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LOOKING BACK
... THE WEEK IN REVIEW

space suit
A NGER OVER the lack of office space
for student groups reached a higher
pitch last week as a Chicano organization said
it was going to slap the Michigan Student
Assembly (MSA) with a civil rights suit if it
didn't give them back their office on the four-
th floor of the Michigan Union.
Michele Sprayregen, head of the Student
Organizations Board, which assigns the
Union offices, had issued a bland statement of
policy on the matter: "We want to stay away
from ethnic and political organizations be-
cause there have been problems in the past."
That wasn't satisfactory in the least to Lino
Mendiola, the former University Chicano ad-
vocate who was threatening the suit. And this
was no rhetorical foaming at the mouth.
Mendiola was being reasonable.
"A lot of groups - myself included - would
like to give MSA the benefit of.the doubt." He
said he'd wait to see if the Assembly would
change its mind. After that, "I'd surely follow
the pecking order, (appealing to) the associ-
ate vice-president for student services, the
vice-president for student services (Henry
Johnson); the president (Robben Fleming),
the Regents and the courts. If we can't win in
court, we'll go to the streets."
Mendiola's complaint was the most visible
symptom of a continuing confrontation over
the amount of space students have for organi-
zations and recreation. Student leaders con-
tinue to debate with University officials be-
hind the scenes, and a policy is likely to
emerge by the time the Regents meet next
month.

AZ investments
C ITY HALL was shuddering last week
as the federal Securities and Exchange
Commission subpoenaed five current or for-
mer officials, including the three who lost
their jobs or were reprimanded in the wake of
the city's investment hanky-panky, for testi-
mony in their investigation of the Merrill,
Lyncy brokerage firm.
It was Merrill, Lynch people who appar-
ently fabricated market figures of a question-
able investment which Ann Arbor financial
officials were getting involved in.. City Ad-
ministrator Sy Murray, his assistant, Patrick
Kenney, former Controller Lauren Jedele,
Assistant Controller Steven Hendel, and for-
mer City Accountant Marc Levin will be
making the trek to D.C. soon - uncomfort-
able travelling partners, no doubt.
Meanwhile, city Democrats and Republi-'
cans were squirming about, trying to figure
out what more, if anything, to do about the
whole mess. Council approved a resolution
commending Murray for "prompt and de-
cisive action." The Republicans wanted to
drop the matter at that, letting outside agen-
cies investigate further, but the Democrats
wanted to open up some investigations of the
city's own. The end of the affair, apparently,
is not in sight.
"
landlord blues
-mHE SUN ROSE this morning and Ann
Arbor landlords are deceptive.
That was the message - the one everyone
has known all slong - that PIRGIM delivered

to state residents last week. The student-
based public interest research and lobby
group released, after an 18-month study, a.or-
port which found that 99 per cent of 200 state
leases investigated contained "illegal, unen-
forceable, or abusive clauses."
Worse yet, but not surprising, was the find-
ing that violations in Ann Arbor and East
Lansing were more common than in any other
of the 18 cities studies. Also, "objectionable
clauses" were discovered at a rate of 6.6 per
lease in the 46 leases examined in Ann Arbor
and neighboring Ypsilanti.
Lease violations, which included requiring
tenants to pay rent even if the landlerd
reneges on maintenance obligations, and
provisions excusing the landlord from
liability for injuries or damages suffered;by
tenants or their guests due to the landlord's
negligence, were most common in state
student areas, ventured a PRIGIM director,
because "landlords are especially careful to
hold students to everything they can possibly
imagine."
The apartments and management com-
panies cited as the worst offenders in Ann Ar-
bor were McKinley, Huron Plaza Apartmen-
ts, Roseville Arms Apartments, Pheasant
Run, Broadview Apartments, Independence
Apartments, 800 Fuller Apartments and
Slovik.
PIRGIM's findings, unfortunately, are
just that - findings. Outside of lobbying,
which the group will do in support of Rep.
Mark Clodfelter's (D-Flint) bill which would
forbid leases containing any offensive, de-
ceptive clauses, the group has no power.
Happy lease-breaking.


Letters to

The Daily

consumer party
To The Daily:
We of the U.S. Consumer Party
share with our friends in the U.S.
Labor Party and others the con-
cern that environmentalists are
getting out of hand and screwing
up economic progress. We
believe that all time ,should be
divided equally between produc-
tive and consumptive activities.
The very idea that there would be
people standing idly by inter-
ferring with the machinery of
technological progress fills us
with dismay; like all those
various weirdos objecting to
nuclear power. When I read
about that, Iwent over and not-
ched my thermostat up 10
degrees as did every conscien-
tious U.S. Consumer Party mem-
ber.
We believe that people should
use as much energy, cars, cans,
plastic items and other things as
possible. We are not opposed to
PBB and other chemical in-
toxicants and radiation. Let those
who can adapt to aprogressive
technological environment sur-
vive! That's what we say.
Whatever is produced by our U.S.
(or Taiwanese, or Korean etc.)
workers must of necessity be
good. Why else would our
workers expose themselves to
cancer and black lung disease
and other perils unless it was
good. Why would anyone pay for
things unless they were "goods."
We of the U.S. Consumer Party
believe that nature is only
fulfilled when it is transformed
into something rational. We
would like to see the earth look
more like the battle station depic-
ted in star wars; for only in such
a strong and sterile environment
can we be well protected against
fate, aliens, and disease vectors.
This letter is already too long. I
should be out making or else
spending some money instead of
wasting time. Remember, if we
don't consume, our factories will
stand idle. Our economy will fall
apart and "the insects" will get
us . . . so turn up the heat, open
your windows wide and let's hear
it for those reactors.
-Shemus O' Shaun
-U.S. Consumer Party
x-rated films
To The Daily:
Ann Arbor: known for her grand
social variety, praised for her
cultural influence and insulted
for her pornography flicks. Why
must an abundant city add an X-
rated film such as "Behind Green
Doors" to her activities? What is
the purpose?
In our society, pornography is
more available than ever before.
The demand for such literature
and movies is on the rise. Why is
so much importance placed on
sex? Why should Ann Arbor be a
contributor? As the old saying
goes, there is a time and a place
for everything. Ann Arbor nor

They enable us to form a deep
physical union with another in-
dividual. The entire process was
once thought of as private and
personal. Now, it is seen in
theaters all over the country. By
placing sexual acts on the movie
screens, we have reduced an act
that involves feeling and love to
one that is purely physical. Why
are we degrading our human in-
telligence?,
There is no rational reason
behind sexual exploitation. This
type of entertainment shows a
lack of human respect. Our
animal actions are acting without
human brains. When we unite the
two, humans will realize life is
respectable. Maybe then por-
nography will be removed from
the magazine racks and movie
cinemas.
The core of the problem lies in
making pornography flicks.
Legal banning of the production
of pornography films is the only
answer to the current problem.
From there, the city leaders must
enforce laws against cinemas
promoting pornography. Univer-
sities and colleges need legal
restrictions and regulations in
ordering films. Theater licences
should be revoked if these films
are displayed. Money would not
be lost by owners or producers if
their efforts were put into
producing and selling quality
movies. There are other means
besides pornography to make
money in the movie business. The
promoting people will have to
change their ways. For society,
the battle is long, but success is
even longer.
-Debbie Foran
CIA rules
To The Daily:
As members of MSA we feel we
must strongly object to the
Daily's recent editorial concer-
ning the proposed guidelines that
U of M faculty should follow in
their dealings with the CIA. The
editorial, rather whimsically
titled "MSA adopts CIA Rules,
But They're the Wrong Ones,"
only began the series of
mistatements and misinfor-
mation propagated in the space
usually reserved for editorials
displaying the Daily's usually
high journalistic standards. While
all agree that the title is cute, and
while it most certainly drew
many eyes, it is thoroughly
misleading. The primary com-
plaint of this rather vague
editorial centered around the fact
that the proposal did not "go far
enough" because it did not cover
students. Your headline thus con-
cluded that MSA passed the
wrong legislation. The fallacy
here is so glaring it would not
rate space on a logic 201 mid-
term.
If MSA identifies a problem
and chooses to attack it in two
carefully examined phases, how
dne the nailv stff arriv at th

complications which your
editorial chooses to completely
ignore. Extending the guidelines
to students seems unlikely in the
face of last year's student vote on
the proposal to restrict CIA
recruiting on campus. As we
recall having read in the Daily,
the students defeated this
proposal.
-John Rosenthal
-Howard Feldman,
MSA Communications
Coordinator
-Richard De Vore,
MSA Treasurer
-Pete Vogl, MSA
Academic Programs
Coordinator
shearing
To The Daily:,
Being George Shearing's man-
ager, I have learned that reviews
don't really matter in the career
of someone who's been in the
limelight for almost 30 years.
However, being an alumnus of
the University of Michigan, I am
appalled at the low level of jour-
nalism I found in the review of
the Shearing Quintet concert,
which appeared in the Daily on
Friday, October 21. Understand,
please, that my comments are
directed not at reviewers who
didn't enjoy the program, but at
reporters who obviously didn't
know what they were talking.
about, and whose musical
knowledge is not adequate to
review a concert such as
Shearing's.
I refernspecificaly to Cindy
Rhodes and David Victor, and
would like to point out to them
that a vibraphone is not a part of
a rhythm section. The Quintet
has never done a tune called
"Careful," and the "Shearing
Sound" has little to do with im-
provising, and everything to do,
with a unique blend of piano,
vibes and guitar. The selection
they're incorrectly calling
"Melody" is actually a "Medley"
of Shearing's greatest hits, and
your readers will more likely
recognize the titles (East of the
Sun, Roses of Piccardy, I'll
Remember April, September in
the Rain and Lullaby of Birdland)
than the obscure composers
listed in the article. And their
comment that "The piece was
especially difficult for Shearing"
is absurd, as George has played
the medley every night for the
past 20 years and, if you'll pardon
the sick humor, could do it with
his eyes closed.
As to their comment that
"Greensleeves" does not lend it-
self to an improvised version, if
you didn't like it, fine, but don't

tell your readers that Green
sleeves doesn't lend itself to im
provisation. That's a ridiculou
statement, and gives away you
lack of musical knowledge.
Again, who cares what th
reviewers say? But as an alum
nus, I'd like to know: Has th
Michigan Daily really sunk s
low?
-Kim S. Hartstein
distributio
To The Daily:
On November 1 and 2, fro
7:30-9:00 p.m. (Room 2203 A
gell), open hearings will be hel
to discover why and how studen
choose their distribution pla
The Subcommittee o
Distribution Requirements, o
the Curriculum Committee, i
conducting the hearings in an a
tempt to gauge student attitude
toward distribution patterns an
course requirements in general.
I am the only student membe
of the Subcommittee; the othe
faculty members include Pro
Paul Cloke (Chairman), Pro
Niara Sudarkasa, Pro
Rayrpond Grew, Prof. Ralp
Williams, and Charles Judge
(Ex Officio). The ultimat
policies we recommend-be the
more restrictive or liberal-wil
affect all students. The need fo
the student input is crucial if th
recommendations of the Sub
committee are to be trul
representative of college sen
timent.
All LSA students-Resideritia
College, Pilot, Honors, etc.-arc
encouraged to come and tell .thc
Subcommittee their thoughts., o
frustrations concerning
requirements for distribution.
Suggestions are welcomed.
Please come-it's the one
chance to be heard and to make a
difference. (If you have a
question, or cannot attend, please
call me at 763-2227, or Niara
Sudarkasa at 764-7365).
-Carolyn Rosenberg
Student member,
Subcommittee on
Distribution
Requirements.

Letters should be typed and limit
to 400 words. The Doily reserves t
right to edit letters for length a
grammar.

i

Contact your reps
Sen. Donald Riegle (Dem.), 1205 Dirksen Bldg., Washington
D.C. 20510
Cenf Rnhn --.,:riffn R o 1 2 . cn mRlldanifnm al