scrmbld409.html

April 2009

after 4/17, here

the Potter Creek

Berkeley Bowl

"the grocery store and more"

a photo essay with permission of the owners

4/1/09

Need work on your Mac computer? Email my IT guy, markdining@gmail.com

He's worked on my Macs for years.

"Finding Burrata" is a story by Karen Yencich at examiner.com.

"Here in Northern California we spend way too much time on Saturday mornings watching cooking shows on KQED, the local PBS affilliate. It was one such dreamy Saturday that Lidia Bastianch brought us, gaping, off the sofa, with a food we'd never heard of before. Burrata."

And, "Ramps, green garlic, and spring onions" is another Karen Yencich story. "We've been seeing California strawberries for a while, but it's still kind of early. They don't look happy and their little shoulders seem stiff and hunched in the cold."

"Galaxy' expands Berkeley Art Museum's horizons" is a review by Kenneth Baker, Chronicle Art Critic.

"When Lawrence Rinder returned to the Berkeley Art Museum as director in 2008, having served as a curator there in the '90s, he brought an extensive familiarity with the museum's collection. But nothing like the deep knowledge he has gained since, in the course of selecting and hanging 'Galaxy: A Hundred or So Stars Visible to the Naked Eye.. "

"Apisphere, Inc., (Booth #4430 at CTIA 2009) a leading provider of location-smart services for mobile applications, has announced it will be supplying custom traffic and news report provider Mobile Traffic Network (MTN) with location-smart messaging for its upcoming mobile traffic alert service" is a story at pitchengine.com.

"The MTN service will automatically send custom audio and text alerts regarding upcoming traffic problems to a subscriber's mobile phone based on their location. The ad-supported application will be free to any mobile user."

"Mike Dow Joins Riverstone Residential as Executive Vice President" reports foxbusiness.com. "Riverstone Sees 30% Growth in California within Last Four Months."

"Another Month of Media Job Losses" is by Richard Brenneman, Planet reporter.

"In 2008, reports Paper Cuts, a weblog that tracks U.S. newspaper closings and staff reductions cost, the country's papers lost at least 15,859 jobs.

So it's an ominous sign for 2009 that cutbacks in the year's first three months are nearly half of the total for all of last year.

As of early Tuesday afternoon, March 31, the website was reporting at least 7,562 newspaper positions have vanished so far in 2009, a year in which major newsrooms have shut down their presses, including Denver's Rocky Mountain News and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. And that number had risen by 237 in the previous four hours. "

"Kadyrov Foe Gunned Down In Dubai" is a report by Nabi Abdullaev in Russia's The St. Petersburg Times.

"Sulaiman Yamadayev, a former Moscow-backed strongman and member of a clan that challenged Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov's authority, was gunned down in Dubai on Saturday in an apparent assassination, Dubai police said, local media reported."

4/2/09

Cameron emails
A tip on a real value menu ... Jimmy Bean's at the corner of 6th and Gilman has introduced $12 prix fix meals ... Salad, entrée (changes daily), dessert and wine. Twelve bucks! The entrée specials range from lasagna to chicken pot pie to meatloaf. Check it out ... We did and liked it.
Cameron

"Alice Water's Edible Schoolyard: A Universal Idea" is a book review at wellfed.net.

"Alice Waters and natural foods pretty much go hand in hand. She has been leading the charge for growing your own food back way before it was in vogue. Fifteen years ago, though, she took it one step further. . . .

In Edible Schoolyard: A Universal Idea, Alice's new book chronicles how the idea has taken storm and the rewards of creating sustainable sustenance. 'Planting, growing, harvesting and cooking their own food inspires kids, even those with the pickiest palates, to eat well,' says Waters."

Steve Smith emails

Did you know that the City of Richmond is only one block long AND that one block is not a through street? Me neither. Weird huh. Traffic monitoring must be super easy.
Sincerely,
Steve Smith

"Revolutionary Roads: Mapping America's Innovation Capitals" writes Nitasha Tiku at inc.com.

"30 tales of following where the spirit leads."

Groove Yard's Rick Ballard emails
I just received a new consignment of approximately 1,600 jazz LPs. The first batch will go out this Saturday.
I am looking to buy quality jazz LPs. I'm also looking to buy female jazz vocals, blues, soul and world music LPs. In the bins this week more new Latin, Brazilian, African and other world music LPS. Also, more jazz LPs and CDs.
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

"Aurora Theatre Company Announces 2009-2010 Season" is a report by Dan Bacalzo at theatermania.com.

"The Aurora Theatre Company in Berkeley, California, has announced selections for its 2009-2010 season, built around the theme, 'Family and Fortune' ."

"Human/Nature: Artists Respond to a Changing Planet at Berkeley Art Museum" is a notice at artdaily.com.

"The Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAM/PFA) presents Human/Nature: Artists Respond to a Changing Planet, opening April 1, 2009, and running through September 27, 2009.

Organized by BAM/PFA and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD), in partnership with the international conservation organization Rare, Human/Nature is a pioneering artist residency and collaborative exhibition project that, for the first time on this scale, uses contemporary art to investigate the relationships between fragile natural environments and the human communities that depend upon them."

"Warren Hellman Eyes Rescue Of San Francisco Chronicle-Sources" is a report at onlinewsj.com.

"Hearst Corp.'s San Francisco Chronicle has been teetering on the brink of a shut-down. Now, a group of community members and investors, including Warren Hellman, co-founder of San Francisco buyout shop Hellman & Friedman LLC, is trying to come up with possible business models to save Northern California's largest paper from extinction, according to people familiar with the effort."

"China Vies to Be World's Leader in Electric Cars" reports nytimes.com.

"Chinese leaders have adopted a plan aimed at turning the country into one of the leading producers of hybrid and all-electric vehicles within three years, and making it the world leader in electric cars and buses after that."

And, check out, "On Patrol in Afghanistan" at sfgate.com.
"Afghan money changer Jan Mohammad watches as a U.S. Marine patrol walks by at an outdoor bazaar on March 27, 2009 in Delaram in southwestern Afghanistan. The Marines from the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment based in Delaram have heightened security following two deadly suicide bomb attacks in the last two weeks there which killed four Afghan policemen and one U.S. Marine. "

4/3/09

Tofu Yu is again open

I'm told that the former Café Clem has reopend

Kava is raising the buildings on his 8th Street just-north-of-the-junkyard lot

Steve Smith reports that Carpenter Union members are picketing the Essex project on 4th Street

"Dana Vollmer Wins Honda Sports Award as Nation's Top Collegiate Swimmer" reports swimmingworldmagazine.com.

" "Swimmer Dana Vollmer, who won a pair of individual NCAA titles while leading Cal to the national team championship, has been chosen as the country's top collegiate female athlete in swimming and diving. The honor is based on the results of national balloting among 1,000 NCAA member schools as part of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards program, now in its 33rd year. "

Richmond Ramblers M/C member, Cliff Miller emails

our Susan emails

Susan Brooks First Saturday Open Studio

One of a kind Jewelry & Works on Paper

I will be joining other artists and craftspeople in the

Sawtooth Building for Open Studios the first Saturday of each month 12-5

2547 Eighth Street # 24a (between Dwight and Parker)

Hope you can drop by Sat. April 4th.

(The studio is also open every Thursday 12-5 and by appointment)

Susan
Susan Brooks
http://www.susanbrooks.com
2547 Eighth Street 24a
Berkeley, California 94710
510

845-2612

4/5/09

Tameka Lim

is teaching in Spain now

"The kindest cut: Lamb shoulder is succulent, forgiving and inexpensive" by Janet Fletcher, Chronicle Staff Writer.

"Some of us are leg people and others are shoulder people. Unfortunately, this truth was revealed to me slowly. Over three decades of dinner parties, mistakes were made.

Today, I cook leg of lamb only for dinner guests with suspected lean tendencies, the sort of folks who eat dry toast and drink nonfat milk. Lamb shoulder I reserve for trencherpeople like me, diners convinced that the most succulent meat comes from the hardest-working parts, the cuts with collagen and more than a little intramuscular fat.

. . . Michael Myers, meat buyer for Berkeley Bowl, says the store's meat department offers both domestic and imported lamb. It stocks domestic lamb shoulder chops because customers find the New Zealand chops too small. But the store's lamb legs are from New Zealand because the California legs, at about 11 pounds each, are too large for the needs of most home cooks, says Myers."

a reader from New Mexico emails
Penndorf,
Thanks for sending new recipes. Lamb shoulder chops are my favorite. Your new blog is very good. How are you?

"Agency Picks Fishing Pier for Berkeley Ferry Terminal" reports Richard Brenneman of the Planet.

"Directors of a regional agency voted to build a new pier south of the Berkeley Marina fishing pier to serve as the hub for a new ferry service."

"Berkeley Unified Will Receive $2.4 Million in Stimulus Funds Next Month" writes Riya Bhattacharjee of our Planet.

"Berkeley Unified School District is set to receive a healthy chunk of change next month.

The district is going to get its share of $44 million in federal stimulus funds that the Obama administration made available Wednesday to states and schools for education reform, district officials said.

The funds will go mainly to special education and toward helping socioeconomically disadvantaged students."

"Public-employee pension are unsustainable" opines Daniel Borenstein at contracostatimes.com.

"If you want an example of public employee pensions mushrooming out of control, consider the case of Berkeley City Manager Phil Kamlarz."

"Entrepreneurs start businesses during downturn" is a report by Verne Kopytoff, Chronicle Staff Writer.

"A saying repeated over and over in the technology industry is that the best time to build a company is during a downturn.

Many entrepreneurs are testing the theory by forming their startups this year, when many more established companies are cutting jobs and, in some cases, shutting down.

Optimistic? Definitely. Foolish? Only time will tell."

Kubik forwards a link to latimes.com.

"For the last few days I've had five, 2-ounce boxes of artisan brittle from Morning Glory Confections on my desk. Since they've been there, I've been constantly distracted. Like clockwork, after lunch, my coworkers approach me, make small talk and then blurt out, 'Can I have some brittle?' "

"Getting behind the wheel of an electrifying machine" is a review and test drive by Matt Nauman at cctimes.com.

"What defines a sports car? Until recently, it was design, performance and sound - the deep, throaty rumble of a Corvette's V-8, for example, or the machined purr of a Porsche 911 Turbo.

Then came the electric and electrifying Tesla Roadster. A half-day spent thrashing a Tesla on the curvy ribbons of road above Palo Alto and Woodside was enough to convince me that silence is golden.

And breathtaking. And scary.

The Roadster, in production since mid-2008 and now equipped with a re-engineered transmission, makes a strong statement about the future of driving.

Here's a car that can go very, very fast - 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds with a top speed electronically limited at 125 mph - yet all of its power comes from electricity. For a starting price of $109,000 - the one I tested was about $122,000 with options and delivery charge - you can get a two-seat machine that you can drive nearly 250 miles between charges."

"LBNL Biofuel Partner Warns of Bankruptcy" reports Richard Brenneman in the Planet.

"Pacific Ethanol, a partner with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in developing a pilot plant to turn plant fiber into fuel, may be heading for bankruptcy court.

Warnings of the possible Chapter 11 filing were included in federal financial filings.

The firm, chaired by former California Secretary of State William L. Jones, is deep in debt and unable to meet its loan obligations, according to filings with the federal Security and Exchange Commission."

4/6/09

our Kerstin and Andrew Fischer had a son last week

James Vernon is Potter Creek's newest resident

"UC Berkeley library opened to public again" is a report by Annalee Allen, Oakland Tribune columnist.

"UC Berkeley's world famous Bancroft Library collections once again are open for public access after a four-year renovation to the campus building that houses the materials."

"Court Upholds Berkeley's Decision to Revoke U-Haul Use Permit" by Riya Bhattacharjee, our Planet.

"The California Court of Appeal upheld last week the Berkeley City Council's decision to revoke U-Haul's use permit for its San Pablo Avenue location.

City officials announced the March 30 decision Friday, April 3 to the press and City Council members."

"Live-Blogging Logan Symposium on Investigative Reporting at Berkeley" by Mark Glaser at pbs.org/mediashift.

"I am at the University of California-Berkeley for the 3rd Annual Reva and David Logan Investigative Reporting Symposium this weekend. It's an invite-only event run by Lowell Bergman, known for his work at "60 Minutes" (and being played by Al Pacino in "The Insider"). The theme this year is "Reporting on Corruption," and included a preview showing of Bergman's new documentary about international bribery on PBS. "

"Tradition, detail meet in townhouse trio" by Mark A. Wilson, Special to The Chronicle.

"Most Bay Area homeowners are familiar with the phrase 'Berkeley brown shingle,' which is loosely used to describe any wood frame residence covered in shingles.

But Berkeley architect David Trachtenberg is much more precise in describing how his use of brown shingles reflects the design philosophy of the First Bay Tradition, which has inspired his buildings throughout the Bay Area: 'When you sheath a building in shingles,' he says, 'it gives that building's smallest gestures unique expression.'

Now he has applied this idea to three townhouses at 1350, 1352 and 1354 Neilson St. in North Berkeley, two of which have just come on the market."

"Biotech not filling property void" is a story by George Avalos in our Times.

"Biotech and medical companies are supposed to be jewels of the Bay Area economy, but the economic malaise has tarnished the luster of those cutting edge industries, according to a new report.

Life science companies have scaled back their appetite to expand, or have even retrenched. A sluggish economy has combined with industry mergers such as Roche's proposed takeover of Genentech to produce a lot of uncertainties that loom over the industry.

The result: Vacancy rates have jumped for bioscience buildings, according to the report from Oakland-based market researcher Foresight Analytics LLC. These buildings are a commercial real estate subset of properties that have research, laboratory, clean rooms, offices or other facilities geared towards the biotech and medical devices industries."

"Builder forges ahead with project despite gloom" is a story by George Avalos at contracostatimes.com.

"Wareham Development has decided to light the proverbial candle rather than curse the darkness and intends to launch at least one new big office and research complex in the East Bay this year - even if the project doesn't have a tenant ahead of time.

The San Rafael developer is eyeing two projects in Emeryville and one in Berkeley, near existing office, research and laboratory buildings that Wareham has already built.

Wareham specializes in providing space to tenants in the biotech, medical, pharmaceutical, alternative energy, and other-cutting edge industries. The developer counts fledgling companies and huge organizations such as Novartis and the former Chiron among its clients."

"New Deal manual labor jobs shaped Bay Area workers lives and views" writes Denis Cuff in the Contra Costa Times.

"Sol Rubin was poor, jobless and just out of high school in 1933 when the Great Depression settled over his hometown of Kansas City, Mo., like a dark cloud.

Money was tight. Food was scarce. Sol's father left home to look for carpentry jobs.

So Sol's mom marched her skinny teenage son downtown for a physical with the only employer who seemed be hiring: a new federal outfit called the Civilian Conservation Corps."

"Mother struggles to cope, nearly a year after her son's slaying" is by Karl Fischer, West County Times.

"Hundreds of photos festoon Patricia Ballard's living room, including dozens of her son, Brandon Young.

There's Brandon the baby. Brandon on vacation. Brandon in a tux, leaning against a pillar with a cousin on Christmas Day. Brandon mugging for the camera.

All these fine photos, and Ballard can't bring herself to post a single one on the mausoleum wall beside the plaque memorializing her son."

4/7/09

Happy Birthday to Byron and Merryll!

Thanks to 7.6 minutes of work by Pete, the Blue Bomberoo is back.

"Suspect may be tied to another home invasion, police say" Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer.

"One of the eight suspects arrested in a North Berkeley home-invasion robbery has been implicated in a similar incident a year ago in El Cerrito, police said today."

"Office Depot to repay $289,000 in overcharges to California city" is by Allison Ross, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer.

"The city of Berkeley, Calif., said Office Depot Inc. has agreed to reimburse the city approximately $289,000 after city officials discovered overcharges during an audit of their office supplies contract with the company.

In a letter sent today to the city's mayor and city council, city manager Phil Kamlarz said that the overcharges occurred between July 1, 2006 and March 31, 2009. "

"Center for Independent Living Advocates for People with Disabilities" writes Adam Phillips at voa.com.

"At first glance, the sunny ground-floor offices of the Center for Independent Living in Berkeley, California, look like any other busy non-profit organization. The bulletin board is a riot of posted notices and reminders, the photocopier is in overdrive, and people are busy typing on keyboards and talking into telephones

But almost everyone here has some disability. They may be blind or deaf or mentally disabled, or - like CIL's executive director Jan Garrett, who was born with no limbs - they get around by using a motorized wheelchair.

'That's one of the reasons the Center for Independent Living is important,' says Garrett. 'It brings together all kinds of people with different disabilities, and artificial walls go away and people are just people.' "

"El Cerrito woman injured in accident involving Berkeley police officer" reports the Mercury News yesterday.

"The California Highway Patrol is on the way to investigate an injury accident involving a Berkeley Police officer near the traffic circle at Marin and Los Angeles avenues.

Traffic is being rerouted in the area.

A 31 year-old woman from El Cerrito was taken to a hospital, but her condition was not available, said Berkeley Police spokesman Andrew Frankel. The police officer was not injured."

"Many draft prognosticators have California center Alex Mack headed to the Steelers with the 32nd pick and sometime this week, he is expected to pay the South Side practice facility a visit" reports examiner.com.

While a center usually doesn't garner attention as first round pick, Mack is thought to be a one of a kind player who will suit up for many years in the league, a can't miss guy if available."

4/8/09

Pete's Potter Creek rain guage shows .3 inch from yesterday AM to today AM.

"EPA Will Not Monitor Berkeley Air Quality" reports Riya Bhattacharjee of our Planet.

"Berkeley didn't make the list of schools selected last week for outdoor air quality monitoring by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and a local environmental group isn't happy about the omission."

"Berkeley-based nonprofit helps veterans get foothold into workplace" writes Francine Brevetti, Oakland Tribune correspondent.

"Veterans who have returned from active duty can be unprepared for the job market, even in the best of times, say experts in the field.

But a nonprofit in Berkeley supports these veterans returning to civilian life in the East Bay."

"Song-a-day Mann a budding Internet star" is a story at google.com.

" Jonathan Mann is an Internet minstrel, writing a new song every day to serenade his growing online audience."

"UC Berkeley professor takes on school spending" is a report at latimes.com.

"In his book, 'The Money Myth: School Resources, Outcomes, and Equity,' W. Norton Grubb argues that how much is spent is less important than how it is spent."

"Reverse Historic Trends in California by Taxing the Rich" is an opinion at californiaprogressreport.com.

"We have the (mis)fortune to be living through one of the great economic crises of modern history. We are at the opening stages of both that crisis and its massive reshaping of our way of life."

4/9/09

our Jarad emails

To the City Council, BPD, City Manager's Office, West Berkeley Neighborhood Watch & South Berkeley Neighborhood Watch --

On NPR today they discussed what Watsonville, CA is doing to combat graffiti & spoke with the Deputy Police Chief there. They are using a technology solution to catch people.

A synopsis of the story is pasted below with the URL. I've included the synopsis here since it includes key metrics of the success of Watsonville's anti-graffiti program. If Watsonville, a city half the size of Berkeley, has the budget to tackle this problem head on, Berkeley should be able to do the same.

Jarad Carleton

All Things Considered, April 8, 2009 · A growing number of cities are using new technology to capture graffiti taggers. They are relying on a special sensor that can somehow detect the use of spray paint and immediately alert police to that location.

Deputy Police Chief Manny Solano, who is using this new technology in Watsonville, Calif., says the technology is a small part of an investigation the department has been conducting for the past three months.

"Overall, the result of the investigation ... was 38 arrests," he says. "We have over $53,000 that these individuals are responsible for and over 885 counts of vandalism."

"Port of Oakland approves pollution reduction plan" is a story by Denis Cuff in the Contra Costa Times.

"Oakland Port commissioners Tuesday approved a master plan for reducing port diesel vehicle pollution that has contributed to a higher cancer risk for West Oakland residents."

"Top prosecutor, advocacy attorney debate medical marijuana" by Josh Richman, Oakland Tribune.

"Sparks flew Wednesday as Northern California's top federal prosecutor squared off in a debate against a national medical marijuana advocacy group's attorney.

U.S. Attorney Joseph Russoniello and Joe Elford, chief counsel of Berkeley-based Americans for Safe Access, agreed on little, often challenging each other on the history of the federal marijuana ban and pressing each other for details of how best to reconcile that ban with California's law allowing medical use of the drug."

"Check it out -- It's National library week" reports Kristin Bender, Oakland Tribune.

"This week is the 51st National Library Week.

But in these lean economic times, there doesn't need to be a Senate proclamation to get people to visit Berkeley libraries to borrow books and materials, librarians said."

4/10/09

Pete Hurney emails

Prepare yourselves for a roller coaster of ukulele thrills as this months edition of Peter Hurney's Midnight Ukulele Express on KALX, Bereley 90.7 FM is coming up this Thursday night, April the 9th at 11:59 PM.
     An hour of your favorite music and mine, all of it containing the little ukulele. This month my featured ukulele guy is Hot Time Harv and his Roller Coaster of Kicks coming at you all the way from Hackensack, New Jersey!
     It don't get any better than this. And if you are in Hackensack or anywhere else where you can't tune in Kalx we can be streamed live on the web at:                      http://kalx.berkeley.edu


Peterhurney
www.pohakuukulele.com
remember; chocolate's not just for breakfast anymore

"Berkeley's Lee meets with Cuba's Castro" reports the Sacramento Bee.

"Rep. Barbara Lee, an outoken Berkeley Democrat, has headed a delegation of members of Congress to Cuba this week to meet with the long-shunned communist government."

"earthmine Launches 3D Mapping System Driven by GPS, Inertial" is at insidegnss.com.

"Privacy rebellions such as recently drove a Google Street View crew from Broughton, England, or security-oriented legislation that would require blurred features or position accuracy in commercial imagery is just part of the market environment for 3-D mapping company earthmine, Inc., which is moving out of beta mode into full-fledged operations.

Founded in 2006 in Berkeley, California, the privately held company has developed a stereo-panoramic camera array that generates full 360-by-180-degree spherical imagery. The array uses four camera pairs (eight cameras total) mounted vertically and spaced horizontally 90 degrees apart. "

"Will Wright Leaves Electronic Arts" is a report at dailytech.com.

"Will Wright has finally left EA to focus on his own company, after thinking about the move for more than a year

Electronic Arts confirmed Will Wright, the man behind The Sims and Spore, is leaving EA to work at an entertainment studio he originally created in 2001.

Wright will be working full-time at Stupid Fun Club, a company designed to focus on new projects that could later be turned into video games, movies, toys, and other entertainment ventures -- EA also is serving as a sponsor of the company."

"Downtown Retail Vacancy Rate Still High" by Riya Bhattacharjee, our Planet.

"On a recent warm spring evening, the streets of downtown Berkeley were sparsely populated-unusual for a Friday night.

A small but steady stream of people could be seen trickling in and out of Shattuck Avenue's bars, restaurants and cafes-Angeline's was packed, and so was Thalassa-but few window shoppers.

For a long time now Berkeley's downtown hasn't been bringing in the kind of foot traffic usually generated by retail shops-a fact city officials acknowledge but counter with the claim that the downtown is fast emerging as an arts, entertainment and dining destination."

"Economy Falling Years Behind Full Speed" Carlos Barria opines at nytimes.com.

"Generating work for the millions that have lost their jobs since the recession began will take several years.

As the recession grinds on, more and more of the nation's means of production - its workers, its factories, its retail outlets, its freight lines, its bank lending, even its new inventions - are being mothballed.
This idled capacity, like baseball players after a winter off, takes time to bring back into robust use. So even if the recession miraculously ended tomorrow, economists estimate that at least three years would pass before full employment returned and output rose enough for the economy to operate at full throttle."

"Tesla's surprise: an electric screamer for the rest of us!" is a report at sfgate.com.

Electric car startup, Tesla Motors, rolled out its new Model S Sedan last night for a few hundred customers at its showroom in Menlo Park. Predictably, the crowd of well-heeled volt-geeks was agog over the vaguely Acura-like family car, snapping photos, sipping chardonnay and lining up 30 deep to catch a ride around the building in the company's first (and only) working prototype. To my surprise, the Model S was upstaged by an adorable little ugly duckling hiding in it's shadow."

4/11/09

"West Berkeley: A Future Property Hot Spot?" is opinion at sfgate.com.

"Earlier this year the Society of American Travel Writers voted the ferry ride from Sausalito to San Francisco the second most exciting and scenic ferry ride in the world. Top of the list was Hong Kong's Star Ferry and New York's Staten Island ferry placed third."

"Horse racing will continue at Golden Gate Fields -- for now" reports Shelly Meron at cctimes.com.

"Public Hearing in Berkeley, California, to Focus on Intellectual Property" is a press release at 7thspace.com.

"Event Will Take Place May 4 and 5, 2009

The Federal Trade Commission today announced the fifth and final hearing in a series exploring the evolving market for intellectual property. This hearing will be held May 4-5, 2009, on the campus of the University of California at Berkeley, in cooperation with the Berkeley Center for Law and Technology [http://www.law.berkeley.edu/institutes/bclt/] and the Berkeley Competition Policy Center [http://iber.berkeley.edu/cpc/]. It will explore how markets for patents and technology operate in different industries, whether those markets operate efficiently, and how patent policy might be adjusted to respond to problems in those markets in order to better promote innovation and competition."

"Canadian Solar Signs 5MW Module Contract" reports jlmpacificepoch.com.

"Photovoltaic products manufacturer Canadian Solar Inc (Nasdaq:CSIQ) said Friday that it has signed an agreement to supply 5MW of modules with power ratings ranging from 0.03W to 300W to Helio Micro Utility."

" 'Green' Thinking Continues to Sweep College Campuses" is by Andy Kroll, Fox News.

"A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about some fascinating and encouraging news from other college campuses throughout the U.S. that, in some form or another, are embracing "green" technology and lifestyles.

Since then, plenty has happened at schools like the University of Montana, the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Maryland. Here's a snapshot of what's going on at these campuses, with links included to the full stories for further reading."

"Many programs for the elderly, disabled across California to disappear" writes Katy Murphy, Oakland Tribune.

"Adult schools across California have dramatically reduced their offerings in response to deep state budget cuts and a new budget policy that lets school districts dip into their once-protected coffers. While the financial situations and priorities vary from district to district, one of the biggest casualties statewide is programming for seniors and disabled adults. "

"Storm draft Cal's Walker, FSU's Freshour" is at sfgate.com.

"Ford Announces Price Hikes, Blames Sagging Ruble" reports Irina Titova in Russia's St. Petersburg Times.

"Ford said this week that it would increase prices for the models it makes at its local plant (above) by up to nine percent.

Ford plans to increase prices for its cars in Russia by nine to 25 percent from May 1, the Russian office of the American car manufacturer said this week."

4/12/09

"Sea Salt" is Jane Tunks' appreciation at sfgate.com.

"Since its 2005 opening, Sea Salt has been reeling customers in with sparkling fresh seafood at reasonable prices. Thanks to a welcoming staff and seafaring decor, the neighborhood crowd quickly embraced the seafood spot.

The Berkeley haunt has proved to be so popular, in fact, that it expanded into the next-door space in 2007. Among the improvements were a full liquor license, a newly installed bar and a specialty cocktail menu."

"An Indian mother is set for an entry into the Guinness World Records after eating 51 of the world's hottest chilli in two minutes" is a report at bbcnews.com.

Anandita Dutta Tamuly, 26, gobbled up the 'ghost chillis' in front of visiting British chef Gordon Ramsay in the north-eastern state of Assam.

Ms Tamuly told Associated Press she 'felt terrible' - because she had managed 60 in an earlier local event."

"Environmental Watchdog Group Sues Air District" is by Riya Bhattacharjee, Planet reporter.

"A Berkeley-based environmental group is suing the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, alleging that the agency violated the California Public Records Act by denying access to Pacific Steel Casting's Odor Control Plan."

4/13/09

"Tilden Park Carousel Ready for the Next Century " written by Roland Hopkins, Carousel News and Trader.

The Tilden Park merry-go-round has been part of the Berkeley and Bay Area family for 60 years now, but there would likely be no Tilden Park merry-go-round, (certainly not this one), if was not for the Oliver Funk Davis family.

"Love What You Do, Women Leaders Say" is a story at bicycleretailer.com.

"When she was told that as a woman she couldn't join an expedition to climb Mt. McKinley, Arlene Blum recruited five other women and in 1970 led the first women's team up Mt. McKinley.

'When everyone says it's impossible, I go, well, I must be on the right track,' Blum told 65 women gathered last Thursday night at a regional event hosted by the Outdoor Industries Women's Coalition at the REI store in Berkeley, California."

"Americans for Safe Access Gears Up for Drug Policy Summit" is a press release at opposingviews.com.

"I hope you're gearing up and making plans for ASA's two-day California strategy session, in coordination with Students for Sensible Drug Policy's West Coast Regional Conference in Berkeley! You can register now for the April 25th and 26th meeting!"

"Berkeley Bread Project helps aspiring bakers" by Doug Oakley, West County Times.

"Twenty-seven-year old Charles Thomas, of Berkeley, served 18 months in prison for drug possession and sales.

Now he's a baker."

"New programs, old squabbles as KPFA turns 60" is a report by Joe Garofoli, Chronicle Staff Writer.

"KPFA-FM will celebrate its 60th birthday this week, and the Berkeley public radio station that was the nation's first listener-supported outlet is still the proudly lefter-than-left Bay Area institution that thinks National Public Radio is too conservative and isn't shy about calling itself 'radical.' "

"UCLA professor stands up to violent animal rights activists" is a report at latimes.com.

"J. David Jentsch organizes a campus rally April 22 of those who believe biomedical testing on animals saves human lives. His car was set on fire March 7, allegedly by opponents of testing.

As soon as he heard his car alarm blare and saw the orange glow through his bedroom window, UCLA neuroscientist J. David Jentsch knew that his fears had come true.

His 2006 Volvo, parked next to his Westside house, had been set ablaze and destroyed in an early morning attack March 7. Jentsch had become the latest victim in a series of violent incidents targeting University of California scientists who use animals in biomedical research."

4/14/09

Jarad emails

An AA male was arrested today at approx 440pm April 10th on 10th Street after publicly assaulting a woman at the property that Diane Walker resides. 2 BPD officers responded and took the man away.

What can our block do about the residents at this property? What can Bank of America / Countrywide do to address the situation? Most importantly what can the city do? Or should I ask what is the city willing to do? The people that reside in the property owned by the bank are dragging this neighborhood into the sewer.

Things have gone too far in the past 12 months. Is the city going to let this nonsense continue?

This property has been responsible for welcoming in the H2O Waterfront drug gang that was openly selling crack cocaine and actively intimidating residents on this block. Then people at the property called in CopWatch to harrass BPD whenever we'd call BPD to get rid of the drug dealers. Recently it posted a memorial for a cop killer and child rapist (Mixon), and now it is the scene of adult male on female violence in front of 7-8 children playing in the street.

Why isn't the city doing something about this? We've been in front of the council, we've had neighborhood meetings, we've met with Angela Gallegos-Castillo, Darryl Moore, Ryan Lau, Karen Buckheit, Andrew Frankel, Andy Greenwood (multiple times) we've done everything Berkeley has asked us to do and STILL nothing has been done to remove this anchor around the neck of the neighborhood.

Seriously, please tell us what it will take for the city to act in a unified fashion to clean up this neighborhood, because we've done what you've asked and still we have this problem, which makes many of us believe that most departments in this city are not interested in cleaning up this neighborhood (with the exception of BPD).

We deserve a direct & non-political answers that provides us with the time tables and measurable milestones we've asked of the city for over a year now without any additional waste of time meetings.

Jarad Carleton

Kubik emails a link to the Economists"Oakland:Killing for respect. A puzzling ground zero in America's struggle with crime and race.

'Ambulance, not police; I saw the look in your eyes,' says Phil Tagami, a native of Oakland and a property developer in the city, as another siren wails outside his downtown office. Mr Tagami, of Japanese, German and Jewish stock, knows his sirens and loves his town, which he calls 'the working waterfront for the Bay Area'. Many of the people who work in San Francisco and Silicon Valley (across the bridge to the west) or in Berkeley (just to the north) live here. Then he opens a folder in a big pile of crime statistics. The story that emerges is not quite what recent headlines have suggested."

"Berkeley, Oakland public art programs awarded $100,000" by Kristin Bender, Oakland Tribune.

"The Open Circle Foundation has awarded $100,000 grants to the cities of Oakland and Berkeley for public art projects."

"Golden Bears recruit another top defensive player" reports examiner.com.

"The California 2010 recruiting class is starting to get pretty exciting. The annual Blue-Gold game hasn't been played yet and the Bears are already reeling in top talent for 2010."

"Throwing cold water on Wells forecast" by George Avalos, West County Times, Staff Writer.

"Some analysts have begun to point to possible blemishes on the rosy outlook issued by Wells Fargo & Co. for its first quarter, and one financial expert says the bank will have to raise $50 billion to cover the economic slump and payments to the government."

4/15/09

Swerve has signed a contract with Freight and Salvage to provide seating for the new downtown Freight and Salvage facitlity--over 400 seats are going to be manufactured at Swerve's Potter Creek plant. Swerve will make these seats with their state-of-the-art computerized robot, Ziggy.

Well Ok then.

"Z Gallerie files Chapter 11 bankruptcy" is a report in the San Francisco Business Times by Kelly Johnson.

"Z Gallerie, the Southern California home furnishings chain, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization. It has local stores in Berkeley on Fourth Street, in San Francisco on Union Street, in Walnut Creek on Mt. Diablo Boulevard, in Corte Madera, Sacramento, San Jose and Roseville."

Today's Lehrer News looks at the "Solar Economy" with a Bay Area, Spencer Michels report on whether solar energy businesses can survive the economic downturn.

Jarad emails

http://www.opentownhall.com/electeds/22

This has a VERY interesting commentary from people across Berkeley about what is wrong with our Downtown. I thought I was in the minority talking about the need to have a stronger police presence, get aggressive about graffiti, and provide parking. I'm getting the impression now that I'm in the mainstream, which makes me scratch my head and wonder where these people are hiding most of the time.

Jarad

"Six cities in Alameda County to combine federal housing stimulus funds" wiites Karen Holzmeister at mercurynews.com.

"The federal economic stimulus act has given cities nationwide - including those in Alameda County - their marching orders: Purchase vacant and foreclosed properties to get people back into housing and to prevent empty buildings from becoming eyesores.

But what needs to happen if the federal funding formula provides a community only a puny share of the $3.9 billion Neighborhood Stabilization Program?

That region then needs to pool resources, which is exactly what San Leandro, Alameda, Berkeley, Fremont, Livermore and Union City plan to do."

4/16/09

reader Patti S emails

Hello Ron,

Thanks for adding my personal email to your list. My husband would also enjoy getting your emails. Would you mind adding him as well?

Thanks again for your work in keeping us aware our local happenings!

Patty

"Long, wild East Bay chase ends in arrest" reports Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer.

"A parolee was jailed today [yesterday] after leading police on a 90-minute chase through the East Bay, authorities said.

Steven Scott Peterson, 47, led Fremont police, California Highway Patrol officers and a CHP helicopter on a circuitous chase in a stolen box truck Tuesday night, said Fremont police Detective Bill Veteran.

The pursuit ended about 11:15 p.m. when officers deployed a "spike strip" on Interstate 80 near Gilman Street in Berkeley, which flattened the truck's right front tire. Peterson ran from the vehicle but was captured shortly thereafter, authorities said."

"UC buys rather than builds" writes George Avalos at insidebayarea.com.

"The University of California has gone shopping for office buildings in the East Bay, recently buying two prime properties in Berkeley, paying nearly $80 million for the offices.

The university bought the 171,000-square-foot Golden Bear Center at 1995 University Ave. near Milvia Street and a 70,000-square-foot building at 2850 Telegraph Ave. near Oregon Street.

The University of California Regents paid $53 million for Golden Bear Center, said Christine Shaff, a university spokeswoman. The UC Regents bought the building from an affiliate of Chicago-based Equity Office. That sale closed on Feb. 2."

"Economist has weak outlook for state, U.S." reports James Temple, Chronicle Staff Writer .

"The United States and California are ensnared in a "great recession" that will probably persist until the middle of next year, followed by a long and anemic recovery, according to the annual forecast by a widely followed real estate prognosticator.

In the most likely scenario, U.S. gross domestic product will decrease by 4 percent in 2009, the U.S. unemployment rate will climb from 8.5 percent to 10.1 percent at least by year end and home ownership will fall from a peak of 69.2 percent to 66.5 percent at the end of 2010, predicted Ken Rosen, chairman of the Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics at UC Berkeley, in his Tuesday morning presentation at the organization's 14th annual conference. "

4/17/09

This month, this site has received visits from these countries-in order of frequency.

(Italy) (Canada) (Iran) (France) (Netherlands) (United Kingdom) (India) (Poland) (Brazil) (Russian Federation) (China) (Japan) (Germany) (Mexico) (Czech Republic) (Finland) (Argentina) (Bulgaria) (Greece) (Australia) (South Korea) (Portugal) (Hungary) (Spain) (Sweden) (Belgium) (Vietnam) (Singapore) (Romania) (New Zealand) (Denmark) (Switzerland) (Indonesia) (Norway) (Austria) (Slovak Republic) (Latvia) (Ireland) (Turkey) (Yugoslavia) (Chile) (Ukraine) (Afghanistan, Islamic State of) (Thailand) (Estonia) (United Arab Emirates) (Malaysia) (Hong Kong) (Lebanon) (Lithuania) (Colombia) (Tuvalu) (Peru) (Albania) (Cocos [Keeling] Islands) (Tunisia) (El Salvador) (Belarus) (Iceland) (Luxembourg) (Dominican Republic) (Croatia) (Israel) (Malta) (Cyprus) (Bahamas) (Uruguay)

Iran ranks third in frequency of visits.

D#%n, . . . we're big in Persia.

"City Warns of Traffic Delays For University Ave. Repairs" writes Riya Bhattacharjee of our Planet.

"Berkeley's Public Works Department last week announced anticipated traffic delays and possible street closures due to street repairs on University Avenue, between Sixth and Grant streets."

"Berkeley High officials promise to report school crimes" is by Doug Oakley, Berkeley Voice Staff writer.

"Berkeley High School administrators have pledged to start informing parents of assault, theft, robbery and drug dealing at the school following formal complaints made in January and February."

And "More homeless seeking food and shelter in Berkeley" is also by Doug Oakley, Berkeley Voice Staff Writer.

"The number of first-time homeless people looking for free food and a place to sleep is way up this year"

"Newspapers cost less to publish in 1934" is a report by Steven Finacom at contracostatimes.com.

"How much did it cost to publish a local newspaper 75 years ago ?

The Berkeley Daily Gazette opened its books to the public in the April 6, 1934 issue, noting that it spent $198,868 during 1933 on personnel costs, paying 75 full time staff and 107 carriers (that is, newspaper delivery people). Presumably the full time staff included not only reporters and editors but pressmen, office staff, and advertising salespeople."

About L.A Reid "The Most Powerful Black in Music Business" from Ebony is here.

And, check out Charlie Rose' interview with Reid here.

Rick Ballard of Groove Yard emails

Groove Yard Jazz , 5555 Claremont Ave. @ Forest, Oakland, CA 94618
(510) 655-8400
email: groove2@earthlink.net
www.myspace.com/grooveyardjazz

The second batch of LPs from the new consignment of approximately 1,600 jazz LPs will go out this Saturday. Lots of great hard bop and free jazz titles.

In celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month 2009, San Jose Jazz and the Tech Museum are teaming up to create an enriching series of events for fellow music enthusiasts.

Every Tuesday in April, we will present a panel discussion on a different aspect of jazz. These lectures are absolutely FREE, and cover a variety of topics that you might never have considered before. They will take place from 7pm to 8pm at the Tech Museum, 201 S. Market St., San Jose (MAP).

The line-up of fascinating topics is as follows:

April 21
Jazz Outside the United States
It is a known fact that jazz originated in the US and then spread around the globe. Today, there is a rich "conversation" between jazz in the US and jazz from the rest of the world, with each influencing the other. Panelists for this session -- Dennis Broughton, Paul van Wageningen, and John Worley -- will share their views and experience of jazz in Brazil, the Netherlands, Japan, and elsewhere around the world.

April 28
How did you take that picture? Insight from the photographers
For the final presentation in our Jazz Appreciation Month lecture series, two Bay Area jazz photographers, Andy Nozaka and Walter Wagner, will talk about their love of music and discuss the way they express that passion through photography. Listening to these veteran photographers of the jazz world will provide a deeper understanding of the photographer's vision. They will also be sharing some behind-the-scenes stories of great moments in jazz.

We hope you'll join us for one or more of these FREE events, where you'll find food for thought in the company of other jazz afficianados. No advance registration is necessary. Remember, lectures will be held every Tuesday in April at 7pm, at the Tech Museum in downtown San Jose (access through the Park Ave. entrance). Mark your calendars today!

Jazz Week at San Francisco State

Wednesday, April 15 Friday, April 17
Knuth Hall, Creative Arts Building, 1600 Holloway at 19th Ave., SF

San Francisco State University showcases its jazz ensembles. Each concert features an advanced student group led by SF State faculty members who are stalwarts in the Bay Area's jazz scene.

· Wednesday, April 15, 1PM, Free: SF State Vocal Jazz Ensemble featuring Lecturer Renee Lubin, star of "Beach Blanket Babylon." Directed by Professor Dee Spencer.
· Wednesday, April 15, 7:30PM, $10 general/$5 students: SF State Jazz Combos. Directed by Andrew Speight.
· Thursday, April 16, 7:30PM, $10 general/$5 students: SF State Big Band and SF State Jazz Combos. Directed by Andrew Speight.
· Friday, April 17, 7:30PM, $10 general/$5 students: SF State Gospel Choir. Directed by student JaRonn Thompson. Dee Spencer, faculty adviser.

ImprovisAsians: The Art of Agency
Monday, April 27, 9AM 1PM and 6 9PM, Free
Tuesday, April 28, 6 9PM, Free
Wednesday, April 29, 1PM, Free
Wednesday, April 29, 7:30PM, $10 general/$5 students
Creative Arts Building, SF State campus, 1600 Holloway at 19th Ave., SF
Images:

ImprovisAsians: The Art of Agency is a three-day intercultural collaboration between Asian Improv Arts and SF State's World Music and Dance Program, presenting panel discussions, lectures and performances exploring the traditions and hybrids in forming community. At 7:30PM April 29, in Knuth Hall, "Sound Come-Unity" returns as this year's grand-finale concert, with a host of faculty, students, alumni and community arts activists coming together for one-of-a-kind, improvised sound creations honoring the memory of SF State Dance Lecturer Pierce. Performers include saxophonists Francis Wong and Hafez Modirzadeh, Afro-Cuban jazz player John Calloway, Grammy winning Native American musician John-Carlos Perea, poet Avotcja, traditional Filipino instrumentalist Danny Kalunduyan, India Benares Gharana singer Rita Sahai, Persian daff and dance from Shahrzad Dance Academy, Arab oud player Saed Muhssin and more. The 1PM April 29 concert, "Motive in Sound," also in Knuth Hall, features Jon Jang, Francis Wong, Lenora Lee, John-Carlos Perea, Dohee Lee and Assistant Professor of Asian American Studies Wesley Ueunten.

"Plan to boost electric car sales" is a report at bbcnews.com.

"Motorists will be offered subsidies of up to £5,000 to encourage them to buy electric or plug-in hybrid cars under plans announced by the government."

"A Better Alliance With Pakistan" opines Fouad Pervez at truthout.org.

"Foreign Policy in Focus: 'Pakistan has quickly risen in geopolitical importance over the past few years, arguably becoming the most important country in the world when it comes to international security. It has been moving towards major instability, however, and threatens to explode into violence at any given moment considering the domestic, regional, and international dynamics at play. Domestically, Pakistan has problems with hyper-inflation, food and electricity shortages, disappeared persons, and unpopular political leadership. Increased regional political tension, primarily with Afghanistan and India, flared up following the Mumbai attacks in November. Internationally, Pakistan has been a trusted ally and untrustworthy friend to the United States in the War on Terror, a tension that seems likely to continue.' "

4/18/09

Police action, Friday 4/17, 6:37 PM on 8th between Grayson and Heinz.

BPD officers are searching for a robbery suspect around Kava's old-place.

The suspect was seen by Cameron jumping the fence at Kava's about 20 minutes ago. He wore a "white tee-shirt and red baseball " cap.

Cameron said he "robbed a woman" earlier.

BPD were on the scene within minutes

Friday robbery update

I'm told by a reliable source that one of the robbery suspects was caught--an 18 year old African-American male. He was apprehended on the 9th Street French School playground. It is believed he is the suspect that jumped Kava's folks' fence. Kava's mom was on the back porch when the suspect came through the yard and "shoed him away." The other suspect had not been caught as of Friday PM. But it is believed he will be ID'd.

Berkeley PD secured the area early-on and blanketed backyards with officers, weapons at-the-ready.

Though not confirmed, I'm told the suspects had held up the "check-cashing" store on San Pablo.

futher Friday update

I'm told that a woman leaving the check cashing store was beaten and robbed.

Friday night/Saturday morning several businesses were SERIOUSLY tagged in Potter Creek.

Our Angela emails about a special meeting of the Zoning Adjustments Board. It's about

920 Heinz Avenue--West Berkeley Bowl

Modification #09-70000007 to Use Permit #04-10000084 to allow approved "full-
service grocery marketplace" to open without required traffic signal at Heinz/San Pablo
and left turn signal at Ashby/San Pablo, but with interim mitigations until required
signals are installed: (1) prohibit left turns at Heinz/San Pablo and direct northbound
traffic to Seventh St.; (2) prohibit westbound left turns at Ashby/San Pablo
The Zoning Adjustments Board of the City of Berkeley
will hold a special meeting on the above matter on

Monday, April 27, 2009 at 6:00 p.m.
Location: Maudelle Shirek Building (Old City Hall), Council Chambers
2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704

Please direct questions and comments to: Aaron Sage, 510-981-7425, asage@cityofberkeley.info

The Wooden Duck is closing their 7th Street, Potter Creek store. Anyone interested in the property should contact John Norheim at Norheim and Yost, (510) 527-3400. There is another Berkeley store on the east frontage road off Highway 80 north of University.

"Planning Commission Approves New Downtown Plan" reports Richard Brenneman of our Planet.

"Planning commissioners voted 7-2 Wednesday, April 15, to approve their taller, denser rewrite of the plan that will guide the development of downtown Berkeley for the next 20 years. "

" Students, Parents Thank School Board for Preserving Bilingual Program" is a story by Riya Bhattacharjee at dailyplanet.com.

"A large number of parents and students from Franklin State Preschool and Parent Nursery showed up at the Berkeley Board of Education meeting Wednesday night to thank the district for not changing the school's half-day Spanish bilingual program."

"So can I sell you the Golden Gate Bridge?" asks Himanshu Burte at livemint.com.

"I see the iconic bridge in the distance, a number of times everyday as I walk from home to the University campus in Berkeley, California. Berkeley is just across the bay from San Francisco. Primarily known for the campus of the University of California there, it is also a small and beautiful city that climbs up a hillside and ends up looking out over the bay. The campus is on higher ground than much of the city. From the foot of the main clock tower of the campus, you can look down an internal street, straight to the bay in the distance and, a few miles away beyond, to the north pylon of the Golden Gate Bridge. "

"Owner of malls files for bankruptcy" reports Tom Abate, Chronicle Staff Writer.

"The nation's second-largest shopping mall owner filed for bankruptcy Thursday, crushed under $27 billion in debt that it had used to acquire such retail destinations as San Francisco's Stonestown Galleria.

The Chapter 11 filing by Chicago's General Growth Properties affects more than 220 malls nationwide. It's the largest real estate bankruptcy in U.S. financial history, according to BankruptcyData.com.

But the collapse may have no visible effect on the company's Bay Area properties such as Hayward's Southland Mall, the Shops at Tanforan in San Bruno, Eastridge in San Jose and the NewPark Mall in Newark."

"Wineries turn to low-cost, eco-friendly online tastings" reports Michelle Locke, Associated Press Writer at usatoday.com.

"US company 'to harvest energy from solar rays in space'" is a story at telegraph.co.

"A Californian electricity company is looking to the heavens in its quest to find the next source of renewable energy.

Pacific Gas and Electric, which serves San Francisco and northern California, has announced it will seek approval from US regulators to purchase 200 megawatts worth of solar energy delivered from solar panels located in space. "

"Solving the energy crisis and ending bailouts- for real!" by Chris Hrabovsky is at creativeloafing.com.

"For those of us growing weary of hearing about the energy crisis, coupled with the concept of more bailouts for corporations such as AIG and the rest of Wall Streets finest, we may finally have the 'pick-me-up' you've been craving, in the form of green sustainability."

"Obama to regulate 'pollutant' CO2" is by Richard Black, Environment correspondent, BBC News website.

"The US government is to regulate carbon dioxide emissions, having decided that it and five other greenhouse gases may endanger human health and well-being."

"Dueling Reports" continues

our Angela Gallegos-Castillo forwards an email from Da Boz

"Yesterday, I received a letter from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) with a copy of the results of the Air Monitoring Study around Pacific Steel Casting. I'm deeply relieved that the comprehensive study found that West Berkeley residents are not exposed to increased cancer or other health risks
The study found that West Berkeley air quality met applicable state and national ambient air quality standards, with the exception of PM2.5 (PM2.5 levels are similar to most other Bay Area locations) and that the air quality was also below all of the acute and chronic Reference Exposure Levels established by the Cal/EPA Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.
The BAAQMD air quality study took place over a one-year through the end of 2008."

[Mayor, Tom Bates]

Good ta know "cough, hack" Boz. "wheez."

from my log

3/3/09--10:49 AM--SERIOUS irritant in warehouse front, light head, wear mask. ~2:15 PM--"chlorine bleach like" oder in warehouse.

4/8/09--10:51 AM--irritant in warehouse front, dry eyes, mouth.

4/9/09--8:58 AM--irritant in front room, dry eyes, dry mouth, light head, leave.

4/11/09--6:58 PM--VERY SERIOUS irritant in warehousr front and IMMEDIATELY in front of warehouse, cough, eyes, mouth burn, "chlorine-bleach-like" odor.

4/12/09--8:52 AM--SERIOUS iiritant in front room, light head, dry eyes, dry mouth, wear mask.

4/13/09--5:51 AM--irritant in warehouse.

Off-and-on all weekend, irritant in warehouse front and front of warehouse, watery eyes, stuffed nose, neighbor "under-the-weather" on weekend.

4/14/09--off-and-on all day irritant in warehouse.

4/17/09--8:35 AM--irritant in warehouse front and IMMEDIATELY in front of warehouse, light head.

4/18/09--4:14 PM--VERY SERIOUS irritant in warehouse, headache, light-head.

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