We watched them a lot in our formative years, usually back-to-back and during times we should have been doing homework. We loved the elaborate set ups, the poor, abused crash test dummies and that hat that Jamie always seemed to be wearing.

As it turns out, one of the Mythbusters has a bit of an obsession of his own and is coming to our fair city tomorrow to give a free lecture on it.

Adam Savage (the one without the hat) has a quite a fondness for dodo birds and built an accurate model of one of their skeletons from scratch. He will be giving a talk entitled “My Dodo, History and Personal Reflections.” The event will take place tomorrow (Nov. 19) from 7-9 p.m. at the Bone Room, located at 1573 Solano Ave. in North Berkeley (try taking the 18 bus, it’s a bit of a trek from campus).

Who doesn’t love dodo birds, right?

Image Source: heath_bar under Creative Commons
The Bone Room Presents [via FuncheapSF]

The three-day marathon strike/walkout/protest/slumber party/something has begun. The Clog will be bringing you more coverage later in the day, but for now check out the Daily Cal’s liveblog of the events, along with coverage of the Regents meeting at UCLA. We’ll be posting updates to our twitter as well.

Image Source: slimmer_jimmer under Creative Commons

We enjoyed the red velvet and double vanilla cupcakes from the Cupkates Truck during awkward gaps between classes. The brilliance of the idea was not lost on us. While Berkeley is never at a loss for brilliant baked goods, cupcakes included, these ones came to us. The truck often parked near campus, and were we so gluttonous as to desire two dozen cupcakes or more, we could have them delivered for free. But today, we were thwarted. While checking the truck’s twitter last night, we found this ominous message:

We will not be operating tomorrow according to our normal schedule. The city of Berkeley is trying to suspend our permit. We will be in meetings all day, and back to our office route Wednesday.

City of Berkeley, how could you do this to us? And during this mediocre season of midterms, rain and huge fee increases no less? We needed those cupcakes. They were our only hope.

Now, the Cupkates Truck is far from the only mobile food outfit to be found on the outskirts of campus. There is the taco truck, the hot dogs, the place that sells chocolate-covered strawberries and we’ve even occasionally glimpsed a competing cupcake business.

But alas, for now we’ll need to find somewhere else to fill our cupcake needs. Although Love at First Bite in the Gourmet Ghetto has never disappointed us, it is a bit of a trek, which takes up time we should be spending studying … or something.

We just wanted our double vanilla cupcake, City of Berkeley. Why’d you have to ruin it?

We wouldn’t say no to a marzipan Totoro either.

Image Source: chotda under Creative Commons
Cupcake Trucks Corner Unique Niche in Market [Daily Cal]
CupkatesTruck [Twitter]

The apartments are built on land leased from the university for the sweet price of $1 a year, and seems like a much better situation than the last bit of real estate we saw at that price. The cost to student residents is a little steeper, at $1,788 a semester, but that could all be about to change.Some have said the university has been shaky during recent months in its confidence that it would renew the lease. This prompted a large campaign and petition, even though it seems neither the university nor the co-ops are really sure about what’s happening.

But you can’t argue with cheap rent, we suppose. If we could lease a block of land for the price of a pack of gum, we can’t say we’d want to give it up either.

The complex is also currently home to many low-income students and has several disabled accessible units.

Image Source: MacQ under Creative Commons
Slated Co-op Lease Expiration Prompts Awareness Campaign [Daily Cal]
Save Rochdale, Save Our Home [Facebook]

The crime in question was a triple homicide that took place in the city earlier this year. It began with the shooting death of Charles Davis at 10th Street and Allston Way. In the ensuing high-speed police chase, the suspects’ car crashed, killing pedestrian Floyd Ross and fellow motorist Todd Perea. Two of the four supsects in the car fled the scene on foot, and three of the four have now been arrested. Still on the loose is Rafael Campbell, who hails from Oakland and is apparently involved in the rap scene there.

A physical description of Campbell and a tip line are available on this site. The show featured a re-enactment of the crime, filmed at a different location in Berkeley, and can be viewed here.

While the show has contributed to the capture of many criminals, the shoot raised some eyebrows among locals who did not want their neighborhoods to be featured or associated with the crime.

Image Source: Daniel Y. Go under Creative Commons
Berkeley’s Most Wanted [SFGate Crime Scene Blog]
America’s Most Wanted Episode to Focus on Berkeley Incident [Daily Cal]

The trio was detained near the Iraqi-Iranian border while hiking this summer. Friends and family have said the group crossed the Iranian border accidentally, but apparently others suspect more nefarious motives.

Hopefully, this is putting all of your bad vacation stories in perspective.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the hikers will face trial and, if convicted, potentially harsh sentences. This from the guy who has denied the Holocaust and whose election was the subject of more than a little controversy.

U.S. Secretary of  State Hillary Clinton, however, has said she is confident there is no evidence to support the charge, so here’s hoping she’ll be able to kick some ass, take some names and get everyone home safely.

Image Source: Leo Reynolds under Creative Commons
Detained Alumni Charged With Espionage [Daily Cal]

Yesterday, Professor Abolhassan Astaneh said the Bay Bridge has not been safe since the eyebar repair that had to be performed over Labor Day weekend.

“You have to shut down this bridge immediately,” said Professor Astaneh.”There’s no doubt about it.”

Astaneh describes keeping the bridge open as a “criminally negligent” act. Shit son. So for once we’re actually glad we have no means of transportation with which we might cross the Bay Bridge on any regular basis.

The statement comes after the bridge’s emergency closure and repair, and a fatal big-rig accident earlier this week.

Image Source: laffy4k under Creative Commons
UC Prof: Bay Bridge Should Be Shut Down [KTVU]
Earlier: The Bay Bridge Is (Not Actually) Falling Down (Yet)

Or perhaps you just enjoy knitting and are hoping to pick up a few tips.

Luckily, it seems a band of knitters congregates on campus each Tuesday to keep you company in these pursuits. They meet outside VLSB during the noon hour every week.

Image Source: Stefan Tell under Creative Commons
Knitting at Noon [Events Calendar]

Moving right along…

7:46 p.m. After searching in vain for the past 20 minutes for a good Airbears location in Pauley Ballroom, I’ve determined there isn’t one. If my connection dies, I’ll take to the Clog’s twitter, so try there.

7:52 p.m. Will Smelko is introducing the panel, Chancellor Robert Birgeneau, Executive Vice Chancellor Breslauer, Dean of Students Jonathan Poullard and Erin Gore, assistant vice chancellor of the budget.

7:54 p.m. Definitely heard some boos and hisses for Birgeneau and Breslauer. Harsh.

7:58 p.m. “The funding per student (from the state) is exactly half of what it was twenty years ago” -Birgeneau

8:00 p.m. “What do you do when you find out you’re missing millions of dollars? … it ruins your summer vacation.” – Birgeneau. Oh, Bobby B.

8:03 p.m. Fee increases get booed.

8:04 p.m. Birgeneau says he hopes to cut tens of millions of dollars by improving administrative operations.

8:06 p.m. “This will impact significantly students from middle class families” -Birgeneau on fee increases

8:10 p.m. “We’ve called on the Obama administration … we’ve appealed to them to save public education,” Birgeneau said. “If the the federal government were to invest in public education half of what they spent on AIG, then that would be enough to permanently solve the problem for about the top 20 public research universities.”

8:11 p.m. March on Sacramento planned to demand investment in California public higher education.

8:12 p.m. “I’ve seen it all, but I’ve never seen it this bad”-Breslauer. I’m getting depressed.

8:15 p.m. Did I mention that I got one of those little golf pencils to write a question to the panel with? It was very exciting. If you’ve got a question you’d like me to ask, comment it.

8:20 p.m. Jonathan Poullard says they’re trying to keep campus housing costs stable.

8:30 p.m. “The idea of democratization of the Regents is a canard. The Regents did not bring this upon us.”-Breslauer

8:33 p.m. “I don’t understand the disinvestment by the state. I have some conspiratorial ideas, but they’re kind of paranoid and I don’t think I want to be quoted on them”-Birgeneau

8:35 p.m. “In a place like Berkeley, there’s a tendency to demonize the Republicans, and maybe it’s justified. Don’t quote me on that”-Birgeneau. Whatcha gonna do about it Birgeneau?

8:40 p.m. The Q&A portion started about 15 minutes ago, in case I forgot to mention that.

8:45 p.m. Bearcardo strikes again.

8:54 p.m. “With public funding disappearing at an alarming rate, we appealed to our alumni and our friends … once these funds come to us they in effect become public funding”-Birgeneau

8:56 p.m. “It’s very rare for an individual to come to you and say, ‘here’s a million dollars, what do you want to do with it?’” -Breslauer

8:57 p.m Will Smelko hasn’t said hi to me. Maybe he doesn’t remember me from my ASUC reporting days.

9:00 p.m. One student’s question: “Why does our football coach earn more than any other public employee?”

9:10 p.m. “There’s a certain amount of cynicism that goes along with this event … I ask for grace and patience as I hear things, and I will extend grace and patience back to you” – Poullard. People are getting a bit riled up.

9:15 p.m UC Berkeley’s budget will be going online before the end of the month, so you can play chancellor and try to balance it yourself. Fire up your Excel spreadsheets.

9:30 p.m. “One of my unhappinesses with the Regents is that there is not a single academic … I’ve nominated several people myself … but I have not been successful”-Birgeneau

9:33 p.m. Breslauer used the word “exigency.” Fancy.

9:36 p.m. “My own view is that fees should not get any higher”-Birgeneau. Again, shocking.

9:42 p.m. One student: “I don’t know how big the strike in November is going to be, but the one in March is going to be hella big. Be ready to be with us in the picket lines, to tell the Regents and to tell the president that we are not going to take it.”

9:45 p.m. Birgeneau does not plan to obtain emergency powers à la Yudof to try to redistribute the budget.

9:47 p.m. According to Birgeneau, there has not been a single executive pay raise on UC Berkeley campus.

9:48 p.m. Sounds like we’re wrapping up. Bye folks!

Image Source: ahisgett under Creative Commons

However, it appears that is not the case, at least not for the time being. The store has purchased a new location on San Pablo, it seems, and hopes to reopen by next month.

The new location is apparently even larger than the last, although not nearly as accessible after a stop at Cheeseboard. However, the new location might have an additional draw of incorporating a café and/or music venue into the store.

There will also be fewer new books, but the draw of the place was really the labyrinthine shelves of used books, so we’re not too worried.

Image Source: 0olong under Creative Commons
Black Oak Books Buys West Berkeley Home [Berkeley Daily Planet]