Onstage, the “Bandaloops” dance group members are incredibly talented dancers, but what sets them apart is the harness that saves their lives every time they perform at an outside show.

The “Bandaloops’” stage is not horizontal. They perform on the outsides of buildings, mountains and national landmarks. “Bandaloops,” started back in the 1990s, has gone on many international tours and has performed all over the world. For the second time during the last decade, they are going to visit the Utah Arts Festival and perform on the side of the Salt Lake City Library.

Lisa Sewell is the festival director of the Utah Arts Festival and is excited to bring back “Bandaloops.”

Bandaloop performers take their lives into their hands every time they perform their vertical dances. (Courtesy Greg Bernstein)

“It is something that you would never see here in Salt Lake,” Sewell said. “They are artisans, they are dancers and they are professionals … They dance in a different format than you would normally see.”

Rachael Lincoln, assistant artistic director in “Bandaloops,” has been with the dance troupe for 15 years. She told the story of Amelia Rudolph, who founded Bandaloops 22 years ago. Rudolph had an epiphany about the relationship between climbing and dance when climbing a mountain. The fact that “Bandaloops” has such a unique way of performing on buildings, Lincoln said, allows the group to touch audiences in an unprecedented way.

“One thing that we are really interested in doing is changing perspectives,” Lincoln said. “We treat vertical surfaces like (they are) the floor. When (the performance) is done well, it does something different to the performers brain … It’s like gravity isn’t working the way that we know gravity to work.”

The end result of the new plane of dance is that the audience is forced to open their minds up to new possibilities.

“(We are about) developing moments of disbelief–and therefore creativity–that wasn’t acceptable before,” Lincoln said.

“Bandaloops” also draws a different demographic of audience then dance groups are generally thought to attract in a theater.

“It is not the same group of audience members that you find everywhere else,” Lincoln said. “(The audience) is (a) much much more diverse audience.”

Bandaloop performers said they highly enjoy performing on the Salt Lake City Library because of how reflective the venue is, and how warm the audience can be. (Courtesy Bandaloops)

Lincoln said the diverse audience is part of the attraction to the “Bandaloops” performances, because “Bandaloops” wants to take art into the public sphere.

“It is really special for us to be in an Arts Festival,” Lincoln said. “We are trying to bring public art into different spaces … We really want to get people to open their minds and get really excited about doing something different.”

Josh Littlefield a 22-year-old finance junior from Orem, says he respects what “Bandaloops” are doing.

“I am pretty impressed,” Littlefield said. “I say that a lot, impressive, just because it really is … On a horizontal plane it is difficult, so I can see it being a lot harder … on a vertical plane, so I really respect the group after what I’ve seen, because that takes a lot of talent, for sure … They’d have to apply everything that you have to do on a horizontal plane, and then add another aspect to it at the same time, like controlling your gravity … and at the same time, make it entertaining for people.”

Littlefield thinks “Bandaloops” is opening up a new field for dance.

“Dance is an art,” Littlefield said. “(“Bandaloops”) is helping people to see the beauty of art … every part of their body is forming this art piece … It opens (the audience’s) eyes and it gives them more joy, and it helps them be able to think outside the box.”

It started out as a class assignment, but after advancing through local and regional competitions, a group of BYU communications students won a prestigious national award and had a crowd of the top minds in the industry admiring their ad.

The whirlwind last couple of months culminated with BYU’s Michelle Brodrick accepting a Student Gold ADDY and the Student Judges’ Choice Award at the American Advertising Federation’s Student ADDY Awards Competition.

“The only thing I hoped for was to hear the crowd laugh, and it happened,” Brodrick said. “I don’t think it’s quite hit me that we won this national award. What makes me happy is just seeing people’s reaction to it.”

The BYU Communications Department has a history of winning ADDY awards, but this was the first time capturing the Judges’ Choice Award at the competition.

The team, which created an ad for Philips, ended up with the idea of featuring a light bulb so bright that it looked like the post-mortal light at the end of the tunnel.

Brodrick, Kasey Ahlstrom and Brianne Hepworth were the  students behind the concept for the ad. They teamed up within the College of Fine Arts and Communications with theatre and media arts student Dallin Cerva who directed, produced and edited the ad.

There were 296 entries in the Student ADDY Awards this year. Out of those, 40 were awarded with Silver ADDYS, 20 with Gold ADDYS, one with the Judges’ Choice Award and one with the Best in Show Award.

The student team worked tirelessly throughout the semester, brainstorming idea after idea. They would come up with something they thought was great, and then take it to their professor, Chris Cutri, who kept pushing them to do better. Brodrick, Ahlstrom and Hepworth referred to the back-and-forth process as at times frustrating, exhausting and refining. In the end, it helped them make the best ad possible.

“We’re always trying to push the creativity,” Cutri said. “Trying to make the pieces compelling. It seems like all great creative pieces, whether it’s literature, some form of music or an ad, are constantly being revised. It’s in this revision process where the work gets better.”

Cutri said it was the unique concept that really set the BYU team’s ad apart. Brodrick said they purposefully chose to create an ad for a company that was fairly ordinary. They wanted to challenge themselves to come up with a concept that would change the way people looked at the product.

“We don’t need to spell it out for people,” Brodrick said. “People are smart. Being able to tell a story and giving the audience an ‘aha’ moment is rewarding. So what I was looking for in the reaction from the audience was just that they got it — that it wasn’t too stupid and it wasn’t too difficult to understand.”

Along with Brodrick and her student team, many other groups from BYU found success at this year’s AAF Awards.

The BYU AdLab Glidden team placed 13th in the nation for their presentation in the AAF National Student Advertising Competition, and Chad Ford and Ahlstrom won a National Silver Student ADDY for their Google Celebrity Book Club project.

The U.S. men’s national soccer team will host Honduras in front of a sold-out crowd at Rio Tinto stadium tonight.

“We’ve played here before,” midfielder Michael Bradley said. “We know the people here love soccer.”

Team USA expects an enthusiastic and loud crowd in a pivotal game in the qualifying standings. Head Coach Jurgen Klinsmann was very complimentary of the crowd in Seattle and said he expects the same sort of environment tonight.

“I’m sure the fans will carry us through the game, help us to push the envelope, help us keep the energy high and help get these three points that we badly need,” Klinnsmann said.

The U.S. sit atop the standings through five games with 10 points and Honduras is in fourth place with seven. A win would extend the lead and put Team USA in great position to finish at least in the top three, clinching a spot in the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.

The game will kick-off just after 7 p.m. MST and will be aired on ESPN.

Construction stretching along 900 East in Provo has created its fair share of problems for traffic and drivers, but it is also creating problems for BYU’s Creamery on Ninth.

The work on 900 East and around the J. Reuben Clark Law School has already greatly changed the face of campus. Outdoors Unlimited has moved from its spot in the Wilkinson Student Center over to the north side of campus on North Canyon Road. Traffic along 900 East has become slow and congested as construction stretches from up past the MTC all the way down to the south end of campus. And along with these changes, business coming into the Creamery on Ninth has decreased significantly.

Construction work around the Creamery on Ninth partially blocks the front view of the building. (Photo by Sarah Strobel Hill)

Jason Carter, general manager of the BYU Creameries, is concerned with how the Creamery on Ninth has been affected.

“Versus last year we are down 30 percent in sales for the month of May,” Carter said.

The Creamery usually experiences some dip in sales as students leave campus during spring and summer, but this figure has already taken those percentages into account. Carter feels that the construction has played a part in how the store has been doing recently.

Problems first began when the construction started and the Creamery on Ninth closed for a few days in order to retile its floors. When the shop reopened for business, hardly any customers came in. In order to attract customers, signs were put up in the windows explaining that the Creamery was still open for business.

“Even with the big signs in the windows that say we’re still open, because (the construction) is right in front of our building, it’s a major project and it looked like it was closed, but we’re not,” Carter said.

When the intersection on 900 E. and Heritage Drive was closed shortly after, many people were confused about how to get into the Creamery. The parking lot north of the building has been demolished and a new, temporary parking lot can now be found on the west side of the building. The new parking lot has helped by giving customers a place to park as the construction continues, but Keith Cook, manager of the Creamery on Ninth, noticed that foot traffic has dropped a lot due to construction.

“A lot of customers make the comment that it is really hard to get in here,” Cook said. “The nice thing is that they are faithful enough that they have found a way.”

Victoria Pace, a resident of Provo, is one of those faithful customers. Despite the construction, Pace still goes to the Creamery on Ninth.

“The construction hasn’t really affected me; I just haven’t happened to come. I was trying to cut back on my money spending. That’s why I didn’t come; it wasn’t because of the construction,” Pace said. “I’m a diehard Creamery fan. I like the milk. I think they have high-quality products.”

Not everyone is a “diehard Creamery fan,” and many have been deterred because of the construction.

Brad Ackerson, a BYU senior from Portland, Ore., studying neuroscience, comes into the Creamery on his way back from the MTC every once in a while because it is convenient.

“(The Creamery) is super convenient being the only thing on this side of University Avenue, basically,” Ackerson said. ”I used to come (in maybe) a couple of times a month, but yeah I haven’t been here since the construction started.”

Another customer, Erin Willder, an adjunct professor of editing at BYU, mentioned that she would drive home different ways in order to avoid the construction traffic. Those routes would take her home different ways, making it harder for her to stop by the Creamery.

The Helaman Halls Creamery is at easy access for some BYU students, while the Creamery on Ninth has become less accessible. (Photo by Sarah Strobel Hill)

Although constant construction and changes on 900 East have affected the number of people making their way into the Creamery on Ninth, Carter has been happy with the way the construction has been handled. The construction manager has been very helpful in notifying Carter of any changes in the way the street is set up. This has allowed Carter and Cook to adapt to the different situations they have to face with the construction.

Carter and Cook also mentioned that they can’t complain about the construction because many of the construction workers end up eating lunch at the Creamery and, in doing so, bringing the establishment business it otherwise wouldn’t have.

Construction affecting the Creamery is expected to be completed sometime in August, prior to the beginning of fall semester.

The BYU Creamery has four locations around campus: the Creamery on Ninth, the Creamery Outlet by the Morris Center, the Wyview Creamery, and the Helaman Halls Creamery. All locations of the BYU Creamery are open to serve campus during construction.

BYU’s supermileage car gets over 1,300 mpg. (Photo by Sarah Strobel Hill)

The BYU engineering team returned home from the SAE Supermileage Competition last week with their custom supermileage vehicle and a major victory.

A team of seven BYU seniors studying mechanical engineering traveled to Michigan to find out which school could build the most fuel-efficient vehicle. BYU won best overall fuel economy with 1,331 miles per gallon.

Each school was given multiple runs to get the best mileage. The top three schools, Penn State, BYU and Northern Illinois, were all neck and neck throughout most of the event. The top contenders all got their best runs right at the end.

“It was kind of like watching a basketball game,” said Jerry Bowman,  associate professor of mechanical engineering and faculty advisor for the team. “Three teams contended for first place. We would beat them and then they would beat us. It was really exciting. We came home and watched the NBA Finals and said, ‘This is boring.’”

The team’s composite specialist, Eric Wilcox from San Diego, explained what the experience was like for him.

“Every car would come in and they would post the mileage, but we kept staying on top,” Wilcox said. “That was really cool.”

The team had hoped to get better gas mileage than they did because the vehicle had tested much better back in Provo. However, competition showed that other factors can play a big role in success.

“We got 1,800 mpg once in practice,” team member Eric Wardell from Tucson, Ariz., said. “In Michigan though, everyone was having a hard day in the cold. A large part of it was how could you adjust.”

Supermileage vehicle driver Caroline Sorenson sits in the BYU engineering team’s winning vehicle. (Photo by Sarah Strobel Hill)

The competition and experience that these students gained from the process has proven to be a stepping stone for them. Two of the team members have attained internships with Ford Motor Co., and others will be going on to pursue higher education and other career goals.

“I’m going to grad school in the fall,” student driver, Caroline Sorenson said. “I’m going to MIT. This car was definitely a big thing on my resume.”

After a successful competition and year, Sorensen summed it all up.

“Really good team. Really good coach. Really good car,” Sorenson said.

1.  Alpine rock slide

A creek runs at the base of Lone Peak, just north of neighborhoods in Alpine. Water from the creek falls over smooth granite rocks, forming a natural water slide. The slide drops about 15 feet into a calm pool at the bottom.

“I’ve been before with family,” said senior Jenalyn Thiriot. “The water is cold, but on a warm day you dry up really fast.”

To find the slide, travel north on Main Street in Alpine and take a left on Fort Canyon Road. Continue to the trail head marked by a gate on the left enclosing a field full of construction equipment. From there, the hike to the slide is approximately one-half mile.

2. Splash pad parks

These are the perfect option for families with small children. Different from playing in a pool requiring “floaties” or life jackets, playing at these pads is more like running through the sprinklers.

Utah has more than 30 public splash pad parks, and most of them are free. Provo City opened a new splash pad this spring in Pioneer Park.

Visit enjoyutah.org for a full list.

3. Mona rope swings

Swimmers flock every weekend to Burriston Ponds in Mona, approximately 45 minutes south of Provo. Trees surround the ponds, and the branches hang out over the water, making the ponds an ideal setup for rope swings.

The swings are set at various heights. Some provide a more extreme ride than others. In addition to the rope swings, people use the ponds for fishing, floating and kayaking.

5. “Shooting the tube”

Near the mouth of Parley’s Canyon in Holladay, I-215 converges with I-80. Parley’s Creek passes under the road and continues east through Parley’s Historic Nature Park. Thrill seekers ride the creek through an aqueduct to a natural pool on the west side of the freeway’s base. The ride is commonly referred to as “shooting the tube.”

Eighteen-year-old Xavier Streeter of Holladay came down the tube sitting on a plastic garbage-can lid but explained various ways to take the ride.

“You can float down pretty much any way you want,” Streeter said. “You can bring a tube, a sled, a kayak — whatever you prefer.”

To maximize speed, riders stop the water at the top of the aqueduct using large sheets of plywood. After the water rises, the wood is removed and the creek flushes down the tube, carrying the riders more than 100 yards to the bottom.

5. Fifth Water Hot Springs

These hot springs in Spanish Fork Canyon are best in the evening after temperatures have cooled off. Senior Zach Haag recalled hiking to the springs his freshman year.

“I just remember having tons of fun and loving it,” Haag said. “The hike takes longer than I would have expected, but it wasn’t super hard. If you go with a group of friends, I think it’s worth it.”

To find the springs, turn left onto Diamond Fork Road while headed east on U.S. 89 through the canyon. Drive another 9.8 miles, and the trail head will be on the right.

The hike is mildly strenuous and takes about 45 minutes each way.

Striving to get a tan during the summer months may not be worth the effort when it could possibly lead to skin cancer.

Skin cancer is prevalent in men and women of all ages, but new sunscreen regulations are designed to help people better protect themselves from the sun’s harmful radiation.

In 2012, the Food and Drug Administration created labeling guidelines that require sunscreen companies to undergo tests when labeling their products as “broad spectrum,” meaning they protect people against both UVA and UVB rays.

Sunscreens play a vital role in protecting consumers against the sun’s harmful rays. (Photo by Elliott Miller)

Dr. Brad Huber, a dermatologist at Utah Central Clinic, explained UVA rays as constant sun rays that continue throughout the day, while UVB rays are stronger rays that are most intense between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Although skin cancer is not the only risk posed by sun radiation, Huber said it is the biggest. To protect themselves from the sun, he suggested people wear sunscreen, but also sun-protective clothing, such as hats and sunglasses, and avoid the sun during certain parts of the day. Huber also said most sunscreens can help decrease the risk of skin cancer.

Dr. Kim Pettit, a dermatologist with the University of Utah, said in the past, most sunscreens would only protect consumers from UVB rays, because people believed they were the only cancer-causing rays.

She said the term “sun protection factor,” or SPF, only applies to protection from UVB radiation and has nothing to do with equally harmful UVA radiation.

“Over the years, we’ve come to understand that UVA radiation contributes to and may even initiate the development of skin cancers,” Pettit said. “With this knowledge, UVA protection has been added to many sunscreens.”

Pettit recommended when choosing a sunscreen to select one labeled “broad spectrum” with an SPF of at least 30.

“I would also emphasize the need to apply it liberally (two tablespoons to cover the entire body) and to reapply it every two hours or immediately after swimming or excessive sweating,” Pettit said.

Lately people have called for more data to determine the safety of spray sunscreen. Many argue that using sprays puts people at risk of inhaling many of the chemicals in the spray.

Megan Cousin, a recent graduate from Idaho Falls, Idaho, said she pays more attention to sun exposure and applies sunscreen when spending extended periods of time in the sun. She said she applies sunscreen anytime she goes to the park or goes camping, because she recently discovered a suspicious mole of her own. Cousin’s grandfather and great-grandmother died from skin cancer, so she said she understands the gravity of the disease.

“I think it’s important that people realize how prevalent skin cancer is and how damaging it is,” Cousin said. “We think it is never going to happen to us, but it can.”

Cousin said she would encourage people to not put off checking in with doctors if they notice suspicious blemishes.

“If you have just an inkling of fear, go check it out,” she said. “Even if you haven’t been seriously burned in years, it might not be affecting you until now.”

Sometimes students are expected to do a lot on not a lot of sleep. From balancing homework and school to friendships and social lives, sometimes there just are not enough hours in the day.

People might wonder how students make time for it all, and to this, students would respond that they do not sleep. So we asked students the question, what is they longest they have gone without sleep and what was it for?

Apple CEO Tim Cook announced Apple’s new mobile operating system, iOS 7, at its annual conference for software developers on Monday, June 10.

While Apple’s iPhone operating system has changed over the last five years, Cook called iOS 7 “the biggest change to iOS since the introduction of the iPhone.”

Several top executives took turns announcing some of the new features of iOS 7.

Some of the biggest changes are aesthetic, including a thinner typography and a new color scheme.

Aside from the aesthetic changes, the new operating system will sport many new features and updates to existing apps.

The new iO7 system will be made available in the fall of 2013. (Courtesy Apple)

Apple’s Safari Internet browser for the iPhone has been redesigned. Users can view their windows as tabs and use the swipe gesture to switch between them.

According to the Apple website, the camera app will now organize photos based on location. These organizations are known as “Moments.” In addition, the app features nine different filters that allow users to edit a photo before or after taking it.

Apple also announced iTunes Radio, a free music streaming service. Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of internet software and services, announced some of the components of the new service.

“iTunes Radio is an incredible way to listen to personalized radio stations, which have been created just for you,” Cue said.

The songs that iTunes Radio plays will become more personalized as the user listens more frequently. This service will not be limited to one device.

“Another great feature of iTunes Radio is that it keeps track of all the songs you’re listening to across all your devices,” Cue said.

With iOS 7, Apple’s voice-automated assistant, Siri, will use more realistic speech in either a male or female voice. Siri’s features have been improved to include more extensive searches and faster performance.

The upgraded operating system will also include additional security features. Find My iPhone is an existing app that helps users to identify a lost iPhone. With iOS 7, an Apple ID and password will be required to erase the contents of the phone or turn off Find My iPhone. A lost iPhone will display a custom message with the owner’s phone number.

“We think this is going to be a great theft deterrent,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president for software engineering.

Apple iOS 7 will be available in the fall of 2013 via a free upgrade and will be compatible with iPhone 4, iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPod touch 16GB, iPod touch 32GB/64GB, iPad 2, iPad mini,and the iPad with Retina display.

Pick up a paper every Tuesday to read the Tweet Beat. Want to see your tweet in print? Tweet something witty with #BYU.

]]> http://universe.byu.edu/2013/06/18/tweet-beat-june-18/feed/ 0 http://universe.byu.edu/2013/06/18/the-political-popularity-contest/ http://universe.byu.edu/2013/06/18/the-political-popularity-contest/#comments Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:00:47 +0000 Carlie Ellett http://universe.byu.edu/?p=323304

I always tried to avoid the tables complete with the bright colored balloons and overly zealous volunteers during the end of winter semester. I don’t have anything against those students who relentlessly tried to get me to take a flier and a lollipop. After all, they were just trying to help their friends get elected, but I did not want to listen to the campaign pitches for those running in the BYUSA elections.

I don’t have anything against BYUSA; I just knew that the most popular candidates were going to win. It did not necessarily have anything to do with what they “stood for.” In a way, it’s a popularity contest just like it was in junior high and high school.

When I was finally able to vote in presidential elections, I was pumped. For the first time in my life, I was going to help determine who would lead the country in a certain capacity. It was a nice change to be engaged in “real politics,” not just a school election. However, I quickly learned that my idea of “real politics,” or exercising my civil duty, was not much different than the previous elections I had voted in.

I’m afraid our nation’s elections, on both a federal and state level, have turned into a popularity contest as well. Politicians are no longer trying to be politicians — they want to be celebrities.

Just this last week I was watching the hilarious talk show “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” Fallon is witty, creative and a downright comedic genius. I was loving it, until New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie showed up to “slow jam the news.”

Sure, it was funny hearing Christie and Fallon take shots at each other, but doesn’t Christie have anything better to do than appear on a late night show?

AP Photo

If I’m not mistaken, Gov. Christie’s state was hit with a pretty nasty storm just a little over eight months ago and there are still people trying to recover from the devastating effects. He also has a special election to worry about and a PR mess to deal with surrounding Rutgers University, the state university of New Jersey. Granted, Rutgers shouldn’t be at the top of his priority list, but these other things should take some precedence over slow jamming.

It’s not just a Christie thing; it’s also a problem in the White House. Who could forget First Lady Michelle Obama’s controversial appearance at the Oscars? I didn’t think it was a huge deal; it’s just that it contributes to the blurred lines between politics and fame.

I don’t want to see pictures of our president rubbing shoulders with Jay-Z and George Clooney. I’m glad he has friends and all, but I would rather get answers to questions like: what happened in Benghazi, why are my phone calls being recorded by the NSA, and who knows what about the IRS targeting conservative groups?

I’m tired of seeing politicians in “Access Hollywood” segments. I don’t want to see them on shows like “The View.” This isn’t high school; it shouldn’t be a popularity contest. These officials were elected to do a job, not try to be the cool kid that lands on the front of People Magazine.

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It’s getting hard to keep track of all the wrongdoing going on in the federal government right now.

From military officers covering up sexual assaults to IRS agents specifically attacking people based on their political views to whatever the DOJ and NSA are doing, our government seems to be out of control.

The response from most agencies on their specific wrongdoings has been tone deaf at best. Whether it is the military talking about the value of the chain of command, even as that chain has been used to cover up serious crimes, the EPA and IRS leaking private information to political activists in order to target harassment or the egregious spending that has characterized some departments, the government’s response has been to defend its actions, call for more training, or assume a simple apology will cut it.

Agencies have resisted firings, but even that isn’t enough. Honestly, sending the worst violators to prison isn’t enough.

Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., recently ended up on a viral Youtube video for dressing down the IRS in a hearing. His conclusion hits the nail on the head for what we really need to do to solve these problems.

“With all due respect, this is not a training issue. This cannot be solved with another webinar,” Gowdy said. “It strikes as a cultural, systemic, character, moral issue. … When your fellow citizens, the ones who pay you, are struggling, that is a character issue. Training cannot fix that.”

That is the heart of the problem: many of our government’s employees, from the military to the IRS to the EPA and everywhere in between, appear to think they’re above the rest of society and its laws.

You can understand why they feel this way.

Government workers have employment protections, courtesy of their unions, that make it obscenely hard to fire a government employee. Want proof? Lois Lerner, the IRS agent we know ordered at least some of the egregious targeting, is still on the government’s payroll on “administrative leave.”

For those of you whose paychecks are signed by someone other than Uncle Sam, that’s government-speak for paid vacation.

Government employees also make more, on average, than the private citizens who pay their salaries. Absent a Ph.D. or professional degree (J.D, M.D., MBA), federal workers earn substantially more than their private-sector peers.

So we pay government workers more and make it virtually impossible to fire them. Add to that liability protections that often prevent civil or criminal liability for acts government employees take as part of their jobs, and it seems like they are above the law.

In Europe, they have a word that describes this arrangement: aristocracy.

Unfortunately for government employees, this nation was founded to avoid aristocracy. The point was that everyone was free and had the opportunity to rise or fall based upon merit, rather than success, at getting into the government bureaucracy.

As evident as it is that this is a problem, the solution is even easier. Gowdy explained it clearly in the case of the IRS.

“It just strikes me that we just need one single recommendation: start over.”

Starting over with the way we hire, train, evaluate, promote and pay our civil servants is the obvious solution.

Such reforms should include a few key principles:

1. Federal employees, on average, should earn less than the average private sector worker. Capping federal pay at 90 percent of the average private sector worker for the education level of the employee makes a lot of sense.
2. Employees who engage in any sort of wrongdoing should face lengthy prison sentences, as well as civil liability for their actions.
3. Termination procedures need to be sped up and realistic.
4. In their contracts, all federal employees should waive the right to exercise the Fifth Amendment in Congressional hearings related to their job performance.

These commonsense reforms would emphasize that all employees of the government are public servants, not overlords. They are accountable to the public, whom they serve, through their elected representatives and the judicial system.

That sacred trust — doing the people’s business — has been grossly violated in so many ways I can’t list them all in this column.

But we can fix it.

Doing so starts by saying unequivocally that we don’t do aristocrats in America.

Participants in UVU’s Classroom Building groundbreaking smile as they initiate the work for the building. (Photo by Chris Bunker)

Utah Valley University president Matthew Holland, along with other UVU and community leaders, held a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday for a new Classroom Building to be built on UVU campus.

As UVU continues to grow, leaders have been looking for new ways to help the school cope with the growth and change.

“I’ve been asked repeatedly to say, ‘How important is it that you have this building at UVU?,’ and the phrase that keeps coming to mind is that it’s not important, it’s beyond important, it was absolutely essential. It was imperative for the carrying out of our mission here,” Holland said.

Holland mentioned that UVU’s greatest driver of growth is found in junior and senior students who decide to stay at UVU instead of transferring to other schools. UVU needs more space for more students. The Classroom Building will help give those students the extra space needed.

Holland also recognized the state legislators that approved the design and funding for the new building.

“We are so grateful for the leaders who are assembled here today and a number of those who are not here today that saw in a state that had a lot of needs and a lot of pressures that this (building) was absolutely essential, that this was the building that had to be built for higher education,” Holland said.

Rebecca Lockhart, the Utah House of Representatives Speaker of the House, also spoke at the meeting. Lockhart was a major advocate and the driving force in the Utah Legislature behind the construction of the new Classroom Building.

“The right decision was made to fund this building,” Lockhart said.

The Classroom Building received state approval at the close of the Utah Legislature’s 2013 general session.

Construction of the Classroom Building will cost $54 million. It will be the biggest building on UVU campus, providing 244,000 additional square feet of study and learning space. It will feature 34 classrooms of different sizes, as well as an auditorium.

Joseph Smith, lead architect on the Classroom Building, called it “a unique facility that there is nothing else like in the state, or in the western United States.”

It is anticipated that the Classroom Building will be completed by December 2014.

Nirupama Rao, the Indian ambassador to the U.S., meets BYU students and faculty at the luncheon following her lecture in the Kennedy Center. (Photo by Trevor Carver)

Nirupama Rao, ambassador of India to the United States, visited the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies on Friday to discuss India and U.S. relations.

Rao began her remarks by discussing how India and the United States have used each other as models throughout their history.

“This is a relationship between two of the world’s most important democracies,” Rao said. “(It’s) a relationship that did not happen yesterday. Through the history of your nation and ours, there have been linkages that were established between the two countries. In fact, from the days before your independence, when you threw tea into the Boston Harbor … it was the same East India Company and the British government that you won your independence from, and then we fought much later and won our independence also.”

She went on to talk about how American poets have written about Indian culture and how Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy corresponded with that of many American thinkers. Even Martin Luther King, Jr. went on to learn nonviolent resistance from Gandhi’s example.

“Our histories are very intertwined,” Rao said. “Even if the geographical distances may separate us, today we live in a very interconnected world.”

She explained that there is a growing Indian population in the United States, many of whom are distinguished members of society. There are three million people of Indian origin in America. According to Rao, at least 40 percent of those people hold graduate or doctorate degrees, while others have distinguished positions like governors and members of Congress.

Rao continued by explaining that India is the biggest democracy in the world and that more and more people are studying India, especially the political and economical aspects of the country.

“Every half percentile of growth that we are able to achieve in excess of what we (had) before translates into lifting so many millions of people,” she said.

Because India is responsible for such a large part of the world’s population, its citizens are constantly striving to improve. Rao said they are focusing on making India a fully developed country, alleviating poverty, educating young people and improving infrastructure. They have done a lot to move toward these goals, and America has a place to help as well.

“We need much more trade and engagement between ourselves. And investment. Investment is an imperative,” Rao explained. “(India) has become a mecca for research and innovation … but we need more U.S. investment in manufacturing because that’s where the jobs can be created for the millions of young people whose aspirations for the future are so big.”

Throughout the years, India and the U.S. have worked together. India supports the fight against terrorism. U.S. and Indian navies also cooperate to keep the oceans free from the threat of piracy and other dangers. India has procured more than $10 billion worth of weapons, aircraft and equipment from the United States.

“We exercise more with the United States forces than we do perhaps with any other country,” Rao said.

At the end of her remarks, the ambassador emphasized the positive relationship that the two countries maintain and how she looks forward to the future.

“The relationship is in a very good place today,” Rao said. “There is much more to be realized in terms of its potential, and each of you are an important part of this great enterprise.”

It looked like the Cougars were going to blow another great win opportunity until the 89th minute, when freshman Blake Frischnecht slipped the ball past the Southern California keeper to score the only goal of the match.

It was Frischnecht’s first appearance for the Cougars. After subbing in for Romy Lakip midway through the second half, Frischnecht help control the ball at midfield, creating chances for the BYU offense.

Prior to Frischnecht’s goal, it looked like the Cougars were going to have to settle for the tie, as chance after chance failed to find the back of the net. Forward Jonathan Junca created multiple chances for the Cougars, but the team was unable to connect when the Seahorses’ keeper made a couple of great stops.

“This was our best offensive output as far as shots,” head coach Chris Watkins said. “We had 21 shots and eight corners. We did a lot of things well.”

BYU also had a goal called back early in the first ten minutes of the game because of an unfortunate offside call. A few more offside calls in the first half against the Cougars ruined a few breakaway opportunities.

The Southern California offense had its chances in the first half as well but was stopped by BYU goalkeeper Brian Hale. Hale tallied five saves in the first half, one of which came in the 27th minute when a Seahorse forward broke free and had a one-on-one opportunity. Hale calmly stepped up and made a great read, which prevented Southern California from taking the lead.

The Cougars were able to fix those small defensive mishaps in the second half and didn’t give up a single shot on goal. BYU kept the pressure on the Seahorses’ half and had many chances to score. Each chance was stopped by the Southern California keeper in a great performance.

BYU used all five of its allotted substitutions, and Watkins opted to play a younger group to see if they would have any more luck at scoring. Two freshmen and a relatively inexperienced junior made the difference for the Cougars.

The Cougars now travel to Southern California to face the Seahorses on their home field. The match is scheduled for Thursday, June 27, at 7:00 p.m. BYU doesn’t return home to South Field until Thursday, July 4, when it hosts FC Tuscon.

The win puts the Cougars within one game of fourth place in the Southwest division of the PDL.

After the loss to the Baylor Bears in the semi-final of the NIT in April, BYU basketball’s big man Brandon Davies has been hard at work to improve his draft stock for the upcoming NBA Draft, which takes place June 27.

After the season’s end, Davies was invited to play in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, where he impressed a number of scouts. At the tournament, Davies averaged 20.7 points on 68 percent shooting, 9.3 rebounds and 3 assists per game — enough to garner him a landslide victory at the tournament’s MVP honors.

“That was a lot of fun,” Davies said. “I got put on like a really good team … everyone just wanted to win so it made it fun, and (I) just was able to play my game and played pretty good I guess … my performance there is kind of what got me my invite to the combine.”

Brandon Davies has been working hard to prepare himself for the upcoming NBA Draft on June 27.

Davies was one of 60 players invited by the NBA to the draft combine that was held May 16 and 17 in Chicago. Since the combine, Davies has been invited to work out with a number of NBA teams.

Davies has worked out with eight different NBA teams thus far, including the Utah Jazz, and is scheduled to visit five more.

“(The workouts are) all pretty similar,” Davies said. “The Jazz workout was pretty fun ’cause that’s the team I kind of pretty much grew up watching … it was just fun to be there.”

The teams that have invited Davies to workouts have been trying to figure out what he can contribute immediately; but they have also been giving him some very useful feedback.

“They’re all really positive … but at the same time they’re really honest with you too,” Davies said. “I kind of ask them what they think I should work on … and how I would fit in their system and everything … they let you know honestly how they feel.”

Davies has been said to be one of the best scoring big men in the draft. NBA teams have taken notice of the number of quality post moves Davies possesses, along with his ability to distribute the ball and get his teammates involved.

Despite having a great offensive mind and feel for the game, Davies knows, and has been told by NBA general managers, that there is still a lot of room for improvement.

“I’ve definitely been working on my range and shot consistency and getting stronger,” Davies said. “Those are all things teams were kind of worried about when they first looked at me, but as they bring me into workouts … they’re letting me know they’re seeing the improvement and, you know, liking what they’re seeing.”

Davies has long dreamed about playing in the NBA and has worked hard every year to develop his game into a more professional caliber of play. His dream became more of a reality between his sophomore and junior years at BYU with the addition of coach Mark Pope to the BYU coaching staff.

“Coach Pope was really good at preparing me,” Davies said. “The stuff that we did, and the workouts … helped me to kind of change my game and change my approach to things, to start playing more as if I was ready to play at that level. That definitely helped me, having him come in and help me out and just kind of change, you know, my work ethic and things like that.”

Davies’ draft stock has risen steadily throughout his career at BYU and since the end of the season. Many NBA analysts speculate that he will be a late second-round draft pick.

“I’m really excited (for the draft) — I’m really confident as well,” Davies said. “But it’s just one of those things that you have no control over, so you just gotta kind of sit back and wait and see what happens … a lot of hard work has been paying off so far — hopefully that can continue as I continue to work.”

As soccer players go, goalkeepers are generally overlooked. They rarely get the glory of scoring the gamewinner and are often the scapegoat when a team loses. But any soccer player will tell you a good keeper makes life on the field a lot easier for a team.

Take a good keeper and replace it with a great keeper, and you come up with BYU’s junior goalkeeper, Brian Hale.

“You can always count on him, for sure,” teammate Colby Bauer said. “He is just an athlete.”

Goalie Brian Hale reacts to a shot during Friday night’s game at South Field.

Hale has played on the men’s soccer team for three years and started for the last two. His talent and leadership have been invaluable for the Cougars.

“Brian is our oldest, our most experienced (goalkeeper) and has seen the most situations,” coach Brandon Gilliam said. “There is a comfort level when he is in, because you know he’s seen more situations, gotten us out of more situations and allowed us to win games sometimes that we probably shouldn’t.

“(He) has a presence about him,” Gilliam continued. “Whenever he is on the field, you know he is there. You always know Brian is in goal, because he has that presence.”

Hale gets much of his competitive nature and talent from his family. Soccer is in his blood. Hale is the middle of five kids in his family. When asked about how soccer got started in his family, he attributed it to his older brother.

“My whole family plays,” Hale said. “Blaine, the oldest, started it and got us all going.”

The Utah Surf, formerly known as the Dynamo, is one of Utah’s premier club programs and was started by Hale’s brother; his older sister Jess is the girls’ director.

“It’s hard to play and be serious when we play against each other,” Jess Hale said. “We laugh a lot, but secretly we are all competitive. If we play on the same team against other people, then we are super competitive.”

Goalie Brian Hale takes a goal kick during Friday’s game at South Field.

This competitive nature drives Hale on the field, but it hasn’t stopped him from being a team player.

“On our team, he is the guy who grabs the bags without anyone asking him,” Bauer said. “He cleans up and compliments people. He is just that type of guy, just genuine.”

When asked about his teammates, Hale was nothing but positive and complimentary, really displaying the leadership and support he has become known for by his teammates, both on and off the field.

Hale had a great opportunity to train with the professional Real Salt Lake squad here in Utah prior to the 2012 season. He spent three months working with and learning from coaches and players that play on the highest level in the United States.

“It was neat, a good experience,” Brian Hale remarked. “It was a different style of play, so there was a lot to learn. The coaches knew a lot and were able to help me with a lot of little things.”

Because BYU plays in a semi-professional league known as the Premier Development League, the style of play is a lot faster than it would normally be on the university club circuit. Hale pointed out the similarities between training with RSL and playing in the PDL, but he was quick to note that there were some differences.

Goalie Brian Hale makes a diving save during Friday night’s game at South Field.

“It is definitely close,” he said. “But I think there are some slight differences. Which is why they play in the MLS (Major League Soccer) and we play in the semi-pros.”

Soccer has shaped Hale’s life, both on and off the field.

“He has a strong personality,” Gilliam said. “He’s not super talkative, more of a quiet guy, but he walks and acts like he knows who he is and is comfortable with who he is.”

“Soccer has taught me that you get out of something what you put in,” Brian Hale said. “My parents always told me to work hard. I think if you work and you’re doing your best, things will work out.”

“We’re hoping that each keeper behind him will grow into the same thing,” Gilliam said.

Working hard and knowing who you are is what BYU soccer is all about. It’s what the coaches want, and it is what Hale has become.

BYU football’s Kyle Van Noy is picking up right where he left off at the end of last season, earning preseason All-American recognition this summer in anticipation of the 2013 season.

Van Noy was recently named to Phil Steele’s 2013 Preseason All-American team as a first-team selection and was also nominated for the Lott Trophy, which is awarded annually to the top overall defensive player in the nation.

Last season, Van Noy received All-American honors from numerous college football publications, including Phil Steele’s third team, CBS Sports’ second team and the Associated Press’ third team.

BYU line backer Kyle Van Noy bats down a pass from Utah State quarterback Chuckie Keeton on Oct. 5 at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Van Noy was awarded the CFPA Defensive Performer of the Year title on Tuesday. (Photo by Luke Hansen)

“It’s very honorable,” Van Noy said. “It’s cool to get noticed for the things you do on the field. But more importantly, people recognize BYU. Having more exposure to the team and school is pretty cool.”

Van Noy is the only player to record a statistic in every major defensive category two years in a row. He finished second in the nation last season in total sacks and forced fumbles. If he puts up similar numbers this season, more accolades will come for Van Noy, along with the ultimate possibility of being a high NFL draft pick.

“The pressure only gets worse so this is, in a way, practice,” Van Noy said. “I have more of a target this year. I think it will benefit the team. Other elite players will stand out.”

Bleacher Report’s Samuel Benson even named Van Noy to his preseason Heisman Trophy watch list. With several nationally televised games against traditional powerhouses like Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Boise State and Texas, Van Noy will have opportunities to stand out on a big stage.

Preseason hype is unavoidable, but Van Noy has grown accustomed to it and remains focused this summer.

“I don’t pay much attention to it,” Van Noy said. “My parents did a good job of keeping me grounded. They used to say you’re never as good as you think and never as bad as you think. You can always improve.”

Van Noy has worked hard on improving his speed and strength, maintaining a good diet, watching a lot of film and keeping a good balance of fun off the field to remain grounded during the offseason.

With several leaders from last season having moved on, Van Noy’s play will be critical to the Cougars’ success. He believes his role will be key this season.

“As it is every year, it’s to change momentum in games, get a stat in every category and raise the level of play of everyone around me,” Van Noy said.

Along with high personal expectations, Van Noy has high expectations for the whole team despite what many consider to be one of BYU’s toughest schedules ever. He believes the Cougars can achieve success if they keep things simple.

“Improve from last year and play every game like it’s your last,” Van Noy said.

Van Noy and his teammates will have the chance to live up to their preseason hype beginning Saturday, Aug. 31, when they open the season at Virginia.

There is a great variety of different booths found at the farmer’s market. Some booths sell different fruits and vegetables grown around the state, while a variety of food stands feature things like baked goods and specialty tacos. One booth called “Beejuvenate” sells locally produced honey as well as flavored lip balm, lotions and candles made from the beeswax.

Different artists have also set up booths to showcase paintings, ceramics and stained glass art. There are also booths that offer different crafts, such as wooden hammocks, handmade pens and handmade spoons.

Matt Reschke, a BYU student from Monte Vista, Colo., studying advertising, went to the Provo Farmer’s Market looking for ideas on how to get his own business going at the market. Reschke is building his own oven to make wood fire pizza and came to the market to see how other people were making food on site.

“I feel like if I want to be supported, then I should support the people who are making good things,” Reschke said. “I originally came looking for ideas and ended up picking up some vegetables as well.”

Andrew Magleby, a BYU graduate originally from Portland, Ore., sells handmade wooden hammocks at the farmer’s market.

“I make a profit and it is worthwhile, but I mostly just do it for fun,” Magleby said.

Magleby enjoys working with his hands and is happy to share his hobby with other people. He got the idea to make his own hammocks from a friend who mentioned that some Polynesian people make hammocks out of wood. The hammocks are supposed to be sturdy enough to support 500 pounds.

Gary Taylor, from Provo, brought his kids to the farmer’s market.

“It’s good to take the kids out on a nice day and do something,” Taylor said. “It’s nice to go to the park and then come and walk through the market and see all the different booths.”

The Provo Farmer’s Market creates a spot for local farmers and artists to share their produce and art. The Provo Farmer’s Market is located in the newly redesigned Pioneer Park on 500 W. and Center Street. The farmer’s market opens every Saturday at 10 a.m. and runs until 2 p.m.

Utah County Republicans hosted a private seminar at the Provo Marriott hotel this June to teach hopeful attendees how to run for elected office in the state.

The Prospective Candidate Information Seminar was an invitation-only event as keynote speakers Utah Senator Curt Bramble and Saratoga Springs Mayor Mia Love took the stage to address the need for more participation in civic duty. The seminar outlined the support systems needed to form a strong campaign, fundraising tips and the basic structure of a successful campaign management team.

UCRP Chairman Casey Voeks welcomes attendees to the invitation-only Prospective Candidate Information Seminar June 8 at the Provo Marriott Hotel. (Photo by Casey Adams)

The Utah County Republican Party Chair, 24-year-old Casey Voeks, won his election last month and served as moderator for the seminar.

“As a party, we want to see more young people become engaged,” Voeks said. “Not disenfranchised, not marginalized, not discredited. I think young people need to step up — it’s up to the individual.”

Nearly half of all publicly held offices in Utah elections run uncontested, according to literature from the seminar. BYU and UVU campuses represent almost 20 percent of Utah County’s total population.

“So many young people are intimidated by the atmosphere and don’t speak up,” Voeks said, referring to the delegate and voting process. ”People don’t realize how much of a difference they can make if they just choose to.”

A rising GOP contender on the national stage, Saratoga Springs Mayor Mia Love lost against incumbent Democrat Rep. Jim Matheson in a tight 2012 race for the congressional seat in Washington. She said candidates need to remember why they are running.

“If you are not grounded in something, you leave yourself vulnerable to be used for someone else’s task,” Love said. “Or you may end up sacrificing so much of your time and accomplishing nothing.”

She also said a campaign needs to include more than facts and statistics and that reaching constituents means touching their hearts.

“People will always make the decision emotionally before they make it intellectually,” Love said.

The seminar presented how having a supportive family is key for potential candidates to bear the stresses involved in running their first bids for public office. For example, an involved spouse must understand that opinions of the candidate may arise throughout a campaign, and opposing supporters often use untruths to tip polls numbers.

“Be an example,” Love said regarding her three young children. “Because eventually they’ll end up having their own voice, but in the mean time you are their voice. You are their vote.”

Nearly half of candidates for elected office in Utah run uncontested. The Prospective Candidate Seminar presented attendees with information on how to be successful. (Photo by Casey Adams)

Veteran campaign consultant Kim Coleman outlined five essential positions to fill within a campaign’s management team:

• Manager
• Communications
• Financial & legal compliance
• Volunteer Coordinator
• Fundraiser

In order to hold free and fair elections, federal regulations must be followed, including how to report campaign finances to knowing what must be included on direct mailers. Filling these five positions will help ensure that a candidate’s campaign runs smoothly.

Coleman strongly advised not appointing a spouse to be a campaign manager.

James Addis attended the prospective candidate seminar with plans to run in the next state senate election.

“I believe the Republican Party as it is has to change or we will start losing votes,” Addis said. “As I talk with more and more people, I find that people are displeased with the party and send their votes elsewhere.”

He said the state Republicans in office have turned “the reddest state in the Union” into a “nanny state” of government and that he wants traditional conservative values better represented.

As Chairman for Utah County’s Republican Party, Voeks said his job is more than just getting Republicans elected.

“My job as chair is to see our Republican values and principles become legislation,” Voeks said.

The upcoming elections for Provo’s public offices include bids for mayor and three city council seats. The deadline to announce candidacy in Provo municipal elections passed on June 7.