A tasteless TechnicianI would just like to respond to Wednesday’s article regarding body hair [Body hair: would you like a razor with that?]. While the subject matter itself is perfectly acceptable, some of the quotes and comments were just plain offensive. Throughout the article I found myself thinking, “is this news or smut?” I think that it is a good idea to discuss sex and sex-related issues. However, this article does nothing but promote vulgarity. Also, how is it that you can publish quotes such as “I shave my balls because girls don’t want hairy balls in their mouth” but not the word “genitals?” (example: “… he can shave his back, chest and *beep*), which is implied rather than actually stated. This makes no sense. I took it that this was supposed to be humorous. However, due to the nature of the previous articles, more specifically the one about contraceptives, this doesn’t add up. I thought these articles on sex were supposed to be serious. It is a serious issue after all and we are college students, right? From the tone of the article, you’d think we were third-graders who went to South Park Elementary. If the purpose of this article was to be “controversial,” you might want to reexamine what controversy truly is. This article is nothing but offensive. It’s the same kind of mindless garbage that might be aired on Comedy Central after midnight. Pure rubbish. I’m shocked and appalled by what you have chosen to publish in the Technician. I thought it was a serious newspaper. Perhaps I was wrong.

Taylor PrestonFreshman, First Year College

Diversity means acceptanceI am glad that the campus community and the Student Senate has proved once again that “diversity” means the large-scale targeting of selected people for their differences in sexual orientation, ethnicity, etc. and subjecting the targeted individuals to the debate and criticism of the entire community.

I’m sorry, campus, but diversity does not mean the creation of continuously battling microcosms within our community. Diversity means the acceptance of all people, regardless of their lifestyles, for their contributions to the community as a whole.

David AbrechtSenior, Paper Science and Engineering and Chemical Engineering

Sex series appreciatedI would like to thank the Technician for doing the sex series. I especially appreciated the parts of the series dealing with STDs and condoms. Maybe if people on N.C. State’s campus were a little more comfortable talking about sex, people would communicate more and have the guts to say, “We need to use a condom” instead of worrying about how much it’s going to ruin the mood. I think students need to take a step outside of their comfort zones and talk about sex, STDs and condoms with their partners, friends, doctors and possibly even parents. Talking about these things clears up the confusion and helps cut down on transmission of STDs and pregnancies. Think before you have sex.

Jessie HowingtonJunior, Environmental Sciences

Orgasms article unbalancedMonday I read the article “Orgasmic confidence” quite eagerly and with an open mind. First I would like to thank Marianne Turnbull and James Kalat for their insights. However the article seemed to be based around increasing the pleasure for the female in the relationship. I would argue that females, having a denser concentration of nerves in their genitals, have more enjoyable sex than their partners. Thus I would like to know how the female can make sex, or post sex, more enjoyable for the male. Something like — like a sandwich.

Ross AlexanderSophomore, Engineering

Bad story topicsI’ll keep this short, since I’m not going to waste my time talking about the crap in the paper. Seriously, have you all nothing better to write about then orgasms and condoms? I really hope that people haven’t been reduced to this. Not only you folks writing the Technician, but the people reading it. There are better things people can read then what the “respectable” Technician has been putting in, especially this week. Enough said.

Adrienne WoottenJunior, Meteorology

Where are our seats?Chancellor Oblinger submitted his student fee increase proposal to the Board of Trustees on Wednesday. In it he met an Athletics Department request by recommending that each student pay $41 more in fees for Intercollegiate-Athletics indebtedness. The indebtedness fee is going to address the cost of expanding the Carter-Finley Stadium. If we are going to be forced to pay more in fees for this expansion, WHERE ARE OUR EXTRA SEATS? Students haven’t seen any benefits from the expansion of Carter-Finley Stadium, and yet we are being asked to help foot the bill for it. Why? Why should I have to pay for someone else (who doesn’t even go to N.C. State) to have a seat? And please don’t give me the tired excuse of “Our new facilities are necessary to take our program to new heights.” The only thing that the stadium expansion has taken to new heights is student indebtedness and dissatisfaction among the fan base. Asking students to pay for the addition of seats and not giving them any is about as dumb as signing a bad coach to a multi-million dollar contract through 2010. Wait, that sounds familiar. At least the Athletics Department is consistent in its poor decision making. I just wish students did not have to pay for it. Now if only there was some sort of GOVERNMENT made up of STUDENTS that would fight for our extra seats and other interests. Oh well. A guy can dream.

Jeff RiceJunior, Statistics and Political Science

Hinton: Will work for freeThank you for your insight into how the “silent” majority feels (silent except for The Wolf Web, your column, and numerous Campus Forum submissions among other media). Most of the points you made in your column were based upon logic and worth consideration. I am contesting only one of your points: the idea that not spending money on an LGBT center, and therefore not raising tuition, is the best way to educate the student body. I would like to expand upon your ideas through a suggestion for the administration. Because voting on these issues is difficult and because the majority is afraid to speak out for fear of “persecution,” do something simpler. Disband all funded student groups, including Unity in Progress, cultural groups (e.g., Hispanic Student Association or EKTAA), all athletics (football and basketball too!) and the Women’s Center. Because the majority of campus does not participate in any one of these groups (there are not 29,500 positions on a football team), instruct them all to have bake sales to raise operational funds. Finally, take all the extra money amassed through these changes (because we know that tuition will never go *down*) and give it to the people who matter most: the poor professors and administration! This group will educate the students very effectively about issues on campus. Seriously though, are you going to educate the students for free? If you won’t do that, who will? (Note: this column is SATIRICAL; however, Mr. Hinton’s column was quite serious.)

Mike S. JohnstonSenior, Electrical Engineering