AUGUST 2008
after 8/12, here
after 8/17, here after 8/23, here
our "secret movie studio"
crew
partying after Beverly
Hills Chihuahua rap
8/1/08
"Disabled workers protest Berkeley McDonald's
firings" reports
Doug Oakley of our Times.
"A second developmentally
disabled worker fired from a Berkeley McDonald's restaurant in
March plans to file a federal discrimination claim against the
chain.
The worker, Susan Hanks,
65, who has cerebral palsy, joined about 50 disability rights
advocates, most in wheelchairs, during a protest in front of the
University Avenue restaurant Tuesday.
Hanks worked at the restaurant
26 years before being fired when a new owner took over in March.
She doesn't want her job back, but she is angry.
'They fired me, and that
was wrong,' she said.'They shouldn't have done that.' "
And Oakley writes"Berkeley
'host' program will help homeless, visitors.
Anthony Bledsoe needs some help.
In between riffs on his beat-up
acoustic guitar, he implored people Monday from a downtown Berkeley
street corner to give him change.
'I need help with housing,
I need a foundation under my feet, and I need to get horizontal
at night,' Bledsoe said.'I need somewhere I can wash up and get
this funk off my face.'
That assistance could be
on the way.
The City Council last week
approved a $200,000 contract for a coalition of business and addiction-recovery
groups to employ business district "hosts" who will
report problem people to police and mental health professionals,
get referrals for those who need housing and addiction help, and
help customers find businesses.
Two teams of two will work Shattuck and Telegraph avenues as part
of a trial program that will start in September, said Deborah
Badhia, director of the Downtown Berkeley Association."
"Berkeley Boosters Police Activities League:
A Primer" writes
David Manson in our Planet.
"I just finished reading
Ms. Scherr's 'article' on the new Berkeley Hosts program, and
felt immediately compelled to write.
In doing her background research
for the article, Ms. Scherr has proven careless at best, purposely
misleading at worst. I will leave it to your readers to make the
decision as to which."
The Planet reports
"Crusader
for Justice: Peter Mutnick, 1949-2008
Peter Mutnick was mad as
hell and he wasn't going to take it anymore. So he sued UC Berkeley
and the city all the way to the Supreme Court. He died peacefully
last week in the Oncology Unit at Alta Bates at the age of 59.
He was a frequent contributor to the Daily Planet's opinion pages."
Henry K. Lee of the Chronicle
reports
"Four men were indicted
by a federal grand jury today for allegedly committing a takeover-style
bank robbery in Berkeley, court records show.
Tellas Jett, Christopher
Roberson and Calvin Sloan robbed the Cooperative Center Federal
Credit Union at 2001 Ashby Ave. of $6,100 on May 13 while armed
with a pistol and a shotgun, the indictment said.
Jett and Roberson jumped
over the teller counter while Sloan stood watch in the lobby,
the indictment said. The three then fled in a car driven by Eugene
Moses, authorities said.
The four 'assaulted and put
in jeopardy the life of victim bank employees and customers by
using a pistol and shotgun,' the indictment said."
Thursday about 10:30 AM,
there was a police action at Dwight Way and San Pablo--more black
and white radio-cars than I could count in passing, a motor officer,
and a black radio-car. All strung out over the block south of
Dwight Way.
Ofc Andrew Frankel, Berkeley
PD PIO emails
Oakland and Emeryville Capers End
With Arrests in Berkeley
Berkeley, California (Thursday, July 31, 2008) At 0937 hrs
the Berkeley Police
Department received a "Be On the Look Out" for a vehicle
associated with a spree of
robberies that occurred between the hours of 0630 and 0915 hrs
today in Oakland and
Emeryville. The description of the suspects and their vehicle
was broadcast to all
officers.
At 1015 hrs, BPD received a call from a Good Samaritan who reported
that a black male
adult driver of a 95 Honda had attempted to sell him a full tank
of gas for only $25,
which he found to be suspicious. The caller then provided
the vehicle's description,
license plate number, and description of the two occupants. The
descriptions matched
those provided by OPD earlier in the day.
Berkeley Police flooded the area searching for the vehicle, and
quickly located the car a
few moments later, driving northbound on San Pablo Ave from Parker
St. As officers,
prepared to stop the vehicle, the passenger ran from the vehicle
into the 1100 block of
Parker St. The driver was stopped in the vehicle at San
Pablo Ave and Dwight Way.
A short block search of the 1100 block of Parker St. ensued and
the second suspect was
arrested. Arrested were Reginald Patillo 24, and Amadi Monroe
19, both of Berkeley.
our Ryan Lau emails a reply
to Jarad's mugshot difficulties
Hi Jarad,
As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, the Inmate Locator
has its
limitations. I was only providing it as a hold over while the
City
Attorney and BPD was finalizing the mugshot protocol. I believe
it is a
tool that is intended for friends and family members of individuals
who
have been recently arrested to find the arrested party. For
neighborhood groups, it is useful if you see someone that has
been
booked within the last 24 hours and you know the approximate time
and
location. We thought that it might be useful for neighbors who
have
seen an arrest. In any case, the City Attorney's office and BPD
have
actually finalized the City's policy around how mugshots can and
cannot
be used. We have invited BPD and the City Attorney's office to
discuss
this and other crime prevention policy issues at a meeting that
we have
organized on August 7th at 7PM at Frances Albrier in San Pablo
Park,
this was the meeting that Eva suggested. We have also invited
the
District Attorney's office, Neighborhood Services and the Parks
and
Recreation Dept. to get a fuller picture of the City's crime prevention
approach. I hope you all can make it.
Sincerely,
Ryan Lau
Council Aide
Councilmember Darryl Moore, District 2
Kubik emails a link to the
New Yorker's
"How medical marijuana is transforming
the pot industry" by David
Samuels
"America's house price time bomb" reports the BBC.
"With the American housing
market in its worst crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s,
President Bush is expected to sign into law a massive new government
intervention designed to slow the slide."
"Bush signs housing bill to provide mortgage
relief" reports
the AP.
"President Bush on Wednesday
signed a massive housing bill intended to provide mortgage relief
for 400,000 struggling homeowners and stabilize financial markets."
Berkeley foreclosures from sfgate.com
(updated weekly)
1219 Carrison Street
Berkeley 94702 6/20/2008 $296,839
1206 Oregon Street
Berkeley 94702 6/20/2008 $435,000
632 Oregon Street
#A Berkeley 94703 6/12/2008 $725,000
3326 Dwight Way
Berkeley 94704 6/5/2008 $607,500
44 Florida Avenue Berkeley 94707 6/5/2008 $665,000
1142 High Court Berkeley 94708 6/5/2008 $954,000
1330 Carleton Street Berkeley 94702 5/29/2008 $371,015
1521 Julia Street$330,000
7235 Buckingham
Boulevard Berkeley 94705 5/28/2008 $1,200,000
2413 Browning Street
Berkeley 94702 5/22/2008 $560,000
1078 Keith Avenue
Berkeley 94708 5/22/2008 $358,000
3134 King Street
#ABCD Berkeley 94703 3/28/2008 $568,700
"Cody's Stock to be Sold to Pay Bank" reports the Planet's Riya Bhattacharjee.
.
"Books and furniture belonging to Cody's Books, which closed
its doors for good on June 20 after 52 years due to dwindling
sales, will be sold next week to pay off a Uniform Commercial
Code lien in favor of Summit Bank, according to Mindy Galoob,
the store's former general manager."
"Cheated Investors Suspend Hunger Strike" writes Galina Stolyarova of the St Petersburg
Times.
Natalia Dunayeva, one of
the cheated investors, presents documents relating to the case
at a news conference on Thursday.
Frustrated and disappointed
by what they called 'the shocking indifference of Governor Valentina
Matviyenko,' a group of cheated investors in off-plan residential
property developments on Thursday suspended a hunger strike they
had held since July 21.
The protestors are not giving
up, however, as they are plan to go to Moscow in the near future
to resume the strike there and seek the help of federal authorities."
Ever wonder about the Cuban
Missile Crisis? Kubik emails some
info.
8/2/08
our Tameka Lim
and friend
Tameka is the manager of
ActivSpace
Ben was at Cal Basketball
Camp yesterday. The last day of camp, Cal players were present.
And Natalie was at Pony
Camp at Briones.
Yesterday afternoon about
3:30, there was a grass-fire along highway 80 around the Ashby
exit.
A street sweeper was working
Eight Street and Grayson Street, mid-day Thursday.
Congrats are generally due
to our Darryl Moore's Ryan Lau for all his prompt and researched
responses.
I'm told our VIK has taken
4000 sq ft on San Pablo Ave.
"City steps up efforts to get helmets on
kids at skate park"
reports our Times.
"Berkeley's Parks and
Recreation Commission is renewing an uphill effort to get kids
at the city's skateboard park to wear helmets."
"UC keen to deal with stadium, not sitters"
writes Carolyn Jones of the Chronicle.
"UC Berkeley asked a
state appeals court Friday to allow the campus to begin construction
of a sports training center next to Memorial Stadium, where tree-sitters
have waged a protest for the past 20 months.
The university is eager to
get started on the project and clear out the four remaining tree-sitters
before the Cal football team's first game at Memorial Stadium
on Aug. 30, when 70,000 fans are expected to converge on the area,
a UC attorney said.
In a 77-page brief filed
with the state Court of Appeal in San Francisco, the university
says it has suffered extreme economic hardship since a tree-advocacy
group, stadium neighbors and the city of Berkeley sued UC in December
2006 to stop the university's plan for the center in a grove of
trees near the Hayward Fault.
A panel of appellate judges
is expected to rule by Aug. 13, when an order barring the university
from work on the project is set to expire. In June, an Alameda
County Superior Court judge sided mostly with the university on
the lawsuit, prompting the California Oak Foundation and the Panoramic
Hill Neighborhood group to file an appeal.
UC attorney Paul Fogel said
that if the appeals court lifts the injunction, the plaintiffs'
case will probably be over.
'The stay (injunction) is
the ballgame,' Fogel said. 'We've been at this for 18 months.
The trial judge made an absolutely exhaustive review of the data,
found two minor issues we acted to cure immediately, and now it's
time to move on."
"Study paints grim picture of East Bay" reports Kamika Dunlap of the Oakland Tribune.
"A new study shows the
East Bay is leading the Bay Area in increasing poverty levels,
low living-wage job opportunities, decline of housing affordability
and sinking high school graduation rates."
"Mexican Museum may finally have found
a home" writes Robert
Selna of the Chronicle.
"San Francisco's moribund
Mexican Museum might be resuscitated as part of a high-rise development
near Yerba Buena Gardens, adding to the teeming arts scene and
fulfilling a vision to remake the area once seen as downtrodden."
"Graffiti vandals turn violent in LA" reports the AP's Thomas Watkins.
"One man got stabbed.
Another got shot in the chest. A 6-year-old boy was temporarily
blinded when he was spray-painted in the face.
And they were the lucky ones
among those who have had run-ins with graffiti 'crews,' or gangs.
Over the past 2 1/2 years
in Southern California, three people have been killed after trying
to stop graffiti vandals in the act. A fourth died after being
shot while watching a confrontation between crews in a park.
'We have seen a marked increase
in these graffiti-tagging gangs taking to weapons and fighting
to protect their walls, their territory, their name,' said Los
Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Robert Rifkin.
Los Angeles County has battled
graffiti for decades, spending $30 million a year to paint over
or clean up the emblems, names and images spray-painted on stores,
concrete-lined riverbeds, rail lines, phone booths, buses, even
police cars.
On Wednesday, Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger signed a law requiring convicted graffiti vandals
to remove their scrawl. The law was sought by Los Angeles officials
to counter the recent increase in graffiti, but some opponents
fear it could put offenders at risk if they have to cover the
work of rivals."
And "Graffiti
fighters gather to share ideas" reports John Simerman.
"Graffiti tends to tick
people off, but for John Rose it goes much deeper.
The Aussie bird-dogs it everywhere
his eyes land - on soundwalls, traffic signs, the side of a building
far across a shopping center parking lot.
'I cannot go anywhere without
seeing graffiti. It's an illness. It's incurable,' he said. 'I
hate graffiti with a vengeance. I'll do anything to get rid of
this waste of time and blight that's devaluing our properties.'
Rose gladly shares his angry
passion, not to mention his foolproof three-step process to get
rid of it - modestly named 'World's Best Graffiti Removal System.'
Which is why he joined dozens
of anti-graffiti arms merchants this week at a hotel conference
center where 300 officials from California and beyond shared strategies
on a problem they say is growing in many cities, with potentially
violent consequences.
Among them were police or
city officials from across the East Bay, including Antioch, Richmond,
Union City and Alameda County."
Who did we send, I wonder?
"Where have all the drive-ins gone?" asks Peter
Hartlaub in the Chronicle.
"First movie with your
parents. First ride in a convertible. First date. First R-rated
film. First drink of booze. First time vomiting in a parking lot.
First kiss. First time to second base. First time to third base.
First time all the way."
"New German Films Aim to Shed Light on
Scientology" reports
DW-TV.
"Film companies in Germany
are now making attempts to look behind what they believe is the
true nature of Scientology. The movies are primarily aimed at
young people, who are most likely to fall for the
organization.
Young people tend to be the
first to fall for Scientology and are therefore much courted by
the group's scouts across the nation. This is where a new, 25-minute
film by the Matthias Film company comes in. It shows interviews
with Scientology leaders, former members who have turned their
backs on the organization and representatives of state authorities.
The film aims to inform young
people about the objectives and policies of Scientology, which
does not have the status of a religious organization in Germany.
It is under the surveillance of intelligence officers, because
Scientology leaders are believed to work against the country's
free democratic order. Currently, the sect
has between 5,000 and 6,000 members in Germany."
"Spiritual journey
In the second of two new
operas at the Mariinsky Theater, the theme of Russia's spiritual
journey continues to emerge" reports St Petersburg Times',
Galina Stolyarova.
"Rodion Shchedrin's
musical vision of the famed Russian soul received its first stage
incarnation with the premiere of 'The Enchanted Wanderer' at the
Mariinsky Theater's concert hall last Sunday.
Rooted in Russian spiritual
music, 'The Enchanted Wanderer' is clearly inspired by the traditional
choral chants and bell-ringing of the Russian Orthodox church,
gypsy romances and folk tunes, and has a distinctly Russian character.
The opera rings with Russian spirituality, attuned by avant-garde
minimalism."
8/4/08
"Bears' Mack is centered" reports Jonathan Okanes of our Times.
"If Alex Mack had played
volleyball, or maybe was a top-notch surfer, perhaps more major
colleges would have come calling. But growing up in coastal Santa
Barbara doesn't exactly put you in the middle of the football
recruiting map.
So it was that this future
All-American center didn't garner much attention from NCAA Division
I schools coming out of San Marcos High School. That's just fine
with Cal, which scooped Mack up during the summer of 2003 and
has been reaping the benefits ever since.'
"Santa Cruz firebombs look familiar" write Wyatt Buchanan and Demian Bulwa of the
Chronicle.
"The devices used in
two firebombings targeting UC Santa Cruz biologists are similar
to some used in the past by animal rights activists, investigators
said Sunday.
The bombs were so powerful
they were like 'Molotov cocktails on steroids,' said Santa Cruz
police Capt. Steve Clark.
One struck the home of assistant
biology Professor David Feldheim on Saturday morning, forcing
him to flee with his family. The other exploded just a few minutes
earlier, gutting a car parked outside the campus home of a second
researcher.
Later, Santa Cruz County
sheriff's deputies went to the home of a third researcher who
received a threatening telephone message, but officers found no
explosives.
More than 50 investigators,
including some from the FBI's regional terrorism task force, are
looking into the attacks.'
Ryan emails
National Night Out
The City of Berkeley will be participating in National Night Out
again this year. This special national event was founded
around the idea of crime prevention and has taken on a larger
meaning: the celebration of our neighbors and our community.
National Night Out is Tuesday,
August 5, and we are working to help neighborhoods get their street
parties organized. Anyone can organize a National Night
Out party - although we hope neighbors will organize against crime
and for emergency preparedness, it is not a prerequisite.
Everyone is invited!
These are fun events where neighbors can gather, meet each other,
and talk about the issues that concern them most.
Gerad emails "this is
happening on Channing and 10th around 630pm on Tuesday."
"Troops patrolling Italian cities" reports BBC NEWS.
"Italian troops have
begun patrolling cities as part of a government campaign to combat
crime and boost security.
Some 3,000 soldiers will
be deployed over the next week in major cities including Milan,
Rome and Naples.
They are patrolling alongside
police officers and guarding high-profile tourist sites and embassies,
as well as immigrant holding centres.
Critics say the move sends
a message that Italy is swamped by crime and that its police are
not up to the job."
8/5/08
Kubik's Quote of the Week
Don't believe everything
you think.
our Angela sends some aphorisms
and sayings in Spanish, from the Latino community.
Camarón que se
duerme, se lo lleva la corriente.
Literal: The shrimp that falls asleep, the current carries
it away.
You snooze, you lose.
Antes que te cases mira
lo que haces.
De tal palo, tal astilla.
Doug Herst and his wife provided
financial backing for the documentary-short "Two
Hands: The Leon Fleisher Story." It's been nominated
for an Emmy.
Check out DW-Radio's series
"International Gardeners Grow Together in City Project."
20 plots, 15 cultures -- one garden. This summer, EuroVox' Kateri
Jochum and Laura Spurway take listeners to the International Garden
in Bonn, where families from 15 different cultures are growing
together.
"$30,000 reward offered in UC Santa Cruz
firebombing" reports
J.M. Brown of the Times.
"Authorities said Monday that they are tracking several leads
in firebombing attacks targeting biomedical researchers who conduct
animal testing at UC Santa Cruz and are offering a $30,000 reward
leading to the arrest and conviction of the culprits."
ABC CHANNEL 7 NEWS has reported
that in the last months, thirty UC Berkeley "animal researchers"
have been subjects of vandalism by masked individuals--plant-trashing,
window-breaking, door-rattling.
About 6AM yesterday, Kubik heard tire-screeching and engine-revving
out in front of his place. Opening the door, he saw a BPD radio-car
and an officer with a cuffed male, face-down on the side walk.
Another radio-car arrived soon. Bob had to leave for an appointment
before he could find out exactly what it was about.
Thought it might be tagging,
though.
"Lobbyists
will continue to dominate the influence-peddling game with or
without campaign finance reform, but Assemblywoman Loni Hancock
thinks they should at least pay their fair share for the privilege"
reports Steven Harmon in the Times.
"The Berkeley Democrat
is proposing to increase the registration fees that lobbyists,
lobbying firms and lobbyist client/employers are charged as a
way to pay for a pilot program for public financing.
Hancock's bill, AB583, held
over Monday to review costs in the Senate Appropriations committee,
would offer public financing to candidates for Secretary of State.
If approved by voters in 2010, it would apply to the 2014 elections.
The increase in lobbyist
fees - from $25 every two years to $350 a year - would raise $350,000
a year to cover the pilot project.
Taxpayers could also contribute
with a tax checkoff, which typically brings in about $320,000
a year.
'We should be having public
financing for all legislative seats and statewide offices,' Hancock
said, 'but because the state is in such financial crisis, we can't
do that this year. So, we narrowed it to the Secretary of State's
office, which regulates lobbyists and tracks them. It's a very
fair fee and we need to show people that this is an idea that
works.'
California lobbyists pay
among the lowest fees in the nation, she said. Illinois lobbyists
and lobbyist employers pay fees of $350 a year, and lobbyists
in Massachusetts ($1,000 a year) and Texas ($500 a year) have
higher registration fees for lobbyists, according to the California
Clean Money campaign.
Well Boz, your Ms is covering
those working the state. How about the lobbyists working our city?
8/4/08--6:47 AM, irritant
IMMEDIATELY in front of warehouse. 11:05 AM, irritant in front
room. 3:21 PM, same. 7:32 PM, same.
"Housing Lenders Fear Bigger Wave of Loan
Defaults" reports
the New York Times.
"Homeowners with good credit are falling behind on their
payments in growing numbers, even as the problems with mortgages
made to people with weak, or subprime, credit are showing their
first, tentative signs of leveling off after two years of spiraling
defaults.
The percentage of mortgages
in arrears in the category of loans one rung above subprime, so-called
alternative-A mortgages, quadrupled to 12 percent in April from
a year earlier. Delinquencies among prime loans, which account
for most of the $12 trillion market, doubled to 2.7 percent in
that time."
8/6/08
I'm told that last night's
national night-out on 10th and Channing was quite a successful
social event with neighbors getting to know each other better
and also getting to know some of our city officials. Our Darryl
Moore and Ryan Lau were there, as well as Berkeley PD, Berkeley
Fire--BFD had a rescue unit and a "pumper." Other city
people dropped in and out---also present were people from outside
the neighborhood. "It was a night where people got to know
each other better over dessert and coffee" said one attendee.
Sounds an old fashioned neighborhood get together.
Jarad emails
It was a fantastic gathering
thanks to the organizer Taj and all of the neighbors that brought
coffee and desserts. City officials came by and it was good to
see everyone smiling, joking, children running around and playing,
and neighbors getting to know neighbors. It felt like a normal
neighborhood for the first time this year.
We were also out there for long enough for a couple of the questionable
people in the neighborhood to see us all out there in the open,
claiming the neighborhood as ours. We could benefit from more
of the same with neighborhood BBQ's & get togethers in the
future.
Jarad
Ryan Lau reminds
Meeting on the City's Crime
Prevention Policies
In response to the amount and nature of crime in recent months,
Councilmember Darryl Moore will be holding a meeting about the
City's Crime Prevention Policies at 7PM on Thursday, August the
7th at Frances Albrier in San Pablo Park, 2800 Park Street between
Russell and Ward Streets. The discussion will be focus around:
Enforcement: What type
of strategies the Berkeley Police Dept (BPD) uses, how BPD uses
the various policies at their disposal, what neighbors can do
to prevent crime and help police in their investigation, and how
the Berkeley Police Department works with other departments to
most effectively respond to situations
Diversion: What types
of programs are available that are designed to prevent/divert
youth from engaging in "at-risk" behavior, what programs
are available to engage youth that are already engaging in "at-risk"
behavior.
The Berkeley Police Department,
City Attorney's office, Berkeley Housing Authority, Parks and
Recreation Department, and the Alameda County District Attorney's
office will be represented and will be discussing how they fit
in to the overall crime prevention strategy of the City, as well
as discuss how current policies and strategies might be improved.
Doug Herst emails
Good to see you yesterday
at lunch.
The filmmaker of "Two Hands," Nathaniel Kahn, also created
"My Architect," the film about his father. We were heavily
involved with both films which each received Oscar nominations
& Emmy nominations. We will keep our fingers crossed for theSeptember
22 event in NYC.
Cheers, Doug
Kubik emails, to check out some important Paris Hilton's comments
here.
"Homeowners delusional on value of property" reports the Chronicle's James Temple.
"It could never happen
to me. That's the common attitude whether the subject is shark
attacks, black market organ theft or, apparently, housing price
declines.
Despite plummeting values
across the nation, 62 percent of homeowners believe their property's
worth has actually climbed or stayed the same during the past
year, according to a confidence survey commissioned by real estate
Web site Zillow. In reality, the market price on 77 percent of
properties has dropped and only about 24 percent have risen or
held firm, the Seattle company estimates.
Residents of western states
are only a little less self-deluding. Fifty-six percent acknowledge
the market value of their home fell, while 44 percent believe
it maintained or gained worth. The reality is closer to 88 percent
and 12 percent, respectively, Zillow said."
A reliable source reports
that VIK is negotiating to buy the Sweet Potato's property on
4th Street.
Rick Ballard emails
KCSM SPECIAL SHOWS
Below you find a list of upcoming shows on KCSM (91.1 FM):
Desert Island Jazz With Alisa Clancy Fri. 9:00 AM
Aug.
8 drummer Jeff Ballard
Aug. 15 pianist Ken Berman
I'm Talkin' Jazz
Sun. 8:00 AM
Aug. 10 percussionist
Pete Escovedo
Aug. 17 Time 4
Aug. 24 saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell
Aug. 31 trumpeter Arturo Sandoval
In The Moment With
Jim Bennett Sun. 8:00 PM
Aug. 10 saxophonist
Dave Ellis at the Jazzschool
Aug. 17 pianist Omar Sosa at Yoshi's Oakland
Aug. 24 Jazz on Fourth Street Berkeley highlights
Aug. 31 saxophonist Pete Yellin at Yoshi's Oakland
Jazz Profiles With Nancy Wilson Mon. 9:00 PM
Aug. 11 trumpeter
Harry "Sweets" Edison
Aug. 18 saxophonidst Jackie McLean
Aug. 25 producer Norman Granz
Jazz at Lincoln
Center With Wynton Marsalis Tues. 9:00 PM
Aug. 12
Singers Over Manhattan: Tierney Sutton/Loston Harris
Aug. 19 Gershwin Rhapsody: Michael Feinstein, Patti
Austin, Marcus Roberts
Aug. 26 Speaking In Jazz: Oscar Brown Jr., Gil Scott-Heron
& Yusef Komunyakaa
Piano Jazz With
Marian McPartland Wed. 9:00 PM
Aug. 6 vocalist/pianist
Diana Krall
Aug. 13 vocalist Mel Torme
Aug. 20 pianist Herbie Hancock
Aug. 27 vocalist Norah Jones
Jazzset With Dee
Dee Bridgewater Thurs. 9:00 PM
Aug.7 Kennedy Center
Trumpet Festival: Terrell Stafford, Wallace Roney & Christian
McBride
Aug. 14 trumpeter Hugh Masekela & Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Aug. 21 vocalist Kate McGarry & bassist Esperanza Spalding
at Scullers in Boston
Aug. 28 Revisiting the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival
All Out with Greg
Bridges
Stanford Jazz Festival
The Stanford Jazz Workshop summer festival runs through this
Saturday, Aug. 9. Artists scheduled to appear include: Wycliffe
Gordon & Joshua Redman.
San Jose Jazz Festival
The 19th Annual San Jose Jazz Festival takes place Friday, Aug.
8 through Sunday, Aug. 10. Local artists scheduled to appear include
George Brooks, Zakir Hussain, Gini Wilson, Pete Yellin, Mimi Fox,
Eddie Gale, Wayne Wallace, John Santos, Alexa Weber-Morales, Claudia
Villela, Gail Dobson, Dayna Stephens, Wally Schnalle, Modesto
Brisenio, Nicolas Bearde, Mo'Rockin Project, Roberta Donnay, Jonathan
Poretz and Shotgun Wedding.
51st Annual Monterey Jazz Festival
This festival runs Sept. 19-21 at the Monterey Fairgrounds. Local
artists scheduled to appear so far include Ledisi, Jamie Davis,
Tuck & Patti, Rebeca Mauleon & Mary Stallings. For
complete festival info visit www.montereyjazzfestival.org
Sunday Matinees Return to Yoshi's
Yoshi's Jazz Club announces the return of Sunday Matinees beginning
Sunday, August 10. Both Yoshi's locations will now feature a special
Sunday afternoon performance at 2:00 PM. The Sunday matinees are
designed and priced for parents to introduce jazz to young ears.
For more information please go to www.yoshis.com
"City Workers Vote for 13.5 Percent Raises
and Bonuses for Longevity"
writes Judith Scherr of the Planet.
"City Manager Phil Kamlarz talks about belt-tightening and
eliminating vacant positions in these hard budget times. Still,
city workers-many of them, at least-won't be dining on bread and
water, according to reports received by the Daily Planet.
The Planet has been informed
by several people, who won't permit their names to be revealed
since the contract is not yet public, that the contract ratified
by the Service Employees International Union gives the 950 workers
a 5 percent salary hike the first year of a four-year contract,
a 2 percent increase the second year, a 2.5 percent increase the
third year, and two different 2 percent increases the fourth year.
Moreover, there's a bonus 3 percent the second year for employees
who have worked for the city for 25 years or more.
Deputy City Manager Christine
Daniel refused to comment on the SEIU contract, other than to
say that the city has the revenue to pay for the raises."
8/12/08
"Stars pay tribute to Bernie Mac" reports BBC NEWS.
"George Clooney has led tributes to US comedian Bernie Mac,
who died in hospital on Saturday, aged 50.
'The world just got a little less funny,' said the star, who appeared
with Mac in the Ocean's Eleven series."
And BBC NEWS reports
"Soul
icon Isaac Hayes dies at 65.
US singer-songwriter Isaac Hayes has died at his home in Memphis,
Tennessee, at the age of 65. Police were called after his wife
found him unconscious next to a moving treadmill. He was taken
to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Hayes, a flamboyant, deep-voiced
performer, won an Oscar for the 1971 hit Theme From Shaft. He
was perhaps better known to a younger audience as the voice of
Chef from the hit cartoon show, South Park.
The cause of death was not immediately known."
"Music site Imeem dials up volume of traffic" writes Anastasia Ustinova of the Chronicle.
"Months after striking
unprecedented deals with four major record labels, San Francisco
social network Imeem has found itself on the forefront of the
music industry's frantic experiment with free, ad-supported music
sites.
Armed with an expansive music and video catalog, which offers
on-demand streaming of major record artists and independent bands,
Imeem has attracted millions of users worldwide, in July becoming
the No. 1 streaming music site in the United States, according
to Web analytics company Compete."
la bola en la calle
The Temptations are planning
to make an album here in Potter Creek.
The childcare playground
at Fantasy looks about done.
Merryll's place is about
finished with the sidewalks now being replaced.
Kruse guy, Kieron Yancy's
Corvette is in Potter Creek today.
Parker Street and 9th Street's
new surfaces are as smooth-as-a-baby's-bottom. Treat yourself
with a ride or drive down 'um.
"Black population deserting S.F., study
says" is by Leslie
Fulbright of the Chronicle.
"African Americans are leaving San Francisco because of substandard
schools, a lack of affordable housing and the dearth of jobs and
black culture, according to a report by a committee looking into
the exodus.
The African American Out-migration
Task Force, put together by the mayor's office last year to figure
out what can be done to preserve the city's remaining black population
and cultivate new residents, presented its findings at a public
hearing Thursday called by Supervisor Chris Daly.
San Francisco's black population
has dropped faster than that of any other large U.S. city's. It
went from 13.4 percent in 1970 to an estimated 6.5 percent in
2005, according to the census. Nationally, African Americans make
up 12.1 percent of the population.
Much of the blame has been
placed on the Redevelopment Agency, which intentionally drove
black families and businesses from the Fillmore district in the
1960s and 1970s."
"Longtime newsstand owner Charles De Lauer
dies" reports Carolyn
Jones of the Chronicle.
"Charles De Lauer had just sold his 101-year-old newsstand.
Charles De Lauer, who sold newspapers, cigars, racing forms and
other essentials for 74 years at his landmark Oakland newsstand,
died Thursday, just a month after a last-minute sale to an employee
saved the store from extinction.
Mr. De Lauer, who until February
worked at De Lauer's Super Newsstand seven days a week, died of
complications of leukemia and lymphoma at Summit Medical Center
in Oakland. He was 91."
Last week our Tameka emailed
Just wanted to alert you
that I just became victim of atm check card fraud. Somebody got
my info, and has proceeded to clear out my checking and part of
my savings. They took out withdrawals in Martinez, Pinole and
Vallejo.
I've reported to my bank and the credit agencies. Having a bad
day.
Tameka Lim
a
Tameka Lim photo
"Criminals eye home equity" reports Bob Tedeschi of the Chronicle
"Homeowners who have significant equity may be well-advised
to check their credit reports frequently. That is one conclusion
of a recent report from the Identity Theft Assistance Center,
a nonprofit industry group, which said that identity thieves had
recently begun making targets of individuals with good credit
because such people often have substantial untapped home equity.
A home equity line of credit
is an ideal vehicle for criminals, according to Steve Bartlett,
chief executive of the Financial Services Roundtable, a consortium
of banking-related companies that offers financial support to
the Identity Theft Assistance Center."
In "Antioch forum addresses
social, crime issues" the Times' Hilary Costa writes
"The crowd was liberal with its applause as Joseph Villareal,
executive director of the county's Housing Authority, detailed
changes in the Section 8 program aimed at increasing landlord
responsibility and improving the department's ability to do criminal
background checks on prospective tenants. New regulations require
a five-year background check compared with one year previously,
Villareal said."
"Buying better than leasing a car" reports our Times.
"Is auto leasing really
dead?
Oh, I so hope so.
But, alas, that question
was just a headline on a news release from the National Vehicle
Leasing Association. The organization, which represents the leasing
industry, was responding to news that some auto manufacturers
are drastically scaling back their leasing business because it
isn't so lucrative anymore.
GMAC Financial Services,
the lending arm for General Motors, reported a net loss in its
auto finance business of $717 million in the second quarter of
2008 in part because of weaker performance in its leasing operation.
The company said a sharp decline in lease demand and in used vehicle
sale prices for sport-utility vehicles and trucks in the U.S.
and Canada were to blame.
'As a result of these market
trends, GMAC is taking steps to reduce the volume of new lease
originations in the U.S.,' the company said.
GMAC also said it was discontinuing
lease incentive programs in Canada.
Meanwhile, Chrysler announced
it was going to 'repackage' its auto incentives to make it more
affordable for customers to buy rather than lease."
"Pebble Beach Concours ready for car buffs" writes the Chronicle's Michael Taylor.
"This may be the summer of automotive angst, with soaring
gas prices putting a crimp in the lifestyles of car-crazy Californians.
But all is not gloom and doom: The annual Northern California
paean to the antique and classic automobile - the Pebble Beach
Concours d'Elegance - begins this week.
More than $100 million worth
of the world's finest, rarest and most collectible cars will sit
on the greensward of the Pebble Beach golf links, pristine in
their leather livery and ultra-polished flanks, their owners wondering
if they have a chance for Best in Show."
Ah ma God!
"Cal can't clear trees until at least Aug.
25" writes Carolyn
Jones of the Chronicle.
"UC Berkeley's plan
to build a new sports training center in the Memorial Stadium
oak grove hit another roadblock Thursday when an appeals court
referred the matter back to the trial court.
The state Court of Appeal
denied an appeal by oak tree supporters and a neighborhood group,
saying the move was premature because the final judgment from
the trial court in Alameda County is unresolved.
A hearing is set for Aug. 25 at Alameda County Superior Court
in Hayward."
"Invisibility cloak 'step closer'" reports BBC NEWS.
"Scientists in the US say they are a step closer to developing
materials that could render people invisible. Researchers at the
University of California in Berkeley have developed a material
that can bend light around 3D objects making them 'disappear'.
The materials do not occur
naturally but have been created on a nano scale, measured in billionths
of a metre.
The team says the principles
could one day be scaled up to make invisibility cloaks large enough
to hide people.
Stealth operations
The findings, by scientists
led by Xiang Zhang, were published in the journals Nature and
Science.
The light-bending effect
relies on reversing refraction, the effect that makes a straw
placed in water appear bent."
More than is good for you
to know about the Olympics is here.
Kubik's
Quote of the Week
Your mind isn't always your
best friend.
"Six of a Kind: Pizza"
writes the Chronicle's Michael Bauer.
"It never fails. Talk about your favorite pizza and people
listen politely (sometimes), point out why you're wrong, then
launch into the attributes of their favorite spot.
According to Ed Levine, author
of 'Pizza: A Slice of Heaven' (Universe Publishing, 2005; $24.95),
most people crave what they grew up with, and anything else isn't
'real' pizza. 'Even the worst pizza is still melted cheese on
warm bread,' Levine said when I interviewed him last year. 'How
bad can melted cheese on warm bread be?'
"Ford
told FBI about panel's doubts on JFK murder" writes the
AP's Michael J. Sniffen.
"Former President Ford secretly advised the FBI that two
of his fellow members on the Warren Commission doubted the FBI's
conclusion that John F. Kennedy was shot from the sixth floor
of the Texas Book Depository in Dallas, according to newly released
records from Ford's FBI files."
In
"Havana Nocturne: how the Mob owned Cuba . . . and then lost
it to the Revolution" author T.J. English writes"
Later that year [1957] Kennedy visited Cuba for the first of what
would be numerous trips to the island over the next eighteen months.
. . . Tafficante told Frank Ragano that upon meeting the senator
from Massachusetts 'his instinct told him Kennedy had a yen for
the ladies' . . . and he and Garcia offered to arrange a private
sex party for him' . . . The orgy was set up in a special suite
at Trafficante's Hotel Comodoro . . . The mobsters arranged for
Kennedy to spend an afternoon with 'three gorgeous prostitutes.'
Unbeknownst to Kennedy, the suite was outfitted with a two way
mirror that allowed Trafficate and Garcia to view Kennedy's tryst
from another room."
Well Ok then.
after 8/12/08 here
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.
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 scanned material retains copyright. The material is used
only to illustrate