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Watch The World Cup In Berkeley

admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:04:22 +0000

OK so those of us who are nuts for soccer and are just so excited to have the World Cup about to start there is a certain need to make sure we have our bases covered when it comes to seeing as many games as we can. Therefore we want to make sure if you are in Berkeley and need to see a game that you will have a location available nearby. So we consulted with a great local source (UC Berkeley paper – The Daily Cal) to get a list of local viewing spots:

If you don’t have a TV, you will obviously want to congregate in public places with other sports fans to watch the games and share the magic. The Chronicle created a pretty convenient Google map of venues screening games in the Bay Area, but since it was lacking on the Berkeley side, the Clog decided to fill it in a little. We’re sure we’re still missing some nooks and crannies, but we think we got most of the near-campus staples.

In addition to Blake’s and Henry’s (both of which are on the Chronicle’s map), Raleigh’s will be showing all the games, though they didn’t mention special hours when we called. Cafe Durant, which opens daily at 7:30 a.m. anyway, will also be showing all the games on its flat screens, and La Val’s said they’re opening at 7 a.m. to screen all the matches. Pizza for breakfast, guys!

So do you have another favorite viewing hangout in Berkeley? Well shout it out in the comments below and share it with your fellow Berkeley denizens.

So don’t miss out on this month long orgy of great soccer on the world stage. And if you don’t like soccer, never mind….

DNA Swab Instead of Summer Reading?

Wed, 19 May 2010 21:28:43 +0000

Instead of the usual required summer-reading book, this year’s INCOMING FRESHMEN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, will get something quite different: a cotton swab on which they can, if they choose, send in a DNA sample.

The university said it would analyze the samples, from inside students’ cheeks, for three genes that help regulate the ability to metabolize alcohol, lactose and folates.

Those genes were chosen not because they indicate serious health risks but because students with certain genetic markers may be able to lead healthier lives by drinking less, avoiding dairy products or eating more leafy green vegetables.

Berkeley’s program for the class of 2014 is the first mass genetic testing by a university. JASPER RINE, THE PROFESSOR OF GENETICS who is leading the project, said it was designed to help students learn about personalized medicine and identify their own vulnerabilities….

The testing will be voluntary and confidential, with no one at Berkeley knowing which sample comes from which student….

“In the decade ahead, the new genetics is going to penetrate everyday medical practice,” said MARK SCHLISSEL, DEAN OF BIOLOGY AT BERKELEY. “We wanted to give students a sense of what’s coming, through genes that can provide them with useful information. I think it’s one of the best things we’ve done in years.”…

“It’s a bad precedent to set up mass testing without some sort of counseling support,” said Arthur Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania. “I’d rather people get their results in a medical setting, where they can ask questions about the error rate or the chances of passing it on to their children, and not just see it posted on some Web site.”

Dr. Schlissel said that he understood the concern about counseling but that he believed it applied mostly to testing for genetic diseases, not necessarily the relatively innocuous gene variants that Berkeley is looking for….

Source

Potter Games At UC Berkeley?

Wed, 19 May 2010 21:19:44 +0000

Have you seen this yet?

If you’ve got an itch to play Quidditch, you no longer have to be a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You could be a student at UC Berkeley.

Quidditch, the favorite pastime of wizards and witches in J.K. Rowling’s best-selling Harry Potter novels, has recently come to life on Berkeley’s Memorial Glade field. Charlie Strauss, a 22-year-old junior psychology major, held Quidditch team tryouts in February after seeing a collegiate game played at Vassar College in New York.

“Basically, what we do is sort of a combination of rugby, football, dodgeball and tag. … But it’s really just Quidditch,” said Strauss, who donned a Harry Potter-esque white button-down shirt, red tie and gray V-neck sweater. Strauss is the self-proclaimed Quidditch commissioner and describes his clothing as his commissioner outfit.

Spare The Air Berkeley

Sat, 15 May 2010 00:45:12 +0000

Registration has kicked off for the annual Great Race for Clean Air commuter challenge sponsored by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to reduce greenhouse gases and smog levels in the Bay Area. From August 1 through September 30, thousands of Bay Area commuters will participate in this friendly employer competition to try alternatives to driving solo – such as carpooling, van pooling, biking, walking or riding transit.

“Tailpipe exhaust from the 3 million to 4 million vehicles on our roads each day remains the largest source of smog in the Bay Area,” said Jack Broad bent, Executive Officer of the Air District. “To reduce the health impacts from smog, we all need to think differently about how we use our cars as part of our daily routine.”

Registration for employers runs from May 1 through July 15, 2010 at www.sparetheair.org. Participating employees will automatically be entered into weekly random drawings for prizes from Best Buy, Starbucks and other sponsors. On September 30, at the conclusion of the Great Race, employers with the highest percentage of their employees participating and the most CO₂ savings will be eligible for prizes.

“The Great Race for Clean Air is a fun, competitive way to improve air quality, reduce traffic and save money,” said Lisa Fasano, Communications Director for the Air District. ”During the summer Spare the Air season, each of us can focus on doing what we can to do our part to improve air quality. The Great Race encourages commuters to try alternatives to solo driving.”

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (www.baaqmd.gov) is the regional agency chartered with protecting air quality in the Bay Area. The Great Race for Clean Air is sponsored by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and implemented by the District’s Air Quality Resource Teams throughout the nine-county Bay Area. For more information about Spare the Air, visit www.sparetheair.org.

Hunger Strike Ends

Thu, 13 May 2010 22:42:36 +0000

Berkeley Hunger Strike Ends After 10-Day Demonstration

After 10 days without food, hunger strikers ended their demonstration Wednesday evening while representatives of the strikers met with UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau to discuss their demands. The strike, which began May 3 as a …

Publish Date: 05/13/2010 5:23

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/13/berkeley-hunger-strike-en_n_574585.html

David Brower Center Hosts the First California-WCA Eco-Arts Conference

xigkoadm — Thu, 13 May 2010 22:16:44 +0000

Spend the day being green on June 25th. Artist from around the country come together to discuss art, the environment and showcase their environmentally-friendly art.

See original here:
David Brower Center Hosts the First California-WCA Eco-Arts Conference

Bears To play 2011 Football Season at AT&T Park

xigkoadm — Thu, 13 May 2010 22:05:24 +0000

The Cal Bears football team will play the 2011 season at AT&T Park while renovation continues on the Berkeley Stadium.

Continue reading here:
California to play 2011 season at AT&T Park

Berkeley restaurant falls victim to credit card scam

Thu, 13 May 2010 21:50:02 +0000

Picante Restaurant in Berkeley discovered international hackers stole credit card information from the business.

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Berkeley restaurant falls victim to credit card scam

Fire damages multiple homes in Berkeley Hills

jos — Thu, 13 May 2010 21:45:16 +0000

Berkeley firefighters battled a three-alarm structure fire involving multiple homes in North Berkeley Thursday afternoon.

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Fire damages multiple homes in Berkeley Hills

Berkeley Census 2010

Thu, 13 May 2010 21:35:00 +0000