Palo Alto Weekly 12.23.2011 - section 1 by Palo Alto Weekly

Palo Alto

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Time to let go of Cubberley lease? Page 3

w w w.PaloA ltoOnline.com

Best of friends Holiday Fund agency pairs teens with special-needs kids Page 5

Donate to the HOLIDAY FUND page 12

Eating Out 21 Movies 23 Holidays 27 Home 33 Puzzles 38 N News Downtown post ofﬁce is on the block

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N Arts New year, new director at Cantor Arts Center

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N Sports Stanford’s one-two knockout punch

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The professionalism, kindness, concern and caring I received at Stanford are unmatched in my experience. While the Stanford facility is excellent, the way patients are treated is what really counts the most. —Teresa G., Stanford patient

Stanford Dermatology Center offers a full range of medical and surgical dermatology services in a patient friendly environment. Whether you’re suffering from a common condition or a difﬁcult-to-manage disease, Stanford Dermatology’s team has broad experience in treating all skin conditions—from the common to the complex.

SATURDAY APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE. Make an appointment, call 650.723.6316 or visit: stanfordhospital.org/dermatology

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Upfront

GOAL $250,000 As of Dec. 14 317 donors $177,172

See who’s already contributed to the Holiday Fund on page 12

with matching funds

Donate online at www.PaloAltoOnline.com

Local news, information and analysis

Report: Higher tax, new bond needed to fund city repairs Task force lays out plan for fixing up Palo Alto’s crumbling infrastructure by Gennady Sheyner alo Alto should raise its sales tax, terminate its Cubberley Community Center lease and devote almost a quarter of its annual budget to repairing and replacing the city’s dilapidated infrastructure, a specially appointed commission recommends in a highly anticipated

report released Thursday. The Infrastructure Blue Ribbon Commission, which the City Council appointed in May 2010 to address Palo Alto’s mounting infrastructure problems, offers in its report a broad range of recommendations, some aimed at raising funds for the needed

repairs and others seeking to improve the city’s oversight of its crumbling streets, parks and facilities. Its boldest and potentially most controversial recommendations include: ending the lease of Cubberley on Middlefield Road, raising the sales tax threeeighths of a cent and dedicating 23 percent of General Fund revenue to infrastructure every year. Only a supermajority of six council members could reduce infrastructure funding below 23 percent in any given year,

the commission recommends. (Infrastructure expenditures have accounted for about 19 percent of the general fund in recent years.) The 170-page report, titled “Palo Alto’s Infrastructure: Catching Up, Keeping Up, and Moving Ahead,” is a major milestone for the council, which made “infrastructure” one of its official priorities for 2011. Though the subject rarely rouses the passions of the citizenry, city officials have taken a keen interest

in the topic in recent years, with a particular focus on replacing the city’s small and outdated police headquarters. Previous estimates had pegged costs of the city’s infrastructurerepair backlog at roughly $500 million. Ray Bacchetti, who co-chaired the commission along with former Mayor Leland Levy, said one of the (continued on page 7)

LAND USE

Sale of Palo Alto post office prompts nostalgia, uncertainty Historic building could be used for another public facility or rezoned for commercial use by Gennady Sheyner

W Kelsey Kienitz

Strollin’ on Christmas Tree Lane Snowflake lights dangle from the bushes along Christmas Tree Lane in Palo Alto, located on Fulton Street between Embarcadero Road and Seale Avenue. The lights and decorations will be up through the end of the year.

EDUCATION

Student journalists explore happiness at Gunn After surveying classmates, seniors ponder the meaning of a B minus by Chris Kenrick

ow does Gunn High School rate on the student happiness scale? If you ask seniors Amrita Moitra and Jean Wang, they’d give it a B minus. Moitra and Wang aren’t guessing wildly; they surveyed their fellow Titans, 436 of whom — or 23 percent — responded. They published their findings — illustrated with yellow smiley or frowning faces — in the Dec. 12 issue of Gunn’s student newspaper, “The Oracle.” “Contrary to popular belief, a Bminus rating in happiness is a de-

cent grade,” the two wrote. “In fact, it is above average.” In an online survey, Wang and Moitra asked Gunn students to rate their school in a range of categories including facilities, social life, food, clubs, support, sunny days, school graduation rate and stress. The highest grade — A plus — went to “sunny days” and “graduation rate.” The lowest — a D — went to “stress.” “Food” came in only slightly ahead of “stress,” earning a D plus. Gunn’s “social opportunities” got a C plus, and the school’s overall happiness grade worked out to the

B minus. The results weren’t a huge surprise to Moitra and Wang. “We expected ‘stress’ to get a low grade,” Wang said. But the pair said they were puzzled that the rating for “supportiveness” — a B minus — wasn’t better. “We have a lot of programs, and I felt that people would feel more supported,” said Moitra, adding that she personally feels well-supported at Gunn. “I thought that grade would’ve been higher.” Although more than half the respondents gave Gunn high marks for (continued on page 11)

hen Palo Alto’s downtown post office opened in 1932 on Hamilton Avenue, it was like no other post office in the nation. Designed by local architect Birge Clark, the building showcased all the notable features of the Spanish Colonial Revival style that Clark helped popularize in the second and third decades of the 20th century — a smooth, stucco exterior, copious arches and tiled roof. But while the design looked like it would fit right at home in Palo Alto, where there are nearly a hundred Birge Clark buildings, it seemed a bit too Spanish (or at least too Californian) for the U.S. Postal Service. When Clark went to Washington, D.C., to present his blueprints, the postmaster general — looking for something more traditional and “stately” — ridiculed his design, according to an account from the Palo Alto History Project. Clark’s associate Joseph Ehrlich recalled that the postmaster pushed away the blueprints and said: “Don’t you know what a U.S. post office looks like?” Minutes later, however, Clark told him that President Herbert Hoover, an old friend with whom he’d had breakfast, already gave the go-ahead, and the postmaster relented. When the post office at 380 Hamilton Ave. opened, it became the first building to be designed specifically for this use, said Palo Alto Historian Steve Staiger. “It’s a beautiful building. The federal government wasn’t used to doing buildings like that,” Staiger said. “It was the first post office that was purposefully built to be a post office. The previous post offices in town had been always rental buildings.” After eight decades of fulfilling the role for which it was designed, the building is now poised for major change. As the Weekly first reported on PaloAltoOnline.com last Friday,

the U.S. Postal Service plans to sell the building next year and move its operations to a smaller facility in a location to be determined. James Wigdel, spokesman for the postal service, said the building is about twice as large as necessary. The building’s sale is part of a nationwide effort the cash-strapped agency is undertaking to cope with years of multi-billion dollar deficits. It also plans to sell its buildings in Menlo Park and Half Moon Bay and move operations to smaller branches. Wigdel told the Weekly all the services of Hamilton Avenue office would continue in the new branch. But several residents who were patronizing the downtown post office this week said they were disappointed about the proposed change, which could significantly transform one of Palo Alto’s best-known downtown icons. Resident Shannon Griscom, who was downtown Tuesday afternoon, called the building “an architectural treasure” and lamented the fact that future residents will not get to experience the building performing the function for which it was designed. She said she was saddened by the U.S. Postal Service’s decision. “This is the type of building that makes people appreciate a place like Palo Alto,” Griscom said. “It feels like we’re selling our history.” At the same time, the sale creates new opportunities for developers and city officials in a choice downtown location just a block from City Hall. The site is zoned PF (public facility). This means the new site will either continue to house a public facility or get rezoned to accommodate other uses, Planning and Community Environment Director Curtis Williams said. In either event, the buyer of the property would (continued on page 9)

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Upfront

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EDITORIAL Jocelyn Dong, 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 Tom Gibboney, Spectrum Editor Sue Dremann, Chris Kenrick, Gennady Sheyner, Staff Writers Veronica Weber, Staff Photographer Kelsey Kienitz, Photo Intern Dale F. Bentson, Colin Becht, Peter Canavese, Kit Davey, Iris Harrell, Sheila Himmel, Chad Jones, Kevin Kirby, Jack McKinnon, Jeanie K. Smith, Susan Tavernetti, Contributors Angela Johnston, Editorial Interns DESIGN Shannon Corey, Design Director Raul Perez, Assistant Design Director Linda Atilano, Diane Haas, Scott Peterson, Paul Llewellyn, Senior Designers Lili Cao, Designer PRODUCTION Jennifer Lindberg, Production Manager Dorothy Hassett, Samantha Mejia, Blanca Yoc, Sales & Production Coordinators ADVERTISING Tom Zahiralis, Vice President Sales & Advertising Judie Block, Janice Hoogner, Gary Whitman, Display Advertising Sales Neal Fine, Carolyn Oliver, Rosemary Lewkowitz, Real Estate Advertising Sales David Cirner, Irene Schwartz, Inside Advertising Sales Cathy Norfleet, Display Advertising Sales Asst. Diane Martin, Real Estate Advertising Asst. Alicia Santillan, Classified Administrative Asst. Wendy Suzuki, Advertising Sales Intern EXPRESS, ONLINE AND VIDEO SERVICES Rachel Palmer, Online Operations Coordinator Rachel Hatch, Multimedia Product Manager BUSINESS Susie Ochoa, Payroll & Benefits Elena Dineva, Mary McDonald, Claire McGibeny, Cathy Stringari, Business Associates ADMINISTRATION Janice Covolo, Doris Taylor, Receptionists Ruben Espinoza, Courier EMBARCADERO MEDIA William S. Johnson, President Michael I. Naar, Vice President & CFO Tom Zahiralis, Vice President Sales & Advertising Frank A. Bravo, Director, Information Technology & Webmaster Connie Jo Cotton, Major Accounts Sales Manager Bob Lampkin, Director, Circulation & Mailing Services Alicia Santillan, Circulation Assistant 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) 326-8210. 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 ©2011 by Embarcadero Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. The Palo Alto Weekly is available on the Internet via Palo Alto Online at: www.PaloAltoOnline.com Our email addresses are: editor@paweekly.com, letters@paweekly.com, digitalads@paweekly.com. Missed delivery or start/stop your paper? Call 650 326-8210, or email circulation@paweekly. com. You may also subscribe online at www.PaloAltoOnline.com. Subscriptions are $60/yr.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK

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450 CAMBRIDGE AVE, PALO ALTO, CA 94306 (650) 326-8210

It feels like we’re selling our history.

— Shannon Griscom, a Palo Alto resident, regarding the sale of the downtown post-office building. See story on page 3.

Around Town BYE, GEORGE ... The end is fast approaching for “George,” a popular and much-defended century-old coastal live oak that stands in front of 816 Cowper St. The root of the problem is, well, the roots, according to Barrie Coate, an arborist who was commissioned by the city to examine George. The oak’s root structure is structurally deficient and provides inadequate support, Coate found. But given the number of residents who rallied to save George, the tree will not go quietly into the night. The city plans to hold a community meeting in January to consider next steps, which could include a memorial and a replacement tree. The meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Jan. 9 at Channing House, 850 Webster St. LOOKING GOOD ... Seeking to join and further encourage the electricvehicle craze, Palo Alto this week adopted an official policy to encourage installation of charging stations and promote vehicle charging in off-peak hours. The City Council approved the policy with little debate or discussion, though council members decided in the last minute to add a clause to the policy encouraging good aesthetics. It’s not enough, the council reasoned, for the chargers to keep the cars going; the new infrastructure should also look nice. Councilwoman Karen Holman, who proposed including aesthetics in the policy, pointed to a recent proposal by AT&T to install antennas throughout Palo Alto — a plan that has attracted heated opposition from neighborhoods where the equipment would be installed. The criticism had prompted AT&T to revise its design, which received the city’s approval earlier this month. “At a time when the AT&T antennas are such a topic of conversation and disagreement among the community, I think not to address the aesthetics of these installations would be a great oversight on our part,” Holman said at the Monday council meeting. Vice Mayor Yiaway Yeh agreed and said that good aesthetics can draw attention to the stations and encourage usage. “Given the investment that the city is interested in making for these particular stations, ultimately we’re calling attention to them,” Yeh said. “We want them to be something that promotes and appeals to members of the public to actually use.”

THE WRIGHT STUFF ... The Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce has a new president, though he will look very familiar to the organization’s members. The chamber announced Thursday that it has decided to name Paul Wright as its president and CEO. The former Belmont mayor has been leading the chamber on an interim basis since his predecessor, Paula Sandas, stepped down in October. The learning curve shouldn’t be too steep for Wright, who had previously served as CEO of the Santa Rosa Chamber, as a deputy executive director of the San Francisco Chamber and as president of the Palo Alto Chamber board. Wright said in a statement that he plans to spend 2012 trying to “understand and deliver what the Chamber members want. ... We need to reinvent ourselves so that we can ultimately provide our members with maximum value. Specifically, we’re going to kick off a number of focus groups next month to learn about the current challenges of Palo Alto businesses. We then will refine our programs and services to tailor their needs,” Wright said. ON BOARD ... When Palo Alto approved the massive expansion of Stanford University Medical Center earlier this year, traffic impacts topped the city’s list of concerns. To make sure the city won’t be burdened with congestion, the city and Stanford agreed that the hospitals would provide Caltrain Go Passes to all of their employees starting in 2015. This week, Stanford announced that the hospitals are way ahead of schedule when it comes to train passes. Sherri Sager, a spokesperson for the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, told the City Council Monday that both the children’s hospital and Stanford Hospital and Clinics decided to implement the program this month. Sager said 2,000 employees have already signed up to receive the Caltrain passes, a number that she said will likely accelerate. The two hospitals also plan to add Marguerite shuttles to help ferry employees and relieve road congestion, she said. “It will help reduce the traffic in the construction area around the hospital, which will be good for the patients, their families and the community at large,” Sager said. N

Upfront

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HOLIDAY FUND

A circle of friends Palo Alto program gives special-needs children the experience of real friendship by Kathy Cordova

or the past five years, Dor Carpel and Jeffrey Zuegel have been getting together weekly to play games, eat dinner and hang out. When they greet each other, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s obvious from the big smiles, high fives and bear hugs how much they care about each other. But the friendship means more to Jeffrey than it might to the average kid. Jeffrey, 12, was born with low muscle-tone cerebral palsy and has associated developmental delays. Like many children with special needs, friendships are not as easy for him as they are for typically developing kids. The Friends at Home program, which pairs special-needs children with teenage volunteers who visit them each week, brought the two together. Over the years, mutual affection and true friendship have flourished. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These are the children sitting on the side of the playground. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not included necessarily with their peers,â&#x20AC;? said Ezzy Schusterman, executive director of The Friendship Circle, the Palo Alto agency that oversees Friends at Home. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This program is important because providing the opportunity for these kids to have a friend and to be like every other kid changes their

world. Being treated like a typical child gives them happiness and joy and purpose. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jeffrey is a perfect example. He has a whole community now. He has friends that come and celebrate his birthday and other holidays. Higher functioning kids that go to special classes at Paly or Gunn have someone saying hello to them because they have a friend. (Without the program) they would have just been â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the kid in the special class.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; These are the stories that we hear over and over again.â&#x20AC;? Friends at Home was founded in 2003 and now serves about 75 families of special-needs children. About 80-85 teenagers from Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Los Altos and nearby areas volunteer. Although the Friendship Circle is a Jewish organization and the volunteers are Jewish teens, the program is open to any family with a special-needs child. Families and volunteers typically find out about the program through word of mouth. The program takes care to match children and families with appropriate volunteers and provides training for the teens. The training includes learning about various disabilities and role-playing simulations to experience different needs that each child may have. In 2011 Friends at Home received $5,000 from the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund, which enabled them to hire a program director to oversee the relationships and make sure that everything is

going well. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need to make sure that children get the right buddy. We must have proper oversight to meet the family, meet the teen, match them and make sure the match is a good fit and it lasts,â&#x20AC;? Schusterman said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need to make sure that the volunteer is having a positive impact on the child and reassure the teen that they are making a big impact.â&#x20AC;? The Family Circle raises money from individuals, organizations, family foundations and fundraising events. Because of the current economic climate, this year has been financially challenging and several donors have cut their funding, making the Holiday Fund money especially appreciated, Schusterman said. After completing training, teens are given an activity for their first visit and a resource booklet of things to do. From there, the teens often develop their own activities based on the abilities and preferences of their buddies. The teens typically visit their buddies once a week for an hour to an hour and a half. But thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just the beginning. Many of the families and teens develop bonds that go beyond the standard weekly visits, growing into devoted, enduring relationships. For example, Jeffrey currently has not one but three active buddies who have formed an extended family with the Zuegels. Carpel, a sopho-

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Mitchell Park Library project gets $1.9 million boost

donate to the tune of $1.9 million,â&#x20AC;? Palo Alto Mayor Sid Espinosa said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s truly extraordinary.â&#x20AC;? Other council members shared Espinosaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enthusiasm. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think libraries are the ultimate democratic institution, and this is really a wonderful moment,â&#x20AC;? Gail Price said. The campaign, chaired by Alison Cormack and Susie Thom, has received contributions ranging from $25 to $1.5 million, according to a statement from the foundation. Those who contribute $5,000 or more will be recognized for joining at the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Leadershipâ&#x20AC;? level on the donor wall at each of the three libraries. The foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Launch our Librariesâ&#x20AC;? campaign will continue until December 2012. More information about the fundraising effort is available at www. palf.org. N

by Gennady Sheyner committed to raising $4 million to furnish the three libraries whose renovations were included in the 2008 bond package (the Downtown Library project was completed in July, and Main Library construction will start after the Mitchell Park branch reopens next year). The group has already raised $3.6 million, or roughly 90 percent of its target amount, he said. While the bond funds can only be used for the libraryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s construction, the foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contribution will pay for technology, books, furniture and electronic materials for the new facility. The foundation had also contributed $275,000 to furnish the Downtown Library. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just rhetoric to say that this is a historic moment in Palo Altoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to have a coalition of citizens come together and say that one of our Palo Alto resources is important enough that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to

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COMMUNITY

alo Altoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s effort to build the Mitchell Park Library and Community Center â&#x20AC;&#x201D; by far the largest and most ambitious project in the $76 million bond voters passed in 2008 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; received a major lift Monday (Dec. 19) when a group of community volunteers contributed $1.9 million to the city to pay for books, computers and furniture in the new library. The contribution by the Palo Alto Library Foundation is among the largest donations by a nonprofit organization to the city in Palo Altoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history and the most substantial since the construction of the Lucie Stern Community Center, according to Bern Beecham, president of the foundation. Beecham told the council that the check â&#x20AC;&#x153;represents the support of over 800 people in the broader community to the libraries of Palo Alto.â&#x20AC;? The foundation, he said, is

(continued on page 8)

Contribution from Palo Alto Library Foundation to pay for equipment, furniture at the new library

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Upfront LAND USE

Suit filed over Palo Alto’s park ‘undedication’ Opponents of Measure E claim city failed to follow City Charter in making land available for waste-to-energy facility

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by Gennady Sheyner

pponents of Palo Alto’s plan to build a waste-to-energy facility in the Baylands have filed a lawsuit against the city challenging the November election that made land for such a facility available. Thomas Jordan, a local environmental attorney and opponent of Measure E, is alleging in his lawsuit that the city did not follow the proper procedures when it went ahead with the vote, which “undedicates” 10 acres of parkland at Byxbee Park and makes this land available for a possible anaerobic digestion facility. The measure passed overwhelmingly on Nov. 8, with 64 percent of the city’s voters approving it. Jordan, who is one of several prominent conservationists who opposed the measure, is asking the Santa Clara County Superior Court to declare Measure E “null and void” and to issue an injunction that would restrain the city from “engaging in any activity pursuant to, or implementation of, Measure E,” and for attorney fees. Jordan alleges in the suit that the city didn’t follow the City Charter when it proceeded with the undedication of parkland. The Charter, he wrote in his suit, requires the council to declare that it is considering a vote on the undedication, make findings of “public interest” and convenience that require the undedication, and hold a hearing at which protesters have a chance to state their objections. “Circumvention of any one of these protections violates the City Charter

and dilutes the City Charter’s protections of parkland that jealously guard parkland unless the Council and the electorate both agree that it is no longer necessary to hold such land as parkland,” the suit states. Though the council remains deeply divided over the proposed wasteto-energy plant, members had voted unanimously to bring the item to the voters. The council placed the item on the ballot after a large coalition of volunteers gathered more than 5,000 signatures, more than enough to qualify it for the election. The coalition, known as the Palo Alto Green Energy and Compost Initiative, was led by former Mayor Peter Drekmeier, attorney Walt Hays and curbside-recycling pioneer Bob Wenzlau. Hays disputed Jordan’s allegations, saying that the provisions cited in the lawsuit apply to instances in which the council undedicates parkland. In this case, he noted, it was the voters who undedicated it. “Jordan’s petition relies on provisions in the City Charter stating that if parkland is to be undedicated by the Council, it must follow certain procedures that were not followed in Measure E,” said Hays, who wrote the ballot initiative. “However, the whole purpose of the initiative process is to enable citizens to enact laws when their elected representatives fail to do so, and since Jordan’s interpretation would deprive the public of that right, his lawsuit should fail.”

The heated debate was prompted by this year’s closure of the city’s landfill, which includes the city’s composting operation. The current plan calls for shipping local yard trimmings to the Z-Best station in Gilroy. Drekmeier’s group has argued against exporting local waste to another city. The Measure E result does not guarantee that the new plant would be built, but it gives the council an option for where such a facility could potentially be located. The city has hosted numerous public hearings, featuring packed houses, on the proposed anaerobic digestor over the past two years. City Attorney Molly Stump disputed Jordan’s argument that the Measure E process prevented citizens from registering their opposition to the undedication. “On the contrary, there was a lengthy and robust public debate leading up to Measure E,” Stump told the Weekly in an email. Wenzlau said his group had expected the lawsuit from the opposition camp, which includes prominent conservationists and former council members Emily Renzel and Enid Pearson. “We expect this lawsuit to be defeated, but our campaign will in any case always make sure that this project is respectful of the adjoining natural habitat, even though the project itself is on the very unnatural site right next to the sewage treatment plant,” Wenzlau said in a statement released by a coalition. N

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Former Wilson Sonsini attorney admits fraud Insider-trading ring targeted Silicon Valley mergers and acquisitions to make $32 million by Sue Dremann

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former attorney for Palo Altobased law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati pleaded guilty in a New Jersey federal court Wednesday (Dec. 14) to four felony charges in connection with a securities-fraud scheme. Matthew Kluger, 50, was arrested April 6 for allegedly stealing information from Wilson Sonsini’s computer network, which resulted in $32 million in illegal profits for an insider-trading ring. Kluger stole information on Silicon Valley and other company mergers and acquisitions and passed the material on to New York trader Garrett Bauer, 43, through a middleman, Kenneth Robinson of Long Beach, N.Y., according to federal criminal complaints against the men filed by the U.S. government in April. Kluger faced one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud — insider trading; 11 counts of securities fraud — insider trading; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering; and four counts of obstruction of justice. He pleaded to four counts and

agreed to forfeit $415,000 in assets. Under the plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, Kluger will be sentenced to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, one count of securities fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and obstruction of justice. The first count carries a maximum five-year prison sentence and maximum $250,000 fine. The other three counts each carry a maximum of 20 years in federal prison and a total of $5.75 million in fines. Bauer and Robinson have also entered separate guilty pleas, according to court records. Kluger worked for Wilson Sonsini at its Washington, D.C., office from December 2005 through March 2011 as a corporate associate with a focus on mergers and acquisitions. The insider-trading ring began around 1994, according to court documents. At the time, Kluger worked for prominent New York law firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore, LLP. In 1998, he worked for Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP. Beginning in April 2006, four

months after he began working at Wilson Sonsini, Kluger searched the firm’s computer network to identify documents that showed a client was about to participate in a merger or acquisition. He tipped Robinson, who passed the information along to Bauer using public telephones or prepaid disposable mobile phones to avoid detection, according to court documents. Bauer placed trades for himself and on behalf of Kluger and Robinson. Once the merger or acquisition was announced, Bauer sold the stock and passed on a portion of the profits in cash to Robinson and Kluger, according to the criminal complaint. Kluger and Bauer traded at least nine pending mergers and acquisitions in advance that were Wilson Sonsini clients. Kluger accessed information on Silicon Valley companies, including HP’s acquisition of 3Com Corp.; Intel Corp.’s acquisition of McAfee Inc.; Adobe Systems Inc.’s acquisition of Omniture Inc.; and Oracle Corp.’s ac(continued on page 10)

Upfront TRANSPORTATION

Palo Alto calls for ‘termination’ of high-speed rail City Council votes 8-0 on position against $98.5 billion project by Gennady Sheyner

olidifying a reversal from its position three years ago, the Palo Alto City Council has adopted as the city’s official position a call for termination of California’s beleaguered high-speedrail project. The council’s 8-0 vote Monday night (Dec. 19) was prompted by the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s recently released business plan, which showed the San Francisco-toLos Angeles project’s price tag more than doubling from what was presented to the voters three years ago. The project’s completion date was also extended from 2020 to 2033. The council urged voters in 2008 to support Proposition 1A, which provided $9.95 billion for high-speed rail, but has gradually turned against the project as questions began to emerge about the rail line’s design,

Infrastructure (continued from page 3)

commission’s main goals was to replace the old estimate with more realistic figures. “We tried to develop a highly credible set of numbers,” Bacchetti told the Weekly. “One of the last things we want is for people to collapse this (infrastructure spending) into one number.” The ambitious report makes it clear that finding the needed funds would not be easy, financially or politically. But it also splits the nebulous topic of “infrastructure” into more concrete and digestible sections and provides numerous options for building new facilities and making the necessary fixes. It proposes different funding mechanisms for replacing the police headquarters and two outdated fire stations than for replacing the Municipal Services Center and Animal Services Center on East Bayshore Road. Deferred and ongoing maintenance of city streets, parks and facilities might be paid for through yet other means. Perhaps its potentially most controversial recommendation is raising the city’s sales tax rate another 0.375 percent, or three-eighths of a cent. Palo Alto’s current rate of 8.25 percent is the minimum level required in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, according to the report. Most cities also have an 8.25 percent rate, though the City of San Mateo and Campbell each have a tax rate of 8.5 percent. The revenues from the tax would help Palo Alto close a backlog of $41.5 million in what the commission called “catch-up” or “deferred maintenance.” This category includes repairs that should have been done in the past but were delayed. The commission had spread out the catch-up cost over 10 years, which means the city would need to spend about $4.2 million to pay for the deferred repairs. The report maintains that city’s in-

ridership projections and funding plan. Last year, the council took a position of “no confidence” against the rail authority. It has also decided to join Menlo Park, Atherton and a coalition of nonprofit groups in a lawsuit that challenges the rail authority’s environmental analysis. The position adopted by the council states that the city “believes that the High Speed Rail (HSR) project should be terminated” and that the project in its current form “fundamentally contradicts the measure presented to the voters under Proposition 1A in 2008.” That vote, the council’s statement asserts, relied on “grossly understated construction costs,” “understated fares and overstated ridership” and a requirement that the new system would be operating without a government subsidy. “Since the revised HSR Busi-

ness Plan and Funding Plans do not meet the projected ridership, fare, job creation, and other significant requirements, the City believes that the voters were not given accurate information during the 2008 election to make an informed decision on an HSR project for the state of California,” the council’s new guiding principle states. In 2008, the rail authority had estimated that the cost for the San Francisco-to-Los Angeles line would be less than $40 billion. The business plan that the rail authority released last month showed the price tag climb to $98.5 billion. “This particular project as it’s going right now is not what I voted for in 2008,” Council member Nancy Shepherd, who co-authored the position statement, said Monday night. “At this point in time, it’s important

that our community understand that it’s not the same project.” The Monday vote underscores Palo Alto’s status as the project’s leading opponent. It came at a time when the project is facing a storm of scrutiny at both the state and federal levels. Last week, several members of the U.S. Congress vehemently criticized the rail authority’s funding plan, which relies largely on federal grants and on $11 billion in private investment. U.S. Rep. John Mica, R-Florida, who chairs the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, predicted that the project will be a disaster and said it is “imploding every day.” He blasted the project for its cost overruns and questioned the rail authority’s choice of a Central Valley segment as the line’s starting point. The Dec. 16 committee hearing

frastructure has been “underfunded” for years. The city’s streets, for example, now rank below those of most neighboring communities according to the “pavement condition index.” “As Palo Alto’s infrastructure has aged, maintenance needs have become more pronounced,” the report states. “At the same time, the City’s revenue raising flexibility has diminished. In recent years, despite accounting for almost 19 percent of the City’s budget, Palo Alto’s infrastructure maintenance has continued to deteriorate.” In addition to this backlog, the city needs to spend $32.2 million annually to maintain existing infrastructure — about $2.2 million more than it currently spends. The tax rate increase and end of the Cubberley lease might pay for both the deferred repairs and for ongoing maintenance, the commission stated. New taxes could prove to be a tough sell to the community. Palo Alto’s attempt to introduce a business-license tax last year got shot down by the voters on Election Day. Half Moon Bay tried to raise its sales-tax rate by 1 percent last year but failed when only 47 percent of the voters supported the change. A tax increase requires a majority vote if the revenue is used for “general purposes” and a two-thirds vote if it’s used for specific purposes. According to the report, 50 cities in California have adopted sales-tax increases ranging from 1/8 of a percent to 1 percent over the past three years. The commission had also considered a parcel tax (which would require a two-thirds vote) and a business-license tax before recommending the sales-tax increase. The proposed sales-tax increase, according to the report, would bring the city $7.9 million in annual revenues, according to the report. The recommendation to drop the Cubberley lease is also expected to stir strong emotions in the community. The city currently spends about

$6.1 million to lease Cubberley space from the Palo Alto Unified School District — space that includes a Foothill College campus, playing fields and a scattering of offices used by nonprofit groups, day-care centers and artist studios. Palo Alto owns 8 acres of Cubberley and leases the rest from the school district. The community center is worn down and would need about $18 million in repairs. “With our city struggling to meet the financial requirements of the General Fund, let alone catchingup and keeping-up with the maintenance of the City’s infrastructure demands, now is the appropriate time for the school district to re-establish its management and financial responsibilities of and for the Cubberley site,” the report states. While new revenues and savings from Cubberley could help the city deal with everyday repairs, the commission recommends different funding mechanisms to pay for some of the big-ticket items on the city’s infrastructure wish list. On top of this list is a new public-safety building — a project that Palo Alto officials have been struggling with for much of the last decade. The current police building on Forest Avenue shares space with City Hall and does not meet existing building codes and seismic regulations. Five years ago, a specially appointed task force reviewed the city’s publicsafety needs and recommended “in the strongest possible terms that the City proceed expeditiously to build a new Public Safety Building.” To pay the estimated price tag of $65 million, the commission recommends that the city either ask the voters to pass a bond or issue “certificates of participation.” The bond, proposed for 2012, would require a two-thirds vote to pass. The certificates of participation would not require a vote but would come with an interest rate that is 15 to 20 percent higher than in the bond option.

Infrastructure funding required

also featured testimony from Elizabeth Alexis, co-founder of the Palo Alto group Californians Advocating Responsible Rail Design. The group was among the first to flag problems with the rail authority’s ridership methodology and had over the past two years criticized the authority for faulty cost estimates and a lack of transparency. In her testimony at the hearing, Alexis described California’s project as “fool’s gold” and slammed the rail authority for relying too much on consultants and for low-balling previous cost estimates. “Do we need high-speed rail in our state? Absolutely,” Alexis told the committee. “But the train we’re on is on the wrong track, it costs too much and it delivers too little.” N Staff Writer Gennady Sheyner can be emailed at gsheyner@ paweekly.com.

Catch-up, keep-up and other projects* Keep-up

$2.2M/year

Catch-up and other

$4.2M/year

Total

$6.4M/year *new and replacement projects

Funding for major projects Estimated cost Total Public-safety facilities: Public-safety building

$65M

Fire Station No. 3

$6.7M

Fire Station No. 4

$7.5M

$79.2M

Municipal and animal services: Municipal Services Center

$93M

Animal Services Center

$6.9M

Total major projects

$99.9M $179.1M

The Infrastructure Blue Ribbon Commission final report summed up potential expenditures for a broad range of projects, including what they called “catch-up” and “keep-up” projects. The commission also recommends replacing the small and outdated fire stations near Mitchell and Rinconada parks — a $14.2 million endeavor — on the same bond measure. The two stations, according to the report, are “vulnerable to earthquakes” and “have insufficient space to safely house the larger engines needed to accommodate developments in firefighting, rescue operations, and emergency medical response.” Another daunting project on the city’s to-do list is replacing the sprawling and heavily worn Municipal Service Center and Animal Services Center. The commission estimates that this effort would cost about $100 million and recommends using a utility revenue bond to pay for the changes. Because of the scope of the project, the commission recom-

mends that the city further analyze the costs and benefits of both renovating the facility and repurposing of land for other uses, some of which could generate revenue. Bacchetti said the commission, in its report, was seeking to lay out for Palo Alto residents the choices that the city has to make to preserve its quality of life. The council will have a chance to debate these choices on Jan. 17, when it holds a public hearing on the new report. “The aim is to not have a recurrence of Palo Alto falling behind in infrastructure,” Bacchetti told the Weekly. “It’s not going away and the longer you wait, the more expensive it’s likely to be.” N Staff Writer Gennady Sheyner can be emailed at gsheyner@ paweekly.com.

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Upfront

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more at Foothill College, recruited high school students Yael Waizman and Iris Bachmutsky, who will provide continuity to Jeffrey when he leaves next year to continue his education at a four-year university. “I’m transferring after this year and most likely will be going to a school where I won’t be local, but everyone who’s ever been one of Jeffrey’s buddies (including two previous buddies) stays connected. Every vacation when we come to town, we have a big reunion, so every time I’m around I’ll visit Jeffrey for sure,” Carpel said. “The best part (of the program) is it’s like having a bigger family,” said Jeffrey’s mom, Lisa Zuegel. Jeffrey also has a big sister, Devon Zuegel, a high school senior. “I can count on them, and we have such a feeling of community. We love it when they come over, and we have all these kids sitting around the dinner table.” Not only do the families and the children benefit from the program, but the teens do, too. “You see more of their perspective. Before this I didn’t know how (children with special needs) were treated and what their families had to go through. It’s a different perspective, and one I think everyone should know,” Waizman said. Bachmutsky said: “I’ve learned a lot from Jeffrey and how he works and how he thinks. We are always

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working as a team with him, making new games all the time. It’s a really great outlet for creativity.” All three teens said they look forward to their weekly “Jeffrey time.” Schusterman said that the program teaches the teens compassion. “Aside from the basics of volunteering, they get so much from what they give. It has an impact on their lives and gives them meaning and purpose. It also changes their perspective about kids with special needs — from staying away from them to realizing that they are kids with happiness and joy and life to them,” Schusterman said. Lisa Zuegel is comforted to know that Jeffrey has so many people beyond his immediate family who will always be connected to him and love him. “One of my main goals is for Jeffrey to feel like he’s part of something bigger. I want him to feel like he belongs, to have a sense that he is valued, a valuable member of community,” Lisa Zuegel said. “I think he really gets what that means now.” N Palo Alto freelance writer Kathy Cordova can be emailed at khcordova@gmail.com.

About the cover:

Friends at Home volunteers — Dor Carpel, left, and Yael Waizman — take a break from their pillow ﬁght to tickle Jeffrey Zuegel during their play date in early December. Photograph by Kelsey Kienitz.

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Post office

(continued from page 3)

have to proceed with caution and clear various procedural hurdles before modifying the building, which is listed on both the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inventory of historical buildings and the U.S. Department of Interiorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Register of Historic Places. If the building were to be rezoned, it would probably be used for commercial or office uses, much like other facilities in the surrounding area, he said. Sometimes developers who purchase land zoned for public use include an option in their agreement that allows them to walk away from the sale if they fail to get the zone change, Williams said. The fact that the building is historical and that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s owned by a public agency could complicate the sale and extend the timeline for its completion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When most agencies sell public property, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pretty elaborate

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a beautiful building. The federal government wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t used to doing buildings like that.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Steve Staiger, Palo Alto historian

process that includes, among other things, offering it to other public agencies first,â&#x20AC;? Williams said. Councilman Pat Burt said he is interested in exploring other public uses for the historic building, including as a possible site for the Development Center. The city currently leases space for its permitting operations at 285 Hamilton Ave., across the street from City Hall. The siteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s zoning designation could lower the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appraised value and allow the city to get a good deal. Burt does not, however, expect the building to help the city with its long and thus far unsuccessful search

for a new police headquarters. The building would not meet the seismic requirements for a public-safety building, he said. He hopes the facility could remain public, though. And while the transition would surely impact downtown Palo Alto, Burt noted that the sale was prompted by factors far outside the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s control. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an historic building for Palo Alto, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a very attractive building, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m assuming and hoping that it would remain with the same design,â&#x20AC;? Burt said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;But other than that, the fact that the postal service is going to sell it is driven by issues way beyond Palo Alto.â&#x20AC;? N

Veronica Weber

Upfront

Palo Altoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic post office, designed by Birge Clark in the early 1930s, will soon be up for sale. The postal service plans to relocate to smaller quarters.

Can higher consciousness be measured?

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Palo Alto government action this week

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City Council (Dec. 19)

Rail: The council adopted a position calling for the termination of Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highspeed rail project. Yes: Burt, Espinosa, Holman, Price, Scharff, Schmid, Shepherd, Yeh Absent: Klein Labor: The council modified the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rules for resolving labor impasses with labor unions to comply with the fact-finding requirements of Assembly Bill 646. Yes: Burt, Espinosa, Holman, Price, Scharff, Schmid, Shepherd, Yeh Absent: Klein Review: The council heard a presentation from City Manager James Keene, recapping the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2011 accomplishments. Action: None

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Fraud

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quisition of Sun Microsystems Inc., according to the complaint. Kluger currently resides in Oakton, Va. He had his license to practice law in New Jersey revoked in September 2010 for failing to make certain required payments, according to court documents. Kluger is scheduled for sentencing April 9, 2012, U.S. Attorneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office spokeswoman Rebecca Carmichael said. N Staff Writer Sue Dremann can be emailed at sdremann@paweekly.com.

Man charged in childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death seeks case dismissal

(continued from page 6)

A Redwood City teenager accused of shooting and killing a 3-monthold boy in East Palo Alto in June sought to have charges against him dismissed Friday (Dec. 16) in San Mateo County Superior Court. Fabian Zaragoza, 17, and an unidentified accomplice allegedly fired 15 gunshots into the vehicle where baby Izack Jimenez Garcia, his parents Ivonne Garcia Lopez and Oscar Jimenez, and 3-year-old brother sat on June 5. The family had just left a party on Wisteria Street, and police believe the shooting was a case of mistaken identity. The infant was killed as his mother shielded the older boy in the carâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back seat. Both parents were injured but survived. On Aug. 17, the San Mateo County Criminal Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Zaragoza with murder, the special circumstance of lying in wait, two counts of attempted murder with the infliction of great bodily injury, and use of a firearm. Zaragozaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attorney, Peter Goldscheider, last Friday (Dec. 16) argued that evidence presented to the grand jury was insufficient to support the charges. But Criminal Presiding Judge Lisa Novak rejected the motion to dismiss. She set the trial for July 9, 2012. A pretrial conference is scheduled for April 9, 2012. Zaragoza will be tried as an adult and remains in custody on no bail status. If convicted of all charges, he faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. N â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Sue Dremann

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New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg Monday (Dec. 19) named Cornell University the winner in a competition to partner with the city in building a science and technology campus in the Big Apple. The prior Friday (Dec. 16), Stanford University abruptly withdrew its application to construct a 10-acre applied science and engineering campus on New York Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Roosevelt Island. Stanford had been a top contender in the competition for city-owned land and up to $100 million in funding to spark a Silicon Valley-style tech innovation hub in New York. Blooomberg said applications the city received from universities around the world â&#x20AC;&#x153;were much more than we had hoped for,â&#x20AC;? and he expects the Cornell undertaking, in partnership with Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, will be a â&#x20AC;&#x153;game changerâ&#x20AC;? that will â&#x20AC;&#x153;prime the economic pump for years to come.â&#x20AC;? Stanford said Friday that after weeks of negotiations with New York City, university leaders â&#x20AC;&#x201D; including the board of trustees â&#x20AC;&#x201D; â&#x20AC;&#x153;have determined that it would not be in the best interests of the university to continue to pursue the opportunity.â&#x20AC;? Stanfordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ambitious proposal, dubbed â&#x20AC;&#x153; StanfordNYCâ&#x20AC;? involved a 30-year university commitment of $2.5 billion to create a 1.9 millionsquare-foot science and engineering campus, with 100 faculty members and 2,000 masters and doctoral students. The bid monopolized the attention of top university officials, including Stanford President John Hennessy, for much of this year. Stanford marshaled the support of former students, including Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, to argue that the university fosters a unique â&#x20AC;&#x153;culture of entrepreneurshipâ&#x20AC;? and would be a good fit for New York. Hennessy said Stanford will continue to explore expansion opportunities in the future. N â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Chris Kenrick

Palo Alto mulls new Professorville parking restrictions Spurred by a flurry of complaints from the Professorville neighborhood, Palo Alto has formed a new community group to explore creating a parking-permit program in the downtown neighborhood. If implemented, a permit program would set a time limit for how long nonresidents can park in Professorville. Employees at downtown businesses frequently park in Professorville to avoid the time limits that are in place throughout the rest of downtown, residents said. The city already has one such program in place in College Terrace. Despite heavy outcry from Professorville about inadequate downtown parking and numerous requests for a parking program, the City Council has been hesitant to implement a program out of fear that the parking problem would simply spread to other sections of downtown. The business community has expressed concern about the city making parking too difficult for employees. But according to a new report from Jaime Rodriguez, the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chief transportation officer, a parking program in Professorville is still on the table and could be put in place as early as next summer. Staff has created the Downtown Parking Community Group, which includes business representatives and Professorville residents, to â&#x20AC;&#x153;assess the impacts of parking on downtown residential areas and to develop recommendations for the Residential Permit Parking Program.â&#x20AC;? The groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first meeting was scheduled for Thursday night (Dec. 22). N â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Gennady Sheyner

Upfront

Happiness

Counting Our Blessings

(continued from page 3)

BY ANNA G. ESHOO

Veronica Weber

“supportiveness” — an 8 or higher on a scale of 1 to 10 — the average worked out to just 6.57. The other finding that surprised the authors was the D-plus grade in the food category. With a campus far removed from off-campus eateries, Gunn students long have complained about a dearth of food options. Most bring their own lunches or rely on the school’s cafeteria, which offers things like pizza, hamburgers and clam chowder and added a salad bar a few years ago. “I’ve eaten in (the cafeteria) once or twice, and it wasn’t as bad as I expected,” said Wang who, like Moitra, usually brings her own lunch to school. “The salad bar is extremely popular, and (Gunn Principal Katya) Villalobos is talking about adding a self-serve sandwich kind of thing.” As seniors, Moitra and Wang were up to their eyeballs in college applications when they conceived of the happiness survey — loosely modeled after Newsweek’s “25 Happiest Colleges in America.” Both said they’ve paid attention to the “happiness” scores of the colleges they’re considering for next year. “Of the colleges I want to go to, (the happiness rating) does make an impact on my decision,” Moitra said. “It’s important to me to find out, at least on average, what people think.” But unlike the Newsweek rankings, Gunn’s survey is a stand-alone. “Seeing comparisons (with other high schools) would be a lot more revealing because you could get a sense of how well you’re doing relative to other schools,” Wang said. “Especially because so many local schools have high stress levels,” Moitra added. “We all have friends outside our district, and when you compare stories, knowing other people are kind of the same makes you feel a lot better.” After presenting the numbers, Wang and Moitra went on to explore the complicated, slippery and subjective nature of happiness studies. They interviewed Gunn psychology teacher John Hebert, who said: “There is no one accepted psychological definition (of happiness). But most psychologists would accept the idea of happiness as a high ratio of positive to negative feelings.” The student journalists also concluded that money can’t buy happiness, pointing to Hebert’s citation of international life-satisfaction studies. “Although not a wealthy nation, (Puerto Rico) often comes out on top of happiness and life-satisfaction scales,” Hebert said. Wealthy countries like the United States experience lower life-satisfaction levels than some Third World countries, Wang and Moitra reported. The pair asked Villalobos for her reaction to the survey results. “I’ll take the B. I think that’s an awesome grade,” Villalobos said. In the end, Moitra and Wang seemed to accept Hebert’s suggestion that “each person determines his or her own happiness” and that happiness potentially can be learned

Gunn High School students Amrita Moitra, left, and Jean Wang recently asked their fellow students how they would rate the school on “happiness.” Results on everything from food to stress were published in The Oracle, Gunn’s student newspaper. through strategies like optimistic thinking and nurtured relationships. “It is important to remember that, with a glass-half-full mentality and participation in fulfilling activities,

anyone has the potential to be happy,” they wrote. N Staff Writer Chris Kenrick can be emailed at ckenrick@paweekly. com.

N OT I C E NOTICE INVITING SEALED BIDS for WINDOW REPLACEMENT in two buildings consisting of six units each (#1 thru #12) of Ventura Apartments, 290-310 Ventura Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The project is to remove and replace old windows with glass energyefficient products in two buildings with six residential units each. GENERAL SCOPE OF WORK: 1. Remove existing windows and screens. 2. Contractor to supply storage for supplies and materials. 3. Furnish and install double-paned Low-E glass sliding windows and screens to fit individual dimensions of existing openings. 4. Seal and caulk installations as appropriate. 5. Furnish and install locks on all windows. 6. Remove and dispose of all old material each day. 7. Clean glass and window/door frames. 8. All materials used must be manufactured in the USA. Bid specifications pertaining to this project are available from (Friday, Dec 16, 2011) to (Friday, Dec 30, 2011). Please call to schedule a mandatory job walk. Bid closing date is (Wednesday, Jan 18, 2012) at 5:00 PM. Bid opening at 725 Alma Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301 on (Thursday, Jan 19, 2012) at 10:00 AM. This project is funded by the City of Palo Alto Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. All federal regulations listed in the Bid Specifications will apply, including equal opportunity, non-discrimination, and Federal Labor Standards provisions (Davis-Bacon). Reference is hereby made to bid specifications for further details, which specifications and this notice shall be considered part of the contract. For information and bid walk-through, contact Jim Brandenburg at 650321-9709 ext. 19.

There is a wonderful song from the classic holiday musical “White Christmas” that runs on a continuous loop in the back of my head these days. The Irving Berlin lyrics might be familiar to you: “When I’m worried and I can’t sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep, and I fall asleep counting my blessings.” That describes my state of mind these days: reason for worry, but also much to be grateful for as we close out 2011. We’re not out of the woods on the economy; we’re not yet at the end of the foreclosure crisis, and too many Americans still can’t find work. Despite our best efforts to hurry recovery along, large-scale change takes time. We’re making progress, though: unemployment figures are headed in the right direction; reform of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will make it less likely that we’ll see a repeat of the sub-prime lending catastrophe or anything like it, and early reports on holiday sales suggest that consumers are buying again. That bodes well for starting 2012 on a positive note. By any measure, Silicon Valley communities are doing well. You need only pick up a newspaper to read that we are ranked the nation’s most contented spot. According to the Gallup organization’s annual research into “well being,” which evaluates many factors like job satisfaction, work quality and emotional health, many of us are indeed lucky people. More recently, the California Department of Finance's Demographic Research Unit confirmed that we’re also a highly-educated region. In fact, of the top 10 California cities with the most educated residents, half of them are ours: Palo Alto, Los Altos, Saratoga, Cupertino and Menlo Park. As welcome as these signs of economic life are, and as impressive as our quality of life here may be, the blessings I count, the ones that give me faith in the future, aren’t about the improving economy or our academic or entrepreneurial achievements. These are all wonderful distinctions for our Valley, but what eases my worry and bolsters my confidence in the future are our less heralded attributes, traditions and individuals that make Silicon Valley a dynamic community of people who care. I am grateful: To our brave veterans, to their families and those who care for them at the Palo Alto VA. That David Packard set a defining standard for us. By serving on a school board AND founding a world-class company, he demonstrated that personal success and commitment to community go hand in hand. To librarians, teachers, coaches, classroom aides, environmental volunteers, to those who feed the hungry and shelter the homeless, and all volunteers who believe that value is found in what we put into the effort, not the money assigned to it. To the employees who get involved in local schools, and the companies who encourage them to do so, sharing their talent so that the next generation of inventors, scientists and engineers will be more creative and productive than the ones before. For our Valley culture that promotes experimentation and embraces failure as a necessary component of success and excellence. For seniors and retirees who live creatively in their “third chapters” giving back to the community with energy and wisdom and humor. That our community colleges provide a gateway to opportunity for many, including first and second generation American students whose drive has always fueled innovation. To individuals who choose to serve on boards and commissions and city councils, taking on the often thankless tasks of solving local problems and making hard choices for the rest of us – sometimes after hours of contentious testimony from neighbors and friends. For the small business owners whose shops define our downtowns, provide local color and give us a sense of place, and who have persevered through lean times to serve us. For the professionalism of our first responders who keep us safe at home and who lend their expertise to people around the world in times of crisis. I am grateful that there is an inherent decency in our interactions and an unspoken understanding that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. People here know that to those whom much is given, much is expected and they do their utmost to meet that expectation. What a blessing! Anna G. Eshoo (D-Palo Alto) represents California's 14th Congressional District and serves as the ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Communications and Technology subcommittee

Paid for by Anna Eshoo for Congress *> Ê Ì Ê7ii ÞÊUÊ iVi LiÀÊÓÎ]ÊÓä££ÊU Page 11

Support our Kids

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with a gift to the Holiday Fund. Last Year’s Grant Recipients Abilities United ...........................................$5,000 Adolescent Counseling Services ............$7,500 American Red Cross - Palo Alto Area ....$3,000 Art in Action ................................................$5,000 Baby Basics of the Peninsula, Inc. .........$2,000 Bread of Life................................................$5,000 Breast Cancer Connections .....................$7,500 California Family Foundation ....................$3,500 Cleo Eulau Center.......................................$3,500 Collective Roots..........................................$5,000 Downtown Streets Team ........................$15,000 East Palo Alto Children’s Day Committee ..................................................$5,000 East Palo Alto Kids Foundation ................$5,000 East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring .........$5,000 East Palo Alto Youth Court ........................$3,000 Environmental Volunteers ........................$3,000 Foothill-De Anza Foundation ....................$2,500 Foundation for a College Education ........$5,000 Friends of the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo ...........................................$5,000 InnVision ......................................................$5,000 JLS Middle School PTA.............................$3,500 Jordan Middle School PTA.......................$3,500 Kara ..............................................................$5,000 Lytton Gardens Senior Communities ......$5,000 Music in the Schools Foundation ............$5,000 New Creation Home Ministries ...............$5,000 Northern California Urban Development ....$5,000 Nuestra Casa ..............................................$5,000 Palo Alto Art Center Foundation ..............$5,000 Palo Alto Community Child Care ..............$5,000 Palo Alto YMCA ..........................................$5,000 Palo Alto Housing Corporation ................$5,000 Palo Alto Library Foundation .................$17,500 Peninsula HealthCare Connection ..........$7,500 Quest Learning Center of the EPA Library ..................................................$5,000 Reading Partners .......................................$5,000 St. Elizabeth Seton School .......................$5,000 St. Francis of Assisi Youth Club ...............$3,000 St. Vincent de Paul Society ......................$6,000 The Friendship Circle.................................$5,000 TheatreWorks .............................................$2,500 Youth Community Service .........................$7,500 CHILD CARE CAPITAL GRANTS Children’s Center at Stanford ...................$4,000 Palo Alto Community Child Care ..............$5,000 The Children’s Pre-School Center ...........$5,000

Non-profits: Grant application and guidelines at www.PaloAltoOnline.com/ holidayfund

ach year the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund raises money to support programs serving families and children in the Palo Alto area. Since the Weekly and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation cover all the administrative costs, every dollar raised goes directly to support community programs through grants to non-profit organizations ranging from $1,000 to $25,000. And with the generous support of matching grants from local foundations, including the Packard, Hewlett, Peery and Arrillaga foundations, your tax-deductible gift will be doubled in size. A donation of $100 turns into $200 with the foundation matching gifts. With your generosity, we can give a major boost to the programs in our community helping kids and families.

Give to the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund and your donation is doubled. You give to non-profit groups that work right here in our community. It’s a great way to ensure that your charitable donations are working at home.

317 donors through Dec. 14 totalling $100,172; with match $177,172 has been raised for the Holiday Fund Donate online at siliconvalleycf.org/paw-holiday-fund 37 Anonymous .................... 13,960 Newly Received Donations Jonathan J. Macquitty ........... 1,000 Marc and Ragni Pasturel .......... 100 Chris and Beth Martin................ ** Gloria R. Brown ....................... 200 Stuart and Carol Hansen ............ 50 Ellie and Dick Mansﬁeld ........... ** Alice Smith .............................. 100 Ron Wolf .................................. 100 Russell C. Evarts ...................... 300 Sally Hewlett ............................ 250 John Tang ................................. 150 Ed and Linda De Meo .............. 100 John and Barbara Pavkovich .... 200 Anna Wu Weakland ................. 100 Susan & Harry Hartzell............ 100 Sallie I. Brown ........................... ** Amy Renalds.............................. ** Maureen and John Martin .......... ** Lani Freeman and Stephen Monismith .................... ** Larry Breed .............................. 100 Claude Madden .......................... ** Ellen and Mike Turbow............ 200 Elkind Family Foundation ....... 250 Roger and Joan Warnke ............. ** Bjorn and Michele Liencres .. 1,000 Lijun Wang and Jia-Ning Xiang .....200 Mary B. Fuller.......................... 100 Constance Crawford................... ** Sallie and Jay Whaley ................ ** Lindsay Joye ............................ 100 Victoria Wendel........................ 150

Helen C. Feinberg ................. 3,000 Ken Schroeder & Fran Codispoti.......................... 500 Al Russell and Joanne Russell . 250 Pat and Tom Sanders .................. ** Bonnie B. Packer...................... 100 Lee Sanders ................................ 36 Robert F. Bell ........................... 150 Bryan Wilson ........................... 100 Meri Gruber and James Taylor... ** Stephanie Klein and Larry Baer ............................. 1,000 Jim and Alma Phillips .............. 250 Ruth K. Chippendale.................. ** Mahlon and Carol Hubenthal ..... ** Sandy Sloan ............................. 100 Ira Kanter ................................. 100 Thomas Rindﬂeisch ................. 250 Bob Donald ................................ ** Jim and Nancy Baer ................... ** Virginia E. Fehrenbacher ......... 100 Mandy Lowell ............................ ** Robert and Constance Loarie ..... ** Luca and Mary Caﬁero .............. ** Bruce Campbell .................... 1,000 Scott Wong ............................... 200 Jan Krawitz ................................ ** Bonnie Street............................ 100 Elizabeth Yasek and Michael Fleice.......................... 100 Michael Roberts ....................... 100 Elgin Lee .................................. 250 Keith Lee .................................. 550 Boyce and Peggy Nute ............... **

** Designates amount withheld at donor request

Page 12ÊUÊ iVi LiÀÊÓÎ]ÊÓä££ÊUÊ*> Ê Ì Ê7ii Þ

In Honor Of Paul Resnick............................. 100 Alan Stewart ............................... 25 Ellen Turbow ............................ 100 In Memory Of Leonard Ely, Jim Burch and Aggie Robinson................. 500 Nancy Tincher ............................ 50 Mary Floyd and Betty Meltzer ... ** Jim Burch ................................. 100 Al Jacobs .................................. 100 Jim Burch ................................. 100 August King ............................... ** Nate Rosenberg ........................ 100 Becky Schaefer .......................... ** Emmett Lorey ............................ ** Irvin B. Rubin .......................... 150 Helen Rubin ............................. 150 Anna and Max Blanker ............ 150

James Burch ............................... 25 James Burch ............................... ** Jim Burch ................................. 100 Businesses & Organizations The Palo Alto Business Park...... ** Communications and Power Industries (CPI) ................................... ** Previously Published Donors Mrs. Stanley R. Evans ................ ** John & Lee Pierce .................... 200 Carol & Leighton Read .............. ** Freddy & Jan Gabus................... ** Peggy & Chuck Daiss ................ ** Adele & Donald Langendorf ... 200 Lynnie and Joe Melena .............. 75 Karen and Steve Ross ................ ** Chuck & Jean Thompson ........... ** Jason and Lauren Garcia ............ ** M. D. Savoie .............................. **

Make checks payable to

Enclosed is a donation of $___________________________ Name __________________________________________________ Business Name _________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________ City/State/Zip___________________________________________

Silicon Valley Community Foundation and send to: PAW Holiday Fund c/o SVCF 2440 W. El Camino Real, Suite 300 Mountain View, CA 94040

E-Mail __________________________________________________ Phone ______________________

Q Credit Card (MC or VISA) _______________________________________ Expires ______________ Signature _______________________________________________________ I wish to designate my contribution as follows: – OR –

Q In name of business above

Q In my name as shown above

Q In honor of:

Q In memory of:

Q As a gift for:

_____________________________ (Name of person)

Q I wish to contribute anonymously.

Q Please withhold the amount of my contribution.

The Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund is a fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. All donors will be published in the Palo Alto Weekly unless the coupon is marked “Anonymous.”

Upfront Werner Graf................................ ** Kenneth E. Bencala .................. 100 Philip C. Hanawalt ................... 300 Richard A. Greene ................... 300 Chet Frankenﬁeld ....................... ** Dorothy Saxe.............................. ** Kathrine Schroeder .................... ** Joyce Nelsen ............................ 200 Memorial Fund, Inc. ................ 300 Mark R. Shepherd .................... 250 Bill Johnson & Terri Lobdell ..... ** Hal and Iris Korol ...................... ** Gwen Luce ................................. ** Theresa Carey .......................... 250 Ted & Ginny Chu ....................... ** Harry Press ............................... 100 Penny & Greg Gallo ................. 500 Isabel & Tom Mulcahy ............ 100 Nancy Lobdell ............................ ** John & Olive Borgsteadt ............ ** Ted & Jane Wassam ................. 250 Barbara Riper ............................. ** Daniel & Lynne Russell ........... 250 Ellen & Tom Ehrlich .................. ** Donna & Jerry Silverberg ........ 100 Nan Prince................................ 100 Andy & Liz Coe ....................... 100 George & Betsy Young .............. ** Walt & Kay Hays ..................... 100 Jeanne & Leonard Ware ............. ** Lorrin & Stephanie Koran.......... ** David & Nancy Kalkbrenner ..... ** Jim & Ro Dinkey ....................... 60 Attorney Susan Dondershine ... 200 David & Karen Backer ............. 100 Drew McCalley & Marilyn Green .......................... 100 Diane Doolittle ........................... ** Richard Kilner.......................... 100 Tony & Carolyn Tucher ............. ** Shirley & James Eaton ............... ** Barbara Klein & Stan Schrier .... ** Roy & Carol Blitzer ................... ** John & Mary Schaefer ............. 100 Margot D. Goodman .................. ** Brigid Barton ........................... 250 Sue Kemp ................................. 250 Elisabeth Seaman ....................... ** Dena Goldberg ......................... 100 Linda & Steven Boxer................ ** Micki & Bob Cardelli ................ ** Debbie Mytels ............................ ** The Ely Family ........................ 250 Ian & Karen Latchford ............. 100 Richard A. Baumgartner & Elizabeth M. Salzer .............. 350 Carolyn & Richard Brennan ...... ** Lynn & Joe Drake ...................... ** Eugene & Mabel Dong ............ 200 Nancy & Richard Alexander .... 500 Diane E. Moore ........................ 350 Sally & Craig Nordlund ........... 500 Arthur D. Stauffer .................... 500 Michael Hall Kieschnick....... 1,000 Mark Kreutzer ............................ 75 Nehama Treves......................... 200 Les Morris ................................ 250 Christina S. Kenrick .............. 1,000 Susan H. Richardson ................ 250 Leif and Sharon Erickson......... 250 The Havern Family ............... 3,500 The Wihtol Family Fund .......... 500 John N. Thomas ....................... 100 Anthony F. Brown ...................... 50

Diane Simoni ........................... 200 John J. McLaughlin.................. 100 Braff Family Fund .................... 250 Richard Rosenbaum ................... ** Zelda Jury................................... ** Eric & Elaine Hahn ............... 1,000 Nancy Huber .............................. ** Susan Woodman......................... ** Arthur R. Kraemer ..................... ** William E. Reller ....................... ** John and Florine Galen .............. ** David and Virginia Pollard ...... 150 Tony and Judy Kramer ............... ** Eve and John Melton ............... 500 Andrea Boehmer ........................ 50 Patti Yanklowitz and Mark Krasnow............................ ** Harriet and Gerry Berner ........... ** Roy Levin and Jan Thomson ..... ** Sylvia J. Smitham .................... 100 Kenyon Scott ............................ 200 Gil and Gail Woolley ............... 200 Henry and Nancy Heubach ...... 100 Marc and Margaret Cohen ....... 100 Jeremy Platt and Sondra Murphy** Don and Ann Rothblat ............... ** Jon and Julie Jerome .................. ** Richard Cabrera ......................... ** Richard and Bonnie Sibley ........ ** Barbara Zimmer and Kevin Mayer............................... ** John and Ruth DeVries .............. ** Rita Vrhel ................................. 150 Robyn H. Crumly ....................... ** Lori and Hal Luft ..................... 100 Neva and Tom Cotter ............ 2,000 Ralph R. Wheeler ..................... 350 Johnsson, Richard ................. 1,000 Shirk, Martha ........................... 500 Pam Mayerfeld ......................... 100 Ralph Cahn................................. 50 Kate Dreher ................................ 18 Gloria Schulz ........................... 200 Solon Finkelstein ..................... 250 J. Stephen Brugler .................... 300 Marlene Prendergast .................. ** Rosalie Shepherd ..................... 100 Bob & Edie Kirkwood ............... ** M. M. Dieckmann .................... 300 Tom and Peg Hanks ................... ** Marcia & Michael Katz ........... 200 Ms. Carolyn Frake ..................... 25 Betty Gerard ............................... ** Peter S. Stern............................ 250 Nancy & Stephen Levy .............. ** Daniel Cox ............................... 200 Christine M. Wotipka ............... 100 Marc Igler and Jennifer Cray ..... 50 Richard A. Morris ................. 2,000 Greg and Anne Avis ................... ** Cathy Kroymann ...................... 250 Martha Mantel............................ 25 Lolly T. Osborne ...................... 150 Shulman, Lee ............................. ** David and Lynn Mitchell ......... 300 Andrews, Ron........................... 500 Patricia Levin ........................... 100 Robert and Joan Jack ................. ** Mary Jackman .......................... 100 Marianne and Tom Moutoux...... ** Robert and Betsy Gamburd ........ ** Hugh O. McDevitt.................... 200 Michael L. Foster ..................... 500 Ann, Mike and Fiona O’Neill .... 25

Jean Dawes................................. 50 Mrs. Eleanor Settle................... 500 Nancy and Joe Huber ............... 100 Mimi Marden ............................. ** Robert K. Aulgur ....................... ** Bobbie and Jerry Wagger ........... ** Morgan Family Fund ............ 5,000 Jane Holland............................... ** Ray and Carol Bacchetti ............ ** Helene Pier ................................. ** Lawrence Naiman .................... 100 In Honor Of Emma Claire Cripps and Elizabeth Marie Kurland .......................... 300 Patricia Demetrios ................. 1,000 Sandy Sloan ............................. 100 Marilyn Sutorius ...................... 150 Elizabeth McCroskey ................. ** Lucy Berman’s Clients .......... 1,500 Ruth & Marty Mazner.............. 100 Andrew Luchard and Caitlin Luchard .................................... 100 Ro and Jim Dinkey..................... 50 In Memory Of John O. Black ........................... 500 Yen-Chen Yen .......................... 250 Charles Bennett Leib................ 100 Mdm. Pao Lin Lee ..................... ** Al and Kay Nelson ..................... ** Pam Grady ............................... 200 Leo Breidenbach ........................ ** Thomas W. and Louise Phinney.... ** Marie and Donald Anon........... 100 Jacques Naar & Wanda Root ..... ** Bob Makjavich ........................... ** Dr. John Plummer Steward ...... 100 Bertha Kalson............................. ** Al Bernal .................................... ** Helene F. Klein .......................... ** Ernest J. Moore .......................... ** Jack Sutorius ............................ 150 Ruth & Chet Johnson ................. ** Robert Lobdell ........................... ** Jim Burch ................................... ** Fred Everly................................. ** Aaron O’Neill ............................ ** Michael Coghlin....................... 100 Alan Herrick............................. 100 Nancy Ritchey ............................ ** Helene F. Klein .......................... ** Our Dad Albert Pellizzari .......... ** Jim Burch ................................... 50 Jim Burch ................................. 100 Businesses & Organizations Thoits Bros Inc......................... 500 Harrell Remodeling.................... ** The Palo Alto Business Park...... ** The Palo Alto Business Park...... ** “No Limit” Drag Racing Team .. 25 Alta Mesa Improvement Company .................................. 750 deLemos Properties.................. 250

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.

Volunteers to bring holiday bouquets to veterans Palo Alto volunteers are aiming to make the season brighter for veterans at Palo Alto’s Veterans Affairs hospice by bringing cheerful, custom-made bouquets on Saturday. ( (Posted Dec. 22 at 9:51 a.m.)

Soldier, injured in Afghanistan, gets Purple Heart An army soldier severely injured in Afghanistan this summer was presented with the Purple Heart on Tuesday at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Palo Alto, where he has been undergoing rehab since September. ( (Posted Dec. 22 at 9:51 a.m.)

Charges filed against former Menlo coach Michael William Taylor, the 28-year-old former Menlo School assistant coach who Atherton police say stole iPads from Menlo School students, has been charged with misdemeanor theft by the San Mateo County district attorney. He is due in court on Jan. 24 at 9 a.m., District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said. ( (Posted Dec. 22 at 7:43 a.m.)

Marshalls, helicopter hunt man in Mountain View Officers from the Mountain View and Menlo Park police departments and a helicopter crew assisted United States marshals in the search for a man near the intersection of Central Avenue and Moffett Boulevard Wednesday afternoon (Dec. 21). ( (Posted Dec. 22 at 7:42 a.m.)

Palo Alto approves AT&T’s antenna plan AT&T’s proposal to install antennas on 19 utility poles throughout Palo Alto has received the green light from the city’s planning department. (Posted Dec. 21 at 9:54 a.m.)

Palo Alto moves ahead with electric-vehicle policy Seeking to bolster the city’s reputation as a clean-tech leader and prepare for a surge of electric vehicles on city streets, Palo Alto officials this week adopted a new policy to encourage installation of charging stations. (Posted Dec. 21 at 9:21 a.m.)

East Palo Alto police desperate for toy donations On the morning of Dec. 24 East Palo Alto police officers and staff plan to distribute toys to needy families and their children in the community. But as Christmas gets closer, the department is making a public appeal for toys. (Posted Dec. 20 at 3:55 p.m.)

Santa brings joy to Ronald McDonald House This year, Santa Claus left the reindeer at home and traded in his sleigh for a 1954 teal Chevy Belair. On Dec. 11, Chuck Gaskin cruised up Sand Hill Road in his classic car to the Ronald McDonald House at Stanford and quickly darted inside to transform into Father Christmas. (Posted Dec. 20 at 2:58 p.m.)

Facebook completes move to Menlo Park Facebook on Monday (Dec. 19) completed a move from its former headquarters in Palo Alto to its new home in Menlo Park. (Posted Dec. 20 at 8:16 a.m.)

First Person: A conversation with Jeremy Lin Jeremy Lin, a Palo Alto High School graduate (Class of 2006) and current point guard for the Houston Rockets, reflects on his Palo Alto basketball roots and life in the NBA in this video interview with Lisa Van Dusen. (Posted Dec. 19 at 8:28 a.m.)

Gunfire exchanged with Menlo Park police Menlo Park police were shot at early Sunday morning (Dec. 18) in front of a house in the 1100 block of Hollyburne Avenue east of U.S. Highway 101 in Menlo Park. Police report finding five weapons at the crime scene. (Posted Dec. 19 at 8:22 a.m.)

Boy, 12, shot in East Palo Alto A 12-year-old boy on Friday night (Dec. 16) became the latest shooting victim in a series of gun violence against young persons in East Palo Alto. (Posted Dec. 17 at 8:14 p.m.)

Ex-Palo Alto firefighter receives court sentence A former Palo Alto firefighter who threatened Police Chief Dennis Burns and several city officials was sentenced on Friday (Dec. 16) to receive mental-health counseling and to seek employment or retraining. (Posted Dec. 16 at 4:04 p.m.) Want to get news briefs emailed to you every weekday? Sign up for Express, our new daily e-edition. Go to www.PaloAltoOnline.com to sign up.

*> Ê Ì Ê7ii ÞÊUÊ iVi LiÀÊÓÎ]ÊÓä££ÊU Page 13

EAT LOCAL this holiday

Go to ShopPaloAlto.com/holidayevents to find out

dine out, take out, buy groceries or hire a caterer for the holiday and help support our locally owned

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Page 14ÊUÊ iVi LiÀÊÓÎ]ÊÓä££ÊUÊ*> Ê Ì Ê7ii Þ

Transitions

Inspirations a guide to the spiritual community

Births, marriages and deaths

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, UCC

Founder of Xerox PARC dies at 90

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10:00 a.m. This Sunday: The Light Shines in the Darkness

Jack Goldman, Xerox chief scientist, backed lab credited with major discoveries

acob (Jack) Goldman, a physicist best known as the founder of Xerox PARC, died Tuesday in Westport, Conn., at 90. The first laser printers, personal computers, windows and icons and Ethernet LANs all had their origins at PARC. As chief scientist at Xerox, Goldman presided over four research labs and was responsible for creating two of them, PARC and the Xerox Research Center of Canada. Goldman in 1970 tapped physicist George Pake, who was then provost of Washington University, to start a research center and Pake chose Palo Alto. Pake and Robert Taylor, who came from NASA, attracted talent from Stanford University, the University of California at Berkeley, the Stanford Research Institute and elsewhere. The researchers invented the laser printer and advanced the use of a computer “desktop” that could be manipulated by clicking on icons. Goldman was an advocate for the Palo Alto research lab though it was located across the country from Xerox’s Stamford, Conn., headquarters. “There is one person that needs to be noted in all of this history and that is Jack Goldman,” laser printer inventor Gary Starkweather said in a 1997 interview with OE Reports, a publication of the International Society for Optical Engineering. “The Palo Alto Research Center was his idea. He deserves enormous credit for being so visionary and putting it where he put it and for setting the goals that he did. I think there is over $50 billion worth of business that’s been generated from the technology that came out of PARC.”

While Xerox commercialized the printer, it is often criticized for leaving its early work in computers for others, including Apple and Microsoft, to commercialize. In 2002 PARC became a provider of custom research and development services to other companies, incorporating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Xerox. Goldman was recruited to Xerox from the Ford Motor Co., where he had been director of the company’s scientific research lab. He served on the boards of Xerox, General Instrument Company, Burndy Corp., GAF, Intermagnetics General, United Brands and others. He also served on the U.S. Department of Commerce Technical Advisory Board, chaired the Statutory Visiting Committee of the National Bureau of Standards, served as vice-president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and president of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering.

Introducing

Lasting Memories An online directory of obituaries and remembrances. Search obituaries, submit a memorial, share a photo. Visit:

PaloAltoOnline.com/ obituaries

CHRISTMAS at FIRST LUTHERAN 600 Homer Avenue, Palo Alto | 650-322-4669 www.flcpa.org Pastor Kempton Segerhammar

December 24, 5:00 p.m. | Family Worship

Holy Communion and Carols First Lutheran children dramatize the Christmas story. First Kids’ Choir sings

December 24, 10:00 p.m. | Pre-service Music Harpist Dan Levitan joins Choir to present Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols

10:30 p.m. | Holy Communion by Candlelight

Katherine McKee, Choir Director | Andrew Chislett, Organist

December 25, 10:30 a.m. | Worship | Holy Communion Lessons and Carols for Christmas | Andrew Chislett, Organist All services include congregational singing of traditional carols.

Rev. Dr. Eileen Altman preaching Christmas Eve, December 24th 3:30 & 5:00 p.m. Family Services 10:00 p.m. Candlelight Services

Give blood for life! bloodcenter.stanford.edu

BIRTHS Lois-Lorena and Hadriel Abdallah of Menlo Park, a son, Dec. 7 Gina and Samuel Bravo of Palo Alto, a daughter, Dec. 9 Sonya Christophersen and Mark Rowen of Palo Alto, a daughter, Dec. 9 Stefanie and Brooks Henderson of Menlo Park, a daughter, Dec. 10 Erin and Jeffrey Randolph of Mountain View, a son, Dec. 10

Inspirations is a resource for ongoing religious services and special events. To inquire about or to reserve space in Inspirations, please contact Blanca Yoc at 223-6596 or email byoc@paweekly.com

Paula Ann Zappettini January 15, 1936 – December 7, 2011

Paula Zappettini, a deeply admired lady of strength, love and grace passed away in her Atherton home following a long illness, which she faced each day with dignity and courage. Her love for her family, adoration for her friends and support for her community were among her many gifts. Paula’s compassion, brave spirit and wisdom touched many lives. Paula was from a third generation San Francisco Bay Area family. She was born in Piedmont, California, grew up in San Mateo and attended Notre Dame High School, San Jose State University and the San Francisco Academy of Art. She met her loving husband Bill in San Francisco in 1961 and afterwards they lived in Burlingame before moving to Atherton in 1970 where they became vibrant members of their community. She was an accomplished businesswoman, devoted homemaker and tireless volunteer. Paula shared her time and many talents with a warm heart as a Peninsula Volunteer and member of the Atherton Garden Guild. She enjoyed organizing several charity events throughout the years. Paula was an avid follower of the arts and enjoyed her Italian heritage through many visits to Italy. She loved ﬂower arranging, gardening and playing bridge. Paula was a devoted Catholic and respected parishioner. Along with her husband, in 1997 they were invested with high honors into The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem. Then in 2006, in the midst of

her illness, she traveled on a pilgrimage as a malade with the Order of Malta to Lourdes, France. Her spiritual devotion to our Lady of Lourdes moved her to commit herself to serving the sick and the poor, and in 2008 along with her daughter Anna, was invested as a Dame of Malta. The next year, her husband Bill joined them and was invested as a Knight of Malta. In 2009, Paula and Bill received the Assumpta Award from the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Paula co-founded in 2010 a local chapter of the international Frontline Faith Project to bring prayers and spiritual support to American military men and women. Paula was preceded in her death by her father Pompey Scribante and her mother Amelia Bandoni Scribante. She will be greatly missed by many friends and family. She is survived by her loving husband of almost 50 years, William; her children John Zappettini and Anna Zappettini; her brother Robert Scribante; and her grandchildren Isabella and Gianna. A private Rosary was said on Monday, December 12th and a Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on December 13, 2011 both at The Church of Nativity located at 210 Oak Grove Ave, Menlo Park, CA 94025. PA I D

O B I T UA RY

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Pulse

A weekly compendium of vital statistics

POLICE CALLS Palo Alto Dec. 14-20 Violence related Armed robbery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Domestic violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Elder abuse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Family violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Sex crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Theft related Commercial burglaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Embezzlement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Forgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Fraud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Grand theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Identity theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Petty theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Residential burglaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Shoplifting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Vehicle related Auto theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Driving w/suspended license . . . . . . . . .8 Hit and run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Misc. traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Reckless driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Theft from auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Vehicle accident/minor injury . . . . . . . . .9 Vehicle accident/property damage. . . . 11 Alcohol or drug related Drunk in public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Drunken driving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Possession of drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Miscellaneous Casualty/misc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Found property. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Misc. penal code violation . . . . . . . . . . .1 Missing person . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Outside investigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Psychiatric hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Suspicious circumstances . . . . . . . . . . .5 Terrorist threats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vandalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Warrant/other agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Menlo Park Dec. 14-20 Violence related Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Theft related Fraud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Grand theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Petty theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Residential burglaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Vehicle related Auto theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Driving w/suspended license . . . . . . . . .6 Hit and run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Vehicle accident/minor injury . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle accident/property damage. . . . .1 Vehicle tow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Alcohol or drug related Drug activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Drunken driving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Possession of drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Miscellaneous Coroner case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Disturbance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Found property. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Info. case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Located missing person . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Lost property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Mental evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Missing person . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Other/misc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Outside assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Suspicious circumstances . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vandalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Warrant arrest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Atherton Dec. 14-20 Theft related Grand theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle related Auto recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Misc. traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Parking/driving violation . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Suspicious vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Vehicle accident minor injury . . . . . . . . .1 Vehicle accident/property damage. . . . .1 Vehicle code violation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Alcohol or drug related Drug activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Drunken driving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Miscellaneous Animal call. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Be on the lookout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Civil matter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Disturbance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Fire call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Juvenile problem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Medical aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Meet citizen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Other/misc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Outside assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Pedestrian check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Suspicious circumstances . . . . . . . . . . .1 Suspicious person . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Town ordinance violation . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Trespassing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Vandalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Warrant arrest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

VIOLENT CRIMES Palo Alto

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Unlisted block Maybell Avenue, 12/13, 10:26 a.m.; domestic violence/battery. Unlisted block Forest Avenue, 12/16, 1:59 p.m.; armed robbery. Unlisted block High Street, 12/17, 1:38 a.m.; domestic violence/battery. Unlisted block Laguna Avenue, 12/17, 7:55 a.m.; sex crime. Unlisted block Second Street, 12/19, 11:20 p.m.; family violence/battery. Unlisted block El Camino Real, 12/19, 7:43 p.m.; elder abuse/self neglect.

Menlo Park 800 block Newbridge Street, 12/14, 12:32 p.m.; battery. Hamilton Avenue and Chilco Street, 12/16, 11:58 p.m.; battery. Reported at police station, 12/20, 12:52 p.m.; battery/assault that occurred three months ago. El Camino Real and Santa Cruz Avenue, 12/20, 2:12 p.m.; battery.

To Fun. To Growth. To Learning.

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

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by Rebecca Wallace s a new year approaches, Connie Wolf is also poised to start a dynamic new chapter in her life. In January she’ll become director of the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University. To hear her tell it, the move couldn’t come at a more exciting time. The arts are moving and shaking on campus, with three new buildings set to open in the coming years near the Cantor museum, creating what university officials are calling a new arts district. Museum visitors can already stand on the front steps and look across Palm Drive at the construction on the 844-seat Bing Concert Hall. The hall is expected to be completed this summer, and then open in January 2013 to public performances of jazz, symphonies and other music. Meanwhile, last week Stanford’s board of trustees gave the nod to sites for two other new arts buildings. The McMurtry Building will be the new home for the university’s department of art and art history, on Roth Way near the Cantor. Also nearby, on the corner of Lomita Drive and Campus Drive West, a new museum building will house the 121 works of art being donated to the school by the Menlo Park-based Anderson Collection. “It’s a whole new moment for art on campus,” Wolf says. She’ll certainly have arts-friendly neighbors. For example, she notes, art students will now be based much closer to the Cantor in the new McMurtry structure, not on the other side of the Oval as the Cummings Art Building is now. Wolf is easygoing and amiable as she chats with a Weekly reporter, sitting in a big leather chair outside a Cantor exhibition of paintings by the late California artist Rex Slinkard. She says she’s thrilled to return to Stanford, where she graduated in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree in East Asian Studies. “I can only do things that I feel really passionate about,” she says. “When the possibility opened up (to come to the Cantor), I realized I already had that passion for Stanford.” Wolf will commute from San Francisco, where she has been serving as director of the Contemporary Jewish Museum. She replaces Thomas K. Seligman, who is retiring after 20 years leading the Cantor. Before working at the Jewish Mu-

Veronica Weber

(continued on next page)

Connie Wolf, pictured at Stanford’s Cantor Arts Center, was previously the director of the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco. “For me, it’s about the ideas that surround a work of art,” she said. “I like art that asks big questions.” *> Ê Ì Ê7ii ÞÊUÊ iVi LiÀÊÓÎ]ÊÓä££ÊU Page 17

Arts & Entertainment

Connie Wolf

(continued from previous page)

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seum, Wolf was associate director for public programs and curator of education at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. But much of her inspiration is rooted at Stanford. In her undergraduate days, she learned an appreciation for art as a way to build community â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and as something that benefits deeply from being seen in a societal and historical context. When she studied a type of Chinese art, for example, she also studied the politics and literature of the time and place. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People connect to art and artwork in many different ways,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For me, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about the ideas that surround a work of art. I like art that asks big questions.â&#x20AC;? The Cantor also has a history of programs that connect the visual arts with other types of creativity. For instance, in 2009-10, Stanford experimental-music composer Mark Applebaum displayed an unusual score filled with drawings and designs, and the museum brought in different musicians each week â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a rapper, string players, a woman with a flute and piccolo â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to stand on the Cantor balcony and play their interpretations of the score. Wolf thought that was a great idea. She muses about the Cantorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s permanent collection, which encompasses some 30,000 pieces of art, and wonders aloud about other programs in which writers, poets, musicians could come in and be inspired by the works. â&#x20AC;&#x153;How do you create ways for new interaction and dialogue?â&#x20AC;? she asks. â&#x20AC;&#x153;How can we build on that and make it happen more often?â&#x20AC;? If Wolfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thought processes lead her in new directions for the museum, this may not be surprising. She herself has followed an unusual path. Museum directors, especially those at university institutions, often have a more traditional background studying art history. In fact, when Wolf was announced as the next Cantor director last year, art-department chair Nancy Troy called the move â&#x20AC;&#x153;unexpected and daring.â&#x20AC;? Wolf laughs when Troyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s words are quoted back to her. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I come from the field of education, thinking and teaching about art,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I come from the path of being a viewer. I am not a doctoral expert, so maybe Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m an

unusual selection. But I believe that running a museum involves working with many kinds of people.â&#x20AC;? Wolfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s varied experiences were attractive to the Jewish Museum board when it hired her as director in 1999. In fact, the board chose her right away after one interview and a recommendation from San Francisco Museum of Modern Art director David Ross, board trustee Stephen Leavitt recalls in a phone interview. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No committees, no nothing. We were that impressed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Her rĂŠsumĂŠ is very interesting and speaks to her level of adaptability and variety of intelligences that she possesses,â&#x20AC;? Leavitt says. Ultimately, he adds, the board was most pleased by Wolfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;level of energy, her enthusiasm ... the quickness of her understanding of the project at our museum.â&#x20AC;? That tiny little project was shepherding the Jewish Museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major growth, from 2,500 square feet of office space into a dramatic 63,000square-foot museum designed by architect Daniel Libeskind. The museum moved to that space near Yerba Buena Gardens in 2008. While the Jewish Museum is a non-collecting institution, Wolf brought in many innovative exhibits, Leavitt says. In an exhibit on the Torah, a young scribe came in to create a Torah in front of the public. Visitors could ask her questions about the parchment, the ink, the writing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an example of taking an idea that might have been called an old idea and making it into something alive and contemporaneous,â&#x20AC;? Leavitt says. At the Cantor, when asked whether she has specific plans for new exhibitions or projects, Wolf answers: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have a very steep learning curve ahead of me. There are so many initiatives already. I want to understand future opportunities to build on those.â&#x20AC;? One thing sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s especially looking forward to is the Feb. 1 opening of an exhibition of about 100 photos by the famed American photographer Walker Evans. This will be the first new show under Wolfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s directorship. Like other exhibitions, it will have companion educational programs, including lectures, a book discussion and guided tours. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very curious to go to all the programs and see who the audiences are,â&#x20AC;? Wolf said. N

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Arts & Entertainment

Time for 2012 Local venues offer options for dining, dancing, singing in the New Year by Rebecca Wallace he Midpeninsula is certainly courses, prix fixe), with information quieter than the big city on New at joyarestaurant.com; and Madera at Year’s Eve. But there are still op- 2825 Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park tions for those who prefer their frivol- (from pickled pear to coconut-lime ity without freeway driving. dacquoise), maderasandhill.com. Local venues offer R&B singers, Some local residents celebrate New balloon drops, ballroom dancing, multi-course meals and a Russian Year’s Eve early; others prefer to mark snow princess. Here are some of the the occasion on New Year’s Day. Here are some options for these days: Palo Alto-area choices:

The bluesy Kaye Bohler Band plays the Oak City Bar & Grill at 1029 El Camino Real in Menlo Park starting at 9 p.m. Dinner is served from 5 p.m., with reservations suggested. Go to oakcitybarandgrill.com or call 650321-6882. The British Bankers Club at 1090 El Camino Real in Menlo Park is hosting a New Year’s Eve Ball from 9:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. The event has a Russian New Year’s theme, with vodka, dinner, a dance show and a princess named Snegurochka (the snow maiden). Admission is $30 in advance (between Dec. 20 and Dec. 31) and $35 at the door. Dress is dressy. Go to britishbankersclub.com or call 650327-8769. Palo Alto musician James Welch plays his annual New Year’s Eve pipe-organ concert at 8 p.m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 600 Colorado Ave., Palo Alto. Various pieces by J.S. Bach will be featured, with Welch’s son Nicholas joining him on piano for the Partita in B-flat major. Tickets are $10. Go to welchorganist. com or call 650-856-9700. The Bay Area Country Dance Society holds New Year’s Eve Contra Dance from 8 p.m. to midnight at the Palo Alto Masonic Center, 461 Florence St., Palo Alto. Caller Tina Fields and the Star Thistle music ensemble (Chetani Cheryl McKinney, Dave Kistler, Lonna Whipple and David Wright) are up, with a potluck also planned. Admission is $20 general, $16 for members and $10 for students. Go to bacds.org.

Singles who want to dress up and schmooze a night early can attend the Pre-New Year’s Party hosted by the Society of Single Professionals and Singles Supper Club from 8 p.m. to midnight Dec. 30 at the Sheraton Hotel, 625 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. Tickets are $20 for dancing, party hats and favors. Go to thepartyhotline.com or call 415-507-9962. Also scheduled for Dec. 30 is a

New Year’s Eve Day Bash for seniors, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto. A buffet lunch, dancing and a 1:30 p.m. champagne toast are planned. Tickets are $13 in advance and $18 on the day of the event. Go to cityofpaloalto.org/ recreation or call 650-463-4953. “I Like Ludwig” is the theme of the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra’s New Year’s Day concert at 3 p.m. Violinist Robin Sharp solos in a program that includes Beethoven’s Second Symphony and his Violin Concerto in D major. The free performance is at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 600 Colorado Ave., Palo Alto. Go to sfchamberorchestra.org or call 415-692-3367. One museum that stays open on New Year’s Day is the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University. The Cantor is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with its many exhibitions including shows of African art, paintings by California artist Rex Slinkard and contemporary art in many media. Go to museum.stanford.edu. N

Learn the Guitar this Winter

Carol McComb’s “Starting to Play” workshop includes the FREE use of a Loaner Guitar for the duration of the classes.* Regular cost is just $160 for nine weeks of group lessons, and all music is included. *“Starting to Play” meets for one hour each Monday night for nine weeks beginning January 9. Students are encouraged to bring their own guitar, but both nylon-string and steel-string loaner guitars are available. Other classes at more advanced levels are also offered. A full brochure is available at Gryphon.

Stringed Instruments Since 1969

650 U493 U2131

,AMBERT !VENUE s 0ALO !LTO www.gryphonstrings.com

For kids who can’t stay up late, the balloon drop happens at noon on Dec. 31 at Cheeky Monkey Toys at 640 Santa Cruz Ave. in Menlo Park. “New Year at Noon” is free and also includes craft activities from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Go to cheekymonkeytoys. com or call 650-328-7975. Several events are planned on and around New Year’s Eve at the Fox Theatre and its smaller sister venue Club Fox at 2215 Broadway in downtown Redwood City. R&B singers Lenny Williams and Earl Thomas will perform Dec. 31 at the Fox Theatre, with the tribute band the Unauthorized Rolling Stones playing at Club Fox that night. Several levels of ticketing are planned. For details, go to foxrwc.com. For those who prefer to make dining the centerpiece of the evening, many local restaurants have New Year’s Eve menus. These include: Joya at 339 University Ave. in Palo Alto (five *> Ê Ì Ê7ii ÞÊUÊ iVi LiÀÊÓÎ]ÊÓä££ÊU Page 19

MEXICAN Celia’s Mexican Restaurants Palo Alto: 3740 El Camino Real 650-843-0643 Menlo Park: 1850 El Camino Real 650-321-8227 www.celiasrestaurants.com

of the week

Palo Alto Sol 328-8840 408 California Ave, Palo Alto Õ}iÊ i ÕÊUÊ iÃÌÞ iÊ,iV «iÃ

AMERICAN

CHINESE

Armadillo Willy’s 941-2922 1031 N. San Antonio Rd., Los Altos Range: $5.00-13.00

Su Hong – Menlo Park Dining Phone: 323–6852 To Go: 322–4631 Winner, Menlo Almanac “Best Of” 8 years in a row!

Hobee’s 856-6124 4224 El Camino Real, Palo Alto Also at Town & Country Village, Palo Alto 327-4111

Burmese

Darbar Indian Cuisine 321-6688 129 Lytton, Downtown Palo Alto Lunch Buffet M-F; Open 7 days

CHINESE

Jing Jing 328-6885 443 Emerson St., Palo Alto Authentic Szechwan, Hunan Food To Go, Delivery www.jingjinggourmet.com Ming’s 856-7700 1700 Embarcadero East, Palo Alto www.mings.com

Pizza Chicago 424-9400 4115 El Camino Real, Palo Alto This IS the best pizza in town Spot A Pizza 324-3131 115 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto Voted Best Pizza in Palo Alto www.spotpizza.com

INDIAN

Green Elephant Gourmet 494-7391 Burmese & Chinese Cuisine Janta Indian Restaurant 3950 Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto (650) 462-5903 Fax (650) 462-1433 (Charleston Shopping Center) Dine-In, Take-Out, Local Delivery-Catering 369 Lytton Ave., Downtown Palo Alto www.greenelephantgourmet.com Lunch Buffet M-F; www.jantaindianrestaurant.com

Chef Chu’s 948-2696 1067 N. San Antonio Road on the corner of El Camino, Los Altos 2010 Best Chinese MV Voice & PA Weekly

PIZZA

ITALIAN La Cucina di Pizzeria Venti 254-1120 1390 Pear Ave, Mountain View www.pizzeriaventi.com Fresh, Chef Inspired Italian Food Spalti Ristorante 327-9390 417 California Ave, Palo Alto ÝµÕ Ã ÌiÊ `ÊUÊ"ÕÌ` ÀÊ }Ê www.spalti.com

JAPANESE & SUSHI

POLYNESIAN

Trader Vic’s

Trader Vic’s 849-9800 4269 El Camino Real, Palo Alto Dinner Mon-Thurs 5-10pm; Fri-Sat 5-11pm; Sun 4:30 - 9:30pm Available for private luncheons Lounge open nightly Happy Hour Mon-Fri 4-6 pm

4269 El Camino Real Palo Alto

SEAFOOD Cook’s Seafood 325-0604 751 El Camino Real, Menlo Park Seafood Dinners from $6.95 to $10.95

Dinner Mon-Thurs 5-10 pm Fri-Sat 5-11 pm Available for private luncheons

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

THAI Siam Orchid 325-1994 496 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto Organic Thai Free Delivery to Palo Alto/Stanford/Menlo Park Order online at www.siamorchidpa.com

STEAKHOUSE

Sundance the Steakhouse Fuki Sushi 494-9383 321-6798 4119 El Camino Real, Palo Alto New Tung Kee Noodle House 1921 El Camino Real, Palo Alto Online Ordering-Catereing-Chef Rental 947-8888 Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30 am-2:00pm 520 Showers Dr., MV in San Antonio Ctr. Sushi Workshops-Private Tatami Rooms Dinner: Mon-Thu 5:00-10:00pm Online Gift Card Purchase Voted MV Voice Best ‘01, ‘02, ‘03 & ‘04 Fri-Sat 5:00-10:30pm, Sun 5:00-9:00pm Prices start at $4.75 fukisushi.com & facebook.com/fukisushi www.sundancethesteakhouse.com Page 20ÊUÊ iVi LiÀÊÓÎ]ÊÓä££ÊUÊ*> Ê Ì Ê7ii Þ

650-849-9800

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

Eating Out RESTAURANT REVIEW

Empire not quite on fire Grill and bar charms with its outside oasis, but the kitchen is inconsistent by Dale F. Bentson

Kelsey Kienitz

Patrons at the Empire Grill & Tap Roomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mahogany bar.

DINNER BY THE MOVIES AT SHORELINEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

Pizzeria Venti ys

lida o H y p Hap

fter nearly 20 years, Empire Grill & Tap Room still boasts the best al fresco dining spot in the area. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a spacious, well-caredfor oasis with bubbling fountain, climbing wisteria, fragrant jasmine, showy trumpet vines and shades of green dotted with flowers everywhere, at least in warmer months. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a tad chilly in winter but propane heaters make temperate days doable. Inside, the decor doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t disappoint. Stylish wood chairs flank a long, linen-lined banquette opposite the 36-foot-long Honduras mahogany wood bar. The lighting is chic as are the overhead paned ceiling tiles. The only distractions, other than groups of loud men hugging the bar at times, are the corner TVs dedi-

cated to sports. Despite the patioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tranquility, inside is still a barroom. The menu is sturdy, better than bar food, often approaching solid restaurant fare. But Empire underachieves food-wise, not always, but often enough to notice. One day at lunch, with the place sparsely filled, I was presented with a menu that was badly stained. Not a great calling card for a just-arrived patron. The menus were paper, too, so why not a crisp clean one? Most of the fare tasted fresh, but one evening, the Empire chocolate cake ($7.50) was covered with chocolate sauce to disguise the somewhat crusty edges indicative of a cake not the freshest. The pecan pie ($7.50), on the other hand, was deliriously (continued on next page)

The History Of Pasta Alla Norma This dish is named for the main character in the Vincenzo Bellini opera â&#x20AC;&#x153;Normaâ&#x20AC;?. Most people actually call this dish Pasta ccĂ˘ Norma. This is incorrect because â&#x20AC;&#x153;ccĂ˘â&#x20AC;? in the Sicilian dialect means â&#x20AC;&#x153;withâ&#x20AC;?, thereby making Norma an ingredient, such as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pasta with zucchiniâ&#x20AC;?, which is deďŹ nitely not the case. This dish was dedicated Maestro Bellini and Pasta a la Norma or Pasta Norma-style, refers speciďŹ cally to this dish and the composer who was from Catania. The authenticity of this classic dish is beholden to the quality and abundance of the sauce, and above all, to the salted ricotta. This is a non-optional, essential ingredient of the dish. If you cannot ďŹ nd Ricotta Salata, you must move far away, for you live in barbarism! Please forgive meâ&#x20AC;ŚI am nothing without good pasta. From our kitchen to yours. Giulia Grisi as Norma in 1831 Buon appetito!

Pasta Alla Norma Tomato sauce-from scratch s 4BLS %XTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL s CLOVES CHOPPED GARLIC s OZ CAN CRUSHED TOMATOES s FRESH BASIL LEAVES TORN INTO SMALL pieces s SALT AND PEPPER SautĂŠ garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add tomatoes and basil. Stir and cook for 10 minutes. Salt/pepper to taste. May be made ahead and refrigerated or use a good quality jarred sauce

1390 Pear Ave., Mountain View (650) 254-1120 www.mvpizzeriaventi.com

Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday

s 4BLS %XTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL s POUNDS EGGPLANT PEELED AND CUT into 1â&#x20AC;? cubes s OUNCES CUP RICOTTA SALATA grated s &RESH BASIL LEAVES TORN BY HAND s 0INCH CRUSHED RED CHILI PEPPER SLICED [or dried ďŹ&#x201A;akes] s 3ALT s POUND SPAGHETTI

To cook: In a large skillet over medium high heat, fry the eggplant cubes and red pepper ďŹ&#x201A;akes in olive oil until eggplant begins to soften and caramelize. Drain off any excess oil and add tomato sauce and reduce to medium heat Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti al dente, drain retaining some of the pasta water, and transfer to a large bowl. Check sauce and add pasta water if sauce appears too dry. Pour sauce over the spaghetti and toss with the salted ricotta and torn basil leaves Serve with grated Pecorino *>Â?Â&#x153;Ă&#x160; Â?Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x160;7iiÂ&#x17D;Â?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160; iViÂ&#x201C;LiĂ&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x17D;]Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201C;Ă¤ÂŁÂŁĂ&#x160;U Page 21

Eating Out (continued from previous page)

FREE Regular Size Fountain Drink or FREE Small Order of Fries Offer good per one sandwich purchase Just mention “Palo Alto Weekly”

2035-B El Camino Real, Palo Alto (Between Cambridge and California Avenues)

(650) 326-1628

CITY OF PALO ALTO NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Palo Alto City Council will hold a public hearing at the regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, January 9, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. or as near thereafter as possible, in the Council Chambers, 250 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, to consider approval of an application to remove a Category 4 Queen Anne residence, constructed in 1895 and located in the R-2 zone district, from the City’s Historic Inventory based on loss of historic integrity, at 935 Ramona Street. DONNA J. GRIDER, MMC City Clerk

good. Packed with pecans in crusty syrupy goodness, it was fork-tender, yet not overly sweet. For starters, the poached artichoke ($9.75), while noteworthy, came with a tame garlic aioli sauce. The ‘choke was perfectly poached but I didn’t bother with the empty-calorie sauce at all. Polenta cakes ($10.25) with creamy gorgonzola and Fontina cheeses and sauteed shiitake mushrooms were a robust affair. This could have been a meal itself with an added side salad. The polenta and runny cheeses were layered and cakelike, with the sauteed shiitakes heaped atop with creamy, earthy flavors that did not overpower

the palate. I’ve always loved Empire’s deepfried calamari ($13.50). The crisp, mouthwatering calamari was well battered and fried a tempting tawny brown. The fried jalapenos that were interspersed added an additional flavor note, yet I prefer the fried lemon slices Empire used to serve. They just made the dish tangier. Still, no complaints. One day, the soup du jour was chicken vegetable ($5.75). Large chunks of chicken breast accompanied the requisite chicken stock, onion, pepper, celery and tomato base. Good flavors overall, and a generous portion. I had an issue with all but one of

Happy Holidays!! OUR GIFTS FOR YOU! $6 OFF Soles & Heels $3 OFF Men’s Soles $2 OFF Ladies or Men’s Heels Offer expires 1/31/12

2011

2796 Middleﬁeld Road, Palo Alto 650-329-8171

N OT I C E NOTICE INVITING SEALED BIDS for Upgrade of Site Storm Drainage at 290-310 Ventura Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306.

CITY OF PALO ALTO NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Upgrade existing storm drainage system throughout the property to improve dispersal of rain flow from the property. GENERAL SCOPE OF WORK: 1. Provide trenching for 160’ down center between front of buildings 1 and 2 with borings under sidewalks for 4” piping. 2. Run eight 3” lines to buildings to attach onto existing downspouts. 3. Provide cleanout fittings at high end of pipe and 100’ downstream. 4. Saw cut driveway 6’ out from grass area and install bubbler box to disperse rain flow to high end grade of driveway. 5. Provide 220 feet of 3” DWV copper pipe and fittings each along back side of building 1 and 2 and attach to 6 existing downspout roof ports. Set grade of pipe as necessary to disperse rain flow to front of property. 6. Clean work area daily and remove debris off-site. 7. All materials used must be manufactured in the USA. Bid specifications pertaining to this project are available from (Friday, Dec 16, 2011) to (Friday, Dec 30, 2011). Please call to schedule a mandatory job walk. Bid closing date is (Wednesday, Jan 18, 2012) at 5:00 PM. Bid opening at 725 Alma Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301 on (Thursday, Jan 19, 2012) at 10:00 AM. This project is funded by the City of Palo Alto Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. All federal regulations listed in the Bid Specifications will apply, including equal opportunity, non-discrimination, and Federal Labor Standards provisions (Davis-Bacon). Reference is hereby made to bid specifications for further details, which specifications and this notice shall be considered part of the contract. For information and bid walk-through, contact Jim Brandenburg at 650321-9709 ext. 19.

Page 22ÊUÊ iVi LiÀÊÓÎ]ÊÓä££ÊUÊ*> Ê Ì Ê7ii Þ

NOTICE TO DESTROY WEEDS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on December 12, 2011, pursuant to the provisions of Section 8.08.020 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code, the City Council passed a resolution declaring that all weeds growing upon any private property or in any public street or alley, as deﬁned in Section 8.08.010 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code, constitute a public nuisance, which nuisance must be abated by the destruction or removal thereof. NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that property owners shall without delay remove all such weeds from their property, and the abutting half of the street in front and alleys, if any, behind such property, and between the lot lines thereof as extended, or such weeds will be destroyed or moved and such nuisance abated by the city authorities, in which case the cost of such destruction or removal will be assessed upon the lots and lands from which, or from the front or rear of which, such weeds shall have been destroyed or removed; and such cost will constitute a lien upon such lots or lands until paid, and will be collected upon the next tax roll upon which general municipal taxes are collected. All property owners having any objections to the proposed destruction or removal of such weeds are hereby notiﬁed to attend a meeting of the Council of said city, to be held in the Council Chamber of the City Hall in said city on January 9, 2012, at seven p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter can be heard, when and where their objections will be heard and given due consideration. Dennis Burns Interim Fire Chief

the main courses I tried. Not every ingredient on the plate was a problem, but something was askew with each order. The breast of range chicken ($19.25) with tarragon Dijon mustard sauce, for example, was devoid of any tarragon or mustardy flavors. Though everything on the plate was tender, including the medallions of potato and broccoli rabe, the dish needed revving up. The grilled pork chop ($22.25) had been marinated in “Asian spices,” then grilled and glazed with a light barbecue sauce. French fries and broccoli rabe accompanied. It was pretty on the plate but the chop was too thick and too chewy; my jaw was tired halfway through. I finally gave up. Vastly better would have been two chops cut more thinly, and the presentation would not have suffered. The pricey crab cakes ($25.50) were coupled with a benign red bell pepper cream sauce. Crab was in evidence, and flecks of red and green bell pepper added to the prettiness, without too much filler. The accompanying snap peas were vibrant, but the medallions of potato were cold and hard. The penne pasta ($18.75) with asparagus, sweet red peppers, red onions, tomato and basil was simple and tasty enough. The portion size has increased over the years and it’s now more than plenty. The wine list was reasonable with no particular regional focus or grape type. The Pinot Noir I ordered was out of stock. Second choice was Educated Guess, 2009 Carneros Pinot Noir ($12 /$48). That wine retails in the $20- to $25-per-bottle range. The wine was typical of the Carneros region, light and fruity. However, it finished a tad on the bitter side. Pinot Noir is still tricky business for California winemakers; it is a difficult grape to coax and most winemakers still make it as if it were a soft-sided Cabernet. A few West Coast winemakers get it right, and more will in time. One of Empire’s main attractions is a large selection of single-malt scotch, rum, cognac and port, as well as the 16 beers on tap. That is why that beautiful mahogany bar is ever busy. Empire Grill & Tap Room is well rooted after nearly two decades. I wish my patio looked as inviting. But I also wish Empire’s kitchen would take the next step up in consistency and quality. It has everything else going for it. N

Empire Grill & Tap Room 651 Emerson St., Palo Alto 650-321-3030 etrpa.com Hours: Tues.-Fri. 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Brunch: Sat.-Sun. 11 a.m.3:30 p.m. Dinner: Sat.-Sun. 3:30-11 p.m.

Reservations

Banquet

Credit cards

Catering

Lot Parking

Full Bar (Corkage fee $20)

Outdoor seating

Noise level: Loud indoors

Takeout Highchairs Wheelchair access

Bathroom Cleanliness: Good

Movies

OPENINGS

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy ---1/2

(Palo Alto Square) The earliest known use of the phrase “stiff upper lip” — commonly used to refer to British reserve — in fact comes from The Massachusetts Spy newspaper. Now spies and stiff upper lips are together again in “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” the new adaptation of John le Carré’s 1974 bestseller. Control is so essential a trait of this spy story that one character goes by that name. Call the British foreign intelligence agency SIS or MI6, but le Carré’s characters call it “the Circus,” run by Control (John Hurt) out of smoke-filled rooms. In 1973, a botched attempt to discover the identity of a double agent results in a seriously wounded field officer, international tensions and curtailed careers for Control and trusted lieutenant George Smiley (Gary Oldman). A hapless civil servant asks Smiley to come out of retirement to root out the “mole” hiding in plain sight within the Circus’ inner circle. With rueful cheek, Control had codenamed the suspects “Tinker” (Toby Jones’ Percy Alleline), “Tailor” (Colin Firth’s Bill Haydon), “Soldier” (Ciarán Hinds’ Roy Bland) and “Poorman” (David Dencik’s Toby Esterhase). Smiley has a history with, and closely held opinions of, all of them, but with characteristic calm he begins his investigation, aided by the loyal but somewhat nervous Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch). On the page and on the screen, this is a story of shoe leather expended and upholstery worn as Smiley ambles about to interview sources or simply sits and ponders the latest intelligence. The story also serves as le Carré’s meditation on the national wound that was the “Cambridge Five” spy ring, but it’s not all business: Private betrayals assure that this time, it’s personal. Tomas Alfredson — who made a big splash with the vampire drama “Let the Right One In” — evokes the ‘70s in sallow tones and hazy interiors that match the pervading sense of corruption. The sickly visuals and waxy-looking characters may remind one of vampires, but they also intriguingly offset the story’s high stakes. They are obvious in the Budapest-set prologue, as Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) takes a bullet while seeking the identity of the mole, but Alfredson proves just as expert in fashioning tension in softspoken dialogues. Inseparable from the film’s success is the performance of Gary Oldman, long one of cinema’s most potent actors. Alfredson makes a motif of the back of Smiley’s head, a symbol of his unreadable thoughts, but Oldman’s face proves nearly as inscrutable. With great subtlety, Oldman demonstrates what makes Smiley an extraordinary spy: his insistence upon taking in more than he lets slip. Whether coolly dispatching a fly or eating a Wimpy burger with knife and fork, Oldman carefully makes every gesture part of his quiet revelation of character. And he does it all with a genteel tip of the hat to Alec Guinness, who famously played Smiley for the BBC. “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” is a classic of the spy genre, and Alfredson’s film approximates for us the sifting of intel that is Smiley’s stock in trade while never insulting our intelligence. But equally important to the film’s appeal is its keen understanding of the politics of the workplace, emblematized by a Christmas party that, all false smiles, haunts the film in flashback. And at that party, among the guests, keen observers will spot John le Carré, the spy-turned-author who started it all. Rated R for violence, some sexuality/nudity and language. Two hours, eight minutes. — Peter Canavese

War Horse ---1/2

(Century 16, Century 20) The vast scope required for certain film projects, such as this harrowing World War I epic, has never intimidated Oscar-winning director Steven Spielberg. In fact, it seems to invigorate him. The acclaimed auteur has taken on daunting subjects with tremendous aplomb — subjects lesser filmmakers would

from two opposing soldiers setting aside their differences to rescue a wounded Joey to Joey’s own demonstrable courage in helping a fellow horse. And although the picture’s pacing starts off slowly, it quickly hits its stride. Expect “War Horse,” one of the year’s best, to earn some accolades at the Academy Awards in February. Oscar always pays attention when Spielberg is in the saddle. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of war violence. Two hours, 26 minutes. — Tyler Hanley

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo ---

Jeremy Irvine in “War Horse.”

Rooney Mara in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” surely shy away from. He used an ocean’s murky depths to terrify viewers in “Jaws” (1975), made archeology a springboard for adventure in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981), transported aliens to Earth in “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (1977), brought dinosaurs back to life in “Jurassic Park” (1993) and conquered war in “Saving Private Ryan” (1998). Spielberg works his cinematic magic again in the ambitious and poignant “War Horse.” Young Albert Narracott (Jeremy Irvine) bonds with a spirited horse his father brings home to plough the harsh land outside the family farm. Albert dubs the horse Joey and gets to work on training the clever animal while his parents wrestle with ways to pay their callous landlord. The farm’s financial woes force Albert’s distressed dad to sell Joey to the British Army at the onset of World War I, thus beginning a long and arduous journey for the worse. The unpredictable nature of war is evident as Joey gallops from one dangerous situation to the next. His odyssey brings him in contact with a host of varied caretakers, including a noble British officer (Tom Hiddleston), a pair of German brothers (David Kross and Leonhard Carow), an ailing girl and her thoughtful grandfather (Celine Buckens and Niels Arestrup), and even an animal-loving German soldier (Nicolas Bro). Joey’s courage rivals even that of the bravest men on the battlefield as he proves his mettle time and again. The production values here are exemplary, from the breathtaking cinematography by frequent Spielberg collaborator Janusz Kaminski (“Minority Report,” “Saving Private Ryan”) to the stitch-perfect costume design by Joanna Johnston (“Valkyrie”). The human actors are all somewhat secondary as Joey is the picture’s clear protagonist, but Arestrup (“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” “A Prophet”) serves up an impressive performance. Hiddleston (“Thor”), too, shines with limited screen time and is an actor worth tracking after a breakout year. (Hiddleston also appears in the Woody Allen charmer “Midnight in Paris.”) An absence of blood and gore dilutes the otherwise realistic war scenes, though the lack of graphic violence is necessary for family-friendly viewing. Powerful moments abound,

(Century 16, Century 20) Not exactly lean, but plenty mean, David Fincher’s adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s mystery novel “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” judiciously pares down 480 pages to 158 minutes. It’s hard not to feel Fincher’s film is old news, after Larsson’s widely read “Millennium” trilogy (2005-2007) and the corresponding Swedish films starring Noomi Rapace as the punk hacker hero Lisbeth Salander. On the other hand, this is the film the novel has been waiting for: a crisp handling of the complex narrative that’s never less than visually striking or impeccably acted (money talks, eloquently). The film is so well made that the onus immediately shifts back onto the source material, which probably would have seemed disposable had Larsson not died, at age 50, in 2004 (bad for Larsson, a marketing coup for his work). Originally titled “Men Who Hate Women,” the first novel establishes a blatant theme of victimization of women, with the damaged Lisbeth positioned as a Gothic avenging angel. For some, this has made her a feminist hero; for others, she’s the font of cheap thrills at the center of exploitative pulp fiction. One thing is clear: Lisbeth is a vivid and compelling character. A kind of superheroic sociopath in black leather and piercings, Lisbeth suffers no fools, unless as a means to the fool’s ignominious end. She’s antisocial as a rule, but lovingly loyal to a few, including lovers of both sexes and her legal guardian (due to her criminal past, she’s a ward of the state). With fierce focus, Rooney Mara (“The Social Network”) disappears into the role, ironically at the behest of a notoriously demanding male director. Lisbeth serves as a most modern detective, trading laptop for magnifying glass. Demonstrating God-like omnipotence and a distinctly personal set of ethics, she investigates disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig, superbly understated) on behalf of wealthy industrialist Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer). Later, she will team with Blomkvist to solve a “locked-room mystery” for Vanger: Who among his horrid family killed his great-niece Harriet almost 40 years ago on the family’s cut-off island estate, and how did the body disappear? Steven Zaillian’s screenplay effectively intercuts between Salander and Blomkvist as they take care of business, much of hers involving carefully plotted revenge against an abusive new guardian (Yorick van Wageningen). Fincher is perfectly suited to the material, with its voluminous clues to be organized and parsed, its emotional austerity, and its serial murder, rape and sundry sick plot twists. Though the mystery cannot hope to engross as deeply as it does on the page, Fincher’s version is intelligent, properly moody and faithful enough, excepting a bothersome simplification to the resolution and one amusing, ironic detail. In the novels, Larsson made a point of Lisbeth compulsively eating “Billy’s Pan Pizzas,” but in Fincher’s film, the scowling biker eats Happy Meals. Rated R for brutal violent content including rape and torture, strong sexuality, graphic nudity and language. Two hours, 38 minutes. — Peter Canavese

We Bought a Zoo -1/2

(Century 16, Century 20) Let me begin by saying some(continued on next page)

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N O M I N E E DRAMA

BEST ACTOR MICHAEL FASSBENDER

thing nice about Cameron Croweâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;We Bought a Zooâ&#x20AC;?: Kids will probably like it. OK, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a meme out there that studies the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Title Drop,â&#x20AC;? a maligned Hollywood habit of putting the title of a movie into its dialogue. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We Bought a Zooâ&#x20AC;? waves that red flag of screenwriting foolishness not once, not twice, but thrice, and from the mouth of a 6-year-old babe straight from central casting (add three exclamation points to each line reading). That character immediately evokes Jonathan Lipnickiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tot from Croweâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jerry Maguireâ&#x20AC;?: a flagrant plea for â&#x20AC;&#x153;awwws.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Zooâ&#x20AC;? is Crowe at his very worst, adapting a true story with little to no regard for the truth and precise attention to emotional manipulation so gloppy that it shorts out the odd moment of genuine sweetness. Nearly everything about the movie is tin-eared, overwritten and overplayed to an annoying degree. Based on Benjamin Meeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s memoir of the same name, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Zooâ&#x20AC;? nominally retells how journalist and â&#x20AC;&#x153;adventure addictâ&#x20AC;? Mee (Matt Damon) hauled his family off from the city to an outlying zoo, where they experience a trying and at times comical learning curve on â&#x20AC;&#x153;the business of live-animal maintenance.â&#x20AC;? Just a thought: the arguable glamorization

of amateurs becoming part-time caretakers of dangerous animals comes on the heels of the tragedy in Ohio this October, when 56 wild animals escaped into populated areas. And Croweâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movie includes a sequence, played largely for laughs, about an escaped, 650-pound grizzly. OK, so Mee does inherit the zooâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s professional staff when he buys the money pit, but theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re walking stereotypes: the hot zookeeper (Scarlett Johannson), there to be widower Meeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love interest rather than her own person; her 12-year-old niece (Elle Fanning), there to be love interest to Meeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 14-year-old son (Colin Ford); the blasĂŠ young zookeeper (Patrick Fugit of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Almost Famousâ&#x20AC;?) ever with a monkey on his shoulder; and the hard-drinking Scottish zookeeper, an outright cartoon character played as such by Angus Macfadyen. Working hard to be the saving grace, Thomas Haden Church genuinely amuses as Meeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brother. If you have a high tolerance for cutesy, feel-good pap, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Zooâ&#x20AC;? slickly fills the bill. Yes, the British story has been expediently Americanized and rewritten for maximum tearjerkage. Yes, it lazily uses wall-towall popular music to make emotional appeals. Yes, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s corny in the extreme and lets JB Smoove devour the scenery as a real estate agent.

CRITICSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; CHOICE AWARD NOMINEE

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And, yes, the script-y dialogue would be laughed out of the room by the average film student. (Samples: Mee asks his daughter, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Am I doing anything right?â&#x20AC;? and his textbooksurly teen asks, â&#x20AC;&#x153;What is so great about being happy?â&#x20AC;?). But ... but ... sorry, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got. Rated PG for language and some thematic elements. Two hours, four minutes. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Peter Canavese NOW PLAYING The Artist --(Palo Alto Square) Any filmgoer undaunted by something a little different will surely walk out of this brand-new silent film with a big, goofy grin. Though this pastiche has been crafted by film nerds and largely for them, Michel Hazanaviciusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; feature has an emotional generosity that speaks louder than words. Opening in 1927, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Artistâ&#x20AC;? begins with a premiere of the latest silent film starring the dashing George Valentin (Jean Dujardin). When Valentin stumbles into a photo op with a girl named Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), the ground for a relationship is paved. Plucked from obscurity, Peppy sees her star begins to rise in direct proportion to Georgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fall, precipitated by the arrival of talkies and the market crash of 1929. Writer-director Hazanavicius mostly steers clear of comparisons to the eraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s epics and great screen comics, instead inhabiting the more manageable territory of melodrama. The acting is inventive, and the film joyously celebrates the movies. Rated PG-13 for a disturbing image and a crude gesture. One hour, 41 minutes. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Peter Canavese (Reviewed Dec. 2, 2011) The Descendants --1/2 (Aquarius, Century 20) George Clooney plays Matt King, a lawyer and hapless father troubleshooting domestic and business concerns in a Hawaii he drily notes is not the â&#x20AC;&#x153;paradiseâ&#x20AC;? mainlanders imagine. Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s petulance derives mostly from his wife being in a coma due to a boating accident, and his inability to do anything about it. As a father, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clumsy at best; by pampering 10-yearold Scottie (Amara Miller), Matt hopes to distract her from her motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decline. No such trickery works on 17-year-old Alexandra (Shailene Woodley), a borderline delinquent who wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be handled. Mattâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business issue involves his role as trustee of his familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ancestral land: 25,000 pristine acres in Kauai that will bring the Kings a pretty penny if they can agree on a buyer. As this subplot lingers in the background, Matt becomes obsessed with a third concern: investigating a secret about his wife that surfaces early in the picture. Three guesses as to what that might be, but it provides the excuse for the Kings to island-hop and family-bond in search of closure about Mom. Rated PG for some mild rude humor. One hour, 38 minutes. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; P.C. (Reviewed Nov. 25, 2011) Hugo ---1/2 (Century 16, Century 20) Director Martin Scorseseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s affection for all things cinema has never been more evident than in the enchanting and imaginative â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hugo.â&#x20AC;?Young Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield) lives alone in the hollowed walls of a Paris train station, orphaned following the death of his father (Jude Law). Hugo is desperate to finish repairing the automaton â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an old robotic figure â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that he and his dad had been working on, occasionally forced to steal mechanical parts from a toy shop. The shopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enigmatic owner (Ben Kingsley as Georges Melies) catches Hugo in the act and confiscates Hugoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s journal: a booklet with his fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sketches of the automatonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inner workings. Georgesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; goddaughter Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz) agrees to help Hugo get his journal back, setting off a series of mysterious events that click and whirl with the rhythm of a finely tuned clock. Rated PG for mild thematic material, some action/peril and smoking.

Movies Two hours, 6 minutes. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; T.H. (Reviewed Nov. 25, 2011) Rated PG for some mild rude humor. One hour, 38 minutes. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; P.C. (Reviewed Nov. 25, 2011) The Muppets --1/2 (Century 16, Century 20) Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Muppetsâ&#x20AC;? show, with very special guest star/ co-writer Jason Segel orchestrating a fun kiddie flick and a heart-tugging nostalgia exercise for Generation X. Fans may squirm at the emphasis put on the Muppetsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; decline (in reality, the Muppets have been absent from the big screen since 1999â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Muppets from Spaceâ&#x20AC;? but have been kicking around in TV movies and in viral videos). In â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Muppets,â&#x20AC;? theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve disbanded and the Muppet Theater has fallen into (comically) sad disrepair. The realization devastates Muppet super-fan Walter (a puppet performed by Peter Linz), who â&#x20AC;&#x201D; with his brother Gary (Segel) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; makes a pilgrimage to take the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Muppet Studio Tour.â&#x20AC;? When Walter overhears oil baron Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) describe his evil plan to foreclose on the Muppet Theater, demolish it and drill for crude, Walter, Gary and Garyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s girlfriend, Mary (Amy Adams), set out to reunite the Muppets and save the theater by putting on a telethon. Rated PG for some mild rude humor. One hour, 38 minutes. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; P.C. (Reviewed Nov. 25, 2011) Shame --(Aquarius) Steve McQueenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Shameâ&#x20AC;? is a mood piece, as abstract and engrossing as the Bach piano selections on the soundtrack. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s another impressive showcase for the subtle work of Michael Fassbender, who literally bares all to play a sex addict. Brandon lives and works in skyscraping, hermetically sealed chambers, flashing a Mona Lisa smile to create just enough of an appearance of normality to deflect inconvenient questions. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one person from whom Brandon canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hide, much as he tries: his sister Sissy (Carey Mulligan). Sissy storms the

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MOVIE TIMES A Dangerous Method (R) (Not Reviewed) Guild Theatre: 2, 4:30 & 7 p.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 9:30 p.m.

Shame (NC-17) ((( Aquarius Theatre: 2:15, 4:45 & 7:30 p.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 9:55 p.m.

The Adventures of Tintin (PG) (Not Reviewed) Century 16: 11 a.m. & 6:10 p.m.; In 3D at 10:20 a.m.; 1:10, 4 & 7:10 p.m.; In 3D Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 10:10 p.m. Century 20: 1:10 & 3:45 p.m.; In 3D at 2, 4:40 & 7:25 p.m.; Fri., Sat. & Mon.-Thu. also at 10:35 a.m.; In 3D Fri., Sat. & Mon.-Thu. also at 11:20 a.m.; In 3D Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 10 p.m.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (PG-13) (((1/2 Century 16: 11:20 a.m.; 2:30, 3:30, 6:05 & 7 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. also at 10:20 a.m.; 12:20, 1:30, 5 & 8:30 p.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 9:30 & 10:30 p.m.; Sun.-Thu. also at 12:30 p.m. Century 20: 1:20, 3:40, 6:45 & 7:35 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. also at 10:25 & 11:10 a.m.; 12:35, 2:10, 4:30, 5:20 & 8:20 p.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 9:45 & 10:40 p.m.; Sun.-Thu. also at 4:25 p.m.; Mon.-Thu. also at 10:25 a.m. & 12:35 p.m.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (G) (Not Reviewed) Century 16: 10 & 10:50 a.m.; 1:40, 4:30 & 7:20 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. also at 12:35, 3:30, 6:20 & 8:50 p.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 9:50 p.m. Century 20: 1:30, 3:55, 6:10 & 8:30 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. also at 11 a.m.; 12:25, 2:45, 5:15 & 7:50 p.m.; Fri. also at 10:05 & 10:45 p.m.; Sun.-Thu. also at 10:45 p.m.; Mon.-Thu. also at 11 a.m. & 12:15 p.m. Arthur Christmas (PG) (Not Reviewed) Century 16: Fri. & Sat. at 10 a.m.; Sun.-Thu. at 10:15 a.m. Century 20: Fri., Sat. & Mon.-Thu. at 10:35 a.m.; Sun. at 12:45 p.m.

The Shop Around the Corner (1940) Stanford Theatre: Fri. at 7:30 p.m. The Sitter (R) (Not Reviewed) Century 20: 2:30, 4:45 & 7:05 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. also at 12:15 p.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 9:15 p.m.

The Artist (PG-13) (((1/2 Palo Alto Square: 2, 4:40, 7:25 & 9:50 p.m.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (R) (((1/2 Century 20: 3 & 6 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. also at 11:50 a.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 9 p.m.; Sat. also at 8:50 p.m.; Mon.-Thu. also at 11:45 a.m. Palo Alto Square: 1:15, 4:15, 7:15 & 10:10 p.m.

The Darkest Hour (PG-13) (Not Reviewed) Century 16: Sun.-Thu. at 12:20, 5:05 & 10:25 p.m.; In 3D Sun.-Thu. at 10 a.m.; 2:40 & 7:50 p.m. Century 20: Sun.-Thu. at 1:10, 5:45 & 10:30 p.m.; In 3D Sun.-Thu. at 3:25 & 8:10 p.m.; In 3D Mon.-Thu. also at 10:55 a.m.

War Horse (PG-13) (((1/2 Century 16: Sun.-Thu. at 10:30 a.m.; 12:35, 1:50, 3:45, 5:10, 7, 8:30 & 10:15 p.m. Century 20: Sun.-Thu. at 1:50, 3:20, 5:10, 6:55, 8:35 & 10:15 p.m.; Mon.-Thu. also at 10:30 & 11:50 a.m.

The Descendants (R) ((1/2 Aquarius Theatre: 1:15, 4 & 7 p.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 9:30 p.m. Century 20: 1:40, 4:20 & 7:10 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. also at 10:55 a.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 9:55 p.m.

We Bought a Zoo (PG) (1/2 Century 16: 10:05 a.m.; 1:10, 4:15 & 7:30 p.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 10:25 p.m. Century 20: 1:50, 4:45, 6:15 & 7:40 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. also at 10:50 a.m.; 12:20 & 3:20 p.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 9:10 & 10:35 p.m.; Mon.-Thu. also at 10:50 a.m.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) (R) ((( Century 16: 11 a.m.; noon, 2, 3, 4, 7 & 8:10 p.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 9:10 & 10:30 p.m. Century 20: 3:30, 4:35, 6:20, 7 & 8:05 p.m.; Fri., Sat. & Mon.-Thu. also at noon & 1:05 p.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 9:50 & 10:25 p.m.; Sun. also at 12:55 p.m. Hugo (PG) (((1/2 Century 16: 10:10 a.m. & 4:10 p.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 10:15 p.m.; In 3D Fri.-Thu. at 1:15 & 7:10 p.m. Century 20: 5:05 p.m.; Fri., Sat. & Mon.-Thu. also at 11:15 a.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 10:40 p.m.; In 3D Fri.-Thu. at 2:10 & 7:55 p.m. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a Wonderful Life (1946) Stanford Theatre: Sat. at 9 p.m. Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol (PG-13) (Not Reviewed) Century 16: 10 a.m.; noon, 1, 3:20, 4:20, 7 & 8:20 p.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 10:30 p.m. Century 20: 12:45, 1:45, 4, 5, 7:15 & 8:15 p.m.; Fri. & Mon.-Thu. also at 10:30 a.m. & 10:30 p.m.; Sat. also at 10:30 a.m.; Sun. also at 10:30 p.m. The Muppets (PG) ((( Century 16: Fri. & Sat. at 10:30 a.m.; 1:05, 3:40, 6:20 & 9 p.m.; Sun.-Tue. at 10 a.m. Century 20: Fri. & Sat. at 10:50 a.m.; 1:50, 4:35 & 7:20 p.m.; Fri. also at 10 p.m.; Sun.Thu. at 1:55 p.m.; Mon.-Thu. also at 10:45 a.m. New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve (PG-13) (1/2 Century 16: 12:40, 3:50 & 6:50 p.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 9:55 p.m. Century 20: 2:50, 5:35 & 8:45 p.m.; Fri., Sat. & Mon.-Thu. also at 12:05 p.m.

The Wizard of Oz (1939) Stanford Theatre: Fri. at 5:35 & 9:20 p.m. Young Adult (R) ((( Century 16: 11:10 a.m.; 2:10, 4:50 & 7:40 p.m.; Fri. & Sun.-Thu. also at 10:20 p.m. Century 20: 2:20 & 4:50 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. also at 11:45 a.m. & 7:10 p.m.; Fri. also at 9:35 p.m.; Sun.-Thu. also at 7:20 & 9:40 p.m.; Mon.-Thu. also at 11:40 a.m.

( Skip it (( Some redeeming qualities ((( A good bet (((( Outstanding Aquarius: 430 Emerson St., Palo Alto (266-9260) Century Cinema 16: 1500 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View (800-326-3264) Century 20 Downtown: 825 Middlefield Road, Redwood City (800-326-3264) CinĂŠArts at Palo Alto Square: 3000 El Camino Real, Palo Alto (493-3456) Guild: 949 El Camino Real, Menlo Park (266-9260) Stanford: 221 University Ave., Palo Alto (324-3700) Internet address: For show times, plot synopses, trailers and more information about films playing, go to PaloAltoOnline.com.

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Movies(continued from previous page) castle and Brandon cannot refuse her request to stay for a spell. Quickly, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re led to wonder if part of Brandonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s neurosis involves carrying a torch for his torchsinging sis. In a scene that competes to be Brandonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ultimate nightmare, his manic, married boss (James Badge Dale) makes â&#x20AC;&#x201D; right in front of Brandon â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an aggressive bid to bed Sissy, following a languid performance of â&#x20AC;&#x153;New York, New Yorkâ&#x20AC;? that moves her brother to tears. Mulligan does her most impressive work yet in conveying her characterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sloppy, terribly sad neediness, but the picture belongs to her co-star. Fassbender makes a strong case for himself as the next Jeremy Irons, taking on mostly serious-minded work and quietly revealing tormented men from inside-out embodiment. Rated NC-17 for some explicit sexual content. One hour, 41 minutes. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; P.C. (Reviewed Dec. 23, 2011) Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows ---1/2 (Century 16, Century 20) Director Guy Ritchieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2009 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sherlock Holmesâ&#x20AC;? film seemed to split viewers. Some applauded the strong cast, solid production values and interesting blend of mystery and action. Others argued Holmes was too reliant on his fighting abilities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Shadowsâ&#x20AC;? probably wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make any converts out of the second group, although the inclusion of Holmesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; nemesis, Professor James Moriarty, will be welcome to Holmes traditionalists. The first group, however, will be thrilled with this follow-up that is faster, funnier and more compelling than its predecessor. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law reprise their roles as Holmes and his sidekick Dr. John Watson, with Jared Harris of TVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mad Menâ&#x20AC;? as Moriarty, a genius professor with nefarious plans. The duo finds assistance in the

form of knife-wielding gypsy Madam Simza Heron (Swedish actress Noomi Rapace of â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Girl with the Dragon Tattooâ&#x20AC;?). Downey Jr. and Law make an exceptional tandem, and the musical score by Hans Zimmer is tremendous. Rated PG-13 for some drug material, intense sequences of violence and action. Two hours, nine minutes. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; T.H. (Reviewed Dec. 16, 2011) Young Adult --(Century 16, Century 20) Diablo Cody knows sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s screwed up, and isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afraid to admit it. The Oscar-winning screenwriter of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Junoâ&#x20AC;? specializes in whip-smart, self-destructive heroines. Now â&#x20AC;&#x153;Young Adult,â&#x20AC;? starring Charlize Theron as an emotionally wounded writer of trashy YA fiction, would seem to have a whiff of confession to it. Mavis Gary (Theron) proudly wears the crown of a pop-culture princess. She guzzles two liters of Diet Coke for her morning pick-me-up, and her procrastination routines include â&#x20AC;&#x153;Keeping Up With the Kardashians.â&#x20AC;? Even as her gig ghostwriting â&#x20AC;&#x153;Waverly Prepâ&#x20AC;? novels nears its end,

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a blast from her past sticks in her craw: a birth notice from ex-boyfriend Buddy Slade (Patrick Wilson). Mavis jumps in her Mini and drives to small-town Mercury, Minn. The overconfident plan is to steal back Buddy, who must be miserable with an ordinary girl and the shackles of parenthood. Mavis reconnects with her prom-queen past even as she makes an unlikely friend of the biggest loser from school: Matt Freehauf (Patton Oswalt). Off-kilter and pat, this antiromantic comedy has plenty to admire even though its attempt to cohere into a satisfying narrative proves clumsy. What ultimately makes the film worth the trip is Theronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s uncompromising performance, which dares to make Mavis unlikeable and, in the process, earns our pity and, more disturbingly, our identification. Rated R for language and some sexual content. One hour, 34 minutes. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; P.C. (Reviewed Dec. 16, 2011)

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he holidays are here, and that can only mean one thing: hours upon hours spent with relatives you barely know. Hopefully you’ll get to hear Uncle Clifford’s hilarious reminiscences about the old days (again) or share some quality bonding time with the cousins. But what if the family get-together feels less “together” and more, well, awkward? Simple: Let Hollywood save your holiday. Gather everyone in the living room, pop in a DVD, and in two short hours, you’ll all be holding hands ‘round the Christmas tree and singing “Fah who foraze” like Whos down in Whoville. To help you find just the right movie to help your unique family recall the spirit of the holiday season, Palo Alto Weekly film critics Peter Canavese and Tyler Hanley have selected some of their favorites, from the classics to the not-so-classic.

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) This animated gem narrated by the incomparable Boris Karloff and directed by legendary cartoon auteur Chuck Jones is a Christmastime “can’t miss.” Dr. Seuss’ unique and imaginative imagery sparkles throughout the 26-minute short that has become a holiday staple for families around the globe. Based on Seuss’ 1957 children’s book, “Grinch” weaves the tale of a grumpy loner who dwells on a mountain peak above the jubilant town of Whoville. The Grinch bemoans the Whos’ festive Christmas celebrations, making scowling complaints to his pet pooch, Max. One Christmas, the Grinch sneakily snatches all of the Whos’ decorations and gifts, thus putting the kibosh on their seasonal bliss (or so he thinks). But the olive-hued curmudgeon has a change of heart (literally) when the Whos prove unfazed by the dearth of presents, instead reveling in the simple joys of song and fellowship. My wonderful mother

does Christmas better than anyone I’ve ever met, for which I am ever grateful. And one of her regular rituals is watching this colorful short with my brother and me. I still get choked up when the Grinch, desperately clinging to a sleigh full of the Whos’ pilfered goodies, hears the Whos singing down below and finally grasps the true meaning of Christmas. Messages about fellowship, generosity, sharing and empathy toward others are wrapped nicely in the picture’s narrative. Just what the doctor ordered. — TH

roller coaster, “It’s a Wonderful Life” follows the development of George Bailey (James Stewart) from adolescent to family man, his love story with a girl named Mary (Donna Reed), and the misfortune that befalls the Bailey Building and Loan Association and pushes George to the brink of suicide (only to be rescued by an angel named Clarence). Yes, it’s a movie for the 99 percent, but there are other reasons to occupy Bedford Falls: vibrant characters, great performances (Stewarts’s is one of the great movie-star turns of all time), and that “what if you were never born?” story — adapted from Philip Van Doren Stern’s “The Greatest Gift” — which makes a virtue of unabashed sentiment. Some call it “Capra-corn,” but most want to return to it again and again. Certainly for me it’s one of those movies indelibly stamped on my psyche from endless childhood viewings, so familiar that it practically qualifies as family. — PC

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) No movie says Christmas to me, or David Packard, or most adult Americans like “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Director Frank Capra’s endlessly influential, constantly reinterpreted film became a Christmas classic largely with the advent of television, which made it an annual holiday tradition (so too has the Stanford Theatre in Palo Alto, which screens it Christmas Eve on actual celluloid and in glorious black and white). A funny-sweetsad emotional

face.” Plenty share Rossum’s affinity for the film — for many viewers in their 20s, “Home Alone” is considered the ultimate Christmas flick. Rambunctious youngster Kevin McCallister (Culkin) is inadvertently left unaccompanied in a large house when his massive, frenzied family rushes out the door while running late for a Christmas vacation to Paris. Although Kevin initially celebrates his newfound freedom, his enthusiasm is quickly tempered by the introduction of two dim-bulb burglars (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) and their repeated attempts to break in to the house. Meanwhile, Kevin’s distraught mother (Catherine O’Hara) desperately tries to get back to her son, turning to help from a gregarious polka musician (John Candy). Somewhat ironically, family is the binding theme in “Home Alone.” The familial undertone is not a surprise considering the subject is a common one for both screenwriter John Hughes (“The Breakfast Club”) and director Chris Columbus (“Mrs. Doubtfire”). The slapstick that ensues in the picture’s final act — when Kevin cleverly fends off the bumbling crooks — is downright riotous (Stern’s high-pitched screams are inspired). A cornucopia of Christmas tunes (such as Kevin lip-syncing Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas”) also helps bring home the holiday spirit. — TH

A Christmas Story (1983) Another more recent Christmas classic that’s become a TV tradition is Bob Clark’s comedy “A Christmas Story,” the subject of an annual 24-hour broadcast marathon. Though 12 consecutive viewings would be overkill, at least one is mandatory. Clark’s hilarious, irreverent reclamation of Rockwellian America derives from the comic tales of Jean Shepherd. Set around the turn of the 1940s, “A Christmas Story” could be the ultimate nostalgia movie, charmingly making viewers long for an innocent time most of them didn’t even live through, if it even existed to begin with. Nine-year-old Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) suffers the indignities of youth while being embarrassed by parents (Darren McGavin and Melinda Dillon) and longing for the ultimate gift. Though perhaps most memorable for Dad’s leg lamp, a tongue stuck to an icy pole, and a dangerous BB gun (“You’ll shoot your eye out!”), the secret weapon is Shepherd’s deliciously wry narration, a precursor to TV’s similarly rueful-wistful “The Wonder Years.” (And, having first seen this movie when I was Ralphie’s age, I get nostalgic just thinking about it.) — PC

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) Home Alone (1990) Then-adorable Macaulay Culkin delivers one of Hollywood’s most memorable child performances in the heartwarming and often hilarious “Home Alone.” Actress Emmy Rossum (“The Phantom of the Opera”) recently Tweeted: “At 7, I was in love w/ Macaulay. I’d watch Home Alone over & over. I used to pause the video and go and kiss his virtual

I love the Muppets, so the shocking 1990 death of Muppet creator Jim Henson, at age 53, struck a terrible blow. 1992’s “The Muppet Christmas Carol,” then, had more riding on it than the average Christmas movie. Dickens’ heartwarming journey from bitterness to love is emotional enough as it is, but as reinter(continued on next page)

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H A P P Y H O L I D AY S

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preted by the Muppets, it became an unavoidable tearjerker for fans still mourning the loss of Henson and fellow Muppeteer Richard Hunt. Directed by Hensonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son Brian, the film casts Kermit the Frog (Steve Whitmire) and Miss Piggy (Frank Oz) as the Cratchits, Gonzo (Dave Goelz) as narrator Charles Dickens, and Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge. Paul Williams, who with Kenny Ascher penned the tunes for â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Muppet Movie,â&#x20AC;? contributes seven lovely new songs, and beloved Muppet

screenwriter Jerry Juhl crafts a surprisingly faithful adaptation, even while striking comedy gold with the double-act of Gonzo and Rizzo the Rat (also Whitmire). Add Caineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s powerful performance â&#x20AC;&#x201D; good enough to carry a straight, human retelling of â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Christmas Carolâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and you get a heartwarming family film with serious replay value. With â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Muppetsâ&#x20AC;? still in theaters, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no better time to dig into the Muppet catalog, and no film more seasonally appropriate than â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Muppet Chistmas Carol.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; PC

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Die Hard (1988) Believe it folks â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one of the most celebrated action films of all time also happens to be a terrific holiday movie. Granted, most people prefer their holiday offerings to have a lower body count. But â&#x20AC;&#x153;Die Hardâ&#x20AC;? is Hollywoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only edge-of-your-seat Christmas flick. New York cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) arrives in Los Angeles for a Christmas shindig at his estranged wifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office building, Nakatomi Plaza. Things spiral from merry to scary when a group of armed thieves invade the plaza and take the party guests hostage. Only the wily John is able to escape, sneaking his way through the plazaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unpopulated floors and keeping an eye on the criminals and their sophisticated leader, Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman). Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guile and guts prove invaluable as he slowly picks off the terrorists, leading to a final confrontation with Hans. Willis is spectacular in the film that built his career, and the thrills are visceral as John daringly veers from one dangerous situation to the next. Rickman is a revelation as Hans, going down as one of cinemaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all-time great villains. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s selfless actions ring true with the holiday season, even if fighting, gunfire and explosions donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t exactly elicit thoughts of Santa Claus and Frosty the Snowman. The dynamic that develops between John and a Twinkieloving patrol cop proves endearing, while Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s obvious love for his wife (and vice versa) breaks through the chaos. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Die Hardâ&#x20AC;? is the seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guilty pleasure â&#x20AC;&#x201D; it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t so much a Christmas movie as it is a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Christosteroneâ&#x20AC;? movie. Enjoy in moderation. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; TH

A Christmas Tale (2008) 526 Waverley Street Downtown Palo Alto TOYANDSPORT COM s

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Part and parcel of the holidays is the dysfunctional family, the stuff of many a Christmas movie from

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Home Aloneâ&#x20AC;? to â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Ref.â&#x20AC;? If alcoholism, mental illness, leukemia, and general family strife make you feel at home, â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Christmas Taleâ&#x20AC;? may be the film for you. French writer-director Arnaud Desplechin is given to expansive domestic dramedies, and this oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no exception. Around the same time he bedeviled James Bond in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Quantum of Solace,â&#x20AC;? Mathieu Almaric stars as the most neurotic of the Vuillard family, heading rapidly for a strained reunion on Christmas. Catherine Deneuve plays the ailing matriarch trying to keep the family together. A feast of individual perspectives, â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Christmas Taleâ&#x20AC;? offers many a character the opportunities to deliver, directly to the audience, a monologue composed of the poetry of the troubled mind. Can this family be saved? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the elephant in the room, or perhaps we should say the wolf in the cellar. The invisible beast, named Anatole, is an aging imaginary threat to the householdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s past and present chil-

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dren. For a family on the edge of madness, the solution is simple: Stop believing the wolf is at the door and start believing in each other. With his artful approach, Desplechin makes the well-worn family-weekend plot endearing again. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; PC

Scrooged (1988) Funnyman Bill Murray lends his sharp sense of humor to this edgy adaptation of Charles Dickensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; classic â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Christmas Carol.â&#x20AC;? Murray is exceptional and director Richard Donner (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lethal Weaponâ&#x20AC;?) sets the perfect tone, serving up a delicious Christmas blend of hilarity and sincerity. Murray is at his sarcastic best as TV executive Frank Cross, a modern-day Scrooge so corrupted by greed and power that even his only brother gets slighted during the holidays. Frank, deep in the throes of producing a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Scroogeâ&#x20AC;? television special set to air live on Christmas Eve, is visited by the cobwebbed specter of his old boss, Lew (John Forsythe). Lew warns his former protĂ&#x2C6;gĂ&#x2C6; that three unique ghosts will be paying him a visit. Soon Frank is being transported to his past by a wisecracking cabbie (David Johansen), through his present by an abusive fairy (Carol Kane) and to his future by a skeletal phantasm. Donner and company overwhelmingly succeed in taking one of literatureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mostly widely read Christmas stories and twisting it without losing what makes it so memorable in the first place. The original score by musical mastermind Danny Elfman (who frequently collaborates with director Tim Burton) is phenomenal and gives â&#x20AC;&#x153;Scroogedâ&#x20AC;? that Burtonesque flair. Murrayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supporting cast, which also includes Bobcat Goldthwait as a down-and-out exemployee and Robert Mitchum as Frankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s boss, is excellent. A subplot involving Frank and his former flame (Karen Allen as Claire) is also surprisingly effective. And in something of an ode to the family spirit that permeates the holidays, Murrayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three brothers also have roles in the film. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Scroogedâ&#x20AC;? is entertaining, witty and uplifting â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a cinematic holiday treat. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; TH

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by Rick Eymer

tanford sophomore guard Toni Kokenis played Tuesday night’s game in the rather large shadow of her better known teammate, Nnemkadi Ogwumike, one of the top players in the nation. There will be days, though, in which Kokenis will need to step out of that shadow and produce at key moments. Against Tennessee she showed she was ready for such moments. While Ogwumike netted a career-high 42 points in No. 4 Stanford’s convincing 97-80 victory over No. 6 Tennessee, Kokenis also produced a career night with 26 points. With the Pac-12 season on the horizon next weekend, it was a good sign for the Cardinal, which was heavily favored to beat Cal State Bakersfield on Thursday afternoon and improve upon Toni Kokenis its 8-1 record. “I think this was a breakout game for Toni,” Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. “For her to knock down her 3s, to run the offense, we had two turnovers at halftime. That’s says something about great pointguard play.” Stanford opens the conference season next Thursday with a trip to USC. The Cardinal is at UCLA next Saturday. Kokenis, a regular in the starting lineup, upped her scoring average to 10.2 from 8.3 against the Lady Vols. The Pac-12 is a guard heavy conference and for Kokenis, who also leads the team in assists, to step forward means Stanford won’t have to depend on its inside game quite so much. “We need to be more aggressive from the guard spot to be able to knock down our shots, look for our shots more because we need to be threats from the outside,” Kokenis said. “We learn from every game and it’s just about improving every day as a team. It was a big step.” Ogwumike, who benefited from Kokenis’ production, appreciates her take-charge attitude. “Toni was telling me what to do, which I love because we need that leadership from the guard spot,”

Stanford senior Nnemkadi Ogwumike had plenty to get excited about as she scored a careerhigh 42 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in a 97-80 victory over Tennessee on Tuesday.

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STANFORD FOOTBALL

Former rivals look forward to a Fiesta homecoming by Rick Eymer unior wide receiver Drew Terrell has done a little bit of everything for the Stanford football team this season. He’s rushed, passed, received and returned punts. Junior Trent Murphy has started all 12 games for the fourth-ranked Cardinal as a linebacker. He has 39 tackles, nine for a loss, and has 5 1/2 sacks. One thing they share is that playing inside the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, site of January 2nd’s Fiesta Bowl between Stanford (11-1) and third-ranked Oklahoma State (11-1), is no big deal for the

Phoenix-area residents. Not only has Terrell and Murphy watched games at the 5 1/2-yearold stadium, they played against each other there in high school state championship games. “It’s kind of like home for me,” Murphy said. “Though the last time I played there we lost. I’d like to rectify that this time.” Murphy’s Brophy College Prep team lost to Terrell’s Hamilton High in its senior and sophomore years. Murphy beat Terrell in the 5A Division I state finals as a junior. (continued on next page)

Don Feria/stanfordphoto.com

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Ogwumike and Kokenis help KO Tennessee as the Cardinal preps for Pac-12 opener

Don Feria/stanfordphoto.com