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Show Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010 Page 13 Views&Opilli011 Utah State University • Logan, Utah • www.aggietownsquare.com OurView AboutUS Editor in Chief Patrick Oden To ski or not to ski was once a time when university ski classes were taught on Old Main Hill. A classes rather iconic black and white photograph located in the Special Collections of the MerrillCazier Library and included in this year's university planner, shows one such of class ski-clad students descending the face of USU. Over time, formal ski groups have given way to students and community families who use the hill for winter recreational purposes. On any given Saturday morning, a driver on 700 East will see the hill teeming with users of all ages, braving the cold and using anything, from sleds to mattresses, as their mode of transportation on the snowy slope. Accidents have taken place, injuries have occurred and students and community members are often reminded by posted signs that they use Old Main Hill at their own risk. Recently, USU has posted a bulletin on its Web page advising users to "seek safer sledding terrain." Campus administration are concerned about safety; they are worried about risk; and they feel that the hill would be best revered in the museum sense of being seen but not touched. Cordially, we appreciate the concern for our well-being. Realistically, we're not going to stop sledding on Old Main. The average sledder knows, or at least comprehends, that they are putting themselves in a risk of physical harm when they strap skis to the bottom of a couch and propel down a hill laden with trees. Even the traditional sledder considers the threat of harm when they throw themselves head-first toward a crudely erected jump on little more than a half-inch of plastic. As nice as it is that that the school administration is looking out for our well-being, we find it slightly discouraging that it is so quick to bad-mouth a well-loved university tradition. Joe Dulin told The Statesman, "The hill is here to be enjoyed, and it's decorative. But we're not in the business of running a ski resort. All I can do is tell them, 'We really wish you wouldn't (sled)." The A is there to be enjoyed, and it is also decorative, and the university is certainly not in the business of running a dating service, but do we wish that students wouldn't become True Aggies? Sledding Old Main is part of USU. It's part of the Aggie Experience, and while there is the possibility, and occasional occurrence, of physical harm, we take that risk as willing participants. Put up the warning signs, remove the liability from the university, but don't tell us that we shouldn't sled. As a matter of faith Visions of Mortality n my first day back at USU, I sat down in a cramped room in the HPER for a class from religious studies professor Philip Barlow. He spoke in a clear but gentle voice, "I guarantee you will not live to 30 before you or someone close to you experiences horrific trauma." I've seen this come to truth, but it struck me with its concise and harsh tone. We're a privileged nation, but the dark part of reality still rears its ugly head when we are quite young. The phrase also struck me because I had spent my vacation in Texas, visiting my uncle who had recently been afflicted with an aggressive form of ALS, or Lou Gherig's Disease. He is still active with his job and mentally sound. But his thinned arms, skeletal hands and difficulty in moving over a threshold were reminders that he is really staring down the barrel of the gun. My uncle is a Christian, and I've no idea what Barlow is, but tragic death holds no prejudice. Likewise, every faith has tried to understand death as it tries to understand the nature of man's existence. For much of religious history, death has been seen as a transition from one plane to another. People's spirits become stars, guardian angels, reborn in some way in the souls of their descendants. Funerals for Greco-Romans 0 I See FAITH, page 14 were sometimes large cremations with coins placed on the dead's eyes for crossing the Styx. Reincarnation originated in the Far East, where people go to the next life to be punished or rewarded for karmic circumstances. Most faiths share the idea that our existence and identity are not dependent on a physical body, since we change bodies or become ghosts or gods or whatever else. It leads me to wonder why even have bodies in the first place? For a lot of faiths, death is a release, an emancipation from the prison of the material world. Christianity tries to solve the problem through resurrection, where the body is needed and simply replaced upon return to life. In resurrection, though, the body given is not the same as the original body, so there is still a problem of a material body. The trauma of death and emotional ties to it, just seems like a waste, especially of the young. The plight of Sisyphus may be older than Plato, but it doesn't appear we've gotten anywhere. I don't believe it's merely a waste though. Atheist thinkers often claim that these ideas of spiritual existence beyond the body are just ways of coping with mortality and the fear that one day our cells will cease to function, and I don't entirely disagree. Most of what I discover in life is based on physical News Editor Rachel A. Christensen Assistant News Editor Catherine Meidell Features Editor Courtnie Packer Assistant Features Editor Benjamin Wood Sports Editor Connor Jones Assistant Sports Editor Matt Sonnenberg Copy Editor Mark Vuong Introducing you to ASUSU Athletics Vice President Jeremy Winn H ey Aggies, welcome back to school. My name is Jeremy Winn, and I'm the ASUSU Athletics and Campus Recreation vice president. I feel like I have the best job on campus, because I have the opportunity to be involved with everything that's happening in Aggie Athletics and Campus Recreation. I love the Aggies, and I think it is awesome to witness the behind-the-scenes action of what it takes to put on a major sporting event. One of the biggest responsibilities I have is to help oversee HURD. It's a great club that every Aggie sports fan needs to be a part of. I also meet regularly with the athletics department to discuss concerns, as well as new ideas from students. Student-generated ideas are powerful at this university. The giant inflatable football helmet for our football team started from an idea a student gave to me over the summer. That student was one of the first people to run through the helmet as his reward for a great idea. With the help of my committee and ASUSU student government, we've put together a great week of activities for you. The second round of the 3-point tryouts is Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. in the Fieldhouse. Come test your putting skills from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the International Lounge with our indoor mini-golf course. Wednesday night is full of Aggie basketball. First, the Aggie women play in the Spectrum vs. Nevada at 7 p.m. Following the game, come over to the Fieldhouse to watch the Aggie men live at 9 p.m. on a giant 40-foot screen. Thursday at noon, we will be holding a root beer pong tournament in The Hub. Thursday night at 8, come dance the night away in the International Lounge. DJ Marcus Wing will lead the neon party all night long as we dance in our favorite sports attire. Awesome knee-high Aggie socks will be available for purchase to complete your out- JEREMY WINN fit. Friday night is Aggie night at the Sports Academy. The building is ours from 9:30 p.m. to midnight, so come bring your swimsuits and have fun. There will be free pizza and drinks for all. Saturday night is the Blue Out for the men's basketball game against Boise State. Wear your Aggie blue and scream loud to help the Aggies beat the Broncos. After the game is the after party, naturally. Join us at the Elite Security Building, located next to Beehive Grill, and enjoy free food, drinks and dancing until they kick us out. Again, welcome back Aggies. It's always great to be an Aggie, so come participate in the events this week to kick your semester off the right way. Comments may be sent to Jeremy Winn at Ask Miss Jones Dear Miss Jones, I am a freshman and I love college, but I have a slight problem. I am a homebody and love spending time in my room. My roommate is a social butterfly and always does stuff, and sometimes I feel like such a dud around her. She has boys following her around like lost puppies. I have never been in a serious relationship. I really want to date and do all the fun stuff, but I feel almost socially awkward when I'm out and about. And when I'm out, I wish I was in my room reading a book. What should I do to get out there and meet people? I just don't know what to do. Terminal Homebody Dear Terminal Homebody, I'm so glad you have the confidence to confide me about your personal problems. I used to find myself yearning for solitude, and for awhile I satisfied that urge. For almost two years, I left my house only to buy cat food, Top Ramen and feminine hygiene products. I had everything I needed: "Days of Our Lives", a delicious insta' ready soup and the plethora of gossip and knitting pattern magazines. My life was fine until a late September day. Priscilla died in my arms. It was devastating. My 12-year-old tabby choked on her hairball. I gave her mouth to mouth for more than 30 minutes, but she never recovered. I called 911, but was told that my cat wasn't an emergency. As I looked into the blank eyes of my recently dead cat, I heard a voice that said, "Live your life Miss Jones — lininvvvveeee youuuurrrrr liiiifffffeeeee ..." The last three words seemed to echo around the room, and when I looked back down, Priscilla's eyes were shut. I immediately knew that it was Priscilla's voice and that she wanted me to be happy, to travel, to be social and to explore. And I did just that. The next day I woke up, I had a small service for Priscilla and began my new life. I found it tragic that her horrifying cough and unsuccessful gasps for air was what awoke me to my true calling: helping others. From that day forward, I was committed to experiencing everything that came my way (the dirty writer of the recent motion picture "Yes Man" was jeremy.winn@aggiemaiLusu.edu actually an ex boy-toy who stole my mantra and wrote the screenplay). So I ate Rocky Mountain oysters, went scuba diving with sharks, dated a carny and perfected the pingpong trick. It was a glorious time of my life, one that I look back on with fond memories. I beg you Homebody, don't wait for your Priscilla to choke on her own half-digested ball of hair and die in your arms. Take the initiative to be the person who has those "lost little puppies" following you. I guess what I'm trying to tell you is to live for today, have no regrets and be yourself. Good luck and remember, as many times as Miss Jones has been around the block, her directions must be good. E-mail Miss Jones your questions and partake in her infinite wisdom. statesman. miss jones@ gmail. corn Photo Editors Pete Smithsuth Steve Sellers Web Editor Karlie Brand About letters • Letters should be limited to 400 words. • All letters may be shortened, edited or rejected for reasons of good taste, redundancy or volume of similar letters. • Letters must be topic oriented. They may not be directed toward individuals. Any letter directed to a specific individual may be edited or not printed. • No anonymous letters will be published. Writers must sign all letters and include a phone number or email address as well as a student identification number (none of which is published). 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