Given the ongoing controversy (tree-squatters) at Berkeley over the cutting down of trees it was particularly interesting when this week woodcutters spent the better part of 4 days acrobatically trimming and felling trees around the house.

Berkeley’s environmental sin is that they wish to upgrade their athletic facilities, with large financial benefit to the university and its students, faculty, and employees. The local environmental sin is that my housemate wants better views of the bay and his neighbor wishes to be able to see downtown San Francisco from her house. Benefit: more oohs and aahs at cocktail parties! Good liberal environmentalists all, of course.