The Battalion
OPINION
Wednesday, September 26,1990
Mail Call
Why aren’t Aggies recycling?
EDITOR:
I have always thought that if Aggies were given the
means to recycle on campus, that they would gladlv do so.
Wevare a conscientious bunch. But last Thursday, I saw
something that proved to me all Aggies are not so consider
ate of their Earth.
In the student lounge in the library there are at least six
large containers for recyclable aluminum cans. They are
even placed right next to trash cans. It just can't get much
easier! But as I was throwing away my cookie wrapper, I saw
several aluminum cans in a trash can right next to a recy
cling container. I couldn’t believe it! What is the problem?
Do we have to hire people to explain what an aluminum can
is? Well, I will. If you get it out of the big red machines w ith
“COKE” written on them, then it’s an aluminum can. Does
that clear it up? Good! Now I expect that I won’t have to go
digging around in any more trash cans to retrieve them.
Sherry Wahrmund, ’91
Aggie Bucks not convenient
EDITOR:
Buy your “Aggie Bucks here for convenience,” “Eating
on campus is f un,” and “You get more for your money when
you dine on campus” are all messages that come f rom Texas
A&M Food Services. They stress “Aggie Bucks” are one of
the most convenient ways to go when eating on campus and
they might be. I have to admit the service is very convenient
to students who do not want to carry cash for meals. How
ever, when the all-powerful computer system decides to go
on the blink all of the money that you have deposited in
these convenient “Aggie Bucks” is locked away in computer
limbo.
I am speaking from personal experience. Within the last
week the computer has decided to take a so-called vacation
twice while I was in line at the Common Denominator lo
cated in The Commons and once while in line at the Com
mon Market, also located in The Commons. Furthermore,
w hile in line at Commons Dining Hall, I have observed seve
ral people having trouble with the wonderf ul computer not
reading their I.D. cards. This problem might just be cen
tered in The Commons; but, regardless of where it is cen
tered, the problem should be corrected.
I realize that computers have their off days, but this
computer is spending too much time on vacation. The Com
mons dining center serves many time-budgeted students ev
ery day, and sometimes having to wait in line for 10-15 min
utes can cause a student to miss a meal or be late to class. If
this is what Texas A&M Food Services calls convenient, I
would hate to see what they call inconvenient. If you are not
taking cash along with you to pay for meals, my advice is to
take some along because the computer is probably thinking
about heading out of town w ith two blonde PC’s under each
terminal.
Patrick Fisseler ’92
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serves the right to edit letters for style and length, but will nialte ei’en' effort to mnin-
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fht
Opinion Page Editor Ellen Hobbs 845-331
Gerrymandering in I exas: ly
the real campaign issue
Well, the fall gubernatorial campaign
is in full swing, and hardly a day goes by
without an outcry for discussion of the
“real issues”. Barely a word has been
spoken all year, however, about the
main issue in the Texas governor’s race:
gerrymandering.
The early media focus on who Claytie
was pokin’ and what Annie was tokin'
way back in the old days managed to
keep voter attention focused, at least f or
a while, on the candidate’s personal lives
without stumbling onto a real issue over
which they could disagree.
The early mudslinging, while mildly
interesting, began to really grind on
voters and spawn widespread apathy
which was greatly exacerbated by the
latest round of negative campaigning.
Recent mudslinging by both
candidates has really gone over the
heads of average voters across the state.
Most people don’t know or care to know
anything about banking, junk bonds, or
state agency management. All of the
meaningless accusations have sent
voters scrambling for the channel
changer rather than the polling place all
too often in the past, and appear reach
to do so again.
The focus <in these insignificant
aspects of both candidates might lead
voters to believe that there are no issues
in the race. When it comes down to the
nitty gritty, especially in an election
year, it can be very difficult to detect
substantive differences in the views of
two candidates.
No candidate would be stupid
enough to speak out against education,
for crime and drugs, or against good
highways. On the issue of
gerrymandering, however, the
candidates are certainly at opposite ends
of the spectrum.
In Texas, gerrymandering (the
redrawing of congressional districts in
an unfair way to give one political part\
an electoral advantage) is overseen bv
the governor following each census.
The 1990 U.S. Census showed, as
expected, a large increase in Texas'
population which will result in an
increase of at least three congressional
seats beginning in 1 992.
Here and across the Sun Belt, states
which will gain seats at the expense of
declining Blizzard Belt delegations are
seeing heated scraps between the two
parties over the right to cut the
congressional pie into partisan pieces
next year.
The Republican National Committee
was so concerned with redistricting that
they persuaded Sen. Pete Wilson of
California, the state which is set to gain
the most House seats, to put his
senatorial career on hold in order to run
for governor.
In Texas’ congressional delegation.
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Larry
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the difference between Richards and
Williams could conceivably mean a
swing of as many as 7 or 8 congression
seats into the camp of the controlling
party. With the Democrats controlling
roughly two-thirds of Texas’ twenty-sis
seats at this point in time, Republicans
want desperately tea maintain controlo!
the governor’s chair in order to avoid
losing more ground and attempt to
achieve parity.
The governor’s office in Texas isan
extremely weak executive position
Austin insiders often joke that it’s
harder to buy a six-pack of beer thanio
override a governor’s veto. Governors
have genet alls wielded more realpow
when redistricting than at any other
time, save possibly during special
sessions.
The real legislative agenda in Texas
set b\ the lieutenant governor, a race
which has rec eiv ed relatively littlemedilTIF
attention during this campaign season.
Be assured that copious quantitiesof
mud have been hurled by both Mr.
Bullock and Mr. Mosbacher, with no
end in sight. Both of these gentlemen
should come under intense scrutiny
because of the huge power void theym
attempt to fill which was left by retiring
Lt. C»ov. Bill I lobby.
1 f voters are t rulv concerned about
the powet base in Austin, or about
crime control, education or legislative
agendas oi w hatever, they would do
well to pav more attention to the second
race on the ballot.
As for the top of the ticket,oneissut
is vividlv clear. If elected, Ann Richard
will trv to increase Democratic
congressional strength and Clayton
Williams will attempt to increase the
number of Republicans. The voters
must decide which candidate has the
charisma and persuasive ability to pus!
their redistricting plan through.
Ultimately the people must decide
not only whether they want Ann
Ric hards or C Tayton Williams in the
governor's chair, but who they wantin
the I louse of Representatives.
Republicans, like jack Fields and Joe
Barton? Oi Democrats, like Craig
Washington and Jim Wright? By votinj
lot either (or neither), you’ll actually
help decide many elections down the
road. Think about it.
Larry Cox is a graduate student in
range science.
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With new semester comes new traffic headaches
Well Aggies, another semester
has arrived, and with it brings
yet another traf fic headache to
students that have to drive on
campus.
The most recent one that
comes to mind is the “new”
Lubbock Street. It seems that it
has been changed from a one
way street to a two-way street.
When was anyone told of this
change? Obviously, not too many
were.
Just the other night I was
driv ing home f rom the library
when, trying to turn right onto
Lubbock Street from Spence
Street, 1 was met very rudely by a
car in the wrong lane and almost
wrecked my car. Fortunately, we
Jeff
Bickerstaff
Reader’s Opinion
both were paying attention, and
a collision was avoided. It seems
that this was a common
occurrence that night. I saw
three other near misses!
1 guess I should mention that
a couple of signs were installed
telling us that it was now a two-
way street — but a week later.
For a street that has been one
way for several years and then to
change it and to let us know a
week later is ridiculous. Another
problem on campus has to do
with the bike lanes. I am not the
first one to complain and I
certainly won’t be the last. The
bike lanes are truly a joke, they
are in terrible shape. .
One notable place is on New-
Main Drive where the pavement
is breaking apart and leaving
potholes. As for the other new'ly
created bike lanes, there are
problems as well. On only one of
the lanes, namely Bizzell Street,
is there a designated diamond
lane to let drivers and bicyclists
know' that it is for bikes only (and
the only reason for that is
probably because it is a newly
redesigned street). The
remaining bike lanes on other
streets are not designated as
such. And if that w ere not bad
enough, there are no signs
showing the designated bike
lanes.
Now, Tm not saying that the
students and faculty don’t know
what bike lanes are, but it is
standard practice in many cities,
and for that matter many other
universities, to both paint and
erect signs to designate where
bike lanes are located. I do have
to give credit to the University
for installing them in the first
place, but hey, let’s finish the job.
Yet another problem that
needs addressing is the
pedestrian crosswalks. These
were created to allow students to
cross the street safely. Well, it is
too bad that this is not the case
here at Texas A&M. For one
thing, many crossings are not
marked. This normally would he
a big problem, but here it is a
bigger problem because drivers
do not stop for pedestrians as it
is! The blame is not all the
drivers fault however. About
half of the crosswalks on campus
are not marked or painted
properly (if at all). These are just
some of the traffic-related
problems around campus. 1
could list many more, like faded
signs which can’t be seen at
night, street names missing, and
next to mention the parking
problems (I would need a novel
to write about that one). The
point here is simple: safety
should come first! All the things
1 have mentioned, if corrected,
would greatly improve safety,
which should be the most
important thing on everyone’s
mind.
I raf fle accidents take
thousands of lives each year,not
to mention the number
wounded, of which A&M has
had its share. With a little effort
we can make a difference, and
even save a life. If even one is
saved, then it will have been
worth it.
Jeff B ickerstaff is a geograph)
major.
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Lisa Ann Robertson,
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Adventures In Cartooning
by Don Atkinson Jf