Social Security saved with budget surplus

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Communism on the rise at Auburn

Olympic corruption crushes true spirit

The world of boxing has long been seen as corrupt and tainted. The sport of basketball, both college and professional has fallen victim to the Midas touch. Point-shaving scandals have been brought to light on numerous occasions.

The last bastion of competitive spirit and a sense of fair play, the Olympics, now has greeted the dawn of a darker era.

President of the International Olympic Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch, suspended six members of the IOC and recommended they be expelled over bribery allegations stemming from the Salt Lake City scandal.

Three members of the board resigned and three others, including Vice President Un Yong Kim of South Korea, are believed to be under investigation for minor charges.

Samaranch apologized to the world in a press conference Monday, saying he was Òsincerely disappointed that IOC members were involved in the events revealed in this investigationÓ and Òdeeply saddened by their conduct.Ó

The official Olympic mission statement says the goal of the Games is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit.

The recent scandal definitely educated the worldÕs youth.

They now know the olympic spirit does not require a mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.

It requires money.

Allowing professional athletes to participate in the games was considered a step in the wrong direction by many including those who represented teams that had to face the U.S. Dream Team in basketball. That point aside, the question looms as to whether the Olympics can regain its pristine image and the sanctity of pure sport.

In his speech Monday, Samaranch announced plans to reform and repair the Olympic CommitteeÕs standards and practices.

ÒThe Executive Board has decided to form an Ethics Commission that will introduce globally accepted guidelines and procedures to ensure that the IOC conforms with the worldÕs best practices in self-governance,Ó Samaranch said. ÒIt will be composed of outstanding senior persons, a majority of whom will be independent, outside members.

ÒThe Executive Board has decided to broaden its investigation to other cities involved in the bidding for the Olympic Games. I would like, though, to be very clear on one point. The Games of Sydney and Salt Lake will not be moved.Ó

What does that mean for the future of the games, for the future of sport and for the future of competition?

At this point it is hard to say.

One thing is certainly clear: There needs to be a clean sweep of the IOC and a reshaping of the biding process. Without these two minor, yet significant, changes, who will ever look at the Olympic Games the same?

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Y2K nothing to fear after years in Alumni

Mark Skinner / News Editor

I am actually looking forward to the year 2000.

ItÕs getting such a buildup something bad has got to happen.

Why would I want such a thing?

Two words: stress reduction.

ÒHow can disaster and mayhem reduce stress you lunatic!Ó I hear you ask.

The answer is simple.

People who think eminent annihilation is just around the corner really donÕt sweat the small stuff.

Long-term planning? Why bother?

Just look at the United States.

The United States doesnÕt have a huge Cold War deficit due to poor financial planning. It has one because the government thought everyone would be dead or sucking fallout long before they had to pay it back.

The millennium is going to be the last Òpossible end of the worldÓ event for a while so I am going to enjoy it.

Plus, itÕs nice to have a scheduled disaster for once.

No one knows when an earthquake will hit, and despite countless dollars spent on weather equipment, telling where a hurricane is going to hit is still just playing the odds.

The year 2000 is different.

You look at the calendar and tick off the days until Ògo time.Ó

Some of you may be objecting to my whole premise, because a Year 2000 apocalypse seems pretty unlikely.

Wanna bet?

Even if judgment day or the end of the world as we know it doesnÕt happen on its own, there are plenty of people who are willing to help it along.

The Israelis have already kicked one group out of the country for allegedly plotting yet another patented ÒHoly Land bloodbathÓ and are reportedly on the lookout for like-minded groups.

If a Japanese cult that spends days hopping up and down in a so far futile effort to levitate can make chemical and biological weapons, how hard would it be for the mad bombers of the world to cook some up?

If they donÕt get us that still leaves the dreaded Y2K bug.

If you believe the hype, this minor programming flaw will destroy our wonderful computer-run society.

I rather like this one.

ItÕs simple and understated and just screams of arrogance and tragic flaws.

Still, If you believe the anti-Y2K, hype it will cause nothing but minor inconveniences like power outages and the occasional airliner falling out of the sky.

However, even this would be interesting.

For most people even a minor inconvenience takes on the significance of a major disaster, now a days.

Just watch my mom after a two-day blackout if you donÕt believe me.

Personally, the name Y2K just doesnÕt fill me with dread.

Maybe itÕs because I am not a big computer freak.

I would prefer something along the lines of ÒThe Big, Mad Mutant Bug-eyed Bug That Ate Silicon Valley, Cleveland, Boston and the lesser boroughs of Podunk.Ó

ÒThe Clerical Error at the End of TImeÓ or the ÒOops! BugÓ could work too.

Anyway, it is giving all those nuclear war survivalist an excuse for their hobbies.

Preparing for an eminent apocalypse seems as silly as dead bird watching when there isnÕt a doomsday in sight.

If you donÕt want to rely on human nature to create a lively New YearÕs for you there is good old Mother Nature.

After all space is full of things that Earth can run into

If you donÕt like cosmic spitballs how about this.

Some people say that when the ice build up at the South Pole reaches a critical point the weight will cause the earth to tilt on its axis and create disasters that will destroy humanity.

Either one could make for an exciting New YearÕs Eve Party.

Even if there isnÕt a big disaster followed by rioting and civil anarchy enough people are going to be ticked off by its absence to set off rioting and civil anarchy.

Since I have lived in Alumni Hall for three years living through the end of the world should be easy.

Still, my plans for New YearÕs are still up in the air.

I may go New YearÕs Eve looting.........I mean shopping, I have my eye on a new camera, or I may take the Hunter S. Thompson approach: stock up and stay home.

Either way 2001 will probably be something of a letdown.

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