4 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, September 27, 1996

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420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Edited and managed by
students at the
University of Michigan

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RONNIE GLASSBERG
Editor in Chief
ADRIENNE JANNEY
ZACHARY M. RAIMI
Editorial Page Editors

Unless otherwise noted, unsigned editorials reflect the opinion of'the majority o the Dailv s editorial hoard. Al/
other articles, letters and cartoons do not necessarily reect the opinion of]The Michigan Daily
FROM THE DAILY

f

User beware

NOTABLE QUOTABLE
'My first year here at the University is a learning
experience in and out of the classroom. One of my
roommates is a dream and the other is a nightmare.'
-An LSA first-year student, discussing life at the University
Jim LASSER SHARP AS TOAST
WE DON'T C-ET 1T.
C
- ~E 1A Y A A RFAT
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

U computer systems
ecently the Information Technology
J.Division reported that several stu-
dents' unignames and passwords were
stolen, in a plot by unidentified hackers.
The incident sent a ripple of fear through
the University community - strangers
could expose computer users' private infor-
mation. While the University should be
concerned about the security lapse, comput-
er users, with a little knowledge and effort,
can take precautions to safeguard their e-
mail accounts.
E-mail fraud comes in a variety of
forms. It is easy for users to send e-mail
under the names of another person.
Computer programs exist that can change
the header on a message to make it appear
to come from another account. This pseudo-
plagiarism could cause inconveniences for
the innocent person whose name appears on
the e-mail.
Students can be proactive to safeguard
their information: First, they should consid-
er changing their e-mail passwords often.
Laurie Burns, the associate director of ITD,
recommends students change their pass-
words at least every six months. The proce-
,dure is simple and only takes a few minutes.
-Also, it is vital to keep the password private
- sharing this information could lead to e-
mail fraud and breach of privacy.
In addition, computer users should look
for files in their accounts that are unfamil-
jar - it could indicate that an outsider com-
promised a student's account. And, if users
notice unusual behavior in any computer
program, they should report the abnormali-
ty to ITD.
Moreover, Burns said sending e-mail
through Netscape is unsafe. Burns said the
first time a person clicks on an e-mail link

not safe from fraud
However, after the e-mail is sent, the per-
sonal information is not deleted and is
stored as a "preference" on the computer.
Hence, someone could send e-mail from
another user's account if the preferences are
not changed.
To prevent fraud or abuse, students
should change the preference before allow-
ing someone else access to the computer by
simply shutting down the computer.
Also, computer users should not leave
terminals unattended for long periods of
time. The ITD newsletter expressly warned
University computer users about this dan-
ger.
No matter what program students use,
they should limit the amount of information
they include in e-mail messages. For exam-
ple, sending highly personal information,
such as social security numbers and credit
card numbers, may be unwise.
The University considers e-mail private;
it cannot read messages without the permis-
sion of the sender or recipient, or without a
court order. Burns said ITD keeps messages
that the user deletes (deleted messages are
removed from the user's view), but was
unsure for how long. In the interim, hackers
can access - with the requisite software -
the "deleted" messages ITD stores.
ITD takes measures to secure the
University's computer systems by constant-
ly upgrading its security and reviewing new
measures to try to use the best software
available. In fact, ITD works with software
vendors to remove security risks from their
programs. But an unfortunate consequence
of the increasing complexity of the comput-
er age is that it demands more, not less, vig-
ilance on the part of consumers to safeguard
privacy.
To paraphrase the old consumer adage,
user beware.

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4etscape, the program asks for his or her
4name and password.
A hairy

ituation

VMI should embrace armed force's rules
ast summer, the Supreme Court ruled an unjust and hostile environment for enter-
/ that the all-male Virginia Military ing women. Crew cuts maintain cleanliness
itute, nestled in the Blue Ridge moun- in close quarters and unnatural habitats dur-
s of Virginia, could not exclude women ing wartime. VMI students are not about to
le taking state money. VMI, the last sin- be shipped to Vietnam; if and when they are
sex, state-supported school in the called to war, cadets can shave their heads.
on, prides itself in teaching men "vigor- The stringent standard only degrades new
virtues" - self-reliance, self-control, female cadets. The length of one's hair has
rage and determination. At first, VMI no bearing on one's leadership capabilities.
sed to allow the women to enroll. But VMI found additional ways to make
r a lengthy legal battle, the institution is women feel uncomfortable. Female cadets
lly allowing women to apply. At the will have their own shower facilities, but
e time, VMI is taking steps to make the privacy is limited. The cadets can draw cur-
re female cadets feel uncomfortable by tains over the windows only when "basic
osing unreasonable standards. VMI human decency" is at stake. Providing
uld follow the lead of the armed forces women with a moderate amount of privacy
treat women with respect. is not unreasonable.
[he newly admitted women - sched- VMI has yet to prove that its administra-
I to begin next fall - must meet the tion is comfortable with women on its
sical standards that men do, including premises. The other military academies,
w cuts. "Female cadets will be treated which also admitted women, have main-
;isely as we treat male cadets," said VMI tained or improved their reputation. Terry
erintendent Josiah Bunting III. "It Leedom, spokesperson for The Citadel,
ild be demeaning to women to cut them reported that the four women cadets who
k." But VMI's proposals undercut its started this fall "are all doing well." The
fessed determination to foster equality. Citadel follows the military guidelines
)ther military academies - such as The regarding the treatment of women; this has
[del in South Carolina and the U.S. most likely helped them adjust to the male-
ned Services - have different require- dominated institution.
its for women and men. Women are VMI already created a negative environ-
wed two inches longer hair than men. ment for women - from the pleading court
ess tests are scored differently to battle to the "Better Dead than Coed" T-
aunt for physiological differences. For shirts sold at the University Sportswear
mple, the institutions allot women two store. The crew cut, lack of attention to
itional minutes to complete a two-mile housing arrangements and physical require-
ments are not an issue of preferential treat-
VMI should embrace the federal mili- ment.

Stop issuing
tickets to
cyclists
TO THE DAILY:
I write this letter on
behalf of both motorcycle
and car drivers that park in
the city of Ann Arbor. Since I
am both, I feel the need to
voice a complaint toward the
officers of the Department of
Public Safety whom I indi-
rectly employ.
Anyone who drives in this
city knows the difficulty in
finding parking around cam-
pus. How would this problem
be if all the motorcycles on
campus began parking at
meters? Soon this could be
the case.
During the last several
weeks, I have been given
three $17mtickets for parking
in the same spots 1 have for
years. Maybe they're low on
their $3 million in parking
fees this year, or maybe
they're just bored; yet, I still
find it amazing that a Honda
motorcycle can be both
"parked on walk" as well as
"parked in bike area," as the
ticket informed me.
One of the finest exam-
ples of DPS's whimsical
behavior is when I was
parked outside of the C.C.
Little building last Easter
Sunday. where I had parked
and worked for more than a
year. 1 didn't get an Easter
basket last year, so they were
generous enough to plop a
$ 17 paper aster bunny in
my helmet. I'm sure I was
blocking the heavy holiday
maintenance traffic or taking
a bike spot from a student.
The bottom line is this
Since we aren't causing a
congestion problem, I
implore that you leave all
vehicles with two wheels
alone, or provide us with ade-
quate parking around cam-
pus.
DANA H. HANSELMAN
SNRE SENIOR
Abortion
degrades
morality
TO THE DAILY:
Your editorial about abor-
tion insults the intelligence of
The Michigan Daily readers
("Abortion showdown,"
9/24/96). You feel that the
Senate must uphold President
Bill Clinton's veto of a bill
banning the "partial birth
abortion."
You try to mislead the
readers by saying that the
U.S. House overturned
Clinton's veto by a mere four
votes more than the neces-
sary two-thirds majority. You
neulect to point out that a

unborn, if they carry the
child to term." You overlook
that abortion does not just
"endanger" the life of the
child, it takes away the life of
the child.
Parents are supposed to
love their children, and
always put their children
first. It should be plain to
every University student that
we were able to make it to
the University because our
parents (and/or other adults)
gave their lives to us. It is the
responsibility of all people to
give their lives to others as
parents, as professionals and
as friends. A loving, expec-
tant mother should be willing
to literally give her life if it
means that her child survives.
I urge all readers to write
your senator. Strive to
improve the lives of all peo-
ple, especially of children.
ANDREW NAGRANT
LSA SENIOR
Student fee
should not be
mandatory
TO THE DAILY:
Well, I guess I must with
great sadness say "I told you
so!" During the past
Michigan Student Assembly
elections, while Fiona Rose
and Probir Mehta were
putting out their propaganda,
I wrote a letter voicing my
concern about their track
record.
Specifically, their record
of supporting increased fees
and expenses on the backs of
students. So, you can under-
stand why I am not surprised
that MSA is hinting at a
$0.50 per semester increase
in student fees. I am however
dismayed with how students
seem to forget all the politics
and promises made during
the campaigns. The subject of
lowering students' financial
costs came up on more than
one occasion and Rose and
Mehta did not say they felt
we the student body should
be paying more.
OK, what is the big deal
with $0.50 more anyway'?
The big deal is that all the
money taken from students is
taken. It is a tax on students
and frankly, I do not feel
MISA should manage another
penny of my money!
Student fees that MSA
handles really falls under the
category of luxury expenses.
These funds go to things like
funding MSA, funding stu-
dent groups, etc. Think about
it: $90,000 of our student
fees/taxationpwill go to fund
student groups. Do you get
$90,000 worth of services
and benefits from student
groups? Do you get $205,870
worth of services from
MSA? I do not think so!
The real issue is that you

increase for student groups.
How about $1,750.00 for
the Minority Affairs
commission and $19,550.00
for the Ann Arbor eTenants
Union? I do not know how
much money you want to go
to any of these items and I
am not saying that I support
any of them.
But, the reality is that no
one is asking you or me, and
how we feel about these
issues is irrelevant! I think it
is about time that we (take)
control over how our "tax"
dollars are spent and (get) rid
of those who think our
money is theirs for the tak-
ing.
In closing, I think we
should consider a question
that may or may not explain
why these people take and
dispose of our money so
freely: How many MSA
politicians are a) in-state for
fee purposes, b) paid for by
mommy, daddy or someone
else, and c) financially
responsible for someone
other than themselves? I hope
by answering these questions
we get a good explanation of
why they are so eager to take
our money. If not, we can
always just assume some
childhood tragedy is to
blame.
CARLOS E. HERNANDEZ
LSA SENIOR
Romney
undermines
women's
movement
TO THE DAILY:
As a young women, I
always get excited when I see
women doing things that
were once unimaginable. (I
would like to think that other
women feel the same.)
However, I don't think
that Ronna Romney, the
Republican candidate for
U.S. Senate, is on my side.
She simply does not support
women's issues.
Some of the issues that
affect women today are: ade-
quate funding for a college
education, making sure that
my job is secure after a
maternity leave, that good.,
quality child care is available
at a reasonable price, that any
children I might have will be
guaranteed quality health
care, that a public education
system, that is free of parti-
san politics and religious
influence, is well funded and
technologically up to date
and, last but not least, that I
will have the freedom to
decide when I am ready, both
financially and emotionally,
to bring a child into this
world.
One of Romney's main
issues is a constitutional
amendment banning abor-

Sh4Amur m TE
Feminine wiles
can talk any
cod out of a
traffic citation
At my sister's wedding, I told my
new brother-in-law that he cod
certainly drink more wine beca
even if he got pulled over, lie could
probably talk his
way out of a ticket
- especially if he
had a really cute
date with him.
(Please forgive,
my obvious sex-
ism; I was really'
young at the _ x%
time.)
He said he fig-
ured cops would-
n't give attractive KATIE
women special HUTCHINS
treatment.
His reasoning was that if a gorgeous
woman wouldn't give you a second
look in a bar, why should you be nice
because she's kissing your ass so she
doesn't have to get a ticket?
I told him that was silly. Cops v
easy and simple-minded. They coul
easily be distracted from their job by
seductive look or two.
Unfortunately, it was then that I
learned that my new brother-in-law
was a cop.
But my experience had always tol
me that women - and pretty muc
anyone who knows the game - cat
get away with most car incidents.
After all,- my sister was rele
froma speeding ticket after she c
(of course) and showed the officer he
freshly broken nail.
I have never, ever talked my way ou
of a ticket withi a cop. I'm not too goo
with them because they tend to mak
me nervous. But just about every othe
driver I know has a story.
Earlier this week, I was in the pas
senger seat as my friend and I pulle
out of Sweet Lorraine's after hai
miraculously good meal.
He was supposed to drop me off a
Angell Hall so I could write my col
umn. Problem was, he pulled out of hi
spot a little too quickly and slamme
into a car.
Not a big-deal, scary car accident
just about 400 bucks damage to eac
vehicle. But hey - we got away with
out a ticket.
That's happened a lot, and I've co
to learn that if you know how to
the game, you usually can get awa
with anything but physical injury.
We played the role of the quiet
respectful, dressed-up couple. W
called the officer "sir," and sai
"please" and "thank you"
The other couple - who called th
cop in the first place - insisted tha
my date be given a breathalyzer righ
away because he'd admitted to hay
one beer at dinner.
Cops don't like it when you tell the
how to do their job. So neither part
got the ticket, and we pulled away a
the couple continued yelling at th
cop, leaning on his car (a definite no
no) and telling him how he shoul
handle things differently next time.
But it doesn't all relate to schmooz
ing with cops. I've been in six car acci
dents in my life (when I was driving)
But I've only gotten one ticket -"
as I said, I've never talked my way ou
of a ticket with a cop.

One example: I was driving late on
night, saw someone I knew on th
sidewalk, and slammed on my brakes
I was on a lonely, suburb-type street
and the chances of a car being righ
behind me were very slim. But gues
what.
So, after being jolted by the impac
of the other car nearly taking
bumper off, I jumped out and checke
to see if the other driver was OK. Wha
do I see but this gorgeous guy with
kitten in his arms. It was a dream com
true.
Not only this, but the guy was apol
ogizing to me for running into me. H
said his kitten was biting his leg, h
had leaned down for a moment to gra
the kitten and didn't realize I ha
stopped on the street.
What luck. "So, we don't nee
call the cops, right?" I said. "It's bvi
ously your fault." He agreed andpai
me $500 cash for the damage tr m
car.
But there are certainly times whe
you just can't get away with it. Lik
the time a family member of min
(who wishes to remain anonymous
was driving home from the bar, drink
ing a beer. I guess in that generatio
for which the drinking age was 18
it wasn't too unusual toadrink beers i
your car, even while drag racing.
So he wanted to dispose of his bee
but without smashing the glass on th
sidewalk.
Wa'c a Nt..r-r ...t n.ci ..r.t n.


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