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Friday, March 11, 1977
University Daily Kansan
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Opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Kansas or the School of Journalism
Glorious spring break
Technically, spring break begins when classes end today. But for all practical purposes, it began several days ago when the weather turned beautiful and the rich and carefree began to leave for exotic places and more studious began to stare out windows.
Spring break is more than just part of the academic calendar, it is a cultural and social event.
FROM THE academic point of view, it is probably just a necessary evil. Students don't study during break, no matter how far behind they are. But professors can at least hope that it will get the umpiness and irritation that students' systems so they can get back to studying.
If nothing else, spring break reduces absenteeism.
Whoever invented spring break deserves some sort of medal, because they made it happen.
It may be raining and cold out, but it's still a great day. You may be going to Russell instead of Padre, but it is beautiful out. For one little week, you can try to get away from whatever has been driving you. You'll never miss some of your interesting classes, but you will miss your boring ones as well. (Or should we say you won't miss them?)
IN A couple of months—or a couple of
years you will leave this university for good. You will probably work regular hours for regular pay. You will have more bills than ever and responsibilities coming out of your ears. You will be getting constantly older and more responsible. You may be raising your kids—or trying to avoid those of your friends.
College is a unique educational and cultural experience—but so is being 21.
Unless you are going to graduate school, you have, at most, four or five spring breaks. That is a total of one month out of an eight-week summer. It's a good idea to rukus, the rupt of it.
Rest and be merry, for a week from Monday you have an economics test.
Three years is a long time for we 'dang furriers' to be away from home. Our homeland changes, we change, and when we return the reality doesn't always meet with our fond recollections and expectations.
Cheerio, USA, fare well
After reminiscing in Kansas about our former life and times, we go elsewhere and reminisce about our Kansas life and times.
Ah yes, remember the old Jayhawk;
remember the night on the town when we got so sizzled; remember when we won the Big Eight Soccer championship;
remember skinny dipping at Perry Lake; remember . . . remember . . .
It's all so vivid now. Our classes, our romances, our friends, our successes and our failures. But look back in one year. Will you remember the telephone number of your old apartment? The name of the guy you sat next to in History
128? Supporting Birch Bayh for President? I doubt it.
Memory plays strange tricks on us. It sifts out the important and unimportant and retains only the yardsticks by which we measure our personal growth. happiness and wisdom. Things seemed so important then, didn't they? But as we move on we can put things into per- ments. We can live "living" meaning and redeeming value.
Paul Addison
Editorial Writer
THE REASON for all this homepsm
philosophy? This is my last column
before I depart for the balmy Guam where I will become a full-fledged explorer.
any foreign student will explain, do strange things to one's values, personal relationships, and sense of global perspective. No more the ever present rhetoric of the left-wing posted on twitter universities. No more, after leaving KU, an opportunity to discuss world events. No more the European intensity of all students living on a strict budget.
OUR MEMORIES then begin to take on a different meaning. We become, in a short time, self-revisionists, looking at our past experiences with new eyes and assessing our lives in terms of American perspectives. Where once we were cynical or sarcastic about the American experience, we now defend it.
Admittedly there's a lot to defend and support. Our memories tone down the bad and unjust facets of American life so that the common myths of American "abundance for all" and "land of milk and honey" are perpetuated.
For me, life in America has brought satisfaction, happiness and the prospect of a rewarding career. The 'land of a reward' is simplistic and ecstatical phraseology.
You've got a lot to offer, America. You've also got a long way to go. Thanks for listening.
Liquor laws thwart drink desire
It was the hottest day of the year. After the coldest winter in the history of the world, spring sprang and my throat legitimately yawned for a cold schooner.
The yearning became an obsession as the 80-minute class I was in Tuesday afternoon taught by Ms. Bohannan, thought of a couple of games of pinball and a few schoolnooks danced wildly in my head as my mom watched.
yellow lights attached to its front were on. Gull momentarily slowed my movement, and I ran through the running at Watson, not the Jayhawk Cafe. Reason overwhelmed我 guilt feelings, however, and my heart began to crumble in front of丹弗论 Chapel.
I RAN by Watson Library, glancing at it to make sure the
dilated pupils. "Justice," I screamed to myself, "I will get justice for what society has done to me today."
My legs began to move faster as I started down 14th Street, aided by the slope of the mountainside. I could see it now, the 'Hawk, its emblem holding the attention of my
Traffic near the corner of 14th and Ohio streets was unusually heavy for a Tuesday afternoon, when she met with Kansas students, motivated by the same iniquity I had been the victim of, had the same concept of revenge that I had—guzzling a schooner of 20 years from a yardards from a security booth that symbolizes her control over us.
The University, I thought, is a moral and social garbage can. This is one way I can help to pick up the trash.
every year for at least the last decade. We elected the president, satisfied with our present laws, including the one that prevents
THE DOOR of the 'Hawk was
Statistics don't show campus inflation
In these transitional and inflationary times, our government remains one of the most hardworking examples of democracy in the world. Its sometimes far-too-impersional treatments are only offshoots of its inherent efficiency.
BUT ONE particular agency's work is believably consistent, and its reports affect the way we all live. That agency is the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which keeps track of the
several computers, it can't begin to price everything we buy.
So the bureau surveys the big ticket items, like coffee, cars, lounge chairs, household goods
As Jimmy Carter is finding out the U.S. government is not one person, but really an amalgamation of mini-bureaucaires, each bent on making American life a little safer, cleaner and basically more bearable.
"One can only marvel at the work done at agencies such as the Commission on Federal Paperwork, the American Battle Monuments Commission, the Office of Inventives and the Office of Reporting Service (supposedly to make sure that all the statistical data from other agencies are reported on time)."
Brent Anderson Editorial Writer
Paul Jefferson
Editorial Writer
and appliances indigenous to an average American family with 3.2 children. Unfortunately, this method foregoes a lot of the expenses peculiar only to college students.
THE OTHER evening, after a particularly ribald time, we went to have an ice cream. Ordering two double-dip cones, I handed the salesgirl a dollar bill while taking the first licks of ice.
Consumer Price Index. Its work is boring, but important.
my double chocolate. She smiled patiently and said,
"That'a dollar five, sir. Plus a nickel tax."
Let me explain. Every month the Bureau of Labor Statistics updates the consumer price index, which measures prices moved up or down in the previous month. The bureau takes great pains and expands a lot of manpower to survey thousands of checkers and thousands of checkers and
With that episode in mind, I decided to put together a more meaningful price index than that which the BLS supplies. It's called the College Student's Cost of Living Index. The items in the survey may not affect every budget the same, the selection of the items was arraigned by a skillfully uniscientific. The results aren't exactly because the businessmen (and women) were rather uncertain as to when their prices did go up.
As a study of the price index reveals, the average increase in the price of college-related goods is about 40 per cent—and that figure undoubtedly understates the situation on, especially on the more indigent of student population.
The government's assertion that inflation is not as bad as the latest hike in prices leads us to believe it may be just plain full
(half as much if camping)
Parking ticket ... 5.00 ... 5.00 ... 0
(10.00 proposed)
Cigarettes, in vending machine ... .40 ... .60 ... 50
Item Price Two Price Pct.
Years Age Today Inc.
Double-dip ice cream cone $ 390 $ 1.69 12
Submarine sandwich 1.30 1.69 30
McDonald's hamburger 25 35 40
Martini, at downtown club 85 1.00 18
Club, same club 35 1.00 18
Haircut 4.50 7.50 75
Records 3.99 5.99 49
Pack of chewing gum 15 25 67
Mail postage stamp 19 13 50
Concert stump 4.50 6.00 33
Bus passes 1.50 18.00 38
Drugs (nonprescription) 15.00 (on) 35.00 13
Dove ticket 15.00 35.00 140
Airfield 150.00 250.00 67
within reach of my hand, but
what had once been a loudly
pounding heart seemed to me.
My mouth dropped open, I fear,
and beads of sweat began to roll
down the sides of my face.
A simple, hand-made sign,
small but powerful, explained
the sudden change in my appearance and metabolism:
"ELECTON DAY. OPEN AT 7 P.M."
Oh cruel faint. I thought I was going to teach society a lesson, but the lesson that was to be learned was to be learned by me. Don't fight the system are prepared to incur its wrath.
It is mystifyingly ironic that the Kansas Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee voted Tuesday to kill a proposal that would have placed before the legislature the requirement that would give counties the option of whether to serve liquor by the drink.
IT IS seldom argued that Kansas liquor laws are anything but incredulous. The courts have not changed to change Kansas' liquors law.
the sale of cereal malt beverages and retail liquor while the polls are open.
After having faced the realization that the Hawk was closed and there was no beer in the refrigerator at home, I decided to do what every good American should do on election day, although it is "only" a local primary election. I went to the First Methodist Church and voted.
I suppose I was, by voting, succumbing to the very system I had, only minutes earlier, threatened to guzzle a schooner at. To be sure, there is a difference between the two universities, University. But both entities are "the system," and both have been characterized by an overloaded trash can.
It is clear, though, that my resentment of old KU, the city and the Karasas liquor laws will be short-lived. I'll be back in class tomorrow morning, I'll set the trash out at noon and I'll be drinking a schooner and playing pinball by four.
Readers review statements of Glover and Sniffen
Glover a good guy To the editor:
In the past, House of Representatives member Mike Glover has faced political ramifications from statements he made about his conduct and honesty are atypical of the political animal, and his constituency here in Lawrence respects and admires this quality. The recent ballyhoo being raised in Topeka, Oklahoma, remains a realm of politics and edges on character assassination.
The statements, printed in the Sunday Kansas City Star, admitting the use of marijuana, were no shocking new exposure, but upfront about pot use. The interview in question took place after the passage, Thursday, of House Bill 2313, calling for decriminalization of small marijuana sales. Rep. Glover would be elated at its passage after five years of hard work is to be expected. His comments were issued in an atmosphere of friendly condescension and the journalistic integrity of the reporter. Perhaps Glover's straight-shooting and plain-talking style confused the interviewer who is used to hearing their statements in flowery language and confusing clauses to hide what might disturb. The political expediency of Glover's candor can be questioned but the integrity of his motives has proven by his legislative record.
But the inquisition, the likes of which hasn't been aimed at a public figure since the Middle Ages, initiated by the Attorney
Glover's apology to the House was no more than a public spanking of the "bad boy" from Lawrence and has apparently thirsted of fellow members of Glover's political blood.
General's office, has undertones of political motivation and character destruction.
We firmly hope that the Senators who sip martinis while Mike Glover has day in court are not fooled by this suggestion, because that decriminalization of marijuana possession would be a step into the future for the State of Kansas and that letting a personality purge affect their lives would be a stumble into the nest.
William Miller president, Lawrence NORMAL
Meanwhile, Mike, hold your head high, look those holler-than thou hypocrites in the eye and . . . smile.
Research needed
This sort of editorial would be a harmless exposure of its writer's ignorance if it were not for the eagerness of some people to take it seriously. Sniffen may be aware that Senator William Proxmire has written several similar recitation of research proposals with funny-sounding titles.
I feel I must respond to Bill Sniffen's attack on strange sounding research projects (March 3). This is only in part because Sniffen singled out one of my projects for ridicule. It's important that I want to squish anything not nothingism that says, "I don't understand it, it must be worthless".
To the editor:
their enzymatic and structural roles, make possible the various activities carried on by cells. For example, hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein, gives red blood cells the ability to deliver oxygen to all areas of the body.
Why is research on synthesis of vitellogenin (egg yolk protein) in the cockroach worth doing? Let me summarize my thinking on this topic as briefly as I can.
Genes are regions of DNA contained in each of the cells of our bodies; each gene contains one protein. The proteins, through
In order to control a cell's activities, then, one has only to control its genes. When a normal cell changes to a cancer cell, for instance, new genes turn on, while old genes turn off.
An understanding of this switching process may help us control it and thereby allow the expression of genes in higher organisms remains one of the most challenging enigmas in biology.
One reason for this mystery is the sheer number of genes in higher organisms, perhaps as many as 100,000. One strategy for overcoming this confusion is to study the gene and study its control. We are investigating the control of the vitellogenin gene in the cockroach because this gene is extremely active during the egg formation process and because it is able at will with juvenile hormone.
The cockroach may seem a long way removed from a human, but in the cell nucleus, where the genetic action is, it has almost identical. Thus, a penetration of gene control in our relatively simple animal ought to shed light on gene control in humans, perhaps as an example of cardiogenesis. Who knows, we may even find a way to control cockroach reproduction so as to keep the little creep out of your kitchen, in fact, analogues of juvenile hormones are already used to combat other insects.
By the way, a bubble chamber is not a shower massager; it is an instrument that detects turtles. It defies imagination that
an educated person would presume to ridicule something of which he is totally ignorant.
Robert Weaver associate professor of biochemistry
10 at other KU administrators have made what may seem to be a
Whistle questioned
who vote for student-body leaders are.
Best left to individual decision in the first place, pot use could be dealt with saneily if Glover's bill passes.
I predict that the whistle will be permanently silenced within a few years anyway because University officials will be forced by law or finance to send out communications to serve energy, but until then we must put up with the objection, distracting noise as well as a
Glover's slick manipulation and generally good legislating have moved Kansas within sight of the deal with the pot question.
So why, Mike, go shooting your mouth off to the Kansas
But I would like to point out three possible oversights in their speedy judgment. First, the silence hadn't been given a chance for the attacker was started in the middle of a school year when many people were already addicted to the whistle, and six weeks is hardly long enough for conditioned boys to rid themselves of this crutch.
Finally, I wonder how representative of the entire campus population the students
Readers Respond
politically wise move by ordering the return of the whistle last week because they have to respond. University officials can be viewed as very responsive to student demands—at least to 81 per cent of the students that were during the student elections.
Secondly, I think the issue should go beyond the likes or dislikes of students. I haven't read statistics for the amount of energy that was (is) being wasted every hour to jar people for food or drink but over the years it must be considerable. Granted, the absence of the whistle won't curtail our energy problems, but we must start somewhere to adjust our thinking to needs on the consequences to our environment and to our minds.
constant, sad reminder of our peers' Skinnerian reactions.
Debbie Shaw
Lawrence junior
Voters encouraged To the editor:
If you didn't vote on Tuesday because you weren't registered, you have a second chance. You still can vote in the general election April 15 if you register to vote before March 15.
The procedure is simple. Go to the County Clerk's office in the Courthouse at the corner of 11th and Massachusetts streets between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. On Monday, March 1 and now March 13. The clerk will help you fill out the form—it only takes a minute.
If you need transportation or have any questions, you can call Christopher Bell at 843-9292 or Peggy Wilson at 841-9284.
Don't waste your opportunity to elect good people. REGISTER AND VOTE. The elect CAN make a difference.
Jane Frydman
Jane Prydman
Lawrence graduate student
Glover, keep quiet To the editor:
I think that Mike Glover's a rincompoop but not for the reasons one might suspect.
you know that it's hungry, actually hurting, for news. Your stupid remarks, which couldn't have come at a more critical time in terms of their effect on this issue, may have repercussions on all nonviictim state legislation.
God, Mike, were you high?
City Star, which was sure to spotlight your spectacular revelations.
Larned senior
marijuana before you go blubbering to reporters again.
And it was a cinch that the Star would blow it out of proportion. They don't necessarily feel the need to quote completely or paraphrase accurately.
Dammit, Mike, I'm mad at ya!
Remember, Mike, the Star is part of a chain now, and they're looking for turkeys like you to get up on a box, flap your wings and crow, "I smoke dope and I'm still cool-see!"
You're supposed to be smarter than that.
Sensationalism bad To the editor:
Kansas folk may be sincere—and passage of any decriminalization law will prove they can be sensible—but, Mike, they aren't ready for Jerry Brown.
For Christ's sake think about those kids in jails all over this state doing multiyear sentences for the nonerprise of smoking
The title of Bill Sniffen's recent editorial is certainly consistent with his mentality—thus clearly is over his head!
Perhaps Sniffen should take an introductory Biology course during his scholastic career at KU—or repeat the course if he has done so already. Sensational editors such as his latest effort are clearly irresponsible both to the lay audience and the university. His strategy was similar to Senator Proxime's-making (admittedly) strange-sounding titles and names appear 'funny', with the implication that U.S. and private
dollars are being wasted on 'funny' research which in his limited vision ranges from, in merely absurd to the ridiculous.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Sniffen and others of his intellectual level must be made to realize that topics as diverse as high energy physics and ecology are intricately related. For example, in order to study the causes of cancer and devise effective cures, scientists may have to investigate symbols relevant to statisticians, cell-biologists (the cockroach study) to high energy physics (the bubble chamber).
K
I sincerely hope that students at the University of Kansas will never again be embarrassed by such an ignorant editorialist writing for our prize-wining college newspaper!
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Matthew Douglas
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