Page One

Jordan Blames "Anarchists and Provocateurs' for Oakland Violence

By Jeff Shuttleworth (BCN)
Thursday November 03, 2011 - 05:54:00 PM

Chief Howard Jordan blamed what he described as "anarchists and provocateurs" for causing a confrontation with police at a vacant building early today that resulted in more than 80 people getting arrested. -more-



Berkeley Woman Who Prompts Chinese Government to Care for Female Orphans is 2011 Purpose Prize Winner

By Helen Rippier Wheeler
Thursday November 03, 2011 - 09:16:00 AM

In 1996, Berkeley resident Jenny Bowen was stunned by a New York Times photo of a starving child in a Chinese welfare institution. Within eighteen months, she had adopted a girl child from Guangzhou, once known to the Western world as Canton. After a year of loving care, the twenty-month old girl was healthy. Later, she adopted another girl. Bowen’s daughters attend Berkeley High School and Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School.

Flash forward two years. These experiences have led Bowen to launch an organization to transform radically the way China cares for its 800,000 orphans (a government statistic that is probably neither valid nor reliable.) The Half the Sky Foundation is among the first United States-based NGOs [Nongovernmental Organizations] to partner with the Chinese government. A pilot program was set up in two provinces: Jaingsu (Jiang Zhu) and An Hu (Anhui). Now, she is advising Beijing on investing $300 million to build three hundred model orphanages, and in the next five years Berkeley-based (715 Hearst Avenue) the Foundation will help to train all of China’s orphanage workers.

Her efforts will be recognized on December 1 when she will be one of five winners of San Francisco's Civic Ventures' Purpose Prizes.

Five $100,000 Purpose Prizes are being awarded to Americans who are making an extraordinary impact in their Encore Careers. Five social entrepreneurs over sixty years of age will each receive $100,000 for using their experience and passion to make an extraordinary impact on some of society’s biggest challenges. Now in its sixth year, the $17 million program is the nation’s only large-scale investment in social innovators in the second half of life. This year, for the first time, one of the five prizes – The Purpose Prize for Intergenerational Innovation, which Bowen will receive -- will be sponsored by AARP. The $100,000 will be used, she says, for “challenge” fund-raising with the Chinese government. -more-



Vandalism, Fires Prompt Oakland Arrests

By Sasha Lekach (BCN)
Thursday November 03, 2011 - 09:30:00 AM

After a mostly peaceful day of demonstrations at Occupy Oakland's general strike, incidents Wednesday night and Thursday morning became more violent as protesters clashed with police. -more-



Public Comment

Press Release: NLG Calls for Police Accountability After Another Violent and Disproportionate Attack on Occupy Oakland Demonstrators

From the National Lawyers' Guild
Thursday November 03, 2011 - 05:37:00 PM

On November 3, 2011, tens of thousands of Oaklanders participated in a historic General Strike to protest economic injustice and demand accountability for last week’s police brutality. The day was full of families, young and old, and people from all backgrounds marching, rallying, and engaging in nonviolent civil disobedience. After midnight, however, National Lawyers Guild (NLG) Legal Observers witnessed the Oakland Police Department (OPD), the Alameda County Sheriff Department, and other agencies acting under their direction, violently attack protesters for the second time in eight days. The NLG is now preparing legal action to enforce the court ordered Crowd Control Policy, stop the abuses and obtain redress for persons who have been unlawfully injured or arrested. -more-


Editorial

Occupy Oakland Vandals are Nothing But Overgrown Overage Adolescents

By Becky O'Malley
Thursday November 03, 2011 - 05:40:00 PM

On Monday night, you might have thought that the fabled Millenium had finally arrived, only 11 years or so too late. At our front door, easy walking distance from the lavish displays on Russell near College, a generous sample of all branches of the human race appeared, all beautifully dressed and with perfect manners. Really Even the shambling teenage boys who knew in their hearts that they were too old for trick or treating, the ones who had no costumes, just funny hats or masks, even those boys said thank you and smiled beatifically. -more-


Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

Occupy Oakland Vandals are Nothing But Overgrown Overage Adolescents 11-03-2011

The Editor's Back Fence

Updated: Department of Urban Legends, Earthquake Prediction Division 10-31-2011

Cartoons

Cartoon Page: Odd Bodkins: The Busy Man Dan O'Neill 11-01-2011

Cartoon Page: BOUNCE By Joseph Young 10-31-2011

Public Comment

Press Release: NLG Calls for Police Accountability After Another Violent and Disproportionate Attack on Occupy Oakland Demonstrators From the National Lawyers' Guild 11-03-2011

November Pepper Spray Times Grace Underpressure 11-01-2011

Occupy Solidarity! By Paul Kealoha Blake 11-01-2011

Occupy Berkeley: Clarification By Maxina Ventura 11-01-2011

The Palestinians and UNESCO By R.G. Davis 11-01-2011

Keep Neighborhoods Intact – Redistricting Berkeley By Vincent Casalaina 10-31-2011

Homeland Security and Local Police By Maris Arnold 10-30-2011

Football is not Going Away--But the Warm Pool is Gone. By Paul Lecky 10-30-2011

Occupy By Ove Ofteness 10-30-2011

News

Jordan Blames "Anarchists and Provocateurs' for Oakland Violence By Jeff Shuttleworth (BCN) 11-03-2011

Berkeley Woman Who Prompts Chinese Government to Care for Female Orphans is 2011 Purpose Prize Winner By Helen Rippier Wheeler 11-03-2011

Vandalism, Fires Prompt Oakland Arrests By Sasha Lekach (BCN) 11-03-2011

Oakland's General Strikers Occupy Oscar Grant Plaza 11-02-2011

Oakland Whole Foods Closes after Vandalism By Bay City News 11-02-2011

Parents Taking Children to Oakland General Strike Today By Hannah Albarazi (BCN) 11-02-2011

Wells Fargo Oakland Branch Closed for General Strike By Hannah Albarazi 11-02-2011

Flash: Occupy Oakland Blocks 14th and Broadway By Bay City News 11-02-2011

Debit Fees and Deceit: Bank of America's Fake 'Grassroots Campaign' Exposed By Gar Smith 11-02-2011

Letter from Athens: OXI = No! Occupy the Acropolis! From a Greek Academic 11-01-2011

Occupy Berkeley, Why So Quiet? (News Analysis) By Zaineb Mohammed (New America Media) 11-01-2011

Hundreds of Teachers Will Participate in Oakland General Strike on Wednesday By Hannah ALbarazi (BCN) 11-01-2011

Press Release: Labor Unions and Members to Join Occupy Oakland Day of Action; Labor to sponsor actions throughout the day, cook-out for all at City Hall From California LABOR Federation 11-01-2011

Press Release: Occupy Oakland Joins with Workers and Community Members to Call for a November 2nd General Strike and Mass Day of Action 10-31-2011

Columns

Eclectic Rant: Did We Win the Iraq War? By Ralph E. Stone 11-01-2011

Wild Neighbors: The Spurious Comfort of Field Guides By Joe Eaton 11-01-2011

My Commonplace Book (a diary of excerpts copied from printed books, with comments added by the reader.) By Dorothy Bryant 11-01-2011

Are Male Baby Boomers Doomed To Become Lonely Seniors?
Why are women more psychologically prepared for old age?
By Ruth Rosen 10-30-2011

Senior Power… “Always my best day of the week.” Part 2. By Helen Rippier Wheeler 10-30-2011

On Mental Illness: Opinions on the Subject of Partial Relapse By Jack Bragen 10-30-2011

Arts & Events

The Standing Ovation: When is It Right? By Richard Reynolds 11-01-2011

Around & About Music: A Note on the Berkeley Symphony By Ken Bullock 11-02-2011

Eye from the Aisle: Race, Rape, Truth, Mamet—90 compelling minutes at A.C.T. By John A. McMullen II 10-30-2011