a day at cal

On Friday I woke up in the morning, at 9 O'Clock, and immediately realized that, tired from the subterrainian, nocturnal adventures of a few nights before, I'd fallen asleep fully clothed. The long duration of sleep left me feeling rested and energetic, ready to face what was to be a day indicative of why Cal is a cool (or at the very least, interesting) place to be.

The day before, I'd spotted posters saying that today was Charter Day, and that the governor would be speaking. So, after a thorough discussion of CMOS NAND-gate switching delays based on first-order approximations in EECS40, I skipped out on a talk by the inventor of RAID (redundant array of inexpensive disks) in CS and instead meandered on down to Zellerbach Hall, the big concert hall. Lower Sproul Hall was a mess. I pushed my way through the Anti-Death-Penalty protestors, avoided the wierdos handing out pamphlets, and eventually made it to the line of the State's equivalent to the Secret Service, where I submitted to search. They didn't consider me, or my TI-85 and Computer Science book to be a threat, and so they let me shuffle into Zellerbach, where I grabbed a seat. Cops were spaced every few yards in the aisles.

With fanfare provided by the Cal Band, Chancellor I-get-paid-more-than-Bill-Clinton Berdhal graced us with his presense on stage, whereupon he delivered an unremarkable speech commemorating the 131st anniversary of the founding of the University of California by Governor Haight. A nobel-prize-winning professor of Scandanavian language read a poem, the words completely masked by his thick accent. Someone won a prestigious award. And then the Chancellor announced the next speaker: Governor Gray Davis. No sooner had "the honourable Gray Davis" stepped on stage, did the auditorium erupt into near-chaos, with a bunch of people yelling out death-penalty related accusations at the Governor, and all sorts of shouting and banners and associated disruptive tactics. Nonetheless, as scores of Berkeley cops dragged out rebellious students by their ears, the Governor began his speech. His rhaspy, cacophonic voice was enough to make one wish to seek refuge immediately in the dull safety of Berdhal's harmless monotone. Nonetheless, unlike the Chancellor, Gray Davis had something to say. He talked about his plans for California, and made some feeble, yet endearing attempts at humor. He mentioned that he was a Stanford alum, and thanked us for allowing to speak, whilst receiving the ritualistic hissing that accompanies any mention of the School Across The Bay. In the process of his specch, Mr. Davis made exactly three direct references to "God", which normally I would cite as three times too many, but in spirit I approve of his meaning.

When the Governor was done speaking, he Exited Stage Left, with a solitary wave indicative to a politician. We all rose to receive the Alma Mater, and then with fanfare from the Cal Band, it was time to leave.

Outside once again, I enjoyed the sunshine, and a live band, and a hot dog in lower Sproul. Then I enjoyed some cake to celebrate the one hundred thirty one years of Cal, muching on it as I walked through the encampment of disgruntled Ethnic Studies majors, currently on hunger-strike. In EECS43, Matt and I worked on our "TuteBot" robot class project, until 3. We then hustled on over to the Pauley Baulroom to hear another speaker: Linus Torvalds.

For whatever reason, the State of Finland, via the Finnish Consulate General of Los Angeles, funded the Finnish Studies Department to put on a conference called "Challenges of the Networked Society." The main speaker was Linus Torvalds, who overshadowed many other speakers, who, in any other Time, would not have been overshadowed by Mr. Torvalds. We arrived late, after 3, when the conference had been going for two hours already. Fortunately we were in time to hear the end of Linus's talk, where he explained his view that our present society, like all societies before it, is progressing towards a society of Entertainment. He cited the Roman Empire as an example, and then showed how War and Sex fit into this scheme of things. Yes, Linus Torvalds, on stage, talking about War and Sex, and Entertainment. Then someone mentioned that the Roman Empire fell, leading the almost a millenia of dark ages. Linus replied that he saw that as a definite possibility, alhtough "that would be a very sad thing if it were to happen." He then explained how he was an optimist.

Unlike at USENIX, Linus wasn't mauled afterwards by a throng of crazed worshippers. In fact, he almost got as far as the refreshment table before being attacked by question-askers and autograph-seekers. About the same time, as I was finishing off a tasty beverage and sandwich courtesy the State of Finland, and reading over some advertisements for Finland and why you should move your business there, I bumped into Chris, my roomate. He'd come in an attempt to catch Linus's talk, but was too late, as he had other things to attend to beforehand. In any case, for some reason or other, Chris and I hatched a plan to interview Linus for a punk zine edited by Jackson, our Roomate Number Five (he doesn't live here, but he receives mail here, and stores stuff here, and visits a lot). Unfortunately, before we could get to Linus, a wierdo in a plaid shirt carrying around a dead hummingbird in a plastic cup did. Now, let me tell you: I'd encountered this guy before, and, once he starts talking, you're in for a long haul. Linus's keen perception picked up on this, and began evasive maneuvers: "excuse me, I have to use the restroom." Well, plaid-shirt-hummingbird-guy followed! Eventually Linus finally did get rid of him, and we got to talk to Linus. Chris initiated, and flicked on the tape recorder: "Hello. We were wondering if we could ask you a few questions for a music magazine.. me and my friend here." Thus we began to interview Linus with whatever questions we could think of off the top of our heads. (transcript will be posted soon). We finished up, asked for a photo, and thanked Linus -- he even shook my hand at parting! He seems much more friendly when you're not asking about Linux. (-:

After the Linus interview, I walked up to Davis Hall, and worked on a CS61A project with my group until one in the morning. Then I went home. Outside my apartment, I noticed that music was coming from Ben's room. Inside the apartment, I noticed that Ben's furnature was now in the living room. In the hallway, I noticed a credit card point-of-sale terminal. Then I noticed what sounded like a DJ. Looking into Ben's room, it all became clear: a room full of drunken frat boys, and a hired stripper. Apparently, seeking to lessen the pain of Hell Week (next week), the Pledge Class, of which Ben is president, decided to "entertain" their "pledge trainer" -- hoping this would lead to less severe Hazing next week. In the process, they used lots of whipped cream, tequila, limes, banannas... Then the pledge trainer decided he wanted other services performed, so the frat boys then congregated in the living room and quizzed the pimp/DJ about his job. "I prefer to consider myself an expert in operations and logistics. And the girl, she's an independent contractor when it comes to premium services." Eventually the 'entertainment' left, bound to 'entertain' Lucasfilm in Las Vegas the next day, and the frat boys left soonthereafter, leaving a big mess for Ben to clean up the next day. Fortunately they couldn't find any chocolate syrup when they wanted it.