March 1, 2018

Page 1

Follow us on Social Media

the California Aggie

SERVING THE UC DAVIS CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY SINCE 1915

THEAGGIE.ORG

VOLUME 136, ISSUE 18 | THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018

FARAH FARJOOD / AGGIE

ICC warns students to be wary of suspicious job offerings

ZACK ZOLMER / AGGIE

Scammers contact students posing as potential employers

BY CLA RA Z HAO campus@theaggie.org

In January, students were contacted via email by fake employers claiming they obtained the students’ contact information from the UC Davis Internship and Career Center. These postings are in fact a scam for students’ money, and they appear most frequently at the start of every new term. According to Marcie Kirk Holland, the executive director of the ICC, the fake job postings often claim they are in some sort of emergency that requires a quick transfer of funds and they ask the students to make this transaction from their personal accounts. The address that students are asked to send their personal funds to is often outside the U.S., typically in the Philippines or Russia. In exchange for handling the “emergency,” the fake employer promises to reimburse the students with a significant bonus. Students will often receive a check or money order soon after from the fake employer. Holland sent an email to The

California Aggie concerning the fraud. “This often tricks people into the false assumption that this is a legitimate request and the check or money order must be valid,” Holland said via email. “Banks cannot detect counterfeit money orders, nor bad checks until the checks bounce or money order is rejected. They will not know to question you when you make your deposit. Standard practice is that if you deposit funds, you are vouching for their legitimacy and your bank will not reimburse you if the funds are insufficient or counterfeit.” As a result, when students transfer their money to these fraudulent employers, they not only lose the money that they sent, but their banks may also close their accounts. The ICC was recently informed that a student who fell victim to the scam had lost several thousand dollars and had their bank account closed. “I think it’s really unfortunate that scammers are exploiting students who often barely have enough money to pay for our housing, transportation and food,” said fourth-year communication major Stephanie Pomales.

The ICC reminded students that “NO employer or internship supervisor should EVER” have students use their personal bank account as part of their position. “Although the vast majority of Aggie Job Link postings are legitimate, students should know that con artists seem to be preying on students nationwide at the start of each quarter,” Holland said in the email. “They post positions that seem legitimate and are therefore approved for posting. In addition to the ICC’s screening, it is important for YOU to evaluate a position before you accept it.” Holland also published an article on the UC Davis website with more tips on how to avoid becoming the victim of scams. Some main points mentioned in the article include refraining from sharing personal passwords or banking information with an employer, verifying that the email address of the potential employer matches the company they represent and contacting the ICC (at ajlhelp@ucdavis.edu or 530-752-2855) with regard to suspicious job or internship offers.

NOAH BENHAM / COURTESY

UC Davis student protester arrested at Yiannopoulos talk last year awaits trial Noah Benham faces four charges BY AA RO N L I SS campus@theaggie.org

On the night of Feb. 13, 2017, Noah Benham, a fourth-year comparative literature major, was part of a group of students who protested alt-right figurehead Milo Yiannopoulos’ visit to and speech at UC Davis. He was arrested that night and faces four charges, including resisting arrest and battery of an officer. His next hearing is scheduled for March 5. Yiannopoulos was accused of planning to dox undocumented students by full name at UC Berkeley. Last December, Yiannopoulos singled out and publicly mocked a transgender student at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. Yiannopoulos has condoned pedophilia and rape on video, saying “We get hung up on this kind of child abuse stuff,” in reference to an “arbitrary and oppressive idea of consent.” Those words lead to his firing from Breitbart and publishing house Simon and Schuster. In September of 2017, Yiannopoulos posted Instagram pictures identifying transgender student and ASUC Senator Juniperangelica Cordova-Goff and campus doctoral student Adam Jadhav from UC Berkeley to followers. Following this, the two were harassed online, receiving transphobic, xenophobic and Islamophobic slurs hurled their way. Benham and other students say there were seeking to prevent the same discrimination from being allowed at UC Davis. Benham stood by glass doors of the lecture hall that Yiannopoulos was scheduled to speak in, among fellow protesters and hundreds of Yiannopoulos supporters waiting in line. According to Benham, he was protesting Milo’s appearance on campus but not trying to forcibly shut down the event. Benham stresses that he and other students were voicing their anger at

Milo being on campus, but did not intend to forcibly shut down the event. The UC Davis Police canceled the event after large protests and counter-protests, ushering Yiannopoulos off campus instead of into the scheduled talk. On March 23, 2017, charges were first raised against Benham by the Yolo County District Attorney — felony battery on a UC Davis police officer, a felony obstruction of officer by use of force, a misdemeanor battery on an officer and misdemeanor resisting arrest. Benham says that while the DA pursued these four as felonies after he refused to take a plea deal forcing him to admit guilt, the judge has minimized all charges to misdemeanors. According to Benham, even over a year after he was charged, the Yolo County court will likely reschedule his trial day due to an overbooked courthouse. “As of now, I’m still facing four charges — all four of which were felonies,” Benham via email. “But, they’ve all been reduced to misdemeanors by the judge, although the DA wanted to pursue as felonies. My trial date is supposedly March 5, lasting 3-4 days, but it sounds like the courthouse will be full that day, so I’ll likely be rescheduled.” Benham and his lawyers maintain that there is zero evidence for claims of battery, and that this is a “he-said, he-said” case based on the improper use of body-cameras by involved officers. According to Benham’s legal team, it was convenient for the body-cameras of three surrounding officers to be turned off, with only one non-involved officer’s camera capturing the end of Benham’s encounter. The battery charge was added after one of the officers that arrested Benham, UC Davis police officer William Beermann, alleged that he discovered a “half-inch scratch on his hand” following the arrest. On Nov. 6, 2017, the law firm Morrison and Foerster partnered with Benham’s Yolo County

CHECK OUT OUR

Public Defender Peter Borruso to serve Benham for free after reading about his case. The lack of body camera use led Borroso to request the court look into Beerman’s personnel file for any prior incidents. Beermann was not using his body camera, and therefore the charges against Benham are hearsay, lawyers claim. Borruso said that other officer’s body cameras show that Benham did not run into Beermann, who claimed that Benham lowered his arm and ran into him. Beermann wrote in his police report that he “didn’t know how [the injury] occured.” In a Davis Vanguard article, Borruso said that portions of video from another office presented by the DA show “Mr. Benham calmly and politely informing officers that he did not run into them.” Borruso also said that the video of the arrest does “not show any struggle or fighting by Mr. Benham while several officers surround him.” Additionally, Borruso maintains Benham “did not cause any injuries to Officer Beermann’s hand.” Students and community members have created a petition to drop Benham’s charges. The petition’s author related Benham’s case to the predatory and counter-protester nature of the Yolo County courthouse, which leads in California per-capita trials by city, and adjusting for population, has the highest jury trial rate in the state. The Davis Vanguard found that the DA office is bolstered by five times the amount of investigators and clerical staff as the PD office — 82 compared to 21. In turn, the arm of the prosecutorial force is much stronger than the arm of defense based on increased access to personnel and resources, The Vanguard posits. Tom Jara, a member of Students for a

Aggie Profiles: Aayush Kunwar Nepalese athlete uses talents to advocate for people in his home country BY MAR LYS J EANE features@theaggie.org

On the third day of competition, despite having pulled a muscle only a few days prior, Aayush Kunwar was feeling good about his upcoming race. It was the middle of winter and the dirt track was soft and wet, but he was determined to not let anything stop him from doing his best. He proceeded to sprint spectacularly in the 100-meter relay and his team won first at the 2017 Nepalese National Games. “[My team is called] the Armed Police Force, and [the opposing is] Army,” said Kunwar, a fourth-year economics major. “We defeated Army for the first time in the history of Nepal in the relay, and I was the new team member. Since then everyone started talking to me, all the coaches from the different regions started talking to me, all the national athletes. And they knew that I study in California. It’s a good thing, it’s a new thing to them, they see me as a beacon of hope.” Kunwar has been on this particular mission to become a “beacon of hope” far before last winter. It’s something that has developed in the past few years of his life as he’s learned more about himself and the world he comes from. In fact, his story begins on the opposite side of the planet: Nepal. Kunwar was born in Nepalganj but tends to say he’s from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. He comes from a high caste family, and therefore Kunwar was fortunate to have the best education and childhood he could ask for, where all of his needs and those beyond were met. “The public school education system in Nepal is poor, so if you are from a good family you are sent to private schools,” Kunwar said. “So I went to a private school and we were made to study English from nursery school.” In the middle of the 1990s, the Nepalese Civil War broke out in Nepal between the monarchic government and the communist party. Kunwar’s parents sent him and his brother to boarding school in India so that they could continue their education without worrying about the war. “During that time it was a set routine for us,” Kunwar said. “We woke up at 6 a.m., went out for some physical exercises — as a group, like the whole school would be out doing some physical exercises. It’s compulsory, you have to wake up at 6, do some exercises and then go back, take a shower, and go to school.” At his school, the different houses, or groups of students, would compete against each other in sports like basketball and soccer. Kunwar liked playing both these sports, and he even represented his house in basketball senior year. It was his activity in these sports that he attributes to the development of his speed on the track. “Since I was so good in basketball and soccer, they sent me for track and field as well and I finished second I think in the 200 meters, my first race basically,” Kunwar said. “I think studying in India exposed me to different, other activities other than academics. I was more into sports, that’s how I started doing track and field.” After returning to Nepal in 2008 to complete high school, Kunwar continued to play soccer and basketball. This is when he started to truly shine in track and field, and in 2011 he was considered Nepal’s best national athlete under the age of 18. “That was a turning point, I’d say, because I got

BENHAM on 11

REVIEWS FROM GOOGLE:

“Affordable bulk food items.” C.C., Feb 2018 | “The hot food and salad bar offerings are imaginative and delicious.” dsthorp, Feb 2018

PROFILE on 11

DAVIS FOOD CO-OP • 620 G ST OPEN DAILY 7AM—10PM

STUDENT QUESTIONS ADMINISTRATORS AT MENTAL HEALTH TOWN HALL.


2 | THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

ELECTRIC BUSES COMING TO SACRAMENTO Volkswagen scandal funds to be used for zero-emission bussing in Sacramento, Davis KYLA ROUNDS / AGGIE

BY PRI YA N KA SHR E E DA R campus@theaggie.org

BY STE L L A TR A N city@theaggie.org

By 2040, the California Air Resources Board will require transit buses in California to be zero-emission or electric. Changes are now starting as the Yolo County Transportation District looks to partner with the City of Sacramento, City of Davis, City of West Sacramento, University of California, Davis and the Sacramento Regional Transit District to provide zero-emission buses funded by the Volkswagen diesel scandal. As part of its punishment for the air

BY PRI YA N KA SHR E E DA R campus@theaggie.org

The weekly ASUCD Senate meeting was called to order by Vice President Adilla Jamaludin on Feb. 15 at 6:10 p.m. in the Mee Room of the Memorial Union. Controller Jin Zhang and Senator Khadeja Ibrahim were absent. The meeting began with a monthly report from Judicial Council Chair Ryan Gardiner. Gardiner began by stating that the Judicial Council had been relatively busy of late with “10 cases in the past seven days.” He discussed ongoing projects that members of the Council are working on, including but not limited to: the reorganization of government documents, changes to ASUCD election rules and maintenance of transparency within the judicial system at UC Davis. Jamaludin then moved to have Public Discussion brought further up in the meeting agenda. During this portion of the meeting, a member of the commu-

pollution scandal, Volkswagen will be spending approximately $44 million promoting electric vehicles in California, having won approval from the California Air Resources Board. Mark Lonergan, the deputy general manager and the chief operating officer for SacRT, proposed how these zero-emission buses would function. “These zero emission buses would operate on 15-minute intervals with fast-charging units proposed at both ends of the route,” Lonergan said. “The UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento currently employs more than 13,000 students and faculty. Providing a frequent connection between the university and the Medical Center just makes good, common sense as we work to provide public transportation that will have a significant impact on traffic congestion and air pollution.” The buses will provide a more sustainable and efficient way for UC Davis students in particular to access the campus and the city of Sacramento. “The City of Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and UC Davis Chancellor Gary May announced in December that they had formed a task

nity brought to light the recent prosecution of current fourth-year comparative literature major Noah Benham. Benham was prosecuted by Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig and, according to the speaker, was prosecuted while protesting the presence of Milo Yiannopoulos on campus last January. The community member raised concerns about the lack of involvement from the student body in the case, which will be tried in Woodland on March 5. The community member additionally stated that he felt that the charges were too extreme and that he is creating a petition to drop the charges. In response to the statement, ASUCD Senator Josh Dalavai elaborated on his opinion on Reisig, stating that the DA is known for exacerbating the administration’s recommendation of punishment in such cases and is “antagonistic and biased.” Lastly, the community member brought up the June elections for the

force to explore the construction of a new technology and education campus in Sacramento as well as reimagining transit service between the two cities,” Lonergan said. Lonergan also emphasized how beneficial and eco-friendly the transit vehicles will be, considering they may be accessible by 2030. “We think zero-emission transit vehicles will help to reduce the amount of pollution generated not only by reducing the number of private vehicle trips, but also by the transit vehicles themselves,” Lonergan said. “SacRT was a leader in clean-fuel transit vehicles with a conversion to compressed natural gas that started in 1993. We are ready for the next step with a total conversion of the SacRT bus fleet to zero-emission buses as early as 2030.” However, there are a number of different conditions necessary in order to execute the zero-emission plan. “In order to facilitate the operation of zero-emission vehicles, it is imperative that charging infrastructure be installed,” Lonergan said. “We are proposing to install 12 charging stations in SacRT’s bus

Yolo County DA position and asked for the support of the Davis community in the election — highlighting candidate Dean Johansson. ASUCD Senator Rahi Suryawanshi mentioned the Police Accountability Board Meeting which took place on Feb. 21. The Public Discussion segment was followed by the confirmation of candidates from the Disability Rights Advocacy Committee. The candidates included second-year psychology major Brielle Hadley, fourth-year biological psychology major Kelly Murrell, second-year animal science major Jennifer Lin and thirdyear communication major Daniella Aloni. During a brief Q&A session with members of the Senate, topics included a walkout for disability awareness, understanding the intersectional identities of individuals with disabilities, making the campus more welcoming and a discussion as to where ASUCD itself could improve its accessibility to DRAC. All

Police Logs: Keep your own trash Feb. 13 “Reporting party believes neighbor dumped trash into his garbage bin while out on the street during pick-up day.” Feb. 14 “Reporting party concerned about a trail of Ritz crackers laid out on the sidewalk and nearby bushes, leading to a white van with cracked windows parked in front of residence. Reporting party believes it is suspicious because the crackers were laid out like a trail from up the street to vehicle. Vehicle appears as if someone is living out of it.” Feb. 15 “Male shoplifted candy bar — now in front of business threatening to ‘187’ employees refusing to leave.” Feb. 16 “ID taken away at bar, reporting party states he is of legal age and employee at the bar is refusing to give his ID back.” “Several subjects on the roof of a house.” Feb. 17 “Male subject threw a stick and a bicycle at the reporting party — reporting party took the male’s bicycle and is now standing by at above location.” “Reporting party found wheelchair left in front of his residence this morning — reporting party concerned it’s dumped stolen property.” “Occurred at 1900 hours: reporting party thought she heard someone jiggle the door handle, and her light sensor came on.” Feb. 18 “Group of approximately 20 chanting. Possibly school related.” “Reporting party received call from unknown subject stating that he has her address and was going to go to her house — gave her the address. Reporting party is concerned for her roommate that is home alone — requested area check, unknown description on subject.”

yard for overnight charging after peak usage times, when electricity is less expensive. We are also proposing to install fast-charging units at both ends of the route to provide additional battery life and increased range while the electric buses are in revenue service.” Jose Perez, the senior transportation planner for YCTD, explained how YCTD is involved in bringing zero-emission buses to Yolo County. “The team has participated in multiple meetings and discussions as well as working with Electrify America to determine the best approach,” Perez said. “It is YCTD’s goal to ensure that the Yolo County jurisdictions and residents are able to directly benefit from the opportunity and to leverage it to help bring YCTD to the forefront of innovative and environmentally sound transportation.” Perez added that these funds must also be well protected. “Allocating these funds to safe, reliable and environmentally sound transportation for the region is a very important goal,” Perez said. “YCTD strongly

candidates were confirmed by the Senate. The next portion of the meeting was a housing presentation delivered by David Taormino, a representative from the West Davis Active Adult Committee. Taormino detailed the proposal he submitted to the City of Davis Community Development Department. The 75-acre apartment site is located on the north side of Covell Boulevard, west of Sutter-Davis Hospital and will offer 325 for-sale units,150 affordable senior apartments and an Activity and Recreation Center. Taormino stated that this housing plan is not restricted to senior citizens ages 55 plus only, but is meant to “combat loneliness” and will allow members of the Active Adult Community to interact with the youth of Davis by renting or selling their homes when they move to the WDAAC. Taormino stated that this project was “a quid pro quo” in the sense that the student body is expanding and has a growing need for housing, and the senior

ELECTRIC BUS on 12

community in Davis has a growing need for a new senior living community; the exchange proposed was support for this housing plan in order to benefit the student housing market in the long run. This presentation was followed by the introduction and confirmation of OASR candidate Destiny Padilla, a second-year who received recognition from multiple senators regarding her active, involved presence on campus. Next, Senate Resolution #14 was presented. It supports a proposal brought forth by Health Education and Promotion which would require two non-instructional days per quarter. The resolution passed. Senate Bill #24 allotted $742.29 to renovations on the bike circle near the Student Community Center including the addition of painted butterflies. The bill passed. Interim Senator Shaniah Branson SENATE on 12

WINTER 2018 ELECTION RESULTS President total voter turnout: 2,551 PRESIDENT: Michael Gofman VICE PRESIDENT: Shaniah Branson SLATE: Unite!

Senate total voter turnout: 2,956 #1. #2. #3. #4. #5. #6.

Brandon Clemons Simranjit Kaur Alisha Hacker Jumoke Maraiyesa Atanas Spasov Ko Ser Lu Htoo

Unite! BASED Unite! BASED Unite! BASED

Voter Satisfaction Shows which choice on the ballot was elected for voters. This is different from ballot representation because a voter can have their second choice elected, even though their ballot went to elect their third or fourth choice during the count.

COURTESY OF ASUCD ELECTIONS


THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018 | 3

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

C A ITLY N SA M P L E Y / AGGI E

Happiness Campaign strives for less stress, more joy The Happiness Campaign seeks to reduce anxiety, increase happiness BY G EORG E L I AO campus@theaggie.org

As the UC Davis-wide Happiness Campaign comes to a close, fourth-year English major Sofia Molodanof shared what makes her happy. “Happiness is very specific to each person,” Molodanof said. “I think it is just being able to understand and being aware of things that make you happy. I really like taking walks through the Arboretum; that is something I love. Some people find happiness by sitting under a tree and reading a book. It is really just acknowledging those different ways that can promote happiness for yourself.”

The Happiness Campaign, a weeklong event on campus from Feb. 26 to March 2, brings attention to the stress that students experience as well as introduces strategies to manage stress and foster mental well-being. The event is sponsored by the Health Education and Promotion department at UC Davis. Molodanof, who is the mental well-being student coordinator for HEP, gave an overview of this year’s activities. She discussed a few events which took place earlier in the week. One event, Promote Happiness, included tabling on the Quad. “The tabling event is focused on spreading happiness and students will be able to receive a happi-

VENOS MOSHAYEDI / AGGIE FILE

Duke law professor presents lecture on voting rights law Guy-Uriel Charles speaks at King Hall

piness kit,” Molodanof said. “There will also be a way for students to be interactive — to get feedback on where students find happiness.” The second event, titled “Seek Happiness Through Yoga,” was centered on yoga. “The Yoga Club will have a special session that focuses on finding happiness through meditation and this is a great way for students to practice relaxing,” Molodanof said. “Our third event is on Friday, March 2, and is our Peace, Tranquility and Happiness Crafternoon which we are co-sponsoring with our LGBTQIA [Resource] Center from 12:30 to 3 p.m.,” Molodanof said. “This will be an opportunity for students to create tranquility glitter jars, and they can learn about ways to spread more happiness.” Emilia Aguirre, a mental well-being health promotions specialist for HEP, spoke about the purpose of the event and ways in which students can benefit from it. “The Happiness Campaign is a social marketing campaign [...] to raise awareness about positive psychologies, about positive affirmations on campus and to really just spread happiness,” Aguirre said. “We really want to remind students that everybody is going through their own struggles and just to remember and shed light on being positive.” Molodanof gave details on the stress UC Davis students experience. “From the information and feedback that we got in, students at UC Davis tend to be more stressed than other university campuses,” Molodanof said. “[The] main reasons include academics, relationships and students having to work. I think one of these things is just taking time for themselves. We are hoping that these activities will allow them some time to get in touch with themselves and to be relieved from stress for a little bit of the day. I think coming up with ways for students to alleviate that stress is super important.” In a follow-up interview by email, Molodanof

BY JACQ U E LINE MO O RE campus@theaggie.org

Duke University professor of law Guy-Uriel Charles delivered the annual Edward L. Barrett Jr. Lecture on Constitutional Law at King Hall on Feb. 6. Charles spoke on voting rights law and policy in the United States and analyzed the history and future implications of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the 2013 Supreme Court case Shelby County v. Holder. Charles emphasized that his lecture, “Race, Exit, and the Voting Rights Act,” would answer two overarching questions related to voting rights law: “First, what has been the key to the success of the voting rights model in the last fifty years?” reads an informational page about the event on the School of Law website. “Second, where should voting rights law and policy go from here?” Throughout his speech, Charles cited the Shelby case as a landmark step backward for voting rights. “It functionally neutered what former Solicitor General Donald Verrilli called an iconic statute in part of American history,” Charles said. In Shelby County v. Holder, the Supreme Court struck down a crucial provision of the Voting Rights Act, ruling that it was unconstitutional to require state and local governments to earn federal approval before changing voting laws. This provision targeted specific states and areas that had a history of discrimination against certain communities of voters. “One result has been the passage by many state legislatures of a number of voter ID laws and other measures that dispro-

provided statistics on the level of stress encountered by UC Davis students. “Every other year, UC Davis implements the American College Health Association, National College Health Assessment (ACHA NCHA) which identifies health behaviors and perceptions related to a wide range of topics including mental well-being,” Molodanof said. “Based off of the most recent ACHA NCHA 2017 undergraduate survey, we found that 44 percent of UC Davis students reported that their academic performance was adversely affected by stress in the past 12 months, which is 10.2 percent higher than the national average. 62.5 percent of UC Davis students reported that academics was traumatic or very difficult to handle within the last 12 months, which is 13.8 percent higher than the national average.” Aguirre empathized that stress management is an ongoing process. “In addition to reaching UC Davis students through social marketing and just raising awareness [through] these events, [it is] also getting students to attend them and to take something from them — to expose them to different ways that they can take time for themselves and integrate that into a daily routine,” Aguirre said. “Really just building that time to just reflect on the good and what makes each person happy.” Stephanie Miramontes, a third-year human development major and a volunteer at HEP, offered her ideas on being happy in an email interview. “I think that one way you can be happier as a student at UC Davis is by getting closer to the campus community,” Miramontes said. “Joining a club, engaging in new activities, and meeting new people you can find friends and happiness at UC Davis. I also think that just taking a moment to step back and remember everything you’ve accomplished to get here can help as well! I know things can be stressful at times, so it helps to take a short break and forget about what is on your plate.”

portionately impacted voters of color,” said the dean of King Hall, Kevin Johnson. Charles agreed that the Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby had very tangible consequences for voters nationwide. According to Charles, following the ruling, certain states passed a number of legal measures that could prevent minority communities from voting. “Following the Court’s decision in Shelby County, [North Carolina] rushed through, in what seemed to have been the heat of the night, an omnibus voting rights law that eliminated same-day registration, adopted a stricter voter ID requirement, limited voting hours, made it harder for young people to vote, et cetera and et cetera,” Charles said. Later, he mentioned that “it has now become almost reflexive to cite Shelby County for all that perhaps ails voting rights law and practice.” However, Charles noted that there were positive consequences of the Shelby County case. He observed that the Supreme Court’s decision sparked a revolution against new laws that had the potential to suppress the vote. “Shelby County has become essentially a crie du coeur — a symbolic rallying cry for voting rights activists,” Charles said. Charles observed that the implications of the Shelby County case will be difficult to combat, let alone reverse. He concluded that, although Shelby County was a big step backward for voting rights law, the nation must move forward and continue to fight for voting rights. “As a consequence of [Shelby County], voting rights policy will have to break away from its past and embrace its future,” Charles said.


4 | THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

KY L A R O U N DS / AG GI E

Soroptimist International of Greater Davis presents college scholarships to women Organization’s annual Live Your Dream Awards provide $2,000 to two single working mothers

BY H A N N A N WA L I U L L A H city@theaggie.org

On Feb. 21, Soroptimist International of Greater Davis hosted an information and awards night at Repower Yolo on E Street. The organization named two recipients of its annual Live Your Dream

Awards. In addition, the club presented money to the Multi-disciplinary Interview Center and gave insight about their club for prospective members. Soroptimist International is a global organization that works to empower the lives of women, girls and children through hands-on projects, fundraisers and awards. Since the Greater Davis Soroptimist chap-

ter was chartered in 1985, its primary goal has been to help local women, girls and children from Yolo County. “The Soroptimists is an international program, established in 1929 [by] a lady down in Oakland,” said Wanda Winton, the organization’s former president and the current charity co-chair. “There was always men’s organizations — like the Rotary Club — and she said ‘Well, we should have something for women.’ There are now about 1,300 soroptimist clubs worldwide.” According to Winton, the aspect that differentiates the soroptimists from many of the other community service organizations in Davis is that they prioritize their service over socializing. Much of their work also helps empower women in their own communities. “The majority of our funds are from our local businesses and merchants, and so we try to give back to our local community,” Winton said. In the past, the club has been known for hosting its annual charity golf tournaments and helping fund the Multi-disciplinary Interview Center, a Woodland center that provides abused and foster children with resources and legal aid, along with many other projects. The Live Your Dream Award — formerly known as the Women’s Opportunity Award — was presented on Feb. 21 and has been a Soroptimist International staple since 1972. The local Greater Davis chapter has been presenting the award for around 10 years.

“We give grants to women who are heads of households who are going to school so that they can continue their education,” said Susan Wilcox, the charity’s co-chair. “It’s usually a $2,000 grant, and we provide two of those a year.” For Rita Durgin, the president-elect and sitting president, the award is representative of why she joined the club. In 2012, Durgin — then a working, single mother and a student at Sacramento City College — applied for and received the award. “I could use it for anything,” Durgin said. “I could use it toward books, I could use it toward a new washer, if the car had broken down; it was for anything that was gonna keep my head above water. Raising three kids and going to school — it’s really hard, and that money really helped me at a time that I needed it.” The Soroptimist Club tracked her progress, and in 2015, Durgin decided to join the club as its director. Three years later, as president-elect, she remembers how big of an impact the Live Your Dream Awards can have. “The story that the women shared last night was that this money couldn’t come at a more opportune time as heads of households,” Durgin said. “They’re trying to advance themselves, their educational and professional careers. And so that’s what it means to me, you know, just helping to empower other women with their goals and their dreams by any means possible. It’s just been a very important stepping stone.”

Sacramento makes traffic safety a priority Fight for zero traffic deaths by 2027 J EREMY DA N G / AGG IE

BY DYL A N SVOBO DA city@theaggie.org

Sacramento’s Vision Zero traffic safety program aims to eliminate vehicular fatalities and serious injuries in the city by 2027. The city is developing a Vision Zero Action Plan that will identify factors influencing traffic incidents and lay out necessary actions for stopping vehicular deaths and injuries. Vision Zero is based on the philosophy of there being no such thing as traffic ‘accidents’ — instead, all traffic incidents are seen as preventable. Jim Brown, the executive director of Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates, expressed admiration for the city’s efforts put toward bike and pedestrian safety. “Improving roadway safety is the key to realizing the environmental, health and economic benefits of bicycle transportation,” Brown said. “These are benefits that touch the entire community. [SABA] applauds the city’s ongoing work to implement Vision Zero.”

Kirin Kumar, the executive director of WALKSacramento, emphasized the benefits that stem from increased accessibility to active transportation. “Studies have shown that one of the most important factors contributing to one’s ability to move into the next socioeconomic level is access to quality transportation,” Kumar said. “In order to make Sacramento the truly first-class city we know it can be, we must take these critical steps toward zero.” Walt Seifert, a member of Sacramento’s Bicycle Advisory Committee and Vision Zero Task Force, echoed the sentiments of Brown and Kumar. “Bicyclists and pedestrians are disproportionately the victims in traffic crashes,” Seifert said. At a city council meeting in January 2017, Seifert expressed his support for automated speed enforcement. Last February, San Francisco Assemblymember David Chiu drafted AB 342, which would legalize automated speed enforcement for a five-year pilot program in San Francisco and San Jose. The program aims to decrease car speed by rede-

signing Sacramento’s streets through street narrowing, road diets and speed-feedback signs. According to Vision Zero’s study, about a quarter of car crashes in Sacramento were alcohol-related. The city plans to create educational and promotional campaigns in order to discourage people who have been drinking from driving and instead encourage ridesharing and designated drivers. Sacramento’s Bicycle Master Plan intends to construct protected and buffered bike lanes on streets with a mile-per-hour limit of 30 or higher as well as post signs warning drivers about the presence of bicyclists. According to a study done by the city, 79 percent of all crashes occur on Sacramento’s high-injury network, which accounts for under a quarter of the city’s roadways. A disproportionate number of the city’s high-injury roadways run through disadvantaged neighborhoods and near schools. Vision Zero is a multinational traffic safety program that started in Sweden in 1997. The program made its way to the U.S. in 2014 in New York and

has since spread across the country. As of January, California had nine Vision Zero cities. Traffic deaths in New York City are down 30 percent since 2013, the year before Vision Zero was implemented. According to the Vision Zero Draft Action Plan, during the five-year period from 2010 to 2014, 130 people died in traffic crashes in Sacramento, including 48 pedestrians and 13 bicyclists. The Vision Zero Task Force is made up of over a dozen government agencies and private organizations including SABA, Sacramento Regional Transit, Society for the Blind and Sacramento City Unified School District. The City of Sacramento recently began its efforts in traffic safety by implementing a monthly urban bicycling class, installing Sacramento City College’s bicycle and pedestrian bridge and approving over $22 million in safety grant improvements from 2013 to 2017. Sacramento’s Vision Zero Final Draft will be presented to City Council this spring.

J OR DA N K N OW L E S / AGGI E

Davis Enterprise welcomes new editor Sebastian Oñate to replace Debbie Davis as editor

BY AHASH F RA N CIS city@theaggie.org

On Feb. 21, The Davis Enterprise held a reception to celebrate the promotion of Sebastian Oñate from associate editor to editor of The Davis Enterprise and to bid farewell to Debbie Davis, the current editor and assistant publisher of the local newspaper. Several community leaders and organizers, from police chief Darren Pytel to Yolo County Sheriff Ed Prieto, joined the Enterprise event to meet the new editor.

“I’ve been at The Enterprise for more than 38 years, and Bruce’s total time here — as editor, sports writer and sports editor — totals 16 years,” Davis said. “So obviously, our departure is going to leave a couple of holes in the newsroom. But our staff is truly a team, and everyone is stepping up to take on new responsibilities. Sadly, due to many staff reductions over the past 10 years, we’ve been asked to do that time and time again. This staff loves The Enterprise and will continue to work hard to produce a community newspaper

of which this great town can be proud.” Davis, a USC School of Journalism alumna, has worked for The Enterprise since 1979. As a member of the Davis Chamber of Commerce, former president of the Rotary Club and longtime community volunteer and organizer, Davis has played an integral role in the Davis community since becoming editor of the Enterprise in 1982. She will be stepping down alongside her husband, Bruce Gallaudet, the current sports editor for The Enterprise, on March 2 and plans to

move to the San Francisco peninsula. “When Oñate takes over as editor (with Wayne Tilcock now the sports editor), it means The Enterprise won’t miss a beat,” Gallaudet said via email. “Together they have about 40 years at the newspaper and each knows their new responsibilities from a unique perspective. Debbie and I have tried to share our experience and knowledge, but both will stand on their own with a wealth of background. Better choices couldn’t have been made to handle a community newspaper.” Oñate has lived in Davis since 1986, having graduated from Davis Senior High School in 1992. He earned a degree in engineering from Marquette University in Milwaukee, giving him a technological background that Enterprise staff members hope will give

him an edge on adapting the print newspaper into the digital age and moving the local business forward. He’s worked for the Enterprise since 1999 and has been working under Debbie Davis as an associate editor since 2000. “It’s very big footprints I’ve got to fill,” Oñate said. “My advantage is that I’ve been at Debbie’s right hand for 17 years now and I’ve gotten to know how she operates and what the best way to do this job is [...] I feel keenly the responsibility of this position. I know people love the Enterprise; I know people depend on the Enterprise for certain news that you can’t get anywhere else. People look to us for that.” Oñate, Davis, Gallaudet and Bob Dunning, a longtime columnist for the Enterprise, all noted the diminishing capacity within which The Enterprise is forced

to operate. The four journalists mentioned how new technologies and larger digital news formats have affected the number of readers and, over time, caused a drop in the output of The Enterprise. To adapt to the new digital format, Gallaudet noted, via email, that the future of The Enterprise would see “new, reader-friendly technology.” All four were confident in the future of printed news and the future of The Enterprise within the Davis community. “He’s a really sharp guy,” Dunning said of Oñate. “Obviously it’s a very expanded role — a much more public role than he had before [...] But in terms of knowing the newspaper and knowing what we need to get in and be efficient, he’d be top-notch. If he can fully replace Debbie, he’ll be a miracle worker. She’s that good. And I believe that he will.”


THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018 | 5

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

JAMIE CHEN / AGGIE

Swine flu 2.0 Reports say flu vaccine effectiveness especially low this season BY G R AC E SI M M O NS features@theaggie.org

Sniffles, coughing and fevers, oh my! February marks the peak for influenza season which this year is proving to be particularly nasty. The Center for Disease Control reports a record-breaking pandemic, the worst since the H1N1 swine flu in 2009. Like the rest of the nation,

UC Davis was hit hard this year. Vaccinated or not, the bug has spread through the student body like wildfire. So why is the flu hitting so hard this year? Dr. Cindy Schorzman, the medical director at the UC Davis Student Health and Wellness Center says one reason is due to the effectiveness of this years vaccine. “According to current CDC estimates the vaccination effectiveness is 39 per-

JEREMY DANG / AGGIE

Grant awarded to Yolo Hospice Yolo Hospice receives $60,000 grant for advance care planning BY R A BI YA O BE RO I city@theaggie.org

Partnership Healthplan of California and The Coalition for Compassionate

Care of California awarded Yolo Hospice a $60,000 grant for advance health care planning in the community. Yolo Coalition to Honor Choices — a coalition formed by Yolo Hospice that

cent, which is higher than previously reported,” Schorzman said. The Los Angeles Times reported early on in the flu season the projected vaccine effectiveness to be just 10 percent based on data from Australia’s flu season which starts earlier than the U.S. “Historically [the U.S.] follows a similar pattern of effectiveness [to Australia] because the strains tend to be similar,” Schorzman said. “However, the vaccine in the US was more effective this season than Australia in their flu season.” Though the United States’ vaccine was found to be considerably more effective than predicted, these initial reports affected whether people got the flu shot this season. “I think that the press had an unfortunate impact on the numbers of people getting the flu shot,” Schorzman said. This is one of the major factors that caused this flu to hit the country so hard this season. Emmy Hughes, a third-year managerial economics major who tested positive for influenza opted out of getting vaccinated this year. “I didn’t get vaccinated the year before, and I heard it was only 15 percent effective this year, so I didn’t think it was that important,” Hughes said. “But mostly I think it was laziness.”

When asked about the vaccinations offered at the Student Health and Wellness Center, Hughes said she was unaware of these services. Hughes started getting sick on a Friday and experienced symptoms such as high fever, coughing, sore throat and even fainting. “I blacked out a couple times,” Hughes said. “I was eating and passed out at the table, and then I woke up and got up and I passed out on the floor again.” Fainting is not a common flu symptom, but she explained that fainting was not uncommon due to her anemia. She was concerned nonetheless. “I went to the Davis Urgent Care,” Hughes said. “It was Saturday, so it was the closest open resource.” She tested positive for influenza and was prescribed Tamiflu. “They also gave me a prescription for cough syrup and told me to take NyQuil, which helped me sleep,” Hughes said. Trevor Carpenter, a first-year computer science major went to the UC Davis Student Health and Wellness Center after showing similar symptoms where he tested positive for influenza. “I don’t have the student insurance, but they were very helpful,” Carpenter said. “The whole process was very quick. I met with a nurse and a doctor within a

half an hour. It was a very positive experience.” Like Hughes, Carpenter also did not get vaccinated this year. “I thought about it, but I heard it didn’t have a high success rate this year,” Carpenter said. When asked if he would have reconsidered getting the flu shot if the effectiveness was not so low, Carpenter said this wouldn’t have influenced his decision. Because he had never had the flu before, Carpenter didn’t know how severe flu symptoms were. The Student Health and Wellness Center prescribed Carpenter with Tamiflu, recommended painkillers and rest. His virus and symptoms were present for a week. February is the peak of the flu season, but by no means is it over and there is still time to get a flu vaccination. Schorzman also explained that, even though the 39 percent effectiveness report is lower than other years, it is still worth getting. “People who are vaccinated if they get sick will often get a less severe version of the flu, and that is in general, not just this season,” Schorzman said. To prevent getting sick it is recommended to get adequate rest, wash your

includes Yolo Healthy Aging Alliance, Woodland Healthcare and Citizens Who Care — aims to provide education and awareness for advance care planning. “Advance care planning is the discussion that someone has with their family or physician about the care they are unable to receive for themselves,” said Dustin M. Lyda, the public affairs manager of Partnership Healthplan of California. “Making sure that the people around us understand the wishes of those who are unable to speak for themselves is our focus.” Silvia Molina, a Yolo Hospice community ambassador and the project management coordinator for the grant, also emphasized the importance of advance care planning. “We are really trying to reaching the broader community,” Molina said. “Anyone over the age of 18 can have an advance care directive. Different cultures believe in different things when it comes to ends of lives. And so we have experts for that — to have those conversations.” Sheila Allen, the executive director of Yolo Healthy Aging Alliance, talked

about the possible benefits that could come with this grant. “The mission [of Yolo Healthy Aging Alliance] is to enhance the well-being of older adults,” Allen said. “We are very interested in being a part of this grant because its goal is to educate the community. Part of this grant is the coalition. We are developing the coalition to get input and views from different organizations.” She further emphasized the importance of having these conversations. “Having this conversation is not just for the very old or the very sick,” Allen said. “Everybody should think about what it is they would like to do if they can’t speak for themselves — who would they like to speak on their behalf.” Lyda highlighted what the grant means for the Partnership Healthplan of California. “The partnership sees the goal of this grant as to bring the community together, to build the community coalition that can help advance health for individuals and doctors,” Lyda said. “It gives them a

forum to talk about their end-of-life options. Everyone should have the education. Here at Partnership Healthplan, we make sure employees have the resources to have these kinds of advance care planning conversations with their families.” According to Molina, the grant money can be expected to be allocated toward the larger goal of making advance care planning accessible and heard to the public. “We are planning to have advance care planning events,” Molina said. “We will be having a workshop where people, if they feel like talking, can talk about who they want as their health agent, talk to their family and then — if they feel they can — go ahead and fill [out] the documents, which will then be sent to their doctor.” Yolo Hospice will have its first kickoff event in August, though outreach will begin sooner. “We will be working with Aging Alliance to to get the word out to the people, and we will start on that as early as March 26,” Molina said.

As discussed in last month’s article in The Aggie, the Nishi project remains controversial because of conflicting views about the potential health risks at the location, prompting numerous opinion pieces in The Enterprise and The Vanguard, including those by Dr. Tom Cahill, a longtime Nishi opponent, and Dr. Charles Salocks, who questions Cahill’s argument. However, since the project is intended to help students the most, it is also important to hear how they evaluate the potential risks and benefits of the project. Davis is experiencing a severe housing shortage, so students in need of housing may gain from a development that could provide around 2,200 beds. “I am tentatively and cautiously in support of the Nishi Project,” said ASUCD President and fourth-year political science and economics major Josh Dalavai. “Student housing is one of the most salient issues in our community, but I also have concerns over the environ-

mental impact and safety of the project.” Due to the housing crisis in Davis, efforts to tackle the problem have been one of ASUCD’s priorities. Senator Jacob Sedgley sits on the GSA-ASUCD Joint Housing Taskforce and has been heavily involved with addressing housing issues in Davis. He discussed some of his goals related to housing in general and discussed Nishi specifically. “This issue is multifaceted in that student housing comes from more than one place in Davis,” Sedgley said. “By that I mean that both the University and the City of Davis have obligations to provide housing for the students coming in. Along with that, sources of housing can also come from other places [including] units rented out by private residents. I have targeted these three groups to try to add more housing in Davis.” Sedgley, who stands in support of the Nishi project, has spoken at Davis City Council meetings to support developments that could provide additional

student housing, like Nishi and Lincoln 40. He has also met with local developers and plans to work to provide emergency funding for students experiencing housing difficulties resulting from the actions of their landlords. ASUCD Senator and President-elect Michael Gofman also voiced his support for the project. “I am personally very in favor of the Nishi development, and I know that most of the senate table is as well,” Gofman said. “Although the development is obviously not perfect, we are currently facing a dire housing shortage, which is why I’m in favor of any extra housing that we can build, anywhere in the Davis area.” In 2016, ASUCD officially endorsed the mixed-use Nishi project, but is yet to endorse the revised project. “At the moment, we have no plans to endorse the project but that is subject to

MACLEAN HARTFORD / AGGIE

Nishi 2.0: The student perspective The new Nishi proposal is headed for the ballot, but what do students think? BY B E N JA M I N P ORT E R features@theaggie.org

Earlier this month, the Davis City Council voted unanimously to put the revised proposal for developing the Nishi

Property on the June 2018 ballot. While the measure that failed in 2016 included space for residential housing and research, the new project would provide student housing exclusively, which could give it an edge.

M.S. in COMPUTER SCIENCE

for non-computer science students! Don’t miss this unique opportunity to pursue a Master’s in Computer Science! Application Deadline: March 15 The first year is an immersion in programming fundamentals. Careers in Tech! Recent grads have positions at Adobe, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Oracle, Salesforce, Twitter and many startups.

Summer Practicum. Real-world experience through a tech firm internship, or a research or open-source project. Who Can Apply? Students with a basic introduction in one programming language. Contact us: gradadvisor@cs.usfca.edu Visit: usfca.edu/cs-bridge-Davis

FLU on 11

NISHI on 11


6 | THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

Opinion editorial board

the California Aggie EDITORIAL BOARD BRYAN SYKES Editor-in-Chief EMILY STACK Managing Editor

A divided ASUCD Election results further ASUCD toxicity

HANNAH HOLZER Campus News Editor KAELYN TUERMER-LEE City News Editor TARYN DEOILERS Opinion Editor GILLIAN ALLEN Features Editor ALLY OVERBAY Arts & Culture Editor VERONICA VARGO Sports Editor HARNOOR GILL Science & Tech Editor

CHIARA ALVES New Media Manager BRIAN LANDRY Photo Director CHRISTIE NEO Design Director AMY YE Layout Director MAXINE MULVEY Copy Chief OLIVIA ROCKEMAN Copy Chief JAYASHRI PADMANABHAN Website Manager ALEX GUZMÁN Social Media Mangager MADELINE ONG Newsletter Manager LAURIE PEDERSON Business Development Manager

Michael Gofman and Shaniah Branson of the Unite! slate won the ASUCD election for president and vice president by a small margin on Friday, Feb. 23, narrowly defeating Julie Jung and Julienne Correa of the BASED slate. The response by members of ASUCD that followed was swift, vocal and unabashedly acidic. A combination of current and former ASUCD senators, commissioners, volunteers and community members vocalized their opposition to the election results via social media with a litany of responses ranging from disappointment in the voters to serious accusations made against the Unite! presidential ticket. In a campaign reminiscent of #NotMyPresident, the slogan “ASUCD does not represent us” has has been adopted by dozens of dissatisfied students. The ASUCD Gender and Sexuality Commission went so far as to change the cover photo on its official Facebook page to reflect this slogan, writing, “In light of recent election results, we do not support executive elects complicit and active in maintaining white supremacist, trans antagonistic, lgbtqia antagonistic, and patriarchal institutions.” This response is a shocking display of turmoil within the association and does nothing to improve existing and future relationships within the organization. It serves only to highlight the disparity in views represented at the table. GASC, or anyone for that matter, should not blindly follow the president — on the contrary, they should take strong stances on issues they care about. Disagreements should be aired and addressed. But unqualified claims of white suprem-

acy and animosity toward those elected by the student body — albeit, a decidedly miniscule proportion of students — only exacerbates the existing toxicity within ASUCD. Antagonism in government breeds polarization, which can lead to gridlock and an inability to work across existing divisions. Students can either contribute to this polarization or approach ASUCD politics in a more constructive manner. This unequivocally applies to everyone within the association. Arguably, many of the platforms that the Unite! presidential ticket ran on are similar to platforms championed by the BASED slate. Members of ASUCD should not let their reservations keep them from influencing and passing legislation that could lead to significant change for all UC Davis students. In a recent interview with KDVS News, President-elect Gofman asserted that he wants to represent all voices on campus and create change by transcending politics. He said he wants input. It is the duty of ASUCD members to hold him to that — to never let up and to never be complacent. And they must consider the effects of refusing to engage at all. The toxicity and deep divisions within ASUCD are more than apparent. The association is at a crossroads; its members can attempt to come together or can continue to push each other apart. To the members of the association: The decision is up to you.

The competition between women that destroys the feminist movement from within WE NEED AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WOMEN ARE NOT PITTED AGAINST EACH OTHER BY AKSHITA GANDRA agandra@ucdavis.edu “Mean Girls” was the movie that defined my adolescence. Every girl wanted to grow up and become Regina, Cady or Gretchen — sassy, mean, vicious and supremely self-confident. The vague, cheesy ending that attempted to somewhat reconcile the differences between the various groups of very angry girls didn’t outweigh the toxic message the movie sent about the heartlessness and cruelty of girls. The worst part is that this dynamic seems to frequently appear in our daily lives. Throughout my life, many of my relationships with my closest female friends have existed in a dichotomy. I would either thrive on the unconditional support and love my friend gave me through every stage of my life, or I would experience the toxicity of another woman dragging me down. From my perspective, most friendships between men seemed to be much simpler with significantly less drama, but I also constantly encounter situations in which they shy away from emotionally relying on each other — their friendships subsist in a balance instead of a dichotomy. “Call me old-fashioned, but I want a man who will protect me like I'm the reputation of a guy he's never met,” said comedian Kate Willett, referring to the tendency of men to defend each other unconditionally, whereas in many cases, women may not readily defend women they don’t know. Girls tend to be loving and supportive of their friends, but there are also so many negative interactions and so much hate between groups of women placed in stressful social environments — something that can be attributed to a power struggle. I see women dragging each other down constantly in response to one other’s success and happiness. I’ve noticed that girls will swoop

in to provide short-term encouragement for another girl, perhaps through fawning over her Instagram selfie, and offer emotional support if she’s feeling upset or insecure, but will rarely support her when she’s genuinely happy and content with the substantial achievements in her life. We live in a society where women are pitted against each other without remorse. We constantly need to prove that we are flawless to receive admiration, recognition and respect from others. There are so few spots for women at the top in STEM, in business and in many other fields, and this encourages competition between women. Women are constantly placed in positions where they are directly compared to the women next to them — in workplaces, in academia and in daily situations. There is so much pressure for women to be perfect: perfect bodies, perfect leaders, perfect daughters, sisters, mothers — the list goes on. With intense pressure comes various insecurities about not being good enough. In a society that constantly emotionally beats down women who do not fit the image of perfection, it’s awful to see that the systems in place make some women feel lesser than others. We are constantly judged for our actions and decisions in a way that many men aren’t. Women are told to give complete attention to their appearance to validate their self-worth, but if they care too much, they are seen as vain and narcissistic instead of confident and powerful. Women are seen as prudish and boring for not talking to any men, but labeled as irresponsible — and many other vulgar words — for talking to too many. A woman is expected to fight her way to the top of the chain at work, and if she’s too friendly she’s disregarded, but if she’s too strongwilled, she’s labeled “bossy” or “bitchy.” Perhaps a woman will feel the need to conform to the patriarchal standards in order to fit in and finally reach a position of respect and power. Perhaps a woman needs to prove herself time and time again

to finally be respected, and she spurns the successes of other women because she’s constantly labeled as inferior if she doesn’t meet the same level of success. In 2016, the YouTuber Superwoman created the #GirlLove challenge to encourage positive interactions between women and diminish girl-on-girl hate. This movement makes it easier to realize that women already struggle with unequal pay, sexual harassment, constantly being put down, meeting the expectations of society and dealing with the various other plights of female citizens around the world, so girls hating on other girls simply destroys the feminist movement from within and takes us a step backward. We can live in a world where women support each other and build each other up instead of gossiping out of jealousy and judging other women for their decisions. We need to create an environment where women are valued just as much as men in order to end this toxic girl-on-girl competition. If we really want to see positive progress for women around the world, we need to start building each other up and seeing every win for a woman as a win for all of us. JEREMY DANG / AGGIE

The problem with eco-friendly trends ENVIRONMENTAL FADS ARE ONLY GOOD WHILE THEY LAST BY JESS DRIVER jmdriver@ucdavis.edu You might have seen what appears to be overly enthusiastic cleanup crews — individuals running with hefty bags scouring the streets for trash. Most likely, you have witnessed plogging, a running trend from Sweden that combines jogging and litter pick-up. The activity gets its name from a mashup between jogging and “ploca up,” which means “pick up” in Swedish. If you Google search "plogging," you will find that this new fitness trend has gone viral. With so much attention given to the ecofriendly activity, plogging seems great for the environment, right? But the problem with environmental trends like plogging is that they eventually go out of style. Trends help people test out lifestyle changes, but they can quickly be swapped out for the next craze. Fads like the tiny house movement come and go. What looked great on social media — that cutesy, refurbished shipping container — works out not-so-great in real life. Now, people want bigger, not smaller, houses. And bigger houses,

unless they are solar-powered and energy-efficient, tend to be worse for the environment. On the other hand, some trends, like locavorism — a movement in which people only eat local food — and recycled packaging, have helped drive the food market. That’s why companies like McDonald’s, which has pledged to switch to recyclable packing by 2025, are choosing greener business models. "Our customers have told us that packaging waste is the top environmental issue they would like us to address," said Francesca DeBiase, McDonald’s sustainability officer. Research has shown that Millennials care about sustainability, and companies are trying to adopt eco-friendly practices to gain their business. Sustainable brands are immensely popular. (If I had a nickel for every Patagonia fleece I saw on campus, I could buy a new Patagonia fleece.) Sustainable brands like Patagonia, which has actually been around since the 1970s, use recycled and organic materials that are better for the environment. Patagonia encourages buying used gear through its Worn Wear program, too. The zero-waste movement, another rising trend, has recently

gained national attention as bulk stores have become more commonplace. Companies like New York-based Package Free sell sustainable items, such as reusable produce bags and stainless-steel straws, that help people reduce waste. A bamboo toothbrush “helps to eliminate one of the most prevalent forms of ocean plastic pollution, plus it looks insanely chic in your bathroom,” says the Package Free website. Bamboo toothbrushes will not only help you save the world. They will make you look super cool while doing it. All this is to say that we have the potential to make real changes out of our current fascinations. We just have to stick with trends until they take hold. “The most important thing is to understand the power of buying," said Bea Johnson, the author who started the zero-waste living trend. "Every time you buy, that's a vote. You have the power to support a practice that is either sustainable or not." We are the difference between a passing fad and real change. So grab your plog sack and hit the streets — before the trend passes and you’re left looking like a total rube.


THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018 | 7

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

HUMOR

Which inconvenience of my day you are based on your zodiac sign THESE INCONVENIENCES MIGHT SURPRISE YOU! BY L ARA LOPTMAN lrloptman@ucdavis.edu Sometimes we have days that are inconvenient. This means that the only way to cope is by choosing to release stress in a healthy way, such as talking to a friend or peer, or to release it in a better way, such as creating a listicle that chronicles said inconveniences in a way that also arbitrarily groups people together. So let’s start with the obvious: Running over a cement block with my car: Gemini, Scorpio, Aquarius, Leo, other evil signs If you’re a Gemini, Scorpio or any other sign that I take issue with, the inconvenience of my day that I grant you is when I ran over a cement block with my car. Like the cement block, you are very stubborn

and I probably won’t notice you. Unlike the cement block, you do well under pressure (even if that pressure is a very heavy item, like my car). Being tired despite eight hours of sleep: Cancer, Taurus, Pisces, Libra Cancers and similar signs are usually depicted as whiny and overly emotional, which is exactly why they perfectly identify with how I feel on a daily basis. I got, like, probably eight hours of sleep, but that is definitely not going to stop me from complaining about how tired I am. Trying to only have one cup of coffee a day, but forgetting I had a cup of coffee earlier, and then having another cup of coffee: Virgo, Sagittarius Virgos are known for being very precise, and Sagittariuses probably are, too. For that reason, these signs have been granted the honor of

identifying with my miscalculation of my caffeine intake — a rookie move, but one I make on the daily, regardless. My Hydro Flask water getting warm: Aries This is obviously a joke, because my Hydro Flask water never gets warm. I put ice in my Hydro Flask at 8 a.m. Right now? It’s 3 a.m., and that water is still colder than Davis when it rains. Aries are perfect, because that’s my sign, just like Hydro Flasks are perfect, because I own one. As you can see, the signs all have their own unique personalities, but Aries is inherently better than all of them. As you can also see, I have many inconveniences per day, but if you feel bad and would like to make a donation, I have been known to never turn down condolences in the form of LaCroix.

Score! Arboretum algae gone thanks to one large shamwow UC DAVIS RESORTS TO AS-SEEN-ON-TV ADS TO SOLVE ITS AGE-OLD DEBACLE BY OLIVIA LUCHINI ocluchini@ucdavis.edu Like a tween with a face full of acne and a million hormones doing the can-can, the Arboretum’s algae holds it back from achieving true confidence. No amount of Proactiv (pond cleaning?) has been able to alleviate its surface flaws. However, one brave economics minor, Chad Falcon, has found a solution to bring this curvy waterway’s groove back. Chad strutted into a lecture hall filled to the brim with scientists, environmentalists and Leonardo DiCaprios, ranging from “Titanic” ones to “The Revenant” ones. They chittered and chattered on about how they could possibly solve the arboretum’s flaw. Some suggested putting a machine in to keep a current constantly going to prevent standing water, but that could never work. Well, it couldn’t possibly work better than what Chad was bringing to the table. “So, like, we get a shamwow,” Chad said. “Yah, brah.” The whole audience stood up, throwing bouquets of roses and money at Chad. He threw up two hang-loose hands and stuck his tongue out for the mass of news cameras diving toward who can only be described as the Albert Einstein of his generation. With this, they called 1-800-SHAMWOW and told the one

packaging guy who still worked at the old company to STEP ON IT. “What size would you like?” the sole employee said. “We have small, medium, la-” “BIGGEST BIG,” the masses shouted into one iPhone 5C. “THE BIGGEST BIG THAT YOU CAN BRING.” Understanding the seriousness of this task, Shamwow dude grabbed all three of the remaining towels and stapled them together. He had done it. The Damnwow was born. The team unloaded the Damnwow out of Shamwow bro’s Kia Soul and got to work. “Y’all, my name’s Keith,” Shamwow kid hollered from the driver’s seat. “Nobody gives a rat’s buttocks, sugar,” shouted all 300 people in perfect unison, with harmonies. “D’oh,” Shamkeith said. The team threw the mighty Damnwow across the waters of the Putah Creek channel, like a beautifully gigantic Biore pore strip (for you lame biscuits, that’s one of those nose strips that looks like a bandaid and pulls your skin harder than Chad pulls ladies at the club). They let it soak for five minutes. “Pretty good weather we’re having,” said one member of the pack. “Yeah, I agree,” said a distant voice in the back of the gathering. “It’s a little brisk for my taste!” shouted Gary May from the top

floor of Mrak Hall. “They didn’t even solve my riddle to be able to cross this bridge,” grumbled the pepper spray cop. At last, the Damnwow had sat for just long enough. The team lifted it to reveal stunning blue waters and a family of dolphins singing the soundtrack from “The Sound of Music.” They all had matching sweaters. Beside them, Sebastian and Ariel from “The Little Mermaid” were decorating the water with flower petals and those hip floaties that are shaped like avocados or whatever the kids like these days. “Is this really what the arb was meant to look like all these years?” the group said as it marveled at the beautiful sight. “No, it’s a damn creek, bro,” the dolphins said. CAITLYN SAMPLEY / AGGIE

DISC L A I M ER: Th e vi ews a n d op in i o ns ex p re ss e d by i nd i vidu al colu mn ists be lon g to th e colu mn ists alon e and do no t necessari l y i ndi cate the vi ews and o pi ni o ns hel d by The Cal i for n ia Ag g ie. Le t te rs to t he e d i to r can be addre ss e d to opin ion @ th e aggie.org. ISSUE DESIGNED BY AMY YE | CHRISTIE NEO | CINDY CHEUNG |JONATHAN CHEN | PATTIE CHEN | SHEREEN NIKZAD | LILY LEAVESSEUR | GENESIA TING | NICKI PADAR


8 | THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

SCIENCE+TECH HALLE DIMSDALE-ZUCKER / COURTESY

New findings in brain processes using virtual reality VR environments allow for immersive participation, incongruent findings BY JACK C A RRI L LO CO N CO R DI A science@theaggie.org

Have you ever walked toward the CoHo to get to your bike, only to find out your bike is an entirely different location? You might have realized your bike is actually at Wellman, but recalled that yesterday it was at the CoHo. The information stored in your brain was retrieved incorrectly. A paper published in the “Nature Communications” journal by Ph.D. candidate Halle Dimsdale-Zucker and her colleagues at the Ranganath Lab used virtual reality to place participants in two distinct houses. The houses were carefully controlled environments filled with about 200 easily recognizable objects, ranging from a football helmet to a bowling pin to a bookcase. Participants would watch a few short videos showcasing the virtual environments, which differed in their object placement. They would then be shown images of objects and be asked whether or not they observed them in any of the videos. Their brain activity would be recorded using an fMRI scanner to determine what parts of the hippocampus were activated when a person was retrieving certain types of memories. The hippocampus “files” information by time and location (spatial memory) and the context of that time and place are stored separately (episodic memory). Both are needed to reconstruct stored memories.

JAMIE CHEN / AGGIE

Health and honey Population genetics, farming practices can create healthier, hardier honey bee BY MAT T M A RC URE science@theaggie.org

Health and honey go hand in hand. It is often suggested to those who suffer allergies that they eat wildflower honey from local bees. Honey can also kill various bacteria, such as Escherichia coli. But we often don’t think about the health of honey bees, the producers of that honey. A recent study done by the Ramirez Lab at UC Davis in the Department of Evolution and Ecology brings this question to light. The study looked at the population distribution of different types of honey bees, or apis mellifera, in California since the species first introduction to the state in 1863. Numerous lineages have emerged; the two prominent ones are the M group, which includes a. mellifera, more commonly known as the European honey bee, and the A group, which includes a. mellifera scutellata, or the African honey bee. But there are more groups, such as the C, which includes italian a. mellifera, or the Italian honey bee. Looking at specimen from museum collections, the research was able to map out the species’ evolution and genetic distribution over the past 105 years. Significantly, they found that the honey bee population in Southern California stems from the A lineage of the African honey bee. While notorious for its aggressive behaviour, this lineage is of increasing interest. Earlier research has shown that the African honey bee is more resistant than others to the varroa mite, a parasite to which the honey bee is highly

“What we found was, brain activity in these very specific parts of the hippocampus, was very sensitive to when the events took place,” said Charan Ranganath, the director of the memory and plasticity program at UC Davis and a professor at the Center for Neuroscience in the Department of Psychology. “What you could find is that in one area [of the hippocampus], which is called CA1, it was lumping together memories of objects that you saw in the same movie, but it filed the memories completely differently if they were seen in different movies.” This split could be likened to the organization of computer files either by time or by the type of file. Memory can also be compared to writing down information. The pen is used for encoding the information and the piece of paper with the information is stored for later use. It’s like having a grocery list on the piece of paper and needing to retrieve the information while at the store. “But what’s different about our memories and writing down something on a grocery list is that our memories aren’t a snapshot of what happened,” Dimsdale-Zucker said. “Our memories are a reconstruction of what we think happened. It’s not just as simple as bringing out your grocery list and saying, ‘Oh, all 10 items are on my list’. It’s more like if you pulled out your grocery list and maybe things are written in a slightly different font, and some of the letters are missing and some of the items aren’t there.”

susceptible. “It is a small mite that can attack adult mellifera and can transmit viruses,” said Santiago Ramirez, an assistant professor of evolution and ecology and one of the lead researchers of the study. “This is by far the most important cause of mortality of the honey bee in the U.S.” A single infected bee can affect the whole colony, as the infected may transfer the viruses and weaken the colony overall. Unfortunately, varroa mites are everywhere. As a farmer in the United States, dealing with issues related to varroa mites is unavoidable, explained Ramirez. A farmer is forced to kill them, weaken them, or wait for winter, when the mite colonies die off. However, if all the agricultural honey bees are Africanized, or bred with the African honey bee, it is possible that a stronger, healthier honey bee may be created that is more resistant to the varroa mite, as suggested by Ramirez. But mites are not the only problem that honey bees face. Honey bees are currently the primary pollinator used by farmers in large-scale crop production. In industrialized agriculture, you can think of them as a type of mono-pollinator. “Honey bees are by far the most widely used pollinator because they have very large colonies and can be deployed in large numbers in large agricultural crops,” Ramirez said. “There is a convenience to honey bees.” This places a lot of stress and dependence on a single pollinator species. Moreover, it exposes honey bees to factors that compromise their health. “The honey bee has survivorship issues relating to various pathogens and parasites in industrial agriculture,” said Brian Johnson, a professor of agricultural entomology and bees at UC Davis. While a more genetically resistant bee could be the solution to the threat posed by these pathogens and parasites, Johnson does not believe it is the answer. “Bee breeding has been and will be less effective a means of ensuring the health and productivity of honey bees than is the production of better treatments for the parasites that abound in them,” Johnson said. One way to address this threat to the honey bee is BEE on 11

The use of VR isn’t new in memory research, but as technology improves, it is important to bring a different and immersive experience to the participant. List learning doesn’t have the same level of engagement as a VR experience. “[VR] provides a way to make precise brain measurements with fMRI from observers having a real world experience that mimics daily life,” said Joy Geng, an associate professor of psychology who studies how attention affects information processing. “The work is innovative because it combines the best of ecologically valid research [research in which a variable in a simulated environment can be generalized to real life situations] with highly controlled research.” According to Dimsdale-Zucker, there are “exciting discrepancies” between the paper’s findings and others in the same field. “There’s been a lot of models and theoretical work proposing different regions of the hippocampus represent different types of information, but in humans, there’s been limited information that that’s actually true,” Dimsdale-Zucker said. “This is one of the first studies to report a dissociation between regions of the hippocampus for representing information in different ways.” Jared Stokes, a Ph.D. candidate in Arne Ekstrom’s human spatial navigation lab, compared his work and that of Dimsdale-Zucker’s, noting that there are major differences in the experimental design which are causing these discrepancies. He is optimistic that the improvement of technologies like VR may help in aligning the experimental results of other scientists, given that the designs of the experiment is similar. “It’s been a challenge to try and figure out a way to functionally dissociate these regions,” Stokes said. “I think that in some ways, her findings haven’t mapped out to a lot of people’s findings, but neither have [other scientists’ findings] mapped onto other people’s. There’s basically just a lot of incongruities in the research, and I think trying to understand these gaps is a real challenge, but it’s exciting.” Dimsdale-Zucker is planning to follow up on her research about spatial and episodic memory by turning her focus to remembering temporal information. She hopes that her work can “build up the instruction manual” and improve the lives of citizens, especially the elderly who may be experiencing memory problems. “I think better understanding not just how we remember objects or items, but how we remember this related information is going to be really critical for understanding how memories work in the future,” Dimsdale-Zucker said. “That’s something that I and other people in the Ranganath Lab have been working on quite extensively.”

ALLYSON KO / AGGIE

Following the Script: Women and Crying in the Workplace Recent paper analyzes gender dynamics in the office BY KR I TI VAR GHESE science@theaggie.org

Professor Kimberly Elsbach from the UC Davis Graduate School of Management and Beth Bechky of the Stern School of Business at New York University analyzed interviews of 65 full-time working professionals to show how employees evaluate women in the workplace using cognitive scripts. The study consisted of data from 41 female and 24 male professionals. The average age of the professionals they interviewed was 39.87 with an average work experience of 17.7 years and had diverse roles in the workplace. The study extended the theories of Ad Vingerhoets, which focused on answering crying-related questions. “There are four scripts for four common situations in which women cry at work: dealing with personal problems [like death in the family or divorce], receiving critical feedback at work, like a negative performance appraisal, dealing with work stress and being involved in a heated meeting,” Elsbach said. “In each of these situations there are certain behaviors that are typical and allowed, like showing some emotion, and others that are not, like crying extensively and interrupting the work of others.” The power dynamic in the workplace assumes different roles for men and women. If women don’t follow the script, they are seen as unprofessional. Women are told to behave in a certain way before they even enter the workplace. “Before becoming an academic, I worked in the field for over 10 years,” said Jeanette Ruiz, a lecturer in the Department of Communication. “One of the first pieces of advice my mentor gave me was don’t cry at work, don’t let anyone at work see you cry. It is also information I share with my students SCRIPTS on 12

DR. IAN FALOONA / COURTESY

First statewide estimation of NOx in California Agricultural nitrogen oxide emissions higher than previously thought BY K IRA BUR NETT & GEOR GE U G ART EMENDI A science@theaggie.org

While California regulates nitrogen oxide emissions from cars and engines, an unexpectedly significant amount of the gases may be coming from an unrecognized source: agricultural lands. A UC Davis study shows that agricultural lands emit between 20 and 32 percent of the total nitrogen oxide gases in the state, far more than previously thought. “The model we used showed a large and previously undetected source of NOx coming mainly from fertilized soils,” said Maya Almaraz, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Land, Air and Water Resources at UC Davis, in an email interview. “While this was surprising at first, after diving into the literature we found that this compared well with estimates of soil NOx in other agricultural regions of the world. This is the first study of its kind to take place in California, so we still have a lot more questions and a lot more to learn about soil NOx in rural areas of the state.”

NOx gases are an air pollutant harmful to human health, which is why they are regulated by various state agencies, including the California Air Resources Board. NOx can also help form fine particulate matter or react with volatile organic compounds in sunlight to form ground-level ozone, two of the components of smog. Some of the worst air quality sites in the nation are found in the Central Valley. “NOx includes NO and NO2,” said Edith Bai, a professor at the Institute of Applied Ecology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in an email interview. “NO is usually quickly oxidized to NO2 and so they are usually expressed as NOx. They are air pollutants and have been linked to upper respiratory disease, asthma, cancer, birth defects, cardiovascular disease, and sudden infant death syndrome and environmental problems such as ozone depletion and acid rain. Many studies have reported high NOx emissions from croplands. Especially, several recent in situ experimental studies suggested that soil sourced NOx emission into the FERTILIZER on 12


THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018 | 9

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS

CHESS ANSWERS And the alternative after the King is put in check: if the King does not take our knight and moves... 1...g6+ 2. Ke5 Qxg5#

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

Chess This week’s puzzle is a checkmate in two moves. White to move, checkmate in two. Hint: look for your opponent’s avenue of escape, their king’s movements are limited.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA TWITTER: @CALIFORNIAAGGIE FACEBOOK: THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE INSTAGRAM: @THECALIFORNIAAGGIE SNAPCHAT: @CALIFORNIAAGGIE

Lucas College and Graduate School of Business

Attention Accounting Majors! Prepare to become a CPA. If you are interested in a career in tax accounting, a Master of Science in Taxation (MST) is a great way to meet the 150-hour requirement to become a CPA. • 30-unit graduate degree program • Full-time or part-time options available Or, if you are interested in a career in assurance or advisory, a Master of Science in Accountancy (MSA) can meet your CPA needs in our full-time, 30-unit program.

Get more information at:

www.sjsu.edu/lucasgsb/programs/mst/


THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

10 | THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018

ARTS & Culture

SHU Y I QI / COU RT ESY

Through the Artist’s Eye: Shuyi Qi UC Davis student talks personal showcase, politics of art BY JOSH M A D RI D arts@theaggie.org

Shuyi Qi, a fourth-year studio art and political science double major, is showcasing her collective work accumulated over her residence at UC Davis in an exhibit called “Journey.” The featured show is a water series, a collection of pieces inspired by the philosophical ideas introduced in Plato’s “Republic” — the struggle to transfer intangible, metaphysical forms into a visual world. Originally from Beijing, China, Shuyi moved to the Silicon Valley at the age of 5. Growing up in an environment that produced more tech minds than artists, Qi managed to incorporate a technical, detail-oriented algorithm to her representational, not-quite-abstract work. However, Qi explains that she wanted to allow abstract art to be the focal point of her exhibit. “I found an interesting comparison [to Plato’s philosophy] through water,” Qi said. “At first, I was painting oceanscapes around Point Lobos near Pebble Beach. The water is constantly moving, and I wondered how I would paint this. I noticed that the water makes a diamond shape when it comes up the shore to create waves, and it reminded me of fluid dynamics.” In the larger scope of her exhibit, Qi wanted to reflect on not only her art, but also her progression from then to now. “It’s called ‘Journey’ because it’s about my artistic progress as a UC Davis student,” Qi said. “I have works that were done as far back as freshman year — only one, though, the only one that I thought was suitable, the one that can uphold a standard. Everything is ordered in a loosely chronological order. The oldest pieces are shown in the beginning, and as the observer works their way to

the center, they find the most recent pieces.” Her ability to appreciate her journey is refreshing and bold. It’s not often we look back and appreciate how far we’ve come and showcase it to the world. In terms of personal growth, Qi found inspiration from her professors. “I definitely think that I improved a lot with each class,” Qi said. “Some of that is due to my professors pushing and challenging me to step out of my comfort zone. The advice that stood out to me most was to use more color: ‘Don’t be afraid to push the color.’ Typically, I am representational to a fault, so exaggerating color was never easy for me. Taking myself out of my comfort zone bled into my personal life. It’s made me less reluctant to open up to new experiences and new people. I learned to let go.” With an unapologetic perspective, Qi was more than willing to share her thoughts with regard to the role an artist plays in the interpretation of their work, revealing her political side. “I believe every artist has their own approach to assigning meaning to their art,” Qi said. “Personally, I like to be more upfront with my intention. I like to point people in certain direction to get them to think about certain topics and issues. I think it not only shows a lack of artistic skill, but cognitive skills.” Qi, of course, recognizes there are exceptions — still lifes are a good example of that. The artist speaks of upholding an unspoken artistic “standard.” She tried to focus on the value of her content and maintain intention with “rhyme and reason.” “In comparison to the rest of the Art Department, I am quite ‘conventional’ with my methods, which makes me the odd one out at times,”

Qi said. “Focusing on being ‘edgy’ takes away from actually understanding and interpreting their work. I don’t think there’s enough thinking going on.” Her abstract exhibit is a great example of all the great things art has to offer. In an era of technology and

ZOË R E I N H A R DT / AGGI E

Sourdough & Co. opens in University Mall New sandwich shop holds its own against competitors BY SY D N E Y OD M A N arts@theaggie.org

The art of sandwich-making can be a delicate process, but Sourdough & Co. manages to get the job well done while still maintaining its own unique style and taste. With eight other locations in nearby areas such as Sacramento and Roseville,

JO RDA N K N OW L E S / AGGI E

Creating positive change through fashion: Onus UC Davis student enacts positive change through clothing brand BY ISAAC F LO RES arts@theaggie.org

For many, fashion is a means of communicating sincerely held beliefs and values. For third-year textile and clothing design major Shoei Shibata, fashion has become a vehicle for creating positive change. Shibata created his own clothing brand, Onus,

practicality, it’s a breath of fresh air to see a place like Silicon Valley — the home of the Steve Jobs and Bill Gates of the world — produce such a painter. The exhibit is being displayed at the Walter A. Buehler Alumni Center from Feb. 5 to March 9.

Sourdough & Co. is the most recent addition to the dining scene of the University Mall on Russell Blvd. With the new store’s arrival, the U-Mall’s resident sandwich shop, Subway, now has a competitor just a few doors down, and a substantive one at that. First things first: let’s talk about the bread. I would say the bread alone is good enough to convince customers to return for another sandwich. So named for its sourdough bread, Sourdough and Co. offers perfectly toasted and freshly baked loaves of sourdough for just the right amount of crunch in every bite. The menu is self-explanatory, with an array of 14 different sandwiches to choose from, including roast beef, pastrami, chicken salad and garlic pesto turkey. After that, customers can decide on their cheese of choice. All the sandwiches are served on sourdough bread (unless otherwise specified), along with the shop’s house spread, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and mustard. For vegetarian or vegan customers, options are pretty limited — that is, in comparison to Ike’s Love and Sandwiches, with its endless array of different vegan combinations. Although I personally found my veggie sandwich to be slightly lacking in flavor and variety, the meal was still tasty and satisfying. Like most sandwich shops, Sourdough & Co. also offers an extensive selection of

chips and drinks that you can add to your order for $2.95. And on those extra chilly days of Winter Quarter, opt for a bread bowl with its Soup of the day, which varies among clam chowder, tomato bisque, cream of potato and more. Beyond the food itself, Sourdough & Co’s interior offers a warm, rustic and American-esque feel. On a rainy Davis evening, I was eagerly welcomed by the warmth of the restaurant and the friendliness of the staff behind the counter. “The atmosphere is really cool,” said secondyear human development major Addy Newman. “It almost feels like you’re eating a home-cooked meal.” Newman opted for the garlic pesto turkey sandwich, claiming after her meal that this place definitely made a better sandwich than the neighboring Subway. “The sandwiches at Sourdough & Co. feel lighter than the heavy meals at Ike’s,” Newman said. The final verdict: Sourdough & Co. is worth the visit. Although it may not live up to the gourmet style of Ike’s or the customizable familiarity of Subway, this sandwich franchise holds it own amid the evolving dining culture of Davis. Sourdough & Co. is located at 825 Russell Blvd. and is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays. For more information, visit their website.

which seeks to confront the issues facing society through this very mechanism, providing consumers the option to support a brand which donates 100 percent of its profit to charitable causes. For Shibata, in the context of modern consumerism, many clothing brands offer customers the opportunity to use their buying power to enact positive change within their community and abroad. He feels that while such clothing brands are fulfilling an important role within society, there are just as many brands that are devoid of any purpose or direction other than amassing profit. Working through distinct series of shirts stemming from the tragedies experienced by people in America and abroad, Onus seeks to confront societal problems in a sustainable and responsible manner. It is a brand that gives consumers an opportunity to use their spending power as a powerful tool to help support those affected by national tragedies. The brand’s first series was inspired by the ongoing water crisis in Flint, Mich. While the news cycle may have moved on, many in Flint still do not have access to clean drinking water. Working through the Flint Water Fund created by the United Way of

Genesee County, customers of Onus can help fund continuing restoration efforts. More recently, the brand has started a campaign to address the tragic school shooting in Parkland, Fla. Amid the flurry of heated debate on gun control and safety, many families have been left with medical and funerary expenses. All proceeds of Onus’ Parkland, Florida shirt series go to the Stoneman Douglas Victims’ Fund, which provides relief and financial support for victims and families involved in the shooting. “I want to make something that inspires the next generation to truly be themselves, because that is more important,” Shibata said about the brand’s future. You can browse the selection of shirts on Onus’ website. For Shibata and others collaborating with the brand, this work is invaluable for encouraging others to use all tools at their disposal to support one another in the face of adversity. Brands like Onus demonstrate that clothes aren’t simply about how you look but also, often, about what you think. Those interested in collaborating with Onus and its mission can contact the brand through its website.

reduce. reuse. recycle.

The aggie


THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018 | 11

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

BENHAM

NISHI

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

Democratic Society and a second-year biochemistry major, believes there has been an unjust legal burden placed on Benham who “got dragged out by the police” for “blocking a door.” “I think it is absurd that Noah was arrested and is being prosecuted when there was no violence, no broken windows and no laws broken,” Jara said. “It is completely ludicrous and we hope that the charges be dropped soon

because in reality there is nothing to charge him with.” Donald Dudley, the director of the Office of Student Support and Judicial Affairs, responded to the Aggie’s request for comment. “The University does not have a comment on this matter,” Dudley said via email. “The privacy of a student’s education records is protected by law and University policy.”

PROFILE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

a gold medal in 200 meters and 400 meter relay in high school level,” Kunwar said. “Then our school started taking participation in all these national events, national competitions that were happening. In one of these national competitions I became the best national athlete because I won my 200 meter race, 400 meter race and long jump.” Despite his success, Kunwar’s father was not completely happy with his decision to focus on sports. Kunwar mentioned that in Nepal, athletics are not considered a prestigious activity, let alone a career. It’s around this time that he started to take serious note of this situation around athletics in his home country. “Living conditions of athletes in Nepal are not so good either, so even if you’re a professional athlete, you’re not respected,” Kunwar said. “And apart from that, track and field is not a nationally accepted super game. It’s a big deal here [in the U.S.]. I was reading, it was like some billion dollars go to sports here in the United States, but it’s a different story in Nepal.” After Kunwar graduated high school, he came to the United States to join his parents living in the town of Santa Rosa, just north of the Bay Area. His father already worked in the country, which made it easier for Kunwar and his family to move and gain permanent residency. Kunwar then enrolled in Santa Rosa Junior College before transferring to UC Davis. After deciding soccer wasn’t for him, he started training in track and field at the JC. “I just kind of fell in love with the sports,” Kunwar said. “I started getting better and better. Then all the sudden one day when I was breaking my personal best after best, my coach was just like ‘why don’t you try out for Nepal?’ We just started looking for the best athlete in Nepal and how his times were. My personal best beat his personal best, that’s how I was like ‘yeah I think I should try for Nepal.’” And so began Kunwar’s journey to achieve even greater success at the sport, something he wanted to achieve so he could eventually be a voice for Nepalese athletes. The stark reality of it all, he realized, was that the basic facilities and equipment he received the the JC were far better than anything the athletes receive in Nepal. He claimed it’s not that Nepalese runners aren’t good at their sport, but that they lack the infrastructure to achieve their fullest potential. “While in JC, we were training on a synthetic track, and every time I got injured I would get facilities, like I would go to the training center and get ice bath and things, for free,” Kunwar said. “But back in Nepal we just run through the injuries. Whenever I go there and train it’s just a dirt track and running there hurts my shins so bad. [When] I asked my teammates, ‘do these [pains] happen to you?’ they’re like ‘all the time but we just run through it’ — there’s no other option.” Nepal is made up of a caste system of distinct social stratification amongst different castes, or classes, of people. Athletes in Nepal tend to come from the lowest caste and face a number of challenges because of this. Unlike in the United States, where athletes get sponsorships and make good money, athletes in Nepal do not, and therefore cannot afford all the athletic gear they need. “The government [doesn’t] pour in money and

I think there’s [government] corruption going on,” Kunwar said. “All these people are from ethnically poor backgrounds and they can’t raise their voices [because…] first off, they’re from military backgrounds, so they have to be disciplined and they can’t raise voices against their leaders or authority. Secondly they’re from lower caste, they’re not [well] educated people, their salary was not high.” Essentially, Nepalese athletes are not able to speak for their betterment due to these social and economic restrictions. So in the summer of 2016, when Kunwar was training in Nepal with his fellow track and field athletes, he decided he wanted to work as hard as he could so he could become a voice for these people he feels so deeply for. “You have to be good at what you’re advocating for,” Kunwar said. “So my goal, I’m [getting] better so I can have a voice, like I have a reason to talk.” Even though Kunwar wasn’t able to join the UC Davis track and field team when he came to school here in the fall of 2016, he’s been working hard to build the strength and motivation to focus his goal. “I still talked to my coach at the JC, about all the improvements I could do like that, and also my coaches from high school,” Kunwar said. “It was just giving me more hope. I was talking to the athletes from Nepal too and how they want me to come back and change things. They were saying this indirectly but I could feel the vibe.” This motivation is what led up to the winter of 2017, when Kunwar heard the National Games were happening and felt a deep urge to go. Without his father’s knowing but his mother’s help, he snuck away to Nepal to compete. This is when his team won gold in the relay race against Nepal’s seemingly undefeatable team, an event that further reinforced Kunwar’s dedication to his goal to become an advocate and uplift the living standards of Nepalese athletes. The biggest problem Kunwar has noticed is not only the lack of facilities and funds, but the lack of exposure for young people who have great potential. “I’m going to go talk to my coach and see if he can get scholarships, because back in Nepal we didn’t know you can get sports scholarships,” Kunwar said. “It was all about ‘you have to be good in academics, that’s it’ and I had so many friends who were super good athletes but they just had to give up basically, there’s no future.” Kunwar is graduating from UC Davis this spring and already has plans for the next few years of his life. The South Asian Games are coming soon, and they’re happening in Nepal. It’s Kunwar’s goal to get selected for these games, but regardless of the outcome, he wants to continue training in athletics roughly two more years and then become an advocate. “There was this article that I read, it was this Nepalese guy who is super good, an academia-related person, and people asked him why [he] doesn’t stay here in the United States, and he said, ‘there are plenty of people like me in the United States, but they need people like me in Nepal’ because it’s an underdeveloped country and there needs to be a strong leader that can change the rhetoric around Nepal,” Kunwar said. “And that applies to me too. I would be a need in Nepal, that’s where I want to be, that’s where I want to go.”

FLU CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

hands frequently and pay attention to self care. “I definitely still encourage the flu shot, even though it is later in the flu season, we expect the season to last through the end of March,” Schorzman said. “Sometimes this will extend beyond, but it is not officially over until the health department, here the Health Department of Yolo County, issues a press release stating that it is over.” In response to Hughes being unaware of the available resources at the Student Health and Wellness Center, Schorzman spoke about a flu awareness

and vaccination campaign. “We are trying to get the word out,” Schorzman said. “We do have a flu awareness and vaccination campaign, and we are trying to get a larger campaign going for next fall. This covers what the flu is, what the symptoms are and how to prevent the flu, including vaccination.” The Student Health and Wellness Center is still offering and administering flu shots through the end of the season. More information can be found on the Student Health and Counseling Services website.

BEE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

in providing greater diversity in pollinators for farming. Johnson noted that the exclusive use of honey bees only makes sense in an agricultural model that prioritizes productivity and economic output. Such a model does not take into consideration the health of the ecosystem and its operating components, like the honey bee as a pollinator. “There are definitely drawbacks to using them as a main pollinator when the species is already suffering from high mortality rates,” Ramirez said. For a healthier and hardier honey bee, the question is not only how to make a honey bee more resistant to certain pathogens and parasites, like the varroa

mite, but how we can improve pollination practices in industrial farming. It might not only make for a healthier honey bee, but a healthier ecosystem overall. And there are things students and families can do to help honey bees, as Christine Casey, the academic program management officer at the Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven, explained. “The take-home message for the campus community is that no matter the bee species, access to adequate, nutritious food — flowers — is essential for bee health,” Casey said. “While an extensive bee garden is great, even a single sunflower in a pot on your front porch is great for bees.”

change,” Sedgley said. “However, if we do decide to endorse the project, I do not see it having a significant impact on the outcome of the vote on June 5. At the moment, I think it is probably best to let the two different sides of the story work themselves out and see what our options are after the vote is held.” Despite the air quality concerns, both Gofman and Sedgley think that the mitigation measures in the revised proposal and the vehicles taken off the road as a result of conveniently located housing both provide good reason to support the project. “If we don’t build this, more people will drive to school instead of bike, increasing cars on the road, traffic and idling time, all of which will also lead to more air pollution,” Gofman said. “That’s why it needs to be a priority to build more housing near campus, housing such as Nishi.” Sedgley also went into detail about some of the mitigation measures included in the new proposal. “The Nishi developers have taken extensive measures to mitigate what pollution there is off of the highway,” Sedgley said. “[This includes] a 100foot thick tree barrier between the property and the highway, a widened building layout to make room for large trees between the buildings to further mitigate any pollution that may drop to ground level in the atmosphere, and I have been told that the project will include air scrubbers in the units to provide for a healthy indoor living environment.” Sedgley isn’t opposed to the suggestions from Dr. Cahill and UC Davis philosophy professor Roberta Millstein that more studies should be completed at the Nishi site to determine the severity of pollution from diesel fuel and ultra-fine metals from brake pads, but he remains confident that the mitigation measures will be sufficiently effective. “More numbers are never a bad thing,” Sedgley said. “[However] I can say with confidence that the measures the Nishi developers have taken to ensure the safety of the students in the long term are far superior to that taken by any other housing development in close proximity to the freeway or the railroad tracks.” Continuing his comparison with other housing locations, Sedgley suggested that the Nishi project

has possibly encountered more problems than other sites because of Measure R. “Due to Measure R, pretty much all development projects that do not fall onto the lands of the University, have to be voted on if they re-zone agricultural land into the Davis city limits,” Sedgley said. “This means that most development projects have to be infill projects in Davis, otherwise they will hit the significant obstacle of being voted on by the public. I personally think that the Nishi project is a much better option for students than most of the projects that have hit the table, including others close to the highways, yet Nishi has hit more problems than all of them due to the fact that it has to be voted on. In fact, if you look at the [environmental impact reports] for other developments, I would be willing to bet the issue is the same, if not worse, in other locations near the highways.” Sedgley also explained why Nishi is such an ideal location to actually address the housing shortage in a significant manner. “Most of the possible infills in Davis, with the exception of a few such as Lincoln 40, are small properties that really won’t have a significant impact on the housing situation here,” Sedgley said. “As a homegrown Davisite, I honestly can’t think of any areas that would be better than this one that are both not on the UC property and would not require a vote by Measure R.” Sedgley thinks that the policies of the city and the university have somewhat restricted the possible options for addressing the housing crisis, making developing Nishi the most utilitarian option, despite the flaws that the project does have. “Students are forced to live in cars, in living rooms, some even rent out small closets as rooms,” Sedgley said. “The lack of new housing has also led to very high prices that are way too high for students to pay for. If there were better options and better locations to build, developers would be there in a heartbeat. However, those locations do not currently exist due to policies of the City of Davis and the stubbornness of the University when it comes to building more affordable places for students to live.”


12 | THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

Proposed California bill to ban tackle football in children under 14 Coaches, experts express pros, cons for young athletes

MICHELLE GORE / AGGIE

BY BOBBY JOHN sports@theaggie.org

A proposal was announced by assembly members Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) and Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) to ban youth organized tackle football on Feb. 8, which could have an impact on collegiate level playing. It’s too early to tell the specifics of the proposed legislation, but its purpose is to establish a minimum age of 14 to play youth organized tackle football, meaning high-contact elements in football programs would begin at the high school level. The press release states that the bill “would follow the advice of medical professionals and allow high contact elements from football programs only at the high school level.” Researchers from Boston University have suggested there is a link between youth football and cognitive impairments later in life.

If passed, California would become the first state in the country to set a minimum age for youth organized tackle football. California is one of four states considering limits, alongside Maryland, Illinois and New York. ASUCD Senator Jake Sedgley played high school football for the Davis Senior High School Blue Devils varsity football team and thinks that youth need football for the camaraderie the sport build and parents should understand the risks involved. Sedgley recounted a play where he was defending a kickoff return that resulted with a cracked helmet and a concussion. “The pads and gear kind of give you a false sense of security,” Sedgley said. “I know our high school took specific measures to deal with [injuries] because our team had a problem with it.” Programs have been implemented to handle the dangers of tackle football in youth programs. Heads Up, funded by the NFL Foundation, provides coach-

es with various tools to make the game safer for youth and high school players. Tools include courses built by health professionals, concussion recognition and response protocols along with Heads Up-style Tackling and Blocking which enforces techniques to reduce helmet contact. These efforts intend to make the game safer, according to Jason Ingman, who has been coaching Sacramento area youth football for seven years. Ingman started a change.org petition in response to the proposal that gathered almost 40,000 signatures in 10 days. Ingman played for UC Davis football in 199899 as a walk-on offensive lineman under coach Bob Biggs. In fact, Ingman contends that banning the youth from being able to tackle will decrease the safety of the game when players enter high school football programs. “It’s like being told that you cannot get your driver’s license until you’re 21, then you start out racing in NASCAR,” Ingman said. “Kids miss out on the opportunity to build skill sets that will make them safer players in high school.” Ingman thinks that football is unfairly targeted by the proposal, where other sports like soccer, karate, lacrosse and wrestling also can result in concussions. Other football coaches agree that football is safer today than it was before it came under scrutiny. Davis Senior High Blue Devils head coach Stephen Smyte coached football on multiple levels, including assistant coach at UC Davis and Boise State, and worked with the Davis Junior Blue Devils to help grow the program. Smyte pointed out that the tackle style taught at the program is the hawk style tackling that the Seattle Seahawks Assistant Head Coach Rocky Seto introduced to the Seahawks 2010 to reduce the risk of injury among NFL players. The Seahawks produced multiple videos on hawk style tackling that have been sent to over 8,000 youth football programs across the country. “There has been a lot of movement in football circles to make football safer, more than any other sport,” Smyte said. The Blue Devils have added technology to increase safety on the field, using Riddell helmets with sensors to detect potential head impact.

SENATE

FERTILIZER

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

authored Senate Bill #34 which would create a mandated mentorship program between those in ASUCD and those new to ASUCD. A lengthy discussion on the bill followed. “When I came into ASUCD, I didn’t know the system at all,” Senator Jesse Kullar said. “The website was a mess. I’ve constantly asked senators to come out to me. No one reached out to me; I had to reach out to other people. It came to my attention that a group

chat was made excluding Shaniah, me, and [Michael] Gofman about this bill. The people who originally wrote the bill were shut down. This is unacceptable.” As in previous Senate meetings, Jamaludin expressed her frustration with the state of the Senate. “One thing you can’t legislate however is genuine relationships,” Jamaludin said. “Both sides have to try. I’ve seen many Tables come and go. In the past we’ve worked so well together. If

anything this bill is a proxy for things on the Table right now. In the next week switch up seats and don’t write bills to the same goddamn people. It’s week six, I’m terming out and if I leave from the Table in the same state as it is now I’d be so upset.” The bill passed. The Senate agenda moved on to cover ex-officio reports, elected officer reports and the approval of the past meeting’s minutes.

health standards and goals,” Perez said. “Zero-emission vehicle technologies will help YCTD further improve its efficiencies, and YCTD will continue to seek opportunities to procure and place into service these types of technologies.” SacRT and YCTD have similar goals and will be working together to bring the technology to the county. “We consider SacRT to be an early adopter of environmentally friendly propulsion, and we look forward to the advancement of zero-emission vehicles, not only in transit, but in all industries,” Lonergan said. “Conserving environmental resources is of critical

importance for our current population and for future generations to come.” According to The Sacramento Bee, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said in a written statement that he believes the buses will be especially helpful for students looking to commute between the UC Davis campus and Sacramento. “This will hopefully be a big step toward connecting the UC Davis campus with Sacramento,” Steinberg said. “I look forward to the day — sooner rather than later — when thousands of UC Davis students will have ready, easy and clean transportation options to Sacramento’s urban technology lab.”

of Communication. “Women who cry off script in the workplace may thus be assigned negative attributions and may even jeopardize their career. The same behavior, however, may elicit very different responses and outcomes in a feminine culture such as Sweden, where gender roles are more fluid and flexible and quality of life is the sign of success. In this cultural context, it wouldn’t be surprising if a female employee crying off script receives empathetic, supportive responses from her coworkers and manager.” This study highlights the importance of understanding office dynam-

ics to prepare women entering the workplace and also make employees more aware of the fact that such a dynamic exists. “It’s important for managers to know that crying is just another way of expressing emotion and that it shouldn’t be penalized,” Elsbach said. “Women who are prone to crying at work should understand the scripts and try not to violate them, to keep the negative effects to a minimum. It’s important to know that I don’t believe that women should have to follow the scripts — but that is what we found in terms of how they are perceived.”

ELECTRIC BUS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

believes the greatest value from this funding source will be obtained through enhancing public transit and transportation, which will lead to increased ridership, reduced congestion and improved air quality.” Not only will the opportunity benefit YCTD, but it will also serve to accelerate the district’s plans to upgrade and enhance their service fleet. “YCTD was at the forefront of using compressed natural gas buses to reduce GHG emissions, [as they have been] applying for grant funds [since] 1989, and has always been determined to meet or exceed environmental and

SCRIPTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

in my interpersonal communication course — women and men are still expected to behave, engage, and interact differently in the workplace. It’s unfortunate but we have a very long way to go.” Office dynamics are both cultural and context-specific; dynamics in the workplace are a part of the organizational and social cultures in which the workplace resides. “In a masculine culture such as the U.S., qualities such as being strong, assertive, competitive, and self-reliant are highly valued,” said Bo Feng, an associate professor in the Department

“Our new Riddell InSite helmets have a sensor inside of them so if a player gets hit in a certain way, they don’t even have to be concussed,” Smyte said. “It registers immediately and that player comes off the field right away.” Blue Devils football trainers look at these readouts and determine whether the player should stop playing at that point. UC Davis economics professor Scott Carrell, who coached the Davis Junior Blue Devils from 2011-16, thinks there is a positive social outcome for kids that play football. “The one thing about football that is different than most sports is that it takes a group of kids — a large chunk of them are low-income kids — and it gives them structure and discipline,” Carrell said. “We have to think about the benefit that football provides to young kids, and weigh that against what happens when kids don’t have structure in their lives.” Carrell thinks it is still too early to tell what effects this will have on the skills of California’s youth and high school football players, but speculated that it may put some of California’s kids at a disadvantage when it comes time for them to pick a college. Clinical professor of medical pathology and laboratory medicine at UC Davis Bennett Omalu, who rocked the football community with his groundbreaking research that identified chronic traumatic encephalopathy in Pittsburg Steelers’ Mike Webster’s brain in 2002, is an advocate of banning the sport for children under the age of 18. Omalu believes the choice is clear. “No brain damage is worth the excitement of a touchdown,” Omalu said. In his new book, “Brain Damage in Contact Sports,” Omalu claims that helmets do not prevent concussions or sub-concussive blows to the head. Omalu believes that whether or not the brain suffers a concussion, there is still the possibility of active unseen brain damage. Omalu and other public health experts have given parents of young football players quite a bit to think about. On the one hand, football builds camaraderie and discipline, and as Smyte put it, “football is the fabric of American society.” Conversely, brain damage may be too risky now that researchers have uncovered the effects of football on the human body.

atmosphere may be high. However, in California, there is no state-wide estimation of soil NOx emission.” Some earlier studies had measured NOx from cropland within 200 kilometers of Sacramento, but study co-authors Almaraz and Bai expanded their scope to include all of California, including some of the most heavily fertilized agricultural lands. They created a model combining a mass-balance and stable isotope model and used multiple data sources to predict the amount of NOx emitted from cropland, which had never been done before. Aircraft from Scientific Aviation flew over the San Joaquin Valley and collected gas to compare the results. “These methods are both different from more traditional chamber based point measurements that are limited in their range and satellite imagery, which is unable to differentiate between soil and fossil fuel produced NOx,” Almaraz said. “Models like ours have been used elsewhere to estimate NOx emissions, just never before in California.” Both strategies together suggested higher fluxes than reported by the CARB. In fact, Imperial Valley had some of the highest emissions ever recorded. While the researchers could not sort the collected NOx by source, the process of elimination provided sound evidence that agricultural lands were major contributors of NOx gases. “The aerial measurements got the total NOx concentration and did not control for NOx transported from roadways or cities,” Bai said. “However, the NOx fluxes from the roadways and cities were estimated by previous studies. When we subtract these fluxes from the total NOx, we can get soil sourced flux.” The amount of NOx emitted in a particular area was measured by sampling air collected by plane at various heights above the ground. As NOx rises, it mixes with the clean air above, becoming diluted. In the Central Valley, mountains on the east and west sides create barriers for air mixing and dilution. Ian Faloona, a biomicrometeorologist and associate professor in the Department of Land, Air and Water Resources at UC Davis, explained why NOx tends to stick around California. “One of the things my work is focusing on is trying to really understand the meteorology of how the air moves through [the Central Valley],” Faloona said. “Air flows in and it slams into these mountains and doesn’t have enough energy to go over it. So it just kinda pools up here, and then

it circulates and splashes around and slips out here and there, but you have this big mass of air that’s just sitting there. It gets polluted, pollution gets mixed into it, and it just sits there. So there’s definitely a meteorological problem because you’re in this giant bathtub, and so the air just doesn’t ventilate. That was the problem with Los Angeles.” Los Angeles is now relatively smog-free compared to its early days. The air quality in the Central Valley hasn’t been improving quite as quickly, but thanks to programs focused on vehicle emissions, industry, and other particulate sources, the air quality is improving. “NOx has been nicely decreasing in the San Joaquin Valley — NOx is the precursor to ozone — and that’s another important point of this,” Faloona said. “The precursor is going down, and so as we clean up our air, more and more things are going to become apparent that weren’t apparent when it was totally dominated by car exhaust.” Back before the Clean Air Act and pollution reforms, the agricultural emissions seen in the study by Bai and Almaraz would have constituted a small fraction of the overall budget. As mobile emissions grow less and less, other sources emerge as frontrunners. “But as we steadily improve our air quality, these types of things become relatively more important,” Faloona said. “That’s my justification for why everyone’s missed it so far.” The results of the study indicate a need for more testing and measurement of NOx from cropland so that the soil pathways can be better understood and accounted for in the state budget. NOx produced by agriculture varies with soil moisture, temperature, and fertilizer application. Some areas may emit more than others. Bai and Almaraz suggest several possible alternatives that could minimize nitrogen emissions while maintaining production efficiency. Slow release fertilizers allow plants to more efficiently take up nitrogen, while cover crops have been shown to lessen NOx emissions. “We are not pointing the finger at growers — they provide a huge service to society and should be commended for what they do,” Almaraz said. “Rather, it’s critical that we focus on incentives to bring the latest nutrient management technologies to farms, so that growers can produce food more efficiently, increasing their bottom line and improving environmental health.”


13 | THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

SPORTS SHORTS BUZZER-BEATER WINS CLOSE GAME BY ONE POINT UC Davis Aggies down Highlanders 64-63 with 9 seconds on the clock BY LIZ JACOBSON sports@theaggie.org

In an otherwise uneventful matchup between the UC Davis men’s basketball team and UC Riverside, the last few moments of the game got the fans on their feet, when junior guard TJ Shorts II made a powerful drive to the basket with 9 seconds left. Shorts’ layup brought the final score to 64-63. Both the Aggies and the Highlanders were plagued with whistles, fouls and free throws. At one point in the game, seven minutes passed before a field goal was attempted. With senior forward Chima Moneke still suspended indefinitely, Saturday’s line-up featured an interesting match-up between 5’8” senior guard Arell Hennings and 5’9” Shorts and the Highlander’s 6’10” senior forward Alex Larsson, who hails from Södertälje, Sweden and 7’0” junior center Menn Dijkstra from Standdaarbuiten, Netherlands. UC Davis took the lead in the first few minutes of the game and kept its lead. The first half saw moments of strong defense. At half-time, the Aggies lead the Highlanders 33-23. The Highlanders attempted to get one last lay-up in at the buzzer, but it was counted as a basket interference and the Aggies kept their double-digit lead.

The Aggies’s lead slowly withered away throughout the second half. With 11 minutes left on the clock, the Highlanders were trailing by eight points. “[Riverside] got into a rhythm and they really got us back on our heels,” said head coach Jim Les. “They were driving the ball, getting to the freethrow line and they were able to stop the clock and pick up some points.” After the 16th foul shot of the second half, it was looking like a one-point game. Junior forward AJ John’s trey and junior guard Siler Schneider’s foul shots increased the lead once again. With only 1:40 left on the clock, the Highlanders caught up to the Aggies and tied the score. Finally, the slow game filled with free-throws and the sound of the referee’s foul whistle would see some excitement. Short’s free throws allowed the Aggies to take the lead again. With a strong Aggie defense, UC Riverside couldn’t manage to get the ball in the basket, but the Highlanders used Schneider missing a three-pointer to their advantage. The Highlanders took the rebound and Dijkstra stunned the defense with a three-point shot, bringing the the score to 63-62. With just over 9 seconds left, a timeout was called. Once back on the court, Shorts stole

ZACK ZOLMER / AGG IE

the show, driving the ball the ball to the basket for a game-winning buzzer beater. Shorts’ shot left only 0.9 seconds for Dijkstra to attempt a half-court shot and the Aggies walked out of the Pavilion victorious, with a final score of 64-63. Shorts finished the night with 16 points and five rebounds. This is the second game this season that Shorts has won the game for the Aggies, the first being in double overtime against Long Beach State on Feb. 3. “Like last time […] we had about 6 seconds and I knew I could get the length of the court,” Shorts said. “So coach wrote another good play, I caught the ball, saw an angle I could get a bucket in and it went down for us.” Shorts executed the coaching staffs’ “Plan A, B,

and C” to a tee. “TJ is really separating himself as a special player,” Les said. “There aren’t too many guys who go through a career and have two game winners, especially in the league season with the amount of importance that’s on these games. For him to do it twice within a month, [...] he’s a heck of a player and his teammates have a lot of confidence in him, which I think is really unique and special.” The UC Davis men’s basketball team still has a chance at the Big West title. The Aggies are currently trailing UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara with a conference record of 10-4. The Aggies return to the Pavilion Thursday March 1 for their final home game against Hawaii and travel south for their final regular season game against UC Irvine on March 3.

LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST MLB PLAYER AGENCY FOR PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING DRUGS Agency’s allegations of providing players with performance-enhancing drugs looms over spring training startup BY KENNEDY WALKER sports@theaggie.org

On Feb. 13, a lawsuit was filed against one of Major League Baseball’s top player agencies, ACES, for allegedly paying players under the table and directing clients to resources with performance-enhancing drugs — all with the first games of spring training just mere days away. The lawsuit was filed specifically against ACES brother duo Seth and Sam Levinson in the New York State Supreme Court by Juan Carlos Nunez, one of the agency’s ex-employees. Nunez is seeking $2 million in “unpaid commissions” and $500,000 in fees and expenses. Nunez’s lawsuit claims that the agency has been providing players with PEDs for years and plans to have a signed document from Kirk Radomski. Radomski was a key figure in the MLB’s Mitchell Report about 10 years ago, and he pled guilty to both charges facing the Levinsons. Radomski’s affidavit is proposed to say that he frequently provided PEDs for the agency’s clients as well as including a detailed explanation of the delivery route the illegal substances would regularly take; Radomski was reportedly paid in cash by ACES for the various

A L E XA FO N TA N I L L A / AGGI E

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL DOWNS UC IRVINE, CINCHES CONFERENCE UC Irvine unable to match the Aggies’ hot start BY B RA D L EY G EI S E R sports@theaggie.org

The UC Davis women’s basketball team entered the final home game of the season with the momentum of its four game win-streak intact. With the UC Irvine Anteaters coming on the heels of a two-game losing streak, but 9-4 record overall in conference play, the Aggies went into the game knowing their opponent would not go down without a fight. After honoring their departing seniors, who were stepping onto Bob Hamilton Court for the last time of their collegiate careers, the ball was tipped off and the team was ready to play.

steroid deliveries. The lawsuit also describes that the ACES brothers were allegedly involved with Biogenesis’ Anthony Bosch, a notorious drug dealer who was arrested in 2015 for impersonating a doctor and prescribing PEDs to both professional and amateur baseball players — including those at the high school level. Sam Levinson supposedly directed many notable baseball players, including Seattle Mariners all-star Nelson Cruz, to Bosch and was completely aware of Bosch’s typical act of prescribing drugs that contained testosterone, growth hormones and many other performancing-enhancing drugs. The lawsuit writes that the Levinson brothers made illegal payments to players to convince them to take the drugs, with full knowledge that these acts violated the MLB’s official rules, the laws of the players’ union and U.S. federal law. Nunez himself was sentenced to three months in prison and house arrest in 2012 for creating a fake website to cover up the tracks of Melky Cabrera, a then-San Francisco Giants outfielder who failed a drug test that same year; he was then fired from the agency. The point of the phony website was to fool the MLB into believing that Cabrera had taken a PED on accident, mistaking it for a healthy substance he It was an emotional game for the Aggie seniors and their teammates alike. Though there is more basketball to be played, knowing that they would not return to the floor where they spent the last four years of their playing careers bore bittersweet emotions. For senior forward Dani Nafekh, it was a time of reflection. “I’m trying not to think of it as the last time,” Nafekh said. “I know it is, but it just was so much fun. I just tried to appreciate being out there with my team. We were thinking of it as the championship game rather than our last time. I just thought that we were very focused and ready to play.” Senior forward Pele Gianotti echoed Nafekh’s emotions, saying that while it was fun, she tried to wear her emotions on her sleeve once the ball tipped off. “Before I was getting a little emotional,” Gianotti said. “But, once you’re on the court, you’re there, and you’re just doing what you’ve always done the last four years. So, it’s not super different when you’re on the court.” Once the game began, an apparent leg injury to senior guard Rachel Nagel left the entire arena silent — though Nagel would make another appearance at the end of the game to great applause. The team responded to the early scare in red-hot fashion by opening up with a 15-0 run and a 20-6 advantage going into the second. Nafekh would lead the initial charge with eight points in the first quarter, including two early buckets from downtown. Head coach Jennifer Gross praised her team’s fiery start, crediting its work on the defensive end dictating the rest of the game. “I really liked our defensive energy from the start,” Gross said. “We started the game getting six or seven stops in a row. Obviously, when our defense is strong it’s fueling our offense.That’s the way we always like to think about it — our defense fueling our offense.” Despite UC Irvine’s first quarter struggles, the team showed life in the second quarter, cutting an early 16-point deficit in half on a layup by freshman guard Autumn Baumgartner. The Aggies would respond with haste, however, extending their lead to 15 points going into halftime. According to Gianotti, the team’s fighting spirit and ability to stick together were key to keeping its composure as the Anteaters tried to fight their way back into the game. “The coaches called the timeout and they really sat us down and said, ‘This is how you want the game to be. Do you want it to be stressful?’” Gianotti said. “No. I did not. It’s just kind of a refocusing. We never give up.” Irvine would respond with intensity in the second of play, but the Aggies refused to relent. After a late-game surge, the Aggies early onslaught proved insurmountable, ending the game with the 66-56 victory. Though the first-half defense built the early lead, it was the second half defense that prevented the Anteaters from getting back into the game. Nafekh led the team in scoring with 17 points to go with two as-

KA IL A MAT T ERA / AGG IE

had read about online. Nunez said that he was forced to take the fall for the agency when Cabrera tested positive for testosterone, allowing ACES to slip away from the incident with minimal punishments. He also accused Sam Levinson of urging him to call the New York Daily News to clear ACES’ name in the midst of Cabrera’s scandal, with the promise of being financially compensated for his acts. The Levinsons are predicted to look back on Nunez’s history as evidence against his case. While the Levinsons did release a statement on Nunez’s toxicity as an employee, they have not released a statement on the lawsuit itself. sists, three boards, and two steals. Gianotti had 11 points to go with seven rebounds. The rest of the team provided a balanced effort, with Morgan Bertsch chipping in with 10 points and 2 rebounds and freshman guard Cierra Hall getting nine points off the bench. Junior guard Kourtney Eaton helped drive the offensive effort with seven assists on the night to go with six points. Despite securing the top spot on the Big West Conference standings, the team sees opportunity for growth during its final two games on the road. Knowing that nothing is set in stone come March, Gross is making a special effort to make sure that her team stays hungry as it sets it sights toward March Madness. “From day one, we said that every single day, we’re going to keep improving,” Gross said. “I look at that game, I still feel like there’s a lot of areas that they can continue to get better. The cool thing about this team is that they recognize that. They come back to work every single day ready to improve, and we want to be at our very best come tournament time.” The Aggies take their winning streak on the road tonight at 7 p.m., where they will face Cal State Fullerton before heading down to UC Riverside for one last regular season game on Saturday, March 3 at 4 p.m.


Our customers say it best...

14 | THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

This company provide awesome promotions, customer service and quality medications.

FREE - FAST - PREMIUM PREMIUM CANNABIS SERVICE CANNABISDELIVERY DELIVERY IN DAVIS IN DAVIS & WOODLAND! CANNABIS DELIVERY IN DAVIS Read more great reviews on our Weedmaps page maryjanefinder.com CANNABIS DELIVERY IN DAVIS ...nothing compares to the quality, customer service, and delivery time... Friendly, fast, funny.

I had a really great experience… Great selection, great quality, great price. Excellent service! Best in town.

FIRST TIME FOR FIRST TIME PATIENTS PATIENTS CHOOSE ONE:

$10

1/8TH

for Our customers1 say it best...OF FLOWER FREE GRAM ** Must meet the Davis $35 delivery minimum.

Receivecustomer an 1/8thservice at the discounted price of This company provide awesome promotions, and quality medications.

$10 on

or on your first order. Our customers any say it$35best... of our 1/8s of flower ...nothing compares to the quality, customer service, and delivery time...

$10 FOR A $35 EIGHTH OF Our customers say it best... I had a really greatto experience… selection, great great price. • Cannot be combined with other offers. ...nothing compares the quality, Great customer service, andquality, delivery time... FLOWER Friendly, fast, funny.awesome promotions, This company provide customer and quality medications. • Minimum donationservice required.

** Must meet the Davis delivery minimum to Excellent service! This company provide awesome promotions, customer service and$35 quality medications. Friendly, fast, funny. purchase $10 1/8th (any of our $35 1/8th's)

Best town. ...nothing compares to the quality, customer service, and delivery I had a in really great experience… Great selection, great quality, greattime... price. Friendly, fast, funny. Excellent service!

Promos cannot be combined. Accepting Bitcoin, LiteCoin & other Cryptocurrencies!

Read more great reviews on our Weedmaps page

I had a really great experience… Great selection, great quality, great price. Best in town. Excellent service!

Read Best inmore town. great reviews on our Weedmaps page Read more great reviews on our Weedmaps page

FOR FIRST TIME PATIENTS

$10 for 1/8TH FOR FIRST PATIENTS $10 forTIME 1/8TH $10 for 1/8TH FOR FIRST TIME PATIENTS

Receive an 1/8th at the discounted price of $10 on any of our $35 1/8s of flower on your first order.

Receive an 1/8threquired. at the discounted price of $10 on • Minimum donation any of our $35 1/8s ofother flower • Cannot be combined with offers.on your first order. Receive an 1/8th at the discounted price of $10 on

• Minimum donation required.

any of our $35 1/8s of flower on your first order.

• Cannot be combined with other offers. • Minimum donation required.

• Cannot be combined with other offers.

CALL OR TEXT

MENU

FIVE STAR SERVICE

https://maryjanefinder.com/menu

PATIENT SIGN UP

#1 Delivery Service in Davis onhttps://maryjanefinder.com/signup WeedMaps!

530-206-3988

https://weedmaps.com/deliveries/mary-jane-finder EMAIL maryjaneverify@gmail.com

Please note that this product cannot be delivered on campus as UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco free environment.

CALL

INSTAGRAM @maryjanefinder

Mention this Aggie Ad and get a FREE Joint MENU withTEXT your delivery minimum of $35 in Davis. https://maryjanefinder.com/menu OR

Text your order CALL OR TEXT CALL OR TEXT

to

530-206-3988 530-206-3988 916-693-9782 530-206-3988 Please note that this product cannot be delivered on campus as UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco free environment.

Please note that this product cannot be delivered on campus Please note that this product cannot be delivered on campus as and tobacco-free environment. asUC UCDavis Davisisisaasmokesmoke and tobacco free environment.

Please note that this product cannot be delivered on campus

MENU PATIENT SIGN UP https://maryjanefinder.com/menu https://maryjanefinder.com/signup

MENU PATIENT EMAIL SIGN UP https://weedmaps.com/deliveries https://maryjanefinder.com/menu https://maryjanefinder.com/signup /mary-jane-finder maryjaneverify@gmail.com

PATIENT SIGN UP EMAIL INSTAGRAM https://maryjanefinder.com/signup maryjaneverify@gmail.com @maryjanefinder

EMAIL INSTAGRAM

maryjaneverify@gmail.com @maryjanefinder

INSTAGRAM


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.