April 4, 2013

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

serving the uc davis campus and community since 1915

VOLUME 132, ISSUE 40 | THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

Small businesses face challenges in Davis Common Grounds Coffee closes doors after 13 years

By MEREDITH STURMER Aggie News Writer

can learn from UC Davis.”

Rather than reaching C Street while on your way to the arboretum from the Memorial Union, Cody wishes for people to get figuratively “lost” in what UC Davis has to offer to the community.

“It’s a showcase of what Davis has to offer; all the departments have a showcase,” said second-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major Rock Liu, who is currently serving as a volunteer assistant parade director for this year’s event. “Everyone knows their own department very well, but Picnic Day offers you the chance to go and see what other departments are doing.”

Initially started in 1909 by a group of students that coordinated several campus activities, Picnic Day is one of the largest student-run events in the country. Although it has been around for over 100 years, the event was cancelled a few times in the past, most notably during World War II. “Back in [the] 1960s, [Picnic Day] was much smaller,

On Thursday, a status update was posted on the Facebook page of Common Grounds Coffee, which read, “PLEASE SHARE: Our landlord has refused to renew our lease in favor of a Starbucks. We are suddenly homeless and our last day open will be Easter Sunday.”

Common Grounds was located in the Oakshade Town Center in South Davis for almost 13 years, according to co-owner Michelle Kim, who ran the business with her husband Son Chang.

“We’re in bad shape right now,” Kim said. “They only gave us seven days to evacuate because our lease will end this Thursday [April 4].”

According to Kim, the Oakshade Town Center is owned by Regency Centers, a nationwide property development company based in Florida who bought the shopping center from former landlord Paul Petrovich in 2011 for $35 million.

Regency Centers is “a proven developer of quality, high-performance shopping centers,” as stated on their website.

Kim said that negotiations with Regency regarding the end of their lease began in January, and options such as moving to a different location in the same center or elsewhere were proposed and considered by both parties. However, an agreement was not reached.

“Thirty days prior to the lease ending, we were contacting them, but they never returned my calls until Thursday and said we had to leave with only seven days notice,” Kim said. “They said they offered us several offers but we never took them, but we were looking to hear from them. They hung up on us.”

See PICNIC on 7

See OLIGOPOLY on 17

The parade is a central part of Picnic Day. Many events are held across campus.

Shazib Haq | Aggie

two weeks until 99 TH picnic day celebration Davis’ most celebrated day of the year is back and ready to serve up some fun

By RITIKA IYER Aggie Features Writer When advisor to Picnic Day Paul Cody welcomes students, faculty, alumni and the city community to the UC Davis campus on April 20, his advice is to get lost.

“Picnic Day is like the homecoming for the university; it’s when a lot of families and alumni come back to celebrate UC Davis,” said Cody, who also serves as the interim director at the Center for Student Involvement.

“It just brings back a lot of those fond memories that people have. It’s really like a catalyst that brings people together to celebrate what they’ve learned and what they

Picnic Day regulations to stay the same UC Davis, City of Davis emphasize safety first

By MELISSA GAHERTY Aggie News Writer Due to a decrease in arrests last year, UC Davis and the City of Davis are keeping the same regulations for this year’s Picnic Day. Problems in the past include open containers of alcohol, public urination, noise violations and smoking. The first three will be subjected to a $403 fine and smoking will be subjected to a $480 fine due to the safety enhancement zone.

In 2011, the Davis City Council established a safety zone in downtown Davis during Picnic Day. The next year, the council extended the zone to include Old North Davis.

The zone doubles fines just for Picnic Day in the downtown Davis area — along Russell Boulevard, between Anderson Road and the railroad tracks as well as between First and Eighth streets.

“Some other big issues are people coming from other cities. We have cut advertisement to limit the people coming out of town or out of state who have See SAFETY on 6

Phoenix and Mac DeMarco rock Freeborn Hall Phoenix filled Freeborn Hall last night. Then they crammed in an extra 30 people. Canadian rock band Mac DeMarco opened the night, entertaining the crowd with their laid-back Canadian antics. Their sound ranged from slow and soothing with “Ode to Viceroy,” to their rocking song about meth, “Cooking Up Something Good.”

The lights cut out and Phoenix came out loud with their new song, “Entertainment.”

Beating suspect charged with hate crime Bail increase supported by prosecutors, local Sikh community

A rally against hate crimes was held on March 18 in response to the assault on Mikey Partida.

Lucas Bolster | Aggie

The fog poured out from the stage and the energy only increased with their eight minute banger, “Love Like a Sunset,” with the song culminating into a wall of sound and light. The band played a set picked from third and fourth albums with songs like “Long Distance Call,” “Rome,” “Consolation Prizes” and “Lasso.” The French rock stars played four more songs from their new album: “Chloroform,” “Drakkar Noir,” “Oblique City” and a bonus

song on Bankrupt!, “Trying To Be Cool.”

Bringing the night to a close, the band came back out for an encore, playing a slowed-down version of “Girlfriend.” Finally, lead singer Thomas Mars surfed into the crowd as they finished their set with “1901,” a crowd favorite.

Photo by Brian Nguyen Text by Brian Nguyen

By MEREDITH STURMER Aggie News Writer Twenty-year-old Davis resident Clayton Daniel Garzon was released from Yolo County Jail last Thursday on a $520,000 bail. Garzon is suspected in the March 10 beating of 31-year-old Lawrence “Mikey” Partida, also a Davis resident.

Garzon pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of assault, battery and criminal threats. The day before his release, Garzon’s bail increased from $75,000 to $520,000 at the urging of the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, who charged that the incident was a hate crime and that Partida was targeted because of his sexual orientation.

The beating is being investigated as a hate crime due to the anti-gay slurs allegedly said by Garzon before, during and after the early-morning attack outside a house party on Third and I Streets, which left Partida bleeding, unconscious and in need of hospitalization for a fractured skull, brain hemorrhaging and a broken eye socket.

The bail increase was also supported by the local Sikh community as stated in a press release issued by See HATE on 14

2 | Thursday, APRIL 4, 2013

The california aggie

Opinion THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE Janelle Bitker Editor in Chief Hannah Strumwasser Managing Editor

Jonathan Wester

EDITORIALS FROM THE BOARD

HATE CRIME

An unnecessary tragedy

Business Manager

Muna Sadek Campus Editor Claire Tan City Editor BECKY PETERSON Opinion Editor Elizabeth OrpinA Arts Editor ADAM KHAN Features Editor Matthew Yuen Sports Editor Hudson Lofchie Science Editor JOEY CHEN Copy Chief RICHARD TRUONG Asst. Copy Chief Brian Nguyen Photography Editor

Five hundred twenty thousand dollars — the price of freedom after committing a violent and heinous crime. For the family, friends and fellow community members of Davis resident Mikey Partida, it is perhaps a price still too small for the risk of letting alleged attacker Clayton Garzon walk free until trial after being charged with a hate crime on March 10.

The 19-year-old was arrested March 14 for allegedly instigating a physical altercation with Partida on I Street, uttering homophobic slurs, leaving the victim bloodied, hospitalized and in therapy at the UC Davis Medical Center. Garzon was set free on bail for little over half a million dollars on March 28, having

already been released on bail for a stabbing in Dixon last year.

We here at The Aggie view hate crimes with the utmost disgust.

In a population so inherently endowed with principles of community, it is shocking to find such acts within our borders and especially in a citizen so young.

It is also disgusting to see how wealth allows special privileges for criminals that happen to fall in a higher socio-economic class. While it was perhaps a fine gesture by the Yolo County court system to raise the price of bail so high, it is unfortunate they did not take into account the possibility that Garzon’s family could actually afford it. Now the damage has been done,

and a potentially dangerous individual walks among us all because of the depth of his parents’ wallets.

To the victim and his family, we humbly offer our deepest of sympathies and wish a speedy recovery.

We urge every resident of Davis to exercise caution in potentially dangerous situations. While our town is often lauded for safety, the recent trend in local crime shows otherwise.

If there is any justice, the victim will find a full recovery, peace of mind and appropriate reparations, and should Garzon be found guilty, he will sit behind bars with a live-television broadcast of the Supreme Court ruling in favor of LGBT equality.

Janice Pang Design Director James Kim Asst. Design Director Joyce BerthelsEn Night Editor Irisa Tam Art Director David Ou New Media Director BEAUGART GERBER Advertising Manager

One Shields Ave. 25 Lower Freeborn, UCD Davis, CA 95616 Editorial (530) 752-0208 Advertising (530) 752-0365 Fax (530) 752-0355

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GAY MARRIAGE

The right side of history Last week the Supreme Court heard arguments for and against two landmark cases for gay marriage: Hollingsworth v. Perry and United States v. Windsor. These cases concern Prop. 8 in California and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), respectively. The decisions for these cases are expected in June.

It’s worth noting that the California State government and the United States government have both declined to defend the laws.

The national climate is changing.

The political climate is changing.

The Supreme Court must rule in support of gay marriage.

In the past month, two GOP senators have come out in support of gay marriage — a huge deal given how rare it is for GOP politicians to break from party policy.

Six out of 10 people in America were against gay marriage 10 years ago. That figure has dropped to 44 percent this year.

The decision on gay marriage is not a moral or ethical question. It is about equal rights. It is about avoiding the perpetuation

of a second class of citizens who cannot receive the benefits of the 1,100 laws and statutes that define “legal marriage.” It is about giving a spouse the right to see the love of their life in the hospital.

Forty-nine years ago it was illegal for an African American person to sit at the front of the bus.

Forty-six years ago it was illegal for people of different races to marry. Those who were in support of these issues were on the wrong side of history. Let’s make sure we’re on the right side.

Don’t support the troops THE ANARCHIST with BRIAN MOEN • BKMOEN@UCDAVIS.EDU

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deology is such a sneaky thing. It is comprised of beliefs that we do not know that we hold. It sets the parameters for the questions that we do ask while it, itself, is typically beyond question. Since we come to questions with a framework of thought — a set of parameters — we are automatically funneled toward some conclusions and fail to even fathom other conclusions.

By taking any particular belief and working backwards, figuring out what must hold true for that belief to hold true, we can single out implicit belief.

That is, we can figure out what we must have been assuming to be true in virtue

of holding some belief. In short, we can ish and absurd that upon reflection, no excavate our ideology. We can find those reasonable person would maintain it. views that we simply assumed before One clear and ridiculous example and begin to quesarises from our lifetion them. long bombardment This is the beginIt forces us to support with the question, ning of liberation.

“Do you support the the war, because if we troops?” The quesNo other method could be. don’t support the war, tion itself contains Where do our of factual then we don’t support volumes implicit beliefs come assumptions. But the troops ... from? We simply after we are asked adopt them from our it again and again, surroundings. Of course, allegedly smart naturally we accept the question. We people like to fancy themselves to be answer it. It is not at all obvious that a above this, but this mistake is so childquestion presented to us might be false.

Especially since we are presented with such questions during childhood, we become apt to continue to accept them and their corollaries in our formative political years.

The “support the troops” question contains such obviously bad assumptions that most readers have probably picked up on its falsity already. It forces us to support the war, because if we don’t support the war, then we don’t support the troops, which means we do not care if they are killed in combat.

So we must support the war, because See MOEN on 17

Rape and the media SEX & SOCIETY with MARISA MASSARA • MVMASSARA@UCDAVIS.EDU

During finals week, the Steubenville story was erupting in every news source, social media site and coffee shop conversation in the country. It’s been two weeks, so unsurprisingly the Steubenville case is no longer on anyone’s radar.

Why write the column, then? Because I’m just as angry about this now as I was then.

Hopefully I won’t need to go out of my way to convince you that what happened to this girl was rape, and that rape is wrong. If you disagree with me there, you should probably stop reading (and hope I don’t find you).

What I would like to focus on is what (besides advising women to trade in we can take away from this story, now their “provocative” clothing for pepthat the dust has per spray). And as settled a bit and satisfying as it is to we’ve all had some Hopefully I won’t read snarky blog time to reflect. posts that claim the need to go out of my best rape prevention As angry as I am at the offenders, way to convince you strategy is “don’t what really gets me her,” in reality, that what happened rape bent out of shape is we don’t have such to this girl was rape the way the media immediate control portrayed the case. over those individuRape is a multifaceted cultural issue, als who choose to rape. an issue so complex that many feel there What we do have control over, howis not much that can be done about it ever, is the media, especially in its por-

trayal of sexual assault cases like these.

The most obvious reporting blunder (as few will let CNN forget) was oversympathizing with the two convicted boys. But I won’t beat a dead horse.

In reality, the media problem extends far beyond a single screwed-up news segment.

One piece of “advice” I’ve heard and read repeatedly surrounding the Steubenville coverage is that we should take this case as a lesson — to practice more discretion with technology and social See MASSARA on 17

Thursday, APRIL 4, 2013 | 3

The california aggie

The shining plunger LAUGHING THROUGH LIFE with MARCI MONTANARI • MCMONTANARI@UCDAVIS.EDU

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ave I unclogged this toilet before?” he asked. I stared into the face of possibly the best-looking plumber on the planet. He stood well over six feet tall and towered above me.

He had olive skin, dark brown hair and large bicep muscles peeking out from beneath his fitted T-shirt.

I was mortified that a handsome, 23-year-old guy was in my apartment because our toilet had overflowed. In my nervous, embarrassed state I replied without thinking, “Yes. We’re the apartment with infamously large turds.”

He flashed a gorgeous smile at me as I attempted to grasp what I had just said.

The plumber walked into the bathroom as I was about to run away in embarrassand started to work on the toilet with ment, I took a look around. his plunger. The toilet bowl was comI saw this scene and realized that in pletely filled with actuality, this was water which made hysterical. I mean, this job particularly In my case, specifi- the sheer humiliachallenging. Sudtion, the awkward cally, life prefers to exchanges — all of denly he exclaimed, spew urine water and it was just incredibly “I can’t figure out why it’s splashing chunks of toilet paper funny. So I began to me so much!” laugh uncontrollably directly at my face He took a step at this good-looking back from the toilet, man being sprayed using one hand to plunge and the other with water from my toilet. to cover his face to prevent our urine I requested a picture of him, insisting water from hitting his countenance. Just that I would like to “document the mo-

ment.” He laughed and agreed to pose for the photo. With a click I captured the smile of possibly the best-looking plumber on Earth.

He kept plunging and ultimately I heard the growl of a toilet begrudgingly being flushed. I cheered on the hero of the scene and watched as the knight who rescued us from overflowing toilets now held up his dripping, shining plunger.

He requested permission to wash his hands in our sink, which I gladly granted. As he walked over to wash, See MONTANARI on 18

Them and us ANALYZE THIS with BEN BIGELOW • babigelow@ucdavis.edu

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’m a huge fan of Gerard Butler. Why, you ask? Did you see P.S. I Love You? Neither did I. But I did see Olympus Has Fallen, a rah-rah, go-America movie with enough explosions and bad one-liners to fill a KFC family-size bucket and a fully-legal 20-ounce soda cup, and this masterpiece of cinema established one fact: America, much like Kazakhstan, greatest country in the world.

According to Gerard Butler and friends, “greatest” is the only acceptable adjective for a description of America; the Korean terrorists in the movie, however, feel “worst” fits more appropriately.

Only these two extremes can exist.

We heard similar rhetoric and divi-

sion across the nation last election in beExtreme rhetoric permeates daily tween the occasional (not occasionally) interaction. I hate that professor. I love “legitimate rape” remarks. Obama hates March Madness. That Doritos Locos taco America, Romney loves America; Obama was incredibly delicious. But as Louis loves America, RomC.K. points out, ney hates America. A what then do we them/us, hate/love, But those who speak do for the spectrum Justin Bieber/One of in-betweens, the softly often are the emotional gray area?

Direction dichotomy ones who carry a of extremes has If I love March developed not only Madness — and I do stick big enough to in politics, but also — should I immedimove the world ... elsewhere, like in ately hate the April the gun control and Absurdity of Opengay marriage debates. And, my little ing Day, or should I find a more apt, sister tells me, in the JB/OD debate that descriptive lexicon to convey my “I like exists and is an actual debate. She would you, but I’m not ready to move in with know. you yet” emotions about baseball? On a

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

By JANELLE BITKER Editor in Chief

As international students, we came to UC Davis to learn about American culture, to develop an international network, to learn English and to achieve academic success in a competitive environment at a globally-recognized institution.

However, language barriers, cultural conflicts and references often hinder our ability to be successful at UC Davis. For example, professors often fail to recognize if we’re struggling with class material or the wording of tests.

We know that we need to use English to do the homework and tests, but this is a double burden for us compared to native speakers: we need to under-

stand the concepts and the language.

We have made the decision to accept this double burden. It is worth the extra financial investment (international students pay nearly three times more than California residents per academic year in fees) and extra investment of energy for us to learn such an international language as English. We are motivated to make these investments but sometimes resources available to us are not meeting our needs.

Furthermore, cultural differences regarding the relationships between teachers and students in the United

least $100 million. Why did we decide this you ask? Well, there are a number of reasons, but one basic answer is that we have over-pumped from the ground water for too long and need to find a new supply. But why did we over-pump in the first place? Good question. At this point I could attempt to explain the history of our over-consumption of water because of industries such as agriculture, paper mills, mining and most recently hydraulic fracturing, but instead I'd like to focus on the toilet.

I saw a meme the other day that depicted a child from the Global South with a skeptical look on his face. The text read, “So you're telling me that you have so much clean water, that you sh*t in it?”

Damn, that kid has a point. Every time we use the toilet we are basically contaminating otherwise clean water. I mean, it's not our fault, it's what we've been taught to do. It's what we are reminded and reinforced to do every time we enter into the defecation/urination room. But what

See STUDENT on 18

Humanure Congratulations Davis, we just passed Measure I! For all of you not paying attention, or for those making amateur porn, this means that the city of Davis will shift its water supply from ground water to the Sacramento River. What does that mean for me you might ask?

Well, you might notice a better taste in the water due to the decrease in selenium, boron and salts present in our new water, but more likely than not you'll notice your water bill will triple since this project is proposed to cost at

See HUMANURE on 18

Response to ‘Master gardeners...’

I was browsing through The Aggie website when an article, “Master gardeners emphasizes sustainable, water-wise gardening,” caught my attention. After reading a couple paragraphs, the methods and content reminded me of a debate from my environmental history class; the topic was Conservation vs. Preservation of the land and its natural resources. This was brought up when the first national park was opened; two advocates, Gif-

ford Pinchot for conservation and John Muir for preservation, argued how the land and the natural resources within the park should be handled and used.

Although the two principals focus on protecting nature for future generations, there is a fundamental difference in the way they go about it.

Preservation is reverting nature back into its primal state in which human influence and presence is nonexistent, while conservation focuses on

See BIGELOW on 18

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

International student relations This letter is from a group of international students at UC Davis who would like to send a message to all of you in the larger community. International students are a demographically significant part of the UC Davis student body which has been rapidly increasing every year for the past few years. There are currently about 2,000 undergraduate internationals, and by 2020, UC Davis’ goal is to increase the proportion to 5,000, which is 20 percent of the entire undergraduate population. Because of this, UC Davis needs to make attempts to understand the experiences of international students better.

campus filled with Giants and A’s fans, I lean toward the latter course of action.

In her book on introversion, Quiet, Susan Cain interviews a reserved Christian pastor, a man who feels out of place in the Evangelical church which personifies so well the outspoken, forceful, all-or-nothing methods of communication and conversation present in our society.

Yet Cain discovers he loves God just as much as the most vocal Evangelicals, and his desire to do good is no less than theirs. He just communicates in a manner that has unjustly become associated with weakness and lack of conviction.

environmentally-sustainable practices to directly ensure the wellbeing of the ecosystem while providing the most use to the public. The article is a prime example of conservational methods, informing people how to tend gardens, as well as sustainability. They covered basic knowledge about gardening, water conservation techniques and knowledge about what type of plants See RESPONSE on 18

Welcome to the new, weekly version of The California Aggie. Take off your sweater and stay a while — this isn’t the quick, six-page read you’ve grown accustomed to this year.

All your favorite sections — the highly opinionated Opinion page, MUSE for all the latest arts and entertainment news, the Science & Technology page showcasing the latest in university research as well as Backstop and other sports coverage — are still running, just all in one convenient package.

Far better, the news you see in print will dig deeper and provide more context, accompanied by infographics and photospreads. Meanwhile, on our revamped website, TheAggie.org, briefer news items will be added every day to make sure you’re always in the loop.

Speaking of revamped website, have you seen it yet? Creative Media did a marvelous job, working closely with us to create a cleaner, multimedia-ready home. One thing to note is the Breaking News stream at the top, which will carry all our quick news stories. Also, on the right-hand side, you can still find a PDF of our print version, as well as easy-to-access polls to share your opinions with us and fellow readers.

And speaking of sharing your opinions, I’m pleased to announce that The Aggie will be holding public meetings every week. Join us this Friday at 3:10 p.m. in 25 Lower Freeborn while we discuss our Thursday issue. Ask questions, pitch stories or pick up an application to write for us. Granted, if no one comes after 15 minutes and we’re done discussing among ourselves, we’ll probably migrate outdoors to enjoy our Friday.

We’re still in a transitional state, though, so definitely look at next week’s paper in case our weekly meeting time changes.

That’s silly to say though. Obviously you will be picking up next week’s paper!

In this first issue, be sure to meet four of our eight columnists this quarter — you’ll meet the other four next week — and check out pages 10 & 11 for some California Aggie history.

4 | Thursday, APRIL 4, 2013

The california aggie

Aggie Reuse Store proves to be viable new unit

DAILY CALENDAR dailycal@theaggie.org

04 / THURSDAY The Evolution and Future of LEDs and Laser Diodes 5 to 7:30 p.m. | UC Davis Conference Center, Ballrooms A & B Join Professor Shuji Nakamura as he explores the past, present and future of LEDs and laser diodes, including their impact on energy conservation and lighting design.

Poetry Night Reading Series 8 to 10 p.m. | John Natsoulas Gallery The Poetry Night Reading Series is proud to welcome Joe Wenderoth and Oliver Jones.

They will be performing at the John Natsoulas Gallery at 521 First St.

05 / FRIDAY Engendered: A Feminist Art Show 5 to 7 p.m. | Delta of Venus The Feminist Art show will run for the month of April at the Delta of Venus Café located at 122 B St. in downtown Davis, and an opening reception will be held on April 5. The show will also be advertised as part of the Downtown Davis Art About.

06 / SATURDAY Frontiers of Physics: Higgs, Dark Energy and Black Holes 10 to 11 a.m. | UC Davis Conference Center Four leading physicists — Frank Wilczek (MIT), Maxwell Chertok (UC Davis), Michael S. Turner (University of Chicago) and Leonard Susskind (Stanford University) — will give public lectures about the frontiers of physics including the Higgs Boson, dark energy and black holes.

07 / SUNDAY Hollywood in Court: Copyright Litigation and the Literary Expert 3 to 4 p.m. | 1002 King Having served as an expert witness in many movie-related law cases, Dr. Mark Rose will discuss the history and role of the expert in copyright litigation. Focusing on the classic Hollywood case of Nichols v. Universal (1930) in which the author of the hit play Abie’s Irish Rose sued Universal Pictures for infringement, he will discuss how such cases often turn into battles of experts.

Unit may be relocated during MU renovations

By LILIANA NAVA OCHOA Aggie News Writer

Since its grand opening in January 2012, the Aggie Reuse Store has been functioning successfully as a new unit on campus by exceeding projected sales and meeting the necessary sales quota to remain open to the student community.

Formerly known as Aggie ReStore, the Aggie Reuse Store is located in Room 163 in the east wing of the Memorial Union, across from Classical Notes and Campus Copies.

The store sells donated, used items at a low cost as a means of keeping reusable items out of landfills.

Through the low-price items they offer, the store is also a helpful resource for low-income students.

According to design professor Ann Savageau, who assisted in the unit’s development, the Aggie Reuse Store is the first of its kind in California and perhaps in the nation in terms of being a reuse boutique, with attractive merchandising and educational endeavors.

According to unit staff, Aggie Reuse, though still young, is functioning successfully.

“You have to remember that the store is completely outside the usual bureaucratic template of the University, and there were a lot of hurdles to overcome to make it a reality,” Savageau said.

Aggie Reuse makes between $450 and $800 monthly depending on school holidays and breaks. Since the unit does not pay rent for their location, it must uphold or exceed the projected sales quota of $3,069 for this fiscal year in order to remain open on campus.

According to fourth-year communication and design double major and co-director of the Aggie Reuse Store Kristie Wu, the unit has already met this quota.

“In the year we've been open, we've shown that we are financially successful as well as a great and unique asset to the campus' sustainable ambitions. I expect us to reach a lot more students in the future and establish ourselves further as a sustainable unit, encouraging more and more students to reuse,” Wu said.

According to Wu, the unit’s location in 2014 is yet

Every fall, in Banff, aspiring and professional filmmakers submit their entries to be watched, critiqued and enjoyed by the masses. This event highlights the best mountain sports/culture/environment films out there.

After the festival, the Banff Centre takes the top films out on tour to over 600 different screenings in 32 countries.

Liquid Hotplates Auditions 7 to 9 p.m. | 151 Olson courtesy

The Supreme Court will review Michigan’s anti-affirmative action Prop. 2, which is nearly identical to California’s Prop. 209.

By LAUREN MASCARENHAS

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous 7 to 8:30 p.m. | Davis United Methodist Church, 1620 Anderson Road Are you having trouble controlling the way you eat? Free yourself from excess weight and 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.

See REUSE on 12

Final ruling on Michigan’s Prop. 2 can carry bearing on California affirmative action

Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour 6:30 to 8 p.m. | Brunelle Performing Arts Center at Davis Senior High School

09 / WEDNESDAY

to be determined. Due to plans for renovating the east wing of the MU, it is possible that the store may be relocated to the Silo.

Savageau inspired the creation of the unit, according to Dateline UC Davis, because she gathers community waste for use in her sustainable design class. With the help of graduate students Margot Bennett of the Textiles department and Carol Shu of the Design department, along with the collaboration of former ASUCD Senator Darwin Moosavi, the Aggie Reuse Store was created. “[We] wanted to do something more ambitious: create a store that would have the goal of educating the campus community about the great potential in so-called 'waste' materials. We wanted to make an attractive store that looked like a fashionable boutique rather than a thrift store,” Savageau said.

Aggie Reuse is able to sell reusable items through donations. Bi-monthly donation drives are held, where everyone is able to donate items such as books, clothes, school supplies and houseware. Donations are also made from campus departments and offices.

“I love it when people come in and get excited about our goals to have more people creatively reuse what would otherwise end up in landfills. One of our biggest goals is to attract students who are new to the

Supreme Court revisits affirmative action

08/ TUESDAY

Come down and audition for The Liquid Hotplates, a co-ed a cappella group on campus. Prepare a 30- to 60-second solo and get ready to be tested on scales and vocal exercises.

Bijan Agahi / Aggie

The Aggie Reuse Store, located in the Memorial Union, sells donated, used items. It has exceeded projected sales.

Aggie News Writer

The future of affirmative action in California’s public schools may soon be decided in light of the Supreme Court’s decision to grant review of the Sixth Circuit Court’s ruling of Michigan’s Proposition 2 as unconstitutional.

On March 25 the Supreme Court granted review of the Sixth Circuit decision. In November 2011 the Sixth Circuit Court ruled the anti-affirmative action ballot referendum Prop. 2 — which is almost identical to California’s Proposition 209 — unconstitutional.

Prop. 209 “prohibits the state, local governments, districts, public universities, colleges, and schools, and other government instrumentalities from discriminating against or giving preferential treatment to any individual or group in public employment, public education, or public contracting on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin,” as stated in the text of the proposition.

The propositions make it illegal for public universities to make admissions decisions based on race, inhibiting affirmative action in California and Michigan public schools.

“These propositions create a separate and unequal education system. They inhibit every effective measure to integrate higher education,” said Ronald Cruz, attorney and organizer for The Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration and Immigrant Rights and Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary (BAMN).

Prop. 2 passed in 2006 and Prop. 209 passed in 1996.

If the decision to strike down Prop. 2 is upheld by the Supreme Court, it will allow for the possibility of restoring affirmative action to California’s public universities after years of race-neutral admissions.

“Prop. 209 and Prop. 2 are identical. After this case they will both be legal or they will both be illegal. The day we win is the day Prop. 209 falls,” said George Washington, attorney for BAMN. BAMN is the civil rights organization that challenged Michigan’s Prop. 2. They work on behalf of underrepresented minority groups, usually African American, Latino and Native American groups.

During the implementation of Prop. 2 and Prop. 209, BAMN and other affirmative action supporters have been working within the current laws to increase minority admissions in universities. In the spring of 2012, BAMN held occupations of UC admissions offices and won admission See ACTION on 12

Thursday, APRIL 4, 2013 | 5

The california aggie

State representative introduces bill terminating textbook sales tax UC Davis Bookstore, professors provide additional relief

Brian Nguyen / Aggie

The Textbook Relief Act will temporarily exempt textbooks from the California sales tax.

By SYDNEY COHEN Aggie News Writer

On Feb. 19, State Rep. Tim Donnelly (R-Twin Peaks) proposed the Textbook Relief Act, which would exempt textbooks from sales tax in California. Donnelly said the initiative is an investment in California’s future.

“We need to do something to signal to students in California that we actually want them here, and that we want them to complete their education,” Donnelly said.

“Every student’s success is California’s success.”

Donnelly said he believes the bill aligns the financial incentives with the desired behavior, which is completion of higher education.

“When students get out of school and get a full time job, they become part of the income stream for the state,” Donnelly said.

According to Donnelly, California has a surplus of money that simply needs to be redistributed so that money isn’t wasted. Donnelly said that the sales tax exemption on textbooks wouldn’t be detrimental to the state’s budget.

“There’s money all over the place that we’re wasting on things. To

me, this would be a sound investment because it essentially says we’re serious about producing an educated workforce — we’re willing to invest in students that show promise,” Donnelly said. “I want to make this the most prosperous and freest state in the Union so [that] everybody wants to come here.”

Donnelly estimates the tax exemption would put approximately $100 back in the pocket of the average California student.

According to Kato Meley, assistant director of course materials at UC Davis, the UC Davis Bookstore sells books to approximately 60 percent of enrolled students.

“Our unit sales have increased based on our rental program,” Meley said.

Meley said she believes that although a tax break provides relief, the bookstore has been providing relief through the rental program.

As the assistant director of course materials, Meley seeks out as many variations of the course material as possible to ensure students are confident in their purchases.

“Quite a few instructors say, ‘I want this version because it costs less,’” Meley said.

According to Jason Lorgan,

city@theaggie.org

30 / FRIDAY My way or the highway

stores director at UC Davis, the rental program lowers the cost of textbooks by 70 percent and is utilized by 15,000 UC Davis students.

“Our goal is for as many students to have course material as possible, and at the lowest price,” Lorgan said.

Lorgan said that he believes instructors’ first priority is content, but that they are still concerned with price.

“We often hear from publishers that the conversations they used to have with faculty used to just be about content, and now it’s about content and price,” he said.

UC Davis political science professor Ethan Scheiner forgoes using a textbook for a low-cost course pack for his Political Science 2: Introduction to Comparative Politics class.

Scheiner said that if he found a textbook of equal or only slightly better content-value to his customized course pack, he would choose a course pack to save students money.

“If I wanted to, I could just grab [a textbook] and teach to the textbook, but the other part is to save students money,” Scheiner said. “I wouldn’t say the main driving force [to choosing a course pack] is to save students money, but it’s certainly a big part of my thinking.”

Scheiner said when it comes to students who study the social sciences and humanities, the Textbook Relief Act would have a lower impact because of the lesser use of textbooks in their courses. In contrast, he said the bill could save students in the natural sciences and related majors a much more significant amount of money simply because of the use of textbooks in their courses.

According to Scheiner, his colleagues in the political science department make a conscious effort

A male subject approached someone and asked for money, then proceeded to kick the person’s car on First Street.

31 / SUNDAY Tabling A man asked somebody to vote for him, and when she said no, he asked if he could come in for dinner on Union Drive.

Ill-matched An 8-year-old and a 4-year-old were playing with matches in a driveway on Gauguin Place.

Seeking God A homeless man was knocking on a door requesting to be baptized by the Lord on Drexel Drive.

01 / MONDAY Rein-canine-ation Two huskies and a black Lab were found near the cemetery on Pole Line Road.

02 / TUESDAY Transport-ception Somebody broke into a car and stole a bicycle from its interior on Shasta Drive.

Police briefs are compiled from the City of Davis daily crime bulletins. Contact EINAT GILBOA at city@theaggie.org.

CAMPUS JUDICIAL REPORTS Bed Head

See TEXTBOOK on 18

City council approves water rate increase New rates to be effective May 1

By PAAYAL ZAVERI Aggie News Writer

m Ta sa

Iri

In an upper division engineering class, a student was reported to Student Judicial Affairs after she did not attend class but had a friend sign the attendance sheet for her anyway. The course required attendance and each student was responsible for signing in at the beginning of class. The junior claimed that she was planning on going to class and was simply running late, so she texted her friend to sign the attendance sheet for her. However, she claimed that she fell back to sleep after texting her friend and never came to class. The professor then noticed the forged signature by counting the present students and the number of signatures.

After meeting with a Judicial Officer, the student agreed to disciplinary probation, meaning that if she commits misconduct during her probation, she will likely be suspended or dismissed. The situation with the student who signed in for her friend was handled separately.

ie

gg /A

Without a majority protest at the March 19 public hearing, Measure I’s proposed water rates were officially passed. Water rates are expected to be tripled by 2018, and the increased rates will help fund the Woodland-Davis Clean Water Agency surface water project.

The project, supplying Woodland and Davis with drinking water from the Sacramento River, is estimated to cost $113 million for the City of Davis, making for a combined $245 million for both cities.

“The project will give city residents a supplemental water supply so they are not just relying on groundwater,” said Herb Niederberger, the City of Davis general manager of development, utilities and operations.

“Groundwater contains many elements, so surface water is a cleaner option.”

The project includes construction, operation and maintenance of a water intake facility, a water treatment facility and pipelines. These would be owned and operated by the Woodland-Davis Clean Water Agency.

Rates will rise starting May 1 and will be raised differently depending on income levels. The first increase will be 5 percent and the next, in January 2014, will be 20 percent.

Niederberger said that for an average singlefamily home in Davis, the rate will be increased to $31. The next raise in January 2014 would make the water bill $36. By Jan. 1, 2018, the rate for an average single family home is expected to be $98.27.

The City of Davis offers a calculator tool in which residents can estimate how much their rates will be increased based on their individual situations. It can be found on the City of Davis’ website.

The water project was approved by 54.1 percent of those who voted in the March 5 election. However, Proposition 218 requires a hearing to see if a majority protest still exists; over half of the city’s 16,500 ratepayers would have had to protest in order to prevent the rates from increasing.

There were still a few people who came to the public hearing to voice their concerns over the rate increase.

“I’m here to ask you to reconsider the proposed water project and the water rates change,” said John Munn, supporter of No on Measure I and the former president of the Yolo County Taxpayers Association. “Many residents of Davis cannot afford

POLICE BRIEFS

to have their water rates tripled. And for each issue we have looked at specifically, it’s just not necessary.”

The Yolo Ratepayers for Affordable Public Utility Services are challenging the current water rates in a lawsuit filed against the city. The suit claims that the current rates violate Prop. 218.

Prop. 218 was brought into question during the public hearing when some residents felt that the protest process was flawed and should be reviewed for future rate increases.

“I hope that the next time, the city pays attention to real democratic local process, and regardless of your position on issues, that you take this very seriously to set an example and to model how democracy should operate in this city,” said Davis resident Nancy Price at the hearing.

Price is also one of the plaintiffs on the lawsuit.

Mayor Joe Krovoza said at the hearing that he supports the project fully because it will help Davis in the future.

“The proponents of this project have helped us create a much, much better system for the City of Davis,” Krovoza said at the hearing. “They should be proud and this mayor and, I think, this council as a whole is very thankful.”

Additionally, the Davis City Council voted on March 19 to approve a water fee assistance program for homeowners. The new Lifeline Water See WATER on 12

Weird Science A second-year student was referred to Student Judicial Affairs because it became apparent to her chemistry TA that she had used another student’s data to complete her post-lab. The TA noticed that she was absent during the lab and had not made up the experiment, which is required in the case of an absence. However, when she managed to turn in a post-lab report, the TA recognized that because she never actually did the lab, she must have used someone else’s data. When confronted about the situation, the student admitted that she had completed her report using fabricated data that she copied from a lab partner. As a result, she agreed to disciplinary probation and 10 hours of community service.

A Friend Indeed A case was recently addressed by Student Judicial Affairs which involved an upper division student who loaned her completed reports from Fall Quarter to a friend taking the same math class during Winter Quarter. The TAs became suspicious of academic misconduct when they noticed a number of similarities between the students’ reports, and saw the name of the Fall Quarter student on some of the current student’s work. Because of the outstanding similarities, the Fall Quarter student met with a Judicial Officer to discuss why she lent her friend the reports. She said she wanted to help him understand what the professor’s grading was like, but had not anticipated that he would copy directly from her work. The Judicial Officer explained to her the risks of loaning classmates completed work, as it is often tempting for a struggling student to copy from it. In the end, she received an administrative notice and was warned that if she was later found in violation of the same policy, the consequences could be more severe. The case with the current student was handled separately.

6 | Thursday, APRIL 4, 2013

The california aggie

SAFETY Cont. from front page

no affiliation with UC Davis. Picnic Day only means something to people in Davis,” said Jonathan Wu, chair of Picnic Day and a fourth-year neurobiology and psychology double major.

Paul Cody, interim director for the Center for Student Involvement, said the center, Davis City Council, Davis Police Department and Davis Fire Department have worked together since 2009 to propose and administer new regulations to keep Picnic Day safe and fun for everyone.

“Since these problems have occurred, we have put more resources towards the event, increased enforcement and police presence and created an extended safety enhancement zone, along with rules that have already been set in place such as zero-tolerance on campus,” Cody said.

Davis Police Lieutenant Paul Doroshov gave advice on how to avoid dangers involved with Picnic Day and how to avoid conflict.

“Last year, we still made over 50 arrests, mostly for misdemeanors and alcohol violations. The bulk of issues with Picnic Day regard drinking and public intoxication, which can lead to fighting and sexual assault. The highest danger is typical house parties,” Doroshov said. “Many people don’t

STEUSSY Cont. from page 10

type of general assignment reporting I’ve been doing at every job since.

Editing the campus news section for The Aggie was perhaps the most humbling experience of my college career. The letters and criticisms I received were harsh, sometimes personal, and I had to restrain myself from telling those readers that the paper was pulled together by a group of students who often missed classes or didn’t study so they could meet deadlines. I’m certain I spent more time in The Aggie’s basement offices than I did in Olson Hall, but that never frustrated me. It gave me what I needed to do well as a journalist.

Thinking about journalism as an educational process stuck with me. Working as a web report-

know what they are getting into and a lot of uninvited guests end up coming from out of town looking for a party.”

This year’s Picnic Day lands on April 20 — also referred to as four-twenty or 4/20 — a “holiday” in cannabis culture during which people celebrate by smoking marijuana. Despite this coincidence, the police department has not prepared any new regulations regarding this day.

“When it comes to enforcement, there is not a whole lot new this year. We are aware that Picnic Day lands on 4/20, but we don’t know if this will make a big difference,” Doroshov said. “Smoking is still a violation and police will respond properly. The main concern is alcohol consumption.”

Several bars, restaurants and supermarkets have agreed to a Picnic Day Covenant, preventing the selling and purchasing of alcohol before 11 a.m. Fire marshals came into restaurants and bars to make official maximum capacity standards, allowing only a certain number of people inside at one time.

The restaurants and bars have also helped fund Porta Potties that will be placed throughout downtown to stop public urination.

Wu said the main problem is the students’ mentality.

“People come into college as freshmen and hear about the parties involved with Picnic Day. They do not think that this day is about families and events. Their ‘let’s get plastered and ruin it’ attitude is the biggest issue,” Wu said.

Carly Sandstrom, ASUCD President and a third-year in-

er at NBC in San Diego, I treated the city like a subject in school. I read everything I could about the place and spent probably twice as long as I should have on each major article to do background research – something I had the luxury of doing at The Aggie. Now, I’m back at a newspaper, reporting for the Orange County Register.

The deadlines are swifter and the relationship I have with my editors is stronger because I show I can learn from them. The Aggie gave me the right framework to get the job done.

I now know that reporting means you have to take everything you know and about something and throw it out of the window. It requires an open mind and a certain brand of curiosity that is not taught, but learned by experience. I would never have gained that understanding if I hadn’t worked at a student newspaper like The Aggie.

STONE

Aggie, in some capacity, would live on.

Many of us that year decided to stick with journalism, vying for jobs in an unstable Cont. from page 10 Five days a week we did that, some ediindustry simply because it’s the best job there tions better than others. Sometimes on time, is. Sometimes you can still get the rush I occasionally late. The paper always got out. remember from being an undergrad reporter.

Letters always came in. And when it was About a year ago, I jumped in a cab to go time to hire columnists, people always lined pick up some leaked documents for a story up. The Aggie was an institution, bigger that would later get me chewed out by an anthan any of us. We knew that no matter how gry government official (a badge of honor in many hours we spent in that windowless Washington). It wasn’t as much fun picking basement or how many editorials we wrote apart those memos as it was that day we were huffing and puffing about ASUCD’s latest giddy with excitement. But there was one outrage, someday we’d graduate and The upside: My newsroom now has windows.

CHEN Cont. from page 10

didn’t have a choice, did we? But seven years later, I still talk to a bunch of these weirdos all the time.

When I left UC Davis and The Aggie, I stuck with the journalism racket, starting

with a job at a computer magazine, then a mainstream magazine, and finally, at The New York Times, I was back in a newsroom again — another group of intelligent misfits who put out an amazing product together every day because we are obnoxiously dogmatic about great journalism. I felt well prepared. It feels like I’m home again.

coach Jennifer Gross. “Their intangibles were unmatched.”

Both players provided more than just Cont. from page 20 stats though, as they were the calming and the arc, the Aggies put up points in a hurry guiding influence for a fairly young Aggie and the Trojans simply could not keep up. team.

Games like these showed the ability of the “Blair’s calm and leadership did not Aggies to simply dominate teams when always show up on the stat sheet, but was their shots were falling. so important to our team,” Gross said.

Through the good and the bad, the Ag“Cortney is going down in history as one of gies had one player who provided consisthe best three-point shooters in UC Davis tent scoring and rebounding. That player history and her leadership meant a lot to was sophomore Sydnee Fipps. Averaging our team.”

5.2 points and 2.7 rebounds a game last The loss of these seniors will take an year, as a freshman, Fipps contributed adjustment period. However, the Aggies quite a bit to a very senior-driven 2011-12 have much to look forward to next year, team. despite the losses of Shinoda and French.

Entering this year with only two seniors With another year of experience, freshon the team, Fipps became one of the men Celia Marfone, Molly Greubel, Aniya most experienced and important playBaker and Alyson Doherty will be able to ers for the Aggies. She did not disapcontribute even more than they did this point, leading the team in both points season.

Both Doherty and Greubel were and rebounds. Her 17.1 points and 5.1 already recognized for their impact play as rebounds a game was noticed around the they were both named to the conference’ s conference as she was named to the Allall-freshman team.

Big West first team.

“The biggest growth of a player is from However, UC Davis’ productivity was their freshman to sophomore year,” Gross not totally dependent on Fipps’ producsaid.

“We have five freshmen who played tion. The Aggies truly played team basketsignificant roles on our team this year, and ball. Though Fipps led the team’s offense, I know they are going to put in the work the Aggies had very balanced scoring and and definitely improve next year.” anybody was capable of catching fire on Furthermore, the Aggies still have their any night. leading scorer and rebounder in Fipps. If Graduating seniors Blair Shinoda and she continues to progress as a player, UC Cortney French will be missed for their Davis will be in a good position to succeed production. Shinoda was the floor general next season.

The future of Aggie basketball of the team, leading with her great vision looks bright, maybe even including a bid to and unselfish play. French was the threethe NCAA tournament. point specialist who could put points up in a hurry.

KENNETH LING can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

“They took us to new levels,” said head

WOMEN’s

ternational relations and economics major, agreed with Wu. “I don’t want students feeling like they weren’t informed on policies. Don’t come onto campus if you are inebriated.

It’s not worth the money or having something be put on your record,” Sandstrom said.

Sandstrom said if people want to party, it is advised that they do not come onto campus.

“In the next couple weeks, if there are student groups that want advice, they can contact the police department or me so we can come in and talk about our expectations. We have gone in and talked to Greek organizations, so I hope to find other obscure groups — whether if it’s a club or sports team to talk to,” Doroshov said. “Anyone can and should contact the police in advance if in need of assistance with something regarding your event.”

Despite all of the potential dangers involved, ASUCD wants to emphasize the events and the enjoyment to be shared.

“I encourage everyone to have a fun time and go to events.

It’s the beginning of Spring Quarter, everyone is excited to get back on campus and the weather is great,” Sandstrom said. “Just don’t take too many shots too quickly and have a small party off campus, if need be. Just enjoy campus events, maintain yourselves and don’t do anything illegal.”

MELISSA GAHERTY can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

LEVINE Cont. from page 10

non-daily — is a really difficult activity. It’s even more difficult to manage all the personalities smoothly. There’s always drama.

One of the many things that I learned at The Aggie is that there are always other options.

Sometimes that option is going back to the drawing board with your own work. The other option could be looking at challenging co-

workers in a different way. It’s about striving to make things better.

And if nothing works, it could mean finding a better place to work yourself. I used that option to good effect several times (after leaving The Aggie of course — many of us from that era still think of The Aggie as the best job we ever had).

The sperm ran on page 3. They were still clever, and I liked them even more because they were in the right place.

HO

great internship through the UCDC program called the California News Service, where I covered CaliforCont. from page 10 that I actually enjoyed. Conversing nia’s congressional delegation for a with the likes of Davis’ symphony variety of California newspapers. orchestra conductor and art gallery I spent another summer interning curators felt like interviewing the for Politico in Washington, D.C., President. where my assignments ranged from I became editor for the desk covering tech policy on Capitol Hill a little over a year later, which to staking out Anthony Weiner’s above all taught me how to better apartment. A Politico editor once interact with people. I worked told me that my campus editing with a group of editors with an experience was the driving factor unmistakable desire to improve the in picking my name over the other paper, and a staff of writers who applicants. genuinely enjoyed their work as As a producer for Marketplace, much as I did. I even got a shot I have a bunch of roles, including at conducting and editing a radio assigning and editing the stories interview — years before I ever you hear on the radio, coordinatthought to apply for my current ing and cutting interviews for job at Marketplace. air, and directing the show as it’s I’ve talked about my experience broadcasted live. But not much has at The Aggie in every job interview changed. I still grapple with reportI’ve had since leaving the arts desk. ers under rapid deadlines, and I’m My editing resume landed me a still constantly scanning my beat to summer internship at The San find news. I work every day to creFrancisco Chronicle, where I covate a product I can consume, and ered state politics out of their Sacit’s every bit as rewarding as it ever ramento bureau. I moved on to a has been.

GYMNASTICS Cont. from page 20

Ho scored a 9.775 on bars, earning her the gold medal. She pulled another 9.775 on balance beam and tied with another gymnast for the overall gold. She finished her meet with a stunning 9.875 on floor which was her third individual gold of the night.

UC Davis won its MPSF title in 2008. They faltered in 2009 but they have won every title since.

Head coach John Lavallee earned his fifth MPSF Coach of the Year Award while Yamamura repeated as MPSF Gymnast of the Year. Assistant coach Carolyn Kampf was also selected as MPSF Assistant Coach of the Year for her work with the UC Davis floor exercises. Additionally, Yamamura, Schumaker, Ho and sophomore Tiana Montell also earned various MPSF individual accolades.

Ultimately, the season is not over for three of Davis’ finest gymnasts.

Yamamura, Ho and Schumaker all qualified for the NCAA Regional Meet where they will participate as at-large gymnasts.

Yamamura will compete alongside the Oregon State Beavers while Schumaker will join the Arizona State Sun Devils. In order to advance to the next round, Yamamura and Schumaker will need to be the top two unrostered overalls with either of the top two allaround teams.

Ho will compete alongside Cal. In

order to advance, she must win or share the regional floor title. Ho is ranked 29th nationally, and fourth amongst competitors who will be competing at the NCAA Regional Meet.

Aggie gymnastics will be hard pressed to repeat this season’s performance. Both Yamamura and Ho will be graduating, alongside Taryn West and Leah Housman.

Lavallee will be challenged to find and groom equivalent talent to fill his roster next year. Luckily, the Aggies will be returning Schumaker and sophomore Tiana Montell, who qualified for the NCAA Regional Meet as a freshman last year.

UC Davis also has several other prospects that fans can be excited for. Freshman Stephanie Stamates has been right behind Ho on floor all season and she finished just .025 behind her at the MPSF Championship, earning the silver as a floor individual.

Sophomore Kala DeFrancesco and junior Madeline Kennedy have earned solid vault scores all season.

Sophomore Lise Wiktorski has been a workhorse on bars this season, earning a high score of 9.850 against San Jose State.

While most of the roster is gearing up for next season, Yamamura, Ho and Schumaker will be competing this Saturday and hoping to make their way to the NCAA tournament.

KIM CARR can be reached at sports@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

SUBLIMINAL MESSAGES DO NOT WORK

Thursday, APRIL 4, 2013 | 7

The california aggie

Whole Foods proposes full GMO labeling transparency Five-year deadline pushes national conversation forward

By GABRIELLA HAMLETT Aggie News Writer

At the March 8 Natural Products Expo West, Whole Foods committed to a full transparency of genetically modified organisms (GMO) labeling plan. By 2018, over 340 Whole Foods stores in the U.S. and Canada intend to have GMO labeling on all food products.

This plan is in response to the increasing prevalence surrounding the national conversation concerning GMOs — plants whose genetic makeup is altered to produce traits unattainable in nature.

“GMOs are pervasive — 93 percent of soy, 88 percent of field corn, 94 percent of cotton and over 90 percent of canola seed and sugar beets planted in the U.S. are GMOs,” said Libba Letton, spokesperson for Whole Foods Markets.

Because of this, there has been a push from Whole Foods by their customers for GMO labeling.

“We are committing to full transparency and setting a five-year deadline to label all products to support the consumer’s right to know. Our customers have consistently asked for clear labeling,” said Kate Lowry, global PR director for Whole Foods.

The commitment to organic foods and transparency has been ongoing, as Whole Foods has worked closely with supplier partners, such as the Non-GMO Project — a nonprofit that works with over 15,000 food retailers to put out their 365-Everyday Value line of verified GMO free products — since 2009.

“The Non-GMO Project is committed to building and preserving non-GMO food supply. We have project verification programs all through the food supply chain.

I think this is fantastic to see a store of this size making this level of commitment,” said Courtney Pineau, assistant director of the Non-GMO Project.

As the eighth largest food and drug store in the U.S., Whole Foods Markets sell 300,000 products from more than 10,000 vendors annually, over 3,300 of which are non-GMO verified products from 250 brands. In the 2012 fiscal year, they made $11.7 billion.

“The prevalence of GMOs in this country makes it hard for retailers to source GMOs. It also makes it hard for consumers to choose, so we are recommitting ourselves to full visibility. Offering those choices in our products is paramount to a more informed consumer,” Lowry said.

Not only has Whole Foods worked with the NonGMO Project, but it has also extended support for current policy-changing efforts for GMO labeling. Examples include JustLabelIt.org in Washington, D.C., efforts in Washington state and Proposition 37 in the most recent California election.

“While we are encouraged by the many mandatory

PICNIC Cont. from front page

but I think it was reflective of the size of the campus at that time. It’s been a sizable event since probably the early ’70s,” Cody said. “When the board has seen a need for something, that’s when it evolves. I don’t know how much it changes from year to year as compared to the larger changes over time.”

Certain events, like the Student Organization and Multicultural Children’s Faires, have been added to the schedule of events in the past 20 years, and others, such as the Davis Dance Revolution and fashion show, have been developed in more recent times.

Now, with over 200 all-day events ranging from the Doxie Derby races in the ARC Pavilion to the Chemistry Magic Show in Rock Hall, and the Battle of the Bands competition to the well-known parade tradition, Picnic Day has much to offer for attendees of all ages. In addition to student-sponsored activities, there will be between 50 and 80 academic departments that sponsor Picnic Day events.

“It’s our big chance to show off what we have here,” said third-year genetics major Paige Wilson, who is currently serving as publicity director for Picnic Day. “It’s a good opportunity for the community and the students to come together and it’s where we get to showcase what we offer here at UC Davis.”

MEN’s Cont. from page 20

Ritchart combined for another dunk and three-pointer combination that tied things up at 10-10. There were five more lead changes during the first half which finished with a 20-19 Cal Poly advantage.

The Aggie defense has been the focal point for head coach Jim Les this season. He has been emphasizing the importance of pairing an explosive offensive with a strong defense since the first game of the season and he was impressed with his team’s effort during the first half.

“I thought it was one of the better defensive halves that took place this season, all five guys on the floor were in sync,”

Nathan Chan / Aggie

Whole Foods Market will label its GMO products by 2018. labeling initiatives, we are committed to moving forward with our own GMO transparency plan,” said Walter Robb, co-CEO of Whole Foods Market, in a released statement.

The proposal is intended to push the national debate surrounding GMO labeling forward.

“We are Americans and we have a right to know what is in the products we buy and consume. We hope our efforts and the efforts of JustLabelIt.org and the others putting it to [the] test on ballot initiatives will lead to uniform national standards. We hope our proposal creates a ripple effect,” Lowry said.

Whole Foods Markets representatives do foresee challenges with the proposal in the next five years.

“Growing enough non-GMO food to meet demand could be a challenge, because it’s going against a 30year trend in agriculture which favors GMO crops.

Many suppliers are looking overseas for non-GMO grains and other ingredients. We want to encourage more American farmers to transition to growing nonGMO crops so supply can meet demand,” Letton said.

Students at UC Davis have differing opinions on GMO labeling, especially because Prop. 37 proposed full disclosure of GMOs on all food products.

“I believe that having to repackage everything would lead to more of a cost to consumers. If every

company had to label their GMO products, then in addition to the cost of GMO foods going up, the price of non-GMO food would also go up because it would be considered ‘better,’ sort of like organic food. However, labeling GMOs might stigmatize them, and that could slow progress on those kinds of endeavors,” said David Belcher, a first-year political science major.

Other students feel supportive of GMO labeling.

“I really think we should be labeling food that has been altered. I want to know what is in my food. If we are able to label all organic food, we should be able to label GMO products without much of a difference in cost,” said Zach Dahla, a first-year economics and communication double major.

Ultimately, Whole Foods hopes that its commitment to GMO labeling will influence other retailers to make changes and have a higher regard for informing consumers about what’s in their food.

“I think it’ll motivate and drive change for many retailers and that’ll be the biggest area of growth for a more informed consumer,” Pineau said. “What Whole Foods has committed to is so exciting for us at the Non-GMO Project.”

GABRIELLA HAMLETT can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

This year’s Picnic Day theme is “Snapshot,” which will be demonstrated at the event by the Snapshot Challenge, a way for people to get interactive with the Davis campus and community by scanning QR codes at various locations, with prizes given out based on how fast people complete it.

“Snapshot Challenge is basically a scavenger hunt with clues on 30 notable events and places around campus, and everyone coming in will have the chance to participate,” said chair of Picnic Day Jonathan Wu, a fourth-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major. “It doubles as a way to get the theme out but it also diverts the attention from the partying and drinking to the actual events on Picnic Day.” In 2009 and 2010, drugs and alcohol were the cause of violence on Picnic Day. After these disruptions, the Davis tradition regarded to most as a family-friendly event was in danger of being cancelled for good. However, with heightened police enforcement and city intervention, violence has decreased.

“That was kind of a wake-up call for everyone in Davis. Since then, a lot of regulations have been put in place,” Wu said. “Arrest incidents have decreased, so I do believe we are on our way up.”

Since Picnic Day falls on April 20, the date of a cannabis subculture observance commonly known as 4/20, there are potential concerns for harmful behavior to rise up once again. However, since this is not the first year Picnic Day has taken

place on this day, Cody and event management staff are not worried about what may happen.

“I think [4/20] is a more recent phenomenon that has gained a lot more attention in the past 10 years. I didn’t even know it existed 15 years ago,” Cody said.

“If you act in a manner that’s in violation of the law, putting others in harm’s way, there’s probably going to be some consequences. It’s not going to be a free-for-all [this year].”

Along with a large number of law enforcement officials present on-campus, there will be Safety Enhancement Zones downtown, where people caught under the influence of drugs will face hefty fines by both the UC Davis and City of Davis police forces.

A volunteer staff of close to 500 students will also be monitoring each event during Picnic Day, with departments working in business, publicity, parade, entertainment and parking, among others.

“The students are like the glue that holds everything together; they’re the ones that make everything happen,” Cody said. “I just help them be successful and make sure everything is getting done.”

Along with general volunteers that serve two to three hour-long shifts working on the day of the event, there are several assistant directors that have a large role in the early stages of planning. There are 16 board members, made up of 14 directors and the chair and vice-chair. These 16 students are paid a stipend of $600 each for all of their work over the year.

Many dedicated students and staff continue their efforts year-round, as the work for next year’s Picnic Day will begin immediately after this year’s event finishes.

“It’s an ongoing process — the date for the next two years is already tentatively decided,” Cody said. “Once Picnic Day is over, people say, ‘Oh, you can take a break now!’ I wish it was that easy.”

Liu said his efforts all year will have paid off when he can watch all the people having fun on Picnic Day. “It’s like putting on a dinner party. You don’t really enjoy something like that, but you enjoy watching your guests have a valuable and enjoyable experience,” Cody said. “It’s an opportunity to get connected, to develop some Aggie pride, make friends and to develop some skills that you’ll be able to use for the rest of your life.”

Whether you’re volunteering at or attending the various events that will hit the UC Davis campus this month, appreciation for the Davis culture and university will be in the air.

“It’s like the California State Fair for UC Davis. It’s like a big carnival, but it’s educational and fun and the community gets to participate,” Cody said. “Those are the big things that bring value to it.”

For more updates on this year’s Picnic Day and for a schedule of events, join the “UC Davis and ASUCD Presents: Picnic Day 2013” Facebook event page and follow @picnicday2013 on Twitter.

Les said.

Unfortunately, UC Davis lost some of that fire before returning to the court. The Aggie defense fell flat for the first three minutes of the half, allowing the Mustangs to go on an 11-point run to give them a 31-19 advantage.

Senior Paolo Mancasola ended Davis’ scoring drought and eventually the Aggies started to put some points together. Tyler Les added a nice three-pointer that cut Cal Poly’s lead back down to nine points, but UC Davis was never able to draw within 10 points again.

The Mustangs blitzed past the faltering Aggies and finished the game with a 64-41 lead. UC Davis was eliminated from the Big West Tournament, and their season ended much sooner than they had

anticipated.

Coach Les acknowledged that the game could have gone either way. Unfortunately, it did not fall the Aggies’ way that night.

“The first team that was going to break out into an offensive rhythm was going to have the upper hand (in the second half), and that was Cal Poly,” Les said.

With the season over, the team has a lot to be proud of. They also have a lot of work to do. UC Davis is graduating two seniors who were key participants in the roster. Senior Paolo Mancasola was the starting point guard and senior Ryan Howley was a workhorse player who had great shooting capabilities and an incredible knack for pulling down rebounds.

“I am really appreciative of my guys for battling, and for everything they gave me this season.”

The Aggies have a large cache of young talent to step up and replace Mancasola and Howley, but coach Les will have plenty of development to work on during the offseason.

While the Aggies may not make the Elite Eight next season, they will certainly have every chance of winning the Big West Tournament. This year’s roster broke through countless barriers to turn their record around. There is still plenty of room for improvement and it will be an exciting year if UC Davis can keep improving as rapidly as they have.

RITIKA IYER can be reached at features@theaggie.org.

KIM CARR can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

8 | Thursday, APRIL 4, 2013

The california aggie

MUSE courtesy of Jeremy Daniel

The Broadway Show Jersey Boys will run through April 28 at the SHN Curran Theatre in San Francisco.

JERSeY BOYS returns to San Francisco The show that will always be a classic

By ELIZABETH ORPINA Aggie Arts Editor

More than 14 million people worldwide have experienced the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning Best Musical Jersey Boys. Jersey Boys showcases the music and the story of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi and how four blue-collar kids made pop music history.

Nick Cosgrove, John Dardiner, Miles Jacoby and Michael Lomenda are the stars of the show, performing daily and traveling across the continent to entertain audiences and live their dreams.

The Aggie was invited to the first-ever SHN cocktail hour with the Jersey Boys that took place the weekend before opening night in San Francisco. The crowd, made up of a few lucky SHN subscribers, reporters and photographers, got to view the loading-in of the stage, take pictures inside of the theatre (a rare opportunity, as

photography is never allowed before, during or after a show) and interact with the main men of Jersey Boys. The hour and a half was filled with hilarious inappropriate questions, personal stories and special Jersey-themed cocktail drinks.

MUSE also received front-row loge seats to opening night and then had the opportunity to converse on the phone with the talented Michael Lomenda, a Canadian returning to his role as Nick Massi. Lomenda explains why the show loves San Francisco, how he actually almost became an architect and why both college students and their grandmas can both enjoy the show.

MUSE: First of all, amazing show last night. How was it from the stage?

Lomenda: We’ve had a great time already. We’ve had some incredible audiences. [San Francisco] gets the show. They get the references and have a good time.

Speaking of this audience, how has San Francisco been for you so far?

Some people in the current cast were in the show last time it was in SF — they’re really excited to bring it back.

I had never been to San Francisco. We were just so excited to bring it to this theatre — it’s such a beautiful theatre.

We hire from the area for the backstage crew ... The crew from town has been very welcoming.

With the weather as great as it is, I’ve finally been able to use my bike. I’ve been walking a lot. There’s great seafood.

What has been your favorite place to perform on tour so far?

Portland was a cool and funky city. Chicago is a great theatre town. D.C., Miami and Vancouver were great too. I actually ended up performing on the stages that I saw my first major shows on.

When we performed in Canada, it was a trip to perform on my home terrain. My old French teachers to ex-girlfriends attended the show. One of the first shows I got to see was Phantom [of the Opera]. I’m from Alberta (the Texas of Canada with blue-collar workers, cows and oil), and we had giant theatre companies coming through town.

MEGA ARTSWEEK POETRY/OPEN MIC Joe Wenderoth and Oliver Jones Today, 8 p.m., free John Natsoulas Gallery, 521 First St. The Poetry Night Reading Series this week will feature poets Joe Wenderoth and Oliver Jones. Wenderoth teaches English and Creative Writing at UC Davis.

He has been featured in multiple anthologies, and a novel of his was adapted and performed by the One Yellow Rabbit theatre company in 2003. Jones is a prizewinning poet, as well as a journalist. He is one of Emerson College’s Visiting Professors of Journalism, and has worked as both a staff and freelance writer for various magazines. The Open Mic portion of the event will begin at 9 p.m., with sign-ups starting before the event.

Sunday Afternoon Howl! Open Mic Sunday, 4 to 6 p.m., free Little Prague Bohemian Restaurant, 330 G St. As a celebration of a traditional pub, Little Prague is hosting a multimedia Open Mic Sunday afternoon.

The call is for poetry, prose, impromptu bar songs and acoustic jam sessions. Art materials will also be provided to paint or craft while listening to performances. This event is for all ages and open to the public.

BOOK READINGS/ AUTHOR EVENTS Words in World Literature Friday, 7:30 p.m., free The Avid Reader, 617 Seventh St. Mark Corwin will be reading from and speaking about his book, Words in World Literature, which explores the power of languages in translation.

Parnucklian for Chocolate Saturday, 7:30 p.m., free The Avid Reader, 617 Seventh St. This author event features BH James on his debut novel, Parnucklian for Chocolate, a coming-of-age novel about the fantastical ways in which a young boy deals with familial betrayal.

MUSIC World Music Dance Party Saturday, 9 to 11 p.m., $10 N. St. Cooperative Housing, 716 N. St.

I also saw Tommy the Musical, and it turns out I ended up working with performers that I saw in that show.

What do you see yourself later on in your career?

I’m in my 30s, and I’m asking myself, “Do I want to be performing the rest of my life?” I can definitely see myself in the directing field. I love working with other actors. And to be a director who also worked as an actor ... I’d be able to bring something different to the job. I want to write.

I want to create new theatre. New York is the hub of that. Everyone is there wanting to create new stuff, and I think that’s an exciting vibe.

My goals ... have changed a lot. I used to want the Governor General’s Award in Toronto — many prestigious people in Canada receive it. It signifies that you have created, developed and contributed to your career field. But now that I have this national tour, I might want to go to the U.S. and write material and surround myself with great people. Honestly, I want See JERSEY BOYS on 13

BY TANYA AZARI Dance the night away to the sounds of soul, reggae and hip-hop at the N. St. Cooperative Housing’s World Music Dance Party. Artists from as far as South America and as close as the Bay Area will be coming to perform their music.

FILM Banff Mountain Film Festival Tuesday, 7 to 9 p.m., $14 Richard Brunelle Performance Hall, Davis Senior High School, 315 W. 14th St. The world tour of the Banff Mountain Film Festival is coming to Davis. Hosted by the Rocknasium as one of 600 stops in the tour, there will be two nights featuring multiple films. Tickets can be purchased at (530) 757-2902.

Argo Tuesday, 7:30 to 9 p.m., free Rock Hall UC Davis’ Entertainment Council brings you Argo at the Peter A. Rock Hall. The 2012 film was directed

by Ben Affleck and is about the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis.

ART/GALLERY Engendered: A Feminist Art Show Friday, 5 to 8 p.m., free Delta of Venus, 122 B St. The opening reception for this year’s Feminist Art Show will be held this Friday at Delta of Venus, featuring works from numerous female artists. The event is sponsored by the 2013 Davis Feminist Film Festival, happening on April 11 and 12. Tickets for that event may be bought at the art show, as well as tickets for the $5 Feminist Dance Party Fundraiser, to be held after the art show at 8 p.m. Admission to the latter is free with purchase of a film festival ticket.

Before I Graduate, I Want to _______ Today, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., free Memorial Union Patio An 8-by-12-foot chalkboard will be erected in the patio area of the Memorial Union for students to fill in the blank of “Before I Graduate, I want to ___________.”

An interactive art project, chalk will be available for any and all to write whatever they wish on the board. The project, organized by an undergraduate at UC Davis, is inspired and modeled after artist Candy Chang’s “Before I Die” project.

Artists for Peace and Understanding Reception Saturday, 7 to 10 p.m., free John Natsoulas Gallery, 521 First St. A live jazz and art exhibition will mark the reception for the Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens Exhibit: Artists for Peace and Common Understanding between the Peoples of the Middle East and the United States. The displayed works present featured Middle Eastern artists and themes. There is also a small exhibit for art made by those touched by Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens.

The exhibit, which runs until April 20, is in honor of his life; all proceeds at the end of the exhibition will go to the J. Christopher Stevens Fund.

Food Co-op Craft Circle Sunday, 4 to 6 p.m., free Food Co-op Conference Room, 620 G. St. Bring any and all crafts to the conference room of the Davis Food Co-op to work on and work out any problems with your craft projects. Bring your friends and bags of yarn for a casual, fun time crafting. The craft circle happens on the first and third Sunday of every month.

DANCE Solo Explorations Friday, 8 to 10 p.m., free Wright Hall Masters graduates of Fine Arts Acting will be presenting their individual pieces in an exhibition titled HOT COUNTRY. The four candidates each express their unique identities in their pieces.

THEATER/MONDAVI Band of the Golden West Today, Noon to 1 p.m., free Yocha Dehe Grand Lobby, Mondavi Center The Shinkoskey Noon Concert will exhibit chamber ensembles from the Band of the Golden West. The event will be completely free and take place in the lobby of the Mondavi Center.

Bobby McFerrin Friday, 8 p.m., student tickets $17.50 and up Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center Father of beloved songs such as “He’s got the Whole World in his Hands,” Bobby McFerrin will be singing his folk-rock blues, sampling from both old works and his new album. An audience-interactive performance, McFerrin is known for altering song with speech and snippets of comedy.

Thursday, APRIL 4, 2013 | 9

The california aggie

Real fame ELIZABETH ORPINA • Aggie Arts Editor • arts@theaggie.org

E

very time I turn on the television (which is pretty rare, seeing as I prefer the modes of Hulu Plus, HBO Go and Netflix because they suit my need

people can sing while driving them and unfunny segments to make up for the clusterfuck that is the alleged talent show.

Long gone are the days of the

Most of these shows feature an average of three celebrity judges and a variety of hosts ... to constantly be doing something else while I allegedly relax) there seems to be new show after new show after new show created for the sole purpose of finding the “next big thing.”

What’s the point of these shows?

If they’re looking for the next big thing, why aren’t they reading my column? Why haven’t they subscribed to my YouTube channel of covers of popular songs? Why didn’t they like my status? Hello, people. Fame is created, not tested and eventually decided, duh.

Ah, it’s good to be back. I know you all missed me and my apparent narcissism. You love it, and obviously I love it. But back to the point that I’m eventually going to make.

Most of these shows feature an average of three celebrity judges and a variety of hosts, some of whom actually aren’t famous for talent, and/or are only known by association. Ahem, Khloe Kardashian. The competition portions are broken up with other celebrity appearances, commercials showing off how awesome Ford is and how

simplistic “America’s Next Top Model,” “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance,” as simple as they could’ve been. The ongoing “feud” between Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul was innocent; the actual ongoing fights between judges and forced-fakefeuds for entertainment on television now are ridiculous excuses for comedy or entertainment.

Why aren’t we focusing on the audience and its need to be able to visualize themselves in the common folk-turned-famous entertainer? Did we forget about the 12-year-old girls who one day dream of trekking to L.A. to sell themselves for fame?

But seriously. When is someone going to evaluate the actual goals of the show and recognize that the actual competition doesn’t actually turn out the “next big thing”? Take “American Idol” for example. Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood (and maybe Jordin Sparks?) are the only notable winners of the show who actually continued their dreams of becoming singers and

Your weekly dose of video games

were successful (at least moneywise) at it.

But let’s take a moment to realize the people who didn’t even come close to winning: Jennifer Hudson, Kellie Pickler, Chris Daughtry, Katharine McPhee and Adam Lambert. Hudson and McPhee star in NBC’s show “Smash.” The rest of the names should sound familiar.

But they should sound more familiar than, say ... Lee DeWyze, Taylor Hicks, Fantasia Barrino and Ruben Studdard. Guess what? The last four names are those of past “Idol” winners. Think of that.

What goes into the continuing success of certain “Idol” participants? We can rule out their degree of comedic entertainment on the internet (Clay Aiken used to be funny to discuss; now we don’t know where he is). Does it even matter if our favorite contestants win? It seems as if most of them walk away with a recording deal anyway. Or at least some sort of career in the entertainment business.

Is being weird during auditions the only successful way of selfmarketing on the television these days? Which show should I sign up for? “Killer Karaoke.” It’s decided.

Oh, and if you haven’t watched that show, I guarantee you that it’s the only reality-type show worth watching.

By ANTHONY LABELLA Aggie Arts Writer

Videogame Education

ELIZABETH ORPINA wants to know what you want her to snarkily comment on. Inform her at arts@theaggie.org.

Co mmon Ho u s e P r od u ct i ons p r esen t s. . .

‘The Foreigner’ New theatre company to perform in Arboretum

By ANDREW RUSSELL Aggie Arts Writer

In mid-April, local theater company Common House Productions will bring two weeks of outdoor entertainment to Wyatt Deck, performing Larry Shue’s popular comedy The Foreigner. The play follows a guest at a fishing lodge in rural Georgia who becomes privy to many town secrets after a misunderstanding obligates him to pretend he doesn’t speak English.

This will be only the second production for Common House, who formed in September 2012 and debuted with a chilling ghost story, The Lady in Black, for an immersive campfire performance in East Davis last Halloween. The current show is expected to expose their talent to a greater audience, as it brings its brand of enthusiastic and inclusive theatre to a widely trafficked community space.

“Showcase is a perfect word for our Picnic Day performance,” said Brianna Owens, vice president of Common

House and co-director of The Foreigner. “We feel like Picnic Day is the perfect opportunity to get the word out about our fairly new production company.”

In addition to the free performance, Picnic Day visitors are invited to visit Wyatt Deck throughout the day to get a closer look at the set and take some photos with the actors in honor of the annual event’s theme, “Snapshot.”

The company has roots in the Davis and Sacramento areas, although its board members and performers hail from far and wide, and from backgrounds as diverse as law, journalism, education and philosophy. Their common goal, according to Owens, has been to provide “affordable, unpretentious, community-based theatre” to the public, taking any performance space they inhabit and turning it into a common house for strong, engaging storytelling.

The other co-director in charge of the group’s current production is Vanessa Rapatz, an English lecturer at UC Davis. Rapatz compares theatre work with her own profession.

“Working with a community theater group is a perfect way to think through my own pedagogy, but it's also a

Gospel Choir performs for campus and state events Choir allows members to combine faith, friendship with music

By JOHN KESLER Aggie Arts Writer

The Gospel Choir at UC Davis may not be an official course with academic credits like the University Chorus, but it remains legitimate and stays active, managing to tour every quarter.

The Gospel Choir has been around before some of its current members were even born.

“The choir was directed by Calvin Lymos for 20 years,” said Louise Ramos, a fourth-year psychology major who serves as co-president for the gospel choir.

With years of dedication and a grow-

See THEATER on 13

Friends who know me well understand that my passion for video games extends beyond the simple pleasures of analog button presses and virtual feedback. I see the entire industry as a means of expression in the same way that great novels, albums or films speak to wide-ranging audiences.

I'm sure there are plenty of individuals out there who share my sentiment, but I've also had encounters in which people lightheartedly scoff at such a notion. I must admit, it's hard to hop on board with my philosophy when the latest trailer for Gears of War: Judgment blares from the television. I'm sure it's a fine game, but I can only take so much gunfire and explosions!

But every now and then a game comes along that reaffirms my faith in the industry's growth, and last week that game was BioShock Infinite. That's not to say it's completely devoid of things like gunfire — this is entertainment product we're talking about — but the heavy themes and messages the game carries rival many of the novels I've read here at UC Davis as an English major.

One needs to only go back six years to the original BioShock to understand how the series represents a step in a unique direction for the entire medium. The central narrative foundation in that game is Objectivism — you know, the controversial philosophy featured heavily in Ayn Rand novels like The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged.

Imagine marketing that to the gaming public: “Hey everyone, come play this new release in which one of the core tenants is Ayn Rand's philosophy on life!”

Obviously the marketing was not handled in such a way, but many people bought BioShock and fans like myself picked apart the game's themes of morality and Orwellian authoritative control. As someone who enjoys analyzing literary works on a deeper level, it was like a match made in heaven.

Then BioShock Infinite came out last week and managed to recapture the magic yet again. This time developer Irrational Games pushes the envelope even further with Columbia, a utopian city in the sky that strives for purity and beckons to the call of Father Comstock, a religious zealot who keeps a stranglehold on the isolated city's citizens.

Over the course of the game's 12+ hour campaign, players are introduced to a world in which ideas of patriotism and choice are completely flipped on their heads.

Columbia is a place in which the history books treat George Washington like a god and label Abraham Lincoln as a devil — let's just say his emancipation of the slaves did little to aid Comstock's view of a “pure” city, in which African Americans are denigrated and given no voice.

The game eventually ends with a mind-blowing conclusion that I wouldn't dare ruin for anyone, but I will say that it partially calls on concepts one might be more inclined to find discussed in a science class. English, history, science ... BioShock Infinite might as well be introduced to our campus' GE requirements.

In all seriousness, the way in which BioShock Infinite tackles controversial subjects such as religion and racism speaks to the entire video game industry's ability to handle emotionally taxing themes in a mature and thoughtful way. None have done it quite as well as Infinite, but with the next console generation on the horizon, I cannot help but feel that more developers will take similar narrative risks in an attempt to push the medium forward.

Who knows, maybe 10 or 20 years from now there will be a class at UC Davis in which students analyze and discuss the narrative merits of games like BioShock Infinite.

I'll keep my schedule open if the school needs to fill that professor vacancy.

ANTHONY LABELLA can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

The Gospel Choir meets Mondays and Fridays in Music 105.

Brian Nguyen | Aggie ing group of inspired members, the Gospel Choir continues to exist after Lymos.

Joseph Gray, a third-year sociology major who serves as the current musical director and arranger, has a lot of respect for Lymos.

“He really left a strong legacy here and in the surrounding communities that I'm trying my best to keep going. He's been a real mentor to me,” Gray said.

Gray composed many of the original songs that the choir performs, such as “Jesus You Are.” The choir still performs

some of the songs that Lymos composed, such as “What Would You Do.” In addition to its own work, the choir performs songs

by Kirk Franklin, Tasha Cobbs, Deitrick Haddon and Israel Houghton.

Natalie Chieng, a fourth-year biological sciences major who serves as the other co-president of the Gospel Choir, has been exposed to and experienced a variety of gospel songs introduced to the choir. “[‘Awesome’ by Charles Jenkins] really See CHOIR on 13

10 | THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Travis

California Aggie alumni recall basement days has seen a lot of change in just the past 20 years. While the days of daily color publication have long been over, some things won’t budge — The Aggie is still the best place on campus to get a journalism education, and its past editors are a testament. We have alumni reporting for publications like The New York Times and National Geographic, but we also have folks in politics, education, public relations and others legitimately living out their dream jobs.

We asked them to reflect on their time at The Aggie and how it got them where they are today.

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

LAUREN STEUSSY Reporter at the Orange County Register Aggie campus news editor 2009-10 When people ask me if I majored in journalism, my answer is no. UC Davis doesn’t offer a journalism major.

But I did learn journalism there.

My first day of my first year I applied to be a reporter and was told to report news about the campus, knowing only what I had learned dur-

NATHANIEL LEVINE News editor and director of graphics at The Sacramento Bee Aggie editor in chief 1993-94 It was the last week of spring quarter and our staff was limping toward the finish line: Graduation for some, a new position at The Aggie next year for others.

As managing editor, I had a few more papers to put out before the end of the year. I hadn’t been in the job long — my predecessor had made a sudden departure. It happens, sometimes frequently.

Our best art that day was a trio of three anthropomorphic spermatozoa.

Cleverly drawn in Freehand 3 by next

KATY TANG District 4 Supervisor, San Francisco Board of Supervisors Aggie campus news editor 2004-05 I was barely finished with my finals review session one evening when I received a phone call on my cell phone. It was someone from the UC Davis News Service. I was told that campus police officers were responding to a report of a suspicious man near student residence halls. Instead of heading home to regurgitate what I had learned at my finals review session, I hopped on my bicycle to join reporters from other news outlets who were waiting behind yellow caution tape for updates at the scene.

After what seemed like hours in the dark, we finally learned of what had transpired on campus. A man was shot and killed by campus police of-

ing orientation about the place I was supposed to be a mini expert on.

Throughout the year, I started to get the hang of it. I could go from interviewing the Chancellor about student tuition increases one day to the next day writing a feature on artificial horse insemination.

Adapting to completely different topics like this prepared me for the

Compiled by JANELLE BITKER, Editor in C Photographs courtesy of alumni

JUSTIN HO

Associate director/producer at American Public Med Marketplace Aggie arts editor 2009-10

See STEUSSY on 6

When I joined The Aggie’s arts desk halfway throu my second year in college, I really had no idea what b ing a reporter entailed. I struggled with deadlines ea on, and I felt challenged covering a scene I had little volvement in. Working alongside a witty writing staff w an editor who seemed more Portlandia blogger than s dent writer made my first few pieces feel like junior h school essays.

But by example, the desk quickly taught me how to ally observe the arts scene firsthand to understand a appreciate my beat. I worked hard to emulate my fell writers, and soon found myself developing a written vo

year’s art director, they weren’t typical front page material for the paper.

I showed them to our editor. She said no. There are always other options, she said. I watched in amazement as she issued a few curt commands to our photo staff. People jumped up. Soon there were new photos.

Sometimes in the creative process you have to accept what you have and go with it. But often you don’t. What I learned that day in 25 Lower Freeborn was that creative people will respond to leadership, especially if it’s delivered with clarity and without ego.

Publishing a newspaper — daily or

See HO on

See LEVINE on 6 ficers after he fired first at the officers.

By the time I had enough information to put a story together, the printing deadline for The Aggie had already passed. I knew we had to get the information out sooner rather than later, and I asked our editor in chief to let me post a story online immediately. We got the story out online, and the story was eventually recognized as Second Place for Best Breaking News Story by the California College Media Association.

Not all stories that I wrote were that dramatic, and certainly not all of them were of award-winning caliber.

But the intensity of meeting daily deadlines while juggling academics accompanied every article I submitted while I worked at The Aggie.

Once I left UC Davis and entered the working world, I realized that everything I had gone through at The Aggie set a great foundation for me in any job. Through The Aggie, I learned to be more critical with my analysis of any story or situation, how important it is to meet deadlines no matter what curveballs are thrown your way, how to become a mini expert in a new subject almost every day and how to

BRIAN CHEN Technology reporter at The New York Times Aggie campus news editor 2005-06 So the truth is, I’ve always been a cynical, anti-social weirdo. In my first two years at Davis, I was having a hard time adjusting to college life. Classes, for the most part, bored me; the

DANIEL STONE

Reporter at National Geograp Aggie editor in chief 2005-06

be more observant in the community.

Whether it was in my first job out of college, or whether it is in my current job today, all of those skills I developed at The Aggie have come into play. I look back fondly on my memories inside the basement and am grateful for my experience of working for The Aggie.

friends I had disappointed me.

Finally, my junior year, I dug myself out of my rut and applied to write for The Aggie and got the job. Who knew that a room in a basement would be full of other cynical, anti-social weirdos who (God knows how) did amazing work together?

Turns out, the experience of working in a newsroom was

In 2006, sometime in the middle of winter quarter, I hopped on my bike outside Freeborn Hall and pedaled as fast as I could to the Silo. I had just hung up the phone with someone who offered me an anonymous leak. A leak! Something about the faculty turning against the chancellor with a secret “no confidence” petition. On the verge of my first major scoop, I remember foolishly thinking, “This is what Woodward and Bernstein must have felt like.”

Back in Lower Freeborn we pored over the petition. We picked out excerpts, laid it out on the page. No one could forget the five horribly awkward minutes we spent crowded around a speakerphone asking the chancellor’s spokesperson for comment. We wrote a story that would rankle the administration and, perhaps more importantly, beat the Enterprise. We high-fived and sent the paper to the printer. Within minutes, we were back playing foosball.

way more valuable than anything I learned in class. I had a great editor who taught me news writing and the basic principles of journalism: be persistent, accurate, fair and skeptical; dig up the dirt on people that they really don’t want found. I became obnoxiously dogmatic about all this stuff.

See STONE on 6

My senior year, I became the campus news editor. The ed board was tighter than any group of friends I’ve ever had.

We lived and breathed the paper, every day, night and weekend. We laughed and groaned together, we ate, drank and partied together. We really

See CHEN on 6

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2011 | 11

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

ADAM LOBERSTEIN Coordinator, Media Relations & Broadcasting for the Oakland Athletics Aggie editor in chief 2009-10

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I couldn’t go to The Pavilion for its firstever, nationally-televised UC Davis basketball game on March 7 because I was away on a business trip.

This business trip wasn’t your standard business trip.

First, it felt like I was in Arizona for a month, most likely because I was. I spent a significant amount of each day around people you’d probably like to meet, particularly if you’re a sports fan. And I watched baseball every single day, a responsibility that’s actually written into my job description.

That’s because I work for the Oakland Athletics.

I’m in my fourth season with the A’s, my third as the team’s Coordinator of Media Relations & Broadcasting. My days typically consist of the following: Traveling with the team on various road trips throughout the season, staying in fancy hotels I couldn’t afford to go to otherwise, talking to players, talking to the media, re-

searching a bunch of statistics and subconsciously memorizing an embarrassingly high percentage of them, eating free food and working more hours at the ballpark than I care to admit.

I’m 24 years old, doing the only job I’ve ever planned to do. Better yet, I’m doing it for the only baseball team I’ve ever been a fan of.

Rarely a day goes by where I wish I was someplace else.

March 7 was one of those days.

That day, I wanted to be at Pavilion. I wanted to be there for that game, to be one of those 5,670 fans in the building.

Instead, I sat and watched ESPN2 from the hotel bar, confusing everyone around me with how much I wanted to see a game featuring two teams no one else had heard of.

The reality is I wouldn’t have been at that hotel bar, or been on the fast track to the Major Leagues, if I hadn’t got my start covering games at The Pavilion. And I wouldn’t have been covering games at The Pavilion without the newspaper you’re holding right now.

If you’re a UC Davis student and you’re not working for The California Aggie,

HEATH DRUZIN

JOE JASZEWSKI

Reporter for Stars and Stripes Aggie campus news editor 2001-02

Photography editor at The Idaho Statesman Photography editor 2001-02

I arrived at The Aggie at a time of transition, not unlike what it's experiencing now. Our dark room had changed from the epicenter of the paper's photo staff to little more than a convenient spot for late-night dalliances. The glue and scissors had been tucked away in favor of QuarkXpress and it was no longer good enough to get a story to readers first thing in the morning (or afternoon, depending on your college drinking habits).

But the paper retained something of an old school edge. Arguments were openly aired in the newsroom, papers occasionally tossed from the desk and profane jokes were the lingua franca of the staff. Editorial discussions were the most spirited. This was the language of dedication from a staff that relied on no one but themselves and had no one to shield them from the vitriolic criticism coming from the right and the left (we were, of course, both ardent communists and committed fascists, depending on who was waving the sign).

We were proudly "the only daily broadsheet in the UC system" and more proud because we had no journalism program backing us, no funding from the university and the freedom to write critically about issues important to students.

While my degree is in history and political science, my main education was putting together the paper each day and it served me well. I've worked as a reporter around the country and the world, covered two wars and written about everything from felonious strip club owners to taekwondo.

The foundations of my reporting skills were honed at The Aggie, where I not only got experience with daily deadlines but plenty of tough criticism, too: "Heath, if you ever write the same lede again, I'm going to kick your ass," my first editor said of the boring, repetitive ledes I submitted as a freshman.

I didn’t make that mistake again.

I still get together regularly with friends from The Aggie and, 10 years (yikes) later, our conversations inevitably turn to those long ago days in the basement — fights with the administration, what beverage we had in our Camelbaks during Picnic Day, and the 2002 spoof edition, the funniest thing that ever got us in deep, deep shit.

For the moment I’ll put aside how my four years at The Aggie launched me into a career that’s had everything you could ever want: fun, adventure, challenge, relevance, constant learning and the opportunity to make a difference in our world.

Because the most important thing The Aggie did for me was give me the best friends I’ve ever known. The bonds that were forged in the Ivory Basement under the constant pressure of putting out a newspaper every single weekday have endured over a decade after we all filled out our first VDT slip. There was no moderator, or advisor, we could go to when shit got real at The Aggie in my day. We only had ourselves on which to rely.

We may have now all scattered across the world, but that doesn’t mean I feel any less close to those incredibly talented, wickedly smart people. I think it’s because we had an “us against the world” mentality. The conservatives thought we were too liberal, the liberals thought we were too conservative, the faculty thought us too juvenile and the students just wanted their crossword. In a lot of ways, we were campus outcasts, and most of us liked it that way. The only group we enjoyed approval from was our own.

The “Aggie Hubris” crew and I, we get together at least once a year for what we call a “Basement Reunion.” We recall the battles waged, the victories won, the ires drawn, the lawsuits dropped. I share a kinship with these people, whom some have dubbed The Aggie’s “Greatest Generation,” that will last forever.

It might sound like I’m being overly sentimental here, like I’m some balding has-been pathetically recalling his youthful glory days, now living a mind-numbing life of garage door openers and gas fireplaces and gardening gloves. But I really think it was actually that great. If you don’t believe me, just ask any other Aggie alum.

you’re doing it wrong.

You can walk into 25 Lower Freeborn with no work experience. You can walk out like I did four years later, as the editor in chief.

This newspaper has sent writers onto major publications, including The New York Times. It’s sent people to Fortune 500 companies.

In 2010, it sent me to a Major League Baseball team — six months before I graduated.

Do yourself a favor: Be the next person on this list.

Still unsure if this is the right place for you? Let’s talk in person. The next time Pavilion hosts an ESPN game, I won’t be hard to find.

I’ll be down on press row, where this whole trip started for me.

MICHAEL GEHLKEN Chargers Beat Writer at U-T San Diego Aggie sports editor 2007-08 It has happened twice now.

There was first the elevator at the San Diego Union-Tribune in 2006. I'd just met with a newspaper columnist to pick his brain about the industry, wanting his advice before entering it — the advice for this 19-year-old was “don't” — when I met a stranger on the descent to ground level.

He asked what school I attended. I told him.

“UC Davis!” said Pat Flynn, a former California Aggie sports editor, then a U-T editor.

Two months ago, there was the elevator at a Super Bowl media hotel in New Orleans.

A man held a bag of shirts, souvenirs for his wife back home in the Bay Area. He introduced himself as Dan Brown, sports writer at the San Jose Mercury News.

I knew the name.

“UC Davis!” I said to the 1991-1992 editor in chief.

I spent thousands of dollars at the Memorial Union for books I didn't read. I still pay off loans for classes I rarely attended, a 1090-E tax form on this desk as hard proof.

What made those investments worthwhile was the chance to invest my time at the California Aggie.

I owe my career to it.

So many others do, too.

The Aggie's new transition from a daily to weekly format, while difficult to stomach given the paper's influence on the campus community and, on a personal level, my decision to attend the school, is about right. My time on staff between 2006 and 2009 saw the disappearance of color pages and writer pay; we previously earned $1 per inch, or just enough to pay our Coffee House sandwich bills.

We feared a more drastic change to the Aggie's structure was inevitable.

Now that it's arrived, I take solace in knowing what has proven most valuable — the chance to invest time at a college newspaper — remains.

It's an important grind.

For me, it was sitting at home on a Saturday, a laptop for company, writing about basketball at 11:50 p.m. as the music and drunkenness of a party pounded in the distance. It was a question in discussion section inquiring about our daily interpersonal communication tendencies. My answer was “97 percent workplace.”

You keep grinding, keep grinding, keep honing the craft you love.

Then, one day, an elevator randomly becomes an elevator no more.

It's a fraternity.

I look forward to the next ride.

Joe Jaszewski / Courtesy

LEFT: The Basement Reunion crew, all former California Aggie staffers (L-R) Andy Defino, Heath Druzin, Eleeza Agopian, Alison Williams Sremack, Andrew Whelan and Joe Jaszewski at Rehoboth Beach, DE during a Basement Reunion in 2010.

12 | Thursday, APRIL 4, 2013

The california aggie

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE TIMELINE

The California Aggie was first printed as The Weekly Agricola.

to Wu. In addition, Aggie Reuse has collaborated with classes like a sustainable design class, a Field Guide Class to Sustainability and a local Cont. from page 4 Girl Scout troop. concept and intrigued by the creativity of it.

“We’ve also participated in events like the My expectations come from better publicity Student Wellness Fair, Cool Davis Festival [and] because that is how we will inform people Recyclemania, and were one of the features that on how the Aggie Reuse Store is more than helped UC Davis reach its No. 1 Cool School just a thrift store and how students and the rating in Sierra Magazine,” Wu said. general public can save money and the planet Although there are currently no plans for exby becoming involved with our unit, ” said pansion, Savageau expressed a desire to expand second-year communication and religious studthe store’ s working hours and its educational ies double major and co-director of Aggie Reuse outreach and to bring on more volunteers.

Store Krystol Smith. “The Aggie Reuse Store Currently, the staff is composed of two paid is a movement to divert unwanted items from the landfill and reuse them as they are or create positions, which are held by Smith and Wu, interns and volunteers. something more unique out of them.”

The Aggie Reuse Store is open Monday The unit has collaborated with the on-camthrough Friday from noon to 3 p.m. pus Lost and Found, which donates unclaimed items to the unit. Student Housing also gathers LILIANA NAVA OCHOA can be reached at campus@theagmonthly donations from the dorms, according

REUSE

gie.org.

tery will decide who gets accepted into the program, with a first-come, first-served basis.

Cont. from page 5 According to a staff report subUtility Rate Assistance program will mitted to council members, the help about 250 qualifying residents program will be funded by the fees with about $120 per year in rate from late utility ratepayers. The assistance. council also requested staff to ask Kelly Stachowicz, City of Davis ratepayers for donations when paydeputy city manager, said that city ing monthly utility bills. officials are aiming to have the “I respect the views of folks who program ready by the time the rate did not agree with Measure I and increases begin in May. who protested the rates tonight [at In order to qualify, residents have the public hearing], but I am grateto be accepted into the Pacific Gas and Electric company’s (PG&E) Cal- ful that Measure I did pass; I think it’s very important for our commuifornia Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program. Residents have to nity,” said Davis Mayor Pro Tempore have a combined gross income at or Dan Wolk. lower than the amounts required by PAAYAL ZAVERI can be reached at city@ the CARE program. A random lot-

WATER

This isn’t the first time the issue of affirmative action has been brought to the table in recent months. The case of Fisher v. The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) is curCont. from page 4 rently before the Supreme Court. Prospective undergraduate for underrepresented students after their appeal. BAMN is also currently demanding that UC Berkeley and UCLA double student Abigail Fisher sued the university after being denied admission in 2008, claiming it violated her 14th Amendment admissions of underrepresented minorities. right to equal protection because UT Austin denied her while “During the roughly 15 years since the implementation of race-neutral admissions at UC, the university has worked very admitting minority students with lesser credentials.

“Once you give the right to sue to people who oppose hard within the parameters of the law to increase diversity,” minority admissions it puts the threat of a lawsuit over the said Shelly Meron, media specialist at the University of Calishoulder of every admissions officer,” Washington said. fornia Office of the President. “These efforts have included UC President Mark Yudof and 10 UC chancellors submitprograms designed to increase enrollments of students from ted an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief in support low-income families, those with little family experience with of UT Austin last August.

Oral arguments for the case were higher education and those who attend schools that traditionheard in October 2012 and a decision has yet to be made. ally do not send large numbers of students on to four-year “The University of California’ s experience establishes that institutions.” in California, and likely elsewhere, at present the compelling

ACTION

theaggie.org.

government interest in student body diversity cannot be fully realized at selective institutions without taking race into account in undergraduate admissions decisions,” the brief states.

Yudof and many other leaders in the UC system have gone on record in support of affirmative action. Others argue that race should not be taken into account at all in admissions decisions.

“As long as Proposition 209 is the law in California, UC has to — and will — follow it,” Meron said.

A date has yet to be set for the Supreme Court to hear the Prop. 2 case, but a verdict is expected sometime in 2014, according to Washington. Until that time, BAMN and other supporters of affirmative action will continue to campaign, and Michigan and California’s public universities will still be required to adhere to Propositions 2 and 209.

LAUREN MASCARENHAS can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Thursday, APRIL 4, 2013 | 13

The california aggie

The California Aggie switched from tabloid to broadsheet format.

The California Aggie began to print in color daily.

JERSEY BOYS Cont. from page 8

to buy a building. The first floor will have a restaurant with home cooking, the second will have a theatre company that focuses on edgy new works, the third floor will feature an art gallery, and the fourth floor will be a place that actors can work. The top floor will have [an] awesome city-view patio.

What are your plans after Jersey Boys?

I’m going home. My apartment is a black hole of everything I’ve sent home. Before Jersey Boys, I wasn’t stationary either. I’m going to have a great big garage sale. You’re invited. You’re all invited. Then I’m going to New York — I’m working on my green card. I plan on approaching New York with an open heart, but I also need time to reevaluate things.

But I do hope that there’s a future for me in this Jersey Boys life. All guy actors want to do this show so badly. This music doesn’t ever tire out. Twelve hundred shows. I’ve banged my head on that table 1200 times.

CHOIR Cont. from page 9

speaks to me, and it says a lot of the character of Christ,” Chieng said.

The Gospel Choir performs not only on campus but also at events all over California.

“We’re performing at a benefit show on campus called Pilipin@ Time for the BRIDGE group on April 6, [and] then at the Santa Clara University Gospel Festival on April 13,” Ramos said. “We’re also performing on Picnic Day.” In addition to concerts, the Gospel Choir also performs for various church services, an experience that Sean Lo, a second-year microbiology major, really enjoyed.

“It was interesting seeing what other churches do and how they perform services,” he said.

For the members of the Gospel Choir, the experience provides a way to combine their interest in music with their faith as well as a way to meet people who share similar interests.

The group is not exclusive to just undergraduate students. Graduate students are also welcome to join the family of gospel choir fans.

Joe Voss, a graduate student in me-

How has the tour influenced your life?

We’re playing guys on the road and also living it in life. In Toronto, I got to sleep in my bed. I’m more mature now. I was 28 and then joined when I was 31 or 32. Tour life does affect you in a certain way — I’ve oddly become more like my character. The soaps are still as tiny.

What’s the single worst thing a person can do during an audition?

The worst thing is when a person walks out feeling like they didn’t show who they are. I think a lot of people try and go in and fit themselves into a box.

Even if you nail the audition, I think what people are actually looking for is your own personality and your own take on the role. So many people can sing and act. If you don’t have your own personal opinion of the material, you get lost in the mix.

You wanted to be an architect at first ... when did going into theatre become reality for you?

In my last year of high school, a friend came home from acting college. She told me that I had to go. I

chanical and aeronautical engineering, enjoys the choir as a community.

“I like spending time with likeminded people, so I feel like the music we do here adds a lot to my spiritual life and helps me cope with other, more difficult things in my life,” Voss said.

Not only does Gospel Choir seem to provide a community and gathering place for singers, performers and fans of gospel music, but it also allows the group to unwind, mentally and physically.

“It’s very energetic, soothing for the most of us,” Gray said. “Since we have it at the beginning and end of the week it’s a very good way of coping and releasing stress built up during the week.”

In the end, Gray and many other members are thankful for the entire experience. Aside from the choir environment, the uplifting music and the growing family of members, the Gospel Choir finally serves as a place of worship for those interested.

For more information about the Gospel Choir, including upcoming performances, visit gospelchoiratucdavis.wordpress.com.

JOHN KESLER can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

The California Aggie switches to a weekly format published on Thursdays.

Friday printing was cut in light of budget issues.

thought that maybe I do. I abandoned the architecture ship. I had to reschedule everything in order to get into this school, and I had to make it work and I got in. Then I got into a three-year program. I was thrust into the business, but it helps that Toronto is a great theatre city. A couple of years into it, my parents realized that I was always busy and wasn’t asking for money anymore. You can make a living in this business. My motto is to work as hard as I can and do my best work.

Any last words?

A lot of people think Jersey Boys is old people music. It actually speaks to a wide variety of people and a wide generation. There are elements of the show that speak to college students: There are guns and cool stuff in the show. But you can also bring your grandma.

Jersey Boys runs through April 28 at the SHN Curran Theatre in San Francisco. To buy tickets or find out more information, visit shnsf.com.

ELIZABETH ORPINA can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

THEATER Cont. from page 9

wonderful artistic outlet that allows me to play outside my academic circle,” Rapatz said.

The decision to focus on a comedic show was driven by the mission to entertain.

“One of our missions as a production company is to feature plays that are focused on storytelling and strong narratives, and The Foreigner fits the bill,” Rapatz said. “It also calls for a strong ensemble cast, which is what we’re all about. The performers all seem extremely excited to be a part of this production. The play itself is a hilarious comedy and even the first read-through had us in stitches.”

Whether one is familiar with the play or not, the upcoming rendition of The Foreigner is a perfect oppor-

tunity to witness the region’s newest theatre company in action, and they are eager to introduce a growing audience to their unique and heartfelt brand of art.

“Both the cast and the production staff are incredibly excited for the show. We can’t wait to share this performance with the community,” said cast member and vice president Katie Goehring. “We have put in a lot of work and are very confident in the product that we have created.”

Performances will begin on April 18, with a special free 10 a.m. performance taking place on Picnic Day. For more information about purchasing tickets and about the play itself, visit the group website at commonhouseproductions.com.

ANDREW RUSSELL can be reached at arts@ theaggie.org.

14 | Thursday, APRIL 4, 2013

The california aggie

Science +Tech THIS WEEK IN SCIENCE

Fired up over gun legislation

by HUDSON LOFCHIE Aggie Science Editor Editor’s note: This is a new section of the science page. Every week, we will publish the top seven (ac-

ALlen guan | Aggie Science Writer • science@theaggie.org

cording to us) most fascinating science breakthroughs that we don’t have space to write articles about.

• A study published last week showed that the fossil fuel industry has been subsidized by nearly $2 trillion in 2012. Trillion with a “T.” And the United States was responsible for $509 billion of that amount.

• NASA just released a study showing that nuclear power has prevented more deaths than it has caused.

• Engineers are upgrading the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) to make it even more powerful.

The upgrades will double the strength of the world’s most powerful particle accelerator. They hope to be able to finally produce dark matter.

• A study released by the American Chemical Society has just shown that solar panels have finally reached the tipping point — that is, they finally produce more energy than it takes to manufacture them.

• The Los Alamos National Laboratory says they have unraveled how HIV attacks the body. This could potentially open up a whole new realm of treatments and possible cures.

• An extract from a Chinese tree that has been used for generations to cure hangovers has finally been converted to pill form. It has the added ability of preventing you from getting drunk, no matter how much you drink.

• A recent study from researchers at the Imperial College of London has shown that feline urine acts as an aphrodisiac for multiple species of rats and mice, and might even affect humans.

UC Davis study shows

W

e’ve all heard the tragic stories of gun violence.

Columbine, Virginia Tech, the shootings in Connecticut … the stories play for weeks, if not months, on the news, showing the possible horrors guns can bring to society. These are only a few infamous events that have brought the attention of loose gun control to the public eye. Our nation’s political parties have debated the issues of gun restrictions over and over again. The basics seem straightfor-

But the subject is not as simple as following the Constitution word for word ... ward: People can have guns if they don’t abuse them. If only it were that simple.

To help curb the staggeringly high rates of gun violence, Congress has once again made new propositions to increase gun regulation, making gun laws again an all-important subject.

Constitutional purists believe these newly created laws are a violation of the Constitution’s Second Amendment. But the subject is not as simple as following the Constitution word for word (thank you Elastic Clause), as that would be too simple. Both sides have good intent and views, but the only logical way to figure this issue out is by ana-

Aggie Science Writer

It comes as no surprise that the most common procedure conducted in veterinary medicine is sterilization in the form of castration. Animal science students are exposed to the procedure fairly early in their undergraduate career, and most likely will be performing the operation themselves after graduating from veterinary school.

It is also no surprise that many dogs escape their homes and breed without their owners’ knowledge. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is a huge proponent of neutering and spaying as a means of controlling the stray pet population, since some people will dump unwanted litters on the street or take them to a shelter where the animals have little chance of being adopted before they are euthanized.

While neutering and spaying are obviously beneficial for controlling stray pet populations, not much is known about how these operations affect the animals themselves. The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine conducted astudy of the effects of neutering in an effort to get the full story.

“We started getting notices and emails from people wanting to know the adverse effects of neutering,” said lead investigator Benjamin Hart, a distinguished professor emeritus in the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Hart went on to describe the initiation of the study and the breed choice.

“We decided to narrow it down to golden retrievers ... and divided [the subjects] into early and late neutering,” Hart said.

Golden retrievers were chosen as the first breed to examine for commonality, among other qualities.

“Golden retrievers were selected as the first breed in which to investigate this issue because they are one of the most popular breeds and therefore were numerous in the veterinary medical teaching hospital database,” said UC Davis researcher Gretel Torres de la Riva in an email interview. “Another reason for choosing this breed is that they are often service dogs for people with disabilities.”

The study used 759 records of golden retrievers, focusing on incidences of hip dysplasia and seven other diseases the breed is prone to develop later in life. They found that the incidence of hip dysplasia nearly doubled in the neutered and spayed groups as opposed to the intact groups.

“In young life ... there is a growth

Hate Cont. from front page.

several years now by enthusiasts and hobbyists in designing and printing small parts and toys. The concept is simple; make a design, and input this design into a printer that prints in layers until the object is complete.

Now, the ability to “print” guns has become a real possibility. Cody Wilson, a law student from the University of Texas at Austin, has uploaded the designs and schematics for a variety of weapons onto his website. These designs are available to everyone with access to the internet.

To clarify, not all parts of the gun can be printed. Generally, parts like bolts, springs and barrels are to be bought, as they are all easily attain-

able, they are unregulated and many do not have identifying serial numbers. The part that can be printed is the lower receiver. This houses the trigger and firing mechanism. By U.S. law, this is the only part that is regulated, and must include a serial number when the part leaves the factory. 3D printing sidesteps this regulatory process by manufacturing parts without their identifying marks.

Some quick Googling came up with hundreds of results for CAD (Computer Aided Design) drawings for gun parts. The files can then be imported to a 3D printer, and within nine to 12 hours, you can have your very own, legal lower receiver. One might question why it is legal to print these, and it’s simple: Congress simply hasn’t addressed the issue yet. As long as you don’t sell these lower receivers, printing and using them is completely legal.

Essentially, to complicate matters, current gun laws do nothing to regulate or restrict individual citizens from manufacturing their own weapons. But maybe there’s hope.

Maybe the laws currently on the floor will address all the issues and help make the US a safer place.

One of the first regulations to be debated by the courts is the ban on assault weapons, proposed by California Senator Dianne Feinstein. On the See GUNS on 16

negative effects of neutering

Pet owners explore different options

By NICOLE NOGA

lyzing data dealing with criminal activity and its correlation to gun violence. From there, we can try and understand the reasoning and credibility behind the the arguments on either side.

The first issue is Congress’ lack of ability in addressing the self-manufacturing of guns. The majority of guns are made under strict regulations, this may change in coming years with the help of a newly emerging technology: 3D printers.

3D printers have been in use for

the American Sikh Political Action Committee (PAC). Sacramento Sikh Temple President Balbir Singh Dhillon mailed a letter to Yolo County Superior Court Commissioner Janene Beronio urging her to grant the bail increase.

“Hate crime statutes recognize the insidious nature of these crimes by punishing those that seek to place fear in the hearts of our community,” Dhillon stated in the letter. “We request that you protect the community’s safety by setting bail at $500,000.”

The press release also mentioned that when he al-

plate,” Hart said. “When the time of puberty is reached and hormones start kicking in — testosterone in males [and] estrogen in females — you get a closure of these growth plates and effectively cause [them] to stop growing.”

If these hormones are absent due to the animal being spayed or neutered, the bones will not stop growing at the correct time and will become distorted. This distorted bone growth can lead to hip dysplasia and other ailments.

Another issue compounding improper joint development is weight gain. Neutered or spayed animals have a tendency to gain weight more easily as their metabolisms are impacted. With more weight, the joints experience increased pressure, which can exacerbate the animals’ condition. The discovery of the effects of neutering on hip dysplasia is not the worst news, however.

“With an early neuter, in males and females, you increase the chance of lymphoma by three to four times,” Hart said.

Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer often originating in the lymph nodes. Hart also discussed hemangiosarcoma (HSA) and mast cell tumors (MCT) in female retrievers, both cancers that can metastasize and become systemic. The mechanism behind the development of the cancers is not fully understood; however, there will be many more studies to come regarding

legedly attacked Partida, Garzon was out on bail after a September 2012 stabbing in Dixon.

“Clearly, this is not the type of person that can be given the benefit of the doubt with a low bail amount,” said attorney and American Sikh PAC board member Amar Shergill in the press release.

Support for Partida was given in a candlelight vigil held on March 16 in Central Park. On March 18, UC Davis students held an event on the Quad to increase awareness. WunderBar on G Street also held a “Mikey’s Night” on March 22, with a portion of the proceeds going to Partida and his family.

Garzon is currently under the supervision of Yolo County’s Probation Department. He is required to wear a GPS monitoring device at all times, along

this phenomenon.

It would seem that pet owners are now up against a wall with such weighty pros and cons regarding neutering, but there are other options for companion animals that are less invasive and less expensive. A vasectomy is recommended for males and tube tying for females. Both procedures have reduced trauma and allow the animal to grow naturally.

Rachel Flatebo, a fourth-year animal science major with experience in vet clinics, commented that while vasectomies are possible, they are not common and it will take time before anything other than castration becomes the norm.

Hart recommended that animals be sterilized between 13 and 18 months of age. For females, spaying after this period can increase the risk of medical problems later in life. “[It is important] that dog caregivers be informed of all the potential risks and benefits of neutering before deciding if and when to have this procedure performed,” Torres de la Riva said.

Torres de la Riva also stresses owner responsibility and noted that European countries have far lower rates of spaying and neutering, yet are free from many of the pet overpopulation problems that plague the United States.

NICOLE NOGA can be reached at science@theaggie.org.

with a device to detect if he has consumed alcohol.

Garzon must also stay 100 yards away from Partida at all times. According to The Davis Enterprise, Garzon’s attorney Linda Parisi said in court last week that Garzon’s allegedly hateful language was merely slang.

“It is an ongoing investigation, and we are trying to maintain the integrity of the investigation because there is still an entire legal process that needs to take its course,” said Lieutenant Glenn Glasgow of the Davis Police Department.

Garzon is due to appear back in court on April 12 for a pre-hearing conference.

MEREDITH STURMER can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

Thursday, APRIL 4, 2013 | 15 The california aggie

C L ASSI F IEDS HORSE TALK BY: DAVID NESSL [dnnessl@ucdavis.edu]

CONTACT US Address: 25 Lower Freeborn Hall, UCD One Shields Ave. Davis, CA 95616 Editorial: (530) 752-0208 Advertising: (530) 752-0365 Fax: (530) 752-0355 Hours: Monday - Thursday, 9 A.M.- 4 P.M.

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Personals WELCOME BACK AGGIES!!!!!

WEB SITES Overpopulation is sexually transmitted. http://population.sierraclub.org/population/

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FOR RELEASE DECEMBER 31, 2012

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

CROSSWORD

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

ACROSS 1 Elementary lessons 5 When Juliet drinks the potion 10 Sailing or whaling 14 “Sommersby” actor Richard 15 Thérèse’s thanks 16 Hot streak 17 Now and then 19 Ye __ Tea Shoppe 20 Ratio phrase 21 Quick look 23 Apt. coolers 24 Bumped into 27 One of 100 members of Cong.

28 Repairman’s initial fig.

29 Young socialite 30 Pre-med subj.

32 Game with sharp projectiles 34 Siouan speakers 36 Dutch Renaissance humanist 39 Lived in by the seller 43 One more 44 Botch 46 Dance movements 49 Fly in the ointment 51 Eclectic musician Brian 52 Like the Oz woodsman 53 Baseball arbiter 56 “Xanadu” rock gp.

57 Shares an email with 58 Vinaigrette dressing ingredient 61 After the buzzer 63 ’70s Russian gymnast Korbut 64 Presidential workplace 68 Emeralds and pearls 69 Delaware’s capital 70 “__ Almighty”: Steve Carell film

12/31/12

By Gail Grabowski and Bruce Venzke

71 Part of Q.E.D. 72 Deer dads 73 Had a good cry DOWN 1 In the past 2 Treat with courtesy 3 Medieval arrow shooter 4 Religious offshoot 5 GP’s gp.

6 These, to Thérèse 7 Duo plus one 8 Computer symbols 9 Immortal coach Lombardi 10 Buck suffix 11 Crossword fan 12 Sibling who usually baby-sits other siblings 13 Tips off 18 Unresponsive state 22 Ultimately become 23 Big fuss 25 Juan’s January 26 Mystic’s deck 31 RPM gauges 33 “I highly doubt that!”

Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

WELCOME TO THE NEW AGGIE!

(c)2012 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

35 Lose one’s cool 37 Play division 38 Picture on a ceiling 40 Happen next 41 Course that’s not required 42 Quaint headgear for a class clown 45 Red Sox home: Abbr.

46 Unwitting victim

12/31/12

47 Rudder control 48 Puzzle 50 Game with holes 54 Frames of mind 55 Turn on an axis 59 Seemingly endless 60 Volcanic flow 62 Some 65 Drumstick, e.g.

66 Surg. facilities 67 Tonsillitis M.D.

SUDOKU

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Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row must contain one of each digit.

So must every column, as must every 3x3 square. Each Sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically without guessing.

16 | Thursday, APRIL 4, 2013

The california aggie

guns Cont. from page 14

surface, this law seems self-explanatory. The bill proposed would end the sale, production and trade of all assault weapons. The reasoning is simple: Bigger guns are more likely to kill than smaller guns due to bigger rounds, larger magazines and more fire power. Except that isn’t what the data shows. Although assault rifles and other weapons categorized as “assault weapons” are to be banned if this bill passes, it may not reduce the rate of gun-related crimes.

This is due to two factors.

The first is that most gun-related crimes are committed via handguns. This is simply because they are more convenient to buy and are easier to conceal. This has been a constant trend since 1974. In fact, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, between 1974 and 2004, most violent crimes were committed with handguns, followed by knives, and finally “other guns” (so not entirely assault weapons).

The second factor is the method used to categorize gun-related crimes. These incidences include both homicide and suicides, and because nearly two-thirds of all gun-related deaths are suicides, the numbers are inflated for the wrong reasons. And since when was the last time anyone thought about committing suicide with an assault weapon rather than a conveniently sized handgun?

While many senators have a complete disconnect with gun culture, others have been directly affected.

After Gabrielle Giffords was shot in 2011 while visiting

constituents in Arizona, she decided to push for lawmakers in Washington to require stricter background checks for those who wish to legally purchase guns. This could help decrease gun violence, preventing the sale of guns to anyone who doesn’t fit a certain criteria. Unfortunately, research has shown that stricter background checks would not dramatically affect the levels of gun violence.

This method is completely ineffective if it is applied to those who already want to acquire guns legally. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, only 27 percent of guns recovered from crime scenes were obtained legally, and most of those were bought within two years of the crime being committed.

The majority of crimes are performed with illegally obtained guns, so the criminals are already bypassing the background check process. The ones who do obtain the guns legally generally have no history of violent crimes, and therefore would not raise any red flags on the background checks required for gun purchases.

A quick analysis of these gun laws show that they aren’t just ineffective, but they also don’t address another issue which could become more prevalent in coming years. These laws have not been passed yet, but it is still important to know what is going on at Capitol Hill, allowing us to prepare for the worst. It’s understandable that gun laws are necessary to help keep people in line, but the laws that have been proposed don’t seem to have many noteworthy benefits for the average citizen.

ALLEN GUAN can be reached at science@theaggie.org.

Thursday, APRIL 4, 2013 | 17

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

massara

moen

Cont. from page 2

Cont. from page 2

media, rather than be aware of rape and know when to intervene.

If the use of social media here should teach us anything, it is that the bystander effect is only evolving with technology. There were not only a number of “uninvolved” witnesses present at this crime, but also many who felt entitled to document and circulate the victim’s humiliation via Instagram photos, Twitter updates and a now infamous YouTube video (not to mention those who saw these things online and did nothing).

It’s much harder to claim the bystander effect when you tweet that the “Song of the night is definitely Rape Me by Nirvana.”

And it’s infinitely more maddening to see intelligent people interpreting this case as a cautionary tale about getting caught, not as a failure to recognize the seriousness of the situation and intervene, or even call the authorities.

Another aspect of the Steubenville media coverage that irked me was the emphasis on the victim’s intoxication.

Don’t get me wrong — there is evidence that the girl was drunk, and that is an essential part of the story. I don’t blame any news sources for including this fact. I only blame those

oligopoly Cont. from front page

Starbucks?

It is unclear at present whether a Starbucks will actually be opening at Common Grounds’ location.

“We don’t have a deal currently signed,” said Gary Fields, senior regional property manager for Regency Centers. “There is no signed lease with Starbucks.”

Fields said he is unsure how word spread that a Starbucks would be opening in that location.

“Everyone is picking up and running with this, but we didn’t reach lease terms,” Fields said.

“Not with Starbucks and not with anyone else.”

According to Fields, the location could potentially house a coffee chain retailer. But due to the lack of a signed deal, nothing is certain at the moment.

who used it in the context of victimblaming.

And citing the girl’s intoxication wanders into this context when reporters use it to emphasize the “gray area” of her consent. If anything, the fact that the girl was drunk to the point of being unresponsive should clarify the issue; by indicating otherwise, these news sources have equated silence with consent.

While reporting such as this is clearly irresponsible, it also provides clues for those wondering how much a thing could happen in the first place.

Presenting the case’s “takeaway” as online discretion skirts the issue of awareness and intervention. Focusing on the victim’s inebriation muddies the definition of rape when, in this case at least, it should solidify it.

If one good thing has come of this, it’s that the story has opened up the rape dialogue across the country. It’s snapped many people out of their blissful ignorance by reminding them that rape culture is here, pervading our media just as much as our parties.

MARISA MASSARA wants to hear your reaction to the Steubenville media coverage; she can be reached at mvmassara@ucdavis.edu.

“We just couldn’t come to terms with them,” Fields said. “We have many tenants whose leases expire, and they move. It happens all the time. We really enjoyed their tenancy and it’s always sad when you can’t come to an agreement, but we want to do what’s best for the community.”

However, Kim believes that Regency Centers does not understand the community and the small businesses within it.

Other local businesses weigh in on rewards, setbacks According to Dan Urazandi, owner of Bizarro World in downtown Davis, small college towns such as Davis offer certain advantages to small business owners, yet they are not immune from nationwide and global economic trends.

“Davis has unique elements, but it’s not that different,” Urazandi said. “The idea that Davis is a completely insulated and isolated com-

and this is no accident. It is the result of natural selection of institutions that craft information in a way as to uphold their power interests.

If we accept implicit beliefs of this type, then we will naturally conclude that the view that privileges power is right. In this case, the power-privileging view is capitalism. Many of the implicit beliefs that dominate our information sphere are pro-capitalist. If we unravel even a few of them, the irreparable flaws of capitalism become transparent.

So is the pro-capitalist conception of what constitutes society correct or even remotely tenable?

No. When people work in institutions such as corporations, they have the single goal of maximizing profits. When the society is comprised of institutions geared to reach single goals, they naturally take actions that have other effects.

Our society is comprised of such institutions, who craft the society in ways that no single individual in the institution intends. The society is not comprised of individuals making choices. It is comprised of institutions acting in their interests.

The issue of what constitutes a society is a complex one. However, when we look at the imposed assumption, it should be clear that we have been given an answer that empowers elite groups. Every concept that we have should be examined to remove such pro-power ideology. Once we take this step, the next step toward anti-capitalism becomes obvious and easy.

we certainly could not hope that these people die.

The question forces us into a framework in which we cannot separate out relevant ideas. We can’t think. This is an elementary example. Others are far less obvious.

Since the elite classes, as my analyses frequently rely upon, have the greatest influence over which information is most prevalent, the framework of thought that we adopt via bombardment throughout our youth is crafted to uphold their interests.

So, what are some of these sneaky assumptions that the elite classes have created as bounds upon our thought? This question yields so much information that one could make a career of answering it, and people have. We could start anywhere, with any thought.

One illuminating and unusual bit of ideology comes from asking the question, “What is society?” There is a definite answer supplied by the strongly pro-capitalist dialogue imposed by major media and the shockingly abundant, wellfunded right wing think tanks that poison the information sphere. Society, as is implied by their discourse, is merely a bunch of individuals making choices. This is what you want it to be, if you want to argue for capitalism.

If society is just individuals making choices, then who are you to stop them? That would infringe on their liberty, argues the capitalist. The BRIAN MOEN thinks that we should keep “God” in the pledge whole argument is now framed in such a way as and get rid of the pledge with God in it. He can be reached at to advantage one side — the capitalist side — bkmoen@ucdavis.edu.

munity where the same economic standards ruling the rest of the country don’t apply here — that just isn’t true.”

Urazandi cited the economic downturn, the rise of online shopping and the increased presence of chain and big-box stores as just a few of the challenges faced by small businesses, both in Davis and across the nation.

“Malls have been cannibalized nationally by the big-box stores at least as bad as downtown [Davis] has been,” Urazandi said. “Most landlords would rather have a chain store. It’s more reliable for them. A landlord has an interesting job — they have to get the absolute most out of the businesses working under them without putting them out of business. They want to maximize everything they can get and sometimes they go a little too far.”

The high cost of rent in Davis is an additional challenge. Many Da-

vis small business owners believe that the commercial real estate market in Davis, including rent costs, is heavily influenced by a “land oligopoly” situation in Davis, where a few people own a majority of the commercial real estate.

“There isn’t a lot of commercial real estate on the market,” said Dina Connor, owner of the Laundry Lounge in North Davis. “That drives the price up.”

The cost of overhead — the continuing expenses of operating a business — can also be quite high.

“Lots of folks dream of owning their own business but no one thinks of the intense difficulties associated with it,” Urazandi said.

“People think we’re taking in a lot of money here, but so much is going to overhead. I know downtown businesses where the proprietor cannot even afford to hire.”

Urazandi also mentioned the loss of a town’s unique character

that can result when the number of chain stores begins to exceed independent businesses.

“Chain stores have removed the character from just about every part of this country. You travel and see the same dreary landscape everywhere you go,” Urazandi said.

“The weather might be different, but the human-created landscape is exactly the same. Davis is not immune to that.”

Nor is Davis immune to the departure of local businesses, such as Common Grounds. According to Kim, they hope to open again in three months but are unsure as to where they will be located, although they would prefer to stay in the South Davis location.

“We’ve been here 13 years,” Kim said. “It’s crazy what they were trying to do, how they treat us.”

MEREDITH STURMER can be reached at city@ theaggie.org.

18 | Thursday, APRIL 4, 2013

The california aggie

MONTANARI Cont. from page 3

I said, “Well, it looks like we’re going to be meeting each other often, so my name is Marci.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” he replied politely. “I’m Ben, and I would shake your hand, but … well, my hands are kinda covered in … well …”

I can think of no better way to woo a lover than to entice them with oversized feces. I strongly desire to go to an event with Ben just so I can be asked by some stranger, “So how do you two know each other?”

I wonder what reaction I would get when I explained the real situation. This could be the absolutely perfect “How I Met Your Father” story.

As he prepared to leave, he noticed that the slightly wet floor of our bathroom had moistened the dirt upon his shoes. He said, “Uh, my shoes are a little muddy. Should I take them off to get across the floor?”

I explained that I had been planning

to clean anyway and told him not to worry. He was still concerned, though.

He decided to try to avoid getting mud on the floor as much as possible so he started to take wide leaps across the carpet from the floor of the bathroom to our front door. I had to hold back laughter as I watched this scene. He looked like a pixie, leaping across a magical lawn of carpet with a plunger for a wand. As he went to close our front door, I exclaimed, “Bye Ben! Thank you! I’m sure we will be seeing you soon!”

Sometimes life throws unpleasant situations at people. In my case, specifically, life prefers to spew urine water and chunks of toilet paper directly at my face. I do my best to clean myself off, soak up the mess and simply laugh at this crazy, clogged, beautiful, imperfect life.

MARCI MONTANARI thought the best way to introduce herself to the UC Davis community would be a story about her toilet. The events depicted are real but the names were changed to protect the innocent. You can reach Marci at mcmontanari@ucdavis.edu.

bigelow Cont. from page 3

It’s “loud and proud,” not “soft and some adjective that rhymes with soft.”

But those who speak softly often are the ones who carry a stick big enough to move the world, like Archimedes, a man of principles and principle. Cain opens her book by drawing on Rosa Parks for encouragement. Parks was an activist, sure, but far from a vocal one. And Cain contends that her shy, humble demeanor catalyzed action in the civil rights movement in the wake of her arrest more powerfully than the arrest of a Type-A personality would have.

In the gay marriage debate, supporters on both sides demonstrate and protest fervently. The drag queen with a glitter fishnet dress and the blue-collar Protestant Average Joe from Middle America, being broadcast on network news: who is to say who is more flamboyant? Both argue with equal vehemence, a rousing vehemence, a vehemence not expressed by the nine contemplative Supreme Court

interacting with us socially.

Furthermore, we rarely have a chance to get involved in American cultural topics (e.g. popular TV shows, Cont. from page 3 American sports, political issues, etc.). International stuStates versus many of our home countries are quite difdents often join popular organizations like Club-Internaferent. In East Asia for example, students generally do not tional (Club-I), a club designed for international students ask questions in class, particularly questions for clarificato make friends, but just with each other and not with tion or basic questions regarding the content, whereas it’s American students. encouraged and expected here.

We suggest that the following recommendations be In addition to academic challenges, we are facing anconsidered by the UC Davis community with regards to other important barrier: networking with local students. the diverse experiences of the student body.

It is a common phenomenon for international students to Academically, we want to get good grades but we need stick together and not communicate with local students. to already speak, read, write and understand English well.

The reason for this is twofold: First, we are often inseSpeaking with native speakers of English is one way that cure about speaking our second language with native we try to become better at English, but many native speakspeakers; it’s not a comfortable language for us. Second, ers do not have patience for those learning the language. many native speakers are impatient or indifferent about

STUDENT

humanure Cont. from page 3

else could we do? If we pee or poop on the street then we risk an indecent exposure charge or if we just bury massive quantities of it then we risk contaminating groundwater or risk bacterial infections.

Hmmm ... what to do, what to do ... I got it, we could compost it! Surprisingly the process is really simple.

Step 1: poop/pee in a bucket. Step 2: wipe your butt (you can still use toilet paper). Step 3: cover the poop and used toilet paper with a liberal amount of wood chips (the wood chips will neutralize the smell and speed up the composting process).

Once your bucket is full, empty this into a barrel lined with straw and repeat the process. Once your barrel is full and topped with straw, put a piece of chicken wire on top to ensure pests don’t dig around in it.

Plop in a thermometer and let it sit for six to eight months.

But wait — not everyone can do that, not everyone has the space.

That’s true, but the city does have the space. So let’s think about it; the most efficient toilet on the market

uses 1.3 gallons per flush (toilets manufactured after 2006). As many people may find out by going into their bathroom, this is not what the majority of toilets are. But for the sake of math we’ll go with this number. So 1.3 gallons H2O x 4 flushes per day (including urinating) x 365 days/year x ~60k residents of Davis = 113,880,000 gallons H2O per year for Davis, Calif. Damn ... and that’s the conservative estimate.

I guess at this point I could make a plea to change your toilet to high efficiency or tell you “if it’s yellow let it mellow” but that just doesn’t seem like enough. Especially when you look at the water use of those industries I mentioned earlier (1 natural gas well with hydraulic fracturing = ~ 6 million gallons of water). Thinking back to that meme, there is something definitely off about a culture that believes the best way to deal with waste is to flush it away with clean water.

I got it, poop in buckets and drop them off at your representative’s house until they change things.

Kase Wheatley Fourth-year sustainable agriculture major

textbook Cont. from page 5

to choose course material with prices in mind.

“An example would be someone who uses a single textbook for one class, as opposed to using multiple books and that kind of stuff — they’re doing this in part to contain the cost for the student,” Scheiner said.

Scheiner said he thinks anything that can be done to

Justices who will decide the cases on Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act. They have strong beliefs; they merely express them in calm, quiet words. Except for Clarence Thomas.

Well, he did not.

So for all the hoopla in Olympus Has Fallen, I left the theater thinking the same thing.

I thought after The Avengers: The main message, logic and plotline of the movie must have been buried beneath the rubble during the fighting, because I sure didn’t see them.

Loud, extreme rhetoric has the same effect. Instead, let’s take a chill pill and look for common ground in our shared beliefs: love of puppies, fear of death, the greatness of America and/or Kazakhstan.

As Cain writes, “Conviction is conviction at whatever decibel level it’s expressed.” Then, one day, we might all wake up with stick big enough to move the world in our hands.

If you aren’t ready to move in with BEN BIGELOW yet, let him know at babigelow@ucdavis.edu.

Please take the time to listen and try to understand us.

Organizations like Club-I provide benefits, but we want better clubs run by both local and international students in order to break the invisible walls between each other.

We are seeking various chances to get connected with local students and get involved in university community.

Finally, there are already a number of resources for international students, but we experience difficulties finding and utilizing them. So, there should be better outreach.

Thank you for listening, Yuxuan Han, Bei Jia, Zehui Lin, Siyuan Liu, Naoto Tanaka, Xiezhe Wang, and Junghee Woo Your friends from EDU 98, Winter 2013

local households to industrial factories, have affected the environment over the years. Such messages showcase a disaster, like the BP oil Cont. from page 3 spill, or studies of the accumulation of pollutwould thrive in certain settings. The article shows a direct human approach toward tak- ants that we have released over the years.

I believe it due to these messages that sociing care of the environment while minimizety as a whole perceives most forms of natuing human impact. ral crises to have resulted from our hands in Nowadays, I believe that society as a one way or another and that we must take whole is leaning towards conservative ideas responsibility for our actions. There is also and policies. As we see more and more the message that if we do not actively undo people and projects focusing on sustainable the damage and pursue a greener lifestyle, techniques and methods while maximizing we would evidently cause irreversible enviour use of resources, like water and electricronmental damage and climate change. Thus ity, we also see more campaigns to limit the it is no longer a concern about the aesthetics amount of industrial waste produced by facor beauty of the wilderness, but a matter of tories, protests against certain construction survival. sites, and spread the information to make the I see this article as a sign of where our public more environmentally aware. More current mindset is heading, where our belief and more groups are dedicated to the “green in what our role in the environment should movement,” reducing our carbon footprint be, and our image of nature. Thus it is my and encouraging research and application thought that as the world changes, a trementowards green technology such as renewable dous amount of pollution is released each energy and recycling. day, and energy demands increase, that I take I believe the reason why people lean towards care to do my part and properly manage the these kind of policies, directly involving ourgarden.

Hopefully, I would be alone and just selves with the wellbeing and management of be one of the many who are encouraged to our environment, has less to do with preservengage in a greener lifestyle and an environing the “wild, pristine state of nature” and more mentally friendly way of thinking. with how aware we are of our impact of the environment. There are all kinds of messages William Wen and statistics that made us increasingly aware Second-year history major of how various aspects of our society, from our

response

encourage people to continue higher education is a positive thing.

“I think this a great idea. In fact, it is something in my view that [textbooks] should not be taxed,” Scheiner said.

Second-year managerial economics major Jodi Brenner said that although she would prefer to have textbooks exempt from sales tax, she is concerned about the effect the tax exemption could have on students financially burdened when it comes to the price of tuition.

“Would the government have less money to provide

financial aid for students?” Brenner said. “If taking out the tax doesn’t negatively affect students, then I would encourage it.”

Donnelly said that supporters of the Textbook Relief Act should write emails proclaiming their support and deliver them through the Textbook Relief Act website.

The website also provides a link to sign a petition to aid the bill in getting passed.

SYDNEY COHEN can be reached at city@theaggie.com.

Thursday, APRIL 4, 2013 | 19

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

backstop Baseball Preview Teams: UC Davis vs. Cal State Fullerton Records: Aggies, 10-16; Titans, 25-4 Where: Dobbins Stadium — Davis, Calif.

When: Friday at 2:30 p.m.; Saturday at 1 p.m.; Sunday at 1 p.m.

Who to watch: The Aggies have struggled to bring in runs this season.

However, one bright spot in UC Davis’ batting order has been senior Paul Politi. Politi leads the Aggies in home runs, runs batted in, runs and walks drawn.

He has been UC Davis’ main offensive sparkplug and has done a little bit of everything. The Aggies’ reliance on small-ball offense to drive in runs is personified by Politi.

Politi’s 10 walks shows his patience and willingness to wait for the right pitch.

Once Politi finds that pitch, he knows what to do with it, evidenced by his two home runs, 19 RBI and seven doubles. UC Davis will need him to be patient and drive in clutch runs against a very talented Cal State Fullerton pitching staff. Politi’s hitting will be sorely needed if the Aggies wish to take the series from the Titans.

Did you know?

Junior Nick Lynch is sixth in the conference in batting average. He is currently batting a blistering .360 and has an on-base percentage of .446. The Aggies’ offense

may not be known for blasting mammoth home runs but their offense is still potent when there are players on base.

As the “Lynch”-pin of the Aggies’ offense, Lynch’s ability to get on base and drive in runs is crucial for UC Davis. The more runners on base, the more chances the Aggies have to drive in much-needed runs. Hopefully Lynch can continue his hot start and help the Aggies against the Titans this weekend.

Preview: The Aggies have been in a bit of a rut in terms of productivity lately. They are 3-7 in the last 10 games, including being swept in a three-game series against 20th-ranked Cal Poly.

The schedule does not get any easier, as this weekend, the Aggies are facing the fourth-ranked Fullerton team.

This Titans team comes into the weekend series having won nine of their last 10 games including a 25-0 stomping of the Pacific Tigers.

The Titans’ high-powered batting order is led by junior outfielder Michael Lorenzen, who is currently batting .365 and has five homers and 28 RBI. The Aggies should make sure to watch out for Lorenzen as he is sure to make the Aggie pitchers pay for any mistakes made during his at-bats.

UC Davis tennis returns to action Four Aggies tennis matches featured this week

By MATTHEW YUEN Aggie Sports Editor

As parts of the Marya Welch Tennis Center undergo some remodeling, the UC Davis tennis teams haven’t slowed practices one bit.

The men’s tennis team will match up against Hawai’i on Friday, one of the better teams UC Davis will have faced so far this season. The Aggies are entering a tough couple of weeks here in Big West competition.

After playing the Rainbow Wahine, UC Davis will match up against 73rd-ranked Cal Poly and Big West powerhouse UC Santa Barbara.

Looking at the contest with Hawai’i, though, UC Davis faces quite a challenge.

The Aggies haven’t played a match in almost a month, as their last outing was March 10 against UT Arlington.

UC Davis dropped that decision by a 5-2 score with wins from junior Parker Kelley and freshman Brett Bacharach.

Both have eight wins on the season in dual matches, tied for second on the team behind junior Kyle Miller’s 10 singles victories.

The Aggies’ matchup against Hawai’i will be their second Big West matchup of the season. Their first was a 5-2 loss to Pacific.

UC Davis has been relatively successful this year, having won seven doubles points on the season out of the 14 matches they have played. The doubles point will be a big contributor to the Aggies’ success, as each of their six wins have been in matches where they’ve entered singles play up 1-0 after the doubles.

Still, the doubles point is not guaranteed, as three of the matches in which they took two of the three contests have resulted in losses.

The Aggies stand at 6-8 overall and 0-1 in conference play.

The match against the Rainbow Wahine will be on Friday at 2 p.m.

On the women’s side, UC Davis has enjoyed a bit more success, with a 7-9 overall record consisting of a 2-2 league record.

The Aggies will have three consecutive matches this week, none of which will be easy. Along with adjusting to the warmer weather that Davis is enjoying, UC Davis will face off with three tough Big West teams.

The Aggies will take on Hawai’i today at 2 p.m. The Rainbow Wahine edged the Aggies in Hawaii last year by a tight 4-3 score. Hawai’i lost a couple of key players from their lineup, and the Aggies hope to take full advantage of this.

UC Davis will then host Long Beach State on Friday at 2 p.m. The 49ers usually give UC Davis fits, but the Aggies have had a significant amount of experience in the past couple of years.

The 49ers are currently ranked 43rd in the nation, but UC Davis has already squeaked out a couple of close victories this year over ranked opponents. The Aggies took down San Jose State, currently ranked 66th in the country, by a 4-3 score in the beginning of March.

After the 49ers, UC Davis will move on to host UC Riverside on Saturday at 11 a.m.

Last year, the Aggies downed the Highlanders by a 6-1 score, and could use a win as they approach the Big West tournament, which will take place in two weeks.

The Aggies have struggled in doubles, grabbing only three of 16 doubles points, but have been held up by their strong singles lineups. They will need all the wins they can get since they currently stand in fifth place in the Big West.

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

“Fullerton is a good team and they are highly ranked,” said head coach Matt Vaughn. “I think they are ranked in the top five nationally.”

UC Davis is going to have to pitch brilliantly and hit well in order to compete with the balanced Titans. The Titans are hitting .291 as a team and average about 6.89 runs a game; all the while, their pitching staff is maintaining an airtight 2.60 earned-run average.

In comparison, the Aggies are batting .287 and are averaging 5.5 runs a game. Their pitching staff has maintained a 5.32 ERA. UC Davis will definitely need to cut down on the runs allowed this weekend as the Titans score a lot of runs while giving up few.

“We played good baseball coming out of the break,” Vaughn said. “We took a step back after the Cal Poly series and we need to get back to the way we were playing coming out of the break.”

The duo of Politi and Lynch will be a critical part of the Aggies’ lineup as they are going to be the main source of offense. The two of them combined for all three of UC Davis’ home runs this season as well as 26.9 percent of the team’s RBI. Thus, they must do something special for the Aggies to come out victorious in this weekend series.

— Kenneth Ling

Aggies place third at Stanford over weekend UC Davis mens golf team places fifth overall at U.S. Intercollegiate golf tournament

By VEENA BANSAL Aggie Sports Writer

This past week, senior Tyler Raber scored five-under par, tying for the lowest individual round at the U.S. Intercollegiate golf tournament at Stanford University. His fourth-place overall finish led the UC Davis men’s golf team to place fifth. Host Stanford, ranked 10th, finished 23-under on its own course.

Fortunately, the team saved their best performances for the final day, shooting a one-under 279, the third-best team score on Saturday. This helped them finish seven-over for the 54-hole tournament.

With that, UC Davis finished in front of six teams ranked ahead of it.

“Tyler Raber had an amazing tournament,” said Aggie coach Cy Williams. “It was a really strong, national field and he crushed it. We played with USC today head-to-head and they were head of us to start the day, and we outplayed them.

That’s a really big accomplishment for our guys, to go toe-to-toe with those guys and be the better team.”

USC led UC Davis by one stroke, but the Aggies made up three shots and finished two ahead of the Trojans.

Juniors Matt Seramin and Jonny Baxter added spectacular performances, as well. On the first hole, Seramin posted a 2 for a double-eagle on the par-5, while Baxter was just one-over on his final five holes.

With that said, the Aggies will participate in the ASU Thunderbird

Invitational in Arizona this week. This is the first time UC Davis will compete in Arizona for this particular tournament. Last year, UC Davis competed in the Wyoming Cowboy Classic at Talking Stick North Golf Club instead.

Baxter scored a career-best twounder 68, as the men’s golf team shot a two-under 278 on Tuesday, rallying six spots to finish 12th at the tournament.

The Aggies finished at seven-over 847 for the 54-hole tournament, tying for Tuesday’s fifth-best score in the 23team tournament.

Junior Matt Hansen had a sub-70 round for the Aggies, shooting 69 to finish four-over 214 for the week and tied for 55th. In addition, Seramin, who tied for forty-third at two-over 212, shot 70 in the final round.

The Aggies finished just two shots behind 11th place Nevada. They managed to edge Wyoming and Big West Conference member UC Santa Barbara.

Although this will be the team’s first competition in the ASU Thunderbird Invitational, the players are more than ready for the challenge. With years of experience and consistency over the duration of the season, the Aggies ought to be well-prepared for the challenge ahead.

The team has a tough schedule ahead, however, as they will travel to Meadow Vista for the three-day Winchester Classic the subsequent week.

VEENA BANSAL can be reached at sports@ theaggie.org.

Strong women’s golf performances continue Aggies solid lineup improving as Big West tournament approaches

By VEENA BANSAL Aggie Sports Writer

Last week, the women’s golf team captured seventh place at the Anuenue Spring Break Classic tournament in Hawai’i. Sophomore Beverly Vatananugulkit scored an eagle and three birdies to sustain a one-under 771 lead.

She tied for 12th place in the tournament.

The Aggies shot 13-over 301 on the first day and tied for ninth with Colorado, No. 24 Denver, and No. 39 Oregon. Vatananugulkit began with a birdie on the par-5 sixth hole and picked up two more birdies the rest of the way, coming in with a 71.

Sophomore Blair Lewis played her final 14 holes on Tuesday three shots under par, shooting a one-under to keep her in ninth place. With an impressive round, Lewis was able to jump 29 spots on the leaderboard, leading her into a tie for 33rd place at five-over 149. Vatananugulkit shot 74 and tied for 11th at the end of the day, while fellow senior Amy Simanton is tied for 49th at nine-over after carding a 77.

On the final day of the Hawai’i Classic, Vatananug-

ulkit’s one-under 71 during the final round, lifting UC Davis to seventh in the final standings. The Aggies fired a five-over 293 over the final 18 holes and 26-over 890 for the 54-hole tournament.

Senior Demi Runas had three birdies, including one on her second hole of the day and another one on her 17th, while junior Jessica Chulya tied for 53rd at 14-over.

“The course was fantastic and we learned a lot of course knowledge from the first round to the third round,” said head coach Anna Temple.

On April 12, the women’s golf team will compete in the PING/ASU Invitational at Arizona State. Last year, the Aggies tied for fifth place after beating two top-10 teams.

Runas had a two-over 74 to claim co-medalist honors with a one-under total. Senior Amy Simanton had a team-best 73 during Sunday’s final round of the PING/ ASU Invitational.

The No.1-ranked UCLA Bruins captured first place, finishing the day with a three-under 565.

UC Davis, which shot 19-over 303 during Sunday’s windy final round, tied No. 3 USC at 29-over 881 while finishing ahead of No. 8 LSU and No. 7 Vanderbilt.

Runas posted her third straight top-10 finish and her fifth of the season. This marked the second time she’s finished five-under, along with her showing at Colorado State. In addition, Simanton had an outstanding effort for UC Davis, carding birdies on two of the course’s three par-5 holes while playing both the front and back just one-over.

Overall, the tournament was a success for the Aggies, as several teammates shined throughout the course of their stay in Arizona.

This year ought to be no different. With solid wins under their belt and solid performances from their stars, the Aggies should perform well at the three-day invitational.

The team will look to develop consistency and momentum as they head into the Big West Championships the week after.

The Big West Championship will be held in San Luis Obispo from April 22 to 23. Expect thrilling performances from the Aggie women as they commence their journey to Arizona for the PING/ASU Invitational hosted

by Arizona State.

VEENA BANSAL can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

20 | THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

backstop Aggies struggle to find consistent play

Women’s basketball team’s hot and cold performances lead to mixed results for the season

By KENNETH LING Aggie Sports Writer

There is a saying in basketball that if you live by the three, you die by the three. This adage holds true in the case of the Aggies.

The UC Davis women’s basketball team was an interesting squad this past season as they were filled with players who could shoot the long ball. At any given time, all five players on the court could be liable to hit a three-pointer.

The high-scoring Aggies gave other teams a lot of headaches, as they were third in the conference in shooting the three-pointer, posting an impressive 31 percent as a team.

Their long-range prowess caused many mismatch problems as all five players on the court were threats from beyond the arc.

However, the reliance on three-point shooting to account for a majority of the team's scoring led to inconsistent results.

The characterization of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.

Hyde reflects the nature of the team's results.

Some nights, the rim had a lid on it and the Aggies just could not buy a shot. On these nights, they struggled to score and could not find a rhythm. This was most evident in the Big West playoff loss against Cal State Northridge, where UC Davis shot a rough 17.2 percent from beyond the arc in the game. This was compounded by also shooting 23.3 percent from the field. Shooting performances like these do not allow any margin for error, as shown in the 61-40 loss.

However, just as often as the cold shooting hurt the Aggies, it also saved them. In UC Davis' solid 78-69 win against USC on Dec. 21, the Aggies showed what a good shooting night can do for a team. The torrid shooting of the Aggies was a key factor in the win against a decent Pac-12 team.

Shooting a fantastic 50 percent from the field including 53.8 percent from beyond See WOMEN’S on 6

Lucas Bolster / Aggie

Sophomore Sydnee Fipps was named to the All-Big West first team.

Turnaround season ends in disappointment UC Davis falls to Cal Poly in Big West Tournament

UC Davis women’s gymnastics on a roll

Team earns fourth consecutive MPSF overall title

By KIM CARR Aggie Sports Writer

Lucas Bolster / Aggie

Senior Paolo Mancasola scored the first point against Cal Poly in the playoffs.

By KIM CARR Aggie Sports Writer

When the Aggies headed down to Anaheim, Calif. to participate in the Big West Tournament Championship, they had every intention of winning.

Despite being ranked sixth in conference, this team knew they had what it took to bring that championship banner home.

While the UC Davis men’s basketball team was not able to capture the championship, it was not wrong about its talent. UC Davis is home to Corey Hawkins, now named Big West Newcomer of the Year and CBS Sports Big West MVP. The Aggies’ roster also boasts Ryan Sypkens, the second-most productive three-point shooter in the nation. The team is also joined by big man J.T. Adenrele whose size allows him to be a presence on all sides of the court.

This team was blitzing toward a Cinderella finish,

but their tank ran a little dry after their historic game against Long Beach State on ESPN2. The Aggies suffered a heartbreaking loss that night, and they followed it up with another collapse against UC Irvine a few days later. Between the injuries and emotional letdowns, they may not have been best prepared for the Big West Tournament.

UC Davis drew Cal Poly for its quarterfinal match-up. During the regular season, the Aggies and the Mustangs split the contests, each winning their respective home games.

Down in Anaheim, the first half was a grinding back-and-forth battle that pushed both defenses to make a stand.

Thanks to a quick Adenrele dunk and another Sypkens three, the Aggies jumped out to a 5-0 lead.

However, Cal Poly went on an uncontested 10-point run that put them up 10-5. Adenrele and Josh See MEN’s on 7

UC Davis women’s gymnastics has this winning thing down.

They earned their fourth consecutive Mountain Pacific Sports Federation overall team title, sweeping the top two all-around spots and three of the four individual championships.

Head coach John Lavallee has produced impressive results in years past, but this season was unparalleled in success. The Aggies broke countless records throughout the year, but they produced the big scores when they needed them most. UC Davis blitzed past the competition and finished the MPSF Championship with an overall team score of 194.950.

Katie Yamamura continued to build upon her legacy of greatness as she swept the competition with an overall score of 39.050. Breaking the “39” barrier is incredibly difficult in collegiate gymnastics, but this was Yamamura’s fourth time this season. Yamamura earned a 9.800 on vault, a 9.725 on bars, a 9.700 on beam and a 9.825 on floor.

Fellow Aggie Anna Schumaker placed second overall with a score of 39.025, making it the third consecutive week she was able to break

Abigail Alcala / Aggie

Michelle Ho qualified for the NCAA regional meet. the “39” barrier. Schumaker earned a 9.850 on vault, a 9.675 on bars, a 9.750 on beam and 9.800 on floor.

“Anna and Yami were so close throughout the meet, it was amazing. They are the only Aggies to score multiple 39s in the all-around. Not only that, they are the only Aggies to go 39 in the allaround in the same meet, which they did last week and this week,” Lavallee said.

While Schumaker and Yamamura were busy collecting their overall championships, senior Michelle Ho was working toward earning three individual championship titles of See GYMNASTICS on 6