February 21, 2013

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www.theaggie.org

volume 132, number 25

thursday, february 21, 2013

UC Davis requests permission Senate bill to fly aerial drones would establish University using drones for agricultural purposes polling places at California public universities Senator Leland Yee looks to increase student voter turnout rate By KELLEY DRECHSLER Aggie News Writer

Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) introduced Senate Bill 240 on Feb. 12, which would establish polling places at California State University and University of California campuses. According to Yee’s website, the intention of the bill is to encourage college students to vote in the elections. Yee initiated the bill to increase the pool of California voters by focusing on the large number of students who attend public universities in the state. As mentioned on Senator Yee’s website, 230,000 students are enrolled in the University of California and 420,000 students are enrolled in the California State University system. Section 1 of the bill requires election officials to establish polling places at the University of California and California State University campuses and to consider establishing polling places at the California Community College campuses if convenient for students. Any county or city and county that has a population of fewer than 150,000 would be waived according to Section 1 of the bill. “By requiring county and city and county elections officials to perform new duties, and the California Community Colleges to provide access as polling places, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program,” Section 1 of the bill states. Section 2 of the bill states that if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill includes costs mandated by the state, repayments would be made to local agencies and schools.

The bill has attracted commentary from students across the public universities in California. “As students at the UC, we have a huge vested interest in these elections. The propositions and representatives we elect determine our student fees and quality of education we receive through their funding of higher education,” said Bradley Bottoms, ASUCD senator. According to Bottoms, on Election Day during Fall Quarter, the polling station at the Memorial Union had a long line throughout the day. UC Davis is not the only public university in California to have already instituted a polling place on campus. Students, faculty and administrators of San Francisco State University established a polling place on their campus through the SFSU-Vote voter registration campaign, said Raymond ParentiKurttila, vice president of external affairs of the Associated Students of San Francisco State University. “We felt that it was necessary to have a polling place on campus so that students living within our precinct would not have to travel over a mile off campus to cast their votes,” Parenti-Kurttila said. With their busy class schedules, students found a polling place on campus convenient for them. “By bringing the polling place to campus, students are reminded of their civic duty, and I feel it that they promote a culture of civic engagement,” Parenti-Kurttila said. The bill is scheduled to go through the Senate on or after March 15. KELLEY DRECHSLER can be reached at campus@ theaggie.org.

courtesy

According to Professor Ken Giles, UC Davis operates drones for agricultural spraying and fertilizing in difficult terrain.

By NATASHA QABAZARD Aggie News Writer

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released a list of of agencies that requested permission to fly drones in early February. The list includes state departments, local law enforcement, as well as colleges and universities, and comes as a response to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which mandates the FAA to make the list of applicants known to the public. A drone is an unmanned aircraft that can fly autonomously, without the control of a human. The mostly commonly used type of drones includes those that are used for reconnaissance and surveillance purposes, and those that have missiles and bombs attached to them. UC Davis uses drones for agricultural spraying and fertilizing, according to Ken Giles, a professor in the Biological and Agricultural Engineering department. “The advantages of the vehicle are that spraying and fertilizing can be done much more safely than using a conventional tractor in places like hillside vineyards in Napa and Sonoma counties. The remotely controlled aircraft can be flown by a pilot standing on the edge of

the field instead of driving a tractor on steep land and making turns at the ends of rows,” Giles said. “It can also go into those areas when the soil is too wet or muddy to allow tractors to enter. It can also be safer than using an aircraft with a pilot aboard.” According to Giles, the project has no affiliations with military or police use. The drones are flown at low altitudes over remote agricultural land in order to spray or fertilize the crops. They do not operate over buildings, roads or people. All flights are approved by the FAA days in advance and are not operated on the UC Davis campus or any nearby land. The list comes amid controversy over a newly-released memo documenting the CIA's strategy on the targeted killing of American citizens. Additionally, Charlottesville, Va. has recently become a “drone-free zone,” becoming the first city to pass anti-drone legislation. Drone use in the U.S. implicates serious privacy and civil liberties concerns. According to Gizmodo.com, although drones can be used for positive purposes, they are also capable of highly advanced, constant surveillance, which can amass large amounts of data. “Drones, like any technolo-

Marriage equality protest takes place in Sacramento

Education Code factors into decision By MELISSA GAHERTY Aggie News Writer

Courtesy of Kati Garner

Shelly Bailes and Ellen Pontac participate in the demonstration at the Sacramento County Clerk Recorder’s Office on Valentine’s Day. Aggie News Writer

On Valentine’s Day, a group of same-sex couples and polit-

Today’s weather Mostly sunny High 61 Low 38

ical activists advocating marriage equality gathered at the Sacramento County clerk’s office in a sign of solidarity as Poshi Mikalson and her partner, Reed

Walker, symbolically applied for a marriage license. The action, organized by

See MARRIAGE, page 9

Forecast That bit of rain earlier in the week was refreshing! Wasn’t it? Too bad it won’t come again for a while ... At least the wind is here to stay. Raymond Chan, atmospheric science major Aggie Forecasting Team

NATASHA QABAZARD can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Reconfiguration considered for Davis schools

Prop. 8 heading to U.S. Supreme Court in March

By JOE STEPTOE

gy, can be used for good, but if not regulated, can be used for nefarious purposes. There are many positive uses of drones: for agricultural purposes, to track wildlife, fight forest fires, search and rescue. What is necessary is for their use to be carefully regulated, with transparency that allows the public to know how and by whom they are being used,” said Daniel Brunstetter, UC Irvine professor of political science, who conducts research on drone warfare. The new list also adds to the debate over whether using domestic drones for surveillance is appropriate for American values. “At first I was slightly shocked to find out that there were drones located in Davis, not to mention on our university campus,” said Chris Nino, a third-year international relations major. “However, it is logical that they would be located in Northern California since Travis Air Force Base is located in the near vicinity. Since they are currently being used for agricultural purposes, it doesn't really worry me, but I could see how many people would see the presence of drones as a threat to their privacy.”

Over the several upcoming months, the Davis District Board of Education will look over reconfiguration options for the Davis Joint Unified School District’s (DJUSD) elementary schools, junior high schools and senior high schools. This may be up for discussion as early as March. The current system in the Davis District consists of kindergarten to sixth grade in elementary schools, seventh to ninth grade in junior high schools and 10th to 12th grade at senior high schools. This was a common configuration in the ’70s and ’80s, and the Davis School District is one of the few remaining in the state with this setup. The Board will review and consider several configurations. One option would be having kindergarten to eighth grade in elementary school and placing ninth to 12th graders in high school. Other options would be moving the ninth graders to high school, or not changing the current system at all. Since ninth graders are placed at Davis junior high schools — which are considerably smaller than the high schools — they

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are protected from common high school social and academic pressures. This subject has been brought up four times over the last 20 years. The reconfiguration is being discussed in order to use facilities more efficiently as well as meet long-term education and financial goals. “The Education Code assumes that all schools are K [kindergarten] to five, six to eight and nine to 12 configurations. The rules, funding and timing are broken down by this configuration. We are considering aligning our configuration to fit these requirements,” said Pamela Mari, executive director of Student Services at DJUSD. Mari made it clear that there is a great deal of study to be done before even considering changing the system. “This subject requires analysis of facility use, program enrollment, educational benefit, challenges we might meet and mitigat[ion of ] negative effects,” Mari said. Former Holmes Junior High and Davis High School students expressed their opinion on the possibility of an entirely new school structure. “I think the schools should

See EDUCATION, page 9

Fun fact of the day: A pregnant goldfish is called a twit. I hope you feel smarter! Amanda Nguyen

page two

2 Thursday, february 21, 2013

daily calendar dailycal@theaggie.org

THURSDAY

door.

Urinetown: The Musical

Free Breakfast 10 to 11 a.m. Student Health & Wellness Center, Conference Room 2 Join the Teaching Kitchen for a free and balanced breakfast. Learn how to make an eggs primavera breakfast wrap and a vegan scramble. Eating breakfast helps refuel your brain to get you ready for your studies and tests. Reserve your seat and sign up today via Health-e-Messaging at shcs.ucdavis.edu/hem.

Biomedical Engineering Departmental Seminar Series

8:10 to 9 p.m. DMCT Performing Arts Center, 607 Pena Drive, 607 Pena Drive Join us for an evening of musical whimsy directed by Steve Isaacson, musical directed by Jonathan Rothman and choreographed by Pam Lourentzos. Urinetown is a satirical comedy musical that pokes fun at everything, from government bureaucracy and the legal system to corporate America’s mismanagement and social irresponsibility. Tickets are $18 regular admission and $16 for students and seniors.

SATURDAY

4:10 to 5 p.m. 1005 GBSF Come down for a presentation by Dr. Sven van Teeffelen, faculty candidate for the mechanistic modeling faculty position, as he talks about “The Dynamical Cytoskeleton Regulates Morphogenesis in Rod-like Bacteria.”

Das-e-tan: The stories of Punjabi women in America 7 to 9 p.m. 202 Wellman Join the Sikh Cultural Association as they host a discussion about issues faced by Punjabi women in the society. Also, Middle Eastern/South Asian Studies representatives will be there to gauge student support for the effort to bring Punjabi as a language class to UC Davis.

Poetry Night Reading Series 8 to 10 p.m. John Natsoulas Gallery Come down for an artful evening as Edythe Haendel Schwartz performs her poetry at the John Natsoulas Gallery. An open mic will follow the main performance.

FRIDAY Backcountry Film Festival 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Brunelle Performance Hall Come celebrate the human-powered winter experience with the Winter Wildlands Alliance Backcountry Film Festival for seven unique films featuring the steep slopes of Alaska to the deep powder of Japan. Advance tickets are $12, available at either Outdoor Davis or online at snowlands.org, and $15 at the

Yes, Indeed! The Great Songs of Bing Crosby 7 to 9 a.m. Veterans Memorial Center Theatre Join Citizens Who Care as they present their 21st annual benefit concert, Yes, Indeed! The Great Songs of Bing Crosby. The concert will feature the highlights of Crosby’s unparalleled 50-year career. All tickets are $35, with the proceeds benefitting Citizens Who Care, a nonprofit organization in Yolo County that strives to improve the quality of life of the frail elderly and their families through social support programs and respite services. Urinetown: The Musical 8:10 to 9 p.m. DMCT Performing Arts Center, 607 Pena Drive Join us for an evening of musical whimsy directed by Steve Isaacson, musical directed by Jonathan Rothman and choreographed by Pam Lourentzos. Urinetown is a satirical comedy musical that pokes fun at the everything, from government bureaucracy and the legal system to corporate America’s mismanagement and social irresponsibility. Tickets are $18 regular admission and $16 for students and seniors. 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.

CAMPUS JUDICIAL REPORT Life’s an open book A graduate student was recently referred to Student Judicial Affairs (SJA) by her professor for having unauthorized materials out during a closed-book exam. She, like many other students, was enrolled in both this course and another course taught by the same professor. The exam for this course was closedbook, but the exam for the other course was open-book. During the graduate student’s meeting with a judicial officer, she stated that she had confused both exams for being open-book and that she had acted in good faith during the exam. However, she was the only student who had made this mistake, and during the exam the proctors reminded everyone it was closed-book and had written “closed book” on the board. She was placed on deferred separation until graduation, which waives her right to a formal hearing if she is later referred to SJA and found in violation of a policy.

Sharing is caring A professor referred two science lab partners for suspected unauthorized collaboration on their lab papers after noticing significant similarities in the organization of and thought progressions in

the two papers. He found the papers to be so similar that he was not able to evaluate each student’s knowledge of the material individually. The professor had explicitly told the students that collaboration in the lab was allowed in order to conduct their experiments, though the lab papers were to be written entirely on their own. The students’ unauthorized collaboration resulted in their placement on deferred separation, 10 hours of community service and a 25 percent grade reduction on the paper. They were also required to review a series of suggestions on how to avoid academic misconduct.

Something smells fishy When two resident advisers noticed what appeared to be the smell of marijuana emanating from inside a first-year dorm room, they called campus police to confirm their suspicions. When the officer arrived and knocked on the door, the first-year student let the officer into her room. The officer promptly confiscated the marijuana and smoking device that were in her possession. The student’s unlawful possession of a controlled substance violated Student Housing policy, and as a result she was placed on disciplinary probation.

CORRECTIon

cret is dangerous and morally harmful. Why is it dangerous? Imagine if ASUCD could Justin move into a closed sesGoss sion at will. What would Sandbox budget hearings look like? Politco Senator: “Hey, I think raising all our salaries six-fold sounds like a great idea, don’t you all think so? Any members of the public want to object, oh that’s right you can’t. Bwahahaha” (lightast week I attendning flashes behind the ed a Senate meeting speaker). to thank the six who OK, so perhaps that’s would be terming out for a somewhat hyperboltheir service — I legitimate- ic example, but you get ly meant it — and then the the idea. Democracy is Senate proceeded to do meant to be slow to allow something so incalculably for cooler heads to prestupid I immediately wantvent dumber ones from ed to take it all back. They enacting stupid ideas. moved into an unscheduled But closed sessions subclosed session. vert the entire process. A closed session is a ASUCD, shame. Senate meeting not open Why is it a moral harm? to the press or public What Brown said in 1953 with all derivative minstill rings true today. The utes kept secret. people do not yield their Sound shady? That’s beagency to their elected cause it is. Closed sessions officials, rather they temafford legislative bodies tre- porarily delegate certain mendous power because “votive” powers to them, all actions taken therein are but retain the right to exempt from public comseize those powers back ment or scrutiny. should their representaHowever, they are also tives become irreverent necessary in rare circumor abusive. stances. Calling ASUCD an instant The people insist on remaining closed sesuses closed informed so that they may retain sion is meetings tellcontrol over the instruments ASUCD to dising the stucuss legal they have created dent body, matters “You votpertaining to the ed, you got me into office, Association, personnel now piss off, I’m running matters such as hirings the show and I don’t value and firings and financial your opinion anymore.” issues which could have Immanuel Kant would legal ramifications. call this “using people as The Senate must also a means to an end,” A.J. give 24-hour notice of Hayek would call it a “toa closed session to the talitarian disaster” and public and the media former ASUCD Senator to ensure this extremeJared Crisologo-Smith ly opaque process has at would call it an “egreleast some semblance of gious offense.” transparency. For my part, I am left But on Thursday, the countering the only arguSenate moved into a ment put forth that night closed session on a whim, as to why the closed seswith no advance notice sion was legitimate — beand for none of the afore- cause it was accidentally mentioned three reasons. printed on the agenda. ASUCD, how dare you. Are you serious, How dare you show toASUCD? Do you really betal disregard to the Brown lieve that qualifies as an Act, which requires all argument? What if “Kill California Legislative Justin Goss” was printed Hearings be open to pubon the agenda, is that OK lic scrutiny and comment. now? I mean, really listen But even ignoring the to yourselves. Would any Brown Act, how dare you reasonable person abide entirely abdicate the by such a claim? principles which it and I find this whole affair any legitimate democracy unseemly, unpalatable and are founded on. offensive. You overrode the In the introduction to will of the students who his bill, Ralph M. Brown elected you without comwrote: “The people of this punction and breached State do not yield their your own constitution. sovereignty to the agenThe only saving grace is cies which serve them. Senator Maxwell Kappes’ The people, in delegatand Chair Sergio Cano’s ing authority, do not give leaving the meeting and their public servants the refusing to participate in right to decide what is such a farcical display of good for the people to legislative assembly. know and what is not The rest of you should good for them to know. be ashamed. For my The people insist on repart, I hope you used the maining informed so that closed meeting to create they may retain control the ASUCD Ninja Unit. over the instruments they Lord knows you wouldn’t have created.” want to dirty your own Well said, Sir. Even ighands when “Kill Justin noring the statutory and Goss” turns up on next legal implications of deweek’s agenda. fying the act, to show such unremitting arroJUSTIN GOSS could really use some gance in deciding you herbal tea as he is both sick and relatively should be able to keep pissed off. If you could send him some via government actions a sejjgoss@ucdavis.edu, that would be much

Legislative lockdown

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In the Feb. 12 article “Water vapor to heat new Tercero dorms,” it was reported that the Tercero dorms would be finished in 2013. The dorms will be completed for occupancy by June 2014. In the Feb. 14 article “Former UC student launches travel business,” the name of the founder, Ryan De Forest, was printed incorrectly as “Robert De Forest.” The Aggie regrets these errors.

Daniel Watts

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Q: I work in food and agriculture. We’ve got a bunch of milk crates that say, “$1,500 fine, imprisonment, or both for unauthorized possession or use — Penal Code sec. 496, 565, 566.” Can they really put me in jail for taking one of these home and using it to store DVDs? We have a lot of extras.” — Annie F., Davis. A: Believe it or not, yes. They can put you in jail for six months and make you pay a fine if you use milk crates without “authorization,” according to California Penal Code sections 565 and 566. Specifically, you need the owner’s permission

to use any “containers (including milk cases), cabinets, or other dairy equipment” stamped with a brand. It seems weird, but that’s what happens when industry lobbyists run our government. Those happy California cows must have been swiping a lot of milk crates. California Penal Code 496, which bans receiving stolen property, applies to more than just milk crates, though. It applies to all stolen property; but receiving stolen property is different than theft. Theft is when you personally go out and take something that belongs to someone else. Receiving stolen property happens after the fact, when you knowingly take possession of property that you knew or should have known was stolen. That “knowingly” element is important. If you don’t know — or had no reason to know — that the property was stolen,

The california Aggie

romantic lives than ever before. Before our generation Marisa hit the scene, dating had Massara pretty straightforward Sex & rules, at least in the hetSociety erosexual sphere: boy gets girl’s phone number, boy calls girl, boy asks girl out, boy pays for dinner, boy drops girl off. Boy and girl eventually break up or boy and n light of Valentine’s girl get married. Day, I recently Now, things are a litwatched the appropritle more complicated. ately hackneyed He’s Just Gender roles are becomNot That Into You. At one ing progressively less point, Drew Barrymore’s defined, and heteronorcharacter complains mativity is no longer imabout the struggles of plicit. Dating websites, modern dating: for example, are mak“I had this guy leave ing it easier (and more me a voicemail at work common) for women so I called him at home to make the first move. and then he emailed me More casual forms of to my Blackberry and so communication, like I texted to his cell and texting, are less risky then he emailed me to and allow people to test my home account and the waters before jumpthe whole thing just got ing into dating. out of control.” And though I’m all For us millennials, her for gender equality, the plight might not seem prevalence of electronic that daunting. We frecommunication also has quently juggle multiple its drawbacks. It is near forms of technology to impossible to convey communicate with each sarcasm, and emoticons other (some discount us are no substitute for the as easily distracted; I’d argue we’re just better at intricacies of tone and body language. Most multitasking). Today, for texts and examIMs are ple, I’ve emailed It is not unheard of nowadays for also writa proa relationship to start with some ten while othfessor, flirty texts, a friend request or a doing er things, texted well-timed poke ... even while my boyholding sifriend, multaneous conversainstant messaged a cotions. worker, Facebooked two Controversial apps friends and asked my TA a question in a SmartSite like “Bang With Friends” may make it easier for chatroom. I even chose our so-called “hookto reach a compaup culture” to find oneny’s customer service night stands, but they through their “live chat” also take away the risk option, as opposed to a of putting ourselves out phone call. there. Rejection is a part Things did not get “out of growing up. of control,” but I did noTechnology can even tice a trend — all of these interfere once a date has forms of communication been planned. According allowed for delayed reto Match.com’s most sponses. recent “Singles in Even in a fast-paced America” survey, 48 perelectronic dialogue, cent of women and 38 each person has a litpercent of men look up tle extra time to think their dates on Facebook of what they’re going to before they meet in persay. I can write my response, reread it and de- son. What’s more, 49 percent of women and cide to tweak something 27 percent of men would before I hit “send.” cancel a first date beBecause of this, many cause of something they conversationally chaldug up while stalking — lenged young people I mean, researching — such as myself prefer to that person online. text, IM and email. In And don’t even get me many ways, these new started on texting during ways of connecting are the date itself. a godsend. They’re conThough the dating venient, often quick and scene of Generation Y discreet, and generalcomes with the benly more conducive to efit of indistinct genmulti-tasking. der roles, it has also But they are also been changed significhanging how we concantly by new technolonect with each other, esgy. Electronic communipecially romantically. cation can make it easIt is not unheard of ier for people to connowadays for a relationnect, but it can also be ship to start with some abused. flirty texts, a friend reSo next time you meet quest or a well-timed a potential partner, try to poke (forgive me). One resist the ease of excessive might tweet about a reFacebook stalking and cent date or write a texting. Letting the relahopeful post on Like-ationship develop more orLittle. Some may even ganically may come as a sink to the depths of pleasant surprise. scanning Craigslist’s “missed connections.” The fact is, from meeting potential partners MARISA MASSARA can be reached to blogging about your 24/7 via text, Facebook or instant wedding, technology message, but she prefers you email plays a bigger role in our her at mvmassara@ucdavis.edu.

E-Romance

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you have a defense to receiving stolen property. For example, if you buy a Nintendo Wii on eBay for $200, you would normally have no reason to think it’s stolen; $200 is a fair price, eBay is (usually) legitimate and unless there’s something shady about the listing you’ve got no reason to think the seller is a thief. But imagine you encounter a meth fiend on the side of the road. He hails your car. You pull over. Twitching furtively, he offers to sell you his “hot, hot Xbox 360” for 40 bucks “or however much cash you’ve got on you.” You should realize it’s stolen. If you take the offer, you’re guilty of receiving stolen property. Milk crates are special property, thanks to the cow industry. Sections 565 and 566 of the Penal Code ban the use of milk crates by “unauthorized persons” when the crates are marked with a dairy company’s legally registered

brand. You’re considered unauthorized unless you get the written permission of the company to use the milk crate. Really. And when you find what seems like an abandoned milk crate, you must return it to the owner. Can’t find the owner? Then you must write a letter to California’s Director of Food and Agriculture and tell him that you have the milk crate. Seriously. Look it up: California Food and Agricultural Code 34561 gives you an affirmative duty to report the discovery of all abandoned milk crates to the government. Fail to do so, and you could be fined. And we wonder why Texans think we have too many laws. Daniel is a Sacramento attorney, former Davis City Council candidate and graduate of UC Davis School of Law. He’ll answer questions sent to him at governorwatts@ gmail.com or tweeted to @governorwatts.

OPINION

The california aggie

thursday, february 21, 2013 3

editorials

The Davis Beat

Good luck Last week, the Journalism Club released its first issue of The Davis Beat, an independent publication hoping to deliver investigative journalism and provide an alternate source of news to the campus. Editor in chief Adrian GlassMoore and managing editor Kevin Pelstring obtained approximately $1,675 in initial funding from ASUCD’s Club Finance Council (CFC) and $150 from the Student Assistants to the Chancellor to produce the biweekly paper. With the approximate cost of $460 per issue and a plan to distribute 2,000 copies every other week, The Davis Beat plans to eventually sustain itself through advertisements, as there is a cap on the amount of money a club can receive from the CFC. It’s no lie that print journalism isn’t as popular as it used to be. And we know all too well the financial needs of producing a daily paper for the past hundred or so years. If The Davis Beat can secure enough print advertisements to stay afloat after the initial funding runs out, then we will

be impressed. It’s a hard market, and we wish them luck. According to the “About Us” section in the first issue as well as the website davisbeat.org, the newspaper wants to make clear that they “recognize the importance of investigative journalism; going deep into stories and pulling out truths beyond what meets the eye.” The paragraph goes on to say that readers “deserve a newspaper that will tackle issues critically ... that takes journalistic integrity and factuality with utmost seriousness.” We did not see these investigative pieces in the first issue, but we hope to see them in the next. It’s important to note that many of The Davis Beat editors are involved with ASUCD. It will be interesting to see how certain student government topics are investigated, given the many potential conflicts of interest. Best of luck to the editors, writers and photographers involved with The Davis Beat. We applaud fellow students for taking the initiative to publish their writing and opinions in a startup publication.

Mosque burglary

Shame on thief Religious donations from a tithe box at Islamic Center of Davis were stolen this past Tuesday in the middle of the night by an unknown male wearing a baseball cap with sunglasses on top. The fashion-impaired thief entered the center from an open window and drove off in a white four-door sedan. The Aggie expresses sympathy toward the Islamic Center, which has been a wonderful addition to the Davis community since 1982. We hope that whatever funds were stolen are found and returned to such an integral part of the cultural and religious identities of many students on campus. All theft is wrong in the eyes of the law, but the idea of stealing from a nonprofit organization whose aim is

to provide a welcoming space for people of all faiths is particularly vile. We view stealing from a group that provides a helpful service to the community at no charge on its own special rung of douchebaggery. We hold it akin to stealing from a Red Cross, a Salvation Army, a synagogue or the Food Pantry on campus. The fact that the tithes stolen came from the pockets of ordinary people, many of whom are students, in observance of one of the five main pillars of Islam, secures this Ocean’s 1 heist in the annals of Davis douchebag history. For now, we encourage all students to stay safe, keep an eye out for any shady activity and report any and all crime to the city police as quickly as possible.

courtesy newsday.com

guest opinion

Unconscious capitalism On Feb. 27, there will be informational pickets of labor environmental and student activists at the Whole Foods near campus at 5 p.m., and then additional pickets outside Freeborn Hall starting at 7 p.m., in response to the hosting of Whole Foods CEO John Mackey by the UC Davis Graduate School of Management Dean Steve Currall. Mackey will be promoting his new book, Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business. The book presents a “free market” of competing — yet ethical — businessmen such as himself, as the only hope for a just and sustainable world. This promotion of feel-good capitalism coincides with the privatization of our campus, which has been characterized by tuition hikes, increasingly austere contracts of workers, program cuts and police brutality. Conscious Capitalism presents the fuzzy veneer of Whole Foods, while downplaying actions by Mackey that contradict his ethical image. For instance, in 2007 Mackey used a pseudonym to promote his brand and trash competitors on a Yahoo Finance forum. More troubling is Mackey’s political advocacy. In 2009, Mackey attacked the Affordable Care Act

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Editorial Board Muna Sadek Campus Editor Claire Tan City Editor Adam Khan Features Editor

Elizabeth Orpina Arts Editor Matthew Yuen Sports Editor

Hudson Lofchie Science Editor Brian Nguyen Photography Editor

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

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disturbingly paternalistic view of himself: “I’m this rich father figure, and everybody’s pulling at me saying, ‘Daddy, Daddy, can we have this, can we have that, can we have this, can we have that?” Such unilateral executive power over an institution is not another of Mackey’s idiosyncrasies, but rather it defines private enterprise. This makes GSM Dean Steve Currall’s comment in a 2011 interview with poetsandquants.com particularly chilling: “We’re reducing our reliance on state funds which makes our business model much more akin to a private university based more heavily on tuition and endowment. That is the model we must pursue.” The powers that want to shift away from public funding in higher education to tuition and endowment are the same that want to disempower workers, and limit the ability of an organized public to manage our health and environment. Mackey writes that “the lead agents of change need to be those who are engaged in business,” and for the moment, they are. We cannot let this go unchallenged. DAVID RODDY is a fourth-year student. He can be reached at djroddy@ucdavis.edu.

even without realizing it, and so They are hierarchies, operating in the elite classes shape the world the power interests of those at the with their ideological interests top. The most powerful and perBrian built into it. vasive churches set the ideological The only way these anti-human, agenda for all the churches. Since Moen those at the very top of the church hierarchical structures of powThe Anarchist er can exist is if the majority of the hierarchy are themselves members of the capitalist class, they reshape population holds views that will Christian theology to be pro-capiprevent it from rising up against them. Elite institutions coerce the talist. society through propaganda, but From Mitt Romney back to Jerry even prior to the propaganda cam- Falwell, the message from these paigns that conChristian leaders stantly bombard (yes, Mormons Religious thought deals with our are Christians) is us, there is a barrage of ideology in core concepts of reality ... These that the free endeology is what we don’t know every moment of terprise system is that we believe. are the foundations of all belief our daily lives. the fourth part of This take on ideology comes the holy trinity. from the Slovenian cultural theorist Of course, as I frequently restate, there is no Remember, Christian theoloSlajov Zizek. He infamously gave group hiding in a lair under a volgy has evolved immensely over the example of the toilet. German the last 2,000 years. It is no cointoilets are built such that the waste cano planning this. This is how power groups stay powerful. They cidence that it has evolved to enis clearly visible, ready to be indo whatever upholds or increases dorse whatever ideology catered to spected. French toilets are built power, and so they create these ef- the elite class at that time. Church such that the waste simply disapfects without realizing it. leaders were and are of the elite pears from sight. This is supposed This should convince us that lib- class. to indicate the contrast between eration could only be possible if What if Christian theology French and German ideology. The Germans want to look right we resist the ideology built into ev- was hostile to hierarchy, despoery aspect of our world. We could tism and tyranny? Then elite ininto the face of the fact, be pragnever fully escape it, but as long as stitutions would be hostile tomatic, be real. The French might only want to pontificate on the fact we hold general skepticism toward ward it. It would be reduced. It this barrage of the elite class’ idewould lose power. It would be deof the matter. At least, this is the ology, we should be more effective stroyed by the propaganda maconclusion that Zizek drew. in reducing it. chine. Christian institutions do not Now, the whole point of the want to lose power. They must acanalysis of the toilet is to show that We want to — in Marxist terms — destroy the ideology of the cap- quiesce to the ideology of the elite ideology pops up everywhere, in class. Furthermore, they gain powitalist and replace it with our own everything. It pops up most of all er by instilling pro-hierarchical ideology, that of the proletariin the places that one would not ideology themselves. expect: in toilets, in fonts, in diets, at. Where should we start then? Of course, this applies to the in the preferred level of complexity Where can we begin this ideological unearthing? Common sense ideology pushed by every instiof a culture’s music, etc. would dictate that we start with tution, but religious institutions Human creations of every sort the easiest target. deal most directly with ideology. have messages built into them, So, we have reason to be most sus Religious thought. telling us what to value, how to pect of their doctrines. Even if we Religious thought deals with think, how to live. our core concepts of reality. It also did want to follow a theology, we These also happen to be the would have to, at every turn, exdeals with our core concepts of places where the ideology of the amine that doctrine to ensure that morality. These are the foundaelite class is most blatant. We live tions of all belief. If we can be con- we are not implicitly buying the in a world where a small section ideology of the institution that vinced of a certain concept of reof the population makes most of crafted or disseminated it, to enthe decisions that affect the entire ality or morality, then we can be easily convinced to take the action sure that we are not being beaten planet. They shape the world the into ideological submission. that naturally follows. We can be most. controlled. Of course, the easiest way to If we look at the ideology built into our world, in all the unexpect- To put it bluntly and concretely, avoid such ideological manipulait is no coincidence that American tion is to reject any theology. ed places, we will see that things are shaped to instill in us an ideol- Christian churches tend to extoll the virtues of capitalism. Churches BRIAN MOEN loves Satan and heavy metal. He can be ogy of subservience. Groups natreached at bkmoen@ucdavis.edu. urally do what is in their interests, are massively powerful groups.

Religion as power

Janelle Bitker Editor in Chief Hannah Strumwasser Managing Editor Rebecca Peterson Opinion Editor

as “socialism,” prompting liberal organizations to boycott Whole Foods. This year, he apologized for the comment, modifying his position that the Act is, in fact, “fascism.” Whole Foods is a repeat union buster, with one bizarre incident of Mackey urging employees to “expand into love” rather than organize after management fired two pro-union workers. In 2009, Whole Foods executives led the charge to discredit the Employee Free Choice Act, which aimed to shorten the process of union certification. Concerning labor, Mackey once stated, “The union is like having herpes. It doesn’t kill you, but it’s unpleasant and inconvenient, and it stops a lot of people from becoming your lover.” Mackey has also been an outspoken opponent of climatechange legislation, stating in an interview with Mother Jones last month that, “In general, most of humanity tends to flourish more when global temperatures are in a warming trend … What I am opposed to is trying to stop virtually all economic progress because of the fear of climate change.” In a 2004 speech to Whole Foods executives, Mackey described a

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volume

7, number 7

the california aggie ’ s arts and entertainment magazine

thursday , february

21, 2013

Elizabeth Orpina

“Oz” calls

N

o big deal, but I was on a phone call this past weekend with James Franco and Sam Raimi. Sure, I was one of a dozen college reporters listening in on a conference call with two big names involved in the upcoming film Oz: The Great and Powerful. Sure, we were on mute as the moderator asked questions and we plebeians typed furiously onto our laptops. But I was on a freaking phone call with James Franco, y’all. It all began when I received an email about a college conference call. I’ve done this before, when I had the chance to actually speak to the main comics of “Key & Peele,” a comedy show on Comedy Central. But this time, I was on a Disney conference call with a movie star and a famous director. Oz: The Great and Powerful is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, the original MGM film with Judy Garland. Actors such as Michelle Williams, Mila Kunis and Zach Braff star in the film, along with Franco, who plays the main character. Just in case you live under a rock or essentially don’t particularly care about Hollywood, James Franco is tied to the Spider-Man series, Pineapple Express, 127 Hours and Rise of the Planet of the Apes. But what makes him interesting is that he’s an extreme academic on the side. A short list of his alma maters include UCLA for undergraduate studies, Columbia University’s MFA writing program, NYU for filmmaking and Brooklyn College for fiction writing. Oh, and on top of that, he was a PhD student in English at Yale University. And if that wasn’t enough, he taught at USC and now teaches at UCLA. A question was asked about how he balances it all, and Franco gave an honest answer. “I insist that I have a balance. It’s saved my life. I love the academic world. During the past seven years, I’ve gotten addicted to school. I love teaching and being able to focus on other people’s work,” Franco said. There was also a question about how it was different working with Raimi this time around versus when they worked together on the Spider-Man movies. Again, Franco did not hold back. “He’s one of my favorite directors to work with and watch. I had a supporting role in Spider-Man, and he usually identifies with the main character. He blames me for wanting to kill Peter Parker. I got a little less love, but now that I’m the protagonist in Oz, I feel more of Sam’s love.” The other phone call I got to participate in that afternoon was with the director of Oz: The Great and Powerful. Sam Raimi is best known for his directing of the Evil Dead series and had a lot of great advice for college students interested in directing. “Be directing now. Every day you should be writing a script or a scene. Every weekend you should be filming. Sunday, you should be editing. Monday, show it to a university audience. They won’t like your little film. Go back and fix it,” Raimi said. “You do all of this now and you’ll always be a director. Get to work, you lazy bums!” This little pep talk can be applied to anyone in college with a dream of accomplishing something great, and it was that one response to a question about advice to aspiring directors that I identified with and believed in the most. We’re all (hopefully) aiming to achieve more, help others and inspire with our work. It was a treat and the opportunity of a lifetime to be able to listen to two famous working professionals in Hollywood speak frankly about the business. But I’m still angry I didn’t get to ask Raimi about his thoughts on the Spider-Man musical. ELIZABETH ORPINA interview Beyonce.

now aims to Send contact

Yolo County Film Society Screening — Casablanca Sunday, 7 p.m., $2 Yolo Pleasure Dome, 1401 Pole Line Road

Your weekly dose of video games By ANTHONY LABELLA Aggie Arts Writer

Game of the week Metal Gear Solid fans and action aficionados alike have something to look forward to this week with the release of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. The latest title from developer Platinum Games features the company’s trademark enthusiasm for all things over-thetop, albeit in a far more familiar setting. Revengeance takes place four years after the events of 2008’s Metal Gear Solid 4, and this time around Raiden finds himself in the spotlight. The katana-weilding cyborg ninja stands in stark contrast to usual protagonist Solid Snake. Revengeance does feature moments in which stealth remains an option, but more often than not Raiden prefers faceto-face confrontations. Metal Gear Solid creator/director Hideo Kojima did oversee some of the game’s narrative development, but the real appeal of Revengeance is the adrenalinepumping combat system, courtesy of Platinum Games. It’s fluid, fastpaced and features a unique cutting mechanic in which both en-

emies and environmental objects can be sliced in a number of ways. Feedback for Revengeance has been largely positive so far, though some reviewers have mentioned the game’s short playtime as a notable downside. Personally, I value an entire video game experience over some kind of dollar-to-hour ratio, so in that sense it seems like Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is an easy recommendation. This week in news By the time The Aggie readers see this column, Sony will have unveiled the PlayStation 4 (or whatever other name the company decides to call its newest console). However, at the time of this print that had not happened yet. So instead we look back to the weekend to highlight some big news from Bungie, the creators of Halo. This past Sunday marked the first official reveal of Destiny, Bungie’s newest project. It’s another first-person shooter, but the company is referring to the game more specifically as a “shared-world shooter,” in which players cooperatively interact with each other online without traditional matchmaking menus and systems. The term MMOFPS has been

has been thrown around a lot in the wake of Destiny’s reveal, but publisher Activision did state that the game will not feature subscription fees. An internet connection will be required to play the game, though. Few specifics were given in terms of gameplay mechanics, but Bungie did mention a class system and the inclusion of magical abilities. These abilities come from The Traveler, a huge sphere looming over the sole remaining city. Not only did The Traveler grant special powers to certain individuals, but it saved humanity from ultimate destruction. Players will traverse the postapocalyptic world and journey to other planets in an effort to fight off various alien species. This means access to ships, and Bungie left open the possibility of space combat. I often admit that I’m not a huge fan of the Halo series, but Destiny strikes me as a hugely ambitious and exciting game. It won’t be coming out until 2014, but I look forward to hearing more about Bungie’s latest project in the coming months. ANTHONY LABELLA can be reached at arts@ theaggie.org.

Davis Musical Theatre Company presents:

The highly quotable and entertaining film focuses on Rick (Humphrey Bogart), a grumpy owner of a bar in Casablanca during WWII. Rick’s life is complicated when his ex, Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), shows up with her husband looking for a valuable passport that Rick possesses and can use to help the resistance against the Nazis. Casablanca was listed as No. 3 on the American Film Institute’s “100 Years, 100 Movies” list in 2007.

Davis Flea Market Sunday, 11 a.m., free Central Park, corner of 3rd and C Street

The monthly Davis Flea Market is back with a vengeance. In addition to several vendors selling various knick knacks, visitors can also expect performances from the UC Davis Gospel Choir, Whiskey Business, Big Sticky Mess and more.

Robert Randolph Presents the Slide Brothers Friday, 8 p.m., $25 to $64 regular, $12.50 to $32 student Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center

Robert Randolph, an electric steel guitar wizard, and the Slide Brothers bring you a night of sacred steel music. Sacred steel combines blues, rock, gospel and soul into a form of music that both praises and rocks.

Three Punk Bands, One Night of Radio Saturday, midnight, free Tune in on KDVS 90.3 FM

Saturday’s installment of the Neonate show will feature three punk bands live in the studio. Tune in to hear RAD, Crude Studs and Fearection.

Urinetown: The Musical By CRISTINA FRIES Aggie Arts Writer

Davis Musical Theater Company’s latest production of the Broadway hit, Urinetown: The Musical, a satirical comedy with an absurd premise and deadpan dark humor, will be showing Friday through March 17. Based on the book by Greg Kotis, Urinetown takes place in a nearfuture, post-apocalyptic world where the water shortages are so severe that private bathrooms are unheard of. All bathroom spaces are patrolled by the megacorporation Urine Good Company, which enforces harsh laws that require everyone to pay to urinate, or else they are sent to Urinetown, never to return. The musical pokes fun at government bureaucracy, corporate industries and Broadway musicals themselves through parodying them in almost every scene. Steve Isaacson, the director of DMTC’s Urinetown and co-founder and producer of DMTC, described the musical as “theatre of the absurd, not absurd theatre,” and discussed how the premise came to be. “Greg Kotis went to Europe for vacation and discovered that you must pay to use the bathrooms there. He thought this was a great idea for a comedic musical and immediately began writing, not believing it would ever be per-

formed,” Isaacson said. Originally, Urinetown began as a Fringe Theater production in New York, and made its Broadway debut in 2001. In 2002, it won Tony awards for best book, musical score and direction of a musical. Isaacson discussed how Urinetown has satirical references to well-known Broadway musicals and how he has added several unique innovations of his own to his production. “The musical spoofs everything — From other musicals like Fiddler on the Roof, Les Miserables, Annie, Oliver and many others. It takes references, such as specific names and wordplay, from Bertolt Brecht’s The Threepenny Opera,” Isaacson said. “This is one of the most brilliantly written shows out there.” Cassie March, an actress in Urinetown, discussed what she liked best about acting in this satirical comedy while wearing her ragged dress and voluminous pigtails during a dress rehearsal. “I play Little Sally, an 8-yearold, and she has incredibly smart, quick-witted lines. I love playing this role because she has a grungy look and spirit, and I get to participate in the dark humor of the musical as a co-narrator,” March said. DMTC is an all-volunteer-based nonprofit organization and welcomes donations and contributions from anyone interested in

theater. Stage props are made by both amateur and professional artists, and Isaacson discussed what the props and sets are like for Urinetown. “We went with a simple approach for our sets. Our main prop is the communal urinal, which is a dirty brick wall covered in stains and littered with garbage, which was made by volunteer artists,” Isaacson said. The cast consists of locally based actors with diverse backgrounds and levels of experience. Richard Spierto, an actor in Urinetown, discussed the benefits of having a diverse cast. “DMTC has a real sense of community because it welcomes everyone from all levels of acting. We all learn from each other because people of different ages and backgrounds bring forth different ideas and suggestions, and these contributions make the performance stronger,” Spierto said. Its witty writing and self-deprecating humor makes for a peeyour-pants production. “The best way to describe this musical is, ‘Terrible title, terrific show,’” Isaacson said. Tickets are $18 regular admission and $16 for students and seniors. For more information, visit DMTC’s website at www.dmtc.org. CRISTINA FRIES can be reached at arts@ theaggie.org.

Poetry Night Reading Series — Edythe Schwartz Tonight, 8 p.m., free John Natsoulas Gallery, 521 First St. Tonight’s headlining poet, Edythe Schwartz, won the Friends of Acadia Poetry Prize in 2012 for her poem “A Natural Phenomenon.” In addition to winning the award, Schwartz has published a book of poetry, A Palette of Leaves, as well as a chapbook, “Exposure.” As usual, there will be an open mic reading after the main reader. Dr. Andy Jones, who emcees the series, encourages anyone interested to show up early to sign up, because the slots will fill up.

Fuckin’ Funny! Saturday, 8 p.m., donations encouraged 1604 Pole Line Road

This month’s installment in the KDVS comedy series will feature at least three comedians. Performers include Johnny Taylor, a former amateur boxer turned comedian who has opened for Robin Williams and Bobcat Goldthwait; Alec Roberts, who writes and performs for Comedy Space with Ray Molina, a weekly sketch comedy show in Sacramento; and Mike Patten, who has performed at the Punch Line and the Comedy Spot in Sacramento.

MFA Thesis Choreographies Tonight, Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m., $17 regular, $12 student Vanderhoef Studio Theatre, Mondavi Center

Two MFA students in UC Davis’s Department of Theatre and Dance present their thesis works. Ligilo (which means “link” in Esperanto) by Jarrell Iu-Hui Chua, in collaboration with Bobby August, Jr., will explore touch and its effects on relationships as well as memories, dreams and realities. Transmutation, by Christine Germain, in collaboration with Andrea del Moral and Deidre Morris, focuses on identity shifts and how they affect our relationships with ourselves, others and the environment. — John Kesler

thursday , february

5

21, 2013

South Korean talent comes to Hollywood Directors take on big-budget American projects By ANDREW RUSSELL Aggie Arts Writer

The past two years have shown a peak in a distressingly mundane Hollywood trend: nine out of the 10 top-grossing films in each year were either sequels, prequels or remakes. Of the two films that did not fall into those categories, one was a surefiresuccess book adaptation (The Hunger Games) and the other a bastardized slice of warmed-over pop culture (The Smurfs). Looking ahead at the schedule of releases for 2013, there’s good reason to fear that the industry may continue to take its gargantuan smurf over all that was once entertaining. Thankfully, there is at least one promising development on the domestic film front: a handful of popular and adventurous directors from South Korea are taking on big-budget American projects due to be released this year. Directors like Park Chan-Wook, whose audacious revenge thriller Oldboy (2003) found an enthusiastic international audience, will be among those at the forefront of this wave of foreign talent. Park’s confrontational films may have initially brought outside attention to his work, but his upcoming American debut, Stoker, trades in some shock for classic chills in a psychological horror plot starring Nicole Kidman and Mia Wasikowska. Early critical reception for the March release has been quite positive, with many reviewers pointing out atmospheric similarities to the films of Alfred Hitchcock. “Korean directors make visceral, artistic and compelling films that many Americans will fall in love with. I can’t wait to see Stoker,” said fourth-year bio-

chemistry and english double major Brian McGarry. The first release this year to feature a prominent Korean director was The Last Stand, an action flick starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. While the film itself has received mixed reviews, some critics have pointed out that it benefits from director Kim Ji-Woon’s inventive visual style. Among Kim’s additional body of work is the chilling ghost story A Tale of Two Sisters (2003), which has since been remade stateside as The Uninvited (2009) and The Good, the Bad, and the Weird (2008), a wild, spaghetti-Western-influenced adventure set in 1930s Manchuria. Later in the year, we will see the third major South Korea/U.S crossover with Bong Joon-Ho’s sci-fi epic Snowpiercer. Bong is arguably the most compelling of the three filmmakers mentioned, with a knack for consistently widening the boundaries of whatever genre he works in, whether it’s a black comedy (Barking Dogs Never Bite, 2000), a giant monster movie (The Host, 2006) or a murder mystery (Mother, 2009). Snowpiercer will be an adaptation of a French graphic novel, whose intriguing scenario concerns the survivors of an ice-age apocalypse who reside in a perpetually moving train. “[Snowpiercer] sounds intriguing. It’ll be interesting to see if the movie will bring a different sensibility to the genre,” said fourth-year technocultural studies and art double major Christopher Jones. One must commend these directors for taking on projects in an entirely new studio system — and in the case of Kim Ji-Woon — a new language. Kim revealed in recent interviews that the

courtesy

Snowpiercer is an upcoming movie directed by Bong Joon-Ho. South Korean system is much different, with all the resources and energy on set going toward achieving the director’s vision instead of adhering strictly to the shooting script and working hours once the film is written. One must also give props to a few Hollywood studios for trying something different. “South Korean directors have certainly made a mark on Korean pop culture by displaying their unique style and attention to detail in movies, dramas and music videos,” said president of the K-Pop club Phancisco Doan, a third-year neu-

robiology, physiology and behavior and computer science double major. “This is why K-pop culture has been making its way into the states and [is] becoming ever more popular.” One might hope that the tradition of remaking successful foreign films into slightly different copies will be curbed in favor of collaborating with international talent. In any case, it may open up domestic audiences to other varieties of popular entertainment available in world cinema. ANDREW RUSSELL can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

Experimental theatre lab: ‘Change(d)’ A performance like you’ve never seen before By BEAUGART GERBER Aggie Arts Writer

Atlas Genius When it was Now

12345 Newcomer Atlas Genius is not your typical rock band. The Australian group’s debut album, When It Was Now, has more in common with its fellow countrymen Men At Work during their peak than with other, newer bands from the States. Mixing synth, pop and good old-fashioned rock and roll, When It Was Now produces a unique sound that appeals to a wide audience. The band’s original sound can be attributed to their singular origin. According to their official website, atlasgenius.com, the group built a recording studio a full three years before it even played a live show. The band spent its nights playing The Police and the Rolling Stones at local pubs before signing with Warner Bros. Records in early 2012. Atlas Genius may be the new kid on the block, but their music is at once both classic and original. When It Was Now is a stunning debut for the band and one that deserves to be heard. The band’s website sums it up best: “The debut captures Atlas Genius’s singular combination of sophisticated musicality and warm, wistful spirit. Infused with a classic sensibility, each of the songs would fit seamlessly if somehow slipped into a long-treasured mix-tape.” Check out these tracks: “If So,” “Trojans,” “Through the Glass” For Fans of: Coldplay, Men At Work, The Police — Brett Bunge

Created by the Department of Theatre and Dance, the experimental theater lab showcases the creative ingenuity of Davis students. This spring, Sarah Salem, a third-year dramatic arts major, and Duskin Drum, a PhD student in performance studies, have co-opted a new experience titled Change(d). Salem and Drum created the idea for the production while living in the cooperative living known as the Domes. “We were influenced by communal life,” Salem said. “Taking care of the land and each other; there’s no hierarchy.” Salem’s overarching goal is an exploration of collaboratively devised work. She wants to see different perspectives addressed in the collaborative process, and Change(d) allows for this diversity. The performance focuses on themes of ecology and politics. In this massive framework, each participant will have the ability to bring work from their own field of study. This diversity of source material will guide the direction of production.

“I’m very interested in the message. We’ll use theater games to commune with one another. We’ll learn each other’s passions,” Salem said. She believes the unscripted nature of the play will yield a performance crafted by the participants. Drum believes the play will create a collaborative community. “We were both excited about the ideas of the Brazilian performer Augusto Eoal. It’s exciting to now get a chance to work on his techniques,” Drum said. Drum has a diverse background in theater. After a short stint in college, he dropped out, became a street performer and a puppeteer. Eventually he performed internationally till after seven years he returned to continue his collegiate career. “There’s a tradition tied to directorial and performance roles. We wanted a model of performance and education that was less authoritarian,” Drum said. In pursuit of this goal, their performance is wide open and process-oriented. Duskin stressed the commitment necessary for this sort of project to succeed. They intend to do three major shows and a series of public appearances. If they are

able to create a serious production, their work will be time intensive. Though Ezka Whaley-Mayda was not part of the creative force that engineered the process, she still was one of the first proponents. A third-year art studios major, Whaley-Mayda lives with the two organizers. Whaley-Mayda looks forward to the open-minded nature of the performance. She took careful emphasis to note, though small of stature, she would provide all she could to the production. “I expect to be really uncomfortable [but] also to be joyful, lie on the floor, hopefully not vomit. I have never done experimental theater so I am very interested,” Whaley-Mayda said. The lab is still accepting participants. Rehearsals will take place Monday through Thursday and the lab will culminate in performances presented May 24 through 26. The first workshop takes place March 8 at 10 a.m. at Wright Hall. For more information, email dwdrum@ucdavis.edu. BEAUGART GERBER can be reached at arts@theaggie. org.

UC Berkeley researchers aim to revolutionize e-books By YVONNE NG

The Daily Californian (University of California, Berkeley)

UC Berkeley students in the campus’s School of Information are collaborating to enhance the efficiency of e-books in the hopes of revolutionizing the accessibility of information among researchers and the general public. According to Master of Information Management and Systems (MIMS) student Jacob Hartnell, research on e-books will improve an inefficient system that is “app-based” instead of “Web-based.” He noted that existing e-books viewed on one device are often viewed differently or cannot be viewed at all on another device. Hartnell and his team aim

to harness a web-based platform, using the standardized Web language of HTML5, to create e-books as an alternative to private proprietary formats like Kindle and iBook. “The power of standards really solves the challenge for publishers of, ‘How do we make the content work on all sorts of different devices?’” Hartnell said. “We don’t want to waste time developing solutions for all these different devices. It makes books accessible to everyone regardless of what device you’re using.” Hartnell also added that making e-books available for viewing via the Web would allow for collaboration between authors, publishers and editors. Lisa Jervis, another MIMS student, said she is interested in how the new technolo-

gy can create a collaborative authoring platform that will make it easier for authors to share and compile information, especially for multidisciplinary work. “I come from the nonprofit world, and I’m very interested in the way we can share information resources, and one way to do that is to create an information resourcesharing platform,” Jervis said. “Suppose that I were a tenant organizer and I wanted to produce a field guide for other organizers. I wouldn’t just want to write that on my own, but I would want to get advice and input from other organizers.” Robert Glushko, adjunct professor in the School of Information, said that adapting the e-book for the Web instead of for specific applica-

tions would open up a wide array of new features for authors to utilize and make textbooks more interactive. Some of these features would include annotations, endnotes and highlighting. “Imagine a textbook ... where I have a core book, and I can add different types of features depending on the type of content I have,” Glushko said. “We’re trying to invent a new kind of book-reading experience, which reflects these new kinds of books (and) involve way more than turning pages in novels.” Glushko noted that his team’s research will probably begin to see results in a year. However, he added, “books are evolving all the time as we see more new capabilities of social media and technology.”

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FOR RELEASE MARCH 26, 2010

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword PuzzleAggie The california Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

ACROSS 1 Sugar substitute? 5 Flirtation 9 Travel needs, perhaps 14 End of an estimate 15 Rival rival 16 __ coffee 17 Hobart resident 19 Lip-smacking 20 Barbecue area without chairs? 22 Certain mil. member 23 Gray head? 24 Cereal ingredient 27 Stallone role 31 Plant activity: Abbr. 34 Relative value used in a scientific workplace? 38 Lost a lap? 39 Padre’s hermana 40 Snacking (on) to excess 41 Small apartment for a comical septet? 44 Before, in verse 45 Backspace, often 46 “O, gie me the __ that has acres o’ charms”: Burns 47 Word-word link 49 Pres. between JAG and GC 51 Exponential measurement, and in a way, what’s demonstrated in how answers were formed in 20-, 34- and 41Across? 58 Bread 59 Like clones 61 What an X may indicate 62 Supply, as paper to a copier 63 One of Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers 64 California baseballer 65 Signs

By Gary Steinmehl

66 Chuck __, only coach to win four Super Bowls DOWN 1 Pointillism unit 2 Periods of interest 3 __ mgr. 4 Prominent facial feature 5 Ill-fated opener of myth 6 Et __: and others 7 Bridge 8 Berlin number 9 Curriculum __ 10 Fit to be tied 11 Spanish ayes 12 Reference words 13 Unassuming 18 Mandela’s gp. 21 Gamer’s maneuver 24 Apathetic 25 Harder to dig up 26 Upstairs 28 Fragrant oil 29 Kelly of “One Tree Hill” 30 Wire fasteners 31 Highest peak on Crete: Abbr. 32 “Done!”

3/26/10

Wednesday’s puzzleSolved solved Thursday’s Puzzle

(c)2010 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

33 “We Got the Beat” singers 35 TV Chihuahua 36 Baloney 37 Excessive flattery 42 Uno minus uno 43 They can ruin diets 47 Pen resident 48 Illusionary genre 50 Back on the water

3/26/10

51 Famous Amos 52 Joyful group dance 53 Coffeehouse connection 54 1950s British prime minister 55 Offend the olfactories 56 Empty hall effect 57 Pointed fastener 58 Unit of RAM 60 Texter’s tehee

Sudoku

Want to learn more about careers in business? Come to the Managerial Economics Student-Alumni Career Day. Saturday, March 2nd, 9a-3p. Students may attend a variety of business workshops. Pre-registration required. Register in 1173 SS&H by February 26. $15 cash or check. Breakfast and lunch provided. Questions?manecon@primal.ucdavis.edu.

Meetings Are you interested in a health related field? Join C.H.E. and learn more about our pre-health organization! Meetings every Tuesday at 7:10pm to 8:00pm. For more information, contact Fabiola Sanchez at fsanchezmartinez@ucdavis.edu. See you soon!

Websites/Internet Overpopulation is sexually transmitted. http://population.sierraclub.org/ population/

Travel SUGAR BOWL SKI PACKAGES Day Trips & Overnights Direct to Lifts 4x4 SUV www.knightskitours.com

House for Rent 5 Bedroom 2 Bath House for Rent on Menlo Drive; $2,550/mo. Please call 415-948-8278 for more info. 4 Bedroom 2 Bath House for Rent on Sycamore Lane. $2300/mo. Please call 415-948-8278 for more info. 3 bedroom 2 bath. House for rent next to campus; $1,600/mo. Please call 415-948-8278 for more info.

Employment Seeking PAYMENT REPRESENTATIVE SALES/ BOOKKEEPER, If you are interested or just need more information please contact: benish1888@gmail.com EXPERIMENTAL SUBJECTS. Get paid $10-20 for completing easy 60-90 min. experiment. Perform group decision-making task. Payment determined in part by individual success. Register: www.experimetrix2.com/ ucdesp. One time participation only. You must be at least 18 years old. Sports Medicine & Rehabiliation Internship Hands-on experience, career development UCD Athletic Training staff accepting applications from dedicated individuals interested in becoming Student Athletic Trainers. Apply at Athletic Training Facility, Hickey Gym (752-0647) or Pavilion (752-7515) http://ucdavisaggies.cstv. com/school-bio/ucda-ath-train.html Deadline March 1, 2013

Very 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.

Thursday, february 21, 2013 7

The california aggie

An inside look:

MY POST

courtesy

While the moderator said that there are an average of 600 individual views per post, to get a better idea of the response that someone on the site obtains, I created a fake email and submitted a minimal, two-line profile. I was surprised to open my inbox two days later to find 22 emails. Wading through the sea of winking emoticons and innuendo, I determined a clear distinction between two types of people who replied to my post: some wrote personalized responses, while others seemed to copy and paste the same message to every address that catches their eye. Some went as far as to upBy HANNAH KRAMER Aggie Features Writer

Picnics in the Arboretum, couples sharing romantic strolls downtown, horny college students cramming their way onto fraternity dancefloors … spring is just around the corner and love is in the air. Traditional dating isn’t for everyone, and for those who want to make romantic connections, blind dating and random hook ups can make for an awkward experience if both parties are not wanting the same things out of the relationship. To avoid any embarrassment down the road when expectations don’t mesh, an upfront, no-holdsbarred place exists where students are encouraged to seek out exactly who and what they want out of a partner. The UC Davis DTF community is part dating site, part bulletin board of physical descriptions and part casual deviation from checking Facebook for its more common uses. In recent months, this community has gained popularity and attention, and new profiles are uploaded every day. “I would say [the page’s inspiration came from] a combination of conversations with males and females on campus and in my personal life [which] led me to believe there was a niche for something like this. Turns out, there is,” said a third-year anonymous moderator of UC Davis DTF in an email interview. The page follows a format to similar Facebook groups which focus on the postings of anonymous visitors. Through a secondary survey site, students are encouraged to submit their physical appearance, contact information and description of what they want in their partner — or partners — of choice, which is then sent to the moderator of the site. “Submission of this form is not tracked by any moderator in order to protect privacy. It is completely anonymous. However, if the person submitting the form would like a response to their ad, which is typically the reason they are posting, they must leave a form of contact,” the moderator said. Most of the contact information left on the site seems fake, but the explicit and strange email addresses and aliases like “Jon Doe,” “Chocolate Goddess” and “Boobie Dumas” are intended to be overtly artificial for sake of anonymity. These “burn” addresses are created and used for the sole purpose of DTF correspondence. Others are a bit more brazen with their information. “Some people do actually leave

load pictures of themselves, while others invited me to share my photos with them. Based off of the feedback I received at the time of this writing, the popularity of the page is worth noting. My profile was not detailed, it was posted the same day as ten other profiles — but it still attracted 22 individuals, suggesting UCD DTF’s widespread popularity. If that many responses could be had from a fake profile, it is implied that the turnout for a real, serious poster could be much greater than that.

their phone number. This can be tricky because you don't want people posting their friend's phone number or your grandma's email, so we always verify the phone number first by using an email to text message method,” the moderator said. The language and profanity content on the page teeters at a PG-13 range, and it stays that way thanks in part to moderators who methodically review each profile before posting it to the page. Reasons for use of the website vary. “Originally, I was just looking for someone to talk to, show interest in me, make me feel important. I recently got out of a serious relationship and missed the feeling of being wanted. I've met 3 people in real life, none of which went further than just meeting up to talk. It wasn't because they weren't nice or attractive, but I just got really nervous and backed out each time,” said an anonymous female firstyear linguistics major. Others enjoy participating for the thrill of anonymity and meeting up with strangers. “I most likely would not participate in the DTF page if it were not anonymous. The anonymity adds to the mysteriousness and fun,” said an anonymous male second-year political science major. “I want to find a few fun flings, only a small number of times. If I feel like finding a ‘fling’ then this is one of the best and only ways really to find others with the same interest. [I have met up with] a few guys, most of them bisexual or straight and curious. One time even with a couple. [Meeting up went smoothly twice] but other times the situation was awkward.” While posting personal descriptions of oneself online usually results in smoothing over flaws and imperfections, UCD DTF community members try to be truthful about their appearances. “I'm 100% truthful about describing myself, and as far as I've seen, others are, too. I feel like there are a lot of people who use the DTF page, and that there is a wide range of what people find ‘attractive.’ I'm completely honest when talking about myself, because I need to know if they're willing to meet up with me. It usually goes with the idea of ‘reply back if still interested.’ If they don't, move on to the next email in my inbox,” the linguistics major said. There is more to the site than hooking up for casual sex, as many are able to find a social outlet and an emotional boost from talking to and meeting with those who reply

— Hannah Kramer to ads. “It's human nature to want to connect with others. Some people have more difficulty doing that, connecting. This is a place where that can happen and there is no judging,” the moderator said. Regardless of how the page is used, when meeting with or exchanging personal information with a stranger, an aspect of danger exists. STDs, rape and violence are all very real hazards when corresponding with a stranger, especially in a setting where sex and emotional ties are involved. For those who are interested in using the page, certain precautions should be implemented to avoid dangerous situations that could stem from meeting a stranger for intimate relations according to Jacquelynn Cole, victim advocate at the UC Davis Campus Violence Prevention Program. “Have a conversation with your partner(s), create a safe word if necessary and know that consent can be revoked at any time. I might also recommend letting a friend know where you’re going and who you are meeting up with,” Cole said in an email interview. The range of safety action taken by those interviewed was basic, trusting intuitive feelings to decide if they should go through with meeting the person they met online. “I have [a] history of meeting up with strangers through different methods such as phone apps like Grindr and this page. I do not really take any precautions; [I] mostly go by if they ‘look creepy’ or not, but [I] also will leave a message on my phone when unlocked in case something happens that actually honestly explains the situation (how I contacted them and the plans),” the political science major said. Although there can be an inherent risk to meeting unsavory characters online, there is also the possibility of requesting, and getting, a desired relationship or encounter otherwise unattainable through UCD DTF. “I have heard of a few connections. It's pretty neat. As students and adults we are all busy people,” the UCD DTF moderator wrote. “And some people lack social skills. I would say it is a very eclectic and widespread group of people that use the page. I'm glad that people have the opportunity to connect, whether it be for cuddling, video gaming, a walk in the park or whatever their desires.” HANNAH KRAMER can be reached at features@ theaggie.org.

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Thursday, february 21, 2013

The california aggie

City Hall reaches out to community at Farmers Market Informal interaction with city council proves valuable

By SYDNEY COHEN Aggie News Writer

For many, Saturday mornings in Davis mean a trip to the Davis Farmers Market to sample fruits and vegetables, enjoy flavorful apple juice and chow down on a delicious tamale. Additionally, community members are making visits to the City of Davis’ booth as part of their Saturday routine. On the second Saturday of every month, the City Hall booth features a city department, along with two city council members who are available to speak with the community. “The booth is a way for us to come to where the public is, rather than expecting the public to come to us,” said Deputy City Manager Kelly Stachowicz. “Hopefully it achieves that purpose.” According to Stachowicz, the booth is a venue where community members can bring their compliments, complaints or concerns and be able to voice them in a manner that isn’t necessarily adversarial, which tends to be the tone of formal City Hall meetings. “It’s a really diverse set of issues that folks come to us about,” said Davis Mayor Pro Tempore Dan Wolk. Wolk said he feels that the booth is a very valuable thing to have, allowing community members to interact with City Hall at an event that has become a Davis tradition. “It’s one thing to get a three-minute public comment [at a city council meeting], it’s quite another to have that per-

City hall James Kim / Aggie

son interacting with you at the farmers market in a much more relaxed atmosphere,” Wolk said. According to Executive Director of the Davis Farmers Market Randii MacNear, the Davis Farmers Market is a natural

Davis Chief of Police discusses community policing Crime addressed at Progressive Business Exchange meeting

courtesy

Davis Chief of Police, Landy Black

By GABRIELLA HAMLETT Aggie News Writer

Davis Police Chief Landy Black was a featured speaker at the Davis Progressive Business Exchange conference on Wednesday at noon. He spoke about the Davis Police Department’s (DPD) community policing philosophy. The meeting took place at the Davis International House (I-House). Due to the recent influx in Davis crime, the Progressive Business Exchange found it fitting to have a speaker on this issue. “I appreciate Chief Landy for being active in the community ... I really enjoyed the meeting. I think he does a great job addressing problems before they even come up,” said Bob Bockwinkel, president of the Davis Progressive Business Exchange. The Progressive Business Exchange has been active in the community for the last five years. It is comprised of 30 to 40 local businesses and nonprofits with the intention of providing support to one another. “The mission is to help members come together to educate ourselves and get referrals. We are about promoting business between members and the public at large,” Bockwinkel said. Chief Black discussed the effect the community policing approach has had on creating a safer city. “It was interesting to hear that property crimes are most prevalent. He shared a statistic that 90 percent of property crimes could be alleviated if people just secured their property. It’s a crime of opportunity. If they can’t get in, they leave. It’s that simple,” Bockwinkel said.

Chief Black stressed the importance of a community effort in alleviating such crimes of opportunity. “We have a community policing and problem-solving philosophy we teach to all department employees. It is meant to identify what issues occur and to assess who may be best able to solve the problem,” said Davis Police Captain Darren Pytel, who worked for the DPD for the past 25 years. Community policing has been an active philosophy and method implemented by the DPD for quite some time. It is a preemptive method used to create an atmosphere where crime and other issues can be approached through problem solving. “It’s an intelligence-led policing that is meant to predict what crime might occur and allow us to make operational decisions to plan what resources to deploy,” Pytel said. The I-House that hosted the Progressive Business Exchange community meeting is also dedicated to a strong Davis community. “The I-House is an independent nonprofit that’s been around for 32 years. The crime in Davis hasn’t touched us specifically, but we are aware that some I-House members are targeted,” said Elisabeth Sherwin, I-House executive director. Bockwinkel said he is confident in Black’s approach to maintaining the vibrant Davis community. “Chief Black works hard and he’s involved in the community. You need all those components to have a lasting and significant impact,” Bockwinkel said. GABRIELLA HAMLETT can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

place for the city to do outreach and interact with the market’s 7,000 visitors every Saturday. In addition to community outreach, the booth shows City Hall’s support of the Davis Farmers Market. “We do have a remarkable partnership

[with the city] that is very unique of any of the 850 farmers markets in the state of California,” MacNear said. “Our city really puts themselves behind the farmers market and understands how important it is to the community.” MacNear said she feels that the city’s presence at the market is most effective when there are members at the booth who can take the input from the community back to City Hall and make changes according to that input. “[The city’s] willingness to come out and talk to people is a big deal; I think that really speaks to who they are and how they care about their citizens,” MacNear said. Although the city’s booth at the market has been a success, Wolk said he believes that it could be improved. Wolk said he would like to see more outreach from the city’s leadership level to UC Davis. “It makes me think, being at the [farmers] market, that there’s got to be a better way to reach out to UC Davis students,” Wolk said. “There are things that we need to focus on that are directed at the students themselves.” Stachowicz said the city’s next step in outreach may be having a monthly booth on the UC Davis Quad on a weekday, allowing students to have direct access to council members and city departments. City Hall will be at the Davis Farmers Market on March 9, featuring the public works department. SYDNEY COHEN can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

Professor creates male birth control pill By Hailey Colwell

Minnesota Daily (University of Minnesota)

As U. Minnesota students reach for condoms to prevent pregnancy, one professor is on the verge of creating a male contraceptive similar to the female birth control pill. The College of Pharmacy’s Department of Medicinal Chemistry head Gunda Georg is working with a team of scientists to develop Gamendazole, a drug that may give males an alternative to condoms and vasectomies. The drug has shown effectiveness in tests on rats, rabbits and nonhuman primates, Georg said. The research team will soon begin requesting approval from the Food and Drug Administration to test the drug in a clinical setting. Georg said the drug will be a “reversible” alternative to permanent vasectomies because men will be able to take the pill to temporarily minimize fertility and can regain it if they stop taking it. The drug would give people another option to plan pregnancy, she said. Gamendazole faces a long road to the pharmaceutical market because it’s designed for healthy individuals, Georg said. Because of that, the pill is required to be completely free of side effects, like potential sperm damage, before being released onto the market. “Usually when you develop a drug, it is for a disease, and certainly fertility is not a disease,” she said. “This drug has to be absolutely clean, and that’s a very high hurdle to take.” Developing new male contraceptives has been historically slow because it’s much more difficult to block sperm than eggs, Georg said. Every milliliter of semen produced has 15 to 200 million sperm, she said.

“That gives you an idea [of] how difficult that might be to control as opposed to controlling one egg.” While there’s a perception that men will not want to use a contraceptive pill, Georg said, many men have responded to studies saying they would want to take it. “I think that men are actually more willing to do this than a lot of people think,” she said. Some UM students said releasing a male birth control pill into the market could have a positive effect. Mechanical engineering freshman Dan Sherman said men would probably take the contraceptive as another option to prevent unwanted pregnancy. “It would make everything safer and better,” he said. Another UM student, Katie Hanson, said it would be more practical if both genders could take a pill. “I think it makes sense for guys to take birth control,” she said. Other students showed concern about how people would respond to a new male contraceptive after years of having only the female birth control pill available. UM student Tegan Martin said though she thinks male birth control pills are a good idea, she’s not sure if people will change their contraceptive habits. “I don’t know how easily it will catch on,” she said. Shane DeGroy, a student in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, said having another option to minimize accidental pregnancy would be helpful, but it would work best if both genders took responsibility for birth control. “If a guy still thinks it’s the woman’s job to do it,” DeGroy said, “I’m not sure [men will use it].” Condoms for now

While researchers continue developing the male birth control pill, University students turn to condoms as their main source of contraception. Among sexually active University students, almost half reported using a condom the last time they had vaginal intercourse, according to Boynton Health Service’s 2010 College Student Health Survey report. Condoms are the most common method used by University students to prevent pregnancy, followed by the birth control pill, according to the report. “Sexual health is an important part of health care,” Student Health Advisory Committee member Lauren Beach said. “It’s important that we raise awareness over ways that people can protect themselves.” Health and wellness junior Amy Whitburn said it’s important to educate students on sexual health care products because not every student comes to college aware of them. “A lot of people come from high schools or places that they don’t have comprehensive sex [education], and in college people are starting new experiences,” Whitburn said. “If they haven’t had a condom demo or they haven’t have some sort of experience with sexual health ... that can lead to a lot of issues.” Whitburn works as a coordinator for Sexual Health Awareness and Disease Education, a Boyntonsponsored group that works to inform students on sexual health. During 2011-12, SHADE handed out more than 100,000 condoms to students on campus. “The fact that it’s that popular of a program demonstrates that it’s an incredibly important part of public health outreach and services on campus,” Beach said.

Thursday, february 21, 2013 9

The california aggie

New bike tunnel opens in South Davis Tunnel adds to city’s existing bicycle path network By PAAYAL ZAVERI Aggie Staff Writer

On Feb. 12 at 11 a.m., the City of Davis dedicated a new bike path and tunnel located near the recently opened New Harmony Mutual Housing Community in South Davis. City officials and residents were in attendance. The tunnel that connects to the bike path was originally installed in 1990, but had been buried because funding was not available to develop it. The tunnel is located under Drummond Avenue and connects to the city’s existing network of bike paths. “It’s amazing that back then they had a foresight to place a metal pipe under the road,” said Bob Bowen, City of Davis public relations manager. “The New Harmony Project provided funding that was able to

marriage

connect the bike tunnel to the low-income housing development so families and kids can ride their bikes.” Funding for the tunnel and improvements to the bike path were shared by city funding, grant funds and developer funds from New Harmony. It was a requirement by the city for the developers of New Harmony to contribute to funding the bike tunnel. The total project cost was $424,990. New Harmony Mutual Housing Community is located at 3030 Cowell Blvd. Danielle Foster, City of Davis housing program manager, said residents started moving in on Feb. 1 and is about two-thirds occupied already. Also considered an environmentally-friendly development, it is one of the first certified green developments of the Mutual Housing construction company.

legal standing of its proponents and could see it nullified, as the proposition would be found unconstitutional. Should that be the outcome, the way would be paved for same-sex marriages to be legalized in California, while a case being heard the following day could see the Defense of Marriage Act overturned, meaning that the federal government would also recognize same-sex marriage. That prospect has raised the hopes of Mikalson and Walker would be permitted to legally wed after a decision is reached sometime in June. “I’m hoping they do the right thing and step on the right side of history,” Mikalson said. In contrast, proponents of Prop. 8 are pushing for the Supreme Court will uphold the proposition. “The lower courts rejected all relevant Supreme Court and appellate court precedent. We are confident that the Supreme Court will uphold its precedent and affirm California’s freedom to protect marriage,” said ProtectMarriage.com lead counsel Charles J. Cooper with the Cooper & Kirk law firm. The Supreme Court case comes at a time when the issue of same-sex marriage is firmly etched on to the global political agenda. In Britain, a bill legalizing marriage between homosexual couples recently passed the House of Commons on Feb. 5, with the lower house of the French Parliament following suit shortly thereafter Feb. 12. The Illinois Senate, moreover, passed a measure only last Thursday that raises the promise of legalization of same-sex marriages within that state. With political pressure mounting, advocates believe it is only a matter of time before same-sex marriages are legalized across the U.S. “We know we’re winning in the court of public opinion and we know eventually we will win. It’s just a matter of time,” Bailes said. This is a sentiment that is echoed in Congress, with an increasing number of prominent politicians speaking out in favor of same-sex marriage. “I hope this is the last year any committed loving couple in California has to request a marriage license symbolically. Marriage equality will be here soon, and it can’t come soon enough,” said Congressperson John Garamendi, who represents California’s third district, in an email. While marriage equality remains arguably the most attainable goal to redress the civil rights grievances facing the LGBT community, Mikalson acknowledges that should the Supreme Court rule against Prop. 8, there would still be much progress to be made. “The right to marry is not the beall and end-all of civil rights for people whose sexual orientation or gender identity do not fit with society’s norms,” Mikalson said. “This is just one step. It’s not the entire fight.”

Cont. from front page Shelly Bailes and Ellen Pontac, Yolo County chapter leaders of Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA), has taken place every Valentine’s Day — the clerk office’s busiest day in the calendar — for over 15 years. Similar action was coordinated by MEUSA across the U.S., with events being held in San Francisco; Houston, Texas and Columbus, Ohio among other locations. Requesting the permit is a purely symbolic move, as state law currently prohibits same-sex marriage. “This is the first time we’ve been able to participate rather than just show our support,” Mikalson said. Mikalson was visibly overwhelmed following the county clerk’s rebuff. “I started to choke up and tears came to my eyes. I was surprised I became so upset even though I had known all along what was going to happen,” Mikalson said. Pontac agreed that having an application for a marriage license rejected has a profound psychological impact. “It is absolutely heartbreaking to know that you are truly treated as a second-class citizen,” she said. “To see that happening to your friends is unbelievably painful.” The atmosphere outside the Sacramento County clerk’s office was further soured by the presence of a small group of opposition protesters holding aloft a banner asserting that marriage should remain exclusively between one man and one woman. Bailes felt the best response to the protesters, who were wearing American River College T-shirts, was to ignore them. “Speaking with them only agitates us and that’s what they want. They want to draw attention to the fact they’re there, and if nobody speaks to them, nobody gives them the attention they want,” she said. Pontac, furthermore, noted that the dwindling numbers of protesters opposing same-sex marriage in recent years illustrates the shift occurring in public opinion. “There used to be a lot more of them, but they’re getting less and less,” she said. “They’re losing, and I think they know they are. It’s a difficult fight to keep fighting if you know you are on the losing side.” Pontac and Bailes went on to share a defiant kiss in front of the protestors. The couple, who have been together for 39 years, took the opportunity to wed during the brief window in 2008 when same-sex marriage was legal in California. That window was closed following the passage of Proposition 8, which narrowly passed in California during the 2008 electoral cycle. Prop. 8 — which amended the state Constitution so that only marriages between a man and a woman would be recognized — created a legal loophole, in that the California Supreme Court had legalized same-sex marriage six months prior. That decision could be overturned yet again as the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear the case for Prop. 8 on March 25. The case against Prop. 8 will negate the JOE STEPTOE can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

Amiel Chanowitz / Aggie

education

otherwise. “I think changing the system is stupid. It’s fine how it is and Davis High School is already big enough. Plus it would only add to bullying,” Petres said. The Board will decide what structure to implement after listening to several reports and weighing all the options. “Whatever the decision may be, it will be well thought-out, meaningful, educationally sound and balanced with a financial benefit,” Mari said.

Cont. from front page move the ninth graders to force kids to grow up and give them more opportunities,” said Graham Daniel, a UC Davis second-year nutrition and psychology double major, and former Holmes Junior High and Davis High School student. Caroline Petres, a Wheaton College third-year Asian studies major and former Holmes Junior High student, thought MELISSA GAHERTY can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

Construction began in 2011. Dave Kemp, the City of Davis active transportation coordinator, said the tunnel will provide access to 50 miles of bike paths in the city. The Davis bicycle network covers approximately 10 miles in the city and the new tunnel will be another grade-separated bicycle crossing in Davis. The City of Davis now has 20 bike tunnels and another nine bridges that contribute to the overall bicycle path network. “It’s a significant east-west connection across Davis and it connects all the way to Dave Pelz bridge in East Davis,” Kemp said. At the dedication ceremony, former city engineer Will Marshall recounted Davis’ history with bike paths. Davis was the first city to build official bike lanes in 1967. As a result, it has been a model for many other

U.S cities in developing a safe, integrated network of bike paths in a city. Additionally, Davis’ bicycle transportation network was named the first Platinum Bicycle Friendly Community in 2005 by the League of American Bicyclists. The U.S. Census Bureau showed that Davis has the highest number of bicycle commuters in the U.S. About 22.1 percent of the population commutes to school and work on bicycles. “The tunnel will bring new life and development to land that has been vacant for a long time,” Foster said. “It’s a better connection to South Davis, downtown and campus for the residents of the affordable housing units, and provides them with an alternate mode of transportation.” PAAYAL ZAVERI can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

Camp with intent Cal Aggie Camp provides activities for underprivileged kids

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UC Davis students and alumni volunteer at Cal Aggie Camp, a sleep-away camp for children from foster care and underprivileged families.

By ALICE LEE

Aggie Features Writer

UC Davis students and alumni are given the opportunity to volunteer and help children from foster care and underprivileged families through a two-week summer camp called Cal Aggie Camp. “Cal Aggie Camp is a sleep-away summer camp for youth from underserved communities in Sacramento and nearby counties,” said volunteer John Vu, a fourth-year biochemistry and molecular biology major. “I believe our purpose is to provide a safe place where these kids can just be kids for a week and not have to worry about their troubles at home and the stresses in their day-today lives.” Cal Aggie Camp takes place for two weeks in July. The first week is for 6- to 12-year-olds while the second week is for 13- to 17-year-olds. The camp brings about 200 children every year and the staff aims to reach out to underprivileged kids to give them a week of nature-filled adventures, free of charge. “It is very rewarding to know you are making a difference in the campers’ lives. It teaches you to be a better leader and work together with the other counselors,” said student activities official Olivia Hirsch. “It is so much fun bonding with everyone at camp and participating in quintessential camp activities. It can be exhausting at times because it is 24 hours a day for two weeks, but watching campers grow in just a week and really enjoy the traditions at camp is amazing.” At Cal Aggie Camp, there is a similar schedule every day for the children while the activities vary greatly. Mornings usually start off with a polar bear swim in the lake. Afternoons are filled with activities ranging from dodgeball, arts and crafts, nature walks, canoeing and dance classes. There are trips to the nearby Yuba River for the older campers and nighttime activities such as capture the flag and talent shows. “The nighttime activity is probably my

favorite part. It is always a camp-wide activity such as a campfire, talent show, scavenger hunt and capture the flag. The last night of camp is a really special night with a closing campfire,” Hirsch said. “We end the night with wish boats that the campers make during the week with things that can be found around camp. Each wish boat has a lit candle on it and they get pushed into the water. Each camper and counselor gets to make a wish on a boat. It can be a very emotional night for campers and counselors.” UC Davis students and alumni work together to contribute to what the children say is their favorite time of the year. In addition to working with the group of kids, the counselors and volunteers are allowed to connect with other staff members because they spend 24 hours a day for two weeks together. According to director Anni Kimball, Cal Aggie Camp brings together a very diverse group of students because they have one common goal: to help kids. Applications are available through today at vacancy.ucdavis.edu. Cal Aggie Camp is accepting applications for counselors, cooks and life guards. The requirements vary for each position, but the underlying trait that they are looking for is that applicants are passionate about working with kids and are going to be able to contribute to the fun, spontaneous and positive environment at the camp. “Cal Aggie Camp is a chance for you to not only be a kid again in a way, but to really make an impact in your life,” Vu said. “Throughout college, we always think about ways to become successful, but when it comes down to it, the meaning in life comes from the connections you make with people and the impact and change you make in the world you live in. Over the past three years, Cal Aggie Camp has really taught me that and provided me with the opportunity to do something totally awesome and tangible with my life.” ALICE LEE can be reached at features@theaggie.org.

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the california aggie

thursday, february 21, 2013

Women’s Basketball Preview

Teams: UC Davis vs. UC Riverside; vs. Cal State Fullerton Records: Aggies, 10-14 (5-8); Highlanders, 11-12 (4-8); Titans 7-17 (3-9) Where: The Pavilion — Davis, Calif. When: Thursday at 7 p.m.; Saturday at 4 p.m. Who to watch: Senior Cortney French is UC Davis’ three-point specialist. The Aggies took down the Titans with 39 points coming from beyond the arc, 12 of which were from the hands of French. If the Aggies come in with the same confidence from beyond the three-point line as they did last time they matched up with the Titans, they will be in good shape. French’s hot hand can easily put up high numbers on the board for UC Davis. Did you know: The last time UC Davis faced off with Cal State Fullerton, it put 88 points on the board and shot 60 percent from the field, its highest shooting percentage and point total this season. The Aggies shot 30-50 and 13-22 from beyond the three-point line for almost 60 percent from the arc. Interestingly, this was one of UC Davis’ poorer games in terms of free-throws, dropping below 70 percent from the line. This was the first time — and has occurred five times since — the Aggies failed to shoot 70 percent from the charity stripe. Preview: As the season winds down, UC Davis has found itself stuck around the same standing in the Big West Conference. The Aggies’ 5-8 conference record has

Lucas Bolster / Aggie

Senior Courtney French landed four three-point shots against the Titans. fluctuated up and down, but they have remained relatively constant in their seventh-place slot. The Aggies added two losses to their record with the brutal road trip to Hawai’i then to Cal State Northridge. Last Thursday, UC Davis fell to Hawai’i by a 59-48 score then dropped a nail-biter to the Matadors in a 51-49 game that came down to the wire. The good news for UC Davis is

that it has just as good a record in away games as it does at home. The bad news is that record is a 4-7 mark. This weekend, the Aggies will have the chance to add two more wins to their record. UC Davis has played UCR and CSU Fullerton already this year and emerged with wins after both games. The Highlanders are 4-8 in the Big West and UC Davis took them

Baseball Preview Teams: UC Davis vs. Utah Records: Aggies, 3-1; Utah, 1-2 Where: Dobbins Stadium, Davis When: Friday 2 at p.m.; Saturday at 1 p.m.; Sunday at 1 p.m.; Monday at 12 p.m. Who to Watch: Nick Lynch is off to a hot start after he hit 7 for 16 against Washington over the weekend. He came through in the clutch when the team needed hits and knocked in three runs. Lynch is a sophomore from Burlingame, Calif. who played his high school ball at Saint Ignatius in San Francisco. He bats in the middle of the order and is usually the designated hitter. Last season, he was recognized as a Louisville Slugger Freshman AllAmerican and also was selected for the All-Big West Conference second team. Coming off a solid hitting year of batting .302 and holding a .450 slugging percentage, there are big expectations for Lynch. He showed a little bit of pop by hitting four home runs, but he mainly did his work with base hits and occasional walks accumulating a .392 on-base percentage. Did you know? Senior Paul Politi started every single one of the 57 games last season. Occupying third base, he led the team in

many offensive statistics including at-bats, batting average, hits, RBI and total bases. For every other statistic, he finished in the top five amongst his teammates. Politi graduated from Los Gatos High School and dominated the competition, batting .477 with 17 doubles, four homers and a staggering .590 on-base percentage. He was recognized to be on the All-De Ariza League first team and the All-Bay World Series first team, while receiving the MVP award in the North-South All-Star Game in his senior year. Preview: After a successful opening weekend of baseball, UC Davis will face off against Utah in a fourgame series from Friday to Monday. The Aggies won their series at Washington by winning three out of four games last weekend. Utah comes into the series with a record of 1-2 after it traveled to Los Angeles for a series against Loyola Marymount. The Utes finished last in the Pac-12 Conference standings last season, losing their final seven games. They held a conference record of 7-23 and an overall record of 14-42. Utah's pitching staff held a 5.20 earned-run average, which was the worst in the Pac-12 last year, and its offense struggled to generate runs. The team fin-

ished last in batting average, runs, hits, walks and strikeouts in the conference last season. UC Davis looks to improve from a 27-30 record last year, which had an impressive home record of 17-11 and 10-19 on the road. Its conference record was even at 12-12 and finished fifth in the Big West Conference in 2012. The team hit a combined 22 home runs last year and only allowed 25 with the help of the big home outfield and solid defense. With their first nine games being played at home, the Aggies will look to take advantage of sleeping in their own beds until they travel to Stillwater, Okla. to play Oklahoma State in March. "I think that without having to travel, we start off trying to get used to the season grind and being out on the field a little bit longer and wear and tear on your body," Politi said. "You'll be able to handle it and manage it better when you're home, so I think that it's going to help us out and get our feet rolling before we really start moving around and traveling." The forecast shows no signs of rain, so it looks to be a favorable weekend of baseball in Davis. — Luke Bae

down 61-49 the last time it played on the home court of UCR. The Aggies have gone 2-4 since that matchup and will be hungry for a win. Against the Titans, UC Davis’ offense exploded for an 88-point outburst, getting 16 point contributions from freshmen Aniya Baker and Alyson Doherty. CSU Fullerton is 3-9 in the Big West and is 1-9 in away games despite a respectable 6-6 at home. The

Aggies will have the home court advantage in the matchup with the Titans. For the game on Saturday afternoon, the Aggies will hope to have the same spark that fuels their offense and gives them a win. Two victories this weekend would go a long way for the Aggies, who, after this weekend, will have just three games left in the season. — Matthew Yuen

Softball Preview

Event: NFCA Leadoff Classic Teams: UC Davis vs. Southern Illinois; vs. James Madison; vs. Michigan; vs. USF; vs. Illinois State; vs. Fordham Records: Aggies (5-5); Salukis (4-6); Dukes (4-1); Wolverines (6-2); Bulls (6-3); Redbirds (5-5); Rams (4-1) Where: Eddie C. Moore Complex, Clearwater, FL When: Friday 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Sunday 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. (All times are Pacific Time) Who to watch: Junior Chandler Wagner made her presence known at the Stanford Invitational just this last weekend, batting .500 with numerous clutch runs batted in. Wagner’s hitting prowess was highlighted in the Aggies’ two matchups against the Santa Clara Broncos where she went 1-2 in the first game, followed by 2-2 in the second. In the latter, she posted three RBIs off of a double and a triple in the Aggies’ demolition derby 14-1 victory over the Broncos. The Aggies will rely on Wagner’s deadly bat to lead them to success against tough opponents that they will face in the coming weekend’s NFCA Leadoff Classic. Did you know? A little known fact about Clearwater, Fla., the weekend destination for our diamond gals, is that it is the Philadelphia Phillies’ spring training stomping grounds. With Major League pitchers and catchers reporting for spring training just last week, dare I say that our Aggies have the potential of crossing paths with a Phillie? Even though the chance of this occurring is unlikely, at least they can claim to be within a five-minute car ride of the Phillie greats. Preview: At this point in UC Davis softball’s demanding schedule, the team is set to face one tough opponent after the next. With little time in between tourna-

ments, the Aggies will need to stay physically and mentally fresh in transition from the Stanford Invitational to a challenging weekend ahead at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Fla. The Aggies’ grueling weekend ahead has them scheduled to take on six different opponents in six games over the course of three days. All but one of the upcoming matchups will be against teams currently with a .500 record or higher. There is no doubt that the trip to Florida will not be a vacation for UC Davis; however, the opportunity will prove to be invaluable for a young Aggie team. “We are really excited about our trip to Florida and I think that this is a great chance for our program,” said coach Karen Yoder. In order to be successful on the weekend, the Aggies will need to both remain offensively hot, but also continue to improve defensively. Here, the old adage that you cannot win without defense rings true. As always, minimizing errors and capitalizing on opportunities will be keys for success. The motto for the upcoming weekend, and the rest of the season as a whole, will be to execute in pivotal situations. Not only will the Aggies be facing stellar adversaries, but they will also be challenged physically as they will experience three days of consecutive double headers, culminating in a Sunday start at 6:30 a.m. However, this is nothing the Aggies have not already prepared for physically throughout the first portion of their arduous season. With all of this being said, with the combination of a young season and a young team, there is no doubt that the Aggies will benefit greatly from the experience awaiting them in Florida. “It will be a great opportunity to face a few challenges,” Yoder said. — Alli Kopas

Men’s Basketball Preview Teams: UC Davis at Long Beach State; vs. Northern Colorado Records: Aggies 11-13 (7-6); 49ers 16-9 (10-2); Bears 9-15 (7-9) Where: Walter Pyramid — Long Beach, Calif.; The Pavilion — Davis, Calif. When: Wednesday at 7:05 p.m.; Saturday at 7 p.m. Who to watch: Junior Ryan Sypkens smashed two long-standing school records with one shot on Valentine’s Day. The historic three-pointer broke the single season three-point record, and also gave him the record for most 3-pointers scored in a career. The Elk Grove, Calif. native is 91-188 from the three-point line this season, giving the Aggie faithful plenty of opportunities to throw their “forks up!” Jokingly known as “Snipe-kens,” Ryan still has six regular season games left to try and break the 100 mark. “Sypkens rarely misses. He shoots with confidence and it shows,” said head coach Jim Les. Did you know? Not surprisingly, sophomore Corey Hawkins has earned yet another accolade this season. During UC Davis’ home

sweep last week, Hawkins scored a whopping 52 points and shot 61.5 percent from the floor. Hawkins has scored 437 points in his first season as an Aggie. If he continues to carry his 19.9 points per game average, he should not struggle to break the all-time leading scorer in Aggie history. Preview: It is finally Long Beach State time. The 49ers are the top team in conference and the Aggies have been waiting all season to go up against the best. The challenges are numerous. First, Long Beach State has yet to lose at home this season. Second, they are stacked with talent. They have size, shooters and incredible defenders and UC Davis is going to be hard-pressed to beat them. To be fair, the Aggies have been playing their best basketball of the season lately. Hawkins continues to scorch opposing defenses, and Sypkens is always good for four or five 3-pointers. Senior point guard Paolo Mancasola has been managing this red-hot offense, while still managing to find buckets for himself. UC Davis’ biggest weapon is its accuracy from the free-throw line so fouling does not give opponents

any kind of competitive edge. This is a benchmark game for the Aggies. With the Big West Conference tournament approaching, they need to know how they stack up against the top competitor. Coach Les is confident that his team can play a great game on Wednesday night, and possibly come home with a win. "I am really pleased with the type of effort the guys are putting in, particularly defensively, and on the boards. Last game we held Hawai'i to 65 [points] and tonight we limited Northridge to 61 [points],” Les said. “We outrebounded both teams, that has been an area the staff has been emphasizing in practice and film sessions. This team continues to get better ... if we can defend and rebound, we will continue to give ourselves a chance to win.” After the contest in Long Beach, the Aggies get to return home to face off against Northern Colorado as part of an ESPN BracketBusters doubleheader. The men’s team kicks off the action at 1:30, and the women follow with a match against Lucas Bolster / Aggie Cal State Fullerton at 4:00 p.m. Junior Ryan Sypkens broke two school records with one — Kim Carr

three-pointer on Valentine’s Day.