4 Thursday, February 5. 1987 / University Daily Kansan Free loans interesting Student Senate's idea of creating short-term, interestfree loans for KU students seems like a sound financial move. Student Body President Brady Stanton said he expected the plan to become reality by March or April. Students would be allowed to borrow up to $100. Applicants would not need a co-signer, and they would receive the loan after successfully completing a quick credit check and interview. This plan not only could be the answer to many financial problems that students incur during the year, but it would be a pleasant alternative to a loan from the office of student financial aid, which offers loans at 6 percent interest. The short-term, interest-free loan program was part of the Cheers coalition platform which Stanton and Kelly Milligan, student body vice president, rode to victory in the fall. The plan still is in the preliminary stages, and a collection plan needs to be worked out along with the basic guidelines of the program. dent, rose to vice president. To put the program into effect, the Senate would hire an accounting graduate student at a salary of $6,500 a year to interview applicants. The loan requirements would be more lenient, but there are still wrinkles to be ironed out. Right now the plan calls for a $7,500 account to be set up for the loans. If the plan proves to be successful, the Senate should give serious consideration to dipping into its $115,000 unallocated account to make more money available to the students. The program has the backing of several University officials, and perhaps it will be something that students can bank on. Penalty of playing politics After a series of votes on the death penalty last week, it seems that some state legislators don't realize the graveness of the issue. Party leaders, legislators and the governor's staff decided instead to play politics with the bill, forgetting that their votes could mean life or death for some. On Wednesday of last week, the House voted to kill the bill 59-60. Nevertheless, supporters of the bill discounted the vote because it was unofficial and not a roll call vote. The Topeka Capital-Journal reported that Speaker of the House Jim Braden, R-Clay Center, and Gov. Mike Hayden said the measure would pass easily when a roll call vote was taken, and legislators' votes could be used against them in future re-election campaigns. right. On the final roll call vote on the bill, it passed 71-53. Braden and Hayden were Political maneuvering is an accepted practice. Often, a wavering vote on a close issue can prove quite valuable to a representative. But the death penalty is on a different level and should be above these games. Legislators had a responsibility to vote according to the arguments presented, research and their consciences, not to stay in line within the party's platform or to bow to pressure from the governor or political pollsters. This responsibility now shifts to the Kansas Senate. Preliminary action is not expected until the latter part of the month. For the sake of all Kansas citizens, let us hope they realize the magnitude of this issue and of their responsibility regarding it. A credit to "smart cards" The credit card industry has been looking into advanced technology to solve some stupid problems. It came up with a very intelligent answer — "smart cards." Each smart card will contain a microprocessor chip that retains thousands of characters. Once put into effect, the cards will be programmed by the customer's bank with a monthly credit limit, the number of times the card can be used in a given Last year, consumers defaulted on their credit card bills by more than $3.5 billion. Visa and MasterCard have found a way to assist overenthusiastic shoppers in managing their credit expenses. They plan to make a transition from the current credit cards to technologically up-to-date smart cards. period of time and credit history. A machine devised to read the cards would make the information readily available to a merchant at the time of purchase. Some consumers disapprove of the smart card system, pointing to what may be the only impediment to using the cards. Each time a consumer makes a purchase with a smart card, he must activate it with a six-digit, personal I.D. number. Memorizing a number with less digits than it takes to phone home is not very demanding and serves an important purpose. By the mid-1990s, there is likely to be a marketable supply of smart cards to facilitate business transactions and to curb consumer irresponsibility. Unless consumers refuse to see the intelligence in this, smart cards can't fail. News staff Frank Hansel Editor Jennifer Benjamin Managing editor Jul Warren News editor Brian Kabertline Editorial editor Sandra Engelland Campus editor Spark Suber Sports editor Diane Dulmeit Photo editor Bill Skeet Graphics editor Tom Eblen General manager, news adviser Business staff Lisa Weems Business manager Bonnie Hardy Ad director Denise Stephens Retail sales manager Kelly Scherer Campus sales manager Duncan Calhoun Marketing manager Lori Coppile Classified manager Ludwig Mianliper Production manager David Nixon National sales manager Jeanne Hines Sales and marketing adviser Letters should be typeed, 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 reserves the right reject or edit letters and guest shots. They can be mailed or brought to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Stauffer-Flint Hall. Opinions The University Daily Kansan (USP5 650-640) is published at the University of Kansas, 118 Stauffer Flint Hall, Kansas. Kanu, 66045, daily during the regular school year, excluding Saturday, Sunday, holidays and finals periods, and on Wednesday during the summer session. Second-class postage paid in Lawrence, Kanu, 66044. Subscriptions by mail are $40 per year in Douglas County or county county. Student subscriptions are $3 and are paid through the student activity fee. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the University Daily Kansan, 118 Stauffer-Flint Hall, Lawrence, KAN 66045 Drug may raise hope of impotent men A recent medical discovery regarding male sexual performance, or lack thereof, has prompted me to re-evaluate my values and ask myself some provocative questions about sex. Kirk Kahler Columnist Doctors at Duke University's Male Sexual Dysfunction Clinic have recently issued a report that says they have developed a combination of two drugs that will enable impotent men to attain and sustain erections. implants, says the report. The drugs, papaverine and phentolamine, are offered to men impotent due to disease, such as diabetes and arteriosclerosis. The drug also is provided as an alternative to penile This is not to say that society should not be preoccupied with the pursuit of fantastic sex. However, there is one big catch to using the drug — it must be injected into the penis. That's right, people don't use them. They needle into their penises to have sex. But, I wonder how many men on this campus, or around the world, have sex drives so strong that they would feel compelled to insert a needle into an organ they hold so dearly to be allowed the opportunity to copulate. Or, how desperately does one wish to hear the pitter-patter of little feet running through the house? and it offers many of the things impotent men have desired for so many years. But, these men would be in pretty sad shape if they reacted to needles in a fashion even remotely similar to the way I do. Now, I've discussed with many of my friends our society's preoccupation with sex throughout the years, and the consensus seems to be that the ol' roll-in-the-hay is fairly overrated. This is a very noble development, I can see it now: Johnny Carson is having an off night, so the couple in front of the tube finds alternative means of entertainment. Hubby goes into the bathroom to shoot up, whiff the wife retires to the bedroom. I wonder, too, whether the drug would be made available strictly to impatient men as a result of disease or that it would have a use for the magical serum? Would college students be considered to have a valid need for the drug? What about those nights when one imbibes much too heavily and performance lacks as a result? Would this drug be made available in the restrooms of taverns, perhaps next to the prophylactic dispensers? Suddenly, she hears a thud "Honey what was that noise?" she yells but receives no response. "Honey?!" Silence. As she opens the bathroom door to investigate, she finds hubby lying on the floor, boxes at his ankles. The report says that diabetics, and I suppose, junkies, would be best suited for the drug, since they are more likely to get addicted up on a daily basis but in a different anatomical region, I hope Or what about men who are pushed so far past their limits that even vitamin E won't help? Would the medical profession feel pity for such men and hand over an ample dose of this wonder drug? Finally, what would the street slug for the drug be? Several possibilities immediately leap to mind but I assured you won't hear them from me. Distributed by King Features Syndicate Mailbox Questioning a union I am not surprised, and not much encouraged either, to learn that a petition is circulating on the question of forming a faculty union. Though one may be curious how many people will sign a piece of paper, the real question is how many (including faculty in all fields and of all standings in the University) would themselves rally on the State House steps and then go reason with legislators. William O. Scott professor of English Letter of apology An open letter to Frances Horowitz and the members of GradEx. While I question the exact quotes, I cannot question their intent. I mean they were meant to be literal. On Friday, Jan. 30, 1987, a story appeared in the Kansan concerning several matters about the Graduate Student Executive Committee. In the article, I am quoted in several places where I suggested action or commented loosely about the behavior of Dr. Horowitz and others. The comments were foolish and self-serving. The miserable performance was mine and not yours. I made the mistakes in judgment. I never intended that all the members of GradEx should resign. They have made the most of a troubled time and all have acted with great enthusiasm. Having a great deal of time and effort to resolve the coordinator problem and several other matters concerning graduate students. I apologize both to David Hardy her and to GradEx. I know that all of you deserve praise for your commitment and not the stinging nonsense that you received. One financial solution With the possibility of a new, expensive death penalty, our finances only could worsen. Steve Cohn, though has discovered what could be the end of his job and a way for legislators to make an exemplary sacrifice for our state. Everyone knows by now that our state, and consequently our University, are in big financial trouble. The legislators are even trying to tax illegal marijuana sales to find the needed revenue. If the public shaving of a mere student who needs cash for spring break can bring in $5 a seat, the shaving of our legislators should go at $50 a seat, the governor perhaps at 520. Hoch Auditorium could be filled for the fund raiser. Marijuana could be legalized, and narcotics agents could be retrained as barbers to meet the increased demand. Should this last proposal seem insultive, pot could just be legalized. Better still, our legislators could simply turn execution by dul lethal injection into great public fundraising events — Allen Field House, jam-packed at $500 a seat with cheerful crowds watching criminals chased down by axe-wielding law-enforcement officers! publicly shaved and sent on permanent vacations to Padre Island, where they could lay back and enjoy their executions on pre-recorded vid- Adam Kovach Lawrence senior I appreciate the rhetoric necessary for a member of SenEx to assure the chancellor that sabers are drawn and ready to be rattled. If that all is there is to such comment on the importance of faculty salaries, then I quetely retreat so as to better allow such rattling to be heard. Faculty salaries But, if an increase of a little less than $5,000 is the driving force in a I wish I could be amused by Professor Dubnick's comments on faculty salaries (the article titled "Faculty Pay," p. 1). It would be humorous if I thought that the faculty at large believed that "everyone would like to get a job at the University of North Carolina." If you look at the difference in average salaries paid to professors, it amounts to $4,684. Does anyone believe that a faculty member will leave a position here for a bump in pay of that magnitude? Would that increase in a person's base salary offset the cost of putting a house on the market, moving 2,000 miles and setting up housekeeping all over? What of the other costs? Do you pull your children out of an excellent school system, sever your personal relationships, interrupt your research and start over in a new academic community? person's leaving this institution, then I say take the turnip, it's quicker Gary McGrath systematics and ecology graduate study Next it's a Parthenon The Student Senate voted to president, vice president and treasurer a pay raise. It is refreshing, in light of the financial woes of the rest of the University, that student activity fee funds should be channelled to so worthy an end. It is deserving of these men of wisdom and esteem that the students should endorse an ode in their honor in the form of dollars. I congratulate the continuing courage and aggressiveness of our senators. I only pray that my meager phrases will recommend them to the students of our great University and thereby continue to inspire them to provide further benefits to the mounting glory and prosperity of our nation. Also, let us not forget the sacrifice they have made in this act, which can only provide supporting evidence of the prudence of our Student Senate. I think it would be complimentary to the pay boost that the students erect a Parthenon in recognition of our student senators. We could bulldoze Fraser straight back to Blake Annex as they may be viewed with love (and anyway) to make room for the pillared memorial. Throughout the halls, we can inscribe our senators choice political speeches and proverbs. BLOOM COUNTY Brian Gilpin Topeka junior by Berke Breathed