Arts & Events

Arts Calendar

Thursday July 30, 2009 - 12:13:00 PM

THURSDAY, JULY 30 -more-


‘The W. Kamau Bell Curve: Ending Racism in About an Hour’

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Thursday July 30, 2009 - 11:18:00 AM

“In case you haven’t heard,” comedian W. Kamau Bell said, “A black guy’s president now. I’m not fighting against the Evil Empire anymore! I mean, how many Bush jokes can you do?” -more-


SF Mime Troupe’s ‘Too Big Too Fail’

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Thursday July 30, 2009 - 11:16:00 AM

Too Big to Fail, the San Francisco Mime Troupe’s 50th anniversary show, swings through Berkeley again this weekend, playing outdoors in Willard Park Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. -more-


‘Les Miz’ Brims with Youthful Excitement at Julia Morgan

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Thursday July 30, 2009 - 11:19:00 AM
The ensemble of young actors, backed by a cadre of adult volunteers, makes Les Miserables a winning production.

Whether it’s toiling in a chain gang, getting pickpocketed in a lowlife inn or fighting with hopeless courage on a Parisian barricade, the swirling onstage action and musical fanfare of Les Miserables would keep any company of actors and techs busy with the breakneck scene changes alone—much less a troupe of aspiring teenage performing artists, who take on the singing, dancing, emoting roles of principal and supporting characters, besides making up the ever-changing, ever-active chorus. -more-


Roy Zimmerman At The Freight

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Thursday July 30, 2009 - 11:17:00 AM

“I don’t know if Obama can unite the Democrats and Republicans,” said satiric songwriter-singer Roy Zimmerman, who will perform at Freight and Salvage Friday night, “but he can unite a subject with a predicate! But fortunately, my job’s not just to make fun of the president.” -more-


About the House: Curing the Devon Colic

Thursday July 30, 2009 - 11:20:00 AM
Though not used for drinking, this lead closet bend (the waste line below the toilet) shows us that lead is still part of many plumbing systems in our homes.

The people of 17th century Devon made and enjoyed a wonderful apple cyder, and being a modern people (aren’t we always modern people?) they used a new-fangled mechanical press to make their cyder. The press was cleaned using lead shot and, when combined with the acid of the apples, left a residue that made more than a few folks sick. The Devon Colic was identified and explained by one Dr. George Baker in the mid-18th century and by the early 19th century, folks finally accepted the science and got the lead out. -more-


Community Calendar

Thursday July 30, 2009 - 12:17:00 PM

THURSDAY, JULY 30 -more-