Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

4 Friday, December 3, 2010 | The Rbd a Black Caray O'Neil | Managing Editor me@randb.com Courtney Holbrook | Opinions Editor opinions@randb.com Opinion Meter A wrap-up of the week’s ups and downs Upcoming finals OK, bring on the Red Eyes, Shots in the Dark and Crackaccinos finals are nearly here. And we’re not happy about it. Obviously it comes with the territory of being in college, but the ■'■HP number of sleepless nights that are f going to accumulate among students will be through the roof. We can’t wait to curl up and sleep for days when finals conclude. Let’s get it. Wikileaks After media speculation and Hilary’s damnation, the new Wikileaks docu ments have been released. What poli ticians warned would destroy national security was revealed to be a mass of a diplomatic screw-ups and intemation al name-calling. The editorial board relishes the new information. This is for journalists and American citi zens everywhere. Julian Assange may be not be much of a role model, but transparency is always appreciated. Editor resignation The Red & Black covers stories that athletic directors, drunken freshmen and, this week, the paper itself would rather not see. The editorial board is embarrassed with former Editor in Chief Daniel Burnett’s immature behavior in the president’s box and the coverage of the incident. Readers w deserve better from their student leaders, and The Red & Black aims to deliver better from here on out. New carpet in Tate Only 18 months since the facility opened, the carpets on the fifth floor of the Tate Student Center will be replaced to the tune of SIOO,OOO from a reserve fund made up of last year’s student activity fees. The administra tion claimed that the replacement is jigfnL necessary due to the “unpredicted volume” of visitors in Tate. It’s curi ous they didn’t foresee that the w expansion would result in a high vol ume of visitors, but more upsetting is that students are being asked to pay for the replacement. Students already paid for Tate 2, and through our $l6O annual facilities fee students we will still be paying for Tate until about 2055. Hanukkah Spin that dreidel guys, the holiday of lights is back. Whether it’s latkes or sufganiyot, get ready to enjoy deli- cious food and Jewish joy. Enjoy the family time and make sure to see the 32-foot-tall menorah in New York City. Who knows? It may even be the editorial board’s favorite celebration what other holiday lasts for eight days? Lost World Cup The editorial board understands that giving the 2022 World Cup to a coun try the size of Connecticut with a population lower than Houston’s will help expand the sport in the Middle East, but one number sticks out when rstmrnsz comparing Qatar’s bid to the United §H|§§ States’ bid: 67,000. With a capac ity of 67,000, Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil w Stadium is the smallest venue in the US’ bid, but it’s bigger than all but one of Qatar’s proposed stadiums. Really, FIFA? Good luck getting peo ple excited about watching a World Cup in 130-degree heat 12 years from now. Rachel Bowers, Courtney Holbrook, Carey O’Neil and Robbie Ottley for the editorial board Quote of the week: “Here at Bes bar, we’re going Cougar hunting... Why Cougars? They’re actually hard to get. The 21-year-olds, if you get enough shots, they’re too easy. But if you get a cougar, she’s married; she might have like, five kids; she’s kind of a challenge. Love the challenge.” —from Zach Davidson, a University alumnus, in “Doumtoum: hour-by-hour,” Nov. 29 Opinion* expressed In The Red A Btocfc ere the opinions of Vw writers td not necessity twee of The Red ml Oecfc Publishing Company Inc Al rights removed Reprints by permission of the •dMori. NEWS: 706-433-3002 Neva Editor: Mimi Enatoy AmocMo Now* Editor: Rachel Bunt Sport* Editor Zach Olard tluMu CHMru Im IMIUma varray tanor joe WHiiafns Photo Editor M*ghan PMman Daalgn EdNora: Lauren Betamy, nawy i empte vopy color* blame Keren, own roaak. jessree nooens OnHm Editor WW Brown Online Copy Edltore Lauren Cronon, Taylor Moaa Editorial Cartoonlat* Jude Bailey. Ptiittp Henry, Sarah Ouim. Bi Richard* Advlaar: Ed Moral** EdHorM Aaelatant: Sarah Jean Dover RicniUmifll idKor; Sm Caidweii Senior Reporter: Dalai Duncan Stafl Writer* Satean AS, AJ Archer, Jeeon Axelrod, John Darren, nyari oiacK wnen DiornefL nacnei u. cov/eni, reisoy Byrd, Arm* Cormaughlon, Adam Carton, Jtda Carpenter, Maim Cohan, Undeay Cook. Kaly CorbetL Daniel Curran, ChrMophar D'AnMo, Jacob DarrenM, Chrie DaSantla, Sarah Jean Dover F. Tylar Elrod, Mchaal Ftapatrick, Brians Qerdaman, Sarah Glarralma, Ernly Grant Anleha Hedge, Manana nerooia, urew noo*t, i. ratncK nooper, owy nuwey, ratnryn mgan, Jon ingiee, Drawn jsrraro, toward Kim, Heather Kinney, Alex LaugMn, Darcy Lera, Polina Martnova, Opinions 3ARAHaUIMH! Apps disconnect real relationships Tis the season... for sex? Forget the holidays of sharing homemade cookies by the fire this year, every kiss begins with apps. The annual present exchange is an excellent opportunity to show you understand your partner’s interests, but I’m not sure electron ics, especially iPhones, are the way. You spend all year around elec tronics writing papers, e-mailing professors so why during the lon gest break of the semester would you want them to creep in? I don’t own an iPhone, and if I received one this holiday, I’d feel a little cheated. How personal is receiving a little rectangle of pixels and circuit boards? While cell phones themselves are generic, no-thought required gifts, anew line of apps you can down load before wrapping will jingle your bells. Nothing screams understanding of your partner’s needs like the penis enlargement app released this week, which uses hypnothera py while your man sleeps result ing in a larger North Pole. Size not a problem? What about a decrease in desire due to the cold Change needed in affirmative action policy Affirmative action. It’s a sensitive topic most white Americans refuse to touch. However, the idiom “Bite your tongue,” never quite caught on with me, and I feel someone ought to say it. Why does affirmative action still exist? Isn’t this just another inherent form of discrimination? Affirmative action was originally created to pro mote equal opportunity in America. I think any reasonable person can agree this was a necessary step to estab lishing equality. However, this policy is no longer accomplishing its main objective. I would argue it is working unfairly to oppress those that just happen to be bom in the majority. For example, I’m in the middle of applying to law school. On every applica tion, I am forced to state my race and gender. In this case, being a white male is not at all beneficial. I might as well say, “Don’t pick me!” Jamla McDonough, Meredith McKay, Kathryn Mercer, David MtochaH, Damns Mach*#, Stephanie Moodle. Cody Nichelson. Tund* Ogunaaldn, Nick Parker. Michael Prochaaka, Aspen Smith, Adina Solomon. Nathan Sorensen, TKlany Stevens, Zack Taylor, Amber Thomas, Katie Valentine, Paige Varner. Eva Vaaquaz, Mary Walker, Erirm Waldo, Katharine Weiae VNA-1 -a in, I( | a 111- - Dtftnknnnhw wwi r nuiognginer. m Knorograpners wwnw-nyan oaruer, Miriam L-amp, loxi Deagen. Emiiy Karol, Moagan Kaiey, Nehemie Lucian, Heleehe Dnil * I He, ■tiliAw Ii Jiim I Linhinidi lunnn Naiaana>9Bl, n9ynowß ( juearweupenuren, Jenna Walter, Dina Zotan Pag* Designers: Rachel G. Bower*, Amanda Jones, Ana Kabakova, Christopher Miller, Robbie OtUey, Charles Russel, Adam Wynn KS Jeremy Dailey In the United Kingdom, their poUcy equivalent to affirmative action is even called posi tive discrimination. That’s an oxymoron if I’ve ever heard of one. Now, for those of you who think I’m a racist, just stay with me. Maybe after I’m done ticking you off, you’ll agree. Everyone loves to quote the Martin Luther King, Jr. speech, “I Have a Dream.” Among the most famous excerpts is his hope that his children “Will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their char acter.” Affirmative action, as it stands today, goes against this and every thing else King believed in. It judges us on every thing but the content of our character. This policy also under mines the successes of many in the minority who Our Staff Samantha aNb Shelton weather? Jakub Koter’s “Sex Drive” app ($1.99) uses binaural beats, two tones of different fre quencies, heard by each party through a single set of headphones to increase your lust. Just mind the cord while you deck the halls. If your shared interest is already Blitzen but you’re looking for some extra holiday spice, try Mountain Dev’s “Truth or Dare,” ($1.99) an app that lets you star in your own pomo choreographed just the way you like it. Ever wonder how you and your partner measure up? Chris Alvares’s app “Passion” ($0.99) rates your motions and volume lev els to determine your sleigh ride’s prowess. For those couples separated over the break, MyPleasure’s “MyVibe” app (free), will keep your lady buzzin’ on those lonely, winter nights. Now, I’ve held yes, just held could reach their goals without this unnecessary handicap. Just in this past elec tion, Tim Scott, an African-American, beat out Strom Thurmond’s son in a Republican Congressional primary and eventually won the general election in a pre dominantly white district in the historical slave state of South Carolina. If that does not prove a break in racial barriers, I don’t know what does. So do I believe there should be any established government advantages at all? Absolutely. But rather than using race, gender, ethnicity and religion els the stan dards for affirmative action, the policy should instead focus on benefit ting those in lower socio economic classes. King desired to fulfill the creed Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-ev ident, that all men are created equal.” This country has not ADVERTISING: 706-433-3001 Advartlaing Director: Natalie McClure Student Ad Manager: Lauren Jones Territory Manager*: Sarah Carlton, Anna Lewanthal Inalda Sato* Managar: Haley Winther Account Exacutfvaa: Carolyn Evers, Andrew Love, Sarah Overstreet, Kelly Pierce, Rebecca Tonne Sale* Aaaodatoa: Nick Henrter, Austin Landare, Zach Smith Advartlalng AaaMante: Laurel Holland, Emily Johns Clasetftad* Representative Jenna Vines Circulation Managar: Blake Molina Creative Aaelatant: Olivia Scarborough Phone (706) 433-3002 | Rut (706) 433-3033 oplnions@randb.com | www.redandblack.com 540 Baxter Street, Athens, Oa. 30605 my (guy) friend’s iPhone who downloaded this app as a joke. As it turns out, the best things in life are not free, at least when it comes to toys. Although I don’t expect all stu dents to actually give these apps as presents, I suspect electronics will appear under some students’ trees this year. But as Robert Carnes men tioned in his column (“Cell phone a poor zombie deterrent,” Dec. 1), cell phones are disconnecting peo ple from face-to-face communica tion. This season they’re potentially reducing heartfelt gift giving or a quiet, old-fashioned night in. Instead of heading to the near est Best Buy for your holiday shop ping or structuring your break away from school with electronics, why not try something more per sonal? Making a homemade necklace or building a gingerbread house is more intimate than digital toys... no matter how exhilarating the apps. Samantha Shelton is a senior from Auburn majoring in newspapers Editorial board members Indude Robert Carnes, Courtoey Hotorcok, Carey OfieM, Meghan PMman. Megan Thornton and Joe WWems. yet accomplished this. No matter the race red, yellow, black or white there are those bom with a burden on their back and a steep moun tain to climb. From the rural south to the urban ghettos, those in lower socioeco nomic clEisses generally receive poor education and little opportunity. These are the people that should be given addition al assistance to pursue their aspirations. I know what you’re thinking. Yes, I am a southern white boy who referenced “the oppressed used the term “ghetto” and quoted an MLK speech. But it is time everyone In this country worked towards pursuing true equality. Revising the objectives of affirmative action is a positive step toweirds reaching this goal. Let the criticism begin. Jeremy Dailey is a senior from Conyers majoring in political science Aaelatant Production Manaoer .loaN** Trav Barnett a— ■ " WVwwliVi I RRH < v*WI AM >I uy WI toll BfftAanMnn I ■■latanla UImHiMU AUU. i I production Assistants. Ntconette uwos, Jenm Uniu, PrtscHla Kathe, Elaine Kelch rrooucuon Manager. own rmaro PubHahar Harry Montavklao Office Manager Erin Baa May Aaatotont Offlo* Managar: Magwi Yu* Cleaning Pareon: Mary Jonaa Th* Rad A Black la pubhhad Monday Itrough Friday fall and spring sameeteri and each Thureday rummer eamaator, except holidayi and exam parioda, by Th* Radi Black Publehing Company Inc., a nongrodt campus newspaper not affiliated wkb ft* University and Georgia. Subscription rate: tIBS par yaw.