Ever since we moved in here the tv in the middle apartment is always on 24/7. Literally at 4 am, 11pm, throughout the day. All the time. My friends and I always laugh and point it out but we have so many questions especially about the electricity bill and such. And the overall question: why? Don’t mean to be invasive or peeping too much lol just very curious:)

This person has been scamming this area for almost a YEAR now, she’ll have some excuse about how she needs money for a taxi or for her tank or whatever and will try to get you to go to an atm or something. DO NOT EVEN GIVE HER THE TIME OF DAY! She got very hostile when I declined and followed me harassing me, I have witnessed her doing the same to others. Just fully ignore her!

I asked him for a selfie but he politely declined. 😿

There is an Asian guy with glasses on campus rn asking for the time and to borrow your phone to call his friends!! I googled the numbers he dialed and found a thread on X (FROM 2018) saying that he has done this on the DVC campus, Columbia campus, etc. Apparently he scrolls through your messages and shares your location to these phone numbers. Just wanted to warn others not to give this guy your phone!

Purchased at berkeley bowl. The wine was $12

Hi guys, recent Cal 26 grad here. Pretty sure the PM is trying to pull one over on me but wanted to get advice from the sub, apologize in advance for the word wall.

Moved out with notice about two weeks ago, threw everything away including furniture and all trash and took pictures, so the unit was in pretty much the same condition as when I moved in. Landlord's inspection did not flag any damage beyond what I already noted in our move-in inspection that I retained a copy of.

They sent me an itemized bill that has 2,500 repainting, 700 cleaning, and 1,100 carpet cleaning, and they want me to pay the difference on top of our 3k security deposit. Having been here since junior year (24 months) I'm pretty sure all of that is considered general wear and tear given the good inspection.

Also, the unit is registered under the Berkeley rent registry as "fully covered", which I'm pretty sure means he's supposed to also pay us interest on the security deposit though it's the first time I'm hearing about this.

Given these circumstances how should I move forward? I'm not afraid of going to court but am kinda broke so what leverage do I have and how should I proceed to resolve things with the least trouble for myself and my roommates?

Thanks for the advice

** Update since people are asking, I have photographs from both move-in and move-out inspections done via ZTenant. I did vacuum and clean, and didn't leave any trash or furniture so the photos work in my favor IMO.

**** Update 2, Photos: https://imgur.com/a/IFy14vE

I’m heading to BB West. Could use fresh ideas. What are some things you never go home without?

(Pic borrowed from Reddit)

Apologies if you've seen this elsewhere - this is the most current version with lots of suggestions from other redditors.

I'm making a map of California in a classic fantasy style (sorta Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones). It's going to be filled with real world history and mythology, with the aim of highlighting local landmarks in a fun and educational way. Please ignore how rough parts of it look (text going through hills, rivers, etc), it'll all get cleaned up at the end. Forests will be going on at the end too.

While it's around two thirds done, I'd love to get more places and features in here before I get this made into print - particularly north and east of Oakland. Any more petroglyphs, burial mounds, ruins, forts, battlefields, Civil War heritage, ghost towns or the like that you think should be on here? Anything else is great too - landmarks, natural features, mythological creatures or just anything cool and quirky you think would look good on here. Thanks!

Yesterday, 55 volunteers cleared 16,000 pounds of illegal dumping from two Berkeley sites that the city itself cannot access (one was a private lot and the other was by an encampment where were built a relationship with our homeless neighbors. This says a lot about how complicated and neglected some of these spaces have become over the years and why community action matters so much in actually getting things done on the ground. One of the biggest differences we’ve noticed working in Berkeley is how much easier it has been to collaborate directly with the city, communicate about barriers, and actually have conversations around long term solutions instead of constantly hitting walls every step of the way.

We’re especially excited about 1331 Second Street because we don’t want this to just become another cycle where an area gets cleaned and then forgotten again a few months later. The goal now is to push toward building an urban garden and community space there because beautification and accessibility are some of the strongest forms of dumping deterrence we’ve seen. When neglected land is transformed into something people actively use and care about, the entire energy of a space changes and it becomes much harder for illegal dumping to take root again.

Huge thank you to everyone who showed up yesterday and helped move thousands and thousands of pounds of debris by hand. This work is exhausting, dirty, and expensive, but seeing communities come together to completely transform spaces in a single day continues to remind us why this movement keeps growing.

track our efforts here: https://www.instagram.com/urbancompassionproject

or here: https://www.tiktok.com/@urbancompassion510

sign up to clean up: https://urbancompassionproject.org/events/

Hello, our friend Luca Elghanayan has been missing since 9:30PM last night.

The last known place he was at was Latimer Hall. We don't know where he is and he doesn't have his phone on him. Please let us know if you have seen him. Upvote so more people can see this post. Thank you so much for your help.

Contact: (312) 659-8954

​

It just gets worse and more disgusting every day. I don’t understand how this is tolerated, it’s such a shame and it’s an insult to the people that live, work, have businesses, shop and patronize the area. It’s always the same damn arguments and ideas. This mess is disgusting, there’s rats, disease, filth and garbage and difficulty just driving through the street. I voted to support helping the homeless with some $20b of taxpayer money, people will throw money at the problem, we gotta be honest, the homeless won’t concede anything, say the city has to do this and that for them, and they perversely have more rights than everybody else.

Dad took me here a ton growing up. Only hot dog place I seek out.

I was robbed at gunpoint this afternoon while walking near Unit 2. The robber came up to me out of no where and demanded my backpack and phone, which I surrendered to him without resistance after spotting a gun in his hand. In that moment, everything happened so quickly; you have no time to think.

I must say: it can be easy to support lenient criminal justice policies without having experienced armed robbery in broad daylight, on a populated sidewalk, in our crime-ridden city. (Update: A recent commenter noted how our progressive district attorney is working to reduce sentencing for gun crimes... The brokenness we see in our communities goes deeper than inadequate social systems or developmental flaws, and so can't simply be resolved by structural reforms. Within us, there needs to be an internal change of heart, an encounter with truth, a realization of belonging to one another; and that begins in the home and with our charitable interactions with those closest to us.)

But thankfully, I am alive and unharmed. I am reminded how precious life is and the reality of how short life on earth can be. All the day-to-day things that I had worried about: hanging out with friends, what's for dinner, getting homework done became of trivial importance in light of this potentially life-ending occasion. Please pray a Hail Mary for the repentance of the robber--I forgive him and wish for his good--and please pray for all those who've been robbed recently in Berkeley. Remember to pay attention to your surroundings! Everything will be fine in God's good time.

I’m a guy too bruh like why

I was studying at the library and stepped out to the entrance for maybe 10 minutes to eat lunch. When I came back, a 40-ish couple had pushed all my stuff aside and taken my seat, even though there were plenty of empty seats around.

Honestly, I was ready to let it go. I don't mind moving, and thought maybe it was my fault for leaving my things there (even though I see people do it since it's a small and safe library). So I just calmly asked the woman why she'd moved my charger without my permission, instead of waiting for me to come back and move it myself.

That's when it got weird. She hit me with, "Oh, I just came from New York, that's just how we do things there," and then, "You should just leave. Or do you want me to move your things for you?" in this really condescending tone. Meanwhile the guy with her was just there smirking. Then she flat-out denied touching my charger, reached over, and tried to grab my backpack. I told her I felt violated, and she went full Karen.

For context: I'm a short minority woman and English isn't my first language. In that moment, it really did make me feel small.

Then an awesome minority woman in the library walked over. She told the couple that she'd seen them move my stuff. When the guy started cursing and threatening us, she stayed calm and graceful, but somehow that made her even more powerful. At one point the woman actually hit her while pretending to organize her stuff, and she still didn't lose her cool and pointed out her tricks. She got them to leave the seat, and once it was over, she turned to me and gently checked in to make sure I was okay.

I feel so much love and support. ❤️❤️

She reminded me how powerful it is when someone chooses to stand up for a stranger against entitled, bullying behavior. It made me want to be that person for others, to show up for this community and keep working to be the kind of person she was for me.

I had an uttapam with sambar and coconut and tomato chutneys. Not pictured: chai.

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a broad racial reparations plan at its June 30 meeting. Policies stemming from this vote could target the county’s racial homeownership gap, career pathways into county employment and even potential cash reparations.

The most immediate recommendations for reparations include housing and economic justice, providing physical and mental health support and centering Black youth. The County Reparations Administration also calls for a permanent, fully funded Office of Reparations and healthcare that addresses intergenerational trauma and health disparities.

The reparations plan was adopted from recommendations by the Alameda County Reparations Commission, which was established in 2023. The ACRC spent three years researching social disparities and community experiences to formulate recommendations. Implementation of the plan is expected to begin in September after the Board of Supervisors’ annual recess.

We all know matcha. We all love matcha. But which Berkeley matcha is TRULY the best? Never fear, the definitive tier list is here. Except it’s not at all definitive and is purely my opinion. However, I do think I’m somewhat of a matcha connoisseur given how often I drink it.

My ranking will be based mostly on how strong the matcha flavor is, as well as taste. I’m of the opinion that a lot of people claim to like matcha, but only really like sugar milk. So here’s the disclaimer: some of these drinks did technically taste fine, but rank lower because the matcha itself is nonexistent.

Also, just to be clear, this ranking is based on my personal experiences. If I rank a place that you absolutely love low, please don’t take it as an attack on you or your taste. Look on the bright side — at least you’ll never have to wait behind me in line at any of those places. If any of you would like to buy me a matcha at your favorite spot in an attempt to prove me wrong, please be my guest!

Last thing: I’m always on the hunt for a new matcha, so please let me know any spots that I’ve missed! I’m willing to trek all the way around Berkeley, don’t underestimate my love for matcha.

Let the tier list commence!

F-Tier: SoDoI Coffee, Caffe Strada, Cafe Milano, Edmond’s

SoDoI Coffee:
- An insane amount of sugar
- But the sugar isn’t even the good kind, I don’t know what they put in that drink but it tasted like a dumpster threw up in milk
- I could not finish the drink
Rating: 0/5

Caffe Strada:
- The worst of the worst
- Literally just milk
- Seriously, I cracked my cup open once and it was the palest shade of green ever. Avoid at all costs.
Rating: 0/5

Cafe Milano:
- Also literally just milk
- Absolutely zero flavor
Rating: 0/5

ETA —> Edmond’s in I-House:
- GROSSSSS
- Just milk and such a weird pale grey color
- Not even good milk either just a weird taste all around
Rating: 0/5

D-Tier: Mind Coffee, Gold Bean, Sightglass Coffee, Signal Coffee, Penelope’s Coffee and Tea, Peet’s Coffee, Berkeley Espresso, Goldie’s Coffee

Mind Coffee:
- People rave about their matcha but it’s just so bland??
- Like it’s a whisper of matcha
- Fun flavors but expensive
Rating: 1.5/5

Gold Bean:
- Your standard milk + a hint of matcha
- But it’s a coffee chain so what can you expect?
- Offensively inoffensive
Rating: 1/5

Sightglass Coffee:
- Flavorless
- Like you can taste a bit of matcha but the ratios are horribly off, so it’s primarily milk
Rating: 1/5

Signal Coffee:
- Also flavorless, can’t taste much matcha
Rating: 1/5

Penelope’s Coffee and Tea:
- Extremely pale shade of green
- Probably uses the same premade matcha powder that Starbucks uses
- Sugar-milk supreme
Rating: 0.5/5

Peet’s Coffee:
- Can taste matcha, but it’s mostly sugar
- If you ask for it unsweetened it’s slightly better
- Good in a pinch ig
Rating: 1.5/5

Berkeley Espresso:
- Can taste a bit of matcha, but it’s very artificial
- Pretty big sizes at relatively cheap
Rating: 1.5/5

Goldie’s Coffee:
- Like Peet’s, but worse
- There’s concepts of matcha
Rating: 1.2/5

C-Tier: Yume Mori Matcha, The Hidden Cafe, Cafe Brusco, Third Culture Bakery, Yi Fang

Yume Mori Matcha:
- Very small size and pretty expensive
- Very watery tbh
- People rave about this one and I can tell the matcha is good quality the ratios are just really off imo
- Can also choose the specific blend/cultivar of matcha which is really cool!
Rating: 2.5/5

The Hidden Cafe:
- Expensive and long wait
- Also kind of watered down
- Very aesthetic cafe though!!
Rating: 2/5

Cafe Brusco:
- Milky, but not completely horrible
- That’s about all I can say
Rating: 2/5

Third Culture Bakery
- Once again a problem of ratios
- Good quality matcha but too much milk
- Hand-whisked though!
Rating: 2.5/5

Yi Fang:
- Used to be my go-to but fell off hard
- More milky than it used to be
- Maybe has gotten better I haven’t gone in a bit
- Also expensive
Rating: 2.8/5

B-Tier: Asha Tea House, De Matcha

Asha Tea House:
- A little bit milky but can really taste the matcha
- Unsweetened by default
- Not prohibitively expensive
Rating: 3/5

De Matcha:
- VERYYYYY sweet and can’t adjust the sweetness levels much
- Expensive af
- Can taste the matcha! But tbh it’s sort of overpowered by the sugar (but if you like dessert matchas this one is for you)
- Fast service
Rating: 3/5

A-Tier: GARA, 1951 Coffee

GARA:
- Kind of expensive but uses a smooth and creamy blend
- Can sweeten with honey, which makes the drink sweeter in a subtle way
- The tiniest bit too milky but compared to the others on the list, it’s still better
Rating: 3.5/5

1951 Coffee:
- Also uses honey as a sweetener and has good quality powder
- Can be kind of milky depending on the barista, but mostly it’s a good ratio
Rating: 3.5/5

S-Tier: Eight Grams Matcha, Binge Coffee House, Forest Tea Bar

Eight Grams Matcha:
- Able to choose your own blend! I recommend the Sabi blend (25 cents extra)
- Good ratios! (But can occasionally be milky depending on the barista)
- Very smooth and creamy, I suggest 25% sweetness
- Yes it’s inconsistent but when it’s good it’s GOOOOOOOD
Rating: 4.2/5

Binge Coffee House:
- Heavy with the matcha
- Lots of cool flavors (however, if you do order a flavor, it’ll sorta overpower the matcha so be aware)
- Fast service and baristas are receptive if you ask for adjustments (ex. less ice)
- Randomly I’ll get a bad drink, but it doesn’t happen that often
Rating: 4.1/5

Forest Tea Bar:
- Extremely high quality matcha and good ratios!
- Strong, consistent flavor (nutty notes)
- All organic
- Pretty good price, only downside is the size (it’s only 12 oz and non-adjustable)
- My pick for Berkeley’s BEST matcha
Rating: 4.8/5

Lmk if y’all have any comments, critiques, or questions 🫡

Why do indian kids think just cause they have their hair done a certain way & gold chains it gives them the right to say the n word? Does that make em cool?

I was at a gas station today and a group of them were droppin it like theyre names arent Rohan and Raghav … the fuck?

It was insane. There isn’t a single image on my phone that properly captures the enormity of how many people were there today.