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Show AboutUs OwrView Editor in Chief Seth R. Hawkins Begging for a snow day News Editor Arie Kirk Assistant News Editor Alison Baugh w hose butt do we have to kiss around here to get a snow day? Really? We'll do it: . We know it seems like every Our View lately has been about snow, but what else is there to talk about? Everyone's mind is frozen/ trapped in an igloo. Every time you look outside, you see quarter-sized snowflakes adding to the outrageous piles of the white powder crippling the world. With each new foot or so, we can't help but wonder where the tipping point is. What constitutes a snow day? What sort of divine providence? What kind of ritual animal sacrifice has to be performed to the gods of Old Main? What's the magical potion that makes administrators say, "Wow. It's absolutely ridiculous, let's give these kids the day off?" Isn't having students skating around on a thin layer of ice and snow a little bit unsafe? Forget about the condition of the walkways, how about the students that have to drive snow-packed roads to get to classes? Why would we endanger students' lives when we could really all benefit from a hot cup of tea or coffee or whatever and a warm heater vent? Plus, Weber State had a snow day last Friday. Unfair. So when is it our turn? We don't want Weber to seem more sensible than us, do we? We wouldn't want to suggest that those in charge are irrational, but isn't this whole snow business getting out of hand? Sane people wouldn't venture across the Antarctic landscape - with the fear of fajling^into an icy cavern or having an encounter with a violently bent penguin. And what about the possibility of a polar bear attack in front of the BNR building? - just to doze through a lecture*. We're stuck in this demented cycle where every couple of days or so this place gets dumped on, making already irritating walking and driving conditions downright dangerous. Then, on the "off" days, it's about -12 degrees under sunny, blue skies. At what point do we say, "With all the snow and cold, we just can't expect you guys to risk life and limb to get to your classes. Stay home. It's a SNOW DAY!"? When do frostbitten noses and ears become a serious issue? We can't have a bunch of people walking around with blackened ear lobes, missing the end of their noses. Horrific deformity isn't good for recruitment efforts. The only real use for this snow is to let thrill seekers strap themselves to greased-up lengths of polyethylene and hurl down a mountain at inappropriate speeds. So why not at least let the powderheads benefit from the stockpile of snow? We know professors and administrators would love to shred some sweet powder, too. So come on. Please? * McCain bid a manageble threat J | ohn McCain ever increasingly looks like the inevitable I Republican nominee. Only a few months ago, people were | writing McCain's political obituary. But his victories in New ampshire, South Carolina and Florida have given his campaign untold momentum. The most recent Washington Post poll has McCain leading Mitt Romney nationally by 24 points. This surge in the polls has worried many Democrats. The conventional wisdom is that McCain is the most (no, only) electable Republican candidate. And it's true that in hypothetical match-ups, McCain fares the best against the Democrats, even narrowly beating Clinton. I'm actually not ail that concerned by a McCain nomination, however. Sure, he's no Romney, but McCain can be handily defeated too. With the scrutiny that comes with being the frontrunner, and as voters learn more about McCain, his aura of electability will erode. And what remains is a surprisingly weak candidate. If elected, McCain would be the oldest president in American history. He is 71 years old now, and it shows. His stump speeches have been painfully lackluster and dull—they display McCain's exhaustion. At other times, McCain has just USee McCAIN, page 13 Features Editor Brittny Goodsell Jones Assistant Features Editor Di Lewis Sports Editor Samuel Hislop Assistant Sports Editor David Baker Copy Editor Rebekah Bradway Forum Lett e rs Letters to the editor • A public forum Basketball team disrespectful great nation, would have them at every game, includthe audacity not to salute ing many children. What the very flag that repre- kind of message does this sents perhaps the only send them? Is it OK to disTo the editor: nation on Earth that would respect our flag? It is OK so fully reward a man that to shamefully disregard the I was so ashamed of can bounce and shoot a symbol of our freedom? the Utah State basketball basketball. There is one foreign team last Saturday night, Perhaps because none player, who understandably not because of a well- of the offending players will may not be familiar with fought win versus Nevada, ever earn their living play- the customs of our nation but because half the team ing basketball in America, just yet. For the other playchose not to salute the they feel no need to salute ers, they know better. They flag during our national the flag of America. As I would be nothing without anthem. look into my crystal ball, I the freedoms of America. That's right. Five of the don't see a very rosy future This deliberate inaction 10 players that were suited, for any of the offenders, is not only disgusting, but and two other (perhaps and at best, one or two of a slap in the face of every unsuited players, trainers, them may be lucky enough person who has fought and or assistant coaches) also to play in a third world died for our freedom. chose to snub our flag country for a year or two I hope Coach Morrill will by keeping their hands at after graduation. You had require his players to show their sides or behind their better bet that they will be more respect for the flag, backs. required by the coaches starting this Saturday at the It seems odd to me, that and the governments in home game versus San Jose any athlete, whose entire their new homes to salute State. We will be watching. education, meals, tutor- the native flag, or else. ing, and tips are paid for David Bethers What these players need by other students, boost- to realize is that thousands ers, and taxpayers of this of people are watching Real ID Act is a real threat to American freedoms In the name of fighting terror and providing national security, a law was enacted that will greatly impact the future of American citizens. That law is the Real ID Act. Fortunately, the implementation of this law has been delayed - but it has not been stopped. The Real ID Act was first introduced in the House of Representatives in 2005. On its own, it failed to gain support. To ensure its passage, its supporters slipped it into a bill that also provided funding for the Iraq war and tsunami relief. This strategy worked, and the act passed in the House. The Senate approved this act just five days later. There was little debate on this act, and no "up or down" vote was taken on it alone. The president signed this1 act into law in May 2005. Among other things, the Real ID Act creates federal standards for state-issued driver's licenses and ID cards. The law dictates what documentation individuals must provide in order to obtain a Real ID compliant ID card or driver's license. The law also directs what information must be displayed on the cards, as well as mandating the use of a 2-D bar code to hold additional information. Congress also granted the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security the authority to create additional requirements as to what must be displayed on the card. The law also specifies that, at minimum, an individual's name, date of birth, Social Security number and physical characteristics must be included in a state's database. States are required to link this database to those of other states, allowing all states to access this information. Originally, a provision was also included that would have made this information available to the governments of Mexico and Canada. Fortunately, this provision did not make it into the law. Claims have been made that the participation of states in this program is optional. This is only partially true. It is true that states can not be forced to implement the federal guidelines in issuing driver's licenses. However, according to the Federal Register, "Effective December 1, 2017, anyone seeking to use a state-issued USee THREAT, page 13 Tell us what you think. So long colonel •*,!;;..; t V y Submit a letter to the editor at .-,:... www.utahstatesman.com What's with the Atlantic Coast Conference? They have powerhouse football programs with stadiums that rival professional arenas. They actually have BCS prowess, something unknown to so many school west of the Rocky Mountains. They have toplotch basketball programs and the education is first rate. And now :hey have one thing USU had going for them - Randy Spetman. Serving as athletic director for USU for more than three years, Spetman recently signed a deal with Florida State to become the athletic directorforthe Seminoles, a sure boon for one of the nation's perennial athletic favorites in a variety of sporting events. Our loss is surely thier gain. In the short time Spetman has been at USU, the athletic programs have moved into the Western Athletic Conference, competing at a much higher level than before and gathering the ability to garner more national attention. With the absence of Spetman, what will happen to the athletic programs at USU? Who is even in the market for athletic director that USU could affordand convince to come to this frozen tundra? Will USU suffer from this loss or will it continue on well under the guidance of coaches and staff? What's your take? Tell us at www.utahstatesman.com/mes9ageboard. Photo Editor Tyler Larson Assistant Photo Editor Cameron Peterson Multimedia Editor Gideon Oakes Editorial Board Seth R. Hawkins Arie Kirk Di Lewis David Baker Alison Baugh About letters • Letters should be limited to 350 words. • All letters may be shortened, edited or rejected for reasons of good taste, redundancy or volume of similar letters. • Letters must be topic oriented. They may not be directed toward individuals. Any letter directed to a specific individual may be edited or not printed. • No anonymous letters will be published. Writers must sign all letters and include a phone number or email address as well as a student identification number (none of which is published). 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