Focus On Davis, California Community

We’re Getting On emerged from James Kaelan’s skepticism of the direction this country is moving environmentally and technologically. The novel isn’t a cautionary tale or a polemic, necessarily, but it reflects his uneasiness—even his fear—of what sort of country we’ll be living in a few decades from now. Kaelan wanted, therefore, to do something positive to promote the novel.

About a year ago he started wondering, “What if there was a way to manufacture and promote a product in this country that not only didn’t harm the environment, but actually improved it?” That birthed the idea of a book that could grow into a tree. And a book that grows into a tree not only offsets its own production emissions, it also, technically, creates the material to produce new books.

In light of the oil spill—an environmental disaster perpetrated by an industry that trades in environmental catastrophes—We’re Getting On and Flatmancrooked’s Zero Emission Book project operates as an antidote to destructive business practices

When: Tuesday- July 19th, 2010 – 7:30 PM

Where: The Avid Reader
617 Second St.
Davis, California 95616

Coming Soon to the Davis Varsity Theater

Cyrus
(click on title for official site)
Coming Friday, July 16th

Show times for July 16-22

With John’s social life at a standstill and his ex-wife about to get remarried, a down on his luck divorcee finally meets the woman of his dreams, only to discover she has another man in her life – her son.

Director: Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass
Cast: Catherine Keener, Jonah Hill, Marisa Tomei, John C. Riley
Language: English
Rating: R for language and some sexual material
Run Time: 1hr 32mins

Exit Through the Gift Shop
(click on title for official site)
Coming Soon, Postponed until late July

Four-time Academy Award® nominee JEFF BRIDGES stars as the richly comic, semi-tragic romantic anti-hero Bad Blake in the debut feature film CRAZY HEART from writer-director Scott Cooper. Bad Blake…

Exit Through the Gift Shop, the first film by renowned graffiti artist Banksy, became the hottest ticket at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival where it made its world debut. Banksy is a graffiti artist with a global reputation whose work can be seen on walls from post—hurricane New Orleans to the separation barrier on the Palestinian West Bank. Fiercely guarding his anonymity to avoid prosecution, Banksy has so far resisted all attempts to be captured on film. Exit Through the Gift Shop tells the incredible true story of how an eccentric French shop keeper turned documentary maker attempted to locate and befriend Banksy, only to have the artist turn the camera back on its owner – with spectacular results. The film contains exclusive footage of Banksy, Shepard Fairey, Invader and many of the world’s most infamous graffiti artists at work, on walls and in interview. As Banksy describes it, “It’s basically the story of how one man set out to film the un—filmable. And failed.”

“That rarest of art documentaries, one that actually leaves viewers with a better sense of the gifted versus the phony.” ~Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out New York

“Subversive, provocative and unexpected, Exit Through the Gift Shop delights in taking you by surprise, starting quietly but ending up in a hall of mirrors as unsettling as anything Lewis Carroll’s Alice ever experienced.” ~Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

Director: Banksy, Shepard Fairey
Cast: Banksy, Shepard Fairey
Language: English
Rating: R for some language
Run Time: 1 hour 27 minutes

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Micmacs à tire-larigot
(click on title for official site)
Coming Soon, Date uncertain

Four-time Academy Award® nominee JEFF BRIDGES stars as the richly comic, semi-tragic romantic anti-hero Bad Blake in the debut feature film CRAZY HEART from writer-director Scott Cooper. Bad Blake… A man and his friends come up with an intricate and original plan to destroy two big weapons manufacturers.

Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Cast:
Language: French
Rating: R for some sexuality and brief violence
Run Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

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Winter’s Bone
(click on title for official site)
Tentative Date, Friday July 23rd


An unflinching Ozark Mountain girl hacks through dangerous social terrain as she hunts down her drug-dealing father while trying to keep her family intact.

Director: Debra Granik
Cast:
Language: English
Rating:

R for some drug material, language and violent content.
Run Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

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The second annual Davis High School, Blue and White Foundation will hold its  Concert on the Green.  This even is sponsored by Watermelon Music and featuring Special Interest, One Eyed Ryhno, Hotwire, J Street Jazz Cats and Yolo Mambo. The concert is open to golfers, and non-golfers alike.

The Concert on the Green commences at 5pm with the local Davis band Yolo Mambo.

Tri-Tip sandwiches from the Davis Graduate, Burritos from Dos Coyotes, and Pizza from Woodstock’s pizza will be sold at Concert on the Green.  Jamba Juice and The Davis Creamery will be serving cold deserts. Guests are encouraged to bring picnic blankets and low profile lawn chairs.

Concert tickets are available at Watermelon Music and guests are encouraged to purchase their tickets early for express entry into the concert.  Tickets may also be purchased at the door. Adults are $10; children 10 and under are $5. Bikes or carpools are recommended.

When: Saturday, June 5th – 5PM  to 10PM
Where: Wild Horse Golf Club

8:50 pm
SPECIAL INTEREST is a cover rock, R&B and blues experience, vocally led by the high-octane Chris Farnum and the soulful Katie Ijams. They lead stylized arrangements driven by the tasty guitar work of Peter Kellison and powered by an insanely tight rhythm section– Nick Louizos on bass and Chris Mowrer on drums. As seasoned players who have played a seriously wide range of events for over a decade, these five musicians know music drives the show, but performance drives the crowd. They leave any audience wanting more.

7:50 PM
One Eyed Rhyno has been rockin’ with their original (classic rock/blues) songs and their covers that range from The Doors to Alice in Chains to the Goo Goo Dolls for almost six years now; this is a band you do not want to miss. James Hunter, singer/songwriter/guitarist, started OER in 2004 playing classic and original rock at venues all over the Sacramento and Bay Area. His sister Elaine, drummer/back-up vocals, does her own jazzy piano and vocal set as well. Andrew Daniels is the original bass player for OER and sings some back- up vocals as well. OER has recently been signed to UnderAge Records and they recently won the Jammies Competition in Sacramento and spent 10 hours recording in Pus Cavern Studios in Sacramento.

7:00 PM
Hotwire is a young band who rock beyond their years. Comprised of three elementary students and a junior high student, Hotwire has performed at a wide variety of venues including the 2009 and 2010 Jammies Finals at Crest Theater. The band consists of Brady Corcoran (lead vocals/rhythm guitar); Cole Morse (lead guitar, backup vocals); Theo Farnum (bass, backup vocals), and Riley Donahue (drums, backup vocals). The band writes and performs both original music and covers, with influences listed as Green Day, Weezer, and Pearl Jam.

6:00 PM
The J Street Jazz Cats is a group of 7th through 11th graders that plays traditional Jazz, Light Rock, and Swing Tunes. Up to 11 performers will take the stage. The Jazz Cats recently will have just finished playing a four day Jazz Festival in Old Sacramento over the Memorial Day weekend.

5:10 PM
Yolo Mambo delivers world music with a Western pop undercurrent consisting of Catherine LeBlanc, vocals; Phil Summers, guitar; Steve O’Neill, bass; and Carla Campbell, percussion. Summers and LeBlanc both are familiar members of the world music group !Akimbo. O’Neill has played bass in numerous groups. Campbell will be recognized from her work with the Diane Patterson Xtet. Influences include Carlos Jobim, Kirsty MacColl, Sting, and the music of Africa and the Caribbean. If you like Putamayo music label, you will love their music!

Between Acts
Conor Kellicut wonders about the simple things in life. Why is his dog so happy? Why do we do the jobs we do? And what is that smell? Starting out in theater when he was 5, Conor graduated to Stand-up Comedy in San Francisco at 21 at the Legendary Holy City Zoo. Quickly becoming a regular at The Punchline and Cobb’s Comedy Club, and taking second place in the Comedy Central Laugh Riot Semi Finals, Conor has focused on finding just the right words and putting them in just the right order to keep his audiences laughing! Conor is currently writing and performing for the internet show ‘Bait N Switch’ as well as hosting the new TV Show ‘Eating Out Cheap’!

Conor has worked with Dave Chappelle, Jake Johansen, Dave Attell, Tracy Morgan, Chris Titus, Dana Carvey, Robin williams, Greg Poops, Arj Barker, Patton Oswald, Greg Geraldo, Jay Mohr, Ralphy May and a bunch of people you have never heard of but are still hilarious!

Posted by Jeremy Brooks

Lead in paint is a hidden, very dangerous threat to many.   April 22, 2010 is the date that changes everything in home renovation for contractors.  This is the date that the new EPA law goes into effect regarding lead.  All pre 1978 homes have the potential to have lead paint present. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has long made it a priority to reduce exposure to lead, especially for young children.  Exposure to high levels of lead can be particularly damaging to children whose nervous systems are still developing and to pregnant women, whose unborn children are growing.  Children with these high lead levels can suffer from nervous system damage, behavioral problems, learning problems, slowed growth, headaches and other debilitating conditions. The Environmental Protection Agency has been working for three decades to reduce exposure to lead in lead paint, and on April 22, 2010, new federal laws will require all contractors “performing renovation, repair or painting projects that disturb lead based paint…to be certified and to follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.”

Contractors today must jump through numerous hurdles to guarantee that they are meeting these rigorous safety standards when working with lead paint in homes, businesses and other child related facilities. Thousands of workers performing renovations will have to be trained and certified as “Renovators” by EPA-accredited trainers. Paint professionals and other home improvement professionals will be trained in how to effectively protect household items and how to seal floor coverings from potential contamination while work is in progress. In addition, training will be given in how to use high-powered equipment while working with lead paint and how to contain the dust that accumulates during renovations.  The EPA in its wisdom, has estimated the additional cost per contract will only be $36.00.  Unfortunately this is far from true, the cost of working on pre 1978 homes where lead is present will greatly increase the cost to the homeowner.  While they have greatly underestimated the cost, the safety concerns they have are very accurate.

The process is to educate the homeowner.  A contractor is required to give the homeowner or property owner the new EPA “Renovate Right” pamphlet. Then there is testing with a lead paint test kit.  The contractor will slice an area of paint and swab the area with the tester.  It will immediately tell you if there are levels of unsafe lead present.  When the work is being done it is all about containing the dust, chips, and potentially hazardous material.  The containment process is the most critical part of the process, as it is directly related to property owners exposure.

This new law is all the more reason to check out any contractor that you are hiring.  Do your homework on the companies you hire, the internet provides a wealth of information on them.  If you have a pre 1978 home, the contractor must be certified.  Ask them to show you their certification, as they are required to show it.  If they are not certified then thank them for them time, and move on to a contractor that is.  Due to the high cost to become certified, many contractors are avoiding the new regulations.  It is critical for you protection that the contractor is certified, and it is the law.  Feel free to call the staff at Brooks Painting for answers to your questions concerning this new law.  Brooks Painting is already a certified lead paint renovator.   Call for more information at  530-753-5074

Brooks Painting
2860 West Covell Boulevard
Davis, CA 95616

Tech-savvy students battled from the sidelines at U.C. Davis Tuesday.  They competed in the 2010 Sacramento Regional FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robots Competition.

The competition challenged high school teams from Sacramento and the Bay Area to design and build a robot that demonstrates mechanical effectiveness, teamwork and dedication. The top teams will earn a chance to compete in the national FIRST Championship April 15 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Learn more about this annual event here.