am writing to express my outrage regarding the recent Israeli terror attack in Gaza, where six international aid workers from Chef José Andrés's World Central Kitchen (WCK) and a Palestinian driver lost their lives in an Israeli airstrike. This appalling attack not only resulted in the loss of innocent lives but also underscores the urgent need for accountability. 

The aid workers, who were part of a clearly marked convoy bearing the WCK logo, were engaged in the noble mission of delivering essential food aid to the people of Gaza. Their dedication and selflessness in the face of adversity exemplify the best of humanity. It is heart-wrenching to see their lives cut short in such a senseless act of violence. 

Moreover, the reported consideration of a new $18 billion arms package for Israel by the Biden administration, including dozens of F-15 aircraft, is deeply troubling. This is in addition to the recent approval of 1,800 2,000-pound bombs, 500 500-pound bombs, and 25 F-35 fighter jets. Such a significant escalation of military support raises serious concerns about the impact on civilian populations and the perpetuation of violence in the region. This highlights the hypocrisy of Biden's administration in prioritizing arms sales over human rights. 

All military aid must be halted immediately, a ceasefire must be declared, and humanitarian aid must be prioritized. The United States must support human rights and not turn a blind eye to Israel’s terror attacks on defenseless Palestinians. The United States must reconsider its decision to provide extensive military assistance to Israel and instead focus on promoting peace, dialogue, and humanitarian aid in the region.

A Congresswoman Pleads for Humanity:
A Congressman Calls for Nuclear Attack
Last week, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stood before a microphone in the House Chamber and gave an impassioned presentation that has been called "one of the greatest speeches of her career." Here's a link to the video:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/vXRRwFNYgSQ

Meanwhile, another video has been going viral. The video captured US Rep. (and Christian pastor) Tim Walberg (R-Michigan), proposing that the US drop nuclear bombs on Gaza to, in Walberg's words: "Get it over quick." Listen in at this link: https://www.youtube.com/embed/RX8SfNYOeE8

Power of Israeli Bombings on Gaza Has Already Surpassed Hiroshima

https://www.youtube.com/embed/QOAjbkrcxSE

Mind-numbing Memes
Two news items I can't get out of my head:
"Israel has killed more than 13,000 children."
"A starving child doesn't have the strength to cry."

BDS the US: Disarm the US War Machine
The Boycott-Divest-Sanctions 9BDS) movement was effective in moving South Africa from a brutal apartheid state to an inclusive and functioning democracy. The global BDS strategy has more recently been applied against the political leaders of Israel. And now there's a new cry: "BDS the US." 

World BEYOND War has posted an online education-and-action campaign to hold Washington accountable for its long history of foreign invasions, hegemonic militarism, and war profiteering. 

The full presentation, which is available online, offers an extensive list of Washington's long-but-little-known rap-sheet of global thuggery. Here is a single sentence that you won't find in any of the history books in US schoolrooms: 

"Since 1945, the US military has fought in 74 other nations, while the US government has overthrown at least 36 governments, interfered in at least 85 foreign elections, attempted to assassinate over 50 foreign leaders, dropped bombs on people in over 30 countries, and killed or helped kill some 20 million people." 

You can read the entire document (and sign on as an endorser if you wish) by clicking on this link. 

Eclipse Eclipsed? Not for the Blind!
The monumental tourist rush to reach the North American states in the path of the April 8 solar eclipse is expected to bring millions to gaze skyward (through protective eye-wear) and marvel as the sun grows dim and covers the ground in shadows. This, of course, all depends on the weather, which has been a bit on the stormy side. 

There is one segment of the population that doesn't need to worry about a rain cloud blotting out the eclipse: blind eclipse fans. 

The AP reports that new "sound and touch devises" will make it possible "to hear and feel the celestial event." 

Typically during a total eclipse, sunlight dims, temperatures drop, and the world grows quiet as songbirds cease their chirping. But no longer! Thanks to an invention called the LightSound box, the blind and visually impaired can "hear' an event they cannot see. According to the AP report: "When the sun is bright, there will be high, delicate flute notes. As the moon begins to cover the sun, the mid-range notes are those of a clarinet. Darkness is rendered by a low, clicking sound." 

The AP quoted a blind high-school student from Austin, Texas who is eagerly waiting to turn on a LightSound box as the eclipse begins. He told the AP: "I'm looking forward to [it]." 

Fashion Plates
Peronalized license plates spotted about town.
V552GO (V55 To Go?)
GRNBEAM (Green Beam)
PEARWGN (Pear Wagon)
WHO GAS (Pronounced: "Whoa Gas"?)
CKJLNHK (Chuck Jellenik? Check Jail in Hong Kong?) 

Bumper Snickers
End Militarism Now
Stop the Oiligarcy: Oil Sucks 

Back Off Bumper Humper!"
I Hope Something Good Happens to You Today
Voting Is Like Driving: 

To Go Forward Choose 'D' To Go Backward Choose 'R' 

Charging Ahead in Sun-powered Cars 

A friend just sent a photo showing one of TESLA's road-emergency trucks hooked up to a hose at a local filling station. Apparently Tesla's service trucks are gas-dependent hybrids. 

The age of Solar Sedans has not yet arrived and, if Big Carbon has its way, auto-owners on this heating globe we call home will remain chained to corporate-owned "charging stations" that sell electricity produced by oil- and carbon-fueled electricity plants. 

But there's a better, cleaner, cheaper alternative. How about tank-less, sun-powered vehicles with there own built-in photoelectric panels. No need to search for a charging station. Just wait for the sun to rise in the morning. 

Germany's Sono Motors already offers a Solar Bus Kit—as seen here:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/R9WWkc4Ol3A?si=FV4aC_FjGI0sAKcc 

Sono Motors has also started work on mass-production of the Sion, a solar powerplant on wheels. Parked in your driveway, it can even serve as a stand-alone power plant that can provide electricity for your entire home! 

Check out the video at this link:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/4aM37qO2Nwc?si=JbVUlizrwWR-FCbi 

A company in The Netherlands is also selling self-powered solar cars while Aptera, a US company in Carlsbad, California, has begun building a futuristic vehicle powered by "the wireless nuclear-generator in the sky.":
https://www.youtube.com/embed/IzG-x3-_4sk 

Trump's Impressive List of Non-endorsers 

Some political wonk has posted a Facebook page with a poster listing the members of Donald Trump's White House staff and cabinet who now want nothing to do with the Ocher Ogre. The ranks of rankled former Trump-nics includes: 

VP Mike Pence; Attorney General Bill Barr; Nat. Security Advisor John Bolton; Defense Sec. Mark Esper; Defense Sec. James Mattis; Aide Cassidy Hutchinson; Chief of Staff John Kelly; Press Sec. Stephanie Grisham; Deputy Press Sec, Sarah Matthews; Joint Chiefs' Chair Mark Milley; Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci; and Director of Strategic Communications, Alyssa Farah Griffin. 

That list of Trump cabinet/staff non-endorsers is impressive but it could be longer if it included folks outside Trump's inner-circle of Oval Office appointees.How about starting with Trump lawyer and hush-money fixer Michael Cohen? 

Dread Kennedy 

According to More Perfect Union (MPU), "Some of the wealthiest people in America have spent millions of dollars to get Robert Kennedy Jr. on the ballot." No, this big bucks lobbying org isn't interested in getting a vax-whacking radical elected president. In fact, RKJ has denounced the pro-Trumpers behind the MPU ad-romp and disavowed any connection with their promotion of his campaign. Their intentions are clear. They just hope that promoting a radical Democrat like RKJ will drain Joe Biden's pool of supporters so he runs short of a majority of state electors. In short, they just want to see the Democrats trumped. 

When MPU sussed out RKJ.’s top donors, they uncovered "connections to Donald Trump’s campaign over and over again. They want [RKJ] to be the key to Trump’s margin of victory." The sordid details are laid on the table in this video with Byron Tylor Cohen. https://www.youtube.com/embed/qLtL6afShA0 

The Ultra-Millionaires' Tax 

Public CItizen raises a familiar complaint — and offers a solution. 

The wealthiest Americans (the top 0.1% — or the richest 1 out of every 1,000) end up owing barely more than 3% of their fortunes in federal, state, and local taxes. 

Meanwhile, families in the bottom 99% end up with tax bills exceeding 7% of our total wealth (which of course may not be much to begin with). 

That means the vast majority of us are paying taxes at a rate that is more than double what the richest of the rich get away with. Like the CEO of a multinational corporation who pays a lower tax rate than the janitor who cleans his office night after night 

A bill in Congress — the Ultra Millionaire Tax Act of 2024 — would start to bring some sanity to our nation’s disgraceful and unequal tax regime.
Sponsors of this critical new legislation include Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman and Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.Click to add your name. 

Russia Considers a "Nuclear Reminder"
In the aftermath of the deadly attack targeting thousands assembled for a concert at Russia's Crocus City Hall, Vladimir Putin went on TV to address the nation and vowed: “All perpetrators, organizers and masterminds behind this crime will get just and inevitable punishment. Whoever they are, whoever guides them. 

It troubles me that Joe Biden failed to offer his heartfelt condolences to the Russian people or issue a stern condemnation of the horrific "terrorist attack" 

ISIS was reported to have been involved in the attack. Troubling news, given the response by former British Ambassador Craig Murray who posted a message reading: "I have been explaining for years that the US and Israel are behind ISIS.... 

Let's hope the US/CIA wasn't involved. (Are we still in the dark as to who bombed the Nord Stream pipeline?) As Russian war advisor Dmitry Trenin told the Kremlin: “The adversary should not remain in a state of comfort, believing that the war he is waging with the help of another country will not affect him in any way...In other words, it is necessary to put fear back into the minds and hearts of the enemy’s leaders... It’s time for Russia to give the West a nuclear reminder.” 

Picture Otters Holding Hands
I don't know if otters really hold hands but Kate Foster's Facebook musing is so comforting, I don't feel the need to submit it to fact-checking. Let's just go with it:
'It's a deep consolation to know that spiders dream, that monkeys tease predators, that dolphins have accents, that lions can be scared silly by a lone mongoose, that otters hold hands, and ants bury their dead. That there isn't their life and our life. That it's just one teetering and endless thread and all of us, all of us, are entangled with it as deep as entanglement goes." 

 

Attachments area 

Preview YouTube video AOC Delivers One Of The Greatest Speeches Of Her Career 

 

 

AOC Delivers One Of The Greatest Speeches Of Her Career 

Preview YouTube video Video appears to show GOP Congressman suggesting dropping bombs on Gaza 

 

 

Video appears to show GOP Congressman suggesting dropping bombs on Gaza 

Preview YouTube video Power of Israeli bombings on Gaza surpasses Hiroshima 

 

 

Power of Israeli bombings on Gaza surpasses Hiroshima 

Preview YouTube video Solar Bus Kit | Sono Motors 

 

 

Solar Bus Kit | Sono Motors 

Preview YouTube video The Sion. The car, that charges itself. #savesion | Sono Motors 

 

 

The Sion. The car, that charges itself. #savesion | Sono Motors 

Preview YouTube video First solar-powered car one step closer to hitting the streets 

 

 

First solar-powered car one step closer to hitting the streets 

Preview YouTube video We Investigated RFK Jr.'s Donors. They Have a Secret Goal. 

 

 

We Investigated RFK Jr.'s Donors. They Have a Secret Goal. 

 

 

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I am writing to express my deep concern over the recent destruction of Gaza's hospitals, particularly Al-Shifa Hospital, and the devastating impact this has had on the health sector in Gaza. The withdrawal of Israeli forces from Al-Shifa Hospital after a two-week raid has left the medical complex in ruins, with a significant loss of life and destruction of vital infrastructure.

Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah, a British Palestinian reconstructive surgeon who worked tirelessly at Al-Shifa and Al-Ahli Baptist hospitals, highlights the dire situation on the ground. He emphasizes the critical role of Al-Shifa in Gaza's health system, constituting 30% of its capacity. The wanton destruction of this hospital is part of Israel's plan to render Gaza uninhabitable, ensuring it lacks a functioning health system for years to come.

Dr. Abu-Sittah also condemns the complicity of Western journalists who perpetuated narratives that militarized hospitals, making them targets for Israeli attacks. The tragic death of Dr. Ahmad Maqadmeh underscores the consequences of such narratives, as hospitals become casualties of war.

The destruction of Al-Shifa and other hospitals has resulted in a staggering loss of life, with thousands dead and many more wounded. Children, in particular, have borne the brunt of this violence, with thousands left with life-altering disabilities. The international community must recognize the gravity of this situation and take immediate action to address the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.

Furthermore, the recent authorization of arms transfers to Israel by the Biden administration raises serious concerns about complicity in war crimes. Dr. Abu-Sittah's election as rector of the University of Glasgow, on a platform advocating for divestment from the arms trade, highlights the urgent need for accountability and solidarity with the Palestinian people.

In light of the International Court of Justice's interim ruling on of genocide in Gaza, it is imperative that governments and institutions reassess their relationships with arms manufacturers and take concrete steps to prevent further complicity in human rights violations

Government is a disaster in the U.S. But let's refrain from saying the Democrats are horrible, the Republicans are horrible--or refer to any particular politician. The net result is the same: The basic needs of people with mental disabilities are not being met, and really, it is worse than that. 

This essay marks the beginning, I hope, of a new phase for my writings in the Berkeley Daily Planet. I'd like to offer an essay once per calendar month, and to do something better, stronger, and more interesting. I'm going to shy away from an active stance in politics; I will address what government seems to be doing wrong, but my essays will not be partisan, for or against Donald Trump, or for or against Governor Newsom--or any other politician. 

The U.S. is the richest most powerful most technologically advanced, and supposedly best nation on our Earth. Why, then, are mentally disabled people being dumped on the streets to die under horrible conditions? 

I am fifty-nine years old and have begun to think about the end. It is not so much that I'm about to die; no one can predict the future. Yet it has occurred to me that when I pass away, I really want to do this under comfortable, caring circumstances. Many people with psychiatric diseases don't obtain that bit of mercy, and they die horribly, and their deaths are often preventable. 

You can't always reasonably blame a mentally ill person for his or her lack of housing or other rough life circumstances. That's what mainstream people do, citing "You've made the wrong choices." Yet this is a gross distortion, and the public needs to understand that. A mental illness can sometimes bring a cognitive deficit, and this makes everything a lot harder, including good choices about our life paths.  

I need to add here that people with mental illness aren't necessarily homeless or incarcerated. Many of us live independently and can handle the responsibilities of adulthood. The stereotype promoted by government is to call us, not in so many words, subhuman. The mass media is in collusion with government in this lie. It is often convenient for many Americans to blame the victims. 

Americans need to fork over the cash, and this cash must be used properly: Mentally ill people need a place to live. The government must not create fat salaries and high paying careers for those who work in the caregiving industry. The appropriated funds need to go toward a place for us to live. 

## 

Mental illnesses cause tragic lives. The tragedy could be a wreckage in one's life circumstances, quality of life, and lifespan. Or it could be milder, but it could still be a situation of missing the boat. Most mentally ill people don't own a house, don't raise children--some offspring may be produced but taken away, and don't have stellar careers. We don't live within the jet set, our lives aren't blessed with wealth, with great sex lives, or with oodles of friendships. 

I'm very fortunate in being able to work at two different respected professions. I haven't made much money at either. In the 1980's I was an electronic technician. Beginning in the 2000's, I've been a published writer. It is not what you would call "stellar" because in terms of income at least, I haven't received much. But for someone with my limitations, it is probably the best that people should expect. The careers haven't brought me an incredible social life, and they have not taught me anything about how to be social.  

Mental illnesses can bring about all manner of dire circumstances. If your mind is running on something other than reality, your actions will follow accordingly, and you might make huge missteps and/or mistakes. Having your faculties matters, especially that of being able to reason. 

Mental illness doesn't automatically bring incompetence. But it can, especially if the patient has refused treatment. Then follows a worsening and progression of the condition, leading to a devastating relapse. 

But not all relapses are caused by "noncompliance"! 

In many cases, environmental factors are the culprit, or the loss of a family member, or life circumstances that are simply too hard. In some instances, the illness may just get worse, due to biological changes in the brain. And sometimes, the prescriber makes an error. To say that relapses are always caused by noncompliance; it is simply untrue. 

I've been dealing with firestorms of thoughts and emotions in the last two to three months. There is no exact explanation for it. My life circumstances are more stressful than they were, and many changes have either taken place, or they are on the horizon. A lot is required of me. The "firestorms" as I call them, only do more to interfere with taking actions that I need to take, to better my conditions. 

## 

The government must act. Different politicians have different ideas of what should be done. I would say we need to begin with housing. Everyone needs a place to call home. Housing is equally as important as treatment. You can't provide just one and not the other and then expect a good outcome. Giving medication to an incarcerated mentally ill person is not a solution. Bringing medication to someone who sleeps under a tree is not a solution. 

Here in Martinez, we have Psych Emergency at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center. I was in deep despair recently and I phoned them. The staff member who spoke to me warned me that conditions there are very rough, and if I could get through the rest of the weekend and speak to a counselor on Monday, I might be better off. I followed that very kindly given advice. 

What's going on with that? Why, after all this public attention to the plight of mentally ill people, are we back to the Dark Ages? 

I would have to argue of an ulterior agenda. Social architects would like to maintain the subjugation, and the poor prospects of mentally ill people. Probably if we are given resources to make our lives better, we might present more of a challenge to the mainstream. The middle-class people don't want to live alongside the mentally ill people. They want us to remain out of the gpicture. And I fear, that's the reality. Hate. 

---

Jack Bragen lives and writes in Martinez, California has written for several newspapers and magazines, and has books available on Amazon, including three fiction collections and a self-help manual. g

This month I have six mystery/thriller novels to recommend and one to avoid. 

(A) The Hunter -- Tana French (Five stars) 

A mystery set in a rural Irish village. The Hunter is my current candidate for “Mystery of the year.” 

This is the second Tana French novel set in mythical Ardnakelty. (It’s not necessary to read the first, “The Searcher,” to understand this sequel, but it would provide background.) The setting is important, and Tana French makes the hamlet come alive. 

Tana French reintroduces us to Cal Hooper, a retired Chicago cop who decided to relocate to Ardnakelty, his lover Lena, a rebellious widow, and Trey Reddy, s precocious fifteen-year girl that Cal and Lena have taken under their wing. The pace picks up when Trey’s roaming father, Johnny, returns and tries to involve the townspeople in an elaborate con. Then there’s a murder. 

I’ve read most of the Tana French novels and this is the best. Everything works. The characterization is superb. The use of dialect and description is spot on. The plot is rich and absorbing. A superb novel where each page demands our attention. 

 

(B) The Lantern’s Dance -- Laurie King (Five stars) 

A mystery set (primarily) in and around Paris. 

The 18^th Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes novel is very satisfying. As this series unfolded, Laurie King became the keeper of the Sherlock Holmes persona, and “The Lantern’s Dance” further elaborates Sherlock’s back story. 

The novel begins when Holmes and his wife, Mary Russell, show up at the residence of Holmes’ son, Damian, and find that he, his fiancé Aileen, and daughter Estelle, have fled in the aftermath of an attempted burglary. Holmes leaves to find them. Russell, incapacitated by a sprained ankle, stays behind and searches the residence for clues. She finds four ancient trunks filled with memorabilia left by Holmes granduncle, the painter Horace Vernet. Russell studies a mysterious journal whose entries are written in a sophisticated code. Because she is housebound, and bored, Russell spends days decoding the journal. What she finds tells us why Damian, and Holmes, are at risk. 

“The Lantern’s Dance” may be too sophisticated for today’s mystery audience. I hope not, because the novel is a splendid addition to the Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes series. 

 

 

(C) The Other Half -- Charlotte Vassell (5 stars) 

A police-procedural mystery set in London. 

Detective Inspector Caius Beauchamp sets out on his morning jog and stumbles over the body of beautiful Clemency (Clemmie) O’Hara. She was supposed to be attending the birthday party of her wealthy aristocratic boyfriend Rupert. Caius is assigned the case and realizes it has political complications. 

There’s a second plot. Clemmie has a rival, Helena (Nell) Waddingham. Nell was Rupert’s college schoolmate and he’s madly in love with her. After Clemmie’s death, Rupert begs Nell to marry him. (The readers don’t think she should because Rupert is not a nice person.) 

An ambitious mystery that includes romance and quite a bit of commentary on England’s class structure. (I’m sure I missed a significant portion of this.) 

 

(D) Listen for the Lie -- Amy Tintera (four stars) 

A mystery set in Plumpton Texas. 

After five years away from her hometown, Lucy returns for her grandmother’s 80th birthday party. Lucy fled after the murder of her best friend, Savvy. Lucy was found severely injured in the area where Savvy was killed. Even though she was covered in Savvy’s blood, Lucy was never arrested for the offense because she suffered a savage head injury and can’t remember what happened. However, her (ex)husband, mother, father, and most of the townspeople think she killed Savvy. 

"Listen for the Lie" could have been one more cliché “return to the scene of the unsolved murder” novel. Instead, it became a fun read because Amy Tintera has a fantastic sense of humor. 

 

(E) A Stranger in the Family -- Jane Casey (Four stars) 

A police-procedural mystery set in London. 

In the 11^th book in the series, DS Maeve Kerrigan investigates the murders of Helena and Bruce Marshall. 16 years before, their adopted daughter, Rosalie disappeared. To figure out who killed the Marshalls, Maeve must reopen the Rosalie investigation. Because this is a high-profile case, Maeve is part of an eight-person team led by DI Josh Derwent. 

“A Stranger in the Family” has two plots: the first is the investigation into the Marshall family tragedy. The second is the relationship between Maeve Kerrigan and Josh Derwent. The investigation plot gets 3.5 stars because it is too elaborate, and the characterizations don’t always work. The romance plot gets 5 stars because it’s very compelling. (Maeve can’t keep away from Josh even though her friends tell her it will never work.) 

 

(F) The Second Stranger -- Martin Griffin (4 stars) 

A chase thriller set in rural Scotland. 

As a fierce winter storm buffets the MacKinnon Hotel, Remie Yorke starts her (night) shift as the front-desk attendant. At the height of the storm, an injured policeman, Don Gaines, knocks on the hotel door; he says he was transporting a dangerous prisoner when there was an accident and the felon escaped. Remie settles the policeman and goes back to her post. A while later, another man comes to the front door comes to the front door. He also claims to be policeman Don Gaines. 

An ingenious thriller where Remie must decide which man is the real policeman and then get away from the murderous escapee. 

 

A Novel to Avoid: 

Three-Inch Teeth -- C.J. Box (Three stars) 

An outdoor thriller set in Saddlestring, Wyoming. 

This is the 24^th Joe Pickett book and I’ve read most of them. Game-warden Joe occupies a unique position in the thriller business: he’s not really a policeman so he carries an everyman persona as he battles evildoers in the Wyoming wild. As the series has progressed, readers have gotten to know Joe, his wife Marybeth, and his three daughters, particularly Sheridan. And we’ve grown fond of his super-hero buddy, Nate Romanowski, who often rescues Joe at the last minute. An enjoyable series. 

But not “Three-Inch Teeth.” The novel follows the expected route until the denouement when it goes off the rails. What happened? I’m being careful because I don’t want to give away crucial elements of the ending. “Three-Inch Teeth” has two problems: First the denouement is rushed; critical events are jammed together. Second, there is too much violence. It’s unexpected for a Joe Pickett novel and, I suspect, wildly out of place for Wyoming. 

Summary: If you want to read my book reviews, check out my FACEBOOK page: https://www.facebook.com/KateSwift.mysteries/ 

 

On Sunday afternoon, March 24, Japanese pianist Mitsuko Uchida, currently Artist in Residence at Cal Performances, performed two Mozart Piano Concertos at Zellerbach Hall. The concertos were No. 17 in G Major, K. 453, and No. 22 in E flat Major, K. 482. Mitsuko Uchida conducted the Mahler Chamber Orchestra from the piano. 

Over the years Mitsuko Uchida has established herself as perhaps the foremost interpreter of Mozart’s Piano Concertos. She has twice recorded the complete Mozart Piano Concertos, first in 1989 with the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Jeffrey Tate, and a second time 

in 2011-14 with the Cleveland Orchestra and Uchida conducting from the piano. Over time, Mitsuko Uchida has refined and expanded her pianistic interpretations of Mozart’s concertos. Listening to her early recordings of Mozart, I found her to be a sensitive interpreter, though perhaps overemphasising Mozart’s delicacy at the expense of his dramatic expressivity. In her later recordings of the Mozart Piano Concertos, Uchida pays more attention to dynamics, thus opening the way to greater dramatic expressivity. Likewise, on the two recent occasions when I’ve heard Mitsuko Uchida live here in Berkeley, she has definitely offered a more strenuous Mozart than in her early recordings. This ability to develop her interpretations over time is most welcome, and I’m sure Mitsuko Uchida will continue to delve ever deeper into Mozart’s wonderful Piano Concertos and Sonatas. 

Mozart wrote his Piano Concerto No. 17 in 1784 for his talented pupil Barbara “Babette” Plower, and this work premiered at a soirée in the Plower family home. Scored for a chamber ensemble 

including one flute, two oboes, two bassoons, two horns, and strings plus piano, this G Major Piano Concerto abounds in contrasts of darkness and light, with especial prominence given to the woodwinds, who provide the shadows in the opening movement. The second movement is an emotional and melancholy Andante, in which a five-measure theme is repeated five times in various instruments, each time ending abruptly on the dominant, thus posing a question, the answer to which is finally provided by the piano. The third and final movement offers a chirpy birdcall that reportedly was sung by a pet starling that Mozart bought when he heard it sing his music. Pianist Mitsuko Uchida excelled in this scintillating concerto. 

Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat Major, K. 482, which premiered in late December 1785, is one of the most widely popular of Mozart’s concertos. It opens with a dramatic flourish from trumpets and drums, which will be repeated many times in between ascending and descending runs by the piano. Conducting from the piano, Mitsuko Uchida emphasised the dynamic alternations of these interspersed passages from orchestra and solo piano. Here too Uchida honors both the dramatic expressivity and the delicacy of Mozart’s music. 

The second movement is a magnificent Andante, offering a plaintive meditation on the sorrows of life and death. Interestingly, as Janet E. Bedell indicates in program notes for this performance, at about the time of Mozart’s writing of this concerto, he wrote to his father that he had come to accept the prospect of death, even perhaps an early death, with acceptance and lack of fear. These very qualities are apparent in abundance throughout this marvellous slow movement, which offers plaintive passages for clarinets and horns and from a flute and bassoons. Mitsuko Uchida also performs delicate trills throughout this melancholy yet affirmative movement. 

The third and final movement opens with the solo piano performing a lively melody which is quickly taken up by the full orchestra. This tuneful rondo melody dominates the entire movement, although a slower-tempo minuet interlude occurs midway in this movement. When the opening rondo melody returns, this time in the bassoons and clarinets, the stage is set for a rousing and surprising closing statement in the piano accompanied by pizzicato in the strings. Mitsuko Uchida’s performance both as pianist and conductor was magisterial, and she and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra received a tumultuous standing ovation from the appreciative audience. 

In addition to the two Mozart Piano Concertos, this program offered a work by contemporary German composer Jörg Widmann, his Choral Quartet, Version for flute, oboe, bassoon, celesta and string orchestra. Inspired by Haydn’s The Seven Last Words of Christ, Widmann’s work features frequent pizzicato outbursts from the violas as dramatic punctuation. It proceeds in fits and starts with momentary silences as a formative element. This Widmann work was led by José Maria Blumenschein, concertmaster of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. 

Worth Noting:

City Council is on recess through May 6 with the next City Council meeting scheduled for May 7, 2024

Check the City website for late announcements and meetings posted on short notice at: https://berkeleyca.gov/

• MONDAY, April 1:
  • At 4 pm is Part 2 of the recreation activity “Design a Medicine Bag”.
  • At 7 pm the Personnel Board meets in person
• WEDNESDAY, April 3:
  • At 6 pm the Planning Commission meets in person and holds a public hearing on the Middle Housing Map.
  • At 6:30 pm the Board of Library Trustees meets in person on the FY 2025-2026 budget.
• THURSDAY, April 4:
  • At 7 pm the Housing Advisory Commission (HAC) meets in person on block grants.
  • The LPC is cancelled.
• SATURDAY, April 6: At 9:15 am is the Tree Planting at Aquatic Park.

Directions for activating show full transcript, saving transcripts and chat and converting YouTube videos into a transcript go to the end of this post.



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BERKELEY PUBLIC MEETINGS AND CIVIC EVENTS 

 

Sunday, March 31, 2024 – no city events found – Easter Sunday 

 

Monday, April 1, 2024 

 

DESIGN a MEDICINE BAG: Part 2 of FREE 2-PART ART WORKSHOP at 4 pm 

Location: at 1900 Sixth Street 

Use link for details and to register (medicine bag is for herbals and flowers) 

https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/events/design-medicine-bag-free-art-workshop 

 

PERSONNEL BOARD at 7 pm 

In-Person: at 1301 Shattuck, Live Oak Community Center, Fireside Room 

AGENDA: V. Recommendation to Revise Job Class Specification – Paramedic (R), VI. Recommendation to Revise Job Class Specification and Salary Range-Legislative Aide, VII. Recommendation to Approve New Personnel Rule 11.09 – Reinstatement of Sick Leave. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/personnel-board 

 

Tuesday, April 2, 2024 – no city meetings or events found 

 

Wednesday, April 3, 2024 

 

BOARD of LIBRARY TRUSTEES (BOLT) at 6:30 pm 

In-Person: 1125 University, West Branch Library 

AGENDA: III.A. Proposed Budget FY 2025 – 2026 – All Library Funds, B. Report on Community Survey and Recommended Action. 

https://www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org/about/board-library-trustees 

 

PLANNING COMMISSION at 6 pm 

In-Person: at 1901 Hearst, North Berkeley Senior Center  

AGENDA: Public Hearing on Middle Housing General Plan Map Amendment, 11. Discussion San Pablo Specific Plan. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/planning-commission 

 

Thursday, April 4, 2024 

 

HOUSING ADVISORY COMMISSION (HAC) at 7 pm 

In-Person: at 2939 Ellis, South Berkeley Senior Center 

AGENDA: 6. Receive Presentation from City of Berkeley Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funded subrecipient: Bay Area Community Services (BACS) North County Housing Resource Center Access Point, 7. Update on the Arts and Housing Subcommittee. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/housing-advisory-commission 

 

LANDMARKS PRESERVATION COMMISSION (LPC) - Cancelled 

 

Friday, April 5, 2024 – no city meetings or events found 

 

Saturday, April 6, 2024 

 

AQUATIC PARK TREE PLANTING at 9:15 am 

Location: at80 Bolivar Drive 

Use link for details and to register 

https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/events/aquatic-park-tree-planting 

 

Sunday, April 7, 2024 – no city meetings or events found 

 

+++++++++++++++++++ Land Use - Work Sessions - Special Meetings +++++++++++++++ 

 

LAND USE CALENDAR 

2113-2115 Kittredge (California Theater) 6/4/2024 

3000 Shattuck (construct 10-story mixed-use building) TBD 

WORK SESSIONS & SPECIAL MEETINGS: 

• May 21 at 4 pm (tentative)Inclusionary Housing In-Lieu Fee Feasibility Study
• October 22 Draft Waterfront Specific Plan

UNSCHEDULED WORK SESSIONS & SPECIAL MEETINGS 

• Demolition Ordinance - Zoning Amendments BMC 23.326 Demolition and Dwelling Unit Controls

• Ashby BART Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Berkeley – El Cerrito Corridor Access Plan Presentation
• Dispatch Needs Assessment Presentation
• Presentation on Homelessness/Re-Housing/Thousand-Person Plan (TBD regular agenda)

PREVIOUSLY LISTED WORKSESSIONS and SPECIAL MEETINGS REMOVED FROM LIST 

• Fire Department Standards of Coverage & Community Risk Assessment

PAST MEETINGS with reports worth reading: 

• May 16 - Fire Facilities Study Report, Wildfire Prevention Plan https://berkeleyca.gov/city-council-special-meeting-eagenda-may-16-2023-6-pm
• June 20 (WS) - Climate Action Plan & Resilience Update, Berkeley Economic Dashboards Update reports available https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas/city-council-2023-06-20

. 

++++ How to get on or off the Activist’s Calendar and Activist’s Diary email list ++++++++ 

 

Kelly Hammargren’s summary on what happened the preceding week is posted on the What Happened page at: https://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/what-happened.html and in the Berkeley Daily Planet https://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/ 

 

The Activist’s Calendar of meetings is posted on the What’s Ahead page at: https://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/whats-ahead.html 

 

If you would like to receive the Activist’s Calendar as soon as it is completed send an email to: kellyhammargren@gmail.com.If you want to receive the Activist’s Diary send an email to kellyhammargren@gmail.com. If you wish to stop receiving the weekly calendar of city meetings please forward the email you received to- kellyhammargren@gmail.com -with the request to be removed from the email list. 

 

+++++++++ HINTS for MANAGING CLOSED CAPTIONING and TRANSCRIPTS ++++++++ 

 

For ZOOM Meetings 

CLOSED CAPTIONING, SAVE TRANSCRIPT OVERVIEW, CHAT, DIRECTIONS and ZOOM SUPPORT LINKS: 

GENERAL
ZOOM has as part of the program -(for no extra cost)- Closed Captioning (CC). It turns computer voice recognition into a text transcript. Closed Captioning and show full transcript and the save option are only available when the person setting up the ZOOM meeting has activated these options. If you don’t see CC ask for it. If it can’t be activated for the current meeting ask for it for future meetings. 

 

The accuracy of the Closed Captioning is affected by background noise and other factors, The CC and transcript will not be perfect, but most of the time reading through it the few odd words, can be deciphered--for example "Shattuck" was transcribed as Shadow in one transcript. 

ATTENDEES 

For the online attendee, the full transcript is only available from the time the attendee activates Show Full Transcript. But if you sit through a meeting and then remember 10 minutes before it is over to click on Show Full Transcript you will only get the last 10 minutes, not the full transcript – So click often on both Save Transcript and on Save to Folder during the meeting for best results. 

 

When you click on Show Full Transcript it will allow you to scroll up and down, so if want to go back and see what was said earlier you can do that during the meeting while the transcript is running. 

 

At the bottom of the transcript when we as attendees are allowed to save there will be a button for, "Save Transcript," you can click on the button repeatedly throughout the meeting and it will just overwrite and update the full transcript. If you lose connection during a zoom meeting your transcript will be from when you started it to the last time you clicked on save transcript. Clicking on the Save Transcript repeatedly as the meeting is coming to an end is important because once the host ends the meeting, the transcript is gone if you didn't save it. 

 

Near the end of the meeting, after you click on "Save Transcript," click on "Save to Folder." The meeting transcript will show up (as a download to your desktop) in a separate box as a text file. (These text files are not large.) After you have done your last Save Transcript and Save to Folder (after the meeting is over) you can rename the new transcript folder on your computer, and save it (re-read or send or share it). 

 

Remember, allowing us attendees to save the meeting transcript does not require the public meeting host to save the transcript (for public record.) 

 

Saving CHAT: There are three dots at the bottom of the CHAT. If you click on these you should get a menu to save the CHAT. 

 

How to FLOAT / DETACH the CHAT or TRANSCRIPT from the ZOOM SCREEN so you can see one or both  

 

At the upper corner of the transcript and the chat there is a tiny box with an arrow. If you click on this the transcript and chat will pop out of being connected to the zoom screen. You can then move these on your screen for easier continuous viewing. 

 

If you activated the CHAT or the TRANSCRIPT and it has disappeared look for the header at the top of the zoom screen that says “exit full screen”. Click on that and you should see the CHAT or TRANSCRIPT again. 

 

Here is the link to ZOOM Support for attendees in how to save Closed Captions: 

https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/360060958752-Using-save-captions#h_01F5XW3BGWJAKJFWCHPPZGBD70 

 

FOR THE HOST Creating / Scheduling a ZOOM Meeting 

HOW TO SET UP TRANSCRIPTS, CLOSED CAPTIONING  

 

When scheduling a meeting go to “Settings” scroll down to “Automated Captions” and allow captions, then allow “Full Transcript” and “Save Captions”. Once you change these settings, they will stay as part of your profile. 

 

Here is the link to ZOOM Support for how to set up Closed Captioning for a meeting or webinar:
https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/8158738379917#h_01GHWATNVPW5FR304S2SVGXN2X 

 

How to convert a YouTube video into a transcript 

Open the website https://youtubetranscript.com/ 

Copy the YouTube url into the box with “enter a youtube url” and click on go https://youtubetranscript.com/ 

The transcript (not perfect, but very close) will appear instantaneously