POST FROM THE PAST

3/1/07

Gérard is a Potter Creek furniture-maker, wood-worker and member of the Heartwood Co-operative.

Here is Gérard's website.

And here's an example of Gérard's work.

(Photo taken at Heartwood Studio.)

 

END

 

 

MISCELLANEOUS RAMBLINGS

3/20/11

At the intersection of San Pablo and Dwight Thursday morning around Eight O'clock, CHP was investigating an accident between a school bus with children aboard and another vehicle. BPD was also present.

 

hail Friday night

a Marty Freedman photo, Merryll's friend

on Marin and San Pablo

 

and power was out Friday night in the north-Berkeley hills as a result of the storm

 

 

 

"Lawsuit against City Centric project in Berkeley dismissed" San Francisco Business Times by Blanca Torres.

"Berkeley developer City Centric Investments has cleared a hurdle for its Ashby Arts project, a 98-unit residential development at 1200 Ashby Ave in Berkeley."

This development is on the south-east corner of San Pablo and Ashby.

 

Also in west Berkeley "Berkeley school officials try to calm residents," Doug Oakley, Berkeley Voice.

"City and county education officials tried to calm nervous neighbors Wednesday night in Berkeley where they described plans to open a school for students who have been expelled for bringing guns and knives to school, selling drugs and fighting."

 

 

 

Kubik sends a link to " a pretty good assessment of Japanese nuclear accident" at bloombergnews.com.

 

 

 

"Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story" is worth watching, renting or buying.

 

 

 

 

Kala-fornia: State of the Art, Gala Auction--Saturday, April 30, 2011

Purchase Tickets Now.

 

END

 

 

"Honoring the Berkeley Waving Man" by Martin Snapp, Contra Costa Times Columnist.

"If you drive past Oregon Street and Martin Luther King Way in Berkeley between 7:30 and 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, you'll see a bunch of people on the northeast corner waving and wishing you a good day."

 

 


"Showtime in the garden" by Sue McAllister at mercurynews.com is more than a preview of the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3/21/11

MISCELLANEOUS RAMBLINGS

"Oakland/Emeryville Target Now Open for Business" on March 3rd at oaklandemeryville.com.

"Oaklanders have a new place to shop for discount housewares and Justin Timberlake fashions as Target opens a new store on the Oakland/Emeryville border, at 1555 40th Street. The big ribbon cutting happened Tuesday, as Oakland North reports, and the place was open as of yesterday -- but the grand opening event is technically on Sunday, March 6."

Penndorf photos

Seems to us from a Sunday shopping that the food section is big, bigger than Albany's, and that the food prices now are 5-10 % less.

Great store with a little more color--much welcomed!

 

 

 

Tak Nakamoto emails

"Berkeley Repertory Theatre Hosts Costume and Props Sale 4/15-16" at sanfrancisco.broadwayworld.com.

"As it consolidates its offices and workshops at a new campus, the Tony Award-winning Berkeley Repertory Theatre is holding a massive clearance sale at its former storage facility. A huge selection of costumes, props, and furniture is priced to move, so get thee to the warehouse at 937 Carleton Street. Bargain hunters, theatre lovers, DIY enthusiasts, and Burners getting ready for the playa won't want to miss this two-day sale: April 15 and 16 from 10 AM to 4 PM."

 

 

 

"KUSF fans praise FCC's decision to block transmitter move" sfexaminer.com.

"Die-hard KUSF listeners praised a development in their fight to keep the station on the radio.

The fans are hell-bent on fighting the University of San Francisco's decision in January to sell its license for radio frequency 90.3 FM. USF wants an online-only format for KUSF.

On Tuesday, the Federal Communications Commission denied USF's application to move the 90.3 FM radio transmitter from the USF campus to Mount Beacon in Marin County. The FCC said the move could interfere with the signal of KALX FM 90.7, the station operated by the University of California, Berkeley."

 

END

 

 

"Fire at Tilden Park Contained" at dailycal.org.

"Despite [Saturday's] rain, a controlled burn at Tilden Regional Park went out of control and burned 10 unplanned acres this afternoon when winds abruptly changed, state fire officials say."

 

 

 

"School housing co-op addresses drugs" at upi.com.

"A housing cooperative at a California university is warning of the dangers of drugs -- not to the student's health but to the co-op's financial bottom line.

A drug overdose that left a student resident of one of the Berkeley Student Cooperative's 20 properties brain damaged has brought unwanted attention, university scrutiny and potential financial liability to the private, nonprofit co-op, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday."

 

 

 

"Genomics startups in U.S. are enjoying boom times" Rob Waters, Bloomberg Businessweek.

"On Feb. 28, Japanese pharmaceutical maker Daiichi Sankyo agreed to pay $935 million for Plexxikon, a Berkeley biotech startup that has a new treatment for melanoma. Plexxikon's drug stops cancer cells from producing an enzyme that tells the nucleus to 'divide, divide, divide,' says Plexxikon Chief Executive Officer K. Peter Hirth. By inhibiting the enzyme, the drug can halt the division and keep the cancer from growing."

 

 

 

3/22/11

MISCELLANEOUS RAMBLINGS

Pete's Potter Creek rain gauge showed "just under three inches for the storm," last Tuesday 'til Monday morning.

 

 

Sgt Mary Kusmiss BPD Public Information Officer emails Monday

"Labor Action on Second Street Between Page and Gilman.

GMP Union Local 164B is having a labor action between Page Street and Gilman. The group is picketing for fair wages and healthcare benefits. The Union leadership anticipates approximately 100 picketers at a time on 6 hour shifts around the clock until the issues are resolved. They have and are carrying signs but as of yet have no amplified sound. (bullhorns or the like)

The daytime contact is Carlos Acosta. A graveyard shift Sergeant had an opportunity to speak with Mr. Acosta who assured that they would be peaceful activity. The Sergeant advised him to be respectful of the businesses and not to block vehicular access on 2nd Street or any adjacent Streets. As Union activity is protected barring no illegal activity, BPD will respond to calls and make the necessary assessments, liaison with the leaders, follow policy and

Sergeant will be involved in the responses to the calls.We received a call that they are being non-compliant at 10:55 a.m."

 

GMP International here

 

 

 

Kubik emails about the heat output of a Fukushima reactor.

A decay heat output typical of a Fukushima reactor a few days after shutdown has the capacity to boil off about 200-300 tonnes of water per day, which puts the requirement for cooling water in context.

 

 

"Study says cyberspace is segregated, but interracial couples still thrive" by Jessica Yadegaran at vancouversun.com.

 

END

 

 

 

"Fewer Californians Rate State 'Best' Place to Live, Poll Shows" by Alison Vekshin at bloomberg.com.

"A majority of California voters don't view it as 'one of the best places to live' as tougher economic times sour the quality of life in the Golden State, a Field Poll showed. "

 


"New Field Poll finds Californians favor pension cuts" by John Woolfolk, mercurynews.com.

"A new poll released Thursday found California voters support efforts to pare back pension benefits for police, firefighters, teachers and other public employees.

The Field Poll, conducted with the UC Berkeley, found an upturn in the last two years of the percentage of voters saying public employee pensions are too generous."

 

 

 

"Bay Area redistricting expert wins state contract to draw new political boundaries:Q2 Data and Research of Oakland chosen by panel after partisan debate" by Lisa Vorderbrueggen, Contra Costa Times.

"An Oakland firm co-owned by UC Berkeley Statewide Database Center director Karin Mac Donald was chosen to redraw California's political districts under the direction of the new, voter-created independent redistricting commission."

 

 

 

POSTS FROM THE PAST

3/7/03

My neighbors' Bob and Paul's Toyota van was stolen Wednesday afternoon sometime between 2:00 and 4:00 PM. On Thursday morning, as Bob was going to the bank to apply for an auto loan for a new vehicle, he found their van parked on 8th Street, just north of Dwight Way.

Kruse had the City plant a new blossoming-fruit tree to replace the one lost last year.

Claude Debussy once observed "In opera, there is always too much singing."

END

 

 

 

 

3/23/11

MISCELLANEOUS RAMBLINGS

Sgt Mary Kusmiss, BPD Public Information Officer emails

The second session of the Police and
Life Academy For Youth (PLAY) will hold a graduation for the participants of the
program on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 at 5:00 p.m.

The group of City of Berkeley teenagers began their academy experience in late
January 2011. These young people explore a variety of subjects during the 11
week program. PLAY instructors, facilitators and interns cover topics such as an
introduction to criminal justice and policing, conflict resolution, emergency
preparedness, health, fitness and career opportunities. The first session of this
unique program was held from September to November 2010. . . .

UCPD Chief Mitchell J. Celaya III notes, "This program has given UCPD and BPD
the opportunity to build positive relationships and establish trust with the youth
of our community that has been difficult to reach at times. It has also provided
an environment where we can learn from each other and gain a better
understanding as we try to provide better service to the community."

BPD Chief Michael K. Meehan says, "The pride that the young people exuded
during the first PLAY graduation celebration was so memorable. This one will be
equally terrific. As I have shared previously, connecting with youth to contribute
to their success is one of the most important things we can do as a community
and as members of our respective police departments."


END

 

 

"Shot fired at Berkeley High School, three arrested" reports Doug Oakley at contracostatimes.com.

"No injuries reported when gun in fired in a school bathroom

Three students were arrested Tuesday in separate gun-related incidents at Berkeley High School.
No one was injured when a gun was fired inside a school bathroom, and two students were arrested a short time later on campus, police said."

 

 

"Pulling an all-nighter can bring on euphoria and risky behavior" by Yasmin Anwar, newscenter.berkeley.edu.

"A sleepless night can make us cranky and moody. But a lesser known side effect of sleep deprivation is short-term euphoria, which can potentially lead to poor judgment and addictive behavior, according to new research from the University of California, Berkeley."

 

 

POST FROM THE PAST

3/22/04

END

 

 

"Berkeley strike employee hurt" by Doug Oakley, Berkeley Voice.

"Berkeley police in riot gear were on the scene of a picket by striking steel mill workers Tuesday who were discouraging truck deliveries to a warehouse used by the mill on Camelia Street.

About 100 employees of Pacific Steel Casting joined the picket Tuesday where a pregnant female employee was injured when the crowd was being pushed back by officers, police said."

Sgt Mary Kusmiss BPD emails

Today, March 22, 2011 City of Berkeley Police Officers (BPD) specifically our Crowd Management Team (CMT) who have specialized training in crowd management, crowd dynamics and behavior were monitoring the labor activity to insure a peaceful expression of the union membership's rights and also making certain that there is no unlawful activity during these events. The CMT leadership estimated the crowd size between 100-125 participants. The focus of the picketers attention the last two days has been a third party shipper on 5th and Gilman Streets. (1305 5th) The groups apparent intent was/is to impede and/or block the entrance/exit used by the truckers who freight product from Steel Casting. The group was involved in this tactic yesterday, Monday, March 21st and today. This is unlawful activity that is not protected union activity.

As we do at all demonstrations, BPD attempted to liaison with leaders and gain voluntary compliance. BPD also gave sufficient warnings before moving the crowd back, as we want to ultimately gain compliance and/or if necessary employ minimal force if possible. Today at a couple points, CMT members were asking the crowd/picketers to move back, stop blocking the roadway and the entrance to the shipping/freight business. The crowd was asked to get back and many warnings were given. Each time a member of a skirmish line moves forward as a group, they are trained to say, "Move!, Step Back. Move.!" Force was used. A woman (who shared that she was pregnant) was at the front of the crowd and was pushed back on the shoulder a couple times by a CMT member. The crowd began to surge and the woman said she was struck in the stomach by an officer. As a precautionary measure due to the pregnancy, she was assessed by City of Berkeley Fire Department (BFD) paramedics and transported to a local hospital for further assessment. She has since been released.

Crowd Management in general is one of the more dangerous and unpredictable activity that police officers are involved in. Crowds can be unpredictable, surge, throw objects and have intention to do harm.

BPD completes after event review to include any video that may be available. If review indicates that any inappropriate use of force was used, BPD will take measures to address it.

 

 

"Xoma shares nosedive on drug test results" Rob Waters Bloomberg News.

"Xoma, an unprofitable 30-year-old biotechnology company in Berkley, said its experimental diabetes drug failed to lower blood sugar of patients more than a placebo in a clinical trial.

Shares of Xoma fell 38 percent in extended trading Tuesday afternoon."

 

 

 

 

 

3/24/11

MISCELLANEOUS RAMBLINGS

 

 

Richmond Rambler Cliff Miller emails

"I think Congressmen should wear uniforms like NASCAR drivers 
so we could identify their corporate sponsors."

 

 

At Tuesday's city council meeting the "expanded definition of manufacturing" in the West Berkeley Projectwas approved 7 to 2. Expanding the definition to protected spaces will be taken up at a future meeting.

This "expanded definition" will probably encourage parcel division. The division of a large space into smaller ones--say a warehouse into R&D uses--requires two parking spaces for every 1000 feet of conversion. This will require significantly more parking.

 

 

The city has received a letter from a lawyer questioning the West-Berkeley Projects EIR (Environmental Impact Report.) Our city attorney has yet to respond.

 

 

The 120,000 square foot Berkeley Crossing building, 4th and Cedar, was sold by the bank after default. Now the Strada Building, it sold for over twelve million dollars.

 

The Fourth Street Apple Store opening has been delayed about two months by the wall-collapse-affair. It is now scheduled for August/September.

 

Fourth Street's Zut is now serving beer and wine on-tap.

"Time for wine? Roll out the . . . bag-in-a-barrel?" in the Malaysia Star.

"Berkeley:Selling wine by the glass is hot, but having half-empty bottles left over is not, something that has prompted restaurants and bars to explore new delivery systems from sophisticated preservation devices to kegs that keep wine on tap.

One of the latest variations on the theme has a back-to-the-future aspect: The wine is packaged in plastic bags similar to those used in boxed wines, but in this case the bag is housed in an elegant wooden barrel."

 

 

 

Jarad Carleton emails a nytimes interactive link.

Take a few minutes and play with this . . . to provide an understanding of the budgetary issues on the federal level.

 

 

Kubik emails a link to photos inside the damaged Fukushima reactor.

 

END

 

 

 

POSTS FROM THE PAST

3/23/04

Patrick Hoge writes "Marie Andrushuk didn't know when she bought her central Berkeley home that it sits atop Strawberry Creek, one of seven creeks running from the hills to the bay -- many of them through aging culverts beneath or near about 8 percent of properties in the city" in his report in the San Francisco Chronicle,"Berkeley: Who Owns the Creeks, Culverts? Homeowners, City Fight Over Costly Question."

 

Gold Wing rider, Cliff Miller emails How To Keep A Healthy Level Of Insanity "At lunch time, sit in your parked car with sunglasses on and point a hair dryer at passing cars. See if they slow down."

 

So now just where is our namesake, Potter Creek? According to a City of Berkeley, Department of Engineering, 1990 Map it runs underground in a 2ft culvert entering Potter Creek, the neighborhood, at the southeast corner of San Pablo and Heinz, runs along Heinz and directly under the Scharffen Berger factory, turns southwest at just before the corner of Heinz and 7th, and leaves Potter Creek at Potter Street and the railroad right of way.

 

 

9/5/05

Though professional BMW mechanic Pete is concerned about our environment, he believes bio-diesel will only just be a nIch-product.

 

END

 

 

 

 

 

3/25/11

MISCELLANEOUS RAMBLINGS

With the successful introduction of the downtown BID, look for our BID-like reintroduction in west-Berkeley--word has it that the establishment is supportive. Perhaps quite independent, a good source reports that consultant from San Diego for the original west-Berkeley BID was recently in the Bay Area.

 

 

"UC Berkeley's national lab in Oakland? Could be" by Cecily Burt of the Oakland Tribune is not so much a news story as it is an advert for Oakland.

"Oakland is pulling out all the stops in its quest to land a new Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory campus by offering options enough to satisfy any picky buyer."

 

Whether or not LBNL locates in west-Berkeley, our proposals and the all the talk surrounding them, have brought a new awareness of research and science here--all good.

 

 

And recently I was introduced to Berkeley PD's public safety software. A product of New World System, it integrates field reporting, dispatch, car mobile display and record keeping. Over five years in the planning, introduction and use, version 9 is the most recent, refined, and powerful. Not only does it effectively integrate functions but it reduces duplication and simplifies. A powerful state-of-the-art tool!

 

 

 

As a kid growing up in Milwaukee it seemed we had a tavern on every corner, perhaps we did. They were a gathering place for the neighborhood often with separate family entrances. My best friend's dad was the bar tender in one and the family ived in back. These taverns seem to be disappearing.

"Photographer Documents Wisconsin's Disappearing Taverns as a 'Cultural Identity' " is a PBS feature.

"Jo Garrett of Wisconsin Public Television reports on tavern culture, a rapidly disappearing hallmark of Midwestern community identity that one photographer has set out to document." View it here.

 

 

 

Merryll emails a photo-essay link, "Dispatch from Japan: Photographs by Dominic Nahr." A selection of sensitivity and variety, see it here.

 

And almost unbelievable is "Japan disaster: reconstruction effort puts town on road to recovery," also Merryll's link. "Rapid response to earthquake in Ibaraki prefecture sees long stretch of road rebuilt and an expressway reopened" is heartening.

END

 

 

POSTS FROM THE PAST

3/25/07

Some time ago, when Byron Delcomb managed a coffee house in Pacific Heights, one of the employees was Josh Pearl. So what? Well Byron is Milo's Dad and Josh is the Executive Chef and one of the owners of 900 GRAYSON.

Early this week Milo was SERIOUSLY sick with the flu--but judging by the happy yelping in the background while talking on the phone to Sarah, he's ok now.

Last week Lipofsky was in the hospital and had a couple stents installed in the heart but was released the next day with "If you ever need a procedure, I recommend this one."

Tak has a new dog, his old Malamute has passed, and now Tak can again be seen out walking around Potter Creek.

Pete and Julie's KALX "Alternate Tunings" program this week is about the Theremin. Check it out this Wednesday at 9:00 AM. Pete has been working on a new program intro. I heard an early mix. It's GREAT!

Want to see some of Wareham's Potter Creek properties? Check out an ariel view here. Two things strike me about Wareham--how vast the holdings are and how well they're maintained. (The Wareham/Fantasy property is not shown and neither are Wareham's Emeryville holdings.)

 

END

 

 

"Tech Companies Seek Out Entrepreneurial Students" at wsj.com.

"As Silicon Valley technology companies ramp up hiring and some venture-capital firms boost their investing, many are actively wooing students, both as hires and potential entrepreneurs to back. Some of the most intense courtship is taking place among budding entrepreneurs at Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley."

 

 

"Alexandra Drane to Participate in The Economist's Upcoming Ideas Economy: Innovation Event on March 23-24" at businesswiree.com.

"Conference to Focus on Entrepreneurship in a Disruptive World.

Alexandra Drane, President and Co-founder of Eliza Corporation, will participate in The Economist's second annual Ideas Economy: Innovation conference on March 23-24 at The Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. This year's event will focus on innovation and entrepreneurship. Drane will present her perspectives on building an innovative culture during the 'Move Fast and Break Stuff' session on March 24 at 9:50 a.m. PT. "

 

 

 

 

 

3/26/11

MISCELLANEOUS RAMBLINGS

Pete's Potter Creek rain gauge showed 1.2 inches on Thursday from 9 AM through 5PM and over 6 inches in the period from March 17 through March 24.

Jeez, and I sent my water bill out yesterday. Am I missing something?

 

 

Ms May "nails it" in her sfgate interview "The Rev. Billy wants to heal the world.

Performance activist Bill Talen, who once fought consumerism by holding exorcisms in Bay Area Walmart parking lots as the Rev. Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping, is assembling a new flock.

The 60-year-old new father now leads the Church of Earthalujah, a weekly revival theater show in Manhattan's East Village. Last month, the reverend raised the roof at Point Reyes Station for the 2011 Geography of Hope Conference."

 

 

"Grow op season upon us, police say" is a story at windsorstar.com.

"It's that time of year again -marijuana grow op season.

Chatham-Kent police are asking residents to keep an eye out for signs of indoor marijuana growing operations in their neighbourhoods.

Police said March is the time of year when marijuana growers are germinating their seedlings with indoor hydroponics."

 

The Tuesday March 22nd Berkeley City Council meeting video is here.

 

Aw jeez, . . . woman arrested after smashing Berkeley police cars" reports Doug Oakley, Berkeley Voice.

 

 

"UC Berkeley student union opened 50 years ago" by Steven Finacom, Berkeley Historical Society at insidebayarea.com.

"Fifty years ago the new (and present day) student union on the UC Berkeley campus opened.

The Parthenon-like structure was officially dedicated March 17, 1961, with ceremonies that included a speech by California's Gov. Brown."

 

 

 

"Amos 'n' Andy record" is a History Detectives episode at pbs.org.

"A man in Lakeland, Florida has an aluminum record he purchased at a flea market with the words 'Amos & Andy' hand-written on its label.

At the peak of Amos 'n' Andy's success, 40 million listeners - a third of America - tuned in six nights a week, making it the longest-running and most popular radio program in broadcast history. Its creators, Correll and Gosden, were white men who made a career of impersonating blacks to comic effect.

Is this record an early recording of the old-time radio series?

History Detectives uncovers a complex portrait of 1930's race relations and the emerging power of the mass media in American popular culture."


END

 

 

"Law Enforcement offers help for Berkeley High gun problems" is a detailed report by Doug Oakley of Berkeley Voice.

"Law enforcement officials on Thursday outlined ways for Berkeley High School to reduce the number of guns on campus including keeping a closer watch on students with criminal records who are more likely to bring weapons.

The ideas from Matt Golde, Supervising District Attorney in the Alameda County Juvenile Division, and Berkeley Police Spokeswoman Sgt. Mary Kusmiss came three days after a shot was fired on campus and three students were arrested in two separate gun incidents. The officials offered the ideas after schools

Superintendent Bill Huyett said he 'welcomes all suggestions for improving safety.'

Earlier in the week, Huyett said the school would add two security guards, offer a toll-free tip line for kids to report those with guns and hold a series of community meetings.

Berkeley Police Chief Michael Meehan said he would make further recommendations to Huyett next week."

 

 

"Art versus graffiti: Richmond removal of student mural sparks debate" by Katherine Tam, Contra Costa Times.

Art or graffiti?

Richmond has found itself in a quandary of how to differentiate between the two and encourage public art, after Gompers High School students painted a mural that officials construed as graffiti and ordered removed.

'There was nothing obscene about the murals,' said Gretchen Borg, the students' teacher.'They were colorful. They brought joy. People in the neighborhood came by and liked them.'

City officials now will spend two months crafting a law that may require murals visible to the public to undergo city review, which may include a public hearing and culminate with the approval or denial of a permit.

The mural was painted on a private building near Eighth Street facing the Richmond Greenway path. The youth program Opportunity West asked Gompers High School to take care of a stretch of the Greenway. The school planned to build a garden, plant trees and paint a mural. Borg said she asked the city if she needed a permit, but was told she just needed the property owner's permission. She received it. In October, students spent two weeks and $1,000 painting the mural."

 

 

 

 

3/27/11

MISCELLANEOUS RAMBLINGS

Claudia emails

Great police work

I was surprised last week to hear from the DA's office via a subpoena that they had a suspect in the burglary of our 5th St offices--which happened the Monday after Thanksgiving. I was about to go to court as a witness but then the DA called me on Thursday to tell me that the suspect had pleaded guilty and I was off the hook.

Great work from the Berkeley police department! But I have no idea if they found any of the computers he stole, or the mail that he also made off with.

Claudia

 

 

 

Merryll emails

COMMERCIAL CABINET SHOP AUCTION


Over 120,000 square feet of equipment
Thursday, March 31st 10:00 AM
Preview March 29th-30th 10-4
Building D-6, Freeport West, Clearfield, UT

Tools, Saws, Planers, Inventory, Time Saver Abrasive Planer, Gibonsaw CNC, HOLZ-HER Table Saw and Edgebander, SCMI Wide Belt Sander and Table Saw, Busellato CNC, Finger Jointer, Radius Edge Bander, JLG Lift, Compressors, Sandya SCMI, Quick Wood System, RO 800, Timesavers Series 3200, Hydro 3200 SCMI, Spray Booths, Routers, Electric Pallet Shrink Wrapper, Hydraulic Table, 100s of Tools and More!!!
For more information visit www.salesandauction.com
or call 801-355-6655

I got some great tools in their early 70's auction.

 

Also, Merryll received an email from Border's that their Emeryville store is closing. They are now having a closing sale!

 

 

 

Kubik emails a nytimes.com graphic

Radiation at Fukushima Daiichi
Levels of radioactivity measured by Tokyo Electric Power at different points around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

 

 

 

 

"Detroit Outgrows Silicon Valley in Technology Jobs as Ford Binges on Hires" by Ryan Flinn and Jeff Green at bloomberg.com.

"With a burgeoning number of technology job openings to fill, Ford Motor Co. is scouring Internet companies for workers.

Ford Motor Co. employee Elizabeth Halash looks at a test table at one of Ford's product development sync labs in Dearborn, Michigan. Ford has been trying to lure engineers to the automaker to design software, not sheet metal.

As a group of Ford Motor Co. (F) managers in blue jeans sat down to interview a suit-wearing candidate from a California technology company this month, they jokingly offered to cut off his tie to put him at ease.

Auto industry executives are trying to make Silicon Valley engineers feel at home in Detroit. With a burgeoning number of technology job openings to fill, they're scouring Internet companies for workers, wining and dining applicants, and seeking promising students at schools such as Stanford University."

 

Steven Goldin observes that Berkeley already possesses an abundent culture of creativity and now needs an expanding infrastructure to efficiently accommodate it.

 

 

I find that Ms Bronstein's Daily Planet "Funding Berkeley's Budget Woes" can be informative if read with a pessimism-filter. Myself never the wide-eyed optimist, I see the economy in a tentative recovery now working for us, not as it has since "The Crash," against us.

Recall our past insights, Scrambled Eggs was among the first to call attention to Berkeley's unfunded liabilities, liability.

 

END

 

 

 

POSTS FROM THE PAST

3/3/06

Ed Hahn emails from somewhere.
What if there were no hypothetical questions?
Is there another word for synonym?

 

Though not a Leni Riefenstahl effort, I'm told Zelda Bronstein's five-minute film, "Made in Berkeley" is effective propaganda. "Very professional" reported one viewer.


END

 

 

"Community panel in Berkeley to focus of community food sustainability" by Kristin Bender, Oakland Tribune.

"To show that people between ages 12 and 22 are pushing forward with cutting-edge ideas about local organic food access and neighborhood sustainability, Ashoka's Youth Venture and Earth Island Institute's New Leaders Initiative are hosting the JUST FOOD Community Panel on Sunday.

Ten teams of young entrepreneurs will present their ideas to a panel of judges in an attempt to score up to $1,000 to start a new venture. The event is free and open to the public, and will feature a keynote speech by Dr. Barbara Staggers, director of Adolescent Medicine at Oakland Children's Hospital.

The event will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Goldman Theater at the David Brower Center, 2150 Allston Way in downtown Berkeley."

 

 

 

 

 

 

3/28/11

MISCELLANEOUS RAMBLINGS

In a feature on Saturday evening's ABC News, Suze Orman declared that we'd better get as excited about saving as we are about spending, and further, that owning your own home is no longer central to The American Dream.

Well OK then. Sounds like my Aunt Hattie, circa 1957.

 

Saturday afternoon there were lines of traffic snaking into our Emeryville/Oakland Target from all directions. Though the store was packed, shoppers moved smoothly, if slowly, through the isles. We found a Kitchen Aid coffee grinder at a 30% "discount" to replace our dulled-bladed, cracked-topped, button-broken one.

And for $5.00 I bought "Alfred Hitchcock:The Legend Begins" It is a four DVD set of 20 of his early films and some of his TV productions--quite good picture quality with good, often excellent, sound. Included are "The Man Who Knew Too Much," "Thirty-Nine Steps" and "The Lady Vanishes."

Finally, I found a delicious cheese broccoli soup for $5.99.

Would Suze have been more proud if I'd put it toward a Roth IRA? Don't know, but her cookbook-advice is often like her work was at the Buttercup-- excellent.

 

Penny Notes.

When in Boston some years ago, I was talking to a jazz piano player "Oscar Peterson plays penny notes" he said. Meaning simply that he uses lots of them and that lessens their relative value.

Over the years, the idea stuck with me.

But I've wondered who then plays ten dollar notes? I've become satisfied that the Duke Ellington/ Billy Strayhorn arrangements are made up of ten dollar, maybe even, hundred dollar ones.

And I believe something like this applies to writing, with poets creating thousand dollar words.

 

 

Recently our Berkeley Voice has increased their coverage of Our Town--more reporters, more stories, greater variety.

 

END

 

 

 

POST FROM THE PAST

7/22/09

before 900 GRAYSON . . . there were the Good Old Days

so let's bring back them good old fashioned manufacturing jobs and, . . . the "anthrax experiments," the soap factory, the foundry, the . . .

 

END

 

 

"The Berkeley Nanosciences and Nanoengineering Institute (BNNI) is the umbrella organization for expanding and coordinating Berkeley's research and educational activities in nanoscale science and engineering." More about BNNI here.

 

 

 

 

3/30/11

MISCELLANEOUS RAMBLINGS

As much, or more, a personal attack as a critique, James Scurlock writes "Stop listening to Suze Orman" at msn.com--rewritten from the now apparently defunct The Big Money.

"The personal-finance guru favors supersimple mantras -- even when they're wrong -- and psychological explanations for all your money problems. Maybe it's time to stop trusting her.

'Tell me what I need to know,' people often say to me. 'Here is what you need to know,' I answer' Suze Orman, The Road to Wealth.

How a bottle-blond former waitress and self-described '55-year-old virgin' with a taste for the good life became the financial messiah for millions of Americans might be a fun Lifetime original movie. Why the masses continue to invest their faith in Suze Orman after a financial meltdown she never saw coming is a more timely question."

". . . a bottle-blond former waitress and self-described '55-year-old virgin' . . . " WHOA!

 

END

 

 

POSTS FROM THE PAST

8/8/03

Many people, other than Mike and Richards, were involved in making the Buttercup. Moe Moskowitz lent money and support, Mary Guenther provided heart and soul, Karl Mullis provided color and was a hard worker, Suze Orman found-herself and brought loyal customers, and Nancy Lawrence at Wells Fargo Elmwood was simply indispensable. She was always there. (Oh, Nick Victor, with failing health and eyesight, and preoccupied with his business and building two large warehouses, took time to give sound, solid business advice. ) Me? It was a place to hang out.

9/4/07

Richards and Michael Haley before they found the Buttercup

 

END

 

 

 

"Home Sweet Hometown: Berkeley, CA:Or, how I spent my spring break with a large plastic whale" Nolan Feeney at northbynorthwestern.com.

"Years ago, my mother warned me of the inevitable: one day, I'd come home from college and find the walls and rooms I'd known for 18 years to be foreign. It happened to her, it happened to my older brother and it would happen to me, too. As I began a new life in Illinois, home would stop being home, and I might as well start preparing for it.
I used to think this change happened two months into college. I saw the first Thanksgiving of my Northwestern life as the last obstacle I had to overcome before I could give up my California upbringing and adopt Evanston, and I was eager to make it Facebook official. 'So good to be home!' I typed, minutes after I returned from four days in Berkeley."

 

"Top Ten Cleantech Cities in the United States" by Shawn Lesser at reuters.com.

"There are numerous cities across the United States which can be considered 'cleantech capitals."'With a large array of renewable resources, a dedication by businesses and homeowners to become more energy efficient, and a large hub for research and development, a lot can be accomplished when it comes to creating new, efficient and sustainable clean technologies. There are many factors that make up a "capital for cleantech,"' and although there are more than ten cities around the nation that are involved in clean technologies, here are ten of the top cities. . . .

8 ) Berkeley, California. Berkeley has become a hub for biofuel technology. "

 

 

"Urban farmer tells it all in her 'Farm City' book" by Alan Lopez, Oakland Tribune Correspondent.

"The farm started small, with some beekeeping and chickens. It grew to encompass goats, rabbits and pigs on what had been a 4,500 square foot vacant lot in West Oakland."

 

 

I NEED AN INTERN.

Work includes reporting, writing, editing, proofing, still-photographing, audio-video recording . . . more.

email me at ronpenndorf@earthlink.net.

 

 

 

from my log

3/19/11--8:08PM--SERIOUS irritant in front room, dry dirty air, watery burnings eyes, dry skin. 10:01 PM--similar.

3/26/11 and 3/27/11--off-and-on all weekend, dry dirty air IMMEDIATELY in front of warehouse, watery burning eyes, burning mouth and throat, headache with prolonged exposure. 3/27/11--1:59 PM--HEAVY dirty dry air, SERIOUS mucus membrane attack, coughing, watery eyes, running noses, etc. 4:55 PM--SERIOUS irritant in warehouse front and front of warehouse, dry dirty air, etc. 6:35 PM--VERY SERIOUS irritant in front room, short breath, "chlorine" odor, overrides HEPA filters.

328/11--simliar to 3/27.

3/29-- 6:45 PM--VERY SERIOUS irritant in IMMEDIATELY in front of warehouse, watery burning eyes, burning mouth and throat, headache with prolonged exposure.

3/30/11--10:42 AM--dry dirty air IMMEDIATELY in front of warehouse, watery burning eyes, burning mouth and throat, headache with prolonged exposure. 1:39 PM --similar.

 

 

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

AND check out BPD feature "Who are these Crooks."

 

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.