Palo Alto Weekly 10.01.2010 - Section 1 by Palo Alto Weekly

Palo Alto

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Time to move up final exams? Page 3

w w w.PaloA ltoOnline.com

Facebook hits the big screen Behind the scenes of the new movie ‘The Social Network’ page 23

1ST PLACE

This Saturday

Spectrum 14

Movies 25

Eating Out 29 N Cover

Puzzles 56

GENERAL EXCELLENCE California Newspaper Publishers Association

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Upfront

1ST PLACE

BEST LOCAL NEWS COVERAGE California Newspaper Publishers Association

Local news, information and analysis

Palo Alto examines finals before winter break Neighboring high schools shifted their calendars years ago by Chris Kenrick change in Menlo-Atherton High School’s academic calendar, shifting first-semester final exams from January to December, has been “very successful,” according to Steve Lippi, instructional vice-principal at the school. Now in its sixth year, the pre-winter-break exam schedule is popular with students, teachers and families

alike, Lippi said. “It’s been a win-win situation for everybody,” he said. As Palo Alto schools consider the contentious issue of shifting their own calendars to pre-break finals, officials from neighboring high schools said they do not recall the decision being terribly controversial in their own communities.

“Parents liked the idea of having finals finished before Christmas, and I don’t think the teachers minded it either,” Mountain View High School spokesperson Ginny Donaldson said. Both Mountain View and Los Altos high schools shifted their calendars about three years ago, she said. In Palo Alto, Superintendent Kevin Skelly has recommended a similar switch beginning in 2011. The Board of Education is set to take a final vote on Skelly’s proposal Nov. 9.

In the meantime, board members have urged citizens to weigh in by e-mailing their thoughts to calendar@pausd.org. District officials will track the comments and summarize them prior to the board’s Oct. 26 meeting. At Menlo-Atherton, the biggest drawback to the new calendar is that the first semester is “much shorter than the second semester, typically 82 days compared to 98,” Lippi said. “However, this is only a problem for semester-long classes, such as

Government and Econ. The great majority of our classes are yearlong, and therefore the fact that one semester is shorter than the other works its way out by the end of the school year,” he said. Other commonly cited difficulties — an earlier school-start date in August and stress-filled conflicts between finals and holiday music performances and other activities — have sorted themselves out, Lippi said. (continued on page 9)

LAND USE

Palo Alto to ask for $1.5 million for California Avenue Valley Transportation Authority grant could revitalize shopping district but would reduce street lanes to two by Sue Dremann

Vivian Wong

Playing around for kids’ health Actor Matthew McConaughey and San Francisco 49er Patrick Willis shake hands before taking the field with students from San Francisco 49ers Academy in East Palo Alto Tuesday. They emphasized to the kids the importance of daily exercise, nutrition and healthy activity. Watch the video at www.PaloAltoOnline.com.

LEGAL

Documents detail CalPERS’ $100 million Page Mill loss Pension fund had invested in Page Mill Properties of Palo Alto by Gennady Sheyner

n December 2008, about nine months before Page Mill Properties lost control of its 1,800 housing units in East Palo Alto, Warren Otto of Stockbridge Capital Group wrote an e-mail to Page

Mill Properties CEO David Taran asking him about a $50 million debt in Page Mill’s books. Otto had recently been hired by CalPERS, the nation’s largest retirement fund, to analyze Page Mill’s

East Palo Alto portfolio, which the Palo Alto-based company began accumulating in 2007. By late 2008, the company had steeply raised rents, displacing many of the residents in the Woodland Park neighborhood and enraging tenant activists. The Palo Alto-based company had also launched a flurry of lawsuits against East Palo Alto, challenging the city’s rent-control ordinance. CalPERS, which stands for California Public Employees’ Retirement System and provides retirement and health-benefit services to more than 1.6 million members, had invested $100 million in the Page

$1.5 million grant could transform California Avenue in Palo Alto into a Europeanstyle boulevard with two lanes, a park/plaza at the east end near the Caltrain station, additional landscaping, kiosks and a 20-seat miniplaza near Ash Street. The city plans to submit an application next Tuesday to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) for a Community Design for Transportation Grant, which is designed to help cities improve transit connections, calm traffic, promote bicycle and pedestrian uses and increase economic development. The city would add $500,000 in matching funds. The city previously applied for VTA funding in June and was turned down. The latest California Avenue streetscape plan — its eighth iteration— is based on feedback officials received during a Sept. 23 community meeting. The Palo Alto City

Council will hear an informational presentation on the plan and grant application on Monday night. The streetscape proposal adds “bulb outs” to extend the sidewalk in some places but does not uniformly widen the sidewalks. Shade trees could be added in places. An outdoor plaza with seating for up to 20 tables could be added west of Ash Street, Chief Transportation Official Jaime Rodriguez said Thursday. The plan would redesign diagonal parking at a 60-degree angle; cars currently park at 45 degrees. A 3-foot buffer zone between the cars and traffic lane would be added. Parking spaces would increase to 135 (from 111) with two loading zones. Each 16-foot traffic lane would be marked as a shared bike lane, he said. Colored crosswalks and parking areas would alter the “sea of asphalt” look of the current

Mill Properties II portfolio in 2006. As time wore on, however, it became concerned about Page Mill’s strategy and the fallout its investment has caused in the media and among tenants. As Otto began to comb through Page Mill’s numbers in 2008, the due date for a $50 million loan to Wachovia (which later was acquired by Wells Fargo) caught his attention. “David, I’d like to talk with you about the status of the debt on the portfolio whenever you have a minute,” Otto wrote. “If you have an abstract which summarizes the terms of the debt that would be helpful. If

not, I will need a copy of the debt documents. We are concerned about the $50 million of debt which apparently comes due before the term of the loan is over. Thanks.” The e-mail was one of hundreds of documents CalPERS was forced to release this week because of a legal challenge from the nonprofit group First Amendment Coalition. The 1,175 pages include business reports, Page Mill memorandums, complaints from Page Mill tenants and e-mail exchanges between CalPERS officials and Page Mill executives in the frantic months be-

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Upfront

FOOTHILL COLLEGE (Just Minutes from either Foothill Expwy or 280)

A SIX-WEEK INVESTMENT AND FINANCIAL PLANNING CLASS Wednesday evenings from 7:00 - 9:00 PM. It is better for you to register now, but you may also register the first evening of class on Oct. 13th. (Class #057). The cost is $49. No prior financial knowledge is required. To register call (408) 864-8817, or online, www.communityeducation.fhda.edu (in the Financial Planning section).

“Outstanding Course!” “I don’t want to exaggerate, but I truly believe this course has improved my life and my financial well-being. The instructors had an outstanding command of the material and presented it thoughtfully and with great humor & insight.”

Some of the Topics Are: $ HOW TO INVEST IN DIFFICULT TIMES $ STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESSFUL ESTATES $ THE BEST WAYS OF INVESTING IN REAL ESTATE $ ETFs, BONDS & MUTUAL FUNDS $ THE NEW WORLD OF TAXES $ THE UNKNOWN DANGERS OF TAX-FREE INCOME $ PROTECTING WEALTH & ASSETS IN TROUBLED TIMES $ MANAGING YOUR MONEY TO YOUR ADVANTAGE $ WHAT TO DO RIGHT NOW & FINANCIAL PLANNING $ HOW TO CHOOSE A TOP-NOTCH ADVISOR $ TURNING THE MOST COMMON FINANCIAL MISTAKES INTO PROFIT $ HOW TO PROPERLY INTEGRATE YOUR IRAs & 401(k)s $ ECONOMIC HEDGING & ASSET ALLOCATION $ HOW TO INVEST FOR/IN RETIREMENT $ AND MUCH, MUCH MORE ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTORS Steve Lewis is President of Lewis & Mathews Investment Management in Menlo Park. He is a college professor, investment counselor, Value Line award winner, financial author and has appeared on national radio and television. He is a past officer of the S.C. International Association of Financial planners and served on the National Academy Advisory Board. He has written for Money magazine and Dow Jones's Barron's. Jim Curran is a veteran of over 25 Years on Wall Street. He is President of Curran & Lewis Investment Management, Inc., in Menlo Park, a Wealth Manager Magazine top Wealth Management firm. He is Chief Portfolio Manager, and specializes in investment advice for individual investors, companies, and their officers. He is an accomplished and dynamic college and business lecturer.

The instructors have taught over 30,000 Northern Californians their money managing techniques. SOME COMMENTS FROM PAST CLASS MEMBERS:

“This course has been excellent, very informative and enlightening.” “...Very objective in presentation of material...” “I have looked forward to each class like opening a new package each week.” “The course exceeded my expectations.” “...A very helpful, well thought out, well presented course. I have recommended it to many people.” “Well done, informative, stimulating.” “Terrific! Loved the course.” “Your ability to take subject matter and make it understandable commands my highest respect.” THIS IS THE ONLY AD THAT WILL APPEAR FOR THIS COURSE. PLEASE CUT OUT AND BRING TO CLASS (This space donated to Foothill College. Not paid with tax dollars.)

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450 CAMBRIDGE AVE, PALO ALTO, CA 94306 (650) 326-8210 PUBLISHER William S. Johnson EDITORIAL Jay Thorwaldson, Editor Jocelyn Dong, Managing Editor Carol Blitzer, Associate Editor Keith Peters, Sports Editor Tyler Hanley, Express™ and Online Editor Rebecca Wallace, Arts & Entertainment Editor Rick Eymer, Assistant Sports Editor Chris Kenrick, Gennady Sheyner, Staff Writers Sue Dremann, Staff Writer, Special Sections Editor Karla Kane, Editorial Assistant Veronica Weber, Staff Photographer Dale Bentson, Colin Becht, Peter Canavese, Kit Davey, Iris Harrell, Sheila Himmel, Kevin Kirby, Jack McKinnon, Renata Polt, Jeanie Forte Smith, Susan Tavernetti, Robert Taylor, Contributors Sally Schilling, Georgia Wells, Editorial Interns DESIGN Shannon Corey, Design Director Raul Perez, Assistant Design Director Linda Atilano, Diane Haas, Scott Peterson, Paul Llewellyn, Senior Designers Gary Vennarucci, Designer PRODUCTION Jennifer Lindberg, Production Manager Dorothy Hassett, Samantha Mejia, Blanca Yoc, Sales & Production Coordinators ADVERTISING Walter Kupiec, Vice President, Sales & Marketing Judie Block, Esmeralda Flores, Janice Hoogner, Gary Whitman, Display Advertising Sales Neil Fine, Rosemary Lewkowitz, Real Estate Advertising Sales David Cirner, Irene Schwartz, Inside Advertising Sales Cathy Norfleet, Display Advertising Sales Asst. Diane Martin, Real Estate Advertising Assistants Alicia Santillan, Classified Administrative Asst. EXPRESS, ONLINE AND VIDEO SERVICES Rachel Palmer, Online Operations Coordinator Rachel Hatch, Multimedia Product Manager BUSINESS Penelope Ng, Payroll & Benefits Manager Elena Dineva, Mary McDonald, Cathy Stringari, Susie Ochoa, Doris Taylor, Business Associates ADMINISTRATION Amy Renalds, Assistant to the Publisher & Promotions Director Janice Covolo, Receptionist Ruben Espinoza, Courier EMBARCADERO MEDIA William S. Johnson, President Michael I. Naar, Vice President & CFO Walter Kupiec, Vice President, Sales & Marketing Frank A. Bravo, Director, Information Technology & Webmaster Connie Jo Cotton, Major Accounts Sales Manager Bob Lampkin, Director, Circulation & Mailing Services Alicia Santillan, Circulation Assistants Chris Planessi, Chip Poedjosoedarmo, Computer System Associates The Palo Alto Weekly (ISSN 0199-1159) is published every Friday by Embarcadero Media, 450 Cambridge Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306, (650) 3268210. Periodicals postage paid at Palo Alto, CA and additional mailing offices. Adjudicated a newspaper of general circulation for Santa Clara County. The Palo Alto Weekly is delivered free to homes in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley, East Palo Alto, to faculty and staff households on the Stanford campus and to portions of Los Altos Hills. If you are not currently receiving the paper, you may request free delivery by calling 326-8210. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Palo Alto Weekly, P.O. Box 1610, Palo Alto, CA 94302. Copyright ©2010 by Embarcadero Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. Printed by SFOP, Redwood City. The Palo Alto Weekly is available on the Internet via Palo Alto Online at: www.PaloAltoOnline.com Our e-mail addresses are: editor@paweekly.com, letters@paweekly.com, ads@paweekly.com. Missed delivery or start/stop your paper? Call 650 326-8210, or e-mail circulation@paweekly. com. You may also subscribe online at www.PaloAltoOnline.com. Subscriptions are $60/yr.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK

‘‘

Invites you to join us on the main campus – Room 5015

It’s not an experiment to her; it’s her life.

— Tekla Nee, mother of three students in the district, on switching first-semester final exams from January to December. See story on page 3.

Around Town BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSES ... Residents in one of Palo Alto’s wealthiest and most scenic neighborhoods have a loud message for city officials: Stop fiddling with our zoning laws! The city is contemplating establishing maximum house sizes for the Open Space (OS) zone district in the Palo Alto foothills. A year ago, the City Council had adopted new limits on development density in the leafy and isolated neighborhood, much to the consternation of some residents. Now, foothills residents are revolting against the latest proposals, which they claim leaves them mired in long-term uncertainty. Earlier this year, they boycotted a meeting with planning staff to discuss the proposed changes and told staff they are no longer interested in participating (only one resident showed up at the February meeting, and then quickly left). The Planning and Transportation Commission had recommended against setting maximum housing limits because the city already has other processes to make sure the hillside mansions don’t interfere too much with the scenic views of the foothills. The City Council is scheduled to consider the matter on Monday night. This week, a group of foothills residents called Palo Altans Protecting Opens Space (PAPOS) has sent a letter to the council reemphasizing its contempt with the city’s “seemingly endless” zone changes. “Many of your constituents are now frustrated and angry by continuous review of the District’s zoning ordinance, and the astonishing number of public meetings in which we have needed to participate,” wrote resident Cathy Cartmell on behalf of PAPOS. More than 70 residents had also signed petitions urging the council to drop the latest proposal. The petitions note that the OS district has just 79 homes and that the proposed changes are projected to impact five to 10 properties over the next 20 years. “Is this the prudent use of Council and City staff time and resources??” the petition asks.

Address: _______________________________ City/Zip: _______________________________ Mail to: Palo Alto Weekly, P.O. Box 1610. Palo Alto CA 94302

MOVING ON UP ... As fans of “The Office” can testify, a little preposition can make a big difference when it comes to job

titles. Dwight Schrute, whose official title was “assistant to the regional manager” was routinely corrected when he wishfully tried to condense it to “assistant regional manager.” In Palo Alto, one member of the City Manager’s Office is jumping ship to Hayward in order to shed that pesky “to.” Kelly Morariu, who has served as assistant to the city manager since 2006, will leave Palo Alto and become Hayward’s assistant city manager in late October. Morariu’s responsibilities included organizing the City Council’s labyrinthine work plan; reinstituting the Citizen Corps Council; and adopting the Foothills Fire Management Plan. City Manager James Keene said his office “will really miss Kelly and wish her all the best.” He also suggested in a statement that Morariu’s job title could see further condensing in the years ahead. “Kelly is on the path to become a City Manager and this is an important next step in her career,” Keene said. CALIFORNIA VS. TEXAS ... What’s a good way to persuade Palo Alto residents to oppose a California proposition? Link it to Texas. That, at least, is what opponents of Proposition 23 are banking on. This month, the “No on Proposition 23” campaign set up a fake oil rig on the 3400 block of El Camino Real, near Margarita Avenue, with the sign “Stop Texas Oil: Hell NO on Prop 23.” The campaign had also opened an office on El Camino. If Proposition 23 passes, California would have to suspend the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, which regulates greenhouse-gas emissions, until its unemployment rate dips to 5.5 percent. Backers of Proposition 23 include Texas oil giants Valero Corp. and Tesoro Corp. The Palo Alto City Council had unanimously passed a resolution earlier this week opposing Proposition 23. N

Upfront

News Digest

PUBLIC SAFETY

Caltrain posts new suicide-prevention signs

Police investigate four indecent exposures in a week

Hotline calls to be tracked as part of nationwide study on signs’ effectiveness by Chris Kenrick uicide-prevention signs along the Caltrain tracks will be updated as part of a nationwide study on whether they are effective. Caltrain will spend $110,000 to erect 250 new “There is Help” signs along a 10-mile stretch that includes Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Mountain View, Caltrain spokeswoman Christine Dunn said. Calls to the crisis hotline number on the signs will be tracked in an attempt to measure whether the signs actually help to prevent suicides. The phone number listed on the signs belongs to Youth and Family Enrichment Services of San Carlos, Dunn said. The initiative is part of a larger study by the American Association of Suicidology to measure the effectiveness of suicide-prevention signs. The study also includes signs along train rights-of-way on the East Coast, Dunn said. The new signs, which were unveiled this week, replace an older set of signs along Caltrain’s rightof-way that offered the crisis hotline number 1-800-SUICIDE. “One of the problems with that is that, with some of the new cell phones that’s no longer useful be-

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roadway, he said. He estimated the total cost would be $1.7 million. Three other improvements would require separate funding: street resurfacing costs $500,000 and is funded already to take place in the next two years; lighting costs $500,000. A permeable-paving area for the diagonal parking that could reduce contaminated water from the street draining into the San Francisco Bay would cost $400,000, he said. City officials are also considering additional parking structures on side streets, but that concept has not reached the costs or locations stage, he said. Rodriguez said the council could direct staff to hold off on improvements, in which case the grant application would be withdrawn. Some residents and business owners who turned out to a community meeting Sept. 23 gave the plan a yellow light and urged the city to slow down. Reducing the street from four lanes to two is a major sticking point, they said, expressing fears of traffic backups as cars attempt to pull in and out of the diagonal parking spaces. The city has asserted that reducing the number of lanes would slow down traffic and make the area more pedestrian and bike friendly.

Courtesy of Caltrain

California Ave.

New signs were unveiled this week along the Caltrain tracks as part of a national suicide-prevention study. cause they don’t have the letters on (the keys) so it’s of no benefit. “Also, this time we’ve partnered with a local crisis-intervention center to take the calls, and that enables us to track them and determine whether the signs are effective or not,” Dunn said. A “very small number” of local suicides actually are committed in the Caltrain corridor, but the agency is trying to do its part in what is a community-wide problem, Dunn

said. Of the 299 suicides logged in San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties from 2006 to 2008, 27 were on the Caltrain tracks, she said. In the aftermath of five Palo Alto student suicides on the tracks from May 2009 to January 2010, Caltrain has worked with Palo Alto’s Project Safety Net as well as with suicideprevention authorities in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. N

Some people last week also questioned the feasibility of trying to “brand” California Avenue as a destination-shopping district, similar to University Avenue. The mix of stores serve local residents and would attract few outside shoppers, they said. “California Avenue is the last local downtown of Palo Alto. It would be nice to have something smaller scale and more personal,” said William, a resident who asked not to be identified with his last name. Other people felt the plan caters to vehicles, not pedestrians. “I like the idea of getting parking off California Avenue — period. It’s short-sighted to approach with a carcentric concept,” Becky Fuson said. A more “long-lived idea” should be developed with “a more human scale,” she said. But others said the four-lane concept is outdated and they did not agree with fears that two lanes would jam up traffic or be any more dangerous to pedestrians. James Cook said he liked the idea of beautifying the area. “It has a tired look. The four lanes must be a remnant of another time. It’s like a freeway look,” he said. Some residents of the adjacent Evergreen Park neighborhood said they welcome the changes and questioned some assertions that “if it isn’t broken, you shouldn’t fix it.” “We need a more pleasant place to visit. Beautifying the street has got to be a goal. We should be careful.

We don’t want to kill this thing. To say it’s not broken — I would question that,” a resident said. But Terry Holzemer, of the Palo Alto Central Homeowners Association near the Caltrain station, said a survey of residents there found people did not want to change the four-lane configuration. Bikes sharing lanes with cars is “a recipe for disaster,” he said. Rodriguez said the Architectural Review Board, Planning and Transportation Commission and City Council still must review the concepts this fall and could modify the designs. Other municipalities have converted shopping districts form four lanes to two, including Menlo Park, Los Altos and Mountain View. Those cities had greater retail sales afterward and were satisfied with traffic flows and pedestrian and bike safety, Palo Alto Chief Planning Official Julie Caporgno said. Rodriguez said a thorough traffic analysis is expected next year. Updated drawings of the plan will be posted this week on www.CityofPaloAlto.org by searching under “California Avenue.” The survey of other cities can be viewed on the same page by finding “General Public Meeting - September 9, 2010” and clicking on “economic survey data.” N Staff Writer Sue Dremann can be e-mailed at sdremann@paweekly.com.

Four reports of indecent exposure in the past week have Palo Alto police on alert. Although one person has already been arrested, police believe there is a second, unrelated suspect still on the loose, according to Palo Alto police Agent Kara Salazar. The first incident was reported Tuesday (Sept. 21) at 7:35 a.m. in the 200 block of Stanford Avenue when a man allegedly exposed himself to an unidentified victim. On Thursday (Sept. 23) at 8:15 a.m., a similar exposure occurred at Birch Street and Oxford Avenue, just two blocks away from Stanford Avenue, police said. The third exposure was reported Saturday (Sept. 25) at 6:30 p.m. at Bol Park, 3590 Laguna Ave., Palo Alto. Police “flooded the area” and arrested 47-year-old Reducindo Sandoval of East Palo Alto, who was positively identified. Sandoval was booked into the San Jose Main Jail. The most recent incident was reported Monday (Sept. 27) at 9:15 a.m. on the foot path near Terman Middle School. The suspect is described as a Hispanic male, 20 to 30 years old, 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing approximately 180 to 200 pounds. N — Tyler Hanley

Pardee Park trees deemed hazardous Ten mature eucalyptus trees in Eleanor Pardee Park are in poor condition and should be removed, according to an independent arborist’s report. The City of Palo Alto hired the consultant to determine the safety and condition of four manna gums (Eucalyptus viminalis) and five blue gums (Eucalyptus globulus) that surround the children’s play area. Sixteen trees attracted attention after several large limbs suddenly crashed to the pavement in January, nearly striking a man who was strolling near the park. The city removed five trees earlier this year after they were determined to be hazards. A sixth tree is scheduled for removal in a few weeks, now that nesting birds have vacated the tree, according to Paul Dornell, assistant director of public works operations. Residents’ groups have come out strongly on both sides of the issue, with some demanding removal of all 16 trees and others for their preservation. Torrey Young, registered consulting arborist for Dryad LLC of Castro Valley, gave a presentation to about 25 residents on Sept. 23 at Lucie Stern Community Center regarding his findings. The conclusion: All 10 trees pose a hazard to residents and property and should be removed. Most conditions cannot be remedied and stopgap measures are minimal, he said. The trees currently have a significant potential for failure of smaller limbs and branches and potential for larger limbs and stems to fail, he said. The city has not yet made a decision regarding immediate or phased removal. “Staff will now meet to quickly develop a work plan and present that plan to senior management,” Dornell said. N — Sue Dremann

Judge dismisses Victor Frost ‘cussing’ charge A Santa Clara County Superior Court judge dismissed a misdemeanor charge for disturbing the peace against well-known Palo Alto panhandler Victor Frost on Monday (Sept. 27). But, Frost will appear in court again on Oct. 4 to continue his challenge against the city for citations that he allegedly violated the city’s sit-lie ordinance. The city issued 12 citations but reduced the number to six. Last week Senior Assistant City Attorney Donald Larkin said the city would seek to reduce the six charges, which are misdemeanors, to infractions. Frost said he does not want the charges reduced — infractions would mean his case would not be heard before a jury — because he wants his day in court. Frost was arrested Sept. 22, 2009, for allegedly shouting racial epithets at a homeless amputee near Whole Foods Market on Homer Avenue. He was charged with disturbing the peace and using “words likely to produce an immediate violent reaction.” If convicted, he could have received six months in jail, according to Palo Alto police. Judge Julia Emede dismissed the charge this morning for lack of evidence, according to court papers. Frost maintained the man was stealing money out of his collection bowl when he left his usual panhandling spot across the street from Whole Foods for a brief period. Frost left his usual seat across Homer Avenue for an hour or two, at which time another panhandler, an African-American amputee in a wheelchair, claimed the spot, police spokesman Sgt. Dan Ryan said at the time of the arrest. Frost returned and allegedly shouted at the man. A woman called police when she saw Frost berating the man, Ryan said. N — Sue Dremann LET’S DISCUSS: Read the latest local news headlines and talk about the issues at Town Square at www.PaloAltoOnline.com

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Upfront

FALL RUMMAGE SALE WOODSIDE VILLAGE CHURCH

COMMUNITY

Oct. 7, Thursday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Outside only 8 a.m.

Black & White Ball to be held Saturday

650.851.1587

RAIN OR SHINE

The Bowman program builds confidence, creativity and academic excellence.

Fundraising dinner dance takes a masquerade theme by Karla Kane hat do Michael Jackson, masked merrymakers, a prized diamond and support for local nonprofits have in common? Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all part of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Palo Alto Black & White Ball. The biennial dinner dance and community fundraiser, spearheaded by the Palo Alto Recreation Foundation, will be held Saturday (Oct. 2) from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Lucie Stern Community Center, 1305 Middlefield Road. Dancing, dining and schmoozing for a good cause are all on the eveningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agenda, along with a silent auction and a chance to win a valuable gem. The theme for 2010 is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Masked Ball.â&#x20AC;? Attendees are given a black mask with ticket purchase and invited to customize it with as much flair as they wish â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or wear it as is. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy for people to participate in but allows for a lot of creativity and adds a little mystery,â&#x20AC;? Marketing and PR Chair Wynn Hausser said of the mask theme. Black-and-white formal wear is encouraged but not required. Co-chair Pat Emslie said the decorations will reflect the theme by representing cultures and areas of the world that traditionally hold masquerades, including New Orleans, Brazil and Venice (complete with gondola and singing gondolier). Gourmet food from about 40 local restaurants will be offered, including dishes from MacArthur Park, The Oaxacan Kitchen, Mantra, Bodeguita Del Medio, La Morenita and many others (a complete list is online at www.thepaloaltoblackandwhiteball.org/restaurants/). Highlights include fresh oysters from The Fish Market and hand-rolled truffles from Sweets by Sue. One lucky attendee will score a sparkly treasure with his or her glass of bubbly. Palo Altoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gleim the Jeweler has once again donated a diamond, and $35 buys a glass of champagne and chance at winning the gem. Entertainment for the evening will be featured on three stages (located outdoors on the patio and amphithe-

Courtesy of Palo Alto Recreation Foundation

Oct. 8, Friday 9 a.m. - noon Outside only 8 a.m. Everything Â˝ price â&#x20AC;?Dollar-a-Bagâ&#x20AC;? Sale 11 a.m. - noon Church Grounds 3154 Woodside Road Woodside

While 2008â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Black & White Ball, also held in the Lucie Stern ballroom, was enhanced by plaid, this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theme is a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Masked Ball.â&#x20AC;? ater, and indoors in the ballroom). Headliner Foreverland, a 14-piece Michael Jackson tribute act, will perform classic hits from the King of Pop from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., alongside the funk and soul music of local group BASSment from 7 to 9:30 p.m., the rhythm and blues of The Fabulous Hummerz in the ballroom from 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. and spun selections by DJ Audio Hermit late into the evening. Fans of Celtic music can look forward to a performance by The San Francisco Scottish Fiddlers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had the fiddlers a few years ago and they were so popular people really wanted them back for a repeat performance,â&#x20AC;? Emslie said. The event is a city tradition since

1987, when the Palo Alto Recreation Foundation was formed and the first Black & White Ball held as a means to save the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic May Fete childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parade (then endangered due to budget cuts). The ball was a hit, and nearly 1,500 are expected to attend this year, according to Hausser. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Last time we raised around $70,000 (after production costs) and we hope to again,â&#x20AC;? Emslie said. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beneficiaries include Youth Community Service (YCS), the Recreation Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Middle School Athletics Program, the Palo Alto Library Foundation, the Palo Alto Family YMCA and Partners in Education (PiE). The Palo Alto Weekly/Palo Alto Online is the media sponsor of the event. Tickets are $135 per person (to entice a younger crowd, people age 35 and under get in for only $90). Ticket costs are tax deductible and can be purchased online via PayPal, in person at the Lucie Stern Community Center (including the night of the event), or by telephone at 650463-4900. There will be no parking available at the venue. Shuttles will run from the Palo Alto High School parking lot to Lucie Stern Community Center. More information, including video of an artist decorating her mask for the event, is available at www.thepaloaltoblackandwhiteball.org. N Editorial Assistant Karla Kane can be e-mailed at kkane@ paweekly.com.

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Moonlight Run breaks attendance records The 26th annual Palo Alto Weekly Moonlight Run and Walk drew nearly 4,000 participants to the Baylands Friday evening (Sept. 24) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a record number. Eighteen people traveled from Nevada, four from Washington and even several from the East Coast. The event kicks off fundraising for the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund. Results from the race are posted at changeofpace.com.

Upfront PUBLIC SAFETY

Palo Alto to push fire safety Local and national efforts underway to shift to more-effective photoelectric alarms

by Georgia Wells n July, Albany, Calif., became taken the batteries out of alarms,” the first U.S. city to require Simpkinson said. photoelectric smoke alarms His push to encourage residents in all homes sold, rented or reno- to buy photoelectric alarms comes vated. Vermont instituted a similar at the start of National Fire Prevenrequirement statewide in 2009. tion Week, which kicks off Sunday, Now Gordon Simpkinson, Palo the 139th anniversary of the Great Alto’s acting fire marshall, says he Chicago Fire. In observation of the may propose that Palo Alto adopt a week, Palo Alto firefighters will be similar requirement, replacing the promoting alarm information at sevolder ionization alarms in common eral locations in the city. use today. His push also is aligned with a Photoelectric alarms emit a beam national effort to promote photoof light that activates the alarm electric alarms, a campaign rooted when disturbed. Older ionization in tragedy. alarms have an electric current that, Leaders Dean Dennis and Doug when disturbed, sounds the alarm. Turnbull both lost their college-age Ionization alarms contain a tiny daughters to fires in off-campus amount of radioactive material and housing at Ohio and Miami univercost less than photoelectric. sities, respectively. Andrea Dennis, They also, however, take longer was killed in an off-campus housing than photoelectric alarms to detect fire near Ohio University April 13, “smolder fires” because of how they 2003, and Julie Turnbull was killed detect smoke particles. in off-campus housing near Miami “There are about 300 deaths in the University April 10, 2005. U.S. each year because an ionization Dennis and Turnbull have spent fire alarm takes too long to sound,” years researching fire-alarm safety Simpkinson said. and effectiveness. But their tendency for false or “I’d like to think that Andrea and “nuisance” alarms (from cooking Julie didn’t die in vain,” Dennis fumes) is an even greater danger said Sept. 22 as he presented their because about 22 percent of Ameri- research showing the superiority of cans will disable their alarms. photoelectric alarms at the Califor“That’s perhaps another 1,000 nia Fire Chiefs annual conference. deaths annually because people have When the National Institute of

Fire Prevention Week What: The Palo Alto Fire Department will hand out photoelectricalarm informational flyers, host fire-safety activities and open their fire trucks for photos Cost: Free When: Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to noon Where: California Avenue Farmers Market (starts at 9 a.m.), Town & Country Village and Charleston Shopping Center When: Oct. 9 from 10 a.m. to noon Where: Lytton Plaza, Midtown Plaza Shopping Center and Midtown Safeway

Standards and Technology tested the alarms in smoldering fires, they found significant time differences, Dennis said. One scenario included a cigarette smoldering on a firstfloor sofa of a home. “By the time the photoelectric alarm sounded people on the second floor of the home would have had 54 minutes to exit safely. They would have had only 16 seconds to exit the house after the ionization alarm sounded,” Dennis said. Simpkinson said he hopes that if the campaign for requiring photoelectric alarms starts in Palo Alto that, in combination with Albany, the issue will get noticed at the state level. “I’d much rather see a standardized approach statewide,” Simpkinson said. N Information about fire alarms is available at www.cityofpaloalto. org/fire. Editorial Intern Georgia Wells can be e-mailed at gwells@ paweekly.com.

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Pauline W. Chen, a liver transplant and liver cancer surgeon, is the author of Final Exam: A Surgeon’s Reflections on Mortality, a New York Times bestseller. Dr. Chen graduated from Harvard University and Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, completing her surgical training at Yale University, the National Cancer Institute (NIH), and UCLA, where she was most recently a faculty member in the Department of Surgery. In 1999, she was named UCLA Outstanding Physician of the Year. She has been nominated for a National Magazine Award, has written for numerous publications, including The New York Times, and speaks regularly to medical and general audiences across the country.

TENAN

Residential & Commercial

20th Annual Jonathan J. King Lectureship Monday October 11, 2010 5:30 pm Li Ka Shing Center: Paul Berg Hall Stanford School of Medicine A gifted computer scientist by profession, but a philosopher by inclination, Jonathan J. King was above all a humanist with a deep concern for the dignity of individuals. Jonathan King died of cancer on April 8, 1991, at the age of 41. This lectureship was established in his honor, to encourage the compassionate and humane care of all patients.

Free Admission Open to the Public For more information, go to http://bioethics.stanford.edu, email pbailey@stanford.edu , or call (650) 723-5760

Upfront

L AN D S M

Doctor and Patient: Lost in Translation

PES SE

C ES VI

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Online This Week

These and other news stories were posted on Palo Alto Online throughout the week. For longer versions, go to www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news or click on “News” in the left, green column.

Local celebs pick top teachers in campaign Actor and writer James Franco and Football Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young of Palo Alto posed with favorite teachers in a nationwide “Teachers Count” campaign to lift the status of the teaching profession. (Posted Sept. 29 at 5:33 p.m.)

Attempted homicide in Mountain View A local man, with the aid of a friend, was able to get himself to the hospital Saturday night (Sept. 25) after a group of teens beat him and stabbed him multiple times with a screwdriver in Mountain View, police said. (Posted Sept. 29 at 5:09 p.m.)

Honoring a PreSchool matriarch Children and their parents flooded to Greendell School in Palo Alto Saturday evening (Sept. 25) to honor Eleanora Jadwin, a longtime teacher and director of Palo Alto’s PreSchool Family program. (Posted Sept. 29 at 10:07 a.m.)

L U C I L E PA C K A R D

C H I L D R E N ’ S H O S P I TA L

Rail officials wrestle with ‘conflict’ finding Two members of the California High-Speed Rail Authority board of directors could be serving on the board in violation of a state law governing conflicts of interest, according to a letter from the state Legislative Counsel Bureau. (Posted Sept. 29 at 9:46 a.m.)

Stanford study links eating disorders and cutting

Your Child’s Health University Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital offers classes and seminars designed to foster good health and enhance the lives of parents and children.

Doctors treating youths with eating disorders may be neglecting to diagnose accompanying self-injurious behavior such as cutting, a new Stanford University and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital study indicates. (Posted Sept. 28 at 3:10 p.m.)

City of Palo Alto now accepting ‘Bling’ Palo Altans paying their utility bills or parking tickets at City Hall can now pull out some Bling instead of cash, checks or credit cards.

ALL ABOUT PREGNANCY We will oﬀer an overview of pregnancy for the newly pregnant or soon-to-be pregnant couple. The program will include the physical and emotional changes of pregnancy, comfort measures for pregnancy, fetal development and growth, pregnancy testing, life changes and much more. This is a free seminar however space is limited. - Tuesday, November 9: 7:00 – 9:00 pm

(Posted Sept. 28 at 3:07 p.m.)

Palo Alto will still publish agendas — but shorter Palo Alto will continue to publish City Council agendas in a local newspaper, though these agendas will soon look a little slimmer and much less formal, the council voted 7-2 Monday night. (Posted Sept. 28 at 11:58 a.m.)

CHILD CPR & FIRST AID Designed for parents and care-givers of children 1 year of age to adolescence, this class will cover cardio-pulmonary resuscitation techniques, choking and ﬁrst aid for common childhood injuries. - Saturday, November 13: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

FETAL AND MATERNAL HEALTH As part of the Packard Children’s Anniversary Lecture Series please join us for tea and a special presentation by Dr. Susan Hintz, Medical Director, Packard Center for Fetal and Maternal Health, and learn more about this unique oﬀering of comprehensive services and support for complex fetal patients, expectant mothers and families. To reserve a space for this free lecture, please visit our online calendar. - Sunday, November 14: 3:00 pm

PEDIATRIC WEIGHT CONTROL PROGRAM Join us for a family-based, behavioral and educational weight management program that promotes healthy eating and exercise habits for overweight children and their families. More than 80% of children achieve long-term weight loss through this program – and parents lose weight too! - New sessions begin soon. For more information call (650) 725–4424.

Call (650) 723-4600 or visit www.calendar.lpch.org to register or obtain more information on the times, locations and fees for these and other courses.

Woodside High School is cast in an unflattering spotlight this week with the nation-wide opening of the documentary “Waiting for Superman,” a portrait of a troubled U.S. public school system. The movie has been commented on by President Obama and promoted by “Oprah.” (Posted Sept. 28 at 9:13 a.m.)

Palo Alto weighs in on state propositions Palo Alto officials support a state proposition barring California legislators from taking local funds and oppose initiatives that would suspend a bill curbing greenhouse-gas emissions and requiring a twothirds vote for new fees. (Posted Sept. 28 at 12:08 a.m.)

Palo Alto’s landfill may stay open until 2015 Park lovers anxiously awaiting the closure of Palo Alto’s nearly full landfill in the Baylands may now have to wait until 2015 before the controversial facility reaches its capacity, according to a new report. (Posted Sept. 27 at 4:44 p.m.)

Garden-hose-wielding workers help control fire Alert workmen who tried to put smoldering roof rafters out with a garden hose on Monday afternoon kept a smoky attic house fire from potentially destroying a home in Palo Alto’s Midtown area. Editor’s note: There is a video that accompanies this story online. (Posted Sept. 27 at 2:32 p.m.)

Stanford study: Progress on treating paralysis

L U C I L E PA C K A R D

Nerve cells coated with light-sensitive proteins may hold the key to restoring movement in paralyzed limbs, a new study from Stanford University’s schools of medicine and engineering suggests. (Posted Sept.

C H I L D R E N’S

Landmark tunnel under Bay breaks ground

H O S P I T A L V I S I T W W W. L P C H . O R G TO S I G N U P F O R C L A S S E S Page 8ÊUÊ"VÌ LiÀÊ£]ÊÓä£äÊUÊ*> Ê Ì Ê7ii Þ

‘Superman’ hits Woodside High School

27 at 8:44 a.m.)

A $347 million water tunnel — the first to be built underneath the San Francisco Bay — broke ground early Friday afternoon (Sept. 24) in Menlo Park and was celebrated by more than 100 people. The Bay Tunnel is part of the larger regional $4.6 billion Hetch Hetchy Water System Improvement Program. (Posted Sept. 25 at 12:21 a.m.)

Upfront

CityView A round-up of

Palo Alto government action this week

City Council (Sept. 27)

High-speed rail: The council voted to send a letter to the Federal Railroad Administration asking the agency not to fund the high-speed rail project. Yes: Unanimous Propositions: The council voted to support state Proposition 22 and to oppose Propositions 23 and 26. They also voted to support the Santa Clara County Measures A, B, C and E. Yes: Unanimous Proposition 19: The council voted not to recommend a stance on Proposition 19, which would legalize and tax marijuana in California. Yes: Burt, Espinosa, Klein, Scharff, Schmid, Shepherd No: Holman, Price Abstained: Yeh Agendas: The council voted to retain the city’s policy of publishing agendas in a local newspaper of general circulation, but decided to shorten these agendas and to include links to the city’s website. Yes: Burt, Espinosa, Holman, Scharff, Schmid, Shepherd, Yeh No: Klein, Price

Board of Education (Sept. 28)

Construction at JLS: The board approved “exterior site schematic designs” for major construction at JLS, including a new, two-story classroom building and outdoor stage, pending resolution of issues surrounding bicycle parking and landscaping. Yes: Unanimous Calendar: The board heard a staff recommendation to switch school calendars to have first semester end prior to December’s winter break, beginning next year. The district is soliciting public comment at calendar@pausd.org and a final decision is scheduled for Nov. 9 Action: None

Parks & Recreation Commission (Sept. 28)

Recreation updates: The commission received an update on the city’s effort to contract out maintenance at the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course and heard a presentation on the city’s 2010 Summer Camps and Aquatics programs. Action: None El Camino Park: The commission discussed proposed park improvements for El Camino Park in conjunction with the installation of a new water-storage tank in the park. Action: None

Human Relations Commission (Sept. 28)

Police: The commission heard an update on the city’s Fair and Impartial Policing Policy. Action: None Youth well-being: The commission discussed Project Safety Net, the community’s ongoing effort to promote youth well-being. Action: None

Planning & Transportation Commission (Sept. 29)

Housing Element: The commission discussed the city’s ongoing update to its Housing Element and potential sites in Palo Alto that could accommodate new housing. The effort is part of the city’s update of its Comprehensive Plan. Action: None

Public Agenda A preview of Palo Alto government meetings next week CITY COUNCIL ... The council plans to hold a joint meeting with the Public Art Commission. The council also plans to approve the Service Employees International Union hourly contract; consider setting maximum house limits in the city’s open-space districts; and discuss the concept plans for East Meadow Circle and California Avenue. The meeting with the Public Art Commission is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 4, in the Council Conference Room at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). Regular meeting will follow at 7 p.m. FINANCE COMMITTEE ... The committee plans to discuss the fiscal year 2010 general fund update and the Long Range Financial Forecast for 2010-20. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 5, in the Council Conference Room at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). HISTORIC RESOURCES BOARD ... The board plans to continue its discussion of 405 Lincoln Ave., a proposal to demolish and replace an existing building in the Professorville Historic District. The meeting is scheduled for 8 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). UTILITIES ADVISORY COMMISSION ... The commission plans to discuss the city’s strategies for implementing the Gas Utility LongTerm Plan; the Utilities Department’s recent water benchmarking study; and the city’s water and waste-water rate structures. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). HIGH-SPEED RAIL COMMITTEE ... The committee plans to consider whether the city should pursue a high-speed rail station and discuss a Sept. 23 letter from the Peninsula Rail Program addressing the city’s concerns with the state rail authority’s Supplemental Alternatives Analysis Report for the San Francisco-to-San Jose segment of the rail line. The meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 7, in the Council Conference Room at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD ... The board plans to hold a preliminary review for 4073 El Camino Real, a proposal by Hayes Group on behalf of Eton Capital for a new three-story mixed-use building. The meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 7, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.).

Winter break (continued from page 3)

dar.” Some have expressed concerns about problems with uncomfortably hot classrooms if the school-start date is moved to the third week in August rather than the fourth week, as it is now, Gogarty said. Tekla Nee, mother of three students in the district, told school board members Tuesday the calendar change “will require my family to make huge sacrifices with little benefit. “This may be an experiment to you, but these are my daughter’s only junior and senior year of high school. It’s not an experiment to her; it’s her life. Don’t do this to her,” Nee said. The district’s growing number of south Asian families would welcome a calendar change that included a three-week, not two-week, winter break, said Walter Hays and Jordan parent Ashima Agarwal. “Talking with friends from the Indian and Asian communities, we often discuss how we can’t go back to our countries to visit our parents in the summer because it’s scorch-

TALK ABOUT IT

www.PaloAltoOnline.com How would shifting final exams to before winter break affect your family? Share your thoughts on Town Square, the online community discussion forum, at Palo Alto Online.

“We just have to coordinate that a little bit differently,” he said, adding that holiday concerts are scheduled the week before finals. “That last week before break was ing hot,” Agarwal said. always hectic anyway, with some “Two weeks of winter break is not students leaving to travel, so we enough time to go back to India — tended not to schedule a whole lot you can’t just go there for 10 days. of activities during that time.” Our concern is just adding another M-A students began the current week to winter vacation so we also school year Aug. 18, eight days get to see our families,” she said. ahead of Palo Alto’s start date. MAmong school board members, A’s first-semester finals will be Camille Townsend appeared to be completed by the time students are the most openly skeptical toward dismissed for the holidays Dec. 17. the proposed calendar change. Second semester begins Jan. 3 and Board member Dana Tom has indiends June 3. cated he leans in favor of pre-break Skelly’s recommendation to shift finals. Palo Alto’s calendar springs from a Other board members expressed desire to give students a clean, workconfidence in the process the district free break over the holidays, Assishas established to gather comments tant Superintendent Scott Bowers before making a final decision. N Staff Writer Chris Kenrick can told the school board Tuesday, citbe e-mailed at ckenrick@paweeking concerns expressed by students ly.com. and research by Stanford University senior lecturer Denise Clark Pope. For 2011-2012, Skelly’s proposal calls for students to begin school Tuesday, Aug. 16, and for firstsemester finals to end Wednesday, Dec. 21. For 2012-2013, students’ first day would be Tuesday, Aug. 14, and Tahiti & South Pacific Cruises this Fall first-semester finals would conclude Friday, Dec. 21. The 2011-2012 school year would end May 31, and the 2012-2013 school year would end May 30, under Skelly’s proposal. A survey of other school districts in Santa Clara, San Mateo and Marin counties indicates a trend toward moving finals to before winter break, Palo Alto district officials said. The number of districts with prebreak finals went from 11 out of 21 CST#1007564-10 districts in 2008 to 15 in 2010. Forty-six of the 61 high schools surveyed have prebreak finals. Many local private schools, including Castilleja, Menlo and St. Francis, also have made the switch. “This has been quite successful for us,” Castilleja Head of School Nanci Kauffman said. “Not only do we find that it has reduced stress for the girls, but it has also Wednesday, October 6 7-8:30pm allowed us to begin Palo Alto Art Center Auditorium, 1313 Newell Road second semester in January with our Global Week ProArguing in Favor: Arguing in Opposition: gram, unencumTony Spitaleri, President of the John Barton, architect and former bered by the need Palo Alto Firefighters Association member of the Palo Alto City Council to tie up loose ends and Board of Education from first semesAlan C. Davis, attorney representing ter.” public-employee unions Dena Mossar, former Palo Alto mayor and member of the City Council Palo Alto teachers’ union represenModerator: tative Trina Gogarty said teachers are Jay Thorwaldson, Editor, Palo Alto Weekly “willing to pilot this before-the-break finals idea.” However, teachers “are a diverse group with lots of diverse Co-sponsored by League of Women Voters interests in the calen-

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Upfront

Introducing

CalPERS

(continued from page 3)

Good for Business. Good for You. Good for the Community.

We’re all in it together.

Page 10ÊUÊ"VÌ LiÀÊ£]ÊÓä£äÊUÊ*> Ê Ì Ê7ii Þ

fore September 2009. That’s when the company ran out of money and its property managers vacated the apartment buildings, leaving trash cans overflowing and confused residents lined up near empty rental offices, wondering what to do with their rent checks. The documents, which the First Amendment Coalition posted on its website, indicate that CalPERS sensed trouble with its East Palo Alto investment about two years before Page Mill’s collapse but was largely powerless to do anything about it. By late 2008, Page Mill — which had become East Palo Alto’s biggest landlord with about 1,800 units — was entangled in litigation and fighting off allegations from displaced tenants and tenant activists, who called its strategy “predatory equity.” According to a private-placement memorandum that Page Mill tried to keep confidential but was made public in a lawsuit from other Page Mill investors earlier this year, the company saw the East Palo Alto neighborhood as an area “poised for growth and gentrification.” Its plans included developing condominiums, fixing up the infrastructure and “further developing community-oriented retail and service business.” By late 2008, CalPERS had grown weary of what Taran called its “opportunistic investment” and asked Otto to take a closer look at the company’s numbers. The move irked some Page Mill executives. In June 2009, Otto wrote Page Mill a letter saying it “seems a bit counter-intuitive to be incurring thousands of dollars of expenses to evict good long-term tenants when the portfolio is already suffering from high vacancy” and asked for an explanation. Page Mill’s General Counsel James Shore wrote back three days later, essentially asking Otto to trust the company.

This article was first posted on Palo Alto Online on Tuesday, Sept. 28. Go to www.PaloAltoOnline.com to be the first to know.

“As I explained in our conversation last week, I cannot stress enough how difficult it is to have our business judgment second guessed by CalPERS every time a tenant or a tenant advocate makes an inquiry to CalPERS,” Shore wrote. “Warren, during these very challenging economic times, it is more important than ever that the General Partner stays focused on the investments and is not questioned or interfered with whenever some dissident contacts CalPERS.” CalPERS officials also demanded more information about the $50 million payment Page Mill was due to pay Wachovia. Laurie Weir, CalPERS’ portfolio manager, had sent a letter to Taran in March 2009 asking about the payment. “We are concerned about the risks this debt maturity poses for our partnership investments with you,” Weir wrote. “Could you please share with us your plans for handling this debt maturity and how this debt maturity could impact our partnership strategy?” But despite their growing anxiety, CalPERS officials had few options for saving their investment. The pension fund’s role as one of several limited partners in the investment gave it little power to do anything about Page Mill’s actions, company officials explained in response to tenant pressure. In October 2008, Tenants Together organizer Andy Blue wrote a letter to CalPERS saying the pension fund’s investment poses a “significant risk for CalPERS both financially and reputationally.” In March 2009, Priya Mathur, member of the CalPERS Board of Administration, responded by saying the pension fund’s role “limits our ability to act.” “Nonetheless, staff continues to work to influence Page Mill,”

Mathur wrote. “I understand that it feels painfully slow, particularly to the tenants.” Page Mill’s fortunes in East Palo Alto crashed in August 2009 when it defaulted on its loan to Wells Fargo, which by then owned Wachovia. Page Mill had held meetings with bank officials in spring of 2009 in hopes of getting the loan’s due date extended (in April, Taran wrote that he was “cautiously optimistic that these discussions will be successful”), but the effort ultimately faltered. On Sept. 4, 2009, CalPERS received an e-mail from state Assemblyman Ira Ruskin’s office describing the chaos and confusion in Page Mill’s buildings, with tenants not knowing whom to call for maintenance or emergency issues. A month later, Page Mill was considering bankruptcy and reorganization. Taran wrote CalPERS a letter saying the reorganization would require “fresh equity” of about $25 million to $40 million. CalPERS declined. “As previously indicated, CalPERS has no interest in providing any additional capital to the Partnership,” Weir wrote to Taran. “We trust that the General Partner and its affiliates will manage this process and the property in the best interests of the Partnership and its creditors.” In March of this year, Wells Fargo officially took ownership of East Palo Alto’s apartments after a foreclosure auction for the properties brought forth no bids. Though CalPERS’ failed investment in Page Mill attracted major scrutiny from the public and the media, both the pension fund and the company had resisted releasing any documents relating to the investment strategy in East Palo Alto. In January 2008, after CalPERS received multiple requests to publicize Page Mill’s private placement memoranda, Taran wrote a letter to Weir urging her not to disclose “any portion of the PPMs or any other trade secret or confidential information of Page Mill.” “As you know, the PPMs are trade secrets, highly confidential, and their disclosure to those other than investors could cause significant harm to Page Mill,” he wrote. CalPERS agreed and responded to one information request by stating that the release of the documents “could negatively affect the return on CalPERS investments” and “jeopardize its relationship with its business partners.” But San Francisco Superior Court Judge Charlotte W. Woolard rejected CalPERS’ argument that the documents are subject to confidentiality agreements and ruled on Sept. 14 that the pension fund had to release the documents. Peter Scheer, president of First Amendment Coalition, said CalPERS is expected to produce more documents, which the pension fund claims are subject to the attorneyclient privilege. The court would then determine which of these documents could be publicized. N To view the documents, go to scr.bi/cJlaDK. Staff Writer Gennady Sheyner can be e-mailed at gsheyner@ paweekly.com.

Transitions

Deaths

Willem Terluin Willem Marcus Terluin, 86, a resident of Palo Alto, died at home surrounded by family Sept. 15. He was born in Koeta Radja, Sumatra. He was still in school when World War II came to the islands, and spent several years as a POW on the Burma-Siam Railway. In 1952, he married Ida Dede and the family

came to the U.S. in 1959, settling in Palo Alto, where they still have their home. He worked as a technical illustrator for the Stanford University Electronics Lab until his retirement in 1988. He loved music, growing roses, travel with Ida and playing with his nine grandchildren. Family recalled him as a man of gentle humor, quiet strength and wisdom, and deep faith. He is survived by his wife, Ida

Pulse Sept. 21-27 Violence related Assault w/deadly weapon. . . . . . . . . . . .1 Domestic violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Murder attempt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Strong arm robbery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Terrorist threats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Theft related Commercial burglaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Credit card forgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Grand theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Identity theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Petty theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Vehicle related Auto theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Bicycle stored . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Bicycle theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Driving without license . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Hit and run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Misc. traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Suspended license . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Theft from auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Vehicle accident/minor injury . . . . . . . . 10 Vehicle accident/property damage. . . . 10 Vehicle impound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle tow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Alcohol or drug related Drunk in public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Drunken driving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Possession of drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Sale of drugs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Under influence drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Minor possession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Miscellaneous Dependent adult abuse/finance . . . . . . .1 Disturbing/annoying phone calls. . . . . . .2 Elder abuse/financial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Found property. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Indecent exposure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Lost property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Misc. penal code violation . . . . . . . . . . .2 Outside assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Psychiatric hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Suspicious circumstances . . . . . . . . . . .4 Vandalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Warrants/other agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Warrant/Palo Alto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Menlo Park Sept. 21-27 Violence related Adult protective services . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Elder abuse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Theft related Commercial burglaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Fraud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Grand theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Petty theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Residential burglaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Embezzlement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Terluin of Palo Alto; brother Jan Terluin of Kihei, Hawaii; daughters Bernice Harapat of Langley, Wash., Jessica Beheshti of Palo Alto, Marina Remmel of Palo Alto, and Wilma Murray of Stockton, Calif.; son Stefano Terluin of Roseville, Calif.; and nine grandchildren. Scotty the dog was also his loyal friend to the end, loved ones said. A memorial service is planned for Nov. 6 at the Palo Alto Veterans’ Hospital Chapel.

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Vehicle related Driving without license . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Hit and run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Suspended license . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Theft from auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle accident/major injury . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle accident/minor injury . . . . . . . . .5 Vehicle accident/property damage. . . . .3 Vehicle tow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Alcohol or drug related Possession of drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Narcotics registrant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Miscellaneous Disturbance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Disturbing/annoying phone calls. . . . . . .1 Found property. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Information case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Lost property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Mental evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Suspicious circumstances . . . . . . . . . . .1 Threats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vandalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Warrant arrest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Atherton Sept. 21-27 Violence related Assault/battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Theft related Fraud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Petty theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle related Hit and run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Misc. traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Parking/driving violation . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Suspicious vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Theft from auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle accident/property damage. . . . .9 Vehicle code violation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Alcohol or drug related Drunken driving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Miscellaneous Animal call. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Citizen assist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Disturbance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Fire call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Foot patrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Found property. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Hazard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Medical aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Meet citizen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Missing person . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Outside assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Pedestrian check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Perimeter check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Psychiatric hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Suspicious circumstance . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Suspicious person . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Town ordinance violation . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Tree blocking roadway . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Warrant/other agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

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%$)4( */!. *%..).'3 -#!,%.%9 4!..%2 Edith Joan Jennings McAleney Tanner, of Ventura, Calif., was born September 16, 1917, and died September 24, 2010. She was the wife of the late Dr. Ralph Tanner, of Palo Alto. Arrangements by Ted Mayr Funeral Home and Crematory, Ventura. For full obituary and to offer condolences, see www. TedMayrFuneralHome.com. PA I D

O B I T UA RY

Dorothy Funk Newman passed away July 16, 2010 due to a heart ailment, leaving her family and friends with memories of her warm, fun-loving personality and operatic singing. Born on May 5, 1925 to Peter and Adeline Funk, both teachers and musicians, Dorothy and her brother Herbert grew up in Berkeley, California. Her first musical performance at age three included singing and playing the piano and violin at a recital given by her parents’ Funk School of Music. In her youth, the Funk family quartet performed professionally in Berkeley and San Francisco. Dorothy graduated from University of California at Berkeley with a BA in Political Science. Shortly after that, she was offered a singing role with the San Francisco Opera, but chose instead to join the US Navy, graduating in the first group of Wave Officers from Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island. She was then stationed at Sandpoint NAS in Seattle,

Washington, where her job in Intelligence involved deciphering codes. While there, she was invited to sing professionally at an event on base where she met Navy Lieutenant Robert Carl Newman from San Francisco, California. The two married on June 15, 1952. Robert and Dorothy moved to Los Altos then to Menlo Park. They had two daughters, Patricia and Carol. Dorothy retired from the Navy, but taught at local elementary schools. In addition, she broadened her singing repertoire from church oratorios and opera to popular and European folk songs that she performed at events and on television. In 1986, Robert and Dorothy moved to Virginia as part of Robert’s career change from engineering to public policy. However, in 1990, Robert succumbed to cancer. She continued to perform professionally, including at the White House Lighting of the National Christmas Tree in 2000, and at Oktoberfests on military bases from D.C. to Hawaii. However, she also reveled in using her powerful voice for fun, such as surprise birthday phone call serenades for friends. Her ﬁnal performance was at an Oktoberfest nine months before her death. Dorothy is survived by her two daughters and their families. John and Patricia Grifﬁths along with their ten-yearold son Parker live near Portland, Oregon. Donald, Carol and seven-year-old Sarah Stoker live near Monterey, California. PA I D

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*),, ")'7//$ *!.% '2!9 ",//$'//$ Jill Bigwood (Jane Gray Bloodgood), age 83, died in Menlo Park CA on September 13. Diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2005, Jill resolved to “live until I die.” She succeeded! Jill was born in Madison WI on July 24, 1927, to the Rev. Francis and Jane Bloodgood (herself ordained in 1978). Jill was proud to be the oldest living daughter of two Episcopal priests! She graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, then served in the Foreign Service in Rome, Italy, and the Department of Defense in Brussels, Belgium, where she met Guy Bigwood. They married in October 1953, raised their family in New Haven CT, and relocated to California in 2006. Jill was employed by Yale University for more than 25 years. She was active in the Episcopal Church, and served on several boards for non-proﬁts. She sang with the New Haven Chorale for over 20 years, and she

had a long and successful career in amateur dramatics. She was a longstanding member of the Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross, attending a meeting of Companions in Palo Alto just two days before her death. She also sang with the Threshold Choir in Palo Alto, and contributed original songs to the choir’s repertoire. Jill is survived by her husband, Guy Bigwood, son, Jim Bigwood (and Jay), of Jersey City, NJ; daughter, Kate Atkinson (and Michael), of Concord, NH; son, Peter Bigwood (and Liz), of Northampton, MA; daughter, Joan Bigwood King, of Palo Alto; and Sothy Kay (and Karen), of Braintree, MA, to whom she was a second mother; 6 grandchildren, William and Annie Bigwood, Caroline and Peter King, Georgia Atkinson and Peter Kay; and a sister, Eve Morrow, of Glendale, OH. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 13 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Palo Alto. In lieu of ﬂowers, memorial donations may be made in Jill’s name to: Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, 383 Main Avenue, 5th Floor, Norwalk, CT 06851; Episcopal Relief and Development, P.O. Box 7058, Merriﬁeld, VA 22116; or Pathways Hospice Foundation, 585 North Mary Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94085. PA I D

O B I T UA RY

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Pulse

*/(. $!,9 Passed away peacefully at home on September 25, surrounded by his loving family. Jack loved his family, his country, and his church. Jack attended St. Ignatius High School, graduating in 1941, and then entered the US Naval Academy, while still in the class of â&#x20AC;&#x2122;45, he graduated in 3 years due to the onset of WWII. After serving in the PaciďŹ c in both WW II and the Korean War, Jack founded two successful Bay Area construction companies, Daly & Trudell Construction and John J. Daly Construction. Lt. Commander Daly is survived by his two daughters, Katy (Tom) Kelly, and Betsy (George) Caffell, his grandchildren Liz, Tommy, Johnny,

and Miles, his loving sister-in-law, Allie Daly and many nieces and nephews. His later years were shared with his loving companion Mary Hardy. Predeceasing Jack in 1994 was his wife, Shirley and before that his parents, Thomas and Josephine Daly, and his loving older siblings, Thomas, Constance and Dorothy and more recently his beloved nephews Dan Daly and Patrick Daly who shared his birthday. Vigil service and Funeral mass will be held on October 1, 6:00 pm and October 2, 10:00 am, respectively, at St. Nicholas Church in Los Altos. Internment with Military honors will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Cupertino. In lieu of ďŹ&#x201A;owers contributions may be made to the US Naval Academy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Class of 1945, c/o PO Box 340, Menlo Park, CA 94026. Visit www. spanglermortuary.com to sign online guestbook and view more detailed obituary. PA I D

VIOLENT CRIMES Palo Alto 700 block El Camino Real, 9/21, 11:30 a.m.; penal code/terrorist threats. Forest Avenue/Webster Street, 9/23, 9:50 p.m.; robber/strong arm.

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O B I T UA RY

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O B I T UA RY

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this process, Joe was introduced to Bill Hewlett and David Packard, and would become their principal Architect throughout much of his career. Their friendships and business relationships lasted their entire lives. In 1968, along with his colleagues Jack Rominger and Rod Heft, he created a ďŹ rm which was destined to be the leading design force for the emerging electronics companies in the area now known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Silicon Valley.â&#x20AC;? Heft left the ďŹ rm in 1977. Ehrlich Rominger Architects began designing facilities so complex that there were no existing prototypes. With mega-projects for companies like Fairchild, Varian, Watkins-Johnson, and of course, Hewlett Packard, Joe forged a legacy in the world of microelectronics that ultimately led to his admission to the coveted College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects. Throughout his career, Joe was always involved with the community and his fellow architects. His involvement with the American Institute of Architects, his leadership for the Museum of American Heritage, and his generous charitable giving were ever-present. Joe never left his beloved ďŹ eld of Architecture. He continued to mentor, advise, and serve those around him throughout his entire life. He leaves much of himself embedded in those with whom he shared his values, sensibility, drive, and joy. A great man has left a great legacy. He is survived by his wife Meri, son Jeff, brother Jay, sister Loretta Bauer, and numerous loving nieces and nephews. No funeral or memorial services are planned, per Joeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wishes. Anyone wishing to offer tribute to Joe is encouraged to make a contribution to the Museum Of American Heritage or the Ehrlich Rominger Scholarship Fund at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Santa Clara Valley Chapter. PA I D

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*/3%0( %(2,)#( Joseph Ehrlich, long regarded as one of the pioneering â&#x20AC;&#x153;Silicon Valleyâ&#x20AC;? architects, passed away on September 21, 2010 at age 90. This exceptional husband, father, war hero, architect, humanitarian, philanthropist, and mentor will be remembered for his contributions to his family, his country, his profession, and by all whose lives he touched during his illustrious life. Joe was born and raised in Manhattan, New York City, to a workingclass family. He spent his formative years during the Great Depression which, by his own admission, challenged him to never experience anything like it again. An exceptional student against the odds, Joe graduated from City College of New York in 1941. Later that same year, he met and married his lifelong love, Miriam Kantorovich (better known as Meri). By the end of 1943, with the United States fully involved in World War II, Joe was inducted into the Army and soon thereafter served on the battleďŹ elds of the Alsace-Lorraine region in Europe. Joeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s active wartime service was cut short in late 1944 by a wound from a landmine just prior to the Battle Of The Bulge. Not only did his injury earn him the Purple Heart, but his subsequent, insistent warnings that his company stay clear of the mineďŹ elds â&#x20AC;&#x201C; given in his role as a lead scout â&#x20AC;&#x201C; also earned him the Bronze Star. In 1946, Joe found himself in Chicago attending Architecture School at IIT, studying under the inďŹ&#x201A;uence of Bauhaus architect Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe. Four years later â&#x20AC;&#x201C; without much more than ambition â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Joe and Meri decided to move to California. Eventually, Joe connected with, and was mentored by Palo Altoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s early, still highly-respected architect, Birge Clark, with whom he was partnered for over 10 years (as the ďŹ rm became known as Clark, Stromquist, Potter & Ehrlich). Early on in

800 block El Camino Real, 9/22, 8:01 p.m.; murder attempt. 400 block Florence Street, 9/25, 3:18 a.m.; assault with deadly weapon. Welch Road, 9/25, 9:21 p.m.; domestic violence/battery. Heather Lane, 9/27, 10:45 a.m.; domestic violence/battery.

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Wally Mackenzie died Saturday at home with his family by his side. We will dearly miss Wally. He was a loving husband to Vera, a dear brother to Sheila, a wonderful father to Doug, Jeff and Julie, a terrific father-in-law to Shawn, Chris and Maria, and an amazing grandfather to Aly, Andy, Alec, Nicole and Mitch. He was also a great uncle to several nieces and nephews. Wally graduated from Stanford University in 1956, following two years of service in the Navy during the Korean War. He spent nearly 30 years of his career with IBM, most of it as a consulting systems engineer where he specialized in banking. After retiring from

IBM, he managed the Mackenzie Group, where he led strategic and organizational planning sessions for a variety for for-profit and non-profit companies. We will remember him as a dreamer and a fantastic, positive spiritâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a spirit that will live on in his family and his amazing friends. Wally found common ground with everyone he encountered, and celebrated the special qualities of friends and strangers alike. He pursued his favorite hobbies of auto racing, sailing, and Stanford Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball with tremendous passion. A memorial service is planned for Wally at the Stanford Memorial Church on Tuesday, October 5 at 3:00pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in his honor may be made to the John Wallace Mackenzie Memorial Fund at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. PA I D

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A resource for special events and ongoing religious services. To inquire about or make space reservations for Inspirations, please contact Blanca Yoc at 223-6596 or email byoc@paweekly.com

Dellalou Dunbar (Vanessa Salt) Swan, resident of Palo Alto for most of her life and, more recently, resident of Grass Valley, CA, passed away on July 26th, of heart failure, at her home and surrounded by family. Dellalou was born in Palo Alto on August 1, 1926 in the old hospital on Embarcadero Road where the bowling green was later located. She was the daughter of Louise Brooke Hoover and Ernest Albrecht Dunbar. Her maternal grandfather was Theodore Hoover, Dean of Engineering at Stanford and the elder brother of President Herbert Hoover. Much of her early childhood was spent with her sister, Jude, on the familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coastal property, Rancho del Oso, near Big Basin, and at Castilleja School In Palo Alto. She is survived by her sister, Jude Dunbar Wheeler (and spouse, Dan Wheeler) of Upper Lakes, CA; by cousins of the McLean and Willis families; and by her children: Jane Swan (and spouse, Don Childers) of Grass Valley; Thomas Swan (and spouse, Doreen Swan) of Berkeley; Rachel Howard (and spouse, David Howard) of Windsor, CA; Ernest William Swan of Florence, CO. She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Wayne McIntyre Swan, in 2008, and by their infant daughter, Mary Stephanie, in 1961. Before World War II, the Dunbar family lived in Singapore where Ernest Dunbar was a mining engineer. After Pearl Harbor, Dunbar was drafted into the headquarters staff of General MacArthur and all were ďŹ&#x201A;own to Australia. In 1942, at 16, Dellalou quit her Australian school, joined the Red Cross, and was assigned to Townsend, enduring bombing there. Back in the United States, she graduated from Colorado College, and met Wayne Swan in Colorado. They were married in 1950 and his work took them

to Whittier; to Tennessee; Vancouver, B.C.; Palo Alto; Denton, TX ; San Mateo; and back to Palo Alto. Her own work was originally teaching elementary school, then private tutoring. She studied mythology, anthropology, and Jungian psychology, preparing for art therapy. She was an artist and considered, as her professional highlight, her work as an art therapist in her â&#x20AC;&#x153;Painted Caveâ&#x20AC;?, a creative space for art and spirituality to come together. A true lover of nature, Dellalou was a gifted gardener, and a docent at Rancho del Oso Nature Center, on the Waddell Creek property she had known so well in childhood. A devoted yoga student, she also began horseback riding at 83 after moving to Grass Valley. Always a person of courageous adventure and active curiosity, she had a serious interest in spiritual paths and social issues. Over the years, she created some groups and was active in others, including Centerpoint, Women in Black, and protests for peace. She also joined a coven and participated in seasonal pagan ceremonies. For the last 25 years she found a spiritual home in the Dances of Universal Peace community. She will be remembered as an artist who created beauty in all of her environments, with a personal style of elegance and grace. A devoted wife and mother, Dellalou was also a generous, committed, and perceptive friend to many. She trusted joy as a major path to wisdom and once said that she hoped to be remembered as having a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Merry Heartâ&#x20AC;?. She will be hugely missed by the many who knew, admired, and loved her. On October 16, a memorial will be held at 2 p.m. at Unity Palo Alto Community Church, 3391 MiddleďŹ eld Road, 94306. In lieu of ďŹ&#x201A;owers, donations can be made in her name to one of the many organization she supported. Here are three: Rancho del Oso Nature Center, 3600 Highway 1, Davenport, CA 95017; Nevada County Land Trust, 175 Joerschke Dr., Grass Valley, CA,95945; Dances of Universal Peace Int., PO Box 55994, Seattle, WA 98155-0994. PA I D

O B I T UA RY

*>Â?Â&#x153;Ă&#x160; Â?Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x160;7iiÂ&#x17D;Â?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160;"VĂ&#x152;Â&#x153;LiĂ&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;ÂŁ]Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201C;Ă¤ÂŁĂ¤Ă&#x160;U Page 13

Editorial

YES on Measure E: Foothill-De Anza tax The economy and state cutbacks have put our superb community college district in a tough situation in face of rising – and urgent – demand

aced with a huge dilemma of slashed state support and an escalating demand for classes and programs, the Foothill-De Anza Community College District is turning to voters in the sprawling district for help in the form of a modest $69 per year parcel tax.

The district has put forth Measure E on the Nov. 2 ballot to help it offset part of a $20 million cut in state funding it has experienced in recent years, from the district’s annual budget of about $180 million. It is the district’s first-ever appeal for a parcel-tax funding for its programs. Earlier voter support has been for bonds to cover buildings and facilities, and can’t be used for programs. If passed, the parcel tax will expire in six years. Funds also will be kept separate from the district’s overall budget so people can better track how they are spent. The tax will raise about $6.9 million annually in additional funds for the strapped district, not enough to make up for the decreased state funding. But district staff have agreed to cut back their benefit packages, resulting in another $5 million to $6 million savings. And some capital-improvement bond funds used for photovoltaic systems will result in an annual savings in energy costs of about $400,000. It is only the second parcel tax proposed for community colleges statewide — the first was in the San Mateo Community College District, and received voter approval in June. The statewide cutback in per-student reimbursement for enrollment has directly impacted thousands of Foothill-De Anza students who have found that elimination of classes has resulted in remaining classes often being full. “We haven’t been able to offer as many classes. This has resulted in a flood of students, with 10,000 on wait lists for classes,” district Trustee Bruce Swenson said of the crisis facing the district. Swenson began his career as a teacher in the district, rose to being an administrator and ran for the school board following his retirement. Few people realize how important the Foothill and De Anza community colleges have become to residents of northern Santa Clara County. With an overall enrollment of about 45,000 students (or 35,000 if calculated as full-time-equivalent students) the district has a far larger enrollment than Stanford University and actually approaches the size of University of California, Berkeley. Swenson and fellow district board member Betsy Bechtel — former Palo Alto City Council member and mayor — are stumping hard to achieve the two-thirds voter approval needed for the parcel tax. Last year an estimated 16 percent of Palo Alto high-school graduates went to Foothill or De Anza, many with plans to transfer to four-year colleges later. About 70 percent of the college district’s students work full or part-time, Bechtel and Swenson estimate. The faltering economy statewide has also driven students (many of them adults) back to school for job retraining, to develop new skills and knowledge to help them launch new careers. Training programs for nurses and other support occupations provide people who fill the essential but often lowervisibility jobs in our communities. There is no organized campaign opposing the measure. The opposition argument in the sample ballot is signed by only two persons, representing groups that oppose virtually any tax increase for any purpose: President Douglas A. McNea of the Silicon Valley Taxpayers’ Association and Chair Brian S. Darby of the Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County. The measure is overflowing with support from public officials and others who care about education — including all members of the Palo Alto City Council and Palo Alto Board of Education. It is supported by all Chambers of Commerce in northern Silicon Valley. Even though the parcel tax won’t entirely fill the funding shortfall, it will when combined with cost savings result in the restoration of numerous classes. Measure E is a modest but vitally important parcel-tax measure that will be of immeasurable benefit to thousands of recent graduates and adults seeking to move their lives forward. Vote YES on Measure E on the Nov. 2 ballot. Page 14ÊUÊ"VÌ LiÀÊ£]ÊÓä£äÊUÊ*> Ê Ì Ê7ii Þ

Spectrum Editorials, letters and opinions

Support Measure E Editor, Foothill College and De Anza College are among the best community colleges in the nation. Today, community colleges are becoming increasingly important, as the cost of four-year universities can be too expensive for many families. Due to State budget cuts, however, Foothill and De Anza Colleges have been forced to cut more thanr $20 million over the past two years. In response, course offerings have been reduced, hundreds of full- and parttime faculty and staff positions have been eliminated and administration has been cut to a bare minimum. Thousands of students are on waiting lists for classes. Vote yes on Measure E to provide stable local funding for Foothill and De Anza colleges to support core academic courses and ensure students can continue to receive training for future careers. Ken Horowitz Homer Avenue Palo Alto

Wear bike helmets Editor, I bike along Bryant Street and through Mitchell Park on a daily basis when kids get out of school. I am dismayed to see how many school-aged kids have their helmets dangling from the handlebars. When I try to remind them to put their helmet on, they just laugh. I understand that the city does not provide bicycle-safety training at schools any more. But a daily reminder by parents when their kids leave the house, and teachers, when the kids leave the school might make a difference. The presence of a police officer might also be a good reminder that it is the law to wear a helmet if you are under 18 years old. Kids should go online (www. neurotraumaregistry.com/Index. cfm?file=BrainMap.cfm) to look at an interactive brain map to see how brain injury affects the body: no more soccer, no more music, no more biking. Inge Infante Middlefield Road Palo Alto

No time for timidity Editor, As a former resident of Palo Alto, I am surprised at the City Council’s timid reaction to the high-speed rail proposal. Its vote of “no confidence” is as quiet and meaningless as “wind in dry grass.” The High Speed Rail Authority has no intention of engaging in rational discussion. It will do all it can to avoid any undergrounding of track through Palo Alto or any other city. Such a result would change the character and quality of the city in a most negative way with no corre-

sponding benefit. If the city thinks it can negotiate with the authority and Rod Diridon it’s kidding itself. I remember the 1970s when Diridon was hell bent to get light rail passed. He came to the Palo Alto council meeting to extol its virtues without mentioning the fact that the system would end at Mountain View and that nevertheless Palo Alto would help pay for it. I get the feeling that his parents wouldn’t give him a Lionel train set when he was a kid, and that he has been trying to get one ever since. Listen to Larry Klein. He gets it. This is not a time to be timid. If you are, the train will run you over. Scott Carey Mission College Boulevard Santa Clara

Rail veto power? Editor, I just wanted to thank the Weekly for its Sept. 17 editorial encouraging Palo Alto to sue over the revised high-speed rail EIR. You couldn’t have done a better job of highlighting this suit as a frivolous waste of money if you stamped the word “frivolous” on the first page in big red letters.

Now the state, and the court, will see these suits for what they really are — an effort to overcome the expressed will of the entire state, and not a good faith effort to ensure compliance with CEQA. The case should be easily and quickly dismissed because Palo Alto failed to comply with the High Speed Rail Authority’s clearly stated instructions — limit comments to the issues that the court ordered to be revised. Palo Alto submitted comments about everything under the sun, including matters that the court had ruled were in compliance with CEQA. The same applies to the new suits being considered by Atherton and Menlo Park. Fifth graders could do a better job of following instructions. Despite this, the HSRA tried in good faith to address those comments. Let’s be clear about something: You people don’t get veto power over the electorate of the entire state. This project will be built. Personally, it wouldn’t bother me a bit if the HSRA chose not to build any stations between San Jose and Millbrae. It would serve you right. Alan Kline Clayton Road Concord

YOUR TURN The Palo Alto Weekly encourages comments on our coverage or on issues of local interest.

What do you think? How do you feel about (a) having high school final exams before winter break and/or (b) moving the start of school a week earlier in August? Submit letters to the editor of up to 250 words to letters@paweekly.com. Include your name, address and daytime phone number so we can reach you. We reserve the right to edit contributions for length, objectionable content, libel and factual errors known to us. Anonymous letters will generally not be accepted. You can also participate in our popular interactive online forum, Town Square, at our community website at www.PaloAltoOnline.com. Read blogs, discuss issues, ask questions or express opinions with you neighbors any time, day or night. Submitting a letter to the editor or guest opinion constitutes a granting of permission to the Palo Alto Weekly and Embarcadero Publishing Co. to also publish it online, including in our online archives and as a post on Town Square. For more information contact Editor Jay Thorwaldson or Online Editor Tyler Hanley at editor@paweekly.com or 650-326-8210.

Check out Town Square! Hundreds of local topics are being discussed by local residents on Town Square, a reader forum sponsored by the Weekly on our community website at www.PaloAltoOnline.com. Post your own comments, ask questions, read the Editor’s blog or just stay up on what people are talking about around town!

Guest Opinion ‘Alternative high schools’ used to be Palo Alto’s solution to overstressed students by Elizabeth Lee ’ve heard parents talk about how their kids “survived” Palo Alto’s high schools. My own school years in Palo Alto during the 1970s were marked by struggle in classes I didn’t like, bullies and feeling like I didn’t fit in. With visual impairments that made it hard for me to read the blackboard and undiagnosed Tourette syndrome it was no wonder I hated school. Then in 11th grade at Cubberley High School, I joined Alternative School Cubberley, or ASC. Those two years were some of the best of my life. We called teachers by their first names, and instead of sitting in rows at desks facing the teacher we sat in circles on rugs leaning against huge pillows. Instead of classes, we had “seminars,” where teachers encouraged our critical-thinking skills with discussions that sometimes led to lively debates. The school had somewhere between 100 and 150 students, and the non-conformist peer culture was more intimate and personal than the mainstream culture of the “regular school.” I was sometimes greeted with hugs and playful touching in our day-to-day interactions. Instead of being interested in cheerleading, school dances and wearing make-up, many of us were interested in things like vegetarianism, organic gardening, protecting the environment and ending South African apartheid. ASC was mentioned in The Environmental Handbook.

Seminars ranged from transpersonal psychology, nutrition and Native American studies to massage and human sexuality. Some of them, such as the last two, were held at night at teachers’ or students houses. Although we had the same graduation requirements as everyone else, we had the freedom to plan with our teachers how we would meet them. We could choose from the myriad of seminars offered or do home study. We could get all our credits through ASC or take some classes in the regular school. I took Mandarin Chinese and typing in the regular school and most of the rest through ASC. Sure there were some stoners and slackers, but they didn’t define the school atmosphere. Many of us went on to college, including schools such as Stanford and UCLA. We had parties and took trips together, and we hung out during lunch and after school. On trips to the beach students and one teacher skinny-dipped in the ocean. (The skinny-dipping teacher was later accused of inappropriate behavior.) ASC students and teachers sometimes got together with what was Paly’s alternative school, known as Apple Pie High, which met in the top of the Tower Building. ASC wasn’t perfect. I went on to a state college still having problems with my writing skills. But that didn’t happen because of ASC being what it was. ASC was a refuge of diversity and social acceptance amidst a mundane and impersonal milieu, a haven for free-thinkers, and an oasis of sanity. ASC was the beginning of my opened-minded world view. It taught me that there was more than one right way to learn. It was also, without my realizing it, my solution to being physically and socially chal-

We called teachers by their first names, and instead of sitting in rows at desks facing the teacher we sat in circles on rugs leaning against huge pillows. Instead of classes, we had “seminars,” where teachers encouraged our critical-thinking skills with discussions that sometimes led to lively debates. lenged, and my de facto alternative to having an individualized education plan. Then Cubberley closed, and ASC with it, the year after I graduated. When my son Dale, who also has Tourette syndrome and learning challenges, started high school at Paly with an individualized education plan 26 years later, I thought Apple Pie High was still there. I thought it would provide the same refuge for Dale that ASC had for me. But it no longer existed, and the top of the Tower Building was deemed unsafe during earthquakes and closed. “What? You mean you no longer have an alternative school for the students any more?” I remember asking one of the administrators. “Just Transitions,” the administrator said.

She explained that it was a program only for students with serious attendance or emotional issues, and that Dale, who was also labeled “gifted,” was too high functioning to qualify. I didn’t see how, with his hands-on, kinesthetic learning style, he could thrive in Play’s “regular school” environment, but he was determined to give it a try. Although he made a lot of friends and was well liked by his teachers, it was an academic nightmare. With the frequent phone calls, letters and e-mails from his teachers informing me that he wasn’t keeping up, the fruitless school meetings, and the regular arguments over homework, the constant stress took its toll on our family. With the help of a tutor and an understanding resource-room teacher, Dale tested out of Paly at the end of 10th grade, just after he turned 16. He says it’s one of the best decisions he ever made. The next year a friend’s daughter with similar issues also graduated two years early. Dale is now 20 and finishing his AA degree at Foothill. He also works as a “techie,” and has his own business. But if only there had been an alternative school at Paly like the one I’d attended, offering students other choices with the same flexibility that I’d had. Perhaps then Dale, and so many others like him, would have had other options besides early graduation for alleviating their school stress. Perhaps more students would have, figuratively and literally, survived high school. N Elizabeth Lee is a licensed marriage and family therapist and writer who lives in Palo Alto with her husband and two children. She can be e-mailed at liz@funghi.com.

Streetwise

How do you feel about Superintendent Kevin Skelly’s proposal to start high school a week earlier in August so that students would take their final exams before the holiday break? Asked at Town & Country Village and California Avenue.

Interviews by Sally Schilling and Georgia Wells. Photographs by Georgia Wells.

Linda Paulson

Associate Dean Donner Residence, Stanford “It makes perfect sense. Then they will be like the universities.”

Doug Abbott

Finance-industry Worker Barron Park, Palo Alto “I like that because it gives students a real break.”

Yana Tkachenko

Immigration Attorney University Avenue, Palo Alto “That’s actually ridiculous that they take finals after break. They should take them before and have a normal break.”

Beatrix Elena Leonard

Retired Social Worker Forest Avenue, Palo Alto “I always liked to have finals before break but I think it’s bad to start earlier in August, so I don’t know.”

Marcos Motta

Paly Student Hilbar Lane, Palo Alto “They keep adding a week and it’s been slowly eating up summer. I like having finals afterwards because you’ve calmed down after winter break.”

*> Ê Ì Ê7ii ÞÊUÊ"VÌ LiÀÊ£]ÊÓä£äÊU Page 15

Cover Story

Veronica Weber

Leukemia patient Erika Murillo (on sofa) chats with host-housing-program coordinator Suzanne Passailaigue in the rental unit occupied by Murillo for three months. Murillo must live relatively close to Stanford Hospital after a recent bone-marrow transplant.

a home away from home : D E T N A W

Out-of-town Stanford Hospital patients rely on charitable housing programs, but not all find lodging available — or affordable by Katia Savchuk

he Murray family is wellacquainted with uncertainty. Nothing has been stable since May, when Stanford doctors told Rick Murray, 55, he needed to get in line for a heart transplant. Three years ago, the former Safeway manager from Jacksonville, Ore., was diagnosed with a rare genetic cardiac disorder that makes breathing and moving difficult and catapults his heart into dangerous rhythms. Medication kept the condition in check until February, when his heart raced to 160 beats per minute and paramedics had to shock it back into rhythm. By May, Murray’s heart was speeding for up to eight hours at a time, and he was hospitalized after his defibrillator fired twice in one week (“It’s like getting kicked in the chest by a horse,” he said). At the end of June, he was air-

lifted to Stanford Hospital, which specializes in inherited heart disease and was first to identify his genetic condition. His wife, Vickie, followed in a car packed with their two children and hastily gathered belongings. During the 11 days Rick Murray was in the hospital, the family shuttled to two different nearby hotels, moving because rooms were too costly or booked. After he was released, the family moved three more times, still wanting to be near the hospital as he awaited word on his eligibility for the transplant list. At a time when critically ill Stanford Hospital patients and their families often face staggering medical and financial burdens, they are additionally challenged to find affordable places to live for extended periods. Many are able to find a home

Page 16ÊUÊ"VÌ LiÀÊ£]ÊÓä£äÊUÊ*> Ê Ì Ê7ii Þ

away from home through several affordable housing programs the hospital administers. But patients with larger families or longer timeframes, like the Murrays, can have a hard time finding stable accommodations in the hospital’s pricey environs. “It’s a stress for people,” said Michael Thomas, who manages Stanford Hospital’s social-work department. The department handles housing requests from patients who come from all over the globe for specialized procedures. Almost one-third of heart-transplant patients and nearly half of blood- and marrowtransplant patients live more than 50 miles from Stanford, according to the hospital. Forty percent of inpatients receiving care for heart ailments, cancer, neurological conditions or orthopedic problems normally

reside beyond that radius. The numbers are likely to rise, Thomas said. As the economic downturn results in fewer people seeking primary care, smaller hospitals will increasingly see sicker patients, whom they will refer to Stanford for procedures they cannot perform, he predicted. Most transplants, surgeries and cancer treatments require patients to stay near the hospital between three weeks and three months, he said. Insurance plans do not usually provide a housing allowance. “It can be a challenge, but we like to think we take some of that burden off people by providing direction,” Thomas said. Ill children and their caregivers who come from more than 50 miles away can stay at Stanford’s Ronald McDonald House for unlimited periods at a suggested $10

per night. Adult patients typically lodge at local hotels or Stanford’s $140-anight (single occupancy) Schwab Residential Center — if they can afford it. Families on limited budgets have a harder time in up-market Silicon Valley, however. To help those patients, the hospital has negotiated discounted rates with local motels and administers two charitable housing programs that allow patients and caregivers to pay what they can afford. For some patients, these programs make treatment possible. Rosacelia Beavers, 54, would not be able to receive chemotherapy at Stanford were it not for HOME Apartments, a 40-unit complex across the street from the hospital. She has stayed there for more than four months with her brother and son while visiting the hospital up

Cover Story

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HOME founder Dorothy Mulhern sits in one of the apartments offered to Stanford Hospital patients and their families through the temporary residential program. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You still had your own little world, your privacy, but it was a little release there,â&#x20AC;? he said. The Brookings, Ore., couple came to Stanford with a referral from local doctors, who had never seen his rare form of cancer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If it had been another two weeks, we wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be sitting here,â&#x20AC;? said Stacy Taresh, 43, her hand clasped over her husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He was that close.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;When you get really catastrophically ill ... you can lose the rest of your life also.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Stacy Taresh, wife of patient Randy Taresh The couple used another affiliated housing program when they returned in July for reconstructive surgery that attached cartilage from Randyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ear to his nostril. Through the Community Home Program, the couple stayed for a little more than a week in a volunteer hostâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Portola Valley home, a 10-minute drive from the hospital. They had a ground-floor suite to themselves and full use of the kitchen and patio, overlooking tree-lined hills and a golden valley. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were very grateful,â&#x20AC;? Stacy Taresh said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;How wonderful of somebody to share their home with perfect strangers.â&#x20AC;? The home is one of 14 within 10 miles of the hospital. Most volunteer hosts belong to Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, whose members

Veronica Weber

Nena Gonzalez, Stanford patient Erika Murilloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sister, caretaker and bone-marrow donor, stays with Murillo five days a week. Gonzalez returns to Napa on weekends to see her family.

started hosting patients 30 years ago. Suzanne Passailaigue, a semiretired property manager, has coordinated the program for three years. She decided to take in displaced families six years ago, after scheduling out-of-state patients for surgery while working at the hospital. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I realized there was a great need for furnished short-term housing,â&#x20AC;? she said. She places most applicants in shared homes, which host one or two guests for up to one week (stays can sometimes extend to two weeks). Four private condominiums can accommodate four people for up to four months. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been rewarding to offer housing to people who come from such a distance,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m just so happy to give them a clean, quiet place where they know theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re welcome ... a little home away from home.â&#x20AC;? For families like the Tareshes, the program means a chance for treatment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We would probably never have been able to come down here at this time to do the surgery if not for the host home,â&#x20AC;? Stacy Taresh said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We just didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the money to pay for the hotel, food, gas for nine days.â&#x20AC;? An educational aide, she stopped earning a paycheck when her emergency leave ran out. Her husband, a correctional officer, will return to work in a few months. If the coupleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house had not been destroyed in 2008 when the ground beneath it cracked (a misfortune not covered by their insurance), they would have lost it when treatment costs escalated, she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When you get really catastrophically ill ... you can lose the rest of your life also,â&#x20AC;? she said. Guests in host homes stay at no cost but are encouraged to donate at least $15 per day. For all the efforts by Stanford, local hotels and community volunteers to house patients and their caregivers, gaps in the system remain. The availability of host homes fluctuates, and condominiums are usually occupied, Passailaigue said. The HOME Apartments are usually nearly full, and post-operative patients get priority, Mulhern said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have to spread our services out throughout a lot of people,â&#x20AC;? Thomas said. The social-work de(continued on page 19)

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to four times a week for blood and platelet infusions to fight leukemia. The family cannot afford to pay for a hotel room or for the gas needed for the five-hour roundtrip drive from their Merced County home. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going through a lot,â&#x20AC;? said her brother, Sergio Caballero, 53, mentioning other relatives who are either ill or unemployed. At HOME Apartments, guests pay a sliding scale of up to $100 per night. The residence was founded and is run by the all-female Santa Clara County chapter of the Assistance League, a national philanthropic organization. It offers one-bedroom apartments with twin beds, private balconies and kitchens. The patient and one caregiver must stay for at least a week. Exceptions occasionally allow for a child or second caregiver to join them. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel like Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m in my house,â&#x20AC;? Caballero said. Besides covering the walls with pink wallpaper and floral art, the volunteers make guests feel at home by filling welcome packages with toiletries and baking pies around the holidays. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had a couple of members who had husbands in the hospital, and they saw all these people spreading out on couches,â&#x20AC;? said Dorothy Mulhern, who chairs the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s philanthropic program. She and other volunteers began receiving patients in five apartments in 1978, and they opened the fourfloor building in 1987. Caballero said the HOME apartment has been a blessing. But he had become nervous last month as their stay approached the residenceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 12-week limit for guests, while his sisterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s treatment would continue at least three more months â&#x20AC;&#x201D; longer if she needed a bone-marrow transplant. The social-work department, which coordinates patient stays, grants case-by-case extensions if there is â&#x20AC;&#x153;significant medical necessity,â&#x20AC;? Thomas said. Caballeroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nephew approached the department about an extension, which it granted because an infection had prolonged his sisterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s treatment. Randy and Stacy Taresh appreciated being with people who were going through the same medical hardships when they stayed at HOME Apartments for three months at the end of last year. Randy Taresh was recovering from a surgery that cut away aggressive tumors in his nose and neck.

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Shop Local Discover and enjoy the rich diversity of Palo Alto businesses at ShopPaloAlto.com, the new online guide to all local businesses featuring listings, customer opinions, web links, photos, maps, coupons, special deals, gift certificates, promotional event listings and much more.

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Cover Story

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(continued from page 17)

‘All I know is it makes sense to be in the area. That’s where my husband is going to get the best care possible.’ — Vickie Murray, wife of patient Rick Murray Finding housing is most problematic for patients with larger families or indefinite treatment timeframes, like Rick Murray. HOME Apartments and most host homes do not allow more than two people. Extended-stay hotels in the area run at least $4,000 a month, while motels are not a feasible long-term option for a family, said Vickie Murray, a small, sprightly woman in her early 50s. The family moved into an extended-stay hotel in Belmont but had to leave after two-and-a-half weeks because the hotel was booked. The Murrays, who are originally from San Mateo, have relatives in the area, but staying with them is not an option. “If I said at the end of the week I was having surgery, we could probably cram ourselves into someone’s house,” said Rick Murray from an armchair in the Belmont hotel, a

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partment, which selects guests for both programs, prioritizes families with greater medical needs and tighter budgets when demand is high, he said. “Do we have people sleeping in the hospital?” he asked. “We pretty much don’t.” In a small number of cases, however, people cannot afford to be treated at Stanford, he said. “If somebody has zero money, zero access to financial support, we can’t pay for all of their housing, all of their food, all of their transport. “Sometimes people need to make hard decisions about whether they can really be here,” Thomas said.

Rick Murray relaxes with his daughter Delaney in their Belmont hotel room in August. The family has spent weeks in temporary housing and hotels while Rick awaits a heart transplant. polo shirt hiding the heart monitor strapped to his chest. “It’s an unknown timeframe.” Although he was approved for the transplant list in early August, there is no way to tell when his heart will break down or a replacement will become available. “Most people know the date of a surgery,” he said, with fatigue in his voice. “How can you plan around something you don’t know, except trying to be in the best place that you can be, knowing what lays ahead?” Murray can await a transplant at home and take an air ambulance when the time comes, but the family wants to be close to Stanford’s facilities and avoid uprooting their children suddenly. There is no hospital close to their Oregon home, and doctors there have little familiarity with Murray’s condition or complicated history. “It’s all pretty scary for us,” Vickie Murray said. “All I know is it makes sense to be in the area. That’s where my husband is going to get the best care possible.” After the transplant, he will have to visit the hospital almost daily for three months and return regularly for at least three years. The couple started looking at apartments, but none were affordable.

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“The expense would be huge,” Rick Murray said. “You would have the rent and all the costs that go into establishing a rental ... and you’re also paying a mortgage on the other end.” The family also pays an average of $2,300 monthly for out-of-pocket medical expenses, and travel, dining and other living costs add up. The San Mateo chapter of the Italian Catholic Federation, to which the couple belongs, set up a donation fund to help with their housing and medical costs (http://rickmurrayhearttransplantfund.org). “You can go bankrupt when something like this happens to you,” Vickie Murray said. She is the family’s sole breadwinner and has lost income since she hired two people to keep her small computer business afloat while she cares for her husband. “You could see how something like this can devastate a family.” The Murrays returned to Oregon mid-August to settle their affairs and figure out where they will live. “My life is a big mystery,” Vickie Murray said. “The anxiety is starting to come in.” “We’ve been put in a situation we obviously never expected, and we’re trying to make it work in one of the most expensive areas in the world.” N

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SHE EARNED HER B.A. IN STUDIO ART FROM U.C. DAVIS, AN M.F.A. IN PAINTING FROM SAN FRANCISCO ART INSTITUTE, AND HER TEACHING CREDENTIAL IN ART FROM SACRAMENTO STATE UNIVERSITY. She loves unlocking a student’s hidden creativity and potential through art and believes that art helps students discover beauty within and without. When she’s not teaching, drawing or painting, she can often be found playing ice hockey at a local ice-rink. Her paintings have won acclaim in group, solo and juried exhibitions including the Paciﬁc Art League, Herbst Pavilion, and in numerous local and domestic galleries. She considers her art and art in general “artifacts of a continuing story of creating, living, and connecting.” To see her work, visit www.teridillonscott.com. She hopes her students take with them a love for art, creativity and learning. Her favorite quote is: “Be the change you want to see in the world” by Gandhi.

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Arts & Entertainment A weekly guide to music, theater, art, movies and more, edited by Rebecca Wallace

B. Modern with some of her costume renderings for the play.

Directing ‘Donuts’

Top: A box of prop doughnuts at her elbow, Leslie Martinson works the room at the first “Superior Donuts” rehearsal. Above: Tom Langguth’s finely detailed model of the play’s set.

THEATREWORKS CASTING DIRECTOR LESLIE MARTINSON RUNS THE SHOW IN THE LATEST LETTS PLAY by Rebecca Wallace photographs by Veronica Weber

tanding tall, ready to address an expectant crowd, Leslie Martinson looks a bit like the captain of a ship about to sail. That is, if the ship smelled like a box of glazed old-fashioneds. This room contains real doughnuts, prop doughnuts, a model of a doughnut shop, and drawings of clothing worn by people who go to the doughnut shop. The room also holds many of the people it will take to put on the new TheatreWorks production of “Superior Donuts”: actors; producers; fund-raisers; costumers; scenic, sound and lighting designers; people who handle tickets; people who handle props. The stage manager. The

Assistant costumer Nina Harris, left, and wardrobe manager Tanya Finkelstein look at a design for the doughnut-shop floor.

artistic director. Oh, and the director, Leslie Martinson. On this September afternoon at TheatreWorks’ Menlo Park offices, this is rehearsal number one for “Superior Donuts,” which will open Oct. 9. It does feel like a voyage is about to begin. Of course, much of the work has already started. The finely detailed set model by Tom Langguth, complete with an image of an elevated Chicago train above the doughnut shop, is but one piece of evidence of that. But this is an inaugural moment for members of the team to meet, actors to get a glimpse of their new costumes designed by

B. Modern, and the director to present her vision of the play. “Superior Donuts,” the latest play by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Letts (“August: Osage County”), is, Martinson tells the crowd, her favorite kind of play: “a comedy that’s also a journey.” The story centers on widower Arthur (played by Howard Swain), the grim owner of the weathered shop; and Franco (Lance Gardner), a kid with big ideas for reviving the business. Both characters have pasts, and the neighborhood is full of decay and racial strife. As they work to improve the shop, (continued on next page)

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Leslie Martinson, right, displays her “idea board” with photos of doughnuts, draft cards and other items that figure in the “Superior Donuts” script. Watching are, from left, actors Søren Oliver, Michael J. Asberry and Julia Brothers.

‘Donuts’

(continued from previous page)

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Arthur and Franco must also work to understand each other. They’re 40 years apart in age, one white and the other black, with a broad personality divide to bridge. As Martinson said in an earlier interview, “One has lost hope, and one has literally nothing but hope.” While “August: Osage County” was a domestic play — albeit a dysfunctional-family one — “Donuts” finds its family in the donut shop, with relationships between employee and employer, merchant and policeman, clerk and customer. The relationships are what Martinson plans to focus on in this production. But it won’t be all family sweetness on the stage. Martinson grins at the rehearsal crowd and quotes from a Wall Street Journal review of “Donuts”: “It’s as if ‘You Can’t Take It With You’ was rewritten by David Mamet.” She gets a hearty laugh. “This is the guy who wrote ‘Bug’ and ‘Killer Joe.’ It’s not going to be all sugar-glazed,” Martinson adds, referring to gritty earlier scripts by Letts. “Our job for the next month is to weave this stuff together.” It’s a big job, but Martinson is no rookie. A resident of East Palo Alto who grew up in Palo Alto, she’s been a senior staff member with TheatreWorks since 1984. She’s directed many shows for the company and last year won an Individual Artist Fellowship in Stage Direction from Arts Council Silicon Valley. Overall, Martinson is perhaps best known as TheatreWorks’ casting director. She’s worn that hat since 1993. That means this director had a particularly large filing cabinet of resumes to draw from when she was casting “Donuts.” As always, casting was a big piece of the show’s process. Typically, Martinson holds general TheatreWorks auditions for each season, where she sees many new faces. All the while, she’s thinking about the shows and their specific needs. “The first thought is, ‘What is this

play doing in the season?’” Martinson said in an interview. “Is it a family holiday show? Political piece? Indie-rock musical? ... Do I need Irish dialects, or somebody who can belt a D?” Martinson added: “I’ve studied up pretty hard by the time we pick the plays; I know what the requirements are. Then I talk with the director and find out what they want to do with this show right now. ... There are a hundred ways to produce any play. What are they putting on top?” After general auditions come readings for specific shows, where actors read for particular characters in front of directors, authors, Martinson and artistic director Robert Kelley. This could take several rounds. But casting is not always so linear. Often Martinson will spot an actor and just get intrigued. With Lance Gardner, Martinson happened to see him perform when he was a student in the Foothill College Theatre Arts Conservatory. He had been an understudy at TheatreWorks in the past, but this time Martinson was struck. Gardner went on to play Arthur in TheatreWorks’ “Auctioning the Ainsleys” this summer, and will soon open as Franco in “Donuts.” Martinson said Gardner can handle the mix of relationships and hard edges that is “Superior Donuts.” “He’s just the ticket for this kind of show,” she said. “This is Letts’ kinder, gentler comedy, but there’s still some ferocious stuff that comes through.” As for the “Donuts” script, Martinson first ran across the play when it was at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company, where it was developed and premiered in 2009. She wanted it for TheatreWorks, and so did Kelley, who has called the play “twice as funny (as “August: Osage County”) and still extraordinarily moving.” After “Donuts” closed its limited Broadway run, TheatreWorks got it. “The writing is just so tight,” Martinson said of the script. “Everything in that play works in a couple of ways. It gets you your joke, it explicates the social situation and it gives

you insight into a character.” She added: “Letts is also an actor. Something about the way he writes the timing of these jokes is superplayable. ... He hears the rhythm of the whole scene.” Another piece of Martinson’s preparation for directing is research. Much of the research about the play’s era, slang, references and other aspects is done by TheatreWorks dramaturg Vickie Rozell, who provides a big binder for the “Donuts” team to use as a reference throughout rehearsals. While Rozell looks up facts and numbers, Martinson says with a laugh, “I’m just looking for something juicy.” For example, a photo of a beat cop directing traffic in a Chicago winter might give an actor an idea about how to stand or how to move his hands. Martinson read about the crime rate and gentrification in the Chicago neighborhood where the play takes place. She also learned a little something about sports betting, draftdodging and Russian immigration, all of which figure in the script. In the rehearsal hall, Martinson has hung an “idea board” for inspiration. It includes pictures of Chicago scenes, draft cards, Vietnam protestors and Homer Simpson with a doughnut. One never knows what image could spark inspiration on stage, or add another level of truth to the story. “It’s the director’s job to help everybody create a world, a whole separate parallel universe on stage,” Martinson said. “What the playwright has done is write a recipe. What the directors and actors and designers need to do is cook dinner.” N What: “Superior Donuts,” a Tracy Letts play presented by TheatreWorks Where: Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St. When: Previews Oct. 6-8 at 8 p.m., with opening night Oct. 9 at 8 p.m. Runs through Oct. 31, Tuesday through Sunday. Cost: Tickets are $19-$67. Info: Go to theatreworks.org or call 650-463-1960.

Arts & Entertainment

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Pictured in the film â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Social Networkâ&#x20AC;? are, from left, Andrew Garfield, Joseph Mazzello, Jesse Eisenberg and Patrick Maple.

Building the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;networkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Filmmakers trace Facebookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s evolving status by Peter Canavese

rom the campus of Harvard to the campus of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg has taken a wild ride. But for the co-founder and CEO of the Palo Alto-based Web giant Facebook, little could be more surreal than seeing his journey retold as a major motionpicture release touted for Oscar consideration. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Social Networkâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; directed by David Fincher (â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttonâ&#x20AC;?) and scripted by Aaron Sorkin (â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Few Good Menâ&#x20AC;?) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; recounts the tale of Facebookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inception among Harvard undergrads and the social-networking websiteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growing pains on the way to achieving a benchmark of one million users in December 2004. Facebookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s users now number more than 500 million. Sonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s publicity blitz for the film included a recent public-appearance tour that brought Sorkin and stars Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Armie Hammer to Stanford and U.C. Berkeley, along with press duties that included quality time with the Palo Alto Weekly. (Zuckerberg declined to work directly with the filmmakers, and has mostly let Facebook spokespeople do the talking about the unauthorized film.) In an interview, Sorkin explained how he wrote the screenplay in parallel with Ben Mezrichâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s controversial semi-fictional non-fiction book â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius, and Betrayal.â&#x20AC;? The â&#x20AC;&#x153;West Wingâ&#x20AC;? creator took inspiration from a 14-page movie â&#x20AC;&#x153;treatmentâ&#x20AC;? by Mezrich, then traded intelligence with the author as the two gathered their own research. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had no idea what he was going to write. He had no idea what I was going to write,â&#x20AC;? Sorkin said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And we met two or three times to share some information. ... There was the available research out there that anybody could get their hands on, and then there was the first-person

research: talking to the people who are characters in the movie, talking to people who arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t characters in the movie but were very close to the event and close to the subject.â&#x20AC;? The film includes several scenes set in Palo Alto, including Napster co-founder Sean Parker waking up in the bed of a Stanford coed, and some high drama that unfolds in Facebookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original downtown Palo Alto digs (the company has since relocated to Stanford Research Park). Facebook executives are describing the picture as negative-minded â&#x20AC;&#x153;fiction,â&#x20AC;? while last week Zuckerberg made a $100 million donation to the Newark public school system that some say was timed to balance the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s portrayal of Zuckerberg with some positive PR. Meanwhile, Sorkin defends the film as accurate to the greatest possible degree: â&#x20AC;&#x153;There was nothing in the movie that was invented for the sake of making it sensational. There was nothing in the movie that was Hollywood-ized. ... The fact that we know what kind of beer he (Zuckerberg) was drinking on Tuesday night in October seven years ago should tell you something about how close our research sources were to the subject and the event.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were discouraged explicitly from doing a kind of impression,â&#x20AC;? said Eisenberg, who plays Zuckerberg. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But before each role, I try to do as much preparation as possible, just so you kind of feel comfortable on set, like youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done everything you possibly could. ... So I read everything I could find about Mark. I took fencing lessons because heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a fencer. I had every video of him converted ... so I could have him on my iPod before each scene. This was all to help me focus.â&#x20AC;? Likewise, Garfield researched Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personality, informed by his bicontinental upbringing, family dynamic and hobbies, including the Afro-Brazilian dance form Ca-

poeira. For all this, the actors are quick to point out that their performances were speculative, designed to understand and serve the characters Sorkin conjured in his script; as Eisenberg says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was my job to defend that personâ&#x20AC;? on the page. The cast has taken to calling Sorkinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s technique of giving voice to different sides of the argument over Facebookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s provenance â&#x20AC;&#x153;the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Rashomonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; effect,â&#x20AC;? in reference to Akira Kurosawaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seminal film that tells one story from multiple perspectives. As an actor, each is beholden to his characterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s way of seeing events. And so the process of making the film (and of watching it) inevitably leads to armchair psychology. Given that Zuckerbergâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one-time friend Saverin sued for recognition as a co-founder of Facebook, Garfieldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s angle is that â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Social Networkâ&#x20AC;? is a story of tragically misplaced trust. â&#x20AC;&#x153;From my perspective, Eduardo is this big-brother figure to Mark, and heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a caring presence. And a warm, Latin, inclusive, family-oriented kind of presence,â&#x20AC;? Garfield said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I see something in Mark that no one else sees, I feel. I see a warmth in him; I see a goodness in him; I see a potential and a sweetness. Maybe I was wrong to. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interesting.â&#x20AC;? With feigned embarrassment, he offers another perspective on the relationship. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a love affair, yeah. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m his girlfriend,â&#x20AC;? Garfield halfjoked, likening the rift between the two to a confusing, emotional breakup. Sorkin confessed, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s any of us who would want a movie made about things we did when we were 19 years old.â&#x20AC;? But he summed up his intentions thusly: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Have the movie not take a position on what the truth was and let those arguments happen in the parking lot.â&#x20AC;? Consider yourself poked. N Info: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Social Networkâ&#x20AC;? opens today at area theaters including the Century 16 in Mountain View and the Century 20 in Redwood City. Weekly film critic Tyler Hanley gave the movie three-and-a-half stars; turn to page 25 for his review.

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by Georgia Wells

ach Appelman began acting in his freshman year of high school, in Mike McGovernâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world-history class at Palo Alto High School. McGovern organized shows to help his students grasp the material in a way that transcended textbooks. But Appelman never thought of it as theater. He said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was the dramatic storytelling that I really fell in love with.â&#x20AC;? Today, Appelman is still on stage, telling one of the theaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s classic stories. After graduating in May from the Yale School of Dramaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s graduate acting program, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now playing Tybalt in Chicago Shakespeare Theaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Romeo and Juliet.â&#x20AC;? Two months before graduation, the young actor sent a video audition to the Chicago theater company. He landed the part of Romeoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rival, and the chance to work with acclaimed Australian director Gale Edwards. In a recent phone interview, Appelman described his director as incredibly passionate about the text and Shakespeareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s language. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a misconception that focusing on language makes plays archaic or intellectual,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But investigating the poetry is what makes it come alive. The study of words in a visceral way â&#x20AC;&#x201D; not many directors do that as well as Edwards.â&#x20AC;? Edwardsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; production is also an intensely physical one, stressing the violence of the warring Montague and Capulet families. Tybalt, the embodiment of hatred and violence, is as passionate about this feud as Romeo and Juliet are about their love. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a tragic figure because heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been trained by society and family to be a killing machine, Appelman said. Lost in this world of hatred, Tybalt battles in three swordfights. Part of what landed Appelman this role was his experience with stage combat, he said. He earned a karate

black belt in high school, and studied stage combat while at Yale. With almost as much time on stage fighting as speaking, Appelman has worked extensively with fight choreographer Rick Sordelet, whose resume includes 50 Broadway shows. The current show opens with a giant brawl between the Capulets and the Montagues. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choreographed like a wild and intense dance,â&#x20AC;? Appelman said. Actors fight, then turn and fight another person â&#x20AC;&#x201D; all while staying synchronized, he said. And in a ferocious extension of the tensions among Tybalt, Mercutio and Romeo, Appelman fights both in a duel. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In bad (poorly executed) fight scenes, swords come out and the play stops. Then the fighting ends, and the play can continue,â&#x20AC;? Appelman said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scenes, however, are seamless â&#x20AC;&#x201D; they advance the story.â&#x20AC;? When heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not engaged in stage combat in Chicago, Appelman is based in New York City, where he spent the summer focusing on voice-over jobs for video games and a Nickelodeon cartoon show. When he returns to the city in November, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll jump back into the busy life of auditioning for the theater. His other stage roles have included Ferdinand in â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Tempest,â&#x20AC;? Orlando in â&#x20AC;&#x153;As You Like It,â&#x20AC;? both Oberon and Flute in â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Midsummer Nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dreamâ&#x20AC;? and Biff in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Death of a Salesman.â&#x20AC;? N Info: Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents â&#x20AC;&#x153;Romeo and Julietâ&#x20AC;? through Nov. 21. For more information, go to www.chicagoshakes.com.

About the cover: Faceboookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mark Zuckerberg is pictured in a 2005 Weekly file photo by Nicholas Jensen. Design by Shannon Corey.

Movies

â&#x20AC;&#x153;At Last: A Smart teen Comedy that Adults will Love too.â&#x20AC;? Linda Barnard, TORONTO STAR

OPENINGS

The Social Network ---1/2

(Century 16, Century 20) Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Likeâ&#x20AC;? about â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Social Network.â&#x20AC;? The riveting film about Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg defines a generation, Ă la â&#x20AC;&#x153;Easy Riderâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Breakfast Club.â&#x20AC;? Director David Fincher (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fight Club,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttonâ&#x20AC;?) helms with a deft touch; the screenplay by Aaron Sorkin is beautifully crafted; and the acting is exceptional. In fact, the only thing missing from â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Social Networkâ&#x20AC;? is a likable protagonist. Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Zombielandâ&#x20AC;?) wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s youngest billionaire. In 2003, the computer whiz was an undergrad at Harvard University, more interested in campus life and dating than status updates or profile pics. When Zuckerberg is unceremoniously dumped by college flame Erica Albright (Rooney Mara), he spends the evening chugging beer, lambasting Erica on his blog and creating a website called Facemash, which displays photos of two Harvard girls side-by-side and invites users to pick the more attractive one. Facemash lands Zuckerberg in the Harvard doghouse but plants the seed that would eventually become the Facebook tree. Impressed by the popularity of Facemash, Harvard students (and twin brothers) Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss (Armie Hammer and Josh Pence) and a colleague approach Zuckerberg to enlist his help with the development of Harvard Connection, a MySpace-esque site specifically for Harvard students. Bing! Zuckerberg quickly enlists the financial and moral support of his best friend, Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lions for Lambsâ&#x20AC;?), to create his own social-networking site. In less time than it takes to fix a transmission, Zuckerberg designs and builds TheFacebook.com. The site is a fast success, and soon Zuckerberg and Saverin are figuring out ways to expand it to other universities (including Stanford) while the Winklevoss twins fume that Zuckerberg â&#x20AC;&#x153;stole our website.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Social Networkâ&#x20AC;? jumps back and forth in time, through the evolution of Facebook (which includes the involvement of Napster founder Sean Parker, played by Justin Timberlake) to the deterioration of Zuckerbergâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Saverinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s friendship, and Zuckerberg facing two multi-million-dollar lawsuits. Developing a website as popular as Facebook doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come without a price. Eisenberg is perfectly cast as Zuckerberg, who comes across as aloof and self-serving, though thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a sympathetic loneliness that accompanies his impressive programming IQ. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ironic that the man with more than 500 million friends on Facebook reportedly didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have many (if any) before Facebook became Facebook. And, the film portrays him as throwing the one true friend he had â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Saverin â&#x20AC;&#x201D; under the bus when Facebook started soaring. Of course there are some missing components when a film squeezes seven years into a two-hour runtime. Garfield rides an emotional roller coaster as Saverin and proves up to the task. Timberlake is perfectly cast as Parker and is starting to demonstrate that he is not only a charismatic actor, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a good one. The film moves at a fantastic pace and is rife with humor, suspense and insight. Fincher is a considerate, meticulous and visionary director, and his influence is obvious. The soundtrack, lighting, cinematography and production design are impressive. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Social Networkâ&#x20AC;? is that much more provocative for those of us who live in Silicon Valley and have made Facebook a part of our daily lives. Status update: Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss it. Rated PG-13 for language, drug and alcohol use

and sexual content. 2 hours, 1 minute. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Tyler Hanley

Never Let Me Go ---

(Aquarius) For starters, say this for â&#x20AC;&#x153;Never Let Me Go,â&#x20AC;? the new film adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s celebrated novel: You havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen anything like it at the movies this year. Ishiguroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dystopian, alternate-universe science-fiction melodrama gets a rendering from director Mark Romanek (â&#x20AC;&#x153;One Hour Photoâ&#x20AC;?) thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s austere to a fault. But the deliberate withholding of exposition effectively keeps those who havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t read the novel guessing, as screenwriter Alex Garland (â&#x20AC;&#x153;28 Days Later...â&#x20AC;?) slowly, incrementally doles out the storyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s secrets. The approach bonds the viewer to the leading characters, who grow up confused and frustrated in the vaguely sinister Hailsham House boarding school. Three youngsters compose a love triangle: shyly emotive Kathy (Izzy Meikle-Small), brashly confident Ruth (Ella Purnell) and sensitive loner Tommy (Charlie Rowe), the boy in whom both girls develop an interest. Part of the poignancy of the story is the very ordinariness of this grade-school drama, set against the backdrop of powerful social forces they cannot control. These children have been isolated from mainstream society to serve a social purpose, and the reason they have been singled out for servitude functions as an allegory for the random selection of class. The audienceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s empathy curdles as the viewers realize they themselves are the bad guys in this scenario: the privileged class who lives on the backs of the less fortunate. When the students move out of the school and into their adult roles, Kathy (Carey Mulligan), Ruth (Keira Knightley) and Tommy (Andrew Garfield) have developed physically but made little emotional progress. Unfair laws, a sheltered upbringing and, yet more disturbing, the sense of self-limitation inculcated from a young age socially cripples the trio, but they work to justify their lives as meaningful, if only on their own terms. Perhaps they can find forgiveness from each other for their sins of selfishness or neglect, and win redemption through self-sacrifice. Mulliganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brand of quiet suffering turns out to be ideal for the delicate porcelain doll that is Kathy, and Knightley is convincing enough as both vamp and guilty seeker of repentance. Garfield gives the most interesting performance, embodying his tender, overgrown child with awkward postures, nervous eyes and sudden, impotent rages. Together, the cast, Romanek and composer Rachel Portman lay out a terrible melancholy only made worse by the charactersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; naive hope against hope. Though we may not be members of an underclass, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Never Let Me Goâ&#x20AC;? also works on a universal, existential level, with its metaphors for how weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re used up and slowly emptied out by a society that undervalues living for the moment. In facing their terrible duty, the characters come to understand that no one gets out of life alive. The filmmakersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; one unforgiveable mistake comes with the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s final lines, which spell out the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theme in a disappointing display of distrust in the audience.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

is for awesome!â&#x20AC;? Mark S. Allen CBS - CW TV & REELZ CHAN NEL

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Rated R for some sexuality and nudity. One hour, 44 minutes. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Peter Canavese

You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger ---

(Guild) In a movie with eight major roles, such as â&#x20AC;&#x153;You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger,â&#x20AC;? youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d think (continued on next page)

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Movies MOVIE TIMES 1 a Minute Live: Supporting Century 16: Wed. at 8 p.m. Century 20: Wed. at 8 p.m. Susan G. Komen for the Cure (PG-13) (Not Reviewed) Alpha and Omega (PG) (Not Reviewed)

Century 16: Fri., Sat. & Tue.-Thu. at 12:30, 2:45, 5:05, 7:25 & 9:40 p.m.; Sun. & Mon. at 12:30, 2:45, 5:05, 7:25 & 9:45 p.m.; In 3D (Fri. & Sun.-Thu.) at 11:25 a.m. Century 20: In 3D at 11:20 a.m.; 1:35, 3:50, 6 & 8:15 p.m.; Fri.Wed. also at 10:30 p.m.

Beauty and the Beast Century 16: Sat. at noon. Century 20: Sat. at noon. Sing-Along Event (Not Rated) (Not Reviewed) Buried (R) (Not Reviewed)

Century 20: Thu. at 12:05 a.m.

Case 39 (R) (Not Reviewed)

Century 16: Fri.-Sun. at 11:05 a.m.; 1:50, 4:35, 7:40 & 10:40 p.m.; Mon.-Thu. at 11:05 a.m.; 1:50, 4:35, 7:40 & 10:15 p.m. Century 20: 11:15 a.m.; 1:50, 4:30, 7:10 & 9:45 p.m.

Catfish (PG-13) (Not Reviewed) Century 20: 12:10, 2:35, 4:50, 7:20 & 9:35 p.m. Devil (PG-13) (Not Reviewed)

Century 16: In 3D Fri. at 7 & 9:35 p.m.; In 3D Sat. at 4:30, 7 & 9:35 p.m.; In 3D Sun.-Thu. at 2:05, 4:30, 7 & 9:35 p.m. Century 20: 12:40, 3:10, 5:35, 7:55 & 10:25 p.m.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (R) (Not Reviewed)

Guild Theatre: Sat. at midnight.

Secretariat (PG) (Not Reviewed)

Century 16: Sat. at 7:05 p.m. Century 20: Sat. at 7:30 p.m.; Thu. at 12:01 a.m.

The Social Network (PG-13) (((1/2

Century 16: 11 a.m.; noon, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6:10, 7 & 8 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. also at 9:20, 10:10 & 10:50 p.m.; Mon.-Thu. also at 9:40 & 10:25 p.m. Century 20: 11:20 a.m.; 12:15, 1:15, 3:15, 4:05, 6:10, 7, 7:50, 9:05, 9:55 & 10:40 p.m.; Sat.-Thu. also at 2:10 & 5 p.m.

The Town (R) (((1/2

Century 20: Noon, 1:30, 3, 4:25, 5:50, 7:30, 8:45 & 10:20 p.m. Palo Alto Square: 1:25, 4:25 & 7:15 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. also at 3, 6, 8:50 & 10:05 p.m.; Sun.-Tue. & Thu. also at 3 & 6 p.m.

Century 20: 11:35 a.m.; 1:45, 3:55, 5:55, 8:05 & 10:10 p.m.

Easy A (PG-13) (Not Reviewed) Century 16: 11:40 a.m.; 2:20, 4:45, 7:10 & 9:45 p.m. Century 20: 12:25, 2:45, 5:15, 7:35 & 10 p.m. Heartbreaker (PG) (((

Resident Evil: Afterlife (R) (Not Reviewed)

Aquarius Theatre: 3:30 & 8:30 p.m.

Inception (PG-13) (((1/2

Century 20: Fri.-Tue. & Thu. at 8:50 p.m.

Jack Goes Boating (R) (((

Century 16: Fri.-Tue. & Thu. at 10:20 p.m.

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Gaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hoole (PG) (Not Reviewed)

Century 16: Fri. & Sun. at 12:10, 2:50, 5:30, 8:10 & 10:35 p.m.; Sat. at 11:30 a.m.; 2:10, 4:50 & 10 p.m.; Mon.-Thu. at 12:10, 2:50, 5:30, 7:55 & 10:20 p.m.; In 3D Fri. at 11 & 11:30 a.m.; 2:10, 4:50, 6:40, 7:20, 9:15 & 9:50 p.m.; In 3D Sat. at 11 a.m.; 12:10, 1:30, Century 20: Fri. & Sun.-Thu. at 12:30, 2:55, 5:30, 8 & 10:25 p.m.; Sat. at 2:55 & 10:25 p.m.; In 3D at 11:25 a.m.; 1:55, 4:20, 6:50 & 9:15 p.m.

Wall Street: Money Never Century 16: 11:15 a.m.; 12:15, 1:15, 2:15, 3:15, 4:20, 5:15, 6:20, 7:30, 8:30, Sleeps (PG-13) (Not Reviewed) 9:30 & 10:30 p.m. Century 20: 11:50 a.m.; 12:55, 2, 2:50, 4, 5, 6, 7:05, 8:10, 9 & 10:05 p.m. You Again (PG) (Not Reviewed) Century 16: 11:10 & 11:55 a.m.; 1:40, 2:40, 4:10 & 9:55 p.m.; Fri., Sun.-Tue. & Thu. also at 5:10, 7:05 & 7:50 p.m.; Sat. also at 5:10 & 7:50 p.m. Century 20: 11:40 a.m.; 1:10, 2:25, 3:45, 5:05 & 10:15 p.m.; Fri., Sun.-Tue. & Thu. also at 6:20 & 7:40 p.m.; Sat. also at 6:20 p.m.; Wed. also at 7:40 p.m. You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (R) (((

Guild Theatre: 2, 4:30, 7 & 9:30 p.m.

( Skip it (( Some redeeming qualities ((( A good bet (((( Outstanding

Let Me In (R) (Not Reviewed)

Century 16: Fri.-Sun. at 11:05 a.m.; 1:55, 4:40, 7:35 & 10:45 p.m.; Mon.-Thu. at 11:05 a.m.; 1:55, 4:40, 7:35 & 10:30 p.m. Century 20: 11:30 a.m.; 2:20, 5:05, 7:45 & 10:35 p.m.

Aquarius: 430 Emerson St., Palo Alto (2669260)

CinĂŠArts at Palo Alto Square: 3000 El Camino Real, Palo Alto (493-3456)

Life As We Know It (PG-13) (Not Reviewed)

Century 16: Sat. at 7:20 p.m. Century 20: Sat. at 7 p.m.; Thu. at 12:03 a.m.

Century Cinema 16: 1500 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View (800-326-3264)

Guild: 949 El Camino Real, Menlo Park (2669260)

Maoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Last Dancer (PG) ((

Aquarius Theatre: 1 & 6 p.m.

My Soul To Take (R) (Not Reviewed)

Century 20: Thu. at 12:01 & 12:03 a.m.

Never Let Me Go (R)

Aquarius Theatre: 2, 4:30, 7 & 9:30 p.m.

(((

Century 20 Downtown: 825 Middlefield Road, Redwood City (800-326-3264)

Stanford: 221 University Ave., Palo Alto (3243700) Internet: For show times, plot synopses, trailers and more information about films playing, go to PaloAltoOnline.com.

FALL COMPOST

(continued from previous page)

you would need a road map, or even a genealogical chart, to keep the characters straight. But this is a Woody Allen movie, and Allen knows how to write unique characters and get actors to express their uniqueness. The use of an (unseen) narrator (Zak Orth) helps, too. Like Allenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s early films, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tall Dark Strangerâ&#x20AC;? has an â&#x20AC;&#x153;American songbookâ&#x20AC;? soundtrack, starting with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Over the Rainbow,â&#x20AC;? but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a mistake to assume that the cheery background and the upscale London settings will determine the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tone. Yes, the situations are often very funny, and the characters do some absurd things. But Allen isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t easy on them, and the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s underlying color is dark. When Helena (Gemma Jones) informs her son-in-law, Roy (Josh Brolin), that her fortune teller Cristal (Pauline Collins) has predicted sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll meet a new man, Roy says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m afraid youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll meet the same

GIVEAWAY PALO ALTO RESIDENTS â&#x20AC;&#x153;Complete the recycle circleâ&#x20AC;? In appreciation of citizenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s participation in the curbside composting program, Palo Alto residents will be allowed up to 1 cubic yard of compost (equivalent to six full garbage cans), free of charge. Bring shovels, gloves, containers and proof of Palo Alto residency. Saturday, September 25, 2010 Sunday, October 3, 2010 at the Palo Alto Landfill 2380 Embarcadero Road 1 cubic yard per event

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Sun-Tues Only 10/3-10/5: Weds Only 10/6: Thurs Only 10/7:

Page 26Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160;"VĂ&#x152;Â&#x153;LiĂ&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;ÂŁ]Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201C;Ă¤ÂŁĂ¤Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160;*>Â?Â&#x153;Ă&#x160; Â?Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x160;7iiÂ&#x17D;Â?Ă&#x17E;

Fri & Sat Only 10/1-10/2:

The Town The Town The Town The Town The Town The Town The Town

1:25, 4:25, 7:15, 10:05 3:00, 6:00, 8:50 1:25, 4:25, 7:15 3:00, 6:00 1:25, 4:25, 7:15 1:25, 4:25, 7:15 3:00, 6:00

chance to spend a few months in America under Stevensonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tutelage. Rated PG for a brief violent image, sensuality, language and smoking. One hour, 57 minutes. P.C. (Reviewed Aug. 20, 2010)

Jack Goes Boating --(Century 16) Philip Seymour Hoffmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s directorial debut, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jack Goes Boating,â&#x20AC;? offers an alternative for those tired of the conventions of Hollywood romantic comedy. Hoffmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lonely bachelor Jack is a sad-sack striver whom we catch in mid-â&#x20AC;?strive.â&#x20AC;? Alongside best bud Clyde (Ortiz), Jack works as a New York City limo driver, but he harbors an aspiration to climb the next rung on the social ladder by getting a job with the MTA. Clyde has a more important advancement in mind for his friend: pairing Jack up with Connie (Amy Ryan), a misfit co-worker of Clydeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife, Lucy (Rubin-Vega). Rated R for language, drug use and some sexual content. One hour, 29 minutes. P.C. (Reviewed Sept. 24, 2010)

The Town ---1/2 (Cinearts, Century 20) Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck) is the conflicted leader of a bankand armored-car-robbing quartet based in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston, Mass. Dougâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unfortunate family background (his mother left when he was a toddler and his dad, played by the always excellent Chris Cooper, is languishing in a federal prison) helped create the criminal he has become. Things get complicated when the gang kidnaps bank manager Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall) during a brazen robbery, blindfolding the terrified young woman and setting her free at the edge of a river. Dougâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right-hand man/best friend Jem (Jeremy Renner), a trigger-happy bruiser, expresses concern when he learns that Claire lives in the same Charlestown neighborhood as Doug and his pals. Doug agrees to keep an eye on Claire, which quickly develops into a passionate relationship between the two. Suddenly life isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t so bleak for Doug. He is anxious to run away with Claire, leaving his drug-addicted ex (Blake Lively), relentless FBI agent Adam Frawley (Jon Hamm) and Charlestown itself behind him. But bigwig gangster Fergie Colm (Pete Postlethwaite) wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let Doug hit the road without pulling off one last job: a dangerous and profitable heist of Bostonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fenway Park. Rated R for strong violence, pervasive language, some sexuality and drug use. 2 hours, 5 minutes. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; T.H. (Reviewed Sept. 17, 2010)

Rated R for some language. One hour, 38 minutes.

In just 6 weeks

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Renata Polt

NOW PLAYING

Maoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Last Dancer -(Aquarius) The film begins with an 11-yearold Li (Wen Bin Huang) being plucked from rural Shandong Province by a couple of Madame Maoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cultural aides to attend the Beijing Dance Academy. The child becomes a teenager (Chengwu Guo) in tune with a quietly rebellious teacher who prioritizes the aesthetic of dance over its potential to be a propaganda tool. When his teacher fails to hold the tide of Communist influence, Liâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mentorship gap is filled by Ben Stevenson (Bruce Greenwood), the artistic director of the Houston Ballet. Stevenson singles out Li (Chi Cao) as a diamond in the rough. Thanks to a cultural exchange program, Li wins the

7-10 lbs

LIGHTER

Six week program includes wrap once a week and herbal supplements. Call for more details. Results can vary.

The following is a sampling of movies recently reviewed in the Weekly:

T BA

deeper, threats emerge, forcing each member to face the possibility of a mental limbo they may never wake from. Rated PG-13 for violence and action. 2 hours, 22 minutes. T.H. (Reviewed July 16, 2010)

dark stranger we all eventually meet.â&#x20AC;? Helena has been dumped by her husband Alfie (Anthony Hopkins) because she â&#x20AC;&#x153;allowed herself to become old.â&#x20AC;? Alfie promptly joins a gym, buys a sports car and takes up with Charmaine (Lucy Punch), a call girl who gives the word â&#x20AC;&#x153;floozyâ&#x20AC;? a bad name, while Helena relies more and more on the sanguine Cristal. Meanwhile, Alfie and Helenaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daughter, Sally (Naomi Watts), is unhappy in her marriage to Roy, who hit it big with his first novel but has been unable to publish anything since. Frustrated with her wish â&#x20AC;&#x201D; not shared by Roy â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to have a baby, and Royâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inability to support them, Sally develops a crush on Greg (Antonio Banderas), her boss at the art gallery where sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an assistant. Meanwhile, Roy devises a plan that will guarantee him literary success, and obsesses about the woman in red (Freida Pinto of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Slumdog Millionaireâ&#x20AC;?) who plays guitar in the apartment across the courtyard. In their attempts to come to terms with age, failure and the erosion of love, each of the characters, trusting in the reasonableness of his or her course of action, makes poor, not to say devastating, choices. In a world generally believed to be ruled by the laws of logic, it may be the spiritualism of Helenaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fortune teller that makes the most sense after all.

WE S

Movies

OPER

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;SUMPTUOUSLY GORGEOUS AND FILLED WITH STERLING PERFORMANCES.â&#x20AC;?

Heartbreaker --(Aquarius) There are matchmakers. And then there are matchbreakers, like Alex Lippi (Romain Duris), who is hired by anxious parents bent on breaking up what they believe is a daughterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s terrible romance. Alex, together with his sister and brother-in-law (Julie Ferrier and Francois Damiens) and with the help of sophisticated electronic gadgets, is the man for the job.Alex has his principles. He doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sleep with his targets, he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t break up couples for racial or religious reasons, and he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mess with couples who are really in love. But a financial crisis and a hulking debt collector force him to break the last rule, and when an unscrupulous French financier asks him to stop the impending marriage of his daughter, Juliette (Vanessa Paradis), and her British fiance, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forced to accept.Not rated. 105 minutes. R.P. (Reviewed Sept. 24, 2010) Inception ---1/2 (Century 16, Century 20) Leonardo DiCaprio headlines as Cobb, an enigmatic fellow whose expertise is accessing someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s subconscious through his or her dreams and stealing information. Cobb is also a troubled man, hunted by shady government agents and haunted by memories of his wife (Marion Cotillard). When a businessman (Ken Watanabe) offers Cobb a chance to clear his record, he embraces the opportunity. But the task is far from simple. Cobb and his team (which includes â&#x20AC;&#x153;point manâ&#x20AC;? Joseph Gordon-Levitt, â&#x20AC;&#x153;architectâ&#x20AC;? Ellen Page and â&#x20AC;&#x153;forgerâ&#x20AC;? Tom Hardy) are to enter the dreams of soon-to-be tycoon Robert Fischer Jr. (Cillian Murphy), and plant an idea, an act known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;inception.â&#x20AC;? While the group dives

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PIZZA Pizza Chicago 424-9400 4115 El Camino Real, Palo Alto This IS the best pizza in town

of the week

Spot A Pizza 324-3131 115 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto Voted Best Pizza in Palo Alto www.spotpizza.com

POLYNESIAN Trader Vic’s 849-9800

AMERICAN

CHINESE

Armadillo Willy’s 941-2922

Peking Duck 321-9388

Sun 4:30 - 9:30pm

1031 N. San Antonio Rd., Los Altos

151 S. California Avenue, Palo Alto

Available for private luncheons

Range: $5.00-13.00

We also deliver.

4269 El Camino Real, Palo Alto Dinner Mon-Thurs 5-10pm; Fri-Sat 5-11pm;

Hobee’s 856-6124

Su Hong – Menlo Park

4224 El Camino Real, Palo Alto

Dining Phone: 323–6852

Also at Town & Country Village,

To Go: 322–4631

Palo Alto 327-4111

Winner, Palo Alto Weekly “Best Of”

Burmese

8 years in a row!

Lounge open nightly Happy Hour Mon-Fri 4-6 pm

Full Service – Fresh Fish Market

SEAFOOD Cook’s Seafood 325-0604 751 El Camino Real, Menlo Park Seafood Dinners from

INDIAN

$6.95 to $10.95

(650) 494-7391

Darbar Indian Cuisine 321-6688

Scott’s Seafood 323-1555

Burmese & Chinese Cuisine

129 Lytton, Downtown Palo Alto

#1 Town & Country Village, Palo Alto

3950 Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto

Lunch Buffet M-F; Open 7 days

Green Elephant Gourmet

(Charleston Shopping Center)

Open 7 days a week serving breakfast, lunch and dinner

Janta Indian Restaurant 462-5903

Happy Hour 7 days a week 4-7 pm

Dine-In, Take-Out, Local Delivery-Catering

369 Lytton Ave., Downtown Palo Alto

Full Bar, Banquets, Outdoor Seating

CHINESE

Lunch Buffet M-F; Organic Veggies

www.scottsseafoodpa.com

Chef Chu’s (650) 948-2696

ITALIAN

THAI

1067 N. San Antonio Road

Spalti Ristorante 327-9390

Thaiphoon Restaurant 323-7700

on the corner of El Camino, Los Altos

417 California Ave, Palo Alto

543 Emerson St., Palo Alto

2008 Best Chinese

ÝµÕ Ã ÌiÊ `ÊUÊ"ÕÌ` ÀÊ }

Full Bar, Outdoor Seating

MV Voice & PA Weekly

www.spalti.com

www.thaiphoonrestaurant.com

Jing Jing 328-6885

Pizzeria Venti 650-254-1120

443 Emerson St., Palo Alto

1390 Pear Ave, Mountain View

Authentic Szechwan, Hunan

www.MvPizzeriaVenti.com

Siam Orchid 325-1994

Food To Go, Delivery

Fresh, Chef Inspired Italian Food

496 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto

www.jingjinggourmet.com

JAPANESE & SUSHI

Award Winning Fish & Chips Restaurant Mon-Sat 11-8:30 pm Fri ‘til 9pm Market Mon-Sat 9-7 Closed Sunday

751 El Camino Real, Menlo Park 650-325-0604 or 322-2231 www.cooksseafood.com

Best Thai Restaurant in Palo Alto

Organic Thai

www.mings.com New Tung Kee Noodle House 520 Showers Dr., MV in San Antonio Ctr.

Free Delivery to Palo Alto/Stanford 4-6p.m. 25% off menu price M-F

Ming’s 856-7700 1700 Embarcadero East, Palo Alto

3 Years in a Row, 2006-2007-2008

Fuki Sushi 494-9383 4119 El Camino Real, Palo Alto Open 7 days a Week

MEXICAN

STEAKHOUSE Sundance the Steakhouse 321-6798 1921 El Camino Real, Palo Alto Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30 am-2:00pm

Voted MV Voice Best ‘01, ‘02, ‘03 & ‘04

Palo Alto Sol 328-8840

Dinner: Mon-Thu 5:00-10:00pm

Prices start at $4.75

408 California Ave, Palo Alto

Fri-Sat 5:00-10:30pm, Sun 5:00-9:00pm

947-8888

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Search a complete listing of local restaurant reviews by location or type of food on PaloAltoOnline.com

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880 Santa Cruz Ave Menlo Park Michelle Le

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(650) 329-8888 Robin Dupre smells one of the teas at Crossroads World Market.

he name Crossroads World Market may put you more in mind of church than yogurt, but this little store is a revelation. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in the market for an 8-pound jar of tahini, get thee to Crossroads. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you are Orthodox (Greek, Russian or Jewish) and work or live on the Peninsula, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll undoubtedly end up here,â&#x20AC;? Stuart R. of Point Reyes Station says on Yelp. But not only the Orthodox come down to the Crossroads. On the last block of San Antonio Road before Palo Alto becomes Mountain View, Crossroads doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look like much from the street. It was a Straw Hat Pizza until 2004. Then Hani Haddad, a former college math professor, decided to expand the business heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d started in Hayward. Ever seen a marble floor in a grocery store? Haddad can identify stones in the floor from Brazil, China, India, Italy and a handful of the four dozen countries whose products are sold here. On your left, as you walk in and pick up a basket, are crackers and breads including Armenian dark rye, kosher challah and fresh pita, white or wheat. In the middle of the store is the cashier, who, while very nice, was the only employee on a re-

cent busy Saturday except for a bagger, who only bagged. Lacking an information desk, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re pretty much on your own. Have fun! Proceeding past the bread department, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll face the freezer, fully stocked with pelmeni, pierogi and filo dough, to name a fraction of whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s there. We bought a frozen Alsatian pizza ($5.49), with cooking instructions noting that its name, Flammenkueche, means â&#x20AC;&#x153;burnt edges.â&#x20AC;? Back away from the freezer and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re at one of my favorite spots, the raisin bar. Here are familiar black raisins ($1.99 a pound), plump and irregular goldens ($2.99 a pound) and intriguing green Iranian raisins that look like shriveled pistachio nuts ($3.99). Go for the golden. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a date bar, and a hand-lettered sign: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do not sample without assistance.â&#x20AC;? You are unlikely to get assistance. Use the scooper and sample at home. Continuing clockwise, the olive bar contains excellent half-sour pickles, crisp and not too salty. The oven-baked falafel balls, while more healthful than the fried version, were a little dry. Also in this vicinity, the Greekstyle yogurt, labneh, is spectacular.

(continued on next page)

(650) 654-3333

RY! VE

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by Sheila Himmel

(Next to Pacific Athletic Club)

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Crossroads World Market holds goodies from dozens of countries

Think of feta cheese as a salt lick? Crossroads stocks a halfdozen that will change your mind, including French, Greek and Bulgarian, in a cold case behind the cashier. In the bountiful wine section, I found a large, reasonably priced bottle of Polish mineral water that proved invaluable when we sat down to eat the fabulous Costa Rican yellowfin tuna in olive oil ($7.29 for 6.7 ounces), Latvian sprats (like herring) and Russianstyle smoked sablefish. At the Eastern wall, a refrigerator case stocks sausages and cured meats including a very good coppa ($9.99 for 180 grams, about 6.5 ounces), cured pork shoulder from Casa Italia, made in Canada. Fans of Fabrique Delices will note the good prices on their pĂ˘tĂŠs, mousses and rillettes. I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t possibly do justice to the pasta section, the sweets and the sauces. From Bulgaria, tasty Zergut eggplant â&#x20AC;&#x153;caviarâ&#x20AC;? spread ($2.99 for a 19-ounce jar) works as well as a pasta sauce. Roland pesto from San Remo, Italy, ($2.99 for a 3-ounce jar) also is very good. Just reading the packages is a trip. From the Cracovia brand of linden honey: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ingredients: honey.â&#x20AC;? From Pastificio G. Di Martino: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tofette, al dente in 11 minuti.â&#x20AC;? Cook the pasta for 11 minutes, not 10 or 12. What didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t we like? Villa Reale caperberries in brine were squishy. From Belarus, capelin

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Photo credit: â&#x20AC;&#x153;iPad :)â&#x20AC;? by Rego Korosi

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Eating Out (continued from previous page)

â&#x20AC;&#x153;caviarâ&#x20AC;? had a mousse-like consistency and tasted more of smoked soybeans than salmon. A search for Belarus reveals it is landlocked, which might have had something to do with it. A side benefit of shopping at Crossroads is that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get a little more familiar with all the countries in the former Soviet Union. N Crossroads World Market 720 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto 650-858-6910 Hours: Weekdays 9:30 a.m.7:30 p.m. Sat. 10 a.m.- 7:30 p.m. Sun. 10 a.m.-p.m.

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F. Marland Chancellor, III, MD Concierge Family Medicine Specialist FULL-TIME ACCESS, FULL-TIME CARING â&#x20AC;&#x153;The heart, the Art, of medical practice lies in the strength of the doctor-patient relationship. The time spent listening to my patients is the most important aspect of the care I provide. Having a physician who knows you well can help to guide your care in directions that might otherwise be overlooked in this era of depersonalized, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;by-the-numbersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; medicine.â&#x20AC;? F. Marland Chancellor, III, M.D.

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1ST PLACE

STANFORD ROUNDUP

BEST SPORTS COVERAGE

No. 1 club has new member

California Newspaper Publishers Association

Sports Shorts

ON THE AIR Friday Women’s volleyball: Oregon St. at Stanford, 7 p.m.; KZSU (90.1 FM)

Saturday Football: Stanford at Oregon, 5 p.m., ABC (7); KNBR (1050 AM); KZSU (90.1 FM) Men’s soccer: Cal at Stanford, 7 p.m.; live stats at gostanford.com Women’s volleyball: Oregon at Stanford, 7 p.m.; KZSU (90.1 FM)

www.PASportsOnline.com For expanded daily coverage of college and prep sports, please see our new site at www.PASportsOnline.com

by Rick Eymer his Stanford sports roundup is brought to you by the number one, as in the No. 1 Cardinal women’s soccer team and the No. 1 Stanford women’s volleyball team, both of whom will be at home this weekend. Stanford senior forward Christen Press, who had three goals and an assist in a weekend sweep of Hawaii (9-0) and No. 3 Portland (2-1), earned her second consecutive Pac10 Player of the Week honor on Tuesday. Press leads the nation with 13 goals and 30 points as the Cardinal (8-0-2) look ahead to its final nonconference match against visiting 13th-ranked Santa Clara (7-2-2) Sunday at 1 p.m. Stanford brings a seven-match winning streak into the fray and has outscored opponents, 24-2, over its past five matches. Santa Clara had its six-match win streak end at UCLA last weekend. Press needs one goal to tie the Stanford all-time goals record held by Sarah Rafanelli since 1993. Press has 58, including 13 this season. Rafanelli scored 59. The Broncos have not allowed more than one goal in any match and have four shutouts thus far. Junior goalkeeper Bianca Henninger was the starting goalkeeper for the

A leaping Mariah Nogueria and her Stanford teammates surround Christen Press to celebrate a victory over No. 3 Portland last Saturday, which helped propel the Cardinal to the nation’s No. 1 ranking.

(continued on page 33)

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

PRO BASKETRBALL

Stanford faces a defining Pac-10 moment

Lin ready for the challenge

by Rick Eymer

ince Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh took over the football program it’s always been about breaking down barriers, competing for the Pac-10 championship and earning a berth in the Rose Bowl. The ninth-ranked Cardinal (1-0, 4-0) finds itself in position to gain some advantage toward those goals Saturday when it travels to Eugene to meet fourthranked host Oregon (1-0, 4-0) for a 5 p.m. kickoff. It’s only the second game of the conference season and yet it could be a defining moment for Stanford, which is looking for its first 5-0 start since 1951. “As your team plays you either getting better or you’re getting worse,” Harbaugh said. “You never stay the same. Every day we’re analyzing it and finding ways to improve it. Oregon . . . they’re the champs.”

(continued on page 33)

Kyle Terada