N.c. Agricultural & Technical State University

Letters From the Hard Drive's Edge

Have you ever seen those little pocket-sized calendars that only a complete dork would have? Well, I was looking through mine last night, and I realized that, amazingly, it's already the first of December. In addition to being the beginning of a new month, today also is the second-to-last Friday of the semester. Thus, this is my second-to-last column. Ever. (Insert unrestrained, campuswide displays of joy.) OK, settle down. Really. Stop it now. Geez. Anyway, I've been having a great deal of trouble with my computer lately.

Christmas Marches Into Town

Bells will be ringing and children will be singing as the annual Chapel Hill Christmas Parade and tree lighting usher in the holiday season. The tree lighting will take place at 7 p.m. today at the JMC Wallace parking deck on Rosemary Street. Robert Humphreys, executive director of the Downtown Commission, said the tradition started about 10 or 15 years ago. This year, a tree was bought and lifted onto the deck with a crane. "We decided that it would be neat to have school choruses and school musical groups come out and sing songs," he said.

A No-Win Situation?

After spending $250 million combined and close to two years of campaigning, Republican George W.

Carrboro Tries to Limit Noise

The construction of a new housing development and an extension to a water treatment plant on Jones Ferry Road in Carrboro has prompted officials to consider a revision of the noise ordinance. The Carrboro Board of Aldermen met Tuesday night with officials from the Orange Water and Sewer Authority and the Home Builders Association of Orange and Durham Counties to discuss a proposed revision. The law requires that all loud noises above certain specified levels are prohibited before 7 a.m.

Bethlehem Native Discusses Middle East Peace

Peace takes on special meaning for people of all religions during the holidays as attention turns to areas where conflict mars the season's spirit.

Authors AppreciatePublisher's Efforts In Achieving Success

It takes all kinds - fiction, nonfiction, cookbooks . and Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill publishes it all. Many of the publisher's authors have a regional connection, and some are UNC alumni. Novelist Robert Morgan is one such alumnus. He has taught English at Cornell University for three decades; his most recent book, "Gap Creek," was selected by Oprah Winfrey to sport her book club's seal. The news took Morgan aback. "It was a complete surprise to me," he said. "I had no idea it was even being considered for it.

Talk Aims To Unveil Stereotypes

About 30 UNC students cast off all personal reservations last night for an open discussion on the Islamic practice of veiling women. The Advocates for the Empowerment of Women of All Color, a committee of the Campus Y, held a dinner discussion on the religious tradition. Led by guest speaker Taffy Bodman, a UNC alumna and expert on Islamic culture, the discussion addressed religious, social and economic aspects of the veiling issue. "Our initial purpose was to present the different sides," said committee Co-chairwoman LeElaine Comer.

Fraternity Apologizes For Any Harm Caused At `Beat Dook' Parade

`Requiem' Sickens But Fails to Engage Viewer

There is a bleak, grim film out there called "Requiem for a Dream" with plenty of visual effects, but little emotion. Director Darren Aronofsky ("Pi") has ostensibly made a film about heroin addicts, but the real story lies in the destructive power of society-approved addictions like television and prescription pills. Harry (Jared Leto) is a heroin junkie who pawns his mother's television for drug money on a weekly basis. Marion (Jennifer Connelly) is Harry's addict girlfriend who will debase herself for a fix when times are tough. Tyrone C.

Class Opens Eyes on Women's Violence

Last year, a UNC professor noticed something missing from the University's Undergraduate Bulletin.

Dilbert 11/30/00

Superintendent Receives Top State Honor

The head of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools was named superintendent of the year for outstanding leadership Tuesday and will go on to compete with other administrators on a national level. Neil Pedersen, who has served as superintendent for eight years, was selected by the N.C. Association of School Administrators. The association consists of a group of Pedersen's peer administrators who chose him out of all superintendents statewide. "It's certainly a great honor to me and the school district," Pedersen said.

Florida Vote RecountsNot Aiming for Accuracy,But For Gore Victory

TO THE EDITOR: In Dan Harrison's letter to the editor ("Fair Election Results, Not Speedy Decisions, Are Needed in Florida" Nov. 21), Harrison mentions a statement I made for an article that ran in the Nov. 16 The Daily Tar Heel. Let me clarify my position on the recounts currently going on in Florida. It is true that I said "If the heavily Democratic Palm Beach was being recounted, then why not recount the rest of Florida ." However, what was not printed was the rest of my statement concerning the issue.

Men, Women Unite to Educate on Safety

Feminist Students United had to scramble for extra chairs Wednesday night after an unexpectedly large number of women and men gathered to speak out against sexual violence. While most of the student group's meetings attract about 20 members, more than twice as many came to Toy Lounge in Dey Hall on Wednesday night to discuss the facts of sexual violence and share their own experiences.

Election Problems Common; High Stakes Prompt Scrutiny

For Bob Hunter, the 1998 election did not end after Election Night. A reporting error in New Hanover County showed that Hunter, running for a state Court of Appeals seat, lost the election by 2,500 votes. But a state law mandating a recount in races in which candidates are separated by less than 1 percent of the total vote signified the contest was not over yet. The recount put Hunter in the lead, handing him the election by 2,500 votes. Hunter's experience is not uncommon. On a much larger scale, the recent presidential election controversy in Florida has shown that no election

Disappointing Finale Hurts Film

Last year's mega-successful "The Sixth Sense" might have been the best and worst thing ever to happen to director M. Night Shyamalan. His latest film, "Unbreakable," which he wrote, produced and directed, will undoubtedly be compared to "Sense" in every possible way. So, to jump on the bandwagon, is "Unbreakable" better than "Sense"? The answer would have to be an ambiguous yes and no. "Unbreakable" is best experienced rather than explained in a few paragraphs.

The Cannanes Export Beautiful Pop; Pharcyde's Latest Like Plain Crap

The Cannanes and Steward Communicating at an Unknown Rate three and 1/2 The 2000 Summer Olympics showed us that there is much more to the Land Down Under than Fosters' ads and drunken crocodile wrestlers. But in all of NBC's dramatic tales of accomplishment in the face of adversity, one group of Aussies was completely ignored. The Cannanes have been making beautiful music in Sydney since their formation in 1984. They're about as Australian as an indie rock band can be.

Francisco Wakes From `5-Year Sleep'

NASHVILLE - Before the bandages were lifted from Francisco's eyes Tuesday morning, Dr. Ming Wang, Francisco's mom and teacher Carole Klein said a short prayer. That prayer was answered. "It was a miracle," Wang said. "A huge smile spread across his face, and I knew that we had been successful." After a quick eye test, it was determined that Francisco's surgery had repaired the sight in his right eye to 20/70 vision. The process to repair his left eye will begin after his right eye has healed. "It was like waking from a five-year sleep," Francisco said.

Rethinking the Status Quo

There likely will be 538 of them; 14 from North Carolina, 54 who hail from California and 25 who live in Florida. Some are lawyers who fight with legal briefs. Others might be community activists, relying on civil disobedience instead. You could pass one of them on the street today and not realize it. When you voted Nov. 7, it was for any one of them, an elector in the Electoral College - not Republican George W. Bush or Democrat Al Gore. And they are the people who will meet Dec.

A Formula for Basketball Victory

I am not a sportswriter.