4
Thursday, October 2, 1986 / University Daily Kansan
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Needles in a haystack
Recently rumblings were heard on the pages of the Kansas about a parking problem. Some students and faculty said there was one. The director of parking services said there wasn't. Perhaps it is just a matter of semantics. The fact remains, however, that cars are circling the yellow lots daily, waiting to swoop down on a newly-released space.
The students wait and circle and wait and circle, with much pounding of dashboards and glaring at the lucky sonofagain ahead who got the very last space. Meanwhile, 9:30 has come and gone and they will be late to class - again.
A few reckless scofflaws opt to park illegally. They take their chances with parking services slapping them with a $7.50 ticket before they return. These people are on time for their classes, but soon will be unable to afford to eat.
Now the root of the problem, according to Don Kearns, director of parking services, is
that everybody wants to park in those lots closest to the main buildings on campus. And when they fill up at peak times, around 8:30 and 10:30 classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, noses get bent out of shape as people are forced to walk from a more distant lot and are late to class.
Unfortunately, little can be done about it for now except a lot of grinning and bearing and walking. The permits have been sold and none are going to be recalled. So use the old noodle in the morning. If the class you attend is at 9:30 on Monday, you should expect to go early enough to find a parking space in a closer lot. Or, if no such space avails itself, park in a more distant lot and make it to class on time. And if you do your part, surely the people at parking services will do their part, put their heads together and come up with some way to solve this inconvenience.
Deal? What deal?
Nicholas Daniloff has gone free, Gennadi Zakharov goes back to the Soviet Union, and a superpower pre-summit summit will apparently take place in Iceland.
After five weeks of heightened U.S.-Soviet tension and a lot of game playing and late-night string pulling, it appears as though everything will come out all right in the end.
One has to wonder how.
One has to wonder. The two most powerful countries on earth have just shown the world how to wheel, deal and be diplomatic, but no one is owning up to such scurrilous activities.
There was no deal, nobody backed down, and whatever you do, don't call the meeting in Reykjavik a summit.
What it all boils down to is that there probably was more dialogue going on between the superpowers during the last five weeks than there has been since the end of World War II. But for some reason, "compromise" has become a dirty word.
In the American Heritage dictionary, compromise
means "A settlement of differences in which each side makes concessions ... Something midway between different things or combining certain of their qualities."
But to President Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, compromise must lose face.
Obviously someone had to make concessions, the two leaders were at exact opposite stands on the situation. But who made the concessions and how many is not what is important.
What is important is that somehow, someway. Gorbachev and Reagan have agreed on a meeting in Iceland where they hope to lay the groundwork for a real summit in the United States.
Arms control and the problem of divided spouses will be on the platter in Reykjavik, and Reagan has said that "the chances are better than they've been in many years for reaching some agreement on arms reduction."
That seems like the kind of position that would be worth a few compromises.
Constructive demolition
It's about time.
The Board of Regents finally cleared the way last month for a $12 million Human Development Center to be built at the University. The building, which will be connected by a walkway to Haworth Hall, will house the KU Bureau of Child Research, the KU Gerontology Center, and the departments of human development and family life, special education, speech-language-hearing sciences and disorders and radio-television.
Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole was responsible for getting a $9 million federal grant for the building. The other $3 million will come from private donations. Although this is a
nefty sum, the center is well worth the expense. If an effort to build such a center is to be made, it should be done right.
And the demolition of seven structures to make way for the four-story brick building will not adversely affect the campus. The buildings to be demolished are either garages, sheds or vacant offices that are eyesores anyway. Bids for the demolition contract are expected as early as December.
Hats off to Dole for his help in getting the project off the ground and to the Regents for finally giving the go-ahead by approving final plans that allow bidding on the demolition to begin.
News staff
Lauretta McMillen ... Editor
Kady McMaster ... Managing editor
Tad Clarke ... News editor
David Silverman ... Editorial editor
John Hanna ... Campus editor
Frank Hansel ... Sports editor
Jacki Kelly ... Photo editor
Tom Eblen ... General manager, news adviser
Business staff
David Nixon ... Business manager
Gregory Kaul ... Retail sales manager
Denise Stephens ... Campus sales manager
Sally Depew ... Classified manager
Lisa Weems ... Production manager
Duncan Calhoun ... National sales manager
Beverly Kastens ... Traffic manager
**Letters** should be typed, double-spaced and fewer than 200 words and should include the writer's name, address and telephone number. If the writer is affiliated with the University, include class and hometown, or faculty or staff position.
**Guest shots** should be typed, double-spaced and fewer than 700 words. The
writer will be photographed.
The Kansan school was right to rept or edit letters and guest shots. They can has been brought to the Kansson newsroom, 111 Stauffer-Flint Hall.
The University Daily Kansan (USPS 650-640) is published at the University of Kansas in 118 Staffer-Flint Hall, Lawrence, Kan. 66045, daily during the regular school year, excluding Saturday, Sunday, holidays and final periods, and on Wednesday during the summer sessions. Students are required to attend Lawrence, Kan. 66046, which are $15 for six months or $27 a year in Douglas, CA and $18 for six months and $35 a year outside the county. Student enrollees are $3 and are paid through the student activity fee.
dent subscriptions are 99% of the student population and address changes to the University Daily Kansan, 118 Stauffer-Fillip Hall, Lawrence, Kanus 66045.
Opinions
Some conservatives would like you to believe that the media are dominated by a left-wing bias, the product of a liberal conspiracy that only finds fault with the policies of the United States, while overlooking or downplaying similar policies of the Soviet Union.
'Liberal bias' is lesson in objectivity
Christian Colbert
Columnist
They somehow feel threatened
conservatives There, government control is so severe that it is, in effect, censorship. If white South Africans were adequately informed about the brutal treatment of blacks by their government, they might be less adamantly opposed to change.
The situation in South Africa is an example of what happens to the media when they are dominated by
ance.
The notion of a liberal bias in the media is pure fantasy. Conservatives don't understand the media's primary role: to be a watchdog of the U.S. government, not the Soviet government.
It's not the media's fault that Reagan's policies are so riddled with problems; however, it is the mass media's duty to report and comment on them. Without a persistently critical media, the government wouldn't feel a compulsion to be accountable, and democracy hinges on an accountable government.
Another responsibility of the media, one that conservatives decry, is the promotion of human rights in countries where the United States exerts influence. The media can, at its best, have a great effect on human rights issues by mobilizing public opinion against inhumane policies of our government or governments we sponsor.
governance.
It's a secondary responsibility of the media to report on the Soviet Union's policies. Of course, more coverage of the Soviet's abuses of power would be nice, but not a realistic expectation. The amount of resources are too limited for adequate coverage.
In the recent past, the media played a crucial role in redressing some of our nation's human rights abuses: vast coverage in the '60s of police brutality waged against blacks in the South supplied the much-needed impetus for change. In addition, press coverage in Vietnam helped stop that war. More recently, the media's reports on the Philippines contributed to the downfall of an oppressive U.S.-supported dictator.
In these cases, the media informed Americans of the truth so we could make intelligent moral evaluations. If this is considered too liberal, so be it.
If the media would have been dominated by conservatives during the domestic crises in the '60s, we would still be pinioned to many of the injustices that existed then. You see, it is the intention of conservatives to foster ignorance by inhibiting a free flow of information. Historically, conservatives have had a low threshold of tolerance when it comes to opposing views of our system. To conservatives, our government and its officials are sacrosanct, beyond reproach by journalists.
The problem with journalism today is that it is not liberal enough. Liberal in the way that Walter Crankite defines it: "In my mind, a true liberal is someone who is not bound by doctrines or committed to a point of view in advance. He is someone who examines each issue on its merits and makes his decision on that basis."
Conservative critics of the media could learn a lesson about objectivity from Walter Cronkite.
Speed law evasion always a light topic
Several days ago as I was traveling along U.S. Highway 40 between Lawrence and Topeka I came to the crest of a hill and the driver of a car coming from the opposite direction flashed his headlights.
I immediately slowed down. I interpreted the flash to mean that a low
Had I helped other people break the law? Or worse, by preventing the authorities from gaining access to
But then a wave of guilt came over me.
Victor Goodpasture
Columnist
enforcement officer was using radar to try to catch speeders. A "smokey taking pictures," in citizens band radio_lingo.
The next car also flashed his lights, and then a third did the same. I gave the drivers a smile and an appreciative nod.
Each time I laughed. If this went on all day, that smoker wouldn't catch anybody.
cake anybody.
As I came over the crest of another hill, there he was, a highway patrolman in his cruiser, waiting.
As I passed him, I saw the radar gun in his hand pointed at me. I looked in my rearview mirror. In my mind, I feared that he might pull me over anyway. If it wouldn't be for speeding, well, he'd find some other reason to ticket me.
for a few moments afterwards, I was glad that I was helping a fellow American by saving him from a possible $50 or $60 fine.
I didn't have to wonder for long. I received several wide grins from the drivers as they passed, and in my rearview mirror, I saw their brake lights go on.
I quickly glanced at my speedometer - 53 mph. I was safe.
REASON TO CHECK IN:
My fear was quelled as the trooper remained poised, waiting for the next driver.
As they neared, I flashed my headlights. I wondered if they knew what it meant.
After I was out of the lawman's sight, I saw several cars approaching.
evidence against that person, had I aided and abetted someone else who was breaking the law?
I had prevented the police from actually witnessing the crime. Isn't that "willfully destroying evidence?" Would the police be able to charge me with "hindering an officer in the performance of his duties?"
With one flash of my headlights, I had committed felonies and misdemeanors.
Hey, I'm too young for prison! I can see it now. I'm in a cell with murderers, bank robbers and rapists, and they all ask what I did to get a sentence of 10 to 20 years. How could I answer, "I flashed my headlights."
They'd laugh me right out of the cell block. My only hope would be to confess to a couple of unsolved murders and bank robberies. Would they believe me if I told them I was D.B. Cooper?
As I drove on, I debated whether I should turn myself in.
I figure, with the aid of my young but resolved public defender, I could get off with a light sentence by turning state's evidence and revealing the license plate numbers of the cars that I had flashed.
I also thought about who I would call with my one phone call. Sure, I could call mom and dad, but they'd just get upset.
I finally decided on a radio station.
I would ask the D.J. if he would play
Elvis Presley's "Jailhouse Rock."
All of these thoughts crossed my mind.
I decided that a trial would be a waste of the taxpayers money because I'd probably get off on a technicality anyway.
Instead, I would redeem myself so that I could once again consider myself a law-abiding citizen.
My punishment?
When cars approach me from the opposite direction, I'll flash my lights when there are no police around. This will cause cars to slow down because they expect a "smokey taking pictures."
So the next time you're driving, and a car flashes its lights at you, you better slow down. Even if there are no police, don't be angry.
Justice is being served — my own way.
The first on-hand answering service
A Japanese jeweler and an American message center have joined forces to produce wrist watches that let the wearers know when they are wanted on the telephone.
telephone.
Maybe there are demands for watches that can page you, but
Dick West
UPI Commentary
that seems to me only a minor step forward. There is more need at this time. I would think, for pages that watch you.
The next major step may be a telephonic answering machine you can strap on your wrist.
Suppose, for instance, you had a toothache and wanted to reach your dentist, who was out on the golf course.
Under the old-fashioned way of doing things, you would call his office and someone would activate the beeper on his belt. Particularly if he is about to putt.
A a beeping wrist watch would be only a modest improvement. He still would miss the putt. How much better off you both would be if your ring were answered by a friendly voice that said:
"Hi! This is young Dr. Gillespie. I can't talk on the phone right now but if, at the tone, you'll leave your name and number and state the nature of your complaint, "I'll get right back to you."
But the important thing is: his afternoon off was uninterrupted by beltline beeping. That leaves him free to make real estate deals later.
Sure enough, true to his word, the dentist stops at the 19th hole and listens to his messages. Then he dials your number and learns you underwent an emergency tooth extraction just five minutes ago.
politician.
"Hi! This is Dr. Fixitt of the office of Dwight, David and Eisenhower. I can't answer the phone just now. Take two aspirins and call me in the morning."
Dr. Fixitt is, of course, a marriage counselor. Would a physician leave a recorded message like that? He would be more inclined to answer thusly:
answer this.
"Hi! This is Dr. Feelgood. I can't talk on the phone right now and I don't care what your ailment is. Just take two aspirins and call me in the morning."
An ideal gift for your favorite marriage counselor divorce lawyer or politician.
Your lawyer, on the other hand, could be expected to speak to his wrist as follows:
"Hi! This is Mr. Splitt, your friendly divorce lawyer. I can't talk on the phone right now, so take two aspirins and call me in the morning."
However, a tax accountant might leave the following message:
"Hi! This is Mr. Loophole. I can't talk on the phone just now but, if at the tone, you'll leave your name and the number of your tax shelter. I'll examine your file as soon as I get back to the office."
Or, a politician could take advantage of a wrist watch-recorder in this way:
“Hi! This is Senator Klaghron, your friendly candidate for president. I can talk on the phone right now, but if, at the tone, you’ll leave your name and address, I’ll see that you get a campaign solicitation form letter and are placed on my mailing list.”