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Letters to the Editor
Feeling bought and sold with prices at the bookstore
This letter is in response to the article, "Bookstore clarifies myth." I have never laughed so hard as I did when I read the article about how the on campus bookstore only marks up their books by 25 percent.
While this may be true for new textbooks, what about the used textbooks? I recall selling a book back and receiving $24. I then checked the store a few days later and that same book was selling for more than $60. Does this equal a 25 percent mark-up? I think not; try about a 200 percent markup! The bookstores can talk all they want about the new book prices, but the bottom line is that they control the prices of used books. I know I speak for many students when I say that it is just ridiculous to pay $90 for a used book. This semester I am happy to say that I saved over $200 on textbooks and I didn't buy a single one from the bookstore. I bought and sold all of my books on SCSUBooks.com!
Jessica Johnson
Senior
Marketing
In the interest of making this page more interesting, it has been decided that, instead of a grey box, there will be a little piece of thought from yours-truly. So, in the name of entertainment, here goes. Hey, if Andy Rooney can do it for 40-plus years, I can do it for one issue. Besides, you people have given me nothing else to work with.
Radio boredom: what bland times we live in
Ever notice how everything on the radio sounds the same these days? There's no revolution on these airwaves, at least not any that I can tune in. I think I figured out why.
In mass comm classes, I've been taught that over the years, the number of owners for radio stations across the U.S. has shrunk. This is due to a ruthless policy of expansion conducted by companies like Clear Channel.
Clear Channel owns radio stations, promotes concerts and releases songs. Unfortunately, all of these are tied together, with the artist playing Clear Channel venues and having their songs played on Clear Channel stations. It's a very tidy recipe for mediocrity.
If you don't believe me, look at the formats of radio stations these days. There are pop stations, rock stations, classic rock stations and R & B stations, with a great deal of crossover between the two.
There's even a format for disco stations, which completely boggles my mind as to who in the hell would want to listen to that drivel. Actually, I'd prefer disco to the "Milkshake" song, which is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard.
The fact that this vapid piece of filth has been over-played and beaten to death is just icing on the cake. I've lost my faith in the radio.
I used to be a Top 40 slave, listening to the Top Ten Countdown every night on KDWB. I knew chart positions and all sorts of trivia. For me, if was the golden age of radio. It was a way for me to communicate with people who I ordinarily had nothing in common with.
Eventually, I lost my faith, and found other diversions, like punk rock and industrial music, which is most definitely NOT sanctioned by Clear Channel.
I think huge corporations have the possibility to restrict what we hear and say, and that scares me. The last thing I want to do is have someone else tell me what is good and what is bad.
So, as I step off of my soapbox and return to the shadows of my paranoia, I leave you with this. Turn off your radio. Don't let someone tell you what to hear, and what not to hear. There's great unheard music out there; all it takes is a little effort to find it. Tell them what you like - let them eat static.
-JP
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