O The Battalion
PINION
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n Page 3'
iday • October 31, 1997
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Dave
Johnston
columnist
T echnology continues to
expand in leaps and
bounds. Three years
ago, less than 25 Aggies had
published Web pages through
the University. Now, hundreds
of students have a “presence
on the Web.” Student Web
pages range from short infor
mational sheets constantly
under construction to enor
mous Web “sites,” providing
Web surfers with a complete
multimedia experience.
Although many students put hours of work
into their pages, the vast majority of personal
Web pages are little more than shrines to their
programmers. Most Web pages provide little, if
any, content useful to anyone who does not know
the page’s designer.
Most Aggie Web pages are identical:
“Hi, I’m Joe Student, Fightin’ Texas Aggie Class
of [insert original decade of intended graduation
here]. Here is a picture of me next to my car/sig
nificant other/favorite alcohol/pile of PTTS tick
ets.” The page also will include a link to the de
signer’s resume and favorite Web sites.
As long as students already are putting hard
work and dedication into creating and posting
Web pages, they may as well create something
others can use and enjoy.
There already are too many sites without con
tent; the world does not need hundreds of stu
dents adding to the pile. IfWeb publishers con
tinue to emphasize themselves over information
beneficial to others, the Information Superhigh
way will never meet its potential.
The World Wide Web was designed as an easier,
cheaper alternative to publishing, but now, anyone
who frequents an undergraduate business analysis
class can post random information, from baby pic
tures to the next Wuthering Heights movie.
As publishing has become more simple, it also
has become evident it is difficult to publish
something worthwhile.
Everyone has stories to tell, but most people
seem to have a hard time determining which
ones are worth relating to others.
No one is so self-absorbed they have no use
ful or interesting information to share with the
world. Most people could offer information on
a hobby people with similar interests might en
joy. For example, students could instruct others
in how to play the guitar, offer photography
tips, cite sources for rare books or give tips on
how to evade PTTS.
Maybe this phenomenon of self-worshipping
Web pages is a result of this generation’s lack of
consideration for others. When faced with the de
cision of providing useful information to others
or telling millions of Internet users about them
selves, many people would have a hard time
choosing. Often, the final decision is based on
which option would draw more people to the site
and will make the designer better known.
The World Wide Web is a tremendous resource.
The training and resources available gives people
a great opportunity to contribute something to
the world. The Web allows writers, political ac
tivists or researchers to reach a huge number of
people at a low cost.
Unfortunately, it also allows anyone with a
modem or a LABS password to reach a huge
number of people at a low cost. The Internet is
full of rich information, but it also is clogged with
frivolous material, from movie trailers to photos
of pets and dorm rooms.
With thousands of students, Texas A&M has
the opportunity to be a part of the problem or a
part of the solution.
Dave Johnston is a senior mathematics major.
t’s the great devil worship, Charlie Brown
alloween tradition tricks people into believing giving, receiving candy is ultimate goal
JOHN
Burton
columnist
he only people in cos
tumes you might be
scared of at Texas
M are Corps of Cadets
members and PTTS agents,
ever, TOn this holiday of evil, how-
diver. ever, there are more serious
comp? entities to worry about,
pionsli J The seemingly harmless
lors of fall — yellow, orange
rand red — signal Halloween’s
rival and informs us we
ould celebrate. Of course,
tute observers realize these
e the same colors used to represent hellfire and
imstone.
Last week’s time change resulted convenient
ly in an earlier fall darkness, just in time for Sa
tan and his army to perform rituals on innocent
children tonight.
I These revelations may come as a shock, but
that is to be expected. Naivete about the real
eaning of Halloween is exactly what the “dark
jlfRiil forces” want.
I Our generation was brainwashed early in life
|y evil propaganda, and I am not just talking
mot p?»
so
about the Reagan administration.
For example, the “It’s the Great Pumpkin,
Charlie Brown” television special is morally ap
palling. It has systematically conditioned us to
believe Halloween is a “fun” activity in which
friends sing songs and eat food. The residents of
Sodom, however, also sang songs and ate food
— and they were eventually rebuked by God.
The dispensing of free candy to children
entices them to choose worldly vices rather
than accept moral standards. It has been
proven by Pat Robertson that children who
accept candy on Halloween will grow up to be
sexually promiscuous drug dealers who listen
to rock ’n’ roll music.
In fact, an Iowa fund-raising letter by
Robertson proved the link between Halloween,
witchcraft and so-called “women’s rights” sup
porters. He proclaimed the “feminist agenda”
is a “socialist, anti-family political movement
that encourages women to leave their hus
bands, kill their children, practice witchcraft
and become lesbians.” If more people had the
vision and clarity of Robertson, the world
would be a better place.
The same humanistic heathens who support
Halloween also have infiltrated the American
public education system. Children across the
country are taught such heretical subjects as
science and literature. Some are even taught to
question things and think for themselves,
rather than blindly follow dogmatic leaders.
Friends, we cannot let this continue. We
must force this system of institutional evil to
change to a more acceptable practice. It needs
to evolve, although evolution is not true.
But first, we must focus on today. Halloween’s
entire concept of “trick-or-treating” is commu
nist, because children are not working for can
dy; they simply are receiving and sharing
it.George Bush said communism is evil, so it
should be obvious Halloween is evil.
We also need to consider crack cocaine. The word
“crack” has the same number of letters as “candy.” Is
this merely a coincidence? I do not think so.
Some public figures who embrace Hal
loween values have fallen due to the public’s
outrage concerning the holiday, and rightly so.
For instance, nobody can forget Barbara
Bush’s Halloween costume last year. She
dressed as a campus food service worker (with
pearls), and created her own stand called
“Kampus Knish Korner” (“KKK” for short).
People got mad, and it was all because of the
inherent evil of Halloween.
Globally, other holidays celebrate evil. In
Mexico, El Dia de los Muertos involves wearing
skeleton costumes or other grotesque figures,
such as Rush Limbaugh. The passage of the
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
will create a giant sucking sound of multicultur
al witchcraft invading our borders.
The situation only will get worse as the New
World Order gains power. Currently, agents of
Satan are taking our children’s souls; they will
want our guns next.
Halloween is a symbol of moral decay in mod
ern society. We encourage our children to em
brace evil values and reward them with candy,
then we wonder why they drop out of school, lis
ten to rock ’n’ roll music and enjoy dancing.
Almost all children, and most adults, who
participate in Halloween enjoy candy and con
sider the holiday “fun.” Friends, something
must be done about this “fun,” because the road
to hell is paved with good confections.
John Burton is a junior bioenvironmental
ail Call
Jnification of Greek
Systems beneficial
39.0” res P onse to Tasha Coble and
fast fjymile Dardar’s October 29th
y 21 Jail Call letter:
Dusk I could not help noticing the
-DUS*
rony in your letter concerning
keel P he purpose of historically black
K 1 " ternities and sororities.
You stated “one of their prin-
.lies is to unite and support
^ip black community”. That is a
wonderful goal, but how does
lat contradict Anna Foster sug-
|$ting the PanHellenic, Pan-
lellenic and Inter-Fraternity
ibuncils would benefit from
forking together?
I Cooperation and collabora-
ion between the three councils
fould be a great opportunity
Drjeveryone, including the
lack community.
I Cooperation between the
hree councils would be a good
ray to promote cultural under-
tanding. I find it interesting
pti berate Foster for her “igno-
).m. ance” of African heritage, but
2el there is “no need for them
o play together.”
If racial harmony and cultur
al understanding are goals
everyone would like to attain,
then how can you turn down an
opportunity to move closer to
those goals?
If you take offense at Foster’s
views of step shows and other
aspects of African heritage, you
should be jumping at a chance
to change those views, not
choosing to separate yourselves
from those people who could
benefit from an exchange of
knowledge and ideas.
I thought Foster’s suggestion
was an interesting idea. How
could cooperation between the
two halves of the Greek system
be a bad thing?
It would not diminish any as
pects of any of the fraternities
or sororities; it could only serve
to enhance all of them.
Julie Traweek
Class of’98
Gender comparisons
show blatant sexism
In response to Donny Ferguson’s
Oct. 29 column:
The column by Ferguson,
even though he apparently is
male, is extremely biased in fa
vor of women.
It also slams men to the
point I thought I was reading
something written by an ex
tremist leader of NOW.
I guess I could view the col
umn as most of my female
friends do, as humorous, but
the column was not written as
satire. The column was an in
sult to intelligent Aggies, male
and female.
It is wrong to say any one
group is better than another.
Sexist beliefs are no more
morally right than racist beliefs.
It is just as wrong to say women
are better than men as it is to
say men are better than women.
Ferguson mentions Marie
Curie’s discovery of radium, but
fails to note her husband, who
also was an accomplished sci
entist, put his scientific pursuits
aside to work beside her in the
long process of experimenta
tion that led to the discovery
with which she is credited.
To say only men watch ESPN
and only women watch Life
time is ridiculous and insulting,
because most intelligent Aggies
know better.
Also, it is not as if women do
not watch sports. If that were
true, Kyle field would be half-
empty every home game.
Women are humpin’ it just like
the men.
I am willing to grant the au
thor of this biased feminist arti
cle one thing; there are some
stupid men out there. But there
are stupid women, too.
I personally think the idea
one group of people is more in
telligent than another, as well
as any person who believes
this, is stupid and an insult to
my intelligence.
Larry R. Hughes
Class of‘01
Aggies celebrate
holiday with poetry
“Halloween Dilemma”
Baptist Bears all around,
Something’s wrong with this
college town.
Halloween and stuck in Waco,
No place for fun,
Where else can we go?
No sugar here for us to eat,
So, we did not trick-or-treat.
On we ventured up 290,
Looking for a place to stop.
We came upon Austin and saw
The most seasonal color of
the fall.
They seem to worship this
horned beast,
Which we saw perfect for a
feast.
As we walked down Sixth Street,
All we saw was crazy freaks.
So, we did not trick-or-treat.
Then we entered Aggieland,
Still no candy in our hands.
We came upon the MSC,
Where crowds were gathered
’round Reveille.
All decked out in her maroon
cape,
This mascot won’t be turned
into steak.
They threw candy at our feet,
And so here we did trick-or-
treat.
Carolyn Quinn
Jennifer Byrne
Cheryl Taylor
Class of’01
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