The sport of Quidditch first became known to the world in 1997 when British author J.K. Rowling released the first Harry Potter fantasy novel. She developed the sport specifically for the series of books, and it is featured in all but the last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. In 2005, students at Middlebury College in Vermont turned the fictional sport into a intramural league, then in 2007 Alex Benepe founded the Intercollegiate Quidditch Association which now has over 200 institutions participating. California universities surprisingly are not big participants into the sport, as UC Berkeley is only the third school to have a Quidditch league in the state. UC Davis is also part of the Intercollegiate Quidditch Association, as is Stanford which is a long time rival of UC Berkeley. On Facebook the Intercollegiate Quidditch Association group is very popular with over 5,700 members.

Typically the sport of Quidditch is played by wizards and witches, with flying broomsticks using four balls and six elevated ring-shaped goals. However since humans are the only students attending college, they have to play a modified version of the game called Muggle Quidditch. This version of the game still has the four key positions of Chasers, Keepers, Beaters, and Seekers, but the Muggle edition is adjusted for us humans who cannot use our flying broomstick. Some of the students learned about the leagues from friends on the east coast or playing in high school, but the buzz that it is creating in California may open up the doors for other universities in the state to create their own Quidditch league. Many are puzzled by the fictional sport turning into a reality, while Harry Potter fans in high school and college are loving the popularity the sport is gaining.

One of the dormitories at California State University Sacramento is allowing the college to save money and conserve energy at the same time. This energy efficient dormitory is also what earned the university a check from the Sacramento Municipal Utility District this week. CSU Sacramento president Alexander Gonzalez was pleased to accept a $74,000+ check for the school to work on future energy efficient projects relating to student housing. Savings by Design is the program going on across California that is rewarding design programs that greatly exceed the minimum energy standards set by California. The overall green design and materials used at the residence hall at CSU Sacramento is quite impressive, and is helping set a trend that more colleges and universities in California are trying to follow.

CSU Sacramento is not the only college in California pushing towards a green campus. UC Merced recently completed a 1 megawatt solar power system on the campus which significantly lowers energy requirements for much of the year. Many other college campuses in California have projects underway to try and save overtime and reduce over all energy dependency. Colleges and universities in California are not the only ones receiving these energy efficient rewards. The program extends to various business or design teams who need help trying to meet their very ambitious goals of energy efficiency. California is already leading the way in green jobs, and this type of program will only help fuel interest in energy efficient design, environmental responsibility, and sustainability among residents and businesses.

There are a wide variety of reasons why many Asian Americans in L.A. are choosing to join the Army instead of college. Some Asian Americans in the L.A. area already have college degrees, but are looking to the U.S. army as a new way to help them get a quality job that utilizes their education. Other people are choosing to join up with the Army because it will allow them to earn their U.S. citizenship, while helping them earn money and skills to get a job after they finish their duty. According to a demographic study of LA college students, many of the Asian-Americans in the area want to attend the best California colleges which can be very expensive, especially if you factor in graduate school. Receiving college aid is a huge draw for many who are looking at paying over $100,000 for a four year degree from some of the top public and private California colleges.

The study suggests that, traditionally, Asian Americans have not been apt to join the Army, but the rough economy and potential of massive debt from earning their college degree has shifted this trend.  In general Southern California has seen strong overall growth in Army recruitment from all of the major counties in the area. This year there is a new program which offers citizenship to certain individuals with the right health care education or language skills. Since many Asians in California are bi-lingual and also speak their native language, it is no wonder why so many are making the choice to join the Army. Most do not realize how much the Army will work with applicants to have them work in an area which they have a college degree or focus on an area which they intend to study further upon completion of their duty. As the economy improves it will be interesting to see if this trend continues in the Southern California area.