Page 4/The Battalion/Monday, April 9, 1984
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JOIN MSC SCONA 30
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Student Conference on National Affairs
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APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE APRIL 2 - APRIL 10
216 MSC 845-7625
Profs say filing jointly
for couples is the bes
University News Service
Last minute income tax filers
ought not to hurry so much
they overlook deductions this
week, particularly working cou
ples who might forget the year-
old deduction which doesn’t
have to be itemized and offers
greater benefits this year, ad
vises a Texas A&M university
accounting professor.
The special deduction allows
couples filing joint returns to
deduct 10 percent — it was 5
percent last year — of the lower
of the two incomes with the
maximum deduction of $3,000,
said Dr. Clair Nixon.
“If the wife makes $10,000,
the couple can deduct $1,000
from their incomes, which is
pretty good,” he said.
Married couples are better
off filing joint returns, said
Nixon, and short tax forms are
best for people with one source
of income who can’t take advan
tage of itemized deductions be
cause they don’t meet the mini
mum requirement.
“Itemized deductions are im
portant, but it’s really the excess
over that minimum amount
that does you any good.” Nixon
said.
“Married couples who buy
P
h;
houses for tax purposes may
pay $5,000 a year in interest ex-
enses, but because they must
ave at least $3,400 in inte-
mized deductions their actual
tax benefits in this example is
only $1,600.”
Tax benefits from casualty
deductions are significantly less
this year, as are oenefits from
medical expenses, he said.
Nixon pointed out if some
body's house burned down dur
ing the year the amount they
can deduct from the casualty is
less because of changes in the
tax law last year. The tax bene
fit is the difference between 10
percent of the family’s income
and the cost of destruction to
the home. If damages amount
to less than 10 percent of the in
come, no deduction can be
taken.
take,” he said. “Comps
usually set up retiremem
counts for their employee!,!
people can set up theirow
tirement accounts. A
can put aside up to $2,®
year in an IRA and sW
duct that amount fromhiijt
income.”
Married couples withi
one spouse working cm
aside as much as $2,250 n
in an IRA account and lii
with both spouses workinj
set aside up to $4,000ayeat
Self-employed people cri
at self-employment (Social
curity) taxes, especially no#
cause the rate has increased
nificantly due to changesin
1983 tax laws, he continued
Special sales tax deductions
are available to everyone. For
instance, anybody who bought a
car can deduct the sales tax, and
interest expenses on a home,
charge cards, and personal
loans are all deductible, he said,
but one of the biggest deduc
tions is the Individual Retire
ment Account.
“It’s another one that you
don’t have to itemize in order to
“Self-employment taxesi
be paid in addition to inta
taxes, and right now we'rca
ing about a rate of about Hp
cent,” Nixon said. He said
than a fourth of all taxpn
pay more in Social Securiti
self-employment taxes i|
they pay for income lax.
Americans who work!
other people payalargesta
of taxes, and rich people
don’t invest also payalot.
Mini-snack bar relocates
giving computer a home
By TAMMY KIRK
Reporter
If there is thirst or hunger in
the lobby of the Zachry Engi
neering Center, the Zachry
Snackery is now the only option
for grabbing a quick snack on
that floor.
The coke and candy ma
chines which used to be in the
lobby have been moved to the
second floor and their former
home now is occupied by work
horses and construction bar
riers. The purpose for the con
struction is to install a new engi
neering computer system called
CYBER — and not all students
are pleased with the absence of
the snack area, relocated on the
.second floor.
In an unscientific survey con
ducted by The Battalion in
Zachry, the differences in stu
dents’ reactions seemed to de
pend on whether or not one
used the new computers.
“I don’t like it, it’s inconve
nient,” said Susanjune, ajunior
computer science major. June
added that it used to be so easy
to get a coke before class, and
until the survey, she didn’t
know where the machines were
relocated.
“It’s not so much that they
moved the machines,” said Dan
Montgomery, petroleum engi
neer major, “it’s that they didn’t
tell anyone where they were
putting them.”
John Degenhardt, another
petroleum engineer major,
agreed with Montgomery and
said that the only reason he
knew of the relocation was be
cause he had talked to one of
igineering professors
the week.
on the
no
or
the en
Her in
Students working
computers, temporarily in
basement room, either had
reaction to the change
thought the change was
needed.
Senior electrical engineering
major Jeff Gokingco said he
wasn’t even aware the snack ma
chines had been moved.
“I think moving the comput
ers upstairs is a pretty good idea
and very practical,” said Ron
Matthews, a senior electrical en
gineering tnajor who uses the
computers. The room being
used now was too small, Mat
thews said.
The computers are intended
for graphics special application,
says CYBER Operations Man
ager Gary Sinton. The comput
ers are available to students in
the College of Engineering or
to those students who have a
special user number signed by a
professor.
“We’re still getting our feet
wet (with CYBER),” Sinton said.
“Not many people are using
them yet.”
Of those who are using
CYBER, there are still “how-to-
do” problems. During Sinton’s
discussion of the computers,
several students came in for
help:
“Gary, how do I transfer part
of one file to another file?”
“The computer is assuming
the wrong sequence, am I enter
ing the wrong default?”
Sinton said he doesn’t tli
anyone could deny the pract
use of the space forthecon]|>
ers. The reason the corapui
are replacing the snack am
because of the limited am
of office and classroom sp
Sinton said.
“If you could build all
riser in the middle of the loS
where all that open spaceis,!
could probably get abouttij
or nine classrooms there,"
ton said. But he added
building wasn’t designed
way.
The CYBER computersln
several advantages, Sinton
Among the other packap
ready used, such as PLAT
supplementary teachingdn
graphics design and scieni
research packages also can
used on the computers.
le of how
e applied is *'»
An exam
design can
ing in 3-D. By punchingase:
commands, a student canlt
at his drawing from a mim!
of angles, not just one
Be
The
and fi
ested i
aid fo:
forap
Ur
The
Conte
winne
$60 at
will be
uisite
throuj
contes
equiva
and th
>
Ticl
MSC 1
are $3
The
Safety
The c
dismis
mobih
throuj
845-91
Ticl
Box C
the se
are $3
Api
forms
for sti
are A]
May 1
due. 1\
gardle
All
fall ru
rum J
more
dent,;
li
The
event
MSC ;
ailtur
One use of the scienti
search package is for find
out characu i istirs of waif
brations, Sinton said.Theot^W
engineers use this package
tensively, he adds.
ft
Pla
United
“How do I install this tape on
CYBER?”
But despite the problems,
“The College of Engineer
needed a computer,’
said. “We’re not starving»
students. The Zachry Snack
is still here and the mack®
are too — just in a different^ ore porm
re ” lut v °lers
borgi
his Panh
MSC
Cafeteria
Now Better Than Ever. You Will Be Pleased With
These Carefully Prepared and Taste Tempting Foods
Each Daily Special Only $2.39 Plus Tax
“Open Daily”
Dining: 11 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. — 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 PJ
MONDAY EVENING
SPECIAL
Salisoury Steak
with
Mushroom Gravy
Whipped Potatoes
Your Choice of
One Vegetable
Roll or. Corn Bread and Butter
Coffee or Tea
TUESDAY EVENING
SPECIAL
Mexican Fiesta
Dinner
Two Cheese and
Onion Enchiladas
w chili
Mexican Rice
Patio Style Pinto Beans
Tostadas
Coffee or Tea
One Corn Bread and Butter
* a ' ( ' t'.xha,
WEDNESDAY
EVENING SPECIAL
Chicken Fried Steak
w cream Gravy
Whipped Potatoes and
Choice of one other
Vegetable
Roll or Corn Bread and Bullet
Coffee or Tea
THURSDAY EVENING SPECIAL
©1
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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
FOR YOUR PROTECTION OUR PERSONNEL HAVE HEALTH CARDS.
FRIDAY EVENING
SPECIAL
FRIED CATFISH
FILET w TARTAR
SAUCE
Cole Slaw
Hush Puppies
Choice of one
vegetable
Roll or Corn Bread & Butter
Tea or Coffee
SATURDAY
NOON and EVENING
SPECIAL
Yankee Pot Roast
Texas Style
(Tossed Salad)
Mashed
Potato w
gravy
Roll or Corn Bread & Butter
Tea or Coffee
“Quality First
SUNDAY SPECIAL
NOON and EVENING
ROAST TURKEY
Served with
Cranberry Sauce
Cornbread Dressing
Roll or Corn Bread - Butter
Coffee or Tea
Giblet Gravy
And your choice of any
One vegetable
Message
billed to.
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Dallas.
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