-opinion
Hydrogen publicity
hides real discovery
Last week, national attention was fo
cused on a team of Texas A&M resear
chers who developed a more efficient
method of producing hydrogen fuel
from water using solar energy. This dis
covery was heralded as a “breakthrough
that could change the world as profound
ly as the discovery of electricity.”
Reporters from around the world —
Boston, New York, Canada, Australia
and London — joined in the media
hoopla.
Now Dr. John Bockris, director of the
research team, says he may have over
stated himself when he first described the
discovery. Since the initial announce
ment, he has gone from calling the proce
dure a “quantum leap” to a “break
through” to an “academic advance.”
From the beginning, Bockris said time
is a key element in the development of
hydrogen fuel. Conversion to a hyd
rogen-based economy will be gradual
and will require hundreds of millions of
dollars, he said.
So why did Bockris choose to publicize
his discovery instead of following the
routine procedure of publishing his find
ings in an academic journal before mak
ing a public announcement?
This deviation from routine created a
situation that now threatens to oversha
dow the discovery. More questions are
being raised about his presentation of the
discovery than the discovery itself.
Bockris is trying to regain control of
the situation by setting the record
straight. He said he would accept respon
sibility if unrealistic conclusions had been
drawn from his original statements.
But why wasn’t the record straight to
begin with?
Did the public and the media over
react? Probably. Maybe too much was
said too soon. Maybe Bockris should have
published the article and let his peers
evaluate it. Then tested and retested the
discovery. And then made the public
announcement.
This time the order was reversed.
Bockris announced the discovery, then
elaborated on its implications. And vi
sions of a hydrogen society attracted the
nation’s attention.
But it’s too early to tell whether the
discovery was overemphasized. As Bock
ris said, time is a key element in the de
velopment of hydrogen as a fuel source.
Slouch
“Fm not upset because you didn’t cut the first log, I’m
upset because you put it in my room.”
Battalion/Page 2
October 15,1982
Joy to
point of gluttony
by Dick West
United Press International
WASHINGTON — Has America finally
produced so many pleasure points that we
have an enjoyment glut?
A Houston specialty store owner, Robert
Sakowitz, seems to take the affirmative in in
troducing his 19S2 Christmas catalog.
Sakowitz doesn’t go so far as to predict that
enjoyment lines will be forming in poorer
areas the way the needy now line up for give
away rations of surplus cheese.
But he does aver that “there are so many
possibilities for enjoyment that people are
often frustrated with the overabundance of
choices.”
To that observation I can only add a rueful
“Ain’t it so?”
I don’t know whether as yet any marriages
have been dissolved because of incompatabil-
ity stemming from a couple’s inability to agree
on which ways to enjoy themselves.
But if divorces are granted on such
grounds, it presumably will be up to the courts
to decide which party gets custody of the rol
ler coaster.
A “full size roller coaster” costing a mini
mum of $2,430,000 is one of the items touted
by the Sakowitz catalog as “the ultimate gift.”
Sakowitz appears to believe a gift such as
this would quell any sense of frustration we
might feel due to the overabundance of
choices for enjoyment.
“To be able to enjoy one’s self without envy
or covetousness or frustration is indeed one of
the great gifts of life,” he philosophizes.
Maybe so, but I can see where having a
private roller coaster in your neighborhood
could create more frustration than it abates.
This much I can tell you for certain: If my
neighbor Phizbeam gets a roller coaster for
Christmas this year, and I don’t, I am going to
be as covetous as all get-out.
It is difficult for me to see how anyone
could look out the kitchen window and watch
a neighbor enjoying a loop-the-loop in his
backyard without experiencing at least a small
twinge of envy.
Frankly, the shoppers on whose Christmas
lists my name appears are more the types who
would gift-wrap stock tickers.
reatured in the bakowitz catalog, a
with the roller coaster, is a $3,158 ticker
provides “real time price information ontl
stocks or commodities you select.”
“The ticker ta|K- printout gives youa r
manent reference to the day's transaction,"
says. “The perfect way to monitor youri
.vestments!"
While I can envision myself deriving a«
amount of enjoyment from keeping tradt
the Dow Jones averages in the privacy ofn
own home, the prospect of owning a tide!
tape printout son of spoils the concept fa
me.
Having one’s own inventory of old tidei
figure at parades, sure. But 1 m afraidtl
aren’t enough parades in my neighhot hoodt
completely eradicate the frustration.
I can foresee having to reduce the stodpi
bs Hinging ticker tape confetti across lit
fence at Phi/lx'am as he whizzes by
roller coaster.
I hat is the jxiint where I would favoi tk
enactment of an enjoyment conservati
program.
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Letters: Drink, but please don’t
Editor:
I am moved to write this letter in re
sponse to Mr. Goerner’s letter (Oct. 8)
regarding the proposed raising of the
drinking age back to 21 years of age.
While, as a non-drinker of alcoholic be
verages of 23, my viewpoint might be
considered biased, I felt compelled by his
letter to voice a dissenting opinion.
The consuming of whatever one
pleases (short of killing oneself) is one of
many rights we have in this country.
Driving an automobile while intoxicated,
however, is (thankfully and I believe
rightfully) against the law. This abuse of
personal liberties is far too prevalent in
all age groups; and, perhaps the 18 to
20-year-olds should not be singled out.
The neglect of responsibilities, however,
can justly result in the loss of correspond
ing privileges. Some see this legislation as
another attempt to legislate morals, a
practice which historically is unfruitful
(e.g. Prohibition). The danger I see is not
the infringement of drinker’s rights, but
the continuing, needless taking of life by
those who contend that they can “handle
their liquor” and then get'in their cars
and prove otherwise.
Mr. Goerner is all too correct that
raising the legal drinking age to 21 will
not stop 18 to 20-year-olds from drink
ing, any more than speed limits stop
speeding. It may, however, keep a few
more drunk drivers off the roads and,
save a few more lives. What is needed
most surely are stricter DWI laws and a
more efficient enforcement of them.
To Mr. Goerner, and all Ags every
where, by all means, communicate your
opinions to your elected representatives,
now and on election day. Too many of us
have been silent too long. But, when you
write or phone your congressmen, sena
tors and governor, I ask you to tell them
that you are also tired of innocent people
dying at the hands of irresponsible, un
thinking people.
I implore you all, if you drink, please
don’t drive.
Byron Rogers
Graduate Chemistry Student
Volleyball team praise
Editor:
Of all the sports events that I have
seen at Texas A&M, last night’s volleyball
game against the University of Texas has
to rank among the best, if not the best!
From the beginning until the end, there
was excitement and the smell of victory in
the air, and the fans showed their
approval throughout the game as the
team beat the hell out of t.u.
One has to give credit to the whole
team, for they played their hearts out.
There was never a moment in the game
when they didn’t play 100 percent. The
volleyball team is now in control of their
own fate, and I believe that their fate is
nothing less than number one in the
Southwest Conference.
Aggies, if you have time next Monday
night, come watch the volleyball team
beat the hell out of Rice. You never know,
you might enjoy it more than the football
game.
Keep up the hard work girls!
Charles Pietsch, ’85
Give Sherrill time
Editor:
I am writing in reply to the letter sub
mitted by Mark W. Shomaker, concern
ing Coach Jackie Sherrill and the Fightin’
Texas Aggie Football Team.
Mr. Shomaker, you were very wrong
in your assumption that your feelings
also reflected those of the student body.
Jackie Sherrill is the best thing to happen
to this University in years. The man is a
living legend, and you Mr. Shomaker,
question his ability as a coach.
Coach Sherrill’s credentials should be
enough for anyone to see that he defi
nitely knows football. He’s had years of
coaching experience, coaching greats
like Tony Dorsett and Hugh Green,
while leading Pittsbufgh to a national
championship, and many top ten rank
ings. Coach Sherrill did not come to
Texas A&M looking for a job, A&M went
to him with an offer that he accepted.
I believe that on those grounds alone
he should be given some breathing room,
and a chance to install his own program.
To say that he should have been there for
the game is purely ridiculous. Sherrill
was in that game from beginning to end
and I’m sure nobody felt worse about
losing.
Mr. Shomaker, you are obviously not a
football coach. Even the worst coaches
know that without any kind of running
game a quarterback is a prime target for
an interception. Please let our coaching
ace, Jackie Sherrill, handle the football
team. I can assure you that you won’t be
sorry. He will take the Aggies to the Cot
ton Bowl in a very short time. I think
Coach Sherrill deserves that time.
Charles C. Murphy, Jr. ’86
Cavalry problems
Editor:
Every Corps organization maintains
the highest standards of discipline and
professionalism, except the Cavalry. As
loyal and proud Aggies, we wish to offer
some suggestions.
drive
First, learn to ride. T here is a proper
way to ride a horse. Might we suggest you
read “The Cavalry Manual of Horseman
ship and Horsemastership,” by Cordon
Wright — the official manual for military
equitation. Also, Animal Science 311,
Horse Management, and 312, Basic
Equitation might be of some use.
Secondly, neither FM 22-5 nor the
Officer’s Guide authorize a Larry Mahan
crease in campaign hats. Those are part
of your uniform and not cowboy hats.
After all, you are still in the Corps, aren’t
you?
Finally, your organization requires a
great deal of money to operate (i.e., feed,
tack, land, horses etc.) — more than most
other student-run organizations. Until
such time as you fund the Cavalry by
yourselves without donations or Univer
sity assistance, we believe that training
time (riding lessons, horse care and stall
care) should be mandatory and tough.
We would be very angry to find that we
had donated a horse, and his rider was
using him to play tag instead of practice
drill, or worse yet, not practicing at all.
In conclusion, we realize that you have
no pride in the way you look or perform,
but the rest of the University does. A
mounted drill team is still a drill team.
How about a little spit, polish and preci
sion, and, above all, a little military
bearin 8 ? Barry Papke, ’80
Kim Papke, ’80
Correction
In a photo of Aggie mum sales in Thurs
day’s Battalion, several students were
misidentified. The people in the photo
were actually Ken Doherty and Scott Kil-
lough selling mums to Allen Dunwoody
as Stuart Perkins watches. The Battalion
regrets the error.
The Battalion
on
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