The J-TAC (Stephenville, Tex.), Ed. 1 Thursday, September 19, 1991 Page: 2 of 8
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Page 2/Thursday, September 19, 1991/theJ-TAC
Believe it or not
Teachers
possess a
sense of
humor
Jordan Cannady
lAround the Berid
If you spend enough lime on
campus you will discover that as a
group, teachers have a fairly good
sense of humor. This is not some gift
they've been born with.
Instead, it is a self-defense
mechanism they've developed as a
result of daily contact with students,
fellow faculty members, the admini-
stration (from the latin admini which
means "one who teaches well in front
of a classroom" and strata which
means taken away from students and
planted in office), and life in general.
After all, how would you react
. to a student who spends each lecture
collapsed in a coma slumped for-
ward on a desk? Me, I would set the
desk on fire, but most people would
probably feel this a needless waste of
a perfectly good desk.
I've seen professors attempt to
wake them be standing over the stu-
dent,, arms folded,. scowling down
upon the lifeless student believing
that the sheer hostility of their glare
will do the job. That professor might
as well be trying to bake muffins
with friction.
' * t
I'm aware of an incident where
the professor silently dismissed an
entire lecture hall of students who
quiedy deserted the room, living a
hibernated classmate behind. The
next class was alerted and so entered
just as discretely.
The sleeper finally awoke half
way through the following lecture in
an unfamiliar class. Fearing a loss in
class standing, he did attempt to use
the current "Thou shalt hurt no feel-
ings" political atmosphere by telling
the professor he should not be penal-
ized for being "horizontally disad-
vantaged."
It did not work.
Humor in academia is a time
honored tradition. The earliest
known instance dates back to Hippo-
crates, Greek father of medicine and
inventor of the concept that 9 a,m.
appointment means 9 a.m. sliaip for
a patient and 10'ish for the doctor.
Early in his medical career,
Hippocrates taught anatomy at the
Zorba Institute. Several of his stu-
dents routinely added non-mammal
organs to practice cadavers in order
to have a little fun with the Hippo.
Socrates was once quoted as
saying "That boychick Plato will
never amount to a hill of grape
leaves." This admittedly pejorative
outburst was made after discovering
his Toga had been short-sheeted.
Who will ever forget the practi-
cal joke played upon the Danish
Professor of Philosophy and Badmi-
' ton Coach in Residence Soren Ki-
erkegard.
One semester, the entire student
body and faculty of the University of
Denmark pretended that he simply
did not exist. This highly organized
prank nearly traumatized him yet he
later attributes the experience as
having helped him formulate the
"Philosophy of Existentialism."
He did try to fight back by wan-
dering about the cafeteria eating
freely off of people's trays, reason-
ing that since he didn't exist, neither
did their appetites.
Here in America we suffer the
result of what has been railed the
meanest joke ever played on cam-
(See Teacher p'ige 3)
ADVISOR - Charlie Reynolds
EDITOR-Julie Grider
The J-TAC
f MANAGING EDITOR - Christy Moore
FEATURES EDITOR - Tina Horton ' SPORTS EDITOR - Mike Marbach
PHOTO EDITOR - Marc Parks ADVERTISING COORDINATOR - Meredith Foster
STAFF WRITERS - Pmanuel Alvear, Kelly Boren CIRCULATION MANAGER - Justin Boswell
EDITORIAL CARTOONIST - Jordan Cannady
I'M HYSTERICAL
ABOUT HISTORY
SAY IT RIGHT
JUST SHUT UP!
BAN MALE
BOHDED
(is LANGUAGE"
m NAW f
' lerr-Vnryr-
NJUST1CB
CENSORS H/P
( IN THE,,
CORRECT
HANDS .
IS GOOD I
webs red
A
WAS
Qf.
We saved a lot of money by painting over all the signs left
from the "PRESERVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH & FIGHT CENSORSHIP!"
rally and shower we had last month.
!\
JL
R\
Men's Rush has passed, and Women's Rush is
coming up soon. There areji^sh activities going on,
parties, social gatherings, and the various other things
the Greek organizations do to 'remain visible to "new
prospective members.
Along with Rush, come many opportunities to
make new friends, become involved in activities on
campus and make decisions that can last a lifetime.
Unfortunately, with Rush also comes a division
in student opinion that can have a very severe affect
on many students. Many students become very
involved in Rush and feel they benefit from the
experience. Many other students begin to develop a
very negative, anti-Greek, attitude.
Some students work hard to become part of a
given fraternity or sorority seeking a sense of
belonging, while other students believe that the Greek
system is a facade of friendship where people come
together to build personal popularity.
Whether the Greek system benefits or hinders
personal growth,, ancyyhether students wish to join or
do away with the,-system are not the issues of
importance. What is important is that all students
realize that there will be differences of opinion.
Best friends have, and probably will again
soon, find themselves divided on the issue, and
suddenly tension grows as Rush and the Greek system
becomes a source of conflict.
Students don't have to change their views about
Rush, but they do have to realize that their views are
not universal, and the opinions of others are just as
valid. The Greek - Anti-Greek debate has gone on
for years with no clear winners and too many losers.
Rush can cause conflicts. It probably will, but
it doesn't have to. Greek or not, friends are still
friends.
M
n
y
Poodle
©RAIW
Irish 5f+re
j3ngu n
Wlasif
The J-TAC is published on Thursdays during the regular semester, with the exception of university holidays and
examination periods. The printer is the Stephenville Empire-Tribune.
Only articles in the Opinion section of this newspaper express the opinion of the J-TAC staff. Columns and/or news
articles do not necessarily express the opinion of this university or this newspaper.
Inquiries regarding deadlines may be made by telephone to: Editor: 968-9056; Newsroom: 968-9057; or the Faculty
Advisor: 968-9058. The offices of the J-TAC are located on the third floor of Davis Hall, rooms 3Q3 and 304.
"Calvin" is a
symbol of pain
and decisions
Pmanuel Alvear
Pman
on the Street
Rush is next week; friendship is forever
I got a tattoo this summer. I'm
not sun; exactly why I did it; I guess
I just wanted it
The fact that my two friends
Sherman Powers and Alan Cox were
cheering me along may have also
affected my decision. By "cheering
along" I mean finding the parlor,
driving me there, telling Spike the
Tattoo guy what I want and practi-
cally strapping me into the chair while
all the lime chanting, "It's your deci-
sion."
It was my decision. I knew what
I wanted and I got it Of course I was
tempted by some of the options the
artist gave me. I could have had the
"Naked Woman Holding the Flam-
ing Skull," the "Cool Dragon That
Covers Half of Your Body,""The
Naked Woman Reclining Against a
Motorcycle,"(The Naked Women
genre seemed to be a great source of
pride for Spike) or my personal fa-
vorite, "The Bloody Knife Stabbed
Through a Skull,"
However, I had already decided
that what I wanted was (are you
ready?) a tattoo of Calvin of "Calvin
and Hobbes." Yes, even Spike was
intimidated by the risque nature of
my choice. "Are you sure you want
something that BAD on you?" He
asked, clearly impressed.
"Just shut up and do it!" I snarled
back (either that or, "Yes, sir." I don't
remember for •'sure which).
Before we began; Spike asked
me to go to a nearby store and buy
him a Diet Coke. "Regular Diet
Coke, not that Caffeine-Free #<§>*!!"
I didn't know if this was normal,
but I knew I didn't have to take that!
I was the customer. HE was the
worker. He had no right to send me
on his errands; I didn't work for him.
I looked him straight in the eye and
said, "Can or bottle?"
Come on, this guy was about to
mark me for life; I wanted him happy.
Here comes the gross part Any
of you squeamish readers may want
to bypass the next few paragraphs.
"Gee, Pman, did it hurt?"
Glad you asked. It was just like
getting a shot... IF the person giving
the shot docs it and then drags the
needle through your skin and snaps
the needle off inside.
As I sat there, feeling like a big
pin cushion, I had some time to think.
I looked at Spike the pervert weight-
watching caffiene freak and realized
that I was making a very permanent
investment.
I leaned my head back and
waited to hear Spike say, "Ooops,"
or something like that. I listened and
waited, and several thoughts went
through my head. . .
"Ouch, that hurts," was the main
thought, but there were others.
I also thought about life, the
world around me, and Sherman and
Alan who weren't getting tattoos.
I wondered, if Eskimoes kiss by
rubbing noses, how do they make
out? It seems to me that rubbing
noses would only get you so far.
What about on a date when they
borrow the sled and park somewhere?
Do they have euphemisms for kiss-
ing, like "Swapping Snot"?
I'm sorry. I mean no insult to the
Eskimo people, so please don't send
me letters defending them. I have a
great deal of respect for them; I could
never survive in that much cold. I
just wondered. '
I also wondered what would
happen if I ever decided that I didn't
want my tattoo any more.
I realized that everyone makes
decisions at one time or another that
they won't ever get the chance to
change. We decide for or against
something, and turning around is not
an option.
We decide to have sex or to
wait, to take drugs or stay clean, to
(See Tattoo page 3)
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The J-TAC (Stephenville, Tex.), Ed. 1 Thursday, September 19, 1991, newspaper, September 19, 1991; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth141756/m1/2/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Tarleton State University.