Daily Cal - Thursday, June 30, 2011

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UC HIT WITH $650 MILLION IN CUTS University officials expect double-digit tuition increase, additional cuts to higher education remain possible after Gov. Brown signs budget compromise Wednesday historic realignment,” Brown said in a statement. “Putting our state on a sound and sustainable fiscal footing still requires much work, but we have now taken a huge step forward.” Brown vetoed a budget passed by Democratic legislators June 15 — for the first time in state history — that included the same cut to the UC and CSU, stating that the budget was not balanced and would not address the state’s long-term financial woes. “The latest state budget plan is deeply disappointing,” reads a statement from the UC Office of the President. “Because cuts of this magnitude inevitably will drive up tuition for public university students and their families, we cannot stand silent.” According to UC spokesperson Steve Montiel, it is likely that tuition increases will be recommended at the UC Board of Regents meeting in July in light of the state budget’s passage. “We certainly hope that there aren’t further cuts beyond $650 million, which is a big hit in itself,” Montiel said. “I would say it’s likely that there will be a recommended tuition increase, but as far as timing of that or any amount or anything like that, we can’t say right now because the options are still

By Allie Bidwell | Senior Staff abidwell@dailycal.org After months of debate, state legislators voted late Tuesday night to pass a budget package, which brings a total $650 million cut — and a likely tuition increase — to the University of California as part of a solution to address California’s remaining $9.6 billion budget deficit. The package, which was reached as a compromise between Gov. Jerry Brown and state Democrats Monday afternoon, relies heavily on spending reductions, $4 billion in revenue projections and the possibility of deeper midyear cuts to both K-12 and higher education should those revenues fail to materialize. The budget passed first through the Assembly in a 51-25 vote and then through the Senate by a slim majority of 21 votes before being officially signed into law by Brown Wednesday afternoon. “Democrats in the California State Legislature made tough choices and delivered an honest, balanced and on-time budget that contains painful cuts and brings government closer to the people through an

being looked at.” Previously, UC President Mark Yudof has said that the university could absorb the previously approved $500 million cut it faces without raising tuition but that any additional cuts would likely mean fee hikes throughout the UC system. The expected result under this budget plan will be a double-digit tuition increase on top of the 8 percent hike already approved for next year, according to UC officials. ASUC External Affairs Vice President Joey Freeman — who is currently interning for United States Senator Maria Cantwell, D-WA, in Washington, D.C. — teamed up with other student government leaders from throughout the UC system Tuesday to compose a letter that was sent to Brown, Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and Yudof. “At a public university, our students should not have to bear the burden of these skyrocketing fees,” Freeman said in a statement. “Our efforts do not stop here.” Sixteen student government presidents and external vice presidents from across the system urged legislators to consider alternative sources of revenue, including the possibility of

tax extensions or the amendment of the current tax code. “As the elected Student Body executives for the University of California system, we represent different constituencies with sometimes different interests,” the letter reads. “However, one message is universal: we are united in the effort to secure an accessible and affordable higher education for all California students.” Brown has previously attributed the lack of a balanced budget to state Republicans’ unwillingness to pass a budget that incorporated voter-approved state tax extensions, which he originally proposed in January. The proposed tax extensions could raise an estimated $14 billion in revenue for the state by extending increases in income taxes, sales taxes and vehicle license fees originally enacted in February 2009 for five years, according to a state Legislative Analyst’s Office report. However, the budget passed Tuesday night does not push for the tax extensions to be put on a ballot this month, as Brown had previously advocated for, though he is likely to attempt to place the extensions on the November 2012 ballot. Allie Bidwell is the news editor.

city government

student CONDUCT

City Council adopts budget to reduce deficit Student files Check Online

www.dailycal.org

grievance after being cleared of wrongdoing

J.D. Morris discusses the Berkeley City Council’s city budget vote and the budgetary amendments that the City Council approved in greater detail.

By J.D. Morris | Senior Staff jmorris@dailycal.org Efforts to divert about $105,000 in funding from city paving programs to some of Berkeley’s social service programs were unsuccessful when the Berkeley City Council adopted a city budget Tuesday night, though about $36,000 in other funding remains unallocated for the time being. Facing a projected $12.2 million deficit for fiscal year 2012 and a $13.3 million for fiscal year 2013, the balanced budget reduces city expenditures by over $5 million and increases revenues by about $1.2 million over the next two years. The council also approved budgetary amendments from Mayor Tom Bates and Councilmember Linda Maio, which allocated about $114,000 to city programs, relying on a two-year allocation of about $27,300 in funds not used by the South Berkeley

council: PAGE 4

By Aaida Samad | Staff asamad@dailycal.org

campuswide email sent Tuesday. In an email sent to the ASUC Tuesday, Permaul said his decision to retire came after discussions with his family and campus administrators. When he began working at the auxiliary in 2006, Permaul had goals of strengthening the relationship between students and senior administrators and restoring the commercial viability of the ASUC on campus, among other goals, he said in the email.

Two months after a campus hearing panel cleared him of wrongdoing, a UC Berkeley graduate student who faced student conduct charges for his involvement in the November 2009 occupation of Wheeler Hall filed a formal grievance last week alleging discrimination on the basis of political belief and unfair application of campus policies. The grievance, which was filed on June 17 by Aakash Desai, alleges that at his formal hearing on April 18, the Center for Student Conduct and Community Standards presented “fraudulent evidence” that adversely impacted his status as a student. The grievance also seeks compensation for the time Desai spent dealing with the matter and calls for disciplinary action to be taken against two administrators involved in his conduct proceedings. “The entire ordeal caused enormous stress for over a year, required dozens of hours of preparation time, and necessitated Mr. Desai’s presence during approximately 8 hours of grueling formal hearings,” the grievance states. According to the campus Student Grievance Procedure, the campus is “committed to a policy against legally impermissible, arbitrary, or unreasonable discriminatory practices.” The grievance raises concerns about testimony given by UCPD Cpl. Timothy Zuniga, who was called as a witness at Desai’s formal hearing on April 18. At the hearing, Desai’s advisor, Thomas

Permaul: PAGE 4

GRIEVANCE: PAGE 3

derek remsburg/staff

A demonstrator holds up a sign at the City Council meeting Tuesday night. The council adopted a city budget after efforts to divert funding from city paving to social service programs were unsuccessful.

ASUC

ASUC Auxiliary director retires before realignment By J.D. Morris | Senior Staff jmorris@dailycal.org After 33 years of employment at UC Berkeley, ASUC Auxiliary Director Nadesan Permaul retired Wednesday, just days before the auxiliary undergoes a major realignment. During his time on campus, Permaul has held positions in the Department of Recreational Sports, the Physical Plant, UCPD, Parking and Transportation

and the ASUC Auxiliary. He has also taught in the campus departments of rhetoric, political science and sociology and attended UC Berkeley as both an undergraduate and graduate student. Effective July 1, the auxiliary will report to the campus Division of Student Affairs rather than the Department of Administration and Finance, as it currently does. After retirement, Permaul will continue to work on projects for the ASUC until Sept. 1 and will continue in his teaching role, according to a

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Dailycal.org New arts column discusses urban aesthetics and I got to know my town by driving through it. I oriented myself by the mountains and freeways and told time by exit signs – I had no coherent vision of the city, only the individual transit pathways that took me across it. The driver can be detached and alienated from the city and the pedestrian is easily marginalized. But, under the right circumstances, a bicycle can access the texture of the city. I began to realize that the nodes of the city were enmeshed in how I accessed them. I started associating certain locales with their transportation venues. ...

Researchers develop technique for nanoscale testing A technique that makes it possible for irradiated materials to be tested at a nanoscale level was developed by researchers from UC Berkeley, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The study, published online in Nature Materials on June 26, looked at copper that had been irradiated by ion beams in order to more closely examine the effects of the radiation on the material. ...

derek remsburg/staff

Sondre Lerche bring boyish charm to GAMH

taryn erhardt/staff

Delightfully enough, what comes across as crisp and clear in the studio version translated to epic proportions in a live rendition. Thrashing guitars and belting out

Local Schools

Committee presents safety report to board By Anjuli Sastry | Staff asastry@dailycal.org

Online Exclusives

What is so admirable about the bicycle system isn’t its glaring environmental sheen or the equity shared with automobiles but the vantage point it affords. I grew up in Pasadena

Thursday, June 30, 2011 – Monday, July 4, 2011

pitch-perfect screams, Lerche lived the stereotypical rock star fantasy, and immensely enjoyed himself, at that. What struck concert-goers immediately was Lerche’s steadfast connection with his admirers. Sure, the intimate quarters of GAMH helped to enhance the effect but his amicability and boyish charm was both instant and infectious. Instead of hiding out backstage and letting the openers warm up the crowd, Lerche made a guest appearance before his set, singing along to the melodies of Nightlands. ...

Violence prevention education, increased security presence and screening for weapons at schools are just a few recommendations from the Berkeley Unified School District’s Ad Hoc Safety Committee, released in a gun control and safety report June 24. The committee presented the report to the district’s Board of Directors Wednesday night in the wake of six separate incidents involving student possession of weapons at or near a district high school campus between January 10 and March 25. After the board reviews the recommendations, they will create an action plan complete with a budget and timeline that could be fully implemented at the beginning of the 2011-12 school year. Among the recommendations are plans to implement visible security and campus monitor uniforms, to close the campus for all periods except lunch time, to heighten perimeter security at schools and to increase visibility of student identification badges. “Once we know what the board wants, the safety committee will have at least one meeting in the fall,” said Dr. Susan Craig, a committee member and the district’s director of student services. “Between now and fall, based on the board’s actions, for each item we will create a timeline and cost.” The committee — which is comprised of district and school administrators, parents, students, teachers, campus safety officers and a police sergeant — held student focus groups and community forums on topics such as bullying to gain perspective on the presence of weapons on school grounds, according to the report. “There is a substantial amount of information that is being implemented for this fiscal school year,” said Beatriz Leyva-Cutler, president of the district’s board of directors. “The campus secu-

Megan Kang/Staff

The gun control and safety report, which advocated violence prevention education and increased security at schools, was presented at Wednesday’s school board meeting. rity officers will be wearing (their uniforms) visibly this year, but this needs to be vetted through the union more — on the other hand, completely closing campus off (for lunch) is something that will not happen this year.” Since the first incident on January 10 — when a student was found in possession of a gun while on campus and later apprehended after the student’s backpack was searched — police presence, safety officer staffing and administrative staffing at Berkeley High School and Berkeley Technology Academy has increased. “Just last week, all of our safety officers and some administrators went through a 24-hour security training program,” said district spokesperson Mark Coplan. “Since ... these incidences arose, the committee has done a good job of developing relationships between the high schools and the police department.” Though security training for admin-

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Upon the department’s arrival, the woman was confirmed dead, according to Allison, and the Alameda County Coroner’s office then arrived at around 2 p.m. ...

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The June 27 article “Madam Yankee” incorrectly referred to Mount Holyoke College as Mount Holyoke University. The caption accompanying the June 27 article “Campanille construction will improve wheelchair accessibility” misspelled the name of Maria Paras. The Daily Californian regrets the errors.

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istrators and safety officers has already been implemented, approval of other recommendations for the upcoming school year — such as the consistent increase of district safety staff on middle and high school campuses — depends on whether appropriate funding is secured. The district has already allocated $89,000 in order to achieve security standards until the end of the school year, according to Leyva-Cutler. “We put some of the most costly pieces in place already — an additional administrator, one additional vice principal, one additional safety officer,” Coplan said. “We have more people responding to situations.” Though there were two students on the committee, one of the district’s concerns mentioned in the report was a lack of adequate student opinion of gun safety. However, Craig said the committee will continue to increase communication with youth, especially come fall.

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This publication is not an official publication of the University of California, but is published by an independent corporation using the name The Daily Californian pursuant to a license granted by the Regents of the University of California. Advertisements appearing in The Daily Californian reflect the views of the advertisers only. They are not an expression of editorial opinion or of the views of the staff. Opinions expressed in The Daily Californian by editors or columnists regarding candidates for political office or legislation are those of the editors or columnists, and are not those of the Independent Berkeley Student Publishing Co., Inc. Unsigned editorials are the collective opinion of the Senior Editorial Board. Reproduction in any form, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the editor, is strictly prohibited. Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. Published Monday through Friday by The Independent Berkeley Student Publishing Co., Inc. The nonprofit IBSPC serves to support an editorially independent newsroom run by UC Berkeley students.

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Thursday, June 30, 2011 – Monday, July 4, 2011

The Daily Californian

OPINION & News

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CONNECT THE DOTS

Higher Education

Shopping socialization

State Senate committee passes accountability bill

G

By True Shields | Staff tshields@dailycal.org

et on the fucking sidewalk,” I heard as I made a wide right turn past a house party near Willard Park. Though I failed to follow the bro’s solid advice, he cheered me on as he yelled, “Fixies for life!” twice as if I didn’t hear him the first time. I kept the silence of the night’s breeze since the chain on my bike already made enough noise. While my bike’s skinny frame deceived the bro, I was too sober to come up with an equally belligerent reply. In my head I yelled back to him in my deep-man voice with an encouraging “Yeeeeah” accompanied by a fist-pump. But when I started to inflate my diaphragm to drag out my deep reply, it was too late, as I made another wide turn before I even exhaled. Alone under the evening’s pink overcast sky, I reached my destination without the delays of human interaction. After spending the day catching up with an old friend in San Francisco and touching base with the homies, I was through reciprocating thoughts. The past week’s routine of calculated chatter incorporated with the standard web of information overload had come to an end, and now I could just be. But instead of being alone with my thoughts, all I did was turn on autopilot. My iPod and bass-boosting headphones isolated my dopamine receptors from making any conscious effort to stave off the loneliness of being alone. Isolation complements independence, though we revel in the glory of the latter as “hermits” and “loners” are ostracized and pitied. Independence is rewarded to 18-year-olds who can financially or mentally afford it, and it is a default way of life to those who have come to know no better. While the bro spat out thoughtless mockery to fill the void of silence between him and me, I filled my own void with the distraction of digitalized music. However drunkenly unconscious the bro may have been of his debasing speech, he was making an effort to engage me in some kind of dialogue. itting in a cafe, with the company of my laptop and a pot of tea, caffeinated individuals like me rarely engage in dialogue with strangers, as we are already too engaged to consume what’s in front of us. The selfmotivated loneliness of the long-distance runner is unlike the distracted loneliness of the modern consumer. Telegraph Avenue is a mecca of culture and consumerism. Adorned by shops Berkeley can call its own, street vendors, nomads, punks, tourists and students parade along Telegraph with a collective consciousness that promotes the vivacity of this legendary street. Opening it up to 24-hour businesses would

S

Pilar Huerta phuerta@dailycal.org tarnish that very essence. t the risk of sounding like a puritanical traditionalist, the recent proposal to turn Telegraph into a 24-hour commercial zone will only encourage the isolation that consumerism fosters. Cafe Mediterraneum is already open until (as they like to say) the “witch’s hour,” but — with its new permit — might stay open until 3 a.m. if enough consumers demand it. Businesses selling alcohol will still be unable to extend their hours past 2 a.m., so barflies can pull all-nighters, or at least have options to crash into, if Telegraph businesses resort to the status of 24-hour convenience stores and supermarkets. These stores are mere alternatives for individuals with ungodly working hours who have no other time to shop. The likes of Wal-Mart and FoodMaxx in suburban wonderlands deprived of thriving small independent businesses and efficient public spaces dominate the social scene of isolated consumers who can’t think of anything else to do. Though making Telegraph into a 24-hour commercial zone could help the local economy grow as well as provide social spaces, we should leave the sin of mindless consumption to the consciousness of the day, the constant intoxication of redlight districts and the bold irreverence of the city. 24-hour fitness centers benefit the busybodies who need that release to cleanse their minds (and their bowels). But running alone on a treadmill under artificial lights at 3 a.m. pales in comparison to running down Telegraph watching the sun rise. Instead of developing proposals to encourage 24-hour commercial zones that could benefit the economy and consumers, we should focus on developing public space. While the likes of parks and churches bring the community together without the need for purchasing power, we lack the motivation and fiscal support to make these spaces as ordinary as shopping malls. There were a few solitary souls at the park that night, but I didn’t bother to reach out to them. Maybe if there were more people around, I would have.

A

A bill that requires California to establish a system for reporting how its higher education institutions are meeting educational and economic goals passed through the state Senate Education Committee last week. Assembly Bill 2 — introduced by state Assemblymember Anthony Portantino, D-La Canada Flintridge — was passed by the committee on June 22 by an 8 to 1 margin. The bill requires the state to establish an “accountability framework” that provides a biennial assessment of the collective progress of the University of California, California State University and California Community Colleges systems. “We owe it to our students to have valid data that gives them confidence in our world class colleges and universities,” Portantino said in a statement. The bill primarily aims to consolidate existing accountability systems into a cohesive framework, according to Wendy Gordon, a spokesperson for Portantino. “The new system is a ‘report card’ that creates uniform comparison,” she

said. “All the universities (currently) do their own accountability studies, but this bill would build a common language so that it’s not like comparing apples and oranges.” A June 17 letter written to the bill’s principal co-author — state Senator Alan Lowenthal, D-Long Beach — from the UC Office of the President offered the UC’s support for the bill if certain amendments were made. Among the issues raised in the letter were concerns that the bill’s framework is too complex and does not allow higher education officials sufficient interaction with legislators, according to Nadia Leal-Carrillo, the office’s legislative director. “What we’ve been trying to engage the author and the other (higher education) segments in is a discussion about who the key players are that should be involved and how we can do that with the existing processes already in state law,” she said. Another one of the UC’s concerns is the potential elimination of the California Postsecondary Education Commission, the primary data collection agency in the bill’s new framework. Leal-Carrillo said that if the commission were eliminated — as was

proposed in Gov. Jerry Brown’s May budget revision — and the bill maintained its current wording, additional responsibilities would put undue financial strain on higher education institutions already slated for cuts. Despite the university’s concerns, documents provided by Portantino’s office claim that costs to the university segments, the commission and the Legislative Analyst’s Office — which serves an advisory role as part of the bill — would be absorbable. Previous iterations of similar bills submitted in 2004 and 2008 by other state lawmakers were vetoed by former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger because of a perceived lack of “tangible gains in student outcomes and operational efficiencies,” according to one of Schwarzenegger’s veto messages. Portantino previously submitted a nearly identical bill that passed through the state Senate Education Committee in July 2009 before the bill was held under submission in the state Senate Appropriations Committee. Next week, Lowenthal and Portantino will meet with the three higher education segments to discuss final details of the bill.

Grievance: Student, UCPD disagree over officer’s testimony from front Frampton, a UC Berkeley School of Law student and member of the Campus Rights Project, showed that various aspects in the police reports written by Zuniga and another officer at the protest were identical, alleging that Zuniga copied his police report from his partner and challenging the credibility of the testimony. However, at the hearing, Zuniga maintained that he had written his own report. “For the past two months, we’ve tried tirelessly to start a dialogue with Student Conduct and the Vice Chancellor (Harry Le Grande) about why they would use such patently false testimony ... E-mail after e-mail was met with silence,” Frampton said in an email. “We’re filing this (complaint) now because we want to hold them ac-

countable.” According to UCPD spokesperson Lt. Alex Yao, “UCPD reviewed the allegation and found no wrong-doing regarding Officer Zuniga’s report.” In addition, the grievance states that the time spent dealing with student conduct prevented Desai from studying and preparing final papers for some of his classes, resulting in his grades suffering. The grievance states that in order to remedy the harm done to Desai, he is seeking monetary compensation for time spent addressing the conduct proceedings based on the rate he was earning as a graduate student instructor at the time of his hearing. Christina Gonzales, the associate dean of students, was not able to address the grievance specifically due to

the private nature of student conduct proceedings. However, speaking generally, she said that campus administrators and the Center for Student Conduct and Community Standards have been working to address issues brought up in grievances. “I’m not really sure what people want at this point,” Gonzales said. “We’ve had the task force to revise the Code of Student Conduct, we’ve started making changes at the Center (for Conduct and Community Standards). Today I just finished with the staff going through another training. Throughout the conduct proceedings, we’ve listened. We’ve heard what the students were saying, and we’re trying to be as proactive as possible to make changes.” Aaida Samad is an assistant news editor.

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CWdabSPh 9d]T " ! Thursday, June 30, 2011 ¸ <^]SPh 9d[h # ! – Monday, July 4, 2011

council: Distribution of $36,000 to be revisited in the future

ALBUM REVIEWS

From front YMCA Learning Academy and about $86,778 one-time-only general funds. The Youth Engagement, Advocacy and Housing program also decided to forgo about $45,000 in funding from the city, allowing the council to allocate that money to other programs. About $9,000 of that was given to the Cinco de Mayo and Stonewall festivals, which now leaves the council with about $36,000 left to distribute. This will be revisited at the council’s July 19 meeting, according to City Manager Phil Kamlarz. However, about $105,000 of the $2.7 million Kamlarz proposed for city paving projects was sought to be directed to city social service programs. “The question is, when we’re laying people off, when we’re slashing social programs for so many communities, why is it written that we have to increase paving by this many hundreds of thousands of dollars?� said Councilmember Kriss Worthington at the

meeting. “We can increase paving — we just can’t increase it that much.� Originally, about $150,000 was proposed to move from the paving budget, but that amount was reduced when the funding previously allocated to YEAH was taken into account. In order to see this proposal followed, Worthington proposed taking the entire amount from his district, though both motions failed to gain enough support. Councilmember Max Anderson, who proposed allocating $264,078 to city programs — $114,078 from extra city funds and $150,000 from the paving budget and YEAH — was critical of others on the council for using the budget as some kind of “blood sport.� Given the council’s inability to decide where to allocate all of the funds, Maio suggested the council pass the main portion of the budget and revisit the remaining funds later — a motion the council followed. “We’re not at our best here tonight,� Maio said.

Also on the line at the meeting was funding for city pools. Willard Pool closed last July, and the Warm Water Pool will be torn down in December. The approved recommendations from Bates and Maio request more information about possibilities for revenue enhancement as a result of expanded pool use and comparisons of cost projections with other neighboring areas, which will come back to council in a report no later than Sept. 30. But Worthington and Councilmember Darryl Moore recommended the preparation of a report regarding the therapeutic benefits of warm pools and recommendations for a new warm pool as well as pre-bond planning for all four of the city’s pools. Anderson’s recommendations included $40,000 in one-time expenditures for pools. “The budget is a reflection of our priorities — what we believe as a city,� Anderson said. J.D. Morris is an assistant news editor.

research & ideas

Campus to join federal technology partnership By Jonathan Tam | Staff jtam@dailycal.org UC Berkeley will be one of six initial universities across the country included in the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, a national initiative launched by President Barack Obama with the goal of creating more manufacturing jobs. Obama’s plan will invest over $500 million in the development of different types of technology — such as informational, biological and nano technologies — by leveraging previous funds and budget proposals to jump-start the program. This investment could generate competitive technologies in the global industrial market. The campus, along with a few other engineering powerhouses — the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, Carnegie Mellon University, the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Michigan — are all players in a complementary step to the AMP. This collaboration establishes a commitment to form a multi-collaborative framework to share educational materials and research practices for advanced manufacturing. All six institutions met June 28 via teleconference to begin talks in choosing a lead representative from each institution to speak on a committee regarding the collaboration of educational initiatives, said David Dornfeld, UC Berkeley’s temporary spokesperson for the initiative. According to Dornfeld, chair of the department of mechanical engineering at UC Berkeley, AMP will ultimately be an initiative that contributes to a faster conversion between the development of ideas, which is usually explored at a university level, and production of new technologies, which are usually funded by industries. In the partnership’s announcement at Carnegie Mellon University, Obama said that previous technological innovations, such as mobile phones and Global Positioning Systems, came from these kinds of partnerships. “Companies usually do not invest in initial ideas because it will not pay

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David Dornfeld, above, is UC Berkeley’s temporary spokesperson for an initiative which seeks to create manufacturing jobs through development of new technology. off right away,� Obama said in his speech. Obama said in the speech that AMP is an initiative in which the government can step in and make strategic decisions to bring people together to make critical investments in hopes of improving the relationship between companies and university research. According to the plan, the federal government is taking steps to ensure the success of AMP, such as a collaborative investment across many federal agencies to leverage existing and future budgets for an initial $300 million investment in the innovative technology industry. Some of the industries that will be included are Caterpillar, Ford, Intel Corporation and Johnson & Johnson. Though funding for UC Berkeley

has yet to be discussed, having the federal government place emphasis on a strategic direction toward university and industrial business is very important, Dornfeld said. “No matter how it turns out, any attention is good for us,� Dornfeld said. Henry Brady, dean of UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy, said that initiatives like AMP are becoming increasingly important in revitalizing the economy and creating jobs. “I think it’s a tough road out there when most believe that cutting budgets are more important than investing,� Brady said. “It is critical to fund all kinds of research, especially those done by public institutions such as UC Berkeley, where many technological innovations are brought to industry.�

permaul: Some surprised by promptness of departure From front “I can say that all of these goals to various degrees have been achieved, and most importantly, the future of the ASUC as the principle student organization on the Berkeley campus is assured for decades to come,� he said in the email. Though his renadesan tirement may have permaul come earlier than expected, ASUC President Vishalli Loomba and Graduate Assembly President-elect Bahar Navab each

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said they had previously heard of the possibility of Permaul’s eventual retirement. “It is unexpected to all of us,� Loomba said. “But I don’t think it’s surprising — I have been told there have been talks within the ASUC of Nad’s retirement for a couple of years now.� Though surprised by the promptness of Permaul’s departure, Navab said she believed Permaul did what he thinks is in the best interest of students. However, Navab said the expedited date of Permaul’s retirement is not the timeline that was communicated to student leaders.

“Our understanding is this sped up timeline is related to restructuring,� she said. In regard to the structure of the auxiliary, Navab said students still have concerns about the process, including a perceived conflict of interest that may arise due to the role of the student affairs office in matters of student discipline and student conduct. “I’ve heard from my constituents that this realignment is not necessarily the best thing for students and not necessarily the best thing for the ASUC,� Loomba said. J.D. Morris is an assistant news editor..

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Thursday, June 30, 2011 – Monday, July 4, 2011

The Daily Californian

books

Unsatisfied with the comics world, Steve Englehart discusses his move to novels By Ian Birnam | Staff ibirnam@dailycal.org

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riting a gripping story isn’t something that can be easily done. This difficulty was the weekly grind for comic book writer Steve Englehart during the ’70s and ’80s for Marvel and DC. As the acclaimed writer of series like Batman, Englehart penned stories that brought the popular characters to new frontiers as he pushed comic boundaries by putting the heroes in adult situations. Although he’s left the superhero world, Englehart has created his own with his new series of political thriller novels. The recent release of his latest Max August chronicle, “The Plain Man,” marks the third installment of the series as the immortal attempts to gain his bearings as Earth constantly evolves. In a phone interview, Englehart discussed his novels, comics and the reason he left the industry. Taking over a story is a complex task. There’s always the decision of either continuing what the previous writer did or dramatically altering it by creating a new saga. Englehart opted for the former when taking over popular series such as Batman: “When I would take over a series, I liked to honor what had been there before, but I usually had my own take on it.” Keeping the characters in a similar frame allowed Englehart to let the characters retain their integrity. “I’m not in favor of bumping everything that’s come before, which I know DC is about to do,” said Englehart. Englehart’s work with DC brought the company from paper to silver screen. As the first writer to give a superhero a sexual love interest, Englehart created a bold storyline that became the inspiration for the 1989 Batman film. Tensions grew, however, as Englehart said DC refused to let him include or reference Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter in his Justice League origin story. With the industry more engrossed in what could be put on lunchboxes than the quality of the material in the books themselves, Englehart began to question his continued involvement. Although he was credited for the first Batman movie, the reboot was unfortunately what severed his connections with comics. “I did a Batman series which (DC) decided not to publish, which I thought was very odd,” said Englehart. “But then when I saw ‘Batman Begins,’ there were chunks of my comic book series story in that movie, and they hadn’t told or paid me. So that’s when I told myself I was done with this business.” It’s a shame to see a talented writer leave with these bitter memories. However, the departure allowed Englehart to focus on his novels. Over the years, Englehart has continued his passion with his August series. Seeing most

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Englehart’s latest, ‘The Plain Main,’ was released Jun. 21. political thrillers using cliched villain concepts, Englehart decided the genre needed a modern renovation: “As I look at the world in 2011, I see a society where all your emails are being read and all your phone calls are being listened to. I didn’t see political thrillers that were grappling with these 21st-century century threats, and I thought I could do something more up-to-date.” Englehart stated that he hopes to continue writing the August series until “the novel’s rhythms stopped flowing in his head.” Whether through novels or other future endeavours, Englehart hopes to remain hooking in true believers in with his punchy writing. “I always felt like (writing for different media) is like playing baseball in a different ballpark,” said Englehart. “The dimensions of the outfield are different and the wind’s blowing a different way, so you have to adjust. You’re still playing baseball though, and it’s kind of like that with writing.”

arts & entertainment

5

Krauss: The lead vocalist entertained the crowd with her enthralling persona From Page 6 was unfairly gorgeous. She spoke with a hint of that sing-songy Southern twang — the kind that’s charming and adorable, not dimwitted. Every three to four songs, Krauss would interject with her own commentary. She delighted the audience with her Dolly Parton-esque anecdotes — the best of which featured friend and songwriter Robert Lee Castleman, who apparently lost his dentures while in his yard, only to get a new pair with a gold tooth. Occasionally, Krauss would annotate the previous song’s narrative with endearingly sarcastic comments. After playing “The Boy Who Couldn’t Hoe Corn,” Krauss paused to advise the crowd, “If you ever have one of those private moments, late at night, and wonder if you should hoe that corn, it’s best to hoe that corn, or somebody might give you the devil.” Krauss was unquestionably the star, but the band still works best as a cohesive unit. When Krauss departed the stage for Douglas’ 10minute dobro solo, the audience yearned

for her return. A man near me even appeared to take a brief nap in her absence. However, when Krauss indulges in too many melancholy vocal reveries, songs begin to run together, and you miss Dan Tyminski’s biting tenor. Their playful hoedowns, complete with a banjo, a dobro, a violin, an acoustic guitar, drums, a keyboard and occasionally a mandolin, are truly the crowd-pleasers. In mere moments, they can spur the entire audience into synchronized foot tappin’, head bobbin’, hand clappin’ and body swayin’. As Alison Krauss and Union Station celebrate their 21st anniversary, they appear to be closer than ever. They aren’t just friends; they have the comfortable ease of a family. And that family dynamic is exactly what made Saturday night’s show special. Every seat might not have been filled, but the people in the audience tended to be deeply devoted fans. They knew every song and every lyric, and to them, Alison Krauss and Union Station were already good friends.

concert

The Postelles exude playfulness and raw charm at Rickshaw Stop By Jessica Pena | Staff jpena@dailycal.org

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t’s not difficult to imagine the cheerful smiles of the Postelles adorning the walls of a 14-yearold girl. Not in the way that Justin Bieber or the Jonas Brothers festoon a tween’s binder. But they are the type of band whose lighthearted rock

and happy-go-lucky image recall a more innocent time of do-it-yourself garage rock and boyish charm. They exude a sweet nostalgia, and last Thursday, the Postelles brought their brand of earnest, upbeat pop-rock to San Francisco’s Rickshaw Stop, where youthful exuberance seemed to be the theme of the night. Enthusiastic teens, complete with

Postelles: PAGE 4

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Concerts

Bluegrass and folksy melodies come alive with Alison Krauss and the Union Station at the Greek mance. And when she went to belt it, unbridled enthusiasm. Long considered the Queen of there’s no doubt that even those seated Bluegrass, Krauss showed no signs of up in the grass could hear her perfectly ending her ?7>=4) reign. Her angelic voice50G) is.*)&1-2&+1), sans microphone. .*)&.-1&1,)) 4<08;)e^`Zel9]Zber\Ze'hk` Ihlm rhnk :eZf^]Z <hngmr E^`Zel pbma nl' arguably the best in music today — only At one point, dobro player Jerry on’t let anyone tell you that Douglas remarked, “Alison sings us to bluegrass is dead. Alison Krauss maybe matched by Neko Case on her very best day. There’s a purity to her sleep every night on tour.� He clearly and Union Station’s stellar voice that one rarely hears. She doesn’t meant it as a joke, but the truth of the performance last Saturday night at the need vibrato to hide minor flaws or crematter is that getting sung to sleep by Greek Theater is proof that bluegrass is ate a false sense of drama. Krauss can Krauss would be akin to winning the still alive and well. The audience might effortlessly invoke vulnerability or joy lottery. have been smaller — the 8500-capacity with only two pitch-perfect notes. She Even her ordinary speaking voice Greek Theater was only half-filled — is able to convert technical perfection into an intensely emotional perforbut the fans made up for their size with krauss: PAGE 5

By Tamar McCollom | Staff tmccollom@dailycal.org

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Queen of the bluegrass scene, Alison Krauss soothed fans with her angelic vocals.

E>@:E GHMB<>L Ihlm rhnk :eZf^]Z <hngmr E^`Zel pbma nl' ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME No. RG11578171 In the Matter of the Application of Norma Leticia Caldera for Change of Name. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner Norma Leticia Caldera filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Norma Leticia Caldera to Norma Letizia Palermo. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. NOTICE OF HEARING: 7/22/11, at 11:00 AM in Dept. #31, at US Post Office, 201 13th Street, 2nd Floor, Oakland, CA 94612. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed, in this county: The Daily Californian in Berkeley, California. Dated: May 31, 2011 Jon R. Rolefson Judge of the Superior Court Publish: 6/16, 6/23, 6/30, 7/7/11 NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE TS No. 08-0081218 Title Order No. 08-8-301656 APN No. 066-2795-005 YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST, DATED 05/11/2005. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. Notice is hereby given that RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A., as duly appointed trustee pursuant to the Deed of Trust executed by PETER LEAHY, AN UNMARRIED MAN, dated 05/11/2005 and recorded 05/25/05, as Instrument No. 2005215120, in Book , Page ), of Official Records in the office of the County Recorder of Alameda County, State of California, will sell on 07/07/2011 at 12:00PM, At the Fallon Street entrance to the County Courthouse, 1225 Fallon Street, Oakland, Alameda, CA at public auction, to the highest bidder for cash or check as described below, payable in full at time of sale, all right, title, and interest conveyed to and now held by it under said Deed of Trust, in the property situated in said County and State and as more fully described in the above referenced Deed of Trust. The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 612 ADAMS STREET, ALBANY, CA, 947061108. The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. The total amount of the unpaid balance with interest thereon of the obligation secured by the property to be sold plus reasonable estimated costs, expenses and

advances at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale is $564,448.68. It is possible that at the time of sale the opening bid may be less than the total indebtedness due. In addition to cash, the Trustee will accept cashier’s checks drawn on a state or national bank, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings association, or savings bank specified in Section 5102 of the Financial Code and authorized to do business in this state. Said sale will be made, in an “AS ISâ€? condition, but without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regarding title, possession or encumbrances, to satisfy the indebtedness secured by said Deed of Trust, advances thereunder, with interest as provided, and the unpaid principal of the Note secured by said Deed of Trust with interest thereon as provided in said Note, plus fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust. If required by the provisions of section 2923.5 of the California Civil Code, the declaration from the mortgagee, beneficiary or authorized agent is attached to the Notice of Trustee’s Sale duly recorded with the appropriate County Recorder’s Office. DATED: 11/05/2008 RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A. 1800 Tapo Canyon Rd., SV2-202 SIMI VALLEY, CA 93063 Phone/ Sale Information: (800) 281 8219 By: Trustee’s Sale Officer RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A. is a debt collector attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained will be used for that purpose. FEI # 1006.98333 6/16, 6/23, 6/30/2011 NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE File No. 7037.71615 Title Order No. 4649299 MIN No. APN 053-1662-012 YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST, DATED 07/02/07. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. A public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash, cashier’s check drawn on a state or national bank, check drawn by state or federal credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, or savings association, or savings bank specified in §5102 to the Financial code and authorized to do business in this state, will be held by duly appointed trustee. The sale will be made, but without covenant or warranty, expressed or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances, to satisfy the obligation secured by said Deed of Trust. The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the property address or other common designation, if any, shown herein. Trustor(s): Homer Stephens and Doris Stephens, husband and wife Recorded: 07/11/07, as Instrument No. 2007254933 of Official Records of ALAMEDA

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County, California. Date of Sale: 07/14/11 at 9:00 AM Place of Sale: Hilton Newark/Fremont, Grand Ballroom, 39900 Balentine Drive, Newark, CA The purported property address is: 1109 RUSSELL ST, BERKELEY, CA 94702 Assessors Parcel No. 053-1662-012 The total amount of the unpaid balance of the obligation secured by the property to be sold and reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale is $485,257.98. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid, plus interest. The purchaser shall have no further recourse against the beneficiary, the Trustor or the trustee. Date: June 17, 2011 NORTHWEST TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC., as Trustee Melissa Myers, Authorized Signatory 1241 E. Dyer Road, Suite 250, Santa Ana, CA 92705 Sale Info website: www. USA-Foreclosure.com or www. Auction.com Automated Sales Line: 714-277-4845 or 800-280-2832 Reinstatement and Pay-Off Requests: (866) 387-NWTS THIS OFFICE IS ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE F E I # 1 0 0 2 . 1 9 6 1 6 6 6/23/2011,06/30/2011,07/07/2011 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 452274 The name of the business: Spirit Guide Software, street address 2743 Park Blvd, Oakland, CA 94606, mailing address P.O. Box 20161, Oakland, CA 94620 is hereby registered by the following owners: William Haynie Rowan, 2743 Park Blvd, Oakland, CA 94606 and Charlene Mary Quan, 2743 Park Blvd, Oakland, CA 94606 This business is conducted by a husband and wife. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Alameda County on May 31,2011. Spirit Guide Software Publish: 6/23, 6/30, 7/7, 7/14/11 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: ROBERT A. DUVAL CASE NO. RP11581332 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of Robert A. Duval A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Douglass H. Duval in the Superior Court of California, County of ALAMEDA. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Douglass A. Duval be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. THE PETITION requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. THE PETITION requests authority to

administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: July 27, 2011 at 9:30 AM in Dept. 201 located at 2120 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704. IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within four months from the date of first issuance of letters as provided in Probate Code section 9100. The time for filing claims will not expire before four months from the hearing date noticed above. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code Section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for Petitioner Paula Leibovitz Goodwin 93 Morage Way, Suite 101 Orinda, CA 94563 Publish: 6/27/11, 6/30/11, 7/5/11 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 453225-29 The names of the business: (1) Sav Marketing Solutions LLC, (2) JC Graphics & Printing, (3) UPBC Enterprises, (4) ADA Printing, (5) ADA Printing & Trading, street address 2590 Durant Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704, mailing address 931 Corriente Pointe Drive, Redwood City, CA 94065 is hereby registered by the following owners: Sav Marketing Solutions LLC, 2590 Durant Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704. This business is conducted by a Limited liability partnership. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Alameda County on June 23, 2011. Sav Marketing Solutions LLC JC Graphics & Printing UPBC Enterprises ADA Printing ADA Printing & Trading Publish: 6/30, 7/7, 7/14, 7/21/11

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF BULK SALE (UCC Sec. 6105) Escrow No.: 1111441AL NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a bulk sale is about to be made. The name(s), business address(es) of the Seller(s) are: Paramfit Singh and Kamal Jit, 11771 Bethlen Drive, Dublin, CA 94568 Doing Business as: Subway Sandwiches #26628 All other business name(s) and address(es) used by the seller(s) within three years, as stated by the seller(s), is/are: NONE. The name(s) and address of the Buyer(s) is/are: Yevgeny Voloshin, 690 25th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94121 The assets being sold are generally described as: Fixtures, Equipment, Inventory and all business assets and are located at: 2618 Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94704 The bulk sale is intended to be consummated at the office of: Bay Area Escrow Services and the anticipated sale date is July 27, 2011 The bulk sale IS subject to California Uniform Commercial Code(s) sections set forth above. The name and address of the person with whom claims may be filed is: Bay Area Escrow Services, 2817 Crow Canyon Road, Suite 102, San Ramon, CA 94583 and the last date for filing claims by any creditor shall be July 26, 2011 on which the notice is the Business day before the sale date specified above. Dated: 6/22/11 Buyer(s): /S/ Yevgeny Voloshin 6/30/11 CNS-2127606# DAILY CALIFORNIAN NOTICE OF APPLICATION TO SELL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES To Whom It May Concern: The Name(s) of the Applicant(s) is/ are: Slow Restaurant Group Inc The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to sell alcoholic beverages at: 1966 University Ave Berkeley, CA 94704-1024 Type of license(s) applied for: 41 – On-Sale Beer and Wine – Eating Place Date of Filing Application: May 4, 2011 Publish: 6/30, 7/7, 7/14/11 NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE TS No. 11-0025344 Title Order No. 11-0020141 APN No. 066-2810-026 YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST, DATED 04/17/2007. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. Notice is hereby given

that RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A., as duly appointed trustee pursuant to the Deed of Trust executed by JAMAL D. RAAD, AN UNMARRIED MAN, dated 04/17/2007 and recorded 04/26/07, as Instrument No. 2007164432, in Book , Page ), of Official Records in the office of the County Recorder of Alameda County, State of California, will sell on 07/21/2011 at 12:00PM, At the Fallon Street entrance to the County Courthouse, 1225 Fallon Street, Oakland, Alameda, CA at public auction, to the highest bidder for cash or check as described below, payable in full at time of sale, all right, title, and interest conveyed to and now held by it under said Deed of Trust, in the property situated in said County and State and as more fully described in the above referenced Deed of Trust. The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 717 STANNAGE AVENUE, ALBANY, CA, 94706. The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. The total amount of the unpaid balance with interest thereon of the obligation secured by the property to be sold plus reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale is $629,905.27. It is possible that at the time of sale the opening bid may be less than the total indebtedness due. In addition to cash, the Trustee will accept cashier’s checks drawn on a state or national bank, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings association, or savings bank specified in Section 5102 of the Financial Code and authorized to do business in this state. Said sale will be made, in an “AS IS� condition, but without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regarding title, possession or encumbrances, to satisfy the indebtedness secured by said Deed of Trust, advances thereunder, with interest as provided, and the unpaid principal of the Note secured by said Deed of Trust with interest thereon as provided in said Note, plus fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust. If required by the provisions of section 2923.5 of the California Civil Code, the declaration from the mortgagee, beneficiary or authorized agent is attached to the Notice of Trustee’s Sale duly recorded with the appropriate County Recorder’s Office. DATED: 06/25/2011 RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A. 1800 Tapo Canyon Rd., CA6-914-01-94 SIMI VALLEY, CA 93063 Phone/Sale Information: (800) 281 8219 By: Trustee’s Sale Officer RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A. is a debt collector attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained will be used for that purpose. FEI # 1006.138667 6/30, 7/07, 7/14/2011

The Daily Californian puzzles

Thursday, June 30, 2011 – Monday, July 4, 2011

7

Keep Berkeley Unique: Shop Locally. Supporting locally-owned, independently operated businesses keeps our city unique, creates more jobs, and makes our economy stronger. Look for this icon the next time you’re shopping for something special. Mankl]Zr% FZr ,% +))0 Find a local business near you at buylocalberkeley.com

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A&E

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Everything humans know of our planet we were told had been shared. You lied to us.”

Thursday, June 30, 2011 – Monday, July 4, 2011

film

M

ovies like “Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon” bolster the sequel stereotype: they only get worse and worse. Michael Bay is milking these Hasbro toys until the teat runs dry, as the latest installment in the Transformers series is the weakest and most forgettable of the robo-mayhem franchise. The plot is basically the same story rehashed with fresh ‘bots: Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) is once again a whiny kid who’s down on his luck, until a new threat comes — once again — from outer space (although tying it in with JFK and the moon landing was a nice historical touch) which only he and the Autobots can defeat. Yippee Skippie. Oh, and the hot girlfriend is still prominent, only this time it’s blond bombshell Carly (Victoria’s Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley). If you’re worried the underwear diva gets hurt — don’t worry, she and her white shirt remain spotless throughout the explosions, fights and falling buildings. With scenes such as an untarnished model running through a ruined city, Bay’s cheesy cinematography is really what kills this movie. Yes, it’s his style to have constant sex appeal and testosterone-fueled explosions and battle scenes, but it worked a lot better in the first “Transformers” than it ever does here. Almost every slow-motion scene is done in the most laughable way possible, and even the gun-totting action doesn’t feel as gripping as before. With the exception of Shockwave’s city-crushing worm and the battles in an obliterated Chicago, most of the action scenes pale in comparison to previous ones in the franchise. Although their scenes aren’t always spectacular, the Transformers themselves are exquisitely colored and detailed. There’s no denying that a Bay movie is going to have high-

quality special effects. The paint jobs, weapons and gears are all gleaming, and the battle scars the Transformers obtain are just as well done. The visual and audio effects are also spectacles in themselves. Tumbling buildings, shattering glass and the sound made during the car-to-robot conversion are always appealing sights and sounds to behold. However, fancy CGI and high-class sound effects cant carry a movie. Then again, it’s kind of expected with the Transformers movies, as the acting has never been anything to brag about. LaBeouf does his tired, unconvincing kid-turned-hero shtick, and Huntington-Whiteley poses (complete with 3D ass-closeups) and looks pretty like a typical girl in a Bay film. Newcomer Patrick Dempsey is tolerable as wealthy car collector/racer Dylan Gould but should go back to his drama-filled medical dayjob. At least the Ken Jeong and John Malkovich cameos manage to be entertaining for the 15 minutes of screentime they get. Sadly, 15 minutes of good ol’ fashioned chuckles is a mere sliver of the 157-minute marathon. At a little over two and a half hours, there weren’t nearly enough fight scenes or explosions to rectify the movie’s snail pacing. As a fellow movie-goer eloquently said, “They should’ve Harry Potter’d that shit!” Well said, sir. In all seriousness, the pacing was so slow during the second third of the movie that it would’ve been preferable to just end it and make a two-parter. Hopefully then Bay and Co. would have put more effort into both parts, at least making the movies slightly more entertaining. The Transformers movies have never been about being high-quality pieces of cinema. The big explosions, cars, fighting robots and hot chicks formula works in its own way if you watch the movie with certain expectations. However, “Dark of the Moon” fails to even satisfy this genre, as the robots in disguise fail to even meet the audience’s eyes, or expectations.

jaime chong/staff

By Ian Birnam | Staff ibirnam@dailycal.org

—Optimus Prime, “Transfomers: Dark Side of the Moon”

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