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Kurt Johnson will be back from his weekend vacation and do some work. Page 4 thc(5aii serving loe uimina l.omm EDITORIAL Adam Snyder, E Amy Shannon, Vi Kurt Johnson, Assistai Stamp mi - - A _ create qu< Since November, stamp ma- HwUmLU chines that sell Higher-price higher-priced machinesar campus. One such ??? aaUivia Une Knnn ill CIi/i li lie nao ueen installed in the Studentssbou RHUU near the ,he details. Student Govern- . . , ment office. GCtfUlSl Stamps in the stamp mai machines are sold at a 22 percent to 30 percent mark up, but USC earns no profit from the stamp sales. The machines are owned and operated by Sid Locke of Scribe Vending Co. Locke's company pays no money to USC for permission to peddle goods on campus. But other campus vendors, such as owners of drink machines, are charged commission. Too many discrepancies exist in the details behind selling higherpriced stamps to students. That's not even considering the obvious exploitation of the students and the price rip-off. First, there was never a need for a stamp machine in the Russell House because the University Bookstore and Earthworks, both located in the RHUU, used to sell stamps at their face value to students. However, at the beginning of the semester, the bookstore stopped carrying stamps for no known reason. Just a few days ago, the bookstore began to sell stamps again. Was the hiatus simply a ploy to en courage student dependence on the machines? Then, the next part of the plain would be that after stuAbsences intolerabl Five officers in f^^HrTTTT the USC Student HHUmhMi Senate have re- Senatorabs cently been fired ^ becon, because of excessive absences. These senators each missed more than five sessions Firing abset without an excused ^ ^ good absence. . j- ? Kudos to the to disco Senate Rules Com- senators c mittee for denying those senators who appealed the decision to relieve them of their duties. It is inconceivable why these senators missed not one or two, but five governmental meetings without first obtaining permission in the form of an excused absence. When these students signed up to run for Senate, they knew they'd have to be present at meetings. When they were fortunate enough ? VJ" Serving the Carolina G The Gamecock is the student newspaper of The Linkers Riday dtrrg the tall and spring semesters end five times dunr periods Opruore expressed in The Gamecock are those of the i The Board of Student Publications and Communications is thi Is the newspaper's parent organization. The Gamecock Adam Snyder Editor in Chief Rosalind Hi Amy Shannon Viewpoints Editor Sma I arfifukn Kurt Johnao Cara Pedatt News Editors Carrie McCi Jennifer Stanley Features Editor Kristin Free Achlm Hunt Nathan Bro Bryan Johnston Sports Editors ) Susan Meyers Photo Editor Q Brian Utah Online Editor ^ Chris Dtsen Copy Desk Chid Connie Karl Student Media Julie Baker Sherry F. H Susan Barrett Adda Dickson Carolyn Or! Judson Dtennsn Creative Services _ Ellen Parsons Director of ikn 9rmm Student Media Mlchele Dt Lee Ptdppa Advertising Manager ^ ^ ] irrnrfc IVVVU> tunily since 1908 BOARD ditor in Chief ewpoints Editor it Viewpoints Editor ichines estions ~1 dents became hooked. 4 ltJ the bookstore would i Stamp offer stamps again. ? tahino This way? students latsssr Second, where is UiHH the survey that was Id be told supposedly taken to behind determine student inr terest in stamp matton OJ chines? Karen Crock wines. er, who oversees campus vending, said that a student survey prompted the RHUU to set up stamp machines. However, RHUU coordinator Carmella Carr refused to comment, and campus housing director Gene Luna said he only loosely talked about it with his staff. What is going on here? Another divergence from normalcy is the absence of money being paid to USC for using the campus as a place to do business. Why isn't Scribe Vending Co. being charged a fee to set up in the Russell House? Why even allow stamp machines on campus if USC is not making a profit? It all boils down to tne raci inai both the stamp machine vendors and the bookstore are taking advantage of students. Stamp machines make a profit by capitalizing on the uninformed and the lazy. The bookstore may sell stamps at face value, but it's a strategy to pull students inside to buy other things. Either way, it's the price of being a college student in a capitalist society. Still, students should be told that cheaper stamps are just around the corner. in spniitp e, wrong j==l to be voted in, they laiiJHHB should have regardenteeism ed their title as a privliriQ a ilege to attend Senate sessions and then vote on student issues. Apparently, these it senators senators were not method taking their positions seriously, even urage ^ncrh thoir rnn ibsences. Stituents saw them through the election with the expectation that the candidate would go to the meetings. Thanks again to the senators who noticed the ones who were absent and did something about it. Hopefully, a message was sent to current and future members of the Senate. Don't assume missing a meeting is no big deal. The student body voted you in for a reason: to do your job. - jl BS3B9 iiroiK w immunity since 1908 ity of South Carolina and is published Monday, Wednesday and (the Simmer with the exception of wtverslty holidays and exam idttors or author snd rot those of The Uhherslty of South Carolina, t publisher of The Gamecock. The Department of Student Media AH nimbi* area code 803 The Gamecock rrey Public Relations Coordinator Editor 777-3914 )i Asst. \Abwpoints Editor though Asst News Edit* "'?>?"?> 777'7726 tat* Asst Features Edit* 777-7726 m? Aut Sports Editor r4 Asst Photo Editor Etc. 777-3913 Asst Online Editor Sports 777-7182 ckhoff Copy Editors Online 777-2833 okn~ Cl?*Manner sh"",t M#du ft* Business Manager A<*erVslng 777-1184 Creative Director Classifieds 777-1184 wrme Creative Services Graduate Asst. Fax 777-6482 i Faculty Advisor office 777-3888 /lEWP The Gamec J^ZJ Cloning CC fTlhe reality is we are pretty close I to revealing the origin of our existence. That in itself is the death of God. I guess you can say God creates man, man finds science, man kills God with science," wrote Ivan Flo? res. HI Heavy I stuff. When kikt McC^RMICK know what Columnist I was get ting into. Whether or not the respondents felt cloning should be allowed, they expressed the idea that this is a dangerous time for the future of mankind. Flores, who was raised Catholic, feels "we've almost reached that point, knowing all God's knowledge." He asks, "What will society do if science finds out there isn't a God? Everything we worshipped or had faith in is a big hoax." Kirk Whitworth, a Southern baptist, does not snare r lores rears. He said, "I feel I can state with some level of certainty that Dr. FrankenV-day pr< I henry THOMPSON Guest Columnist Every Valentine's Day, I find myself bombarded with red and pink hearts, assorted candies and an onslaught of cards that not only clog my mailbox, but the mailboxes of the people I care about. I also see * i /? people spending large amounts 01 money and time in search of that special gift or preparing to give their loved one "the night of their life." But underneath the parties, decorations and the sappy songs that are played on the radio, Valentine's Day is a day where all of us, the single and the "locked down," reflect upon this crazy little thing we call love. TTiis year, T am reminded of an event from my sophomore year of high school. The lessons I learned from it are timeless, and yes, it is a love story. Well, sort of. Tammy was a junior who happened to be in my European History class. Whenever I saw her, the song "Summer Breeze" played in my head. Tammy had a brilliant mind, a beautiful lUaliiiHaHU Movies must stay To the editor, Unfortunately, a major travesty may occur at USC. A member of the Cinematic Arts Committee, a part of Carolina Productions, has informed me that the staff has been discussing actually considering the cancellation of showing films Wednesday or Thursday night at the Russell House theater. Apparently, the topic arose from lackluster support and attendance from the USC student body. On the aver age, movies shown have an audience size less than half of the theater's ca parity. Amazingly, the movies playee at the Russell House are free and stil oint: ock I^A Clinior t\V j i-i i implica stein - excuse me, Seed - will neve be able to actually accomplish his goal because of my belief that the main dif ference between man and the rest o creation is our souls. And that can not be created apart from God." These are important concerns Seed, in a delusion of grandeur befit ting a mad scientist, told NPR, "W are going to have almost as mucl knowledge and almost as much pow er as God." I think Seed may be overestimat ing the implications of his possible abi] ities to clone humans. I'm not sure the the "creation" of life through clonin brings us to any daring new thresl olds. Let's assume that there is a pei son we call "God" who created humar and, for that matter, everything elsi He did this all from scratch, right? Pri sumably, God didn't go to the Supe: power Market and pick out strings < DNA and ready made eggs and a worn to cook it up in. He had to first ii vent the matter that would make u the DNA and the cells of the eggs an write a blueprint for the way would all work together to make a pe son. Imagine the steps it must ha> * * * " '1 1* Ji taken to go irom a pile 01 out 11110 living, life-giving womb. Compare this awesome feat to wh Seed is doing. He's just buying a Be ty Crocker Human mix with all the i Dmpts th face and a smile that could melt t coldest of hearts. She always said 1 to me, and we would talk to each ol er every chance we got. Yes, I was love. I would have given anything be her boyfriend. Yet, I never told I how I felt. Like most 16 year-olds, wh they meet an older woman, I w scared. "Hey, don't worry," I would saj myself. "The school year ends in Ju You have plenty of time." However, "the end" came a lit sooner than I expected. It happened before I even knew On a sunny Thursday afternoon, Tf my and I said "hi" to each other o side, as we usually did, her sm brighter than usual. When I didn't her in class the next day, I figured t she was sick and would be back M day. Then a month passed by and t no Tammy. That's when I got a li worried. Finally, I asked some of friends what happened to her. "She ran away," one of them s in a sorrowful voice. At that moment I felt numb. 3s,u dude HIheld don't attract a large number of vi ers. In the past few years, there been a decreasing number of shi played at the Russell House. Th was time when they showed twi three movies a week. It would be an unfortunate oci rence if such an event actually h pened. Cinematic Arts supply an cellent service to the student be Wliawi olao ran anmpnnp an tn V newer or great classic movies for f This service is a privilege and a 1 1 efit to the students. 1 Whatever it takes to continue < ematic Arts, I hope it comes to p 5 In this case, an increase in attenda I Ben Tri 1 Sophomore, Eng m 3 C tions cha r ?1 ' "Whpn T a?ked rea f about Dr. Richard Si i. human beings, I? r e I was gett ti structions on the box. Someone else t- has already figured out the recipe. He's I- just following the directions, and doesn't it even have the capabilities to put his g own flour and sugar together into a i- uterus and an egg. He's got to have the mix ready-made. And he thinks this r- makes him "almost" as knowledgeable is and powerful as God? I don't think we 5. have to worry about anyone harnesss ing the power of God anytime soon, r- Of course, there are other ethical Df issues raised by cloning. Alumnus Mike ib Mishoe warns that people may use l- cloning for the wrong reasons. He fears ip a situation in which there is the posd sibility of "Michael Jordan selling his i t DNA for millions to reproduce the next r- generation of basketball stars." re On the other hand, he feels that a some good could come from cloning. "If my family has a history of fatal genetic at disease, which is 50 percent liable to it- be passed on to my own children, known ing I do not have it, would it be okay oughts of he ^ "After I got home fi my room, closed my ier world crashing at my ien as I'd never see that b r to ne. For the rest of that day, Tamm; was the only thing on my mind. Afte tie I got home from school, I went to m; room, closed my door and cried at th , world crashing at my feet. Tammy wa im. gone. Fd never see that beautiful smil ut_ again. Even worse, I never had th : i _ chance to tell her how I felt about hei 11C In my tears, I prayed for two things , One, that Tammy was safe and woul a return home soon. And two, that som< how, I'll find the strength to get ove this loss in my heart. Three years have passed, and I ai her currently in a relationship with a wor derful lady. Yet, every now and thei aid I still think of Tammy. In her own ur intentional way, she touched my lifi She also has taught me two lessoni The Gamecock mil try to print all letters received. Letters should be 2503* dent Hand written letters must be personally delivered by the author to Th the author's telephone number. The Gamecock reserves the right to edit a for any circumstance. Odom wants to run has 3ws To the editor, ere Positive change is what I was rui 3 or ning for. I am a graduate student wl is new to this school. I received my u r?nr- dereraduate education at Francis Ma lap- ion University in Florence, ex- Francis Marion's student activi > dy. fee is under the control of Student Go dew ernment with supervision that is r ree? quired to administer that size of mo oen- ey. It did not even have one until 1996 when SG petitioned to have Cin- created. The system used there wor ass. for all the organizations, nee. All groups benefit, as well as t] student body. All the fees go to the st ana dents. None of it goes to administi lish tive costs. It is a student activity ft 7ith the tinwhistle, I can ake something beautiful a part of me." er Suk, graduate student Monday, February 9, 1998 Ml ollege press EXCHANGE llenged iVlAir folt UC13 11VVT Uivj ivil eed's plans to clone lldn't know what ing into." to clone me so that I know my offspring would not have this fatal disease?" m The scariest issue was raised by Whitworth. "What do we do with all the 'mistakes' that are created before the successful clone is complete? If it took some 300 tries to make a sheep, how many deformed children will be created in the process of cloning, and what will Dr. Seed do with them?" Obviously, many questions are raised by this issue. We don't really 41 have certain answers yet. Thanks to those of you who wrote in to participate in the discussion. Next week, my column will reflect upon lessons learned during Religious Awareness Days this week. Look in The Gamecock for a schedule of events and join the festivities. Ifyou'dliketo share any thoughts or observations, email me at k.warthen@vm.sc.edu. * " 1 lost love *om school, I went to r door and cried at the feet. Tammy was gone, eautiful smile again." y The first is that no matter what r problems we are going through, there i is a hght at the end of the tunnel. Just e put your life in God's hands and ^ start walking again. The second is that time is not on our side. Life is too short j ^ to keep our feelings bottled up inside 5. of us, and fear should not be an excuse, d Whenever you are blessed with the ops' portunity to show someone how much ? j -m t>?: j? 1 you reauy care, qo h. oesiues, u uub"just be your last chance to do so. Make this the best of all your ValenI tine's Days, and remember it's all about !. love. And Tammy, wherever you are, 3. you are always in my thoughts and 3. prayers. 1 30 words and must indude full name, professionat title or year and m for if e Gamecock newsroom in Russel House room 33a E-mml letters must m II letter for style, possible libel or space limitations. Names will not be witfy and that is what it is used for. The system works well, and it is radically different than that of USC. This is what T or\era l wauicu tu wiaiigv. I, with the help of others, changed 10 the SG at Francis Marion from a parti ty board to a government. I could do it r- here, as well. I was SG president for ^ two terms there and accomplished a ty lot. USC could be even better, v- I would turn this SG and activity e- fee upside down and inside out, and n- the change would benefit both you and in me. I do not like paying for a fee that it does not work. I regret that my chances ks to accomplish these goals have been quashed, but there is always next year, be I am new, and change still needs to ;u- take place. a- Anthony Odom je, Graduate student