4A - The Michigan Daily - Monday, September 21, 1998
cI w ffiid$!uu &d ttlg
420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Edited and managed by
students at the
University of Michigan
LAURIE MAYK
Editor in Chief
JACK SCHILLACI
Editorial Page Editor
'Let go kick some stuck-up,
cappuccino-drinking Wolverine ass!'
- a player on the Eastern Michigan University Echo 's team, at the Michigan
Daily-Eastern Echo football game on Friday, The Michigan Daily won 42-14
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
A lsIn learned
Real world problems are prevalent at the 'U'
KAAMRAN HAFEEZ
THE AGENT ALLEGEDTO HAVE HAD
INAPPROPRIATE CONTACT WITH MIARCUS
RAY WAS APPARENTLY NEW AND NOT
FULLY AWARE OF HER LIMITATIONS.
I
Last Tuesday, the University community
was shocked and saddened by the trag-
ic, drug-related death of LSA sophomore
Chris Giacherio. Even those who did not
know Giacherio are affected by the loss; it
is a harsh reminder that one doesn't need to
be a drug addict or a reckless drunk driver
to be forced to deal with the often unpre-
dictable consequences of substance use.
Drugs are a fact of life on the University
campus and other college campuses nation-
wide. One doesn't have to look too hard to
find students using everything from nico-
tine and alcohol to marijuana and illegal
narcotics. A variety of drugs are used by
college students in a number of ways -
socially, experimentally, habitually and
sometimes quite dangerously. Despite the
prevalence of drugs and drug use, there
generally is not a corresponding amount of
drug awareness and education. The main
drug education many University students
have received was probably from high-
school health classes and the "Just Say No"
campaign.
While drugs can be used to produce
temporarily attractive effects, they can
also pose serious risks. Responsible use of
controlled substances means making an
informed decision about whether the
seemingly beneficial effects of use out-
weigh the potential dangers. To make an
informed decision, one should know how
the substance works on the body, what the
effects are, and how to get help should the
need arise.
College students, in particular, are at
risk. A campus setting can create a danger-
ous atmosphere of false security from the
social perils of the outside world. It is not
uncommon for first-year students to go
overboard with their new-found freedom.
But with this freedom comes the responsi-
bility to make careful decisions and watch
for others who might abuse their freedom.
It is not always easy to tell when drug
use becomes a serious problem. Alcohol,
for example, is so widely used and
accepted that it is not generally viewed as
a drug, making it probably one of the eas-
iest substances to abuse. Students should
take care of themselves and watch out for
their friends. Students should learn to
look for the signs typical of drug abuse in
their friends and be willing to intervene if
the situation becomes serious. Further, it
is important for large campus groups to
work with the University to ensure that a
lack of education is not a problem when
dealing with drug abuse.
The University offers many resources
that can offer support and intervention
options, such as the University Health
Services, the Psychological Clinic and the
services of the University Hospital.
Nationwide toll-free numbers, like The
Alcohol and Drug Help Line at 800-821-
4357 and the Cocaine Abuse Hotline at
800-262-2463 are also available for stu-
dents in any situation - emergency or
otherwise.
Whether recreational or habitual, drug
use can be dangerous. University students
need to be aware of all possible risks, but
more importantly, they must be aware of
the resources available to help them out.
While the college environment may seem
sheltered from many of the problems of
the outside world, it is important for stu-
dents to remember that they are not
immune from the greater social ills that
plague the country.
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C 7HEMECth6At1PA41Y
HE
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Countdown
Computer glitch should be handled quickly
The creation of the computer chip revo-
lutionized the modern world and
opened new doors for researchers to
explore. Research and exploration have
connected the world with satellites, elec-
tronic financial systems, the Internet and
other technological advances. But nothing
is perfect, and neither are computer tech-
nologies. Many people and institutions are
suffering from a major headache called the
Y2K bug. The problem is so big that the
U.S. Senate created a special committee
headed by Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah), to
deal with Y2K by studying its impact on the
economy and offering preventative mea-
sures to its known effects.
In an effort to save computer memory in
a time when it was at a higher premium than
today, computer programmers decided to
code four-digit years with only two digits.
Since then, this decision to save computer
space has had a tremendous impact on com-
puter users throughout the world who are
now trying to correct programs that will
mistakenly assume the year 1900 for 2000.
The University is no exception as it
attempts to deal with the year 2000
quandary.
A small panel called the Committee- to
Review the Year 2000 Impact is in charge of
the University's effort to minimize the
glitch's problems. Under ITD Year 2000
project leader Gloria Thiele's leadership, a
Website, http://www.year2000.umich.edu
was created to provide information and
resources for students and faculty. But even
with the committee's efforts to bring the
Y2K question to the attention of the
University community, some people are
still either unaware or apathetic at the
moment. The Y2K problem will not be
continues.
Part of the solution is to reprogram com-
puters. But the other major portion of the
solution involves testing computers with
simulations of functions performed before
the turn of this century. The Committee
needs to be more vocal about the urgency of
the Y2K problem and University students
and faculty should put this issue on their
agendas. Time and foresight are needed to
test possible solutions.
Another major problem facing the com-
mittee is the decentralized computer envi-
ronment of the University. Each University
department runs its own separate computer
system, creating a major coordination and
accountability problem for any organized
effort to combat the bug. The committee
should be commended for the successful
way in which it has addressed this issue. It
has appointed representatives from each of
the University's academic divisions to coor-
dinate their respective efforts.
The committee successfully identified
two problem areas within the centrally man-
aged computer infrastructure - payroll and
financial-aid systems. Several computer pro-
grams will be replaced and testing will begin
at the beginning of next year.
Although University members may
associate this problem with just govern-
ment, banks, businesses and other large
institutions, it will have a great impact on
students, especially if no plans are made for
their computer corrections. The Committee
to Review the Year 2000 Impact has made a
tremendous effort to address the Y2K prob-
lem. University faculty and students must
do the rest. The University has provided the
resources and information to deal with this
near-future problem and people now must
UJA works to
'repair the
world'
TO THE DAILY:
On Sept. 17, the Daily
printed two letters claiming
that the Half Shekel cam-
paign "supports illegal acts,"
("Half Shekel campaign sup-
ports illegal acts," "Article
did not give the whole
story"). The two authors,
Saladin Ahmed and Aaron
Stark, charge that the United
Jewish Appeal subsidizes
housing in occupied
Palestinian territory - a
direct violation of a U.N. res-
olution. Unfortunately, this
information is incorrect.
The original quotation
from the Sept. 14 Daily arti-
cle about the Half Shekel
Campaign was abused and
falsely presented ("Three-
year-old Half Shekel cam-
paign kicks off again"). The
quotation states that UJA
helps "... Jews in places like
North Africa and Russia emi-
grate to Israel." Stark and
Ahmed assume that this
means immigration to the
West Bank. This is a false
assumption. As a matter of
fact, the UJA clearly states its
position that,
"UJA/Federation funds are all
spent within the 'Green
Line."' This means that no
money is given to Jewish set-
tlements in the West Bank.
Furthermore, the UJA is a
champion of improving Arab-
Israeli relations, spending
$82,000 last year on Arab-
Israeli Coexistence programs.
Contrary to Stark and
Ahmed's beliefs, UJA and the
Half Shekel campaign are
indeed noble causes, working
to repair the world.
If you would like more
information about the chari-
table projects UJA supports,
you can visit its Website at
http://www.uja.org.
JEREMY FOGEL
LSA SOPHOMORE
Music School
lost a 'great
member'
TO THE DAILY:
Unbeknownst to many
LSA students, the
University's School of Music
is among the finest in the
nation. Our school continual-
ly ranks within the top five in
the nation, and it is no won-
der; our faculty includes
world-renowned performers,
expert conductors and
Pulitzer Prize-winning com-
posers.It is with sadness that
we have lost a great member
of this pantheon, as composer
William Albright died on the
evening of Sept. 17.
Dr. Albright was one of
the most notable composers
of the latter portion of the
ative individual that his art
is appreciated by the general
population. We in the music
community can only hope
that our colleaguesoutside
the field of music might lis-
ten to the art as its practi-
tioners live. Students here at
the University have access
to a rich sampling of cul-
ture. If they make time to
attend the free concerts
given by the student orches-
tras, composers' forums and
choir concerts, they would
appreciate the hard work
and carefully practiced art
that is music, an art that
William Albright mastered.
ARIEL BARNETT
SCHOOL OF MUSIC
PREVEN kit
doesn't rid all
sexual risks
To THE DAILY:
In the Sept. 9 editorial
"Choice protection," the
Daily salutes the FDA's
approval of the new PRE-
VEN Emergency
Contraceptive Kit. The edito-
rial board views the new
drug's market release as
another liberation for the
American women that"has
been available to women in
Europe for years" The con-
traceptive is notable for its
ability to prevent pregnancy
within 72 hours after unpro-
tected sexual intercourse. The
PREVEN kit's FDA approval
means expanded options for
women who choose to have
unprotected sex.
The PREVEN kit should
be an exceptional solution for
emergency cases, such as
rape. But many students may
consider the new morning-
after pill an easier way to
have unprotected sex. Rather
than advertising the new drug
and therefore encouraging
people to go out and obtain a
prescription for it, the Daily
should first familiarize stu-
dents with the options they
already have.
Thousands of new
University students read the
early September editions of
the Daily. Considering the
number of parties that take
place during this time period
that often involve alcohol
abuse by first-year students,
it is essential to think twice
before having unprotected
sex. The editorial hardly
mentions the risks of AIDS
or other STDs, yet it pro-
claims the women's freedom
to "control their own bodies."
Before getting in the line for
the new drug, let us ask our-
selves, does it really give us
more options, or just limit us
to unprotected sex with no
alternatives?
FARAGE YUSUPOV
LSA JUNIOR
W nfL i fnn
ticket prices were much lower
than ticket prices at other
schools with comparable
hockey programs. I ask, how
is this a justification for rais-
ing prices'?
In college sports, selling
tickets should not be a com-
petitive business. I'm not
going to go start watching
Michigan State home games
in Lansing if I find out they
have lower ticket prices.
Similarly, Minnesota fans
aren't going to come out to
Ann Arbor unless the
Gophers are playing here.
The cost of the tickets is not
a factor - supporting your
own school's team when they
play at home is.
When I found out that
season ticket prices had
increased this year, I assumed
that the arena needed some
renovations, there were a lot
more games or that the hock-
ey program was having trou-
ble supporting itself. But
according to the Athletic
Department, that's not the
reason. So we can deduce
that last year's ticket prices
were high enough to support
a national championship
team and its home arena.
Where is all the extra money
going'?
Madej admitted that the
new price may discourage
students from attending the
games, but he predicts that
most season ticket holders
are too fond of the team to
refuse to pay. Is it right to
take advantage of the fans
this way? I say no. I refuse to
be exploited by the Athletic
Department.
I encourage other dis-
gruntled fans to send a mes-
sage to the Athletic
Department.
GERALD GOOD
RACKHAM
Air bags do
more good
than harm
TO THE DAILY:
The letter "Airbags do not
protect women and children"
(9/17/98) caught my eye for
personal reasons. Two weeks
ago, my cousin and two of
her friends were involved in a
head on collision with a car
that crossed the centerline of
the road while doing 85 mph
in a 45 mph zone. All three
occupants of her vehicle
walked away from the acci-
dent. Neither the driver
(male), nor the front seat pas-
senger (female) received life
threatening injuries - thanks
to the seatbelts, airbags and
careful engineering of the
car.
I grieve for the 65 chil-
dren (51 of whom were not
properly restrained in safety
seats) and 47 adults (34 of
which were not belted)
Credit cards
and Bivouac:
Surviving in A2
L et's face it: We, as college stu-
dents, represent one of the most
naive segments of the American popu-
lation. Newly independent, we amble
through life without the wisdom of
experience to guide us. Though w
attempt to hide our inherent simple-
mindedness
behind organic
chemistry text-
books and
graphing cal-
culators, it's
still pretty evi-
dent to the rest
of the pop-r
lace that we
have absolute-
ly no street
smarts whatso- HUNTER
ever. al
Tragically,1i. 3I
no one is more
aware of our elementary nature than the
credit card company representatives
who bedevil the campus with their
application tables and free Tshirts every
fall. Showing up in the idyllic late-sum-
mer months when the sun is aglow ar4
the freshmen are out mating, they hap-
pen to catch us when our defenses are
down and our naivete is at its yearly
peak.
"Ay, yo, check it!" thinks the aver-
age student. "This is pretty schmoove.
I fill out this here piece-a-paper an' I
get a credit card just like that.
Dayumn! Just think of all the tight
Tommy hookups I can get for all the
Union parties."
Freshly weaned from the financi*
treats of our parents, many of us have
only recently assumed control of our
personal finances and still don't have
good financial sense. So we college
students - more than any other group
of hopelessly naive people - should
be wary when the company represen-
tatives try to help us master the possi-
bilities.
For most students, a credit card wiJ
provide increased purchasing power aW
the opportunity to establish a clean
credit record. But this isn't true for
everyone. Those with uncontrollable
appetites for clothes and gadgets often
wind up deep in debt. Though becoming
a cardholder may seem like a mere rite
of passage, the decision to get one
should not be taken lightly.
Now the whole credit card issue may
seem like common sense: If you know
you're an irresponsible spender, do
get one. While on the surface it ma
seem just that simple, no one can deny
the powerful temptation to go around
wielding plastic.
For instance, remember the first time
you wandered into Bivouac?
Everything was cool until the cute
saleswoman (who doesn't work there
anymore) caught you gawking at the
exorbitant prices on all the North Face
gear: "Get out of here, you disgusti
serf!" she bellowed. "And so help me, if
you put your plebian hands on any of
the fleeces on your way out!"
Experiences like this one, which are
pretty common in Ann Arbor, often con-
vince us that Visa is our only salvation,
our one hope to at least pretend that we
aren't standing by our mailboxes wait-
ing desperately for our next financial
aid checks to arrive.
We want all the luxuries we had at
home - the car, the clothes, the me
- but we just don't have the income.
And even though Visa and Mastercard
know we're broke, they're still right
there to help us. But they don't give us
credit cards for purely charitable rea-
sons. They're trying to get over on us, as
much as we're trying to get -over on
them.
Let me explain
Credit card companies started usin
a strategy called bottom-feeding in tlW
early 1990s to increase market share.
In this method of card solicitation,
companies scour the country in search
of people who are - how should I say
it? - "financially challenged." This
group, of course, consists of those
most likely to develop credit card
debts because of limited resources. A
decade or two ago, if you weren't well-
paid, you could just about be sure that
you'd get rejected when applying for
credit.
But times, they are a-changing.
Between 1993 and 1996, the percent-
age of households with incomes under
$20,000 that received credit card offers
jumped from 36 to 58 percent. And once
companies decided to start distributing
cards on an everybody-and-their-mama
basis, payment defaults went up by 40
percent.
Since American Express, Visa art
Mastercard only make money when yo
or I accumulate interest debt by failing
to pay off our monthly debts, it's obvi-
ous why they target college students:
We're alltbroke and probably won't
always be able to pay off our debts on
time.
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