Privatization of Public Assets

From elementary school to community college to Cal, I have always prided myself on being a product of public education. I have always been a strong supporter of public education and do not see the need to pay the big bucks for success. I realize that, as a Californian, the bar for public education is much higher than other states and I'm fortunate in that aspect.

With that said, off I go to University of Pennsylvania, which is not only a private university, but also an Ivy League. I was always hesitant towards the Ivy League because (in my mind) it represented the incompetent, silver-spoon-fed heads of political (i.e. George W. Bush) and corporate (i.e. Rick Wagoner) America. My summer at Columbia shattered this illusion, but replaced it with the reality that Ivy League schools are run by incredibly disorganized administrations with elastic budgets and ill-defined goals. Public universities are more streamlined, more resourceful, and more efficient simply because they have to compete with private universities on a fraction of the budget.

Don't get me wrong, it's a great school and the opportunity is amazing, but part of me feels like I'm cheating on my values- paying for the brand name education in hopes of easing myself into a job based solely on prestige of my school.

What prompted this post? This past week, I officially became a Quaker. PennKey in hand, housing assigned, and classes picked, my excitement is quickly rising to join UPenn's Bioengineering community and Philadelphia in general, so I'm not exactly sure why I'm writing this negative post. Maybe it's to ease my guilt of leaving Cal. I may be a Quaker for a few years, but I'm Bear for life!

Kayak to Japan anyone?

In honor of this awesome xkcd, the roommates and I asked Google Maps for directions from Berkeley to Catalina Island. Looking at the steps 13 and 27 below, it's good to know Google has a sense of humor.

Of Professors and Bums

I noticed the weirdest and saddest parallel the other day: how similar and often indistinguishable Berkeley professors (specifically engineering professors) are to Berkeley bums. Don't believe me? Read ahead.

• Both have frazzled, unkempt hair
• Both wear clothing that looks like it was once respectable, clean and/or fashionable
  
• Both are seen frequenting north side eateries such as Stuffed Inn and La Val's, voraciously scarfing down food, usually alone
• Both can be seen walking around with piles of papers and mumbling incomprehensible phrases in angry bursts

:-)