Bar Column

Why People Act a Fool in Bars

Have you ever sat down next to a know-it-all at the bar. Don't worry, you're not alone.

One of alcohol's super powers, among many, is its ability to elevate a drunk person's level of certainty. Over the years bars have become the prime venue for debating every idea, concept and theory ever conceived. Alcohol not only enforces certainty, but it enables people to become more of who they already are.   Stupid becomes super-stupid, angry becomes raging, flirty becomes lecherous, etc, etc. The only exception to this becoming-more-of -who-we-are rule is intelligence. For obvious reasons, the intelligence component says, "Screw this," and leaves super-stupid in charge. Not only do drunk people love to share their certainties and opinions, there is nothing they enjoy more than re-educating the people around them to ensure that those …

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Berkeley-born Brian Farnham Steps Down as Patch Editor-in-Chief

Born in Berkeley, Brian Farnham talks about what Patch means to him as he gets ready to leave the company.

A couple weeks ago when I was training in New York I was going around town talking to folks about their impressions, memories or connections to Berkeley. I talked to Brian Farnham, Patch editor-in-chief, who was born in Berkeley. Since Farnham announced yesterday he’s leaving Patch, I thought I'd run this short video where he discusses what he thoughts about Patch. We’ll be sad to see him go.

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Tanya Jo Miller

7:25 pm on Thursday, April 12, 2012

Blogger-in-chief, I like it.   more ›

Bar Column

Don't Look Now, But Your Server Hates You

The top 10 mistakes that will tempt a server to defile your food

Many people may not know this about me, but I'm on a committee to pass a bill that requires people to work in a restaurant before they are allowed to eat in one. OK, not really. I just made that up. To be on a committee requires a dedication reserved for beavers and team moms. I'd rather sit in the stands and root the players on (Go, Occupy, Go!). Or read the news and do what I do best, which is to throw my hands up in disgust and complain to my cat. Nevertheless, since you brought it up … The serving industry can literally drive you mad. Curl-into-a-fetal-position-and-suck-your-thumb mad. Forget the postal workers. Servers are 17 times more likely to carve your eyes out with a salad fork than a mailman. I can only compare it to Chinese …

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TheRealBarman

11:28 pm on Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Touche, John. Can't say I would disagree with any of that. You're right, it does go both ways. The truth is, we servers and bartenders look out for each other, like cops protecting their own, so when I express the pet peeves of servers, it's because they get sick of being treated poorly and disrespected. As a result, many of them treat others the way they are being treated, but I am not …   more ›

Voters Want Infrastructure Repair, but Not Enough to Pay for It

Survey shows Berkeley residents feel the economy is stable, but balk at bond measures.

Whoever said talk is cheap may have been tipped off by pollsters. Nearly 80 percent of Berkeley residents feel the economy is stable or improving, 57 percent are doing well or excellently, and 58 percent think the city’s leaders are doing an excellent or good job, according to a 17-minute telephone survey of 430 likely voters conducted between March 14 and 17. But the survey by Lake Research Partners showed that while voters may be feeling optimistic about the economy, they are not feeling flush enough to finance the improvements they consider important – at least, not yet. For instance, most voiced support for parcel taxes that would pay for housing and homeless services. And more than the necessary two-thirds majority considers upgrades …

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Zaika Spices Up University Avenue

The Indian restaurant-come-sports-bar knows how to make a red-hot curry and is about to get its full liquor license. Have you braved the top of the spicy scale?

Traditionally, Indian restaurants in the East Bay get nervous when their customers ask for a "spicy" dish. At Khana Peena, for example, the waiter will take pains to clarify whether you want it "spicy" or "Indian spicy" — and recommend that you avoid the latter unless you are a curry-eating professional. But when the "spicy" food arrives, it's barely a tickle. Zaika, on the other hand, packs a punch.  The restaurant on University Avenue opened around six months ago and meshes culinary chic with sports bar cool. The place hasn't been shy about wooing a student following, with "Cal" flags adorning the windows, or soliciting Yelp reviews and Facebook fans in return for discounts. Currently serving just wine and beer, Zaika is due to get a …

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Neon and Grunge? What's in Store for Spring 2012

Our intrepid high school reporter Shaun Leong checks out the latest fashion trends in women's clothing and tells you where to snag a stylish deal in Berkeley.

With spring around the corner and sunshine already gracing the Bay Area, it’s time to bag up those winter clothes and step out in a new style. The trends for spring 2012 are showing up in stores around Berkeley, and include: There are numerous stores in Berkeley to shop for the spring look. Recently, I walked up and down Telegraph Avenue and the surrounding area to find clothing and accessories that stay on trend and are still very affordable. Mars is located on Telegraph Avenue across the street from the popular ice cream sandwich shop C.R.E.A.M. At Mars, the vintage clothes are arranged by decade, which helps when shopping for trends from a certain era. The '90s rack contains everything from rompers to bright colored shirts and jackets…

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Emily Henry

3:13 pm on Wednesday, March 21, 2012

I am so excited to get my 1990s back on! I knew I was holding onto all that stuff for a reason....   more ›

Shut Up and Drive

UC Berkeley study finds you should stop putting on that makeup and get off the phone!

A UC Berkeley study has found that banning cellphone use while driving has decreased traffic deaths by 22 percent. Is anyone surprised?  During the four year study period, the number of deaths among drivers using hand-held cellphones dropped from 100 to 53, and the number of injuries fell from 7,720 to 3,862, the Associated Press reports. But it's distraction in general that's the problem, not just cellphone use. Anything from changing the radio station to shaving in the car has the potential to cause an accident. And text messaging is 23 times more risky than driving while not distracted, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. In an effort to curb distracted driving, the government website Distraction.gov provides statistics …

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Tanya Jo Miller

10:08 pm on Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Good, I'm so tired of waiting for a texter to go when the light turns green!   more ›

Former Cal Quarterback Breaks World Record For Flying Paper Plane (VIDEO too)

Joe Ayoob can throw a paper plane 226 feet.

Former Cal quarterback Joe Ayoob (he played in 2005-2006) will likely go into the Guinness Book of World Records for throwing a paper plane 226 feet, 10 inches or about the length of an airline hanger at McClellan Air Force Bace near Sacramento, which is where the throw took place.    Ayoob smashed the previous record by about 20 feet on Monday, says USA Today. The paper also reported that the feat took both skill and tons of practice. Ayoob told USA Today: A lot of people could throw this plane and get some pretty crazy distance out of it. But in order to achieve the distances we were trying to reach, it took a pretty precise throw, and it took a lot of strength. ...There's a lot of finesse involved, so it's kind of blending power, …

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Tanya Jo Miller

12:28 pm on Saturday, March 3, 2012

Yes, watch the video. People seem to be missing the video, so I may do another post one of these days embedding just the video. It's here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wedcZp07raE   more ›

Biking Berkeley -- Henry Hauser's Favorite Spots

Henry Hauser has a $200.00 Raleigh Cruiser that he's puts a lot of miles on. He lets you know where he likes to take it.

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Did Occupy Slow the Berkeley Police Response in Saturday's Murder in the Berkeley Hills?

Readers disagreed on whether to blame the "Occupiers" or the Berkeley Police Department for not getting an officer out sooner after a call informed them of a trespasser on a North Berkeley home.

An interesting thread broke out in the comments section of the article about Peter Cukor, 67, who was killed outside his home in North Berkeley. Police have arrested suspect Daniel Jordan Dewitt, 23, from Alameda. Most readers seemed to be focused on the fact that the Berkeley Police Department was only responding to "in-progress emergency calls" because they were monitoring the Occupy march from Berkeley into Oakland. It seems the march remained peaceful and no arrests were made. One reader said: The truth is the Berkeley Police wanted to investigate the 911 call, but the police dispatcher told the policeman to continue his assignment at the latest Occupy Protest.  This is insane. Another said: Police [were] told not to go to help Mr. …

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Brad S.

8:46 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

@John, I'd say that the landscape doesn't look as promising because we, as a society, work to maintain the status quo. In this case, we find that the public is only 10% satisfied with the job that congress is doing. 10%! And almost 90% disapprove of the job congress is doing. Yet, we'll each blame all the congress men and women EXCEPT our own. The result? Because everyone feels that it is all of …   more ›