Today, outsiders may call Berkeley "the People's Republic." During its early-20th-century heyday, however, the city was run primarily by Republicans. But Berkeleyans — even then — were not immune to the call of the Socialists for a more equitable divvying of life's spoils.
In 1911, when Socialist J. Stitt Wilson ran for mayor, even a paper not known for its radical opinions supported his cause. "His well-rounded sentences, polished rhetoric and telling logic drove home the truth with great power," the Gazette said of his kickoff speech.
Wilson, then a boyish 43, called for public ownership of lighting and electricity, streetcars, water, and phones, and a public kindergarten, with all these services provided at minimal cost. The battle, he said, set private citizens against "a mere handful of individuals who control the resources of the nation." Wilson, a backer of women's suffrage, already had the support of Berkeley's progressive women.
"You know what I am standing for," he said to rousing cheers, "cheaper water, cheaper gas, cheaper lights, cheaper phones."
Read the whole story here, if you don't have anything todo
From 2008-2013 I was living in north Berkeley hills and Kensington. Lots of retired white people, local Kensington police force to kept out "the less desirable elements" and got excited when they could write a ticket for running the only stop sign around.
Melissa, that demographic map of rich/poor blocks matches up pretty well with what anyone can observe living there.
The restaurant I'll miss the most is De Afghanan Kabob place on University. Sometimes we would get take-out and sit up on Indian Rock. Sometimes it was a crowded summer sunset, sometimes all alone in a winter evening chill.
To quote Jerry Garcia...(he was referring to those who like the Dead) ...Berkeley is like licorice. People who like licorice really like licorice. People who don't like it, really don't like it.
I don't like licorice, but I really like Berkeley. And the Dead.
Throwpie, my daughter learned to ride a bike on the frontage road right next to there :)
And from the "Not Berkeley Enough" video... Adventure Park! That place is the most cool kids park I have ever seen or heard of. Where else can kids go to work picking up trash or nails on the ground, trade it in to earn tools like hammers and paint brushes, and then go start adding whatever they want onto the existing play structure? Or Codornices park, with the huge rock slide that wears a hole in your butt or scrapes the skin off your knuckles? I'll bet not many cities have stuff where kids can easily hurt themselves. But that stuff is so fun!
Been balling a shiny black piton hammer
Been chippin' up rocks for the great new line
I climb five ten if I take my time
Climbin’ that crack and drinkin' my wine
I been chippin’ them rocks from dusk till doom
My rider took the bolt kit to King Tut’s tomb
Guidebook says I should follow some crack
If I do five pitches gotta haul my pack, yes I will
(chorus)
Easy wind, blowin’ cross the Big Stone today
Cuz there’s a whole lotta climbin’, Mama
Yet for me to do today
And the belayer keeps on shoutin’
But you never heard a word he said!
Gotta find a woman who’ll be good to me
Won’t hid my bolt kit, try to make me free
Cuz i’m a stonemaster, El Cap, and my Heart is true
And I’ll give everything that I got to you, where’s my drill?
(chorus with dancing and juggling)
Credit: mouse from merced
In earthly life, Chuck eschewed permanancy in relationships, since they got in the way of his climbing.
And anything else which inhibited him in that way.
He was so Berkeley, really he was.
But there was little or nothing for him there, was there?
Let us know!