Newspaper Page Text
4 | Hjbsday, April 4. 2000 I The Red a Black
Kevin Clark | Editor in Chief
editorqprandb.com
Jonathan Reed | Managing Editor
me(cyrandb.com
Meghan Roecklein j Opinions Editor
opinionx(&randb.com
Opinions
RwSSmiank 1
Kn iwirpewtral student arwepafer arrviag the I nivereih of (feuflO* ruMiinit)
HSTAHI,ISHKD 1898, INDEPENDENT 1 9H»
Our Take
Majority opinions of The Red <& Black’s editorial board
Bearable lightness
Intramural field lights still a good
plan, in spite of recent questioning
' If things go as planned, next semester will be the
fall the lights went on at the intramural fields.
Whether that’s a good or bad idea is up for debate.
A growing number of stu
dents, from Wil Layng, a coor
dinator of Students for
Environmental Awareness, to
Chris Hoofnagle, a former
SGA senator, oppose the
lights.
Money is one question on
the minds of some of the stu
dents. Georgia Power has
pledged money to the light
ing project, but University
officials claim the electricity
will be paid for with the regu
lar budget.
Another concern is the nat
ural aspect of the intramural
fields. Without the lights,
meteor storms and constella
tions are visible at the fields — something not pos
sible near any dorms or University buildings.
A plus for the lights is that they will allow the
University to hold intramural sports at night,
expanding the schedule and giving a wider amount
of teams and individuals a chance to participate.
The main concern, it seems, is whether students
were allowed to give input on spending what is
thought by some to be money from student activity
fees. The University says students were consulted
when the lighting plan originally was conceived sev
eral years ago and also that the money being used
to install the lights did not come from student
activities funds.
We still feel the lights are a good idea. Students
have busy schedules, and anything that will allow
us to continue using University facilities later at
night will be considered a convenience.
Renovation tour
Students should stop by Adams’ new
office today to take a tour of history
It’s been a few weeks since we all found out just
how much President Adams spent on his office and
what he bought with that money.
Today, we can all go see for ourselves what a
multi-million dollar renovation looks like.
From 4 to 6 p.m., Adams will open the doors to
the Administration Building (on North Campus,
where the old Georgia Museum of Art used to be,
for those of you who’ve never seen it) to students.
Anybody who wants a tour can come by. Guides
and brochures will inform visitors on the restora
tion process.
We think students should go see the renovations
because it’s always good to see first-hand what
your money is paying for.
But also, it’s an opportunity to see what the
building originally may have looked like. The plans
for reconstruction were painstakingly researched to
match many of the original designs for the building.
Students can walk into Adams’ office today and
see a little piece of University history recreated.
A Construction on
lighting for the fields
has already begun.
Our Staff
NEWS: 543-1809
Non EdNor Let* Roltas
Associate News Editor: Jennifer Copeland
Sports Editor: Gentry Estes
Variety Editor WB Kiser
Reeruftment Editor: Tara McCormick
Photography EdNor RakN Dalai
Chief Copy Editor Lacey White
Online Editor Frank Hams
Front Page Copy Editor: lan Shelton
Copy Editors Amanda Brannon. Enn Dickerson Michelle
Thomas
UGA Today(OulcMake Jeff Montemayor
Web Warn: R Lae GuameAa
CNef Photographer Heather Alien
Photographers: Becky Re<d. Jessica McGowan
Nawe Writers: Chandter Brown. Paul Fulton Jr Shana
Qatantma Samira Jaten. Miranda Mangum. Mark feesse
K/Man WyeB
Sports Writers: Darren Epps, Josh Katnwib. Undsay Riddel
Variety Writers: Suzanne Kayes. Kyle Mmehew Craig Ptehps
Stringers: Chns Adams. Kathleen Baydaia. Molly Ba>reti
Quarua Brooks Patrick Cates Chandter Coffee. Graham
Qantaon. Marc Gneberg. Bryan Grantham Chns Haserobs
Bianca Handaraon. Wary Wfcard Mat! Hoch. Mane Hodge
Dana Levto, Kyte Mmehew Mark Anthony Thomas. Mary
Alarm WtoNre Kyle Wingfield
ADVERTISING: 543-1791
Advertising Manager. Sara Spun
Advertising Assistant: Mary Bath Smuro, Jessica Lambed
Advertising Director: Jason Valentine
Account Executives: Justin Brooks. Leslie Irving. Sh*eta
Jonas. Jana McOamal. Holy Merritt. Cattn Murphy, Courtney
Renew, Kristin Stapleton
Special Projects: Amanda Burton
Student Classified Manager: Rusty Clifton
Circulation Assistant: Kelly Yount
Production Manager: Amy Dahtetrand
Assistant Production Managers: Jeremy Pick art. Brittany
Ramee
Production Staff: Benjamin Comers. Stephanie Davis. Jason
Wiggms. Erin WMume
Publisher: Harry Montovdeo
Office Manager: Mary Straub
Assistant Office Manager Makssa Cooney
Receptionist: Regina Pack
Editorial Assistant: Taka Margokes
The Rad A Mack « pubtohed Monday through Friday M and
spring semesters and each Thursday summer semester except
holidays and Mam periods, by The Rad & Black PuMshing
Company Inc. a non-proW campus newspaper not afhkaieO
with the University of Georg* Postal address 123 N Jackson
St Athens GA, 30801 Fax 548-7251 Subscription rale $130
par year
Optraona aqxaaaad r The Rad A Black other Man unaqned «MonMi are tie opsaone of tie wnfen of agnad oolumne aid not nec-
aaaarly torn of The Rad and Bteck Pubkahmg Company Inc Al rt0* leeamed Repnnts by parmaaan of tie edkxi
Reaching Us
Phone (706) 543-1809 | Rix (706) 548-7251
opinions<®randb.com | www.redandblack.com
123 N. Jackson St., Athens, Ga„ 30601
Letters should include name, year in school, hometown, phone
number, major or job title or other appropriate identification.
Letters should be no more than 150 words. All letters are subject to
editing for length, style and libelous material.
KEXIT6P "PAY Of500L" ACT : COUNTRY-PAP giUtfBOB?
J tfW:with /v\ Y Ml wp 0 **
ON HONTlM' Mp HOTnK OH my mind.'
/’
Yearning for Athens in LA-LA land
H ollywood — i guess you
never know what you have
until you see L.A.
I was there, in LA-LA land, to
see a movie that was filmed part
ly in Athens.
Stepping off the plane, I knew
right away things were different.
Athens has rich folks. We’ve
got the Beery Rich and the
Gotta Mercedes Rich.
Beery Rich is when students
have enough money to buy beer
all the time.
Your friend slides inside to get
another beer:
“Well, ’scuse me. moneybags
over here is going to get another
Bud!”
Gotta Mercedes Rich is when
someone can afford to buy a nice
car — any nice car.
You see a Land Rover sitting
in Vince Dooley’s driveway:
“I saw a Mercedes in Vince
Dooley’s driveway!’’
“I didn’t realize he wus Rich!”
Out there in California, people
are RICH.
Folks that aren’t even involved
in the entertainment industry
are rich out there.
I sat in a cab at a red light on
the way to my hotel and a bum
started to clean off the wind
shield.
The light turned green and as
the car pulled away I could hear
the bum making fun of my
clothes.
He was wearing Armani.
In Athens, the only dangerous
homeless tend to be the runaway
kids that aim for the back of your
head with sharp rocks if you
can’t spare any change.
But they would never make
fun of your clothes — in fact it’s
part of the point. In Athens, it’s
important to have dishevelled,
stained clothes.
In L.A. the homeless are
potential models.
The money isn’t the only thing
Will Kiser
that’s different, either. I guess
you never really know what
Athens has until you see what
L.A. doesn’t have.
At least I wasn't the only one
who realized how lucky we are.
Talking to some of the stars of
the movie, once they heard I was
from Athens, everything
changed.
“This is one lucky bastard!"
said Stifler from “American Pie,”
throwing his arm around me. I
felt like I had known him forever.
Not many people are so percep
tive to both know how lucky I am
and have the eloquence to call
me a bastard the first time they
meet me.
"Athens is so cool!” he said.
No kidding. Don’t touch me.
Getting to my hotel on
Saturday, I had to wait to check
into my room.
This was a problem because I
was all ready to watch North
Carolina whoop up on my hated
Gators in the Final Four!
“If you want, you can watch
the game in the lobby,” said the
woman at the counter.
So, I went and got set up in
the hotel lobby. I moved three
chairs together so I could stretch
out, take off my shoes and watch
the game in complete relaxation.
My concern with this Final
Four game has nothing to do
with some kind of deep-seated
love for North Carolina. It’s
about a deep-seated hate for the
U of F (or, what I lovingly refer to
as FU)
And these feelings aren't con
fined to only hating Florida dur
ing football season. Hate is a
strong word, and I HATE
Florida. I don’t just throw that
word around during the fall. If
they had a chess tournament
within five hours of Athens, I
would go just to heckle their
“players.”
So I situated myself into my
makeshift bed and unbuttoned
my pants.
I set a warm six-pack of Miller
High Life in front of the vent to
cool off, put a pillow in between
my knees and settled in for the
game.
About that time, two snazzy
looking men walked into the
lobby.
They were both wearing shiny
black shoes, had sideburns and
looked like a character from
“Friends” — one of the female
characters.
“Excuse me sir, but the VH1
Fashion Awards are about to
come on and could you change
the channel?”
First of all, I like Van Halen,
but if they’re giving out fashion
awards I don't want to be a part
of it.
“Well sir, around here, we
don’t hate Florida. We don’t like
basketball. We love VH1, and we
love fashion.”
Suddenly. I'm looking forward
to smelling stale beer on the
sidewalks of home and dodging
sharp rocks in the street.
So I stood up and tapped my
cigar three times in the guy's
drink:
“There’s no place like Athens,
there’s no place like Athens,
there’s no place like Athens ...”
— Will Kiser is the variety
editor for The Red & Black.
His column appears every
Tuesday.
Mailbox
E-mail, letters and faxes from our readers
Computerized tests are unfair, difficult
I am writing to voice my con
cern about the computerized
tests.
The Chemistry Department
gives extremely difficult comput
erized tests.
I study hours before going in
to take the exam.
Each time before going into
tests, I feel like I could easily
make an A.
But when the score quickly
pops up when I am finished, it is
usually a C, D, or F.
For some reason, taking my
test on the computer makes me
much more nervous than taking
it on paper (I make A’s on just
about all of my Calculus tests
given on paper).
I think it is because we get
two tries to correct our wrong
answers.
After each time, all the wrong
answers pop back up. Whenever
more than half of my answers are
wrong, I feel like cussing or
throwing the computer.
Another problem with the
tests are the grading errors. I
have been dreading the 581 got
on the last exam for the past
week.
When I looked at the grade
this morning, it had gone up 13
points!
The last problem I want to
comment on is that I feel some of
the questions are impossible.
I guess that’s what you get
when your major is in high
demand.
I want to be a doctor — along
E-MAILING US
Questions, comments,
complaints? Here’s where to
point and click:
Letters I opinions@randb.com
News Tips I news6randb.com
R&B Online I (harris6randb.com
with many other students — but
somehow I think this weed-out
chemistry class is taking away
my dream of becoming a pedia
trician.
CAROLINE MONROE
Freshman, Atlanta
Biology
Parking deck does not
provide enough security
I park my car in the West
Campus parking deck.
I paid extra money Just so I
could have the security of the
deck.
1 was told before purchasing
the deck pass that there would
be 24-hour security and a guard
on duty at all times.
At the beginning of this
semester my car was broken into
and I lost close to $200.
I enter and exit the deck from
the Russell Hall parking lot and I
rarely see anyone in the booth by
the entrance. I think if the
University builds these decks
and promises security 24 hours,
then there should be no worries
of a break-in in the deck.
Ever since my car was broken
into, I have been reading the
crime watch in The Red and
Black.
I have found that almost every
week a student reports their car
being broken into while being
parked in the west deck.
I wonder where my money
really goes to, because I am not
paying anyone at the deck to
watch over my car.
SKIP DAVIDSON
Freshman, Allentown
Criminal Justice
Students are lucky to
have well-kept campus
I Just want to issue a simple
thank you to those of you who
keep our campus looking so
beautiful.
The trees are trimmed and
healthy, the Dowers are in full
bloom and the grass has never
been a richer shade of green.
We are so blessed to go to
school on one of the most well-
kept, beautiful campuses In the
country.
Thank you. Vail do an
incredible job.
GRETCHEN D'HUYVETTER
junior, mansni
Spaach communication
Rebecca Riddick
Seeing was
believing for
contributor
S o you get a phone call at
6 on a weeknight. It’s a
telemarketer and before
you even listen to the pitch
you hang up.
Or how about this: you get
a mass mailing asking you to
donate some of your precious
money and before you even
look to see what it is for, it’s in
the trash.
For some non-profit organi
zations — such as charities —
these are their major source of
income.
Recently, I traveled to the
Czech Republic and saw
where the money I and others
have donated to the charity of
my choice, United Jewish
Communities, goes.
A little history lesson: The
Czech Republic (formerly
Czechoslovakia) had been
under Soviet influence until
1989 when, during the Velvet
Revolution, they had a peace
ful transfer of power and
became a democracy. Since
then, the people have had to
readjust to no longer having
the state take care of them.
There are no more cushy
government jobs or retire
ment pensions. No longer is
there state-provided health
care. But most importantly to
the Czech people, the Soviet
Union no longer controls their
lives. For the first time since
pre-World War II, the Czechs
are in control of their own
destiny.
This has not been all good,
however. Czechs have
watched as their economy
crumbled and as a select few
have benefited from capital
ism. Although, if you ask,
none will tell you they wish for
a return to communism.
This is where UJC and it’s
overseas arm, the American
Jewish Joint Distribution
Committee (or the Joint for
short), come in.
In the Czech Republic and
in other former Soviet bloc
areas, the Joint, with money
raised in America and
Canada, provides food bas
kets to those who can't man
age on their own.
Additionally, in Prague, the
Joint, in conjuntion with
Ronald Lauder (of Estee
Lauder fame), have opened a
school. This school is
equipped with all modem
technology to which many
others in this country do not
have access.
This school provides an
education to any school-age
child who wishes to attend,
and the school has made a
major positive impact on the
community.
We visited the school and
spoke with the headmaster
and a teacher. They spoke of
how the school would not
have existed without the gen
erous donations of the North
Americans.
Additionally, it wasn't just
our money that helped the
school. Sharing education
practices and techniques and
training support for the teach
ers has helped as well.
That $10 I’d donated the
year before hadn’t meant
much to me, but combined
with the $10, $20 and even
larger donations of everyone
else, it went a long way.
I’m not advocating going
out and donating a large sum
of money to UJC.
What I am advocating is
helping out in any way possi
ble. By donating what you
would spend on one meal you
can help someone else eat for
a week.
Or you can act locally.
Spending a few minutes of
your time to donate blood can
save three different people's
lives. Tutoring a local student
can help them suceed in life.
Anything is better than
hanging up next time
Goodwill or the American
Diabetes Foundation or the
Red Cross calls and asks for
your help.
Find an organization that
fits your interests and help its
cause.
— Rebecca Riddick is a
freshman in political
science.