serving the uc davis campus and communit y since 1915www.theaggie.orgvolume 131 number 11 thursday, january 26, 2012

Today’s weatherA.M. fogHigh 61Low 42

ForecastDry weather is back except for the occasional fog in the morning.Expect temperatures to stay in the low to mid 60s. Get out and

enjoy the weekend!

Matthew Little, atmospheric science majorAggie Forecasting Team

Partly cloudy Partly cloudy

Saturday

High 62Low 38

Friday

High 62Low 40

Every day in the United States, an estimated 6,000 people need a bone marrow transplant. All it takes is ten minutes of your time and four

cheek swaps. Find out how to save a life at www.beamatch.org.

The Aggie Night Crew

Occupy UC Davis protesters repeatedly close down U.S. Bank

Human brain adapts to minimize distractions

Pedi-Pints Club continues trial periodProgram will not be officially instated until spring

New research on neuronal connections has potential to aid stroke recovery

University could lose funding if bank leaves MUBy RICHARD CHANG

Aggie News Writer

Blockades by Occupy UC Davis protest-ers have led to speculation that U.S. Bank may leave the Memorial Union (MU) if protests persist.

In the past week, protesters have block-aded the door to the bank eight times, ac-cording to a protester. These blockades have resulted in the early closure of the bank and involvement of campus police.

The closure of the bank could also mean the departure of funds for student activities.

“The occupiers claim they are working for students, but they are actually disrupting funding for the same services they want to be improved,” said ASUCD Senator Justin Goss.

Occupy protesters assert that the pres-ence of U.S. Bank on campus is unique-ly harmful because students may opt for the convenience of obtaining a high-inter-est loan there, rather than shop elsewhere. Ultimately, the protesters say that they want the bank closed.

Critics like Goss have called that notion “ridiculous” and believe it is the student’s responsibility to find the best loan.

Opened in 2010, the branch was part of a

By HUDSON LOFCHIEAggie Science Writer

Our brains are making a mil-lion decisions a minute, most of which we are only minimal-ly aware of. But in order for us to function efficiently, our brains must also make deci-sions about what is most im-portant at any particular mo-ment. A study by UC Davis re-searchers has found that the brain determines importance based on our current situation and reconfigures the connec-tions between neurons to min-imize any distractions. “In order to behave effi-ciently, you want to process relevant sensory information as fast as possible,” said Joy Geng, an assistant professor of psychology at the UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain (CMB). “We have a limit in the number of things we can pro-cess at once. It is not useful to process everything in parallel with validity.” The research found that when we are concentrating on a specific task, it benefits us to reconfigure the network be-tween neurons so that task-rel-

evant information is processed more efficiently. This process, commonly thought of as ramp-ing up your thought process, is in fact more similar to open-ing an instant chat window be-tween two people; there are other ways to communicate like e-mail, texting or calling, but the instant chat allows two people to communicate imme-diately back and forth, faster than the other methods will al-

low. In effect, this process al-ters the path that signals take to and from different parts of the brain. For people suffer-ing from localized brain dam-age, such as from a stroke, these pathways can be inter-rupted. Finding new pathways can help with rehabilitation for these patients. To discover this neural pro-cess, the researchers used

functional magnetic reso-nance imaging (fMRI) to mea-sure the changes in blood flow to certain parts of test subjects’ brains while they performed a test. Increased blood flow to a particular re-gion indicated increased neu-ronal activity. Subjects were instructed to look at a screen and indi-cate whether the “T” that ap-peared on screen was orient-ed up or down. To test the abil-ity to cope with distractions, a “salient” (distracting) object would be displayed along with the T. This salient object would be brighter or bigger. The re-searchers then tested the reac-tion time to indicate the orien-tation of the target object with and without the distraction object. “We displayed something that you would think would be distracting, but the brain was able to cope,” said Nick DiQuattro, a graduate student working with Geng at the CMB. “The brain was able to reject the distraction and focus on the target.”

By CLAIRE TANAggie Staff Writer

Davis Pedicab and Sudwerk collaborated to create the Pedi-Pints Club. People have to take the Davis Pedicab service to Sudwerk in order to receive discounts on beer.

Sudwerk, located at 2001 Second St., is part restaurant, part brewery, with the Davis Pedicab working solely with the brewery.

The Pedi-Pints program operates from Thursday to Saturday, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. As of now, there are two different deals: the first is a one-time trial and the second is catered to the actual club, in which there is a mem-bership card.

“For the one-time trial, if you show up on a pedicab [to Sudwerk], you get a dis-count,” said Andrew Watters, owner of Davis Pedicab.

A pint of beer is $2 and seasonal pints are $3 each.

The club requires members to pay $50 to receive the yearly deal. According to the Pedi-Pints Facebook page, members will receive a

On Wednesday, the uni-versity released new guide-lines for how it will approach Occupy UC Davis protests and future demonstrations.

There were three main points in the new policy to note:

Designated Senior Official: During major demonstra-tions, the university will dispatch a senior admin-istration official to the site to coordinate with police. Executive Vice Chancellor Ralph Hexter and Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Fred Wood have been designated to serve in this capacity.

Mutual Aid: The universi-ty and campus police de-partment will ensure that other police departments called to assist with campus demonstrations are well versed in university poli-cies. Additionally, the mu-tual aid units will be care-fully supervised by campus police.

Police Advisory Board: The university plans to form a police advisory board to as-sist the police department in its activities regarding campus demonstrations.

— Richard Chang Brian Nguyen / Aggie

The U.S. Bank on campus has been closed eight times in the past week due to blockading protesters.See OCCUPY, page 2

NewS iN BrieF

First Davis Flea Market is this

Sunday

CSU Board of Trustees caps new presidents’ salaries

Rebuilding Haiti event tonight

The California State University Board of Trustees decided yesterday to cap new campus presidents’ pay to $325,000 a year. The salary ceiling comes as a re-sult of outcry over a $400,000 pay pack-age approved for a new president last year when tuition rose 12 percent. The new policy will also raise salaries by no more than 10 percent of the pay received by the outgoing president. The decision also follows two bills were introduced in the state Senate to limit presidents’ salaries after the San Diego State president was awarded a $400,000 salary. The board is currently looking to fill five spots for presidents in the 23-cam-pus system.

–– Angela Swartz

Tonight the UC Haiti Initiative and ASUCD are holding an event in hon-or of the two-year anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti. Students are encouraged to attend and learn about rebuilding higher ed-ucation in Haiti. Speakers will include professor and physician Dr. Douglas Gross, law school professor Holly Cooper and the 2011-12 Humprey’s Fellow Hughes Jacques. There will be a discussion and Q & A session after the presentations. The event will be held tonight at 7 p.m. at Memorial Union’s Griffin Lounge.

— Hannah Strumwasser

The first ever Davis Flea Market will be held Sunday in downtown. The E Street Plaza will host the new monthly market from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Davis residents can sell books, CDs, furniture, clothing, knick-knacks, toys, arts and crafts, and electronics. There will also be live music.

courtesy

How does your brain work around distractions while driving?

Madison Dunitz / Aggie

Davis Pedicabs began its service in 2011 and is now expanding to also run a Pedi-Pints program. See PiNTS, page 2

See BrAiN, page 2

Iran is in a serious time-out, having just been sent to the proverbial oil

sanction corner on Monday by Daddy and Mommy European Union. Iran’s punishment comes after growing threats that the country is increasing fund-ing for an already sizable nuclear program.

The language used in describing this world news story is really that of a parent disciplin-ing a naugh-ty child. While fol-lowing the reporting, I al-most felt like the goody-goody sister eavesdrop-ping from the stair banis-ter, secretly reveling in my sibling’s sharp vicissitude. It felt uncomfortably self-righteous.

Within two paragraphs, I’ve already grown fond of this familial metaphor so I’m going to make it an extended one. Entertain us both and you’ll see that my analogy does a fine job of mashing up the mystery that is interna-tional relations by serv-ing it into neat portions of easily digestible, child-proof information.

In our family, there are the strict parents who of-fer non-negotiable conse-quences: “Today’s sanction against Bank Tejarat will deepen Iran’s financial iso-lation, make its access to hard currency even more tenuous and further im-pair Iran’s ability to finance its illicit nuclear program,” said David S. Cohen, U.S. Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.

His tone matches the oh-so-familiar “I’m taking away your allowance” defense. “So what?” or “Pish posh!” we rebelliously retort. There are other ways to stay fi-nancially solvent, ways that need not require the assis-tance of a guardian.

The EU accounts for a mere 18 percent (2.2 mil-lion barrels a day) of Iran’s oil export share. Iran could easily call up its Eastern friends in India and China, who run a combined 35 percent tab on the coun-try’s exports, and nego-tiate a 10-15 percent dis-count to sell off the EU’s leftovers.

While we may not be dependent on the ultima-

tum-giving parents, how do we understand the new-age, Abercrombie-wearing, alcohol-supply-ing ones who coolly accept the truths of our ever-cor-rupt society?

Meant as a warn-ing against Iran’s poten-tial reactions to the im-posed oil sanctions, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “For now, Iran continues to produce nuclear weapons without disturbance.”

This sort of relaxed atti-tude would be reminiscent of Regina George’s mom in Mean Girls walking in on her daughter and her boyfriend about to, ahem, consummate their love. Mrs. George talks over the smacking of lips, “Can I get you guys anything? Some snacks? A condom? Let me know! Oh God, love ya.”

The parents who decry, “Kids will be kids!” and are al-most too scared, or in awe, of their chil-

dren to fathom disciplining them will receive morsels of respect from their off-spring. If they allow oil or nuclear copulation to occur under their roof, America and the EU will become these pushover types to Iran.

Lastly, there is the pleasantly stern parent team that sits decorous-ly at the dining table, fin-gers crossed and smiles half cracked. While the adults speak in a calm, monotone voice, the child floods with hot tears to produce a reaction.

“Today’s action demon-strates the EU’s growing concern about Iran’s nu-clear programme and our determination to increase peaceful, legitimate pres-sure on Iran to return to negotiations,” said British Foreign Secretary William Hague.

The European Union and U.S. seem to favor this clenched-jaw ap-proach to taming inter-national disputes. As mo-mentarily aggravating as it is to be the object of an-other’s discerning gaze, I can’t help but concede from experience that such scrutiny is in fact the best technique.

Without the perspec-tive of others — be it par-ents or fellow countries — we wouldn’t have a way of knowing precisely where we fall on the human bell curve. As Iran wades through these deep petro-leum waters, I can only sur-mise that America and the EU will wish for Iran to end up on the sweet side of the function.

If you too have a knack for syllogisms, contact CHELSEA MEHRA at cmehra@ucdavis.edu for deductive reasoning worksheets.

“It’s like people only do things because they get paid, and

that’s just really sad.”Fans of Wayne’s World,

and just comedy in gener-al, might fondly recall this ironic line by Dana Carvey while portraying a ‘90s nerd/hippie/hard rock fa-natic dressed head to toe in exclusively Reebok gear.

In the scene, network ca-ble stars Garth Algar and bud-dy Wayne Campbell (one of Mike Myers’s best char-acters) cleverly use prod-uct placement to mock ad-vertising and “selling out.” While eating Doritos and Pizza Hut and drinking Pepsi (in a sincerely bla-tant manner), they argue with their boss about mak-ing time on the show for the sponsor to promote his own products.

While Wayne and Garth make fun of the practice of infiltrating creative work with commercial messag-es in a lighthearted way, 20 years later product place-ment has evolved into forms that seem excessive, if not a bit disturbing.

The common view of product placement is that it occurs strictly in the enter-tainment industry — films, TV shows, etc. But there’s another type of it growing rapidly at schools all over the United States: college brand ambassadors.

They walk amongst us in plain view, blending seam-lessly into the busy ecosys-tem that is a college cam-pus. Some wear t-shirts promoting a brand or prod-uct, some set up tables by the Quad. They all have one thing in common, however. They are all students.

Companies like American Eagle, Microsoft and Red Bull, like many others with products that cater towards a younger crowd, have always had ad-vertising campaigns geared towards college students. Very recently, though, there has been a change in how these companies reach out to one of their target demo-graphics. Instead of mar-keting to students, they have begun to market through students.

A college brand ambas-sador is hired by a compa-ny, sometimes for pay and

sometimes purely as an in-ternship, to market the company’s brand and prod-ucts directly towards his or her friends and peers. Now, what at first glance seems like an evil scheme involv-ing the brainwashing of stu-dents for the use of further brainwashing is actually a pretty smart business move.

The kinds of students companies target to fill these roles are very active socially. You know, your run-of-the-mill 1,300 Facebook friends, greek life die-hard, sports fanatic student. College-aged kids who fit this bill are essentially spi-ders threading an enormous networking web around themselves. In other words, they’re mainstream.

Don’t get offended if you meet the require-ments above and disagree with the “mainstream” la-bel. This isn’t Jock v. Hipster or Mainstream v. Alt (cas-

es that could soon hit the Supreme Court). This is purely how large compa-nies identi-

fy the best candidates for spreading their brand on a college campus.

College-aged brand am-bassadors have a much stronger effect on their peers than any older representa-tive that works for a com-pany could ever achieve. Students are more trusting of their friends, and friends of friends, that inhabit the same campus, and are thus more likely to accept offers from them to buy a product.

Part of human nature, no matter how far off the main-stream one may be, is to take notice in what those close to you are interested in. We’re far more likely to buy and drink Red Bull if our friends regularly champion and drink it themselves.

Big brand names have started to capitalize on this tendency to generate more revenue. They believe if they can find the “cool” kids on campus to market their products, others will want to emulate them and achieve coolness by shell-ing out cash for a product. And as awful as that may sound, it works.

Many of us would like to think we’re impervious to the ever-growing influ-ence of commercialism, but the truth is, unless you’re ditching common society to hitchhike up to Alaska and live in a deserted bus à la Into the Wild, you can’t completely escape any-more. Businesses are always on the prowl for innovative methods of spreading brand awareness, and even if you do opt for the wilderness route, it’s possible they’ll reach you there one day too.

In conclusion, Red Bull gives you wings.

VICTOR BEIGELMAN isn’t trying to be a buzzkill; he’s just bringing the facts. Harass him about it anyway at vbeigelman@ucdavis.edu.

page two The california aggie2 Thursday, January 26, 2012

daily calendardailycal@theaggie.org

In our family, there are the strict parents who offer non-negotiable consequences ...

Big brand names have started to capitalize on this tendency to

generate more revenue

campus Judicial report

today

the House peer counseling info session10 to 11 a.m. Moss Room, MU Third FloorGet information about becoming a peer counselor at The House and pick up an application. The last two info sessions will be held on Friday from 10 to 11 a.m. in the Moss Room and 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in 325 North Hall.

uc davis summer abroad 2012 info sessions1 to 5 p.m.Education Abroad Center, Third and A StreetsThe EAC will host info sessions for the following programs: Italy, “Renaissance Florence and the Birth of Modern Europe” at 1 p.m., Scotland, “Scottish Tales” at 2 p.m., Oaxaca, Mexico at 3 p.m. and Ghana, “Culture and Development in an African Nation” at 4 p.m.

yoga/meditation class2 to 3 p.m.TB-16, across from Regan HallThe House Peer Counseling Center offers a free class on yoga and meditation.

Bme distinguished seminar series: dr. cato laurencin4:10 p.m.Genome and Biomedical Sciences Facility AuditoriumCato Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D., University of Connecticut. Dr. Laurencin will discuss regenerative engineering of hard and soft musculoskeletal tissues.

green team meeting6 p.m.Memorial Union 43 (Campus Center for the Environment office)Green Team Volunteer Group, part of the Campus Center for the Environment, is active in Davis with events surrounding environmental awareness and protection. At the meeting, discuss the upcoming opportunities to help the environment and meet other students who are passionate about the environment.

Botany and environmental Horticulture club6:15 to 7 p.m.3090 Science Laboratory BuildingEnjoy free pizza and hear Botanical Conservatory director Ernesto Sandoval speak about garden projects.

label gmos initiative meeting7 p.m.Community Room at Eleanor Roosevelt Apartments, 675 Cantrill DriveThis meeting is for all those who are interested in learning about the initiative, how to get involved in this endeavor and organizing into a new cohesive group to further the goal of labeling genetically engineered foods.

uc Haiti initiative: rebuilding Haiti7 to 9 p.m.Memorial Union, Griffin LoungeDr. Holly Cooper from UC Davis School of Law, Dr. Gross from UC Davis School of Medicine, and UC Davis Haiti Humphrey’s Fellow will be speaking about Haiti after

the devastating 2010 earthquake. Learn how you can get involved to rebuild higher education in Haiti.

american red cross club (arcc) general meeting7:15 p.m.230 WellmanLearn about what the ARCC offers, including volunteering, survival tips and CPR/first aid training.

Friday

uc davis summer abroad 2012 info sessionsNoon to 3 p.m.Education Abroad Center, Third and A StreetsThe EAC will host info sessions for the following programs: Ireland, “What’s in Your Water?” at noon, Egypt, “Cairo: Something Old, Something New” at 1 p.m. and Florence, Italy, “Renaissance Florence and the Birth of Modern Europe” at 2 p.m.

plant and environmental science Building salad Bowl garden planting3 to 5 p.m.Plant and Environmental Sciences BuildingHelp with replanting and planting new greens at the Salad Bowl Garden in front of the Plant and Environmental Sciences Building.

the art of athletes reception5:30 to 7 p.m.Basement Gallery, Art BuildingMeet the artist-athletes whose work is displayed in the Basement Gallery’s The Art of Athletes.

Birdstrike theatre First improv show of 20127:30 to 10 p.m.Kleiber 3UC Davis Celebrity Morgan Woolf and the rest of the Birdstrike cannot wait to make you laugh. Join them for an unforgettable session of Comedy Improv. The laughs are cost-free!

sunday

celebration of abraham interfaith community event.3 to 5 p.m.St. James Catholic Church, 1275 B StreetChristians, Muslims and Jews will gather for speakers, discussion and community building activities. All are welcome.

turkish & taiwanese dance 7 to 10 p.m.Davis Art Center, Studio E, 1919 F StreetThe Davis International Folkdancers will be teaching an easy Turkish dance and a fun Chinese New Year dance as part of their ongoing class. The first class is free to newcomers. Bring grit-free, non-marking shoes.

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

Parenting Iran

ChelseaMehra

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Place that product

VictorBeigelman

A first-year student (Student A) was referred to Student Judicial Affairs (SJA) for possibly collaborating with or giving assistance to another student during an exam (Student B). Specifically, during the exam the proctor noticed that Student B was copying from the person sitting next to her, namely Student A. However, the proctor was unsure if Student A, the one being copied from, was intentionally allowing it, so both students were referred to SJA. In her meeting with a Judicial Officer, Student A stated that she had not known she was being copied from and did not in any way assist Student B. She said that she had been wholly focused on completing her own exam. Since there was no evidence of her having helped the other student, the university decided that Student A was innocent and no disciplinary sanctions were pursued against her. A student was referred to SJA on suspicion of providing unauthorized assistance to another student in connection with a lower division class. In particular, the student was observed to be answering questions on two clickers, one for himself and one for someone else. In his meeting with a Judicial Officer, the student admitted that he had been answering the questions for his friend, who couldn’t be in class, even though the instructor had expressly stated that this

is considered academic misconduct. The student agreed to accept a Censure, which is a formal warning that outlines the policies of the university, and to do some community service. If the student violates the Code of Academic Conduct again, he will face more serious disciplinary sanctions. A student was referred to SJA for possible unauthorized assistance on his homework assignments. Specifically, the instructor noticed that the wording of the homework and the generally high grades of the individual assignments were inconsistent with the student’s test scores. Furthermore, the instructor noticed that the homework assignments were almost identical to the solutions manual. In the meeting with a Judicial Officer, the student admitted to having the solutions manual but claimed he only used it to double check his work. However, the student eventually admitted that although he didn’t think he was copying as he completed the homework, it was likely that he had inadvertently copied due to the close similarity of his assignments with the manual. He agreed to the disciplinary sanction of Deferred Separation.

CAMPUS JUDICIAL REPORTS are compiled by members of Student Judicial Affairs.

Pedi-Pints t-shirt, a growler with a free one-time fill and discounted re-fills, a Pedi-Pints mug that hangs on a rack in the Sudwerk Brewery Dock Store and a 10 percent discount at the restaurant.

According to Watters, the idea of Pedi-Pints was organic. He said it started when the Team LIVESTRONG Challenge occurred in Davis at the be-ginning of summer 2011.

“I talked to Trent Yackzan, [Sudwerk] brewery manager, during the event and we had a fundraiser where we would take people in pedicab rides to Sudwerk,” Watters said. “The proceeds went to the benefit, but it was done all

kind of last minute.”Watters said he and Yackzan decid-

ed they should do it regularly to cre-ate a program in town that would be a long-term part of the local identity.

As of now, Pedi-Pints is official but the club is still loose and needs some refinement.

“We’re trying to line up some bands,” Watters said. “Bands will play on the first Saturday of every month from 4 to 8 p.m.”

In terms of advertising, Watters said Facebook will be the main outlet. He said he does not anticipate that many people will sign up for the club just yet.

“We haven’t printed out cards yet but we have a logo ready to rock and information we need,” Watters said. “Once spring comes around, we’ll

probably be rolling in more fluidly, but right now it’s a trial period.”

According to Watters, the point of Pedi-Pints is to have a safe ride to Sudwerk, have a good time and have a safe way home without having to think about it.

Davis Pedicab was established in January 2011. It has no set rate, mean-ing customers can pay whatever they think is fair. Payments are also adjust-ed according to different quadrants in town.

Although it is not officially con-firmed, Watters said the local band Seamoose will be playing on the Feb. 4 weekend.

“This is for the students, for the lo-cals and for the culture,” Watters said.

CLAIRE TAN can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

pintscont. from front page

broad partnership between UC Davis and U.S. Bank, which the uni-versity hoped would bring needed funds for student activities.

“The university received a to-tal of $167,500 from U.S. Bank last year. That is in addition to the $8,333 we receive every month in rent,” said UC Davis spokesperson Claudia Morain.

The university also receives an-other cut of money depending on the number of bank accounts opened by UC Davis students.

As a part of the 10-year agreement signed between the two parties, U.S. Bank will also provide financial edu-cation programs for students.

In response to the blockade, U.S. Bank’s corporate office re-

leased a statement. “We respect the protesters’ right

to speak freely on public property. That said, our bank branch is pri-vate property and we seek to serve our customers safely and conve-niently,” said U.S. Bank spokes-person Teri Charest.

“They control the space they’re leasing, which is very much like any other landlord-tenant agree-ment,” said Morain.

When asked to clarify whether U.S. Bank has plans to withdraw from UC Davis, Charest reiterated their goal “to find a way to contin-ue to provide services to our cam-pus customers.”

“Our main concern is when cus-tomers are unable to access the branch,” she said.

RICHARD CHANG can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

occupycont. from front page

“It is interesting because [we] can reshape the way we think about how we process infor-mation,” Geng said. “The brain is constantly being put into different contextual states.” An example of this phenomenon that we commonly experience is that while we are driving, flashing lights or signs alert us to stop, or that traffic is merging, or many oth-er things. Our brain is thinking in the con-text of driving, so these “attention-getters” are processed quicker than they would be if we were in a different contextual state. It is important not to confuse this process with the fight-or-flight response, which deals with responding to surprising stimuli, rather than changing the reactions based on context. According to a National Institutes of Health study, there are close to 750,000 strokes every year, many of which lead to mild, or even extreme, brain damage. With this new understanding of the brain’s con-nection methods, researchers hope that pa-tients in stroke recovery will have a much better chance of regaining much of their lost cognitive functions.

HUDSON LOFCHIE can be reached at science@theaggie.org.

braincont. from front page

OPINION thursday, January 26, 2012 3the california aggie

In Bertolt Brecht’s Threepenny Opera, gangster Mack the Knife pleads his case to the au-

dience, asking, “What is burgling a bank compared to founding a bank?” When weighed next to the massive expropriations perpetrat-ed by the banking industry, Mack suggests, a few pilfered cash box-es are insignificant.

Yet, as we have seen time and time again, outrage stands in in-verse proportion to the scale of the crime.

It should come as no surprise, then, that when protesters staged sit-ins at U.S. Bank, bystanders im-mediately complained they were an awful inconvenience. By pre-venting people from accessing their full range of financial servic-es, they argued, the protesters hor-ribly alienated the student body.

These naysayers fail to see the bigger picture. As tuition rises, stu-dents are forced to supplement their already massive student loans (now over $1 trillion nation-wide) with additional debt. That’s where U.S. Bank steps in, with its wide array of credit cards.

According to a Sallie Mae study, one-third of undergraduates will put tuition on a credit card. And, of course, student indebtedness spiked after the financial crisis: In 2004, 69 percent of graduat-ing seniors had paid off their cred-it cards but, by 2009, that number dropped to a mere 15 percent. The

average senior will leave owing $4,100 on their cards.

Burdened with debt and facing grim job prospects, this generation of students goes forth into a bleak future.

But, there’s money to be made for the top one percent! Seeing our misery as a business opportunity, UC Davis struck a sweet deal with U.S. Bank. Now UC Davis gets a royalty for every new university account the bank opens and, in re-turn, U.S. Bank receives perks

like free advertis-ing, exclusive ac-cess to campus events and space on our AggieCards. After 10 years, UC Davis hopes to bring in nearly $3 million from the program.

It’s a win-win for administrators and bankers, who both go home with loads of cash from impover-ished students.

So, U.S. Bank exploits students through exorbitant interests on their tuition payments and every-day expenses, profiting off eco-nomic ruin, and that’s just ducky. But, if student protesters delay a bank customer for an hour, by God, we should get our ire up. The nerve of some people!

It’s a very old argument. Any ac-tion a social movement under-takes will be criticized as annoy-ing, disruptive and rude. For many, the right to go about one’s daily business speedily and undisturbed is more sacred than the right to economic security and justice.

Whenever there is a strike, we’re told it frustrates the public. Whenever there’s a demonstration, it’s said to hinder traffic and com-merce. Whenever an activist de-livers an impassioned speech, the critics demand they tone it down so as not to offend the moderate and the apathetic.

But protests always bother some-one. I imagine that many busy indi-viduals had to readjust their sched-

ules when civil rights activists occu-pied Woolworth’s in Greensboro, NC, or when Egyptians took back Tahrir Square. Luckily, protesters passed over these minor concerns and dealt with more pressing matters.

This tired complaint is usually followed by a bit of meta-criticism: How does this help get protesters’ message across? If I don’t under-stand what is happening, the argu-ment goes, then nobody will.

It could very well be true that Occupy UC Davis needs more ex-planatory litera-ture for the un-informed. They

have offered countless teach-ins and discussions to explain their position, including at the initial U.S. Bank occupation, but they might not have reached out to all passersby.

Nevertheless, this critique be-trays a misunderstanding about the purpose of direct action. Occupying a bank is not a form of outreach or a publicity stunt. The primary goal of the action isn’t to raise awareness among students, because students have no say in what U.S. Bank does. Even if cam-pus opinion was squarely against the bank, it wouldn’t make a differ-ence as long as no one acted.

The only opinion that matters to U.S. Bank is that of its share-holders and the only thing share-holders care about is their bottom line. The occupation strikes at the bank’s profits, forcing them to pay attention to the protest’s demand: banks off campus.

Certainly, the Occupy move-ment should hold every direct ac-tion up to careful, collective scru-tiny. Some forms of protest are counterproductive or politically retrograde. But, when they do, they would do well to ignore the idle carping of complacent onlookers.

JORDAN S. CARROLL is a Ph.D. student in English. He can be reached at jscarroll@ucdavis.edu.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The California Aggie welcomes letters from its readers. Letters must be typed and no longer than 200 words. As The Aggie attempts to represent a diversity of viewpoints on its letters page, we reserve the right to edit letters for length and clarity. Publication is not guaranteed, and letters become the property of The California Aggie. All correspondence must be signed with the author’s name and telephone number. Unsigned letters will not be considered for publication, although names may be withheld upon request.

GUEST OPINIONS The California Aggie welcomes guest opinions from its readers. Guest opinions must be typed with an approximate word count of 600 to 800, or character count around 3,000 to 4,000. The same standards of letters to the editor apply to guest opinions. Guest opinions may reflect a variety of viewpoints. Any member of the campus community is eligible and encouraged to highlight issues regarding UC Davis, regional or national issues. Address letters or guest opinions to the Opinion Editor, The California Aggie, 25 Lower Freeborn, UC Davis, CA 95616. Letters may also be faxed to (530) 752-0355 or sent via e-mail to opinion@theaggie.org.

feeling strongly about something?

submit a letter to the editor to have your opinion printed inThe California Aggie.

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The only opinion that matters to U.S. Bank is that of its

shareholders ...

courtesy newsday.com

Editorial Board

editorials represent the collective opinions of the california aggie editorial board. the opinion page appears tuesdays and thursdays.

Jason Alpert Editor in Chief

Becky Peterson Managing Editor

Melissa Freeman Opinion Editor

Hannah StrumwasserCampus Editor

Angela Swartz City Editor

Erin MigdolFeatures Editor

Uyen CaoArts Editor

Trevor CramerSports Editor

Amy StewartScience Editor

Jasna HodzicPhotography Editor

U.S. Bank direct action

Jordan s.Carroll

regents meeting

More time for students

editorials

On Jan. 15 and 16, the UC Regents held their first meeting of the year at UC Riverside. The regents meeting was once again interrupted by stu-dents protesting the increased cost of tuition. Protesters be-gan a general assembly dur-ing the public comment ses-sion and the campus police cleared the room. This event makes it clear that students are looking for a better way to voice their opinions. It’s obvious that the students of the UC sys-tem have a lot to say to the regents, and the regents need to make time to listen. While each regent meeting has a public comment session, the tension that has arisen dur-ing these meetings has made it clear that the time provid-ed is not sufficient. Students making their voic-es heard is important but in-terrupting the meeting should

not have to be their only ave-nue. The interruptions are ef-fective in getting attention, but they often inhibit the re-gents’ ability to have neces-sary discussions about the fu-ture of the UC system. The regents have expressed feeling uncomfortable or unsafe at these meetings. While this is unfortunate, re-gents should aim to fix the root of the problem, which is that students don’t feel their ideas are being heard. The regents need to provide stu-dents with a chance to talk to the them outside of these meetings, so necessary agen-da items can be completed, while students also have a chance to share their ideas. The UC system is made up of over 222,000 intelligent stu-dents who clearly have ideas they want to share. The re-gents should take advantage of this resource while searching for ways to fix the UC system.

By EINAT GILBOAAggie News Writer

Stewart Savage is the own-er of Abaton Consulting, a small business in Davis. This month he became director of the Davis Downtown Business Association (DDBA). The Aggie sat down with Savage to talk about his new po-sition and his plans for the City of Davis. The Aggie: Where are you from originally?Savage: I grew up in Southern California and moved to Davis in 1996. What is the nature of your busi-ness?I provide technology manage-ment services for small business and nonprofits such as web de-sign, social media and profes-sional development training. What made you decide to start a business in Davis? How did you start up?I was previously working as the director of technology ser-vices at the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District. I wanted to branch out on my own, have a job that is more flexible, and more interesting than what I was doing. Davis is convenient, close to Sacramento and could be the center point for a large region. What is it like owning a small

business in Davis?Owning a small business is hard work. There is a lot to know and understand to be successful. Davis is great; there’s lots of op-portunity, and downtown is a re-ally nice work environment. You get to know the community, and everything you need is down-town — the post office, meeting places. What does your new position as direc-tor of the DDBA in-clude?I do administrative and community out-reach, paying bills, fo-cusing on building re-lationship with mem-bers. I work with city and county organiza-tions. How will being a small business owner in Davis help you in your new position as director?Having a business here enabled me to build relationships with people downtown. I know a lot of people involved with DDBA and city. I tried to establish my-self downtown. A lot of people that recognize me and I recognize them. Also, being a small busi-ness owner gives me perspective on what business owners have to work with downtown, such as parking. A lot of businesses are frustrated about parking, busi-

ness requirements and changes in the economy. I can empathize with that being a small business owner. What plans do you have for the DDBA? Do you have any goals you would like to accomplish?I want to support the mission of the DDBA, start relationships with business owners in down-

town area, let them know we support them and we are doing our best to make Davis the best possible place to work and live. I’m excited to be in this po-sition; it’s an opportuni-ty for [deputy director of the DDBA Nina Gatewood] and I to help support busi-ness in the downtown area. The Aggie also talked to Steve Pinkerton, the new

City Manager of Davis, to discuss his position and plans.

The Aggie: Where are you from originally?Pinkerton: I am from Columbia, Missouri. I’ve been in California for 30 years. I grew up in college towns, and I wanted a nice change of pace, so I came to Davis. What is your educational back-ground?I attended undergraduate school at the University of Missouri, where I hold Bachelors’ in geog-

raphy and economics. I have a Master’s in urban planning and economics from the University of Southern California. What made you decide to go into city government?I thought I was going to be a city planner; I was always interested in how cities were built. My father was urban sociologist. Instead of going on family vaca-tions, we would go vis-it cities that needed help. I guess I’ve got it in my blood to be part of that. In planning you’re just a regulator, and you don’t get to implement anything, so I got involved in re-development. I spent the first 20 years of my career in redevelop-ment. I wanted to have more impact, so I got into city management, where I could help the overall city oper-ate better. What are some things you hope to change as the city manager of Davis?We don’t have same revenues we used to. Property values and sales tax, which are our biggest mon-ey generators, are flat, while ex-penses keep going up. It’s a real challenge to figure out how to do more with less. We live in a com-munity with a high expectation for service. We’ll have to find a

way to do that with less mon-ey and less people. We will focus on the priorities of the commu-nity with more volunteers, while reducing workforce and overall compensation. How will the dissolving of rede-velopment agencies affect proj-ects going on in Davis such as the water project?

There will be no effect on the utility project. But will impact projects down-town, such as the hope for new hotel, right at the en-tryway of the city. It will also affect other improve-ments, such as public parking. Business attrac-tion and economic devel-opment are paid for by re-development. Business creates revenue for city services. There is less mon-ey to invest in businesses.

We will work more closely with the DDBA and downtown businesses, but there just aren’t the same re-sources we had in the past.

How will it affect the Davis econ-omy in general?We want to have a mix between retail and restaurants, but it’s hard when we don’t have resourc-es to do that, so we will proba-bly allow more restaurants. We would like to have more true re-tail downtown, but it’s harder.

EiNAT GiLbOA can be reached city@theaggie.org.

Meet the new city staffQ&A with DDBA Director Stewart Savage and Davis City Manager Steve Pinkerton

stewart savageDDBA director

steve PinkertonDavis city manager

Sands, And And And & Death SongsSaturday, 8:30 p.m., $6 (all ages)Luigi’s, 213 E St. Luigi’s, which had its grand opening in Davis this month, opens its doors for all ages on Saturday night. KDVS DJ and Crossbill Record manager Michael Leahy organized the event, as Cool As Folk presents Sands, And And And & Death Songs to perform the first show ever at Luigi’s.

Shinkoskey Noon Concert: Jolán Friedhoff (violin), Pete Nowlen (horn) and John Cozza (piano)Today, noon, freeRoom 115, Music BuildingIf you’re looking for an opportunity to experience classical music that is local and free, the UC Davis music department hosts free concert shows at noon. In today’s event, Jolán Friedhoff, Pete Nowlen and John Cozza will be leading the event with their performances of classical repertoire.

Patricia KilleleaToday, 7:30 p.m., freeLogos Books, 513 Second St. Currently teaching Native American Studies courses at UC Davis, Patricia Killelea is also a poet who has published her own poetry collection entitled Other Suns. Today at Logos Books, she will be sharing her own works in a public reading.

Finley FryerToday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (today), 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Fri), noon to 5 p.m. (Sat), freeJohn Natsoulas Gallery, 521 First St. If you haven’t seen the large sculpture at the Natsoulas Gallery, it’s time you did. Finley Fryer is currently displaying his work at the gallery. His work is multi-medium and features stained glass and fragmented sculptural elements.

Interpretations of Place by Susan Cohen Bryne and Rebecca RylandToday to Feb. 2, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Mon thru Thurs), 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Fri), 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Saturday), freeDavis Art CenterThe Davis Art Center is now showing the works of Susan Cohen Bryne and Rebecca Ryland. In a unique gallery set-up, Susan Cohen Byrne’s photography will be shown right next to Rebecca Rylan’s delicate landscape painting series.

Alexander String QuartetSunday, 7 p.m., $25.50 (students)Jackson Hall, Mondavi CenterAlexander String Quartet is performing two sets of shows at the Mondavi Center on Sunday, for which the afternoon show has already been sold out. Tickets are still available for the 7 p.m. show and can be purchased at the Mondavi Center Ticket Booth.

TickeTs available for spring concerTs:

The ShinsApril 23, 8 p.m., $35Jackson Hall, Mondavi CenterTickets on sale now and can be purchased at the Mondavi Center Ticket Booth or on ticketmaster.com.

DrakeMarch 7, 8 p.m.UC Davis Pavilion$49.75 upper level student pre-sale discount (limited) | $79.75 Lower level general admission | $59.75 upper level general admissionTickets are available for purchase starting Thursday from Freeborn Box office (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.). One ticket per student ID (maximum of 2 tickets with proof of second ID). Tickets on sale now (cash only).

DIM MAK’s Dead Meat Tour: Steve Aoki, Datsik & Special GuestMarch 14, 6:30 p.m.Freeborn HallTickets are on sale now. $20 limited student pre-sale | $25 general admission.

Florence + the MachineApril 18, 7:30 p.m., $42.50Jackson Hall (Mondavi Center)Tickets are available at the Mondavi Ticket booth starting Friday at 10 a.m. or now on ticketmaster.com.

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

by JAMES O’HARAAggie Arts Writer

Sophia Chang is an artist from and living and working in New York City. As a recent graduate from Parson’s Design School, she’s young — very young. Certainly younger than one might expect when looking at the array of impressive-ly high-profile clients accrued, and then shown off with artful style, on her website “esymai.com” — the likes of which include Anthony Bourdain, Talib Kaleb, and, on the corporate plane, Nike and Dr. Pepper, to name just two. Relatively fresh in the business, as far as distance from school goes, Chang’s skills have clearly elevated her far beyond the gen-eralized post-grad sob story the world has become accustomed to. No moving home to the parents here. No existential crisis-de-fined decade of finding her feet. Her feet, as all appearances indicate, are planted firmly in the New York earth like one who seems to have grown out of the soil there. “Being born and raised in Queens has re-ally influenced me as an adult. We were all heavily influenced by hip hop,” Chang said. “I spent most of my free time in high school playing handball at the local parks, watch-ing music videos at my best friend’s house and stuff like that. I always drew, and every-one knew I was a good artist, but I didn’t do it 24/7. Only in class when I didn’t feel like pay-ing attention to the teacher.” Obviously, Chang has come a long way from casual, in-class doodling. The art that now covers her website is stylish and pulses with a colored vibrancy associated with hip hop and New York street life. Chang, for example, has a number of por-traits of Anthony Bourdain — a cynical, wiz-ened and bemused face most of us are well

familiar with from his Travel Channel show “No Reservations” — up on her website. Her depiction of Bourdain swerves far from any attempt at realism, and yet through the col-ored stylization is, quite clearly, a strong im-pression of Bourdain’s not unmemorable personality and feature. That is, through the lining and moderate abstraction is a very de-tectable and potent artistic interpretation of a man, and something about it is distinctly “cool,” to use the word vaguely. Her creating Bourdain portraits was no ex-ercise in fandom, of course. She produced the pictures as a series of poster illustrations for

the summer 2011 season of “No Reservations” (you can check them out on her site). When asked how it feels to have made it “big” in the industry at so young an age, de-spite her clear victories Chang politely de-clined to acknowledge any aggrandized sense of her own accomplishment. “I have not made it big at all. Look at all the other people who are giants in this indus-try, such as Jeffstaple, Lanie Alabanza, James Jean,” Chang said, referring to the design and illustration industry. “These are all people who worked hard to be doing what they’re doing. They lost hours of sleep, they did in-

ternships and studied under masters to get to where they are.” Still, Chang’s early success is undeniable. In a world of struggling artists and unem-ployed graduates, she is one success story among many less cheerful narratives. But naturally her success is no accident. She, too, worked hard. And more importantly, she has talent. “I started early. I did a lot of internships when I was in school. I commuted daily, I worked a part-time job at Journeys and Puma, did internships and worked on side freelance projects,” Chang said. “It wasn’t easy, but it helped to build a founda-tion for myself. Each of these in-ternships were self-sought and worth more than any money I can make.” “Once I graduated,” Chang added, “I was al-ready freelancing with jobs that were passed along by these guys, and I was able to get the ball rolling. So re-ally, I’m not making it big at all. I hope to be on my way to ‘making it.’” Living in and being from New York has its advantages, but what Chang has achieved, as many aspiring art-ists and designers should note, she’s done through her own steely agency. As she said, in advice, “If you want to something, go for it.” So far, it’s working out for her.

JAMES O’HARA can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

The California Aggie’s Arts and Entertainment Section Thursday, january 26, 2012 54 volume 6, number 3

Uyen T.Cao

Networking After years of sitting in the dark about my paintings, I eventually discovered how important it is to get out there and network. Particularly in today’s art and media industry, the invention of the internet has expanded the artist’s venue for networking to imaginable capabilities. Here is a list of tips I’ve composed to help me prepare for Graduate School and the art world that might be of some use to you: Don’t be afraid to talk to your professorsYou’ll be surprised to see how willing your professors are to help you. It might be intimidating at first, but the feedback you get might make or break your piece for a dance choreography or composition to a painting, etc. At this university, we have professors who have firsthand experience working on Broadway or Hollywood films or have had their own body of work displayed at some extremely renowned museums. So you should definitely try to hear what they have to say. Get out thereIn order for you to thrive in the art world, you need to make your work known. Also, just know that you will have to start from the bottom. This means that most of the jobs you get starting out (photographing headshots, making screen prints or interning at various design or art companies, etc.) will most likely give very little pay. But for the sake of expanding your portfolio, experience and exposure of your work, it’ll be worth every minute. Take advantage of every resource availableNot everyone is fortunate enough to own a studio space or a computer with all of the necessary programs they need. Therefore, if you have access to a studio, you should embrace the opportunity. Additionally, there may be some courses you wish you could take that are not offered at this university. For instance, I wanted to learn how to use Adobe Suite (InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator), but noticed there weren’t any classes I could take to learn these skills. After doing some research, I found that Hart Hall Lab, which has now moved to the new Student Community Center, has all of the programs that I wanted to learn. I would spend my own time after classes to learn the programs myself.

Get to know other artistsIt might be easy to think that you can get by on your own as an independent artist with a distinctive style. However, having a strong foundation of friends in the field is extremely helpful and reassuring. It’s always helpful to get a second opinion from someone who has a good eye for the basic components of what you’re interested in. Be open to social networkingThis is the most important tip: Use the internet and social networking sites as means to get exposure for your work. These days, you can purchase a domain on sites like GoDaddy, pairNIC, Register or iWantMyName for 10 dollars for a year’s subscription to have your own custom URL. By using templates offered by businesses like Cargo Collective or even Tumblr, you can establish a really professional-looking website to display your body of work. Trust me, this is extremely important. If you ever meet someone who is interested in your work, you can refer them directly to your own website.

UYEN CAO would like to let you know what you have to say about her tips. Check out her website at uyencao.com or e-mail her at arts@theaggie.org.

By MICHELLE RUANAggie Arts Writer

The first and third Thursdays of every month are Poetry Nights at the John Natsoulas Gallery, lo-cated at 521 First St. Jan. 19’s poet of the moment was Rae Gouirand, whose first collection of poetry, ti-tled “Open Winter,” was published in fall 2011. Gouirand has taught writing at UC Davis, UC Davis Extension and many private workshops she her-self has founded for poets and writ-ers since 2003. In addition, the Bryn Mawr graduate who received her MFA in creative writing at the University of Michigan has been the Writer-in-Residence at Cache Creek Nature Preserve since 2005. She is also the winner of many fellow-ships such as the Meijer Fellowship, the Hopwood Award and the Santa Fe Art Institute; a two-time nom-inee for the Pushcart Prize; and the recipient of a 2009 award from the Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Foundation for outstanding work by emerging poets. By the time the reading started at 8 p.m., all of the chairs were already filled. The ages audience ranged widely; there were college students present as well as older members of the Davis community. All were ob-viously excited to hear Gouirand read her poems aloud in person. Melissa Bender, who teaches in the University Writing Program at UC Davis, affectionately introduced Gouirand. “We’ve known each other since 1994 when she was my instructor at the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts. We are now incredi-bly close friends,” said Gouirand of Bender. And then Gouirand took the stage. Admittedly a bit nervous, she had a

wide smile on her face and waved shyly to various audience members that she knew. Gouirand recount-ed the long process it took in order for “Open Winter” to be published. It was late in her undergraduate career that she began to focus on writing poems. In 2002, she start-ed submitting her poems to jour-nals. In 2008, she began to send her manuscript to potential publishers. Summing it up, Gouirand stated that the manuscript was a finalist for nearly 30 prizes for a first book of poetry before Elane Equi select-ed it for the 2011 Bellday Prize for Poetry, which eventually culminat-ed in her revised manuscript’s pub-lishing. After thanking everybody for coming to the reading, Gouirand started off with a passage from Nicole Krauss’s The History of Love. Her selection was much appreci-ated by the audience; it described how language developed through-out time from gestures to sounds and how miscommunication can happen with the smallest act. And then it was on to the poems. The first poem she read from her book was dedicated to her grand-father, who believed in her and that she “didn’t always have to be an Architect” when she was question-ing what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. “I went to college intending to major in physics and music, and ended up completing an inter-disciplinary urban studies major. Writing has always been a constant thread. It wasn’t until I sat down to try to work out the parameters of my senior thesis that I realized I wanted to apply to MFA programs: my writ-ing workshops had always been my favorite courses,” said Gouirand. Much of the inspiration for the poems that she writes comes from

The Community PoetIn review: Poet Rae Gouirand’s Jan. 19 reading at Natsoulas Gallery

Featured artist: sophia ChangFrom the streets of Queens, New York, artist Sophia Chang is becoming an emerging graphic illustrator in the industry

Performance and video art is quickly becoming a prominent medium in the art world. By manipulat-ing theater, comedy, singing and various other kinds

of visual references, artists can create a unique dialogue in digital form that speaks in a way that no other classical medium like painting or printmaking can do. Kalup Linzy is one of these video and performance art-ists that have emerged in the contemporary world to trans-form the way art is perceived. Today from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Linzy will give a lec-ture about his work at the technocultural studies (TCS) building. This is a continuation of the artist studio lec-ture series presented by the the UCD art department. The event is free and students are encouraged to attend. Darrin Martin, a video and animations professor at UC Davis, is a video artist himself. Martin believes that Linzy’s work is a great example of the kinds of artists who work with their materials in a multi-functional approach. “A lot of artists work with a variety of media, but Linzy’s medium is popular culture and through generating origi-nal material he ends up working through several genres,” Martin said. “Somehow, Linzy makes honesty meet arti-fice and manages to make art and entertainment not-so-distant relatives, while exposing a little something about both.” Linzy has been well-associated with famous actor James Franco for collaborations like their song “Turn It Up” and appearances in General Hospital. Though con-nected to the Hollywood star, Linzy has made a name for himself in the art industry by creating work that blurs boundaries and limitations of the medium and genre of art style itself. His other highly acclaimed works include

“Melody Set Me Free” and “Guiding Light.” Although his work might seem obscure and experimental to some new viewers, Linzy’s body of work has strong cultural, gender and political messages revealed in the subtext of his visu-al and narrative dialogue. Linzy received both a Bachelors and Masters of Fine Arts from the University of South Florida in Tampa Bay. He cur-rently lives and work in Brooklyn, New York. In a brief interview, Linzy answered MUSE’s questions: MUSE: How did you discover your passion for art (partic-ularly video and performance art)? Linzy: [I discovered it] in grad school working on my the-sis, “Conversations wit de Churen II: All My Churen.” What is your definition of performance art?Performing, understanding [and] being more aware of the space in between. What inspires you and your work? Soap operas, music, the search of understanding and healing. How do you feel video and performance art are progress-ing as a medium in the art world? It is progressing rapidly. It will be interesting to see where things are 10 years from now. What should UC Davis students know about you before attending your lecture? I love giving lectures and discussing the creative process.

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

today- Video and performance artist Kalup linzy speaks

in artist lecture series

courtesySophia Chang

Graeme Mitchell / New York Magazine

See POET, page 8

The RootsUndun

The Island Def Jam Music Group

The Roots 13th album, release in December 2011, doesn’t disappoint. It is a concept album about the fic-tional character Redford Stevens, from Sufjan Steven’s song “Redmond,” who lives his short life in urban pov-erty. The album expands on the sound of its 2010 release How I Got Over by utilizing the same snare-driven beats, keyboard, strings and indie influence. The album has something to offer everyone, whether you listen to it introspectively and catch the tragedy of narrative or just listen casually. Their lyrics have a seri-ousness to it that makes this album even more appeal-ing. The Roots draw on the world of commercial rap but they understand and address the more far reaching as-sociations on Undun. Instrumental pieces frame the al-bum and the album follows a clear pattern and story.

The Root’s sound seems more muted and somber, such as in “Sleep” and “I Remember”, with some few tracks with more punch to them, such as “Kool On” and “The Otherside.” Guest spots are also very prevalent in this album. “Make My”, the album’s lead single, “Lighthouse” and “Stomp” are just a few that feature guest singers. There is not one song on the album that is unnecessary. Each is vital and adds to the overall mood and tone. Undun shows that the Roots are still at the top of their game and are continuing to push boundaries and forge ahead. This is one of their most ambitious and adven-turous projects and their flawless execution shows they have succeeded.

— Paayal Zaveri Neutral Milk Hotel

The Aeroplane Over the SeaDomino

When I think of some of the greatest albums of all time, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, released in 1998, by Neutral Milk Hotel would be by far the easiest choice. Additionally, just last August, the band announced an exclusive vinyl re-lease of their two albums In the Aeroplane Over the Sea and On Avery Island. It’s strange to consider a band’s entire body of work con-sists of less than 40 songs. A music critic once mentioned that no other album seems to closely affect and associate so personally with so many people yet feel still totally under-exposed. It’s hard to articulate why this feels like the perfect

An American muscle, flexing its engine in full reverie, the closer one draws near the more gasoline taints the air. The Black Key’s latest album El Camino serves a heavy hand number-ing in a romp shaking expedition into the modern classicist school of blues rock and roll. Only a two-piece band, vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney pack the weighty licks, resonating with an equally bumping drumset, to make El Camino an im-pact on the ears. Granted this album seems to call on the dancing skills of the listeners, with each hook catchy enough to shimmy to. Danger Mouse produced, El Camino

deviates from previous releases in tem-po, featuring a quicker guitar but never forgetting the heavy sound that recalls much of the I-5’s dark pavement. This is music that feels no shame in turning wives to pillars of salt and there is no remorse dealt for those who brush El Camino off as more of the same. Tracks such as “Sister” have Auerbach crooning “‘wake up, you’re gonna wake up to nothing” with a smooth beat underlaying much of the track. Danger Mouse has hands all over this one. Still the sound is of the iconic Black Keys, this time more riff heavy (not a bad thing of course). Then there is the slow fast composi-tion of “Little Black Submarines” in a

style similar to Nirvana’s attempt to capture The Pixies substance, the song crawls to halt, then accelerates fir-ing up dust, racing off. The Black Keys does The Black Keys in more of a Black Keys way. For a band preparing to immortal-ize itself into the history of Coachella headliners among Jimi Christ and Led Zeppelin, it is apt that the source material is worthy to pose a minor dent in history. In all, El Camino will give its listener the patina of a shiny car, probably not that of a Chevrolet, but closer to that of the Chrysler min-ivan the duo used to tour in.

— Peter An

The Black KeysEl Camino

Nonesuch Records

MUSE’S WINTER PICKSmusic FLASHBACK

See NEUTRAL, page 7

courtesy of Joseph NijmehRae Gouirand poetry reading at the Natsoulas Gallery.

courtesySophia Chang’s illustration of a scene in Eddie Murphy’s film Coming to America.

Sudoku

Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row must contain one of each digit. So must every column, as must every 3x3 square. Each Sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically without guessing.

Very Hard

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classifieDs The california aggie6 Thursday, january 26, 2012

Thursday, January 26, 2012 7The california aggie

Teams: UC Davis at UC Santa Barbara; at Cal PolyRecords: Aggies, 12-6 (4-2); Gauchos 8-9 (3-3); Mustangs 6-12 (3-3)Where: Thunderdome — Santa Barbara, Calif.; Mott Gym — San Luis Obispo, Calif.When: Thursday at 7 p.m.; Saturday at 4 p.m.Who to Watch: It has been a season of mile-stones for UC Davis, and yet another Aggie is mak-ing a push for a historic mark. Junior Samantha Meggison tallied a steal against Pacific, which brought her career total to 150. She needs just six more to pen her name into UC Davis’s top 10 career steals list.Did you know? If the Aggies beat UCSB to-night, they will travel to San Luis Obispo to bat-tle Cal Poly on Saturday with a four-game win-ning streak. Yet they will be look-ing to break a losing streak they have built over the past three years. The Aggies have not won at Mott Gym since the 2008-09 season.Preview: UC Davis has shot the ball well as of late, and they’ll be hoping this is a turning point for

them. They will need their shots to fall in this week’s match-ups. No doubt the Aggies’ defense is working, as they rank second in the Big West Conference in scoring defense, al-lowing an av-erage of only 61.4 points per game. UC Santa Barbara leads the confer-ence, how-ever, allow-ing just 50.7 points per contest. The Gauchos, though, do not post big numbers on offense, as they are also ranked last in the Big West with only 52.1 points per game. “We’re playing great teams as well, so it’s go-ing to be really fun,” head coach Jennifer Gross said. “Both teams heavi-ly focus on the defensive side of the ball and I’m excited to see who can come out on top.” UCSB is coming off a close victory over first-place California State University, Northridge, which is 5-2 in the Big West. UC Davis handed the Matadors their first league defeat on Jan.

12. The Aggies now hold a 4-2 league record, good for third place in the Big West — locked in a three-way tie with

3-3 records are UCSB, Pacific and Cal Poly, who UC Davis plays on Saturday. The Mustangs have lost three games in a row after starting out 3-0 in con-ference play this season. But they are a danger-ous team, rank-

ing second in the Big West with 71.4 points per game. They close-ly follow Pacific, which averages 71.5 points per game. The Aggies’ game plan will be to keep the Mustangs from putting too many points on the board, as they kept the Tigers to just 51 points last week. “For us, we’ve focused on our team and the strength of our team, so we don’t worry too much about other teams and what’s going on with them,” Gross said. “We feel like the best way to win is to win in a team fashion.” — Matthew Yuen

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Samantha Meggisonjunior

Event: California Speedo InvitationalTeams: No. 16 UC Davis, No. 5 San Jose State University, No. 1 Stanford UniversityRecords: Aggies (2-2); Spartans (3-0); Cardinal (0-0)Where: Spieker Aquatic Complex — Berkeley, CaliforniaWhen: Saturday 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.Who to watch: Senior cen-ter and co-captain Alicia Began. She recorded five goals and five assists for a team-high 10 points in last weekend’s season-opening tournament.Did you know? San Jose State sophomore 2-meter play-er Timi Molnar, a veteran of the Hungarian national team and returning All-American, scored seven goals in last weekend’s tournament but was held scoreless against UC Davis.Preview: The UC Davis wom-en’s water polo team will have another crack at beating a top-five team in this week-end’s tournament in Berkeley,

with a rematch in the morn-ing against No. 5 San Jose State and then a chance to upset the defending NCAA Champions No. 1 Stanford Cardinal in the afternoon.

Head coach Jamey Wright used a number of combi-nations of play-ers in last week-end’s tournament to get a better idea of the level of skill and depth of his team.

“Most of our freshmen played a fair amount and did a really good job,” Wright said. “Our centers did a really good job holding position and our defenders did a good job at making it dif-ficult for the other team’s center to obtain position.”

Wright admitted that al-though the Aggies lost to the Spartans, he believes that was his team’s best effort of the tournament. Facing the defending national champi-ons, however, is going to be

another challenge.“We need to focus on our

front-court offense and not turning the ball over or tak-ing wild, unpredictable shots,” said Wright. “An orga-nized offense makes an easy transition to getting into a

strong front-court defense. Stanford counters better than anybody and they’ll take advantage of mistakes you make on offense.”

A l l - A m e r i c a n s Alyssa Lo and Kaley Dodson return for the Cardinal, but will be without first-team honorees Annika Dries and Melissa Seidemann,

who are sitting out the year to train for the 2012 Olympics.

The Aggies have an ear-ly start Saturday morning playing their rematch with the Spartans at 9 a.m. and then taking on the Cardinal at 4:30 p.m.

— Russell Eisenman

WOMEN’S WATEr POLO PrEviEW

Alicia Begansenior

Teams: UC Davis vs. California, Seattle PacificRecords: Aggies, 1-4; Bears, 1-2; Falcons, 1-1Where: The PavilionWhen: Friday at 7 p.m.Who to watch: Sophomore Madeline Kennedy set or tied career bests in three events at Sunday’s home meet. Her scores were good for second-place finishes on vault and floor and helped UC Davis to capture its first win of the season.Did you know? The last time that the Aggies hosted California, UC Davis post-ed its second-highest score of the 2011 season (194.050). Cal finished second in the dual with a score of 191.500.Preview: UC Davis will com-pete at home on Friday for the second time this week as it hosts Cal and Mountain Pacific Sports Federation ri-val Seattle Pacific. After a strong home opener on Sunday, the Aggies hope

to build upon their success as they once again perform with the support of a hometown audience. “We’re really work-ing on increas-ing our level of p e r f o r m a n c e , ” head coach John Lavallee said. “We’re still work-ing on being com-fortable in meets and being confi-dent that we can perform like we do in practice. It’s a process, but we’re on the right track.”

Seattle Pacific will enter the triangular coming off of a meet against San Jose State University in which it im-proved its initial season score by nearly two points.

Cal was defeated by Pac-12 rival Arizona State in its last meet, but the team notched a season-high score of 194.050

in the dual-meet.While the competition

promises to be intense, the Aggies are not intimidated.

“We’re really looking for-ward to the match-up this week-end,” said Lavallee. “Seattle Pacific has been one of UC Davis’ biggest ri-vals for [years]. And any time we com-pete against Cal it’s a good day to go out and compete well.”

At one of only five home meets, the team is eager to have a strong fanbase

at the meet, similar to the crowd of more than 500 that cheered the Aggies to victory over Air Force on Sunday.

“We’re really hoping we can draw a similar crowd,” con-firmed Lavallee. “It was real-ly energetic.”

— Kaitlyn Zufall

GyMNASTicS PrEviEW

Madeline Kennedysophomore

album. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea feels dense and heavy but light and airy at the same time. It is an album of con-tradictions and paradoxes that nev-er is in service of itself. When you lis-ten to the album, you recognize it as single solid and solitary piece. Each time audiences listen to the album, they will be reminded that what they are experiencing is something differ-ent, or perhaps they are re-discovering something they had forgotten all over

again. It is an album that always feels like a mystery — something just barely out of reach of understanding, but you can feel it so close to your fingertips. No other album ever or since has tak-en on the ambition of trying to encap-sulate what it’s like to live, breathe and think. Lead vocalist Jeff Mangum’s rap-id-fire singing and lyrics is like some-one trying to remember something really important and reminding you about it before the world ends. It’s an album that took to task the idea to re-mind us how strange it is to be anything at all.

— Rudy Sanchez

neutralcont. from page 5

The california aggie 8 Thursday, january 26, 2012

By LANI CHANAggie Features Writer

Had a New Year’s resolution but feel like it’s already losing steam?

The fourth annual Mind Body Wellness Challenge, sponsored by the UC Davis Retiree Center, aims to re-motivate these individuals by inviting them to adopt a new healthy habit and keep it up for sev-en weeks.

“The Challenge starts in late January be-cause by that time most people have giv-en up on their New Year’s resolutions,” said Sue Barnes, manager at the Retiree Center and director of the Mind Body Wellness Challenge. “The idea is to choose a healthy habit to work into your daily routine, and focus on keeping that habit until the end of the quarter.”

If kept up for seven weeks, Barnes says, the healthy habit is more likely to stick af-ter the Challenge ends and become a long-term lifestyle improvement.

“We picked what we thought was a rea-sonable time period to establish a healthy habit and one that was convenient for stu-dents,” Barnes said. “It will run up until fi-nals week. But hopefully the habit will stick well after the challenge is over.”

Challenge participants can choose a particular habit to integrate into their rou-tine from one of the areas on the wellness wheel, which breaks down general well-ness into seven dimensions: physical, so-cial, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, en-vironmental and occupational.

“We want to emphasize that health and wellness is more than just physical fitness,” Barnes said.

For example, if one wanted to improve one’s intellectual wellness, the Challenge developers suggest learning a challeng-ing skill or attending a lecture other than those required for class. If social wellness is the area of concern, participants could commit to calling friends or family located far away more often or becoming more in-volved in a club or organization.

Pam Nardinelli, UC Davis staff assem-bly coordinator, acknowledged that even though the winter weather might make it hard to get out and be active, establishing

a healthy habit when it is inconvenient to could further the long-term benefits of the Challenge.

“Starting now means [the Challenge will end in the springtime],” Nardinelli said in an e-mail interview. “When it is over, the weather will be nice so it will be easier to stay committed.”

Barnes, who is also a manager at the UC Davis Retiree center, aims to promote healthy habits starting at a young age be-cause people won’t realize how those hab-its will affect their ability to lead an active lifestyle as they get older.

“Most chronic illnesses take 30 to 40 years to develop, so the habits that you have in your 20s and 30s will definitely af-fect you in later life,” Barnes said.

Fatima Falman, senior history and polit-ical science double major and student as-sistant at the Retiree Center, says she will definitely be participating in the Challenge this year.

“I will be implementing walking at least one mile every day,” Falman said in an e-mail interview. “I think this Challenge will appeal to a wide pool of participants be-cause it hits home for everyone; it does not just focus on one aspect of health. Everyone can improve in at least one of [the seven] aspects, if not all of them.”

To track their progress, participants can detach a small calendar on the bottom of the registration form that has a check box for each day that they complete their healthy activity.

“But we do know that, realistically, peo-ple aren’t going to be perfect with it,” Barnes said. “So we say someone has com-pleted the Challenge if they keep up their healthy habit for 80 percent of the days.”

Three hundred people are currently signed up for the Challenge. As it is open to everybody in the Davis and surrounding communities, around a thousand people are expected to attend.

“It’s easy to register and requires only your desire to make a change in your life,” Nardinelli said.

Register for the Wellness Challenge at wellnesschallenge.ucdavis.edu.

LANI CHAN can be reached at features@theaggie.com.

Wellness Challenge motivates health-

conscious individualsAdopt a new healthy habit this quarter

Irisa Tam / Aggie

everyday life, as does her strong musical background. Gouirand is an accomplished musician who played in several orchestras in high school and college. “Part of what interests me about po-etry is how it drives feeling back into its home in the body. I find inspiration wher-ever people find inspiration: in conversa-tion, in the world, in great art and vitali-ty and shifting light and passing time and connection and perspective and the way language always seems to lead me to the brink of inexpressible things. I discovered my feeling of voice through music,” said

Gouirand. The poetry night featuring Gouirand ended with great success. Everybody in at-tendance enjoyed the numerous poems and Gouirand received many positive mes-sages over e-mail and Facebook. “The Natsoulas Gallery is a great home for the Poetry Night series; its open and con-ducive to listening. I’ve been looking for-ward to having a book release here in Davis where I live my life and push my work for-ward. I wanted to share those snowflakes with my community and not have it all be a tremendously fancy big deal. No perfor-mance, just contact with real people,” said Gouirand.

MICHELLE RUAN can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

POETCont. from page 5