Yoo can always tell a new school year is nigh when the hordes of protesters start accumulating in the general area of campus. Like the swallows of Capistrano, who return to their nests each year with freakish regularity, activist organizations converge on our fair campus to wave signs and yell about shit. Berkeley protesters are also like swallows in that they seem to frequently land in trees.

Marking the 2009-2010 academic year’s official protesting start were the 50 or so protesters who were present to rage against John Yoo’s first day back on the Berkeley job. Naturally, all the coolest of cool Berkeley organizations that no one is sick of–like Code Pink and World Can’t Wait–were there, doing what they do.

And, of course, it ain’t a party until someone gets arrested. Four protesters who followed Yoo into his lecture were escorted out by UCPD. Ah. Isn’t it nice to be back?

THE POLICE: Montreal, 1983, Every Breath You Take [YouTube]
Protesters Follow Yoo to First Day of Class [Daily Cal]

John Yoo, lucky duck of a man, can now add the lovely ladies of Code Pink to his ever-expanding fan base. Like so many shameless groupies, the avid activists clamored outside his Berkeley residence early Sunday evening, vying desperately for the law professor’s attention. Haven’t they any dignity?

Okay, so that’s not exactly how it went down, which (transparent sarcasm notwithstanding) we’re sure you would have guessed if you’ve heard anything, ever, about Code Pink. The protesters spent two hours in front of Yoo’s home under the surveillance of UC police, bearing signs inscribed with such stern admonishments as “Shame on Yoo.” Which, actually, has not made an appearance as one of our endlessly amusing yoophemisms until now.

Speaking of amusing: Oaks4Peace News Crunchers, in covering this particular exploit, took care to mention as something of a postscript not only Yoo’s address, but that there is “ample street parking, and a public sidewalk across from his house” as well. Fair enough … ? How very thoughtful of them.

Ain’t That A Shame” – Fats Domino [YouTube]
Protest Yoo & Torture [IndyBay]

Oh, wait. Sorry. That’s actually not even close to true. Apparently, the Code Pink ladies were simply too busy saving the world and stuff to worry their do-gooder heads about fundraising. Also, they don’t receive any rent monies from their supposed national affiliate, Code Pink Women for Peace. Thus, they had no choice but to close up their headquarters. Hm.

Despite the setback, lovers of justice and light need not be alarmed–Code Pinkers said they don’t plan on easing up on the Man anytime soon, and they’ll continue their relentless crusade against Shattuck Avenue’s resident evil like nothing’s amiss.

Image Source: Daily Cal, Chris Chung
Lacking Funds, Code Pink to Close East Bay Office [Daily Cal]

Cal grad student Larissa Kelly boosts Cal’s academic reputation by winning lots of money on Jeopardy and setting new records for women on the show. Her current cash total is at $179,797, more than the salaries of all history department alumni combined! [Inside BayArea]

Do you have a relative in Modesto who went to your commencement in Zellerbach Hall? If so, there’s a small chance that they’re a tad bit pissed at the lack of flags onstage to honor America and the state of California. Either that, or someone’s just looking for reasons to hate on “Berserkeley.” [Modesto Bee]

Earlier: The News in Our Shorts: The Sad Edition

Our favorite part is the detail about the pro-troops group, Move Forward America, which brought packets of salt and spread them around the recruitment center to, get this, keep their precious Marines safe from the spells. Lunacy is contagious. Didn’t you know? In the meantime, FOX News has trained a 24/7 webcam on the recruitment center storefront, laboring under the delusion, no doubt, that they’ll be able to score some damning evidence of Satanic rituals on tape if they wait long enough.

Image Source: moonrising under Creative Commons
Spells Cast at Anti-Marine Rally in California [FOXNews]

In more news pertaining to the utter waste of money: Some Republican dude still wants to take away Berkeley’s transportation funding (a.k.a. the money to fix our terrible roads) until City Council takes away Code Pink’s parking spot once and for all. [Contra Costa Times]

UC Berkeley School of Law Dean responds to all the recent cries for him to fire John Yoo, who is infamous for penning documents that say torture is OK. “‘Yes, it does matter that Yoo was an adviser, but President Bush and his national security appointees were the deciders,’ Edley wrote.” [Associated Press]

Do spoiled Berkeley students–or most Americans, even–ever step out of their fairly comfortable bubbles to pay attention to world affairs? Only when one of us gets caught up in that mess. So, heads up: Egyptian police recently detained James Buck, a UC Berkeley J-school student, as he was working on his thesis. This happened following huge riots over the rising cost of bread due to the new focus on crops as bio-fuels instead of food. Oh, and we also found Buck’s resume, which has a sampling of his photojournalistic work. [abc7news.com]

Earlier: The News in Our Shorts: Racism Actually Is All Around!

We hate to beat a dead horse (or a dead cause, as the case may be) but so long as people keep doing new stupid things, we’ll keep writing about them. As luck would have it, Friday was the culmination of a week’s worth of stup–er–Code Pink! (By the way, we officially recognize that we, like “The Daily Show“, are taking kind of a cheap shot here, but cut us some slack–we don’t have a whole country’s worth of idiocy to work with.)

Not even Jon Stewart could stop this indomitable bunch, and in honor of the fifth anniversary of the beginning of the war in Iraq they stepped up their game and set up a “green zone” outside the Marine recruiting center. Code Pink camped out last Sunday and bombarded the oppressors with Yoga, pot luck lunches, house plants, and eco-documentaries with what we’re assuming was eco-friendly popcorn. And yet, somehow, they still managed to get themselves arrested before the week was up.

On Friday afternoon, after a little scuffle with the Po Po, two women were cited for crossing the line and having themselves a little impromptu sit-in. Like “Degrassi,” they went there, and were taken downtown for apparently blocking foot traffic. Now that’s blind dedication to a dubious cause the likes of which we haven’t seen since Michael Schuck–well, minus his whole “avoid arrest at all costs” bit, anyway. But hey, no harm no foul, right?

Image Source: Patrici Flores
Earlier: Hey Hey, Ho Ho: The MRC Protest Saga Continues
Earlier: ‘The Daily Show’ Makes Fun of Code Pink, Students Wonder How They Missed Rob Riggle
Code Pink protests Berkeley Marines, Iraq War [SFGate]
Two Arrested in Protest at Marine Recruiting Center [Daily Cal]
Earlier: And Just Like That, He’s Gone

We thought it was pretty funny. But, come on, we’re college students. Jon Stewart is for us what Stephen Colbert is for college students–without him, we wouldn’t have any idea what’s going on. Naturally, we’re a bit biased. We want to keep our coverage fair and balanced, so we’ve compiled a short, completely objective pros and cons list.

EDIT: Daily Show clip after the jump!

Pros of Code Pink on “The Daily Show”
1. Sproul Plaza was, like, totally on TV.
2. It was really funny.
3. It put Berkeley in the national spotlight.

Cons of Code Pink on “The Daily Show”
1. Code Pink is sort of old news. We’ve been covering the Marine Recruiting Center “clusterf*ck” for months, now.
2. It put Berkeley in the national spotlight–for its crazies …
3. It made Code Pink look stupid. (Note: This fact is included on the “Cons” list not because it’s wrong to ridicule Code Pink, but because it’s such a cheap shot. Honestly, Comedy Central. Y’all are professionals. “The Daily Show” crazifying Code Pink is like The Clog making really terrible analogies–it’s just so easy.)

Image Source: Infrogmation under Creative Commons
The Daily Show [Website]
Marines in Berkeley [The Daily Show]
Earlier: Code Pink is the New Fascism

We’re sure the “Youth Against Establishment” clothier picked Berkeley as its Northern California location because of our historically anti-establishment vibes. And they did so at a perfect time, too–considering the treewoks, Code Pink and others are getting louder than ever. We wish Volcom luck as they traverse the currently shaky business district that is Telegraph Avenue, though we have no doubt they’ll be able to sucker lots of trendy activists into buying their overpriced fashion statements.

Alternatively, you could shell out $3 and head to Wheeler Auditorium at 7 p.m. or 9:15 p.m. to enjoy a screening of recent Academy Award winner and all-around awesome film, “No Country for Old Men.” We guarantee it will be better than last Friday’s screening of “Berkeley.”

Image Source: Volcom
ASUC SUPERB [Website]
Earlier: Berkeley Movie Screening Draws Crowd and Really Obvious Analogy

He is, of course, talking about the monster rally that is currently brewing outside Berkeley City Hall, where a mass of polarized protesters awaits the start of this evening’s City Council meeting. The council will decide tonight whether they want to take back their infamous “unwelcome and uninvited intruders” statement against the Marine Corps recruitment center on Shattuck Avenue, which caused an angry ruckus across the nation. But despite Wozniak’s assurance of a peaceful political rally, Cat Moy–a source for conservative blogger Michelle Malkin–has already witnessed “mayhem” go down on Martin Luther King, Jr. Way.

Berkeley erupted in violence Tuesday morning when the Communist, terrorist-supporting anti-war group crossed into Martin Luther King Park and assaulted pro-troop individuals. Riot police stood by, but did not stop the assaults. Police agencies did not respond to calls for help.

Don’t make us separate you two! OK, so the police eventually did–designating places for protesters to commence with their respective whining, in peace. Cat Moy continues:

Code Pink was permitted for across the street. The two sides were to stay separated, according to rules laid down by the city. But the city has a history of giving Code Pink special preference.

Aww, did poor Move America Forward get the ugly part of the road? If it makes MAF feel better–most of the streets in Berkeley already suck big time because the City Council prefers to spend its transportation discussions on inane crap like, say, giving parking spots to radical groups.

Both Code Pink and Move American Forward plan on bitching nonstop until the council meets at 7 p.m., biding their time by straying into the other side’s territory for a good, old-fashioned brawl.

At this point, the Clog doesn’t really care what happens at the City Council meeting. Rewrite the statement for all we care–what’s said is said. As long as the council doesn’t give Sen. Jim DeMint an actual reason to unfairly deny our funding, we’ll be fine.

In fact, while the rally continues we’ll be copping a free pancake at IHOP in honor of National Pancake Day. You should, too. Pancakes for Peace!

Image Source: Patrici Flores
Angry Reactions to Council Provoke Safety Concerns [Daily Cal]
Showdown in Berkeley and the Harry Reid chicken-out; Update: Morning mayhem in Berkeley [Michelle Malkin]
Anti-war, pro-Marine confrontation begins early in Berkeley [Mercury News]
About National Pancake Day [IHOP]
Earlier: Code Pink Is the New Fascism