AUGUST 22, 2013
Ke Alaka i Volume 104: Issue 3
THE LEADER
BYU-Hawaii releases its new 3D printer 4 Anti-hacking Event on Campus 10 IT Department shares free anti-virus software
Ke Alaka i
Photo of the Week
August 22, 2013 • Volume 104: Issue 3 Editor-in-chief
Advisor
M a . V i s O. Ta g u ba
L e e A n n L amb e r t
Head Photographer
Art Director
M ei Yi n
Me i Y in
COPY EDITORs
ART & GRAPHICS
Tuc ke r G r i m s h aw Aust i n M e l d r u m Dyl a n - S a ge W i l cox
Kyo ko H as e gawa Mo rgan Bo uwh uis Ye Ste ph an ie L ian g
PHOTOGRAPHERs M a t t M cD o n a l d E m i ly Wa d d e l l Kyoko H a s e gawa MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISTS Tucker Grimshaw, Homer Wolman, Rebecca Sabalones, Alyssa Walhood, Robinia Tan, Keryna Monson, Austin Meldrum
INTERNS M ei Yi n M a . V i s Ta g u ba
AD MANAGER Sh aro n Wo n g
E-mail: ke a l a k a i @ byuh .e du Ad Information: ke a l ak aiads @ gmail.c o m Phone: ( 8 0 8 ) 6 7 5 - 3 6 9 4 Fax: ( 8 0 8 ) 6 7 5 - 3 4 9 1 Office: C a mp u s , A l o ha C e n te r 134
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ON THE COVER
Students participate in the water polo competition in the BYUH pool. Water polo was one of the games played at the campus’ Summer Olympics on Aug. 7. Photo by Kyoko Hasegawa.
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Ke Alaka‘i
Table of Contents [page 4 ]
CONTACT
NEWS CENTER
Concert singers that include Siaosi, Kiwini Vaitai and Jasmine Lee performed at a Seasider Jam Performance Series held in the Cannon Activities Center on Friday, Aug. 16. Photo by Matt MacDonald
BYU-Hawaii tr ies out its new 3D pr inter
[page 6] BYUH inter national students unite to improve English skills
[page 7] Campus’ Summer Olympics creates a spir it of fr iendly competition among students
[page 9] LDS Church makes Facebook account f or First Presi dency
Share with us your photo of the week and we may feature it in our next issue. e-mail us at kealakai@byuh.edu
CALENDAR
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There will be a Shaka Steel Band concert outside the Cannon Activities Center by the Napela Statue at 6:307:30 p.m. The concert is directed by Darren Duerden, an associate professor under Fine Arts Department.
NOTE WORTHY
Women’s Volleyball Game: Come and support our Lady Seasiders play against the University of Alaska at 7:30-9 p.m. in the Cannon Activities Center. It is free for BYUH students with current ID and $5 for others. The Maori Culture Day event called “Te Manahua” will be held in the Pacific Pavilion at PCC. Come and enjoy Poi E and kapa haka competition from 9 a.m. to noon.
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the week in
QUOTES
“I wish I could go back in time and risk my life to try and save theirs. I will never forgive myself for not trying harder to save them.” -Hannah Anderson speaks out after her experience, on Aug. 14, detailing the murders of her brother and mother prior to her kidnapping.
“The sexiest thing in the entire world is being really smart. And being thoughtful and being generous.” - Ashton Kutcher in his acceptance speech at the Teen Choice Awards on Aug. 11.
“Today was the most beautiful, wonderful day of my life! God is more than good. Excited to live life with my husband, Adam Dirks.” -Bethany Hamilton, pro-surfer, via Twitter, shares her excitement on her wedding day, Aug. 17.
news headlines
Amber Alerts spread throughout Oregon and Washington as authorities searched for James Lee DiMaggio [far-left], who is suspected of kidnapping Hannah Anderson [far-right] and wanted in the death of the girl’s mom and perhaps her brother Ethan [middle]. Photos by AP
Kidnapped girl found and recovered in Idaho A 16-year-old girl, Hannah Anderson, was saved from her suspected abductor, James DiMaggio, in Idaho after residents spotted the suspicious couple on a country hiking trial. Authorities were able to enlist the public’s help using the missing-children Amber Alert text messaging system, says the Associated Press. According to www.amberalert.gov, the Amber Alert is “a voluntary partnership between law-enforcement agencies, broadcasters, transportation agencies, and the wireless industry, to activate an urgent bulletin in the most serious child-abduction cases. The goal of an Amber Alert is to instantly galvanize the entire community to assist in the search for and the safe recovery of the child.” Police began looking for Anderson Aug. 4 after discovering her mother and 8-yearold brother’s body at DiMaggio’s house, just east of San Diego. Commenting on Amber Alerts, Preston Squire, a senior in peacebuilding from Utah, said, “I think it’s a good system. People will still have to be aware of and remember it in order for it to be effective.” Several western states activated the Amber Alert asking for the public’s help in locating Hannah. A week later two couples were camping near Morehead Lake, a campsite 75 miles north of Boise, when they spotted a somewhat odd pair on the hiking trail.
One of the couples, Mike and Mary Young, first saw the pair during a Wednesday morning horseback ride when they came up behind DiMaggio and Hannah while they were hiking on a trail. Anderson had a “kind of had a scared look on her face when I first came up the trail,” Mike Young recalled at a news conference on Aug. 11 in Boise. At the time, he attributed it to her being taken off-guard by the horses. Upon their return to camp, the other couple, the Johns, pieced things together the next day when they returned home and saw a news alert about the missing girl on television. “That is that girl we saw on the mountain,” Mark John told his wife. He then talked to the Youngs to confirm his suspicions before calling a friend in the Idaho State Police. “If I were in that situation I would try to alert [the] authorities. Maybe try to follow them. I don’t know. Maybe try [using my] CSI skills I picked up from T.V.,” said Mark Cadwallader, a junior studying marketing from Antioch, Calif. After hiking for more than two hours in steep terrain, authorities found the couple. DiMaggio was shot and killed in gunfire after engaging the authorities with two rifle shots reported San Diego County Sherrif Bill Gore. - H O ME R WOLMAN & AP
august 22, 2013
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3D printing revolution
BYU-Hawaii University Technology Officer Kevin Schlag prints out a couple buttons and a chess piece using the new 3D printer on campus. Photo by Mei Yin
BYUH tests out 3D printer, students say it will change the world
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dapting into the world’s developing technology, BYU-Hawaii is trying out its new 3D printer, a special kind of printer used to produce three-dimensional solid materials. The 3D printer at BYUH has only been used for small-scale production like teacups, chess pieces, and buttons. “We’ve just tested it. We tried some samples [like] a rook chess piece, a couple buttons, and we tried printing out a fork. We haven’t used it that much. We haven’t told many people about it,” said Kevin Schlag, the BYUH university technology officer. As technology becomes better and more widely available there could be more of a use for 3D printers on campus. “I see in the future at print services or at the copy center they would have a 3D printer for students to use,” said Schlag. According to Associated Press, “3D printers have been around for decades, used by industrial engineers to produce prototypes. Ke Alaka‘i
In the last few years, the technology has broken out of its old niche to reach tinkerers and early technology adopters.” No longer are 3D printers a technology for big businesses; now people can buy 3D printers for personal use. Because people have the convenience of 3D printing from their own home people have printed more creative products than what 3D printers have conventionally been used for. 3D printers have made chess sets, tools, utensils, and even guns. Virtually any object that can be thought of and coded can be created by a 3D printer. Diana Ruiz, a senior in English and ICS anthropology from Mexico, said, “I would print guns so I can protect my kids and my dogs. I would print computers and other 3D printers, and robots to make my life easier.” The capabilities of 3D printers could be detrimental. “Experts warn this cool innovation could soon turn controversial —
because of safety concerns but also the potential for the technology to alter economies that rely on manufacturing,” says AP. Kurt Haws, an ICS anthropology senior from Arizona, said about 3D printers, “They are going to revolutionize the world. They’re going to change the standards of production and consumption. People will be able to produce products at their house instead of buying them at a store.” 3D printers, in a simplified explanation, use a USB drive with a code on it that tells the printer what needs to be printed. Then the printer spits out melted plastic in layers to create the object. As of now the 3D printer on campus is used more for experimentation than creating objects for education. However, as the world sees an exponential growth in technology, 3D printers could conceivably change the world. - ALYSSA WALHOOD
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President’s Forum
more majors be added to the school?” and others. The school website has an archived list of all President’s Council Question and Answer forums since January 13, 2009. A list of questions asked and answered is available for students and faculty to read at https://newsroom.byuh.edu/content/presidents-council-question-answer-forums. Ariel Chaffin, the University Communications intern, said, “The announcement for the President’s Council Q & A Forum is always on the Bulletin a week before the event. We’re also calling for questions a week before. If students read the bulletin, they will see the announcements.” Wheelwright says on the BYUH website, “By participating in these sessions, we will get to know each other better and we'll all become more familiar with university goals and policies. I look forward to seeing you at these meetings.” The next President’s Council Question & Answer Forum will be Friday, Sept. 20, at 2 p.m. in the Aloha Center room 155. - ALYSSA WALHOOD
Wheelwright says purpose of Q&A meetings is to talk about concerns with BYUH ohana
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YU-Hawaii President Steven C. Wheelwright and the President’s Council held a forum on Aug. 7 that students and faculty attended in the Aloha Center to hear answers to students’ questions. The goal of this meeting, and other forums like it throughout the year is, “to address any possible questions or concerns from the university ohana,” says Wheelwright on the BYUH website. Cameron Segura, a public relations specialist from California majoring in political science and Chinese language, said, “The event was well attended by both the faculty and students which created a positive dialogue between the community of the school and the President’s Council.” Abigail Smith, a senior in marine biology from Iowa, said, “I thought that the answers given were beneficial and applicable to all students.” Students submitted their questions with their names through emailing presidentsqanda@byuh.edu. Segura commented, “This is a quarterly event that students should be informed of so they can participate more in the school. Their questions are being answered directly by the people that make the big decisions.” Some of the questions asked during the event included:, “Why are the classrooms so cold?,” “When will the Aloha Center be remodeled?,” “Will TVA continue to expand?,” “Will August 22, 2013
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‘Spangrish’ Game Night Students bond together to improve English skills
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tudents developed English skills and relationships at an event entitled, “Spangrish,” on Saturday, Aug. 17. The event was held for EIL (English as an International Language) students to develop and improve their skills in the language, said Rosalie Vaka, a senior in accounting and political science from Tonga and a BYUHSA senior vice president over Service and Learning. The event was a joint event that took place with the help of the Service Center and BYUHSA, said Toby Redd, a senior in finance from Washington. The title of the event stemmed from the word “spanglish,” said Brooke Amnuaychoke, junior VP over service and learning, and a senior in elementary education. BYUHSA was looking for something that would catch students off guard, a catchy funny title, remarked Amnuaychoke. There were four different stations with different games that helped students with their English skills. The four stations
were, “The Beep,” “Vocab,” “Tongue Twisters,” and “Déjà vu.” “It was fun, because I met people from a lot of places, and there was a good social atmosphere,” said Ammon Kakazu, a junior in English from Hawaii. In “The Beep,” students’ grammar was challenged as they tried to place words in the right places in sentences. In “Vocab,” students’ vocabulary skills were tested when they had to describe a word that was placed above someone’s head without saying the word. “My favorite was the activity with the cards that were placed on the head because it involved everyone together, working as a team,” said Kakazu. In the “Tongue Twisters” station, students’ speaking was developed as they practiced saying tongue twisters. Amnuaychoke said “Déjà vu” was the hardest station because it tested students’ memory. For the winners, there were prize baskets, which included pencils, sticky notes, erasers, and candy.
Sephra Kinikini, a BYUHSA executive vice president who presides over Clubs and Organizations, and a senior in history from Hawaii, said, there was a good turn out and “It went so well because people got to know each other.” “It’ was super great, because I feel like I was able to get close to God through service,” commented Sandy Lee, a sophomore in political science from South Korea and a volunteer and executive director over Service and Learning. She continued, “Everyone gathered around, and there was no racism at all. All ethnicities had fun together.” - T UCKE R GRIMSHAW
BYUHSA and the Service Center joined together to produce an activity to improve international student’s skills in the English Language on Aug. 17. The different activities that were made created a wonderful environment for students to be united and have fun. Photos by Kyoko Hasegawa
Summer Olympics Student body divided into teams, united through activities
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he Summer Olympics at BYU-Hawaii on Aug. 9 and 17 strove to bring students together just as the worldwide Olympics try to bring the world together. It was a successful event that allowed students who did not know each other to bond through the spirit of friendly competition. Teams split into demographics: off-campus students, Hale students, and TVA students. Students participated in a variety of events like water polo, float-tube football, and swimming relays in the pool. Ping pong, badminton and dodgeball were played inside while the rest of the events; 3-legged races, sack races, ring toss, water balloon discus, longest line, long jump, water balloon volleyball, ultimate Frisbee, skateboard races, bicycle races, a relay race, and a hotdog eating contest were played on the fields and in the Little Circle on campus. The prizes included real metal medals, coupons for free burgers from 7 Brothers, and tickets to the Seasider Jam for the first people to sign up from each team. The main prize was a large, metal trophy that went to the overall winners of the Summer Olympics. The overall winner of the Summer Olympics was the off-campus, blue team. Mika Okada from Japan, a senior in hospitality and tourism management, led her
BYU-Hawaii students have the chance to play and compete at the campus’ Summer Olympics held on Aug. 9 and 17 at the CAC, the pool, gym, the Little Circle and on the school’s fields. Photo by Kyoko Hasegawa
off-campus team to victory in the dodgeball event. At the final faceoff, Okada stood alone against the two remaining players of the TVA team. Okada caught the dodgeball thrown at her by the TVA side, eliminating one of her opponents. Immediately upon catching the ball, Okada hit the remaining TVA player and won the game. She said of her win, “the team supported each other even though we didn’t know one another before. It’s the ohana spirit. When I was alone on the court my team was supporting me and it made me want to win.” Sara Siddoway, an ICS-anthropology major from Texas and a Special Events director for BYUHSA, said about the event, “the Olympics are an international event and we are an international school. It just makes sense that we have our own Olympics.” Yuya Kitihara, the student Vice President of BYUHSA Special Events and an ICS-communications major from Japan, said, “The idea was to create special memories and moments. Something unique about BYUH is our diversity. We wanted to give people an opportunity to open up and be more comfortable in an event that would satisfy all cultures. We hope to make this an annual event.” - ALYSSA W ALH O O D
August 22, 2013
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What makes a video go ‘viral’? W
hatever may be contained in those few shorts minutes, viral videos are becoming more and more popular worldwide. Marketing strategists and analysts across the map are taking their best guesses as to why certain videos become viral and others barely get viewed. The brilliant and insanely catchy Korean chart-topper “Gangnam Style”, features a suave, shaded, and well-groomed PSY galloping around beaches and barns with arms crossed as if steering a bucking bronco. “Gangnam Style” which has now reached over 1.7 billion views, blazed the trail for viral-video hopefuls across the map showing just how contagious a clever hook backed by genius dance moves really is. Simply shout ‘Gangnam style’ on any street corner or crowded place and someone is bound to break out into the signature dance. Or the Harlem Shake, a short dance-club hit with a beat that drops like a rock started a YouTube sensation that spread like wild fire, allowing clubs, teams, groups, families, whomever, to dance their hearts out for just a couple of minutes while simultaneously reaching cyber stardom. Even professional sports teams like the NBA Champion Miami Heat gave their hilarious rendition of the Harlem Shake. But not all viral videos feature a wild song-and-dance routine. Whitney Yun, a
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senior graphic design major from California, said, “I think the funniest videos are the ones that go viral. Everyone wants to laugh, so they spread the videos around to their friends and family. I love videos of animals doing hilarious things.” Videos go viral once they capture something incredible and never seen before. Soon enough the whole virtual world shortly becomes aware. Such is the case in the fastspreading home video of two missionaries playing half-court hoops against a couple of street ballers. Imagine two missionaries, awkward and quirky, looking like they’ve never touched a basketball in their life before. The basketball looked as foreign to them as an asteroid would, had is just crashed down from outer space. As the game progresses, suddenly the missionaries flip the switch and turn into allstars against a couple of streetballers. Then, with an array of fancy moves and high-octane dunks, the missionaries baffle the competition and even leave the spectators at a loss for words. The soundbites which follow the video are hilarious as well. Yun, who saw the video, said, “I thought the video was hilarious because of the reactions of the guys they [the missionaries] were playing against. They were so surprised that these missionaries were that good.”
The Video “Ryan Gosling Won’t Eat His Cereal” “A Space Oddity”
Appeal, unique nature
“Dove Evolutions”
Conversational, motivational
“Mormon Missionary Ballers”
Surprising, unique nature
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Key Ingredients Seeding, Tags, Hashtags
A screen shot of Gangnam’s style’s YouTube video. Gangnam style is one of the famous hits on YouTube visited by millions of viewers. Photo courtesy of YouTube Channel site
Somewhere between obscurity and ingenuity, is where you’ll find the ingredients for a ‘viral’ video. “Gangnam Style”, the “Harlem Shake”, and many other classics are the product of this mystery combination. While there is no secret recipe, and multitudes of reasons that videos become internet sensations, there are a few examples of videos that went viral which demonstrate the necessary elements of a viral video. Gordon MacMillan, Editorial Manager for Twitter in his article “How Videos Go Viral on TwitterThree Stories”, takes a shot in the dark as to why videos go viral. Listed are four possible explanations of videos that have already caused an internet-wide phenomenon. - Austin Meldrum
Why the video went viral The video contained some of the most popular tags, giving it the highest chances of being viewed. Clever. Astronauts singing David Bowie in zero gravity? Yeah, who wouldn’t want to watch that. Everyone wants to share the feel-good message of Dove’s Evolution campaign. Web surfers still appreciate a couple of hustlers, especially when it’s two clean-cut missionaries!
Apostles join Facebook
LDS Church creates Facebook page for First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
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ith the advancement of social media, it is now easier than ever to connect with family, friends, and even the Prophet. The Church has created Facebook pages for members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve. The pages will be maintained by the Church on their behalf and will be their official social media presence for each of them. “I just mostly use the church’s digital stuff for scriptures and manuals. It’s just super convenient. And on my blog I have a link to lds.org,” said Christina Larsen a junior studying pre-professional biology. Jared Covington, a senior adviser over social media for the Church, said the Church created these pages to “give people a safe place they could go on Facebook to ‘like’ the pages of the Brethren.” “I’d be friends with President Monson. I think it’d be funny to see what President Monson posts on Facebook,” said Katie Naea, a junior studying social work from American Samoa. Covington said that the goal for these pages is to show people content on LDS.org that they may not have found previously. About
Created Ad
Create Page
“It allows us to highlight content that is tied to specific brethren. Our hope is that members will really dive in and feast upon this content.” These social pages boost the spirituality of the members, help missionary efforts, and have improved search engine optimization (SEO) for the Brethren. When people search for the names of the brethren, the top results are more likely to come from official Church content, both in online searches and within social media networks. Aaron Coffey, a senior studying communications from Atlanta, Georgia, said “I think it’s a good thing. It allows us to define ourselves instead of letting others define us.”
Developers
- HOME R Wolman
The above photo is a screen shot of the cover picture for the LDS First Presidency’s new Facebook page. The members of the First Presidency are [left to right] Henry Eyring (first counselor), Thomas Monson (prophet) and Dieter Uchtdorf (second counselor).
Careers
Privacy
Cookies
Terms
August 22, 2013
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BYUH hosts presentations for computer protection Students learn how to combat viruses and hackers; IT director shares free anti-virus software
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o help students protect themselves from invasive computer viruses, BYU-Hawaii hosted two events on campus that helped students protect their computers from harmful viruses. Students, Philip Hunter, a senior studying IT from Texas, and Eder Miyazaki, a senior studying IT from Brazil, hosted the presentation on Aug. 1, in the Little Theater. Hunter and Miyazaki gave a brief overview of hacking techniques and provided tips that helped students avoid hackers. “Whenever I got viruses it would just slow down my computer - it was Kazaa on my HP. It was a bummer,” said Jaden McCarrey, a junior studying peacebuilding from Alaska. Hunter and Miyazaki introduced basic terms and techniques hackers use to access private information. The most common hack, a “Man in the middle” hack, is when hackers place themselves in the middle of the
flow of communication between two computers. The hackers then can filter information to each computer and pass on viruses to the different computers. Hunter said the easiest way to stop a hack is to, “Turn off your computer. If you turn off your computer the hacker can’t access any information. It’s as easy as that.” In another computer security presentation, Cindy Tutors, director of IT operations, showcased several anti-virus software programs available to students. On the oit.byuh.edu website students can download anti-virus programs by clicking on the link, “protect your computer,” on the left hand side. Downloading this software and performing routine checks on your computer will get rid of a majority of your viruses, said Tutors. Jasper Mills, a junior studying university studies from California, said he used
Cindy Tudor, director of IT operations, shares anti-virus information with students. Photo by Emily Waddell
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to have problems with his computer after downloading music, but now he buys CDs. “Buying CDs, not only supports the artists, but keeps the viruses out of your computer. For those seeking additional assistance, students and faculty can bring in their computers to the IT office in GCB 120. IT students are available to check your computer, and determine the best way to solve your computer problems. “We’re here to serve the students. We’ve been pretty successful so far and we’ve probably helped over 300 students save their computers and save them lots of money. We hope to help a lot more people,” said Tutors.
-HOME R Wolman
NYC man puts baby up for sale on Craigslist for $100 Students say alleged joke isn’t funny
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n New York City, a man takes to the popular buying and selling website, Craigslist, in late July, to vent his frustrations with his girlfriend by putting their baby up for sale. BYU-Hawaii students said they were disgusted by the whole debacle. The advertisement by the 22-year-old Paul Marquez said: “Hey I have a 2-month-old baby name [redacted] she loves to play and have her little fun but there is only 1 problem, the doctor said that she has asthma and if she turns a certain way she can stop breathing, she’s really getting on my nerves and I don’t want her Please email me.” He offered the baby for $100. An anonymous caller contacted the police after reading the posting.
“The reason why I decided to put this post up was because I got bored and wanted to get a little laugh and a little kick out of it.”
Jenson said, as for the people who inquired about purchasing the baby, “I mean it’s good to know that some people still want babies with the increased popularity of abortions. If the investigation turns up something shady with them, then they should be tried. It’s so hard to know if they were maybe just a really desperate family trying to adopt a baby but were so worn out by the long process.” Authorities reported there were two different inquiries about purchasing the baby. Both of which Marquez followed up with further contact information. This is where the police said they are backing up his “intent” to actually sell the baby. Authorities are looking for those who made the inquiries. According to Times Newsfeed, “Marquez has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, harassment and a social service violation. Marquez appeared in court Tuesday [July 30] and pleaded not guilty to the charges; he’s now being held on $1,000 bail at Rikers Island. If convicted, he could serve up to a year in prison.” - KE RYNA MONSON
-Paul Marquez, 22-year-old who posted the ad on Craigslist After being arrested, Marquez said, “The reason why I decided to put this post up was because I got bored and wanted to get a little laugh and a little kick out of it.” It does not bode well for Marquez, said the police, because he did in fact post the ad not only once but twice. This shows that there was more intent to sell than if he had just posted it once, said authorities. “My first thought is that he’s not asking enough money. It would have been a funny joke if he had not followed up further with it,” said Bent Jenson, a senior majoring in art from Oregon. Scott Kemsley, a senior from Texas majoring in psychology, said, “I think the police overreacted a little bit. They should have gone in first with caution to find out the true intent behind it, but really as far as the joke goes, he took it too far.” August 22, 2013
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Homelessness in Hawaii ‘Return to Home’ initiative plans to give homeless one-way tickets off island
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omelessness in Hawaii, particularly in the capital Honolulu, has become a top concern for state officials. To combat this, the Hawaii state government has created an antidote – the “Return to Home” initiative. Ideally, this program will help solve the economic strain homelessness has placed on Hawaii’s state economy by providing the volunteering-homeless a one-way plane ticket back to the mainland, announced the State’s Department of Human Services in July, reports NPR. Although no final decisions have been made, the plan will give the state legislature $100,000 annually for first three years of the program to send homeless back to their families in the mainland, the NPR online article says. Of course, the people must leave voluntarily, but will be given a one-way plane ticket to be reunited with their families, if they choose. Homelessness is a key contributor to several larger governmental issues in Hawaii including; public health and safety, social justice, and civil liberties issues, as well as a hindrance on the reliable tourism industry of Hawaii says NPR. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, in an interview conducted with NPR, “It costs Hawaii about $11 million a year to run 35 local homeless housing and service programs -- services that homeless residents desperately need.” The initiative plans to save taxpayers money by drastically reducing state services. “If Hawaii successfully reunited 100 homeless with their families on the mainland,
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this would easily save millions of dollars in welfare benefits/taxpayer costs,” said John Mizuno, vice speaker of the State House of Representatives to “Forbes Magazine.” Hawaii’s public beaches and steady, comfortable climate attract tourists and travelers all over the world. Connie Mitchell, executive director of the Summer Homeless Men’s Shelter in Honolulu, told NPR: “We are a tourist destination that attracts
“If Hawaii successfully reunited 100 homeless with their families on the mainland, this would easily save millions of dollars in welfare benefits/taxpayer costs.” -John Mizuno, vice speaker of the Hawaii State House of Representatives people who are homeless or people who have resources, and that’s something that we really can’t control.” The problem is that not all of Hawaii’s visitors leave. According to AP, “Homelessness increased 15 percent on Oahu since last year according to a recent report. A growing number of homeless are not from Hawaii but make the most of their situation
by taking advantage of inviting beaches and support services. State lawmakers are struggling with the visible problem of homelessness in tourist areas and some have proposed a contentious idea to use state money to fly the homeless back to wherever they came from.” Sherry Menor-McNamara, chief operating officer of the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, estimates the cost of providing for one homeless person in Hawaii is “about $1,500 to $3,000 per month.” Instead of monthly assistance from the state, a one-way plane ticket is a cheaper and more permanent solution, says state officials. The largest problem facing the homeless initiative is identification. The homeless are quite frequently living without any legal documentation or papers which makes tracking down a home a difficult task. A lack of identification makes it nearly impossible to track any family or relatives back on the mainland as well. The Mitchell told NPR “one-third of the people who stay [in Hawaii] come from out of state.” According to MenorMcNamara, only 42 percent of all homeless people are actually from Hawaii. The plan still faces great opposition from skeptics claiming that this approach will not solve the issue of homelessness, but will simply relocate the issue to another place. - Austin Meldrum
Keeping Beaches Beautiful Service Center joins Sustainable Coastlines for coastal clean-up
In an effort to keep our beautiful shorelines clean, the BYU-Hawaii Service Center teamed up with environmental group Sustainable Coastlines to help clean up the Kaka’ako waterfront. The event, which took place on Saturday, August 10, coincided with the first annual Rocka’ako coastal cleanup and rock concert. Early morning rain didn’t deter students and volunteers as they gathered together to collect trash at the Kaka’ako waterfront park. Participants gathered trash from along the sidewalk and stone sea wall. Amongst the trash, volunteers found many interesting things lodged between the boulders. “I found a dried eel that someone had caught. It was well preserved with its razor sharp teeth showing and its eyes missing,” said Jordan Tesimale, a senior studying finance from Virginia. After the beach cleanup, volunteers were able to attend a free rock music concert at the outdoor amphitheater, with performances from groups such as “The Chaotic 5” and “TAVANA”. Gabriela Gomez, a freshman studying communications from Guatemala, said, “It was really cool. It was a great reward after the service project. We should have more service projects like that.” Sustainable Coastlines has cleaned up over 35,000 pounds of garbage this year, thanks to the efforts of over 5,000 volunteers. Their goal is to inspire “local communities to care for coastlines through hands-on beach clean-ups,” says its website. “My favorite part of the service project was seeing the community come together and meeting new people. I met a really cool guy from Easter Island. Its experiences like that makes service projects fun,” said Talia Strong, a junior studying psychology from California. Every month the BYU-Hawaii Service Center provides students an opportunity to participate in service projects in the community. For more information, visit the BYUH Service Center page on Facebook. -H OMER W O LM AN August 22, 2013
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-Sword “Ah, yes. I was a boy scout and so I played with knives a lot. I always wanted to carve something cool and now I’m 36 and I’m doing it. I’m carving this sword. I found this wood in Payette, Idaho, one of the most beautiful places in the world. *He bites the wood.* It’s pine probably.” -Carved Figure “This is from Copan, Honduras. Copan is a Mayan ruin. I went back to Honduras, where I served my mission in, after Hurricane Mitch had devastated the country. It changed the country a lot; crime went up, gangs, etc. In 2000, I did micro-credit lending there – basically giving people, especially women, really small loans for their small businesses. We gave these little loans of $50, $150 and we worked with people paying these loans back. Micro-lending has a higher rate of repayment than bigger loans. A great experience and I bought this far from authentic cheesy figurine.”
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-Homestar Runner figurines “I did not grow up with the Internet, I didn’t have an email account till after my mission. I didn’t view the Internet as entertaining. When I saw Homestar Runner I was obsessed with it. It was one of the first viral websites I saw. I remember buying these figurines and thinking in 30 years I’d sell them for a thousand dollars.” Ke Alaka‘i
-Chinese Hacky-sack “I probably have the least personal connection to that, but it’s cool. It was found in the sporting goods section in China. Once upon a time in high school I thought I was a hippie, but I wasn’t. I always wanted to be the kid playing hacky sack.”
Joe Plicka’s Things
-The Virgin Mary Collection “It’s kind of nice because it throws people off. Everyone’s always “boo idols” but I think there’s something sweet about Catholics’ veneration of Jesus’ mom. It’s also a nice reminder of the people I served in Honduras. It’s interesting to see the different artistic interpretations of the Virgin Mary. These are from Spain and Mexico.”
A biography told through a collection of possessions -Camel figurine “This camel is from Jerusalem. My wife, Emily, and I went to the BYU Jerusalem Center in 1999. We were friends, we hung out, we came back and she wanted to date me. I was like, “I can’t do that.” I won’t tell you the whole story but I took her out for her birthday thinking I had still had a chance. I tried to kiss her and she said “no thanks.” Then we stayed friends, dated, and got married.”
-Fire in the Pasture: 21st Century Mormon Poets “In my free time, I like to write. I’m published with some of my idols in this book. It was my dream to be published with Lance Larson, who I think is the greatest living Mormon poet, and I am. I’m also working on a novel set in St. Augustine, Florida.”
-Gold muscle car “Emily, my wife, bought this toy car for me for Christmas. I’ve dreamed of owning a muscle car since high school and I still dream about it. Either that, or a Volkswagen van. Eh, or Chevelle Super Sport probably.” - A LYSSA WALHOOD
For students and staff to know him better, English Professor Joe Plicka shares his biography by talking about his valuable collections. Photos by Emily Waddell
Mr. Money Mustache Blogger says investments and frugality enable him to retire at 30 A financial advisor and blogger gave advice on how he retired at the age of 30 and still is able to live a comfortable life, in an interview on Yahoo!. Known by the name Mr. Money Mustache, he was interviewed by Yahoo! Financially Fit on July 23 when he said making frugal financial decisions, like riding a bike instead of buying a car and spending money on gas, helped him retire early. On his blog, Mustache explains how he selected a name for himself that he uses for his blog. “So when I think of an old-school Mustache wearer, I imagine this senior gentleman … [or] a bunch of other tough guys and bankers from old Western movies, walking down a prosperous street in New York City in the 1800s. The ladies have their eye on him, the dudes get out of his way in respect, and the mayor respectfully checks with him on issues of town policy. Now we’re up to the level of Mr. Mustache.” Mustache goes on to say, “Then when you extend the concept to Mr. Money Mustache, you imagine the same respectable guy, but with the added dimension of Financial Acumen. The top businesspeople and bankers ask his advice and invite him to meetings. Hardworking working class men and ladies come to him on the street to ask for advice on their family finances.” According to The Washington Post, Mustache said, “I was probably born with a desire for efficiency — the desire to get the most fun out of any possible situation, with no resources being wasted.” Brooke Butler, a junior in social work from California, said it is a good life to lead. “If someone wants to live their life in such a way and not spend their money on extravagant things, then more power to them.” He used this desire to manage his money where he maintained a debt-free lifestyle even when he was studying in college. Upon his graduation, Mustache continued with this lifestyle “by working a lot and not owning a car. I worked pretty hard early on to move up a bit in the career, relocating from Canada to the United States, attracted by the higher salaries and lower cost of living,” reports The Washington Post.
While others have fancy cars, Mustache’s family kept their old car and seldom used it by riding bikes instead. Mustache said, “I have a rule. You do not drive a car for a trip within the city because you don’t need it,” reports Yahoo! Financial Fit. His family also seldom goes to restaurants and cook inexpensive food instead. According to Yahoo! Financially Fit, Mustache always save more than 70 percent of each paycheck and with their inexpensive lifestyle, they “invested this surplus as we went, never inflating our already-luxurious lives, and eventually the passive income from stock dividends and a rental house was more than enough to pay for our needs (about $25,000 per year for our family of three, with a paid-off house and no other debt),” reports The Washington Post. Emily Wong Li Hwa, a senior majoring in business management from Malaysia, said, “It’s a good lifestyle that people should learn from.” But she added she thought his life would be better if he traveled the world instead of “ saving and saving.” To read his blog, go to http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/. -ROBINIA TAN
August 22, 2013
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Other notable events in the Top 20 included; the Miami Heat winning the NBA finals in Game 7 over the San Antonio Spurs— it ranked a fifth all-time with 150,00 tweets per minute, The Spice Girls’ performance at the London Olympics 2012 ranked 7th Beyoncé, Superbowl blackout with 110,000 tweets per minute, and the release of “Sharknado”, a Sci-Fi horror film that became an instant cult-classic basically overmost tweeted events ever night, landed the final spot at #20 on the chart with just over 5,000 tweets per minute. ccording to a recent technology study by National Public RaTwitter, and other forms of social media like Facebook and dio’s Elise Hu in All Tech Considered, three of the top 20 most Vine, are transcending the bounds of public communication. Now, tweeted-about events ever occurred on February 3, 2013—Super Bowl Sunday. Ironically, only one of those events actually involved the foot- with the millions of users worldwide, events can be detailed and comball game itself, the 108-yard kickoff-return by the Baltimore Ravens’ pared to one another to determine just how much buzz is circulating Jacoby Jones, who set a post-season NFL record with the play. Jones’ about the blogosphere. Twitter and other social medias can do things TV rating cannot provide- immediate responses. While the statistics touchdown, however, was only the third most tweeted-about event, regarding these events seem rather meaningless, they help paint a picrecording 185,000 tweets per minute. ture as to what really attracts to the public. “Numbers become more Hu’s study uses statistics found publicly on Twitter’s blog page, calculating tweets per minute, and categorizing them according meaningful when you can compare two similar events,” said Simon Rogers, Data editor for Twitter on the company’s blog. to tags or topics. Now, Twitter can measure just what all the hype Sporting events, award ceremonies, even tragedies like the was about while it is still happening. Even though it occurred at the Superbowl, the most tweeted Boston Marathon Bombings, can be instantly documented and shared event of all-time, however, had nothing to do with football. Beyonce’s from the insider perspective. Social media can now see just how significant events really are to the pop-culture hungry, mainstream jaw-dropping half-time performance, which included surprise apdemographics of the world. pearances by former group members Kelly Rowland and Michelle People even turn to social media as their source for informaWilliams of Destiny’s Child, became the most tweeted-about event tion, often hearing of breaking news through Twitter before any other of all-time netting a record 268,000 tweets per minute. In fact, the show was so electrifying that the 22-minute power outage which fol- news source. And it makes perfect sense—millions and millions of lowed Beyonce’s performance at the Superdome in New Orleans, La., people are active twitter users. “Every two and a half days, a billion Tweets are sent. Put another way, that’s three for every man, woman became the second most tweeted-about event ever, receiving 231,500 and child in the United States — or five for everyone in Brazil,” tweets per minute. When asked her opinion of Twitter and social media in gen- reported Rogers. - Austin Meldrum eral, Hayley Bleazard, a junior biology major from Cedar City, Utah, said, “I have a twitter. I don’t use it very often though… usually out Top 15 events people tweeted about in the last year: of boredom.” Bleazard sometimes uses her twitter account to tweet 1. Beyonce’s 2013 Super Bowl performance about personal thoughts and comments but also enjoys social media 2. 22-minute long Superbowl blackout for its interactive approach to life’s daily routines. “The show ‘Pretty 3. Jacoby Jones 108-yard Kickoff return in Superbowl Little Liars’ has hashtags that pop up on the screen for you to com4. The Denver Presidential Debate in October 2012 5. 2013 NBA final game between Miami & San Antonio ment about. it makes watching the show more interesting for me. But 6. 2013 Grammy Awards that’s about it. I do think social media can be useful but [it] can also 7. 2012 Olympics closing ceremonies be a big downfall for a lot of people.” 8. Town Hall Debate October 2012 Hu notes that only two of the top 10 events were not 9. “Argo” wins best picture at 2013 Oscars 10. Usain Bolt wins 200m Gold at 2012 Olympics related to sports or entertainment, but instead were political events– 11. Vice presidential debate October 2012 presidential debates. The first debate of the campaign season held in 12. Democratic National 2012 Convention Denver, Colo., showed a well-prepared Republican candidate Gov. 13. Golden Globes 2013 Mitt Romney taking a powerful stance against President Obama 14. Republican National 2012 Convention 15. 2012 State of the Union Address back on Oct. 3, 2012. This highly-anticipated debate shocked the public and gave possible indications of the likelihood of the election outcome. It became the fourth most tweeted-about event at 158,690 tweets per minute.
Top Tweeted Moments
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Source: Twitter
Ke Alaka‘i