i I I/f ~cL~LJ 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 selves ician" r pos- ompli- ild not hout a an be read- eaths were ficials r said overn- he ice- many ating ve not cal or said egula- tle of arning erous ithout has ause it and is ic nor at get d gal- ersey recent ntam- atten- 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.