Tales of Berkeley

I can't believe I lived in a city with a "Peace and Justice Commission." And here's the latest from the People's Republic of Berkeley: Berkeley's public library will face a showdown with the city's Peace and Justice Commission tonight over whether a service contract for the book check-out system violates the city's nuclear-free ordinance. The dispute centers on a five-year, $63,000 contract the library wants to sign with 3M, an international technology company based in Minnesota, to service five scanner machines library patrons use to check out books. But 3M, a company with operations in 60 countries, refused to sign Berkeley's nuclear-free disclosure form as required by the Nuclear Free Berkeley Act passed by voters in 1986. As a result, the library's self-checkout machines have not been serviced in about six months. Library officials say 3M is the only company authorized by the manufacturer to fix the machines, which were purchased in 2004. The library asked the Peace and Justice Commission for a waiver, but at its Jan. 5 meeting the commission voted 7-1, with two abstentions, to reject the request. The library is now appealing the decision to the City Council... The Peace and Justice Commission does not see it that way. Commissioners said the library should try harder to find a company that complies with the Nuclear Free Berkeley Act. "We really mean it when we say we don't want to be part of the nuclear machinery," said commission member George Lippman. "The act is meant to be a blow against nuclear war. We're serious about upholding that." *sigh*. What do you say when you really can't parody a city anymore?

True Story

So we hired a special consultant to help us out on a job this week, and he came out on Tuesday. I met him, and he seemed nice enough, but something about him bugged me. I couldn't tell quite what, maybe the long hipppy-esque hair, but I wasn't sure. As I got to working with him he seemed like a nice enough guy; willing to work hard and good at his job.

So the second night on the job we're talking about a variety of things and he mentions: "So I went to graduate school at Stanford."

DUN DUN DUN!!!!!

It all made sense then; I sensed his Stanfurdness, and it bugged me. Out of professional courtesy, I forced myself to not respond with a "Fuck Stanfurd" when he told me. But I could only barely hold it in.

Comic Final

So in my Superheroes in Comic Books class (man, every time I say that I think how cool it is) there is no final, only a project due. Well, after much deliberating and whinig about how I don't know how to do anything creative, I decided on a project:

Candace and I have many, many of the Marvel Legends action figures and even more Transformers figures. So I thought, hey, why don't I use those to make a comic book-esque project. By arranging and taking pictures of them and using Photoshop or something to edit and add speech ballons, I could make something really neat!

Now I just need two things: One, a good story, and two, knowledge on how to make dioramas and use Photoshop to do what I want.

Can anyone help?

Humanities Classes are Dumb

I've been in a lot of siceince classes in my time here at Berkeley. None of them - not a single damn one - has made you sign in at lecture. But my Theater (AC) classs does. Do you know why? Because they're stupid. Ok, so that isn't a descriptive reason, but it's true. Let me expalin more.

Science classes, like, say Physics 7, are really, really stinking hard. You're going to show up to those classes. Because if you don't (like me) your grade suffers. A lot. A lot of the material in Science classes needs explination further than what a book gives, so the Professor gives that. Further, usually the Professor's don't really care about teaching. Don't get me wrong, most enjoy it well enough, but they do research. Lots of it. The teaching they have to do only so that they can do more research. So if you don't show up to lecture, oh well, they don't care.

Compared to Humanities classes. This stuff isn't hard. I don't care what anyone says, it just is not difficult. In fact, it's so easy, that without reading half the material, I got a Perfect score on my midterm. Yes, a freaking perfect score. And yet, if I miss class two more times, I'll be in danger of failing the class. This makes no sense! The only reason I can think of why this is so is because the teachers want you to be there. This is sad for two reasons: 1. They don't have enough faith that their lectures are interesting enough for you to show up on your own. 2. They actually think you'll pay attention if you show up. I've spent the last three weeks playing Sudoku in my Thater class. It's obviously impacted my grade. I think Humanities teachers like to hear themselves talk; they teach because it makes them feel good, so they want more people to be there because then they feel better.

I don't know. They're just stupid.

Class Observations

Well, classes continue. It's the third or fourth week now (I can't remember) so things are kicking into high gear. Really strange stuff. I've had a few observations about things in my classes that I should share.

• There's an older gentleman in my Theater class ("Race and Performance in American Cultures," I'll have more to say on this later, trust me) who wears a sweatshirt for the "College of Social Welfare," and I think: "Cal has a 'College of Social Welfare?' I don't even know what that means!" Anyway, it's strange indeed. To me, at least.
• Also in my Theater class, I have found there to be several (5 out of 35) Fifth-Year Theater majors. I found myself wondering how do you get to be a 5th year Theater Major. It can't be that hard!! It seems to me these people are just wanting to stay in college because they can't get a real job. Lazy bums.
• Have you ever had someone in your class where you're afraid when they talk? Not because that what they say will be opposite of what you believe, but because you konw they agree with you and sound really, really stupid whenever they open thier mouths? No? Count yourself lucky; it sucks.
• Tough reading! That's what defines my Superheroes in Comic Books class. Yup, I gotta read Spider-Man, Daredevil, Fantastic Four, Green Lantern and Batman. I wish all classes were like this.