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Improvements made to Silo Pub and MU Second Floor

Campus News

Campus Editor

April 23, 2008

Spring quarter is a time people tend to lay around on the Quad and turn the effort level down a little bit – except the Campus Unions department of operations, which has been hard at work on both the Silo Café andPuband second floor of the Memorial Union.

The most noticeable improvements to the pub’s outdoor eating area are a new fleet of umbrellas and a green coat of paint on all the tables.

Doug Wiersig, a student assistant in the Campus Unions department of operations and junior crop science major, said they have reorganized the entire thing.

“The Olive Oil event in March was something we really wanted to be clean and beautiful for. With a lot of people coming through, we wanted the improvements we’ve made to be on display,” he said.

Also refurbished are the redwood and teak tables and benches in the courtyard area, which, at over 20 years old, were due for some maintenance.

Wiersig said the beautification, punctuated by the plants and flowers that dot the outdoor eating areas throughout the SiloUnion, makes for a nice, calm place to hang out.

“We’ve definitely tried to make it more inviting, give people a reason to prefer eating here and make it a destination. Tours pass by here every day, and we hope to catch their attention,” he said.

Campus Unions also hopes the publicity will bring students to their weekly events inside the pub.

Each week has three routine events: a Texas Hold’emtournament Wednesdays from 6 to8 p.m., live entertainment Thursdays from 5:30 to6 p.m.and trivia night immediately after from 6 until around 7:30 p.m.

Trivia Night is a big draw, said LexerChou, program director for Campus Unions.

“We establish five or six categories, and teams of five people maximum take turns answering questions from them and competing for prizes,” she said.

Prizes include things like water bottlesand small gift certificates to the Silo, and Chou is currently seeking additional sponsors for more.

Texas Hold’embrings out a lot of students too, something Chou suspects is a product of the atmosphere and playing for fun, without the danger of losing money.

“We play with real chips instead of money, but the casino-like feel to it and competitiveness makes students feel like it’s more real than playing on the dinner table at home,” she said.

The front patio on the Hutchison side of the Silo has also been upgraded with a batch of umbrellas. In the past there have been some, but today every table has its share of shade, something Wiersig said students will be very grateful for when the weather gets hot.

The second floor MU patio features the same umbrellas and plants as the Silo, and Wiersig said his department put a great deal of effort into this one.

“Not many people know about this, or think to come up here to eat, and we’d like to make it somewhere people see themselves eating on their lunch break,” he said.

Another big addition came at a low cost – simply putting stickers on recycling bins. This has a significant positive impact and takes barely anything from the budget, just provides a reminder for people to sort their waste.

These improvements are only the first of many, said John Seden, assistant director of Campus Unions department of operations, who is new to UC Davis but already involved.

“I’ve been working on sustainability efforts, our lighting and energy systems and how to increase efficiency,” he said.

This increase can take many forms, and spans all the way from hallway lighting to making sure that all the appliance systems used are energy star efficient.

Seden’s staff is currently looking into daylight harvesting, which targets areas where hallway lights aren’t necessary during the day with natural sunlight. A small sensor would be put in place that turns lights on only as needed.

“This is something that is built into nearly all new buildings now, but we have a relatively old building, so we’re trying to do all we can do reduce the energy use,” he said.

The department has already taken some unnecessary lights off of the main circuit and put them on their own for limited nighttime use.

“Because it’s brand new, we don’t have numbers on exactly how much specific changes save, but of course when it comes to energy every little bit counts,” Seden said.

Another topic on the slate is water conservation. The department of operations is exploring the idea of water saving toilets and urinals at the Siloand in the MU looking into hands-free faucets – which would kill two birds with one stone and decrease the hot water use and energy at the operation of a dial.

Funding requests have been submitted and are awaiting reply, but Seden already envisions a big year.

“We’re really gearing up to have a big year, attacking the kinds of projects we want to get in to and figuring out how much we need to do in the summer and how much we’ll be doing next year,” he said.

“Once the funding goes through it’s go-time, and the summer will be about sustainability in and around the MU. It will be exciting to see all of our plans progress.”

MIKE DORSEY can be reached at campus@californiaaggie.com.XXX

UC Davis Steel Bridge Team prepares for Mid-Pacific competition

Science & Technology

Science Editor

April 23, 2008

The sound of metal clinking carries through the hallway as two students help bring out long pieces of steel through Bainer Hall. The students place the structures inside of a perimeter marked by white tape.

The UC Davis Steel Bridge Team, better known as team “Chrome Ollie,” is setting up and about to practice assembling their steel bridge for the upcoming Mid-Pacific Regional Competition on Apr. 26 at the Mondavi Center’s Parking Structure from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30.

The steel bridge contest brings out other teams in the region to compete against each other in the design and formation of scale-size bridge structures. While the competition can be stressful, it can also be fun.

“[The competition] is pretty intense. I mean you’re looking at a group of students who have no free time to start with, and who’ve dedicated every spare moment to this for nine months, and it all comes down to 15 minutes on one day,” said Jessica Revell, the team’s project manager. “In terms of competitiveness, it’s very, very competitive. We see it come down to maybe 15 seconds could be the difference between first place, second place, third place. So it’s a really intense day – lots of fun.”

The Mid-Pacific American Society of Civil Engineers Regional Conference is the precursor that determines which schools can compete in the National Student Steel Bridge Competition.

“Each school that enters the NSSBC competes at a regional competition first, then if qualified, [the team] finishes in the top two or three at the regional competition. [Then] they are invited to the national competition which typically fields around 45 schools,” said Matt Turner, the team’s advisor.

The Mid-Pacific Regional Competition includes UC Berkeley; California State University, San Francisco; California State University, Fresno; University of Nevada, Reno; California State University, Sacramento; California State University, San Jose; Santa Clara University; and California State University, Chico.

The competition brings about rules and regulations that the bridge builders need to follow and different criteria on which the bridge will be judged.

“A 40-page set of rules and regulations are set each new season that each team must follow strictly. These rules and regulations are tweaked from season to season so teams can’t bring out the same bridge each year; they must fabricate a new one and overcome different design challenges each season,” Turner said.

The bridge structures are judged on different components such as the bridge’s weight, stiffness and structural efficiency. The bridge is loaded with 2,600 pounds and the amount that the structure bends is measured.

“You want it to be as stiff as possible,” Revell said.

Another component that is considered is the speed at which the team can assemble the bridge. These criteria are put in an equation and the bridge is given a dollar value. The cheapest bridge wins.

Sometimes some schools might design a bridge that stresses one component over another, such as one that is stiff rather than quick to assemble.

“We’ve seen schools come out and they make their bridge popsicle-stick light and they just let it bend because it’s the same balance of the score,” Revell said.

Last year, the team received first place based on their efficient balance of structural performance and constructability.

This year, the team has put 4,000 hours into working on the project. The team started designing their bridge once the rules came out in August.

According to Rishi Patel, a project manager for the team, their designs come from a cooperative effort with help from their advisor Turner and the knowledge of Revell. They also look to previous designs that worked well for other teams.

The bridges are constructed from steel only, but the type of steel that is used is up to each team to decide. Steel is an alloy, or a mixture containing two or more elements, one of which is a metal. The elements that make up steel are iron and small amounts of carbon.

“Some may use a typical hot rolled steel which is weaker at the material level than say a 4130 alloy steel, which has almost twice the strength,” Turner said.

This project lets students gain hands-on experience and obtain spatial and practical sense as they get to build these bridges themselves.

“Meeting people, getting hands-on experience, learning what structural engineering is all about…. I think most of all it’s the construction during the competition because we put nine months of work into it and it comes down to a few minutes, so it’s a lot of fun,” said Jeff Spiro, a member of the team, on his favorite aspects of the project.“Anyone can join. You don’t even have to be an engineering major, just have a desire to do it.”

YASSMIN ATEFI can be reached at science@californiaaggie.com.XXX

Science Scene

Science & Technology

Science Editor

April 23, 2008

Ozone kills

A report released byNational Academies‘ National Research Council has found significant evidence that ozone leads to premature death,especially in the elderly.Children also can be negatively affected by the gas.Ozone(O3) is produced at the earth’s surface when light reacts with other air pollutants such as nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons.

Ozone oxidizes lung tissue,decreasing lung capacity,causing respiratory inflammation and worsening heart disease.It can worsen lung diseases such as asthma.

The council concluded that even short-term exposure of less than24hours can cause prematuredeath.More research is needed to determinewhether healthy people are at risk from ozone with long-term exposure. (reuters.com and sciencemag.org)

Buddhist oil paintingsinvalidate art history texts

Textbooks on European and art history state that oil painting began inEurope in the15thcentury,butcaveoil paintings in the Afghan region ofBamiyan show that the technology arose at least as early as the5thcentury.

Chemical analysis techniques such asinfrared micro-spectroscopy,micro X-ray fluorescence,micro X-ray absorption spectroscopyor micro X-ray diffraction were employed at theEuropean Synchrotron Radiation Facilityto show that12out of50caves were painted with oils,possibly from walnuts and poppy seeds.

The murals,some of which depict the Buddha sitting in a red robe among palm leaves and mythical creatures,are painted with a diversity of binders and pigments.Lead carbonates,used from ancient to modern times in paintings and face whiteners,make up the majority of the oil based pigments.Natural resins,proteins and gums make up other layers in the murals. (sciencedaily.com)

Mental disease linked to bacteria,viral infections

Schizophrenia,autism,bipolar disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder have been linked tobacterial,viral or parasitic infectionsin utero or during childhood.The strongest evidence is for schizophrenia.More than200studies have shown that children of mothers who came down with the flu during pregnancy,are5to8percent more likely to be diagnosed with schizophreniaat some point in their lives.

A2004ColombiaUniversity meta-analysis of blood samples taken from189pregnant women between the years1959to1966,showed that flu-infection during the first trimester increased the risk of offspring schizophrenia sevenfold.

At this point more research is needed to demonstrate a causal link between bacterial or viral agents and mental disease,but a2003study conducted at the California Institute of Technology showed that mice born to mothers who were infected with flu during their gestations were more likely to be fearful and less likely to explorenovel environments. (scientificamerican.com)

Chatting with the faculty

Science & Technology

Science Editor

April 23, 2008

Name: Rod Cole

Position: Lecturer

Department: Physics

What do you teach? Why did you decide to teach it?

Well, I teach physics, and I actually got interested about the seventh grade. There was a brief stint when I wanted to be a forest ranger! The way I sort of got started in physics was because my aunt gave me a Christmas gift when I was in the seventh grade. It was a subscription to a book-of-the month club for children, and one of the first books I got was on the Manhattan Project, and they were describing nuclei and stuff and how big things were, and they said that if you take the nucleus of a hydrogen atom, which is a proton and you laid a quadrillion of them end to end they’d take up about a quarter of your fingernail and I said, ‘Wow! How do you measure something so small?’ Obviously, you don’t pull out a meter stick, so how did they determine that size? The seventh grade science teacher I had basically was clueless, but … basically when I got to college, I learned about the Rutherford experiments and how all these sizes were originally determined using the scattering of particles. So, it was just that quest, how do you measure something so small that got me interested in physics, and sort of held onto me.

What brought you to UC Davis?

A job! [Laughs] I went to college in the late sixties-early seventies at the University of Illinois, at Champagne-Urbana. That’s where I was an undergraduate. Then I wanted to go to a smaller school for graduate school, so my adviser sat me down with a big book with all of the physics departments in the United States that had graduate programs, so I just looked for people who were doing some things that I was interested in and settled on the University of Wyoming.

So I went to the University of Wyoming to get my Ph.D. When I got done with my Ph.D., there was sort of a real crush at the end because my physics advisor was leaving to spend a year in Germany, so I had to finish, so I didn’t have any place to really go. I grew up around Chicago, so I moved back to Chicago for a year and worked some odd jobs while I applied for something more meaningful. Davis was the first place that offered me a position, so I came here and it was a good fit and I’ve been here ever since.

What is your favorite aspect of teaching?

I really love physics, and physics is something that is very challenging for people to learn. It’s the excitement of being able to figure out ways to make it understandable to people and to teach them how math is not something to be feared because you have to take it. It’s really a very brilliant tool for exploring the universe.

Are you involved in any projects right now? How did you become involved with them?

I’m involved in the MERPS program, which is mentoring undergraduate students in physical sciences and mathematics and getting them involved in research. It began around 1990 when we began having meetings between various physical science and mathematical departments – that includes chemistry, geology, computer science, mathematics, physics and statistics. We were looking at what a poor job we were doing with students who were at risk of leaving the university in these disciplines who were not graduating, not going on to graduate school.

We put together a faculty mentoring program to involve students right away in research to try and get them plugged into the university and show them what research was available and what it is really about because it’s very different when you start doing research within a discipline than learning from books. The books are designed to try to develop skills that the students are going to need, but you don’t get a sense of what it’s really about.

Students are coming into the university wanting to major in say, math, and really having no idea what a mathematician does. We wanted to get that idea across, get them plugged into a supportive network that could help them get into graduate school, and teach them early on what graduate school is about, why you want to go to graduate school, and just develop the necessary skills. Just to get into graduate school you need references, and so you need some faculty that know you well so that you can get good letters of recommendation. This was all designed to address those problems, so I work quite a bit with students trying to get them involved in research, doing something for graduate school.

How about your own research?

My own research has evolved…. Originally, my dissertation project was involved in statistical mechanics and thermodynamics. I was looking at phase transitions, particularly first-order phase transitions. Say you’re trying to describe what happens when you add heat to water, and it changes its phase and goes to the vapor, or steam, – the gas state of water. It involved a lot of working with things on the microscopic level and seeing how things on the microscopic level produce things that we see at our level, – the macroscopic level – and so that was a very interesting project.

I always had this sort of love for electricity and magnetism, so in the mid-eighties – when computers started to become usable – I took computer programming classes…. When I was in college you punched out a bunch of cards that contained the lines to your program, and then you’d read those through a reader and come back the next day and pick up the output! It was a very painful way to develop code because you were always running into compiler problems or stupid things like that having to do with the end result you were trying to get, so I didn’t really deal with computers much until they became very interactive. Like you’ve got the fax systems – they were running an operating system called BMS, and then the PC and the Macintosh came along, and they became very powerful. You can have a computer sitting on your desk that is more powerful than a supercomputer they had back in the early nineties.

At that point it became very easy to put together what are called simulations. You use the theoretical laws that govern how things move and interact to try and piece together in the time domain, which is what you’re working in as opposed to the frequency domain. You’re looking at the time domain, how they actually move and interact with each other. I started working on taking accelerated charges and looking at how it is that they actually produce the electromagnetic fields.

So I’ve been working with undergraduates, trying to get them to learn what the basics are to put together a simulation, because you have to get graphics involved – computer graphics. You have to tie them to your mathematical models and do your numerical computations and set them up…. That’s something we don’t really teach in courses. There aren’t a whole lot of courses on how to put together simulations and a lot of physics majors and basic scientists that go to work in government labs like Lawrence Livermore labs end up working on these big, massive projects where they’re putting together these simulations. So it’s fun!

What advice would you give to students who are physics majors?

Well, to any student, find something you love. If you’re going to be doing it for the rest of you life, do something that makes you happy!

Upcoming Seminars

Science & Technology

Science Editor

April 23, 2008

Today

“Plant-Mediated Indirect Competitionbetween Insect Herbivores – Implications for Weed Biological Control“

James Nechols

122Briggs,noon to1p.m.

Aggie baseball gears up for nation’s elite

Sports

Sports Editor

April 23, 2008

Through the first 38 games of the season,the Aggies have proven they’re far from being the last place team preseason polls picked them out to be.

UC Davis has already surpassed its24winsfrom2007and currently sits third in the Big West Conference with a6-3league mark.Now it will have to prove its placeamongthe conference’s elite.

Over the next eight games,the Aggies will take on four consecutive rankedopponentsin No.15Cal State Fullerton,No.5Stanford,No.25Long Beach State and No.7California.

By the time the stretch ends on Apr.30,UC Davis should have a clearer idea of whether or not it’ll fit into the NCAA playoff picture.

“We certainly have a tough road ahead ofus the rest of the way with thethreebigdogs in the conference,aCal team that has played really well andthen Stanford,” head coach Rex Peters said. “If we’re going to make a playoff run,we’ve got to prove it against those kinds of teams.We’re going to find out how good we are in the next month or so.“

The Aggies have only played two ranked teams this season– Stanford and Fresno State,which has since dropped out of the pollsfromtheir No.18rankingto start the season.UC Davis went a combined3-2against the two teams.

“We’re just going toplay like we’ve been playing it,” said junior catcher Jake Jefferies of the upcoming stretch.“We’re going to try to have some good practices this week and take care of those guys[CalStateFullerton] this weekend.“

The biggest weapon the Aggies carry into the stretch is their offense.Coming into this past weekendseries with Cal Poly,UC Davis was13th in the nationwith413total hits and36th in the nation in runs per game with nearly eight a contest.

“They’re as good as any team we’ve faced this year,” Mustangs head coach Larry Lee said. “You look at their numbers offensively and to have those in this ballpark with the wind blowing in is amazing.“

This past weekend,Cal Poly was able to cool off theAggie bats,limiting them to an average of three runs per gameto take the three-game set,2-1.

“I wouldn’t call it much of a slump,” said Jefferies,who leads the Big West in hitting with66hits and47RBI.“I just think that we’re not swinging at the right pitches.We’ll use this week to better prepare ourselves to swing at better pitches and put guys into scoring position.“

To Peters,the recent dependence on miracle comebackshas been the culprit of his team’s stagnant bats.

“We’ve been playing from behind a lot these past two weeks,” Peters said.“It’s a tough way to play when you’re chasing runs like that.It kind of takes you outofyour offense a little bit when you start playingfor bigger innings.“

Hitting hasn’t been the only concern for the Aggies,as several players are also nursing injuries.Senior first baseman Evan Hudson has been bothered by an abdominal strain and will likely be limited to designated hitter duty this week while senior outfielder Kevin James is expected to be sidelined for at least two weeks with a stress fracture in his foot.

UC Daviswill look to get back on the right foot as a team Fridayat7p.m.when it travels toGoodwin Baseball Fieldfora three-game setwith Cal State Fullerton.

RAY LIN can be reached atsports@californiaaggie.com.XXX

A series of confessions

Opinion

Opinion

April 23, 2008

A confession:I’m awful at coming up with column ideas last-minute.After spending a lovely weekend that included an artificial horse insemination and a nighttime picnic at the park,I found myself utterly screwed for the upcoming week.Rather unfortunate,since all my major papers and midterms seem to fall on this week.

Anyways,since I seem to be failing at life,I decided that I might as well go ahead andpop out a seriesof confessions,mostly because I can’t come up with a better idea (sorry). Also,I find it comforting to hear about how people fail more than I do,soI might as well provide that same comfort to all of you.

Confession:I watch crappy television.Actually,that’s not the truth – I watch almost no television,but last week,I picked up MTV’s new reality show, “The Paper.” Already,I fear that I may soon be sucked into this awful piece of trash.Maybe I like watching the heightened melodramaticsof high school journalism,or maybe I canrelate to the idea of a power-hungry,obnoxiouseditor-in-chief (ahem,Eddie Lee).

Confession:Iam an awful,lying tour guide.When an old schoolmate called me and told me that sheand her boyfriend were inDavis to do college visits,I took them on a grand tour of the campus. “And here we have ducks,” I told them as we passed the arboretum,unsure of what else to show them.And then I took them to the ARC. “This is pretty cool,” the boyfriend said. “Yeah,it’s really convenient,” I said. “I really love it.” The truth? It was the first time I’d stepped foot in the ARC since my freshman year in the dorms.Yikes.

Confession:I suck at the “healthy living” thing.My roommate Yvette and I are going through this phase where we’re trying outbeing healthy.Radical,I know.So far,this involveshalfheartedlyexercising andmunching oncelery stalksandbaby carrots whilesighing wistfully over our cravings for hamburgers anddeep-fried anything.It’s onlybeen two weeks,butoccasionally I try to cheat.Yesterday I found myselftwo seconds away from buying a lemon bar when my friend Jayne nudged me. “What would Yvette say?” she chided.I sighed and went back to my carrot sticks.Let’s see how long this lasts.

Confession:The binder of Pokemon cards in my room has been opened more recently thanmy textbooks.Well,I’m just going to blame this one on nostalgia.I solemnly swear I no longercollect (or play!) though.Those days were left behind with the end of middle school.

Confession:When stressed out,I read crappy young adult fiction.I refuse to elaborate or provide specific titles here.Nor am I going to admit to whether or notthey were young adult romances.Or vampire novels.

I grew up hearing the word “confession” in the Catholic sense.That is,I saw it as something obligatory but terrifying,kind of like goingto the dentist to get fillings.

There’s something aboutlaying bare your secrets to a stranger sitting behind a screen that just seems soshameful.Even when you’re confessing something stupid,like, “Two weeks ago,I hit my brother over the head with a tennis racket,” the fact that you have to do a penance makes the situation so much graver.

But maybe confessions don’t always have to come with punishment; maybe they can just stand on their own.I think thatit’s possible to take ourshameful little secrets and offer them without fear of judgment or retribution.Maybe it can be a kind of catharsis; sharing your misdeeds andpersonal failures can bring you closer to your friends and help you to leave behind your supposed sins.

All I know is this– today I found myself sitting on the grass with some friends,our legs crossedas we confessedsecrets andstories with unfortunate endings.The cold change of weather brushed at my cheeks and at the sleeves of mysweatshirt,but I could swear that there was some warmth to be found in our huddle of friendship.

TERESA PHAMneeds you to bolster her self-esteem.Sendmoments of personal failure toterpham@ucdavis.edu.XXX

Body by you

Opinion

Opinion

April 23, 2008

“Don’t let your body be your master,” the priest says to the young man. “You must be the master of your body.”

I can’t remember where I had heard this before. It was either in a book I read awhile back or on a random TV show. But whatever the case may be, this is an idea that just keeps coming back to me, kind of like that stray dog you petted that one time and so it decided to follow you around the rest of the day.

This idea created a lot of discomfort for me because of the dialectic going on in my head. Who is this “you” as opposed to your body? Considering the circumstances, there seems to be an implied metaphysical claim about the nature of human beings. But at the very least, this separation of “you” and your body seems plausible. However the mind-body problem is not something I want to discuss here. Rather, I bring all of this up to discuss the next question on my mind. What does it mean to be the master of your body?

At first glance, the concept seems easy enough to understand. To master your body, just go to sleep when you want, attempt a back-flip when you want, go to the hospital when you want, which will most likely be the case after the previous. Of course, it isn’t that simple.

It seems a person is sleepy when they’ve had too much or not enough sleep. But when you’re sleepy, you just want to sleep regardless. Or once you’ve gotten into the habit of eating too much, you become hungry more often, but you’re also hungry when you haven’t eaten enough. Regardless, you just want to eat. So when you don’t listen to your body enough, it’s a problem. It seems there’s a problem also when you listen to it too much. The dilemma is when should one listen to their body?

Just to make my point a little clearer, consider the following:

I think college students are some of the world’s best manipulators of their bodies; however, I would not say masters of them. Whenever college students face all-nighters, it’s time to whip out the Rockstars and Red Bulls. To get just the right shape that diet and exercise can’t achieve, there’s the protein supplements. In a few conversations I’ve had or overheard, some people even need an iPod’s lullaby just to go to sleep. I don’t know about you, but I find something amiss with this picture.

I believe the problem is that people fail to distinguish between mastery and manipulation. Manipulation is more along the lines of coercion and, almost as a law of nature, will result in a backlash. True mastery is more like correctly gaining cooperation and entails that only desired consequences will result. If more of this kind of attitude was applied to foreign policy and affairs, the world would be a better place, but that’s a separate issue.

St. Francis of Assisi was known for his penchant for nature. He’d call each creature “brother bird” or “sister wind” and would also constantly refer to his own body as a second person, “brother body.” To paraphrase what was written about St. Francis in the book, Brother Leo Remembers St. Francis, his body had allowed him to journey and preach, for which he was grateful to his body.

But there was always a power struggle with it. He would constantly remind his body that he was its master, as if it were another person with a will. Sometimes he felt he had to preach even though his body was tired. Conversely, though he would have liked to preach and pray 24 hours a day, sometimes he would just have to rest, sleep and eat.

I think St. Francis was able to truly master his body, meaning he gained a proper relationship and understanding with it. You do what you want with your body so long as whatever you do now won’t prevent you from doing it long into the future. This is just my way of saying that setting your mind on what is above entails healthy habits.

JEREMY MALLETT is reflecting on whether or not he should try this whole skydiving thing. It is certainly “above,” but then what are the chances of there still being a future? Send advice to jjmallett@ucdavis.edu. XXX

Daily Calendar

Features

Features Editor

April 23, 2008

TODAY

PostSecretDavis exhibit

10a.m.to3p.m.

Griffin Lounge,MemorialUnion

Learn what secrets UC Davis students and staff are keeping at this awareness exhibit.Sponsored by Students Against Sexual Violence.

UC Davis Blood Drive

10a.m.to5p.m.

Freeborn Hall

Save a life and get a free pint of ice cream while you’re at it! Donating only takes about an hour,but the good karma vibes last all day.

Farmers Market

11a.m.to2:30p.m.

East Quad

Get fresh fruits,veggies and snacks at this convenient farmers market.

Deportation Teach-Out

Noon to1p.m.

Memorial Union patio

Hear community perspectives and voices on deportation policy.

Career advising for women

Noon to1p.m.

104North Hall

Still trying to figure out what to do with your major,career or life in general? Drop in and talk with an Internship andCareerCenter counselor.

Climate Change Policy talk

4to5:30p.m.

3001Plant and Environmental Sciences

Listen to speaker Andrew Altevogt,Climate Change Advisor Cal/EPA.This event is sponsored by the UC Davis John Muir Institute of the Environment.

Wellness Wednesday workshop

5to6p.m.

ARC Meeting Room3

Learn techniques used by sports psychologists to improve test performance and reduce anxiety!

Texas Hold’em Tournament

6to8p.m.

Silo Café & Pub

Tournament starts at6p.m.Seats fill up quickly,so come early! Be one of the top30players and be invited to play in the Tournament of Champions!

Karma Patrol meeting

7p.m.

King Lounge,MemorialUnion

Get involved with Whole Earth Festival by joining the Karma Patrol!

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous meeting

7to8:30p.m.

UnitedMethodistChurch,1620Anderson Road

Program for individuals recovering from addictive eating,bulimia and under-eating based on the12steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.There are no dues,fees or weigh-ins.For more information,go to foodaddicts.org.

Make your own rolls

7to9p.m.

MU II

Watch a demo and learn to make your own rolled foods at this workshop,a part of Asian Pacific Culture Week.

The Comedy Show

7to9p.m.

Griffin Lounge

This free comedy show features Brendan Lynch,UCDalumnus Imran J.Khan and Joe Klocek,who will appear on Comedy Central’s “LiveatGotham” this summer.

Love Lab8to10p.m.The Activities andRecreationCenterLearn more about safer sex practices and get10free condoms! Find out about upcoming events at the Love Lab.

THURSDAY

Post SecretDavis exhibit

10a.m.to3p.m.

Griffin Lounge,MemorialUnion

Learn what secrets UC Davis students and staff are keeping at this awareness exhibit.Sponsored by Students Against Sexual Violence.

UC Davis Blood Drive

10a.m.to5p.m.

Freeborn Hall

Save a life and get a free pint of ice cream while you’re at it! Donating only takes about an hour,but the good karma vibes last all day.

Jobs in communication panel

4:10p.m.

Memorial UnionDeCarli Room

Still not sure what to do with a degree in communication? Meet professionals from a range of industries and learn about internships!

Trivia night

5:30to7:30p.m.

Silo Café & Pub

Show off your knowledge of random factoids!

Math Café

6to8p.m.

Scholar’s Center Study Room,Surge IV

Get a good serving of mathematics at this weekly tutoring session with the Women’s Resources andResearchCenter.Women and men are both welcome.

Back Roads performances

7p.m.

Arena Theatre,Wright Hall

These two new worksare free of charge! El Camino del Diabloisa gothic western created by Victor Toman.Circuitous Route,created by Sara Zimmerman,is poetic physical theatre.

Habitat for Humanity meeting

7to8p.m.

2Wellman

Meet new folks and do a good deed by signing up for fundraisers and events at this community service club.

Ballroom dancing showcase

8p.m.

MainTheatre,Wright Hall

Do you love “So You Think You Can Dance?” Check out “Soul to Sole,” Telemark Dance Troupe’s spring show.Tickets are$8at the door for students.

Dealing with family expectations workshop

Noon to2p.m.

MU II

Afraid your family will disown you if you don’t meet their expectations? Start heart to heart conversations to help realize your dreams without letting down your family.Part of Asian Pacific Culture Week.

Interviewingskills workshop

2:10to3p.m.

229South Hall

Worried about making a bad first impression when job hunting? Brush up on interview skills at this workshop.

UOP Speech-Language Pathology info night

6:10to7p.m.

1204Haring

Learn more about University of the Pacific’s speech-language pathology program.

Botany club meeting6:15p.m. 140Robbins This meetingwill feature a lecture on corn hybrid seed production by Dr.Mohammad Ghaffarzadehand a free plant raffle!

Lyrical Expressions:SKIM & Adriana Garcias

7to8:30p.m.

Griffin Lounge,MemorialUnion

This night of performances aims to raise awarenessof the DREAM Scholarship.

Book Club meeting

8to9p.m.

109Olson

DiscussThe Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo and help choose a book for next month’s meeting.

FRIDAY

Post SecretDavis exhibit

10a.m.to3p.m.

Griffin Lounge,MemorialUnion

Learn what secrets UC Davis students and staff are keeping at this awareness exhibit.Sponsored by Students Against Sexual Violence.

Chinese movement workshop

1to4p.m.

University Club

Learntraditionalexercisesto improve your health and happiness.RSVP to Professor Lynette Hunter atlhunter@ucdavis.edu.

Asian PacificCulture Night

7to10p.m.

Freeborn Hall

Watch traditional and contemporary performancesand the headline performance by hip-hopartist Koba.This event concludes Asian Pacific Culture Week.

Back Roads performances

7p.m.

Arena Theatre,Wright Hall

These two new worksare free of charge! El Camino del Diabloisa gothic western created by Victor Toman.Circuitous Route,created by Sara Zimmerman,is poetic physical theatre.

Dance Team showcase

7p.m.

Davis Veterans‘ Memorial Center Theater

Watch UCD’s nationally ranked dance team perform! Tickets are$6for students and children,$10for general admission.

Documentary screening

7p.m.

1322Storer

WatchIn the Pit,a Mexican documentary.

To receive placement in the AGGIE DAILY CALENDAR,e-mail dailycal@californiaaggie.com or stop by25Lower 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.XXX

City continues to wrestle with downtown parking problem

City News

City Editor

April 23, 2008

Don’t call them ‘meter maids’ – the politically correct term is parking control officer.

In big cities like San Francisco, this breed of civil servant is fighting against a fine increase they say would lead to more verbal and physical abuse than they already receive from angry drivers, according to an Apr. 16 article in The San Francisco Chronicle.

Fortunately for parking control officers in Davis, people here seem to be a little calmer despite ongoing parking problems downtown.

“We don’t have a whole lot of [violence] here in town,” said Ton Phan, traffic sergeant with the Davis Police Department. “For the most part, people are pretty civilized – not like in New York or San Francisco.”

For years, the city has provided free parking downtown for up to two hours, but any longer than that and a $35 ticket will ensue.

“These guys do get yelled at a lot,” Phan said. “It’s not an easy job. No one is thanking you.”

While Davis doesn’t share the dramatic parking problems of higher density cities, parking downtown has been a concern for over a decade.

“Our downtown is very healthy and vibrant and as a result, parking can sometimes be a little tight,” said Ken Hiatt, deputy city manager. “We’ve been … trying for 10 to 15 years to manage the allocation of our parking supply to make sure the parking that we do have is most conveniently available for visitors and employees.”

As part of the long-running discussion about how to ease downtown parking problems, the city council voted last week to implement a pilot program to install pay parking meters downtown in the E Street Plaza lot.

“I think it’s a good experiment,” said Davis City Councilmember Don Saylor. “It’s a good thing to try – to see if we can make a difference in the parking situation.”

People have expressed concern that the two-hour parking limit is problematic for extended shopping trips or movies, Saylor said.

When the program rolls out in August, downtown visitors will have the option of paying $1 per hour to park up to four hours.

“We have avoided pay parking until this point because we want [downtown] to be hospitable,” he said. “But it’s possible that some paid parking will actually enhance the [downtown] experience and result in more people coming down without worrying about a parking ticket.”

Davis Downtown Business Association and the city of Davis will embark on a public outreach campaign at the beginning of the summer to educate people about downtown’s parking rules.

“I think it’s the surprise element that affects people’s emotions more than anything,” said Joy Cohan, administrator of downtown business association. “Hopefully we’re answering a need and not upsetting people.”

In the next few months, the Davis City Council will hold a workshop to discuss the comprehensive plan for downtown parking. The plan includes a proposal for a parking structure between E and F streets and between Third and Fourth streets.

“There is no single right answer for parking downtown,” Saylor said. “Any action that we take has some drawbacks.”

The lot’s usage will be monitored for the first six months after which the pilot program will be evaluated, Cohan said.

“We’re going to learn from this program and hopefully meet people’s needs,” she said.

ALYSOUN BONDE can be reached at city@californiaaggie.com. XXX.

Davis College Democrats to hold City Council forum

City News

City Editor

April 23, 2008

The Davis College Democrats are holding a city council forum tonight to allow students to question the five Democratic candidates running for the Davis City Council and to familiarize the student body with the candidates’ stances on political issues in Davis.

Davis City Council elections are held every two years, with three out of five spots open for this year’s election June 3. There are five Democratic candidates and one Green party candidate running for the three available positions.

The three incumbents, Sue Greenwald, Don Saylor, Stephen Souza, and the two challengers, Cecilia Escamilla-Greenwald and Sydney Vergis, will attend the forum to make their policies clear to students and answer questions about their campaign goals.

“The forum will give students options on a variety of views on politics,” said Max Mikalonis, president of Davis College Democrats. “Students who attend will be more informed about local politics.”

The Davis City Council is not directly related to UC Davis, but Davis College Democrats and Mikalonis have created the forum to help show students how the city council affects student life in Davis, he added.

“City council is important to students because the city council members can pass ordinances that can impact them as renters and citizens,” Mikalonis said. “For instance, when students have issue with the Davis police, city council is where they can voice complaints.”

According to the DCD website, interaction between UC Davis students and the city council is important.

“DCD feels it is important that students take a more active role in the community most of them live in…. Student issues really do matter in the city of Davis,” according to the website.

Escamilla-Greenwald also said one of the forum’s main goals is to emphasize the importance of the close relationship between the city council and UC Davis students.

“Councilmembers make the decisions that directly impact students’ lives and pocketbooks,” said Escamilla-Greenwald, one of the candidates. “Councilmembers impact everything from cost of rent, to renters’ rights, to transportation, to bike lanes, to shopping options, to entertainment options … and students should therefore have a voice and a say as to who represents them on the Davis City Council.”

The forum will be based on candidates’ answers to a questionnaire provided by Davis College Democrats. The questionnaire, available on the Davis College Democrats website, covers a variety of topics including alternative energy in Davis, growth rates and renting issues.

“This is a good opportunity for students to learn about the issues facing the city of Davis and the candidates running for office,” Escamilla-Greenwald said. “The goal of the forum is to involve UC Davis students in local politics.”

Questions at the forum will be submitted to a moderator, then given out randomly to two of the city council candidates. There will be up to two direct questions to each individual running for office.

Mikalonis said students should consider what to ask the candidates before coming to the forum.

“I recommend that students prepare [for the forum] by listening to responses, asking questions and being aware of issues in Davis,” Mikalonis said. The forum will be held today at 7 p.m. in 230 Wellman. All five Democratic city council candidates will be present to answer students’ questions. Making students more involved and aware of the community they live in is a primary objective of the forum, Escamilla-Greenwald said. “Students are the lifeblood of our community,” she said. “Without the students our city would be very different.”

KELLY KRAG-ARNOLD can be reached at city@californiaaggie.com.XXX

Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District Volunteer Day to raise awareness

City News

City Editor

April 23, 2008

It’s that time of year again.

If there’s a downside to the beautiful spring weather, the sunny days and warm nights we’ve been having, it’s the mosquitoes. But they are more than just annoying pests – these insects can pose a serious health risk.

To raise awareness about mosquitoes and insect-borne diseases, the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District will be hosting its third annual Volunteer Day tomorrow. Volunteers will be canvassing Sacramento and Yolo County with educational materials on how residents can help reduce mosquito populations in their area and protect themselves against West Nile virus.

“In the past three years we have had many human cases in the Sacramento and Yolo County area, including deaths,” said Luz Rodriguez, a spokesperson for the district in an e-mail interview. “West Nile virus is here to stay and we all have to be concerned because it is a serious and debilitating disease that has long lasting effects.”

Last year, there were 27 cases of West Nile in Sacramento and Yolo counties, including one death.

Dr. Tom Ferguson, the medical director at the Cowell Student Health Center, said in an e-mail interview that not everyone who is infected with West Nile develops strong symptoms.

“In fact, that seems to be rare, but when they do become severely ill they may die from encephalitis – severe brain infection,” Ferguson said.

West Nile is not the only insect-borne disease to affect the Davis area.

“Locally, we have several viruses, including West Nile, Saint Louis and Western Equine encephalitis that can cause disease in people,” said Dr. Gregory Lanzaro, in an e-mail interview. Lanzaro is the director of the UC Mosquito Research Program, which will be hosting its annual Malaria Awareness Day event Friday, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the University Club Lounge. “These viruses can infect the central nervous system and cause serious neurological disease and even death. This is not the common outcome, but it does happen.”

Information distributed on Volunteer Day will include suggestions, such as draining any standing water in which mosquitoes might breed, using functioning door and window screens and avoiding the outdoors at sunrise and sunset, when mosquitoes are most active.

“There are no drugs or vaccines and no cure for West Nile. The best protection is to stay indoors at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are biting. If this is not possible, mosquito repellants and long sleeve shirts and pants can be worn to reduce mosquito bites,” Lanzaro said.

The mosquitoes could pose a problem for intramural sports teams at UC Davis, Ferguson said.

“I think all members of the Davis community should be concerned about West Nile, particularly if they are involved in activities that place them at risk for mosquito contact. For example, when playing sports activities at night – that may be the biggest risk for Davis students,” Ferguson said.

Volunteer Day, a part of Mosquito Awareness Week, is only one component of the district’s ongoing efforts.

“The District provides year-round mosquito vector control services,” Rodriguez said. “Our goal is to protect public health and welfare from West Nile virus and other vector-borne diseases.”

In addition to disseminating information, the district’s services include ecological management to eliminate the sources of mosquito breeding in habitats and even the raising of species of fish which specifically prey on mosquitoes.

The district will also be hosting a community education forum in Davis next month, on May 13 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Center.

J. DANA STUSTER can be reached at city@californiaaggie.com.XXX

Muslim Student Association to host talk on Shar’iah, democracy

Campus News

Campus Editor

April 23, 2008

Speaker Imam Mohamed Abdul-Azeez will discuss Shar’iah, a code of law based on scholarly interpretation of the Islamic scriptures today at 8 p.m. in 126 Wellman.

The event, titled “Shar’iah versus Democracy?” is sponsored by the Muslim Student Association in conjunction with the Muslim Law Student Association, and will address the code’s relationship with democracy.

“There is an underlying assumption that the two are incompatible with each other,” Abdul-Azeez said, adding that his talk will focus on “dispelling that myth.”

Shari’ah is an institution of law, whereas democracy is a form of government; thus it is erroneous to compare the two, said Abdul-Azeez, who is a religious leader at the SALAM Islamic Center in Sacramento, and who was educated at Ohio State University and the University of Chicago.

“You cannot compare apples and oranges,” he said. “The question is not democracy or Shari’ah, the question is can Shar’iah be applied in a democratic form of government.”

“Traditionally, shari`a [sic] has left matters of governance to state law, and Muslim states since the 9th century have sought to keep Islamic law and state administration institutionally distinct,” said Flagg Miller, professor of religious studies at UC Davis in an e-mail interview.

“Shar`iah is perfectly compatible with democracy, since the latter is an issue of governance and electoral process that Muslim legal specialists have usually left to political leaders,” he said.

“I don’t think there is any country in the world that exclusively implements Shar’iah law,” Abdul-Azeez said. “The only country that does partially is Saudi Arabia.”

“Shar’iah is an attempt to create a legal code out of the scripture,” Abdul-Azeez said. “It’s not divine law, it’s a human institution of law based on what the consensus of the scriptures are.”

“Most Muslims agree in varying capacities that Shar’iah is the optimal way of life,” Abdul-Azeez said.

Because Shar’iah is based on interpretation of the Quran and Hadith – a collection of the Prophet Mohammad’s sayings and doings – there are different versions that vary slightly, Abdul-Azeez said.

“[Scholars] will agree on 80 percent of the issues,” he said.

Shar’iah law, however, is a controversial topic.

Amnesty International is a worldwide organization concerned with preventing and ending human rights violations, such as torture and violence against women.

“Amnesty International doesn’t have a position on Shar’iah law per se, as long as it isn’t violating human rights standards and in accordance with conventions of international law that have been signed and ratified by the particular country [implementing Shar’iah],” said Mona Cadena, director of Amnesty International’s Western Region.

Amnesty International does, however, have concerns with what they consider to be cruel, inhuman and degrading punishments, she said, such as flogging, stoning or amputation – penalties that Shar’iah courts have the option of using.

Cadena used an example of a trial in Nigeria in which a Shar’iah court sentenced Safiya Yakubu Hussaini to be stoned to death Oct. 9, 2001 for committing adultery. With help of Amnesty International and other organizations, Hussaini’s sentence was commuted in March 2002.

Shar’iah, however, is more concerned with addressing what’s right and wrong rather than defining punishments, said Islamic religious leader Abdul-Azeez.

“If you are doing things you shouldn’t do, that’s between you and God,” he said. “Most things are punishable on the day of judgment, not here.”

Abdul-Azeez said there is a dispute among Shar’iah scholars about punishing adultery by stoning – something many scholars don’t accept.

“I personally don’t,” he said.

There is a noted distinction in the guidelines for public and private life in Shar’iah law, said Mohamad Ahmad, a first-year law student and member of the Muslim Law Student Association.

Public guidelines include “[one] cannot cheat in business, or commit murder,” he said. Private life guidelines call for each individual to strive higher than what is stated in the public guidelines, Ahmad said.

“[Private guidelines] are not necessarily enforceable in the public domain – they [address] each individual on a personal level,” he said, noting respecting ones’ parents as an example.

The Muslim Student Association decided to address Shar’iah because it is a widely discussed topic in the media, said Khalida Fazel, senior civil engineering major and the association’s president.

She said the Muslim Student Association will discuss the subject to “clear up misconceptions and break up stereotypes.”

“I think [the talk] will be enlightening for both Muslims and non-Muslims alike, because there is a lot of confusion about the subject,” Ahmad said.

Admission to the event, part of Islam Awareness Week, is free and open to the public.

ANNA OPALKA can be reached at campus@californiaaggie.com. XXX

Asian-Pacific food making demonstration to be held tonight

Campus News

Campus Editor

April 23, 2008

Want to learn how to make spring rolls, sushi, masubi or just learn what these foods are? Some may be curious enough to participate in today’s “Unwrap this: Rollin’ Rollin’ Rollin'” food demonstration event on Asian-Pacific dishes.

The event will be held today in MUII take place from 7 to 9 p.m.

Co-sponsored by the Asian Pacific Culture Week committee and Campus Unions, this free event will give students a hands-on demonstration on how to make many dishes popular in Asia and Asia-Pacific including vegetarian spring rolls, sushi, red bean ice or halo halo, and masubi, a rice and Spam dish popular in Hawaii.

“Food connects people. It is a venue through which people are curious to learn about different cultures” said Angelina Yu, director for Asian Pacific Culture Week.

Yu stressed that participating in this activity will not only give students a chance to learn to make certain ethnic foods, but also give them a grasp on the culture behind food making in the Asia-Pacific.

“APCW programs like this strive to introduce culture, inspire people to keep learning beyond what we present in the workshop and also challenge them to think about the broader picture of what’s happening in the [Asian Pacific Islander] community,” said Yu, a senior human and community development major.

Though no professional chefs will be present at the event, students themselves from the Asian Pacific Culture Week staff will be demonstrating their favorites. Campus Unions staff members will also demonstrate the techniques behind making halo halo and vegetarian Vietnamese spring rolls.

“I wanted students to have fun, making these foods while learning about its history” said Julianna Cruz, student director for Campus Unions.

Not only can students have fun but they can learn about the history of making these foods.

“This event was organized around the concept of equipping students with some of the skills of preparing some popular Asian Pacific Islander foods but also educating them with the history and stories illustrating how these foods came to being staples in the communities” said Yu.

This event is just one of the many events put on during the 35th annual Asian Pacific Culture Week.

“Here in America, Asian foods have become somewhat commonplace, but the rich stories and traditions behind these foods is seldom known. It’s important to reconnect these stories and beliefs with the foods in order to spread real cultural knowledge” said Jonathan Chee, junior microbiology major and co-organizer for the event.

Chee gathered stories, myths, traditions and other interesting facts into informational sheets for students to read as they wait their turn for the hands-on portion of the event.

Chee shared a myth that will be talked about at tonight’s event.

“There is a belief in Chinese families that if you leave grains of rice on your plate, each grain will be reflected as a pimple or a blemish on your husband or wife’s face,”said Chee.

“It would be a shame not to share all of our cultures with the greater UC Davis community.… It’s easy to see this community has such a long, diverse [and] colorful history” said Chee.

Cruz agreed that it is important to have such educational yet fun events held on campus.

“Having these type of events on campus are important because they bring awareness of different histories and cultures from all types of communities. Also, these events allow students to interact with each other outside of just school and work and thus some ways builds a community on campus,” said Cruz.

If you would like to participate in the actual food demonstration portion, send an e-mail to annyu@ucdavis.edu. Space is limited to 50 people, so advance registration is required. All are welcome to watch the demonstrations if not able to register beforehand.

ANGELA RUGGIERO can be reached at campus@californiaaggie.com.

A sidebar with the following info:

How to make a Vietnamese Spring Roll

Campus
Unions staff members will also demonstrate the techniques behind making
halo halo and vegetarian Vietnamese spring rolls, including how to
correctly wrap the spring rolls. See the recipe below to make your own.

Recipe:

Given
by Ceci Mendoza, senior Spanish and education double-major who will be
helping out with the Vietnamese Spring Roll demonstration at tonight’s
event. Mendoza said that she got this simple and easy recipe from a
Korean friend and enjoys making this multi-cultural dish often.

You will need:

Rice paper

Rice noodles (vermicelli)

Lettuce, chopped

Carrots, chopped

Cucumber, chopped

Chopped mint leaves

First,
soak the rice paper in warm water to soften it. Then lay wrappers flat.
Place lettuce on wrapper. Add a handful of noodles on top, then
carrots, cucumber and mint leaves. If desired, add chopped cooked
chicken and coriander.

Wrap
the rice paper around the ingredients like you would with a burrito,
tightly packing in the ingredients. Leave one side open and cut into
pieces for presentation.

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