Nathaniel Solley/Staff

In an effort to improve access to key business districts, the city of Berkeley will implement changes to its parking policies Tuesday.

The changes include varying meter rates based on the demand for parking in particular areas and raising time limits for street spots. The city seeks to address frustration over congestion and businesses’ concerns that customers don’t have enough time to shop.

Parking meters Downtown, in the Telegraph area and in the Elmwood district will use a demand-based pricing model, said Matthai Chakko, a spokesperson for the city.

“By increasing the price in the high-demand areas and then lowering (it) in places where parking is more ample, you hope to encourage people to be parking in different places and to not have as much congestion in one spot,” Chakko said.

Parking in popular areas near shopping destinations on Southside and Downtown will cost $2.25 per hour, while parking in less frequently used areas will cost $1.25 per hour, said Matt Nichols, principal transportation planner for the city.

Current parking rates across the city are $1.75 per hour Downtown and $1.50 per hour elsewhere, according to Nichols.

Elizabeth Deakin, a UC Berkeley professor of city and regional planning and urban design who appeared before the City Council as long ago as 2006 to discuss demand-based pricing, emphasized the importance of promulgating information about the new prices and time limits. It could take several months for shoppers and visitors to adjust to the new system, she said.

“If it works well, it will be a little easier to find a parking space if you really want one and you’re willing to pay a little more,” Deakin said.

In the Elmwood district, near College and Ashby, one-hour street-parking limits will increase to three hours, with an increasing hourly rate.

That came as a relief to Melissa Hatheway, the director of marketing and communications for Rialto Cinemas, which operates a theater in Elmwood. Patrons often struggled to find sufficient parking for two- or two-and-a-half-hour films, she said.

“We’re delighted,” Hatheway said. “We’re hoping this parking solution takes off a layer of anxiety and stress from everybody so they (can) come and spend money.”

UC Berkeley senior Max Jason said he would pay more for parking if it resulted in longer time limits and better availability.

“When I’m going and driving around the city, it’s been pretty difficult (to find parking),” he said.

The new rates are the latest in a series of projects in a three-year transportation pilot program funded by federal and regional grants called goBerkeley, Chakko said.

Nichols said it is unclear how the program will affect city parking revenue, but officials will present a detailed revenue report to the City Council in March.

Contact Connor Grubaugh at cgrubaugh@dailycal.org.

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Buy cheap tapestries. Shopping around online or at typical decorating stores will lead you only to find tapestries that are $40 or more. If you didn’t know this already, we have a variety of cool stores in Berkeley, such as Happy High Herbs on Channing Way (who would have thought they had things other than herbs?) or Tibet Souvenirs on Center Street that sell really cool tapestries. Many of the tapestries you will find are around $20, but if you split the price with several of your roommates, you can end up paying a fraction of the original price! You can use a tapestry as a wall decoration, curtains or couch covers, or you can even put them on your bed. A tapestry will make your apartment hip, and we’re pretty sure that logic says that that makes you hip too! Congratulations!

Use excess materials from clubs you’re in. If you’re a Cal student, we can guarantee you’re involved in something. And whatever club you are involved with probably has a committee or subcommittee that consists of artsy people with artsy materials. If you are not one of them, hit these people up and tell them to make you something cool and artsy with their leftover materials. Or, if they have decorations left over from an event, ask if you can have them. With all these aesthetically gifted and creative Cal students around you, you’ll definitely find some delightfully unexpected decor!

Buy cool wall decorations from local shops. There are a number of local shops on Shattuck and College avenues where you can find neat things to decorate your apartment with. At Therapy on College, you can find inflatable animal heads to put on your walls! These cost about $30, and if split evenly with your roommates, you’ve got yourselves a deal! You can also find products such as frames, posters and clocks at various local stores.

Accept flier attacks on Sproul. For once in your life, don’t try to circumvent the intense individuals handing you fliers on Sproul. Again, with the aesthetically inclined student body you’re surrounded by, you’re bound to get some pretty badass-looking fliers! These may or may not be fliers for events that are completely unrelated to your life, but at least they’ll look cool!

Pick up the Daily Cal. No, we aren’t self-advertising! What are you talking about?! But you should try it! Pick up a copy of The Daily Californian, cut out some cool headlines or pictures and make awesome collages for doors and walls. People will think  you’re cool and cultured because you keep up with the Daily Cal, and they’ll think you’re artsy and resourceful for making pretty things with our newspaper! We’re all winners!

Have any tips on cheap decorating ideas? Let us know in the comments!

Contact Gabrielle Nguyen at gnguyen@dailycal.org.

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For those of you unaware of the typical behavior of certain phallic genitalia — which probably extends to very few of us at Cal — they tend to perspire. The highest concentrations of these moist, dripping reproductive organs tend to be around those who emerge from the RSF without showering, those exhausted from their long climb up to Foothill and the people flyering on Sproul in the scorching heat. This can often cause discomfort and self-consciousness in those who suffer from this affliction. Elmwood’s iteration of the Lululemon Athletica Store, however, has fortunately remedied this problem. Their advertisement for boxer briefs, to the chagrin of many, reads “Got Sweaty Balls?”

This comes as a bit of a surprise, considering that the founder of Lululemon, Chip Wilson, believes in a key value from the Ayn Rand novel “Atlas Shrugged” — that people should pursue self-interest while naked. Naked, synonymous with the phrase “without clothes,” would imply that boxer briefs are not necessary in day-to-day life — yet one of his stores has displayed a controversial advertisement that goes against Wilson’s moral code.

But new evidence has brought to light that this may not be the case — employees at the Elmwood branch were responsible for the content and design of the ad, which was unsanctioned by the corporate headquarters located in Vancouver. A manager who went by the veiled alias “Joshua” called the display “unusual” and hinted that it would only be up in the store’s window for a little longer.

The store is not-so-conveniently located on College and Ashby — far enough away that your balls will definitely be sweaty by the time you finally get there. We at the Clog are currently unsure if they live up to the “Best. Boxer Briefs. Ever.” submotto, but with a price range upwards of $24, there must be something magical about them. There is no word yet on whether the briefs are in fact infused with seaweed, as the company has previously claimed with other products.

Reactions to the ad were imaginably mixed, ranging from outrage to mild amusement — the latter presumably on the part of adolescent young boys. One passerby noted that the campaign fails in terms of its marketing strategy since the great people of Elmwood do not experience sweaty balls. Naturally, the heightened conversation about the subject — for better or for worse — did draw attention to the store. The ad also spawned concerned parents looking for some decency and people who don’t mind a bit of harmless fun.

If you’re interested in sporting some boxers, the sculpted mannequins do look rather good in these multicolored undergarments — and we’re quite sure that their balls aren’t the slightest bit sweaty.

Image source: D.F. Walton (left) and Raj Taneja (right) under Creative Commons

Contact Uday at umehta@dailycal.org or follow him on Twitter at @mehtakid.

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