THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE VOLUME 133, ISSUE 9 | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013
SERVING THE UC DAVIS CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY SINCE 1915
ROSA FURNEAUX / AGGIE
Student Esmeralda Cano and protesters rally at the University of California’s union strike yesterday.
AFSCME 3299 members protest systemwide Service, patient care union strike in response to threats
JASON PHAM campus@theaggie.org
On Nov. 20, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees for the University of California (AFSCME 3299) went on a one-day Unfair Labor Practice Strike of nine UC campuses and five UC medical centers. The union, which represents university service and patient care workers, struck in response to alleged intimidation by UC management when they participated in a two-day hospital strike in May. The systemwide strike began at 6 a.m. and ended at 7 p.m. on the
same day. AFSCME 3299 members employed at UC Davis held their strike at the corner of Hutchinson Drive and La Rue Road. According to an AFSCME 3299 press release, the union stated that UC administration illegally harassed and intimidated service and patient care workers when they struck to advocate for patient safety. “We’re here because of an unfair labor practice. When employees expressed safety concerns, they’ve actually been intimidated and harassed by management to not bring it up. We’re here to express that we’re tired of being harassed for speaking
N E W S I N BR I EF California Lecture Hall to be constructed A large format lecture hall that seats more than 600 people is in the process of being planned and is expected to be completed fall 2017. The California Lecture Hall will be constructed on the UC Davis campus at the corner of Storer Hall and California Avenue. The goal of the new lecture hall is to accommodate increasing class sizes and the upsizing of impacted courses. “The project is intended to relieve classroom backlog and alleviate current course waitlists benefitting time to degree,” said Debra Smith, senior project manager of Design and Construction Management at UC Davis. According to Smith, the new lecture hall will include a variety of building resources to strengthen building development and public outdoor spaces, and will be careful of respecting historic trees already on campus. It will also have sufficient bike parking to accommodate the large amount of students. There are plans to follow requirements and budget constraints to be a net-zero energy facility, and the project is also in alignment with the California Sustainability Practices Policy. The project is in the middle of a three month programming phase during which decisions about how the lecture hall will be used are going to be made. A workshop was held on Nov. 6 that included faculty, staff and students in order to figure out what technologies and environments would be best used in the hall. Students, faculty and all others that use main lecture halls on the UC Davis campus are encouraged to provide input on the project via a survey released on Smartsite. The link for this survey is scheduled to be released this coming week. Students and faculty will also be able to comment on the project through other social media sites. The survey allows students to rank the importance of various lecture hall characteristics such as indoor temperature, ability to hear the professor and other students and overall size and layout. Allison Berkowitz, a second-year biological sciences major took the survey to provide input on the project. “It will be beneficial to all to pinpoint the flaws in order to build the perfect lecture hall to promote academic success,” Berkowitz said. — Laura Fitzgerald & Jordyn May
up on the behalf of patients and students’ safety,” said Fernando Garcia, AFSCME 3299 member and a UC Davis grounds employee. Leticia Garcia-Prado, a medical assistant at the Student Health Center, said her administrators harassed her with questions on whether she was going to come to work or not when she struck in May. She said she was threatened both verbally and through email. “We got emails that actually said we could be disciplined if we didn’t call in.We don’t have to call in. Once
Food stamp cuts hit Yolo County More than 17,000 residents affected by cuts HARRY GIBBONS
city@theaggie.org
On Nov. 1, more than 47 million Americans who take part in the federal food stamp program saw their monthly benefits shrink as a temporary boost from the 2009 stimulus package expired. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, a non-partisan think tank, a family of four collecting the maximum monthly benefit of $668 saw a reduction
protest on 13
SNAP on 14
COURTESY
UC Davis plans to have its Renewable Energy Anaerobic Digester operational by January 2014.
UC Davis biodigester to power campus in January 20,000 tons of waste to be diverted from landfills LUJAIN AL-SALEH features@theaggie.org
In January 2014, leftover pasta and other unfinished food from the dining commons will be put to use as the newly established UC Davis Renewable Energy Anaerobic Digester (UC Davis READ) converts organic waste into campus electricity. For nearly a decade, Professor Ruihong Zhang of the UC Davis Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering has been researching the high solids anaerobic digestion technology necessary to create a biodigester. “The successful development of the biodigester facility is a dream coming true for many people, including me and my graduate students and my colleagues around campus,” Zhang said. The facility is currently in its final stages of construction, and extensive planning and collaboration have been imperative to the project’s success.
In order to move the anaerobic digestion technology from her laboratory to the commercial scale, Zhang has worked with university facilities, campus departments and Mike Fan, the Waste Program manager, for about eight years. Zhang said that under the leadership of Fan and David Philips, the utilities director, the Facilities Department allocated research space at their wastewater treatment facility to construct a pilot digester system. The department also provided free utilities and staff to support Zhang and her industry partners to test out the pilot system equipment, processes and different feedstocks prior to the development of a full scale biodigester system. Sid England, associate vice chancellor of the Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability Office, is among the many faculty members who worked with Zhang on this project. “The biodigester was explored as an option for renewable energy at
West Village, and then evolved into a campuswide project,” England said. Due to the considerable cost of implementing the biodigester facility, both Zhang and England explained that adequate funding for the project was one of the primary obstacles they faced. Additionally, UC Davis alumnus and CEO of CleanWorld Michele Wong believes that an entirely other set of challenges made the project all the more difficult. “Anytime you are dealing with a public entity, there are extra hurdles to jump,” Wong said. However, by partnering with CleanWorld, “the North American leader in anaerobic digestion” according to Biomass Magazine, the prospect of building the facility began to look much brighter for Zhang and those involved in the project. Once CleanWorld acquired the license to commercialize Zhang’s technology and agreed to operate the facility, the construction process was kicked into place. Fortunately, energy on 15
2 | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013
DAILY CALENDAR dailycal@theaggie.org
21 / THURSDAY Tea Tasting Demonstration 3 to 6 p.m. | Silverado Vineyards Sensory Theater, Mondavi Center Attend a demonstration of tea brewing and tasting led by Tea Master Wingchi Ip. The event is free. BME Distinguished Seminar Series 4:10 to 6 p.m. | 1005 GBSF The Biomedical Engineering Distinguished Seminar Series will continue with a talk given by Dr. John Tarbell, from the City College of New York. His talk will be titled “Fluid Mechanics – Vascular Disease and Mechanotransduction.” The event is free. Poetry Night 8 to 10 p.m. | John Natsoulas Gallery, 521 First St. A featured reader will perform at 8 p.m. followed by an Open Mic at 9 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to secure a table and sign up for a spot on the Open Mic list. The event is free. Spring Awakening 8 to 10 p.m. | Main Theater, Wright Hall Come watch this eight-time Tony Award-winning Broadway musical about teenage discovery of sexuality, directed by UC Davis Granada Artist-in-Residence Stafford Armia. It is Rated R for adult material including violence, sexuality, nudity and language. The show will run Nov. 21 to 23 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $18-$22 for adults, $16-$20 for students and seniors.
22 / FRIDAY Colloquium: The Art of Tea 3 to 5 p.m. | UC Davis Nelson Gallery Wingchi Ip, Tea Master, will explain how to select, brew and taste teas. The event is free. Holiday Cheese Tasting 5 to 7 p.m. | Whole Foods Market, 500 First St. Head to the café to sample holiday favorites and learn how to craft your own cheese platter. The event is free. Chamber Singers Fall Concert 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. | 115 Music Listen to carols, both traditional and untraditional. The concert is free.
23 / SATURDAY Davis Turkey Trot 7:45 a.m. to Midnight | Civic Center Park, B and Sixth streets Join the 26th annual run. There will be five events to choose from, a half marathon, a 10K, a 5K, a relay and a kids run. There will be post race events in the park with live music, refreshments, arts and crafts. Register at changeofpace.com/davis-turkey-trot. Registration is $12 to $90.
24 / SUNDAY Community Planting Day 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. | California Native Plant GATEway Garden Participants will be responsible for transforming the once empty lot behind the Davis Commons Shopping Center into a vibrant green space filled with flora specific to the lower Putah Creek watershed region. The event is free and participants can register online. ITDP: Wigs Turn the Music On 7 to 9 p.m. | Lab A, Wright Hall, UC Davis Come watch Wigs Turn the Music On, which uses invented ritual and coded language to communicate the story of two preteen girls imprisoned in a locked room. The show is free and will run from Nov. 24 to Nov. 26.
25 / MONDAY Main Stage Dance Sneak Preview 6 to 7 p.m. | 185 Hickey Gym Check out a preview of Main Stage Dance, a Department of Theatre and Dance production which is part of Professor David Grenke’s 140C Advanced Composition class. There will be talkbacks with the performers and choreographers, and the preview is free. The complete production will open May 29. Pub Quiz 7 to 9 p.m. | DeVere’s Irish Pub, 217 E St. Dr. Andy Quizmaster will host his weekly celebration of knowledge, strategy and raucous company. Teams can have up to six players. 21+
26 / TUESDAY Salsa Tuesday 9:30 to 11:30 p.m. | The Graduate, 805 Russell Blvd. Attend dance lessons at the Grad. The event is $6. 18+
27 / WEDNESDAY Farmers Market 2 to 6 p.m. | Central Park Buy seasonal produce, baked goods and hot foodto-go while supporting local farmers.
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
Davis Police receive grant for overtime enforcement Students deliberate effective use of grant money
DANIELLE BROWN
city@theaggie.org On Nov. 12, the Davis Police Department (DPD) received a grant to fund overtime staffing in the traffic safety department through a program called “AVOID.” “This program is specifically intended to create coordinated regional traffic enforcement teams to conduct saturation patrols, sobriety checkpoints, DUI [driving under the influence] enforcement, holiday traffic enforcement, public information campaigns, etc. within each local jurisdiction participating in the AVOID program,” stated the official City of Davis staff report. “Saturation patrols” involve the police sending out additional enforcement to a concentrated area at a specific time of day, in this case, at night when most DUIs occur. Devin Connolly, a third-year economics major, believes that the grant will be an asset to the community and strengthen the safety of night drivers in Davis. “I think it could be worth it. I pay a lot more attention to other drivers when I’m driving home late at night [or] in the morning during the weekends. I think if people knew the risk associated with drunk driving was higher they wouldn’t do do it as often,” Connolly said. Laura Masterpaul, a fourth-year English major, disagreed with Connolly. Masterpaul said she believes that if the police force’s goal is to control safety breaches caused by intoxicated citizens, the money should be spent on more effective means to achieve this goal. “No, I don’t think Davis is more likely to have DUIs because most people don’t drive downtown to the bars and we have Tipsy Taxi and drive with friends who are sober,”
Masterpaul said. “I think the money should go toward increasing the security at night so people walking back from partying will be better protected, but not necessarily get arrested for being drunk. The money might be effective, but I don’t see the importance of holiday traffic monitoring.” There are fewer DUI arrests in Yolo County than in many other counties in California. The annual report of the California DUI management information system stated that in 2010, Yolo County had a total of 1,030 DUI arrests versus Santa Clara’s 6,447 arrests. However, it is important to consider that Yolo County’s population is not as high as in other counties. According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2010, Yolo County’s population was 200,849 whereas Santa Clara’s population was 1,781,642. Jim Ivler, the administrative service manager for the City of Davis police and fire departments, said he believes that drunk driving is a problem everywhere, and Davis is no different from the other counties in which AVOID has been implemented. “AVOID grants and programs have been pretty common around the state for years. Yolo County had never done one, so back in 2006 all law enforcement agencies in Yolo County applied for the AVOID grant, and the one that was just installed is the fifth of these grants. The way it works is that one agency is designated as the host agency, and they coordinate among other facilities,” Ivler said. Ivler added that the AVOID program is known as “avoid the eights” because there are eight law enforcement agencies involved. Davis has been the host agency for four of the five grants.
Tracey Tilley, a third-year environmental science and management major, said she believes that most of Davis is comprised of students and believes many students do not have the means or lack of sense to drive drunk. “I don’t think Davis as a college town is more likely to have DUIs because a lot of students don’t have cars up here. Students also tend to be more educated about the dangers of drunk driving,” Tilley said. “A lot of the organizations and clubs on campus, such as Greek life, have some sort of system of sober drivers. I think the funds could be more beneficial in other aspects of our community.” Delaney McCune, a second-year economics major, does not think the grant will be an effective use of Yolo County’s money. While she understands why parents raising families in Davis may be concerned about local drinking, she believes it is already under control. “No, there hasn’t been any real problems recently that have been life threatening, I don’t think we have all that much drunk driving in Davis. I mean, it’s a college town; there is going to be underage drinking no matter what rules you set. I think it’s money that could be used for other things,” McCune said. When asked if he thought Davis was of particular concern because of the student population, Ivler said he believes DUIs are a problem in all counties. “I think it’s a problem everywhere, even though our population does tend to swell when students are in school,” Ivler said. “I don’t want to say that all our DUIs are students, but do we have student DUIs? Of course we do, so it’s just alcohol everywhere. The program [did not originate] in Yolo County which shows it’s a problem everywhere.” n
T his week in S enate PIO VALENZUELA
campus@theaggie.org ASUCD Vice President Bradley Bottoms presided over the senate meeting on Nov. 14. Bottoms called the meeting to order at 6:18 p.m. The meeting began with a call to review Senate Resolution 2. The resolution announced ASUCD’s support for the AFSCME 3299 strike. After some edits in the resolution’s literature, the senate passed the resolution. The meeting then moved onto Unit Director Reports with Aggie TV’s director, Anna Oh. She reports that Aggie TV, a “tech-heavy unit,” is in a “state of emergency.” According to Oh, Aggie TV needs to purchase new highdefinition cameras this year. The unit’s inventory is comprised of only three operating cameras, all of which still use tape. Aggie TV hopes for a bill to be
introduced to the senate to help fund their unit. Several senators and Vice President Bottoms expressed concerns about their income and hoped for the unit’s revenue to continue to increase. Elections Committee Chair Eric Renslo gave his report, a day before the end of this quarter’s elections. “This election is establishing good vibes,” Renslo said. Members of the senate and of the public commented and praised this election for running smoothly. According to Renslo, as of Nov. 14, over 3,000 people voted. “Voter turnout is directly correlated to the number of candidates,” which is correlated to how well the previous elections were conducted. After a 10-minute break, Vice President Bottoms once again called the meeting to order. President Carly Sandstrom arrived at the meeting as the break ended. The senate proceeded to ques-
tion three justices Sandstrom nominated to the court, in order to ensure their qualifications and to later confirm them. After many questions from several senators, in particular by Senator Miles Thomas, who expressed great hopes for a more respected and more powerful ASUCD Court, Spencer McManus, Internal Affairs Commission Chair, halted confirmations in light of an ASUCD error. The ASUCD Court currently has two justice positions and one Chief Justice position open. The senate was to confirm three new justices to the Court, and hoped to hire a Chief Justice from among the nine justices. However, due to bylaws, the Chief Justice position’s hiring process differs from that of Associate Justices. Thus the senate halted confirmations, delaying the hiring of new justices to the court. n
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013 | 3
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
Rite Aid to implement training program as result of toxic dumping
Watts Legal
District attorneys take strong measures to ensure future environmental safety
with DANIEL WATTS
Question I live in a mobile home park (also known as a trailer park) in Davis. Recently, all my neighbors and I received a copy of a new rental agreement that takes effect in 60 days. The new agreement contains a bunch of new rules, which are very specific and seem to target specific tenants. Some of the new rules include: •“All personal plants must be in decorative containers or removable above ground planters. No buckets, nursery containers, styrofoam, or miscellaneous containers may be used. Any pots or planters more than 12” in diameter or 36 sq. in. must be approved by management. Pots or planters in excess of 20 total items must be approved by management.” •“No open composting is allowed. Closed composting must have [Management’s] prior written consent.” •“No towels, rugs, wearing apparel or laundry of any description may be hung outside of the home at anytime. Drying lines are provided for all residents use in designated areas.” •“Fire pits and campfires are PROHIBITED. Outdoor fireplaces must be approved by Management.” A lot of people in the mobile home park are very concerned about these changes and want more information before attending a park meeting the management is holding to answer questions. Are these changes legal? — Melissa G. Davis, CA Answer I know from personal experience that dealing with mobile home park management can be frustrating. The scant legal protections afforded to residents make living in a mobile home more like living in an apartment than a house. An owner of a house actually owns the land their house sits on, they do not have a landlord and do not have to tolerate a landlord micromanaging the size of their flower pots (unless they join a homeowners association, but that’s a whole other column). But as you and your neighbors can attest, a mobile home park often restricts residents’ freedom even more than a typical apartment complex would. And if you violate the rules, the landlord can go to court to evict you — even if you own the mobile home. That bears repeating: When you buy a mobile home, you can get evicted from your own house. Mobile home owners enjoy all the drawbacks of living in an apartment coupled with the monetary investment and risks of homeownership. There are protections for residents, though. California’s Mobilehome Residency Law restricts the landlord’s powers. Among its provisions is a restriction on rule changes like the ones you mentioned. The law, which refers to landlords as “management,” says: “[W]hen the management proposes an amendment to the park’s rules and regulations, the management shall meet and consult with the homeowners in the park, their representatives, or both, after written notice has been given to all the homeowners in the park 10 days or more before the meeting. The notice shall set forth the proposed amendment to the park’s rules and regulations and shall state the date, time, and location of the meeting.” In your question, you do not
mention whether the landlord gave you all notice at least 10 days before the rules meeting. If they did not, their rule change is invalid. This section also requires the notice to include the date, time and location of the meeting. Presumably it does, but if it fails to include this information, then it is invalid. You might wonder what counts as “notice.” Can the landlord just wave you down on the street and say, “Hey, we’re having a meeting tomorrow at 5 in the common area?” No. The Mobilehome Residency Law defines “notice,” requiring notice to be “delivered personally to the homeowner or deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the homeowner at his or her site within the mobilehome park.” The landlord needs to give this notice exactly as the law specifies. If your landlord posted the meeting announcement on your front door while you were not home, the rule change is illegal because you did not receive proper notice. If the landlord mailed the notice to a resident’s P.O. Box instead of the resident’s address within the park, the notice is invalid. Assuming the landlord gave proper notice of the meeting, there are still a few other ways to get out of the new rules. The law states: “[F]ollowing the meeting and consultation with the homeowners, the noticed amendment to the park’s rules and regulations may be implemented, as to any homeowner, with the consent of that homeowner, or without the homeowner’s consent upon written notice of not less than six months, except for regulations applicable to recreational facilities, which may be amended without homeowner consent upon written notice of not less than 60 days.” Plain English translation: If the residents at the meeting refuse to consent to the new rules, the landlord can still put the rules into effect six months after the meeting. But new rules that apply to recreational facilities — swimming pools, the gym, tennis courts — can be implemented in 60 days. It sounds like your landlord is trying to trick you. Unless there was an earlier meeting you did not mention, the landlord cannot unilaterally change the rules about your potted plants without your consent. He has to give notice of a meeting, hold a meeting 10 days later, allow residents to comment on the new rules and, if the residents refuse to agree to the rules, he has to wait six months. Then and only then can he implement new rules. Because the mobile home park’s rules are actually a part of your lease, and therefore grounds for eviction if you fail to abide by them, he cannot simply change the rules on short notice without your consent. Ask your landlord to consult with his lawyer, and refer them to Section 798.25 of the California Civil Code, where these rules are found. You can find a copy of the full Mobilehome Residency Law at hcd.ca.gov/ codes/mp/2013MRL.pdf. Daniel is a Sacramento attorney, former Davis City Council candidate and graduate of UC Davis School of Law. He’ll answer questions sent to him at governorwatts@gmail.com or tweeted to @governorwatts.
AMELIA EVARD / AGGIE
GABRIELLA HAMLETT
city@theaggie.org Rite Aid agreed on Sept. 24 to pay a $12 million settlement for their toxic waste dumping.Yolo County received $420,000 for how the toxins have affected the local landfill. Of that $420,000, $162,500 of Yolo County’s portion has gone toward the Environmental Health Unit with the remainder going to the district attorney’s office to continue investigating similar crimes. The Rite Aid lawsuit was filed by district attorneys (DA) in San Joaquin, Los Angeles and Riverside with additional attorneys representing various other cities and counties, including Yolo County. Rite Aid allegedly dumped toxic waste from over 600 outlets statewide. In Yolo County alone, there is a Rite Aid in Davis,West Sacramento and Woodland, including the Northern California Distribution Center in Woodland. Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig was one of the DAs on the case. “Environmental crimes attack finite resources such as landfills and our water.There is only one landfill inYolo County and we all share it,” Reisig said in a statement. Yolo County’s Waste Distribution Center was affected in the incident, and Waste Reduction and Sustainability Manager Marissa Juhler explained that Rite Aid is not the only store in question. The DA looks through all the trash and these investigations do have a positive impact. “A good example is the Bel-Air grocery store … people don’t realize that now they have little garbage cans that say ‘do not throw needles or batteries in.’ Five years ago this didn’t exist, but they’ve come up with solutions both internally and externally. We always put out there that it’s not the end of the story, it’s really just the beginning starting with these organizations taking the right step to be more conscious of where their waste ends up,” Juhler said. Vice President of California Hazardous Materials Investigation Association (CHMIA) and Vice President Senior Enforcement Officer of the Yolo County DA’s Office Heidi D’Agostino explained the investigation process. “CHMIA basically looked through trash for unlawfully placed waste and traces of waste in streams.We weren’t the only ones that found waste and hazardous materials in dumps — these [materials] were found across the state,” D’Agostino said. Rite Aid had dumped illegal substances such as aerosols, pesticides, bleach, paint, medicine, household cleaning solvents and other poisons into various dumps across the state. The reason for this, D’Agostino believes, is a lack of implemented training programs. “Corporations should typically have accounts with lawful waste companies that will pick up hazardous waste. The store is responsible for proper waste disposal unless they go out by front-door sale,” D’Agostino said.“What the settlement has done is help cover the cost to correctly
dispose of the waste.” The remainder of Yolo County’s portion of the settlement, D’Agostino added, will go to continuing similar investigations and aiding in supplemental training of employees on disposal methods — training that wasn’t occurring for at least four years, if not more.These new requirements have been put into effect immediately. Students believe that corporations such as Rite Aid do not focus on environmental repercussions of their business. “We don’t place value on our ecosystem’s function. They’re paying for the damages but it might not take into account the scope of the damage. This is a classic example — corporations don’t regard the environment the way they should,” said Maya Argaman, a second-year environmental science and management major. Upon hearing of this incident, some students felt a conflict of emotions because while Rite Aid was penalized, the damage is somewhat irreparable. Co-founder of the UC Davis Environmental Club Phillip Tran, a fourth-year environmental policy analysis and planning economics double major, discussed Rite Aid’s actions. “When I hear about these events, I tend to try and not support the organization [and] business that is causing harm — in this case, Rite Aid. I’m glad that there are environmental health agencies that are in place and are able to keep companies accountable for their actions,”Tran said. Since the settlement, Rite Aid has worked on other ways to address the issue. However, they have a long way to go in terms of making lasting changes. “In cases like these, you can’t resolve the issue until you have addressed the training to make the correct decisions. Since the settlement, they have started a more robust training program to identify products through a scanner to indicate the wastes in a product and proper disposal methods,” D’Agostino said. Students have commented that justice may have prevailed in this case, though it is a complicated matter. “This penalty might set a precedent for other companies saying that there are consequences ... instilling preventative measures can protect our environment for years to come, so it’s good [Rite Aid] was held accountable,” Argaman said. And though the sum of money has accounted for some of the damage, officials have said nothing can stake back what damage has already been done. The settlement, however, will serve as a way to periodically check in on Rite Aid as well as help future investigations of hazardous waste dumping. “The extent of the damages that may be incurred from their lack of responsible decision-making may last much longer and cause much more harm than $12 million,” Tran said. “...These damages cannot be simplified into a number … In order to make real change, we must not wait until after unfortunate events happen, but rather make sure we do everything to prevent damages from occurring.” n
4 | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
POLICE BRIEFS
10-year-old prodigy attends UC Davis
14 / THURSDAY
Arav Karighattam studies real analysis, writes poetry, fiction
Blasphemous Someone received threatening phone calls from a male subject who was upset that the lunch he had at the church on Pole Line Road had mayonnaise on it.
ABIGAIL ALCALA / AGGIE
Arav Karighattam with his mother and younger sister outside his Math 125A class.
15 / FRIDAY The Vampire Diaries Somebody came home to their apartment on Arlington Boulevard to find muddy slippers and blood drops on the floor and felt uncomfortable staying there.
16 / SATURDAY What goes around, comes around Someone reported an intoxicated-looking male hit a parked vehicle in the lot on West Covell Boulevard, then attempted to go around it and park elsewhere without leaving a note. Daily grind Someone accidentally bumped into a guy on Fifth and D streets and spilt coffee on him; he then threw all her stuff on the ground, yelled at her and refused to let her gather her belongings to leave.
17 / SUNDAY Careless whisper A person was confronted by an aggressive solicitor on Ecuador Place; when the person declined, the solicitor started whispering things under his breath. Stop cold Somebody found an abandoned fridge on Cowell Boulevard and was concerned that children may get stuck inside.
WEEKLY WEATHER Short Term Forecast Like many others, I experienced my first bike ride through the rain. I can now say buying rain boots and a water resistant jacket are good investments and will hopefully keep you dry during the next rainfall. Today High 64, Low 42, Breezy (15-20 MPH gusts), Partly cloudy Friday High 67, Low 40, Breezy (15-20 MPH gusts), Sunny Saturday High 66, Low 40, Light winds (5-10 MPH) Sunny —Emily Rives Long Term Forecast After some winds the next few days, we’ll Get Lucky because you Can’t Stop Us from seeing the sun, but even with the sun we won’t heat up much more than the mid 60’s. Looking into next week there is a very slight possibility of rain next Thursday so we’ll have to wait and see. Sunday High 65, Low 40, Calm winds, Sunny Monday high 70, Low 43, Clear, Light Winds Tuesday High 66, Low 40, Calm winds, Sunny Wednesday High 65, Low 39, Light breeze (8-14MPH), Mostly Sunny — Tyson Tilmont Almanac 11/13: 78/45 11/14: 68/51 11/15: 69/45 11/16: 67/44 11/17: 67/41 11/18: 62/43 (rainfall amount: 0.01 in) 11/19: 63/50 (rainfall amount: 0.53 in) Climate Report The last few days we’ve seen our first official rainfall of November (and since the last two months). On average in Davis, we typically see 2.43 inches of rain in November; but currently, we are at 0.53 inches — well below normal. No worries, we still have 10 more days to go, so hopefully we see more precipitation to help our drought situation. —Justin Tang Weather Story Y’all think our weather sucks with the rain? Earlier this week thermometers in Great Falls, Montana dropped to a record-breaking 40 degrees in just two hours. At around 4 p.m., it was 52, then as the Arctic cold front pushed in, the temperature plummeted to 12 degrees. (Not) surprisingly, it didn’t come close to the lowest temperature recorded for the city, which was -19 degrees. Aren’t you glad all we got was some rain? —Raymond S. Chan
recycle...
BAWK!
ELI FLESCH
features@theaggie.org Arav Karighattam is in Math 125A, an upper-division math class on real analysis. He’s also 10 years old. Attending a lecture by Professor Andre Deckert on analyses of inverse functions, Arav even corrected a mistake his professor made, to which Deckert merely smiled. Arav has been attending UC Davis classes since he was eight years old, and began auditing classes this past summer. He is now registered as an open campus (concurrent) enrollment student, meaning that he can take classes and have his papers graded, but is not pursuing a degree. “I was 4 feet 4, or 3 then,” Arav said, referring to the first time he started taking classes at UC Davis. “I think I liked [the environment].” That class was Math 145A, Combinatorics. Arav’s father, Vasan, is an electrical engineer, but despite knowing a good amount of math, said that he was taken aback by Arav’s advancement. “At six he asked me things like the end roots of a number ... and how they look,” Vasan said. Arav’s mother, Kavita, also said she was surprised by her son’s development, recalling that one day she borrowed a book from the library titled Mathematical Ideas, in which there was a short segment about the number 1729 and Srinivasa Ramanujan, a young mathematician in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In the book, mathematician G. H. Hardy asks Ramanujan if he thinks 1729 is a dull number. “I stopped and posed the question to my little six-year-old Arav. Much to my amazement, Arav replied ‘Not at all, Mamma. 1729 can be written as 93 + 103 and also as 13 + 123,” Kavita said. According to Kavita, the book described Ramanujan expressing the same thing. “Initially I thought I could work with him up to [age] fifteen,” Kavita
said. “When we noticed that what he was doing was very advanced — and he was six then, we contacted the math department and said, ‘What do we do with this situation?’” Vasan visited the math department’s table on Picnic Day that year, and he was put into contact with Professor Tom Sallee. At age six, Arav began studying with Sallee, who still works with him today, providing one-on-one assistance with questions or ideas that Arav has. “I probe for understanding,” Sallee said. In this respect, Sallee believes his role is to give advice, and make sure Arav is keeping up with the mathematical concepts. Now however, despite a love for Arav, Sallee said that he is limited as a mentor. “It is important that Arav be mentored by a younger person,” Sallee said. His belief in this stems from the fact that math is a dynamic subject. The advent of computers has created yet another field for Arav to learn, one that proves challenging for Sallee. Above all else, Sallee is concerned about Arav’s happiness. “I don’t want to see him burn out,” Sallee said, which often is the case with children in similar situations. Sallee said he has always made it a point to make sure Arav finds the math fun. Arav’s development has also been fostered by continued participation in upper-division math and lowerdivision physics classes, the Berkeley Math Circle and mentorship from professors, as well as his own personal motivation. “He’s taught himself a lot … he’s really self driven; no one asked him to sit down and do [his work],” Kavita said. In a sit-down with Arav’s family, Vasam and Kavita presented a large quantity of manila folders, each filled with many sheets of paper. They represent Arav’s world beyond math and UC Davis.
“There are over 300 poems,”Vasan said, to which Arav quickly replied, “400!” Kavita said that Arav taught himself to read and write at a very early age. Aside from the 400 poems, he has also written numerous short stories, ranging in topic from mathematics and physics to biology and nature. In one of his poems, he wrote, “Everywhere around you / things amaze - / in rainforests, / and deserts, / and even / nearby people’s homes.” Arav has been homeschooled now for years, being too far ahead to find benefit in a traditional classroom, according to his parents. Despite this, he still finds time to socialize with friends and other homeschooled children. Arav and his sister, Aranya, have pooled their imaginations to spawn entire worlds. Jupitara is one of these imaginary lands. The celestial images the name conjures do not do justice for the amount of detail Arav has put into it. He has even written a guide describing the planet and its inhabitants. “This is a user guide to the history of the bug species and its accompanying ancestors. Welcome to the start of the book on what happens in Jupitara,” Arav wrote in a prologue to many pages of timelines, diagrams, events and illustrations. Arav doesn’t just contemplate imaginary worlds, however. Kavita said that at a physics lecture series at UC Davis last summer, Arav was able talk to professor Leonard Susskind of Stanford University, who is regarded as one of the fathers of string theory. Arav told him about an experiment he’d designed to figure out if the universe is finite or infinite. “Professor Susskind smiled and said to Arav that he had been thinking about the same problem for several years,” Kavita said. Since he was five years old, Arav has been planning to get a Ph.D and pursue research as a professor of math. In the meantime, however, his parents have said that their main goal is to keep him happy. n
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013 | 5
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
UC Davis groundskeeper recovers lost wedding ring two years later
ABIGAIL ALCALA / AGGIE
Professor Adam Moule holding the wedding ring he lost two years ago. His ring was found by grounds employee Chip Swenson.
Groundskeeper Chip Swenson recalls ring’s description, seeks out, finds owner HANNAH KRAMER
features@theaggie.org ‘Oh [expletive], I lost my [important belonging]!’ is a common woe on campus. Biking during rush hour and popping in and out of constantly rotating lecture halls makes it easy to leave something behind. According to Tyson Mantor, UC Davis grounds supervisor, valuable items are turned in to the police station, while clothing and sporting equipment go to the lost and found at the Memorial Union. Although the grounds department makes an effort to turn in lost articles, many are irretrievably lost. For a Davis professor, one such lost article was returned two years and a miracle later. On a chilly day, Professor Adam Moule of the Chemical Engineering department decided to play volleyball with his graduate students on the lawn near Bainer Hall after hours. As the frosty weather began to shrink the fingers of the players, Moule set the ball and watched as his white and yellow gold wedding band slipped up off his finger and into the sky. “I felt the ring go up and I experienced this Lord of The Rings moment when it just flew away,” Moule said. “I immediately went onto my hands and knees and started looking for it.”
Moule and his graduate students searched the lawn until the sun set, but it was too late. His wedding ring was gone. In a frantic attempt to find the ring before his wife found out, Moule got up early the next morning and rented a metal detector. “I was terrible at it. I dug up nothing but gum wrappers,” Moule said. However, Moule kept at it for four hours, and even went as far as to pull up a grate in the middle of the field and sift through the muck that had accumulated there. “As I put the grate back into place, I gave up. That Monday, I started putting up signs for a reward. As I was walking by Bainer, there was a guy, Chip, riding on a giant riding lawn mower, so I ran into the field and was like ‘Stop, stop, stop! My ring!’” Moule said. “He said that he had already mowed it, so I asked, ‘Did you hear a clank in the mower?’ Because I thought, if anything, I may as well get the gold back. And he gave me this funny look, so I told him the whole story, and we ended up talking for maybe half an hour.” Chip Swenson, an employee of the grounds department, said that he hadn’t felt anything underneath his mower, but that he would keep an eye out. As time went on though, the reality of the loss set in. Professor Moule began to wear the band that he and his wife used for traveling, but never replaced his original ring.
Weeks, months, years passed. Then one day this quarter, a full two and a half years later, Swenson knocked at the door of Moule’s office. “I asked if he remembered me and he said he didn’t, and I said, okay, stick out your hand,” Swenson said. “Without another word, I gave him his wedding ring.” Moule said he was elated. “I couldn’t believe that he found it, remembered me and returned it! I felt like, wow, this guy really took care of me,” Moule said. Swenson had been collecting trash on the lawn outside Bainer Hall, and as he bent down to pick a piece up, he noticed something lying atop the grass. “The ring was just sitting there, it hadn’t been trampled and pushed underground. The lawn mowers had gone over it for two whole years and it didn’t have a scratch on it,” Moule said. When Swenson picked up the ring, he began to examine it, and noticed two lines on the outside and an inscription inside. He immediately remembered that it matched the description that had been described to him so long ago, but he couldn’t
recall Moule’s name. He went about going into the buildings in the area and asking around, eventually being directed to Bainer Hall and Moule. “The really cool thing is that he didn’t just sell it or melt it down. The metal itself is worth more than the reward. It’s really incredible that he returned it,” Moule said. Swenson’s supervisor echoed the sentiment. “He took it upon himself to return the ring. It’s the kind of thing that is so great to hear as a supervisor,” Mantor said. “He was quiet about it, and said he didn’t want much publicity. I think it’s awesome what he did. This story is a fantastic example of how [the employees at Grounds] really are stewards of this landscape.” When asked, Swenson was hesitant to take too much praise, and said that he was only doing his job and doing what was right. “You know, I have worked two places, Disneyland and Davis. When people ask me why, I say, it’s the two happiest places on Earth,” Swenson said. “I love being able to help others out. It was the right thing to do to find him and return the ring.” n
UC Davis to offer coffee brewing class winter 2014 ECM 1 students to brew, taste coffee for credit NICK FREDERICI
features@theaggie.org Students finding it difficult to stay awake in class might yet be saved by ECM 1: The Design of Coffee. ECM 1 began as a freshman seminar but is being offered for the first time this winter as a full-fledged general education course. In the class, students will brew and taste coffee in a laboratory setting aimed at introducing them to chemical engineering. The class is the brainchild of UC Davis professors Tonya Kuhl and William Ristenpart. Ristenpart attributed the initial idea to Kuhl, but said that he proposed expanding it beyond chemical engineering students. “She thought of the idea of doing an experiment based on analyzing how a Mr. Coffee brewer works,” Ristenpart said.“I thought that was such an awesome idea that we shouldn’t do it just for students in chemical engineering, but instead offer it to the whole campus as a fun engineering design course.” The instructors have said the focus of the class is not on a lecture where the students are told what they should learn. Instead, they’d like to emphasize the lab portion of the class, where students learn by doing. “Beyond drinking coffee and learning more about the processes of roasting and brewing, I think the most fun way to learn is to try things out for yourself,” Kuhl said.“Instead of hearing
about a subject, the students will be doing their own experiments.” No prior experience is required for the class. In fact, when it was just a seminar, Ristenpart and Kuhl encouraged their students not to read too much on the subject ahead of time. “We didn’t want them to already have expectations about what was going to happen or follow some rote methods,” Kuhl said. “Instead, we want students to make their own discoveries.” Both Kuhl and Ristenpart believe that even students who love coffee may find their current methods of brewing challenged by their discoveries in the lab. “They’ll get to taste the resulting coffee and see firsthand how different design choices affect the sensory qualities,” Ristenpart said. He also said that the brewing process itself contributes a lot to the taste of coffee. In the course of weekly discussions and labs, students will learn about the principles of chemical engineering they will be applying in order to brew the perfect cup of coffee. The lab will function much like other labs. There will be pre- and post-lab assignments most weeks dealing with the brewing procedures. A notable difference is the rules concerning food and drink, as the class will question how the finished product tastes and will depend on the students and instructors to test that themselves. Stu-
y nce
Va
dents will be encouraged to consume the chemicals used in the lab, which include coffee beans and water. At the end of the course, groups will be challenged to make the perfect cup of coffee while also using the least amount of energy. An “Iron Chef ”-like competition will be held where judges drink coffee in a
Le
e
ggi
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blind taste test. The score given to each cup is then compared to the energy required to make it, and a winner will be decided. Ristenpart and Kuhl hope the class will introduce students to new ways of thinking and problem solving typically Coffee on 13
WorkAbility Program enables side-by-side job opportunities New program to immerse people with disabilities into working environments NICOLE YI
campus@theaggie.org The department of Campus Recreation and Unions (CRU) has expanded its relationship with Team Davis and together they have implemented the new WorkAbility Program at the ARC. Team Davis is a volunteer non-profit organization that assists children and adults with disabilities through sports and recreational activities. WorkAbility is a federally funded program that is associated with the Davis Joint Unified School District (DJUSD), Yolo County Office of Education (YCOE) and partners Best Buddies and Autism Awareness Club and has helped over three million disabled people in career
developmental programs. With the new launch at the ARC, it seeks to provide 18 to 22-year-olds the opportunity to build job skills within our facilities in hopes of gaining independence and preparation for the real world. “Unemployment is a real problem for individuals with disabilities and the WorkAbility program strives to help address this issue,” Robin Dewey, president of Team Davis said. “But it is always difficult to find appropriate WorkAbility sites. UC Davis is really stepping up to the plate to help bridge this gap.” CRU will register students of DJUSD and YCOE as volunteers of the University. WorkAbility job mentors are responsible for training the volunteers to work
together with UC Davis students. Students will be directly compensated for their hours worked. The training phase is reaching completion and the pilot work site will begin December at the ARC in hopes of expanding to other departments. “The program will start out small and then hopefully grow and expand as time goes on,” Heather Zoller, senior assistant director of Recreation and Campus Recreation and Unions Event Services said. “The goal is that by the end of the program the students will be able to independently find jobs in the community.” All UC Davis students are able to participate in the program through volunteering. The choice is open to either become a job mentor in the program or participate
in an Ags United Intramural Sports team as a referee, supervisor or teammate to Team Davis athletes. “The wonderful aspect of this partnership is that it is truly mutually beneficial,” said Laura Hall, director of Recreation and Department of Campus Recreation and Unions. This unique partnership between CRU and Team Davis is opening doors for both parties to emphasize inclusivity and community. While UC Davis students gain leadership and mentoring skills, WorkAbility volunteers will simultaneously develop work skills for future professional opportunities. “The program reflects our campus’ value of community,” third-year computer science major Arvind Badrinarayanan said. “I think it’s an awesome way to encourage interaction with local community members with disabilities.” n
6 | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
MUSE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BR IA N N G U Y E N
JAMES KIM arts@theaggie.org No bowtie? No problem! Our Muse of the Week is third-year Asian American studies and communications double major, Jillian Mariano. She tells MUSE how she mixes in her favorite menswear pieces into her wardrobe without resorting to the bow-tie. The biggest trend I’m seeing right now, both on the streets and on the runway, is this movement towards a more androgynous, powerful modern-day woman rocking the
suit and tie like never before. Admittedly, there is something very synonymous about masculinity and the bow-tie, but what people fail to realize is that there’s so much more to fashion than just a basic bow-tie and button-up. Shoes first. A clean set of oxfords or loafers and calf-high socks paired with a well-tailored pant rolled at the hem is a sure-fire way to get that androgynous ensemble you’re looking for without all the fuss. Oversized sweaters and loose trousers are also very easy ways to both look the part and stay super comfortable throughout your busy day. Now that the new TJ Maxx just
opened up in Davis, there are plenty of options to choose from, especially since the larger sizes are often more abundant than the smaller sizes. Just finish off your look with a belt and you’re good to go. James’ Notes: Overcoats, blazers, turtlenecks, pinstripes, leather … the possibilities are endless. Think outside of the box and see what you can come up with. Who knows, maybe you’ll be the next Esther Quek and set the trends for all of your friends.
THE NELSON GALLERY PRESENTS “THE A R T O F T E A” SH A Z I B HAQ | AG G I E
Tea Master Wingchi Ip, Dr. Owyoung to present exhibition
Inside “The Art of Tea” exhibit at Nelson Gallery.
LARISSA MURRAY arts@theaggie.org On Nov. 22, internationally-recognized Tea Master Wingchi Ip and former curator of Asian Arts at the Fogg Museum and the Saint Louis Art Museum Dr. Steven D. Owyoung will speak to present the Wingchi Ip and the Art of Tea exhibition that is being shown at the Nelson Gallery from Nov. 15 to Dec 15. Sponsored by the Department of Art and Art History, East Asian Studies, the Davis Humanities Institute, the UC Davis Confucius Institute, Alan Templeton and Darrell Corti, the colloquium will take place at the Nelson Gallery, from 3 to 5 p.m. Both Ip and Dr. Owyoung will describe the centurieslong culture of tea, to explain the calligraphy and materials relating to tea featured in the exhibition. The exhibition largely displays books about tea and tea culture found in the UC Davis Special Collections Department, and tea paraphernalia from the Katharine Burnett and Bob Moustakas Collection. A few students were granted the opportunity to help curate the exhibition, such as fifth-year art studio major, Roxanne Faure, who described what specifically is featured in the exhibit. “The focus of this exhibit and of UC Davis’ study of tea is not primarily about East Asian art, but tea around the world,” Faure said in an email interview. “The exhibition features a selection of books and cards from Special Collections’ HurtPeck Beverage Library and general Special Collections holdings, along with two poems on scrolls written by visiting TE A O N PAGE 1 5
CAM PUS CHI C O N PAGE 1 6
AGGIE ARCADE ANTHONY LABELLA arts@theaggie.org PlayStation 4 First Impressions My PlayStation 4 (PS4) arrived Friday evening, and I spent the next few days with Sony’s newest console and a few of the big-name launch titles. Overall, it’s been a successful launch for the company following the disastrous 2006 PlayStation 3 launch. Like any new piece of hardware it has its ups and downs, but at the end of the day the PS4 represents a promising foundation for the new generation of video game consoles. The PS4 makes a strong first impression right out of the box with its sleek design that features a slanted box shape and well-hidden power/eject buttons. The design does result in some odd utility issues, namely the fact that plugging in cords to the back of the console can be difficult because the slant of the hardware obstructs the user’s view of the back. That may prove a bit frustrating for people who like to move consoles around or change cables frequently. Also included in the box is the new DualShock 4 controller, which stands out as one of the highlights of the entire package. I’ve always enjoyed the PS3 in spite of its flimsy controller, but the DualShock 4 improves on that and more.The new triggers and analog sticks share more in common with Microsoft’s AGGI E ARCAD E O N PAGE 1 6
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013 | 7
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
U C D AV I S S Y M P H O N Y O R C H E S T R A P R E S E N T S “ T H E S E A A N D H E AV E N ” Mondavi Center to host student symphony AKIRA OLIVIA KUMAMOTO arts@theaggie.org The UC Davis Symphony Orchestra will be performing in Mondavi Center’s Jackson Hall on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. The theme of the performance is “The Sea and Heaven” and will feature three classic works that evoke this imagery. This is the second concert of the quarter from the symphony and will be conducted by assistant music professor Christian Baldini. The works to be performed consist of Benjamin Britten’s Four Sea Interludes from the opera Peter Grimes, Béla Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 3 and Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 in D Major. The first piece, Four Sea Interludes, is split into four consecutive movements that each represent different time frames within the opera it’s from. The song is reminiscent of the movement of the ocean and the
M I S H A V E L AS Q U E Z | AG G I E The UC Davis Symphony Orchestra rehearses in preparation for Saturday’s performance.
SY M PHO NY O N PAGE 1 5
L AS E R E V E N T TO BRING FUSION OF A R T, S C I E N C E T O D AV I S Artists, scientists to address contemporary issues SHAYLA NIKZAD arts@theaggie.org On Dec. 2, the UC Davis Art Science Fusion Program will host a Leonardo Art Science Evening Rendezvous, known as a LASER event. Consisting of four professional speakers commenting on their work, all of which generally fall on the intersection of art and science, this event will cover topics ranging from entomology and ecology to landscape art. LASER events have previously occurred at institutions such as the University of San Francisco, Stanford University, UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz over the last 10 years. However, this will be the first series of LASER events to take place in UC Davis. Anna Davidson, a Ph.D. student in the department of plant sciences and moderator and organizer of UC Davis LASER events said that LASERs attempt to showcase a diverse set of topics and contemporary issues.
ITDP PRESENTS WIGS TURN THE MUSIC ON MFA candidates to put on play about imprisoned preteen girls
LASER is a program established by Leonardo: The International Society for Arts, Sciences and Technology. Leonardo, which began as a journal published by MIT press in the late 60s, is the longest standing advocate for the fusion of arts, science and technology. LASER events were created in recent years to help foster one of Leonardo’s main goals. “The mission of the LASERs is to provide the general public with a snapshot of the cultural environment of the Bay Area/ Davis area and to foster interdisciplinary networking with an emphasis on art and science,” Davidson said. James Crutchfield, an employee of the physics department at UC Davis with particular interest in interdisciplinary science and a former board member at Leonardo, remarked on the importance of increased interest in science and art fusion. “The question is why should there be this sort of seamless separation between two cultures?” Crutchfield said. “The most constructive thing about bringing arts and science is that people have a very different perspective. Those perspectives often give a unique view on contemporary problems.” With the large turnout and success of the first of the LASER events Davidson, and the UC Davis Art Science Fusion program
JOHN KESLE R arts@theaggie.org Wigs Turn The Music On, a play by dramatic arts Master of Fine Arts candidates Lindsay Beamish and Amanda Vitiello-Jensen, begins with a Flo Rida song. “Amanda wanted to use ‘Wild Ones’ by Flo Rida in something,” Beamish said. “I put the song on and told her to stand in front of a wall. I then gave her bizarre commands, which she acted out.” The collaboration between Beamish and Vitiello-Jensen, which began as an assignment for class in the Department of Theater and Dance, quickly led to an 18-minute piece about captured preteen girls, played by the two. The play is put on through the Institute for Exploration in Theater, Dance and Performance (ITDP). “We also play the man who kidnapped the girls,” Beamish said. “He’s never seen, as he lives behind the curtain and talks to us, but we also play him.”
The play is influenced by their childhoods and personalities, according to Vitiello-Jensen. “A lot of the play was done through improv,” Beamish said.“The sky was really the limit in terms of our creativity.” Part of this creativity manifested in the play’s language, which was developed through their improvisation. “The language came about organically,” Beamish said. “I would make up commands, like ‘Bernard zipper,’ and she would just act them out.” The play also incorporates references to the song “Wild Ones” as well as the Cleveland kidnapping case. After the class ended, Beamish and Vitiello-Jensen decided to expand the piece. They applied for department support and received it from Peter Lichtenfels, a professor of Theatre and Dance, who had enjoyed the 18-minute piece. “I had not seen anything like this piece,” Lichtenfels said. “I was taken by watching what happened on stage. It’s constantly transforming, it’s visually arresting and it is not sentimental. They’re performing for their captor but they’re not inhabiting the desire to do so.” After receiving department support, Beamish and Vitiello-Jensen began to expand the piece.
L AS E R O N PAG E 1 5
written by Charlie Kaufman. Adaptation. is a semi-autobiographical movie of Kaufman’s desperation to make a film adaptation of Susan Orlean’s The Orchid Thief. Nicolas Cage stars as lovelorn scriptwriter Kaufman. Popcorn and beverages will be provided.
MUSI C
FILM EN T E RTA I N M E N T PR ESE N TS: E L F
CO U NC I L
K DVS H O U S E S H OW T H U R S DAY, N OV. 2 1 , 7 P.M ., DO N A-
T H UR SDAY, NOV. 2 1, 8 P. M . , FR E E
T I O N RE CO M M E N DE D, AL L AG E S
ROCK HA L L
RO B OT RO C KE T R E S I DE N C E , 63 3
Prepare for the holidays with EC’s screening of Elf.The family comedy tells the story of Buddy the Elf, played by Will Ferrell. After discovering his everyday human roots, Buddy ventures from the North Pole to New York City to reunite with his long-lost father.
M ST.
The evening will consist of performances by music artists Iji, James Rabbit, Donald Beaman and Brian Jackson. Food and drinks will be provided.
WI GS O N PAGE 1 5
include the crossing of patterns, symbols and perceptions between art and science.
ART CO LLO Q U IU M: TEA
THE
ART
OF
OT H E R
F R I DAY, N OV. 2 2 , 3 TO 5 P. M. , FREE UC DAV I S N E LSO N G AL LERY
The Art of Tea is a speaker event featuring Wingchi Ip, an internationally renowned artist and tea master, and Dr. Steven D. Owyoung, a curator of Asian arts. Ip’s talk explores the differences between Chinese teas and explains the selection, brewery and tasting of teas. Owyoung’s talk discusses figures and events that inspired the history, evolution and philosophy of tea.
DOWN AND UP BY CLAR ENCE MAJ OR SATU RDAY,
NOV.
23,
7 :30
P. M. ,
FREE THE AVI D REA D ER, 617 2ND ST.
Local and award-winning poet, Clarence Major, will be reading and discussing pieces from his latest collection, Down and Up. Major’s writing style involves a spatial and visual approach to emotions. His unique voice thus creates dreamlike and dynamic narratives of everyday occurrences.
LAS E R M O N DAY, DE C . 2 , 6 : 4 5 P. M. , FREE,
SACR ED CI R CLE DANCI NG
P R E GNANT, PO PPE T, CH ANCE C H ANTS
AL L AG E S
SU NDAY, NOV. 24, 7 P. M. , FREE
3 001 P L AN T AN D E N V IRONMEN-
I NTERNATI ONA L HOU SE, 10 COL-
YOLO F I L M SO C I E T Y S C R E E NIN G : A DA P TAT IO N.
SAT U RDAY, N OV. 2 3 , 8 P.M ., $ 5 TO
TAL SC I E N C E S B UI L DI N G
LEGE PA RK
$7, A LL AG E S
SUNDAY, NOV. 24, 7 :30 P. M . , $2
T H I R D S PAC E , 9 4 6 O L I V E DR I V E
R ECOMMENDED D O NAT IO N
Presenting a night of pop music,Third Space will be hosting performances by Pregnant, Poppet and Chance Chants. All three artists will be playing heartfelt music of electro glitch elements and motley melodies.
The Leonardo Art Science Evening Rendezvous (LASER) is a speaker series hosted by the UC Davis Art/Science Fusion Program. The on-campus event will feature four speakers: Amy Franceschini, Arthur Shapiro, Justin Schuetz and Mary Anne Kluthe. Topics discussed
Celebrate the Day of the Dead by honoring loved ones through dance and international music. Sacred Circle Dancing is a meditative and refreshing form of dance that encourages togetherness. No previous experience necessary — just a thirst for fun and culture.
YOLO
PL EASUR E
DOME,
1401
P OL E L INE ROAD
The Yolo Film Society will be playing Adaptation., directed by Spike Jonze and
8 | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
SCIENCE+TECH Hidden pigments in leaves made visible once a year
Decreasing chlorophyll causes fall colors CATHERINE MAYO science@theaggie.org It’s that time of year when the thousands of trees on and off campus experience a dramatic change before the cold winter. Leaves are turning gold, red and orange — what is the secret behind these changes? To answer that question, we need to understand the biological purpose of leaves and their chemical components. Leaves are the part of a plant that photosynthesize. They take in energy from the sun in the form of light and turn it into a form they can use, namely, glucose and other sugars. Why do leaves do this instead of other parts of the plant? In trees, especially, leaves are responsible for photosynthesis because they are green. Their unique structure also aids them in their ability to make sugars, but the most important part is their color. The green in plants comes from a specific light-absorbing pigment, known as chlorophyll a. “Leaves are green because the primary photosynthetic pigment, chlorophyll, absorbs the red and blue spectra of light while reflecting the wavelength of visible light that corresponds to green,” said Zachary Chestnut, a plant biology graduate student, in an email. Essentially, leaves are green because it is the only wavelength of light they do not absorb. Chlorophyll is one of the most important molecules on the planet. With chlorophyll and other light-absorbing pigments, plants can absorb a range of colors, allowing them to grow in a variety of locations and periods in a year. “I remember talking to a friend of mine about how we barely noticed the colors changing at first, but now that we have, we realized how beautiful the Davis campus looks with all of the leaves changing color,” said Bhumika Kukreja, a second-year microbiology and international relations double major. “There is such a wide variety of plants that we get to witness a wide range of color changes, and that's
UC Davis, NASA study
really quite amazing.” The sun doesn’t shine the same all year long, and in winter especially, the sun may never even make it through the clouds on a given day. This causes the temperature to go down as the northern and southern hemispheres take turns tilting away from the sun. This temperature decrease is a signal for certain kinds of plants to make changes to their internal chemistry. “As the temperature goes down, there is an enzyme called chlorophyllase. Chlorophyllase gets activated and degrades chlorophyll,” said Katayoon Dehesh, a professor of plant biology. “When chlorophyll goes down, because it is the major pigment, the color of carotenoids becomes the dominant pigment … As the temperature goes down, the plant is not as metabolically active. In order to adjust its metabolic valve, the chlorophyll gets degraded so there won’t be any photosynthesis.” According to Chestnut, the accessory pigments are in plants all year long, but chlorophyll masks them. When fall arrives, chlorophyll departs from the leaves, allowing the other pigments to become visible, thus changing the color of the leaves. Some plants, however, do not need to change how they photosynthesize light. These are called evergreens.They include conifers (think pine cones), holly (Christmas time) and eucalyptus trees (Golden Gate park and Vicks VapoRub). “First of all, the leaf structure is very different,” Dehesh said. “Second, because the gymnosperms — and the conifers specifically — they have a different metabolic process. They grow very slowly, and their metabolism is also accordingly not as rapid.” These plants do not need to slow down in winter because they are always growing slowly. As simple as they may seem, plants are some of the most complex organisms on our planet. We use them in almost every realm of our lives, from medicine to housing. The complexity of their internal structures and processes only adds to their beauty. n
Chelyabinsk meteor’s impact
Resulting incident initiates detection, response efforts
EMILY SEFEROVICH science@theaggie.org UC Davis professor Qing-Zhu Yin of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences has collaborated with an international team including NASA’s preeminent meteor astronomers in the first ever study of the Chelyabinsk meteor. The research was published Nov. 7 in the journal Science. Studies of this type, which employ experts’ knowledge, highly-practiced sets of eyes and specialized technologies, have allowed researchers to tell the life story of the meteor, from its cosmic birth billions of years ago, to its turbulent and high-speed conclusion in the frozen base of Lake Chebarkul. On Feb. 15, a decaying remnant of the extra-terrestrial Chelyabinsk meteor plunged through Earth’s atmosphere at an estimated 41,000 miles per hour, roughly 40 times the speed of a triggered bullet. The resulting shock wave, which caused significant damage, passed through the city of Chelyabinsk, shattered windows, knocked locals to the ground and prompted nearly 1,500 people to seek hospitalization. Although less than half of one percent of the meteor remained intact by the time it collided with an ice-capped lake bed in the Siberian foothills, the Chelyabinsk meteor represents one of the very first of its kind whose trajectory and descent to Earth was captured in detail on handheld cameras. The International Sensor Network, including Earth-viewing satellites and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization’s International Monitoring System were also responsible for tracking the meteor’s journey, according to Yin. Trajectory analysis of the Chely-
abinsk Meteor indicates that it likely originated from the Flora Asteroid Family, a fragmented population of a once vast asteroid that orbits between Mars and Jupiter. Coincidentally, this population of space-rubble remains the most plausible origination site of the Chicxulub Asteroid, one of the foremost suspected killers of the dinosaurs. The possibility of slingshotting one of these massive bodies through space is largely influenced by the gravitational activities of nearby Jupiter. “Asteroids are not in perfect circular orbits, therefore they collide and break apart, aided by Jupiter’s immense gravitational influence,” Yin said in an email interview. “Any hiccup in Jupiter’s gravitational instabilities could perturb the otherwise fairly stable orbits of the asteroids and send them into the inner part of the solar system, eventually into the collisional course with the Earth, Moon and even the Sun.” NASA meteor astronomer Peter Jenniskens and his research colleagues have estimated that the Chelyabinsk meteor embarked upon an estimated 1.2-million-year journey from the Flora Family in the asteroid belt up until its fiery encounter with earth. Upon its entry into the atmosphere, the meteor weighed 13,000 metric tons. In an initial celestial fragmentation event experienced billions of years ago, the entirety of the Chelyabinsk meteor saw the development of stress veins. These veins are tiny cracks throughout the rock that filled with metallic substances and helped to hold the rock together for the time being. In a fortunate turn of events for Earth, when the Chelyabinsk meteor entered the atmosphere, the structural integrity of the stress veins weakened, and the rock began to fragment, causing the deposition of energy and physi-
cal mass into the surrounding environment. The largest single chunk of meteorite that remained after descent weighed only 650 kilograms, roughly 0.04 percent of the original mass, numerical figures provided by Jenniskens. “The shock wave originated from the fragmentation event, not the impact itself. Fragmentation is key to
the planet to share information about newly discovered asteroids and how likely they are to impact Earth,” Yin said. Technology will be key in the tracking of potentially hazardous Chelyabinsk-like objects that Earth may encounter in the near and distant future. The Large Synoptic Survey
...could send [asteroids] into the collisional course with the Earth...
where the energy of motion is distributed — where the rock fragmented is where the energy is deposited,” Jenniskens said. Furthermore, the Chelyabinsk meteor is hypothesized to have deposited the equivalent energy of nearly 600 kilotons of TNT into Earth’s atmosphere, a numerical figure provided by Yin. This massive energy expenditure is approximately 30 times greater than that of the Hiroshima atomic bomb, one of the larger devastating energetic events produced by man. The Chelyabinsk meteor has been widely classified as a “wake up call” for the international scientific community. According to Yin, the UN General Assembly recently approved measures to coordinate detection and response efforts for asteroid strikes that have the potential to obliterate urban areas and potentially destroy civilization. “Specifically, the agency voted to create an International Asteroid Warning Network made up of scientists, observatories and space agencies around
Telescope (LSST), a device currently being developed by another international team headed by UC Davis’ experimental physics and cosmology professor Anthony Tyson, may assist with hazard mitigation and planetary protection strategies. “[In 2020] the LSST will provide a comprehensive census of our solar system, including potentially hazardous asteroids as small as 100 meters in size,” Tyson said in an email interview. “A recent U.S. National Academy of Sciences study showed that LSST is the most cost-effective solution to this need for early warning.“ The Chelyabinsk meteor is a motivating reminder that serious measures should be taken to track and predict potential collisions with traveling celestial bodies. Though there remains a winded debate regarding the existence of life beyond earth, there is absolutely no doubt that the natural forces existing beyond our own atmosphere are very much alive and are capable of determining the fate of mankind. n
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013 | 9
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
THIS WEEK IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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CLAIRE SULLIVAN-HALPERN science@theaggie.org CANYON OF FIRE APPEARS ON SUN’S SURFACE, ACCORDING TO NASA
A filament of charged particles blasted away from the sun at more than 3 million kilometers per hour, leaving behind a scar in the plasma that NASA has dubbed the “Canyon of Fire.” INTERESTING MATING HABITS DISCOVERED IN AUSTRALIAN SEA SLUGS
It has been discovered that Australian sea slugs, a hermaphroditic mollusk, have sex by reciprocally stabbing one another in the forehead with their penises, according to Rolanda Lange from the University of Tuebingen in Germany.
RAC KS -O N -C HI P, a conceptual solution to data centers
FOSSILS SUGGEST ASIA, NOT AFRICA, AS ANCESTRAL HOME OF BIG CATS
The oldest known fossils from a big cat were found recently in Tibet, and suggest that Asia, not Africa, is the origin of big cat ancestry. Dr. Jack Iseng authored the study along with a team of U.S. and Chinese paleontologists, and their research is published in the Royal Society Journal.
Current data centers’ cost, power consumption could be lessened
BREAKTHROUGH IN INVISIBILITY CLOAK
Dr. George Eleftheriades from the University of Toronto has developed an invisibility cloak capable of completely concealing objects from surveillance radar.
STEVEN COLLINS science@theaggie.org
RARE SPECIES SIGHTED FOR FIRST TIME IN 15 YEARS
Today’s data centers have ever-increasing workloads placed upon them, resulting in the wildly expensive cost of operations and maintenance in addition to supplying the thousands of watts of power they can require. This is the question highlighted in the Oct. 11 edition of the journal Science by Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Chair Shaya Fainman and Center for Networked Systems Associate Director George Porter, both faculty at UCSD. In order to accomplish energy and monetary conservancy in future centers, Fainman and Porter discuss one option which would change the current data center design into racks-on-chip. Rather than large racks of servers arranged in conjunction, individual chips will have “racks” that act like a miniaturized server. “The idea behind racks-on-chip [is] to take the processing power and memory of individual servers in these data centers, and start to integrate them into highly dense packages, reducing the overall power and cooling,” Porter said in an email interview. “By increasing the density of these internet data centers, we have the potential of doing more computing in less area, using less power and cooling.” Density on chips refers to the amount of information that can be stored on a given surface area. Increasing the density, and therefore the quantity of data able to be contained on the chips, is necessary in order to make the racks-on-chip design a reality. Many online applications in particular work off data centers “running in the cloud,” according to Porter. These proposed future data centers would not only need to have increased density, but would also have to network the racks-on-chip together.Thus the final product would help solve the current cost and power issues while adding performance, since more computing may be done with this new design. The data center on campus is considered inadequate to current standards and in the process of modernization. “Our current data center is a small, retrofitted printing facility,” said Mark Redican, director of Communication Resources for Information and Educational Technology, who is leading the project to revamp the data center facility. “It was not architected to provide the efficient power, cooling and failure resistance expected in a modern data center,” Redican said. The improvements, once complete, will fix energy efficiency and help to guard the most important applications and systems. The increasing demand placed upon the center will then be supported by a data center built to tackle the needs of UC Davis. “As the amount of data increases, we will need to either build more data centers to handle it, or pack more compute power into existing data center spaces. Racks on a chip would be one solution to providing denser computing power per square foot within existing data centers,” Redican said, when asked about the proposed racks-on-chip data center design. Racks-on-chip is one potential solution to cut down the operating cost of data centers, and could be a viable option once the hardware challenges are conquered. According to Porter, the density and networking requirements for the racks-on-chip and the time and effort to finally tie everything together to build a working model would take an estimated “decade.” “Data centers will always be limited by cost and power usage,” said Bevan Baas, an associate professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at UC Davis. “There is no problem finding applications that benefit from additional computing and storage resources and they will saturate the capabilities of any hardware — just as what happens when I buy a new desktop computer and within a short time the new applications make it as slow as my last computer.” Looking toward the roadblocks ahead for racks-on-chip databases, there are many questions regarding the full design and networking of the chips. The journal publication explains the puzzles needed to be solved; the design is not a guarantee of a working model, but rather a suggestion for what researchers can begin to investigate. “It is not clear whether it will be possible to integrate massive data storage on [a] chip and I think that would be the major obstacle to implementing a rack on a chip," Baas said. But are 10 years of dedication to this design worth it? “Yes! We're just starting to see ... the potential of large-scale cloud computing, and as we're able to do more computing in those data centers, with more data and information, we'll begin to see more interesting applications and services,” Porter said. Take everything we do every day via the internet and on our many computers and devices, be it Googling, shopping or conducting research. We rely on the amount of computing available to complete all of these tasks. By working towards the goal of performing more work, more computation within existing datacenters and in our technology, we will be able to complete tasks unheard of today. “If we're to tackle big challenges like climate modeling and genetic research, we need to harness much more computing power than is practical today,” Porter said. n
For the first time in 15 years, a saola has been photographed in the wild, according to the World Wildlife Foundation. The saola, an extremely rare species of long-horned ox, was first discovered in Laos in 1992, and to this day, little is known about the animal and its populations. WORLD’S OLDEST ANIMAL KILLED WHILE TRYING TO DETERMINE ITS AGE
Ming the clam, the world’s oldest known animal, was killed by scientists who were attempting to determine its age. It is now known that Ming was 507 years old, thanks to a team of researchers from Bangor University. PREGNANT MICE TRANSFER STRESS TO OFFSPRING
Expecting mice who experienced stress passed altered microbes to their offspring, affecting the babies’ brain development. Bacteria may transfer the mother’s stress to the fetus, reports Christopher Howerton and his colleagues from the University of Pennsylvania. n
TECH TIPS
Mobile app puts new spin on our four wheels LY F T P R O M OT E S E C O - F R I E N D LY, C O S T E F F E C T I V E R I D E S H A R I N G
JASBIN KAUR science@theaggie.org
Most students are aware of the Tipsy Taxi service run by Unitrans, which brings you back home safely after one too many drinks. However, Tipsy Taxi is only available from Thursday to Saturday between the hours of 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Wouldn’t it be nice to have other late-night modes of transportation that aren’t limited to three nights of the week? In the near future, it could be possible to get a lift from Lyft. Lyft is an app that is available on iPhone and Android-based cell phones and is currently a popular service in San Francisco, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Seattle and Los Angeles. Originally started in San Francisco, Lyft was created with the younger generation’s needs in mind, promoting peer-to-peer ridesharing when traveling to a similar destination as someone with transportation. For those who live far from home, this app finds people around you who might be headed in the same direction — like driving to L.A. for the holiday break — and allows you to tag along. Lyft isn’t limited to only long-distance drives. It can also be used for short com-
recycle...
BAWK!
mutes, as well as allowing you to get as creative as you want to get with any of your travel needs. The creators of Lyft run a background check and have strict standards for drivers before they are granted a big pink moustache to put in front of their car — a symbol that distinguishes them as a Lyft driver. Interested drivers must be at least 23 years old, have had their license for at least a year and have had no major driving violations. Additionally, the model year of their vehicle can be no older than 2000. People with felony records are excluded from the program. Much cheaper and eco-friendly than a taxi, this app has helped to arrange over a million rides. The cost of such rides is not a preset amount per mile like it would be with a cab. Instead, tag-a-longs make a “donation” to the driver, and Lyft takes a 20 percent commission for every ride payout. The company plans to expand its services to 20 potential cities across the United States, yet no information has been provided as to which cities are currently being considered. A college town like Davis, where a majority of its students are far from home, could greatly benefit from this service. n
10 | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
Opinion THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
editorial from the board AFSCME 3299 strike
ELIZABETH ORPINA Editor in Chief
UC problems, we see answers
CLAIRE TAN Managing Editor ADAM KHAN Campus News Editor
With the recent 24-hour strike held by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) 3299, the largest union in the University of California (UC), the tension between the UC system and some of its employees has come to a head. AFSCME 3299, which includes custodians, cooks, licensed vocational nurses and many other workers who make up the backbone of the UC system, is arguing for more competitive wages to account for the increase in cost of living. Both sides had been bargaining to no real avail for quite a while.With neither side willing to budge, the strike on Nov. 20 was an expression of frustration by the union regarding the lack of progress.
PAAYAL ZAVERI City News Editor NAOMI NISHIHARA Features Editor TANYA AZARI Opinion Editor KYLE SCROGGINS Science Editor KENNETH LING Sports Editor CRISTINA FRIES Arts Editor BIJAN AGAHI Photography Editor EMMA LUK Copy Chief JANICE PANG Design Director JAMES KIM Art Director
The UC responded by making public statements regarding the negative effects of the strike including putting patients at risk due to a labor dispute. Despite this blistering indictment of the AFSCME 3299 strike, an important question must be asked.What could the UC system have done to have avoided this strike? For one, the UC system could have worked closer with AFSCME 3299 to meet its demands. Instead, the UC has shown a disinterest regarding the negotiation of wage increases for the workers in AFSCME 3299, believing that the wages currently offered are “competitive” with the market. But what is “competitive” about wages that are on average 25 percent
less than those wages offered to workers in California community colleges or other hospitals? The answer: nothing. Instead of simply blaming the union for doing what it was created to do — protecting its workers — the UC leaders should actively look to help solve this problem.The strike and all of the problems associated with it could have been easily avoided had the UC system simply sat down and bargained fairly with the workers. As a public institution whose primary purpose is to provide students with the education needed to pursue future endeavors, the UC system should also seek to provide its workers with fair pay and the capability of providing a decent living for their families.
BRIAN NGUYEN New Media Manager RYAN HANSEN-MAFFET Business Manager
Napolitano’s initiatives
BEAUGART GERBER Advertisting Manager
A promising start
One Shields Ave. 25 Lower Freeborn, UCD Davis, CA 95616 Editorial (530) 752-0208 Advertising (530) 752-0365 Fax (530) 752-0355 The California Aggie is printed on recycled
CONNECT WITH US @CaliforniaAggie facebook.com/CaliforniaAggie
At the Nov.13 Board of Regents meeting at UCSF’s Mission Bay campus, University of California President Janet Napolitano announced four new initiatives that she wants the UC to undertake. Among these ideas is a call for change in the UC’s tuition policy. She mentioned a couple of options, one of which offers both a low and predictable tuition for students. Additionally, she proposed a tuition freeze for the 2014-15 year for undergraduates. According to Napolitano, the Capitol has already given her a “good response,” so we’re happy to see that she’s already made an effort to seek change. We appreciate that Napolitano
THE LEFT NUT with ZACH MOORE
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Our own political apathy ultimately creates a culture in which elected leaders can deceive us... few corrupt rich people controlling every aspect of our lives scares us. When our Founding Fathers envisioned the future of America, they envisioned a well-informed citizenry capable of at least a rudimentary understanding of the issues that dictate our political agenda. Unfortunately, they never foresaw a nation full of lobotomites who faint at the thought of reading anything substantial yet cannot bear to miss an episode of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.” It is these people, not the yeoman farmers Jefferson imagined, who now hold the reins to America. When you think about it, a democracy is a pretty dangerous form of government. Have you ever thought that,
“strike team” to improve community college transfer rates as well as finding ways to increase the number of inventions, patents and other research innovations produced by UC researchers. She claims that if these four initiatives are targeted, we will once again invest in ourselves, demonstrating to the nation the unique value of a public research university system. Although the administration plans on having a more detailed discussion about the proposed tuition changes with the regents in the future, the UC already seems to be headed in the right direction. This public school system may just transform into the one we originally signed up for.
Study habits
Who cares? few months ago, as I was giving a friend a ride home, Obama’s voice came on the radio as NPR aired a clip from one of his speeches. “I hate politics!” my friend yelled as he immediately turned the station. Most people view politics with some degree of cynicism if not outright disdain. This consensus of disapproval is not unjustified: politicians lie, and the public knows it.Yet we cannot ignore politics just because the thought of a
visited each campus, although we wish she had been more accessible and inclusive to students at large. The four initiatives address some of the UC’s needs; however, we would like to see her acknowledge the current internal issues regarding union workers and TAs. She also called for the UC to become a zero-net energy consumer by 2025, citing Gov. Jerry Brown’s recent clean energy pact as inspiration. Considering the fact that many UC campuses already try to do what they can to save the environment, it is a welcome idea of solidarity and possible future funds for such projects. Her other proposals include a
THE PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION with WILLIAM CONNER
just because you passed high school civics, your vote actually holds more weight than anyone else’s? If so, you’re sadly mistaken. Over two out of five Americans, 93 million total, neglected perhaps the most important privilege they have as citizens of our country. If those 93 million people voted in 2016, we would have enough people for a legitimate third party. Sadly, that will not happen. Too many people just don’t care. On some level, it makes sense — Washington seems so detached from our daily lives that it is hard to see what practical effect it has on us. Yet, if you’ve ever paid any sort of taxes, attended a public school, driven on public roads, or just about anything else, politics has somehow impacted you, for better or for worse. Though not everyone finds the topic interesting, it does not change the importance of the issues at stake. Our own political apathy ultimately creates a culture in which elected leaders can deceive us with minimal consequences. Even the most politically disengaged people hear sound clips from time to time. For instance, it’s probably safe to assume that most Americans heard Romney’s comments regarding the 47 percent of Americans who don’t pay taxes. Those who followed the news closely (or read my column a couple weeks ago) learned that Romney’s assertion was false; however, for all the people who recognized this gaffe for what it was, there were undoubtedly MOORE on 11
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f friends ask us how we did on an exam, how would most of us answer? Would we say that we realized that we understood certain concepts but needed to study others more? When we cram by purely memorizing, thinking only of the grade, we miss the point of education: not only to know facts, but to be able to use them to solve new problems. As we cannot apply facts we do not know, education requires some memorization as a means to reach that goal.
...some professors ask for minor details and definitions that we will likely get wrong...
However, we should not forget that memorization is not the goal itself. If we can use the material we know, we will do well in not only that class but also in later courses that draw on the same concepts. We may tell ourselves that we do not have time to understand the material in one 10-week quarter, but how long do we spend memorizing lecture slides and old exams? While only memorizing might earn us a passing grade in many classes, we could instead spend those countless hours understanding the material. If we do, the knowledge will not leak out within a week or two after the test, which commonly occurs when we
solely memorize. However, pure memorization does have an appeal: it is a mindless, mechanical exercise when done without attempting to understand. If we lack interest in a class, we often turn to bruteforce memorization as it seems easier. Unfortunately, many of us do not connect this approach and our resulting mood. After a night of cramming, how do you feel? Do you feel relaxed and happy after a good night’s sleep? Or do you feel stressed and irritable after a sleepless night? While we may pass the exam after a night of cramming, do we want to live like this? How many of us have answered a question incorrectly despite knowing the answer because we were panicking at the time and could not think clearly? When we stress and lack sleep, we lose focus and mental clarity. Even so, sometimes we feel that we must memorize due to the exam style: some professors ask for minor details and definitions that we will likely get wrong if we have not memorized them. While we may not do as well on these tests if we do not memorize everything, is our happiness and peace of mind an acceptable price? We do not need a perfect score to get an A. Unfortunately, many of us primarily memorize because we were trained to do so in grade school, and the habit followed us to the university. To break the habit, we must change our way of thinking about studying. A good approach, which may be CONNER on 11
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013 | 11
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
Our stories
Battle of the Bands
COSMIC RELEVANCE with DANIEL HERMAN
STAY TUNED with ELLY OLTERSDORF
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drop of sweat rolled down my forehead and collected in my eyebrow. “And next up we have...” the announcer rumbled. Deep breath. There are many reasons to form a band, one of them being to compete in Battle of the Bands at your school. Maybe you will decide to form this band months in advance to give a good amount of time to properly prepare. Maybe you will throw something together three weeks before the first performance. To be fair, it started out as a joke. In the 10th grade, my friend Betty and I
Weirdly, in the midst of the cacophony, I realized that it could hardly be worse. played music almost every day and had been joking about making a two-person band for weeks. By the time we got serious about the idea we had recruited our friend Marisa to be a drummer and Brittany to be a violinist.Then a few more of our friends thought it would be fun to join. I know now what I didn’t know then: how to say no. It’s not that I regret forming such a large band, but for practical purposes seven people — seven teenagers — is a little more than the average high schooler can handle. Band practice was 40 percent talking, 60 percent hauling Marisa’s drum set in and out of the house. Of the three weeks we practiced, about a week and a half was spent deciding what to name the band. We called ourselves Greek Fire — inspired by a Greek war tactic we learned about in our AP World History class.The name had no relevance to our music or our image whatsoever, but it sounded cool as hell at the time, so it stuck. The last two weeks consisted of hellishly chaotic practice sessions attended by at least four band members at a time, and me calling in every favor I was owed to provide sound equipment for our performance. Betty: ukulele/voice, Brittany: violin/ flute, Marisa: drums, Benjy: voice/bass, Kyla: piano/tambourine, me: voice/guitar/banjo. In case you’re having trouble with the numbers, that’s about a million and five mics. Our first performance went surprisingly well.We made it into finals, though I have my suspicions that we made it on the grounds that turning down seven kids
MOORE Cont. from page 10
some who accepted it as truth. There exists only one greater threat to democracy than stupid people who don’t vote, and that is stupid people who do vote. In the words of Winston Churchill, “the best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.” But don’t take my or Winston Churchill’s word for it — political stupidity can only be fully appreciated straight from the horse’s mouth. At the 2012 Vice Presidential Debate, news anchor Chris Matthews asked people whom they would vote for and why. As he interviewed an Obama supporter, a woman cried, “He’s a communist!” When Matthews asked her what exactly a communist was
reuse.
is a lot harder than turning down three or four. And then hardly a week later, finals were upon us. Greek Fire was competing with four other bands: one death metal, two rock and one reggae.We were the only underclassmen competing.We were also the only girls. I felt out of place and awkward as I asked where we should set up. “And next up we have. . .Greek Fire!” The equipment had been set up, though the sound system could barely accommodate for the amount of people on stage. But we had been good enough to make it to finals, and grasping onto that hopeful thought, I stepped into the spotlight with my banjo gripped tightly. We began. My voice shook.The trumpet came in a measure late.The drummer couldn’t hear us.The harmonies stayed stubbornly flat. I’m sure it must have been slightly comical from the audience’s perspective — either that or horribly grating.We plowed through that song, the trumpet wandering in and out of any discernible melody, Benjy’s theater voice booming over the rest of the band and the drums futilely trying to keep rhythm to the disjointed clash of sounds. The worst part was finishing the song and only being a third of the way through the performance.The second song, however, went well. Strangely, everything went according to plan, and next to the first song, the performance was nothing short of perfection. One more to go. Feeling empowered, we began to play. And then suddenly the sound cut out. But we didn’t.We just sang louder. Weirdly, in the midst of the cacophony, I realized that it could hardly be worse, that all my fears had been confirmed and yet here I was still playing, half laughing, and then I was bowing, waving unabashedly to the audience as we walked off the stage.We placed last. Out of that band, me, Betty, Marisa and Brittany eventually formed a smaller band called Decibella.We played gigs around town and performed in Battle of the Bands the two following years, placing third and then second. Greek Fire was the spark that led to a high school experience full of music. Sometimes you have to think big in order to create anything worthwhile.We might have been the worst band that night, but we were undoubtedly the biggest. Hey we should totally start a band or something! Contact ELLY OLTERSDORF at eroltersdorf@ucdavis.edu.
and how Obama fit the bill, she froze up and kept telling him to “do his homework” and “study it out” in what seemed like the most pathetic, half-assed trolling attempt in history. People like this exist on both sides of the spectrum (Google “Obama phone lady”), but the point is that people either don’t know or don’t care about politics. Everyone has the capacity to grasp a basic understanding of the issues. Many people just choose not to. Without an informed population, we can’t expect to have informed officials. Without informed officials, we can’t expect good policy, and without good policy, we can’t expect a strong America. If you’d like to “do your homework,” ask ZACH MOORE for somewhat biased help at zcmoore@ucdavis.edu
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s a fourth-year student expecting to graduate this spring, I’m searching for a job. And like everybody else trying to get hired, I play the game. Each time I build a resume or write a cover letter, I present my best hirable self. I put my past on a piece of paper, and provide all my proven proficiencies. With each potential position, I construct a different history of my education, employment and skillset — a history of myself. After so many applications, I begin to contemplate the ways I frame my personal narrative. For all
Our decisions on how to view the past gives us some agency on how we approach the future. these companies, I am only really saying, “HIRE ME!,” and I’d prefer to identify myself beyond an eager job-seeker. So how would I answer the simple question, “What’s your story?” Well, it turns out we’ve all had to answer this question to get into college. The University of California application includes the personal statement — an opportunity in two essays to share how the applicant’s past has shaped their present, a soul beyond a transcript and test scores. The first prompt asks the applicant to “describe the world you come from,” and “how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.” The second asks for “a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you,” and “what about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are.” Aside from assessing writing and persuasion capabilities, admissions officers encourage applicants to be honest and personal; they look to see if applicants can reflect, interpret and learn from their life experiences. To be successful, one needs to prove that they are a thoughtful individual. That’s why I get the impression that this ability, to think critically about one’s past, is vital for academic and career success. So I frame myself positively for others, professionally and socially. But how do I frame myself? I’ve lived only one life, yet I’ve created these different timelines for work
CONNER Cont. from page 10
helpful, is to mentally organize what you know and then try to fill in the conceptual space between the facts. For example, plants need nitrogen, but cannot use nitrogen gas, and bacteria can fix gaseous nitrogen into forms plants can use. But how does the nitrogen get from the bacteria into the plants? Never ignore blank spaces by saying that it just happens, try to figure it out! We already know the information that fills these blank spaces a great deal of the time; we only need to put the pieces together. If we realize that we really do not know, we should ask the professor. When we assemble separate facts into a coherent whole, we have a greater understanding of those facts. If we synthesize the material this way, even if we forget a detail the test asks for, we have a good chance of figuring it out from related concepts we do remember.
reduce.
and school. We could say it’s connected to a type of cognitive bias, known in psychology as the framing effect — where different conclusions can be drawn from the same information. This principle states that we will react positively to a piece of information if it promises gain. But if that same proposition is framed negatively, expecting a loss, we decline. This phenomenon suggests that we inherently hold preference for potential gain and our perspective shifts to positive framing. Using this technique, creating a personal narrative for oneself can be cathartic. Our lives are defined through selection, and over time, we pick and choose what feels important. We identify the cards we were dealt, and recount the plays we’ve made. Yet, what if you, the protagonist, is caught in a tragedy? At times, it seems like a curse that certain circumstances can overshadow an infinite sea of details. I offer the wisdom of musician Victor Wooten, who says, “Life is not only about getting the responses we want, but about continuing to do what is right regardless of the responses we get.” So if we ever feel lost, this storytelling can act as a reminder, an inventory of guiding experiences. We can remember the mistakes we’ve made, and the lessons we’ve learned. We can conjure role models, and those who gave support. Sometimes it’s easy to lose the big picture. It can be useful to see how our past has led to our present, and how our present is going to get us into the future. Thus, our decisions on how to view the past gives us some agency on how we approach the future. No matter what experiences we have had, we want to know that we are on track. And what track should that be? Does all this reflection point to anything? For an answer, I turn to a quote from The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge. The Indian sorcerer Don Juan says to the young anthropologist, “For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length. And there I travel, looking, looking, breathlessly.”
If you would like to become the official biographer of DANIEL HERMAN, he can
To see if we know the material, we should take practice tests. However, we should not take practice tests to learn the material by looking at the answers. Think of the material as filling a circle and the practice test questions as randomly distributed points within that circle. If we can answer all of the questions without looking at our notes, we probably understand the entire circle or close to it. However, if we cannot answer many questions and thus look up the answers, we are learning only a few tiny points in the circle, which may not be the same small points on the test. Instead of looking up specific answers to questions we do not know, we should realize that we do not yet understand and need to study more. If we notice that we cannot answer many nearby points, we likely do not know anything about that area and should focus on it. To share your study habits, contact WILLIAM CONNER at wrconner@ucdavis.edu.
recycle.
12 | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013
U C
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
D A V I S
S H I P
P L A N
b y A t r in To us s i - & J ame s K im
Undergraduate student premium for the 2013-14 academic year: $588 per quarter. Graduate student premium for the 2013-14 academic year: $998 per quarter.
Medical Plan – Covered Services:
specialty copay.
Health Insurance Provider: Aetna Student Health
Outside SHCS, there is a $25 copay in-network / 60% coverage out-of-network.
Maximum Lifetime Benefit: Unlimited Mental Health Services Outside of SHCS: Out-of-pocket maximums: $3,000 in-network, and $6,000
Inpatient - 80% coverage in-network / 60% coverage out-of-
out-of-network. Out-of-network care is covered at 60% of the
network.
recognized charge, though the recognized charge may be less than what is billed.
Outpatient - $25 copay per visit (100% thereafter) / 60% coverage out-of-network.
Deductible: $300 per policy year. You must first satisfy the annual $300 deductible before professional and diagnostic
Physical Therapy:
services can be covered by SHIP. This fee is waived for services
At SHCS, 80% is covered in-network; deductible waived at
at the Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS).
SHCS with a $20 copayment.
100% Ambulance Expenses covered.
Outside SHCS, 80% is covered in-network / 60% is covered out-of-network.
Emergency Room: $200 copayment (waived, if admitted). Other Therapy Expenses (including chiropractic care, speech Urgent Care: $50 copayment in-network and 60% coverage
therapy, inhalation therapy and occupational therapy): 80%
out-of-network.
covered in-network / 60% covered out-of-network.
Hospitalization Services: 80% coverage in-network, 60%
Pharmacy:
coverage out-of-network after $500 per admission deductible.
At SHCS, pharmacy or in-network pharmacies: $5 copay for generic; $25 copay for formulary brand name; $40 copay for
Routine Physical/Annual Exam: Physical and annual exams
non- formulary brand
are covered at 100% including all x-rays, labs and other tests given in connection with the exam.
At out- of- network pharmacies, 60% of expense is covered following a $5 copay for generic brands; $25 copay is required
Office Visit for Medical/Mental Health/Specialty Care:
for a formulary brand name; $40 copay required for non-
At SHCS, there is a $15 primary care copay; $20 urgent care/
formulary brand.
Vision Insurance Provider: Anthem Blue View Vision
Routine Eye Exam: $10 copayment in-network / $49
(Insight Network).
allowance out-of-network.
Eye Care Providers:You can see any vision provider; a referral
Eye Glass Frames: $120 allowance in-network; 20% discount
from SHCS is not required.
off any remaining balance/ $50 allowance out-of-network.
List of Davis Optometrists, aside from SHCS (these are
Eye Glass Lenses: $25 copay for standard lenses; upgrades
locations at which you are also covered by SHIP):
are discounted (in-network) / $35-$74 allowance out-of-
Christine JJ Chao (1970 Lake Blvd.)
network.
Advanced Valley Eye Associates (2035 Lyndell Ter., STE 100) Angel Eye Care and Family Optometry
Contact Lens (in lieu of eyeglass lenses): $120 allowance in-
(1411 W Covell Blvd., STE 103)
network/ up to $92 out-of-network.
Medical Vision Technology (635 Anderson Rd, STE 1) Helmus and Baker Optometry (353 Second St.)
Lasik Surgery: 15% discount through Anthem Blue View
Dennis J Guerrieri, OD (231 C St.)
Vision’s Special Offers in- network / no discount out-of-
Davis Optometry (1111 Kennedy Pl, STE 6)
network.
Insurance Provider: Delta Dental of California
Dentist / $750 All Non-Network Dentists.
Dentists:You may see any dentist worldwide, but Delta Dental
Diagnostic and Preventive: 100% of Delta Dentist’s fee
Preferred Providers (PPO) and Delta Dental Premier Dentists
(exam and cleaning 2x / year) PPO / 80% all other.
will cost you less. A SHCS referral is not required. Basic: 80% of Delta Dentist’s fee (fillings, root canals, extractions, Maximum Annual Benefit: $1,000 Delta Dental PPO
gum surgery) PPO / 60% all other.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013 | 13
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
F E AT U R E S
U C D AV I S FA S H I O N V L O G G E R B O A S T S
19,020 Sarah Raphael / Aggie
S U B S C R I B E R S Karen Yeung uses social media to promote passions
CHAD DAVIS features@theaggie.org A new internet star is on the rise, and you might even share a class with her. On campus, she’s a fifth-year student majoring in international relations. Online, Karen Yeung, better known as Karen O, is a fashion vlogger on YouTube. Her channel, youtube.com/IAMKARENO, currently has 19,020 subscribers. Yeung grew up in Hong Kong until she was eight years old, and spent another two years in mainland China during high school. Otherwise, she's lived in California, and Yeung said her style is like a mixture of these cultures. “The intersection of different cultures online is a beautiful thing,” said Rheanna Chen, a fourth-year international agriculture development major. “It's crazy how a style can explode overnight via the internet.” Yeung’s YouTube channel has only been active for eight months, and the number of her subscribers increases daily. Yeung said the first five months were off to a slow start until she learned to effectively present herself. She said that content and style go hand-in-hand on
PROTEST Cont. from front page
the University gets notified, they should expect us to be exercising our right to strike and they shouldn’t be asking us about it on a regular basis,” Garcia-Prado said. Prior to the union’s Nov. 20 strike, Garcia-Prado said that university management harassed her again about her intention to come into work, but with different wording. “We did of course receive similar emails today, but they changed the wording. They said we [didn’t] have to come in, but we [could] and they [wouldn’t] tell our union,” Garcia-Prado said. Although Jason Henel, a AFSCME 3299 spokesperson, is hopeful for an apology and for legal action to be taken against the UC, he said that the union’s main priority is for the university to stop their alleged harassment of workers. “The very first thing we want is for them is to cease and desist their intimidation and harassment of workers. It’s just a shame that they continually threaten us with disciplinary actions for speaking up for better staffing levels and safety measures. That just has to end,” Henel said. According to Shelly Meron, University of California Office of the President spokeswoman, UC administration maintained their behavior in response to the strike was not illegal. Meron said the UC followed its normal procedure of asking employees about their intention to come into work in order to prepare for the strike and safely care for patients. “What happened here is that the university asked AFSCME workers and its employees last May if they planned to come into work during the strike, which is our normal procedure and legally permissible. We did that so we could adjust our staffing and prepare for the strike so that we could care for our patients,” Meron said. In March, the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) will be holding a hearing to determine whether there was any wrongdoing on the part of the UC according to Meron. “There’s nothing to be done at the moment, except wait for the hearing. PERB hasn’t made any determination of wrongdoing and there’s not any determination
YouTube, where an engaging video is necessary to capture an audience. “In order to stand out, you really need to be on top of your [video] editing skills,” Yeung said. “I'm constantly challenging myself to come up with new editing styles.” Yeung said that her growing success is largely thanks to networking with other UC Davis students. At a flea market, Yeung got in touch with Jenn Im, a UC Davis alumna. Im’s own fashion channel, Clothes Encounters, has over 600,000 subscribers. Yeung said Im gave a couple of her videos a 'like,’ and from there, several thousand subscribers flooded over into her own channel. “Davis has a lot of creative people, and you just have to network and meet them,”Yeung said. Yeung's YouTube channel also started as a hobby, but that changed when she went to BeautyCon, a huge convention for YouTube fashion vloggers. At the convention, she said fans waited in line for hours to meet their favorite YouTube stars. Yeung said it was bizarre how much these YouTubers are idolized, but it made her realize that she could use something she loves to help inspire people. “I want to start giving back to the
of wrongdoing by the university either,” Meron said. Meron said the strike has had a negative impact on UC medical centers. “We have had a lot of medical appointments cancelled. Certain procedures or elective surgeries have been delayed. People who are getting lab tests or therapies aren’t getting those in a timely manner. Our emergency room may have to go on drive-by status which means ambulances with critically ill patients might have to travel to other facilities to get emergency care. It’s been very disruptive to campuses,” Meron said. Charles Casey, the senior public information officer for the UC Davis health system, contends the AFSCME’s 3299’s strike has inconvenienced the UC Davis medical center, but not as drastic as Meron claims. “It certainly inconvenienced some patients, but many operations and activities here are as close to normal as possible. We’re still seeing patients in the emergency department; we’re still doing surgeries. We didn’t reschedule much at all. It has had an inconvenient impact, but it has not shut down the hospital. We expect to be back to completely normal tomorrow and throughout the rest of the week,” Casey said. According to Keith Sterling, UC Davis news and media director, the strike’s impact lies primarily with food service workers. Sterling claims UC Davis has arranged for supplemental crews to cover any shifts needed to be worked. Along with patient care workers, AFSCME 3299 includes university service workers who struck in support of their fellow members and to fight for worker’s safety for both parties. For Katrina Swim, a lead cook at Tercero Dining Commons, service employees are overworked which she believes endangers the safety of customers, coworkers and the workers themselves. “It’s unsafe for the customer because we’re dealing with food. We’re dealing with hot foods; we’re dealing with food safety. And it’s putting coworkers at risk because you can endanger a coworker just by being too tired to work, having a sharp object beside you and turning the wrong way without noticing because you’re so tired,” Swim said. Accompanying AFSCME 3299 members on strike was UAW Local 2865, the UC Student-Workers’ Union, who filed a sym-
community,” Yeung said. She said her viewers eventually became interested in who she was as a person. In response, Yeung will sometimes upload personal videos to give readers a glimpse at her personality. In her video “50 Random Facts,” she isn't afraid to point out her crooked bottom teeth and admit that she lost three retainers in the past. “I think it's important to build a relationship with your viewers,” Yeung said. “You can be really close to the [viewers] … so they know what you're like on an everyday basis.” Yeung said most of her traffic comes in from Instagram and YouTube. When she first started, Facebook was able to give her channel's popularity a significant push, but only locally. She said the subscribers and followers on her YouTube and Instagram are more invested than the fans on Facebook. Likewise, Yeung does her best to thank people for their comments and answer any questions they might have. Thanks to YouTube's analytics feature, Yeung was able to determine that about 40 percent of her viewers were aged 13 to 17 years old, and another rough 30 percent come from 18 to 24 year olds. She said these figures help her create videos to meet the needs of each
age group. For example, she sometimes makes videos for high school students, with consideration to their stricter dress codes. “I have a sister and cousin in high school,” Yeung said. “I would ask her what kind of stuff she wants to see from my channel.” The method was effective, as two of the top viewed videos on her channel are the back-to-school tips for both college and high school. By the time she reached 10,000 subscribers, Yeung said fashion companies began asking her to showcase their pieces. Currently, she works with five companies that let her pick outfits to use in her videos. Without the help of these sponsors, Yeung said most of her outfits would have to come from the thrift store, and she's grateful that these resources allow her to make better videos and explore more styles to show her viewers. Yeung said the biggest thing she's learned from the experience is how much can happen if you just put yourself out there and make an effort to network. According to her, finding someone who inspires you to do something great is the first step. And her advice as a fashion vlogger is to be yourself. n
pathy strike in support of the service union’s claims. “We believe it’s important to stand up in solidarity with AFSCME because they’ve been experiencing a campaign of illegal intimidation and harassment by the UC and we want to show that this is not acceptable,” said Caroline Mckusick, a member of UAW’s executive board. Although several teaching assistants cancelled discussion sections to attend the strike, Rebecca Miller, a first-year animal science major, believes this will not have a large impact on students. “I don’t think [the strike] will compromise anything. ...We’re adults here; I feel like we can deal with one day,” Miller said. According to Henel, AFSCME 3299’s primary plan after the strike is continuing to fight for safe staffing. “The safety conditions directly impact students and patients. With reduced staffing, you have situations where people are trying to do much more with less. There’s been a 20 percent increase in worker injury in the past years. One in 10 workers are going to be injured on the job. That is unacceptable,” Henel said. Additionally, Meron said that every offer the UC has made towards AFSCME 3299 in respect to other union goals has been rejected. “Our staffing is appropriate currently. That is our opinion. This is not about staffing; this is about AFSCME’s refusal to compromise with us at the bargaining table. We’ve made several offers to them including wage increases, health benefits, pensions — all the issues they have told us are important to them. And AFSCME has refused all of those offers,” Meron said. For Ricardo Martinez, a core member of the Student Labor Organization, the alleged intimidations toward union members are disconcerting. He worries the possible failure of AFSCME’s plight might make it harder for students to voice their complaints. “Where we’ve come in society, to have these tactics put on people, you’re really left baffled by the actions the UC is taking. If the workers are able to get struck down, the students will probably be crushed,” Martinez said. According to Meron, the service union and the University are still in negotiation. A planned hearing for AFSCME 3299’s complaints is scheduled for March 2014. n
COFFEE Cont. from page 5
reserved for engineering students. “Traditionally, the chemical engineering program hasn’t offered any general education courses, so students outside of our major often have very little idea what chemical engineers do or how they approach problems,” Ristenpart said. Ristenpart said that this is one of the only chemical engineering courses designed for students both in and outside the field, and that if the original seminar is any indication of what is to come, the response will be positive. “Based on our initial feedback, we think the students will react extremely positively,” Ristenpart said. Following Ristenpart and Kuhl’s desire to build excitement for the class and attract more students, Connor Frey, who runs the “UC Davis Engineering”YouTube channel, was tasked with producing a promotional video of ECM 1. “It’s essentially an attention-getter to get people to look at the class,” Frey said. Following the low-stress pattern of this introductory course, the promotional video is a parody that describes the basics of the class and why students should be interested. However, the class filled up before the promotional video was even published. If this interest remains high, Ristenpart and Kuhl stated that they are hopeful they will be able to continue it in future years. “We hope to make ECM 1 a regularly offered class,” Ristenpart said. “It depends on student demand. Even if you can’t get in the class for winter 2014, please let us know you’re interested by getting on the waitlist.” n
RECY C ! RECYCLLEEE !! L C Y C E R
14 | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013
SNAP Cont. from front page
$36. These cuts will average out to less than $1.40 per individual meal in 2014. The reductions were planned as a phaseout of part of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a piece of which raised the benefits for food stamp recipients by 13.6 percent. Often referred to as food stamps, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides federal aid to help low-income individuals purchase food. California’s program, known as CalFresh, covers about 4.2 million people, or 11 percent of the state’s population. As of September 2013, Yolo County had 16,845 residents participating in CalFresh, about eight percent of the county’s total population. However, according to Nancy O’Hara, the assistant director of Employment & Social Services for Yolo County, this number continues to grow, with about 450 people joining the program in October. “It’s a pretty significant increase,” O’Hara said. “We really hope it continues.” O’Hara attributes this increase in enrollment in part to a greater outreach effort on the part of the county to enroll more Californians in the program. In California, only about 55 percent of those eligible for SNAP apply to receive benefits, giving it one of the
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
lowest SNAP participation rates in the country. SNAP eligibility depends on factors such as family size and income, with those making under 130 percent of the federal poverty level able to apply for benefits. Under this scheme, a family of four that earns less than $30,625 a year is eligible to receive benefits, which average $153 a month per individual. The fastest growing segment of these new recipients are those who earn some form of income, yet still can’t make enough to cover food expenses for themselves or their families. “Even if you’re working 40 hours a week on minimum wage you’ll probably still be eligible,” O’Hara said. The cuts are particularly pertinent to State Rep. Mariko Yamada, who takes part in the annual “Hunger Challenge” — living on food stamps for a week in order to draw attention to the difficulty many SNAP recipients face in ensuring food security. “There are still a lot of myths out there about who is actually on SNAP,” Yamada said. “It could be students, seniors or anyone who has low income — hunger knows no bounds.” The state attempted to prepare SNAP recipients for the reduction, posting information about what future benefits would look like as well as tips on how to cope with a tighter budget in the lead up to the cuts. According to Michael Weston, the spokesperson for the California Department of So-
Maureen Mai / Aggie
cial Services, those affected by the cuts may have to look elsewhere for their food supply. “For individuals who are having trouble meeting their daily nutrition needs, there are options for them,”Weston said, referring to the numerous food banks and pantries across the state. However, private nutritional assistance programs are experiencing increased demand as well, especially around the holiday season when food banks are tasked with supplying an ever growing contingent of hungry people. Such is the case with the Yolo Food Bank, which according to the bank’s Agency Relations coordinator, Stephanie Sanchez, has seen its average monthly user base grow from 25,000 in 2012 to around 28,000 in 2013. UC Davis’ The Pantry, which relies on food purchases from the Yolo Food Bank as well as private food donations, is also attempting to broaden its outreach in order to serve the student population more effectively, according to Tara Storm, The Pantry’s director of Internal Operations.
“We’re definitely trying to get our name out there,” Storm said, referencing the Pantry’s increased use of social media and flyering efforts in order to attract both donors and recipients. Despite the efforts of private groups to make up for shrinking government assistance, these reductions may prove to be only the beginning of a longer trend of planned cuts to the food stamp program. As Congress continues negotiations regarding a new farm bill — a large chunk of which funds SNAP — further food stamp funding is on the chopping block. The final fate of this funding is still unclear as Congress attempts to reconcile the differing House and Senate versions of the bill.The main sticking point of their negotiations is a large gap between the House bill’s $40 billion in cuts and the Senate’s milder $4 billion in cuts. “It was certainly our hope that Congress would be able to agree on sustaining such a large government poverty provgram,”Yamada said. “This is a major step backwards for our country. It’s really a disgrace.” n
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013 | 15
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
ENERGY Cont. from front page
significant progress was made within a short timeframe. “We were quite pleasantly surprised with how quickly we have been able to get the project done,” Wong said. Additionally, Wong finds that the biodigester facility will be extremely beneficial for the whole campus community in terms of reducing waste and energy efficiency. “The biggest benefit is that a lot of the waste that would be sent to the landfill will be used for renewable energy,” Wong said. “It will also be reducing greenhouse gases.” Located at the former UC Davis landfill plot, it is estimated that 50 tons of mixed waste will be used for the facility daily and approximately 20,000 tons of waste will be diverted from local landfills each year. According to Wong, half of this waste will be coming from campus sources such as the dining commons, animal facilities, olive oil production and winery. The rest will come from local commercial food companies and restaurants. During the digestion process, a mix of microbes are used to quickly break down the organic waste, which is converted into biogas that mainly consists of methane and carbon dioxide.
LASER Cont. from page 7
are excited to make LASERs part of the Davis community. Donna Billick, cofounder of the UC Davis Art and Science Fusion program, feels that LASER event have an important function within the UC Davis community.
WIGS Cont. from page 7
“We’ve kept the original 18 minutes and have added more, including the concept of the girls escaping,”Vitiello-Jensen said. Part of the challenge of the collaboration came from the different approaches that Vitiello-Jensen and Beamish use in regards to creative endeavours. “When we started to work together we were trying to forge our two ways of working,”VitielloJensen said. “I like to have some idea of what I’m doing while Lindsay prefers to have no idea at all.” Beamish was surprised by the effectiveness of
Once the electricity is produced from the biogas, it will be directly fed into the UC Davis microgrid where it will provide power for the campus. In a recent CleanWorld press release, the company stated that the biogas will “generate one megawatt of renewable electricity to power campus buildings — enough to power nearly 1,000 homes for a year.” According to CleanWorld the facility will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 13,500 tons annually, and will be able to produce over four million gallons of fertilizer and soil amendments, which is enough to provide low cost, natural fertilizers for 145 acres of California’s farmlands daily. The biodigester also signifies the strive toward renewable energy for all of the researchers, graduate students, faculty members and organizations involved with the project. “[It] allows the University to demonstrate the leadership in environmental stewardship and converting waste into clean bioenergy and reducing the carbon footprint of the University’s community and facilities,” Zhang said. Furthermore,Wong believes that the biodigester illustrates the cogent progress that UC Davis continues to achieve. “UC Davis is leading the world in research and in alternative, renewable energy technology,”Wong said.“I expect that a lot of people around the world will want to come see the facility.” n
“Cross-discipline activities are stimulating, build relationships and networks that would never be possible any other way,” Billick said in an email. “It reveals creative thinking, creative confidence and literacy,” The LASER event will take place in Plant and Environmental Sciences 3001 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. The event also allots time for networking before and after the actual presentations that begin at 7 p.m. Entrance is free. n the collaboration, which she described as “great but weird.” “I usually don’t collaborate well since I tend not to like other people’s ideas, but I felt like Amanda’s ideas were consistently great,” Beamish said. Vitiello-Jensen also enjoyed working with Beamish, despite their different creative approaches. “I felt like I wanted to learn from Lindsay,”Vitiello-Jensen said.“It was great but I was scared. It was like walking into a black hole and making something out of nothing. We ended up laughing our way through the process.” Wigs Turn The Music On is rated R, and will be performed in Wright Hall Lab A, on Nov. 24, 25 and 26 at 7 p.m. Admission is free. n
SYMPHONY Cont. from page 7
power of a storm, thus relating to the heaven and sea theme. Third-year music major Alex Stepans has played French horn in the UC Davis Symphony since his freshman year and is excited for the concert’s complex set list. “The story is about a town by the sea in Britain,” Stepans said about the Four Sea Interludes. “The themes are Dawn, Sunday Morning, Moonlight and Storm.” The second piece, Piano Concerto No. 3, is split into three parts. Composer Bartók originally wrote the piece as a gift for his wife in his final months of life. Each movement has its own unique flavor and pulls from the influences of Hungarian folk music, the sounds of nature and joyous moments in life. Bartók’s piece features a piano solo that intertwines with the symphony. The solo will be performed by UC Davis applied music faculty member and piano teacher Michael Orland. Orland does not often perform concertos in his work and has expressed excitement about working with the symphony on this particular piece. “It’s a big deal to get to play this concerto for a pianist like me who doesn’t usually play concertos,” Orland said. “It’s a very exposed part and needs a lot of coordinating with the orchestra. The idea is the duality between the solo and the orchestra and how they interact.” The third piece, Symphony No. 2 in D Major, is split into four movements like Four Sea Interludes. The outer two movements are fast-paced with the first movement based off of the composer Brahms’ own melody “Brahms’s Lullaby.” The inner two movements are slower and help to balance out the two livelier movements. Symphony No. 2 in D Major lasts around forty to fifty minutes, ending the full concert at around two hours. The symphony practices twice a week and has been preparing with Orland and Baldini for the past six weeks in order to perfect each work. Each practice consists of paying close attention to each dynamic and decoration needed to assure each piece conveys the message within the harmonies. Third-year computer science major Aaron Pyzik Shuler is the principal trumpeter in the symphony and said he enjoys working with Baldini. “I really admire Professor Baldini,” Shuler said. “He’s a really incredible conductor, his musical interpretation is awesome and he pushes the orchestra to perform at a high level; he sets the bar of expectation very high.” The UC Davis Symphony Orchestra consists of around 110 students and holds two to three performances each quarter at the Mondavi Center. The symphony holds auditions at the beginning of each quarter and encourages returning members to re-audition. The Music Department encourages students to go see the symphony perform at the Mondavi because the tickets are exponentially cheaper than professional orchestras (only $8 for students and $12 to $17 for regular tickets) and for the purpose of supporting their fellow peers in the arts. “I think we’re playing very accessible pieces [for audiences], even to those who don’t have musical experience,” Shuler said. “It’s incredibly nice to see us at the Mondavi Center because the hall is just an amazing place. It’s great to get new musical experiences to broaden your horizons.” Tickets can be purchased at the Mondavi Ticket Office or online at tickets.mondaviarts.org. n
TEA Cont. from page 6
Tsiologist Wingchi Ip, one of the foremost tea experts in China and who has been instrumental in disseminating quality teas and information about them.” Many departments from different areas of discipline at UC Davis have become influenced by these tea-related collections. This has encouraged research in nutrition, agriculture and other areas, so the creation of this exhibit seemed fitting, attracting many fields. “Professor Katharine Burnett has been working closely with our school librarians to find and catalog books in the Shields Library that deal with tea,” Faure said. “Since UC Davis is beginning to study tea across departments and we’re having all these marvelous tea-related events, Axel Borg, a librarian in the biology and agriculture department of Shields, had the idea of creating this exhibit of materials from Special Collections on tea and offered to have students from Professor Burnett’s seminar curate it.” Fourth-year international relations major and art history minor Ashley Cook was also offered this opportunity to curate. She described her and Roxanne’s specific roles as curators of the exhibition in an email. “I found the opportunity in Professor Katharine Burnett’s proseminar class about tea, part of the AHI 190 series,” Cook said. “My role, as well as Roxanne’s, has primarily been invested in identifying and organizing materials for the collection, which is not an easy feat when looking at the 256 results that come up when searching ‘tea’ in the Special Collections Database.” To present this compilation of tearelated items that Roxanne Faure and Ashley Cook had the opportunity to arrange, UC Davis had Wingchi Ip himself come, along with tea historian Dr. Owyoung. Wingchi Ip is a tea master, tea scholar, artist and director of Lock Cha Tea Shop, where he is a tea exporter, manufacturer and retailer in Hong Kong. He is also the former head of the Fujian Tea Research Institute, in Fu’an China.
At the colloquium, he will describe “The Way(s) of Drinking Tea,” where he will explain how to select, brew and taste teas, as well as explain the differences between the primary types of Chinese teas on the market, such as green, fermented, semi-fermented and white teas. Following Ip’s detailed description of the different ways to drink tea, Dr. Owyoung, will present his “Drinking from the Dragon’s Well: An Introduction to the Tea Cultures of China, Korea and Japan.” This is an hour-long presentation of the historical figures and events that inspired the evolution of tea from a beverage to a philosophical and spiritual pursuit. Dr. Owyoung is an expert in the subject, and has concentrated on the translation of texts and poetry related to tea. “‘Drinking from the Dragon’s Well’ offers a history of tea from the seventh through 19th centuries,” Dr. Owyoung said in an email. “The illustrated presentation will cover three civilizations and shows the transmission of tea over time between continental China and its transformation by peninsular Korea and the archipelago of Japan.” As a near-universal drink in Asia, tea has for millennia had a great cultural influence that continues to this day. Its use seems to demands a mastery of knowledge, technique and form, all of which contribute to the notion of performance, grace and formality, making it an art form. “The talk will explore various historical and aesthetic movements of each of the three Asian cultures, including the Daoist origins of tea, the import of monastic practices, the philosophical bases of tea and their expression in the arts,” Dr. Owyoung said. “Tea should be seen as an art, because of its preparation, service and appreciation. In its various forms fine tea was and still is a costly commodity.” As tea has taken on a great importance even in the United States, this talk helps trace the culture of the art back to its roots. Wingchi Ip and Dr. Owyoung will present this journey at the colloquium, where one can anticipate beverages and a chance to explore future opportunities for studying the art, history and science of tea on our campus. n
16 | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
geous, but it’s just a black beanie with a swear word on it, so it’s actually pretty basic and it goes with most of the things I wear. I try not to wear it around children, elderly people and people with authority though.
CAMPUS CHIC Cont. from page 6
1. If you could describe your personal style in three words, what would they be? Musical, tomboy and goddess. 2. Who or what is your style icon? If I really had to choose, it would have to be Esther Quek. I love her colorful, fitted suits and androgynous style. I’m inspired by her to finally take the jump and get a pixie cut. 3. What are your three must-have items in your wardrobe? Button-up shirts, skinny jeans and high-top sneakers. 4. What is your favorite accessory and why? A “Comme des Fuckdown” beanie I bought off the Free and For Sale Facebook group. I saw G-Dragon wearing it in an airport fashion picture and desperately wanted it, and when I saw it on the group I just snatched it up. At first I was really scared to wear it around because I thought it was a bit outra-
AGGIE ARCADE Cont. from page 6
wonderful Xbox 360 controller, and the actual material of the gamepad feels incredibly comfortable. After that I pulled out the included mono headset, which is a first for Sony. The PS3 clearly lags behind the Xbox 360 when it comes to user communication, but the inclusion of the headset and voice chat with the PS4 marks an improvement. On the downside, there’s just one earbud for the headset, which I find uncomfortable. But for a cheap-looking device, it proves functional and the sound appears to be decent.
5.What is your most treasured item in your wardrobe? This chambray shirt with an embroidered collar. My mom bought it for me in last year’s Black Friday sales. If I could, I would just wear this shirt every single day. 6. What do you love about embroidered collars? I think I like wearing a lot of details around the collar to sort of bring attention to my face. Sometimes I have really bad face days; I have acne or my face is bloating, but sometimes I have really good face days where my skin is just absolutely clear. And it’s just about bringing attention to my facial features and all the stuff that I was previously distraught about. It’s all about recognition. 6. What does fashion mean to you? Once I saw this person, who appeared to be a very tall, very skinny cisgendered man do a Naomi Campbell walk to class in a rainbow t-shirt, booty shorts, thigh-high rainbow stripe
Once I booted the system up for the first time I downloaded the day-one patch (the wonders of technology!) and proceeded to check out the new user interface. It’s surprisingly similar to the XrossMediaBar (XMB) from the PS3, with a few nice touches. All of the user’s recently played titles show up in icons in the main menu, and there’s a new section that keeps track of friends’ recent activities. It all looks visually appealing, though perhaps too simplistic. The best thing about the new interface is the ease of multitasking, which was almost nonexistent on the PS3. I had no problem downloading a game while I played something else or took a look at my trophies. Also, the download speeds seem a lot faster
socks, and 5-inch heels. THAT is fashion. Fashion should be political, and people of color, women and LGBTQIA identified people have inherently political existences. 7. How has your style changed since high school? For one thing, I’m not surrounded by a bunch of emo kids who hang out at Hot Topic and purposely try to bash my face in at the mosh pits at charity shows anymore. But in all seriousness, I’m just not “trying too hard” anymore and I’m letting myself blossom without all the pressure and anxiety that dramatic TV high schools exude. 8. What items do you recommend our readers to incorporate in their wardrobes for the fall/winter season? Dark berry lip colors, silver eyeshadow, scarves and jackets. Sometimes just wearing a really fancy jacket makes you look more fashionable even if you weren’t trying that hard that day. 9. What final tips can you give to our fashion-forward readers? Don’t be afraid to try what you like, but don’t feel pressured to like, never be seen in pajamas or something.
than they used to be, which I see as a critical improvement. Perhaps the coolest new feature with the PS4 is the addition of the share button on the controller. Pressing that button allows users to upload their last 15 minutes of gameplay or a screenshot to Facebook, though other services/websites will be supported in the future. So if I happen to pull off an amazing feat in a game or stumble upon a ridiculous glitch, I can share that moment with friends. In addition, the console comes with Twitch and Ustream support right out of the box, so streaming to the world is as simple as pressing the share button, logging in and starting the broadcast. A lot of people are disappointed with
the launch lineup, and I can’t say it’s amazing. But I had a lot of fun with games like Resogun, Killzone: Shadow Fall and Need for Speed Rivals this past weekend. At the very least, I certainly prefer them to the launch lineup for the PS3 and Xbox 360 some years back. And the new technology shines on games like Killzone: Shadow Fall, which looks stunning at times. I’m interested to see how Microsoft does with its Xbox One launch Nov. 22, because Sony got off to a strong start last week. More and more games will be coming out for the console in the next year, which should entice those who held off on a day-one purchase. So the future is looking bright for video game audiences everywhere.
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Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
C R O S S W Edited O RbyD Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis ACROSS 1 Red planet 5 Put down stakes, maybe 11 Jack Sprat’s no-no 14 “Yeah, whatever!” 15 It traditionally translates to “O come” 16 Elem. school basics 17 Facts and figures 18 Thing to make when a Post-it isn’t handy 20 Surgeons’ tools 22 Call it a night 23 Fan magazine for teens 25 Exclusive, as communities 26 Veto vote 27 “Blessed __ the peacemakers”: Matthew 29 Carrying a weapon 32 Clearance event 34 Enveloping glow 38 Best Picture of 1965, and a hint to the ends of 18-, 23-, 50- and 59-Across 41 Geologic periods 42 Any time now 43 Not up to the task 44 Distant 45 Supermarket chain with a redand-white logo 46 Take off 50 Warm, muted color 56 Former Indian prime minister Gandhi 58 College class staples 59 Frenzied state 61 Shabby wear 62 Prefix with cycle 63 Sprawling property 64 To be, to Berlioz 65 Scale fifth 66 Game with falling blocks 67 Revolutionary Trotsky
By Steve Blais
DOWN 1 Central position 2 Beaded calculators 3 Change the price of 4 Blah quality 5 Paid a visit 6 Fred’s dancing sister 7 High-IQ group 8 Pasadena winter hrs. 9 Floride, par exemple 10 Downpour 11 Forward-facing side 12 Clarinetist Shaw 13 The way things are going 19 Gun lobby org. 21 Site of much Spanish art 24 Eagle’s pickerupper 28 Gridiron enforcer 29 Had a bite 30 Pi follower 31 Dudes 32 Sleep-disturbing sound 33 Excitement 34 In the altogether
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T H U RMonday’s S DAY’ S PU ZZ LE S O LV E D Puzzle Solved
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35 Take advantage of 36 Shred 37 Not just sit by 39 Springsteen’s “Born in the __” 40 Physical strength 44 Polecat relative commonly kept as a pet 45 Needs scratching 46 London elevators
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47 Month after diciembre 48 Aleve competitor 49 Be in the game 51 Raised church area 52 Prefix with linear 53 Give a speech 54 Part of UNCF 55 German steel city 57 Church recess 60 Former comm. giant
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013 | 17
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
backstop ggies chopped down by Cardinals UC Davis women hold their own against national power Stanford
SCOTT DRESSER sports@theaggie.org
The UC Davis women’s basketball team marched into Maples Pavillion in Palo Alto, Calif. on Nov. 17, and for the most part, hung around with one of the most established programs in the history of college basketball before falling 66-48. The Aggies (0-3) came out of the gates on fire defensively against a Stanford team coming off a 76-57 loss to reigning national champion and current No. 1 Connecticut on Nov. 11. The Cardinals (3-1), ranked sixth in the most recent Associated Press poll, weren’t able to convert on three consecutive secondchance opportunities on their first possession, and UC Davis sophomore Molly Greubel scored the game’s first points to give the Aggies a 2-0 lead. That would be the Aggies’ only lead of the game. Junior Sydnee Fipps scored four straight to tie the score at six with 15 minutes to go in the opening half, but an 11-0 Cardinal run over the ensuing three minutes put the Aggies in a large deficit early. However, the Aggies held tough, not allowing Stanford to extend its lead. Nine straight points for Fipps cut the lead to seven with about 10 minutes to play. Fipps, the Aggies’ leading scorer at 15.7 points per game, scored 13 of the team’s first 17 points. She backed up her 25-point effort against Pacific on Nov. 11 with a team-high 14 in this one. Stanford closed out the half on a 6-0 run, extending its lead to 34-20. In the majority of the major upsets in college basketball, the underdog usually has to make a significant number of three
pointers at a relatively high percentage. After shooting a dismal eight percent (112) on threes in the first half, UC Davis connected on 7-16 (48 percent) from long distance in the second. Junior Kelsey Harris, who finished with nine points, scored all her points from behind the arc. Sophomore Heidi Johnson (who finished with six points) and junior Brianna Salvatore (eight points) each added two threes. Back-to-back threes by Harris cut the
though.We had some stretches where we gave up a few boards that I thought we should have had but, for the most part, from start to finish, we competed on the boards.” For the game, the Aggies went 18-53 (34 percent) from the field, including 8-28 (29 percent) on threes. On the flip side, UC Davis played spectacular defense at times to hold the high-powered Cardinal offense to just 35 percent from the field.
I thought we really battled inside, though. deficit to 44-29 with 14:16 to play, but the Aggies had no answer for Stanford’s star forward, 6-foot-3 junior Chiney Ogwumike. Ogwumike, last year’s Pac12 Player of the Year, recorded her fourth straight double-double, scoring a gamehigh 28 points on 13-22 shooting and pulling down 15 rebounds — five of them on the offensive end. Stanford outrebounded UC Davis 4937, but Gross was still pleased with her team’s effort on the glass. “I think, of all the years that we have played them, this is the closest rebounding margin we’ve probably ever had,” Gross said. “We really tried to emphasize our rebounding today, but when you’ve got 6’5”, 6’4” and 6’3”, it’s tough, especially with the kind of athleticism they have. I thought we really battled inside,
The flashes of offensive and defensive brilliance by the Aggies have their coach confident in their ability to hang with some of the country’s elite teams. “I feel like we’re so close in so many different ways,” Gross said. “We have stretches of really exciting play where we’re getting it done both on offense and defense. If we put it together for 40 minutes, I think we’re going to be a tough matchup for a lot of teams on our schedule.” Stanford might not even be the best team the Aggies face this year. The team heads to Hartford, Conn., to take on topranked UConn on Dec. 5. In the meantime, the Aggies have a nine-day break before resuming their quest for their first victory. Their next game is a home contest against San Jose State on Nov. 26 at 4:45 p.m.
Aggies basketball heads to Portland State for a three-game stretch Teams
UC Davis vs. SIUE; vs. Loyola University; at Portland State Records
Aggies 1-2 (0-0); Cougars 1-2 (0-0); Ramblers 1-2 (0-0);Vikings 1-1 (0-0) Where
Peter Stott Center — Portland, Ore. When
Sunday, Nov. 17 at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22 at 3 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 23 at 3 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 24 at 3 p.m.
Who to Watch:
In a tough loss against former conference rivals Pacific, the Aggies found quite a few bright spots. One of which was the outstanding offensive performance of junior forward Brianna Salvatore. Salvatore, who played 30 minutes against the Tigers, had an efficient offensive night. She went six for seven from the field, including three of four from beyond the arc. Salvatore was also flawless from the free-throw line and finished the night with a career-high 18 points. She also contributed four rebounds, four assists and three steals. The Aggies need offensive options other than junior forward Sydnee Fipps. Fipps, who has struggled from the field
SOCCER Cont. from page 18
was also unable to find the back of the net and was held scoreless by the stingy Anteater defense.
this season, is the offensive catalyst for the Aggies. However, players like Salvatore need to step up and shoulder some of the offensive burden. As the schedule gets tougher, the Aggies will need continued production from all their players in order to take some of the pressure off of the preseason All-Big West nominee Sydnee Fipps. If Salvatore can continue playing at a high level, it will definitely open up opportunities for other players to score and hopefully help jumpstart the Aggies’ season. Did you know?
UC Davis has scheduled games against two of the top teams in the nation this season. The Aggies will face off against both the third-ranked Stanford Cardinals and the first-ranked Connecticut Huskies. The Stanford game will be on Nov. 12 at the Maples Pavilion and the Connecticut game will be on Dec. 5 at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn. Both of these games will be good tests for the Aggies. A win against either of these teams would be a huge momentum boost for UC Davis’ season. Preview:
The Aggies head into one of the biggest games of the season licking their wounds. After having a less than lackluster start to the season, UC Davis attempts to redeem itself against the perennial Pac-12 champions, Stanford Cardinals.
An insurance goal from UC Irvine sealed the deal with just over five minutes of play left in regulation, as the end of the game ultimately marked the end of the road for the 2013 UC Davis men’s soccer team. One cannot deny that it was an up and down season for the athletes, but some high-
After two defeats at the hands of USC and Pacific respectively, UC Davis comes into the matchup with Stanford looking for its first win of the season. Part of the struggle the Aggies have had this season is due to the inefficiency of junior forward Sydnee Fipps. Fipps is shooting 28 percent from the field and has yet to make a three-pointer this season. However, Fipps has shown signs of heating up as she managed to score an impressive 25 points in the loss to Pacific. This offensive outburst was due in large part to her efficiency from the free-throw line, where she hit 17 out of 20 attempts. She will need to continue her aggressive play against a tough Cardinals team. The Cardinals are led by forward Chiney Ogwumike and guard Amber Orrange, who average 23.0 and 20.5 points per game respectively. Ogwumike is a double-double machine who also averages 13.5 rebounds per game. She will definitely be a handful for the Aggie defenders. Orrange is not just a scorer either, she averages 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. Orrange is a complete player who can hurt UC Davis in multiple ways if it is not careful. Stanford will be a test of the Aggies’ endurance and unity. Regardless of the outcome, this game could serve as the motivational catalyst that UC Davis has been looking for. — Kenneth Ling
lights stood out for several of the players. “I thought our highlight of the season was our last few games of the year,” said junior forward Matt Wiesenfarth. “We knew that we needed two wins to secure the second seed in the north and we went out and executed perfectly.”
Though the playoffs did not go as planned, there is still hope for success. UC Davis has plenty of room to grow next season. “We have nine months to create a national championship-caliber team and we have the personnel to make it happen,”Wiesenfarth said.
18 | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
backstop
ROSA FURNEAUX / AGGIE
Junior Gabe Manzanares carries the ball in the Aggies’ 34-18 win over University of North Dakota.
UC Davis ends final home game of the season, Senior Day with a win JORDANNA BADDELEY sports@theaggie.org
The Aggies ended their last home game and sent their seniors off with a 34-18 win over University of North Dakota (UND) on Nov. 16. The game marked the last time playing at Aggie Stadium for 16 UC Davis seniors. “Our focus the last couple of weeks has been superb,” said head coach Ron Gould. “We talked about attention to detail and focusing on fundamental football. I am proud of the team to see the seniors go out with a win. This group of seniors is really special. To see the way they have embraced me, see how they responded to change - not necessarily better, but different — was great to see.” UC Davis’ win improved their record to 4-7 overall and 4-3 in the Big Sky Conference while ending UND’s season at 3-8 (2-6). In addition to scoring three touchdowns, junior running back Gabe Manzanares ended the game with 194 total yards and 132 yards rushing, more than twice as many rushing yards than UND. This was his fifth consecutive 100-yard game.
Manzanares carried the ball 27 times, averaging 4.9 yards per attempt with a long of 39 yards. The running back scored on runs of 17 yards, one yard and caught a 15-yard pass from senior quarterback Randy Wright. The San Francisco, Calif. native moved up to eighth on the Aggies’ single-season rushing list with 1,163 yards while advancing six spots to fourth for single-season carries with 232. Manzanares needs only 21 yards to pass Matt Brown (1,183 in 2000) for the seventh spot, and a 125-yard game would put him past G.P. Muhammad (1,287 in 1998) for fourth all-time. Sophomore kicker Brady Stuart was named Big Sky Conference Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time this season, due in large part to his career-best four field goals (18, 29, 32 and 35 yards).The Newhall, Calif. local is now 15 for 22 for the season with eight consecutive field goals. Both teams got on the board in the first half with field goals, but UC Davis took a 6-3 lead with a 29-yard Stuart field goal on the first play of the second quarter. Senior Jonathan Perkins’ 72-yard kickoff return set up Manzanares’ 17-
UC Davis falls short in Big West semifinals Ag g i e s e n d s e a s o n w i t h a 2 - 0 d e f e a t to t h e A n te a te r s
SLOAN BOETTCHER sports@theaggie.org
The first round of the Big West Conference men’s soccer tournament began Nov. 12 for the Aggies. After defeating Cal Poly and Sac State in their last two games of regular season play, UC Davis clinched home field advantage and took on UC Riverside in a heated first round matchup of the Big West tournament. The Aggies came out firing, scoring two of their three goals in the first 10 minutes of the game. Senior forward Kevin Schulte found the back of the net first thanks to a clean pass to the left post by junior forward Matt Sheldon. The goal gave Schulte his first of the season and his eighth goal in his four years with UC Davis. The Highlanders answered back quickly with a goal to tie the game 1-1, just six minutes after Schultes. However, young standout freshman forward Dashiell MacNamara added a third goal to his season record with four minutes left in the first half, tipping the game to 2-1 in the Aggies' favor. This was the second game-winner of the season for the Big West AllFreshman Team Honoree. With an insurance goal from senior
forward Nick Grigoriev in the first few minutes of the second half, the Aggies ultimately took the match 3-1, clinching the victory in the first round of 2013 playoffs over UC Riverside. “Overall, I thought my team played really well, and I think we’re peaking at the absolute right time of the season,” said head coach Dwayne Shaffer after the Nov. 12 afternoon match. With their win against the Highlanders the Aggies had to maintain their momentum as they traveled to Irvine for their semifinal matchup against the Anteaters on Nov. 15. Both teams were hungry for a victory, as a win would advance one team onto the Big West Tournament Championship game. The winner would be facing Cal State Northridge, who took down UCSB in the other Big West semifinal game. Unfortunately for UC Davis, the Anteaters came out with the 2-0 victory and were given the opportunity to play in the finals. UC Irvine was firing out of the gate, scoring its first goal after only 12 minutes of play. The Aggies struggled to get shots off, as evidenced by their low total of five shots attempted. Besides that, UC Davis soccer on 17
yard TD run, which improved the Aggies’ lead to 15-3 in the first 30 seconds of the second quarter. Despite a second 45-yard field goal from Zeb Miller and a three-yard TD from Adam Shaugabay (with a blocked PAT by UC Davis senior defensive tackle Anthony Kaspar), UND trailed 18-9 before the half. Manzanares’ 15-yard TD reception occurred early in the fourth quarter and inflated the Aggies’ lead 24-9, while his one-yard rush halfway through the period made the score 31-12. UND made one last push and scored on Kenny Golladay’s touchdown at the end of their 80-yard drive, but Kaspar blocked the extra point yet again. The senior from Dana Hills, Calif. also added six tackles and a sack. Stuart’s last field goal produced the final score of the game, 34-18. “I told my players this week to keep playing the next play, line up again, and play that play,” Gould said. “If we have to, let’s regroup, refocus and execute the next play. I told them not to look at the scoreboard and just worry about the next play.” Although UND finished with 368 yards passing, UC Davis’ defense held
UND to only one touchdown and recorded three sacks. Senior cornerback Dre Allen finished with seven tackles and a pass breakup, while freshman defensive end Zak Petit had two sacks. On top of a 44-yard punt return, senior Charles Boyett had six tackles. Averaging 45 yards per punt on five punts, Colby Wadman added to the special teams’ impressive performance. Wright completed 18 of 32 passes for 263 yards while senior Tom Hemmingsen had three catches (including a 44-yard catch the first play of the game) for a team-high 66 yards. UC Davis will play their final game of the season at the 60th annual Causeway Classic this Saturday, Nov. 23 at 3:30 p.m. at rival Sacramento State’s Hornet Stadium. The Aggies’ defense will have their work cut out for them with three-time Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week quarterback Garrett Safron. Safron threw for a Sacramento State record of 554 yards on his way to four passing touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing with 42 yards and two rushing touchdowns in a 43-42 victory against Portland State on Nov. 16.
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