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volume 131, number 103
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Students mixed up in scam posted on Aggie Job Link Junior loses nearly $2,000, fraudulent job posting removed By MENGSHI SHAO Aggie News Writer
Sarah’s boss requested that she send $1,770 of her own money to a business partner in early October. Sarah did. Her boss provided a money order of $1,870 — $100 for Sarah to keep. Ten days later, Sarah learned that the money was fraudulent. Sarah, a junior transfer student whose real name will be kept confidential for privacy reasons, was a victim of a job scam from the beginning: a well-described job post on Aggie Job Link (AJL). After searching for “in Davis” and “paid position” on AJL, Sarah applied for an office assistant job, which appeared in the top five results. After emailing her cover letter, resume and references to the job poster’s personal email address, she got the job in August before moving to Davis for the school year. “I saw the job on Aggie Job Link, and it paid $150 a week for me to
do the basic office things. [The boss] said she was in Sweden and [that] she was an international consultant,” she said. “She didn’t email me back for a really long time, and I started to look for another job. About a week and a half [later] she told me she was in the hospital and had a heart attack and wanted to meet me in the nearest coffee shop.” Sarah said this made her more sympathetic toward her employer, but the meeting never actually happened. Then Sarah received the money order and instructions to mail off nearly $2,000 from her boss, and learned from her bank that the money was fake. According to Marcie Kirk Holland, project manager at the UC Davis Internship and Career Center (ICC), less than five frauds were posted in AJL in late September and early October of this year. About 10 students were involved in a similar situation, with one actually sending money to the scammer.
Holland said that the job postings themselves do not appear unusual at first. “It does mention taking customer/account payments. That is a standard part of many legitimate jobs. Only fraudulent employers would expect this to be accomplished through an employee's personal bank account,” she said in an email interview. Mary Garcia, officer with the UC Davis Police Department, said types of fraud vary, but all scammers just want a personal signed check in the end. According to Garcia, a common indicator of a fraudulent posting could be a medical emergency, being out of the country or a family emergency. “They often claim themselves as doing international business and avoid [meeting] you in person or [talking] on the phone,” she said. Sarah recalled a similar situation as her “boss” never showed up but only contacted her via
Robert Mondavi Institute debuts Honey and Pollination Center
New campus center joins the Laidlaw Honey Bee Research Facility
email, and emails were often delayed, as if they came from other time zones outside of the country. “I wish there [had] been a disclaimer on the Aggie Job Link because I would assume that everything is legitimate, and your school will protect you and never give you the opportunity [to fall victim to fraud],” Sarah said. Holland also noted that students should be alert, as no employers should ever ask an intern or employee to write a check for a transaction that relates to their company’s operations. Students are encouraged to only communicate with potential employers through AJL, not through personal email addresses, and to keep in mind that employers do not send large sums of money to people that they do not know well. In response to the fraudulent job postings, AJL has posted a notification on its webpage to warn students of fraud that can be associated with writing a check
through a personal account, and it has removed positions of possible fraud from student view in the search results. “We archive fraudulent postings for ICC records,” Holland said. “We will sometimes leave fraudulent postings accessible to students with the term ‘fraudulent posting’ in the position title so that students that refer back to the position while they are completing a resume or cover letter or applying through the AJL system will see the notice.” UC Davis students are not the only victims in these cases. Similar situations have happened throughout the UC system. AJL has begun working with other universities to keep job links clean and free from scams by notifying job link administrators to pull positions that were posted for multiple campuses and label them as “fraudulent.” MENGSHI SHAO can be reached at campus@ theaggie.org.
News iN Brief
Tour the City of Davis Wetlands On Saturday the public is invited to attend a free guided tour of the City of Davis Wetlands from 3 to 5 p.m. Guides from the Yolo Basin Foundation will be on hand to teach the importance of the habitat as well as its importance to seasonal and resident diving ducks. November is when diving ducks such as Buffleheads, Common Goldeneyes and Ruddy Ducks are seen diving underwater to feed. People planning to go on the tour
should meet at the gate in front of the City of Davis’ wastewater treatment plant, east of the Yolo County landfill on Road 28H, a few minutes before 3 p.m. It’s recommended that people bring binoculars, water and a field guide. Most of the tour will be by car, with a few optional short walks. Tours will occur rain or shine. — Claire Tan
Ride to Know group bikes from SF to Sac for Prop. 37 Supporters join together to educate cities about GMOs
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By STEPHANIE B. NGUYEN Aggie News Writer
This past Saturday, entomologists and honey enthusiasts alike came together to celebrate the debut of the Robert Mondavi Institute’s (RMI) Honey and Pollination Center at the “Bounty of Pollination: More Than Just Honey” event. Saturday’s event featured guest speakers, including award-winning cinematographer Louie Schwartzberg who directed and produced The Beauty of Pollination, as well as various demonstrations from the Davis Co-Op and Whole Foods. In addition, guests enjoyed honey tastings. The independent center was approved earlier this year by the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES) and aims to promote the use of high-quality honey in the market, to help ensure the sustainability of honey production and to showcase the importance of honey and pollination in California. The center is funded pri-
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marily through donations and grants, with initial seed funding from Whole Foods, CAES, the Department of Entomology, the Office of Research and Z Specialty Food in Woodland. The center differs from the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility in the Department of Entomology, which is a state-supported facility that focuses on honey bee breeding, genetics and native bee biology. “The Laidlaw Honey Bee Research Facility’s focus is honey bees, bee biology, health and related areas,” said Amina Harris, executive director of the Honey and Pollination Center. “Our focus is a bit broader. We bring together beekeepers, researchers, agriculture and the consumer.” Still, the two entities are closely aligned. “[The vision is to] make UC Davis the nation’s leading authority on honey, honey bees and pollination by combining the resources and expertise of RMI and the Laidlaw Honey Bee Research Facility,” RMI Executive Director Clare Hasler-Lewis said in a press release.
Harris believes that the center will have an impact on several levels. “We seek to help build a healthy, sustainable population of beehives to support a vigorous, highquality honey industry in California,” Harris said. “We plan to be proactive in the development of improved labeling — there are few standards in place to define varietal honeys.” In addition, the center hopes to facilitate and support ongoing research of the health effects of honey, royal jelly, pollen and propolis through writing grants since little is known about the health benefits. “The center should serve as a central clearinghouse for inquiries from anyone about honey bees, honey, native bees and bees used in commercial crop pollination,” said Eric Mussen, the extension apiculturist in Agriculture and Natural Resources under the vice president of agriculture, located in Oakland. For more information on the Honey and Pollination Center visit rmi.ucdavis. edu/centers/honey. STEPHANIE B. NGUYEN can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.
Forecast If you plan on trick-or-treating this Halloween, good luck (shield yourself from the rain)! Following the stormy Halloween night and Thursday, fantastic autumn weather should return on Friday. Justin Tang, atmospheric science major Aggie Forecasting Team
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By PAAYAL ZAVERI Aggie News Writer
This past weekend, a group of Bay Area cyclists embarked on a two-day ride called The Ride to Know from San Francisco to Sacramento in support of Proposition 37. Prop. 37, the California voter initiative to require labeling of genetically-modified
(GM) foods, has been a debated item on the Nov. 6 ballot. The cyclists included members of the Biosafety Alliance, California Right to Know, Sustainable Living Roadshow and various other people who support Prop. 37. “During The Right to Know March on Oct. 3 in San Francisco, I asked attendees if they would ride their bikes to Sacramento in support of Prop. 37; there was a lot of interest and we decided to do it,” said Miguel Robles, a member of the Biosafety Alliance, and one of the ride’s organizers. Riders started their journey on Saturday from the Ferry Building in San Francisco. They took a ferry to Vallejo and began cycling from there. The riders met people along the way and stayed overnight in Davis, hosted by a group in Davis that supports Prop. 37.
See RIDE, page 3
UC Davis sends delegation to Student of Color Conference Conference organizers aim to create a safe space for students By SASHA COTTERELL Aggie News Writer
Last year, UC Davis hosted the Student of Color Conference (SOCC). This year, an expected 120-student delegation from UC Davis is being sent to UC Riverside, where the 2012 conference event is taking place Nov. 9 to 11. SOCC is an annual event put on by the University of California Student Association (UCSA) in which students of Tuesday
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color and allies can participate in workshops, open forums and lectures about the various issues which people of color face. SOCC is UCSA’s largest and longestrunning conference, and takes place at a different UC campus each year over the course of three days. The main objective of SOCC is to promote a sense of leadership in participants in hopes of creating a community of people
See SOCC, page 3
What do birds give out on Halloween night? Tweets! Allison Ferrini
page two
2 wednesday, october 31, 2012
daily calendar dailycal@theaggie.org
TODAY Happy Halloween! The Enchanted Cellar All day 17 Wright Visit the Enchanted Cellar for Halloween Costume Rentals at UC Davis. There is a 50 percent discount for UC Davis students, faculty, staff and affiliates. The Enchanted Cellar will be open until Wednesday. Appointments are preferred. Call (530) 752-0740 or email rcfemling@ ucdavis.edu for an appointment. For more information, go to theatredance.ucdavis. edu.
Photo scavenger hunt All day Davis Join the Experimental College’s photo scavenger hunt that started last week and continues through this week, ending on Friday.
Basics of Registration and Hidden Resources Noon to 1 p.m. 16 South Hall Attend this workshop sponsored by the Transfer Reentry Veterans (TRV) Center.
Men’s Soccer Game 3 to 4 p.m. Aggie Soccer Field Watch the UC Davis men’s soccer team play against Cal Poly SLO.
What Design Matters?
Wyatt Deck Indigo Moor is a multi-genre, awardwinning writer. Judy Halebsky, also an award-winning poet, spent five years in Japan as a Japanese Ministry of Culture fellow. Parking is available for $7 in Visitor Lot 5 at Old Davis Road and A Street. For more information, call (530) 752-4880 or visit arboretum.ucdavis. edu.
UC Davis Energy Institute Fall 2012 Seminar Series 1:30 to 2:30 pm 1003 Kemper Hall Join Tim Mason, senior consultant for Black & Veatch, as he discusses “Trends in Renewable Integration and Co-Location.” There is no cost, and all are welcome to attend.
Undergraduate Published Literature Read 4 to 5:30 p.m. 126 Voorhies Support undergraduate students who write and publish. Two UC Davis students will read their Prized Writing awardwinning essays. A Q&A session will follow the readings. All are welcome to listen and ask questions.
YCA meeting 6:30 to 8 p.m. 500 ASTF Join the Young Cattlemen’s Association for its November meeting to learn about the beef industry and to meet the club.
MOVE film showing
4:30 to 6:30 p.m Art Annex PUBLIC’s founder Rob Forbes, who also founded Design Within Reach, shares his thoughts on why design matters and the vision behind PUBLIC. This event is sponsored by the UC Davis Department of Design. For more information, contact Annabeth Rosen at arosen@ucdavis. edu.
7:30-8:30 3 Kleiber Hall Attend this movie viewing of Invisible Children’s new documentary film MOVE and hear firsthand from a Ugandan speaker about growing up in fear of being attacked by the LRA. Invisible Children is a nonprofit organization that aims to bring justice and awareness to the LRA atrocities that are happening right now in East and Central Africa in an effort to stop the violence.
Circle K International Fifth General Meeting
Poetry Night Reading Series
6 to 7 p.m. 6 Olson If you are interested in doing community service, developing leadership skills and gaining friendships, then see what the club has to offer you.
THURSDAY Poetry in the Garden: Indigo Moor and Judy Halebsky Noon to 1
8 to 10 p.m. John Natsoulas Gallery, 521 First St. Attend this poetry reading with Sandra Gilbert. To receive placement in the AGGIE DAILY CALENDAR, email dailycal@theaggie. org or stop by 25 Lower Freeborn by noon the day prior to your event. Due to space constraints, all event descriptions are subject to editing and priority will be given to events that are free of charge and geared toward the campus community.
nature.” This included photographs or paintings of naked bodies, erotic literature and almost anything coming from France. The postal service had no problem Katelyn seizing and going through Ringrose mail, and the titillating 1748 novel Fanny Hill was the number-one seized piece of literature. After the invention of the camera, porn quickly adapted. Short silent films, such n my anthropology as the 1915 film A Free Ride, class, I sit directly bewere illegally circulated. hind someone who, inYet, porn stayed fairly unstead of taking notes on der budgeted until the porthe dental structure of prinographic golden age — the mates, watches porn. As swinging ’70s. Chest hair, the number of students sit- moustache-hair and hairting behind him grows, so down-there films like Deep does my curiosity about Throat and Debbie Does porn. Does it hold any seri- Dallas became the first bigous value? budgeted, large-audience Pornography has always porns. carried the social stigma of The United States “ob“appealing to baser needs.” scenity laws” haven’t The Kama Sutra was banned changed a great deal since in the Fanny Hill United was seized; Kingdom These are not small they just during aren’t always achievements; as art, porn the nineenforceable. deserves respect. teenth In 1963, durcentury. ing Hugh Erotic literature is important Hefner’s self-described as it increases both sexual “quest for a new morality,” knowledge and confidence. Hugh was arrested for vioAlthough the Kama Sutra is lating obscenity laws. Today the favorite of many biblioPlayboy may seem vanilla, philes and sexual beings to- but in the 1960s Hugh was day, it is still considered to pressing society’s buttons — be a slightly taboo text in and not in a “good naughty” contemporary America — way. quite impressive for an al Modern porn has evolved most two-thousand year old to accommodate new techbook. nologies and in the 1973 Today’s erotic images Supreme Court case Miller are similar to those uncovv. California, obscenity was ered in the ruins of well-pre- given a new definition. A served Pompeii. The firstwork can now only be lacentury city was similar to beled obscene if it fits three our modern-day Vegas, excategories: it is of an arouscept what happened in ing nature, depicts sexual Pompeii truly stayed in conduct and is utterly withPompeii. The images paint- out serious value. But we ed on bathhouse walls of must have something left on nude people engaged in television, so few things are sexual acts were designed actually banned. not only to excite but to in Erotic media isn’t anycite. These images most like- thing new and our current ly served as advertisements generation isn’t the most defor the services that the legal praved — we just have the prostitutes and courtesans internet. Porn isn’t valueoffered. less; it bolstered a revolu Ancient Grecian and tion, held religious meaning, Roman religious imagery served as advertisements depicted gods and demiand taught people how to gods engaged in sex acts pleasure themselves as well that are currently illegal in as each other. These are not the United States. Half-goat small achievements; as art, Pan had sex with both huporn deserves respect. mans and animals, while Banning a work may Zeus seemed to impregnate have worked in the past, everyone. In myth, Zeus’ but in its anonymous enorlovers often assumed the mity the Internet has essenform of constellations, and tially abolished “obscenity his offspring — like Helen laws.” We have access to evof Troy — changed human erything, and as such must history. Eroticism provided learn to dictate our own people with an explanation morality. for natural phenomena and Porn viewership increase historical events. has been linked to major During the French election wins, so get preRevolution, political pared for a lot of bandwidth pornographic imagery activity in early November. played a large role in the Rather than visiting a cave decimation of the monwall or illegal movie thearchy. Radical political ater for porn, stay on camcartoonists drew imagpus and remember that lees of Marie Antoinette gal porn websites are not engaged in sex acts with censored at UC Davis. Don’t members of her own violate copyright laws and family and even animals, you will have nothing to illustrating the corrupfear, campus dwellers — tion of the monarchical your professors shouldn’t system. When Marie was care what you’re watching, executed in 1793, she was as long as you aren’t doing it accused of incest along during their Anthropology 3 with other crimes against lectures. France. In 1873, United States Federal Comstock laws preKATELYN RINGROSE would love to know if you vented anyone from owntoo have seen this elusive anthropology voyeur. ing, circulating or printing Email her at knringrose@ucdavis.edu anything of an “offensive
Porn 101
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the potential promise of glory holes. No matter which group you hail from, I’m sure that you’ve all had varying degrees of public Andrew restroom horror stories. Poh Touching back to my opening tale, one can easily surmise that a lot of people pissed in that toilet before me, steadily raising the water level. Each and every one of them had to pee into that horrifying debacle, whilst looking up at y heart is beatthe ceiling and conjuring ing frantically. thoughts of rainbows, breasts and unicorns. Sweat beads profusely So much suffering. on my brow. So much pain. There’s an ominous And it all traces back feeling in the pit of my to the first guy who stomach. clogged the damn thing My asshole puckers to in the first place. stay shut. But hey, I can’t blame I rush through a door ya, guy. Last time I and make a mad dash to checked, most restroom the nearstalls est rectdidn’t You were expecting a fistful come with angular stall. of spine-tingling Halloween- plungers Once as stanrelated horror stories. inside I dard issue. pause and And really, inhale a long draught who wants to be the guy of respite. I’m stopped who goes to the poor janimid-breath by the ghast- tor asking them to unclog ly spectacle before me. their honking shit, which My eyes widen in an odd was a result of eating too combination of sheer much all-you-can-eat terror and amazement. Korean barbecue the oth Like two koi fish in a er day? lily pond, I see two ex What I’m calling for tremely large shits float- is a tacit agreement being languidly in the toitween all the different let bowl. The piss in the public restroom users. bowl is on the brink of Be a little more considoverflowing. It’s the kind erate to the person/peoof color that can’t be ple who will be using achieved by a single per- the stall after you. Try son’s urine, oh no. to reserve your massive, I know what you were whopping shits for your expecting. home or at least pack a You were expecting a foldable plunger if you’re fistful of spine-tingling a frequent big shitter. Halloween-related horMaybe try flushing in beror stories. tween every turd? Alas, I am unfortu Oh, and don’t try to nately a fucking pussy flush down heaping and am deathly afraid of wads of toilet paper or anything even vaguely tampons or condoms in tangential to ghosts, de- a public restroom. One mons, poltergeists, lepor two are OK, I guess. rechauns, squids, flying I’m not a doctor. saucers — you get the We’re all in this shit toidea. gether. But who said I didn’t I know that dealing have horror stories? with shit can be difficult, I, in fact, will be covbut stay strong. ering horror stories that After all, it’s shitty to are much more pertinent be so selfish. to your everyday lives If we all united unand are much more like- der one banner we may ly to happen to you on just be able to make the any given day. world a less shitty place. Yep, you guessed it. Okay, okay I’m done Public restroom stalls. with the shitty puns. Some of us never set Set aside your differfoot in one. Others only ences, social sex solicireserve a trip for those se- tors and prudent I-don’tlect few days they run out want-surfaces-thatof cash and are forced to touch-other-people’sdine on Taco Bell’s Bell butts-to-be-in-contactGrande fiesta adventure with-my-butt people, burrito with zesty authen- and together we can tico cheesy sauce. make tomorrow a better There are yet others, place. brave souls, who utilize Hah, you thought I public restrooms on a was going to say “a less regular basis. Hey, when shitty place,” huh? nature calls, duty an Tough shit. swers. I don’t think that’s a saying, but whatever. Oh, and finally, let’s ANDREW POH will be getting shitfaced not forget those who use (not really) since it’s Halloween so don’t public restroom stalls for contact him at apoh@ucdavis.edu.
Enough shit
M
Ask Doc Joe and Katy Ann
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.
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Doc Joe is a psychologist and attorney who has consulted with and advised people of all ages. Katy Ann is a licensed marriage and family therapist, who, like Doc Joe, has counseled and advised people of all ages. The discussion and advice offered in their column is not offered as a clinical recommendation or as a substitute for clinical treatment. Rather, Doc Joe’s and Katy Ann’s comments are intended to stimulate thought, often with a sense of humor. Sometimes they agree; sometimes they don’t. So, read on… Dear Doc Joe and Katy Ann, I am willing to admit that I don’t understand women very well. I’ve been with Penny for two years, and I still don’t know what to say when she’s upset. So last night she came home from work, and started crying. She came over to the couch, sat down next to me, and began telling me about her conflict with a co-worker, “Paula.” Well, she began by telling me what
time she got to work, how Paula was dressed and what Paula said when Penny commented about her shoes. She then described the project that they were both working on, and how they couldn’t agree on the budget figures. This eventually led to some harsh words being spoken by both of them. Well, after listening to Penny’s story for 15 minutes, I told her that I had a suggestion. I suggested that she sit down with Paula and attempt to compromise on some budget issues. WRONG! She jumped up, and yelled: “You don’t care how I feel!” I was trying to help. But Penny hasn’t spoken a word to me in two days. Doc Joe and Katy Ann, I need your help — urgently!
Dear Sean,
story. Doc Joe: Yep. Dates back to early times. Story telling was the earliest form of therapy. Katy Ann: …and communication, I find that, often, people who tell a story to a loved one are not looking for solutions; they just want to be heard. Doc Joe: Katy, you know that guys like to solve problems. Katy Ann: Sometimes all that is needed is listening, not solving. Doc Joe: Are you saying that a good listen is worth a thousand words (of suggestion)? Katy Ann: You’re catching on, Joe. Doc Joe: Sean. Apologize for not listening. Katy Ann: I’m guessing that she can solve her own problems. She just wants you to understand the situation…to understand her. Doc Joe: Well, there you have it.
Doc Joe: You interrupted her story? Bad move, Sean! Katy Ann: I have the impression that she wanted you to hear the
If you’d like to get Ask Doc Joe & Katy Ann advice, please contact us at askdocjoeandkatyann@aol.com. Include your name, state of residence and your question, along with a brief description of the situation.
Sean, in Nevada.
Science &Technology
wednesday, october 31, 2012 3
The california aggie
Tahoe’s petite pest UC Davis project aims to eliminate invasive clam species By NICOLE NOGA Aggie Science Writer
People call pest-removal companies every day to rid their homes and yards of small creatures that have become a nuisance. Gophers tear up manicured lawns and cockroaches skitter along floors spreading germs. Most people are unaware that Emerald Bay at Lake Tahoe has a similar but much larger problem. Corbicula fluminea, more commonly known as the Asiatic clam, appeared in Lake Tahoe around 2002. While small, these aquatic mollusks can self-fertilize and release 2,000 juveniles per day, amounting to over 100,000 in a lifetime. Their numbers increased exponentially in Emerald Bay and now these tiny clams are a big problem. “Typically, when a nonnative species is introduced, the native species begin to die … When the clams appeared, they basically overtook the native [Tahoe] species,” said Geoffrey Schladow, director of the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center. The repercussions of introducing a non-native species on an established food web of an ecosystem can be significant. Historically, many species have become endangered this way. In addition to the effect on the na-
tive flora and fauna, it has an impact on the aesthetic value of the lake, a process known as biofouling. “Residents complained about how the lake looked. Usually Tahoe has clear water and nice, white, sandy beaches but they did not look like that anymore … The [clams] take in particles … and they [excrete] nutrients that help green algae grow, making the water in Emerald Bay look green … People are worried [that] the tourist economy, which is huge at Lake Tahoe, might suffer,” Schladow said. The UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center aims to prevent any long-term impact by eliminating the population of Asiatic clams using rubber mats. In 2010, the rubber barrier was tested, along with a suction method, and the barrier killed more than 90 percent of the clams. “The rubber mats are each about 100 feet long … [The researchers] will lay down a bed of [organic material] and put the rubber mat over it. The decomposition from the [material] will cause a decrease in oxygen and the clams will suffocate,” said Chris Wheaton, an undergraduate in civil and environmental engineering who is involved in the project. The rubber mats are made by undergraduate students Civil and Environmental
Universe: The Musical
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Engineering. They work on unrolling each pre-cut rubber mat and installing grommets along the sides to allow researchers to tie the mats down. “We [also] make holes, or ports, in the mats so that divers can go down and collect water samples,” said Brandon Wang, a civil and environmental engineering undergraduate. Schladow expressed confidence in the success of the project, and hoped to use it in other areas affected by the Asiatic clams. However, there is a disadvantage to the rubber mat treatment. “The treatment will kill some of the native species along with the [Asiatic clams], but what we have found is that the native species can survive much lon-
ger than the non-native one,” Schladow said. “Once the [Asiatic clams] are eliminated, the native species will re-populate.” The Asiatic clam is currently found in 38 states, and many different lake communities around the country are trying to find solutions to the biofouling. In some places, the larvae of the clams are drawn into water intake pipes and clog raw-water service pipes, firefighting equipment and condenser tubes, costing millions of dollars a year to remove. Researchers hope that with the success of the project, these issues will be resolved and will put these pests to rest. NICOLE NOGA can be reached at science@ theeaggie.org.
Doubling down on genetic change Research confirms new theory of gene evolution
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By OYANG TENG Aggie Science Writer
In many ways, biological evolution at the molecular scale is a series of small steps. But scientists have not agreed on exactly how those steps add up to create entirely new genes, the molecular sequences on DNA that code for an organism’s vital functions. By conducting controlled evolution on a strain of Salmonella bacteria, a team of researchers from UC Davis and the University of Uppsala in Sweden has shown for the first time how this process can occur when existing genes are duplicated and subsequently diverge into two separate genes — the original and the new variant. The results were published in the Oct. 19 issue of Science. “It seems pretty clear that genes duplicate, that new genes evolve, and that they evolve by duplication of old genes, and then divergence of the two copies,” said John Roth, a UC Davis microbiology professor and co-author of the study. “People have suggested that this problem of dupli-
RIde Cont. from front page On Sunday they rode to Sacramento, first to the Downtown Sacramento Farmers Market and then to the State Capitol. The group consisted of about 12 riders, which was a much lower number than initially expected. However, this did not discourage the ride organizers. “We traveled in one day about 55 miles and then the other day about 35 miles. We were expecting more people, but we also realize a lot of people aren’t really ready to ride 55 miles in one day,” said Becky White, musician and activist and one of the ride’s organizers. The No on Prop. 37 campaign argues that passing the proposition would require the repackaging and relabeling of everyday food products. This would result in an increase in food prices, frivolous lawsuits and cost taxpayers and the government unnecessary money.
verse like a giant piano, everything begins to resemble notes on a scale. A piano’s frequencies range from 27.5 hertz (vibrations per second) to 4,224 hertz. If we anHudson alyze the background vibraLofchie tions of cosmic dust left over from the Big Bang, they vibrate extraordinarily close to F sharp. The fundamental element in the universe, hydrogen, has an infrared frequency of 1,420 hertz, an F. And the magnetic resonance of cesium, the element we use to calibrate the world’s atomic clocks, vibrates at 9,193 hertz, a C sharp several ocuman beings, vegeta- taves above the far right of a bles or cosmic dust — piano. we all dance to a mys- About 10 years ago, astronterious tune, intoned in the omers at NASA actually disdistance by an invisible piper. proved the conjecture that — Albert Einstein no one can hear you scream Einstein had an abiliin space. You just have to yell ty, rare among physicists, to loud enough. The astronoconvey the hardcore science mers actually recorded imhe was so passionate about ages of sound waves propin a poetic way that struck a agating through the hot gas chord with anyone who liscloud surrounding one of the tened. Similarly, Mozart had largest known black holes in an ability, also rare among the universe, composlocated in ers, to cre... look past the divergence the Perseus ate a muCluster. The of music and math, and call sical work vibrations’ the relationship what it is: a frequency is of mathematical a C, albeit 57 universal, cosmic harmony. perfection octaves below that wooed middle C. physicists and poets alike. The daily Earth cycle is a G, Perhaps there is a relationand the yearly Earth cycle is ship between the numbers C sharp. The Moon cycle is a and the notes. We could call G sharp at 421 hertz, the key the relationship the wave just below A, which Mozart structure of matter, resonant tuned to 421.6 hertz. frequencies or Pythagorean As we get closer to Earth, scales, and we would be we continue to see these cortechnically correct. But we relations. The electromagcan also do what Einstein netic hum of our ionosphere, and Mozart did — look past called the Schumann resothe divergence of music and nance, is a B. The American math, and call the relationpower supply, 60 hertz altership what it is: a universal, nating current, is somewhere cosmic harmony. between B and B flat, and If the modern ideas of the European power supply, string theory are to be be50 hertz direct current, is a G lieved, then anything and ev- sharp. erything is comprised of viThese vibrations continue brating parts. Atoms, quarks, down to microscopic scales photons, alternate dimen(pun intended) as well. If we sions, piano strings and the look at the infrared frequenair from a flute all take their cies of the components of individual properties from DNA — adenine, guanine, how they vibrate. Ancient cytosine, and thymine — we civilizations such as the get one of the most pleasant Chinese, Greeks and Indians sounds to the human ear, D (not American) called this sharp. philosophy “Nada Brahma,” We truly do live in a musior “The World as Sound.” cal universe. String theorists can take a leaf from the Nada Brahma HUDSON LOFCHIE can be reached at science@ book. If we look at the unitheaggie.org.
cation and divergence is simple, but it actually raises serious problems.” Unlike evolutionary events caused by the mutation of single genes, duplication can lead to the creation of an entirely new gene while leaving the original unaltered. Convention holds that the initial duplication is a chance event, leaving the new copy free to pick up potentially beneficial mutations that could eventually lead to a new function. The problem, says Roth, is that the rough and tumble of molecular interactions along the genome tends to eliminate duplicate genes before they can be enhanced through mutation. “You need to hold that extra copy long enough for the slow process of giving that gene an extra function to occur,” Roth said. To get around this dilemma, Roth and his colleagues proposed in 2007 a model of gene evolution they call Innovation, Amplification, and Divergence (IAD). The model was based on laboratory evidence that had established two key findings: that genes can acquire mutations for weak secondary “side activities” in addition to their main function, and that duplication is the most common way to increase gene expression when the new side activities are favored by natural selection. Enter the IAD model, where an initial gene mutation prior to duplication adds a slight secondary function (the “innovation”). This marginal modification is then amplified through duplication when a change in environmental conditions makes it suddenly beneficial. This process continues until there is a gene copy
that has been sufficiently improved — has “diverged” from the original — to perform the new function without needing further amplification. “It’s a real maelstrom of interactions that lets the sequence improve,” Roth said. “But you get a bigger target for mutations when you get lots of copies, any one of which can pick up a beneficial mutation.” Researchers in Dan Andersson’s laboratory in Sweden induced a strain of Salmonella bacteria to evolve a new gene for a specific enzyme involved in amino acid synthesis. The experiment allowed the researchers to observe gene evolution in real time. “What's nice about their paper is that it’s one of the first experimental approaches to the problem,” said Michael Lynch, a biology professor at Indiana University who researches gene evolution. “It’s premature to say that this is the only mechanism that leads to the expansion and preservation of duplicate genes, but they’ve made a pretty good case that this is one of the mechanisms.” Andersson said they hope to try experiments with yeast next. “The difficulty is finding suitable enzymes … that we can select for, but we think we might have solved that,” Andersson wrote in an email. Ultimately, says Roth, this work may lead to practical uses in making enzymes with novel functions. But many questions remain concerning the basic biology behind gene evolution, including the extent of the similarities between bacteria and the rest of the living world.
“Legally mandating such a label can only serve to mislead and falsely alarm consumers,” said the Board of Directors for the American Association for the Advancement of Science in a statement issued on Oct. 20 called “On Labeling of Genetically Modified Foods.” If Prop. 37 passes, California would be the first state in the U.S. to implement such a law. However, 61 other countries already require the labeling of GM food. “We have the right to know what is in the food we purchase and eat. That’s a basic right,” White said in a press release. “We want to support farmers that prioritize keeping our families and our ecological communities healthy.” Robles said the main goal of the ride was to encourage people in the areas they rode through to continue the work they have been doing for the past year and a half. He felt that people will vote “yes” on Prop. 37 regardless of the allegedly misleading infor-
mation put out by corporations on TV and in newspaper ads. “The largest pesticide and junkfood companies in the world are spending $40 million to try to buy this election, to keep California mothers and fathers from finding out whatʼs really in their children’s food,” said Stacy Malkan, media director for the Yes on Prop. 37 California Right to Know campaign, in a press release. Robles was optimistic that even if Prop. 37 doesn’t pass, people would at least be informed of GM food. “We can see how the anti-GMO [genetically-modified organism] movement has gained support in the past few years and are sure that in case we los[e], we already have educated millions and millions of Californians about this issue,” Robles said in an email. “The marketing for non-labeled GMO food as well as the perception that people have about it will not be the same.”
OYANG TENG can be reached at science@theaggie.org.
PAAYAL ZAVERI can be reached at city@theaggie.org.
socc
was not without some hesitation. Diaz-Ordaz explained that sometimes when bills have the words “ethnic,” “culture” or “race,” people have a tendency to become slightly wary. “I feel that the day that ASUCD stops giving Student of Color Conference money is the day that they sever their support for students of color. Through money is how ASUCD shows its support and shows these types of events have merit. I never want to see the day where ASUCD doesn’t have to fund SOCC,” he said. Kriti Garg, ASUCD Ethnic and Cultural Affairs commissioner, added that there are many students who are requesting fee waivers. “We’re providing fee waivers to about a fourth of our delegation, because of financial concerns. This is another reason why funding is really important,” she said. The three-day conference serves as a networking opportunity, a chance to be able to find others who relate to your issues as a student of color, and is a learning opportunity for those involved. “There’s a lot of education that happens among ourselves that we are not able to access normally in the University … We educate ourselves because clearly the media and other mainstream places won’t teach it for us,” said Jaki Joanino, ASUCD Ethnic and Cultural Affairs commissioner. An important aspect of the event is that it is not only for students of color, but also for allies who support the issues that their peers are going through. For more information on the conference visit ucsa.org.
Cont. from front page who want to encourage progression of students of color in the future. This year’s theme is “R’Stories: Embracing our Struggles as Tools for Transformation.” The theme focuses on the idea that all students have their own identities and that they must acknowledge the struggle that people of past generations have gone through. Open dialogue and discussion about race and racial issues are intended to serve as a catalyst for change, empowering attendees to create more opportunities for the next generation. Each student from UC Davis who wanted to attend the event had to submit an application, and although there is only enough space to send 120 students, preference is usually shown for people who have never attended the event. “Since it’s at the beginning of the year, it’s a space where students can learn early on that they can be active, involved members of the campus in whichever way they choose,” said Emmanuel Diaz-Ordaz, Ethnic and Cultural Affairs commissioner and former ASUCD senator. At last week’s Senate meeting, Diaz-Ordaz presented Senate Bill 14, a bill he authored to allocate funds to register and send students to the event. The bill went briefly into the history of the conference and called for a $2,000 allocation of funds from Senate Reserves to Aggies of Color to help alleviate costs of transportation and housing for the conference. Though the bill eventu- SASHA COTTERELL can be reached at ally passed in the Senate, it campus@theaggie.org.
page four
4 wednesday, october 31, 2012
The california Aggie
campus CHIC. go for skirts. I felt like browns and blues today. And I just threw my hair up since it was out of control!”
By STEPHANIE B. NGUYEN Aggie News Writer
Jenn Im, fourth-year communication major The Aggie: What are you wearing? Im: “I’m wearing a thrifted jean jacket, a thrifted top with a bunch of cats on it, a circle skirt from Forever 21, Shoe Mint boots and that’s it!” How did you decide what to wear today? “I didn’t want to wear pants today. When I’m in a rush, I
Where do you find inspiration? “Inspiration comes from the environment, my mood of that day, everywhere.”
Jenn Im
Stephanie Nguyen / Aggie
Jenn Im
Stephanie Nguyen / Aggie
What pieces are you looking forward to wearing during the colder months? “Definitely coats and layering sweaters. Oh, and beanies of course.” STEPHANIE B. NGUYEN can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.
Jenn Im
Stephanie Nguyen / Aggie FOR RELEASE JANUARY 27, 2010
classifieds YUANdWhatArmy!?
angela.yuan@me.com
by Angela Yuan
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Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
ACROSS 1 Bridges of “The Big Lebowski” 5 River projects 9 Ritz cracker alternative 14 Swedish furniture giant 15 Ostrich cousin 16 Neighborhoods 17 Longing for a fronded plant? 19 Connection 20 H.S. dropout’s test 21 Zinfandel, but not sake? 23 Oxygen emanating from a lawn? 27 Spews 28 Bench press target, briefly 29 Côte d’Azur view 30 Scratch or dent 31 Ed.’s pile 32 Rural skyline cylinder 34 Rock collection specimens 37 Mother Goose offerings, or in a different sense, this puzzle’s title 42 Cloverleaf element 43 Follower of once? 45 Some TVs 48 Scrap for Spot 49 Anaheim team, on scoreboards 52 __ Claire, Wisconsin 53 Pair of blows 55 Steep, e.g.? 57 Like areas above the timberline? 59 Govt. auditing gp. 60 Fruit soda brand 61 Group devoted to small, woody plants? 66 “I Kissed __”: Katy Perry hit 67 Diggs of “Private Practice” 68 Golfer Isao 69 Kidney-related 70 Fruity drinks 71 Joan at Woodstock
By Daniel A. Finan
DOWN 1 Choice of “Choosy moms,” in ads 2 Squeeze (out) 3 Not agin 4 Werewolf’s weapons 5 Channel maintenance machine 6 Cry of realization 7 Griffin and others 8 Cleaning product prefix 9 “Riders of the Purple Sage” author 10 “Maid of Athens, __ part”: Byron 11 Discrimination fought by suffragists 12 Talks trash to 13 Size up 18 Polite country affirmative 22 Not o’er 23 Modern rental car feature, briefly 24 Hold back 25 Scopes Trial gp. 26 Turkish mount 30 Christie heroine 33 Plata counterpart
1/27/10
Tuesday’s solved Tuesday’s puzzle Puzzle Solved
(c)2010 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
35 Place where sweaters get fit? 36 The Mustangs of coll. football 38 Winter wonderland creator 39 Shortstop’s boot 40 Foil alternative 41 Fly high 44 Worn-down pencil 45 Was successful 46 Bring to a boil? 47 Shown to a seat
1/27/10
50 Pleads in court 51 Simple poetry pattern 54 Aquarium denizen 55 “__ it coming”: “Serves him right” 56 Eng. lesson 58 “¿Cómo __ usted?” 62 Bakery product 63 Mauna __ 64 Strummed strings 65 Show __
Sudoku
Victoria Boston Cream YBS Ashley, where you AT? YBS Carolina chicken pot YBS Mona - Got more blings than the King. -YBS Alice: You ask me, “Baby, what’s your sign?” I say, “Taurus,” every time. Love, YBS. Vivian, sum of 7 plus (1 plus i/n)^2 8 (n6) = ?
Meetings Are you interested in a health-related field? Join CHE and learn more about our pre-health organization. Meetings every Tuesday in 230 Wellman at 7:10 to 8:00p.m.
Services Pine Trails Ranch. Great place for students and horses. Good lesson horses. Stalls from $360/month. Move-in specials for stall boarding. ptranch. com (530) 756-2042
Websites/Internet Overpopulation is sexually transmitted. http://population.sierraclub.org/ population/
Miscellaneous Kirstie- I am not a bio-sci major and I am not an NPB major
House for Rent 4 BEDROOM 2 BATH HOUSE FOR RENT ON SYCAMORE LANE. $2000/MO. PLEASE CALL (415) 305-8278 FOR MORE INFO
Employment State-of-the-art practice is looking for a Manager, Hygienist, RDAs/DAs, Benefits Coordinators and Specialty Benefits Coordinators. Please check out our website at www.pacificdentalservices.com and apply online.
Help Wanted Study and earn extra cash! Promote a new Academic Networking Website that helps undergrad students connect with classmates, create study groups, and exchange documents. For details contact Lucas Demaio lucas@wikigrads.com
Hard Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row must contain one of each digit. So must every column, as must every 3x3 square. Each Sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically without guessing.
