Campus Briefs:
In memory of Milo Amosa: UVU English Literature Professor Milo Amosa passed away on Aug. 17. Amosa held doctorates in history, political science and English. Last year he presented a paper and participated in a round table discussion at Oxford University. His funeral services were on Aug. 22.
Spirit squad recognition: The UVU Spirit Squad, made up of the cheer squad, dance team and school mascot, recently won many awards at the National Cheerleaders Association and National Dance Association camp in Las Vegas, Nev.
The Cheer Squad won the Spirit Award, as well as two “superior” marks on their routines. Willy, UVU’s Wolverine mascot, won the Best All Around and Most Collegiate Mascot awards.
The UVU Dance Team won the Best Dance Award and the Spirit Award, as well as a partial paid bid to the National Collegiate Competition that will be held in Daytona Beach, Fla. in April 2009, which will help cover the cost for participating in the event.
Five UVU Spirit Squad members were also named All-Americans, making UVU the school with the most All-Americans at the camp.
Day of Caring: The Service and Learning Center is looking for volunteers on Sept. 4, UVU’s Day of Caring. Volunteers are meeting at 7:30 a.m. at BYU’s Lavell Edwards Stadium for breakfast and will be cleaning the Alpine House located at 156 S. 300 W. in Provo. The Alpine House is a transitional home for individuals with mental illness. Those who need a ride can meet at the front of the student center at 7:00 a.m.
National Briefs:
College presidents want drinking age lowered: In an effort led by former Middlebury College president John McCardell, more than 100 university presidents are proposing to lower the legal drinking age from 21 to 18. Mothers Against Drunk Driving opposes the proposition, claiming that more than 21,000 lives have been saved since 1984 when the legal drinking age was raised to 21. The college presidents claim that binge drinking is a significant health issue on their campuses and believe that lowering the legal drinking age will mitigate this problem.
New VP running mates: Sen. Barack Obama selected Sen. Joseph R. Biden, Jr. of Del. as the Democratic candidate for vice president. Biden serves as a senator for Del. and is also an adjunct professor at the Widener University School of Law. He is also the current chair of the Committee of Foreign Relations.
Sen. John McCain selected Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska. Palin is the youngest person and first women to be elected Gov. of Alaska. She’s a mother of five children and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and minor in political science form the University of Idaho.
World’s tallest water ride: Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in Santa Calus, Ind., announced it will be investing $4 million to install a ride that is being dubbed the world’s tallest water ride. “The Pilgrim’s Plunge” takes boats with riders to the top of a 135-foot-tall ride in an open-air elevator. The riders then plunge down at a 45-degree angle at speeds around 50 mph.
World Briefs:
England — Solar-powered plane: The Zephyr-6, a British solar-powered plane, flew non-stop for 82 hours and 37 minutes. The plane runs on solar energy and charges lithium-sulfur batteries by day to keep it up at night. The solar panels are paper-thin and are glued to 30-foot wings. It is run by remote controls and has autopilot settings and satellite correction.
China — Gymnasts’ ages questioned: An investigation is being conducted to determine whether or not certain Olympic medalists were eligible for competition. The International Olympic Committee requested that the International Gymnastics Federation submit additional documents to verify the ages of the gymnasts in question. Gymnasts must turn 16 by the end of the year to have been eligible.
France — French find bodies of missing climbers: French police found the bodies of eight climbers after they went missing last Sunday in an avalanche near Mont Blanc, western Europe’s highest peak. The bodies were buried under 165 feet of ice. It is speculated that the group had fallen into a deep crevasse. The avalanche began early morning when a block of ice as wide as two football fields cracked off the side at an altitude of 11,800 feet.
