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w'uw.llienewsarg'us.coni
Opinion
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
"llic News Argils I’as'c 3
Technology shortcuts are poor substitutes for learning
UWIRE — Technological achieve
ments, especially regarding communi
cation, are often initially regarded as a
step back for society.
These hesitations are often brushed
aside as useless nostalgia in the light of
improvement; however, they are impor
tant to consider.
When writing became increasingly
used in teaching, Plato, the classical
Greek philosopher, lamented that "If
men learn this, it will implant forgetful
ness in their souls; they will cease to
exercise memory because they rely on
that which is written, calling things to
remembrance no longer from within
themselves, but by means of external
marks."
For thousands of years, at least up
until their encounters with Westerners,
Asian belief systems such as Buddhism
were handed down orally and spread,
with surprising accuracy, throughout
millions of people and dialects.
Yet, writing allowed these traditions
to be taken from their place of origin
and shared around the world.
Through the wonders of translation
and transcription, people throughout
Europe were exposed to thousands of
years of thought and philosophy with
out the tiresome obstacles of language
and memorization.
Subsequently significant was the
printing press, then the typewriter,
word processing and finally, the
Internet.
The Internet, lauded as the world's
first truly democratic medium, is our
most recent communication revolution
that lets anyone in reach of a computer
or cell phone access up-to-the-minute
news and information from anywhere
around the globe.
It is also sometimes portrayed as the
solution to today's ever-increasing
media conglomeration; as a supposedly
vast, unregulated, uncensored resource
of diverse perspectives, public self-
expression and equal opportunity, it is
the antithesis of the syndicated mass
appeal broadcasts of powerful, biased
corporations.
In the name of progress, we've come
a long way from the face-to-face oral
traditions of our ancestors.
For each invention, convenience or
shortcut, tradition, artistry and individ
uality — the very things a society is
based on — are lost. People have
always feared for the future. Now, in
our increasingly homogenized global
economy, we may begin to see why.
It has been said that we are facing a
glut of information — that education is
devalued by the ability to Google any
topic under the sun, and then, just as
quickly, forget it.
Furthermore, it is impossible to con
trol. Though it is now possible for any
one to operate a blog and express his
opinions to the world, these opinions
are not necessarily well-informed or
reasonable.
There is no way to correct all the mis
information on Wikipedia, let alone the
Internet in general — especially before
it has been read by others.
Larry Page of Google has said that
one of the company's long-range proj
ects is the study of artificial intelli
gence.
He described this vision at a confer
ence: "The ultimate search engine
would understand everything in the
world.
It would understand everything that
you asked it and give you back the
exact right thing instantly...You could
ask, 'what should 1 ask Larry?' and it
would tell you."
Eventually, we will be able to Google,
maybe even G-chat, from the chips in
our brains. If and when this comes to
fruition, why would you ever leave
your house?
Hass is a member of the class of 2010
By Stephic Hnss
Campus Times, LI. Rochester
Fan offers five reasons
for ‘bleak’ Ram season
The Winston-Salem State University football
team is having one its worst seasons in history.
Many fans are asking, "Will the Rams turn
around this bleak season?"
The Rams have a mediocre schedule facing
five teams and only one has a winning record,
the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman University.
The Rams were defeated by the Wildcats for
homecoming game.
Don't get me wrong. I love the Rams. I am a
Ram all day, every day and hope the Rams can
get back on the right track. The Rams need to
turn this season around now, but I have five
reasons why the Ram will not win another
game this season.
Reason No. 5
Fan support is non-existent! It's true that
most sports fans are fair weather and only
support a team that is already winning. The
problem is the Ram "faithful" have never
really been all that supportive to begin with.
In general, the marching bands dominate
HBCU sports.
Reason No. 4
This carries over from No. 5. We joined the
MEAC too early. The Rams competed in the
CIAA pretty fiercely, but had not won a con
ference title since 2000 when they won it back-
to-back time on the arms and legs of Tory
Woodbury. Let's face it. You cannot be compet
itive in a higher division until you dominate
in the lower division.
Reason No. 3
We lost three of the most dynamic players
WSSU has ever seen. For an offense that lived
and died on the legs of Monte Purvis, it was
no doubt that offensive production would be
slow this season.
Let's not forget about William Hayes being
drafted by the Tennessee Titans, a player who
could change the outcome of a game merely
on a swim move or a rip to the inside. Last but
not least, Winston-Salem's own Jed Bines,
whose vision on the field and his quickness
between the tackles reeked havoc on an
opposing linebacker and a safety. The Rams
offense is too one-dimensional and the passing
game is nonexistent.
Reason No. 2
Coach Blount is still running the same
offense he ran in the late 1970's. The game of
college football has changed tremendously
and unfortunately WSSU hasn't. Until we
spread the offense a little, and quit running
the tailback up the middle on third and eight
to go, we will never score enough points
against a true division one team.
Reason No. 1
The defense cannot continue to carry the
offense the way it has this season. The defense
has been out of this world. In seven games,
the Rams defense has held its opponents to
953 yards rushing and 1,272 passing.
When you compare that to the Ram offense,
which has 757 yards rushing and 962 yards
passing, you can clearly see that the defense
has been doing its part.
In most games, the Rams have been right in
the thick of things, but failed to put the ball in
the end zone. No defense can continue to
hold a team when its offense has punted 10
more times than the opponents, and they only
convert on 36 of 102 third downs.
It's no wonder the Rams even beat Howard.
Sadly, Coach Blount will remain at 88 wins on
his career. Lucky for the Rams they will have
next season to start from scratch.
Rams
1-5
By Sharrod Patterson
The News Argus is the official student newspaper of
Winston-Salem State University. The Argus is produced in
conjunction with two journalism classes in the
Department of Mass Communications.
Any full-time WSSU student is eligible to join the staff.
The News Argus is published on Tuesdays during
the fall and spring semesters but is not published
during University breaks.
The Argus news office is in Carolina Hall G005,
601 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive,
Winston-Salem, N.C., 27110
office: 336-750-2327
e-mail: thenewsargus@yahoo.com
website www.thenewsargus.com
The News Argus Staff 2008
STEPHANIE DOUTHIT, Editor in Chief
GRANT FULTON, News Editor
JAMES CHERRY, Online Producer
STEVEN GAITHER, Sports Editor
JUSTIN JENKINS, Cartoonist
GORDON TEAGLE, Graphic Artist
TRYGEANIA DOWELL, Reporter
ALEXIS D'ANJOU, Reporter
REDONAH ANDERSON, Reporter
JORDAN HOWSE, Reporter
JERRIAN JEFFERSON, Contributor
CORDERIUS COWANS, Contributor
YOLANDA EXUM, Contributor
LATASHA MILES, Contributor
CHANEL MURPHY, Contributor
BRITTANI PARKER, Contributor
SHARROD PATTERSON, Contributor
MIA TAYLOR, Contributor
MRS. PATRICIA MACK, Advertising Manager
MRS. BONNIE WEYMOUTH, Production Adviser
DR. LONA D. COBB, Faculty Adviser