1
1
Pag* 10
THE BATTALION
FRIDAY. MAY 4, 1979
Blind girl
tries to be
‘sighted’
ARLINGTON — Donna Mack,
16, knows sighted people have no
need to compete in her sightless
world so she makes light of her
blindness and works at being as
sighted as possible.”
‘T’m blind,” she said after win
ning the regional University In
terscholastic League poetry in
terpretation contest last month at
Denton. “Big deal.”
Tbe Arlington high school senior
travels to Austin today for the state
semi-finals of the contest. As in the
regional contest, she will read her
entry in braille.
She entered her first poetry in
terpretation contest this academic
year and her efforts to overcome her
handicap cost her.
She had seated herself front row
center so she had only to stand up
and turn around to speak — without
needing her cane. Some of the
judges failed to realize she was read
ing braille and thought she had
memorized her poem, illegal under
contest rules.
“Now I have someone lead me in
so the judges can see I am blind and
there won’t be any questions. I
don’t want to be penalized,” she
said.
Born two months premature with
poor vision, she developed
glaucoma in her right eye at age 7
and lost sight in that eye. Five years
ago, the retina in her left eye began
to detach and she lost her remaining
sight.
"I’m still not totally adjusted (to
being blind),” she said in an inter
view Wednesday.
She credits her parents with help
ing her adjust.
"My parents more or less said
This is the world you’re going to
live in, so live in it, ” she said.
The first year after she lost all her
sight was the most difficult.
“When the majority of my sight
left, my eye contact got worse. That
summer was the pits. I cried a lot. I
kept asking 'God, why me?”’
Now, however, she can joke
about her blindness and often does
to put others at ease.
“People are afraid they’re going to
hurt me. A lot of stereotyped blind
people haven’t been exposed as
much (to sighted people). Some
blind people won’t try to compete in
a sighted world, but I try to be as
sighted as possible.
“They can't conform to me, so I
want to be as near to what most
people are as I can."
SELL YOUR BOOKS
FOR MORE!
rr-i University Book Stores i-i-i
^ I MI NORTHGATE CULPEPPER PLAZA .
rJ& 409 UNIVERSTTY DR. NEXT TO 3C-BBQ ’ lib
The Tailor Shop
(formerly Zubik’s)
105 College Mein — Northgete
JUNIORS
Avoid The Fall Rush — Come In Now And
Order Your Boat Pants Before You Leave For
The Summer.
Men’s & Women’s Alterations
PRESENTS
NOW LEASING FOR SUMMER 4 FALL
ONLY PRIVATE BUS
thr
doux
ILr /t-I ir. 693-1907 693-1906
Aportm^nts WE’RE TRAVELIN YOUR WAY!
PlMMEO ACTMTCS TtMOUdHOUT T>« rtAA WITH
ENTEATAMMtNT MEFNC»MCNTS AMD AWKS ALL
Tf AM 10M0 MOT JUST 0NCC A TXAM'
Doua Oak* tmm% m wm cam *• iacmi « loan
So do roma* i
APARTMENTS , v
^ J bdrm, J bath Some with fenced backyards. Washer/Dry-
er connections Located on the Shuttle Bus Rout* Walking
^ distance to ASM. Now leasing for Summer and Fall.
^ For Leasing Information Call *93-519* *
Monaco I
(under new management and ownership)
Magnificent, easy living can be found &t Monaco I.
with a swimming pool for a refreshing swim and
balconies for a private visit with friends Monaco I
also has efficiency, 1. 2, A 3 BR with a laundry room
tor your convenience. The apartments have electric
range, refrigerator, disposal and dishwasher and are
fully carpeted For further information call 693-2614.
All bills are paid.
Monaco II .
(under new management and ownership)
Here's the spacious apartment you've been looking
for. You'll like our 1 & 2 bedrooms, complete with
electric range, refrigerator, disposal and dishwasher.
Each apartment is fully carpeted and has fenced
patio. We are located Vz block from campus and on
the shuttle bus route Call us today 693-2614. All Bills
are paid.
:i .
Now leMing tor
wmmar Btell.
< -Posado Tied Qey
(unoer new management and ownership)
Quiet living with Spanish hair describes Posada Del
Ray's atmosphere You will find an apartment that is
close to campus and on the shuttle bus route -For
an a Her noon swim or a retaxing evening on the
balcony, you'll like Posada Dei Rey We have *1. 7.
end 3 bedrooms wtth gas ranges, refrigerators and
dlshwashars Call u*. *93-93*4. All bijls are paid
Pool and Laundry. .
'D • 99 •
A Xom*/
Britain to switch
to liquified coal
I’nited Presi International
LONDON — "What are you going to do when the well runs dry?”
asked Britain’s Undersecretary for Energy Alex Eadie. "We’ve made
up our minds. It’s coal.”
„ When the Middle East and North Sea oil wells pump no more —
and sooner or later that is going to happen — Britain plans to run its
cars, power its factories and produce its petrochemicals with the fuel
that first made it an industrial giant: coal.
Not ordinary coal, but coal turned into crude oil.
"Coal is not just a lump of black stuff you throw on the fire," said
Keith Beeston, spokesman for the British National Coal Board
(NCB). “Once you liquify coal, what you’ve actually got is oil.
After coal is in liquid form, said Beeston, “you can make virtually
everything from rt that you can make from oil with the existing oil
refining techniques. "
The British government recently granted the NCB, which runs the
coal industry, nearly $2 million to design two plants for extracting oil
from coal.
Although Britain hopes to be energy self-sufficient by 1980 —-
using North Sea oil and gas, coal. And atomic energy — it expects to
remain so for only a decade.
By the 1990s, experts expect oil to be very expensive and scarce.
Britain's North Sea reserves will be declining and it will have to limit
petroleum to uses like motor transport.
At that point, the British government wants to be ready to switch
gradually from an oil-based petrochemical industry to one based on
liquified coal. ■ >
"The oil companies are investing in coal as fast as they can," said
Beeston. They realize that their existing crude oil is limited in quan
tity and subject to all sorts of political uncertainties. ”
Britain is looking at two methods for turning coal to oil, both of
which have successfully produced gasoline and other petrochemicals
in laboratory tests at the NCB research center in Cheltenham.
Using the "liquid solvent extraction technique, a hot chemical
solvent is poured over coal, dissolving it into a tarry liquid. Hydrogen
is added and it is then refined.
In the “gas solvent extraction" method, coal is dissolved by expos
ing it to a very hot compressed gas. Various stages of processing
produce a tar-like solution which is hydrogenated and refined.
The major drawback with both methods is price. A major coal
refinery would cost about $3 billion to build. Coal Board officials
estimate a barrel of oil from such a refinery would cost about $26,
compared with the OPEC price of about $13 a barrel.
Come to the Sbtsa Dining Center Basement
The fresh crisp salad items are almost unlimit
ed and the superb sandwiches are made with'
big loaves of bread baked daily for this special
purpose. If you are dieting you may also wish
•r ■ to try a bowl of natural freestone peaches. No
^ sugar has been added to these beautiful
peaches Quality First
Open 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Mon.-FrI.
ML LOUT
THEATER
A
Product ions
15 Student—directed Plays
May 2,3,4, & 5
Curtain at 7:00 p.m.
RUDDER CENTER FORUM
Tonighti shows:
"FARMER JOHN"
"PICTURES IN TIME"
"BUS RILEY'S BACK IN TOWN"
"VANITIES (ACT I)"
NO CHARGE
for admission!
■ " wm
• ! * m i-
) /
Clements gives home
loan interest hike OK
United Preu International interest rates in Texas could im- without delays or complicai
United Preu International
AUSTIN — Gov. Bill Clements
announced Thursday he will reverse
an earlier position and approve
legislation permitting interest rates
on home mortgage loans in Texas to
soar above the current 10 percent
limit, but said he will insist on
provisions tying the rate to a federal
economic indicator.
Clements insisted, however, that
any bill increasing the interest ceil
ing have a cap that would prevent
rates from going higher than 12 per
cent, and recommended that the
Legislature approve a floating rate
of 2 percent higher than the interest
rate on 10-year U.S. Treasury
Bonds.
He said the bond rate today is
9.31 percent, meaning under his
proposed legislation home mortgage
interest rates in Texas could im
mediately jump to 11.31 percent.
Clements also said he wanted a
provision allowing people to refi
nance without penalty if interest
rates go down. Tne governor earlier
had indicated he would veto any bill
raising the interest ceiling above 10
percent, but announced last week
he would reconsider that stand in
view of an announcement by the
Federal National Mortgage Associa
tion that it would restrict its pur
chase of VA and FHA loans in
Texas.
He said his decision to allow an
increase in the home mortgage
interest rates was based on. three
factors — the FNMA decision to
curtail purchase of VH and FHA
mortgages in Texas^ concern that
Texans he able to purchase homes
without delays or complications im
posed by the FNMA rulings and the
danger of unemployment and dam
age to the state’s economy that
could result from a drastic slowdown
in the housing indt^try. ,
Clements said he had discussed
the idea of a floating interest ceiung
with Attorney General Mark White,
and White had found no constitu
tional problems with such a law.
Clements announcement U «*•
pected to prompt quick movement
in the House and Senate on the
interest rate legislation, which has
been stalled for more than two
months.
But strong opposition still exists
to any increase in the interest ceil
ing, and a number of senators are
expected to filibuster Sen. Bill
Meier’s, D-Euless, proposal.
Trade talks ‘productive’
United Preu International
WASHINGTON — Japanese
Prime Minister Masayoshi Ohira
headed Thursday for Capitol Hill to
brief members of Congress on the
trade talks President Carter pre
dicted will lead to an accord within a
few months.
The Japanese leader scheduled
morning meetings in the House and
afternoon discussions in the Senate
on the last full day of his visit to
Washington.
“We have made tremendous -
progress,” Carter told guests at a
state dinner for Ohira Wednesday,
at the end of a day of intensive talks
between the two leaders.
Carter described Wednesday’s
discussions as “one of the most pro
ductive days of my life” and said the
trade problems dividing the two na
tions “are well on the way to being
solved.”
"I can’t think of any predictable
problem that could separate us for
more than a few months," he said.
In reply, Ohira expressed eager
ness “to work to make the U.S.-
Japan partnership productive for
more stable peace and greater pros
perity.” ’
The two nations have been at
odds for years over Japanese protec
tionist policies that h^ve contrib
uted to a massive American trade
deficit.
Earlier, Carter and Ohira issued a
joint communique calling for a more
productive American-Japanese
partnership in the 1980’s with a new
approach to solving the trade prob
lems between the two nations.
The two leaders said America’s
billion-dollar trade deficits with
Japan "were not appropriate in
existing international circum
stances.
Ohira pledged “to open Japan's
markets to foreign goods, particu
larly manufactured goods” — the
major issue in dispute.
He indicated Japan would try to
stimulate future economic growth
through stepped-up domestic de
mand — an apparent switch from
Tokyo’s overwhelming past reliance
’ on increasing exports.
Carter promised to reduce the
U.S. rate of inflation, restrain oil
imports, promote American exports
and reduce the trade deficit.
Carter and Ohira completed their
official talks in only one day, cap
ping the discussions with an unusual
barbecue dinner on the roof of the
West Wing of the White House.
Meanwhile, Henry Owens, a
presidential economic aide, re
ported a resumption of U.S.-
Japanese technical talks abruptly
broken off last week by Robert
Strauss, Carter’s special trade rep
resentative.
Strauss ended the talks when
Japan adamantly refused to let.
foreign firms bid on about $600 mil
lion in government contracts, most
with the Nippon Telephone & Tele
graph Co.
Veto of strip-mining bill sought
United Presi International
AUSTIN — A spokesman for an
environmental group Thursday *aid
a proposed House strip-mining bill
will result in the loss of a million
acres of Texas prime farmland.
Edward Fritz, speaking for the
Texas Committee on Natural Re
sources, said 62 counties will he de
spoiled if Gov. Bill Clements does
not veto the Texas Surface Coal
Mining and Reclamation Act already
passed by the House and Senate.
“These counties comprise the lig
nite belt, mainly from Texarkana
southwest to the Rio Grande and
from Marshall south to Milam,
where 1 million of the acres likely to
be strip-rained are prime farmland
or potential prime farmland — a
massive hunk of Texas’ produc
tivity,” Fritz said.
Fritz explained that the act will
allow strip-mining companies to pile
up soil beside the trenches as they
dig for coal, then shove it back into
the trenches in hulk, thus mixing
WANTED
i
Horses looking for lush pasture or
comfortable stalls. Also horse
owners needing round pen, walker,^
wash rack, arena.
For Information Contact:
Boonville Horse Center
“the Stable place to Stall around"
Off East By-Pass on Boonville Road
779-8772
the topsoil into deeper layers.
, Topsoil contains the micro
organisms essential to fertile pro
duction of crops,” Fritz said. “These
organisms cannot survive when
buried deep. It takes up to 100 years
or more to develop topsoil. ”
He added that weakened federal
regulations on strip-mining have
jeopardized the topsoil in the entire
United States, and that Texas’ laws
are even weaker.
Fritz also attacked other legisla
tion which he described as anti
environment, claiming that special
interest groups are frustrating
environmental issues this session.
Fritz said the beverage container
deposit bill has been “bottled up”
by the soft-drink and liquor indus
try. He said the r bill would help
eliminate litter, save energy and
natural resources.
The bill would require that con
sumers pay 5 cents deposit on all
beverage containers, which would
be repaid when the bottle or cjm is
returned.
A panel for the Texas Resources
and Environmental Council, com
posed of labor and industry leaders,
testified before the House Liquor
Regulation Committee Wednesday
that the bill would not solve litter
problems and would virtually elimi
nate aluminum recycling programs
in Texas.
MSC
Cafeteria
Now Better Than Ever. You Will Be Pleased With
These Carefully Prepared and Taste Tempting Foods.
Each Daily Special Only $1.79 Plus Tax.
' “Open Dally”
Dining: 11 A.M. to 1:30 P.M.—4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M
MONDAY EVENING
TUESDAY EVENING
WEDNESDAY
SPECIAL
SPECIAL
' EVENING SPECIAL
Salisbury Steak
Mexican Fiesta
Chicken Fried Steak
with
Dinner
w/cream Gravy
Mushroom Gravy
Two Cheese and
Whipped Potatoes
Onion Enchiladas
Whipped Potatoes and
Your Choice of
w/chili
Choice of one other
One Vegetable
Mexican Rice
Vegetable
1 Roll or Corn Bread and Butter
Patio Style Pinto Beans
Roll or Corn Bread and Butter K
Coffee or Tea
Tostadas
Coffee or Tea
Coffee or Tea 1
H . J -
One Corn Bread and Butter
I
THURSDAY EVENING SPECIAL
Italian Candle Light Spaghetti Dinner
SERVED WITH SPICED MEAT BALLS AND SAUCE
Parmesan Cheese - Tossed Green Salad
Choice of Salad Dressing - Hot Garlic Bread
Tea or Coffee *
FRIDAY EVENING
SPECIAL
BREADED FISH
FILET w/TARTAR
SAUCE
Cole Slaw
Hush Puppies
Choice of one
vegetable
RoN or Com Bread & Butter
Tea or Coffee
T.A.M.U. THEATER ARTS
SATURDAY
NOON and EVENING
SPECIAL
Chicken &
Dumplings
Tossed Salad
Choice of one
vegetable
Roll or Corn Bread & Butter
Tea or Coffee
I’ Quality First’
SUNDAY SPECIAL
NOON and EVENING
ROAST TURKEY DINNER
Served with
Cranberry Sauce
Cornbread Dressing
Ron or Com Bread - Butter -
Coffee or Tea
Giblet Gravy
And your choice of any
One vegetable