Topic: Berkeley (California)

Change Agent Reduce, reuse, recycle – and repair: New York's Pop-Up Repair shop

New York City’s Pop-Up Repair shop was an experiment aimed at learning how break the cycle of use-and-discard goods.

Les Blank dies, leaving legacy of quirky documentary films

Les Blank dies: A documentary filmmaker, Les Blank made movies about garlic, gap-toothed women, Werner Herzog eating a shoe, and Dizzy Gillespie. Blank followed his instincts.

Evan Connell dies: Author penned book on Custer's Last Stand

Evan Connell dies: The acclaimed author of 'Son of the Morning Star' wrote over a dozen books. Evan Connell dies having written 'Mrs. Bridge' and 'Mr. Bridge,' about a Kansas City lawyer and his wife.

Change Agent The 'gift economy' offers a rule-breaking way to relate to others (+video)

What’s better than turning a profit by selling your work? Filmmakers, cafe owners, and even corporations like Panera Bread point to the satisfaction that comes with giving it away.

Difference Maker Ellen Calmus helps Mexican families cope with cross-border challenges

The Corner Project assists families with relatives in the US, ensuring, for example, that children of migrant workers born in the US are able to register for school or other services in Mexico.

Robert Reich Election 2012: A house divided

We come to the end of a bitter election feeling as if we’re two nations rather than one, Reich writes.

Energy Voices Can renewables prevent future blackouts from storms?

Solar, wind and other renewable energy sources could help homeowners avoid future blackouts from superstorms like Sandy. But the key to preventing blackouts is how the grid is connected.

Reverse brain drain: Poles circulate home and out again to Europe

In the global reverse brain drain, migrants begin to influence a frumpy, provincial Poland in everything from toilets to insurance coverage to workplace attitude.

Change Agent New California law kickstarts home-based food businesses

The California Homemade Food Act clears the way for home cooks to make and sell a wide range of products, such as jams and jellies, without the need to invest in commercial kitchen space or comply with zoning and other regulations.

Chapter & Verse Salman Rushdie thanks America's independent bookstores for support during fatwa

The letter of gratitude Salman Rushdie wrote to independent bookstores has been made into a poster that will be hung in some stores.

Progress Watch Smoking bans: Tobacco-free college campuses on rise in US

Many US college campuses are becoming tobacco-free as US schools institute total bans, indoors and out, on cigarettes and related products. Some smokers say the bans infringe on their choices.    

Most well-read cities: Three Virginia cities on Amazon top 20 list

Most well-read cities included Alexandria, Va., which came out ahead of Cambridge, Mass., and Berkeley, Calif., in the Amazon list. The top 5 most-well read cities also included Ann Arbor, Mich., and Boulder, Colorado.

Chapter & Verse Is Virginia really the best-read state in the nation?

The state also had more cities on Amazon's list of the top 20 most well-read areas than any other.

Obama backs gay marriage: How it plays with Christian church leaders (+video)

The response from Christian church leaders ranged from "giddy" to "deeply saddening" when asked about President Obama's new support of gay marriage. Will it fire up evangelical Christians to vote against Obama in November?

Falling commodity prices lower stocks

Falling commodity prices pushed stocks lower Wednesday. The Dow fell 71 points to close at 13126, and all three major indexes lost at least a half percent.

Readers Write: Pull the plug on electric car criticism

Letters to the Editor for the weekly print issue of March 26, 2012: Two writers argue that an op-ed critiquing electric cars for failing to reduce pollution is unfounded and outdated. Not so, responds the writer, citing another study.

Chapter & Verse Valentine's Day: Getting past Muslim romance stereotypes

'Love, InshAllah' challenges pre-conceived notions about Muslim women and love

Green Economics Can California meet its lofty energy goals?

By the year 2020, legislation requires that 33% of the California's power come from renewable sources, such as wind and solar. Can it be done?
12/23/2011 10:00 am

Columbus Day: What's open, what's closed, what's happening?

On Columbus Day, many Americans observe Christopher Columbus's discovery of the New World, which the explorer himself mistakenly thought was India. True, it's not the most exciting holiday on the calendar. It's not even observed in every state, which means Columbus Day comes with a lot of gray area about practical matters, such as who's working and who's not. Here's your practical guide to Columbus Day.
10/10/2011 12:42 pm

Difference Maker Judith Heumann: from 'fire hazard' to top advocate for disabled people

Judith Heumann learned early on that if she was going to be part of society she'd have to fight for the right.
10/03/2011 10:15 am

America's new culinary renaissance

We're becoming a nation of food fanatics, signing up for cooking classes, turning into gourmets in the kitchen, and making dining in or out the equivalent of a cultural event. Is America the new France?
07/09/2011 01:05 pm

In Pictures America's Food Renaissance

Supreme Court dismisses women's class action lawsuit against Wal-Mart

The Supreme Court decision, seen as a victory for Wal-Mart and corporate America, makes it more difficult for employees to join together in a common lawsuit unless they are able to identify a common injury.
06/20/2011 04:16 pm

Chapter & Verse Why I'm not upset that Seattle is ninth on Amazon's 'best-read' list

The number of books we buy is not the same thing as the number of books we read.
05/31/2011 12:57 pm

Amazon: the most well-read cities in America are also the most romantic

Amazon released its "Most Well-Read Cities in America" list this week and guess what? It mirrors its "Most Romantic Cities in America" list from 2010.
05/27/2011 03:39 pm