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Best Place to Study: Shields Library

Best of Davis

The California Aggie

May 3, 2016

Of all of the coffee shops, nooks and cranniess to study in, Peter J. Shields Library has been chosen as the best place to study in Davis. Shields Library is conveniently located between the Memorial Union and the Silo, so students can easily grab a cup of coffee and head to the library to catch up on work.

Shields is home to numerous resources, with plenty of study rooms, computer rooms and thousands of books.

“There’s a lot of study space available since there are four floors and a basement, as well as a lot of areas for group study and independent study,” said Crystal Leung, a UC Davis graduate and former employee at Shields Library. “There are also designated floors for quiet study and for louder group study areas depending on the floor you are on.”

Typically, the more stairs students climb, the quieter the study area, with the fourth floor nearly dead silent. For more group-friendly environments, students can explore the depths of Shields by traveling to the basement or first floor. No matter the kind of study experience a student is looking for, he or she will find it at Shields.

Computers are available throughout the library, and with a vast collection of books, articles and journals, Shields does not lack resources for any sort of studying or research.

The library hours are online, but should students ever need the extra study time, they should check out the 24-hour study room, which is fully-equipped with outlets and bathrooms.

Written by: Samantha Solomon and Bianca Antunez — features@theaggie.org

Best Place to Take your Family: Davis Farmers’ Market

Best of Davis

The California Aggie

May 3, 2016

bestplacetotakeyourfamily_bod_Lu — ZHEN LU / AGGIE

For most students, there is no better place to buy fresh fruits and vegetables than at a farmers’ market. Plus, it’s safe to say that there’s no sight more charming than little kids running around farmers’ stalls filled with a variety of colorful foods on a Saturday morning.

Loved by all in the Davis community, the Davis Farmers’ Market is voted top choice for the “Best Place to Take Your Family” award.

Located at Central Park in Downtown Davis, the market is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine, and features Davis Farmers’ Market apparel and fresh fruit and vegetables available for purchase. Additionally, every Wednesday in spring, the market holds its “Picnic in the Park” event from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. complete with live music and performances. The music ranges anywhere from Jazz, to Country, to pop and funk, and serves as a perfect way to get that good, old-fashioned family-time in while also impressing your parents with the market’s tight-knit community feel.

Kasey Inglis, a second-year sustainable environmental design major, appreciates how the market captu

res the small town feel of Davis. According to Inglis, its warm environment allows interactions between students and the local community to grow stronger.

“The farmers’ market has something for everyone,” Inglis said. “There is food of all kinds and it is a really friendly environment. They also have live music, which is super fun and entertaining. You can find all types of people here and it’s a great example of the Davis community.”

From a wide variety of real and unusual produce, gourmet pastries, freshly-pressed apple juice, local arts, music and food trucks, the farmers’ market caters to everyone’s needs.

Written by: Megan Toy and Sara Williams — features@theaggie.org

Breaking Ground: Black British Writers Tour makes its way to Mondavi tonight

Arts & Culture

The California Aggie

May 2, 2016

British writer Bernadine Evaristo, one of the authors featured in the Breaking Ground tour. (KRISTIANSTAD BOKFESTIVAL 2015 / FLICKR)

Tour includes a diverse collection of work by black writers from around the U.K.

On Tuesday, May 3, the Mondavi Center will host an event for the Breaking Ground: Black British Writers U.S. Tour. The tour showcases a variety of written work from 10 talented black writers from around the United Kingdom. The project is part of the British foundation Speaking Volumes, LLC, which supports and hosts live literature productions.

At a pre-event hosted by the UC Davis African American Studies (AAS) program, Speaking Volumes director Sharmilla Beezmohun spoke about the featured writers and where previous tours have been.

“We brought them to the U.S. last November and spent time on the East Coast, and now we’re on this side of the states,” Beezmohun said.

The success that the tour found last year allowed the group to come back to the United States, this time touring in New York, New Jersey and California.

Beezmohun said that the male writers in the group took part in a creative writing workshop for the inmates at the California State Prison in Sacramento.

At the AAS event, two writers on the tour, Bernardine Evaristo and Jay Bernard, spoke about their life experiences and read from some of their work.

Evaristo was born in London to a British mother and a Nigerian father. Her experience growing up in London in the 1960’s and 70’s when there was a lack of representation for mixed-race people is part of what has inspired her career. After starting a theatre troupe called Black Women Co., Evaristo pursued fiction.

“I needed to find that personal entitlement to be a writer and get what I wanted from my writing career,” Evaristo said.

The book she read from, Lara, is a work of fiction that is inspired by her family history, and goes back to detail over seven generations of her family.

Along with being a part of Breaking Ground, Evaristo also started the Brunel African Poetry prize, which is open to writers all around the world and has a grand prize of £3,000.

Evaristo said programs like Breaking Ground aim to mentor black British writers and open them up to poetry networks and the British poetry scene in order to increase the amount of work published by black writers.

“These schemes are really important, really interesting and necessary,” Evaristo said.

Bernard spoke about coming from a working-class family in London and spending time in her childhood finding books she could relate to her experiences. Bernard has pursued degrees in technology and the humanities, and has found it useful to combine the two disciplines.

“I wanted to take an arts-oriented approach to technology,” Bernard said.

On her identity as a writer, Bernard said she identifies as both a queer writer and a black writer, along with the intersections that those identities create.

“I try to think more about my identity in terms of what I do,” Bernard said, referring to her poetry and feminist technological projects, like the online forum Black Feminist Server Workshop.

The Davis leg of the Breaking Ground tour, which will include nine of the 10 writers in the group, is tonight at the Mondavi Center at 8 p.m. Tickets for the event can be found here.

Written by: Melissa Dittrich – arts@theaggie.org

Demand transparency from Katehi investigation

Opinion

The California Aggie

May 2, 2016

Respectful student involvement critical

After initially expressing support for UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi, University of California (UC) President Janet Napolitano announced April 27 that Katehi was placed on a 90-day paid investigative administrative leave.

Napolitano’s change of heart came after a series of suspicious events were brought to light, including Katehi accepting a paid position on the board of DeVry Education Group, the allocation of at least $175,000 to improve UC Davis web search results and, most recently, questions regarding the chancellor’s employment of immediate family members. The investigation will be carried out by a third-party group to determine which, if any, university policies were violated. During her leave, the chancellor’s position will be filled by Acting Chancellor Ralph J. Hexter, who was previously UC Davis provost.

The Editorial Board appreciates the precautionary action taken by the UC in investigating decisions made behind the doors of Mrak Hall. As a top research university, UC Davis must be managed by trustworthy administrators who take students’ best interests to heart.

UC Davis students have played an active and vital role in bringing awareness to the chancellor’s actions. On March 11, the student Fire Katehi group began a sit-in on the fifth floor of Mrak Hall, calling for the chancellor’s resignation. The protesters left Mrak on April 15 and have since organized additional demonstrations, continuing to elevate the issue.

It is only fair that the investigation progresses transparently, avoiding suspicious actions similar to those it is reviewing. As the investigation commences, students should remain informed and continue to take interest in campus events.

In the event that Katehi is dismissed from her position, we hope that student involvement is welcomed in the process of appointing a new chancellor. Student committees and other forms of respectful involvement can add to increased productivity and avoid disruptive behavior.

With the year coming to a close and many students preparing for graduation, it is necessary for the administrative drama to remain separate from the university’s educational goals. The Editorial Board hopes that the investigation of Chancellor Katehi and the oversight of Acting Chancellor Hexter operate seamlessly, prioritizing the university’s core academic values and avoiding further interruptions.

Humor: Five English Kings with butt-related deaths

Opinion

The California Aggie

May 2, 2016

butt_op1 Unless you’re a buff or nerd, history may be a boring subject. One UC Davis professor by the name of Andrea Lorraine felt that this was an important challenge, and decided she would make the first day of history class a day to remember for her students. She thought that if she focused on the more bizarre facts, she could get her students more interested in research. That’s why her first lecture was titled “Five Kings Who Died Via Butt.” The topic, which gave an interesting perspective on how the royal jewels have gotten more protection than the royal derriere, got an instant response.

Here are the stories Professor Lorraine discussed in class:

Edmund II — Ass-assinated

This Saxon King died on Nov. 30,1016, 50 years before the Normans invaded. Edmund was only king for eight months, and spent most of his reign fighting Danish Vikings that tried to invade and take over the country. Although he failed to keep England safe, he did give historians some fun reading. According to legend, Edmund II was going to the privy (a.k.a. bathroom, a.k.a. a giant hole in the ground to poop in) when he was fatally stabbed by a Viking hiding below. Granted it’s a weird story, and there is little evidence to back it up, but it’s one of those historical moments that people love to think is true.

John I — Im-peach-ing a King

King John is possibly the least favorite of all the monarchs in English history. He’s the kind of monarch that would appear at a WWE wrestling match with an antagonist persona. He earned the ire of France, his allies, his barons, his own family and he might as well have also pissed off his own mirror reflection. You’d think he would have died by an assassin, or executed by angry lords. Nope. He died in 1216 from dysentery after eating too many peaches (side effects include apocalyptic diarrhea).

Edward II — Poking around

Where John may have the victim of bad historical press and a few bad peaches, Edward II might have even less to show for his time as king. Reigning from 1307-1327, his allegedly weak reign was so unpopular that he was overthrown by barons led by his own wife (marriage counselors had not been invented yet). While in captivity, Edward died under suspicious circumstances that have led to multiple conspiracy theories. One particularly gruesome theory was that he was tortured to death with a red hot poker, and since this column is about butt-related deaths, you’ll forgive me if I stop describing any more details. Sorry Ed.

Richard III — A cushion, A cushion, my kingdom for a cushion

While some kings get famous for their positive examples, Richard III seems to get amazing press for being the bad boy of English monarchs. He inspired the Shakespeare play that takes his name, the character of Frank Underwood from “House of Cards” and even Benedict Cumberbatch, who, after nearly six centuries, delivered his eulogy (I smell an Oscar). Richard died in the battle of Bosworth field in 1485, making him the last king to die in battle (sweet title). What wasn’t so sweet was that after he was killed, his naked body was allegedly paraded past the victorious troops who possibly celebrated by stabbing his corpse. One of them decided to stab him in the butt (not cool, dude). Although Richard III got the short end of the stick in his day, he still gets a great deal of publicity compared to the last king on our list.

George II — Bad plumbing

At the height of his power and prestige, George II’s empire reached across the planet. He beat back rebellions, won multiple wars against the French and lived a longer and more lavish life than any of his predecessors. Unfortunately, his death was far less compelling than most royal deaths. On the morning of Oct. 25, 1760, George II drank some hot cocoa, went to the bathroom, and died of a ruptured heart valve at the age of 77. Not so much of a “You can take this throne over my cold dead butt,” but more of a “Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” type of death.

Since starting off her lectures with the provocative material, Professor Lorraine has faced little to no scrutiny from peers and students. She even gave extra credit opportunities to anyone who could find more interesting and surprisingly true stories from Western history. So far, students have submitted papers such as “Egyptian mummies being turned into powder for medical uses,” “the history of chocolate” and “Modena versus Bologna: The War of the Bucket” (no seriously, there was a war over a bucket).

You can contact EVAN LILLEY at etlilley@gmail.com.

Street Food Rodeo returns to Davis

City News

The California Aggie

May 2, 2016

Davis Dirt brings food trucks, entertainment to West Davis

Food trucks, live music and community gathering can all be found at the Street Food Rodeo on Friday, May 20. The event will take place at the Westlake Plaza, located at 1260 Lake Blvd. The event is hosted by Davis Dirt, which is Davis’ free arts and entertainment paper that works to promote anything related to music, art and food.

This will be the fourth local Street Food Rodeo and event coordinators expect to continue the event for years to come due to the rising interest and demand for food trucks.

According to Anna Meckstroth, co-editor of the Davis Dirt, everyone was pleasantly surprised at the response to the event in previous years.

“For our very first event, we had no idea what kind of response we would get. The event went from 5 to 10 p.m. and all our trucks were sold out of food by 7 p.m. It’s been very very popular and people are still excited about food trucks and luckily there are always more food trucks being created and new types of food, so there’s always something new and exciting and people always seem excited to attend,” Meckstroth said.

The Street Food Rodeo is the only food truck event in Davis. Meckstroth states that this is due to restrictions placed on food trucks by the city, but the Davis Dirt was willing to work very closely with the city and comply with all of the rules needed to bring food trucks to Davis. The event was initially located by the Davis Food Co-op, but after two years, it was moved to Westlake Plaza in West Davis. According to Meckstroth, this change in location has been a very positive experience for everyone involved, including the West Davis community which is extremely grateful to have action on its side of town.

Janette Getter, assistant manager at Westlake Market, which is located in Westlake Plaza, explains how the event has benefited the market.

“We’ve been here for almost 7 years in this spot so to have more people come and know who we are and what we represent in the community is amazing,” Getter said.

Getter explains that many different organizations and groups help put together the event with their involvement and their contributions. She adds that people have been requesting more trucks, helping the event to grow into something bigger every year. Getter notes that getting everyone together is what the event is all about and people always seem to have a great time.

Romina Hashemizadeh, a second-year microbiology major, explains her experience at last year’s rodeo, stating that she looks forward to similar events in Davis.

“The diversity of the food was very appealing and the fact that there were a lot of people, it was a social atmosphere, there was live music, it made you want to stay and just spend a few hours there just hanging out in the nice weather listening to music and eating different types of food,” Hashemizadeh said.

According to Meckstroth, this year there will be music for people to enjoy as they eat. Additionally, there will be street performers entertaining those in line.

The event will run from 5 to 9 p.m. with free admission and 13 food trucks. For more information and the complete truck line-up, visit www.thedavisdirt.com.

Written By: HADYA AMIN- city@theaggie.org

Mace Ranch Innovation Center indefinitely on hold

City News

The California Aggie

May 2, 2016

PRAKASH PINTO OF PINTO AND PARTNERS / COURTESY

Developers reassess economic feasibility of project plans

Since its introduction in September 2014, the plan to build the Mace Ranch Innovation Center (MRIC) has jumped countless hurdles, endured long hours of careful research and planning and gathered large monetary investments. As of April 13, developers placed an indefinite hold on the 212-acre project proposal to review its economic feasibility and discuss future plans.

Located at Davis’ eastern edge, the MRIC must undergo several research reports and eventually a public vote to annex the sites into the city limits before its completion.

Like many other innovation centers, the MRIC planned to introduce a mixed-use innovation district to Davis, expanding the downtown experience and providing employment and research opportunities for businesses, residents and current or future students.

MRIC Project Manager Daniel Ramos first presented the planning application form to the city council in 2014. Ramos is currently the vice president of Ramco Enterprises Inc., and in the past has dealt with other innovation centers and developments. Ramco Enterprises, along with other partners, also took part in the original Mace Ranch Park Project in Davis.

“In West Sacramento, we developed the South Port Industrial Park […] and are involved in the bridge district in West Sacramento,” Ramos said. “So we have a lot experience [with large development projects] and we’ve been in Davis developing commercial and business park space over the last 25 years.”

Unlike other innovation centers, which estimate an internal rate of return of about 12 percent to 20 percent in profits, the MRIC project does not seem to show the same return. Economic & Planning Systems, Inc. (EPS) released a report that questioned the economic feasibility of the project, claiming that the center would produce a mere 5 percent return for the developers.

According to the April 13 press release by the MRIC, “[The] Finance & Budget Commission meeting concludes that the project might not be feasible given that only 128 acres or 60 percent of the site are considered developable and that infrastructure costs are high. The estimated infrastructure costs of more than $50 million are four times the industry standard for similar projects, according to the project sponsors.”

Despite the high costs for developers, an earlier EPS study showed that the MRIC would generate approximately $2.2 million annually for the city, create more than 10,600 jobs in Davis and Yolo County and produce $3 billion in total economic output in the long term.

The developers aimed to have the MRIC proposal on the November ballot for residents to vote on, but it is now unclear if it will make it on the ballot this year. Ramos emphasized that the developers truly wanted to have a community dialogue about the project and have the MRIC done right to create a high-quality innovation center.

While many innovation centers can take up to 25 years to build roots in the area, MRIC developers want to ensure that all of their investments will be worthwhile and provide Davis with countless opportunities to better the city.

Mayor Pro Tem Robb Davis joined the innovation park sub-committee task force, which looks at proposals for innovation centers in Davis. The sub-committee works with the staff and developers of the Davis Innovation Center, the Nishi Project and the MRIC.

“It’s a very long build out and a site of that size projected a 20 to 25 year build out,” Davis said. “My attitude on the project was […] to make this the best project [it could be]. Over time, it could definitely provide employment opportunities in medium to long term realities.”

Written By: BIANCA ANTUNEZ – city@theaggie.org

Four UC Davis faculty members elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

The California Aggie

May 2, 2016

Acting Chancellor Ralph Hexter, pictured above, is one of four UC Davis faculty members to recently be admitted to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Appointed alongside him are: Andreas Albrecht, professor of physics; Chris Reynolds, professor of music; and David Simpson, distinguished professor of English. (BRIAN LANDRY / AGGIE)

Faculty members recognized for work in administration, literature, music, physics

Four members of the UC Davis faculty were recently elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, bringing the current number of scholars from the university in the academy to 25.

The nomination and election processes are secret and conducted by current members of the academy. According to Dave Nuscher, chief communications officer for the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, potential members are nominated by other scholars in the same field; nominees are voted on by the entire academy.

Election is based on a scholar’s accomplishments over the course of their career. This year, those elected include Acting Chancellor Ralph J. Hexter, physics professor Andreas Albrecht, music professor Chris Reynolds and English professor David Simpson.

Hexter was honored for the work he has done as a school administrator on behalf of LGBTQ university presidents.

“Some people must have gotten the notion that I‘ve been doing a good job, but I’d like to think my election was in part in recognition of the role I’ve played in helping break through the ‘glass ceiling’ that kept LGBTQ individuals from reaching the presidency,” Hexter said. “I am a founding member of LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education, which now counts about 70 members. I see this as only one dimension of my commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in higher education.”

The origin of the universe is the main area of study for Albrecht, who currently serves as the physics department chair.

“I study the very beginnings of the universe,” Albrecht said. “I am a theoretician, so I work with mathematics, equations and computer models and that kind of thing. I deal with really fundamental questions about how physics in the universe works and try to propose answers to these fundamental questions that then lead to actual predictions for signatures in the data we can take and observe.”

As a professor of music, Reynolds is in awe to be amongst the ranks of stars and famous musicians.

“It was interesting when I opened up the letter, there was of course the letter of congratulations, and then there was a list of other people in the area,” Reynolds said. “[It includes] big stars: Woody Allen, Wayne Shorter, Robert De Niro. It is amazing to be in that group. When I mentally subtract that kind of person and look at who the other music scholars are, I am amazed to be among the group and a little surprised at people who I expected to be there who aren’t.”

Simpson is a distinguished professor in English.

“My specialties are British romanticism and literary theory,” Simpson said. “The former is a historical field, 18th and early 19th century British literature. The second is a more methodological field, literary theory being a kind of philosophy, social science-inspired paradigm for reading literature and culture.”

Reynolds, who was alerted by his friend to look for a package signifying admission, was surprised by what this package really was.

“I got home, no package to be seen, and when this person said package, I was imagining something other than an envelope. […] I came in [to the department] and there were three sort of hefty packages in my box,” Reynolds said. “None of them were particularly interesting […] I thought, ‘Oh well, maybe it will come tomorrow.’ Then I thought, ‘Well, I will look one more time.’ And there, under [the packages] was a thin little envelope with this letter in it. I thought, ‘Oh my god.’”

For Albrecht, one of the best aspects of his admission is to be elected alongside three other members from Davis.

“One of the things I love about being at UC Davis is that you interact with colleagues from very different areas,” Albrecht said. “The place I was before I came here was a place called Imperial College in London which has a character much like MIT in being very focused on technical areas. In many ways, I was very happy there and it’s a great university, but I did miss the diversity in scholarship and talent and creativity in all these different areas. […] It is really special to me to have music and English and classics together, that we are together for that.”

Written by: Kenton Goldsby – campus@theaggie.org

Sacramento Zoo welcomes birth of baby giraffe

City News

The California Aggie

May 2, 2016

Public expected to meet Rocket by mid-May

On April 10, a six-foot tall male Masai giraffe named Rocket was born at the Sacramento Zoo, weighing 163 pounds.

“His name refers to the speedy nature of his delivery and how quickly he stood and nursed,” said Melissa McCartney, primary ungulate zookeeper at the Sacramento Zoo, in an email.

McCartney works solely with giraffes, duikers, hogs, emus, kangaroos and wallabies. The Masai giraffe, found primarily in Kenya and Tanzania, is the tallest of all giraffe species, making it the tallest animal on Earth. An adult giraffe can grow up to 19 feet tall and weigh over 4,000 pounds.

The Sacramento Zoo is home to six giraffes, with the newborn and his father, Chifu, being the only two males. Candelaria explains that the zoo typically doesn’t keep more than one adult male because of concerns that the males will compete with each other.

“They’re very popular, they’re a very large animal and everyone from the smallest of children to adults can see very easily. They’re very charismatic animals, but very rarely go out,” said Tonja Candelaria, public relations coordinator for the Sacramento Zoo.

Because giraffes are used to living in hot environments, they are very sensitive to cold temperatures (under 50 degrees Fahrenheit). Rocket and his mother, Shani, are currently living in a heated barn and zoo staff members expect the calf to be introduced to the public by mid-May.

“It kind of depends on when mom and the calf give us signs that they are ready to go out. It’ll test the calf being stronger on his feet and interacting with the herd more through the protective contact and mom going over to the door to go outside,” Candelaria said. “Right now she doesn’t seem very interested in going over to the yard with the rest of the giraffes at all and [zookeepers are waiting] for her to become more comfortable being a brand new mom.”

McCartney explains that Rocket has become familiar with his environment by following his mother and is getting accustomed to hearing loud noises and seeing crowds of people.

“Since [Shani] does not display nervousness about things that she is accustomed to, he does not react to those things,” McCartney said.

McCartney adds that in the wild, giraffes isolate themselves from their herd to give birth, and remain alone after delivery. She explains that zoo staff strive to imitate this natural behavior by keeping Rocket and his mother away from the herd and in quiet zones.

McCartney adds that staff at the zoo can assist if calfs, like Rocket, experience any health problems or neglect by their mothers. According to McCartney, Shani has not required intervention from staff.

Jonathan Lee, who recently visited the zoo, believes that the giraffes at the zoo are well taken care of and are safe from predators and other dangers, as exemplified by their calm behavior.

“They feel so safe, they even sit. In the wild, it’s too dangerous to do that,” Lee said.

The zoo holds daily events so that visitors can see the giraffes. Giraffe encounters take place at the Sacramento Zoo’s Tall Wonder giraffe viewing deck daily between 11:45 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets cost $3 each and include two pieces of food for visitors to feed the giraffes. Encounter tickets are available at the giraffe viewing deck five minutes before the encounters are scheduled to begin.

Written By: CARLA ARANGO – city@theaggie.org

Mikaela Tenner resigns from ASUCD Senate

Campus News

The California Aggie

May 2, 2016

Tenner’s replacement to be appointed in the coming days after recalibration of Fall Quarter election results

ASUCD Senator Mikaela Tenner resigned from her post on Thursday, April 28, informing ASUCD government members through email.

Tenner, a fourth-year international relations and political science double major, cited family and personal concerns as motivators behind her decision.

“I did not want to have to do this so early into my term, but unfortunately, I need to resign from my position as senator,” Tenner said in her email. “As many of you know, my mom was diagnosed with cancer in February, and this has added a lot of stress into my life that I did not anticipate during my election in the fall.”

Tenner, who was elected in fall 2015, ran on platforms including expanding mental health resources, increasing funding for Safeboats, bringing Wi-Fi to the Activities and Recreation Center and working with the registrar to implement pass-time and drop-deadline emails.

According to ASUCD President Alex Lee, Tenner’s replacement will be appointed in the coming days after fall election’s results are recalibrated to remove Tenner’s votes. The candidate with the next amount of votes will be offered the spot.

“It has been a pleasure to work with all of you, and to represent the students of UC Davis. I wish you all the best with the rest of your terms,” Tenner said.

Written by: Jason Pham – campus@theaggie.org

Monkey Business

The California Aggie

May 1, 2016

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Japan Trip | December 2015

Over winter break, my family and I went on vacation to Japan. We visited Jigokudani Monkey Park in Nagano which took five hours from Tokyo. Once in Nagano, we had to hike for 30 minutes to get to the park. The monkeys were really cute and not afraid of humans at all. They ran around us and relaxed in the natural hot springs.

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Photos by: Nicki Padar – photo@theaggie.org

A raw-markable festival

The California Aggie

May 1, 2016

UC Davis community looks forward to this year’s raw-themed Whole Earth Festival.

This year’s Whole Earth Festival (WEF) is right around the corner. Students, staff, families and visitors are looking forward to a whole weekend of food, friends, fun and festivities.

The Whole Earth Festival is a three-day, student-run festival that takes place on the UC Davis Quad every spring, with this year’s event spanning from Friday, May 6 to Sunday, May 8. The festival is free for all attendees and consists of workshops, performances, food booths and arts and crafts stands. In addition to providing free art and entertainment for the Davis community, the festival also aims to encourage environmental awareness and sustainability.

“Each day [of the festival] has its own vibe and own experience,” said Yousef Buzayan, a fifth-year managerial economics and international agricultural development double major and WEF co-director. “It can be a fun, laid-back picnic; it can be a great time to go outside and get some sunlight; it can also be a fun time at nighttime to dance and hear some great live bands.”

The festival theme this year is “Raw,” conveying the idea of embracing naturalness by releasing thoughts, energy and emotions in a raw way.

“We interpret [the theme] as authentic [and] unadulterated,” said Larysa Fomina, a third-year environmental science and management major and WEF co-director. “It can apply to many things, and that’s why we chose it.”

The event first began in 1969 when an art class at UC Davis organized a small art event called the “Art Happening” as a final project. After the first “Earth Day” event was celebrated in 1970, the event was renamed to “Whole Earth Festival” in 1971 and took on a more environmental focus.

“The festival is really fun,” said Liane Healy, class of 2016 graduate in psychology. “[There’s] lots of good food, different events, people dressed up very colorful[ly] — I look forward to it.”

The festival became a unit of ASUCD in 1973, and over time, garnered much interest and involvement from students across all areas of study. Now, the event hosts over 30,000 attendees every year.

“The Whole Earth Festival is definitely worth checking out,” said Harpreet Manchanda, a fourth-year economics major. “There’s plenty of good food [and] there’s a lot of these cool events as well, so if you’re a first-year student, or a senior, or you just graduated, it is definitely something that brings the entire community back together.”

The festival makes a point to use reusable dishes, and has compost and recycling stations where volunteers sort through waste bins. Last year, even with tens of thousands of attendees, the festival ended up with only one dumpster worth of landfill trash. All other waste was either recycled or composted.

“I did compost and recycling last year; that’s my favorite spot,” Fomina said. “It’s just this great feeling working as a team with a bunch of great people that also care for the environment. We’re sorting through garbage, but everyone still has fun.”

Some distinct features of this year’s Whole Earth Festival will be a music performance by Coachella artist The Human Experience and a workshop by UC Davis chemistry professor Andreas Toupadakis.

This year’s planning committee is comprised of around 45 to 50 staff members who have been planning the festival since last spring. Buzayan said that participating in the planning process for the Whole Earth Festival is a highly rewarding experience.

“You look around and you see all these people laughing, all these people running around and having a good time, and you’re just like, ‘I was part of what made this happen,’” Buzayan said. “That’s the greatest feeling for me at the festival.”

Whether it is delectable vegetarian food, vibrant music and dance performances, educational workshops or exquisite handmade art pieces, the Whole Earth Festival has something unique for everyone to enjoy.

Written by Jennie Chang — features@theaggie.org

On Drake, cheap vodka and Uggs

Opinion

The California Aggie

May 1, 2016

Life is more fun when you’re basic

One day, people will care about how I get drunk. They’ll judge what I order at the bar, what I have to offer guests when they visit and, worst of all, what I like to drink if I’m just enjoying the taste of it.

That day isn’t today.

Because today, it doesn’t matter whether I’m drinking Gilbey’s plastic toilet-grade vodka or a nice, classy bottle of aged Fireball. Today, it’s simply a matter of getting from point A (sober) to point B (crushing the dance floor, becoming everyone’s best friend and hitting up Taco Bell). And today, all my friends are on the same page. We’re all on one journey together: to get drun — I mean, to get our degrees.

That’s a beautiful thing.

This general attitude applies to more than just drinking — although you can get to point B completely sober — and goes into just about everything relating to college. I was recently grabbing coffee with a friend before class, and she remarked on how “basic” she felt wearing Uggs and yoga pants, as if it were a bad thing. But you know what? Uggs and yoga pants are comfortable. Uggs and yoga pants look fantastic. Uggs and yoga pants feel safe. I won’t pretend to understand fashion or trends or fuzzy boots, but why feel so bad if it feels so good?

That’s how I felt when I took a look at my most-played songs on Spotify one day last year. In high school, I had time to learn about cool bands with interesting, meaningful things to say. My favorite rapper was Lupe Fiasco — someone who spit complex lyrics with dizzying levels of substance, hidden meanings and subtle wordplay. Now? If I can’t pregame or work out to it, I don’t listen to it. I dropped 200 of my hard-earned dollars on tickets to see Drake and Future this summer in Oakland. The last concert I went to was Diplo and Dillon Francis. I’m not listening to anything with an incredible amount of meaning or substance or depth, but I have such a stupid amount of fun when the bass drops or when I sing along to Take Care lyrics that literally everyone knows. Is Calvin Harris really pushing the boundaries of music or making any important statements? No. But I’m sure as hell gonna do two extra reps at the gym when “You Used To Hold Me” comes on.

I’m tired of people trying to one-up each other when it comes to the things that are meant to be purely fun. Music should be fun. Clothes should be fun(ctional). Drinking should be fun. And yes, college should be fun. We’ll have the rest of our lives to try to one-up each other. We’ll be playing the comparing game until we’re too old to care anymore. That’s a lifetime of obsessing over whose kids made the track team and whose spouse is working where and who’s looking somewhat presentable despite menopause and three kids. Who cares if you’re being “basic” now?

Life is more fun with cheap vodka. So go ahead. Feel the Burn-ettes. Snapchat all the concerts you go to. Listen to “millennial garbage” music. Or not. Do your thing. As long as you’re not hurting yourself or anyone else, it’s beyond me why anyone would tell you to do anything different. We’ll all be old and fat and gross one day anyway.

I’ll drink to that.

You can reach YINON RAVIV at ravivyinon@gmail.com.

Student Sounds: Kalm Dog

The California Aggie

May 1, 2016

Kalm Dog continues to expand in sound, more recently endeavoring to release a freshman EP

There’s a small toy store next to El Burrito, and if you don’t visit for the nostalgia of childhood games, at least attempt their World’s Most Challenging Puzzle display. I spent my Friday night unsuccessfully piecing together nine cardboard squares, but I left with more than a no-regret $13 puzzle purchase; curious as to why the store had moved from its location in West Davis, I inquired the owner as to why he moved. His response — with a nonchalance and confidence many would envy — had an unforeseen depth: “I was tired of being the best kept secret in Davis.”

And frankly, Davis is full of secrets: the delicious Chinese restaurant inside the Chevron on Cowell, those massage chairs on the second floor of the Health and Wellness Center, the folk jam sessions at the Arboretum’s Wyatt Deck and, of course, Davis’ underground music scene.

Recent biotechnology graduate Kris Nguyen is one the music scene’s many faces. His project, Kalm Dog, began only about six months ago but is quickly gaining speed. A project of his own, Nguyen records all of the tracks himself, but recruited friends Kaz Mirblouk (bass) and Daniel Yelsits (drums) for his live performances. Each musician also partakes in other individual projects at both home and in Davis, bringing together a diversity of talent.

But Nguyen does more than self-record his own multi-instrumental tracks; he also mixes and masters them himself. He mentions his particularity over the production of his sound, paying specific attention to the technical aspects during the mastering process. His humble demeanor and clear recognition of his band mates’ talents is an accurate representation of the independent scene he so prominently partakes in.

Nguyen is also a DJ for the student radio station KDVS, an experience which has strongly impacted his development as both a listener and producer of music. He reflects that “there’s no correct way to record and produce music, it’s all a hit or miss,” but more importantly, that “if it sounds good to [him] then [he’ll] stick with it.” His involvement at KDVS has also allowed him opportunities for networking and collaboration.

Many of his tracks are influenced by day-to-day emotions, soaked in an obscurity that stems from these lo-fi recordings, and a lyricism characterized by Nguyen’s “attract[ion] to sounds that bring the feeling of nostalgia.” He also mentions that his mother’s passing has greatly influenced this music, both sound and lyricism providing him an outlet for expression.

As a self-described “garage/dream-pop band,” his music doesn’t get lost in the faded sound that is so characteristic of shoegaze and garage rock. His sound is clean and well produced with no guitar riff going unrecognized (check out track “Norman” to hear this for yourself), but of course, without losing a dreamy, nostalgic sentiment. Nguyen notes that he “take[s] pride in [his] well-polished but lo-fi recordings,” but doesn’t fail to mention their “energetic and loud live shows.”

Kalm Dog continues to expand in sound, but has recently endeavored to release a freshman EP. Expected to release within the next month or so, you can also check out Kalm Dog live at The Morgue on May 21, or at KDVS’ fundraiser, Operation Restore Maximum Freedom XVI, on May 28.

As for the name Kalm Dog? His response was simply, “Well, my name starts with a K.” And frankly, I have no better response than: “Kool stuff, Kris.”

Written by: Ally Overbay – arts@theaggie.org

UC Davis Athletics holds tribute for former football coach Jim Sochor

Sports

The California Aggie

May 1, 2016

Joan Smith-MacLean, M.D. shares her story recalling the first time she met Sochor: "I didn't know him as a great football coach, but just Terri and Holly's dad." (JAY GELVEZON / AGGIE) — Joan Smith-MacLean, M.D. shares her story recalling the first time she met Sochor: “I didn’t know him as a great football coach, but just Terri and Holly’s dad.” (JAY GELVEZON / AGGIE)

UC Davis football’s former head coach was honored by his family, friends, players, teammates and coworkers this past Saturday, April 30, but the nearly five-hour event was not enough time to reflect on the legendary Jim Sochor. Aggie Stadium has seen its fair share of great men and women, but to all those in attendance, Sochor was the greatest.

Bob Dunning, a journalist for the Davis Enterprise who covered sports while Sochor led the Aggies, served as the master of ceremonies. As he introduced the guest speakers one by one, Sochor’s legacy at UC Davis became more and more clear.

“‘I am an Aggie now’ are words he lived by every day of his life,” Dunning said.

Speakers Mike Campbell, Jennifer Gross, Scott Barry, Ken O’Brien, Rolf Benirschke, Joan Smith-MacLean, Bob Biggs, Paul Hackett and Cy Williams all spoke about their experience with Sochor.

Most coaches that spoke, including Williams, Hackett, Biggs, O’Brien and Gross, had one line in common: “I am the coach I am because of him.”

They all emphasized the common “Sochorisms,” reflecting on some insight or life lesson that he taught them, directly or indirectly. Featured in the program put together by the UC Davis Athletics Department was a list of these Sochorisms, including “Be the best you can be every day.”

Williams, the head coach for the UC Davis men’s golf team, shared his encounter with Sochor during the recruiting process, showing the truth behind another one of Sochor’s sayings.

“Achievement is what you win with, potential is what you lose with,” Williams said.

Each speaker, after recounting their memories with Sochor, left the podium with teary eyes.

The spectators drew tissues and napkins from their bags and pockets, knowing that all the powerful moments and stories they heard were true.

In the football game-style agenda, during halftime, the California Aggie Marching Band-Uh! performed a series of songs to keep the smiles going. People went for water and left notes for Sochor on napkins that were pinned to the wall for all to see. Old friends greeted each other, recalling the last time they saw teammates and coworkers.

Alongside all those who knew Sochor for decades were those who knew him for a mere two to three years. The UC Davis football team was suited up — participating as volunteers and talking amongst themselves about how the stories that were told seemed to be a true description of the man they once heard speak.

A former head coach for the Ags, Biggs looked to the faces of the football team, athletes who put Sochor’s legacy to work.

“We have to give these kids the tools to be successful,” Biggs said, glancing over at the athletes that were in the crowd.

Biggs shed light on Sochor’s investment to UC Davis and his belief that athletes are students first, getting a first-rate education while playing the sports they love. Sochor believed that the environment of Davis was perfect for building college students to be successful.

Smith-MacLean, a family friend of Sochor, shared a moment between her and her mother just this past week.

“My mom said, ‘I love that man,’” Smith-MacLean said. “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”

A huge amount of love was in the air for the Sochor family, including wife Donna and daughters Terri and Holly, as the crowd headed for the field at the end of the tribute and bowed their heads, laughed and embraced the nostalgia.

Jim Sochor will remain in the hearts of those whose lives he touched. The many that were able to make it to Saturday’s events all proved this to be true as they said thank you and goodbye to the legendary coach on a field dedicated to his memory.

Written by Veronica Vargo – sports@theaggie.org

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