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February 2013
Volume 25
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Boise, Idaho
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Asia Fest
Top Stories
Marchin’ in
Dragon dance in SUB celebrates Asia
How men’s basketball can be ready for tourney time.
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Danielle Davidson Staff Writer
The Jordan Ballroom was filled with students, friends and family as a man appeared from behind pink and blue curtains. He beckoned to something behind the screen. A red and yellow dragon obeyed his command, materializing. The transportation to Asia had begun. The first annual Boise State Asia Fest took place on Feb. 3 and had contribuions from different Asian clubs and associations. “The performances are really great. It’s stuff that I wouldn’t normally see outside of things like this,” said senior English major Jax Perez. “So far I think my favorite part is looking forward to the second half and figuring out the contrast that they’ll put between the traditional with the contemporary.” A number of countries were represented including China, Japan, Nepal, Korea, Pakistan, Vietnam and South Arabia. This was reflected in the array of food from different countries put out for the guests. “It was delicious, I want some more,” said junior psychology major Kim Barrera. “It’s just so different, it’s from a different part of the world. I love it.” Students also said they
Book review
The Arbiter reviews “Precious” by Boise State alumnus.
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my.boisestate will make Bronco’s online life easier.
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Ryan Thorne Staff Writer
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Mental health resources a low priority
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enjoyed the performances throughout the evening. There was singing, dancing and even a bit of acting. “I really loved the dragon dance,” Katie Rainey, junior physics major, said. “It was adorable, it was really fun. They’re cool. I wish I had a cool culture to represent like that.” Even the hosts for the evening jumped in and sang songs for the audience in Japanese and Vietnamese. The Kendo Japanese Fencing demonstration also caught the viewer’s eyes and had them clapping and cheering along with the performers. “I like the Kendo demonstrations,” senior Mario Venegas said. “Because I think you get to see a lot of the matches, well I enjoyed the matches a lot. It’s a good work for the eyes and a matter of watching the performance through their technique and looking at their eyes and timing, because you can see it in the eyes. You can clearly tell who’s a senior and who isn’t.” Asia Fest celebrated cultures less prevalent in Idaho and gave its audience insight into the food, the traditions and the modern ways of Asia. Perhaps there will be another sighting of the red and yellow dragon next year.
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In 2010 Idaho had the sixth highest suicide rate in the nation, 49 percent higher than the national average according to the Idaho Suicide Prevention Action Network (SPAN Idaho), additionally ISPAN Idaho reports suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for adolescents and young adults in Idaho. The Health and Wellness Center provides access to counseling and supplements support and triage to those who are immediately considering suicide, but the councelling center is lacking in adequate resources, according to Health and Recreation Services Director Libby Greaney. Attempts to improve mental health services have been met with some resistance by Boise State officials, Greaney said. The counseling center employs a pyschiatrist to work with students in need, but some say it’s not enough. “We also need support from the administration to get what we need,” Greaney said. “First of all, we’ve got a psychiatrist position that we created a year ago that we have been wanting to fill. We did all of the research and it is on hold and we are not quite sure why.” Greaney plans to add staff with experience treating drug addiction, but needs financial
and administrative support. Peter Wollheim, retired Boise State communication professor and creator of SPAN Idaho feels Boise State is lacking in mental health resources. “I would say mental health is not one of (Boise State’s) priorities,” Wollheim said. Wolheim went on to say the Counseling Center is understaffed and cannot meet the needs of those seeking help. “The university has chosen to, and I’m going to say that, has really chosen to under resource the mental health services on campus,” Wolheim said. Director of Counseling Services, Karla West, agrees the counseling center may be understaffed under certain accreditation standards, but does not agree completely that Boise State considers student mental health a low priority. “With the resources that we have, I believe we have staff that are qualified to respond to the needs of our students on campus,” West said. “I think we are in a much better position than in the past to help students.” “We also know that we want someone with substance abuse specialty training,” Greaney said. Though the Counseling Center offers support to students, Greaney and West would like to see Boise
JAKE ESSMAN/THE ARBITER
The Health and Wellness center in the Norco Building is a resource for students. State officials support hiring more staff at the Counseling Center. “I think that Boise State does need to make it a priority to have resources, the appropriate resources, on campus to address our student wide populations mental health needs,” West said. The Boise State Health Services website allows access to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, and can direct students to necessary medical and psychiatric facilities off campus should the Health Center be closed or unable to meet the needs of the individual seeking help. Resources like the Idaho Suicide Prevention Action Network also allow those who have experienced suicide and the loss associated to become active in community efforts and programs to limit suicide deaths. Students enrolled in SHIP are covered in full for Counseling Center visits.
Suicide
Hotlines Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
National Hopeline Network: 1-800-784-2433
The Trevor Project:
1-866-488-7386
Youth America Hotline:
1-877-968-8454 Bryan Talbot/THE ARBITER
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Page 2 Service Saturday Study or teach abroad Crossword 2
February 7, 2013
This Saturday, Feb. 9, students are invited to get involved with the Boise community. Students can RSVP to Service Saturday by going to orgsync. com/23254/ forms/54971. Service Saturday begins at 9 a.m. in
the Student Union in the Lookout Room and will wrap up at 2 p.m. Service Saturday offers students the opportunity to provide direct services to the community and give back through volunteer opportunities with charities and nonprofit agencies.
Appathon open to student programmers College student programmers, designers, developers and entrepreneurs are invited to participate in the second annual Bronco Appathon March 8 to 10 at the ILC. During the weekend appathon, students will work in teams to create mobile or web software applications called apps. The apps will be judged by a panel of entrepreneurs and industry experts, who may be looking for the next big thing in technology or for the person who can create it. “The Bronco Appathon gives students a taste of what it is like to work in the modern technology industry,” said Max Davis-Johnson, associate vice president and chief information officer at Boise State. “And our business and community partners get a chance to see the quality of stu-
dents coming out of Boise State.” The panel will award prizes of $500, $300 and $100 to each member of the first-, second- and third-place teams. There also will be a bonus prize of $100 for each team member for the best native (Android, iOS, or Windows Phone) app as determined by the judges. The Office of Information Technology, College of Business and Economics and College of Engineering sponsor the appathon. All full-or part-time college students are eligible. Registration deadline is March 6 and participation is limited to the first 16 teams. Sign up by emailing BroncoAppathon@boisestate. edu. and find the appathon on Twitter @BroncoAppathon, #BroncoApp13.
FOR RELEASE FEBRUARY 7, 2013
Interested in studying or teaching abroad? Several options for summer, semester or academic year-long study abroad are available. Drop by the Study
Abroad Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13, in the SUB Atrium to learn more about opportunities available. Chat with returned students, program repre-
sentatives and campus staff to find out how to make study abroad a reality. For more information, contact Sara Dart at saradart@boisestate.edu.
Late night at the Library As of Feb. 3 the Library is officially open late for business. ASBSU spent the fall semester working with the university and the Library to secure a trial period in which the Library will remain open late.
The trial period will run from Feb. 3 through Thursday, Feb. 21 to gauge student interest. Monday through Thursday the library will open at 7 a.m. and remain in operation until 2 a.m. On Friday the Li-
brary will keep its doors open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday’s 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Please note, to enter the building after midnight students must have their student I.D.
Discounted tickets to Globetrotters Discounted tickets to the Harlem Globetrotters 2013 World Tour at 7 p.m. Feb. 19 at the CenturyLink Arena are available to faculty, staff and students. The Harlem Globetrotters began in
1926 as the Savoy Big Five. Now more than 85 years and 20,000 games later, the team has become one of the most recognizable franchises in sports. Discounted tickets are up to $11 off the
regular ticket prices of $12 to $81. No minimum ticket purchase is required and the deadline to order is Monday, Feb. 18. Call 800-641-4667, ext. 152, or email macleod@harlemglobetrotters.com to order.
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ter . . . Trending on Twitter . . . Tren These stories have been trending on Twitter: Read the headlines here to look smart, browse discussion points at arbiteronline.com to act smart, or be smart by following links to full stories. Americans Spend Up To 80 Percent Of Work Time ‘Cyberloafing’ Girls and science: why the gender gap exists and what to do
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DOWN 1 Knight game 2 Hawaii’s Pineapple Island 3 Dental brand 4 Title subject of a G.B. Shaw play 5 Broadway light
By Mike Buckley
6 Baba who outwitted thieves 7 Shilling’s five 8 Soldier in a war film, e.g. 9 What freelancers may work on? 10 Star givers, often 11 Stout relative 12 “My dog has fleas” instrument 13 __ guzzler 19 Appointment time 21 International contest with a cosmic name 24 Prove otherwise 26 Italian bowling game 27 Run, as colors 28 Like Eeyore 30 Pair in Banff? 32 Bounder 33 Old enough 34 __ among thieves 36 Wood carver 37 Brazen 40 Children’s author Asquith 41 Daniel __ Kim: “Hawaii Five-0” actor
BY LINDA C. BLACK Tribune Media Services Today’s Birthday (02/07/13) Enjoy the social whirlwind and romantic sparks until a project captivates. April promotions generate lasting results. Be cautious with investments after that, and keep providing great service for a steady rise in status.
There could be mechanical problems. Delegate to someone who’ll do the job better than you. Exceed expectations. Set your own long-range goals, and record a significant dream.
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You help others stay on track. But this may not be something you’re willing to do in every case. Consult an expert. Don’t be pushed into anything. Choose.
Respectfully move quickly with more work. Emotions direct your activities, and your destination calls. Beauty feeds you now, which adds to your charm.
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2/7/13 Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved Monday’s Puzzle Solved
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42 BHO, but not GWB 46 MIT’s newspaper, with “The” 48 Tryst at twelve 51 Gets rid of 52 St. Anthony’s home 54 Magnetic induction unit 55 Apt first name of Fleming’s Goldfinger
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56 Automatic transmission gear 58 Skin pictures, briefly 59 Doodle’s ride 60 Not quite a crowd, so they say 61 Swing or jazz follower 62 “’Tain’t” rebuttal 63 Squealer
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ACROSS 1 Former “Idol” judge, to fans 4 Head of Slytherin House, in Potter books 9 “The Hobbit” dragon 14 Rower’s tool 15 Fax ancestor 16 Gdansk dance 17 A, in Acapulco 18 Instruction for this puzzle 20 Food fish 22 Iris family flowers 23 Leg bone 24 Inamorato 25 Goes out to sea 29 Bygone dagger 31 Coke competitor 33 “Really?” responses 35 Spanish custard 38 Curved 39 Small, numbered 60-Acrosses 42 Five-0 detective, familiarly 43 Poet Pound 44 Bill’s adventurous partner 45 Swellhead 47 Caesar’s “I came” 49 “Jeopardy!” creator Griffin 50 See from afar 53 Set of eight 57 ___ Sketch: toy 59 Pretender 60 What you’ll draw in this grid if you 18-Across with six straight lines 64 __ Lanka 65 Reprimander’s slapping spot? 66 Guitarist Eddy 67 Actress Ullmann 68 Caravan stopovers 69 Lustful deity 70 High card
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
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Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
Aries (March 21-April 19)
PLAY DISC GOLF FOR BOISE STATE
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Cancer (June 21-July 22) Get farther than expected, despite conflicting orders. More money is coming in. Friends help you around a difficult situation. Improve working conditions.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Plug a financial leak, and guard against reckless spending. Save money by consuming less and conserving energy. Inspire others and motivate yourself. Give thanks for a lucky break.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) List the changes you want to make. Good deeds you’ve done bring benefits. Think fast, and put a surprising development to good use. Don’t rely on untested equipment. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) You can do more than you thought. You’ve been doing the job the hard way. Creative work pays well. Keep digging. You’re great at networking. Valuable new opportunities arise.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Reaffirm a commitment, romantic or otherwise. You’re attractive. The wallet’s getting fuller. Sand down rough edges and facilitate creative efforts. Add glitter.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Household matters demand attention. There’s more money flowing in, luckily. You’re very magnetic now. A partner may be even luckier. Witness another stroke of brilliance. Keep the faith.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Don’t worry about things you can’t change. Old formulas don’t fit; new procedures glitch. But it all comes together. And time with your sweetheart is extra nice.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Make a big improvement. Problems may still arise. Ask for money anyway. Circumstances dictate the direction. Obstacles make you even more determined.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Suddenly you’re in an alien environment. Get the facts by asking detailed questions. Provide well for family. New opportunities arise, including a conflict of interests.
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How to get in the KNOW Cher Wada Koenig Staff Writer
After loging in to BroncoWeb, BroncoMail and Blackboard on a regular basis, it’s easy to become quickly familiarized with the sites. Some students even take advantage of the Career Center from time to time. But a lot of students aren’t aware of the websites which can truly make their lives easier. Junior political science major, Ryan Gregg, Associated Students of Boise State University (ASBSU) body president said it’s his job to make sure the student government functions well and to represent the voice of the students.
Gregg said he knows the importance of getting involved and keeping up with what’s going on around campus, so he suggests starting with ASBSU’s website. “I like to think our website is pretty important,” Gregg said. “If students want to get involved they can come to our website and they can figure out how to get funding or they can get links to the actual Get Involved website.” Gregg went on to disclose an upcoming feature of the Boise State website that is getting ready for beta testing. “What I think is really cool about the way that we’re going is that, there’s something called My.BoiseState, and it’s a single sign-on,” Gregg said.
“For example: if you went to the regular Boise State home page and clicked ‘sign in,’ you would use your BroncoWeb name and password and then you would be signed in to your university email, your BroncoWeb and your Blackboard and you could go back and forth between the three and not have to sign in and out.” Gregg also stated, as far as Facebook pages go, they are great places to get quick and current updates about upcoming to-do’s or activities, but said if a student had access to just one thing outside of class time it should be Get Involved. Ashlie Baty, the student organizations coordinator
for the Student Involvement and Leadership Center (Get Involved), said the website their office uses most frequently is OrgSync, which has been in operation for four semesters now. “It’s a website that is kind of like a student organization online desk. Our students don’t have a physical work space, but they do have an online tool,” Baty said. “All of our students and all of our student organizations are automatically on OrgSync, which is a great resource for them to get connected to a group or a program, a department, other students, anything that’s happening on campus. To log in all you need is your BroncoWeb ID
and password.” Baty went on to explain OrgSync’s news feed, which displays all the current events happening on campus. “It has information on how to get your academic research published and things like that,” Baty said. “It also has some upcoming leadership events in our office. So it’s right there on the home page. Then a really good thing for students to go to is a button on the home page called Browse Organizations. When they click that green button it’ll bring up all the departments and student organizations that we have here at Boise State.”
Rub elbows with elites at Business Summit Amy Merrill News Editor
Education may begin in the classroom, but it is often how learned information is applied outside of the classroom which can lead to true learning and understanding. The College of Business and Economics (COBE) is offering students the opportunity to add to their learning of international business and wider global trends. Friday, Feb. 8, the International Business Summit, focusing on the rise and trends of global business, will take place in the Skaggs Hall of Learning located on the first floor of the Micron Business and Economics Building. Beginning at 1:30 p.m. Boise State President Bob Kustra will present the opening remarks. Following him will be a slew of prominent guests from the Idaho business community and national academic leaders.
“The Summit will provide wonderful opportunities for networking with Idaho business leaders and national academic experts,” said Vera Zdravkova, program developer advisor with the Boise State International Business Programs. Highlights from the days events include a keynote address at 1:45 p.m. from Bill Whitacre, CEO of J.R. Simplot Co., which is presented in part by the COBE Speaker Series. A panel discussion will follow, moderated by Idaho Lt. Gov. Brad Little. Additional participants include more than 20 top-ranked university international business programs, Boise State international business students and prominent Idaho companies. Students interested in international business and the opportunities available in the field are encouraged to attend. “International Business (IB) is such a rich field—one that
provides many opportunities and career options unfortunately, those opportunities are rarely discussed in depth,” Zdravkova said. “That’s the goal of the International Business Summit—to introduce a wide spectrum of perspectives on the value of IB education, to explore ways of improving the quality of IB education, and to examine the connection between IB and regional economic growth.” Zdravkova went on to explain that students will be able to enjoy the unique opportunity of not only partaking in discussion with business and academic leaders, but will also have a valuable networking opportunity. “The Summit is a great opportunity to get and stay connected with the local business community. I encourage all those interested in International Business, International Affairs, Global Development, and/or economic issues to at-
tend,” Zdravkova said. The event will conclude at 3:30 p.m. with a reception in which complimentary appetizers and drinks will be available.
Although the event is free and open to the public, online registration is required and can be completed here: elizabethsendelbach.wix.com/copy-of-cuibeconference2013.
The Summit’s schedule 1:30
Opening Remarks by Dr. Bob Kustra, President, Boise State
1:45
Keynote Address by Bill Whitacre, CEO, J.R. Simplot Company
2:20
Introduction of Panel Moderator by Jeff Sayer, Director, Idaho Department of Commerce Panel Discussion Moderated by Lt. Gov. Brad Little
3:15
CUIBE Award Presentation by Mark Ballam, President, CUIBE
3:25
Closing Remarks by Patrick Shannon, Dean, Boise State’s College of Business & Economics
3:30
Dean’s Reception in the Jackson Commons
2:15
February 7, 2013
3
Bronco Abroad: Recycle-for-change is convenient, addicting
Last year’s Breaking News Editor Suzanne Craig chronicles her adventures while studying abroad in Sweden. An interesting trend in Sweden is recycling machines at grocery stores which accept certain plastic, aluminum and glass items. After tallying the refund amount the machines spit out a receipt which is turned in to the cashier for cash or to be put toward purchases. The ease of access and immediacy of savings make this a top option for students. Another option is to save up the receipts until a certain goal is reached so splurging on more luxury purchases— like ice cream—doesn’t dip directly into the food-fund. Even more convenient than the machine’s location is the route between it and my apartment, which passes straight through the main party zone on campus. Cans and bottles with the proper symbol for the machines to process can be picked up easily saving 6 to 9 kroner per trek. Sunday mornings are especially lucrative. This convenience can get out of hand though. If, after hearing about a big party in Lyan, you say something like “Sweet! I’m going to turn in early tonight so I can get to the cans first!” it has gone too far.
at student media Come apply for:
The Arbiter Editor-in-Chief University Pulse General Manager Student Media Business Manager For more information, contact Student Media at: classifieds@stumedia.boisestate.edu or call at 208.426.6300 The Arbiter
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
February 7, 2013
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Nightmares
Paige Eaglestone Staff Writer
Senior English major Paige Eaglestone writes, writes and writes. She has sharpened her reading skills to review characters, plot turns and themes better than cliff notes. “Precious” is written by local Boise author Kelly Broich. Since graduating from Boise State in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science in social science with a public affairs emphasis, Broich has had three original plays produced and was actively involved in the Absurdist Film Festival. “Precious” is his first novel, published in 2012. The art of people-watching is something many are reluctant to admit to, much less write about. However, it is human nature to look around at others, eyeing their actions, wondering what their lives are like. This may even happen with people close to us, take for example, our neighbors. Our neighbors live within our range of sight. If one looks outside their kitchen window and peers into their neighbor’s kitchen, it’s perfectly normal and purely coincidental. Now, if one was to peer into a neighbors’ window and chronicle
what they imagine their lives to be like, they might just understand “Precious.” “Precious” tells the story of Doris and Caleb Stevenson and the events which occur after the untimely death of their fluffy white cat, Precious. Doris is a lonely elderly lady who lives with her son, Caleb and is suffering from separation anxiety. Caleb, a co-dependent, immature 42 year old man, could care less about the death of his “sister” Precious. He just wants their neighbor, Margrine. Many people know of someone who does not act their age. Throughout the novel the character of Caleb does just that. He back talks his mother, whines and wishes to simply be left alone. While this behavior does become bothersome and confusing since Caleb’s actions and dialogue are comparable to a teenager, Broich’s wording is ingenuous; prominently similar to how children act and precisely what they say. Meanwhile it is the job of the mother to reinforce some retribution, which Doris does, exemplifying the basic dynamics of a parent child relationship.
In this short novel, Broich intertwines the familiar with the unfamiliar. The dialogue between the characters is strikingly normal: “Let’s all try to calm down” and “Don’t raise your voice to me young man.” Yet the characters themselves remain unusual. Caleb’s love interest is a sex kitten named Margine. Margine, a word comparable to the food Margarine, is often referenced around food. It becomes comical, Margine with a cake, Margine making food. Nonetheless, it is Broich’s interlacing of the known and unknown which makes this narrative so amusing. In the very beginning, an upset Doris decides to take her deceased husband’s painkillers before watching a televangelist program. She, in turn, decides to convert and donates a large sum to the program, thus changing her mindset from poignant to anxiety-ridden and taking the storyline in a wacky, rampant direction. Overall, “Precious” ties in a variety of elements: religion, sexuality, athletics and general neighborly hysteria, making it appealing to all types of readers and students. Bryan Talbot/THE ARBITER
Venue hosts day-long punk show Madison Killian Staff Writer
To many, Idaho is a land of potatoes, farming and definitely not music. Until recently, people around here wouldn’t have thought Boise has a killer music scene. However, there is a place where students can go to see some great shows and expand musical horizons. The Venue in Boise is home to countless shows for small local and traveling bands. They almost always have something going on and with Boise’s growing music scene, there’s always something new to see. “My husband and I bought The Venue 18 months ago, and have been working on really expanding Boise’s local and all-ages music scene,” said Jenean Claus, co-owner of The Venue. “We come out of the old Boise punk/ grunge scene of the early 90s, and are deeply invested in keeping live music available for everyone. Boise has a vibrant and growing music The Arbiter
scene.” On Saturday, Feb. 4, an event which really caught the attention of some Boise residents was the Venue’s first annual Pyrate Punx Snowed In Festival. It was all local punk bands, all day. The event featured 15 of Boise’s very own punk bands, who played from 2 p.m. until 11 p.m. The show kicked off with Social Antidote, followed by Position High. With the tickets being only $5 for the all-day concert, it drew a large and diverse crowd. People of all ages came to the show. Acts such as Alef-Amet, Diluted, Pause for the Cause and 1D (no, not One Direction) performed throughout the afternoon. “It was certainly a different experience,” Jasmine Birk, freshman criminal justice major, said. “There were a lot of very interesting people there. The music was loud and expressive and overall it was a good experience.” Later in the night, Nude
Oil, The Sneez, Parallel Collision and Balderdash played. (The band names alone are interesting enough to want to check these guys out!) The night ended with Tetraphobia, The Meatballs and Clyde Webb. It was a great
day of music and seeing the kind of talent the city of Boise holds. “One of the best things about having so many local bands play at an event like (Saturday’s) punk show or one of our many locals only shows, is the amount of tal-
ent we can give exposure to broader audiences,” Claus said of the bands that regularly play. “We love to host hugely popular artists but we also book many unknown or up-and-comers.” For more information on shows and events going on at the Venue, visit www. facebook.com/boisevenue. Who knows, maybe your new favorite band is playing there in the near future.
Nicole Reither is a senior graduating in May with a degree in Communication and a certificate in Public Relations. Like Tasha Adams, she is also terrified of graduating–missing out on free food at the BRC, student tickets to events and the luxury of the free gym. “The undaunted undergrads” is an account of working through lastsemester fears and getting the most out of the college experience. As spring break rapidly approaches, the thought of being in a swimsuit continuously consumes my thoughts. I actually have nightmares about it. Nightmares which scared me right back into the workout routine. I’m not kidding. Upon walking into the gym I immediately knew this was going to be one very large struggle-fest. The elliptical was the one machine which scared me the least, and I knew I could find one tucked away in a corner. Clearly I didn’t want anyone I knew to see me, the thought of wearing a mask even crossed my mind. After thirty minutes on the elliptical I realized how bored I was. I even resorted to playing Temple Run, which I do not recommend. I was almost the girl who everyone laughs at for faceplanting on a workout machine. Trust me, it’s not funny. With the hopes of not looking like I was going to fly away anymore I jumped on the weight machines to attempt to tone up my arms. Once again the struggle-fest continued. Boredom again struck and I would have rather chewed off my own arm then continue with this torture. Finally I would end my time at the gym sitting in the sauna for twenty minutes, which was essentially my favorite part of this whole process. Lazy, I know. The next day I could barely walk, pathetic right? But I was bound and determined to find something I liked to do at the gym. After about three weeks of this treacherous routine I finally found my groove. Hot yoga and spin class, I realized, were more of the type of workouts I enjoyed. These classes kept my attention and challenged me to work muscles I normally wouldn’t. Not to mention hot yoga combines yoga with a sauna. Double the fun. Here are my two cents: stick with it. I hated my life for the first two weeks of this experiment. However, now with it in my routine, I feel better, I look better (sort of ) and I even sleep better. So take advantage of this free gym while we have it for the short time we are called students. And while your at it, keep your fingers crossed I won’t fall off the wagon, or at least I wont come tumbling down until after spring break. Then I can go back to eating Ben and Jerry’s out of the tub, right? arbiteronline.com
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Fast food Alx Stickel
Assistant Arts and Entertainment Editor
Imagine yourself seated at a table in the Student Union Building with your homework spread out covering the table. While focused on your math homework, your stomach rumbles. You haven’t eaten in a while. What do you do? Some students said they
find themselves routinely going for the easy convenient option: Subway, Chicfil-a or Mai Tai. “Subway I eat more frequently because I am on campus,” said Miriam Forrest, junior psychology major. “I eat a lot here. I’d rather go there where I understand how many calories are in each thing and I can pick and choose what I want, a little more vegetables than I normally intake. That’s a
good thing for me.” Forrest said if she doesn’t bring a snack with her to campus, she finds herself eating Subway because it is good and relatively healthy. Forrest also said she frequents Burger King because it is close to work and other places she goes. Chris Mountain, a sophomore media production major, said he also eats Subway or Chic-fil-a on campus, often about two or three times
a week, because it tastes good, it’s convenient and he can use his student ID to make the purchase. Mountain said he also finds himself choosing fast food even when he is home. “I can choose to make something in the apartment and it wouldn’t really be that hard or anything but I would choose to go get fast food which one could say it’s really less convenient because you have to leave to go get it and use gas and stuff like that,” Mountain said. Forrest and Mountain said fast food is indeed a guilty pleasure for them, especially since both said they are trying to live healthier lifestyles. “It’s one of those things where it’s really unhealthy. It’s high in sugars, fats, everything that makes you crave it more and more so it is a bit of a guilty pleasure because you feel bad that you just spent a bunch of money on a Whopper at Burger King and yet somehow you’re still hungry for something else,” Forrest said. The convenience and
tastiness of fast food spares no one. Even students pursuing health-related careers find themselves giving in to the ease of fast food. Kirstin Pfeifer, senior nursing major, and Brittany Anderson, junior nursing major, said they find themselves eating fast food if they haven’t grocery shopped in a while. Pfeifer and Anderson also said fast food itself and the habit of it can be addictive. “I definitely think that even if it’s not physically addicting like a cigarette it’s definitely mentally (addicting),” Anderson said. “I have to have coffee every day. I don’t have to but I think ‘Oh I haven’t had my coffee today’.” Pfeifer said she has read research which testifies to the chemical addictiveness of fast food, but she also said she believes habit is a large part in frequently consuming fast food. “They say it’s the chemicals that are put into the processed food make it more of an addictive thing especially
February 7, 2013
5
if you’re going a lot then it becomes habit and you kinda crave it,” Pfeifer said. “You get used to going there in between classes or getting yourself trained to think ‘Oh I’m too busy it’ll just be easy to go there.” Justin Wallace, junior exercise science major, said he brings a snack of a piece of fruit or a granola bar with him to campus so he does not give in to the convenient calling of fast food. However, Wallace also said he too has fast food, and does not hate himself for it. “There’s so many theories out there on what you should and shouldn’t eat but what’s worked for me personally and the way I see it is if you’re always telling yourself that you can’t have something you want you’re just going to want it more,” Wallace said. “I still have a burger now and then but it’s not something I desire and it’s not something that I just fall back on. I’ve learned that if I want my body to look a certain way I can’t fall back on that constantly.”
Avoid the dog house Cher Wada Koeing Staff Writer
Whether it’s romance or sex, one thing is for sure, women around Boise State know how to plan for the Valentine’s Day on a student’s budget. So in hopes of helping all the guys on campus to avoid the dog house, this year we got it straight from the horse’s (or woman’s) mouth. Here’s what the women around campus are planning and expecting for Valentine’s Day. Karen Rueckert, Junior “Just answer the door in nothing but a red bow and a smile.(Then there’s) body paints and chocolate fondue, but you don’t need anything to dip, because… except maybe a little paint brush.” Kristina Jensen, Senior “Hand-made coupon books. So you make your own little coupons for your significant other, like a night of massage, or a bubble bath, or I’ll cook dinner one night, or whatever and you just make a little coupon book and give that to them. Or maybe (plan) a picnic on the living room floor with crackers and wine, or a movie night on the living room floor with popcorn and soda.” Eleanor Paige, Senior “My ideas for inexpensive Valentine’s gifts would be something that is practical. I was considering getting my significant other a shaving set, some shave soap and some razors. Because sometimes you run
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Looking for a student who wants country living within two miles of BSU. out of razors and you just need some. Or you could cook him his favorite meal or take him to Subway for the February $5 foot long deal. Or maybe make it into a gift basket of simple little things that they need.” Mandy Hajduk, Senior “I always think it’s good to make dinner at home. One thing that we’re going to do is go to Ben and Jerry’s for dessert. But our rule for this year is no more than $20 and it has to be a (homemade gift), I don’t know what I’m going to make yet, but right now I’m thinking I’m going to incorporate something with our dog. We have a border collie, so it might have to involve him.” Jennifer Wamsley, Junior Wamsley said the best thing that she could ask for would be someone to babysit her 22 month old child so she could go out with
her husband for dinner and a movie without having to worry about childcare. “It’s something that we don’t get to do because we have a small child and there’s not that many people that we trust to take care of him,” Wamsley said. “My husband is (also) sending me out for a massage. I love massages.” Wamsley listed other ideas that would be great for someone living off campus. “Somebody coming over and cleaning the house or my husband telling me to sit down and not to do anything, he’ll get everything caught up (dishes and laundry), the things that I normally do during the day,” Wamsley said. “Valentine’s Day isn’t about price. It’s about doing what somebody else wants. Just doing something that says ‘hey I love you, I care.’ It’s not about the gifts,” Wamsley said.
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6
Opinion
February 7, 2013
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IS THE
future OF mathematics RIGHT FOR EVERYONE ?
my.boisestate is a welcome change There are a lot of tribulations of the beginning of the semester: looking up what buildings new classes are in and going through syllabus after syllabus on Blackboard, then going and checking Broncomail for emails and logging on to BroncoWeb for updates on tuition fees. Sure, most students are great at downloading music, finish-
ing a discussion board and watching the latest episode of "The Bachelor" all at the same time, however, there seems to be a lot to juggle and more headaches when trying to be on Blackboard, BroncoWeb and Broncomail all at the same time. Yes, this may sound a bit petulant but wouldn’t it be nice to just lean, back type in a username and password once and be done with it? Luckily the Office of Informa-
tion Technology at Boise State seemed to agree, and this February will see the launch of my.boisestate— A single portal to all three web services. Senior Katie Davis had similar ideas when it came to merging the programs. “Having Broncomail, BroncoWeb and Blackboard merge into one website would be more convenient. It's not that hard to have three separate tabs up at a time but it would be nice to
only put in your user name and password one time and be able to access everything you may need there,” Davis said. This just makes so much sense to merge all three together instead of having to log onto different places and experiencing the hated words flashing across the screen saying “session expired.” Another benefit to having all three merged together would be the much more user-friendly template it would offer. Blackboard and BroncoWeb are set up completely dif-
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Megan Mills Staff Writer
The Arbiter
“We have a spectrum of students. If I take this spectrum of students and say ‘okay today I’m starting on one page,’ does everybody belong there?” Hagerty said, it doesn’t seem that way. But when we use the textbook that’s what we have to do. The technology allows us to individualize. And that’s a lot of what gets us from 60 to 70 percent.” But is this technology approach for everyone? The statistics do show the passing rates of students who use this technology are much higher than those who do not, but what about students who like traditional methods and find no interest in technological mechanisms? Freshman Allison Bell, a biology and pre-med major, prefers the traditional paper and pencil method. Currently enrolled in Math 147, she has the option to either do her homework on an online math website called WebAssign, which is similar to MyMathLab and ALEKS, or turn it in on paper. She has no interest in WebAssign. For her, the hand-to-pencilto-paper method is the better way to learn math. For junior Tanner Daylong, who is studying broadcast communication, paper turn in and online assessment were not optional. He used MyMathLab alongside handing in homework assignments. He said the technology was a bit helpful in his overall learning, but it was the couplet of traditional homework that really helped him learn math. “Without both,” he said. “It maybe wouldn’t have been as beneficial.” Are these programs what the students want? What the students need to be successful? It all goes back to individualization. Some students prefer traditional lectures whereas some students adapt well to the technological environment that the present and future of math beholds. It is inevitable that technology will override traditional teaching methods for the simple fact that it allows professors to individualize in a class of 30 to 40 students. Instead of requiring all students to be on a certain pace in the class, welladvanced young mathematicians can leap ahead. Forcing the programs on students though? Where’s the individualization in that? The fact of the matter is math is different for everyone. Part of the individualism the Mathematics Department seems to forget with these technological advances is the technology does not individualize for those who prefer textbook. Perhaps the future of individualism includes a balance of both so that every student’s individual approaches to math are met.
ferent from one another and being able to have all of the financial and class set-ups on one site would benefit students and faculty members. This is especially true since faculty members are getting mass amounts of email every day and having to constantly check Blackboard and respond to problems students are having. Additionally, being able to work Broncomail in as well, faculty members would only have to be on one site answering emails and diagnosing problems students are having with their Black-
board sessions. Senior Stephanie Leedy makes a great point for new Broncos. “It’s time-consuming having to go to each website and annoying to have them all up on your computer and also can be very confusing for new students at Boise State,” Leedy said. The new portal will be a benefit for all students, especially new Broncos. By merging all the important websites students and staff use, we are making it a user-friendly environment and more convenient for everyone.
submissions will make it to print due to time and space constraints. The content of the opinion does not affect its eligibility to be printed.
Online
For some students, hearing the term math may spark an unpleasant memory; a night beating their heads against the textbook or allowing the dog to eat the homework. For others, math may not be a big deal or even sound fun. This may have something to do with being leftbrained or right-brained. Maybe that is not exactly the case. Maybe partly the reason for math being such an irritant for some and a relief for others is the way math is taught. Boise State has adopted a less traditional and more technological approach to math learning with programs such as MyMathLab and Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS), which aim to provide a quick response to students’ abilities and a more individualistic mathematical learning experience. For example, MyMathLab instantly grades homework and quizzes so students can see what their problem areas are. With ALEKS, rather than being stuck on the same unit as the rest of the class, a student who is proficient in one topic can advance in another. MyMathLab does not offer this option as of yet, however, both technologies allow a different learning environment for math than the traditional lecture textbook approach. But, not everyone belongs in MyMathLab or ALEKS. Not everyone belongs in the textbook lecture approach. Technology is not for everyone. Sometimes it can be more of a distracter to the learning process than a helpful tool to success. There is also the added possibility for students to cheat their way through the technology programs. One being that students are using the systems online, where it is so easy to simply open up a Google tab. Another, being that the systems do not require work to be shown, so students could actually just guess their way through the system. It is a possibility. No work, no learning. Dr. Hagerty, director of the Mathematics Department said, “If I go through and evaluate other schools and other programs, the textbook lecture approach, we know from years and years of experience, produces results that pass about 50 percent of our students,” Hagerty said. “By including technology we get passing rates above 60 percent. Some of the things that we do here probably put us at the top end of what passing rates can be, which is 70 percent.” The key here is individualism. Where one student has immense difficulties, another one exceeds well beyond expectations. With traditional math approaches this is possibly what strays students from enjoying or just learning the required math.
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Sports
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February 7, 2013
7
West Coast Bias
Here’s to you, Sharks’ fan
Corey Morgan Staff Writer
CODY FINNEY/THE ARBITER
Sophomore guard Anthony Drmic attacks the rim during Saturday’s 77-72 upset win over the UNLV Rebels.
How the Broncos march into March John Garretson Sports Editor
The celebration period is over after the men's 77-72 upset win over UNLV Saturday night in the lively Taco Bell Arena. Tournament dreams need to settle and Bronco Nation needs to come to terms with the reality of the remainder of the schedule. Nine games remain on the schedule, four away and five at home, but the concept of home court advantage is near obsolete in Mountain West play. Twice the Broncos must face No. 25 San Diego State, an away game at No. 15 New Mexico, and revenge home matches against Colorado State, Air Force and Nevada. However, combine the three scores (243-196) and the average deficit in those losses for the Broncos is 16. In that three game skid, the Broncos shot just around .400 percent from the field,
which is not terrible, but it does not look pretty compared to the .504 percent their opponents shot. Of course, there are factors that need to be taken into account, such as senior center Kenny Buckner (.639 field goal percentage, 5.0 rebounds per game) missing the Air Force game, the injury absence of junior guard and "glue man" Jeff Elorriaga (11.3 points per game, No. 29 overall in three point percentage in the nation at .472) and even the obstacle of playing Mountain West road games. That excuse does not cut it as March approaches, with road games being the norm come tournament time. And Boise State's 4-5 road record, despite the marquee Creighton win, isn't noteworthy. If the Broncos want to continue their momentum into postseason play and be more than just an occasional sur-
prise win team, a few things need to happen. First, the sophomore scoring tandem guard Derrick Marks and forward Anthony Drmic need to have productive offense nights to keep the Broncos in the game. In those three consecutive losses, Drmic averaged 18 ppg and shot just around .4 from the field and Marks averaged 10 ppg and .39 from the field, both below their season averages in field goal percentage. It would be unfair to say Marks is expected to put up 35, like in the Creighton game, or Drmic's 25 point performance away at Seattle needs to be expected, but for them to hit that .45 field goal percentage would be crucial. Next, the foul problem needs to be addressed. In the last five out of six games, the Broncos had at least one player foul out of the game: three for junior center Ryan Watkins (UNLV, Colorado State
and New Mexico), and one a piece for sophomore forward Igor Hadziomerovic (Colorado State), Marks (Nevada), Drmic (Air Force) and Buckner (Nevada). Keeping the fouls at bay means the Broncos continue with their key players on the floor. Last, each starter needs to hone in on their specialty skill set to push the Broncos to victory. Whether it's Watkins hitting his 9.6 rebounds per game mark, or Elorriaga shooting at his .472 mark from the 3 point field or Marks hitting the .480 field goal percentage he has on the season, those factors need to come together. Boise State is only three games out of first in the Mountain West standings and if all three elements can come together for Bronco victories, expect the men to make a statement come tournament time.
First off, hockey doesn’t get the coverage it deserves. Oftentimes when watching SportsCenter you have to carefully plan blinking your eyes just in case you miss it. The San Jose Sharks are quietly putting together a phenomenal start at the cutoff 2013 season; sitting at 7-1-1 after their first regulation loss of the season from the Anaheim Ducks. Currently, the Sharks left wing Patrick Marleau leads the NHL with nine goals while 23-year-old center phenom Logan Couture is tied for third in the NHL with six goals of his own. Also, center Joe Thornton is tied for first with 11 assists in the NHL. While San Jose is synonymous with offensive efficiency, the Sharks are making a name of themselves in the defensive department. They are tied for first in the NHL for goals-against with just 1.67 per game and are sixth in the NHL in penalty kill at 87.8 percent; this is all without head defenseman Brent Burns. So what do all of these stats mean? The Sharks are very good, just as they’ve been for the past few years. But eventually for all teams, there comes a time where the window of opportunity closes and it’s time for a team to re-build. That window hasn’t closed for the Sharks, but it is coming within the next 2-3 years as stars like Marleau (33), Thornton (33) and defenseman Brad Stuart (33) get up older in age. The best-case scenario for the Sharks over the next 2-3 years is to win a Stanley Cup. But isn’t that the best-case scenario for every team? Yes, but if you look under the surface of the situation you will see the best option. What draws free-agent players to teams? Winning. Take for instance superstar Lebron James going to the Miami Heat or pitching ace Zach Grienke going to the Anaheim Angels. Money was a nice factor as well, but ultimately they were drawn to those teams because they were winning teams. If the Sharks can win a Stanley Cup or even make a very strong run at one, they stand a very good chance of pulling in young talent and veterans in their prime that are looking to get a championship. Right now the Sharks are riding high on momentum with a very talented team looking to a promising playoff run. God speed, Sharkies.
Kartik Seshadri Ensemble Saturday, February 9, 8:00 pm
Special Events Center FREE for students - tickets at Info Desk Tickets available through Select-A-Seat or Idahotickets.com finearts@boisestate.edu 208.426.1242 www.facebook.com/bsufinearts The Arbiter
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February 7, 2013
Courtesy/Bronco sports
Redshirt junior Jake Swartz squares up against Stanford’s Alan Yen in the 184 weight class match during No. 24 Boise State’s 29-7 win over Stanford.
Broncos rout Stanford for sixth straight win Michael Steen Staff Writer
Following an inspiring come-from-behind victory over the Cal State Bakersfield Road Runners on Friday night in the first Beauty and the Beast duel of the year, the No. 24 ranked Boise State wrestling team took to Taco Bell Arena Sunday afternoon. This time to face Pac-12 foe, the Stanford
Cardinal. The Broncos cruised to eight wins on the night in a 29-7 drubbing of their fellow Pac 12 member. Boise State senior Jason Chamberlain, ranked second in the nation, extended his record to 21-1 on the season in the 149-pound bout as the senior recorded his first pin of the year in the second period. In bonus point wins, soph-
omore Scott Bacon picked up his 15th win of the season in the 174-pound match while the 184-pound man, redshirt junior Jake Swartz, sealed his win with his 10th major decision this season and is his fifth in the last six matches. Boise native, sophomore Holden Packard, would provide the most exciting and nerve-wracking match of the day as he went into an overtime period in the 165-pound bout. After Stanford’s junior Bret Baumbach forced the overtime period with a move with just one second remaining in the third period, Packard would take control through the overtime period and coast to a 4-2 victory. The 18th ranked senior
wrestler, George Ivanov improved his record to 19-5 on the year as he picked up his eighth consecutive win in an 11-4 rout in the 157-pound class. Junior Cody Dixon and
the 13th ranked heavyweight junior, J.T. Felix, also picked up victories on the night to seal the blowout win. The Broncos now improve their record to 8-5 (4-2 Pac
12) on the season. Their next match will come this Sunday at 2 p.m. at Taco Bell Arena vs. Cal Poly in the second Beauty and the Beast dual match for Boise State wrestling and gymnastics.
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