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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 28, 1983)
Page 2/The Battalion/Tuesday, June 28,1983 Professor disturbed by actions by Donald L. Woods guest columnist As we head toward the year 2000 at Texas A&M, some of us perceive dis array among the University and System administration. The reasons for this per ception are worth considering. We have money to build a new build ing but no money to buy furniture to go in it. We plan a new building to house two specific groups, arbitrarily put a third large group in the building, and then cannot figure out why the building is not sufficiently large to accommodate everyone. We continue to hire consultants to study the campus parking problem when it long ago became apparent that the problem is the requirement that the user pay the cost of building and maintaining the parking areas (i.e. PUF Monies). We are very short of parking in some areas of the campus, yet new buildings are being placed in existing parking areas requiring the limited funds available to be used to replace perfectly functional spaces consumed by the new building. We have the money to hire Nobel Prize winning professors to enhance our teaching capability but no monies for de partmental operating budgets to provide the tools that would allow the existing faculty to do their job effectively. We are striving for “greatness” but we have laboratory equipment from the 1930s and 40s. We compare Texas A&M to Cal Tech, M.I.T., Stanford, & UT Austin as if these comparisons were valid. All these schools have a history of basic research while Texas A&M has been oriented toward applied research (i.e. helping people). Why not compare apples with apples? For the first time in my twenty years at Texas A&M, we are not having a prob lem with freshman chemistry, so we dis mantle the entire system as unworkable. We continue to use a student registra tion process that was designed for and was reasonably workable for a university of 10 to 20 thousand students in spite of the availability of powerful computers that could do the job in seconds. There seems to be a decided effort by University and System officials to split the teaching and research functions. Yet, research has provided the bulk of the equipment and visual aids for the clas sroom for the last twenty years. The list goes on and on. As I travel around this great country representing Texas A&M, frequently I find myself apologizing for the latest notoriety which we have generated in their local press. It is time for the University administration to stop telling us how weak the faculty is and how we need Nobel Prize winners to make it stronger, and give credit where credit is due. Ten, twenty, or even thirty Nobel Prize winners added to the faculty of 2,500 would have little effect on teaching quality. This is especially true since the University, based on it’s track record, will not be able to provide the operating budget to take advantage of the special skills of these new super facul ty members. We have all read a great deal about Target 2000. Let us pray that in search for “greatness” at Texas A&M we also may find a small touch of “reasonable ness” along the way. (Donald L. Woods is a .civil engineering professor at Texas A&M.) — r& * > Shallow-breathing made easy by Dick West United Press International WASHINGTON — Recent medical research has confirmed what I had long suspected — jogging in urban environ ments may do your body more harm than good. Specifically, experiments with labora tory rats have shown that running in smog and other forms of air pollution damages the lungs far more than sitting still. According to Omni magazine, Uni versity of California physiologists had mice “run on a motorized treadmill while breathing polluted air.” “Rats that exercised rigorously had up to 14 times as many lesions” in their lungs as those that remained stationary, Omni reported. These tests point up the value of what I call shallow-breathing exercises. It is patent that for those of us who live in large cities — where the air is fouled with auto exhaust fumes, tree emissions and Ralph Nader-knows-what-all — the less deeply we breath, the better. Especially on days when the Air Quali ty Index is high, we need to reduce our respiration rate. Regular shallow breathing exercises help develop good short-winded habits that provide a natu ral barrier against dirty air, even when we are asleep. Without any conscious intention of muscling in on Jane Fonda’s empire, I have devised a workout program calcu lated to diminish your need for oxygen. Don’t overdo at first. You may find yourself turning blue in the face. It is better to begin on a modest scale and gradually lessen the intake of air until you find yourself able to go several mi nutes without breathing at all. For beginners — Lie flat on back on the floor. (The air is better down there.) At the count of one, raise right thumb to nose and close off one nostril, inhaling through only half of the nose. Hold for 10 counts and repeat with left thumb, blocking the passage of air through the other nostril. Continue this regimen as long as you can lie on the floor without attracting a crowd. A word of caution: Avoid wiggling the other fingers while holding a thumb against the nose. That gesture can give onlookers the wrong impression. Another word of caution: The mouth should be in a closed position throughout the exercise. If necessary, pick up a pack age of commercial lipsealant from your sporting good dealer. Advanced training — Lie on stomach and bury face in pillow, thereby forcing self to breath through the ears. Tests show that only 68.7 percent as much air inhaled through the ears reaches the lungs. Jhe Battalion! USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference Editor Hope E. Paasch City Editor Kelley Smith Sports Editor. John Wagner News Editors Daran Bishop, Brian Boyer, Beverly Hamilton, Tammy Jones Staff Writers Jennifer Carr, Scott Griffin, Robert McGlohon, Angel Stokes, Joe Tindel Copyeditors .... Kathleen Hart, Tracey Taylor Cartoonist Scott McCullar Photographer Brenda Davidson, Eric Evan Lee, Barry Papke 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 mat ter 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 telephone number of the writer. Columns and guest editorials also are 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 (409) 845- 2611. The Battalion is published Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday during both Texas A&M regular summer sessions, except for holiday and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester, $33.25 per school year and $35 per full year. Advertising 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. Chicken cannon deserves Fleece Attitudes on drinking change with experienc (Editor’s note: Children’s Express, a pri vately-funded news service, is real world journalism reported entirely by children 13 years of age or under whose tape- recorded interviews, discussions, reports and commentary are edited by teenagers and adults. This story is by Julie Horo witz, 13; Leslie Winslow, 11; Matthew Wolsk, 12; Assistant editor: Ken Stag gers, 16.) by Children’s Express NEW YORK — On Sept. 28, 1975, Helen Lapenta’s 23-year-old son, Jamie, was driving home and he was hit by a drunk driver. He was put in the hospital and three days later he died. Lapenta says the drunk driver paid a fine of $50 and he was let off. Now in some elevators they have a sign, “If you smoke in the elevator, $500 fine or 60 days in jail.” And this man paid $50 for killing someone? In an automobile acci dent? It’s like you’ve done something really terrible and you’re getting off with it very free. Lapenta is part of the Plainview, N.Y., branch of Mothers Against Drunk Driv ing. MADD is an organization that formed four years ago in California, and now they have branches all over the country. A lot of the members are mothers who have had their son or daughter killed in a drunk driving acci dent. Fathers can join, also. And a lot of the other members are just concerned people. They meet and discuss what should be done to make people know what’s going on. Their goal is to really stop drunk driving. “I’m on the legislative committee there,” Lapenta said, “which helps to pass laws to see that the drunk driver is stop ped from killing. We’ve got to get even stronger laws, because a $250 fine means nothing to some people. They don’t mind paying that. They really don’t care. And young people, when they see pic tures of death and destruction in driver’s education don’t seem to be fazed at all. The thing that fazes them the most is having their driver’s license taken away. “In Scandinavaia, when you have one drunk driving charge, you never get your license back. And as a result of that ruling in those countries, when people go out there’s always one person who stays so ber. Or they will take a taxi home. They by Jo Bat The Bryan jf chose to the Brazo: forict’s pro itilthejulf will never drive their car, because the ^ng 11 know the first time they are arrested the The n will never drive in those countries agah ickage wil They will never be issued another licens 110 effect i again.” otobject tc Lapenta’s job is to work in the distii J 16 district’ criminal court, and she’s handled a lote ’ ar drunk driving cases. She was always Ynmher little bit concerned about the thing, hi lan ^ once it actually happened to her, it did tnth distur ed. She got active. [slack of It changed her, after it happened! B,lmn g di\ her. She had seen these hystenc mothers, but the only thing she couldsa [in was, “Really very sorry,” and she cool The Co help them in the court system. Shecoul pproved d feel for them, but when it happens I quire a $ 1 you, it’s just more. The person was you l^per acn son. He had a great future and ever) “dspannii thing, and now it’s all gone because d," re( l ue this Bd ; ntothe ie tor tra< “To think that my son’s life was take m25 acn away because someone drank too mucl, People r she said. These words give you a real m also wc funny feeling. ivthecost: It’s one of the worst crimes, becausi you can control it. It’s a very stingytli| r to do and it’s uncaring to drive in ad []^ when you know you’re drunk. Youknoi 1 it’s dangerous to other people. Youjiii do it because you want to. It’s just pi your fault when you kill somebody a drunk driving accident Lapenta thinks that the ultimate put ishment is taking away the drivel license, but maybe they should beinjai ^ Lewis Drunk drivers should be pinned dow ieduled Tell them all to “watch where you’i Way fil going " United NEW 0 itorney fo ay of The turning point in the interview^ (ll, j slana - when Lapenta said what she would doll the guy if she ever met him. She was* calm and everything, but then shesud denly showed that she was just like ever); body else and that she wanted to thrasl i,. . orry,” salt ake Chari a new adequacy leexclusk this guy. She really wanted to yellathil iry that and everything and thrash him. Lapenta thinks that now somelawsarf being passed that are good. She knows not that easy — it’s going to be hard, need Perr Perry is il forkillint in 1980. matter what. It’s something wrong intli J Haws< country that she’s trying to stop. (For more information about Childrd to irompting the state The Express, send a stamped, self-addiW Wt in envelope to Children’s Express, Charles St., New York, N.Y. 10014.) t degre dead iovember tuck driv< Editor: On June 21, The Battalion reported a United Press International story describ ing a 20-foot cannon, developed by the Air Force that “was said to be capable of propelling 4-pound chickens through the lower atmosphere at speeds up to 700 miles per hour.” Your headline asked the question, “Is America winning cold chicken race?” The answer to your question is that America lost this race over ten years ago. Environment (Jan/Feb 1971) reported that “a pneumatic cannon that fires dead chickens at speeds of up to 620 mph has been developed by the National Research Council of Canada.” It appears as if the Air Force has rein vented the dead chicken cannon. Surely this is a candidate for Senator Proxmire’s Golden Fleece Award. Perhaps in this case it should be called the “Golden Feather Award.” j a y Martin Poole Sterling C. Evans Library Slouch By Jim Earle “Is there something about this pool that makes you ner vous?” 'Now Ihil net United Carthag !>ree chile trine fix rised alai East ' Jthage. An est ken were nearby ’ afte: like symi ^ibited Jjaci Doi oriels, 2 r're their A Wil nthologij ®opsy o lr ®ed tT Tex 0 \\ .Unite , c 0RPL lr eak wit! lion’s ti Jte s to t ' Jr eign \ :av e vote "'rt the i« 1110 comb «Avista “oinsoa 'hch pa: a ttien« lering °fihe d hjortt ^ has fit’s ol