EASY BEING GREEN

Esther Wojcicki, 05/19/12

Journalism/English teacher

In just two short years, Krista Donaldson and her team at D-Rev have changed the lives of over 3,500 people in India. Donaldson is one of 21 outstanding speakers at TEDxStanford that you can watch live on LiveStreaming today.

Kelly Cogswell, 05/18/12

Lesbian activist, independent journalist and award-winning columnist, Gay City News

It's that time of year again, when lesbians all over the world huddle in back rooms, plotting global domination, civilization's end, and their annual Dyke March.

Joe Cirincione and Benjamin Loehrke, 05/18/12

The blockbuster problem in The Avengers is the writers' desire to turn a nuclear weapon into a golden bullet that can save the day -- even if this bomb is more likely to ruin it.

David Callahan, 05/18/12

Senior Fellow, Demos

Facebook has transformed how people interact with each other and demonstrated yet again the dominance of American ingenuity. Yet its success also dramatically illustrates problems with the U.S. economy. Six troubling features of the Facebook IPO stand out.

Malaika Bobino, 05/18/12

Writer and sports enthusiast

The bats came alive and if you weren't there to see it, you maybe in disbelief. It's been no secret the Giants offense has struggled in producing hits and runs. Not sure if this is a turning point in a new direction, but it's definitely a good start.

Anneli Rufus, 05/18/12

Comfort-food freak

A new café in Berkeley, California masters those refractions. Based on macrobiotic principles and 100 percent vegan, the Green Earth Café serves tempeh Reuben sandwiches and cashew-cream parfaits.

Claire Tomkins, 05/17/12

Acting Director, Advanced Energy and Sustainability Program, The Center for the Next Generation

America needs to lead. We use the most energy. We use the most resources. And we generate more trash than anyone else on the planet. It's not that we don't know how to do it. We do already. Here in California.

Lanie Zipoy, 05/18/12

Co-founder, Works by Women

When Slipping opens at the New Conservatory Theatre Center in San Francisco on May 18th, it will be a sweet homecoming for playwright Daniel Talbott.

David J. Cross, 05/18/12

Former journalist; blogger, Movoto.com

The Facebook IPO will only add to the millionaires competing to buy a small number of homes, and it seems inevitable that prices will be driven up.

Al Eisele, 05/18/12

Editor-at-Large, The Hill

Robert Caro says he doesn't pay much attention to what reviewers write about his books, but he paid plenty of attention to what one reviewer wrote about The Passage of Power, the fourth and latest volume of his monumental biography of Lyndon Johnson.

Mary Orlin, 05/18/12

The WineFashionista

In Northern California wine country, Napa Valley and Sonoma County get all the attention.  Another wine region I love is Livermore Valley, an easy drive from San Jose and Silicon Valley, and 35 miles east of San Francisco.

Anthony Gregory, 05/18/12

Research Editor, The Independent Institute

Jerry Brown recognizes that something must give, and that cutting spending is unavoidable. This is, in some ways, marks an improvement over his fiscally reckless predecessor.

Jeffrey Flocken, 05/18/12

DC Office Director, International Fund for Animal Welfare

Endangered Species Day provides an opportunity for people of all ages to learn about the efforts that are currently underway to preserve our world's wildlife populations and discover how they can help.

William Bradley, 05/16/12

Political Analyst, NewWestNotes.com

Does the air of shock around the latest in California's chronic budget crisis count as a failure of Gov. Brown's communications strategy? Or as a success? A bad shock may be what the electoral doctor ordered for Brown's November revenue initiative.

Jennifer Siebel Newsom and Emily Moto Murase, 05/17/12

If we really want to see a better tomorrow for our girls, we must include them in the national debates around gender equality today.

Ty Alper, 05/16/12

Law professor and dad

Faced with unassailable evidence that the death penalty in California costs hundreds of millions of dollars per year, supporters tend to respond with what is intended to be a conversation stopper: "You can't put a price tag on justice."

Franky Carrillo, 05/17/12

Exonerated of murder after 20 years in prison

I was wrongfully convicted when I was 16 years old and served 20 years in prison before proving my innocence. That mistake took two decades from me, but it took Carlos DeLuna's life.