Kevin McCarthy, leading (or perhaps following) his party's MAGA extremists, claims to be oh-so-concerned by our National Debt that he is threatening default for the first time in history. Yes, the national debt is too high, but yes, it is the result of budgets already approved by both Republicans and Democrats in Congress. -more-

I'm prefacing this week's feature with a disclaimer: This piece doesn't contain proven scientific fact, and it should not be used as a basis for how you deal with your or anyone's psychiatric condition or lack thereof. This is conjecture, or maybe it is an oversized anecdote. Here it is:

Certain kinds of life situations and environments can be damaging to some people. This could often be a separate issue from a psychiatric condition. The damage I speak of can show itself in some impairment in some types of functioning, but it doesn't change the brain malfunction that causes a psychiatric condition. -more-

Breaking News in Urinal Journalism
Among its many eco-amenities, the wonderful David Brower Center offers energy efficient, gender-neutral restrooms. You will find them on the ground floor. Two doors, side-by-side, prominently identified with identical gender-neutral signs.

On a recent visit, I chose the door on the left and entered a large space filled with private booths. No one else was using the facility (as far as I could tell, given the privacy provided by the booths). On my second visit (during a break in a presentation at the nearby Goldman Auditorium), I found the hallway approach jammed with men and women lining up to use the loos. This time, I chose the door to the right. Inside, I once again found private booths but also—to my surprise—a set of wall-mounted urinals in an open area across from the line-up of private booths. Half-a-dozen gents were lined up waiting a turn at the basins.

There were no ladies to be seen. Just men.

On departing the privy, I took notice of a crowd of ladies waiting to enter the all-booth lavatory. It was clear that, despite the signs, the women were all using one bathroom and the men were all patronizing the other.

The Solution to Pollution Is Not More Pollution
Food and Water Watch is steamed over the EPA's plans for “regulating" greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. "Rather than regulating greenhouse gasses," FWW fumes, "the rules actually incentivize costly, ineffective, and polluting carbon capture at power plants." -more-

In June 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a $308 billion state budget that provided direct tax refunds for 23 million Californians to help address rising costs, tackles the state’s most pressing needs, builds our reserves, and invests in California’s future.

Then California gave back stimulus payments of $9.2 billion via the Middle Class Tax Refund program and later a second stimulus check. Now California projects a $32 billion budget deficit. And Gov. Newsom doesn’t want to use the rainy-day or reserve fund to close the budget deficit.

Now I appreciate the stimulus checks, but what will Californians now lose as the state tries to close the budget gap — giving with one hand and taking back with the other. This is a heck of a way to run a business (state). -more-

I am writing to express my deep concern about the ongoing second Nakba that is threatening the Palestinian people, as they face the constant threat of expulsion from their homeland. As Palestinians and the United Nations mark the 75th anniversary of the Nakba, it is crucial that we shine a light on the continued suffering endured by Palestinians due to the actions of right-wing Israeli militants and extremists. -more-

Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764) is best known for the operas and opera-ballets he composed at Versailles for the court of Louis XIV. One of these latter is the rarely heard Les Surprises de l’Amour, first performed at Versailles 1748. Recently, as part of the Barefoot Chamber Concerts, an affiliate of the San Francisco Early Music Society, excerpts from Rameau’s Les Surprises de l’Amour were performed in a transcription by 18th century composer Ludwig Christian Hesse, who scaled down this work to present it in a small chamber music ensemble. Bay Area musicians formed a group called Harmonia Felice consisting of viola da gambists Amy Brodo and Roy Wheldon, theorbist Jon Mendle, and harpischordist Caitlyn Koester, and these instrumentalists were joined by singers Caroline Jou Armitage, soprano, and Brian Thorsett, tenor. The concert was in the Parish Hall of Berkeley’s Saint Mary Magdalene Church on Friday, May 19 at 6:30 pm. -more-

Worth Noting:

So far no meetings are listed for Thursday or Friday adding extra days to the Memorial Day Holiday weekend. Check the City website for late announcements and meetings posted on short notice at: https://berkeleyca.gov/

Only those meetings noted as recorded can be accessed for a full record after the meeting is over. City meeting minutes contain only actions, the outcome of votes on action items. In meetings that are not recorded, discussion is heard only by those who attend the meeting and there is no record of discussion.

• Monday:
  • 12 noon the Community for a Cultural Civic Center online on Turtle Island Monument.
  • 2:30 pm the Agenda Committee meets in the hybrid format to review the City Council draft agenda for June 6. The Bird Safe Ordinance is on the June 6 City Council agenda. (this meeting is audio recorded (not video) and allows attendees to save the transcript)
  • 6 pm the Zero Waste Commission meets in person.
    
    
  • 6 pm Speaking Up for Point Molate meets online Jacob T. Henry Engineering Geologist SF Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board on “Cleaning Up Point Molate: Progress and Challenges. “ (recorded) The May 15 video on the steep decline of bird populations and preventing deadly bird-glass collisions is available on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOi8cGie_8s
• Tuesday:
  • 4 pm City Council Special Meeting on Unfunded Liabilities and Infrastructure Needs is in the hybrid format (video recorded and allows attendees to save the transcript)
  • 6 pm City Council regular meeting in the hybrid format Surveillance Ordinance on the agenda. (video recorded and allows attendees to the save transcript)
• Wednesday:
  • 6 pm Civic Arts Commission meets in person.
  • 6 pm the Environment and Climate Commission meets in person.
  • 6:30 pm the Police Accountability Board meets in the hybrid format.
  • 7 pm the Disaster and Fire safety Commission meets in person.

Directions with links to Zoom Support for activating Closed Captioning and Save Transcript are at the bottom of this calendar.

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BERKELEY PUBLIC MEETINGS AND CIVIC EVENTS

Sunday, May 21, 2023 - No city meetings listed

Monday, May 22, 2023

AGENDA AND RULES COMMITTEE Meeting at 2:30 pm -more-