WHAT’S INSIDE
NEWS 1
SPORTS 4
OPINION 3
CULTURE 6 I SSU E
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The Independent Student Voice of Boise State Since 1933
Volume 23 First Issue
F R E E JULY 14, 2010
The Arbiter's non-AQ power rankings
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Gorge yourself with Sasquatch
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Tanning? Step into the sin bin...
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Are we there yet? Construction projects near completion
glenn landberg/THE ARBITER
Construction workers from Idaho Sand & Gravel labor on University Drive during a hot July afternoon. aquatic center
lOCATION: sTUDENT RECREATION CENTER
eST. COMPLETION DATE: SUMMER 2010
CECED
lOCATION: aCROSS FROM BRONCO STADIUM
eST.COMPLETION DATE: SUMMER 2011
cobe building
lOCATION: university drive and capitol blvd.
eST. COMPLETION DATE: fall 2012
lincoln parking expansion
lOCATION: across from SUB
eST. COMPLETION DATE: summer 2011
BOISE STATE
Student media is now hiring! ·News editor ·Journalist ·Marketing Director Go to arbiteronline.com for complete listings and to apply.
or submit an e-mail to editor@arbiteronline.com
Bronco Snapshot
Jeremiah Shinn Kathleen Tuck Courtesy Update
A
s a new employee at Boise State, Jeremiah Shinn is looking forward to rooting on the Broncos this season. That’s because Shinn is nuts about football – most notably, the NFL. Hopefully, a few trips to “the Blue” to watch the two-time Fiesta
Bowl champion Broncos will help balance the heartache that accompanies his longtime love affair with the Detroit Lions. “The optimist in me believes that they can’t be bad forever,” he said. Shinn came to Boise State
as director of the Student Involvement and Leadership Center in February. Previously, he worked in student affairs at Indiana University and at Eastern Michigan University. At Boise State, he works to connect students to campus, to the community and to one another through leadership development, volunteer opportunities and involvement in student organizations. “I am proud of the fact that our work augments the educational mission of the university by providing a lab for the lecture,” he said. “When our work is done intentionally and in concert with the great work of our faculty, I believe that the
NEW TURF
glenn landberg/THE ARBITER
Dan Moretti from Pittsburgh, Pa. hammers in nails to help lay out the hash marks on Boise State’s newly laid stadium turf.
Letter from the editor New students, Welcome to our campus and to our university. Hopefully your excitement is in bloom as your goal of a continued education is at hand. My name is Bob Beers and I am the Editor-in-chief of The Arbiter -- the independent student voice of Boise State. I would like to introduce you all to what Boise State has to offer in regard to student media production and dissemination. The contemporary media landscape is in a state of flux. Locally, we have approached this with eyes wide open. We recognize the value of multimedia, social media and traditional print media. Each component executes a valuable role in providing media consumers with as complete a picture as possible. To produce that picture, we created a media group. The Boise State student media group is comprised of a twice weekly newspaper (The Arbiter), an online radio station (The Pulse), two websites (arbiteronline.com and bsupulse.com) and a video production team (Non-linear Productions). The
students we touch are better prepared to create positive change in our world.” Developing college students is a key element in his life’s mission. As a first-generation college student at Arkansas Tech University, he remembers being a frightened, small-town kid who felt completely out of his element. His campus experience changed the trajectory of his life and instilled in him a desire to pay it forward. He does this by working to create positive change as a volunteer for several nonprofit and professional organizations and by creating a variety of opportunities for students to experience personal growth.
group also utilizes a talented inhouse business team for marketing purposes, graphic design and sales. The result of this collaborative effort has manifested itself in the form of innovative and dynamic content. As a media group we can more effectively provide you, the reader, with information that bends traditional forms and rules of media production. Between bsupulse.com and arbiteronline.com (in addition to our print medium) the media group offers live radio broadcasts, original video sitcoms, podcasts and audio interviews, photo slideshows, feature articles and colorful columns, dynamic news and sports coverage, platforms for community involvement and so much more. We encourage you to interact with as much of what we have to offer as you can. And, whenever possible, provide us with feedback for what you would like to see in our articles, slideshows, videos or radio broadcasts. Sincerely, Bob Beers Editor-In-Chief
The optimist in me believes that they can't be bad forever -Jeremy Shinn He’s also working to finish a doctorate in educational leadership from Eastern Michigan University. But it’s not all work and no play in the Shinn household, which Jeremiah shares with his wife, Sarah, and their clumsy labradoodle, Cohen, whom Shinn describes as “not very smart and usually looking like he needs a bath and a haircut.” Together, the trio is enjoying exploring Boise and all it has to offer — including downtown
restaurants, the Boise River and the famous blue turf. Outside of sports, Shinn loves to travel (he’s been to 23 countries) and be “in the know” regarding politics and current events. Parting shot: If you had a superpower, what would it be? “I would be able to teleport myself to a beach during lunch. A nap in a hammock on the water in Jamaica would be a great way to recharge for the second half of my day.”
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Opinion
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July 14, 2010
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Are 'sin taxes' moral or meddling? Discouraging debauchery Jessica Swider Opinion Producer As humans, we all have our vices. Sixty-four percent of Americans drink, 25 percent smoke cigarettes and 10 percent use indoor tanning beds according to CBS News. And for those Americans, the costs of such guilty pleasures continues to rise. This year, Idaho has instated a new excise tax on tanning. Excise taxes, or "sin taxes," are additional taxes on items seen as vices such as alcohol, tobacco and gambling. Not only are sin taxes a good way to generate revenue for state governments, they also have the potential of detouring people from destructive or morally questionable habits. Boise State junior and computer and electrical engineering major Charlie Harster is a supporter of the new excise tax. "Tax it up!" Harster exclaimed. "If people who do that stuff don't mind a little extra cancer, they shouldn't mind a few extra cents." As Investopedia, a Forbes Digital Company, put it, "State governments favor sin taxes because they generate an enormous amount of revenue and are usually easily accepted by the general public because they are indirect taxes that only affect those who use the products." While many people oppose sin taxes, they are logistically an intelligent idea. With our economy, sin taxes are a wonderful opportunity for Idaho to raise extra money, without increasing taxes for everyone. All of the items and services subjected to sin taxes have been acknowledged as potentially addictive by the American Medical Association. If someone is going to make a conscious choice to participate in something detrimental to his or her health, why shouldn't he or she pay a few extra pennies? Not only can sin taxes help to raise money for state economies, they can also discourage people from buying or using the services to which they are attached. If an extra tax is placed on things such as alcohol or tobacco, perhaps some people will decide to go without rather than pay that extra money. In addition, the economic consequences that will arise if we don't do something drastic to improve our situation far outweigh the annoyance American's could feel toward excise taxes. According to the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation, the newly imposed tanning tax is expected to generate $2.7 billion by 2019, which will go toward the fund for the health care reform package. This income alone should be enough motivation for people to back further sin tax
Audrey Swift/THE ARBITER
Defining sin tax: According to The Tax Foundation excise taxes ("sin taxes") are special taxes on specific goods or activities -- such as gasoline, tobacco or gambling -- rather than general tax bases such as income or consumption. imposition. Some people worry about the effect this tax will have on the smaller tanning businesses. However, Desarae Murphy, employee at local tanning salon Jamaca Me Tan, is less certain that the business will feel an impact. "I don't think the tanning tax will stop many people," Murphy said. "They're still going to come tanning regardless. The die-hards will pay extra." With the beauty industry spearheading a tanning campaign to raise public awareness about the dangers of indoor tanning, it is likely indoor tanning will take a huge hit in the near future. The few who decide to still indoor tan despite the dangers known are probably willing to pay a few extra bucks to get their "fix."
Cost of freedom Jana Hoffman Journalist Sin taxes own a noble notion: raise revenue to fund government programs and create a deterrent to unhealthy or morally questionable goods and services. The congress shan’t make these naughty products illegal, they shall, however, make some greenbacks off them. By taxing some products and services at a higher rate than others, the government steps in and shakes it its moral finger. There should be no moral favoritism shown by government. The aforementioned “sinful” behaviors are aggressively marketed to the public
every day. If individuals are to be taxed on using these products, then first television stations running the ads and the companies selling them should also be heavily taxed when marketing. Then, businesses that choose to sell the products to the public should be sin-taxed. Ultimately, we should make them so cost prohibitive that no one will fight when they are voted illegal. This is the road down which we are headed. Citizens often trade a priceless liberty for chump change. For instance, the 10 percent tax on tanning salon services that started July 1 will produce a projected $2.7 billion during a 10-year-period to help fund the health care reform bill. In those same 10 years the bill will cost the United States $940
e ditorial S taff NEWS Editor
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ernment steps in and uses its power of taxation as a moral compass, it wields a power never intended in a republic. It declares itself greater than its own people. In a republic, this is impossible; in a dictatorship, it’s quite possible. The money has to come from somewhere. But are we really at such a desperate point in history that we will trade principles of freedom for money? Americans deserve equal representation reflected in taxation. If the federal government is going to impose an excise tax, it should be applied across the board. Instead of taxing tanning at 10 percent, congress should pass a light tax on all goods and services sold in the United States. No favoritism, no moral judgments; government finally just doing its job.
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billion. Though minimal revenue is to be had from the new tax, tanning salon owners and managers such as Lyssa Quallio of Beach Club Tanning are feeling the pinch. “I’ve already seen it affect some of our business,” Quallio said. “I literally spent all of Friday calling Electronic Fund Transfer members letting them know about the new tax. It was interesting to see the feedback. Some of it resulted in them canceling. I think we will see an increase in cancellations this week as well." Sin tax succeeds in discouraging targeted behaviors. However, it is not the government’s job to detour its citizens from any legal behavior. Working Americans are free to spend their time and money in anyway they want. When gov-
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Guest opinions (500 word limit) and Letters to the Editor (300 word limit) can be e-mailed to managingeditor@arbiteronline.com
The Arbiter cannot verify the accuracy of statements made in guest submissions. Opinions expressed by guest and staff columnists reflect the diversity of opinion in the academic community and often will be controversial, but they do not represent the institutional opinion of The Arbiter or any organization the author may be affiliated with unless it is labeled as such.
Distributed Mondays & Thursdays during the academic school year. The Arbiter is the official independent student newspaper of Boise State University and a designated public forum, where student editors make all content decisions and bear responsibility for those decisions. The Arbiter’s budget consists of fees paid by the student body and advertising sales. The first copy is free. Additional copies can be purchased for $1 apiece at The Arbiter offices.
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Sports
Go to arbiteronline.com to read about BSU men's basketball recruits
July 14, 2010
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Preseason non-AQ Power Rankings
1
Boise State Broncos:
Southern Mustangs:
2009 record: 14-0 (8-0 WAC) Most recent bowl game: 2010 Fiesta Bowl (BSU 17 - TCU -
Brigham Young Cougars:
Texas Christian Horned Frogs:
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Utah Utes:
2009 record: 10-3 (6-2 MWC) Most recent bowl game: 2009 Poinsettia Bowl (Utah 37 - California 27) Head Coach: Kyle Whittingham, sixth year at Utah, (47-17 overall, 28-12 MWC) Returning starters: offense - 8, defense - 4 The way the Utes handled Cal 37-27 in the 2009 Poinsettia was impressive. Now, Utah feels like it needs to end its last MWC season on a powerful note after accepting an invitation to the Pacific-10 Conference. Quarterback Jordan Wynn was a blessing in disguise for the Utes last season. Wynn discovered a favorite target in walk-on wide receiver Griffin McNabb late in the 2009 season. The union did miracles for the offense. Look for that combination and the Utes defense to show the rest of the MWC why Utah was chosen by the Pac-10 to become its newest member.
2009 record: 8-5 (5-3 MWC) Most recent bowl game: 2009 Armed Forces Bowl (Air Force 47 - Houston 20) Head coach: Troy Calhoun, fourth year at Air Force, (25-14 overall, 16-8 MWC) Returning starters: offense - 5, defense - 6 The Falcons believe this is the season they will compete with the MWC's top-tier teams. A quarterback competition between Tim Jefferson and Connor Dietz developed during the spring and there doesn't seem to be a clear cut front-runner. Injuries have hobbled Air Force at linebacker and on the offensive line.
2009 record: 8-5 (7-1 WAC) Most recent bowl game: 2009 Hawai’i Bowl (Nevada 10 SMU 45) Head Coach: Chris Ault, 26th year at Nevada, (68-43 overall, 47-19 WAC) Returning starters: offense - 9, defense - 6 If Nevada can find a way to match its recent offensive success with defensive success the Wolf Pack will be a very difficult team to beat in 2010, but the likelihood of that happening is low. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick and running back Vai Taua will get their numbers and put the ball in the end zone like always. New defensive coordinator Andy Buh will have his work cut of for him during the offseason. Nevada lost most of its defensive play makers after last season's blowout loss to SMU in the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl 45-10.
10
Fresno State Bulldogs:
Navy Midshipmen:
13) Head coach: Ken Niumatalolo, third year at Navy, (18-10 overall, 4-0 vs service academies) Returning starters: offense - 8, defense - 5 The Midshipmen have come a long way the past few years by adding more depth at the quarterback and running back positions. Last year's 10-4 finish gave Navy its first taste of real success in a while, and should have its players feeling very confident coming into 2010. Dual-threat junior quarterback Ricky Dobbs accounted for 33 total touchdowns last season and will be able to spread the ball out evenly due to the recent strides in his passing game.
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Nevada Wolf Pack:
2009 record: 10-4 (6-2 Conference USA) Most recent bowl game: 2009 Armed Forces Bowl (Houston 20 - Air Force - 47) Head coach: Kevin Sumlin, third year at Houston, (18-9 overall, 12-5 C-USA) Returning starters: offense - 8, defense - 6 Relying on senior quarterback Case Keenum and the Cougars' potent offensive attack will be the strength of the team for the second-straight year. Improving the defense has to be the top priority for Houston this offseason after getting manhandled during all of 2009. New defensive coordinator Brian Stewart already made an impact during the spring by implementing a new defensive scheme. His defensive unit accounted for 12 sacks, three interceptions and one fumble recovery during spring scrimmages.
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Air Force Falcons:
Houston Cougars:
2009 record: 10-4 Most recent bowl game: 2009 Texas Bowl (Navy 35 - Missouri
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2009 record: 11-2 (7-1 MWC) Most recent bowl game: 2009 Las Vegas Bowl (BYU 44 - Oregon State 20) Head coach: Bronco Mendenhall, sixth year at BYU, (49-15 overall, 34-6 MWC) Returning starters: offense - 7, defense - 5 Losing running back Harvey Unga due to violations of school code is devastating for the Cougars. Defensively, BYU has holes to fill at cornerback and many other areas on defense. The Cougars previously hoped to come out of spring practices with questions answered, but instead came out of camp with more questions than they know what to do with. BYU still hasn't found a replacement for former quarterback Max Hall, but the Cougars coaching staff feels confident it will find a solid player under center before the season begins. Whomever BYU chooses at quarterback will have to make plays offensively for the Cougars due to the possibility of a poor defense.
2009 record: 12-1 (8-0 MWC) Most recent bowl game: 2010 Fiesta Bowl (BSU 17 - TCU - 10) Head Coach: Gary Patterson, 10th year at TCU, (85-28 career, 53-18 MWC) Returning starters: offense - 9, defense - 7 Coming off a loss to Boise State in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl 17-10, the Horned Frogs feel like they might have the most to prove of any non-automatic qualifying team this season. Senior quarterback Andy Dalton won't be short on receiving options and TCU has built stellar depth at running back the past two seasons. Losing defensive end Jerry Hughes and linebacker Daryl Washington to the NFL stings, but head coach Gary Patterson always rebuilds well and doesn't think it will be a major problem.
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2009 record: 8-5 (6-2 Conference USA) Most recent bowl game: 2009 Hawai’i Bowl (SMU 45 - Hawai’i 10) Head coach: June Jones, third year at SMU, (9-16 overall, 6-10 C-USA) Returning starters: offense - 8, defense - 7 Many speculators have SMU higher than this, but with serious concerns looming at the running back position it's hard to put the Mustangs higher than six. The Mustangs will be young for the second consecutive season with most of the youth having already played a majority of last season. Quarterback Kyle Padron made major strides passing in 2009 and will be looking to run more often too if the Mustangs can't develop a trustworthy ground attack before season's start.
10) Head coach: Chris Petersen: Fifth year at BSU (49-4 overall, 31-1 WAC) Returning starters: offense - 11, defense - 10 The Broncos return 21-of-22 starters from the 2010 Fiesta Bowl team and are led by junior quarterback and Heisman Trophy hopeful Kellen Moore. The loss of defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox to Tennessee hurts, but BSU quickly replaced Wilcox from within by promoting defensive line coach Pete Kwiatkowski. BSU also added former California defensive coordinator Bob Gregory to its staff during the offseason. Senior wide receivers Austin Pettis and Titus Young give Moore multiple deep threat targets and running backs Doug Martin and Jeremy Avery will look to build on their stellar 2009 seasons.
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Methodist
T
By Trent Lootens
he Mountain West Conference dominates The Arbiter’s non-AQ rankings. While, Boise State, Nevada and Fresno State vie to prove the nation wrong and show the Western Athletic Conference should still be in the same conversation as the best nonAQ conference in the nation.
Bree JOnes/THE ARBITER
2009 record: 8-5 (6-2 WAC) Most recent bowl game: 2009 New Mexico Bowl (Fresno State 28 - Wyoming 35) Head coach: Pat Hill, 14th year at Fresno State, (100-66 overall, 70-33 WAC) Returning starters: offense - 8, defense - 7 The Bulldogs lost most of their offense when star running back Ryan Mathews left early for the NFL Draft. Coach Pat Hill had to find a replacement for Mathews quickly if the Bulldogs were going to be contenders in 2010. Hill found the answer in UCLA transfer Milton Knox, a player who won't be eligible for the 2010 season, but will have two years remaining. Wide receiver Seyi Ajirotutu is gone, leaving quarterback Ryan Colburn with a very young receiving core. Sophomore Phillip Thomas will be a key factor in rejuvenating a depleted secondary.
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of a journalist include covering news events, meetings, writing features, analysis and producing multi-media segments. We are looking for reporters who can and will work a variety of subjects and understand the value of community journalism. Photography, audio, video, skills and comfort with WordPress and social media such as Twitter and Facebook are a plus. To Apply e-mail a letter to Editor-in-Chief, Bob Beers, expressing your interest in the internship to jobs@arbiteronline.com. Students can also send a resume but it’s not required.
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Sudoku
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2 3 4
8/23/09
Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit
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Funnies
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By Michael Mepham Level: 1
Please check your ad the first day it runs, and notify The Arbiter of any errors. We will only be responsible for first insertion. © 2009 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.
4. Yell really loud. Someone from our office may or may not hear you.
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SOLUTION TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE
3. Stop by our office across the street from the SUB (the one with the big ramp in the front).
Rates:
The Future By N. Black & S. Clement Tribune Media Services
Today’s birthday (7/14/10) You’re ready to leave intense group activity behind and strike out on your own. This year spend time in contemplation for increased production in creative projects. Wishes become reality when you apply your will and power. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.
Aries (March 21-April 19) Today is an 8 - Today you see how to integrate all the factors at play into a finished product. It doesn’t need to be polished yet. Lay the pieces out.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today is a 6 - Opportunities emerge from the woodwork. Where you formerly saw only confusion, you now perceive powerful means to a desired end.
Gemini (May 21-June 21) Today is a 9 - To develop choices for yourself and others, begin with imaginative ideas. Then bring them down to earth with logic. Take action.
Cancer (June 22-July 22) Today is a 7 - A partner and a distant family member focus their talents on your problem. Normally you might not like that, but now it’s really helpful.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Today is a 5 - Eat Asian food for lunch. Using chopsticks provides practice to pick up and sort tiny bits of information. Then the project gels.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Today is a 6 - Midweek romance includes a reservation you don’t want to miss. Dress well even if you don’t know what you’re dressing for.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today is a 9 - Once you get the ball rolling today, it makes its own way downhill to the finish line. Cheerful supporters are there, applauding.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Today is a 6 - Get your ego out of the way so you can imagine possibilities that arose in a dream. Then apply will power and see what happens.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Today is a 6 - Today just gets better as you contact an old friend and resurrect an idea you shared long ago. Working together produces success.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Today is a 7 - Use every chance you get to bring others closer to their money. Use imaginative methods to help them collect outstanding balances.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Today is a 6 - Erase the “divide and conquer” rule from your vocabulary. Today you all need to stick together to make the most of every opportunity.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Today is a 9 - Throw yourself into today’s activities. By mid-afternoon you have almost everything done along with a plan for a fun evening. c) 2009, Tribune Media Services Inc. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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Culture
6
July 14, 2010
Bands blow minds
ARBITERONLINE.COM
The Saucy Misadventures
The highs and lows of 2010 Sasquatch! Festival Matt Dalley JOURNALIST
S
asquatch, the Northwest’s unofficial hipster convention, has been a spectacle since its 2002 debut. With four stages featuring some of the hottest acts in music and comedy, this year’s three-day event sold out long before the festival began. House of Blues presented this music festival again at its traditional location in at the Gorge Amphitheater in Quincy, Wash., May 29 through 31. Concert promoter Adam Zacks founded the festival, which features mainly indie rock, alternative rock, hip hop and electronica music, along with some comedy acts.
Biggest Dance Party LCD Soundsystem – Sunday – Main Stage Mega-hyped dance pop act LCD Soundsystem packed The Gorge mainstage and transformed the surrounding lawn into a giant 45-minute-long rave. In every nook and cranny of the amphitheater, fans could be found cutting a rug (or a grassy hill, perhaps) to LCD’s groovy jams such as “Tribulations,” “Daft Punk is Playing at My House,” and “Pow Pow.”
Worst Use of Karaoke MGMT – Monday – Main Stage An MGMT concert without the song “Kids” is like a Bon Jovi show without lighters in the air. At Sasquatch, MGMT gave the crowded main stage audience a version of the song better suited for dive bars where middle-aged women belt the words to "Livin' on a Prayer." Rather than perform the hit song with the gusto it deserves, members stepped away from their instruments as a recording of “Kids” sans vocals played over the PA system. MGMT simply sang along, making for one of the most lame moments of the weekend.
Triumphant returns Sherika Martinez Columnist
PHOTO COURTESY CHRISTOPHER NELSON PHOTO COURTESY KYLE JOHNSON
PAVEMENT
PHOTO COURTESY CHRISTOPHER NELSON
Best Use of Karaoke Mike Birbiglia – Sunday – Rumpus Room Mike Birbiglia gets it – at a music festival, the best place for karaoke is in a joke. The comedian started his set by poking fun at Jay-Z’s recent Saturday Night Live performance which, according to Birbiglia, was loaded with karaoke. The comic ended his performance by joking about bladder cancer – clearly covering many bases.
PHOTO COURTESY KYLE JOHNSON
PHOTO COURTESY CHRISTOPHER NELSON
Best Performance
Best Use of Two Flutes Midlake – Sunday – Main Stage Outside a Jethro Tull concert, rock-and-roll flute solos can be hard to take seriously. Texas-based folk rock outfit "Midlake" one-upped Tull by breaking out not one, but two flutes during their incredible Sasquatch performance. Although Midlake happened to be the only band at Sasquatch to take advantage of dual flute action, they put on a set that was as amazing as the beer at Sasquatch was expensive ($11 per plastic cup).
PHOTO COURTESY KYLE JOHNSON
My Morning Jacket – Saturday – Main Stage There is something inspirational and charming about My Morning Jacket's slow, diligent rise to prominence. In 2003, the five piece band from Louisville, Kent., played Sasquatch's smallest stage, the Yeti, and went on to headline the main stage in 2010. My Morning Jacket opened their 2010 set with the anthemic "One Big Holiday" and then tore through the band's catalog, only occasionally playing cuts from the most recent release, "Evil Urges." The audience was treated to extended jams for songs such as "Off The Record," and a dazzling light show throughout the energy-filled set. By the time the band finished playing “Steam Engine.”, the three song encore’s last number, and the intensity had finally relented. It was obvious why the band earned one of Sasquatch’s most coveted time slots.
Best quote
Best View The Gorge Nestled along the Columbia River, The Gorge Amphitheater is one of the most scenic places to view live music in the country. The most visually exciting part of Sasquatch wasn’t always the mainstage, it was the view behind it. "It's gorgeous here," said Andy Ross, OK Go's telecaster wielding guitarist. "This is a great place to have a concert." The view was even grander in prior years, as the back of the stage was uncovered. This created an OK GO incredible and rare concert backdrop. Unfortunately, the back of the stage is now covered with what looked like a gigantic black garbage bag. Although this change isn't ideal for the concert-goer who enjoys scenic views (which could be every concert-goer), the enclosure shields the stage from wind and provides a darker stage that enhances light shows.
Happy female concert attendee watching Pavement – Sunday – Main Stage “I’m so stoned I can’t even see the stage!”
The Swede Life
adventures as a foreign exchange student in Sweden Benjamin Mack Columnist
It’s 10 a.m., and it’s already 85 degrees outside. The sun is blazing overhead, cooking everything below in a merciless simmer so heartless it would make even Kobe Bryant proud. Doesn’t sound like Sweden, does it? That’s because it’s not. I’m still in Boise, preparing for my departure. Even though it’s only a little more than a month away, it feels like an eternity. I’ve finally submitted all the required documents, and let the folks at Linnaeus University know when I’ll be arriving. In the few conversations I’ve had with them, they seem to speak better English than many Americans – and with an accent easier to understand than almost every New Yorker.
My student “buddy” has told me she’ll meet me at the airport in Copenhagen, and we’ll take a train to Växjö from there. I’ll be honest: the whole buddy thing is weird. In short, all exchange students are given a “buddy” who helps them learn the language and adapt to Swedish culture. That makes sense; after all, learning a new language and adjusting to life in foreign country can be difficult. But what the buddy is also supposed to do is basically be attached at the hip 24 hours a day, doing everything from going shopping to hanging out and traveling with me. Personally, that’s just a little strange: nothing like schoolforced friendship. But despite the peculiarities, the anticipation is al-
most unbearable. Though I’ve been told I’ll probably utter the words “I miss Boise” sometime or another, right now I’m doubting it – snow seems far more preferable to the oven I’m currently in. Stepping outside wearing what I quickly realize to be not quite enough sunscreen, I let a smile flicker across my face. While I know I’ll be spending the day in sweaty misery, it’s a moment that is at a premium; I doubt I’ll experience such heat in Sweden. Bizarre as it may sound, perhaps I’d better appreciate it while I still can. Benjamin Mack is a 20-year-old BSU junior majoring in journalism. He is currently studying abroad in Växjö, Sweden. You can follow his adventures online at arbiteronline.com.
Aaaaaand…I’m back. Like a persistent case of the herp, I have returned to entertain all and sundry with my wild wonderings and randy ramblings. I know you have all undoubtedly missed my particular brand of sass and class in the past two years, and who could blame you? Without me and my dating disasters to vicariously live through, I’m sure all my faithful readers have enmeshed themselves into all sorts of ridiculously unhappy love triangles and sadly non-sexy commitments. Without me to set you straight I’m sure you have all lapsed back into crazy when it comes to your love life and are undoubtedly in need of a gigantic literary slap in the face when it comes to recognizing your shortcomings as a dating debonair. Luckily for you, I’ve been building up quite the arsenal of column fodder in the past two years, and with a little more maturity, life experience and overall saucy swagga – I return to you well-primed and ready to dish out dating advice that packs more punch than anything you could get from Dr. Drew, Dr. Laura or some other boring, out-of-touch doctorate douchebag. I promise you that I shall endeavor to enlighten you to your many, many misconceptions when it comes to all things love, lust, health, the opposite sex and whatever particular soapbox I happen to be on that week. I shall inform you of your lustful iniquities and scold you for your sexual insecurities. Like a whored-up version of your mother, I shall do my best to raise you from an amateur of all things amore to a professional. With a little sarcasm and a penchant for calling out bullshit as I see it, I shall bring you up from the ranks of love loser to smoothtalking schmoozer. And as an added bonus, you just might get laid and not completely suck at it – but then, there’s only so much I can do with the written word.
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