Nevada Sagebrush Archives 09/15/09

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 , 2009 VOLUME CXVI NUMBER 5SERVING THE UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO SINCE 1893www.nevadasagebrush.comFirst copy free, additional copies 50 each d bdditi l i 50 h

ENGINEER-SPEAKCalibrate your communication skills to interface with engineers.Page A7

AUTHORS NEW READCheck out whether local author Ellen Hopkins latest release Tricks lives up to her other bestsellers. Page A13

MAUGAS BACK AT UNRAfter 13 days with the New York Jets, Josh Mauga is back at school but has hopes of getting back to the NFL. Page B1

INDEXBoard of Regents: Full coverage of the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents fi rst meeting of the semester in Elko.Live chat: Head online Wednesday at 3 p.m. for an interactive chat with Sports Editor Juan Lpez on Wolf Pack Sports.Sports: Check our Web site for football, volleyball and soccer coverage.

Board of Regents: Full coverage of the Nevada System of Higher

ONLINE THIS WEEK AT NEVADASAGEBRUSH.COM

WEEKLY UPDATE .............................................A3CLASSIFIEDS ..............................................................A6PERSPECTIVES .......................................................A7ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ......A14SPORTS ....................................................................................B1GAMEDAY ....................................................................... B8

CASEY DURKIN /NEVADA SAGEBRUSH

Geoff Miles, an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Nevada, Reno, remembers the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as a time of others anger and shock. Miles was 10 when the attacks occurred.

By Nick Coltrain

Sept. 11, 2001 impacted Geoff Miles like it did many others: with shock, confusion and an-ger. But Miles memories are of other peoples anger becoming his, their confusion fueling his.

Its an impact that will be-come more common with each passing year.

Miles, now a freshman at the University of Nevada, Reno, was 10 years old when terrorists hijacked four planes, ram-ming two into the World Trade Center towers and another into the Pentagon. A fourth plane, headed for Washington, D.C., crashed in a Pennsylvania fi eld after passengers and fl ight crew attempted to retake the plane.

About 3,000 people died, forc-ing Miles eyes open to a world his 10-year-old mind wasnt quite prepared for.

I really had no idea of what was going on at the time, he said. I had no idea why some-one would want to attack New

York City.For Miles and about 1,900

other 18-year-olds at UNR, the Sept. 11 attacks set the tone for the world they live in, said Markus Kemmelmeier, a sociol-ogy professor at UNR.

They are accustomed to the specter of terrorism and persistent war, even if terrorists have not struck U.S. soil since 2001, Kemmelmeier said. But the younger generation also couldnt really respond to the newly-shattered sense of U.S. safety.

The 9- and 10-year-olds, they didnt face any choices, he said. It is just background, that the world is a dangerous place and

By Jay Balagna

Despite the advantages of a newly-implemented text mes-sage alert system at the Uni-versity of Nevada, Reno, it was not used to notify students of a power outage on campus last week because, at the time, offi -cials did not think the situation was serious enough to warrant an alert, they said. The lack of notifi cation created confusion, forcing many students out of classes and onto lawns in an attempt to complete projects due the next day.

While all students are issued a university e-mail account, not all of them use it, Edward Atwell, an offi cer in the UNR Police Department assigned to the text message alert system, said. We feel that the text mes-sage system has the ability to reach more students in a way they would pay attention to.

The arrangement is a delicate one though. If UNRPD sends out too many messages, students may stop paying attention to them, Atwell said.

When we set the (text mes-sage) system up, the feedback we got was that the student body was concerned they would get a lot of spam-like messages, Atwell said.

Our goal is to keep the messages to a minimum so students dont start to ignore them.

When the campus lost power Wednesday evening, Atwell and others on duty made the spur-of-the-moment decision not to send an alert because the outage was not an emergency situation, Atwell said. Instead of alerting students, UNRPD stepped up patrols to make sure students were safe on campus and nobody broke into dark buildings.

After seeing the confusion on campus over the next few hours, they began to rethink

No notifi cations on power outage

Younger students bring new memories

See 9/11 Page A5

See NOTIFICATION Page A5

By Jay Balagna and Jessica Fryman

For the past four years, Chris Swinger avoided going to the doctor at all costs. Once he was taken off his mothers insurance at age 18, he quickly realized how expensive medical care could be.

Swinger, now 22, is one of the more than eight million 18- to 24-year-olds in the United States without health insurance, ac-cording to a U.S. Census Bureau estimate. That is almost 30 percent of the people in that age group, causing some students to worry about their future health care and want to fi x that statistic.

In the United States Con-gress, politicians are debating health care reforms that have dominated public discussion for weeks. While the debate at the Capitol dominates headlines, small demonstrations like the one Swinger attended at the University of Nevada, Reno last week are popping up nationally.

In the demonstration, Swinger joined about 35 students and community members brandish-ing Barack Obama health care reform signs on Hilliard Plaza, while student leaders and Ne-

vada democrats addressed the small crowd and passersby.

Your socioeconomic status should not (determine) whether you receive heath care, student senate speaker Gracie Geremia said at the Young Democrats rally Wednesday.

Edson Almacher, a 20-year-old computer science major who attended the rally, said he wished more students would get involved in discussing the possibility of health care reform because its an important issue that many students dont realize affects them.

I think oftentimes students might feel they dont need insurance, they think theyre invincible, said Cheryl Hug-English, director of the Student Health Center. Until you need health insurance you dont think about it.

Swinger hardly worried about health care until he injured his ankle last year. Unsure if it was broken or not, he decided to go to the health center. After an X-ray, his ankle was diagnosed with a bad sprain and Swinger was told to stay off his feet for a few days. The ordeal served as a wake-up call.

I know it sounds naive, but

for the past four years, Ive had plenty of other things to worry about and havent cared much about my health, he said. It kind of made me realize how easily I can hurt myself and how expensive it couldve been.

While the free checkups and reduced cost medical care of-fered by the Student Health Cen-ter have gotten Swinger through four years of school, and the part-time student is optimistic it will get him through his last year, with a degree comes a loss of that resource.

After school Ill probably be in an entry-level job that wont offer health insurance, Swinger said. My situation might actu-ally get worse after graduation

because I wont have the health center.

Although many students have health coverage through their parents, Swinger said after graduation, many might fi nd themselves in the same position as he.

While looking for employment opportunities post-graduation, health care benefi ts are often an important factor. That is something students might not realize now, Assemblyman Da-vid Bobzien said.

Students might turn down a job in order to take a different one with health benefi ts, he said.

Debate comes close to homeBRIAN BOLTON /NEVADA SAGEBRUSH

Edson Almachar, right, a computer science major at the University of Nevada, Reno, fi lls out a community service form at a health care rally held in Hilliard Plaza Wednesday afternoon.

Insurance can be purchased at the beginning of the semester from the cashiers offi ce. $877 per semester $300 deductible Visit unr.edu/shc/writing/insurance.html for more information.

I b h d t th b i i f th

STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE

Check out a video on Wednesdays health care rally at UNR:

NEVADASAGEBRUSH.COM

Check o t a video on Wednesdays health care rally at UNR

ONLINE

Read a 20-year-olds memories and refl ections about the events of Sept. 11.SEE PAGE A8

R d 20 ld

INSIDE

The text message alert system was implemented last year as a way to notify stu-dents in case of an emergency or campus closure. About 4,000 people at the University of Nevada, Reno are signed up for the system. To sign up to receive the text message alerts, go to www.unr.edu/alerts.

Th t t l t

TEXT MESSAGE ALERTS

Health care reform an important issue to many students

See HEALTH CARE Page A5

SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS

news www.nevadasagebrush.comA2 SEPTEMBER 15, 2009

VOLUME CXVI ISSUE 5

Student voice of the University of Nevada, Reno since 1893.

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By Anthony Sodenkamp

While many students were spending their summers in the Nevada heat, Joanne Heslop researched climate change in the Siberian Arctic.

Heslop, a 19-year-old dual ecohydrology and environmen-tal studies major at the Uni-versity of Nevada, Reno, spent part of her summer studying permafrost in Cherskiy, Russia with the Polaris Project.

We were doing stuff no one knew about, Heslop said. It was new territory.

Heslop fi rst heard about the project in her Natural Resources and Environmental Science 211 class.

The class is taught by Sudeep Chandra, UNR assistant profes-sor of limnology, who also went to Cherskiy.

Heslop had heard about the effects of climate change from her professors, but her research still surprised her.

You can actually see it, she said. Something needs to be done.

While in the Arctic, they slept on a barge with four bunks to a room and half-inch plywood between rooms, Chandra said.

There was no privacy, he said. Mentally, after 20 days, it gets tiring.

There were some places the barge couldnt get to. For these trips, they took smaller boats. After the smaller boats, it felt like home on the barge, Heslop said.

Despite the cramped quarters, Heslop enjoyed the research.

It never really felt like work-ing, she said.

One of the tougher parts of the trip was the fi ve-day journey across 19 time zones to Siberia, which was not all planes and buses. The group stopped for cultural experiences at places like Red Square in Moscow, Chan-dra said.

Heslops favorite part of the trip was a visit to a Russian steam room known as a banya. They would alternate a warm up in the banya with a swim in cold water.

Its supposed to be good for your health, she said.

Heslops friends were sur-prised that she would want to spend her summer in the Arctic.

It was an easy decision to apply for the program, Heslop said.

Heslop switched from the engineering department to eco-hydrology and environmental studies because she wanted to do more research.

We need more students in science, she said.

She says she will apply to return to Cherskiy next summer as a student mentor, but there is strong competition for the two spots.

Chandra said students should take any research opportunities they can.

Even if you dont think youll get in, you should apply, Heslop said

Heslop plans to speak in K-12 and UNR classes about her research.

This was the second year of a three-year project, Chandra said. The Polaris Project is sup-ported by a $1.6 million grant from the National Science Foundation.

We are talking about a re-newal proposal, Chandra said.

Anthony Sodenkamp can be reached at [email protected]

By Gabrielle Irvin

Living Stones, a program at Grace Church, now holds ser-vices on campus. The services are held in Lawlor Events Center in the silver and blue room at 10 a.m. Sundays to accommodate attendance growth, Kristine Brown, the director of com-munications for Living Stones, said.

Living Stones is a Christian church community that origi-nated at Grace Church, known as the Northwest Campus, on Robb Drive, but has now expanded to reach out to the community and to make church services more accessible to students at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Living Stones began church services in mid-August. Initially the services were held at Reno High School; however, the loca-tion was too small, Brown said.

Services are not only offered at the university but also at Grace Church at 5 and 7p.m. on Sundays.

We are also looking at ex-panding to locations such as Truckee, Sparks and other parts of Reno, Brown said.

Although Living Stones is now on campus, it is a community-oriented church and does not

seek only student involvement.We get people from all walks

of life, Brown said. We get young families with their chil-dren and an infl ux of students.

Its nice to see all ages of people come.

Living Stones had an amazing attendance turnout and can now effectively reach students

due to the new location, Mallory Colombo, a Living Stones intern and psychology major, who has been attending Living Stones for two-and-a-half years, said.

If someone is interested in learning about who God is, and what Christianity is about,

By Ashley Allen

Most University of Nevada, Reno students probably cant imagine a day without eating. For others, its a way of life.

From Aug. 22 to Sept. 19, Muslim students celebrate the holy month of Ramadan: a time for purifi cation through fasting, self-sacrifi ce and prayer.

Praying is the most important part of Ramadan, Kowsar Khan, a 19-year-old neuroscience and biochemistry major, said. We always need to pray, but its emphasized during this time of the year.

Khan, leader of the Muslim Student Association club at UNR, explained that fi ve differ-ent prayers are said throughout the day at specifi c times.

Before the sun rises each morning, celebrators wake up and take part in the morning prayer, Fajr. Its also the time to eat before fasting begins for the day. At sunrise eating ends and

prayer begins. Dhuhr is prayed at noon.

The mid-afternoon and sunset prayers are Asr and Maghrib, respectively. Isha is prayed after sunset.

Prayer is the easiest aspect to manage while concentrating on classes, Khan said. Fasting is from sunrise to sunset and in that period, not only is there no eating, but there is no drinking or smoking either.

Other students think that we [Ramadan celebrators] can drink water during the fast, Khan, who has been fasting during Ramadan for six years now, said. We cant. No food, no water. By the end of the day I can almost feel my kidneys shrinking.

Waking up before the sun rises and fasting during the day takes its toll on his body and mind, Khan said

Studying is my main concern during Ramadan, Khan said. I cant concentrate at all during

the fast. Ive tried to study and fast and it doesnt work at all.

Class is no different. Low blood sugar from fasting makes it al-

most impossible to concentrate during class, and being tired doesnt help the situation at all, he said. Weekends are easier,

Khan said, because hes able to sleep all day and relax, which is

Students bring religion to campus


Worshipers at the Living Stones church service at Grace Church on Robb Drive. The organization now holds a service on campus every Sunday.

Student helps Russian researchFACES OF NEVADA


Muslim students and their families break their daily fast as part of the holiday of Ramadan.

COURTESY OF JOANNE HESLOP

Joanne Heslop, left, a 19-year-old student, spent her summer helping with climate change research in northern Russia.

Local church services held on campus

Muslim students celebrate Ramadan with fasting, prayer

FROM THE SAGEBRUSH ARCHIVES

SEPTEMBER 15, 1981:

Mackay groundbreaking Friday

UNR News Bureau

Ground will be broken for the new Mackay School of Mines on Friday, Sept. 18. The event marks the continuing effort of the university to put the mining school on the map, provided the school can fi nd funds for new equipment.

The new building, which will be located on the northeast corner of the Quad, will feature modern laboratories, classrooms and offi ce space. The mining school, including the departments of geology and chemical and met-allurgical engineering, will be housed in the new structure.

Joseph Lintz Jr., Acting Dean of Mines, said that the 1979 leg-islature allocated $6.5 million for the project, about $1 mil-lion for architectural plans and studies and $5.45 million for construction. Lintz estimates that another $5 million will be needed to equip the labs fully.

SEPTEMBER 15, 1992:

Center opensBy Tracy DuPree

The Student Health Center has moved into new offi ces and offi cials say increased service will make up for a less conve-nient location.

The center moved in June from its old location in the basement of Juniper Hall to a

new building just across from the UN School of Medicine.

According to Dr. Robert Basta, medical director of the health center, the difference is easy to see.

The main advantage we have at this new facility is more space, Basta says. We have more exam rooms so we can see more patients quicker with less stress for the students and for us, Basta says.

SEPTEMBER 15, 2000:

ACLU says Nevada violated free speech

By Jesse Johnson

Political activism on campus became in itself controversial when several students com-plained about the university poli-cies regarding freedom of speech.

According to university policy, public expression in the form of freedom of speech is not to be infringed upon, but shall be regulated in order to assure or-derly conduct, the least possible interference with university re-sponsibilities and the protection of persons against practices that would make them involuntary audiences.

Tiffany Dibble, president of the campus American Civil Liberties Union, spearheaded the charges of fi rst amendment violations.

Read the rest of these stories from our archive at

NEVADASAGEBRUSH.COM

R d th t f th

ONLINE

See RAMADAN Page A5

See LIVING STONES Page A5

SEPTEMBER 13An intoxicated 30-year-old male was taken into civil protective custody at the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center.

A 20-year-old male was arrested for a minor in possession and consump-tion of alcohol violation on the corner of North Virginia and 10th streets.

SEPTEMBER 12A 22-year-old male was arrested on suspicion of grand larceny on Wellington Way.

A 20-year-old was cited for MIPC outside Lawlor Events Center.

An 18-year-old male reported his vehicle burglar-ized in the West Stadium Parking Complex.

SEPTEMBER 11The Associated Students of the University of Nevada Bookstore re-ported a check returned for insuffi cient funds.

Offi cers responded to a burglary call in the Virginia Street Gym.

Offi cers responded to a report of graffi ti in Peccole Park.

SEPTEMBER 10An 18-year-old male reported the destruction of property in the Sierra Street Parking Complex.

A 23-year-old female reported a case of petty larceny in the Joe Crowley Student Union.

An 18-year-old male reported a bicycle stolen from the Palmer Engineering Building.

A 23-year-old male reported a bicycle stolen on North Virginia Street.

SEPTEMBER 9A 19-year-old female was cited for MIPC on the John Sala Intramural Fields.

An 18-year-old male was cited for MIPC on North Virginia Street.

SEPTEMBER 8An 18-year-old male reported a bicycle stolen from White Pine Hall.

A 45-year-old female was arrested for three counts of possession of a controlled substance on Center Street.

SEPTEMBER 6Two bicycles were found outside the Parking and Trans-portation Services Building.

A 54-year-old intoxicated male was taken into civil protective custody on the corner of North Virginia and 17th streets.

An 18-year-old male was cited for MIPC on Enterprise Road.

A 19-year-old male was cited for MIPC on Ninth and Nevada streets.

SEPTEMBER 5An 18-year-old female reported her fl oor mats, wallet, CDs and other miscel-laneous items stolen from her car parked in the Sierra Street Parking Complex.

An 18-year-old male was cited for MIPC in Argenta Hall.

SEPTEMBER 15, 2009

Weekly UpdateCampus Events

Painting the N a UNR campus tradition

JAY BALAGNA/ NEVADA SAGEBRUSHThe NorCal Pro Life Advocates, a Northern California coalition of different anti-abortion groups from Sacramento and the Bay Area held a demonstration in front of the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center Wednesday. The group was in Reno as part of a tour around the region holding demonstrations on high school and college campuses.

ANTI-ABORTION PROTESTORS SET UP DEMONSTRATION ON CAMPUS

POLICE BLOTTER NEWS BRIEFS

www.nevadasagebrush.com A3

Annual event to be held before fi rst home football game this seasonBy Ase Carlson

Student government offi cials hope for an increased turnout Saturday for the annual painting of the N. The event will begin at 10 a.m. at the Joe Crowley Student Union.

Students are encouraged to wear clothing that can get paint-stained. Four to fi ve vans, depending on necessity, will transport students to Rancho San Rafael Park and from there students will hike to the top of the mountain. White paint and mops will be provided by the

athletic department, Director of Flipside Programming Casey Stiteler said.

The N is painted white but the rocks become faded, or weathered and are often painted over by student clubs each year.

Re-painting the rocks not only makes the N brighter but is an activity that Associ-ated Students of the University of Neavda President Eli Reilly said he sees as crucial to the feelings of pride and camara-derie prior to the seasons first home football game against

Missouri on Sept. 26.I see this as part of my mis-

sion to encourage support and get fi red up for the game and for our school, prior to Homecom-ing, Reilly said.

This social activity is part of Reillys initiative to increase pride and tradition on campus. This is the fi rst year that the N will be painted before the fi rst home game, Reilly said.

We want this to be a source of pride. When visiting teams come into town, they know where they are, Stiteler said.

Last year, about 60 students

participated, including many student-athletes from the soccer, volleyball, swimming and tennis teams, Stiteler said. This year, Stiteler wants to get more athletes involved as well as more of the general student body.

This year, Flipside hopes to get a bigger turnout. Flipside is actively promoting the event through posters, e-mail lists, Facebook and on-campus pro-motion the days leading up to the event, Stiteler said.

I felt very much a part of the student body and felt like I sup-

ported our team, and the school, in my own way, said Matt Decareful, a 2009 alum who at-tended the event last year.

Ase Carlson can be reached at [email protected].

UNR CENTER OFFERS LOCAL PARENTS HELP

The Child and Family Re-source Center at the University of Nevada, Reno will begin of-fering workshops to help local parents prepare their children for school. The workshops begin today with an early devel-opment workshop focusing on giving children an emotional head start before they start kindergarten. The workshop will be followed by a discipline and positive guidance work-shop held Oct. 13 and a mental health workshop on Nov. 3.

The workshops run from 7 to 9 p.m. and are held in the Joe Crowley Student Union Theater. Each workshop costs $25 per person or $60 for all three workshops.

To register for the workshops or for more information, contact Becky Carter-Steele at [email protected].

NOMINATIONS FOR NSHE TEACHING AWARD DUE

Nominations for the Nevada Regents Teaching Award are due Friday. The award, given out every year to an outstanding full-time faculty member at either the University of Nevada, Reno, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada State Col-lege or the Desert Research Institute, consists of a special medal and $5,000.

Any student or faculty member of the Nevada Sys-tem of Higher Education can nominate a faculty member for the award by submitting a letter to the candidates dean explaining how their teaching has accomplished a record of excellence.

For more information on the award, visit www.unr.edu/provost/awards/AwardsIn-dex.html.

NEVADASAGEBRUSH.COM/CALENDAR

WEATHER FORECAST

High campustemperature:

Low campus tem-perature:

83 87 89 91 49 54 56 53

WEEKLY WEATHER DISCUSSION: Dry and very warm conditions with generally light winds will prevail through early next week as a strong ridge prevails over the western United States.

WEDNESDAYTUESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY WEEKENDForecast prepared by the National Weather Service.

Sunny Mostly clearSunnySunny Mostly clear

Low: 55

High: 91

What: Annual painting of the N hosted by Flipside Productions. When: 10 a.m. Saturday Where: Joe Crowley Student Union

Wh t A l i ti f

PAINTING THE N

TUESDAY/15Thompson Building Open HouseWhen: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Where: Thompson Building

The University of Nevada, Renos academic support services will hold an open house in the Thompson Building open to all students and faculty. Representatives from Career Navigator, the Center for Cultural Diver-sity, Counseling Services, the Disability Resource Center, the Personal Safety and Sexual Assault Preven-tion department, the TRiO Scholars program, the tu-toring center and Upward Bound will be on hand at the event. There will also be free food and live music. For more information, visit unr.edu/stsv/student-success/.

Great Presentations: Pro-fessor Peter GoinWhen: 4 to 5 p.m.Where: Ansari Business Building, room 109

Peter Goin, a University of Nevada, Reno photography professor, will speak on his recent photographic research in Lake Tahoe on Tuesday. Goins most recent project focuses on the com-parison between historical photographs and shots taken from the same van-tage point in modern times. For more information, con-tact Becky Amezquita at [email protected].

WEDNESDAY/16Book Nook Book SaleWhen: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Where: The Book Nook, Mathewson-IGT Knowl-edge Center

The Book Nook, the used bookstore in the Knowledge Center will hold its semes-ter book sale Wednesday.

THURSDAY/17Guarded by the PackWhen: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Where: Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center lawn

The Personal Safety and Sexual Assault Prevention program will hold its annual Guarded by the Pack safety fair in front of the Knowl-edge Center on Thursday. The fair will focus on pro-viding information to keep students safe on and off campus. There will also be games and prizes at the fair.For more information, con-tact Katie Olson at [email protected].

MONDAY/21Fellowship DeadlineWhen: 5 p.m.Where: Jot Travis Building, room 11A

Completed applications for the Fulbright, Rhodes, Marshall and Mitchell fel-lowships are due to Tamara Valentine, the fellowship program advisor, by Mon-day at 5 p.m. in order to be considered for a campus in-terview. Turn applications in to the Honors Program offi ce in the Jot Travis Building.

A4 www.nevadasagebrush.com SEPTEMBER 15, 2009

HealthBy Aaron Benedetti

Health care ethics students and interested community members filled an auditorium in the Mathewson-IGT Knowl-edge Center at the University of Nevada, Reno on Thursday to hear Dr. Randall Todd, director of epidemiology and public health preparedness for the Washoe County Health District, speak about the ethics of pandemics.

Dr. ElizaBeth Beyer, chair of the Health Care Ethics Program for the Nevada Center for Ethics and Health Policy, hosted the

discussion, which was part of Ethics Programs Ethics Bytes series.

Since we are in a pandemic situation with the H1N1 fl u virus, I think this is a timely discussion, Beyer said.

The talk was primarily di-rected by student questions, and ranged from the basic defi ni-tion of a pandemic to the more complicated issues surrounding infection and fatality rates for seasonal infl uenza and the H1N1 virus, as well as the poten-tial strains the H1N1 virus could place on the nations health care infrastructure.

Three criteria determine whether a fl u virus reaches pan-demic status, Todd said during the discussion. The virus must be a newly emergent strain, must have jumped the species bar-rier to infect humans and must transmit sustainably from one human to another.

According to the World Health Organization, which determines these criteria, the H1N1 virus has reached pandemic status, Todd said.

Beyer and Todd broadcast real-time audio from their discussion on Second Life, an online program that allows users to

create avatars and interact with one another in a virtual world. Listeners on Second Life, including a UNR health care ethics student who could not attend the seminar and a former university professor residing in Texas, submitted questions for Todd and Beyer via text-only chat.

I think some students seem better able to communicate in a community like (Second Life), said Ginger Fenwick, academic adviser for the Health Care Eth-ics Program and another event organizer. This kind of pro-gram is benefi cial because were

reaching out to other students who are not physically here on campus. Ive heard that people from other states sometimes log in for discussions.

Barbara Patrouch, an English and history student at UNR who is also enrolled in Beyers Health Care Ethics 470 class, said she attended because the ethics of pandemics seemed especially interesting and relevant.

I think that this type of in-formation goes beyond people in school right now, Patrouch said. The more education you get on this subject, the healthier the community is going to be as

a whole.Fenwick said the event was

successful, although student turnout on Second Life was low.

There were lots of questions asked, and the information pro-vided by Todd helped students understand the issues were fac-ing, Fenwick said. We all want to stay healthy and be successful this year. I think the education provided will help students be better equipped to take care of their own health.

Aaron Benedetti can be reached at [email protected].

Ethics program hosts pandemic discussion

Stay healthy and stress-free this semester with yogaLocal instructors demonstrate how to do basic poses

BRIAN BOLTON/NEVADA SAGEBRUSH

Counter-clockwise from top right: The Studio yoga instructor Jennifer Schaeffer performs the Uttanasana pose; Schaeffer holds the Pigeon Pose; Schaeffer achieves the Advance Plank Pose; Schaeffer in the Shoulder Stand position; Schaeffer performs the Upward Bow; fellow yoga instructor Rachelle Lanning contorts in the Downward Dog position.

The Studio is a yoga/massage studio located at 1085 S. Virginia St. in Reno, above the Spy Shop. Aiming to make yoga affordable for everybody who is interested. The Studio offers students their fi rst class for free. In addition, The Studio has an organic juice bar and has fi rst-time one-hour massages for $40. For more information, call 775-284-5545 or visit www.thestudioreno.com.

All members of the studio are encouraged to host classes, workshops and seminars.

news SEPTEMBER 15, 2009 A5www.nevadasagebrush.com

By Jay Balagna

The Nevada System of Higher Education will hold their fourth meeting of the year, and their fi rst of the fall semester, Thurs-day and Friday at Great Basin College in Elko.

Among other items on the agenda, the Regents will vote on the elimination of the German major and its replace-ment with a German studies major, which will consist of more culture and fewer language classes, at the Uni-versity of Nevada, Reno. Last spring, the proposal to cut the German major was met with a number of small protests from language professors and

students.Also on the agenda is the

elimination of the graduate program for construction man-agement at UNR. The elimina-tion is proposed because of a lack of interest in the program, according to the Regents agenda. Students already in the construction management program will be allowed to complete their degrees, the proposal said.

The agenda also lists a contract extension for Cary Groth, UNRs athletic direc-tor; a request for a loan by the University of Nevada School of Medicine and the sale of a property on Evans Street owned by the university.

Its a pretty routine meet-ing, Jason Geddes, the vice chairman of the board and the elected regent for UNR and most of Washoe County, said. We try not to put too much on the agenda when were at Great Basin because getting to Elko can be diffi cult for a lot of people.

Jay Balagna can be reached at [email protected].

easier to do while fasting. Anthony Mesa, a 19-year-old

nutritional science major and a non-Muslim student at UNR, does not celebrate Ramadan. Al-though he admits to sometimes going a day without eating, he said he does eat small snacks if he doesnt eat a real meal.

I dont think I could fast every day for a month, Mesa said.

Compared to last year, celebrating Ramadan this year is easier for Khan. This year, Ramadan began before the semester started, but last year the semester started fi rst and by the time Ramadan began, Khan

was well into his heavier course load.

I was trying to study diffi cult things last year, he said. At least this year the course mate-rial is easier since its the start of the semester.

Fasting is well worth the effort to Khan because of the meaning behind it. It serves as a reminder that people all around the world go without food every day. It puts things into perspec-tive.

Wassim Derbel, a 20-year-old biology major, agrees that it is an occasion to feel what home-less people feel every day.

The hardest part of Ramadan is being away from his home and family in Tunisia, Derbel, a member of the tennis team,

said. I am living far away from my

family, Derbel said. Ramadan is an opportunity for each fam-ily to gather around a big dinner and to have fun. It makes me feel a little homesick.

Khan, who lived in Bangla-desh for 12 years, described the missing feeling as the spirit.

At home the spirit is ev-erywhere, Khan said. When you break fast at night its with friends and family. It feels like a party every night for a month. Restaurants are closed during the day. Its the holy month. Its obviously not like that at all here.

Ashley Allen can be reached at [email protected].

Living Stones is a great place to do that, Colombo said. The music is similar to the popular styles of today, the teachings are directly from the Bible and the people are welcoming. It is a come as you are atmosphere.

Approximately 900 people attend services for the church and attendance numbers for the university reach just fewer than 300 people, Ricky Turner, Central Reno campus pastor, said.

Lawlor is a good location for Living Stones because it makes it easier for students.

Some people cannot get a ride to Grace Church, Turner said. It is also a well-known location and comfortable building. At Lawlor people feel welcome, it is a good space.

Living Stones church services are free, however the church pays $1,000 dollars a week to rent the space.

It is expensive but we raise money through donations and giving boxes are set up during the services, Turner said. We have a ton of people who have big hearts and who want to bless the campus and community.

Living Stones main goal is to introduce people to Jesus and participate in community service such as homeless aware-ness.

We always want to reach people, Turner said. But our passion is not just to be another church. We want to bless the city and bless the campus. We recently made 1,500 hygiene packs for the homeless which contain things like shampoo and toothpaste.

Homeless awareness helps others serve others, Brown said.

We are a church without reli-gion, Brown said. Jesus made it clear that it just wasnt about religion. It is about loving Him and loving people. That is what we are about.

Gabrielle Irvin can be reached at [email protected].

that choice, he said.In the aftermath of that deci-

sion, we came to the conclusion that we should have sent out (an alert) for this, Atwell said. In the future, we will in all likelihood issue an alert for a situation like that.

Jake Bell, a 21-year-old eco-nomics major, was on campus

when the power went out and said a text message alert would have reduced a lot of the confu-sion he encountered.

If they stretched the program to cover (a power outage), it would be a good use of it, he said. The traffi c was terrible that night. Everyone was leaving campus because classes got cancelled and people were still arriving because they didnt know the power was out. It was a mess.

Steven Zink, the vice presi-dent for information services at UNR, said that although the system arose in the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings in 2007 to alert students in case of an emergency, many campuses use similar systems for campus closures as well. Decisions on when to use the system are left to UNRPD, Zink said.

Jay Balagna can be reached at [email protected].

For coverage of this weeks Board of Regents meeting in Elko, visit

NEVADASAGEBRUSH.COM

F f thi k

REGENTS MEETING

Board of Regents to hold semesters fi rst meeting

Notifi cationCONTINUED FROM PAGE A1

that we live in a world where America is hated by some folks.

They also were too young to understand the changes to U.S. security procedures and of public sensibility brought on by the attacks. Their private memories quickly mixed with the collec-tive U.S. memory of the events, said Alicia Barber, a UNR history professor specializing in memory and place.

Miles father kept him home from school that day eight years ago for fear of more attacks across the country. They watched the news and the national anger and fear that gripped the elder Miles soon bled into the youngers shock and disbelief.

I defi nitely felt a sense of revenge as well, Miles said.

When the president (George W. Bush) said it was Osama bin Laden, I wanted to kill Osama bin Laden.

But as years went by, he said he realized the world was more complicated than the U.S. merely being attacked out of the blue. Kemmelmeier said that impact may be the greatest for this generation.

Outside of learning the lesson that the world can be a danger-ous place, I think they feel pretty safe, Kemmelmeier said. Youve seen danger and you know what it looks like but it feels like it cant actually hurt you.

Miles said his dad became overprotective of him after the attacks, but Miles never became truly frightened of the future, largely because of his parents.

A lot of people were having crazy thoughts like, what if they have nuclear weapons, Miles

said. I dont think (people my age) were really too concerned with that. I think as a kid you always feel a sense of safety with your parents.

The events of Sept. 11 will take on a lesser impact with each new year of freshmen, Barber said. As a result, the collective memory will also change, she said, and in a way she cant predict.

The shock and resulting jolt, stupor and anger of the attacks will mix with a generation that really only knows a world where about 3,000 Americans died on a seemingly random Tuesday, she said.

But Miles said the impact isnt lessened on him.

Its still pretty vivid in my mind, he said. You dont forget something like that.

Nick Coltrain can be reached at [email protected].

9/11CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1

Living stonesCONTINUED FROM PAGE A2

RamadanCONTINUED FROM PAGE A2

Small-business employers of-ten fi nd health care coverage for their employees unaffordable, which causes the work force to have less of the freedom to really pursue whatever entre-preneurial path they want to pursue, Bobzien said.

Its an overall drag on Ameri-can prosperity that our current health care system produces, Bobzien said.

Although many Republicans dont believe universal health care is the way to fi x the prob-lem as Democrats do, reforming health care is a non-partisan

issue, Nevada Republican Party spokesman Robert Uithoven said.

I think Republicans, Demo-crats, independents all agree that there is a need for reform in our health care system. That should be focused on providing more affordable health care options and the accessibility issue, he said.

However, taking money from Medicare to create another government program, as the current bill being debated in Washington proposes, is not the answer, Uithoven said.

The overall goal has to be whether or not we are increas-ing access and decreasing cost, he said.

No matter the political stance, health care professionals and government offi cials agree that health care reform is an issue students need to be more ac-tively involved in.

I think its important for students to realize that, even if this isnt an issue for them now, it will be soon, Swinger said. Ive been guilty of not being really informed, but Im getting involved with this and I hope others do too. Im learning about both sides of the debate and think people just need to get involved in the discussion.

Jay Balagna and Jessica Fryman can be reached at [email protected].

Health careCONTINUED FROM PAGE A1

BRIAN BOLTON/NEVADA SAGEBRUSH

Assemblywoman Sheila Leslie speaks to the crowd Wednesday afternoon regarding the current health care reform issues. Assemblyman David Bobzien also spoke at the event.

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Perspectives

EDITORIAL CARTOON

Well, those upcoming exams are making us feel a bit queasy.

Texting system should have been usedSTAFF EDITORIAL I POWER OUTAGE

Open your mind about concertgoing

CHEESE AND WHINE

What is your favorite band and how far would you travel to see it?CAMPUSCHAT

FROM THE ENGINEERING DESK

Communication is not impossible, just tough

www.nevadasagebrush.comA7 SEPTEMBER 15, 2009

I ts a common impression that engineers are socially inept and should just stay in their cubicles and compute. The truth is we dont have problems; you simply lack the mental fortitude to withstand the complexity of our knowledge. Im just kidding about lacking the mental fortitude but we wouldnt hold it against you.

If you doubt the ability of engineers to be sensible, please

observe that this column alone serves as an example that engineers can articulate effectively.

An engineering majors course load is unrelenting. Because we slip into the

saturation region of knowledge, interaction with engineers can be complicated. This becomes apparent when the dialogue leads into something they are passionate about, usually their specialty. This is true for everyone. Talk to an accountant about using Minitab or an English major about syntax and you are sure to experience a

depth of knowledge shot from the hip.

Typically, in social situations, youll notice engineers dont really lack any essential skills. We just talk about stuff that cant be interpreted by normal humans. When a group of engineers gets together to do anything, anyone unfamiliar with the specifi cs of the conversation thinks we talk about school because it sounds something like How cool would it be if or Did you hear about [insert Slashdot article here]?

While we talk about this in our free time, liberal arts majors talk about how cool a party or the last game of beer pong was. Observ-ing engineers communicate is like watching How Stuff Works or Build it Bigger on the Discovery Channel 24/7.

Still, problems arise from the interface between your average person and the engineer. One is that the occasional conversation about fl ux density in an air gap is not really a great topic of discus-sion while smoking hookah at The Waterfall. At times its also frustrating to an engineer when people dont care how something works; they just want it to work.

If you have an engineer friend, take my advice when they start talking. Nod and smile, dont ignore them and dont tell them

to stop. Just take a minute and listen. Be careful about asking questions because that will every so often invoke what I call The Engineers Burden. Though not the same as Rudyard Kiplings ideas, engineers will, with equal tenacity and fervor, try to bring you into their realm of knowledge.

When it comes to a lack of communication, some of us are just shy or busy thinking about work and school, which is a problem that affects us all. Still, being sociable is a trait that engineers must try to embrace. In the engineering world, this is not diffi cult because we can understand each other with ease. When we talk with other people, it can be hard to fi nd the happy medium between technical and common language. What is really crazy is that we think of pick-up lines like, Hey baby, lets make a stress-strain curve together, or, I like your curves, and I would love to fi nd your tangent with my derivative.

Howard Rapp studies electrical engineering. If you want to com-municate with some engineers, check out a ping pong tourna-ment in the Scrugham Engineer-ing and Mines Building. See ieee.ee.unr.edu for more info.

I ve seen a share of awesome concerts in my day, from Death Cab for Cutie at a bar in Boise to several rounds at the Vans Warped Tour. But I really learned how to enjoy concerts from the shows I missed.

During my years at Warped Tour, I missed Gogol Bordello and Murder by Death. These are two bands I now love who are way zanier and more fun to listen to than any of the sets I went to instead. I shook hands with Travis from Gym Class Heroes, but I skipped seeing him perform on a small stage barely four feet off the ground.

I missed out on a lot of great music and great experiences because I was too set in my own defi nition of cool to give them a shot. I was closed-minded and

put off by the genres these bands fell under, so I missed seeing a live performance of music that I now jam out to in my car.

I also grew up in a small town miles away from anywhere. Concerts on school nights or that were more than a quick drive away were totally out. I bitterly watched the big names come and go by me, while I was stuck in PodunkVille going to shows in backyards and checking out second-rate bands.

But in hindsight, those have been my favorite shows.

The Death Cab one ranks up there because it was so small and intimate, but so does seeing The Caution, the coolest local metal band in Elko, sing Happy Birthday to my little brother in a garage. In bars, I saw a cowboy sing bluegrass and a band croon 1920s-era French jazz. I was blown away by the talent of both of those performances, even though I wouldnt list country or jazz as my most listened-to genre.

And as much as I would love to re-see the arena shows I went to because they were also a blast, Im equally happy to check out a band at the New Oasis who sheepishly apologizes to the Reno crowd after saying, Hello, Sparks, Nevada!

When I saw Death Cab for Cutie, they werent the radio-friendly, indie-beloved, ubiquitous rock stars they are today. They were this weird band of fat dudes from Seattle. Part of the awesomeness was (and still is) just that.

The little band you and your friends check out on a whim could be the next big, cool thing. After all, for every Britney Spears or Carrie Underwood whos been handled since they fi rst stepped in front of the mic, theres a Bonnie Raitt, discovered in a bar by a reporter, or a U2, who played a concert in a Presbyterian church when fi rst starting out. A lot of entourages bolster talent, but not all talent boasts entourages.

You never know when youll see some smoky, swarthy guitarist with the pipes or picking skills of an angel. Then again, it could suck. But youre in a state that celebrates gambling. Take a risk with that fl yer found on a telephone pole or by showing up for the opening band. Besides, giggling in a corner with your friends as someone mic-checks for the thousandth time is just as much a part of the concert fun as seeing the next Sublime at a kegger.

Emily Katseanes is the perspectives editor. Her favorite band is Simon and Garfunkel and she does realize how lame that is. Reach her at [email protected].

T he university didnt inform students of the details behind last weeks power outage that closed University of Nevada, Renos buildings for about two hours. E-mails were not sent. The text mes-sage system that university police implemented almost a year ago that costs $12,000 per year to maintain went unused.

So while professors released classes early and students were herded from the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center to the outdoors to study, few knew

what had happened and whether or not the campus was safe. Some suspected an on-campus fi re; others assumed it was just a power outage.

A quick text message, which is supposed to be used in case of emergencies and campus closure according to campus police last year, would have solved several problems. It would have reassured students that the campus was safe and kept a power outage from inciting panic about a fire or some other crisis. It would have informed student

workers, so they could in turn tell other students who were wandering around with questions. It would have alerted students who might have been off campus, so they wouldnt drive to the university to attend a night class, Lombardi Recreation Center or the Knowledge Center.

Not only would a quick text have kept students informed, but it would have been a real-time test for a program that hasnt been used for more than practice since it was implemented last year.

The power outage was also the perfect opportunity to advertise the new system. Students who received a text from the police department explaining a campus-wide power outage and closure would likely tell their friends the update and how they got the information.

The University of Nevada, Reno Police Department really missed the mark in using its new $12,000 per year program Wednesday. What will happen if there is ever a dire emergency? Will students go without

notification? Will they be milling about campus with suspicions and unanswered questions while UNRPD says we will send them an alert next time?

The Nevada Sagebrush can be reached at [email protected].

I would say Incubus and probably until California and thats it. It depends on the concert.JV Tabbada

25, international affairs

James Taylor. Id pretty much go around the world a couple times.

Chris Dugan18, undecided

Id probably say No Doubt and a couple hours maybe.

Kendra Morgan22, information systems

My favorite band is The Format. They live in Arizona. Id drive there.

Mat Neben20, business

EmilyKatseanes

HowardRapp

WEB NOTESSTORY: NEW MINOR TEACHES GREEN ENERGY POLICY

On Sept. 08, 5:23 a.m., Han-kwind wrote:

I hope Solarbotanic can teach us its breakthrough green energy system, it would surely make our country look better

STORY: FRIAS DESERVES TIME TO REVIVE NEVADAS SOCCER PROGRAM

On Sept. 09, 11:04 a.m., Frias is bad wrote:

He is a joke. He inherited top ranked recruiting classes from the previous regime. His teams barely muster a shot on goal. Rome did not need to be rebuilt. It was a championship team before he arrived. It is going back back backward be-cause of his incompetence.

STORY: WII COULD BE THE FALL OF NINTENDO

On Sept. 08, 11:26 a.m., [._.] wrote:

Really? I mean, REALLY? I agree with some of the points written in the article, but over-all this is just poor.

On Sept. 08, 11:55 a.m., Tony wrote:

You also forget that the Play On service just launched for Wii and that has support for Hulu, Netfl ix and Youtube all of which provide movies for viewers.Call of Duty: World at War was a hardcore title that sold over a million on Wii as was Call of Duty 3.The Casual market that Nintendo has also consists of many young gamers who only have a Wii and will grow up into potential hardcore players who remember their younger days and associate that with Nintendo, much like many people our age did.All of the claims are easy to re-fute and show just how wrong the hardcore audience was and is when it comes to Wii.

On Sept. 08, 8:11 p.m., SkyRender wrote:

Funny. I couldve sworn I read this article almost en verba-tim before. Oh wait, I have, on about fi ve hundred other sites, making all of the same uninformed claims and non-sensical conclusion-jumpings as you have here. The term hive mind seems to be on the tip of my tongue, for some unknown reasonSeriously, this is getting old. If its supposed to be an opinion piece (which is what it sounds like, as there dont seem to be many facts present), then why does your opinion per-fectly echo the opinions of about half a thousand OTHER opinion pieces out there and add absolutely nothing new to the discussion? Why are your arguments identical to the let-ter? Why are your assertions similarly off in la-la land and ignoring actual hard facts?Trying to claim that its some sort of universal opinion is pretty shallow, as if it were genuinely universal, it wouldnt bear repeating every two days by some new poster in what suspiciously resem-bles a pre-assembled article that was slightly edited to not draw attention to the fact that its all but identical in content to the rest of them. If youre a viral marketer, please try harder to conceal the fact. If youre genuinely expressing your opinion, please consider doing some research before deciding that it must be true because you want it to be true. Reality doesnt work like that.

Learn more about and sign up for texts from the alert system here:

WWW.UNR.EDU/ALERTS/

L b t d i

ONLINE

perspectives SEPTEMBER 15, 2009 A8www.nevadasagebrush.com

BRAIN ON COMPUTERS

Computer programs lack thinking capacity of human brains, for nowT his column was not written by a computer. Well, it was written with a computer, but I was controlling it. But for the sake of argument, lets pretend we dont know that. How do you know this was not written by a computer?

There are a series of responses you can give, many of which have been said by hoity-toity philosophers and scientists before, trying to show that there is a you in you (and consequently a me in me) that is signifi cantly lacking within computers. But as computers grow in computational power, this issue comes ever

more to the forefront.Among the most famous tests to prove

the intelligence of a machine is the Turing Test, fi rst proposed by computer scientist Alan Turing all the way back in 1950. This test relies on the human ability to establish the presence of other human minds within something else.

The test consists of one human posing a series of questions to another human

and a computer, both of which have been instructed to make their answers human-like. If the questioner cannot say which of the two answerers is more human-like, the computer is said to have passed the test and therefore, according to some, must necessarily have consciousness.

The most common rejection of this test, fi rst posited by philosopher John Searle, is called the Chinese room example. The Chinese room has a person (who doesnt understand Chinese) with an instruction manual in English, about what to do if given Chinese symbols. Eventually, the person in this room becomes so profi cient that even the cleverest Chinese linguists think they are talking to someone who understands Chinese. But, remember, the person doesnt know a word.

Many contend that since this is essen-tially what computers do, they would never really understand what they are talking about. Therefore, they would never really know themselves. And thus the issue remains unresolved.

However, we may be getting closer to having an answer to the computer con-sciousness debates. Recent developments in devices known as Brain-Computer Inter-faces (BCIs) electronic control systems implanted into the brain that use neuronal

input for a specifi c purpose have begun to blur the line between us and them. These devices have made the blind see again, returned motion to the paralyzed, and given monkeys the ability to control robots to get what they want (bananas for now, but who knows what the future might hold for these cybernetic simians).

But I pose this question to you. Call it Barrys Paradox #1: What if every person on earth was implanted with a BCI? Not only that, all the BCIs were wirelessly connected so that I could think, I want that girl to know what Im thinking and she would be able to feel it. She can feel my consciousness. Now what if, instead, I write a complicated program for a computer to do the same (to think I want that girl) and she feels the same thing? What has she felt?

What if I told you this was already happening and Barry didnt write this convoluted column, but rather wrote an even more convoluted program to have me, his computer, send a signal to each of you saying you read (and loved!) this column by him? How would you know difference?

Barry Belmont studies biology and me-chanical engineering when hes not trying to confound his readers. Reach him at [email protected].

BarryBelmont

MEMO ON YOUR HEALTH

I think competitive eating is absolutely disgusting. Thats right, I said it. Just these last few years, Ive felt the Glutton Bowls, Tour de Gorges and Krystal Square Offs of our country are obscuring and bastardizing what it means to consume food today.

I can count on one hand the number of experiences Ive had watching such competitions.

Over the summer, I went to a donut-eating contest during Hot August Nights. The competitors ranged from a few zealous college students, a handful of goofy middle- aged amateurs (both male and female) and one gaunt homeless gentleman.

Upon the shrill of the referees whistle, bare hands shot down the table and shoveled donut after donut into mouths. It wasnt until the third donut or so that many people couldnt swallow the amount of food in their mouths and each persons face was reduced to a puffy, red-cheeked, overly exerted, cherry jelly-saturated jumble of degradation.

I didnt see the winner. I couldnt stomach watching. I was actually surprised at my reaction. The whole afternoon had turned from fun and entertainment to shame and disgust. I think it was the homeless guy that got to me.

So I came to wonder, who in the history of our country decided it was cool to stuff as much sustenance into our pie-holes in the shortest amount of time possible and then call it a sport, or dare I say, fun?

I took it upon myself to fi nd out.Traditionally, eating competitions have been held in county

fairs across the country. These were usually small contests of eating baked goods such as pies.

But in the early 20th century, the sport was taken to the next level. According to Major League Eating (yes, you read that correctly),

competitive eating began with Nathans Famous holding a hot dog eating contest on Coney Island in 1916. The story goes that four immigrants wolfed down as many hot dogs as they could to determine who was the most patriotic.

Because really, what is more American than stuffi ng your face full of hot dogs on the Fourth of July?

The winner, you ask? An Irishman.I dont know if I should laugh, cry or lower my head in shame

whenever I see this bizarre ritual of eating 10 pounds of rib meat in 12 minutes or 68 hot dogs in 10 minutes.

Such is the nature of competitive eating, Ive decided. To one person its sheer entertainment while to another its gluttony at its absolute worst. Yet to many people who struggle to meet their most basic needs, its a sheer slap in the face.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, about one in 10 Americans has to worry about having the means to buy food for themselves or for their family.

It feels like such knowledge has been lost amongst all of us, drowned into silence by the solemn melody of cheering fans, gnashing teeth and the sloppy slurping of water to force down those last few pitiful Nathans Famous hot dogs.

Memo Sanchez studies nutrition and would like to remind everyone that a Memo a day keeps the doctor away. Reach him at [email protected].

MemoSanchez

SUPPORT THE TROOPS

Memories of Sept. 11 should not fade

T his Sept. 11, I thought of Sept. 11, 2001, when I woke up to my mother screaming at the television because my cousin was at the World Trade Center. I remember my mom drove me to school and, when the second

tower fell, the radio commentary went silent. There were no words the professional journalists could use to describe what they were seeing to their audience. I was 12, but I knew that my view of society had changed forever.

My family has a lineage that could only happen in America. We can trace parts

of our ancestry back to the early 1700s and we have always been rebels. My ancestors created the human chain in the Hudson to stop British ships from

crossing the Atlantic. My ancestors fought in the American Revolution. Except for the Persian Gulf Conflict, my family has fought in every war this country has been in.

Since Sept. 11, my extended family has had 11 tours of duty. Eleven years they were not able to love their wives and families because they stood up freely for their belief that our way of life is more important than one individual and that our constitution will need to be defended with a fist and a gun.

They knew our system was not perfect, nor did they agree with all of the govern-ments policies, they knew that since the very beginning of human existence, people have defended their way of life from destroyers, so they did.

My family is an obvious extreme. Not everyone has this type of legacy. But in this time, my views on politics have molded into a unique form of liberal conservatism. There are things we need to change and there are also rules we must

follow.I heard the president talk about health

care to Congress and how it would be cheaper than the wars were fi ghting. This past August has been the deadliest month for our brave soldiers in Afghanistan since 2001 and no one is saying anything.

CBS News counted the bodies every month for years, yet now the heath care discussion is more important than the souls that have died so that we can talk about it freely.

The Sept. 11 mindset of Never Forget is gone. We dont care about terrorists or how mad we were eight years ago. We dont care about our troops.

I love this country. I get solemn when I see images of the World Trade Center falling. I just wish others felt the same and still cared. If you do feel like me, though, try to do something about it every day.

Michael Huggins is a full-time engineering student and a full-time father. Reach him at [email protected].

MichaelHuggins

NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENT

Luck and preparation pale in importance to opportunity

L ast semester, I had such a great time on campus it was hard for me to not regret that I didnt fi nish my education when I was in my 20s. I have been going to college off and on for many years. Until now, it never felt comfortable, I didnt relate to my classmates and I was always bored.

Ive written a lot about how much my college experience has overwhelmed me and is helping me to grow. What we take away from our college experience when were open to learning about ourselves is as valu-able, if not more valuable, than our college degrees.

I once heard a saying along the lines of Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.

This has made a big impression on me. Mostly because I dont think thats a fair statement. It makes it seem like your preparations and hard work dont matter unless something lucky happens to you. Or that opportunities arise only after youve worked very hard for them. What if simply having

opportunities available is what makes us lucky?

By being back in school, Im fi nally the me Ive always wanted to be. Im exactly where I should be and Im fi red up all the time. Im fi nally not as afraid to speak up and speak my mind. And, as a womens studies major, if I cant say what I want to say and fi ght for what I believe in, then Im in the wrong major anyway.

And yet, Im still continually amazed by the endless opportunities that are available to college students.

Up until now, Ive lived a pretty sheltered existence. Im almost always afraid of something. I cant always say just what Im afraid of, but Ive realized those fears are basically my self-imposed limits and now Im doing many more things than I thought I was coming to college to do.

I feel so lucky to have opportunities available to me that I never thought I would have access to.

Those opportunities have nothing to do with luck or preparations, neces-

sarily, as much as recognizing that the opportunities are there and seizing the chance they present.

Im also a single mother, and there are many who

would limit me by telling me their expectations of what a single mother should do. Im finally beginning to stop listening to the expectations of others.

Should a single mother travel abroad with her small child? Alone? Well, Im going to. Next summer were going to study abroad in France. Though, the opportunity for me to do this is on campus, it was up to me to fi nd it, pick it and claim it for my own. And Im not

some trailblazer single parents have studied abroad with this university before.

Should an unconventional student stuck in the 80s have her own radio show on Wolf Pack radio? Whos to say? By the time you read this, I may or may not have a slot, but the point is that its another opportunity that has found its way to me, and I can either pick it or wait for the next one. But I am applying and well see what happens.

And what about this column? My dream is coming true right here, with these words to either motivate, inspire or maybe even irritate a reader. Im getting to do what Ive always dreamed of: put my words to paper for an audience.

My mom teases me that the fi rst

word that came out of my mouth was college, and it has always been a dream of mine to get my college degree. I never could have imagined that fi nally getting to college would actually surpass my expectations.

I could have so easily limited my college experience by not getting involved, by just showing up to class and doing whats expected of me, but its almost impossible to do it that way.

When there is so much going on around campus, why not step out of my comfort zone and get involved? Im becoming so far from sheltered that I can hardly recognize myself anymore, but the image smiling back at me when I look into the mirror is the me Ive always wanted to be.

Carmen Thomas is majoring in womens studies and belly dancing. She plans to one day have her own glassblowing business in Hawaii. Reach her at [email protected].

CarmenThomas

When there is so much going on around campus, why not step out of my comfort zone and get involved?

Competitive eating ought to be reviled, not cheered on

Hey, man, whats up?

I just found out I have space crabs.

a&e SEPTEMBER 15, 2009 A9www.nevadasagebrush.com

to recognize Paul from John, without looking too realistic. The venues The Beatles traveled to throughout their short but storied career are brought to life, from the early days in the Cavern in Liverpool, to the Ed Sullivan Show, to the studio days at Abbey Road, and fi nally the last live performance the group gave atop the Apple building in London.

Some of the most notable graphical enhancements are the dreamscape sequences. These take place towards the middle of their career when drugs started to become a factor of their music. Songs like Yellow Submarine show the band performing underwater and in the subma-

rine, a visual strategy that is both fun and unique.

Guitar Hero has also made some improvements, adding effects and extra animations to the rockers on stage to give the game a more fl uid rock concert feel. The inclusion of real-life rockers to unlock throughout the career mode features the likes of Johnny Cash, Kurt Cobain, Carlos Santana, Matt Bellamy and Shirley Manson.

GAMEPLAYNothing has drasti-

cally changed in either game in terms of gameplay. Both still require players to use musical instrument-shaped controllers to hit notes as they scroll down the screen, or try and match the pitch and duration of the words in the song for the singer. Each

game has, however, tweaked the experience to make things new.

The Beatles allows for up to three singers during songs, bringing the possible number of band members to six, or, for a more authentic Beatles experience, the option to have people playing an instrument and singing at the same time, no simple task.

As for Guitar Hero, the developers have now made it possible to jump into any song in the game with any combination of instruments, allowing, for instance, all four people playing lead guitar. Another notable feature is the ability to start in the middle of a song or set list.

Garre tt Estrada can be reached at [email protected].

off Sky Country Drive. As we came down closer to the ground, I was only mildly concerned that we were going to take out someones chimney.

However, everything turned out well as the balloon was set down softly. While we waited for the crew to come help pack the balloon away, we posed for some pictures with children on their way to school and answered some questions for the residents.

My fi rst hot air balloon adventure was an altogether fantastic experience. The ride was unlike anything Ive ever done and far more peaceful than Id ever envisioned.

Casey OLear can be reached at [email protected].

By Enjolie Esteve

If you are desperate for a quick escape from Reno, a delicious sandwich and some great visual and audio fun to take the edge off, then Beach Hut Deli is the place to be.

Unlike many delis or sub shops that offer the old turkey and cheese on stale white bread, this Venice Beach-styled sub shop offers more than 20 specialty sandwich choices with names like Wind Surfer, Hobie, North Shore and Surfi n Pig. And trust me when I say that the sandwiches are as exotic and tasty as they sound. I ordered a brand-new creation called the Flyin Hawaiian ($6.60 for a small) a chicken sandwich with teriyaki sauce, pineapples, cheese, lettuce, onions and hot sauce on fresh, airy, white bread. Im a fan of Subways sweet teriyaki sub, but Beach Hut Delis version completely blew Subways out of the water. The chicken was fresh and melted in my mouth like butter. The teri-yaki sauce added a tangy taste, while the pineapples brought a certain sweet yet sour factor into the mix. To top it all off, the hot sauce really brought a deli-cious kick.

Next, I tried some of my friends sandwich, the popular Surfin Bird ($6.90 for a small). If youre a fan of turkey, cream cheese, avocado and bacon ingredients that Beach Hut Deli integrates into most of their specialty sandwiches then you will love the Surfin Bird. The sandwich features an unheard-of five layers of turkey, which makes for a sandwich that looks like a scrumptious work of art. All of the ingredients were as fresh as can be, and even though cream cheese seems like an odd ingredient to add into the mix, it added a perfect creamy texture.

Aside from the superior sandwiches, another reason to go to Beach Hut Deli is for the entertainment and ambiance. Scott and Andy Lee, the two brothers that own the Reno Beach Hut Deli location, also double as disc jockeys for Wild 102.9s The Bomb Shelter,

a radio show that features underground hip-hop. Just by taking one glance at the graffiti art-covered walls and hearing the first few booming beats of a rap song, it is appar-ent that the brothers infused their love of hip hop into the delis setting. Scott Lee said he wanted the deli to have a Ven-ice Beach feel, which it does, but it also has a very beach-meets-Brooklyn vibe. Instead

of having plain, stark-white walls like Port of Subs, Beach Hut Delis walls are covered in vivid, candy-colored graffiti,

murals of palm trees, a larger-than-life tapestry of Bob Marley and eclectic paintings that are for sale. Instead of the plain, plastic or fake wood tables you would find at any old deli or sandwich shop, customers actually eat on surfboard tables.

Beach Hut Deli has their own radio station, featuring a diverse mix of artists such as Sublime, Lauryn Hill, Bob

Marley and Aretha Franklin. The deli also occasionally hosts open mic nights and has DJs spin. If good music and awesome sandwiches arent enough to stimulate you, Beach Hut Deli also has several old-school arcade games such as NBA Jam and Asteroids that are sure to not only bring loads of fun and nostalgia, but also to please patrons of all ages.

I cannot recommend Beach

Hut Deli any more, especially for students. Where else can you go after a stressful day of classes, eat a great meal for un-der 10 bucks, play some video games, eat on a surfboard, lis-ten to some great music, catch some live entertainment and unload with a cold beer?

Enjolie Esteve can be reached at [email protected].

Taste, vibe carve a niche for Beach Hut Deli


Beach Hut Deli serves specialty sandwiches in a Venice Beach-like atmosphere, complete with surfboard tables and artsy murals along the walls.

Address: 6160 Mae Anne Ave. Phone number: 747-7873 Grade: A Web site: beachhutdeli.com

Add 6160 M A

BEACH HUT DELI

GuitarCONTINUED FROM PAGE A10

twists. There should be something

for everyone, said Cooper of the show, which is all-ages until 10 p.m., after which only those 21 and older are allowed.

But this time in particular Im hoping it goes well, and that we get lots of people to help out the cause, he said. Although Williams has had diabetes for eight years, he

says the disease can still be hard to handle.

A lot of the time youre able to do the same things (as other people), but there are instances where you have to interrupt everything to stop and take care of yourself.

The frustration that Williams faces is a reason TJ Mills, 23, is attending the fundraiser.

It sounds like a lot of fun, and its good to be able to help out, he said.

Skyler Dillon can be reached at [email protected].

BalloonsCONTINUED FROM PAGE A10

EMILY STOTT /NEVADA SAGEBRUSH

The annual Great Reno Balloon Race was held this weekend beginning 5:30 a.m. each morning.

Se7enCONTINUED FROM PAGE A10 What: Bands including The

Ataris and Burning Olympus will perform and raise money for diabetic research. When: Saturday Where: Se7en Tea House and Bar 100 N. Arlington Ave., Ste. 102Reno Cost: $10

Wh t B d i l di Th

SE7EN

COURTESY OF HARMONIX

www.nevadasagebrush.com

TheSceneSEPTEMBER 15, 2009 A10

Calendar

When my alarm clock went off at 5:30 in the morning and I glanced around the still-dark

room, I thought, This cant be right. However, one cup of coffee later, I was ready to head up to Rancho San Rafael Park for my first

ride in a hot air balloon for the Great Reno Balloon Race.

After a fair amount of set-up, many of the balloons in the park had been inflated and several were already taking to the air. I managed to awkwardly climb into the basket of the RE/MAX balloon without knocking anything important over and before I knew it, we were ready for launch. Once we were given the OK, the crew stepped back and I watched the ground slowly drift out from under me.

While Aaron Dieringer, the pilot who graciously invited myself and Web Manager Casey Durkin for a ride, explained some of the specifi cs of ballooning, I

leaned over the edge of the basket and watched as we passed over nearby neighbor-hoods while The Whos I Can See For Miles could be faintly heard playing back at the park. It was quite appropriate, as the view was spectacular. To one side of the balloon was an expanse of sagebrush-speckled desert and to the other was all of Reno. I could spot my house, my middle school and all of the people who ran out into the middle of the street in their pajamas to watch the hot air balloons. And youd be surprised how many people in Reno have swimming pools.

Surprisingly, the ride in an open basket a couple thou-

sand feet above McCarran Boulevard was not nearly as terrifying as I expected it to be. In fact, the ride was so smooth that I began to understand that the likelihood of us toppling the basket over and falling out was very small, even when our pilot pointed out that we were the highest balloon in the air. Unless you watched the horizon, it was hard to tell that the balloon was moving at all.

Dieringer maneuvered the balloon into a neighborhood above McCarran and pre-pared to land on one of the wider streets, ironically, just

R hythm-game fans have a tough choice to make this month, as the latest numbered installment of the Guitar Hero franchise goes head-to-head

with the highly anticipated The Beat-les Rock Band. But just how different are the two?

THE MUSIC

Music is the area that should be

most important to any gamer in the rhythm/music-game genre, and what normally dictates the longevity of a title is the track list.

This years Guitar Hero

has gone for more widespread appeal, with artists like Peter Frampton appealing to classic rock fans, while also giving metalheads plenty of shredding material with the likes of Children of Bodom. The track list itself is massive, spanning 85 songs, so for every one song a person will skip, theres likely to be fi ve more to make up for it. Some of my favorites were Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits and A-Punk by Vampire Weekend. Owners of the previous Guitar Hero game, World Tour, should note that they can use a code on the back of their instruction manual to upload a portion of the track list to their new game for a fee; however, it only uploads 35 of the original 85 songs.

The Beatles Rock Band is, well, all The Beatles all the time. There are a wide range of Beatles songs in the game,

showcasing how their sound as a band changed over the years, but it seems a little on the light side with only 45 songs. Also, some favorites like Let It Be and Hey Jude are surprisingly missing, but the game still has plenty of classics. Also, Rock Bands pedigree for lots of downloadable content holds true as more of The Beatles songs will be made available online for a fee.

PRESENTATION While most people dont play

Guitar Hero or Rock Band for their graphics, some noticeable changes have been made, especially to The Beatles Rock Band, to grab peoples attention. The fab four have been lovingly recreated in the new game, with just enough detail to be able

By Skyler Dillon

Type I diabetes affects more than 250,000 people in Nevada alone. To help those thousands as well as millions like them across the globe, Se7en Teahouse and Bar is hosting a fundraiser to fund research to fi nd a cure. Five bands, including The Ataris, Of Shape and Sound, Red Light Broadcast, Levy Thomp-son and Burning Olympus will perform beginning at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19. Proceeds from the $10 cover charge will be donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundations Walk to Cure Diabetes, which will be held on the University of Nevada, Reno campus Oct. 11.

Brian Cooper, the fund-raisers organizer and a type I diabetic, is optimistic about the events turnout.

Were raising money for a wonderful cause, but were doing it in a fun, high-energy way, he said. Anyone who comes will get a double benefi t: the pride of knowing youve done something to help the community and the enjoyment of listening to a great evening of music.

When planning the fundraiser, Cooper turned to his long-time friend and fellow diabetic Jon Williams, singer and guitarist for Of Shape and Sound.

Im really honored to be a part of it and excited to be there, said Williams, diag-nosed at age 16. Although the members of Of Shape and Sound have only been together for a few months, they have developed a unique sound.

Were mostly rock n roll, but we have a horn section, and you can fi nd bits of folk music and jazz in our songs.

The other bands performing Saturday, including headliners The Ataris, also have an alter-native rock focus with unique

COURTESY OF HARMONIX

The Beatles Rock Band features 45 tracks of the bands hit songs.

Band rivals add news features to improve gameplay

GarrettEstrada

Casey in the sky with diamonds


Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor Casey OLear and Web Manager Casey Durkin fl ew over Rancho San Rafael Park in a hot air balloon.

Local bar to host show,raise money for diabetes

See GUITAR Page A9

See BALLOONS Page A9See SE7EN Page A9

COURTESY OF GUITAR HERO

Guitar Heros fi fth installment of the franchise features 85 songs and new modes of gameplay.

CaseyOLear

TUESDAY/15Theives & Villains at The UndergroundNew York natives Theives & Villians will perform tracks off their alternative rock album alongside powerpop rockers The Status, and other alterna-tive acts incuding Yearling and local band Passed Judgement. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show begins at 7 p.m. 555 E. Fourth St.RenoTickets are $8.

SATURDAY/19Bill Maher at Grande Exposition Hall in the Silver Legacy Resort CasinoHost of a comedic political talk show, Bill Maher will perform his standup act beginning 8 p.m. for crowds 18 and older.Maher recieved 21 Emmy nominations and wrote the seventh highest-grossing doc-umentary ever, Religulous.407 N. Virginia St.RenoTickets range from $65 to $80.

Shinedown at the Grand Sierra Resort and CasinoRock artists Shinedown will perform beginning 7 p.m. in the Grand Theatre. Shinedown came to fame with hits such as 45 and Second Chance.2500 E. Second St.RenoTickets are $30.

American Idol fi nalist Brooke White with Michael Johns at the Grand Sierra Resort and CasinoTop fi ve Idol fi nalist Brooke White, famous for her voice and piano playing, will perform alongside pop artist Michael Johns beginning 10 p.m. 2500 E. Second St.RenoTickets are $17.

SUNDAY/20In Flames at the New OasisIn Flames will play alongside Between The Buried and Me, 3 Inches Of Blood and The Face-less as an all ages show.Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show begins at 7:30 p.m. 2100 Victorian Ave.SparksTickets are $23.

BY NICK COLTRAINFor an instructional video visit nevadasagebrush.com

NICKS NOODLESIngredients: A jar of spaghetti sauce Noodles 1 lb. cooked meat 2 bell peppers, chopped Oregano and basil 2 squash or z

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