While the Berkeley City Council was wrapping up its worksession on Tuesday evening, an audience was growing, news cameras were being set up, and a police presence was building in the small Council chambers. A protester's voice could be heard yelling over a megaphone outside the building. Compared to the usual empty-room meeting, this was an exciting scene. There were two hot-button issues on the agenda that drew national media coverage: item 26, supporting Pfc Bradley Manning and claiming him a hero, and item 27, urging Pacifica to reinstate KPFA's morning show. 

Bradley Manning's case is one of the central issues in the WikiLeaks debate. He is accused of leaking thousands of classified military documents, as well as the “Collateral Murder” video depicting soldiers shooting unarmed civilians from a helicopter as if they were playing a video game. Max Anderson commented on his reaction to the video, saying “it was clear to me as a military veteran myself... what happens to young people, men and women that we send to defend this country – quote-unquote –[they] get transformed into kind of monstrous people that are willing to do things that conflict and contrast so sharply with the way they were brought up, what they were taught, what the morals of this country are.” 

Fifteen public commentators came to speak about the item, eleven of whom were in support of the resolution declaring Bradley Manning a hero, three of whom were against it, and one of whom was neutral but thought it was a waste of the council's time. Danny Gonzalez of Move America Forward came to the podium to discourage the council from passing the resolution. “If he has done what he's accused of doing, he's endangered his fellow troops. If he has a problem with the way the military conducts itself, this is not the proper way to do it.” Others who were opposed to the resolution questioned whether diplomacy was possible without government secrecy, while many in support of the resolution made the statement that whistleblowing is not a crime. Manning was compared to Daniel Ellsberg and the Collateral Murder incident was compared to the My Lai massacre. 

As it turns out, the resolution was not a cut-and-dried question of Government Transparency v. “National Security.” Since Bradley Manning has already pled “Not Guilty” to charges of releasing the documents and the video, the Council and the mayor decided that it was a bit preemptive for anybody to declare Manning a hero or a traitor. Councilmember Anderson first moved to pass the resolution, which Mayor Bates seconded to initiate debate, which was followed by a substitute motion from Councilmember Arreguin to continue the motion off calendar. In this case, the issue could come back to the Council if additional information were brought forward and Manning was convicted or released on his charges. This motion was voted upon and failed with No votes from Councilmembers Maio, Capitelli, Wengraf, Wozniak, and Mayor Bates, and Yes votes from Councilmembers Moore, Anderson, Arreguin, and Worthington. 

Eventually, a different substitute motion by Councilmember Maio passed. Her motion was to table the resolution so that there is time to work on it—and any councilmember can bring it back at any time. This motion was approved by Councilmembers Maio, Moore, Capitelli, Wengraf, Worthington, Wozniak, Arreguin, and Mayor Bates. Councilmember Anderson abstained. 

The next item dealt with KPFA's recent layoffs of the morning show staff and a resolution by Councilmember Moore calling for the morning show to be reinstated. Arlene Englehardt, Pacifica's Executive Director, and the person responsible for the layoffs, came to the meeting to speak to the issue. Because of the station's deficit, she said, raises had to be suspended and layoffs made, and “it was made clear to me any layoffs had to be made according to seniority.” Other speakers commented that those who were laid off did have seniority over others, and that the morning show was one of KPFA's best fund raisers. 

Englehardt said in response to the question over seniority that, in laying off the two morning show workers, she had spared the jobs of two correspondents who she considered have special, irreplaceable skills. Several staff and union members at KPFA alleged that Englehardt had ignored their input on the issue of layoffs and alternative budget ideas, and felt that the Pacifica board had taken control of the local station. Currently, Englehardt says she is planning to put a volunteer-run morning show on the air in the coming weeks. 

Two motions were placed on the floor by Councilmembers Moore and Maio. Moore's motion was to pass his resolution that Berkeley ask that the morning show be reinstated and the laid-off staff re-hired. Maio's motion was that there should be good-faith mediation about the issue, offering the City's mediation services in facilitating the discussion. Maio's motion failed with Maio and Worthington in support, Arreguin and Mayor Bates in opposition, and Moore, Anderson, Capitelli, Wengraf, and Wozniak abstaining. Moore's motion failed as well, with Moore, Anderson, and Mayor Bates in support, Maio, Arreguin, and Worthington in opposition, and Capitelli, Wengraf, and Wozniak abstaining. In the end the Council took no action on this issue which stirred up so much public interest. 

The Council also discussed community reinvestment in banking. The City Manager's recommendation was passed, to continue banking with the same company and discuss community needs with Wells Fargo. Maio, Arreguin, Capitelli, Wengraf, Worthington, Wozniak, and Mayor Bates supported the resolution. Anderson voted against it, and Moore abstained. 

Next the Council passed item 24 authorizing the City Manager to sign the “Preliminary Petition to Form the Downtown Berkeley Property-Based Business Improvement District” document on behalf of the City-owned properties in the proposed Downtown PBID area. This item also included a 25 cent per hour increase in the parking rate at Downtown meters. 

The last item taken up by the Council was the Peace and Justice Commission's report opposing the Secure Communities program. This program requires local law enforcement agencies to share fingerprint data with federal agencies for the purpose of deporting illegal immigrants, essentially meaning that if an illegal immigrant is arrested for any minor crime where they are fingerprinted, they face deportation. Police Chief Michael Meehan suggested that the Council refer the item to the agenda committee until more information is available regarding the actual obligations of the local police, including whether or not the program is actually mandatory – which was not made clear by the Homeland Security document. The Council unanimously passed a motion to refer the issue to the agenda committee until more information is available, while expressing Berkeley's opposition to the program. This is essentially the same action that has been taken by San Francisco and Santa Clara Counties, among others. 

With that, Council has been adjourned until the New Year.

The Berkeley City Council listened to presentations on Tuesday night, first about the city's budget difficulties, and then about the progress of the 2020 Vision, one of the city's priority projects. Teresa Berkeley-Simmons, the city's budget manager, highlighted the problem of continually decreasing revenues and increasing expenses. Revenues are down $1.8 million for Fiscal Year 2011, and there is a $3 million deficit in the general fund, likely to have increased to $4 million by Fiscal Year 2013. Eighty full-time city employees will have been eliminated by the end of FY 2011, with more staff reductions expected for FY 2012, and staff are taking more and more furlough days. The city is expected to continue spending money on priority programs like the 2020 Vision, a collaboration with the Berkeley Unified School District, and was asked by two public speakers to prioritize retrofitting unsafe buildings and maintaining affordable housing. 

Despite budget difficulties, the 2020 Vision project is moving full steam ahead. Tanya Moore and William Rogers of the Parks, Recreation and Waterfront Department described the goals and progress of the project, which is a plan to improve the academics and health of Berkeley's children and youth. They explained that their strategy is to start small and build upon their successes, focusing on kindergarten readiness, third grade reading skills, and attendance for all K-12 students. Right now, Berkeley public schools have a dropout rate of 27%. Councilmembers' suggestions included establishing two admissions dates per year for kindergarteners, so that kids are more similar in age when they enter school, and appealing to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for funding.

Last Saturday afternoon I got a call asking if I was willing to take a survey about my opinion of local issues. I opt out of phone polls, except when they’re about local affairs—not because I think my responses are going to make more of a difference in the local context, but because I usually learn something about Berkeley politics that I wouldn’t know otherwise. So it was with this one, which turned out to be testing the waters of public opinion in preparation for Lawrence Berkeley National Lab’s coming incursion into West Berkeley. 

The survey took at least fifteen minutes—a long and expensive time for a poll. I was asked, among other things: 

What do you think of 

• · the Berkeley City Council
• · the University of California
• · Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
• · Save Strawberry Canyon
• · the Lawrence Hall of Science
• · the Committee to Minimize Toxic Waste
• · the Department of Energy
• · Chevron
• · PG&E

Do you trust private companies to do scientific research? 

What comes to mind when you think of LBNL? 

Deeply familiar with the plans of the Lab, UC and Tom Bates to turn West Berkeley into Emeryville North by dismantling the zoning that protects the district’s hundreds of artists, artisans and its industrial businesses and their thousands of employees, I said: “land grab.” 

I was also asked to respond to a series of statements, saying whether they made me feel very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable about the Lab. For example: 

The Lab: 

• · conducts energy research
• · creates health and safety risks to the city
• · is a valuable asset to the East Bay economy
• · is a trusted scientific institution
• · is funded by the Department of Energy
• · is funded by U.S. taxpayers
• · is secretive
• · supports K-121 education
• · is an incubator for new uses
• · pumps $900,000 into the local economy
• · does important research that has resulted in the discovery of 16 elements and better understanding of dark energy
• · is leading scientific research that will help deal with climate change and reduce dependence on foreign oil
• · is managed by the University of California system
• · does world class science that has yielded Nobel Prizes and National Medals of Science
• · is, after UC, the second largest employer in Berkeley, providing thousands of good jobs
• · does research in nanotechnology and synthetic biology
• · is at the forefront of improving the quality of life in the Third World, for example, designing a small stove that can be used by refugees.

• · is secretive and not involved in the community
• · emits contaminants into local creeks
• · generates too much traffic and noise in neighborhoods
• · uses dangerous high-powered lasers
• · does nanotechnology research on molecules that are so small we can’t see them.

Not coincidentally, on Monday I received a single-page, two-sided form letter dated December 6, addressed to “Friends and Neighbors of Berkeley Lab” and signed by LBNL Director Paul Alivisatos. The letter advertised the Lab’s scientific achievements and contributions to the community—except for the penultimate paragraph, which addressed the institution’s search for a second campus. It said that earlier in December the Lab had taken “the first step toward securing proposals for [its] second campus, and that it “hoped to develop a short list of possible sites by the end of February and make a final selection by June.” 

Some people think that the Lab is going to build its new facility at UC’s Richmond Field Station. Given the wording of the poll’s final query—“another Lab in your town”—I’d say the new facility is headed for Berkeley. Rumor has it that the Lab is eyeing the former American Soils site adjacent to Aquatic Park. The timing announced in Alivisato’s letter dovetails with the progress of current proposals to radically deregulate land use in my town’s only industrial/artisanal district. Approved by the planning commission on a 7-2 vote on October 13, the recommended zoning revisions are scheduled to go before the council in early 2011, just in time to facilitate the Lab’s land grab in West Berkeley.

Nothing brightens the holiday season quite like an eviction.

This Monday afternoon, Mark Liolios, founder of the Aquatic Park Environmental Greening, Restoration, and Education Team (EGRET), locked up the Cabin, also known as the Model Boat Building, the structure he and his environmental stewardship group have been using as an interpretive center. The Berkeley Parks and Recreation Department had demanded that EGRET and its sponsoring organization Berkeley Partners for Parks accept the city’s terms for a lease on the building or vacate it by December 14. The city offered to provide a tool shed for the group’s use if the second option was chosen. 

Liolios says the city’s lease requirements, which would require EGRET to make substantial upgrades, are inconsistent with those held by other Aquatic Park tenants, notably the Bay Outreach & Recreation Program (BORP). He describes a Catch-22 dilemma. “The lease we were offered two weeks ago said the bulk of physical improvements must be made within six months of signing the lease,” Liolios told the Parks and Recreation Commission last week. “BORP got a city lease last year with a five-year timetable for upgrades. EGRET couldn’t use the building until the city had signed off on all those capital projects. It’s hard to raise money for a program when you’re not running the program. To get a grant you must show you have a signed lease and property. We had a donation for a new roof but we can’t get a building permit without a lease.” 

EGRET has been using the Cabin since 2002, when the city was looking for a tenant for the vacant International Bird Rescue Research Center. According to Liolios, EGRET’s bid was approved by a Parks and Recreation review committee and the Parks and Recreation Commission. The city produced a draft lease document and negotiation ensued but was never finalized. While that issue remained in limbo, EGRET continued to occupy the building. In October 2009 there was a new request for proposal limited to the Cabin, accompanied by a new version of the lease. Liolios says EGRET was the only respondent. 

On July 20, Parks and Recreation Director William Rogers wrote Liolios and BPFP stating that EGRET’s bid “fail[ed] to meet the City’s goals and requirements for Aquatic Park in a number of significant respects.” Rogers said EGRET’s proposal to use the Cabin for restoration projects at the south end of Aquatic Park was “incompatible with the City's ongoing efforts to ensure that all work performed in this sensitive wildlife habitat is appropriately vetted by qualified conservation agencies and authorized by the City Parks Superintendent… The City does not want to implicitly encourage nor facilitate unauthorized work in Aquatic Park through its leasing policies and is instead looking for uses that are compatible with the City's environmental education and restoration goals at the park.” EGRET’s responses, he added, “fail to demonstrate any current financial commitment to rehabilitate or improve the building…” As a parting shot, Rogers invited discussions on “a plan for the City to amicably regain exclusive possession of the building...” 

Between July and November, Liolios was able to mobilize support from local green groups. “We thank the City for supporting EGRET’s work by allowing the use of this building in the past, and we encourage you to allow EGET to continue to use the building now and in the future,” wrote Golden Gate Audubon Society Executive Director Mark Welther. Citizens for Eastshore Parks and more than twenty other organizations, including Aquatic Park tenants BORP and Waterside Workshop, also sent letters of support to the city. In September, while all this was going on, Liolios was named one of five “Cox Conserves Heroes” for the Bay Area by the Trust for Public Land and Cox Enterprises. 

The other shoe dropped with Rogers’ November 19 letter, advising that recent inspections had revealed “significant safety and accessibility issues” at the building and posing the lease-versus-tool shed choice. Rogers set December 14 as the deadline by which “the City [would] be required to pursue its available legal remedies.” An attached term sheet for the lease required the tenant to replace the roof, upgrade the electrical system, clean and upgrade the sewer, construct accessible ramps, modify the restroom for disabled access, paint the exterior, and install signage, all prior to July 2011. 

EGRET supporters turned out for last week’s Parks and Recreation Commission meeting at the North Berkeley Senior Center: UC Berkeley students and some of the 300 other volunteers who worked with Liolios this year, along with former commissioners and BPFP officers. Jack Appleyard of BPFP expressed concern about the city’s willingness to partner with nonprofits: “Over the last couple of years we’ve noticed it’s getting more difficult for many of our organizations to do what they do.” Appleyard also raised the lease comparability issue: “It’s disturbing that the lease offered for the Cabin is very different from previous leases with the requirement to complete all construction in six months while not occupying the building…To the casual observer it appears that EGRET is being held to a higher standard [than other tenants] for this particular lease condition.” 

Rogers, after cautioning the Commission that its role was strictly advisory, praised what the city has done for Aquatic Park. “Over the last ten years Aquatic Park has come a long way,” he said. “We have an excellent partnership with Audubon and work with a wildlife biologist on habitat restoration…We have folks we’ve hired who have a lot of expertise in habitat restoration.” 

Rogers continued: “As a city we have the responsibility to hold ourselves to high standards. We want to have all the leases be at the same level…Leaseholders have the responsibility to do capital work on these buildings. That’s why we charge such a cheap rate.” Noting that required structural work would not require significant time or expertise, Rogers said there had been “many attempts to get BPFP to sign a lease and that hasn’t happened. We’re happy to talk about time frames for improvement….Raising funds contingent on signing a lease demonstrates they’re working in good faith to have that happen and I’m not seeing that.” In response to a question from Commissioner Carole Schemmerling, he said that EGRET’s use of the Cabin in its present state “puts the city at a ridiculous amount of liability.” 

Several Commissioners urged face-to-face discussions between BPFP/EGRET and the city before the December 14 deadline. Others, while expressing hope for a resolution, voiced concerns about EGRET’s role in the park. “We need a substantive conversation about coordinating the actual work,” Pam Gray told Rogers. “There are some areas of real concern where that hasn’t been done and there has been damage to the habitat.” Commission Chair Joe Gross concurred: “We can’t have a situation where a volunteer nonprofit organization is making its own decisions about what is done in the park. There’s no sense leasing a building to an organization that’s going to be at loggerheads with the people responsible for maintaining the park.” 

Liolios says no such discussions took place. In an email to the Planet on December 14, Rogers reiterated that BPFP/EGRET was “provided with two options—to sign a lease for the building (which they do not currently have) or accept a shed provided by the City for tool storage in order to facilitate EGRET’s work in the park. Berkeley Partners for Parks/EGRET chose the latter. We will be meeting with Berkeley Partners for Parks/EGRET in January to discuss the details and dimensions of the shed. This arrangement does not preclude future conversations about a building lease.” He later told a Planet reporter that there were a couple of other parties interested in leasing the building. 

Councilmember Daryl Moore told the Planet: "I'm supportive of any non-profit that wants to be housed in Aquatic Park, so long as all of them are treated equally." He said that he greatly appreciates EGRET's efforts and that they've done a great job cleaning up the park, and that because of that he's interested in supporting them, but that it's not really the role of the council and that there isn't really any action he intends to take. 

We have here, in short, a typically tangled Berkeley situation. Clearly this isn’t just about the Cabin. The language used by Rogers in his July letter and some of the comments at last week’s commission meeting suggest agendas that have not been made entirely public. Do Rogers’ folks with a lot of expertise in habitat restoration leave any room for volunteer efforts at Aquatic Park? How exactly has EGRET’s work been incompatible with the city’s restoration priorities? Will personalities and control issues be allowed to derail an award-winning stewardship initiative? As—or if—answers emerge, we’ll try to keep you updated. 

When the American Israel Political Action Committee (AIPAC) comes to town, demonstrations are sure to follow and, on Monday night, December 13, Oakland was no exception. 

AIPAC is recognized as one of the most powerful lobbying groups in Washington, DC. Its annual meetings in Washington draw crowds of 5,000 — an event topped only by the President’s State of the Union Address. With 100,000 members and a $65 million budget, AIPAC’s political clout holds sway over two-thirds of the House and one half of the Senate. AIPAC supported the invasion of Iraq, backs a military strike on Iran, defends Israel’s “Annexation Wall” and calls for expanded settlements in the Occupied Territories. AIPAC also was embroiled in an espionage scandal after two of its top officers were caught passing “national security information to foreign government agents.” (A former defense official is now serving a 12.5-year prison sentence for violating the US Espionage Act.) 

For its Oakland event, AIPAC had scheduled a 7 PM dinner at the Marriot Hotel on Broadway. Hundreds of “honored dignitaries” were invited to hear keynote speaker Rep. Shelly Berkeley (D-Las Vegas), a friend of the Zionist Organization of America and Christians United for Israel who was described as “a strong proponent of natural growth in the settlements.” 

By 5 PM, more than 100 demonstrators had gathered on the sidewalks outside the hotel. (Some demonstrators opposed to the illegal occupation of Palestinian lands had gathered at 11AM for a public reading of the Goldstone Report, a UN paper that criticized both the Israeli government and Hamas for human rights abuses). A ten-member marching band danced down Broadway to join the anti-AIPAC crowd bringing a note of hand-clapping merriment to the protest. 

The demonstrations were loud but peaceful. The only things being hurled were political chants. “2, 4, 6, 8, Stop the Jihad; End the Hate” was met with cries of “2, 4, 6, 8, Israel Is a Racist State.” “AIPAC, AIPAC! You Can’t Hide; We Charge You With Genocide,” was answered with “Racist, Sexist, Anti-gay; Islamofascists, Go Away.” The most disagreeable rants seemed to be confined to online blogs where one AIPAC supporter referred to the StopAIPAC coalition as “the usual pack of brainwashed supporters of extremist Islamic misogyny and Jew-hate.” 

AIPAC’s Oakland event was one of four held at different Bay Area venues (a second dinner was slated for Tuesday in San Francisco). About 14 pro-Israel demonstrators could be counted waving Israeli and US flags while, on the other side of the Marriot’s curving driveway, about 75 anti-AIPAC protestors waved signs and invited passersby to gather informational leaflets and sign petitions demanding that California take steps to divest from companies doing business in Israel. 

Dueling Demonstrations 

In addition to flags, the “pro” forces had two large posters propped against the Marriot’s wall. One poster featured a quote attributed to the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Peace for Israel means security and we must stand with all our might to protect its right to exist, its territorial integrity.” “King visited Israel twice,” a demonstrator explained. “He said that two weeks before he was shot.” 

If there was a competition over quotations, however, the antis clearly won, with critics of the Occupation ranging from President Jimmy Carter, Desmond Tutu, British Parliamentarian Sir Gerald Kaufman and Princeton Prof. Richard Falk to Israeli journalist and Ha’aretz correspondent Amira Haas. 

If there was a competition over intellectual content and documentation, the antis clearly won on that count as well. 

Stand with Us and San Francisco Voice for Israel offered a flyer that reprinted the photos of gun-wielding children on one side and, on the other side, offered quotes from the Hamas Charter, including: “There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad.” 

The second of the two large Stand with Us posters was topped with a Nelson Mandela quote: “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” The rest of the poster was filled with photographs of the same (presumably Palestinian) children holding pistols and assault rifles. One photo showed a young boy proudly displaying a belt of explosives wrapped around his waist. Alongside was a “martyr photo” of a suicide bomber and her young son, both dressed for sacrifice. (The display left some wondering if this is the frame through which the poster artist actually views all Palestinian children.) 

The antis, however, came equipped with a much more impressive array of documentation. 

There were postcards from TwoPeoplesOneFuture.org promoting “Fast Facts” — i.e., $58.6 billion (The amount of US military aid to Israel from 1949-2008); $30 billion (The amount of US military air to Israel from FY 2009-2018); 500,000 (The number of Israeli settlers occupying Palestinian land in violation of international law); 1,084 (The number of Israelis killed by Palestinians from September 29, 2000-August 31, 2010); 6,408 (The number of Palestinians killed by Israelis during the same period). 

A display on an adjacent kiosk pointed out that Alameda County would be spending $184,523,517 to finance the Pentagon’s military aid package to Israel for FY 2009-2018. Had those funds stayed at home, the display claims, the money could have provided 149,436 people with primary healthcare for a year. 

Another poster contained a quote unearthed by Planet contributor Richard Brenneman. The speaker is AIPAC’s Leadership Development Director Jonathan Kessler: “How are we going to beat back the anti-divestment resolution at [UC] Berkeley? We’re going to make certain that pro-Israel students take over the student government and reverse the vote. That is how AIPAC operates in the nation’s capitol. This is how AIPAC must operate on our nation’s campuses.” 

One kiosk highlights a list of direct actions. In addition to signing the California divestment petition and calling for an end to US military aid to Israel, there is a call to boycott certain products including Ahava Cosmetics (“Stolen from the Dead Sea in the Occupied Territories”) and Sabra Hummus (whose owner allegedly supports the military occupation). 

There was a kiosk covered with family photos of people who had lost their lives during Operation Cast Lead, the devastating Israeli attack that killed 1,347 Palestinians, including 300 children. The bombs used to destroy Palestinian homes and schools were paid for by US taxpayers. (Sadly, seeing photographs of unarmed children burned, mutilated and killed in Israeli Defense Force raids suggests why one might expect to see other photos showing children posing with guns.) One photograph stays in the mind. It is a close-up of a beautiful, five-year-old boy. His eyes are wide-open and he appears to be smiling. And then you notice the two bullet holes in his chest. 

Arrests at the Entryway 

Around 6, a young man runs through the crowd with a message that “they’re arresting nonviolent protestors around the corner!” A good part of the crowd (including the marching band) moves down 10^th street to the entrance to the Conference Center where police have arrested seven anti-AIPAC protestors. Leslie Angeline, Martha Hubert, Janet Kobren, Noura Khori, Valerie Ortiz, Gene St. Onge, Peter Tcherneff are handcuffed and quietly escorted from the scene. 

But the most memorable demonstration may have been the one staged by a single young man who paused and placed a prayer mat in the path leading to the Marriot’s entrance. As AIPAC’s guests walked to the dinner, they had to pause and walk around a young Muslim engaged in quiet devotion. 

The anti-AIPAC protest was endorsed by a coalition that included Progressive Democrats of America-East Bay, Middle East Study Group, Middle East Children’s Alliance, Bay Area Women in Black, Students for Justice in Palestine, 14 Friends of Palestine, Richmond Progressive Alliance, American Friends Service Committee, Code Pink, Jewish Voice for Peace, ANSWER, Friends of Deir Ibzi’a. 

Resources: 

www.stopAIPAC.com 

www.aipac.com 

www.IsraelDivestmentCampaign.org 

Sweeping into town on the mist of a warm London fog, the 27th Telegraph Ave. Holiday Street Fair may have taken a bite out of south side crime. 

Or was it just a shift from hustle to bustle—early bay area holiday shoppers transforming the troubled area into a souped up street vendor's wet dream. 

The famous event's opening weekend coincided with the Berkeley Police 

Department’s re-instituted nightly weekend foot patrols. The patrols ended formally Saturday night, but may continue under different sponsorship. 

Shoppers on Kettle Corn would never have guessed they were traversing a crime scene. That is if you accept Teley businessmen's latest complaints that street people were hurting their bottoms—bottom line that is. 

Although the Daily Cal reported the businessmen’s gloom, not everyone is buying the businessmen's complaints, which sound suspiciously like the boy who has cried wolf once too often. Scuttlebutt from the street offers another view of reported fisticuffs. “Shit happens; no big deal." 

Yet in late August I wrote in the East-Bay Express that: "menacing, sidewalk-blocking 'scenes' have been developing for months, after dusk, on the Ave; and the hangers-on seem to have established beach heads outside Blake's, Raleigh's, Amoeba, and the Caffe Mediterraneum." 

One of these "beach heads," city-installed benches outside Raleigh's, are now finally removed, after months of complaints to the city. The Med has removed its outside tables indefinitely. 

But not before a near riot outside Raleigh's caused bloody injuries to two Raleigh's bouncers and a female bartender, Aug. 28, as witnessed by this reporter. 

Does the street fair and renewed police foot patrols signal an end to the Ave's woes or just a holiday lull? Only time will tell; but the Avenue's violent past often repeats. 

Several merchants perceive improved conditions on Teley. One store security guard noted that not as many drunks are stumbling into her store. 

Meanwhile, after a successful weekend opening, the fair will run two more weekends, ending Dec. 24. 

Eddie Monroe, 63, the founder of the fair returned to his roots as a street vendor with his own booth, featuring nostalgic paintings of the Ave of the 70's and his Great American Novel (sci-fi). The fair has been run for the past seven years by Janet Klein, 65, and Yolanda Castillo, 55. Both are veteran street vendors. 

Cliff Seely, 76 a jewelry designer who hasn't missed a fair since its founding, was having a good day. "They're buying," he said. "If only the weather holds up." 

Some recent fairs have not fared well, weather-wise. 

Crime, while in the background, still has its say. Police responded Friday night when a women complained of being run out of the women's room of the city restrooms by a drunken male below the Channing parking lot. 

But crime is far from the mind of vendors with visions of sugar plums and previous rained out fairs before them. 

The Ave. has had its ups and downs. This is an up. Maybe this will change the vibe. 

Ted Friedman has lived a hop skip and a jump from Telegraph Avenue for 30 years. He has attended the fair since its founding. He writes regularly for the Planet about his neighborhood.

With the approach of the winter solstice on December 20, druids, stargazers and the science-minded are preparing to converge on “Berkeley’s Stonehenge” — the César Chávez Memorial Sundial, perched high atop a hill in the Berkeley Marina. The solstice officially begins at 23:38 Coordinated Universal Time on December 21 and, occurs at 3:38 PM Pacific Standard Time in the Bay Area but Chavez Memorial founder Santiago Casal explains: “We are holding [the ceremony on the 20^th] in order to experience the simultaneous full moonrise and inform people about the lunar eclipse later that night. ”  

The sundial memorial, which was begun in 2000 by a team lead by Santiago Casal, occupies a 1.5-acre site that enjoys a 360-degree view of the horizon. The site was commemorated in 2001, the first stones were placed in 2002, the circle was completed in 2003, the shadow-casting gnomon was installed in 2005 and new signage (with information on astronomy and the life of César Chávez) was added in 2007. 

Four stones are set at each of the Four Directions and each stone is engraved with one of four virtues associated with César Chávez — Courage, Determination, Hope and Tolerance. In the center stands a three-foot-tall “gnomon,” a stone pillar that casts a shadow over the sundial. On the solstice, the shadow will line up perfectly between the western and eastern stones. 

The current gnomon eventually will be replaced by a monumental tower that will rise 16 feet above the sundial. Lengthening the tower will create a longer shadow whose motion will actually be visible to visitors. (And remember: it’s not just the shadow that’s in motion; the soil on which your feet are planted is also moving —spinning toward the east at around 800 miles-per-hour.) 

This year’s winter’s solstice coincides with a full moon. Like this year’s summer equinox, a full moon will rise over the East Bay hills at the very moment the sun is setting over Mount Tamalpais in the west. 

As Casal pointed out during a recent on-site meeting with the volunteers who maintain the memorial, the newly upgraded sundial tablet not only marks the year’s solstices and equinoxes but also notes the mid-points — periods of the calendar that are celebrated by many cultures around the world.  

“ While it is common to refer to the memorial as a sundial,” Casal points out that “the site is actually it is a Solar Calendar that measures the cycles of the seasons, not the hours of the day.”  

Part of the tablet is the analemma, which traces the 12-month path of the shadow as it inscribes a “figure 8” over the stone. The analemma was charted by a determined volunteer who made a pilgrimage to the sundial every day to draw a dot at the exact point where the tip of the shadow fell at exactly 12:09:07 PM. Because there were some days when shadows with washed away by rainstorms, the analemma is made up of 175 marks instead of 365. 

The site is maintained and the stones and signs cleaned at least twice a week by volunteer Stewards of the Sundial. Casal says the site has suffered only a few small acts of vandalism and has largely been respected, most likely because of the sundial’s association with Chávez. There has been no graffiti and the only major disruption, Casal says, is when a fence was installed around the new, improved site to allow the cement to cure. “The fence was torn down the next day,” Casal says but he assumes this not an act of “vandalism” but as a gesture of “liberation” by someone who failed to understand why the public should suddenly be excluded (even temporarily) from full access to the site. 

The next phase of the site’s development will see the Memorial Sundial relocated 30 feet to the west while 6,000 cubic yards of earth will be brought to the site to build 7-foot-tall berms on the east. The berms will serve to embrace the area as a sacred space, obscuring distracting views of the shoreline developments and dampening the roar of the 580 freeway. 

This year, the solstice sun sets at 4:54 PM. The annual hour-long gathering will take place at the Sundial beginning at 4:15. 

For more information: www.solarcalendar.org 

And: /solarcalendar.blogspot.com

On Saturday afternoon, more than 100 literary buffs descended on the Rockridge Library and squeezed their way into a crowded upstairs meeting room to celebrate the winners of PEN Oakland’s 2010 Josephine Miles Literary Awards. 

PEN International, a Nobel Prize-winning organization devoted to defending freedom of expression, was founded in 1921. PEN Oakland (dubbed the “Blue Collar PEN” by The New York Times) was founded in 1989 by Ishmael Reed and co-founders Floyd Salas, Claire Ortalda and Reginald Lockett. The Oakland chapter was created as a “multicultural” conclave to “promote works of excellence by writers of all cultural and racial backgrounds and to educate both the public and the media as to the nature of multicultural work.” 

The year after its first meeting (which was convened at Oakland’s Asmara Restaurant) the chapter launched the Josephine Miles Literary Award — named in honor of a UC professor who was instrumental in advancing the work of many young poets. PEN Oakland added a Literary Censorship Award in 1997 “to challenge censorship within the literary culture of the US, by the media, by the government and by special interest groups.” 

This year’s winners were: Andrena Zawinski for “Something About,” Etel Adnan for “Master of the Eclipse,” Mitch Horowitz for “Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation,” Clifton Ross for “Translations From Silence: New and Selected Poems,” Ivan J. Houston for “Black Warriors: The Buffalo Soldiers of World War II: Memories of the Only Negro Infantry Division to fight in Europe,” Manuel Ruben Delgado for “The Last Chicano,” and Maria Espinosa for “Dying Unfinished.” 

Delgado laughed as he recalled how “I used to be famous for a year-and-a-half — about 50 years ago” and then proceeded to note how the world has changed. “What happened to the word ‘Chicano’?” he asked. “I grew up as a Chicano. Now the only words you hear these days are Latino and Hispanic.” 

Maria Espinoza explained the surprising impetus behind her novel. “I had a complicated relationship with my mother,” Espinoza began. “She had an affair with my husband.” After a shocked gasp from the audience, Espinosa confessed: “Dealing with this has taken two novels. And it will probably take a third.” 

After award plaques had been handed out, it was time for the Reginald Lockett Lifetime Achievement Award, which was shared by author and professor Vance Bourjaily and “Investigative Satirist” Paul Krassner. 

Vance Bourjaily, has been described as one of the “Three Musketeers” of America’s Post-war literary renaissance — a trio composed of Bourjaily, Norman “The Quick and the Dead” Mailer and Jim “From Here to Eternity” Jones. Sadly, Bourjaily died in September, following a fall at his Greenbrae home. He was 87. Bourjaily’s wife, Yasmin Mogul, accepted the PEN honor and offered a wealth of stories about her colorful mate. She recalled a fleeting moment they shared many years ago watching children play in the filtered light of an empty building. “The image stayed with me but Vance, he turned it into a 600-page novel.” 

PEN Oakland director and poet Gerald Nicosia introduced Paul Krassner as founder of The Realist, cofounder of the Yippies, confederate and editor for Lenny Bruce, and the author of a half-dozen books. Nicosia added a little-known note from Krassner’s long counter-cultural resume (which includes the accolade, “Court Jester to the Revolution”). During a stint as a radio DJ in New York, Krassner got into trouble for broadcasting advice on safe and professional abortion services. Krassner’s advocacy drew the attention of the authorities and resulted in a New York court trial. This trial, Nicosia noted, eventual lead to the historic Supreme Court ruling, Roe versus Wade, which legalized the choice option for America’s women. 

Krassner was the crowd’s favorite. The applause that erupted as he hobbled toward the podium quickly gave way to a standing ovation (and what better way to salute a stand-up comic?). Despite turning 78 in April, Krassner still radiates the same boyish exuberance that has endeared him to readers and cabaret crowds for more than five decades. Krassner’s only concession to age would appear to be the sturdy cane he leans on, but his bum leg is not a sign of aging — it’s the legacy of a police beating he sustained in the Sixties. 

As the author of “Confessions of a Raving, Unconfined Nut” and other counter-culture classics, Krassner admitted some embarrassment at receiving the honor. “After spending most of my life as an iconoclast,” he said, he found it strange that he has come to be “treated as an icon.” But he expressed his deep appreciation for one aspect of the award. “I’m thankful that his plaque is not being awarded posthumously.” Krassner spoke about his current project: “Writing my first, long-awaited (at least by me) novel.” He related how he had complained to a friend that writing a novel is such an intense, creative process. “Why is it so hard?” his friend asked. “You’ve spent your whole life making thing up.” “Yes,” Krassner replied, “but that was journalism!” 

Finally, the PEN Censorship Award was presented to Oakland journalist and media watchdog Richard Prince, whose unique and indispensible thrice-weekly column on underreported media news (“Journal-isms”), appears on the website of the Maynard Institute (created to honor the legacy of Oakland Tribune Editor Robert C. Maynard). 

Once again, Oakland’s PEN has done itself proud. For more information on the winners, you can go online to: www.penoakland.com 

Photo caption: 

(L to R) Yasmin Mogul, Elizabeth Nunez, Aldrena Zawinski, Maria Espinosa, Clifton Ross, Mitch Horowitz, Paul Krassner and Manuel Ruben Delgado.

On Thursday, December 16, Veterans for Peace and others will stage the largest veteran-led civil resistance to U.S. wars in recent history. After a rally at Lafayette Park in Washington, DC, many will engage in nonviolent civil resistance at the White House. 

Beginning at Noon on Thursday, Dec. 16, local Veterans and anti-war activists will support their allies in Washington DC with a rally and die-in at the new Federal Building, 7th and Mission in San Francisco. 

Everyone is encouraged to participate in the DIE IN on the sidewalk/plaza in front of the Federal Building- symbolic of the hundreds of thousands who have died in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan - American soldiers and citizens of these countries. Those able and willing to commit Civil Resistance and risk arrest to say "STOP THESE WARS" with their bodies will do their DIE IN blocking the doors of the Federal Building with the message, NO MORE BUSINESS AS USUAL as long we we continue these wars. People are encouraged to bring white sheets which can be laid over them - as is done in Iraq after people have died. 

On that day, Grandmothers Against the War plans to support the action at the Federal Building and continue our weekly vigil/leafleting at Union Square. At noon, some "grandmothers" will gather at the Federal Building with banners and signs; others, who will be leafleting at Geary and Powell, will stay in cell phone contact with our friends at the Federal Building. The Geary and Powell contingent will remain until at least 12:30 (if not longer). The plan is to either hop in a cab or walk to the Federal Building in order to either participate in or support the Die-In.

The City of Berkeley has agreed to settle part of the lawsuit brought by Concerned Library Users (CLU) regarding inadequate environmental review of an ordinance facilitating public library demolitions.  

In July, the City adopted an ordinance providing that a use permit rather than the currently-required variance would suffice to alter or demolish any of its public libraries. The pending CLU lawsuit challenges the City’s refusal to conduct environmental review as requested before adopting the ordinance. Removal of the Variance requirement makes it easier to demolish historic library buildings, and CLU pointed out that state law requires the environmental impacts of such action to be studied in an environmental impact report.

The City Council has agreed to repeal the ordinance and has made a commitment to prepare an EIR before reconsidering it. This is exactly what was sought in the CLU lawsuit.

The settlement acknowledges “that environmental review as requested in the first cause of action will be beneficial, because it will analyze the potential environmental effects and alternatives to an ordinance that would allow demolition of a City library on the basis of a use permit rather than a variance. The City intends to fully consider any such ordinance only after being informed by the results of said review.”

The City’s repeal of the variance ordinance affects its consideration of the proposed demolitions of the West and South branch libraries. The City will fully study the environmental impacts of the ordinance in an EIR before reconsidering it. CLU has in turn agreed that the City may allow pending rehabilitation plans for the Claremont and North branch libraries to proceed, although their passage wasalso dependent on the ordinance in question.

“The members of CLU care about the future of our libraries and their programs. We appreciate the City Council’s acknowledgement of the merit of our > legal action and believe that the City’s upcoming compliance with environmental laws will benefit all residents,” said CLU spokesperson Dr. Judith Epstein.

A second part of the lawsuit, involving the City's plan to divert Measure FF funds (earmarked for the rehabilitation of its libraries) for projects involving demolition of the West and South branches, remains pending, but settlement discussions continue.

The Bayer Group was listed as the most toxic company in the U.S. in the March 2010 release of the University of Massachusetts (UMass)’ Political Economy Resource Institute (PERI) “Toxic 100 Air Polluters’ Index”, which is a scorecard listing the 100 top air polluters in the U.S. based on chemical release data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s 2006 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). The TRI measures the weight in pounds of about 600 chemicals released into the air based on reports submitted annually by the facilities as required under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. The EPA Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics then uses the TRI data to assess the related human health risk based on three factors: 

1. How the chemical is spread to the surrounding areas, based on local wind patterns, temperature, smokestack height, and concentration; 

2. How dangerous (toxic) the chemical is per pound, based on a toxicity weight assigned to each chemical; and 

3. The population of the surrounding areas. 

Bayer’s poor ratings were largely due to incineration transfers of Diaminotoluene, a recognized carcinogen (cancer-causing agent), skin irritant and sensitizer that can cause dermatitis, blindness, asthma, convulsions, and possibly death, at its Baytown, Texas facility. 

Bayer also came in fourth in PERI’s 2009 environmental justice study entitled “Justice in the Air: Tracking Toxic Pollution from America's Industries and Companies to Our States, Cities, and Neighborhoods,” which is based on the 2005 EPA TRI data and RSEI report. This study uses the EPA data to measure the degree to which toxic emissions contaminate the air in neighborhoods where people of color and low-income families live, and reveals the companies responsible for that contamination. 

Because Bayer Material Science’s Baytown site, which manufactures polymers and high-performance plastics, is located in the highly populated, racially diverse area east of Houston, the human health risks presented by the toxic emissions from that site earned Bayer a place in the Top Five highest-scoring companies. 

In 1998, Bayer announced plans for a 220-million lbs/year toluene diisocyanate (TDI) plant at its Baytown, TX (Toluene diisocyanate is a chemical used in the production of products such as foams and coatings). Bayer had originally intended to build this plant in Taiwan, but had to withdraw that proposal after encountering three years of protests by Taiwanese environmentalist groups and local citizens, who feared that the plant would create additional toxic pollution in an already polluted Taichung harbour, and delay tactics by the Taichung county government, which vowed to deny issuing the necessary construction permits unless the project was approved by a local referendum. 

Environmental issues came into focus at the Baytown site in July of 2000, when a contractor at the site notified OSHA of a chemical spill and cleanup. OSHA found that Bayer had neglected to inform exposed employees of the emergency situation, had failed to ensure that employees wore proper safety clothing, and had neglected to monitor exposure of its employees to toxins, among other failings cited. Violations totaled $135,900. 

In 2005, Bayer was issued a serious violation (one issued when OSHA believes there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm resulted from a hazard the employer knew about or should have known about) when a worker died at the site after being sprayed with phenol, a corrosive chemical, from a leaking pipe on which a gasket had not been properly installed. In addition, OSHA cited Bayer for having unclear safety procedures in the case, and the company was fined $5,000. 

Besides these safety violations, the site has also been plagued by explosions. In February 2004, local residents were alarmed when a reactor that produces TDA, a chemical used in the production of polyurethane foam, exploded when it was restarted after routine maintenance. Residents claimed they did not hear about the cause until it was announced on Houston television stations a half an hour after the explosion. No injuries were reported, and Bayer claimed that no toxic chemicals were released. 

In September 2006, 22 workers were injured at the site when a process vessel containing TDI exploded, resulting in the discharge of carcinogenic chemicals and toxic gas ammonia. The workers were treated for burns and eye, nose and throat irritations, and the plant was closed down for three months. No violations were issued by OSHA in the case. However, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality determined that the explosion had been caused by the result of "over pressurization" within a process vessel and assessed a fine of over $5,000. The following year, a class action lawsuit was filed against Bayer by workers injured in the explosion, alleging that it was a result of its unsafe practices and that plant officials were having problems with the TDI unit before the explosion but didn't warn contractors. These claims were settled in 2008; no documentation is available on the amount of the settlement. 

Recommendations 

It appears that little has been done by the public, federal, state, and local governments, NGOs, and the like in an effort to persuade Bayer to reduce incinerator transfer emissions at the Baytown Industrial Park site. Communication and cooperation are key factors in promoting change. Stakeholders need to join forces with the EPA to convince the federal government that this is a wide-reaching environmental justice issue in order to obtain the funding necessary to conduct additional testing. Attempts have been made by universities and the media to draw attention to the plight of the Baytown residents, but without funding to allow the EPA to test air emissions at the site and without efforts by the stakeholders to persuade Bayer to reduce the amount of waste produced at the site, little incentive exists for Bayer to alter its current practices. Bayer has taken small, low-cost steps to reduce waste; however, much more needs to be done. 

As advised by Professor Ash, assistance in the form of green initiatives is available for improving processes at the Baytown site. There would be few disadvantages to Bayer in investing in green solutions, unless capital was misdirected toward projects that provide little if any return. The advantages to Bayer would be great – cost savings from reduced fines, penalties, and lawsuits, possible cost savings from reducing waste or additional revenues from finding alternate uses for that waste, improved public image, increased employee health and morale, and improved stakeholder relationships, just to name a few. In addition, other Baytown industries would be pressured to follow Bayer’s lead, resulting in an improvement of air quality that would benefit residents, workers, and local government agencies and industries that depend on an influx of residents and tourists. 

The complete case study: is by Pamela L. Hughes, University of Scranton/Pennsylvania. 

More information on the Bayer Baytown plant: 

• Baytown (US): Lawyers prep case against Bayer
• report showing gross negligence by Bayer´s plant management:
• 22 people treated from Baytown blast
• DuPont, ADM, Bayer: Top Corporate Air Polluters in the US Named
• Pressure group urges Bayer to produce TDI plastics without phosgene after blast

www.CBGnetwork.org (in English) 

CBGnetwork@aol.com

Members of the City of Berkeley Police Department (BPD) have made nine (9) arrests of robbery suspects citywide in recent days. The arrests were a result in part by a departmental focus that included crime analysis, increased communication and the use of additional BPD personnel to concentrate patrol in several areas of the city that were identified as locations where robberies have taken place. 

The nine arrests were for crimes that occurred throughout the city. In late November, BPD identified a potential series of five (5) pedestrian armed robberies that were happening north of University Avenue. One of the nine individuals arrested was caught leaving the area north of University Avenue after a robbery. 

BPD Robbery detectives are continuing follow up work on these cases which includes the arrest that may be related to the series in North Berkeley. BPD does not want to compromise any of these ongoing investigations thus BPD is not currently sharing the names or photographs of the suspects that have been arrested. 

BPD would like to thank the community for their interest and participation in solving any robbery series. Community members are always encouraged to call BPD to report suspicious cars and/or individuals and offer as much detail as possible when doing so. 

BPD is also reminding community members to employ some simple crime prevention measures such as walking with another in the evenings and not talking on cell phones or listening to devices such as MP3 players and iPods as they limit awareness. 

If anyone has any information regarding any crimes, please call the BPD Non-Emergency Dispatch Line at (510) 981-5900. For crimes in progress or crimes that have just happened, please call 911 or (510) 981-5911 from your cell phone.

The second week in December was filled with festive holiday events and seasonal color in Berkeley.  

The venerable Hillside Club, founded in 1898, had a packed house for the annual holiday dinner on Monday, December 6. A pageant included the ceremonial lighting of a Yule log brought by volunteer fire sprites, a procession bearing a boar’s head and baked peacock (both representational, not real) to the feast, and humorous commentary by actors portraying the spirits of early Club members Madge Robinson, Charles Keeler and Bernard Maybeck. 

Wednesday, December 8, hundreds of UC students and alumni gathered in Hertz Hall for the annual Choral Ensembles holiday concert. The musical themes ranged from gospel to Jewish folk songs to Christmas carols, and the performers included small groups such as the Golden Overtones and a massed onstage ensemble for “Silent Night”. 

Berkeley streets were carpeted not with snow but with vivid fall colors from the regal reds of liquid ambers to neon pink Chinese pistache. Berkeley’s gingko trees, including a huge and ancient specimen on the UC campus, put on an especially good show this year, showering down thousands of golden leaves. 

On the weekend people flocked to the 27th annual Telegraph Avenue holiday street fair. Handmade ceramics, clothing, jewelry, and other craft items predominated at the numerous stalls along the four blocks north of Dwight. 

The discerning shopper could find everything from handmade silver rings to ceramic “catfish” from Dragonware studio along the Avenue. Food stalls and musical entertainment completed the fair, along with Telegraph’s numerous year round stores, shops, and restaurants. 

The Telegraph fair takes place again this coming weekend—December 18 and 19—and Thursday and Friday, December 23 and 24. The fair runs 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

An enormous hoo-ha has developed over a resolution passed by Berkeley’s Peace and Justice Commission (commonly known as P&J). Seven of the good and sincere souls on that body think that it’s time to support Private Bradley Manning, who is suspected of providing WikiLeaks with fodder for its leaks heard round the world: release of (mostly not classified) contents of diplomatic cables and other embarrassing miscellany. 

Of course, it’s a media-engendered flap. As of this writing on Tuesday morning, it’s not known whether the Berkeley City Council will vote P&J’s draft up or down, but it’s almost certain that it won’t make a dime’s worth of difference in the big world outside the Berkeley Bubble. As they say on the Supreme Court, the issue isn’t yet ripe—Manning hasn’t confessed to springing the leak, and in fact hasn’t even been formally accused of doing so. 

Prominent in flap-flacking are news outlets desperate for some of the beloved Bezerkeley stories that used to brighten otherwise dull columns before the Berkeley City Council was taken over by the Moderate Majority. The Chronicle plucked the draft of P&J’s recommended resolution from the Council Agenda committee, and the story went viral in the hysterical pseudo-media. Even Wired.com doesn’t seem to have gotten the memo about the new face of the City Council, since its blogger is still using the Bezerkeley meme.  

And the ambitious local Berkeleyside blog has seized on this as an opportunity to question the very existence of a Peace and Justice Commission. 

Supposedly, readers were going to be able to vote until tomorrow about whether the New Berkeley even needs such a body. Curiously, however, the voting mechanism seems to have stalled out when anti-P&J votes were ahead among the 300+ online voters whose preferences did get recorded. Conspiracy theorists in comments point to the globalist resume of Berkeleyside Blogger-in-Chief Lance Knobel (“leadership of the program for the World Economic Forum’s famous Davos summit”, advising Tony Blair on security issues, etc.) as motivation, but that seems far-fetched. 

It would be nice to be able to say that Berkeley’s Peace and Justice Commission has had an enormous impact around the world, but it just ain’t so. It’s generally been a body of good-hearted well-meaning local activists, each appointed by a particular councilperson, which has devoted a small number of citizen volunteer hours every month, to Visualizing Whirled Peas, as the bumpersticker recommends. 

(Traditionally, enough firmly pro-Israel commissioners have been appointed by canny councilpersons to keep the sticky Israel/Palestine question on the back burner. It seems that in the eyes of some commissioners the Manning resolution crossed over into that touchy area. Councilmember Gordon Wozniak's new appointee, Thyme Siegel, who blogs for the Pro Israel Bay Bloggers site, voted against it even though she admitted she hadn't read her commissioner's information packet, as did Rabbi Jane Littman.) 

P&J costs the city no more than a few hours each month for its secretary to attend meetings—what’s not to like? Indignant bloggers have been Shocked that its minutes haven’t even been posted online for months—that’s what comes of having almost no staff budgeted by the city manager. And the online supposed commission roster still lists former Councilmember Betty Olds as the appointer of one commissioner, though Susan Wengraf replaced Olds two years ago. Nobody home in Berkeley government any more... 

What seems obvious is that city staff is choosing to let not only P&J but most of Berkeley’s commissions slowly expire through the mechanism of Benign Neglect, until they are Weak Enough to Drown in a Bathtub, in the immortal words of Newt Gingrich Grover Norquist talking about the federal government. Almost anyone I know who has served on a city commission, including those which have putative quasi-judicial powers, thinks that citizens’ decisions are honored more in the breach than in the observance: that no one pays any attention any more to what citizen volunteers decide. Certainly the history of the Downtown Area Plan Commission, too often cited in this space, bears out this analysis. 

Even the Berkeley City Council has become more ornamental than real, with few exceptions no more than a hobby for aging retirees from cushy government jobs. It meets infrequently, takes long, long vacations, and displays an unseemly eagerness to go home to bed before decisions are complete. Jesse Arreguin and Kriss Worthington usually manage to stay awake, but I wonder about some of the others. 

So it seems quite unlikely that the current Berkeley-Lite council will go out on a limb for the hapless Private Manning. We’ll send our reporter to the meeting as usual, and I’ll probably watch it online, but I don’t expect to be surprised. Check this space on Wednesday and Thursday for developments. 

In the meantime, the excitement gives the hungry hordes in the commercial media a few crumbs of indignation to chew on in an otherwise dull local week. 

P.S. I watched the show on Tuesday night. No surprises: lots of hand-wringing, but finally a unanimous motion to table because--as I predicted--Manning's position is not yet clear. Much Ado, indeed, about nothing. Nobody, however, spoke in favor of ditching P&J.  

Richard Brenneman tipped us off that Courthouse News has reported that a photojournalist is suing U.C. Berkeley because he was detained by U.C. police while covering the demonstration at the Chancellor's House a year ago. 

From Victor Herbert: The Berkeley city council has just passed new rules concerning those pesky phone antenna boxes. An article in the Berkeley Voice explains more. 

Also from Victor: The Daily Cal reports that the restraining order which governs the neighbor dispute at Becky Temko Tot Park is about to expire. 

Dan O'Neill

Joseph Young

A Christmas Carol;"Fair Game"; Ishmael Reed’s New York Times Op-Ed; Beware the Evil Republicans  

A Christmas Carol 

Ishmael Reed’s New York Times Op-Ed 

Ishmael Reed’s Op-Ed piece in the NYTimes (Dec. 12: p.10) criticizing progressives for objecting to Obama’s donation of millions to the billion 

aires appears to counter what the not so progressive Black Caucus stated. They are opposed to the economic plan of shifting more money from the people to the banks. Barbara Lee read the statement on KPFA, the station where Reed announced his recent awards event in Berkeley. Ishmael Reed could read or listen to that statement and also peruse the article in the same issue of the NY Times on the secret nine banks who manage derivative billions. (Dec 12: p.1) Economics doesn’t seem to be Reed’s best subject but he can still bone up on it. If a news article isn’t easy enough to understand then the visual of Obama leaving the podium to Bill Clinton, the hotshot who pushed NAFTA through to ruin Mexican farmers and undermined welfare in the US, should be clear enough. Bush asked Tony Blair to speak to the Congress on the Iraq war and Obama asked Clinton to speak to the press on the class war. How cool can Obama get while he freezes out the lower middle and lower class folks who voted for him? 

R.G. Davis,Ph. D, 

* * * 

Beware the Evil Republicans  

Yes Virginia, Republicans in your state, and in many other states, want
to repeal the new health care bill. The GOP has also been trying to do the same
with Medicare and Social Security since their inception. What have Republicans
got against well run government programs? Thanks to saner minds in the past,
you're still receiving your Social Security check every month and Medicare
services. 

The rest of the industrialized world enjoy universal health care from
birth to death. Is this bad, can all these countries be wrong? If you're Fox
News, Republicans and the Tea Party it's bad. If they had their way 300 million
Americans will lose the opportunity for health care reform and eventual
universal health coverage. 

Evil stalks the land in the form of the Republican Party who have
aspirations to deny you the health care coverage you so rightly deserve; and, if
the GOP can find a way to dismantle Social Security and Medicare they will. 

Are you listening America! The 50 million Americans who benefit from
these programs seem oblivious to the intentions of the GOP.

Ron Lowe
 

* * * 

A community group, Concerned Library Users, recently sued the City of Berkeley to, in part, stop the illegal use of bond funds for the demolition of two branch libraries.

Although the lawsuit has been excoriated and ridiculed by some public officials and community members it is, in my view, a justifiable and important effort to restrain the City from improperly changing the voter-approved use of bond money. 

Let me state first that I am not a member of Concerned Library Users, nor am I a party to the lawsuit. My concerns about the bond arose separately, and well before the suit was filed. But they are directly relevant to some of the issues in the lawsuit. 

There is one—just one—central point here. 

Is it legal for a City to solicit bond funds from the voters with a specific set of written promises, then later change the use of the money to do something the ballot measure specifically did NOT fund? 

In 2008 Berkeley voters approved Measure FF, which provided 26 million dollars to renovate and expand Berkeley’s four branch public libraries. The exact wording of the ballot language is worth remembering. 

“Shall the City of Berkeley issue general obligation bonds not exceeding $26,000,000 to renovate, expand, and make seismic and access improvements at four neighborhood branch libraries, but not the Central Library, with annual reporting by the Library Board to the City Council?” Vote Yes or No. 

Subsequent to voter approval of the bonds, the Library continued a planning and design process and hired a design team for each branch. 

By early 2010 the direction of the detailed planning was clear. The Board of Library Trustees intended to renovate and build a rear addition on the North Branch, renovate the Claremont Branch without significant expansion, and demolish and completely rebuild the West and South branches. 

The bond allows two of those proposed activities—renovation and expansion. One of them—demolition—is not allowed. 

By proceeding down a path that will result in the demolition of the two branches, the City of Berkeley and Board of Library Trustees are directly violating the will of the voters. 

Is this important? Indeed it is. If the City can establish that the explicit conditions of voter-approved bonds can be altered or ignored after the fact, then no funding earmarked for a specific purpose is safe. 

There would be no point in detailed bond language or conditions at all. Instead, each ballot statement might as well read, “Do you, Berkeley voters, approve giving X million dollars above and beyond your regular taxes to the City of Berkeley to spend as it wishes? Yes or No.” 

Does this matter to you? It should. What if, for instance, the School District put up a bond measure promising to renovate your neighborhood school, and you worked hard to get it passed. Then, after the election, the School Board said, “Hey, sorry, we thought all along that money would be better spent closing your school and renovating another. Sorry.” 

Or what if the City Council asked voters to approve a special tax devoted solely to increase police services then, after it passed, decided that the money should go to sewer repairs instead? All for good reason, of course. 

Wouldn’t you object on principle? Shouldn’t you? 

So why didn’t anyone object to the proposed demolition of the South and West branches earlier than the middle of this year, when the plans were far advanced? 

People did object earlier. I was one of them. No objections had any effect. 

Consider the minutes of the October, 2009, Board of Library Trustees meeting. The Board met to discuss the South Branch project and take public testimony. 

I attended that meeting and spoke specifically to the issue of the intent of Measure FF. Here’s how the minutes recorded my comments. They don’t exactly repeat my words, but the summary is reasonably accurate. 

“Demolition vs. renovation: he has reviewed all of the public documents on the library bond through the annual report. He believes library represented to the community that would renovate and expand the branch, in his analysis given the wording of the bond measure and election analysis the library is foreclosed from a teardown of any branch, legal risk of violation, can not be easily dismissed.” 

Remember, this is in October 2009, well over a year ago and before the Board of Library Trustees had stated its choice of a demolition / rebuild scheme for the South and West Branches. 

What did the Board say in response to my comments? 

Here’s a comment from Darryl Moore, as reported in the minutes. “In response to questions raised he suggested staff consult with the City Attorney’s Office if needed.” 

That’s dry language, but it makes the point. I recall Councilmember Moore said something along the lines of “We’ve been put on notice” and asked the staff to get legal advice on whether the bond language would allow the demolitions. 

Then there’s this highly revealing comment. Remember, this is not my wording; it’s from the official minutes of the Board. 

“Trustee Kupfer agreed with the positive comments regarding Scheme 2. To address a concern expressed during comments about the library’s ability to build new, she does not believe it is not allowed. The process leading up to the bond measure included a community process, public discussion by the board and a vote by BOLT, a new library scheme was discussed as an option throughout the process.” 

Again, dry official minutes language. I remember that Trustee Kupfer seemed genuinely mystified that anyone would think the bond funds couldn’t be used for demolition. After all, they had demolition on the table all along, she argued. Everyone knew it was being considered. 

Did they? Did we? Did the Trustees really intend, from before the 2008 election, that any planning for the South and West Branch Libraries put demolition seriously on the table? 

If so, they had a strange way of communicating that intention to the voters. 

There was indeed a consultant report before the election that considered demolition. But in the critical months leading up to the bond election itself, public library documents and campaign literature fell strangely and selectively silent on the possibility of the demolition. 

For example, here’s part of the text of the ballot argument in favor of Measure FF signed by, among others, Councilmember Moore, then Vice-Chair of the Board of Library Trustees. 

“The branches are old and out of date and must be improved in order to support the over 800,000 visits during the year…This measure will bring the buildings up to current code standards, meet seismic requirements, make all of the branches fully accessible to Berkeley’s diverse population.” 

No word about “demolition” there, or elsewhere in the ballot arguments. In fact, the rebuttal to the ballot argument against Measure FF emphasized, “Help save and restore our neighborhood branch libraries by voting YES on Measure FF!” (emphasis added). 

And it wasn’t only the official ballot arguments. Here’s what “Save Our Branch Libraries: Yes on Measure FF” said on its Facebook page. “Measure FF is a $26 million bond to renovate, expand, and make seismic and access improvements at four of Berkeley’s neighborhood branch libraries…” 

And here’s a fact sheet issued on Library stationery for the election. 

“The revenue from the bond will bring the buildings up to current code standards...What are the plans for each of the Branch Libraries?...North Branch, receive a small addition…West Branch have it’s 1974 addition replaced to address structural issues; restore original 1923 branch façade…South Branch…expanded to incorporate the Tool Library program into the branch with substantial increase in space…net space increase of 3,160 sq. feet…Claremont Branch receive a small lobby expansion…refurbished/restored historic features…” 

And here’s part of a Daily Planet opinion piece by three prominent Library supporters, less than two months before the election. “It is critical that we renovate all our branches to ensure they are safe, modern, buildings that will serve our community…” 

Consider all that language. “Bring the buildings up to current code standards… must be improved… save and restore our neighborhood branch libraries… be expanded… receive an addition… restore original… refurbish…restore…renovate all our branches…” 

If arguments like those constituted a clear request to the voters to allow demolition of half the branch libraries, the Library must be using a different dictionary than the rest of us. 

Councilmember Max Anderson recently told the San Francisco Chronicle, “The people voted for these libraries to be fixed up – they didn’t vote to put restrictions on what can and can’t be done with them.” 

Councilmember Anderson is well intentioned, but completely wrong. The people DID indeed vote for restrictions, restrictions crafted by the promoters of Measure FF. 

If Measure FF had simply been a mandate to “fix up” and/or completely rebuild the branches without precondition, then it would not have included the “renovate, expand and make seismic and access improvements” wording. 

It would have simply said something like this: “Do you approve of appropriating 26 million dollars from special property taxes that the Board of Library Trustees may then use for making the four branch libraries better, in whatever way the Board deems best?” 

Or perhaps it would have said, “renovate, expand, demolish / rebuild, and make seismic and access improvements…” 

There’s a good reason, I suspect, that language like that did NOT go on the ballot. I believe that those who prepared the wording of Measure FF were afraid that if the measure seemed to open the door to demolition, enough voters would say “No” to sink the bonds. 

In particular, voters in politically influential north and southeast Berkeley might have been afraid the Library would demolish either the North or the Claremont Branches. It wouldn’t be the first time in Berkeley that a public institution asked for bond funds to upgrade facilities, then demolished and rebuilt them instead. 

If the ballot measure wording had been in specific—or had specifically mentioned demolition—it is quite likely the measure would have been defeated and there would be no money to do anything with any of the branch libraries at this time. 

I know I would have voted against it for that reason, and I know many others who probably would have, too. And it would have made a critical difference. 

Measure FF passed with 68.01 percent of the votes. It needed a two-thirds majority, 66.6 percent. 

That two-thirds majority would have required 37,223 votes out of those cast. The Measure received 37,973. Thus, it has a margin of victory of about 750 votes. 

Would 750 “Yes” voters—out of more than 55,000 casting votes on the Measure—have decided against Measure FF if the ballot language and campaign had given them reason to be concerned about demolition of any or all of the branch libraries instead of renovation? 

I think any reasonable person familiar with Berkeley would agree that’s quite possible, especially if the Board of Library Trustees had made honestly made demolition a part of their case and campaign for the branch funding. 

So foreclosing the possibility of demolition was, in my view, a direct reason the Measure achieved the two-thirds threshold. 

In essence, the trustees chose to opt for a “safe” bond measure that would not include demolition. Now that they have the money they shouldn’t go back and change its use. 

They had free will in this. They chose the wording of the bond measure. They advocated for “renovate, expand, and make seismic and access improvements…” They entered into a compact with Berkeley voters and taxpayers on terms they established. 

That seems to me to be an essential point of the lawsuit. And perhaps there’s a little tacit agreement, even on the City side. 

In June, City Attorney Zach Cowan apparently advised the City Council that Measure FF money could not be used to demolish the South and West Branches. 

There’s simply no reason he would have advised that if he didn’t believe a legal challenge to the Measure on the demolition issue would have a chance in court. 

That advice may not, however, have extended the same prohibition to use of the Measure FF funds to construct entirely new buildings. So the City and the Board of Library Trustees and their legal staff might be working on a back-up strategy. 

Find funds elsewhere, outside the bonds—probably on the order of hundreds of thousands—to tear down the two branches. That would cause the City some financial pain, but would not be impossible. 

Then claim that, with the old buildings gone, entirely new buildings can be constructed with the Measure FF funds to satisfy the bond intent of providing safe, accessible, expanded branch libraries. 

If that indeed is the City’s strategy it is important that it be vigorously opposed. Making the branch buildings go away with some other funds then rebuilding them with Measure FF funds would be, in my view, as clear a violation of voter intent as doing it all with the bond money. 

It would be a bit of legal sophistry, not clear justice. And it would open the door just as fully to official amnesia about voter intentions in the future on any other ballot measure. That would be very bad for Berkeley. 

(I fully understand many readers are now wondering what I would propose for the libraries instead of what the City is currently trying to do? 

If all my arguments went to their logical conclusion, the City would have no bond funds available to pursue the preferred plan of demolishing the South and West branches. Surely I don’t believe they should just sit there in poor condition? 

No, I don’t. I would be happy to write another opinion piece explaining—again, going back to 2009—what approach I think the Library could have followed and why they can still follow it and achieve the goal of good, updated, branch libraries. 

But the arguments for or against other alternatives should not detract from the primary argument I’ve made in this commentary—that regardless of benefits or harm to the Library’s projects, it is bad public policy, and probably illegal, to change the use of bond monies from what voters explicitly approved.) 

To listeners of the labor show on KPFA,

Today is the fifth Wednesday that you haven't heard the labor show at its normal time, 7:30 AM on Wednesday. I'm writing to explain why, and to ask you to take action to support the work we've done and would like to continue. 

This show broadcast for the first time the week NAFTA went into effect, in January,1994. It was then called Labor and the Global Economy, and the name still sums up what the show is about. Our first segment was a live interview of Bay Area unionists who'd gone to Tijuana to observe a union election in which workers were trying to organize an independent union in a maquiladora.

Over the years we've brought listeners news from unions, workers' centers, and working class social movements. We've tried to present the world as it looks from the bottom -- from the point of view of workers themselves. We've covered local strikes and organizing drives, and ones in other parts of the country and the world. We've looked at the migration of people and the rights of migrant workers. We've heard from day laborers, auto workers, janitors, teachers and people without any job. Hundreds of people have told their stories.

The show has been taken off the air twice. Each time we've returned to the microphone. In the mid-90s we were removed by station manager Pat Scott when she reorganized the station's programming. We returned to the air as part of the Morning Show, which gave us the chance to reach the large number of working people who listen to the radio at 7:30AM on Wednesday. That is our audience. Then, a decade ago, we were among those staff who violated the gag rule prohibiting us from talking about KPFA's own labor problems over the air. Like everyone else at the station, we were locked out, and only got our show back because the community rallied to the station's support.

Five weeks ago, Pacifica executive director Arlene Englehardt took the Morning Show off the air, and laid off its two paid hosts, Brian Edwards-Tiekert and Aimee Allison. One producer, Esther Manilla, took a voluntary layoff to help the station make it through its present financial crisis. The show's other producer, Laura Prives, is still working at the station. Englehardt substituted a show broadcast by KPFK in Los Angeles for KPFA's own locally-produced program.

The following two Wednesdays, in agreement with our Morning Show staff, I went to the studio ready to do the labor show, once accompanied by two organizers from the ILWU as guests. Each time I was told that the labor show had been preempted along with the rest of the KPFA Morning Show, and that the KPFK show was being broadcast in its place. The two Wednesdays after that I was traveling for my work.

Meanwhile, the staff union at KPFA, a unit of CWA Local 9415, filed a grievance over the termination of Edwards-Tiekert and Allison. Englehardt says she had to lay them off because the station was in an economic crisis. The union says that any economic layoffs must be done by seniority, and that the two were not the least senior people and therefore shouldn't have been laid off. The union has proposed an alternative budget, and says the two are being targeted because they opposed Englehardt's budget-cutting proposals in the past.

The union has asked me not to come in to do the labor show while this dispute is going on. I have agreed, because I believe that the union contract and the labor rights of those two people have been violated. Their request is like a picketline protesting the violation, and in solidarity I won't cross it.

There are many complex issues at KPFA that are causing the current crisis, and must be resolved for the station to survive. They include the dire economic situation of the station, the need to balance the rights and responsibilities of paid and unpaid staff, and our own ability to resolve our problems in a united way without engaging in fratricidal strife. It's not my purpose to discuss those issues here -- an earlier article doing that is available here:

http://www.labornotes.org/blogs/2010/11/behind-layoffs-kpfa-radio

But one other key issue is workers' rights. I strongly believe that the staff of the station have the same labor rights as other working people. In order to protect those rights, we organized our first union at KPFA in 1965. We've gone on strike at least twice, and been members of at least four different unions over those years.

The union contract at KPFA, therefore, has a long history. People have sacrificed a lot for it, and have used it to guarantee a work environment where fundamental rights are protected. One of those rights is fair treatment and protection from unfair termination. That is why we've had a seniority rule from the very beginning. Our first strike in 1965 was over an unfair firing -- Elsa Knight Thompson. We got her job back.

I was the union rep for the station in the early 1990s, when staff belonged to the UE. I helped negotiate the contract. During that time we fought for the jobs of Flashpoints staff, after Pat Scott said they would be excluded from seniority, and lose their jobs after a year. We won that fight -- Flashpoints is still around today. I say this to emphasize that the union and contract can and should protect everyone, regardless of what side people might be on in our internal debates.

Today the jobs of Edwards-Tiekert and Allison need that same protection. But beyond those particular jobs, it is important to defend the contract and the principles of fair treatment and seniority, along with affirmative action and the diversity of the station staff.

In addition to protecting labor rights, we also need to think seriously about the programming we want during the Morning Show timeslot of 7-9 AM. Rebroadcasting a show from Los Angeles was a big step backwards, away from community radio. Recently, Englehardt has begun broadcasting Democracy Now! in the timeslot in which we normally do the labor show. Over the past decade we opposed this idea also, for the same reason -- we need to use that timeslot for a locally-produced, community-based show.

The 7-9AM timeslot, in which the Morning Show is broadcast, is the time when the vast majority of working people can and do listen to the radio. We should use those hours for programming that originates in our own community, and that covers our issues. As progressive as Democracy Now! is, it can't and doesn't cover much of what's happening in northern California, or in our labor and grassroots movements. Now apparently Al Jazeera English will also be broadcast during this timeslot. Al Jazeera deserves an audience in northern Calfornia, and has some good programming. But neither it nor Democracy Now! should be used to displace a show that gives us the community and labor coverage we all say we want.

It is disturbing to me to see this work valued so little by so many people in the debates around our current situation. Our labor coverage needs to be expanded, with more resources and time. The show needs a webpage, like the other shows on the station, which would help to build its audience.

I hope the current dispute can be resolved in a fair way. I believe it's possible, and that we'll return to the air when that happens, but a labor show has to take a stand. You can help resolve this situation by communicating your distress to Englehardt and the Pacifica Foundation board, and insisting that they sit down with the union and agree to a solution in accord with the contract. If you value the labor coverage, please continue supporting the station during these hard times. Urge the station to provide all of its important community programming, including the labor show, with the resources we need to move forward and grow.

On August 23, a student pedestrian was hit by a car and injured at Hearst and Le Roy Aves., along the northern border of the University of California campus. The accident was simultaneously tragic and unsurprising, as pedestrians and drivers alike struggle to negotiate this contested intersection. It’s time for the City of Berkeley to take action. 

Every hour, upwards of 500-600 pedestrians tentatively step into the crosswalks, anxiously eyeing approaching vehicles. Often, the cars won’t stop – either because the steepness of the hill prevents them from seeing the crosswalk in advance, or because the heavy and constant pedestrian volume requires them to inch through the intersection to avoid impeding traffic. 

The City and the University are aware of the perils of this intersection. The City’s Pedestrian Master Plan identifies Hearst and Le Roy Aves. as having one of the highest rate of collisions per pedestrian, and Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System data shows that 100 percent of these collisions resulted in an injury. Meanwhile, the UC Berkeley 2020 Long Range Development Plan projected a need for enhanced pedestrian safety controls at the intersection. 

In response to pressure from students, local businesses, residents and community groups, on Dec. 7, 2010 Councilmember Kriss Worthington referred the issue to the City Manager for further review. Additionally, the University of California has committed to share the cost of enhancing safety at Hearst and Le Roy with the city. 

These are important first steps, but to ensure safety at this intersection quickly, we need to urge our elected officials to continue to pay attention. Please contact your councilmember and tell him or her to make safety a priority. Tell the City to take action to make Hearst and LeRoy safe now. 

As often as the United States Senate fails to produce necessary and effective legislation, on Thursday, the body outdid itself. By failing to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, Senate Republicans (aided by Democrat Joe Manchin) promoted discrimination, compromised our security, and showed gross disrespect and negligence towards the men and women who have volunteered to defend our country, for the sake of winning petty political squabbles. 

The repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is not a liberal or conservative issue: it is an issue of equality. Although gay and lesbian service members have trained, fought and died in the military, although they volunteer to risk their lives so that we, sitting at home, don’t have to, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” tells them that they are less worthy of our respect than their straight cohorts. It spits on the sacrifices they have made. 

Not only was this vote a blatant rejection of equality, it also showed the immense disrespect the senators hold for all the men and women in the United States armed forces. In their shameless obstructionism, Republican senators (and Joe Manchin) blocked the Defense Authorization bill which would provide pay raises, improved medical care, and additional equipment to the servicemen and women in Iraq and Afghanistan This is the first time in 48 years such a bill has been blocked. These senators care more about making sure that President Obama and the Democratic majority fail to accomplish anything than they do about protecting the soldiers that are currently risking their lives for our country. 

Beyond issues of equality and respect, the senators in question put our nation’s security and the strength of our military at risk. Since “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was enacted in 1993, over 14,000 men and women have been discharged under its provisions, many of whom had critical skills such as Arabic and Farsi language abilities. Now, after seventeen years, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Pentagon and Defense Secretary Robert Gates--all of whom have considerable military expertise--recommend repeal. According to a commission including former defense secretaries and West Point faculty, enforcement of the law has cost the military over $350 million for recruitment and retraining. The Senate does not seem to understand that keeping “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in place not only insults and discriminates against those who wish to serve, but also deprives the military of critical troops and funds. 

Despite Thursday’s setback, there is still a chance to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” before the Congress adjourns. Senators Susan Collins (who should be lauded as the only Republican to vote to repeal DADT on Thursday) and Joe Lieberman have introduced a standalone bill for repeal. Our senators must find the time to step away from their political posturing and do what’s right for our country. 

This past July, a nuclear-armed nation, in violation of an international treaty, clandestinely agreed to supply uranium to a known proliferator of nuclear weapons. China and North Korea? No, the United States and Israel. 

In a July 8 article entitled “Report: Secret Document Affirms U.S. Israeli Nuclear Partnership,” the Israeli daily Haaretz revealed that the Obama Administration will begin transferring nuclear fuel to Israel in order to build up Tel Aviv’s nuclear stockpile. 

There is profound irony in the fact that while the U.S. and some of its allies are threatening military action against Iran for enriching uranium, Washington is bypassing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) while aiding Israel’s nuclear weapons program, the only country in the world that has actually helped another nation construct and test a nuclear device. 

The saga starts with a box of tea that arrived in South Africa in 1975.  

This past May, researcher Sasha Polakow-Suransky uncovered declassified South African documents indicating that in 1975 the Israeli government offered to sell nuclear warheads to the apartheid regime. Israeli officials apparently tried to block the declassification of the documents, but failed. 

According to the British Guardian, then Israeli Defense Minister Shimon Peres—currently president—negotiated with Pretoria to supply South Africa with nuclear warheads for Israel’s Jericho missile. Peres dismissed Polakow-Suransky’s book—“The Unspoken Alliance: Israel’s Secret Relationship With Apartheid South Africa”—as having “no basis in reality for the claims.” 

But according to Allister Sparks in Business Day (South Africa), the Israeli offer “to sell nuclear warheads to SA during apartheid is almost certainly correct—despite denials by key figures in both countries.” Sparks should know, because he was told what was in that box of tea by the Rand Mail’s lead investigative reporter, Marvyn Rees. 

“I can state this because the disclosures closely corroborate information I was given 32 years ago when the late Echel Rhoodie, then secretary of information, told the Rand Daily, of which I was then editor, how he and Gen. Hendrik van den Bergh, head of the South African Bureau of State Security, had brought what he called ‘the trigger’ for a nuclear bomb from Israel,” Sparks writes. 

Sparks has remained silent all these years because he made a promise to Rhoodie not to reveal the conversation, and because he was afraid of the “draconian Defense Act” that would have subjected him to prosecution. But since Rhoodie and the general are dead, the Act repealed, and the story revealed, he felt it was time to come in from the cold. 

According to Polakow-Suransky the warhead offer fell through because the parties were worried that Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin would not go along. But Sparks argues that the “more likely explanation” was that Israel offered a “trigger,” which was cheaper, and ultimately more useful to Pretoria because it would allow the South Africans to produce their own nuclear weapons. 

Apparently the Israelis also supplied South Africa with tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen that enhances the explosive power of nuclear weapons. 

According to Sparks, the South African general and Rhoodie packed the trigger into a tea box and put it on a South African Airways plane as hand luggage. 

Jump ahead four years to Sept. 22, 1979, when an American Vela 6911 satellite, designed to detect atmospheric nuclear tests, is streaking over the South Atlantic. At 53 minutes after midnight Greenwich Mean Time, near South Africa’s Prince Edward Island, it picked up the telltale double flash of a nuclear weapon detonation. Compared to the 15 kiloton Hiroshima bomb the explosion was small, about 3 kilotons. It was also “clean”—that is, it produced very little radiation, although enough for radioactive Iodine-131 to turn up in the teeth of Australian and Tasmanian sheep several months later. 

The Vela and the sheep were not the only confirmations. The U.S. Navy also picked up an acoustic signal indicating a large explosion at or under the sea at the same time and place as the Vela had detected. 

The Carter Administration tried to cover up the test, but, according to investigative journalist Seymour Hersh in “The Samson Option,” the explosion was a joint Israeli-South African low-yield “neutron” bomb. 

The key to the test was the trigger in the tea box. According to Sparks, South Africa knew how to make a nuclear weapon, but only of the “gun” variety, the same design as the Hiroshima bomb. The “gun” uses an explosive to fire a uranium bullet at a uranium target. When the two converge, the fuel goes critical and the weapon explodes. But while the “gun” design is simple and largely error-proof, it is too big and clumsy to be mounted on a missile. 

For a small warhead or a neutron bomb, you need a “trigger,” a finely engineered explosive device that wraps around a uranium core. However, triggers are devilishly tricky and a tiny miscalculation in timing results in a dud. In the 1998 round of testing by India and Pakistan, both countries produced some misfires, as did North Korea. 

The Israelis were willing to exchange a trigger for something they needed: uranium yellowcake, the raw material for making weapons-grade nuclear fuel. 

According to declassified documents uncovered by Polakow-Suransky, Israel also saw South Africa as an ally. In a Nov. 22, 1974 letter to the South African defense ministry, Peres wrote about the importance of co-operation between Tel Aviv and Pretoria. “This co-operation is based not only on common interests and on the determination to resist equally our enemies, but also on the unshakable foundations of our common hatred of injustice and our refusal to submit to it.” 

At the time, South Africa was widely reviled for racist policies that denied full citizenship to the vast bulk of its population. 

While Peres denies that Israel ever negotiated with South Africa, the Nov. 22 letter concludes by saying that he looks forward to meeting Rhoodie when the latter visits Israel. It was during a meeting four months later that Peres made the warhead offer. Peres—with significant help from France—was a key figure in the establishment of the Israel’s nuclear weapons industry. 

The U.S. media has focused on the warhead charge, while ignoring the far more destabilizing proliferation issue. The warheads were never sent, but the box of tea was, and the result was a nuclear explosion by a renegade regime. Since the fall of the apartheid government, South Africa has foresworn its nuclear weapons program. 

Israel refuses to sign the NPT—indeed, refuses to admit it has nuclear weapons at all—thus making it ineligible to buy uranium on the world market. Article I of the Treaty explicitly forbids supplying nuclear material to a non-signatory country, which in the case of Israel makes the U.S. in violation of the NPT. 

But in Washington’s efforts to line up allies against China, the U.S. has agreed to supply fuel for India’s nuclear power industry, even though India also refuses to sign the NPT. In theory, the U.S. uranium is only supposed to fuel India’s civilian sector, but in practice it will allow India to redirect all of its modest domestic uranium supplies to weapons systems. Pakistan’s request for a similar deal was rebuffed. Thus the U.S. has put aside its treaty obligations in the interests of pursuing allies in the Middle East and Asia. 

Sparks argues that, “mutual collaboration” between Israel and South Africa “enabled both countries to develop nuclear weapons.” Now the U.S. has replaced South Africa in aiding Israel’s nuclear weapons arsenal—thought to be around 100 warheads—and in the process has undermined the NPT. 

Not only is the U.S. in clear violation of Article 1, the Treaty’s Article VI requires member states to end the nuclear arms race, but the Obama Administration has just committed $85.4 billion to “modernizing” its nuclear arsenal. This is not what the Treaty’s designers had in mind, and, while it may not violate the letter of the NPT, it certainly runs against its spirit. 

U.S. actions around Israel and India not only weaken the NPT, they make a mockery of Washington’s concern about “proliferation” and bring into question President Obama’s pledge to seek “peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.” Diplomatic chess moves are check mating a noble sentiment. 

Conn Hallinan’s writings can be found at dispatchesfromtheedgeblog.wordpress.com 

[Editor's note: This is the first of a series of columns from correspondents outside of Berkeley on topics which shed light on what's happening here. Carol Polsgrove, here reporting on environmental activism in the Midwest, has lived in the Bay Area, which she still visits often. She writes about environmental issues for the Huffington Post's Green page.]

I remember my first ride on a new four-lane highway through the Kentucky countryside, and what a fine road it was: smooth, wide, and uncrowded. We just floated along in our Chevrolet—Mother, Daddy, my little brother and me, back home from Nigeria where roads were usually unpaved laterite and we bounced through clouds of dust, moving over now and then to let herds of long-horned cows pass. It was 1956, and America was zooming full-bore into what looked like a bright future of suburban homes with two-car garages.

I think of that now as state surveyors move into my Indiana community to chart the route of an interstate highway—maybe the last interstate highway that will be built in the United States, if it is built at all, a question I hope still hangs in the air. As our town tries to dig its way out of the mess that twentieth-century America has made of itself, we can hardly imagine that what we need now at the dawn of the post-oil age is another highway.  

“Fix the roads we have” has been the mantra of Citizens for Appropriate Rural Roads, which has led the battle against I-69. Hundreds turned out at a state transportation hearing last August to call attention to ways I-69 would tear up the existing network of our county’s roads, separating neighbors from neighbors, farmers from their fields, children from their schools, and firefighters from their fires. 

What I-69 would do to the human community, it would also do to the non-human community, smashing turtles and deer and sending polluted highway runoff into streams and ground water. Entire habitats would be erased—forests felled or fragmented, wooded hills replaced by rocky canyons.  

The highway would cut across a sparsely populated and still beautiful part of southwest Indiana – but one that is already heavily engineered. Early farmers ditched wetlands to dry out their fields. Underground and surface coal mines pockmark the land and contaminate groundwater and streams. Close to where I-69 crosses the Patoka National Wildlife Refuge, you can see the remains of the Wabash and Erie Canal. Coal-fired power plants crowd the state’s southwest region. 

This is just a fragment of the damage done by the industrial world that gave me that smooth ride on a four-lane Kentucky highway and has been building big highways, power plants, factories, and landfills ever since. On a recent visit to Bloomington, my fellow Kentuckian Wendell Berry urged us to “open the books” – study the accounting of our industrial world, examine what we have lost as well as what we have gained. I see what he means. 

In light of global warming – a big item on the debit side – we should be committing ourselves to recovery from the carbon age. Instead, just an hour west of Bloomington, draglines are scouring out the biggest surface coal mine east of the Mississippi, while not far to the south, Duke Energy is building a giant coal gasification plant. Meanwhile, I-69 is about to arrive on our very doorstep.  

Strolling our tree-lined streets, we in Bloomington imagine a different world: We have a lively local growers guild, farmers markets in summer and winter, bike paths, a community garden and orchard, several coop grocery stores, a government commission on sustainability, and a nonprofit Center for Sustainable Living. We have declared ourselves a Transition Town. Skeptical of our power to change the larger world, we have tried to do what we can in our own small place to break the carbon habit, one day at a time. 

I know that local is important – local food, goods, energy, and government created in the context of a local landscape that we understand and respect. But I know local action is not enough. As I-69 has reminded us, we are firmly embedded in a larger world. Bloomington can do what it does to be sustainable because it is home to Indiana University, which funnels millions of dollars from elsewhere into our town. How was that money made? Not, I imagine, selling food in farmers’ markets. It was produced by the industrialist, capitalist, marketplace that some of us are trying to replace with something else. I-69 reminds us how quickly outside economic interests we might like to ignore can smash our local plans to smithereens. 

Too late, I’m afraid, it is clear that stopping I-69 would have taken more than showing up at hearings, signing petitions, commenting on environmental impact statements. Bloomington Alternative editor Steve Higgs has argued that it would have taken a political movement to stop this highway—a push to convince politicians to abandon this backward, expensive boondoggle. I agree, but I want to go farther and say that what we needed to stop I-69, and what we need to stop future projects like it, is a larger, more sustained movement dedicated to a different vision of how we want to live. 

We have already begun growing such a movement. South of here, communities that have been targeted for biomass plants have shared information and strategies to fight the plants. The Indiana Forest Alliance, a group with which I’m involved, is moving beyond its focus on forests around Bloomington to link arms with tree huggers around the state. After Citizens for Appropriate Rural Roads met this past week in the Monroe County Public Library, a group of citizens got together to expand the effort to stop the highway on a variety of fronts. Thousands of Hoosiers belong to the Hoosier Environmental Council, Citizens Action Coalition, the Sierra Club, and a host of other organizations with ideas of a better world. What we need now is a process for conversation and mutual support, maybe something like Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (http://www.kftc.org/), but our own creation. 

I do not imagine building and sustaining a statewide multi-dimensional movement would be easy. It would require people who do not agree with each other on many things to learn to talk and listen to each other. History is littered with the wreckage of conflicts among even people who thought they agreed on basic principles. 

It seems easier to agree on single issues fought out in a limited time frame: to oppose this particular highway or that particular biomass plant. And of course when we’re faced with these projects we have to fight them. But single-issue, short-term battles are not enough and easily lost. It has taken the world a couple of centuries to dig itself into this hole that we’re in, and it’s a deep one. If we want to get out of it, we’ll have to create movements on a broad front for the long run. 

In his inaugural address, John Kennedy said, “Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate.” JFK was referring to US deliberations with Russia, but his words apply to the current political reality. President Obama’s tax cut “deal” was negotiated out of fear.

The President knows this. In his December 7th Press conference Obama acknowledged: “…the middle-class tax cuts were being held hostage to the high-end tax cuts. I think it’s tempting not to negotiate with hostage-takers, unless the hostage gets harmed… In this case, the hostage was the American people and I was not willing to see them get harmed.”

Like so many of his excuses, Obama’s explanation doesn’t hold up. This “hostage-taking” didn’t happen suddenly; the Republican hostage takers didn’t burst into the Oval Office with a bomb and announce: “Either you continue the Bush tax cuts for millionaires or this place is dust.” For months, Barack Obama knew that Republicans were cutthroats, who wouldn’t hesitate to hold the working people of America hostage in order to secure a tax-cut “ransom” for the rich and powerful. Obama saw the hostage-taking coming but did nothing to prevent it. 

There’s a familiar Aesop fable about a farmer who finds a viper freezing in the snow, takes pity on it, picks it up and places it within his coat. Revived by the warmth, the snake gives his rescuer a fatal bite and the farmer cries out, “I should have seen this coming!”  

The apt metaphor for the President’s tax cut deal wasn’t hostage taking, but the farmer who takes in the viper. Obama knew he was dealing with snakes and should have seen what was coming. For the last two years, Republicans have been incredibly candid about their intent to do everything possible to thwart his Administration. Nonetheless, ignoring the wise counsel of Progressives, the President took in the vipers and cut an unsavory tax deal. But it was the American people who got bitten.  

The moral of Aesop’s fable is “kindness is wasted on evil.” You and I know this. It’s street wisdom. And Progressives understand that Conservatives are all about greed, they are hell bent on installing a plutocracy. So why doesn’t President Obama understand this? Why didn’t he recognize that he was dealing with snakes before he placed them in his coat? 

There are two harsh explanations: Barack Obama is either incredibly naïve or he is terminally conflict averse. I don’t believe Obama is naïve. Sadly, the experience of the last two years indicates that he will do anything to avoid a fight.  

Negotiating out of fear is bad practice, in general, but wildly inappropriate in an era where Progressives are battling to maintain Democracy in America. In September, new Census figures showed that the income gap between America's richest and poorest was the widest on record. Recently Senator Bernie Sanders accused Republicans of waging a “war” against the working families of America. If the Obama tax cut “deal” stands, the rich will have won another major battle. 

So what should you and I do about this? 

The first step is to do everything we can to kill the current tax-cut “deal.” Call our Senators and Representatives and tell them to block the bill unless Republicans compromise. 

But our larger mission is to rebuild the Progressive movement with recognition that the President needs “tough love.” If we’re going to make progress in the war against working families, then Progressives will have to provide Obama with backbone at every step. The past two years have provided one example after another of where Obama pulled away from a fight, claimed he was protecting us from “hostage-takers.” That has to stop, there’s too much at stake. 

The bad news is that Progressives worked hard to elect Barack Obama, who turned out to be a President who negotiates with vipers. The good news is that we now know who are dealing with and have two years to take corrective action. 

Martin Luther King Jr. once observed: “Normal fear protects us; abnormal fear paralyses us. Normal fear motivates us to improve our individual and collective welfare; abnormal fear constantly poisons and distorts our inner lives. Our problem is not to be rid of fear but, rather to harness and master it.” 

Progressives should be fearful about the economy, and more generally, the survival of Democracy in America. Our problem is not to be rid of fear – to attempt to negotiate with snakes – but rather to harness and master this fear. I am confident we can do this, with or without Barack Obama. 

Bob Burnett is a Berkeley writer. He can be reached at bobburnett@comcast.net

I may risk losing my curmudgeon status by saying this in public, but The Legend of Pale Male got to me, despite my high threshold of resistance to anything heartwarming. The documentary is now at the Shattuck, where such films tend to wind up. I don’t know how long it’s playing, and would recommend catching it before it goes away. See www.thelegendofpalemale for details. 

Pale Male, of course, is the red-tailed hawk who (it’s impossible to avoid personal pronouns with this bird) has been nesting in Manhattan, on the ledge of a Fifth Avenue co-op apartment building facing Central Park, since 1992. He was the protagonist of Marie Winn’s 1998 book Red-Tails in Love and of a 2004 PBS Nature documentary. The new film is director Frederic Lilien’s feature-length reworking and updating of the saga. If, like me, you haven’t been following developments since the PBS show, you may be surprised by the movie’s denouement; I’ll try to avoid spoilers. 

Lilien, who showed up for a question-and-answer session after Saturday’s screening, says he jettisoned most of the natural-history material he used for the PBS version. The director puts himself in the foreground for most of the film, which works well enough: he’s an engaging presence. He describes a chance encounter with Pale Male when he (Lilien) was fresh in New York, a self-described refugee from his Belgian family’s law firm, in the process of reinventing himself. That one meeting sets the hook. When another hawkwatcher, Charles Kennedy, gives him a long lens, Lilien decides he’s going to be a wildlife documentarian. 

He becomes part of a small cult who meet every day at a model boat pond to observe Pale Male and his succession of mates and offspring. (It’s implied that these are the first redtails to nest in Manhattan. That’s possible; in his memoirs, Roger Tory Peterson recalled these birds only as winter visitors in the 1920s and 30s.) Another photographer, Lincoln Karim, arrives with a monster telescope that is immediately nicknamed “the Hubble” and a video monitor. A retired physician opens the terrace of his nearby apartment to the watchers. Winn, then, in the pre-Murdoch days, a nature columnist for the Wall Street Journal, begins writing about the hawks. Celebrities drop in. 

In jaw-dropping footage, Lilien captures the hawks nailing pigeons in midair and fending off marauding crows. Every spring the crowds grow for the Fledge Vigil, as the nestlings work their way up to their first flights. Sometimes there’s a betting pool on the launch time. Pale Male, the consummate urban predator, brings home the pigeons and squirrels, and what appears to be at least one coot. He outlives at least two mates, who fall victim to poison and traffic; another disappears. 

Although never banded, Pale Male is clearly recognizable from year to year. He’s much paler about the head than the typical eastern red-tail, but not as pale as the ghostly “Krider’s” morph of the plains. Some of his sons and daughters share that trait. 

Anyway, the millennium turns, the towers fall, Lilien finishes his TV documentary and goes home to Belgium. Then, in the winter of 2004, the co-op board has the massive nest removed in the dead of night. All hell breaks loose. Hawk advocates, including someone in a cardinal suit (St Louis, not Vatican), picket across the street from the building. When Karim is arrested during the demonstrations, co-op resident and hawk fan Mary Tyler Moore goes his bail. 

Flinching from the publicity, the co-op does a 180 and agrees to allow Pale Male and his current mate Lola to return. An architect designs the armature for the ultimate nest box, and workers bolt it in place. And on day one, the hawks start bringing in twigs. The ending, as it develops, is more bittersweet than happy. That’s as far as I’m going with that; go see the movie. 

Frederic Lilien is neither Judy Irving nor Mark Bittner, but The Legend of Pale Male resembles The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill in its quirky charm. As in the parrot movie, the human dimension—the way hardened New Yorkers take these raptors into their hearts—is compelling. Pale Male should have taken on Bloomberg while he had the momentum.

I read with interest Conn Hallinan's interesting, informative article, Dispatches From the Edge: The Great Hunger Returns (Dec. 6, 2010). Last year, my wife and I visited the Republic of Ireland. While the Irish newspapers hinted at economic difficulties, tourists and probably most Irish citizens still saw Ireland as the Celtic Tiger. Perhaps it was mass Irish denial.  

While I am not an economic expert, I offer my brief layman's comment on Ireland's dire economic situation. 

On December 7, 2010, Irish lawmakers narrowly approved tax hikes as part of an $8 billion budget "slash-and-tax plan" imposed as a key condition of Ireland's international bailout. How did Ireland get into this economic mess? Because Irish banks engaged in reckless lending during an overinflated real estate bubble. Sound familiar?  

Remember, the Irish state is not broke, rather, the Irish banking system is broke. The question Irish citizens should have asked: Why did the Irish state, which is solvent, link itself to the bust banks? If the Irish state had let the banks go bust, then the European Central Bank (ECB) would be accountable for its culpability for allowing German, French, and English banks to lend recklessly to Irish banks.  

By assuming responsibility for the Irish banks' greedy, irresponsible lending practices, the Irish state has shifted from bank shareholders and bondholders to Irish taxpayers, who had nothing to do with the banks' ill-advised practices, the burden of paying off the bailout. In short, the banks that should bear the burden will be bailed out by Irish citizens. And to add salt to the wound, the banks' shareholders and bondholders will probably make interest on the deal. 

Irish citizens can expect to pay higher taxes, see pension cuts, a reduction in public-sector salaries, and a reduction in the minimum wage. Ireland's unemployment is now 14 percent and I would expect it to rise. As so often happens, when a country receives a bailout, the social safety nets begin to erode when the need is the greatest.  

At 12.5%, the corporate rate has been the cornerstone of Ireland's industrial growth for the period 1995 to 2007. Ireland became the "Celtic Tiger" during this period. This rate remains among the lowest business tax in the developed world and is regarded as the single biggest factor in getting multinationals to open shop in Ireland, attracting foreign investment, and stemming emigration. I expect a minor increase in corporate taxes, but not so much as to risk corporate and foreign investment flight.  

Why did the Irish state take on the burden of the Irish banks? Because they were too big to fail. Haven't we heard that argument before? 

Once the Irish face the full force of Ireland's debt burden, Prime Minister Brian Cowen and his coalition government may face disenchanted voters at the next election.

"People wish their enemies dead, but I do not; I say give them the GOUT…!” —Mary Wortley Montagu (1689 – 1762), English writer. 

Gout, the affliction, is amply dealt with on the Internet. I recommend a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health called MedlinePlus and www.Mayoclinic.com/health/gout . 

Gout, “…that devil’s curse…”, “that Patrician malady” has been manifest in the creations of literary and historical writers of ages. Even a little humor: “For that old enemy the gout Had taken him in toe!” In toe--, get it? (Lieutenant Luff – The poetical works of Thomas Hood.) “… that scourge of the human race robbed Catherine de Medici of her personal charms, racking her bones and sinews” (The Huguenots in France and America, Vol I. 1843.) 

The first known play concerning gout was Tragopodagra by Lucian in the 2nd century AD. The Gout and the Spider is a well known humorous tale originating in the 9th century, but appearing in several centuries. Encomium Moriae by Erasmus praised gout in 1509. Podagra Encomium by Cardanus of Pavia appeared in 1562 and praised the folly of gout. 

Today, gout stings and inflames in numerous genres. It plays a part in children’s fiction, adult mysteries, “how to” cope, history, and of course, biography and memoir. Fiction for young children includes Raising dragons, by Jerdine Nolen and Marsupial Sue by John Lithgow. Black bridge: a mystery of Venice, by Edward Sklepowich. / The Gout hater’s cookbook. / Galileo's gout: science in an age of endarkenment. / Perfect I’m not: Boomer on beer, brawls, backaches, and baseball, by David Wells. 

“The Honor of Gout by Philander Misiatrus,” which was Benjamin Franklin’s pen name, was an article written by him in 1699, decades before he developed gout himself. In 1732 he printed in his Philadelphia shop “The honour of the gout; or, a rational discourse, demonstrating that the gout is one of the greatest blessings which can befall mortal man; that all gentlemen who are weary of it, are their own enemies; that those practitioners who offer at the cure, are the vainest and most mischievous cheats in nature. By way of letter to an eminent citizen, wrote in the heat of a violent paroxysm, and now publish'd for the common good.” The Old Man’s Wish was to …govern my passion with an absolute sway, And grow wiser and better as my strength wears away, Without gout or stone, by a gentle decay. (H. Playford, 1685. Theater of Musick). I had read somewhere that males contract gout after puberty and females after menopause. I was thirty when I had a brief gouty experience. Brief, 

thanks to colchicine, which I understand, can be tricky. I had been dieting, concentrating on protein. It was years before I could face a piece of calf’s liver again. Predisposing factors are said to include lead poisoning, diuretic therapy, penicillin and insulin, overindulgence in food, surgical procedures, Down’s Syndrome, fatigue, arthritis, alcoholism and obesity. Now I’m in my eighties and have had two brief occurrences – I resist saying episodes – and am subject to one or two or three of those factors. Colchicine still works quickly. 

Gout is a metabolic disease marked by painful inflammation of the joints, deposits of urates in and around the joints, and usually an excessive amount of uric acid in the blood. Gout affects 2.1 million Americans each year. It 

does run in some families. Historically known as "the disease of kings" or "rich man's disease," gout has increased in frequency. The increase is believed to be due to such increasing risk factors in the population as metabolic syndrome, longer life expectancy, and changes in diet. Gourmet, anyone? Julia, Jacques? 

Characterized by a buildup in the blood of uric acid that forms needlelike crystals, gout is rare in younger women but occurs in about one in 20 postmenopausal women. It comes and goes and in early stages, mostly affects the feet. 

Gouty arthritis refers to a form of arthritis caused by deposits of needle-like crystals of uric acid. (The term arthritis refers to more than 100 types of different rheumatic diseases.) Gouty arthritis accounts for approximately 5% of all cases of arthritis. Gouty arthritis is one of the most painful rheumatic diseases. It usually strikes a single joint, most commonly the big toe. When the big toe is involved, gout is known as podagra. However, it can also affect the foot (instep/heel), knees, wrists, fingers, elbows. Gouty arthritis is rare in children and young adults. Men are more likely to develop gouty arthritis than women. 

Watcha gonna do? Drinking coffee lowers the risk of gout in older women. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (August 25, 2010) reports research by Boston University's School of Medicine in which Dr. Hyson Choy demonstrated that drinking coffee lowers risk of gouty arthritis for men. Choi and his colleagues wanted to see if the same held true in women, especially older women who, after menopause, lose the uric-acid clearing benefits of estrogen. They contend that a few cups of coffee every day over many years cuts the risk of gout in postmenopausal women in half. 

After statistically controlling for other gout risk factors such as body-fat mass, alcohol consumption, use of diuretics and dairy intake, they found that a lifetime of drinking coffee appeared to make a significant difference in the risk of a first attack of gout. "The higher the consumption level, the lower the risk." What about coffee staves off gout is still not clear. And not everybody can tolerate it. Not only can caffeine raise blood pressure and leach calcium, upping the risk of osteoporosis, Choy’s research spoke only to a benefit in long-term consumption. 

More and more Americans are struggling with gout as rates of the painful and sometimes disabling arthritic condition continue a decades-long upswing, a new study shows. (HealthDay News) Researchers report that by 2008, an estimated 8.3 million Americans were subject to gout attacks, equivalent to 3.9 percent of the U.S. adult population, a substantial rise from the 2.7 percent prevalence rate noted in the late 1980s to early 1990s. 

The condition known as pseudogout (also called CPPD) can sometimes be confused with gouty arthritis because it produces similar symptoms. However, in CPPD, deposits are made up of calcium phosphate crystals, not uric acid. 

LOCAL & INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Further to my November 17th column, an old (as in aged as well as in many years, dating back to when we were seated next to each other in our 12th grade homeroom) friend sends me a hardcopy of the December 2010 issue of “Whistle-stop EXPRESS,” which declares itself The leading information resource for Marin’s Active Aging Movement. And its 16 pages are impressive. TheWhistlestop.org. 

OWL (Older Women’s League: The Voice of Midlife and Older Women) is disappointed that the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform included Social Security in its agenda. Social Security is not a part of the deficit facing our nation today. 

This is the second consecutive year that Social Security beneficiaries did not receive a COLA (cost-of-living adjustment). The Consumer Price Index in Social Security (CPI-W), which measures the rate of inflation, does not accurately reflect the rate of inflation faced by seniors who spend a huge amount of their income on health care.

My wife’s recent work attempt and possibly my published writing apparently attracted the attention of those at the social security administration.  

We received a notice that within two days we had an appointment to be interviewed at the Walnut Creek office. The person who interviewed us was polite but devoid of any emotional expression of any kind. Prior to the worker meeting with us, we had waited about two hours in their crowded, noisy, uncomfortable waiting room. Apparently, the intent was to soften us up before the meeting.  

The worker stated that the interview was being done under penalty of perjury. I didn’t lie or distort facts during this interview. The intent of the examination was to find us ineligible for SSI.  

At the conclusion of this interview, the worker insisted that there are work incentives for disabled people under Social Security. At the time, my wife and I were so intimidated by the interview that we didn’t dare argue the point. 

Now, I would like to dispel the myth promulgated by social security that there are work incentives for disabled people. In fact, if you collect SSI, you are accepting what could be a life sentence to poverty. Social Security’s rules are there to enforce this poverty.  

When my wife got a part time job (which right now is all she can handle due to being disabled) the first thing that happened was that our SSI was lowered by an amount that was nearly half of her gross wages. Soon after, section 8 housing increased our rent with calculations that were based on our total income that we had before our SSI was cut. This is because the interview at Section 8 took place shortly after she started work.  

The ensuing rent increase nullified an additional third or more of my wife’s earnings at her job. If you then count union dues, and state and federal income taxes, all deducted from my wife’s check, it becomes clear that my wife and I benefited very little if at all, financially, from her job.  

The above scenario is actually typical for people who try to work while receiving SSI. The clerk as Social Security had tried to sound encouraging, claiming that my wife and I could each earn up to six hundred dollars a month without losing our SSDI. I had replied I would think about this.  

The six hundred cap isn’t very encouraging to me. Part of this is because the amount was lowered from eight hundred in recent years. Also, housing would still raise the rent more and nullify a third of that. And finally, six hundred dollars doesn’t go very far any more. My wife and I can’t work full-time because of our disabilities. We can’t risk earning more than six hundred dollar cap, since we would lose our Medicare. Without Medicare, we could not continue to see our psychiatrist and take these expensive medications that we are supposed to take. The only way out of this, with the rules as they are, is to become an instant millionaire, and this is a tall order. 

"CIRQUE DU SOLEIL'S OVO," -- through Jan. 24. A lively rush into a world of insects and acrobatics. Written and directed by Deborah Colker. See website for times, dates and complete details. Performances take place under the "Grand Chapiteau'' at AT&T Park. 

$38-$250.www.cirquedusoleil.com.< 

ACTORS THEATRE OF SAN FRANCISCO  

"The Lion In Winter," through Dec. 18, 8 p.m. Wed.-Sat. The James Goldman classic comes to life on stage. $26-$38.  

855 Bush St., San Francisco. (415) 345-1287, (866) 468-3399, www.actorstheatresf.org or www.ticketweb.com.< 

AFRICAN AMERICAN ART AND CULTURE COMPLEX  

"African-American Shakespeare Company presents Cinderella," through Dec. 19, 8 p.m. Dec. 3, 10, 17, 18; 3 and 8 p.m. Dec. 4, 11; 3 p.m. Dec. 5, 12, 19. An enchanting new production of the timeless tale of Cinderella. $10-$50. (800) 838-3006, www.african-americanshakes.org. 

762 Fulton St., San Francisco. www.aaacc.org.< 

AMERICAN CONSERVATORY THEATER  

"A Christmas Carol," through Dec. 24, 7 p.m. Dec. 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 11, 15, 16, 18, 20-23; 5:30 p.m. Dec. 5, 12, 19; 2 p.m. Dec. 4, 8, 9, 11, 21-24; 1 p.m. Dec. 12, 19. Scrooge is back, and he's meaner than ever! Adapted by Carey Perloff and Paul Walsh. $15-$102.  

Geary Theater, 415 Geary St., San Francisco. (415) 749-2228, www.actsf. 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-$134. Club Fugazi, 678 Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd. (formerly Green Street), San Francisco. (415) 421-4222, www.beachblanketbabylon.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.< 

COUNTERPULSE  

"The Golden Girls' Christmas Episodes," through Dec. 23, 7 and 9 p.m. Thu.-Sat.; no show Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. An uproarious stage production featuring a cast in drag recreating the beloved TV show. Special guests include Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Go's. $25.  

1310 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 626-2060, www.counterpulse.org.< 

COW PALACE  

"The 32nd Annual Great Dickens Christmas Fair," through Dec. 19, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sat.-Sun. This annual Bay Area favorite sends visitors back to Victorian London and into the living pages of some of Dickens' greatest books with costumed actors, music halls, shops and pubs designed to recreate the feel and look of 19th century England. People can buy gifts and goodies from "street vendors'' and shops, enjoy a traditional tea and British pub meal, or have a pint at "Mad Sal's Dockside Alehouse.'' $12-$25; $60 for season pass. (800) 510-1558, www.dickensfair.com. 

Geneva Avenue and Santos Street, San Francisco. (415) 404-4111, www.cowpalace.com.< 

CUTTING BALL THEATER  

"The Tempest," by William Shakespeare, through Dec. 19, 8 p.m. Thu.-Sat.; 5 p.m. Sun. This uniquely San Franciscan version of the Shakespeare classic promises to give an up close look at the monsters lurking inside all of us. $15-$50. (800) 838-3006. 

The EXIT, 277 Taylor St., San Francisco. (415) 419-3584, www.cuttingball.com.< 

EUREKA THEATRE  

"Babes In Arms," through Dec. 19, 7 p.m. Wed.; 8 p.m. Thu.-Fri.; 6 p.m. Sat.; 3 p.m. Sun. A holiday show by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. $24-$44.  

215 Jackson St., San Francisco. (415) 255-8207, (415) 978-2787, www.42ndstmoon.org or www.ticketweb.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.< 

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.< 

NEW CONSERVATORY THEATRE CENTER  

"Dirty Little Showtunes," through Jan. 16, 8 p.m. Wed.-Sat.; 2 p.m Sun. No performances Dec. 24, 25 or Jan. 1. An off-color, adults-only antidote to the sugarplum saturation of the holidays. $24-$40.  

25 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 861-8972, www.nctcsf.org.< 

ODC THEATER  

"Flow (Winged Crocodile)/The Trains," Dec. 21 and Dec. 22, 8 p.m. $18.  

3153 17th St., San Francisco. (415) 863-9834, www.odctheater.org.< 

OFF-MARKET THEATER  

"Forking II: A Merry Forking! Christmas," through Dec. 30, Times vary; see website for changing schedule. A "choose your own adventure'' play, where the audience votes on how the plot will proceed. $20. (800) 838-3006, www.pianofight.com. 

965 Mission St., San Francisco. < 

ORPHEUM THEATRE  

"Shrek The Musical," through Jan. 2, 8 p.m. Tue.-Sat.; 2 p.m. Wed., Sat.-Sun.; additional performances at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5, 26; 2 p.m. Dec. 23, 30; 2 p.m. Nov. 26, Dec. 24. No performances on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year's Eve. The story of the swamp-dwelling ogre and his adventures with his friends the wise-cracking donkey and the princess. $30-$99.  

1192 Market St., San Francisco. (415) 512-7770, www.shnsf.com.< 

PIER 29 SPIEGELTENT  

"Teatro Zinzanni," through March 6, 6 p.m. Wed.-Sat.; 5 p.m. Sun. Teatro Zinzanni presents a new production, "License To Kiss II, A Sweet Conspiracy,'' offering a blend of European cabaret, circus arts, music, comedy and more. $117-$145.  

Embarcadero at Battery Street, San Francisco. (415) 438-2668, www.zinzanni.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.< 

SAN FRANCISCO BALLET  

"Nutcracker," through Dec. 27, 7 p.m. Dec. 9; 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23 and 26; 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Dec. 24; 2 p.m. Dec. 27. The one-of-a-kind production that takes families on a journey full of wonder, spectacle and holiday joy. $25-$115.  

Tuesday, Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m.; Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 865-2000, www.sfballet.org.< 

SF PLAYHOUSE  

"Coraline," through Jan. 15, 7 p.m. Tue.-Wed.; 8 p.m. Thu.-Sat.; 3 p.m. Sat. Neil Gaiman's children's book is brought to life on the stage with music by Stephen Merritt of the Magnetic Fields. $30-$50.  

533 Sutter St., San Francisco. (415) 677-9596, www.sfplayhouse.org.< 

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.< 

STAGE WERX THEATRE  

"Ruth and The Sea," through Dec. 18, 8 p.m. Thu.-Sat. A new show turning the American Christmas story on its ear. $18-$24.  

533 Sutter Street, San Francisco. < 

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. < 

THRILLPEDDLERS HYPNODROME  

"Pearls Over Shanghai," ongoing. 8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat.; 7 p.m. Sun. See San Francisco's longest running Cockettes musical, running through Dec. 19. $30-$35.  

575 10th Street, San Francisco. www.thrillpeddlers.com/.< 

ZEUM Zeum is a technology and arts museum for children and families featuring exhibits and workshops that cover a variety of fascinating subjects. 

"Mark Foehringer Dance Project presents Nutcracker at Zeum," through Dec. 19, 11 a.m., 2 and 4 p.m. Sat.; 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sun. A unique version of the holiday classic "Nutcracker.'' $25. www.brownpapertickets.com. 

$8-$10. 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday. 221 Fourth St., San Francisco. (415) 820-3220, www.zeum.org.<

ASHBY STAGE  

"Shotgun Players present Of The Earth," through Jan. 30, 8 p.m. Thu.-Sat.; 5 p.m. Sun.; 7 p.m. Wed. Written and directed by Jon Tracy. $17-$60. (510) 841-6500, www.shotgunplayers.org. 

1901 Ashby Ave., Berkeley. < 

AURORA THEATRE COMPANY  

"Naughty & Nice: A Meg and Billy Christmas," Dec. 17 through Dec. 30, 7:30 p.m., Dec. 17-18, 21-23, 28-30. The production mixes Great American Songbook standards with traditional and non-traditional holiday tunes. $23-$25.  

Aurora Theatre, 2081 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 843-4822, www.auroratheatre.org.< 

BANKHEAD THEATER  

"Valley Dance Theatre: The Nutcracker," through Dec. 19, 7 p.m. Dec. 11, 17, 18, 19; 2 p.m. Dec. 11, 12, 18, 19. $18-$33. (925) 243-0925, www.valleydancetheater.com. 

2400 First Street, Livermore. (925) 373-6800, www.livermoreperformingarts.org.< 

BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE  

"The Arabian Nights," through Dec. 30. Tony Award-winner Mary Zimmerman brings her adaptation of "The Arabian Nights'' back to Berkeley for the holidays. See website for complete listings of performance dates and times. $17.50-$73.  

2025 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 647-2949, (888) 4BR-Ttix, www.berkeleyrep.org.< 

CENTER REPERTORY COMPANY OF WALNUT CREEK  

"A Christmas Carol," through Dec. 19. The Charles Dickens classic comes to life on stage. See website for complete performance details. $20.50-$41.  

Lesher Theatre, Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. (925) 943-SHOW, www.centerrep.org.< 

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.< 

FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER  

"The Princess and The Pea," through Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10-11, 17-18; 2 p.m. Dec. 12, 18-19. Pleasanton's Civic Arts Stage Company will present the classic tale live on stage. $6-$18.  

4444 Railroad Ave., Pleasanton. (925) 931-4848, www.firehousearts.org.< 

LESHER CENTER FOR THE ARTS  

"Whiskers!," through Dec. 20, 3:15 and 7:15 p.m. Sat.; 9:15 and 11:15 a.m., 1:15 p.m. Mon, Wed., Fri. Caroline Altman's musical based on the children's favorite "The Velveteen Rabbit.'' $10-$15. (925) 943-7469. 

1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. (925) 943-7469, www.lesherartscenter.com.< 

MASQUERS PLAYHOUSE  

"The 25th Annual Putnum County Spelling Bee," through Dec. 18, 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; 2 p.m. Nov. 14, 21, Dec. 5, 12. The Tony Award-winning story about overachievers' angst comes to life, with music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin. $20.  

105 Park Place, Point Richmond. (510) 232-4031, www.masquers.org.< 

ORACLE ARENA  

"Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring The Rockettes," Dec. 16 and Dec. 17, 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. $25-$99.  

7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland. (510) 625-8497, (925) 685-8497, (415) 421-8497, www.ticketmaster.com or www.theoaklandarena.com.< 

PARAMOUNT THEATRE  

"Oakland Ballet Company: The Nutcracker," Dec. 23 through Dec. 26, 2 and 7 p.m. Thu.; 11 a.m. Fri.; 2 p.m. Sun. $15-$50. (510) 465-6400. 

2025 Broadway, Oakland. (510) 465-6400, (415) 421-8497, www.paramounttheatre.com or www.ticketmaster.com.< 

TOWN HALL THEATRE  

"Scrooge: The Musical," through Dec. 19, 8 p.m. Thu.-Sat.; 2 p.m. Dec. 12, 19; 7 p.m. Dec. 5, 12, 19; 3 p.m. Dec. 11, 18. Based on the 1970 movie starring Albert Finney. $12-$29.50.  

3535 School St., Lafayette. (925) 283-1557, www.thtc.org.< 

UPTOWN BODY & FENDER  

"Zanzibar Puppets: Cinderella," through Dec. 26, 2 and 4 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 22 fully costumed puppets bring the classic fairy tale to life with spectacular scenery and music. $12. (510) 891-1986, www.zanzibarpuppets.com 401 26th St., Oakland. <

PARAMOUNT THEATRE  

"Oakland Ballet Company: The Nutcracker," Dec. 23 through Dec. 26, 2 and 7 p.m. Thu.; 11 a.m. Fri.; 2 p.m. Sun. $15-$50. (510) 465-6400. 

2025 Broadway, Oakland. (510) 465-6400, (415) 421-8497, www.paramounttheatre.com or www.ticketmaster.com.< 

"CIRQUE DU SOLEIL'S OVO," -- through Jan. 24. A lively rush into a world of insects and acrobatics. Written and directed by Deborah Colker. See website for times, dates and complete details. Performances take place under the "Grand Chapiteau'' at AT&T Park. 

$38-$250.www.cirquedusoleil.com.< 

COUNTERPULSE  

"2nd Sundays," ongoing. 2-4 p.m. Sun. Sept. 12: Philein Wang, ZiRu Tiger Productions, Tammy Cheney, Lenora Lee. Free.  

1310 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 626-2060, www.counterpulse.org.< 

COWELL THEATER AT FORT MASON CENTER  

"Yaelisa & Caminos Flamencos presents Lo Clasico," Dec. 17 through Dec. 19, 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; 3 p.m. Sun. $15-$35. (415) 345-7575, www.caminosflamencos.com. 

Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. (415) 345-7575, www.fortmason.org.< 

HERBST THEATRE  

"An Irish Christmas," Dec. 17, 8 p.m. A special holiday treat featuring the music and dance of the Emerald Isle. $30. www.cityboxoffice.com. 

401 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 392-4400, www.cityboxoffice.com.< 

JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF SAN FRANCISCO  

"Maacabee: The Jewish Nutcracker," Dec. 16 and Dec. 19, 7 p.m. Thu.; 2 and 7 p.m. Sun. $25-$50. www.thejewishnutcracker.com. 

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.< 

MARINES MEMORIAL THEATRE  

"Luis Bravo's Forever Tango," Dec. 21 through Jan. 9, Times vary; see website. $55-$100.  

609 Sutter St., San Francisco. (877) 771-6900, www.marinesmemorialtheatre.com.< 

ODC THEATER  

"Flow (Winged Crocodile)/The Trains," Dec. 21 and Dec. 22, 8 p.m. $18.  

3153 17th St., San Francisco. (415) 863-9834, www.odctheater.org.< 

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.< 

PIER 29 SPIEGELTENT  

"Teatro Zinzanni," through March 6, 6 p.m. Wed.-Sat.; 5 p.m. Sun. Teatro Zinzanni presents a new production, "License To Kiss II, A Sweet Conspiracy,'' offering a blend of European cabaret, circus arts, music, comedy and more. $117-$145.  

Embarcadero at Battery Street, San Francisco. (415) 438-2668, www.zinzanni.org.< 

SAN FRANCISCO BALLET  

"Nutcracker," through Dec. 27, 7 p.m. Dec. 9; 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23 and 26; 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Dec. 24; 2 p.m. Dec. 27. The one-of-a-kind production that takes families on a journey full of wonder, spectacle and holiday joy. $25-$115.  

Tuesday, Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m.; Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 865-2000, www.sfballet.org.< 

YERBA BUENA CENTER FOR THE ARTS THEATER  

"Smuin Ballet: The Christmas Ballet," through Dec. 24. See website for complete performance details. $20-$62. www.smuinballet.org. 

700 Howard St., San Francisco. (415) 978-2787, www.ybca.org.< 

ZEUM Zeum is a technology and arts museum for children and families featuring exhibits and workshops that cover a variety of fascinating subjects. 

"Mark Foehringer Dance Project presents Nutcracker at Zeum," through Dec. 19, 11 a.m., 2 and 4 p.m. Sat.; 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sun. A unique version of the holiday classic "Nutcracker.'' $25. www.brownpapertickets.com. 

$8-$10. 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday. 221 Fourth St., San Francisco. (415) 820-3220, www.zeum.org.<

AUDIUM  

"Audium 9," ongoing. 8:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat. An exploration of the spatial dimension of music in a unique environment of 176 speakers. $15.  

$15. 8:30 p.m. 1616 Bush St., San Francisco. (415) 771-1616, www.audium.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.< 

OLD ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL  

Samsun van Loon and Michael Tan, Dec. 21, 12:30 p.m. Works by Beethoven and Sergei Prokofiev. $5.  

$5 donation requested. 660 California St., San Francisco. www.oldsaintmarys.org/.< 

SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY  

"Handel's Messiah," through Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m. Thu.-Fri.; 2 p.m. Sun. Conducted by Ragnar Bohlin. $15-$90.  

"Music For Families," Dec. 18, 2 p.m. Conducted by Donato Cabrera. $15-$57.  

"The Snowman," Dec. 18, 7 p.m. A selection of holiday favorites, followed by a screening of the animated children's classic "The Snowman,'' with live accompaniment by the San Francisco Symphony. $15-$57.  

Blind Boys of Alabama, Dec. 19, 8 p.m. Program includes "Go Tell It On The Mountain.'' $15-$57.  

"'Twas The Night," Dec. 22 through Dec. 24, 7:30 p.m. Wed.-Thu.; 2 p.m. Fri. Program includes a selection of holiday favorites. $15-$67.  

$25-$130. Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 864-6000, www.sfsymphony.org.< 

ST. IGNATIUS CHURCH  

"A Chanticleer Christmas," Dec. 18 and Dec. 19, 8 p.m. $30-$52.  

650 Parker Ave., San Francisco. < 

ST. MARK'S LUTHERAN CHURCH  

"Musae presents Nativities: Mother and Child, Then and Now," Dec. 18, 7 p.m. $10-$25.  

1111 O'Farrell St., San Francisco. (415) 928-7770, www.stmarks-sf.org.< 

ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL  

Bonnie Rasmusen, Dec. 19, 3:30 p.m.  

David Hatt, organist, Dec. 26, 3:30 p.m.  

$5 suggested donation. 1111 Gough St., San Francisco. (415) 567-2020, www.stmarycathedralsf.org.<

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF BERKELEY  

"A Chanticleer Christmas," Dec. 17, 8 p.m. $30-$52.  

2345 Channing Way, Berkeley. (510) 848-3696, www.fccb.org.< 

PARAMOUNT THEATRE  

"Oakland Ballet Company: The Nutcracker," Dec. 23 through Dec. 26, 2 and 7 p.m. Thu.; 11 a.m. Fri.; 2 p.m. Sun. $15-$50. (510) 465-6400. 

2025 Broadway, Oakland. (510) 465-6400, (415) 421-8497, www.paramounttheatre.com or www.ticketmaster.com.< 

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF BERKELEY  

"Messiah Sing Along," Dec. 19, 6 p.m. Performed in Baroque style. $10-$15.  

One Lawson Road, Kensington. (510) 524-2912, www.uucb.org.<

ALBATROSS PUB  

Whiskey Brothers, ongoing. 9 p.m. First and third Wednesdays. Free.  

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  

The VW Brothers, Dec. 17, 8 p.m. $15.  

Caroompas Room, Dec. 18, 8 p.m. $10.  

The Lowell Trio, Dec. 19, 4 p.m. $10.  

Jazz Jam, Dec. 20, 7 p.m. $3.  

Bluegrass Jam, Dec. 22, 7 p.m. $3.  

Mal Sharpe's Big Money in Jazz Band, Dec. 23, 8 p.m. $10.  

707 Marina Vista Ave., Martinez. (925) 228-6985, www.armandosmartinez.com.< 

ASHKENAZ  

"7th Street Sound Showcase," Dec. 17, 9:30 p.m. $8-$10.  

Forro Brazuca, Dec. 18, 9:30 p.m. $10-$12.  

Tom Rigney & Flambeau, Dec. 21, 8:30 p.m. Cajun/Zydeco dance lesson at 8 p.m. $10.  

Africombo, Dec. 23, 9 p.m. $10.  

Israeli Folkdancing with Allen King, Dec. 26, 1:30 p.m. $8.  

1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. (510) 525-5054, www.ashkenaz.com.< 

BECKETT'S IRISH PUB  

Paul Manousos, Dec. 17.  

DgiiN, Dec. 18.  

The Mundaze, Dec. 23.  

Free. Shows at 10 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2271 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 647-1790, www.beckettsirishpub.com.< 

BLAKE'S ON TELEGRAPH  

Bad Karma, Dec. 18, 9 p.m.  

Sibb Amour, Bird by Bird, Molly Highman, Body or Brain, Dec. 19, 7 p.m.  

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.< 

FREIGHT AND SALVAGE  

"Freight Open Mic," ongoing. Tuesdays. $4.50-$5.50.  

West Coast Songwriters Competition, ongoing. 7:30 p.m. $6.50-$7.50.  

Marley's Ghost, Dec. 17. $18.50-$19.50.  

Jim Kweskin and Geoff Muldaur, Dec. 18. $24.50-$25.50.  

"Holiday Revue," Dec. 19. $20.50-$21.50  

West Coast Songwriters Competition, Dec. 20, 7:30 p.m. $6.50-$7.50.  

The Coverlettes, Dec. 23 and Dec. 24. $18.50-$19.50.  

Music starts at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 548-1761, www.freightandsalvage.org.< 

JAZZSCHOOL  

"Happy Hour Jam," Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m. $5-$10.  

"Trumpetsupergroup," Dec. 19, 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. 

Citizen Quartet, Sasha Dobson, Dec. 17.  

Jinx Jones Trio, Dec. 18.  

DJ RIDDM, Dec. 23, 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  

Horse Feathers, Y La Bamba, Dec. 17, 9:30 p.m. $9-$12.  

579 18th St., Oakland. (510) 444-7474, www.thenewparish.com.< 

ORACLE ARENA  

"Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring The Rockettes," Dec. 16 and Dec. 17, 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. $25-$99.  

7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland. (510) 625-8497, (925) 685-8497, (415) 421-8497, www.ticketmaster.com or www.theoaklandarena.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. 

"King of King's," ongoing. 9 p.m. Sun. $10.  

"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.  

"4th Annual Holiday Spectacular: Honoring Michael Jackson and James Brown," Dec. 17, 9 p.m. $5.  

"Burlesque Moulin and Red Hots Burlesque present: High Holidaze," Dec. 18, 8 p.m. $12.  

Orquestra Bakan, Dec. 22, 8 p.m.; salsa and dance lessons from 8:30-9:30 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.  

Acacia Collective, Thee Swank Bastards, Puppet Radio, Dec. 17, 9 p.m.  

The Real Nasty, Misisipi Rider, Dec. 18, 9 p.m.  

Nine Pound Shadow, The Happy Clams, Thrill Of It All, Dec. 23, 9 p.m.  

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  

The Hot Toddies, The Soft White Sixties, Switchblade Riot, Dec. 17, 9 p.m. $5-$8. 

"Hella Gay," Dec. 18, 9 p.m. With DJ's GStar, Astro and more. $7.  

Oakland Active Orchestra, Beep, Jack O' The Clock, Dec. 21, 9 p.m. Free.  

Third Victim of Abigail, Rutledge, Casey Chisholm, Hurry Up Shotgun, Dec. 22, 9 p.m. Free.  

1928 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. (510) 451-8100, www.uptownnightclub.com.< 

YOSHI'S  

Robben Ford & Renegade Creation, through Dec. 19, 8 and 10 p.m. Thu.-Sat.; 2 and 7 p.m. Sun. $5-$26.  

Natasha Miller's Annual Holiday Concert, Dec. 20, 8 p.m. $16.  

Junius Courtney Big Band, Dec. 21, 8 and 10 p.m. $14.  

Pharoah Sanders, Dec. 22 through Dec. 24, 8 and 10 p.m. $22-$30.  

Tower of Power, Dec. 26 through Dec. 29, 7 and 9 p.m. Sun.; 8 and 10 p.m. Mon.-Wed. $25-$45.  

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.<

On Saturday December 18th at Noon at The Oaks Theater 1875 Solano Ave, North Berkeley, there will be a special showing of Power Trip –Theatrically Berkeley (78min) by Emio Tomeoni.

Power Trip – Theatrically Berkeley is a journey through modern day Berkeley politics and theatrics. With exclusive interviews from top policy makers and prominent noise makers, Power Trip is an unfiltered look at the frantic pace of the activists and reactionists, asking only one question: Does anything actually ever get done here? 

Over the course of three years, filmmaker Emio Tomeoni submerged himself in the activists’ culture. He started with an environmental thread (Berkeley attempted to be the greenest city in America) but then, the story quickly pulled in many directions. From jumping in front of cars, living in trees and disrupting Congress, whatever the cause, Berkeley was there to be heard. This unintentional comedy captures the feel, pace and message of Avery active public. following the loudest of the population. But do they really speak for the whole city? Just how self-serving this movement is, is left for you to decide. 

Admission is $7.00 (a portion goes to the Berkeley Humane Society Shelter Fire Relief Fund) 

More information: Greg Tomeoni 510-525-3609 itsgregangela@gmail.com 

Dancing With Dynamite: Social Movements and States in Latin America

By Benjamin Dangl, AK Press, 2010, $15.95

Dynamite is dangerous stuff. Drop it and you visit the clouds. Misuse it and you might just to blow up the neighborhood. Which is why Benjamin Dangl’s use of the word in the title of his book on Latin America’s leftish surge is so apt. Social movements can be explosive. 

In “Dancing,” Dangl—founder of “Upside Down World.org,” long-time reporter, and the author of “The Price of Fire”—examines the relationship between popular movements and the leftist governments they helped put into place. 

It is a daunting task for a 175-page book, but Dangl manages to fill it with on-the-spot reporting and historical background in a way that avoids an academic treatise, on the one hand, and an anecdotal travelogue, on the other. 

One of Dangl’s strong points is his experience in the region and his contact with landless groups in Uruguay, factory workers in Argentina, and indigenous groups in Bolivia and Ecuador. Through Dangl, people talk about issues of land reform, local political power, pesticide use, and the relationship between social activism and governance. 

The background for Dangl’s book is the so-called “pink tide” that has swept over much of Latin American, but the author is less interested in leaders like Lula da Silva, Rafael Correra, and Hugo Chavez, than in the grassroots organizations that formed the backbone of the political movement that put those progressives into power. That relationship can be a troubled one, and the “dance” between social needs and political power makes for complex choreography. 

Dangl examines the history of social movements in seven countries, and their relationships with the leftist governments they helped elevate to power. The tensions between grassroots activism and the business of running a state are neither new nor unique to South America. Indeed, most Americans will see immediate parallels to the 1960s civil rights and anti-war movements in the U.S. 

“ For movements in South America that engage the state, the relationship involves a tightrope walk between cooperation and genuine collaboration,” he writes. At times, Dangl argues, that cooperation ends up demobilizing the social movements. But, at other times, a progressive government allows grassroots movements to expand. In short, it isn’t simple and one size doesn’t fit all. 

Dangl can be critical of progressive leaders like Hugo Chavez, whose personality cult makes him uncomfortable. But he doesn’t lose sight of why the former colonel is so popular: “Chavez is the first president who even knows we are here,” a grandmother in Caracas tells him. “Our houses are still tin and cardboard but my grandchildren receive two meals a day in school…and there are several doctors within walking distance who will see us and give us medicine for free.” 

The relationship between mass movements and left governments is enormously complex. One does not have to agree with all of Dangl’s characterizations of Latin American leaders to get a great deal from this thoughtful and well-reported book. The subject is explosive and very useful, no less for those of us in the U.S. than for landless soy farmers in Uruguay. Coming to grips with the delicate formulas that negotiate the gray zones between passion and power is central to building a humanist society everywhere. 

Conn Hallinan’s writings can be seen at dispatchesfromtheedgeblog.wordpress.com  

"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose." You're probably far too busy wrapping packages, addressing cards and baking fruit cakes, to be roasting chestnuts. And you may well be looking around for festive events to celebrate Christmas and New Year's. So, herewith are holidays activities that may strike your fancy without hitting your budget. 

First of all, what would the holiday season be without the ever-popular "Nutcracker Ballet", now receiving two excellent performances? One very handsome production is that of the S.F. Ballet at the War Memorial Opera House, Dec. 12-27. For reservations, call (510) 865-2000. And the Oakland Ballet Company, with members of the Oakland East Bay Symphony, conducted by Michael Morgan, is presenting its own "Nutcracker" at the Paramount Theatre, Dec. 23-26. (800) 745-3000. 

The Smuin Ballet will perform their Christmas Ballet at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts through Dec. 19. (415) 978-2787. 

Christmas Revels, celebrating its 25th Anniversary, performs music and stories of Ireland and the British Isles, Dec. l7-l9, Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 1:00 and 5:00 p.m. Oakland Scottish Rite Center, 1547 Lakeside Drive. (510) 452-8800. 

The highly regarded Chanticleer, an all-male chorus touring the Bay Area with its new program, "A Chanticleer Christmas" will sing at the First Congregational Church in Berkeley Dec. 17th at 8 p.m. $30-52. (800) 407-1400. And "Christmas at Grace Cathedral", features the Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys performing Dec. 18 and 19 at 3 p.m.; Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15-50. (415) 392-4400. 

Closer to home, Annalee Allen, a writer for the Oakland Tribune recently provided a colorful history of several historic house museums here in the East Bay, several of them offering traditional teas. One is the Pardee Home Museum, 672 11th Street, Oakland, now decked out for the holidays and offering a Light Dessert Tea at $15 per person, High Tea $25.00. For reservations, call (510) 444-2187. As 2011 begins, a Victorian New Year's Tea will be featured at the landmark Cohen-Bray House, 1440 29th Avenue, January 2, with three sittings -- 12:30, 2:00 and 3:30. (510) 524-5780. 

Theatre lovers aren't forgotten, as there are three plays receiving excellent reviews: Admirers of the famous California architect, Julia Morgan will be happy to hear of a new play, "Becoming Julia Morgan," by playwright Belinda Taylor, directed by Barbara Oliver, offered at the Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Avenue (one of Julia's finest buildings) at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday, through January 9th. One of the East Bay's finest theatre groups, the Shotgun Players, performs a very ambitious play, "Of the Earth: The Salt Plays, Part 2, John Tracy's Homeric epic, "Odysseus" at the Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Avenue, through January 20. (510-841-8500. For a very different Cinderella story, the African-American Shakespeare Company presents a black "Cinderella", starring Khamara Pettuss and Matt Jones, Dec. 19th at the Buriel Clay Theatre, in the African-American Arts and Culture Complex, 762 Fulton Street, S. F. (800) 838-3006. 

A program at the San Francisco Zoo will delight children (and their parents), with its "Winter Goes Wild." program Dec. 18 and 19. You're asked to bring an unwrapped toy of about $5.00 value, for the S.F. Firefighters' Toy Program. 

The Great Dickens Christmas Fair will be held at the Exhibition Hall at Cow Palace Dec. 19th, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Come and meet "Old Father Christmas". 

Not forgetting sports lovers, Dollar Day NFL Football is held every Sunday at Golden Gate Fields, $1.00 general admission. (510) 559-7300. 

A musical that's receiving great reviews is "Shrek", playing at the Orpheum Theatre in S.F., Dec. 14, 15 and 16 at 8.p.m. A portion of ticket sales will be donated to Children's Hospital Research Center. 

Last, but certainly not least, if you're running out of ideas for gifts, do take in the Berkeley Artisans Holiday 20th year Open Studios -- 37 galleries with original, finely crafted items. Likewise, you're sure to find gifts of imagination and great variety at the Telegraph Avenue Holiday Street Fair, Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 18 and 19, Thursday and Friday, Dec. 23 and 24th. 11:00 - 6:00. More than 200 artists, and bargain prices! 

THE SALT PLAYS, PART TWO: OF THE EARTH is the second installment of Jon Tracy’s take on the Greek Epics produced by the Shotgun Players. It is a work of art, hauntingly beautiful in design, fascinating in choreography, impeccably executed lighting and sound, excellently acted. But it is often tedious. Go figure.  

The play could be described as enigmatic Homer cum Beckett. Occasionally, the blinding brilliance of the play flashes much like the back lights do when creating the storm at sea—or the storm in Odysseus’ head? Tempos vary from fast-and-furious to lost-at-sea slow. Perhaps it is the many extended moments, or the mystery and dreamlike tone of this often poetic play that makes for tedium in the midst of consummate theatrical artistry.  

Whatever the reason, it is worth seeing, but it would help to familiarize yourself with the Odyssey and perhaps with “Salt Play: (Part One)—In the Wound.” This summer precursor revisited and deconstructed the Iliad, casting clever Odysseus the Fixer, the Mastermind, the Plotter as a CIA operative.  

Conspiracy theorists will recall the CIA using LSD in the MK-ULTRA project; Tracy builds on the Lotus Eaters myth and the implied narcotizing of Troy to ravage the city and end the war. This is just one of many analogies Tracy suggests. For a country embroiled in war like ours has been now for near a decade—the length of the Trojan War—it is eerily apt.  

Anachronistic and violent, this summer’s “Salt: In the Wound” was played out in the hot sun with the dust and sweat and imagined blood palpable through the exciting clash of armies under Dave Maier’s fight choreography. Nervous gods, fearing the wrath of CEO Zeus, oversaw and manipulated that War in Hinkel Park. Its final scenes had enough mystery to presage the sequel and to invoke the lesser known plays of Euripides, who explored many of the same implications of the aftermath of the Trojan War.  

(Here’s my summer review of SALT: IN THE WOUND) 

SALT TWO is ocean cool. In a sea-green room bathed in an interrogator’s cone of light, with scaffolding and upstage sliding doors, the gods play out their jealousies and display their own pecking order with Odysseus as their pawn. It has the same percussion drumming as the summer Iliad play, with evocative videos on the diorama from the summer production, but the story is more tortuous and contained. It has overtones of the Patrick McGoohan late ‘60’s TV cult classic “The Prisoner” with all the same elements of science fiction, allegory, and psychological drama. 

There are questions: How will the slaughter/sacrifice of Agamemnon’s daughter Iphigenia be atoned? Where do the gods come from—the spirits of slaughtered animals grown powerful in the ether? How can they be in two places at once; or are they anywhere at all? Is this really happening, or is this an Expressionistic expression of what is smashing around inside the skull of a Covert Black Ops Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder victim? 

Tracy and choreography consultant Bridgette Loriaux create a Theatre of the Imagination with imaginative simplicity wherein the memory of Penelope weaves a ship out of string for her stranded sailor husband and five actresses climb the scaffold to create the Cyclops with their bodies, choreography, and a simple spotlight for the eye. Notable is Circe’s almost levitating seduction of Odysseus executed with balletic grace by Charisse Loriaux. 

Curly haired, strong jawed, sophisticatedly handsome Daniel Bruno returns in the starring role as Ulysses a la James Bond. Dave Maier’s fight choreography is even more effective in this installment—and there is a lot of pole-fighting and ass-kicking in this one, too.  

All the gods and goddesses are played by women. When I saw that Zeus, that embodiment of priapic male energy, would be played by a woman, I felt an immediate internal prejudice arise. Within moments, Rami Margron as Zeus dispelled those reservations, as did Anna Ishida as Poseidon. They are compellingly masculine in uniforms fashioned somewhere between Star Trek and Japanese Sci Fi warriors. 

Tracy knows his classics perhaps too well for the average audience. It is sad that the characters and incidents of the Odyssey have become almost esoteric; in the lobby at intermission, I heard many questions about what was happening. Again, I recommend a quick Wiki read on “The Odyssey” for a background refresher.  

Tracy has a sharp sense of irony and understatement: when Telemachus relays the TV report on Agamemnon’s “apparent suicide,” he muses, “That family has been through a lot.” However, if you don’t know about the House of Atreus and all the adultery, incest, cannibalism, and barbaric tragedy that followed its descendants, then the joke may be lost.  

It is filled with anachronisms of the modern world circa post-WWII, e.g., Telemachus marvels over his recently acquired miraculous television. Tracy seldom passes on the attempt to inject humor, e.g., each time doors open and Circes’ little piggies come out to squeal and snort, I had a good giggle. 

Outside of “The Godfather,” sequels are generally a let-down. Still, “Salt Plays Part Two: Of The Earth” is worth seeing for the artistry, theme, and timeliness. The ancient two-part Epic can be viewed as the most anti-war tract ever written if you see past the façade, and Tracy brings that home to us. 

THE SALT PLAYS, PART TWO: OF THE EARTH, inspired by The Odyssey by Homer  

Presented by Shotgun Players, Patrick Dooley, artistic director  

At Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave., Berkeley (at Martin Luther King Jr. Way) opp. Ashby BART 

Wed-Sun through Jan 16 

Tickets/info www.shotgunplayers.org or 510-841-6500 ext. 303.  

Written and directed by Jon Tracy, movement consultation by Bridgette Loriaux, set design by Nina Ball, lighting design by Lucas Krech, sound conceptualization by Daniel Bruno, fight direction by Dave Maier, videography by Lloyd Vance, musical composition by Brendan West, costume design by Tina Yeaton, with stage management by Leah McKibbin. 

With: Daniel Bruno, Anna Ishida, Charisse Loriaux, Rami Margron, Lexie Papedo, Daniel Petzold, Emily Rosenthal, and Elena Wright (AEA).  

John A. McMullen II when young fell in love with Blind Homer’s legends. This is his 30^th review for Berkeley Daily Planet since he began in April. Indispensable and inspirational editing by EJ Dunne. Comments to eyefromtheaisle@gmail.com

The second, final part of Jon Tracy's The Salt Plays, Of the Earth, produced by Shotgun Players, this time indoors (after last summer's In the Wound, at John Hinkel Park), is playing at the Ashby Stage. The best-looking of the Tracy productions I've seen—he has a flair for design concepts—Of the Earth is a take on Homer's Odyssey, following the Iliad of In the Wound. 

(There's been a streak of adaptations of Homer's epics lately, from ACT's version of Christopher Logue's poetic variation on The Iliad, to Central Works' recent, excellent Penelope's Odyssey, by Gary Graves.) 

Of the Earth, from an idea by Tracy (who wrote and directed) and Dan Bruno, features Bruno as the wily (and frantic) Odysseus, framed by a set (Nina Ball's) with scaffolds like ship's rigging, manned by an ensemble of movement theater women (Anna Ishida, Charisee Loriaux—whose sister Bridgette choreographed—Rami Margron, Emily Rosenthal, Elena Wright), many of them dancers, who play a combo of gods, goddesses, sirens, soldiers and, as a unit, Polyphemus the Cyclops, with a big electric lamp for an eye. Constant projections, intermittent music, give it a big, multimedia "total theater" feel, at least to start with. 

Penelope (Lexie Papedo), always along with Odysseus, at least in spirit (and a few hot-blooded arguments), in his wanderings, has a few routines with her ball of yarn, which, stretched out, provides a more interesting show than the more famous string routine in Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice. Daniel Petzold plays Telemachus, emerging out of the TV room through automatic sliding doors to the laughter of the suitors catching the news on Troy. 

A lot of ideas, some good (a repeated, humorous counting-under-breath by the Wily One, a riff from Lord Dunsany and Samuel Beckett (though their prose, not theater) and an awful lot of directions, but surprisingly little acting, as well as somewhat garbled dynamics overall, as well as with the follow-through of theme and variations. With all the motions of the journey, still a somewhat static piece ... The Odyssey itself is cut short, lacking the balance the tale-within-a-tale (and the presence of Nausicaa, whose name, ironically, means "burner of ships") gives in the episode on Phaeacia, as well as the years with Calypso Much else is hurriedly sketched in. Tracy has the urge—and the will—to write, produce, direct. A bit more follow-through, and the results might chime more with that impressive glimpse of the production at opening curtain and periodically throughout its course. Wednesdays through Sundays through January 16 at the Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby at MLK. $17-$26. 841-6500; shotgunplayers.org 

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The creative folks of Ragged Wing Ensemble introduce their Youth Ensemble in Your Name Is Here—Tu Nombre Esta Aqui, written and directed by Amy Sass, assisted by Keith Davis, produced by Anna Shneiderman. Last two performances: Friday & Saturday at the Metal shop Theater, on Regent Street around the back of Willard school, off Telegraph. $2-$10. raggedwing.org 

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The last weekend for the—salaciously!—extended run of David Bell's The Play About the Naked Guy, directed by Evren Odicikin, at Impact, in LaVal's Subterranean, Euclid off Hearst in the old Northside, a play that's perhaps the most talked-off, locally, in months. Through the 18th. $12-$20. 464-4468; impacttheatre.org 

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'Tis the season for holiday shows. Besides the usual fare, Nutcracker, Messiah, A Christmas Carol, local companies are putting on more unusual treats, sometimes aimed at adult revelers: Aurora Theatre Co's bringing back that seasoned husband and wife cabaret team Meg MacKay and Billy Philadelphia—whose delightful Cole Porter songfest, A Little Cole in Your Stocking, aptly described as "witty, intimate," charmed audiences at the Aurora over two seasons, four or five years back—for Naughty & Nice, a new showcase with numbers both from The Great American Songbook and unusual holiday tunes. 

Meg MacKay's known locally for singing with symphony orchestras as well as with Beach blanket Babylon. She starred in Aurora Artistic Director Tom Ross's A Karen Carpenter Christmas. Billy Philadelphia, a presence in the Bay Area for a quarter century, formerly KNBR's Man About Town, accompanied Dame Edna and starred here and in Miami in his own show, Hoagy, about Hoagy Carmichael and his music. 

Naughty & Nice will inaugurate public performances in the new Nell and Jules Dashow Wing of the Aurora, another reason to catch this show, for a look at a new, flexible and intriguing performance space. Eight shows only, all at 7:30, December 17, 18, 21-23, 28, 30 at the Aurora, 2081 Addison near Shattuck. $23-$25. 843-4822 or auroratheatre.org 

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And at Contra Costa Civic Theatre this weekend, their holiday cabaret, featuring holiday favorites and rarities performed by four leading men of local musical theater: Derrick Silva, Lamont Ridgell, Laurie De Seguriant, Sean Fenton. Saturday at 8, Sunday at 2. 951 Pomona at Moeser Lane, El Cerrito. $20. 524-9132; ccct.org 

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Jazz/R&B singer Nicolas Bearde will celebrate his new holiday EP, "Snowflakes," with a holiday show at Piedmont Piano Company this Thursday at 8, 18th and San Pablo in Uptown Oakland, featuring his trio and guest vocals by Clairdee. $25 for the show, an autographed EP, and a reception after with wine and chocolate—and that great warmth Nic's famous for. 547-8188; piedmontpiano.com; nicolasbeardenetwork.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.  

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. 

"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.<

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.  

$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.  

"Tis The Season For Science," through Jan. 2. Step into an Arctic wonderland where you can meet live reindeer, see the Northern Lights, crawl into an igloo, and learn how polar bears survive the harsh winter. Visitors can also meet "Santa Claude,'' the Academy's lovable alligator character. See website for more information. Activities are included with general admission.  

$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.< 

CONTEMPORARY JEWISH MUSEUM The museum, formerly known as the Jewish Museum San Francisco, has a new addition designed by Daniel Libeskind and is dedicated to exploring the richness and diversity of Jewish thought and culture.  

GALLERY TOURS -- Sunday and Wednesday, 12:30 p.m. Free. 

"Target Community Day," Dec. 25. All visitors can enjoy free admission to the museum on Dec. 25, where families can meet some of their favorite Curious George characters, listen to stories, and more. Free.  

$5-$10; free for ages 18 and under. 1-8 p.m., Thu.; 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Fri.-Tue. 736 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 655-7800, www.thecjm.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.  

"Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cezanne and Beyond: Post-Impressionist Masterpieces from the Musee d'Orsay," Dec. 26, 1 and 2:15 p.m. Art lectures from Kay Payne and Marsha Holm. Free.  

$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. 

"Japanesque: The Japanese Print in the Era of Impressionism," through Jan. 9. An exhibit introducing audiences to the development of the Japanese print over two centuries, and reveals its profound influence on Western art during the era of impressionism.  

$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."Celebrate Kwanzaa Family Day," Dec. 18, Noon-4 p.m.  

$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. "Film Series for Teenagers," ongoing. Fridays, 7 p.m. 

"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. Saturdays, 11:15 a.m. Learn about the animals that live at the Randall Museum. 

"Drop-in Family Ceramics Workshop," ongoing. Saturday, 1:15-2:15 p.m. 

"Meet the Animals," ongoing. 11:15 a.m.-noon. 

"Golden Gate Model Railroad Exhibit," ongoing. Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 

"Drop-in Family Ceramics Workshop," ongoing. Saturday, 10:15-11:15 a.m. $5. 

"Animal Feeding," ongoing. Saturday, noon. 

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. 

"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 December; see website for full details. Free. 

"Lighthouses of San Francisco Bay," Dec. 19, 3:15-4 p.m. An illustrated talk on the lighthouses of San Francisco Bay. Free. 

"Chantey Sing," ongoing. 8 p.m.-12 a.m. Monthly sing-a-long aboard a historic ship. Bring a mug for hot apple cider served from the ship's galley. Free; reservations required. Reservation line: (415) 561-7171. 

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 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.<

"BERKELEY ARTISANS HOLIDAY OPEN STUDIOS," -- through Dec. 19. More than 100 artists and craftspeople will be showing their works, including glass, ceramics, furniture, photography, paintings, and much more. 

Free.11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat.-Sun.www.berkeleyartisans.com.< 

"BERKELEY POTTER'S GUILD HOLIDAY EXHIBITION," -- through Dec. 24. A diverse array of pottery and sculpture will be available at this annual sale and show. Event takes place at 731 Jones St., Berkeley. 

Free.10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat.-Sun.www.berkeleyptters.com.< 

"TELEGRAPH AVENUE HOLIDAY STREET FAIR," -- through Dec. 24. The event will feature festive lights, colorful decorations and a multicultural shopping atmosphere featuring more than 200 street artists, merchants, and community groups. 

Free.11 a.m.-6 p.m., Dec. 11, 12, 18, 19, 23 and 24.www.telegraphfair.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.< 

BAYFAIR CENTER  

"Bayfair Center's Holiday Season," through Dec. 24. A variety of holiday events are planned at the center, including the arrival of Santa on Nov. 20, photos with Santa throughout the month, and a host of different entertainers. See website for complete details.  

15555 14th St., San Leandro. www.shopbayfair.com.< 

BERKELEY CITY CLUB  

"City Commons Club presents Professor Jere H. Lipps," Dec. 17, Noon. The paleontolgist offers a lecture titled, "Berkeley's Next 100 Years -- A Natural Perspective.'' www.citycommonsclub.org. 

2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. (510) 848-7800, www.berkeleycityclub.com.< 

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.< 

CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST THE LIGHT  

"Creche Festival: A Nativity Tradition," Dec. 17 through Dec. 19. A unique show where Bay Area florists have created nativity scenes with hundreds of flowers on display. The festival also includes live music, food, lectures, tours, workshops and more. See website for complete details.  

2121 Harrison St., Oakland. (510) 271-1928, www.ctlcathedral.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. 

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. 

"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. 

"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. 

"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. 

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.Ongoing.  

"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. 

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. 

"Midnight Delight," Dec. 20, 9 p.m. Visitors can learn about all things Moon-- then watch the total lunar eclipse from Chabot's observation deck and through Chabot's telescopes. $6-$12.  

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.< 

CIVIC PARK, WALNUT CREEK  

"Walnut Creek On Ice," through Jan. 17. A special holiday time outdoor ice skating rink. See website for complete details. www.walnut-creek.com. 

1375 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. < 

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. 

"Fish Feeding Time," Dec. 12 and Dec. 19, 3-3:30 p.m. "Dive'' into the bay and learn about its wildlife, including crabs, flounder, perch and more. (510) 544-3187. 

"Sunday Strolls," Dec. 12 and Dec. 19, 10 a.m.-noon. Each week a naturalist will lead walks into a different park; Dec. 12, Sibley; Dec. 19, MLK Shoreline.  

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.< 

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. < 

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.< 

MCCONAGHY HOUSE The McConaghy Estate includes a 12-room farmhouse, tank house and carriage house. The home is furnished in the style of 1886, the date the house was built. The McConaghy House is one of the facilities of the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District. The Hayward Area Historical Society maintains the house and provides volunteer tour guides who give public tours when the house is open. The last tour leaves at 3:30 p.m. 

"A Star Spangled Christmas," through Dec. 19, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat.; 1-4 p.m. Sun. Every year the McConaghy House is transformed for the Christmas Holiday; this year the house will be decked out in patriotic ornaments and decorations. $3-$5.  

50 cents-$3; free children under age 6. Friday-Sunday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. 18701 Hesperian Blvd.,, next to Kennedy Park,, Hayward. (510) 276-3010, (510) 581-0223, www.haywardareahistory.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. 

"Zoolights," through Jan. 1, 5:30 p.m.; closed Dec. 24-25. Enjoy a fantasyland of lights, giant toy soldiers, over-sized candy canes and more mixed with holiday music and treats. $4.50-$7.50.  

$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.< 

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.Ongoing. 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. 

$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.< 

VALLEY ART GALLERY  

"Artful Giving," through Dec. 23, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Sat. A show and sale featuring fine crafts from over 50 Bay Area artisans. (925) 935-4311. 

1661 Botelho Dr., Suite 110, Walnut Creek. < 

WESTWIND BOXING  

"White Collar Brawler presents The Final Showdown," Dec. 17, 7 p.m. The Bay Area web series presents a boxing match and title event featuring the stars of the local show. $20-$50. www.whitecollarbrawler.com. 

1551 University Ave., Berkeley. <

"BERKELEY ARTISANS HOLIDAY OPEN STUDIOS," -- through Dec. 19. More than 100 artists and craftspeople will be showing their works, including glass, ceramics, furniture, photography, paintings, and much more. 

Free.11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat.-Sun.www.berkeleyartisans.com.< 

"TELEGRAPH AVENUE HOLIDAY STREET FAIR," -- through Dec. 24. The event will feature festive lights, colorful decorations and a multicultural shopping atmosphere featuring more than 200 street artists, merchants, and community groups. 

Free.11 a.m.-6 p.m., Dec. 11, 12, 18, 19, 23 and 24.www.telegraphfair.com .< 

AURORA THEATRE COMPANY  

"Naughty & Nice: A Meg and Billy Christmas," Dec. 17 through Dec. 30, 7:30 p.m., Dec. 17-18, 21-23, 28-30. The production mixes Great American Songbook standards with traditional and non-traditional holiday tunes. $23-$25.  

Aurora Theatre, 2081 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 843-4822, www.auroratheatre.org.< 

BANKHEAD THEATER  

"Valley Dance Theatre: The Nutcracker," through Dec. 19, 7 p.m. Dec. 11, 17, 18, 19; 2 p.m. Dec. 11, 12, 18, 19. $18-$33. (925) 243-0925, www.valleydancetheater.com. 

"A Chanticleer Christmas," Dec. 23, 7:30 p.m. $12-$62. www.chanticleer.org. 

2400 First Street, Livermore. (925) 373-6800, www.livermoreperformingarts.org.< 

BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE  

"The Arabian Nights," through Dec. 30. Tony Award-winner Mary Zimmerman brings her adaptation of "The Arabian Nights'' back to Berkeley for the holidays. See website for complete listings of performance dates and times. $17.50-$73.  

2025 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 647-2949, (888) 4BR-Ttix, www.berkeleyrep.org.< 

CENTER REPERTORY COMPANY OF WALNUT CREEK  

"A Christmas Carol," through Dec. 19. The Charles Dickens classic comes to life on stage. See website for complete performance details. $20.50-$41.  

Lesher Theatre, Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. (925) 943-SHOW, www.centerrep.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. 

"Midnight Delight," Dec. 20, 9 p.m. Visitors can learn about all things Moon-- then watch the total lunar eclipse from Chabot's observation deck and through Chabot's telescopes. $6-$12.  

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.< 

CIVIC PARK, WALNUT CREEK  

"Walnut Creek On Ice," through Jan. 17. A special holiday time outdoor ice skating rink. See website for complete details. www.walnut-creek.com. 

1375 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. < 

FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER  

"The Princess and The Pea," through Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10-11, 17-18; 2 p.m. Dec. 12, 18-19. Pleasanton's Civic Arts Stage Company will present the classic tale live on stage. $6-$18.  

4444 Railroad Ave., Pleasanton. (925) 931-4848, www.firehousearts.org.< 

FREIGHT AND SALVAGE  

The Coverlettes, Dec. 23 and Dec. 24. $18.50-$19.50.  

Music starts at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 548-1761, www.freightandsalvage.org.< 

LESHER CENTER FOR THE ARTS  

"Whiskers!," through Dec. 20, 3:15 and 7:15 p.m. Sat.; 9:15 and 11:15 a.m., 1:15 p.m. Mon, Wed., Fri. Caroline Altman's musical based on the children's favorite "The Velveteen Rabbit.'' $10-$15. (925) 943-7469. 

1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. (925) 943-7469, www.lesherartscenter.com.< 

MCCONAGHY HOUSE The McConaghy Estate includes a 12-room farmhouse, tank house and carriage house. The home is furnished in the style of 1886, the date the house was built. The McConaghy House is one of the facilities of the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District. The Hayward Area Historical Society maintains the house and provides volunteer tour guides who give public tours when the house is open. The last tour leaves at 3:30 p.m. 

"A Star Spangled Christmas," through Dec. 19, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat.; 1-4 p.m. Sun. Every year the McConaghy House is transformed for the Christmas Holiday; this year the house will be decked out in patriotic ornaments and decorations. $3-$5.  

50 cents-$3; free children under age 6. Friday-Sunday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. 18701 Hesperian Blvd.,, next to Kennedy Park,, Hayward. (510) 276-3010, (510) 581-0223, www.haywardareahistory.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. 

"Zoolights," through Jan. 1, 5:30 p.m.; closed Dec. 24-25. Enjoy a fantasyland of lights, giant toy soldiers, over-sized candy canes and more mixed with holiday music and treats. $4.50-$7.50.  

$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.< 

ORACLE ARENA  

"Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring The Rockettes," Dec. 16 and Dec. 17, 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. $25-$99.  

7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland. (510) 625-8497, (925) 685-8497, (415) 421-8497, www.ticketmaster.com or www.theoaklandarena.com.< 

PARAMOUNT THEATRE  

"Oakland Ballet Company: The Nutcracker," Dec. 23 through Dec. 26, 2 and 7 p.m. Thu.; 11 a.m. Fri.; 2 p.m. Sun. $15-$50. (510) 465-6400. 

2025 Broadway, Oakland. (510) 465-6400, (415) 421-8497, www.paramounttheatre.com or www.ticketmaster.com.< 

TOMMY T'S COMEDY AND STEAKHOUSE  

Bill Bellamy, Dec. 17 through Dec. 19, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Fri.; 7 and 9:30 p.m. Sat.; 7 p.m. Sun. $20-$30.  

5104 Hopyard Road, Pleasanton. (925) 227-1800, www.tommyts.com.< 

UPTOWN BODY & FENDER  

"Zanzibar Puppets: Cinderella," through Dec. 26, 2 and 4 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 22 fully costumed puppets bring the classic fairy tale to life with spectacular scenery and music. $12. (510) 891-1986, www.zanzibarpuppets.com 401 26th St., Oakland. < 

YOSHI'S  

Robben Ford & Renegade Creation, through Dec. 19, 8 and 10 p.m. Thu.-Sat.; 2 and 7 p.m. Sun. $5-$26.  

Pharoah Sanders, Dec. 22 through Dec. 24, 8 and 10 p.m. $22-$30.  

Tower of Power, Dec. 26 through Dec. 29, 7 and 9 p.m. Sun.; 8 and 10 p.m. Mon.-Wed. $25-$45.  

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.<

"CANDLESTICK PARK ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES FAIRE," -- Dec. 19. More than 500 booths of antiques and collectibles will be available to browse at this huge show. Event takes place in the parking lot at Candlestick Park, San Francisco. 

$5-$10.6 a.m.-3 p.m.www.candlestickantiques.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.< 

"THE ARTISTS' GUILD OF SAN FRANCISCO," -- Dec. 12 and Dec. 18. A wide array of local artists showcase their work in an outdoor setting. Dec. 12: In front of the De Young Museum.  

Dec. 18: Marina Green next to Fort Mason.  

Rain cancels; see website for more information. 

www.artistsguildsf.com.< 

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.  

"Holiday Train," through Jan. 7. The library's 5th annual holiday train exhibit features three separate tracks carrying three of literature's favorite trains; the "Polar Express,'' "Thomas The Tank Engine,'' and "Hogwarts Express.''  

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.<

"CANDLESTICK PARK ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES FAIRE," -- Dec. 19. More than 500 booths of antiques and collectibles will be available to browse at this huge show. Event takes place in the parking lot at Candlestick Park, San Francisco. 

$5-$10.6 a.m.-3 p.m.www.candlestickantiques.com.< 

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.<

"BERKELEY ARTISANS HOLIDAY OPEN STUDIOS," -- through Dec. 19. More than 100 artists and craftspeople will be showing their works, including glass, ceramics, furniture, photography, paintings, and much more. 

Free.11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat.-Sun.www.berkeleyartisans.com.< 

"BERKELEY POTTER'S GUILD HOLIDAY EXHIBITION," -- through Dec. 24. A diverse array of pottery and sculpture will be available at this annual sale and show. Event takes place at 731 Jones St., Berkeley. 

Free.10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat.-Sun.www.berkeleyptters.com.< 

"TELEGRAPH AVENUE HOLIDAY STREET FAIR," -- through Dec. 24. The event will feature festive lights, colorful decorations and a multicultural shopping atmosphere featuring more than 200 street artists, merchants, and community groups. 

Free.11 a.m.-6 p.m., Dec. 11, 12, 18, 19, 23 and 24.www.telegraphfair.com .< 

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.Ongoing.  

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.<

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. "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.  

"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. 

"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. 

"Animal Feeding," ongoing. Thursday-Sunday, 3 p.m. Feed the pigs, check for eggs and bring hay to the livestock. 

"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.< 

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 Ongoing.  

Intersection of Wildcat Canyon Road and South Park Drive, Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley. www.ebparks.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. 

"Midnight Delight," Dec. 20, 9 p.m. Visitors can learn about all things Moon-- then watch the total lunar eclipse from Chabot's observation deck and through Chabot's telescopes. $6-$12.  

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.< 

CIVIC PARK, WALNUT CREEK  

"Walnut Creek On Ice," through Jan. 17. A special holiday time outdoor ice skating rink. See website for complete details. www.walnut-creek.com. 

1375 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. < 

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. 

"Fish Feeding Time," Dec. 12 and Dec. 19, 3-3:30 p.m. "Dive'' into the bay and learn about its wildlife, including crabs, flounder, perch and more. (510) 544-3187. 

"Sunday Strolls," Dec. 12 and Dec. 19, 10 a.m.-noon. Each week a naturalist will lead walks into a different park; Dec. 12, Sibley; Dec. 19, MLK Shoreline.  

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.Ongoing.  

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.Ongoing.  

"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. 

"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. 

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.Ongoing.  

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.Ongoing.  

"Paws and Claws," Dec. 18 through Dec. 19, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Kids can meet Santa Claus, share their wish lists and have their pictures taken. A variety of other family-friendly events are planned for each day. See website for full details. $5 donation for picture with Santa. 

"Zoolights," through Jan. 1, 5:30 p.m.; closed Dec. 24-25. Enjoy a fantasyland of lights, giant toy soldiers, over-sized candy canes and more mixed with holiday music and treats. $4.50-$7.50.  

$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.< 

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.<

"TELEGRAPH AVENUE HOLIDAY STREET FAIR," -- through Dec. 24. The event will feature festive lights, colorful decorations and a multicultural shopping atmosphere featuring more than 200 street artists, merchants, and community groups. 

Free.11 a.m.-6 p.m., Dec. 11, 12, 18, 19, 23 and 24.www.telegraphfair.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. "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. 

"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. 

"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.< 

BANKHEAD THEATER  

"Valley Dance Theatre: The Nutcracker," through Dec. 19, 7 p.m. Dec. 11, 17, 18, 19; 2 p.m. Dec. 11, 12, 18, 19.  

$18-$33. (925) 243-0925, www.valleydancetheater.com. 

2400 First Street, Livermore. (925) 373-6800, www.livermoreperformingarts.org.< 

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.< 

BAYFAIR CENTER  

"Bayfair Center's Holiday Season," through Dec. 24. A variety of holiday events are planned at the center, including the arrival of Santa on Nov. 20, photos with Santa throughout the month, and a host of different entertainers. See website for complete details.  

15555 14th St., San Leandro. www.shopbayfair.com.< 

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.  

"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. 

"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. 

"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. 

"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.Ongoing.  

"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. 

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. 

"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. 

"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. 

"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. 

"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.< 

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."Arts and Crafts," ongoing. Noon-3 p.m. Event features arts and crafts projects for children and their families. $6. 

"Animal of the Day!" ongoing. Saturdays and Sundays, 1-1:20 p.m. Come up close and learn about Fairyland's creatures. 

$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.< 

CIVIC PARK, WALNUT CREEK  

"Walnut Creek On Ice," through Jan. 17. A special holiday time outdoor ice skating rink. See website for complete details. www.walnut-creek.com. 

1375 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. < 

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."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. 

"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. 

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.< 

FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER  

"The Princess and The Pea," through Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10-11, 17-18; 2 p.m. Dec. 12, 18-19. Pleasanton's Civic Arts Stage Company will present the classic tale live on stage. $6-$18.  

4444 Railroad Ave., Pleasanton. (925) 931-4848, www.firehousearts.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.< 

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.Ongoing.  

$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.Ongoing.  

"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. 

"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. 

"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.< 

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.Ongoing.  

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.< 

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.< 

LESHER CENTER FOR THE ARTS  

"Whiskers!," through Dec. 20, 3:15 and 7:15 p.m. Sat.; 9:15 and 11:15 a.m., 1:15 p.m. Mon, Wed., Fri. Caroline Altman's musical based on the children's favorite "The Velveteen Rabbit.'' $10-$15. (925) 943-7469. 

1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. (925) 943-7469, www.lesherartscenter.com.< 

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.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.< 

MCCONAGHY HOUSE The McConaghy Estate includes a 12-room farmhouse, tank house and carriage house. The home is furnished in the style of 1886, the date the house was built. The McConaghy House is one of the facilities of the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District. The Hayward Area Historical Society maintains the house and provides volunteer tour guides who give public tours when the house is open. The last tour leaves at 3:30 p.m. 

"A Star Spangled Christmas," through Dec. 19, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat.; 1-4 p.m. Sun. Every year the McConaghy House is transformed for the Christmas Holiday; this year the house will be decked out in patriotic ornaments and decorations. $3-$5.  

50 cents-$3; free children under age 6. Friday-Sunday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. 18701 Hesperian Blvd.,, next to Kennedy Park,, Hayward. (510) 276-3010, (510) 581-0223, www.haywardareahistory.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.Ongoing.  

"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.Ongoing.  

"Paws and Claws," Dec. 18 through Dec. 19, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Kids can meet Santa Claus, share their wish lists and have their pictures taken. A variety of other family-friendly events are planned for each day. See website for full details. $5 donation for picture with Santa. 

"Zoolights," through Jan. 1, 5:30 p.m.; closed Dec. 24-25. Enjoy a fantasyland of lights, giant toy soldiers, over-sized candy canes and more mixed with holiday music and treats. $4.50-$7.50.  

$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.< 

ORACLE ARENA  

"Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring The Rockettes," Dec. 16 and Dec. 17, 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. $25-$99. 

7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland. (510) 625-8497, (925) 685-8497, (415) 421-8497, www.ticketmaster.com or www.theoaklandarena.com.< 

PARAMOUNT THEATRE  

"Oakland Ballet Company: The Nutcracker," Dec. 23 through Dec. 26, 2 and 7 p.m. Thu.; 11 a.m. Fri.; 2 p.m. Sun.  

$15-$50. (510) 465-6400. 

2025 Broadway, Oakland. (510) 465-6400, (415) 421-8497, www.paramounttheatre.com or www.ticketmaster.com.< 

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. 

Dec. 1-12 2010: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Closed Dec. 13-Jan. 8. 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.< 

UPTOWN BODY & FENDER  

"Zanzibar Puppets: Cinderella," through Dec. 26, 2 and 4 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 22 fully costumed puppets bring the classic fairy tale to life with spectacular scenery and music. $12. (510) 891-1986, www.zanzibarpuppets.com 401 26th St., Oakland. < 

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.Ongoing. 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. 

$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.<

ASHKENAZ  

Tom Rigney & Flambeau, Dec. 21, 8:30 p.m. Cajun/Zydeco dance lesson at 8 p.m. $10.  

Israeli Folkdancing with Allen King, Dec. 26, 1:30 p.m. $8.  

1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. (510) 525-5054, www.ashkenaz.com.< 

CRYSTAL BALLROOM  

"Christmas Dance For Single Professionals," Dec. 17, 8 p.m. $20. (415) 507-9962, www.thepartyhotline.com. 

2086 Allston Way, Berkeley. < 

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. 

"King of King's," ongoing. 9 p.m. Sun. $10.  

"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.  

"Burlesque Moulin and Red Hots Burlesque present: High Holidaze," Dec. 18, 8 p.m. $12.  

Orquestra Bakan, Dec. 22, 8 p.m.; salsa and dance lessons from 8:30-9:30 p.m. $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.< 

UPTOWN NIGHTCLUB  

"Hella Gay," Dec. 18, 9 p.m. With DJ's GStar, Astro and more. $7.  

1928 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. (510) 451-8100, www.uptownnightclub.com.<