The wheels on the Unitrans buses may go round and round,but a different set of wheelsoncampus has slowed down lately.Adam Shapiro,a third-year clinical nutrition major,is in a wheelchair,and when he wants to get to class in Everson Hall,the uneven pathways are sometimes so rugged that he worries that his chair might tip over.

It should be no news to you that we‘re in a state of economic crisis,so I won’t elaborate any further. I will say,however,is that such times have really put my life into a whole new perspective.A poor college student‘s diet has helped me shed the baby fat,rising gas prices have helped me “go green” and my fashion choices as a “recessionista“ (read:Consignment/thrift store shopping) have changed my wardrobe for the better.

VHS tapes have been relics of the past for quite a while.Even DVDs are beginning to seem outdated as Blu-ray discs and other digital media grow in popularity. Nonetheless,many undoubtedly remember the squeaky,shiny plastic of home Disney movies or the long VHS rewinding process after (and often before) the movie – and few will forget anytime soon.

Once considered one of the top libraries in the UC system, Peter J. Shields Library has plummeted in ranking, funding and capability in recent years. Previously ranked as high in the American Research Library’s rankings as 24th in 1986, Davis sat at 60th at the end of 2008.

Soldiers of war are notpsychopathickillers – they are victims of robbery,the robbery of a human quality called empathy. With certain external forces,we have the ability to lose this basic emotion. Analyzing the Israel and Gaza conflict,I realized that the loss of empathy is the underlying cause of the controversy.My objective in this column is not to prove which side is the victim or aggressor,but to share some of my thoughts on why I think there is such a polarization of opinions in the first place.

Although I was dead-set on writing about butterflies and daisies this week,my Johnny-Depp-with-a-beard look-alike editor kindly pointed out that there is far more to a douchebag than the mere fact that they are a douchebag,as I had outlined last week. And that’s when my last two brain cells started thinking.What makes a douchebag such a douchebag? How do you deal with said douchebags?

With Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration less than a week away,and an economic collapse seemingly even closer,students are nervous to hear what challenges Obama must face and hopefully defeat.On Tuesday,over100students and community members filled the Activities and Recreation Center ballroom to attend “Challenges for the President,” where a panel of UC Davis professors discussed the social,economic,legaland foreign policy issues facing the future administration.

When Cantina del Cabo closed in June2007,many Davis residents lamented the loss of a favorite hangout.The restaurant and bar,known for its roomy digs and expansive beer selection,was demolished shortly after it closed. The hole in downtown didn’t last for long,though.A new commercial building is now nearing completion in the same location.

Teams:UC Davis at Cal State Fullerton Records:Aggies,6-10 (1-2); Titans,8-8 (2-2) Where:Titan Gym – Fullerton,Calif. When:Today at7:05p.m.

It was standing room only at Tuesday’s Davis City Council meeting as over150people clamored for a chance to speak their mind on the ongoing war in Gaza. The City Council was considering a resolution calling for peace in Gaza,where Israel and Hamas have been fighting a bloody battle for three weeks.The resolution did not lay blame on either side or seek a specific solution to the matter,but instead called for “an immediate,durable,fully respected ceasefire” and a “lasting humanitarian truce.”

On Saturday December6th2008,127students from8different fraternities and4different sororities came out and cleaned up UC Davis.In a partnership between the UC Davis Interfraternity Council,Panhellenic Council,and R4Recycling Program this event oversaw the collection of65bags of material (27bags of trash,20bags of recycling,and18bags of compost),totaling654.6pounds of material (311.8lbs.of trash,167.2lbs.of recycling,and175.6lbs.of compost).The event started in the Arboretum and covered the entire campus. This was an incredible,collaborative effort that demonstrated the pride that we UC Davis students and we Greeks take in our campus and in our environment.

Teams:UC Davis vs.Cal State Fullerton Records:Aggies,6-8 (2-1); Titans,5-8 (2-1) Where:The Pavilion When:Today at7p.m.