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Show AggieLife Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009 Page 7 753-8875 Tough debate hits close to home On the outskirts of Tooele, Utah, police found approximately $1 million of marijuana plants in two separate fields, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. The article describes how officers tried to stake out the fields and catch those that returned to tend the pot. However, the officers were unsuccessful in catching anyone and while the pot was confiscated, the root problem is still present and police said there is a larger drug cartel that is possibly responsible for the field near Tooele. But the amount of marijuana found near Tooele is nothing compared to the 20,000 plants that were found near Boulder Mountain in Wayne County, Utah, according to The Deseret News. The field has a street value of $25 to $60 million. The plants together weighed 15,000 pounds and it took a combined police task force two days to remove the marijuana plants, and while one person was arrested, police believe there are at least a dozen still at large. The sparsely-populated Boulder Mountain could still have pot farms growing and officials believe those responsible for the marijuana farms have fled the area, and they may be armed and dangerous. Illegal drug traffic and trade is hitting Utahns in their own backyard. According to The Deseret News, in February, when a Utah Highway patrol trooper pulled over a semitruck for not changing lanes the trooper noticed some strange behavior by the driver. After receiving the driver’s permission, the trooper searched the truck and found 20 kilograms of cocaine. After setting up several stings with the information gathered from the original truck driver, troopers were able to make nine arrests, seize six weapons, two helicopters and confiscate 750 pounds of marijuana and 83 kilograms of cocaine. On Thursday, Aug 29, police arrested a Salt Lake City woman on charges of possession and cultivating marijuana. The woman, according to The Deseret News, allowed police to search her home and they found she was growing a marijuana plant in her backyard that had grown to be 9 feet tall. With millions of dollars dedicated each year to fighting drug trade and traffic, is it time to make marijuana legal? The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported 19.9 percent of Americans identify themselves as currently or previously using some sort of illicit drug and 14.4 percent of Americans say they are current or previous users of marijuana. However, according to the American Cancer Institute, 19.9 percent of Americans smoke cigarettes on a regular basis. With the use of marijuana so widespread, some organizations argue that the legalization, taxation and control of marijuana could help the government as a source of revenue and slow the illegal drug trade. There are currently 13 states where limited use of marijuana is legal: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Should the use of marijuana be a regulated, but legal substance in the entire United States? Go to www.aggietownsquare.com to join the debate. Perfect Partner. Seth Bracken is a senior majoring in print journalism. Questions or comments can be sent to him at seth.bracken@aggiemail.usu. edu. Student clubs call campus home By JILL STETTLER staff writer There’s much more to the college experience than just school work. There are many extracurricular activities around campus to participate in, and, according to Associated Students of Utah State University (ASUSU), Utah State University is home to more than 100 student clubs. “The most popular clubs would have to be HURD, Aggies for Africa, Latter-day Saints Student Association (LDSSA) and the multicultural student services clubs,” said Krista Bustamante, diversity and campus organizations vice president. “The HURD, as of now, has right around 1,000 members, and last year 800 people signed up to participate with Aggies for Africa.” Another great club on campus is the BeNo club, which is the club with the most history, says Bustamante. “The president of the university once said that there shall be no clubs. As a result of the policy, a group of students gathered together to make the Be-No club.” The Bee Keeping club, Fort Night club, and the Lumberjack club are some of the more unique clubs on campus, says Bustamante. With such a vast variety of clubs, it is clear that not all clubs are for all people, so ASUSU has provided a for students to make their own club. “The first step would be to make sure that there are no similar clubs on campus,” Bustamante said. “There are so many clubs and organizations that it may be good to find one and join. If there isn’t such a club, I would refer them to the ASUSU clubs and organization’s page. On there, one will see step-by-step instructions to create an account. You will need to write a constitution and mission statement and follow up with my office for approval. My office is located on the third floor of the TSC, you can also ask for more information in Room 326. “ When forming a club, it is important to keep the club running. Jessie Kingsford, junior in technical writing and an officer in the Golden Key International Honour Society, says to try and involve food in activities and meetings. “As far as activities go, we’re trying to involve food when we can, or plan fun activities that would make people show up,” says Kingsford. “Since we are in school, meetings are great when they are short, straight and straight to the point. We’re all students, and it’s hard to commit a lot of time to extracurricular stuff.” Making a club known and getting it out there is the best way to recruit members, said Kingsford. One can learn what each club is about on the ASUSU Web site, www.usu.edu/asusu. –jill.redspiral@gmail.com STUDENTS PRACTICE BILLIARDS DURING class on Tuesday. The class is taught by instructor Rick Skinner, who began playing pool at age 15 and at one point played six to 10 hours a day. PETE P. SMITHSUTH photo Billiards: Man who knows the game -continued from page 5 a day. “Pros practice 10 to 14 hours every day for two years before they get to play professionally,” Skinner said, who is not a professional player. Even so, he began hustling – gambling – and competing in tournaments around 21 years old. “I didn’t make much that first year,” Skinner said, “but I got a lot better after that.” Asked how he started to get so involved in the game, Skinner talked of working at a bar in Logan years ago, “I was serving and occasionally bouncing, and I played a lot of pool.” Skinner is working toward becoming a master instructor, which Skinner’s teacher is one of the four original members. Skinner travels there for instruction among professionals and others who can pay as much as $3,000 each for a session of lessons over the course of three days. Skinner said there are only 11 such instructors worldwide, and he aims to become the next one within the next year. The instruction certification comes from the Billiards Congress of America (BCA) and requires extensive training. Skinner is currently a certified BCA instructor and teaches his classes in accordance to BCA rules. He said most universities and professionals use the same rules as well. A group of pool enthusiasts go with Skinner to play against other students about once a month at Idaho State University in Pocatello and at Weber State about once a month, and Skinner competes in a tournament himself once every couple of months. “I didn’t do very well, but that’s OK,” Skinner said of his recent tournament in Ogden. “You know, I never get tired of it,” he said of the game and of teaching. “I really enjoy teaching students because some of them get really interested in learning the rules, and the rest of them just have fun.” Students not only enjoy the class but also the professor. Dial says Skinner is “really fun to learn from and fun to shoot around with. As far as teachers for a billiards class, I couldn’t imagine any better.” Even a new student can gather the sense of enthusiasm Skinner brings to his work. Will Fullmer, freshman in biology, started the class this semester and said “the class seemed fun, and the teacher was helpful. He seemed like he liked his job.” “Rick is a great teacher,” Dial said, “and a credit for just coming in and learning to shoot pool? There’s hardly a better class you could take anywhere.” —Chelsey Gensel –pulcre.puella@gmail.com FEeK AF@E FLI "8:<9FFB %= PFLeM< 9<<E ;I@EB@E> GC<8J< I@;< N@K? 8 JF9<I =I@<E; FI :8CC 8 :89 Let us help plan your big day. Your Best Choice for Wedding Invitations & paper goods 630 West 20 0 Nor t h 753-8875 |