Opinion - The Daily Tar Heel

Luxurious ice, taken as a given in the U.S.

By Tim Freer | Sep. 14, 2009

Even now I can see you lounging there in Lenoir or on Franklin or in some coffee shop, sitting down to read your newspaper before class, casually flipping through its pages with your snack or drink hanging loosely from your hand, not a care in the world. But you don’t even realize the luxury that you bathe in day after day.It is a luxury that, ironically enough, can be found in your very cup on any date, at any time — it happens when water is frozen into solid form, most commonly a cube shape, though there is growing support for crushed shards.

The festival’s tale

By Editorial Board | Sep. 14, 2009

O sing to me, muse, of a festival lit.Speakers and authors created a hit.The N.C. Literary Festival was here,Held weekend last, drawing many a peer.John Grisham, Kathy Reichs — obvious stars.They told of how they put fiends behind bars,And how those tales helped shape their lives,Turning them from public servants to scribes. Grisham spoke of creating his works,Said his ideas are from the world’s quirks.Newspapers, law cases, things all aroundProvide the ideas to make his books sound.

Pick and choose: Town Council hopefuls should apply to be appointed for Strom seat so it can pick ?fth-place election ?nisher

By Editorial Board | Sep. 14, 2009

All of the candidates for Chapel Hill Town Council should apply to fill former councilman Bill Strom’s seat. This suggestion, made by council candidate Will Raymond, is the best way to make filling Strom’s former seat as democratic as possible. Strom announced his resignation on July 29. This was just after the deadline for election filings — meaning that his seat had to be filled by appointment rather than election.

Protesters be warned: Though dropped, charges were the right thing for the University to bring against Tancredo protestor Koch

By Editorial Board | Sep. 14, 2009

Although the charges against UNC senior Haley Koch were dropped yesterday, the University was right to take the case seriously.Koch took her activism too far when former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., came to speak. She disrupted the event and yelled belligerently while holding a banner in front of Tancredo during his speech. In order to preserve its integrity as a forum for free speech, the University couldn’t afford to let Koch and the other protesters off easy.

Organizations work to promote health of animals

By Letter to the Editor | Sep. 14, 2009

TO THE EDITOR:On behalf of all of the members of Helping Paws of the Campus Y, I would like to thank you for your great local coverage, (“Chapel Hill doggie paddle,” Sept. 14).Not only did the Dog Swim help Orange County Animal Services reach out to the Chapel Hill community, but it also successfully promoted the new Animal Services Center.

Students are free to make their own decisions on sex

By Letter to the Editor | Sep. 14, 2009

TO THE EDITOR:In the letter to the editor by Christopher Spargo (“Self-control is the solution, not blaming Harris Teeter,” Sept. 14), it seems he made some big leaps. That the educated people at this university are blinded into a sex culture by sex ads, that the DTH is just continuing this cycle of sex addiction, that abstinence is the only way and that Harris Teeter is not at fault for not wanting to promote sex.

9/11 remembrances lost in the ivory tower of UNC

By Letter to the Editor | Sep. 14, 2009

TO THE EDITOR:I want to agree with the sentiments of Mr. Hiers in his letter to the editor (“DTH should have placed more emphasis on 9/11,” Sept. 14). To me the reasons for the lack of 9/11 coverage in The Daily Tar Heel on Friday are inexcusable, but obvious.

Drunk driving deaths are tragic and preventable

By Letter to the Editor | Sep. 14, 2009

TO THE EDITOR:Another night, another wreck. Another life gone because someone likely decided to drive after consuming alcohol. Another daughter, sister, friend gone — someone whose death was entirely preventable.I did not know Elena Shapiro. But four years ago, I lost a close friend to a similar accident. And now all the images come flooding back like an old soldier reliving war trauma while watching the news. Once again, I see a promising life ended.

Human emotion cannot be traded

By Reed Watson | Sep. 13, 2009

When I was young my mom frequently read “The Man Who Kept His Heart In A Bucket” aloud to me. This book is about a guy who gets hurt by a relationship and resolves to stop the pain by physically taking out his heart and sticking it in a bucket to keep it safe. I got distracted by the fact that this lumbering automaton was somehow living with vital organs outside his body, and I didn’t really learn the book’s lesson.

No reason to head south: Making Rams Head Plaza another Pit is a lot harder than it might seem at ?rst

By Editorial Board | Sep. 13, 2009

Campus leaders should reconsider pushing Rams Head Plaza as a new Pit.It’s good to announce a plan and to think about the future, but it’s going to take a lot more work than it seems.Many students on South Campus would welcome the idea of a Pit-like place near their homes. Activities in the area are pretty hard to come by, unless they’re run by the Resident Hall Association or a student group.The problem is that the Pit is going to be difficult to emulate.

Who you gonna call? With 911 down in Orange County, University should have used Alert Carolina system on campus

By Editorial Board | Sep. 13, 2009

The Orange County 911 emergency number crashed for about three hours Thursday. And this wasn’t even the first time this year. The emergency number went down around 9:40 a.m. and was back up around 12:30 p.m. The county was without the 911 number the entire morning. During this time, people were still able to call a backup number.

Let the public know: State must explain why two probation officers demoted after Eve Carson tragedy were reinstated

By Editorial Board | Sep. 13, 2009

Without any public justification, the state has quietly reinstated to their roles as supervisors two probation officials who were demoted last year. Now the state needs to tell everyone why.The demotions came after an internal investigation into the probationary system following the arrests of Demario James Atwater and Laurence Alvin Lovette.The two men were on probation when charged with the death of former Student Body President Eve Carson.

Policy for suicidal students isn’t really ‘voluntary’ at all

By Letter to the Editor | Sep. 13, 2009

TO THE EDITOR:The Daily Tar Heel recently published an article on the University’s policy about suicidal students (College students struggle with alcohol, suicidal thoughts,” Sept. 2). Campus Wellness Services stated that it recommends “voluntary time away from school.”

Immigration forum panel lacked education expert

By Letter to the Editor | Sep. 13, 2009

TO THE EDITOR:Immigration is one topic that this campus apparently cannot address comprehensively, much less in the specifics. The forum held by the Parr Center for Ethics concerning access to higher education, “Undocumented Immigrants in America: Access to Higher Education,” proved that even when the audience stays civil, seemingly no one can get to the point, give straight-forward answers, and more importantly, back those answers with policy solutions.The fundamental and outright absurd flaw in last Thursday’s forum was in the selection of the panelists.

DTH should have placed more emphasis on 9/11

By Letter to the Editor | Sep. 13, 2009

TO THE EDITOR:When I grabbed a copy of The Daily Tar Heel on Friday, I was positive I would see a tribute to 9/11 as the feature story. Instead, Michael Jordan covered the front page, leaving only a small section for an article about the anniversary of that terrible day. Don’t get me wrong, I love Michael Jordan and the fame he brought to the University. But where is the DTH’s patriotism? Instead of a reflection, the only article the DTH ran about 9/11 claimed that most people have moved on.

Self-control is the solution, not blaming Harris Teeter

By Letter to the Editor | Sep. 13, 2009

TO THE EDITOR:I have to say, I’m astounded at the dichotomy that can exists among intelligent people here at UNC as displayed in Abbey Caldwell’s column in The Daily Tar Heel (“Condoms can be hard to come by,” Sept. 11). The idea that a food corporation is irresponsible because they’ve made condoms too hard to find actually took me off guard.

Condoms can be hard to come by

By Abbey Caldwell | Sep. 11, 2009

The priorities of the Harris Teeter in Carrboro are a little out of whack.The store keeps its condoms behind the customer service desk, so customers have to ask an employee for assistance to purchase them.There’s something terribly wrong with that.I’d heard rumors that condoms are where they are because they’re a “high-theft item.”So when I decided to look into the issue further, I thought it might be a fruitless search. It’s tough to argue with corporate measures combating petty larceny.

Square deal: University Square development must serve many

By Editorial Board | Sep. 11, 2009

Granville Towers and University Square are an eyesore, but the University shouldn’t rush to demolish the towers or the square now that it controls the property.

Student advisers a plus: New peer advising program is a great idea, should help students navigate the University

By Editorial Board | Sep. 11, 2009

With the addition of peer advisers, students will now have an opportunity to receive academic mentoring from their fellow students. The Academic Advising Program is still in place to help students with some of the more administrative problems they may face, but the peer advising program gives students something they have never had before — an adviser their age, with similar interests and ambitions, who has useful knowledge to share.

Hiking the fee trail: Some hikes might be warranted, but students should scrutinize all proposed fee increases

By Editorial Board | Sep. 10, 2009

After the N.C. General Assembly-mandated $200 tuition increase and rumors of a larger hike for out-of-state students, the proposed $85 student fee increase might seem like bad timing.That’s why students need to be cognizant of the proposed increases. As the various fee committees meet to decide whether to bump annual fees to $1,845, students should scrutinize the proposals so they have a full understanding of where their money is going.