The latest stories from UC Davis's student newspaper, The California Aggie, available online at www.theaggie.orgen-us(C) 2007-2008 The California Aggiehttp://www.theaggie.org/articles/69 Some of you may already be aware of the tree-sitting protestors at UC Berkeley that are currently preventing the construction of a new athletic facility (and if you weren't, you certainly are now). I'm here to tell you that this protest is ridiculous.Thu, 7 Aug 2008 00:00:00 PthPDThttp://www.theaggie.org/articles/66 My column this week aims to salute to those people and companies that have a different, refreshing way of doing business. Recently there were murmurs of concern over the health of Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple, Inc. Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PthPDThttp://www.theaggie.org/articles/64 This column will continue my goal of talking about current events, although this week I'll be delving into the wide world of sports.Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PstPDThttp://www.theaggie.org/articles/62 Now that Davis is down to a chilly 92 degrees, this story may not resonate with some of you as it might have last week, but I'm telling it anyway. Walking home from the ARC, I felt like getting a cool drink. Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PthPDThttp://www.theaggie.org/articles/60 To celebrate this recent July 4 weekend, I'm dedicating this column to random thoughts, which I suppose means I'm giving a nod to Rob Olson and consequently Thomas Sowell for the inspiration.Mon, 7 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PthPDThttp://www.theaggie.org/articles/58 The UC Davis Health System will take an important step Tuesday, when smoking will finally be banned on the entire UCDHS campus. It is refreshing that a leader in local medical practices is making such a strong statement about smoking - finally. Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PthPDThttp://www.theaggie.org/articles/56 Civil rights groups have requested that the California courts block an initiative which would renew the state's ban on gay marriage from appearing on the November ballot. Maybe I'm alone in this, but the idea that so many people are willing to devote so much of their own time and money to fund an initiative that would take rights away from their neighbors is incomprehensible to me. Don't they have better things to do?Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PrdPDThttp://www.theaggie.org/articles/55The number of herons and egrets populating the arboretum in recent years has become unmanageable; between 2005 and 2007, the number of egrets in the arboretum has increased more than fivefold.Thu, 5 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PthPDThttp://www.theaggie.org/articles/55After 24 years of dedicated service to UC Davis, Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef announced Monday he will be stepping down at the end of next year. Thu, 5 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PthPDThttp://www.theaggie.org/articles/55I've written a lot of columns this year - 27, actually, including this one - and I'm proud of every damn one of 'em. Very proud. I'm proud of them because, let's be honest, they were pretty damn good.Thu, 5 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PthPDThttp://www.theaggie.org/articles/55UC Davis and the UC system, like San Francisco and dozens of other communities across California, including L.A., Fresno, Oakland, Santa Cruz, Berkeley, Palo Alto and Marin County have adopted the goal of Zero Waste. Thu, 5 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PthPDThttp://www.theaggie.org/articles/55There is something profoundly human about a dramatic sporting loss, particularly when it befalls a team on the brink of victory that you wholeheartedly support.Thu, 5 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PthPDThttp://www.theaggie.org/articles/55Election coverageThu, 5 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PthPDThttp://www.theaggie.org/articles/55When I finally abandoned my dream of becoming a history professor a year-and-a-half ago, I decided my last column would be a proud declaration of my immediate intention to join the Army. Thu, 5 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PthPDThttp://www.theaggie.org/articles/54 Life, Liberty and Love. You've heard many of the sayings conceptually tying the Ls together. "Give me liberty or give me death," "A life without love is no life at all," etc. I believe it is rightfully so. Each one has a distinct identifiable characteristic, yet to separate one from the others makes the remaining empty.Wed, 4 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PthPDThttp://www.theaggie.org/articles/54 It's been a fun year being a columnist, all. I've enjoyed pounding out these columns of mine every Monday night, mere hours before I had to go in and edit. I kind of like having a byline and getting my picture in the paper. Wed, 4 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PthPDThttp://www.theaggie.org/articles/53Students often neglect to realize how much of an impact the Davis City Council has on their everyday lives. Every week, the council makes decisions that affect how difficult it is to find affordable and quality housing in Davis, how boring or exciting the downtown is, how much we must pay for our utility bills and how far we have to drive to purchase a pair of socks.Tue, 3 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PrdPDThttp://www.theaggie.org/articles/53 In an effort to mitigate California's looming $15 billion deficit, state lawmakers have been forced to look in unconventional places for money. State Representative Charles Calderon (D-Montebello) has proposed Assembly Bill 2914, which would place a 25 percent tax on the gross revenues of the adult entertainment industry.Tue, 3 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PrdPDThttp://www.theaggie.org/articles/53Well the end of the year has finally approached and I have to bid farewell. I must say it's been quite a ride for my column. This year was my first time I split a column into two parts (big deal, I know), my first real hate mail and my first (and failed) attempt at meeting readers. Tue, 3 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PrdPDThttp://www.theaggie.org/articles/53n preparing next year's budget, the Executive Office sought to minimize the impact of significant budget cuts to services that ASUCD provides for students, as well as student jobs.Tue, 3 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PrdPDT