1/16/10

Anna's Jazz Island has closed. She hopes to reopen at a new location with a new partner.

 

Rick Ballard emails,

owner, Groove Yard Jazz LPs/CDs
5555 Claremont Ave. @ Forest           
Oakland, CA 94618
(510) 655-8400
email: groove2@earthlink.net
www.myspace.com/grooveyardjazz
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 11-6, Sun. 12-5

Friday nights at the De Young Museum FREE

5:00 PM - 8:45 PM
January 15, 2010
Wilsey Court and Kimball Education Gallery
 
Opening Night for Season Five of Cultural Encounters: Friday Nights at the de Young
Live music by Artistic Beings: The Music of the Pyramids paying tribute to King Tut! Featuring Idris Ackamoor, composer/multi-instrumentalist and cofounder of legendary 1970s African jazz ensemble the Pyramids.

Wilsey Court
6:30­7:15 and 7:45­8:30 p.m. Please join Idris Ackamoor and Frederick Harris as they present the music of the Pyramids, Idris's groundbreaking 1970s African jazz ensemble, which self-produced three albums and received international acclaim. The evening's musical repertoire will feature compositions that can be heard on the just-released reissues of the Pyramids' albums  Lalibela, King of Kings, and Birth/Speed/Merging, as well as new originals. Idris will unveil his array of African percussion instruments, invented instruments, and new musical directions, featuring Baba Duru  on congas and percussion; former member of the Pyramids Kash Killion on bass; Waahid on drums and percussion; with special guests Rhodessa Jones, actress, and Joanna Haigood, dancer and choreographer.
 
 

 

 

a Potter Creek event of the decade

our Berkeley Mills is sponsoring a benefit

2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1/17/10

Our secret movie studio has been working full bore on New Moon 3. Check it out.

 

 

Want a gourmet cupcake? Want it delivered ? Check out Berkeley's cupkates.com.

 

 

"UC Berkeley fraternities to face lawsuit" reports upi.com.

"A man in Berkeley, Calif., says he intends to file suit against 35 fraternities at the University of California, Berkeley, for alleged unruly behavior.

The Oakland (Calif.) Tribune said Sunday that Paul Ghysels is eyeing a lawsuit with the South of Campus Neighborhood Association that would target local fraternities over alleged incidents involving violent assaults, public urination and underage drinking."

 

 

Bay Area News Group's parent company has announced it will file for bankruptcy. BANG papers include the Contra Coasta Times, The Mercury News and the Oakland Tribune.

 

 

 

"A View That Took Millions of Years" is a story at nytimes.com.

"When Doris Sloan, 79, is stuck in traffic on Highway 24 east of the Caldecott Tunnel, she takes the long view - the really long view. An adjunct professor of earth and planetary science at the University of California, Berkeley, Ms. Sloan, who lives in North Berkeley, wrote the field guide 'Geology of the San Francisco Bay Region.' "

 

 

"Ra Ra Riot: 'The State is Broke, and Berkeley is in Revolt' " by Sylvie Greenberg at stanfordreview.org.

 

"Financial Difficulties Strain California's Foster Care System" is by Gerry Shih at nytimes.com.

"In the summer of 2008, a 13-year-old boy from San Francisco emerged from a government van and scanned his new surroundings. Five handsome houses, a small school and an old gymnasium stood on 11 rural acres in the Central Valley that bordered an almond orchard."

 

"U.S. Foreclosures May Rise to 3 Million This Year" is a report by Dan Levy at bloomberg.com.

"A record 3 million U.S. homes will be repossessed by lenders this year as high unemployment and depressed home values leave borrowers unable to make their house payment or sell, according to a RealtyTrac Inc. forecast."

 

"Tax Cuts Killed California" opines alternet.org.

"Prop 13 led to disastrous results.

Once upon a time, there was a Golden State which had the arguably the best public schools and the best public higher education system of state colleges and universities. People longed to move there for its natural beauty, its climate, its good schools, its many jobs in the entertainment, defense and high tech industries, etc. Was it a perfect state? Far from it, but it did seem to be the place everyone wanted to be -- once upon a time.

Now? Not so much. You might even call it an unmitigated disaster, a failed state, one that is, for all practical purposes, ungoverned and ungovernable."

 

 

"The Coast of Dystopia" is a story at nytimes.com.

"I didn't move to California to become a 'Californian.' I usually say that I came for a job; the truth is, I was young and in love and I followed a boy. That was 21 years ago, and much to my surprise, I'm still here. The relationship fizzled, but I was seduced by the romance of the state. I'd become a true believer in the California dream, right as it began to fall apart."

 

 

"One Foot In The Future: When it comes to energy policy, saving a kilowatt could be more economical than generating one" is a report by Ronald Brownstein at nationaljournal.com.

"Hinges in history aren't usually obvious at the time. But with the distance of decades, a chance 1976 meeting in the Berkeley Faculty Club between Jerry Brown and Arthur Rosenfeld stands as a turning point in the way Americans have used and thought about energy."

 

 

"The Nifty 50 : Patrik Ervell, Designe,Men's Fashion" is another story at nytimes.com.

"The Foreign Service's loss is fashion's gain. After graduating from the University of California, Berkeley, with a multidisciplinary degree encompassing political science, economics and international relations, Patrik Ervell moved to New York with his sights set on the State Department. This diplomat in training had absolutely no intention of becoming a designer."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1/18/10

Today is

Dr. King's Day

 

 

"An 'Open' Investigation: California Watch Reporters Will Work from Coffee Shops" at editorandpublisher.com.by Mark Fitzgerald

"In an attempt to move its newsroom into the public -- and keep working while moving to a new office -- reporters and editors of California Watch and the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) will work from coffee shops around the state next Thursday.

The non-profit investigative reporting project launched by CIR last summer has posted the locations the staff will be working from. California Watch Editorial Director Mark Katc'es, for instance, will be working at Royal Ground Coffee at 2409 Shattuck Ave. in Berkeley from 9 a.m. to noon.

California Watch's 'Open Newsroom' is 'part of a goal to connect with readers and get out of the office,' Katches writes."

Jeez, I've been doing this for years--just thought I was lazy. RP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1/19/10

Pete's rain total for "the storm" as of 9 this morning is 4 inches.

 

Merryll emails

When tractor-trailer truck was here with my big delivery, someone from Kruse was driving by and stopped and offered the fork lift and said if we need it just come over.  We got it off with a lift gate and a pallet jack.
Hope you're staying dry.
see ya.
Merryll

 

900 GRAYSON will be featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, January 25, Monday--on the Food Network. Check website for times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Potter Creek events of the decade

2003

I went to Lipofsky's opening last night. There are all kinds of ways to make a buck and Marvin's figured one out where people pay him to make beautiful glass and travel around the world. Congratulations.! (Oh, where were the Nathan's? They were serving little shells with crab and stuff.)

Marvin Lipofsky's retrospective, A Glass Odyssey, will be at the Oakland Art Museum from

July 19 through October 12, 2003.

Marvin Lipofsky's retrospective at the Oakland Art Museum should not be missed. It is art-glass phantasmagoria.

 

 

2004

Caffé Trieste is open!

 

Photos of the morning of opening day

HERE

 

 

 

 

 

"Local School District Chooses to Opt Out of New Federal Program" by Chris Carrassi, at dailycal.org.

"Citing a lack of information and funding, the Berkeley Unified School District has opted not to join the more than 700 California education agencies in the state's bid to compete for a share of a $4.8 billion federal education grant as part of President Barack Obama's 'Race to the Top' program."

 

 

"A la carte: Dungeness crab fests" by Linda Zavoral, Mercury News.

"It's the height of crab season, and Northern California offers plenty of ways to get your Dungeness on. So get cracking!

# At home: If the weather cooperates, there should be plenty of crab to steam at home in the coming months, fishmongers say. Dave Price, a sous chef at Spenger's in Berkeley, says he's been pleased with the size, quality and availability of Dungeness this season - a far cry from the previous dismal season."

 

"Butterflies, Wind Turbines and 911 Immunity" at nytimes.com.

"Californians Still Feel Things Are Worse | California's famous optimism is endangered. For the third consecutive year, a majority of Californians feel worse off financially than they did a year ago, according to a Field Poll. "

 

 

 

 

"Environmental groups try to block parts of California's green building code" is a story at latimes.com

"Environmental groups are mounting a last-ditch effort to derail key elements of the state's first-in-the-nation green building code -- a major initiative of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration.

The proposed code, likely to be adopted Tuesday, would slash water use, mandate the recycling of construction waste, cut back on polluting materials and step up enforcement of energy efficiency in new homes, schools, hospitals and commercial buildings statewide.

'It is going to change the whole fabric of how buildings are built by integrating green practices into our everyday building code,' said David Walls, executive director of the California Building Standards Commission. 'The rest of the nation will be looking at what we have done.'

But critics say the rules fall short of rigorous standards adopted by Los Angeles, San Francisco and more than 50 California jurisdictions in league with the U.S. Green Building Council, a national nonprofit group of architects, engineers and construction companies."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1/20/10

Dave Kruse emails

a rainbow

from his office window

 

 

 

a Potter Creek event of the decade

2006

Kruse long-range plans include moving all of their operation inside, leaving the yard space for parking--another well-planned, considerate and neigborhood-friendly move by the Kruse boys.

Kruse continues their property cleanup with the spray-cleaning of their east and south building-walls. And are painting their building.

And, I believe the Kruse Guys will have painted their one-block long and half-block wide building in two days over the weekend--and without any paint stink. How'dey do dat?

 

 

 

 

"Food fight: Alice Waters vs. Caitlin Flanagan" is an opinion from buffalonews.com.

"Alice Waters of Berkeley's Chez Panisse, famous in food circles for influencing American restaurants and home cooks to prize local vegetables, fruit and meat, has suggested that schoolchildren should be taught more about food. Specifically, where their meals come from, how to grow vegetables, and more, a curriculum designed to make them more educated consumers. Her restaurant's foundation puts its money where her mouth is, running the Edible Schoolyard program.

Who could argue with that? Caitlin Flanagan could. A conservative writer for The Atlantic with a strong contrarian bent, Flanagan suggests that children involved in school garden programs are wasting their time."

 

"Producer changes sweetener in milk" is a report at upi.com.

"Berkeley Farms' switch from corn syrup to regular sugar to sweeten non-fat chocolate milk makes no difference nutritionally, a San Francisco pediatrician said."

 

 

"Environmental lobbying group accused of misleading tactics" is a story at taxdollars.com.

"California Watch, the new not-for-profit newsroom up in Berkeley, has an interesting story this week about an environmental lobbying group called the "AB 32 Implementation Group" which appears to be actually working against implementing AB 32, a state measure which seeks to reduce carbon emissions by one-fourth by 2020.

The organization includes 22 of the state's biggest carbon polluters as ranked by the state Air Resources Board. Oil refiners, cement manufacturers, chemical companies, and trucking firms figure prominently. There are also several Orange County-based business lobbies on the list."

 

 

 

"Gaps in Moth Logic" by Ingfei Chen at sciencemag.org.

"Nearly 3 years after the Australian light brown apple moth was first identified in Berkeley, California, more than 257,907 moths have been trapped in 18 counties from Napa to Los Angeles, but they haven't yet made substantial inroads into the prime agricultural Central Valley, and major crop damage hasn't materialized. Some entomologists believe that the state's farmers can learn to live with the exotic invader-perhaps with the same control tools they already use to manage other moths in the same leafroller family."

 

"Scientists Discover Fog on Titan" by Stephanie Lam atthe epochtimes.com.

"Titan, Saturn's largest moon, has been known to be the only astronomical object in the solar system other than the earth found to possess a great amount of liquid on its surface, but it is not until recently that fog has been found on Titan."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1/21/10

our Janine Johnson emails

The Oakland Rose Garden is revamping their collection to conform to ARS standards, and they are taking out a couple hundred roses. They would love to be able to give them new homes, rather than pitching them out, so this is a plea to you all to see if you can make some space in your yards for roses, most unknown, but some with name tags, (pretty new!) all in excellent condition, pruned and bare root. They will be either teas or grandifloras.

What I figure I can do, since it is a little complicated to go to the rose garden itself and pick up the plants, is collect names of you who want to partake of this golden opportunity, and then when I have accumulated enough numbers, coordinate with the lovely folks at the rose garden to get a load, and then you can pick them up from me at my house, where parking is easy. If you have need of many, like twenty or something, I can put you in direct contact with the Garden folks. You may also know of a public place, such as a church which might appreciate some roses.

Obviously you need to be somewhere in or near the Bay Area, so if you've received this and live elsewhere, please forgive me!

Roses like sun, can take a surprising amount of drought, once established (though need water the first summer), and are really not hard to care for, so long as they have air circulation and get pruned in the fall. I don't bother with any chemicals on mine. They get some disease sometimes, but it is not a big problem. These roses are bare root, with some nice soil clinging to their roots. You'd probably want to add some compost to your own soil when planting them, if your earth is anything like mine! (clay). They love to get a manure mulch in the spring, but it is not essential.

I hope to hear from you!

Thanks, Janine

Janine's email is here --or, it is janartmuse@earthlink.net

 

 

"Calif. high court strikes down medical pot limits" is an AP report at sfgate.com.

"A unanimous California Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a law that sought to impose limits on the amount of marijuana a medical patient can legally possess."

 

"In many remembrances, loved ones dance around the word death:A look at the variety of phrases used in paid death notices and why people seem to prefer avoiding the word 'died.' " by Carlos Alcala at seattletimes.com.

"Death is hard to find in death notices.

This is the time of year - January and February - when death rates are generally highest, according to the National Vital Statistics System.

Newspapers tend to run more paid death notices at this time of year, too.

If you read those notices carefully, however, you'll find many people in them didn't exactly die."

 

 

"Federal Funds Aid Researchers' Goal to Treat Radioactive Contamination" is a report at globesecuritynewswire.org.

"Federal stimulus money will be used to support a scientific research project aimed at producing a treatment for radiation exposure that might be produced by a radiological 'dirty bomb,' the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California said yesterday . . . ."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1/22/10

Yesterday this site had 749 visitors, 3681 hits, and an average browsing time of 1 hr 40 min.

 

 

"Editor Named for San Francisco News Project" is a report at nytimes.com.

"A new, nonprofit news organization in the San Francisco area began to take shape Thursday, with the announcement that it had hired a top administrator and top editor, and had reached an agreement to supply content to the Bay Area edition of The New York Times.'

 

"A New News Organization's Emerging Leadership" is a story at nytimes.com.

"The Bay Area News Project unveiled its top business and editorial leaders Thursday. Lisa Frazier, a partner at McKinsey & Co., will be its chief executive and Jonathan Weber, the former editor of the technology and business magazine, The Industry Standard, will be the editor in chief.

The enterprise is backed with $5 million in seed money from the Hellman Family Foundation, with additional contributions from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and in-kind contributions from the investment bankers at Greenhill & Co., lawyers form Jones Day and philanthropic advisers from Hirsch & Associates.

The graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley is a founding partner of the project.

Later this year, the News Project will begin providing the content for the Bay Area pages that appear in The New York Times on Friday and Sunday."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Potter Creek events of the decade

2008

During his delivery to Adams & Chittenden Scientific Glass, Atlas driver relaxes--waiting for Mike from-the-office to help--after an "empty" hydrogen six-pack fell off his delivery truck. Mike from-the-office says hydrogen stored in these cylinders in pretty safe. Later over a beer, Chris, owner of 900 GRAYSON, remarked "That's good to know. I mean it's not like they make bombs out of the stuff or something."

Driver is blonked-out for privacy.

 

 

 

2008

our Dave Kruse emails

Hi Ron,

As a heads up to all of our neighbors we wanted to let you know that Kruse Co will be starting the renovations of our office space at 920 Pardee next week. We are really excited about this project and hope to make it one of the greenest work spaces in the area. We have registered with the USGBC (United States Green Building Council) for LEED Certification and will be including such items as on site renewable energy (PV Solar), rainwater harvesting and reuse, grey water systems, day-lighting and views (more windows and skylights), material reuse, certified FSC wood, recycled materials for finishes, and state of the art hybrid mechanical systems. Because we need to essentially gut the entire office space, all of our employees at 920 Pardee (not the 904 crew!) will be temporarily relocated to office trailers located within our yard space. We expect the project to take about 6 months. Our neighbor Matthew Friedman (Friedman-Brueggemeyer, 924 Carleton St, is our Architect and Builder. 

Dave Kruse, CEO Kruse Co

 

2008

Dave and Andy Kruse "takin' care o' burst-main-biz" They are, after all, plumbers.

 

the gusher in front of Kruse yesterday started as this burble

Kruse' Gary Navo and Jeff Pettit photos

 

Kerstin and Andrew's view from across the street. Ah, . . . mixed use

Like I said, our infrastructure sucks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1/23/10

Something on which to keep your eye.

Three Berkeley citizens talked at Tuesday night's council meeting advocating an independent audit of our city's unfunded liabilies, their concern based on the large unfunded liabilites of federal, state and other local governments.

 

 

 

Rumor has it Da Boz has been in Thailand for a month or so. Whoa.

And, I hear that a green-products-fair is being talked about in and for west-Berkeley.

 

California unemployment figure is around 12.4 percent. The broader figure is probably above 20.

 

David Brooks, New York Times columnist and PBS News Hour commentator yesterday said the odds of health care passage are 80-to20 against.

And Mark Shields, another PBS commentator said the recent Supreme Court campaign-contributions decision was the most frightening in his life time.

 

 

"Berkeley's Pot Club Mistake" by Robert Gammon is a report at eastbayexpress.com.

"When the Berkeley City Council voted in 2004 to block medical marijuana dispensaries from being within 1,000 feet of public schools, it seemed like a sensible move. After all, few people would argue that kids should spend most of their day next to a pot club, even if the facility does provide legitimate, important services. But the council apparently neglected to include private schools, preschools, and day care centers in its ordinance. So, now, six years later, a medical marijuana club is planning to move to a site in West Berkeley close to both a private elementary school and a day-care facility, and the schools, along with local businesses, may end up going to court to stop it."

I have not been able to get this link "Berkeley's Pot Club Mistake" to work so I've reprinted the entire story.

 

"Berkeley's Pot Club Mistake" by Robert Gammon is a report at eastbayexpress.com.

When the Berkeley City Council voted in 2004 to block medical marijuana dispensaries from being within 1,000 feet of public schools, it seemed like a sensible move. After all, few people would argue that kids should spend most of their day next to a pot club, even if the facility does provide legitimate, important services. But the council apparently neglected to include private schools, preschools, and day care centers in its ordinance. So, now, six years later, a medical marijuana club is planning to move to a site in West Berkeley close to both a private elementary school and a day-care facility, and the schools, along with local businesses, may end up going to court to stop it.

The Berkeley Patients Group, which has been on San Pablo Avenue for several years, plans to move into the old Scharffen Berger chocolate factory at the corner of Heinz Avenue and Seventh Street, next to West Berkeley Bowl market. The building appears to be roughly 500 to 600 feet from a private French school, Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley, and is even closer to Aquatic Park Preschool. "We are not opposed to medical marijuana per se, but we think it's reasonable to ask that our students and the children at Aquatic Park Preschool have the same protection under the law as other school children in Berkeley," French school spokeswoman Jennifer Monahan said in a statement.

Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates said in an interview that he believes that the council did not purposely exclude private schools and day-care centers from the 2004 law, and had merely made a mistake. 'I think it was an oversight,' he said, 'a straight-out oversight.' A city report on the 2004 law notes that councilmembers decided to include the provision restricting pot club locations out of ''concern that entities that deal in controlled substances should not be located near schools.'

However, it's not clear whether the council plans to fix the law to include private schools, preschools, and daycare centers, and thus block the Berkeley Patients Group's planned move. Bates did not say what he intends to do, and Councilman Darryl Moore, who represents the West Berkeley area in question and has been dealing with the issue, did not return a phone call seeking comment.

In addition to the private schools' concerns, several local businesses that have been attempting to revitalize West Berkeley and transform it into a green-tech corridor also are upset about what's happening. 'We are not opposed to medical marijuana, but we strongly oppose that use for that site,' said Chris Barlow, a partner at Wareham Development, which owns the Aquatic Park business center across street from the old Scharffen Berger building and has been successful at attracting green-tech and life-sciences companies in recent years. 'It's just a totally inappropriate use for that location.'

But if the council fails to change the law, then there may be little to stop the pot club. The reason is a 2008 ballot initiative approved by 63 percent of Berkeley voters. Measure JJ essentially granted the city's three pot clubs, including the Berkeley Patients Group, the right to move anywhere in the city without having to go through the normal permitting process. The only restriction was that it prohibited pot clubs from being in sections of the city where retail also is banned, such as residential areas.

The Berkeley Patients Group must go through a hearing process with the city's Medical Cannabis Commission on January 28, but that is expected to be perfunctory, because the club has the reputation for being well run. Club spokesman Brad Senesac said the Berkeley Patients Groups wants to move because it needs more space. The old Scharffen Berger building is much larger than the club's current location on San Pablo Avenue near Grayson Street. The club also plans to grow marijuana at the new facility. Senesac also said the club's owners are 'confident' that they will 'be able to address the concerns' of the nearby schools and businesses.

Berkeley City Attorney Zach Cowan indicated in an interview that there may be no way to stop the Berkeley Patients Group's plans because the 2004 ordinance only mentions public schools and because retail was not prohibited at the old Scharffen Berger building. However, Cowan also noted that because the ban on pot clubs being within 1,000 feet of public schools was made by the council - and was not included in Measure JJ - then the council has the power to change the law to include private schools, preschools, and daycare centers.

In the meantime, both the French school and Wareham Development have been talking to attorneys about the issue. Barlow of Wareham Development indicated that it plans to file suit unless the council changes its ordinance and blocks the club's planned move. Wareham and the French school also believe that the Berkeley Patients Group's proposal violates city zoning regulations, too. They note that zoning for the old Scharffen Berger building only allows retail as an 'ancillary' activity, while the patient group apparently plans to make medical marijuana sales its primary form of business.

Barlow also noted that state law prohibits the smoking of medical cannabis within 1,000 feet of any school - public or private - and that it may be impossible for the patients group to abide by that law. Although the club will not allow pot smoking inside the building because of the city's indoor-smoking ban, it may not be able to stop clients from toking up once they leave the premises.

Berkeley Planning Director Dan Marks said that his staff has been working with the patients group to make sure that its clients won't run afoul of state law. And club spokesman Senesac noted that the patients group already has tough rules for its patrons that include a club ban for violating regulations.

Regardless, the clearest solution would be for the council to immediately change the law before the club makes its move. There are plenty of other empty buildings in Berkeley, and the council doesn't have to go as far as the Los Angeles City Council did last week when it banned pot clubs from being near churches and parks. But it makes sense to include private schools, preschools, and daycare centers. After all, the law shouldn't protect some kids over others just because their parents chose a particular school."

 

 

 

 

"Philip K. Dick: A 'plastic' paradox" is a story in the Los Angeles Times.

"The Berkeley boho spent his final years in Orange County, . . .

Born in Chicago in 1928, he grew up mostly in Berkeley, wrote several failed realist novels and worked in classical record stores. At times, he was reduced to eating horse meat. Dick -- who has been described, alternately, as paranoid, hilarious, childish and deeply empathetic -- wrote science fiction, he noted in 1969, because its 'audience is not hamstrung by middle-class prejudices and will listen to genuinely new ideas.' "

 

"Will Berkeley Be the Next Haiti?" is a question at huffingtonpost.com.

"Americans who have been shocked by the devastation in Haiti may be surprised to know that a similar catastrophe is coming soon to America--and virtually nothing is being done about it.

Nearly two million people lived near Port-au-Prince. Nearly seven and a half million people live within a few miles of the Hayward fault, which runs the length of the San Francisco East Bay hills. The Haiti earthquake, which killed perhaps as many as 200,000 people, was a 7.0 on the moment magnitude scale (the familiar Richter scale is not used for large quakes). The earthquake anticipated on the Hayward fault will exceed 6.7 on the moment magnitude scale. In both Haiti and the Bay Area, large populations live on dangerous faults."

 

 

"Calif. Nuclear Revival? A French Company Rolls the Dice" is a report by Colin Sullivan at nytimes.com.

"Conventional wisdom says California is a lousy place to bet on new nuclear power.

In Berkeley, the city government won't buy services of any kind from a company that refuses to sign a 'nuclear free' disclosure. In Sacramento, a moratorium against new reactor construction has held since 1976. And statewide, energy developers have a hard enough time securing permits for massive power plants run by renewable energy, much less finding enough political daylight to launch a multibillion-dollar nuclear project.

The reality is California has become a kind of a nuclear junkyard, with reactors in Rancho Seco, San Onofre and Humboldt County shuttered before their prime over the past three decades, as momentum behind discontinuing the power source persisted in the wake of the 1976 ban. Today, two nuclear stations are operating in a state nearing 40 million residents.

But an outsider is challenging conventional thought."

 

 

"NSF Funds Berkeley, Stanford Bio-fabrication Project" at genomeweb.com.

" Scientists at the University of California Berkeley and Stanford University have won a grant from the National Science Foundation to start a new bio-fabrication facility that will develop thousands of standardized DNA parts for use in synthetic biology, academic, and biotech labs."

 

 

 

 

 

1/24/10

I'm told, a teaser from the Food Network's 900 GRAYSON program is now being shown on the network. It features Eric laughing it up, grilling at the Oakland Coliseum parking lot before a Raider's game. I'm also told that in the program Sally, her sister, and Richard will be featured eating and talking at the 900 window table.

900 GRAYSON will be on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, January 25, Monday--on the Food Network, I think at 10:00 and 10:30 PM, but check the website for times.

 

 

our Ryan Lau emails

 

 

 

 

from

The New Yorker

 

 

 

 

Jeff and friends

visited this morning

after breakfast at 900

and before a ride into the delta

 

 

then after talk and photos

they are ready to go

 

 

 

"Film Noir Festival Brings Cinema's Dark Side to the Castro" is by Justin DeFreitas in our Planet.

"An 'eternal juvenile' no more, Dick Powell finally broke free of the battery of baby-faced roles he endured in a seemingly endless series of bright-eyed 1930s Warner Bros. musicals. With middle age fast approaching, Powell struggled to carve out a new identity for himself, jumping ship from one studio to another in search of a new career path.

Eventually he succeeded. Two examples of Dick Powell born again will screen this weekend as part of Noir City, the annual film noir festival at San Francisco's Castro Theater. This year's theme is "Lust and Larceny" and there is plenty of both throughout the 10-day series, which kicks off Friday with Pitfall, featuring Powell and Lizabeth Scott, and continues through Jan. 31. Powell appears again in Cry Danger, showing Saturday, Jan. 23."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1/25/10

a reminder

our Darryl Moore emails

I wanted to put together a couple of community meetings to allow neighbors to speak with and get to know our new Police Chief, Michael Meehan.  Here is a little information about Chief Meehan's background:

Chief Meehan comes to Berkeley from the City of Seattle where he served twenty-three years with the Seattle Police Department, ultimately holding the rank of captain and commanding the Violent Crimes Unit.  In a prior assignment, he was the precinct commander for an area of Seattle that is roughly the size of Berkeley.  He worked in the following divisions, as well as commanding the Field Training Program for a period of time:  Training, Vice, Narcotics, Auto Theft, Major Crimes, Fraud/Forgery, Audit, Accreditation, and Policy & Ethics.  Chief Meehan earned his B.A. in Business from the University of Washington, and followed that with a master's degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey.
The Chief brings a wealth of experience to the Berkeley community.  He has worked his entire career in law enforcement in a diverse urban environment and has focused on innovative and community-based crime prevention strategies.  He understands the strengths and limitations of the modern police agency, and is committed to community involvement, acknowledging that police departments must leverage their abilities with those of other governmental agencies, community and non-profit groups.  I look forward to working with him as we continue to provide excellent public safety services to our community.

I will be holding two (2) community meetings to provide community members an opportunity to speak with the Chief. 
1st opportunity to meet with the Chief
When: January 25th, 2010
Time:  7:00pm to 8:30pm
Where:  Frances Albrier Community Center in San Pablo Park
2800 Park Street between Russell and Ward Streets

 

 

"City's Unemployment Rate Dropped in December 2009" by Tomer Ovadia, Contributing Writer at dailycal.org.

"Berkeley's unemployment rate decreased to 10.3 percent in December, continuing a drop from the 11.2 percent peak in August, according to preliminary figures released Friday by the California Employment Development Department. "

 

 

"AutoPark 1.0 introduced for iPhone:Say Goodbye to Parking Tickets" is a press release at prmac.com.

"Frolicware today is pleased to introduce AutoPark 1.0, their new parking reminder and locator for iPhone and iPod touch devices. Say goodbye to parking tickets. Honored with the 'Most Useful App' award at the 2009 iPhoneDevCamp, AutoPark was developed specifically to take advantage of the iPhone's unique capabilities and touch interface, and serves as a complete, full-featured driving companion.

AutoPark dutifully keeps track of time left on the meter and can send separate warning and expiration alarms (via push notification) to avoid parking tickets. It features a comfortable and simple user interface, allowing users to see the most important items at-a-glance. AutoPark also helps users find their parked car using the iPhone's built-in GPS. No more wandering around when it's time to leave. Just park the car and set a marker on the map with a single tap."

 

 

 

MATRIX 231 Ahmet Ögüt: Exploded City" is a reveiw at e-flux.com.

" 'This city is from the future. It's called The Exploded City. Those who live there have emigrated from faraway lands, with dreams of traveling to the future. When they realized that there was no finding the future, they decided to build this city.'-Marco Polo

BAM/PFA presents Ahmet Ö?üt's first solo exhibition in the United States, Ahmet Ögüt Exploded City, an imaginary metropolis comprising buildings, monuments, and vehicles that have figured in acts of violence and terrorism over the past two decades. Structures from Turkey, Ireland, India, Yugoslavia, Great Britain, and the United States, among other countries, form a unified urban scale model, reconstructing these sites in the moments before they were destroyed.

The installation, originally commissioned for the Turkish Pavilion at the 2009 Venice Biennale, is accompanied by a text situating the locations within a narrative that engages the poetics and politics of space, architecture, violence, and international relations. The work directly channels Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities, which detailed Marco Polo's fantastical descriptions of the 'invisible cities' witnessed during his travels for the emperor Kublai Khan."

 

 

"Pianist Myra Melford celebrates new album with shows in Berkeley and Santa Cruz" by Andrew Gilbert for the Mercury News.

"Bay Area jazz lovers are used to having their hearts broken. Year after year, we fall for yet another group of scintillating young improvisers, only to watch them decamp for New York City. Sure, we take pride in their Big Apple accomplishments and congratulate ourselves for supporting their careers before JazzTimes started hailing their brilliance. But the loss still stings. (I'm talking to you, Jenny Scheinman, Ambrose Akinmusire and Kenny Wollesen.)

This sense of rejection is too rarely salved by a reverse migration, which made Myra Melford's acceptance of a teaching position at the University of California-Berkeley in 2004 such a morale booster.

A master pianist and composer, Melford already had created an imposing body of work before the move, as both a bandleader and collaborator with progressive jazz icons such as violinist Leroy Jenkins and woodwind master Joseph Jarman.

Rather than diminishing her national visibility, Melford's move to Berkeley coincided with a fresh burst of activity that has reinforced her reputation as one of jazz's most consistently creative figures - embracing global influences while remaining rooted in improvisation."

 

 

"Students' Class Struggles and Other Highlights From Sunday's Bay Area Pages" is a summary at nytimes.com.

 

 

 

"'Pop' icon Bubble Wrap celebrates 50th birthday" is an AP report at sfgate.com.

"People have walked to the altar dressed in it, protected their garden plants with it, even put it on display at highbrow art museums.

Mostly, they like the sound it makes when they destroy it, piece by piece, which largely explains the appeal of Bubble Wrap, the stress reducer disguised as package cushioning that maintains an inexplicable hold on pop culture."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1/26/10

Yesterday this site had 922 visitors, 3951 hits, and an average browsing time of 39 minutes.

 

China 2006

a Judi Quan photo

 

 

 

Pete's Potter Creek rain total for last week's storms is about 8 inches.

 

 

 

BPD Chief Michael Meehan

and Councilman Darryl Moore

a Bob Kubik photo

 

Bob Kubik went to Darryl's introduction-meeting for Chief Meehan last night--it was held at the Frances Albrier Community Center in San Pablo Park. Bob says there were about 20 people there, mostly Black folks and that the meeting lasted for just over an hour. Our Councilman was present as was Councilman Worthington.

Bob was impressed by Chief Meehan's youth, energy and ideas. The Chief stressed the importance of being accountable, the necessity to reduce crime, and the importance of treating citizens with respect. Meehan thought there was too much gang graffiti in his town and that the department needs a more sophisticated crime data base.

And, the Chief was concerned when he found out that a 90 year old black woman had been waiting an hour at our downtown station to file a complaint.

 

 

900 GRAYSON was one of three restaurants featured last night on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. 900 was the first-up with a lot of coverage of Eric grilling at the Colosseum. There were also some interior shots of the restaurant showing Sally, her sister and Richard, some Fantasy folks, and our Viva. The 900 segment lasted about 10 minutes. The staff is happy witht he coverage and thinks Eric was great.

 

 

our Tak emails

Ron,

I just wanted to mention that the Berkeley Public Health Department's vaccine clinic was extremely well run. They've become very practiced at running these clinics. I was in and out in less than 30 minutes including the wait for them to open at 10am. Janet went around 1pm. Including her travel time, she was home in less than 20 minutes. We couldn't get a sense of how many people total were immunized because things moved too quickly.

This is public money well spent. Thanks to the Public Health Department for a job well done.

Tak Nakamoto

 

our Jill Eillis,CEID director emails

Ron
 
Thanks for the wonderful community linkages!
 
Just wanted you and our community to know I'll be heading to INDIA next week to share our model at CEID with teachers at an orphanage for deaf children.  Most of the children come to Pingalwara because their deafness brings such shame to the families and there is no parent education or early education.  I'll be training the teachers and medical providers in the community and hope to set us a "sister city" program for a long term exchange of skills and support.  I'll forward you some photos and stories!
Jill
 

 

 

"Zhang, Cal's 7-3 Chinese center, finds room to grow in Berkeley" by Marlen Garcia at usatoday.com.

"Max Zhang has spent the last four years since coming from China assimilating to American culture.

So he cherishes the time spent with his mother during her recent stay of more than two months. His mom, Lixin Gong, says her job is to beef up her son, who weighs 245 pounds and at 7-3 is the tallest player ever for the University of California's basketball team.

In the kitchen of Zhang's apartment, she prepares her son's favorite dinner - dozens of shrimp and chive dumplings. 'These are home-cooked,' she says, with Zhang translating her words from Mandarin to English."

 

"Looking back to 1936, when Satchel Paige faced a young Joe DiMaggio in a showdown of future Hall of Famers" by Jeff Faraudo, Oakland Tribune.

"Joe DiMaggio was a prospect - a promising one for sure - but still two months shy of making his New York Yankees' spring training debut.

Leroy 'Satchel' Paige was a Negro League pitching sensation whose exploits seemed the stuff of myth until they actually were seen.

On the afternoon of Sunday, Jan. 26, 1936, at the Oaks Ball Park in Emeryville, the two future Hall of Famers crossed paths in a fascinating but seldom told chapter of their legendary careers."

 

One of west-Berkeley's prominent citizen's mom dated Joe DiMaggio.RP

 

"Method to trim computer's spam diet" is a story at theindian.com.

"A study by a group of computer scientists has found that a method used by spammers can be put into use to block the most common kind of spam.

Most spam messages originate in networks of compromised computers, called botnets, and owners are unaware that the machines quietly run malicious software in the background that pump out spam, reports New Scientist.

But researchers have now come up with a system that deciphers the templates a botnet is using to create spam, and these templates are then used to teach spam filters what to look for.

The system, developed by a team at the International Computer Science Institute in Berkeley, California, and the University of California, San Diego, works by exploiting a trick that spammers use to defeat email filters."

 

 

"Building Better Hydrogels With Mix of Clay and Water" is a report at nytimes.com.

"If you're like most people, you probably don't think much about hydrogels. Even when you encounter them - those Jell-O cubes in the school cafeteria, say, or the Sea Foam Salad you had at Grandma's - you probably don't give them a second thought.

But some scientists think about hydrogels a lot, and these materials made up of cross-linking compounds and water have come a long way in recent years. One goal is to develop gels that are stronger and self-healing, with potential applications in tissue replacement and other medical fields.

An advance toward that goal is reported in the journal Nature. Scientists in Japan have created such a gel, primarily of water and clay. "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1/28/10

"Channeling your inner alien? Maybe, scientists say" is an AP story at contracostatimes.com.

"For decades, scientists have scanned the heavens in search of extraterrestrial life. Perhaps they should have looked closer to home.

Variant life-forms - most likely tiny microbes - could still be hanging around 'right under or noses - or even in our noses,' Paul Davies, an award-winning Arizona State University physicist, told a group of scientists Tuesday."

 

"World's religions would survive discovery of aliens, suggests survey" is a report at oneindia.com.

"A survey has suggested that the world's religions would survive the discovery of extraterrestrial (ET) life, and not collapse out of shaken beliefs.

According to a report in New Scientist, the survey was designed by Ted Peters, a professor of Systematic Theology at the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California."

 

 

 

"Chemicals linked to fertility problems" is a report at washingtonpost.com.

"A new study is raising fresh concerns about chemicals long used as flame retardant on carpet padding, furniture, computers and other products commonly found in homes and offices.

The chemicals are called polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs. They are being phased out in new products. But they are still found in many homes and offices because they were used for so long on household items. As these materials age, they release PBDEs into house dust, creating longlasting exposure. They remain in the body for years. Previous research has found that 97 percent of Americans have detectable levels of the chemicals in their bodies.

Earlier studies have linked the chemicals to reproductive problems in animals. The new study is the first to examine the question in people. "

 

 

"Tobacco Plants Tapped to Grow Solar Cells" at solargazingmag.com.

"Tobacco plants could help wean the world from fossil fuels, according to scientists from the University of California, Berkeley.

In a paper in the journal ACS Nano Letters, Matt Francis and his colleagues used tobacco plants, infected with a genetically engineered virus, to produce artificial photovoltaic and photochemical cells. The technique is more environmentally friendly than traditional methods of making solar cells and could lead to cheap, temporary and biodegradable solar cells."

 

 

"Deep-Sea Snail Shell Could Inspire Better Body Armor" by Lisa Grossman at wired.com.

"A deep-sea snail wears a multilayered suit of armor, complete with iron, new research shows. Dissecting details of the shell's structure could inspire tough new materials for use in everything from body armor to scratch-free paint.

'If you look at the individual properties of the bits and pieces that go into making this shell, they're not very impressive,' comments Robert Ritchie of the University of California, Berkeley. 'But the overall thing is.' "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1/29/10

Not a Judi Quan photo

Judi Quan

 

 

" The Peak Oil Crisis: A Meeting in California" is a story by Tom Whipple at fcnp.com.

"Last weekend, one of the more out of the ordinary meetings in recent memory took place out in Berkeley where some 30 people gathered to begin planning for the world's transition from the industrial age to whatever is to come.

They were a diverse group, coming from all over North America and representing an array of disciplines. Most had grey hair and among them held many advanced degrees and had written stacks of books and papers.

There was, however, a common thread that held them together. Not a person in the room needed to be convinced that the world is entering upon a great paradigm shift that will sweep away much of industrial civilization, thoughts of economic growth, and the lifestyles that have grown up in the age of ubiquitous fossil fuels.

To the agreement of those present, speakers quickly outlined the problem. In a nutshell, the world is dangerously close to 'peak everything' - oil, coal, natural gas, water, minerals, soil, phosphorous, fish, and perhaps the most important of all, the capacity of the atmosphere to absorb more carbon without triggering off life-destroying phenomena. Problem two is the financial collapse from efforts by too many governments to spend their way out of recession. The final phenomenon that will force changes, is that there is no sign that mankind is about to make the efforts required to stop spewing carbon into the already saturated atmosphere. Without at least some moderation, it is likely that the atmosphere eventually will have its revenge by raising global temperatures so much that there will be no higher forms of life left."

 

 

 

 

"Private School, Developer Threaten Lawsuit Over Proposed West Berkeley Cannabis Clinic" by Riya Bhattacharjee
in our Planet.

"Wareham Development has threatened to sue the City of Berkeley if it allows a cannabis clinic to move into the old Scharffen Berger building in West Berkeley.

When a flurry of e-mails from Wareham and Ecole Bilingue-a non-profit French American school which serves 500 children, from preschool to eighth grade, about a block away from the proposed site-descended upon the Berkeley City Council last week complaining about the detrimental effect of the proposed project on their businesses, the council decided to discuss the issue at a closed-session hearing Tuesday.

Both Wareham and Ecole Bilingue allege that the project would violate various state and federal laws if it moved forward."

 

Tuesday night, our city council put off any action on the "medical" marijuana users group purchase of the old chocolate factory. RP

 

 

 

 

Mal Sharpe emails

We are back at Armando's with an All Star Big Money in Jazz Band this Thursday night at 8pm and we'll be at Armando's the last Thursday of every month from now on. Check the link, look at the decor, and you'll see why musicians love to play in this place. It is worth the little drive to Martinez. It's Boffo.

"Pardon My Boston Accent" the youtube video that several members of the band made along with Kim Nalley and  film Director William Farley only got 150 hits until the Boston Globe Online Edition wrote this story about us. Now we are at 11, 350 hits and still climbing. Kim is  a bi-coastal star with this video on the Atlantic and a hit show, about Ella Fitzgerald, that just played in downtown Petaluma. Boffo Kim.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/11/transplanted_ne.html

The Big Money in Gumbo Band had a Boffo New Years Eve up in the Gold Country at Pokerville Hall inside the Amador County Fairgrounds. There are two prestigious venues in the United States....Carnegie Hall and Pokerville Hall. One down, one to go.

Coming up-Friday Feb 12----The Big Annual Mardi Gras Party in Livermore with The Big Money in Jazz Band plus The Big Money in Gumbo Band plus Lady Mem'fis and Boogie woogie star, Wendy DeWitte. Boffo.
http://www.livermoreperformingarts.org/bothwellartscenter/

We are still at the Savoy-Tivoli in San Francisco every Saturday from 3-6pm plus...
The No Name Bar in Sausalito every Sunday from 3-6pm. The winter has been cold and  rainy but both these spots have been packed every weekend. Boffo business.          

Karl Marx said it best "Big money is America's main distraction."

Seriously, Live music is the best thing going....get out and see all the great Bay Area performers. They'll appreciate it... and you'll feel happy, happy, happy.

I will leave you with this Spike Jones video sent to me by the leader of the Cartoon Jazz Orchestra, Jeff Sanford

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xbu3n_spike-jones-sabre-dance_fun

The Coyle and Sharpe Podcast----New
To listen to or download recent programs:
http://www.maximumfun.org/blog/labels/Coyle%20and%20Sharpe.html

 

 

 

 

Jen form Riva Cucina emails

Baci from Riva Cucina!

We hope 2010 has gotten off to a wonderful start for you all.  We're back in town and back open after enjoying the holidays with family and friends back East.  This was the first year we didn't make it to Italy for the holidays, but we got inspired nonetheless. It's lobster season in Florida and Massi was taking full advantage, diving for them off the coast.  The ones he caught became test dishes for our Valentine's Day menu. Lobster risotto won out along with the return of our signature lobster bisque.  We hope to see you and your special someone on Valentine's Day.

Saluti,
Massi + Jen

 

MENU DI SAN VALENTINO 2010
Sunday, February 14

Antipasti

VELLUTATA ALL'ARAGOSTA $9
Maine lobster bisque with rock shrimp and organic croutons

TORTINO DI GRANCHIO $15.50
Local Dungeness crab atop avocado, organic broccoli and blood orange tower, crab demi-glace aurora

INSALATA DI FARRO $11
Organic Italian barley, Chioggia beets, wild arugula, shaved fennel, blood orange segments, lemon condimento, in a Parmigiano crisp shell

INSALATA CON BRUCIATINI $9.50
Organic baby mixed greens, crispy pancetta, gorgonzola dolce crostini, organic balsamico vinaigrette

FORMAGI MISTI $11
Marin French Gold tripple cream, Humboldt fog and Truffled boschetto cheese, Napa grown apple preserves and fruit mustard

CARPACCIO DI SALMONE $13.50
Washington smoked salmon, watercress, red onion, citrus vinaigrette, organic butter crostini

 

Pasta

TAGLIATELLE BOLOGNESE $14
Fresh pasta with traditional pork, beef, and tomato ragú, Parmigiano

RISOTTO ALL'ARAGOSTA $20
Arborio rice, Maine lobster tail, red onion, squid, prawn, white wine, marinara

RAVIOLI DI CASTAGNE $16
Chestnut and mascarpone filled ravioli with butter, thyme and cream, Parmigiano

CANNELLONI AL GRANCHIO $20
Baked cannelloni filled with local Dungeness crab, rock shrimp, bay scallops, leeks, seafood béchamel

PASTICCIO TRADIZIONALE $16
Pasta sautéed with veal ragú, béchamel, porcini and white truffle oil, wrapped in sweet pastry dough

PAPPARDELLE AI CARCIOFI $16
Wild nettles pasta sauteed with baby artichokes, soffritto, herbs, Parmigiano

 

Piatti di Mare

BRANZINO ALLA GRIGLIA $24
Whole herb and breadcrumb crusted Mediterranean sea bass with sautéed seasonal vegetables, mashed potato, saffron-lemon condimento

GAMBERONI E CAPESANTE $24
Sauteed jumbo prawns and scallops with red onion, white wine and seafood broth, over organic butternut squash pureé, cannellini and fried mint  

 

Piatti di Terra

ANATRA ALL'ARANCIA $24
Roasted maple leaf half duck with herbs and blood orange demi-glace, sautéed broccoli rabe, mashed potato

FILETTO AL BALSAMICO $25
Grilled fillet mignon and portobello mushroom, over garlic brushed crostone, balsamico reduction

 

Contorni

CAVOLETTI IN PADELLA $6
Sautéed brussels sprouts, garlic-infused olive oil, Parmigiano

CIPOLLINE AL BALSAMICO $7
Caramelized cipollini onion with balsamico and sugar, organic

 

RIVA CUCINA The Italian kitchen where land and water meet
CHEF Massimiliano Boldrini
LOCATION 800 Heinz Avenue Berkeley, CA 94710  
HOURS  Lunch Tues-Fri 11:30 - 2:30 / Dinner Tues-Sat 5:30 - 9:00
PHONE 510 841 riva (7482)
FAX 510 649 5075
EMAIL info@rivacucina.com
URL www.rivacucina.com

 

 

"Bank Robbery Suspect Arrested After Brief Foot Chase" is a Bay City News report.

"A 34-year-old Oakland man is in custody today after being arrested on suspicion of robbing a bank in Berkeley on Monday afternoon, police said today.

Officers responded to a report of a robbery at the Mechanics Bank in the 2300 block of Shattuck Avenue at about 1:40 p.m.

The officers arrived in about two minutes and, after talking with witnesses and bank staff, broadcast the suspect's description including the direction in which he fled, police said.

Several minutes later, the suspect, later identified as Antoine Heath, was spotted on Allston Way near Shattuck Avenue. He ran but was taken into custody after a brief foot chase, police said."

 

 

 

"Lecture on Biomimicry at BHU" is a story at timesofindia.

"A lecturer on Biomimicry was delivered at the Institute of Agricultural Science, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) by Emmet Brady from Berkeley, California (USA) on Wednesday.

Brady is a biologist at the Design Table (BaDT) from the Biomimicry Guild in Montana, USA. He specialises in analyzing business processes and operations, using natural systems and evolutionary biology as a template for sustainable growth. According to him, the intellectual capital and educational system cultivated in India is well positioned to place the country as a global leader for professional advancement and economic innovation."

 

 

 

"College endowments suffer huge declines" is an AP report by Eric Gorski at insidebayarea.com.

"College and university endowments suffered huge losses in the fiscal year that ended in June, a new report finds, but stronger investment returns in recent months point to a rebound.

The global economic crisis shrunk the ranks of billion-dollar endowments from 77 to 54 in a year's time, according to a report today that provides the fullest picture yet of endowment performance in the 2008-2009 fiscal year.

The value of university and college endowments fell almost 19 percent on average during that period in what report authors described as the worst decline since the Great Depression."

 

 

"Researchers coax bacteria to make biodiesel" by Martin LaMonica at cnetnews.com.

"Biofuel start-up LS9 and California researchers on Wednesday claimed a breakthrough in converting non-food biomass into biodiesel using a genetically modified form of e. coli bacteria."

 

"Limb regeneration and attosecond research each get $1 million from Keck Foundation" is a press release by Sarah Yang at berkeley.edu.

"Two University of California, Berkeley, research projects that push the boundaries of their fields have each received $1 million grants from the W.M. Keck Foundation. One grant will fund research on limb and organ regeneration, while the other will support a laser laboratory that probes the movement of electrons on the attosecond timescale."

 

 

"Imitation websites emerge in China" is a story at google.com.

"Imitation websites of both Google and YouTube have emerged in China as the country faces off against the real Google over its local operations.

YouTubecn.com offers videos from the real YouTube, which is blocked in China.

The Google imitation is called Goojje and includes a plea for the US-based web giant not to leave China, after it threatened this month to do so in a dispute over web censorship and cyber attacks.

The separate projects went up within a day of each other in mid-January, just after Google's threat to leave."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1/30/10

Thursaday, this site had 1108 visitors, 5,157 hits and an average browsing time of 27 minutes.

 

 

900 GRAYSON continues to "pack 'em in." In addition to the great food and personal service, now, for the moment, dig the "excitement of success."*

*900 GRAYSON was one of three restaurants featured last night on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.

 

Among Thursday's 900 GRAYSON luncheon guests were five people from the"medical" marijuana facility.

 

 

Kubik emails

There is a new "Vinyl Only" record store on the corner of Carleton and San Pablo - where the dressmaker used to be.
It seemed to sprout overnight - we first saw it Tuesday night.

Well, Ok then.

 

That would be "Dave's Record Shop" at 2634 San Pablo.RP

 

 

"Son keeps alive Reid's Records, founded in '45" Lee Hildebrand, Special to The Chronicle.

"When David Reid, manager of Reid's Records in Berkeley, told his mother that he was going to present a series of gospel concerts throughout Northern California in late January and early February in celebration of the 65th anniversary of the store she and his late father founded three months before the end of World War II, she initially balked.

'David, it's not until June,' Betty Reid Soskin pointed out to her son and business partner.

'My response was,' David recalls while standing next to her behind the counter of the Sacramento Street store they co-own, "When Disneyland has a celebration, it ain't one month, it's all year. This is just the start of my celebration." '

Reid's Records may not be the oldest still-active record store in the United States - George's Song Shop in Johnstown, Pa., launched in 1932, claims that distinction - but it's certainly the oldest in the Bay Area and probably in all of California. Mel and Betty Reid opened their store on June 1, 1945, in the basement of the duplex they'd been renting since they married three years earlier. Their landlord, Aldo Musso, was in the jukebox business and gave Mel a part-time job stocking them with 78-rpm records at local restaurants and bars. "

 

 

 

"Berkeley council delays vote on pot club" by Doug Oakley, Contra Costa Times.

"A Berkeley developer and a private school are threatening to sue the city if it allows a medical marijuana dispensary to move into their neighborhood on the west side of town.

Lawyers for Wareham Development, which owns 22 buildings in the area, and Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley, told the City Council Tuesday night they would start legal action if the city issues a permit to Berkeley Patients Group to rent the former Scharffen Berger chocolate building at 914 Heinz Ave.

And in a twist of public opinion on the issue, a second private school, which is across the street from Berkeley Patients Group current location on San Pablo Ave, defended and praised the dispensary during the meeting."

 

 

"New Berkeley police chief sworn in . . ." by Kristin Bender, Oakland Tribune.

" The new Berkeley police chief was sworn in Thursday and then gave a no-nonsense and frank speech about what he expects from officers and how he plans to run the department, which deals with everything from petty drug crimes to hostage negotiations and a diverse community that often requires officers to be sensitive yet assertive."

 

our Jarad emails

After reading another glowing article about the new PD Chief in Oakland, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that our new PD Chief is cut from the same fabric.

 

How bad could he be? I think he's an "Irish Cop," so both culturally attuned and genetically tuned to law enforcment excellence, . . . or not.

Or, maybe, just maybe, he has it in him to be like our first chief, August "Gus" Vollmer.*RP

 

*The City of Berkeley was incorporated in 1878. The City was policed by a elected town Marshal. In addition the Marshal was assisted by elected Constables.

Through these years the Marshal and Constables mostly served papers and seldom arrested without a warrant. Crime increased through the turn of the century.

In 1905, August Vollmer was elected town Marshal. In 1909, he was appointed as this City's first Chief of Police.

Chief Vollmer was instrumental in organizing this department, creating what we now call a 'Code of Ethics', which included eliminating the acceptance
of gratuities, rewards or favors.

Chief Vollmer demanded a high level of honesty, efficiency, interest and hard work by his officers. This has continued to this day, which has been the foundation for our world wide reputation in the law enforcement field.

Chief Vollmer is considered by some as the father of modern day law enforcement. His progressive thinking and use of new innovations in law enforcement became the foundation that our department has built on.

 

 

 

Da Boz emails

Last week I traveled to Washington D.C. for the Mayors' Innovation Project Conference, a learning network among American mayors committed to shared prosperity, environmental sustainability, efficient democratic government.  I was able to hear about some exciting efforts from other cities and share some of the innovative things happening here at home. 
 
While in D.C., I also met with our Congressional Delegation: Congresswoman Barbara Lee and staff from Senators Boxer and Feinstein.  I was able to personally thank our representatives for the $800,000 in East Bay Green Jobs earmarks that we secured in the FY 2010 budget and explore other priorities for 2011. 
 
Additionally, I met with administration officials in the Departments of Energy, Education and Labor.  I had a private meeting with Energy Secretary Steven Chu and other members of the Department of Energy to discuss our East Bay Green Corridor.  I also met with the Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan, along with a group of big city Mayors to discuss national education initiatives. 

I have been invited to participate in the newly formed national Mayors Task Force on Education.  In addition, I continue to serve as a member of the California Mayors' Roundtable on Education). 

 

 

Swearing-In Ceremony for Police Chief Michael Meeha

The City of Berkeley is pleased to announce the swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed Police Chief Michael K. Meehan on Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 2:00 p.m.  The ceremony will be held at the Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse, located at 2020 Addison Street, Berkeley. City Clerk Deanna Despain will administer the oath of office. Click here for more info.
 

 

Envisioning Public Spaces

A "Street & Open Space Improvement Plan" (SOSIP) is being developed to enhance Berkeley's Downtown. The SOSIP will develop schematic designs, design guidelines, and a financing strategy for improvements that will help make Downtown more pedestrian-friendly, bike-friendly, livable, and attractive.
 
At the Open House, community members will consider and comment on opportunities for:
public plazas, outdoor dining, community gardens, and other amenities;
wider sidewalks and increased landscaping;
new bike lanes and facilities;
new street trees where they are now missing; and
enhancing the ecology of watersheds connected to Downtown
 
Downtown Street and Open Space Open House
Saturday, February 6, 10:30a.m. to 12:30p.m.
North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Avenue at MLK
 
Community members are also encouraged to attend future meetings on the SOSIP, where opportunities for public comment will be provided. As it becomes available, information and meetings for the SOSIP will be posted at this page, or contact Matt Taecker, Principal Planner for the Downtown, at mtaecker@ci.berkeley.ca.us or call 510-981-7487
 

 

Reduce Your Footprint in 2010: A Free Community Workshop

Come discover resources right here in Berkeley to help you reduce your personal and collective carbon footprint. The City of Berkeley, the Berkeley Energy Commission, the Ecology Center, and the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists invite you to a fun and informative workshop to help you and your community reduce global warming emissions.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

7 pm

Location: Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, 1924 Cedar St (at Bonita), Berkeley

Free.
 Info: 510-548-2220 x240, debra@ecologycenter.org

 

 

Upcoming Free H1N1 Clinics
 
The City of Berkeley Public Health Clinic is offering FREE H1N1 Flu vaccines every Friday starting on January 29th from 9am to 11am.

City of Berkeley Public Health Clinic
(New temporary location)
2500 Milvia Street, Suite 114
(510) 981-5350
Vaccine is free!

 

 

Berkeleyside - Berkeley's Hyperlocal News Site

Berkeleyside is Berkeley's hyperlocal news site. It covers just about anything to do with Berkeley: news events, running issues like the development of Downtown or scheduling redesign at BHS, cultural happenings, business and economic developments, and small, quirky stories that could only happen here. It was started in October 2009 by three Berkeleyites who wanted a website that could both cover the city and host a conversation for the many different perspectives held by people who care about Berkeley. You can find Berkeleyside at www.berkeleyside.com.

 

 

Echo Lake Family Camp Registration for Summer 2010

Echo Lake Family Camp is a terrific vacation opportunity for families who want to experience a fun outdoor adventure in a beautiful setting. Echo Lake Camp is minutes away from stunning Echo Lake and Desolation Wilderness, and South Lake Tahoe is a 15-minute drive away. Families can enjoy hiking, swimming, fishing, campfires or just relaxing in the hot tub or reading a book in the Lodge.

Echo Lake Family Camp runs the week of July 2 - July 11 and the following weekends throughout the summer: July 16 - 18, July 23 - 25, July 30 - August 1 and August 6 - 8.

Registration begins Monday, January 25 for Berkeley residents, and Monday, February 1 for non-residents.  Scholarships and fee waivers may be available for low income applicants.

For more information please visit www.cityofberkeley.info/camps, send an email to camps@cityofberkeley.info, call (510) 981-5140 or stop by the Camps Office at 1947 Center Street, 1st floor.

 

 

Berkeley, Get Off Your Gas!

Did you know about 75% of Berkeley's residential greenhouse gas emissions are from natural gas?

Natural gas customers who reduce their gas bills in January and February 2010 from their 2009 usage will be eligible to enter the City of Berkeley's second annual "Berkeley, Get Off Your Gas!" natural gas efficiency contest. The "Berkeley, Get Off Your Gas!" contest is aimed at educating and rewarding Berkeley residents who reduce their natural gas energy consumption this winter.  Berkeley residents who receive a PG&E bill, either directly from PG&E or through their landlord are eligible to enter the contest. 
Participants may also benefit from a 20% bill credit offered by PG&E this winter.  See your PG&E bill insert for details.  To download a contest application or learn more about contest rules and tips on how to reduce natural gas usage, visit the Office of Energy and Sustainable Development at www.cityofberkeley.info/sustainableor email the Contest Manager at Energy@CityofBerkeley.info .
 

 

City Successfully Implements Plant Debris Landfill Ban

The City of Berkeley Solid Waste Management Division has successfully separated plant debris from landfill.  StopWaste.org planned this effort for all transfer stations and commercial collections within Alameda County.  It requires that trash is separated from loads of plant debris so that it can be composted.  A surcharge is applied to customers who refuse to separate their load for composting.  The ban has been in effect since Jan 1st, 2010 at the City of Berkeley Transfer Station.  So far virtually all customers have complied, greatly increasing the volume of plant debris we are able to divert from the landfill.  Plant debris, like all organic material, is a major greenhouse gas contributor if it is landfilled.  When composted, plant debris generates no greenhouse gasses and provides useful landscaping amendments.

For more information, here is a link to the StopWaste.org website
on the landfill ban: http://www.stopwaste.org/home/index.asp?page=941

 

 

Lumber and tools needed to launch a vegetable gardening program at BHS!

Gardening is coming to Berkeley High! BHS Science Teacher Glenn Wolkenfeld, with support from the Berkeley Public Education Foundation and BUSD's Gardening Program, is about to lead his AP Environmental Science to build raised vegetable beds at BHS! They need donations of lumber and tools to help move this project forward. Our desired start date is February 2, 2010.

Specific needs: 1) Cut plywood, 2 feet by 4 feet, any thickness (but thinner is better), 2) Redwood or cedar two by fours or two by sixes, any length, Used lumber is preferable. If new, the lumber has to be FSC (sustainable forestry certified), 3) Hand saws, 4) Bags of potting soil or garden soil, 5) Phillips head screwdrivers, and 6) Drills, especially an old fashioned hand-drill.

If you can help out by donating any of the above, or if you have carpentry/building skills contact Glenn Wolkenfeld by email: gwolkenfeld@berkeley.k12.ca.us 
 

mmm, . . just remembered

February 9, 1938 is Da Boz' birthdate RP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1/31/10

rumor has it that our Mr Darryl is one of those working behind the scenes to resolve the "medical" maijuana people/old chocolate factory problem.

 

 

 

 

Eternally useful links

 

Bay Area home prices from sfgate.com

 

Bay Area foreclosures from sfgate.com

Our City Council update is here.

 

Our Planning Commision update is here

 

 

You can find more information about our current weather conditions than is good for you at www.wunderground.com

Want to see weather coming in, going out, beautiful sunsets, and much, much more? Check out http://sv.berkeley.edu/view/ This very hip site was in an email from reader and contributor, Tony Almeida. Read Tony's Jimi Hendrix story on the only page that routinely gets more hits than Scrambled Eggs.

 

Best gas prices in 94710, as well as all of US and Canada, are here at gasbuddy.com

Kimar finds Costco routinely has the lowest price.

 

Richmond Ramblers' motorcycle club member, Cliff Miller emails a very

useful link

If you ever need to get a human being on the phone at a credit card company or bank, etc., this site tells you how to defeat their automated system and get you to a human being within a few seconds.

http://gethuman.com/

 

Markets is not just a reference for Berkeley-Hills radicals with 1.5 mil homes and considerable portfolios.

 

Our City of Berkeley Boards and Commissions page is here--redone and friendly.

 

 

Berkeley Police reports at insidebay area.com are here.

 

Our Berkeley PD Site with crime statistics and more is here.

Crime Log for 94710 is here

This site is NOT affiliated with Berkeley PD.
Take time to report crime!

 

All reports of crime-in-progress should first go to Berkeley PD dispatch--911 or non-emergency, 981-5900. THEN make sure you notify EACH of these City people.

The contacts are below:

Our new Area Coordinator is Officer Karen Buckheit, Berkeley PD - 981-5774 kbuckheit@ci.berkeley.ca.us

Angela Gallegos-Castillo, City Mgr Off - 981-2491 agallegos-castillo@ci.berkeley.ca.us

Ryan Lau, aid to Darryl Moore - 981-7120 rlau@ci.berkeley.ca.us

Darryl Moore, City Councilman dmoore@ci.berkeley.ca.us

 

More Scrambled Eggs & Lox, here

and

Stories about Berkeley and stories about recorded-music

are at

Journal of Recorded Music 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

 

ronpenndorf@earthlink.net

The original owner of all posted material retains copyright. The material is used only to illustrate.