The Michigan Daily
Editedtand managed by Students of the
University of Michigan
Wednesday, June 8, 1977
News Phone: 764-0552
'OK spec. ed. mila ge
and help some children
AFTER EIGHT YEARS without an increase, despite In-
flation and declining state aids, the Washtenaw In-
termediate School District Is asking the taxpayers for
help.
The District is asking for a one-half mill increase'
In the Special Education Millage to be voted on June
13th. The millage increase, If passed, is expected to raise
$1,009,335 for special education programs in Washtenaw
County Schools.
Because education in Michigan is funded through
property taxes, areas such as Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo and
East Lansing have long suffered through inadequate fund-
ing. Because public universities in these areas take acres
of land from the tax rolls, primary and secondary edu-
cation falls prey to higher education.
It's an unfair situation in which shoolchildren and
taxpayers lose.
But until the state gets around to revising its sys-
tem of funding public education, such things at milages
exist.
The proposed hike in the Special Education Millage
needs to be passed - for the sake of everyone involved.
The last hike was eight years ago. Since then, utili-
ty rates, supplies and transportation costs have all risen
more than 100 per cent.
SINCE THEN, the state mandated programs included
in special education budgets have increased from 195
programs in 1969 to 305 programs now. More mandatory
programs are expected in the near future.
The special education programs are for children
with emotional problems, learning disabilities, physi-
cal handicaps, mental retardation.
These children deserve an equal education. Their
needs cannot and should not be ignored.
The children need your vote.
ERA could squeak by
with a little persistence
FRUSTRATION IS WATCHING back room politics de-
stroy good pieces of legislation. Frustration is to
watch public interest focus on such legislation, to see
a swelling quorum, only to have any hopes of victory
dashed with the final vote.
Frustration is watching ratification elude the Equal
Rights Amendment for the umpteenth time too many
this year.
This time, that frustration was perpetrated by the
Illinois State House of Representatives. Already defeat-
ed once this year in that state, the ERA was re-intro-
duced, subject to a surprisingly swift votes, and dropped
by five voices.
Just five votes. It was that close.
Those five votes would have put the ERA on the
floor of that state's Senate, where who-knows-what could
have happened. But that would have been at least an-
other half-step to ratification.
HAD THE ERA PASSED by whatever slim margin in
the state which force-fed us Phyllis Schafly, it would
have been a major moral victory. It could have been
the spark to light the fires for a string of ratifications,
and put the ERA over the top, and on the Constitution
where it belongs.
Thirty-five of the. 38 states needed for national ratifi-
cation have approved the ERA - but three of those
states (Idaho, Nebraska and Tennessee) are presently
involved in court battles to rescind their approvals.
And then there's the case of Illinois, which has
defeated the ERA twice, and whose legislators say they
will re-introduce it a third time, and as many times
as necessary.
Their fable carries the moral of persistence - a
moral which more legislators should absorb and utilize..
Only by working for our ideals can those dreams be-
come realities.
Letters to The Daily
I
computers
To The Daily:
Would you sell computers to
Hitler? Can we make IBM, Bur-
roughs, Honeywell, etc., account-
able to hilman rights? Or would
you agree with Neil Jackson, di-
"ector of communications for
Burroughs: "Burroughs official
policy is ... never comment on
the political affairs of the 120
countries with which we do busi-
ness, including our own.'
This means people are reduced
to economic consequences. If
you believe human rights has
nothing to do with computers,
read on.
IBM sells computers to South
American dictators. IBM knows
much of their hardware is be-
ing used as an intelligence net-
work to keep track of opponents
and dissidents. IBM knows com-
puters can be turned into op-
pressive police state weapons.
Are they innocent because busi-
ness has no human values?
Computer companies know
there is a link between the sale
of computers and increased tor-
ture, oppression and disappear-
ances of political enemies.
IBM has beets "renting its ma-
chines and scientists to ... South
Africa to keep close track by
its computers ... of protesting
and trouble-making blacks,"
says Tom Mechling of Wash-
ington Watch.
Maybe it's time we let them
know we know and we don't like
it. Business doesn't have to be
value free.
Even Ed Kennedy asks "how
can we justify selling computers
for the purpose of tracking
down opponents of the regime'
in Chile?"
Bart Plantenga
Hill chided
To The Daily:
To Gregory S Hill on Gay
Catholics-"Me thinks she doth
protest too much!"
Rose Fleming
transit
To The Daily:
The President's Energy Con-
servation Plans present us all
with a major challenge. Each
of us will be taking a hard look
at how we travel, how we keep
warm and how we use energy
in general.
There is a step we can all take
immediately to help - we can
start using the public transit
system for MORE of our every-
day, routine trips. Many of you
use the bus now but use it in-
frequently. Some of you have
never tried Ann Arbor Transpor-
tation Authority services.
We have capacity on our ex-
isting Dial-A-Ride and line bus
runs to get you where you want
to go. It may take a little long-
er than your car, it may not be
as convenient - but it's low in
cost ($25 cents in Ann Arbor and
Ypsilanti, 54 cents between Ann
Arbor and Ypsilanti), and it
SAVES ENERGY. If you com-
mute five miles per day round
trip, using the bus can save you
a tankful of gas or more per
month going to and from work.
Call us at 973-0300 to find out
how to make the trip you are
interested in.
See you on the bus!
Karl W. Guenther
Executive Director
P.S. Employers - Find out
about the Ann' Arbor Transpor-
tation Authority's Bus Pool for
your staff. We can save you
money AND ease your parking
problems.
.A 1t4 E LATEST
Atw Yousa Q Rot#Ko.
Health Service Handbook
By SYLVIA HACKER and NANCY PALCHIK
QUESTION: What's the best thing to do about
blisters on your feet? Some people say to pop
them, and some say don't touch them. Is there
any way to prevent them?
ANSWER: "Sometimes athletes" often develop
blisters at pressure points in the first few weeks
of activity. If the pressure continues, the skin
thickens and a callus is formed. Usually, blisters
would, not form there again if usage continues,
but with a sudden great increase in the activity
which brought on the blister, the callus may break
down and a fresh blister form on top of it.
Many activities which involve both friction
and pressure to the feet cause blisters. Efforts
should be directed at helping the foot move
smoothly and easily in the shoe. Sonme people
approach the problem by spraying the feet with
an adherent such as tincture of benzoin, then
powdering them.
Another method is to coat the sole of the
foot with a thin layer of mineral oil. Others like
to wear snug-fitting light socks under their heavy
athletic socks. But if either pair should wrinkle,
it could cause friction and blistering.
Shoes should fit comfortably but not loosely.
If a blister is small and remains intact, it
is best to leave it alone, and just cover it with
a bandaid. The fluid should be re-absorbed, and
the top layer of skin should peel off.
If a large blister remains unruptured, it may
become painful. Come into the emergency clinic
and ask a nurse to remove the fluid. She would
then trim the "roof" to prevent infection.
When reddening, swelling, pain or hardness
in blisters develop, have a doctor look at it.
QUESTION: I thought I had found the per-
feet method of dieting. I eat overvthing I like,
but then make myself vomit after eating. I've
done this for about a year, but lately I get weak
and dizzy for about half an hour afterwards. I
don't want to stop this because it would mean
having to cut down drastically on eating, and
I'm not psychologically able to do this. I'm afraid
I'm harming my body. How can I stop the ill
effects?
ANSWER: Dr. Arnold Werner of Michigan
State has, in the past, addressed himself to this
question as follows:
Vomiting as a means of controlling one's
caloric intake is quite dangerous. The gastro-
intestinal system is primarily designed to move
food along in a head to tail direction. An un-
reasonable strain is put on the stomach and its
connection to the esophagus and some surround-
ing attachments by repeated induced vomiting:
Even after spontaneous vomiting, one can note
flecks of blood in the regurgitated material. The
violent retching is an accurate reflection of what
is going on physiologically.
If you are unable to control both your food
intake and your vomiting, it might be advisable
to seek some professional help. Why not con-
tact the counseling services in the third floor
of the Union?
- One suggested means of gradually departing
from your modus 'operandi would be to eat is
private, chew the food, and spit it out before
swallowing.
But to insure proper nutrition, get some cons'
seling, and come to the Health Service for help
in designing the proper diet.
Send all health related questions to:
Health Educators
U-M Health Service
207 Fletcher
Ann Arbor, MI 48109