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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 1978)
Viewpoint f Top of the News The Battalion ' Texas A&M University Monday February 13, 1978 A long, coal winter in Ohio The best way to win an argument is to get your opponent in a position where he can’t say no. Negotiations over the United Mine Workers coal strike are rapidly approaching that point. Sunday, the union’s 39-member bargaining council rejected a tentative agreement to settle the 70-day-old strike. But the people with their backs against a wall aren’t the coal industry. They are the coal- dependent utility companies in Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Tennes see and Indiana. Federal officials estimate the average coal supply for U.S. electric utilities have on stock will last another 66 days. Industry supplies are generally smaller than those held by the electric utilities. But if and when the UMW bargaining council does approve a contract agreement, rank-and-file ap proval and returning mines to operation would take at least 25 days. So, if the bargaining council had approved the proposed agreement, customers still wouldn’t receive any new coal until mid-March. The council adjourned Sunday without any decision on when a new contract may be considered. Utility companies in the east-central states which has been hard-hit by recent record winter storms have called for voluntary conservation of elec tricity by all users, while cutting back industrial customers up to 30 percent. If union officials don’t agree on a contract within the next two weeks, the utilities’ margin of safety will be getting pretty thin. The strike is already the longest in UMW history. So what does all this mean to Texans complaining about 30 degree tem peratures while “Yankees” are under 30 inches of snow? Simply this: The affected states are major centers for the steel industry among others, and steel industry costs affect steel prices which affect the cost of an awful lot of products Texans like. So an extended strike could increase the cost of steel- related products well down the line. Why doesn’t “somebody” do something then? President Carter has ap proved removal of air pollution limits in Ohio so that state can make use of all its coal stores. He’s also ordered an emergency plan to find out how to move coal into most restricted areas. But he refused to use strike-breaking powers under the Taft-Hartley Act. “I continue to believe that the solution to the strike must be worked out in a free collective bargaining,” Carter said. “WE LL JUST ALL FREEZE TOGETHER!” That’s the way it should be. But it better be that way soon. The miners have every right to negotiate for a better contract, so long as the rest of the country doesn’t suffer in the process. L.R.L. Capital punishment effective deterrent By STEVE TENNYSON I am writing in response to Reader’s Forum (Feb 8 ) by Vicki Whorton. I must disagree with her “bleeding heart liberal opinion. Readers' forum The subject was the death penalty and Ms. Whorton was vehemently against. So, on the criminal mind has got to have some significance, even if it acts as only a deter rent to illegal activity. To remove this would be to assure the criminal that no matter what he does, however cata strophic its effects may be, he will be able to sit in his cell and laugh at the odd value systems these “civilized’ people have. He will be certain to live through anything he does. Then, he thinks, since life is the roughest possible punishment, why not carry out each every clandestine whim that comes to mind? “I will be up for parole in a few years anyhow. That is eas- ily.enapgfftakpn.carejgL Mr.^jfriminal, we just deny you parole. And thejiappy world again exercising democratic principles and freedom and justice for all. Whoa! Wait a minute. If we put Mr. Criminal behind bars for life, that is going to indirectly cost the taxpayer more money. Mr. Criminal might have gotten out in 7 to 10 years. Now what if he lives 50 more years. That is anywhere from 5 to 7 times the cost of letting him out on parole, and we can’t do that. He is just too dangerous. Oh my God, there are more like him, hundreds, thousands. Jesus! Where is all this money going to come from to pay for all these people in prison? And as more go in prison that means there iire less of us on the outside, so the mone tary demands go even higher per capita. Why don t we give them all lobotomies? No, can’t do that. That would be tinkering with their minds, besides it can be dangerous. Can’t have all these zombies walking around... Why don’t we just give him the death penalty? He robbed six stores, took 17 hostages with him, brutally slayed all but one old lady and she is nothing but a vege table. Now. No! No! We can’t do that. You see.... Steve Tennyson is a sophomore civil en gineering major. Opinions expressed in this column are the author s only and not necessarily those of this paper. Ms. Whorton, I address this irp^oi|s^,_,to yOH. The effect of possible deatluby tfi^st^e 4&Z v D.usine«s, once ,'- betters to the editor Basketball & bad fall, math fare & pet care Editor: Many people are calling for increased support of the basketball team this semes ter. I believe that one major reason for such lack of attendance at the games has to do with the facility itself. Let’s face it. G. Rol- lie White Coliseum is just not a very good place to watch a game. It is virtually half an arena. The school has 28,000 students here but G. Rollie can’t hold even half that number. Maybe a few students would like to come to a game such as the one against t.u. but they know they probably won t get in. This then carries over to other games. A&M has excellent facilities in some areas and I feel that the basketball team deserves a Madison Square Garden to play in. I believe not only would more people come to the games but the school could draw some of the most talented players in the nation that otherwise end up at schools at Arkansas. —Lee S. Hebbard, ‘79 See my point Editor: First off, we would like to explain that we are not ones to gripe and complain when things go bad for the Ags. We hang tough through thick and thin, through hell and high water. When the Ags lost to Michigan, we said okay, let’s just forget that one and move on. And when t.u. came to Kyle Field, we shook that one off, too. We even managed to forget about the “vanishing” two timeouts against you know who. But, we feel that our opinions must be voiced on a certain matter. By no means are we questioning the ability of Coach Shelby Metcalf, nor are we trying to second-guess some of his “tactics. And we re not ones to put other Ags down, either. But we believe we are speaking for a lot of Ags when we say that the Ags could use a new point guard. Not that Dave Goff is not capable, for he surely is. But how can he play forty minutes of basketball with no rest? We can not see his playing the whole game while Jarvis Williams and the likes are “resting” on the bench. We have come to the assumption that Coach Metcalf is saving his better players for next year just as Coach Bellard is sav ing those two timeouts for a bigger and better cause.... — Brett Smith, ’81 Ricky Majeuisk, ’81 Jeff Miller, ’79 Reconsider spirit Editor: Spirit. What is it? Can it be defined? Yelling obscenities at a referee who called what he saw, but it just happened to go against your school? Seeing who can scream loudest and stand the longest? I think not. Spirit is cheering your team on, not against the other. Anyone who appears at a game has spirit of some nature. It makes it hard to enjoy a game if you have to dodge foul language and drunken Aggies. Is al cohol not prohibited at G. Rollie? Many people simply enjoy sports and are not for any particular team. That is what I consider myself — a spectator. Spectators have the same rights as viewers that consider themselves participants. You are judged to be a two-percenter or not a “True Aggie. ” If that’s the case. I’m sorry, but I fail to see the beauty in being a “True Aggie. If I choose to sit, no one — NO ONE — has the right to tell me to stand. Having been knocked down perviously during a yell, I chose not to rise for it a second time. I was struck in the head with a large piece of ice by former yell leader. I was told that I didn’t belong in that sec tion. Where do I belong? Does he now consider himself an Aggie? A gentleman? Or even a Big Man On Campus? It is time that people reconsider them selves and start considering others. — T. Gordy, ’79 Look before leaping Editor: Consider this a warning to anyone in terested in the recently publicized article and ad concerning the Brazos Sport Parachute Club. Before you get it fixed into your heads you re immortal, or dar ing, decide just how expendable your limbs are, or face, or whatever. Granted, most people who make the jump with this club have fun. But last semester I can name several who did not. One was Louis Martinez, who suffered a fractured leg after being forced into an un safe landing because of obstacles. The other, my brother, is recuperating from several months of intensive care and surgery after “kissing” Gatesvilles’ 7200- volt power lines which snake through the area. The jump site used, in my opinion, is too hazardous for beginners and DOES NOT conform to regulations set by the USPA for beginning jumpers. USPA Reg- ulatioh Drop Zone Requirements state: a) All areas used for parachutists must be un obstructed, with the following minimum radial distances to the nearest hazard: Stu dent and Novice parachutists: 300 meters. Hazards are defines as: Trees, ditches, telephones and power lines, towers, build ings, highways and automobiles. There are several hazards much closer than 300 meters at Gatesville. Power lines do sur round the area. There are also barbed- wire fences, ditches, trees and a lake. The Gatesville Coryell Memorial Hospi tal nurses have their own opinion of the club, too. While visiting my brother, I learned that they treated three serious parachuting accidents in one eight-day period last semester. I must point out that this club was not affiliated with Texas A&M last semester, so maybe this new relationship may add to the safety factor (perhaps the new jump mentioned). By the way, I don’t want to hear any flack from the parachute club on how “biased” my letter is. I just wanted to let people know both sides. The Feb. 10 article says, “The Univer sity waived responsibility for any accidents associated with the club. ..Jumpers are re sponsible for their own safety.” But, how responsible can new jumpers be, having only several hours ground training? — Jim Slater, ’79 Math answers Editor: Patricia S. Young, ‘81, wrote a letter in this column on Tuesday, Feb. 7. Part of it stated that a student’s GPR could suffer from wrong choice of math section. It noted that the chemistry department has been a campus leader in working toward uniform grading policies. Let me take a few inches of space to describe recent work and plans in math. Some freshman chem class techniques can be used in math. Chem breaks its lectures into small labs. Math has followed this lead and gone into the lab business in a big way this year. We think it is helping. Chem has a single superviser for every multisection course. Math has also adopted this policy, and its efforts are starting to pay off. There are other things chem does which math cannot. There are chem classes enrolling 300 students. In fact no math class enrolls as many as 130 students, whereas ten chem classes enroll more than 180 students. Objective tests make more sense in chem. In math we need to see calculations. It is easier to gove several equivalent versions of an objective test than of the tests which math administers. There are many lecture times for the various math sections of one course. Hence there must be many versions of exams in such courses. Grading thus becomes less standardized. The Department has been working for years to get common exam times set aside. Recently the University has changed the exam schedule to allow a single final exam at a common time for all sections of any multisection course starting no later than May, 1979. But what about the monthly hour examinations? Here we need help from more than the Registrar. We seek an evening each month in the calendar oi activities devoted to math testing. On that night each month common exams would be given in the large multisection freshman/sophomore math courses. This was done for a time before. But various people didn’t like it, and it was dropped. We feel it is time to rethink the matter. We think Patricia Young has pointed out a real problem. We believe we can go a long way toward solving it if we can get this one night a month. We will be asking various people for their opinions and their help in the months to come. — G.R. Blakley, Head Department of Mathematics An exotic case Editor: I would like to point out that Kathy Nemec’s article against keeping exotic pets was fidl of old information and slightly ab surd statements. I have been a zookeeper for the past two years and I plan to make a career in the zoo business. For one, neutered, de-fanged, de- elawed and de-scented animals certainly are fit for a zoo. In fact, many zoos perform these operations. This is called manage ment practice, Ms. Necec. Another thing, if you are worried about private ownership of ocelots (or most any specie of feline), owls, many species of primates, or most any exotic animal, try buying one. Unless you are federally approved, the Depart ment of Interior will not let you have one. This is called the Endangered Species Act, Ms. Nemec. The concern about mortality rate in transportation of exotics was touching, but the whole story was not told. The reason for the high death rate is because the large percentage of shipped exotics are babies, and any young of a specie is more suscept- able to death than mature animals. Animal catchers have the choice to capture either a litter of babies or their full-grown, dangerous and, and very-difficult to catch mother. Which would you choose, Ms. Nemec? In closing, I would like to express dis approval for the keeping of any animal which you do not have the facilities to care for it With, be it exotic, a dog, a cat, or a pet hamster. Wild animals CAN be domesticated, though it takes much more attention and love. If you care for animals, buy one you feel comfortable with and would take care of properly. If you are considering an exotic pet, contact a zoo or the wildlife department for information on care and pending laws on the animal. This is common sense, Ms. Nemec. — Bruce Nixon, ’81 Campus College sets open house All prospective and interested students are invited to the Texas A&M University College of Medicine open House Feb. 21, in room 215 Animal Industries Building, with the program beginning at 7:30 p.m. A tour of the College of Medicine will be given. Board plan installment due The second installment board payment for the 1978 Spring semes ter is due on or before Feb. 17. The amount is $143.05 for the 7-day Board Plan and $128 for the 5-day plan. Pay now either at the Fiscal Office, Richard Coke Building or the Cashier’s Office in the main lobby at Rudder Center, to avoid penalty. Th No State Recordings subpoenaed In Odessa, Ector County Judge Virgil Lumpee has subpoenaed a newspaper reporter’s tape recordings of statements made by Ector County jail inmates regarding the death of a Mexican-American pris oner. In statements and recordings given to Richard Orr oftheSan Angelo Standard Times, the inmates say they saw jail personnel hit and harass Larry Ortega Lozano, 27, several days before his death Jan. 22 in the jail. Inmates say Lozano was physically abused by the jailers during a contraband search. Three jail sources also said Lozano was beaten to death by sheriff’s deputies while his head was covered with a blanket. Love Field may have competition Eight years after the last commercial passenger plane took offfrom Meacham Field in Fort Worth, Meacham officials are eager to reopen the airport to'intrastate commuter traffic and compete with Dallas Love Field for low-cost flights within the state. Rio Airlines and several other commuter operations already have begun negotiations with field officials, and Meacham aviation director Barry Hall said it is only a matter of time before details can be settled with the Texas Aeronautics Commission to allow flights from Fort Worth to Hous ton, San Antonio, Austin, Odessa and Midland. "Look out Dive Field,” said Hall. “I think we ll have commuter flights in and out of here within six months now that voters have shown us they re in terested in this service by approving our capital improvements bonds this week.” ait. rick bs < Previi to rui the pr Am ter’s i Itek p nge on o Cos lente cents ess tl of mo Th to om id C nter If a Issiot py i Ulso t ints Itsser lion ,ch ; ment ochr “W< Planes search for officials At least 10 Civil Air Patrol planes flew missions Sunday in the t expanding search for a missing single-engine airplane carrying two 1 Southwest Conference basketball officials. The plane, with Bill Hor- | len of San Antonio and Jerry Neely of San Marcos aboard, left McAl- I len Friday night and did not arrive as scheduled in San Marcos. “The weather is improving and we have 10 planes in air looking over 1 several locations, said Mrs. Peg Jollie of the Civil Air Patrol in San I Antonio. “We have looked as fyr south as the Mexican border andas l far north as the Killeen area. “We hope to have more planes in the air I during the day looking along the McAllen-San Marcos line.” Nation Burger refuses to rescind Chief Justice Warren Burger not only refused to apologize for his comment that many trial lawyers arc incompetent, but he repeated the charge Sunday in New Orleans and urged the American Bar Association to do something about it. The chief justice’s views on the subject have caused legal tempers to flare. But Burger said his re marks instead were intended to “stimulate efforts to correct a long standing deficiency. In a speech prepared for delivery before the ABA winter meeting, he likened new law school graduates to their counterparts in medicine. “To treat a bare certificate of admission to practice law as a passport to try any and every kind of a case in any court makes no more sense than to say that a medical school degree qualifies the holder to perform every kind of surgery,” Burger told the convention. “Our protection is that the hospitals will not let them do so.” Another Son of Sam? \ A psychotic killer, who has labeled himself the “BTK Stranger, in Wichita, Kan., says he is seeking the same perverse publicity given the Son of Sam slayer in New York and Los Angeles Hillside Strang ler. Police say a letter from the “BTK Strangler” describing the mur der of seven persons in a four-year period is authentic. Investigators say they are pursuing several leads but have no suspects. Authorities have in their possission of two letters and a card signed “BTK — standing for “Bind, Torture and Kill. The latest letter, one of at least three communications police have in their possession, was received by Wichita television station KAKE and submitted to police Friday. In the KAKE letter, the writer claimed he was responsible for the strangulation murders of four members of the Joseph Otero family in 1974. The letter also mentioned three other victims, one of which was not identified. Weather R 7: Sunny and mild today, clear and cold tonight, clear and cool tomorrow. High today upper 60s, low tonight near 30. High tomorrow mid-50s. Winds from the northeast at 10-15 mph. The Battalion Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or of the writer of the article and are not necessarily those of the University administration or the Board of Re gents. The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting enterprise operated by students as a university and com munity newsfHiper. Editorial policy is determined by the editor. LETTERS POUCY / Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and are subject to being cut to that length or less if longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit such letters and does not guarantee to publish any letter. Each letter must be signed, show the address of the writer and list a telephone number for verification. Address correspondence to Letters to the Editor, The Battalion, Room 216, Reed McDonald Building, College Station, Texas 77843. Represented nationally by National Educational Adver tising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday from September through May except during exam and holiday periods and the summer, when it is published on Monda> s, Wednesdays and Fridays. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester; $33.25 per school year; $35.00 per full year. Advertising rates fur nished on request. Address; The Battalion, Room 216, Reed McDonald Building, College Station, Texas United Press International is entitled exclusive use for reproduction of all news dispatches credit 11 Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein n* 1 ” Second-Class postage paid at College Station, TX< MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congre c s Editor janm 1 Managing Editor Mary Alice Sports Editor Panl' r News Editors Marie Homeyer, Can>l^ Assistant Managing Editor City Editor Campus Editor Reporters Mark Patter Photographer Cartoonist . . Liz Newlin. David Lee Roy Lesehperjr Welch, Scott Perkins, Andy Paige Beaslev . Boh . Susan Webb. Ken Doug G Student Publications Board: Bob C. Hofim. (h*** Joe Arredondo: Dr. Cary Halter. Dr. John W ^ Robert Harvey: Dr. Charles McCandlcss: Dr. ClW Phillips. Rebel Riee. Direetor of Student hiM* Donald C. Johnson.