Opinion

Since mid-October, Davis residents and students have been occupying Central Park to show solidarity with the global Occupy movement that originated on Wall Street. As a result, local activists have added Davis to the list of over 1,500 cities and towns worldwide that have similar demonstrations underway.

Tuesday morning marked the end of a long period of captivity for Israeli Seargent First Class Gilad Shalit. Shalit was taken captive on June 25, 2006 when his batallion was ambushed by a group of Palestinian militants in Kerem Shalom Israel, a few kilometers from Gaza and Egypt. One thousand nine hundred and forty two days after Shalit was taken captive, he finally returned home to Israel where he was warmly embraced by his family, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and the rest of his country. The release of Gilad Shalit came at a very high cost though, as Israel released 1,027 Palestinian prisoners.

Yes, readers, it's that time of year again. That spooky night is coming where you can see that girl in your psych class dressed up as a slutty nurse grinding with some guy dressed up in a makeshift bed-sheet toga. That's some scary stuff. With the big weekend coming up, you might be wondering what or whom you can dress up as. If you're at a loss for what to be for Halloween, I've compiled a list of relevant costume ideas below.

Let's face it. We came to college to go to class and get a degree. The easiest question to ask a fellow student you're first meeting is, "So, what's your major?" Although the ensuing conversation is not usually very entertaining, it can at least lead to the occasional, "Oh, I had that professor, I swear no one ever went to that lecture," or, "Yeah, no ... I don't really take any science classes..."

It's amazing the funny things you'll notice in an airport if you're open to observation.

Since before the advent of the Air Buddies movies, people have recognized that tiny, fuzzy animals are really cute. So naturally when one of my friends got an adorable puppy, suddenly everyone needed a baby mammal.

A friend e-mailed me last week and complimented my column. Sort of. He said my environmental one bored him. He wanted to hear about three things: the European Union, soccer and waffles.

My favorite type of music isn't a genre - it's whatever the fewest people know. This statement is not to be confused for a hipster battle cry against all things "mainstream," however. Unlike the many who celebrate music simply for its obscurity, I don't boycott musicians who have ascended to higher levels of recognition, I don't accuse one of my favorite lesser-known groups of selling out to the popular demand if they happen to score a hit, and I certainly don't write off their artistic ability. Who says there has to be a distinction between what's good and what's mainstream?

On Oct. 5 the Dempsey Report was released. The university-sponsored evaluation was intended to show where UC Davis stands as an athletic program, and provide a blueprint for where the university could go from here.

Part of Yolo County Library's eBook collection is now available for Kindle, Amazon.com's digital reader. Library members can check out an eBook in the same way they would check out a real book - the book is available for three weeks, and then the content is disabled. This jump from paper to digital books is not uncommon in today's marketplace. Seeing someone reading a digital book on the bus is equally as likely as seeing someone reading a real, paper book. This shift, while impressive, should be taken in stride and should be thought about critically. Books, which became prevalent after the printing press was invented around 1440, have shaped our culture into what it is today. While the advent of digital books is fascinating, we should realize that it has a direct effect on our culture and our lives. Just remember, the invention of the printing press helped the Protestant Reformation take form. The benefits of digital readers are clear. An eBook is much lighter than a normal book, and you can carry around as many books as you like in one tablet. Book prices are often cheaper on eBooks, and font size and brightness can be adjusted to the reader's desire. And let's face it, who doesn't think they look cool carrying around a trendy, digital device? While these benefits clearly apply, the negatives of eBooks are also there. When a reader is reading an eBook, they lose the physical connection to what they are reading, along with the general experience of holding a book in their hand. While you can virtually dog-ear a page on an eBook, there is clearly a difference between a digital action and physical action. Spilling coffee on a paper book can be easily fixed with a hair dryer and some patience. However, spilling coffee on an eBook is an overall disaster.

A smooth-talking, very likable black man who promises stark economic change from his would-be predecessor is the current favorite to win the Presidential nomination ... with the Republican party.

Friends are great … until they are nowhere to be found. If you have buddies who are as AWOL as the Hot Wheels, LEGOS, Nerf guns and other treasures your parents auctioned off in your absence, or who have made themselves as scarce as water in a sweltering desert, it's sadly time you recognize them for the inconsiderate flakes they are.

In this world, nothing is certain but death and taxes. And now, another unwanted fate has joined the ranks to complete a trio of utter distress: job interviews.

Bros: You've seen them around Davis. Whether they're racing past you on their bikes wearing lacrosse pinnies or drinking Natty Ice on their front lawns blasting Jack Johnson, they're everywhere.

When one is exploring the vast plethora of people and pages on their Facebook profile, there is really only one activity occurring: judgment. However, some of us aren't born with the natural gift of being able to tell just how lame our so-called friends are with only a handful of photos and status updates to go off of. I usually like to claim I'm some sort of expert in my columns, so here's my guide on how to read between the posts on a recent activity feed.