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10 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20. 2008 and NATHAN NYANJOM A DIFFERENT ANGLE Nathan Nyanjom is a senior biology major from Columbia, Md. E-MAIL: NYANJOM@EMAILUNC.EDU Driving 40 is a hard earned privilege It happened to me again Sunday. After sleeping in and solv ing the breakfast question with a feast at Golden Corral, my friend made a should-have-waited right turn at a stop light, only to be rewarded with the cold-blooded karma that was a senior citizen ■cruise controlling at about 35 miles per hour. 40 miles per hour tops. Our banter should have been about his '.94 Dodge Caravan's impending death and/or how long of a nap it would take to work off our five-pound meals, but the topic of discussion instead turned to this old man, his old car and his archaic driv ing speed. AT-LARGE COLUMNIST The fact of the matter is that senior citizens not only have the privilege to drive slow here in the United States of America they've earned it. Almost every decade of our country's existence has seen armed conflict, and our grand parents' youth was no different. It was their holistic involve ment in numerous wars that now allows us here in 2008 to have the freedom we so take for granted. Naturally, the chief wars of World War 11. Korea and Vietnam come to mind, but all senior citizens acted patriotically in some way. shape or form. If our grandfathers and grand mothers weren’t directly fighting in an American war or working for its wartime government, they were helping keep these efforts alive domestically, working in industries that either supported Uncle Sam’s traveling army or helped the America that our par ents grew up in to continue with as much normalcy as possible. When we ask our parents what their favorite moments are from growing up or when they tell us without warning we are left feeling awkward, but our parents are usually left with fond and positive feelings: that first sum mer concert a sporting event or their first school dance. However embarrassing they are, our parents' childhood memories of war are not their only memories, and we have senior citizens to thank for that. And hey maybe it’s smarter to drive below the speed limit. Dick Vitale and Martha Stewart notwithstanding, our elders are smarter than us. After all, driving slower does save gas. so while comedian Nick Swardson is right that senior citizens have the right to, “Push 90 (mph) when they're 90," the majority choose to sacrifice this privilege, opting instead to be kinder to their wallets and the • environment. We can ask Nick for his take on Friday, when he and Will Ferrell will entertain those unable to stand at Dance Marathon for 24 hours straight. Maybe this notion of environ mental conservation explains why the popular activities of senior citizens are in fact so pop ular. Electricity isn’t needed for Bingo, and Bridge only requires a deck of cards, stellar chat and an eight-hour block of time. Sure, Iwwling requires a bowling lane and the use of a computer-TV interface, but chances are good that those senior citizens in the far left lane will only need the computer to pencil in X’s for their perfect games. Senior citizens have the stron gest claim of any in doing what they feel free to do, and while their driving might be questioned by those who have lived on this earth for fewer years, they should not be ridiculed. If Mother Theresa or Yoda wanted to drink prune juice, wear suspenders and drive 40 miles per hour without the assistance of a seat cushion, we would not argue. The same restraint from questioning should be extended to all senior citizens, for they have earned their right to act with free dom, and have secured ours. And quite frankly, my grand parents are way cooler than Yoda. EDITORIAL CARTOON By Don Wright, Palm Beach Post ’TojCWIWWEC&OrHEGt tSA FW3IEST ASAJNST CXJAMA: HM3L&Y XXJSOINTOTCVVNANDfiET THE /T x _ .K—-Mu ril „ J, ■ - Going, going, gone Law school’s move to Carolina North a good choice Although it was original ly deemed a research campus, UNC satellite campus Carolina North is now the future home of its first offi cial academic unit: the School of Law. The law school’s move to Carolina North is a significant announcement, one that will be beneficial for the long-term future of UNC law. Even if the existing build ing wasn’t falling apart, a law school as prominent as UNC’s inevitably would require build ing renovations and additions. The current lot has no room for building additions or extra parking spaces, and law school orientations are forced to be held in the street because there isn’t a room large enough to A grading dilemma Schools should add pluses and minuses, not numbers Anyone who recently applied to college knows how cutthroat the admissions process can be. The struggle for a few spots at the nation’s select universi ties can turn otherwise sane students into grade-grubbing, number-obsessed monsters. In the battlefield of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, some vocal parents are clamoring for the district to change its grade reporting policy from letters to percentages. Although improvements could be made to the way grades are reported, switching to a per centage system is unnecessary. N.C. high schools are required to use a seven-point grading scale, such that 93 to 100 is an A, 85 to 92 a B and so on. However, individual districts are allowed to choose between three options for reporting grades: letters, letters with pluses and minuses and percentages. Super bad idea Democratic Party’s ‘superdelegates’ are undemocratic This can’t be what the Democratic Party hoped would happen this election year. Before Tuesday’s primaries in Wisconsin and Hawaii, a mere three delegates separated Barack Obama from Hillary Clinton in the race to secure the Democratic Party's nomination for president this year, accord ing to The New York Times. Although it is possible that either candidate could collect enough delegates in the remain ing primaries to secure the nomination, it seems increas ingly likely that the nominee will instead be decided by a group of 796 people known as “super delegates" at the Democratic National Convention in August. Unfortunately the mere pres ence of superdelegates in the nomination undermines the democratic process. Unlike pledged delegates, who are bound to vote for a particu lar candidate based on primary results, superdelegates can vote for whomever they choose. The superdelegates were cre ated in 1982 with the intent of Opinion hold the about 240 new stu dents each year. The new law building will offer an auditorium, extra offices for faculty and student groups, a larger library and most impor tantly room for expansion. And out of all the graduate schools to make the transition to Carolina North, the law school is one of the best options. Even with the school techni cally on campus, law students are not the most connected with undergraduate life. Many graduate programs, such as history or religious studies, have teaching assis tants who can be an invaluable resource to help with under graduate classes. Moving those TAs away from campus would be detrimental Percentages arguably give stu dents the most distinction in the quality- of their performance. Some argue a student who earned 100 percent performed better than one who got 94 per cent, but both transcripts would report the same letter grade. Since grade point averages and class rank are major factors in college admissions, it makes sense that concerned parents would want to make their stu dents stand out from the pack. However, there are many problems with using a percent age system of reporting grades. A numerical system would put even more emphasis on grades and achievement, thus dramatically increasing pressure on students to do well. Class ranks are already a rat race, with students com peting against each other for the highest GPA and the title of valedictorian. Schools should be cultivating helping the primary process produce more viable presiden tial candidates. The system was spearheaded in part by three prominent N.C. political fig ures: former Gov. Teny Sanford, former Gov. Jim Hunt and U.S. Rep. David Price, D-N.C. But the superdelegate idea has proved to be rife with problems. Perhaps most troubling is that superdelegates bring a decidedly undemocratic ele ment to the primary process. Having a group of party elites determine the nominee under mines the whole purpose of a primary, which is to allow vot ers of a particular party to pick the candidates of their choice. If the voters’ wishes are going to be overridden by superdelegates in the end, that makes the vot ers irrelevant in the first place. To further compound the problem, most of the superdel egates are politicians, including every Democratic member of Congress, as well as some gov ernors and party icons. While it might seem like a good idea to have politicians as to both the graduates and the undergraduates. But the law school doesn’t need to provide TAs for under graduate classes, and busy law students don’t make too much of an appearance outside of the school as is. It is unfortunate, however, that undergraduates won’t have as readily available access to speakers at the law school as they do now with it located on campus. Also, any interdepartmental research could be hindered by a move away from campus. But in the long run, the move won’t change the identity of the law school, will allow room for growth and will be a benefit to both the law school and the University. a desire to learn the material, not to compete for a grade. Percentages would also take away a teacher's ability to bump a student deemed deserving up an extra letter grade. For some, hard work should still be reward ed even if it doesn’t always trans late into a high score. Plus, the letters are meant to indicate a range that consti tutes a certain level of mastery of the material. Scores of both 95 and 100 indicate a strong understanding. The difference between them is negligible. Nevertheless, a letter system with pluses and minuses would have the best of both worlds, reflecting some difference in performance without placing an undue burden on students. To balance the concerns of parents with the realistic con straints of teacher and student needs, schools should keep one overriding concept in mind: It’s about more than the numbers. superdelegates, the results have been discouraging, as Obama and Clinton have been using every means at their disposal to court these people. Because 2008 is an election year not just for the presidency but also for one-third of the Senate and the entire House of Representatives, many' superdel egates are in the midst of run ning campaigns for reelection. In an effort to swing these superdelegates to their side, Obama and Clinton have been donating money— more than $900,000 in total between the two of them to superdelegates' campaigns. That is not a healthy way for any party to choose its next candidate for president Presumably Democratic Party' leaders are aiming for a large turnout in the election this year, but by thwarting the choices of primary voters, they risk alienating those who voted in the primaries and decreas ing voter turnout. If the Democratic Party is going to let voters choose their nominee for president, it needs to trust their choice. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “There's a huge gray area, and most of us live in the gray area. My view is (Albert Harris) exposed the gray area ” JOE TEMPLETON, FACULTY CHAIRMAN, ON COURSE DISCUSSION LETTERS TO THE EDITOR UNC should ban farting, fix campus dining halls TO THE EDITOR: Forget the smoking and driv ing bans; I would like to propose a better, healthier and more pro ductive ban: Let’s ban flatulence. Yes. farting. Asa fifth-year senior in my 10th full semester, I have been at UNC longer than 98 percent of every one reading this. Including summer school and leaving out “personal days," I’ve been on campus at least 1,200 days in my epic academic career. That being said, I cannot remember one single time that a cigarette smoker ruined my day by puffing out little plumes of smoke. However. 1 can tell many hor ror stories of fellow schoolmates whose irritable digestive system left a sour bum in my nasal pas sages causing me to: 1) trip on a brick, 2) use a bubble sheet instead of a blue book, or worst of all. 3) make Wednesday/Friday morning’s nauseous hangover feel like the devil is using my stomach and head as a punching bag. The problem doesn’t stem from poor genetics involving a family history of indigestion. It comes from one of two places on campus: Lenoir or Rams Head. The poor quality- and deadly combinations of cheap meats and ranch dressing produces enough combustible gases in the human digestive tract to cause the Hindenburg pt. deux. I haven’t even mentioned the obesity pandemic running amuck in the U.S. If this university really wants to make a health-conscious decision, make the dining halls cleaner and better quality and quit smothering everything with ranch dressing and gravy. And leave smokers alone; one man's right to clean air is another’s right to puff on a cig. Just walk around them or hold your breath when you pass, simi lar tactics to avoiding a friend's silent-but-deadly. Jason B. Neuman Senior Mathematics Boyz II Men was a really good choice for Spring Fest TO THE EDITOR: I understand that “Party like it's 1999" (Feb. 18) was an opin ion article, but I also have an opinion on the matter of Boyz II Men coming to campus. I am completely STOKED. I think that bringing the group was ABSOLUTELY the best choice. Sure, Homecoming brought two bands: Augustana (from which I know one song) and another band that I couldn’t tell you the name of if I tried. The concert planned by Spring Fest-is free for students and I haven’t met a single stu dent who isn't excited about tak ing the trip down memory lane. If the concert was supposed .to be representative of this past year, then Chris Brown would be coming. Obviously, that’s not * realistic, and 1 never thought that Boyz II Men would be either. You can’t please everyone, but I am definitely excited. Thank you Spring Fest! Holly Royer Junior Exercise and Sports Science SPEAK OUT WRITING GUIDELINES: ► Mease type: Handwritten letters will not be accepted. ► Sign and date: No more than two people should sign letters. ► Students: include your year, major and phone number. ► Faculty/staff: Include your department and phone number. ► Edit: The OTH edits for space, clarity, accuracy and vulgarity. Limit Setters to 2SO words SUBMISSION: ► Drop-off: at our office at Suite 2409 in the Student Union. ► E-mail: to edhdeskOunc.edu ► Send: to P.O. Box 3257, Chapel Hiß, N.C., 27515. EDITOR'S NOTE: Columns, cartoons and letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Daily Tar Heel or its staff Editorials are the opinions solety of The Daily Tar Heel edho rial board The board consists of eight board members, the associate opinion editoc the opinion editor and the editor The 2007-08 editor decided not to vote on the bod ahr SzrUii (Ear Hrrl Prohibition of concealed carry hurts campus safety TO THE EDITOR: Prohibiting concealed carry on college campuses violates human rights. The Northern Illinois University incident this week highlights the need for the govern ment to legalize citizens to cam concealed firearms across educa tional institutions nationwide. In North Carolina, concealed carry permit holders must be 21 years of age, take a certifying class and undergo a criminal back ground check and fingerprinting before receiving a permit; clearly, these are not cowboy gunslingers. However, legislators believe that denying responsible citizens the human right of self defense is somehow a good thing. I'm sure 20 people in Illinois would dis agree, as would 32 in Virginia. Prohibitions on defensive firearms harm people, as laws tend not to stop outlaws such as Steven Kazmierczak and Seung- Hui Cho. Maybe we should ban all guns (notwithstanding the Second Amendment). Clearly, we'd experience the widespread peace and happiness of the Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda in 1994. (It’s) time to grant concealed carry permit holders the ability to legally defend themselves and others; further inaction merely perpetuates UNC undergradu ates as 16,000 sitting ducks. As for now-, I’ll have to buy one of the stickers claiming, “Don’t shoot me! I’m unarmed," because campus police are able to provide adequate protection for 20,000-plus people 24/7. John Houston Senior Spanish Without change, American education is ‘left behind' TO THE EDITOR: With respect to your ‘Education Programs Get Graded" (Feb. 15) article, it is apparent that maintaining a K-12 public education system focused on standardized testing and “having no child left behind" is not only counterproductive in giving all students a chance to succeed, but it also dilutes true learning. For a number of years, educa tion reform has received much attention in political discourse: yet those who profess the main tenance of the status quo are doing a great disservice to the future of our nation. As foreign nations continue to pour additional resources into the implementation of more rig orous curriculums and increased teacher pay both of which are necessary for the development of all children the United States, by and large, appears unwilling to shed a public education ethos that was established in an agrar ian society. As trite as it sounds, those who-refuse to change are also those who, time and again, truly get left behind. Charles Krtafle Sophomore History, Political Science Uhf Daily (Ear Hrrl Established 1893, 114 years ofeditorialfreedom ERIN ZUREICK EDITOR, 9624086 ZUREICKOEMAILUNC.EDU OFFICE HOURS MON . WED. FRI. 1-2 PM. ADAM STORCK OPINION EDITOR. 9624)750 APSTORCKOUNC.EDU JONATHAN TUGMAN ASSOCIATE OPINION EDITOR. 962-0750 TUGMANOUNC.EDU EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS JESSICA SCISM SARAH WHITWORTH KATHRYN ARDIZZONE SARAH LETRENT DUNCAN CARLTON EIYSE MCCOY GRAHAM ROWE DAVID GIANCASPRO
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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