Japantown development

Wednesday, May 8, the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency hosts a public hearing on the proposed development of the former Japantown Bowl site at Webster and Buchanan Streets, which was approved for demolition without community input – a decision that can still be appealed. 5:30-7:30 p.m., Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California, Issei Memorial Hall, First floor, 1840 Sutter, S.F. Free. (415) 567-5505, ext. 235.

Manipulating public opinion

Wednesday, May 8, Dick Morris, pollster and former political consultant to President Bill Clinton and Sen. Trent Lott, talks about how politicians and standard-bearers manipulate public opinion and discusses his new book, Power Plays: 20 Winning (and Losing) Strategies of History's Greatest Political Leaders. Reception 5:15 p.m., program 6 p.m., book signing 7 p.m., Commonwealth Club of California, 595 Market, Second floor, S.F. $12, $9 members. (415) 597-6705 or (415) 597-6706.

FBI, police, and repression

Thursday, May 9, Ann Fagan Ginger of the Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute, former Black Panther Gerald Smith of CopWatch, Alicia Littletree of Earth First!, and a representative of the northern California chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union discuss covert and illegal investigations of lawful activist groups and individuals at "FBI and Local Police: Partners in Repression," a speakout sponsored by CopWatch and the Judi Bari Solidarity Committee. 7 p.m., Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists Hall, 1924 Cedar, Berk. $5-$15 donation. (510) 548-0425 or (510) 548-3113.

'Globalization and Garbage'

Thursday, May 9, Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition executive director Ted Smith discusses the consequences of using China, Pakistan, and India as cyber-age dumping grounds for huge quantities of hazardous electronics-industry waste. 7 p.m., Ecology Center, 2530 San Pablo, Berk. $5 donation. (510) 548-2220, ext. 233.

'Hidden Costs of the FTAA'

Thursday, May 9, Kevin Danaher of Global Exchange, Anuradha Mittal of Food First, and Katie Quan of the UC Berkeley Labor Center speak at a screening of "Trade Secrets: The Hidden Costs of the FTAA." 7 p.m., Institute of Industrial Relations, 2521 Channing, Berk. Free. (510) 642-1583.

LGBT rights revisited

Thursday, May 9-Friday, May 10, the San Francisco LGBT Community Center holds two separate events about LGBT rights. Thursday the center's Legal Collaborative kicks off a monthly series with attorneys from the National Center for Lesbian Rights and activists from California Alliance for Pride and Equality addressing current legal cases and legislation affecting LGBT marriage, partnership rights, and child custody. Friday executive director of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission Surina Khan moderates a discussion with Marta Lucía Tamayo Rincón, an attorney fighting for the rights of lesbians in prison in her native Colombia; Maher Sabry, an Egyptian activist fighting police repression and the torture of gay men; and Chinese homosexuality awareness activist Cui Zi En, at a panel copresented by UC Berkeley's Center for the Study of Sexual Culture. Thurs/9, 7 p.m., San Francisco LGBT Community Center, 1800 Market, S.F. Free. (415) 864-8848; Fri/10, 6 p.m., San Francisco LGBT Community Center, Ceremonial Room. Free. (415) 255-8680.

Free the Miami five

Friday, May 10, the Militant Labor Forum holds a discussion on the case of five Cuban political prisoners sentenced to 15 years to life on conspiracy charges for infiltrating anti-Castro organizations in Florida that, they argue, committed violent attacks against their country. 7:30 p.m., Pathfinder Bookstore, 3926 Mission, S.F. $5 donation. (415) 548-2135.

Independent media

Friday, May 10, veteran video activist, Indymedia contributor, and cofounder of Paper Tiger TV and Deep Dish Network Dee Dee Halleck talks about the future of independent media at a release party for her new book, Hand Held Visions: The Impossible Possibilities of Community Media. 7 p.m., AK Press, 674A 23rd St., Oakl. Free. (510) 208-1700.

Stop Star Wars

Friday, May 10-Sunday, May 12, the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space holds its annual "No Star Wars International Space Organizing Conference and Protest," including a demonstration at Lockheed Martin and a conference featuring keynote speaker Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) and dozens of panels and workshops with participants from around the world. See Web site for details. Fri/10, 9-10 a.m., registration and check-in, UC Berkeley, Wesley Student Center, Nevada Desert Experience, 2398 Bancroft Way, Berk.; 2:30-5:30 p.m., demonstration, Lockheed Martin main gate, Lockheed Martin Dr. off Mathilda, Sunnyvale. Sat/11, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun/12, 9 a.m.-noon, UC Berkeley, various locations, Bancroft at Telegraph, Berk. $15-$60 sliding scale. (510) 527-2057, www.space4peace.org.

District 11 meeting

Saturday, May 11, Sup. Gerardo Sandoval holds a District 11 "Budget Town Hall" meeting featuring representatives from various city departments. 10 a.m.-noon, Balboa High School, little theater, 1000 Cayuga, S.F. Free. (415) 554-6975.

Free Mumia!

Saturday, May 11, the Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal holds a mass march and rally to free Mumia, including Mumia legal counsel Elliot Grossman, representatives of Death Penalty Focus, Compañeros del Barrio, Al-Awda, Leonard Peltier Defense Committee, and many others, plus live hip-hop and spoken word. Assemble 11 a.m., Justin Herman Plaza, Market and Embarcadero, S.F.; march noon; rally 1 p.m., Civic Center Plaza, S.F. (415) 695-7745.

No more Enrons

Saturday, May 11, nationally recognized consumer rights and corporate accountability advocate Doug Heller of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights speaks about organizing strategies to prevent corporate abuse and promote accountability at "Only You Can Prevent Another Enron," a presentation hosted by the Oaks Project. Call to RSVP. 3 p.m., Mission Dolores School, auditorium, 3321 16th St., S.F. $10 donation. (650) 755-9420 or (650) 619-9273.

'Racial Profiling and Police Harassment'

Saturday, May 11, LoveLife Foundation holds "Bay Area Town Hall Meeting on Racial Profiling and Police Harassment" with Oakland police chief Richard Word and others. Breakfast 8 a.m., discussion 8:30-10 a.m., Dotha's Juke Joint, Jack London Square, 126 Broadway, Oakl. Free. (510) 663-5683.

Pacifica and free speech

Tuesday, May 14, Peter Franck, former president of Pacifica Radio and current member of the National Lawyers Guild's Committee on Democratic Communication, talks about Pacifica's role in extending free speech today. 7 p.m., New College of California, theater, 777 Valencia, S.F. Free. (510) 527-1884.