Quotes, bon mots, and noteworthy utterances from the campus and beyond
04 March 2009
"It's like trying to coat the desert with high-quality diamonds."
Professor of Chemistry Paul Alivisatos, analogizing the difficulty of creating large arrays of silicon-based solar cells as an energy-efficiency measure. Alivisatos, interim director of LBNL, spoke at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
UC Berkeley NewsCenter, Feb. 20
"You're not, I hope, suggesting we turn over ownership of all energy resources to the federal government."
Severin Borenstein, director of the UC Energy Institute, responding to a suggestion made at last week's UC Berkeley Energy Symposium by John Hofmeister, former president of Shell Oil, that the government establish a Federal Energy Resources Board to govern energy supplies.
The American Spectator (online), March 3.
"I like to cook sweet potatoes over low heat — they come out to a lovely mash."
Professor of Political Science Goodwin Liu, on the culinary advantages of using a slow cooker at home.
Los Angeles Times, Feb. 25
"It's a little like when a movie has a huge buildup and you expect too much."
Professor of Political Science Bruce Cain, on the lackluster performance by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, a "rising star" picked by the GOP to respond to President Obama's speech to Congress last week.
Los Angeles Times, Feb. 26
"You just got to take a leap of faith in some ways."
Women's basketball coach Joanne Boyle, responding to a question about her decision to take the job at Cal — "a school coming off 12 straight losing seasons," in the interviewer's words.
Wall Street Journal, Feb. 26
"CDs degrade and hard disks crack."
Berkeley student Chris Kyauk, on the superiority of paper as an archival medium. Kyauk is taking a course, The Hand-Printed Book in its Historical Context, that covers the history of printing while giving students a chance to use the Bancroft Library's vintage equipment to set type and print books themselves.
San Francisco Chronicle, Feb. 24.