About the author  ⁄ Amy Merrill

Amy Merrill

Amy is a senior at Boise State and the current news editor for The Arbiter. She crammed everything she possibly could into a single degree; a dual major in communication and English, a journalism emphasis and a political science minor. She is eager to earn what she calls, "that expensive piece of paper" on May 18, but in the meantime is focused on bringing campus as much news as humanly possible.

These stories have been trending on Twitter: Read the headlines here to  look smart, browse discussion points at arbiteronline.com to act smart,  or be smart by following links to the full stories. 8 companies where CEOs get 1,000 times the average employee’s pay Students working jobs for giant corporations like J.C. Penny Co. are earning up to 1,000 times less money compared to the company CEO. UFOs Over England And U.S. Nuclear Missile Sites Highlight Day 2 Of… Some very interesting testimony is being shared at The Citizens Hearing on Disclosure in Washington D.C. South Korean 2-year-old youngest ever to get lab-made windpipe from… In an experimental procedure a young girl born without a windpipe had one made for her from her own stem cells. ...

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These stories have been trending on Twitter: Read the headlines here to look smart, browse discussion points at arbiteronline.com to act smart, or be smart by following links to the full stories. White House Sequester Moves Puzzle Allies The House voted to eliminiate furloughs for airtraffic controls, but by allowing some exception to the sequester is the White House sending the wrong message? Chile arrests 4 accused of burning baby in rite After months of investiagting four people were arrested related to the death of a baby. The baby was burned alive, allegedly the sect leader believed the baby to be the anti-christ. Boston suspects ‘targeted New York’ Althought New York was picked spontaneously, the brothers hit a road block when the car the hijacked was low on gas. ...

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These stories have been trending on Twitter: Read the headlines here to look smart, browse discussion points at arbiter online.com to act smart, or be smart by following links to full stories. GOP Official Calls Teenage Labor Advocate ‘A Radical B*tch’ After a young woman testified for the minimum wage to be raised in New Mexico, one official took to social media to express his opinions of her. Boston Bombs Likely Built From Fireworks One of the suspects purchased over $400 worth of Fireworks in February. Samurai sword-wielding Mormon bishop comes to aid of woman being… After being woken by his son, one man grabbed the nearest weapon, a Samurai sword, and rushed outside to help a women being robbed in front of his house. ...

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These stories have been trending on Twitter: Read the headlines here to look smart, browse discussion points at arbiteronline.com to act smart, or be smart by following links to the full stories. Napolitano re-elected Italy’s president Italy’s Parliment elected Giorgio Napolitano for an unprecedented second term. Who Can Save the ‘Today’ Show? After Ann Curry’s public dismissal from her role as co-host on the Today show, the network has seen ratings plummet. Boston bomber was on FBI’s radar in 2011 Although one of the suspects was interviewed by the FBI, he wasn’t found to be a threat at the time. ...

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These stories have been trending on Twitter: Read the headlines here to look smart, browse discussion points at arbiteronline.com to act smart, or be smart by following links to the full stories. Boston Marathon Breakthrough With Recovery of Bomb Remains The situation around the Boston Marathon tragedy continues to evolve as investigators look for new leads. Scraps of material thought to have come from a backpack potential holding the bomb have been sent to Virginia for analysis. 13 Examples Of People Being Awesome After The Attack On The Boston… In the face of tragedy, stories of hope continue to emerge. How Damaged Are NFL Players’ Brains? John Hart, Jr., a neurologist at the University of Texas at Dallas has scanned dozens of former NFL players brains. His data shows retired players are more likely to suffer from problems with memory and depression. However, what was most surprising is what the data didn’t show. ...

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The Idaho State Board of Education approved a 6.9 percent hike in tuition and fees for Boise State for next year. The Board voted in Moscow on Wednesday, April 18 on the proposed hikes and all the four-year universities will see increases. Boise State’s  increase is 1.7 percent less than  requested by the university. University of Idaho, Idaho State University and Lewis-Clark State College will all see increases between four and five percent. The current tuition and fees for full-time, in-state students at Boise State is $5,884. With the tuition increase students will pay an additional $202 dollars per semester, or $405 a year. Boise State had requested an increase of 8.6 percent, U of I, 5.9 percent, Idaho State University 4.5 percent, Lewis-Clark State College 4 percent and Eastern Idaho Technical College, 4.9 percent. Although the Board voted on a smaller increase than originally requested, Boise State will see a larger increase compared to the other universities. However, over the last two years the other three major campus’s have... ...

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Friday, April 19 8:46 a.m. One of the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing has been killed. Another suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, a 19 year-old, is at large and is wanted by police. The greater Boston area is on lock-down. The case had a number of important developments last night. To read about them click here. Original Post  A pair of explosions rocked the finish line at today’s Boston Marathon. As of 3:34 p.m. today two people have been confirmed dead. Another 23 are confirmed injured. KTVB has published a list of 90 Idahoans who had signed up to compete in the Boston Marathon. That list can be viewed here. Google is attempting to aid families and friends of Boston Marathon runners. The site, Google Person Finder, allows people to enter the name of the individual they are trying to locate, or information about the person. Cellphone use was reportedly been shut down in the Boston Area by the Associated Press, and KTVB reports a law enforcement official stated it was done to prevent the possibility of remote detonation... ...

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At 11:43 a.m. Friday, April 12, an unidentified caller phoned a non-specific bomb threat to the main Boise State switchboard number. Boise Police and Campus Security officers responded and conducted an investigation. The investigation determined that this call was a hoax bomb threat based on the non-specific nature of the call and the rash of hoax threats that have occurred throughout the Boise area Thursday and Friday. A Meridian teenager has since been arrested and charged with multiple felonies. The 16 year-old-boy is believed to have been working with a second teenager living in Australia to make the threats.   ...

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These stories have been trending on Twitter: Read the headlines here to look smart, browse discussion points at arbiteronline.com to act smart, or be smart by following links to the full stories. Kim Jong-un Tests Relations With China China sent a stern warning months ago, “Do not launch a ballistic missile.” What did China do less than two weeks later? Exactly that. So it’s not altogether surprising China isn’t thrill with Kim Jong-un. Jenna Marbles, the Woman With 1 Billion Clicks This girl has a masters degree from Boston University and instead she makes a killing by making low budget Youtube videos. Across the aisles People in America would rather marry someone with different religious practices over different political beliefs. ...

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Isabel Corona Looking around Boise State’s campus, students will find evidence of the Sustainability Club’s hard work, whether or not they realize it. “I do think we make an impact, but… people aren’t aware,” said senior Kristen Raese, one of the club’s officers. Once someone knows what Sustainability Club has played a part in procuring for Boise State’s campus, it’s hard not to see their impact. The electronic water fountains and a more organized system for recycling throughout campus are just a few of the projects on campus that they have played a part in. Lea and Jenna Duffin and Rachel and Kellie Burgie started the club in 2008 to fill a void on campus. “They wanted to promote more environmentally friendly practices on campus… and reach out to the community,” Raese said. Although the club hopes to reach out to the community as a whole and encourage them to participate in more sustainable practices, their primary focus is Boise State’s campus. One way the club is working towards this... ...

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Join Boise State Athletics on Saturday, April 13, for BroncoFest, a day full of events, including the Beat Coach Pete Scholarship Run/Walk, a classic car show, Optimist youth football sign-ups, a craft fair, the Be Well Now Festival, social media scavenger hunt and the 2013 Blue and Orange Spring football scrimmage. • Beat Coach Pete gets under way at 9:30 a.m. in front of the Rec Center on University Drive. Register at rec.boisestate.edu/beatpete. Show you runner’s bib for free entrance into the spring game. • Check out classic hot rods during a free car show from 9:30 a.m.-2:15 p.m. in the East Stadium parking lot. • Browse and buy unique Bronco merchandise not available in stores, including apparel, jewelry, toys, games and more, at the craft fair from 9:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m. in the East Stadium parking lot. •Optimist youth football sign-ups will take place from 12:30-4:30 p.m. in the Caven-Williams Sports Complex. Sign up for both youth football and cheerleading. • Come to the St. Luke’s Children’s Be Well Festival from 1-4 p.m. in the Caven-Williams Sports Complex to learn... ...

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The Boise State University Department of Theatre Arts will present “Misunderstanding,” by Albert Camus, April 18-21 and April 24-28 in the Danny Peterson Theatre located in the Morrison Center for the Performing Arts. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. April 18-20 and April 24-27, and 2 p.m. April 21 and 28. In this absurdist drama, Camus takes the audience to a small European hotel in a grim world where summer never comes. A young man, Jan, returns home after 18 years to reunite with his mother and sister who run the inn. Instead of announcing himself, he hopes his family will recognize him and welcome him with open arms. They have a completely different welcome in mind. Tickets are $15 general, $12 for non-Boise State students, Boise State alumni, members of the military and seniors, and $9 each for groups of 10 or more. Tickets are available at Select-a-Seat outlets or at www.idahotickets.com. ...

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These stories have been trending on Twitter: Read the headlines here to look smart, browse discussion points at arbiteronline.com to act smart, or be smart by following links to the full stories. America’s Top Craft Breweries If you love a good craft brew, read on to find out where your favorite ranks. Immigrants Descend on DC for Reform Thousands of people are protesting our current immigration system as legislators work on drafting new legislation, expected to be finished by late this week. Updating the Condom to Make Safe Sex Sexier Thank goodness. They are also talking about a ‘female condom’. ...

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Two students were threatened by a man with a knife while working their shift at the Boise State Bookstore. The man, Daniel C. Elwell, 25, is suspected by police to be a transient intent on selling books for cash. After threatening the store employees Elwell took off on foot, while one student staffer followed, also on foot, providing police with Elwell’s location. Elwell has since been apprehended by police and brought to Ada County Jail to be booked on charges of burglary and assault with a deadly weapon. The assault weapons charge could result in a maximum penality of 15 years in prison.   ...

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These stories have been trending on Twitter: Read the headlines here to look smart, browse discussion points at arbiter online.com to act smart or be smart by following links to the full stories. Police say robber tried, failed to rob two banks three blocks apart The moral of the story here is, if you’re going to rob a bank make sure your note demanding money is understandable. Angry Flight Attendants Protest TSA’s Knife Rule People are protesting against TSA allowing small knives on planes, fearing it could lead to violence. Judge: Make ‘morning-after pill’ available to all girls without prescription A federal judged reversed the FDA ruling and made the ‘morning-after’ pill available to girls, even under the age of 17. ...

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These stories have been trending on Twitter: Read the headlines here to look smart, browse discussion points at arbiteronline.com to act smart, or be smart by following links to the full stories. Shaq’s Lakers jersey number to be retired He will be the ninth player in Lakers franchise history to have his number retired. U.S. moves warship, sea-based radar to watch North Korea However, many still remain extremely skeptical that North Korea poses a threat to the United States, and the real concern is mainly for South Korea. DeGeneres hooked for ‘Nemo’ sequel ‘Finding Dory’ Although the sequel won’t come out until 2015, DeGeneres said, “the script is fantastic,” and you know, I believe her. ...

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These stories have been trending on Twitter: Read the headlines here to look smart, browse discussion points at arbiteronline.com to act smart, or be smart by following links to the full stories. Lil Wayne: ‘I’m An Epileptic’ Lil Wayne is doing better, but it turns out he has seizures. This particular time he had three seizures in a row which caused his heart rate to reach a dangerously low rate. No survivors found as 83 miners trapped after Tibet landslide Rescue efforts continue, although there is little hope for survivors amid freezing temps, additional slides and altitude sickness. North Korea says it’s in state of war with South Korea However, at this point analysts don’t think full-scale conflict is likely. ...

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Dollars should follow students. Stacy Pearson, vice president of Finance and Administration has said as much and so has Ryan Gregg, Associated Students of Boise State University (ASBSU) president. The idea of state dollars following students—regardless of which four-year public institution they attend, seems sound; however, in the past few years Boise State lost out on $10.3 million dollars in Enrollment Workload Adjustment (EWA) funds. The EWA is money given to the State Board of Education (SBOE) by the state legislature. The money is intended to ease financial growing pains experienced by state universities from growing enrollment, although certain degrees and programs are taken into consideration before the funding is distributed. There are four state universities in Idaho: Boise State, Lewis and Clark State College, Idaho State University and University of Idaho. The four schools are each considered for a part of the financial pie which is distributed by the SBOE, but each school does not receive an equal amount. The EWA is calculated by using a 3-year rolling average... ...

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These stories have been trending on Twitter: Read the headlines here to look smart, browse discussion points at arbiteronline.com to act smart, or be smart by following links to the full stories. Why Kids No Longer Consider Facebook ‘Cool’ Makes sense. Once your parents think something is cool, it usually isn’t anymore. 12 Ways To Eliminate Stress At Work One can always hope more breaks and longer lunches will makes these lists, yet they never seem to. Kim Simulates Drone Attack On South So many articles speculate about what is happening in North Korea and to some extent, are they using it against us? There is no confirmation that North Korea has drones, but they are practicing simulated drone strikes. ...

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Elections will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, March 19 and 20. Students will receive a mass email from ASBSU which will send students directly to the page where they can then place their vote. The winners will be announced on Friday, March 22 at noon at the Student Union dining stage. ...

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