UC Berkeley faculty are attracting national attention for advising Barack Obama as he prepares to enter the White House amidst economic turmoil. Meanwhile, their equally difficult task of reasoning with the outrageously stubborn TV personality Stephen Colbert has disappeared into the chasms of the internet.

Goldman School of Public Policy professor Robert Reich and Haas School of Business professor Laura Tyson—both on Obama’s Transition Economic Advisory Board—have exchanged witty remarks with the comically conservative anchor in separate appearances this year on “The Colbert Report.”

Reich appeared in March, when Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were still in a tight race for the Democratic nomination, and Colbert prodded Reich to reveal his preference. Reich, as former Secretary of Labor for Bill Clinton, refused to endorse either candidate.

Tyson spoke economics with Colbert in September, explaining why a Democratic president would be better for the nation, even for someone, like Colbert, who is in the top 2 percent of earners.

Reich’s conversation ended in a discussion of favorite Easter-basket treats, while Colbert’s parting words for Tyson were “Good luck sucking at my teat.”

And just for viewing pleasure, Michael Pollan, professor at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, talks food politics with Colbert in 2006 here.

The Escape from Berkeley relay ended Monday in Las Vegas, with team Prisoners of Petroleum coming in first, winning $5,000.

The Prisoners of Petroleum, Jack McCornack and Sharon Wescott, built a sports car that runs on vegetable oil. The vehicle, called MAX, was also named the “Sexiest Vehicle on the Road.

In second place was the Green Team from Alabama, whose gasifier-powered pick-up truck haås been driving cross-country since late September. They also received the award for “Most Difficult Engineering Problem Attempted” and “Least Greenhouse Gasses Produced.” The team is considering competing in next year’s relay.

Relay coordinator Jessica Hobbes said, “I think the race really was ultimately successful.”

The Neverwas Haul Crew, who built Kristie’s Flyer, a steam-powered carriage, was recognized for most energy conversion steps. Mike Theielvoldt’s vehicle, which runs on wood chips, was called the worst affront to sensible automotive aesthetics.

Other racers said Team Homeschool Heros, whose driver was only 16, had the “Worst Idea Actually Made to Work” and received the “Exceptional Community Building” award for their approach to gathering fuel.

On the second day of the race, teams had to reroute because a pass was closed. The Green Team didn’t make it to the final checkpoint until 11 p.m. that day, partly due to the rerouting and also because of difficulties with their trailer and gasifier.

Technical problems caused many teams to turn back during the rally. Only the two winning vehicles stayed in the race until the end, though Homeschool Heros and the Neverwas Haul Crew still drove to Las Vegas on Monday.

During the awards ceremony held at the NASCAR Cafe, it was announced that the final destination of next year’s relay will be Baja California.

Along with coverage from both student and professional newspapers across the country, UC Berkeley’s tree-sit story has crossed international waters, appearing in publications such as Britain’s The Guardian.  The story has also been featured in several global sources including The Economist, United Press International, The Associated Press and the International Herald Tribune, among others.  With such a broad audience, this moment in Berkeley history will likely receive an equally wide-ranging array of opinions.

In a move to further isolate the four remaining tree sitters in the grove near Memorial Stadium, this morning arborists contracted by the campus began removing certain branches that they say the the sitters used to travel from tree to tree.

Dan Mogulof, the campus’ executive director of public affairs, said the campus has no plans to extract any tree sitters at this time. Supporters of the tree-sit said the arborists, who are being lowered into the trees from cranes, did remove some of the gear and platforms the tree sitters use.

When the campus attempted to remove some tree sitters earlier in the summer, a number were able to evade capture by moving to other trees in the grove. By removing the branches, Mogulof said the campus hopes to isolate the four tree sitters, who are all currently in a single redwood, and prevent them from leaving that tree if the campus makes another attempt to remove them.

“(We will) continue to make things difficult, but not dangerous, for the tree sitters,” Mogulof said.

However, UC Berkeley senior Marcella Sadlowski, a supporter of the tree-sit, said she felt the lives of the tree sitters were in danger.

“Someone will be hurt because of UCPD’s arrogance,” she said. “The bigger picture here is that people’s lives are on the line.”

A few hours after two protesters ascended a tree in the oak grove near Memorial Stadium on Wednesday with food supplies in tow, campus officials and ground supporters of the tree-sitters reached an agreement regarding food and safety issues at the grove.

Under the agreement, one ground supporter will be allowed to send up one bag of food to the sitters each day, after it is inspected by UCPD officers.

It’s been more than a month since the campus sent in arborists to take down the sitters’ supplies.

Since then, the campus has provided the sitters daily with water and energy bars. Ground supporters have attempted to resupply the sitters by a variety of means, oftentimes clashing with UCPD officers.

The agreement, which was reached by unofficial protest leader Ayr, UCPD Police Chief Victoria Harrison and Assistant Chief Mitch Celaya, would help eliminate potentially unsafe conditions at the grove that arise when ground supporters attempt to resupply the sitters, according to Dan Mogulof, UC Berkeley executive director of public affairs.

Campus officials also agreed to give at least 72 hours of prior notice if they plan to end the agreement or remove the tree-sitters from the grove.

The agreement was made on the condition that the tree-sitters send down their human waste on a daily basis, including the waste they have stored, to avoid having it used as ammunition.

Additionally, protesters have agreed to cut down lines that span the grove.

Five ground supporters of the tree-sitters in the oak grove near UC Berkeley’s Memorial Stadium were arrested July 20 after planting a tree in front of Chancellor Robert Birgeneau’s residence.

The protesters, part of a larger group of about 30 people, marched from the grove at approximately 3:30 p.m. Sunday to the chancellor’s residence on the northwest side of campus. Six of the protesters dug a hole in the chancellor’s front yard before five of them were arrested by UCPD for vandalizing the yard, said UCPD Assistant Chief Mitch Celaya.

The sixth person involved in the planting has not yet been apprehended by police, Celaya said.

According to unofficial tree-sit protest leader Zachary RunningWolf, the acorn sapling was meant to be an olive branch for the chancellor.

“We went down … and planted a tree on his lawn, basically giving him a gift of kindness and an offering from the grove,” RunningWolf said. “If I was a public servant … I would welcome that, and say thank you for giving us a new life, especially during global warming.”

The five individuals who were arrested were charged with trespassing with attempt to injure, vandalism and conspiracy, Celaya said. One was additionally charged with battery for hitting a UCPD officer in the head with a wooden pole, and another was additionally charged with resisting arrest, he said.

Apparently, Zachary RunningWolf, “Ayr” and the rest of the tree-sitting gang are more than just tree-loving hippies… err, impassioned environmentalists. They’re muses. Recording artist Depaver Jan has released a seemingly-polished, punk-rock anthem dedicated to the tree-sitters and their extensive battle with campus officials. “Protesting UCB” can be found here.

Who says that the noblest volunteers are under-appreciated? After slinging feces at police to protect inanimate living things, they’re about to be immortalized in what could be a future hit single … assuming the tree-sitters represent a large portion of the listening audience. After listening to lines like, “Don’t forget the poor in People’s Park. They can’t drink or sleep or smoke the pot,” who wouldn’t quickly go to the bathroom, save some brown and join the cause?

Here are the lyrics to the song:

“I’m a gonna save the old oak trees
With my friends protesting UCB
Sitting in more trees is what we need
If we want some atmosphere to breathe

Wake up you kids, put down your books
Bosses of society are violent crooks

I’m not done yet

After our protesting we drink beer
It’s a must we must be of good cheer
Don’t forget the poor in People’s Park
They can’t sleep or drink or smoke their pot

Come on you cops, give us a kiss
There is more to life than getting orders and kicks

Protect the Free Box!”

-Posted by Joseph “Chopsticks Not Trees” Bui

The tree-sitter who ascended into the oak grove near UC Berkeley’s Memorial Stadium just over a week ago decided to end his tree-top stay this afternoon at about 12:30 p.m., campus officials said.

Jeff Musgrave, 30, came down after a lengthy discussion with UCPD officers, according to Dan Mogulof, UC Berkeley’s executive director of public affairs.

Tree-sit supporters said Musgrave left the grove after learning of a death in his family.

“We support his wishes to come down,” said a tree-sit supporter known as “Citizyn.”

Musgrave is being charged with trespassing, violating the court order which prohibits the public from feeding or supplying the tree-sitters, vandalism and with possession of less than one ounce of marijuana, Mogulof said in a statement.

According to Mogulof, Musgrave has been taken to Berkeley city jail and is expected to be cited and released.

Click here for previous coverage on the tree-sit.

Two tree-sitters, Bradley “Squirtle” Costello and Matthew “Mizzo” Marks, were arrested by UCPD after coming down from their arboreal abodes.

Before coming down, Marks made a statement on video that was subsequently uploaded onto YouTube by one bcitizen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H4wMdvTZ-s

One point of contention has been Costello’s motive for leaving. One newspaper reported that Costello may have come down because he desired a cigarette. Shortly after 3:12 in the video, Costello seemed to say he needs a cigarette, though the video faintly captures Costello’s voice. He later said that cigarettes were not a motive.

After being released from jail, Costello said that he strongly doubted the remaining tree-sitters would voluntarily leave the oak grove unless the campus officially promised to not cut down the trees. He cited their tenacity: some of the sitters, he said, have been in the trees for over nine months.

-Posted by Matthew Peters