Pepper-spraying protesters disrupted a Jewish Voice for Peace meeting at the South Berkeley Senior Center last night. See the whole story in the next issue.
Public Crimes
Mark Jackson's adaptation of Schiller's Maria Stuart, about the battles (political and personal) between Elizabeth I and her cousin and prisoner Mary, Queen of Scots, at the Shotgun Players' Ashby Stage has been much reviewed, so I'll just say that it's a (non-capital) crime to miss it.
Schiller is Germany's Shakespeare; in fact, his Macbeth translation was so powerful that it remains the standard text in Germany 200 years later. Like Shakespeare, he explores the issues of the powerful by portraying them as the same issues (jealousy, love, power) that inform our own lives. And like Shakespeare the issues are as relevant today as they were when they were written. Since it's in translation, you don't have to struggle through Elizabethan English. Modern dress and setting also reduce obstacles to appreciation (and to the costume and set budget, which helps explain the absurdly low $17-$28 gate in this intimate theater with perfect views from every seat). Several heavy pauses staged at the very moment when I had lots of interesting processing to do; that's one of many signs of this play's astute direction.
Due to unceasing demand the run has been extended through Sunday, and a 1 p.m. Sunday matinee has been added to the regularly scheduled 5 pm show and weekday 8 pm shows. It's highly unlikely you'll have an opportunity to see any Schiller around here ever again.
Dave Blake
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State Parks Initiative
My fellow Californians; I am not happy with you. I'm not talking to the minority who voted for the State Parks initiative, but rather the majority of you who voted against it or didn't bother to vote at all.
Let's look at the deteriorating state of our once lovely parks: campgrounds closed, restrooms locked or too filthy to use, roads in need of repair, infrastructure crumbling.
Now, think about the 18 bucks a years it would cost to bring them back to their past glory. What is 18 bucks a year? You spend more than that each month on your latte or mocha. You spend more than that each month so you can send pointless texts to your friends while driving seventy on the crowded freeway. You spend more than that each month on additional tips because the waitress was cute and smiled at you. You spend more than that each month when you buy the twenty dollar bottle of wine because your tastes have become too sophisticated for the eight buck bottle. You spend more than that each month when you buy an appetizer, knowing that the main meal is more than a grizzly bear could eat. You spend more than that each month when you get your hair styled, when it could be cut for half the price.
This vote is what happens when "cheap" runs headlong into "selfish."
A couple of months ago I camped in a North Dakota state park. Beautiful, clean, well-maintained, free hot showers. California, once America's cutting edge state is now so far behind North Dakota that we can no longer see the dust they kick up.
Now, go have a five buck latte and whine to your friends about the rude columnist who made you feel bad.
Meade Fischer
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Open letter to the California Public Utilities Commission concerning their response to the discovery that the Director of the Smartmeter program, William Devereaux, had been caught spying on the anti-Smartmeter movement (cf. SF Chronicle, 11/9/2010).
To the CPUC:
The following was reported in the San Jose Mercury, 11/10/2010, concerning William Devereaux's spying on the anti-Smartmeter movement, for which he has since resigned.
"It is of serious concern to the CPUC that a senior PG&E official may have been involved in unethical behavior," said CPUC spokesperson Terrie Prosper. "We are investigating the allegations to ascertain the facts, and to determine whether any laws or regulations were violated, and whether sanctions are appropriate."
But the CPUC has allowed, and fostered the project that Mr. Devereaux directed, which was to install devices on people's houses that for some people are a source of illness, ill health, and malaise. And the CPUC has ignored this fact, and turned a deaf ear on the hundreds and thousands of complaints about this imposition.
To the extent that the CPUC not only allows but guides PGE's installation of Smartmeters against the wishes of individuals and property owners, the CPUC is itself guilty of unethical behavior. In other words, the CPUC's "concern" about Mr. Devereaux's spying on the anti-Smartmeter movement is wholly hypocritical.
How do individuals know that their ailments, such as insomnia, headaches, and other things, have their source in the Smartmeters? Because when they wrap the Smartmeter in aluminum foil, thus shutting off their exposure to its microwave emissions, their ailments disappear.
I strongly urge the CPUC to end its hypocrisy by ending its own unethical behavior, and listen to the people it is duty-bound to protect against precisely the detrimental effects of such technology.
Steve Martinot
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Most Moronic Post-Election Analysis I've Seen Yet
So the Dems lost because they weren't leftist enough ? What are you smoking, Becky ? The Dems lost over 60% of the white vote, only college brainwashed white women supported them and that just barely.
California was the exception only because four million white middle class voters have fled from here since 1990. So the remaining voters elected four tired old Party Hacks over four RINO Republicans.
And guess what, Jerry Brown is going to do the nasty in the progressives' southerly orifices big time. He'll probably cut more than Meg ever could and Meg flipflopped on almost every issue as a cogent analysis in yesterday's Mercury News demonstrated.
If it wasn't for the Blue Dogs there NEVER would been a Democratic House in either 2006 or 2008. If you lib morons are stupid enough to retain the same failed leadership of Pelosi, Reid and Obama for 2012 then look for the same results.
Oh yes I know, Becky, that silent leftist majority has once again failed to show up at the polls for the 44th year in a row. Just keep the blinders on and listen to another lecture by Pope Noam, that tribune of the Peepul as he drives his Lexus back home to lily white Lexington.
As for Kamala Harris she's the worst DA in Frisco since the last leftist held that job. It really has nothing to do with the death penalty which is very rarely enforced here in California. She's simply an incompetent leftist ideologue. Don't bother to introspect, just keep blaming everyone else for your bad judgment.
It wasn't just the Likudnik nuts who put you out of the print business, it was your many bad stands on many issues. Wake up or go the way of KPFA. After 40 years in the Oak-Berk Zoo I'm be glad to be out of there.
Al Blue
Ukiah
Cut Military Spending
Please stop paying out all this money for defense; we do not need it, what we need is to support human needs, education, health and welfare.
Hilary FitzGerald-Nicholson
The Berkeley City Council began its first post-election meeting with the same lineup on Tuesday after Jesse Arreguin, Linda Maio, Kriss Worthington, and Gordon Wozniak each won another term. Mayor Bates was absent, so Vice Mayor Maio presided over the meeting.
The meeting began with some interesting non-agenda comments and ceremonial items. November has been recognized as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, pancreatic cancer being the least researched of the major cancers. The Digital Arts Club at Berkeley City College was recognized for its contribution to the community, and everybody was encouraged to go to their Fall Arts Festival on November 19th and 20th at BCC on Center Street. One non-agenda commentator complained that the UC's money being spent to cure autism is comparable to money being spent to cure homosexuality, and compared it to a neo-Nazi project. Two commentators came to complain about the Berkeley Housing Authority, which they said is a body that is abusive toward the elderly and disabled and is not accountable enough. A fourth commentator came from KPFA radio's union, speaking only for himself to inform people on the recent perceived attack on the union at KPFA. This Monday the entire staff of the morning show was laid off without warning by the executive director. More can be learned at kpfaworker.org.
The better part of the meeting was spent discussing two separate neighborhood disputes among Berkeley Hills residents. The first was a Zoning Adjustments Board appeal by neighbors of a house on Rock Lane, complaining that a ZAB-approved addition on top of the flat-roofed house was going to significantly affect the lighting in and view from the uphill neighbors' living room window. The Council voted unanimously in favor of a public hearing. The second was an appeal by neighbors of a house on Creston Road, which the owners are re-building after it was destroyed by a fire. The neighbors were upset that the project, which was approved unanimously by the ZAB, includes an active vegetable garden on the roof with lighting, which they claimed could cause noise and obstruct views. After deciding that the ZAB had sufficiently evaluated and amended the project, the Council voted to uphold the ZAB decision (Aye: Maio, Moore, Anderson, Arreguin, Capitelli, Worthington. No: Wengraf. Abstain: Wozniak. Absent: Mayor Bates.)
No one from the public had anything to say during three public hearings, whose resolutions were each passed unanimously (with Mayor Bates absent) without much discussion. In the first, the Council confirmed the 2011 Annual Report of Downtown Business Improvement District and authorized the City Manager to execute a sole source contract for $325,000 with the Downtown Berkeley Association Main Street Program for downtown revitalization for 2011. In the second public hearing, the Council voted to follow the advice of the ZAB and revoke the Use Permit of the bingo parlor at 1284 San Pablo, which has been violating various conditions of the permit. The third public hearing ended in a unanimous vote to adopt the second reading of the Berkeley Building Codes.
Lastly, the Council discussed the problem of speeding on narrow, winding streets in Berkeley and the possibility of an experimental installation of split speed tables (speed bumps split for emergency vehicle access) on several of the streets where the problem is most severe. Council unanimously passed the staff's recommendation to approve the experiment and hear back about its effectiveness after six months. Rose Street between Ordway and Juanita, Forest Avenue between Claremont and Piedmont, and Josephine between Vine and Hopkins are the blocks on which the experimental bumps are to be installed.
City Councilwoman Jean Quan has been named the unofficial winner in Oakland's mayoral race, a spokesman for the Alameda County Registrar of Voters said today.
Quan edged out former state Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata in a ranked-choice voter runoff, Registrar of Voters spokesman Guy Ashley said.
After all the votes had been counted, Quan had 50.98 percent of the vote to Perata's 49.02 percent, Ashley said. She led by 2,058 votes in a race where more than 100,000 ballots were cast.
The results aren't considered final yet because they still need to be certified, Ashley said. The county has until Nov. 30 to certify the results and name an official winner, but Registrar of Voters Dave MacDonald said in a statement he expects to do so sooner.
If Quan's victory stands, she will be the first Asian American woman of a major city when she takes office on Jan. 3, according to her campaign. She will also be Oakland's first female mayor.
"We feel very good about this," Quan spokeswoman Sue Piper said of the councilwoman's victory. "It shows that the Oakland voters are paying attention and want change."
She said Quan has been working in Oakland for 20 years as a community organizer, school board member and City Council member.
"Her work was always about working with neighbors and having them work together," she said.
Perata's campaign said he would address the results at a news conference on Thursday. His spokesman referred to an article that said voters might have been confused by the ranked-choice voting system, which was in used in Oakland for the first time this year.
Since a candidate needs more than 50 percent of the vote to win, which is difficult to obtain in races with several candidates, voters were asked to enter their first three choices.
The second-choice votes of the lower-place finishers were distributed to candidates who were still in the race until someone got at least 50 percent of the vote.
Perata led Quan 35 percent to 24 percent on election night, based on first-choice votes alone, but Quan won the ranked-choice runoff.
City Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan, who was one of 10 candidates vying for mayor, released a statement congratulating Quan on her win.
"She ran a tremendous grassroots campaign and reached thousands of voters block by block," Kaplan said. "I look forward to working with Jean to create jobs and make our streets safer by working to restore community policing."
Jean Quan's press contact Sue Piper sent an email tonight at 6:05 p.m. from the Alameda County Courthouse relaying the announcement made by the Alameda County Registrar of voters: "When all the ballots were counted and the RCV algorithm was run, Quan beat front runner Perata 50.98:49.02."
A raccoon attack on a woman and her dog in Alameda Sunday night has made officials worry that aggressive animals might be a growing trend in urban areas.
Rachel Campos de Ivanov, 33, was walking her 20-pound Yorkshire terrier at about 11 p.m. Sunday night near Washington Park when a raccoon approached her.
"She first saw glowing eyes in the dark," said Daniel Wilson, community relations coordinator for Alameda County Vector Control Services District, which responded to the report of the attack.
After seeing the raccoon, Ivanov ran away as her dog started barking at it. Several other raccoons joined in pursuit of Ivanov, who then tripped, fell onto the pavement, and was bitten by one of them.
"She felt really threatened for her and her dog," Wilson said.
Ivanov stumbled back to her feet and fled the scene. She was given a round of post-exposure rabies injections.
"If we're able to locate the specific animal, it would be trapped and euthanized and tested for rabies," Wilson said, adding that testing a euthanized raccoon would be cheaper than giving injections to Ivanov.
Officials have debated how to deal with the number of raccoons, possums and skunks in urban cities, Wilson said.
"As far as trapping nuisance animals -- and raccoons fall under that category -- they can be trapped and humanely euthanized," he said. "But people don't think just because they're going through their trash can and tearing up your lawn that there should be a death sentence."
Vector control investigators found numerous trash cans and Dumpsters left open where Ivanov was attacked.
"People have gotten really careless with handling their refuse. It's a human problem, and it's affecting the wildlife," Wilson said.
Nine raccoon attacks have been reported since this summer.
"I really don't think you should be in fear of something happening to you from walking your dog at night, but it's just a new phenomenon," Wilson said.
The Alameda County Registrar of Voters has posted the unofficial results of the Ranked Choice Voting tallies in Berkeley and Oakland.
In Berkeley, incumbent councilmember Kriss Worthington was declared the winner, picking up 224 second-place votes from third-place finisher "Ces" Rosales. Final total was Worthington, 1814 votes (57.66%) to George Beier's 1332 (42.34%).
The big surprise was in Oakland. Jean Quan, after 10 rounds of reassigning the lower-ranked votes for the losing candidates, was declared the unofficial winner in the mayoral contest with 43825 votes (51.09%) to Don Perata's 41949 votes ( 48.91%). There were still 10,000 absentee ballots to be counted, however, and as of Tuesday afternoon the count had still not been completed.
Young Jews Disrupt Netanyahu at Jewish General Assembly from stefanie fox on Vimeo.
A group of young Jews with the Young Leadership Institute of Jewish Voice for Peace, including many from the Bay Area, traveled to the largest gathering of Jewish leaders in the US, the Jewish Federation General Assembly, to confront leaders on an approach to saving Israel’s reputation and building young Jewish identity they say actually turns young Jews away.
Five of the young adults, three Israelis and Israeli-Americans, including two residents of the Bay Area, Rae Abileah, 28, of San Francisco, and Matthew Taylor, 36, of Berkeley, disrupted a speech this morning by Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu with banners that said:
YoungJewishProud.org and one of the below:
The young Jews' website, www.YoungJewishProud.org, presents the group's Young Jewish Declaration, a compelling vision of collective identity, purpose and values written as an invitation and call to action for peers who care about Israel and Palestine. It is also a strong challenge to elders. The group includes 4 Bay Area residents in total: Matthew Taylor [from Berkeley], a writer; Rae Abileah, a national organizer with CODEPINK Women for Peace; Eyal Mazor, a Jewish educator; and Mahaliyah Ayla O, a senior at UC Berkeley.
These actions are in part a protest of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and Jewish Public Affairs Council (JCPA) newly announced $6 million dollar program to target campus, church, peace and human rights groups that are working to end Israel’s human rights violations through nonviolent Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions pressure campaigns. The Federations and JCPA are calling this initiative the “Israel Action Network.” Critics say it is a "Shoot the Messenger" approach.
“We’re here to call out the elephant in the middle of the room. Israel continues to expropriate Palestinian land for Jewish-only communities,passes increasingly racist laws in the Knesset, the foreign minister wants to strip Palestinian citizens of their citizenship -- these are the reasons Israel is becoming a pariah in the world, NOT the human rights groups that are using nonviolent economic pressure to hold Israel accountable. We would be dismissing the values we were raised on if we did not speak up.” Eitan Issacson, Israeli-American, Seattle
“The Jewish establishment thinks that all we want are free trips to Israel and feel-good service projects. That is in insult to our intelligence and to the Jewish values we were brought up on. What we want is for the American Jewish community to stand up and say that Israel’s ongoing violations of Palestinian human rights are wrong and that we will not continue to support it with our dollars, our political strength and our moral abilities. We are the next generation of American Jews, proud of our heritage, strongly committed to Jewish life. We live our Jewish values in opposing Israel’s human rights violations and we invite – no, implore –all Jews to join in this urgent struggle.” Hanna King, Swarthmore College, Philadelphia
“We were surprised by how many other young Jews were enthusiastic about the perspective that we brought to the General Assembly. It was scary to ask questions of sometimes hostile panelists, but in fact many people our age were supportive and even asked their own critical questions. We realized this is a terrific opportunity to organize.” Antonia House, graduate student, NYU
“Right now, the choice for those of us who care about the future of Israel and Palestine is between the status quo--- which includes continued settlement expansion, the siege of Gaza, and the racist Israeli foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman-- or Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions. Given that choice, Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions will win every time.” Matan Cohen, Israeli, Hampshire College
The students also announced the creation of a spoof Birthright Trip called Taglit-Lekulanu http://taglit-lekulanu.org/ , Birthright for All, open to Palestinian and Jewish-Americans which they followed up with a spoof denial. The goal of the spoof was to highlight the one-sided narrative that Birthright presents, the ways it renders Palestinians invisible. The rebuttal laid bare the problematic assumptions underlying Birthright such as the emphasis on marrying Jews and procreating. http://taglit-lekulanu.org/
Participants in the institute include students from schools as diverse as UCLA, NYU, UC Berkeley, Hampshire, and Swarthmore. A new Jewish Voice for Peace campus chapter was recently started at Brandeis University.
Jewish Voice for Peace is America’s largest Jewish grassroots peace group dedicated to reaching a just peace between Israelis and Palestinians based on the principles of equality and international human rights law.
JVP recently led a campaign to support Israeli artists' boycott of the Ariel settlement. The campaign secured the signatures of over 200 artists dozens of Broadway and Hollywood's leading figures including Stephen Sondheim, Hal Prince, Theodore Bikel, Eve Ensler, Julianne Moore, Mandy Patinkin, Miriam Margolyes, Cynthia Nixon, Roseanne Barr, Ethan Hawke, Ed Asner, the architect Frank Gehry and more.
JVP works with activists in Palestine and Israel, and in broad coalition with other Jewish, Arab-American, faith-based, and peace and social justice organizations to support the aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians for justice, security and self-determination.
Jewish Voice for Peace calls for:
The question of who will be Oakland's next mayor remained unsettled today with Alameda County Registrar of Voters Dave Macdonald saying it's taking longer than expected to count several thousand provisional ballots.
The only thing that's clear is that the winner will be either former state Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, who was the strong frontrunner among votes that were counted on Election Day, or City Councilwoman Jean Quan, who barely pulled ahead of Perata in an unofficial tally of ranked-choice votes that was announced on Friday.
Macdonald had hoped to announce a winner at 4 p.m. yesterday, but he told a large group of reporters who gathered at his office that many provisional ballots still need to be examined, and he's not sure how much longer that will take.
He said he values "accuracy over speed" but acknowledged that Oakland residents are anxious to find out who the winner is.
Macdonald declined to promise when he will announce the final results. He said they could be available on Tuesday but said it also might take at least several more days.
Quan told reporters at a news conference outside City Hall that she had hoped to learn yesterday if she's the winner, but she now understands that the results may not be released until Friday.
"We're running on nerves," Quan said, flanked by about 20 supporters, including Assemblyman Sandre Swanson, D-Alameda.
Perata didn't talk to reporters, but his campaign released a statement saying, "While we share Oakland voters' frustration of waiting for a conclusive outcome, we also support the County Registrar's commitment to the democratic process."
Ten candidates entered the mayor's race, and on election night, Perata was comfortably in first place with 35 percent of the vote. Quan was a distant second with only 24 percent.
But Perata wasn't declared the winner because his total was far below the 50 percent threshold needed for outright victory.
In the ranked-choice voting system that's being used in Oakland for the first time this year, voters ranked their first three choices, and the second-choice votes of the lower-place finishers are distributed to the candidates who are still in the race until someone gets at least 50 percent.
In an unofficial, 10-round computer algorithm that Macdonald described as "a snapshot," Quan picked up enough second place votes from lower-ranked candidates to edge past Perata on Friday.
In that tally, Quan wound up with 51.09 percent of the vote to 48.91 percent for Perata. She had a 1,876-vote margin over Perata, 43,825 votes to 41,949.
Quan said her information is that the Registrar of Voters office tabulated about 10,000 absentee ballots over the weekend but still needs to count several thousand provisional ballots.
She said her gap over Perata "is very encouraging," but she can't yet claim victory.
"We're cautiously optimistic," Quan said.
But Perata's campaign said in its statement that his lead over Quan has grown every time first-choice voting results are updated.
"With thousands of votes still uncounted, we believe this lead will continue to grow," the campaign said.
Perata's campaign said that although the first run of ranked-choice voting software "produced an unusual outcome," it remains confident that "Oakland voters' clear first-choice preference for Sen. Perata as Oakland's next mayor will hold true once every ballot has been certified and counted."
Macdonald said provisional ballots are problematic votes that might be smeared, might have been cast by people who went to the wrong polling place, or might have been cast by people who were not registered but were still allowed to vote.
The process of counting those ballots is time consuming because each vote is examined individually, he said.
Macdonald said he and his staff haven't had any days off for four weeks and are now working 10 to 12 hours a day to finish counting ballots in Oakland and the rest of Alameda County.
After a slow motion buildup for several months, The Pacifica Foundation, the Berkeley-based nonprofit organization that holds the licenses for five educational radio stations across the country and provides content for 150 affiliated stations, has finally moved to stanch financial bleeding at the network's Berkeley unit KPFA by laying off 7-8 employees after posting a million dollar loss over the past two years.
Once the envy of community radio stations everywhere with a fat million dollar reserve in the bank, KPFA fell into hard times the past few years, emptying its bank account down to zero, getting $250,000 into debt to it's parent foundation, missing goals in 9 of the past 11 on-air fund raising marathons and unable to meet its September 15th, 2010 payroll without borrowing money from Houston Pacifica station KPFT.
The lead up to the layoffs that were announced yesterday featured a campaign of on-air complaints by workers who stood in lower positions on the station's CWA seniority list, and have been advocating for an alternative budget they hoped would save $250,000 and their jobs.
But the “kpfa-worker” budget addressed only a portion of the station's growing tide of red ink, and was rejected by the 501c-3's management and board as unrealistic.(*Media Alliance's ED Tracy Rosenberg is one of the 22 members of the 501(c)-3 foundation's board of directors. Ms Rosenberg comments: “No one likes layoffs. If there was another way, the board would have grabbed it. But we were looking at a close to half a million dollars in shortfalls. Again. After 2 years of trying everything else." Former board treasurer Brian Edwards-Tiekert, who found out yesterday he was to be one of the individuals laid off, stated in an e-mail on 11-8 “I repeatedly reported out to KPFA's LSB (local station board) that KPFA was bleeding money because it hadn't made it's cuts&rd The 2009-2010 KPFA operating budget that Edwards-Tiekert helped to prepare and submitted to the board projected revenues of 4.1 million for the period October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010. The station actually made 3.5 million, a shortfall of $600,000.
The Berkeley radio station increased its CWA-affiliated workforce by more than 40% in the last seven years, a rate of growth that did not prove to be sustainable for listener-sponsored KPFA after the economic collapse that began in October of 2008.
Due to recent hires, the most heavily impacted units at KPFA include the AM show and the evening news program.
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The victim of a fatal shooting at an apartment complex in the 1500 block of Alcatraz Avenue in Berkeley on Oct. 30 has been identified as 14-year-old Berkeley High School freshman Larry Malik Grayson, authorities confirmed today. Grayson was shot in the head during the incident and pronounced dead last Thursday, authorities said.
Berkeley Unified School District officials said Grayson was on the freshman football team at Berkeley High.
Alameda County Assistant District Attorney Matt Golde said a 17-year-old boy was arrested in connection with the shooting last Wednesday, but he was conditionally released the following day pending further investigation by Berkeley police because there's insufficient evidence to charge him.
Golde said the investigation could be lengthy because few witnesses to the shooting have come forward.
Berkeley police spokeswoman Sgt. Mary Kusmiss said investigators believe the shooting wasn't random.
It wasn't the psychokinetic influence of the tree sitter in People's Park that put Kriss Worthington over the top. Or was it?
In post election interviews Worthington says he prevailed, and by a sizable majority of votes, because his constituents were too intelligent to fall for his opponents' rhetoric.
Worthington trumped George Beier by nearly 500 votes.
But they weren't so smart four years ago when George Beier came within 200 votes of unseating the incumbent.
Have district 7 voters grown brain cells since the last election? Was it the water?
Reports in the Daily Cal suggest that there was a low student turnout. This would nullify any importance their endorsement of George Beier might have had.
There was also a glitch in 5,076 student voter registrations which may have affected the students’ ability to vote by mail, according to the student paper.
A sudden spurt in IQ in Dist. 7, problems with the student vote tallies,
psychokinesis, Halloween, or the World Series...whatever: we think psychokinesis is at least as strong an explanation as the foregoing. And it's so Berkeley.
Just hear me out.
Tree sitter Midnight Matt, 53, was not pleased with District 7 challenger George Beier's park proposals when he mounted a giant redwood at the northeast edge of the park 48 hours before the election to protest a feared park takeover, which Matt attributed to candidate Beier.
Without even a radio for company, Mr. Matt had plenty of time to think, perchance to influence.
Beier's proposals—diversify and improve the park to attract more visitors and students— seemed responsive to a spate of Daily Californian articles reporting an up-tick in violent incidents in the park recently.
Beier also told the student daily that he would "change existing South Side ordinances," which some interpreted as code for passing a no-sitting ordinance. Berkeley presently restricts lying on streets and walkways.
The Daily Californian rewarded him with their endorsement.
The endorsement of Beier's crack-down talk may signal an end to a decades old informal coalition of students, activists, and street people.
But Worthington won without the student daily's backing.
Beier's proposals may have cost him the election in his third challenge. They drove Midnight Matt 14 feet up a redwood.
The race was close; the candidates stepped up last moment get-out-the vote efforts. Worthington dodged a Tea-Party tinged attack on incumbents with some fancy footwork and a last-minute poke in Beier's eye.
The poke in Beier's eye came at the last scheduled Dist. 7 debate at Berkeley's City Club, Oct 22 where Worthington called Beier's park plans "provocative," noting, as well , possible harm to surrounding neighbors.
Throughout the campaign, Worthington found himself between the rock and hard place of problems in the park and on Telegraph. And for much of the campaign, he seemed stymied. All he could do was point to past accomplishments, while calls for change stormed.
Anyone counting Rosales' use of the word change would have died of exhaustion.
In a show of steely resolve, Worthington held to his commitment to protecting the rights of street people in the face of calls for blood.
While Kriss hammered away at his past accomplishments, Beier and Rosales hammered away at change. Worthington supporters were wringing their necks. Hand wringing is too tame for Berkeleyans.
Only Midnight Matt could divine what prompted District 7 voters to resist change and buck national political trends. Nine-hundred-thirty district voters drank the tea.
Longtime residents of District 7 are a hardy lot. Some remember the 60's riots that spilled into the neighborhoods. Others recall the siege of Henry's Pub which turned South Side into a police state complete with barricades and howling helicopters. Or the curfews following the Rodney King Verdicts. Or hundreds of subsequent riots and provocations.
You don't live in District 7 to smell the flowers and flash the peace sign.
When the smoke had cleared, the hardy folks of District 7 voted for more of the same. Dangerous or not.
Ted Friedman has contributed several articles on the District 7 council race. He has lived in the district 30 years.
The Berkeley Ecology Center’s November 6th Green Gathering at Berkeley City College offered a full evening of presentations — both visionary and apocalyptic — as well as serving up great food and good company. Keynote speaker Bill McKibben (Harvard grad, author of The End of Nature and ringleader of the worldwide movement to cap global CO2 emissions at 350 parts-per-million) offered a sobering litany of the latest symptoms of the planet’s collapsing climate. McKibben also delivered a slim message of hope — i.e., that a mobilized citizenry can still avert planetary doom, a message that was reinforced by speakers from a dozen local groups engaged in different forms of world-saving activism.
Berkeley’s annual Sustainability Summit started four years ago in an effort to bridge the divisions of Town-Gown, East-West, and Large Business-Small Business. As Berkeley Ecology Center Executive Director Martin Bourque pointed out, the city needs to surmount these differences by identifying and working with the “envelope-pushing” organizations that serve everyone’s common purpose. “Every year, we survey the landscape to see what new projects, business, and initiatives are gaining momentum,” Bourque observed. And, as last Thursday’s event demonstrated, “there is no shortage of ideas and solution-oriented people” in the City of Berkeley.
The evening’s relaxed and convivial tone was clearly established when Bourque stepped to the podium for a sound-check, scanned the front row of seats and asked: “Where’s my time-keeper?” Without missing a beat, someone in the audience replied: “He’s late!” (thereby beating comedian Josh Kornbluth to the evening’s first laugh). Reflecting on an incredible week that saw the Giants win the World Series and the Democrats lose the House, Bourque scored the evening’s first round of applause with the line: “Thank God the Red Tide was held back by the Sierras!” Of course, Bourque went on to observe, “with Washington likely to remain in gridlock for the next two years, the success of local initiatives becomes even more important.”
Keeping with the event’s theme of sustainability, McKibben was introduced by locally sourced comedian Josh Kornbluth whose affable, laughable routine took “Harvard-envy” to new heights and had McKibben appearing to duck for cover in his front-row seat.
If there’s anyone of whom it could be said “He carries the weight of the world on his shoulders,” that person would be Bill McKibben. McKibben confessed that he never planned on being a public speaker. He told the audience his preferred lifestyle involves sitting in his study in rural Vermont and writing. “Now,” he began, half-jokingly, “it appears my role in life is to travel around the world bumming people out.”
McKibben began by recalling a recent phone conversation with a climate activist in Pakistan. Here is a country that recently saw one-third of its land buried under floodwaters that left 7 million homeless and today, McKibben related, the caller from Pakistan announced the local temperature just hit 129° Fahrenheit. The floodwaters that raced down through the Khyber Pass were the result of a global temperature rise of one degree. “One degree of temperature rise has melted the Arctic,” McKibben warned. “We don’t need to find out what 4-5 degrees of added heat will do.”
Paraphrasing Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s cry that “the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice,” McKibben declared: “The arc of the physical universe is short and it is bent towards heat.” With the world’s climate racing toward a “tipping point” beyond which no human interventions can reverse calamity, McKibben has reached out to the world’s youth with an unprecedented campaign that demands capping greenhouse gas emissions at 350ppm. (Some environmentalists maintain that 300ppm is a more appropriate goal.) Last October, in the run-up to the historic UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen, McKibben’s group, 350.org, inspired climate demonstrations in nearly every country on Earth.
As McKibben spoke, photos of those demonstrations flashed across the auditorium screen — pictures of men, women and children from every continent, coalescing to form the image “350” with their bodies, dropping banners with the message “350” from the sides of cliffs, from the summits of mountains, and unfurling banners underwater alongside endangered coral reefs.
“We need to look beyond linguistic boundaries,” McKibben explained. “That’s the value of Arabic numbers because 350 means the same in Beirut, Bangalore and Barcelona.” Working with seven student volunteers at Amherst Middlebury (where he teaches), McKibben succeeded in giving the world a simple triple-digit mantra for preservation. “Our goal was to take this number and push it through the bloodstream of the planet.” In the end, 117 countries showed up in Copenhagen to demand capping industrial pollution at 350 ppm. Unfortunately, a few powerful industrialized economies (lead by the US) once again managed to postpone action. The situation remains perilous and, as even McKibben admits, “There’s no guarantee we will win this.”
Celebrating Berkeley: The Rise of Local Initiatives
The balance of the evening was given over to presentations by local entrepreneurs and activists who are hoping that their local initiatives might help better the odds for planetary survival. Here is a brief introduction to each of the presentations. (Weblinks are included for readers wishing further information.)
Berkeley City Community Services Specialist John Chung began by praising the work of the Youth Employment program, which has filled more than 25,000 jobs over the past 25 years, mostly “green” jobs. Chung stressed that an understanding of “ecoliteracy” is fundamental to promoting nonviolent, sustainable work. “We try to instill the lesson that Green is the Future. Green cultural activists are pioneers for a Green Economy. The energy of youth is a sustainable and renewable resource,” Chung concluded: “So, inspire them; hire them.”
Ed Church, representing the Institute for Environmental Entrepreneurship (IEE), narrated an animated exploration of how Slow Money (www.slowmoney.org) can transform both work and society by re-directing money that might have gone to a bank into community based projects that invest in local soil banks — so that interest becomes directly visible in the swelling of a harvest as food fattens on the vine. The IEE also promotes “R&D for the Triple Bottom Line” and has created a Green MBA program to “teach business practices that achieve environmental and social sustainability while maintaining a solid financial bottom line.”
Kemi Amin, the energetic and animated director of Buy Local Berkeley, explained the simple arithmetic behind the economic impacts of community-based commerce: “68 of every 100 dollars spent remains in the community” — and that translates into local prosperity and local jobs. Janelle Orsi, co-director of the Sustainable Economies Law Center (SELC), tackled the new challenges posed by citizen initiatives that seem to lie midway between grassroots activism and traditional business practices. Accompanied by a guffaw-prompting PowerPoint animation, Orsi addressed questions like: What if you’re producing homemade organic marmalade and your neighbors want to buy some jars? Does that make you a business and do you need to file papers and pay business taxes? Or what if a group of neighbors chip in to collectively purchase a wind turbine to produce electricity for their block of homes? Do they thereby become a “public utility”? These are some of the intriguing new questions that the SELC was created to help answer.
Berkeley Public Library Manager Suzanne Olawski described the process that is slowly refurbishing the city’s libraries and creating a constellation of LEED certified “green library buildings.” (www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org)
Terrance Womack, the Assistant Manager of the Berkeley Farmer’s Market, couldn’t make the event but the program was represented by a Berkeley High School official who explained how the Herb Singer Green Scholar program works to provide internships to juniors and seniors so they can develop the skills needed for the emerging new Green Economy.
Lisa McNeilly, Director of UC Berkeley’s Office of Sustainability, shared recent findings about the use of water resources by the UC campus. Surprisingly, it was not the steam-heat plant, the laboratories or the landscaping that consumed the most water. Instead, it was the residence halls where many students were apparently in the habit of taking “20-minute showers.” Some students have responded to the newly perceived problem by installing radios next to the showers and entreating bathers to “shower for the length of just one song.” UC has installed retrofits that will increase efficiencies, reduce use and promise a financial payback in just 6-7 years.
Kirstin Henninger, explained how the Green Café Network was working to “harness the power of café culture” by mentoring a network of 34 local coffeehouse and café owners. Successful practices include shopping for “direct trade” coffee that benefits growers, discouraging the use of paper cups, increasing the efficient use of water, electricity, and heat, and adding environmental speakers and screenings to the daily menu.
Billi Romain, Berkeley’s Sustainability Coordinator, extemporized on the city’s ME2 Energy Efficiency Rebates and offered a quote of caution from a Japanese proverb:”Vision without action is a daydream; Action without vision is a nightmare.” In most cities, the flood of Federal money for Energy Efficiency block grants flows to municipal projects. Because Berkeley’s municipal projects are already well-funded, up to $5,000 in rebates have been made available directly to local homeowners. Added money from a PG&E program brings the rebate potential to $8,700 per household. So far, the program has succeeded in reducing electricity use 5% and natural gas consumption by 15%. Romain concluded with the news that Berkeley’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) “has just won a national award.” (In May, the CAP won the 2010 Outstanding Planning Innovation in Green Community Planning Award.)
Steven Grover, of SGA Architecture and Engineering, brought the audience up-to-speed on the progress of biking in Berkeley. In addition to the new Bike Station near the downtown Berkeley BART station, new state-of-the-art bike storage shells are being introduced at major transit hubs and a “bike-sharing” program is well underway.
Aekta Shah, from the Wangari Maathai Center, spoke about the introduction of Green Academies at local schools. The program’s success relies on municipal, corporate and nonprofit support.
Ms. Victory Lee, the founder of the Victory Garden Foundation was still revved-up from the success of the October’s 10-10-10 planet-wide volunteer effort for “green projects.” She urged everyone in Berkeley to “grow at least one thing at home” and, “if you’re already growing a garden, share the excess produce with your community.” A flurry of slides opened some eyes to the surprising number of community gardens — including Casa Zimbabwe, Kenny Cottage, Oxford Plaza, Castro Arms, Lorin Station — that have sprung up in empty lots, backyards, and even on roof tops.
The Solution Requires Mass Action
Those are just a few of the many tools available to amplify one’s voice and efforts in defense of a sustainable Earth. We already have the talent and energy and Bill McKibben has shown what can happen with the right catalyst. Using little more than three numbers (and the hope for a better future), McKibben and seven student volunteers planted the seed for a global outpouring that triggered 5,200 demonstrations in 181 countries. That global enthusiasm continues to grow.
Note: “Cool It,” a lavish new documentary (funded by wealthy but unnamed sources and based on a book of the same name) starts burning up the movie screens this week. The film (intended as a rebuke to Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth”) stars global warming skeptic Bjorn Lomborg. In this film, Lomborg dismisses the dangers of climate change, disparages solar and wind power and maintains that the world would be better off spending money on DDT to fight malaria. Instead of capping pollution and greenhouse gases, Lundborg suggests spending billions of federal tax-dollars building “flood-adaptable buildings” and financing corporate-backed geoengineering projects. Suddenly, the work of grassroots organizers is about to become much more difficult.
Berkeley bike commuters now have the luxury of free, valet parking at the downtown BART station. The underground bike parking was moved three months ago into a spacious storefront just a few doors down the street at 2208 Shattuck. Providing another incentive for people to leave their cars at home, the new bike station offers a secure, convenient place to leave their bikes as well as a host of other amenities.
Alameda Bicycle, a company that has been in business for many years, has the contract with the city and BART to run the bike station. Jim Burakoff manages the station with energy and enthusiasm. “I'm not into racing,” he says, “I love commuter bikes. … What the station is about (is) helping people get to work on their bikes and use the bike for practical purposes.” The station does that in spades! A happy commuter described the process; “You just roll your bike in, sign your name they give you a ticket and take the bike and park it for you. It takes a minute.” All the convenience of valet parking … “and you don't even have to leave a tip.”
The bike station has free parking weekdays from 7 AM to 9 PM. There is a separate, secure, keycard accessed parking area for longer term and late night parking. They do repairs at rates comparable or lower than the average bike shop they and sell locks and lights and basic commuter accessories. And there are great plans for rental and sales programs. Jim talks about his plan to “rent out a fleet of commuter bikes already set up for basic commute with lights etc. so people can try it out without having to invest hundreds of dollars for getting initially set up. Every time the bikes are rented the price goes down so someone can, if they really love it they can purchase it and if it's a bike that's been well loved before they can purchase it for pretty cheap. So it's a good way for people to ease their way into a bike.”
Jodi Kaufman is an enthusiastic patron of the bike station. She teaches Tai Chi and works out at the YMCA around the corner. She used to drive but there was always the hassle of finding a parking space and worrying about getting ticketed if she was delayed for over two hours. On the other hand riding her bike downtown was not a good alternative because, she says, “typically when you park in Berkeley you have to take your helmet, if you have a nice bike you have to lock the front tire, the back tire, you have to remove your nice seat, you have to remove your lights, you have to remove your mileage counter—because anything that's easy for someone to take, they'll take. So what is nice about the bike station is you can leave your seat on, all your lights, all your bags, and it's still there when you get back.” Jim confirms that “as long as stuff doesn't get in the way of the next bike they can leave whatever they want on the bike.”
The valet parking area has spaces for about 160 bikes though they can accommodate more than that in the course of a day because people have different schedules. The 24 hour paid parking area has spaces for about 120 bikes for people going out of town or going to a movie expecting to be back after 9 PM. Jim estimates a core of about 75 BART commuters and students leave the bikes for the whole day, and the rest are people doing local errands or going to the Y. The peak so far, has been 155 in one day. That can mean a significant saving in greenhouse gasses.
Bob Burakoff, Jim's father, was visiting from Boston when we were having our conversation. “I'm totally impressed with the whole thing,” he said as he sat watching. I asked if they have anything like this in Boston. “ I don't know if this is happening in Boston but I'm gonna go back there and tell them about it”.
Solano Avenue should be a thriving, pedestrian friendly commercial center for North Berkeley residents, complete with more sidewalk seating, street trees and a wide variety of shops, restaurants and entertainment venues. Or so says a majority of over 1300 neighbors, business owners and patrons of the Avenue who envisioned Solano Avenue through a survey created by Berkeley District 5 City Councilmember Laurie Capitelli.
Capitelli says he was overwhelmed at the response of the September survey, a clear signal that local residents are passionate about the Avenue and have a vision for its future. (The survey results and a brief analysis can be found at The Solano Survey (http://www.cityofberkeley.info/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=59108)
Though almost all of the respondents (87%) agreed that walking on Solano Avenue is a pleasant experience, 70 % wanted to see more street trees and more sidewalk seating. Solano also needs a greater variety of retailers (66%), and evening entertainment should be encouraged if neighborhood impacts can be addressed (73%). Most respondents agreed that the district quota that limits the number of food service establishments should be removed.
The survey was available on line between September 1 and October 11, 2010. Constituents from District 5 and 6 were invited to participate through Council e-mail newsletters, neighborhood organizations and volunteers at the Solano Stroll. Solano Ave. business owners were contacted by the Solano Avenue Association. Out of the over 1300 respondents, about half live within 8 blocks of Solano. Most were over 46 years old. Though 80% of respondents say they drive to Solano, over 70% say they walk to the Avenue, with just over 20% stating they bike or take the bus. Most respondents come to the Avenue to shop once a week or more. Over eighty per cent come to dine at least once a month.
Many respondents noted the high vacancy on Solano. In the past few years, the Avenue district has suffered from the closing of several retail establishments that sold beauty supplies, books, children’s clothing, furniture, and shoes. Several empty storefronts remain. “The challenge in this retail climate is to find a niche that is not overshadowed by either big box stores or internet availability,” says Capitelli. “We have to provide goods and services that are not easily available elsewhere, that provide character to the district, packaged in an experience that makes folks feel part of a community.”
The economic downturn along with recent frustrations with the City’s zoning regulations and how they are enforced inspired Capitelli to initiate the survey. It took almost three years of negotiations to permit the sidewalk seating at the bulb out in front of Peet’s coffee. A recent application for a thousand square foot ice cream store (approved 8 to 1 by the Zoning Board) required over $9000 in permit fees and months of process. “The impression is that you cannot do anything in Berkeley.”
Councilmember Capitelli and his north Berkeley colleague, Councilmember Susan Wengraf who represents District 6, will be bringing a Berkeley Economic Recovery package to the City Council in early December. Proposals will include zoning changes, permit fee waivers, parking incentives – all designed to promote business creation and retention, while improving the pedestrian commercial corridors.
“These small commercial districts are the life blood of our neighborhoods and part of the economic engine that drives our City,” says Capitelli. “Empty storefronts and neglected sidewalks are not tolerable. We have to act now.”
After every election, writers interested in politics are strongly tempted to expound at great length on the deeper meaning of the results. I’m no exception to that pattern, but today I’d like to try to resist the temptation and instead touch on some of the shallower lessons which can be derived from national, state and local outcomes. (Bob Burnett, in these pages, has done a bang-up job of analyzing the national situation, by the way.)
First,. I’d like to say Goodbye and Good Riddance to a number of annoying Blue Dog Democrats. These are the people who thought that Republican Lite was the way to get and hold seats in Congress, but in general they were defeated by Real Republicans or even Tea Partisans. It seems that voters at the moment, stressed as they are by the economic situation, are looking for passion, any kind of passion, in their elected representatives, and tepid Dems just don’t cut it. The Blue Dogs have had entirely too much influence in Congress, contributing to voters’ perception that Democrats are toothless tigers.
At the moment the rump of the Dogs is taking the outrageous position that the way to win the hearts and minds of the American voters is to dump Nancy Pelosi. The logic of this position, supported in putatively impartial news stories on the front pages of supposedly objective publications like the New York Times, is baffling. . In terms of bloc voting, almost everyone except Old White Guys voted Democratic, but too many Democratic-leaning potential voters didn’t show up at the polls. Absent the drag on the message which the timid losing congresspersons caused, the Democrats might have a shot at renovating their image to motivate a wider variety of voters.
As usual, California and New York are out ahead of the pack. Together they constitute a huge market, though because of the peculiarities of the way district and state lines are drawn they have less influence nationally than they should. The Republican candidates in both states were appalling: almost comic in New York, profoundly irritating in California. Meg Whitman came across as a Poor Little Rich Girl, a sympathetic figure for no one. Jerry Brown, after an extraordinarily prolonged adolescence, finally looked like the grownup in the race. Fiorina in the last analysis couldn’t disguise the fact that she was a failure as an executive and had nothing else to boast of.
It’s hard not to think that the reason Kamala Harris ran behind the ticket is that while she’s well qualified to be the state’s chief prosecutor she couldn’t play one on TV. Steve Cooley is a burly white ex-cop; she’s an attractive younger African-American woman. That is to say, for the thousands of California voters who think street crime is the main threat to public safety, Cooley looks the part, never mind that corporate crime steals more from citizens and Harris is better equipped by intelligence and education to fight it.
A perennial problem in all elections is the skill with which computer-aided politicians are able to carve out safe districts where incumbents almost always win. Jerry McNerney’s bizarre congressional district was supposed to be Republican. It’s remarkable that he won it in the last election, and it will be even more remarkable if he holds on to it. It will prove that it is possible to win over at least a few Republicans
And then there’s the East Bay. My mathematically inclined friends have gotten a big bang out of the Oakland mayoral race, regardless of who eventually wins. The “anybody but…” strategy seems to have worked, or at least (as of this writing) come very close to working, for perhaps the first time since Ranked Choice Voting got a toehold in the United States. Having three very plausible mainstream candidates and a serious Green contender in Don Macleay made the difference.
Which leaves Berkeley. My shade-tree mechanical analysis is that Berkeley these days is little more than a very comfortable bedroom community, the land of the free-range organic lotus eaters, which is why all the incumbents won handily. What’s not to like, for most hill dwellers especially? The center-city districts, Arreguin’s downtown and Worthington’s south of campus, have been stressed by development pressures, but both councilmembers assiduously respond to their constituents’ worries, even though the cozy rest-of-town could care less what happens downtown.
Measure R won handily because its ballot argument consisted of the kind of purple prose that was formerly used to sell motherhood and apple pie (both of which are now less popular than they once were.) Readers with an active bullshit detector realized that it was bogus, but Berkeleyans tend to be True Believers, or they wouldn’t have ended up here.
The specter of more Big Ugly Boxes crowding downtown affects few hill dwellers, who shop in El Cerrito, Emeryville or Walnut Creek. Few knew and even fewer cared that the so-called “Sierra Club” mailers they received were actually funded by big corporations like Sam Zell’s Equitable Residential, which stand to profit handsomely if their people can control downtown Berkeley planning and zoning.
In my Local Government class in law school, the teacher made merry of city plans in general. She said that they were almost always ignored, especially in charter cities like Berkeley which are explicitly exempt from having to follow their own plans. Good-Government girl that I was in my youth, I was indignant at the cynicism of this analysis, but you know what? She was right.
In the last 15 years or so, I’ve watched plan after plan, General Plan and Area Plans both, debated and adopted in Berkeley, and almost without exception they’ve subsequently been ignored by the city planning department, the zoning adjustment board and the city council. If Measure R’s “advice” should by some odd twist of fate result in the council’s adopting an actual Downtown Plan, the results will probably be the same.
Fortunately, too, this particular “advisory” measure was 83.5% cotton candy, far from being a real downtown plan. If the Mayor’s machine tries to enact the last 16.5% (ostensibly binding under specific scenarios) as zoning ordinances, these can always be referended just as the council’s last downtown plan was, annoying and time-consuming though that process might be. There’s still a hardy band of watchdogs ready and willing to bark if the fox tries once again to rob the civic henhouse.
Meanwhile, it might be time for someone to look into what’s up with the Sierra Club these days. Myself, I quit when David Brower did and have never rejoined, but they’ve done a number of good things even without David and me. But if you’re a member, you should perhaps be asking exactly how the Sierra Club got into bed with corporate interests, as they seem to have done in this election. Just sayin’.
The Berkeley Police Department has sent out its periodic email with the subject line "Who are These Crooks?" Technically, they're not necessarily crooks, they're suspects until proven guilty. The page is entitled "Who are These Suspects" when you click on it, at least. Also, is it really necessary to repeatedly refer to the pictured suspects as "black" when their complexion color is clearly visible in the photos? In this context it's not a description, it's a racial term. Dog-whistling..
Shattuck Street in downtown Berkeley was shut down for several hours on Monday as an AC Transit bus burned (Berkeleyside).
Fired KPFA employees took over the Morning Show on Tuesday. (S..J. Mercury).
His Views; Republican Claptrap; Pancreatic Cancer Awareness; Give New START floor time in the lame duck session
His Views Matt Lauer will interview Mr. Bush on a prime-time broadcast Nov. 8, one day before Mr. Bush’s book, “Decision Points,” is released by Crown Publishers. Mr. Lauer will interview Mr. Bush again live on the “Today” show, the country’s highest-rated morning show, on Nov. 10. It is easy to see why he and his cohorts would have done everything in their pernicious power to get their nefarious names and dastardly deeds off the telly and out of the papers for awhile! But now after two years of being out of office, he is still defending his views. Germany's justice minister found herself in hot water for saying that "Bush wants to divert attention from his domestic problems. It's a classic tactic. It's one that Hitler also used." She later denied that she had compared Bush to Hitler, but did say that their methods were similar. German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder was reelected but found himself in the bad graces of the U.S. for his own stance against a U.S. invasion of Iraq. Hitler was an expert at distracting his people's attention from their real problems and his own mistakes by dragging the red herrings of Red Jewry across his hell-bent trail of national destruction, and conjuring foes without to divert their attention from their much more serious affairs within.
Ted Rudow III,MA
* * *
Republican Claptrap
After two years of recovery clouds are again darkening America's horizon. We're going to hear all the same claptrap that we heard from Republicans during the eight years of Bush. Americans traded in the splendid ideals of President Obama for the worn out spin of House Minority Leader John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. The Wall Street financiers will be raking in billions again with Republicans ascending in power. "Power to the People" is being sacrificed to the greed of corporations and special interests. The stated GOP goal for the next two years is "no compromise" and to block all legislation proposed by the Obama administration, and probably, Republicans will go back to attacking Social Security and Medicare. Does this sound like democracy to you? Republicans will also try to dismantle all that Obama and Democrats accomplished in the last two years. What a waste!
Ron Lowe
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Pancreatic Cancer Awareness
I would like to thank the Berkeley City Council, and Linda Maio especially, for proclaiming November Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.
Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cancer killer in the United States, and in 2010, an estimated 43,140 Americans will be diagnosed with the disease.
Scientific understanding of pancreatic cancer lags far behind that of most other forms of cancer. In fact, pancreatic cancer research is where breast cancer research was in the 1930s--little understanding of the causes, no early detection, few effective treatments, and a five-year survival rate of just six percent, the lowest of any major cancer.
Shockingly, only 2% of the National Cancer Institute’s $5 billion annual budget is spent on researching the disease.
My wife Mary Hammerschmidt received state-of-the-art care at the Alta Bates and UCSF Cancer Centers, yet still died of this horrible disease at the age of 40, only seven months after diagnosis.
We need to make research into pancreatic cancer a priority. The Pancreatic Cancer Research & Education Act (S. 3320/H.R. 745) would do that. It has been cosponsored by most members of the California delegation, but not yet by Sen. Dianne Feinstein. You can learn more at www.KnowItFightItEndit.org.
Ben Paulos
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Give New START floor time in the lame duck session
As a health professional, I call on Senators Boxer and Feinstein to help secure our future. It is time for the Senate to work to cut bloated nuclear stockpiles and restore inspections of Russia's nuclear arsenal by approving the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.
Since it was signed in April, a vast array of experts--Republicans and Democrats alike--have lined up in favor of the treaty. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has noted that New START has "the unanimous support of America's military leadership."
Treaties require careful consideration, but at this point Senators have all the information necessary to reach a decision on New START. The Senate has held 21 hearings and briefings on the treaty and the White House formally answered more than 900 questions from Senators. In September, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee recommended ratification with a strong and increasingly rare bipartisan vote of 14-4. Let's put politics aside and national security first by ratifying the treaty this year.
Dr. Fred Strauss
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What do Stewart Jones, Jesse Arreguin, and Kriss Worthington have in common? Their campaign signs were defaced by “NIMBY Robot”. Guess what else they have in common? They opposed Measure R!
It appears that Measure R sponsors, with all their endorsements and colorful full page mailers, paid for by Sam Zell, Lakireddy Bali Reddy, William Falik, and Gordon Wozniak, weren’t confident about “winning” and had to resort to stealing and defacing signs of candidates who opposed the measure. Who printed the NIMBY Robot stickers? And who paid for the job? I sure hope those people who went around Berkeley in the middle of the night climbing posts got paid well, because they did a great job defacing EVERY single sign of Councilmembers Arreguin and Worthington overnight, both in and outside of their districts. When did democracy in Berkeley become silencing people who disagree with the Mayor and the rich.
Should we ask Mayor Tom Bates to make stealing/defacing campaign signs illegal, as he did with stealing free newspapers, after being charged with theft for stealing 1000 copies of the Daily Cal in November 2002?
Now that Measure R has passed, let’s all get involved to make sure that it does NOT become “a gift to corporate interests from a largely weak city council that disregards public input and lacks an understanding of Berkeley’s potential and the energy to create a downtown that is truly vibrant and a model for the future”, as Stewart Jones stated in his candidate response to questions posed by Berkeleyside. I have seen firsthand how the majority of the Councilmembers—without interest in/intelligence to understand the issue, or the integrity/guts to go against money and power—simply carry out the mayor’s will when making decisions for Berkeley. We, the citizens, need to tell Sam Zell, Tom Bates, and his Robots: Not In My Berkeley, You thugs!
Pacifica was founded on the need for alternative news, public affairs and culture and is even more needed today given the consolidation of the corporate/pentagon media.
Are there any among us that wouldn't want alternative views given equal time on the corporate media, on the issues of the day, occupations, health care for all, death penalty, private prisons, our criminal and civil injustice, global warming, police killings of poor folks and people of color, tax breaks for the ultra rich, the continued concentration of wealth in the hands of the few, NAFTA, etc so that the people of our country would have other thoughts to consider before they start attaching tea bags to their hats, and knee jerk voting for republicans when 8 years of Bush can't be rectified in two years, etc, etc.
I can't imagine that anyone on our LSB would publicly say no we don't want alternative views on the mass media.
So then why is it that close to half of us think that same standard shouldn't apply to internal political issues at KPFA and Pacifica and the use of our air time?
Several Concerned Listener staff allies have used air time to push their views on the budget issues and no equal time has been offered. This is not the first time this has happened. Again it seems like these staff folks believe that they own the air time. Isn't is basically a Commons, for the presentation of differing views to engage the people in civic thought and practice?
Yesterday an advisory Motion asking that both sides of the budget issues get equal time on the air was voted down by the slim Concerned Listener majority that was present. Every single CLer voted against this Motion to apply Pacifica Mission principles to internal political debate!!!!
I can't believe that anyone that really believes in the Pacifica Mission is afraid of open and fair use of air time to debate the issues. So the only conclusion that I can come to is that the CL/"Save KPFA" folks don't really believe in the Pacifica Mission. If my logic is wrong, please explain why.
How is your practice any different than the Dem/Repub folks that set up the Presidential debates and leave out all the progressive candidates? And have them arrested if they try to attend just to watch?
It is no wonder that the progressive movement in our country can't gain any ground. Too many "progressives" practice the same "power before principles" politics as the corporate folks. "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."
“Our leadership elite may still want to believe in democratic principles-they certainly profess that they do-but in practice they have shown themselves all too willing to violate those principles in order to gain or retain power”, Cornel West from his book Democracy Matters.
As I ponder the continued rightward shift in US politics I wonder what kind of country we would have if CL/"Save KPFA" folks was running the country?
What in CL practice would lead me to believe that there would be open, fair, honest debates of the issues, looking for the truth?
What in CL practice would possibly get me to think there would be fair election or even elections?
CL/"Save KPFA" folks, what are you striving for that working people should want to follow and emulate?
Do you ever think about such things? What are you modeling? Or is power the end in itself, more important than creating a culture with a set of fair principles that all should follow to build a just world society and to save our planet?
The meeting yesterday really was a bummer. I constantly try to see the good in what you are doing and I am constantly disappointed, and sometimes with my own allies. However, one is qualitatively more troublesome than the other.
It is really hard to have hope for my daughter and my many nieces and nephews and the children of the world when I see such unprincipled behavior as was demonstrated at yesterday's meeting, and all to often at KPFA and Pacifica by people who claim to support the Mission.
I am absolutely outraged to learn that you have decided to discontinue the Morning Show with Aimee Allison and Brian Edwards-Tiekert, two of the most knowledgeable and articulate news journalists on radio today. The Morning Show is a breath of fresh air, the likes of which very few communities in the U.S. have the good fortune to enjoy.
If you insist on dismantling KPFA – for this is clearly what you’re doing – I will certainly no longer support KPFA in any way, including financial donations and benefits (I was very much looking forward to attending Chris Hedges’ presentation on November 30).
As a KPFA member, I expect to have access to a detailed report by the KPFA Administration explaining and justifying its decision to remove Ms. Allison and Mr. Edwards-Tiekert from the air. Incidentally, do Ms. Allison and Mr. Edwards-Tiekert not have contracts?
I am not alone in my dismay. If KPFA morphs into an NPR-like propaganda-laden nonentity, true progressive voices in the Bay Area and beyond will certainly create another Bay Area-based radio station – one of which Lewis Hill would have been proud.
I was swept up and arrested Friday night, in Oakland, California, at the "end" of the Justice for Oscar Grant march, on November 5th, 2010. As usual, most of the Bay Area TV stations gave a factually awful -- of course, very pro-police -- spin to what happened. It amazes me how edited and re-chronologized video can make viewers think they are seeing something that they aren't. Events are portrayed out of order, and most TV reporters falsely describe the context of the video clips they show. As in George Orwell's book Nineteen Eighty-Four, about a total propaganda media-controlled society: the lie becomes the truth, and the truth becomes the lie.
For example, many local stations showed video of protesters pushing down a chain link fence, calling it an example of vandalism. In reality, what the video showed was frightened overwhelmingly peaceful protesters trying to escape fully-geared and itching-to-go riot cops who had tried to enclose the marchers and cops who were about to begin assaulting not just innocent marchers but also bystanders and, later, neighborhood people.
I saw very young black females, plus-or-minus 20-something, no more than 4'8" height, no more than 95 lbs, just peacefully sitting on a less than a knee-high sidewalk wall in their own neighborhood, trapped and being led off in handcuffs by aggressive, 200lbs+, riot cops. I saw an equally small, very young woman, a person of color, being aggressively picked up and slammed to the ground (face down like Oscar Grant), while being arrested and handcuffed. This, in spite of a black mayor (Ron Dellums) and a black police chief (Anthony Batts) and a black cop (L. Johnson of OPD) on the scene talking about "his men", over the police murder of a young black Oscar Grant. Like Oscar Grant, none of us were armed, none of us were resisting, and none of us (at least not where we marchers were entrapped) were violent.
If you pay more attention, the pro-police spin of local TV media coverage doesn't hold up. But, at least two mainstream news reporters actually at the scene at 6th Avenue & East 17th Street in East Oakland admitted that there was NO "widespread violence," if hardly any, and NO bottles or rocks thrown at the police -- except for "one or two storefront windows broken" and "one AC Transit bus window broken." This was how a Jennifer (last name unknown) of KGO, with whom I talked, and another reporter, a Josh Richman of the Oakland Tribune, his reporting live on KQED-TV's This Week in Northern California, basically reported on the night of the march.
Such minor incidents would have been easy for the police to contain, given the presence of a thousand cops in uniform, all the police cameras, but also with all the (we must assume) undercover cops along these marches. Instead, the cops played the propaganda numbers game (bragging about 152 arrests), enclosing and mass arresting obviously nonviolent protesters: the easy ones to catch. And who are among the small property "vandalizers" and "looters": undercover police provocateurs? I also have seen, defying any otherwise common sense, riot cops purposely try to antagonize and provoke nonviolent marchers. This would upset me if I were a nearby small business owner.
At least one of those reporters, and other TV reporters, reported only "rumors" (gee, I wonnnder by whom?) of a gun being pulled from the holster of a riot cop and pointed at the cop. Cops have video of everything else in these events; why don't they have any video of that? It would seem to defy common sense. Let's see YOU get close enough, and for long enough, especially if you're black or brown, to a phalanx of 'itchy,' fully-geared, riot cops to successfully reach for the gun and then wrest the latch off, and then wrest the gun from his holster, let alone long enough to then point the gun at said riot cop. And then live to tell the story!
Instead, you would be gunned down (along with any nearby protesters) in a hail of other cops' bullets or wind up in a hospital emergency ward, critically beaten, unconscious or comatose and near death. These are the same cops who beat the hell out of Black people, if they are caught, for merely trying to run away! These are the same kind of cops who participated in the legalized murder of Oscar Grant for his merely trying to catch his breath while pinned face down on his chest! In fact, these are the same kind of cops who shoot and kill black men, minding their own business, for merely standing in the doorway of their own apartment building (Amado Diallo, 1999) and reaching for their wallet or keys, or for merely sitting in their own car (Sean Bell, 2006) after their bachelor party the night before their wedding!
It's also laughable for the media to portray the police as actually being concerned in the slightest with protecting Oakland's small businesses. When a previous Oscar Grant rally supposedly "turned violent," the same cops, in full riot gear and numbering in the hundreds (if not also up to a thousand), stood down and watched as they let the downtown Oakland Foot Locker be sacrificed -- practically WAVING and FUNNELING looters into the store.
OPD did this for sheer self-serving manipulation. At a time when the OPD was facing budgetary lay-offs, the OPD could literally televise to the viewers, "See what happens when you threaten to cut back on us cops or even just our pay?" And, "You see, this rally isn't really about Oscar Grant: it's just about some negroes wanting to get stolen athletic shoes." You can bet that the cops wouldn't have stood down and let nearby Wells Fargo Bank be broken into, because that would have been a political message by the protesters to the TV viewers that the TV viewers could appreciate about the people who financially loot all of US!
Unfortunately, some middle-class TV watchers -- especially those who are white (the most susceptible), but also of any color (and the older the viewer, the more generally susceptible they are) -- fall for this manipulation. The mainstream news can always find one of these types to put a microphone and camera in front of, who will say how scared they were for themselves or their businesses. These people, probably none of whom have never participated in any kind of dissident protest, where they then would know how police behave, watch suburban-looking reporters dressed up in nice suits, haircuts, and overcoats, and believe that since they are watching the (unbeknownst to them, highly edited and time re-arranged) video, they must be seeing "what actually happened." They then monolithically condemn THE marchers, especially EVERYONE who got arrested, and become even more pro-police.
But, even though the cops don't want to be judged by the so-called "few bad apples" cops, that's exactly how the cops and the media monolithically judge THE protesters -- by even just "the few bad apples" and sensationalize them! When will I see mass, wholesale arrests due to mostly white people who tear up a city or college town after a major sports victory? Where are the mass arrests when white people show up -- toting guns(!!) -- at town hall meetings hosted by Congress members!? When will I see cops mass arresting 150 affluent suburban drivers because a few might be recklessly speeding or even driving drunk on Highway 24 or 680 in suburban Contra Costa county? Why weren't even just all the participating cops on the scene arrested for allowing conspiracy (at least accomplices) to commit "manslaughter" when one of them outright killed Oscar Grant?
This is the same old pro-police and corporate TV news establishment propaganda. It's all part of the daily establishment narrative that mainstream media strings out every day to keep work-a-day and couch-potato Americans fearful, docile, and accepting whatever the U.S. government and police want to do. It's the same-old-same-old that would keep us all afraid of each other's racial and social groups and, of course, the foreign U.S.-appointed "boogeymen." It's the same old media that harps about protesters not from Oakland, like Oakland is supposed to be some stepcity whose concerns, even tragedies, no one else is supposed to care about. Yet the cops, who rarely come from the community, and the media come from all over -- cops from even the outer reaches of suburban Contra Costa county and even from Sunnyvale! Well, police brutality and atrocities should be everyone's concerns.
You can see this ruling class strategy in action everywhere, on local, national, and international issues. The true facts are distorted to look like their opposite! The right-wing media in Venezuela made it look like Chavez supporters were firing rifles on Chavez opponents, instead of what actually happened: just the reverse. The Israeli military made it look like Gaza flotilla passengers were attacking the Israeli soldiers, instead of what actually happened: just the reverse. When the cops, truncheons swinging, wade into a crowd and indiscriminately beat up people who are physically trying to protect themselves, the TV news makes it look like it's the protesters violently "resisting arrest" (that pro forma police charge) and beating on the cops ("assaulting an officer," that other pro forma police charge)!
It's the old divide-and-conquer ruling-class strategy, executed by the corporate media, aimed at blocking people seeking positive, real, transformative change, and social and global justice. If we can't have, and be permitted, an overwhelmingly nonviolent protest, about even violent atrocities -- the legalized murder of Oscar Grant -- by the cops, then what else is left to resort to? In this media propaganda environment, it's critical to give support to the protesters and those very very few reporters who do a good job reporting the truth instead of repeating police and government propaganda. One example journalist is the highly respected Davey D, of Oakland, who has written excellent recent articles at daveyd.com about the Oakland protest on November 5th.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Joseph Anderson is a Berkeley resident; a longtime grassroots progressive political activist; an occasional sociopolitical contributing writer to various publications; and the author of "Karmic Justice" (available online), about Lovelle Mixon and the cops vs. the victims of legalized police murders.
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This is a Very Good Deal. Go for it!
Dear Becky (publisher of the best [online] local paper in the United States [in my opinion],
Sometimes I think you can be a little wrong-headed. While I concur with your negative take on measure R, it is not R as in Robert Reich.
In this world [sic: sad plutocracy] he - the former Secretary of Labor turned Berkeley professor—is a pretty decent progressive and I'm glad Obama has put someone with comparable views in that position. I would hesitate to dismiss him as a stooge of developers (the meaning of your words, not the exact words) or a "snowbunny". (Really, if you go back far enough wasn't the whole idea of Berkeley, Pasadena, etc. rather "snowbunny".)
Why don't you interview him and find out why he supported measure R?
You made another point, that all of the planning commissioners are in "the building industry"—well hello —some of them are architects and planners. I happen to be an architect strongly opposed to measure R. Would you lump me in with the others if I were to volunteer and be assigned to the planning commission? Really, everything we want to preserve around the BART station downtown was designed and constructed by people in the building industry.
Why don't you cut straight to the point, rather than inventing other demons?
Sam Zell —who did in the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune and god only knows what he might have done to Chicago real estate before buying into downtown Berkeley— should be our target.
The construction of any building above 8 to 12 stories downtown, should be our clear target (the grandiose green dreams of our planners cum developer's representatives (Isn't that what became of Dan Marks?).
And these planners themselves — who so easily use and then betray their public trusts and fancy City salaries — should be our targets.
You might, in your discussion, speculate about why the mayor and some of the council's planning commission appointees have no qualms about turning downtown into a canyon or casting a long afternoon shadow on the Berkeley campus —while at the same time show no interest at all in developing the parking lot at the north Berkeley BART station. They claim they need the great heights because they can't find building sites. Are they really looking?
Finally, why did BAHA (Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association) or whoever orchestrated the no on R campaign, design a lawn poster that looked like "no on P"? I only realized after walking up close to one two days before the elections that the P was an "R" that had been "greened", as the measures opponents claimed - a graphic too hard to see from a distance and too hard to get for someone not immersed in the (via other media) critique by the opponents that measure R is fake green.
Keep up the excellent work. Oh —and by the way— the creeps who slimed the Berkeley Daily Planet paper edition don't speak for this Jew.
'It's time for all of us to truly save KPFA'
The recent cuts were necessary to restore KPFA to financial solvency for the first time in 2 years, and bring it back from the brink of collapse. (The cuts restored the 2003 (pre-Iraq War) staff level.) The controversial part, for Pacifica's new Executive Director Arlene Engelhardt, was deciding where to make the cuts. She settled on the only fair and equitable solution - to follow the union contract and base the layoffs on seniority.
The Pacifica Foundation Board passed the following motion on October 3, 2010: "The Pacifica Foundation Board fully supports the Pacifica Foundation Executive Director in the difficult task of balancing the KPFA budget; utilizing the staff cuts recommended by the Executive Director in accordance with principles she has enunciated, of respect for seniority, recognition of skill sets and maintaining the programming grid to the extent possible."
However, a story has been circulated repeatedly that a 'mis-directed email' disclosed a 'hit list' drawn up by three of the KPFA Pacifica National Board members to purge their political opponents. In the ensuing week the hosts of the Morning Show, Letters to Washington, and Against the Grain all whipped the KPFA community into frenzy to oppose this 'hit list'.
Of course, there was no 'mis-directed email' and there was no 'hit list'. Any claim that the layoff list is a hit list to selectively purge political opponents is easily dismissed by simply posting the union seniority list.
It is understandable but unfortunate that so many people believe this fabricated story, but it is more troubling that some are willing to keep the station at financial risk while fabricating stories to inflame and confuse the KPFA community.
We should thank the Executive Director Arlene Engelhardt and Chief Financial Officer Lavarn Williams for tirelessly working to put KPFA and Pacifica back on a solid financial footing, and being so steadfast in face of malicious abuses that have been hurled at them.
We should do all we can to continue to financially support KPFA, for free speech can only be truly exercised by those who are fiscally independent.
Although there is an internal strife within the KPFA community, we need to bridge the divide and all work together to strengthen the station so that it can continue as a healthy, vibrant fertile ground for information and inquiry, and empower those who are in a position to provide all of us with the programming we so depend upon to be the informed citizens that are the hope of a decent society.
It is critical that we end the power of corporate money to control our lives, our environment, our elections, and it is corporate free media that is the pathway to all of these goals.
The Al-Iraq newspaper, in a blanket condemnation of America, declared: "America is on fire and behind this fire were a thousand, a million, or even a billion hands — for the savage, arrogant America, which is afflicted with megalomania, caused all peoples of the world to suffer from humiliation, starvation, and terrorism."
"One of the greatest sources of pride for past and present U.S. administrations," according to Iran's Resalat newspaper, had been "their ability to prevent the people inside their country from directly experiencing the horrors of the battlefronts."
In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, the French newspaper Le Monde editorialized that then-president George W. Bush "swore to make the national territory a sanctuary by placing it under the shelter of an antimissile shield." Mayor Giuliani of NYC himself in the aftermath of 9/11 urged the public to head out and enjoy New York City's cultural resources.
Some dire politician pundits may have supposed that the electorate could be churned up enough about foreigners in their midst that the hopes of a President (whose middle name is Hussein) at the (now concluded) Congressional "mid-
Sharia law was also banned in Oklahoma — as was international law — by a resounding vote of the electorate.
Andrew Carnegie, who contributed to the relief efforts for the Jews massacred in Russia in 1905, came out vigorously against attempts to restrict Jewish immigration to America.
"I think the Scotch a pretty smart people, but I must say the Jews are smarter," he said. To which the European Jew and Carnegie's friend, Isidor Straus, standing next to him on the platform) responded: "You needn't worry, we Jews are not likely to invade Scotland — that is the only country in which we cannot live."
Indonesia and India, two of the countries on Obama's itinerary, have 200,000,000 and 150,000,000 Muslims, respectively. Meanwhile, the largest U.S. Air Force base located abroad is at Doha, Qatar. Five hundred U.S. Navy ships have stopped at Dubai, United Arab Emirates (so far) in 2010.
There are another 15,000 Muslims in Oklahoma. To them, I can only repeat Rick's line from the movie classic Casablanca: "The lives of three little people don't mean a hill of beans in this crazy world."
And let's hope Obama can work out a SOFA agreement with the new Oklahoma Governor.
While avoiding excesses, we need to apply effective measures in the fight against terrorism. In 1950, the authors of NSC-68 wrote that by 1954 the Soviet Union would be able to deliver 100 atomic bombs to the American homeland: "A free society is vulnerable in that it is easy for people to lapse into excesses — the excesses of a permanently open mind wishfully waiting for evidence that evil design may become noble purpose, the excess of faith becoming prejudice, the excess of tolerance degenerating into indulgence of conspiracy and the excess of resorting to suppression when more moderate measures are not only more appropriate but more effective."
Imagine that a “company” faces hard times and the management “fires” one of their three top managers. You’d be surprised if the manager that was removed was the top performer of the three, the highest rated in terms of management criteria. You’d be shocked if that manager was the only woman; you’d suspect sex discrimination. But that’s exactly what happened on November 2nd, when voters “fired” Nancy Pelosi.
Pelosi was the Speaker of the House of Representatives, second in line to the Presidency; the highest governmental position a woman has ever reached.
Over the past two years, Pelosi has been most effective Democratic leader. Yet she’s an unabashed liberal; the most effective progressive voice in Congress.
In the run up to the 2010 mid-term election, Republican specifically targeted Pelosi. They spent an astounding $50 million attacking her. Ran ads ranging from the humorous “attack of the 50-foot Pelosi” to the disgusting ad showing her face at the bottom of a urinal.
Pelosi was the number one Republican target because she did her job so well.
As Speaker of the House, Pelosi had two primary tasks. Hold Democrats together in order to advance the President’s agenda, and raise money for her fellow congresspeople. She did a superb job at both.
Particularly in 2009, Pelosi moved the full range of the Obama agenda through the House. She was personally responsible for the fact that the 111th Congress was extraordinarily successful. Far more legislation was passed in the House than was passed in the Senate. (While some of the Senate’s failure can be blamed on the damnable Senate closure rule – which requires the consent of 60 Senators to vote on anything – much of it is due to the inability of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to get Democratic Senators in line.) The House passed healthcare reform months before the Senate did. The House passed a “cap and trade” bill and the Senate never did. In fact, 420 bills were passed by the House only to die in the Senate.
Pelosi did a superb job as leader of the House Democrats.
And Pelosi did her job raising money for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. For the campaign cycle, the DCCC outraised its Republican counterpart, the NRCC. The reason why Democrats lost 60 House seats wasn’t inadequate DCCC fundraising, it was GOP-affiliated outside groups that spent millions on this election.
All told, Independent political groups spent more than $270 million on the mid-term elections and GOP-affiliated groups raised the overwhelming majority of the funds. Two of these, Karl Rove’s Crossroads group and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, spent more than $70 million and $32 million respectively. (The watchdog group PUBLIC CITIZEN reported that 59.9 percent of outside funds came from undisclosed sources.)
In October, independent political groups spent an estimated $50 million to change control of 50 Democratic-held House seats. On November 2nd PUBLIC CITIZEN reported that outside spending benefited the winner in 58 of 74 contests where power changed hands.
Nancy Pelosi did her job as “fundraiser in chief” for House Democrats. But she was undone by well-coordinated two-year Republican strategy. The NEW YORK TIMES revealed that House Republican leaders began planning their comeback on January 9, 2009. As reported by Congressman Pete Sessions, the head of the NRCC, “Our mission statement was to retire Nancy Pelosi. That was the whole mission statement.”
Not only did Republican begin recruiting compelling candidates and raising money, they began using “guerilla tactics” targeting Democratic congresspeople throughout the US. They began harassing them at public meetings, chasing them with video cameras, and, well before the election, running negative advertisements in their districts. (Republicans collaborated with GOP-affiliated outside groups to fund and direct the Tea Party movement.)
As a result of the coordinated Republican attacks, Nancy Pelosi’s favorability ratings plummeted. Two years ago she was at 42 percent favorable, 41 percent unfavorable. In the most recent GALLUP POLL, her ratings were 29 percent favorable and 56 percent unfavorable.
Between the obscene amounts of money and the virulence of the attacks, the results were inevitable: on November 2nd, voters “retired” Speaker Pelosi.
It’s a tragedy because it means that the most effective senior Democratic leader won’t be a featured player the next two years. It’s a tragedy because liberals’ most articulate spokesperson will be on the sidelines. And it’s a tragedy because witch hunters have driven out the most senior woman in American politics.
Over the last 30 months we’ve seen the two most senior Democratic women, Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi, sidelined by sexist Republican attacks. Hopefully American voters will take note of this and recognize that, once again, the GOP is establishing itself as the Party of rich white guys.
Hillary Clinton made a remarkable comeback and it’s likely that Nancy Pelosi will do the same. I hope so. These are difficult times and we need a leader like Pelosi guiding Democrats.
Bob Burnett is a Berkeley writer who has submitted two columns this week. He can be reached at bobburnett@comcast.net
Creationists keep coming up with the same old arguments. One favorite: “If humans evolved from apes, why are there still apes?” A fine example of what Judge Jones called “breathtaking inanity.”
Apart from the fact that the surviving great ape species are not on the direct line of human ancestry, there are still apes because their apish morphology and behavior has, up to now, passed the tests of natural selection. There are still reptiles, too, and fish and worms and bacteria. There is much to be learned from comparative study of all these creatures, down to the genomic level, as representatives of stages in an evolutionary process—but not as identifiable ancestors and descendants.
Just as it’s possible to compare steps in the development of an organ—eyes, brains, wings—it’s also instructive to look for evolutionary trajectories in the behavior of related species. Take the phenomenon of polyandry in birds. In many (if not most) avian species, males are larger than females, have brighter plumage, are more aggressive in defending territory, and take the initiative in courtship. Some seek multiple mates and leave care of the eggs and nestlings to the female.
There are, however, a handful of bird species in which that pattern is reversed. Female phalaropes, pelagic shorebirds that nest in the Arctic and the interior West, are larger and more brightly colored than males, and practice serial polyandry, mating with one male at a time then moving on.
How did phalaropes get that way? The reproductive lives of other, more “normal” shorebirds provides a clue. Female sanderlings lay two clutches of eggs every breeding season; her mate incubates the first while she takes responsibility for the second. It’s an efficient way of making the most of the brief Arctic summer. But note that the same male, in theory, sires both broods.
But what if a female was able to free herself of child care altogether? Consider the spotted sandpiper, a widespread bird that nests along freshwater ponds and streams—they’re common in the Sierra—and winters on the seacoast, including San Francisco Bay, foraging on riprap and other rocky substrates. Males and females look identical in plumage, although females are larger. (They’re not spotted at this time of year, only in the breeding season.) They can be separated from other small sandpipers by the full-body teetering motion they make, a trait shared with such unrelated birds as dippers, waterthrushes, and wagtails. Its functional significance, if any, is unknown.
Female spotted sandpipers migrate earlier than males to claim breeding territories. That process often involves physical altercations with other females, sometimes leading to injury. They peck at each other’s heads or use their legs, wings, and bill in a kind of avian judo to flip their opponents.
With the arrival of the males, each female enters courtship mode. She performs aerial flight displays, goes through the ritualized motions of nest construction, and even sings, a repeated “weet-weet”—nothing for any songbird to worry about. After a pair has bonded, the female lays a batch of eggs and begins to incubate them. It looks like a classic monogamous relationship. But it won’t last.
As new males appear, a female’s eye wanders. She may stay on territory or go cruising for a new prospect. Some females desert their first mates and set up housekeeping at a new location with a second male (serial polyandry). Others lure second—sometimes even third—males back to the home turf (simultaneous polyandry.) In either case, the original male is left to fend for the first offspring while the female incubates her new eggs.
All this is accompanied by hormonal changes in the sandpipers’ bodies. Males, as is typical among vertebrates, start the season with higher testosterone levels than females. Their testosterone concentrations then drop when the female they’re paired with lays her eggs. At the same time, a male’s level of prolactin, another hormone involved with parental behavior, rises until it exceeds typical female levels. Although low relative to males, female testosterone levels rise sevenfold in the early part of the breeding season when the birds are battling for territories and wooing mates.
This is a fairly complex syndrome involving differences between the sexes in size, aggressiveness, and hormonal patterns. The only thing missing is plumage dimorphism, as in phalaropes. In that lineage, having brighter feathers must have given some females a competitive advantage in the mating game; they were able to pass the trait along to their daughters and it spread through the population. At some point in evolutionary time, that might also happen to the spotted sandpiper.
In March, while driving in the California mountains, my car skidded on ice and hit a semi head on. The crash foreshadowed the disaster suffered by Democrats on November 2nd, where the Obama bus was mangled by a Republican freight train. The difference being that the Democratic catastrophe could have been avoided.
The Obama Administration should have anticipated the mid-term election disaster. They had ample warning but failed to take counter measures. If a similar result is to be avoided in 2012, if Obama is to prevail in the Presidential election, Democrats have to absorb four critical lessons.
There has to be a permanent campaign. In 1980, Democratic strategist and columnist Sidney Blumenthal observed we’d entered the era of the permanent political campaign. Republicans have learned this. Democrats haven’t.
At the onset of the Obama Administration, Republicans began their campaign to win the mid-term elections by opposing every Presidential initiative. (In January of 2009, House Republicans unanimously voted against the stimulus package even though there was huge national support for it.) Obama did not appear to understand the dogmatic nature of Republican opposition. As a result he lost time, and allies, trying to obtain GOP support.
In August, Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne observed that Obama seemed to shy away from politicking and said, “In a democracy, separating governing from ‘politicking’ is impossible.”
As a consequence of the President’s indifference about politicking, the 2010 Democratic campaign was incoherent and uncoordinated. One seasoned political operative termed it “political malpractice.”
Democrats have to control the message. E.J. Dionne continued, “‘Politicking’ is nothing less than the ongoing effort to convince free citizens of the merits of a set of ideas, policies and decisions. Voters feel better about politicians who put what they are doing in a compelling context.” Republicans did this. Although experts such as George Lakoff and Drew Westen urged them to, Dems didn’t.
Republicans talked in terms of themes – “restore freedom,” “give control of government back to the people” – while Democrats talked about policies, many of which were incomprehensible to the average voter. Over the course of the last 21 months, the GOP implanted a big lie in the American consciousness: the Obama Administration caused the recession and Democrats favored “bailouts” because they were aligned with Wall Street. Dems didn’t counter this.
The dominant 2010 Democratic message was, “Let’s not go back to the Bush era.” The subliminal content was: “We don’t have anything positive to say.”
The cornerstone message must be simple. At the core of the Democratic political context should be a single compelling idea.
The electorate’s big concern is jobs. The Republicans had a simple response: “Lower taxes and fewer regulations create jobs.” The Democratic response was “Trust us. We’re not the Republicans.”
The Obama Administration may have a straightforward plan that will fix the economy and create jobs, but no one outside the White House knows what it is.
Democrats must keep faith with their base. Just before the election, the NEW YORK TIMES ran a front-page article Obama Coalition is Fraying, Poll Finds. Their poll reported that key groups, like White Women, were planning to vote for Republicans. If the reporters had dug deeper, they would have found a bigger story: the Obama Administration had managed to piss off their key supporters, both individuals and groups. This was the guts of the “enthusiasm gap;” Obama hadn’t just lost White Women, he’d shortchange them – at best they felt disappointed, at worst betrayed.
Of course the Administration managed to get universal healthcare passed, a fine accomplishment. But in the course of doing that, they – for no apparent reason – gave away key reproductive rights. They alienated progressive women and failed to communicate the positives of healthcare to American women in general.
In one progressive sector after another, the Obama Administration reneged on promises or gave up hard-earned progressive gains, all in the name of securing Republican votes that never materialized. It made many Democrats wonder if they could trust their President, their leader.
Searching for Superman? In addition to learning these four lessons, Democrats have to decide what to do about Barack Obama.
In 2008, Obama ran such a strong campaign that many Dems were lulled into complacency. They knew America faced huge problems but they felt their political fortune was assured because they had Superman on their side.
In comic books, Clark Kent goes into the phone booth and out comes Superman. In 2009, Barack Obama went into the White House and out came Clark Kent.
After the mid-term disaster, Democrats have to make major adjustments: starting with the President, the leader of the Party. Obama has to decide whether he is willing to spend two years fighting for Democratic principles and engaging in ‘politicking.’ If he is willing to fight, then he needs to begin on November 3rd. If he isn’t, then someone else needs to take over the leadership of the Party. There’s too much at stake. America can’t afford a repeat of 2010 in 2012.
Bob Burnett is a Berkeley writer. He can be reached at bobburnett@comcast.net
The off-again, on-again Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations have stalled again. During the lull between negotiations, Israel continues settlement construction in the Palestinian territories and east Jerusalem, lands the Palestinians claim for a future state. Clearly, Israel has no intention of engaging in meaningful peace negotiations that would result in an independent Palestinian state. Israel is slowly squeezing the Palestinians with the ultimate goal of taking over the entire country and to drive out the non-Jewish population. This leaves the Palestinians no choice but to unilaterally appeal to the international community for recognition of an independent state.
Palestine has indicated that it would end all historic claims against Israel once they establish their state in the lands Israel occupied in the 1967 Mideast War. The Palestinians want to establish a state in the West Bank, Gaza, and east Jerusalem captured by Israel in the 1967 War. Israel has withdrawn from Gaza, but about a half million Israelis have settled in the other war-won areas. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants the Palestinians to recognize the Israel state and if it did, Israel "might" resume peace talks. Netanyahu is stalling. As Mahmoud Abbas noted, Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which Abbas heads, recognized each other in 1993.
Israel must be pleased with the mid-term election results; it means there will be less pressure on Israel to resume peace negotiations. Netanyahu and his right-wing Likud party generally love Republicans.
Let's look back a bit. Consider that at the creation of Israel in 1947 when the United Nations partitioned the land, allotting the Jews 55 percent of Palestine. The Arabs did not agree to this partition. The action of the United Nations conflicted with the basic principles for which the world organization was established, namely, to uphold the right of all peoples to self-determination. By denying the Palestine Arabs, who formed a two-thirds majority of the country, the right to decide for themselves, the UN had violated its own charter.
Most of the Zionists accepted the partition resolution because they were convinced that the crucial issue at that time was to establish a firm foundation for Jewish sovereignty. However, in closed meetings, the Zionists, including David Ben-Gurion, never concealed their intention to expand at the first opportunity the territory given to the Jews. That is why the Declaration of Independence did not define the state's borders and Israel has not defined its borders to this day.
"Zionism" as used in this article means a political movement concerned principally with the establishment of a state in Palestine to be controlled by and for Jews. Zionism seeks to dominate all of Palestine
While the Yishuv’s leadership formally accepted the 1947 Partition Resolution, large sections of Israel’s society — including David Ben-Gurion — were opposed to or extremely unhappy with partition and from early on viewed the war as an ideal opportunity to expand the new state’s borders beyond the UN earmarked partition boundaries and at the expense of the Palestinians. In fact, as early as 1938, [David Ben-Gurion] stated, "After we become a strong force, as a result of the creation of a state, we shall abolish partition and expand into the whole of Palestine." In 1948, Menachem Begin declared, "The partition of the Homeland is illegal. It will never be recognized. The signature of institutions and individuals of the partition agreement is invalid. It will not bind the Jewish people. Jerusalem was and will forever be our capital. Eretz Israel (the land of Israel) will be restored to the people of Israel. All of it. And forever.”
In the war of 1967, Egypt did not attack Israel. Rather, Israel conducted a pre-emptive strike against Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. After the war, the remaining Palestinian territory was captured by Israel. Out of this captured land, Israel created the West Bank and the Gaza Strip by chopping up the land into isolated enclaves surrounded by Jewish settlements and Israeli occupation forces. The Palestinians lost 78 percent of their land to Israel and are left with 22 percent.
Israel has erected a wall or fence, which cuts deep into Palestinian territory, joining large Jewish settlement blocks to Israel, further confining the Palestinians to isolated enclaves. And Israel continues to establish new settlements (called outposts), demolishing homes and uprooting plantations in the process.
Under the UN's Charter there can lawfully be no territorial gains from war, even by a state acting in self-defense. Therefore, even if Israel’s action were to be considered defensive, its retention of the West Bank and Gaza Strip is unlawful.
Since Israel instituted a strict closure policy in 2000, the Palestinian economy has been on a downward trend. Fuel, electricity and materials to maintain water and sanitation are under Israeli control. The lack of investment in public infrastructure and private enterprises is eroding the limited remaining Palestinian economic base. The economic blockade has devastated the Gaza private sector and driven almost all industrial producers out of business. The poverty rate in Gaza and the West Bank is estimated to be 70 percent and 37 percent respectively. The unemployment rate is about 19 percent in the West Bank and about 40 percent in Gaza. Since the international condemnation of Israel's attack on the Gaza flotilla, Israel has eased the Gaza blockade somewhat.
It should be clear that Israel’s ultimate goal is to take over the entire country and to drive out the non-Jewish population. Thus, Palestine has no choice but to unilaterally appeal to the international community for recognition of an independent Palestinian state. After all, it was the UN who partitioned Palestine in 1947 without the Palestine Arab's consent. What better forum is there to debate Palestine's quest for an independent state with or without the consent of Israel or Hamas? Otherwise, Palestine's hope for an independent nation will die the death of a thousands cuts.
How many women political cartoonists can you name? Past or present.
Of course, there was Helen Hokinson (1899-1949). From 1925 to1949, she satirized middle-aged-plus clubwomen in The New Yorker magazine. Sixty-year old Cathy Lee Guisewite created the “Cathy” syndicated comic strip. In 1978 she wrote The Cathy Chronicles, which can be borrowed for you by the Berkeley and Alameda County public libraries via the LINK.
Seventy-one year old Nicole Hollander, creator of the “Sylvia” strip, has published numerous "Sylvia" collections, including Never Take Your Cat to a Salad Bar, and Female Problems: An Unhelpful Guide, which was turned into a musical in 1998. She has also illustrated children's books. Her Tales of Graceful Aging from the Planet Denial is available in large print.
Australian cartoonist Cathy Wilcox is best known for her work as a Sydney Morning Herald cartoonist. In 2007 she won the Walkley Award in Cartooning for a cartoon about Sheikh Taj el-Din al Hilaly's infamous “uncovered meat” remarks about Australian women.
In 2008, of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists’ 185 members, 15 were women.
Philadelphia Daily News editorial cartoonist Signe Wilkinson wonders if women just don’t stoop to juvenile humor. “You don’t find many women, or many thoughtful men, going into the political cartoon end of the print communications industry these days because this industry isn’t about communications. It’s about selling sports utility vehicles, not criticizing them. Partly because there are so few editorial page cartooning jobs available and partly because in a one-newspaper town, editors are often reluctant to hire too strong a voice in any ideological direction, young satirists of both sexes are either going directly to the Fox network or, like Nicole Hollander, piecing together a platform of magazines, alternative newspapers and book collections.” She added, not quite accurately, “Other women, like Gen Guracar, who signs her work Bulbul, publish almost exclusively in the feminist press.” Not quite accurately because Bulbul has always used her pen and palette to elucidate education, feminism, the media, masculinist culture, corporations, the economy, environment, government and health care while focusing on ageism and sexism, and she is widely published. She pokes serious fun at bureaucratic humbug, and her cartoons express great insights infrequently seen and read today. Throughout December, copies of Bulbul’s work — past and current cartoons and comic strips — will be displayed at the North Berkeley Senior Center.
“A Nightingale Who Stings with Her Pen” was the way Peninsula Magazine described seventy-four year old, political cartoonist Genny Pilgrim Guracar. She uses the pen name Bulbul, the Turkish word for nightingale. According to legend, the nightingale’s troubles always stem from its sweet song. Bulbul is also the pseudonym for an even rarer bird: a woman political cartoonist. Bulbul’s cartoon song is sometimes sweet, sometimes troublemaking. Her goal? “Cartoons are one of the most powerful forces in the media to carry on stereotypes…I want mine to break some of those stereotypes.”
Bulbul’s cartoons appear in such books as Ourselves Growing Older, Human Sexuality, Health in the Later Years, Sex Role Stereotypes, Aging: the Individual, and Society, Our Bodies Ourselves, Readings for Older Women, Justice Denied, and Social Justice. Drawing My Times: A Thirty Year Retrospective of Bulbul’s work and experiences is in the collections of the Berkeley Public and San Diego State University Libraries.
xxxx
News from the home front:
The UCB Resource Center on Aging e-Newsletter will resume publication at the end of November 2010. The Center’s new website is http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~aging/.
The November Tri-Center Nugget seems to indicate that there is no computer learning/using scheduled at the North Berkeley Senior Center, and that South and West have some provision.
Computer instruction and use in November is available at the Albany branch of the Alameda County Library and several branches of the Berkeley Public Library system.
Most Berkeley senior center classes are taught by unpaid, capable volunteers like Lenore Waters, who coordinates (her word) French conversation at the North Berkeley Senior Center on Monday afternoons. Other languages staffed by NBSC volunteers include Italian, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, American Sign, and Latin. Volunteers rarely appear like magic—they need to be recruited and appreciated.
Throughout December, copies of some of political cartoonist Bulbul past and current cartoons and comic strips will be displayed on North Berkeley Senior Center’s first floor corridor bulletin board.
Helen Rippier Wheeler can be reached at pen136@dslextreme.com
No email attachments; use “Senior Power” for subject.
Verismo Opera
"Rigoletto" Nov. 14, 3 p.m. $15
Hilside Club, 2286 Cedar St. at Arch, Berkeley
Tickets: Brown Paper Tickets, 800-838-3006<
CAL PERFORMANCES All performances in Zellerbach Hall unless otherwise noted.
Zenshinza Theatre Company, Nov. 13 and Nov. 14, 8 p.m. Sat.; 3 p.m. Sun. $48-$86.
Zellerbach Hall, University of California, Berkeley, Bancroft Way at Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley. (510) 642-9988, www.calperformances.net.<
EAST BAY IMPROV
"Tired of the Same Old Song and Dance?" ongoing. 8 p.m. East Bay Improv actors perform spontaneous, impulsive and hilarious comedy on the first Saturday of every month. $8.
Pinole Community Playhouse, 601 Tennent Ave., Pinole. (510) 964-0571, www.eastbayimprov.com.<
THE MARSH BERKELEY
"Loveland," by Ann Rudolph, through Nov. 13, 7 p.m. Fri.; 5 p.m. Sat. $20-$50.
2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. Info: (800) 838-3006, Tickets: (800) 838-3006, www.themarsh.org.<
BEACH BLANKET BABYLON This long-running musical follows Snow White as she sings and dances her way around the world in search of her prince. Along the way she encounters many of the personalities in today's headlines, including Nancy Pelosi, Condoleezza Rice, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Harry Potter, Tiger Woods, Oprah Winfrey, Britney Spears, Dianne Feinstein, Barbara Boxer, Hillary Clinton, George and Laura Bush, Michael Jackson, Martha Stewart, Tom Cruise, Angelina, characters from Brokeback Mountain and Paris Hilton. Persons under 21 are not admitted to evening performances, but are welcome to Sunday matinees.
"Steve Silver's Beach Blanket Babylon," ongoing. 8 p.m. Wed. - Thurs.; 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. Fri. - Sat.; 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sun.
$25-$130. Club Fugazi, 678 Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd. (formerly Green Street), San Francisco. (415) 421-4222, www.beachblanketbabylon.com.<
BILL GRAHAM CIVIC AUDITORIUM
"Yo Gabba Gabba Live!" Nov. 20 and Nov. 21, 2 and 5 p.m. The children's show comes to life live on stage. $35.50-$45.50.
99 Grove St., San Francisco. (415) 421-TIXS, www.bgp.com or www.ticketmaster.com.<
CHANCELLOR HOTEL UNION SQUARE
"Eccentrics of San Francisco's Barbary Coast," ongoing. 8 p.m. Fri. -Sat. Audiences gather for a 90-minute show abounding with local anecdotes and lore presented by captivating and consummate conjurers and taletellers. $30.
433 Powell St., San Francisco. (877) 784-6835, www.chancellorhotel.com.<
CLIMATE THEATRE
"The Clown Cabaret at the Climate," ongoing. 7 and 9 p.m. First Monday of the month. Hailed as San Francisco's hottest ticket in clowning, this show blends rising stars with seasoned professionals on the Climate Theater's intimate stage. $10-$15.
285 Ninth St., Second Floor, San Francisco. www.climatetheater.com.<
DNA LOUNGE
Hubba Hubba Revue: Secret Agents, Nov. 19, 9 p.m. $10-$15.
375 11th St., San Francisco. (415) 626-1409, www.dnalounge.com.<
KIMO'S BAR
"Fauxgirls," ongoing. 10 p.m. Every third Saturday. Drag cabaret revue features San Francisco's finest female impersonators. Free. (415) 695-1239, www.fauxgirls.com.
1351 Polk St., San Francisco. (415) 885-4535, www.kimosbarsf.com.<
MARINES MEMORIAL THEATRE
"One Night Only Cabaret with cast members of "West Side Story'','' Nov. 15, 7:30 p.m. $25-$75.
609 Sutter St., San Francisco. (877) 771-6900, www.marinesmemorialtheatre.com.<
THE MARSH
"The Mock Cafe," ongoing. 10 p.m. Saturdays. Stand-up comedy performances. $7.
"The Monday Night Marsh," ongoing. 8 p.m. Mondays. An ongoing series of works-in-progress. $7.
1062 Valencia St., San Francisco. (415) 826-5750, www.themarsh.org.<
PIER 39 A pier filled with shops, restaurants, theaters and entertainment of all sorts from sea lions to street performers.
"SAN FRANCISCO CAROUSEL" -- The Pier's two-tiered, San Francisco-themed carousel with hand-crafted ponies that rock and move up and down and tubs that spin. In addition, carousel has hand-painted pictures of San Francisco scenes like the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown and Coit Tower. $3 per ride. "FREQUENT FLYERS'' -- A bungee trampoline where people can safely jump and flip over 20 feet in the air thanks to the help of bungee cords and a harness. Jumpers must weigh at least 30 pounds and not more than 230 pounds. $10 per session. (415) 981-6300.
"RIPTIDE ARCADE" -- A 6,000-square-foot, surfer-themed arcade offering the Bay area's only 10-gun, Old West-style shooting gallery and 100 cuttingedge video games, virtual reality units and popular novelty games. Included are the "Dance Dance Revolution'' game, driving and roller coaster simulators, the "Global VR Vortex'' virtual reality machine, "Star Wars Trilogy,'' "Jurassic Park,'' "Rush 2049,'' and classics such as "Pac Man'' and "Galaga.'' Games are operated by 25-cent tokens and range in price from 25 cents to $1.50. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; through Feb. 26: Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (415) 981-6300.
"TURBO RIDE" -- Three simulated rides where the hydraulic seats move in synchronization with events on a giant screen are available at the Turbo Ride complex. The 12-minute-long rides in 3-D and 4-D are: "Dino Island II''; "Haunted Mine Ride,'' and "Extreme Log Ride.'' $12 general for one ride; $8 seniors and children ages 3 to 12 for one ride; $15 general for two rides; $11 seniors and children ages 3 to 12 for two rides; $18 general for multi-rides; $14 seniors and children ages 3 to 12 for multi-rides. (415) 392-8872.
STUDIO 39 MAGIC CARPET RIDES -- A comedy action adventure utilizing special effects to created a personalized movie with visitors as the "stars'' flying above San Francisco. The Magic Carpet Ride is free. No reservations required. Ride is approximately five minutes. Personalized videos will be available for $30 for one: $10 for each additional tape. (415) 397-3939. SEA LIONS -- California sea lions, nicknamed "Sea Lebrities,'' "hauled out'' on Pier 39's K-Dock shortly after the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake and by January of 1990 had taken over the docks. Due to a plentiful supply of herring and a protected environment, the population has grown and now reaches as many as 900 during the winter months. Weather permitting, free educational talks are provided by Marine Mammal Center volunteers on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Free. (415) 705-5500.
"Tony n' Tina's Wedding," ongoing. The original interactive comedy hit where audience members play the roles of "invited guests'' at a fun-filled wedding ceremony. The popular dinner comedy performs at Swiss Louis Italian Restaurant. Thursday-Saturday, 7 p.m.; Matinees: Thursday and Saturday, noon. $88.50-$115.50. (888) 775-6777, www.pier39shows.com.
Free. 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; certain attractions and shops have differing hours. The Embarcadero and Beach Street, San Francisco. (415) 623-5300, (800) SEADIVE, www.pier39.com.<
SHELTON THEATER
"Shopping! The Musical," by Morris Bobrow, ongoing. A quick-paced musical about those obsessed with buying things. Friday-Saturday, 8 p.m. $27-$29. (800) 838-3006, www.shoppingthemusical.com.
Big City Improv, ongoing. 10 p.m. Fridays. $20. (510) 595-5597, www.bigcityimprov.com.
533 Sutter St., San Francisco. (415) 433-1227, www.sheltontheater.com or www.sheltontheater.com.<
THE STUD
"Trannyshack," ongoing. A drag cabaret show that incorporates popular music, dance, props and outrageous humor into a stage show. Hosted by Heklina. Tuesday, midnight. $7. (415) 252-7883, www.heklina.com/.
399 Ninth St., San Francisco. <
A GREAT GOOD PLACE FOR BOOKS
Andrew Smith, Lewish Buzbee, Nov. 12, 7 p.m. "The Marbury Lens'' and "The Haunting of Charles Dickens.''
Sudipta Badhan-Quallen, Nov. 13, 11 a.m. "Quakenstein Hatches a Family.''
Kathy Saade Kenny, Nov. 17, 7 p.m. "Katrina in Five Worlds.''
6120 LaSalle Ave., Oakland. (510) 339-8210, www.ggpbooks.com.<
BOOKS INC., ALAMEDA
Ann Wertz Garvin, Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m. "On Maggie's Watch.''
Jan Watten, Nov. 13, 7 p.m. Local photographer and artist displays her prints and discusses her recent Artist Profile in Black and White Magazine.
Allen Klein, Nov. 18, 7:30 p.m. "Change Your Life.''
Jerri Lange, Adam David Miller, Nov. 19, 7:30 p.m. The authors read and discuss their memoirs.
Free. Readings at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 1344 Park St., Alameda. (510) 522-2226, www.booksinc.net.<
BOOKS INC., BERKELEY
Michele Norris, Nov. 15, 7 p.m. "Grace of Silence: A Memoir.''
Twinkie Chan, Nov. 16, 7 p.m. "Twinkie Chan's Crochet Goodies for Fashion Foodies.''
Robert Michael Pyle, Nov. 17, 7 p.m. "Mariposa Road: The First Butterfly Big Year.''
Katrina Vanden Heuvel, Nov. 18, 7 p.m. "The Victim's Return.''
Tom Hudgens, Nov. 19, 7 p.m. "The Commonsense Kitchen.''
Bobby Flay, Nov. 20, 1 p.m. "Bobby Flay's Throwdown!: More Than 100 Recipes from Food Network's Ultimate Cooking Challenge.''
1760 4th Street, Berkeley. (510) 525-7777, www.booksinc.net.<
DIESEL, A BOOKSTORE
Grace Marie Grafton, Steven Nightingale, Nov. 14, 3 p.m. "Other Clues" and "The Light in Them is Permanent.''
Poetry Flash: Steven Nightingale, Grace Marie Grafton, Nov. 14, 3 p.m. "The Light in Them is Permanent'' and "Other Clues.''
5433 College Avenue, Oakland. (510) 653-9965.<
EASTWIND BOOKS
May-Lee Chaiy, Nov. 13, 3 p.m. "Dragon Chica, A Novel.''
2066 University Ave., Berkeley. (510) 548-2350.<
KENSINGTON LIBRARY
Marya Ashworth, Nov. 16, 6:30 p.m. "Marigold: Book One of Elven Chronicles.''
61 Arlington Ave., Kensington. (510) 524-3043, www.ccclib.org.<
MILLS COLLEGE
Eileen Myles, Nov. 16, 5:30-7 p.m. "The Inferno: A Poet's Novel.''
5000 Macarthur Blvd., Oakland. (510) 430-2296, www.mills.edu.<
MOE'S BOOKS
Sandra Park, Shawna Yang, Nov. 16. "If you live in a Small House" and "Water Ghosts.''
10 a.m.-11 p.m. daily. Readings take place at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2476 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley. (510) 849-2087, www.moesbooks.com.<
MRS. DALLOWAY'S
Matthew Levesque, Nov. 19, 7:30 p.m. "The Revolutionary Yardscape.''
Peter Balakian, Nov. 21, 4 p.m. "Ziggurat.''
2904 College Avenue, Berkeley. (510) 704-8222.<
NEFELI CAFI
Barbara Lyon, Andrew MacRae, Robin Michel, Nov. 12, 7 p.m. The authors read their poetry.
1854 Euclid Avenue, Berkeley. (510) 841-6374.<
PEGASUS BOOKS DOWNTOWN
"Draw Blood: The Songs of Warren Zevon," Nov. 17, 7:30 p.m. Free.
2349 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 528-3254.<
BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE
"Flamenco Gitano," Nov. 16 and Nov. 17, 7:30 p.m.
www.bayareaflamencofestival.com.
2025 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 647-2949, (888) 4BR-Ttix, www.berkeleyrep.org.<
MALONGA CASQUELORD CENTER
"AXIS Dance Company and inkBoat present ODD," Nov. 12 through Nov. 14, 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; 2 p.m. Sun. $10-$22. www.axisdance.org.
1428 Alice St., Oakland. <
"SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA AFRICAN DANCE, DRUM AND CONCERT FESTIVAL," -- through Nov. 14. A variety of performances and events take place througout the festival; see website for complete details.
BRAVA THEATER CENTER
"Duniya Dance and Drum Company and Ensambles Ballet Folklorico's Half Halves," Nov. 13 and Nov. 14, 7 p.m. Sat.; 2 p.m. Sun. $15-$20.
2781 24th St., San Francisco. (415) 647-2822, www.brava.org.<
COUNTERPULSE
"2nd Sundays," ongoing. 2-4 p.m. Sun. Sept. 12: Philein Wang, ZiRu Tiger Productions, Tammy Cheney, Lenora Lee. Free.
"Ampey!" through Nov. 21, 8 p.m. Thu.-Sat.; 3 p.m. Sun. New works by Adia Tamar Whitaker. $14-$24.
1310 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 626-2060, www.counterpulse.org.<
COWELL THEATER AT FORT MASON CENTER
"Afsaneh Art & Culture Society presents Encounters: New Moon on the Silk Road," Nov. 20, 8 p.m. Sat.; 3 p.m. Sun. $18-$25.
Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. (415) 345-7575, www.fortmason.org.<
DANCE MISSION THEATER
"Manifestival For Social Change: Like Oil and Water -- From Gaza to the Gulf," Nov. 12 through Nov. 20, 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Dances that explore the intersection of art, politics and spiritual practice. $20-$36.
3316 24th St., San Francisco. (415) 826-4441, www.dancemission.com.<
HERBST THEATRE
"Viver Brasil's Feet On The Ground," Nov. 12, 8 p.m. $25-$65.
401 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 392-4400, www.cityboxoffice.com.<
PENA PACHAMAMA
"Flamenco Thursdays" with Carola Zertuche, ongoing. 8:30 p.m. Thursdays Music and dance with performers of traditional flamenco. $10.
Brisas de Espana Ballet Flamenco, ongoing. 6:15 and 7:15 p.m. Sun. $10-$15.
For ages 21 and older. 1630 Powell St., San Francisco. (415) 646-0018, www.penapachamama.com.<
YERBA BUENA CENTER FOR THE ARTS The center's visual arts exhibitions feature contemporary art and popular culture by local, national and international artists. There are four rounds of exhibitions in the galleries each year.
Sankai Juku, through Nov. 14, 8 p.m. Thu.-Sat.; 2 p.m. Sun. A Butoh dance troupe performs. $35-$60.
$3-$6; free the first Tuesday of every month. Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday, noon-8 p.m. 701 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 978-2787, www.ybca.org.<
MEYEROVICH GALLERY
"Jim Dine at 75, Classic Symbols: Hearts, Robes & Venuses," through Dec. 31.
Free. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 251 Post St., San Francisco. (415) 421-7171, www.meyerovich.com.<
CALVARY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
San Francisco Choral Society, Nov. 13 and Nov. 14, 8 p.m. Sat.; 4 p.m. Sun. Works by Durufle, Faure and Milhaud. $25-$31. www.cityboxoffice.com.
2515 Fillmore St., San Francisco. (415) 346-3832, www.calvarypresbyterian.org.<
COMMUNITY MUSIC CENTER
"Faculty Chamber Music Series," Nov. 14, 4 p.m. Works by Steffan, Mozart and Brahms. $10-$15.
"John Brown's Truth," Nov. 21, 3:30 p.m. A multi-genre opera by William Crossman. $10-$15.
544 Capp St., San Francisco. (415) 647-6015, www.sfcmc.org.<
HERBST THEATRE
Marco Pereira and Brasil Guitar Duo, Nov. 13, 8 p.m. $24-$38.
George Komsky, Nov. 21, 7:30 p.m. $30-$40.
401 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 392-4400, www.cityboxoffice.com.<
LEGION OF HONOR MUSEUM DOCENT TOUR PROGRAMS -- Tours of the permanent collections and special exhibitions are offered Tuesday through Sunday. Non-English language tours (Italian, French, Spanish and Russian) are available on different Saturdays of the month at 11:30 a.m. Free with regular museum admission. (415) 750-3638.
ONGOING CHILDREN'S PROGRAM --
"Doing and Viewing Art," ongoing. For ages 7 to 12. Docent-led tours of current exhibitions are followed by studio workshops taught by professional artists/teachers. Students learn about art by seeing and making it. Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to noon; call to confirm class. Free with museum admission. (415) 750-3658.
ORGAN CONCERTS -- ongoing. 4 p.m. A weekly concert of organ music on the Legion's restored 1924 Skinner organ. Saturday and Sunday in the Rodin Gallery. Free with museum admission. (415) 750-3624.
$6-$10; free for children ages 12 and under; free for all visitors on Tuesdays. Tuesday-Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Lincoln Park, 34th Avenue and Clement Street, San Francisco. (415) 750-3600, (415) 750-3636, www.legionofhonor.org.<
MISSION DOLORES Take a self-guided tour of the historic mission. Originally titled Mission San Francisco de Assisi, Mission Dolores is one of a chain of missions in California begun by Father Junipero Serra in 1776. The mission chain, a day's walk apart, stretches from San Diego to San Rafael. Mission Dolores was built in 1776.
San Francisco Mandolin Orchestra, Nov. 13, 7:30 p.m. $10-$15. www.sfmandolin.org.
$2-$3; $5 additional for Audio Tour. Daily, May 1-Oct. 31: 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; November 1-April 30: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Good Friday: 9 a.m.-12noon, Easter Sunday: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. 3321 16th St., San Francisco. (415) 621-8203, www.missiondolores.org.<
OLD ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL
Claire Tremblay, Nov. 16, 12:30 p.m.
$5 donation requested. 660 California St., San Francisco. www.oldsaintmarys.org/.<
SAN FRANCISCO OPERA
"Madama Butterfly," by Giacomo Puccini, through Nov. 27. Nicola Luisotti conducts. 8 p.m. Oct. 12, 15, 23, 29, Nov. 5, Nov. 27; 7:30 p.m. Oct. 20, 26, Nov. 11, Nov. 17; 2 p.m. Nov. 14 and Nov. 21. $20-$360.
"Cyrano de Bergerac," through Nov. 12. Starring Placido Domingo. See website for performance dates and times.
"The Makropulos Case," through Nov. 28. Sung in Czech with English supertitles. 7:30 p.m. Nov. 10, 24; 8 p.m. Nov. 13, 16, 20; 2 p.m. Nov. 28. $20-$360.
$25 to $245 unless otherwise noted. War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 864-3330, www.sfopera.com.<
SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY
Rufus Wainwright, through Nov. 13, 8 p.m. Works by Wainwright, Milhaud, and Weill $15-$140.
"Richard Strauss' Four Last Songs," Nov. 17 through Nov. 21, 8 p.m. Wed., Fri., Sat.; 2 p.m. Sun. Michael Tilson Thomas conducts soprano Elza Van Den Heever. $15-$140.
$25-$130. Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 864-6000, www.sfsymphony.org.<
SEVENTH AVENUE PERFORMANCES
Broceliande, Nov. 13, 7:30 p.m. $15-$20.
1329 7th Ave., San Francisco. (415) 664-2543, www.sevenperforms.org.<
ST. MARK'S LUTHERAN CHURCH
Tanya Tomkins, Nov. 21, 4 p.m. $25-$28. www.sfems.org.
1111 O'Farrell St., San Francisco. (415) 928-7770, www.stmarks-sf.org.<
ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL
"Sunday Afternoon Recitals," ongoing. 3:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted. Sept. 5: Travis Baker.
Sept. 12: Christoph Tietze.
California Baroque Ensemble, Nov. 14, 3:30 p.m.
Angela Kraft Cross, Nov. 21, 3:30 p.m.
$5 suggested donation. 1111 Gough St., San Francisco. (415) 567-2020, www.stmarycathedralsf.org.<
YERBA BUENA CENTER FOR THE ARTS The center's visual arts exhibitions feature contemporary art and popular culture by local, national and international artists. There are four rounds of exhibitions in the galleries each year.
Del Sol String Quartet, Nov. 13, 8 p.m. $15-$25.
$3-$6; free the first Tuesday of every month. Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday, noon-8 p.m. 701 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 978-2787, www.ybca.org.<
Verismo Opera
"Rigoletto" Nov. 14, 3 p.m. $15
Hilside Club, 2286 Cedar St. at Arch, Berkeley
Tickets: Brown Paper Tickets, 800-838-3006<
CAL PERFORMANCES All performances in Zellerbach Hall unless otherwise noted.
Ensemble Zellig, Nov. 7, 2 p.m. Concert takes place in Hertz Hall. $42.
Zellerbach Hall, University of California, Berkeley, Bancroft Way at Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley. (510) 642-9988, www.calperformances.net.<
CROWDEN MUSIC CENTER
Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, Nov. 14, 4 p.m. Works by Ravel and Schubert. $15; 18 and under free.
1475 Rose St., Berkeley. (510) 559-6910, www.crowden.org.<
FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER
"Schumann Festival," Nov. 20, 2-8 p.m. Five events celebrating the music of Robert Schumann. $10-$32.
4444 Railroad Ave., Pleasanton. (925) 931-4848, www.firehousearts.org.<
HERTZ HALL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
University of California Alumni Chorus, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m. A "Silver Jubilee'' concert; works by Copland, Debussy, Mozart and more. $6-$20.
Bancroft Way and College Ave., Berkeley. (510) 642-4864, www.music.berkeley.edu.<
JAZZSCHOOL
Solo Piano Night, Nov. 12, 8 p.m. $15.
Chelle and Friends, Nov. 13, 8 p.m. $15.
Alter Ego, Nov. 14, 4:30 p.m. $12.
Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 4:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2087 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 845-5373, www.jazzschool.com.<
OAKLAND EAST BAY SYMPHONY
"Opening Weekend," Nov. 19 and Nov. 20, 8 p.m. Works by Narada Michael Walden and others; special guest Carlos Santana. $25-$70.
$15-$67. Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland. (510) 625-8497, (415) 421-8497, www.oebs.org.<
PERFORMING ARTS THEATER, EL CERRITO HIGH SCHOOL
Berkeley West Edge Opera presents "Handel's Xerxes,'' Nov. 13 through Nov. 21, 8 p.m. Nov. 13 and 19; 2 p.m. Nov. 21. $22-$69. (510) 841-1903, www.berkeleyopera.org.
540 Ashbury Ave., El Cerrito. <
Zenshinza at Zellerbach; Palomino at the Aurora; SubShakes Reads
Zenshinza at Zellerbach
Zenshinza Theater Company from Tokyo, a 68-member company, will present two performances this weekend at Zellerbach Hall: Saturday at 8 p. m. two Kabuki plays, the famed aragoto ("rough style"--heroic, with exaggerated make-up and gestures) drama, Narukami (1724), one of the 18 most prized plays in kabuki repertory, in which a beautiful princess seduces an outspoken priest--and Chatsubo, adapted from an older, classical Kyogen farce, with a country bumpkin, a thief and a magistrate disputing over a teachest carried to the city ... and on Sunday, a modern historical drama, Honen and Shinran, about the two monks who created a popular form of Buddhism in the 13th century, one that worked with the common people. Tickets start at $48 (some discounts apply). 642-9988; calperfs.berkeley.edu
But why a troupe producing both highly stylized Kabuki, a survival of the 17th through 19th century Edo (Tokyo) Shogunate, and modern historical drama.
"The genesis of Zenshinza begins when Kabuki actors traveled to the Soviet Union in 1928 and met [theatrical innovator Konstantin] Stanislavsky," said Robert Hori, producer of Zenshina's current American tour. "We forget that the Soviet Union was as much a neighbor of Japan--and the United States!--as Europe.
"At that time," Hori went on, "Japanese were questioning the relevance of their traditional culture--were grappling with tradition to make it relevant. Zenshina was one of the first theaters to show both kinds of drama, to put on Chekhov and Ibsen besides kabuki plays ... its actors were among the first kabuki actors to appear in motion pictures before the Second World War. It's what we'd call cross-over now."
Zenshinza 's modern plays were influenced by the workers' theaters they'd experienced in the USSR. "Their name in Japanese means Progressive Theater." And the play about two Buddhist monks, who started lay religious orders, much like St. Francis and St. Dominic in Europe at the same time, to work with common people, fulfills that goal.
"Honen was disturbed when his father, a provincial official who was assassinated, told him with his last words, 'Don't hate the enemy!' How could someone of the warrior caste say that? Shinran was bothered that the clerics of the time didn't serve the poor, sick, the disenfranchised of the cities. They broke the tradition of monastic Buddhism and made a total revolution--a popular revolution--in Japanese Buddhism."
Zenshinza is touring the play, written just a few years ago, "because there's so much religious strife today. It's relevant. These monks asked what the purpose of religion was."
The influence of the visit of the Kabuki actors went both ways. "In Sergei Eisenstein's movies," Hori noted, "There're poses and expressions by the actors that are like the mie, the special pose in Kabuki, when an actor moves in a stylized way, crosses his eyes and stands like a statue, stopping the play for a moment." Eisenstein was a student of V. S. Meyerhold, the great theater director, who said "The Grotesque is a triumph of Form over Content." Filmmaker Raul Ruiz, speaking at the Pacific Film Archive, once admiringly called silent film poses and expressions,like those in Eisenstein, "the grimace."
"Both the Kabuki drama, of a princess seducing a priest, and the modern play about two monks who cahnge Buddhism, ask questions about religion," Hori concluded, "But even deeper--what is it to be human? I'll close with a Zen koan about a priest who confines himself to a hermitage. The woman who serves him has her doubts about his holiness, and sends her daughter in to help on a cold day, saying 'Give him a hug!'; The priest casts the young woman aside--and her mother says, 'You're supposed to be in touch with reality, not just thinking about yourself. You're not the real thing.'--and burns the hermitage down!"
Zenshinza performers will appear in a free lecture-demo that will include Kabuki music, fight choreography, costume and make-up, 3 p. m. Friday at the Berkeley Art Museum, Durant entrance (by the Cafe and the former site of the Pacific Film Archive).
* * *
Palomino at the Aurora
Wearing a short-brimmed fedora, David Cale begins to intone in a mild brogue the tale of an Irish carriage driver in Central Park, of his sexual adventures--as well as attachments and detachments they lead to--when a female procurer boards his carriage and pitches the life of a call-boy for wealthy women to him. The easy-going pace of the storyteller underlines the disparities of the stories themselves, which appear in an unusually clear focus. Later, that slightly unsettling transparence is explained: the driver was keeping a diary, with intent to write a book.
Palomino, playing through December 5 at the Aurora, entertains with the funny edge Cale gets between voyeurism, personal interest--and even concern, in his relation to the audience. He plays Kieran, the Irishman drifter, from a loveless home who's avoided love; Vallie, the middle-aged Australian immigrant widow who becomes attached, asking Kieran to accompany her here, there and elsewhere--and, fleetingly, his first "job," as well as the object of a spontaneous seduction he makes while traveling with Vallie, and an amusing, pantomimed caricature of the procuress--plus a middle-aged gay publisher who figures in obliquely, yet becomes the story's closer. The characters are penciled in with a relaxed directness that still makes one curious who they're really talking to, as they freely tell about their lives and encounters with the others.
It's a little like a better-than-average New Yorker story: sentimentalism with tongue in cheek, pretending to be anti-sentimental. Where it could exploit the overlap of storytelling and theater--the distortions that appear when different accounts, different perspectives of the same events are aired--Palomino falls into a kind of false naivite, covering for its lack of depth with lengthy exposition of a popular psychology bent, sometimes allowing something of the comment-free quality of great storytelling to ring true (one character's reaction to abandonment in a breakdown remembering another kind of desertion), other times talking on and on past an obvious closing line--one of them being, "It's a girl!"
The very first solo show, at least in English--Emlyn Williams' performances of Charles Dickens on his reading tours--both demonstrated and exploited the tension and the complementary qualities between theater and storytelling with brilliance. Cale, another solo showman from Britain--and good at what he does--never takes it so far, backtracking into a kind of banality just as he starts to approach the borderline territory that Antonioni put on film ... the inexplicable, ineffable gaps and connections between people.
(Palomino at the Aurora, 2081 Addison near Shattuck. $15-$45. 843-4822; auroratheatre.org )
* * *
SubShakes Reads
Subterranean Shakespeare presents, in their staged reading series Shakespeare's Contemporaries, The Revenger's Tragedy (1607), ascribed to Cyril Tourneur (but undoubtedly by Thomas Middleton), a black comedy of Elizabethan-Jacobean revenge dramas--a great favorite of Antonin Artaud. Directed by Planet reviewer Ken Bullock, featuring David Kester, Jeff Trescott, Keith Jefferds, Pat Parker, Holly Bradford, Matthew Surrence, Howard Dillon, Kate Jopson, Max Chervin. 7:30 p. m. (doors open at 7), Monday November 15, Berkeley Unitarian Fellowship, 1924 Cedar at Bonita (upstairs in side building, gate on Bonita). $8. 276-3871
SubShakes is continuing with their polling of Shakespeare's Top Ten, the next reading series, which will play from February 7 till April 25, the Bard's birthday. To vote (Bay Area residents only), submit your Top Ten plays by Shakespeare to: shakestopten@gmail.com
Last night I sat next to this woman on an airplane. She was frenetic, sometimes frantic, and irrepressible, half in her own head, and talking incessantly. Bit of an overbite with a lower lip that seldom had any part in forming the words, resulting in a lisping sibilance that smacked of the girl that people avoided in high school and still do in the supermarket line. Apparel of the bag-lady quality. Sitting next to her began as torture, but in overhearing snatches of her story, and with a little heartbreaking mishap that brought all the passengers together, I grew quite fond of her during the hour and ten minute flight. She sort of made beauty out of loss.
The flight occurred at The Marsh in Berkeley on Allston off Shattuck. Ann Randolph creates this semi-loony, sex-crazed character in LOVELAND which has been extended through December 11.
Randolph’s heroine is Franny Potts who is a performance artist living in Hollywood. The kind of performance artist whose art of making faces to music is so quirky that you think it’s a joke until you start to get mesmerized by it. The trip she takes us on is about her wheel-chair-bound, alcohol-loving mom back in Ohio, and all the characters she meets when she has to put her mom in the nursing home, her visits, and the final plane ride home.
It makes this reviewer wish he had never used the words “transformed” or “morphed” before, so he could bring that cherry value to this review. Randolph changes character in body, voice, and gesture so seamlessly and utterly that it astonishes. The Southern Real Estate Lady, the too-calm Social Worker, the Business Man sitting next to her on the plane, many more, including her mom who always gestures with that permanent imaginary cigarette and who faces her fate and Alzheimer’s head-on with pure candor and a gravelly voice—the cast is enormous for a one-person show.
Theatre is an older person’s game. When I see a non-gray head in the audience, I take note. So this theatre audience was primed for the topic. With a mom who was born before Prohibition but still running her house, and with twice-a-day telephone calls, I’m lucky—for now. We’ve all visited someone in a nursing home, and vowed, “Not me…never me.” Having a reality that you push away from your mind several times per day rubbed in your face is most uncomfortable, but Randolph makes you laugh uproariously in spite of yourself.
The homeopathic theory of drama proposes that in seeing the play, we experience the trauma vicariously and thereby get a little inoculated to it from the exposure; thus, when it befalls us, we can better withstand its pain. The theory further suggests that in witnessing the heroine’s noble way of dealing with it, we are provided with a model to emulate when fortune serves up the inevitable. Randolph’s LOVELAND is proof of this theory on stage twice a week.
Some performances you just don’t forget. I think this will be one of them.
Ann Randolph’s Loveland
at The Marsh Berkeley
2120 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA
Fridays at 7 pm, Saturdays at 5 pm through December 11.
16+, no infants.
For Tickets Call 800-838-3006
For Info Call 415-826-5750 or www.themarsh.org
Written and performed by Ann Randolph and directed by Matt Roth.
John A. McMullen II reviews for the BDP. Comments to eyefromtheaisle@gmail.com EJ Dunne edits.
Now that the excitement over the Giants victory and the elections has mercifully subsided, normalcy has finally returned to the East Bay. If you feel the need to "lighten up" and lift your spirits, there's a lot going on in November; you just have to make choices.
Music lovers will be happy to hear of the Season Opening of the Oakland East Bay Symphony, with Michael Morgan as Director. Appearing at the Paramount Theatre on Friday, November 19 and Saturday, November 20 at 8 p.m. will be well known guitarist, Carlos Santana, performing three of his own selections. Tickets are priced at $25 and up.
A very special Holiday event will be the 25th Anniversary Celebration Concert of the Interfaith Gospel Choirs on Saturday, December 4th at 7:30 p.m. On Sunday, December 19, the Oakland Interfaith Youth Gospel Choir will present its own 14th Annual Holiday Concert. What better way to start the holiday season? For tickets, call (510) 465-6400.
If art is your great love, it would be well worth your time to take in the Exhibit at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, presently showcasing artwork pilfered by the Nazis. This show features 40 paintings from the art collection of the late respected art dealer, Jacques Goudsgtikker, who died in 1940 after fleeing Holland to escape the Nazis. The Museum is located at 736 Mission Street, S.F. (415) 655-7800.
The Women's Faculty Club on the U.C. campus will offer its final performance of "Arts in the Afternoon" on Tuesday, November 9th at 4 p.m. Professor Mary Elizabeth Berry will speak on "Flowers of the Four Seasons: Ten Centuries of Art from the Clark Center for Japanese Art and Culture.” This event, open to the public, is followed by a luscious dessert buffet in the Club's Dining Room. Enjoying the warm ambience of this gracious Club is a treat in itself.
Looking for something on the racy side? The City Commons Club of Berkeley offers a program on Mae West at their Friday Luncheon on November 12th.Jennifer King will speak on "Mae West, America's Actress, Dancer, and Entertainer Extraordinaire" in the Venetian Room of the lovely Julia Morgan City Club, 2315 Durant Avenue. Lunch is served from 11:45 to12:15 for $16.50.Or, if you prefer only to hear the speech, for $1.00 you can have a cup of coffee and join in on the discussion that follows.
For drama lovers, "Playreading for Adults" is offered every Wednesday from 12 - 1 p.m. in the Berkeley Public Library, with Debbie Carton, Music and History Librarian in charge. The play currently being read and enacted is the tender and very moving classic, "Cyrano"
Appearing at the Contra Costa Musical Theatre is the Drama Desk Award play, "The Story of My Life", described as a "bittersweet musical.” It plays through November 28th, at 8 p.m., and 2 p.m. on Sundays, November 14, 21 and 28.Tickets are $15 - $24.For reservations, call (510) 524-9132.
Tony Kushner's Pulitzer Prize winning show, "Angels in America" will have a 20th anniversary production by the Saint Mary's College Performing Arts Department, opening at 7:30 p.m. November 11th in LeFevre Theatre, 1928 St. Mary's Road, Moraga. There will be a free staged reading of "Perestroika" at 7 p.m. November 14 and 16, and 2 p.m., November 20 in the Hagerty Lounge.
The Berkeley Playhouse is staging "Cinderella Enchanted", the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, at the Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, 2640 College Avenue, Berkeley,
7:30 p.m. on Fridays, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturdays, and noon and 5 pm. Sundays through December 5th.For tickets, call (510) 845-8542, ext. 397.
Of a heavier nature, Handel's "Xerxes" will be presented November 13, 19 and 21 at the Berkeley Public Library, with free admission.
Would you like to know more about the world of Islam? On Sunday, November 14 at 3 p.m., the Bay Area Arabic Music Ensemble presents a concert of music, dance and poetry at the Islamic Cultural Center, 1433 Madison Street, downtown Oakland. Tickets are priced from $10 to $50.This is a benefit for Middle East Children's Alliance. (510) 58-0542
If you fancy Flamenco music, get yourself over to Fort Mason for "Theatre Flamenco", the 44th Annual "Una Nota Flamenca" on November 12 and 13 at8 p.m and November 14, 2 p.m. This program in the Cowell Theatre will present special guest artists from Spain.
For all you dedicated, insatiable readers, you need no reminder of the wonderful book readings at Mrs. Dalloway's, Moe's Book Store, and Diesel Books. Likewise, you also need no reminder of the Wednesday Noon Concerts at Hertz Hall from 12:15 - 1 p.m., offering superb recitals and performers -- all for free.
No doubt I've overlooked several outstanding entertainment possibilities but hopefully you'll find one or two of the above that strike your fancy.
924 GILMAN ST. All ages welcome.
Cruel Hand, Backtrack, Crucified, Secret People, Not Sorry, Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m. $8.
Dezu, Dona Canchis, Jokes for Feelings, Nov. 13, 7 p.m. $10.
Outbreak, Hour of the Wolf, Wolves and Thieves, Smarbomb, At Our Heels, Nov. 14, 5 p.m. $10.
Excruciator, 2nd Class Citizens, Potential Threat, Sarcosis, II Malocchio, Nov. 20, 7 p.m. $10.
$5 unless otherwise noted. Shows start Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 924 Gilman St., Berkeley. (510) 525-9926, www.924gilman.org.<
ALBATROSS PUB
Whiskey Brothers, ongoing. 9 p.m. First and third Wednesdays. Free.
Michelle Pollace, Nov. 13, 9:30 p.m. $3.
Free unless otherwise noted. Shows begin Wednesday, 9 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 1822 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. (510) 843-2473, www.albatrosspub.com.<
ARMANDO'S
Blues Jam, ongoing. 7 p.m. $3.
Jeffrey Halford and The Healers, Nov. 12, 8-11 p.m. $10.
Tip of the Top, Nov. 13, 8-11 p.m. $10.
Thomas Martin and Friends, Nov. 14, 3-6 p.m. $10.
Jazz Jam, Nov. 15, 7-10 p.m. $3.
Houston Jones, Nov. 19, 8-11 p.m. $10.
The Dangerous Martini Quartet, Nov. 20, 8-11 p.m. $10.
707 Marina Vista Ave., Martinez. (925) 228-6985, www.armandosmartinez.com.<
ASHKENAZ
The Caribbean Allstars, Nov. 13, 9 p.m. $10-$13.
Jessica Fichot, Nov. 17, 9 p.m. $10-$12.
Sean Hodge Trio, Old Agoura, Yaqueline & Jamie, MC Wavy Gravy, Nov. 18, 10 p.m. $5.
The Rastafarians, Nov. 19, 9 p.m. $12-$15.
Mark St. Mary Louisiana Blues, Zydeco Band, Nov. 20, 9 p.m. $10-$13.
Flameco Open Stage, ongoing. 7:30 p.m. $10.
Red Hot Chachkas, Nov. 21, 3-4:30 p.m. $4-$6.
1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. (510) 525-5054, www.ashkenaz.com.<
BECKETT'S IRISH PUB
3 Shots of Whiskey, Nov. 13.
The Adrian Gormley Jazz Trio, Nov. 18.
Justin Anchetta, Nov. 19.
D'giin, Nov. 20.
Free. Shows at 10 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2271 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 647-1790, www.beckettsirishpub.com.<
BLAKE'S ON TELEGRAPH
The Pentacles, Average Height Children, Slow Trucks, Nov. 19, 9 p.m. $10.
For ages 18 and older unless otherwise noted. Music begins at 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2367 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley. (510) 848-0886, www.blakesontelegraph.com.<
CHOUINARD VINEYARDS AND WINERY The winery features an exhibit of stone craft and baskets honoring the rich culture of the Ohlone Indians. Palomares Canyon was a summer home to the Ohlone Indians. The exhibit also includes historical photos and artifacts that document more recent colorful inhabitants to the canyon."Music at Chouinard," ongoing. 4:30-8:30 p.m. on select Sundays June-August. The rest of the year features live music in the tasting room on the second Sunday of each month. Enjoy the best of Bay Area artists at Chouinard. Bring your own gourmet picnic (no outside alcoholic beverages). Wines are available for tasting and sales. $40 per car.
Free. Tasting Room: Saturdays-Sundays, noon-5 p.m. 33853 Palomares Road, Castro Valley. (510) 582-9900, www.chouinard.com.<
FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER
Mark Levine and the Latin Tinge, Nov. 12, 8 p.m. $15-$25.
4444 Railroad Ave., Pleasanton. (925) 931-4848, www.firehousearts.org.<
FREIGHT AND SALVAGE
"Freight Open Mic," ongoing. Tuesdays. $4.50-$5.50.
David Berkeley, Nov. 12. $18.50-$19.50.
"Singsong Planet: Octopretzel, Orange Sherbet, VaSt," Nov. 13, 11 a.m. $8.50-$9.50.
Cheryl Wheeler, Jill Sobule, Nov. 13, 8 p.m. $26.50-$27.50.
Larry Hanks, Deborah Rollins, Nov. 14. $18.50-$19.50.
West Coast Songwriters Competition, ongoing. 7:30 p.m. $6.50-$7.50.
Willy Porter, Nov. 17. $18.50-$19.50.
Del Rey, Suzy Thompson, Nov. 18. $18.50-$19.50.
Dennis Kamakahi, Nov. 19. $20.50-$21.50.
The Waybacks, Absynth Quintet, Nov. 20. $20.50-$21.50.
Red Horse: Eliza Gilkyson, John Gorka, Lucy Kaplansky, Nov. 21. $30.50-$31.50.
Music starts at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 548-1761, www.freightandsalvage.org.<
JAZZSCHOOL
"Solo Piano Night," Nov. 12, 8 p.m. $15.
CHELLE!, Nov. 13, 8 p.m. $15.
Alter Ego, Nov. 14, 4:30 p.m. $12.
Vocal Jam Session, ongoing. 7:30 p.m. $5-$10.
Fundraiser for the Mark Murphy Vocal Jazz Scholarship, Nov. 15, 8 p.m. Features: Madeline Eastman, Laurie Antonioli, Kenny Washington, Kellye Gray and more. Event takes place at Yoshi's, 510 Embaradero West Jack London Square, Oakland. $15-$25. (510) 238-9200.
Mana Humana, Nov. 19, 8 p.m. $12.
"Mandala: The Music of Keith Jarrett," Nov. 20, 8 p.m. $15.
"Happy Hour Jam," Nov. 21, 7:30 p.m. $5-$10.
Wayne Wallace, Nov. 21, 4:30 p.m. $15.
Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 4:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2087 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 845-5373, www.jazzschool.com.<
JUPITER
"Americana Unplugged," ongoing. 5 p.m. Sundays. A weekly bluegrass and Americana series.
"Jazzschool Tuesdays," ongoing. 8 p.m. Tuesdays. Featuring the ensembles from the Berkeley Jazzschool. www.jazzschool.com.
Terrence Brewer Trio, Nov. 12, 8 p.m.
Beep! Trio, Nov. 13, 8 p.m.
Macabea, Nov. 19, 8 p.m.
Ravi Abcarian Group, Nov. 20, 8 p.m.
8 p.m. 2181 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 843-8277, www.jupiterbeer.com.<
KIMBALL'S CARNIVAL
"Monday Blues Legends Night," ongoing. 8 p.m.-midnight. Enjoy live blues music every Monday night. Presented by the Bay Area Blues Society and Lothario Lotho Company. $5 donation. (510) 836-2227, www.bayareabluessociety.net.
522 2nd St., Jack London Square, Oakland. <
THE NEW PARISH
Cold War Kids, Nov. 12, 9 p.m. $22.50-$25.
Sandman, Isis Genisis, Los Rakas, Dominique Jones, Nov. 13, 10 p.m. $8-$12.
Faun Fables, The Cairo Gang, Nov. 14, 9 p.m. $10-$13.
LoCURA, Nov. 19, 9:30 p.m. $8-$12.
Kings Go Forth, Nov. 20, 9:30 p.m. $7-$10.
The Thermals, White Fang, Nov. 21, 8:30 p.m. All Ages. $14-$16.
579 18th St., Oakland. (510) 444-7474, www.thenewparish.com.<
ROUND TABLE PIZZA
East Bay Banjo Club, ongoing. 7:30-9:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Free.
1938 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill. (925) 930-9004.<
SHATTUCK DOWN LOW For ages 21 and older.
"Live Salsa," ongoing. Wednesdays. An evening of dancing to the music of a live salsa band. Salsa dance lessons from 8-9:30 p.m. $5-$10.
"Thirsty Thursdays," ongoing. 9 p.m. Thursdays. Featuring DJ Vickity Slick and Franky Fresh. Free.
San Quinn, DaVinci, Roach Gigz, St. Spittin, The Fam, Young Gully, Nov. 12, 9 p.m. $15-$20.
DJ's Flow, Champino, Jawbreaker and Bittersweet, Nov. 13, 9 p.m. $5.
Don Carlos, DJ's Smoke One and Kurious, Nov. 14, 9 p.m. $15-$20.
Orquestra Borinquen, Nov. 17, 8:30 p.m. $10.
"Damn Gina," ongoing. 9 p.m. Free.
"Shepeople's First Anniversary Celebration," Nov. 19, 9 p.m. $15-$25.
"King of King's," Nov. 21, 9 p.m. $10.
2284 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 548-1159, www.shattuckdownlow.com.<
STARRY PLOUGH PUB
The Starry Irish Music Session led by Shay Black, ongoing. Sundays, 8 p.m. Sliding scale.
Ziva, Birdmonster, Melatones, Kate Kilbane, Nov. 12, 9 p.m.
"Children's Hospital Benefit Concert," Nov. 13, 2 p.m.
Kevin Beadles, Left Coasting, Chingus, Nov. 13, 9 p.m.
Captain Charlie, Spooky Flowers, Nov. 18, 9 p.m. $8.
Amendola, Blades, Skerik, Baby Gramps, Nov. 19, 9 p.m. 410.
Moetar, Joe Rut, Kenney Fresno, Nov. 20, 9 p.m. $8.
For ages 21 and over unless otherwise noted. Sunday and Wednesday, 8 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday, 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 3101 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 841-2082, www.starryploughpub.com.<
UPTOWN NIGHTCLUB
Bang Data, Nov. 19, 9 p.m. $10.
Hella Gay, ongoing. 9 p.m. $7.
1928 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. (510) 451-8100, www.uptownnightclub.com.<
YOSHI'S
Hiromi Solo, Nov. 12 through Nov. 14, 8 and 10 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; 2 and 7 p.m. Sun. $5-$20.
"2nd Annual Mark Murphy Love Fest," Nov. 15, 8 p.m. Features: Madeline Eastman, Laurie Antonioli, Kenny Washington and Kellye Gray. $15-$25.
Nnenna Freelon, Nov. 16 through Nov. 17, 8 p.m. Tues.; 8 and 10 p.m. Wed. $12-$20.
Goapele, Nov. 18 through Nov. 21, 8 and 10 p.m. Thurs.-Sat.; 7 and 9 p.m. Sun. $24-$28.
Shows are Monday through Saturday, 8 and 10 p.m.; Sunday, 2 and 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted. 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland. (510) 238-9200, www.yoshis.com.<
ASIAN ART MUSEUM OF SAN FRANCISCO The Asian Art Museum-Chon-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture recently unveiled its new building in San Francisco's Civic Center. The building, the former San Francisco Public Library, has been completely retrofitted and rebuilt to house San Francisco's significant collection of Asian treasures. The museum offers complimentary audio tours of the museum's collection galleries. "In a New Light," ongoing. There are some 2,500 works displayed in the museum's new galleries. They cover all the major cultures of Asia and include Indian stone sculptures, intricately carved Chinese jades, Korean paintings, Tibetan thanksgas, Cambodian Buddhas, Islamic manuscripts and Japanese basketry and kimonos.
ONGOING FAMILY PROGRAMS --
Storytelling, Sundays and the first Saturday of every month, 1 p.m. This event is for children of all ages to enjoy a re-telling of Asian myths and folktales in the galleries. Meet at the Information Desk on the Ground Floor. Free with general admission.
"Target Tuesday Family Program," first Tuesday of every month. Free with general admission.
"Family Art Encounter," first Saturday of every month, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Drop in to make art related to the museum's collection. Children must be accompanied by an adult. In the Education Studios. Free with admission.
DOCENT-LED ART TOURS -- The museum's docents offer two types of tours: a general introduction to the museum's collection and a highlight tour of specific areas of the collection. Free with museum admission.
ARCHITECTURAL GUIDES -- Tuesday through Sunday at noon and 2:30 p.m., Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Learn about the former Main Library's transformation into the Asian Art Museum on this 40-minute tour. Free with museum admission.
RESOURCE CENTER -- Tuesday through Sunday, 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Watch a video, or learn more about Asian art with slide packets, activity kits and books. Free with museum admission.Free with general admission unless otherwise noted.
"Japan's Early Ambassadors to San Francisco, 1860-1927," through Nov. 21. Timed to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the ship Kanrin Maru and the first Japanese embassy to the United States, this thematic exhibit focuses on some of the first Japanese diplomats and cultural emissaries in San Francisco, and how they responded to the experience of being in America.
$7-$12; free children under age 12; $5 Thursday after 5 p.m.; free to all first Sunday of each month. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. 200 Larkin St., San Francisco. (415) 581-3500, www.asianart.org.<
BEAT MUSEUM Formerly located on the California coast in Monterey, the Beat Museum now sits in historic North Beach. The Museum uses letters, magazines, pictures, first editions and more to explore the lives of leading beat figures such as Jack Kerouac, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg, Neal Cassady and many others. A gift shop and bookstore are open to the public free of charge."North Beach Walking Tour,", ongoing. A 90-minute walking tour of North Beach with Beat Museum curator Jerry Cimimo. See the bars, coffeehouses, homes, and other Beat-related highlights of North Beach. Call for info. $15.$4-$5. Monday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. CLOSED MONDAY. 540 Broadway, San Francisco. (800) KER-OUAC, www.kerouac.com.<
CABLE CAR MUSEUM The museum is located in the historic Cable Car Barn and Powerhouse. Visitors can see the actual cable winding machinery, grips, track, cable and brakes, as well as three historic cable cars, photo displays and mechanical artifacts. The best way to get to this museum is by cable car; street parking is practically non-existent.Free. April 1-Sept. 30: daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 1-March 31, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 1201 Mason St., San Francisco. (415) 474-1887, www.cablecarmuseum.org.<
CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
"Nightlife," ongoing. 6 p.m. Thursdays. Every Thursday night, the Academy transforms into a lively venue filled with provocative science, music, mingling and cocktails, as visitors get a chance to explore the museum.
"Where the Land Meets the Sea," ongoing. Exhibition features sculpture by Maya Lin.
BENJAMIN DEAN LECTURE SERIES -- ongoing.
$14.95-$24.95. Daily, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. (415) 379-8000, www.calacademy.org.<
CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
HISTORY WALKABOUTS -- ongoing. A series of monthly walking tours that explore the history, lore and architecture of California with veteran tour guide Gary Holloway. Walks take place rain or shine so dress for the weather. Reservations and prepayment required. Meeting place will be given with confirmation of tour reservation. Tour price includes admission to the Museum.
MUSEUM -- ongoing. The museum's permanent collection is made up of the Fine Arts Collection, consisting of 5,000 works of art that represent the history of California from pre-Gold Rush days to the early decade of the 20th century; and The Photography Collection, containing nearly a halfmillion images in an array of photographic formats documenting the history of California in both the 19th and 20th centuries. The Library and Research Collection contain material relating to the history of California and the West from early exploration time to the present including texts, maps, and manuscripts.
"Landscape and Vision: Early California Painters from the Collections of the California Historical Society," open-ended. An exhibit of oil paintings including a large number of early landscapes of California, from the museum's collection.
"Think California," through Feb. 5, Wed.-Sat. noon-4:30 p.m. An exhibition highlighting the colorful history of California through the institution's remarkable collection of artwork, artifacts and ephemera. Themes include: Coming to California, Scenic Splendors, Earthquakes, Floods and Volcanoes, and more. $1-$3; members are always free.
"Think California," through Feb. 5. Exhibition features artworks, artifacts and ephemera exploring California's colorful history.
$1-$3; free children under age 5. Wednesday-Saturday, noon-4:30 p.m. 678 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 357-1848 X229, www.californiahistoricalsociety.org.<
CHINESE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA The CHSA Museum and Learning Center features a permanent exhibition, "The Chinese of America: Toward a More Perfect Union'' in its Main Gallery, and works by Chinese-American visual artists in its Rotating Galleries. "Leaders of the Band," ongoing. An exhibition of the history and development of the Cathay Club Marching Band, the first Chinese American band formed in 1911.$1-$3; free children ages 5 and under; free for all visitors first Thursday of every month. Tuesday-Friday, noon-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, noon-4 p.m. 965 Clay St., San Francisco. (415) 391-1188, www.chsa.org.<
DE YOUNG MUSEUM The art museum has now reopened in a new facility designed by Swiss architecture firm Herzog and de Meuron and Fong and Chan Architects in San Francisco. It features significant collections of American art from the 17th through the 20th centuries; modern and contemporary art; art from Central and South America, the Pacific and Africa; and an important and diverse collection of textiles.
"Van Gough, Gauguin, Cezanne and Beyond: Post-Impressionist Masterpieces from the Musee d'Orsay," ongoing. Exhibit open through Jan. 18, 2011.
LECTURES AND SYMPOSIA -- ongoing.
"Pat Steir: After Hokusai, after Hiroshige," through Jan. 30. Exhibition shows the continued influence of the Japanese print on Western artists into the late twentieth century.
"To Dye For: A World Saturated in Color," through Jan. 9. Exhibition features over 50 textiles and costumes from the Fine Arts Museums' comprehensive collection of textiles from Africa, Asia and the Americas.
$6-$10; free for children ages 12 and under; free for all visitors the first Tuesday of every month. Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday-Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-5:15 p.m.; Friday, 9:30 a.m.-8:45 p.m. Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco. (415) 863-3330, www.deyoungmuseum.org.<
GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM The museum is a project of the GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender) Historical Society.EXHIBITS -- ongoing.
$2-$4. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. 657 Mission St., Suite 300, San Francisco. (415) 777-5455, www.glbthistory.org.<
INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM OF WOMEN 101 Howard Street, Suite 480, San Francisco. (415) 543-4669, www.imow.org/home/index.<
LEGION OF HONOR MUSEUM DOCENT TOUR PROGRAMS -- Tours of the permanent collections and special exhibitions are offered Tuesday through Sunday. Non-English language tours (Italian, French, Spanish and Russian) are available on different Saturdays of the month at 11:30 a.m. Free with regular museum admission. (415) 750-3638.
ONGOING CHILDREN'S PROGRAM --
"Doing and Viewing Art," ongoing. For ages 7 to 12. Docent-led tours of current exhibitions are followed by studio workshops taught by professional artists/teachers. Students learn about art by seeing and making it. Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to noon; call to confirm class. Free with museum admission. (415) 750-3658.
ORGAN CONCERTS -- ongoing. 4 p.m. A weekly concert of organ music on the Legion's restored 1924 Skinner organ. Saturday and Sunday in the Rodin Gallery. Free with museum admission. (415) 750-3624.In the Gould Theater unless otherwise noted. $4 after museum admission unless otherwise noted. (415) 682-2481.
"Sunday Jazz Brunch," ongoing. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. $21-$53.
$6-$10; free for children ages 12 and under; free for all visitors on Tuesdays. Tuesday-Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Lincoln Park, 34th Avenue and Clement Street, San Francisco. (415) 750-3600, (415) 750-3636, www.legionofhonor.org.<
MARKET STREET RAILWAY MUSEUM ongoing. The museum will permanently display a variety of artifacts telling the story of San Francisco's transportation history, including dash signs, fare boxes, a famed Wiley "birdcage'' traffic signal and more.
Free. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 77 Steuart St., San Francisco. (415) 956-0472, www.streetcar.org.<
MEXICAN MUSEUM ongoing.
THE MEXICAN MUSEUM GALLERIES AT FORT MASON CENTER ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED --
The Mexican Museum holds a unique collection of 12,000 objects representing thousands of years of Mexican history and culture within the Americas. The permanent collection, the Museum's most important asset and resource, includes five collecting areas: Pre-Conquest, Colonial, Popular, Modern and Contemporary Mexican and Latino, and Chicano Art. The Museum also has a collection of rare books and a growing collection of Latin American art.
Fort Mason Center, Building D, Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. (415) 202-9700, www.mexicanmuseum.org.<
MUSEO ITALOAMERICANO ongoing. The museum, dedicated to the exhibition of art works by Italian and Italian-American artists, has a small permanent collection of paintings, sculptures, photographs and works on paper by such renowned artists as Beniamino Buffano, Sandro Chia, Giorgio de Chirico and Arnaldo Pomodoro.
DOCENT TOURS -- Wednesdays, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Free.
$2-$3; free children under age 12; free to all first Wednesday of the month. Wednesday-Sunday, noon -4 p.m.; first Wednesday of the month, noon-7 p.m. Fort Mason Center, Building C, Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. (415) 673-2200, www.museoitaloamericano.org.<
MUSEUM OF ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS AT SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY Free. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Humanities Building, Room 510, SFSU, Font Boulevard and Tapia Drive, San Francisco. (415) 405-0599, www.sfsu.edu/~museumst/.<
MUSEUM OF PERFORMANCE AND DESIGN Free. Wednesday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Veterans Building, 401 Van Ness Avenue at McAllister, 4th Floor, San Francisco. (415) 255-4800, www.mpdsf.org.<
MUSEUM OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA A new museum exploring and celebrating the influence of the African Diaspora on global art and culture through interactive, permanent and changing exhibits and special programs. The museum occupies the first three floors of the new St. Regis Hotel at Third and Mission streets.
PERMANENT EXHIBITS --
"Celebrations: Rituals and Ceremonies," "Music of the Diaspora,'' "Culinary Traditions,'' 'Adornment,'' "Slavery Passages,'' and "The Freedom Theater.''"Urban Kidz Film Series," ongoing. Noon-3 p.m. An offshoot of the San Francisco Black Film Festival, featuring a striking assemblage of short and feature films designed to spark the imaginations of the 5-to-12-year-old set. $10 adults; children free. (415) 771-9271.$5-$8; free children age 12 and under. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; CLOSED MARCH 13 THROUGH MARCH 21. 685 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 358-7200, www.moadsf.org.<
NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM LIBRARY (THE J. PORTER SHAW MARITIME LIBRARY) ongoing. Closed on federal holidays. The library, part of the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park, focuses on sail and steam ships on the West Coast and the Pacific Basin from 1520 to the present. The museum library holdings include a premiere collection of maritime history: books, magazines, oral histories, ships' plans and the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park's 250,000 photographs.
Free. By appointment only, Monday-Friday, 1-4 p.m., and the third Saturday of each month 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Fort Mason Center, Building E, Third Floor, Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. (415) 560-7080, (415) 560-7030, www.nps.gov/safr.<
PACIFIC HERITAGE MUSEUM ongoing. The museum presents rotating exhibits highlighting historical, artistic, cultural and economic achievements from both sides of the Pacific Rim. The museum features a permanent display documenting the history and significance of the Branch Mint and Subtreasury buildings.
Free. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 608 Commercial St., San Francisco. (415) 399-1124.<
RANDALL MUSEUM "Earthquake Exhibit," ongoing. Learn about plate tectonics. Make a small quake by jumping on the floor to make a "floor quake'' that registers on the seismometer in the lobby. See the basement seismometer that registers quakes around the world. Walk through a full-size earthquake refugee shack that was used to house San Franciscans after the 1906 earthquake that destroyed so many homes.
"Creativity and Discovery Hand in Hand," ongoing. A photography exhibit that gives visitors a look into the wide variety of programs the Museum offers in the way of classes, workshops, school field trips, and special interest clubs.
"Toddler Treehouse," ongoing. Toddlers may comfortably climb the carpeted "treehouse'' and make a myriad of discoveries, from the roots to the limbs.
"Live Animal Exhibit," ongoing. Visit with more than 100 creatures including small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, raptors and small birds, insects, spiders and tide pool creatures. "Saturdays Are Special at the Museum," ongoing. Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A series of drop-in ceramics and art and science workshops. All ages are welcome, though an adult must accompany children under age 8. $3 per child, $5 per parent-child combination.
"Bufano Sculpture Tours," first and third Saturdays of the month, 10:15 a.m. A tour of the giant animal sculptures of Beniamino Bufano. The sculptures were carved out of stone in the 1930s and include a giant cat and a mother bear nursing her cubs.
"Animal Room," ongoing. Visit some of the animals that live at the museum, including reptiles, raptors, tide pool creatures and small mammals.
"Meet the Animals" Saturdays, 11:15 a.m. to noon. See the Randall's animals close-up and in person.
"Animal Feeding," Saturdays, noon. Watch the animals take their meals.
"Golden Gate Model Railroad Exhibit," Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
DROP-IN ART AND SCIENCE WORKSHOPS -- ongoing. 1-4 p.m. $3-$5. "Drop-in Family Ceramics Workshop," ongoing. Saturday, 10:15-11:15 a.m. $5.
"Film Series for Teenagers," ongoing. Fridays, 7 p.m.
"Golden Gate Model Railroad Exhibit," ongoing. Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
"Meet the Animals," ongoing. Saturdays, 11:15 a.m. Learn about the animals that live at the Randall Museum.
"Third Friday Birders," ongoing. 8 a.m. The hike through Corona Heights Park allows participants to enjoy the early morning views and learn more about the feathered inhabitants of the area. Children aged 10 and older if accompanied by adult.
"Meet the Animals," ongoing. 11:15 a.m.-noon.
"Animal Feeding," ongoing. Saturday, noon.
"Drop-in Family Ceramics Workshop," ongoing. Saturday, 1:15-2:15 p.m.
Free. All ages welcome; an adult must accompany children under age 8. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; CLOSED ON CHRISTMAS. 199 Museum Way, San Francisco. (415) 554-9600, www.randallmuseum.org.<
SAN FRANCISCO CABLE CAR MUSEUM ongoing. The museum is located in the historic Cable Car Barn and Powerhouse. Visitors can see the actual cable winding machinery, grips, track, cable and brakes, as well as three historic cable cars, photo displays and mechanical artifacts. The best way to get to this museum is by cable car; street parking is practically non-existent.
Free. October 1-March 31: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Daily; Closed on New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving and Christmas. 1201 Mason St., San Francisco. (415) 474-1887, www.cablecarmuseum.com.<
SAN FRANCISCO MARITIME NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK One of only a few "floating'' national parks, the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park includes four national landmark ships, a maritime museum, a maritime library and a World-War-II submarine named the USS Pampanito.
HYDE STREET PIER -- Demonstrations, ship tours, programs, music and special events offered throughout the day. Check ticket booth for schedule. At the foot of Hyde Street, Hyde and Jefferson streets.
Entering the Pier is free but there is a fee to board the ships.
HISTORIC SHIPS AT THE HYDE STREET PIER -- The historic ships at the Pier are the 1886 square-rigger "Balclutha,'' the 1890 steam ferryboat "Eureka,'' the 1895 schooner "C.A. Thayer'' (not available at this time due to restoration), the 1891 scow schooner "Alma,'' the 1907 steam tug "Hercules,'' and the 1914 "Eppleton Hall,'' a paddlewheel tug.
"Balclutha." This historic ship, a three-mast square-rigger, has undergone extensive repairs and preservation work. She now contains more original materials and fittings than any other historic merchant square-rigger in the United States. The Balclutha is a designated National Historic Landmark. At Hyde Street Pier.
"Eureka." Explore this 1890 ferryboat with a 40-foot walking-beam engine. The boat once carried passengers and autos across the San Francisco Bay. At Hyde Street Pier. Daily, call for times of boat tour.
"C.A. Thayer." A three-mast schooner used in the lumber and cod fishing trades. At Hyde Street Pier.
"Alma." Between 1850 and the early 1900s, the best highways around the San Francisco Bay area were the waterways and the delivery trucks and tractortrailer rigs of the time were the flat-bottomed scow schooners. Able to navigate the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta region's shallow creeks, sloughs and channels, the scows' sturdy hulls could rest safely and securely on the bottom providing a flat, stable platform for loading and unloading. Made of inexpensive Douglas fir, scow's designs were so simple they could be built by eye or without plans.
"Hercules." Tugs in the early part of the 20th century towed barges, sailing ships and log rafts between Pacific ports. Because prevailing north/west winds generally made travel up the coast by sail both difficult and circuitous, tugs often towed large sailing vessels to points north of San Francisco. In 1916 Hercules towed the C.A. Thayer to Port Townsend, Wash., taking six days to make the trip. At the end of the sail era, the Hercules was acquired by the Western Pacific Railroad Company and shuttled railroad car barges back and forth across San Francisco Bay until 1962.
"Eppleton Hall." Built in England, the steam side-wheeler plied the Wear and Tyne rivers of Northeast England. Designed to tow ocean-going colliers (coal-carrying sail vessels) the tugs saved transit time getting the sail vessels upriver to load. The side-wheelers were also used to tow newly built ships out to sea. From 1969 to 1979, the Eppleton Hall served as a private yacht. She was modified for an epic steam via the Panama Canal to San Francisco, passing through the Golden Gate in March of 1970.
HISTORIC SHIP AT FISHERMAN'S WHARF --
"USS Pampanito." This World-War-II-era submarine is berthed at Fisherman's Wharf. The submarine celebrated her 50th anniversary in November of 1993 and is perhaps best known for her participation in a "wolf pack'' attack on a convoy of enemy ships during World War II. The entrance fee includes a taped audio tour that describes what life on this submarine was like. At Pier 45, near foot of Taylor Street. Monday through Thursday, Sunday and holidays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. $9 general; $5 seniors, $4 active duty military, $4 youth ages 6 to 12; free children under age 6. (415) 775-1943. "Historic Ship Volunteer Work Party," Saturday, 9 a.m. Become part of an effort to preserve four of the park's nautical treasures. Work on a different ship each Saturday. Bring work clothes, work shoes and lunch. Call for meeting place. (415) 332-8409.
Unless noted otherwise, events take place on the Hyde Street Pier, located at the foot of Hyde Street on Jefferson Street.Current Exhibits at the Visitor Center:
"What's Your Pleasure? Recreational Boats of California's Past," openended. This exhibit includes 1940s Sacramento Hydroplanes, a Russian River launch from the 19th century, classic wooden motor launches and motor boats, and other smaller crafts.
"Hydroplanes and Racing Boats," open-ended. A small exhibit showcasing 1930s racing engines and hydroplane boats.
"Frisco Bound," an exhibition about immigration to San Francisco, clipper ships, and the Gold Rush era.
"Hyde Street Ship Models," an exhibit of models of the historic ships at the Hyde Street Pier.
"Discovery Room," a preview of the Maritime Library where visitors can look up documents and photographs.
(415) 447-5000."Adventures at Sea: Life Aboard a 19th century Sailing Ship," ongoing. Daily, 2:15 p.m.-3 p.m. Take a guided tour of the sailing ship Balclutha and learn about the hardships and awards of the sailors show fought for survival during the treacherous Cape Horn passage. Vessel admission.
"Animals of Hyde Street Pier," through Nov. 19, 3-3:30 p.m. Experience the sea life of Hyde Street Pier.
Dates: 11/1, 11/3, 11/5, 11/19. Free.
"Historic Waterfront Walking Tour," ongoing. 10:30-11:30 a.m. Park Rangerled, hour long tour of San Francisco's northern waterfront. Tour takes place on various days throughout November; see website for full details. Free.
"Sailing Adventure Aboard Scow Schooner ALMA," ongoing. 12:30-4:30 p.m. Three-hour educational, hands-on sailing program. Takes place on various days throughout the month; see website for full details. $20-$40; children under 6 are free.
"EUREKA Engine Room Tour," Nov. 13, 3-3:45 p.m. Take a Park Rander led tour of the ferryboat Eureka's engine room and get a close-up look at what makes a steam ferry run. $5; under 16 free.
"Small Craft Collection Tour," Nov. 13, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tour of small craft collection. Free.
"Bird Watching for Children and Beginners," Nov. 14, 10-11 a.m. Learn how to find and identify birds at Aquatic Park using binoculars and guidebooks. Free.
"Lighthouses of San Francisco Bay," Nov. 21, 3:15-4 p.m. An illustrated talk on the lighthouses of San Francisco Bay. Free.
VISITOR CENTER -- ongoing. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Daily
Entering the Pier is free but there is a fee to board the ships. The fee allows access to all ships and is good for seven days. $5; free children under age 16. May 28-Sept. 30: daily, 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; Oct. 1-May 27: Daily, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Foot of Hyde Street, San Francisco. (415) 561-7100, www.nps.gov.<
SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF CRAFT AND DESIGN A museum celebrating and promoting the art of contemporary craft and design. The museum showcases diverse exhibitions from regional, national and international artists, working in mediums such as wood, clay, fiber, metal and glass.TEMPORARILY CLOSED.
$2-$4; free youths under age 18. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 550 Sutter St., San Francisco. (415) 773-0303, www.sfmcd.org.<
SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART "Matisse and Beyond: The Painting and Sculpture Collection," ongoing. This newly reconceived exhibition of SFMOMA's modern art collection features paintings, sculptures and works on paper from the first 60 years of the 20th century. Featured artists include: Joseph Cornell, Ellsworth Kelly, Yves Klein, Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo, Piet Mondrian, Pablo Picasso, Diego Rivera, Andy Warhol and Paul Klee.
"Between Art and Life: The Contemporary Painting and Sculpture Collection," ongoing. This new presentation of the SFMOMA collection features works from the past five decades by Louise Bourgeois, Robert Gober, Eva Hesse, Anish Kapoor, Sherrie Levine, Brice Marden, Gordon Matta-Clark, Barry McGee, Bruce Nauman, Robert Rauschenberg and Kara Walker.
"The Art of Design: Selections from the Permanent Collection of Architecture and Design," ongoing. The exhibit will feature 100 selections from their architecture, graphic design and industrial design collections on a rotating basis. It features classic works plus new designs by up-andcoming artists.
"Picturing Modernity: Photographs from the Permanent Collection," ongoing. Photography is possibly the quintessential modern art medium because its 160-year history corresponds almost exactly with Modernism's duration as a cultural movement. This exhibit looks at the photograph's unique pictorial ability and its ever-growing pervasiveness in modern culture, putting the medium in dialogue with paintings and other kinds of art.
KORET VISITOR EDUCATION CENTER -- This facility includes multimedia display technology, "Pick Up and Go'' guides for adults and children, art videos, and a community art gallery created by participants in school, teen and family programs. Thursday, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Jesse Hazelip, through Nov. 13. Artists Gallery showcases the work of the Oakland-based artist.
$7-$12.50; half price on Thursdays after 6 p.m.; free for all visitors on the first Tuesday of every month. Monday, Tuesday and Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m.-5:45 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-8:45 p.m. 151 Third St., San Francisco. (415) 357-4000, www.sfmoma.org.<
SAN FRANCISCO PERFORMING ARTS LIBRARY AND MUSEUM ongoing. "Dance in California: 150 Years of Innovation," ongoing. This permanent exhibit traces the history and artistic range of modern dance in California, with photographs and documents highlighting the achievements of Lola Montez, Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, Martha Graham, the Christensen brothers, the Peters Wright School, the company of Lester Horton, Anna Halprin and Lucas Hoving.
"Maestro! Photographic Portraits by Tom Zimberoff," ongoing. This permanent exhibit is a comprehensive study of a generation of national and international conductors. In Gallery 5.
"San Francisco 1900: On Stage," ongoing. In Gallery 4.
"San Francisco in Song," ongoing. In Gallery 3.
Free. Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 1-5 p.m. San Francisco War Memorial Veteran's Building, 401 Van Ness Ave., Fourth Floor, San Francisco. (415) 255-4800, www.sfpalm.org.<
SEYMOUR PIONEER MUSEUM ongoing. The museum, owned by The Society of California Pioneers, houses a permanent research library, art gallery and history museum. Exhibits include a photography collection documenting California history.
$1-$3. Wednesday-Friday and the first Saturday of the month, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Society of California Pioneers, 300 Fourth St., San Francisco. (415) 957-1859, www.californiapioneers.org.<
TREGANZA ANTHROPOLOGY MUSEUM AT SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY ongoing. The museum, founded in 1968, houses collections of archaeological and ethnographic specimens from Africa, Oceania, Asia, and North America as well as small collections from Central and South America. There are also collections of photographs, tapes and phonograph records from Africa and Europe. In addition, there is an archive of field notes and other materials associated with the collections. The museum also houses the Hohenthal Gallery that is used for traveling exhibits as well as exhibits mounted by students and faculty.
Free. Museum office: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-noon and 1 p.m.-4 p.m.; Hohenthal Gallery, SCI 388: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Science Building, SFSU, 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco. (415) 338-2467, www.sfsu.edu/~treganza/.<
ZEUM Zeum is a technology and arts museum for children and families featuring exhibits and workshops that cover a variety of fascinating subjects.$8-$10. 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday. 221 Fourth St., San Francisco. (415) 820-3220, www.zeum.org.<
ARDENWOOD HISTORIC FARM Ardenwood farm is a working farm that dates back to the time of the Patterson Ranch, a 19th-century estate with a mansion and Victorian Gardens. Today, the farm still practices farming techniques from the 1870s. Unless otherwise noted, programs are free with regular admission.
ONGOING PROGRAMS --
"Blacksmithing," Thursday, Friday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Watch a blacksmith turn iron into useful tools.
"Horse-Drawn Train," Thursday, Friday and Sunday. A 20-minute ride departs from Ardenwood Station and Deer Park.
"Animal Feeding," Thursday-Sunday, 3-4 p.m. Help slop the hogs, check the henhouse for eggs and bring hay to the livestock.
"Victorian Flower Arranging," Thursday, 10:15-11:30 a.m. Watch as Ardenwood docents create floral works of art for display in the Patterson House. "Country Kitchen Cookin'," ongoing. Sundays, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Enjoy the flavor of the past with treats cooked on Ardenwood's wood burning stove. Sample food grown on the farm and discover the history of your favorite oldtime snacks.
"Potato Harvesting," ongoing. Learn the spectacular history of this New World native as you dig with your spade and help find the spuds.
"Animal Feeding," ongoing. Thursday-Sunday, 3 p.m. Feed the pigs, check for eggs and bring hay to the livestock.
"Horse-Drawn Train Rides," ongoing. Thursday, Friday and Sunday, 10:15 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Meet Jigs or Tucker the Belgian Draft horses that pull Ardenwood's train. Check the daily schedule and meet the train at Ardenwood Station or Deer Park.
"Toddler Time," ongoing. Tuesdays, 11-11:30 a.m. Bring the tiny tots out for an exciting morning at the farm. Meet and learn all about a new animal friend through stories, chores and fun.
$1-$5; free children under age 4. Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont. (510) 796-0199, (510) 796-0663, www.ebparks.org.<
BAY AREA RAIL TRAILS ongoing. A network of trails converted from unused railway corridors and developed by the Rails to Trails Conservancy.
BLACK DIAMOND MINES REGIONAL PRESERVE RAILROAD BED TRAIL -- ongoing. This easy one mile long rail trail on Mount Diablo leads to many historic sites within the preserve. Suitable for walking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. Accessible year round but may be muddy during the rainy season. Enter from the Park Entrance Station parking lot on the East side of Somersville Road, Antioch.
IRON HORSE REGIONAL TRAIL -- ongoing. The paved trail has grown into a 23 mile path between Concord and San Ramon with a link into Dublin. The trail runs from the north end of Monument Boulevard at Mohr Lane, east to Interstate 680, in Concord through Walnut Creek to just south of Village Green Park in San Ramon. It will eventually extend from Suisun Bay to Pleasanton and has been nominated as a Community Millennium Trail under the U.S. Millennium Trails program. A smooth shaded trail suitable for walkers, cyclists, skaters and strollers. It is also wheelchair accessible. Difficulty: easy to moderate in small chunks; hard if taken as a whole.
LAFAYETTE/MORAGA REGIONAL TRAIL -- ongoing. A 7.65 mile paved trail converted from the Sacramento Northern Rail line. This 20-year old trail goes along Las Trampas Creek and parallels St. Mary's Road. Suitable for walkers, equestrians, and cyclists. Runs from Olympic Boulevard and Pleasant Hill Road in Lafayette to Moraga. The trail can be used year round.
OHLONE GREENWAY -- ongoing. A 3.75-mile paved trail converted from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railway. Suitable for walkers, strollers and skaters. It is also wheelchair accessible. The trail runs under elevated BART tracks from Conlon and Key Streets in El Cerrito to Virginia and Acton Streets in Berkeley.
SHEPHERD CANYON TRAIL -- ongoing. An easy 3-mile paved trail converted from the Sacramento Northern Rail Line. The tree-lined trail is gently sloping and generally follows Shepherd Canyon Road. Suitable for walkers and cyclists. It is also wheelchair accessible. Begins in Montclair Village behind McCaulou's Department Store on Medau Place and ends at Paso Robles Drive, Oakland. Useable year round.
Free. (415) 397-2220, www.traillink.com.<
BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL ongoing. The Bay Area Ridge Trail, when completed, will be a 400-mile regional trail system that will form a loop around the entire San Francisco Bay region, linking 75 public parks and open spaces to thousands of people and hundreds of communities. Hikes on portions of the trail are available through the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council. Call for meeting sites. ALAMEDA COUNTY -- "Lake Chabot Bike Rides." These rides are for strong beginners and intermediates to build skill, strength and endurance at a non hammerhead pace. No one will be dropped. Reservations required. Distance: 14 miles. Elevation gain: 1,000 feet. Difficulty: beginner to intermediate. Pace: moderate. Meeting place: Lake Chabot Road at the main entrance to the park. Thursday, 6:15 a.m. (510) 468-3582.
ALAMEDA-CONTRA COSTA COUNTY -- "Tilden and Wildcat Bike Rides." A vigorous ride through Tilden and Wildcat Canyon regional parks. Reservations required. Distance: 15 miles. Elevation gain: 2,000 feet. Difficulty: intermediate. Pace: fast. Meeting place: in front of the North Berkeley BART Station. Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. (510) 849-9650.
Free. (415) 561-2595, www.ridgetrail.org.<
BICYCLE TRAILS COUNCIL OF THE EAST BAY ongoing. The Council sponsors trail work days, Youth Bike Adventure Rides, and Group Rides as well as Mountain Bike Basics classes which cover training and handling skills. "Weekly Wednesday Ride at Lake Chabot," ongoing. Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. A 13- to 20-mile ride exploring the trails around Lake Chabot, with 1,500 to 2,000 feet of climbing. Meet at 6:15 p.m. in the parking lot across from the public safety offices at Lake Chabot in Castro Valley. Reservations requested. (510) 727-0613.
"Weekly Wednesday 'Outer' East Bay Ride," ongoing. Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. Ride some of the outer East Bay parks each week, such as Wild Cat Canyon, Briones, Mount Diablo, Tilden and Joaquin Miller-Redwood. Meeting place and ride location vary. Reservations required. (510) 888-9757.
Free. (510) 466-5123, www.btceb.org.<
BOTANIC GARDEN Intersection of Wildcat Canyon Road and South Park Drive, Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley. www.ebparks.org.<
CRAB COVE VISITOR CENTER At Crab Cove, you can see live underwater creatures and go into the San Francisco Bay from land. You can also travel back in time to Alameda's part. The goal is to increase understanding of the environmental importance of San Francisco Bay and the ocean ecosystem. Crab Cove's Indoor Aquarium and Exhibit Lab is one of the largest indoor aquariums in the East Bay."Catch of the Day," ongoing. Sundays, 2-3 p.m. Drop by to find out more about the Bay and its wildlife through guided exploration and hands-on fun.
"Sea Squirts," ongoing. 10-11:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Discover the wonders of nature with your little one. Registration is required. $6-$8.
"Sea Siblings," ongoing. Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Explore the natural world and take part in a theme related craft. Designed for the 3-5 year old learner. Registration is required. $4. (888) 327-2757.
Free unless otherwise noted; parking fee may be charged. 1252 McKay Ave., Alameda. (510) 521-6887, www.ebparks.org.<
DUNSMUIR HOUSE AND GARDENS HISTORIC ESTATE ongoing. Nestled in the Oakland hills, the 50-acre Dunsmuir House and Gardens estate includes the 37-room Neoclassical Revival Dunsmuir Mansion, built by coal and lumber baron Alexander Dunsmuir for his bride. Restored outbuildings set amid landscaped gardens surround the mansion.
ESTATE GROUNDS -- ongoing. Self-Guided Grounds Tours are available yearround. The 50 acres of gardens and grounds at the mansion are open to the public for walking Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Booklets and maps of the grounds are available at the Dinkelspiel House. Free.
GUIDED TOURS -- Docent-led tours are available on the first Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. (except for July) and Wednesdays at 11 a.m. $5 adults, $4 seniors and juniors (11-16), children 11 and under free.
Dunsmuir House and Gardens, 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland. (510) 615-5555, www.dunsmuir.org.<
FIFTY-PLUS ADVENTURE WALKS AND RUNS ongoing. The walks and runs are 3-mile round-trips, lasting about one hour on the trail. All levels of ability are welcome. The walks are brisk, however, and may include some uphill terrain. Events are held rain or shine and on all holidays except Christmas and the Fifty-Plus Annual Fitness Weekend. Call for dates, times and details.
Free. (650) 323-6160, www.50plus.org.<
FOREST HOME FARMS ongoing. The 16-acre former farm of the Boone family is now a municipal historic park in San Ramon. It is located at the base of the East Bay Hills and is divided into two parts by Oak Creek. The Boone House is a 22-room Dutch colonial that has been remodeled several times since it was built in 1900. Also on the property are a barn built in the period from 1850 to 1860; the Victorian-style David Glass House, dating from the late 1860s to early 1870s; a storage structure for farm equipment and automobiles; and a walnut processing plant.
Free unless otherwise noted. Public tours available by appointment. 19953 San Ramon Valley Blvd., San Ramon. (925) 973-3281, www.ci.sanramon. ca.us/parks/boone.htm.<
GARIN AND DRY CREEK PIONEER REGIONAL PARKS ongoing. Independent nature study is encouraged here, and guided interpretive programs are available through the Coyote Hills Regional Park Visitor Center in Fremont. The Garin Barn Visitor Center is open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. In late summer, the Garin Apple Festival celebrates Garin's apple orchards. The parks also allow picnicking, hiking, horseback riding and fishing.
Free; $5 parking fee per vehicle; $2 per dog. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. 1320 Garin Ave., Hayward. (510) 562-PARK, (510) 795-9385, www.ebparks.org/parks/garin.htm.<
GREENBELT ALLIANCE OUTINGS A series of hikes, bike rides and events sponsored by Greenbelt Alliance, the Bay Area's non-profit land conservation and urban planning organization. Call for meeting places. Reservations required for all trips.
ALAMEDA COUNTY --
"Self-Guided Urban Outing: Berkeley," ongoing. This interactive smart growth walking tour of central Berkeley examines some of the exciting projects that help alleviate the housing shortage in the city as well as amenities important to making a livable community. The walk, which includes the GAIA Cultural Center, Allston Oak Court, The Berkeley Bike Station, University Terrace and Strawberry Creek Park, takes between an hour-and-ahalf to two hours at a leisurely pace. Download the itinerary which gives specific directions by entering www.greeenbelt.org and clicking on "get involved'' and then "urban outings.'' Drop down and click on Berkeley. Free.
Free unless otherwise noted. (415) 255-3233, www.greenbelt.org.<
HAYWARD REGIONAL SHORELINE With 1,682 acres of salt, fresh and brackish water marshes, seasonal wetlands and the approximately three-mile San Lorenzo Trail, the Hayward Shoreline restoration project is one of the largest of its kind on the West Coast, comprising 400 acres of marshland. Part of the East Bay Regional Park District.Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. 3010 W. Winton Ave., Hayward. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org/parks/hayward.htm.<
HAYWARD SHORELINE INTERPRETIVE CENTER Perched on stilts above a salt marsh, the Center offers an introduction to the San Francisco Bay-Estuary. It features exhibits, programs and activities designed to inspire a sense of appreciation, respect and stewardship for the Bay, its inhabitants and the services they provide. The Habitat Room offers a preview of what may be seen outside. The 80-gallon Bay Tank contains some of the fish that live in the Bay's open waters, and the Channel Tank represents habitats formed by the maze of sloughs and creeks that snake through the marsh. The main room of the Center features rotating exhibits about area history, plants and wildlife. Part of the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District. "Exploring Nature," ongoing. An exhibit of Shawn Gould's illustrations featuring images of the natural world."Nature Detectives," ongoing. 11 a.m.-noon. An introduction and exploration of the world of Black-Crowned Night-Herons. Ages 3-5 and their caregivers. Registration required.
"Weekend Weed Warriors," ongoing. 1-4 p.m. Help the shoreline to eliminate the non-native plants that threaten its diversity. Ages 12 and older. Registration required.
"Waterfowl of the Freshwater Marsh," ongoing. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Join an expert birder to go "behind the gates'' to areas of the marsh that are not open to the public.
Free. Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 4901 Breakwater Ave., Hayward. (510) 670-7270, www.hard.dst.ca.us/hayshore.html.<
JOHN MUIR NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE The site preserves the 1882 Muir House, a 17-room Victorian mansion where naturalist John Muir lived from 1890 to his death in 1914. It was here that Muir wrote about preserving America's wilderness and helped create the national parks idea for the United States. The house is situated on a hill overlooking the City of Martinez and surrounded by nine acres of vineyards and orchards. Take a self-guided tour of this well-known Scottish naturalist's home. Also part of the site is the historic Martinez Adobe and Mount Wanda. Public Tours of the John Muir House, ongoing. Begin with an eight-minute park film and then take the tour. The film runs every 15 minutes throughout the day. Wednesday through Friday, 2 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.
MOUNT WANDA -- The mountain consists of 325 acres of grass and oak woodland historically owned by the Muir family. It offers a nature trail and several fire trails for hiking. Open daily, sunrise to sunset.
JOHN MUIR HOUSE, ongoing. Tours of this well-known Scottish naturalist's home are available. The house, built in 1882, is a 14-room Victorian home situated on a hill overlooking the city of Martinez and surrounded by nine acres of vineyards and orchards. It was here that Muir wrote about preserving America's wilderness and helped create the national parks idea for the United States. The park also includes the historic Vicente Martinez Adobe, built in 1849. An eight-minute film about Muir and the site is shown every 15 minutes throughout the day at the Visitor Center. Self guided tours of the Muir home, the surrounding orchards, and the Martinez Adobe: Wednesday-Sunday, 1 a.m.-5 p.m. Public tours or the first floor of the Muir home: Wednesday-Friday, 2 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Reservations not required except for large groups.
$3 general; free children ages 16 and under. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 4202 Alhambra Ave., Martinez. (925) 228-8860, www.nps.gov/jomu.<
KENNEDY GROVE REGIONAL RECREATION AREA ongoing. The 95-acre park contains picnic areas, horseshoe pits and volleyball courts among its grove of aromatic eucalyptus trees.
$5 parking; $2 per dog except guide/service dogs Through September: daily, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. San Pablo Dam Road, El Sobrante. (510) 223-7840, www.ebparks.org.<
LAKE CHABOT REGIONAL PARK ongoing. The 315-acre lake offers year-round recreation. Services include canoe and boat rental, horseshoe pits, hiking, bicycling, picnicking and seasonal tours aboard the Chabot Queen. For boat rentals, call (510) 247-2526.
Free unless noted otherwise; $5 parking; $2 per dog except guide/service dogs. Daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. 17930 Lake Chabot Road, Castro Valley. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.<
LINDSAY WILDLIFE MUSEUM This is the oldest and largest wildlife rehabilitation center in America, taking in 6,000 injured and orphaned animals yearly and returning 40 percent of them to the wild. The museum offers a wide range of educational programs using non-releasable wild animals to teach children and adults respect for the balance of nature. The museum includes a state-of-the art wildlife hospital which features a permanent exhibit, titled "Living with Nature,'' which houses 75 non-releasable wild animals in learning environments; a 5,000-square-foot Wildlife Hospital complete with treatment rooms, intensive care, quarantine and laboratory facilities; a 1-acre Nature Garden featuring the region's native landscaping and wildlife; and an "Especially For Children'' exhibit.
WILDLIFE HOSPITAL -- September-March: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hospital is open daily including holidays to receive injured and orphaned animals. There is no charge for treatment of native wild animals and there are no public viewing areas in the hospital.SPECIAL EVENTS -- ongoing.
$5-$7; free children under age 2. June 16-Sept. 15: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sun.; Sept. 16-June 15: noon.-5 p.m. Wed.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.<
LIVERMORE AREA RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT ongoing.
4444 East Ave., Livermore. (925) 373-5700, www.larpd.dst.ca.us/.<
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. SHORELINE ongoing. This 1,200-acre park situated near Oakland International Airport offers picnic areas with barbecues and a boat launch ramp. Swimming is not allowed. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Grove, a group of trees surrounding a grassy glade, is at the intersection of Doolittle Drive and Swan Way. The area also includes the 50-acre Arrowhead Marsh (part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network) and a Roger Berry sculpture titled "Duplex Cone,'' which traces the summer and winter solstice paths of the sun through the sky.
Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless otherwise posted Doolittle Drive and Swan Way, Oakland. (510) 562-PARK, Picnic reservations: (510) 636-1684, www.ebayparks.org.<
MILLER-KNOX REGIONAL SHORELINE ongoing. A 295-acre shoreline picnic area with a secluded cove and swimming beach, and a hilltop offering panoramic views of the north Bay Area.
Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless otherwise posted. 900 Dornan Dr., Richmond. (510) 562-PARK, Picnic Reservations: (510) 636-1684, www.ebparks.org.<
MOUNT DIABLO STATE PARK ongoing. The 3,849-foot summit of Mount Diablo offers great views of the Bay Area and an extensive trail system. Visitors to the park can hike, bike, ride on horseback and camp. Notable park attractions include: The Fire Interpretive Trail, Rock City, Boy Scout Rocks and Sentinel Rock, Fossil Ridge, Deer Flat, Mitchell Canyon Staging Area, Diablo Valley Overlook, the Summit Visitor Center (open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), the Art Gallery, the Observation Deck and the Mitchell Canyon Interpretive Center.
Free. $6 per vehicle park-entrance fee; $5 for seniors. Daily, 8 a.m. to sunset. Mount Diablo Scenic Boulevard, from the Diablo Road exit off Interstate Highway 680, Danville. (925) 837-2525, www.mdia.org or www.parks.ca.gov.<
OAKLAND ZOO The zoo includes a Children's Petting Zoo, the Skyride, a miniature train, a carousel, picnic grounds and a gift shop as well as the animals in site specific exhibits, which allow them to roam freely. Included are "The African Savanna,'' with its two huge mixed-animal aviaries and 11 African Savanna exhibits; the Mahali Pa Tembo (Place of the Elephant), with giraffes, chimpanzees and more than 330 other animals from around the world; "Simba Pori,'' Swahili for "Lion Country,'' a spacious 1.5-acre habitat offering both a savanna and woodland setting for African lions; "Footprints from the Past,'' an anthropology exhibit showcasing four million years of human evolution and an actual "footpath'' of the first hominids to emerge from the African savanna; "Sun Bear Exhibit,'' a stateof-the-art space the zoo has developed for its two sun bears; and Siamang Island, a state-of-the-art, barrier-free area that emulates the gibbons' native tropical rain forest habitat. Also see the Malayan Fruit Bats from the Lubee Bat Conservancy in Florida that are now roosting in trees at the zoo. In addition there are special exhibits and events monthly. "Valley Children's Zoo," ongoing. The three-acre attraction offers a completely interactive experience for both children and adults. The exhibits include lemurs, giant fruit bats, otters, reptiles, insects and more. Daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
"Endangered Species," ongoing. An exhibit of photographs about the most endangered animals on the Earth and what can be done to save them. At the Education Center. Open daily during zoo hours. ONGOING EVENTS --
"Valley Children's Zoo," ongoing. Daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The three-acre attraction will offer a completely interactive experience for both children and adults. The exhibits include lemurs, giant fruit bats, otters, reptiles, insects and more. Free with regular Zoo admission.
"Wildlife Theater," ongoing. Saturday, 11:45 a.m.; Sunday, 1:45 p.m. On Saturday mornings listen to a story and meet a live animal. On Sunday afternoon meet live animals and learn cool facts about them. Meet in the Lobby of the Zoo's Maddie's Center for Science and Environmental Education. Free with regular Zoo admission. (510) 632-9525, ext. 142."Wolf Cub Overnight," Nov. 19, 7 p.m. An overnight event specifically for Boy Scouts; satisfies Achievement 7. Tour the zoo at night and investigate how some common items are made and how much energy is saved by re-using and recycling them, all while playing games and having fun. $45 per person; preregistration required.
$7.50-11; free children under age 2; $6 parking fee. Daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Knowland Park, 9777 Golf Links Road, Oakland. (510) 632-9525, www.oaklandzoo.org.<
PLEASANTON RIDGE REGIONAL PARK ongoing. This 3,163-acre parkland is on the oak-covered ridge overlooking Pleasanton and the Livermore Valley from the west. A multi-purpose trail system accommodates hikers, equestrians and bicyclists.
Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Foothill Road, Pleasanton. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.<
POINT PINOLE REGIONAL SHORELINE ongoing. The 2,315-acre parkland bordering Pinole, Richmond and San Pablo offers views of Mount Tamalpais, the Marin shoreline and San Pablo Bay. There are trails through meadows and woods, and along the bluffs and beaches of San Pablo Bay. Visitors can hike, ride bikes or take the park's shuttle bus to reach the 1,250-foot fishing pier at Point Pinole.
$5 per vehicle; $4 per trailered vehicle; $2 per dog (guide/service dogs free). Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless otherwise posted. Giant Highway, Richmond. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.<
PREWETT FAMILY WATERPARK ongoing. There are pools and water slides for all ages, from the Tad Pool for toddlers to Boulder cove for older swimmers. In addition to fun pools and slides there are fitness pools for lessons and exercise, lawns for relaxing, locker rooms, community room and kitchen. Lap lanes are open year round. Food and beverages are not permitted in the park. Picnic tables are available outside the park.
$4-$11. Sunday through Friday: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; closed Aug.23-27, 30-31. 4701 Lone Tree Way, Antioch. (925) 776-3070, www.ci.antioch.ca.us/CitySvcs/Prewett.<
QUARRY LAKES REGIONAL RECREATION AREA ongoing. The park includes three lakes sculpted from former quarry ponds. The largest, Horseshoe Lake, offers boating and fishing, with a swim beach that will open in the spring. Rainbow Lake is for fishing only, and the third lake, Lago Los Osos, is set aside for wildlife habitat. In addition, there are hiking and bicycling trails that connect to the Alameda Creek Regional Trail. The park includes three lakes sculpted from former quarry ponds. The largest, Horseshoe Lake, offers boating and fishing, with a swim beach that will open in the spring. Rainbow Lake is for fishing only, and the third lake, Lago Los Osos, is set aside for wildlife habitat. In addition there are hiking and bicycling trails that connect to the Alameda Creek Regional Trail.
$5 parking; $2 per dog except guide/service dogs; boat launch fees; Park District fishing access permit fee of $3. Through Labor Day: daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sept. 6 through Sept. 30, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. 2100 Isherwood Way,, between Paseo Padre Parkway and Osprey Drive,, Fremont. (510) 795-4883, Picnic reservations:: (510) 562-2267, www.ebparks.org.<
REI CONCORD A series of lectures on hikes and outdoor equipment.
"Climbing the Indoor Wall," ongoing. Saturdays, noon-4 p.m.; Wednesdays, 6-8:30 p.m. $5.
"Free Bicycle Classes," ongoing. 2:30-3 p.m. Sundays. Learn how to remove a wheel, fix a flat and more.
Events are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 1975 Diamond Blvd., Concord. (925) 825-9400.<
REI FREMONT A series of lectures on hikes and outdoor equipment.
"Climb the Indoor Pinnacle," ongoing. 1-6 p.m. Saturdays. $5.
Events are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 43962 Fremont Blvd., Fremont. (510) 651-0305.<
ROBERT SIBLEY VOLCANIC REGIONAL PRESERVE ongoing. East Bay residents have several volcanoes in their backyard. This park contains Round Top, one of the highest peaks in the Oakland Hills.
Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. 6800 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.<
RUTH BANCROFT GARDEN One of America's finest private gardens, the Ruth Bancroft Garden displays 2,000 specimens from around the world that thrive in an arid climate. Included are African and Mexican succulents, New World cacti, Australian and Chilean trees, and shrubs from California.
DOCENT TOUR SCHEDULE -- ongoing. 10 a.m. Saturdays. Docent-led tours last approximately an hour and a half. Plant sales follow the tour. By reservation only. $7; free children under age 12.
SELF-GUIDED TOURS -- ongoing. 9:30 a.m.-noon Mon. - Thurs.; 9:30 a.m. Fri.; 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sat.; 5 p.m. Sunday. Self-guided tours last two hours. No reservations required for weekday tours; reservations required for Friday and Saturday tours. Plant sales follow the tours. $7; free children under age 12.
Gardens open only for tours and special events listed on the garden's telephone information line. 1500 Bancroft Road, Walnut Creek. (925) 210-9663, www.ruthbancroftgarden.org.<
SHADOW CLIFFS REGIONAL RECREATION AREA ongoing. The 296-acre park includes an 80-acre lake and a four-flume waterslide, with picnic grounds and a swimming beach. Water slide fees and hours: (925) 829-6230.
$6 per vehicle; $2 per dog except guide and service dogs. May 1 through Labor Day: daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; shortened hours for fall and winter. Stanley Boulevard, one mile from downtown, Pleasanton. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.<
SULPHUR CREEK NATURE CENTER A wildlife rehabilitation and education facility where injured and orphaned local wild creatures are rehabilitated and released when possible. There is also a lending library of animals such as guinea pigs, rats, mice and more. The lending fee is $8 per week. "Toddler Time," ongoing. Learn about animals by listening to stories and exploring. Themes vary by month. Call for schedule. $7 per family.
"Day on the Green Animal Presentations," ongoing. Meet an assortment of wild and domestic animals. Wildlife volunteers will present a different animal each day from possums to snakes, tortoises to hawks. Saturday and Sunday, 2:30 p.m.
CHILDREN'S EVENTS -- ongoing.
Free. Park: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Discovery Center: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Animal Lending Library: Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Wildlife Rehabilitation Center: daily, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 1801 D St., Hayward. (510) 881-6747, www.haywardrec.org/sulphur_creek.html.<
SUNOL REGIONAL WILDERNESS This park is full of scenic and natural wonders. You can hike the Ohlone Wilderness trail or Little Yosemite. There are bedrock mortars that were used by Native Americans, who were Sunol's first inhabitants."Sunol Sunday Hike," ongoing. Sundays, 1:30-3 p.m. A natural history walk in the wilderness.
"Sunol Sunday Hike," ongoing. Sundays, 1:30-3 p.m. A natural history walk in Sunol Regional Wilderness.
Free unless otherwise noted; $5 parking; $2 dog fee. Geary Road off Calaveras Road, six miles south of Interstate Highway 680, Sunol. (510) 652-PARK, www.ebparks.org.<
A GREAT GOOD PLACE FOR BOOKS
Sudipta Badhan-Quallen, Nov. 13, 11 a.m. "Quakenstein Hatches a Family.''
6120 LaSalle Ave., Oakland. (510) 339-8210, www.ggpbooks.com.<
ARDENWOOD HISTORIC FARM Ardenwood farm is a working farm that dates back to the time of the Patterson Ranch, a 19th-century estate with a mansion and Victorian Gardens. Today, the farm still practices farming techniques from the 1870s. Unless otherwise noted, programs are free with regular admission.
ONGOING PROGRAMS --
"Blacksmithing," Thursday, Friday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Watch a blacksmith turn iron into useful tools.
"Horse-Drawn Train," Thursday, Friday and Sunday. A 20-minute ride departs from Ardenwood Station and Deer Park.
"Animal Feeding," Thursday-Sunday, 3-4 p.m. Help slop the hogs, check the henhouse for eggs and bring hay to the livestock.
"Victorian Flower Arranging," Thursday, 10:15-11:30 a.m. Watch as Ardenwood docents create floral works of art for display in the Patterson House. "Horse-Drawn Train Rides," ongoing. Thursday, Friday and Sunday, 10:15 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Meet Jigs or Tucker the Belgian Draft horses that pull Ardenwood's train. Check the daily schedule and meet the train at Ardenwood Station or Deer Park.
"Toddler Time," ongoing. Tuesdays, 11-11:30 a.m. Bring the tiny tots out for an exciting morning at the farm. Meet and learn all about a new animal friend through stories, chores and fun.
"Animal Feeding," ongoing. Thursday-Sunday, 3 p.m. Feed the pigs, check for eggs and bring hay to the livestock.
"Country Kitchen Cookin'," ongoing. Sundays, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Enjoy the flavor of the past with treats cooked on Ardenwood's wood burning stove. Sample food grown on the farm and discover the history of your favorite oldtime snacks.
"Potato Harvesting," ongoing. Learn the spectacular history of this New World native as you dig with your spade and help find the spuds.
$1-$5; free children under age 4. Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont. (510) 796-0199, (510) 796-0663, www.ebparks.org.<
ASHKENAZ
Red Hot Chachkas, Nov. 21, 3-4:30 p.m. $4-$6.
1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. (510) 525-5054, www.ashkenaz.com.<
BAY POINT LIBRARY
"Monthly Craft Night," ongoing. 4-5 p.m. Last Friday of every month. Each month features a different themed craft.
Riverview Middle School, 205 Pacifica Ave., Pittsburg. (925) 458-9597.<
BLACKHAWK MUSEUM ongoing.
AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM -- The museum's permanent exhibition of internationally renowned automobiles dated from 1897 to the 1980s. The cars are displayed as works of art with room to walk completely around each car to admire the workmanship. On long-term loan from the Smithsonian Institution is a Long Steam Tricycle; an 1893-94 Duryea, the first Duryea built by the Duryea brothers; and a 1948 Tucker, number 39 of the 51 Tuckers built, which is a Model 48 "Torpedo'' four-door sedan. "International Automotive Treasures," ongoing. An ever-changing exhibit featuring over 90 automobiles.
"A Journey on Common Ground," ongoing. An exhibit of moving photographs, video and art objects from around the world exploring the causes of disability and the efforts of the Wheelchair Foundation to provide a wheelchair for every person in need who cannot afford one. Free Public Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. Docent-led guided tours of the museum's exhibitions.
$5-$8; free for children ages 6 and under. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Danville. (925) 736-2280, (925) 736-2277, www.blackhawkmuseum.org.<
BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP ongoing. An interactive place where children, and adults, can learn how a stuffed animal is made, then choose an animal pattern from the offering of bears, elephants, dogs and rabbits; stuff the chosen animal; dress it; and create a birth certificate. Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
$10-$25; clothing and accessories extra. Mondays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sundays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Broadway Plaza, 1248 Broadway, Walnut Creek. (925) 946-4697, www.buildabear.com.<
CHABOT SPACE AND SCIENCE CENTER State-of-the-art facility unifying science education activities around astronomy. Enjoy interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, indoor stargazing, outdoor telescope viewing and films.
ASK JEEVES PLANETARIUM -- ongoing. The planetarium features one of the most advanced star projectors in the world. A daily planetarium show is included with general admission. Call for current show schedule.
"Tales Of The Maya Skies," ongoing. "Tales of the Maya Skies'' is a new full-dome planetarium show that explores the cosmology of the ancient Maya, along with their culture and their contributions to astronomy. Starts November 21.
"Astronaut," ongoing. What does it take to be part of the exploration of space? Experience a rocket launch from inside the body of an astronaut. Explore the amazing worlds of inner and outer space, from floating around the International Space Station to maneuvering through microscopic regions of the human body. Narrated by Ewan McGregor. 25 min.
"Space NOW!", ongoing. Each week, this real-time ride through constellations, stars, and planets will reflect current happenings in our sky. Space NOW! will also tie in activities going on throughout the center. This is Chabot's first daytime guided tour of the universe.
"Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity," ongoing. Take a ride to the inside of a massive black hole and learn about the latest scientific evidence, which suggests that black holes are real. Narrated by Liam Neeson. Suitable for age 12 and older. Free with General Admission ticket.
"Immersive Space: Fly Through the Cosmos," ongoing. Fridays, 8 p.m. Experience the "digital universe'' in a new full-dome system. Travel to the nearest star and beyond in seconds.
"Secret of the Cardboard Rocket," ongoing. Take a journey through the solar system with two young adventurers who turn an old cardboard box into a rocket. Recommended for ages 5-10.
"The Search for Life: Are We Alone?" ongoing. A voyage from the ocean deep to the outer reaches of the cosmos in search of life, narrated by Harrison Ford.
"The Sky Tonight," ongoing. Saturdays, 8 p.m. Take a live tour of the starry sky overhead on the night of your visit. The show includes a look at constellations, planets and special celestial objects.
"Sonic Vision," ongoing. Friday-Saturday, 9:15 p.m. This show uses the latest digital technology to illuminate the planetarium with colorful computer-generated imagery set to today's popular music, including Radiohead, U2, David Bowie, Coldplay, Moby and more.
"Sunshine," ongoing. A 15-minute planetarium show for children ages 5 and under. In the show, Sunshine, a lovable animated cartoon of the Sun, urges children to sing and play along with his tricks. In the process, he introduces the colors of the day sky and the other suns of the night sky. Free with regular general admission."Dinner, Movie and the Universe," ongoing. Every Friday and Saturday evening. Enjoy a bistro-style dinner, then cozy up for a film in the 70-foot MegaDome theater and end the evening with a telescope viewing. Call to purchase general admission tickets and to make dinner reservations. (510) 336-7373.
"Chabot Observatories: A View to the Stars," ongoing. This new permanent exhibit honors the 123-year history of Chabot and its telescopes. The observatory is one of the oldest public observatories in the United States. The exhibit covers the three different sites of the observatory over its history as well as how its historic telescopes continue to be operated today. Included are informative graphic panels, multimedia kiosks, interactive computer programs, hands-on stations, and historic artifacts.
Telescope Visions Class, ongoing. 7 p.m. This course introduces participants to the astronomer's main tool: the telescope. Classes are held in the Galileo Room twice monthly. $85-$95; reservations required. (510) 336-7373.
"Global Cool: A Gala Benefit for Planet Earth," Nov. 13, 5:00-9:00 p.m. Event features Bill Nye's Climate Lab exhibition premiere, live auction, a cocktail soiree and more. $500-$10,000; reservations required.
"Bill Nye's Climate Lab: Opening Weekend," Nov. 20 through Nov. 21, 10 a.m. Celebrate the public debut of Bill Nye's Climate lab where guests can board a hot air balloon, operate a wind turbine, learn about clean energy and more. Also enjoy music, food and interactive family-friendly zones throughout the center. $10.95-$14.95; advance tickets recommended.
TIEN MEGADOME SCIENCE THEATER -- ongoing. A 70-foot dome-screen auditorium. Show times subject to change. Call for current show schedule. Price with paid general admission is $6-$7. Theater only: $7-$8. (510) 336-7373, www.ticketweb.com.
"Cosmic Voyage," ongoing. A breathtaking journey through time and space. Zoom from the surface of the Earth to the largest observable structures of the Universe and back down to the sub-nuclear realm, a guided tour across some 42 orders of magnitude. Explore some of the greatest scientific theories, many of which have never before been visualized on film.
"The Human Body," ongoing. This show explores the daily biological processes that go on in the human body without our control and often without our notice. This amazing story is revealed in detail on the giant screen.
"The Living Sea," ongoing. The film celebrates the beauty, power and importance of the ocean. Produced in association with The National Maritime Center, the Ocean Film Network and Dr. Robert Ballard.
"Forces of Nature," ongoing. This film showcases the awesome spectacle of earthquakes, volcanoes, and severe storms as scientists continue their quests to understand how these natural disasters are triggered.
"Dinosaurs Alive," ongoing. A global adventure of science and discovery, featuring the earliest dinosaurs of the Triassic Period to the monsters of the Cretaceous, "reincarnated" life-sized for the giant screen. Audiences will journey with some of the world's preeminent paleontologists as they uncover evidence that the descendents of dinosaurs still walk (or fly) among us. From the exotic, trackless expanses and sand dunes of Mongolia's Gobi Desert to the dramatic sandstone buttes of New Mexico, the film will follow American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) paleontologists as they explore some of the greatest dinosaur finds in history.
Center Admission: $14.95; $10.95 children 3-12; free children under 3; $3 discount for seniors and students. Telescope viewing only: free. Wednesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Also open on Tuesdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. after June 29. 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 336-7300, www.chabotspace.org.<
CHILDREN'S FAIRYLAND A fairy tale theme park featuring more than 30 colorful fantasy sets. Designed especially for children ages 10 and under, there are gentle rides, a train, the "Peter Rabbit Village,'' puppet shows, story-telling and lots of slides and animals. Admission price includes unlimited rides, special shows, guest entertainers and puppet shows.
OLD WEST JUNCTION -- Children's Fairyland's newest attraction is a Wild West-themed town sized just for children, with a livery stable, bank, jail and a water tower slide.
PUPPET SHOWS -- Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. All shows are at the Open Storybook Theatre. Free with regular Fairyland admission.
ARTS AND CRAFTS CENTER -- Activities on Saturday and Sunday, noon to 3 p.m.
ANIMAL OF THE DAY -- Saturday and Sunday, 1-1:20 p.m. at the Humpty Dumpty Wall. Learn about one of Fairyland's animal friends."Animal of the Day!" ongoing. Saturdays and Sundays, 1-1:20 p.m. Come up close and learn about Fairyland's creatures.
"Arts and Crafts," ongoing. Noon-3 p.m. Event features arts and crafts projects for children and their families. $6.
$6; free for children under age 1; $2 for a Magic Key. No adult admitted without a child and no child admitted without an adult. Summer (June through Labor Day): Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Fall and Spring: Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Winter: Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. CLOSED DEC. 25-JAN. 4. 699 Bellevue Ave., Oakland. (510) 452-2259, www.fairyland.org.<
CRAB COVE VISITOR CENTER At Crab Cove, you can see live underwater creatures and go into the San Francisco Bay from land. You can also travel back in time to Alameda's part. The goal is to increase understanding of the environmental importance of San Francisco Bay and the ocean ecosystem. Crab Cove's Indoor Aquarium and Exhibit Lab is one of the largest indoor aquariums in the East Bay."Catch of the Day," ongoing. Sundays, 2-3 p.m. Drop by to find out more about the Bay and its wildlife through guided exploration and hands-on fun.
"Sea Siblings," ongoing. Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Explore the natural world and take part in a theme related craft. Designed for the 3-5 year old learner. Registration is required. $4. (888) 327-2757.
"Sea Squirts," ongoing. 10-11:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Discover the wonders of nature with your little one. Registration is required. $6-$8.
Free unless otherwise noted; parking fee may be charged. 1252 McKay Ave., Alameda. (510) 521-6887, www.ebparks.org.<
DUNSMUIR HOUSE AND GARDENS HISTORIC ESTATE ongoing. Nestled in the Oakland hills, the 50-acre Dunsmuir House and Gardens estate includes the 37-room Neoclassical Revival Dunsmuir Mansion, built by coal and lumber baron Alexander Dunsmuir for his bride. Restored outbuildings set amid landscaped gardens surround the mansion.
ESTATE GROUNDS -- ongoing. Self-Guided Grounds Tours are available yearround. The 50 acres of gardens and grounds at the mansion are open to the public for walking Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Booklets and maps of the grounds are available at the Dinkelspiel House. Free.
GUIDED TOURS -- Docent-led tours are available on the first Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. (except for July) and Wednesdays at 11 a.m. $5 adults, $4 seniors and juniors (11-16), children 11 and under free.
Dunsmuir House and Gardens, 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland. (510) 615-5555, www.dunsmuir.org.<
FOREST HOME FARMS ongoing. The 16-acre former farm of the Boone family is now a municipal historic park in San Ramon. It is located at the base of the East Bay Hills and is divided into two parts by Oak Creek. The Boone House is a 22-room Dutch colonial that has been remodeled several times since it was built in 1900. Also on the property are a barn built in the period from 1850 to 1860; the Victorian-style David Glass House, dating from the late 1860s to early 1870s; a storage structure for farm equipment and automobiles; and a walnut processing plant.
Free unless otherwise noted. Public tours available by appointment. 19953 San Ramon Valley Blvd., San Ramon. (925) 973-3281, www.ci.sanramon. ca.us/parks/boone.htm.<
FREIGHT AND SALVAGE
"Singsong Planet: Octopretzel, Orange Sherbet, VaSt," Nov. 13, 11 a.m. $8.50-$9.50.
Music starts at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 548-1761, www.freightandsalvage.org.<
HABITOT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM A museum especially for children ages 7 and under. Highlights include "WaterWorks,'' an area with some unusual water toys, an Infant Tree for babies, a garden especially for toddlers, a child-scale grocery store and cafe, and a costume shop and stage for junior thespians. The museum also features a toy lending library. "Waterworks." A water play gallery with rivers, a pumping station and a water table, designed to teach about water.
"Little Town Grocery and Cafe." Designed to create the ambience of shopping in a grocery store and eating in a restaurant.
"Infant-Toddler Garden." A picket fence gated indoor area, which includes a carrot patch with wooden carrots to be harvested, a pretend pond and a butterfly mobile to introduce youngsters to the concept of food, gardening and agriculture.
"Dramatic Arts Stage." Settings, backdrops and costumes coincide with seasonal events and holidays. Children can exercise their dramatic flair here.
"Wiggle Wall." The floor-to-ceiling "underground'' tunnels give children a worm's eye view of the world. The tunnels are laced with net covered openings and giant optic lenses.$6-$7. Wednesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Closed Sunday-Tuesday. 2065 Kittredge St., Berkeley. (510) 647-1111, www.habitot.org.<
HALL OF HEALTH ongoing. A community health-education museum and science center promoting wellness and individual responsibility for health. There are hands-on exhibits that teach about the workings of the human body, the value of a healthy diet and exercise, and the destructive effects of smoking and drug abuse. "Kids on the Block'' puppet shows, which use puppets from diverse cultures to teach about and promote acceptance of conditions such as cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, leukemia, blindness, arthritis and spina bifida, are available by request for community events and groups visiting the Hall on Saturdays. "This Is Your Heart!" ongoing. An interactive exhibit on heart health.
"Good Nutrition," ongoing. This exhibit includes models for making balanced meals and an Exercycle for calculating how calories are burned.
"Draw Your Own Insides," ongoing. Human-shaped chalkboards and models with removable organs allow visitors to explore the inside of their bodies.
"Your Cellular Self and Cancer Prevention," ongoing. An exhibit on understanding how cells become cancerous and how to detect and prevent cancer.
Suggested $3 donation; free for children under age 3. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 2230 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 549-1564, www.hallofhealth.org.<
HAYWARD SHORELINE INTERPRETIVE CENTER Perched on stilts above a salt marsh, the Center offers an introduction to the San Francisco Bay-Estuary. It features exhibits, programs and activities designed to inspire a sense of appreciation, respect and stewardship for the Bay, its inhabitants and the services they provide. The Habitat Room offers a preview of what may be seen outside. The 80-gallon Bay Tank contains some of the fish that live in the Bay's open waters, and the Channel Tank represents habitats formed by the maze of sloughs and creeks that snake through the marsh. The main room of the Center features rotating exhibits about area history, plants and wildlife. Part of the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District. "Exploring Nature," ongoing. An exhibit of Shawn Gould's illustrations featuring images of the natural world."Waterfowl of the Freshwater Marsh," ongoing. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Join an expert birder to go "behind the gates'' to areas of the marsh that are not open to the public.
"Nature Detectives," ongoing. 11 a.m.-noon. An introduction and exploration of the world of Black-Crowned Night-Herons. Ages 3-5 and their caregivers. Registration required.
"Weekend Weed Warriors," ongoing. 1-4 p.m. Help the shoreline to eliminate the non-native plants that threaten its diversity. Ages 12 and older. Registration required.
Free. Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 4901 Breakwater Ave., Hayward. (510) 670-7270, www.hard.dst.ca.us/hayshore.html.<
JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF THE EAST BAY
"Shabbat Celebration for Young Children," ongoing. Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Join other families with young children to sharethis weekly Jewish holiday of joy and renewal.
1414 Walnut St., Berkeley. (510) 848-0237, www.jcceastbay.org/.<
JUNIOR CENTER OF ART AND SCIENCE ongoing. A center dedicated to encouraging children's active wonder and creative response through artistic and scientific exploration of their natural urban environment. The center's classes, workshops, exhibits and events integrate art and science. Three educational exhibits are mounted in the "Children's Gallery'' each year. A docent-led tour, demonstrations, hands-on activities and art projects are available to school groups throughout the year.
"Jake's Discovery Garden," ongoing. Jake's Discovery Garden is a new interactive studio exhibit designed for preschool-aged children and their adult caregivers that teaches young visitors about the natural environments found in their backyards, playgrounds and neighborhoods.Free; programs and special exhibits have a fee. September through May: Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June through August: Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 558 Bellevue Ave., Oakland. (510) 839-5777, www.juniorcenter.org.<
KENSINGTON LIBRARY
Marya Ashworth, Nov. 16, 6:30 p.m. "Marigold: Book One of Elven Chronicles.''
61 Arlington Ave., Kensington. (510) 524-3043, www.ccclib.org.<
LAKE CHABOT REGIONAL PARK ongoing. The 315-acre lake offers year-round recreation. Services include canoe and boat rental, horseshoe pits, hiking, bicycling, picnicking and seasonal tours aboard the Chabot Queen. For boat rentals, call (510) 247-2526.
Free unless noted otherwise; $5 parking; $2 per dog except guide/service dogs. Daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. 17930 Lake Chabot Road, Castro Valley. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.<
LAWRENCE HALL OF SCIENCE "NanoZone," ongoing. Discover the science of the super-small: nanotechnology. Through hands-on activities and games, explore this microworld and the scientific discoveries made in this area.
"Forces That Shape the Bay," ongoing. A science park that shows and explains why the San Francisco Bay is the way it is, with information on water, erosion, plate tectonics and mountain building. You can ride earthquake simulators, set erosion in motion and look far out into the bay with a powerful telescope from 1,100 feet above sea level. The center of the exhibit is a waterfall that demonstrates how water flows from the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the Bay. Visitors can control where the water goes. There are also hands-on erosion tables, and a 40-foot-long, 6-foothigh, rock compression wall.
"Real Astronomy Experience," ongoing. A new exhibit-in-development allowing visitors to use the tools that real astronomers use. Aim a telescope at a virtual sky and operate a remote-controlled telescope to measure a planet.
"Biology Lab," ongoing. In the renovated Biology Lab visitors may hold and observe gentle animals. Saturday, Sunday and holidays, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
"The Idea Lab," ongoing. Experiment with some of the basics of math, science and technology through hands-on activities and demonstrations of magnets, spinning and flying, puzzles and nanotechnology.
"Math Around the World," ongoing. Play some of the world's most popular math games, such as Hex, Kalah, Game Sticks and Shongo Networks.
"Math Rules," ongoing. Use simple and colorful objects to complete interesting challenges in math through predicting, sorting, comparing, weighing and counting.
HOLT PLANETARIUM ongoing. Shows on Saturdays and Sundays. Programs recommended for ages 6 and up unless otherwise noted. $2.50-$3 in addition to general admission.
$6-$12; free children ages 2 and under. Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. University of California, Centennial Drive, Berkeley. (510) 642-5132, www.lawrencehallofscience.org.<
LINDSAY WILDLIFE MUSEUM This is the oldest and largest wildlife rehabilitation center in America, taking in 6,000 injured and orphaned animals yearly and returning 40 percent of them to the wild. The museum offers a wide range of educational programs using non-releasable wild animals to teach children and adults respect for the balance of nature. The museum includes a state-of-the art wildlife hospital which features a permanent exhibit, titled "Living with Nature,'' which houses 75 non-releasable wild animals in learning environments; a 5,000-square-foot Wildlife Hospital complete with treatment rooms, intensive care, quarantine and laboratory facilities; a 1-acre Nature Garden featuring the region's native landscaping and wildlife; and an "Especially For Children'' exhibit.
WILDLIFE HOSPITAL -- September-March: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hospital is open daily including holidays to receive injured and orphaned animals. There is no charge for treatment of native wild animals and there are no public viewing areas in the hospital.$5-$7; free children under age 2. June 16-Sept. 15: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sun.; Sept. 16-June 15: noon.-5 p.m. Wed.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.<
MUSEUM OF CHILDREN'S ART A museum of art for and by children, with activities for children to participate in making their own art.
ART CAMPS -- Hands-on activities and engaging curriculum for children of different ages, led by professional artists and staff. $60 per day.
CLASSES -- A Sunday series of classes for children ages 8 to 12, led by Mocha artists. Sundays, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
OPEN STUDIOS -- Drop-in art play activities with new themes each week.
"Big Studio." Guided art projects for children age 6 and older with a Mocha artist. Tuesday through Friday, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. $5.
"Little Studio." A hands-on experience that lets young artists age 18 months to 5 years see, touch and manipulate a variety of media. Children can get messy. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $5.
"Family Weekend Studios." Drop-in art activities for the whole family. All ages welcome. Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. $5 per child.
FAMILY EXTRAVAGANZAS -- Special weekend workshops for the entire family.
"Sunday Workshops with Illustrators," Sundays, 1 p.m. See the artwork and meet the artists who create children's book illustrations. Free."Saturday Stories," ongoing. 1 p.m. For children ages 2-5. Free."Saturday Stories," ongoing. 1 p.m. For ages 2-5. Free.
Free gallery admission. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m. 538 Ninth St., Oakland. (510) 465-8770, www.mocha.org.<
OAKLAND ZOO The zoo includes a Children's Petting Zoo, the Skyride, a miniature train, a carousel, picnic grounds and a gift shop as well as the animals in site specific exhibits, which allow them to roam freely. Included are "The African Savanna,'' with its two huge mixed-animal aviaries and 11 African Savanna exhibits; the Mahali Pa Tembo (Place of the Elephant), with giraffes, chimpanzees and more than 330 other animals from around the world; "Simba Pori,'' Swahili for "Lion Country,'' a spacious 1.5-acre habitat offering both a savanna and woodland setting for African lions; "Footprints from the Past,'' an anthropology exhibit showcasing four million years of human evolution and an actual "footpath'' of the first hominids to emerge from the African savanna; "Sun Bear Exhibit,'' a stateof-the-art space the zoo has developed for its two sun bears; and Siamang Island, a state-of-the-art, barrier-free area that emulates the gibbons' native tropical rain forest habitat. Also see the Malayan Fruit Bats from the Lubee Bat Conservancy in Florida that are now roosting in trees at the zoo. In addition there are special exhibits and events monthly. "Valley Children's Zoo," ongoing. The three-acre attraction offers a completely interactive experience for both children and adults. The exhibits include lemurs, giant fruit bats, otters, reptiles, insects and more. Daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
"Endangered Species," ongoing. An exhibit of photographs about the most endangered animals on the Earth and what can be done to save them. At the Education Center. Open daily during zoo hours. ONGOING EVENTS --
"Valley Children's Zoo," ongoing. Daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The three-acre attraction will offer a completely interactive experience for both children and adults. The exhibits include lemurs, giant fruit bats, otters, reptiles, insects and more. Free with regular Zoo admission.
"Wildlife Theater," ongoing. Saturday, 11:45 a.m.; Sunday, 1:45 p.m. On Saturday mornings listen to a story and meet a live animal. On Sunday afternoon meet live animals and learn cool facts about them. Meet in the Lobby of the Zoo's Maddie's Center for Science and Environmental Education. Free with regular Zoo admission. (510) 632-9525, ext. 142."Wolf Cub Overnight," Nov. 19, 7 p.m. An overnight event specifically for Boy Scouts; satisfies Achievement 7. Tour the zoo at night and investigate how some common items are made and how much energy is saved by re-using and recycling them, all while playing games and having fun. $45 per person; preregistration required.
$7.50-11; free children under age 2; $6 parking fee. Daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Knowland Park, 9777 Golf Links Road, Oakland. (510) 632-9525, www.oaklandzoo.org.<
PIXIELAND AMUSEMENT PARK ongoing. This amusement park for children features pixie-sized rides such as a dragon roller coaster, swirling tea cups, a carousel, red baron airplanes, an antique car ride and a miniature train among other attractions sure to please the little ones. Classic carnival-style food and souvenirs round out the experience. Admission to the park is free; ride tickets are $1.25 each or 10 tickets for $10; Day wrist band for unlimited rides, $25. Specials and season passes are also available.
Nov. 2010: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; closed Nov. 25-26. 2740 E. Olivera Road, Concord. (925) 689-8841, www.pixieland.com.<
POINT PINOLE REGIONAL SHORELINE ongoing. The 2,315-acre parkland bordering Pinole, Richmond and San Pablo offers views of Mount Tamalpais, the Marin shoreline and San Pablo Bay. There are trails through meadows and woods, and along the bluffs and beaches of San Pablo Bay. Visitors can hike, ride bikes or take the park's shuttle bus to reach the 1,250-foot fishing pier at Point Pinole.
$5 per vehicle; $4 per trailered vehicle; $2 per dog (guide/service dogs free). Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless otherwise posted. Giant Highway, Richmond. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.<
PREWETT FAMILY WATERPARK ongoing. There are pools and water slides for all ages, from the Tad Pool for toddlers to Boulder cove for older swimmers. In addition to fun pools and slides there are fitness pools for lessons and exercise, lawns for relaxing, locker rooms, community room and kitchen. Lap lanes are open year round. Food and beverages are not permitted in the park. Picnic tables are available outside the park.
$4-$11. Sunday through Friday: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; closed Aug.23-27, 30-31. 4701 Lone Tree Way, Antioch. (925) 776-3070, www.ci.antioch.ca.us/CitySvcs/Prewett.<
ROBERT SIBLEY VOLCANIC REGIONAL PRESERVE ongoing. East Bay residents have several volcanoes in their backyard. This park contains Round Top, one of the highest peaks in the Oakland Hills.
Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. 6800 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.<
SHADOW CLIFFS REGIONAL RECREATION AREA ongoing. The 296-acre park includes an 80-acre lake and a four-flume waterslide, with picnic grounds and a swimming beach. Water slide fees and hours: (925) 829-6230.
$6 per vehicle; $2 per dog except guide and service dogs. May 1 through Labor Day: daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; shortened hours for fall and winter. Stanley Boulevard, one mile from downtown, Pleasanton. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.<
SULPHUR CREEK NATURE CENTER A wildlife rehabilitation and education facility where injured and orphaned local wild creatures are rehabilitated and released when possible. There is also a lending library of animals such as guinea pigs, rats, mice and more. The lending fee is $8 per week. "Toddler Time," ongoing. Learn about animals by listening to stories and exploring. Themes vary by month. Call for schedule. $7 per family.
"Day on the Green Animal Presentations," ongoing. Meet an assortment of wild and domestic animals. Wildlife volunteers will present a different animal each day from possums to snakes, tortoises to hawks. Saturday and Sunday, 2:30 p.m.
CHILDREN'S EVENTS -- ongoing.
Free. Park: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Discovery Center: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Animal Lending Library: Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Wildlife Rehabilitation Center: daily, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 1801 D St., Hayward. (510) 881-6747, www.haywardrec.org/sulphur_creek.html.<
USS HORNET MUSEUM Come aboard this World War II aircraft carrier that has been converted into a floating museum. The Hornet, launched in 1943, is 899 feet long and 27 stories high. During World War II she was never hit by an enemy strike or plane and holds the Navy record for number of enemy planes shot down in a week. In 1969 the Hornet recovered the Apollo 11 space capsule containing the first men to walk on the moon, and later recovered Apollo 12. In 1991 the Hornet was designated a National Historic Landmark and is now docked at the same pier she sailed from in 1944. Today, visitors can tour the massive ship, view World War II-era warplanes and experience a simulated aircraft launch from the carrier's deck. Exhibits are being added on an ongoing basis. Allow two to three hours for a visit. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to climb steep stairs or ladders. Dress in layers as the ship can be cold. Arrive no later than 2 p.m. to sign up for the engine room and other docent-led tours. Children under age 12 are not allowed in the Engine Room or the Combat Information Center. "Limited Access Day," ongoing. Due to ship maintenance, tours of the navigation bridge and the engine room are not available. Tuesdays.
"Flight Deck Fun," ongoing. A former Landing Signal Officer will show children how to bring in a fighter plane for a landing on the deck then let them try the signals themselves. Times vary. Free with regular Museum admission.
"Protestant Divine Services," ongoing. Hornet chaplain John Berger conducts church services aboard The Hornet in the Wardroom Lounge. Everyone is welcome and refreshments are served immediately following the service. Sundays, 11 a.m.Closed on New Year's Day.
"Family Day," ongoing. Discounted admission for families of four with a further discount for additional family members. Access to some of the areas may be limited due to ship maintenance. Every Tuesday. $20 for family of four; $5 for each additional family member.
"History Mystery After Hours Tour," ongoing. 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Explore the USS Hornet after hours and learn the history of this ship while it is illuminated in red lights used for "night ops." Also, hear stories about the ships' legendary haunts. Reservations required. (510) 521-8448 X282.
"Flashlight Tour," ongoing. 8:30 a.m. Receive a special tour of areas aboard the ship that have not yet been opened to the public or that have limited access during the day. $30-$35 per person.
"Living Ship Day," Nov. 13. Witness flight simulations as aircraft are lifted to the flight deck and placed into the launch position; participate in mission briefings; meet former crew; sit in the cockpit of a fighter jet.
$6-$14; free children age 4 and under with a paying adult. Daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Pier 3 (enter on Atlantic Avenue), Alameda Point, Alameda. (510) 521-8448, www.uss-hornet.org.<
WATERWORLD CALIFORNA ongoing. `
$19.95-$31.95 General Admission; Season pass: $39.99-$59.99. Park closes in October and reopens in May. 1950 Waterworld Parkway,, Concord. (925) 609-1364, www.waterworldcalifornia.com.<
YOSHI'S
Hiromi Solo, Nov. 12 through Nov. 14, 8 and 10 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; 2 and 7 p.m. Sun. $5-$20.
Shows are Monday through Saturday, 8 and 10 p.m.; Sunday, 2 and 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted. 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland. (510) 238-9200, www.yoshis.com.<
AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM AND LIBRARY AT OAKLAND ongoing. The Oakland Public Library's museum is designed to discover, preserve, interpret and share the cultural and historical experiences of African Americans in California and the West. In addition, a three-panel mural is on permanent display.
Free. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-5:30 p.m. 659 14th St., Oakland. (510) 637-0200, www.oaklandlibrary.org.<
ALAMEDA MUSEUM ongoing. The museum offers permanent displays of Alameda history, the only rotating gallery showcasing local Alameda artists and student artwork, as well as souvenirs, books and videos about the rich history of the Island City.
Free. Wednesday-Friday and Sunday, 1-4 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 2324 Alameda Ave., Alameda. (510) 521-1233, www.alamedamuseum.org.<
BADE MUSEUM AT THE PACIFIC SCHOOL OF RELIGION The museum's collections include the Tell en-Nasbeh Collection, consisting of artifacts excavated from Tell en-Nasbeh in Palestine in 1926 and 1935 by William Badh, and the Howell Bible Collection, featuring approximately 300 rare books (primarily Bibles) dating from the 15th through the 18th centuries.
"Tell en-Nasbeh," ongoing. This exhibit is the "heart and soul" of the Bade Museum. It displays a wealth of finds from the excavations at Tell en-Nasbeh, Palestine whose objects span from the Early Bronze Age (3100-2200 BC) through the Iron Age (1200-586 BC) and into the Roman and Hellenistic periods. Highlights of the exhibit include "Tools of the Trade" featuring real archaeological tools used by Badh and his team, an oil lamp typology, a Second Temple period (586 BC-70 AD) limestone ossuary, and a selection of painted Greek pottery.
"William Frederic Bade: Theologian, Naturalist, and Archaeologist," ongoing. This exhibit highlights one of PSR's premier educators and innovative scholars. The collection of material on display was chosen with the hopes of representing the truly dynamic and multifaceted character of William F. Badh. He was a family man, a dedicated teacher, a loving friend, and an innovative and passionate archaeologist.
Free. Tuesday-Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Holbrook Hall, Pacific School of Religion, 1798 Scenic Ave., Berkeley. (510) 848-0528, www.bade.psr.edu/bade.<
BERKELEY ART MUSEUM AND PACIFIC FILM ARCHIVE
"Thom Faulders: BAMscape," through Nov. 30. This commissioned work, a hybrid of sculpture, furniture, and stage, is the new centerpiece of Gallery B, BAM's expansive central atrium. It is part of a new vision of the gallery as a space for interaction, performance, and improvised experiences.
"Himalayan Pilgrimage," through Dec. 19. Exhibition features sculpture and painting dating from the ninth to the eighteenth centuries and drawn from a private collection on long-term loan to the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive.
"Hauntology," through Dec. 5. Drawn primarily from the museum's recent acquisitions of contemporary art, this exhibition explores a wide range of art through the lens of the concept of "hauntology,'' a term coined by the French philosopher Jacques Derrida in 1993 to refer to the study of social, psychological, and cultural conditions in the post-Communist period.
2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. <
BLACKHAWK MUSEUM ongoing.
AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM -- The museum's permanent exhibition of internationally renowned automobiles dated from 1897 to the 1980s. The cars are displayed as works of art with room to walk completely around each car to admire the workmanship. On long-term loan from the Smithsonian Institution is a Long Steam Tricycle; an 1893-94 Duryea, the first Duryea built by the Duryea brothers; and a 1948 Tucker, number 39 of the 51 Tuckers built, which is a Model 48 "Torpedo'' four-door sedan. "International Automotive Treasures," ongoing. An ever-changing exhibit featuring over 90 automobiles.
"A Journey on Common Ground," ongoing. An exhibit of moving photographs, video and art objects from around the world exploring the causes of disability and the efforts of the Wheelchair Foundation to provide a wheelchair for every person in need who cannot afford one. Free Public Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. Docent-led guided tours of the museum's exhibitions.
$5-$8; free for children ages 6 and under. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Danville. (925) 736-2280, (925) 736-2277, www.blackhawkmuseum.org.<
CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
HISTORY WALKABOUTS -- ongoing. A series of walking tours that explore the history, lore and architecture of California with veteran tour guide Gary Holloway. Walks are given on specific weekends. There is a different meeting place for each weekend and walks take place rain or shine so dress for the weather. Reservations and prepayment required. Meeting place will be given with confirmation of tour reservation. Call for details.
678 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 357-1848, www.californiahistoricalsociety.org.<
CHABOT SPACE AND SCIENCE CENTER State-of-the-art facility unifying science education activities around astronomy. Enjoy interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, indoor stargazing, outdoor telescope viewing and films.
"Beyond Blastoff: Surviving in Space," ongoing. An interactive exhibit that allows you to immerse yourself into the life of an astronaut to experience the mixture of exhilaration, adventure and confinement that is living and working in space.
"Chabot Observatories: A View to the Stars," ongoing. Explore the history of the Chabot observatories and how its historic telescopes are used today. Daytime visitors can virtually operate a telescope, experiment with mirrors and lenses to understand how telescopes create images of distant objects and travel through more than a century of Chabot's history via multimedia kiosks, historical images and artifact displays. "Daytime Telescope Viewing," ongoing. Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. View the sun, the moon and the planets through the telescopes during the day. Free with general admission.
"Live Daytime Planetarium Show," ongoing. Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Ride through real-time constellations, stars and planets with Chabot's full-dome digital projection system.
"Galaxy Explorers Hands-On Fun," ongoing. Saturday, noon-4 p.m. The Galaxy Explorers lead a variety of fun, hands-on activities, such as examining real spacesuits, creating galaxy flipbooks, learning about telescopes, minerals and skulls and making your own comet. Free with general admission.
Center Admission: $14.95; $10.95 children 3-12; free children under 3; $3 discount for seniors and students. Telescope viewing only: free. Wednesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Also open on Tuesdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. after June 29. 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 336-7300, www.chabotspace.org.<
HABITOT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM A museum especially for children ages 7 and under. Highlights include "WaterWorks,'' an area with some unusual water toys, an Infant Tree for babies, a garden especially for toddlers, a child-scale grocery store and cafe, and a costume shop and stage for junior thespians. The museum also features a toy lending library. "Waterworks." A water play gallery with rivers, a pumping station and a water table, designed to teach about water.
"Little Town Grocery and Cafe." Designed to create the ambience of shopping in a grocery store and eating in a restaurant.
"Infant-Toddler Garden." A picket fence gated indoor area, which includes a carrot patch with wooden carrots to be harvested, a pretend pond and a butterfly mobile to introduce youngsters to the concept of food, gardening and agriculture.
"Dramatic Arts Stage." Settings, backdrops and costumes coincide with seasonal events and holidays. Children can exercise their dramatic flair here.
"Wiggle Wall." The floor-to-ceiling "underground'' tunnels give children a worm's eye view of the world. The tunnels are laced with net covered openings and giant optic lenses.
"Architects at Play," ongoing. This hands-on, construction-based miniexhibit provides children with the opportunity to create free-form structures, from skyscrapers to bridges, using KEVA planks. $6-$7. Wednesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Closed Sunday-Tuesday. 2065 Kittredge St., Berkeley. (510) 647-1111, www.habitot.org.<
HALL OF HEALTH ongoing. A community health-education museum and science center promoting wellness and individual responsibility for health. There are hands-on exhibits that teach about the workings of the human body, the value of a healthy diet and exercise, and the destructive effects of smoking and drug abuse. "Kids on the Block'' puppet shows, which use puppets from diverse cultures to teach about and promote acceptance of conditions such as cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, leukemia, blindness, arthritis and spina bifida, are available by request for community events and groups visiting the Hall on Saturdays. "This Is Your Heart!" ongoing. An interactive exhibit on heart health.
"Good Nutrition," ongoing. This exhibit includes models for making balanced meals and an Exercycle for calculating how calories are burned.
"Draw Your Own Insides," ongoing. Human-shaped chalkboards and models with removable organs allow visitors to explore the inside of their bodies.
"Your Cellular Self and Cancer Prevention," ongoing. An exhibit on understanding how cells become cancerous and how to detect and prevent cancer.
Suggested $3 donation; free for children under age 3. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 2230 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 549-1564, www.hallofhealth.org.<
HAYWARD AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM The museum is located in a former post office and displays memorabilia of early Hayward and southern Alameda County. Some of the features include a restored 1923 Seagrave fire engine and a hand pumper from the Hayward Fire Department, founded in 1865; a Hayward Police Department exhibit; information on city founder William Hayward; and pictures of the old Hayward Hotel. The museum also alternates three exhibits per year, including a Christmas Toys exhibit and a 1950s lifestyle exhibit.50 cents-$1. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 22701 Main St., Hayward. (510) 581-0223, www.haywardareahistory.org.<
JUDAH L. MAGNES MUSEUM The museum's permanent collection includes objects of Jewish importance including ceremonial art, film and video, folk art and fine art, paintings, sculptures and prints by contemporary and historical artists.
"Projections," ongoing. Multimedia works from the museum's extensive collections of archival, documentary and experimental films. Located at 2911 Russell Street. $4-$6; free for children under age 12. Sunday-Wednesday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. CLOSED APRIL 3-4 AND 9-10; MAY 23-24 AND 28; JULY 4; SEPT. 3, 13 AND 27; OCT. 4; NOV. 22; DEC. 24-25 AND 31. 2911 Russell St., Berkeley. (510) 549-6950, www.magnes.org.<
LAWRENCE HALL OF SCIENCE "NanoZone," ongoing. Discover the science of the super-small: nanotechnology. Through hands-on activities and games, explore this microworld and the scientific discoveries made in this area.
"Forces That Shape the Bay," ongoing. A science park that shows and explains why the San Francisco Bay is the way it is, with information on water, erosion, plate tectonics and mountain building. You can ride earthquake simulators, set erosion in motion and look far out into the bay with a powerful telescope from 1,100 feet above sea level. The center of the exhibit is a waterfall that demonstrates how water flows from the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the Bay. Visitors can control where the water goes. There are also hands-on erosion tables, and a 40-foot-long, 6-foothigh, rock compression wall.
"Real Astronomy Experience," ongoing. A new exhibit-in-development allowing visitors to use the tools that real astronomers use. Aim a telescope at a virtual sky and operate a remote-controlled telescope to measure a planet.
"Biology Lab," ongoing. In the renovated Biology Lab visitors may hold and observe gentle animals. Saturday, Sunday and holidays, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
"The Idea Lab," ongoing. Experiment with some of the basics of math, science and technology through hands-on activities and demonstrations of magnets, spinning and flying, puzzles and nanotechnology.
"Math Around the World," ongoing. Play some of the world's most popular math games, such as Hex, Kalah, Game Sticks and Shongo Networks.
"Math Rules," ongoing. Use simple and colorful objects to complete interesting challenges in math through predicting, sorting, comparing, weighing and counting.
"Animal Discovery Room,,' ongoing. 1:30-4 p.m. Visitors of all ages can hold and touch gentle animals, learn about their behavior and habitats and play with self-guided activities and specimen models.
"Forces That Shape the Bay," ongoing. This science park shows and explains why the San Francisco Bay is the way it is, with information on water, erosion, plate tectonics and mountain building.
"Ingenuity in Action," ongoing. Summer 2010. Enjoy the best of the Ingenuity Lab. Engage your creative brain and use a variety of materials to design, build and test your own innovations.
"Kapla," ongoing. Play with simple, versatile building blocks that can be used to build very large, high and stable structures.
"KidsLab," ongoing. This multisensory play area includes larger-than-life blocks, a crawl-through kaleidoscope, the Gravity wall, a puppet theater and a reading area.
"NanoZone," ongoing. Discover the science of nanotechnology through handson activities and games.
"Planetarium," ongoing. Explore the skies in this interactive planetarium.
"Science on a Sphere," ongoing. Catch an out-of-this-world experience with an animated globe. See hurricanes form, tsunamis sweep across the oceans and city lights glow around the planet. "Scream Machines -- The Science of Roller Coasters, through Jan. 2. This head-spinning, stomach-churning exhibition for thrill-seekers features interactive exhibits, artifacts and images to explore.
$6-$12; free children ages 2 and under. Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. University of California, Centennial Drive, Berkeley. (510) 642-5132, www.lawrencehallofscience.org.<
LINDSAY WILDLIFE MUSEUM This is the oldest and largest wildlife rehabilitation center in America, taking in 6,000 injured and orphaned animals yearly and returning 40 percent of them to the wild. The museum offers a wide range of educational programs using non-releasable wild animals to teach children and adults respect for the balance of nature. The museum includes a state-of-the art wildlife hospital which features a permanent exhibit, titled "Living with Nature,'' which houses 75 non-releasable wild animals in learning environments; a 5,000-square-foot Wildlife Hospital complete with treatment rooms, intensive care, quarantine and laboratory facilities; a 1-acre Nature Garden featuring the region's native landscaping and wildlife; and an "Especially For Children'' exhibit.
WILDLIFE HOSPITAL -- September-March: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hospital is open daily including holidays to receive injured and orphaned animals. There is no charge for treatment of native wild animals and there are no public viewing areas in the hospital.SPECIAL EVENTS -- ongoing.
$5-$7; free children under age 2. June 16-Sept. 15: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sun.; Sept. 16-June 15: noon.-5 p.m. Wed.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.<
MEYERS HOUSE AND GARDEN MUSEUM The Meyers House, erected in 1897, is an example of Colonial Revival, an architectural style popular around the turn of the century. Designed by Henry H. Meyers,the house was built by his father, Jacob Meyers, at a cost of $4000.00.$3. Fourth Saturday of every month. 2021 Alameda Ave., Alameda. (510) 521-1247, www.alamedamuseum.org/meyers.html.<
MUSEUM OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY SCIENCE VILLAGE ongoing. A science museum with an African-American focus promoting science education and awareness for the underrepresented. The science village chronicles the technical achievements of people of African descent from ancient ties to present. There are computer classes at the Internet Cafi, science education activities and seminars. There is also a resource library with a collection of books, periodicals and videotapes.
$4-$6. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, noon-6 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m.-6 p.m. 630 20th St., Oakland. (510) 893-6426, www.ncalifblackengineers.org.<
MUSEUM OF CHILDREN'S ART A museum of art for and by children, with activities for children to participate in making their own art.
ART CAMPS -- Hands-on activities and engaging curriculum for children of different ages, led by professional artists and staff. $60 per day.
CLASSES -- A Sunday series of classes for children ages 8 to 12, led by Mocha artists. Sundays, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
OPEN STUDIOS -- Drop-in art play activities with new themes each week.
"Big Studio." Guided art projects for children age 6 and older with a Mocha artist. Tuesday through Friday, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. $5.
"Little Studio." A hands-on experience that lets young artists age 18 months to 5 years see, touch and manipulate a variety of media. Children can get messy. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $5.
"Family Weekend Studios." Drop-in art activities for the whole family. All ages welcome. Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. $5 per child.
FAMILY EXTRAVAGANZAS -- Special weekend workshops for the entire family.
"Sunday Workshops with Illustrators," Sundays, 1 p.m. See the artwork and meet the artists who create children's book illustrations. Free."Saturday Stories," ongoing. 1 p.m. For children ages 2-5. Free.
Free gallery admission. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m. 538 Ninth St., Oakland. (510) 465-8770, www.mocha.org.<
MUSEUM OF THE SAN RAMON VALLEY The museum features local artifacts, pictures, flags and drawings commemorating the valley's history. It also houses a historical narrative frieze. In addition to a permanent exhibit on the valley's history, the museum sponsors revolving exhibits and several guided tours. The restored railroad depot that houses the museum was built on the San Ramon Branch Line of the Southern Pacific Railroad 108 years ago.Free. August: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The Depot, West Prospect and Railroad avenues, Danville. (925) 837-3750, www.museumsrv.org.<
MUSEUM ON MAIN STREET Located in a former town hall building, this museum is a piece of local history. It has a photo and document archive, collection of artifacts, local history publications for purchase, and a history library. It is supported by the Amador-Livermore Valley Historical Society.$2. Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.; CLOSED DEC. 23-JAN. 8. 603 Main St., Pleasanton. (925) 462-2766, www.museumonmain.org.<
OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA "Art a la Carte," Wednesdays, 12:30 p.m. Art docents offer a variety of specialized tours focusing on one aspect of the museum's permanent collection. Free with museum admission.
"Online Museum," Thursdays, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Explore the museum's collection on videodisks in the History Department Library.
Docent Gallery Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 1:30 p.m.
"Explore our New Gallery," through Dec. 2. The new Gallery of California Art showcases more than 800 works from OMCA's collection-one of the largest and most comprehensive holdings of California art in the world.
"Gallery of California History," through Dec. 2. This new gallery is based on the theme of Coming to California.
OPENING -- "Pixar: 25 Years of Animation," through Jan. 9. Exhibition presents an unprecedented look at the Emeryville-based animation company.
$5-$8; free for children ages 5 and under; free to all on the second Sunday of the month. Special events are free with museum admission unless noted otherwise. Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; first Friday of the month, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. 1000 Oak St., Oakland. (510) 238-2200, www.museumca.org.<
PARDEE HOME MUSEUM ongoing. The historic Pardee Mansion, a three-story Italianate villa built in 1868, was home to three generations of the Pardee family who were instrumental in the civic and cultural development of California and Oakland. The home includes the house, grounds, water tower and barn. Reservations recommended. Group tours may be arranged between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tues.-Sun.
Private Tours and Teas: Take a private tour followed by tea in the Pardee family dining room (available for 4-12 persons).
Tour with light tea: $12 per person
Tour with high tea: $25 per person.
High tea without tour: $20 per person.
$5-$25; free children ages 12 and under. House Tours: 10:30 a.m. every Wednesday and second Saturday of each month; 2 p.m. the second Sunday or each month. 672 11th St., Oakland. (510) 444-2187, www.pardeehome.org.<
SAN LEANDRO HISTORY MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY ongoing. The museum showcases local and regional history and serves as a centerpiece for community cultural activity. There are exhibits on Ohlone settlements, farms of early settlers, and contributions of Portuguese and other immigrants. There will also be exhibits of the city's agricultural past and the industrial development of the 19th century. "Yema/Po Archeological Site at Lake Chabot," ongoing. An exhibit highlighting artifacts uncovered from a work camp of Chinese laborers, featuring photomurals, cutouts and historical photographs.
Free. Thursday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 320 West Estudillo Ave., San Leandro. (510) 577-3990, www.ci.sanleandro. ca.us/sllibrarymuseum.html.<
SHADELANDS RANCH HISTORICAL MUSEUM Built by Walnut Creek pioneer Hiram Penniman, this 1903 redwood-framed house is a showcase for numerous historical artifacts, many of which belonged to the Pennimans. It also houses a rich archive of Contra Costa and Walnut Creek history in its collections of old newspapers, photographs and government records.$1-$3; free-children under age 6. Wednesday and Sunday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.; Closed in January. 2660 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek. (925) 935-7871, www.ci.walnut-creek.ca.us.<
SMITH MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY AT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, HAYWARD The museum houses significant collections of archaeological and ethnographic specimens from Africa, Asia and North America and small collections from Central and South America. The museum offers opportunities and materials for student research and internships in archaeology and ethnology.Free. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Meiklejohn Hall, Fourth Floor, 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd., Hayward. (510) 885-3104, (510) 885-7414, www.isis.csuhayward.edu/cesmith/acesmith.html.<
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY HEARST MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY ongoing. "Native California Cultures," ongoing. This is an exhibit of some 500 artifacts from the museum's California collections, the largest and most comprehensive collections in the world devoted to California Indian cultures. The exhibit includes a section about Ishi, the famous Indian who lived and worked with the museum, Yana tribal baskets and a 17-foot Yurok canoe carved from a single redwood.
"Recent Acquisitions," ongoing. The collection includes Yoruba masks and carvings from Africa, early-20th-century Taiwanese hand puppets, textiles from the Americas and 19th- and 20th-century Tibetan artifacts.
"From the Maker's Hand: Selections from the Permanent Collection," ongoing. This exhibit explores human ingenuity in the living and historical cultures of China, Africa, Egypt, Peru, North America and the Meditteranean.
$1-$4; free for children ages 12 and under; free to all on Thursdays. Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon-4:30 p.m. 103 Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way and College Avenue, Berkeley. (510) 643-7648, www.hearstmuseum.berkeley.edu.<
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY MUSEUM OF PALEONTOLOGY ongoing. "Tyrannosaurus Rex," ongoing. A 20-foot-tall, 40-foot-long replica of the fearsome dinosaur. The replica is made from casts of bones of the most complete T. Rex skeleton yet excavated. When unearthed in Montana, the bones were all lying in place with only a small piece of the tailbone missing.
"Pteranodon," ongoing. A suspended skeleton of a flying reptile with a wingspan of 22 to 23 feet. The Pteranodon lived at the same time as the dinosaurs.
"California Fossils Exhibit," ongoing. An exhibit of some of the fossils that have been excavated in California.
Free. During semester sessions, hours generally are: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.-10 p.m. Hours vary during summer and holidays. Lobby, 1101 Valley Life Sciences Building, #4780, University of California, Berkeley. (510) 642-1821, www.ucmp.berkeley.edu.<
USS HORNET MUSEUM Come aboard this World War II aircraft carrier that has been converted into a floating museum. The Hornet, launched in 1943, is 899 feet long and 27 stories high. During World War II she was never hit by an enemy strike or plane and holds the Navy record for number of enemy planes shot down in a week. In 1969 the Hornet recovered the Apollo 11 space capsule containing the first men to walk on the moon, and later recovered Apollo 12. In 1991 the Hornet was designated a National Historic Landmark and is now docked at the same pier she sailed from in 1944. Today, visitors can tour the massive ship, view World War II-era warplanes and experience a simulated aircraft launch from the carrier's deck. Exhibits are being added on an ongoing basis. Allow two to three hours for a visit. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to climb steep stairs or ladders. Dress in layers as the ship can be cold. Arrive no later than 2 p.m. to sign up for the engine room and other docent-led tours. Children under age 12 are not allowed in the Engine Room or the Combat Information Center. "Limited Access Day," ongoing. Due to ship maintenance, tours of the navigation bridge and the engine room are not available. Tuesdays.
"Flight Deck Fun," ongoing. A former Landing Signal Officer will show children how to bring in a fighter plane for a landing on the deck then let them try the signals themselves. Times vary. Free with regular Museum admission.
"Protestant Divine Services," ongoing. Hornet chaplain John Berger conducts church services aboard The Hornet in the Wardroom Lounge. Everyone is welcome and refreshments are served immediately following the service. Sundays, 11 a.m.Closed on New Year's Day.
"Family Day," ongoing. Discounted admission for families of four with a further discount for additional family members. Access to some of the areas may be limited due to ship maintenance. Every Tuesday. $20 for family of four; $5 for each additional family member.
"History Mystery After Hours Tour," ongoing. 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Explore the USS Hornet after hours and learn the history of this ship while it is illuminated in red lights used for "night ops." Also, hear stories about the ships' legendary haunts. Reservations required. (510) 521-8448 X282.
"Living Ship Day," Nov. 13. Witness flight simulations as aircraft are lifted to the flight deck and placed into the launch position; participate in mission briefings; meet former crew; sit in the cockpit of a fighter jet.
"Flashlight Tour," ongoing. 8:30 a.m. Receive a special tour of areas aboard the ship that have not yet been opened to the public or that have limited access during the day. $30-$35 per person.
$6-$14; free children age 4 and under with a paying adult. Daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Pier 3 (enter on Atlantic Avenue), Alameda Point, Alameda. (510) 521-8448, www.uss-hornet.org.<
ALAMEDA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS
"21st Autumn Get-Together," Nov. 13 and Nov. 14, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The Good Guys present a classic car show.
Country Folk Art Show, Nov. 19 through Nov. 21, 5-9 p.m. Fri.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun. A show featuring artisans from around the country. $7. www.countryfolkart.com.
4501 Pleasanton Ave., Pleasanton. (925) 426-7600, www.alamedacountyfair.com.<
CAL PERFORMANCES All performances in Zellerbach Hall unless otherwise noted.
"An Evening With Puzzle Master Will Shortz," Nov. 21, 7 p.m. The puzzle master and crossword editor for the New York Times discusses the history of crosswords and his passion for puzzles. $20-$36.
Zellerbach Hall, University of California, Berkeley, Bancroft Way at Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley. (510) 642-9988, www.calperformances.net.<
CROWDEN MUSIC CENTER
Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, Nov. 14, 4 p.m. Works by Ravel and Schubert. $15; 18 and under free.
1475 Rose St., Berkeley. (510) 559-6910, www.crowden.org.<
FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER
"Schumann Festival," Nov. 20, 2-8 p.m. Five events celebrating the music of Robert Schumann. $10-$32.
4444 Railroad Ave., Pleasanton. (925) 931-4848, www.firehousearts.org.<
HERTZ HALL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
University of California Alumni Chorus, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m. A "Silver Jubilee'' concert; works by Copland, Debussy, Mozart and more. $6-$20.
Bancroft Way and College Ave., Berkeley. (510) 642-4864, www.music.berkeley.edu.<
LA PENA CULTURAL CENTER
"11th Annual Hecho en Califas Festival," through Nov. 14. A series of events showcasing Californian artists. See website for complete schedule.
Free unless otherwise noted. 3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 849-2568, www.lapena.org.<
OAKLAND EAST BAY SYMPHONY
"Opening Weekend," Nov. 19 and Nov. 20, 8 p.m. Works by Narada Michael Walden and others; special guest Carlos Santana. $25-$70.
$15-$67. Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland. (510) 625-8497, (415) 421-8497, www.oebs.org.<
RANGER SHELTON JOHNSON Nov. 13. A night to honor Johnson, a ranger at Yosemite, and who was featured in Ken Burns' popular PBS series "Our National Parks.'' Event takes place at the Campbell Theater, 636 Ward St., Martinez.
$50.6 p.m.www.johnmuirassociation.org.<
SMITH CENTER AT OHLONE COLLEGE
"An Evening with Dr. Philip Zimbardo," Nov. 19, 7 p.m. A discussion with psychologist Philip Zimbardo, best known for his famous "Stanford Prison Experiment,'' which showed how everyday people can turn into sadistic monsters under certain conditions. $10
43600 Mission Blvd., Fremont. (510) 659-6031, www.smithcenterpresents.com.<
ALAMEDA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS
"21st Autumn Get-Together," Nov. 13 and Nov. 14, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The Good Guys present a classic car show.
Country Folk Art Show, Nov. 19 through Nov. 21, 5-9 p.m. Fri.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun. A show featuring artisans from around the country. $7. www.countryfolkart.com.
4501 Pleasanton Ave., Pleasanton. (925) 426-7600, www.alamedacountyfair.com.<
ASHKENAZ
"I Like My Bike Night," ongoing. 9 p.m. First Fridays of the month. This monthly series brings bicycle innovators, enthusiasts, artists and organizations together under one roof, as well as encourages regular Ashkenaz show-goers to leave their cars in the driveway and arrive at the venue by bicycle instead. $8-$25.
1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. (510) 525-5054, www.ashkenaz.com.<
AUCTIONS BY THE BAY
"ArtiFacts: A Lecture Series for Collectors," ongoing. 3 p.m. First Sundays of the month Guest curators, scholars and conservation experts from throughout the Bay Area discuss the art of collecting. First Sunday of every month, 3 p.m. $7; includes a preview of the monthly estate auction which takes place the following day at 10am.
Auctions by the Bay Theater-Auction House, 2700 Saratoga St., Alameda. (510) 835-6187, www.auctionsbythebay.com.<
BAY AREA FREE BOOK EXCHANGE
"Free Books," ongoing. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat. - Sun. Donate your unwanted books and receive new titles for free.
10520 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito. (510) 526-1941, www.bayareafreebookexchange.com.<
BERKELEY CITY COLLEGE
"Berkeley City College Fall Arts Festival," Nov. 19 and Nov. 20, 5-8 p.m. Fri.; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat. An exhibit and sale featuring work from 25 diverse artists.
2050 Center St., Berkeley. (510) 981-2800.<
CAL PERFORMANCES All performances in Zellerbach Hall unless otherwise noted.
"An Evening With Puzzle Master Will Shortz," Nov. 21, 7 p.m. The puzzle master and crossword editor for the New York Times discusses the history of crosswords and his passion for puzzles. $20-$36.
Zellerbach Hall, University of California, Berkeley, Bancroft Way at Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley. (510) 642-9988, www.calperformances.net.<
CALIFORNIA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY AND LIBRARY
"California Genealogical Society and Library Free First Saturday," ongoing. 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Event takes place on the first Saturday of every month, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Trace and compile your family history at this month's open house event. Free. www.calgensoc.org.
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland. (510) 663-1358.<
CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
HISTORY WALKABOUTS -- ongoing. A series of walking tours that explore the history, lore and architecture of California with veteran tour guide Gary Holloway. Walks are given on specific weekends. There is a different meeting place for each weekend and walks take place rain or shine so dress for the weather. Reservations and prepayment required. Meeting place will be given with confirmation of tour reservation. Call for details.
678 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 357-1848, www.californiahistoricalsociety.org.<
CALIFORNIA MAGIC THEATER
"Dinner Theater Magic Show," ongoing. 7:30 p.m. Fri - Sat. Enter the joyous and bewildering world of illusion while chowing down on a home cooked meal. Each weekend features different professional magicians. Recommended for ages 13 and older. $54-$64 includes meal.
729 Castro St., Martinez. (925) 374-0056, www.calmagic.com.<
CHABOT SPACE AND SCIENCE CENTER State-of-the-art facility unifying science education activities around astronomy. Enjoy interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, indoor stargazing, outdoor telescope viewing and films.
ASK JEEVES PLANETARIUM -- ongoing. The planetarium features one of the most advanced star projectors in the world. A daily planetarium show is included with general admission. Call for current show schedule.
"Space NOW!", ongoing. Each week, this real-time ride through constellations, stars, and planets will reflect current happenings in our sky. Space NOW! will also tie in activities going on throughout the center. This is Chabot's first daytime guided tour of the universe.
"Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity," ongoing. Take a ride to the inside of a massive black hole and learn about the latest scientific evidence, which suggests that black holes are real. Narrated by Liam Neeson. Suitable for age 12 and older. Free with General Admission ticket.
"Immersive Space: Fly Through the Cosmos," ongoing. Fridays, 8 p.m. Experience the "digital universe'' in a new full-dome system. Travel to the nearest star and beyond in seconds.
"Sunshine," ongoing. A 15-minute planetarium show for children ages 5 and under. In the show, Sunshine, a lovable animated cartoon of the Sun, urges children to sing and play along with his tricks. In the process, he introduces the colors of the day sky and the other suns of the night sky. Free with regular general admission.
"Astronaut," ongoing. What does it take to be part of the exploration of space? Experience a rocket launch from inside the body of an astronaut. Explore the amazing worlds of inner and outer space, from floating around the International Space Station to maneuvering through microscopic regions of the human body. Narrated by Ewan McGregor. 25 min.
"The Search for Life: Are We Alone?" ongoing. A voyage from the ocean deep to the outer reaches of the cosmos in search of life, narrated by Harrison Ford.
"Tales Of The Maya Skies," ongoing. "Tales of the Maya Skies'' is a new full-dome planetarium show that explores the cosmology of the ancient Maya, along with their culture and their contributions to astronomy. Starts November 21.
"The Sky Tonight," ongoing. Saturdays, 8 p.m. Take a live tour of the starry sky overhead on the night of your visit. The show includes a look at constellations, planets and special celestial objects.
"Sonic Vision," ongoing. Friday-Saturday, 9:15 p.m. This show uses the latest digital technology to illuminate the planetarium with colorful computer-generated imagery set to today's popular music, including Radiohead, U2, David Bowie, Coldplay, Moby and more.
"Secret of the Cardboard Rocket," ongoing. Take a journey through the solar system with two young adventurers who turn an old cardboard box into a rocket. Recommended for ages 5-10.
CHALLENGER LEARNING CENTER -- ongoing. "Escape from the Red Planet,'' a cooperative venture for families and groups of up to 14 people, age 8 and up. The scenario on this one hour mission: You are the crew of a shuttle to Mars that has been severely damaged in a crash landing. Your replacement crew is gone, the worst dust storm ever recorded on Mars approaches, and air, food, and water are extremely low. The mission: get the shuttle working again and into orbit before the dust storm hits. Reservations required. Children age 8-12 must be accompanied by an adult; not appropriate for children under age 8. $12-$15; Does not include general admission to the Center. Reservations: (510) 336-7421."Chabot Observatories: A View to the Stars," ongoing. This new permanent exhibit honors the 123-year history of Chabot and its telescopes. The observatory is one of the oldest public observatories in the United States. The exhibit covers the three different sites of the observatory over its history as well as how its historic telescopes continue to be operated today. Included are informative graphic panels, multimedia kiosks, interactive computer programs, hands-on stations, and historic artifacts.
"Dinner, Movie and the Universe," ongoing. Every Friday and Saturday evening. Enjoy a bistro-style dinner, then cozy up for a film in the 70-foot MegaDome theater and end the evening with a telescope viewing. Call to purchase general admission tickets and to make dinner reservations. (510) 336-7373.
Telescope Visions Class, ongoing. 7 p.m. This course introduces participants to the astronomer's main tool: the telescope. Classes are held in the Galileo Room twice monthly. $85-$95; reservations required. (510) 336-7373.
"Global Cool: A Gala Benefit for Planet Earth," Nov. 13, 5:00-9:00 p.m. Event features Bill Nye's Climate Lab exhibition premiere, live auction, a cocktail soiree and more. $500-$10,000; reservations required.
"Bill Nye's Climate Lab: Opening Weekend," Nov. 20 through Nov. 21, 10 a.m. Celebrate the public debut of Bill Nye's Climate lab where guests can board a hot air balloon, operate a wind turbine, learn about clean energy and more. Also enjoy music, food and interactive family-friendly zones throughout the center. $10.95-$14.95; advance tickets recommended.
TIEN MEGADOME SCIENCE THEATER -- ongoing. A 70-foot dome-screen auditorium. Show times subject to change. Call for current show schedule. Price with paid general admission is $6-$7. Theater only: $7-$8. (510) 336-7373, www.ticketweb.com.
"Dinosaurs Alive," ongoing. A global adventure of science and discovery, featuring the earliest dinosaurs of the Triassic Period to the monsters of the Cretaceous, "reincarnated" life-sized for the giant screen. Audiences will journey with some of the world's preeminent paleontologists as they uncover evidence that the descendents of dinosaurs still walk (or fly) among us. From the exotic, trackless expanses and sand dunes of Mongolia's Gobi Desert to the dramatic sandstone buttes of New Mexico, the film will follow American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) paleontologists as they explore some of the greatest dinosaur finds in history.
"The Human Body," ongoing. This show explores the daily biological processes that go on in the human body without our control and often without our notice. This amazing story is revealed in detail on the giant screen.
"The Living Sea," ongoing. The film celebrates the beauty, power and importance of the ocean. Produced in association with The National Maritime Center, the Ocean Film Network and Dr. Robert Ballard.
"Forces of Nature," ongoing. This film showcases the awesome spectacle of earthquakes, volcanoes, and severe storms as scientists continue their quests to understand how these natural disasters are triggered.
"Cosmic Voyage," ongoing. A breathtaking journey through time and space. Zoom from the surface of the Earth to the largest observable structures of the Universe and back down to the sub-nuclear realm, a guided tour across some 42 orders of magnitude. Explore some of the greatest scientific theories, many of which have never before been visualized on film.
Center Admission: $14.95; $10.95 children 3-12; free children under 3; $3 discount for seniors and students. Telescope viewing only: free. Wednesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Also open on Tuesdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. after June 29. 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 336-7300, www.chabotspace.org.<
DUNSMUIR HOUSE AND GARDENS HISTORIC ESTATE ongoing. Nestled in the Oakland hills, the 50-acre Dunsmuir House and Gardens estate includes the 37-room Neoclassical Revival Dunsmuir Mansion, built by coal and lumber baron Alexander Dunsmuir for his bride. Restored outbuildings set amid landscaped gardens surround the mansion.
ESTATE GROUNDS -- ongoing. Self-Guided Grounds Tours are available yearround. The 50 acres of gardens and grounds at the mansion are open to the public for walking Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Booklets and maps of the grounds are available at the Dinkelspiel House. Free.
GUIDED TOURS -- Docent-led tours are available on the first Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. (except for July) and Wednesdays at 11 a.m. $5 adults, $4 seniors and juniors (11-16), children 11 and under free.
Dunsmuir House and Gardens, 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland. (510) 615-5555, www.dunsmuir.org.<
FRANK OGAWA PLAZA
"Oakland Artisan Marketplace," ongoing. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fridays. The City of Oakland and Cultural Arts & Marketing Department presents a weekly market featuring fine arts and crafts of local artists. Free. (510) 238-4948, www.oaklandartisanmarketplace.org.
14th Street and Broadway, Oakland. <
JACK LONDON AQUATIC CENTER
"Oakland Artisan Marketplace,"' ongoing. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays The City of Oakland and Cultural Arts & Marketing Department presents a weekly market featuring fine arts and crafts of local artists. Free. (510) 238-4948, www.oaklandartisanmarketplace.org.
115 Embarcadero, Oakland. <
LA PENA CULTURAL CENTER
"11th Annual Hecho en Califas Festival," through Nov. 14. A series of events showcasing Californian artists. See website for complete schedule.
Free unless otherwise noted. 3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 849-2568, www.lapena.org.<
LAWRENCE HALL OF SCIENCE "NanoZone," ongoing. Discover the science of the super-small: nanotechnology. Through hands-on activities and games, explore this microworld and the scientific discoveries made in this area.
"Forces That Shape the Bay," ongoing. A science park that shows and explains why the San Francisco Bay is the way it is, with information on water, erosion, plate tectonics and mountain building. You can ride earthquake simulators, set erosion in motion and look far out into the bay with a powerful telescope from 1,100 feet above sea level. The center of the exhibit is a waterfall that demonstrates how water flows from the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the Bay. Visitors can control where the water goes. There are also hands-on erosion tables, and a 40-foot-long, 6-foothigh, rock compression wall.
"Real Astronomy Experience," ongoing. A new exhibit-in-development allowing visitors to use the tools that real astronomers use. Aim a telescope at a virtual sky and operate a remote-controlled telescope to measure a planet.
"Biology Lab," ongoing. In the renovated Biology Lab visitors may hold and observe gentle animals. Saturday, Sunday and holidays, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
"The Idea Lab," ongoing. Experiment with some of the basics of math, science and technology through hands-on activities and demonstrations of magnets, spinning and flying, puzzles and nanotechnology.
"Math Around the World," ongoing. Play some of the world's most popular math games, such as Hex, Kalah, Game Sticks and Shongo Networks.
"Math Rules," ongoing. Use simple and colorful objects to complete interesting challenges in math through predicting, sorting, comparing, weighing and counting.
HOLT PLANETARIUM ongoing. Shows on Saturdays and Sundays. Programs recommended for ages 6 and up unless otherwise noted. $2.50-$3 in addition to general admission.
$6-$12; free children ages 2 and under. Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. University of California, Centennial Drive, Berkeley. (510) 642-5132, www.lawrencehallofscience.org.<
RANGER SHELTON JOHNSON Nov. 13. A night to honor Johnson, a ranger at Yosemite, and who was featured in Ken Burns' popular PBS series "Our National Parks.'' Event takes place at the Campbell Theater, 636 Ward St., Martinez.
$50.6 p.m.www.johnmuirassociation.org.<
SMITH CENTER AT OHLONE COLLEGE
"An Evening with Dr. Philip Zimbardo," Nov. 19, 7 p.m. A discussion with psychologist Philip Zimbardo, best known for his famous "Stanford Prison Experiment,'' which showed how everyday people can turn into sadistic monsters under certain conditions. $10
43600 Mission Blvd., Fremont. (510) 659-6031, www.smithcenterpresents.com.<
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY PACIFIC FILM ARCHIVE ongoing. Exploring cinema from the Bay Area and cultures around the world, the Pacific Film Archive offers daily film screenings, including rare and rediscovered prints of movie classics; new and historic works by world famous directors; restored silent films with live musical accompaniment; retrospectives; and new and experimental works. Check Web site for a full schedule of films.
"First Impressions: Free First Thursdays," first Thursday of every month. Special tours and movie presentations. Admission is free.
Single feature: $5-$8; Double feature: $9-$12 general. PFA Theater, 2575 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. (510) 642-5249, www.bampfa.berkeley.edu.<
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, MORRISON LIBRARY
"Lunch Poems," ongoing. 12:10-12:50 p.m. First Thursdays of each month
2600 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. (510) 642-3671.<
USS HORNET MUSEUM Come aboard this World War II aircraft carrier that has been converted into a floating museum. The Hornet, launched in 1943, is 899 feet long and 27 stories high. During World War II she was never hit by an enemy strike or plane and holds the Navy record for number of enemy planes shot down in a week. In 1969 the Hornet recovered the Apollo 11 space capsule containing the first men to walk on the moon, and later recovered Apollo 12. In 1991 the Hornet was designated a National Historic Landmark and is now docked at the same pier she sailed from in 1944. Today, visitors can tour the massive ship, view World War II-era warplanes and experience a simulated aircraft launch from the carrier's deck. Exhibits are being added on an ongoing basis. Allow two to three hours for a visit. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to climb steep stairs or ladders. Dress in layers as the ship can be cold. Arrive no later than 2 p.m. to sign up for the engine room and other docent-led tours. Children under age 12 are not allowed in the Engine Room or the Combat Information Center. "Limited Access Day," ongoing. Due to ship maintenance, tours of the navigation bridge and the engine room are not available. Tuesdays.
"Flight Deck Fun," ongoing. A former Landing Signal Officer will show children how to bring in a fighter plane for a landing on the deck then let them try the signals themselves. Times vary. Free with regular Museum admission.
"Protestant Divine Services," ongoing. Hornet chaplain John Berger conducts church services aboard The Hornet in the Wardroom Lounge. Everyone is welcome and refreshments are served immediately following the service. Sundays, 11 a.m.Closed on New Year's Day.
"Family Day," ongoing. Discounted admission for families of four with a further discount for additional family members. Access to some of the areas may be limited due to ship maintenance. Every Tuesday. $20 for family of four; $5 for each additional family member.
"History Mystery After Hours Tour," ongoing. 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Explore the USS Hornet after hours and learn the history of this ship while it is illuminated in red lights used for "night ops." Also, hear stories about the ships' legendary haunts. Reservations required. (510) 521-8448 X282.
"Flashlight Tour," ongoing. 8:30 a.m. Receive a special tour of areas aboard the ship that have not yet been opened to the public or that have limited access during the day. $30-$35 per person.
"Living Ship Day," Nov. 13. Witness flight simulations as aircraft are lifted to the flight deck and placed into the launch position; participate in mission briefings; meet former crew; sit in the cockpit of a fighter jet.
$6-$14; free children age 4 and under with a paying adult. Daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Pier 3 (enter on Atlantic Avenue), Alameda Point, Alameda. (510) 521-8448, www.uss-hornet.org.<
BOOKS INC., ALAMEDA
Jan Watten, Nov. 13, 7 p.m. Local photographer and artist displays her prints and discusses her recent Artist Profile in Black and White Magazine.
Free. Readings at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 1344 Park St., Alameda. (510) 522-2226, www.booksinc.net.<
CARMEN FLORES RECREATION CENTER
"El Corazon de la Communidad: The Heart of the Community", ongoing. Painted by Joaquin Alejandro Newman, this mural installation consists of four 11-foot panels that mix ancient Meso-American and contemporary imagery to pay homage to local activists Carmen Flores and Josie de la Cruz.
Free unless otherwise noted. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. 1637 Fruitvale Ave., Oakland. (510) 535-5631.<
LAWRENCE HALL OF SCIENCE "NanoZone," ongoing. Discover the science of the super-small: nanotechnology. Through hands-on activities and games, explore this microworld and the scientific discoveries made in this area.
"Forces That Shape the Bay," ongoing. A science park that shows and explains why the San Francisco Bay is the way it is, with information on water, erosion, plate tectonics and mountain building. You can ride earthquake simulators, set erosion in motion and look far out into the bay with a powerful telescope from 1,100 feet above sea level. The center of the exhibit is a waterfall that demonstrates how water flows from the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the Bay. Visitors can control where the water goes. There are also hands-on erosion tables, and a 40-foot-long, 6-foothigh, rock compression wall.
"Real Astronomy Experience," ongoing. A new exhibit-in-development allowing visitors to use the tools that real astronomers use. Aim a telescope at a virtual sky and operate a remote-controlled telescope to measure a planet.
"Biology Lab," ongoing. In the renovated Biology Lab visitors may hold and observe gentle animals. Saturday, Sunday and holidays, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
"The Idea Lab," ongoing. Experiment with some of the basics of math, science and technology through hands-on activities and demonstrations of magnets, spinning and flying, puzzles and nanotechnology.
"Math Around the World," ongoing. Play some of the world's most popular math games, such as Hex, Kalah, Game Sticks and Shongo Networks.
"Math Rules," ongoing. Use simple and colorful objects to complete interesting challenges in math through predicting, sorting, comparing, weighing and counting.
"Kapla," ongoing. The hands-on exhibit features thousands of versatile building blocks that can be used to build very large, high and stable structures and models of bridges, buildings, animals or anything else your mind can conceive.
$6-$12; free children ages 2 and under. Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. University of California, Centennial Drive, Berkeley. (510) 642-5132, www.lawrencehallofscience.org.<
LINDSAY WILDLIFE MUSEUM This is the oldest and largest wildlife rehabilitation center in America, taking in 6,000 injured and orphaned animals yearly and returning 40 percent of them to the wild. The museum offers a wide range of educational programs using non-releasable wild animals to teach children and adults respect for the balance of nature. The museum includes a state-of-the art wildlife hospital which features a permanent exhibit, titled "Living with Nature,'' which houses 75 non-releasable wild animals in learning environments; a 5,000-square-foot Wildlife Hospital complete with treatment rooms, intensive care, quarantine and laboratory facilities; a 1-acre Nature Garden featuring the region's native landscaping and wildlife; and an "Especially For Children'' exhibit.
WILDLIFE HOSPITAL -- September-March: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hospital is open daily including holidays to receive injured and orphaned animals. There is no charge for treatment of native wild animals and there are no public viewing areas in the hospital.SPECIAL EVENTS -- ongoing.
$5-$7; free children under age 2. June 16-Sept. 15: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sun.; Sept. 16-June 15: noon.-5 p.m. Wed.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.<
OAKLAND ASIAN CULTURAL CENTER
"Oakland's 19th-Century San Pablo Avenue Chinatown," ongoing. A permanent exhibit of new findings about the rediscovered Chinatown on San Pablo Avenue. The exhibit aims to inform visitors about the upcoming archaeological work planned to explore the lives of early Chinese pioneers in the 1860s.
Free. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Pacific Renaissance Plaza, 388 Ninth St., Suite 290, Oakland. (510) 637-0455, www.oacc.cc.<
OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
"Going Away, Coming Home," ongoing. A 160-foot public art installation by Mills College art professor Hung Liu. Liu hand painted 80 red-crowned cranes onto 65 panels of glass that were then fired, tempered and paired with background panes that depict views of a satellite photograph, ranging from the western United States to the Asia Pacific Area. Terminal 2.
Free. Daily, 24 hours, unless otherwise noted. Oakland International Airport, 1 Airport Drive, Oakland. (510) 563-3300, www.flyoakland.com.<
"SUN SPHERES," -- ongoing. "Sun Spheres'' is a trio of mosaic sculptures by artist Laurel True at the intersection of Ocean and Granada Avenues in the OMI District of San Francisco.
(415) 252-2551, www.sfartscommission.org/pubart.<
EVENING GALLERY WALKS These monthly evening gallery walks or "crawls'' are a way to learn about art for the casual viewer without the intimidation of visiting a gallery with no one else around. Generally the galleries are filled on the "walk'' evenings with people drinking wine and talking. Gallery owners are happy to answer questions about the art on view. The important thing to remember is that it is free to gaze and drink.
"First Thursday," ongoing. 5:30-8 p.m. Generally some 20 galleries participate in this monthly evening of open galleries. Many are located around Union Square. Some of the galleries that participate on a regular basis are Pasquale Iannetti Gallery, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, and Hackett-Freedman Gallery, all on Sutter Street; Meyerovich Gallery and Dolby Chadwick Gallery on Post Street; and Rena Bransten Gallery and Stephen Wirtz Gallery on Geary Street. Sponsored by the San Francisco Art Dealers Association. First Thursday of the month. Free.
San Francisco. <
HOTEL DES ARTS The boutique 51-room art hotel in Union Square features an art gallery by Start SOMA.
"Painted Rooms," ongoing. An exhibit of painted rooms in the hotel by emerging artists.
Free. Daily, 8 a.m.-11 p.m. 447 Bush St., San Francisco. (415) 956-4322, www.sfhoteldesarts.com.<
JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF SAN FRANCISCO
"The Digital Liberation of G-d," ongoing. A permanent interactive media installation created by New York-based artist Helene Aylon, which examines the influences of patriarchal attitudes upon Jewish traditions and sacred texts.
Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. 3200 California St., San Francisco. (415) 292-1200, Box Office: (415) 292-1233, www.jccsf.org.<
SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY, BAYVIEW-ANNA E. WADEN BRANCH
"Bayview's Historical Footprints," ongoing. A permanent photographic exhibition celebrating the diverse history of Bayview Hunters Point featuring multimedia oral histories from community elders.
Free. Monday, Tuesday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Wednesday, 1 p.m.-8 p.m.; Thursday, 1 p.m.-7 p.m.; Friday, 1 p.m.-6 p.m. 5075 Third St., San Francisco. (415) 355-5757, www.sfpl.org.<
SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY, MAIN BRANCH
"Digging Deep: Underneath San Francisco Public Library," ongoing. Exhibition collects archaeological remains from the Gold Rush-era cemetery and the ruins of old City Hall destroyed in the 1906 earthquake.
Free. Monday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday, noon-6 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. 100 Larkin St., San Francisco. (415) 557-4400, www.sfpl.org.<
USF THACHER GALLERY
"Galleons and Globalization: California Mission Arts and the Pacific Rim," through Dec. 19. The exhibit explores the lively commerce in iconography, materials and ideas that shaped California's rich mission arts.
2130 Fulton St., San Francisco. (415) 422-5178.<
ELKS LODGE, ALAMEDA
"All You Can Dance Sunday Socials," ongoing. Sunday, 4-6 p.m. Marilyn Bowe and Robert Henneg presents monthly socials with ballroom, swing, Latin and rock & roll themes. www.dancewithme.info.
2255 Santa Clara Ave., Alameda. (510) 864-2256.<
SHATTUCK DOWN LOW For ages 21 and older.
"Live Salsa," ongoing. Wednesdays. An evening of dancing to the music of a live salsa band. Salsa dance lessons from 8-9:30 p.m. $5-$10.
2284 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 548-1159, www.shattuckdownlow.com.<
SOLAD DANCE CENTER
"Persian Dance," ongoing. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:30 and 10 p.m. Rosa Rojas offers traditional dance classes. $10.
Citrus Marketplace, 2260 Oak Grove Rd., Walnut Creek. (925) 938-3300.<
STARRY PLOUGH PUB
"Ceili and Dance," ongoing. Traditional Irish music and dance. The evening begins with a dance lesson at 7 p.m. followed by music at 9 p.m. Mondays, 7 p.m. Free.
For ages 21 and over unless otherwise noted. Sunday and Wednesday, 8 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday, 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 3101 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 841-2082, www.starryploughpub.com.<
