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University Daily Kansan / Friday, March 20, 1992
OPINION
Check-writing classes?
I've been watching with much interest the development of this check bouncing scandal in Congress. Kansas' own Rep. Dan Glickman admitted to writing 107 bouncing baby checks totaling about $18,900. Oops!
"What happened was the result of a comedy of errors combined with my own lack of discipline. We have some explaining to do. I didn't do anything illegal. I didn't do anything unethical. I did something pretty darn stupid," explained Glickman. I can envision him slapping himself upside the head and grinning sheepishly as he 'gosh-darns' that last line.
I'll have to remember those words and try them on a military post if I ever get it right.
Kate Kelley Staff columnist
I've been a patron of various military exchange services (stores) for the past twelve years and I know two things that will be forever engraved into my brain: my husband's social security number, without which, I cease to exist; and "never write a bad check at the PX (department store) or Commissary (grocery store)!"
Even if you have never written a bad check ever in your life, it is always assumed that you are probably trying to do it as you make each and every purchase. In the old days, check-out stands had lists of names in a book chained to the counter. Every check writer had to stand there, waiting for the cheker to search through one or two of these tomes looking for the check writer's social security number. Even if you knew you had plenty of money in the bank, you always held your breath and felt terrified and even
a little guilty as the other customers waiting in line behind you eyed you suspiciously. Nowadays, the stores have sophisticated computer systems where all the clerk has to do is punch in your sponsor's (military member's) magic social security number and within seconds you can be declared innocent or guilty. I've never had a check not clear, but I've always feared what would happen if one didn't. I imagine sirens going off, red lights flashing and armed MP's (cops) accosting me and hauling me off to the brig.
Actually, what does happen if your check bounces, is that you are not allowed to write checks on post for six months. You can go ahead and try the old Glickman line, but I doubt it will wash you with the iron-fisted PX clerk. Besides your check banishment, the commander of your sponsor's unit is notified. He or she can choose to court martial the military member or simply require him or her to attend a check-writing class. This class teaches students how to write checks, enter deposits and withdrawals, and ADD and SUBTRACT these entries so that one always knows how much money one has left. What a concept!
In the military, it is often easy to see how these check catastrophes can occur. Many military and family members are very young, often just out of high school, and may have never had a checking account in their lives. A bounced check is a ticket to attend the check-writing class and that is a great learning opportunity, one of those experiences the offender should try not to repeat. There are also those separation travals. Military members are often sent TDY (to a school in another post, state, or country for a few days to several months so that natural disasters can occur with the remaining family members.) Often, in one-checking account families, each spouse takes a checkbook and promises to stick to an agreed budget, only to find emergencies such as a car breaking down or a great stereo sale, which causes one member to draw more money than he or she was supposed to. Before the offender can call the other spouse to warn them of the situation, the other has already written their limit and there you have it. But these excuses don't do any good at the XP either. There are no good reasons, only bad checks.
I guess perhaps Congress needs a check-writing class for 331 of our esteemed legislators. I think a Bad Check List or two in Washington won't hurt either. If we don't teach these young, reckless politicians some responsibility while they are in office, when will they ever learn?
Kate Kelley is a Fort Leaven worth junior majoring in English.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
De Klerk must keep control
Whites vote in favor of reforms to democratize country which has victimized Blacks too long
Justice has finally arrived in South Africa. White voters came out in record numbers to back a referendum calling for continued progress in democratic reforms for a state that had wallowed for years in hate-filled system of apartheid.
The reforms, which began under President F.W. De Klerk, are giving equal rights to all. The black majority has suffered too long under a system that gave the white minority power. White voters sounded a resounding yes by almost a two to one margin. This strong backing can only help as de Klerk, who vowed to resign if the referendum had not passed, continues the reforming ways.
The vote opens the doors for friendlier relationships between South Africa and other countries, including the United States. Economic sanctions, which had been eased when de Klerk began the reforms, can now be lifted. The International Olympic Committees ban on the countries Olympic participation can now be removed. South Africa can now begin to find its place in the new world order.
The vote also restores faith in mankind. By today's standards, the system of voting can only be described as bizarre. Much like the struggle for backs and women in this country to receive their vote, it only came through the ability of white males to overcome silly prejudices and make voting equality a law. Minorities in this country, and the majority in South Africa, had no say in their own futures. It is ridiculous to imagine, in this day and age, that that barrier had to be overcome. Let us hope we never see such a ridiculous governing system again.
The step in the direction of democracy still angers some. White militant groups have vowed to halt the progress. No one is certain what those methods might be, however, it points out that hostilities still run deep in the country. It is unfortunate that this mentality may, in any way, stand in the way of what is right. Unfortunately, this means bloodshed in South Africa may not be over. No matter how the vote had finished, militant groups on both sides were ready to stand for their cause. Hopefully, de Klerk can control and restrain the militant whites with the same effectiveness he had in "shutting the door on apartheid."
Baseball team needs support
Jim Brown for the editorial board
Students and faculty should boost the Jayhawks by attending home games
This weekend, temperatures are expected to rise for perfect baseball weather. Kansas State is coming to town, and Jayhawk fans will have the perfect opportunity to prove they've noticed the improvements the Kansas baseball team has made.
After hovering around the .500 mark the past three seasons, Kansas has jumped out to a 14-4 mark this year. The Jayhawks were picked to finish fourth in the Big Eight Conference in a preseason poll. However, heading into the conference opener this weekend, the team's record is the best in the conference, and the Jayhawks are ranked 35th in the nation by Collegiate Baseball magazine.
Despite the team's explosive start, Kansas is drawing an average of just 330 fans a game at 1,320-seat Hoglund-Maupin Stadium. The 'Hawks are 9-0 at home.
Kansas' early season accomplishments
included taking three out of four games from top-25 ranked Arkansas. The Kansas offense has outscored its opponents 165-75. All-Big Eight pitcher Curtis Schmidt, the team's lone senior, is 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA. Schmidt will start the series opener today at 4.
The Jayhawks will meet the Wildcats, 16-8. four times this weekend, including a 2 p.m. double header tomorrow.
Coach Dave Bingham said it was important for the 'Hawks to get off to a good start.
"To me, every conference series is an important series," he said. "Our hope is to win the conference. We need to win 16 to 18 games."
Kansas will play 24 conference games before the conference tournament begins May15.
Students are admitted to home games free of charge with a KUID, and giveaway promotions are planned for all three days this weekend. Help the 'Hawks continue their winning ways as the Big Eight season gets underway by attending some games.
David Mitchell for the editorial board
Les Echos, Paris, on the Pentagon's new world order:
International perspectives
Perhaps the Pentagon document calling for the United States to remain the world's sole superpower) is a trial balloon by the military industrial lobby ... but it exposes a real problem for the West. President Bush, in his difficult race for a second term, is feeling the weight of unresolved domestic problems.
I inevitably, United States' role and the new world disorder will lead to the question of Europe's role, in the ability of the European Union to own sovereignty and assure its own security.
Whatever Washington decides or does, that is its surest guarantee of the future. However, there is no sign that Washington understands this.
*El E Mercurio, Santiago, Chile, on the Kurds;*
The gulf war in 1991 prompted yet another uprising by the Kurds in Iraq, which was suppressed in a savage manner by President Saddam Hussein. He imposed a blockade on supplies to the Kurds, which has them near starvation; hundreds of them fled their homes, without finding a secure refuge beyond the Turkish border.
Even worse, the Kurdish attempts to establish an independent state have been answered by Turkey by bombing their bases in Iraqi territory. Taking advantage of the situation, Hussein has launched a reinforced offensive against the Kurdish villages. The Kurds have found refuge in Iran, but that help is precarious.
Caught in a claw of hostility without concessions, the Kurds seem to have only three alternatives. The first one is submission to two regimes that hate them. The second one is to abandon their ancestral land, and to accept the hospitality Iran may offer them. The third alternative, the one they are following now, is to fight until being exterminated.
The London Times, on the United States and Iraq
President Saddam Hussein has set the Western allies a trap. He is daring President Bush to
launch a military strike against Iraq, a strike to enforce U.N. resolutions on the destruction of Scud missile factories and other "weapons of mass destruction." It is a challenge he cannot lose.
If ... Bush, after the dispatch of an aircraft carrier to the Gulf and publicized warnings to Baghdad, now shirks a confrontation, Saddam will have humiliated him. If the Americans do bomb him, Saddam has nothing to lose and much to gain from a world weary of this confrontation and tempted to regard Kuwait as an improbable best forgotten.
There is a real fear that Armenia and Azerbaijan are now heading straight toward fullscale war. The latter already talks about creating its own military machine, complete with sophisticated weaponry. If it does, Armenia will presumably do the same. The danger is that if the conflict will escalate and draw in neighboring states — Iran, Turkey, Georgia and Russia. Clearly that is something they
Arab News, Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, on the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan;
want to avoid, as does the rest of the international community — which explains why at long last the Nagorno-Karabakh is being taken seriously.
Moreover, even if the Armenian and Azerbaijan leadership realize the need for peace, there is no evidence as yet that either side is prepared to make the compromises necessary to achieve peace. Both still expect the other to make the climb down. Peace is clearly still a long way off.
But it is a long way from taking a dispute seriously to settling it. Look at how long it took the United Nations to get an uneasy peace between Serbians and Croatians.
The Irish Times, Dublin, Ireland, on
Edward Shearndadze:
Eduard Shevardnadze was probably the only Soviet statesman, with the substantial exception of ... Mikhail Gorbachev, to emerge unscathed or with his reputation enhanced from the collapse of communism as far as the outside world was concerned. Both men are remembered rather less affectionately by
There are, therefore, mixed expectations from ... Shevardnadze's re-emergence as the pivotal figure in Georgia's efforts to restore stability...
His real strength, and the reason why he has been invited back to a position of authority, is his perceived standing in the world of diplomacy which Georgia hopes will be used to get international contributions to the development fund which he has already set up. He knows that a price will be expected for any outside assistance in the shape of guarantees of the democratic process.
The great strategic issues which were settled when they were at the controls in the Kremlin — issues such as the decision not to impose political conditions on the unification of Germany — made little impact at home where politics were dominated by economic and social change.
He can also offer the possibility of good relations with the Commonwealth of Independent States, which Georgia has refused to join, thus bringing a badly needed new element of stability to the region.
KANSANSTAFF
TIFFANYHARNESS Editor
VANESSA FUHRMANS Managing editor
TOM EBLEN General manager, news adviser
Editors
Editors
News  Mike Andrews
Editorial  Beth Randolph
Planning  Lara Gold
Campus  Eric Gorski/Rochelle Olson
Sports  Eric Nelson
Photo  Julie Jacobson
Features  Debbie Myers
Graphics  Aimee Braindran/Jeff Meesey
their fellow citizens.
JENNIFER CLAXTON Business manager
Campus sales mgr ..Bill Lebengood
Regional sales mgr ..Rich Harbarger
National sales mgr ..Scott Hanna
Co-op sales mgr ..Arnelson Jones
Production mgrs ..Kim Wallace
Marketing director ..Lisa Keeter
Creative director ..Leanne Bryant
Classified mgr ..Kip Chin
JEANNE HINES Sales and marketing adviser
Business Staff
JAYSTEINER Retail sales manager
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Stick
by David Rosenfield