Posted by
Cassie Myers on Thursday, November 19, 2009 04:17 pm
While you’re howling about the 32 percent fee increases, you might be relieved to know that some things are right in the world—the Berkeley City Council just voted to protect windsurfers while at the same time approving a ferry terminal.
The ferry will be another mode of transportation between here and San Francisco. Has potential, right? Think of it as a splashier alternative to BART.
OK, the skeptics sneer, a ferry’s all well and good, but what will windsurfers do? We’ve got you covered there, too: There’s a provision that insists that the ferry cannot “disrupt the flow of the windsurfers who frequent the area.”
Well that’s settled, then. A ferry and some rights for windsurfers. That’s all we really wanted.
Image source: cookipediachef under Creative Commons
Berkeley votes to protect windsurfing [NBC Bay Area]
City Council Approves Plan for Berkeley Waterfront Ferry Terminal [Daily Cal]
Posted by
Cassie Myers on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 08:41 pm
You waited patiently, loud denizens of Berkeley, and now the day is finally here. The City Council is set to vote tonight on an ordinance that could relax noise limits. If passed, this would “allow entertainment venues and festival organizers to exceed the noise regulations if they obtain a permit beforehand.”
The noise limit would be raised from 10 to 15 decibels. More sound permits would be given out each year, without limits.
Obvious question: could Berserkeley get any louder? Between garbage trucks, sirens, and the amusingly colorful street vendors, the more frighteningly verbose street vendors, read more »
Posted by
Cassie Myers on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 09:38 am
The “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes” advice is so trite that we’re tempted to scream whenever we hear it mentioned. However, we will admit (yes, even snarky, jaded bloggers like ourselves) that empathy is a valuable character trait (and not just if you’re minoring in global poverty).
So you wanna know something weird? Some people may actually be more empathetic based on their genes. Researchers at Berkeley recently discovered that certain people with “a particular variation of the oxytocin receptor gene” nicknamed read more »
Posted by
Cassie Myers on Saturday, November 14, 2009 12:39 pm
Put on your listening ears and use your indoor voices, because a symphony is coming to Berkeley. Not just any symphony, either: the Shanghai Symphony.
The Shanghai Symphony has succeeded in raising its international profile and is now kicking off a 12 city tour of North America, including a stop at our very own Zellerbach Hall. So pat yourselves on the back, Berkeley high-culture fiends. Yet another feather in your illustrious cap.
The symphony’s shaking things up a little with read more »
Posted by
Cassie Myers on Thursday, November 12, 2009 06:08 pm
We’re so tired of talking about the budget crisis that we won’t even bother to remind you about it. It sucks, California’s circling the drain, yada yada yada.
So what’s the solution? There’s no button to push every 108 minutes, that’s for sure. Some scholars are going for something a little bit simpler: rewriting the state constitution. This Tuesday, Nov. 17th, at Booth Auditorium in Boalt Hall, there will be read more »
Posted by
Cassie Myers on Thursday, November 12, 2009 12:33 pm
Robert Reich, former U.S. secretary of labor and professor of public policy extraordinaire, is clearly jonesing for another prestigious title: the king of comedy. Yes, you read that correctly. Reich gave a talk in Chicago at Northwestern’s law school about the economy and miracle of miracles, he managed to keep it light.
While acknowledging the soaring unemployment (which hit 10.2 percent by some estimates on that same Friday), he kept it breezy. Case in point: “‘As you can see, the economy has worn me down. A year and a half ago, I was 6-foot-2.’”
This barrel of laughs wasn’t just jokey, either—he was informative. Reich had time between guffaws to advocate his own ideas for economy fixing: a single-payer healthcare system and a new government jobs program.
He also clearly wants his own sitcom, with lines like these: “‘An economist is somebody who didn’t have the personality to become an accountant.’” Oh, snap. He added: “‘How many people did I just insult?’”
No worries, Reich. We like our grim economic news with a little sugar. We only wish your badassery would extend to other economists. Especially those wet blankets over at the Federal Reserve.
Image source: Policy Network under Creative Commons
Reich lightens up [Chicago Tribune]
Posted by
Cassie Myers on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 10:32 pm
A rainbow mural was taken down. In Berkeley. If there’s a clearer sign that the world is changing, we don’t know what it could be. We expect the four horsemen of the apocalypse to come riding in our direction any minute.
The sign was taken down because the store which put it up also displayed its name on part of the mural in a small space. Apparently the city ordinances do not allow this. Obviously, it’s really harshing the Berkeley mellow.
All right, then, what are we gonna do about it? “City read more »
Posted by
Cassie Myers on Saturday, November 07, 2009 12:18 pm
Since you can’t turn your head without hearing the words “budget crisis,” we’ll assume you’ve heard about the cuts in funding to various departments on campus. Since the problems began, some faculty even raised the question of cutting back funding for athletics. And this Thursday, the faculty voted to “urge the school to stop subsidizing its money-losing athletics department as soon as it legally can.”
Now take heed—this doesn’t mean that the football team is going be thrown unceremoniously from the gravy train. The legal part makes everything much more difficult. The Chancellor himself noted that contracts don’t expire for a few more years, so the university will “continue to help the read more »
Posted by
Cassie Myers on Friday, November 06, 2009 03:48 pm
If you haven’t watched “The Office” recently, then you probably saw it via YouTube or in “Casino Royale.” Parkour is sweeping the world. And now, apparently, it’s even reached Berkeley. That’s right–it’s been reported that about a dozen people on the UC Berkeley campus practice parkour every Thursday night.
So what is parkour exactly? Etymologically (oh yes, we’re going there) “parkour” comes from the French word “parcours” which means “route.” Basically, though, it’s a lot of people trying to find the most interesting way to get around, including read more »
Posted by
Cassie Myers on Wednesday, November 04, 2009 02:48 pm
Feel like you need to weigh in on the ongoing “whose university” debate? Prepare for that itch to be scratched. An annual scholarship has come to the Clog’s attention: the Lili Fabilli and Eric Hoffer Essay Prize. Think about it: you could win up to $3000 for answering “our university.”
The contest is simple: write 500 words or less on the topic “whose university.” No joke, that is the entire topic. So get your world-weary genius attitude working for you (a melancholic sigh here, an essay about American apathy there).
Why 500 words? According to Hoffer, “…wordiness is a sickness of American writing. Too many words dilute and blur ideas.”
In solidarity, then, we’ll end here. Submissions are due Monday, Dec. 1 to 229 Sproul Hall. More rules for the contest are available here.
Lili Fabilli and Eric Hoffer Essay Prize [UC Berkeley Financial Aid Office]
Image source: Martin Kingsley under Creative Commons
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