Columnists

The Public Eye: Is the Recession a Teachable Moment?

By Bob Burnett
Thursday April 16, 2009 - 06:56:00 PM

The financial crisis has raised public awareness that corporations deemed “too big to fail” have to be broken into manageable units. And there is widespread anger about colossal CEO salaries. Clearly, big is no longer beautiful. What remains to be seen is how far this understanding will extend and whether this is a teachable moment, where Americans will embrace major social changes. -more-


UnderCurrents: Investigation Needed Into Who Sent Oakland SWAT Team In

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Thursday April 16, 2009 - 06:55:00 PM

Interesting, isn’t it, what catches the interest of our local news commentators, and what does not. -more-


Wild Neighbors: The Berkeley Meadow — Restoration and its Discontents

By Joe Eaton
Thursday April 16, 2009 - 06:49:00 PM

I don’t know much about Pete Najarian, other than that he is a plein air painter and prolific writer of letters to the editor, and that he is chronically unhappy about what the East Bay Regional Park District has been doing at the Marina. What set him off this time was a pair of columns I wrote about what I thought was a hopeful instance of civic vigilance and official flexibility. These inspired a long diatribe that appeared in last week’s Planet. -more-


East Bay Then and Now: Captain Thomas Offered City Land for a Park

By Daniella Thompson
Thursday April 16, 2009 - 06:49:00 PM
he Samuel Hume Castle at 2900 Buena Vista Way is located on the
                  former site of Captain Thomas “Fort La Loma.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second in a series on Captain R.P. Thomas and La Loma Park. -more-


About the House: Notes on Civility

By Matt Cantor
Thursday April 16, 2009 - 06:47:00 PM

It’s a function of my age and m-m-m-my generation that I consider civility as important a societal imperative as I do. Not that I’m all that civil, mind you. I do have my bad days. I could excuse that by saying that everyone has their bad days, but I don’t actually think that’s adequately justifiable. I believe that it behooves each of us to do the best we can. I don’t expect someone with Tourette’s syndrome to spare me a litany of curse words (thought I’m usually writing them down as fast as possible to augment my woeful vocabulary) but I do expect those who don’t suffer from either limbic failings or horrible upbringings to do the best they can; to try to smile; to cheer those around them as best they can and to make the party (which eventually comes to an end) as pleasant as possible. -more-