Davis Fire Department assists with Los Angeles fires
Alongside other Yolo County fire departments, Davis firefighters traveled to Southern California to help battle the Eaton Fire
BY OLIVIA HOKR city@theaggie.org
On the night of Wednesday, Jan. 8, four frefghters from the city of Davis Fire Department left for Southern California to provide mutual aid against the Los Angeles fres. Firefghters from the Woodland Fire Department, Winters Fire Department, Yocha Dehe Fire Department and the UC Davis Fire Department also mobilized in Southern California. At the time these engines departed, Los Angeles County was battling the major Palisades and Eaton Fires while smaller fres continued to ignite in new areas. Strike teams formed among the Yolo County fre departments, which are groups of frefghters and engines that gather to rapidly respond to emergencies. The Davis Fire Department was then assigned to the Eaton Fire in Pasadena.
City of Davis Fire Chief Joe Tenney explained the responsibilities of the fire departments that volunteer to battle the fres.
“Mobilizing hundreds of fre engines in the state of California in short order is something most fre departments do, Davis Fire Department included,” Tenney said. “Of those hundreds of engines from counties and cities, the assignments greatly vary from working at the fre
front, mopping up to prevent further spread or two miles in front of the fre anticipating the need to protect lives, homes and properties. Every day can be a diferent assignment by the incident commander.”
Te Los Angeles Fire Department needed more equipment, tools and people to battle the size and power of the fres. Tenney emphasized the
‘Disrupt the norm’: Davis Rave Collective hosts first morning set at Volt Coffee
Local electronic music collective brings a lively approach to sleepy Saturday mornings
BY
DUNNING features@theaggie.org
For many, listening to live music is strictly a nighttime activity. Electronic dance music (EDM) shows in particular have a longstanding reputation for large crowds, dark rooms and a party-like atmosphere. Davis Rave Collective, a local music collective, is attempting to shift this narrative.
On Jan. 18, Davis Rave Co. held a morning music set at Volt Cofee, Tea & Taps, a cofee shop and beer garden located on Olive Drive in Davis. As patrons enjoyed their morning beverages, rotating DJs with the group played varying subgenres of electronic music such as minimal tech, progressive house and melodic tech.
Te set was the frst event of a new initiative DRC is hoping to make a regular addition to Davis mornings — a monthly morning music set highlighting local artists for new and different audiences. For DRC, the main goal of the morning cofee set was increasing accessibility to live music.
“Some people are morning people, and just because you’re a morning person doesn’t mean you need to be any less involved in music,” Mikayla Bailey, a fourth-year environmental science and management major, said.
“It’s a lot about expanding access.” Bailey is the current marketing lead for the DRC and believes that electronic music can and should be enjoyed by people of all ages, beyond just a traditional concert or rave setting.
On the morning of Jan. 18, patrons of Volt could be seen doing just that.
People of all ages gathered to enjoy the music while socializing, studying or nodding along.
“People were there to vibe and have that morning boost and carry on with their day,” Bailey said. Te DRC hopes that events such as this one will help integrate more people into the local music community and — as Aaron Helali, a recent UC Davis alum with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in biological sciences, described it — “disrupt the norm.”
courage of those providing support for the needs of other fre departments on such short notice.
“Davis Fire Department and the Yolo County Strike Team of fve engines with leaders were deployed to the Eaton Fire and fulflled whatever the need was on any given day,” Tenney said. “Te bravery comes from working as a complete team to fll the need. Tey risk
their lives to safeguard others, turning courage into action and duty into service. All of California’s frefghters do this every day and are, frankly, some of the best in the world at mobilizing resources for large disasters and protecting our communities.”
Te strike team from the Woodland Fire Department that traveled to help fght the Eaton Fire was deployed for
Mary L. Stephens
nine days. Tey worked hand in hand with fellow Yolo County frefghters to protect people and property.
“We want to extend our deepest thanks to these brave men and women for their selfessness and professionalism, as well as to their families who supported them during this time,” the Woodland Fire Department said in an Instagram post. “Thank you, Strike Team 4275C, for representing our community with such courage and commitment.”
Strike Teams from the UC Davis and Yocha Dehe Fire Departments have almost entirely returned home. As of Jan. 24, UC Davis Fire Department Captain Steve Dunn has returned to campus from his work battling the Eaton Fire.
With the help of hundreds of fre departments from across the state, as well as from Canada and Mexico, the Eaton Fire is now over 99% contained and the Palisades Fire over 96% contained at the time of publication. Fighting the fres in Los Angeles has been a collective effort by both local and international fire departments, and Strike Team 4275C has made the Davis community proud.
Library holds Lunar New Year celebration for a packed house
The Davis community was over the moon for the celebration’s talented musicians, choreographed performers and Dragon Dancers
BY MATTHEW MCELDOWNEY city@theaggie.org
On Jan. 18, Mary L. Stephens Library hosted an array of craft workshops and Lunar New Year-themed performances for their early Year of the Snake celebration. Community members, including faculty from UC Davis, participated in and performed at this event.
Tis Lunar New Year celebration was packed with Davis families enthusiastic to share and participate in the dances, musical ensembles and crafts inherent to the diverse cultures that celebrate this holiday.
Te event began with a musical performance of “Happy Chinese New Year,” “Clementine” and “Spring Carols” from a very young and gifted ensemble of violinists, cellists, fautists and harpists. Shortly after, the Mira Loma Chinese Club’s Performing Arts Team took stage as vibrant red and gold dragons and lions. True to this famous Lunar New Year tradition, they danced in rhythm and melodically banged their drums.
In addition, Mary L. Stephens Library invited choreographed dancers to perform a variety of traditional and modern Chinese dances. Modern Persian fusion dancers also performed more traditional folk dances, such as the Dai Peacock Dance.
Hualing Wan, a Yolo County catalog librarian who helped organize the event, emphasized the importance of expressing the diversity of the Lunar New Year.
“In the past, we have invited Davis High School students from the Korean Culture Club, [also] Vietnam and even Brunei,” Wan said.
Trough inviting a diverse group of guest performers and representing a wide range of cultures in their Lunar New Year reading list, Wan hopes they can best capture the spirit of this holiday — a spirit that refects the many diferent backgrounds and identities that celebrate it.
One such performer was Dr. Jiahui Wei, an associate professor of chemistry at UC Davis. In Wei’s performance, she played the guzheng, a type of plucked zither with an illustrious history in Chinese culture — an instrument that Wei has practiced for around 25 years. Wei has previously performed at similar events at the library, and she also makes other public appearances as recorded on her YouTube channel. In these performances, Wei describes the work that goes into playing a variety of instruments in her elaborate hanfu dress and preparing the traditional Chinese makeup prior to these performances.
While Wei only showcased her guzheng and pipa, a traditional Chinese plucked instrument, for the library that day, she has performed with up to six instruments in the past, sharing her
diverse skill set as well as the enduring musical and artistic traditions she expresses to this day. For Wei, whether it be to educate or enjoy, her passion for these Chinese traditions is an integral part of her identity. Wei explained that she incorporates this passion through a combination of artistic expression and teaching at UC Davis. For instance, she chooses color-coded modern hanfu to help students fnd corresponding online lectures more easily.
“It’s part of the reason I teach at UC Davis and even at community colleges,” Wei said. “I want to see [and meet] the people that I would have never had the chance to be around when I grew up in China.”
In this way, Wei’s passion for intercultural exchange goes hand in hand with her educational commitment to the community. It is this sense of community that lies at the very heart of this holiday.
“In most of China, it’s the time for all of your family to come back [together],” Wei said. For Kacey Chan, a fourth-year history major, the signifcance of the Lunar New Year holiday celebration in Davis is dearly felt.
“In terms of Davis, it is really good because we are ultimately in the [United States], and the Chinese are a group of diaspora in the U.S.,” Chan said. “So, it is good to provide that space for them to celebrate and fnd other Chinese families, especially if they do not know anybody near them.”
This combination of cultural education and community is reinforced through the traditions preserved and passed down from generation to generation. Chan recalls the childhood memories of lion dancers going from apartment to apartment to throw vegetables for the families to collect. Wei is fond of coming with her friends to make handmade hairpins resembling fowers.
A firefighter stands in front of a fire truck at the city of Davis Fire Department Headquarters. (Sacha Chickering / Aggie)
Dancers perform Chinese folk dances for the Lunar New Year celebration at the Mary L. Stephens Library. (Christian Cendejas / Aggie)
Davis Rave Co. puts on a DJ set for customers at Volt Coffee.
(Christian Cendejas / Aggie)
DJUSD holds first board meeting of 2025
Davis Joint Unified School District reviews worker pay, student performance and enrollment
BY YUENJO FAN city@theaggie.org
Te Davis Joint Unifed School District (DJUSD) hosted its frst board meeting of the year on Tursday, Jan. 16. Te meeting, spanning four hours, discussed tentative agreements between DJUSD and the California School Employees Association (CSEA), the 2024 to 2025 Local Control Accountability Plan and the district’s enrollment numbers.
Laura Juanitas, the DJUSD associate superintendent of student support services, addressed the board about the district’s new agreements with the CSEA. Employees under the CSEA are staf members without teaching credentials, such as ofce staf, assistants, custodians, cafeteria workers and bus drivers.
“I am pleased to announce that we have reached tentative agreement on article VII and article XIV with the California School Employees Association chapter 572 for the 2024 to 2025 school year,” Juanitas said. “We have also negotiated 11 memorandums of understanding for this year. CSEA membership ratifed the agreement last week, and to fnalize the agreement in [memorandums of understanding], we must have board approval.”
Shortly after, the board approved both the tentative agreements and the memorandums of understanding between DJUSD and the CSEA. A tentative agreement represents the frst step in negotiations. Memorandums of understanding are agreements that display a shared consensus without any legal bindings.
Te ratifed documents, Article VII and Article XIV, cover grievance procedures and employee salary and benefts, respectively. Article
VII ensures that employees who are represented by CSEA have a formal system of reporting grievances: Employees can fle them to an immediate supervisor, report to the Ofce of Associate Superintendent or request a mediation, depending on the issue’s severity.
On the other hand, Article XIV details in the instance where the district engages in further wage increases or additional health benefts, CSEA members will also be incorporated into the compensation. Moreover, the 11 accepted memorandums of
New community artwork installed at Davis City Hall
Public art by local artist Wesley Horn celebrates Davis’ natural landscape
BY ALMA CULVERWELL city@theaggie.org
A new art piece was recently placed at the Davis City Hall on the brick seating between the doors and the City Council Chambers. Te tiles are handmade by artist Wesley Horn (Wes), a second-generation, Davisbased sculptor, ceramicist, mosaicist and builder.
Te hand-made tiles are crafted to celebrate the local landscape and natural environment. Depicting native plants, insects and animals in intricate detail, Horn specializes in durable exterior works for public and shared spaces and is known for integrating regional imagery into his pieces. His various public art installations can be found in libraries, schools, galleries, transit stations, sculpture gardens and city streets across California and Mexico.
In addition to his artwork, Horn hosts studio classes that are open to the public, ofering workshops that focus primarily on clay sculpture, particularly near the holidays.
Davis community member and artist Anya McCann shared her appreciation for the installation, emphasizing the value of public art in the city. “I think it’s really important for us to have
said. “It has ways of communicating our region, things that symbolize and are important to our region and make this our town. I love how he’s included local crops and local wildlife.”
McCann also expressed pride in the city’s commitment to supporting local artists.
“I’m proud that my city is supporting this,” McCann said. “I am a local artist who has contributed art to our town, several of my friends as well, and I think it’s terrifc.”
Davis’ public artwork is enjoyed by students and community members alike.
Sara Bakr, a third-year environmental engineering and civic engineering double major, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the role of public art in community identity.
“Public art makes everyday spaces feel special,” Bakr said. “It makes public spaces feel more welcoming and adds personality to places we pass through daily. It’s a reminder of what makes Davis unique.”
For students, public art installations like Horn’s serve as an opportunity to engage with the city’s culture beyond campus. Emmy Patterson, a third-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major, shared her appreciation for seeing art integrated into daily spaces.
“I love seeing creative works outside of galleries and classrooms,” Patterson said. “Public art like this makes the city feel more vibrant and accessible, and it’s inspiring to see professional artists showcasing work in shared spaces.”
Horn splits his time between Davis and Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, Mexico, where he continues to create public art connecting people with the natural world. His signature style, which includes bright, mosaic-like ceramic tiles, has become a recognizable feature in many local and international community spaces.
For more information on Wes Horn’s work, check out the new art installation at Davis City Hall, as well as his website and Instagram page.
understanding included but were not limited to: security camera installments, retirement incentives and a new custodial job classifcation.
Amongst the major discussion items, the district also touched on the mid-year update of the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), which addresses a variety of issues relating to student academic success, inclusion, opportunity and confdence.
DJUSD Associate Superintendent of Instructional Services Troy Allen provided further details.
“Our frst step in the LCAP
process is to engage in data analysis with genuine curiosity and then drive toward [an] understanding of root causes and continuous improvement,”
Allen said. “Tis is followed by outreach, which gives us the ability to more fully understand the data, work with our community to build shared understanding of how we use our limited resources and collect ideas that inform our current and upcoming plans.”
Allen further explained how data collected by the LCAP is retrieved from the California School Dashboard
website, which contains changes in statistics, such as performance levels, over time. As a result, the district is able to measure the academic productivity of DJUSD students each year. With the current LCAP approved from 2024 until 2027, the school board will be closely monitoring continuing updates regarding student success.
Te fnal major area of discussion revolved around the topic of DJUSD’s declining new student enrollment. Maria Clayton, the school district’s chief strategy ofcer, provided evidence of a signifcant projected decline in student enrollment over the next decade. To combat this, the district has proposed new housing developments that will increase the number of residents, resulting in a higher student population.
“Te proposed Village Farms project would be constructed within the North Davis boundary area and has been estimated to be 1,800 units,” Clayton said. “[It] would be built over a 15-year period, and our projections suggest that they would yield over 700 students by 2041. Te proposed project of the Shriner’s Property is on the same side of town but on the Korematsu-Harper boundary area. Tis project has an estimated 1,200 units and, if approved by voters in June of 2026, would be built over a six-year period.”
Te Village Farms project is expected to yield over 700 new students to DJUSD, and the Shriner’s development is expected to yield 273 students. Tese housing developments will be in the hands of local voters, with the Village Farms development expected to be on ballots in November 2025 and the Shriner’s development on ballots in June 2026. More information on the DJUSD board meeting can be found in the DJUSD’s “Boundary/Enrollment Study Session 5” report online.
Toad Hollow Dog Park now
reopened to the public
Dog owners are now welcome back to one of Davis’ most expansive dog parks
BY PIPER AWEEKA city@theaggie.org
Toad Hollow Dog Park, a twoand-a-half acre area in Davis, has been reopened to the public after being temporarily closed due to rain and fooding. Divided into two felds for dogs of diferent sizes, the park is a popular location for owners to spend time with their pets.
Some of the park’s features include a dog exercise area, fenced dog area and open feld space, according to the city of Davis website. Tough many of the park-goers stated they did not know the park had previously been closed to the public, some dog owners were able to provide a glimpse into the signifcance of Toad Hollow.
Jillian Lakey, a former Davis resident, explained why Toad Hollow is still special to her even after moving out of Davis.
“We started coming here in 2020,”
Lakey said. “We were living at F Street at the time with a little park across the street, but the space to run and the culture of the people here was so much more inviting.”
Davis resident Andy Faletti explained that this was his frst experience at Toad Hollow.
“It’s actually just my frst time here,” Faletti said. “I visited once during the pandemic and it seemed so forlorn, [...] now it’s all green and beautiful.”
After being closed for over a month due to severe fooding, the felds are green again and the community has returned. Given that the park holds a dual function as a retention basin and the lowest point in the city, fooding is not uncommon in wet months. Toad Hollow’s sunken geographical landscape means the park drains especially slowly when fooded, according to the city of Davis website.
Te park site is located within the Core Area Drainage Pond, a drainage basin that provides storage
of stormwater runof from the entire downtown area,” the website reads. “During and following heavy rain periods, when the pond holds stormwater runof, it is necessary to close the Dog Park.”
One park-goer, Nick McKenna, re-emphasized the importance of the dog park.
“It’s kind of the biggest dog park that’s in the city of Davis,” McKenna said. “Because of that, there’s just a lot more dogs that come here, and I need something for [his dog] to chase around. Also, amenities. Tere’s not many that have a lot of benches and shade.”
With Davis’ largest dog park now reopened, residents of Davis and nearby areas can once again enjoy the company of other locals. For dog owners, or dog lovers who have yet to own one, check out the Toad Hollow Dog Park at 1919 2nd St. and visit the city of Davis website for more information on the park’s amenities and guidelines.
The DJUSD board meeting on Jan. 16, 2025. (Jenna Lee / Aggie)
Recently reopened, dogs play at the Toad Hollow Dog Park. (Ojas Mishra / Aggie)
The new tile art installment outside of Davis City Hall.
(Veda Jadaprolu / Aggie)
KAYLA TRAN / AGGIE
Commissioner, Davis Journal of Legal Studies editor
call for creation of ASUCD body to serve immigrant students at Jan. 23 senate meeting
The student government also passed several spending bills for student events and programs
BY VINCE BASADA campus@theaggie.org
ASUCD Senate Pro Tempore
Dhilena Wickramasinghe called the Jan. 23 senate meeting to order at 6:10 p.m. before reading the UC Davis Land Acknowledgement.
After elected-ofcer and ex-ofcio reports, the table opened itself to public comment.
Robi Castaneda, a third-year political science and music double major and member of the External Afairs Commission (EAC), presented to the senate ways to increase accessibility to legal resources for international students. He spoke on behalf of the EAC and the Davis Journal of Legal Studies (DJLS).
“In recent days, the United States has undergone a profound political transformation that has shaken the foundations of our government, questioned our values and tested our commitment to shared human dignity,” Castaneda said.
He highlighted that some 42% of the 2024 frst-year class consists of international students, noting that this statistic leaves out other student groups afected by recent events.
Tis alone does not account for the amount of students who do not classify as international but are still labeled as resident aliens,” Castaneda said. “Individuals waiting [for] visa appointments, interviews or the chance to work in this country.”
Castaneda continued by citing his own personal experience as a call to action.
“While it is easy to categorize these individuals to data, it is decidedly more difcult to comprehend the face behind every number and the story behind every percentage point,” Castaneda said. “I am one of those numbers. When I was three years old, I immigrated to this country from the Philippines with my parents with nothing but the clothes on our backs and the food in our suitcases. It would take 10 years before we earned
our permanent residency in this country — we were denied three times.”
Castaneda also said that immigration resources should be better known to students who share similar backgrounds.
“Many students on campus, like myself, know the struggle to find adequate immigration resources,” Castaneda said. “While our community possesses a variety of resources on campus related to immigration, it is to our understanding that not enough people are truly aware of [them].”
On top of funding existing resources, Castaneda asked the senate to create a new body specifcally for immigrant students.
Te existing pool of resources is so vast and disparate that students don’t even know where to start,” Castaneda said. “As such, we would like to have a bill that puts all legal resources for international students and immigrants under a single ofcial body, the ASUCD Immigration and Rights Commission.”
Castaneda also said he hopes that this single unifed body could better connect students to resources.
“The last thing a busy student should have to worry about amidst the furry of midterms and exams is their ability to pursue an education and stay in this country,” Castaneda said.
Castaneda was joined by DJLS Editor Avery Redula, a third-year English major, who proposed possible collaborations with the International House, the King Hall Immigration Clinic and other existing legal resources.
Several members of the table, including Senators Asif Ahmed, Zack Dollins, Amrita Julka and External Affairs Commission Chair Henry Rosenbach, echoed support for the proposed body before public comment was over.
Afterwards, the senate heard a quarterly report from Picnic Day Unit Director Mina Sarmah, a fourth-year statistics major.
on 8
A look into three past senator’s and interim senator’s achievements
Jacob Klein, Luis Leonardo Garcia and Tianneh Garcia Bonardi detail their time in office and future plans
BY MADISON PETERS campus@theaggie.org
As we settle into the new quarter, the ASUCD Senate has had to say goodbye to some of its members, both old and new. Jacob Klein, Luis Leonardo Garcia and Tianneh Garcia Bonardi refect on their successful terms in ofce.
While sitting at the senate table, these individuals were able to accomplish many achievements for the beneft of the student body and are continuing their involvement by aiding the community in various ways.
Jacob Klein Third-year, political science — public service major
Jacob Klein served as an ASUCD Senator for two years, working with various committees and groups on campus, as well as collaborating on countless pieces of legislation.
Klein discussed his initial interest in the senator position as well as his passion for helping the community.
“I ran for senate in my first quarter at UC Davis, because I saw opportunities for ASUCD to better serve the student body,” Klein said. “Over my two terms, I am proud to have contributed to its growth, but there is still so much potential.”
During his time as a senator, Klein helped increase safety and accessibility on campus. He created a $25,000 Safety Initiatives Fund to increase investments in projects that are aimed at promoting student safety. In fall 2024, Klein, along with Disability Justice Committee Chairperson Noa Sumner, institutionalized disability requirements that mandate including image descriptions and captions on all ASUCD websites and social media pages.
Additionally, Klein worked with the Aggie Arts Committee to protect the creativity of student expression through institutionalizing an ASUCD policy against Artifcial Intelligence (AI) art. Tis policy also aimed to promote sustainability within the institution.
In spring 2024, Klein put his focus in diversity and inclusion by collaborating with the ASUCD Sexual Assault Awareness Advocacy Committee to host a workshop for more than 40 students. Klein also co-authored a spending bill with the ASUCD Pride Festival to allocate $3,000 for a studentrun Drag Brunch on campus.
Latitude Restaurant and Market hosts fifth birthday celebration
The event included a special menu and giveaways
BY JESSICA YUNG campus@theaggie.org
On Jan. 15 from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Latitude Restaurant and Market celebrated its ffth birthday with a special menu, decorations and giveaways.
Te menu included many of the chef’s and community’s favorite dishes, according to the UC Davis website. José Vadi, a writer for UC Davis Dateline, described the complexities and intentions of the meals.
Tis special ffth-birthday menu was curated by the chef’s team to include popular dishes previously served in Latitude along with some of the chef’s favorite dishes,” the article reads.
“Tis includes paella, paneer tikka masala, picanha and more.” Roger Thompson, the assistant director of culinary operations at Latitude, went into further detail about the dishes served.
“For today’s event, we wanted to do some of the greatest hits,” Tompson said. “We have our Brazilian steak, our paella from Spain, our Emperor’s pork from China and a paneer chicken masala from India.”
Latitude Guest Service Supervisor Savannah Ramirez, a fourth-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior
major, described her opinion of the popular dishes at the event. “The Brazilian [picanha] steak is going pretty crazy,” Ramirez said. “It’s steak and collard greens with bacon in it. Ten, [it’s] pineapple-grilled with cinnamon and brown sugar.”
Tompson described the planning process for the dish and said that it was his intention to stay true to its heritage, a value he says that the restaurant prioritizes.
“I made some and loved it,”
Tompson said. “Ten [I] did research into how it’s best made, how we can best authentically serve it here at the scale that we need to.”
Another dish that was served was Emperor’s pork — braised in soy sauce, ginger and garlic and served with bok choy and white rice, according to the Latitude menu.
Maja Watte, a fourth-year plant biology major who attended the celebration, described her thoughts on the pork dish.
“My favorite dish [...] was the pork bowl with rice and a brown sugar/soy sauce,” Watte said. “I didn’t have the bok choy, though, because I wasn’t sure if I would like it and didn’t want to waste a huge chunk of vegetable on a taste test.”
The restaurant was decorated with balloons, streamers and messages wishing the establishment happy
birthday in various languages, a homage to their international cuisine.
Staf members at Latitude were handing out paper chef hats with an updated logo for Latitude’s birthday, with the patrons of the restaurant wearing them as they enjoyed their meals. Te event’s giveaways included stickers, pens, pencils, chopsticks, travel cups and paper chef hats.
Watte described her thoughts on the restaurant’s decor and giveaways.
“I enjoyed the balloons,” Watte said. “Balloons make everything feel more festive, and [it] gave me something to do while waiting for gelato. Te only giveaway I recall was the handing out of chef hats to people waiting in line, which was fun.”
Richard Ronquillo, the director of marketing and communications for Student Housing and Dining Services, described what he hopes students take away from the event.
“We just want to educate students about Latitude,” Ronquillo said. “And then for staf, community and students that don’t live with us in student housing, we want to make sure that they know that this is an option for them. We are open to the public and this is always an option for lunch or dinner for anybody in the campus [and] anybody in the community.”
Despite his time in ofce ending, Klein says he has many plans to stay involved and continue helping the community.
“Now that my time on the senate has ended, I will continue working with the vice chancellor of student afairs as one of two vice chancellor associates,” Klein said. “In this role, I work with student leaders and administrators to increase transparency and provide insight on various campus initiatives.” Klein refected on his time in ofce and said his work with the UC Davis community is very special to him.
“Serving as an ASUCD Senator and advocating for the needs of our student body has been an incredibly rewarding experience,” Klein said. “Every student I had the opportunity to speak with while tabling at the [Memorial Union] or working at events helped shape the priorities I advocated for in one way or another.”
In addition to continuing his activism on campus, Klein encourages the entire student body to get involved.
“Whether you want to run for senate, apply to join one of our commissions or committees or volunteer at Te Pantry, I encourage you to get involved with ASUCD to have a meaningful impact on our campus,” Klein said.
Luis Leonardo Garcia Second-year, political science major
Luis Leonardo Garcia was sworn in as one of the frst interim senators of the 2024 year and served for four months from September to December. Garcia worked with various committees, including his adopted units, the Aggie Arts Committee and Entertainment Council, as well as hosted various events and workshops throughout his term.
Garcia brought new events to campus such as the Raíces Fuertes Event, a Chicanx/Latinx empowerment event that saw over 150 students, included over a dozen Chicanx/Latinx clubs and organizations and featured three guest speakers. Te event ended with a LinkedIn workshop that encouraged networking with various businesses as well as other students.
Garcia said the event would not have been able to happen without the passing of SB #17 and #19, as well as help from the Internal Afairs Commission Chairperson Amanda Clark.
Trough the creation of both the bills to create funding for this event, I was greatly helped by Internal Afair[s] Commission Chairperson, Amanda Clark, who was such a huge help and was always available to explain anything I was confused about,” Garcia said.
In addition to the Raíces Fuertes Event, Garcia hosted multiple workshops including “Basics to Resume Building” in collaboration with Puente Club and Aggie Compass. Tis workshop gave free access to professional attire for students that they could keep for any career-related activities. Garcia also collaborated with the Aggie Arts Committee to create a vinyl-painting workshop as a way to destress before fnals.
One of Garcia’s most notable projects is the creation of the Aggie Pack Rally Committee, a new school spirit committee focused on using data to improve student involvement and engagement at athletic events. Te committee works with the ASUCD External Afairs Commission (EAC), Aggie Athletics and the ASUCD Innovation and Research Lab and has interacted with over 200 students as of fall quarter 2024.
City releases Village Farms Draft Environmental Impact Report for public comment
Comments on the environmental impact review will be open until Feb. 21
BY RORY CONLON city@theaggie.org
Te city of Davis released the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the proposed Village Farms housing development on Jan. 8. Te public can submit comments on the DEIR until Feb. 21.
Te Village Farms Davis Project is a proposed 497.6-acre project that will be located north of East Covell Boulevard, east of F Street and west of Pole Line Road. Te project’s developer, North Davis Land Company LLC, said it would add 1,800 housing units to help alleviate the housing crisis in Davis.
“A lack of housing options, in addition to an overall housing shortage, continues to make homeownership further out of reach for many in our community,” the project’s description reads. “Case in point, at least 47% of all permanent [Davis Joint Unifed School District] employees do not currently live in Davis. Tis simple fact demonstrates how the housing crisis is weakening the very fabric of our community.”
North Davis Land Company LLC also argued that the development would help the city of Davis meet state requirements for providing housing to its residents.
new housing,” the description reads. “Village Farms Davis will provide 20% of its residential units as afordable housing, exceeding the requirements of the City of Davis inclusionary housing ordinance. An additional 5% of residential units will ofer a downpayment assistance program to frst-time homebuyers.” Developers submitted an initial plan to the city in 2023. Under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the city must analyze any signifcant environmental impacts the project can have, fnd ways to mitigate those impacts and provide project alternatives.
The CEQA document for the Village Farms project was frst released in November of 2024. Te City Council was provided an update during their meeting on the development on Nov. 19, 2024, according to the city of Davis webpage.
Te update included the analysis of the project as submitted in 2023 under CEQA, along with fve reasonable alternatives, that are part of the Environmental Impact Report,” the webpage reads.
“The regulatory consequences for not meeting State [Regional Housing Needs Allocation] demands could have serious implications to state funding and local control over
The exterior of the Latitude Restaurant and Market on the UC Davis campus. (Markus Kaeppeli / Aggie)
SENATE
Interim Senators Tianneh Garcia Bonardi and Luis Leonardo Garcia and Senator Jacob Klein speak at the ASUCD Senate meeting on Dec. 5, 2024. (Jenna Lee / Aggie)
What was the TikTok ban really about?
The recent, short-lived TikTok ban might have deeper implications than we think
BY SABRINA FIGUEROA sfigueroaavila@ucdavis.edu
In 2024, the government passed a bill that would ban TikTok in the United States if it was not sold to an American company by Jan. 19, 2025. While many did not believe that statement to be true, it eventually occurred — hours ahead of time. However, TikTok wasn’t gone for long: Te ban was suddenly lifted after just 12 hours for many American users.
Many in the U.S. were confused as to why TikTok would go down for only a short period of time and why the app displayed a message thanking President Donald Trump — even though he was the one who originally wanted to ban the app back in 2020.
TikTok has been a powerful social media app that has managed to spotlight the ugly truths of the world, such as police brutality and discrimination. Not only this, but it has also allowed for millions around the world to organize, protest and learn things more efciently. All of this made the app an immense check on power — a check that didn’t necessarily have to come from journalists. Perhaps this is why the government wanted to ban it in the frst place.
However, in recent press releases, Trump has appeared to have changed his mind on the TikTok ban, though not because this action is unconstitutional (according to the First Amendment). Instead, he changed his mind after winning the 2024 presidential election with the help of popular right-wing TikTok influencers and streamers, which provided him a crucial increase in percentage of the younger vote.
Tat being said, there are deeper implications — an ulterior motive — behind his change of opinion and stance on the TikTok ban. TikTok has a largely younger audience, and “saving” it would pin him as a savior in their eyes. In the end, he’d
get a bit more empathy and a little less resistance from a younger generation who despised him and vowed to continue to do so.
Nevertheless, a vow is simply not enough. Tere will be people in the U.S., especially among the younger generation, who will fall in line with the entire “TikTok Ban Plan” that Trump is currently leveraging to gain support. It is important to think critically about every piece of media we consume — none of us are immune to propaganda.
To reiterate, the ban being lifted is a good thing, don’t get me wrong — U.S. residents will still have this outlet to get the word out about discrimination, events, protests and more. However, how well this outlet will work during Trump’s presidency seems to be unclear.
Trump now has presidential immunity, after a Supreme Court ruling in July 2024, and has proved he can exercise this signifcant power with the over 20 executive orders signed in his frst days in ofce, many undoing years of social justice work by and for minorities. He also seems to have the tech industry wrapped around his fnger, with Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jef Bezos, Shou Zi Chew and more in attendance at his inauguration. All of these factors can come together to help him infict serious damage to U.S. society, including pushing censorship and propaganda on the social media apps we use.
Tis is certainly not the time to make jokes, nor is it the time to take things lightly. Te TikTok fasco of January 2025 is just the beginning of what may be in store for us, so it’s incredibly important to keep our eyes wide open. We are just as powerful as our leaders.
Disclaimer: Te views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by Te California Aggie.
Is the algorithm contagious?
You are what you like, share and subscribe to
JASON XIE / AGGIE
BY ABHINAYA KASAGANI akasagani@ucdavis.edu
It has, in all honesty, been 3,652 days since I have had an original thought. This would be perfectly permissible if my reasons for failing to be inventive happened to be a lingering byproduct of artist fatigue and not “the algorithm of taste,” yet the prevalence of this algorithm efectively curates our digital environments and infuences our collective behaviors, forbidding us from following our own inclinations. In lesser words, the algorithm both captivates and holds captive. American sociologist Henry Pratt Fairchild described culture as a set of codi f ed patterns acquired through contagion. Te social contagion — the phenomenon wherein ideas, behaviors and emotions spread within a society — has become increasingly mediated by algorithms, distorting how we behave and think. Teir curatorial capacity efectively controls modern cultural processes, amplifying certain cultural narratives and suppressing others. The cognitive foundation of cultural contagion lies in the human mind’s propensity to adopt ideas that are repeated or reinforced. Since algorithms favor sensationalist and polarizing content, they operate with inherent biases, resulting in echo chambers wherein users are exposed predominantly to ideas and opinions that reinforce their preexisting beliefs.
I am not ready to graduate
If you’re feeling anxious about graduation, you’re not alone
BY JHANA RHODES jsrho@ucdavis.edu
Ever since I submitted my graduation application, apprehension has followed me around like a younger sibling. It’s singing loudly when I’m trying to write an essay, it’s the back seat driver when I’m driving home and, just when I think I’ve gotten a moment to myself, it’s there again asking me: “What are you going to do after you graduate?”
If life were perfect, this question would be easy to answer. I would’ve said that on weekdays, I plan on living in a rent-controlled apartment on the Upper East Side, and on the weekends, I’m sipping cosmopolitans somewhere in the Hamptons. However, not everyone can be a main character in “Sex and Te City.” Terefore, until I get three wishes, I’m entering the New Year with more fear and doubt than I’ve ever had before.
When I was younger, applying for college — let alone graduating from it — seemed so far away. From running my wood-chip-and-sand restaurant to playing pretend as a mermaid at my local community pool, I was too busy to realize that I would have to grow up one day.
Tough I am older now, on days when apprehension gets the best of me, I fnd it hard not to reminisce about my childhood. My whole life has been centered around the expectation of pursuing an education. I spent 12 years in public school, went to college, dropped out, then went back to college and, now, here I am in my second-to-
last quarter at UC Davis, terrifed of what’s to come. Don’t get me wrong, I am ecstatic to fnally be done with school. I won’t have to wake up at 7 a.m. just to sit in uncomfortable chairs through a two-hour lecture. I won’t have to take a “midterm” every two weeks. And — something I’m pleased about — no more dodging bicycles. However, deep down, I know that the things I’m leaving behind now are the same things I will miss when I have to go. Now that I think about it, there was a time when I was scared to start a new life at UC Davis. I was terrifed to apply, and when I got into UC Davis, I was afraid to move over 300 miles away from home. Te point is, I don’t think there will ever be a time in my life when
I’m not afraid of the future.
It’s natural human instinct to be wary of what’s uncertain. It’s our mind’s way of protecting and preparing ourselves for potential threats. But, even if it’s scary, it shouldn’t stop us from accomplishing our goals. My fear sometimes makes me want to completely shut down, run away and hide. In the past, I haven’t applied to jobs, traveled places or even gone out to see certain friends because I was afraid of something unexpected happening. When I think about life after graduating, I often think about everything that can go wrong. What if I don’t get the job I wanted? What if I don’t make any friends? What if I don’t graduate at all?
LIFEPOSTGRAD on 9
The myth of woke California
Unpacking California’s conservative history and why it is extra relevant this year
BY TARA ROMERO tcrome@ucdavis.edu
“Trump is coming back to ofce, but because we’re in California, we have nothing to worry about” — this is a strange sentiment that has been foating around a lot in the past few months. Frankly, there’s a lot to unpack with that statement alone, but let’s start with questioning why this is the go-to remark for liberal Californians as we enter into another Trump presidency.
California has been a reliably blue state since 1988. On election night, our 54 electoral votes rolled in to give a huge
Sometimes, it is not divisive and controversial material that thrives within these algorithmic ecosystems but simply digestible media and shortform content. Tis not only sustains user engagement but simultaneously contributes to the rapid dissemination of ideas that discourage critical thinking and foster ideological homogeneity within groups. Everyone is cut from the same cloth. Algorithms fracture human thought, homogenizing global culture. An entire generation of people is less inclined and more selective about being exposed to content with which they disagree. Disregarding objectionable content in favor of what one fnds pleasurable, however, does a disservice to critical thought. Shortening attention spans have deprioritized indepth narratives, causing a separation that exacerbates social tensions and limits opportunities for constructive dialogue and understanding. Following continuous exposure to curated content, as such, rewires cognitive processes, making individuals more reactive and less autonomous in their tastes and preferences. Te data generated by user interactions is then monetized, further entrenching algorithmic infuence. Sorry to be too gauche, but you are, in fact, your own tastemaker. Mutuality is one thing; the problem lies in blindly following. What is it that you truly like?
push for the Democratic candidate.
In recent years, our state has enacted plenty of progressive legislation, such as amending the state constitution to protect both reproductive rights in 2022 and same-sex marriage in 2024. On paper, California appears to be a liberal oasis in the midst of a Trump presidency.
I cannot lie, I was naively brainwashed by this myth going into this last election. Surely, we all rolled our eyes at the attempt of backtracking on Proposition 47. Undoubtedly, my fellow Californians would vote to end the enslavement of people who are incarcerated, since it’s a human rights
HUMOR
violation and there was literally no argument submitted against it.
When I woke up the morning after the election, I’m embarrassed to admit that I was blindsided by the results of Proposition 6 and 36. However, remembering California’s history, these results really should not have come as such a surprise.
While California has passed notable progressive reform in recent years, only a few decades ago was California also at the helm of regressive politics. In case we forgot, two of the most infamous presidents in American history were California politicians: Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. Aside from the classic fumble of Watergate, Nixon was also known for his devotion to bringing “law and order” to America. Tis platform spoke to the racist frustration of the white lower class following the Civil Rights Movement. “Law and order” rhetoric is also the predecessor to the “Tough on Crime” movement in the following decades. In his presidency, Ronald “don’t worry it will trickle down, I promise” Reagan notably did absolutely nothing in the face of the AIDS epidemic. His campaign was fueled by creating and then fghting the imaginary “War on Drugs.” He criminalized drug usage by signing the “Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986,” which spurred increased drug laws on the state level throughout the country — including California.
After Reagan’s presidency, California went on to be a leader in passing new “Tough on Crime” laws, which disproportionately targeted Black and Latino Californians.
BOOM or DOOM: UC Davis edition
The Rizzler (me) has spoken BY
ALLISON KELEHER adkeleher@ucdavis.edu
UC Davis is a well-known institution with many bright students and faculty who support the advancement of higher education. With that being said, as a student of this university, I feel it is my duty to share with you the brain rot that is Te Rizzler — a young boy on the Internet who rates items from Costco with the Costco Guys and gives them either a “BOOM” for “good” or a “DOOM” for “bad.” Now, I am essentially bringing the BOOMs and DOOMs to UC Davis.
• The basement of Shields Library. DOOM. LeShelle May. BOOM. Te egg salad sandwich in the vending machine in the Olson Hall basement. DOOM.
• Te Pantry. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. Slow walkers. DOOM. Running into friends on campus. BOOM.
• Muscular man on a bike, riding full speed into a girl on the sidewalk. DOOM. People who noisily pack up to leave the lecture early. DOOM.
• Electric scooters. DOOM.
Bugatti electric scooter. BOOM.
• On-campus jobs that don’t hire you. DOOM.
• LinkedIn influencers. DOOM. Unitrans. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
• Riding a bike in the cold without gloves on. DOOM. Te person I keep making awkward eye contact with in the library. DOOM.
• Red Bull ambassadors. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
• Scary pre-med students. DOOM. Staying in the library until 10 p.m. on the frst week of the quarter. DOOM.
• My Peet’s Cofee order not looking like the right color after I just spent $7. DOOM. Experiencing someone else’s Peet’s Cofee order all over my backpack after it just spilled three lecture rows behind me. DOOM. Digging up a squirrel’s nut it just buried in front of them. BOOM.
• Sitting on the second foor balcony of Wellman Hall as the sun sets. BOOM. Eating a crepe from the Silo. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
• Spokes french fries. DOOM.
Aggie Mental Health ambassadors approaching me on a bench and asking me if I’m okay just because I’m sitting alone. DOOM. Te Grove, Surge III, lecture hall. DOOM. Making “Come as you are” jokes. BOOM. In conclusion, UC Davis. BOOM.
Disclaimer: (Tis article is humor and/or satire, and its content is purely fctional. Te story and the names of “sources” are fctionalized.)
SAVANNAH BURGER / AGGIE
EMILY TRAN / AGGIE
LANHUI ZHEN / AGGIE
SAVANNAH BURGER / AGGIE
EDITORIAL
Donald Trump has taken a cruel stance on the loss of life in Gaza
The Editorial Board condemns the Trump Administration’s dangerous rhetoric on the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal
WRITTEN BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD
As the Trump presidency enters its second week, signifcant changes to domestic and international relations are well underway. Trump has signed executive order after executive order, confrmed new government positions and halted all United States foreign aid, with two exceptions.
On Jan. 15, 2025, a ceasefre in Gaza was announced, set to begin four days later on Jan. 19. Te agreement is meant to constitute three stages: During the frst, a complete ceasefre is meant to be held while Hamas releases 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for over 1,900 Palestinian prisoners, and displaced Palestinians will be allowed to return to their homes. Only a couple of weeks into this frst stage, Israel and Hamas have both claimed that the other side has breached the ceasefre agreement, and tensions are continuing to heighten despite the deal.
Te second stage is meant to establish a permanent ceasefre: Te remaining living hostages in Gaza will be exchanged for more Palestinian prisoners and Israeli forces are meant to make a complete withdrawal. Stage three will see the return of all remaining bodies of dead hostages and, eventually, the reconstruction of Gaza itself.
“Gaza is very interesting,” Trump said on Saturday, Jan. 25. “It’s a phenomenal location on the sea, it’s the best weather. You know, everything’s good. Some beautiful things could be done with it.”
Tis was only shortly after Trump referred to Gaza as a “demolition site” that should “be cleaned out” — a blatant suggestion to ethnically cleanse the region through mass displacement. Trump’s attitude toward Gaza and its rebuilding is incredibly dangerous; It is apparent that Trump views Gaza and the potential of what could be built there in the same way that he might view a potential new site for one of his golf courses.
In addition, as of Jan. 27, Israel has violated the agreement by blocking displaced people from re-entering
Northern Gaza, announcing that it had not received a list disclosing the status of the 33 hostages that Israel wanted returned during this frst stage. Tat list has now been received, revealing that 25 of the 33 hostages remain alive. Communication between the two groups appears incredibly complicated, with both Israel and Hamas accusing the other of violating the terms of the current ceasefre agreement.
Tis is an incredibly complicated and ongoing situation, during which it will be more important than ever to stay informed about both Trump’s plans and what is taking place during Israel and Hamas’ ongoing negotiations.
Tough the ceasefre has been widely celebrated among Palestinians, ceasefres have been violated throughout history, with Israel in particular having breached a ceasefre agreement that was proposed in Gaza during November of 2023. Netanyahu has also commented that Israel may not complete its full withdrawal from Lebanon by the deadline of its ceasefre with Hezbollah, which is this upcoming Sunday, Feb. 1, 2025.
Despite the thousands of Israeli citizens having taken to the streets throughout the confict, engaging in massive protests against Netanyahu and his actions toward the Palestinian people, the Israeli government disregarded these protests for peace.
On Jan. 26, Israeli forces fred into crowds of Palestinians attempting to return home, wounding nine and killing two.
Trump has already displayed a callous and unfeeling attitude toward the ongoing confict in Gaza, both regarding Israeli and Palestinian lives that have been impacted or lost. Te casual delivery of how he believes the confict should be solved, involving mass ethnic cleansing and Palestinian displacement, is incredibly disturbing.
Te Editorial Board condemns Trump’s rhetoric surrounding Palestine and the ceasefre deal, as well as his claims that the war has nothing to do with the United States — as the nation continues to provide billions in military funding to Israel.
In addition, as of Jan. 28, all
foreign aid from the United States has entered a 90-day freeze period, with the only exceptions being continued military aid to Israel and Egypt. Te United States provides four out of every 10 dollars of humanitarian aid; Tis will prove catastrophic for countless individuals and programs if much of the aid is not resumed. Potentially aficting other crucial world conficts such as the RussiaUkraine war, as Ukraine relies on the U.S. for security funding.
Trump’s administration is claiming that this freeze is for foreign aid reassessment — in the meantime, however, aid and funding to thousands of programs has been completely halted.
Tis ethos, and Trump’s willingness to speak of the situation with such carefree language, is characterized by a dangerous desire to ethnically cleanse entire populations and cannot be normalized. It is more important than ever to fght for marginalized populations as harmful rhetoric about “cleaning Gaza out” spreads.
He has made a point to insist that “it’s not our war, it’s their war,” despite the U.S.’ ongoing fnancial involvement. Tis remark is also particularly interesting considering many United States politicians’ attitudes toward perpetuating the confict. Past Republican presidential candidate and United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley even signed an artillery shell in Israel with the words “Finish Tem” in May 2024, a sickeningly casual remark openly suggesting the remainder of the Palestinian population be wiped out.
Currently, Trump and his administration have begun to suggest with a foundational lack of empathy that all Palestinians remaining in Gaza be relocated to surrounding nations, including Egypt and Jordan.
“I said to him: ‘I’d love you to take on more because I’m looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now and it’s a mess, it’s a real mess.’ I’d like him to take people,” Trump said regarding a phone conversation with Jordan’s King Abdullah. With the loss of so much life and culture, it is imperative not to
Avian influenza outbreak impairs the poultry and dairy industries
Biosecurity measures are necessary to prevent a zoonotic disease
BY NEVAEH KARRAKER nakarraker@ucdavis.edu
Eggs: hard-boiled, soft-boiled, deviled, fried, sunny side up — the list goes on. Given that eggs are packed with protein and nutrients, and can also undergo emulsifcation during baking, the uses of this product are immensely diverse. However, any future plans for omelets must be postponed, due to a recent nationwide egg shortage.
Cases of avian influenza, scientifcally known as the HPAI A (H5N1) strain, in United States birds was frst reported in 2022. Since then, it has only become more lethal and widespread within commercial and backyard focks across the eastern part of the country.
Tens of millions of egg-laying hens, as well as poultry, have either died, been culled or been impaired, leading industrial processes to shut down operations, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). As a result, egg prices have spiked.
Yet, this virus is certainly not new; It was initially found in waterfowl in China almost three decades ago. Over time, other species of domestic and wild birds, livestock, small mammals and even humans were infected globally. Organizations such as the USDA, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have closely followed and investigated the rapidly increasing reports. For example, in March 2024, Texas documented the earliest case of the bird fu in U.S. dairy cows. Infected cattle experienced extreme mastitis, or inflammation of the mammary glands. Tis symptom heavily reduces milk production and creates a cloudy, odd-colored and inedible liquid. It was followed by elevated fevers and mortality. As of now, cases have been confrmed in over 900 herds throughout numerous states. Pigs, cats, goats and even arctic mammals like polar bears and seals have been impacted, showcasing the dangerous proliferation of this virus. Moreover, it will take months to rebuild the poultry industry and years for the dairy. In order to facilitate this rebuild, the USDA is providing generous compensation to afected farmers. However, the USDA’s compensation
Editorial Board
CHRIS PONCE Editor-in-Chief
ALYSSA CREVOISERAT Managing Editor
MADISON PETERS Campus News Editor
HANNAH SCHRADER City News Editor
MAYA KORNYEYEVA Opinion Editor
ZOEY MORTAZAVI Features Editor
ANA BACH Arts & Culture Editor
MEGAN JOSEPH Sports Editor
KATIE HELLMAN Science Editor
JENNA LEE Photo Director
ARIANA NOBLE Layout Director
LANHUI ZHEN Design Director
JOANNE SUN Social Media Manager
AARON POTTER Website Manager
CASSIDY GILLIS Distribution & Outreach Director
TIFFANY HE Copy Chief
JENNY DYE Copy Chief
SAMUEL RUIZ Translation Director
ILEANA MERAZ Translation Director
LAURIE PEDERSON Business Development Manager
lose sight of the ethnic cleansing that has been taking place in Palestine. Countless people have been impacted — relocating people with no regard for their homes, the depth of their cultural ties and no answers as to when they might be able to
indirectly encourages cruel practices such as culling (a common method to manage livestock populations by inducing heat stroke), according to an article by Te New York Times. Whether it’s death due to disease or slaughter, it still reduces the meat, dairy and egg supply.
California is the largest dairy producer in the U.S., and the state alone has over 700 infected dairy herds. Davis is especially known for its agricultural college and research, with an exceptional veterinary medicine program. If the avian infuenza reaches Davis livestock, it would prove to be detrimental to the university’s output.
Scientists are thus concerned that avian infuenza may evolve into a fully developed zoonotic disease. And, theoretically, if it spreads as expeditiously through humans as it did cross-species, it could surpass the mortality rates of COVID-19. Tis is a prominent fear, especially now that the Louisiana Department of Health announced the frst human avian infuenza-related death in the U.S. earlier this month. Fortunately, the probability of this development occurring is extremely low, as human cases have predominantly resulted from direct contact with compromised farms.
Te Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have disclosed that contamination results from unsanitary food, direct contact, nasal passages, bodily fuids and airborne pathways.
In other words, the strain is incredibly contagious.
Tus, biosecurity measures ought to be in high demand. Tese steps prevent disease spread by implementing extensive safety protocols, including (but not limited to) isolation and sanitation. An epidemic is not the only concern; A food supply shortage would also result in devastating consequences.
Georgia, the nation’s top chicken producer, has forbidden poultry exchange and ordered infected farms into a state of quarantine. At UC Davis, students already working with certain animal species are prohibited from taking classes or being within proximity to other species. While this can be disappointing for those requiring hands-on experience, this protocol will prevent the virus from impacting the availability of future courses and a further development of the infuenza.
Those employed in agriculture should strive to pursue biosecurity, and those who are not should refrain from visiting or touching unknown animals until organizations have complete control over the situation. In order to protect public health, it’s crucial to stay informed, avoid potential contamination and adhere to safety guidelines.
Disclaimer: Te views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by Te California Aggie.
return is unacceptable. While we acknowledge that this second Trump Administration is cultivating fear and unrest, it is important to continue paying attention to what is happening both across the globe and nationally.
Fossil-fueled flames
it isn’t the consequences of our own actions…
BY MOLLY THOMPSON mmtthompson@ucdavis.edu
For a lot of us, climate change has always felt like something that we were going to face in the future. We are warned to be conservative with our resources so future generations won’t run out; told that we need to work on creating renewable energy sources because fossil fuels aren’t sustainable in the long run; reminded that the deadline for causing irreversible damage to our environment is approaching.
Spoiler alert: that ship has sailed. Now, more than ever before, we are seeing the devastating efects of global warming in our own backyards. Rising temperatures, water shortages and extreme weather events have begun creating food shortages. Every year is hotter than the one before, and new record-high temperatures are recorded annually. Hurricanes, foods, droughts and other natural disasters are more frequent, and more detrimental when they occur. Warming seas and ocean acidifcation is starting to wipe out populations of fsh that are crucial food sources for us, along with other important species. Te Arctic is warming twice as fast as any other region on earth and could be entirely void of ice during the summers in as few as 15 years if we continue at our current rate of greenhouse gas emissions. Te number of large California wildfres doubled
between 1984 and 2015. All of this is not normal.
Te current Los Angeles wildfres, as tragic as they are, are a perfect example of climate change in action. Southern California had a particularly dry year — the recorded rainfall so far in the wet season is the second lowest in nearly 150 years — along with high temperatures causing more dry chaparral (perfect to kindle a fame) and more dramatic seasonal winds (which are also linked to global warming). In aggregate, the situation was a perfect storm for severe wildfres. Unfortunately, the “unprecedented events” we are currently witnessing are going to become regular. Te magnitude of these disasters is only increasing — the nightmares of today are tomorrow’s baseline. It’s a terrifying reality. If we don’t alter our current path, it’s only going to get worse. We’re already unprepared for the symptoms we’re seeing now — that’s already a fact that doesn’t bode well. In the early days of fghting the massive Los Angeles wildfres, fre hydrants ran out of water, stalling the eforts of frefghters. To be clear, this didn’t occur because Los Angeles is in a drought (even though it is), it happened because the magnitude of the disaster is beyond what the city thought they’d ever have to face. Te fre hydrants are hooked up to gigantic water tanks containing millions of gallons of water for
JASON XIE / AGGIE
CRYSTAL CHEN / AGGIE
ARTS & CULTURE
Remembering that ‘The Land is Our Community’ at The Avid Reader
Roberta L. Millstein’s clarification of Aldo Leopold’s environmental ethics suggests that we rethink what we owe to our natural communities
BY JULIE HUANG arts@theaggie.org
At Te Avid Reader on Jan. 23, UC Davis Professor Emerita and researcher Roberta L. Millstein presented her interpretation and defense of Aldo Leopold’s “Te Land Ethic,” an approach to human interaction with the environment, as outlined in Millstein’s book, “Te Land is Our Community: Aldo Leopold’s Environmental Ethic for the New Millennium.”
Millstein began the talk by introducing Leopold’s history and background as a hunter, forester, wildlife manager, ecologist, conservationist and professor, giving context to the development of his attitude on ethical behavior toward the land. Although he is best known for his book, “A Sand County Almanac,” and the essay, “Te Land Ethic,” contained within it, which were posthumously published in 1949, Leopold published more than 500 works and wrote just as many unpublished works.
“He’s kind of a standard fgure in all of the anthologies for environmental ethics, and you can’t help but teach him,” Millstein said.
When asked what inspired her to write about Leopold specifcally, Millstein cited her experiences as a professor. Tey led her to observe how Leopold’s ethical views were universally appealing, allowing students of many diferent academic backgrounds to fnd value in his philosophy.
“Tis [‘Land Ethic’ approach] was a view that a lot of [students] fnd attractive, and I mean students from diferent backgrounds and majors, like art, philosophy, history and diferent kinds of science majors,” Millstein said.
Tis is something that could draw a lot of people in and get people interested.”
However, Millstein noticed that there were many interpretations of Leopold’s “Te Land Ethic” that misrepresented the intended meaning of his work. She eventually decided to write a book with the aim of clarifying his beliefs and defending the validity of his arguments.
“I felt that a lot of interpretations out there were leading people to reject him too quickly, so I wanted to write this book and clear things up so that if people reject him, they at least reject his theory on the right grounds,” Millstein said.
Taking an analytical approach based on the history of environmental science, Millstein explained how Leopold’s ethics emphasize the status of the individual as a member of a natural community that includes living beings, such as plants and animals as well as abiotic components like soil and water. Sharing the status
of membership within a community implies that humans owe a level of respect to the natural environment in which they reside, also termed by Leopold as “a conviction of individual responsibility for the health of the land.”
Two sentences that Millstein identifed as a major source of misinterpretation of Leopold’s ethic are: “A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.”
“A lot of people took these sentences to mean that the individual should be sacrifced to the community — which a lot of people read, found to be fascist and rejected immediately, saying that, ‘Tis is of the table,’” Millstein said. “Others read it, came to the same conclusion and agreed with that wrongful interpretation.”
Te enduring nature of this interpretation of Leopold’s original perspective published in midcentury America has had farreaching implications, as future environmentalists were infuenced by his words in the following decades.
However, Millstein argued that when examining Leopold’s actions throughout his life, it is clearly impossible for Leopold to have intended for this interpretation.
From his writing, readers gathered that actions are wrong if they do not beneft the entire community or that individual outcomes should be sacrifced for the good of the collective. However, Leopold meant something diferent entirely, according to Millstein. Rather, in addition to the obligations that humans have toward other humans, there exists also an obligation to protect and promote the capacity of land communities.
“Why should we undertake eforts to protect and restore the natural environment?” — Millstein posed the question before going on to answer it. Te individual is a member of a community of interdependent parts. Protecting the health of the land that human societies exist on also protects the capacity of the environment for self-renewal, which comes back to beneft humanity in the end, according to Millstein.
“In human communities, we accept limitations on our freedom of action and rules of social conduct, because we are parts of competing and cooperating interdependent human communities,” Millstein said.
Drawing from the disciplines of history and ecology, Millstein argued that we should extend our understanding of the interdependence between beings to include not just humans but the other members of our land communities — soils, waters, plants and animals.
Te existence of bees was used as one example. Various crops and fowers grown by humans are dependent on bees for pollination, and yet there are a variety of threats to bees that are also caused by humans, such as pesticides and climate change.
“Harmful interactions with bees make them vulnerable, and that vulnerability is important, because it makes them dependent on us — on human actions — and what we do or don’t do,” Millstein said. “Te key point is to recognize and act on obligations to the land over and above self interest.”
If we are capable of accepting limits on our personal freedoms and obligations to other human beings in order to participate in society, consistency demands that we expand these ethics to include the land, which we share an interdependent relationship with.
“Each of us has a role to play, especially with the ongoing climate crisis, rapid extinction of species and loss of habitat,” Millstein said. “We need, more than ever, to understand that we cannot just focus on ourselves.”
When the conversation shifted toward recent political developments and the light they have shed on the environmentally destructive actions, as well as policies pursued by a small number of individuals with vast amounts of wealth and power, Millstein voiced a call to action.
“It is up to the rest of us,” Millstein said. “We [are greater than] them in numbers. If I had the most grandiose hope for the book, I’d hope that we all start to say that [this kind of policy] isn’t in our best interest, and it is not in our community’s best interest.”
Review: ‘Beg,
Borrow, or Steal’ brings some charm to the romance genre
Sarah Adams’ 2025 release delivers wit and chemistry as two second-grade teachers (and secret authors) find their lives intertwined
BY IQRA AHMAD arts@theaggie.org
Whimsical, cute and not overly corny — these are hallmarks of a great romance novel. Tere’s nothing quite like the feeling of falling head over heels for two characters as they discover themselves and each other. Sarah Adams’ newest release, “Beg, Borrow or Steal,” delivers on whimsy and charm, with just a touch of corniness. Te novel kicks of with Emily Walkers, a second-grade teacher spending her summer break in her small hometown of Rome, Kentucky. Emily is quickly established as the perfectionist older sister type, meticulous and always looking out for her loved ones. While at the salon, she learns that her longtime nemesis from college and second-grade teacher, Jack Bennet, is no longer getting married. Unsure how to feel, Emily heads to her favorite Saturday spot at the local cofee shop to work on her secret romance novel. But guess who beats her to the spot? Ding ding ding! If you guessed Jack Bennet, congratulations, you guessed right. This ensues a bickering match — because, “He’s a seat stealer, that’s what he is,” as Emily puts it. She recalls how their feud began years ago when Jack spilled cofee on her shirt on the frst day of class. To make matters worse, he tried to firt with her and asked her out for cofee afterward.
Fresh from a breakup and running late to class, Emily was not having it.
When they fnally made it to class, they argued over the last seat near the front, but Jack’s
BY CHRIS PONCE arts@theaggie.org
TV Show: “Te Ultimatum: Marry or Move On” created by Chris Coelen (2022)
Okay, hear me out, hear me out. I know that this recommendation does not match the serious themes in the rest of this Culture Corner, but everybody needs a trashy piece of media they can watch to turn of their brain. Over the last few months, Te Ultimatum” has become that guilty pleasure for me. Te premise is bizarre: Troubled couples give each other an ultimatum to get married or move on (as the title suggests). Ten, the couples split up and are matched with other “temporary” partners to help them realize what they are really looking for in a person. Tere aren’t any deeper messages to this show, no dark truths about human nature — only trashy and silly mindless entertainment. Come on, a guilty pleasure can’t hurt every now and then, can it?
Song: “Spineless” by Archer Oh (2025)
Archer Oh’s latest release, “Spineless,” emphasizes the indie-garage band’s surf-rock roots. Tis song, along with the rest of Archer Oh’s discography, is sure to become your next hidden gem. Originally from the Riverside area, Oh is a traveling Chicano rock band that gets bigger and bigger with every release. If rock is your sound, check out “Spineless” so you won’t miss out on the bandwagon that is being an Archer Oh fan.
Movie: “A Million Miles Away” dir. Alejandra Marquez (2023)
Tis recent flm may have gone under your radar as it went straight to streaming in most cases, but it’s worth the watch nonetheless. “A Million Miles Away” tells the inspiring true story of José Hernández, the frst Mexican migrant astronaut to go to space. As a child, Hernández worked in the felds alongside his parents, struggling to make ends meet. With a dream to go to space, Hernández applied to NASA 11 times and was met with a rejection every time. Not giving up, he applied and was accepted on his 12th application. Tis flm does an excellent job showcasing the Chicano spirit of resilience and tells a very moving story.
“Te Long Walk” by Richard Bachman
Stephen King is known as “the king of horror” by many, but he is lesser known for his many works that escape the horror genre. Don’t get me wrong, every King book still has its fair share of thrills, but the best King books tend to subvert what he is typically known for. I can’t think of a better recommendation for this than “Te Long Walk.”
Te Long Walk,” originally published under King’s pseudonym Richard Bachman, is a tense dystopian novel that follows a group of boys who enter a state-sponsored competition to see who can walk the longest. Te winner gets granted anything they wish from the government, however only one person can remain walking. Te novel is largely a critique of the Vietnam War, portraying the propaganda that leads to young people risking their lives for a cause “bigger than themselves.”
Te story heavily symbolizes themes such as propaganda, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and violence altogether.
appeal won over the professor, leaving Emily stuck in the back. Ever since then, whether it was test scores, the best parking spot or even jobs, they turned every interaction into a competition.
“It’s like we’re cursed to walk adjacent in this life no matter how much we despise each other,” Emily said. Now, Jack’s back in town, and to top it all of, they fnd out they’re going to be neighbors. Determined to get Jack on his merry way out of her town, Emily hatches a plan. She convinces everyone in town to shun him and even persuades the local contractor to refuse to help Jack renovate his decrepit, borderline falling-apart house. But Jack, ever the trooper, decides to tackle the renovation himself. Despite Emily’s best eforts, the two can’t help but fnd each other attractive, even as they seek to annoy each other at every moment.
Tings take an unexpected turn one day when Emily decides to go for a drive through the backroads of town. A mysterious man on a motorbike starts firting with her, and she firts back. When she reaches her exit, he takes the same one. As they near her driveway, the man pulls up to Jack’s house. And then when he removes his helmet, she realizes it’s Jack. Mortifed, Emily tries to dash into her house, but Jack stops her, admitting it was nice to be on the receiving end of one of her smiles. What starts as a reluctant conversation turns into a moment of connection. Emily lets Jack inside her home, spotting her bookshelf and something in him freezes. Turns out Jack is a New York Times bestselling author, writing under a pen name to compete with his narcissistic father. Teir banter softens when Emily texts him later that evening to stop
In a time when we can see similar propaganda in our own lives, I highly recommend “Te Long Walk.”
doing wheelies on his bike — he agrees, no more wheelies.
By the very next day, the whole town is waving at Jack and welcoming him with open arms. Emily, it seems, has told everyone to accept him. Who would’ve thought their rivalry would lead to this? (But hey, it’s a romance… wasn’t it always going to end up this way?)
One night, after Emily’s sister cancels her trip back from New York, she drowns her frustration in a bit too much wine and accidentally sends her secret, steamy romance novel to none other than Principal Bart, the ultra-conservative head of her school. Panicked and desperate for a solution, she runs straight to Jack for help. Needing support, Emily and Jack share a rare moment of connection and devise a plan to retrieve the manuscript. In a surprising twist, they decide to put their feud aside and ofcially call themselves friends.
Jack even reads Emily’s novel and declares it one of the best he’s ever read.
But when Emily asks for critiques on her more intimate chapters, the two end up scene-blocking together and nearly share a kiss. With their rivalry melting into something more, the lines between them begin to blur. Teir closeness intensifes on their mission to retrieve Emily’s manuscript — forced to hide in a closet, Emily and Jack share a heated kiss, marking a turning point in their relationship. Te next day, Emily meets Jack’s mom, who comes to town seeking his help as Jack’s father spirals into bad habits. Te encounter brings out a tender side of Jack, deepening Emily’s feelings for him. To cheer him up, she invites him to Hank’s, the local
bar where Friday nights are a family tradition. Feeling lonely as she watches her siblings with their signifcant others, Emily fnds solace in Jack’s company. After the bar closes, as they clean up together, they share another kiss and open up about their pasts and families. It’s then that Jack fnally reveals his biggest secret: he’s the famous mystery author competing with his father. But just as things seem to be falling into place, Emily receives a crushing email from the publisher Jack encouraged her to submit her book to. Te feedback is brutal, ripping her manuscript to shreds. Distraught, Emily’s confidence falters, and her budding relationship with Jack hits a rough patch. Tird-act breakups are always angsty and fun to read, but this one is nothing short of frustrating. Eventually, with the support of her sister’s return and time to refect, Emily realizes she’s in love with Jack. When Emily’s sister invites Jack to a family breakfast, everything clicks. Watching Jack ft seamlessly into her world, she knows he’s become a part of her home and family. Jack, in turn, confesses his love for her, saying he wants her — “the good, the bad, the in-between” and all of her “sharp edges, hot temper, fercely protective nature, gooey heart.” Jack and Emily share a heartwarming moment and seal their love with a kiss, deciding to give their relationship their all. In the future, after Jack’s father publicly reveals his identity and Emily publishes her frst book, it’s clear that “Beg, Borrow, or Steal” is a romance that truly delivers. If you enjoy a cute romance every once in a while, defnitely give this one a try!
Book cover of “Beg, Borrow, or Steal” by Sarah Adams. (Dell Publishing / fair use)
Roberta L. Millstein presents at The Avid Reader. (Andrew Huang / Aggie)
Book:
(aka Stephen King) (1979)
‘Friends
are the new influencers’: CEO of Garde-Robe discusses new fashion app
Sarah Findley’s app aims to revolutionize the online shopping experience
BY BETH MUNRO-MORRIS arts@theaggie.org
In the ever-evolving world of fashion, keeping up with trends can be a struggle. Many social media platforms rely on infuencers sponsored by highend designers to showcase styles that, in turn, most can’t afford. GardeRobe, a new fashion app, promises to bring transparency back to the online landscape and create a culture where a friend’s infuence is more valuable than any celebrity’s.
Chief Executive O f cer (CEO)
Sarah Findley noticed herself feeling uninspired by her shopping experiences during the social disconnection characteristic of the COVID-19 pandemic. Te inability to see what her friends were purchasing or wearing highlighted a reliance on their insights for trusted recommendations.
Findley discussed the app’s vision and how Garde-Robe came to be.
“The same way I follow my friends for book recommendations on Goodreads, music on Spotify or workouts on Strava, [...] I wanted to be able to follow my friends’ shopping,” Findley said.
In a world fooded with products, reviews and online chatter, it can be difcult for a consumer to know who and what to trust. Findley defned this new stage of consumerism as the ‘‘postinfuencer era.”
“We’ve been conditioned to look at following creators and infuencers for so long but that’s just pure advertising at this point,” Findley said. “Hauls and overconsumption are totally passé and we can usher in a new era with more transparency about what people are actually buying [...] that’s where friends come in.” In an increasingly digital landscape, people are craving real connections more than ever. Rather than reinforcing the solidarity often associated with online shopping, Findley designed a platform where shopping isn’t just transactional, but a social experience in and of itself. Garde-Robe operates on the idea that interactivity should not be confned to the physical world but should translate into virtual experiences as well.
At the core of the app’s creation is also a desire for better organization. Findley identified the fragmented nature of online shopping as a key reason behind the launch of her fashion company.
“We keep URL links in our notes app, Whatsapp littered with links, camera rolls full of screenshots,” Findley said. “[Tis] leads to a disjointed experience. [Our] app and website lets you save anything from the web you’re thinking about buying and put them into wishlists, ask your friends for feedback with polls and digitize your closet.”
As Garde-Robe grows, Findley is focused on scaling the app, specifcally launching a social commerce platform focused on the West. Unlike other platforms that require consignor work to resell clothes, Garde-Robe is working toward a resale component that allows for a seamless transactional process.
“Social commerce is already very established in Asia and the West is behind,” Findley said. “Buying new and secondhand interchangeably is the future, and I want to build a platform that merges both.”
For Findley, user engagement is at the heart of Garde-Robe’s success.
Te app has cultivated a community of ambassadors, power users and trusted advisors who help test new developments and promote the platform.
“We have an amazing team, and we’re really iterating and building the platform based on their direct feedback,” Findley said.
Whether curating engaging videos on TikTok, offering style tips on Instagram or building partnerships with external organizations, Findley’s team is dedicated to broadening GardeRobe’s reach and expanding the brand’s infuence.
Looking ahead, Findley envisions a future where Garde-Robe is a mainstream platform, on par with Pinterest and other key players in the fashion ecosystem. With a strategic emphasis on audience expansion, the app’s design prioritizes the needs of the consumer — striving to restore a sense of fun and reliability in the fashion world.
“I want everyone to use GardeRobe, to save what they’re thinking about buying, ask their friends for feedback, save everything they’ve bought, get product recommendations and, fnally, to resell their clothes,” Findley said.
With the app’s current momentum and a clear roadmap for the future, the next few years will be transformative for the fashion media space. To discover more and be a part of this exciting journey, download the app and Chrome extension, follow Garde-Robe’s Instagram account or check out their website to join in on the conversation.
Review: Worlds colliding in Philly
Films to watch when you are feeling adrift
A handful of movies to help soothe your uncertainties and teach you how to overcome them
BY NATALIE SALTER arts@theaggie.org
College is a time of transition and change. It’s the bridge between adolescence and adulthood, the period in which you learn independence in ways you’ve never had to before. For that reason, it brings all sorts of anxieties and troubles into your life. You might feel like you aren’t certain about who you really are, you don’t know where you’re going next or you aren’t strong enough to stand on your own two feet and face the near-endless troubles this world seems to bring. If you’ve struggled with any of the above, here’s an unconventional cure: watch a movie. Many flms are a refection of these confusing feelings, and watching them can not only reassure you that you’re not alone but can also guide you toward what steps you can take to fnd your footing and feel a little better about your future.
Te feeling of being untethered is at the heart of “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” a charmingly animated story about a young witch searching for her identity and purpose in an idyllic seaside town. After she comes of age, the lively Kiki sets of with her broomstick and her trusty cat Jiji to fnd a community in need of magical aid, all whilst hoping to discover what her witch talent will be. Just like any overwhelmed college student, she deals with a transitional period of her life and searches for her own place in the world, experiencing all the highs and lows it brings. One minute she’s triumphantly facing her fears, and the next, she can hardly drag herself out of bed.
What “Kiki’s Delivery Service” can
teach us is that the best way to weather your own uncertainties is to help others with theirs. Trough all her turmoil and confusion, Kiki fnds joy and fulfllment in doing random acts of kindness for those in need. With every selfless gesture, Kiki fnds her spark again and builds herself a community of friends who in turn are there to catch her when she falls.
Tere’s always a chance to be like Kiki every day. Even little gestures — complimenting a stranger, helping someone carry a load of groceries and baking or cooking something for a loved one go a long way. Give a bit of sunshine to someone else, and you’ll fnd that the very same sunshine will fnd its way back to you.
Another masterpiece of animated storytelling is 2010’s “How to Train Your Dragon,” chronicling the story of the scrawny Viking boy Hiccup and the unusual friendship he develops with a seemingly dangerous dragon. Bookish and unathletic, Hiccup lives his life feeling completely out of place in his cutthroat society, until circumstances bring the dragon Toothless into his life. Te story of their bond that ensues is emotionally moving and tremendously heartwarming.
What Hiccup and Toothless fnd in their friendship is that they really aren’t as di f erent as they look. By choosing not to follow the path of violence expected by his community and instead choosing empathy, Hiccup not only develops the connection of a lifetime but discovers his own sense of self along with the invaluable curiosity and kindness he possesses.
Like Hiccup, you might feel bad about not reaching expectations you’ve set for yourself or for struggling with your emotions. But being sensitive and
deeply empathetic is a gift of its own. By being gentle to yourself, others and the world around you, you’re being brave in a way that is often unrecognized. Staying tender-hearted in the face of life’s hardships makes you incredibly strong.
If one thing about life is for certain, it’s that you have to expect the unexpected. Our world has become a chaotic one thanks to a myriad of modern advancements and historical developments. Te amount of things we have control over is a drop of water in an ocean of things we don’t.
No flm has captured the absurdity of life and its near-infnite possibilities quite like 2022’s “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” an emotional exploration of the power of love in the face of so much chaos.
Though protagonist Evelyn is thrown through time and dimensions against her will, overwhelmed with hundreds of confusing experiences, she is able to keep herself from spiraling out of control by leaning on the ones she loves. Most importantly, she learns that the grandeur of her wildest dreams isn’t as important as appreciating the beautiful things she is fortunate enough to have in her everyday life. If “Everything Everywhere All at Once” ought to tell you anything, it’s that the mundane parts of life are often the most precious. Doing laundry and taxes might be dull, but doing it with a loved one or with love in your heart imbues the task with magic. Don’t get so caught up in worrying about the future that you forget to enjoy the moments in front of you, no matter how forgettable they may seem — they’re the moments that will count forever.
‘Eat your heart out’: Why you should tune in to the newest season of ‘Yellowjackets’ this Valentine’s Day
Friendship, supernatural occurrences, the great outdoors, occasional cannibalism — what’s not to love?
BY SAVANNAH ANNO arts@theaggie.org
Everyone is a fan of the all-girl ensemble drama; Shows like “Big Little Lies” (2017), “The Wilds” (2020), “Pretty Little Liars” (2010) and beyond, are known for their jaw-dropping twists and unique depictions of female relationships. “Yellowjackets,” which premiered in 2021 via Showtime, is no stranger to embracing the faws and complexities of its core cast. Bringing each character’s darkest instincts to the surface, the series has solidifed itself as one of the most prominent thrillerdramas streaming today, holding a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and 10 Emmy nominations. With the premiere of season three just weeks away, prospective viewers have one last chance to catch up on the frst 19 episodes. A small feat when you are immediately sucked into the mysterious nature of each character and plot line.
Imagine “Lord of the Flies” but with teenage girls; Ten, imagine that instead of being set on a tropical island, they are lost in the middle of the Canadian Rockies; Ten, imagine that you got to see the cast not only while they were stranded, but 25 years later as they try to live “normal” lives as adults.
With not one but two ensemble casts — one in their teens, one in their 30s — “Yellowjackets” is full of both legendary and upcoming actors. Big names like Christina Ricci from the
iconic “Te Addams Family” and Elijah Wood from “Te Lord of the Rings” play a psycho but lovable couple in the show’s second season, while newer actresses like Sophie Turner and Ella Purnell can be found in recent religious horror movie “Heretic” and the highly acclaimed “Arcane” animated series.
Made up of over 10 main and supporting characters, some who survive to the second timeline and others who do not, “Yellowjackets” shines not only in its gory and oftentimes creepy visuals but also in its complex depictions of friendships. Undergoing the ultimate test, the young girls of the series experience the average teenage dramatics of jealousy and romance while they also fght over authority, food and even spirituality as they do everything it takes to survive what they come to call “the wilderness.” Moving back and forth between the cast in 1996 as they struggle to adapt to the woods and in 2021 as the smaller cast of survivors tries their best to cope with the past, writers Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson make it clear that each of the character’s actions has consequences. Te 1996 timeline opens, of course, with a deep nostalgia for the decade.
Teenage girls in New Jersey, high of of winning a spot in a national soccer tournament — hence “Yellowjackets,” their team name — are dancing in their locker room, dressing up for a party and arguing over a junior varsity player with no idea that they would be stranded the next morning after surviving a plane crash.
In the present-day timeline, viewers are unsure how many of them survived their 19 months in the wilderness or the extent of what occurred while they were there, though the opening scene of the series gives some idea. Images of the girls in the dead of winter, faces covered in handmade masks and wearing animal furs as they eat a very much human meal hint at their ultimate dissent from civilization.
If you are a fan of the psychological or the supernatural, “Yellowjackets” serves as the perfect blend of both. Are the characters hallucinating and engaging in horrifc acts because they have been starving all winter or is there something with them in the wilderness, bringing about their animalistic behavior? Answer the age-old question of how far someone will go to survive by tuning in to the can’t-miss drama series.
BY ELIZABETH BUNT
Aside from their shared location, it is hard to fnd two sitcoms more diferent than “Abbott Elementary” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” While both shows are set in Philadelphia and heavily relate to the city, they are wildly diferent in tone.
“Abbott Elementary,” starring Quinta Brunson, Tyler James Williams and Chris Perfetti, is incredibly wholesome. Te show tells stories of underpaid teachers in an underfunded Philly school doing their best for their students and the wider community. Humor pops into each episode in the form of mishaps with students and the antics of principal Ava Coleman (Janelle James) as well as the janitor Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis). “Abbott
Elementary” is, above all, heartwarming. On the other hand, heartwarming is a word that has never been used to describe “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” “Always Sunny” has been on air since 2005, and its 17th season is expected to be released later this year. It follows the daily lives of fve “deadbeats”
— Dennis, Dee, Mac, Charlie and Frank — who own and operate a seedy dive bar. Most episodes, while wildly funny, feature some sort of criminal activity that could not be described as wholesome or child-friendly. From the outside, it seemed like any collaboration between these two shows would be a bust. It’s hard to imagine the characters in “Always Sunny” toning it down enough to ft in with the “Abbott Elementary” cast. Furthermore, it would be unbelievable that any character from “Always Sunny” would even be allowed within 500 feet of an elementary school. Te premise of this episode had
the cast of “Always Sunny” arriving at Abbott Elementary School to volunteer. Ostensibly, it seems as if the Paddy’s Pub crew is just there to help the teachers with their workload, but it soon becomes clear that they are there on court-mandated community service hours. From there, characters split of for diferent tasks. Dee Reynolds (Kaitlin Olson) acts as a substitute teacher who eventually gives into her selfsh nature and attempts to steal Janine (Quinta Brunson)’s boyfriend. Mac (Rob McElhenney) schmoozes the principal to get hours checked off their community service record. Frank (Danny Devito) gets into a raccoontrapping contest with the janitor.
Finally, Charlie (Charlie Kelly) learns to read with an Abbott kindergarten class. Te only piece missing is Glenn Howerton’s character, Dennis, who alleges that he cannot be seen on camera. Despite the fundamental diferences between the two sitcoms, the crossover felt very natural and true to the continuity of previous “Abbott Elementary” episodes. Te teachers of “Abbott” are regularly given strange and often obnoxious characters to deal with, so the addition of the “Always Sunny” cast simply felt like another test of their teaching ability. Writers of both shows also worked to smooth out some of the typically rough aspects of the “Always Sunny” cast to make them more suitable for an elementary school environment.
It is possible that Dennis, a rampant womanizer and probable sociopath, was left out of this crossover because tempering his character was too much of a challenge for a single episode of “Abbott Elementary.” All in all, the crossover episode went of without a hitch, and fans are eagerly awaiting the next. Writers for both sitcoms have reported that two episodes will be produced: the justreleased episode in the style of “Abbott” and one done in the style of “Always Sunny,” which will be released with the 17th season. Audiences will need to stay tuned to FX to see the next installment and the other half of the storyline.
The Garde-Robe app allows users to shop online with their friends. (Garde-Robe / fair use)
Sheryl Lee Ralph, Lisa Ann Walter, Tyler James Williams, Quinta Brunson, Chris Perfetti and Janelle James in the crossover episode between “Abbott Elementary” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” (Warner Bros. Television / fair use)
Sophie Thatcher, Kevin Alves and Jasmin Savoy Brown in “Yellowjackets.” (Paramount+ with Showtime / fair use)
LANHUI ZHEN / AGGIE
Blake Lively, Amber Heard and the power of a good public relations team
Online smear campaigns use social media to shape public opinion
BY LAILA AZHAR features@theaggie.org
Early into the press tour for “It Ends With Us” — a 2024 flm based on Colleen Hoover’s 2016 novel — fans were quick to point out tensions between the cast members.
Co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, who also directed the flm, were rarely spotted with each other outside of flming. At the movie’s premiere, the two didn’t pose for a single photograph together. Lively and Hoover, alongside cast member Jenny Slate and Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, subsequently unfollowed Baldoni on Instagram.
On social media, a narrative quickly emerged, and Lively was widely criticized for her lighthearted tone in promotional interviews.
“Grab your friends, wear your forals and head out to see [the movie],” Lively said in a promotional video posted on Instagram.
Baldoni, on the other hand, spoke soberly about the realities of domestic violence, a theme the movie devotes much of its attention to.
A 2016 video of Lively responding to an interviewer’s question about her pregnancy resurfaced — titled “Te Blake Lively interview that made me want to quit my job.” Additionally, Lively promoted her beverage company and launched a hair-care company alongside her promotion of the flm, as well as revealed her husband had written a scene and commissioned her own edit of the flm, earning her a producer credit.
In the court of social media, Lively was found guilty of being abrasive and hard to work with, of being controlling and of skirting Baldoni’s authority over the movie and guilty of being callous towards the serious subject matter of the flm, according to _____.
In December 2024, nearly five months after the movie’s release, Te New York Times’ article, “‘We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine,” revealed the behind-thescenes details of the situation.
Lively had called a meeting with Baldoni and Jamey Heath, the flm’s lead producer, in which she had made several complaints regarding inappropriate conduct on set, according to the article.
“She claimed Mr. Baldoni had improvised unwanted kissing and discussed his sex life,” the article reads. “Mr. Heath had shown her a video of his wife naked.
For Volt Coffee, this idea of disrupting the norm is a core value — the shop itself was born out of an unconventional idea: to be a traditional cofee and tea shop during the day and transition into a beer garden in the evening.
Jacqueline Siefker, a manager and partner at Volt, outlined the motivations behind this goal.
“Our vision for Volt is to be something different and unique,” Siefker said. “We want our space to be inviting and a place people enjoy coming to. We aim to have something for every guest — whether that be cofee, beer or food.”
It is this very vision that made DRC a natural partner for the local shop.
“[Tey] reached out to us with a vision to do something di f erent by changing the typical music scene from clubs and night events or bars to something that can be enjoyed in the morning,” Siefker said. “DRC helped us connect with more people which is a big mission for Volt as we want to be inviting for everyone.”
For Helali, Davis Rave Co.’s mission to make music accessible is personal.
As the current chief operating ofcer (COO) of Davis Rave Co. and a DJ himself, Helali is familiar with the ins and outs of the music industry — but this hasn’t always been the case. Growing up, Helali gravitated toward sports and science-related activities, which majorly shaped his interests in college. Tese activities included his decision to major in biological sciences, as well as his pursuing the men’s club lacrosse team while enrolled at UC Davis.
“If you told me freshman year that this is the position I’d be in, I’d have been like, ‘What happened?’’’ Helali said. It was not until Helali met Caden Velasquez, the founder of Davis Rave Co., through the UC Davis club lacrosse team that he considered pursuing music in any formal capacity. Helali began working with Velasquez at diferent events, learning the ropes along the way.
“Gig after gig, I just started learning more and learning why everything is set up the way it is,” Helali said.
Today, Helali is a key fgure within Davis Rave Co., taking on a large role in event planning. A major goal for Helali is to help others fnd the same joy that music has brought him in an inviting and accessible format.
“Finding this perspective and this community was eye-opening for me,”
[...] She said that both men repeatedly entered her makeup trailer uninvited while she was undressed, including when she was breastfeeding.” Following these complaints, Lively then made requests requiring an intimacy coordinator to be on set during her and Baldoni’s scenes together to ensure her safety and comfort. In return, Baldoni, alongside public relations (PR) executives Melissa Nathan, Jessica Abel and Jed Wallace, orchestrated a media frenzy aimed at painting Lively in a negative light, according to the article.
Te ofcial marketing strategy for the movie, for example, involved keeping an uplifting tone when discussing the flm. When Lively received criticism for this approach, Baldoni pivoted to display a more serious attitude.
While the details of how the campaign operated are murky, communication between the PR executives contain references to “social manipulation” and “proactive fan posting.”
“We’ve started to see shift on social, due largely to Jed and his team’s eforts to shift the narrative,” one of Nathan’s employees said via text message.
Te public discourse over the PR campaign has brought attention to a similar situation of an actress’ abuse allegations being discredited. In 2016, Johnny Depp’s ex-wife Amber Heard fled for a restraining order claiming she had been physically and sexually abused.
“She’s begging for global humiliation,” Depp said via text message. “She’s gonna get it.”
Helali said. “I realized how important it is and how important it is to share that love with others. I think it’s just important to have these third spaces for people to be able to connect with each other, connect with music and have a safe space to enjoy themselves.”
Helali noted that the music community can also bring solace and a sense of unity throughout times of turmoil.
“Especially with how the world is now, it’s important to fnd places where you’re safe but you can also express yourself,” Helali said.
Te morning cofee set aimed to promote this very atmosphere — a goal that Helali believes proved successful.
“It went really, really well,” Helali said. “Tere were people from start to fnish and it was just a really nice organic little vibe. It was nothing too crazy or energetic, but it was groovy. It was fun.”
For both Volt and DRC, the event fulflled key values of building community and creating a unique experience for everyone involved. Although the initiative may move locations in the coming months, Davis Rave Co. hopes to host similar events in the future, whether at Volt or at diferent local locations, to spread their love for both EDM and the Davis community.
At the Mary L. Stephens Library, families learned how to draw snakes, write calligraphy and paint lanterns.
“It is the same kind of [activity] as [eating and] doing dishes together,” Wei said. “A good thing about it is you can keep it forever, and after a certain amount of years, you and your friends can look back at the times [you] celebrated.”
UC Davis shines a little brighter on a cold Wednesday night
Campus Safety Lighting Walk offers a chance to share thoughts about lighting improvements on campus
BY NOAH HARRIS features@theaggie.org
Te annual UC Davis Campus Safety Lighting Walk gathered around 100 people this year, including many working for the University of California Police Department (UCPD) or the UC Davis Facilities Management Department. While it might not be the fashiest or biggest event on campus, the annual UC Davis lighting walk ofers community members a chance to discuss lighting problems and potential improvements with those who hold the power to light up our campus.
Next to the Memorial Union (MU) fagpole, a small gathering began to assemble at 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 22. By 5 p.m., several dozen people were talking with friends and coworkers, eating free pizza and waiting to go on a two-hour walk.
Jeff Rott, UCPD’s director of security, spoke to reporters and student advocates alike before speaking in front of the entire group. Rott shared the community-driven goals of the lighting walk.
“We really want community members to come out: students, staf [and] faculty [to…] walk the campus with us, [to] see [the] campus through a diferent light, so to speak — no pun intended,” Rott said.
Clint Lord, the associate vice chancellor of the Facilities Management Department at UC Davis, expressed similar sentiments to Rott, describing that the walk is intended to promote and improve on-campus safety.
“We’re obviously looking to get the campus community involved, see what we’re trying to do to make them safer and identify those areas that we feel are risks for the students and the staf and the faculty,” Lord said. “We want to have the safest environment possible for everybody to come and enjoy.”
Te lighting walk began with a few speeches from those involved with UCPD and the Facilities Management Department before attendees were split into nine diferent groups, each covering a large area of campus. On the roughly two-hour walk around their assigned areas, attendees were shown spaces that were going to become more well-lit and what areas had already been improved, as well as were told to report any lights that were damaged or out.
Rott walked around with a 10-person group during the lighting walk, answering questions about lighting and sharing the occasional story about his own time at UC Davis. Rott described many potential improvements, including plans to
allocating $575 for the ongoing ASUCD Study Jams project.
Te senate also passed two separate bills, both presented as emergency legislation due to planning delays resulting from the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.
Te frst was SB #36, which allocates $1071.24 to Julka’s office to book a venue in the Student Community Center for the ASUCD Supporting Students event on Jan. 28. Te bill passed 9-1-4, yes-no-abstain. Te sole “no” vote was from Senator Mia Cohen, who had voted against a different spending bill for the event at the previous week’s meeting. At that time, Cohen cited concerns that language in the event’s description in the bill, notably the term “post-inauguration stress,” may alienate certain campus communities.
Te senate also passed SB #37, allocating $116 to reserve the Quad for the ASUCD Quarterly Showcase on Feb. 28.
After a brief open forum, the meeting was adjourned at 7:05 p.m.
Through his social media platform, Garcia has reached over 13,000 individuals with 90,000 views and will continue to interact with the community through his roles as outreach assistant with the Early Academic Outreach Program, as well as Puente Club president.
Garcia indicated plans to run for the senate in spring 2025 to continue the projects that he started in his term as interim senator, including his goal of having a “mini-rally” on campus. Overall, Garcia said that his term was exceptionally fulflling, and he is thankful for all of his coworkers’ support.
create a more well-lit pathway from the Housing Administration Building to downtown, with emergency call boxes visible the whole way to downtown to promote student safety, particularly during the weekends.
Part of the walk aimed to highlight improvements specifically around Kleiber Hall Drive. In addition, they pointed out new LED lights that are more energy efcient, reducing glare and light pollution.
Lord said that while the lighting walk is an important part of identifying issues with lighting on campus, it is not the only way that these problems are addressed.
“We [also] have crews that go around and check street lights and things like that on a regular kind of rotation,” Lord said.
Derek Benson, an employee on the exterior lighting team at Davis, explained the day-to-day process of checking up on lights.
“So when we come in, we do a morning drive,” Benson said. “Whichever lights are out, we generate our own work orders.”
Signifcant lighting changes are pending for the UC Davis community. In October 2023, UC Davis announced that they were putting $20 million toward improving security on campus.
Te frst projects in 2024 and 2025 are focused on significant lighting improvements to the campus, among other things such as outdoor security cameras and emergency call boxes.
As of right now, there are seven areas scheduled to increase lighting that will be completed by the end of 2025. Tese lights will cover around one mile of pedestrian pathways.
“I’ve been trying to really pump this out a lot this year for students to
recognize how signifcant it is that our facilities team, they genuinely take the feedback from these lighting walks, and it has a direct impact on what happens with lighting improvement[s] in the coming years,” Tim Jeferies, the advocate for student community and safety at UC Davis, said.
Tere are over 13,000 lights on campus, and according to Benson, just four people work on fxing any issues that arise, including himself. Despite the small number of employees, 94% of the issues that were raised during the January 2023 walk have since been addressed, according to the UC Davis Finance, Operations and Administration.
“We just take it one task at a time,” Benson said. “I mean, the work orders come in, we assign them and then we just take it one task at a time.”
Vrinda Vutukury, the chair of ASUCD’s Sexual Assault Awareness Advocacy Committee (SAAAC). Lighting has become an unexpected passion of hers, and she has become much more knowledgeable about it.
“I didn’t even enter the school year thinking I would care about lighting,” Vutukury said. “I never really thought about it that intensely to be completely honest.”
She frst started focusing on lighting improvements after an instance of sexual assault that took place at Kleiber Hall in October 2023, which she said many thought was partially due to a lack of lighting.
After that, a friend who was doing a project about lighting reached out to her. Vutukury decided to contact someone in the administration who had the power to help spark change.
Tianneh Garcia Bonardi served as interim senator, alongside Garcia, for fall quarter 2024. Working with other senators as well as diferent cultural and academic groups on campus, Bonardi said she brought many communities together. Alongside Interim Senator Garcia, Bonardi co-sponsored the Raíces Fuertes event and brought groups such as the UC Davis’ folklórico group and Danzantes del Alma to ASUCD.
Bonardi said that she felt this event was an incredible success and forged connections.
“[Raíces Fuertes] created a deeper connection with the two groups, and as a result, this brought the Latinx/ Chicanx community together,” Bonardi said.
Bonardi also helped set the foundation for the Alumni Mentorship Program under ASUCD, which she will be continuing in the Aggie Mentor Committee (AMC) now that she is no longer in ofce.
In addition to continuing the program, Bonardi plans to write more legislation, because in her words: “Anybody can write a bill.” She aims to write policies that beneft the student body and their connections with UC Davis staf
Bonardi refected on her overall experience and said that she would have loved more time if given the chance.
“I had a great time as interim senator, I just wish I had more time to complete all the projects I had in mind or that were in progress,” Bonardi said.
In replacement of the retired senators and interim senators, ASUCD has appointed six new senators that will serve for one full calendar year. Past Interim Senators Max Gouvalaris, Noblejot Singh and Sabahat Nahiba did not respond for comment on this piece.
As for former Senator Klein and former Interim Senators Garcia and Bonardi, they will remain active and involved in campus afairs for the foreseeable future.
Biological Resources Preservation Alternative (BRPA), which would keep the same number of units while setting aside acreage to preserve wetlands. A summary of the city’s CEQA documents described how the land would be used.
Te Draft EIR also evaluates an equal-weight alternative, known as the Biological Resources Prevention Alternative,” the document reads. “Te BRPA would preserve a 47.1-acre Natural Habitat Area comprised of the Alkali Prairie Yolo Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP/ NCCP) land cover that occurs south of Channel A.”
Te DEIR also lists and addresses concerns expressed by community members earlier in the process. Most concerns lay in three main areas: air quality, greenhouse gas emissions and energy; hydrology and water quality; and transportation. To address transportation challenges, the developers will be required to install high-visibility bicycle and pedestrian crossing improvements at several intersections around the development. Te DEIR also outlined how developers will fund a plan to accommodate transit in the area.
Te project applicant shall fund a Transit Service and Facilities Plan for the area encompassing the project site and other development along the north side of the Covell Boulevard and Mace Boulevard corridor between the westerly city limits and the I-80 interchange,” the DEIR reads. “Te Transit Services and Facilities Plan shall identify transit service and facility improvements required in accordance with Unitrans and Yolobus policies related to unmet transit needs, timing for improvements, transit service warrants and performance standards.”
campus,
“It was a true honor to serve alongside some of the most knowledgeable group of students that worked in the senate, as commission chairs, the executive branch and more,” Garcia said. “I believe I have worked to better our campus and the connection with [Registered Student Organizations] and organizations on campus that make me believe that in my 10-week term, I hit every objective I laid out coming into this role. I hope my time within the table, although short, has long-term efects and exposed ASUCD to a new group of individuals.”
Tianneh Garcia Bonardi Second-year, political science — public service major
Te alternatives that are provided must be considered feasible and capable of meeting the project’s objectives while avoiding or reducing the project’s signifcant environmental impacts.”
The five project alternatives considered were: no project (no build), lower number of units, agricultural resource preservation, higher number of units and an of-site project, according to the DEIR. Te city and the developer favor the
Members of the public can submit written comments by mail or email to Dara Dungworth, the principal planner for the city of Davis. While community members can also attend a city of Davis Planning Commission meeting on Feb. 12 to express concerns, only written comments will be recorded and responded to in the fnal draft of the EIR. Residents of Davis will vote for the Village Farms development in November 2025 under Measure J/R/D.
Members of the UC Davis community gather ahead of the annual Campus Safety Lighting Walk, organized by the UC Davis Police and the UC Davis Facilities Management Departments. (Julia Heron-Watts / Aggie)
CRYSTAL CHEN / AGGIE
LANHUI ZHEN / AGGIE
Sudoku
Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row, column and 3x3 square must contain each digit. Each Sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically without guessing.
Answer to previous puzzle 01/23/25
Crossword
HUMOR I’m sober and I’m confused
Do you all actually like alcohol or is it all an elaborate ruse?
BY MADISON SEEMAN
meseeman@ucdavis.edu
LED lights, red solo cups and the worst acoustics possible flled a room holding 40 sweaty, drunk and sleepdeprived college students. Everyone else was drinking, and the party was in full swing; Noah was eyeing his class crush, Emily was eyeing the gin and Sarah looked dangerously close to texting her ex. In an efort to fnd something to do, I squeezed my way over to the drink table and took stock of my options: straight tonic, a quarter cup of orange juice and straight grenadine. Yum!
Low inhibitions and bad decisions — I look at moments like these, in dens of iniquity and vice, and think:
“What’s the big deal?” What about straight vodka makes drinking until 2 a.m. on a Wednesday night worth it? Sober and confused, I decided to investigate.
I asked my friend Tomas — an experienced drinker — about his take on the substance’s appeal.
“For me, it’s the taste,” Tomas said. “Well no, actually, it’s not always the taste. I mean, I despise the taste of vodka and that’s never stopped me from getting wasted. But other times? It’s the taste.”
Digging deeper only fanned the fames of my confusion. I asked my friend Lupita, who has been an alcohol expert ever since she took “Introduction to Wine and
Winemaking” last spring, to describe the favor profle of some of my friends’ favorite drinks.
I was pleased to hear that gin was made of a berry — I can defnitely understand the appeal of a fruity little drink. But Lupita set me straight: “It tastes like… trees. Bitter trees.”
Lupita’s description of rum started of stronger: “It tastes like vanilla and caramel” — but ended on a slightly more inedible note: “It also tastes like fre and wood.”
Vodka, she told me, tasted like “pure alcohol,” although she was quick to clarify that she had “only ever had the cheap kind,” so she “might not know what she was talking about.”
My research on the appeal of alcohol’s taste brought me up short, and it was time to move on to the other obvious appeal: getting drunk.
I asked my coworker Sarah what she liked about getting drunk, but her answer wasn’t what I was hoping for.
“I think I like making bad decisions, actually, and boxed wine really helps me get there,” Sarah said.
“I wake up in the morning and it’s like I have my own soap opera to catch up on. But it’s my life. So, fun!”
Personally, I feel pretty confdent in my sober bad decision-making and a little less thrilled about drunk bad decision-making than Sarah. Deciding she was an outlier, I asked my friend John Ray why he liked to get drunk.
“I miss my ex,” Ray said. He declined to comment further. Since my interviews weren’t yielding the responses I wanted, I
moved to another form of research: observation.
Embarrassing texts, drunk fghting, stumbling over feet. Nights of vomiting, hungover mornings. Is it fun? Evidently, it seems like people think so! Over the years, many parties have revealed to me the animal that lies beneath sober human skin, something I had very much appreciated being hidden.
But, it goes deeper than notes of aged berries and ruining your life. Te further my research brought me, the more I uncovered the social hierarchy. Seltzers are for the weak and desperate, bartenders hate mojito lovers, suburban moms love rosé. Tere’s a hierarchy, a social game — symbolism behind each drink choice that says something about you. Alcohol is about status. And, if I order a Shirley Temple, where does that put me?
But really, why would you order anything other than a Shirley Temple with a little cherry on top? Tey’re so good! No hangover, no notes of inedible objects, no liver damage.
Maybe they’re just having fun. Maybe I’m just a bitter party-hater who has too much homework. Maybe I just really love Shirley Temples. All I know is that I don’t know anything.
Disclaimer: (Tis article is humor and/or satire, and its content is purely fctional. Te story and the names of “sources” are fctionalized.)
LIFEPOSTGRAD FROM PAGE 4
So many questions are ruminating in my head, and I never seem to have the answers to them. However, I can’t let my fears stop me — if I don’t try and see what’s out there, I’ll never know what good can come from it. Short story long, if you’re graduating soon and have been feeling the same way I have, here’s some unsolicited advice. You don’t need to have your whole life fgured out right now — even if you don’t have all of the answers, you’ll fgure it out sooner or later. But until the day comes when you have to wear a cap and gown again, you have worked hard, so give yourself a pat on the back.
Disclaimer: Te views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by Te California Aggie.
WOKECA FROM PAGE 4
In 1994, California was the second state to pass the “Tree Strikes Law,” which exponentially increased punishments for people who had been convicted of a previous felony. Currently, there are still roughly 4,800 laws that place restrictions on previously incarcerated people’s rights including employment, housing and education.
It wasn’t until the 2010s that California finally began to try to reform the mess that is our criminal legal system. Te state passed more progressive measures like Proposition 47, which reclassified petty theft and drug possession from felony to misdemeanor — undone by passing Prop. 36 on last year’s ballot. The failure of Prop. 6 (you remember, the one that would have prohibited the enslavement of people who are incarcerated), and the passing of Prop. 36 (reclassifying petty theft and drug possession back into a felony) in the 2024 election jointly marked California’s return to its “Tough on Crime” roots. Understanding our state’s history,
particularly in the criminal legal system, helps us see how California was never the left-wing wonderland that both sides of the political spectrum claim it to be. We have continuously failed, exploited and neglected our most marginalized communities. Our progressive reforms are only as strong as their legacy, and if some of our most crucial reforms get backtracked only 10 years later, then we have a lot to worry about.
Understandably, California will likely not be as deeply afected as many other, more vulnerable, states during Trump’s presidency. Yet, we cannot continue to hide ourselves under the myth that California is a liberal safe haven because it’s not. Te myth of liberalism can only protect us for so long and has already failed to protect those of us afected by mass incarceration. Te reality is: California was never all that far left. So, consider this myth — busted.
Disclaimer: Te views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by Te California Aggie.
GARDEROBE
FROM PAGE 7
Looking ahead, Findley envisions a future where Garde-Robe is a mainstream platform, on par with Pinterest and other key players in the fashion ecosystem. With a strategic emphasis on audience expansion, the app’s design prioritizes the needs of the consumer — striving to restore a sense of fun and reliability in the fashion world.
“I want everyone to use GardeRobe, to save what they’re thinking about buying, ask their friends for feedback, save everything they’ve bought, get product recommendations and, fnally, to resell their clothes,” Findley said.
With the app’s current momentum and a clear roadmap for the future, the next few years will be transformative for the fashion media space. To discover more and be a part of this exciting journey, download the app and Chrome extension, follow Garde-Robe’s Instagram account or check out their website to join in on the conversation.
Professor Seeta Chaganti discusses language and the material world
A UC Davis professor of English shares her history, activism in Davis and current and past projects
BY EVELYN SANCHEZ features@theaggie.org
From Te Canterbury Tales to the Knights of the Round Table, medieval times have been largely relegated to the world of fantasy and fairytales for a long time. Often only used for the sake of worldbuilding, Middle English and its literature was a real language that helped shape English as we know it today. In fact, modern English shares more common ground with its medieval predecessor than with any Latin sufxes it has since borrowed.
Seeta Chaganti, a UC Davis professor of English, is working to decipher and interpret the lost Germanic language. Raised in New York and pursuing higher education on the East Coast, Chaganti was initially unfamiliar with the sunny beaches of California. In fact, one of her frst times visiting the West Coast was when she accepted her position as part of the UC Davis Department of English.
Chaganti went to Harvard for her Bachelor of Arts (A.B.), later attended Yale University for her Master of Arts (M.A.) and fnally enrolled at Georgetown University for her Ph.D. However, after studying at Ivy League institutions for the majority of her academic career, she became saturated with the exclusionary culture.
“I left that whole world because I was unhappy there,” Chaganti said. “I wasn’t getting a real picture about what higher education in America really is. When I got this job, I was really excited. If I wanted to learn what higher education is all about, I had to leave these [highly] elite environments.”
Chaganti began teaching at Davis in 2001, and she vividly remembers the frst class she ever taught.
“It was English 043: Introduction to Drama, with 80 students and two [teaching assistants],” Chaganti said. “It was in a beautiful classroom in Hart Hall that had huge windows.”
As this was before Canvas existed, Chaganti was nervously handing out paper copies of her syllabus. She described that on her frst day, her lecture outline got mixed up in the syllabus pile — by the time that she was ready to start teaching, she had lost all of her notes.
“I managed to hand out all the pages of my lecture because they weren’t stapled together,” Chaganti said. Te frst row of students each had an individual page, and I had to get them all back.”
Despite her natural a f nity for the medieval, Chaganti didn’t start pursuing her love for the esoteric until later in her academic journey. Only after taking a Geofrey Chaucer poetry class at Georgetown did she decide to pursue a career in Old and Middle English literature.
“I always really liked poetry,” Chaganti said. “It was always my favorite thing to do in any English class. And poetry from the Middle Ages is really weird — it’s really strange and it doesn’t behave in the way modern poetry does. Tere are certain aesthetic expectations you have for modern poetry, and medieval poetry doesn’t have those at all.”
Poetry can often serve as a tool to understand and articulate incomprehensible or overly complicated topics. However, those outside the realm of literature sometimes contend with its importance, feeling like poetry and the real world are mutually exclusive topics.
“[Poetry] is often abstract, but any art is connected to something from the poet about being human and experiencing the world,” Annika Dodd, a third-year English and communications double major, said. “I think part of any art’s purpose is to be weird and say things in a diferent way than what it is in an academic paper.”
Chaganti was particularly drawn to Chaucer’s questions about literature and connection to the material world.
“When I was an undergrad, I remember being really interested in political prisoners in South Africa, but I didn’t have any sense [of] how I’d relate that back to being a literature major,” Chaganti said.
Her current book in the works focuses on the Old and Middle English records on police, property theft and
UC
Davis
legislation that led to the carceral and judicial systems that are present in America today. From ID passes, police presence, technological surveillance for property protection and many physical and legislative barriers placed by the law, Chaganti is working to bridge the gap between abstract poetry, language and the real-world efects they can have.
“If you want to start questioning police, you can’t start in the 19th century,” Chaganti said. “You’ve [got to] go further than that.
Te project of trying to fgure out what the relationship is between this medieval archive I’m looking at and some of these political questions about race, liberation and freedom. What is it about medieval England that created these sort of carceral structures that are now everywhere in our lives?”
Jacob Tashjian, a fourth-year English major, said he gradually grew to understand the relationship between literature and everyday issues.
“When I frst started going to lowerdivision courses as an English major, I had [the] problem of failing to see how literature, especially very specifc literature like ye olde Chaucer, […] Paradise Lost or some random young adult novel about the environment could ever connect to the practical world beyond commentating on it,”
Tashjian said.
Tashjian also said Chaganti and similar professors have helped shift his attitude toward this narrative.
“As I’ve grown older and taken upper-division classes with teachers who are very proactive about social issues like Chaganti, I do not have that problem anymore,” Tashjian said. “If anything, it is now impossible for me to ignore just how infuential literature has been — and [it] continues to be in our perception of ‘real things’ that show up in our day-to-day lives.”
Chaganti’s second book, “Strange Footing,” won the 27th annual Modern Language Association Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for Comparative Literary Studies. Te research focuses on medieval poetry and its depiction of dance and movement and is heavily inspired by her experiences as a ballet dancer.
Tat book would not have turned out the way it did if I didn’t have that dance background,” Chaganti said. “You have to take a lot of risks when you’re a dancer. Get your leg out there and get over your shoe, and take the big risk. I feel like it made me braver.”
Her experiences in dance and writing “Strange Footing” allowed her to take more risks and granted the courage to write a book criticizing the police system in America.
Part of Chaganti’s mission is to translate language into a material element of the world through her own activism, turning her studies into practiced, palpable action to help others. Chaganti has resultantly dedicated a large portion of her time to the Palestinian encampment during spring 2024. She would often be seen at a tent handing out water bottles and attending the sit-ins.
“I’m a person who likes poetry and medieval literature,” Chaganti said. “I want to use it to push me to do more material things. I think a lot of faculty think that the arena of activism is the sphere of language and discourse. I don’t wanna stop at writing a letter or writing a public intellectual blog piece. I will go and disrupt things.”
When asked if she had any other thoughts or comments for this article, Chaganti had one more thing to add.
“Free Palestine and All Cops Are Bastards,” Chaganti said.
From carrying cases of water bottles and getting kicked out of two buildings on campus, staying active on campus and taking action has always been important to Chaganti.
“Organizing stuf didn’t start with me reading all the right books and having a political education,” Chaganti said. “It was me just thinking, ‘I want to help.’” Even long-forgotten languages still remain important in infuencing our lives, according to Chaganti and students at Davis who have taken her courses. For Chaganti, all it takes is action to make change, whether it’s in your own community or beyond.
students and staff reflect
on the frogs in the community, discuss their history and conservation
behind
UC Davis student founds School of Freedom to educate Afghan girls amid Taliban ban
Walid Jailani launches the non-profit to provide education in support of over 1,200 students and empower local educators
BY JALAN TEHRANIFAR features@theaggie.org
Walid Jailani, a fourth-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major and education minor, founded the School of Freedom — a non-proft organization dedicated to providing education to young Afghan girls who have outgrown the limited schooling opportunities available to them in Afghanistan.
Jailani shared that he was deeply moved to help young girls in Afghanistan after seeing their videos posted on TikTok. In these videos, they revealed that they were unable to continue their education beyond the seventh grade as a result of new bans implemented by the Taliban.
“I showed my brother and said, ‘Tis is making me very sad, I want to do something about it,’ and he joked and said, ‘Oh, just start a school,’” Jailani said.
The School of Freedom was originally the Women’s Education Movement (WEM), a UC Davis oncampus club that Jailani started as a second-year in 2023. Jailani and other undergraduate members began tutoring girls in Afghanistan, initially teaching only English-language courses to a classroom of 30 students. Eventually, they had 1,200 students sign up, allowing them to create separate English courses: Elementary English, Intermediate English and Advanced English.
“Depending on their level and profciency, we placed them in those classes and UC Davis students were teaching them,” Jailani said. “Tey tutored these girls for about 13 to 14 months themselves and so did I. It was a good time.”
Jailani also said that the dedication of the School of Freedom volunteers helped to create an established program.
“Props to my volunteers, they would be waking up at 8 a.m. every day — they don’t even wake up for their classes at 8 a.m. — and they were ready to teach,” Jailani said. “It was very interesting for me to see them wake up and be so excited to teach and give back to these girls and this community when they wouldn’t even want to wake up for their own 8 a.m. classes.”
Word quickly spread about their classes, and soon, Afghan teachers who had lost their jobs began reaching out to
way into the hearts of many UC Davis students as well.
Ethan Negus, a second-year biological sciences major, grew up loving the creatures.
“I used to always go to the [Los Angeles] Zoo and go to the little [amphibian exhibit], and I would always just stare at the frogs,” Negus said. “I don’t know what inextricably drew me to them, but I just feel like when I stare [into] the eyes of a non-thinking frog, I just feel my soul at peace. Tey’re just so chill.”
Matthew Perez, a fourth-year chemical engineering major and longtime frog lover, tuned into the frog conversation as well.
“I’ve noticed that a lot of people are into frogs [in Davis],” Perez said. Tey’re really seen as a symbol of nature itself, and there [are] a lot of people in Davis that came here because they love the amount of nature.”
Brian Todd, a professor of conservation biology and herpetology at UC Davis, agreed with this statement, explaining that amphibians help connect him with nature as a whole. Todd also believes that many people love frogs because of their strange, alien-like appearance.
“Half their body looks like a mouth, and I think that creates this really weird alien perspective — and yet they always seem pretty harmless,” Todd said. “And with the exception of some of the grumpy frog memes that you see on the internet, they also seem to always be in a relatively whimsical mood.”
Negus shared Todd’s love of frogs, describing the amphibians as lovely, but added that his feelings are multifaceted.
Tey’re pretty awesome, except for when they do irrevocable damage to the ecosystem,” Negus said.
Certain invasive frog species can greatly harm ecosystems, especially when they outcompete native frog species. Invasive species often threaten native ones by competing for scarce resources, reducing biodiversity and altering habitats.
“One [species] that you’ll sometimes see [in Davis] that’s not native is the American bullfrog,” Todd said.
“[Tey] will either eat the [native] tadpoles or they’ll outcompete them. One [native species] you don’t see a whole lot anymore but can still be found in the area, especially along Putah Creek, is the western toad.”
Jailani, eager to contribute. With their support, Jailani established the School of Freedom, creating a platform for Afghan educators to teach a variety of subjects to Afghan students, expanding the curriculum beyond just English.
“At that time it was two diferent branches,” Jailani said. “We had the Women’s Education Movement that was being run in the [United States] and the School of Freedom that was taught voluntarily by teachers that lost their jobs in Afghanistan.”
Te Women’s Education Movement aimed to provide crucial financial support to Afghan teachers and students through fundraising and donations.
To ensure the most efcient use of its limited budget, the organization developed a fnancial aid application system to assess and prioritize students with the greatest need.
“We paid for their internet and anything else we could help them out with,” Jailani said. “For students, we set up a fnancial aid system. We were getting donations from the Willow Way Tutoring Club. [...] Tey would give us a budget every month to pay out 30 to 40 students for Wi-Fi money because some students couldn’t aford it and we wanted to accommodate them any way we could.”
Eventually, the Women’s Education Movement and the School of Freedom united as one, with the School of Freedom being ofcially registered as a non-proft organization. Te School of Freedom now serves approximately 1,200 students and has 35 teachers, including a principal and vice principal.
Te school follows the ofcial Afghan curriculum, while UC Davis student members focus on managementrelated tasks, including fundraising and outreach eforts to enroll more students.
Robina Haqiqi, a fourth-year psychology major, serves as the vice president of the School of Freedom at UC Davis, leading projects and supporting Jailani in carrying out their mission to teach. She emphasized that the School of Freedom is not just about teaching a set curriculum but also about a larger social impact.
“This work has been deeply meaningful to me because it represents hope and resilience,” Haqiqi said. “Knowing that we’re making a huge diference in the lives of girls who are denied basic opportunities motivates me every day. It’s a reminder that even in the face of unimaginable challenges, education can still be a tool for freedom and change.”
Te School of Freedom’s students have already been inspired to shape the future, according to Mariam Saleh, a fourth-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major. Acting as the organization’s social media coordinator, Saleh had the privilege of connecting with students one-on-one and sharing their stories with the rest of the world.
“One thing that inspired me from the interviews [with the students] is that a lot of the girls wanted to become journalists, which is very powerful because they want to use their voice to make a change as well,” Saleh said.
“We reserve ‘frogs’ often for the more aquatic or arboreal species, [ones that are found] climbing in trees,” Todd said. “We reserve ‘toads’ for the more terrestrial, drier-skinned species that are found.”
Todd continued by describing some other common frog species in Davis. Te other [species] that you’ll see more commonly, and [that] you’re more likely to hear than you are to actually see, is the western chorus frog,” Todd said.
These frogs, also called the Hollywood frog, are quite small, growing up to only 1.5 inches in length, and have several dark brown or gray stripes.
“Anytime you see a movie or a TV show and they have frogs calling, it’s usually a recording of the western chorus frog or Pacifc chorus frog,” Todd said.
Todd added that the Pacifc chorus frog can also often be heard calling in the UC Davis Arboretum but can be hard to spot, as they often hide in dense vegetation. In recent years, pacifc chorus frogs are much more populous in Davis than western toads, but this hasn’t always been the case.
“Western toads used to be all over Davis, so much so that Davis was famously made fun of on Fox News because, at the expense of the city, they developed a tunnel that went under a road, and it was called the toad tunnel,” Todd said. The Davis toad tunnel was constructed in 1995 at a cost of $14,000 and ran underneath Pole Line Road overpass. Unfortunately, the frogs overheated and died from lights in the tunnel and were picked of by birds that waited at the tunnel’s end.
“[The tunnel] was supposed to connect one side of the road to a wetland on the other side, so that all the toads would go under it,” Todd said.
While the tunnel is no longer operating, students can still visit Toads
Hollow, a small set of frog-themed statues and ornamental houses that were meant to await the toads on the other side of the tunnel.
Today, Todd said the major challenge native frogs in Davis face is tied to the way the land of Davis has been altered over time.
“We have changed a lot of the waterways in California so that they don’t dry out every summer like they were supposed to and like they used to,” Todd said. “Tat’s actually really good for amphibians, when they dry out — because it keeps things like fsh and bullfrogs from taking over.”
This has led to less space for frogs to breed, lay their eggs and survive, according to Todd — majorly problematic as frogs are also highly important to ecosystem health. Frogs are a “keystone species,” balancing the food chain by acting as both predator and prey: Tey act as a food source for birds, fsh, snakes and other wildlife while also controlling pest levels. Most critically, however, they are also an “indicator species,” which means that frog species are the frst to be afected by pollution and ecosystem changes. Frog species’ well-being thus refects the general health of an ecosystem.
Because of this, however, over half of all frog species are in danger of becoming extinct, especially as the Chytrid fungus, discovered in 1998, has been causing rampant disease in frog species across fve continents.
Te most important way to protect frogs is by pushing for environmental protection in general by supporting laws that emphasize conservation and combat climate change. Increasing the amount of habitat available to frogs, such as by incorporating more ponds and greenery into gardens, can also be benefcial.
FROGS on 12
frogs
Te western toad frogs can grow up to four inches in length and are brown, gray or olive with black spots. Tey can secrete an irritating fuid from glands on their skin and feed on aquatic plants, insects and small invertebrates.
Todd also explained that contrary to popular belief, toads are still frogs, but not all frogs are toads.
Walid Jailani, the founder of the School of Freedom. (Walid Jailani / Courtesy)
STEPHANIE CHAN / AGGIE
Revolutionary heart device debuts at UC Davis Health, offering hope to high-risk patients
UC Davis Health cardiology team is one of the first in nation to use novel pVAD system
BY NAREN KRISHNA JEGAN science@theaggie.org
Te circulatory system relies on blood vessels to carry deoxygenated and oxygenated blood to and from the heart, respectively. When vessels are blocked as a result of plaque/ cholesterol buildup, this can cause changes in blood fow which may lead to serious cardiovascular conditions. For patients with severe blockages or complex cardiovascular conditions, restoring blood fow often requires procedures like angioplasty or stent placement. Tese procedures insert and infate balloon catheters to the site of plaque buildup to allow for enhanced blood fow. For individuals with hearts that are too weak to pump blood and allow for consistent fow, the heart may struggle to maintain circulation during these procedures, increasing the risk of complications.
Tis is especially true for patients with weakened heart muscles, severe coronary artery disease or conditions
like cardiogenic shock. In such cases, a percutaneous ventricular assist device (pVAD) is used to temporarily assist the heart.
A pVAD is a mechanical device inserted through the skin (percutaneously) into the heart via a catheter. It temporarily supports the heart by maintaining blood fow and reducing the workload on the heart during high-risk cardiac interventions.
Te pVAD ensures that vital organs continue receiving oxygen-rich blood while doctors perform lifesaving procedures, such as clearing blockages or placing stents. Te Supira pVAD System, recently introduced at UC Davis Health, ofers a novel design. Its low-profle size makes it less invasive, reducing the risk of vascular complications associated with larger devices.
shared the rationale behind a low-profle approach in comparison to bulkier, heavier devices.
“Achieving high fow rates has typically required larger devices, which can be challenging from both an access and
UC Davis Health’s Dr. Tai Pham
Food waste: the critical struggle that demands more attention
UC Davis researchers’ findings emphasize the demand for more robust policies to curb food waste
VERONICA THEN / AGGIE
BY EKATERINA MEDVEDEVA science@theaggie.org
On Sept. 16, 2015, the United States set out to achieve one of its most important domestic environmental goals: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a mission to cut national food waste in half by 2030.
Tis aim came in line with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3 adopted earlier by the United Nations to “halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels [by 2030].” With the U.S. being the third-largest producer of food waste in the world, its commitment to address this problem is essential for worldwide progress. In 2016, the baseline year based on which the progress is measured, the food waste in the U.S. amounted to 328 pounds per person, according to EPA. Tis accounts for a staggering 30 to 40% of food produced in the U.S. being sent to landflls, controlled combustion, sewer and land application. By 2030, that number was targeted to be reduced to 164 pounds via the enactment of state-level policies that focus on four sustainable reduction strategies: prevention, rescue, repurposing and recycling.
However, a recent UC Davis study published in Nature Food, found that given the present policies, none of the 50 states can reach the 164 pounds per capita goal in time. Te inefectiveness of the current legislature is explained by numerous factors, which include a lack of rigidity, exemptions, unrealistic constraints on timelines and underfunding.
The study references estimates provided by ReFED (a leading U.S. non-proft organization researching data-driven solutions to reduce food waste), which outline the possible amount of food waste that could be prevented with specific diversion solutions, such as introducing improved date labels, foodbanks, recycling and feeding food waste to animals. However, it is important to note that recycling has not been considered a food waste reduction strategy by EPA since 2021, although it remains a valuable management strategy. Sarah Kakadellis, a postdoctoral researcher with the UC Davis Department of Food Science and Technology who led the study, further examined this diversion potential with her team. Considering the quantifed strength of the current policies in each state, they evaluated how much waste is likely to be averted. Even if recycling would still be considered an applicable strategy, only three states – California, Vermont and Arizona – could attain the 164 pounds per capita goal, according to their analysis. The key issue in the current
approach to food waste reduction is that most state policies, including California’s, are still centered around recycling.
“Even if we’re recycling food waste, it’s still important because we’re not sending it to a landfll, but it’s not actually delivering towards that goal,” Kakadellis said. “Te problem [with recycling] is that we are not addressing upstream solutions — how to prevent that food waste in the frst place and remove it altogether from the equation.”
In order to work with the root of the issue and progress toward the current food waste reduction goal, states should emphasize rescue (e.g. food donation), repurposing (e.g. animal feed) and prevention policies (e.g. standardized date labels).
“For instance, when you have standardized date labels that everyone understands, you’re helping consumers like you and me understand how to better use food and how to avoid potentially wasting it,” Kakadellis said. “Sometimes [the ‘best by’ labels and such] are not at all about how safe that food is, but more about the texture and taste. However, very few states have policies that [regulate] the use of confusing terms that [can] lead consumers to waste their food.”
Furthermore, Kakadellis and other experts highlighted the need for an education campaign on how people can reduce their amount of food waste or dispose of it sustainably, given that some amount of food waste will always be produced as a byproduct (for example, a banana peel).
“It’s important to have funding for education so that when people are exposed to these new terms [regarding curbing food waste], they are really supported in that process,” Kakadellis said. “It can be quite confusing.”
With rising prices for food, fnding ways to waste less becomes increasingly important for consumers’ wallets.
“The average American spends $40-65 per month on food that goes uneaten,” ReFED’s estimates read. Preventing food waste goes far beyond moral and monetary concerns. Its production is disastrous for the environment, accounting for 8 to 10% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions as well as countless amounts of squandered resources.
“What we’re doing is raising the alarm bell,” Kakadellis said. “Take the example of California, a major agricultural producer in the world. We are in a drought state, and we are going to face increasingly more severe droughts.
We need to think very carefully about how to use water. If you’re using it to grow food that then goes to waste, it is a huge inefciency issue, and it’s going to be increasingly important as we go into the 21st century.”
positioning perspective,” Pham said. “Te combination of a low-profle and high-fow system is extremely attractive as we look to address the risks of vascular complications associated with currently available devices.” Te pVAD system’s small, versatile manner using real-time sensors in the device allows for monitoring of aortic and ventricular pressures, enabling precise adjustments and better patient outcomes. Certain individuals, such as those with severe coronary artery diseases or comorbidities, are often at high risk for select procedures because of the heart’s inability to pump blood. Te pVAD system allows healthcare providers to now operate on such patients in more complex procedures, expanding the patient base to provide personalized care for a more diverse patient population.
Currently, UC Davis Health is one of four sites nationwide with access to the Supira pVAD system for early
investigational access; In the western United States, it is the frst hospital to acquire such technology. Results from UC Davis Health’s early feasibility study using the Supira pVAD system will be a part of the submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a pivotal investigational device exemption study, where it will undergo further testing before being used across clinics over the country.
UC Davis Health’s Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine Dr. Tomas Smith highlighted the potential benefts of this novel system.
“Being one of the frst centers in the country to ofer this novel system is a testament to our outstanding team-based approach to patient care,” Smith said. “Te cardiovascular research team is among the best and most comprehensive in the nation. Our mission of providing complete, efcient and high-quality care to the patients we care for is what drives us to lead the feld.”
Following the ‘Queen of Wolves’
One of the oldest wolves ever recorded in Yellowstone, Wolf 907F, died after a conflict with a rival pack
BY KATELYN BURNS science@theaggie.org
Wolf 907F, nicknamed the “Queen of Wolves,” died on Dec. 25, 2024 after fghting with a rival pack of wolves. Considered one of the oldest wolves ever recorded in Yellowstone National Park at over 11 years old, 907F was one of the oldest wolves to ever give birth, with her 10th litter being born in 2024.
Troughout her life, 907F regularly appeared in the Yellowstone Wolf Project Reports. First noted in the 2013 report as one of many wolves captured and handled, 907F was a pup from the Junction Butte pack. Her first litter of pups, which she raised alongside her sister and fellow Junction Butte wolf, 969F, was documented in the 2016 report.
From May 2016 to May 2017, 907F was the alpha of the Junction Butte pack. Tat role switched to her sister 969F in 2017 and switched back to 907F in 2018, according to the 2017 report and 2018 report.
Tis was not the only occasion of 907F losing and regaining pack leadership. Due to the breeding nature of wolves, many will disperse and attempt to form their own packs, especially after a pack gets too large.
“Basically, each wolf wants to leave and start a pack of their own,” the 2020 report reads. “Some may fnd a dominant position in the pack they were born in (907F is a good example). While we anticipated the large Junction Butte pack might split during 2020, they mostly remained together and by the end of the year the pack was the third largest ever recorded in North America.”
Tat year, Junction Butte consisted
emergency use. Combined with the fact that a signifcant water reservoir was unavailable when they needed to tap into it, those tanks just simply did not provide enough water to combat the record-breaking blazes. Te very infrastructure of Los Angeles failed to foresee the realities of our world as it warms, and it’s not alone.
Louis S. Warren, a professor of western history at UC Davis, shared a similar (though much less devastating) story that happened right here in Davis.
During a particularly wet season, Davis residents issued complaints about a clogged storm drain, which caused a buildup of water that fooded the streets. Te city eventually investigated the issue and found that the drain was, in fact, clear of debris. Te issue was actually that the network of storm drains beneath the city was too small and the pipes too narrow to accommodate the amount of rainfall Davis received that year. Te city hadn’t anticipated the more severe weather conditions we’re facing now, as a result of climate change. Our infrastructure can’t accommodate the more dramatic weather conditions caused by global warming, and it is progressing too fast to realistically keep up with.
Tese natural disasters — like the Los Angeles fres — are impossible to ignore. We are being fooded with bad news from all angles, and for a lot of us it literally hits far too close to home. But these environmental changes are no coincidence; In reality they’re quite predictable, and they’re going to happen again. Tey’ll cease and we’ll rebuild, but, as morbid as it is, they’re going to come back stronger.
Not to say that it is out of our control, though. If we want to save our home, we have to seriously reevaluate our society as a whole. Te incoming administration doesn’t ofer a lot in the way of hope, but all is not lost. We may not be able to reverse climate change anymore, but we can certainly
of 35 wolves: 17 adults and 18 pups. While a split was anticipated, the larger pack size allowed Junction Butte to overpower other packs and hunt more bison, as opposed to elk.
However, this changed in February 2021 when a group of males split of to form the Rescue Creek pack, as noted in the 2021 report. Rescue Creek stabilized with 13 wolves — all adults. However, their territory overlapped with some of the largest packs in Yellowstone: Junction Butte, Wapiti Lake and 8 Mile.
Te Wapiti Lake and 8 Mile packs had 21 wolves each that year.
Te Junction Butte pack was now signifcantly smaller, with 17 wolves — 11 adults and six pups. It was unique in its number of elders, 907F being the eldest in the pack at over eight years old. Te pack [had] four wolves over the age of fve,” the 2021 report reads.
“An extremely rare situation, as only about one in every fve wolves lives to
reach fve years old.”
Te next year, Junction Butte had recovered from the split and grown to 25 wolves, 10 adults and 15 pups, once again surpassing the size of any of the other Yellowstone packs, according to the 2022 report. However, in this past year’s 2023 report, Rescue Creek was heavily featured and the focus of bioacoustics data collection — it had grown to 15 wolves: eight adults and seven pups. Rescue Creek also surpassed Junction Butte, which had shrunk to 11 wolves: 10 adults and one pup.
On Dec. 22, 2024, Rescue Creek entered Junction Butte territory and attacked. While defending her pack, 907F sustained injuries. Tree days later on Dec. 25, 2024, 907F succumbed to her injuries. 907F’s collar signaled her death after 12 hours of laying motionless.
slow its roll. We can’t turn back the clock, but we can stop it in its tracks if we try hard enough. Because, in the end, it’s worth it. Without a doubt, our homes, our lives and our communities are all worth the insurmountable efort — we just can’t aford to wait.
NASA says that “climate change is not a future problem,” and they couldn’t be more right; Climate change is here and now.
Disclaimer: Te views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by Te California Aggie.
Trends often emerge in niche communities before becoming mainstream phenomena. By inserting media into the broader cultural consciousness, the algorithm succeeds in diluting its uniqueness in favor of mass appeal.
This claim about algorithms is paradoxical. While they reduce users to a binary of approval or dismissal, they encourage the development of these niche subcultures. Tis contributes to a “mob mentality” of sorts, both globally and locally, reinforcing collective behaviors at different levels. This dispatch of collective thought renders us passive consumers; all personhood is packaged and out for delivery.
Tere is nothing more aggravating to those who carefully and cautiously consume media than being eclipsed by someone who doesn’t know what they’re talking about or why. Sure, I slip in and out of these roles; my personalities are hats. But do not wear what is rightfully mine simply because your phone told you this is what you should be consuming. Find out what it is that you like.
Kyle Chayka, in his book “Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture,” discussed how this passivity of consumption has discredited masterpieces of art simply because they
are not immediately engaging to the consumer.
“We’ll never have the Fellini flm that’s so challenging you think about it for the rest of your life or see the painting that’s so strange and discomforting that it really sticks with you,” the text reads. Algorithms also infuence creators of culture, pushing them to distill their work into cheap iterations that align with algorithmic recommendations. Tis leaves us to engage with things that are not, in any way, challenging or provocative. Taste is no longer cultivated, only curated.
In essence, algorithms shape the cultural contagion by prioritizing specifc types of content to augment collective behaviors. Algorithms, despite their pitfalls (and like anything in moderation), can amplify advocacy eforts, raise awareness of critical issues and work to mitigate some of the negative efects of their infuence. When leveraged ethically, as tools that require careful wielding, they can promote the compassion and collaboration we aim to recover. Too much of anything dulls the edge of the sword. Te real issue here is less about the dispersion of content itself and more about our collective inability to discern what we fnd enjoyable and important. When one consumes their content in a grid, they back themself into a corner.
Disclaimer: Te views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by Te California Aggie.
Wolf 907F, one of Yellowstone National Park’s most famous wolves, died after a fight with a rival pack. (Courtesy of Jim Peaco / NPS)
DARIXA VARELA MEDRANO / AGGIE
DARIXA VARELA MEDRANO / AGGIE
Roki Sasaki: the newest MLB star hailing from Japan
The Los Angeles Dodgers add a third Japanese superstar
BY THEO KAYSER sports@theaggie.org
On Jan. 17, 2024, Japanese baseball sensation Rōki Sasaki announced that he would be signing a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, via his Instagram.
Te decision came after a longawaited posting by his former team — the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Much buzz surrounded Sasaki’s arrival to Major League Baseball (MLB) about which team would land the young superstar, and in the end, it was the reigning World Series champion, the Dodgers.
Sasaki’s rise to stardom in the United States accelerated after his performance in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, which helped his team, Japan, triumph over the U.S. in an epic battle. In this tournament, as well as his four seasons in NPB, Sasaki dominated opposing batters with his signature splitter, which has been lauded by scouts as elite, and his high-velocity fast ball. Both of these attributes are suggestive of a relatively smooth transition to MLB in 2025 and his potential to continually thrive in the future.
Many of the expectations that are now being set for Sasaki’s career in the MLB are thanks to his track record relative to his 23 years of age. Others can likely be attributed to the long and ever-growing legacy of Japanese players dominating in the world’s premier league. Through his signing with the Dodgers, Sasaki is joining two other Japanese players in Los Angeles. One of whom is teammate Shohei Ohtani, sometimes called the “Japanese Babe Ruth” due to his two-way prowess as both a pitcher and batter. Since his signing to MLB in 2018, Ohtani has collected three Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards and has cemented himself as the face of baseball on the global stage.
Te other is Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who just last season signed the largestever free-agent pitching contract when he left NPB to join the Dodgers on a 12-year, 325-million-dollar deal. In his frst season stateside, Yamamoto joined Ohtani in leading the Dodgers to a World Series championship.
Te history of Japanese baseball runs even deeper in the Dodgers organization, too, as the organization also signed the second-ever Japanese MLB player, Hideo Nomo, in 1994. Tis came 30 years after the frst when Masanori Murakami had a brief twoseason stint from 1964 to 1965 with the San Francisco Giants.
Another worth mentioning is the Dodgers’ signing of Chan Ho Park, who became the frst Korean player in MLB when he debuted alongside Nomo in 1994. Some have connected the Dodgers breaking ground in the Asian baseball market 30 years ago with their recent success in landing Ohtani, Yamamoto and Sasaki.
Japanese baseball in the U.S. also vastly transcends the Los Angeles market. Notable in any discussion of Japanese baseball is the legendary Ichiro Suzuki — usually referred to by just his frst name — who will become the frst Japanese player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 27, 2025. Ichiro, known for his reliable contact, lightning speed and fantastical defensive abilities, captured a whopping 99.7% of votes on the 2025 ballot, fnishing just one vote shy of joining Mariano Rivera as the only player to ever be inducted unanimously.
Ichiro won the hearts of sports fans everywhere during his magical MLB debut with the Seattle Mariners in 2001, where he collected the MVP, Rookie of the Year, Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards, along with the batting title and an All-Star game selection. Tis season set the tone for his 19-year career, which has gone down as one of the greatest of any player.
So, while Sasaki is far from the frst star to transition from Japanese to U.S. baseball, his path to MLB is a rather unique one.
Traditionally, players coming to MLB from Japan’s NPB or the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) wait until they have turned 25 years old and have played in six seasons in their respective leagues. Once a player has met both of these criteria, they are then allowed to become free agents, meaning they can negotiate with MLB clubs freely.
Tis was the path taken by Sasaki’s now teammate, Yamamoto, who through this process was able to secure his record-breaking contract last year. Some other stars who used this process include Ichiro and Masahiro Tanaka.
Speculation surrounding Sasaki for the past several years left many questioning when he would make his transition to MLB. In the 2024 ofseason, Sasaki reportedly attempted to make the change but was denied by his club, the Marines. If a player, such as Sasaki, attempts to move from NPB to MLB before they meet the above criteria, they are liable to be denied by their club, who have both fnancial and team performance incentives. Luckily for Sasaki, the Marines granted his request this time around.
At just 23 years old, Sasaki did not meet the requirements to become an MLB free agent, which denoted that he would be categorized instead as an “international free agent.” Tis meant that any team who wished to sign him could only use funds from their international bonus pool. Tis explains why Sasaki signed with the Dodgers for a 6.5-million-dollar bonus, a massive bargain compared to what his value likely would have been in the open market. Now Sasaki must wait until, at the earliest, the end of the 2030 season to reach free agency.
While this path is quite uncommon, as it severely limits a player’s immediate earnings, it’s worth noting that it is similar to the journey Ohtani took to MLB. With Ohtani and Sasaki as exceptions, international free agency is generally made up of much younger amateurs from around the globe. Tis ranges from Latin American 16-yearolds to the occasional high school graduate from Japan, Korea or Taiwan. In the 2025 season, Sasaki will be looking to establish himself as the newest Japanese superstar in the now trio who headline the roster of the World Series favorite Dodgers. If he meets expectations, he’ll join a long and ever-growing list of baseball icons from the country of Japan. While his supreme abilities deserve all of the praise they are receiving, it’s important to note that he is one in a long line of similarly gifted players and is sure to be followed closely by other stars.
Will the Kansas City Chiefs get their three-peat?
The Super Bowl race is narrowed down to four teams, with the Chiefs looking to advance to the championship for a third time
BY LUCIENNE BROOKER sports@theaggie.org
As the National Football League (NFL)’s 2024-25 season draws to a close, all eyes are on the four teams fghting for a Super Bowl LIX victory. Ticket demand has soared, increasing dramatically from past conference championship playof games with many fans tuned in to see who will be crowned champions this year.
Sports betting websites are overwhelmingly picking the Kansas City Chiefs to win their third Super Bowl in a row. Finishing the season ranked No. 1 in the American Football Conference (AFC) West, the Chiefs have been a dominant force in recent years. Tey have appeared in four consecutive Super Bowls since 2019 and won three of them under the guidance of Head Coach Andy Reid. As last year’s champion, the Chiefs have a lot to live up to — most fans still haven’t gotten over their overtime defeat of the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.
Led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, the Chiefs only lost twice during their regular season. However, one of those defeats came at the hands of the Bufalo Bills — a team they recently won against in the AFC Championship on Jan. 26. While this was like a tight match-up to Kansas City, winning 32-29, the Chiefs will be heading to Super Bowl LIX. Teir opponent, the Bufalo Bills, pulled of a tight two-point win over the Baltimore Ravens on Jan. 19 to set up their match with the Chiefs. Despite having made it to the fnal match four times, the Bills have yet to win a Super Bowl championship. Tey currently hold the record for most
appearances with no victories and were looking to alleviate themselves of that burden this year, having lost only four times this season prior to their game against the Chiefs.
On the other side, experts were predicting a high-scoring and exciting game for the Washington Commanders versus the Philadelphia Eagles. Both teams boast strong ofenses, so it was likely to come down to whose defense played a better game.
Te Commanders have won three Super Bowls, although none in the last 30 years. Tey haven’t appeared in the playofs at all since 2020, with many people viewing the team as a wildcard despite their high-scoring performance this season. Even with fve losses, they never failed to score less than 15 points and were looking to give the Eagles a real test.
Te Eagles, on the other hand, have had playof success in recent years with their Super Bowl win in 2017. However, that was their only win in four appearances. Additionally, the Eagles never scored less than 15 points this season. Te home match against the Commanders on Jan. 26 was set
Ohio State defeats Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff National Championship
The Buckeyes make history as the first team to claim the title in the inaugural 12-team playoff era
BY DIEGO CERNA sports@theaggie.org
On Jan. 20, 2025, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football held the College Football Playoff National Championship at the Mercedes Benz Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
The No. 8-seeded Ohio State University Buckeyes faced of against the No. 5-seeded University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Tis is the frst season where the college football playofs featured a 12-team bracket.
Te top four conference champions are awarded frst-round bye weeks with the remaining teams selected based on a combination of the best available teams, as seen by the committee, or the two highest-ranked conference champions not already in the playofs.
Tis change was most likely due to the heavy controversy the College Football Playof (CFP) Committee was involved in last year when the Florida State University Seminoles made history as the only undefeated 13-0 team to be left out of the playofs. For the past 11 years, the CFP Committee has adopted a four-team playof bracket, where they rank the best four teams in the nation in a championship bracket. Tis new 12-team playof structure allows many of the lower-ranked teams, such as Ohio State University, to have a chance at winning despite their seeding rank.
As the game began, the Ohio State University Buckeyes were awarded the ball in the coin toss aftermath. However, the Fighting Irish were able to strike frst with a historic long 18-play drive as quarterback Riley Leonard ran it into the endzone for a touchdown. Leonard contributed 40 running yards throughout the championship, surpassing former Irish quarterback Tony Rice and setting a new record for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single season, with 906 yards.
The Buckeyes responded with an eight-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Will Howard to wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. As Notre Dame attempted another drive and was stopped, Ohio State had the momentum from there. Te Buckeyes marched down the feld to score another touchdown, this time from running back Quinshon Judkins. Following a Notre Dame blocked attempt, Judkins would score another touchdown, this time receiving the ball with less than 30 seconds left in the half. Ohio State entered halftime with a commanding 21-7 lead.
After the half, Judkins scored his
FROGS FROM PAGE 10
to provide them with a boost, as they are notorious around the league for having one of the most die-hard fan bases — a prediction that rang true with an Eagles victory of 55-23.
Te Super Bowl will take place between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles on Feb. 9 at 3:30 p.m., PST. Te match will be hosted at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana for the frst time in over a decade and will feature a halftime performance from Kendrick Lamar. Lamar also headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in 2022.
Aggie football fans can catch the action at the Super Bowl Watch Party hosted in the Memorial Union Games Area recreation room and play a game of football bingo. Additionally, head over to the Memorial Union Information Desk at any time during the week before the match to answer Super Bowl trivia questions and get the chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card. Although the actual game is over 2,000 miles away, there will be plenty of opportunities for UC Davis students to get involved and have some fun during the Superbowl.
“If you live in a place where you can manage your landscape, having lots of shrubs and bushes around seems to be where all these frogs like to hang out,” Todd said.
Avoiding using pesticides and slug pellets is also vital, as these pollute the environment with chemicals that can be absorbed directly into frogs’ skin. Lastly, Todd added that students should look, but not touch, any froggy friends that they see.
“Not handling them is a good thing,” Todd said. “It’s hard not to want to pick up every frog you see, but a lot of times that can stress the animals out and can introduce or spread diseases around.”
Protecting these amphibians is especially important to Negus, who believes that frogs carry life lessons all UC Davis students can beneft from.
“I think at least every person in their time on Earth should look into the eyes of a frog as it’s just really living it up in a water structure and just existing,” Negus said. “I think we could all learn to exist like frogs and just put aside whatever troubles us. Anything in life that seems insurmountable at any point, we should just take a minute to appreciate that frogs, [who] no matter their strife and efectiveness of their tunnels, just seem to have a good time, all the time.”
SCHOOLOFFREEDOM
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“Overall, I am very excited for what [the] School of Freedom can do, and [I am] hoping it can create a bigger and more powerful change.” Moving forward, UC Davis members of the School of Freedom club are working on launching a youth
third consecutive touchdown to begin the third quarter, setting a team record as the frst in national championship history to score a touchdown on each of their frst four drives. With a feld goal by the Buckeyes that extended the game into what seemed like an unreachable score, 31-7, Notre Dame mounted a valiant comeback. Wide receiver Jaden Greathouse came alive in the second half, connecting with Leonard on a 34-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. Te Fighting Irish then earned a much-needed turnover with a forced fumble caused by linebacker Jake Bowen on the frst play of the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, the Fighting Irish’s kicker could not convert on a 27-yard feld goal, leaving the score at 31-15.
After a series of changing possessions, the Fighting Irish charged down the feld again and ended up scoring another touchdown from Greathouse, this time on a 30-yard reception. Notre Dame went for two extra points and converted on a trick play with a touchdown throw from wide receiver Jordan Faison to wide receiver Beaux Collins, cutting the lead to a onepossession game score of 31-23 with 4:15 minutes left in the game. As Ohio State faced a critical third down and 11 yards, with Notre Dame poised for a chance to tie, the Buckeyes’ Howard threw a more than 50-yard catch and reception to Smith, sealing the national championship for the Buckeyes.
Smith set new records this season for most Ohio State receptions in a season by a freshman with 70, and most Ohio State receiving touchdowns in a season by a freshman with 14. Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka became the new Ohio State all-time reception leader, with 205 catches in his collegiate career. Tis is the eighth Football National Championship Ohio State University has won in program history, their previous title being in 2014. Tis marks the second consecutive championship for the Big Ten Conference, with Ohio State joining their long-time rivals, Michigan State University, who claimed the title in 2024. Te frst season of the 12-team college football season can be deemed as a success. Although the formatting may be confusing to fans, it has undeniably brought more excitement and unexpected twists to the postseason, similar to NCAA basketball’s March Madness-style bracket. College football is entering a new era where every bowl game matters, igniting a new wave of creativity and excitement in the sport.
program for Middle Eastern and other refugee communities in California to provide mentorship, mental health resources and tutoring support for high school-aged students.
Tey come to this country and they might be good at science and math but struggle with the language barrier,” Jailani said. “As far as mentorship, most of the members here are refugees or immigrants and have gone through this process themselves and are now at UC Davis. We want these [high school] students to get connected with our undergrads so they can see and know, ‘If they did it, I can do it too.’ [...] We want to introduce them to trade schools, community college[s] and fouryear universities to get them thinking about continuing their education.”
Te School of Freedom organization is eager to welcome new volunteers. Students who are interested in becoming members or donating to their cause can fnd information through their organization’s website or by emailing admin@schoolofreedom.org.
“Mostly, we are looking for people who can help us with fundraisers, people who can [do] outreach [and] people who can help us get donations,” Jailani said, “Once our youth program starts, we are looking for people who can help us with presentations, help out with workshops and tutor students [who reside in California].”
Jailani emphasized that the School of Freedom would not exist without the help and support from his peers, saying that the collective strength of their teamwork and shared commitment to the cause was the foundation of its success.
“I want to thank Sadia Haidari, the principal and co-founder of the Afghanistan part of School of Freedom, Moheb Salemi, who helped me out to turn this entire thing to a non-proft, and Robina Haqiqi, Jasmine Alhuniti, Mariam Saleh and Ghezal Karim for being there since day one and now help me with the management on board,” Jailani said.
Roki Sasaki pitching for the Chiba Lotte Marines during a game against the Orix Buffaloes in Japan on April 24, 2022.
(Orixbaseballclub / Creative Commons, CC by 4.0)
Logo for the College Football Playoff National Championship.
LANHUI ZHEN / AGGIE
The Washington Commanders playing the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022. Both teams competed in the NFL Conference Championships on Jan. 26, 2025.
(Joe Glorioso / Creative Commons, CC by 2.0)