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Men’s basketball preview

Sports

Sports Editor

November 14, 2008

Event: World Vision Basketball Classic

Teams: UC Davis vs. Iowa State; Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Loyola Marymount

Records: Aggies, 0-0; Cyclones, 0-0; Panthers, 0-0; Lions, 0-0

Where: Hilton Coliseum – Ames, Iowa

When: Today at 5 p.m. PST; Saturday at 1 p.m.; Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

Radio: KFSG 1690 AM (all three games)

Who to watch: Sophomore forward Joe Harden will make his long-anticipated debut for UC Davis in today’s season opener. A 6-foot-8, 210-pound transfer out of Notre Dame, Harden steps onto the court already considered the team’s best player and a sleeper for Big West Conference Player of the Year.

“We’re going to play him all over the floor,” head coach Gary Stewart said. “He’s one of our best 3-point shooters. He’s a guy that handles the ball. He’s our best back-to-the-basket player.”

Harden posted a double-double in each of the team’s two exhibition games, averaging 15 points, 12.5 rebounds in 26.5 minutes.

Did you know? If there’s a player flying under the radar for UC Davis entering the season, it’s Julian Welch.

Stewart has called the freshman out of Franklin High the most ready-to-play true freshman he’s had since first coaching at UC Davis in 2003.

“He’s been, at times, our best player [in practice],” Stewart said. “He’s a terrific scorer – we haven’t had anybody like him. He can get separation, he can get his own shot, he can put the ball on the floor. At his size, he’s the best rebounder we’ve had here at both ends of the floor. He’s got a really, really bright future. We’re really excited for him.”

Preview: If UC Davis had a multi-year calendar and was to predict when its program would see its turnaround, the 2008-2009 season would be circled in black ink, underlined in red and brushed over with a bright neon-yellow highlighter.

For the Aggies, this is it.

After four straight losing seasons, the team brings more athleticism, depth and experience to the table than in years past and by season’s end expects to have the win total to show for it.

Along with Harden and Welch, sophomore Hawaii transfer Todd Lowenthal, sophomore Shasta College transfer Derek Oestreicher (originally out of New Mexico State) and redshirt freshman Adam Malik will all be making their Aggie debuts.

Last year’s Big West Conference Freshman of the Year Mark Payne returns to run the Princeton offense at point guard. Sophomore Ryan Silva provides a spark off the bench, and Dominic Calegari is UC Davis’ lone junior.

Vince Oliver, David Carter, Kyle Brucculeri, Michael Boone and Nathan Clark provide the senior leadership for a team figuring to have its “coming out party” at the Division I level.

–Michael Gehlken

Football preview

Sports

Sports Editor

November 14, 2008

Event: The Golden Horseshoe Classic

Teams: UC Davis at No. 3 Cal Poly

Records: Aggies, 5-5 (2-0); Mustangs (7-1, 2-0)

Where: Alex G. Spanos Stadium – San Luis Obispo

When: Saturday at 4:05 p.m.

Who to watch: Last year, a knee injury kept John Faletoese on the sidelines as Cal Poly produced 704 yards of total offense en route to a landslide victory at Aggie Stadium.

This time, the senior All-American defensive tackle will be in the middle of the action, looking to take away the dive element of the potent Mustangs option attack.

“[Being without him] was a real problem,” head coach Bob Biggs said. “The people who were playing defensive tackle for him were getting cut left and right, and we couldn’t get any pursuit down the line of scrimmage.”

Did you know? The Aggies have lost to Sacramento State and Cal Poly in the same year just three times before: 1989, 1990 and 1996.

Preview: If UC Davis has a problem heading into Saturday, motivation isn’t it.

With a win, the Aggies would capture the Great West Conference title, bounce back from last week’s disappointing loss to Sacramento State, redeem last year’s demoralizing 63-24 home loss to Cal Poly, and – of course – defeat their highly-ranked rival to repossess the Golden Horseshoe trophy.

But doing so won’t exactly be a walk in the park.

“You’re going to have to play a very, very physical game; that’s all there is to it,” Biggs said. “I think you always have to play physical, but some games are going to be a little bit more finesse than others. This won’t be one of those.”

The Aggies will look to derail a Mustangs offense that has so far trampled just about every team it has faced. On the year, Cal Poly leads the Football Championship Subdivision in total offense (490.1 yards) and points (45.9) per game.

The Mustangs ranked third in FCS in rushing yards per contest (288.1), and the passing offense, headlined by Ramses Barden, is just as deadly.

Barden, a senior wide receiver, has caught at least one touchdown pass in 17 straight games. So far this season, the 6-foot-6, 227-pounder has 996 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns.

As quarterback, John Dalley boasts an 18:1 TD:INT ratio and leads the FCS with a 205.5 quarterback rating.

“I think Cal Poly, in all the years we’ve been playing them, they’ve accumulated at each of the offensive skill positions the best group they’ve had – they’re very talented,” Biggs said. “Of all the teams we’ve seen this year, I think they’re the best. They’re a great challenge, and I’m really looking forward to it, and I know the team is, too.”

–Michael Gehlken

And then I found 5 dollars

Opinion

Opinion

November 14, 2008

I was at my internship with my first-grade class the other day (because my life now apparently revolves around tiny people who haven’t yet grasped the concept of sarcasm), and I heard the teacher bring up an interesting topic.

“As you know class, Thanksgiving is coming up. So now we are going to learn about the Pilgrims and the Indians!” I then sat in a ridiculously small chair and listened to five whole minutes of some crap about love, kindness and caring. It probably would have lasted longer, but a 6-year-old’s attention span is shorter than a goldfish’s. When they went out to recess, I asked the teacher how she could sleep at night while perpetuating this heinous lie that conveniently left out any mention of slavery, smallpox-infested blankets and a basic genocide of a people – except I said it nicer and less accusatorily. Her answer was simple: When they’re that age, you just kind of give them a basic, sugar-coated idea about things and then you fill in the rest when they’re old enough to handle it.

This had me looking back on my own childhood. Wasn’t everything so much nicer when I had no clue what the world was really like? At a time when race wasn’t a solid concept, I had no idea how people in developing countries lived (or even how some people in my own country lived) and the term “politically correct” wasn’t part of my vocabulary? It seems ridiculous now to think that there was actually a period in my life when I wasn’t fully aware of the problems and true evilness that exist in our world. The evidence is everywhere: we learn about it in our classes, we see it on television and in popular culture and it even exists in our daily lives. Now I see how parents can pray that their children stay children so they don’t have to face the pain of the adult world.

I remember a simpler time when I was able to do things like watch Disney movies and actually enjoy them instead of analyzing them based on our country’s prejudices at the time they were made. Aladdin is forever ruined for me. I can’t watch it anymore without thinking of the blatant racism in several songs and scenes. And it’s too bad, because Aladdin was the dreamiest of all the Disney princes. Pocahontas is another one. I once read an article in which the author said that the use of the word “savage” in reference to Native Americans is equivalent to the use of the N-word for African Americans. Can you imagine a song with that hateful title and a movie made in which cartoon characters repeatedly use it, sometimes while singing and dancing? Now go back and watch Pocahontas again. I’ll refrain from talking about Peter Pan and Lady and the Tramp before I officially ruin every Disney movie for you.

It’s true what they say, “Ignorance is bliss.” The only problem with this statement is that you don’t realize when you’re ignorant, so you don’t know to enjoy it before everything becomes 10 million times worse because someone clues you in on the true cruelty of the world. But it must still be nicer than being aware of what’s really going on – genocide, prejudice, murder, starvation, melting icecaps, war, Britney Spears.

But the ethical question remains: should we be lied to, even at such a young age? Don’t these first-graders deserve some minute semblance of the truth, even if it isn’t the happiest thing in the world? I was debating this conundrum in my head when one of my favorite students came up to me and tugged on my hand. She had tears in her eyes because her “friends” wouldn’t let her play on the monkey bars with them. Her pain and sadness was almost too much to bear. At that moment, I decided that she had enough on her plate and the truth could wait for another day.

DANIELLE RAMIREZ wants to know if you would rather be ignorant or unhappy. E-mail her and let her know at dramirez@ucdavis.edu.

Informed dissent

Opinion

Opinion

November 14, 2008

If you give a financial institution a federal guarantee, they’re going to ask for a loan.

When you give them the loan, they probably won’t ask you for, but will take anyway, a half million dollar associate’s retreat to one of the most lavish resorts in the country to go golfing and spend $150,000 on food, $10,000 on liquor and $23,000 on happy endings.

When they’re finished, they’ll ask for a napkin.

Then they will want to look in a mirror to make sure they don’t have a milk mustache or look like monolithic avatars of avarice.

When they look into the mirror, they might notice their assets need a trim. So they will probably ask you to buy their sub-prime mortgage backed securities at a loss to taxpayers and for a pair of nail scissors.

When they’re finished giving themselves a collective annual budget of over $108 billion for compensation and bonuses that is in some cases worth more than the entire market value of the company offering the bonus, they’ll want an infusion of tax dollars for a takeover procedure orchestrated on an ad hoc basis to sweep up their balance sheets. They’ll start sweeping. They might get carried away and dust up every municipal bond market in the country. They may even end up cleaning out pension funds as well!

When they’re done, they’ll probably want an injection of liquidity, an intermeeting Fed Funds Rate cut, a suspension of mark to market accounting rules, a discount window for investment banks, a ban on short-selling and a nap. You will have to fix a little box for them with a TARP and an $85 billion pillow and illegally alter the tax code by repealing the 1986 provision in Section 382 against the utilization of in-the-red companies as shell corporations for tax write-off purposes during mergers and acquisitions to facilitate their growing oligopoly. They’ll scurry in, make themselves comfortable, fluff the pillow a few times and completely misuse the TARP by sitting on it idly as a security blanket against uncertainty or even as a means to be aggressively opportunistic on the acquisition side.

They’ll probably ask you to guarantee senior unsecured debt, insure all non-interest bearing transaction accounts, change Federal Reserve policy to accept commercial paper, stocks, sub-prime mortgage-backed securities, junk bonds, whole mortgages and sub-prime credit-card receivables as collateral for loans and to read them a fairy tale before they nap. So you’ll read to them about the 5 percent annual yields they pay on common shares being more than they pay on the preferred shares they sold to the government; about some of them increasing their dividend payments even as they sit on their TARP; about the contracts they’ve signed without conflict of interest provisions; about the hedging they encourage their wealthiest clients to do by taking out credit default swaps against state issued bonds that they themselves brought to market and collected tens of millions of dollars in fees on; about that creating the illusion of increased risk in those bonds, thus driving up interest rates on future bonds and making it more likely that the states will default; and about the $2.5 trillion of mystery loans that have had their amounts, recipients, terms and collateral kept secret.

This will make them very uncomfortable, so they’ll ask for a new pillow. When you show them that you might make them a new pillow, they’ll get so excited they’ll want to draw up one of their own. They’ll ask for paper and crayons.

They’ll draw up an outline of what their pillow should look like. When their new $150 billion pillow is finished, they’ll want to sign their name with a pencil so they can erase it later if they need to.

Then they’ll want to hang their pillow around your neck. Which means they will need … a lame duck session of Congress.

They’ll hang up their pillow for the world to see and stand back to admire it. Looking at their big, new pillow around your neck will make them swell with pride, but it will make GE jealous so… they’ll ask for a federal guarantee.

And chances are if GE asks for a federal guarantee, GM, Ford, Chrysler, American Express and your mom are going to want a loan to go with it.

K.C. CODY wants a cookie. And a glass of milk. And a straw. Send him a napkin at kccody@ucdavis.edu.

Humphrey Fellows look to bring global change

Features

Features Editor

November 14, 2008

In a year’s time Trecia Mullings will return to Jamaica with a single aim: to change things for the better. “I want to see what certain industries in the U.S. are doing in terms of resource management, water management and waste management,” she said. “I want to see how they reduce their impact on the environment, and take those ideas back to Jamaica with me.”

As Jamiaca’s first female certified safety professional (CSP), Mullings has joined this year’s group of Humphrey Fellows spending a year at UC Davis. Nationwide, 156 mid-career professionals, like Mullings, from over 90 designated countries, will take part in the Humphrey Fellowship Program this year. Their destinations are 15 of the U.S.’s most prestigious universities.

This year, UC Davis welcomes 11 Fellows focusing on agricultural development and environmental sciences. Each fellow builds his or her own individual program that combines non-degree study with practical experience.

“Some of our Fellows come here with the aim of returning to their home country with new technologies. One [Humphrey] Fellow this year, Huatian Zhang, has set herself the task of looking at pollution control mechanisms and technologies and taking these back to China with her,” said Paul Marcotte, program director and UC Davis professor of agriculture and environmental science.

“Some of our Fellows on the other hand come to Davis to brush up on their skills,” Marcotte noted. “For many of them it has been 15 to 20 years since they were last in school so they see this as a chance to find out where science has moved to since.”

For nearly all of the Humphrey Fellows, however, their goals encompass more than academics.

“It’s an opportunity for most to meet people from other places and learn how to navigate through those multi-cultural waters,” Marcotte said. “Many of our Fellows will go back and become ministers in their countries, or work for world organizations like the UN. This is the starting point for them.”

For Mullings, one of the best things about her journey so far has been learning to accept the opinions of others. “I’ve learnt more tolerance and patience here,” she said. “If we have differences, it doesn’t mean that I am right, or that you are right, but that we are just different.”

Although it is much different than her home, living in Davis has been a positive experience for Mullings.

“I love Davis,” Mullings said. “Believe me, when I went to New York two weeks ago and I saw all the hustle and bustle I missed Davis. It’s so quiet and peaceful. I really, really love it.”

But Mullings will have one thing to look forward to on her return to Jamaica next year. “I miss the food!” she said.

The transition to the American way of life can be a challenge in itself to many of the fellows, some of who leave young families behind for the year. Colombian, [omit comma ml] Julián Cardona Vallejo, whose focus for the year is the economic valuation of ecosystems, has two children back home.

“I miss my children. One of them is nine and the other is three,” he said. “I try to call them every day.”

But for Vallejo and the others, the sacrifices are worth it in the long run. He hopes to return to Colombia and set up a consultancy with the help of contacts he meets this year.

“It’s a great experience,” Vallejo said. “Sharing the different cultures and trying to understand the American culture is very useful for our professional lives.”

The Humphrey Fellowship Program originated in the late 1970s by President Jimmy Carter in honor of former Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey, a supporter of international understanding and cooperation.

In the program’s 30 years of operation, it has seen 4,090 Fellows from more than 156 countries travel to the U.S. in the hope of making a difference.

To see the program’s results one need only look to its recent history. Tanh Tran Nhan Nhuyen, a Humphrey Fellow who studied at UC Davis last year recently found out he will direct a World Bank funded, five-country environmental project on the Mekong river delta in Vietnam, Marcotte said.

“It’s a very prestigious program with a small number of Fellows taken in each year. It’s definitely a significant achievement for them to have gotten here,” said Karissa Ringel, social coordinator and student assistant. “But it’s definitely also a huge benefit to Davis – these are all people who are going places in their countries, it’s great being able to meet them as they have so much to offer.”

Much of the program’s benefits come from the cultural enrichment that it brings to the campus and city, Ringel said.

“It’s all about the new perspectives they bring,” she said. “A huge part of this program is knowledge assimilation, from their cultures to ours and ours to theirs. They do community presentations and go into schools. It’s a great benefit to all the people they meet.”

Interacting with the Humphrey Fellows has enriched Ringel’s own education.

“We watched a presentation earlier by our Fellow from Djibouti, Aden Atteyeh Sougal, on the situation of portable water there. It was an incredibly moving presentation that showed some of the hardships that some of these people come from, and the challenges their countries face,” she said. “To hear about it from them really brings home the realities of the world.”

This year’s Fellows will attend a Global Forum at the Fielder Room of the MU between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Nov. 21. This will be a chance to hear from the Fellows themselves about their home countries and projects.

CHRISTOPHER BONE can be reached at features@theaggie.org.

Daily Calendar

Features

Features Editor

November 14, 2008

TODAY

Flu vaccination clinic

3 to 4 p.m.

Cowell Student Health Center, North Lobby

Help prevent getting sick this winter by getting a flu shot. If you cannot make this meeting time, call 752-2349 to schedule an appointment. For more information, visit healthcenter.ucdavis.edu/topics/flu-vaccine.html.

Global Water Brigades meeting

5 to 6 p.m.

3102B Engineering III

Go to this meeting to learn how you, along with Global Water Brigades, can help communities in Honduras with water and sanitation problems. All backgrounds and majors are welcome.

Dan Barker talk

6 to 10 p.m.

123 Sciences Lecture

Dan Barker, a minister of 19 years, left Christianity to become an atheist activist. Hear about his experience as he discusses his books Losing Faith in Faith and Godless. There will be a presentation, question and answer session and book signing.

Theatre Rice

7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

1100 Social Science

This improv group from UC Berkeley is well known for its comedy show. Tickets are on sale at Freeborn Hall; presale is $8, and tickets are $10 at the door. The event is sponsored by the Asian American Association.

The Frozen Causeway Classic

8 p.m.

Vacaville Ice Sports

Go watch the UC Davis ice hockey team battle rival Sac State!

Song and Dance Ensemble of West Africa

Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center

8 p.m.

This group combines traditional rhythms, instruments, folklore and mythology to describe West African life. Tickets cost from $12.50 to $45.

GLOW party

9:30 p.m.

Silo Union

This charity party will benefit Camp Concord and the Solar Electric Light Fund.

SUNDAY

The Velveteen Rabbit

Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center

3 p.m.

ODC/San Francisco, a dance ensemble, brings Margery William’s 1922 children’s book to life as a musical. Tickets cost from $10 to $30.

MONDAY

Camp Adventure International – Summer 2009

12:10 to 1:30 p.m.

DeCarli Room, MU

This program allows students to serve as summer camp counselors on U.S. bases and embassies in Europe and Asia. Airfare, housing and daily stipend are all provided for.

Anonymous HIV testing

5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

LGBT Resource Center

This rapid, oral, anonymous testing offers results in 30 minutes.

Project Compost

6 p.m.

Project Compost Office, MU Basement

Learn about radical composting on campus and how to get involved.

Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament

6 to 8 p.m.

Griffin Lounge, MU

Get there early; seats fill up quickly. Must be there by 6 p.m. If you’re one of the top 30 players, you could end up in the tournament of champions!

Throne of Blood

Studio Theatre, Mondavi Center

6:30 p.m.

As part of the Shakespeare in Cinema series, Akira Kurosawa’s 1957 film will be presented in Japanese with English subtitles. Tickets cost from $5 to $10.

TUESDAY

You Can Intern Abroad and Get Money!

12:10 to 1:30 p.m.

MU II

This workshop will help you learn how to intern abroad, which program is best for you and how to pay for it all! In 2009, the ICC will give $20,000 in travel grants for international interns; get your share and learn how you can apply.

Tzu Ching meeting

7 to 8 p.m.

ARC Meeting Room 3

TCCA’s general meeting is happening! Go to learn about compassionate

community service.

WEDNESDAY

East Quad Farmers Market

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

East Quad

Check out a convenient iteration of the Farmers Market right on campus!

Colleges Against Cancer Thank You for Smoking screening

7:30 p.m.

1006 Giedt

Go to this film screening and learn about lung cancer, smoking and hookah.

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.

Yamada takes 8th Assembly District seat

City News

City Editor

November 14, 2008

It was a long ride, but she made it.

Davis resident and current Yolo County supervisor Mariko Yamada won the race for California’s 8th Assembly District in last week’s election. The district includes portions of Solano and Yolo counties and Benicia, Davis, Dixon, Fairfield, Rio Vista, Suisun City, Vacaville, West Sacramento, Winters and Woodland.

Yamada, a Democrat, is replacing outgoing State Representative Lois Wolk, who won the 5th Senate District in the election.

Yamada described her campaign, which was about two years in length from the primary to the general election, as the “longest job interview of my life.”

After Election Day, however, she was back at work the next morning maintaining her duties on the Yolo County Board of Supervisors. All members of the California legislature will be sworn in on Dec. 1.

Yamada is focusing on health and human services, water issues, fire, agriculture, education, transportation and employment to build “healthy and sustainable communities.”

Yamada believes the biggest challenge in the next few months will be the $25 billion budget deficit in an anti-tax environment.

“We’ve got to do something about people who already made up their minds [and] are not going support any revenue discussion and already said no new taxes,” she said. “We’re living in a state with 38 million people, which requires a level of service. Last time I checked nothing was getting cheaper.”

The budget is also at the top of Wolk’s list.

“I am looking forward to serving in the Senate and continuing my work on the critical issues currently facing both the 5th Senate District and the state – water and Delta issues, education, reforming mortgage practices, transportation, and health care,” Wolk said in an e-mail. “But right now, my highest priority is stabilizing the state budget.“

“[Wolk is] dedicated to good policy rather than partisan politics,” said Jim Provenza, another Davis resident who was elected to be Yamada’s successor on the Board of Supervisors. “Now going into the state senate she will be able to do more for us.”

She earned a master’s degree in social work at the University of Southern California and calls professional social workers “professional problem solvers.” With a background in local government, Yamada has extensive experience at the county level. She is looking forward to taking a local government perspective to Sacramento as well as opportunities to bring a unique social work perspective to California legislation.

“Because a lot of the time regulations at the state level are not always favorable to local government, we want to be sure we establish better communication and dialogue,” she said.

Yamada said an honest discussion of what the state wants to be is necessary, including a discussion about both physical and social infrastructure.

“Social and health infrastructure are no different than building bridges,” Yamada said. “If you ignore what it costs to operate and maintain sound health care and social service system, you are going to end up paying more when people drop out of school or need an emergency.”

Yamada has lived in Davis for the past 13 years and has served on the county Board of Supervisors since 2003. She will be succeeded by Jim Provenza, who was elected in June.

Provenza is looking forward to making Yolo County a model county in the state.

“We have traditionally protected agriculture and resisted the urge to pave over farmland,” Provenza said. “I would like to see Yolo County as a model community and protect agriculture while preserving the character of communities.”

As Yamada completes her term on the Board of Supervisors she is working with Provenza to ensure an orderly transition. Yamada supported him during the campaign and encourages him to bring his fresh ideas and own leadership style to the table.

“We have been working very closely,” Provenza said. “I’m working with her to make sure I’m ready to hit the ground running.”

Yamada and Provenza have been working together in the community for the past 15 years. Provenza recalled a particular task when the two worked to repeal a 1945 city ordinance, which not only advocated the internments of Japanese citizens but also said they were not welcome to return to Davis. In the process of trying to rename a school after a prominent Japanese individual, the two came across the ordinance and approached the Davis City Council.

“I think Mariko is going to be an excellent assemblywoman,” Provenza said. “[She] was in the freshman class in the state assembly and will be in the top five percent and emerge as a leader.”

POOJA KUMAR can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

POLICE BRIEFS

City News

City Editor

November 14, 2008

FRIDAY

At least he has good taste

An individual came into a store on Anderson Road, took a bottle of Southern Comfort and then left the store.

SATURDAY

A fancy fraud

A well-dressed man was seen fixing a stripped bike on Cypress Lane.

Newly stained glass

A paintball gun was fired at a window on Olive Drive.

SUNDAY

Being pretty ain’t cheap

An individual attempted to steal two sets of earrings from a business on E Street.

MONDAY

Hope it wasn’t the Viagra

An individual discovered his medications were missing after hosting a gathering on Hanover Drive.

TUESDAY

Skateboarder still missing

An individual found a skateboard in a tree on their property on Drexel Drive.

Some valuable TP

A 12-roll package of toilet paper was stolen on Alvarado Avenue.

POLICE BRIEFS are compiled by JEREMY OGUL from the public logs of the Davis Police Department and represent the official version of what happened. The crime blotter can be viewed online at cityofdavis.org/police/log.

News in Brief

City News

City Editor

November 14, 2008

Gang members convicted in attack

Four West Sacramento gang members are facing sentences of up to 15 years after being found guilty of a number of crimes Thursday.

The men were convicted of crimes related to an incident in April 2006 when they attacked the engineer and conductor of an Amtrak Capitol Corridor train.

Austen Nunes, 19, Paliton Nunes, 20, and Orlando Ramos, 16, were convicted of 11 felony charges, including attempted manslaughter, assault with deadly weapons on train employees, great bodily injury, throwing an object at a train, vandalism and belonging to a street gang. Daniel Bonge, 19, was convicted of 10 felony charges.

All four men are members of the Broderick Boys criminal street gang in West Sacramento, according to a press release from the District Attorney’s office.

Prosecutors presented evidence during the trial showing that the defendants got drunk and stopped a train on the railroad tracks in West Sacramento, whereupon they attacked train employees by hitting them on the head with rocks and liquor bottles.

“Smash and grab” burglaries increase

The Yolo County District Attorney’s Office is warning local citizens to be cautious with what they leave in their car. According to a news release, there has been “an alarming increase” in the number of theft cases where car windows are smashed and valuables left on the seat and center console are stolen.

“In one case a man parked his car at the gym at 5 a.m.,” said District Attorney Jeff Reisig in the press release. “He returned to his car at 6 a.m. only to find shards of glass on the ground and in his car. The passenger side window had been smashed and his wallet and cell phone were gone.“

The DA’s office is also reminding the public that lost and stolen wallets, checkbooks, credit cards and Social Security cards are some of the primary ways criminals commit identity theft and fraud.

Man sentenced for sex crimes

An 18-year-old Woodland resident was sentenced to 18 years to life in prison on Oct. 26 for sex crimes that occurred in Woodland.

Timothy Thompson, 18, was convicted of five felonies, including forcible rape, forcible oral copulation and attempted digital penetration, according to a press release from the DA’s office. The jury found that the sex crimes were committed during the course of a kidnapping of a woman he dragged from her apartment.

“I am disappointed that the judge did not sentence Mr. Thompson to the maximum allowed by law, but am pleased that the defendant will be off the streets of Yolo County for a significant period of time,” said Deputy DA Carolyn Palumbo in a written statement.

NEWS IN BRIEF is compiled by JEREMY OGUL, who can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

DISC to close its doors for good

City News

City Editor

November 14, 2008

On Dec. 31, the Davis Indoor Sports Center, better known as DISC, will close its doors for good.

The owners of the building where the DISC is located – Sam, Gwen and Jeff Harrison – have struggled to keep its doors open since interest began to waver in 2001.

The DISC includes an indoor roller-skating rink as its main feature, which is used by the UCD Roller Hockey club team and other community groups. It’s one of the largest roller hockey facilities in Northern California. It also features a number of adult hockey leagues, which many UCD team members play in.

“Most guys are at the DISC anywhere from three to five times a week,” said Noah Michel, a long-time member of the UCD Roller Hockey club team. “For our situation, it was perfect. It was owned and operated by good people who looked out for us.”

The DISC once included a pro shop, a beer and wine bar and a café until April 2006, when they were converted to office space. Eventually, the south end of the building was sold to Exploit Science Center.

The Harrisons sold the rink space in April of 2006 to a group called Top Shelf, LLC, which is composed of parents who wished to see the rink remain open.

“We wanted to keep hockey in our area,” said Gary Nunes, a founder of Top Shelf. “We had no function other than hockey for the kids and adults.”

The parents relied heavily on volunteer work to keep the rink open. This year, Top Shelf finally decided that they could no longer afford to pay the lease.

“We gave it all we could,” Nunes said. “We lost a great friend and partner in Barry Landy since we started.”

Landy, another founder of Top Shelf, died in an accident in February 2007.

“It was a tough time, but we got to see our kids plus hundreds of families have a great time,” Nunes said. “We will miss it.”

The DISC is home to the Davis Inline Hockey Association, which runs the Youth Hockey program and NorCal Extreme, a group of traveling tournament-level roller hockey teams. Sam Harrison’s own grandson is a member of Extreme.

According to Nunes, the adult leagues are as strong as ever, but the younger teams have suffered.

“This could be due to the fact that Davis is not getting as many young families,” he said. “Davis closed down an elementary school last year. There may not be a team for all the kids. We as a group are currently focusing on some venues that Woodland has available.”

Sam and Gwen Harrison opened the DISC with their son, Jeff, in June of 2000. Jeff had played roller hockey in college and loved the sport.

“Playing in dilapidated venues, essentially old warehouses, gave me the impetus to launch myself into this enterprise,” said Jeff Harrison. “We founded, built and operated this business from the ground up. That was my idea and vision.”

According to Sam Harrison, the DISC did very well in 2000 after opening.

“After 9/11, though, interest just seemed to drop off and then level off,” said Sam. “It was once the sport of they day. It just didn’t grow.”

The UCD team is still looking for a new facility to practice in.

“We are working on finding a new venue,” Michel said. “It’s definitely not going to be as convenient to practice.”

The Harrisons still own the building, which is located on Second Street past Pole Line and are exploring all possibilities for its future after Top Shelf ends its lease.

“There are no concrete details at this point with anyone to lease or sell,” said Jeff.

The Harrisons also allowed Davis Special Olympics to use the facilities for free during their management of the DISC.

“It was a really good thing for a while,” said Sam.

RONNY SMITH can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

California Raptor Center to hold open house, “Hawk Walk”

Campus News

Campus Editor

November 14, 2008

UC Davis’ California Raptor Center will hold its free open house Saturday between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., featuring a “Hawk Walk,” special presentations, museum tour and self-guided tours of the center.

“The open house is a method to bring the people from the outside who would not likely go the Raptor Center,” said Jo Cowen, head of the education department for the center.

The California Raptor Center (CRC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the rehabilitation of raptors and education of the public.

The first event is the Hawk Walk, which will take place from 8 to 9 a.m. at the CRC gate. Cowen will give a walking tour along the levee road beside Putah Creek, just outside of the CRC. The public is encouraged to bring binoculars to scout the different wildlife that lives in the area.

“People see things in the sky, but they do not know what it is,” Cowen said.

During the Hawk Walk, Cowen will explain to the visitors how to identify different species of raptors in the wild by their shape, wingspans, flying style, special feather markings or sound.

Raptors can be hawks, eagles, kites, falcons, vultures or owls.

Hawk Walk participants might be able to see White-tailed Kites, Turkey Vultures, Northern Harriers and Red-Shouldered Hawks in the wild.

“But we sometimes get a surprise,” Cowen said.

Two presentations will be held after the Hawk Walk, one at 10 a.m. and the other at noon, each lasting about an hour.

At the presentations, special education raptors will be presented on leather gloves of the center’s volunteers. In addition to learning about raptors, the public will get to be a few feet away from the birds and are allowed to take pictures with these “Masters of the Sky,” said Christine Adams, a six-year volunteer at the center.

“A lot of the taming birds are not in the cages,” Cowen said. Some raptors are held in special areas that are not open to visitors.

This Open House will be the debut for “Sophie” and “Baggins.” Sophie is a Saw-Whet Owl and Baggins is a Burrowing Owl. The two are among the birds that are not available to be viewed by the public throughout the year. The open house is likely the only time that the public will be able to see these raptors, among others, Adams said.

“The open house is only held during the spring and fall, so if you miss this one you have to wait till spring for the next one,” Adams said.

Thor, a Ferruginous Hawk that is not normally available for close interaction with the public, will be among the education birds out of their cages at the open house.

Thor was hit by a train and carried on its grill for four-and-a-half hours into California. He was rescued and treated, but his fractured right wing did not heal properly so he is unable to be released. Thor is now an education bird for the CRC. The open house is a chance for the public to learn about the Ferruginous Hawk, which is the largest hawk in the country, said Omar Cabrera, a UCD veterinary student and a CRC volunteer.

Preserved talons, beaks, skulls and specimens will be showcased at the presentations and the museum throughout the morning.

After the presentations, the visitors are welcome to stay and walk around to view all the raptors at the center.

The CRC began in 1972 as a center for raptor research and education. It grew from its original facility, a small house near the university airport, to its current location on Old Davis Road, which can house more than 160 raptors, according to the CRC’s website.

The center gets approximately 200 injured or orphaned raptors a year, mainly brought in by the public.

“We have about a 65 percent release rate,” Adams said.

The raptors that are unable to be released back into the wild, due to injury, become education birds. The birds are trained and taken to offsite visits to educate the public about raptor biology, preservation and rehabilitation.

To get to the center, head south on Old Davis Road, cross the train tracks near the Sewage Treatment Facility and turn left before the bridge. There is a sign for the California Raptor Center on Old Davis Road.

For more information about the center, visit its website at vetmed.ucdavis.edu/calraptor.

MINH PHAM can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Well-known Atheist author to speak on campus

Campus News

Campus Editor

November 14, 2008

The UC Davis Agnostic and Atheist Student Association (AgASA) will host well-known atheist activist and speaker Dan Barker at 6 p.m. today in 123 Science Lecture.

A former evangelical preacher of 19 years, Barker will discuss his recent book Godless: How an Evangelical Preacher Became One of America’s Leading Atheists. His lecture will be followed by a question-and-answer session with audience members as well as a book-signing.

Barker’s presentation will mark AgASA’s first large scale event of the year, said Shiva Kasravi, the group’s evens coordinator.

“Dan Barker is a really big name in the atheist and agnostic community, so we are very excited to welcome him to campus,” she said. “This will be the first time that AgASA has hosted an event in such a large setting, so it is a big deal for us.”

AgASA president Catalina Chao said she thinks Barker’s background will bring a new dynamic to his appearance.

“Barker is an example of someone who didn’t come from an atheist background, but rather came to that conclusion through his own experience and reasoning,” she said. “He brings a lot to the table because of his extensive knowledge about topics like Christianity and philosophy … it lends him a lot of credibility.”

While AgASA hopes students attend tonight’s event with an open mind, Shiva said the group does not want to impose its beliefs on anybody.

“We just want people come and enjoy hearing [Barker] speak,” she said. “We hope that people come and ask a lot of questions, but also really listen to his story.”

AgASA has invited numerous departments and groups on campus, including various religious organizations, Chao said. The Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, an inter-denominational faith group, will be among the attendees.

“The response has actually been very good,” she said. “I know for a fact that many members from Intervarsity are attending.… It wouldn’t be as fun if Barker was just talking to atheists who already agree with him.”

Chemistry professor Bryan Enderle, who is a staff member for Intervarsity, said he is looking forward to attending the event.

“I want to hear what [Barker] has to say and to see how he arrived at place he arrived at,” he said. “I don’t personally ever see myself arriving at the same place, but I am definitely interested to hear how it happened to him.”

Intervarsity members often attend AgASA meetings and the two groups sometimes hold events together, Enderle said.

“I think it is important for different religious groups on campus to maintain a dialogue about God,” he said. “It is a good way to clear up misconceptions and stereotypes on both sides.”

ERICA LEE can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

GLOW invites students to party at Silo

Campus News

Campus Editor

November 14, 2008

The Community Outreach Club (COC) and sorority Lambda Omicron Xi (LOXi) are hosting a dance party tonight at the Silo known simply as GLOW – “Give Life to Our World.”

GLOW is a charity event aimed at spreading awareness about the environment and renewable energy to local and global communities.

The night begins at 7 p.m. and runs until 10 p.m. Events will entail DJ music, T-shirt contests, glow-in-the-dark bracelets, a raffle and light refreshments. Tickets are available at the Freeborn Ticket Office for $7, or can be purchased at the door for $10.

All proceeds from the event will go towards two organizations, one being the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) and Camp Concord. SELF is an organization that builds solar panels and provides electricity to communities all over the world that lack proficient natural resources.

“We are giving life by providing electricity in hospitals, schools and businesses,” said Michael Gutierrez, vice president of COC.

SELF will hand out micro-loans to these communities in order to make the purchase of the solar panels affordable. The cost will eventually be paid back to SELF, but at a slow and manageable rate, Gutierrez said.

To determine which communities receive these solar panels, SELF volunteers travel the world and suggest which areas should be helped first. Together they plan out where to construct the panels and then the volunteers return to the U.S. to commence production.

“It’s a step toward getting [these communities] to the 21st century,” Gutierrez said.

Proceeds from the event are also going to Camp Concord, a completely sponsor-free group that relies on donations and volunteer work. Karla Reyes, another member of COC, said that Camp Concord takes inner-city kids for a week and teaches them about being environmentally friendly.

The kids receive a chance to learn to live without electricity for a week, which in turn is supposed to make them appreciate what they have. Camp Concord also works at promoting renewable energy resources, such as solar energy, hydroelectric and wind power.

“We believe global warming is a high concern nowadays,” Reyes said. “We want to give back to our community and the environment.”

Both COC and LOXi have mission statements directed at serving the community. While COC has the desire to serve communities both foreign and domestic, LOXi works to help local communities.

COC is completely student-run without any sponsorship and relies on their members for volunteer work. They work on a multitude of events that focus on helping the environment, including topics such as protecting endangered species and deforestation.

“We are purely student-run, and the students start everything,” Gutierrez said.

For LOXi, the main focus is to help women and children while serving local communities. They emphasize nonprofit events, which as an added benefit give the sisters time to bond while working together, said Christina Souksavong, president of the sorority.

Souksavong said she recognizes the importance of spreading global warming awareness, because she feels people rely too much upon electricity and take it for granted. LOXi as a whole sees renewable energy resources as the most viable way to fight global warming.

“Whether we like it or not our resources are going to dwindle,” Souksavong said. “We need to find alternative energy resources, and solar panels will increase the amount of electricity you get in the long run.”

According to the two groups, LOXi and COC will be teaming up in the future to put on more events – not only due to their similar goals, but because friends within both organizations help further cooperation and teamwork.

CORY BULLIS can be reached campus@theaggie.org.

Aggie Trivia

Features

Features Editor

November 13, 2008

The graduate fine arts program at UC Davis ranks fifth in the nation.

ASUCD fall elections

Opinion

Opinion

November 13, 2008

Since Wednesday morning, UC Davis undergraduate students have been able to log on to elections.ucdavis.edu to cast their ballot for ASUCD Senate candidates. Senate elections take place every fall and winter quarter to determine the makeup of the 12-member body that is responsible for approving the association‘s $10.7 million budget, initiating new projects and monitoring ASUCD units such as the Coffee House and Unitrans. Students have until Friday at 8 a.m. to make their selections.

ASUCD uses a choice voting system in which voters are asked to rank their candidate preferences one through six. If a student’s first choice candidate either wins with votes to spare or fails to meet a minimum vote threshold, that student’s vote goes toward their next choice candidate until six have been chosen.

The California Aggie sat down with each of the nine candidates to discuss their qualifications, platform goals and opinions on pertinent student issues. While the top six all present a sincere desire to represent the students to the best of their abilities, The Aggie has chosen to endorse the top four who considerably stood out for their experience and concrete ideas.

Greg Webb

Webb shows an impressive level of knowledge of ASUCD operations. As both a former Business and Finance commissioner and current Internal Affairs commissioner, Webb has extensive insight and a well-thought plan for dealing with the upcoming difficult budget year. While the independent candidate expressed his desire to work with all senators, his strong anti-slate sentiments would bring a much-needed diversity of opinion to the one-party senate. He has already shown a high level of activity within ASUCD, having run for senate once previously as well as repeatedly attempting to pass a bill that would allow for public questions during senate confirmations. Webb has the dedication, vision and motivation to be an effective and successful senator.

Jack Zwald

The sophomore international relations major shows a laudable commitment to public service – both now in his campaign as well as in his intended service in the Marine Corps. Zwald has an impressive knowledge of ASUCD‘s budget situation and has clearly done his research on where best to make cuts without dramatically affecting student life. He has said he would go to great lengths to avoid student fee increases in this tough economic climate, but is open to considering them for Unitrans and Cal Aggie Camp. Zwald is an effective communicator and has the welfare of the student population in mind.

Justin Patrizio

Patrizio‘s levelheaded, professional demeanor would be a valuable addition to the often-contentious senate meetings. He is committed to affecting change within ASUCD to better the association‘s reputation. The independent candidate would be an important counter balance to the sometimes-divisive slate system. While many candidates expressed their desire for a greener campus, Patrizio has demonstrated his dedication to the cause by forgoing the campaign flyers allotted to him by the Elections Committee.

Mo Torres

Torres shows a level of pragmatism often absent from student government candidates. He has realistic goals and has already started laying the foundation so he can hit the ground running if elected. Torres is deeply committed to improving the experience of transfer students on campus – a rare quality in a candidate who is not a transfer student himself.

Erin LebeLaura Pulido

While both Lebe and Pulido have mature and professional attitudes, their platform goals could be better. Nevertheless, they are running for the right reasons and have the students‘ interests at heart. They would both be competent, capable senators and bring positive attributes to the senate.

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