4- The Michigan Daily - Friday, December 6, 1996
$IE £kih lug
420 Maynard Street
BAnn Arbor, MI 48109
edited and managed by
: students at the
U niversity of Michigan
RONNIE GLASSBERG
Editor in Chief
ADRIENNE JANNEY
ZACHARY M. RAIMI
Editorial Page Editors
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
'I'd like to say the word sorry.
The word "sorry" Is a very powerful word.
It has a lot of meaning, and It Is meant.'
-- Jonathan Schmitz, discussing his emotions in the killing of
Scott Amedure after a taping of "The Jenny Jones Show"
JIM LASSER SHARP AS TOAST
T DON'T IjKE SMITHVILLE
(iTH E LOOKS
24 hours to
liberation: Last
all-nighter as
SHAKING THE TREE
I
Uless otherwise noted, unsigned editorials reflect the opinion of the majority of the Daily's editorial board. All
other articles, letters and cartoons do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Michigan Daily.
ROM THE DAILY
w
Recycle mania
I"
t
Drop-Off Station
nn Arbor's latest recycling plan came
to fruition Wednesday with the open-
iig of the Drop-Off Station. The drive-
through facility is the city's new one-stop
recycling center. Patrons can dispose of
yard waste, freon appliances, scrap metal
and recyclables such as paper, household
batteries and corrugated boxes. The new
site, located west of Platt Road and south of
Ellsworth Road, will eventually replace Ann
Arbor's two existing facilities. Also, it will
dffer increased efficiency, longer hours and
economic benefits for the city. The estab-
4 shment of the new recycling center will
inprove the quality of the city's recycling
program.
A recent Congressional Record noted
public apathy as one of the major impedi-
oients to the expansion of recycling in
America. This indifference underlies the
fact that America recycles only 13 percent
of its garbage annually, although it possess-
es the technology to recycle 80 to 90 per-
,ent. By modeling the new facility in a
drive-through format, the Drop-Off Station
will minimize the inconvenience to its
#atrons. Consequently, many people previ-
ously daunted by the inconvenience of recy-
'ling will turn to the expedient Drop-Off
Station to dispose of their waste. As dispos-
al services for typical household items are
free, the new facility will provide a finan-
cial incentive for those who wish to bypass
fhe city's annual curbside recycling fee of
approximately $25.
: Tom McMurtrie, Ann Arbor's recycling
coordinator, told The Ann Arbor News that
ihe city would have to pay $106,000 annu-
Wg
~ Wavinga
will benefit A2
ally to continue running the recycling drop-
off station on South Industrial Highway and
the drop-off site for other materials off of
Platt Road. By contrast, the Drop-Off
Station, which will centralize and expand
the services of the other two sites, will cost
the city only $66,000 per year. Through
consolidation and modernization, the new
recycling system will bring Ann Arbor resi-
dents a more efficient system at a greatly
reduced cost, lessening the amount of taxes
funneled into the city's sanitation program.
Despite the drastically diminished cost
of the new recycling program, the Drop-Off
station will impose a relatively large fee
upon customers who seek to dispose of non-
toxic waste, scrap metal and yard or bulk
waste. The fees range from $1 for a gallon
of antifreeze to $25 for freon appliances.
Such high costs will deter many people who
are not avid environmentalists from proper-
ly disposing of these materials.
Ann Arbor should, in some way, absorb
the disposal costs for such items. By doing
so, the city would provide a great incentive
for people to recycle wastes and would
diminish the volume of incorrectly disposed
waste.
The revamped recycling program will
afford the neighboring community more
efficiency while diminishing tax money
spent on sanitation. However, the costs
imposed on patrons for recycling certain
wastes will likely deter many from recy-
cling. Ann Arbor should investigate ways to
absorb or greatly reduce these costs to
encourage recycling among the neighboring
community.
ff women
HOLIDAY
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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one
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who
Dow Coming must compensate victims
ow Corning has gone belly-up. Or, the stand, Dow Corning's hope is that the
more appropriately, breast-implant- women's claims would be silenced. The
the company finances are currently hope is the jury will find no probable link
ning in a self-made, silicone-based between the broken implants and the
women's illnesses. The claims of all women
ist Monday, the company proposed a relating to those particular conditions then
uptcy reorganization plan that would would be denied. Dow Corning needs a
ide $2 billion for thousands of women wake up call - no trial will change the fact
ing damages from silicone breast that they're already at fault.
nts. In addition, the new plan would Some people think Dow Corning is still
the lawsuits that have already been in denial - the problem won't disappear
after one trial. In reality, that won't happen,
he crucial part of the plan calls for a as there are many complex cases and over-
in which the federal district court jury lapping conditions. The silicone implant
d hear testimony from scientists and suits have now stretched over several years,
rs to determine whether evidence despite mounting scientific evidence that
s a link between faulty silicone the patients' claims are valid.
ants and reported illnesses. Dow Should a trial be held, the judge must
ing is wasting its time and money with make sure that the women who filed suits
ial; they should drop the case and pay do not receive more unfair treatment. The
vomen who have been affected by the implant battle has become drawn-out much
y implants. Many women have suffered further than was ever necessary. The issue
impensating them is long overdue. needs to be resolved as swiftly as possible.
n overwhelming amount of research After all the turmoil the women have been
hown that silicone breast implants are put through, their compensation is long
erous. If they burst or leak, a the over-due. It is the judge's responsibility -
nt's health is in serious danger. Dow as well as the plaintiff's lawyers - to
ing appears to be trying to get out of ensure that the legal struggle comes to an
g the suits by putting scientific evi- appropriate end for the affected women.
e on trial. The company has already The women deserve to be compensated for
millions of dollars on implant-related the pain and suffering they endured; Dow
battles. Corning should not continue to fight this.
ut Dow Corning is so desperate to save Going to trial is a waste of time and
y that it is willing to bring the case to money - and it is unfair to the women,
. It also wants just scientists and who have valid claims. Dow Corning
rchers testifying. By keeping, women should recognize this and take the neces-
Article
overlooked
N. Campus
mini-courses
TO THE DAILY:
Although I was glad to
read about the coverage of
the many mini-courses
offered at the University,
there was a grave oversight in
the article ("UAC to bring
back mini-courses,' 12/3/96).
What the Daily forgot to
mention was that there is
another union on this cam-
pus, the North Campus
Commons (also known as the
PierpontiCommons) that also
offers mini-courses.
The Uncommon Courses
Program is just as successful
and just as popular as the
Union's programs and several
courses were offered at the
Pierpont Commons this fall.
The benefits of teaching at
the Pierpont Commons far
outweigh the 1-minute bus
ride there. Smaller class
sizes, bigger rooms and the
wonderful administrative
staff are just a few of the
benefits.
Unfortunately, these
courses are now over, but I,
as well as my students,
enjoyed the bartending
course that was offered. I
never fully understood the
complaints of many of my
fellow students who attend
the various schools on North
Campus until my class,
which I have been teaching
for four years now, was com-
pletely ignored in your cover-
age of mini-courses. North
Campus has never gotten the
coverage that it deserves. I
would have given students at
the University an opportunity
to take the classes that were
offered at the Pierpont
Commons, if the Daily had
covered the story of the con-
fusion over the mini-courses
at the Union, when it actually
occurred. The confusion over
whether or not mini-courses
would be offered at the
Union occurred well over two
months ago. Oh, and by the
way, two bartending classes
were offered at the union this
fall. They were completed
earlier this week. Please get
your facts straight.
KENNETH A. MALLWITZ
LSA SENIOR
Bad story
placement
TO THE DAILY:
1 am a reader of the
Daily's everyday and usually
enjoy what I am reading. The
front page of today's
(December 15) paper offend-
ed me. I am a Jew here at the
Hanukkah story.
Why on Earth would you
put a Jewish celebration story
right next to a story about
Neo-Nazis ("Neo-Nazi fliers
planted in 'U' book")!?!
Which story does your
staff think is more important?
The Nazi story is the first
story that is read while the
Hanukkah story is front and
center and first seen. Either
you guys are ignorant or
"stupid" that would allow the
front page laid out the way it
is. I can understand putting
both stories in the paper, but
not right next to each other.
I believe the Daily owes
an apology to every reader,
like myself, that was offend-
ed.
I understand the freedom
of the press allowing you to
write a story about Nazis, but
as I have said before, think
about your page layouts
before you printsthe papers.
That is all I am saying.
JASON SHAIN
LSA SENIOR
Daily did not
investigate
NAC closing
To THE DAILY:
On Nov. 21, the Daily
printed a story titled
"Eateries close amid viola-
tions." Unfortunately this
story was poorly researched
and titled to make it appear
as if Not Another Cafe closed
because of poor sanitary con-
ditions and a bad health
inspection. I was the manager
of the NAC from January
until July, during the time of
the mentioned health inspec-
tion, and can therefore
enlighten the Daily and its
readers with the full story.
It would seem to me that
the Daily would require its
reporters to fully investigate
an article with such a slanted
view, including talking to old
employees and managers of
the NAC. If I had been con-
tacted by a Daily reporter I
would have been able to tell
whomever that yes, NAC
received a score of 73 out of
a possible 100. However, the
NAC was very clean.
One of the violations,
"kitchen ceiling with leak
into bucket on floor" was due
to a leak coming from the
walk in freezer upstairs at
Mitch's. The landlord and
maintenance, as well as man-
agement at Mitch's had been
informed and the problem
was being addressed, but was
not up to the Cafe to fix.
Second, the "side service
door being held open with a
brick" was because the NAC
was receiving a delivery. As
for employees consuming
food and drink while on duty,
the health inspector informed
ever every violation that the
Cafe did receive was rectified
immediately. The NAC was
not a dirty or unsanitary busi-
ness. All surfaces were
bleached down every night, a
professional cleaning service
came daily, and employees
followed all pertinent health
regulations. Not Another
Cafe went out of business
because of financial difficul-
ties, not because of a failed,
or nearly failed, health
inspection. If the Daily is
going to print article like
"Eateries close amid viola-
tions" their reporters should
gather all the facts first and
not give the story a biased
edge.
NICOLE MCMACKIN
LSA SENIOR
AATA would
like students'
suggestions
for shelter
TO THE DAILY:
I would like to thank Alex
Lengemann, president of
Sigma Alpha Epsilon, for his
offer to permit the Ann Arbor
Transportation Authority to
put a bus shelter on the frater-
nity's property in his letter to
the editor Nov. 19 ("AATA
should contact fraternity").
The AATA had maintained a
bus shelter on Washtenaw at
S. University Avenue since
1981 until a truck crashed
into it in September. When
this happened, however, we
were already planning to
remove the shelter, out of
necessity rather than choice. It
sat right next to the street and
had suffered repeated damage
from vehicles. But, more
importantly, it was no longer
in compliance with regula-
tions, and ther wasn't room
to bring it into compliance.
We reviewed the site last
year to figure out where we
could move the shelter. The
ideal location would have
been right across the side-
walk from the old location,
on Sigma Alpha Epsilon's
property. Unfortunately, this
is at the Mudbowl and the
ground drops away just past
the sidewalk. There is not
nearly enough room for a
shelter. It is for this reason
that we did not contact them.
So although we appreciate
Lengemann's offer, we can-
not make use of it.
We did contact the sorori-
ty just south of the old loca-
tion, Kappa Alpha Theta, and
requested permission to put
the shelter on their property,
but they refused.. We consid-
ered other options, and
installed a bench, but no
longer have a shelter at this
an undergrad
SY ou finally get motivated to write
the stupid paper. You put on your
boots, gloves, mittens, hat and ear-
muffs, and trudge
throughthe snow r
(or the mud, '
depending on
lovely Ann Arbor
weather's mood
that day), nearly
get blown into the
street by the wind,
and make a rest..:;,
stop in the Grad
Library because KATIE
it's too miserable HUTCHINS
to take that few
extra steps to Angell without taking a
breather.
You get there, and you're prepared.
It's midnight, and it's time to read the
books (or at least page through them to
get good quotes) and pump out some
good-sounding material.
But there's a 45-minute wait for
computers. At midnight.
Such is the nature of the week before
finals. The atmosphere hits the whole
town. I went to Touchdown on
Monday to mingle with the Monday
night football crowd; the place was
more than half empty.
I went to Rendezvous and heard two
first-year students musing about
whether it was too late to drop their
classes.
I met two guys in Gratzi who were
stressing about their classes. One was
studying physics and the other was
taking some kind of lab involving radi-
ation. It's completely beyond me why
people choose to take these classes.
Don't they read the course descrip-
tions?
I went to University Health Service
and saw three people I knew. "You sick
too?" I asked. They mumbled some
thing and walked away, sniffling and
not particularly interested in talking.
They highlighted in textbooks while
they~waited.
I went to Amer's (I spend a lot of
time in coffee shops) and saw my boss
- editorial page co-editor Adrienne
Janney - giving me the same forlorn
look I always see on her face (we usu-
ally run into each other at computing
sites). She hadn't slept in two days
and wasn't planning on sleeping that
night either.
People just aren't all that happy this
week. It's a cruel system. We got a
taste of the good life in a teeny little
Thanksgiving break, during which
most of us pledged to work but most
were grateful just to get time off. I
know my lap-top never got plugged in
and the 10 pounds of books I brought
home were never opened.
And then we were dragged, reluc-
tantly, back to Ann Arbor, suddenly
more behind than we were before, and
all of a sudden we have to take finals
and write a few dozen papers.
But this time, it's different. I pulled
my very last undergraduate all-nighter
this week. For the last time, I. snuck
Diet Mountain Dews and pretzels into
Angell and stayed there until sunrise.
For the last time, I sniffled and nappe
and Netscaped my way through anoth-
er dreadful night. It's all over for me,
kids.
And you know what? The classes I
worked the least for are the ones I
liked the most. Don't roll your eyes
and think, "Of course. Duh." Because
they're also the ones I learned from the
most.
Think about it. Stats 402. That was
my hardest class. That's the oneai
which I studied 40 hours for the final,
sobbing and freaking for two weeks
straight. But there's no way in hell I
can tell you how to do a Chi-square, or
what a Chi-square even is. This is no
slight to Prof. Brenda Gunderson, who
spoon-feeds statistics to you so well
there's no excuse for not learning.
But I took the course three years
ago, back when I had the energy for
nightly homework and 9 a.m. classes
And if you don't use statistics i
everyday life (and for your sake, I
hope you don't), you lose it.
Another class that might be consid-
ered difficult (because I actually had
to study and do all the readings) is
biopsych.
Although I loved the subject matter
and I really am interested in neurons
transmitting messages and such (I'm
not being sarcastic here), I don't reall
remember much. I remember what
learned about, but not what I learned
about it.
But my easiest classes were the little
seminars, sometimes in professors'
homes, where we read a book a week
(in English') and discussed them and
r
NI
received the company's implants off
sary steps to compensate the women.
How TO CONTACT THEM
INGRID SHELDON
ANN ARBOR MAYOR
;:>