VLION
February 2, 2001
eat
O PINION
THE BATTALION
Voting age
: jhould not
niversit^ i -■ 1
"be altered
s if confused, hormone-
charged 14-year-olds are
not challenged enough,
fly t j e . ome in the Texas Legislature
3ne7ka vaat to § ive
tas A&lll 111 the
oints.c 1 § l 1 to vote -
ndingn >Pfcifically,
ithlO’ aTmakers
)oughenir ant t0
oaxareffB en( J t * ie
)r thei ita,e const i'
0 p en | ution and
oler the
j ntst0 ualte’s minimum voting age to
rewe l Mlyears. As reported by The
winis hollas Morning News, this pro-
iipetitiffB a l * s t * ie brainchild of Rep.
s j n Ro Wilson, D-Houston.
’hertviiB' * * iave children, and 1 am
telling you they are smart
enfcugh to vote," Wilson said,
ssotrt m e re not rocket sci-
:ond\i en r e here -”
ianw«H^ 0, vot lng is not rocket sci
ence. However, Wilson's logic
, •’ jy 0 i is seriously Rawed. For one
thing, being smart enough to
vote and mature enough to vote
are two completely different
) ” £ ' things.
amisliB^ * iese l ^ e ex P er ‘'
, ' ente and maturity to weigh sev-
c f a . eral key issues. They have yet to
feel the indignation of paying
■ Kes — what stake do they
have in the debate over Social
BrjgfSecurity reform or lowering
, property taxes?
heai In addition, eighth-and-ninth
mfl graders only have limited expo-
1 '*1 >ure to civics in school. Writing
men's i'i book report over Ulysses S.
field tea Trant, filling out a crossword
!on for Tuple about George Washington
e mtnj-memorizing the Bill of Rights
st0 ^i|li far cry from effectively ana-
on ' ’lazing campaign platforms.
Wilson is assuming that the
1 ^ intelligence of his children is
^^representative of every other
:hild in Texas, which may not
team s he accurate. The children of a
e, inclj respected state representative
. Arkariwill have more knowledge of
jyette. government and politics than
uthea% e average 14-year-old.
■rn Wilson defends his position
StepWjyith the assertion that many 14-
U ’ yeai-olds are allowed to face
^ ton criminal charges in Texas as
^ a ..adults.
said I However, it can be argued
oaC h that they are still unable to sign
some contracts without parental con-
in, sosent, be drafted into the armed
iw we Services or drive. The irony is
,t prob'striking — little Timmy wants
ion ^to go vote for Gov. Rick Perry
so n '" but he is unable to4rive himself
to the polls.
"\Y e ta ik about responsibility
ifM^nd getting young people in-
llJ solved. This is a great way,”
nen ' S Wilson said.
lSt No- Quite the contrary — this
; 45 ^proposal promotes irresponsibil-
ena. ity. It would feed into the al-
4-3 ii 1 ready out-of-control problem of
h pl aC Hininformed voting.
whil e Imagine the reasons kids will
re 't come up with for supporting a
J a , [candidate: “I want to vote for
° n n e a fr :John McCain because he listens
^ to Kid Rock” or “I’m voting for
~ A1 Gore because 1 think he’s
te levi®te!”
3| U s, Considering the debacle of
last year’s presidential election,
this proposal could open a Pan-
g4ora’s box of voting impropri-
JJJieties. In local races that are
j^^ometimcs determined by a
^PKidful of votes, desperate par-
iSAjaits could bribe their kids to
BSivote for a certain candidate and
turday w ,
i^^swing an election.
Granted, this scenario is a
ino^stretch. However, its possibility
ENIALITY|r should send a collective shudder
40
astdan^ through voters.
5 ° 74S tl ^ approved by two-thirds of
SJ he Texas House and Senate,
15800 Jil so n' s proposal would go on
0F!SNc the ballot for voters to decide
zss* 5 (his November. It is funny that
;(R) Only those 18 years and older
avs |!L will decide.
sn 9:501^ ■ _ .
David Lee is a senior
economics and
journalism major.
Oh, Crap
Excessive bird feces on A&M campus are potentially harmful
B ird excrement has
always been a prob
lem on the Texas
A&M campus because of
the flocks of grackels that
take up residence on West
Campus every year. How
ever, the problem seems
to have amplified this
year, judging from the mounds of bird feces
visible around West Campus parking areas
near Joe Routt Boulevard.
Aside from the immediate problem of
odor, other issues need to be resolved. Feces
of any sort should not be found in mass
quantity around any human dwelling —
much less a world-class university. Being
forced to walk through layers of feces on
A&M sidewalks will hardly persuade po
tential A&M students and faculty to move
here.
In addition, people who must park in
West Campus commuter lots should be giv
en more consideration. It is impossible to
walk under a tree without danger of being
“fired” on. Commuter vehicles are also
threatened, but in a more serious way. Al
though clothing and skin can be washed, fe
ces can potentially damage paint jobs at
great cost to car owners.
But the biggest concern is that of disease
threats. These issues should be addressed,
and efforts should be made to more thor
oughly control the bird population.
Efforts are already in action to control
the birds. Plans are being considered to
bring noisemakers (blanks) back to discour
age the birds from roosting, said Tom Dew,
the superintendent for landscape and paving
maintenance.
However, the noisemakers have not
worked well in the past, so it is unlikely
they will now. Dew also said maintenance is
attempting to clean the affected lots on a
daily basis. But the personnel appear to be
fighting a losing battle — the problem will
not be solved until the birds are driven from
their roosting spots.
Bird feces, just like those of any animal,
can present health problems if present in
large amounts, said Dr. David Phalen, an as
sistant professor in the College of Veteri
nary Medicine. He said that although the fe
ces on campus are unlikely to cause any
major illnesses, good hygiene is imperative
to prevent potential problems.
The most common problem students and
faculty could encounter would be contact
with coliform bacteria, which includes such
strains as E. coli and Salmonella.
These bacteria, which can come from
direct contact with bird feces, can cause
gastro-intestinal problems like diarrhea.
These illnesses can be prevented by fre
quent hand-washing and avoiding pro
longed contact with the feces. In addition,
Phalen said that the maintenance personnel
cleaning the mess should be wearing face
•masks to prevent them from inhaling the
bacteria.
Phalen said certain fungi can also be in
haled from bird feces, which can cause
pneumonia and other in
fections. This is more like
ly to happen in areas of
East Texas, where the
environment is ex
tremely wet, but is pos
sible at A&M in extreme circumstances.
The likelihood of contraction will increase
parallel to the amount of feces.
In addition, few people enfoy running
the gantlet of bird droppings every day.
There are few things more annoying than
attending class or working for an entire day
adorned with feces, as one Battalion pho
tographer can attest to. It is no longer neces
sary to spend a long time among the birds
for them to present one with “gifts.”
Although the droppings are not such a
problem that the entire A&M student body
is diseased and feces-covered, the problems
will escalate if a legitimate solution is not
found. The aesthetic value of a dropping-
free campus should be enough of an incen
tive to get rid of the hordes of birds, but if it
is not, the health implications must be.
Bad odors are seldom fatal, and bird
droppings on a vehicle will probably not
make a huge difference in one’s life — but
personal health is another matter entirely.
For the sake of the students and faculty, the
administration must find a solution before
the feces problem gets worse.
Jessica Crutcher is a junior
journalism major.
Danger on campus
Dihydrogen monoxide is harmful to Aggies
D ihydrogen
monoxide
is respon
sible for thou
sands of deaths
every year, yet
Texas A&M
pumps it into
every building on
campus. Many people are unaware
of this silent killer they contact
every day. Something needs to be
done about dihydrogen monoxide at
A&M because it is irresponsible to
allow something so harmful and
deadly to go unnoticed.
While it may seem like dihydro
gen monoxide would only qxist in
places other than the safe confines
of A&M, it can be found almost
everywhere on campus and in the
communities of Bryan and College
Station. Dihydrogen monoxide has"
been positively identified in Rudder
Fountain, Fish Pond and Research
Park.
It is a major ingredient in the fer
tilization of Kyle Field. Millions of
gallons of dihydrogen monoxide re
side in our own beloved Rec Center.
Physical Plant employees are even
known to use this agent to clear off
chalk graffiti and clean sidewalks
and the exteriors of buildings.
Dihydrogen monoxide is even
seen in chemistry labs and could
contribute to unpredictable results
of many experiments in introducto
ry chemistry courses. Dihydrogen
monoxide is also found to be a con
tributing factor in the frequent dis
coloration of the pond in front of the
Chemistry Building.
Dihydrogen monoxide will re
main a threat to the general safety of
students, faculty, staff and anyone
who is unfortunate enough to come
into contact with it. A&M currently
uses dihydrogen monoxide as a
cleaning agent, a solvent, a chemi
cal compound for experiments and a
cheap filler for places like Rudder
Fountain. Chances are very good
that most students at A&M have
come into contact with this silent,
odorless killer and will continue to
interact with it on a daily basis until
it is banned from this campus.
Dihydrogen monoxide should be
avoided at all costs. Aggies can do
some things about the dihydrogen
monoxide problem.
If dangerous uses of dihydrogen
monoxide are seen, the local author
ities should be notified. Classes are
available for students to take at the
American Red Cross location in
Bryan. The classes will teach stu
dents about safety in and around di
hydrogen monoxide, as well as
ways to protect others who are hav
ing problems with dihydrogen
monoxide.
The tasteless, clear compound
can be very harmful. In the solid
form, dihydrogen monoxide causes
severe tissue damage, often causing
the amputation of toes, fingers and
even limbs. Extreme exposure to
solid dihydrogen monoxide has
caused death in many cases.
Prolonged exposure will be
deadly without the proper precau
tions. It only takes minutes for the
problems to set in.
While not as deadly as the solid
form, the gaseous form of dihydro-
gdn monoxide can be extremely
pdinful and even disfiguring.
Gaseous dihydrogen monoxide
causes severe burns and can be
deadly in rare cases.
Many Aggies often unknowingly
ingest liquid dihydrogen monoxide
every day. At room temperature, liq
uid is the natural state of dihydrogen
monoxide.
Liquid dihydrogen monoxide
causes choking, hemorrhaging and
asphyxiation. Consumed in excess,
dihydrogen monoxide often causes
bloating, frequent urination and
general pain. Dihydrogen monoxide
is thought to be a major factor in
water retention.
Even after vigorous dish wash
ing, the remnants of dihydrogen
monoxide often remain lurking on
the plate, waiting for the next victim.
The dangers that dihydrogen
monoxide pose to humans are ap
parent, and in nature, dihydrogen
monoxide is often a factor in many
great catastrophes. It has been scien
tifically proven that dihydrogen
monoxide contributes to tsunamis,
hurricanes, El Nino and the infa
mous California mud slides.
In these forms, dihydrogen
monoxide causes thousands, maybe,
even millions, of deaths each year.
Dihydrogen monoxide is also the
main ingredient of acid rain. Dihy
drogen monoxide was a major cata
lyst in the central Texas floods of
October 1998. It is also considered
the cause of the sinkholes found on
the streets of Bryan and College
Station.
Avoidance of dihydrogen
monoxide can be attained, but only
with diligent work and effort.
Check with the Foocf Services em
ployees to see if the food purchased
on campus was cooked in dihydro
gen monoxide. Aggies should talk
with their resident adviser or land
lord to find out what is being done
about the dihydrogen monoxide
problem.
This is a problem Aggies need to
take seriously. The only way to pre
vent these deaths and injuries is to
avoid dihydrogen monoxide. The
abolition of dihydrogen monoxide
will promote a safe study environ
ment for students. Students will no
longer have to worry about the dan
gers the chemical poses. Only by
the abolition of dihydrogen monox
ide will A&M be considered a safe
campus for all students.
Thomas Campbell is a junior
agricultural journalism major.
Mail
French do not
deserve potshots
at war record
In response to Mark Passwa-
ters’ Feb. 1 column
In his article, Mark Passwa-
ters forgot to mention a few
things about the French: We
stink a little bit and our women
do not shave their armpits.
As he mentioned, France pro
duces only wines and cheeses.
That is it — nothing else. And if
it were not for America we would
be speaking German by now be
cause we cannot stand up for
our country.
First, we do not think that Jer
ry Lewis is funny. He is like Mc
Donald’s — American pollution.
Second, when you say that we
“have also figured out how to
surrender with more grace and
skill than any other country on
the planet,” you are insulting the
memories of more than 200,000
Call
French soldiers who died during
World War II.
Since it seems that you are an
expert in world history, I am sure
that you will agree with me that
Americans have lost a couple of
wars with a “lot of grace and
skills” after they started them
(War of 1812 and Vietnam).
You are a perfect example of
what French people hate about
some Americans: ignorant, arro
gant, obnoxious and in one
word: redneck. I do not think
that you have ever been to
France or that you have ever met
French people.
And we do not want you to
come to our great country. Stay
where you are.
You are even a dishonor to
America and Americans. It is be
cause of people like you that a
lot of the French have come to
hate America despite all that
your country has done for our
country.
Sebastian Gay
Graduate Student
CARTOON OF THE DAY
Po YoO tlEAft VflkES
vIHEN YoUNAoiufl?
TUc W<Lh Rf C>cW\vf-