Short Takes Short Takes (June 23, 2004)

Bono in Menlo

Recession? What recession? It looks like a beautiful day for venture capital, with Bono, the lead singer for the rock band U2, reportedly joining a Menlo Park-based VC firm.

The newly created Elevation Partners plans to drum up $1 billion to invest in media and entertainment projects, according to the Wall Street Journal. And the global repute of the 44-year-old Irish songster probably won't hurt its chances.

Technology investor Roger McNamee and John Riccitiello, former president of Electronic Arts Inc., launched the venture fund along with former Apple Computer finance chief Fred Anderson.

Snoozing al fresco

Inspired by Principal Eric Hartwig¼s comment that the improvements to "the Green" made it like a state park, about 100 Menlo-Atherton graduating seniors camped out there Sunday, June 13.

Considering the chaos wrought by most senior pranks, M-A parent Zoe Laidlaw thought this one was unusually refreshing. Kids brought tents, sleeping bags, and flashlights. The slumbering seniors woke up as the rest of the student body arrived and they all proceeded to class.

"It was fun, harmless, and certainly will be memorable," she said.

Notes from the asphalt jungle

Atherton police were less amused by another set of pranksters' high jinks on Wednesday, June 9, at a couple of Atherton homes.

At a house near Menlo-Atherton High School, police cruising the neighborhood at around 2 a.m. found a driveway blocked by several barrels of concrete. Police stopped a car with several kids who, after questioning, confessed to playing a prank. After being told to remove the barrels, they did so promptly, police said.

Later that day on Hawthorne Drive, a resident came home to find six future X Games competitors using the home's empty swimming pool as an arena for their skateboard antics. They fled the scene in a four-door Mitsubishi. Police were unable to locate them.

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