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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 17, 1975)
editoriQ Icu r editor: For the past two semesters I liuve been "teaching" biology 101 labs (plant labs). I am sure that over hall the people on campus can relate to this mess. Through my experiences with the labs I have come to the conclusion that this system needs some revision. (1) The lab assistant is in no position to advise students on a course of action because the students take the lab home. It is like teaching an anatomy class and having the student dissect the body at home. Also, the assistant has no way of knowing if the student is copying, making up or actually planting seeds and experimenting. (2) Discussion is difficult or impossible to initiate during lab. Interest is low. Trying to recreate the student's problem (with his or her plants) is like recreating an accident without having been there. For these two problems to be resolved. I would think at least one thing would be imminently obvious to the most casual observer. The university should provide lab rooms just like any other lab course where students, in groups of five, could grow plants, set up controlled experiments and. most importantly, meet with the lab assistant who could help students develop scientific method first hand. If this kind of set-up cannot be provided, I feci the university should either not waste its money on lab assistants or should use them more effectively. Mark I'inkerton Sadly misinformed Dear editor: In response in part to Bruce Nelson's editorial published on Monday, April 7 and Mr. I'clto's letter which appeared on Thursday, April 12. I must conclude that the people of the United States are sadly misinformed on the subject of Vietnam. Both gentlemen seem to have the strange misconception that just because the NLF is taking South Vietnam they arc murdering, raping and plundering. Nothing can be farther from the truth. In Mao Tse-Tung's book on guerrilla warfare, which the NLF follows, he sets out a clear method of dealing with villagers that is, to treat them with total respect in hopes of gaining their support which the invading force can use for a base of operations. Then this base is strengthened and invasion into another area occurs, repeating the process until a stable area of influence has been established for the guerrilla force. Honestly, do you really believe an army that murders, rapes and plunders can take three-fourths of South Vietnam in little more than two weeks? The previous argument disputes the idea that the NLF is mistreating the people. However, every night on television we can watch hundreds of thousands of refugees "fleeing" the NLF advances. Fveryonc takes this for face value (that is, that they fear the NLF) when, in fact, there the South Vietnamese people have learned that whenever the NLF moves into an area, the Americans bombed the living hell out of it (this practice is known as saturation bombing and was used extensively during the war.) True, America is not bombing South Vietnam now, but if you lived there, would you take the chance that they might start again? I think not. Mr. I'elto, in his letter, brought out the "massacres" at Hue in which 1.500 civilians were killed by "North Vietnamese terrorists." The Hue truth is that these 1.500 people were killed by errant American bombs (fom the same practice of saturation bombing), and that the reason you hear "North Vietnamese terrorists" being blamed is thai the Saigon government used this excuse on the death notifications to these 1.500 victims" nearest relatives (a shrewd propaganda move on their part). The second reason people are "fleeing" the NLF can best be described in a classic picture of a frightened South Vietnamese woman with a child in her arms that appeared in the newspaper a week and a half ago. Her comment was "I've never even seen a communist before." One has to wonder what kind of propaganda is being fed to these people. On the Tomormw show, one guest (an American-educated Vietnamese giil) even went as Far as to say that she thought Thieu was Irving to gel as many people in Saigon as possible lo thwart NLF efforts at bombing or shelling the city. This may not be as far from the truth as you think. Having lived in Bangkok. Thailand, and having had the opportunity to converse with Cil's on leave. I feel thai I have a truer picture of Vietnam than what people get out of newspapers here in the Slates. If blame (for the outbieak of violence in Vietnam) must be laid, i' should be laid on President Thieu. According to the Paris Accord, Thieu was to institute a new government (including factions of the NLF, the neulial parly and Thieu's own party) when the Americans pulled out. Thieu has chosen to ignore this part of the treaty and he is not facing the consequences. The only fear I have is that America will send more mililary aid and continue lo propagate this farce in South Vietnam. Don Sturek Sprinkler spritz Dear editor: For many years, there have been discussions about the ugly buildings at the UNL campus. These buildings are rampant upon our once beautiful grounds that had at one lime been a pit stop lor the buffalo their westward migration to Seattle. What many people do not understand is the non-logic behind the financing of our buildings. First of all. it takes money to build one of these monsters and what people have been thinking is that it is tax money. Wrong no tax money has ever been involved. The regents aren't as dumb as they think they are. There is no second. An example of these two points is Hamilton Hall, known by a variety of names such as the great white radiator grill in the sky or the blunder of the plains. It is an interesting building as it looks like another Sheldon gallery though slightly larger since someone forgot to shut off one of the gas jets one night and the structure expanded accordingly. Really, how can one describe it after looking at its high vertical liming that looks like upside-down test tubes with unmarked graduate lines? So there the issue stands. Unfortunately, so does Hamilton. I think it should become the scene of one of the current disaster films, such as Sprinkler, the epic where a fire starts in a trashcan and the sprinklers cut in. quelching the fire but continuing lo sprit, forcing the inhabitants to swim out the upper lloors for their lives. The climax would be when the Saudi Arabian Air Force's non-Arabic speaking pilots would droit Molatov cocktails of the 55-gallon variety into the humid depths to inllame the raging torrents lo oblivion. Johnny Weismuller would love il. Michael Whvv UNL Recreation Dept - Daily Nebraskan jr "n open five mile open to any UNL student sponsored by jfrcrtuljfflin' JBihr l)op 427 South 13th. Featuring fine imports and top line accessories to fit your bicycle needs. Complete service shop. Prize - $20 in merchandise r women s 1009 meter open to all female UNL students, sponsored by Amu? Prize - $25 gift certificate open 4000 meter open to any UNL Student sponsored by 11th. & Cornhusker hwy. We repair all makes of bikes. Prize -$20 in merchandise men s 1000 meter open to all male UNL students, sponsored by PUTT PUTT 11th & Cornhusker Hwy. Open 4 to midnight - open all night during finals week & tournaments during finals week. Prize - $20 in merchandise co-rec one lap sprint one girl and one guy on tandem bicycle (furnished by rec. dept. I sponsored by Lincoln Schwinn 3321 Pioneer. Lincoln's Bicycle Sales and Service Center Ppi70 (90 in moprhonico V " co-rec one lap relay tour girls and four guys per team on I tandem bicycles (furnished by rec. dept. I sponsored by Valentino's Prize - one large pizza to each member of winning team 1 Sunday April 27 First event starts at 1 p.m. Registration is from 12:30 to 1. You must be a UNL student to enter. Race to be held at the tractor test track on East Campus. For more information, call the UNL recreation depaitment 4 72-3467. thursday, april 17, 1975 daily nebraskan page 5 1 f t:; I I I' i, I t ( I' i f ; t IT f. . ' il i X t :