A different perspective on Cal

[woodford 3,751]

11 hours ago, AURex said:

I lived in SF during the 90s (much different from now) and as an academic, I spent a lot of time on the UC campus. I think this has not changed much over the years.

1. Yes, the outside of many buildings look bland. But if you actually go inside, you find that they are amazingly beautiful. For example, the Berkeley main library looks pretty plain from outside. Inside it is marble and classically beautiful. Add to that the tradition of the annual naked streak during exams -- yes, naked coeds running around naked in the building -- this is definitely NOT Auburn. Better? Worse?

2. Berkeley theater complex features performers and productions from around the world. I'm thrilled that Auburn now has a performing arts center. So far, it's just pablum from Nashville and a couple of generic road shows.

3. Berkeley campus town has wonderful shops. A real record store, meaning you can actually buy LPs. Real bookstores that have troves of historical texts, actual literature, as well as the current blather, not just text books and a few best sellers.

Restaurants -- Ethiopian, authentic Italian, Greek, Vietnamese, Korean, West Coast Pizza, etc. Auburn = zero.

Wine shops with wines from around the world at reasonable prices. Auburn = zero.

Pubs that have beers from around the world, many on tap.  Auburn = zero.

Liberal? Yep. Berkeley ain't right wing Trumpland.

As for sports, the Bay Area is dominated by Pro sports. But as for Berkeley, they turn out for Directors Cup sports -- gymnastics, volleyball, swimming, water polo, tennis, rowing, etc. And they are good at those sports. They are always in the Director's Cup contention. Auburn? Nope.

Different from Auburn? Yes, of course. Better/worse, well that is a matter of how homie you are. After graduating from Auburn, I lived in Houston, SF, NYC etc. There really is a whole world outside the deep south.

I've lived in Alabama, Kentucky, Texas, California, New York, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Colorado, Seattle ....... there are good people everywhere. There are positives everywhere. It is myopic to view the rest of the world through one lens.

And that is multiplied when encompassing the rest of the world -- Europe, Asia, South America. If all you got is "I'm a homer," you are not Auburn. Auburn is a national and world brand. Not just some homie caricature?

Apple = Auburn = international. Wikipedia = Auburn = International.

Going to Cal Berkeley, Auburn should have been presenting its worldwide/international achievements. Apple, Wikipedia, etc. Instead it was just "We got some guys who play football."

I got nothing against football. I love Auburn football. But on the national stage, I think we need to present Auburn as a world class academic institution. Not just some homies who play football.

JMO.

 

 

It's all perception and personal preference.

I'm big on the aesthetics so I would definitely appreciate that inside the libraries and other admin buildings. I love record stores and small bookstores. I am book worm. Ethnic restaurants? Could care less. Don't care about beer from around the world because American beer is superior IMO (former home brewer and beer snob).

We like gymnastics, tennis, and swimming at Auburn along with football, baseball, and basketball? Perhaps we're more "advanced."

As far as academics go, I think your post would carry a lot more weight if it were 1995. It's 2023 and academic institutions are overwhelmingly (including our beloved Auburn) nothing but indoctrination centers that push mainstream academic/corporate interests. Kids today don't go off to school to be curious and challenge themselves they go and get told what to think. It's sad but it's a credential for the most part not to mention it puts you in serious debt for decades. I get you worked in academia so I'm either preaching to the choir or touching a nerve.

And why are you lecturing us simpletons on the world outside the South? Some of us have traveled and respect other places/cultures but still find this culture superior. It's all personal preference, like I said. 

 

Oh, and the guy who runs Apple went to Auburn btw.

[TeamZero77 1,945]

4 hours ago, augolf1716 said:

Timothy Leary is dead..........................great great song by one of the best bands of all time.

 

 

 

"I asked Bobby Dylan, I asked the Beatles, I asked Timothy Leary but he couldn't help me either, they call me The Seeker."

Great song by The Who

[augolf1716 21,979]

Just now, TeamZero77 said:

Great song by The Who

Great concert band back in the day

[TeamZero77 1,945]

Just now, augolf1716 said:

Great concert band back in the day

I've got Live at Leeds and was spinning it just last week. Young Man Blues just rocks on that album.

[TexasTiger 14,364]

4 hours ago, stoic-one said:

I've lived all over the country and visited 30+ countries.

With exception of New Jersey, I have seen good and bad in all those places.

 

Just good in Jersey? 😉

[1716AU 797]

5 hours ago, Mikey said:

What you mention are uncommon incidents at Auburn. They are routine at Berkeley and similar places.

Actually, they are routine at Auburn, especially during athletic events. And there are other issues, just like any other town/city or school.

Sorry to burst your Utopian bubble there.

 

[TigerTale 357]

17 hours ago, AURex said:

1. Yes, the outside of many buildings look bland. But if you actually go inside, you find that they are amazingly beautiful. For example, the Berkeley main library looks pretty plain from outside. Inside it is marble and classically beautiful. Add to that the tradition of the annual naked streak during exams -- yes, naked coeds running around naked in the building -- this is definitely NOT Auburn. Better? Worse?

Naked Berkeley coeds?

Let's go with worse.

[Hank2020 3,381]

7 hours ago, stoic-one said:

I've lived all over the country and visited 30+ countries.

With exception of New Jersey, I have seen good and bad in all those places.

 

Just bad in Jersey? Lol

[AUbritt 611]

I live in Jersey, and there's both good and bad here.

Not everyone's seen both.

Just bought a house on a mountain here. Anyone from Fort Payne or thereabouts would feel quite at home in most of Jersey.

Oh, and awesome pizza, hoagies, and other foods here. The bread is generally amazing. And it's about 70 degrees here ....

There's good and bad everywhere we go. Here's hoping we experience -- and see -- more of the good.

[AURex 2,262]

5 hours ago, TigerTale said:

Naked Berkeley coeds?

Let's go with worse.

Have you seen California coeds? Great fun!

 

[AURex 2,262]

11 hours ago, woodford said:

And why are you lecturing us simpletons on the world outside the South? Some of us have traveled and respect other places/cultures but still find this culture superior. It's all personal preference, like I said. 

Oh, and the guy who runs Apple went to Auburn btw.

I was not intending to *lecture* anyone. I was simply trying to present an alternative perspective to the one posted by LPTiger, which was totally negative.

Yes, my comment about promoting Auburn academics was aimed at the (admittedly few) aspects of Auburn academics that actually stand out nationally and internationally. I mentioned Wikipedia, Apple, but there is also astronauts and fisheries and the raptor center/Vet school. And now that Auburn has not only a pharmacy school, but also a (kinda) medical school on campus, why not promote those?

I love Auburn. I support Auburn and donate to Auburn. I'm not *lecturing* anybody. I'm simply saying that there are good things about Berkeley and there are good things about Auburn that are never promoted.

 

[DAG 34,939]

It is all perspective. Different strokes for different folks. It is what it is. My lens of the south is much different than some others. There is a lot to consider starting with social economic status, cultural and ethnicity. All of this play a major factot in what we perceive is better than one area. I do appreciate you bringing in another coin of things. I am in Palo Alto right now for a training and ventured out to San Francisco (I really liked it) but Pros and Cons like every other place. I will say driving Tesla up here is like driving a civic at most other places, everyone has one (Generally speaking).

[Mikey 16,781]

8 hours ago, 1716AU said:

Actually, they are routine at Auburn, especially during athletic events. And there are other issues, just like any other town/city or school.

Sorry to burst your Utopian bubble there.

 

So, you think there is little difference between downtown Auburn and those homeless encampments in San Francisco? You need to get out more.

[augolf1716 21,979]

8 hours ago, DAG said:

Different strokes for different folks

Seems to be a song lyric I've heard..........Sly

[aubiefifty 18,302]

17 hours ago, 1716AU said:

Actually, they are routine at Auburn, especially during athletic events. And there are other issues, just like any other town/city or school.

Sorry to burst your Utopian bubble there.

 

in auburn tho if someone drops a duece in a classroom is it not more of a prank? i think dropping dueces outside the door of a five star restaurant is a lifestyle there. for the record i loved cal and all the hippies but when they chanted 2.0 they can kiss my grits..............

[aubiefifty 18,302]

11 minutes ago, augolf1716 said:

Seems to be a song lyric I've heard..........Sly

i wonder why sly never gets the love a lot of the other classics get? those guys were killer.

[1716AU 797]

24 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

in auburn tho if someone drops a duece in a classroom is it not more of a prank? i think dropping dueces outside the door of a five star restaurant is a lifestyle there. for the record i loved cal and all the hippies but when they chanted 2.0 they can kiss my grits..............

You're right Fifty!!  I forgot where I was!

Auburn is Jesus's people.  Special. Perfect

Everywhere else is just doing everything they can to get to the bowels of Hell a day early.

Sorry for forgetting my place.  Carry on!

[aubiefifty 18,302]

4 minutes ago, 1716AU said:

You're right Fifty!!  I forgot where I was!

Auburn is Jesus's people.  Special. Perfect

Everywhere else is just doing everything they can to get to the bowels of Hell a day early.

Sorry for forgetting my place.  Carry on!

sorry my auburn brother they called us stupid. they chanted it in the stadium. they can keep what they got and i will stick with Auburn. and i never said anything about being perfect so please quit putting words in my mouth. i have expressed an opinion and have not hurt one single person. not one.

[LPTiger 5,494]

10 hours ago, AURex said:

 I was simply trying to present an alternative perspective to the one posted by LPTiger, which was totally negative.

 

Not totally.  I said the campus had nice trees....😀.   All the poured concrete walls just didn't do it for me.   I was expecting something much more classical.   I think it was the chemistry building that looked just like any of the 100's of buildings in DC.   One building close to the DC looking building had green and black roofing tiles that were not laid in any type of pattern.   It was my fourth or fifth trip to San Fran and Napa Valley.   I've witnessed really beautiful architecture there and probably had too lofty expectations for the Cal campus... 

[augolf1716 21,979]

3 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

i wonder why sly never gets the love a lot of the other classics get? those guys were killer.

My understanding was Sly was not the easiest guy to get along with. I think drugs had a lot to do with it.

[aubiefifty 18,302]

Just now, augolf1716 said:

My understanding was Sly was not the easiest guy to get along with. I think drugs had a lot to do with it.

the last i heard of him is he was living in a van. wow.......all that money

[TigerHorn 1,441]

13 hours ago, AURex said:

I was not intending to *lecture* anyone. I was simply trying to present an alternative perspective to the one posted by LPTiger, which was totally negative.

Yes, my comment about promoting Auburn academics was aimed at the (admittedly few) aspects of Auburn academics that actually stand out nationally and internationally. I mentioned Wikipedia, Apple, but there is also astronauts and fisheries and the raptor center/Vet school. And now that Auburn has not only a pharmacy school, but also a (kinda) medical school on campus, why not promote those?

I love Auburn. I support Auburn and donate to Auburn. I'm not *lecturing* anybody. I'm simply saying that there are good things about Berkeley and there are good things about Auburn that are never promoted.

 

I've lived in a lot of places and have traveled extensively worldwide for business - where you really get to know people and customs, as opposed to tourism - and while I can argue with some of your original points, you are spot on that AU utterly fails at promoting its brand. AU has plenty to crow about in multiple fields, and has had for decades, yet for years our AU commercial featured the friggin' pavement research institute! No offense to the civil engineers, but that presents only slightly better than the "watching paint drying institute". We've moved on from that, but our commercials still are spotty at best. UAT runs rings around us in marketing and hype, with a reality that has far less to sell beyond football. 

Back circa 1990, I developed a close relationship to some senior executives at the largest aerospace company in the world, who I worked for. I gained access to their internal rankings of universities for engineering grad caliber, based upon decades of experience with their performance for the company. There were four tiers of schools they recruited. Tier 1 had about five schools in it, the usual suspects, including Cal Berkeley. Tier 2 had maybe two dozen schools, all of which you will know if you're in engineering. Cornell, Michigan, Rensselaer, GT, Texas, ATM, UCLA, etc.  AU was in Tier 2!

Tier three had a lot of schools considered decent, and they would take a few exceptional students from them. Tennessee was in Tier 3. Tier 4 schools were where they went for non-engineering positions, if they really had to. 

All that to say, AU has needed an attitude adjustment for a very long time in the way it presents itself. I hit one of the alumni development people with this point some years back, and she lamented that we seem to have an attitude of "We're jus poor li'l ol' Auburn, and we just can't say things like that." Even if, and especially if, it seems, UAT does say them. 

[TeamZero77 1,945]

18 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

in auburn tho if someone drops a duece in a classroom is it not more of a prank? i think dropping dueces outside the door of a five star restaurant is a lifestyle there. for the record i loved cal and all the hippies but when they chanted 2.0 they can kiss my grits..............

"Kiss my grits"

Did you watch the show Alice back in the day? Flo would always say that. Her real name is Polly Holiday and she is a native of Alabama. I LOVED that show when I was real little. Alice, The Carol Burnett Show, Three's Company, Sanford and Son. Loved those shows!!!

[TeamZero77 1,945]

15 hours ago, augolf1716 said:

My understanding was Sly was not the easiest guy to get along with. I think drugs had a lot to do with it.

I remember from the mid 80's until around 2010, most people thought he had died. Then a YouTube video pops up from a decade ago and it's a man recording Sly as they're talking on the side of a street. Sly was in a wheelchair and he was living in a full size Van parked in front of somebody's house by the curb. He had a long extension cord running from his van to the house he was parked in front of. He was homeless and looked like death. The van was just parked out on the street along a curb in an average looking neighborhood. He lost his career due to drugs. Like you said, he was a pain in the ass to his siblings in the band. Larry Graham played bass for him and confirmed how impossible it was to work with Sly. Sly claims the record execs and his manager stole his money from royalties. Knowing good and well that he went broke due to drugs. 

Their performance at Woodstock kicked major ass!!!!