editorial
Power
playoff
Some cultures believe hell is a cold place. And it
seems that if predictions of an energy shortage
prove true, Americans might get a taste of such a
hell this winter.
The Joint Economic Committee of Congress
warns that cold weather plus a shutoff of Middle
East oil could toss the country "into an economic
crisis. ..unparalleled since the Great Depression."
The Midwest already faces some problems. This
year's bumper crop will require greater
consumption of liquefied petroleum. Many
farmers, particularly in Illinois and Indiana, have
been told by LT distributors that they only can
guarantee half the gas needed to harvest and dry
crops. An added complication is that this gas is the
same used to heat many rural homes.
So far, no allotment program has been
established to control the use of this fuel. But the
Nixon administration has done something. It has
called for a loosening of environmental control
standards so that lower grade oil and coal can be
used to meet energy needs this winter.
Such a step contradicts the nation's
environmental interests. The burning of lower
grade fuels as allowed by the looser standards
would be detrimental. Many such fuels contain
great amounts of sulfur, which, when burned, give
off excessive carbon dioxide, a pollutant associated
with lung disease.
The 1970 Clean Air Act requires that these
carbon dioxide levels be reduced so that by 1975
they are not harmful to people's health. Many
cities and states have established and begun
enforcing these standards. Nixon now has
destroyed years of work with a single sentence.
Instead of calling for lower pollution standards, the
President ought to have dcmand-H a fuel allotment
program to assure conservation of our natural
resources.
The problem is not the short-term
inconvenience, as Nixon lias said. The Chase
Manhattan Bank, in a study released earlier this
year, said the U.S. energy demand will double by
1985. Even the Alaska pipeline will not meet this
need. After the pipeline is completed, the U.S.
within a decade will need another 11 billion
imported gallons of oil a day.
An allotment program, if enacted, might do
more than conserve our natural resources. It would
help show the nation how much energy it actually
needs. The U.S. now consumes three times as much
energy as Western Europe and Japan without a
comparably higher standard of living.
These facts point toward a waste unequaled
throughout the world. An allotment program must
be implemented immediately. Under such a
program, the nation might learn to live without
waste. And that should be a goal even greater than
getting through the winter.
Michael (O.J.) Nelson
Man meets auto in the 10th Si. arena-Ole!
The western frontier of UNL includes several
parking lots and the infamous 501 Bldg. It is cutoff
from most of 'fie campus by a multi-lane
black-topped barrier called 1 0ih St. Within the width
of this no mans land, d desperate struggle between
man and machine takes place daily.
Though thcj orijiii of this daily conflict on 10th St.
ha:. Ujun lost in obscurity, it has grown to Ixj a major
:,Krt for txth -cctdtor and participant.
The first few times you witness the spectacle, you
probably will spn-ij niost of your time watching the
pedestrian. It will lw Ip your appreciation of the sport
to be ac)iwintnrf wit'i n few of the pedestrian's
ftindamr; ' 1 -a e'lvr'i and
basically can !r.iJ d into
action" and "solo."
The main un-mise of nr.
hit us all." " ' f.l ii
muss," has dUiievew
competitive areas
stopped, the moving mass begins stretching out as
pedestrians walk at varying speeds. The result is a
chain of persons stretched the length of the street. It
particularly is effective if there is a reserve of persons
waiting to cross the street, thus lengthening the
period of obstruction.
Though not to spectacular, the "solo" has a
haunting artistry all its own. The contestant must rely
more on mental intimidation than on the
physicalmass intimidation of the group. The novice
strategies. Strategy
two areas: group
rtion is, "You can't
hod, the "moving
international popularity in such
as Mexico City, Rome and
; rsnii'i tiunclnui, tip ul Ol",
numU-rs and (ourage inrr'MV
IS
: rr (-",;" depends on
i .jiji: of the toad. As
the mass of humanity
, . .'', , the auto's
f.jled once it is forced
john michoel
dsheo
distant
thunder
to a complete stop.
T !
called the "sty moid ijuuei. ' uncc
tup maneuver
the cars are
often uses simple ploys, such as pretending not to see
the charging auto, or the ever popular Big
Grin approach, which especially is effective with
females.
A good soloist knows his km .. . i 1 1 , tin; numljcts of
lanes he must cross, tin; diiect'cn of traffic, how to
use the island and when to ihmmi. I hese ,iie not easy
lessons to learn, and thur.; a. .; few things more
pathetic than to see a young eh .,!. -, ji -i p.imc and run
from the field with the auto ,ji fir, her:!:,.
For those who (Jo make it past those first
harrowing days, the ultimate goal they aim for is the
perfection of the "slow walk." You will not soon
forget this pass if you ate lucky enough to see it done
well. It includes a slow step, head he-Id high defiantly,
and a cold, hauty stare straight at the oncoming car.
Yet this is not to say that man always wiu,or that
autOS are weaklings. Many ears are unbelievably
brave, and even the wisest ;;utofifjhter will step back
and let a dump truck pass. But the cars' bravery is
what makes mans' victory so much more glorious.
Some people tompl.jin ahom 10ih St. They say
it's not fair, that it's cruel to the ,iuto. But these
games are not meant to be a Ian r outest. Rattier, they
are a tragedy, with a picdestim-d outruns. The games
strengthen students both phy.r ,,n y ;in- mentally,
increasing their courage and sell confidence.
Yes, there has tx.-en talk of eliminating the games,
rerouting the 10th St. traffic t "te ting pedestrian
ramps. And to those who . idvor.it;.. -ticse solutions I
can only say: "Why, in our t'-nlc, humdium world,
would you contrive to rcmov M r. t,i ,r,t ),,.,ti()n ()f
courage and bravery;'"
page 4
daily nebrui,k
Ill', !'.
pi'.'iiibnr 24, 1973
