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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (June 6, 2002)
Newsroom: (541) 346-5511 Room 300, Erb Memorial Union PO. Box 3159, Eugene, OR 97403 E-mail: editor@dailyemerald.com Online Edition: www.dailyemerald.com Thursdayjune 6,2002 Editor in Chief: Jessica Blanchard Managing Editor: Jeremy Lang Editorial Editor: Julie Lauderbaugh Assistant Editorial Editor: Jacquelyn Lewis Editorial Cheers for gas, NASA; jeers to Enquirer, fire It’s finally here, the list all of our readers have been waiting for: The editorial board’s final run down of cheers and jeers for this school year. Cheers to the Bush Administration — surprise, surprise — for finally acknowledging humans are at least partly to blame for global warming. According to a report issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, manmade pollutants emitted from oil refin ing, automobiles and power plants do indeed con tribute to global warming. Even though this seems like standard knowledge, the White House has refut ed this information in the past, claiming there wasn’t enough scientific information to prove industrial emissions contributed to global warming from accu mulation of greenhouse gases. While the EPA report only contains “voluntary measures” for companies to control pollutants, the administration deserves a nod for at least admitting that humans are part of the problem. As the old adage says, admittance is the first step to recovery. Cheers to the National Aeronautics and Space Ad ministration for getting us excited about the space program again. The launch of the space shuttle En deavor after many delays because of engine and weather problems, coupled with the recent discovery of huge oceans of underground ice on Mars, bodes well for space exploration. The discovery has also fu eled the hope for human visits to Mars, though this type of endeavor is decades away. We’re excited about NASA’s progress and future plans. Jeers to The National Enquirer for its tasteless de cision to publish photographs of the Columbine shootings, including images of the bodies of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold after they had killed 13 people and themselves at Columbine High School in 1999. Though tabloids like The Enquirer have been known for their lurid photographs and sensa tionalistic reporting style, we think The Enquirer has gone too far. In this case, “enquiring minds” would rather not be subjected to gruesome, point less photographs. Though it is not known who fur nished the tabloid with the photos, executive editor David Perel claims they “help illustrate a very sig nificant news story.” But to the editorial board, it’s clear that all the publication of the photos helps il lustrate is The Enquirer’s callousness, lack of taste and its anything-for-a-buck mentality. And finally, jeers to the irresponsible students playing with fireworks inside the residence halls. Though the damage to the room was minimal, col lege students should be mature enough to know that playing with fire is dangerous. Perhaps the discipli nary action they could now face will remind them of I that in the future. . This editorial represents the opinion of editorial board Responses can be ietters@daiiyemeraid,com. Letters to th commentaries are encouraged. Letters words and guest commentaries to 550' include conm information. The right to edit for space, grammar l||j|J|f JKtKSBKKmMi Steve Baggs Emerald nightmare 6 £ I ■■ elcome to McDonald’s, may I Ml take your order?” ■ ■ “Yeah, I’d like a six-piece McSushi meal, supersized, with the Wacky Wasabi dipping sauce.” “Would you like regular fries with that, kelp tempura, or one of our new non-fat salt-water enemas?” “Enema, supersized. Oh yeah, and I’d like to add a vitamin boost.” I have a dream. Actually, it’s more of a recurring night mare. In it, Ameri cans have reverted to riding bikes everywhere they go. Rusting heaps of cars line the high ways and little furry animals scamper freely across the blacktop fearlessly. The average diet consists of seafood, veggies and rice. Columnist obesity is a distant - memory, con signed by exercise and healthy diet to the Maury Povich Memorial Archives in Cleveland. In this dream, self-satisfied grins are the dress code du jour, and as I make my way through an airport terminal, I notice the lack of national guardsmen. Terror has been stamped out like an incense stick when it’s time to leave the house. Time moves differently in dreams. I blink my eyes in the airport gift shop, and I’m landing on a runway in Japan. Visions of John Zorn album covers Lindy-hop through my mind as I pre pare to disembark. The hatch hisses open and before the stewardess can say “Thank you for fly ing the friendly skies,” I’ve bolted. Up the ramp an d ’round the comer I run. Urgency spreads through me like cheap whiskey. I just can’t wait to... (From dream to nightmare, in half a second.) What the hell? What kind of cmel joke is this? Surrounding me, literally filling the waiting area are not trim, sparkling eyed Japanese, but rather fat, angry Americans, wearing Hooters shirts and Mickey Mouse ear hats. As they begin to laugh, I feel a scream violating my Ups. That’s when the pelting starts. French fries, ice cream cones, ketchup packets, jalapeno poppers—and the final insult, milkshakes not actually made with milk. I’m drowning in cheap fast food and though I try to run, my legs simply pinwheel like a spinning Chinese Pago da firecracker on the Fourth of July. And then I wake, my sweat a mixture of MSG and coconut oil. “Welcome to McDonald’s, may I take your order?” “Coffee, black.” I come back from my nightmare to find the television still on. It’s an ad for Wendy’s. They’re telling me to try one of their brand new garden-fresh salads. I find myself wanting to comply. Instead, I change the channel. Taco Time has salads too. I change the chan nel again. Burger King’s bashing me in the skull with the blunt end of their new “healthy” Chicken Whopper. And now, at select locations, the BK Garden Burger... dear God. I turn off the television and pick up a copy of Time magazine, hoping to dis tract myself from the hunger pangs gnawing like ravenous ferrets at the ob sessive-compulsive portion of my brain. Opening to the table of contents, I’m immediately struck by the feeling that my life has turned into a Kafka story. On page 30 is a story about health trends in China and India. Evidently, af ter following our dietary lead, heart dis ease, obesity and hypertension are all on the rise. Not only that, but American cattle farmers are actually having to ship their product overseas, as U.S. citizens become increasingly health conscious. I throw down the magazine and run. If I run fast enough, I might be able to es cape the new dream I can feel forming. But I’m running on a treadmill. Every thing comes full circle. America? China? It’s all the same. We all live in a yellow Big Mac wrapper. Welcome to McDonald’s, may I take your order? E-mail columnist Jacob TenPas at jacobtenpas@dailyemerald.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the Emerald. Letters to the editor Middle East occupation must end for peace Regarding Friday’s Emerald article about the excellent Middle East slide show and presentation by four speak ers, we were puzzled by the closing comment, which said the speakers “shared one common ground: Both sides must cooperate” (“Vivid slide show demonstrates hope for Middle East Peace,” ODE, May 31). The issue of both sides cooperating is so clearly obvious that it wasn’t specifically raised during the confer ence. Rather, the substantial common ground among the four speakers and the concluding message of the event, was: The occupation must end before real progress can begin. Brian Bogart Madoka Kusakabe graduate student Eugene Middle East Peace Group Reusable plate project accomplished its goals I am very disappointed at the inaccu rate article in the Emerald regarding the reusable plate project at the Folk Festi val on May 28. To set the record straight: • The reusable plate project was very successful. Using plates reduced the waste by 22 percent while recycling/ composting efforts reduced the waste by 67 percent. More than 75 volunteers (many students) participated. • The project was the first of its kind and a model for other waste-reduced events around the country. • The project was proposed by me, a student, and was supported by Campus Recycling. • This was a pilot project that went off smoothly and got rave reviews. • The projected was funded to serve the Folk Festival as a free event and was never presented or funded to include a deposit system. • Though there was some plate loss, this was built into the funding. The project is being evaluated for improve ment for future events. Savings from using disposables is also funding replacement of lost plates. Please help by returning any plates from the Folk Festival to Campus Recy cling through campus mail to: Campus Recycling, 1276 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403. Campus Recycling is a program that is recognized worldwide while provid ing hands on opportunities for thou sands of University students. The reusable plate project was a success. I hope the Emerald can find space in the future to celebrate the fiscal responsi bility and integrity that Campus Recy cling prides itself on. Jon Borgida PPPM student events coordinator Campus Recycling'
