The Red and Black (Athens, Ga.) 1893-current, August 29, 2007, Page 4, Image 4

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Newspaper Page Text4 Wednesday, August 29, 2007 | The Red a Black Juanita Cousins i Editor in Chief editor@randb.com Matthew Grayson | Managing Editor me@randb.com JoAnn Anderson | Opinions Editor opinions@randb.com Our Take Majority opinions of The Red & Black’s editorial board Beyond the Arches Volunteer some of your time off-campus to those Athenians who need it most There are two sides to the city of Athens: the one we see as students of this University, and the one everyone else must live, work and play in, for better or for worse. Yes, U.S. News & World Report ranked us among the top 20 public universities in America, but Athens-Clarke County is also the fifth poorest in the nation for its size, according to Partners for a Prosperous Athens. So next time you leave the marble steps of the Student Learning Center and stroll across the beautiful lawns of North Campus, how about taking a moment to remember those for whom these luxuries mean nothing, those whose lives unfold within the unfortunate underbelly of this peculiar city. Or better yet, stop by Tate Plaza today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the University’s third annu al volunteer fair and get involved with one of a host of social service groups and non-profits that offer everything under the sun to those in need, both local and otherwise. Forgo boozing at the beach for once, and spend a week with Alternative Spring Break building a Habitat house in New Orleans or working with HIV/AIDS awareness in Mobile, Ala. Stall your job search for two years and teach in an impoverished school system with Teach for America. Or simply stop by the Athens Area Homeless Shelter once a week and lend a helping hand. We don’t care how or why you get involved just do it. Please. Asa student of this University, you also hap pen to be a resident of a city with some serious problems, whether you like it or not. You can be like most of your classmates and overlook this conundrum, or you can set aside a small amount of your time toward making Athens a better place. Got the write stuff? Wanna become an Internet celebrity? Join The Red & Black's blogosphere If you’re anything like us, then you enjoy sharing your two cents worth. Newsrooms and circulation may be shrink ing, but this industry has migrated to an unlim ited forum called the Internet. As the roles of blogs become increasingly mainstream, we too want to use them as an outreach tool. Www.redandblack.com is looking for political blogs, fashion blogs, nightlife blogs, Greek life blogs, sports blogs and any other type of niche blog that can muster the interests of our read ers. Perhaps you drive a University bus that shut tles hundreds of wide-eyed freshmen across campus and overhear their conversations. Or perhaps you are a doorman or bartender who witnesses drunken escapades. We want to know those stories. Perhaps you already post regularly on a blog, but its only two hits came from your mom and ex-girlfriend. As College Publisher’s No. 1 online student newspaper, we ensure your readership will soar. If you are willing to let The Red & Black amplify your voice to between 6,000 and 7,000 daily online readers, send your name, contact information, year and major to editor@randb. com. If you already have a blog, include the link. Otherwise, compose a hypothetical post for your ideal blog. The un-opinionated need not apply. Our Staff NEWS: 706433-3002 Newt Editor: Alexis Garrobo Associate News Editor: Melissa Weinman Sports Editor: Tyler Estep Variety Editor: Whitney Kessler First & Goal Editor: Phillip Kisubika Out ft About Editor: Alec Wooden Photography Editor: Kelly Wegel Chief Photographer: Josh Weiss Chief Copy Editors: Christina Grail, Shannon Otto Design Editor: Melanie McNeeiy Online Editor: Paul Ruddle Recruitment Editor: Lauren leschper Editorial Cartoonist: Bill Richards Editorial Assistant: Claire Scully Editorial Adviser: Ed Morales News Staff Writers: Kristen Coulter, Carolyn Crist, Brian Hughes, Claire Miller, Daniel O'Connor, Pearman Parker, Samuel Steinberg, Sarah Watkins Sports Staff Writers: Jason Butt, Lawrence ConneK Marshall Duncan Variety Staff Writers: Tamara Best, Ann Cantrell, Elizabeth Dillard, Charles Griffin, Jennifer Jackson, Anna Krakovski, Taylor Rhodes. Mandy Rodgers, Clarke Schwabe, Valentina Tapia, Rachel Webster Photographers: Mike Comer, Lindsay Dobras, Lindy Dugger, Sara Guevara, JuNa Norman Design Desk: Cady Baker, Colin Dunlop. Lauren Edson, Katie Gasner, Lyndsay Hoban, Christina Lee, Cathryn Mclntosh, Darline Oyemakjnwa, Caroline Ruse, Katherine Stewart, Kristen Shaw, Jennifer Taylor, Ashiey Twist Stringers: Rusty Bailey, Aaron Barton, Brad Bostwick, Kristen Boyd, Baron Brown, Paul Cherian, Kevin Opinions expressed in Die Red A Black other than unsigned edkorials are the opinions of the writers otsigied columns and not necessarity those of The Red and Stock Puttshing Company Inc. Al rights reserved. Reprints by permission ol the editors. Editorial board members include Juanita Cousins, Malt Grayson, Bftl Richards, JoAnn Anderson Reaching Us Phone (706) 433-3002 | Fax (706) 433-3033 opiniocs@randb.com | www.redandblack.com 540 Baxter St., Athens, Ga., 30605 Letters should include name, year in school, hometown, phone number, major or job title or other appropriate identification. Letters should be no more than ISO words. All letters are subject to editing for length, style and libelous material. Copp, Ryne Dennis, Robbins Exume, Jenna Findlan, Tyler Goforth, Lauren Grundhoefer, Rebecca Hay, Rachelle Hicks, Caroline Kilgore, Sarah King, Rene Lautenschlager, Julie Leung, Tom Marine, Joe Mason, liana McQuinn, Katie McWane, Colter McWhorter, Josh Moynihan, Julia Norman, Nima Patel, Jennifer Paxton, Denechia Powell, Conor Richardson, Colin Smith, Jessica Smith, David Vaughn, Harrison Wagener, Marlee Waxelbum, Emily Yocco Copy Editors: Tiffany Howard, Meridith Moon, Tiago Moura, Anna Rodriguez, Rebecca Rose, Kelly Shaul ADVERTISING: 706-433-3001 Account Expcuttvei: Abby Ammons, Rachel Causey, Irena Chernova, Morgan Copper, Tyler English, Jennifer Mendel, Lindsay Nichols, Amanda Ryan, Valerie Traber, Julie Turner Classified Manager : Erin Beasley Classified Adviser: Amanda Goforth, Danielle Towers Advertising Assistant: Ryan Roddenberry Advertising Director: Rick Chapman Web Developer: Nikita Smeshko Production Staff: Gary Bardizbanian, Natalie Boyd. Julie Leung, Leslie Mintz Production Night Supervisor: Chris Lee Production Manager: Sam Pittard Receptionist: Erin Beasley Assistant Office Manager: Lauren Albert Office Manager: Mary Straub Publish*. Many Montevideo Ths Rad S Black is published Monday througi Friday fal and spring semesters and each Thursday summer semester except holidays and exam periods, by The Red S Black Pubfehing Company Inc, a nongroffl campus newspaper not affiliated nkh (he Untversdyof Geotgu Subscription rate StSS per yeer Opinions For Pete’s sake, avoid cliches Cliches are your aver age writer’s best friend. In almost any piece of writing, they are as inevitable as death and taxes, just as they are the Achilles heel of any poor grad student slaving over freshmen papers. However, I would like to put the nail in the cof fin on these tired sayings and turn over anew leaf. Once and for all, I want to put to bed these tired phrases. Why are we so attached to these sayings that are as old as dirt? The prob lem is cliches are a dime a dozen, and people are more inclined to trust the enemy that they know. Why reinvent the wheel when they know they can find a cliche to express almost any emotion or thought under the sun? For many, a cliche is like an ace in the hole - just add it to the end of a sen tence to ensure that your audience will understand your ranting and raving. A cliche is the icing on the cake of any good state ment. I try to avoid cliches like the plague in my writ ing. There’s just no guts or glory in a cliche— anyone can add one to their paper at the drop of a hat. I’d like to think my inspira tion comes from within, that maybe I’ll strike it rich in anew idea and come up with one of those one-in-a-million sayings that shocks and awes everyone. Mailbox E-mail and letters from our readers Pool partiers not worthy of front page (Regarding Aug. 28’s “PoUce snag early morn ing pool partiers”) The only problem I have with The Red & Black on this issue is its intentions. Most local newspapers do report arrests; however, they are not on the front page. The only time an arrest makes the front page is when someone commits a murder or armed robbery. Were coUege students caught drinking at a pool worthy of the front page? If The Red & Black is going to continue to report arrests, why don’t they create pages just to report student arrests? Then, they can fairly report every student arrested during the week, their hair color, pet’s name, religious views and any campus affiliations. MATT MEADOWS Senior, Dalton Business Roadway respect needed both ways In the Aug. 24 article “Police punish jaywalk ers,” it was incorrectly claimed that “a vehicle must stop for a pedes trian if the pedestrian is at least halfway across the road at the time the vehicle approaches.” This would seem to suggest that drivers don’t have to stop for pedestrians who are in a crosswalk In their lane of traffic. Georgia law OCGA 40-6-21 states “a vehicle must yield the right of way to a pedes 6P JS Drew Lichtenstein ▲ “ I try to avoid cliches like the plague in my writing. There’s no guts or glory in a cliche anyone can add one to their paper at the drop of a hat.” However, I’ve been forced to face one of those sad facts of life - writing a cliche really is easy as pie, and sometimes I can’t help but want to go back for another slice. So what is a poor writer to do? Fight tooth and nail against this sea of hackneyed sayings, or simply let sleeping dogs lie? Sports cliches really get under my skin because they’re as common as a point after a touchdown. Everyone knows that the better team doesn’t always win (that’s why you have to play the games), but if one team has all of its players starting to gel, they’ll probably beat the trian who is lawfully in a crosswalk.” It is also illegal to pass a vehicle stopped for a pedestrian in a crosswalk. I would appreciate it if the police also would give tickets to aggressive drivers who ignore pedes trian rights, failing to stop and even speeding up at crosswalks. Respect for the law goes both ways. MICHAEL CONROY Adjunct Professor Forestry and Natural Resources Support football, earn more tickets 18,026 student tick ets out of a 92,746-seat stadium does seem like a low percentage. However, how do you expect the ticket association to give a larger proportion of tickets to students when we can’t even fill our entire section until the second quarter for most games? It is downright embarrassing to see the student section of the upper deck half-empty at kickoff for some of the less appealing games. No doubt tailgating is a special, prominent part of the entire Georgia foot ball experience. However, especially for night games, you can sacrifice 30 min utes of tailgating time to get in the game a little earlier and show the team when It runs onto the field that you’re there in sup port. It also will show the Athletic Association that Red&Black An independent student newspaper serving the University of Georgia community ESTABLISHED IIS. INDEPENDENT 19 8 t team that’s in a rebuilding year. Personally, all my favorite players are physi cal, impactful, tough and hard-nosed. You hope that rookies and freshmen are the real deal, and star players are in a league of their own because they’re warriors who thrive under pressure. Of course, your team needs some bench players who are both scrappy and unselfish - good guys to have in the locker room. The worst thing in the whole world, though, is that these cliches have made a seamless transi tion into describing hon est-to-goodness emotions. For all intents and pur poses, this is what night mares are made out of. If your long lost love’s labor is lost, was it really bet ter to have loved and lost then not loved at all? Just call a spade a spade and stop beating around the bush. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t know what the heck people are talk ing about anymore. Sure, to err is human, but seri ously, the road to hell is paved with awful cliches. Unfortunately, I have to face the music writ ing about how cliches are overdone by overloading one’s writing with a ton of cliches is so ... cliched. Drew Lichtenstein is a junior from Marietta majoring in history. we, as students, care enough about the game itself to perhaps gain a larger ticket supply for future years. DAVID THORPE Sophomore, Macon Pre-Business Biased journalism unfair to Greeks The R & B has out done itself in setting high standards of journalism. Their fair and balanced take on the student body was made abundantly clear again with the head lining article of today’s paper. Of the 22 students arrested that morning, The R & B informs us that 14 were Greek. Using their journalistic prowess, they were even able to determine the spe cific organization to which each belonged. But what about the other eight stu dents? What other das tardly campus organiza tions have members who would dare to have a pool party at 4 a.m. on private property? If The Red & Black pulled their heads away from the police blot ter and Facebook, they might realize that under age drinking is not an activity exclusive to any campus organization, and maybe if they pulled their heads out of their own narrow focus of reporting, they could avoid stepping in a big pile of smugness. KARL BRODER Alumnus, Stockbridge English JD Joe Mason ▲ Recycling can improve with University aid Baby trees are dying. Baby seals are crying. And I can save the world by recycling. Yeah, yeah, yeah l’ve heard all the reasons to recycle. But as a busy University senior, what I want to know is, “Can’t they make it easier for me?” Yes, they can. Despite the University’s recycling program— Dawg Gone It Recycle! many students still encounter overflowing bottle recy cling bins in the Student Learning Center. In some buildings, such as Baldwin Hall, paper recycling bins forbid dumping newspapers. I still can’t figure out if it’s OK to recycle used coffee cups and pizza boxes. The University cre ates 650 tons of trash and recycles about 75 tons of it each month, according to a printed guide to the program. That’s 11.5 percent recycled on campus compared to 32 percent recycled in the larger, national community, based on Environmental Protection Agency fig ures. University students are the future leaders of our communities, and we should lead by recycling as much as possible. Here’s what we need to do: >- Throw money at the problem. The SLC has about 200 trash cans, said Shannon Bennett, the SLC’s department manager for security and facilities. But the building has only eight drink bottle recycling containers. On busy days, they fill up too fast for Bennett’s student security staffers to keep them empty. If there was a large recy cling collection crew to keep more receptacles empty, students would recycle more often. >■ Ensure consis tency across campus. Custodians need to know the program now includes common paper products, includ ing newspapers and cardboard. But even Kimberly Thomas, the Physical Plant’s newly appointed assistant director of services, couldn’t tell me if it was OK to recycle a dirty pizza box or coffee cup (and Athens-Clarke County Recycling Center representatives did not return calls Tuesday). Cowart’s crews col lect recycling from build ings, but they don’t have access inside buildings, said Ken Cowart, sani tation foreman for the Physical Plant. These are interdepartmental problems the adminis tration can fix. Nationally, we are making a positive impact. Of the national waste, 32 percent was recycled, up from 16 per cent in 1980, according to the EPA report. On campus, Thomas said the University will look at peer institutions to determine future bud gets and improvements to the program. The administration needs to refine its recycling pro gram. But the true respon sibility lies within us, the students. We have to take the extra step to drop an empty drink bottle or this well-read newspaper in a recycling bin instead of a trash can. Cowart said, “We can them to water. We can’t make them drink.” My fellow trash pro ducers, it’s time we drink the water. Joe Mason is a news stringer for The Red & Black.

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The Red and Black (Athens, Ga.) 1893-current, August 29, 2007, Page 4, Image 4