Katrina's Lesson for
Bay Area: Get Prepared

Before Sept. 11, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said the three most likely disasters facing America are a New York City terrorist attack, a major San Francisco earthquake, and New Orleans hurricane. As predicted, the terrorist attack happened and Hurricane Katrina recently devastated southern regions. How will Bay Area residents handle a major rumbler when it hits? As Katrina demonstrated, being prepared can greatly increase chances of survival. In conjunction with National Preparedness Month, the Lab's Environment, Health, and Safety Division has identified two online resources where employees can get more information. Go here for tips on surviving the first 72 hours after a disaster, and here to view the Lab's emergency guide.

Year-End LETS Sweeps:
Important Deadlines

According to Lab policy, employees and supervisors are responsible for the "accurate and timely reporting of time worked and time off." This is essential for monitoring actual performance against budgetary goals, ensuring labor costs are properly reported, and guaranteeing that employees are paid correctly and leave accumulations are accurate. Because of the fiscal close, the dates for reporting time have been adjusted. Go here to view the "sweep" dates for LETS (the Lab's time- reporting system).

New 'Constitution Day' Celebrated Tomorrow

As mandated by a new federal law, September 17 has been designated national "Constitution Day." As part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2005, the law requires that all schools receiving federal funds observe the day by providing information for students on the U.S. Constitution. To comply, the University of California has developed a website on the topic, and the campus scheduled a series of lectures. The last in that series, "The Path of Constitutional Law: Continuity, Crossroads, or Crisis," will be delivered by a panel of law experts on Tuesday from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Boalt Hall.

Burying CO₂ to Stem
Global Warming
By Eliza Strickland

In a book-lined office at Berkeley Lab, earth scientist Sally Benson of Berkeley Lab describes her upcoming experiment, as wound up as a kid at a science fair. A sensible woman in a cardigan and spectacles, she is about to embark on a pilot project that could be the model for a sweeping new system to combat global warming. It's no wonder she thumps on the table as she illustrates a point. "We're very excited," she says for the sixth time. Benson is designated as lead author of a report, already two years in the making, that will represent the international consensus on an emerging technology awkwardly named carbon sequestration, or carbon capture and storage. Full story.

Shuttle Buses to Return
To 10-Minute Intervals

The Berkeley Lab Hearst Street and on-site bus routes will change trip intervals from every 12 minutes to every 10 minutes starting Monday. To increase safety, riders can only board the bus when curbside turn signals are flashing. When the street-side signals are flashing, the door will close and not reopen until the next scheduled stop.

Nominations Open
For Business Award

The University of California has opened a call for nominations for participants in the semi-annual UC Business Officer Institute. It will be held Nov. 28 to Dec. 1 in San Francisco. Candidates for the program should have broad responsibility for budget, finance, internal controls, human resources, information technology or sponsored projects. Nominations should be sent to Sherri Harding (MS 939R0200) by Oct. 14. More details about the program can be found here.