daily nebraskan
monday, October 23, 1978 lincoln, nebraska vol. 102 no. 33
Resources could ease fuel energy transition -Lovins
By JeffUnger
Nebraska's wealth of natural resources
can ease the transition from petroleum to
other forms of energy, according to Amory
Lovins, British representative of the
Friends of the Earth conservation founda
tion. Lovins, an energy consultant and
author, said Americans can choose between
two energy paths, hard or soft, but the
choice must come before it is too late.
Addressing a crowd in the Nebraska
Union Friday, Lovins said many Americans
are following the "hard path," which he
called the "policy of strength to exhaust
ion." The hard path to exhaustion is based on
the idea that we will need more energy to
meet increasing demand. Lovins said this
path will lead to the eventual depletion of
fossil fuels and nuclear materials.
He said that with energy use increasing
at its current rate, and with alternative
energy methods being frowned at by many,
depletion may come without being prepar
ed for the consequences.
Lovins, bom in the United States, said
soft energy paths must be taken to slow
depletion and replace the use of exhaust
able resources. Such soft resources include
solar energy, wind, water and grain alcohol.
Less jarring
Beginning now or in the very near
future, use of these resources can slow the
inevitable depletion of fossil fuels and
make the transition from hard to soft
energy methods less jarring, Lovins explain
ed. Nebraska is rich in energy because there
is plenty of sun for solar needs, wind for
electricity needs and crop residues for grain
alcohol which could be used to produce
gasohol, she said.
Although the switch from hard to soft
energy may take at least 50 years, Lovins
said a bridge between the two is necessary
because if it is delayed, we will literally
burn up the fossil fuels we have.
Lovins, the author of "Soft Energy
Paths," said hard energy technologies are
becoming increasingly centralized and can
cause what he called the "Con Ed Syn
drome." Foul-ups
Alluding to the massive blackout in
New York City last year, where Consoli
dated Edison is the main power supplier,
Lovins said centralization of energy
systems can lead to foul-ups affecting huge
numbers of people.
He said he advocates smaller and more
diverse systems because they would be less
likely to have cost overruns and could be
constructed in "days, weeks or months,"
instead of years.
Lovins also said failure of small systems
would affect less people and may be better
designed because technologists may spend
more time developing them.
By replacing the use of oil and gas with
coal, then slowly phasing out coal use with
sun, wind and water, Lovins said we can
change our energy use without changing
our lifestyles.
"Although soft technologies are not
cheap, they are cheaper than not having
them."
Lovins said the problem with the gov
ernment is that it veils the benefits of soft
technologies in monetary figures.
They compare costs of soft energy with
that of cheap gas and oil, not with the
extreme expense of synthetic oils and
electricity.
He said by developing soft technologies,
decentralizing energy control, and learning
to use energy wisely, we could reach the
point where how much energy we use will
not show our progress, but our failure.
Area candidates
discuss issues
By L. Kent Wolgamott
The six candidates for three Lincoln legislative seats to
be decided next month discussed various state issues Sun
day as part of the league of Women Voter's Great Debate.
Tom Novak, candidate for the 26th Legislative District
in northeast Lincoln, said he would try to "level off every
thing" in the Legislature to help deal with' inflation.
He said he would try to aid young families and the
elderly in dealing with inflation through tax relief.
Novak's opponent, Don Wesley said the issue which
concerns most people is personal finances and said he
would work in the Legislature on issues such as the cost of
utilities, health care and taxes.
He also said he would maintain close contact with his
constituents by attending neighborhood meetings,
business association meetings and hosting coffees.
Novak said he would push for the passage of a bill to
preserve water in the state.
He said the bill should include building dams to "stop
some of the water from getting away from the state of
Nebraska."
Wesley said he oppqsed the building of large dams with
poor cost-benefit ratios, favoring the development of a
comprehensive water policy.
He said the bill he felt was most important should in
clude a workable limit on government spending, property
tax equalization and simplification of the property tax
ation process so it can be easily understood.
Continued on Page 9
MEET THE CAWWDATfS 1
REGISTER TO V0T f I
HEAR ISSUES DEBATED fl
MEET UNCIE SAM W
FREE BALLOONS j
Photo by Mary Anne Go Ion
Lincoln residents had a chance Sunday to meet candidates for county and state elections at the Gateway
Shopping Center.
Omahan looks to the stars for portrait art subjects
By Ten Bigelow
To Dave-"Oz"
Thank you so much for the drawing. I
like it very much and am having it framed.
It was nice of you to sent it.
My best wishes,
Sincerely,
Cheryl Tiegs
This is a typical letter that can be found
in Dave "Oz" Osborn's mailbox.
Osborn is a portrait artist from Omaha
who started an unusual hobby in August
1977.
Osborn draws celebrities and sends them
the portrait, asking only for an autograph
ed picture in return. Gilda Radner, Johnny
Cash and Cheryl Tiegs are three of the
many celebrities who have sent thank you's
to Osborn.
Bearded, sandy-haired Osbom often
thumbs through magazines to find action
shots of the stars for portraits. He said he
passes over the serious pictures because
he's "not arty in that way"
Head phones help
When he's found the right picture,
Osborn puts on his head phones and sits
down in his antique decorated apartment
to sketch.
At other times, Osborn can be found in
the park, with a crowd of people watching.
He said people make him try harder be
cause he can't make a mistake with them
watching.
"I want people to think I'm perfect," he
added.
Osborn said each portrait takes about
three hours, so when he sends it to the
celebrity, he makes sure he has a good
address for them.
Osborn has used interesting tactics in
trying to find a star's address. He said he
went as far as sending Radner's portrait to
her through her dentist.
Osbom, who is 25, said he drew his first
portrait in pencil during a high school art
class. He said he found he had a feeling for
shapes so he kept drawing.
Come a long way
The high school dress of blue jeans,
flannel shirts and tennis shoes still is worn
by Osborn, but he said his portraits have
come a long way since then.
He now uses charcoal instead of pencil
to obtain more contrast and he said he
favon drawing women, although men are
easier to sketch.
"Men's hair is not so long, the cheeks
don't have to be so smooth and it doesn't
have to be beautiful," he explained.
Besides drawing as a hobby, Osborn also
makes an average of $12,000 a year from
his work. He doesn't sell his celebrity
portraits, but teaches art classes and draws
portraits for people at $40 a picture.
Osborn said he likes to draw on week
ends and saves the weekdays for organizing
his 45,000 albums and 45's. The 6'2"
artist also has a magazine and antique
collection.
Has shows
Weekdays also are used to set up shows
of his work at places like Art World,
Westroads or the Campus Activities-Program-East
activity mart at the Nebraska
East Union Oct. 18. Osborn will return to
the east union to sketch on Oct. 23.
Osbom said he draws during these
shows so people see that he can capture a
likeness.
"I think I'm really good, but then I
wouldn't do it if I wasn't," he said.
Osborn has attended Kearney State,
UNO and the Studio Academy of Com
mercial Arts. However, he said, his portrait
work just paid for his apartment while
attending college, because he graduated
with a degree in elementary education.
Osbom is particularly happy when a
celebrity writes that they are going to
frame his picture. He said you never know
who might see it if it's hung in a star's
home.
But for now, Osbom said, it would be a
"dream" to send a portrait to Katherine
Hepburn and get a thank you back.
However, he hasn't found the right
picture for a portrait yet.
inside monday
Buffaloes shot down: Corn husk ers
skin the Buffs again page 1 0
Yes, it's sweet music: Newest Yes
album as good as the best
page 8
"He's a ramblin' kind of guy": Drift
er becomes preacher page 6