Hamzah Hararah, UC Berkeley Muslim Students’ Association political action committee co-chair,  talks with Narmin Nuree (center), senior and a member of the Coalition for Peace Not Prejudice, on Sproul Plaza Wednesday. The coalition responded to Berkeley College Republican Islamo-Fascist Week with Peace Not Prejudice week. Photograph by Riya Bhattacharjee.
Hamzah Hararah, UC Berkeley Muslim Students’ Association political action committee co-chair, talks with Narmin Nuree (center), senior and a member of the Coalition for Peace Not Prejudice, on Sproul Plaza Wednesday. The coalition responded to Berkeley College Republican Islamo-Fascist Week with Peace Not Prejudice week. Photograph by Riya Bhattacharjee.

Page One

Students Protest Islamo-Fascist Week on Campus

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday October 26, 2007

The UC Berkeley Muslim Students Association (MSA) responded to Islamo-Fascist Week on campus with Peace Not Prejudice Week, ending today. -more-



Council Asks for Study On Hotel Funding

By Judith Scherr
Friday October 26, 2007

Despite concerns of some residents that the city could end up subsidizing a downtown hotel-condo project, the council on Tuesday voted 8-1 to accept the developer’s funds to hire a consultant to figure out funding. -more-



New Children’s Hospital Tax Measure Added to Ballot

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Friday October 26, 2007

After what Supervisor Keith Carson said was “reluctantly” carrying out their legally-mandated duty to place a $12 million Children’s Hospital special tax initiative on the February ballot, Alameda County supervisors voted to place a second compromise measure on the ballot as well. -more-



Ward Street Community Says No to Antennas On UC Storage

By Judith Scherr
Friday October 26, 2007

Faced with some 60 neighbors opposing telecommunications antennas proposed for a building at Ward Street and Shattuck Avenue—and armed with signs calling for the recall of the mayor and stating “Don’t Sell Us Out”—the Berkeley City Council split Tuesday over whether to uphold the Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) decision to deny permits for the antennas at 2721 Shattuck Ave. -more-



Building Heights Edge Up at DAPAC Group

By Richard Brenneman
Friday October 26, 2007

The question of downtown Berkeley’s future skyline remained unresolved Thursday at the end of the second of three scheduled meetings of a citizen planning committee, the land-use subcommitee of the Downtown Area Plan Advisory Committee (DAPAC). -more-



Features

University Seeks Community Input on People’s Park Report

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday October 26, 2007

The People’s Park Community Advisory Board is now accepting public comments on the draft report assessing the park’s needs and planning future changes. -more-


Planners Mull Code, OK Condos

By Richard Brenneman
Friday October 26, 2007

Berkeley’s Planning Commissioners spent their meeting Wednesday talking about what they’d like to do. -more-


Character and Cross Country

By Al Winslow
Friday October 26, 2007

Cross country running is a sport where everybody gets to play. -more-


BUSD Nondiscrimination Policy to Include LGBT Students

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday October 26, 2007

The Berkeley Board of Education approved a policy to protect gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students and their families from discrimination and harassment in the Berkeley Unified School District for the first time Wednesday. -more-


Protesters Gear Up for Oct. 27 March to End the War

By Judith Scherr
Friday October 26, 2007

The oft-divided anti-war movement will be marching in San Francisco under a single banner Saturday: End the War Now. “No more surges, no more study groups: BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW!” -more-


UC Regents Set to Approve Berkeley Projects

By Richard Brenneman
Friday October 26, 2007

UC could make the first cash payment on a new downtown Berkeley art museum in January. -more-


Fire News

By Richard Brenneman
Friday October 26, 2007

Deputy Fire Chief David P. Orth said a cigarette-sparked fire did about $20,000 in damage to an Alvarado Road home and its contents early Wednesday evening. -more-


Public Comment

Letters to the Editor

Friday October 26, 2007

CORRECTION -more-


Commentary: West Berkeley BID is Not Mom and Apple Pie

By Dan Knapp
Friday October 26, 2007

In his Oct. 19 letter to the editor, Steven Donaldson didn’t mention that he is one of the West Berkeley property owners trying to set up a new tax to fund privatizing city services. He posed instead as just another interested neighborhood guy, who no doubt attended the “Town Hall Meeting” partly to register his support for the tax and partly to observe the antics of dozens of “folks” whose earnest and articulate arguments he professes never to understand. Indeed, in 12 paragraphs of Steven’s prose, he never engages his opponents’ arguments at all. It’s as if we had nothing to say. But of course we did. -more-


Commentary: An Open Letter to Captain Richard Lund

By Zanne Joi
Friday October 26, 2007

Dear Captain Lund, -more-


Commentary; A Public Comment Process Without Central Control

By Robert Vogel and Simona Carini
Friday October 26, 2007

Most of the world today has access to competing sources of news, each claiming to present a balanced version of truth. While the professional media reports from multiple primary sources and permits a variety of opinion in letters to the editor, no single source is truly capable of “balance” in reporting the news. At some point, an editor ultimately controls what gets published; at that point “balance” is compromised and the editor’s bias inevitably influences public opinion and policy. -more-


Commentary: BioEnergy Institute and BP Grant Are Already Archaic

By James Singmaster
Friday October 26, 2007

Regrettably, UC Berkeley, which just had a big opening show Oct. 22 for its Joint BioEnergy Institute, will soon see the bioenergy concept drop dead after so much hoopla from the University and BP on bioenergy having great “possibilities to save the world.” The hydrogen fuel future may be fast approaching as German scientists at the Max Planck Institute announced a few weeks ago their finding a catalyst that uses sunlight energy to convert water into hydrogen. Hydrogen for fuel and windmills for electric power have no pollution or residual junk problems and should be setup as fast as possible to give us clean energy, and most of the bioenergy concept will soon be laughed about for its shortsightedness. -more-


Editorial

Editorial: So Just March, Already...

By Becky O’Malley
Friday October 26, 2007

The weather forecast says that Saturday will be another one of those gorgeous October days we’re blessed with in Northern California. It looks like it will be a very nice day for a walk—a long walk, a walk perhaps in San Francisco. Yes, if you haven’t figured it out already, this is a restrained pitch for the peace march in San Francisco. It’s being sponsored by—oh, who is it being sponsored by? And why does it matter anyhow? There will undoubtedly be people there with whom you disagree on some part of the message, or who will behave in a way you might not want to endorse. Go anyhow, carry your own sign with your own message, act the way you want everyone to act. -more-


Columns

Column: Dispatches From the Edge: Lies, Damned Lies and Iraq

By Conn Hallinan
Friday October 26, 2007

The great 19th century Tory prime minister Benjamin Disraeli once remarked there were three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics. It is a dictum the Bush administration has taken to heart when it comes to totaling up the carnage in Iraq: If you don’t like the numbers, just change them; and when in doubt, look ‘em in the eye and lie. -more-


Column: Undercurrents: The Oakland Development Debate Gets Ugly

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Friday October 26, 2007

Back South, where I once lived, I used to know an older man who I’d greet every time I saw him with the question, “How’s the world treating you?” -more-


Open Home in Focus: Elegant and Cozy North Berkeley House on View

By Steven Finacom
Friday October 26, 2007

Around a North Berkeley bend, quickly by-passed by those busily headed someplace else, there’s a gem of a creek side house. The architecture and setting embody much of what gives residential Berkeley a special sense of place. -more-


Garden Variety: NWF’s Connie Award Goes to Local Wildlands/Garden Patron Kathy Kramer

By Ron Sullivan
Friday October 26, 2007

One of our own is on her way to Washington DC to receive a long-deserved award. Kathy Kramer, who founded and runs the annual Bringing Back the Natives garden tour, will be honored on Nov. 1—appropriately enough, All Saints’ Day—along with Bill McKibben (The End of Nature), Al Gore, Rev. Richard Cizik (who has stirred up a hornets’ nest with the Evangelical Climate Initiative’s “Call to Action” statement, insisting on Christians’ responsibility toward stewardship of the earth), Steve Curwood (host of NPR’s Living on Earth show) and others including more dubious company like Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. -more-


Quake Tip of the Week

By Larry Guillot
Friday October 26, 2007

More Earthquake Tidbits -more-


About the House: Insurance: Knob and Tube Wiring

By Matt Cantor
Friday October 26, 2007

The other day a recent inspection client of mine called up and asked if I could help answer a few questions. She proceeded to ask if her new house had copper piping. -more-


Arts & Events

Moving Pictures: A Few Days in the Life Of Jimmy Carter

By Justin DeFreitas
Friday October 26, 2007

Jimmy Carter is more active in his 80s than I was at any time during my 20s. If that’s an exaggeration it’s not much of one. The man’s zest for life is well known, but it is still awe-inspiring to see. In addition to his work with Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center and a writing career that results in a book per year, the man somehow manages to find time to paint, preach, hike, bicycle and travel the world. -more-


Moving Pictures: Mamet's "House of Games"

By Justin DeFreitas
Friday October 26, 2007

House of Games, David Mamet's 1987 directorial debut, was and still is like no other film. -more-


Arts Listings

Arts Calendar

Friday October 26, 2007

The Theater: ‘Rosencrantz & Guildenstern’ at Live Oak

By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet
Friday October 26, 2007

The Theater: Altarena Playhouse Presents ‘Morning’s at Seven’

By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet
Friday October 26, 2007

Harvest of Song at Berkeley Art Center

Friday October 26, 2007

Moving Pictures: Arab Film Festival at California Theater

By Justin DeFreitas
Friday October 26, 2007

Events Listings

Berkeley This Week

Friday October 26, 2007

Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

Editorial: So Just March, Already... 10-26-2007

Editorial: Will DAPAC Have Been Worth it After All? 10-23-2007

Public Comment

Letters to the Editor 10-26-2007

Commentary: West Berkeley BID is Not Mom and Apple Pie By Dan Knapp 10-26-2007

Commentary: An Open Letter to Captain Richard Lund By Zanne Joi 10-26-2007

Commentary; A Public Comment Process Without Central Control By Robert Vogel and Simona Carini 10-26-2007

Commentary: BioEnergy Institute and BP Grant Are Already Archaic By James Singmaster 10-26-2007

Letters to the Editor 10-23-2007

Commentary: The Facts About Density and Development By Neil Mayer 10-23-2007

Commentary: More About Density Downtown By Will Travis 10-23-2007

Letter: Growing Populations by Revan Tranter 10-23-2007

News

Students Protest Islamo-Fascist Week on Campus By Riya Bhattacharjee 10-26-2007

Council Asks for Study On Hotel Funding By Judith Scherr 10-26-2007

New Children’s Hospital Tax Measure Added to Ballot By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 10-26-2007

Ward Street Community Says No to Antennas On UC Storage By Judith Scherr 10-26-2007

Building Heights Edge Up at DAPAC Group By Richard Brenneman 10-26-2007

University Seeks Community Input on People’s Park Report By Riya Bhattacharjee 10-26-2007

Planners Mull Code, OK Condos By Richard Brenneman 10-26-2007

Character and Cross Country By Al Winslow 10-26-2007

BUSD Nondiscrimination Policy to Include LGBT Students By Riya Bhattacharjee 10-26-2007

Protesters Gear Up for Oct. 27 March to End the War By Judith Scherr 10-26-2007

UC Regents Set to Approve Berkeley Projects By Richard Brenneman 10-26-2007

Fire News By Richard Brenneman 10-26-2007

Ward Street Community Says No Antennas on UC Storage By Judith Scherr 10-23-2007

UC Scientists Unveil Emeryville Biofuel Lab By Richard Brenneman 10-23-2007

Council Looks At New Hotel; Animal Shelter Likely Off The Agenda By Judith Scherr 10-23-2007

Memorial Service Held for Slain Berkeley Boy By Claire Trageser, Special to the Planet 10-23-2007

PG&E Dedicates Building for YMCA Teen Center By Riya Bhattacharjee 10-23-2007

Report: New Police Policies Will Catch Problem Cops Early By Judith Scherr 10-23-2007

Marine Office OK, Says Manager By Judith Scherr 10-23-2007

Alko Ready to Take On Staples, Owner Says By Judith Scherr 10-23-2007

Lower Expectations for Downtown Skyline By Richard Brenneman 10-23-2007

Marchers Decry Killing of Gary King at National Day of Protest By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 10-23-2007

Density Bonuses, Liquor Licenses on Planning Agenda By Richard Brenneman 10-23-2007

School Takeover Oversight Committee to Hold Hearings Early Next Year By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 10-23-2007

Testimony Concludes in Trial of Man Accused of Shooting Berkeley Officer Bay City News 10-23-2007

School Board Votes on Derby Field Project By Riya Bhattacharjee 10-23-2007

School Council Releases Draft Proposal By Rio Bauce 10-23-2007

Columns

Column: Dispatches From the Edge: Lies, Damned Lies and Iraq By Conn Hallinan 10-26-2007

Column: Undercurrents: The Oakland Development Debate Gets Ugly By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 10-26-2007

Open Home in Focus: Elegant and Cozy North Berkeley House on View By Steven Finacom 10-26-2007

Garden Variety: NWF’s Connie Award Goes to Local Wildlands/Garden Patron Kathy Kramer By Ron Sullivan 10-26-2007

Quake Tip of the Week By Larry Guillot 10-26-2007

About the House: Insurance: Knob and Tube Wiring By Matt Cantor 10-26-2007

Green Neighbors: Another Handsome Hazard: Chinese Tallow Tree By Ron Sullivan 10-23-2007

Arts & Events

Arts Calendar 10-26-2007

The Theater: ‘Rosencrantz & Guildenstern’ at Live Oak By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 10-26-2007

The Theater: Altarena Playhouse Presents ‘Morning’s at Seven’ By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 10-26-2007

Harvest of Song at Berkeley Art Center 10-26-2007

Moving Pictures: Arab Film Festival at California Theater By Justin DeFreitas 10-26-2007

Moving Pictures: A Few Days in the Life Of Jimmy Carter By Justin DeFreitas 10-26-2007

Moving Pictures: Mamet's "House of Games" By Justin DeFreitas 10-26-2007

Open Home in Focus: Elegant and Cozy North Berkeley House on View By Steven Finacom 10-26-2007

Garden Variety: NWF’s Connie Award Goes to Local Wildlands/Garden Patron Kathy Kramer By Ron Sullivan 10-26-2007

Quake Tip of the Week By Larry Guillot 10-26-2007

About the House: Insurance: Knob and Tube Wiring By Matt Cantor 10-26-2007

Berkeley This Week 10-26-2007

Arts Calendar 10-23-2007

The Theater: Brilliant, Original ‘Apropos of the Wet Snow’ By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 10-23-2007

The Theater: ‘Every Inch’ an Outrageous Comedy By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 10-23-2007

Green Neighbors: Another Handsome Hazard: Chinese Tallow Tree By Ron Sullivan 10-23-2007

Berkeley This Week 10-23-2007