Written by, Me.  Competitive Scratching Presents, “Itching Their Hearts Out.”  To promote the release of “The Avengers,” the Idaho Lottery, held a scratcher competition attracting “the best,” of Boise. Attendees included but were not limited to, the unshaven, the tattered, the elderly, the fully costumed Tony Stark, a few normal people, an obese Captain America and three Boise State students—sophomores, Michael Ewing, Tim Scott, Mark Wilkstrom and junior, Joseph Parra. About thirty people gathered in the ExxonMobile at W. Franklin Rd. &  W. Franklin Rd.  on May 3, 2012. Here the attendees competed in a “scratch off”—where two competitors raced against each other in a scratch off, of the values and winning numbers on multiple “Avengers,” scratch-card. The tournament was held at a gas station including staff, lack of seating and free hamburger samples. People stood around and shared conversations while purchasing, scratch-cards and affiliated materials. To determine the ordering of players, each person was given a timed practiced round. David Workman, the Idaho Lottery Information Specialist, organized these attendees by speed—fastest in the front and slowest in the back. Our Boise State students were somewhere in the middle of the pack. Ewing, studying marketing, completed his scratch-card in the practice round in less than eight seconds, whereas Scott, studying chemistry, finished his practice sheet in seven, leaving Parra, third of the group, completing his preliminary in eight. Attendees at the end of their line; completed theirs in 12- 15seconds. Elimination rounds proceeded as the fastest scratch-card competitor versed the slowest scratch-card competitor. Each player scratched as if there were a gun to their head or had a chance of winning 300 more scratchers. The crowds cheered, disputed victories and stood eagerly.   There were upsets of course; some of the slower competitors did beat the faster. Some, such as Parra, blame this on completive sandbagging. According to one of the Boise State students, one lady dropped eight seconds between heats, as if she strategically lost the first round. All but one of the Boise State students—Parra, studying political science, Wilkstrom and Ewing—lost their competitive heats, leaving them a dollar down in terms of gambling. Scott however won his first round but lost the second to Kallie Synder. “Did you see that lady?! We started and then it was like, Boom! Done” Scott said. For the most part; the crowd was cheery, supportive and hopeful of winning more “Avengers,” scratch-cards. Approximately one and three cards have the possibility of winning a prize. These prizes vary from 1 and, two top earning prizes of, five thousand dollars. But those win one and every 386,000 where as there being an 11 percent chance of winning a two dollar prize.    There was one final winner, the lady from Caldwell—Synder. Defeating multiple opponents, Synder won 300 “Avengers,” scratch-cards. She did walk away with another prize, being the “fastest scratcher in Boise, Idaho.” -Thanks again for reading, Bryce Dunham-Zemberi
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Written by, Me. 

Competitive Scratching Presents, “Itching Their Hearts Out.” 

To promote the release of “The Avengers,” the Idaho Lottery, held a scratcher competition attracting “the best,” of Boise. Attendees included but were not limited to, the unshaven, the tattered, the elderly, the fully costumed Tony Stark, a few normal people, an obese Captain America and three Boise State students—sophomores, Michael Ewing, Tim Scott, Mark Wilkstrom and junior, Joseph Parra.

About thirty people gathered in the ExxonMobile at W. Franklin Rd. &  W. Franklin Rd.  on May 3, 2012. Here the attendees competed in a “scratch off”—where two competitors raced against each other in a scratch off, of the values and winning numbers on multiple “Avengers,” scratch-card.

The tournament was held at a gas station including staff, lack of seating and free hamburger samples. People stood around and shared conversations while purchasing, scratch-cards and affiliated materials. To determine the ordering of players, each person was given a timed practiced round. David Workman, the Idaho Lottery Information Specialist, organized these attendees by speed—fastest in the front and slowest in the back.

Our Boise State students were somewhere in the middle of the pack. Ewing, studying marketing, completed his scratch-card in the practice round in less than eight seconds, whereas Scott, studying chemistry, finished his practice sheet in seven, leaving Parra, third of the group, completing his preliminary in eight. Attendees at the end of their line; completed theirs in 12- 15seconds.

Elimination rounds proceeded as the fastest scratch-card competitor versed the slowest scratch-card competitor. Each player scratched as if there were a gun to their head or had a chance of winning 300 more scratchers. The crowds cheered, disputed victories and stood eagerly.  

There were upsets of course; some of the slower competitors did beat the faster. Some, such as Parra, blame this on completive sandbagging. According to one of the Boise State students, one lady dropped eight seconds between heats, as if she strategically lost the first round. All but one of the Boise State students—Parra, studying political science, Wilkstrom and Ewing—lost their competitive heats, leaving them a dollar down in terms of gambling.

Scott however won his first round but lost the second to Kallie Synder. “Did you see that lady?! We started and then it was like, Boom! Done” Scott said.

For the most part; the crowd was cheery, supportive and hopeful of winning more “Avengers,” scratch-cards. Approximately one and three cards have the possibility of winning a prize. These prizes vary from 1 and, two top earning prizes of, five thousand dollars. But those win one and every 386,000 where as there being an 11 percent chance of winning a two dollar prize.   

There was one final winner, the lady from Caldwell—Synder. Defeating multiple opponents, Synder won 300 “Avengers,” scratch-cards. She did walk away with another prize, being the “fastest scratcher in Boise, Idaho.”

-Thanks again for reading, Bryce Dunham-Zemberi

ExxonMobile’s legislative impact on congress results in oil favorable legislation.

Written for The Arbiter.

lobbying cartoons, lobbying cartoon, lobbying picture, lobbying pictures, lobbying image, lobbying images, lobbying illustration, lobbying illustrations

The problem with money’s influence  in politics should be a national concern. Our constitution was established to avoid one concern, non-democratic power. Today’s quasi-democratic system leaves representatives with the power to direct the national agenda in favor of the largest contributor. Our system allows representatives to receive donations under the assumption that strings are not attached. To understand this problem, one must understand lobbying’s impact on each constituent’s life.

According to Clyde Wilcox, profosser of goverment at Georgetown University and co-author of “Interests Groups in American Campaigns,” interest groups  work within the limits of the law to represent specific causes such as oil drilling and union rights.

“Interest groups’ strategies and tactics depend on two sets of factors: on the one hand, the legal regulations and common practices that govern electoral activity, and on the other, the goals and resources of the group,” Wilcox said.

The most important regulatory decision for special interests groups is the 2010 Supreme Court case Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission decision.

This decision does not allow corporations or unions to donate infinitely to individual candidates, but rather allows infinite donations from corporations and unions to special interest groups and political action committees (PACs)  most sympathetic to the financiers. These entities have an undue influence in politics because they can afford a larger megaphone than the average citizen.

According to CQ Press and Foundation for Public Affairs author of Public Interests Group Profiles 2006-2007, there are over 255 special interests groups that cover a broad range of views.

These organizations influence politics by donating money to representatives for specific interests such as big oil.  For example, ExxonMobile Corp. and its executives and sympathizers donate money to the ExxonMobile PAC in unlimited amounts, as allowed by the Citizens United decision. According to Opensecerts.org, ExxonMobile PAC spent $747,163 on 22 Democratic and 137 Republican representatives sympathetic to ExxonMobile.

According to Opensecerts.org, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) received $10,000 dollars from ExxonMobile PAC. McConnell’s voting record coincidentally supports ExxonMobile’s interests such as the Offshore Production and Safety Act of 2011, which allows access to offshore oil drilling.

There is not just one McConnell who votes in the interest of the largest financiers. There are hundreds of representative across both party lines. Represenatives like McConnell consciously take money from special interest groups and PACs and then pass legislation that supports their priorities.

This is a sickness of our democracy, and it should be temporary.

Our constitution condones one logic—by the people for the people. Our current quasi-democratic system however leaves represenatives vulnerable to gifts that come with strings attached.

We the voters have two options. We can vote out every representative who takes special interest donations and PAC money, or we can demand legislation that eliminates non-constituent donations entirely.

The framers gave us the tools to correct all unforeseen problems. Do we need a 28th Amendment perhaps?

-Thanks for reading, Bryce Dunham-Zemberi

Source: arbiteronline.com