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For some BYU-Hawaii students, their phones or computers do not turn off until seconds before they drift off to sleep. Doctors have confirmed bright screens are disrupting people’s sleeping patterns, reports WebMD, and both tired and well-rested BYUH students and Laie community members alike agreed with the medical professionals conclusions. “Every night I turn the TV off and any other electronic at least one hour before my kids’ bed time,” said Laie community member Rebecca Miller. She continued, “Not every night am I able to get the electronics off right before bed, and on those nights the kids wake up cranky.” Miller also said due to implementing a no electronics rule before bedtime, she and her husband have also followed the rule and have noticed an improvement in the quality of their sleep as well. The National Sleep Foundation advises people should turn off bright screens at least 45 minutes before going to bed to be able to fall asleep quicker and sleep more soundly. Trinity Waddell, a biology junior from Texas, said, “Even if I did turn off my laptop and phone an hour before I went to bed, I still couldn’t avoid the bright screens from my roommates.”Published this year in the BMJ journal, a 2012 study done by a team of doctors in western Norway did an investigation of 10,000 teenagers from age 16-19 and found out using an electronic device in the hour before bedtime badly affects both onset of sleep and its duration. Yahoo reported Mari Hysing, a researcher who is part of the study, said teenagers are going to bed later because screen time eats into sleep time.Researchers found, “In particular, teens who used a computer or mobile phone in the last hour were 52% and 48% likelier to take more than 60 minutes to fall asleep. They were also 53% and 35% likelier to lose out on two or more hours of sleep.“Somewhat smaller risks of delayed or shortened sleep were observed among youngsters who used an MP3 player, tablet, game console or TV in the final hour before bedtime,” says study results published in The Guardian.In 2011, the Nation Sleep Foundation reported, “Artificial light exposure between dusk and the time we go to bed at night suppresses release of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin, enhances alertness and shifts circadian rhythms to a later hour – making it more difficult to fall asleep,” says Charles Czeisler, PhD., Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, who was a part of the National Sleep Foundation. “This study reveals that light-emitting screens are in heavy use within the pivotal hour before sleep. Invasion of such alerting technologies into the bedroom may contribute to the high proportion of respondents who reported that they routinely get less sleep than they need.” Nobu Suzuki, an operations and supply chain junior from Japan, said, “Every night it depends what I am doing on how long it is from when I have no electronics on to going to sleep. If I have homework, I go right to bed after I turn of my computer.” However, Suzuki added if turning of electronics an hour before going to bed improved his grades in school, he would do it. Business Insider reported from Gigaom Research that the blue light--which is full light on the spectrum that people are exposed to every day in the sun--from electronics has been linked to physical and mental problems. At night, the exposure to blue light damages your vision and suppresses the production of the melatonin hormone. This throws off the natural sleeping cues from the body. Business Insider says when melatonin levels and sleep cycles are disrupted, there is a higher risk of getting health problems like depression or even cancer.

Due to a diagnosis of short-term memory loss, Michael Gambon, the actor who played Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies and Shakespeare’s King Lear, has announced his career has come to an end, reported The Sunday Times on Feb. 9.Hearing about the retirement of the 74-year-old Gambon, BYU-Hawaii Harry Potter fan said they are sad to hear the great actor is no longer pursuing his career while Harry Potter actors continue on in their careers. “Knowing that the actor of my favorite character from Harry Potter is getting old is kinda sad,” said Willow Bernal, a social work sophomore from Waianae. Agreeing with Bernal, Erik Adams, a biology senior from Oregon, said, “In connection to hearing that an actor has to retire, I feel the same way about the death of the great Robin Williams. These actors have great influence on our lives. It is never happy news to see a great actor leave the limelight like Michael Gambon is.”Gambon told the Sunday Times, “It’s a horrible thing to admit, but I can’t do it. It breaks my heart. It’s when the script is in front of me and it takes forever to learn. It’s frightening.”Huffington post reports Gabon said he realized that he could no longer continue acting in front of a live audience about six months ago while auditioning for a West End play and found he needed to have his lines fed to him via ear piece. Gambon explained to the Sundays Times, “There was a girl in the wings, and I had a plug in my ear so she could read me the lines. After about an hour I thought, ‘This can’t work.’” He said he couldn’t be “free on stage” when he did not know his lines word for word. According to the BBC, Gambon had a panic attack in 2009 from forgetting his lines during a play rehearsal at the National Theater. Another sad Harry Potter fan with a more positive attitude about Gambon’s retirement, Young Chae Han, an ICS sophomore from Korea, said “I think that [Gambon] is probably happy to be able to have privacy in his own life.”BBC News reported Gambon’s last appearance on the stage was in 2012 in a London production of Samuel Beckett’s play “All That Fall.” Gambon told the Sunday Times he is not going to quit his acting career altogether. Huffington Post reported that Gambon has two last adues to Hollywood; he “will next be seen in the BBC adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s ‘The Causal Vacancy’ and in a movie remake of the classic sitcom ‘Dad’s Army’,” says the Huffington Post article.

The Great Skate Escape activity started spirit week rolling under the lights of the Little Circle. Students, faculty and community members showed up with their skates, skateboards, bikes, and rollerblades to enjoy this new and interactive start to spirit week. Student Events prepared a roller rink, tug-of-war, and many other games to get the students involved and excited. “We’ve never done anything like this, where you can skate or play on the roadway,” said Eddie Coronado, a Student Events team member. “The Student Events staff is trying to do more than just dances. We wanted to do some more structured games so people can talk and get to know each other, meet others, and do something outside of the box.”The Little Circle was transformed into a roller rink with skaters and bikers doing laps and dancing all night. It was a unique experience to not have any cars in the little circle and just skate as much as possible, said Dee-Kei Waddell, a music major from Okinawa, Japan. “For me as a skater, I just want to skate and it is so fun to get together with other skaters. It is so fun to have all your friends here skating together.”Elizabeth Fong, a graphic design student from Japan said, “This is the first time I am really skating. Its good practice and there is no pressure. It is more fun than just dancing. There are more options; games, music, and skating.”Student Leadership Coordinator Michael Maile said, “We just want to appeal to as many students as possible. Bring a variety of games that everyone can enjoy doing. We just wanted to bring the students something different.” Coronado said skating is a big part of the BYUH experience as people have long boards or skateboards and use it to get to class or work. “This was one of the best activities I’ve been to,” said Waddell, “But it could be because skating is my thing,” he joked.Seth Schellenberg, a Student Activities team member from Utah, said, “This activity was received really well. We want to make it a tradition. Student Activities is working to improve; improve numbers, improve activities, and improve the future. Its pivotal to have people here, that is what makes these kinds of activities so much fun.”“Keep a look out for more and better student events in the future,” said Schellenburg. Uploaded March 2, 2015

On Monday, February 9, 2015 I woke up in a panic. Why? Because a man was screaming from my nightstand about “standing on the edge of an overpass screaming at myself, ‘Hey, I wanna get better.’”Trust me- it’s one of the worst ways to wake up, because at least for me, I immediately internalize the scene and open my eyes as imagined cars, concrete overpasses, and falling to my death flashes through my mind. However, in reality it’s only 6:30 a.m.I was worried about setting my favorite song, “I Wanna Get Better,” by Bleachers as my alarm clock tone because I didn’t want my deep-seeded hatred of waking up in the morning to imprint on the tune. As I found out on the first morning of the new alarm, I was at more risk of never waking up again. Instead I opened my eyes, shaking in bed, refusing to take a step out of it because death, and death is too big to face first thing in the morning. I never heard the Bleachers hit as anything but inspiring, perhaps with some strange lyrics or images mixed into the song, but overall just a class-act pump up jam. “I Wanna Get Better” is my favorite song because of its inspirational message. Unlike the Kanye’s of the day with self-centered, money-hording lyrics filled with diamonds, women and booze, the lyrics in “I Wanna Get Better” talk of progression. It talks about a man who “didn’t know [he] was broken until [he] wanted to change,” and the woman “trying to show [him] how a life can move from the darkness.” The bright, punchy beat and inspiring chorus of “I wanna get better,” repetitive though the song it may be, are a perfect combination for any good alarm, in theory. In practice, I awoke with a jolt of adrenaline and fear, shaking in an early-morning mini panic attack that rendered me twitchy, angry, and then snoozey. The problem was not the lyrics, but the 30 second sound bite iTunes chose to use for the song. Really, iTunes? Really Apple? You call your employees geniuses but who can you think of that really wants to wake up thinking about the edge of an overpass? There was an overpass near my high school and my geology classes often walked over to it observe basalt erosion. That was boring. The overpass in “I Wanna Get Better” is terrifying.With this in mind, I woke every morning prepared to snooze. On Tuesday I woke up before my alarm because of screeching chickens. As I sat on my bed cursing the fowl outside the window I heard my alarm start and smacked it snoozed. Monday had not been a good day. I blamed it on Bleachers.Wednesday I did the same thing, waking up and smacking my phone quiet, but was surprised when I jumped in the shower, not because I was actually showering, but because I couldn’t help humming the song. Could the strength of my love for this song conquer my bad morning vibes, could love conquer fear and death?I got my answer on Friday morning. Instead of overpasses, interstates, screaming, “hearses and caskets,” I woke up to mental confetti. My brain had a party as happy vibes, hope, and the promise of a new day gave me the feeling of boundless potential. Throwing off my covers I yelled, “Hey, I wanna get better!” Instead of letting the ringtone run, I turned on the full song off iTunes and began to dance. If given enough time, love of a song, a pure, inspired, hopeful love, can win over the hatred of morning, chickens, and the fear of death.Uploaded March 2, 2015

After years of waiting, a genetically engineered brand of apple, called Arctic apples, has been U.S approved for commercial planting, The New York Times reported. The developer, Neal Carter, of the company Okanagan Specialty Fruits, says because it will make sliced apples more appealing and beautiful without the brown color, he believes this GMO apple will be popular and welcome with both consumers and food services companies. This non-browning feature also can decrease the wasteful discarding of apples because of their bruising. The modified apple will be called "Arctic." Carter said that so far there are four growers who would like to plant about 20,000 of these apple trees. By the fall of 2016, there will be about 5,000 to 10,000 pounds of apples that will be available to food services companies and other potential buyers. Seini Vamanrav, a freshman from Tonga majoring in business finance said, “From my own perspective, I think that what they are trying to promote is really good and would be great for business. Their target will be achieved and they will get many customers, because customers would prefer apples that will not turn brown than those that will turn brown from slicing. This GMO apple slicer will be effective now and in many more years to come.”This GMO apple joins the ranks of genetically modified papaya and sweet corn, which are the few examples of GMO fresh produce so far. The purpose behind developing this GMO apple is one of the few meant to cater to consumers instead of farmers. The major difference between this GMO apple with other GMO crops is the non-browning effect is not created by adding genes from another species into apple’s DNA. In other words, it hasn’t changed the apple’s DNA. Instead, the apple’s lack of browning is totally reliant on the apple’s own modified genes. However, some consumer and environmental groups oppose these GMO apples, as there are not enough valid tests to insure the safety of genetically modified crops in general. These groups also advocate for genetically modified foods to be labeled accordingly. Food companies like McDonald’s and Gerber said they have no plans to use the apples, according to the New York Times. Bethany James, a freshman from New Zealand seems to not care about the GMO controversy too much. She said, even though she knows GMO food may not be very healthy, she will not have any problems with eating them. Consumer groups fear that cutting off the genes that cause browning in the Arctic apples could have unknown effects. However, the Agriculture Department said that GMO apples seem to have the nutritional value equal to unmodified apples. Savanna Jane Gregory, a senior in EXS from Utah agreed with this: “As much as I dislike brown apples, I don’t like the idea of continuing to modify our foods. The way we are genetically modifying food is starting to have negative effects on our population. The human body doesn’t always know how to digest processed foods, causing some people to be allergic or intolerant to them as a result.” “That clear identification of the Arctic brand will help consumers make clear, informed choices if Okanagan apples do become available in stores in a few years,” said Wendy Brannen, director of consumer health and public relations for the U.S. Apple Association, in an email.Uploaded March 2, 2015

A shark killed a Japanese surfer off the Australian coast on Feb. 9, reports the New York Daily News. The 41-year old surfer was waiting for a wave when a shark bit at the back of the man’s board, taking his legs with it, the story says. The man’s friends who had been surfing with him that day, pulled him back into shore attempting to save his life by performing CPR and attending to the excessive bleeding. “…Because both legs were gone, he bled to death very quickly,” said David Wright, mayor of the town where the shark attack occurred. Shark attacks hit close to home for people living on Oahu since surfing is a popular pass time and hobby for BYU-Hawaii students as well. Cassie Davis, a business major from Utah, said, “I know the risks when I go out into the water, but you have to decide whether it’s worth it.” So far this year there has been one shark attack in Hawaii on Jan. 27 off the coast of Maui where the person attacked ended up with cuts on his lower left leg, reports the website dlnr.hawaii.gov/sharks. In 2014, there were six reported shark attacks in Hawaii, the website says, but most are not fatal attacks like the one in Australia. “What is the likelihood of being attacked by a shark in the waters of Hawaii?” says gohawaii.about.com. “Answer: Very unlikely. In 2012, 7.99 million visitors came to the islands and there were just ten shark attacks in Hawaii (the highest since 2002). In 2008 there were only two attacks and just three attacks each year in 2009, 2010 and 2011.”Being aware of the possibility of having a confrontation with a shark while in the water is the first step to surfing-safety. “If you aren’t willing to take the risk of running into a shark, don’t surf. The chances are small but there’s always a chance,” said Brindlee Fullmer, a business major from Arizona. “Shark attacks? They happen sometimes,” said Rachel Cooper, a psychology major from Utah. “The scar would look pretty cool though.” If you’re going out surfing, follow these tips from National Geographic on “How to Avoid an Attack:”• Stay away from the mouths of rivers after heavy rains, when freshwater fishes and other animals are swept out to sea.• Swim clear of fishing boats. They often trail fish remains and blood, which can draw sharks.• If you're bleeding, including menstruating, stay on the beach. Sharks can smell and taste even the smallest amount of blood from over a mile (1.6 kilometers) away and trace it back to its source.• If you cut or injure yourself in the water, get out! Do not stay in the water with blood around you.• Stay out of the water if fish blood or bait fish are present. In other words, steer clear of fishers.• Avoid large groups of fish, seals, or sea lions. They all are prominent on the shark's menu.• Stay away if you see large groups of dolphins and seabirds. They are attracted to the same food sharks eat. And don't make the mistake of thinking that if dolphins are present, there won't be any sharks around. Dolphins can be prey for large sharks.• Stay away from dead animals in the water

The deputy commissioner of the Chinese General Administration of Customs, Sun Yibiao, led a delegation to New Zealand Feb. 10, where he was briefed on a detector-dog training program that the country is helping China develop, the state-run news agency Xinhua reported.Jinping Yu, a sophomore from China majoring in accounting said, “I only heard about training dogs in detecting drugs, this is first time to know cash-detecting dogs.”Deputy Commissioner Sun also visited the New Zealand detector-dog base. Even though China has already taken advantage of dogs to chase contraband wildlife, drugs and explosives, this will be the first cash-detecting dog program of China.With the far-reaching anti-corruption campaign by President Xi Jinping entering its third year, it has become more and more important for the Chinese authorities to enhance surveillance capabilities. Some officials suspected of corruption who tried to flee with their ill-gotten gains have been found and nabbed at the border, said South China Morning Post. Canada New also reported that, between April 2011 and early June 2012, nearly $13 million in undeclared cash has been seized from Chinese by Canadian border officials at the Toronto and Vancouver airports. Jiayuan Wang, a sophomore from China majoring in accounting shared his opinion: “Cash-sniffing dogs is just a measure, it cannot radically stopped the political corruption and some officials will still abscond with their ill-gotten gains. For those people, the most common way to transfer property is using bank account and check, only a few using cash.”Since 2012, New Zealand has trained detector dogs. Before entering service, both the dogs and their handlers must undergo an intensive training over a three-month period. The New Zealand customs authorities reported that more than $1.9 million in “undeclared or concealed cash” had been sniffed out by the dogs that were dual-trained in drug and cash-detecting.“Trainers from New Zealand customs will provide assistance to China when they begin training their dogs,” the New Zealand customs minister, Nicky Wagner, said in a government statement on Feb. 10.Bethany James, a freshman from New Zealand said this is her first time hearing this news. “I think it is very smart, but I don’t think it’s very necessary to spend time and money on this program.”Uploaded March 2, 2015