution pronounced in Berkeley’s 1960s politics. It also became crime ridden, violent, downwardly mobile, and ultimately dispersed itself out of a need to survive. African Americans growing up in Berkeley today enjoy a much better chance of thriving than the prior generation did. Their odds would improve further if the School Board allowed the schools to reflect the diversity of Berkeley rather than trying to achieve a concentration of poverty borrowed from other districts. 

We the residents of Berkeley can enjoy a city of intelligence, diversity, artistry and beauty. Developers with their condominiums and apartments are playing a role in the renaissance of Berkeley. The university taking an interest in long beleaguered downtown is also a blessing for the city. It would be nice if the Daily Planet was sometimes on the city’s side. If this is out of the question then it is just as well that other papers have emerged to provide the most meaningful form of diversity: perspective. 

Professor David Baggins 

 

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SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS 

Thank you, J. Allen Douglas-Taylor, for your article on Oakland School for the Arts. My son was at OSA for his ninth-grade year and half of his tenth-grade year. There was constant turnover, among staff and students alike. Twenty-six families didn’t return after the winter break our first year, many more than that didn’t re-enroll for the following school year. We lost count of how many teachers came and went.  

The problem at OSA is the administration. We never heard of any staff or student body changes from Mr. Berry or his staff. Calls were rarely returned and all the news came from the kids. (This was in a school with a student population of 200 and an administrative staff of eight! Most public schools have a principal and a secretary; they return calls!) The impression was that anyone, teacher or student, who didn’t toe the line was out. It was very disheartening in many ways. Obviously we were disappointed that it didn’t work out for our family.  

More than that, I am still heartbroken by the squandering of such a wonderful idea and so much money by an autocratic and inexperienced administration. Many unhappy families have contacted Mayor Brown about this; I don’t know of any responses from his office. Mayor Brown has talked about wanting this school to be his legacy to Oakland. If he continues to ignore the problems with the administration at OSA, he’ll be leaving a very compromised legacy indeed. If it survives. 

J. Hurth 

Oakland 

 

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VENDETTA 

May I inquire as to whether your reporter J. Douglas Allen-Taylor or the Daily Planet has a particular vendetta against the Oakland School for the Arts? On Sept. 3, you published an article based heavily on the views of one Oakland parent who transferred her daughter to Skyline High School after only one semester at OSA. Why her and her child’s undoubtedly unhappy experience from nine months ago is news today as the new school year begins is not evident in the lengthy article. This attack comes on the heels of another article by Mr. Allen-Taylor from Feb. 4, which was based substantially on an anonymous “report card” that was said to be available in local coffee shops. The portion of the story featuring information from the anonymous flyer was buttressed by quotes from an anonymous source. Comparing the two articles, the anonymous source from February is evidently the same parent who was the impetus for this week’s story (i.e., a parent of a ninth-grader wanting to transfer her daughter to ...?) 

Perhaps I missed it, but I have yet to see Mr. Allen-Taylor or any other Daily Planet reporter do a story featuring either the fabulous artistic performances or the strong test scores of OSA students. This week’s article mentions the scores, but only briefly in the fourth paragraph; needless to say, the paragraph does not compare the scores to the considerably lower ones of Berkeley High or Skyline High, the two schools mentioned in the article. OSA is getting these results with a student population that is majority African-American. I have also yet to see an article discussing the current state of the plans to renovate the Fox Theater as the permanent home of the school. Once completed, this will be a fabulous home for the school, as well as a keystone in the revitalization of that area. 

As a parent of an OSA student in the theater department, I readily acknowledge that the school has felt its growing pains. The school is not every child’s cup of tea, nor is the demanding schedule for every teacher. I deeply regret the loss of some of the students and teachers who have left, but at least some were clearly poor fits for the OSA environment. However, my child—as is true for many, many others—is thriving, happy, and learning in a highly diverse environment. In sum, I hope that the Daily Planet will find a little space to write the good news stories about OSA as well as the snarky ones based largely on one disgruntled source.  

David Levine 

 

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SEX OFFENDERS 

Open season on sex offenders. Two registered sex offenders who had their addresses listed on the Internet were executed in Bellingham, Wash.; they had committed transgressions, but their killer committed an even greater transgression by exacting an eye-for-an-eye vengeance. These former sexual predators, who had become law-abiding citizens, were murdered by some holier than thou vigilante. For the less close-minded of you is there any doubt who is worse? 

Ron Lowe 

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ISM 

It saddens me to read letters in the Daily Planet calumniating wonderful human rights organizations like the International Solidarity Movement. These same young people who risk their lives in courageous efforts to nonviolently remind us all of our common humanity are those who, if they had been born in a different era, would have been the ones risking their lives to hide or rescue Jews in Nazi Germany, not because of religion or ethnicity but simply because of our common human rights.  

Vivian Zelaya 

 

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DERBY STREET PLAN 

The Sept. 8 letter from members of the East Campus Neighborhood Association regarding the Derby Street plan is a perfect example of why planning for this facility has been such a difficult process. First, in the current planning there hasn’t been one single public planning meeting discussing a closed Derby plan—not one. According to the consultants running the planning process the topic of closed Derby was not to be discussed. Why aren’t they letting your readers know about that important “issue”? 

Second, the people supporting the open Derby plan have written and said things that are not factually correct, thus misleading people who are not really involved in what is going on. In the most recent letter they stated that the costs do not include soft costs such as construction contingencies, which they state, “will add 30-40 percent to the cost of the project,” but in fact, the budget figures include 45 percent in soft cost charges including a design contingency of 20 percent.  

Third, and most importantly, when you actually ask these people, “OK, so what is the real issue about closing Derby?” you get these blank stares and vague answers. Uh, it will destroy the Farmers’ Market. Well, actually, no that’s not the case because in the closed Derby scenario, the Farmers’ Market will actually have a physically better facility with higher visibility and more space. Uh, closing Derby will cause overwhelming traffic problems. Well, actually, no that’s not what the traffic studies done for the initial EIS found and anyone who has a detached perspective on urban traffic would find the amount of east west traffic down Derby and the adjacent streets to be extremely light. Uh, it’s too big a scale for the neighborhood. Well actually no because Derby open has about 175,000 square feet of field space and 27,000 square feet of pavement for a total of 202,000 square feet. Derby closed has 166,000 square feet of field space and 36,000 square feet of pavement for a total of 202,000 square feet.  

But saving the best for last they ask the mayor to seek a “more suitable” non-residential site. More suitable for whom? For the athletes and coaches who could just walk from school to the Derby site but would be forced to bus or drive to this mystery non-residential site? For the non-athlete students who want to see their high school team play but will now have to drive to get there? Every single public high school in this area has a baseball field in a residential neighborhood. 

The question here is what is the real issue? Why is closing Derby such a big deal? Facts please. Not hysteria, not factually unsupported statements of doom and gloom, not concerns about various groups and programs who don’t seem to feel the need to express the same fears that you do, and not issues of cost which will be something for the BUSD board to assess.  

Doug Fielding 

 

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BERKELEY HONDA 

The ongoing labor dispute at Berkeley Honda has provided an abundance of copy for this newspaper. The chronicling of the protest is a regular subject in the letters section. One letter however has put this entire affair into perspective. 

Donna Mickleson implores all your readers to “come on down and join the party” because “it’s fun.” She likens the entire affair to a neighborhood potluck. Well Donna, there is nothing “fun” about a labor dispute. There is nothing “fun” about technicians not being able to bring a paycheck home. There is nothing “fun” about the effect that the protest has on the dozens of employees who work at Berkeley Honda. There is nothing “fun” about trying to destroy one of the major generators of revenue for the City of Berkeley. 

Perspective is very important and can only be achieved with an understanding of all sides of an issue. I doubt that Donna or any of the other “partiers” have taken the time to find out what the issues really are. I am not suggesting that she needs to agree with any one particular side, but I am suggesting that knowing the whole scenario before picking up a sign is more important than knowing who’s bringing the chips next Thursday. 

How sad it is to see so much energy expended by people to enjoy a party only 10 feet from where homeless people can be found sleeping at night. It begs the question, “Is there perspective in Berkeley?” Sadly, the answer is no. 

Thank you Donna, for giving us the perspective that the caricature that comes to mind when most people think of Berkeley is not a misrepresentation. People clearly care more about the protest (read: party) than they do the issues at stake. Likening this dispute to a social gathering is not only demeaning to business in this community, it is demeaning to the employees who may actually like to work again. 

How sad it would be for the labor dispute to be settled, and for Berkeley Honda and it’s employees to prosper, because then where will Donna go for her party? 

Chris Regalia 

 

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REBUTTING LUBECK 

It’s a good thing that Assistant Manager Tim Lubeck is doing so well at Berkeley Honda because he sure couldn’t make it as a reporter. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has not held any “meetings” or hearings over the Berkeley Honda situation. Rather, there is an ongoing investigation into the company’s unfair labor practices. 

While the union did withdraw one set of charges, new evidence has come to light and the board is investigating those charges. They have certainly not found that “the hiring practices at Berkeley Honda were fair and conducted without bias.”  

I find it very interesting that Berkeley Honda management is telling people that “the only issue that clearly remains” is the pension plan, because that’s sure not what they are saying in negotiations. We agreed to accept the company’s medical plan, which includes full family coverage. They now claim that was only “temporary” and used as a hiring inducement (also known as bait and switch). Management’s new proposal is to cover the employee only. 

The union agreed to the pay scale Berkeley implemented on June 1. Management now says that “won’t be the norm” and is proposing pay cuts of $6 to $8 per hour.  

Contrary to Mr. Lubeck’s claims, the pension fund is not in any danger of bankruptcy. It is currently 91 percent fully funded. IRS regulations require employers who leave plans that are not fully funded to pay their withdrawal liability. This ensures that the plan will not be dumped in the government’s lap like United Airlines. There is a five-year “safe harbor” for new employers that precludes them from paying anything if they leave the plan. We offered Berkeley Honda the right to opt out automatically within four years, so there would be no possible liability. They summarily rejected the idea. 

Clearly, the Beinkes of Blackhawk are not interested in a union contract under any circumstances. But, what seemed like a good idea at the Country Club isn’t playing in the streets of Berkeley. 

Don Crosatto  

Machinists Local 1546 

Oakland 

 

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CIVIL MARRIAGE 

State civil marriage licenses are not a religious nor even majority issue. They are a simple fact of civil rights to all sovereign citizens as guaranteed in our Constitution. Allowing the religious beliefs of one particular faith to deny the rights of the minority citizens would be unconstitutional, wouldn’t it? 

Holly Blash 

Pleasanton 

 

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WHY LIE? 

Even after Gerald Schmavonian in his Aug. 16 commentary rebutted John Gertz, David Altschul, and Lawrence White for their purposeful distortion of history, John Gertz and David Altschul are at it again. They obviously can’t help themselves from lying. Gertz writes (Sept. 2) “The War (1967) began when Nassar sent his armies into Sinai.” But as Mr. Schmavonian pointed out Sinai was then and is now part of Egypt. To say what Mr. Gertz is saying is akin to saying that WWII began when the U.S. stationed troops in California. 

David Altschul (Sept. 6) writes that after the U.N. Partition Resolution of 1947 “The armies of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq invaded Israel.” In fact, those armies never entered Israel but only the land taken by Israel from the Palestinian state that was supposed to be created by that same U.N. Partition Resolution of 1947 (but never was due to Israeli aggression against it).  

I cite the Encyclopedia Britannica that the Israeli army learned that the British planned to withdraw ahead of the scheduled date of May 14, 1948, and the Israelis attacked first in order to “gain strategic objectives in advance” conquering much of what was to become the new Palestinian state. The “Arab hordes” of five nations, that Gertz and Altschul want to frighten and alarm readers with, numbered less than 10,000 poorly-equipped soldiers in total who fought bravely against a Western-equipped Israeli army of 50,000 soldiers. 

Gerald Schmavonian urges readers to consult any encyclopedia, including the Jewish Encyclopedia, for the facts. Why don’t Gertz or Altschul ever ask readers to do that? How is it that the U.S. public alone, among all the world’s publics, is under these misimpressions and deceptions? Dare we call it conspiracy? Because Gertz and Altschul and their pals know as Anne Cromwell pointed out (Aug. 23) that if you can control the sound bites, you can control the message.  

Otherwise why would they continue lying? Would it weaken Israel’s claim that its armed forces are ludicrously called IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) if people knew they always attacked first (Israeli Offensive Forces) in all their wars. 

Janet Sakamoto 

Albany 

 

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PERFECT STORM 

If storms were animated—as many prehistoric peoples believed—Katrina was perfect. She bobbed, she weaved, and she parried her opponent (us) as she picked the perfect place—a city below sea level, picked the perfect time—when other suitors were off fighting a war, and she had the perfect mate—a man without a clue. 

Gerald Shmavonian 

Fresno 

 

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NATURE ON RAMPAGE 

And it came to pass that the people insisted on building their homes, their dreams, yeah, their very lives in the city of — known far and wide for its social amenities and its joys of living. Alas, this was a place where mother nature was statistically certain to come roaring through every few generations, destroying everything in her path. Experts warned the inhabitants time after time after time: “There is no question that nature will huff and puff and turn this town into ruins...the only question is WHEN.” 

New Orleans? Oops, I’m just thinking about our beloved city of Berkeley and our inevitable upcoming earthquake(s). And whose fault will that be? 

Victor Herbert 

 

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GLOBAL WARMING 

Of course Hurricane Katrina is a terrible tragedy with all the deaths, suffering and destruction right in our own country. It is beyond comprehension. And we need to help in whatever we can, which Americans are known for doing, especially for the people who are still suffering or at risk of dying. But at the same time we need to wonder why only half-way through the hurricane season there has all ready been such huge hurricanes, especially this recent very destructive one. The answer for the most part is two words: global warming. The biggest threat to this country and to the world is not terrorism but the destruction we are doing to the environment, and now it is coming back to haunt us. As a society we need to live in a more sustainable way, but instead we’ve been consuming and polluting like there is no tomorrow. Well, tomorrow is coming and unfortunately Katrina may be just the beginning. And forget about the present administration doing anything about this environmental crisis or any crisis for that matter; for the most part they are in denial of it all and are just contributing to the crisis. There is that famous old saying “Don’t mess with Mother Nature,” and we sure have been messing with her.  

Thomas Husted 

Alameda 

 

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EARTHQUAKE 

I was pleased to read Mr. Townley’s impassioned article reminding us of the natural hazards we face here in the Bay Area. There is clearly an opportunity for us to learn more about what we can do to minimize the social and economic impacts of our own looming losses from future earthquakes. We need to take action—sustained, consistent action—so that with every week that goes by we are a little bit more prepared.  

In that sense, I fully support the steps outlined in his article, not the least of which is support of the proposed soft-story ordinance that will soon be placed before the City Council. 

In reading Mr. Townley’s article, though, I noted a small factual error regarding the magnitude of our estimated seismic risk. The article states, “A major quake is coming on the Hayward fault (66 percent chance in the next 30 years).” It appears that the statement is a misinterpretation of an on-going USGS project prepared by the “Working Group On California Earthquake Probabilities” (see 

http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/research/seismology/wg02/). The USGS recently estimated that there is a 62 percent chance of a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake occurring on one or more of the many faults in the Bay Area (between Monterey and Santa Rosa). Of all of the faults, the risk is greatest on the Hayward fault. The estimated risk, however, of a large earthquake on the Hayward fault is 27 percent, not 66 percent, between 2003-2032. 

I think it is important to be realistic about such information. While the problems with complacency are greater, we should not overstate when and where the next large earthquake will occur. There may be a catastrophic earthquake that strikes the Bay Area before this letter is read or there may not be a large earthquake in the Bay Area for another 50-years. 

As a structural engineer who is constantly assessing these risks for building owners and helping them with the design and construction of seismic upgrades, I know these numbers are not precise and discussions of risk often lead to inaction, in part because it seems unreal and confusing. Situations like the hurricane in the Southeast and other earthquakes in California often have the positive effect of getting us to take some action locally. 

In the long run, though, I think the best thing to do to take sustained and consistent action so that with every week that goes by we are a little bit more prepared. 

Michael Fretz 

 

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ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE 

“The Berkeley public schools have been almost unique in that they offer an excellent public education in a multicultural environment.” 

How can you possibly call it “excellent public education” when tests have to be altered to accommodate the lack of intelligence of those being tested? 

If you are interested in presenting an accurate view of the issue then another perspective is necessary.  

Don’t you understand that Negros are being used as scapegoats for an evil agenda of the people who brought them here originally? 

Use the Internet: truth is just a few clicks away and your readers would be wiser. 

Google keyword search: slave trader. 

Ronald Branch 

 

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DIEBOLD 

I am baffled. In his response to my Aug. 16 op-ed entitled “How Many Diebolds to Screw up an election?” why would Diebold Vice President Dave Byrd mischaracterize the tests held in Stockton in late July?  

The testing wasn’t designed as a simple process of tabulation in which the outcome must be entrusted to Diebold. How do we know that “not a single ballot was lost?” 

The purpose of the testing was to demonstrate whether Diebold’s electronic voting machines could accurately provide a paper receipt for voters to verify their votes, which is now required by state law. As I had pointed out, his company’s machines failed at the rate of 20 percent, not the 10 percent reported by Secretary of State McPherson’s office (19 out of 96 machines).  

We have known that Diebold’s touchscreen voting machines can record 10,000 votes. The question at hand is whether the votes go to the voter’s intended selection and if this can be verified in print. From the latest testing, at least we now know beyond any doubt that Diebold can take a handful of voters and generate 10,000 votes. 

Peter Teichner 

 

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BIG BUSINESS 

This not the first time that Diebold has been discussed in the news. They have acquired quite a notoriety in the matter of both monopolizing the market and screwing up services, thanks to friends in high places. 

I agree with your article by Richard Steinfeld in as much that yes, our government has done plenty of laudable work for us all and yes our government should work hand in hand with corporations to deliver needed services. 

I am one who has had enough of the old Reaganite contention of “getting big government off our backs.” Successive Republican administrations have replaced “big” government with big business and we are seeing the results of it all. 

As a physician, I have found for 20 years the government-operated Medicare program has functioned well for patients as well as the vast majority of doctors. Those doctors who initially complained about it later found private insurance to be more draconian and intractable. 

Besides there are many western democracies that have and are doing well with many government-run services; the Scandinavian countries, the U.K. and Canada for example. 

Byravan Viswanathan 

 

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SPACE OF THEIR OWN 

The work of schooling is to develop the latent ability of the child. To do that we have to provide a safe environment for the child where interactive play and imagination can be at work without danger. In such a classroom or home situation all children will feel interconnected and visible; they will also feel stress-free and happy. Thus the school or home will have fewer administrative problems. I think we must place more emphasis on art and music in our curriculum to build self-confidence in our children. When we sing or play musical instruments, we feel relaxed. We reveal our emotions. We allow our true selves to be creative and we feel optimal energy. 

As teachers or parents we must have informal conversation with children about their day. Our attentive, non-judgmental listening will allow children to be honest about their feelings. Such a link to the true experience of our children will be beneficial for parents as well as teachers. At the same time we should also have group discussions in the classroom about current issues with which children can relate. Group discussions build social connections and develop the student’s capacity for critical thinking. 

When children get frequent opportunity to decide what to do, they become independent thinkers. Child development centers should provide children every opportunity for making choices, allowing them to work with peers, allowing them to roam around their favorite stations till they find a site that stirs their curiosity. In order to strengthen their interest in science, art, reading, mathematics and computers, children should be allowed time to explore and experiment. Educators should not disturb the attention of children when they are deeply involved in a project. 

Children love this kind of freedom to choose. They feel empowered and happy. We as educators have to create a very friendly environment so children love to learn. When we read to the children a literary bond is established with them. Children seek a connection between the story and their own selves. They exercise their imagination. In their minds they explore the new pathways opened out by the story. 

Parents should try to be motivators and great role models for developing a child’s natural curiosity. They should share with their children their own sense of wonder at the cycles of nature and at the mystery of creation. I would like to request all teachers and parents to create this link of sharing their sense of wonder. Such a link will help their children to become lifelong learners. Such children will become an asset to the family and to the nation. 

Romila Khanna 

 

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NATURE AND WILDLIFE 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Regarding Mike Vandeman’s odd Aug. 19 letter about a mountain bicyclist’s injury five years ago: Mr. Vandeman, a self-appointed wildlife fanatic, is quite familiar to readers of local letters pages. 

His past missives have viciously attacked cyclists, wheelchair users, and any other human who dares to venture onto a trail. He once even gloated about a cougar’s fatal mauling of a jogger. 

This nasty conduct may have earned Mr. Vandeman the first-ever expulsion from the Sierra Club. And his claims are willfully ignorant of scientific research. 

His notion that mountain bicyclists do any more damage to trails than hikers do was disproved by a 2001 Canadian study and a 1994 Montana study. You can find summaries at www.uoguelph.ca/mediarel/01-08-16/biking.html and http://www.imba.com/resources/science/impact_summary.html. 

I’m happy that at least his latest letter implies empathy—whether sincere or not—for someone else who “ended up brain damaged and divorced.”  

Marcia Lau 

 

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SMOKING 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I recently attended the James Taylor concert at the Greek Theater and sat on the lawn and was horrified to find that the facility allows smoking! 

1. There is a fire danger (late summer). 

2. There is a health danger (secondary smoke). 

3. Some of us are allergic (this caused me three days of severe coughing). 

4. This is state property and as a taxpayer I deserve to have smoke-free facilities. 

One cannot smoke at the Oakland Coliseum. One cannot smoke at SBC Park. Why allow smoking at the University of California facility? 

Mary Ciddio 

 

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DAN SPITZER’S PLANET 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Welcome to Berkeley, new readers. Permit me to introduce you to the Daily Planet. You hold in your hand what purports to be a publication covering the local scene. In reality, the Daily Planet is a reflection of publisher/editor Becky O’Malley’s simplistic ideological posturings and overt bias. Some of us have come to call it “The Daily Jihad.” 

While there are innumerable important local issues to cover, this publication, in its reportage, editorials, and op-eds, is obsessed with bashing Israel. Indeed, you will eventually see that it crosses the line from reasonable criticism to something far darker, the mirror image of its publisher’s anti-Jewish prejudices.  

The most recent example of the above is O’Malley’s hiring of Henry Norr to convey his observations about the Palestinian territories. Asking Norr to provide yet the slightest pretense of objective reportage on this issue is akin to believing that you might find honest commentary on the Third Reich by Joseph Goebbels. 

Those unfamiliar with Mr. Norr should know that once employed by the Chronicle, he was fired for plying his mindless propaganda in countless public forums. Norr, you see, is a member of the International Solidarity Movement, a pro-Palestinian organization which—-according to Mother Jones and other progressive publications—has aided and abetted the cause of Palestinian terrorist organizations. Hence, O’Malley’s hiring of Norr to write about the Israeli/Palestinian situation has about as much credibility as George Bush’s claims that Saddam had WMDs!  

What next, Ms. O’Malley? An embrace of the Palestinian Authority’s charter which still calls for the destruction of Israel? 

Dan Spitzer 

Kensington®