Today at Berkeley Lab: November 15, 2005

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Today

7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
EH&S
Red Cross Blood Drive
Cafeteria Parking Lot

10 a.m.
EHS 26
EH&S for Managers, Supervisors & PI's
Bldg. 70A-3377

1 p.m.
Benefits Office
Open Enrollment Presentation
Bldg. 937-R302

1 p.m.
EHS 345
Chemical Hygiene for Facilities
Bldg. 70A-3377

4 p.m.
Life Sciences
ATM: The Art of Maintaining Genomic Integrity
Yossi Shiloh, Tel Aviv U.
Bldg. 66 Auditorium

4 p.m.
Synthetic Biology Department
Natural Product Biosynthesis, Engineering, and Drug Discovery
Ben Shen, U. of Wisconsin
Sibley Auditorium (Bechtel Hall, campus)

Tomorrow

7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
EHS
Red Cross Blood Drive
Cafeteria Parking Lot

9:30 a.m.
EHS 604
Hazardous Waste Generator
Bldg. 70A-3377

10 a.m.
EHS 123
Adult CPR
Bldg. 48-109

10:30 a.m.
ALS
Status of SSRF and Its Beamlines
Hongjie Xu and Zhentang Zhao, Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF)
Bldg. 6-2202

11 a.m.
EHS 622
Radioactive/Mixed Waste Generator
Bldg. 70A-3377

11 a.m.
Nuclear Science
Lattice QCD and Nuclear Physics
Martin Savage, U. of Washington
Bldg. 50 Auditorium

Noon
EHS
Amateur Emergency Radio Group
Bldg. 48-109

Noon
Yoga Club
Class with Naomi Hartwig
Bldg. 937-302

1 p.m.
EHS 116
First Aid Safety
Bldg. 48-109

3 p.m.
ALS
Are Metallic Ruthenates Really Simple?
Felix Baumberger, Stanford U.
Bldg. 6-2202

Morning Editions: Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuits
Tomorrow's Breakfast:
Cheese Omelette with Hash Browns and Toast
Market Carvery: Chicken Picatta with Rice and Vegetables
The Fresh Grille: Hot Deli Sub with Onion Rings
Menutainment: Fiesta Taco Salad

B'fast:	6:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Lunch:	11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Full menu

Chu, Levine, Governor
Talk Energy in China
By Robert Collier





Levine

During his trip to China this week, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will speak at a conference organized by the Energy Foundation of San Francisco. Working with scientists from Berkeley Lab's China Energy Group, led by Mark Levine, director of the Environmental Energy Technologies Division, the foundation has helped Chinese officials and utility executives adopt energy-saving techniques in power generation, industrial methods and household appliances. Lab Director Steve Chu is also speaking at this conference. Full story.

Reps From New Tool
Supplier at Lab Today

The Procurement Department is sponsoring a visit today by representatives from S and S Supplies and Solution, the new supplier of tools, hardware and safety supplies for the Lab. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Perseverance Hall (Bldg. 54-130). Attendees can learn more about the equipment S and S carries, the benefits of using this new contractor, and how to order supplies directly from them. For more information, contact Diana Hopper (x4593).

New Website Devoted
To Compensation Issues

The University of California President's Office has created a website devoted to salary and compensation issues. It includes information on the Regents' discussion this week of compensation issues and a response to recent stories in the San Francisco Chronicle on the salaries of certain UC employees. Go here to view the site.





Mathies

New Technology Eyes
Chemistry of Vision
By Carl T. Hall

It took Berkeley Lab physical bioscientist Richard Mathies and colleagues seven years to build the equipment they needed to conduct his latest experiment. The experiment was over and done in a picosecond. That's just a millionth of a millionth of a second. The data-collecting, using a super-sensitive laser device, promises to have a lasting impact, revealing for the first time the initiating events of vision. Full story.

HCRA, DepCare Sign
Up Through Nov. 30

As Open Enrollment reaches its halfway mark, the Lab's Benefits Office would like to remind employees that they can sign up for the Health Care Reimbursement (HCRA) and Dependent Care Reimbursement (DepCare) programs between now and Nov. 30. The HCRA and DepCare accounts allow you to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses on a pretax, salary deduction basis. For a list of reimbursable expenses, go here. For more information, call SHPS (the university's provider for these programs) at 866-643-2219, or the Benefits Office (x6403).

SHARES Campaign
Down to the Wire

As of yesterday, 66 Berkeley Lab employees have contributed a total of $21,221 to the 2005 Berkeley Lab SHARES charitable giving campaign, which runs through Friday. Last year, 152 donors contributed a total of $50,121. The highest total was $95,529 donated by 264 employees in 1999. The campaign supports the Lab's commitment to reach out to surrounding communities and help organizations that depend largely on donations. Go here to see a list of donating options and to learn more about the SHARES program. To make online contributions, go here. Send questions to the SHARES answer line.

Energy & Water Bill Heads For Approval by President

The U.S. Senate last night approved the FY2006 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill by a vote of 84 to 4. The Senate action follows House passage of the same legislation last week. Now the bill is destined for the White House and the President's signature. The $30.5 billion legislation includes $24.3 billion for the Department of Energy, including $3.633 billion for the Office of Science, an increase of $33 million over last year and $170 million over the President's budget request. Bevatron deconstruction monies and funds to complete the Molecular Foundry construction are among the bill's provisions for Berkeley Lab. Overall, DOE civilian research is flat over FY2005. For analysis, go here.

WEATHER

Scattered clouds.
High: 65 ° (18° C)

Red Flag Warning

SECURITY CONDITION

SECON level 3

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