I SSU E
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The Independent Student Voice of Boise State Since 1933
Volume 22
First Issue
F R E E OCTOBER 22, 2009
ARBITERONLINE.COM
BRONCO
BRONCOS/
TROUGH
WARRIORS
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ZOMBIES 101 7
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Swine Flu OPINION
n Kelle d k c a e b arter ntly rank u Q BSU is curre man e is Moor n the He . o st sixth watch li hy Trop 3
Moon bullet Nasa probe connects with moon but fails to disperse debris
A Personal Account A sign in the student health center shows how seriously they are treating the flu. TONY ROGERS Journalist
With the recent cold weather and excessive rain, I was bound to get sick sooner or later. I was taking precautions, trying to stay healthy by being more active, and washing my hands. Things we should be doing anyways, but sure enough, I came down with a high fever last Thursday. To make a long story short, my symptoms kept getting worse until I finally decided to go to the hospital Saturday. There they told me what I had feared all along. I had indeed caught the famous H1N1, better
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Pavilion Boise Contemporary
known as swine flu. Lovely. That brings us to present day. As I sit here in my dorm room typing this, I can tell you that swine flu is one of the most uncomfortable diseases I’ve had the honor of catching. It’s painful, but not like that sharp pain that makes you yelp, but instead it’s a simmering pain that is accompanied with a short groan and a pounding pressure headache. Plus, the nauseous tendencies just keep coming in waves that seem to be unending. I am extremely sore when I’m not loopy from all the Motrin I’ve been taking. Now that I have H1N1, it’s a matter of doing what I can to prevent others from getting
GLENN LANDBERG/THE ARBITER
it too. For example, I’ve quarantined myself in my dorm, and I spray Lysol on all surfaces outside with which I come into contact. The fact that I’m in a suite with seven other people means there’s not much more I can do (or at least I’m not aware of ). I can always look on the bright side. Since I have a single room, I don’t have the same risk of spreading it to another roommate as I would if I were staying in Chaffee or the Barnes Towers. Also, the fact that I share a bathroom with just three other people limits those that come into contact with the same things I do. So in a way, I can always stay optimistic, no matter what this flu bug can do to me.
NEWS
‘The solution is involvement’ David Walker speaks to BSU
Theatre entertains community with play
KIM KING Journalist
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Beach Ball Broncos prepare for battle against Hawaii’s Warriors
Former U.S. Comptroller David Walker spoke to guests of the Brandt Foundation Monday in the Jordan Ballroom. His lecture “Day of Reckoning: America’s Fiscal Future” addressed issues such as taxes, social security and health care. “For the first time in history, life for our children and grandchildren does not look better than it is for us,” he said. “This is not acceptable. This is not American.” Walker was appointed by President Bill Clinton as Comptroller General of the United States and Head of the Government Accountability Office in 1998. For 10 years he served as the federal government’s chief auditor. “In 1789, our founding fathers believed in thrift and prudence,” he said. “The American Dream meant to have the opportunity to maximize God given abilities. They believed in giving a helping hand instead of a hand-out.” He described the issue of taxes as taxation without representation. “It’s easy to spend the money belonging to people not born yet,” he said. “If you want to be fiscally responsible, you have to recognize there has to be more revenue coming in than you are spending. It’s called math.” He suggested an automatic employee savings account be held in a trust fund for future social security. The health care system was metaphorically compared to a mansion. “It’s built on a sink hole of sand, the foundation is cracked, the plumbing leaks, and the roof needs repair,” he said. “We are financially under water, the
ZACH GANSCHOW/THE ARBITER
David M. Walker, former U.S. government chief auditor, packed the Jordan ballroom as if our financial future depended on it.
building is condemned, and the mortgage hasn’t been paid. And now they want to add a new wing to the building and use the same materials. You call that progress?” He said the solution is involvement. “I agree we have to manage debt,” said Mitchell Rindlisbaker, a sophomore business major from New Jersey. “I can’t say I want to be more politically involved, though.” After the lecture there was a brief opportunity to ask questions. Walker declined to comment on state and local issues. Back then they had a debtor’s prison,” he said. “Today we have a debtor’s pardon called bankruptcy. It is viewed by many as an exit strategy.”
State budget issues were addressed last week when majority leadership from the Idaho Senate and House met with Gov. C. L. “Butch” Otter and his staff. Majority Caucus Chair Russell Fulcher (R) said the preliminary revenue numbers for September were higher than anticipated but not enough to change the overall picture. “Higher education, public schools and health and welfare make up 81.5 percent of the state’s general fund budget,” he said. “Since the passage of the fiscal year 2009 budget, we have cut 17.8 percent of the general fund appropriations.” University presidents and other agency directors have been given flexibility in choosing which areas will experience the most cutbacks. Fulcher said the Idaho state budget is experiencing a 23 percent decrease. “That is a huge difference and explains much when trying to describe the fiscal pickle we are in.”
If you want to be fiscally responsible, you have to recognize there has to be more revenue coming in than you are spending. It’s called math. - David Walker
Go to arbiteronline.com to listen to a podcast featuring Congressman Dan Miller and Matthew McHugh speaking with The Arbiter. The Arbiter ! arbiteronline.com
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October 22, 2009
THE BRONCO TROUGH Thursday: Student Senate meets, ask about a grade bailout Wondering why the student government hasn’t yet implemented the chocolate milk in the drinking fountains policy? Have a question as to whether or not you’re eligible for a grade bailout in English 102? Student senate meets at 4 p.m. in the SUB forum.
Friday: Comedian Dave Attell performs Along with special guest Kelly Pryce, Attell will perform at the Egyptian Theatre. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $27.
Saturday: Five Finger Death Punch to perform at The Knitting Factory The heavy metal band hailing from Los Angeles will rock Boise alongside Shadows Fall, OTEP and 2 Cents. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $20.
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October 22, 2009 NEWS
Probe sma s he si
MARK K. MATTHEW MCT
WASHINGTON - NASA smashed an SUV-sized probe into the surface of the moon Friday morning, hoping to discover a trove of ice hidden beneath the moon's south pole. But the 6,000-mile-an-hour collision - followed four minutes later by a probe carrying cameras and sensors to pick up traces of water vapor - failed to kick up the expected miles-wide cloud of lunar dust and ice crystals. Instead, it hit with a splat. "Remarkably unremarkable," was the verdict of Dave Richardson, 33, a Navy engineer who brought his 6-year-old son to watch the live broadcast of the collision on a three-story-tall video screen at the Newseum in downtown Washington. There was palpable disappointment among the crowd of 300 - which included NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden - that came to the Newseum in hopes of witnessing a space-age spectacle. The sense of anticlimax was felt by space junkies everywhere, who tuned into morning TV news shows or logged onto the Internet to watch the 7:31 a.m. EDT collision. Hours after the impact - which showed up on the video
screen as a fuzzy white flash - NASA scientists said they were at a loss to explain why the expected plume of debris didn't materialize. Still, they weren't prepared to write off the experiment as a failure. "You don't know how these things are going to go," said Anthony Colaprete, the project scientist for the Lunar Crater Observing and Sensing Satellite and principal investigator at Ames Research Center. "We saw a crater and we saw a flash, and something had to happen in between." A day before, he had cautioned that results would not be immediate. "It will take at least a couple of days for the team to see what it got in the data and a couple of weeks to (discern) the amount of hydrogen-bearing compounds," Colaprete said. The aim of the $79 million mission is to see whether ice exists in shadowed craters at the moon's poles. To do that, NASA sent two probes: an empty rocket hull intended to smash into the surface and kick up a cloud of dust, and a second to collect data from the plume before meeting its own demise. The hope was that sunlight would vaporize water ice hidden in the dirt cloud once the plume rose out of the shadows and above the rim of the Cabeus crater, which is believed to have the "highest hydrogen concentrations at the (lunar) south pole," according to NASA. Hydrogen often indicates the presence of water. The researchers had expected the force of the collision would create a crater 66 feet wide and 13 feet deep and blast about 350 metric tons of lunar dust into the air. They had hoped that amateur telescopes as small as 10 to 12 inches could see the blast. NASA scientists could not explain
de s bri
o t n
s l i t o a f k , i c n k up o o m
why a plume was not visible. They speculated that the debris could have blown sideways - instead of upward, which would have been easier to see - or that the lunar soil was too compressed to kick up much dust. But Colaprete emphasized that the second probe's light-spectrum sensors worked fine and that analyzing the measurements should enable astronomers to determine whether there's water at or below the lunar surface. "We have the information, we just need to go back now and really sift through it," Colaprete said. NASA itself trained several of its own "eyes" on the mission, including the Hubble Space Telescope and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, a satellite circling the moon that was launched with LCROSS from Cape Canaveral on June 18 aboard an Atlas V rocket. The LCROSS is the latest in a series of moon missions that the global scientific community has undertaken recently, including the Chandrayaan-1 probe from India, which has built a strong case for the presence of water on the moon's surface. "We're probing the moon to give up her deepest and darkest secrets," said NASA chief lunar scientist Michael Wargo.
ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: ZACH GANSCHOW / IMAGES MCT
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October 22, 2009 CULTURE
Boise Contemorary Theatre showcases
‘The Pavilion’ MARGARET REIMER Journalist
The Boise Contemporary Theater will showcase “The Pavilion” this weekend. This play brings together the considerable talents of Andrea Caban, Dwayne Blackaller and Hollis Welsh. “It’s always scary and it’s always fun,” said Dwayne Blackaller, an actor in "The Pavilion," in reference to acting. “The Pavilion” is a Pulitzer Prize nominated play that has been compared to “Our Town.” It was also nominated for the American Theater Critics’ Association Best New Play Award. “You are trying to
honor this person on a piece of paper,” said Hollis Welsh, an actress in “The Pavilion.” “The Pavilion” is the story of Peter who returns to his hometown for his twenty-year high school reunion to mend things with Kari, his former flame. Throughout the reunion Kari and Peter encounter many characters played by the Narrator who help them confront the past. Directed by Matthew Cameron Clark, the founder of Boise Contemporary Theater “The Pavilion” is known for its humor and emotion. “I resonated a lot with the script. It’s a story worth telling,” Welsh said. Andrea Caban has flown in from New York City to play the Narrator. She first became involved with BCT when Matthew Cameron Clark came to New York to audition people for “God’s Ear” last season. Caban said she discovered that she liked Boise and BCT and has returned for the new season. “I play 17 characters plus a montage. I did it for the challenge,” Caban said. According to Blackaller, Boise is lucky
to be doing this kind of edgy contemporary work. Blackaller attended BSU as a creative writing major before relocating to Columbus, Ohio. “It’s a job we are really lucky to have,” he said. “This is a work by an amazing playwright.” The writer of “The Pavilion,” Craig Wright, has also been recognized for penning an Emmy nominated episode of HBO’s “Six Feet Under.” He has written several plays and is currently working on “Dirty Sexy Money.” Students can attend any performance at Boise Contemporary Theater for $12 when they present his or her student id. “The Pavilion” will be running through November 7 at 8 p.m.
IMAGE COURTESY BOISE CONTEMPORARY THEATER
NEWS
Students raise money for charitable cause at The Freedom Bowl BENJAMIN MACK JOURNALIST
Junior Jerome Edwards expected only a few students to attend the first Freedom Bowl Oct. 16, raising a marginal amount of money for the Women’s and Children’s Alliance.
Dozens of people showed up instead, raising hundreds of dollars. “It was a fun evening,” Edwards said. “Everyone had a good time.” Held in the Student Union Games Center, attendees were treated to glow in the dark bowling, billiards and pizza.
Nicole Bare, a sophomore majoring in graphic design, said she had a good time. “This is one of the funnest things I’ve done in a really long time,” Bare said, her voice barely audible over the pulsating music that served as a soundtrack to the evening. “It’s a great cause (to support).” Senior Ryan Richard agreed with Bare. “I had a blast,” Richard said. “Bowling’s great and it was a good cause for us to support.” Raising money for the Women’s and Children’s Alliance held a special significance for Edwards. From the time he was only six-yearsold until he was 10, Edwards was sexually abused. Today, he sees abuse as a problem that isn’t getting enough attention. “I think it’s a major problem,” Edwards said. “The state of Jerome Edwards Idaho has focused attention on fighting meth and not abuse. It’s important not to forget about the women and children. This event was to bring awareness (to this).” Edwards, who was baptized Oct. 17, said his faith played a big part in organizing
the event. Sophomore Matt Weinberg summed up the evening in just five words. “I had a great time,” Weinberg said. “It was really cool that BSU let Jerome put this on.” Though the Freedom Bowl was a success, Edwards said he has more fundraisers planned. “The next event will be a formal gala,” Edwards said. “It’ll be a red carpet affair.” Edwards said he plans to have a silent auction with dancing, a bachelor and bachelorette auction and raffles at the event a date and location are yet to be determined. He said all the proceeds would be donated to charity before the holidays. “We’re making sure that no kid will be without a Christmas,” Edwards said. Located at 720 W. Washington St. in downtown Boise, the Women’s and Children’s Alliance (WCA) provides emergency housing for women and children who are victims of domestic violence or sexual assault. The shelter is available for up to 60 days. There is also a 24-hour domestic violence crisis line at (208) 343-7025 and rape crisis hotline at (208) 345-7273.
The state of Idaho has focused it’s attention on fighting meth and not abuse.
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October 22, 2009
redefines ‘emergency’ OPINION HALEY ROBINSON Journalist Recently Boise State has been heavily promoting an emergency notification system called Opt in. According to its website, “the phone and text-based system allows the university to notify students, faculty and staff when an emergency is taking place on or near campus.� Theoretically, the system sounds like a great way to keep people informed. However, I have discovered a startling lack of
texts in situations certainly consider to be threatening. The evacuation of The Towers Residence Hall Nov. 1, 2008 is an example. Students were awakened by the fire alarm and urgently evacuated to the Student Union Building. Later, students were informed police had spotted a suspicious package outside the building and as precautionary measure, relocated residents until they had ensured the package was not an explosive. Bronco Student Updates in the following weeks claimed students received no notification because the threat was not legitimate. “The incident outside Towers was not an immediate threat to the safety or security of our campus community and did not impact classes‌ it was not a life-threatening
incident,� according to the Opt in Web site. If police had been positive the package was not a bomb and was not in fact life threatening, they would not have evacuated the building. If the possibility of danger was probable however, then all students should have been notified of the thre at immediately. Another example of this system struggling to keep students updated was the evacuation of the Micron Engineering Building Oct. 10, 2009. Police were notified og a student spotted carrying a shotgun into the building. About 30-40 people were evacuated for close 90 minutes while police searched for the suspect. Results again were harmless. The student claimed the gun was for a project and it did not appear to be operational. Regardless, students were once more not notified of the possibility of a life threatening situation.
Boise State junior Bryan Lowman is also skeptical about the Opt in system. “I think that it is advertised as a good idea and would provide some good information for students and staff,� Lowman said. “But I wonder what its purpose really is since I haven't been notified of anything since I've opted in.� If sightings of suspicious packages or students with unidentified weapons are not reasons to utilize Opt in, then what exactly do they consider an emergency? The system should be used to inform students immediately of any danger or suspicion of danger on campus. It should also be used to inform students the outcome of the threat. Waiting until after a gun has been shot or a bomb has gone off to be determined an emergency alters the message from a warning to a headline.
The incident outside Towers was not an immediate threat to the safety or security of our campus community and did not impact classes‌ Bronco Student Updates
IT WAS NOT A LIFE-THREATENING INCIDENT
NEWS
BSU to offer intersession during winter break MIKE JOHNSON Journalist
For the first time, Boise State University will be offering students the opportunity to attend classes during the break between fall and spring semester.
The intersession will offer classes from wide a variety of colleges and departments, starting Dec. 2123, before a break, and resuming Jan. 4-15. This intersession will provide a, “year-round cycle of educational opportunities,� according to BSU President Bob Kustra. “The new intersession program offers courses for academic exploration, experiential learning and personal enrichment. This expanded delivery of our curriculum better meets the needs of our students and reflects the desire to use our classroom s p a c e more
effectively between semesters,� Kustra said. Along with three-credit courses, one and two credit workshops will also be offered - a few online courses as well. According to Mark Wheeler, dean of Extended Studies, a three-credit intersession course will be similar to a full-time job. t“Some classes lend themselves especially well to this sort of immersion,� Wheeler said, who recommends that students interested in participating in intersession courses should be prepared to allot large blocks of time to class and homework. The university will be offering this intersession despite recent state funding holdbacks. L i n d a
Urquidi, director of summer and intersession programs, insists that, like the summer session, this intersession will be self-supporting. “If these classes don’t end up paying for themselves, intersession will be short-lived,� Urquidi said. Urquidi maintains that the cost per credit of the intersession is slightly lower than the spring or fall semesters, and this intersession is less about making money and “more about Boise State being a metropolitan
university, offering courses yearround in a variety of formats to meet the needs of its students and the public at large.� Credits earned during the intersession will be counted toward the spring semester and will be offered at $236 per credit for undergraduates and $285 for graduate credits. Enrollment begins Oct. 26. A complete course listing is available online.
JEREMY OLIVER/THE ARBITER
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October 22, 2009 SPORTS
Idaho building confidence, faces tough test against
KIRK BELL Editor
Seven games into the season, Idaho is bowleligible and atop the WAC. Next Saturday will bring a tough challenge for head coach Robb Akey’s squad as they prepare to face Nevada and preseason offensive WAC player of the year junior quarterback, Colin Kaepernick. Heading into the big matchup, expect to see a lot of offense. Kaepernick leads a Wolfpack attack that features three players with over 450 yards rushing on the season. Each and has averaged 45 points per game over their last three contests. The danger starts with Kaepernick, who is a dual threat. He has run for 461 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown scamper, and has thrown for 1,109 yards with nine touchdowns and five interceptions on the campaign. “The guy’s very good. He’s their trigger man. He’s about 6 foot- 2 inches, runs a 4.2 forty and he’s got an arm. There’s more threats than some of the folks we’ve played. They’re going to make
Nevada
some big plays,” Akey said of Kaepernick and the Wolfpack. Akey emphasized it’s not all about Kaepernick when it comes to stopping Nevada. “If you focus solely on him, there are two other running backs that can hurt you, and if you focus on the running game, he can hurt you with his arm,” he said. An Idaho team with a newfound confidence expects to be up to the task of stopping the Wolfpack. “One of the things was getting the confidence built up for this team. Winning against Northern Illinois on the road and the Colorado State game played a big part in building up that confidence,” Akey said. The next three weeks will set the stage for what could be the best Idaho-Boise State game in recent history. If Idaho is able to get past Nevada, Louisiana Tech and Fresno State, they’ll roll into Boise looking to crush Boise State’s BCS dreams. Game time for the Nevada game is 2:05 p.m. MT and will be on ESPN Gameplan and ESPN360.com.
Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick scores against the Broncos during their 2007 game at Bronco Stadium.
STANLEY BREWSTER/ARBITER FILE PHOTO
SPORTS
Broncos’ basketball back to work KIRK BELL Editor
JOSH RASMUSSEN/THE ARBITER
Senior point guard Anthony Thomas evaluates the Idaho defense during last year’s game in Boise. Thomas enters the 2009-10 season as the Broncos’ most experienced athlete.
Boise State men’s basketball bounced back to action Friday, Oct. 16 after jumping back into formal practices in preparation for the 2009-10 season. The buzzword amongst the players is “chemistry.” Senior center Kurt Cunningham said that the matter of meshing is attributed to summer workouts where most of the athletes were attendance. “That was big for us this year, off-season workouts,” Cunningham said. “We got a lot of guys here in the summer and everybody is pretty dedicated and has gotten after it. I think that improvement will show on the court…We’re excited to get going.” Cunningham was the second leading scorer for the Broncos last season with an average of 10.2 points per game and a team leading 67.3 field goal percentage. Despite producing on many levels during the 2008-09 campaign, he feels that some small improvements were necessary for this year. An attempt to improve his off-hand shooting and his perimeter game were focus factors prior to tipping off their season. “I found out last year I could be successful playing my game. I’ll just continue to do that,” Cunningham said. BSU returns four senior starters; Cunningham, Anthony Thomas, Ike Okoye and Paul Noonan. The Broncos’ top scorer last season,
Mark Sanchez, departed following graduation, leaving a void that other experienced athletes will have to fill. Senior forward Ike Okoye joined BSU last season after transferring from the University of Wyoming. He averaged 19.3 minutes per game with a 52.9 field goal percentage during his junior year. By being able to stay with the same program for consecutive seasons for the first time, he feels a difference in team connection. “I’m a little nervous. A little sad,” Okoye said. “It’s my last year of college. But I’m kind of excited to see what we can do. I’m pretty sure that when practice hits we’ll be getting after it and working hard. I’m really looking forward to the season.” No stranger to the program, senior point guard Anthony Thomas is poised to represent himself as an improved leader for the Broncos. He will finish his fifth year with the team with a belief that there is a “gelling,” factor to this year’s squad. “This summer most of our team was here,” Thomas said. “I think that was a big thing for us. I think that’s one of the main things. Everybody worked hard during the summer and we gelled. We’ve got more team chemistry and synergy. As for this year, I’ve been excited since last year ended. I’m just looking to go out with a bang.” Thomas’ on-court presence hovers over Taco Bell Arena like a fog, averaging 30.3 minutes per game and the only Bronco to start all 32 games last season, averaged 9.5 points per game and pro-
vided an emotion engine for the squad. “I just think we’ve got a little bit more knowledge and we’re actually more athletic,” Thomas said. “I think we’re a little bit further than we were last year, which is a good thing. We just have got to get it rolling early.” Thomas pointed to the new junior college transfers as key components to the 2009-10 roster. Junior forward Daequon Montreal transfers from the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls where he was able to keep a close eye on the BSU program. While with the Golden Eagles, Montreal averaged 15.9 points per game and 8.9 rebounds per game. Though he doesn’t believe he is at par, he speculates he will be a component to BSU success this season. “I think I can contribute right away but at the same time there is always room for improvement,” Montreal said. We’re just going to continue to work on it and we’ll see.” The chemistry bug bit Montreal along with the rest of the team. He saw immediate congruency upon joining the team over the summer. “When you get in here and start playing, guys were getting along,” Montreal said. “The guys pass the rock. In the locker room guys are talking, laughing, joking…The chemistry is great. I’m really excited about the team.” The Broncos tip-off for the first time against Wilamette University during an exhibition at Taco Bell Arena Nov. 3. The game starts at 7:35 p.m. MT.
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October 22, 2009 SPORTS
Broncos bring focus back toWAC KIRK BELL Editor
Boise State (6-0, 1-0 Western Athletic Conference) football jumped into the forefront of college athletics news with its groundbreaking No. 4 BCS ranking the first time a non-BCS team has ever been ranked as high. Results appeared after the media sat down with Broncos’ head coach Chris Petersen for their weekly interview. Petersen didn’t even speculate. He committed to stick to his guns. He vacated any predisposed delusions of grandeur and turned his focus to the next game. BSU will travel to one of the most distracting venues in collegiate sports, the city of Honolulu, Hawai’i to face the Warriors(2-4, 0-3 WAC). There is no doubt the ever present “swat team mentality,” reiterated by the BSU team, will apply upon reaching the islands with equal – if not even more so – than other venues they have come across this season. “It will be a hard fought game in a tough place with a lot of distractions let alone the team that we’re playing,” Petersen said. “After six games this will be a good test.” A key factor to Hawai’i’s success could be from junior wide receiver, Greg Salas, who has compiled 791 yards, 42 receptions and five touchdowns through the Warriors’ first six games. Petersen’s Broncos claim a wide-out tandem that rivals some of the best in the country with junior wide receivers Titus Young and Austin Pettis – each with over 30 receptions. Speculation of what the Broncos could do with a receiver like Salas with BSU sophomore quarterback Kellen Moore is something fans might like to see. “There are certain players who you think, ‘I wish I had that guy on our team.’ He’s (Salas) one of those guys,” Petersen said. “I think he’s a smart guy. He’s really sure handed. He finds lanes, creases and seams. I don’t know how fast he is but he always seems to break tackles.”
Another concern for the Broncos is the Warriors’ ability to get the ball around to multiple receivers - a result their pass-centric offensive scheme. Hawai’i’s sophomore quarterback, Bryant Moniz, completed 30 of 42 passes against the Idaho Vandals Saturday during his first start. He also passed for 360 yards and threw a touchdown to Salas. Despite the Warriors’ 23-35 loss, Moniz displayed glimpes of efficiency that could bring some new wrinkles for the Broncos to iron out. “I think he’s (Moniz) a good player. A really good player,” Petersen said “… He’s very relaxed. He’s calm. He’s an accurate thrower. He gets it out fast and he can scramble. There’s no question that he’ll get better. It’s amazing that he’s only played this one start or one and a half games.” Applying focus to Moniz could be a large element in preparing to slowing down a prolific passing offense. BSU has shown consistent defense, ranked No. 16 in the nation overall. The Broncos recorded four sacks last week against Tulsa and displayed how they could get after the mobile and efficient Tulsa quarterback in G.J. Kinne. Putting pressure on Moniz could marginalize their ability to spread the ball around to multiple receivers with talent. Three of which have accrued 30plus receptions. Two of those receivers have five touchdowns on the season. “We’re going to need a pass rush,” Petersen said. “That’s one of the keys against Hawai’i. I think that the one thing that is different about Hawai’i than in the past is they’re a little bit more diverse.” That diversity was shown against the Vandals in glimpse of the wildcat schemed offense. Senior quarterback, Inoke Funaki, has starting experience from last season and is known for his mobility. It could very well be the component, pending proper execution, that could give the Broncos some trouble. The Broncos meet Hawai’i Saturday Oct. 24 at 9 p.m. MT on KTVB.
Chris Petersen, BSU’s head football coach, looks on as the Broncos take on the UC Davis Aggies Oct. 3.
SPORTS
JOSH RASMUSSEN/THE ARBITER
ALL BUSINESS IN PARADISE TRENT LOOTENS Producer
There won’t be any beach time for the Broncos during their trip to Honolulu this weekend. Looking to end a two-game losing streak on the islands, No. 4 Boise State walks into a hostile environment against a Hawai’i team that has nothing to lose. BSU’s last two trips to paradise have been anything but enjoyable. During the 2007 season the Broncos went into Aloha Stadium ranked No. 17 against Colt Brennan and the No. 13 Warriors. Brennan torched the Broncos’ defensive secondary for five touchdowns and 495 yards. Hawai’i defeated the Broncos 39-27 to keep its Bowl Championship Series hopes alive. Hawai’i finished the 2007 season 12-0 and was invited to the Sugar Bowl against the Georgia Bulldogs where they lost 41-10 to Matthew Stafford and company. Boise State senior fullback Richie Brockel was a sophomore at the time and recalls what happened that night. “I don’t think we were ready for that atmosphere. The stadium was packed and it was loud. We really wanted that game, but mentally we weren’t ready,” Brockel said. Exactly a month later, the Broncos traveled back to Honolulu to play in the Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl against East Carolina. It was the same trip, and it ended with a similar result. The heavily favored Broncos were ambushed by running back Chris Johnson, who ran for 223 yards on 28 carries. A last second field goal by East Carolina handed the Broncos their second loss on the islands in a month by a score of 41-38. Now, after being consistently reminded of those losses for the last two years, the Broncos will make the trip back to Hawai’i to defend their ranking and their Western Athletic Conference title. “I’ve never won a game in Hawaii, and frankly I don’t like this trip because of it,” Brockel said. “I’d really like to go over there my senior year and get a ‘W’ to put those emotions to rest that I have.” Hawai’i has lost their last four games and is 0-3 in Western Athletic Conference play. The Warriors are playing for pride, while the Broncos are playing for much more.
“They’ve got good fan support out there. It’s a tough place to play at with all the traveling and all the factors that go into an away game that hit you at one time,” junior wide receiver Austin Pettis said. “Mentally you’ve got to think past that and be bigger than that.” BSU wants to use this game to take their play to a new level and show the nation their last two closely contested wins are behind them.
The players hear all the negativity around the nation that they don’t belong in the same breath with schools like Florida, Texas, Alabama and USC. A dominating performance this weekend against an aggressive Hawai’i team, which plays well at home, would be the statement the Broncos want to make. “That’s just another thing that helps us put
that chip on our shoulder,” Pettis said when asked about the view of BSU to the nation. “It’s in the back of everyone’s minds day in and day out, in practice and in games.” The Broncos travel to Hawaii Thursday to become accustomed with the different atmosphere and to get settled after a long trip before their game Saturday night at 9 p.m MT. It will be broadcast on KTVB channel 7.
I’ve never won a game in Hawai’i, and frankly I DON’T LIKE THIS TRIP BECAUSE OF IT. -Richie Brockel
MARVIN LEE SCHWENK/THE ARBITER
Boise State’s defense smothers Hawai’i running back Leon Wright-Jackson during last year’s game in Boise. The Arbiter ! arbiteronline.com
8
October 22, 2009 OPINION
OPINION
ValleyRide
suffers from low funding JOHN ROMLEIN II Columnist
“Dispatch, I’m not going anywhere… I’m getting all kinds of (warning) lights, we need a replacement.” The driver of Route 8 (Chinden/FiveMile) radioed that transmission to ValleyRide dispatch as he took Unit 9708 out of service at the Towne Square Mall the route’s western transfer station hub. The unit’s failure resulted in a 23-minute wait for a replacement bus, during which a few impatient passengers opted instead to hail taxicabs. Scenes like this have become commonplace to those who regularly utilize ValleyRide bus services. According to a FY07 Q2 report, 12 heavy-duty buses and seven paratransit Access vans have either reached or surpassed their useful service lives. The 9708 unit is among an active fleet of ten 35-seat Nova models originally commissioned in 1997, which are overdue for retirement. Yet the agency lacks the necessary funding to stay current with operating and maintenance expenses. “Most of our funding now comes from the city,” said the driver of Route 2 (Broadway), which has a stop along the eastern end of campus. “But the state wants more cars on the road to pay for their road projects.” According to Valley Regional Transit (VRT), the parent operator of ValleyRide, organizers completed a six-year plan entitled, “Treasure Valley in Transit” in 2004 which “provides for a regional public transportation system (that) provides new routes in communities throughout the Valley, longer hours of service and more frequent service.” However, the plan was passed without a solid funding source to pay for the implementation of the proposed services. For the past three years, VRT officials
have petitioned state legislators to approve a local option sales tax as a funding source, only to be stonewalled in committee. This past spring, an attempt to pass authority of a local option sales tax to cities and counties also failed - despite transportation being a hot-button issue prolonging the second-longest legislative session in state history. Consequently, ValleyRide runs most bus routes from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and only half of its routes from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. There is no Sunday or holiday service. This has proven to be too inefficient for most Boise residents, who prefer to stick to his or her automobiles. COURTESY/JOHN ROMLEIN II COURTESY/JOHN ROMLEIN II “I don't consider public transportation in Boise a realistic choice for me,” said Boise State graduate Nathan Thomas. “I leave for work before the first bus arrives in my area. I'd love to see transportation expand, but right now it doesn't provide enough options and flexibility.” ValleyRide has slashed seven Boise routes over the past 11 years, with a union spat resulting in the loss of a onemile stretch of Route 42 (Nampa Limited Stop) and City of Eagle budget cuts that nearly terminated Route 44 (Eagle-Middleton-Star Express). Human resources major Chris Scott is a frequent rider of the bus. “I think the bus system is good for Boise, but as (the population) grows, they definitely need to improve it,” he said. Yet with rising fuel costs and an economic downturn, ridership has increased. In response, VRT was awarded $8.5 million in economic stimulus money, which will be used to purchase 25 replacement diesel/CNG buses, improve bus stop accessibility and improve realtime bus information. Whether or not this will help ValleyRide in the long run remains unknown.
Zombies 101:
An introductory course JOSH GAMBLE Columnist
Imagine one day you wake up and no one’s around. The streets are empty, save for the fires and wrecked vehicles. It’s as if the world has gone silent, but then you hear it. “Braaaiiins…” It has begun. Everyone knows in his or her heart of hearts that a zombie apocalypse is bound to happen sooner or later, the question is, which variety? There are three main varieties of zombie, although one most only consider two. First we have the classic corpse zombie, or “Shamblers.” These unfortunate "undead" first limped into the American zeitgeist in George Romero's “Night of the Living Dead” (1960). The movie quickly became the first thing pictured when the word “zombie” is uttered. Reanimated corpses with rotting flesh and an insatiable appetite for brains, Romero zombies typically travel is large, slow-moving mobs. One or two of them are easy to take care of by removing or destroying the head, or just walking away. The real trouble starts when a lone human encounters a large mob of zombies. The trick to avoiding the undead shamblers is to keep moving. Humans are devoured and “zombiefied” when they panic and allow themselves to be cornered. Those slain by zombies instantly arise as a zombie themselves, usually due to some sort of evil radio signal or voodoo necromancy. The best defense against the undead is a truck. Not a shot gun, not a flame thrower but a large, four-wheel-drive truck. Try laughing at Hummer owners now. The Hummer, with its high wheel base and small windows, is an ideal defense. Undead zombies are slow and stupid, and easily mowed down. Just be sure to have plenty of gas and food in the trunk. When all else fails, grab a shot gun and clear out a gas station to get supplies. Zombie type two, known as Russo
Zombies, is the virus zombie, ala “28 Days Later” and “Resident Evil.” These are regular people infected by a virus that makes them want to kill everything in sight. Usually they can be stopped in the same manner in which you would stop an ordinary human. Bullets, bats and blades will all do the trick. The difficulty with these zombies is they maintain speed and motor function, making them much more difficult to avoid. The biggest threat these zombies pose is that of mutation, such as the “Tanks,” “Smokers” and “Boomers” in the Xbox 360 game “Left 4 Dead.” They tend to be more comfortable in dark places, so those immune should avoid tunnels and caves. The virus is spread via body fluids, including blood and saliva, thus killing the infected is a perilous task at best. The best course of action is to gather survivors and either jump the quarantine zone or set up a fortified commune in the woods. Eventually the zombies will die of tissue degeneration or starvation - until then survivors must stay vigilant. The third and often ignored variety of zombie is the brain control zombie. These are people with something implanted into their brain, usually a microchip or nanobot, that takes over and shuts down the thinking parts of the brain. These zombies are controlled by a master computer at a remote location and they do its bidding. Nanobot zombies are rare in pop culture, although brain control through hypnotism is a common theme in television action and science fiction shows. Nanobots are the main theme in the novel “Prey” by Michael Crichton. Scary, I know. But it can never happen, right? RIGHT?! Wrong. Check out cracked. com’s “5 Scientific Reasons a Zombie Apocolypse Could Actually Happen.” Luckily, some students right here are BSU are here to help. BSU freshman and local zombie expert Joseph Davidson had the foresight to start “The Ultimate Zombie Survival Blog.” Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
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9
Classifieds Classifi eds
October 22, 2009
Crossword
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STUDIO APARTMENT FOR RENT 1 block from BSU.
$425 per months, all utilities included, except cable. non-smokers only, $100 cleaning deposit. Call 342-7885 after 5pm.
BED-QUEEN PILLOW TOP
mattress set. Brand new, still in plastic, warranty. Retail $599. Must sell $109. Can deliver. 9216643. 9 PIECE KING SLEIGH BED SET. All wood- dovetail
drawers. List $2950. Sacrifice $799. 888-1464
SALES AND MARKETING ASSISTANT Work-study
required, $7.50 -$8.00 per hour dependent on experience. 15- 20 hours a week. Preferably a freshman or sophomore. Must be a student at BSU taking 6 or more credits.
BRAND NEW MICROFIBER COUCH & loveseat. Stain
KING SIZE PILLOWTOP MATTRESS set brand new in
bag. Must sell, $199. Can Deliver. 921-6643. 7-PIECE CHERRY Bedroom
set. Brand-new in box. Retail $2250, sacrifice $450. Call 888-1464 CHERRY SLEIGH BED Solid wood. Brand new w/ matress set. Sacrifice $299. Call 888-1464.
Resistant. Lifetime warranty. Still in boxes. Retail $1395. Must sell! $425. 888-1464. LEATHER SOFA PLUS LOVESEAT. Brand new in crate
with lifetime warranty. List $2450. Sacrifice $650. 888-1464. QUEEN TEMPURPEDIC
style visco memory foam mattress. Brand new in plastic. Must sell. $225. 921-6643
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age, warranty Sacrifice $99. Call 921-6643.|
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The Future BY LINDA C. BLACK Tribune Media Services Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Birthday (10/22/09) Intuition says you need to take extra time getting ready. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing quite like showing up at a cocktail party in jeans and a T-shirt. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the best-dressed person there, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fine. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your party. To get the advantage, check the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.
Aries (March 21-April 19) Today is a 7 -Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never handle all of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opportunities. Choose well and take notes, as some opportunities will repeat.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today is a 7 - Take a moment to evaluate each opportunity that arises. Assess each one against your own logic. Await developments.
Gemini (May 21-June 21) Today is a 6 - Something you read recently provides ammunition for persuasion. Who are you persuading?
Cancer (June 22-July 22) Today is a 6 - You have lots of choices today. Talk them over with a friend. Test them against your intuition, then go for the gold.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Today is a 7 - Since you face so many opportunities, you need to quickly choose among them. Follow your heart first, then your stomach.
Today is a 7 - Take a philosophical approach to a problem youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been working on. Normal strategies fall short of the desired goal.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today is a 6 - The success will taste sweeter because you predicted it. Your wisdom gains respect now.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Today is a 5 - Do what you must to get others to agree. This requires imagination and skill. You have both.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Today is a 6 - Whatever you do, act like you really mean it. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t leave room for doubt. Others respect your decisiveness.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Today is a 7 - Go with the flow. The energy around you is filled with promise. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect everything to fall into place quickly.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Today is a 6 -- You fight any sort of restraint. Independent action seems to be the only thing you can manage now.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Today is a 6 - Use your imagination. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one of the best tools in the box. Polish the rough edges later. ___ (c) 2009, Tribune Media Services Inc.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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10
October 22, 2009
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