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Show Journal PACE 5 i V Thursday, September 16, 2004 x r Kr r EDITOR I L Dana Bartholomew, 586-548- 8 Technology adds SU opportunity through updates Technology is changing everyday, and as behind as SUU may seem, the university is catching up. According to an article published in the Sept. 13 issue of the University Journal , floppy drives and zip drives are being phased out. The information technology department is playing host to a drawing on Sept. 21 to give away 400 USB flash drives to students. Jordan Nielsen, network systems administrator, said in three to five years, floppy and zip drives will be obsolete. The drawing is a way for the university to usher in new technology for students to use and become familiar with, he said. (Its) to kind of get the ball rolling, he said. Not just to say, No floppy, no disks, sorry. Other universities, such as BYU, have already phased out floppy and zip drives, and we think its great that SUU is doing the same. Technology is similar to survival of the fittest. The strongest, most cunning specimens survive. Typewriters, rotary phones and VHS are becoming things of the past. At the same time, DVDs, iPods, Palm Pilots and USB flash drives are taking over. In order to survive, an institution like SUU must keep up with the technology. SUU is also updating its Web capabilities with new software called Macromedia Breeze, according to an article published in the same University Journal issue. According to the article, SUU currently uses EdNet software for online classes, and at least six students must be enrolled or the class will be dropped. With the new Macromedia Breeze software, more classes can be added without a minimum of six students required. Breeze also allows for 250 participants to be online for each server, and professors can stream video over the Internet while class is in session. Carl Ellis, dean of Continuing & Professional Studies, said Breeze is more cost effective and student-friendl- y than software currently in use. On top of updating computer software and hardware, SUU is saving money and providing more students with an opportunity to use advanced technology. The university is pioneering technological advances, and we encourage students to take advantage of them. We believe if more students show increased interest in the new technology and programs, more technological opportunities will become available in the future. Students who take advantage of the new technology will also show SUU officials that more technology is needed in our facilities. Technology is constantly changing. By showing an interest and asking for new updates, you can help SUU help you. up-to-d- the collective board. The editorial Journals the University perspective of editorial board meets every Monday at noon and Thursday at 8 a.m. in Room J76C of the Sharwan Smith Center. Germs strengthen immunity George Carlin, in his HBO special You Are All Diseased , commented on the way we have gone psycho about germs. In prison, before they give you a lethal injection, they swab you arm with (expletive deleted) alcohol, Carlin said. If we hit everything in our lives with antibacterial this and germkilling that, we may find ourselves in a lot of trouble. A friend of mine had twin girls and, as a new parent, she kept their environment super clean. Despite all the sterilization and disinfecting, the girls were constantly sick. After a visit to a top doctor, his prescription was to have the girls play in the dirt and stop sterilizing everything. They needed exposure to germs to build their immune systems. What do you think vaccinations are? Weak or dead germs that our body can easily kill and use to set up an ambush for any other unlucky bugs that may wander into the secured perimeter. When I was a kid, my best friend Harwood got a screaming case of Television has always been my favorite murder weapon for killing time, and after a short search the other day, I found Seinfeld. d panic attack because his girlfriend Jerry was having a had rinsed an item of his in the toilet and wouldnt tell him what was permanently contaminated. " After he tossed much of his stuff into the it iW, dumpster, she finally told him that it was his toilet brush. Relieved, he said, Good, I can replace that. Yeah, its funny, but its also true. The commercials running during that episode of Seinfeld pushed disposable toilet brushes and an aerosol spray that leaves all germs dead. Dead! Dead! The media has sold us the idea that if we do not sterilize everything we come in contact with, we will certainly be looking up from a hole and watching our mother cry over our untimely death. Dont miss my point here. I do believe in keeping the raw chicken in the fridge, as well as the fast food employees washing their mitts after visiting the rest room. The old saying about cleanliness being next to godliness is still true. When I was a kid, my father always demanded that we wash our hands before dinner. This was an excellent idea because I grew up on a farm. I didnt want what was in the cow pasture to find its way into my mothers meatloaf. I still wash my hands, but I dont buy into the national panic we have over germs. germ-relate- V & chicken pox. We had a huge slumber party at his house where we drank from the same Kool-Ai- d glass, and I had to give him a big hug before I left. Lets call it poor mans immunization. Bottom line: Wash your grubby paws and cook that hamburger to at least 160 degrees, but dont freak out and buy into the whole panic over germs. All you will do is make cleaning companies rich and weaken your body. Its okay if you drop something on the floor. Pick it up and eat it. If anyone asks, tell him or her you are building your immune system. Vale White is a senior staff writer fcr the University Journal. He can be reached at vwhHesuujournal.com. The opinions expressed above represent Thumbs Down Thumbs Up To technological advances in SUU facilities. To students who dont take the time to find out what Rush To Week the students who Ivan. students who don't take advantage of our remodeled To Living Room facilities. support group. weight-contr- ol about To Hurricane auditioned for American Idol in Las Vegas. To the Wellness Center for its is OURNAI faSEi DasEx DIRECTING STAFF AND DESK PHONE NUMBERS: 586-775- Water is one our most essential nutrients, and we have been taking it for granted. Why are we still not doing anything about conserving this resource? Why do we just pretend we dont see it? Why do we entirely ignore the drought surrounding us? Why do we use water like it doesnt mean anything to us? It seems to me people are completely ignorant and we are taking our water supply for granted. About a week ago, I was walking home from school. It was one of the hottest days I could remember this summer. I looked over and was quite irate to see some of my neighboring streets watering their lawns at 12 p.m. Do they have any common sense? I have also seen many businesses, as well as one of the high schools, use their water during time. What good would it do the them to water between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.? You are outside. You are sweaty . . how long would Think about it it take to go from being completely soaking wet until water evaporates? I would say pretty quickly. We really need do something about this. I like water as much as the next person, but we are in a severe drought. We are pretty close to exhausting our supply of water. . UNIVERSITY Editor Melissa Nielsen Utahs drought going unnoticed Former Gov. Michael Leavitt knew this catastrophe was happening, and he signed a statewide Declaration of Agricultural Disaster and activated the stale emergency operations plan. We are running extremely low on stream water, and our snow pack has been lower every year. I believe unless we have 40 days and 40 nights of rain, our condition will not change any time soon. Price has seen many droughts like this, but it still has some pretty strict water laws. Do people need to be mercilessly fined? I believe so. Until people stop ignoring the problem, they need to be pumshed. I also think we really need to set some rules. I dont want to tell people not to take a shower or bath every day. That would be too much to ask for and would lead to smelly people. How about shortening your showers or not taking them until you are really dirty? There is no point in running water when it is not needed. g plants in your What about getting rid of some of those yard and replacing them with plants that don t take very much water to survive? I think we need to be more interested m the community and not use so much of our declining share. to find plants that fit our I suggest you look onhne or in area I saw a house on the same violating street that didn't have any I grass in its trout yard. Instead, it had wood chips and lots of plants. think if we are smart, we can overcome this. It will take time. water-guzzlin- Wal-Ma- rt Stephanie ad is a staff writer for the University Journal. She can be reached at swardsuujournal.com. What technological advances does SUU need? 0 News Carli Warr Associate Editor Associate Editor Opinion Dana Bartholomew 586-775- 9 Accent Editor Heather Darata, 9 Sports Editor Jonathan Dean, Photo Editor Katrina Joslln, 586-- 1 992 2 Web Editor Alex Eagar, 586-548- 8 8 Copy Chief Elizabeth Bowler, Asst Copy Michael Nielson, Graphics Terence Waters, 586-- 1 992 Ad Designer, David Stevenson, Senior Staff Writers: Tiffany De Masters, Keera Ward, Vale White, Rachel Glidden, 8 Advertising Manager Brian Gwin Operations Manager John S. Gholdston 7 586-775- 1 The University Journal is published every Monday and Thursday of the academic year by and foT the student body of Southern Utah University It is advised by professional faculty and staff ui the university's Communication Department The views and opinions expressed in the Journal are those of individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the institution, faculty, staff or student body in general The unsigned editorial directly above is the opinion of the University Journal editorial board Letters to the editor must be letters must include the same information as typed and include the authors name and phone number those otherwise submitted Only the name will be printed Names will not be withheld under any circumstances 0 words and The editor reserves the right to edit letters for length and taste Letters should be limited to must be submitted by noon Thursday for inclusion in Monday editions or by 10 a.m. Monday for mclusion in Thursday editions Submission of a letter does not guarantee publication Grievances Any individual with a grievance against the Journal should direct such problem first to the editor If unresolved, that grievance should then be directed to the operations manager Any grievance not resolved at that level is referred to the Journal Advisory Council The Journal is distributed free of charge to individuals for the 25 cents each. first copy Additional copies may be purchased for University Journal SUU Sharwan Smith Center. Room 176C Mail address University Journal, address journal suuedu St, Cedar City, Utah 84720 FAX (435)586-548- 7 PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER PLEASE RECYCLE THIS COPY Q 2004 SUU University Journal 351 . W Center Senior English communication Salt Lake City Robot professors to do my bidding. Jordan Pagan Freshman Art North Adams, Junior History Glendale Senior Music Ogden Senior Marketing Salt Lake City Mass. Better washers and dryers for the dorms. Mac computers are too far advanced for their cameras and disk drives. I havent been on a computer that took that long to transfer data since elementary school. Every building on campus needs wireless connections, not just the select few. Massaging recliners in each classroom. A comfortable environment promotes better learning. |