Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 3, 1986)
Page 2/The Battalion/Monday, February 3, 1986 Power play Gov. Mark White suggested Thursday that a possible solu tion to the power cost discrepancies between the Texas and Louisiana customers of Gulf States’ Utilities might be to rollback the company’s rates in Texas. It’s about time White took some action to limit the runaway rate increases East Texas has been cursed with in recent months. GSU rates in Louisiana are about 25 percent less than in Texas because Louisiana’s utility commission prohibits the com pany from charging interest costs on the Riverbend nuclear power project near Baton Rouge, La. But Texas, which won’t even benefit from the nuclear plant, has no such restrictions. GSU already has the highest rates in the state ($105.50 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours), and it now is proposing a $110.2 million hike. It’s nearest price competitor in Texas is Houston Lighting and Power, which charges $92.50. Texans shouldn’t have to pay for Lousiana’s nuclear power plant. It’s time to put a stop to GSU’s attempts capitalize on Tex as’s lack of rate restrictions. True, GSU did issue rebates to customers in the local area, claiming it had overcharged them. But the rebates were minimal compensation for the rate rape College Station residents have lo suffered since GSU took over local utilities in 1979. Yes, utility rate regulation is a solution to the descrepancies in power costs between Texas and Louisiana — an obvious one that the Texas Public Utility Commission should have adopted months ago. The Battalion Editorial Board No career is demeaning as long as it’s a challeng Hey guys, when was the last time you peeked inside the little girls room? I know, I know: You were in the third grade; school was out for the day, and the femme fatalle la vatory became Cynthia Gay your ultimate quest when a certain fifth grade bully dared you to go inside — just once to check things out. You donned your suit of knightly armor and hoped unchivalrously that no “lady” would you find. Chances are that if you were to enter these exclusive environs today, you might be just as hard pressed to find a true lady. It’s just not in style nowadays among us gals, who incidentally are members of what was once called the “weaker sex.” (that’s bureaucratese for secure same ness), a society which teaches little girls that if they play with dolls, they’ll grow up to be a housewife, mother of four. A stereotypical failure, for the term “hou sewife” means she is plugged into soap operas, pink sponge curlers, polyester pants and Richard Simmons. Today’s ladder of success for the as piring female tolerates the teenie-bop- per stage, but then follows it with a rung for college, career and chairperson of the board of the corporation. Half a rung is allowed for marriage and moth erhood, but these rh&m’s can be sweet, dangerous distractions to fulfilling the illusive dream of independence and power over men. You remember, the guys on the high school football team who yearly received new uniforms while the girls’ rugby team was repeatedly overlooked. Young women of the ’80s are prod ucts, or victims of a society that prides it self in nondiscriminatory equalization, Discrimination. We’ve been taught it was the American way of life and, as open minded leaders for the 21st cen tury, we’re instructed to stamp it out. As women we are told to be on our guard, ready to report the former football star who opens a door for us. Under his veil of courtesy he must think we’re helpless, right? Maybe he’s afraid we’ll be pro moted before him, and he’s trying to get in his last licks of chauvinism. Watch out guys, for “hell hath no fury like a woman’s scorn.” And as women we can scorn indis criminately. We are sanctioned in sus pecting every male of plotting to hinder our inevitable advance. We must have careers now or consider ourselves fail ures. We must achieve all the dreams Daddy had hoped for his son. But what about Mom? Didn’t she en courage us years ago to play house and dress up in her ruffled calico dress? (Note: Mom never suggested we put on polyester pants). Maybe we experienced a similar thrill dressing up for our se nior prom, feeling really pretty for the first time. And what about that formal last fall, when we put aside our text books to get all gussied up, and our roommate fussed over us just like Mom used to do. It was fun. And didn’t Mom once say, “If you act like a lady, he’ll treat you like a lady”? All this seems incongruous with the harsh reality of day-to-day living. “La dy” is supposed to be passe, and “chair person” is in. Femininity is old fash ioned, and feminism is our formula. The latest trends in journalism say, however, that the “person” paranoia is on its way out, followed by soon-to-be- not-missed “Ms.” So where does this leave us, girls? Must we be supermom and superexecu tive rolled into one? The truth is we can be anything we want today, but even this equal opportu nity can’t give us everything. It can’t make us ladies. That’s a daily decision we women have to make on our own. It requires self discipline and poise. This poise isn’t a facade left over from charm school, but real life thinking under pressure. Poise is uncorking that distinctive per sonality with class. Poise is being your self, and being a Lady. Alone or in a crowd. But the women of today won’t learn how from each other. Ask your room mate what to wear, and she’ll say sweats and no make up is just fine. Aftei who’s gonna see you anyway? An simply can’t miss “All My Children, cause Monday’s episode is sure ton everything. We have revert c<l to the “houstij lifestyle, while we prepare for a da: career. This is not independence! the worst form of dependence.bliiJ| America’s an from seeinghen®^, the lady she can become. A college education was never! P" 1 to be only utilized from 9 toSweekcW but to teach us to think. We can bePe c ter fuff-time wives and mothers of our education if we want. Anil gardless of what society says, norj demeaning if America’s woment lenge themselves. A lady never stops proving. ladies becoming an exn Are breed? Restroom doors merely women. now tell us wf Cynthia Gay is a junior journalism jor and a columnist for The Battah Mail Call Thanks for the melodies EDITOR: I could not believe the paranoid ravings of Brian Sterling in Wednesday’s Battalion (DON'T BE FOOLED BY LIBERAL TUNES). He has shown that he has no idea about what he is talking about. “New Age Music” is a label applied by marketing executives to a style of music that does not fit into the standard music catego ries, i.e. jazz, rock, classical, etc. There is even much controversy over what music fits into this category. Many people believe that Windham Hill belongs more in the jazz category. One of the founders of New Age style music is Mark Halpern. He has worked closely with doctors in creating a style of music that promotes calmness and relieves tension. This music was originally created to be played on sound systems in medical offices and other high-tension areas. Hardly a conspriracy to promote one-world gov ernment. New Age music exists for enjoyment. No other message is im plied. In fact, it would be hard for New Age music to propagandize any message — it’s all instrumental (if only the same could be said for other music). I suppose there might be some who could read some subliminal message in this music. After all, Windham Hill has some albums with such tunes as “Carol of the Bells,” “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desire,” and “Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head.” Even Mannheim Steamroller has come out with a Christmas Album containing “Silent Night” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.” If this is a trend, then maybe we can stop it before it continues. In conclusion, I would like to thank KAMU-FM for New Age Music on Friday at 7 p.m. It is one of the best programs on radio to day. Troyce Wilson Senior History Major Pay up or shut up EDITOR: I would like to comment on the anti-abortionists at Texas A&M~ University, especially those who criticized Glenn Murtha’s column in the Jan. 23 issue of The Battilion. Why don’t they put their money where their mouth is? They constantly argue that poverty and the inability to financially provide for a child is no excuse to have an abortion, but where are they when the doctor’s bills arrive? Where are they when the child is born and the hospital bills need to be paid? If they are so concerned with fe tuses being carried to full term, why don’t they aid pregnant women by helping them pay their bills? Secondly, they are always defending the rights of the “un”-born, but what about the rights of the BORN? No matter what a pregnant woman’s circumstances are, they call her self-centered and weak if she decides to have an abortion. What about cases where the woman’s health is in danger? Shouldn’t the woman be given seniority over a parasite (by Webster’s definition) that has never experienced life on its own? What about when amniocentesis shows that an unborn child will be severely mentally retarded at birth? This child will certainly never leave home — he will be a lifelong responsibility to his parents. Isn’t it cruel to expect the parents to completely sacrifice their lives for something that can rarely give in return? Parents need to continue to expand their own lives even after they have children. I wonder if the anti-abortionists care about those who function OUTSIDE the womb, also? The anti-abortionists should realize that abortion is not a black and white issue. They need to think carefully about a woman’s situa tion before they harass her about her difficult decision to have an abortion. Elizabeth A. Haley In memoriam... EDITOR: Long ago, men gazed at the heavens with awe. Small glissening lights in the night sky held wonder, and dread, for them. They rec ognized patterns in these lights, watched their movements, studied their phases, trying to understand what secrets they held and what benefits they could bestow. The crew of the space shuttle Challenger was not different from those long-dead star-gazers. There also was a desire to know, to un derstand, to unlock the dark secrets of things beyond our grasp. These travelers never made it, but in a way they always will. They reside now not in a pressurized cabin, but in the great hall of history; proud members of a family that includes such as Magellan and da Gamma, Gallelio and Kepler. Indeed the host includes all who, of great personal risk, have sought to push back the boundarie knowledge. Forever may such as them be remembered, for, as James?! ner once wrote “An age is not called Dark because thelighttf shine, but because people refuse to see it.” The shuttles musH tinue to fly. There is another lesson to be learned from mission 51-Lln world of advanced technology, we often forget the true natufl the forces that must be bent, but not broken, to allow us to do* do. Let us not become so vain as to think that nature doesoui ding for free. The price we pay for safe success is eternal vigife and painstaking care. Disorder from order — the second b* thermodynamics — raised its ugly head again Tuesday. Wen# with all we know, to keep it down forevermore. Therefore onward we must push, ever mindful of natures' gain; until in the paraphrased words of John Gillespie Magee can slip the surly bonds of earth — reach out our hand and the face of God. rm £ 3 * % Christopher Efird Class of’87 Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorials serves the right to edit letters for style and length but will make every effort to- tain the author's intent. Each letter must be signed and must include theadd^ telephone number of the writer. E * The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference The Battalion Editorial Board Michelle Powe, Editor Kay Mallett, Managing Editor Loren fcteffy, Opinion Page Editor Jerry Oslin, City Editor Cathie Anderson, News Editor Travis Tingle, Sports Editor Editorial Policy j The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper operated as a community service is ^ A&M and Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the Editorial Board or the author anthkn 1 essarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M administrators, faculty or the Board of Regems. The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for students in reporting, editing and (lu'T phy classes within the Department of Communications. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday during Texas A&M regular senmm t'' for holiday and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semesler, t33.ll perse year and $35 per full year. Advertising rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Building. Texas A&M University, College^' TX 77843. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843.