Opinion

Herewith follows today’s lesson: -more-

With Oakland Unified School District officials confirming a report that an extension is being considered on a deadline to reach a contract agreement over the sale of OUSD downtown properties, local activists continue to escalate activities to stop the sale altogether. -more-

LBNL CONTAMINATION RISKS -more-

Thank you, Steve Meyers, for your thoughtful response to my commentaries on the causes, meaning, and benefits of NIMBYism. I’m glad you found some points worth considering, even if you were put off by my “over-the-top hyperbole.” -more-

It’s a lazy summer afternoon. I am dozing in my easy chair trying to avoid being woken up by one of the myriad of gizmos in the house that beep, buzz, or chime. But I am also appreciative for the many new tools saving me and others much menial, repetitive work. -more-

What administratively simple state or federal policy change would: -more-

BROWER CENTER -more-

Local public schools, well supported and integral to the community, are at the heart of the progressive tradition. Perhaps only in Berkeley is this a controversial statement. When I decided just weeks ago to campaign for School Board service I did so with a sense that a whole election season would otherwise go by without discussion of the meaningful issues that affect the schools. -more-

Recently, and without much fanfare, the cities of Berkeley and Oakland adopted zero waste policy statements and have begun the long task of designing programs to implement that policy; Palo Alto, about to close its local dump, is a year ahead of them. As these local policies slipped through the decision-making process with little acrimony, it’s appropriate to look at the roots of these actions. -more-

Local papers are reporting that Burning Man is addressing its energy usage in a scheme called Cooling Man (coolingman.org) wherein Burners can pay for their energy usage by purchasing “carbon offsets” and reduce the festival’s global warming impacts. A fine idea, but the claim that participants will “offset” their global warming impact “the same way as a large corporations do” by investing in clean energy projects is not exactly correct. It hides the larger problem of current free-market answers to global warming. -more-

Opponents of the Oak to 9th development project in Oakland have made one thing clear—they can make their voices heard (“Can Oakland Re-Think Oak to 9th?” Editorial, Daily Planet, Aug. 18). However, being vocal is not the same thing as being accurate. -more-

UNION CITY—“He got into an accident. That will be our story,” my father said to me. “You can’t tell anyone what really happened. It will shame our family. Your uncle was a coward. He didn’t think of anyone but himself. But he was sick, I suppose. He had to have been to have done what he did.” -more-