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The Michigan Daily-Thursday, November 10, 1977-Page 3
Fearfulrosh stillskip the 'M'
M N. SEE tLS HAPPIm ALL irDM
Rock on
There's a new kind of rock shining in the window of the Austin
Diamond Co. on S. University, but this brand isn't worth one lousy carot.
The two rocks in Austin's display window were left there compliments of
a local bad-boy attempting to break into Austin's to make off with the real
stuff. An explanatory note posted in the display case of Austin's explains
the presence of the weighty weapons. "Excuse the window display. These
rocks were used to smash the window at 3 a.m. It's only happened seven
or eight times previously - progress?" Although the rocks have been
escorted away from the scene of the crime after previous assaults, Austin
proprietors choose to expose the villains after the last attempt. "This
time we decided to display the weapons," said employe Diana Skadberg.
Prop a price tag in front of the critters, Dianna, and you might have your-
self a sale.
(Why flunk?)
Flem foolery
Oh, Robben, you're such a
card. On the occasion of the in-
auguration of Frank Rhodes, for-
mer University veep, as the pres-
ident of Cornell University this
afternoon, our own President
Fleming has been asked to drop a
few pearls to those folks out east.
Known for his rye humor, Flem-
ing begins his address on a hu-
morous note, recalling an 1873 ex-
change between the first Cornell
President, Andrew White (a for-
mer University prof) and Univer-
sity President James Angell.
Angell, it seems, challenged Cor-
nell to a football game in the neu-
tral city of Cleveland. White re-
plied: "I will not permit 30 men to
travel 400 miles merely to agitate
a bag of wind." Fleming contin-
ues: '. .. (Rhodes) has a sly
sense of humor. When he asked
.me to speak today, he intimated
that despite his confidence in the
wisdom of anything I might say,
it was not necessary that I take a
great deal of time to say it. I was
left pondering whether this was
but a subtle plot to remind me of
the wisdom of Andrew White's
earlier words which he hoped I
would give a contemporary inter-
pretation, or whether he had to
extend his search over an area
covering 800 miles before he
could find a president who was
relatively certain to say
something nice about him!" Is
that any way to treat your old
vice president? You bet it is!
By MITCH CANTOR
According to gullible freshpersons,
avoiding a flunk on the year's first
exam is only a hop, skip and jump
away.
,The familiar bronze 'M' emblem,
set in blue concrete in the middle of
the Diag, still strikes a note of fear
into the hearts of many students, for
it is commonly rumored that those
who dare to step on the seal will land
an 'E' on their first exam.
ALTHOUGH no one has ever
garnered proof to support the rumor
which started, no doubt, at the first
orientation session, freshman Ken
.Feldmen says the myth is good,
enough for him.
"Why should I take a chance?" he
says, sidestepping the mythical 'M'.
Others learn the hard way. Jim
Scranton crossed the 'M' the day
before classes began. "The sun was
shining, Doctor Diag's eyes were
smiling at me. It just felt like a good
thing to do," he says.
"Little did I realize what the conse-
quences would be. A week or so later
I had a math test and I flunked it -
probably the lowest in the class," he
added sadly.
ORIGINALLY a different seal
occupied the center of the Diag. It
was later replaced by the present
'M', a gift of the class of 1953.
At the presentation ceremony of
the new seal in 1953, senior board
chairman John Flynn started the tra-
dition. "Freshmen are not to walk
across the seal," he stated. "If they
make it through a year here, they
deserve to walk any place even on the
seal."
There are many skeptics who avoid
the emblem even though they scoff at
the myth of bad luck. Pam Kress, 23,
says she habitually walks around the
emblem, "just out of respect for the
school."
AND MERYL Abrams, who occa-
sionally hops over the corner of the
seal, says she avoids the 'M', "just
for the fun of it."
For some, the seal seems to send
out a message of caution. Ann Arbor
resident Brian Pollack traveled in a
semi-circle in order to avoid the 'M',
though knowing nothing of its his-
tory. "I really have no reason why I
did that. I was just walking along,"
he shrugged.
There are also those who purpose-
fully defy the wrath of the mono-
gram. "I generally step on the 'M'
every time I can," says feisty fresh-
man Dave Atkinson. "It's just to
spite the vicious rumors. The super-
stition is only what you make it to
be."
AL FANGER, who admits to fre-
quently stepping on the emblem
says, "I figure I've done my time, I
was here during summer term."
"I didn't step on it at all in the
beginning," says Jan Corwin. "But
after I had my first exam, I
purposely stamped on it on my way
home."
However, Doctor Diag, perennial
observer and speaker in the Diag,
offers a different opinion. "No one is
supposed to step on the 'M,' not even
the seniors," he says.
Concerning the future of the 'M' he
threatens: "It's gonna be blown outta
the ground. . . hopefully."
Fleming
Daily Photo by CHRISTINA SCHNEIDER
Rumors say that stepping on the 'M' gives you an automatic flunk on your
first exam but no one ever said riding'over it could hurt.
TEN WOMEN DIE TERS DIE:
Rho des
Happenings-...
. get down at 10 a.m. when tickets-go on sale at Crisler for the Linda
Ronstadt concert ... at noon catch a demonstration on stained-glass
making at the Pendleton Arts Center in the Union ... Seymour Melman
will discuss "Conversion from a Military Economy to a Civilian Econ-
omy" at 4 p.m. in MLB Aud. 3 ... David Victor and Joseph Rosevear will
make pretty words at the 7:30 p.m. Guild House poetry reading, 802
Monroe ... the South Africa Teach-In sponsors Herschelle Challanor at 5
p.m. in Rackham ... at 8 p.m. the teach-in screens two films in the Rack-
ham Ampitheatre, followed by commentary by the director ... at 8:10
p.m. the Astronomical Film Festival opens in MLB Aud 3 ... at 8:30 p.m.
the Hatikvah campaign has an organizational meeting at 1429 Hill St.
You're just our 1 ttle baby Bert
iquid protein
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Food Kennedy urged persons now
and Drug Administration announced liquid protein diet "to get thems
yesterday it has "every reason to into the hands of a phys
believe that the liquid protein diet qualified to monitor them for
was at least a contributing factor" in sible heart problems or other c
the deaths of ten obese women who cations.
lost anaverage of 90 pounds using the He added that people shoul
popular modified fast diet. suddenly abandon the diet with
FDA Commissioner Donald Kenne- doctor's advice because there c
dy said investigators at the U.S. medical problems as the body
Center for Disease Control in Atlanta justs to normal food.
found that the women, between 25 ALL THE WOMEN whose d
and 44 years old, "all died suddenly, were attributed to the diet
without previous symptomsof heart unde mteia supervmision of
irregularities - either while on the said. But the FDA commissione
diet or shortly after going off it."' the deaths reported to the go
MERCHANTS IN Ann Arbor re- ment so far "maydbe the tip of th
port high sales of the diet liquid. berg," and there could be
Several users have been treated for others who died whilewparticip
potassium deficiencies, abnormal in the modified fast who hay
liver function and general fatigue at come to the attention of medi
Ann Arbor hospitals over the last two government authorities.
months, according to hospital offi- Earlier, an FDA spokesman
cials. One patient was admitted to St. the agency was considering a r
Joseph Mercy Hospital. tion requiring that every bot
Kennedyrsaid in his statement that liquid protein carry a label wa
further study of the deaths was that the substance can be dang
needed. and should not be tried w
But he warned consumers not to go medical supervision.
on the diet without close medical Until now, liquid protein
supervision, saying: ".It is clear that escaped federal regulation beca
the low-calorie protein diets, espe- is sold as a food, not a drug,a
cially the liquid protein diets, have neither a food additive, cosmet
great potential for damage. medical device, the products th
"PROMOTIONAL mge s s a g e s FDA's closest scrutiny.
aimed at the public downplay the HOWEVER, several thousan
strenuous nature of the diet and fail Ions manufactured by a New J
to say that it may be extremely firm have been recalled in n
hazardous for some people." weeks because of bacterial co
::M 00Szi ;atnn- r m - - hQFT
on a
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ician"
r pos-
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eaths
were
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r said
overn-
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many
ating
ve not
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egula-
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It won'tfly in Nashville, but
in Calhoun, Ga. it's the cat's
meow. The "Ballad of Bert,"
sung and written by good ole
Georgia boy Wright Johnson
of Calhoun, traces former
federal budget director Bert
Lance's rise from a small town
banker "tryin' to aid his
neighbors, " to a stint in state
government, where he "show-
ed those city slickers how, " to
the OMB post, he recently re-
signed from. Johnson said it's
right time the rest of the
nation was told of Calhoun's
love for Lance. The chorus of
"Ballad for Bert," produced
by Sugar Valley Productions
of Calhoun, urges: "Come
rally, come rally, come rally
'round our friend Bert. Come
rally, come rally, let those sen-
ators throw their dirt." Gee,
On tne outside ...
dangerous-FDA
Wright, that kind of moves us
to song, too. How about:
"Come linger, come linger,
come linger 'round Lance. But
before you do, you best hide
your finance. " (Well at least
we know better than to re-
cord ours.)
tion.
Without realizing it, FDA officials
say now, careless dieters may upset
their normal potassium levels or
other critical bodily functions, be-
come severely dehydrated and, in
extreme cases, go into possibly fatal
shock and coma.
FDA Commissioner Donald Kenne-
dy planned a news conference today
to discuss the issue.
PUBLIC HEALTH Service offi-
cialsalready are investigating the
deaths of 11 persons who were on the
so-called "protein-sparing fast" to
determine if thie diet technique
contributed to their deaths.
The product prompting the agen-
cies' attention is a dark, syrupy
liquid on sale in drug and health food
stores across the country. All 50 or so
brands sold are chemically similar,
the FDA says, consisting of low-
quality proteins at least partially
broken down or "digested" into
amino acids, the protein products
used by the body.
They are heavily laced with artifi-
cial flavoring to conceal the other-
wise horrid taste of the uncured
cowhide and beef tendon from which
they are derived.
"It's garbage," argues Dr. Sidney
Wolfe, director of Ralph Nader's
Health Research Group.
Even if you never bowl
here you had better
know where we are.
BOWLING
at the
Union Lanes
Open 10:00 A.M.
.:
.- +--e ?-+--+ -..M .+
'It's garbage. If they
weren't putting it in bot
ties and selling it for two
or three times the price of
good protein sources,
they'd be throwing it out.'
- Dr Sidney Wolfe,
Ralph Nader's
Research Group
Director
H}HAPPY
BIRTHDAY!
Daily Official
Bulletin
Thursday, November 10, 1977
DAY CALENDAR
Physics/Astronomy: M. Suzuki, Tokyo U. & Har-
vard U., "Critical Phenomena and the Renormali-
zation Group," 2038 Randall Lab., 4 p.m.
Guild House: Poetry reading, David Victor,
Joseph Rosevear, 802 Monroe, 7:30 p.m.
1inationJ1, 1.11omping S5 1 ,. r.'t1
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Volume LXXXvIII, no.55
Thursday, November 10. 1977
is edited and managed by students at the University
of Michigan. News phone 764-0502. Second class
postage is paid at Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109.
Published daily Tuesday through Sunday morning
duringthe University year at 420 MaynardStreet,
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109. Subscription rates:
$12 September through April (2 semesters); $13 by
mail outside Ann Arbor.
Summer session published Tuesday through Satur-
day morning. Subscription rates: $6.50 in Ann Arbor;
$7.50 by mail outside Ann Arbor.
Lance
It is with great fear and trepidation that we make the following an-
nouncement: It may snow tonight. Now hold onto your earmuffs, because
the weather gods aren't threatening more than light evening flurries,
and, mind you, there's only a slight chance of the white stuff falling. But
even if you're saved from snow it's doubtful you'll avoid light showers.
Thehigh today will be in the upper 50's and the low will hit 38°. Tomorrow
will be nippier yet, with a temperature no higher than 440. Blek.
rf'.. rt""}r>": r r"'" f : r,: :f eu ,.: ,';, rf..:,:1. }.. f;;":,:.. ' .
the tnn arbor film cooperative
TONIGHT! Thursday, Nov. 10
2Health and Healing Energy Series
Every Friday Evening FRIDAY, NOV. 18th*
at CANTERBURY HOUSE
T HE SCIENTIFIC WORLDVIEW,
LOVE AND HEALING
Jonathon Ellis
8 p.m. herb tea, 8:30 presentation begins
CANTERBURY HOUSE
218 N. Division Street, corner of Catherine
Correction-Misprint in lost Thursday ad: date should be Nov. 18thl
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Unr*nMnlfur - - **
A, A \I
The Wild Bunch
(Sam Peckinpah, 1968) 7 only-AUD. A
A magnificent western, a film that grows in scope and reputation with each passing year. One of the most
controversial films of all time, THE WILD BUNCH opened to much breast-beating about violence in film. Other
films had contained more violence, but it had never been filmed like Peckinpah filmed it. His gro-
tesquely graphic, strangely alluring bullet-ballets overshadowed his poetic story of a bunch of unchanged
men in a changing land and running out of time. A modern classic and a true apocalyptic vision, cinematic-
ally unsurpassed. We are showing the theatre-released version. "I tried to emphasize the sense of horror
and agony that violence provides. Violence is not a game."-Sam Peckinpah. "A film of genuine compos-
sion."-N.Y. Times. "The most fascinating and explosive American movie since BONNIE & CLYDE.
Peckinpoh is the most talented American director of his generation."-Gary Arnold, WASHINGTON POST.
ANNUAL
VVUD ELL
The film version of a great Broadway musical.