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Show • Pg. 17 Mind: Fewer sheep needed (continued from page 15 from eyes, and society will be guided along the path of reason," writes Time columnist James Poneiwozik. But Americans seem less able to differentiate between truth and fiction than they once were. Today, instead of making us better informed and more capable of informed self-governance, the constant barrage from smart phones and instant Tweets and Facebook friends and viral videos baffles and confuses us, making us either apathetic or angry enough to march on Washington. But angry about what? That the president is a foreign-born Muslim? (False) That social justice is code for socialism or fascism? (Glenn Beck) That illegal immigrants are being beheaded in Arizona? (False) That immigrants come to American not for freedom and opportunity, but to have "anchor babies" and cheat us out of social services? (Puleeze!) Where does this stuff come from? It's the echo chamber of blogs and tweets and twits, pundits and ranters on TV and online who concoct and repeat myths, lies and damned lies, either just for fun or out of ideological malice - lies that are absorbed wholesale by people too befuddled by all the noise to apply critical thinking and skepticism. For them, addicted and abducted by what passes for "fair and balanced" information these days, believing the pundits (with whom they tend to agree in the first place) is just easier than thinking for themselves. "Rumors and conspiracy theories are oddly comforting," Poneiwozik says. "They simplify a complex world one that experts constantly get wrong." If you're reading this, you probably don't need these lessons as much as your classmates who don't generally pay much attention to the news, who don't know much about public affairs and policy debates, and who don't really care anyway. College professors worry about these things. We're in the business of helping to grow and feed inquiring minds, not with the breathless sensationalism of supermarket pulp ("I Had Bigfoot's Baby!"), but with the capacity to question, reflect and think for ourselves. Students who don't learn how to question authority become adults who follow, sheep-like, where others tell them to go, and have no need of information that could lead to independent thought. Those students need remedial Critical Thinking 101. America needs fewer sheep, and more inquiring minds that want to know. PACK HEAT WITH CACHE HREARILS" CACHE VALLEYS ONLY DEDICATED FIREARMS STORE <www.usu.edu/music/ensembles/band > <www.usu.edu/music/ensembles/band > A 73 1) 7c2 Concealed Firearm Permit Classes •Ammunition • Holsters Night Sights Installed •Yes, We Do Trades!! Gun Cleaning Reloading Supplies •Bench made Knives • Scopes• Pellet Guns (435) 753-2606 42 E. 2200 N., STE. C, N. LOGAN WWW.CACIIEF IR FARMS.COM cp • <7) Is your instrument gathering dust? ...Then bring it and yourself to the first meeting of the USU Symphonic Band. '3 Tuesdays, Sept. 2 and/or Sept.23 3:00-4:30 PM Room 104 Chase Fine Arts Center § Call 797-3004 for more information (no audition required- it's not too late!) <www.usu.edu/music/ensembles/band > <www.us u .ed u/m usic/ensembles/band> Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2010 Views&Opinion <www.usu.edu/music/ensembles/band > Ted Pease is the department head of journalism and communications. Disc: Hope for future frolf (continued from page 15 clear that the course designers weren't paying attention to the ending of the three little pigs. While weaving it's way through the student halls, however, the course passed several parking lots packed with cars. Anybody who plays disc golf knows that bad throws happen, and all too often, an innocent resident's car is on the receiving end. I can only to assume that several owners of these cars reported damage assumed to be caused by an errant disc. If I could jump into the past and give a word of advice to these people, it would be this: "Don't park your car so close to the course if you are worried about plastic discs scuffing your car; get some much needed exercise by walking the extra hundred feet or so to a safer spot." I hear essentially the same argument when people build their over-sized houses on a golf course and then complain about broken windows or yard furniture ... same problem, same solution. Are the rest of us to be held responsible for a lack of judgment? I feel safe to assume that those who complained about the course were not those that played it. In a world where most everything good is being plagued by budget cuts, they choose to take away something that used equipment owned outright by the city, and played on property shared with residence halls packed with paying college students. The location with its open fields and well-placed trees was ideal for the course. As for the now former location, it is with somber regret that we inform all incoming freshmen that they will not have a disc golf course right at their doorstep. We say farewell to the awkward comic relief that comes from a disc flying past two freshman as they share their first kiss, or the welcome whizzing that replaces the silence as two high-school lovers break up after seeing the world differently in college. I suppose I can relate to one of those broken lovers as I think about the departed course. Something has been taken away from me and I want it back ... only better this time around. And so we look to the future. Apparently the 9 goals still belong to the city of Logan, which leads me to expect, if not demand, a course somewhere, sometime in the near future. A visit over the weekend to Merlin Olsen park has lead me to believe that a course skirting the park would be the best option. Perhaps a challenging course on Old Main Hill could be a viable alternative. To anybody who may be in charge of a hopeful relocation, let me say simply that I want a disc golf course in Logan again. I long for the option of a sport that can easily be played by anybody at essentially any time of the year. I long for the challenge of a new course. And most of all, I long for the sound of the chains as a disc lands in the basket, signalling to one and all that a Logan course is back for good. The average cost of a DUI in Utah is about $7000. Mom will be thrilled. DRUNK DRIVING OVER THE LIMIT. UNDER ARREST. Tyler Barlow is a sophomore in computer engineering. He can be reached at tylerbarlow@ sP 0 GRILL 1/4,4 , 1.-f 1 ill■•••■■••••••V JOIN ULS* August 27 - Sept. 19 DAILY FOOD SPECIALS • DRAWINGS • GAME GIVEAWAYS 11111111111111 THE PLACE TO BE. 2271 N Main • North Logan • 787-AGGY |