April 19, 2012

Picnic Day is this Saturday

Arsty Fartsy Not one, not two, but three pages of MUSE

For the lowdown on this weekend’s events, see pages 4 & 5

Page 6, 7, and 10

serving the uc davis campus and community since 1915

www.theaggie.org

volume 131, number 51

thursday, april 19, 2012

Picnic Day 2012: Then. Now. Always.

Picnic Day app available Saturday

By MICHELLE MURPHY Aggie News Writer

It’s that time of the year that everyone in the Davis community has been waiting for. The one Saturday that students actually look forward to waking up early is here. That’s right, Picnic Day 2012 has arrived.

Picnic Day is back this April 21 to celebrate its 98th anniversary.

Throughout the year, a board of 16 undergraduate directors has worked to plan and put on this one-of-a-kind event to showcase everything that UC Davis has to offer.

“Picnic Day is just a day for everyone to come together,” said Picnic Day chair and senior environmental toxicology major Jennifer Mappus. “It’s a day where community members, university officials and staff and students work together to put on this amazing event and have a good time. It’s truly amazing to see everyone come together to put on such a great event. It’s all about Aggie pride and UC Davis.”

The day kicks off with opening ceremonies at 9:27 a.m. on the North Quad. The annual Picnic Day Parade follows shortly after, beginning at 10:10 a.m.

“This year we have 70 entries, and they are all either student groups, groups on campus or

Jeff Perry / Aggie

This year will be the 98th anniversary of Picnic Day at UC Davis. The parade is a popular event for attendees. groups in the surrounding community. We’ve got floats, vehicles, marching bands, people on unicycles and much more. It’s a good event to see, definitely, on Picnic

ObamaCare goes to the Supreme Court Ruling could weigh heavily on college graduates Aggie News Writer

Two and a half million young adults in America today have health insurance because the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Commonly known as ObamaCare, this initiative allows those under the age of 26 to stay on their parents’ health plans.

This could change if the United States Supreme Court rules against PPACA, the federal statute signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010.

Without ObamaCare, young adults can only receive coverage from their parent’s plan until age 18, unless they have status as a full-time student, which could prolong coverage un-

til graduation or grant them access to university plans.

The Supreme Court ruling on PPACA could result in a complete or partial upholding or overruling of the statute. In its entirety, the PPACA has over 15 provisions, including a requirement for individual mandates, increased regulation of the private health insurance industry and public health insurance programs.

It also offers increased insurance coverage of preexisting conditions, expanded access to insurance to 30 million Americans, increased projected national medical spending and James Kim / Aggie

By SARA ISLAS

HEALTH, page 7

News iN Brief

Day,” said Jonathan Wu, parade director and junior biological sciences major.

For the rest of the day, students, community members and visi-

Today’s weather Sunny High 77 Low 56

See PICNIC, page 2

Mondavi Center celebrates tenth anniversary Center maintains its commitment in providing the benefit of the arts

By GHEED SAEED Aggie News Writer

The Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts has been serving the UC Davis music and arts community for the past 10 years. The Mondavi Center is celebrating its tenth anniversary with a series of concerts and events scheduled to take place at the commencement of the Center’s 2012 to 2013 season opening in September.

The Mondavi family, for which the center is named after, is a prominent family in the Davis community that has made great strides in the winemaking industry, boasting a business known for fine wines. Robert Mondavi and his wife, Vice President of

Brian Nguyen / Aggie

The Mondavi Center has been the venue for Explosions In the Sky, Florence and See MONDAVI, page 11 the Machine, the San Francisco Symphony and many other musical groups.

Yolo County Coffee Company draws a following Local business owner offers a new product

UC Davis police chief announces retirement UC Davis Police Chief Annette Spicuzza announced her retirement Wednesday.

Spicuzza was placed on administrative leave after the Nov. 18 pepper spray incident on the UC Davis campus.

“As the university does not want this incident to be its defining moment, nor do I wish for it to be mine, I believe in order to start the healing process, this chapter of my life

tors can roam about the campus checking out over 200 activities and events hosted by UC Davis staff, faculty and students.

With hundreds of events to

choose from, it can be a bit overwhelming trying to figure out what to do before the day’s end, but take a breath, grab a schedule of events and just find what sounds interesting.

“It’s impossible to see everything on Picnic Day, but one of the benefits is that we do have it posted online. So you can determine what you’re interested in and what you want to see,” said Picnic Day publicity chair and senior English and comparative literature double major Ascha Rothe.

The typical fan favorites that continue to draw lots of picnickers each year are the Doxie Derby, Sheep Dog Trials, Chemistry Magic Show and Sledding Hill — mustsee events for Picnic Day goers.

“I also highly recommend Battle of the Bands, which will take place at Spafford Lake in the Arboretum from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., where the Aggie Band-uh! will be battling it out with university bands from all over California,” said Lauren Young, fifth-year senior animal science major and special events director, in an email interview. “I’m really looking forward to the Sledding Hill, because how often do we get snow in Davis?!”

While most things stay the same from year to year with Picnic Day,

By EINAT GILBOA Aggie Staff Writer

must be closed,” Spicuzza said in a statement received by The Sacramento Bee. UC Davis Spokesperson Claudia Morain confirmed that the university learned on Wednesday that Spicuzza had resigned. Morain said the university will be making an announcement about her successor soon.

— Hannah Strumwasser

Zach Land-Miller / Aggie

Yolo County Coffee Company, co-owner of Yoloberry Yogurt, has been open in Woodland since this winter.

Forecast

Friday

Saturday

Picnic Day is on the way! The week isn’t quite over, so don’t lose focus yet! Soon enough you will be basking in the hot sun with freedom in one hand and pizza in the other!

Sunny

Sunny

High 83 Low 58

High 85 Low 57

Matthew Little, atmospheric science major Aggie Forecasting Team

Yolo County Coffee Company is a budding new business co-owned by Ryan Brand, who also co-owns Yoloberry Yogurt.

“We decided to open Yolo County Coffee Company as a complementary business,” Brand said. “I also have some prior experience in coffee.”

The store opened in December. Operating from Woodland, Brand reports that the store has been welcomed with open arms.

“Business has been going well,” Brand said. “We are still trying to get the word out, but we have our regular clientele.”

Despite the distance from campus, Brand says the shop is a popular study spot among commuters.

See COFFEE, page 11

Whose paper? OUR PAPER!!!

2011-2012 California Aggie Managers

page two

2 thursday, april 19, 2012

daily calendar dailycal@theaggie.org

Preweek: Entertainment Showcase

TODAY Preweek: Mini Carnival Noon to 1 p.m.

The Quad Check out the Picnic Day Preweek mini carnival, complete with rock climbing wall and dunk tank.

Shinkoskey Noon Concert 12:05 to 1 p.m.

115 Music Watch this free performance of selections from the Empyrean Ensemble’s April 22 “Songs, Whispers, Tales and Utterances.”

Between Two Worlds Movie Showing 4 to 6 p.m.

Andrews Conference Room (2203 Social Sciences and Humanities) “Between Two Worlds” is a personal essay film created by Alan Snitow and Deborah Kaufman telling five riveting stories that go beyond political postures to reveal the passionate debates over identity and generational change inside today’s American Jewish community. There is a post-film discussion with Professor Clarence Walker, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers, moderated by Professor David Biale.

Undergraduate Research Center Info Session 5:10 to 6 p.m.

2300 Student Community Center Learn about research funding opportunities for undergraduates through the President’s Undergraduate Fellowship. The fellowship provides funds for undergraduates to pursue research projects or other creative activities under faculty supervision.

Preweek: Trivia Night 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Silo Visit the Silo for the Preweek trivia night to see how much you know about Picnic Day.

Guest Speaker: Gnostic Scholar, Christopher Berry 7 to 8 p.m.

194 Young The Belfry is pleased to announce its 2012 St. Augustine Lecture will be given by the Rev. Dr. Christopher Berry. Following the lecture, a reception will be held at the Belfry, located at 216 A St. The lecture and reception are both free and open to the general public.

Noon to 1 p.m.

The Quad Watch live bands and more at this PrePicnic Day event.

Cal Poly Arab Music Ensemble 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

115 Music Watch the Arab Music Ensemble, with director Dr. Ken Habib, perform the art and popular music of a wide range of Arabicspeaking societies while particularly focusing on the areas around the Eastern Mediterranean.

Biomedical Engineering Seminar: “Engineering the Future of Health Care: LowCost, High Performance Technologies for Global Health” 4 to 5 p.m.

1005 Genome and Biomedical Sciences Facility For the Biomedical Engineering Department’s annual Maroney-Bryan Distinguished Lecture, Dr. Rebecca Richards-Kortum, Ph.D. of Rice University, will speak on engineering the future of healthcare and her experience translating expensive medical technologies into forms that can be used in impoverished settings around the world. A reception will follow Dr. Richards-Kortum’s talk.

SATURDAY Picnic Day 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Vanderhoef Quad Go to the 98th annual UC Davis Picnic Day for exhibits, food, activities and more. The parade will start at 9 a.m. downtown.

A Public Art Workshop for Artists: Think BIG with Phillip K. Smith, III 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Yolo County Office of Education, 1280 Santa Anita Ct., Woodland Join Southern California artist Phillip K. Smith, III for a one-of-a kind workshop that will provide helpful ideas, constructive advice and, best of all, real experiences to help you go big on your next public art project. To register go to yoloarts.org/ box-office.

SUNDAY Empyrean Ensemble

American Red Cross Club (ARCC) General Meeting 7:10 to 8 p.m.

119 Wellman Attend the ARCC General Meeting for information about the club.

FRIDAY

7 to 9 p.m.

Vanderhoef Studio Theatre, Mondavi Center Watch the Empyrean Ensemble perform, preceded by a pre-concert lecture and discussion at 6:15 pm with the composers.

Tickets are $8 for students and children and $20 for adults.

the Unitrans website, and all passengers must pay $1 cash fare throughout the day.

The schedule of events for Picnic Day is available online at the Picnic Day website and a Picnic Day app will be available for download the day of, with which students can access general information happening throughout the day.

With a sunny forecast and a multitude of activities to do and events to see, Picnic Day 2012 is sure to be a blast.

“I’m looking forward to everyone coming and enjoying the day,” said Mappus. “Honestly, that’s why I’m here and why all the directors are here. We just want to see the event be successful and people to be happy and have fun.”

The final Picnic Day Preweek events include the mini-carnival today and the Entertainment Showcase on Friday, which will feature various musical acts.

picnic

Cont. from front page this year’s visitors can expect a green-friendly environment.

According to Mappus, the board of directors developed a greener approach to planning this year’s Picnic Day. The Multicultural Children’s Faire will be holding several recyclable events and there will be more compost bins on campus.

Similar to last year, safety of everyone partaking in Picnic Day activities is an important aspect to the continuation of this historical day.

The Safety Enhancement Zone is now extending from the railroad tracks to Anderson Road and from First to Eighth Street. Police will be stationed downtown and in surrounding areas. Additionally, the zero-alcohol policy on campus is still in effect and bike police will be around campus all day.

As usual, Unitrans will be offering a special Picnic MICHELLE MURPHY can be reached at Day schedule, available on campus@theaggie.org.

accuracy The California Aggie strives to ensure that all of its facts and details are accurate. Please bring any corrections to our attention by calling (530) 752-0208.

Jason Alpert Editor in Chief

Amy Stewart Science Editor

Becky Peterson Managing Editor

Melissa Freeman Opinion Editor

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Jasna Hodzic Photography Editor

Hannah Strumwasser Campus Editor Angela Swartz City Editor Elizabeth Orpina Arts Editor Erin Migdol Features Editor Trevor Cramer Sports Editor

Michelle Huey Design Director Janice Pang Asst. Design Director Mimi Vo Night Editor Amanda Nguyen Asst. Night Editor Irisa Tam Art Director

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Okay, so multiple top-10 singles isn’t an opinion per se. This is hard to qualify for, though, because, as our founding fathers knew, the population is pretty fuckAndy ing dumb. What’s popuVerderosa lar isn’t always what’s good, although sometimes it is (see: Knowles, Beyonce).

The albums without multiple top-10 songs are In Rainbows (I know), Vampire Weekend (a lot of popular songs, but not chart toppers) and Kala (because fuck it, I want to listen to often wonder, what’s our “Paper Planes” again).

I’m left with two Kanyes, Sgt. Pepper? What’s the Adele and JT. album that defines our While 21 went like eight generation? times platinum and made Not to compare anything Instagram-money, I just to the actual album; I’m merely using it as a metric for don’t know enough males how to define success and in- who know much about this album besides the three fluence on a generation. singles, and this is comI don’t mean to speak for ing from the guy who sings a whole generation, but, well, I’m the one with a col- “Someone Like You” when umn here so I’ll break down he’s drunk.

I don’t really have a good some potential candidates argument against Justin, for the title. I’m looking at the years I have been in high other than I don’t find school and college, what my “Futuresex/Lovesounds” as rabbi refers to as my “forma- “important” enough of an album in our cultural canon tive years,” 2004-2012. I reas many of the already elimally want to include midinated albums. It’s also odddle school (for the sake of ly forgettable, as I find myGet Rich or Die Tryin’), but self havdon’t want ing a fondto alienate Reaching audiences that don’t er memory my younger readers or usually listen to your genre is of Justified.

But, hey, lose ad revevery rare I’m a nue. straight Between male so I might not be the 2004 and 2012, 45 albums target audience. were nominated for the Kanye, would you like Grammy for Best Album. your crown made from the Of those, only a handfur of endangered Siberian ful are candidates for tiger cubs or from King our title: American Idiot Louis XIV’s silk bed sheets at (Green Day), The College Versaille? Yes, both College Dropout (Kanye West), Dropout and Graduation Graduation (Kanye West), are good candidates, but In Rainbows (Radiohead), Graduation takes the throne.

Tha Carter III (Lil’ Wayne), It’s a much more dynamThe Suburbs (Arcade Fire), ic album in terms of song Futuresex/Lovesounds genre and there is really a (Justin Timberlake) and 21 song for every moment. The (Adele). My own additions first single “Stronger” may to the list of candidates just mark the beginning of are as follows: For Emma, the next generation of muForever Ago (Bon Iver), Vampire Weekend (Vampire sic, as Kanye pioneered the Weekend), The Black Album dance-rap sample with Daft Punk into something we all (Jay-Z), Cross (Justice) could vibe to. Other collabKala (M.I.A.) and Funeral orations on the album in(Arcade Fire). clude Chris Martin, John As qualifications, the alMayer, T-Pain and Dwele. bum must have captured Everyone I know had this althe attention of people across genres, have multiple bum and when we weren’t getting yelled at for weartop-10 singles and be dynamic enough so that the it ing the shutter-shade glasscan be played in a multitude es while driving, we were of situations. As in, it’s good watching movies, commercials and sporting events to party to, good to chill to, that featured this album good to contemplate life prominently. to. Also, I have to be kind of Obviously it’s hard to say okay with labeling this album as generation-defining. an album defines an entire generation, especialThe first qualification ly while that generation is is probably the hardest. still around to argue about Reaching audiences that it. With such distinct mudon’t usually listen to your sic genres, the ability to genre is very rare. We can rule out Bon Iver (you taught capture an entire generation is harder than ever. me about love, Justin), Jay-Z Ultimately, only time will (that album in particular), tell whether the soundtrack Arcade Fire (both albums, I to your formative years is know it hurts), Justice (this Graduation or the upcomalbum makes me want to be French), Lil’ Wayne (I can ing Hologram Tupac album. rap every lyric to eight of the songs on this album) and ANDY VERDEROSA is so incredibly down Green Day (if I don’t elimito continue talking about this and can be reached at asverderosa@ucdavis.edu. nate this now it might win).

What’s our album?

I

The california Aggie

provides some tools to influence the final grades!

More importantly, though, by trying to be noticed you learn how to present yourself and be flexible; you’re Kristina encouraged to particiSimonaityte pate and to communicate your thoughts and ideas.

I’m constantly impressed by the confidence and forwardness of my classmates and I definitely learn many things from them, too.

The Edinburgh system, on the other hand, teaches independence. No one’s holding your hand, making am very proud to sure you’re doing well. Selfcall the University of studying is expected. (I think Edinburgh my home the tons of assignments that university. It is one of the we get here act as some kind oldest and best schools of control — “keep them alin the UK, a reputable research and teaching institu- ways busy and not caustion with nearly 30,000 stu- ing trouble.”) At Edinburgh there are no office hours; if dents — a third of whom you need help, make an apare international! The fact pointment. For my subject at that the university is located in one of the most spec- least, internships are not required; again, it is your retacular cities in Europe sponsibility to get additiondoesn’t hurt, either. al experience (if you want to, Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh, is all about con- of course).

After two quarters trasts: You’re both disgustat UCD, I feel that it is ed and enthralled by its much harder to get an A dark, bloody past which at Edinburgh than here. fostered inspirations for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Stricter grading comes from anonymity as well as Trainspotting, among oththe greaters. Today’s er weight Edinburgh, Obviously, neither of the placed on however, is a charmuniversities is perfect but for me any one assignment ing modboth come pretty close — more is ern city, simply exand it litpected from you. The final erally is the birthplace of exam can be worth as much Harry Potter! The coffee as 80 percent of your grade shop where J.K. Rowling (we have no midterms), wrote the first two books while the rest usually is very popular with stucomes from one or two esdents, while Hogwarts-like says or reports, often nearly Old Town buildings are ina third of the grade! spiring millions of visitors Davis is a completely difeach year. ferent story. The workload The city’s rich culturhere, oh boy ... I’m pretal life, mild climate, multy sure if I count the words ticultural population and I’ve written during two excellent study opportuterms at UCD, my two years nities attract tons of stuat Edi wouldn’t come anydents each year. But honestly I had no idea what I’m where close. When you’re producing one written asgetting myself into when I signment after another, started back in September though, quality suffers. But ‘09. When I came to Davis I’m always trying to do my it was all new and excitbest and more, and then ing if a bit frustrating but I I’m surprised to get comknew that I would be just ments such as, “You overfine. Eighteen-year-old me achieved on this one ...” wasn’t that confident. The All the previous exchange was so overwhelmchange students returning ing that during my first sefrom UCs told me that the mester I lost 10 lbs.! one thing they definitely The teaching style at Edinburgh is rather different learned here is work ethic.

Last term I would find myfrom UCD. First of all, our self with four assignments works are anonymous, no and a midterm in one week, names, only barcodes. The grader can’t tell whose work which is not for a fainthearted Edinburgh-me, but it is and often the student doesn’t know the identity of now it’s somewhat normal and doable. the grader, either. At school Obviously, neither of the I was always a teacher’s pet, universities is perfect but sometimes inevitably getfor me both come pretty ting higher grades than declose. Pros and cons add to served, so being judged eneach unique college experitirely on the quality of my ence, and the fact that I got work without any preconto experience two such difceptions was a relatively new but extremely valuable ferent systems makes it so much more worthwhile and learning experience. rewarding.

This anonymity has its advantages — you’re confiIf you’re thinking about going to Edinburgh dent that the grading is all for a semester abroad or would like to fair (usually...). However, discuss other differences between American the American “get to know and European universities, you can contact your professor” system KRISTINA SIMONAITYTE at ksimonaityte@ seems more attractive as it ucdavis.edu.

Davis and the ‘Burgh

I

Thirsty (for knowledge) Thursdays What’s Your Major?

One of the biggest decisions you will make throughout your lifetime is your career. Your college major could play a large role in figuring out what to do with your life in the future.

However for many students it is tough to decide.

Do not fret! Choosing a major, especially as a freshman, is not binding. You’re allowed to change and add majors as many times as necessary, that is until you have completed 135 units. So if you begin as an English major and one morning wake up and want to be an electrical engineer, it is possible!

If you are thinking about changing your major, you are not alone. Up to 50 percent of college students change their major at least once, many of those being more than once, according to a study by Pennsylvania State University. It is a simple process; especially if you change your major within the same college.

To change your major within a college, you need the consent of the department in charge of your proposed new major and the approval of the dean. To start, pick up a form from your new potential major department’s office. Then ask your new major adviser to sign it off, ask for your former major adviser’s signature and finally turn it in to your college’s office for approval by the dean. It’s as

easy as one, two, three!

Changing your major to one in a different college is a more difficult process, but still not nearly as challenging as your basic G.E. classes. To do this, obtain a Change in Major petition, available at the dean’s offices and the University Registrar’s website. Acquire the endorsement of a faculty adviser in your new major and the major you are leaving. You need approval from the new college’s dean as well before you can officially declare the major within the new college.

Double, triple and (if it’s possible) quadruple majoring is allowed and encouraged for those who are able to. There is a strong possibility that you will not be able to make up your mind on what exactly you want to do or become extremely interested in multiple subjects. In that case, to add a major just get a form from the department or college office and get your new adviser as well as your current major’s adviser to sign it and turn it into the dean of your respective college. Make sure you have the courses necessary to declare the major before attempting to declare.

Remember that you’re not allowed to declare a major during the quarter in which you have filed to graduate.

Declaring a minor is a similar process. Obtain a form from the department

or college, get the department adviser—in which the minor is in— to sign it as well as your adviser for your major(s). Turn it into the dean’s office of your college and you now have a minor to add onto your degree.

So take your time in finalizing your major(s). It might only affect the rest of

your life — no big deal!

The Academic Affairs Commission (AAC) is an advisory board to the ASUCD Senate on all academic matters at UC Davis and throughout the UC system.

Each week the AAC will give you tips about academic success!

OPINION

The california aggie

thursday, april 19, 2012 3

editorials

picnic day

Handle your shit This Saturday is not spring break. MTV’s cameras will be nowhere in sight, and the cast of Jersey Shore has not checked in to the Hallmark Inn. And Lindsay Lohan was not just named your BFF. So handle your shit on Picnic Day. UC Davis’ biggest event of the year has, for reasons unknown, become synonymous with “drink alcoholic beverages until you pass out on a stranger’s couch.” But why?

There are literally hundreds of other fun things to do on Picnic Day. Actually, Picnic Day is the one day of the year when there are so many things to do in Davis that you don’t even have time to do them all. Why waste this rare and wonderful opportunity stumbling drunk down Third Street at 10 in the morning?

That’s when the Optical Laser Maze starts.

Besides, Picnic Day has historically been, and continues to be, a family-friendly event. Campus will be literally crawling with small children all day long. One of the annual events is called the Multicultural Children’s Faire, for crying out loud. That little girl excitedly skipping along to make Mexican tissue paper flowers should not have to see you doing your

best Mel Gibson impression.

Really, no one should have to see that.

And take preemptive pity on your friends, who will have to spend their Picnic Day taking you to the hospital if you contract alcohol poisoning. If you don’t handle your shit, you may not have any friends left come Monday.

If nothing else, have some respect for the campus we all pay so much to be able to go to every day, and that hundreds of people work to keep clean and beautiful. Don’t litter the Quad, or anywhere in the City of Davis, with red plastic cups and empty liquor bottles. Keep your parties to a reasonable size and be respectful of the Safety Enhancement Zone.

Picnic Day is the most anticipated day of the year, but if we don’t remain responsible and consume alcohol safely and reasonably, the event could be canceled — and we all know how disappointing that would be. Have fun, but take heed of The Aggie’s official Picnic Day tips: Use sunscreen. Bring snacks and a water bottle.

Pace yourself. Know where the first-aid stations are. Walk or take the bus instead of driving.

Class etiquette

Be respectful We all know the feeling.

There are three minutes left of class, and it feels like the lecture that will never end.

Finally, when the professor says, “The last thing I want to talk about today...” chaos ensues. Students rifle through their bags, putting away notebooks and loudly zipping backpacks. Papers are shuffled, desks are put down and the chattering begins.

This premature pack-up pattern is both rude and disrespectful. Students are trying to take advantage of the learning opportunity, but are unable to do so when it is too loud to hear the professor. Furthermore, packing up while a professor is still speaking is blatantly inconsiderate to the teacher, who is trying to finish a lecture.

As adults, college students should be patient and mature enough to wait to pack up until those last three minutes are over.

Another form of disrespect is shown when students come to class late or leave early. When someone rolls into class halfway through lecture, it interrupts the entire class, making it difficult to focus on what the professor is discussing.

Similarly, leaving early is disruptive. Obviously there are

outstanding circumstances in which a student might be late or must leave class early, but for the most part, sitting through an hour-and50-minute lecture should not be very difficult.

The worst offender is the student who shows up late, makes a scene trying to climb over students to get to a seat, pulls out their computer and starts playing a game. In this case, it would have been better for the student, the professor and the rest of the class if the student just hadn’t shown up at all.

When you play games or go on Facebook during class you are wasting your time and distracting others.

While it may seem like lectures last forever, the truth is that most are no more than two hours long.

As a student, you are paying for this time, and any time spent not learning is wasting money. Furthermore, if you are disrupting the class, you are wasting other people’s money.

We know, it’s Spring Quarter and the weather is nice. But if you can’t handle sitting through an entire class, don’t come to class at all and go hang out on the Quad so the rest of us can learn.

Editorial Board Jason Alpert Editor in Chief Becky Peterson Managing Editor Melissa Freeman Opinion Editor

Hannah Strumwasser Campus Editor Angela Swartz City Editor Erin Migdol Features Editor

Elizabeth Orpina Arts Editor Trevor Cramer Sports Editor

Amy Stewart Science Editor Jasna Hodzic Photography Editor

Editorials represent the collective opinions of The California Aggie editorial board. The Opinion page appears Tuesdays and Thursdays.

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GUEST OPINIONS

The California Aggie welcomes letters from its readers. Letters must be typed and no longer than 200 words. As The Aggie attempts to represent a diversity of viewpoints on its letters page, we reserve the right to edit letters for length and clarity. Publication is not guaranteed, and letters become the property of The California Aggie.

All correspondence must be signed with the author’s name and telephone number. Unsigned letters will not be considered for publication, although names may be withheld upon request.

The California Aggie welcomes guest opinions from its readers.

Guest opinions must be typed with an approximate word count of 400 to 600. The same standards of letters to the editor apply to guest opinions.

Guest opinions may reflect a variety of viewpoints. Any member of the campus community is eligible and encouraged to highlight issues regarding UC Davis, regional or national issues.

Address letters or guest opinions to the Opinion Editor, The California Aggie, 25 Lower Freeborn, UC Davis, CA 95616. Letters may also be faxed to (530) 752-0355 or sent via e-mail to opinion@theaggie.org.

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To the UC Davis campus community: The Campus Media Board has made a decision regarding next year’s editor in chief. This is in conflict with the candidate who the Editorial Board supports, despite repeated and ignored attempts by the Editorial Board to convey our opinion.

As an independently funded

organization, we reject their decision and will be going through the formal appeal process during the public media board meeting this Friday at 2 p.m. in Dutton Hall. The staff of The California Aggie will pursue further action in order to protect the integrity of our newspaper.

Joey Chen, copy chief Trevor Cramer, sports editor

Melissa Freeman, opinion editor Jasna Hodzic, photography editor Erin Migdol, features editor Elizabeth Orpina, arts editor Becky Peterson, managing editor Amy Stewart, science editor Hannah Strumwasser, campus editor Angela Swartz, city editor Irisa Tam, art director Michelle Huey, design director Mimi Vo, night editor

guest opinion

Governor’s tax plan

By ROSIE DALE

Junior, psychology and political science major

University of California Student Association President Claudia Magana doesn’t speak for the general student populace when she claims that many students support higher taxes. Her belief that support for tax increases is akin to combatting state disinvestment and fee hikes is off-base.

Why would students – or anyone for that matter – choose to throw ever-increasing amounts of money away with no hope of seeing any return? Why would we support a measure that will in no way benefit us, but stands to harm us if things don’t go as planned?

What will we get in return for lending our support?

Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed tax plan provides nothing for education, but punishes students if the measure fails. As the California Federation of Teachers Research Specialist put it: “If the Governor’s measure passes, it will provide no

new money for education. If it fails, there will be more significant cuts. K-14 education will be cut by [a] $4.9 billion-loss of about $370 per K-12 student and millions more to community colleges and universities.”

Under the governor’s plan, if the tax measure fails, the education community accounts for 97 percent of all the cuts. Health and human services, prisons, transportation and other departments are largely spared. This clearly highlights the governor’s priorities, and we students rank low. If the governor’s expected revenues were calculated with the same delusional optimism as those from the last budget cycle, when they fell $4 billion short, to support his plan is to almost certainly support cuts to education.

So why should students continue to be used as political pawns to help raise taxes that won’t add a single cent to our schools? Why should we support Governor Brown’s budget when it won’t help restore any of our lost courses, or

help those tens of thousands of qualified students who had to be turned away due to budget-induced reduced enrollment caps?

We shouldn’t be considered bargaining chips, or give away our support. Governor Brown will benefit from our endorsement, and we should be equally compensated for giving it.

Madame President of the UC Student Association, why don’t you do your job and speak for the students you claim to represent?

The vast majority of us won’t be supporting his tax plan.

If Governor Brown wants our support, our ability to make calls and walk precincts and the good name of our student leader, maybe he should act like it. Show us we are important, because we know how valuable our endorsement can be. A share of the new revenue, protection against the yearly budget cuts and subsequent fee hikes — give us something for our cooperation.

We’re worth more than this, and so is our education.

adding new ferocity to a perennial shift leftward. cultural debate.

As has been pointed out, many Bad research and historical of the recent gains in left-wing proshortsightedness notwithstanding, fessors have come from the natural the NAS’s report is just incohersciences. Given the decades-long Jordan S. ent. The NAS explicitly condemns Republican war on evolutionary Carroll key values of the university, inbiology and climate science, this cluding multiculturalism, diversishouldn’t come as a surprise. ty and tolerance, while at that very Beyond the hard sciences, social moment appealing to those ideals science and humanities have good to justify their cause. Even as they reason to bend to the left. Many condemn “victimology,” the NAS popular conservative ideas, like paints conservaeternal cultural tives as victims in values, American In reality, this report is part need of affirmaexceptionalism or tive action. the rational indiof a political assault on Moreover, the vidual, have long peaking at a campaign universities report’s argument been debunked event a few weeks ago, failed rests on a fundaby social sciences presidential hopeful Rick and discredited in the humanities.

Santorum expressed his shock that mental logical flaw. The purported rise in leftist professors coincidThe nostrums peddled by many “seven or eight of the California ed with declines in education. But, culturally conservative politisystem of universities don’t even teach an American history course.” contrary to the report’s illogical in- cians just don’t hold up to academference, correlation does not equal ic scrutiny. It’s difficult to believe As anyone who attends school in the absolute perfection and unihere knows, Santorum’s statement causation. The same period also correlates with state defunding of versal truth of the American nucleis obviously untrue. public education and the mania ar family if you study kinship strucSantorum’s error seems to for standardized testing in primatures in Kinshasa or the marriage have been inspired by “A Crisis ry schools, which has left many in- mores of Elizabethan theater-goers. of Confidence,” a report by the coming freshmen unprepared for While academics do not have to National Association of Scholars flexible critical thinking. subscribe to a particular ideology to (NAS). The National Association of In reality, this report is part of a do good research, the left has historScholars, a group funded by conically shown itself to be friendlier to servative organizations, claims that political assault on universities. It provides an excuse for small govthe kind of pluralism required to rethe radicalization of UC schools ernment conservatives to justisearch other times and other societhas led to a systemwide decline in fy continuing cuts to education. ies for their own sake. quality of instruction. To support Republican politicians gut school If the Republican Party wants to this claim, the NAS presents a semake in-roads with intellectuals, ries of anecdotes and cherry-picked budgets, thereby radicalizing professors, and then point to radiit should start first with some selfcomments from students, folcal professors as a good reason to criticism. No amount of adminislowed by unrelated findings about keep cutting. trative monitoring and control is Americans’ inability to remember Indeed, if the right genuinegoing to make a dogmatic thinkhistorical and political facts. ly wanted to find indoctrinaer like Santorum palatable to acaThe solution, NAS argues, is for tion and academic conformity, it demicians. administrators to force professors Though I would agree that more to teach more right-wing ideas and would look at private Bible colleges, which often require professors professors swing left than right in return to a curriculum that emto sign oaths professing their betheir personal politics, I disagree phasizes “Western civilization” lief in Jesus Christ as their person- with the notion that this has inand “American institutions.” al lord and so on. terfered with teaching. The same Of course, if the NAS knew its But that doesn’t explain why openness to other voices and per“Western civilization,” it would many conservatives have such spectives which pushes many proalso know that conservatives befessors to the left also allows them fore them descried the disappear- an antagonistic relationship to the academy. For example, why to argue both sides and suspend ance of many Latin and Greek audid Santorum, a man with an their judgements in the classthors in favor of newfangled anM.B.A. and a J.D., accuse President room. Without leftist principles of glophone works, like that rabbleequality and difference, instrucpleaser Shakespeare. Every gener- Obama of “elitist snobbery” for tion would become far more docsuggesting that American citizens ation, new authors enter the canshould go to college? The answer, I trinaire and close-minded. on, shoving out old ones. Only rewould argue, has more to do with cently, those new authors have the Republican Party’s shift righthappened to include women, miJORDAN S. CARROLL is a Ph.D. student in English who ward than with the university’s can be reached at jscarroll@ucdavis.edu. norities and open homosexuals,

Besieging the Ivory Tower

S

4 THURSday, APRIL 19, 2012

The california Aggie

New exhibits make their debut this Picnic Day Huskies, birds and robots, oh my!

By LANI CHAN Aggie Staff Writer

Yes, Picnic Day means the usual betting on random dogs at the Doxie Derby and lining up for the chance to milk goats and cows. The Quad will be packed with booths. Children will run around chasing dogs and eating hot dogs. But for the first time ever, scattered throughout the usual chaos of the event, new exhibits will be on display for Picnic Day visitors. What sorts of activities will make their debut this year?

1) Northern California Sled Dog Rescue (NorSled) A few additional fluffy companions will make an appearance at this year’s Picnic Day. “We’ll have two or three dogs out there with us, which will most likely be huskies or malamutes,” said Chris Drake, professor of statistics at UC Davis and one of NorSled’s volunteers. “They will be there for people to play with and for them to see what our rescued dogs are typically like.”

NorSled is a nonprofit organization founded in 1998 that focuses on rescuing unwanted Northern-breed mixes such as Siberian huskies, Alaskan malamutes and samoyeds.

Members of the organization rehabilitate dogs, foster them in their own homes, attend adoption fairs and hold events to educate schools about sled dogs.

“We will be there to provide information on the breeds and on some of the things we do for the dogs and, of course, to talk about how people can volunteer,” Drake said.

The NorSled website offers information on each dog they have available for adoption in the Nor ther n California area, complete with pictures, personality profiles and even videos. As NorSled does not have a central headquarters, all of these dogs are fostered in the homes of volunteers, which increases the need to find them permanent homes.

Look for the NorSled booth on Hutchison Field from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Irisa Tam / Aggie

2) Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue Just as there are rescue organizations and shelters dedicated to finding homes for abandoned dogs, there are also groups that care for rescued birds.

“[On Picnic Day] we hope to get the word out that our organization exists and to answer questions about that,” said Pamela Lee, development director and chief financial officer for Mickaboo.

The rescued, unwanted, neglected or abused birds are similarly housed in foster homes until Mickaboo can connect them to permanent adoption.

“We will have a variety of birds such as finches, macaws, and amazons with us,” Lee said.

As one of the group’s goals to educate the public about the most updated bird care the avian visitors will provide an interactive supplement to Mickaboo’s booth.

Mickaboo is also a nonprofit organization that relies primarily on volunteers so information on how to get involved will be available as well.

Mickaboo will be located on Hutchison Field from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

3) UC Davis K-14 Outreach Center for Computing and STEM Education (C-STEM) This year, the UC Davis C-STEM Center will have an interactive display of modular robots that have been developed by UC Davis and its industrial partners.

Called the Mobot, the robot is designed to be fully functional. According to the C-STEM website, “The Mobot has four de-

grees of freedom. It can roll, crawl, stand and tumble. In addition, like Lego, Mobot can also be used as a building block to create a snake, tank, trunk, humanoid and any systems you can imagine.”

Kevin Gucwa, graduate student in the UC Davis mechanical and aerospace engineering program, said that the robots are part of an effort to broaden student participation in the studies of math and science before they enter college.

“We are aiming at high school and younger,” Gucwa said. “But we’ll have undergraduate students and graduate students as well as high school and middle school students demoing the robots.

We’ll be able to show [Picnic Day attendees] what the robots can provide in terms of learning.”

The C-STEM center hopes that the robots will help engage younger students and encourage them to pursue higher education in the areas of computing, science, technology or engineering.

“It shows what UC Davis is doing in connection with local schools,” Gucwa said.

“The robots are a new and different way to present information to students.”

Learn how to program your own modular robot outside Bainer Hall from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

LANI CHAN can be reached at features@theaggie.org.

So you think you’re a Picnic Day expert?

Improve your P-Day IQ with these little-known facts

By DEVON BOHART

40 years there was no theme,” Mappus said.

Everyone is gearing up for the Doxie Derby, great food and taking in the sun and greenery of Davis this Saturday. But before going out to campus, you may want to brush up on some little-known facts about one of Davis’ most important events of the year.

All 200 (or more) exhibits that make up Picnic Day undergo an application process through the Picnic Day board.

In late January, an application for participation in Picnic Day is released.

Anyone related to the UC Davis campus or community has the opportunity to submit an idea for an exhibit, along with a time and location.

“The only reason we turn down people is if there are safety issues or if they aren’t directly benefiting Davis with whatever they are trying to display,” Mappus said. “We get [over] 400 applications and 95 percent go through.”

Such things as the Chemistry Magic Show and liquid nitrogen ice cream to maggot art and cockroach races have all gone through this application process.

Mappus said that some of the more popular events, such as the Doxie Derby that started in 1972, have even been adapted due to the popularity.

“All of the popular events have evolved due to the increase in attendance to Picnic Day and the continual growth of the university,” Mappus said. “More time slots for the various events were added and more space was needed to accommodate the increase in event attendance.”

Another unique fact is that students or faculty aren’t the only people allowed to apply and have an exhibit.

“I have [exhibits from] 13 nonprofit organizations that aren’t directly affiliated with UC Davis but help the Davis community as a whole,” said exhibits director Pritesh Naidu, a fifth-year biochemistry and molecular biology major.

Aggie Associate Editor

Picnic Day was originally created to offer tours of the dairy barn on the university farm.

While this is no longer the main purpose, Picnic Day still acts as a showcase for the UC Davis campus and what it has to offer, said Ascha Rothe, senior English major and Picnic Day publicity director.

“It’s an opening and I think the idea was that people could physically picnic on the grounds and enjoy the scenery that is Davis,” Rothe said. “It is definitely something that has evolved, but the Aggie pride is still the same.”

For nearly 50 years, Picnic Day has maintained an overall theme to relay a message to students, staff, faculty, family and community members.

“Every year Picnic Day has a theme.

This year is ‘Then. Now. Always,’” Rothe said. “Over the majority of Picnic Days, this is a relatively new enterprise. The last couple of decades we have consistently had themes, though.”

Jennifer Mappus, a senior environmental toxicology major and chair of the Picnic Day board of directors, said that looking at the list of Picnic Day themes, one could see themes for Picnic Day starting in the 1950s and showing higher frequency as years went on.

“Some of them don’t have themes, and Picnic Day did start in 1909, so for

From the start of Picnic Day planning

this year, the board focused on being more eco-friendly.

Everything from application forms to confirmation requests were converted and made available online and sent through e-mail to save paper and ink.

This is because this event is run by the Davis community and therefore encompasses one of the main ideals held by the community: going green.

“Picnic Day is working hard this year to incorporate as many ‘green’ initiatives as possible into our planning and executing of the event,” Mappus said in an e-mail. “[For the day of] we are working with Waste Reduction and Recycling Program to place more compostable and recycling bins in and around the Quad area. These bins will be monitored throughout the day by volunteers to make sure that the proper waste items go into the correct bin.”

Along with providing appropriate receptacles and volunteers to ensure their proper usage, Mappus also said that certain exhibits, such as the Children’s Fair, will be incorporating the concepts of recycling and environmental friendliness.

“The Multicultural Children’s Faire is going to be using recyclable items such toilet paper rolls, paper bags, used coffee grounds and plastic bottles, for their crafts,” Mappus said. “The Multicultural Children’s Faire Director, Jasmine Nasser, really wanted to focus on a ‘green’ approach and showing children that making crafts with recyclable items can be fun and easy.”

And one more fun fact: The mother-and-son cows that first walked the Eric Lin / Aggie 97 miles between Berkeley and Davis Eric Lin throws a frisbee during the Frisbee Dog were named Molly and Pete.

DEVON BOHART can be reached at features@theaggie.org.

competition, one of the exhibits that must apply to the Picnic Day board in order to participate.

Q&A with Picnic Day Chair and Special Events Director Jennifer Mappus and Lauren Young on keeping Picnic Day running smoothly and safely will tell you, making it happen is anything but easy. Mappus and Young sat down with The Aggie to discuss how they keep Picnic Day fresh after nearly 100 years after the celebration began.

Nathan Chan / Aggie

Jennifer Mappus (left) and Lauren Young (right) work together to prepare for Picnic Day.

By ERIN MIGDOL Aggie Features Editor

If you thought planning your last birthday party was hard, try organizing an event that attracts more than 50,000 visitors a year and includes literally hundreds of exhibits, performances and interactive events. That’s Picnic Day in a nutshell, and as Picnic Day Chair senior environmental toxicology major Picnic Day special events director Jennifer Mappus and fifthyear animal science major Lauren Young

AGGIE: Why did you want to be on the Picnic Day board?

YOUNG: I wanted to get more involved in what I want to do career-wise and saw the opportunity to apply. This is my fifth year here, and I’ve been to Picnic Day every year. I thought it would be an awesome opportunity to be on the other side of it and know what goes into putting it all together.

MAPPUS: I wanted to get involved on campus. My sophomore year I was a transfer student so I did assistant directing, and last year I was the parade director. It’s something I’m never going to forget.

How did you approach your job?

Y: From what I’ve experienced with Picnic Day, Preweek hasn’t been that well-publicized. A lot of people are like, “I didn’t even know that happened.” I wanted everyone to know about it and be involved. I didn’t want to have contests where a set of 10 people got to do it. People were walking by today and they were curious and it was like, “Do you want to come paint something?” “Oh, yeah.” So how I approached it was to do new, creative ideas that hadn’t been done before and sticking with traditional ones we do every year, like the cow-

milking contest and making sure the word got out.

M: We have board reports from previous years that talk about what went wrong and what went well, and that gives you an idea of where to start. I started over the summer, so I had time to think about what direction I wanted to take Picnic Day. I’m heavy on education, so I wanted people to know what Picnic Day was. Each year, the chair has a way they want to go. Last year, Charlie [Colato] did the “rewind” thing and I wanted to educate people.

What has been the most challenging part of planning Picnic Day? Y: With a board of 16 people, you’ve got 16 people doing their own different jobs trying to work together, so it’s working with all the different personalities. Luckily we’ve been able to do it really well. You have to learn how to utilize everyone and their skills.

M: The most challenging thing for me this year is managing the 15 people. Everyone has a different personality. I live, breathe, eat Picnic Day all the time, and it’s been a real pleasure and joy to get to know everyone. But let me tell you, during Fall quarter it was challenging for me to figure out my own bearings for managing these people and then figure out how to effectively manage them without ruining the vibe we were trying to create. Us being this close doesn’t happen over a quarter. You have to start early.

Y: Another challenging thing is overcom-

ing the idea that Picnic Day is a drinking day. People automatically have this idea that that’s what it’s going to be about. It’s getting people to open up to the idea that this what it’s really about; this is something our school can be proud of. If you want to have a day of drinking, do it on a different weekend; that’s not what this is for.

How do you satisfy the many different types of visitors, like alumni, families and students, who come to Picnic Day? M: I think with our 200-plus exhibits, everyone can find something to do.

Y: That’s what it’s for. It’s showcasing what our school has to offer, which is something for everyone. With exhibits, animal events and shows, there are so many activities and that’s why they all come — to experience all that.

M: That’s exactly what it is. With such a diverse campus it’s easy for people to find what they want to do. There’s a zero-alcohol policy on campus, so that gets rid of the whole let’s-drink-on-campus-aroundthese-families thing. It’s really geared towards a family-friendly atmosphere.

What have been the most memorable moments throughout this process?

M: We did a retreat in the fall and we went rafting down the American River. One of the rafts actually flipped. It was a great experience for us to bond as a team.

See Q&A, page 11

The california aggie

thursday, april 19, 2012 5

The Shins

this week in davis  6

volume

6, number 12

Elizabeth Orpina

Inst-ughgram

D

ue to the recently granted access to Android users, everyone and their mother has an Instagram account. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not going to reprimand you for adding a filter to a plain photo to make it hipster-chic. I’m not going to do it because I commit this crime on an occasional basis.

As an Instagram user with 10+ followers, I’ve deemed myself pretty much the most popular user and thus the best person to comment about this application. Used by millions of people, anyone can gain access to a plethora of photos that range from pointless to magnificently brilliant taken by teen queens and professional photographers.

If for some reason you don’t know what I’m talking about, refer to the “coollooking” photos that your friends are uploading to Facebook. How did they make it look that way? Has your friend turned into – oh my god – a hipster? Did they spend hours on Photoshop editing this piece of art? Do you have to take a trip to the nearest Urban Outfitters and buy an overpriced Polaroid? No. 99 percent of the time, Instagram is the likely suspect.

Now don’t be duped when you start perusing your friends’ photo collections on this app … Some try to outsmart their followers and cheat by uploading photos taken with really expensive cameras to their Instagram accounts just to gain “likes” and essentially the approval and love from the world. Don’t kid yourself — we can tell that your iPhone did not complete that long-exposure shot.

Nevertheless, 30+ likes.

Perhaps aspiring photographers are realizing that if they upload their work to this app, people will recognize their talents on yet another social media site.

Some sneaky camera whores realized that this is just another outlet for their apparent beauty — excuse me, but taking a picture of your face every day and adding a colored filter to it just does not make sense.

Photo of your abs? Okay, cool, good for you. Why is this on my newsfeed with the X-pro II filter applied to it? And why the hell are you hash-tagging the photo “hot,” “summer 2012,” “girl” and “amazing?”

It’s like when people realized no one wanted to hear about their daily woes through their Facebook statuses and realized that Twitter was the place to be. Now, people are realizing that posting a picture of your face every other day with a caption containing song lyrics isn’t hard-hitting Facebook news either … that’s how we get 50 percent of Instagram users.

Now, 30 percent of Instagram users, for some reason, only post pictures of their food. I don’t get it.

Yeah, you’re making me jealous and hungry, but please tell me why I have to look at a poorly thoughtout shot? Unless you’re running some sort of food blog, please save it for your Tumblr.

I’d like to believe that the rest of the 20 percent of users, such as myself, keep true to the main purpose of Instagram, which I like to believe is this: to share pictures of beautiful views, cats, babies, comedic happenings and/or natural beauty in everyday life. Of course, a sassy caption is much needed.

To take part in this phenomenon, all you have to do is download a simple

See ORPINA, page 7

Monday, April 23 at 8 p.m., $35 (sold out) Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center

thursday , april

the california aggie ’ s arts and entertainment magazine

19, 2012

An interview with drummer David King of The Bad Plus Modern jazz trio scheduled to perform at Mondavi this week

By LANI CHAN Aggie Staff Writer

David King (drums), Ethan Iverson (piano) and Reid Anderson (bass), the three multifaceted musicians that make up The Bad Plus, will settle into Davis for four nights starting Wednesday before continuing what seems to be their umpteenth international tour.

Their music has been described as “avant-garde” “audacious” and “badass.” Preferring to perform in more intimate venues to eliminate the anonymity of larger concert halls, The Bad Plus rotates from jazz clubs to smaller auditoriums, hoping the range will allow them to play for a variety of responsive audiences.

Their most recent album, Never Stop, is their first to feature all original compositions with each member contributing works that showcase their individual talents and versatility as artists.

The Aggie was lucky enough to chat with drummer David King over the phone while he was home in Minneapolis between tour dates and get a preview of what they plan to bring to Davis this week.

AGGIE: Some people, after listening to your material for the first time, have trouble attributing your music to a specific genre.

How would you classify your material to a new listener?

KING: I would call us a modern jazz group. I think improvising is one of the key elements of the music. If I was going to be pretentious, I would say we’re a creative group — a jazz group of our era. [Classic] jazz captures the culture of that era in the text. We are stating that [today] there is a lot of text to work with as a composer and that ignoring that is a sort of fake purity. We are three distinct composers and each one of us is an improviser.

I’m comfortable calling us a jazz group, but I’m uncomfortable limiting us to what jazz is. To be honest, we don’t care what it is. We’ve all been through a jazz-snob period. And then, at the end of the day, you just want to make good mu-

sic. We are an instrumental group — getting music out and getting an audience is hard enough as it is.

Whatever people want to call it, it’s fine. It’s whatever you want it to be.

If you want to call this shit straight ahead jazz, then that’s cool.

You’re playing four shows in the Vanderhoef Studio Theater next week, which seats 250. It seems that you generally prefer to play in smaller auditoriums.

We definitely do. Smaller venues are much more appropriate for sharing music of this nature. But with our group, it’s interesting — the music has such breadth that we can accommodate different types of venues. Jazz bands can’t do rock venues, rock venues can’t do jazz clubs … our versatility allows us to do both. We try to spread it out. Some people are uncomfortable in the rock club thing … so we keep mixing it up so that we can get as many people we can to hear the music.

What is your role within The Bad Plus? How do you contribute and how has that developed over the past decade with The Bad Plus?

It’s all been the same. We all volley … we all have type A leader personalities, but somehow it works. We trade roles onstage and off stage.

If one of us needs to stand up and steer the ship, we’ll do it. When you tour as much as we do, you really develop this really deep language … not just anyone can play this stuff. When we play for you, that’s what we’re trying to get across. In some other groups, if the drummer is sick or something and you have another drummer sit in, it’s not really going to sound that much different. That’s not possible with us.

What influence, if any, do you hope to have on young musicians today?

Well, you never say, “I’m in the world to make sure people think like I do.” But I would hope that people appreciate the craft of making music. These are real instruments that we are playing, not manipulated by anything. I would hope people will take away [the

The Bad Plus

idea] that you can take an old instrument and do new things with it. Real, natural acoustic musicians are important to keep in the culture. To me, it’s really exciting that people will want to be a part of [maintaining that]. Nothing against music made with computers – there’s been some great music produced using computers – but there’s no video game that can teach you how to play the drums

courtesy

really well. There’s no shortcut to becoming a great saxophonist. When you’re in the room with someone playing the saxophone, you’re listening to the product of the work they have devoted their lives to. That’s something we’re inspired by … we want to be part of that experience rather than part of a fashion.

LANI CHAN can be contacted at features@theaggie.org.

Coachella weekend one In review

Coachella

courtesy

By JAMES O’HARA Aggie Arts Writer

To a lot of people I know, Coachella is something like a religious experience. To them it’s not simply a weekend, but the weekend, where much of the various pleasure of life culminates into three days of chaotic hand-grabbing and reaching for fistfuls of entertainment and glory in the form of something like musical enlightenment. It is, in that, vaguely spiritual in nature — a type of mecca toward the grand mesh of hyperdebauchery, music, sex, drugs and whatever else one can jam into what seems, by its conclusion, a very short three days in the desert of Indio.

Coachella 2012, weekend one, was my first Coachella but probably not my last. I jammed a lot into my three days: bearing witness to the very brief resurrection of Tupac, Radiohead exploding heads with their absurdly superb talent (metaphorically) and the mad house that was Super Tall Paul, probably the most bizarre thing, let alone performance, I’ve ever seen (for you weekend two kids, go check him out Sunday morning at like 3 a.m. — you will not be disappointed).

There’s so much more, though, that slips through the hands of a single Coachella experience, and

one leaves with the feeling that, as much as you got your greedy, dirty fingers on, you didn’t get enough.

I say so because there is always more to be had at Coachella. More beer. More drugs. More music.

More. More. MORE. We want all the festival.

Strangely, Coachella is sad and infuriating in this way. That is, there is a pervading sense of loss that runs like a current through much of the festival in that it is a temporary island, or a fleeting retreat, and everyone knows it.

Yet there we all find ourselves trying desperately, it seems, to latch onto that which we all know will soon be over, like a one-night stand extended graciously to three where in the morning you’re sent packing, back into the real world that is, by comparison, drab and cold.

Or, more grandly and poetically, Coachella is like a microcosm of youth expiring toward old age.

Practically every direction one looks there is a horrifying sense of struggle against the nature of brevity, a terrifying “this will soon be over and we will be old and burnt out” sensibility that is always resisted but acknowledged in every facet of the event. You can see it in the faces. You feel it in the energy.

You think it yourself.

I realized this most poignantly during my second day, toward the

end of the night when Coachella was more than half over – during Bon Iver – which was fitting, given all his wistful melancholy.

My friends wanted to leave during Bon Iver’s set. Not because he wasn’t excellent. He was. He was phenomenal, transcendent and haunting. He and his band were pouring out their souls, directly it seemed, from somewhere deep in their heaving chests — a bunch of guys expressing the most genuine kind of sorrow and beauty.

Yet just over the way someone else we wanted to see was teasing us with a promise of more. So we went and turned our backs on Bon Iver, which felt foolish to me at the time because why would we leave when he was so good? Where are we rushing to? Why would we walk out on that?

Because, the promise of something profound was just over the way and we were foolish and greedy enough to think we might find it there. Did we? I don’t know.

Everywhere we went was good, but so was everywhere we left.

Of course if that is my greatest complaint, that there is too much good, that the festival is overwhelming and maddening because we can’t have it all, that it ends too soon, that it reminds me of the fleetingness of enjoyment and life and youth, it is an awfully flimsy one. Or is it?

My advice would be, though, don’t treat the festival like a checklist. You can’t see all the performers. Rushing from one to the other and trying to catch stints of each set, which some attempt, struck me as a futile and ultimately unsatisfactory endeavor.

Many of the performers are true artists on stage, and their sets are worth their entirety.

Radiohead, probably the best set of the weekend, was so organic and passionate I could not sing along with the lyrics I’ve had memorized for years. Some tried, but Thom Yorke’s vocals are simply alien — they are not replicable by us mortals.

M83, also, was so excellent I found myself in an idiotic stupor that was something like awe. They surpassed all my weighty expectations, and I found myself asking afterward if they are aware how much better they are than practically everyone else.

All in all Coachella is a lot of fun, but it can’t be sustained. It’s a massive feast, and by the end you ought to feel full to bursting. I did. Yet at the same time, I wanted more. It’s funny, and maybe a little sad, that Coachella allows you to be unrepentantly greedy in that way.

JAMES O’HARA can be contacted at arts@theaggie. org.

Want to see pictures from Bon Iver’s concert? Turn to page 10 and look online at www.theaggie.org.

The Improvised Shakespeare Company Thursday, April 19-21 at 8 p.m., Sunday, April 22 at 3 p.m. & 7 p.m.

Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center $42/$21 (student) thursday , april

The Bad Plus

Buster Blue

Wednesday - Saturday at 8 p.m., $38/$19 (student) Vanderhoef Studio Theatre, Mondavi Center

Friday, April 20, 9:30 p.m.

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen, 129 E Street $5, ages 21+

19, 2012

7

KDVS Fundraiser Show

Virgin no more

Friday, April 20, 8 p.m.

Luigi’s Slice, 213 E Street $5, all ages Come support KDVS at a local music showcase downtain this Friday. The Young Mings, Marlene Marlene, Ennui Trust and Mondo Babes are featured performers, and with a draw of music, pizza and beer, what more else could you want?

A Rocky Horror first-time experience

By PETER AN

Aggie Arts Writer

On an inky Saturday night, I was walking through an empty Davis campus on my “virginal” ascent to see the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

What I saw that night was beyond anything I had ever seen before. As a virgin to this show, I can attest to whoever is reading that the Rocky Horror Picture Show is weird, fabulous and alien. I’ll keep mum about what I’m describing, but I can wholly tell you that I have my v-card no more, and that by the end I was hungry for more.

Walking into the main stage of Wright Theatre breeds a sense of familiarity. The walk winding up the stairs opens into the enclave where the stage and the audience both stand opposite of each other.

I normally would have breathed a sense of relief; instead I saw grown college men dressed in nothing but booty straps and fishnets.

Such paleness had never before seen the light of day! A particular

young man was wearing full bondage gear — an extra straight out of the movie. Was he the S or the M? Only he knows, but really, it was all too much for my virgin eyes. Other people showcased a Rocky Horror Picture Show affair by dressing just like the opposite gender. Before leaving the show I had to question my mode of dress and what I was wearing. Maybe fishnets could find a regular place in my wardrobe.

I took my seat before the movie (I thought it was a performance) started. While sitting in the theatre, surrounded by the colorful folk that would soon come to make my night one of the most memorable, I began to regret that I was wearing pants. Onstage two performers strutted into the center — very fabulous. The male actor’s legs in fact were longer than the girl’s, dressed in fishnets and hairy - very hairy.

He called up the best dressed of the night and we all proceeded to have a little trivia game with questions about the movie. “Science fiction,

double feature!” was one of the answers and I did my best to pretend like I knew the answer too. Earlier an audience member had shouted out “Virgin sacrifice!” Being the wallflower I am, I thought that was it, my time on the unicorn express was over. But nothing ended up happening to me; it was just a movie, after all. The audience kept clamoring for blood.

A close-up of a singing mouth opened the movie and it was the trivia answer from earlier, “Science fiction, double feature.” What I didn’t expect was the audience chiming in, harmonizing and belting out numbers to the cult classic.

The end of the first song got me hooked, and I knew Rocky Horror was something special. During certain scenes, rice, confetti and numerous other objects too dark to see pelted my head, and after each pelting I was anxious for the next.

The movie itself was very funny and at times weird, but apt for a musical that includes a trans-

vestite doctor named Dr. FrankN-Furter, Frank for short. Every now and then, the audience would change the words, sometimes completely reworking the dialogue to fit their own pleasure, whatever that pleasure may be.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is vulgar, fancy, and delicious. It reminded of me the time I said “Hi” to a pretty girl at a party and accidentally sloshed beer in her face. I didn’t have to drink beer anymore, and she needed livening up. I couldn’t bring myself to dread the fishnets because the show makes them work; if anything, I felt left out of all the fun.

When the show ended in a final lift off, I wanted more. I sang (mumbled, not knowing the lyrics), danced, laughed and, most of all, lost my virginity throughout the show. When I finally left Wright Theatre that night with my date, I am excited to say that I had joined the Rocky Horror club.

PETER AN can be contacted at arts@theaggie.org.

Picnic Day fashion show

By RUDY SANCHEZ Aggie Arts Writer

The Fashion and Design Society (FADS), a segment of the department of design here at UC Davis, will be hosting their annual runway show for Picnic Day 2012. This year’s fashion show is headed by Professor Susan Taber Avila and her Signature Collections course.

FADS and the show are supported by the President’s Undergraduate Fellowship. Nineteen design students will be presenting their work for this year’s event. It will include several separate categories; these categories include the Single Garment Competition in which designers and students alike are allowed to showcase any clothing that emphasizes personal expression.

Under the personal expression portion of the show, students will showcase designs inspired by their work and research in cultural, historical or environmental emphasis.

Nidia Trejo, a senior double major in design and textiles and clothing, has contributed to the fashion show for the four years she has been at Davis. “I hope it brings attention to the design department,” Trejo said. “It was only a

program before so it was a pretty big deal when they made it into a department recently.”

Trejo will be working with electronic textiles and will be presenting an LED dress. That will be just one of the many innovative designs that will be showcased this year.

This year will also include clothing inspired

by Middle Eastern and African cultures.

“My collection intends to broaden public awareness of textiles,” said Faizan Dar, a senior design major. “I have captured the rich complexity and the ultimate height of luxury in Mughal court design by using traditional handdyed floral patterns, rich color and luscious embellishments.”

The highlight of recent fashion shows as well as this year’s includes the Red Dress showcase. This portion of the event also serves to raise awareness of health issues relating to

women previously sponsored by the Women’s Cardiovascular Medicine Program.

This year will also include a brand new portion of the show in the form of an honor thesis portion. The Honor Thesis portion will include several garments designed by Helen Trejo and Miquette Elliot, two students working on their honor theses in the design department.

“I am debuting my zerowaste collection where I use the entire length and width of fabrics to eliminate textile waste that is typically generated in the clothing-making process,” said Helen Trejo, co-president of FADS and senior design major. “I created this collection as part of my design honors thesis and have worked very closely with Professors Ann Savageau and Susan Avila to learn as much as possible.”

Check out the FADS Inspired Innovation: Signature Collections UC Davis Picnic Day fashion show which will be held in Freeborn Hall. It starts at 1:30 p.m. $5 general admission, $3 with student ID.

RUDY SANCHEZ can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

Taking the air with Jenn Rawling and Basho Parks Aggie Arts Writer

Jenn Rawling and Basho Parks are an indie-folk duo hailing from Oregon. The duo recently released their debut full length album titled Take the Air. Their new album, full of emotionally lifting songs enhanced

by Rawling’s poetic lyrics, is named after the Victorian period idiom of “to go for a stroll,” which also carried the air of seizing life by the hands and dancing merrily together. Currently, the two are touring through the Western and Midwestern states promoting the album and will be playing a live show at Armadillo Music on Apr. 24. But before then, the outgoing duo was able to do an interview to talk more about themselves and their upcoming show in Davis.

MUSE: Can you give a small introduction of yourselves to our readers?

RAWLING & PARKS: We’re a couple from Oregon hitting the road in earnest as an indie-folk duo with our ten-year-old great dane, Miles Zanzibar. We started flirting with one another while in dingy basement band practices exactly two years ago in April.

What would you describe your

health Cont. from front page lowered projected Medicare spending.

Graduating students have become a key focus of the Supreme Court decision because of the protection they will receive if it passes and the lack of coverage they will have if it doesn’t.

“I do not see any other reason why this law should be repealed,” said junior political science major Ruy Laredo.

Laredo added that on top of providing security to high school and college grads, PPACA reforms healthcare to provide a patient’s bill of rights, and will eventually help cut down the deficit.

The number of students who secure jobs after college is becoming increasingly smaller, dropping

music as?

Our music is classical, folk, americana, roots, steeped in the acoustic listening rooms of the Pacific Northwest and poured as a savory, heartfelt broth on top of your long day.

What are some artists who have inspired you as a group?

Jenn’s mom was very inspirational growing up, singing in the kitchen and whatnot. Basho’s grandfather was an opera singer, and his grandmother was a concert pianist in Dallas. We’re inspired by Sandy Denny and Richard Thompson, Petunia & the Vipers, our friends The Haunted Windchimes from Pueblo and The Birds of Chicago from Chicago.

ting it come about in a more spontaneous fashion, without the traditional parameters of “versechorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus-done” to hinder that process.

Basho also does a small dance of joy before we sit down in a trance and hum like mosquitoes.

What is your favorite part about creating music?

Playing music is a fantastic way to build lasting friendships the world over. Music creation is the ethereal sculpture-making of the soul’s voice. Connecting with the creative process, capturing the songs and then sharing them.

What is your new album all about?

Take the Air is all about perseverance in the face of human tragedy, the loss of love and the discovery of mudskippers. It’s about the details of nature, seizing the moment and salamander-worship.

How do you go about writing songs?

Our song-writing is intuitive and organic. We don’t try to fit a song into any one genre or theme — let-

Take the Air is your debut album, but you’ve been in bands together previously. How does this record differ from previous projects, and what did you learn from working together previously to make this a stronger record?

We played together in two other bands before going all in for this duo project. Our time spent in countless rehearsals as well as playing a ton of gigs together helped cement our cohesion together as musical partners. Take the Air is unlike the previous genres of music we played together; it has a much more quiet, folk-

from 90 percent in 2006 to 56 percent in 2010, according to a study by the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University.

The national class of 2012 will include about 2.4 million students that are graduating with bachelor’s and associate’s degrees, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Those graduates will not only go head-to-head with each other, but also with the 9.9 percent of other currently unemployed Americans for increasingly diminished positions. There are more than five job seekers for every opening, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“There’s more competition in the marketplace right now with the unemployment rate at 9.9%,” said Jason Ferrara, career adviser at Careerbuilder.com, an online job

listing company. “There is more pressure for the college graduate.”

Fewer than half of employers (46 percent) plan to hire spring college grads for full-time positions this year, according to a separate poll

by Monster.com, another online job listing company.

“I do not expect to get a job that provides me with benefits straight out of college,” said Caroline Moyer, a senior English and international relations major. Moyer is concerned about where she will get health coverage if the Supreme Court repeals PPACA. “I feel safer with ObamaCare,” she added. “Things are so unreliable right now and without health care they will only be more unreliable.”

Other UC Davis students said they did not feel confident in their ability to land a job with health care benefits right out of college.

Friday, April 20, 9:30 p.m.

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen, 129 E Street $5, ages 21+ As an emerging Americana Folk band from Reno, Nevada, Buster Blue is promoting their new album When the Silver’s Gone, which was recorded in the world renowned Piper’s Opera House in Virginia City, Nevada.

Using instruments that include horns, banjo, accordion, chains and buckets, the unique sound produced is influenced by Arcade Fire and Radiohead.

The Improvised Shakespeare Company Thursday, April 19-21 at 8 p.m.; Sunday, April 22 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center $42/$21 (student) Creating a fully improvised play in Elizabethan style, The Improvised Shakespeare Company puts on a show based on audience suggestion. Seats for the audience are going to be on stage, and since there is no plan for any show, every single evening will be completely unique. Get ready for any sort of extravagant display of power struggles, sword-play, kings, princesses, insults and anything you want to suggest for the show you attend.

Empyrean Ensemble: Songs, Whispers, Tales and Utterances - New Works for Voice Sunday, April 22 at 7 p.m.

Vanderhoef Studio, Mondavi Center $20/$8 (child & student) Although the show starts at 7 p.m., there will be a pre-concert lecture and discussion at 6:15 p.m. with guest composers. This will be an evening full of vocals and instruments that range from the cello to electronics.

The Shins Monday, April 23 at 8 p.m., $35 (sold out) Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center Put on by Another Planet Entertainment in association with Entertainment Council, The Shins is set to take the stage on Monday night with guest Gardens and Villa. Formed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this indie rock band is now based in Portland, Oregon. This popular group just released Port of Morrow on March 20th.

The Library Project Wednesday, April 25, 3 p.m. & 5 p.m.

Shields Library

Indie-folk duo has an upcoming show in Davis

By MICHELLE RUAN

Buster Blue

americana style, whereas our other bands were louder and less metered. We’re glad to be playing this stripped-down music, as it’s much easier on the ears.

You tour as a duo, but the record has a lot more instrumentation on it. How do you pull it off live?

Jenn will sing and play her guitar, while Basho will play mandolin and violin and sing in our sets while on the road. The pared down version is actually quite full sounding.

What are your plans following this tour?

More touring! We’ll get back to Oregon June 8, stay in town for three weeks and then head up to British Columbia for a month long tour. Returning to Portland to refuel our whatever in early August, so we can head back out to the midwest for Folk Alliance and festivals (September and early October) so we can then meander over to New England in late October. November we’ll be back in the studio recording 14 tracks for the next album.

We’ll be in the Southeastern US for a spell in December. 2013 is already getting full.

MICHELLE RUAN can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

Non-employment health care options include private coverage like Cobra, which costs recipients an average of $400 a month for individual plans.

“There will be a gap in time between graduation and getting a job with health insurance,” said Larissa Epstein, a senior animal biology major.

Despite that, Epstein added that she is not sure about whether or not she thinks the PPACA should be upheld by the Supreme Court.

“With any huge reform you must proceed with caution and I am not confident that the specifics of this act will positively affect health care,” she said.

Like Epstein, other UC Davis students felt unsure and/or uninformed about the bill, displaying interest in learning more.

SARA ISLAS can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

MFA candidate in choreography Christine Germain leads a community dance project in which her dance classes will perform a mostly silent dance routine in the library.

The only sounds that will be heard are those created by the dancers’ own bodies and the rustling of paper costumes. Meant to enhance the library experience and make people more aware of the space in which they are studying as well as provide entertainment and inspiration, this event is part of a larger project of the UC Davis Institute for Exploration in Theatre, Dance and Performance.

orpina Cont. from page 6 app for your smartphone or iPhone. If you don’t have one of those, well, sucks. Actually, there are a few apps you can utilize through Google Chrome.

But you know that if none of your friends can like it on Instagram, then you’re not cool. You’ll just have a cool cover photo for your Facebook profile.

Please stick to these three rules, however. 1) Don’t upload your photos straight from the Instagram app to your Facebook or Tumblr account. Take the extra time to separately upload photos to avoid the “taken with Instagram” caption. Nothing screams “Facebook illiterate” more than that caption.

2) Don’t just take a photo of the sky, add a filter and upload it. No. That’s pointless and stupid. Unless there was a flailing bird or some cosmic rarity, you’re being a reckless Instagram user. 3) Utilize this outlet to make fun of your friends. With the option to blur out parts of the photo, you can direct the main focus of your audience to the fanny pack your best friend is wearing in public.

ELIZABETH ORPINA judges everyone like no other and can be reached at arts@ theaggie.org. To entertain both her and her Tumblr followers, upload pointless Instagram photos — better yet, LINK your Instagram to Facebook so she can screenshot them and point out your flaws.

8 thursday, april 19, 2012

The california Aggie

Solar eclipse to appear over northern California in May Special glasses will be sold on Picnic Day

Evan Davis / Aggie

Fourth year Kevin DeLano (right) and fifth year Rachael Johnson (left) model the eclipse glasses.

By BRIAN RILEY Aggie Science Writer

Students and members of the UC Davis community are preparing for a special type of solar eclipse that will occur in the evening sky in northern California this coming May 20. This eclipse will be an “annular” (meaning “ring-like”) type of solar eclipse, which is when the moon passes directly in front of the sun without completely cover-

ing it and appears as a complete disk within a disk.

“We don’t get to see it often because our moon isn’t on the right plane. [The plane of orbit] is 5 degrees off, so to catch it on the right plane is really spectacular,” said Jared Clapham, a senior communication major at UC Davis who is currently taking an astronomy class.

People who view the eclipse from the city of Davis will only see a partial

eclipse on May 20, beginning at 5:15 p.m. and ending at 7:38 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time. Maximum eclipse will occur at 6:31 p.m., viewing from Davis, when the moon will appear to cover 86 percent of the sun’s disk somewhat low in the western sky.

Kevin Delano and Rachael Johnson, both senior geology majors, are co-presidents of the UC Davis Geology Club.

“We see this as an opportunity to educate people about a real cool natural phenomenon they will experience,” Delano said.

The Geology Club will be offering special solar eclipse glasses on the Quad during Picnic Day for a $2 donation, and afterward by special arrangement.

“One cannot view the eclipse without the glasses,” Delano stressed, “because the sun will damage your eyes.”

The other type of eclipse is a lunar eclipse, when the earth casts a shadow on the moon.

“A lunar eclipse is seen by half of the entire planet,” said Howard Spero, who is a professor of geology and chair of the geology department at UC Davis.

“Even though solar eclipses are more frequent, much fewer people see [total solar eclipses] because you have to be on a specific part of the planet at a specific time to be able to see one,” Spero said.

The upcoming annular eclipse will be able to be seen in the U.S. from within a wide band that stretches from northern California southeastward toward western Texas.

To see the disk-within-a-disk, ring-

Heat up and wiggle Researchers discover how desert squirrels protect their newborns

Desert squirrel

By HUDSON LOFCHIE Aggie Science Writer

How does a squirrel tell a rattlesnake to stay away from its babies? It heats up its tail. Using a robotic model of a squirrel, researchers at UC Davis and UC San Diego have been trying to find out how squirrels communicate aggression to their most dangerous predator. This heated communication is just part of the behavior that researchers are trying to mimic in an effort to understand how such a small animal manages to ward off such a large adversary.

In the arid desert, the squirrel is not trying to protect itself, but its babies, or pups. During the late spring and early summer, the pups are born, and the rattlesnakes go hunting. Normally, a squirrel would be outmatched and simply run away from the rattlesnake.

But when it comes to protecting the pups, running away is not an option.

The squirrel needs some way of alerting the snake that it is willing to fight if necessary.

“By heating its tail, [the squirrel] is saying ‘Hey! We are here! We know you are there,’” said Sanjay Joshi, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at UC Davis and one of the researchers on the project. “We dis-

courtesy

covered that tail-heating is a very important component of communication.”

Heating is an effective signaling method for the squirrels because it drastically increases the squirrel’s visibility to the rattlesnake’s “sight” with infrared. In other words, snakes have heat vision. This observation is the first-ever discovery of animals actively communicating with heat signals.

When a snake encounters a squirrel that is displaying a heated tail, it avoids getting into strike position and getting near the pups. However, sometimes the tail-heating is not enough on its own, so squirrels must use other methods to ward off the serpentine danger. In these occasions, squirrels perform what is called “flagging,” or waving their tail a certain way.

“Snakes will rarely strike at a flagging adult squirrel,” said Rulon Clark, a researcher at the UC San Diego department of biology and another of the head researchers on the project.

In addition to tail-heating and flagging, squirrels have two more defense methods they can employ against rattlesnakes. Squirrels have incredible agility as well as a strong resistance to snake venom.

In addition to the biological and behavioral questions the researchers

Have a safe Picnic Day!

were trying to answer, they have also been looking to answer a more basic question about robot-animal interaction — how closely to the rattlesnake does the robot have to resemble an actual squirrel to pull off a successful mimicry?

“Simulations in a lab are always different from the true performance in the field,” said Ryan Johnson-Masters, a graduate student in Joshi’s lab.

In both laboratory and field settings, the snake seemed unable to tell the difference between real squirrels and the robotic squirrels that had been designed to mimic the tail-heating and flagging behavior. Engineers had to work closely with biologists to get the design of squirrel characteristics right, and biologists worked with the engineers to gather and analyze the data that the robot delivered.

Much of what is known about squirrel psychology was discovered by UC Davis professor of psychology Donald Owings, who passed away last year.

However, the researchers are continuing the work that he started and hope that they will discover many more previously unknown intricacies of animal behavior.

HUDSON LOFCHIE can be reached at science@theaggie. org.

like effect, viewers can drive to any area along Interstate 5 between Willows, Calif. and Glendale, Ore. and look for clear skies, or anywhere along Highway 101 between Garberville, Calif. and Bandon, Ore. A Google interactive map of the solar eclipse path can be found on the NASA.gov website.

“It’s silly not to [drive north]. This is an opportunity of a lifetime,” Spero said, referring to the short one-hour drive.

According to Sky & Telescope magazine, although the sky doesn’t turn dark during an annular eclipse, the sky will turn dark blue, allowing the planet Venus to be seen to the left of the sun.

Spero is an “eclipse chaser” and has traveled all over the world to see seven total solar eclipses in 21 years on four continents, when day becomes night for a span of a few or several minutes. He has also seen one annular eclipse.

Kenneth Verosub, also a professor in the geology department, traveled to China with Spero to see a total eclipse there in July 2009.

Verosub teaches a course called “Earth Science, History, and People,” which, he explained, involves studying the interactions between geologic processes and human activity.

“I believe that people need to look up at the sky more than they do,” Verosub said.

“To me it’s a connection to the long span of human history and to the way that earlier people related to or responded to these kinds of events.”

BRIAN RILEY can be reached at science@theaggie.org.

thursday, april 19, 2012 9

The california aggie

New ballot to be introduced in the June primaries Change is aimed to help increase voter participation

By PAAYAL ZAVERI Aggie News Writer

Irisa Tam / Aggie

The upcoming June primary elections will feature a major change with the introduction of a new ballot. Some hope this will alter the kind of candidates that are elected to public office.

This reform was a result of Proposition 14, a ballot initiative passed in June 2010. Voters will

now see a “top two” primary system. Prior to the proposition’s passing, candidates would be separated by party and each party winner moved on to the general election.

However, now all candidates are on the same ballot, and only the two with the top votes will move on to the general election in November. This “top two” system applies to candidates for the United States Congress, the state legislature and statewide offices such as governor.

“Voters will see a ballot with three kinds of contests on June 5. The election for president is a partisan or ‘partynominated’ election and the ballot is the same party ballot we’re used to seeing for a primary,”

said Lianne Campodonico, one be a contest between two candiof the directors from the Board of dates of the same party, or candiDirectors at the League of Women dates unaffiliated with any party.

Voters of California.

“Some voters may be pleased “The Top because they have more of a Two Primary Important primary election dates: chance to exballot for amine their statewide ofApril 6: County election officials began party’s canfices, which sending the first vote-by-mail ballots to didates, but are now called people living overseas or in the military. some will be ‘voter-nomiMay 7: County election officials send displeased benated’ officvote-by-mail ballots to their regions. cause they es, has all the May 21: Last day to register to vote or won’t see anycandidates change party affiliation. one from their for each ofMay 29: Last day to apply with the counparty,” said fice on one ty for a vote-by-mail ballot.

Trudy Schafer, list, regardless June 5: Election day. Polls are open from senior diof their party 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. All vote-by-mail ballots rector at the preference. In must be received by county officials by 8 League of the third part p.m. and can be dropped off at any pollWomen Voters of the June 5 ing station. of California. ballot, voters will see the In addition nonpartisan to the new baloffice elections such as county lot, this year voters will be voting supervisors, school board mem- in newly drawn districts from the bers and city council members.” restructuring that occurs every This new system could mean decade. that the November election will To cast a ballot for one of the

Republican candidates for president, the voter must be registered as a Republican by May 21. Independent voters can vote for the Democratic or American Party candidates if they want to.

Those in favor of ballot change say it will give voters more candidates to choose from, and its impact will be felt mostly by independent voters. Some say that for the first time, every independent voter will have a voice in the election.

Another result may be more candidates running as nonpartisan or not affiliating themselves with any party.

“I think it will increase voter participation. Which is a very good thing,” said Donna Johnston, Sutter County clerk recorder.

“I encourage people to learn about this change and go out and vote,” Schafer said.

PAAYAL ZAVERI can be reached at city@theaggie. org.

UC Davis biological sciences student’s surprising turn as an up-and-coming artist Arian Behzadi’s mixed-media collages quickly gaining popularity across the internet

By STEPHANIE B. NGUYEN Aggie News Writer

Mixing science and art isn’t something that is easily achieved, yet senior Arian Behzadi manages to combine the two perfectly in his visual design work.

In his free time, Behzadi, a biological sciences major with an emphasis in neurobiology, physiology and behavior, works on personal and freelance design work, including movie and music album posters, website design, magazine covers, app icon designs and user interfaces and T-shirt designs for various international companies. His images are quickly spreading across various visual media sites such as Tumblr and Pinterest, and he boasts recent features in Juxtapoz Magazine and on Trendland.net.

Behzadi’s work is characterized by geometric shapes, mid-century colors and mixed-media elements such as paint, newspaper clippings, magazine images and typography.

“There are definitely aspects of collage work and cut-outs in my work, so in that respect, yes, it can be defined as mixedmedia collages, but a lot of this stuff is done digitally,” Behzadi said. “I think my work reflects what I see in old magazines, especially National Geographic, and old books. I just really love the color and the print of that era and find ways to repurpose them.”

Behzadi’s friend and housemate, senior economics major Joshua Wallach, describes Behzadi’s design aesthetic.

“Arian can see things that fit together –

colors, shapes, fonts, pictures, etc. – that other people may not be aware of,” Wallach said. “He has a way of combining images and colors that make the result stronger than the individual pieces. Arian draws from the simplicity and starkness from the 1950s and layers it into something more complex.”

Associate professor of visual communication in the UC Davis department of design Glenda Drew agreed.

“He has a strong sense of color and use of organic white space,” Drew said. “He repurposes imagery and uses techniques of repetition to create new visual statements that are appealing to look at. He has a good understanding of typography and how to use type effectively within his work. A lot of people don’t know how to do that.”

With an increasing number of commissioned design work, including a collaboration with Australian clothing brand Das Monk, it’s surprising that Behzadi finds the time to keep up with school work, let alone a 15-hour-a-week research assistant role at the Carraway/Sweeney Cancer Lab where he helps conduct breast cancer research.

However, Behzadi doesn’t let design work interfere with his plans to pursue a career in the medical field and to ultimately become a surgeon. Instead, he enjoys finding parallels between art, science and technology and allowing that to translate into his work.

“I enjoy marrying art and science. There are a lot of really simple and elegant solutions to things in the biology world that I

think are really neat,” he said.

Still, Wallach believes that Behzadi has a real talent that can’t be ignored, and that he should consider a permanent career in design.

“His greatest strength is his artistic eye,” Wallach said. “His passion for design is the strongest. The housemates and I agree that someone with so much talent should seriously consider a future in design.”

Likewise, Drew believes that pursuing design will benefit Behzadi.

“At the undergraduate level, students experiment and make small bodies of work that are connected,” Drew said. “The graduate level goes deeper. If Arian continues on that trajectory, he can be really successful.”

Currently, Behzadi plans to finish the rest of the school year at UC Davis before applying to medical school in the fall where he hopes to study oncology. In the meantime, he plans to continue doing freelance design work – he recently received a commission to design a poster for the upcoming movie created by menswear style blog “Street Etiquette” – and to collaborate with other artists.

“It’s huge when my work is featured alongside the work of artists I respect,” Behzadi said. “I hope that I can still be respected in that world ten years from now.”

Behzadi’s work can be found on his website, cargocollective.com/arianbehzadi.

STEPHANIE B. NGUYEN can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

10 thursday, april 19, 2012

The california Aggie

It has been a week of big names on the UC Davis music scene and The California Aggie was there to catch it all. From the overwhelming acoustics of Explosions in the Sky at the Mondavi Center on Sunday, to the melodic flood of Bon Iver on Tuesday at Freeborn Hall, music critics Becky Peterson and Melissa Freeman are here to tell all. Photos by Jasna Hodzic.

More photos online at theaggie.org.

Opening act Zammuto provided a nice rush of adrenaline before the melatoninic Explosions took the stage. At their worst, the garageband guitar shredding bounced off of the acoustically flawless ceilings of Mondavi into my brain, provoking an inescapable urge to curl up into a ball.

(Think: bad acid trip.) At their best, Zammuto closed the set with an incredibly witty incorporation of an old man musician giving a tutorial on YouTube. Not only was it funny, but it was also heartwarming. (Think: good cat video.)

By the time Explosions in the Sky had finished their set, I was ready to go home. Maybe it was because the box seats at the Mondavi Center are really comfortable. Or maybe it’s because Explosions plays post-rock like indie angels sent to throw every hip kid and college newspaper reporter into a sea of emotion just by strumming a guitar. Maybe Mondavi doesn’t have the setup, but if there is one recommendation I can make for their further shows, it’s that they really need to incorporate a strobe light. Or find sponsorship in an energy drink company … or maybe just make it — Becky socially acceptable to fall asleep in public.

— Becky

Explosions in the Sky is beautiful live. For an audience used to watching live music in small, sweaty venues, the assigned seating of Mondavi was sort of funny. Some brave souls tried to dance in the corner, and even braver souls just went up to the stage and stood, only to be asked to move by ushers and a security guard. But the rest just bobbed their heads to popular songs, such as “The Only Moment We Were Alone” and “So Long, Lonesome.”

— Becky

The stream of band members that flowed onto the set carrying everything from saxophones to a violin stunned an unknowing audience as Justin Vernon took center stage. With a moss-like fabric hanging from above and small lanterns resembling trees twinkling on uneven poles along the stage edge, the scene is the closest Freeborn Hall can get to the green meadows depicted on the newest album, Bon Iver.

Despite the calm, low-key tunes we’ve come to expect from Bon Iver, the band did not miss any opportunities to captivate the audience with incredible solos that showed off the band’s exceptional talent, audience interaction during “Wolves Act I and II” and a constant alternating of lights that left you anything but bored.

UC Davis students represented the campus well, earning compliments as “really good listeners” from Justin Vernon.

“College is an interesting time because it is the only time in life when you’re smarter and dumber,” he said, offering some words of wisdom.

— Melissa

— Melissa

— Melissa

The california aggie

thursday, april 19, 2012 11

MONDAVI Cont. from front page Cultural Affairs, Margrit Biever Mondavi, are both passionate about combining the arts and music with fine wine and culinary arts. These passions helped inspire the creation of the Mondavi Center.

The Mondavi Center’s debut act featuring nine-time Grammy Award winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Bonnie Raitt will take place on Sept. 18.

In addition, Raitt will be followed by jazz artist Christian McBride and the San Francisco Symphony in the month of September; both performances return to pay tribute to the Mondavi Center’s role in “changing the state of the arts in the Sacramento region for the better,” said Executive Director of the Mondavi Center Don Roth.

The center will also be featuring a number of free opening events set to take place on Oct. 6 and 7, including the annual Rising

golf Cont. from page 13 to give her an even 72 third round.

The final round brought Vatananugulkit’s total score to a 216, good for 10th place individually. Runas’ 217 gave her 14th place while Chulya’s three-under on the last day gave her a 218 total and 17th place.

Amy Simanton also got bet-

coffee Cont. from front page “We do get students that live in Woodland and commute and they like to come in here to study,” Brand said.

Stars of Opera Concert and The Dancer Films Live Event.

In the span of 10 years, the Center has achieved numerous accomplishments, including the accommodation of over one million event attendees, granting the UC Davis performing arts program with a world class venue and providing well over 100,000 school children with educational experiences at the Mondavi Center, boosting UC Davis’ reputation internationally with special events (including the US premiere of one of France’s leading choreographers Angelin Preljocaj’s production of Blanche Neige, French for Snow White). Another great achievement is the creation of programs offering UC Davis Students easy access to famed artists and world-class speakers, said Rob Tocalino, Director of Marketing of the Mondavi Center.

“We have changed the face of the arts on campus and in our region, regularly bringing the greatest artists in the world in all fields — from the New York Philharmonic

ter with time, shooting a threeover and a two-over in the last two rounds. The junior finished in 56th place with a 227 stroke total, while Lewis’ 229 placed her in a tie for 59th.

“We’re just trying to work on our routine; a lot of focus is going on our pre-shot routine,” Walker said. “If we can take care of things we can control, they’re not going to happen and it really paid off this time.”

This was the Aggies’ last tour-

The shop does some advertising throughout the campus, but it concentrates mostly on its surrounding area.

“We do some advertising through sports teams,” Brand said.

As a company, Yolo

nament before they enter the Big West Championships on Sunday to defend their title at San Luis Obispo Country Club.

“I think we’re right where we want to be. Most importantly, all of them are ready for the postseason,” Walker said. “We did a good job of pacing ourselves so we don’t get burnt out — so we’re actually going to ramp up practice.”

MATTHEW YUEN can be reached at sports@theaggie. org.

County Coffee puts a heavy emphasis on quality.

“We focus on qualitysourcing coffee and putting time and energy into making things,” Brand said. “We buy from several different roasters to try to put together a great quality product.”

Apple and publishers facing Department of Justice lawsuit

By Monique Collins The Marquette Tribune (Marquette University)

The U.S. Justice Department served Apple Inc. and five leading publishers with an antitrust lawsuit, charging that the publishing companies worked with Apple to artificially raise e-book prices. The investigation suggests that publishers agreed to increase e-book prices to match Apple’s iBookstore, which prices e-books between $12.99 and $14.99.

Of the publishers sued, Hachette Book Group, Simon & Schuster and HarperCollins have agreed to a settlement that required them to end e-book contracts with Apple and any other retailer with a “most favored nation” clause, which states that no other retailer can sell e-books for lower prices.

The other two publishers sued were Macmillan and Penguin Group USA. Erin Crum, vice president of corporate communications for

HarperCollins, released a statement saying the company did not violate any antitrust laws and plans to comply with its obligations under the agreement.

Amazon, one of Apple’s rivals in some markets, has long held control over the e-book market. With the introduction of the iPad, former Apple chief executive officer Steve Jobs hoped to shift control in Apple’s favor.

Since 2010, Amazon’s hold on the e-book market has decreased to 60 percent, 30 percent less than previous years.

Amazon, which sells e-books for $9.99, used its low prices to attract readers to its own e-reading device franchise, the Kindle.

“I chose the Kindle Fire because I was able to use books I had to trade in for the e-reader,” said Jody Erickson, a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

“For about $199, I am able to do all of things that I want to do for a fraction of the cost of an iPad.” “I have been able to

to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre to Wynton Marsalis to Steve Martin and to speakers like Bill Clinton and Jane Goodall,” Tocalino said.

In its upcoming second decade of existence, the Mondavi Center has established the Studio Dance series (located in the Vanderhoef Studio Theatre), thereby building on the center’s commitment to and history of presenting great modern dance, added Tocalino.

Roth and Tocalino said that they hope to continue the Mondavi Center’s work and success in the coming years.

“Continuing to bring the best and brightest to the Mondavi Center and our campus — ensuring that even more students take advantage of what the Mondavi Center has to offer. Aggie Arts interns are part of that effort [in] bringing more artists in residence so they have more time to touch the lives of people on our campus and in the community, working with other arts organizations to deepen arts education throughout the region and increasing the number

buy many new releases for under $10 and books for my boys to read for as little as 99 cents,” Erickson added.

This lawsuit could result in lower e-book prices for consumers and less competition between e-book retailers.

The Department of Justice’s lawsuit also brings great news for Amazon, which plans to continue lowering e-book prices. But Erickson said the investigation and lawsuit might not bring all good change.

“Authors should be compensated for their work, so I’m hoping this doesn’t bottom out prices, for their sake,” Erickson said.

In an open letter, Scott Turow, president of the Authors Guild, said the Department of Justice was “on the verge of killing real competition in order to save the appearance of competition.”

Apple and the publishers are also dealing with a similar lawsuit with the European Commission.

Q&A

of people throughout our region who see the Mondavi Center as the best and easiest place to see great artists perform,” said Roth and Tocalino.

The Mondavi Center continues to improve on its existing faculties and maintains its commitment in providing the UC Davis community with a nationally recognized venue for the advancement of the arts.

“We in the music department call this building a second home. It has treated us well from rehearsal to concert. Students are always thankful to be able to perform in the Mondavi Center on the same stage that Joshua Bell or the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra have been on. [As well as the stage] that President Clinton, Ira Glass, or even Harrison Ford have spoken from,” said Music Department Events Manager Phil Daley. “It affects how our faculty compose or choose repertoire and we really cannot imagine our department without it.”

GHEED SAEED can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Y: For me, it’s all the people I’ve met. I’m friends with the mayor of Davis on Facebook. It’s pretty cool. Richard Kossack, [director of retail operations] at Sodexo, is like my best buddy. We have lunch together all the time now.

M: And being quoted in The Aggie. I’m like, “Mom and Dad, look at the Aggie!” It’s on my wall, actually.

Cont. from page 4 Y: That was our first thing [we did] all together. She [Mappus] hired 15 people and then we were like, “We’re going rafting next weekend. Let’s do this.”

M: I would say the board meetings are pretty memorable. It’s a time when we can have fun and be serious at the same time and see ERIN MIGDOL can be reached at features@theaggie. all our planning come together. org.

The company is invested in educating its consumers about the different coffees it carries. It is also a proponent of single-origin coffee.

“Single-origin coffee enables you to taste the quality of the coffee rather than having individual tastes

get lost in a blend,” Brand said.

Single-origin coffee is a buzzword among big-city chains such as Blue Bottle in San Francisco, and Brand hopes to mirror that in his store.

“We’re all about how

good coffee can be and paying attention to detail,” Brand said. “We try to interact with our customers to let them know what we’re about.”

EINAT GILBOA can be reached city@ theaggie.org.

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The california Aggie

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thursday, april 19, 2012

13

Causeway flop UC Davis commits three errors in loss baseball

By RUSSELL EISENMAN Aggie Sports Writer

Kristina Geddert / Aggie

Junior Paul Politi had two RBI in Tuesday’s loss.

UC Davis committed two errors in the sixth inning that led to a four-run rally, allowing Sacramento State to come from behind and win the Causeway rematch 8-5.

Junior Paul Politi and sophomore Spencer Brann had two RBI’s apiece, and the Aggies led by as many as three runs, but the defensive mistakes and the power of the Hornets were too much to overcome.

The loss drops UC Davis to 13-19 on the year.

UC Davis got going quickly against the Hornets in the first inning when senior Brett Morgan led off with a double and scored after senior David Popkins’ sacrifice fly and Politi’s RBI groundout to short.

Sac State responded for one in the top of the second during a two-out rally against freshman Spencer Koopmans, who was making his third start of the season. He was able to get a strike out to retire the side to minimize the damage.

The Aggies returned the favor with a two out rally of their own in the third. With

TRACK AND FIELD PREVIEW Event: Woody Wilson Classic; Mt. SAC Relays Where: Toomey Field and Woody Wilson Track; hilmer Lodge Stadium — Walnut, Calif.

When: All day Saturday; Friday April 20th-Saturday April 21st Who to watch: Sophomore Hosea Tate was a member of the UC Davis 4X400m relay team that took Hosea Tate first place last sophomore week with a time of 3:15.21.

Tate also placed fourth in the 200m-dash.

Did you know? The Woody Wilson Classic is a popular Picnic Day tradition. It is the Aggies’ last home meet of the year and is one of their last chances to prepare for the Big West Conference Championship meet.

This weekend’s meet will feature collegiate competition as well as events for high schoolers and unattached athletes.

Admission is free but spectators are advised to arrive early because seating is limited.

Preview: The Woody Wilson Classic features all of the standard track and field events, giving the Aggies a chance to keep their hot streak alive.

UC Davis produced a number of season and personal bests during last weekend’s meet and head coach Drew Wartenburg hopes to see them stay sharp through the final leg of the season.

In order for the Aggies to continue winning the team titles, they need to have an all-around team effort.

“In a scored meet, the bottom line is just that points scored,” Wartenburg said.

The track side of the meet will be spearheaded by several talented relay squads and individual sprinters.

UC Davis’ women can expect to dominate the 1,500m run after sophomore Alycia Cridebring won the event last weekend with a time of 4:28.11.

Popkins on first, freshman Nick Lynch and junior Austin Logan walked to load the bases. Freshman Austin Marsh, making his first start in right field, came through with an RBI single. Brann pinch hit for senior Scott Kalush with the bases still loaded and, like Marsh, responded with a twoRBI single, giving UC Davis a 4-1 lead.

In the top of the fourth with one out and a runner on third, Koopmans got a ground ball to the left side of the infield, but the ball skipped through sophomore Adam Young’s glove, the runner coming in to score. The Hornets then loaded the bases with back-to-back singles and got an RBI groundout, the first unearned run crossing the plate and cutting the lead to 4-3.

The Aggies got another run in the fourth on a sacrifice bunt from Politi with Morgan on third, but UC Davis recorded only one hit the rest of the game.

Sacramento State scored one in the fifth on a play at the plate, the throw from Morgan in centerfield appearing to get there in time, but Brann was unable to hold on.

The Hornets led off the sixth inning with a single against senior pitcher Ryan Lucas.

Two straight singles and an error tied the game. Junior Ben Burke replaced Lucas in a situation as tough as it gets; tie game,

bases loaded and no outs.

Burke induced a ground ball to short, but Young’s throw was wide at home, giving Sac State its first lead. Freshman Rhys Hoskins followed with a two-RBI single giving the Hornets an 8-5 lead. Burke was able to stop the bleeding and retire the side after that.

“Burke was awesome,” head coach Matt Vaughn said. “If you really look at that inning, he might be able to get out of that inning with no runs scored if we had been able to make a play. That’s the second time in a row he’s done a good job, and he’s becoming a go-to-guy for us from the ‘pen.”

Vaughn has been looking for depth in the bullpen and tinkering with the lineup all season to find the right combinations.

UC Davis will journey for an eight-game road trip, starting with a series against Big West Conference opponent UC Riverside.

The Aggies will look to senior starter Dayne Quist once again to set the tone for the weekend. Quist was named Big West Co-Pitcher of the Week after his masterful three-hit, nine-strikeout complete game shutout against Pacific last Saturday.

First pitch at the UC Riverside Sports Complex will be Friday at 6 p.m.

RUSSELL EISENMAN can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

WOMEN’S TENNIS PREVIEW

Three other Aggies joined Cridebring in the top eight for that event.

Another event to see will be the men’s 800m run. Sophomore Nathan Strum and freshman Trevor Ehlenbach closed for an exciting one-two finish at last week’s meet.

Aggie fans can also look forward to some competitive field events this weekend.

Senior Ethan Ostrum is consistently a standout for the Aggies and he proved it last weekend after he grabbed the only field victory for UC Davis by clearing 5.0m in the pole vault.

Sophomore Brandon Greenberg was also a standout last Sunday, capturing the first-place title in shot put after casting a 16.94m shot put.

The Woody Wilson Classic will be an excellent opportunity for Aggie fans to watch their track and field team stack up against some stiff division rivals, It is the team’s last home meet of the season and it is expected to be a blast.

— Kim Carr

Teams: UC Davis vs. UC Irvine; vs. San Jose State Records: Aggies 9-11 (4-2), Tigers 4-13 (1-5), Titans 6-9 (0-4) Where: Hal Nelson Tennis Courts — Stockton, Calif.; Marya Welch Tennis Center When: Thursday at 2 p.m.; Saturday at 11 a.m.

Who to Watch: Dahra Zamudio is the only senior in the UC Davis women’s tennis program’s starting lineup. She started the year playing in the No. 1 singles position, but switched to No. 2, where she holds a 12-5 record.

Zamudio has been a steady force in the singles lineup her entire career, but her doubles play has also been a strong contributor to the Aggies’ success.

She and sophomore Nicole Koehly have teamed up to win their last five matches, and are an impressive 7-2 at the No. 3 doubles spot.

Did you know? After a shift in doubles pairings, UC Davis hopes its struggles in doubles are in the past.

The Aggies have won the doubles point just six times this season, but two

of those victories came in has returned this season. their last two matchups.

Yet, Maze knows not to UC Davis is a perfect 6-0 overlook the match, dewhen winning the doubles spite the Aggies’ recent success. point, but is 3-11 when it does not.

“I don’t want Preview: After to jump ahead too winning their far because Pacific two contests this is a very good team weekend, the and we have to Aggies are in a win both matchgood position enes this week,” he tering the last two said. “This weekmatches of the end’s wins should season. UC Davis give them confiDahra Zamudio has put together senior dence and they’re two neat winning peaking at the streaks in the past right time.” couple weeks, and has won UC Davis will then play Cal four of its last five matches. State Fullerton for a Picnic “UC Irvine is second in Day matchup. The Titans are conference and so the win tied for last place in the Big gives us a chance to be West Conference with UC considered for the second Riverside. The festivities of spot, depending on how Picnic Day may provide disthis week’s matches play tractions, but Maze is excited out,” said Coach Bill Maze. to play the last home match The Aggies will face of the season on Saturday. off with University of the “We’ve played such a Pacific in a match that was tough schedule we haven’t postponed from March. The really had as many wins this Tigers are currently seventh year, so we’re getting confiin conference with a 1-5 re- dence from winning,” Maze cord. The Aggies downed said. “The goal is to have that Pacific last year by a 5-2 four-match winning streak match score and should going into the conference like their chances, as all six tournament.” of UC Davis’ starting lineup — Matthew Yuen

Aggies place seventh at Pacific Coast Intercollegiate

Aggie Digest Men’s tennis After a tough loss against UC Irvine, the Aggies rebounded with a 6-1 victory over the the University of Hawaii at Hilo in their home finale. UC Davis improved to 5-14.

The UC Davis mens’ tennis team swept the doubles matches and had four singles wins in straight sets.

The Aggies allowed the Vulcans to win only three games in all three doubles matches. Hugo VerdiFortin and Kyle Miller began the domination with a win over the team of Mizutani/Coffey, 8-2. Josh Albert/Toki Sherbakov and Chris Aria/George Horowitz helped secure the doubles point, adding 8-3 wins in the No. 2 and No. 3 positions, respectively.

Sherbakov cruised during his No. 1 singles match, winning 6-1 and 6-3. Aria downed Mizuguchi at the No. 4 position, 6-2, 6-1.

Verdi-Fortin and Josh Albert added straight-set wins and Miller ended the singles wins for UC Davis with a grueling match-up against Coffey in the No. 2 position.

The Aggies will close out the regular season this Saturday in Nevada.

— Veena Bansal

Two Aggies shoot three under in final round women’s golf

By MATTHEW YUEN Associate Sports Editor

The UC Davis women’s golf team got the chance to see how they stacked up against some of the best teams in the nation at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate.

What the Aggies found was that, well, they are one of the best teams in the nation.

No. 23 UC Davis, who co-hosted the tournament with Oregon State University, snagged sev-

enth place at Half Moon Bay Golf Links with an 11 over par in three rounds of play.

The Aggies beat out two higher-ranked opponents and played close to some of the topranked teams, including No. 14 California, whose 872 barely kept UC Davis at bay. Eight of the participating teams were ranked in the top 25 in the nation.

“It was a good week for us; we played well and finished seventh in a super strong field,” said Coach Anne Walker.

The three-round total of 875 was a product of improve-

ment as each round passed. The Aggies’ 297 first-round performance had them in ninth place until they posted a 294 and an even better 284 in the ensuing rounds to finish seventh overall.

Junior Demi Runas was the only UC Davis player to shoot below par in the first round, with a solid 71-stroke performance.

Freshmen Blair Lewis and Beverly Vatananugulkit led the Aggies in the second round, each posting one over par to bring UC Davis into eighth place after two rounds.

Vatananugulkit and sopho-

more Jessica Chulya were on point in the final round, each posting three under 69s to lead UC Davis to their best round of the tournament. “[Vatananugulkit and Chulya] are young and developing really well,” Walker said. “[Chulya] started feeling comfortable just going under par and she’s starting to get a lot more birdies.”

Chulya had five birdies in the last round and Vatananugulkit had four. Runas’s three birdies balanced out her three bogeys

See GOLF, page 11

SOFTBALL PREVIEW Teams: UC Davis at Cal Poly Records: Aggies, 16-24 (6-3); Mustangs 11-26 (3-6) Where: Bob Janssen Field — San Luis Obispo, Calif.

When: Saturday at noon and 2 p.m.; Sunday at noon Who to watch: After having some tough starts in preseason competition, junior starting pitcher Jessica Thweatt is having a fantastic season.

In the Sacramento native’s last five appearances, she has averaged more than a strikeout per inning and has posted a 2.76 ERA. Thweatt was locked in during the weekend series against Long Beach State, shutting out the 49ers through six innings in the Aggies’ 3-0 loss before earning a save in the Aggies’ 3-1 victory on

Sunday.

The Aggies, who are hoping to “Her ball was just moving and claim their second conference title in three years, will dancing,” said Head need to play strong on Coach Karen Yoder. “I the road against sixthcomplimented her in place Cal Poly if they front of the whole team hope to hold their [following the win].” ground with the league Did you know? The leaders.

Aggies are in a threePreview: UC Davis enway tie for second ters the middle secplace in the Big West tion of their conferConference. UC Davis, ence schedule when Long Beach State and they travel down to the UC Santa Barbara — all Jessica Thweatt Central Coast to face with 6-3 conference re- junior Cal Poly this weekend. cords — trail first-place The Mustangs, who are University of Pacific by 14-7 all-time against the Aggies, one game.

The conference season will are hoping to repeat the results reach its midway point follow- from last year when they swept ing this weekend’s games, and UC Davis in three games. league standings will soon begin With a .229 team batting avto cement themselves. erage, the Aggies will have a

great opportunity to gain some confidence at the plate as the Mustang pitchers come into the series with an average ERA of 5.32.

After defensive struggles in last weekend’s series led to numerous unearned runs, UC Davis will need to flash the leather against Cal Poly, which leads the conference with only 39 errors and a .963 fielding percentage.

A key matchup to watch this weekend will be the Aggie pitchers when facing Mustang shortstop Kim Westlund. Westlund, who has safely reached base in 32 of 36 games, will provide a great challenge as she has the seventh-best batting average (.351) in the Big West.

— Doug Bonham

14 thursday, april 19, 2012

The california Aggie

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