- First, a few announcements. Wait no more- the April issue of the Carolina Review will be distributed Monday. Also, the Carolina Review has now officially sold out to the powers of social networking (of course, long ago we all sold out to big business, the military-industrial complex and the Israeli lobby), and we set up a Facebook page. You can go here to become a fan of your beloved Carolina Review.
- There is a lot of talk on campus and in the North Carolina State Legislature about smoking policies. The treatment of smokers by those who go out so far out of their way to be inclusive of every other minority group always reminds me of a scene in the South Park (the most reliable source for sound social commentary, that is besides the Carolina Review) episode “The Death Camp of Tolerance.” After walking through the Museum of Tolerance and talking on end about how we need to be tolerant and encourage diversity, the kids and their parents run into a smoker and ridicule him ruthlessly, calling him such infantile names as “tar breath” and “dirty lungs.” So much for compassion for the fringe of society…
- A quick note on style. With all of the talk of economic policy, you’re bound to hear the politicians and pundits on both sides misuse the verb “grow” as a transitive verb, notably in the clumsy new phrase “grow the economy” (as in, “The stimulus is sure to grow the economy.”). Do people wonder “How can I grow my love for the Carolina Review?” or “How could the CR Editors ever possibly grow their already enormous editorial prowess?” The more precise, less grating phrase would be “foster economic growth” (as in, “Can they seriously believe that the stimulus is going to foster economic growth?”). Perhaps, though, this gives too much credit to abstract economic factors and too little credit to the narcissistic politicians.
- This is truly a breathtaking season. Spring is blossoming, Carolina basketball is rolling, and we have a few weeks yet until we have to start worrying about exams. But, most importantly, it’s awareness week season! With Feminist Week, Proud to be a Democrat Week, Poverty Week, etc. there’s a week for everyone. At the very least these weeks have helped grow my awareness of awareness weeks. While I applaud the goals of some of these activists (namely, the poverty activists), it seems that awareness events are naturally unproductive. After all, you have to have some level of passion for the issue to even know about these awareness events, let alone go ahead and attend them.
Next week, I’ll post my final review of March Madness. Be there or be square.