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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 21, 1983)
/ A- opinion Battalion/Pagsll February 21, IS ^r" Slouch By Jim Earle ‘If’s a self-actuating device to help me study. Blizzard of ’83 telling the grandkids by Art Buchwald “Well, grandchildren, I’ll tell you the / story once more. It was called the “Bliz- > zard of ’83.” The white stuff came up • from the south and paralyzed just about > everything from Virginia to New Eng- C land. Snowdrifts as high as telephone ^ poles buried cars, knocked out power - lines and closed airports. Some people * didn’t get home for days, and others 2 couldn’t get out of their houses for 2 weeks. “When did you hit Grandma?” “Who said I hit your grandma?” “She did. She said you hit her about the third day.” “Your grandma exaggerates. I took a swing at her, but I didn’t hit her. What happened was I had given up cigarette smoking about two weeks before the bliz zard, but I knew she always kept a pack for guests in the house. So I asked her nicely where they were, and she said, ‘This is a good test of willpower. If you Can stop smoking during a crisis like this, you’ll have the filthy habit licked.’ “You see, kids, I was working for the government then, and they announced on television the first morning of the bliz zard that if you didn’t show up for work you wouldn’t get paid. So I drove in, slid ing all over the road and almost getting killed. When I got to my office, my boss said the government had changed its mind and everyone could go home. “By then it was really coming down, and I could hardly see. I finally got stuck about five minutes from here in a grid lock. “What’s a gridlock, Grandpa?” “That’s when several stupid SOBs go through a red light and block the cars that have the green light. Pretty soon no one can move, and people start honking their horns until they run out of gas. “Then everyone leaves his car in the middle of the street and starts walking home. I got to my house about three hours later, and the first thing Grandma said was: ‘You’re getting my new rug all dirty with your wet shoes.’” “Is that when you took a swing at her?” “No, I was very nice about it. I said: ‘If you give me a cigarette, I’ll take my shoes off.’ She wouldn’t do it. Anyhow the snow w r as coming down like you wouldn’t be lieve, and your mommy, who was five years old then, and your Uncle George, who was seven, thought it was the greatest thing that ever happened in their lives. They insisted I take them out and pull them on their sleds. “When I said I’d do it the next day, they both started to cry, and your grand ma told me to do it then, because the snow might be gone the next day. So I pulled your mommy and your Uncle George in the snowstorm up to the drug store, but it was closed. I could see ‘Doc’ inside and I knocked on the door. But he wouldn’t open it. He shouted: ‘Your wife said if you came up here to buy cigarettes, not to let you in.’ “So you took a swing at Grandma when you got home?” “I finally tried rolling some dried pars ley in a newspaper, but when I lit it, it almost burned off my nose. That evern- ing after your mommy and Uncle George went to bed, I started to beg. I told Grandma we were blessed to have a warm house, and enough food, and to live in a great country, and I would take her to the Virgin Islands with the insurance money I got from our abandoned car. She finally took pity on me and said she would tell me where she hid the cigarettes the day the city sanitation department cleared out the sidestreets of the snow. When she said that, I realized she was toying with me. And that day, children, is when I took a swing at your grandmother.” The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member ot Texas Press Association , . Southwest Journalism Conference Editor Diana Sultenfuss Managing Editor Gary Barker Associate Editor Denise Richter City Editor Hope E. Paasch Assistant City Editor Beverly Hamilton Sports Editor. John Wagner Entertainment Editor Colette Hutchings Assistant Entertainment Editor .... Diane Yount News Editors Daran Bishop, Brian Boyer, Jennifer Carr, Elaine Engstrom, JohnaJo Maurer, Jan Werner, Rebeca Zimmermann Staff Writers Melissa Adair, Maureen Carmody, Frank Christlieb, Connie Edelmon, Patrice Koranek, John Lopez, Robert McGlohon, Ann Ramsbottom, Kim Schmidt, Patti Schwierzke, Kelley Smith, Angel Stokes, Tracey Taylor, Joe Tindel Copyeditors .... Shelley Hoekstra,JanSwaner, Chris Thayer Cartoonist Scott McCulIar Graphic Artists Pam Starasinic Sergio Galvez Photographers David Fisher, Jorge Casari, Ronald W. Emerson, Rob Johnston, Irene Mees, William i Schulz Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting news paper operated as a community service to Texas A&M University and Bryan-College Station. Opinions ex pressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M University administrators or faculty mem bers, or of the Board of Regents, The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for students in reporting, editing and photography clas ses within the Department of Communications. Questions or comments concerning any editorial matter should be directed to the editor. Letters Policy Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length, and are subject to being cut if they are longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style and length, but will make every effort to maintain the author’s intent. Each letter must also be signed and show the address and phone number of the writer. Columns and guest editorials are also welcome, and are not subject to the same length constraints as letters. Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M Uni versity, College Station, TX 77843, or phone (713) 845- 2611. The Battalion is published daily during Texas A&M’s fall and spring semesters, except for holiday and exami nation periods. Mail subscriptions are $ 16.75 per semes ter, $33.25 per school year and $35 per full year. Adver tising rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. United Press International is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to it. Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein reserved. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. Weather wonderland cliches If by Dick West United Press International WASHINGTON — We were having such a nice winter here on the Eastern Seaboard. Compared to some years, January was almost balmy. (I mean that in the meteorological rather than the phrenic sense.) Then February had to come along and do something stupid, like dumping a near-record blizzard on the area. One snowbound day, body all achin’ and racked with cabin fever, I switched on the television to catch a weather up date. What I caught that I didn’t already have was the tail end of an interview with — Are you ready for this? — the ubi quitous psychologist, Joyce Brothers. Along with writing “What Women Should Know about Men” and other pro fessional accomplishments, Brothers has practically made a career out of appear ing on talk shows. Availability is the watchword. For its Valentine special, does your TV station need a psychological interpreta tion of “Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet and so are you?” Well, be assured that neither snow drifts, nor wind-chill factors nor the gloom of congealed traffic is likely to stay Joyce Brothers from the swift completion of her studio appointments. As I recall, she was first imprinted on the tiny tube back when another type of cliche was in vogue — the quiz show for mat. Incongruity was the watchword then. The cab driver who was an authority on Grand Opera. The cojj who quoted Shakespeare. The female psychologist who knew everything about boxing. Quiz show producers apparently had a rule against questions about, say, geology being answered by a geologist. I guess the great unseen audience wanted geological information to come from hotel doormen. Anyway, they since have been replaced by talk shows and weather updates. When Joyce Brothers faded from the screen, I was reminded of my first news paper job in Waxahachie, Texas. That was during the Great Dej^ress- ion, and the editor, to conserve funds. by J The thefts a terhav< kept in his desk a three-columnpfii graving showing the WaxahachietJ try Club with snow on the roof. Rather than go to the expensed inga new photograph every timeiiipjgures ed, which was fairly rarely,hewoii § Thi out the old “cut” and runitinthef: be noth “All snow looks alike,” theedite ;d ent ^ to say. In my jiarochialism, I thouehtlj only talking about snow thatfel&i sky. I since have learned themaspl be applied to talk shows as w Other look-alikes indude waiting on airport ramps for to clear the runways. And all airy sengers stranded inside the tei And all automobiles abandonedei streets. As television has so vididlycoi th is winter, all snow does indetcl alike, whether it falls in Washington, New York, Boston,(If pjair go, Des Moines, Denver or Waxahkvho w Next February, let us hopekrIraimm weather and the winter wontiJo edu < lit lies improve. With JoyceBrotlt® 85 '^ hand to explain w hat it all meant “No, as a matter of fact I played it very cool. I pretended she was right and said: ‘What better time to give up smoking than during the worst blizzard the North east has ever known.’ That night while everyone was sleeping, I ransacked the house. But I didn’t find as much as a butt. “The next day we were all snowed in. By afternoon your mommy and Uncle George were at each other’s throats. Ev ery magazine I read had a cigarette ad in it. I kept searching the house, pretending I was looking for a paperback edition of ‘Winds of War,’ but I couldn’t find a smoke. DeH imbedd desensi purcha sensitiz when tl slore. | All In th< low MSC, t second said. Sinc< floor oc ms nun preven to redu Id. “Unc .Were ai jth ca I said watch s see stoi , Anol ■oced windov check i: ages ar I HEAR HE WAS HORSE OF THE YEAR UHTIL HE JOINED HIS KIPIWPERS AND CHAW HIS NAME TO TANYA store. _ ‘Rati mgs or student mgs in, of mini So nn rom st the bo when 1 for salt J Letters: Sorority wrongly accused An open letter to William B. McGuire and Fellow Aggies: The letter of reprimand that was placed in The Battalion was very misdire cted. The sorority of Kappa Kappa Gam ma did not place the distasteful flyers around campus on Feb. 11. Mr. McGuire, had you shown some common courtesy and inquired as to the posting of the flyers, you would have been informed that the Kappas had no idea that the flyers were displayed and had no part in it. If you would have opened your eyes before putting pen to paper you would have noticed by Friday afternoon that ALL flyers had been torn down by Kappas and other Greeks who recognized the prank. To the party who took the liberty to print such announcements in our name, we do not understand what kind of per son would find humor in this type of joke. Don’t you think it would be better if you were to confront us directly if you hold a grudge or have anger, instead of involving an entire university? We would think that in being an Aggie, you would try to support the endeavors of all Aggies, instead of bringing them down. As Aggies, a bond exists between us that singles us out as being willing to help one another and uplift and encourage one another. We do not think that you have exemplified the true spirit of being an Aggie. Kappa Kappa Gamma is an organiza tion based on Christian ideals and per sonal excellence. Sororities are not per mitted to purchase alcohol nor hold open parties in their houses. The greek system does, however, hold many functions that support other local organizations. “Orgies” or “housing a brothel” does not and never will fall into this category. Sororities and fraternities have done nothing to harm the atmosphere or tradi tions that occur at A&M. This prank is a slap in the face of the Greek system and Kappa Kappa Gamma is an innocent bys tander. We hope the persons responsible for this slander have gained sufficient satisfaction from these actions so that no other group will suffer from these chil dish pranks. The members of Kappa Kappa Gamma D Pledge kidnapping not condoned Editor: In response to a letter from Rhonda Reese which ran Friday, Feb. 18, may I simply state that the Texas A&M Inter fraternity Council does not condone “kidnapping” of pledges or any other activity which may interfere with a stu dent’s academic responsibility. In fact, I completely agree with Miss Reese’s point of view and assure you that measures will be taken to prevent any similar actions in the future. Don Scott Marable President, Texas A&M Inter-fraternity Council AEROSPACE ENGINEERS — High Speed Aerodynamics-H across campus in under 30 minii PHYSICAL EDUCATION Survival Techniques — Finding) ing place on campus and find: camjjus after parking your car forget a lunch.) ART 304 — Advanced ArtGr — Designing your own staff[&I sticker. FINANCE 407 — Advanced!' ing and Cost Control — Payment statement fees (parking tickets))' $40 check return policy. MILITARY SCIENCE 306- gies — Keeping cadets off of« streets during corps’ runs MATHEMATICS 314 - Pi — Determining the percentageof gate tavern patrons causing accidents after 9 p.m. ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN Landscaping — Revamping parking areas by uprooting Nt signs and creating new spaces. Just remember, Highway 61 ways ... and one way mighttakeyo* fish lot. P.S. We park in New closer. USE diap YOU 'nC—- Campus parking classes Datt) J Kerif Hugk' l Editor: In the past years, A&M has made tremendous strides in recruiting and growth. Unfortunately, the transporta tion system hasn’t been able to keep up with these increases. The following is a tentative curriculum which would be a prerequisite for obtaining a parking sticker. Hopefully these suggestions will expose the humorous side to the trans portation problems facing the Univer sity. Statue error Editor: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING 417 — Automotive Engineering — Squeezing three cars into two parking places. The picture of the cardboard’! a take-off on the statue besidedl (Art at Rudder Tower — Feq minds me once again of am was never corrected. The statuf'] during 1976, should have bornf; tennial slogan “Founded on the] instead of “Planned for theFui 11 ! Office of International Cooid