The SFPD has razed a bunch of hackles and a din of howls with its plan to fight crime by enlisting remote-controlled robots to lob bombs at members of the civilian population. The Chronicle was quick to reassure its readers that the SFPD "has no plans to outfit robots with a gun." No way! Instead, these cop-bots would only be "equipped with explosive charges… to incapacitate violent suspects" by tossing hand-grenades in their general direction. -more-

Private practice attorney Ismail Ramsey has been nominated to be the next U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, President Joe Biden announced Tuesday. -more-

As 48,000 academic workers across the University of California enter a third week of striking, hundreds of full-time faculty in the system pledged Monday to join the work stoppage and not teach or submit grades until the strike ends.

More than 200 faculty members across UC's campuses had signed the pledge as of Monday afternoon.

"As long as this strike lasts, faculty across the system will be exercising their right to honor the picket line by refusing to conduct university labor up to and including submission of grades -- labor that would not be possible without the labor of all other academic workers as well as university staff," the faculty pledge states.

The striking academic workers -- including teaching assistants, graduate student researchers, academic researchers and postdoctoral scholars -- are asking for better pay, benefits and job security. The strike involves four separate bargaining units, all of which are represented by United Auto Workers.

UC and UAW bargained for ten consecutive days between Nov. 14 and Nov. 23 before taking a break for the Thanksgiving holiday, a UC spokesman told EdSource on Monday. Negotiations resume this week. -more-

Due to some editorial confusion too difficult to explain, the following links will take you to articles posted over last weekend which rightfully belong in this week's issue:

Superb Singing Highlights LA TRAVIATA at San Francisco Opera Reviewed by James Roy MacBean 11-27-2022

ON MENTAL WELLNESS: It's Chaos, Don't Personalize It Jack Bragen 11-27-2022

ECLECTIC RANT: Gun Control, the Third Rail of American Politics Ralph E. Stone 11-27-2022

THE BERKELEY ACTIVIST'S CALENDAR: November 27-December 4, 2022 Kelly Hammargren, Sustainable Berkeley Coalition 11-27-2022 -more-

I watched a nearly empty San Francisco bound train go by before boarding Lake Merritt BART at 8:01 Monday to report for jury duty. According to BART reports ridership has increased (incrementally), but comparing the present to pre-pandemic ridership, it has basically fallen off a cliff. Even on the best day of the week, Tuesday, ridership reaches a high of 40% of pre-pandemic. Monday is the lowest at 35%.

This was only my second time on BART since COVID hit our shores and the first ride during commute hours.

The Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) board meets this week, and as with every monthly meeting there are charts comparing WETA ridership with CalTrain and BART, showing where each is in recovering to pre-pandemic levels. WETA is doing the best at near 80%, but looking deeper into utilization, systemwide at the very best hour of the morning, at 80% recovery the highest ridership is 31% of capacity. In the evening it is 36%. All of this means that most of the time the 307,603 gallons of fuel (October 2022 usage) is used to take near-empty ferries back and forth across the bay. (ridership reports are on pages 17 – 20 https://weta.sanfranciscobayferry.com/sites/default/files/weta-public/currentmeeting/b120822aFULL.pdf )

You may ask why does this matter? It is because the City of Berkeley contracted with consultants for $1,100,000 for a plan for the Berkeley Marina to make the Marina a booming income generating enterprise zone with a new pier and ferry. And all this is based on a thriving utilization of ferries to and from San Francisco, bolstered by morning and evening commuters.

When the pandemic hit and everyone who could work from home was sent home, the initial reaction was something like “What? you expect me to work from home? I can’t possibly work from home!” And then once adjustment set in, it is, “What, you want me to return to the office? I can’t possibly go back to the office, at least not every day.” Commuter car traffic still seems to be pretty heavy, but on the few days, I’ve actually had to drive in it, it is not as bad as it used to be.

I think it is time to rearrange our thinking on expecting offices full of workers. Scanning business articles, a 50% return to the office seems to be the national average. This has wide ranging implications. -more-

As I get older, I am increasingly shocked by how much everything and everyone are changing, and this is a very uncomfortable feeling. I feel that other people's progress is far outstripping mine, and I'm being left behind like I'm on a lifeboat, floundering in the wake of a passing giant vessel. It seems as though I'm not keeping up with the world. Could this be normal?

If you feel the same way, you are not alone. A severe psychiatric disability and medication to treat it should not be shrugged off; it means you have a substantial roadblock. Give yourself some credit, let yourself off the hook, and give yourself some reassurance. There could be millions of people in the U.S. who feel exactly the same as we do, yet who don't have a psychiatric diagnosis.

Everything is a challenge. Getting clean clothes is a challenge. Maintaining oral hygiene, maintaining proper nutrition, keeping the bills paid, keeping the trash taken out, and so on... How does a person have the time and energy to keep up with the glam lives of others? Not to mention remaining medicated and stabilized, keeping prescriptions filled, keeping appointments with treatment practitioners, taking medications and not missing doses... -more-

The more than two-months of mass protests over the death of 22 year-old Mahsa Amini at the hands of Iran’s so-called Morality Police for allegedly allowing wisps of hair to show beneath her hijab or head scarf has precipitated a nationwide movement that calls for the overthrow of Iran’s theocratic regime. This is something quite new in Iran. Back in 2009, Iranians protested by the hundreds of thousands in support of reformist presidential candidates Mpussavi and Karroubi, and they were outraged when Ahmadinejad was declared the winner and assumed Iran’s presidency. Today, however, the current rebellion, a leaderless movement coming mainly from women and the young generation, who make up over 60% of Iran’s population, no longer wants reform. Instead, they want revolution and an overthrow of the theocracy of the mullahs. -more-

It just never ends, does it?

While making my way through the newspaper (SFC) one day (Nov. 27, 2022), I came across a familiar story. Two cops in the Denver area had just been indicted for having killed a man who was sitting in his car. On June 10, the car had somehow started to slip down an embankment. The man had obviously gotten scared (it was the middle of the night), and called for help. When two cops showed up, they told him to get out of the car. He refused. He said something about being afraid. The media reports that they talked to him for about an hour. But he kept the window closed. Finally, they ordered him out of the car. Again, he refused. So they smash in the window of the car. He throws things at them. And they shoot him to death. [Equal opportunity assassins; the guy was white.] -more-

Save Ukraine's Homeless House Pets

Owing to the onerous wreckage of war, Giving Tuesday has gained a new focus. The following plea was posted by Greater Good Charities:

"Without your help, pets in Ukraine won't survive the winter. Farmland in Ukraine has been seized and grain stores have been destroyed, leading to global food shortages. Pets who have been stranded or abandoned in the war-torn country are starving. This Giving Tuesday, help save the lives of thousands of pets with your donations."

Politics and Pets: Cats Versus Dogs

That item got me thinking. Are most pet-owners conscientious liberals who believe in care-taking and animal companionship or conservative authoritarians who like to bark orders, give commands, and demand obedience as they parade their animals on a leash?

According to a University of California Press study titled Pets and Politics: Do Liberals and Conservatives Differ in Their Preferences for Cats Versus Dogs?, "states with the highest percentage of cat owners in America tend to be liberal-leaning, and states with the highest levels of dog owners tend to be conservative-leaning." Other findings (as of 2010): "Over 48 million [US] homes have at least one dog, over 31 million homes have a cat, and over 1 million homes have at least one fish."

How does this translate into current politics?

"We found that 7 of the 10 states in which former President Donald Trump had the most support were also among the 10 states with the highest percentage of dog owners." -more-

Berkeley Councilmember Bartlett recently used the revelation of racist Berkeley police texts to salute himself and the people of Berkeley in an article in the November Berkeley Daily Planet[1] claiming the people of Berkeley "have committed and recommitted to defend the constitution, and our freedom by ending racist policing." -more-

Worth Noting:

A full week ahead, check https://berkeleyca.gov/ for meetings posted on short notice.

Monday the go to meeting is the in-person North Berkeley BART Station Housing Project open-house meeting at 6 pm at the Library on University. Monday morning at 10:30 am the Public Safety Committee will review the policy for police officer extra duty, i.e. Apple Store on Fourth Street. PAB meets in closed session at 11:30 and the Personnel Board meets at 7 pm.

Tuesday at 6 pm Council meets with item 10 Citywide Affordable Housing Requirements. The proposed changes calculate the fee for avoiding including affordable housing in a project (in lieu fee) by gross residential square feet instead of number of units or providing land at an alternative site with the same or greater value as the in lieu fee. At 6:30 OES (fire department) sponsors a discussion on Emergency Preparedness.

Wednesday the go to meetings are the Civic Arts Commission at 6 pm receives a presentation of the Turtle Island Monument Project and the Planning Commission hearing on the Housing Element at 7 pm. The Disaster and Fire Safety Commission and Police Accountability Board also meet at 7 pm.

Thursday morning at 10 am the Budget and Finance Committee will review and recommend which projects/items will be funded through the AAO (Annual Appropriations Ordinance – mid-year budget adjustment) (another important meeting) The Zoning Adjustment Board meets at 7 pm. Two projects on consent are similar – they both tear down existing single family housing and build two 2-story single family houses in place of one house.

Saturday the Berkeley Neighborhoods Council meets at 10 am (always worth attending). -more-

I don’t know how complete my diary will be next week as I’ve been summoned to report to jury duty on Monday. My first reaction was, did you not look at my age? I’m closer to 80 than 70, but then our President just turned 80 this week. Bernie Sanders is 81 and Noam Chomsky is 94. -more-