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Artsweek

Arts & Culture

Arts Editor

October 22, 2009

MUSIC

CJ and the Canyons with Mad Mud

Today, 7 p.m., $5

John Natsoulas Gallery

This week’s performance at the John Natsoulas Gallery will feature Davis’ own CJ & The Canyons, a happy, upbeat group that is sure to please at least a few fellow Davisites. Mad Mud will also perform.

Islands with Jemina Pearl and Toro y Moi

Today, 7:30 p.m., $5

Odd Fellows Lodge

If you didn’t read yesterday’s preview, the ASUCD Entertainment Council is presenting Islands, an Indie rock band hailing from Montreal, Quebec tonight. For more information, visit the EC’s Facebook event page.

Rose Melberg|Kellarissa|Knock Knock|Dreamdate

Saturday, 8 p.m., $6

1050 20th St., #160 Sacramento

A Saturday night in Sacramento is sure to satisfy. Check out each of the bands’ MySpace pages for a thorough preview of what’s likely to come.

ART/GALLERY

B HERE Art Exhibit

Tuesday, 10 a.m., free

Freeborn Hall

Gilead Sciences, the Asian American Association, Pi Alpha Phi and the Vietnamese Student Association are presenting an art exhibit aimed at raising awareness for Hepatitis B. Be sure to attend the exhibit to get your ticket for the Wednesday performance at 6 p.m., which will feature YouTube celebrities KevJumba and HappySlip (a genuinely entertaining Filipina comic). Many other performers will also be featured.

AT THE MOVIES

A Talk About Tezuka & Astro Boy

Today, 4 p.m., free

UC Davis, 1309 Surge III

Manga fans, come together: The Astro Boy franchise is about to hit the silver screen, and a lecture on the series is happening today at Surge III. Frederik L. Schodt, a notable manga and anime translator, will speak about Astro Boy and the franchise’s creator Osamu Tezuka. More details are available at calendar.ucdavis.edu.

DAVIS BICYCLES! Film Festival 2009

Saturday, 7 p.m., $5-10 donations encouraged

Davis High School, Brunelle Theater

Whether or not you walk, bike or drive to campus, Davis’ bike culture is unparalleled. Cycle enthusiasts of Davis should ride over to Davis High School on Saturday for a film festival of bikes. Get there at 6 p.m. for a pre-film ride. For more information, visit the festival’s Facebook event page.

Boppin’ at The Glue Factory; Audie and the Wolf screening

Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., free

194 Chemistry

This Tuesday, the EC is presenting a double feature at Chem 194 – two indie flicks that will surely provide for an enjoyable study break. Audie and the Wolf will begin at 8:30 p.m. Check out the EC’s facebook event page for more information about the double feature.

THEATER/MONDAVI

Rebecca Plack, soprano

Today, noon, free

Mondavi Center, Rumsey Rancheria Grand Lobby

Enjoy another free afternoon concert at the Mondavi Center (seriously, a great way to spend your afternoon) with soprano singer Rebecca Plack.

Sideshow Physical Theatre: Elephant’s Graveyard

Opens Friday through Nov. 1, 8 p.m., $15

Mondavi Center, Vanderhoef Studio Theatre

If you’re interested in contemporary theatre and dance, then you don’t want to miss Elephant’s Graveyard. Written and directed by Jade Rosina McCutcheon, the Mondavi Center will offer a Q&A session after the performance.

Monda Live

Friday, 7 p.m., $15

Mondavi Center, Jackson Hall

It’s that time of the year. For what, you ask? The Hong Kong Student Association Annual Singing Contest! The HKSAA will host a night of live traditional Chinese and Cantonese music. Visit mondaviarts.org for more information or to purchase tickets.

Emerson String Quartet

Saturday, 8 p.m., $17.50

Mondavi Center, Jackson Hall

Nationally acclaimed Emerson String Quartet comes to Davis to perform Schubert: Quartet in E-flat Major, D. 87, Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 9, Op. 117 and Dvorák: String Quartet in C Major, Op. 61. If any of that made sense to you, then go see them perform.

Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg

Wednesday, 8 p.m., $22.50

Mondavi Center, Jackson Hall

Contrary to what you might expect, Austria’s famed Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg is actually scheduled to perform pieces by Joseph Haydn and Franz Schubert. Sure, the Mozart experts might not be playing from their master’s repertoire, but this is going to be a classic Austrian night.

JUSTIN T. HO and KAREN SONG can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

Learn to fly at the UC Davis airport

Features

Features Editor

October 22, 2009

If you want to impress your partner on your first date, maybe you should fly him or her to Monterey.

That is exactly what Jonathan Bar-or, chief pilot and CEO of the Cal Aggie Flying Farmers (CAFF) did when he was a student at UC Davis through the UCD airport.

UC Davis is the only campus in the University of California system to own its own airport. The airport is a non-towered, public airport located two miles west of the main campus. It is home to the CAFF, a non-profit general aviation operation, Davis Air Repair and other owners.

Everything began in 1947 by two World War II pilots that wanted to share their knowledge of aviation with the public. Harold Hopkins donated land to the university, with one requirement for the campus.

“Hopkins stipulated that UC Davis use [part of] the land for an airport,” said Cliff Contreras, Transportation and Parking Services director and airport manager.

The airport is constantly in motion – with almost 25 landings daily and is used by students, faculty and members of the community.

“Hundreds of prospective students are flown into Davis through the airport every year,” Bar-or said. “Animals are flown in for the veterinary school. Even business men fly in for meetings on the campus.”

Using the airport for commercial needs, however, is limited. There are no airline companies that fly to Davis, but you can hire a private pilot to fly you if you lack a license.

As a public airport, people can also use it for flying lessons or as an alternative to bigger airports. CAFF offers both flying lessons for those wanting to learn how to fly and plane rentals for people with pilot’s licenses. Flying lessons can run up a tab of about $150 for private pilot ground school. Plane rentals, depending on the type of plane, range from about $70 to $200 an hour.

“CAFF’s goal is to introduce and educate the UC Davis and local community about aviation for reasonable prices,” Bar-or said. “[The airport] has a great atmosphere and we act like a family.”

CAFF owns their own planes, an important distinction from others who only rent out planes. This allows CAFF to maintain their planes without prior permission, lowering rental prices.

If you want to become a commercial pilot, CAFF owns planes that are as technologically advanced as commercial planes. They even own a plane with more aviation devices than commercial aircrafts, Bar-or said.

Currently, CAFF has over 300 members, mostly comprising of UC Davis staff and students. Andrew Theiss, a junior computer science and engineering major, is one of those students. He earned his pilot’s license back in high school and occasionally goes to the Davis airport to fly on his own.

“If you can afford the flight, [the airport] is far more scenic and convenient,” Theiss said. “The times I have flown proved to be easy to do.”

Even if you do not want to learn how to fly, CAFF offers a familiarization flight, allowing you to go into the air for only $50.

For more information on CAFF and the airport, visit the TAPS web site at taps.ucdavis.edu.

NICK MARKWITH can be reached at features@theaggie.org.

Aggie Daily Calendar

Features

Features Editor

October 21, 2009

TODAY

Prytanean Women’s Honor Society Warm Clothing Drive

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

MU Tables

Prytanean Women’s Honor Society will be helping the Willow Clinic with their winter coat drive for homeless people. Any warm clothing including scarves, sweaters and blankets will be accepted. Stop by the Prytanean table at the MU before Oct. 28 and drop off your donations!

Impacts of Family Planning Seminar

3:30 to 5 p.m.

International House, 10 College Park

Martha Bailey, assistant professor of economics at the University of Michigan, will be lecturing about the impacts of family planning on U.S. women and children as part of the Economy, Justice and Society series hosted by the Institute of Government Affairs.

East Quad Farmers Market

10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

East Quad

Local farmers will offer fresh, local produce in a convenient on-campus setting. Offerings may include nuts, vegetables, flowers, grapes, apples, tomatoes, melons, peaches and nectarines.

Study Abroad in Argentina Info Meeting

Noon to 1 p.m.

Education Abroad Center, Third and A Streets

Want to study abroad in Argentina in the spring? EAC advisors will be discussing and answering questions about the spring 2010 UC Davis Quarter Abroad program in Mendoza, Argentina.

THURSDAY

Prytanean Women’s Honor Society Warm Clothing Drive

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

MU Tables

Study Abroad in England Info Meeting

Noon to 1 p.m.

Education Abroad Center, Third and A Streets

Want to study abroad in England in the spring? EAC advisors will be discussing and answering questions about the spring 2010 UC Davis Quarter Abroad program in London, England.

Bioengineering Seminar

4 to 5 p.m.

1005 Genome and Biomedical Sciences

Thomas C. Skalak, vice president and professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Virginia, will be holding a seminar to discuss the need to improve our basic understanding of blood vessels as a part of the department of biomedical engineering’s Distinguished Seminar Series.

FRIDAY

Prytanean Women’s Honor Society Warm Clothing Drive

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

MU Tables

Davis is Burning

8 to 11 p.m.

Freeborn Hall

Join the brothers of Delta Lambda Phi as they take fierceness to the next level. At their 20th annual drag show, DLP will be bringing sexy, scandalous and gender-bending fun to the UC Davis campus. Presale tickets available at the Freeborn Hall ticket office for $10. $12 at the door.

SATURDAY

California Red Ribbon Kick-off Celebration

1 p.m.

Hughes Field, Sacramento City College

The oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the country, Red Ribbon Week is holding a kick-off celebration at halftime at the Sacramento City College football game.

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.

Men’s Soccer Preview

Sports

Sports Editor

October 21, 2009

Teams: UC Davis at Cal State Northridge

Records: Aggies 5-10-0 (2-4-0); Matadors 7-5-1 (2-2-0)

Where: Matador Field

When: Wednesday at 3 p.m.

Who to watch: Junior Julian Godinez has been an important piece of the UC Davis offense this season.

The Hercules, Calif. native is second on the team in shots on goal (nine), points (seven) and assists (three).

The Aggies need an offensive jump-start after two consecutive scoreless outings, so look for a spark to come from Godinez on the left side of the midfield.

Did you know? When the Aggies score they are most often successful.

They have only lost one game in which they scored two goals and have won each time they scored three.

If UC Davis is going to make a push for the Big West Conference Tournament, scoring early and often is going to be a necessity.

Preview: Today’s 3 p.m. start in Northridge will be the only time the Aggies and Matadors meet this season.

In last year’s matchup, UC Davis beat Cal State Northridge 3-2 on a late goal at Aggie Soccer Stadium. All three of the scores were netted by Aggies who have since graduated.

Despite having the same number of conference points as the Matadors, the Aggies still enter into the game as the underdog, trailing Northridge and its 2-2 Big West record.

Cal State Northridge is recently off of its biggest win of the season, a 1-0 win over No. 3 UC Santa Barbara. The Gauchos had extended their Big West shutout-win streak to five against UC Davis on Wednesday before being shutout themselves by the Matadors on Saturday.

Though UC Santa Barbara will be a tough act to follow, there is no need for UC Davis to assume an undesirable result.

Cal State Northridge is coming off arguably its best game of the season, but duplicating that performance in consecutive games is always tough in the highly competitive Big West Conference.

The match, which is scheduled for a 3 p.m. kickoff, can be followed on GameTracker at ucdavisaggies.com.

– John S. Heller

Inside the game with Vianney Campos

Sports

Sports Editor

October 21, 2009

Vianney Campos accomplished a lot in her field hockey playing career and is quickly making a name for herself at the coaching level in 2009.

A recent graduate and all-American field hockey player at the University of the Pacific, Campos was hired in the fall of 2008 as the head coach of UC Davis’ 27th intercollegiate sport.

After a tough 3-11 beginning to the season, Campos sat down with Aggie Sports Editor Max Rosenblum to discuss the team’s early 3-0 start, the goals for the remainder of the year and the future state of the sport of field hockey.

For those out there who know nothing about the sport of field hockey, explain the sport and tell them why they should come out to watch your team play this Sunday versus the California Bears.

I think field hockey is unique. It is a combination of soccer formations and systems. It is also similar to ice hockey in the sense that you have a stick and not a ball. I would contribute it more than anything to soccer. A lot of people mistake it for being a girly sport because we wear skirts but really it is a pretty brutal sport. You need to have good wrist skills and strong forearms. I think the thing that makes it stand out the most is that it is so unique it makes it interesting.

Before the season began, not one player on your team had Division-I game experience. Is the way you coach this team different from how you might coach a team of similar talent but with more experience?

There are certain ways that you coach a little differently. You do a little bit more of explaining rules and situations and things like that but the expectations don’t change for me. Within the first two to three weeks they knew the level of play that they were expected to play at in order to be successful at this level. I expect that of them. I don’t care if they are freshmen. They are working out with us and on their own and really trying to make things happen. Expectations don’t change.

When you have a program starting from the ground up it is tough to see results right away. Explain how your team got off to a 3-0 start.

The kids knew they had nothing to lose and that a lot of teams were going to underestimate them. I think within the team we set really high expectations and we knew we could win. They went out and played every single game 100 percent knowing that they had the ability to win and it paid off. Also, the fact that they are freshmen made them anxious to play and to get on the field. Being a freshman and having the playing time that they do at any D-I school for them is an honor. They took it as a privilege and went with it. That’s where our wins are coming from and even our staying close in games.

What are the goals for the rest of the season?

Just to continue to play our game. As we see different teams we are starting to see different styles of play. We are having [the players] adjust here and there a little bit. We need to keep our composure and play [UC] Davis Field Hockey whether we win or lose. I think that’s going to be the biggest goal for us. Don’t get down because we get scored on. Just focus on us developing as a program.

You are the first coach at the helm of the UC Davis field hockey team in 27 years. Does that mean anything to you?

It is definitely an honor. The fact that the athletic department trusts me being so young and it being my first coaching job to start a program is certainly an honor. I have all the enthusiasm and motivation to get it done and to build a program with a solid foundation. I played at Pacific so it is hard coaching against them but at the same time I see them as obstacles and challenges. That’s how I was as a player and how I am as a coach. I love meeting those challenges and overcoming them. It is exciting.

Speaking of your playing career at Pacific, you were an all-American field hockey star. Talk about the differences and similarities between the coaching and playing experience considering you are only a few years removed from being a player yourself.

During my first couple of games coaching it was definitely hard to stay off the field. What set me apart as a player was the fact that I kind of had the coaching mentality. I wanted to set the expectations high for myself and for my team. I was never content with playing how we played. I always wanted more. That is what made the transition into coaching so easy. I knew that I had to always set the expectations higher than they already were. It also plays to an advantage. They trust me because I just came out of the college experience. They know it is not like I coached 30 years ago when the style was different. But it makes it difficult to stay off the field. I practice with them sometimes and just jump in there.

Like lacrosse, the impact of field hockey is felt more on the East Coast. Do you see this sport becoming similar in popularity on the West Coast in the near future?

It is getting there. This year we just added a program here in California and we added three club programs. I think California schools are starting to see that field hockey can benefit their athletic departments and it is growing quite a bit. Because the economy is so down, we are being held back but at the high school level we are seeing new schools at it every year. So, it will get there.

MAX ROSENBLUM can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

Charge you all night long

Science & Technology

Science Editor

October 21, 2009

Just about every UC Davis student owns a cell phone, an iPod or another portable gizmo. Some of us might just be lazy, but many still face the struggle of plugging in devices to recharge – whether it’s finding the right cable or tripping over one in the dark.

Fortunately, the geniuses behind Powermat have found the perfect solution: wireless chargers.

The Powermat is a compact surfboard-shaped charging pad. When devices such as the iPhone, Blackberry or Nintendo DSi are outfitted with special sleeves and placed on the mat, they charge, cable-free. The Powermat’s LED indicators make it easy to find in the dark and it even plays a sound when it detects your device. It recharges any compatible device just as quickly as the traditional method but with more ease.

This technology is still fairly new and is evolving rapidly. Essentially a hack, Powermat enables wireless charging on the devices you already own. Its usefulness only comes from its early market release. New gadgets that will hit the market as early as next year will probably have this technology built right in. The Palm Pre Smartphone, an iPhone competitor, has had this capability for the past few months. Plus, if you ever thought the magnetic MagSafe power adapter on the Apple MacBook was cool, it isn’t anymore. Dell just showed off a new laptop, the Latitude Z, which charges wirelessly, completely doing away with cables.

Is it safe? Yes. It won’t harm any other electronics placed on or near it. You can even rest you arm on the Powermat without concern. If you are an engineer wondering about the technology behind it, it’s quite simple: electromagnetic induction charging.

So, does the Powermat have a catch? Unfortunately, yes. The price. The base unit costs nearly $99 alone. Although it comes with plenty of adapters for a variety of devices, gadget-specific sleeves cost an additional $30-40 per unit. Unless you have the money to spare, the price isn’t worth the offered convenience. The good news? It’s already available; you can even pick it up at the new Davis Target. But in the meantime, the rest of us should just wait until the price to charge your devices wirelessly drops and the technology becomes more widespread.

For more information and a video demo, please visit skattertech.com. Alex Chan-Kai, a junior UC Davis electrical engineer and a Skatter Tech contributor, will be publishing an in-depth review shortly.

SAHAS KATTA can be reached at features@theaggie.org.

Science Scene

Science & Technology

Science Editor

October 21, 2009

Study finds clothing colors important for UV protection

A study reported in Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research found that the color of the clothing you wear could help protect against ultraviolet rays. Ascencion Riva and colleagues from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia studied the effects of different dyes on lightweight cotton on the amount of UV protection provided.

The researchers chose three fabrics to determine their base levels of UV protection. The team then dyed those three fabrics varying shades of yellow, red and blue and determined how much UV rays were absorbed.

Riva and her team found that the red and blue shades blocked UV-B rays, the most harmful radiation, better than yellow. As the colors became darker and more vibrant, the protection increased as well.

Source: nytimes.com

Fish adapt quickly to new environment, studies find

Fish may be a lot smarter than humans give them credit for.

A series of studies from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia showed that wild fish have the ability to learn quickly and distinguish colors, patterns and shapes – even when they have never encountered them before.

Ulrike E. Siebeck, who led the research team for the studies, trained damselfish to feed from a tube that was attached to a color and shape stimuli. When tested for the correct color or shape, the fish succeeded 70 percent of the time and improved increasingly during subsequent trials.

The studies suggest that learning and interpreting distinct colors and shapes is beneficial and vital for surviving for fish residing in reefs.

Source: nytimes.com

Tongues taste carbonation with sour receptors, study reports

A study published in the journal Science revealed that carbonation’s unique taste is detected by the same receptors that respond to sourness.

UC San Diego affiliate Jayaram Chandrashekar and colleagues placed electrodes in the nerves leading from a taste receptor in the tongues of mice. When the tongue was exposed to the carbonation, a measurable response occurred.

The tongue has five taste receptors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami – otherwise known as a meaty flavor. When the researchers genetically altered the mice to exclude the sour receptor, no response to carbonation was measured.

Source: nytimes.com

Study finds fossil fuels cost $120 billion yearly in healthcare

Burning fossil fuels in the United States costs the country almost $120 billion a year in health costs, the National Academy of Sciences reported on Monday.

Ordered by Congress, the study showed that damage is equally caused by coal and oil. It did not take into account the cost of using fossil fuels or its impact on the environment.

Nearly 20,000 people die prematurely due to the burning from fossil fuels, reported the study’s authors. To help prevent this, they suggest society paying more for alternative energy sources than fossil fuels.

Source: nytimes.com

Q and A with Susan Cobey

Science & Technology

Science Editor

October 21, 2009

Editor’s Note: Mike Dorsey sat down with Susan Cobey, a bee breeder and geneticist who manages the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Biology Research Facility, to discuss her research on honey bees.

Q: What sparked your fascination with honey bees?

A: Well my background is mostly commercial beekeeping – I worked for two different commercial outfits before coming to UCD. I have a Bachelor’s in Entomology, but I actually got in to bees pretty much after school, and with a degree in Entomology I wanted to do something working with live animals outside. Somehow I just got in to bees. I took a student exchange to Oregon State and did a couple of bee classes there. Through a professor I got a job in Northern California, and then went to Louisiana and Florida to work with bees commercially or for different entities like USDA in Baton Rouge. So my bee education is certainly more of an applied education.

Q: What is a sustainable honey bee?

A: A healthy bee, which has to have good nutrition and have some resistance to pests and diseases. You judge bee health by their colony, because a single bee just can’t survive, so you look at the colony which is a really complex social unit. It’s the intra-colony genetic diversity that makes it strong because you have different levels of resistance to pests and diseases between colonies.

Q. It was reported last year that the honey bee population was decreasing. Has there been any progress in restoring their population since then? Is it back to normal?

A: I wouldn’t call it normal: it’s been a slow progressive decline. Maybe in 2005 was when we started to see these big numbers of bees not surviving. It’s a little better this year because we’re starting to identify some of these pathogens and beekeepers are taking better care to deal with these things. They’re microscopic, so we didn’t have as much technology to identify them easily, but we’ve learned much more about what the issues are and we’re trying to deal with them better.

I think what’s going on with this colony collapse is partially the environment; there are a lot of chemicals in the environment. Also there are a lot of products we’re putting in the colonies that are having lethal effects and knocking down the immune system of the bee, which is weakened due to poor nutrition.

Q: What’s the most interesting fact about the queen bee?

A: Well, she’s basically an egg factory, and is constantly attended to by the worker bees. Her longevity is also impressive; while the workers live a matter of weeks, a queen may live seven years. The control she has over the colony, which is all done by pheromone communication, is a pretty amazing thing.

Q. Is there any truth to the rumor that eating local honey can cure allergies?

A: Somewhat, if you’re allergic to the pollens that they collect and deposit in their honey than yes. But it’s a slight difference, if there is one at all.

Q. What other benefits do bees bring to society?

A: Without bees you wouldn’t have any fruits or vegetables. Pollination is huge; there is something like 90 different crops that they pollinate, and they’re of huge value to agriculture. The ability to move in a large number of pollinators very quickly, we can just move boxes in and then back out. Bumblebees or others may be more efficient in their pollination, but they can’t be moved in and get to work as quickly as honey bees.

Q: If you get stung by a bee are you more understanding than most people probably are? How do you justify the sting?

A: Well, bees have a gentle temperament, but if I’m getting stung more than average I pretty much assume it’s my fault. I’m out there on a day that I shouldn’t be, like on a rainy day, or if I accidentally drop something in one of the hives. It’s a warning sign, that’s all. But when people ask me if I get stung, that’s like asking a mechanic if they get grease on them.

Q. What is your favorite part about your studies?

A: They’re just amazing animals to work with. It’s like the first time you go scuba diving, and it’s just a whole different world. The way they sense, move, smell, it’s different than any other group animal. I get the privilege of entering that world, and working outside in nature you see so much. You’re so aware of everything; plants, weather, interactions of the flora/fauna, changing of the seasons. I like being a part of that.

MIKE DORSEY can be reached features@theaggie.org.

Column: Madeline McCurry-Schmidt

Opinion

Opinion

October 21, 2009

The Large Hadron Collider, iPods, Snuggies. Recent years have brought about many glorious inventions. My favorite invention, however, wasn’t created by an international team of scientists or a corporation. It was born on the UC Davis campus.

Last winter, entomology graduate student Hanayo Arimoto created the world’s first magnetic fly. Arimoto needed to get flies to buzz in front of a camera in order to study how fast they beat their wings. The flies are the kind that buzz around cows’ faces and breed in nearby cow pies. Sometimes worms called nematodes infect the fly larva, and the female flies are rendered sterile. Arimoto spent four years studying the fly/worm combo until she got stuck on the problem of how to get flies to buzz in front of a camera.

First she tried super gluing the backs of live flies to the ends of nails and earring stems, but the glue kept them from buzzing properly. Flies have powerful muscles on the top of their thoraxes, and the glue was stiff as a cast. Besides that, super glue is also toxic. Then Arimoto tried stretchier, less toxic glues, but they weren’t strong enough to hold the flies. The only glues that worked were toxic. She needed a fly under lab conditions to behave the way it would in the field.

A post doc suggested trying magnets instead of glue. It was brilliant – except that Arimoto had to find a way to glue the magnets to the backs of the flies. Again, the glues failed. Finally, Arimoto had her eureka moment. Paint was more elastic and less toxic than glue. If she mixed iron filings with paint, she could avoid the glue altogether.

It worked. After buying dozens of glues at art stores and sending scores of flies to die sticky deaths, Arimoto found a method that worked. She would knock the flies out with carbon dioxide gas, then paint their backs with the magnetic paint. She built a sort of scaffold with blunt nails pointing down like magnetic icicles. When the flies woke up, they’d find themselves flapping their wings but going nowhere.

Arimoto and I have worked at the same lab for almost two years, so I saw the stages of this fly saga. Our windowsills were sprinkled with the bodies of her escaped flies. I saw her mix paint with the iron filings from those “Wooly Willy” toys. All those nerve-wracking months had resulted in success. Arimoto is left with an effective method and a fascinating journal of her work with flies entitled “The Book of Failures: Ideas that Didn’t Work.”

“The Book of Failures” is a composition book that sits on her shelf, full of notes about super glue, earring stems and glue-painted paper wedges. There are notes in the margins like “glue DRAMA AGAIN!!!” and bent wires taped in it like scrap-booked remnants- all the failures that led to success. It’s the story of scientific research writ small, how trial and error can lead to breakthrough.

This is why I love magnetic flies. The tedious process led to something so simple but genius. Arimoto invented the magnetic fly, and, like a good scientist, shared her method with others – a fellow entomologist may be using the magnetic fly invention in a fruit fly study.

Arimoto’s adventure is far from over. She found the right set up, but she has yet to collect her data. I asked if she was excited about inventing magnetic flies. She laughed, then said, “I’ll be more excited when the experiment actually works.”

MADELINE MCCURRY-SCHMIDT needs column ideas! Send her info about awesome science classes or your own research. She can be reached at memschmidt@ucdavis.edu.

Column: Amanda Hardwick

Opinion

Opinion

October 21, 2009

Greetings Aggie students, staff and random family members I know will stalk my columns via The Aggie website. I imagine most of you are probably wondering who I am and why the heck I deserve to have my own little place in the paper once a week. Well, my dream answer would go something along the lines of me being awesome, how I beat out 3,000 other applicants (one of which was the nephew of the Dalai Lama) and how I dropped out of Olympic pole dancer training JUST to pursue a career at The California Aggie.

The real answer would probably be that 14 people applied for 13 positions, and one of them had to drop out because they actually were training for the Olympics. Honestly, I don’t know the politics of columnist selection, but here I am anyway, whether you like it or not. I’m hoping you do.

So with the almighty title of “columnist,” I have the handy dandy opportunity to use my first column as a form of introduction. I figured I would swoop on this option because 1) I don’t have a better idea to kick off this job, and 2) when will there ever be so appropriate an opportunity to talk about myself without sounding like a complete jackass?

I realize that second one might sound a bit narcissistic. On the contrary, I actually hate talking about myself. For all you know, I might be feeling pretty uncomfortable already. That said, I sat and pondered the quickest and most painless ways to introduce myself while still covering all the bases. And thus, I finally settled on the Facebook format.

If you think I’m joking, you’re in for a rude awakening. So here we go.

Interests: Wow. That’s broad. Well, I enjoy anything from “people watching” on campus to watching “The Ellen Degeneres Show” with my roommates like it’s our job. I also think chocolate is a main food group, I secretly admire those students that can bike with no hands and sometimes I stare at stucco walls for long periods of time trying to find shapes and patterns. I’m basically a super exciting person.

Favorite music: If I say indie, I’ll just sound pretentious. So I guess I will focus more on the music I grew up on: classic rock. If I had to be someone’s groupie in the ’60s, it would have been Pink Floyd. Roger Waters looked like he showered more than Robert Plant. Plus the fact that Robert Plant’s hair was prettier than mine would probably make me feel awkward.

Favorite TV shows: “Reno 911” is the only show I will proudly admit to watching … but I also have big love for “Big Love.” And if “Murder She Wrote” was on … I’m just saying, I probably wouldn’t turn it off.

Favorite movies: Not The Neverending Story. Also, not Hope Floats. With those excluded, I will gladly call anything else you want to suggest one of my “favorite movies.” Take your best shot.

Favorite books: The Hungry Caterpillar.

Favorite whimsical creature: Still to be determined. And yes, I realize this is not actually a category on Facebook.

About me: Crap. Here I am again. I guess I should have just done a standard introduction to begin with. Well, howdy folks, my name is Amanda and I hail from some obscure town called Lodi, California. You probably don’t know where that is-and I’m not blaming you.

I am a senior community and regional development major, which usually elicits puzzled looks from the people I announce it to. This in turn puzzles me, because it is probably the most general sounding major I have ever heard of. I plan to do something involving DEVELOPING REGIONS AND COMMUNITIES. But let’s be real, I will probably graduate and do something completely unrelated.

My plan this year is to write about things that spark my interest or disdain, hopefully spark your interest or disdain, too, and maybe give people a few laughs without receiving any hate mail or threats to my life. I swear there will be no future columns in Facebook format, if that’s something that concerns you.

I look forward to making feeble, but hopefully successful, attempts to entertain you while you space out in class or sip your grande non-fat latte at the Silo. And next week I promise I will have something more insightful and life-altering for you kids to read. Perhaps I will even have decided what my favorite whimsical creature is. So stay tuned. The possibilities are endless.

AMANDA HARDWICK was not actually an Olympic pole dancer, because it’s not a real event. But if you agree with her that it should be, contact her at aghardwick@ucdavis.edu.

Column: Erica Betnun

Opinion

Opinion

October 21, 2009

Happy hump day, my fellow Aggies! Now that we’re all settled into our classes and gearing up for midterms, I hope to give you some relief from your books (well, at least for the time it takes you to read this column). We’ll be delving into the sexual, relational and hopefully comical adventures of my life as a UC Davis senior (wow! When did that happen?). I never really imagined I would be writing a column – let alone a sex-related column for a newspaper that’s read by thousands of people everyday – but here I am, excited, and ready!

Let me tell you a little bit about myself. My name is Erica Lauren Betnun. I’m about five feet tall (on a good day). I have naturally curly hair, green eyes and I’m 21 years old. I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley (like totally!). My birthday is on Christmas day, but I get Hanukkah presents. I love shopping, cuddling, and my friends and family. And, well, I’m down for a little lovin’ too, but who isn’t?

After being in my fair share of relationships, I’ve realized many things about myself and those who have blessed me with their existence. I’m the romantic type who’s a sucker for dinners by candlelight and, of course, walks on the beach. Parents like me-they even send me e-mails and invite me to dinner. I’m fun to be around, and will (try to) make you laugh. I like to try new things (positions included) and will be there if you need me. I’m not afraid to tell you how I feel, I don’t like getting hurt, and I like cute, random text messages.

My goal for the next eight or so months is to capture my life through words and give you, my dear readers, the chance to indulge in my escapades (and sexcapades) with people, places and things. From the best places to do “it” (I’ll need your help on this one!) to the occasional trip to Los Angeles where a special someone resides, I will not let you down. I’ll bring you a humorous outlet from what seems to be endless days of thinking, working, waiting, meetings, breathing, partying, eating, sleeping and, of course, doing it.

I won’t be able to write this column alone. I’d love your opinions about sex, relationships and everything related. What’s your favorite position? What’s your opinion on same-sex marriage? Do you think long distance relationships are worth the potential heartache?

As for me, I like to be face-to-face with the person, so anything you can think of where eye contact is being made is great. If you love someone you should be able to marry them, no matter what they look like, how old they are or what sex they are. Distance shouldn’t be a factor if you love the person, either.

Now, onto the juicy stuff: What do you think of when you hear the word “sex?” Is it some taboo act that only happens between two people who are magically in love and have committed to each other for the rest of their lives? Or is just something you like to do on a weekly (or daily) basis? Is it something you do to relieve stress? Burn those extra calories? While there are many reasons why people do it, it’s a natural part of being human (we’re animals, too!) and shouldn’t be frowned upon. Yes, it can be messy, sweaty, sometimes disgusting – potentially disastrous, if you’re drunk – but it’s what we do and we’re not going to stop. Just remember safety first and no means NO!

So my dear Aggies, this column is for you, the people of Davis; the people who get up every morning for 8 a.m. classes and ride their bikes through torrential downpours; the people who spend countless hours reading for classes. Most importantly, though, the people who just want to laugh every Wednesday.

ERICA BETNUN is happy it’s hump day-not because she’s humping, but because her weekend is one day away. If you’d like to enjoy hump day with her, send her an e-mail at elbetnun@ucdavis.edu.

Gamefly’s rental kiosk installed in Memorial Union Games Area

Features

Features Editor

October 21, 2009

Scrolling through the hundreds of new and old releases with the touch screen, junior Daniel Pare finally stopped and swiped his credit card at Gamefly’s rental kiosk to purchase the newly released Halo: ODST, for a mere $2.49 per day.

Primarily located on college campuses on the east coast, Gamefly’s rental kiosk, also known as the “G-Box,” was installed Oct. 9 in the Memorial Union (MU) Games Area. Students can choose from a variety of video games available for rental without having to pay the full retail price.

“It’s beneficial for me because not only is it close to campus, but I can spend two dollars to try a game before actually purchasing it,” Pare said. “When you spend 50 bucks on a game and beat it in two sittings it’s not worth it. Now I can still get the same satisfaction without having to spend so much money.”

Gamefly kiosks originally spread their wings in college bookstores in Texas. Their G-Box recently landed in Calif. after Campus Unions Assistant Marketing Director Jason Ling discovered the rental program online. With its recent installation in the Games Area, UC Davis became the first university on the west coast to house a G-Box.

“Being the former assistant student manager for the MU games area, I’m always looking for ways to improve it and expand services for students,” Ling said. “From a gamer perspective, it’s ideal because you’re not locked in with late fees. You can keep it for as long as you want.”

Games are available for Wii, Playstation 3 and X-Box 360 platforms. Because the revenue generated goes directly to the MU games area, students can expect to see their money go towards implementing even more services within the games area.

“With the rental program, we can generate revenue to give back to the MU to offset costs of operation and also bring even more services to the games area,” said Games Area Director Jerry Nunes. “The money essentially goes back into the students’ pockets.”

REBECCA SHRAGGE can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Dining in Davis: Black Bear Diner

Features

Features Editor

October 21, 2009

Black Bear Diner

255 Second Street

Hours: Sunday to Thursday 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday to Saturday 6 a.m. to midnight.

Price: $ out of $, grad student/alum $10 to $15

Ambience: 2 of 4 stars

Food: 2½ stars of 4, Better than my roommate’s cooking

I went to the joint dubbed the Black Bear Diner with the appetite of a bird – which is not even completely accurate because birds eat half their body weight. So, I guess I actually went in with an eighth the appetite of a bird. Given that the restaurant is named after a five hundred pound animal, this was probably not the wisest move.

The time was 8:30 a.m. when I sauntered into the Black Bear Diner on Monday. Upon entering the restaurant I was immediately hit in the face by air that smelt strongly of hot meat. I would not say it was bacon or sausage so the mystery still remains. Either way, I am not the biggest morning person and was not prepared for the smell of cooked animal so early.

On the way to our table, my roommate and I passed furniture fit for a log cabin or some lumberjacks. Log barstools and other rustic décor adorned the diner. There were also too many black bears to count. Not the real kind, folks.

We were seated at a table by a window that faced B Street and handed two newspapers. The front page contained stories about the origins of Black Bear Diner and other articles pertinent to the franchise. After five minutes of waiting for a menu, we turned to the second page – where we found the menu. Oops.

Our drink orders were taken and to my disappointment I was informed they were out of hot chocolate. My accomplice ordered some orange juice after the menu boasted that they used the same orange squeezing technology as Spain. While there was no proof they actually did, she did give her detailed opinion that went something like, “Es bueno”. Although, she thought no glass of orange juice should be worth $3.

After browsing through breakfast titles like the “Hungry Bear’s Breakfast” and “The Grizz” I finally settled on a full stack of pancakes and a side of hash browns. My roommate ordered the Cinnamon Roll French Toast.

The slightly nauseating, hot pastrami smell still invaded my nose as we awaited our breakfasts. I noticed there was a dessert display with some tasty looking pies and fresh-baked cobblers. Also, near the front entrance sat a juke box with Black Bear Diner merchandise surrounding it.

After a short wait and a few minutes of contemplating whether or not the juke box was real, our meals arrived. The full stack should be called the “freaking huge stack.” There were three pancakes the size of my plate that were impossibly thick and fluffy. My side of hash browns took up a plate of their own and consisted of thick cut strips, something I had never seen before.

My friend’s breakfast looked amazing. It looked kind of like a cinnamon roll had mated with French toast to make a delicious new meal. Her portions were also fit for someone with a bear-like appetite.

When it comes to diner pancakes, I have often experienced one of two things. Either the pancake proves to be a sponge as it soaks in the syrup almost instantly, or it is soggy and thin to begin with. These pancakes, however, maintained their fluff and did not turn to mush when I loaded on the sugary sauce. They passed my syrup test with flying colors.

However, after only making it through about half the stack I was stuffed and still needed to conquer the hash brown mountain. The hash browns could have been a meal of their own, but they also lived up to my standards.

I tried some of the Cinnamon Roll French Toast and decided I was happy with my pancake selection. The French toast was as tasty as it appeared, but a little too sweet for copious consumption.

The total cost of the breakfast came to $24.12, with each of our meals costing around $12 once my roommate included her orange juice and I factored in my hash browns. The service was prompt, my water glass was never empty and we left so full we felt like we had eaten a black bear.

The restaurant parking lot was also a nice, little bonus since we all know trying to park in downtown Davis is almost unbearable. Pun unintended.

While I cannot vouch for anything other than the breakfasts, the diner does also offer a lunch, dinner and dessert selection for those late risers.

All in all, the Black Bear Diner was a nice start to my day but I would have probably enjoyed my experience even more if the place did not reek of a mysterious meat. It’s suitable for a hearty breakfast or casual lunch but I do not recommend taking a hot date there. Then again, they may have a thing for lumber and woodland creatures.

AMANDA HARDWICK can be reached at features@theaggie.org.

Press conference discusses H1N1 influenza vaccine plan

City News

City Editor

October 21, 2009

Months after the announcement of the H1N1 virus, the worry and discussion continues, but Yolo County has a vaccine plan.

With the number of H1N1 virus cases growing, the Yolo County Health Department held a press conference last Tuesday, Oct. 13.

“I was hoping to get more of a turnout to emphasize the need to get vaccinated for the H1N1 virus,” said Dr. Judith C. Vallero, Sutter West Medical Pediatrician.

The meeting was conducted in Woodland to alert the Yolo area about its new H1N1 influenza vaccine plan and provide information explaining how the county will provide these vaccines.

Representatives from a variety of health organizations spoke at the conference, including Yolo County Health Officer Dr. Joseph Iser, Woodland Healthcare Chief of Pediatrics Dr. Thomas R. March, Kaiser Permanente Director of Medical Services Dr. Frederic D. Baker, Sutter West Medical Group Pediatrician Judith C. Vallero and CommuniCare Health Centers Executive Director Robin Affrime.

“Basically we have started to get some H1N1 vaccinations throughout the Yolo County,” said Deputy for Director of Public Health Programs at the Yolo County Health Office Cheryl Bowney. “We have very few doses. We have shared some with our health care partner. At the current time we only have the nasal flu mist version, rather than the shot injection version.”

Those speaking at the press conference stressed that the H1N1 flu is a series of the seasonal flu. Bowney said, however, that the virus should be taken more seriously, since it is possible there may be up to 90,000 deaths across the nation over the entire course of the flu’s presence. Primary concerns come from the idea that more ages and different groups of people are being affected, unlike those who usually encounter the traditional flu. The seasonal flu kills approximately 36,000 people nationally.

The focus of the meeting was primarily to alert pregnant women that they are at a high risk and should get vaccinated. Doctors also stressed the importance of administering the vaccination to children.

Bowney said the H1N1 vaccine would be available in larger doses around mid-November to early December.

“The vaccine will be free because the federal government is providing for it,” Bowney said. “Health care providers … are allowed to charge an administrative fee, but for us there will be no co-pay or fee.”

With the flu vaccine in high demand, not all patients are able to receive the flu vaccine.

“I recently went to get my flu vaccine and both the Rite Aid and the Cowell Student Health Center had run out of vaccines,” said sophomore communication major Caroline Jaynes. “They told me that the Rite Aid in Woodland had a few vaccines left and after getting there they told me I had gotten one of the last ones.”

Even if the university runs out of vaccines – which is likely – it will continue to receive shipments in the future.

Jaynes said one of her professors sent out an e-mail urging students to stay home if they are sick.

“I think that it’s really good that they are encouraging people to not come to class if they are getting sick,” Jaynes said. “The health clinics are also clearly trying to keep a large stock of vaccines and help out with this situation.”

SAMANTHA BOSIO can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

Davis pays homage to former mayor Partansky

City News

City Editor

October 21, 2009

The memory of former Davis Mayor Julie Partansky will persist through a community park.

On Oct. 15, the Davis Recreation and Park Commission reviewed the proposal to rename Northstar Park and ponds as tribute to Partansky, who passed away in January. The commission also considered renovating a picnic area decorated with mosaics and creating “Julie’s Garden.”

Julie Partansky was an active member of the community and made notable contributions to Davis. She was a member of the Davis City Council from 1992 to 2002 and mayor from 1998 to 2000.

Partansky proposed the Night Sky Ordinance to decrease light pollution. She led the effort to build the toad tunnel under Pole Line Road to allow frogs to safely pass underneath the road and reach the Core Area Pond. She also advocated planting more fruit trees in Davis with the aim of feeding homeless people.

Councilmember Lamar Heystek requested that Northstar Park and ponds be renamed in honor of Partansky.

“Northstar Park was a significant place for her,” Heystek said. “She used to go to the ponds and collect garbage. She cared deeply about the park and ponds. It is important to honor her because she made significant contributions.”

Parks Supervisor Sandy Dietrich explained the fiscal impact of renaming the park and ponds and creating Julie’s Garden.

It would cost $500 to $3,500 to change signage at the park, city maps and bike routes. Currently, the Recreation and Park Commission does not have enough money for the sign changes, but changes can be made over time, Dietrich said.

The price range for making signs for the ponds is $100 to $500 depending on the size and materials used.

Julie’s Garden will be funded by private fundraisers to maintain cleanliness and the benches. Volunteers will take care of native, drought tolerant plants for 10 years.

Samantha McCarthy, a good friend of Partansky’s, proposed Julie’s Garden. The garden will be integrated into an existing picnic area that overlooks the north area drainage pond.

There will be tile mosaics of stars, plants, animals, question marks and words that are symbolic of Julie’s spirit and were created by Julie and local artists, McCarthy said.

“The garden is not a memorial; it is a tribute garden that can enhance the community,” McCarthy said.

Currently, Northstar Park has a memorial bench in honor of Partansky on the main viewing platform of the North Area Pond.

David Kalb, a resident who lives near Northstar Park, supports naming the ponds after Partansky and creating the garden but opposes renaming the entire park.

“People identify with the name of the park,” Kalb said.

He received notification on Oct. 9 that Northstar Park may be renamed and collected 44 signatures of residents who oppose the renaming of the entire park.

The Recreation and Parks Commission agreed with Vice Chair Susan Sabatier’s proposal of approving Julie’s Garden and to name the north drainage pond and surrounding area the “Julie Partansky Wildlife Area,” but not to rename the entire park.

“I think Julie is pleased and honored,” McCarthy said.

The proposed name “Julie Partansky Wildlife Area” and plans for Julie’s Garden will go to the city council for approval. Heystek believes the council will agree to honor Partansky by naming the park after her.

“I hope to build upon the commission recommendation and see if we can name the whole park after her,” Heystek said.

HELEN TREJO can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

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