Over 2,500 students participated in UCI Athletic's Blackout night in UCI's upset victory of CSUN on Wednesday.

SPORTS: Women's basketball and sailing put together strong showings as baseball takes on Texas A & M.

BASEBALL: Anteaters handle Hawaii 3-1 in weekend series in Honolulu. Bibona and Larson go off.

VOLLEYBALL: The ‘Eaters put a dagger in the Trojans Wednesday, but lose to No. 3 Pepperdine Friday.

THE FRESHNESS: UC Irvine men's volleyball this season has been a true pleasure. I have written in the past about how much I enjoy these matches I cover for the New University, but last week was truly a joy to watch. These guys, men, specimens, beasts, whatever you prefer to call them, are without a doubt providing me with my most memorable year as a student here at our glorious UCI. This may tread on the line of man-love, but I can't help it; these dudes are the illest.

WATER POLO: In a tough week at the Anteater Pool, women's water polo beats Long Beach, loses to Berkeley.

THE SWAGGER: Hats off to you Anteater faithful. You played a large role in the UC Irvine men's basketball team's 75-53 dismantling of Big West Conference leader Cal State Northridge in front of a national television audience.

BASKETBALL: Men's team registers big week by upsetting top-seeded CSUN and Hawaii in Bracketbusters.

Reviews of Thursday's "Common Existence" and 4AD's "Dark Was The Night"

The fight to combat global warming and energy dependence was a key domestic issue ingrained in the American psyche roughly a year ago as President Barack Obama and John McCain journeyed on the campaign trail, preaching the importance of sustainability and decreasing America's dependence on foreign oil. Just as the environmental political platform began to pick up popularity, the financial crisis and global economic woes blew the steam out of environmental issues, making them mere afterthoughts in comparison to the economy.

"Vagina." If you were at the UC Irvine production of the "Vagina Monologues," you became desensitized to this word really fast.

Angelina is a woman scorned. Still wearing her wedding dress in court, she is suing Edwin for leaving her at the altar. The judge takes his seat, the usher pleads with the jury to be "free from all bias" and Edwin tries to sway opinions. Meanwhile, Edwin's past and current lovers are dispersed throughout the jury and audience. The Judge is actually just very lazy, and comedic stops and humor are in every other line. Is this the opera? It is, and director Robin Buck phrased it right while staging the opening scene. "I'm adding one thing," he said. "Laughter."

With 15 minutes until midnight on Friday, Feb. 20, 76 groups of UC Irvine students began filling the grassy amphitheater located near the ArtsTEC Lab in the Claire Trevor School of Arts. As the high level of energy and exclamations of excitement echoed through the halls of the arts center, there was no hint that students were about to endure 24 hours of exhausting and extensive work.

UCI's Second Year Masters of Fine Arts Exhibition, composed of mixed media productions, opened on Feb. 19 at the University Arts Gallery.