The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, December 07, 1999, Image 15

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    attalion
O PINION
Page 15 • Tuesday, December 7, 1999
ot enough nooks and crannies
iGlHibraries filled with too many distractions, not helpful to students studying for exams
ly government’s !::,l
o streamline relid]
and ensure that
es the affected I
d.
• Mishra, the staid
•I servant, saidthai
(ration had disti
00,000 blanket;
ith fi
nals on
the
n, stu-
[will be
|ng out of
odwork
ing for
Iplaces to
u a
ELIZABETH
KOHL
y inadequate forTypor exams,
people affected if 0 ie libraries on campus
said the OrissatWi always overrun during fi-
svasorderingtivo»°nstruction now pollutes
'ts and hopedt :|ritial study nooks,
em among thehpnibers of the Texas A&M
•. 31. in staff can testify to the in-
re than 200 into Iol students that inevitably
Stic sheetsfomsfiBs during finals. Libraries
;ainsttheelemeiiS puipped with tables, cubi-
baneswarlOdavts |nd private rooms designat-
vernment refoc r studying purposes, but
‘nter the city us ear, two of the major A&M
met governnift: ies hardly seem prepared
1 Aperts were tec ndle individuals looking
for quality. Iplace to study.
he West Campus Library is a
bt example of corrupted
space.
a newer facility, this library
'es extensive traffic during
■ary weeks.
At d while during the day the
w s predominantly in and out
computer lab, there are a
erof students studying in
bove floors all day and even
into the night,
e would assume from its
■tthat the West Campus Li
ly was designed specifically
glludying purposes.
the first floor, conveniently
ted with a computer center,
an scan documents, check
rial kill
■ eastern cityofli
y who say that thd
nen confessed tltpj
te children, butboil
according to Mai
who rangedinagei
ong the country
•eets if Punjab's pit)
email and type anything from
memos to computer programs.
Sprinkled with a few shelves
of business and agricultural doc
uments, the always-silent sec
ond floor also houses 50 tables
and a number of cubicles.
But surely, the top floor of the
West Campus Library was de
signed with studying exclusively
in mind.
There are no books on the
third floor; instead, more than 25
tables are strewn about sur
rounded by rows and rows of
spacious cubicles.
Campus is not
prepared to
accommodate
studying for
finals.
Elsewhere under the sterile
lighting, octets of slightly cushy,
doctors’ office-like chairs are
available, and several private
rooms can be checked out for
group study.
But despite the conspicuous
fact that most individuals venture
to a library such as this, nearly
all of the cubicles on the third
floor are filled with intrusive,
sluggish computers which fill the
air with perpetual key tapping.
More than 100 of these ma
chines were displaced from the
Biology lab to the library toward
the end of the summer.
There were just a few at first,
but within weeks, nearly every
cubicle on the third floor was
filled and the study space rav
aged. The purpose of moving so
many computers into the library
was to maintain the number of
computers available to students
on West Campus.
The installment, however, has
transformed the library into a gi
ant, inefficient computer lab.
Keystrokes, beeps and the
continuous hum of hard drives
defiling the concentration of
those trying to study aside, the
larger problem lies in the space
the machines now occupy.
Throughout the course of a
typical week, the West Campus
Library is noticeably busy.
Tables are scarce, and cubi
cles without computers quickly
become occupied. Even an
amoeba would have the fore
thought to realize the computers
are a distraction from the true
purpose of a library.
Despite the inconveniences
sure to surface in the next couple
of days, the computers are sched
uled to remain indefinitely.
Surely, the administration
does not believe the overflow
will head to the Sterling C.Evans
Library, with its shag carpeting,
retro furniture and musky smell.
Although students may flock to
Evans for its familiar ambiance,
the sounds of hammers and drills
leave little to be desired.
Rest assured — the crews
MlkElihwin
KTtM temxrnfet
working to repair Evans are
aware that finals are forthcom
ing, and they will do all in their
power to muffle the pounding
and banging.
In the unfortunate event that
one has not yet found a place to
study, the Sterling C. Evans Li
brary Annex is just a catwalk
away. Sure, there are few tables
and chairs about, but if students
want private study rooms, they
may call the library ahead of time
and reserve them.
Truth be told, the campus has
only semi-adequate facilities
available and is not prepared to
handle the number of students
GABRIEL RUENES/Tm; Battalion
planning to study for finals. Win
ter break is just around the cor
ner. Perhaps the University
should use the time before finals
week to move computers and
finish construction.
Elizabeth Kohl is a junior
accounting major.
28, 1999
arching for something worth saying
fri!
m
J
CALEB
McDANIEL
member sit-
g at my
mputer after
ng the Bon-
ite for the
ime. I had
ead the
, seen the
and tried to
rb the
dy hanging
bly in the air.
hat struck me about the gifts
y the plastic orange fence was
honesty. There was nothing ex
igent or showy — just earnest
ngs from people in mourning,
ae thing was sure: Each gift ob-
ly meant a great deal to the
n who left it, whether it was a
rt, a pot or a ring,
eflecting in The Battalion news-
n on the meaning of all these
I prepared to write a brief col-
about the Bonfire tragedy. But I
suddenly gripped by the sinking
that all I had to give was words.
had to offer was paper and
And beside the notes of condo-
from kindergarten classes on
ence — “Dear God, I feel sorry
e Aggies,” one said — any
s I could write seemed utterly
ty and useless.
is a fear columnists face often,
n hundred words a week seem
nificant in the face of seven
tired thousand wrongs in the
d that need to be righted.
What good can a newspaper do?
Such a question may seem
ridiculously big-headed to readers of
a paper. Journalists are aware that
to some people, their work is little
more than something to pass the
time while at a bus stop or before a
class. Those with such a casual rela
tionship with newspapers may think
existential questions about the value
of words hardly worth asking.
But permit me a moment of mus
ing. After working as the editor of
this page during the summer and
fall semesters, the question of what
my job is worth is more than just a
passing curiosity. It is a practical
concern. And being faced with the
daily job of filling a blank page with
text is bound to make an editor
think about why words matter.
My answer to that question, ad
visedly, is that words do and do not
matter. (Yes, I’m a liberal arts major.)
In one sense, they do not matter
because words are cheap. It costs
nothing to write a column, and be
lieve me, it pays only a little more
than it costs. But it takes almost
Herculean ability to live up to what
you say, to practice what you preach
and to believe truly what you pur
port to believe. Mouths open more
easily than minds.
On the other hand, it is because
actions speak louder than words
that words are important after all.
Words, ideally, inspire people to
do something. If a column has
done little more than spark more
words and discussions, it has at
least made people think.
Some writers, doubtlessly trying
to justify their existence, have said
that the important thing about
words is that they are said. I dis
agree. The important thing about
words is that they are read.
Writers who think for more than a
second about themselves realize they
do not have all the right things to say.
They are just the ones with the col
umn space. They write not because
they have the final word on the matter,
but because they have the beginning
word. The job of a newspaper is to
start a conversation, not to end one.
When I think of words that way, I
have hope that columns are not
meaningless in the face of tragedies,
crises or intractable problems. After
returning from the Bonfire site, I
made the mistake of thinking all I
had to give was words.
But the words on this page are
not the finished product. They are a
means to an end. The goal of this
section is not so much to talk, as it is
to make others talk.
And while one person speaking
alone may seldom rise above the vol
ume of a whisper, the din of conver
sation is the music that matters. Add
your voice to mine, and then together
we may find something worth saying.
Caleb McDaniel is a junior
history major.
Presidential candidates fall
short in Republican debate
MARK
PASSWATERS
L ast Thursday was a
tough day. After a day
filled with exams that
hit a person harder than Jay
Brooks hit Chris Simms, an
other task was still to be
faced in the evening.
That mission: to sit down
and watch the Republican
presidential candidates de
bate in New Hampshire.
Which was more painful, the exams or the
debate, is still under discussion.
The format of the debate was such that
the candidates were never really forced to
confront major issues; the questions were
softballs and each candidate seemed more in
terested in trying to buck the public’s qualms
about their character than talking about the
future of the nation.
At least there was a remote control to turn
off the program.
After receiving a nightly dose of “JAG,” this
intrepid columnist grabbed a pad of paper,
turned to Fox News and prepared to find out
all sorts of interesting things about the GOP’s
picks for the presidency.
The following are my impressions of the
participants’ quotes:
“Hi, I’m Brit Hume. Many of you remember
when I had a career back at ABC. Now I am a
commentator at Fox News. Yes, there is such a
thing. My job is to throw up more softballs than
Steve TTachsel. Let’s meet our candidates.”
“I’m Sen. John McCain from Arizona.
Many people think that I have a problem with
my temper. I don’t. I’m a funny guy. Can’t
you see that? I’m talking to you! You better
listen to me!”
“I’m Steve Forbes. I want you all to know
one thing: Anything George W. Bush says,
I’m against. So there.”
“I’m George W. Bush. I’m governor of
Texas — a state that if it were its own nation
would have the 11th largest economy on
earth. I know how to lead. 1 also know I’m
winning, so I’m not saying anything.”
“I’m Alan Keyes. If you’re against me,
you’re racist.”
The remaining two candidates, social ac
tivist Gary Bauer and Sen. Orrin Hatch of
Utah, had opening comments as well. But the
channel had miraculously turned to ESPN.
Thursday night football — what a concept!
Go Jags!
Wait, this is not good reporting. Let’s go
back to Fox News, where things were at
tempting to get interesting.
McCain still was trying to convince people
he was funny. The problem is that he could
not even convince himself.
Forbes was sporting a strange look, like he
was a kid in a candy store. Then again, he
probably owns the candy store.
In any event, Forbes was still intent on
showing that he was the “Anti-Bush.”
Bush, in the meantime, was still governor
of Texas, which if it stood alone, would have
the 11th largest economy...
Keyes was making himself out to be the
political Dick Vitale. He waved his arms,
yelled and said nothing. Get this man a
telestrator!
Who is Bauer, and what does he stand for?
Oh, he opposes to abortion. What else? He
opposes abortion.
Hatch stands up straighter than any other
human being. Much like a droid — no, wait,
that would be Gore.
Will someone answer a question with a
specific answer? Click. On to the next chan
nel. James Bond marathon on TBS! Yes! The
Spy Who Loved Me. Seen it 25 times. Back to
the debate.
McCain said something funny. He wants to
prop up fed chairman Alan Greenspan with a
board and a pair of dark sunglasses when he
dies, like Weekend at Bernie’s.
Bush still knows how to lead and is the
governor of the second largest state with the
11th largest economy...
Hopefully, there will
be debates where
real issues are not
only placed on the
table but actually are
addressed by each
candidate.
Forbes still has not answered a question, but
he has answered several of Bush’s.
The general idea of a debate is for candi
dates to be confronted on issues of conse
quence to America’s future.
This concept, which gives candidates one
minute to talk and no chance for rebuttal,
eliminates that possibility.
Even if the format were changed and
Hume had been allowed to ask some of the
hard questions he is known for, each candi
date seemed more interested in primping for
the camera than taking a stand.
There are still two more months before
voters go to the polls in the first primary, so
there is still time for things to improve.
Hopefully, there will be more debates in
which real issues are not only placed on the
table but actually are addressed by each of
the candidates. In the meantime, America
breathlessly awaits the showdown between
Democrats A1 Gore and Bill Bradley.
Click.
Mark Passwaters is a senior electrical
engineering student.