The Aggie | Student-run, independent newspaper at UC Davis 🗞️ – 📍New issue out every Thursday!

Top 10 things first-year students should know

Features

Features Editor

September 23, 2010

1. Check your bike. Despite Davis’ status as a bike-friendly city, bike accidents and theft are extremely common. Mason Sinclair of the Bike Barn advised students to watch the Bike Barn’s new safety video on YouTube. He also has some bike advice for new students. “Check your bike every once in a while for problems like tire pressure,” Sinclair said. “Also, lock it up – that’s the most important thing.”

2. Set up roommate boundaries. Even if the only thing you have said to your roommate so far is “I’d like the top bunk, thanks,” now is the time to discuss the ground rules of your new home. When you want your room quiet, if you are okay with sharing food and how often you are going to clean the room are good places to start.

3. Be prepared for the quarter system. The lightning-quick pace of the 10-week quarter system means that you will most likely need to start studying for midterms just a couple of weeks after each quarter starts. “We encourage students to sit down and develop a time-management schedule at the beginning of the quarter to manage their studies and extracurriculars,” said Barry Pullum, assistant director of undergraduate advising for the College of Letters and Science. In other words, get a planner and use it – that sinking feeling of realizing you forgot about a paper due the next day is not fun.

4. Don’t go home every weekend. As tempting as it may be to go home to home-cooked meals and your comfy bed every weekend, don’t do it. There is always something happening on weekends, from Aggie football games to the downtown farmers market. Besides, no one wants to be known as “that guy who’s never here.” Not only will you miss out on fun activities by going home, but also miss bonding time with your dorm mates.

5. Find your study niche. Take some time to figure out how and where you like to study most. Shields Library is a popular study hangout, but it is not the only one. You may find that you get more work done in your dorm’s study room or one of the many quiet lounges in the Memorial Union. Experiment with note-taking, flashcards and locations until you find a combination that works for you.

6. Two words: Picnic Day. Three words: Whole Earth Festival. Now you know the names of the two most anticipated events of the year that almost everyone in the nearby vicinity (and often further) marks on their calendars. Each has its own unique appeal and should not be missed.

7. Experiment with different classes. Choosing just four classes among the thousands offered each quarter can be daunting, but Pullum said first-year students should feel free to experiment with new subjects until they reach 90 units, when they should declare a major. “Take lower-division courses that introduce you to an area – the 10s [for example, Music 10] are great for that,” Pullum said. “Also, I know the course catalogue is not the kind of book you want to cuddle up to on a rainy day, but students who read the registration guide and catalogue are so much better informed.”

8. Get involved on campus. Out of the hundreds of clubs, intramural sports and religious groups on campus, there is bound to be at least one that interests you, so do not be afraid to join in. Finding an extracurricular activity you love will help you make new friends and feel connected to the campus.

9. Plan early for next year’s housing. Even though you have just barely figured out where the best food is at the DC and how to carry all of your stuff back and forth from the shower, it is never too early to start thinking about housing for next year. Unless you plan on being a Resident Advisor next year, you should start looking for an apartment or house in January, when models open for tours and new lease signings. “Know the people you’re living with and make sure you know what you’re paying for,” said Carlos Hernandez, manager of La Salle Apartments. “Budget for internet, power and gas, and think about having more roommates to save money.”

10. DavisWiki is Davis’s best resource. To find out information about restaurants or some unique Davis residents, DavisWiki should be your destination. Chock full of anything Davis related, it is the easiest way to get information quickly. You can find reviews for every single restaurant, movie theater and business in town, as well as information about Davis history, parks and more.

ERIN MIGDOL can be reached at features@theaggie.org.

Campus News Summer Digest

Campus News

Campus Editor

September 23, 2010

University mandates stronger passphrases

Aug. 2 – UC Davis is urging students, faculty and staff to update their university passphrases to comply with new federal standards.

The new Kerberos passphrases differ primarily by being at least 12 characters long. They can also use spaces, a series of dictionary words and other characters.

The university hopes to have all account holders using the new standard by Dec. 6.

For more information on the passphrase changes, visit security.ucdavis.edu/passphrase.cfm. To change your password or to test a new passphrase, visit computingaccounts.ucdavis.edu.

– Originally reported by Leslie Tsan

Unitrans introduces revamped schedule to Davis riders

Aug. 9 – The Unitrans schedule for the 2010-2011 academic year includes a number of key changes, such as regular Sunday service for the first time.

A new “A-Limited” line will run between the Silo and downtown Davis to provide more frequent service to and from the Amtrak station.

Unitrans aims to relieve congestion by increasing frequency for the A and J lines, as well as making minor time changes of the H, L and P lines. Unitrans also purchased 35 new buses through Federal and State grants.

UC Davis undergraduates will continue to ride for free and bus fares for the community remain the same: $1 per ride, $6 for a 10-ride ticket and $25 for a monthly pass.

– Originally reported by Ehsun Forghany

Charges dropped against Mrak protestor

Aug. 9 – Charges were dropped against Brienna Holmes for allegedly resisting arrest and battering during the occupation of Mrak Hall last November.

On July 26, the 12 members of the Yolo County jury gathered to deliberate the misdemeanor counts against Holmes. They reached a 10 to 2 vote for acquittal on the battery charge and deadlocked 6 to 6 on resisting arrest. The case was declared a mistrial.

On Aug. 6, the District Attorney’s office decided against re-filing the case and dropped all charges.

Originally reported by Noura Khoury

Sodexo and CIW sign Fair Food Agreement

Sept. 6 – After months of protests, student groups across campuses saw the fruition of their efforts when Sodexo became the ninth corporation to sign the CIW Fair Food Agreement.

The agreement establishes a new partnership between the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and Sodexo to improve farm worker wages and working conditions in the tomato fields of Florida.

The Student/Farmworker Alliance is working on a new campaign, bringing its fight for fair food practices to the supermarket industry. With the construction of a Trader Joe’s in Davis underway, the SFA Davis team is already organizing its members to encourage the UC Davis student body to act out against the grocery store’s apparent unethical labor standards.

Originally reported by Ehsun Forghany

CAMPUS NEWS SUMMER DIGEST was compiled by JANELLE BITKER. She can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Not just your average roadkill study

Features

Features Editor

September 23, 2010

Furry creatures, big and small, can be found in an array of decomposition lying on the sides of roadways, highways and freeways all across the country.

But what has become a morbid fascination or comic punch line in the broader culture is a serious matter for a study organized by the UC Davis Road Ecology Center.

“It’s not just about the gore and the blood but the mass quantity of road kill…is what was most alarming to me,” Dave Waetjen said.

Waetjen, a UC Davis geography graduate student, is the project programmer for the California Roadkill Observation System (CROS), a data collecting web site that allows volunteers to register and enter information and pictures of observed roadkill.

Operating for a year now, the web site as of publication, registered 421 volunteer observers statewide, who have observed 7,289 roadkill observations from 212 species.

While CROS is not the first system of its kind to collect roadkill data, it is the first to involve citizen observers and probably the largest, said Fraser Shilling, lead scientist for CROS.

Volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and professions, from wildlife research agencies to animal control, to the everyday citizen keeping an eye out for roadkill.

Using volunteers is an important aspect of the collecting process because it increases the amount of area that can be covered and it connects people to things they care about, Shilling said.

Retired veterinarian, Ronald Ringen, is the top registered observer and according to the CROS system has made a total of 1,489 roadkill observations.

In a Sept. 13 interview with the NY Times, Ringen said he has now garnered the nickname ‘Doctor Roadkill’ from friends.

“I find it to be very fascinating actually, to discover the variety of species as well as unfortunately the large numbers of animals killed,” Ringen said to the Times.

In fact the sheer number of animals killed every year by vehicles is not totally represented by the CROS observations.

Shilling estimates that the number of roads and freeways represented in the sample accounts for only 1 to 2 percent of the total number in California.

Taking into account all the major and minor roadways in California, the total impact would be closer to one million per year on animals, Shilling said.

The quantity of animals is not the only surprising statistic that Shilling and other researchers observed, but the number of species of animals killed.

In an August 2010 report, researchers noted that observers have reported a variety of species -including raccoons, lizards and barn owls to larger mammals such as deer and coyotes- representing half of all vertebrates in California.

“So to find half [of all vertebrates] dead on the small amount of roads [we surveyed] indicates that if we observed all the [roadways] we can find all the biodiversity of California dead on the road,” Shilling said.

Although the data so far paints a gruesome picture of the affects of our driving habits on the environment and animal populations, there is a silver lining within all this information.

“When people see the website, they do want to participate. One important thing we need to see is that things can start changing,” Waetjen said.

While effectively influencing environmental policies that can decrease vehicle and animal collisions can take years, volunteers collecting the data is evidence of how important the issue is to animals and people alike, Waetjen said.

One avenue that researchers are exploring to make data collection easier is open-source phone applications that can be accessed and modified by anybody.

Shilling and his team of researchers have also developed a similar program to CROS in Maine called the Maine Audubon Wildlife Road Watch.

“The project is still very young and, a movement like this, I’m very excited to see where it is going to go,” Waetjen said.

For more information or to start data collecting go to wildlifecrossing.net/california.

JESSY WEI can be reached at features@theaggie.org.

Aggie Daily Calendar

Features

Features Editor

September 23, 2010

TODAY

Meat Lab Sale

1 to 5:30 p.m.

Cole C Facility

The UC Davis Meat Lab is offering sales that are open to the public. Cash and check only.

Fire University

9 p.m. to midnight

E St. Plaza

Learn how to fire-dance with the local fire-dancing community for free.

FRIDAY

Meat Lab Sale

1 to 5:30 p.m.

Cole C Facility

The UC Davis Meat Lab is offering sales that are open to the public. Cash and check only.

SATURDAY

Linux Installfest Workshop

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

716 N Street

Members of the Linux Users’ Group of Davis will help install and configure Linux on your PC at no charge.

Plant Faire and Sale

11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Arboretum Teaching Nursery, Garrod Drive

Join the Arboretum for the biggest and best plant sale in the Central Valley.

SUNDAY

Arboretum Guided Tour: Perennials in the Garden

10 a.m.

Arboretum Gazebo, Garrod Drive

Learn about flowering perennials in inland California with a free public tour.

To receive placement in the AGGIE DAILY CALENDAR, e-mail dailycal@theaggie.org or stop by 25 Lower Freeborn by noon the day prior to your event. Due to space constraints, all event descriptions are subject to editing, and priority will be given to events that are free of charge and geared toward the campus community.

LocalWiki project raises over $25,000

City News

City Editor

September 23, 2010

Volunteers from DavisWiki, such as Nick Schmalenberger above, tabled at the Davis Farmers Market to raise money for the LocalWiki project pledge drive, which ended Sept. 13.

More than 427 donors raised a total of $26,324 for the creation of enhanced wiki software. The Knight News Challenge awarded the LocalWiki project with a grant for $350,000 to help other communities create their own local wiki-sites. The grant was contingent on the project successfully raising $25,000.

Police Briefs

City News

City Editor

September 23, 2010

FRIDAY

Statute of limitations, bro

Subject was assaulted in 2008 when he was a pledge for a fraternity on C Street.

Cabbage patch kid

Subject was laying in a planter bed on A Street.

Police brief from the future!

There was a north light beam activation on John Jones Road.

SATURDAY

You’re supposed to lift them up …

Upstairs neighbors were dropping weights on the floor on Cantrill Drive.

SUNDAY

Searching for his sanity?

A male was walking around laughing and looking in garbage cans on Tulip Lane.

Flying carpet

A subject threw a rug at his brother on Fordham Drive.

MONDAY

Sincerely, the Crown Prince of Nigeria

Someone’s e-mail was hacked and a false e-mail was sent to their address book saying they needed money sent to them on Inca Place.

Stealing with speed-o

A male was seen hopping over a fence into a pool area. Swim coaches were concerned the subject might be taking property from locker rooms on Temple Drive.

BECKY PETERSON can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

Foster care reform awaits decision

City News

City Editor

September 23, 2010

Sitting on Gov. Schwarzenegger’s desk is a bill that extends foster care to the age of 21.

“This is the biggest thing to happen to the foster care system in recent years,” said Daniel Heimpel, project director of Fostering Media Connections, a grass roots organization for foster care system reform.

SB 12, passed by the California State Senate at the end of August, comes at the heels of the Fostering Connections to Success Act in 2008. The act funnels federal funding to states that provide an extension of foster care until the age of 21.

“This policy is cost-neutral,” said Amy Lemley, policy director for the John Burton Foundation, advocate of SB 12. “We will be able to transform the current Kin-GAP into a new program that is federally funded.”

The Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program (Kin-GAP) gives financial aid to those living with relatives under foster care. If the bill passes, the federal government will pay a portion of Kin-GAP.

Federal funding of this program will save the state $60 million, Lemley said. This money will be directed toward the extension program.

Currently, the foster care system provides housing, care and financial support to thousands of people but serves only minors. Once they turn 18, those who are in foster care become emancipated from the system.

“There is a transitional housing program available for some,” Heimpel said. “But once they turn 18, they are usually turned out into the streets.”

If the bill is signed into law, those who wish to stay in the foster care system may choose to do so until they turn 21.

“For those who stay in the system, they will be able to still get a place to live, have a case worker still work with them and have the influence of an adult in the life,” Heimpel said.

Students already emancipated from the foster care system often provide for themselves, with little government assistance. Other services for these students come from privately funded initiatives such as the Guardian Scholars Program (GSP), available on many campuses in California.

GSP works with students individually and gives assistance with housing and financial aid. The program also pairs students with mentors, to provide a stable adult presences in their lives. Under SB 12, these services will still be available for students, but there will be less of a need.

“Some of the possible outcomes may be different from what we see now,” said Valeri Garcia, program advisor for the GSP at UC Davis. “For example, we provide housing during the winter break when the dorms are closed. They may have a place to go, [rather] than having to find a place here on campus.”

Financial aid will still be available for those who need to access it. Programs like the Chafee Grant give students who come from foster care up to $5,000 per academic year, regardless of their decision to opt into foster care until age 21.

If the law is passed, those emancipated from the system at age 18 will still be able to go back into the program until they turn 21. However, the new program will not be active right away. It will be phased into the foster care system year by year.

Those who are currently 18 and over and out of the foster care system are ineligible to opt into the program.

But for those who are still in foster care, there is hope, Heimpel said.

“With an eighth of the nation’s foster youth in California, an extension of care to 21 will unleash a wave of positive change. Not only in California but across the country,” Heimpel said.

SB 12 is currently under review and must be signed or vetoed by Sept. 30.

SARAHNI PECSON can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

Student housing subcontractors fined for labor violations

Campus News

Campus Editor

September 23, 2010

California State Labor Commissioner Angela Bradstreet ordered two housing subcontractors working on the Tercero Housing Project to pay $1.3 million for improperly paying wages on Aug. 10 – two months after previous subcontractors committed similar labor violations.

The California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) investigated and found that the Nevada-based subcontractors Kings Drywall Inc. and JL Home Development failed to report workers on certified payroll reports, pay overtime and provide accurate deduction statements for its 149 workers.

This included failure to pay fringe benefits, such as travel, and inflating worker pay when they were actually paid below required pay rates.

“My office is committed to providing a level playing field for all contractors who comply with the law,” said Bradstreet in a press release. “Contractors simply cannot cut corners and intentionally underpay their workers, depriving those employees of the money they earned. I believe the action my office is taking against Kings Drywall and JL Home will continue to serve as a deterrent to any company that is thinking about undermining its employees or the wage laws.”

The subcontractors were working on the UC Davis Tercero II dormitory housing which houses 600 first-year students and resident advisors on the corner of La Rue Drive and Dairy Road. They are also LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – certified by the organization at the gold standard level.

Trade groups concerned with potential labor violations occurring at the site contacted the university. The campus collected the certified payroll records from the subcontractors and sent them to the DIR.

This follows previous violations committed by Russell/Thompson and 84 Lumber, which the DIR fined $1.5 million for not paying the proper wages for 79 workers. All four subcontractors, which worked on different parts of construction, worked under Brown Construction – the general contractor that completed four construction projects with the university.

In both cases, the DIR issued civil wage and penalty assessments to obtain the money owed to the workers.

“The contractors have not explained the violations but Brown Construction, 84 Lumber and Russell/Thompson have all filed a request for review but have not submitted any detailed information,” said Krisann Chasarik, communication specialist at the DIR in an e-mail interview.

She also added that the DIR did not have a record of all of Brown’s hiring of subcontractors but that the subcontractors had no prior egregious violations.

Although the incidents may have raised tension at the building site, the project met its deadline for incoming students.

Picketers protested against unfair pay at the job site in June, according to a UC Davis Dateline news release.

“At one point several days were lost,” said Assistant Vice Chancellor Clayton Halliday, campus architect. “But the contractor was then obligated to accelerate to work on weekends to recover from that and bring on the forces they needed.”

He also added the building project deadline extended from mid-August to mid-September owing to design changes that often occur in construction projects. The project’s final tab of $24.67 million -$17 million under the estimated cost – came as a pleasant surprise for the university.

“We’re not alone here,” Halliday said. “Many other UCs are getting competitive bids and coming under budget. It was significantly less than expected compared to prices prior to recession and even less than good bids under the recession.”

LESLIE TSAN can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

UC Davis prepares for first governor’s debate

Campus News

Campus Editor

September 23, 2010

Gubernatorial nominees Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman will meet face-to-face for the first time at the Mondavi Center on Sept. 28 to debate prominent issues facing California before the upcoming election in November.

The election comes at a vital point for the state of California, which faces a budget deficit of close to $20.7 billion. Economic analysts call California a state “looking for answers” to its 12.5 percent unemployment rate, failing public education system, crumbling infrastructure and looming water crisis.

“Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown will be meeting for the very first time to discuss the state’s hopes and challenges,” said Mitchel Benson, assistant vice chancellor of university communications. “It could be a fascinating hour of television.”

UC Davis is conducting online lotteries for students, faculty, staff and members of the public to win tickets the debate. It is limited to one entry per person. The deadline for faculty, staff and the general public to enter was 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 21. Students must enter by Saturday at 11:59 p.m. Students will need to present a valid UC Davis student ID card to pick up their tickets.

The questions for the debate are chosen based on what is of greatest concern to California citizens as well as the issues candidates find most important to them, said Jim Stimson, assistant news producer at KCRA. Some of these topics include unemployment, immigration reform and the housing market.

Both candidates and sponsoring organizations agreed that there will be no restrictions as to potential questions. Also, in order to assure the spontaneity of both questions and topics, sponsoring members and journalists can select or change topics just hours before the event.

Media organizations will also solicit information from the public for possible topic questions during the debate. All viewers are invited and encouraged to submit questions.

The debate is critical to the independent voters of California, said Adela de la Torre, UC Davis labor and health economist. De la Torre specializes on election issues such as immigration, health policy and the Latino vote.

“Brown needs to re-emerge as a known influence who can navigate the current state economic crisis with younger voters – without this recognition, he will fail,” de la Torre said.

Whitman’s attitude toward some highly sensitive issues such as immigration, education and the economy is one of political opportunism, de la Torre said. Whitman could fail to attract Latino voters if she fails to meet Latinos’ needs in a humane way.

NOURA KHOURY can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Welcome celebration continues amid budget cuts

Campus News

Campus Editor

September 23, 2010

Summer vacation is over and it’s time to hit the books again. But before classes get too stressful, there’s still one last thing to cheer about: The Buzz.

Featuring live entertainment, games, free food and student performers, UC Davis’ largest annual fall welcome celebration is back again Friday to welcome new and returning students alike.

“[The Buzz] is a way for the campus to introduce itself to students,” said Coulson Thomas, one of the co-chairs planning the event. “We want [the students] to know they made a good decision coming to UC Davis.”

The main focus of the night is the live entertainment. This year’s performers include rapper Shawn Chrystopher from Inglewood, Calif., and indie-pop group The Cataracs from Berkeley, Calif., brought to Davis by the Entertainment Council.

“It’s about providing entertainment that our student body can appreciate in person,” said Entertainment Council Director Perry Sanesanong. “We feel that a live presentation of music allows more to be communicated to an audience, through performance and crowd interaction.”

Selecting the artists is a long process that involves putting together comprehensive lists of bands that are generating buzz in their respective genres, Sanesanong said.

“We’re looking into new methods that’ll allow us to get opinions from the student body, as well,” he added.

Planning for The Buzz starts as early as winter quarter the year before, Thomas said. The biggest part is recruiting sponsorships.

With the decreased budget from last year, some elements of The Buzz had to be cut, including the after party that was once a highlight.

“We couldn’t do the after party [last year] and we won’t again this year,” Thomas said. “[But The Buzz is] something where we can’t take too much away or it won’t be fun. We try to find sponsorships and we found some other ways to cut costs.”

But despite the decreased budget, Sanesanong is confident the quality of the event won’t be compromised.

“[The budget has] been reorganized into a system that will streamline the way our funds are used,” he said. “We, as a council, are working to be sure our resources are being allocated efficiently. As such, it shouldn’t factor into the number, or quality, of our performances this year.”

The many music and dance performances of the night include student groups from around campus including the favorite Breakdance Battle as well as a performance by the Cal Aggie Marching Band-Uh!

Sarah Walsh, a sophomore animal science major, explained that The Buzz was an important part of her welcome week last year.

“It really gave me insight as to how many clubs and organizations are really on campus,” she said. “It also helped me get out and explore what Davis has to offer.”

Apart from performances, The Buzz has many other events including a burrito-eating contest sponsored by Taqueria Guadalajara, inflatable games, raffle prizes and henna tattoos. There will also be booths informing students on transitioning into the Davis community.

AKSHAYA RAMANUJAM can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

If you like to laugh, if you like to spell…

Arts & Culture

Arts Editor

September 23, 2010

Life is pandemonium. Life is pandemonium. Life is p-a-n-d-e-m-o-n-i-u-m!

With a huge smile seeming to have been permanently plastered across my face and the catchy tune “Life is Pandemonium” humming brightly in my head, I walked out of the Main Theatre last Thursday night feeling nearly giddy. Musicals tend to have that effect on me. But, this time the feeling was different. There was an element of pride mixed in there somewhere among the bouncy songs and echoing laughter replaying in my head.

Dancing, acting, singing. The three magical components which make musicals so great but most importantly, challenging. The seven week musical theatre summer intensive program led by Timothy Orr, Thomas Munn and Production Director Mindy Cooper has been preparing students for this production since this past August through September. Within these seven weeks, students had to master choreography, singing, harmonies, comedic timing, and dance routines. And let’s just say, those were seven weeks were very successful.

The play’s self-titled opening number The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee greeted the audience and stage with nothing less than vibrant energy. Starting out with a single voice then growing into a large ensemble of harmonies between the entire cast and live orchestra; the theatre was pulsating with wonderful noise and laughter.

Like a symbiotic relationship between the audience and the cast members, the two fed energy off of each other. As William Finn intended when he constructed the Broadway musical, there is no fourth wall which separates the audience and cast. Audience volunteers came on stage and became participators in the spelling bee and added an element of unpredictability to the script. But more shocking was the guest appearance of our very own Chancellor Linda Katehi.

“Can you please spell ‘Fandango’ please?” said Vice Principal Douglas. “Can you please use that word in a sentence?” asked Katehi. Vice Principle Douglas replies with a monotone voice: “I see a little silhouetto of a man, Scaramouche, Scaramouche will you do the Fandango?” (lyrics from “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen). With that, the audience broke out laughing hysterically. Unfortunately Katehi, who appeared nervous and never had heard the word before, spelled the word incorrectly. Nonetheless, she was escorted off the stage with a grand performance of the infamous “Good-bye Song” and supporting applause of the audience.

Aside from the humorous numbers such as “My Unfortunate Erection (Chip’s Lament)” performed by Jazz Trice, there were some tear-evoking moments such as “The I Love You Song” performed by Elizabeth Tremaine, Alison Sundstrom and Ryan Geraghty. There’s no doubt that this song is exceptionally difficult to sing but Tremaine hit the high notes beautifully and with the fitting and haunting touch of vibrato.

Other grand performances included “Magic Foot” performed by Matthew Dunivan who played a perfect grumpy and I-can-only-breathe-through-one-nostril William Barfee. What started out as a solo foot dance transformed into an epic kick-line with back-up dancers. But perhaps the most expressive and colorful character on the stage was Leaf Coneybear played by Esteban Gonzales. You can’t help but smile when Coneybear sings “I’m Not That Smart” with the biggest smile and breaking into a ballerina-esqe dance.

Production Director Cooper allowed some artistic freedom for actors during performances. There seemed to be moments of improvisation and raw discovery. It’s a tricky and exciting strategy when order meets chaos and structure meets unpredictability. During “Pandemonium” when chaos broke on stage, basketballs flew everywhere, bleachers rotated, and a person (which was actually a doll) fell from the ceiling, the audience were kept on the edge of their seats and awed by the simultaneous splurge of movement.

Despite not having an intermission, the performances were so entertaining that it didn’t seem to bother the audience a bit. Each song and dance numbers evoked laughter and at times, tears (probably from laughing so hard). This production is a spectacular which captures the elements which make musical Broadways so popular and timeless. If these colorful characters and vibrant voices don’t leave you walking away grinning foolishly, then I suppose we’ll just have to re-analyze your Weltanschauung.

UYEN CAO can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

Fall Arts Preview: Movies

Arts & Culture

Arts Editor

September 23, 2010

MOVIES

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Director Oliver Stone’s sequel to his 1987 classic Wall Street, in theaters Friday, has been highly anticipated by fans eager to experience once again the high-stakes world of wealth and greed.

Michael Douglas returns as wealthy, unscrupulous Wall Street raider Gordon Gecko. The film focuses around the 2008 financial crisis, where Gecko, fresh out of jail, finds the world that he once dominated is now foreign to him.

In an attempt to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Gecko forms an alliance with her fiancé Jacob (Shia LeBouf) and quickly alters his philosophy of “greed is good” to “it’s not about the money – it’s about the game.” And Gecko still knows how to play.

The consequences of these games will either make or break the relationships in the film, and leave the audience wondering: Has Gordon Gecko really changed?

– Anastasia Zhuravleva

The Social Network

Coming to theaters Oct. 1, The Social Network chronicles how Mark Zuckerberg created the website everyone knows and ‘likes’, Facebook. Having 500 million friends is not as nice as it may seem.

Starring Disney’s Brenda Song and singer Justin Timberlake, this drama depicts what Mark’s experience was like while creating the most popular website today seven years ago as an undergraduate student at Harvard. Through his trials and tribulations, Mark’s journey to become a 20-something billionaire revolutionized the way we communicate today.

– Lea Murillo

Due Date

Looking for comedy meshed with romance and big-name stars? Due Date may do the trick for you when it opens on Nov. 5.

Due Date follows a neurotic dad (Robert Downey, Jr.) while he hitches a cross-country ride with an aspiring actor (Zach Galifianakis) to make it on time for his daughter’s birth. Along the way the men involve themselves in mishaps, shenanigans and, of course, some moments of bonding. Due Date promises laughs, bucolic scenery-much of the filming was done in Las Cruces, Mexico– and a disgruntled pug dog who accompanies the men on their journey.

The film will be released a week after Halloween, so a bag of post-Halloween candy corn ought to put your blood sugar and energy level in line with the road trip’s frenetic pace.

– Eleni Stephanides

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I

There are some films made for pure entertainment, some for artistic experimentation, and some LOL or scare-the-crap-out-of-you kind of films. Then there are others which completely redefine popular culture and reveal a nerd alter-ego within us we never knew existed. The Harry Potter series is this kind of film.

Splitting the last novel by J.K. Rowling into two parts, the highly anticipated Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I film hits theatres this year on Nov. 19.

Like many students, Najwa Argandwall, junior biochemistry major, is looking forward to the film she grew up with. “I read all the books and I’m really looking forward to seeing the movie.” Argandwall said.

In this installment, Harry, Ron and Hermione continue their journey which Dumbledore sent previously to destroy all Horcruxes. With many more dark motifs and close-call moments with The Dark Lord, audiences will find themselves experiencing in a great range of emotions. Forget about pale good-looking vampires or unnecessarily shirtless werewolves, wizards for the win.

– Uyen Cao

Tron Legacy

Keeping in style with the latest 3-D movement in Hollywood, Tron Legacy combines all things that equal success at the box office: action, a quest and amazing visual effects. The film opens in theaters on Dec. 17.

The story begins in reality but switches into a virtual world that rivals James Cameron’s Avatar in innovation. Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) goes looking for his missing father (Jeff Bridges) and finds him living in a virtual reality that he created. Together, both father and son, along with the beautiful Olivia Wilde, must fight to triumph over the chaos that has been brewing in the cyber world.

– Brittany Pearlman

THE ARTS DESK can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

Fall Arts Preview: Art

Arts & Culture

Arts Editor

September 23, 2010

ART

Sacramento Valley School of Landscape Painters

Grab a coffee and enjoy this exhibit at the cathartic John Natsoulas Gallery. If you’re without a car you can still see the Sacramento Valley without leaving Davis. This month’s exhibition at the John Natsoulas Art Gallery features art by artists at the Sacramento Valley School of Landscape Painters, many of which are inspired by Wayne Thiebaud and Gregory Kondos artwork. Caught at various points in the day, lighting and angles are two focuses of the artwork on display.

Featured Sacramento Valley artists include Deladier Almeida, Chella, Dwarka Bonner, Marti Walker, Mike Bagdonas, Philippe Gandiol, Marie-Therese Brown, Andrew Dorn and Leslie Toms. Bucolic landscape scenes will provide respite from long hours of studying. The art gallery also has tables where you can sit down, study and sip your coffee, completely surrounded by art. Ooh la latte, how’s that for a peaceful study setting?

For more information, go to natsoulas.com.

– Eleni Stephanides

Lost and Found: Visions of the Davis Art Center Permanent Collection

For a look at the history of the Davis arts movement of the sixties and seventies head over to The Tsao Gallery where the Davis Arts Center will present “Lost and Found: Visions of the Davis Arts Center Permanent Collection.” The centers 50th anniversary the DAC will be presenting 54 works by 34 artists many of which have taught or attended UC Davis, other have strong ties to the Davis community.

Ceramics, paintings, drawings, lithographs, photographs and mixed media pieces by artists like Robert Arneson, Richard Nelson and Wayne Thiebaud will be on display starting Friday until Nov. 19.

“The collection was started in the early 60’s when the DAC started to collect the work of virtually unknown artists” said Erie Vitiello executive director of the Davis Arts Center. “Now many of these artists are incredibly well known and beloved all across the country.”

For more information about DAC and gallery hours visit davisartscenter.org

– Anastasia Zhuravleva

Wonderers

From Oct. 7 to Dec. 12, the Nelson Gallery of UC Davis will put on a guest-curated photography exhibition entitled Wonderers. There will also be a public reception on opening night from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Matthias Geiger, faculty member of the UC Davis art department, is curating the event. This exhibit includes work from seven artists who have helped contribute to an exhibit that is intended to appeal to young, modern people.

Participating artists include Abby Banks, Cutter Collective, Richard Gilles, Justine Kurland, Joel Sternfeld and Kyer Wiltshire. In addition, there will be a published catalogue displaying essays and color plates.

According to the Nelson Gallery press release, this will be their last exhibition in room 124 of the Art Building. They will be renovating afterward and will re-open in January where the former University Club was.

For more information, go to nelsongallery.ucdavis.edu.

– Lea Murillo

12 Voices

Utilizing a medium that sustains profound history and beauty, Pence Art Gallery hosts the first West Coast showcase of 12 Voices, an art quilt exhibit presented by Studio Art Quilt Associates.

12 Voices showcases over 26 pieces of commissioned work; art quilts made by local artists as well as two ‘challenge quilts’ which 12 artists and quilters collaborated to complete. These pieces take on the traditional quilting methods as well as implementing new digital technologies and ideas. It’s a new kind of execution combining painting, poetry and love for fabric and quilting – where tradition meets modernism and ideas take concrete form.

In conjunction with the main exhibit, the event hosts other activities such as quilt films, quilt demonstrations, tea and exhibit tours, and more.

12 Voices exhibit will continue through Nov. 14 with an opening reception on Oct. 8, 6 to 9 p.m. For more information visit pencegallery.org.

– Uyen Cao

THE ARTS DESK can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

Fall Arts Preview: Theater

Arts & Culture

Arts Editor

September 23, 2010

THEATER

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

The Department of Theater and Dance summer musical theater program takes to the stage with this fun musical theater classic. The cast of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will give its final performances at 8 p.m. from Sept. 23 to 25 and 2 p.m. Sept. 26, in Wright Hall’s Main Theater.

The show takes place in a middle school auditorium and follows six teens as they compete in a spelling bee. Featuring lively dance numbers and songs such as “My Friend the Dictionary” and “My Unfortunate Erection,” the show won two Tony Awards.

It is unique in its incorporation of audience members participating on-stage, said Pete Nowlen, musical director of the production. Each show, four volunteers are selected to come on stage and be part of the action. “While the plot of the show is, of course, a spelling bee, the show is very character driven,” Nowlen said. “Every character has a song and a scene that present the challenges they face in their daily lives — estranged parents, strange parents, pressure to excel, inability to make friends, or just being ‘a little bit bizarre,’ as one character puts it.”

For more information, go to theatredance.ucdavis.edu.

– Eleni Stephanides

Tilly No-Body

Running from Oct.. 14 to. 24, the Theater and Dance Department’s production of Tilly No-Body: Catastrophes of Love chronicles Tilly Wedekind’s internal meanderings. It brings together personal letters, biography, drama and original songs. The show focuses on both Tilly’s passionate marriage and her attempted suicide.

An actress in the production, faculty member Bella Merlin trained in the UK and Russia before acting in such British theater productions as The Permanent Way, She Stoops to Conquer and A Laughing Matter. Director Miles Anderson is a film, television and stage actor. He also directed the Royal Shakespeare Company’s youth projects at Stratford.

For more information, go to theatredance.ucdavis.edu.

– Eleni Stephanides

In The Heights

The best show to hit Broadway since West Side Story is making its way over to Sacramento. The touring company of In the Heights will perform from Nov. 2 to 14 at the Community Center Theater in Sacramento.

The musical explores some of the more gritty aspects of life in Washington Heights, Manhattan. Featuring sexy, Latin music and dance, the show still charms audiences at every performance.

In The Heights won the 2008 Tony Award for Best New Musical and has been a Broadway sensation ever since. For more information, go to intheheightsthemusical.com.

– Brittany Pearlman

Paul Taylor Dance Company

On Nov. 13, at 8 p.m. at the Mondavi Center, audiences can take an exclusive look at the talented Paul Taylor Dance Company. The creator of the performance, Paul Taylor, has been critically acclaimed for literally decades as one of the innovators and creators of the form of modern and contemporary dance. His show addresses social as well as personal issues in a beautiful display of talented energy.

Taylor says, “I make dances because I believe in the power of contemporary dance, its immediacy, its potency, its universality.”

For more information, go mondavicenter.ucdavis.edu.

– Brittany Pearlman

Gallathea

As an adaptation to John Lyly’s Elizabethan play Gallathea, the UC Davis Department of Theatre and Dance presents an alternative interpretation set in present day.

This production of Gallathea analyzes gender roles in society and how different and similar they are from present day to over four hundred years ago. Presenting different perspectives from characters, themes and motifs, ideas presented reveal what we take for granted in present day.

This production is directed by Theatre and Dance professor Peter Lichtenfels and will take place in the Main Theatre (Wright Hall) Nov. 11 to 13; 18 to 20 at 8 p.m., and Nov. 14 at 2 p.m.

For more information, visit theatredance.ucdavis.edu.

– Uyen Cao

THE ARTS DESK can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

Fall Arts Preview: Music

Arts & Culture

Arts Editor

September 23, 2010

MUSIC

Operation: Restore Maximum Freedom X

In honor of their 10th birthday, KDVS radio station 90.3 will celebrate by holding their annual Operation: Restore Maximum X Music Festival on Oct. 2, at the Plainfield Station in Woodland from 2 to 10 p.m.

The festival promises to offer live performances that will “expand musical boundaries yet satisfy the yearnings of many ears” by inviting a multitude of artists from all genres. Among some of the headliners include The Ganglians, The Fresh and Onlys, Wounded Lion, and AIDS Wolf, along with nine other promising performances.

The venue is open to audiences of all ages and will provide local food vendors as well as some alcoholic beverages. For more information, go to kdvs.org/operation-restore-maximum-freedom-x.

– Brittany Pearlman

Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers

Just because Steve Martin has conquered the world of comedy doesn’t mean he won’t try anything else. In his newest venture, Martin has also mastered the world of music with his newest musical bluegrass album, The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo. On Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. at the Mondavi Center, Martin will perform songs from his 2010 Grammy-winning album.

The acclaimed bluegrass band the Steep Canyon Rangers will be accompanying him throughout the performance, and perhaps a little bit of Martin’s old stand-up gig. This is Martin’s first self-composed musical album of his career. For more information, please go to mondavicenter.ucdavis.edu.

– Brittany Pearlman

Davis Jazz and Beat Festival

The fourth annual Davis Jazz and Beat Festival, the intimate two day festival will start on Oct. 8. Jointly hosted by the John Natsoulas Center for the Arts, Armadillo Music, the Cultural Action Committee and the Downtown Davis Business Association, the festival will be filled with poetry readings and painting improvisations set to live jazz. Davis Meltzer, American poet of the Beat Generation, and San Franciscan poet, playwright and novelist, Michael McClure will be performing special readings.

The jazz bands that will be performing at this year’s festival include the UC Davis Jazz Combo, the Davis High School Jazz Band and Combo, Jaroba Jazz Trio, Yolo Mambo, Instagon, Ross Hammond Trio and Boco do Rio. For more information, go to davisjazz.com

– Anastasia Zhuravleva

Los Lobos

The Mondavi Center presents Los Lobos, part of the Chevron American Heritage Series, on Oct. 13, at 8 p.m.

Originally from East Los Angeles, Los Lobos has been rockin’ and rollin’ for over 35 years. Together they mix blues, Tex-Mex, pop, psychedelia and rock ‘n’ roll with traditional Mexican music that brought them together in the first place. According to the Mondavi Center website, this performance will mark their first all-electric appearance.

Additional information can be found at mondaviarts.org or by visiting Youtube and typing in ‘Los Lobos’.

– Lea Murillo

Madness and Music Festival

Beginning Oct. 28 and ending on Halloween, the Mondavi Center will be hosting the Madness and Music Festival, which will showcase performances by the Empyrean Ensemble, the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra, Alarm Will Sound and composer-in-residence Lee Hyla.

The festival honors Robert Schumann’s 200-year birth anniversary. The UC Davis department of music will contribute to the event as well. According to the Mondavi Center website, there will be performances of piano, violin and even an electronic mixed media concert as well. For more information, go to mondaviarts.org.

– Lea Murillo

Muse/Passion Pit, Maroon 5, Shakira, Justin Bieber

Is the music scene in Davis just not your style? Do house shows fail to inspire any awe or amazement? If you answered yes to those questions then a change of scenery is what you need. Sacramento’s Arco Arena has a variety of performers visiting this year.

World famous English musicians Muse are joined on stage by indie favorites Passion Pit on Sept. 28. For many this a long-awaited concert.

“I bought my tickets back in April, right after I saw them in Oakland,” said junior neurobiology, physiology and behavior and history double major Rita Tawdros, “Muse always puts on an incredibly spectacular show. They really know how to captivate an audience”

October promises to be another exciting month at the Arco with crooners Maroon 5, Colombian singer songwriter Shakira and Canadian pop-sensation Justin Bieber entertaining audiences.

More information is available on arcoarena.com

– Anastasia Zhuravleva

THE ARTS DESK can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

Sections

Resources

Best of Davis

Projects