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Quote, Unquote 'If your'e not out there pitching yourself every day, you’re unemployed.’ Thomas Smith, freelance journalist Wtit (Bamcock Serving the Carolina Carrrrunity since 1908 Editorial Board Miranda LaLonde • Summer Editor in chief Ann Marie Miani • Summer Managing Editor Peter Johnson • Summer Viewpoints Editor John Huiett • Summer News Editor Bush's environmental policies not cutting it Although Texas Governor George W. Bush might be leading in the polls for the upcoming presidential election, there is a clear cut difference between Bush and A1 Gore when it comes to caring about important environmental awareness issues. Since becomming Governor of Texas, Bush has all but ignored con trolling environmental pollutants in his state. He chose to loosen state regulations on controlling and dealing with industrial and chemical wastes that pollute the air, land and drinking water. According to the North American Commission on Environmental Co operation, Texas pollutes more than any state or Canadian province. And, according to Timothy O’Leary, a columnnist and editorial writer for the Dallas Morning News, “a third of the state's rivers and streams probably violate federal water quality standards, though no one is certain because the state declines to test them all.” More than two-thirds ofTexans breathe air that federal environmentalists officially classify as dangerous to hu mans. Under Bush’s governorship, legislature have even allowed for big busi nesses to follow “voluntary regulations” for emissions regulations. Is it any coincidence that these same big businesses are Bush’s staunchest sup porters? It comes as no surprise that Texas has the worst environment of any state in the country. Bush has put into effect an out of sight out of mind policy for Texas’ continuously growing environmental issues and related health problems like chronic bronchitis and other respiratory ailments. According to fig ures on pollution levels in America, Texas appears within each of the top five most polluted states in six major categories of environmental pol lution. Of those six, Texas appears at number one four times. School of business finally names a dean - SC is infamous for slacking off on naming new deans. Sev eral of the colleges have been without for years, bringing them close to discredidation. The process of naming a dean is said to be a tedious, but tedious should not mean drawn out. Of the several deans that were finally named this summer came one that many are grateful for. Joel A. Smith was named dean of the Darla Moore School of Business on August 7, 2000. Smith announced his retirement from Bank of America and will assume responsibilities as dean beginning October 1. The position of dean at the business school has been open for years. It is perhaps lucky for the University that Bank of America announced its cutbacks of higher executives earlier this month, leaving several talented people, and Smith, open for work. However, USC still lacks several deans, leaving the 2000 2001 school year to begin with interim deans in their place. While the business school is no longer in danger of losing its ac credidation and rank, there are other schools that are still at risk. Hopefully finding permanent, respectable deans is a part of the Master Plan and if so, higher up than destroying more park ing and filling it with grass. About Us .The Gamecock is the student newspaper of The University of South Carolina and is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the fall and spring semesters and nine times during the summer with the exception of university holidays and exam peridds. Opinions expressed in The Gamecock are those of the editors or author and not those of The University of South Carolina. The Board of Student Publications and Communications is the publisher of The Gamecock. The Department of Student I*, -i-- - u.__nmninii/m Tho ("iamernrU ic ciifwirtpd in nart hv student activities fees. Address The Gamecock, 1400 Greene Street Columbia, SC 29208 Offices on third floor of the Russell House. Student Media Area code 803 Advertising 777-3888 Classified 777-1184 Fax 777-6482 Office 777-3888 Gamecock Area code 803 Editor gcked@sc.edu 777-3914 News gamecocknews@hotmail.com 777-7726 Viewpoints gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com Etc. gamecocketcetera@hotmail.com 777-3913 Sports gamecocksports@hotmail.com 777-7182 Online www.gaaRecock.sc.edu 777-2833 Submbsion Policy Letters to the editor or guest columns are welcome from all members of the Carolina community. Letters should be 250-300 words. Guest columns should be an opinion piece of about 600-700 words. Both must include name, phone number, profes sional title or year and major, if a student. Handwritten submissions must be personally delivered to Russell House room 333. E-mail submissions must include telephone number for confirmation. The Gamecock reserves the right to edit for libel, style and space Anonymous letters will'not be pub lished Photos are required for guest columnist and can be prodded by the submitter. fill 777-7726 for more information. The Gamecock-Summer Staff Miranda LaLonde Viewpoints Editor Editor in Chief Jeff Romig Ann Marie Miani Sports Editor Managing Editor Jacquelyn Poston Features Editor Copy Desk Chief John Huiett Sean Rayford News Editor Photo Editor Peter Johnson Student Media Ellen Parsons Carolyn Griffin Director Business Manager Susan King Sherry Holmes Creative Director Classified Manager Sean De Luna Erik Collins Todd Hooks Faculty Adviser Melanie Hutto Robyn Gombar Emilie Moca Melissa Millen Martin Salisbury Brantley Roper Creative Services Nicole Russell Kenton Watt Advertising Stall Advertising Manager The Q*mecock-Fau Staff Brack Vergakis Asst Spotlight Editors Editor in Chief Amy Goulding Brandon Larabee Photo Editor University News Editor Sean Rayford John Huiett Sports Photo Editor City/State Editor Miranda LaLonde Kevin Langston Ann Marie Miani Viewpoints Editor Charlie Wallace Shannon Rooke Brad Walters Sports Editor Design Editors Willeshia Lakin Will Gillaspy Meredith Davis Online Editor College Press Exchange " THEY HAVE NOT LEJ> — WE WILL" ssfltafc'?* M, Welcome Freshmen - listen up Welcome, Fresh men! Remember, back in high school — way back on your first day — when you were scared because you did n’t know any body? Remember how clans of up per-classmen chanted such things as, “Go back, go back, go back to junior high!”? Don’t worry. It’s not like that here. I’m sure I’m not the first person to - tell you that college is an experience un like any you’ve ever had before. Be lieve the hype, but don’t be intimidated by it. There are a plethora of movies out there that depict college as a place here you have to belong to one group. You’ve got to be a hippie or you’ve got to be a Greek, or you’ve got to be that guy that spends his weekends in front of the computer, hacking onto federal Web pages. But the movies are wrong. There are no cut-and-dried rules for to going to college. There is more to col lege than the weekly “crappy hour” af ter the bars close, and there is more to college than the time spent in the classroom. I remember after my first week of classes, I thought, “It’s 1:45 in the afternoon, and I’m done with class es; what am I going to do now?” It is all the spare time between and after classes where the majority of the education that we are paying tlirough the nose to get is garnered. I’ve learned more about society and life by associating with such a diverse group of kids since I’ve come to school that I’d be lying if I said that college hasn’t changed my life for the better. The stereotypes I held that were re inforced in high school were shattered within the first two weeks here at USC. That guy that lives next door to you with what looks like a perpetual scowl? Yeah, he looks mean, but he might become one of your closest friends. That metal-head across the hall? Why don’t you trade CDs with him? You might find out that you guys have more in common than you think. The best part of college is being able to manage your own time and money, as well as who you associate with. College is one of the best examples of trial and-error education. You try an expe rience, and if it’s fun, you’ll continue. If it’s not, you won’t. You’ll learn how much partying can be done in any given week without your grades suffering front it. You’ll learn how much sleep you need before getting up for those hellish 8:00 classes. It’s all part of the education process. And open your mind to new expe riences to give yourself an opportunity to learn, or at least see the world from another perspective. College is where you create your self. Don’t let the influences of others keep you from experiencing life. Every thing around you is what makes you you. In order to get the best education pos sible, you should experience as much as you can to become the best and most ed ucated you that you can be. College isn’t all about the GPA that you get. In all the interviews I’ve had for future jobs, only in one of them have I been asked about my grade point av erage (and that was the same interview when I was asked if I’d cut my hair if I worked for them). I told that gentleman that I wasn’t interested. My ability as a journalist, not the length of my hair or my ability to memorize information for a test, should land me a job. Take a minute and forget about your classes. Why are you in college? While I cannot answer for you, I can answer for myself, and I believe this answer will work for most people: I’m in college to prepare myself for life on my own. I believe that what I’m being taught in the classroom is important, simply be cause it will lead me to subjects I find interesting for independent study. The education provided in the classroom is secondary to the education provided in the experience of college. Live life, make friends, make mis takes, and, above all, make yourself. Clayton Kale is a journalism junior and former news editor. He can be reached at gamecockview points@hotmail .com Bowline etiquette for dummies Until a few - months ago, I only knew the sport of bowling as a leisure activity. I would go and throw a few balls down the lane. Sometimes the pins would fall and sometimes they, wouldn’t. The main thing is that I always had fun, because frankly, I didn’t Itnir U/ittnr Then came that fateful day. A friend asked me if 1 wanted to join his team. Well, I felt pretty good about it, so I agreed. Famous last words. Now, after bowling seriously for the past few months with a partner who is a former professional with 16 perfect games under his belt, I have come to view the bowling alley in a different light. 1. Not everyone in a bowling alley is “Alabama Man” from “South Park” - the action figure who “drinks and bowls and drinks some more.” The guys who go to the lanes to drink and bowl as a side activity are usually decent folks, and you can scam all kinds of money off them after their third pitcher. “Hey, I’ll bet you $201 don’t pick up this 7-10 split.” “You’re on, buddy.” 2. Cosmic bowling sucks. Unless you have a hook-up or a rich daddy, it’s too expensive. Plus, it brings out the worst of the non-bowling pundits. Why is it I always get stuck next to the group of 13-year-olds who think it is funny as hell to fall flat on their face in the middle of the lane? 3. One tip for any non-bowling “Big Lebowski fans out there: Know that it is not necessary to yell “OVER THE LINE” whenever someone bowls. And nobody in their right mind does a “strike dance.” Bowlers might not be the cream of society, but we do have some self-respect. 4. But there are some aspects of “The Big Lebowski” that are present in the weekly happenings of the bowl ing league. For the record, there is a guy in my league whom I have had a couple of run-ins with who reminds me a little too much of John TUrturro’s character - you know, the child molester they call “the Jesus”? Very scary stuff. In closing, I’d just like to say that bowling is a great activity and a fun way to compete against others. But, if you go, be aware that you could be bowling beside someone who takes the game very seriously. Also be aware that you may just become one of them. }ick Johnston s a journalism senior. He can be eached at game ;ockviewpoints Gnomes not cause of missing toilet paper While writing an editorial may allow you to express your opinions, it does not free you front the burden of fact. I would love to go into detail about every article you've written this summer, but let me start by clearing up a misconception. As the attached picture clearly shows, your toilet paper is not being jacked by gnomes, it’s just Wally and I. We believe that toilet paper is an exploitation of trees and therefore it is our job to liberate it. Vivales arbres!! Brad Dawgert Campus Issues My kind of town, Chicago is I was blessed enough to be sent to The Associated Collegiate Press Conven tion in Chica go on behalf of Student Media. This was my first trip to The Windy City, and I was absolutely ex hilarated. Let me just say that the trip was great. Un The cab ride to O’Hare Interna tional airport from downtown was a nightmare. My fellow Gamecock staffers and I feared for our lives at least six times. During the cab ride from Hell, I noticed the “Passenger Bill of Rights” posted on the back of the driver’s seat. So being the journalist that I am, I decided to take some notes. Here is an excerpt of the “bill of rights”: - Passengers shall ride in a clean, comfortable and safe cab. - The driver shall take the most direct route to the destination. - Driver must obey all traffic laws. Let’s just dissect these rights one at a time. Passengers shall ride in a clean, comfortable and safe cab. No. This was not the case. The cab was anything but clean. Where does one start to describe the filthi ness of this cab? It looked like it hadn’t been vacuumed in 10 years. And then there were the cigarette burns in the ceiling. I would also ad vise the driver to get an air freshener to cover up the sweat smell that has steeped into the seats. Comfortable...HA, HA, HA. I think the dirty cab should pretty much explain why this ride was NOT comfortable. Safe ... again, I think not. But as I know think about it, I don’t know if that means the safety of the driver or the condition of the car. But it was lacking in either case. The driver shall take the most di rect route to the destination. I have never been to Chicago so how the hell am I supposed to know if the driver is taking the most direct route? Driver must obey all traffic laws. This is the most important one I can think of. I don’t know where Mr. Cab Driver got his license, but where I’m from, you have to obey some rules some of the time. I can’t even count how many laws this dri ver broke in the hour we were in his cab, but I’ll try. 1. When we were still in the city, he merged without signaling or even looking over his shoulder, for that matter. 2. He would speed up when the light was red and come really close to hitting the Lexus or Mercedes that was in front of us. 3. When we were stuck in stop and-go traffic on the highway, he would speed up and slam on the brakes. He repeated this action about 25 times or so. I really thought I was going to get whiplash. 4. He was going 85 miles per hour in a 55 ... remember the heavy traffic. 5. The driver would turn around and talk to us. This caused the car to veer into the other lanes. We arrived at O’Hare unharmed but mentally scarred by the incident. When I stepped onto solid ground at the US Airways gate, I could feel my hands and knees shaking. I was grateful to still be alive. So, remember the next time you are in a big city, be fearful of the cabs. You’ll probably be safer taking the subway. fc. Ann Marie Miani is a journalism junior and sum mer managing editor. She can be reached at game cockviewpoints® hotmail.com