4A - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, October 3, 1996
ahIe £idibgzu EuIg
420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Edited and managed by
students at the
University of Michigan
RONNIE GLASSBERG
Editor in Chief
ADRIENNE JANNEY
ZACHARY M. RAIMI
Editorial Page Editors
Unless 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.
FROM THE DAILY
Notes on the 'Net
Profs. should post notes in cyberspace
"NOTABLE QUOTABLE9
'We have no set standards about amount of allocation.
We will allocate very large sums of money to groups if
they can prove they will use it effectively.'
- Budget Priorities Committee Vice Chair John Lopez; the BPC is
responsible for funding student groups registered with MSA.
YUKI KUNIYUUKIGROUND ZERO
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
nformation-ravenous 'Net surfers visit
the University's Internet sites more than
500,000 times per day. In university set-
tings, the World Wide Web has become an
invaluable tool for knowledge, entertain-
ment and communication. The possibilities
for the ever-growing web are as limitless as
the technology that supports it. The Internet
now makes it possible for professors to
enhance their lectures and further educate
their students - professors should consider
posting course notes on the massive web.
There are many advantages to having
professor-approved copies of notes accessi-
ble on the Internet. The first is the creation
of a superior reference for students wishing
to supplement their own course notes.
Posted notes may look like an invitation to
skip class, but students will most likely use
them as an additional learning tool. Most
students are responsible adults who know
from experience that not attending class
amounts to no passing grade.
Examination success is most often con-
tingent on a thorough understanding of
material presented in class. Professors' and
graduate student instructors' notes can
greatly enrich students' studying efforts.
Notes can focus a large amount of material
into precise segments of information.
Furthermore, students can print out
notes available on the Internet to take them
to class as a formal outline to follow during
lectures. Students could pay more attention
to the live instruction during classes with-
out the hindrance of writing down the pro-
fessor's every word.
Aiother benefit to having professors
post :their notes on the Internet is fairness
- everyone has access to the same notes. A
horde of note taking companies on campus
look to reap in student money. Not every
student can afford to purchase such expen-
sive and often uncertain study tools. Notes
officially published on the Internet would
create a level educational playing field for
all by establishing a standardized set of
notes available equally to every student.
Also, the note taking companies are unreli-
able - any scribe can sell notes to the com-
panies without a quality check.
Another advantage to Internet notes is
the web itself. Notes on the 'Net would
encourage students to learn how to use this
massive reference library - and it would
allow professors to offer additional infor-
mation through links to other interesting
sites. Students' researching abilities would
be enhanced by familiarity with the 'Net.
Additional supplemental readings for
courses could also be just a few mouse
clicks away from any professor's homepage.
Although the technology to probe the
Internet is abundant across campus, not all
students take advantage of the resource.
Notes on the Internet might inspire those
who are concerned about the difficulty or
are unfamiliar with the web to try it.
Professors must not ignore the chance
they have to further educate and electrify
students through this new information fron-
tier. While some may fear eventual replace-
ment by technology, web resources will
only enhance the -teaching process. In an
effort to further the educational process,
those who teach and those who are taught
must boldly investigate the beneficial
impact of technology mixed with learning.
If professors publish their course notes on
the World Wide Web, students will be better
prepared to face college classes today and
the technology-driven society of tomorrow.
B iased new world
Wilson imposes insidious vision on Calif.
ice again, Gov. Pete Wilson (R-Calif.)
OJ is trying to impose his vision of
American life on Californians. Recently,
Wilson issued a set of rules that social
workers must follow when determining
which potential parents can adopt foster
children. The rules will require workers to
arguethat it is not in the best interests of a
child to be placed in a single-parent or
same-sex family. Wilson will also push
caseworkers to discourage same-sex cou-
ples or single parental hopefuls from con-
sidering adoption.
Wilson has unleashed yet another part of
his frightening world model -- witness his
stances on chemical castration and immi-
gration. He continues to put forth state leg-
islation - some of which the Supreme
Court may deem unconstitutional, such as
Proposition 187. However, this time the
federal courts cannot oversee Wilson's rec-
ommendations, making them all the more
dangerous.
By regulating adoption, Wilson foolish-
ly hopes to solve problems such as teen
pregnancy, youth drug use, violence and
crime. He believes that only heterosexual
couples can protect foster children from the
evils of a valueless world overrun with non-
traditional families.
Heterosexual married couples may do a
great job rearing children. However, many
same-sex and single parents can also give
children the love, care and attention they
deserve. Moreover, in a country where 50
percent of marriages end in divorce,
Wilson's regulations could lessen the child's
chances of being in a stable family and
ples and single parents from adopting, the
potential field of families that can provide
for a child's needs will diminish.
Some wish to adopt because of a physi-
ological incapability to have children -
particularly married heterosexual couples
who have already tried to conceive.
Statistics show that same-sex couples and
single parents more frequently adopt older
children, terminally ill children and chil-
dren with severe handicaps. Under Wilson's
new rules, state-run foster homes may
become the parents of these children,
instead of live parents.
Californians should turn away from
Wilson and focus on constructive solutions
to societal problems. New criteria should be
introduced into the adoption policy to allow
any caring and fit person or couple -~
straight, gay, lesbian or bisexual - to adopt
children.
The desire to care for a child does not
depend on sexual orientation or marital sta-
tus. Rather, people who wish to adopt
should want to make commitments like
reading to their children every night, help-
ing them with their homework - in
essence, giving quality time and attention.
Married heterosexual couples are not supe-
rior in accomplishing the task.
Education and support can also help par-
ents, whether adoptive or biological - a
white picket fence alone will not shield a
child from harsh realities and tough choic-
es. Wilson's ridiculous rules sound more
like an attack on any group he chooses to
exclude from his American family dream
world - and his subversive tactics are
Deaf have a
language
TO THE DAILY:
I am a deaf graduate stu-
dent here at the University, in
my first year. I enjoyed the
story about Joan Smith
("Louder Than Words,"
9/25/96), the coordinator of
services for deaf and hard of
hearing. It is good that you
did a story about people who
do a great service for the
deaf on campus. I would like
to see an expansion of this
story with more deaf voices,
interviews among the 28 deaf
people here on campus.
That would add more to
the picture. I think it would
be great if you could print a
story about how the deaf peo-
ple live here with the hearing
people on campus.
For example, how deaf
people get up in the morn-
ings, enjoy television, be
roommates with hearing peo-
ple, etc.
We deaf do have a lan-
guage. Also, going to sign
language class is not the only
way hearing people can learn
how to communicate with
deaf people. Hearing people
can approach deaf people in
their class and say "Hi" with
a smile. The smile is univer-
sal!
ELLEN HIBBARD
GRADUATE STUDENT
Republican
message is
hypocritical
To THE DAILY:
Recently, the sidewalks
around campus have sported
various messages supporting
Bob Dole's candidacy for
president.
I just took this for granted
as a normal part of election
year party politics - until
today. While I was walking to
class, two messages caught
my eye.
One read, "GOP women
are straight" while another
proclaimed, "Republican
women like men." While
some undoubtedly found
these messages offensive, I
was surprisingly amused.
I find it extremely ironic
that the same students who
complain about Daily articles
and editorials that "unfairly"
stereotype the Republican
Party agenda as bigoted and
exclusionary, would inundate
the campus with messages
that are - what else - big-
oted and exclusionary.
Presumably, based on
these messages, any woman
who does not espouse cutting
student loans, gutting welfare
and/or gay bashing does not
like men
just wish they would put their
money - and their chalk -
where their mouths are.
ERICA COHEN
LSA JUNIOR
ITD doesn't
access
deleted
messages
TO THE DAILY:
In a recent editorial
("User Beware," 9/27/96), the
Daily stated: "Burns said
ITD keeps messages that the
user deletes (deleted mes-
sages 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."
I'd like to offer some clar-
ification and reassurance; the
possibility of a determined
hacker gaining access to an
e-mail message you've delet-
ed is extremely small.
Information Technology
Division backs up IMAP
(Pine) e-mail mailboxes to
tape on a daily basis to pro-
tect users from loss of their
messages due to machine or
network failures. Mail that
you've marked for deletion,
and have expunged from your
mailbox, could be on one of
these backup tapes. However,
the longest a backed-up mes-
sage remains directly accessi-
ble is one cay. While the
message is still technically
accessible, the risk of some-
one gaining illegal access to
it is minimal. To my knowl-
edge, no one has ever
obtained illegal access to
these backups.
Note that this schedule
applies to the e-mail service
ITD provides. If you use a
departmental e-mail system,
a POP client like Eudora, or
some other e-mail service,
check with your service
provider about its backup
policy and retention of delet-
ed mail. Users should focus
instead on what they can do
to protect themselves and
their information. The Daily
editorial offered this excel-
lent advice, which is well
worth repeating:
Change your password
often.
® Keep your password
private.
Watch for unfamiliar
files in your IFS storage
space.
Watch for unusual
behavior in any computer
program.
pgReport such unfamiliar
files or unusual behavior to
the Information Technology
Division. Contact a sites
employee if you are at a mon-
itored comntina siteor
and self-righteous letter
"Abortion degrades morality"
(9/27/96). I would like to
bring in an interesting, reli-
gious side note. Last year, I
took an interesting course
called "Jewish Civilization."
According to Jewish law, dur-
ing a pregnancy, the mother's
life takes precedence over all.
So, by banning the late-term
abortion, the government is
not only infringing on per-
sonal freedom, but also on
religious freedom.
Nagrant insults the intelli-
gence of Daily readers.
Anybody who has really lis-
tened or readanything about
the late-term abortion knows
that it is only done in cases
when the mother's life is at
risk. It is a medical procedure
that is done to save the life of
the mother. There are no
other options - the woman
would probably die if she
carried the child to term.
Typically, the parents in these
cases desperately want to
have the child.
Thank God that Nagrant,
being a man, will never go
through the tremendous pain
of choosing between his life
and his unborn child. I am
sure this whole issue would
not be so black-and-white if
seven months into her preg-
nancy you had to help your
wife - whom you loved
enough to commit to spend-
ing the rest of your lives
together - choose between
her life and the life of an
unborn child, lying next to
her in bed every night, won-
dering if it's the last.
KATIE MURTHA
LSA SENIOR
GOP is earth-
conscious
To THE DAILY:
I write this letter to clarify
what the Republican Party
stance is toward the environ-
ment. Clearly, like most citi-
zens, we realize and value the
benefits of a healthy environ-
ment. There is no denying
that a clear, sunny day sure
beats a smoggy one.
However, Republicans do
not pass every piece of envi-
ronmental legislation.
Members of the GOP tend to
be financially conservative,
and most of the time this
environmental legislation is
either financially unsound or
just a glimmer of hope.
For instance, imagine you
had a scrape. Would a multi-
million dollar Band-aid be
the best way of solving the
problem? Of course not.
An example would be the
legislation that forced Exxon
to pay millions to clean up
the Valdez oil spill.
Seemingly, this looked like
something that would help
the environment The ironic
POWERFUL MPAT
The Welfare
Reform Act
hurts children
L wing in the inner city, a young
black mother with illegitimate
children is stereotypically seen to con-
suime the resources of our nation. She
alone is seen as a lazy ignoramus
soaking up our
country's wealth
through the wel-
fare system.
This woman is
considered lazy
because some feel
she would rather
stay on welfare
than work, and
ignorant because
she is seen as hav-
ing several chil- MPATANISHI
dren for the sole TAYARI
purpose of
increasing her government aid: $50
per month.
And so, because of the widespread
belief, public outcry for welfare
reform ultimately led the president of
the United States to sign into law on(
of the most sweeping changes in wel-
fare legislation since the 1960s.
The Welfare Reform Act (P.L. 104
193, The Personal Responsibility and
Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
of 1996) claims to "end welfare as we
know it, to move poor Americans out
of dependence and into jobs.
The legislation is believed to provide
an effective way to strengthen families
and discourage single parenthoo
which some view as the fundamenta
problem facing America today.
Effective Oct. 1, the federal law no
longer guarantees welfare help to
needy individuals and families.
THE WELFARE ACT SUMMARY
Among several other programs, the
welfare reform law abolishes Aid to
Families with Dependent Children, the
primary cash-aid program for families,
and JOBS, the work and training pros
gram for welfare recipients.
Essentially, the new law dramatical-
ly increases work requirements frot
current law without increasing invest-
ment in work.
In addition, federal funds can now be
used to provide not more than a total
of five years of aid in a lifetime to a
family. And the act eliminates the
guarantee under current law that child
care help will beprovided to familie
on welfare that need child care to par
ticipate in work or training.
To further show that it actually hurts
children more than anything, the
Welfare Act cuts close to $3 billion
over six years from child nutrition
programs. The act also eliminates the
option of serving an additional meal or
snack to kids in child care centers for
more than eight hours per day.
Legal immigrants now in the coun
try may not receive food stamp help
(even if they currently receive these
benefits). At states' discretion, as of
Jan. 1, 1997, legal immigrants may
also be denied welfare help, social ser-
vices and non-emergency Medicaid.
Alternatively, legal immigrants who
enter the country after enactment of
the law are subject to even more
sweeping denials of help. During the
first five years after entry, they are
barred from receiving most means
tested federal help (including child
care, food stamps and welfare).
THE WELFARE REALITY
According to the U.S. Commerce
Department's Census Bureau report
from August, and contrary to popular'
belief, children make up most of the
very poor, with those under 18 years of
age comprising a whopping 48 per-
cent. Similarly, the country's growin,
elderly population makes up 11 per
cent of the poor.
Additionally, young black women do
not make up the majority of those
below poverty line and those receiving
public aid. The U.S. Census Bureau
report from March of 1995 shows that
whites make up the largest portion of
U.S. poverty with 44.7 percent; 27.1
percent of the poor are blacks, 22.4
percent Hispanic, and the remaining
5.8 percent are made up of other race
Another reality of welfare is the
recognition that people don't want to
be on welfare and that it is, indeed,
hard for the 'poor to make ends meet
- even with jobs and government
assistance. According to 1995 U.S.
Department of Labor research, a head
of household (1 worker with 2 chil-
dren) earning the minimum wage of
$4.25 per hour and benefiting from an
earned-income tax credit will still eard
$1,080 below the poverty line in 1996.
Too many homeless people know a
minimum-wage job doesn't cover a
one-bedroom apartment at fair market
rent in any state. Following this, the
number of homeless Americans will