Today at Berkeley Lab: August 2, 2006

Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2006

Today

1:30 p.m.
EHS 346
Chemical Mgmt System Web Application Training
Bldg. 90-0026

Tomorrow

7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
EHS
Iron Age Shoemobile
New Location: Bldg. 51 Parking Lot

8:30 a.m.
Berkeley Lab Institute
Learn iT - Word I
Bldg. 90-0026

Noon
Computing Sciences
Student Seminar: How to Give a Presentation
Bldg. 50B-4205

1 p.m.
Berkeley Lab Institute
Learn iT - Word II
Bldg. 90-0026

2 p.m.
EHS 20
ES&H for Supervisors
Bldg. 70A-3377

5:15 p.m.
Yoga Club
Class with Inna Belogolovsky
Bldg. 70-191

Morning Editions: Chili Cheese Omelette with Hashbrowns and English Muffin
Tomorrow's Breakfast: Avocado and Swiss Omelette with Fruit and Hash Browns
Market Carvery: Marinated Roast Beef with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
The Fresh Grille: Cuban Stacker with Fries and Coleslaw
Menutainment: Turkey Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

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

Regent Pension Strategy:
Redirect Deferred Savings

Agreeing on the necessity to reinstitute employee contributions to the University of California pension system, the UC Regents recently pledged that contributions will start small and gradually increase. In July 2007, when the contributions are scheduled to be reintroduced after 16 years, employees will pay only the amount they are currently deferring in their Defined Contribution Plan - about 2 percent of pay for those employees whose earnings fall under the Social Security Wage Base ($94,200 for 2006) and 4 percent on compensation above the wage base. Those employees not coordinated with Social Security will be paying 3 percent into the plan. UC will also be making contributions to the pension plan in an amount that will be at least equal to what employees are making. Go here to read the latest update on UC Retirement Plan projected changes, and here for more information on the issue.

Heat Melting Your
Budget? A Few Tips
By Diane Wedner

If solar power is too hot for your wallet, your new-appliance budget is busted and you've already stripped to your skivvies to stay cool, you may be wondering just what you can do to save energy during this summer's meteorological meltdown. Homeowners can save about 10 percent or more on power bills simply by turning the thermostat setting up four degrees, from 78 to 82, for example, says Evan Mills, with Berkeley Lab's Environmental Energy Technologies Division. Full story.

Re-Engineering Prairie
Grass as Fuel Source
By Ian Hoffman

Inside a locked greenhouse, prairie grasses rise as tall as a man, some literally propelled out of their gallon buckets on a snarl of roots. It's switchgrass, if not exactly the wild, deep carpet of the American Great Plains that farmers plowed under to make way for the corn and wheat belts. What's growing in the USDA greenhouse in Albany, CA is federal scientists' first stab at genetically re-engineering a grass as an energy crop. And laboratories such as the Joint Genome Institute are decoding the DNA of plant-devouring fungi from the forest and jungle to find enzymes better able to break biomass down. Full story.

Summer Lecture Today: Discovery of Elements





Hoffman

Darleane Hoffman, a nuclear chemist, will chronicle the discovery of the heaviest elements during the last installment of the Summer Lecture series today at noon in the Building 50 Auditorium. Hoffman was a member of the Berkeley Lab team that in 1993 confirmed the discovery of element 106, which was named seaborgium for Nobel laureate Glenn Seaborg, a long-time colleague of Hoffman's. Go here for more information on Hoffman's career.

Howard Matis in Line
For APS Section Chair





Matis

Berkeley Lab nuclear scientist Howard Matis was recently elected vice-chair of the Executive Committee of the American Physical Society's California Section. Matis will ascend in subsequent years to chair-elect and then chair of the section, which represents scientists in California and Nevada. He will succeed current committee chair Michael Barnett, a Berkeley Lab physicist. Go here for the full membership roster.

Take Founders Day
Transportation Survey

With the Saturday, Aug. 26, Founders Day celebration just three and a half weeks away, event organizers want to ensure adequate parking and shuttle bus service that day. To assist with this effort, employees planning to attend are asked to take a brief, five-question survey (password is "founders"). Ten parking spots for the handicapped will be available in the cafeteria lot, with some additional nearby parking in lot Z. To RSVP for the event, go here. For more information, contact Lyn Hunter.

Runaround T-Shirt
Design Contest Begins

The Employee Activities Association is now accepting submissions for this year's Runaround t-shirt design contest. To commemorate the Lab's 75th Anniversary, all designs must include the anniversary logo. The deadline for submissions is Monday, Sept. 4. E-mail entries as a JPEG or PDF file to Veronica Nero. The winner will be announced in Today at Berkeley Lab by Sept. 13.

WEATHER

Clear.
High: 70° (21° C)

Extended Forecast

SECURITY CONDITION

SECON level 3

More Information

INFO