Abusive producers

Why on earth do producers of shows have to show a really amazing episode of a show and then just stop mid season for a month respite. I think that it is unfair to the viewership to be jerked around like this. Why can’t they just shoe the whole season without any breaks. They are more likely to lose viewers because when your show isn’t on you look to other shows or things to do. Those viewers just might find something else that is good and forget when their show will be coming on again. I just think that it is really lame. It is abusive of the power that they have. Just because the masses are senselessly addicted to their favorite TV shows, that doesn’t mean they have the right to abuse us. There is a certain point where we as the consumers need to step up and say that enough is enough. We have a right to see what we want to see when we want to see it. This is why people have started to pirate things; we are sick and tired of waiting till it is released by the producer just so the rich can become richer. Help me help you! Give us our shows.

The Joy of a Democracy

I went to the republican caucus in my precinct this week. Wow! Who knew that people could get so worked up about precinct chairman? Seriously I think that it was the most exercise some of those old people get all week. I am personally registered as an independent and as a result could not say a single word the whole two hours I was there. There was defiantly some comedy though the seated chairman wanted to be elected again, but was ousted by a previous mayor of Provo. Then he wanted vice chair and was ousted by someone who had no experience in the political world. Don’t worry though he still got to be a state delegate which if he hadn’t I think there would have been major tears. The technology was very sophisticated for the voting. They used index cards torn into fourths and then they were counted at the front of the room by some random guys. Now it may just be me but that makes me a little nervous. I think that there are a few things that you should know before attending a caucus. First make sure to eat dinner before you go. Take gum with you to offer to the old lady next to you and always take a friend.

Living Legends Article

PROVO, Utah – In the Knight Building on the campus of Brigham Young University, two students artfully perform a traditional hoop dance to American Indian music.

The dance is an expression of their culture. To American Indians, the hoop is a symbol of eternity. It is used in the dance to honor Mother Earth's creations.

These students belong to Living Legends, a group of students with American Indian, Polynesian and Latin American heritage. The group promotes culture, family and the value of education through dance and music.

They practice 10 hours a week and travel throughout the year, taking their dances on tour before various audiences. This year, they have been to Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. In April, they will take their show to Chili.

Ana Wilson has been a member of the group for 2 years. Meeting people on tour is the best part of the job, she said. But the most meaningful experiences have involved seeing how much people sacrifice to have group members stay in their homes.

The group focuses on showing the seasons of the Book of Mormon, a tome of scripture for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Performing as part of Living Legends is essentially a mission to share the church’s message, Wilson said.
“We don't proselyte like missionaries, but we share it,” she said.

Wilson said she has learned that to some people, the performance is all about experiencing the music and culture. To others, it means something different – an opportunity to feel the spirit, something many of them have never done before.

The group performs 17 dances from different countries. “Sasa, Lapa Lapa,” a dance from Samoa, involves powerful slaps. “Un Madrigal, El Buey” is a dance from Mexico that evokes folklore and tradition. “Aguacero de Mayo” draws upon the multicultural background of Colombia. From North America, there is “The Warrior's Suite,” a dance thats honor American Indian fighters.

The trademark song of the group is its perennial finale, “Go, My Son.” The song tells the story of a chief who teaches that the way to succeed in life is through maintaining family ties and getting an education.

Rachel Bair has attended the show several times to see her older siblings perform. She said she thinks people connect with the performance because it showcases so many different cultures. Being of Mexican descent Bair believes that culture is very important to defining who she is.

“It not only helps you appreciate your culture,” she said. “It makes me proud of my culture.”

Living Legends will be performing at BYU’s Harris Fine Arts Center March 27 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the box office for $7.

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I just don't know so don't ask

Have you ever had a friend that as soon as you told them you liked someone magically they liked them too? Well I have a couple of friends like that. What I just don't understand is why out of the hundreds of guys why they have to like the same exact guys as me. I have decided that sooner or later they will fall in love with one of the guys I wish I was dating and get married. Once they are married maybe I will not feel guilty about hanging out with a guy that I like wouldn't that be nice.

Jamie what is your email? I can't remember and whenever your mom tells it to me I must be typing it in wrong. I am so stoked for you guys to come out I was way bummed when I couldn’t get spring break off at work. So I think I will be in St. George around the same time as you guys are so we are going to have to hang out. Do you like how I am just talking to you on my blog? My email is amandagravett@gmail.com.

Now back to the crazy weird life. Today as I was dutifully sweeping my store when in walks the mall manager and sneaks up behind me and growls. Funny thing is I almost smacked him in the face when I jumped. Good times.

Needles

After a long shift at work I had the desire for a little cash. Normally selling my plasma would take me around forty-five minutes. Unfortunately for me everyone else in the world decided they wanted cash too. I waited an hour just to go to the back. Once I was situated I just sat there for a few minutes wondering if I had been forgotten. When the guy finally started to set me up I had nearly finished the whole goonies movie. Iodine was applied and the needle was stuck into my skin. I was astonished when there was no flow of dark crimson blood up the tube. The young man doing the pricking was also. He poked around for a few minutes then decided to go on break. After like ten minutes another guy came over and says a very clear tube and decided that it would probably help if there was some blood moving. So he turned the cuff on so tight that my arm actually turned almost completely blue. So after twenty minutes with a needle sticking in my arm blood actually began to flow. After two hours and twenty minutes I walked out of the Plasma Collection Center thirty dollars richer. Was it worth it? Probably not.

Windows or Mirrors

So maybe philosophy is not my strong point. I have started thinking about life in general. Yesterday at work I encountered a customer. She happened to be the mother of a previous employee of our store. All she could say about all the girls at our store were good things. In her eyes every single one of the girls was the sweetest girl. I know for a fact that not very many of these sweet girls have their not so sweet moments. But this got me to thinking about perspectives. Every single person has a different perspective. You can give the same painting to three different people and they would probably see three different things in that painting. Not only would they focus on different things within the painting but they would interpret it in different ways. How do you do things in a way that everyone will understand what you mean. Well the truth is that you can’t there is no way that everyone is going to come to the same understanding. You can however try to understand their way of looking at it and begin to see the world from other perspectives. The world is like a window and not a mirror. That might not make the most sense in the world but let me try and explain. Instead of looking and simply seeing yourself or your view (mirror), look through the window of another’s perspective.

Justice

What exactly is justice? This is a question that has been brought to my mind in the recent days. How is justice obtained? To me it doesn’t seem like there really is justice in this world. I think that Darwin had it right with the whole survival of the fittest. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done what matters is who has more people and money behind them. People are driven by money it is all that they care about. Money is also what is driving this world down. People care more about their money than the people around them. Our society is turning into a self centered society and pretty soon this will lead to our demise. A house divided cannot stand. This has been made manifest during this presidential campaign. Our nation is becoming divided and soon we will fall. We must unite together and learn to forget ourselves and help others. This life isn’t about how great you are it is about the amount of great you can do. I give this challenge to everyone everywhere. Become a better person; think more about others than you think of yourself. There is enough darkness and evil out there. Let’s overcome the inclinations of the natural man

OREM, Utah—Though many Utah Valley State College students may not be directly affected by school shootings, university police are taking precautions to safeguard the campus.

The police have added to their list of emergency procedures information about how to handle an active shooter incident.

The first thing police say to do if you’re in a building where shots are being fired is exit the building quickly and orderly. Tell others you see to leave as well.

Then call the police. If you call from a cell phone, tell the dispatcher your name, location, the number and description of shooters, and the number of people who may be affected. You can also reach them by dialing 5555 from any campus phone.

If you can’t make it to a building exit, police say, find the nearest room or office and lock yourself in. If someone knocks and you don’t know who it is, don’t answer.

Some students aren’t so sure these precautions will help.

Kellie Hegerhorst said she doesn’t think the new procedure would stop someone from shooting at the school.

“People will always get around things,” she said. But, she conceded, much can be done to improve safety for students.

Hegerhorst said e-mail and text messaging could be used to alert students of danger and help protect them.

A survey developed by UVSC Web Development Services found the majority of students feel text messages would be the most effective way to alert the campus community of danger.

Texting is the most widely supported
method for warning students














Photo by Amanda Gravett

In case of an emergency or shooting, almost 28 percent of students said they want to be alerted by text. Campus TV announcements won the second highest approval, with almost 11 percent saying they favored the method.

Laurel Canfield said she thinks the best way to ensure the safety of students is to maintain a prepared police force.

“Make sure police on campus are trained well,” she said.

After the Virginia Tech shootings, many schools have taken precautions to protect their schools from similar tragedies.



A victim of the Virginia Tech
shootings is carried out of a campus
building by law enforcement.














Alan Kim, The Roanoke Times AP Photo

Northern Illinois University took many precautions before the shooting on Feb. 14. But they proved to be insufficient as a man dressed in black entered Cole Hall and opened fire.

In a letter to students following the incident, President John G. Peters of NIU said more security measures will be taken.

“You will see an increased number of uniformed officers in and around campus next week,” he said.

According to the UVSC police statistics, there were two arrests made for illegal possession of weapons in 2006.

Nationally, there were more than 200,000 arrests made for possession of weapons, according to the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

National statistics are published at http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2006/index.html.

Details on the new school emergency policy can be found on the UVSC police Web site at http://www.uvsc.edu/police/.

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