The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, July 07, 1981, Image 2

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    Viewpoint
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Slouch
By Jim Earle
Tuesday
July 7, 1981
“Look what I found ...
Workers are curse
of drinking places
By DICK WEST
United Press International
WASHINGTON — Working Woman
magazine this month has an article on
“Alcoholism in the Workplace.”
Drinking during working hours is a big
problem, I don’t doubt, but so is its coun
terpart — working during drinking hours.
Yet how many magazines devote articles to
the latter?
While my experience may not be typical,
I estimate that for every one person I’ve
known who drank on the job I’ve met five
who talked shop while drinking.
There are few things, I can tell you,
more disconcerting than to sidle up to a bar
and find yourself seated between two
grinds.
Usually, briefcases rest against the rail
ing at their feet. In front of them, just to the
left of their highball glasses, are stacks of
paperwork.
Attempts to engage such people in con
ventional barroom conversations are
doomed.
You mention the baseball strike. They
raise a hand in mute protest against the
interruption and make it clear they are
only interested in shop talk. It’s a real drag.
I can condone eager beavers taking work
home with them occasionally. But when
they start bringing it into taverns, cocktail
lounges or whatever, they are going too far.
To my knowledge, no magazine has
addressed this problem directly. But Work
ing Woman at least approaches it obliquely.
In its July issue, along with the article on
“Alcoholism in the Workplace,” there is a
thoughtful treatise on “Workaholics at
Play.”
Perhaps without meaning to, the latter
disseration provides what may be rare in
sights into why so many workers insist on
talking shop during the “happy hour.”
“Most workaholics are unable, not just
unwilling, to get away from it all,” the
magazine says. “Any thought of rest or re
laxation frightens workaholics.”
This may explain much of the shop talk
you hear in drinking places. But it is errant
terminology.
The people described by the magazine
are not “workaholics” in the classic meaning
of the word. They are leisurephobes.
I’m not saying workaholics don’t exist.
I’m not implying they don’t need psychiat
ric help. I’m just pointing out that “work
aholic” probably is the most over-worked
word to enter the language since “hippie.”
It was intended, I gather, to identify
people who are addicted to work — people
who can’t leave toil alone. But in practice, it
has been widely misapplied.
the
small society
MM
by Brickman
"TH^r A F^UfZ-PAY
W^K - v
IT'*?
RAY'S -
©1961 King FMiurn Syndicate. Inc World rights reeerved
(W'^-rCW^
7-T
Warped
Reagan steamrolls the House
By JERELYN EDDINGS
United Press International
WASHINGTON — President Reagan’s big
budget victory in the House goes far
beyond any economic benefits or disasters
that may loom ahead for the nation.
It showed how the right kind of pressure
and the right circumstances — a popular
president pushing a popular idea and know
ing how to lobby effectively — can make
almost anything happen in Congress.
legislation ever passed by Congress,
touching nearly every domestic program of
the federal government in some way.
It contained about $38 billion in spend
ing reductions for next year.
That is what the House voted for on
Friday, June 26, within six hours after most
members received a copy.
In this case the thing that happened was
that 217 congressmen voted for an amend
ment they had just seen a few hours earlier,
which is not in itself so very uncommon.
But this particular amendment,
although not numbered, appeared to be
about 800 pages long. It was so hastily writ
ten that it had notes scribbled in the mar
gins that actually would bring changes in
law. (Speaker Thomas O’Neill seemed dis
gusted by a woman’s name and telephone
number on one margin and asked if she was
being written into law.)
This amendment became the bulk of the
one of the most farreaching single pieces of
Many Republicans and some conserva
tive Democrats believed this measure, pas
sed 217-211, was needed for President
Reagan to accomplish his goal of bringing
the economy under control.
But, Republican and Democratic obser
vers say that is not the reason this precise
measure was passed. The 217 didn’t all be
lieve the president needed this exact tool.
Many had serious problems with its con
tents, thinking it would be disastrous for
their constituents.
But they were swept up in the Reagan
tide, a wave of popularity and pressure that
many did not want to stand in front of.
Reagan, in California, had been calling
and promising with a zeal.
Democratic leaders backed another ver
sion of the budgetcutting bill, whi
drafted by 15 House committees.
The measure that passed had
studied during the congressional
process. Most bills are, and the
usually depends on committee lea^
sum up their work and make recomn||
tions.
This product was initiated b;
House budget director David Sta
and sections of it were drawn up byR
licans on relevant committees —
vate.
It was a process that made evei|
Republicans shudder.
Rep. Barber Conable, a res
publican from New York, said hedi
like making laws in the chaotic atmi
of the House last week. But, forav
reasons, he said Republicans felt
no choice.
The result was what Democraticij
feared and warned against — a si
that trampled the leadership of the
cratic-controlled House and the
process of calm deliberatation and
tee hearings.
Lisa Bi
plays si
the Pla
The se
r the ill
Irown th
nation’s h
■e 1744
Texas A&
The 1
serve as tl
for the Tit
Texas A&
the ship.
Despit
to the Til
proceed a
said Cap
oceanogn
Universit
Althou
taking pai
, it does so
Long ser
I oceanogn
(Atlantic
Treadwel
Althou
Ithe glami
Ifor the 1
Jl912 at a
fcives — t
Iportant ‘
Iwell said
“The t<
I locating
^Titanic c<
in rescu ii
"OF GOUfSF.NW 1 UYf OL'SHOP, l [OCXBD IT UPEpAlUGMT 60 WttVI COOP GET llC
recovern
equipme
he said.
The C
and can a
entists a
How to succeed — by one who ha
said.
, Simpl;
(vessel c<
L Tread we
didn’t \
Time and again, for example, it has been
applied to workers who are inordinately
slow. Such people aren’t true “workaholics”
in the sense of loving their work. It just
takes them longer to do it.
And being afraid to relax definitely is not
the same thing as being addicted to work. It
just sounds that way.
By LeROY POPE
United Press International
NEW YORK — Good management judg
ment is more important than the prevailing
economic climate in running your own
business successfully, says Albert J. Lowry,
author of four books on the subject.
This advice, which he insists is sound,
comes from a man who made his first mil
lion by taking advantage of California’s
tremendous real estate and housing boom.
“Businesses don’t really succeed or fail
because of the prevailing economic cli
mate,” Lowry told UPI. “They don’t fail
because of being underfinanced either.
Good managers will find the money.”
“Businesses succeed if management is
good, they fail if management is bad, ” Low
ry said.
His latest book, “How to Become Finan
cially Successful by Owning Your Own
Business,” already has sold 100,000 copies.
His first, “How You Can Become Financial
ly Independent by Investing in Real
Estate” has sold more than half a million
part, how to deal with political pressures
and even the Mafia.
As important as good management is,
Lowry says, it won’t get you far without
knowledge of the type of business you are
interested in.
“Until you’re rich enough to hire good
people to do research for you, you must
read everything you can get your hands on
about the business you want to go into and
you must ask lots of people hundreds of
questions,” he said.
Lowry says if you buy a business, make
only a small down payment and insist that
the seller provide a substantial part of your
capital by taking back installment notes.
“If the owner won’t carry paper, watch
out! There may be big problems in the busi-
“Y<
Bnaire
ates a restaurant which he is in thei Grimm ;
of selling. erage fo
Lowry, who grew up in orphanig
Canada, wanted to be writer whenli
kid but couldn’t get enough ethical
land job as a cub reporter. He work
in a sheet metal factory and later
butcher. He and his wife moved to
nia in 1963 and immediately
prosper.
“Writing probably is more of a
thing with me than anything else, tf
“I was a millionaire before I began
xero:
and the royalties from my books
trust funds for various purposes. ; 4V2<
His first writing was instruction
Lowry’s own businesses range from
building homes in the $350,000 to $1.5 mil
lion range in Nevada to conducting semi
nars in business education. He also oper-
phlets on real estate selling and i
ment. Then he wrote the first
“Simon & Schuster liked it andi)|
it out successfully but it had almostj
marish birth pains,” he said. “Tliefl
me rewrite again and again and evil
chopped out 40 percent of my origin! I
copies.
The latest book takes you step by step
through every conceivable aspect of run
ning a business, including how to find the
right one at the right price, the “people”
By Scott McCullar
WELL, REV. WILPMOtf, GRMTED
THAT VOUR VOLUNTARY
BOYCOTT Of APVERTISERS
IS FAIR ANP PEMOCRATIC,
AREN'T yooR EXPECTATIONS
A LITTLE UNREALISTIC?
NOT REALLY, WE ONLY
EXPECT GREEDY ADVERTISERS,
THE ONLY LIARS BIGGER
THAN POLITICIANS, WOT
TO MAKE USE OF THE VERY
MEDIUM PESJ&NED FOR
AND WE SORT OF HOPE
THEY'LL STOP USING
THE /A 0 ST POPULAR TV
SHOWS TO REACH THE
NUS5 MARKET.
HAIM, YOUR GROUP PlPf/'r BY
chance expect the rapture
last week too PIP it?
a-A'A^/vs/''
The Battalion
U S P S 045 360
MEMBER
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Congress
LETTERS POLICY
Editor Angelique Copeland
City Editor Jane G. Brust
Photo Editor Greg Gammon
Sports Editor Ritchie Priddy
Focus Editor Cathy Saathoff
News Editors Marilyn Faulkenberry,
Greg Gammon, Venita McCellon
StaffWriters Bernie Fette, Kathy O’Connell,
Denise Richter,
Cartoonist Scott McCullar
Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300
length, and are subject to being cut if they are lo«£
editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters fori
length, but will make every effort to maintain the 1
intent. Each letter must also be signed, show the 1
and phone number of the writer.
Columns and guest editorials are also welcome.'
not subject to the same length constraints as
Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Ed®
Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M E"' 1
College Station, XX 77843.
EDITORIAL POLICY
The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper
operated as a community service to Texas A&M University
and Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Bat
talion are those of the editor or the author, and do not
necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M Universi
ty administrators or faculty members, or of the Board of
Regents.
The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for
students in reporting, editing and photography classes
within the Department of Communications.
Questions or comments concerning any editorial matter
should be directed to the editor.
The Battalion is published Tuesday, Wednesd 1
Thursday during Texas A&M’s summer semester
subscriptions are $16.75 per semester, $33.25 pe [
year and $35 per full year. Advertising rates fun®’
request.
Our address: The Battalion, 216 Heed McDoiJ
ing, Texas A&M University, College Station, T
United Press International is entitled exclusively
use for reproduction of all news dispatches credit
Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein
Second class postage paid at College Station, T
(
<5
\!
EVI
3310 =
Jus