April 18, 2012

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serving the uc davis campus and community since 1915

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volume 131, number 50

wednesday, april 18, 2012

Go behind the scenes with the Picnic Day board Sixteen students work to fundraise, plan, publicize the event By ISAIAH SHELTON Aggie Features Writer

With a university that prides itself as being connected to its city and one that has mastered the art of inexpensive, people-centric fun, there’s hardly an event more organically placed than Picnic Day. But as students, out-of-towners and alumni alike relish in the ceremony, there’s hardly an incentive to stop and think about how it’s all made possible year after year. There’s much to be discovered about what it takes to run Picnic Day that the average visitor doesn’t know but perhaps should to develop a deeper appreciation for Davis’ biggest event. Despite rumors, Picnic Day is not an event endowed by the gods. In fact, it is the larg-

est student-run event in the U.S. “It’s an event close to heart so we try to keep it close to home,” said Jennifer Mappus, Picnic Day chair. “The best way to do that is to have it run by students.” Mappus oversees a group of 15 other board members. Board meetings are held every week with each member hosting additional weekly office hours. “We have to make sure everyone does their part,” Mappus said. “We usually exceed our minimum hour requirement.” As chair, Mappus has been working on Picnic Day since last June. “My main job and concern is working with the Davis community to ensure that

Picnic Day runs smoothly this year,” Mappus said. With the citywide holiday facing some bad press in recent years, including an accidental off-campus death in 2011 and a reported 545 calls to police in 2010, Mappus said one of her goals is to make sure these types of events don’t happen again. “I attend a lot of external meetings to meet our goal, including Davis Alcohol and Other Drug Advisory Group, as well as meeting frequently with Davis Police and the UC Davis Police Department to work with them on things such as campus safety,” Mappus said. “Working with board members and making sure everyone is doing what they’re supposed to be doing is one thing, but work-

ing with the other groups and trying to make sure everyone’s interests are satisfied in preparation for the big day is another.” For Mappus, the stress of it all is what is most rewarding in the end. “I feel so honored to work with all these people and help so many individuals enjoy this one day,” Mappus said. “From students to UC Davis officials, some 650,000 people come out to Picnic Day. It feels great to have such a big role in it all.” In making sure the big day continues for the future generations, Mappus says it is imperative to outreach to firstyears and make sure they understand the promise of Picnic

See PICNIC, page 2

Seven new urban residences opening by Central Park Energy efficient homes occupied by retired couples By MEE YANG

Aggie News Writer

Upon the approval by the City of Davis, what used to be an area enveloped by older houses is now being replaced by seven new urban residences built by Sherman Home Co. So far, two homes have been completed and are now occupied. These homes are located on B Street, with four homes facing Central Park and three homes in the back alley. The older houses were moved eight blocks in August 2010, down to J Street. They were since renovated to be part of the J Street Solar Housing Community. “The whole area has been run down and they [City of Davis] would like to improve that whole corridor,” said Steve Sherman, president of Sherman Home Co.

News iN Brief

Number of admitted UC first-years reaches record high Exactly 80,289 first-years were admitted to at least one of the nine UC campuses this year, setting a record high. In a press release Tuesday, the University Office of the President said that the “state’s continuing disinvestment in its public university system” brought about a low 3.6 percent increase in the number of California residents admitted, which does not meet the immense demand for a seat at a UC campus. The release stated that with the exception of UC Berkeley, all campuses increased admission offers to out-of-state and international students, dropping the California admission rate from 69.7 percent (Fall 2011) to 65.8 percent (Fall 2012.) Admitted non-California residents declined admissions offers at a higher rate than other applicants, and for this reason the 10 percent systemwide cap on enrollments of non-Californian undergraduates will not be met this Fall. Preliminary campus admissions data also reflected a subtle increase in diversity, which includes more African Americans, Chicano/ Latinos, students from low-income families, those who will be the first in their families to attend college and students from lowperforming high schools, according to the release. The findings do not include waitlisted applicants or students who received a referral admission to UC Merced, under the process in which UC-eligible students are offered a place in at least one UC. “We have the capacity to educate many more students at our campuses,” said Kate Jeffery, UC’s interim director of undergraduate admissions in the press release. “What we don’t have is the funding to admit more California students.” — Muna Sadek

Whole Earth Festival volunteer meeting tonight

Shazib Haq / Aggie

See CENTRAL, page 2 The seven new urban residences will fill the space next to Ciocolat on B Street.

There will be a Whole Earth Festival volunteer meeting tonight in the Student Community Center. The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. and the theme is “uni-colored.” Volunteers, called Karma Patrollers, are invited, along with anyone who is interested in becoming a volunteer. The Whole Earth Festival will be May 11 to 13, and the theme is “The Beginning is Here.” The poster for the festival was chosen last week. — Hannah Strumwasser

Athletic Director update Davis Art Center improves

business with grant money

Final decision delayed By TREVOR CRAMER Aggie Sports Editor

After several months of consideration, UC Davis’ search for a new athletic director has been delayed for a second time. The recruitment advisory committee, which has been charged with helping Chancellor Linda Katehi examine the possible candidates, pushed back its estimated time frame for a final decision from “late winter-early spring” to a rough goal of early summer. “I’m guessing that the official announcement will occur after commencement [June 15 to 17],” said Fred Wood, vice chancellor and head of the recruitment committee. “Hopefully not, but the important thing is that we gather all the necessary input.” The most recent delay was made to facilitate input from the Academic Senate, which requested to have its voice heard on the matter. The Academic Senate’s deliberations have not yet been completely formalized, but it has given the Committee the green-light to continue considering candidates. The search had been previously delayed in the fall to facilitate public comment, including the four town hall meetings held in October and November. The committee is currently considering applicants —whose names are being kept confidential. Over the next few weeks the committee plans to narrow the field down to a longlist of roughly

Today’s weather Sunny High 72 Low 50

eight to 10 semifinalists. Wood said the committee will then conduct interviews with the longlist and he expects to have shortlist finalists by mid to late May. Once the shortlist is reached the finalists will become public and will be asked to make a visit to the campus in order to meet with staff in the athletics department and to interact with the students. The visits would also include individual open forums for each applicant. “[In the open forum, each candidate] will be given a topic to talk on,” Wood said, “and then they will answer questions. So it will be a great opportunity for students and other members of our community, both on and off campus, to come ask [the applicants] questions.” The campus visits would also ideally include time for each of the finalists to meet with Katehi although Wood conceded that this might be difficult to accommodate due to complexities in coordinating schedules. As the search continues, the committee has been given specific qualities to look for in a new head of UC Davis Athletics. “The Chancellor’s direction was very clear: She wants to place a lot of value on the academic integrity [of the finalists],” Wood said. “We want our studentathletes to be able to graduate and find successful careers.” TREVOR CRAMER can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

Plans for more family programs are imminent

Shazib Haq / Aggie

The Davis Art Center has offered classes since 1959 and has been at its current location since 1986.

By CLAIRE TAN

Associate City Editor

The Davis Art Center (DAC), located on 1919 F St., has steadily been profession-

Forecast The greatest day in Davis is almost upon us: PICNIC DAY! A high pressure ridge will stay over Davis from now through the weekend, bringing us warm and sunny conditions. Forecast for Saturday: Awesome. Kenneth Doss, atmospheric science major Aggie Forecasting Team

Thursday

Friday

Sunny

Sunny

High 81 Low 57

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alizing its programs. About a year and a half ago the James Irvine Foundation – a provider of grants to nonprofit organizations across California – awarded the center with

$225,000 over a course of three years. “We have a new mission,” said Executive Director of the

See ART, page 5

Save lives. Donate blood. The Pavillion from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. You get a free t-shirt and 25% off the GAP store in Davis! Amanda Nguyen


page two

2 Wednesday, april 18, 2012

daily calendar dailycal@theaggie.org

Shinkoskey Noon Concert

TODAY Preweek: Cow-milking Contest Noon to 1 p.m. The Quad Partake in this classic UC Davis event.

Voice Recital 3:30 pm 115 Music Watch this free voice recital as the students of Zoila Muñoz and Jonathan Nadel perform.

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous 7 to 8:30 p.m. Davis United Methodist Church, 1620 Anderson Road Free yourself from excess weight and/ or obsessional thoughts about food and body image. Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) is a 12-step fellowship based on the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Meetings are open and free to the public. Visit foodaddicts.org for other meeting locations.

Information Session on Undergrad Research in Humanities, Arts and Cultural Studies 7 to 9 p.m. 194 Young Hear from a panel of professors in the fields of humanities, arts and cultural studies about the ways you can get involved in undergraduate research. Includes a presentation on the resources available to students at the Undergraduate Research Center and a Q&A session.

Poetry Night Reading Series 8 to 10 p.m. John Natsoulas Gallery, 521 First St. The Poetry Night Reading Series is proud to welcome award-winning poet Molly Peacock on a special night.

The Midnight Club: What We Are Is Where We’ve Been 9 to 11 p.m. University Club/Nelson Hall, UC Davis “What we are is where we’ve been” is a participatory late-night ritual investigating intimacy, presence, existence and desire presented by the UC Davis Institute for Exploration in Theatre, Dance and Performance. All are welcome to join, but this performance is rated R.

THURSDAY Preweek: Mini Carnival Noon to 1 p.m. The Quad Check out the Picnic Day Preweek mini carnival, complete with rock climbing wall and dunk tank.

12:05 to 1 p.m. 115 Music Watch this free performance of selections from the Empyrean Ensemble’s April 22 “Songs, Whispers, Tales and Utterances.”

Risk of Medical Imaging: Separating Fact from Fantasy Noon to 1 p.m. Cancer Center Auditorium Come watch Dr. William R. Hendee, of the medical school of Wisconsin, speak about radiology doses and the risks of CT scans. You must RSVP to Desiree Lazo by April 16 to attend. E-mail her at desiree.lazo@ ucdm.ucdavis.edu.

“Between Two Worlds” Movie Showing 4 to 6 p.m. Andrews Conference Room (2203 Social Sciences and Humanities) “Between Two Worlds” is a personal essay film created by Alan Snitow and Deborah Kaufman telling five riveting stories that go beyond political postures to reveal the passionate debates over identity and generational change inside today’s American Jewish community. There is a post-film discussion with Professor Clarence Walker, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers, moderated by Professor David Biale.

Preweek: Trivia Night 6 to 7:30 p.m. Silo Visit the Silo for the Preweek trivia night to see how much you know about Picnic Day.

Guest Speaker: Gnostic Scholar, Christopher Berry 7 to 8 p.m. 194 Young The Belfry is pleased to announce its 2012 St. Augustine Lecture will be given by The Rev. Dr. Christopher Berry. Following the lecture, a reception will be held at the Belfry, located at 216 A St. The lecture and reception are both free and open to the general public.

American Red Cross Club (ARCC) General Meeting 7:10 to 8 p.m. 119 Wellman Attend the ARCC General Meeting for information about the club. To receive placement in the AGGIE DAILY CALENDAR, e-mail dailycal@theaggie. org or stop by 25 Lower Freeborn by noon the day prior to your event. Due to space constraints, all event descriptions are subject to editing and priority will be given to events that are free of charge and geared toward the campus community.

but sometimes I find myself thinking about the time when women came in second and were kept in the home with a bit of … nostalgia? Pamela It was just so simple back Nonga Ngue then. You’re born a female, so as soon as you hit puberty you get married, pop out a few babies, raise them and voilà! Life complete. Sure you might feel absolutely miserable every once in a while and harbor animosity due to your lack of autonomy, but you learn to suppress those thoughts t’s crazy how you can be and find happiness in your having a conversation situation, because you don’t with someone and they have any other choice. utter one sentence that for Being a modern woman ever changes the course of means having a choice and the dialogue. That’s what having freedom. It’s kind happened to Democratic of like going from the eleconsultant Hilary Rosen mentary school cafeteria, last week during an appearwhere you basically eat the ance on CNN. She criticized same thing every day, to bepresidential candidate Mitt ing thrown into the CoHo Romney’s campaign stratwith its egy of usdifferent ing his wife The reality is much more difficult stations to appeal and complicated for women with that have to womtheir own multiple life aspirations ... en voters. menus After labelwith dozing Romney ens of options. The freeas old-fashioned, she bolddom to choose is great and ly proclaimed that his wife you appreciate it, but it can Ann had “never actually potentially be quite overworked a day in her life.” whelming. The remark sparked an in I am a modern young tense debate about the apwoman. I can’t help but propriateness of her comto want to pursue a highment. Eventually, the coner education. I can’t help versation transitioned from but to want to have a sucbeing about the specific incessful career. I was socialcident to a general discusized to do so from a very sion on 21st-century mothyoung age. I was told that I erhood, making me think have a right that women beabout my future and what fore me fought to have — kind of modern woman I the right to dream big and to would be in, say, 10 years or have the liberty to go after so. my dreams. Consequently, I In my dream world I have a hard time imagining would have it all: a successmyself being satisfied with ful journalism career, wellthe domestic life without behaved, charming chilhaving had a go at the career dren and an ambitious, life. hard-working husband However, I also can’t with a career of his own. In imagine myself being satmy dream world I would be isfied with being in a sitable to effortlessly switch uation where my job is back and forth between my my only purpose and the roles as a career woman, only thing I love. I’ve alwife and mother. But that’s ways wanted to have a famjust my dream. ily. I was socialized to do The reality is much more so from a very young age. I difficult and complicated know for a fact that being a for women with multiple parent is not an easy role, life aspirations such as mysimply based on my experiself, and the world can nevence as someone’s child. It er be critical enough, whattakes resources, mental and ever path a woman choosphysical strength, patience, es. If you devote more time persistence and so much to your career, you’re a nemore. It really is a full-time glectful mother who does job. not value what’s really im Thankfully, I have a couportant. If you choose to ple more years before I stay at home, you’re not have to actually make those earning your keep. And if difficult decisions instead you try to balance both, of just thinking about them. you’re not doing either one Although I’m focusing on well enough. getting through my remain All of these expectations ing two years of college for and conflicting messages now, I have hope that I will leave me, a 19-year-old uneventually figure out what dergraduate student at one modern womanhood is as of the best universities in defined by me. the country, almost wishing that I lived in the old Contact PAMELA NONGA NGUE at days when nothing much pamnonga@ucdavis.edu if you’ve figured was expected out of womout the secret being a successful modern en. I don’t really mean it, woman.

A modern woman

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PICNIC

correction In the April 16 article titled “GiveLocalNow campaign calls for increased local donation,” Gail Catlin’s last name was misspelled as “Caitlin.” The Aggie regrets this error.

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Cont. from front page Day. She has entrusted the task to this year’s publicity director, Acha Rothe. “We’ve had presence at a lot of events, including Decision Day,” Rothe said. “Being at events in person and having some food and snacks is our way of always making sure our face is out there, especially for freshmen.” Given the bad press and the lingering stigma about Picnic Day being nothing more than an excuse for students to frolic around campus after excessive day-drinking, Rothe also found it important to visit greek organizations and sports clubs throughout the year in preparation for the event. “I’m Greek myself and find it important for everyone to know how to have a good time without sacrificing Picnic Day for the future,” Rothe said. “With the fine zone expanded and everything that has happened in the past,

central Cont. from front page Each home costs around $700,000 and has three stories, a two-car garage and a basement or storage area. The homes range in size from 1651 to 2120 square feet. They all have three bedrooms and two and a half baths. Two of the homes, located in the back, have elevators. The homes are being built with as little energy consumption as possible, according to the Sherman Homes Co. website. Jaimie Hawkins, the manager of the project, told The Davis Enterprise that these houses are energy-efficient, featuring low-toxicity paints and sustainable woods and

ing to stalk its prey; it can come across on the creepy side very easily. Those were my last observational thoughts that night. Shortly after, I became shipwrecked Nolan off Long Islands and my Sheldon conscious brain sank into oblivion. I spent my Friday indoors. I was on the spin cycle of the shame spiral I began that morning for the entire day. After a night like that, I wake up to a fine mist of hangover and regret that covers me like Axe body spray. It’s a devilish am not a pick-up artist. cocktail that renders me inLet’s get that out of the capable of facing the outway. I’ve subscribed to side world. Not surpristhe “stranger danger” phiingly, I did not go out that losophy for nearly two denight. I put all my eggs in cades, and it’s a tough habit Saturday’s basket. to kick. This strategy saves Alas, fate is as cruel as me from the shady crowd, she is calculating. That but makes it tough to meet night, I found myself at a the lady crowd. Be it bars or friend’s house, which isn’t parties, crowds of stranga bar. I’m not complaining ers are to me what fourth — it’s just quarters are that strangto LeBron: Between making fun of a guy that ers are hard They make to come by looked like Michael McDonald and my game in that setmaking small talk ... disappear. ting. I post But this poned my past weektest to the following weekend I met up with my end. Does that sound like Dwyane Wade and Chris an excuse? Yes. Were there Bosh. I needed help if I girls there I didn’t know? was ever going to do what Sure. Did I talk to them? No. had eluded me thus far in Why? I couldn’t tell you. my career: successfully ex On the walk to Jack in change phone numbers the Box with my roomwith a female stranger in a mate, I tried to make sense bar. My goal was not one, of it all. I laid out the panot two, not three … OK, rameters myself for what my goal really was just one. would pass the test, and I I guess this is where the still ended up with two Fs similarities between LeBron and an ENWS (Enrolled and me end. Good thing, it No Work Submitted). But was getting hard to pick a fate wasn’t finished with pun and roll with it; not all me yet. By the time we got of them are slam dunks (see there, Jack in the Box had what I did there?). Anyways, closed its doors. As my this is my story. roommate tried to walk My unaware wingmen through the drive-thru, I for Thursday night were found a cab and unknowactually wingwomen. I figingly made my weekend a ured I should observe how success. guys try to talk to these There she was, leaning beautiful girls before I try against the hood smokanything myself. Awful ing a cigarette, the cloud of logic. As it turns out, most smoke making our chance guys don’t find it prudent connection an ‘80s music to hit on girls that are alvideo. The years of inhalready with a guy. Who ing packs a day made her knew I’d be disappointed sound like Miley Cyrus, so in morals? But I did catch when she called out aska couple guys executing ing if I needed a ride, I the first strokes of their could barely muster a yes. own pick-up artistry. She took one last hit and Between making fun the glowing embers intenof a guy that looked like sified, mirroring the blood Michael McDonald and rushing to my face. Here making small talk, I nowas my chance — I had ticed guys stealing glances made conversation. By the at the girls I was with. It’s end of the ride, I had her like locking eyes would be number. their signal to come over. Sure, the card had a But it’s not like locking man’s name on it and an eyes with a friend, when AOL e-mail address and there ain’t no mountain smelled like it soaked in high enough to keep you perfume for hours, but by from getting to each othgolly it had 10 digits on it. I er. This was between two don’t care if I threw it away strangers. because it stunk up my I understand it’s a way to room — doesn’t change a measure mutual attraction, thing. I gave myself a test, but I think it makes more and I passed. sense to try spontaneous conversation. The acrossIf you think his grading criteria is flawed, the-room staredown reNOLAN SHELDON can be reached at minds me of a predator try- nosheldon@ucdavis.edu.

Bar exam

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our goal as board members is to make sure everyone is aware.” One way the Picnic Day board has found to eliminate many of the troubles associated with the event is to keep it local. Rothe began working on press releases early Fall Quarter, deciding where they are going to be sent so advertising goes to local and immediately surrounding areas. “We don’t want to make it seem like this is an open invite for all to come and party on our campus,“ Rothe said. Keeping Picnic Day local is also something that is taken into consideration when talking about funding. Omar Gonzalez, business and administration director, has made it his mission to see that Picnic Day is properly funded. While Picnic Day is partially funded by ASUCD, other funding comes in the form of sponsorships and donations. However, Picnic Day board members have traditionally tried to stay away from soliciting corporate sponsors. “We never want to bring you Picnic

materials. “They all have solar electricity,” Sherman said. “The whole project is very green and environmental friendly and we have done a lot to reduce carbon footprint.” “Water from rain is restored instead of going down the drain,” Sherman said. “The water goes back into the soil; we have rain gardens which retain the water and permeate back.” “The sustainability that was put into this house was a great appeal when we purchased the place,” said one of the new residents, who chose to remain unnamed. Hawkins said these urban residences are bringing an urban flair to downtown. The urban residences are scaled down to a small-

Day sponsored by Verizon,” Rothe said. Gonzalez has solicited sponsorships from the likes of Hallmark Inn, Allégre and West Village apartments and Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt. “I had a quota of getting $6,000 and I’m happy to say I’ve already been able to double that in getting around $12,000,” Gonzalez said. “Most people don’t know that we work with such a small budget in putting on such a big event. The fact that we can do this is the most rewarding thing for me.” So as first-years celebrate their first Picnic Day, while others seize the day in re-living theirs, the 2012 board members are collectively working to ensure that everyone is amazed. “This year’s theme of ‘Then. Now. Always’ is perfect for the vision this board has for Picnic Day,” Mappus said. “This is the hallmark event of UC Davis. I want to see it reach its 100th, 150th, and 200th year despite not being alive to see it myself.” ISAIAH SHELTON can be reached at features@theaggie.org.

er size but still retain all the amenities of a home. “All the details that the developer put into the house are very modern,” the resident said. “We love everything about the place; it’s perfect.” The homes are situated in a prime location that is ideal for those who work in town often, according to Sherman. “There is a push to use land in the cities in order to reduce traffic and carbon footprint,” Sherman said. “The location of the homes reduces the miles driven because they’re close to supermarkets, restaurants and other great places in downtown.” “We love the location,” the resident said. “It’s great because our home is right

across the street from Central Park where there is Farmers Market every week and all the essential amenities are within walking distance.” It was expected that professional people in their late 30s or 40s would want to live in a more urban environment, but so far, the two completed homes are occupied by retired couples, Sherman said. All of the houses are expected to be occupied by August to September of this year. A second model, however, will remain unoccupied as a model for the public to look at. For more information, visit shermanhomeco.com. MEE YANG can be reached at city@theaggie. org.


Science &Technology

wednesday, april 18, 2012 3

The california aggie

Theta Tau to host Rube Goldberg Competition

On being wrong

Event will promote creativity and innovation in engineering By CLAIRE MALDARELLI Aggie Staff Writer

Popping a balloon is a simple, onestep process, right? Just get a pin and puncture the rubber. But what if this process has to involve at least 15 steps and take no less than 90 seconds to complete? Engineering is often based on efficiency and simplicity. But the famous Rube Goldberg type of machine turns this paradigm upside down — The more complex the machine and the greater number of steps it takes to make it, the better. Although this seems counterproductive there might be something to learn from finding the most arduous, unsophisticated solution to a problem. UC Davis’ Theta Tau chapter, the co-ed professional engineering fraternity, will be holding their annual Rube Goldberg Competition on Picnic Day. The event will take place at noon in the Ghausi Hall lobby. The competition is open to both high school and college students. Fred Padron, a member of Theta Tau and this year’s competition coordinator, explained that the point of creating the machine is to learn how physics and engineering work and to help gain people’s interest in engineering. “We want to promote innovation and creativity in the field of engineering by implementing the basics and inspiring students of all ages to pursue a career in engineering,” Padron said. Rube Goldberg machines, such as the board game Mouse Trap, purposefully make accomplishing a simple task – like popping a balloon or watering a plant (last year’s task) — an over-engineered marathon of moving parts, all connected together like a game of Dominos. This year, teams will build a ma-

chine that is no greater than 6 feet by 6 feet by 6 feet with 15 steps that will work together to pop a balloon in no less than 90 seconds. The theme for which teams will base their machine is “Life is a circus.” Padron hopes this annual competition will familiarize students with the potential that engineering has to offer. “At the event each team will have a chance to tell the audience how they built their machine and the engineering behind it,” Padron said. Rebecca Ragazzon, a senior mechanical engineering major, is a member of “Team Legit” who will be competing in this year’s competition. She said the first thing her team did was to figure out how to incorporate the theme and work from there. “We started by looking at the goal and seeing how we could choose a cool theme and decided to go with the movie ‘Up.’ We tried to incorporate as much from the movie as possible; including a floating house and different characters from the movie,” Ragazzon said. “We are pretty resourceful, so our machine has simple [objects] such as spoons or random school supplies.” Ragazzon said that as they were building their Rube Goldberg machine they did not have a specific plan in mind, but their trial and error method actually worked in their favor. “Not having a specific plan allowed us to build around our foundation and make the most of the space available. It really made the project more fun and encouraged us to think more out of the box,” Ragazzon said. Toshihiro Kuwayama, a graduate student in the civil and environmental engineering department, took second place in last year’s competition as part of team “For the joy of uni and other things too.” His best advice for this year’s competitors is

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Rube Goldberg Competition

courtesy

to start early and be creative. “We built our entire machine out of wood for our theme ‘Go Green,’” Kuwayama said. “Remember to start early so you can test your machines over and over again because one mistake can cost you the game.” The competition and machines are named after Rube Goldberg. Originally an engineer, educated at Berkeley, Goldberg later became a cartoonist and is best known for his cartoons depicting complex gadgets that perform simple tasks in the most complicated way possible. Rube Goldberg competitions have been going on since the late 1980s. Each year the national Theta Tau chapter hosts a national competition at Purdue University in the spring with colleges from across the country attending. Theta Tau hopes the event will bring entertainment and be able to show how exciting the field of engineering can be. CLAIRE MALDARELLI can be reached at science@ theaggie.org.

‘If you injure a bug, should you kill it or let it live?’ UC Davis entomology doctoral student wins social media award

By RACHEL KUBICA Aggie Science Writer

Last year, UC Davis Entomology Ph.D. student Matan Shelomi stumbled across the question, “If you injure a bug, should you kill it or let it live?” on question-and-answer website Quora.com. Seeing it answered by only casual web surfers, Shelomi decided to provide his own take on the ethical dilemma. “I answered it in my usual flair and left. I thought nothing of it,” said Shelomi, who is a columnist for The Aggie. His answer? “Looks like the philosophers and theists have made their cases. As far as entomologists are concerned, insects do not have pain receptors the way vertebrates do ... Ultimately this crippling will be more of an inconvenience to the insect than a tortuous existence, so it has no ‘misery’ to be put out of but also no real purpose anymore. If it can’t breed anymore, it has no reason to live.” Shelomi also brought his wit to this question of ethics. “Personally, though, I’d avoid doing more damage than you’ve already done. 1) Maybe the insect will recover, depending on how damaged it is. 2) Some faiths do forbid taking animal lives, so why go out of your way to kill? 3) You’ll stain your shoe,” Shelomi’s answer continued. The answer became a hit

Matan Shelomi

courtesy

with Quora users. Gaining several hundred upvotes, Shelomi’s answer went viral, leading to a recent nomination for a social media award. “I certainly did not expect it to be nominated for a Shorty, since this was the first year they had awards for Quora on what was once a Twitter-only award,” Shelomi said. The Shorty Awards seek to honor the best of shortcontent creators on Twitter. com, recently expanding

to include categories such as “Best answer to a question on Quora.com” for which Shelomi tied for a win. Other Shorty Award winners include YouTube channel Epic Meal Time (@ epicmealtime) in the food category and MythBusters (@MythBusters) in the science category. According to Sawhorse Media, the company behind the Shorty Awards, Shelomi’s answer represents the growing importance of social media.

“It was one of those great examples of things where with social media you can get this question straight to your experts of various kinds,” said Greg Galant, CEO of Sawhorse Media. “Social media platforms – Quora, Twitter, even Facebook – can basically impact and cause more people to be interested in science, to realize what they’re learning, to share their knowledge with the world.” What sets Quora apart from other question-andanswer websites like Yahoo! Answers is its lack of anonymity. Like Facebook, it asks that users supply their real names. “This idea of real, identifiable people on the internet as opposed to user names is changing the web into what it was supposed to be: a forum for intellectual sharing of knowledge, not racism and cat videos,” Shelomi said. When asked if she would answer any differently, director of the Bohart Museum of Entomology and UC Davis entomology professor Lynn Kimsey, whose lab Shelomi is studying in, offered her take. “I would have answered the question exactly like Matan,” Kimsey said. “Though probably not as cleverly.”

Aggie Science Writer

Tech Tips Controlling your computer remotely

Interested in hearing more science news? Follow @Calaggiescience on twitter.

RACHEL KUBICA can be reached at science@theaggie.org.

By ERIC C. LIPSKY

as long as the giraffes we see today. When Jeffrey then has offspring, they will be born with long necks. Today, with the benefit of hindsight and another two Amy centuries of biological disStewart coveries, any college student and most high school students could tell you that evolution doesn’t work like that. Lamarck, however, was working before the discovery of DNA and before Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace published their theories of evolution. For the first cohesive or those of you who evolutionary theory, he weren’t keeping up didn’t do that badly. The with the faster-thanlight neutrinos story after it fact that he happened to be hit the news sites, it was re- wrong doesn’t mean that he should be ridiculed. His vealed about a month and explorations of the natural a half ago that the reading was likely due to a messed- world, as well as his classification of species (he was up cable. A week ago, the one of the first to recogteam leader of the expernize that spiders and iniment resigned from the sects belonged to differOPERA project. ent groups) were essential The reason the original announcement of their to later scientists. The story of Lamarck teaches us that finding (as well as their being wrong less-pubcan be imlicized caScientists have a long portant to veat that the process they were tradition of proving each of science. seeking other wrong ... It’s diffireplication cult to apfor) was ply this lesso shockson to the faster-thaning was because it would overturn one of the biggest light neutrinos story until we have the hindsight of theories in physics — that the future and can see how nothing can go faster than particle physics proceeds. the speed of light. It looks like Einstein’s theory of rel- At the very least, it does teach us the importance ativity is safe, at least for of checking all equipment now. (which isn’t a small les The whole story seems like a fiasco of modern sci- son, as there are so many things that can go wrong ence. How can we trust with such delicate yet huge anything scientists say if amounts of technology). such a world-changing re There are so many differsult could come from ences between the science something as simple as a of Lamarck’s time and our wonky cable? The wonder shouldn’t be own, but we need to accept that sometimes we will still at how such a huge mistake could have happened, be wrong. As our scientific observations become more but at how quickly it was and more detailed, we will corrected. As soon as the be relying on computers to story came out there was make those observations; about an hour of breathhowever, as long as there less coverage by mainare people interpreting the stream news sites before results, mistakes are going the scientists and science to be made. bloggers began asking se One issue that Lamarck rious questions and highdidn’t have to deal with lighting contradictions. Scientists have a long tra- that scientists today do is dition of proving each oth- the 24-hour media. These scientists resigned not beer wrong; it just happens cause they were wrong in much more quickly today than it ever did in the past. the experiment, but be Before the theory of evo- cause they dealt poorly lution by natural selection, with the media. Lamarck there was Lamarckian evo- spent about 20 years outlution as described by Jean- lining his theory in his books so that people Baptiste Lamarck in the could become gradually early 1800s. The basic idea aware of his theories; the was that organisms natuOPERA team publicized rally become more comtheir findings in a single plex over time but will lose press conference. some of these character A bright side to this asistics if they aren’t used in fast-as-light communitheir own environment. cation is that we became These were the “complexifying force” and the “adap- aware of the problem with the finding very quickly. tive force,” respectively. The classic example, one Science is moving incredibly fast today and don’t that biology students are be surprised if it gets fastprobably familiar with, is er in the future. However, the giraffe. According to Lamarckian theory, one gi- we always need to slow raffe (hypothetically named down, take a deep breath and remember: Jeffrey) was born with a We could be wrong. short neck. As Jeffrey tries to reach the leaves on the tall trees, the neck becomes AMY STEWART can be reached at science@ theaggie.org. longer and longer until it’s

Busy schedules and moving from one location to another throughout the day or during the week can mean that a person is away from the location where they store important documents and files. However, with the use of LogMeIn, mobility does not mean the sacrifice of accessibility anymore. What is LogMeIn? LogMeIn is a program that allows you to control your computer while not actually being around it. It allows the user to see and control their computer as if sitting right in front of it.

How much does it cost? Nothing, it’s free! LogMeIn has premium tiers that allow for more features such as file transfers and remote printing, but the basic one that allows for remote access is completely free. How does it work? The user creates an account with LogMeIn and installs it on their computer. After installing it on the computer, the user can then access that computer remotely. It’s a simple process that makes accessing files and performing tasks, like rebooting a computer or running programs, possible over the internet. Is the site secure?

Yes. The website provides a secure connection for the user to input their log-in credentials and view their files safely. So, what is really cool about it? LogMeIn works with both PC and Mac. This means that you don’t have to worry about the compatibility of your computer. The other great thing about LogMeIn is that it is not restricted to remote access via computer only, as it can also be used on an iPhone or iPad. The apps for the remote access are also free and still allow the user to control their computer over the internet with ease. ERIC C. LIPSKY can be reached at science@theaggie.org.


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4 wednesday, april 18, 2012

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wednesday, april 18, 2012

The california Aggie

What advice do you have for first-time Picnic Day visitors? “Get your crap together. It’s not just students at Picnic Day but also families and kids. If you want to represent UC Davis in the right way, remember to think carefully when planning what you’re going to do.”

Daniel Nam senior art studio major

junior neurology, physiology and behavior major

“Go to the fashion show! And come decorate fake wands!”

“Naps on naps on naps.” Tu Dinh

Valerie Mores

senior psychology major

Kuljit Singh

Text by LANI CHAN Photos by Evan Davis

“Pace yourself if you want to enjoy it. It’s not just Picnic Day, it’s Picnic Night. You can still have fun sober! And beware of out-of-towners.”

Philip Yi

“Don’t drive anywhere; take the bus! Or even better, walk everywhere.”

junior fashion design major and member of the Harry Potter Alliance

junior political science major

“Research ahead of time what’s going on, because it’s easy to get lost in the mix. If you go and wander around, you’ll have fun, but you may miss out on a lot.”

“Drink mimosas, and go play with the baby chicks!” Jennifer Varat senior dramatic art major

“Pace yourself. Hydrate. Take naps! Have a buddy system ... buddy systems are good! Have fun!” Kelsey James Kavanaugh sophomore wildlife fish and conservation biology major

Stephen Gordon senior biological sciences major

“Wake up early. You don’t want to miss the morning, because by 4 p.m. everyone will be asleep.”

Morgan Daffin

Ever had a song stuck in your head? A little ditty that replays one line or chorus over and over again, taking on a life of its own? To some they are known as earworms, a segment of music repeated in the brain due to its uniqueness or “catchy” tune. This phenomenon is due to the repetition of a catchy tune being captured through the inner ear and deeply embedded in your short term memory. For those who only have to hear the mentioning of a tune to be plagued by its repetitive droning, your longterm memory can be thanked for that. “Yellow Submarine,” anyone? Even more interesting: Researchers at the Goldsmiths University in London discovered that earworms vary between individuals. They have created a database of over 5,000 different earworms. However, if you are currently being plagued by a tune,

you have probably found that yelling “shut up” has not helped. Some people have found that singing the earworm to the end can help. If not you can also try singing or playing a song that varies in its tune from the earworm. For example, if your earworm is “Yellow Submarine,” you can try singing the latest Katy Perry ditty or Skrillex — whatever you’d like. The ASUCD Student Health and Wellness Committee (SHAWC) aims to promote and address important health-related issues on campus. We serve as a liaison between ASUCD and campus health organizations, clubs and resources. If you have SHAWCing suggestions, questions or tips, please e-mail us at shawcucd@ gmail.com and “Like” us on our Facebook page!

dance and drama classes are offered over a span of three semesters — fall, winter/spring and summer. The center’s more popular classes consist of ballet, ceramics and general visual arts. “We have all kinds of different classes for all ages,” Vitiello said. “It’s always been for kids all the way to seniors.” Vitiello said that is what makes the center somewhat unusual. “There are very few places in this region that have all of those disciplines together,” she said. This summer the DAC will host Discovery Art — an interactive art exhibit designed to incorporate families and the community. “The first year of the grant was mainly to pay for a consultant to write a five-year strategic plan,” Vitiello said. “The second year of

sophomore biomedical engineering major

lacrosse PREVIEW

SHAWCing tips: for the song that never ends

Cont. from front page DAC Erie Vitiello. “The original mission started in 1959 and was a loose collection of artists and their students; it was really about teachers teaching art and students learning about art.” Vitiello said the DAC is more of a hub for creativity to thrive. “The Davis Art Center is a gathering place for dynamic engagement of the arts,” she said. “For multidisciplinary classes and programs for the regional community the art center inspires creative expression in people of all ages and fosters an environment for the arts to flourish.” As a multidisciplinary arts center, visual arts classes along with

James Hartanto

junior environmental toxicology major

senior international relations major

art

“Know yourself and know your limits. Don’t go out with the mindset to go completely crazy.”

“Go big or go home... responsibly.”

Ryan Krause

5

Teams: UC Davis vs. Stanford, UC Davis vs. Fresno State Records: Aggies 5-8 (2-3); Cardinal 4-8 (2-2); Bulldogs 2-10 (0-5) Where: Aggie Stadium When: Wednesday at 7 p.m.; Saturday at 4 p.m. Who to watch: The Aggies are a young team and as such they have required many players to progress faster than normal. The play of the freshmen on the team has been a pleasant surprise as young players are making impacts on games. Freshman midfielder Elizabeth Landry has been one of the biggest contributors so far this season. The Lafayette, Calif. native is second on the team with 28 goals and has also tallied four assists. Did you know? UC Davis’ wid-

the grant [is] mainly to do a pilot program of the Discovery Art program. And the third year of the grant, which starts this coming October, would be to continue that new family programming based on some evaluations we will do with the pilot program and to redesign our website.” Publicity and Development Manager for the DAC Crystal Lee said the launching of the Discovery Art program was based on users’ survey results. “This year’s theme is ‘CrossPollination’,” Lee said. “It will be a free, interactive family program that will last several weeks.” Lee said the center plans to continue the Discovery Art program annually with a different theme every year. According to Vitiello, there are

est winning margin last sea- of the fifth-place Aggies. Since son came in its match-up with the top four teams are guaranFresno State. The Aggies out- teed a spot in the MPSF tourscored the Bulldogs 21-5 in the nament, and UC Davis has match, with then-sophomore just these final two conference Anna Geissbuhler scoring five matches remaining, a win over goals. Stanford would be a big step Preview: The UC Davis lafor the Aggies in crosse team has been on their attempt to a tough four-game losqualify for posting streak, with three of season play. those defeats coming at the “Stanford is hands of Mountain Pacific another tough Sports Federation foes. team,” said Coach Elaine Conference play continJones. “They have ues on to this week as the big, fast, athletics Aggies will face off against kids so we need Stanford and Fresno State, to be smarter both at home in Aggie Elizabeth Landry freshman about finishing Stadium. our possessions UC Davis will first match and not letting up with Stanford, who currently sits in fourth place in them finish theirs.” the Mountain Pacific Sports — Jason Min Federation, half a game ahead

about 65 teachers who teach yearround and 300 classes per semester. The teachers are independent contractors and plan their own fees and class times. “One of the things that’s interesting about the art center and why the center has survived these 52 years is because our teachers are not employees of the art center,” Vitiello said. “They get 60 percent of the class fees and the center gets 40 percent.” Linda Fitz Gibbon, a ceramics teacher at the DAC, said she enjoys working with different age groups. “In general, I encourage students to work individually; no two pieces look the same,” Fitz Gibbon said in an e-mail. “It is rewarding to help people to be creative in their own way. Working in

clay can be therapeutic and the results, whether functional or sculptural, are empowering.” Vitiello said the center is looking into creating satellite locations in Downtown Davis. “I’d love for the art center to have a location downtown — a satellite location for adult and college student art classes,” she said. “But figuring out how to make a business model to make that work is a long-range goal of ours.” Vitiello said they would like to have UC Davis students volunteering or taking part at the center. “It’s not just for families, old people or kids,” Vitiello said. “It’s for everybody.” CLAIRE TAN can be reached at city@theaggie.org

U.S. Health Secretary says women disproportionally affected by health insurance policy By Sean Kirkby

Badger Herald (University of Wisconsin)

In a discussion held Tuesday at U. Wisconsin, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius heard stories from women who have benefited from the reforms brought about by the Affordable Care Act that currently faces a federal Supreme Court challenge. Sebelius said she has had similar conversations with women throughout the country in Baltimore and Minneapolis because she said women are not only the majority of the country, but also the main consumers of healthcare. She added the ma-

jority of the beneficiaries from Medicare are women. However, she said women are typically at the worst end of the current insurance market and are likely to have jobs where they are uninsured or underinsured. She said women often pay more for equal coverage in medical insurance. Sebelius said women pay 15 to 40 percent more for the same insurance policies men have, and often those policies did not include the services women needed. She added they would have to pay more out-of-pocket for maternity coverage. “Being a woman, right now, is a pre-existing condition in the health insurance market, and that would come to an end,” Sebelius

said. “Certainly when issues like anything from C-sections to domestic violence are used as preexisting condition limitations and insurance companies can charge for that or lock women out.” Sebelius said the act would also extend coverage to those under the age of 26, and said because of that age extension more than 2.5 million young people are now covered by their parents’ insurance. She added 28,000 of those adults are in Wisconsin. Meghan Ford, a U. Wisconsin student majoring in sociology and political science, also spoke at the discussion. She said before the Affordable Care Act passed, graduating in four years frightened her because she was uncer-

tain whether she would be able to get insurance coverage or not. However, she said having a plan she can rely on and stay on until age 26 will help her. Ford said she is graduating with almost $25,000 in student loans, and individual plans cost about $200 for an individual. She said combining that cost with rent and student loans repayment would have been a huge problem. “Having more of those worries was just making me sicker and sicker, and being able to have that security … eased [my] whole hoard of anxieties and worries,” Ford said. Also speaking in the discussion was Andrea Bonaparte, a UW student studying social work, who said the Affordable Care Act lifted

a burden off her shoulders. She said she will not have to worry about health insurance and can focus on finding a job and career. Sebelius also spoke about the act in Milwaukee. Republican Party spokesperson Ben Sparks said in a statement about the Milwaukee event that Wisconsin families have made it clear they do not support the act. “We’re not surprised that the campaigner-in-chief is deploying his staff to swing states in order to defend his signature ‘accomplishment,’ Obamacare, which will only increase health costs for Wisconsin families, saddle our nation with more debt and increase the burden on Wisconsin job creators,” Sparks said.


6 wednesday, april 18, 2012

The california Aggie

Aggies Abroad Spotlight Senior biochemistry and molecular biology double major Ashley Eaton gets acquainted with an elephant during the 2011 UC Davis Summer Abroad, India: “Palaces of the Gods: Texts and Temples in India” program. —Erin Migdol —Photos by courtesy of Ashley Eaton

Global Medical Brigades makes medicine accessible Nonprofit establishes mobile medical facilities in Ghana, Honduras

By KELSEY SMOOT Aggie Features Writer

When senior human development major Zobeyda Otero read about Global Medical Brigades in The Aggie, she saw an opportunity to improve the lives of people around the world, like those who live in her parents’ homeland of Honduras. “It was a way of giving back. But it has grown into something far beyond that,” said Otero, now secretary for the UC Davis chapter of Global Medical Brigades. Global Medical Brigades is a non-profit organization that provides mobile medical relief as well as sustainable development to communities in Ghana, Panama and Honduras. The organization fundraises year-round for an annual one-week “brigade,” or trip to set up a mobile clinic, in addition to recruiting health professionals to attend the trip. Donations can be made via the Global Medical Brigades website, ucdgb.org/blog. The Global Medical Brigade works with sister organizations, including the Architecture, Water, Environmental, Business, Law, Public Health and Dental Brigades, to bring a multitude of resources to communities that are in need of necessities such as running water, durable housing and medical care. UC Davis is one of the few schools to have all eight sectors. Chapter president and senior psychology major Jessica Jaswal said that the best thing about Global Medical Brigades is its dedication to ensuring that people who are in need receive proper medical care. “No patient is turned away. If we can’t treat them, we refer them to a place where they can receive the care that is needed. And afterwards, we follow up with them,” Jaswal said. Because the services offered to communities in need come at no cost to the receivers, the organization does immense fundraising in preparation for the yearly brigade. In addition to the $10,000 needed

for medical supplies, each individual is expected to raise roughly $1,400 to cover personal expenses. “It’s a lot, but it you make the effort, we’ll be willing to meet you halfway. We’ve never had someone not be able to go due to finances,” Jaswal said. Neurobiology, physiology and behavior major and UC Global Medical Brigades PR representative Sam Gamsky said that the Medical sector of Global Brigades is crucial in tracking the improvement of a community. “Each medical clinic is an important indicator in how much progress has been made. For example, if we hand out less parasite medication the year following a brigade, we can tell that health care has improved, as well as water and food safety,” Gamsky said. The mobile medical clinics are usually positioned in an easily accessible location within a community; however, the volunteers are never exactly positive where the clinic will be until they arrive. “Our last community was set up in a chief’s palace. We never know where it’s going to be, but it’s important that it is in a place that can be reached by many people. It could be in a tent or on someone’s patio or in a palace. Sometimes we improvise. That’s what makes it so cool,” Jaswal said. The brigades, while short, set the foundation for permanent development in global communities. Because Global Medical Brigades is widespread, a community that is designated to receive services from the organization will have a brigade visit every few months. In addition, a member of the community is selected and trained to be a Community Health Worker. This person serves as a medical liaison, keeping track of medical illnesses, births and deaths, and will contact Global Medical Brigades in the case of emergencies or questions. “With each brigade, there’s an education component. We’re not just dropping

courtesy

The UC Davis chapter of the Global Medical Brigades, a non-profit organization, journeyed to Ghana to set up health care facilities and provide mobile medical relief. off meds. We teach people about essential health factors, such as hygiene, stretching and water purification,” Otero said. There are information sessions this coming Fall Quarter for those looking to get involved with the UC Davis chapter of Global Medical Brigades. Current members emphasize that all are welcome, despite their different majors and career interests. “People have gotten involved that have nothing to do with medicine. We’ve had everything from English to philosophy to art majors. It’s truly priceless to know that you’re making a difference, and seeing a smile on a kid’s face. Despite having different backgrounds, we have the same core

campus CHIC.

values. We want security, shelter and good health. These are basic human rights,” Jaswal said. In agreement, Gamsky said that his fulfillment from the organization stems from seeing in person the results of his contributions. “It’s really easy to donate money. It’s much more personal to donate your time,” Gamsky said. To find out more about Global Medical Brigades, visit ucdgb.org/blog. “College is all about finding yourself. This is a great segue into that,” Jaswal said. KELSEY SMOOT can be reached at features@theaggie.org.

By STEPHANIE B. NGUYEN Aggie News Writer

Ryan Alcazar, second-year cultural anthropology major The Aggie: What are you wearing? Alcazar: “I’m wearing mustard yellow pants from American Apparel, a Wesleyan University sweatshirt, Obey jean jacket and Jack Purcell Converse.” How did you decide what to wear today? “I really wanted to wear my sweatshirt. I like the idea of wearing a sweatshirt under a jean jacket. I like playing with colors and textures to go with things I like. I wore the yellow jeans for contrast.” Where do you find inspiration? “I guess from friends, blogs, even old artists like Morrissey and musicians.” What’s your favorite item in your closet? “I guess my brown tweed newsboy cap from Urban Outfitters.”

Ryan Alcazar

Stephanie Nguyen / Aggie

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

RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE

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