University of Utah Student Newspapers | 2005-01-13 | Page 3

Daily Utah Chronicle Thursday, January 13, 2005 Two Cents DIVIDE Ride the resolution high while you can the Spread Rumble on The best time of the Rocks," and maybe the year has come and throw "Tostitos" in gone. Or has it? I'm there somewhere. thoroughly convinced that right now, these Nevertheless, my first weeks of January determination for that are the most joyous endless morning to days of the year. This is keep my New Year's evidenced by the resoresolution was similar lutions and goals that to that of thousands of Mark Harmsen everyone has put forth: fans waiting until AshColumnist to be nicer, smarter ley Simpson finished and (what appears to be the most her performance before booing her at common) get in shape. the Orange Bowl. The goal was to commence the I went to the gym the other day only to find that every piece of equip- raw diet. The raw diet consists of ment up to the last yoga ball was be- not partaking of any food that is not ing used. The place was packed with 100 percent natural. It is basically the people determined to shed those diet Adam and Eve had, though if pounds gained during holidays. One they wanted to cook something and girl's workout was so intense, the el- comply with the raw diet they would liptical she was on actually began to have had to make sure the fire did not smoke. OK, well not really, but you exceed a temperature of 116 degrees Fahrenheit. know what I mean. It wasn't until we pulled into ChuckNever before have I seen so many smiling faces and been greeted in a-Rama in St. George later that aftersuch a friendly manner by friends noon that I gave in while thinking of and enemies alike than over the last the scones and soft-served ice cream. Actually, it was more like two hours several days. Those susceptible to manipulation, before that when somewhere around beware: There are people out there Hoover Dam the peeps told us we ready to take advantage of ignorant were going there to eat. resolution-keepers. Matter of fact, The next five days were great as it is in our best interests that we as the diet was modified from raw to no students innocently take advantage sugar, no white flour. Once the weekof everyone's happiness, which is end came, it was curtains when my bound to be short-lived and typically friend's parents treated me to lunch lasts no longer than the first week of at an elite San Diego Country Club. February. What was I supposed to do, order a If there's ever a time to get a park- fresh salad and water? ing ticket, now is the best time beFurthermore, what was I supposed cause most likely the appeals officer to order at the Chargers game later will never feel more sympathetic all that night, a pickle? (Who orders year long. If you catch one of those those things anyway, you know, like meter maids on the bike in time, then the ones at Movies 10?) maybe he'll even let you slide, though I am convinced that the key to I highly doubt that. After all, if they keeping a New Year's resolution is didn't write out those tickets, then to eliminate temptation by not puthow would the school be able to pay ting yourself in vulnerable situations. for all of its expenses? You're right. I So live up the next few weeks while forgot—the bookstore, of course. many New Year's resolutions are still Take advantage this semester and intact and people are merry, because beg your teacher to give you a per- before you know it, the snow will be mission code so you can add that new back and so will the road rage. class. If you're in the communication I can't end this article without givdepartment, then that advice won't ing one last shout out to the Fiesta help even if the teacher's New Year's Bowl Champs. Thank you for a truly resolution were to stop denying peo- memorable season. Although coach ple...well—permission codes. Whittingham will never be allowed to My first resolution of this year last- set the resolution of winning a nationed but a few hours after I woke up in al championship because you can't do Scottsdale, Ariz., on Jan. 2 after the better than perfect, perhaps a good Fiesta Bowl, or a game that more ap- one for Urban Liar might be to somepropriately should have been named day coach a team of his own recruits. [e-mail] "The Bet the Farm on Utah to Cover continued from page 1 "Religious student groups have a very positive effect," he said. "Students must first understand other religions and these groups help inform them." Poll added that Anderson is always welcome at the U and open dialogue encourages students to respect other religions. "Communication is always a good thing," he said. "We have a program at the institute where students from different religious backgrounds can come and talk about their beliefs every month." Poll encourages students of all faiths to come to the institute to learn of various religions. According to Mark Alvarez, administrator of minority affairs in the mayor's office, a 16-member committee from different religious backgrounds planned the series. "We plan to continue meeting in small groups," he said. "We want everyone to get the opportunity to voice ideas." Committee member Andrea Moore Emmett said at the last meeting held in the Salt Lake Library more than 300 citizens attended. "There were people lined up behind the microphones who did not get a chance to speak," she said. Anderson said the number of people who came to the dialogue was great and all that wanted to speak had the opportunity. "The response from the commu- Mayor Rocky Anderson listens to Ted Evans, a U alumnus, at the "Bridging the Religious Divide" event in the Social Work Auditorium on Wednesday. The event was devised by Mayor Anderson to encourage the Salt Lake community to find greater ways to have compassion for people of different faiths. nity exceeded my expectations," he said. "They really rose to the occasion and spoke honestly and civilly with respect toward others." Alvarez said a lot of the problems people addressed, including exclusion by religious members, results from people not reaching out of their comfort zones. "People tend to isolate themselves in groups when they should be breaking boundaries," he said. U junior Antonio Gesto said Utah is actually less confrontational compared to many areas of the world. "When I came to Utah I was very impressed," he said. "Most of the church leaders meet together to GRANTS PRO BONO continued from page 1 continued from page 1 having wires snag while they are wheelchair-bound, according to Normann. "To go from a bundle of wires sticking out of somebody's head to a totally implantable system that is invisible will be a major advance in this technology," Normann said. Normann has spent more than a decade developing the Utah Electrode Array so it eventually can be implanted in the brains of blind people. They would wear a tiny eyeglass-mounted camera to collect visual information, and then relay it to electrodes in the brain's visual cortex. Once it is completed, the wireless array will make such an artificial vision system easier for blind people to wear and use. Implanted electrodes can more precisely "listen" to individual nerve cells and^ecord their activity, allowing paralyzed people to control computers or their own limbs Justice Ronald Nehring speaks about the joys of quicker, Normann said. pro bono work to a group of law students in the [e-mail] Moot Courtroom of the law building Wednesday. BUY YOUR TEXTBOOKS ATHALF.COM I 1 1 I '-* AND SAVE UP TO 4 0 % OFF* THE LIST PRICE. How great is this? Find great savings on new or used textbooks you need this semester. Go to half.com and enter the titles or ISBN numbers. Thafs it! $ an additional 5 on a purchase of $50 or more. com Redeem this coupon by entering this code: UTAH2005 at half.com For a limited time, first-time buyers only. 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Oflor oxpf«« on March 31. 2005 at 11:5930 EST <© 2004 «Bay Inc. solve any discrepancies thcil rr.ight come up." Gesto paid his friend, who is Pentecostal, commented on how accepting Utahns arc of other fmhs. '1 asked him the same question about if there was a religious divide in Utah," he said. "He said most people have been very welcoming and friendly." U student Elizabeth lessop said some of her friends are from different faiths, but because of their relationship, religion is not a dividing factor. "The best way to bridge the divide is to get out and get to know people," she said. [e-mail] 45 percent participated in pro-bono projects and 18 percent received the probono service certificate," she said. Because of the success of the program the Pro-Bono Initiative, firstyear law students are now eligible to apply. "It is strongly encouraged that the students- attend these annual conferences. There has proven to be good participation," Erickson said. Nehring said he was glad to see the students participating. "It's critical to do more and more high school community service. The earlier you learn the more integrated into your life it becomes. It is a good habit and you get to learn about all of the good benefits," he said. cyork@ chronicle.utah.edu