4
Thursday, October 10,1996
Inescapable Macarena source of annoyance, denial among listeners
■ The ‘Electric Slide of the
’9os’ is quickly grooving
right out of style.
BY TRISHA LDABB
STAFF WRITER
Everybody’s doing it. David
Letterman’s done it. Tom Hanks did it
on Saturday Night Live. There’s even an
MTV commercial exploiting it. It’s ev
erywhere. Whatis “it”?lt’sthe Macarena.
Weddings, night clubs and bar
mitzvahs have been infected by the Span
ish dance. After more than 40 weeks on
Billboard’s Top 100 singles list, the Los
Pagers, cell phones buzz on campus
BY JOHN MCALLISTER
STAFF WRITER
They’re not just for doctors and law
yers anymore. Pagers and cellular phones
have evolved into one of the latest trends
on the college campus. These electronic
devices serve as a popular way to keep in
touch with friends as well as a status
symbol for many UNC students.
Pagers seem to be the most commonly
used of these two varieties of communi
cation. Their appeal stems from low
maintenance prices and convenient size.
“They make life easier,” said Tom
Conradt, a freshman from Gainesville,
Fla. “I was skeptical about beepers at
first, but they’re actually fun.”
The relatively inexpensive cost attracts
the budget-conscious student. The aver
age base price is about SSO and the
monthly cost is usually less than $lO.
“It’s definitely not necessary, but it’s
really convenient,” said Damon Beasley,
a junior from Havelock. “It’s affordable
home
coming
MORGAN STANLEY
cordially invites students of all majors
to attend a presentation on the
Investment Banking
Financial Analyst Program
♦
Monday , October 14,1996
7:00 p.m.
Carolina Inn
Morgan Stanley contact:
James Davidson
(212) 761-4446
Resume Drop: November 19,1996
Interviews: January 15 & 16,1997
del Rio song remains
inescapable. And
record sales remain
strong, said Mike
Smith, manager of
Blockbuster Music at
University Mall.
“It’s been holding
steady for a while,”
Smith said. “Some
weeks are better than
others, but we still
get requests for it.”
Buthas this dance
craze gone overboard? The inevitable
Macarena backlash has begun.
Recently, the dance has been forbid
den from being taught in Wake County
and it’s good for the weekends.”
One disadvantage of these gadgets is
the image associated with them. “Many
peopleautomaticallythinkyou’rea(drug)
dealer when you have a beeper, ” Conradt
said. “Somepeoplethinkthat’showthey
became popular for our age group.”
The paging companies are not blind
to this explosion of their products on the
college scene. “I think they’re aiming
toward college kids,” said Brent Pente
cost, a Pagenet representative in Raleigh.
“Motorola has a commercial that is di
rected solely toward students. ”
A few regulations have been created
to curb the distribution of pagers and
cellular phones to younger people.
“In order to purchase a cellular phone
or a beeper, a student must be at least 18
or have a parent sign for the purchase,"
said Adam Mossod, a representative from
Pager City. “We are mainly concerned
with individual sales like those to stu
dents. I thought pagers used to be stereo
typed, but not now.”
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FEATURES
schools and an Anti-Macarena web page
has turned up on the World Wide Web.
The Smile/Sacbee page (http://
www.sacbee.com/smile/macarena/
macarena.html) is now the official
“Macarena-Free Zone” of the Internet.
“This simple dance may soon bring
about social chaos as hordes of
Macareniacs neglect home and job to
engage in non-stop waving of arms and
wiggling of butts,” the page warns.
Even those once enamored with the
repetitive dance are annoyed with its
dominance.
“It’s definitely played out,” said Smyth
Lai, a sophomore from Wilmington. “At
first I thought it was cute, but I had this
dreadful feeling it would end up as over
The use of cellular phones seems to be
increasing for those on the go. But the
phones aren’t sold as frequently as pagers
due to the higher costs.
“Cell phones are popular for kids, but
mostly parents take care ofthe cost,” said
Morris Stevens of Cellular One. “They
can get too expensive for college stu
dents. The students say they’re for emer
gency use only. Yeah, right.”
Parents often don’t mind spending the
money if it gives them the peace of mind
of knowing their children are within
reach. “Ididn’tthink(thecellularphone)
was necessary, but my parents did,” said
Cara Allen, a sophomore from Raleigh.
“I’ve got it for safety. During (Hurricane)
Fran, the phone was a popular item.
Everybody was using it to call home.”
The convenience of the devices com
bined with technology is appropriate for
the information age, Conradt said.
“We’re not afraid of technology,”
Conradt said. “They’re definitely a mark
of our generation.”
| Thursday, Oct. 10
NPHC Step Show
Homecoming Queen and King voting will take
place in Union 208-209 all day. Cast your
ballot (Union 208-209,10 am to 6pm)
Black greek step troupes will compete in this
event which traditionally is well-attended. The
event is scheduled to take place in Memorial
Hall from Bpm to 10:30pm. Admission is $7.
(Memorial Hall, 7pm-10pm)
done as the Electric Slide.”
Because of the dance’s simple steps
and the song’scatchy beat, manypeople,
even the rhythmically challenged, have
found a place in this line dance.
Brad Williams, a freshman from
Wilmington, said he saw the dance as an
escape for the terminally bored.
“The Macarena has become a pro
■ '; %
UNC NEWS SERVICES
Chancellor Michael Hooker thanks employees during a luncheon at Carmichael Auditorium on Wednesday.
The luncheon honored emplyees who worked immediately before and after Hurricane Fran.
| Friday, Oct. 11
Parade, Pep Rally, and Dance Party
Campus organizations enter floats and banners in the
Homecoming Parade. The Parade begins at the Dean
Dome around 6pm and ends at Connor Beach around
7pm. Prizes will be awarded to the top float and banner.
The parade is capped off with a Pep Rally with a visit from
members ofthe football team and a big-screen highlights
show. After the Pep Rally, the Dance Party gets under
way complete with dance contests and prizes.
Explore Options for Your Next Move
Carolina
w mmmm
wQI wwl ■ CBIh
Great Hall • October 10,1996 * 9:ooam - s:oopm
Aeroteck
American Management Systems
Andersen Consulting
BB&T
Belk Stores Services
Bell South Advertising and Publishing
Bowles Hollowell Conner and Cos.
Burlington Industries
Capital One
Circuit City Stores
CompuCom Systems
Data General
Deloitte & Touche
Duke University Medical Center
Duracell
Eckerd Family Youth Alternatives
Eli Lilly & Cos.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Ericcson Inc.
Ferguson Enterprises
Financial Group
First Citizens
First Union
Gallo Winery
Great West Life Insurance
GTE Government Systems
Hannaford Brothers
HBO&Co.
Hendrick Automotive Group
Hoechst Celanese
IBM Corp.
* Seniors should bring resumes & dress in professional attire!
University Career Services
Division of Student Affairs {
foundly trendy dance,” Williams said.
“It’s for people who have no more rhythm
than a sack of bricks.”
Some UNC students said they were so
tired of the dance, they refused to utter its
name. Matthew Ricketts, a freshman
from North Wilkesboro, embraced this
philosophy and denied any knowledge
of the dance. “The what?” he said. “I
MAKING THE ROUNDS
| Saturday, Oct. 121
The Game
Thousands will pack into Kenan
Stadium to cheer the Tar Heels to a
victory over Maryland. At half-time,
fans will be witness to a historical
event the crowning of a queen and
king for the first time in school
history. The game begins at 7pm.
Life After Carolina
Government Business
Industry Nonprofit
Information Resources
John Hancock Financial Services
Mcßae Graphics
MCI
Mercantile Stores
Met Life
Philip Morris USA
Nationsßank
Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance
Nowest Financial Inc.
Olde Discount Stockbrokers
PPG Industries
Parke-Davis
Patterson Dental Cos.
Procter & Gamble
Projection Presentation Technology
Radio Shack
Research Triangle Institute
SAS Institute
Sprint
Sun Trust Bank
Target Stores
Teach for America
UNC-CH Human Resources-
Employment Department
US EPA
Unifi Inc.
Wachovia
Wallace
Western Auto
Westvaco
uHje Saily sJar Heel
have no idea what you’re talking about. ”
Despite the negative response to the
Macarena, it has become ingrained in
cultures all over the world.
Yet the Macarena-Free Zone support
ers will continue their crusade to fight the
"Infernal Dance.” The web site asks,
“Has mankind already forgotten the toll
exacted by the Achy Breaky?”
| Sunday, Oct. 131
Winding Down
The UNC Women's Soccer team
takes on Btewton-Parker at 4pm at
Fetzer Field. Also, the UNC
Conceit & UNC Symphonic Band
will petfotm for the University at
Memorial Hall. Tickets are $5 for
adults and $3 for children.
S m