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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 12, 1990)
Page 6 The Battalion Monday, February 12,199i 4 FREE RENTALS FLOPPY with a new membership. J“ £> E s 5 Some restrictions apply. f -f w e, i' e r e ^ -f 693-1706 We RENT and SELL: IBM, APPLE, MAC, COMMODORE, AMIGA, SEGA, and NINTENDO software HURRY! coupon expires 2-16-90 FEVER STUDY Do you have a fever of 101' or greater} Earn $200 by participating in an 8 hour at home research study with an investigational over-the-counter fever medication. No blood drawn. Call Pauli Research Int'l 776-0400 After 6 & Weekends call 361-1500 The MSC Jordan Institute tor International Awareness is offering a MONETARY GRANT for a student to participate in the 1990 JAPAN-AMERICA STUDENT CONFERENCE Funding, in the form of a grant, is available for one Texas A&M University student to attend the Japan-America Student Conference, to be held on the West Coast of the United States from July 19 to August 18, 1990. Funding is subject to availability, but at least half of the cost of attending the Conference will be funded by the MSC Jordan Institute for the student who is chosen. Applications are available in the MSC Jordan Institute office (Room 223F of the Memorial Student Center, in the Browsing Library) and are due by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. February 13. 1990. 1989-1990 Texas A&M University's Video Yearbook The staff of AggieVision wants you! If you are a member of an organization that is planning a special event this semester, let us know. We can videotape your event and maybe place a segment of it in the 'SP-’yo AggieVision, A&M's Video Yearbook. If you are interested, simply complete the form below and return it by February 16th to : AggieVision 230 Reed McDonald Department of Journalism College Station. TX 77843-4111 S Order your AggieVision now by mailing a check or money order for $32.25 to the above address. Please include your permanent address, phone number and student ID#. Questions? Call 845-0048. Name of organization Name of event Place Date Time Person to contact & phone # Love & Kisses Kissing customs endure throughout millennia By M. ELAINE HORN Of The Battalion Staff Kissing is a favorite Valentine’s Day activity, but it could soon lose its popularity, says an ex pert on the history and customs of kissing. Dr. Vaughn M. Bryant Jr., head of the Texas A&M anthropology department, has studied the history of kissing for several years and has watched recent trends in kissing customs. Bryant says one of the biggest changes today in kissing is the invention and widespread use of the “air smack.” Instead of actually kissing lips, peo ple will kiss the air in front of each other’s faces, making a smacking noise. He says this form of greeting originated in California. “The reason you do this,” Bryant says, “is so you don’t mess up their makeup ... or mess up your makeup.” Another reason some people have adopted the air smack may be a fear of AIDS. Bryant says that although AIDS can’t be transmitted by kissing, people still fear contracting the disease. He compares this mistaken belief with to the fears of kissing which spread throughout Lon don in the mid-1600s during the Great Plague. Bryant says he is unhappy to see the rise in popularity of the air smack, because it could bring a demise to something which he believes has been one of the more pleasurable experi ences of western civilization. Although Bryant has done extensive research in the history of kissing, he says it is not his main interest, but more of a hobby. Some day, he says, he may write a book on the subject of kissing, but until then he plans to concentrate on his other re search fields, pre-historic diets and forensic paly- nology (the study of pollen and plant spores in relation to solving crimes). Both of these fields, not to mention the kissing field, have few people working in them. Bryant says he prefers it that way because it is difficult to make new discoveries in an overpopulated field. He says it is more exciting to work in an area that is new and unexhausted. “I’m a maverick,” he says. “I tend to work in areas that are non-conventional.” Bryant says he likes to use his reasearch in kiss ing to teach students about cultural diffusion. It “ V f ou will never ever see anyone kissing in a Godzilla movie. In that culture (Japanese), it’s not polite to show kissing or to kiss in public.” keeps them from falling asleep, he says, and kiss ing is an example of how one country’s custom can spread throughout the world from one cul ture to another. Bryant says that kissing probably originated in India with the custom of rubbing noses across cheeks and lips to smell perfume. In the first or second century A.D., a book on Hindu religion which included instructions on kissing was writ ten. This book, the Kama Sutra , contains more than 200 passages describing kissing customs. Bryant says the Greeks adopted kissing fronJ India, and from there it spread to Rome. Thtl Romans established three types of kisses. • The osculum — a friendship kiss; for exam 1 pie, kissing a relative on the cheek. Today, peol pie in France, Spain, and Latin America gretii each other with kisses on the cheek, whileCredJ and Russians kiss lips. • The basium — an affectionate kiss betweej lovers. This word is the basis for the word mean S ing “to kiss” in most languages today. The En 1 glish word “buss” which is synonymous will I “kiss” is also derived from this word. • The savium — a kiss similar to the modenJ “French kiss”. By the Middle Ages, kissing became popukj throughout Europe. However, European Chris I tians developed a system of kissing based onl rank. Kissing on the lips was reserved forpeopleofl equal rank. As the dif ference in rank increased I the less personal the kisses would become. De l pending on rank people would kiss thecheeLsI hands, feet, and finally, the ground. By 1492, Bryant says, kissing customs were I limited to Europe and the Mediterranean. AstbI great age of exploration occurred, kissing cm I toms diffused throughout other cultures. Today, kissing is a widespread activity, but his I not accepted in all countries and cultures. Amen I cans and Europeans are very kiss-oriented, Bn-1 ant says, but some Asian cultures such asChiiiil and Japan do not approve of kissing. “You will never ever see anyone kissingin;| Godzilla movie,” he says. “In that culture, it's no: I polite to show kissing or to kiss in public.” — Dr. Vaughn M. Bryant, anthropology department head Business blooms during Valentine rush By M. ELAINE HORN Of The Battalion Staff A sea of tightly packed red ribbon bows covers the back wall of Univer sity Flowers. The shelves under the counters contain rows of boxes filled with pink order slips, and the coun ters are covered with stacked wax paper and clusters of leatherleaf. Everything is in quiet preparation for Valentine’s Day, the biggest holi day of the year, at least for Bryan- College Station florists. “We can double an entire month’s volume in the couple of days around the 14th,” says Rose Ash, manager of Chimney Hill Florist & Gifts. In a majority of American cities, Mother’s Day is the biggest holiday for florists. Ash says the reason Val entine’s Day sales surpass Mother’s Day sales in College Station is be cause 36,000 students leave in early May. Jimmie Walston, owner of Uni versity Flowers, says 90 percent of her customers are college students, so when they leave town much of her business leaves with them. Planning for the Valentine’s Day crunch began weeks ago. Ash says flowers were ordered from wholesal ers in January to ensure that she would have a sufficient supply. She says that after all of the ordered flowers are sold, she will be unable to get more. “I can’t call up the day before Val entine’s and say, ‘Send me 600 roses,’ ” she says. One of the biggest problems with Valentine’s Day, Ash says, is that people don’t realize the time crunch involved. Some people will come in on the 14th and expect to have their order delivered the same day. “But we just can’t do it,” she says. Even people who come in the day before will have difficulties getting their orders delivered. She says that the earlier people order, the better chance they will have of getting ex actly what they want. Walston says that people are learning to order early, which helps florists out a great deal. She says that they put up a sign outside their store about a month ago, reminding peo ple to order early. The sign has helped, she says, and they have had many orders. People who want to have flowers delivered out of town really must plan in advance, Ash says, because the wire services stop guaranteeing orders 48 hours before special occa sions. Ash says that they have been try ing to get much of the assembly work done beforehand. Bows, vases, and baskets with candy are already prepared. All that needs to be added are the flowers, she says. “As the orders come in, we pull out the supplies and attach them to the order ... so that everything is re- ByM. ELAINE HORN Of The Battalion Staff A red rose symbolizes deep love and desire — a perfect gift for a Valentine’s sweetheart. But what do you send to say “fare well”? Try an anemone or a mi- chaelmas daisy. Flower language can say a vari ety of things. Some type of plant exists for whatever someone wants to say — anything from feelings of high regard or fascina tion (daffodils or ferns) to “your looks freeze me” (an ice plant) to hatred and disdain (an orange lily). One factor to consider care fully is the color of the flower se lected. Some flowers just have one meaning regardless of their color, while other meanings de pend entirely on color. A white carnation symbolizes pure and ardent love, a red one suggests admiration and worldly sentiment, and a yellow carnation voices disdain and rejection. If you’re not well versed in the language of flowers, you can acci- ady to go.” On the 14th, they will divide the town into zones, Ash says, and each delivery truck will have a particular section to work. Deliveries will in crease by 50 times the normal vol ume, she says. Ash expects the four delivery trucks to run from 7 a.m. until about 7 p.m. Walston says that last year her shop made almost 700 deliveries on Valentine’s Day. Ash says the hundreds of orders to be delivered Wednesday will in clude about 2,000 roses, the most dentally tell someone to take a hike when you meant to say “I love you.” Listed below are some common meanings for Bowers which may be helpful on Valentine’s Day: • Friendship — In general, acacias symbolize friendship, but yellow acacias are sent to a secret love. Other flowers for friends are blue periwinkles and oak leaved geraniums. • Beauty — American Cowslip is for someone of divine beauty. For those not that beautiful, a white hyacinth means unobtru sive loveliness, a burgundy rose is for those of unconscious beauty, a lady’s slipper praises capricious beauty, and a kennedia praises mental beauty. But if beauty is someone’s only attraction, send them ajapan rose. • Jasmine can mean many things. White jasmine symbolizes cheerfulness and amiability, yel low means grace and elegant modesty, while red means folly. Depending on the type of jas mine, the meaning varies as well. Indianjasmine means attachment popular flower. Although roses are the number I one item sold, Ash says there hasl been a big increase in balloon ordenI by women for men. Walston sanl some of her best-selling gifts [or| men are yellow roses and candy mb | balloons, especially candy. Other popular items are mixedl spring collections from Holland and'!! European diYn plants (green planij in baskets). Ash says many peoplf| send these to offices and businesses I because they can be placed on:| counter or desk. Profits don’t increase with tbef See Florists/Page 8 and commitment. Spanish jas mine means sensuality. • Jonquils symbolize violent sympathy and desire. They also demand a return of affection. • A lotus llower is appropriate for the estranged lover; a mari gold for the jealous one. • Most tulips symbolize the perfect lover. A red tulip is a dec laration of love, hut a yellow tulip means hopeless love. • Honeysuckle symbolizes generous and devoted affection. • An iris sends a message of faith, hope, and promise. • Creeping willow means love forsaken, ambrosia means love returned, and a yellow chrysan themum means slighted love. • A white rose symbolizes charm and innocence, and a white and red rose together mean unity. However, a yellow rose symbolizes infidelity and jealousy. • If you want your flower ar rangement to say faithfulness and fidelity, send ivy, veronica, lemon blossoms, or blue violets. Say it with flowers: a symbolic guide ' ARE YOU BORED? LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO? WANTING TO MEET PEOPLE AND GET INVOLVED? *§* MSC RECREATION COMMITTEE / Learn leadership skills while having fun! General Meeting Tuesday, Feb. 13 MSC Room 145 5p.m. Coming this Friday night... Student Y ♦ KKYS present nikTTT Tf'y is I < Xl U VJ February 16, 1990 ♦ Midnight ♦ Kyle Field Get your tickets and commemorative T-shirts early at the MSC or the Commons Feb. 12-16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All profits will be donated to Brazos County's Stepping Stone, United Way agency dedicated to helping troubled teens.