November 17, 2016

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WHAT’S INSIDE?

ELECTION RESULTS

WATER IS SACRED, WATER IS LIFE

AGGIE STYLE WATCH

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the California Aggie

SERVING THE UC DAVIS CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY SINCE 1915

University of California among largest source of donations to Clinton

VOLUME 135, ISSUE 9 | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

AARON JAUREZ / AGGIE FILE

Former Chancellor Katehi currently on paid sabbatical leave

NICKI PADAR / AGGIE

Despite UC support, Clinton loses presidential election to Trump BY IVAN VALENZUEL A campus@theaggie.org Individuals from the University of California (UC) system were the largest source of cash from any single organization for 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, according to a new study by the Center for Responsive Politics (CRP). Despite failing to secure the presidency, Clinton’s campaign outspent Republican nominee Donald Trump’s by more than $300 million. “The money came from the organizations’ PACs; their individual members, employees or owners; and those individuals’ immediate families,” the CRP said on its website. “At the federal level, the organizations themselves did not donate, as they are prohibited by law from doing so.” The CRP, an independent nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., is a research group which looks at the flow of financial contributions and its effects on elections and public policy. Individuals from the UC raised more money than several large companies in the US, including many tech companies in Silicon Valley, another large source of funding for Clinton. Employees for the UC raised $1.37 billion for the Democratic nominee. Workers affiliated with Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google, were second in financial contributions, coming in at $1.32 billion. “At first blush, I’m surprised,” said Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School, in an article published by the San Francisco Chronicle. “People who work at UC make a lot less than people who work at Google or Alphabet, Inc., so in that sense it’s surprising, but you have to think about the size of the employer.” Antoine Menager, a second-year economics major and executive director of the Davis College Democrats, believes that Clinton’s election loss was in part due to a disconnect between the Democratic party and its supporters. “The idea that Democrats have of their base and the people who are actually voting for them is not exactly CLINTON on 12

Katehi writes memoir, moves out of chancellor housing BY AARON LISS campus@theaggie.org Linda P.B. Katehi, the Former UC Davis Chancellor has settled into a paid sabbatical leave this academic year after a series of controversies. Katehi, who resigned as chancellor on Aug. 9, is currently writing a memoir about her experiences as a woman in the electrical engineering field and as an administrative figure. She will return to campus as an electrical engineering professor and researcher in fall 2017. The $424,360 paid year of sabbatical leave provides a transitionary period for Kaheti. “[I’ve] always wanted to write a memoir, and I found that being on sabbatical leave would be the best time to do it,” Katehi said. “After that, I will be teaching next year and it would be very hard to write and publish.” Katehi believes that women often face higher scrutiny and are at times held to sexist standards. “For the same mistake, women will be criticized more,” Katehi said. “A lot of times they are called unable to lead. And I thought it’s so important nowadays to talk about gender issues, and to talk about the glass ceiling.” Katehi recently moved out of the chancellor’s house, located at 16 College Park Avenue. The university furnished the chancellor’s house in 1998 for $185,000. When Katehi moved in, this furniture was donated and scattered throughout UC Davis buildings in order for Katehi to make room for personal furniture. As a result, UC Davis may now have to foot the bill to replace this “lost” furniture. Brian Micek, a class of 1999 UC Davis alumnus and campus activist, believes that Katehi should have kept the original furniture. “You can reupholster furniture; you don’t need to throw it out because it’s inconvenient,” Micek said. “I still use a dining table that’s 100 years old.”

Nov. 8 2016: An Election Day Many May Never Forget

Katehi, whose new title is “chancellor emerita” under an agreement with UC President Janet Napolitano in the resignation conditions, will shift to an electrical engineering professorial and research role next academic year. Katehi said that she is excited to move back into classroom instruction after her administrative duties of chancellor and that she has missed being a professor. However, some UC Davis community members feel frustrated that Katehi has received a paid sabbatical leave and has retained a job on campus. “As an alumnus, I was personally disappointed at Linda Katehi’s tenure at UC Davis,” Micek said. “The decision made about furniture at the chancellor’s house shows how decisions were made in her tenure. A lot of decisions were made that were personally beneficial to Linda Katehi that didn’t really encompass the ideal of a land grant university and a public.” Katehi plans on focusing on her upcoming academic endeavors rather than her past controversies, such as advocating for women in STEM. “Women have tried for so many years to break the glass ceiling,” Katehi said. “I think, at least, I saw that, even now after so many years, we are not helping women find positions. In every profession, in every position, women have to do more than their male colleagues.” Katehi believes that there is a trend of women having to prove themselves as qualified, while men are automatically assumed to have potential. “[Women] have to always demonstrate their ability,” Katehi said. “Only 5 percent of Fortune 500 companies have women CEOs and less than 10 percent have women on their government boards.” Katehi hopes to see more women involved in STEM in the future. “In engineering, there are very few women,” Katehi said. “For years, I have had lots of experience in [electrical engineering]. I always thought

TIPS FOR HOLIDAY TRIPS

CHRISTIE NEO / AGGIE

LUCY KNOWLES / AGGIE

Election results are in, Americans concerned for what the future holds BY BIANCA ANTUNEZ city@theaggie.org As Election Day came to a close, and the results trickled in, it proved a difficult time for many as Americans worried about the next president and the future of the country. As the night progressed, some people rejoiced at the results of this year’s election, while many heads hung in sorrow. By the end of the night, the United States elected a Republican-controlled Senate, a Republican-controlled House of Representatives and a Republican-controlled White House. As residents in a progressive state, many Californians and UC Davis students felt shock and terror regarding the choices the nation had made. While students and residents ran to the streets in protest of Donald J. Trump’s presidential victory on Nov. 8, Davis mayor Robb Davis extended his hand and listened to the concerns of many people downtown, who felt fearful and concerned about the safety of certain groups of people. “This is a time that we as a city need to come together and say what it is we value in each other,” Davis said. “We need to make commitments to

each other and discuss how we are going to deal with vulnerable populations, people who are legitimately experiencing fear. We need to decide how we are going to be as people to counter to exclusion and hate that has been so much part of the campaign.” Irene Ezran, a third-year Spanish and International Relations major, supports students’ rights to protest against Trump’s presidency. “Had the opposition been a respectful candidate, I wouldn’t have been in favor of protesting so much, and instead I would have encouraged moving forward as a country,” Ezran said. “Given the fact that Clinton won the popular vote, and Trump’s rhetoric is offensive to millions of Americans, particularly immigrants, Muslims, women and disabled people, as students we have the right and duty to show that we do not stand by his values of hatred and intolerance.” While the headline of this election was the race for presidency between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, there were also many regional measures for Californians to vote on: ELECTION on 12

KATEHI on 12

UC Davis students share various ways to get home for school breaks BY JENNIE CHANG features@theaggie.org Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and after nine weeks of assignments, midterms and papers, many students are eager to get home for a four-day weekend with family, friends and loved ones. However, before enjoying a holiday break filled with feasting and relaxing, first comes the important question of how to get home. Those with homes in Northern California are able to conveniently drive or take the train home within just a few hours. However, international students, out-of-state students and even students from Southern California experience very different traveling processes. For students traveling to Southern California, driving from Davis can take anywhere from six to 10 hours. “A good chunk of the day will be given up to just driving,” said Tiffany Liem, a fourth-year animal science major who drives home to Los Angeles during breaks. “Usually the first hour is okay, and then you get sleepy. The second and third hour[s] [are] the worst of the whole drive.”

Driving for an extensive amount of time can be a tedious and tiring experience, so Liem offers various tips for staying awake and brightening the mood during such long drives. “I use music to keep myself awake,” Liem said. “I do sing to my own music and turn it a little louder when [I’m] alone. Also [...] take a few snacks every now and then. If you’re ever sleepy, chew on something. I go to Berkeley to pick [my brother] up, [and] having a person there with you actually helps a lot when you talk with them.” A popular method among students for finding transportation home is posting in the UC Davis rideshare Facebook group. Through this group, students can either offer or request rides to certain destinations for other UC Davis community members. Students who do not have cars in Davis or who have to go farther than driving distance to get to their holiday festivities have other options for traveling. Some students take Amtrak trains and those traveling farther away often choose to fly. “When I used to know my schedule, I usually BREAKS on 12


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THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

2016 Fall Quarter election results announced Six senators elected, judicial branch to be dissolved

BY ALYSSA VANDENBERG ca m pus @thea g g ie.org

Fall Quarter election results were released online at elections.ucdavis.edu on Nov. 11 at 4 p.m. 2,116 students voted in the election. Out of the 10 candidates who ran, six were elected.

BRIAN LANDRY / AGGIE

The perks of having professors as pals Faculty-student relationships can prove mutually beneficial BY HANNAH H O L Z E R fea tu r e s@th e a ggie . o r g

In effort to get to know her upper division French students, professor Claire Goldstein invited her class for lemonade and a game of boules, a French game similar to bocce. As the students engaged in cultural activities, Goldstein got the opportunity to interact with them outside of the classroom, and she thoroughly enjoyed their conversations. “I like to know what [students are] doing, [...] what they’re interested in and their experiences,” Goldstein said. “I get some of my best ideas about teaching from really hearing what students are [saying and] their perspectives.” From organizing committees, to having meals, to casually chatting, many UC Davis faculty

members are making the effort to connect with their students. One program on campus that tries to foster such connections is the Entrée to Education (E2E) program, planned by Student Housing, which invites a faculty member to eat a free meal with up to 10 students in the dining hall of their choice. Brandon Petitt, the director of the Office of Student Development, worked in a committee alongside students to create the program. “[We were] looking at ways to engage students to ensure their success [by specifically engaging] students with faculty on campus,” Petitt said. “One key idea was [for students and faculty to] have a meal together. Where we finally landed was on the Entrée to Education program.” For the last two years, the E2E program has been providing students with dining hall access

HANNAH LEE / AGGIE

BY YVONNE LEON G ca mpu s @ th e a ggi e .o r g

ASUCD Interim Vice President Adilla Jamaludin called to order the first November senate meeting in the Memorial Union’s Mee Room at 6:11 p.m. on Nov. 3. Senators Julie Jung and Ricardo Martinez were absent during quorum roll call. Martinez arrived late.

The senate began with questions for new senator Matthew Chase McFadden. Questions focused on McFadden’s knowledge of general ASUCD processes, his platforms and his commitment to being a senator. McFadden showed knowledge and interest regarding senatorial duties, environmental issues and issues surrounding Greek life. Next, Office of Advocacy & Student

The six new senators will be Simran Grewal, Anastasia Ruttkay, Julie Jung, Daniel Nagey, Matthew Yamaguchi and Jose Antonio V. Meneses.Grewal and Jung ran on the Summit slate. Ruttkay, Nagey and Meneses ran on the BASED slate, and Yamaguchi ran independently. The sole measure on the ballot, a constitutional amendment to dissolve the ASUCD Judicial Branch, passed.

the opportunity to dine with faculty. Carolyn Thomas, professor of American Studies and Vice Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Education, recently participated in the program and said that, although mostly just resident advisors (RAs) joined her, it was a worthwhile experience. “It went well,” Thomas said. “There were mostly RAs who were there when I went [and] we talked about housing, [...] what the experience is for students who are RAs and how much they enjoy working with first year students. We also talked about their classes [and] concerns that they had.” Thomas said she was so impressed with the RAs who showed up to eat with her that she invited them to join her advisory board — one RA took her up on the offer which, she said, “was a really nice outcome.” Thomas’ advisory board is a diverse group of about 10 students which meet with her once a quarter to talk about concerns or ideas about undergraduate education. Goldstein explained exactly what a faculty member can get out of prioritizing active outreach. “[I get to learn about] what [students] want to know, what they want to understand [and] what they think they understand about what’s happening,” Goldstein said. “It’s good for [students] to have the opportunity to meet faculty in [informal] situations.” After Jasneek Attwal, a fourth-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major, invited her chemistry professor to attend the annual Prytanean Women’s Honor Society’s Dinner for Ten event — in which students of the society bring one faculty member of their choosing to a large dinner — she said she was both excited and nervous. “He said yes and [the dinner] was wonderful,” Attwal said. “They sat us with people from different departments, even Prytanean alumnae, and we had

Representation (OASR) director Georgia Savage and OASR deputy director Sarah Shemery presented a report that included what each staff member has been doing and gave an update on UC Davis breaking off from the University of California Student Association (UCSA). Martinez expressed his disappointment with the lack of diversity in the Student of Color Conference (SOCC) leadership to the OASR representatives. Martín Giron, a student who attended the senate meeting, mentioned that multiple individuals from the Chicanx/Latinx community felt left out because SOCC is the only space for Chicanx/Latinx leaders to be represented. Savage believed this discussion should be held one-on-one and not in front of the senate. Senators Martinez and Chiang left the room to speak personally with the OASR leaders outside of the Mee Room. Hannah Ulansey, director of the Campus Center for Environment (CCE), presented a report about the CCE’s collaboration with the Center for Educational Effectiveness.

one of the coolest conversations ever. It expanded from bees, to biochemistry, to mosquitoes, to politics, to different types of law — it was really fun. And I definitely had a [closer] relationship with my professor after.” Both Attwal, who serves as the treasurer for the Prytanean Women’s Honor Society, and Sheila Kulkarni, a third-year chemistry major who serves as the historian, will help organize the Dinner for Ten this year. Both Attwal and Kulkarni said they feel fostering student and faculty relationships outside the classroom is important for both parties. “[Building connections] really enriches the educational experience for both students and teachers,” Kulkarni said. “It’s difficult for teachers to understand how students absorb knowledge, so getting to know your students as people, getting to understand how they learn, who they are as students and as people is very important in helping [faculty] teach and interact with their students on a very human level.” Some faculty members are even willing to live in close proximity with students. Petitt acknowledged landscape architecture professor David de la Peña who, alongside his family, lives in Primero Grove. De la Peña explains that meeting with his neighbors in an informal setting is what helps him get to know them the best. “I am there to help students connect with faculty in a comfortable setting,” de la Peña said in an e-mail interview. “Last week, we served churros and Mexican hot chocolate and chatted with a dozen or so students about moving to Davis about good places to hike and about study

The report also included Project Compost’s merger with CEE, implementing compost bins on campus and starting a “red cup clean up” campaign to reduce waste within Greek life at UC Davis. Three confirmations were then made during the meeting. Amelia Evard was confirmed as the Whole Earth Festival co-director. Doris Cortez was confirmed as Student Health and Wellness Center chair. Lastly, Sarah Risher was confirmed as Environmental Policy and Planning commission chair. There were no objections to the candidates. Ari Kelman, a representative for the Chancellor Search Committee and chair of the Faculty Subcommittee, presented Policy 7102, the Regent’s policy on how to search for a new chancellor. The faculty subcommission is assigned to do initial rounds of vetting. The chosen candidates can be ignored by President Napolitano. Following presentations and confirmations, legislations were presided over. Senate

POLICE LOGS

Davis residents especially deranged leading up to election DANIEL TAK / AGGIE FILE

SUN DOWN, BIKE LIGHTS OUT Don’t be left in the dark now that Daylight Savings Time has ended

BY SAM SOLOM O N ci ty@ th e a ggi e .o r g

Nov. 7 “Subject stated our pizza is ready and that we were supposed to order him food” Nov. 7 “Family members punching one another and trying to choke hold”

Nov. 7 “Unknown male subject hit the RPs daughter in the head with a golf ball” Nov. 7 “Two HBD subjects threw tacos and smashed the RPs window” Nov. 8 “Fairly large tumbleweed blocking right lane”

BY DIANNA RIVE RA city@thea g g ie.org

It is 4:45 in the afternoon, and the sun is already setting. With the ending of Daylight Savings Time on Nov. 6, nighttime has been extended from 10 hours to roughly 14 hours as the winter season approaches. Why is this change significant to Davis? The answer is not hard to find and lies just about anywhere you turn: bikes. As a quick reminder, the California Vehicle Code Section 21201 states that all bicycles should be equipped with a white light that illuminates a distance of 300 feet in front

LAURA LONG / AGGIE

and on the sides of the bicycle. A red reflector must be visible from the rear. White or yellow reflectors must be visible from the pedals or the bicyclist’s foot gear. Reflectors must also be visible from the sides of the bicycle — white or yellow on the front tire and a red or white reflector on the back tire. It’s important to keep these measures in mind, as they ensure that the cyclist is the most visible when there is hardly any light on the roads. Davis neighborhoods contain certain hazards themselves despite the number of bike paths available. Some neighborhoods lack street lights which make objects such as piles

LUNCH on PAGE 12

Bill No. 12 concerns bylaw 1705F, which states that all units must include ASUCD in their titles on all social media page titles. This bill would exempt The California Aggie, KDVS and Unitrans from the bylaw. After further discussion, the senate decided to table the resolution. Senate Bill No. 13 concerns raising the spending limit of elections. After senators expressed concerns of economic privilege affecting eligibility to vote, the bill failed to pass with Park, Molodanof and Jamaludin being the only three in favor. Senate Bill No. 15 concerns awarding 10 nominated ASUCD volunteers with $1,000 awards for their service. After further discussion, the senate decided to table the resolution. Senate Resolution #2 declares that the Senate is in solidarity with #NoDAPL (Dakota Access Pipeline) and the Standing Rock tribes. With no objections, the resolution passed. Jamaludin adjourned the meeting at 10:20 p.m.

of leaves difficult to see on bike lanes. Drivers can also be unaware of oncoming cyclists and unintentionally open their car doors, causing cyclists to run into the door of the vehicle. Of course, having bike lights can prevent some of these incidents from occurring. Bob Bowen, public relations manager and U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame president, knows the importance of bike safety after years of cycling experience. “Safety is paramount,” Bowen said. “Sometimes folks that don’t have a lot of experience riding bikes, or even those who do, feel that it won’t happen to them. Unfortunately people, especially in the dark, may be distracted; they may be checking their texts illegally, they may be looking down, may be in the dark the cyclist doesn’t have a reflector or reflectorized clothing. For whatever reason, if you have a bike versus automobile collision, the cyclist is going to be the one that suffers the most.” Although Unitrans offers transportation year-round, many students still prefer their two-wheeled form of transportation despite the lack of sunlight and the wet weather. Bowen advises purchasing the brightest bike one can afford. “If you are going on a bike path that has little lighting, you want something that is going to be able to illuminate the path in BIKE LIGHTS on PAGE 12


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RED UCE REU S ER ECY CL E

ANSWERS TO PREVIOUS PUZZLES 11/10/16

Sudoku

Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row, column, and 3x3 square must contain one of each digit. Each Sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically without guessing.


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THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

Tune in to Watermelon Music’s strings-for-food drive

ANH-TRAM BUI / AGGIE

Helping the community through Davis Community Meals is Watermelon Music’s forte

BY KAE LYN TUE ME R-LE E city@thea g g ie.org

One thing that Davis certainly doesn’t have trouble with is helping out the community. For the past 15 years, Watermelon Music, a local music store downtown, has held a strings-for-food drive, in which people can get a free set of D’Addario strings if they bring in at least two non-perishable food items, limited to two instruments per household. This benefits Davis Community Meals, a non-profit, non-denominational volunteer organization that gives food to people in financial distress or those without homes. This year’s drive will be the last one held at Watermelon Music’s current location in downtown Davis. Every year, the second Saturday in November is dedicated to this food drive, which aims to collect about 200 instruments — this would mean at least 400 cans of food. In a four-hour time span, this 200-instrument goal has been achieved three times in the past. Volunteers consist mainly of community members who are knowledgeable in restringing instruments. “[It started] long ago, over 20 years ago, and there was a representative from a company that made strings, who want-

Demonstrators gather at State Capitol building for DAPL protest

“Water is sacred, water is life,” chanted hundreds of demonstrators in protest of the Dakota Access Pipeline at the front of the State Capitol building in downtown Sacramento on Nov. 8. For the past several months, national attention has been drawn to the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota. Thousands have traveled to the Standing Rock Indian Reservation to protest with the Sioux tribe, including Sophia Baker, one of the Sacramento rally organizers. “My cousin Lilly and I created the event on Facebook after my boyfriend and I came back from North Dakota,” Baker said. “We came back here and decided we needed to do something for people who can’t go out to North Dakota in California.” From there, they immediately went to work. Lilly Baker spearheaded the event by calling different local tribes and getting people to come together. The event also included guest speakers from the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians from Mendocino County and the Chippewa tribe, as well as a youth group that performed a trib-

MORGAN TIEU / AGGIE

al dance. The main objective was to bring the issue to a broader scale and make more people aware of the pipeline’s potential consequences. Initially, the pipeline was supposed to run through North Dakota’s capitol, Bismarck, but was vetoed and rerouted to run through the land of the Sioux, who argue that this violates indigenous rights and several treaties. In fact, much of the controversy surrounding the pipeline centers around the right to clean water. The pipeline runs beneath the Missouri River, the main water source for the tribe. Protesters argue that such a vital resource for life shouldn’t be put under such a largescale risk. Many also argue that if the pipeline were to have an accidental leak or rupture, the Sioux would be left without clean water for an extended period of time. Priscilla Hunter of the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians shares this fear. “Indian people are getting tired. Enough is enough you know?” Hunter said. “Destroying our sacred lands, destroying the water and the environment, for our children, that could poison a lot of water and rivers.” According to Hunter, 10 tribes in Mendocino County alone have

Just your cup of tea

passed resolutions to stop the pipeline. Efforts have reached people across the nation thanks to social media according to Fred Short, the American Indian spiritual leader for California. “This is how information gets out,” Short said. “Now you can see on Facebook and the Internet you know, it’s all over with people putting out all the information. We have people here that are returning from Standing Rock, and they’ll be able to share some of that […] it’s no longer people standing still and saying nothing.” The pipeline was expected to be completed by Jan. 2017, but protests could potentially cause this date to be moved later. As the issue gains more attention, more protests are organizing in local areas around the country in hopes of getting politicians to stand with Standing Rock. “We need to hold all of our politicians and all of our corporations accountable for what they’re doing to people and their right to clean water,” Baker said in a closing remark at the event. “There’s no politics involved in it, it’s literally people’s right to clean water that we’re trying to get people to focus on. If they can do it in North Dakota, they can do it anywhere.”

MEENA RUGH / AGGIE

Tea culture in Davis BY G IL L I AN ALL EN featu res@th e a ggi e .o r g

Students are creatures of habit even when it comes to their coffee orders. On the rare occasion that they decide to be adventurous and spice up the usual routine, they might order a tea, hoping that its small amount of caffeine will get the job done. However, there is much more to tea than meets the eye to its dark, dried-out leaves. Based on the environmental and physical effects of the beverage, it is safe to say that there is a unique story behind every tea bag.

front, Watermelon Music is relocating to a bigger space on the intersection of Lake and Covell Boulevard, where there will be a live music performance venue inside in addition to a grand piano. However, the food drive will continue to happen every year. “[We will] definitely [continue the food drive], it’s a big part of what we do,” Simons said. “Anytime you get a hundred musicians in a room, it’s cool. It’s a bonding kind of community thing. And at the same time, everyone is contributing. It’s not about getting free strings, it’s about helping out the community.” Bill Pride, executive director of Davis Community Meals, explained that the organization serves around 165 to 175 meals per week by working with a soup kitchen staffed by high school or school group volunteers, in addition to partnering with food drives like Watermelon Music’s. Strings-for-food, however, is one of the larger food drives that Davis Community Meals is involved with, producing about six to seven large boxes filled to the brim with non-perishable items. “The food drive is really great. It’s great to get re-stocking of food for various locations to help tie people over,” Pride said. “It’s always been an important thing to help people in our community.”

Plant and animal sciences at UC Davis ranks number one in the world

water is sacred, water is life BY AND I E JOLD E R S M A ci ty@ th e a ggi e .o r g

ed to give [out] free strings to promote their company,” said Jeff Simons, manager of Watermelon Music. “But we wanted to have it for a cause, so someone suggested doing a food drive.” Simons is also a member of the Independent Music Store Owners (IMSO), an online forum that shares ideas pertaining to their storefronts. About five or six years ago, the group started talking about which promotions they did that were successful. Upon someone mentioning the strings-for-food drive, the group jumped on the idea, looking to do something of the sort on their own fronts as well. Although the minimum amount of non-perishable items per instrument is two, some people bring in shopping bags of food, the total amounting anywhere from 800 to 1,000 cans. Others decide to drop off food without even getting the free strings. “The line goes out the door,” said Adam Portocarrero, a Watermelon Music employee. Food pantries tend to run especially low approaching the colder months, so the food drive is a good way to replenish the stocks and get community members involved in helping each other. Due to the rising costs of their current store-

Kevin Gascoyne is a British tea taster who has dedicated his career to discovering what those stories are. Gascoyne first fell in love with tea when he tasted freshly-plucked leaves while backpacking in the Himalayas at age 19. Now, he has been in the tea industry for 25 years and co-owns the company Camellia Sinensis, a tea shop and school located in Canada. Gascoyne’s passion for the product has allowed him to travel around the world lecturing about tea’s countless benefits. He visited the Memorial Union for a lecture on Nov. 4. “It is amazing to have ended up working with a product that has been

BECCA RIDGE / AGGIE

Program leaders attribute ranking to accomplished faculty, innovative research BY LINDSAY FLOYD ca m p us@t he aggie . org

UC Davis was named the top university in the world for plant and animal sciences by U.S. News and World Report on Oct. 24. UC Davis’ plant science program has received high rankings for several years, last year placing second in the world. Joseph DiTomaso, chair of the Department of Plant Sciences, attributes the high rankings to UC Davis’ renowned faculty and innovative programs. “[The plant science program] has accomplished faculty who do well in research and getting grants,” DiTomaso said. “They are able to take a scientific concept and apply and test it in the field to translate it to what most stakeholders want to see.” According to DiTomaso, program leaders plan to look to the future and adapt their material based upon what they think the most dire topics will be. Areas that will receive more emphasis in the coming years include climate change, agricultural efficiency and solutions to the current California drought. The Animal Science Department at UC Davis, including veterinary sciences, has been ranked number one for three consecutive years. Davis sets its program apart through cutting-edge research, a large veterinary residency

consumed by humans for over 5,000 years,” Gascoyne said. “The consumption of tea actually started for its benefits as a health tonic. Tea not only improves your mood but also has a fascinating diversity.” One of the reason Gascoyne loves this brewed beverage is because of the thousands of chemical properties that designate a tea’s flavor. Every tea plant will yield its own unique flavor depending on the environment in which it is grown. “What you notice as you travel around is that even though people are using the same plant, just as they might be using the same rice or growing the same rose, the growing environment changes the flavor of the tea itself,” Gascoyne said. “The way that the plant reacts to the growing environment will change the chemistry of the leaves and it is that chemistry that gives us flavor.” The manufacturing methods used by farmers to bring out these specific flavors also affect the chemistry of the plant. Just as with any living organism, the plant must also learn to adapt to unpredicted environmental and agricultural changes, and these adaptations actually make the tea more flavorful. “A plant that is stressed and not having too easy of a time growing will grow leaves that taste better because the flavor chemistry is enriched,” Gascoyne said. “We have plants that are reacting to specific things in the environment such as insects or slight drought, and these altera-

program and a unique holistic approach called One Health. Anneka Christie, second-year animal science major, said that the program works with students and provides ample opportunities to further their educations. “I truly love the Animal Science Department,” Christie said. “There are so many amazing and unique opportunities available. The faculty always seem to have the students’ interests at heart, plus this program opens a lot of doors.” The U.S. News and World Report also placed UC Davis second in the world for agricultural science and fourth for environment and ecology. Overall, UC Davis received a ranking of 42nd globally out of over 1,000 universities across 65 countries. These rankings are based upon criteria that include research, quantity of published papers and overall reputation. “To create the pool of 1,262, U.S. News first included the top 200 universities in the results of Clarivate Analytics’ global reputation survey,” the U.S. News Website said. “Next, U.S. News added institutions that had published the largest number of articles during the most recent five-year period (2010-2014) that was used for the bibliometric data, de-duplicated with the top 200 from the reputation survey.”

tions affect the flavor.” While a certain amount of stress on the plant is good for drawing out flavor, too much stress will cause the plants to suffer and die. For example, recent environmental stimuli have had universally negative impacts due to significant climate warming which is linked to an increase of extreme and unusual weather. “There have been substantial changes in the tea industry due to climate warming and environmental stresses over the years [...] nobody in the tea industry has been unaffected,” Gascoyne said. “Anybody who thinks there is no warming on the planet should talk to the tea industry because every single region is having to adapt due to extreme weather patterns such as flash floods and unexpected cold periods.” One particular cafe in downtown Davis, Temple Coffee Roasters, understands the importance of these environmental stresses and stands out as a leader in providing sustainable tea products. Temple came to Davis less than two years ago and has already seen immense popularity for the shop’s unique aesthetic and respectfully-produced coffees and teas. “We try to offer the highest quality coffees and teas possible,” said Will Talbot, manager of Temple’s corporate office. “All of our teas are sourced from individual, high-grade farms and are grown using organic practices.” Talbot explained that while it is im-

portant to grow their products in a sustainable way, it is also crucial to be able to provide a wide variety of teas to the community in order to show people that tea is not just one, monotonous flavor. “Say that a tea drinker really likes black tea, and if they were to go into Starbucks or Peet’s they would have one maybe two options of a black tea to choose from,” Talbot said. “When they come into our café, we’ve got seven or eight black teas to choose from and all are distinct [in flavor]. We think it is important to give avid tea drinkers exactly what they want instead of asking them to settle.” Temple also prides itself on offering unconventional tea drinks, such as the popular “Bliss” and “Enlightenment,” both of which combine tea, honey and non-dairy milk. Root of Happiness Kava Bar, another shop in Davis that serves an unconventional form of tea, bases its entire menu on a particular kind of “tea” made from steeping kava root in water. Ava Taesali, assistant manager of the bar, explained the intricacies of kava and its benefits as a tea. “The kava plant comes from the South Pacific Islands, such as Hawaii, Fiji and Samoa, and has a lot of natural anti-anxiety and relaxation properties to help soothe the brain and muscles,” Taesali said. “There’s a lot of benefits to drinking TEA on PAGE 12


THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016 | 5

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

UC transfer application deadline extended

Transfer students given their best chance for admission

DANIEL TAK / AGGIE

BY JEA N N A TOTA H ca mpu s @ th ea ggi e .o r g

The University of California (UC) announced on Oct. 31 that the fall 2017 deadline for transfer applications would be extended to Jan. 3, 2017 across all UC campuses in an effort to aid transfer astudents. “Additional time will help hard-working, eligible students across the state give their best shot at applying to [the] UC,”

UC President Janet Napolitano said in a press release. Though the new deadline is approximately a month later than the regular November submission period, January transfer applications will still be reviewed fairly and all applicants will receive their decisions at the same time in April. However, some majors may not be available to students who apply in January if they fill up during the priority filing period. Students are therefore en-

The Yolo Food Bank addresses food insecurity

ANH-TRAM BUI / AGGIE

Yolo County community comes together for holiday food distribution

couraged to apply in November to avoid not getting into their desired major. For UC Davis specifically, all majors remain open during the November deadline except undeclared ones, according to the UC admissions website. Ebony Lewis, executive director of Undergraduate Admissions, said the purpose of the extension is to give transfer applicants more time to improve their applications. “It’s to provide more access and opportunities for transfers to apply to the University,” Lewis said. “The University of California has the goal to increase the enrollment of transfer students […] to have a ratio of two freshmen to one transfer student.” Transfer student Lauren Frizzi, a third-year cognitive science major, said that the application extension may be helpful to students who want to revise their applications over the winter break but who did not have time to perfect

BY ANYA RE H ON city@thea g g ie.org

The Yolo Food Bank (YFB) provides meals and adequate food for individuals year-round in an effort to address food insecurity in Yolo County. Currently, YFB is gearing up for the 2016 holiday season with its Yolo County holiday food distribution throughout the month of November and a Thanksgiving fundraising event, the Running of the Turkey’s 5k Run & Walk. YFB is the largest food relief organization in Yolo County. It is able to provide service to the community to address hunger in a number of different ways. Through its partnerships with over 60 nonprofits, like food kitchens and health clinics throughout the area,it is able to provide food to those in need. Additionally, through various direct distribution programs like its emergency food assistance program and its holiday meals distribution program, members of the organization are able to address different needs and serve diverse populations in the community. “[Food insecurity] affects a wide variety

Taking another route to class

MARK WASHBURN / AGGIE FILE

Unitrans, TAPS’ history at UC Davis BY A M ANDA C RUZ featu res@th e a ggi e .o r g

Commuting to campus can be a daunting task, depending on what mode of transportation is used. Biking and busing to campus are popular modes of transportation that serve as products of UC Davis’ history of promoting alternative modes of transportation in order to reduce air pollution. “Historically, a lot of research has shown that people are wary […] of using any alternative transportation because they are afraid of not having their cars with them during the day in case something happens at home,” said Leslie Mancebo, transportation demand and marketing coordinator at Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS). UC Davis has historically been a promoter of eco-friendly practices, and transportation is no exception. One of the commanding modes of alternative transportation that UC Davis provides is Unitrans, the student-run bus system that has been around for almost 50 years. “In the 1960’s, there was a lot of interest in the environment and alternative transportation,” said Anthony Palmere, the general manager of Unitrans. “Coincidentally, at about the same time, the first bike lanes in the country were being painted here in Davis and many students rode their bikes to Davis [...] and students were looking at other ways to get to the campus without driving.” Students at that time took interest in a

fleet of double decker buses that was being retired and bought two of those buses to bring to Davis. These buses would provide a different mode of transportation for people who previously chose to bike or drive to campus. “It was successful,” Palmere said. “People rode it and they liked it. They asked for more service and as the service expanded they acquired a few more double decker buses and a few used single deck buses.” Unitrans’ popularity grew as the City of Davis began to expand to accommodate the growing university campus until 1990, when a major initiative passed to have all undergraduates pay a portion of their student fees to make bus rides free for all students. “At that time, Davis was expanding a bit more and there were apartment buildings two to three miles away from the campus,” Palmere said. Unitrans has historically provided students with a substitute for driving to campus alone, and it assists in the reduction of air pollution produced by cars. “All of our buses, except for our two older double deckers, run on clean natural gas,” said Amelia Bizjak, a fifth-year Japanese major and operations manager at Unitrans. “We try to be as efficient as we can in that way. We [...] support getting to campus both safely and in an environmentally friendly way.” The other bus lines that come to Davis include the Yolobus for Sacramento comTRANSPORT on PAGE 12

them before the November deadline. Frizzi also said that preparation is key regardless of the deadline; she believes that the UC is doing its best to accommodate transfer applicants. “I knew I wanted to go to Davis, so I […] made sure I had all of the requirements, GE recommendations and experience,” Frizzi said. “It seems like statistically they have a pretty high percentage for the transfer acceptance rate.” Because the UC is meant to serve California students, its press release accordingly states that 92 percent of incoming transfer students are coming from California community colleges, and 59 percent of all transfer applicants were accepted into the UC. Just this year, 5,000 California students were enrolled at the UC, and there are plans to enroll 5,000 more by 2019. The deadline extension is just one way these potential UC students are aided during the application process. For [of individuals...] We see working families, single adults, students, seniors and more,” said Stephanie Villegas, the director of programs for the YFB. She added that food insecurity weighs heavily on a large population of children throughout the county. About 10,000 children in Yolo County may be food insecure at any given time; also, some 31,000 adults, nearly 15 percent of the population, may experience food insecurity. The annual report, Hunger in America 2014: Report for Food Bank of Yolo County, describes that being food secure occurs when “all people at all times can access enough food for an active, healthy life.” However, many individuals and families living throughout the county who are food insecure do not know when their next meal is coming. Luckily, there are food programs in place that can directly address hunger issues in the region. Take the holiday meals distribution event put together by the YFB that provides Thanksgiving meal kits for local families in Yolo County. YFB estimates that 2,000 meals will be provided this upcoming holiday season bringing local businesses, volunteers and families

students like Frizzi, Davis is guiding the efforts to support transfers by streamlining the most popular majors, promoting guaranteed admission and creating the Transfer Admissions Planner, Lewis said. “UC Davis developed the Transfer Admission Planner that all of the UC campuses use,” Lewis said. “[Applicants] can input the coursework they are currently enrolled in and then, all along their time spent in community college, they can update their information with their grades. We also have staff members working [...] to best advise students [...] in order to be [...] strong applicants.” Alongside the goal of enrolling more transfer applicants, Lewis concluded that the UC aims to offer admission to students from varying backgrounds. “I really want to underscore the rich diversity our transfer students bring to campus,” Lewis said. “We’re excited for the coming year and to see where it leads.” together. The Davis Food Co-op, a locally-run grocery store in downtown Davis, donated funds for nearly 250 to 300 turkeys for families in Davis this year. “We designate a certain amount to this program to the YFB for turkeys, and they depend on us,” said Lis Harvey, the marketing director at the Davis Food Co-op. Because Harvey sees the daily negative effects of food insecurity on the community, she and others at the Co-op, were determined to do what they could to help at this time. Donating funds for turkeys to the YFB seemed to be the best way to do so. She added that shareholders and customers of the Co-op are also active contributors towards the cause. At their checkout registers, customers are able to specifically donate money toward turkey purchases to the YFB, and Harvey notices that people are taking the initiative to help one another. “We have generous shoppers, and we have the most generous community here in Davis [...] Our customers appreciate donating money that goes directly to people in Yolo County,” Harvey said.

Achieve UC program encourages students to apply to UCs

UC leaders, officials visit schools and communities BY JAYASH RI PADMANABHAN ca m pus @thea g g ie.org

University of California (UC) President Janet Napolitano, along with UC chancellors, leaders, academic advisors and alumni, will visit California schools and communities this fall to encourage students and families to pursue a UC education. The visits to 100 schools and other community outreach programs are a part of Achieve UC, an initiative by the UC Office of the President (UCOP) to increase enrollment and diversity on UC campuses. The UCOP aims to provide students from a variety of backgrounds the resources to help them prepare for the UC system. The program caters to students seeking four-year degrees as well as to those hoping to transfer from community colleges. Key objectives of the program are affordability and access. Through Achieve UC, UCOP wants to fight misconceptions that the UC system is unaffordable. Regardless of achievement or family income, a UC education can be affordable, and financial aid plays a key role in ensuring this. A press release by the UC states, “More than half of California undergraduates pay no tuition, and three-quarters pay less than full tuition.” “[The program is a regional model where] each campus will be connecting with schools in their local area [...] it’s a way to help increase access in terms of students who may be first in their family to get a four-year degree, low-income, underrepresented and get a wide variety of students that access,” said Ebony Lewis, the executive director for Undergraduate Admissions. Lewis said that it is important to bring the program directly to the students. Each year, the interest and number

ALEXA FONTANILLA / AGGIE FILE

of applications to the UC system increases, but Achieve UC focuses on increasing exposure to first-time applicants and students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Not all applicants are aware that they are evaluated based on more than just test scores and grade point average by the universities. Rogelio Villagrana, the director of the UC Davis Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP), expressed the importance of letting young people know about the opportunities because they are more likely to take advantage of them. “The more that they know what the requirements are, the more likely they are to meet those requirements,” Villagrana said. Achieve UC differs from other initiatives because of the direct connection between university leaders and the students and their families. “When you have the opportunity to have individuals at a university in positions that the families see as valued [...] it creates the possibility for communication and dialogue between university staff and the community,” Villagrana said. Achieve UC outreach events include workshops, academic advising, application assistance and inspirational messages to encourage students to reach for a UC education. Napolitano is confident that a UC education is accessible to all students. “You do your part: work hard, take advantage of leadership opportunities and push yourself to take challenging classes,” Napolitano said in a press release. “And no matter who you are, where you come from or how much money you and your family have, we’ll do our part to help you get there.”


6 | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

Opinion the California Aggie

from the editorial board

EDITORIAL BOARD

FACING THE TRUMP POST-ELECTION NIGHTMARE Trump’s triumph must stir student action

SCOTT DRESSER Editor in Chief ELLIE DIERKING Managing Editor ALYSSA VANDENBERG Campus News Editor SAMANTHA SOLOMON City News Editor ELI FLESCH Opinion Editor EMILIE DEFAZIO Features Editor AMANDA ONG Arts & Culture Editor BRYAN SYKES Sports Editor ARIEL ROBBINS Science & Tech Editor

CHIARA ALVES New Media Manager JAY GELVEZON Photo Director HANNAH LEE Design Director EMILY STACK Copy Chief OLIVIA ROCKEMAN Copy Chief VERONICA VARGO Website Manager ELISABETH MCALLISTER Social Media Mangager MADELINE ONG Newsletter Manager

It’s been a trying few days. California voters saw the outcomes of key ballot provisions such as the legalization of recreational marijuana, easier parole options for criminals of non-violent crimes and increased legislative transparency. However, Donald Trump’s presidential upset greatly overshadowed these overdue victories. The question on countless minds is: what now? While half of the country is celebrating what others view as the greatest political upset in modern American history, and other masses of people are protesting in the streets and burning effigies, many are still completely unsure of how to react. Predictions by major news outlets and pollsters proved largely untrue, underestimating the amount of white voters that came out to support Trump. What do we want to see from President-elect Trump? For a lot of minority groups, it’s difficult to say when we disagree with so many of his platforms and ideologies. In this position, one can only hope that Trump does exactly what numerous politicians have done before him: break his promises. Otherwise, based on his official (and unofficial) platforms, we as a nation are looking at a wall between the U.S. and Mexico, blissfully paid for by the Mexican government. Trump’s extreme immigration policies have no sympathy for undocumented immigrants, so expect an increased presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. Trump has also expressed a desire to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which could leave millions of Americans without health insurance and might change the way certain medications, such as contraceptives and many prescription drugs, are priced. There is also the pressing matter of the vacant Supreme Court seat. With both the House and Senate blocking President Obama’s Supreme Court nominations, which would have given the Supreme Court a liberal majority for the first time in 50 years, Trump’s nomination will most assuredly go

through. When we look at the important landmark decisions that have already been made by the Supreme Court, we fear for the chance of future regression on women’s rights, LGBTQIA+ rights and the rights of marginalized communities. To top it all off, the global market experienced volatility following Trump’s victory, with the Dow-Jones Industrial Average up 200 points as of Nov. 9, the value of the Mexican peso plunging and European markets also experiencing shocks. Although financial markets are known to react quickly to changes and then return to moderately normal levels (see: Brexit), many are skeptical of whether Trump’s economic plan is actually sustainable in the long run. So again, what now? For now, the Editorial Board suggests that we as a UC Davis community staunchly support those who have been callously marginalized by Trump and his supporters. For one, this means putting in time at the Women’s Resource and Research Center, the LGBTQIA Resource Center, the African Diaspora Center, the AB540 and Undocumented Student Center — any place that might need help in the wake of Trump’s racist and bigoted ideology. It could also mean donating to local organizations that aid marginalized communities, or reaching out to local leaders, the state government and our new U.S. senator, Kamala Harris, to voice your concerns. Members of the Chicanx/Latinx community, the African American community, the Muslim community, the LGBTQIA community and undocumented immigrants, among so many other people from a variety of backgrounds, have been heinously targeted and victimized in the past. For those who can speak out, do so for those who do not have the privilege. We must stand and fight for them, not just because we are members of the same community of UC Davis students, but because we as individuals recognize the fear, anxiety and very real threat that faces other human beings.

Why are birth control and cold medicine harder to get than a gun? CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS WILL BE VITALLY IMPORTANT IN SOLVING THE GUN EPIDEMIC BY TAMANNA AHLUWALIA tahluwalia@ucdavis.edu The beginning of a recent "Inside Amy Schumer" skit introduces the “OrthoEsterin,” a new, low-dose birth control pill. “Ask your doctor if birth control is right for you,” the ad continues. “Then, ask your boss if birth control is right for you. Ask your boss to ask his priest. Find a Boy Scout and see what he thinks. Tap a mailman on the shoulder. Tell him you didn’t mean to startle him. Then, ask him if birth control is right for you.” In the ad, Amy Schumer finally receives her birth control from the pharmacy after this arduous, evidently satirical process — only to find out she will have to go through it again next month due to the no-refill caveat of “controlled” prescrip-

tion medicines. Cut to the next scene: a little boy walks up to the same pharmacist and asks for a gun. The pharmacist hands one across the counter and says, “Remember, that’s your right.” Although greatly exaggerated, Amy Schumer’s skit highlights the gross disparity between obtaining something as personal as birth control and gaining access to something as potentially dangerous as a gun. You don’t actually need to ask countless people for their permission to get on birth control, but there are a couple steps you need to go through. You need a prescription and then you need to visit a health care provider, a clinic or a Planned Parenthood center. Once you’re there, your health care provider asks you about your medical history and conducts any other medical exams he or she sees fit.

But, in most states, purchasing a gun requires no such inquiry about a past history, whether it be a criminal record or a possible mental illness. Cold medicine, too, is often harder to get than a gun. Pseudoephedrine is a drug found in some over-the-counter and prescription cold medicines such as Sudafed or Entex. Pseudoephedrine, however, can also be used to produce methamphetamine illegally, which is why the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005 works to limit the monthly amount of pseudoephedrine-containing cold medicine an individual can purchase. There is no law that limits how many guns you can buy. New Jersey passed its “one-gun-a-month” law in 2009, one of only three states in the United States to do so. The law prevents individuals from buying more than one handgun in a 30-day period and aims to prevent mass distribution of guns

by private firearm sellers. New Jersey took its cue from Virginia, which effectively passed the onegun-a-month law in 1993 but saw its repeal in 2012 — despite drastic reductions in out-of-state gun crimes that traced back to Virginia gun dealers. If more states adopted the same approach to guns as they did cold medicine, mass gun sales and gang activity would surely drop in the same way the Virginia law allowed. Comparing apples to oranges is always a risky game, especially when it comes to such a widelydisputed topic as guns. Still, it is interesting to note how birth control, a personal choice which affects no one but the individual taking it, and cold medicine, which most people wouldn’t even think to buy to produce meth, are more tightly regulated than guns, which take innocent lives on a daily basis.

The dark underbelly of comedy WHAT DO WE MAKE OF COMICS STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS? BY STELL A SAPPINGTON sasappington@ucdavis.edu When Robin Williams passed in 2014, it felt like the whole world was in mourning. Williams was perhaps the most beloved comic force of our era, and his passing was riddled with questions, shock and confusion. How can someone who everyone loves kill themself? Why was he so unhappy? How can someone who is so successful on seemingly every level be so fundamentally discontent? A childhood favorite in my family was, and continues to be, RV. Perhaps one of Williams’ least critically acclaimed films, RV was nevertheless highly acclaimed in our house. We could have spent our time watching one of his real films, like Dead Poets Society or Good Will Hunting, but RV held a special place in our hearts. In the film, Williams plays an affable dad in a high-stress job who forsakes his family vacation to attend a business meeting under the guise of wanting to connect with his family during an RV trip to Colorado, the location of the meeting. Williams plays his typical role: the sweet, bizarre dad-type who feels somewhat tortured. The character we are so used to finding in Williams’ work made his death feel even more per-

sonal to his audience. Despite always being funny, there was the sense that William’s comedy sometimes came from a place of personal suffering. And he isn’t by any stretch of the imagination the only comic whose humor is somewhat rooted in pain. At 43, Maria Bamford has been doing stand-up for just under half of her life, and the way she discusses battles with her mental health are uniquely her own: funny, utterly dark and wildly careening through topics from her parents to her bipolar condition. Bamford has struggled with anxiety, depression and OCD since her childhood. In an interview with comic Marc Maron, she discusses the mental health issues that plagued her childhood. She says she doesn’t talk about her eating disorder much: “It’s like, who hasn’t?” In her stand-up, Bamford discusses these challenges outright. Because of her transparency, viewers feel less concerned about harm coming to her than they might otherwise. There seems to be a level of frankness — one that can enable her to joke about her illnesses — that seems to prohibit her from not attending to her mental health. Bamford acknowledges that while in some ways she is powerless to her illness, she does seem to have enough self-awareness to

seek help. Bamford is unique within her community of comics. Celebrated comedians like John Belushi, of the original Saturday Night Live cast, and Chris Farley, also an SNL legend, both passed before the age of 40 as a result of drug overdose. Their hilarious, over-the-top personalities as sketch comedians juxtapose strongly with their deaths. Their acts did not include bits about battling depression or addiction. Farley is remembered as hilarious, Belushi as an off-the-wall live performer. An article in Cracked, “Robin Williams and Why Funny People Kill Themselves,” discussed the prevalence of mental illness, specifically depression, in comedians after Williams’ death. It claims that the general reaction of surprise was illogical. Many individuals who create comic identities have inner experiences in opposition to their work. The author argues that people who are suffering create an exterior of humor which protects them from potential criticism of their true character, about which they may be insecure. Bamford herself, in a conversation with Maron, acknowledges the irony of her career — presenting herself to be liked by others while simultaneously struggling to like herself. This irony is present in the case of Robin Wil-

liams, who was so loveable to his audience but, maligned by his depression, covertly struggled to love himself. Comedy has the power to heal, convert, question and challenge. Comedians like Bamford bring mental health issues to light by finding humor in the struggles they inevitably bring. Despite the power in comedy like Bamford’s, perhaps the most troubling aspect of mental illness is that it is often unresponsive to a treatment like open discussion. It’s challenging to understand that Robin Williams was truly a tortured person who protected himself with his humor, but if we are to honor his legacy, we must take him for all that he is and was. His work in comedy may have stemmed from his mental health challenges, may have been an escape from them, or may not bear any relation to them at all. Comedians prove that humor can live in a destructive harmony with despair. Perhaps as the culture which holds these people becomes more receptive to and understanding of mental illness, the humor which is born from self-loathing will all but disappear, replaced by a Bamford-esque form of honest, self-deprecating, therapeutic discussion of facing and overcoming — but also failing — the insecurity and illness so many comics face.


THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016 | 7

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

The art of the video game INNOVATIVE GRAPHICS, STORYTELLING AND MUSIC ELEVATE GAMING TO IMPRESSIVE HEIGHTS BY TARYN DEOILERS tldeoilers@ucdavis.edu Seven-year-old Taryn was a little shorter in height and a lot shorter in attention span compared to 19-year-old Taryn. I spent my days sitting criss-cross applesauce on the floor, where I would watch my two older brothers playing video games and mope because I never got to participate or be as cool as they were. And when they failed to notice their darling little sister’s sulking, I quickly resorted to loudly vocalizing my grievances. My whining reached its peak when my brothers bought World of Warcraft (WoW). I was immediately hooked by its expansive universe, worldwide community of players and captivating plotlines. I desperately begged for them to let me play — and, for some reason, they caved. They had their doubts of course, but I didn't care. I could become the world's best WoW player for all they knew. It didn't really work out in the end. I wasted a few hours designing my character because I couldn’t decide on the hair color, and then spent

many more hours exploring the landscapes instead of actually completing quests. I didn’t understand that I was supposed to actually advance in the game. I just wanted to catch fish in Westfall and befriend the cute tigers in Stranglethorn Vale. Needless to say, my brothers promptly booted me from their account. But if anything worthwhile can be learned from my misguided ventures through WoW’s Eastern Kingdoms, it's that the game’s visuals successfully piqued and (miraculously) held my attention. WoW’s elaborate artistic presentation pales in comparison to many other current video games. Each year yields a fresh crop of games whose realistic graphics have progressed as graphics technology advances. One of the most aesthetically stunning games is the 2015 first-person shooter reboot, Star Wars Battlefront. To capture the essence of Star Wars, the artistic team used photogrammetry — which uses photography to make measurements — to craft detailed 3D environments that look like authentic shots from the movies. Video games have also dabbled in more experi-

mental art styles. MadWorld, a 2009 hack and slash, immerses players in black, white and red sketches inspired by Frank Miller’s graphic novel Sin City. Inside, a 2016 puzzle-platform game, amazes with spacey, rich visuals reminiscent of Edward Hopper’s Realist masterpiece "Nighthawks". Interactive games increasingly provide not only entertainment for their users, but a massive canvas for artists and programmers alike. Writers are also at the forefront of the development process. Organized by storyboards that detail every possible outcome of a game, narratives must ultimately include intriguing characters, effective pacing and, of course, riveting plots. The post-apocalyptic game The Last of Us, released in 2013 and considered one of the greatest video games of all time, relies on refreshingly clever writing to tackle, among many philosophical questions, the morality of killing for the sake of survival — you know, the light stuff. In a medium that sometimes feels bogged down by tired scripts full of cool dudes in sunglasses, explosions and absentminded bloodshed, The Last of Us glistens with its atypical focus on complicated, genuine human

relationships, making the gameplay subordinate to powerful storytelling. And of course, no game feels complete without an exceptional soundtrack. In fact, a game’s musical atmosphere often becomes one of its most distinctive elements. Take the “Super Mario Bros. theme,” a classic written by Koji Kondo. Despite its simplicity, the tune is one of the most recognizable tracks in video game history, and undoubtedly raised the bar for all succeeding soundtracks. Additionally, Kondo’s iconic The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time alternates between tender orchestral lullabies, playful melodies and frantic cacophony that induce heartwarming nostalgia within its players. I view video games similarly to how I view Richard Wagner’s operas: syntheses of many creative products, swirling together to create a unified, mesmerizing piece of art. Tied together by complex coding and artificial intelligence, video games continue to epitomize the interplay between burgeoning technology and artistic thought — unless, like me, you get booted off the console by your older brothers.

A Clogston Abroad AUSTRALIA REACTS TO THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION all.

BY MICHAEL CLOGSTON mlclogston@ucdavis.edu I was in class in Australia as the final results for the U.S. presidential election were becoming clearer. Those few hours will be burned into my memory forever. I felt extreme despair and sorrow and frustration and was left speechless as I watched the electoral college numbers accumulate under Trump’s name. After I saw the final results, I went to sleep in hopes that it was some kind of awful nightmare I could sleep away but I woke up the next day disappointed. It wasn’t. And when I went to my internship on Nov. 10, I saw the effects of our election in Sydney, Australia. While I knew that the Australian media portrayed Trump mainly in terms of his radical policy proposals, I failed to realize how high his disapproval rating was in Australia. I saw the confusion on the faces of people in the streets and on the train. I saw the fear of the future on the front cover of the newspaper and the omnipresent shock of it

I asked my coworkers how the election made them feel, what they thought about it all, what they thought this meant for their futures and for ours as Americans. They were stunned at the fact that Trump, a media star and “businessman” at most, would now hold the most powerful office in the United States and arguably the world. They struggled to understand that a win in the popular vote did not automatically confer a winner. They said the electoral college sounded archaic, unstable and was an inaccurate portrayal of what the public actually wanted. But this election’s result also brought other concerns for Australians. What about health care necessary for the Australians on vacation in America? Trump’s platform states that he has every intention of removing Obamacare. What about the safety of non-white Australians who travel to America — or of any person of

color visiting the states? How about any person in America that does not belong to the very specific categories Trump has deemed superior to all the others? Australians are reeling from how some Americans believed that Trump, with all of his glaring problems, should be elected into office. Some stated that there was a lower voter turnout than they would have expected with such rivaling forces this year. Others also pointed to the intense difficulty of voting in the United States. They wondered if weekday voting during working hours, in addition to many other obstacles such as voter ID laws, skewed the results one way or another. In Australia, everyone is required to turn in a ballot on election day — even if it they are left blank. It seemed that my Australian coworkers knew just as much, if not more, about the election than the majority of Americans. They knew the platforms of the two main candidates, their respective policies and even which states were swing states. One coworker expressed that fear was the driv-

ing factor in current American politics: fear of losing jobs and fear of quick, radical changes. According to her, these sources of anxiety, amongst others, ran rampant enough to allow Trump to get elected. And yet, Australia remains hopeful for America. They love seeing so many people uniting and working hard to ensure that democratic ideals and justice are protected in the United States. They believe that while Trump’s election is a huge upset, now people will overcome it like any other challenge Americans have overcome before. So really, Australians sound like most Californians. They’re at a loss for words as to how to describe what has just happened. They fear for our safety, especially the safety of minorities and all the other citizens whose lives have been endangered by the hateful speech and violence that pervade America. This gives me hope as an American citizen who was born abroad. It lets me know, as it should you, that even across oceans, people want this hatred and fear to be over just as much as we do.

Debunking myths surrounding animal agriculture THE AMOUNT OF MISINFORMATION SURROUNDING THE LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY AMOUNTS TO PROPAGANDA BY ALICE ROCHA asrocha@ucdavis.edu Did you know that agriculture has a bigger economic share in California than Hollywood does? According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), California agriculture is a $42.6 billion industry generating $100 billion in economic revenue. Animal agriculture, encompassing dairy production and livestock, contributed $12.1 billion in 2013 to the industry. California is the leading dairy producer in the United States, generating $9.16 billion in revenue. Additionally, animal agriculture is one of the world’s biggest employers. About 1.3 billion people are employed in the livestock industry across the globe, according to Ermias Kebreab, an animal science professor at UC Davis. But despite the huge net impact of agriculture, the level of misinformation surrounding the industry is astounding.

ISSUE DESIGNED BY

One of the largest issues plaguing animal agriculture today are propaganda videos from groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). These videos are often short, filled with cute animations and paired with a catchy tune. However, their contents are not so innocent. I have watched many of these unfortunate videos in classes and on social media and most of the information they provide the public with is wrong. They portray common welfare practices as torture. For example, one common target of misrepresentation is the use of farrowing crates for swine producers. Farrowing crates are used for sows that are going to farrow (give birth). Sows, female pigs, are temporarily placed in the crates in order to ensure that she will not crush her offspring. Swine commonly have large litters of 10 or more piglets, but evolutionarily speaking, the mothers have poor maternal instincts and are not concerned if they sit on or crush a few of their babies. Indeed, over 50 percent of postnatal deaths among pigs are a result of crushing by the mother.

Producers developed farrowing crates as a means to protect piglets from their mothers. The crates allow the mothers to stand, sit and lay down with constant access to fresh food and water, while providing the piglets with safe places to sleep without being squashed. The crate limits the mother’s range of motion, but only temporarily. Another commonly disputed practice in livestock agriculture is the removal of calves from their mothers after birth. Calves have underdeveloped immune systems at birth and are at greater risk of getting sick if they remain with their mothers. Studies have shown that the sooner calves are removed, the less likely they are to get sick and the less stressful it will be for both mother and daughter. The practice also ensures that the calf will receive its colostrum (first milk that provides antibodies). One cause of concern is the passage of Cryptosporidium parvum, a parasitic protozoa that causes severe diarrhea and can be fatal to a calf. Infections

are much more likely to occur if calves are left with their mothers, as they do not have properly functioning immune systems and cannot protect themselves from diseases the mother might pass on. The industry is improving, despite the negative propaganda. Welfare practices, as controversial as they might seem, are in place for the protection of the animal. If an animal is healthy and content, they become more efficient producers and generate fewer greenhouse gases. Animals receiving proper care are more sustainable, requiring less feed to produce the same amount of product as a mistreated animal. The myths about the animal agriculture industry are unfounded and are detrimental to the farmers who produce food for a country of 300 million while trying to please every whim and desire the consumers have. Instead of judging these incredible individuals for things they cannot control, we should support them and aid in finding means to grow food sustainably to ensure a proper future for generations to come.

HANNAH LEE | AMY YE | CHRISTIE NEO | CINDY CHEUNG | JONATHAN CHEN | MISHA DEVILLE DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie. Letters to the editor can be addressed to opinion@theaggie.org.


8 | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

Opinion HUMOR Undeclared senior decides that he, too, can someday be president THE CASE FOR RONALD DUMP BY ETHAN VICTOR ejvictor@ucdavis.edu Ronald Dump woke up on Nov. 9 with a goal in mind. The 22 year-old decided that he wanted to be president of the United States of America. Dump is an undeclared fourth-year student from Beverly Hills who has taken nearly 160 units of general education courses over his time at UC Davis. Dump admits to being apathetic and never having had goals in life. He acknowledges that he’s never had much going on, and cites Dwight Eisenhower as an inspiration since he, too, never held political office before assuming the presidency. “I don’t really feel much about anything, ya know? I rolled out of bed the other day and decided that I wanted to make a difference,” Dump said. “I want to be President of the United States. I have no experience, but who cares? This decision is big. Really big. It’s going to be huge. The future is bright.” Instead of taking the conventional route that many students interested in politics have, such as a major in political science or even economics, Dump’s lack of political experience has actually sparked his interest. One person tells him something, and he goes with that. He thinks that being impressionable and unpredictable will help him moving forward. “Too often, we have students that get so engaged in their lives at such a young age that they burn themselves out,” Dump said. “This

is different. I have no experience, and I think that I’m going to be very fit when the time comes. Presidents went to Ivy League schools. I didn’t. I’m an outsider, and I like that. I’ll just learn on the job.” Dump’s sole political experience comes from third grade, when he ran as class president and lost. Dump’s platform then was based on the idea of giving his classmates a vending machine on the second floor of the building. The third, fourth and fifth graders all shared the second floor, while the first and second graders were left on the first floor. Only the third graders would get to buy food. Dump lost the election. Dump admits to having a lack of experience, but he touts his well-roundedness. Due to the amount of general education courses he’s taken, Dump’s knowledge of seemingly everything foreshadows a bright future. “I believe that, given Ronald’s rudimentary knowledge of chemistry, economics and the English language, he will thrive when he becomes old enough to be president,” said Lauren Michelle, a counselor for Counselors for the Future. “He can help design weapons, figure out the debt and negotiate deals given the knowledge that he will have accrued once his time as an Aggie is up.” Dump’s plan for the future remains unclear. He does not entirely know what he wants to major in, but that isn’t stopping him. Once he finds his passion, he plans to go into marketing until he turns 35. From there, he’s determined to begin his campaign towards being the President of the United States.

But even Dump’s close friends, aware of his lack of his experience, are questioning his decision. They acknowledge that he wants to make a difference, but they feel this might not be the best route to take. “This is ludicrous. I’ve known the kid since we were nine, but the change has to come at an earlier time than this,” said Ike Dense, Dump’s best friend. “He has no experience. I don’t want someone with no experience in the Oval Office.” “I support him, but he can make a difference and support his cause elsewhere. He wants to go into marketing — let him do that and share his beliefs, but he shouldn’t try and change the country by becoming president,” said Judy Tooliani, another friend. “We appreciate the effort that he’s making, but no real vision or experience beyond a vending machine is not ideal.” While this may seem alarming to some, Dump’s determination is what will set him apart. In the land of opportunity, he can do what he wants and pursue his dreams of someday being the leader of the free world. Until that time comes, however, Dump is going to have to find a major that will help him get his degree. The future, however, might be bright for the fourth -year. Nobody expects him to win. He’s a kid with a dream, no experience and, up to this point, no real goals in life. But only the future will tell; nobody has ever assumed so much responsibility with so little experience. Only the people will decide if we go down that rabbit hole.

Student not offered any flyers at MU tables because he was ‘too ugly’ TABLING STUDENTS PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO HOW THEY DECIDE TO WHOM THEY OFFER MATERIAL BY BRIAN L ANDRY bjlandry@ucdavis.edu An ugly incident occurred this past week on our campus. A student claimed that he was not offered a single flyer while walking past the Memorial Union (MU) tables because of his looks. The student in question, Roger Dirkmund, a second-year human development major and aspiring hand model, said he got some strange looks as he passed the MU tables. “It was odd because typically when I walk past that area, I can’t help but feel like there are flyers being shoved in my face left and right,” Dirkmund said. “But that day was different. People who were tabling would quickly make eye contact with me and then

look away without saying anything.” The California Aggie talked to some of the students who were tabling in an attempt to understand their reasoning for ignoring Dirkmund. One of these students was Emily Strickland, a thirdyear astronomy major and astrology fanatic. “Yeah, I’m going to be honest, I didn’t like the way he looked,” Strickland said. “I mean he looked like a nice person and all, but his hair seemed really greasy and I just didn’t want to deal with that. All I’m saying is he should really invest in some matte hair product instead of glossy. Not to mention that the way he was walking totally told me that he was a Gemini, and my club doesn’t have enough room for two Geminis to join, so obviously I couldn’t offer him a spot. The Grass Club is a competitive organization to get into, and

I won’t be blamed for something that’s out of my control.” Another tabler present on that fateful day was Damien Blascock, a third-year aerospace engineering major and amateur lamp collector. “He just didn’t have ‘the look’ you know?” Blascock told The Aggie. “There was something funny about his nose for sure, and I think I also saw a pimple, and I just don’t have time to just be everybody’s dermatologist, you know? The Semi-nude Beach Volleyball Club needs people who are serious about their looks. Not people with pimples. Disgusting.” Still, Dirkmund plans to make another journey through the MU tabling area, and this time is determined to at least get an offer from the Faces for Radio Club.


THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016 | 9

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

SCIENCE+TECH AMY HOANG / AGGIE

THE TRUTH ABOUT KAVA

What Kava is, what it’s used for & common myths BY MERAL BASI T s ci en ce @ th e a ggi e .o r g

Kava is a root that has been used ceremonially, medicinally and recreationally for over 2,500 years in Polynesian, Melanesian and Micronesian cultures. Recently, kava bars have been popping up in the United States, and demand for the root is growing steadily. Travis Lowin and Tyler Blythe are co-owners of The Root of Happiness Kava Bar, which has locations in Davis and Rancho Cordova. When they opened their own kava bar, Lowin and Blythe saw that there was a significant lack of testing in the field. “Originally, what we noticed with kava is that there really wasn’t a standard of quality,” Lowin said. “Is it being tested for purity microbiologically? Are you [testing] for pure microbes whenever it comes in? Is it being ran through for not only the purity, but also the quality?” Because of the lack of quantifiable standards in the kava industry, Lowin and Blythe made it a personal mission to test their products before offering them to the public, and they established a system for measuring kava potency and quality. “Everything we serve here, you can literally pull out the binder and BRIAN LANDRY / AGGIE

LINKING ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICANTS AND HUMAN HEALTH

Multi-disciplinary studies aim to to reduce environment-related diseases, produce the next generation of environmental health scientists BY SH I VA N I KA M A L s ci ence @ th e a ggi e .o r g

What do autism, obesity, asthma, respiratory illness, allergies and a weakened immune system all have in common? They’re all outcomes linked to the environmental exposure of toxins in the air, pollutants in drinking water and even common household and personal-care products. Environmental health science is the study of how the environment and surroundings impact human health and disease. This may include natural settings of the air, water and soil, indoor settings like home or work as well as the social features of the environment. Dangerous environmental exposure impacts human health not only in underdeveloped areas, but also locally, near the San Joaquin and Central Valley Region, a total of 18 counties in Northern California. “California has 2 out of the top 3 cities [Bakersfield and Porterville] with highest ozone level due to agriculture and high sun exposure […] and because of this there is a correlation between ozone and respiratory

go through,” Lowin said. “From our concentrated powders, to our lemon honey concentrate, to the raw materials in general.” Kava is largely associated with having calming properties, both for the body and the mind. Glenn Reddy, a second-year economics and computer science major at Vanderbilt University, was recently visiting a friend in Davis when he decided to go to The Root of Happiness. “Because it was something that was entirely legal, and it was something that you didn’t have to be 21 for [...] I really didn’t expect much at all,” Reddy said. “[After a few drinks] I was very content to relax and to sit on the very plush couches. It felt really nice.” Kava’s relaxing properties can be directly attributed to its chemical composition. “The active ingredients [in kava] are kavalactones. There are 18 total identifiable kavalactones, six of which contribute the pharmacological effect,” Blythe said. “It’s not like a standardized, one-chemical deal [...] It’s six different chemicals, and each chemical has multiple pharmacological contributions to the whole effect.” These kavalactones interact with the human body to produce calming effects in multiple ways. In addition to affecting calcium channel blockers, kavalactones interact with the endocannabinoid system, which has a role in the modulation of pain and inflammation. “The human body already has this fascinating endocannabinoid system and within it, you [have a] very intricate network of cannabinoid receptors that our body naturally knows how to use to process naturally occurring chemicals, let’s say in plants, that interact with that system,” Lowin said. “We found kavalactones, [which] obviously come from kava, but directly interact with a benefit within the endocannabinoid.” As indicated by the name, the cannabinoid system is also affected by cannabis. However, it also is stimulated by black pepper, rosemary and other plants, according to Blythe. A curious abnormality of kava usage is the reverse tolerance principle. Kava users find that the more often they consume kava, the less kava they have to take to feel the effects. This idea seems counterintuitive when compared to more commonly consumed substances like alcohol and coffee, whose effects are abated with time. According to

Blythe, one possible explanation is the stability of the kavalactones. “There’s long-term acting chemicals that hang around in kava. Whether [or not] they’re affecting you on a noticeable level, they’re still lingering around, they are long half-life chemicals,” Blythe said. “That’s one explanation for what it is, is that they hang around. Maybe for a day or two, maybe for longer. After you’ve been [consuming the chemicals] day after day after day, it accumulates in your system.” One of the largest concerns around the root deals with a reported trend between kava usage and liver toxicity. According to Blythe, these concerns can be ameliorated. “What happened in the early ‘90’s to 2000’s is that a bad batch of kava got made, and due to the poor quality controls, record keeping wasn’t up to spec,” Blythe said. “That [instance] traced back to one pharmaceutical company in Germany, Schwabe Pharmaceuticals, who had made a batch of [bad] kava extract and gotten a bunch of people sick.” Because the recordkeeping was so poor, Blythe said that there are still a lot of unanswered questions about the purity, quality and extractions methods that Schwabe Pharmaceuticals used. However, even the reported cases of liver toxicity were few and far between, according to Blythe. “We have 500 million daily doses of kava being distributed within Europe over a 10 year period [and] 37 cases of possible correlation of liver toxicity were reported,” Blythe said. “A group of three German scientists who were in charge of investigating those cases narrowed all of them down to three [legitimate] cases [...] So out of 500 million daily doses distributed over a decade in Europe, due to one [bad] batch of kava, we had three cases of liver toxicity and never again.” In starting Root Of Happiness, Blythe and Lowin are excited to offer kava as an alternative to other substances. Winding down at the end of the day with a bowl of kava as opposed to the traditional cold beer is the more relaxing option, according to Blythe. “[Kava] soothes all your day to day tension,” Blythe said. “It kinda feels like how you should feel without kava. Just kind of calm, and soothing and easy-going.”

diseases,” said Scott Simon of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and vice president of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. Studying how and why the environment changes is crucial in order to apply it to benefiting human health and prevent disease. Over the past few thousand years, human civilization has drastically changed the composition of the environment with the development of agriculture, industrialization and disposal of various wastes. New pollutants in air composition, different microorganisms in soil and increased ocean acidification are only a few examples of alterations to the planet. The composition and features of human surroundings constantly and rapidly evolve, not only due to human activity, but also from interactions between other organisms, natural disasters, weather and unknown contributors. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), established in 1966, has contributed greatly to improving human health by studying the changes in the environment and our surroundings. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the institute hopes to spread awareness of their history and milestones. Significant and historic research funded by NIEHS included studies linking exposure to asbestos, mineral fibers found in rocks and soil, to lung tumors and mesothelioma. Workers in construction, shipbuilding and manufacturing were found to be at greatest risk for exposure. Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1967, this study also found that smokers exposed to asbestos had a 10 times greater risk of developing lung cancer than nonsmokers. Environmental Health Science is a field of science that encompasses multiple disciplines, such as medical, veterinary medical, government policy, engineering and agricultural and environmental sciences, with the aim to reduce environmental related disease. Over the last few years, NIEHS studies focus on collaborating with

the World Health Organization (WHO), with specific emphasis on children’s environmental health, climate change and human health, developmental origins of health and disease, e-waste and indoor air pollution. “[The information from studies] can help the community to develop strategies or policies to reduce the specific source [of pollutant],” said Qi Zhang of the Department of Environmental Toxicology. Zhang is currently working on targeting new techniques for measuring compounds in air pollution that contribute to cardiovascular disease. Zhang’s environmental health science study is funded by the the UC Davis Environmental Health Sciences Center, in collaboration with NIEHS. The center at UC Davis has environmental health studies focused upon improving human health specifically in the San Joaquin and Central Valley region. Wilson F. Ramírez-Duarte, a postdoctoral scholar, Tomofumi Kurobe, a project scientist and Swee Teh of the Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology and School of Veterinary Medicine are working on a study funded by the center, which has to do with drought-related contaminants on local well and tap water on a fish model. “If adverse [health] effects are observed in fish cultured in well water (e.g. mortality, abnormal swimming behavior, carcinogenic effect, endocrine disruption), we will initiate analytical chemistry to investigate causative chemicals,” Teh said. “[Eventually] this will provide us a list of contaminants that need to be regulated, and […] help protect public health in the local communities.” Environmental exposures such as air pollutants, contaminated water and toxic compounds in surrounding areas can cause major health problems. Understanding how the environment changes and impacts human health has led scientists into the future of preventative disease and treatment.

A SUMMER IN CAMBODIA UC Davis students spend summer abroad working to improve sanitation in Cambodian floating communities

RACHEL MURADIAN / COURTESY

BY E M M A SA D LOWS K I s ci en c e @ th e a ggi e .o rg

Joanne Wu, Rachel Muradian and Eugene Yao Guan’s trip to Cambodia wasn’t the typical study abroad experience. While other students might have spent their summers working, taking summer classes or relaxing, these UC Davis mechanical engineering (ME) students spent their summer abroad prototyping water treatments in floating communities along the Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia. Muradian, a fifth-year ME major, as well as Wu and Guan, UC Davis alumni, decided to do their ME senior design capstone project on developing a sanitation solution with Wetlands Work! (WW), a social enterprise based in Cambodia that designs and builds innovative constructed wetland systems to treat various contaminated waters. The three spent their winter and spring quarters designing water treatment systems before traveling to Cambodia in August 2016 to begin building the prototypes. “Once we started working on the project and communicating with the company in Cambodia, all of our conversations were about how much easier things would be if we were just on location to figure things out,” Muradian said. According to Guan, floating communities, or villages living on or near water, are

UC DAVIS ALUMNA CREATES NEW METHOD TO DETECT BREAST CANCER BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR ANGELA COURTNEY DEVELOPS URINE TEST FOR EARLY DETECTION OF BREAST CANCER BY ABI GAI L SAENZ sc ie nc e @t he aggie . org

especially vulnerable to water treatment issues. Without proper water treatments, these communities expel waste directly into nearby bodies of water, which can lead to bacterial infections, such as diarrhea if consumed. “[Water treatment] is an issue for floating communities because they are living on the water and there’s no way for them to filter what goes into the river,” Guan said. WW uses a sanitation solution called HandyPod that has been mostly successful at reducing pathogenic content in Tonle Sap Lake, but the solution is expensive and used primarily for floating houses, not stilted houses along the lake. The team worked with WW to modify the HandyPod system by minimizing the water system costs and adapting it for stilted houses. The group focused on designing and building a stand alone stilted support structure for the HandyPod and a hand crank allowing floating community residents to extend or reel in tubing. During the process of prototyping their water treatment designs, the group quickly learned that the limited supplies available in Cambodia led to major adjustments to their initial designs. With the support and assistance from Cambodian locals, those setbacks didn’t stop them.

“What could be seen as inconveniences actually helped us repurpose our project,” Wu said. “It was sort of an exercise in rolling with the punches.” Wu, Muradian and Guan worked with local Cambodian residents and students to figure out how to modify the prototypes with the supplies available in Cambodia. “It was really a lesson in flexibility, and it was really cool to learn from the Cambodians about how they go about building and designing,” Muradian said. By the end of the trip, the support structure proved to be almost completely functional while the hand crank needed additional work to improve its functionality. WW was pleased with the team’s work and will use their prototypes to improve future sanitation problems in floating communities. Guan looks back on the experience as one that helped him become more independent and bold. Not only did his team learn about Cambodia’s culture and history, he said, but they also made a difference in the residents’ lives. “Helping others doesn’t necessarily mean going somewhere and telling people what to do, but rather working with them to help them come up with a solution,” Guan said. “Whatever input they have is viable.”

During her first year as a graduate student at UC Davis, Angela Courtney was diagnosed with breast cancer. Within that same year, three other members of her family received the same diagnosis. Now, a graduate with a Ph.D. in integrative pathology, Courtney has developed a method for detecting breast cancer in its primary stages. “[Breast cancer] changed my world,” Courtney said. “[It] became my major focus.” Courtney and fellow UC Davis alumnus Mike Gilson worked in collaboration to establish “Adrastia Biotech,” a startup focused on their research, in 2015. From there, Gilson and Courtney began working to develop a method to detect breast cancer earlier in women, focusing on the body’s natural filtration system — the kidneys. “The kidney’s job is to parse through all of the body’s plasma data and determine what is important for us to keep because we need it, and what should be dumped because it’s harmful, toxic or in excess,” Courtney said. Courtney took advantage of this natural biological process by looking at the protein and genomic material that the kidneys excrete in urine. Since there is no one true biomarker for breast cancer, Courtney focused on developing a fingerprint for a multitude of factors that are present in women who are breast cancer positive or breast cancer negative. Because these genetic markers can vary between women, it is equally as important to recognize a woman’s own individual pattern. “Now it’s [your own body] compared to [your body], and URINE TEST on 13


THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

10 | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

ARTS & Culture

BR I ANA NGO / AGGI E

AggIE STYLE WATCH LAYERING AT ITS BEST Ozuna: It’s usually jeans with boots, a tank top and a cardigan.

BY CARA JOY KL EINR O C K arts@ th e ag g i e . o rg

Jessica Ozuna, a second-year sociology major, gets ready for the cold by layering up. She loves to wear comfortable clothes that match with everything. For Ozuna, makeup is a second thought, making the outfit most important. ASW: What is your style inspiration? Ozuna: Myself, I assume. Usually the trends, especially now that it is the winter time I tend to wear long socks and dresses with leggings. ASW: Do you have a go-to outfit?

ASW: What are your favorite stores to shop at? Ozuna: I really like Forever 21 and H&M. They are the ones I shop at the most. ASW: Are there any celebrities you look at for inspiration? Ozuna: Not really, it’s mainly magazines; the Forever 21 magazine and the email newsletter give me a lot of inspiration, and Urban Outfitters always has good trends to be aware of. ASW: Where did you get your outfit? Ozuna: The jacket is from Old Navy, the dress is from Forever 21,

the leggings are from H&M and the shoes are from a random store in my neighborhood. ASW: Do you have any advice for someone who wants to be more stylish? Ozuna: Wear what’s comfortable and not what everyone is wearing. You can make it stylish in your own way — it doesn’t have to be what others are wearing. ASW: Do you want to talk about your style? Ozuna: I’m not much of a leggings person; I love to wear jeans and cardigans. I tend not to wear makeup often either. It’s just when I’m in the mood and I don’t feel great about myself [if ] I wear makeup.

Moana, the first-ever Polynesian Disney princess

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Why it’s important that Disney attempts to diversify its cast of characters

Biblical saga of Joseph and his coat of many colors comes to life

MORGAN TIEU / AGGIE

BY SY D N E Y OD M A N arts @ th e ag g i e . o rg

Throughout the sustained success that Disney has experienced over the years, the mass media and entertainment conglomerate has oftentimes been accused, rightly so, of cultural appropriation and having a whitecentric worldview. The first Disney princess film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, came out in 1937, and it wasn’t until 1992 that the company featured its first princess of color, Jasmine from Aladdin. And even Jasmine’s casting was tainted by Disney’s white-washing; the character was voiced by Linda Larkin, a white voice actor, which is also the case for many Disney princesses of color. The lack of diversity among its cast of princesses, many of whom are often portrayed as helpless characters in need of a savior, sends a potentially harmful message to young girls growing up in an increasingly diversified world. The coming generations need Disney princesses that look like them. The newest disney film, Moana, will soon hit theaters, featuring the first-ever Polynesian Disney princess. Although Moana, the first princess without a romantic interest, was initially praised for its progressive premise, some believe that Disney’s attempt to create a more diverse community within its cast of characters only re-

sults in ethnic stereotyping. In the past, Disney has faced controversial claims over its portrayal of different cultures and ethnicities, such as the Native Americans in Pocahontas and the Chinese in Mulan. This instance is no different, as there are definitely aspects of Moana that align with certain stereotypes of Polynesian culture. For example, some critics have been particularly disillusioned with the stereotypical appearance of the oversized and heavily-tattooed character of Maui, a demigod that Moana meets along her journey. In contrast to his intimidating appearance, Maui wears his heart on his sleeve and joins Moana on her quest to save her island. Despite backlash toward the character, it is made clear in the film that Maui is not just an average individual, but a god, hence his powerful and muscular figure. “I think that Disney is doing its best to take progressive steps toward the empowerment of minorities and women especially, and are in no way intentionally appropriating the cultures of its characters. I think that regardless of what they decide to do, they’re gonna be criticized,” said Pahrmis Hashemi, a first-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major. Regardless of these criticisms, Moana will surely be a princess unlike any other before her. In comparison to the usual damsel-in-distress heroines of Disney’s past, Moana is a strong, independent protagonist set upon achieving her goals with the help of her friends and hilarious sidekick Heihei the rooster. Additionally, her appearance strays from the unrealistic body images typical of past Disney princesses with their slim waists and dainty figures, such as Elsa and Anna of Frozen or Ariel of The Little Mermaid. In contrast, Moana breaks the mold of the “classic” Disney princess, with her thick eyebrows, wild hair and more realistic body type. Moana harbors no love interest DISNEY on PAGE 13

BY KRISHAN MITHAL ar ts@t heaggi e. org

The Davis Musical Theater Company will be presenting a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat on Saturday, Nov. 19. The story is based on the “coat of many colors” story of Joseph from the Bible’s Book of Genesis. The titular character is a boy whose ability to have prophetic dreams result in him enduring a series of adventures in which his spirit and humanity are continually challenged. The company’s main goal is to conserve the classic American musical art form by producing quality, affordable, family-oriented theatrical musicals open to the Davis community. The theater also provides a training ground for amateur theatrical performers, directors, choreographers, musicians and technicians. The production will feature young performers assuming the lead roles. Diana Henderson, a third-year biological sciences and theater double major, has worked at the Theater and reassured that the production will delve into important issues. “The play really goes into the impact power has on how people are perceived and [it is] so relevant nowadays considering the presidential elections and how we put people up on this pedestal without actually knowing them,” Henderson said. Power certainly is one of the main themes of the play. Joseph starts out as a slave sent to Egypt, but his special ability lands him secondin-command to the Pharaoh. As the play progresses, we see a shift in Joseph’s identity and a shift in how he is perceived by others.

Jeff Rossetti has acted in productions put on by the theater, and explained how these plays not only display young talent, but are also important for the community to see. “I believe Joseph [and the Technicolor Dreamcoat] will be entertaining while also providing an important message [...] there will be a variety of musical styles, like rock n’ roll and calypso, while also incorporating tales from the Old Testament [...] it’s a really unique play,” Rossetti said. Ever since its premiere back in 1970, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat has been quite popular, praised for its concept and incorporation of a biblical story with a musical backdrop. The popularity of this production is no secret. According to Really Useful Group, a media company involved in theater and film, over 20,000 schools and amateur theatre groups have performed Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat. The actors in the play also receive heavy praise because the play is almost completely sung, with little spoken dialogue. “It’s a difficult play to perform because it requires so much from you [...] you have to sing while also acting and that’s what makes this play so special for the actors and the audience,” said Lisa Sousa, a fifth-year economics and political science double major, who acted in a past production of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat. The Davis Musical Theater Company will present Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat from Nov. 19 through Dec. 11. Tickets are $8 and the play is open to all ages. For more information please visit www. dmtc.org.


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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016 | 11

ARTS & Culture Through the Artist’s Eye: Ali Bhimani ALI BHIMANI / COURTESY

BY ABI G A I L WA N G a rts@ t he ag g i e . o rg

Most of us usually don’t think of paper cut-outs as the first way to make art, but for second-year art studio major Ali Bhimani, it’s his primary medium. The use of paper throughout his artworks wasn’t the result of some purposeful, genius brainchild, but rather of laziness. “It started off as me being lazy because one of the prompts for my [art] class was to use patterned repetition in a work, but I didn’t want to draw and paint the person everytime, so I drew him once, cut him out and used a stencil, and my teacher was like ‘that’s a very unique style of doing it,’ so through laziness brews creativity,” Bhimani said. Bhimani practiced art throughout his childhood but didn’t begin to consider it as a career path seriously until his senior year of high school, when his work was featured in the Knoxville Museum of Art. “I was taking AP studio just to get some art credit, [my teacher] submitted my art to a museum and it was featured,” Bhimani said. “So

Art studio major exhibits creativity through paper

ALI BHIMANI / COURTESY

I was like, maybe I have a chance to do something I like instead of business, which seemed too easy to me.” From very early on, Bhimani drew inspiration from human life forms and continues to focus his artwork on this aspect. “When I used to draw as a kid or if I had any art classes I would always draw eyes and hands,” Bhimani said. “I’m very obsessed with hands and the functionality [of them]; there’s so much we can do with our appendages, and it’s fascinating to me.” Bhimani is also inspired by other artists, like Bansky, who push their audiences to address the political climate. “There’s no copyright issue in artistry. It’s impossible to copy someone because your work takes its own path. If I’m making a sculpture, it is going to start off some way in my mind, but by the time I’m done the sculpture’s taken its own path and the idea has gone into the work and it is for others to see,” Bhimani said. As for his future in the art field, Bhimani hopes to become an art professor and inspire others to take on artistic career paths. This past

Davis Music Venues: Struggling or Thriving?

summer, Bhimani was the head counselor for an art camp, called Camp Mosaic, that hosted 120 participants in Seattle. “That’s one of the most rewarding [experiences], inspiring kids to pursue art because it’s looked so down upon as a career path,” Bhimani said. “But there’s always going to be someone out there who enjoys what you enjoy so don’t hesitate to do what you want to do. Unless you’re a psychopath.” Bhimani, although purposeful in his artwork, does not aim to push any specific meaning on his audiences. “I want to quote Pablo Picasso, he says ‘art is a lie that leads to the truth.’ So no piece of art has any meaning; it could be a blank wall that’s sold for billions of dollars or it could be the most complicated, intricate clockwise structure that takes years and years to finish that sells for nothing,” Bhimani said. “It’s the person that walks up to that painting that gives it meaning.” To view more of Bhimani’s artwork, students and others can visit his website at alibhimani786.portfoliobox.net.

NADIA DORIS / AGGIE

LUCY KNOWLES/ AGGIE

In light of Freeborn Hall closing and the lack of “one size fits all” venues, the Davis house show scene shows initiative

Professor Joshua Clover

Professor Elizabeth Miller

English professors recall books that left lasting impression BY PARI SAGAFI ar ts @the aggie. org

AGGIE FILE

BY AL LY OV ERBAY a rts@ t he ag g i e . o rg CAT TAYLOR/ AGGIE

The Mondavi Center, Third Space Art Collective, Sophia’s Thai Kitchen, the Pavilion — Davis certainly does not lack a variety of music venues. But in light of closing Freeborn Hall (once known as UC Davis’ premiere music venue) and Chance the Rapper’s recent performance inside the makeshift Pavilion-turned-arena, the Davis music scene must ask itself: there may not be a shortage of venues, but is there an inadequacy? Every music venue in Davis has its own niche, whether it be providing a formal location for largescale artists at the Mondavi Center, hosting local KDVS musicians at Third Space, or providing background entertainment for the night scene at bars like Sophia’s and G Street Wunderbar. And while Davis musicians are dedicated enough to find places for sharing their art, the town still lacks an established “one size fits all” venue. Jeremy Ganter, the Mondavi Center’s associate executive director and director of programming, detailed the performing arts center’s role in the Davis music scene. Having been with the Mondavi Center since its inception 15 years ago, Ganter notes that the Mondavi Center is a premiere venue not only in Yolo County, but in all of Northern California. “Part of our role in the music scene is diversifying it,” explained Ganter. “We present a very wide array of music genres, ranging from classical to indie rock, with a special commitment to classical music, jazz and other American musical forms, and world music. That said, our hope and our goal, every year, is that our contributions to the local music scene go beyond the excellence and diversity of the music we present.” The Mondavi Center has its niche and excels at it. But most UC Davis students are drawn to genres not often hosted by the Mondavi Center — hip-hop, pop, garage rock, etc. Ganter also recognizes this, and stresses the importance of an audience-centered ideology. “Good venues are important to the experience,

of course, but the most important element of a healthy music scene is a clear point of view about what artists are chosen, and why,” said Ganter. “If you have a focused perspective on your work that resonates with your audience, it can be a pathway to more venues, or improved venues, or the kind of venues that better serve the local music scene.” There is no shortage of venues, therefore, to Davis students willing to pay for a ticket at a sit-down venue and hear world-renowned musicians like YoYo Ma, Julian Lage, Philip Glass and others. (Not to mention that students receive 50 percent off most tickets at the Mondavi Center.) E.J. Palacios, a Davis resident and third-year human development major at Sacramento City College, frequently organizes local Davis house shows. He believes there is a distinction to be made between the Davis music scene and that provided by UC Davis. “[House shows are for] just a lot more lesser known, indie-groups — people that are still on a local level,” Palacios said. “The Mondavi Center, they are the one place that [musicians] will come. But that’s not really the Davis music scene, that’s for UC Davis. There isn’t much of a middle ground. You’re either paying $80 at the Mondavi Center, or donating at someone’s house.” Palacios is right; without the Mondavi Center, local musicians are left with Third Space, bars and house shows. And with the limitation of 21+ entry for the night scene, half of the undergraduate community is left scrambling to attend house shows or trekking to South Davis to catch a performance at Third Space. That’s not to say any of these venues lack integrity, or even good music; rather, they are not primarily music venues. Food and drink menus and community-hosted events are instead priorities for places like Sophia’s and Third Space — and that’s okay; that is their niche. Unbeknownst to most students, however, is the small but thriving community behind house shows. Davis residents, inspired by the growing music scene and saddened by the lack of attend-

Preview: Chess, the Musical The Davis Musical Theater company prepares for fourth production of Cold War chess match musical

NICKI PADAR / AGGIE

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Ah, reading. An activity that we always promise to make time for, but rarely end up doing. Between all the assigned reading that we’re required to accomplish for classes, that club meeting you’re running to and your friend’s birthday dinner, recreational reading is something that often slips in between the cracks with other things that are good for us. Many of us may have wonderful, nostalgic memories of staying up past our bedtime, and sneakily reading a book under the covers with a flashlight or impatiently waiting for the next book in a series to be released. So for those who don’t read anymore, or never really did, consider this: reading can awaken a curiosity that we may have forgotten about, or never knew existed. Engaging works of fiction can distract us from the daily stress of life, and non-fiction can empower us with knowledge about our world. A self-help book can set you on the path to becoming more content, and poetry can remind you of beauty in life. We, as college students, are at such a unique point in our lives; we are growing, learning, ever-changing, and a little help from great books never hurts. The Aggie sat down with Joshua Clover, professor of English and comparative literature, and Elizabeth Miller, professor of English, to see what books had a profound influence on their lives when they were in college. Plus, they name some books they wish they had read in college, with the hopes that this can inspire some of us to pick up a book that we’ve been eyeing for awhile. Professor Joshua Clover: Book that had a profound influence in college: “Capital, by Karl Marx. At first I was puzzled that it wasn’t the old-fashioned call to revolutionary struggle I expected. Thank goodness; instruction manuals are bullies. It took me some doing to understand it was a far more ambitious thing, an attempt to sketch the laws of motion for our society and a framework for understanding how real historical change might be possible. I think it holds up pretty well. It’s a good inoculation against priests (politicians and economists, say) who would say there is no alternative to

BY CARO LINE RU T T E N ar t s @the aggie .org

Upon contacting Steve Isaacson, the Davis Musical Theater Company’s (DMTC) co-founder and director of the newest performance of 1980’s Chess, the Musical for an interview, he insisted I receive a full tour of backstage and free tickets to the upcoming show. Not only did I discover the hospitality of the theater company, but I witnessed the warmth and passion put into the show, all the way down to the light set-up. “At the start of Act Two, which takes place in a church, I have 70 LED candles [as the lighting], so when the curtains open up it looks beautiful,” Isaacson said. “I don’t want to tell you too much, but I’m so proud of the show.” Chess will run at DMTC through Dec. 4 and marks the fourth production of the show by DMTC. According to the DMTC website, “the story involves a romantic triangle between two players in a world chess championship, and a woman who manages one and falls in love with the

the world we live in. Revolution is one of the halfdozen topics in this world worth taking seriously and the least miserable, even in the face of defeat.” Book that I wish I had read in college: “Revolutionary Letters, [by] Diane Di Prima. I grew up with a pretty narrow sense of what poetry could be, and while university gave me a chance to engage with that tradition much more intensively (and I had great teachers), it didn’t do much to damage my definitions. Many poets since then have helped with that: Baraka, Stein, Mayakovsky, Mayer, Cesaire. But Di Prima most of all: oh, so it can be a way to deal directly with specific practical problems in front of us, a totally woo-free way to engage with necessity! Good to know.” Professor Elizabeth Miller: Book that had a profound influence in college: “I worked at a Barnes and Noble bookstore for all four years of college (largely for the 40 percent discount on books!), and I was an English major, so I read a lot in college. For my leisure reading, I’ve always loved fantasy and speculative genres, and I can remember burning through Frank Herbert’s Dune (1965) during one day-long binge-read in the summer of 1995. Looking back, it almost seems like my love for Dune was preparing me to eventually move to California in 2008, right at the beginning of the drought.” Book that I wish I had read (earlier) in college: “If I had to choose the one book that I read in college that affected me most, it would definitely be Charlotte Brontë’s novel Jane Eyre (1847), which I read for the first time during a class [on the Brontë family] in the fall of my senior year. That was the book that set me on the path to becoming a feminist critic, and the book that set me on the path to becoming a scholar of Victorian literature. I was amazed by the rawness of Brontë’s language, the passion of her feminist indignation and the novelty of a small, plain and homely heroine. I can remember blazing through the first half of that book, reading as though the book was on fire, with a speed and an intensity of concentration that my brain seems no longer capable of today!”

other.” “It is an extremely powerful story,” Isaacson said. “The story involves Americans and Russians and is so significant now. The show was relevant when it was written in the 1980’s when the Berlin Wall was about to come down, but the current political climate and our head-butting with Russia is a perfect set-up for this show. But that’s not why we chose it; it sells very well. It just happened to fall into place, but I wish it didn’t.” However, the Russian-American dynamic of Chess has been intrinsic in production. “The [costume] concept is chess,” Isaacson said. “The Russians are in black and the Americans are in white. As Florence, the American chess second, falls in love with Anatoly, the Russian chess champion, her costumes move from a light grey to a grey palette. His goes from a black to a dark grey.” Dramatic and serious musicals are not necessarily characteristic of DMTC, however. CHESS on 13


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THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

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KATEHI

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the same,” Menager said. “And I think that Democrats right now really need to, on a national level, need to focus in on reconnecting with voters, reconnecting with what people want and need out of their country.” At UC Davis, students overwhelmingly supported Hillary Clinton. In an online survey conducted by The California Aggie, 71.3 percent of the approximately 200 respondents said that they would vote for Hillary Clinton. By comparison, 13.3 percent of respondents said they would vote for Donald Trump. In the 2016 election, voter turnout fell from previous elections. While voter turnout in 2008 hit a peak of 61.6 percent for eligible voters, that number fell to

58 percent in 2012 and 56 percent in 2016, the lowest level in 20 years. For many Democratic voters, Clinton’s loss became a wake-up call for the state of the party. “The Democratic party used to be a party of activists, of community organizers, of individuals who are on the street, on the ground, who had a direct connection with the people that they were supposed to represent,” Menager said. “I think it’s symptomatic of the disconnect that Democrats have with a certain portion of the American population. Even with all this money, she wasn’t able to make much headway in any of the battleground states.”

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it would be good to share it with women who are willing to grow into new professions, and to share with them my own experience.” Micek expressed disappointment that university administrators have not been more open with the community regarding the controversies both leading up to and after Katehi’s resignation. “[I’m] disappointed to see Mrak Hall struggle with communicating the truth about what the chancellor had been doing on campus, whether the furniture or the donations she never donated that was supposed to go to scholarships,” Micek said. “The spokespeople of campus never

communicated truthfully and it didn’t take long for the Sac Bee to point out the inconsistencies. Napolitano said ‘Linda misled me’ — she didn’t know about the Internet scrubbing contracts.” Anthony Estrada, a third-year majoring in managerial economics, feels unsure if Katehi should be allowed to return as a professor at UC Davis. “From the internet scrubbing, nepotism, conflict of interest, I wonder if she should be on paid leave and still allowed to come back on as a professor next year,” Estrada said. “But I don’t know if a man would have been punished less, or more.”

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Prop. 51 (Passed): Allows California to sell up to $9 billion in bonds ($7 billion going toward K-12 schools and the remaining $2 billion for community colleges) for the construction and modernization of school facilities. This results in a cost of approximately $17.6 billion (initial cost of $9 billion in addition to $8.6 billion in interest). Prop. 52 (Passed): Indefinitely extends an existing statute imposing fees on private hospitals to fund Medi-Cal, care for uninsured patients, children’s health coverage, and provide grants to public hospitals. This creates little fiscal impact on the state and taxpaying individuals. Prop. 53 (Failed): If passed, it would have required statewide voter approval for revenue bonds to be issued or sold for any project costing over $2 billion if funded, owned, or managed by the state; however, this measure failed so state revenue bonds may continue to be provided without voter approval. Prop. 54 (Passed): Any bill or amendments to a bill must be posted on the Internet for a minimum of 72 hours before the Legislature can pass it. In addition, the legislature must also record their proceedings and post it on the Internet for public viewing. The fiscal ramification of this proposition results in a one-time $1 to $2 million cost, in addition to an annual cost of about $1 million for video and recording. Prop. 55 (Passed): Enacted in 2012 (until 2018), this measure extends the increased income tax on earnings over $250,000 until 2030. The allocated funds will support K-12 schools, community colleges, and healthcare. Results in an approximate $4 to $9 billion in annual state revenue from 2019 to 2030. Prop. 56 (Passed): Increases the state excise tax on cigarettes by $2 per pack. The tax rises from 87 cents to $2.87 on cigarette packs with e-cigarettes and other tobacco products increasing in similar amounts. This tax will go towards funding health care for low-income Californians. Prop. 57 (Passed): Allows certain state prison inmates parole consideration if convicted of nonviolent felony offenses. In addition, the prison system can award sentencing credit to inmates for good behavior, rehabilitation or education. Moreover, juveniles are required to appear in juvenile court before being transferred to adult court. This relieves the state of about tens of millions of dollars annually and produces net county costs of about a few million dollars annually. Prop. 58 (Passed): Allows public schools to more easily choose how to teach English efficiently for non-native speakers, whether in English-only, in dual-language immersion or in other types of programs. It also continues to require that public schools ensure students are proficient in English. There is no notable fiscal impact on the state or schools. Prop. 59 (Passed): As an advisory measure, this proposition does not require any action by state or federal legislature, but asks elected officials to

overturn the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. This case ruled that it was unconstitutional to place political spending limits on corporations and unions. This asks the legislature to increase regulation on campaign spending and contributions. This presents no direct cost to state or local governments. Prop. 60 (Failed): If passed, this proposition would have required adult film performers to use condoms during the filming of sexual intercourse and requires producers to pay for vaccines, tests, and medical exams with additional ways of enforcing those requirements. Not passing this measure means that adult film productions would continue to be subject to state and local workplace health and safety requirements. Prop. 61 (Failed): Passing this measure would have prohibited state agencies from paying more for prescription drugs than the lowest price paid for the drug by the United States Department of Veteran Affairs. Its failure allows state agencies to continue to negotiate prices of drugs without reference to the prices paid by the Department of Veteran Affairs. Prop. 62 (Failed): Passage would have repealed the death penalty and replaced it with life imprisonment without the possibility of parole; however, its failure continues the death penalty sentence. Prop. 63 (Passed): Initiates new requirements for selling or purchasing ammunition, including a background check and approval from the Department of Justice. The measure also prohibits possession of large-capacity magazines and calls for the creation of a new court process for the removal of firearms from prohibited persons after being convicted of certain crimes. This increases the court law enforcement costs of California and its local governments by potentially tens of millions of dollars annually. Prop. 64 (Passed): Legalizes marijuana for recreational use, possession and cultivation by adults 21 and older, and imposes state taxes on the sale and cultivation of cannabis. It allows for regulation of non medical marijuana business by local governments and imposes standards for marijuana products. The revenue will fund youth programs, environmental protection, and law enforcement. Prop. 65 (Failed): If passed, this would have redirected the money collected from the sale of carryout bags to environmental projects. Its failure imposes that charges on carryout bags could fund any purpose. Prop. 66 (Passed): Changes court procedures for legal challenges to death sentence, including limiting successive petitions, increasing available attorneys for appeals and setting time limits on challenges. The fiscal impact of this measure in unknown. Prop. 67 (Passed): This proposition prohibits most stores from providing single-use plastic carryout bags and instead requires a 10 cent charge for any other carryout bags. The estimated cost of this measure in unknown but relatively small.

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kava but mainly it is just going to make you feel really happy and good without any fogginess in the head.” Pacific island cultures have been consuming kava for over 3,000 years because of its positive effect on the mind and spirit. After drinking kava, people can expect to instantly feel relaxed not only in the body but also in the mind, as well as ready to socialize with anyone they meet. Whether students are looking to relax after a long day of classes or simply change up their daily routine,

Temple and Root of Happiness are leaders in providing nontoxic, exotic and sustainably grown teas to help students achieve this. “Besides improving mental health and stability, perhaps the most extraordinary benefit of tea is that it has very little negative impact on the planet,” Gascoyne said. “Tea plants actually have a negative carbon footprint so there is not really anything bad you can say about the product [...] it really has such top-tobottom integrity.”

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[bought] my plane ticket ahead of time,” said Cynthia Jinno, a fourth-year animal science major also from Los Angeles. “Now that I am in a research group, our schedules go from place to place. So I usually take the Amtrak now since you can buy the ticket the night before you leave.” Students who wish to fly home often take the Yolobus 42A or B from the UC Davis Memorial Union to the Sacramento International Airport. Those who prefer Amtrak can take either the A or Z line of Unitrans from campus to the Davis Station downtown. “[Amtrak is] usually eight hours to get [to Los Angeles],” Jinno said. “But if I take the really early train, I can sleep [during the ride], so by the time I wake up I’m already halfway there.” Janzen Lee, a fourth-year computer science major and international student from Taiwan, has a different story regarding his plans for break. Lee moved to the United States with his parents when he was 17. After his parents moved back to Taiwan this summer, Lee’s home is now over 6,000 miles away from Davis. During shorter breaks like Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving break, when traveling all the way home is not a feasible plan, Lee finds other ways to spend these few days off from school. “For Veteran’s Day, I [went] to Yosemite with [...] the Taiwanese Student Association (TSA),” Lee said. “And for Thanksgiving, I saw the International Club’s trip to San Francisco, so I signed up for that.” Lee has also gone on winter ski trips in the past with TSA and the Japanese American Student Society (JASS). He believes that these trips hosted by student organizations provide a welcoming and

friendly community for students, especially those who cannot conveniently visit home during the holidays. “These trips [involve] more bonding than just weekly meetings at school,” Lee said. “You get to know a lot of people more personally. I like [the trips] because for international students, we don’t necessarily have a place to go to for a short-term break. I know I have the option to go out and I don’t feel left alone.” During longer breaks such as the month-long winter break this year, some international students may take the opportunity to go on vacations with their friends. “[For] winter break, I plan to go to Disneyland [with] friends, and Las Vegas,” said Tomoko Shigemichi, a second-year English major and international student from Japan. International students staying in Davis over Thanksgiving also get a chance to experience a traditional American Thanksgiving celebration on Nov. 19 with International House Davis, a private nonprofit organization located across the street from Russell Field. First established in 1981, the Internationl House provides services and programs for international students. “One service we do provide [is] an annual Thanksgiving dinner [when] we invite international students, scholars, Davis community members and also I-House board, staff and interns to sit down and share a traditional Thanksgiving meal with turkey, trimming, pies — everything,” said Vinita Domier, I-House volunteer coordinator. “It’s a traditional meal shared amongst 100 wonderful friends, new and old.”

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abroad. It can be hard for students sometimes to connect with all of the things happening on campus, so it’s fun to see them get engaged and contribute their energy.” Student-faculty interactions can be beneficial for both parties involved. Thomas said she encourages students to involve themselves in events which connect them to faculty because it helps to make students “more active in class” as well as more confident to approach professors about their work outside of the classroom. Additionally, she encourages faculty to do the same. “Coming into Segundo [Dining Commons] and sitting down over a meal […] is very dif-

ferent [than the classroom],” Thomas said. “It makes us better teachers when we really take time to get to know our students as people.” When students and faculty take the time to get to know each other, the results can be emboldening to everyone involved. Goldstein has experienced this first-hand. “Teaching [...] is a collaborative experience that is born out of a relationship that involves trust and a mutual interest,” Goldstein said. “I really love getting to talk to UC Davis students in a non-classroom setting. I love hearing [about] all the rich things they’re up to, and thinking about and involved in. It’s really inspiring for me, and I’m happy to teach here.”

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front of you if you are on an illuminated street you want the lamp to be on a flashing mode so you can call attention to yourself and people can see you coming,” Bowen said. Bowen said that if there is concern over getting bike lights stolen, removable bike lights are always an alternative option, which can be stored away when not in use. In addition to bike lights, there are other procedures that cyclists can take for safer riding during these darker months. Bowen suggested bikers wear light-colored clothing or reflectorized clothing, at-

tach reflectors to backpacks or anything that the cyclists might be wearing and also wear a helmet. “Do not take the right of way, even if it is yours, because some people may not be paying attention, and don’t drive out in front of people assuming they are watching because they may not,” Bowen said. Fewer hours of daylight should not get in the way of enjoying the countless miles of bike paths that Davis offers. Biking with bright lighting will protect both students’ wallets from a fine and the health of students in general.

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ance, have assumed leadership roles in this regard. Huck Vaughan, third-year cinema and digital media major, is one of these Davis residents inviting musicians, neighbors and strangers to pack into their living room for a night of sweaty dancing and local tunes. “The underground music scene surprised me when I came to Davis,” Vaughan said. “Seeing a fledgling band playing in someone’s living room makes for an intimate live experience that’s hard to find anywhere else.” In fact, Palacios is the brains behind the shows being held at Vaughan’s residence. Palacios contacted Bay Area band Pit Stains and invited them to grace Davis with some DIY punk. And, in the spirit of punk, Pit Stains accepted. But attending a house show is more than making Friday night plans, or even discovering new music; it’s about showing support for the musicians and the community that consistently and voluntarily nur-

ture an ailing scene. “There’s a lot of interesting-looking people. There’s always lots of hairdos, hair colors. It’s always really inviting, at least at all the shows I’ve been to,” Palacios said. “I might not talk to a lot of people, but I have definitely met a lot people.” Palacios concluded with a call to action. He requested that anyone with a mild interest in music or hosting live music should consider planning a house show themselves. “Anyone who’s interested in putting on house shows should just f*cking do it. It’s really not that hard,” Palacios insisted. “You just [have] to reach out to bands. I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s easy, but it’s not crazy difficult; it just takes effort. You just have to be willing to initiate. You have to really want to lead. You have to really want to make it happen.” To find out more about upcoming Davis/Sacramento house shows and clubs, check out undietacos.org.

muters or the Solano Express Route 30 for commuters coming from Fairfield. There are also vanpooling options that are promoted by TAPS to keep students from driving alone to campus. When students drive alone they take up more parking spots and contribute to pollution. However, by using other modes of transportation students can reduce this. “We only have so many parking spaces on campus and it’s really expensive to build new parking,” Mancebo said. “We think that the [open] space on campus would be better used for classroom [and] recreational space — something that is better for the community as a whole.” In 2009, TAPS decided to bring carpooling, vanpooling and alternative bus systems under one umbrella program called “the goClub”. For TAPS, a big factor for promoting these alternative modes of transportation is to reduce the number of parking spaces used by single drivers. “We hired a consultant that basically said ‘this is what it costs to build parking and this

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle The Aggie

this what we think it will cost you to invest in these other strategies,” Mancebo said. “That is really why transportation services invests in these kinds of programs […] if we just built new parking for every new person it would get very expensive. So, parking rates would go up really high.” The goClub is a membership program offered by TAPS that provides incentives to members for using alternative modes of transportation such as biking, carpooling, busing and walking. Some incentives include complimentary parking permits for days members cannot use alternative transportation, discounted transit passes or emergency ride home services. Through Unitrans and the programs under the goClub, UC Davis is able to reduce the number of people who drive alone to campus. Based on its history, the future of UC Davis transportation will stay in line with a UC-wide mission to use sustainable practices and to help reduce construction costs of a growing campus population.


THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016 | 13

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

GOULD

CHESS

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

“DMTC does a lot of light-hearted and old, standard musicals, so Chess brings a new-ish show to the area and one that is not produced very often,” said leading actress Ashley Holm, who plays Florence. “It’s not a happy show. It has its light-hearted moments, but it’s more of a dramatic show than what DMTC usually does […] I’d like to say it is one of the better productions I’ve done at DMTC.” The show begins with a battle in the prologue and ends with a “big twist that is not in every production of the show.” “Every rehearsal I’m crying, and the audience is going to be in tears by the end of the show,” Isaacson said. Rehearsals for the show have been going on for six weeks, but have had some complications. “We recently had to make changes because the guy who is playing Molokov, the Russian chess second and KGB agent, tripped over a set piece and shattered his elbow and has to get surgery. We had to call someone to step in,” Isaacson said. Adjusting to the difficult music has also been a challenge in rehearsal. “The first couple days of rehearsal were a little rough for me musically,” Holm said. “Some of the melody lines clash completely with the music so it is hard to find your place. You have to know the music really well to be confident with it. It is some of the hardest music I’ve had to learn since I’ve never done a show with this sort of rock-style to it. It is definitely different among musicals.” With lyrics by Tim Rice Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and music by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA Mamma Mia, the show stands on its own

musically. “The music is very powerful, and the way it affects the cast is the way it will affect the audience,” Isaacson said. “ABBA is actually really good. Songs from ‘Mamma Mia’ are the typical ABBA songs, and there are definitely a couple songs that you’re like ‘oh my god, that’s ABBA.’ Sometimes, though, you’re like ‘these are the guys from ABBA? This is incredible!’ Some standout songs are ‘Anthem,’ You and I’ and ‘Endgame’ which is the big finale.” For first-year art history major Audrianna Escobedo, who plans to see the show, the various aspects of music in Chess are what make the the musical stand out. “The music is kinda like Phantom of the Opera crossed with rock,” Escobedo said. “Since the show is based during the Cold War, Russia is like the formal classical music, but America is like the 1950’s rock. It all works even though they are so different. It’s become more common for musicians that are more pop-culture to write music for musicals. It think it is an extra way theater people can be creative that can bring more people to the theater. People might know ABBA and come for them even if they don’t know the show.” With an intense, dramatic show ahead for DMTC, the small local theater is confident about the success of the performance. “I try to make the show about the actors, the lights, the set and the costumes,” Isaacson said. “I can’t do what they do on big stages, so I try to do it with talent.” For tickets and more information about Chess the Musical, please visit DMTC’s website at www. dmtc.org.

URINE TEST CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

that is even more powerful because you’re not only comparing yourself to what the population shows as breast cancer positive, but what [you’re] showing when [you’re] breast cancer negative as well,” Courtney said. In the past, blood samples were more commonly used for the detection of breast cancer. However, the use of urine has the potential for universal benefits. “The idea is that you can draw the urine sample from literally anywhere in the world, and since breast cancer is a worldwide problem, the theory was why not use something easier to gather,” Gilson said. In addition the ability to conduct urine samples worldwide, the samples can also be taken much more frequently than blood tests. For women who were once diagnosed with breast cancer, but have since been declared cancer free, a urine test provides them with an opportunity to safely continue testing for any future relapse. “You always have [it] lurking in the back of your mind. Like, is [breast cancer] going to pop up again?” said Kristin Kozlowski, a breast cancer survivor and leader of a Christian support group for women who have been diagnosed. For a woman diagnosed with breast cancer, detection is critical not only to her survival, but also to

the lasting effects that prevail long after the cancer is gone. Often, women who are diagnosed with breast cancer must undergo chemotherapy, radiation treatments and bilateral mastectomies (the removal of both breasts) in their efforts to treat the disease. “As far as we’ve come with the treatment of breast cancer, we’re not there yet. We’re not at the point where we can treat it, move on with life, and everything will be fine. The treatments that we have can leave these really devastating lifelong effects,” Courtney said. Ultimately, the development of Courtney’s method for early detection can prevent these lasting effects in women who would otherwise not have received a diagnosis until their disease had progressed further. “I felt blessed that mine was stage one. I felt like it was [detected] pretty early, but to even have it earlier would be great,” Kozlowski said. Courtney’s advancements in breast cancer research are far from complete and she is looking for someone experienced in grant writing to assist her in writing a Small Business Innovation Research paper to receive funding to further her research. Courtney requested that anyone who might have assistance or information to please contact her at adrastiabiotech@gmail.com.

WATER POLO CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

The beginning of the first period proved very promising for the Aggies, as sophomore attacker Ido Goldschmidt assisted junior attacker Cory Laidig at the 5:44 mark to put the Aggies on the board 1-0. Pacific soon tied the game up, and quickly took the lead at the 1:19 mark on a 6-on-5 conversion, 2-1. UC Davis used the short time left in the first period to its advantage, as freshman center Eric Martel tied the game up for the Aggies at 2-2. Junior goalkeeper Spencer Creed racked up an impressive four saves against the Tigers in the first. On a five-meter penalty shot and a goal in the second period, Pacific extended their lead on the Aggies 5-3. Another goal by the Tigers increased the lead on UC Davis to 6-3 at halftime. The only goal for the Aggies in the second period was scored by sophomore utility Nick Coufal. The third period of play proved to be very exciting for the UC Davis, as sophomore utility Sasa Antunovic brought the Aggies to within two goals of the Tigers twice. Antunovic scored an impressive three-goal hat trick this period, his first being at the 6:55 mark and the second just a minute later. After two goals by the Tigers, increasing their lead to 9-5, sophomore center defender Riley Venne put the ball in the back of the net at 2:15, helped by an assist from Goldschmidt. Antunovic was not far behind, and scored his third, which re-

duced the Tigers’ lead to 9-7. Pacific increased its lead with two more goals in the fourth period of play. Though UC Davis outshot the Tigers 26-25, the Aggies could not make any more goals, and the game ended 11-7, Pacific. “[We] are facing a different caliber of an opponent than some of the other teams that we face. It is a much more difficult game, a different level of pressure in terms of getting punished for your mistakes,” said head coach Daniel Leyson. “I think it is a positive for us. We have never played Pacific this close, being within a couple goals. With a couple different plays we are much closer. That is the difference in these types of games is that you have to convert your crucial opportunities.” Even with the Aggies’ tough loss, the night was not complete without honoring lone senior center and captain Tennyson May, who played his last game at Schaal Aquatics Center. “It is pretty surreal,” May said. “It is one of those moments that you think about and never really think is actually going to come. It is a cool feeling. I love this team, I love this school and to be a part of this is the best thing that has ever happened to me.” The next match for UC Davis men’s water polo will be at the Western Water Polo Association Championships hosted by Santa Clara from Nov. 18 to 20, when the Aggies will enter as the number one seed.

“Tell me more,” Gould says. The meeting begins. *** Even though Gould’s office is very tidy, he spends countless hours every week there — watching film, hosting high school or professional coaches, talking to prospective Aggie players and their families. There’s a flat screen that’s paused on a potential high school recruit’s film from last week’s game. On his desk are pictures of his two sons, Tevin and Trae, who are both going to school in Oregon. Gould sat down with both of them to ensure they didn’t feel pressured to play football for the wrong reasons. Neither one of them does. Next to their pictures is a brick that has the UC Davis emblem on it and the phrase “Every Man a Brick, Together a Wall,” reminding him of his primary goal as head coach: creating strength through togetherness. *** Ron Gould was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, where he played football as defensive back at Scottsdale Community College for a year before earning a scholarship to Wichita State. After its program was discontinued, Gould went to the University of Oregon to continue playing football and eventually graduated in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree in criminology. He stayed with the Ducks as a graduate assistant until he was offered a defensive back assistant coaching job at Portland State and, later, Boise State. Gould eventually made his way to UC Berkeley, where he was the running back coach for ten years before moving up to associate head coach in 2008. In 2012, Gould took the head coaching job at UC Davis. “I’d never been on campus before I got hired,” he said. “But I knew it was a highly academic, diverse school.” Since his appointment, Gould has taken UC Davis’ football program to a new level — both on the field and in the classroom. He emphasized how high his expectations are for prospects because UC Davis has such a rigorous core curriculum. “We have four pillars that we look for in recruits: athletic ability, academics, character and competitive spirit,” he said. “We don’t compromise one for the other.” He emphasized the necessity of well-rounded players, doing their part as full-fledged adults in the community. Gould wants each player to feel important. His priority lies with his desire to develop the men on his team as athletes, students and, most especially, people. He constantly reminds them, “If football is the only thing I’ve taught you, then I have failed you.” He and his wife, Teresa, moved to Davis after spending almost 16 years in Berkeley. Teresa served as interim athletic director until the university named Kevin Blue for the position this past spring. With the Goulds so involved in collegiate athletics, the UC Davis athletic staff has become like family. “Coach Gould loves to cook,” said Mike Robles, assistant athletic director and communications coordinator. “He invited the entire staff and team over and we thought, there’s no way coach would actually be cooking for all of us and he goes, ‘Oh yeah? Come on over.’” *** When Coach Gould blows the whistle, chaos

ensues. With a quick shuffle, dozens of players hustle into their respective sections — offense, defense, quarterbacks and running backs — with their designated coach across Jim Sochor Field. Gould is in the dead center of the commotion, calm and collected, directing each section like a conductor of an orchestra, trying to restore order in the music: blown whistles, strained shouting, bodies crashing into each other, the football meeting the arms of their intended receiver. The timer on the jumbo screen overlooking the field is counting down from 05:00 and buzzes loudly throughout the stadium as soon as it reaches 00:00 before resetting. Each time it does, the configuration of the field changes into something completely different from the one before — Coach knows how to make the most out of these practices. This goes on for two hours before Coach calls the team in for a huddle, ready to deliver the makeit-or-break-it evaluations. On his wrist he wears a rubber bracelet with “RESPECT THE PROCESS” typed across the band. “Be patient, respect the process, and good things will happen,” Gould said. It’s why he has in-team programs he likes to call Big Brother, much like a mentoring program, and Accountability Program, in which players nominate teammates as coaches and are drafted onto five different teams. He wants them to bond and trust one another like brothers. “If one member of the team is slacking, either in the classroom or just in the community, the others are just as responsible,” he smiles. “That way they’re helping one another succeed both on and off the field.” *** In the heart of Aggie Stadium, the Bruce Edwards Club Room is empty after a long night of football. The UC Davis emblem-patterned backdrop that sits behind the table at the front of the room has a spotlight on it expectantly. Soon enough, Coach Gould appeared through the sliding door and took a seat at the table. His eyes are bloodshot, but he still holds his shoulders high, prepared for anything that comes his way. One of the reporters asked, “What happened tonight?” The Aggies just lost to the Portland State Vikings. Badly. It was a disappointing regression. Definitely not up to Coach Gould’s standards. As he takes his time to articulate, he may be thinking back to what he said during practice a few days before. “No one is born a leader, okay,” he said. “They may have leadership qualities, but it’s using those qualities that makes someone a leader.” For Coach Ron Gould, this is his way of respecting the process. This loss reminds him that there’s much more work to be done. He holds his team and, therefore, himself to the highest standard both on the field and off it. Coach Gould finally put his hands up slowly and sighed, “We just didn’t execute.” He shook his head. “I told the players, ‘You can’t talk about it. You got to be about it.’ We just have to get back to Aggie Football.” With only two games left in the season, the only thing the UC Davis football team has left to do is to get back up and finish strong. And with a leader like Ron Gould, that feat shouldn’t be that hard to accomplish.

CHEER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

However, one of the most parts about cheering at a football game is knowing when not to cheer. “If they make a big play, we want everybody yelling and screaming,” head coach Ron Gould said. “When the offense is in the huddle, they should be quiet. When they break, when they come out and get on the center, there shouldn’t be any noise, but when we make a big play, it should erupt. It should go to 10,000 decibels once we make a big play.” Don’t waste this valuable information; be

the most spirited Aggie in the stands on Saturday, Nov. 19 when UC Davis football faces off against Sacramento State in the 63rd Causeway Classic. There’s also the chance to score some free giveaways, like the coveted tube socks and cowbuckers that the Aggie Pack emcees throw into the crowd. “When we walk out, when those guys run through the tunnel and they see all those fans out there [...] It really lifts their spirits,” Gould said. “It inspires them to keep moving forward.”

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

DISNEY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

throughout the movie, placing her in a role more akin to that of an action hero, rather than a princess waiting to be saved by the prince. Regardless of the controversy Moana might present, the Polynesian princess will undoubtedly be a strong role model for young girls to look up

to and admire, a sentiment that embodies the best of what Disney offers to its audience. At the end of the day, Moana is a Disney movie, filled with mythical legends, catchy tunes and what is sure to be an entertaining film-going experience for all. Moana will hit theaters everywhere on Nov. 23.

LUCY KNOWLES / AGGIE


THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

14 | THURSDSAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

BACKSTOP

The Gould Standard UC Davis head football coach Ron Gould

JAY GELVENZON / AGGIE BR I AN LANDRY / AGGI E

A how-to guide fOR cheering at UC Davis football games

BY NICOLETTE SARMIENTO sports@theaggie.org

Bossy cow-what? BY L IZ JACOBSON sports@theaggie.org

In an exciting game at Schaal Aquatics Center last Saturday niLet’s begin with a little explanation about the objective of football. The goal of football is to get the ball into the endzone, or to get a touchdown. This is accomplished by running or throwing the football down the field. The team has four tries to get the ball at least 10 yards across the field. If the team gets the ball past the first down marker, then it gets four more tries. If the opposing team stops the other team on or before the fourth down, the ball changes possession and the opposing team picks up where the other left off. Once a touchdown is scored, the team can either kick the ball through the field goal for an extra point or try to run the ball in for two extra points. The UC Davis football team is eleventh in the Big Sky Conference, with one win and five losses, but, because not every game is a conference game, the team’s season record is 2-7. At a UC Davis football game, there are a few cheers that are consistently performed. UC Da-vis! and Here We Go Aggies, Here We Go! These cheers show general support for the UC Davis football team and raise the spirits of the crowd. Either the emcees in the front of the Aggie Pack or those in the stands can start these cheers. UC Davis is also known for having one of the most obscure cheers in the country, the Bossy Cow-Cow cheer, which is a favorite of both the Aggie Band-Uh! and the Aggie Pack. Bossy Cow Cow Honey Bee Bee Oleo Margarine Oleo Butterine Alfalfa Hay! “It’s an old Aggie tradition that we’ve done for generations, so we continue that tradition,” said Ishita Singh, a fourth-year economics and international relations major and UC Davis Athletics Department marketing intern. The Bossy Cow-Cow cheer is not hard to participate in getting the hang of it, even though the lyrics are quite odd and there is a choreographed dance. Begin on the right knee and shake to the

right, to the left, to the right, and once more to the left. Then do a box step, or pretend to move in a small circle. Repeat that box step in the other direction, do a roll to the bottom and hands go up in the air on “hay!” Other common cheers are performed after the first and second downs. Move! Those! Chains! and U-C-D, First Down! The first cheer represents the moving of the first-down markers (which use chains to measure distance) down the side of the field, showing that the UC Davis football team is progressing down the field. The latter cheer is performed often and is another favorite of the Aggie Pack. When cheering, point to the direction of the down at the same time as the words “First Down!” The scoreboard will show a #1 next to “Down” and the emcees will lead off with a “1-2-3” count when The Aggies score a first down. During the course of a game, the UC Davis football team feeds off the energy from the crowd. “They bring the energy that we need to perform,” said senior punter Colby Wadman. “When we’re looking up, seeing them all cheer for us when we score and [when] we just see them erupt, it definitely brings that energy for us.” His teammate, senior running back Manusamoa Luuga, agreed, and said that the Aggie Pack, the crowd and his own team’s cheering helps the team’s performance. “When you make a big play, and you look over to the sideline and see the whole sideline jumping and everybody going crazy, it’s probably one of the best feelings,” Luuga said. “It’s definitely just a sense of motivation for us just to continue to keep going, just to stay in the game and to ultimately get the victory.” Cheering not only helps the UC Davis football team, but it often has a positive impact on the fans. “I always encourage being part of the Aggie Pack, and even body painting,” Singh said. “Not only is it a great experience for [the fans, but] it shows our great teams that you’re excited and that we’re going to have a good time.” According to Singh, cheering can also help to form new friendships and discover professional opportunities, like UC Davis Athletic marketing internships.

CHEERING on PAGE 13

UPCOMING GAMES Men's basketball (The ARC Pavilion): Thursday, Nov. 17 vs. Holy Names at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov 21 vs. Sacramento State at 5:30 p.m. (at the Golden 1 Center)

It’s 1:26 p.m. on a rainy Monday afternoon. Five men are sitting in a room with whiteboards for walls, which are blackened by marker ink and color-coded magnets labeled with random, short words like “base,” “tex” and “ace.” There’s an oval-shaped table in the center of the room surrounded by a dozen chairs; one of the men sitting is scribbling frantically on his bright yellow notepad while the others chat casually about their wives and weekends. More men file in and fill a chair, each greeted by the company present, until there are eighteen people crammed into a room that’s only slightly bigger than a walk-in closet. One seat — the seat — at the head of the table is still empty, a throne of sorts. It’s 1:30 p.m. now. The last man shuts the door, and the casual atmosphere is replaced with tacit respect — maybe even fear. “Sup, coach?” they all ask in unison. Head coach Ron Gould takes his seat. “What do you guys have for me today?” His voice is raspy from shouting on the field for so many years. “I want some good news.” Everyone turns to the man in the far corner opposite Gould as he clears his throat and says, “Well, Coach, I’m not too sure about Spencer.” “How is that good news?” Coach Gould demands. The rest of the men laugh, but the coach is waiting for an explanation. With Portland State coming to town this weekend, he’s anxious to know what — or who — he’s got to work with.

GOULD on PAGE 13

BR I AN LANDRY / AGGI E

MEN’S WATER POLO POSTS LOSS AGAINST PACIFIC Aggies take tough 11-7 loss against Pacific Tigers, honor graduating senior Tennyson May BY NICOLETTE SARMIENTO sports@theaggie.org

In an thrilling game at Schaal Aquatics Center last Saturday night under the lights, the UC Davis men’s water polo team played a hard-fought match against the Pacific Tigers, which ended in a 11-7 loss for the Aggies. Heading into this game, the NCAA had Pacific ranked as No. 5 and UC Davis as No. 8. This loss brings the team's overall record for the season to 21-5.

Women's volleyball (The ARC Pavilion): Saturday, Nov. 19 vs. UC Irvine at 7 p.m. Women's basketball (The ARC Pavilion): Wednesday, Nov. 23 vs. Montana State at 7 p.m.

Football (Aggie Stadium): Saturday, Nov. 19 vs. Sacramento State at 1 p.m.

WATER POLO on PAGE 13

JOEL EMBIID CAPTURES THE SPOTLIGHT AGGIE COLUMNIST MICHAEL WEXLER TALKS PHILADELPHIA 76ERS’ YOUNG CENTER JOEL EMBIID’S HOT START TO NBA CAREER AFTER TWO ABSENT SEASONS BY M ICHAEL W EX L E R sports@theaggie.org

When the NBA season started, I put out my predictions for the 2016 season, which included choosing Kris Dunn of the Minnesota Timberwolves to be the NBA 2016-2017 Rookie of the Year. “Kris Dunn [...] has seemingly won the position battle over Ricky Rubio for starting point guard. While I haven’t followed Dunn particularly closely, I like him over Joel Embiid, who’s going to have a season of distraction as his quest to earn the love of Kim Kardashian continues.” Dunn is off to a very interesting start. An elbow injury to Ricky Rubio has opened up an expanded role for the young guard, and the results have been mixed. His struggles on the offensive end have been

Player in Rookie Year (Games) J. Embiid (5) K. Abdul-Jabbar (82) S. O’Neal (81) H. Olajuwon (82)

well-documented. He is shooting an extremely-inefficient 36.7 percent from the field while averaging a mere 5.3 points and 4.2 assists per game. On the other end of the floor, his tendency to gamble on defense has resulted in a solid 1.8 steals per game. Dunn’s numbers aren’t particularly eye-popping; however, the numbers of Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers have stood out immensely. While I’m wary of reneging on my commitment to Dunn as the ROY due to Embiid’s extensive injury history, I will admit that I was wrong to write off Embiid after his first two seasons, in which he totaled zero minutes on the court. For those unfamiliar with Embiid’s past, here is the breakdown: Embiid missed his rookie campaign with a broken navicular bone in his right foot, and the same injury recurred during his sophomore season. The Philadelphia Inquirer claimed that the 76ers believed this injury to be career-threatening. Before this slew of injuries, Embiid was regarded as a generational talent and was a consensus number one overall pick; the fact that he only fell two slots when Philadelphia drafted him reflects upon Embiid’s tremendous talent — talent we are seeing now. It is still early, and while I haven’t been watching every minute of every Sixers game, Embiid’s numbers are outstanding. At first look, his numbers were impressive. After five games of play, Embiid was averaging 17.6 points per game along with 6.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks on 48.3 percent shooting from the field, and an unheard of 66.7 percent from deep. These numbers, especially the unsustainable 3-point percentage, are impressive for anyone, especially a rookie, but they stand out because these stats have been accumulated

PPG/36 REB/36 29.6 24.1 22.2 20.9

11.4 12.1 13.2 12.0

in heavily-managed minutes. Embiid is averaging only 21.4 minutes per game, so these numbers are literally unheard of. I know it's a small sample size, so this comparison must be taken with a grain of salt, but when extrapolating Embiid’s statistics to the often-used 36 minutes per game, the results speak for themselves. Comparing Embiid’s numbers to three of the greatest NBA centers of all time through five games is something ESPN would probably do to prey on the minds of feeble and naive 13-year-old basketball fans via their show First Take — so the answer is yes, I made this graphic half-jokingly. The point still stands, though, that Embiid’s tremendous success thus far is a delight to many. Foot injuries have derailed the careers of NBA greats such as Bill Walton and Yao Ming, so Embiid suffering similar injuries at the young age of 20 was hard to watch. After his second surgery, many (including myself ) were quick to label Embiid as the NBA’s next big bust. When you google “Joel Embiid Greg Oden,” 25,300 results appear, demonstrating a comparable career path to the 2007 first overall draft pick, whose career was quickly and painfully ended by debilitating knee injuries. Fortunately, Embiid’s play thus far has proven the naysayers wrong. Embiid is back in the conversation with other young stars such as Karl Anthony-Towns and Rudy Gobert. Seeing young kids’ dreams dashed by chronic injuries is heartwrenching, so I wish Joel Embiid good health in his quest to become one of the most dominant bigs in the NBA.

AST/36

BLK/36

STL/36

TO/36

FG%

FT%

2.0 3.4 1.8 1.4

4.4 N/A 3.4 2.7

1.0 N/A 0.7 1.2

7.4 N/A 3.6 2.9

48.3% 51.8% 56.2% 53.8%

76.5% 65.3% 59.2% 61.3%


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