The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, January 29, 1999, Page Page 4, Image 4
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Sen in# Ibe Carolina i
EDITORS
Sara Ladenhein
Rob Gioielli, V
Kevin Langston' Assi.
Emily Streyer, Ass is i
Jennifer Stanley, Spec
Too little ]
Thurmon
As USC tears
down GibbesMa- IHHUai
chinery on Blossom Parking i
and Assembly n
streets, it s making r
way for the new
"gate to USC." ROT]
But most stu
dents, faculty and rarmng tss
staff will have to be consick
walk to the Strom constmcti
Thurmond Fitness L__
and Wellness Center
instead of driving, even if they
live off campus. Columbia's Zoning
Board of Adjustments made
that clear when it approved fewer
parking spaces for the new facility
than what was required.
The center will cover six acres,
and the board usually requires
about 800 spaces for a facility of
this size. However, the university
requested and received approval
to have only 80 spaces.
Arrnrdiner f.n Director nf St.u
0 - - ??
dent Life Jerry Brewer, who's
heading the project, the city was
calculating the same number of
spaces as it would for a commercial
facility, not taking into consideration
the capabilities of the
shuttle service, parking garages
and other nearby parking areas.
The success of getting people to
and from the facility will depend
on improving the Carolina Shuttle,
adding night service, and creating
more dependable schedule,
Brewer said.
Improving the shuttle is easier
said than done. Although a
night service will help on-campus
students get from their residence
halls to the center, it's a trek that
will take them across one of the
SGimpoten
support fro
Today marks [" ^ iFTT
the end of filing for
Student Govern- The upt
ment elections, and Student Gc
tomorrow the actu- elect]
al campaigns can '
begin.
No one is as crit- rr ? ,
ical of Student Gov- V 6 ?1 sb[
ernment as we are, ^e}'
but not because we mean S01
have some kind of
permanent hatred
for the organization. We simply
realize how much power they have
and how much good they could actually
do. We want what's best for
the student body, and there's no
organization that could achieve
as much as SG.
This is why we'll be watching
the campaigns closely, and we
want you to, as well. Look closeUicGai
~ tJT Seninfi llM' Carolina Corn
The Gamecock is ihe student newspaper of The I 'niversiiy
Friday during the fall and spring semesters and five times during t
periods Opinions expressed In The Gamecock are those ol the edi
The Hoard ol Student I'ulrlicalkns and Communications is the pu
lite newspapers parent organization
The Gamecock
Sara Ladenhelin Editor in Cbiif Emily Streyei
Rob Glolelll Vu-ufHunts Editor Kevin Langst
Kenley Young .Seus Editor Rachel Helw
Brad Walters Metis Editor Clayton Kale
Nathan Brown Sports Editor Brock Vergal
Erin Reed /-natures Editor charUe WaUa
Rob Undsey features Ed,tor Kvans
Sean Rayford I'hnlo Editor
.. ? , . Deneshia Gra
Matt Ryan Online Editor
Kristin Freestate Copy Desk Chief ,on June
Todd Money Cofrr Editor Ann MarU' M
Rebecca Cronican (jin Idilor Jennifer Stan
Jessica Barfield Orfry Editor
Student Media
Ellen Parsons Director of Jason Curry
Strident Media Kathy Van N<
Lee Phlpps Athenian^ Manager Sherry Holm
Susan King Creatine Due< lor Carolyn Grlfl
Susan Barrett (irafrhii Desixners Erik Collins
Daniel Brown Jeff Stenslaru
1
amecotk .
Community since 190S
ll board
i, Editor in Chief
rieupoints Editor
stant Viewpoints Editor
*ant Viewpoints Editor
ial Projects Coordinator
parking at
d Center
busiest and most
AiiflHHBI dangerous inter3it
the new sections in Colummrmond
bia? .... ,
Even if the shut^
tie is improved, offHi
camnus students
and faculty memues
need to bers won't benefit.
>red before Going to the gym is
on begins. an inconvenience
___J for anyone who
lives off campus
and who has to park across campus
from their destination and
then spend another 15 minutes
getting to the gym.
The university might argue
that off-campus gym-goers can
utilize the parking areas behind
the Carolina Coliseum on Blossom
and Park streets. However,
during the day these lots are often
full, and in the evening
there are often events at the Roger
Center and Coliseum, meaning
people have to pay to park.
It's true that the centers end
of campus might one day be
bustling with Greek housing and
intramural fields. That might
make the center seem safer and
less isolated. But until there are
other residence halls, secure parking
garages and dining facilities,
it would spem ridinilrnis to walk
to the gates of USC and less timeefficient
to drive there.
The Carolina Shuttle improvements
have been discussed
for several years, but there seem
to have been few results. Until the
shuttle service can run nights, run
dependably and transport people
courteously, USC might want to
find another alternative.
it without
>m students
ly at all the candiftiafllHH
dates and what
:oming they're saying. Do
)ljernment they really want to
!0ns help their fellow
' students, or are
I they just looking
for something to
7Winterest, nilf nn fu01-rbr0.
Vr J v-> . . * " K VII 1/IiUII i V
t actually sumes? Decide who
netbing. you think are the
best leaders to help
Student Government
reach its potential.
One of the reasons the administration
doesn't pay attention
to SG is that so few students seem
to care what their student government
does. Maybe if we all
showed we cared a little more,
we'd have a bit more of a voice in
what goes on here. And now is the
perfect time to start.
mccock ?
munity since J(MM HElBlttlHI
of South Carolina and is published Monday. Wednesday and
he summer w ith ihe exception ol university holidays and exam
tors or author and not thcae of The I niversily of South Carolina
blisher of The Gamecock. The Department of Student Media is
r A.W Vtivpoinn All area codes arc Sltf
on hi ilon,
Iditor 777-.-v;H
ig AW .V?s tuition mM9sc cihi
Viewpoints 777-7726
Js AW S/*/rr.s litlilors gckeiews@si.edti
,ce News 777-7726
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view
The Ga
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VNfc lant
*TUIS?
FCWERf
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A shadowy Russell House patio at
midnight is revealing. For a more
striking view, have a look from
the second
1 ?' , ,
story balcony.
^aP~
F jk room-land
jSL JB| no jpree room
EMILY STREYER ??
columnist j , n
days college
students. A
fungus of Grand Market Place leftovers
had sprouted behind our student union.
It had overtaken every table and many
of the benches, and had spilled onto the
stone patio around them. I've seen cinemas
post- "Rocky Horror Picture Show"
that were cleaner.
Some people will keep their nest
clean only as long as finding a trash
can doesn't require an undue trek. OthS.C.
gamb
Only a short time ago, if you
wanted to legally gamble in a
casino, you had to go to Atlantic
, 1 CityorNevaI
3ET??| ,
8^ ua. L?Ul UVCi
allowed on
.. all Indian
ROB GIOIELLI reservations.
cof""""5' The primary
motivations
behind this wave of legalization have
been to raise tax revenue, provide
jobs and promote tourism.
Not being a state to follow the traditional
route, gambling came to South
Carolina in the form of video poker.
There's always been a strong debate
surrounding this unique gaming industry,
but with the election of Gov.
Jim Hodges, video gambling looks
like it's here to stay.
But questions still remain on how
we '11 regulate video poker, and a new
form of gambling has reared its head
in South Carolina.
Professor upset
with bookstore
To The Editor;
During the Christmas break, the
textbook department of the Russell
House Bookstore informed me that a
book for my Sociology 307 course was
out of print or out of stock at publishers
and used book dealers. I ordered
a replacement book and gave you an
exclusive order on the understanding
that you would order all 50 copies. Only
20 copies were ordered. My students
came in and bought all 20 copies in the
past few days. When I called today, no
one on your textbook staff was aware
the book had sold out, despite the fact
several students had been told that it
was sold out and had come complaining
to me. We begin reading the book
point
imecock
YO
'"IOL&R/SJE WOI
P-l C. OK\ "
THE LIESTHE , ?
rV0U94OJLD bpr
:SI6N'
r
. /
ward RH j
?i~ :??x J?u
ci pcupie JU&L uun t cciic. wiie CApicination
for the trash might be that the
bins in the area (and in front of Thomas
Cooper Library, as well) are filled
well past capacity by lunchtime. Are
attempts to keep the trash cans emp
ty miner is tnai lasn negiectea rrom
too much civic-mindedness or not
enough? Which is the chicken and which
is the egg?
I hadn't been this disheartened by
evidence of such a mixture of obliviousness
and apathy since I walked
across the Horseshoe after Bid Day festivities
and realized what the self-glorifying
Greek girls had added to campus
that particular day was a
kindergarten collage of lunch bags,
straw wrappers, paper napkins and
blue cups with flat Diet Pepsi.
Forget the crime at Capstone. This
is far more dangerous. We're supposed
to be old enough to know the world
doesn't revolve around us but young
enough to think we can change its course
if we try hard enough.
Those who want to change the world
lock horns with the sheeple psychololing
needs
r\oct irnor nrxernn Knofe lioxrn
x ui uiv- jjaoi/ jwxx , ^aouiu uuato nuvu
been operating out of the Grand Strand.
These ships, dubbed "boats to nowhere,"
take passengers aboard and then travel
two miles offshore into international
waters, where gambling is perfectly
legal. There hadn't been much trouble
with this operation until recently, when
the state Legislature began to consider
regulating, or possibly outlawing,
these boats.
In response, the owners of the floating
casinos have threatened to sue
the state, arguing that prohibiting their
operations constitutes a seizure of property
without just compensation, which
is illegal under state and federal law.
The validity of this claim is questionable,
since the government wouldn't
actually be seizing their property. But
in addition to legal arguments, opponents
to these new gambling ventures
have brought up some other interesting
points.
Along with more jobs and increased
tax revenue, other states have experienced
a fair number of problems from
legalized gambling. From an aesthetic
point of view, the businesses that
gambling attracts are cheap and tacky.
The low-rent restaurants and motels
4- V? r? 4- nofni* frt fVin fAiimct r>/4
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"Those who want 1
lock horns with th
of they-did-it-first."
gy of they-did-it-first and only a fe
maVp it nnst 30 still rnrincr
From my summer jobs in retail, F
learned that a lot of people will try
observe some sort of order if they c;
distinguish one ? you keep the puzzl
organized by publisher, title and sis
for example, and most people will t
to put a puzzle back where they fovu
it.
If they don't, you can tidy up wi
a minimal effort when the store is slo
Hn flin n+Vinr onmn colocnonn
v-/ii i/iit utiici liciiiLi, ouuit
use a less-than-100-percent return
an excuse for not even bothering at a
An assistant manager actually mai
fun of me for putting the puzzles in
some sort of discernible order, clair
ing that because they'd never stay th
way by themselves, I was more or le
i close ex;
bulk of the new jobs are at the mil
mum wage level.
While tourists flock to this kind
area, they might blow only a couf
hundred bucks and then leave aftei
few days. But the local community
a casino town tends to suffer more th
it gains from legalized gambling.
While these are some of the val
arguments South Carolinians are ma
ing against casino gambling, gamblin
proponents fail to see the irony in the:
The Myrtle Beach area, where mc
of these boats operate, is quite possit
the most outlandishly commercial sti
of land in the country. Any place whe
the rate of miniature golf courses p
capita is that high shouldn't worry abc
becoming too garish in appearanc
As far as problems with compulsi
gambling, that's a road South Caro
na has alreadv had thp disnleasurp
mat e-ai/Ci iaj UHC tuui IOL u wu spicau
like a bad rash across the area, and the
^MjBmTssion.s for c
length.
I 1 M 777-7726.
^ M m. The Gamecock
student.
J her The Gamect>ck r
on Monday. I had relied, unwisely it
would seem, on your bookstore to mannap
this nrHpr nrnnprlv without rnn
stant supervision by me.
I must tell you that your current
system of monitoring orders, placing
orders, monitoring stock and covering
shortfalls and other errors of the present
kind is woefully inadequate. This
mistake is not an isolated one, I believe,
based on experiences of myself and colleagues
in past semesters. It demonstrates
a clear case of mismanagement
of the textbook department of the bookstore.
You will not receive any more exclusive
orders from me, and I warn my
colleagues of the likely consequences of
such actions. In fact, I am seriously considering
omitting your store from all
my future textbook orders due to continuing
shoddy performance and lack
of supervision of the ordering Lhd
^ 1
traveling. The unregulated nature
video poker means it preys upon t]
low-income residents of this state, <
fering an escape from reality and
chance to solve life's problems with o:
jackpot.
In Columbia, video poker machin
aren't in Irmo or Spring Valley; they
on Rosewood and Two Notch. Anyo:
who has ever gone into a Rosewood D
ve convenience store on a Friday ?
olumns arc welcome from all members of the Carolina
columnists ctin only be printed twice a semester. Plea:
ry to print all letters Letters should he 2sO-3<Xt words and must it
letters must he personally delivered by the author to the Russell
eserves the right to edit all letter for style lihel or space. Names
sale process. Some professionalism
called for here.
Elwood Carlso
Professor of Sociolog
Reader suggests
a soul searching
To The Editor:
This is in response to Guerma
Abaev s column from the zoth. 1 teeJ
must apologize to you for the rude e
counters you have received. I don't kno
where you go or who you frequent wit
but not all Southerners are rude. Ai
not all of them force their beliefs in Gk
on others. Do I believe in God? Yes! I
I have faith? Yes! In today's society, tl
world is so mixed up that you do ei
counter phony, neurotic, two-faC,?
fcUOTE, UNQUOTE
"I used to watch the basketball
team a lot; now I don't care
anymore because they are
awful."
Mark Piras,
Journalism Junior
Friday, January 29, 1999
^? s
i
X CoULV)
>PNT<Sp )
UITBP <
TAT^S-*/
f,^D
ppointillg
o change the world
e sheeple psychology
(w an idiot for trying even though a modest
return from my effort was evident,
ve Less-than-100 percent is worth it.
to Ask someone who works with disadm
vantaged children or the disabled. Ask
es a performer who reaches a small but
se, receptive audience. Ask anyone who's
ry willing to drink a half-full glass of wine
id because it tastes good. Maybe you can't
change the world, but you can change
th the part of it you live in.
w. Entropy is a fact of life, and it catchile
es up with all of us eventually, but it's
as pretty boring to watch in the meantime.
11. Think for yourself. Act for yourself. Start
ie at the Russell House,
to
n- Comments welcome at The Gamecock
at or esstreyer@mindspring.com
ss
animation
li- ternoon has seen the row of machines
filled with essentially working-class
?f and lower-income people, blowing their
"e paychecks on something that offers dur
a bious odds of reallv Davine off.
m The problems with gambling already
^ exist in South Carolina, and I must ad^
mit a certain amount of responsibility
^ for their existence. I voted for Hodges
g,g in the last election, knowing full well
his connections to Collins EntertainISf.
ment, the company that's doing an exj]y
cellent job of preying on the less fortu-ip
nate of South Carolina. At the time,
ire Hodges and organized gambling were
>er a lesser evil than Beasley and the Chrisut
tian right.
:e- But now, after fully realizing how
ve harmful video poker can be, I regret
even voting at all. Before we consider
whether we want the "boats to nowhere,"
? there needs to be some serious regula^
tion of the video- gaming industry.
Gambling isn't ethically or morally
ne wrong. In a democratic society, people
have the right to spend their money as
es they please. But it needs to be properre
ly regulated so it isn't focused on takne
ing advantage of those who can't afford
ri- to feed hundreds of dollars into a video
if- game.
Community They must be ix'twccn 650 and 750 words in
sc deliver all submissions to Russell House room 333. or call
ldude full name, phone number professional title or year and major if a
I louse room 333. E-mail letters must include ihe author's telephone nunv
will never be withheld
is nasty people, but again, not all are like
that. Some are true, genuine, lovable
Christians. And a lot of them receive
in their education from USC just as you
jy do. Stop searching for that perfect whoever
or whatever you're looking for. One
day, you'll find it, or it'll find you. And
I've learned that true friends are those
J that do call you and that you call. Maybe
you're the one that has the combination
of being neurotic and two-faced be
in cause you re looKing way too nara to
11 find what I call happiness and you're
n- too afraid to just believe in anything
iw that can bring you that. So my advice
h, is to search your soul and find that someid
thing that gave you your misconcepxl
tions because it's not what I'm hearing;
)o it's something deeper,
le
n- Iris Doctor
d, Mrrriot Food Service i