_ _ _ Daily
Page ^|1 Nebraskan
4 X.J %4L X X JL X d. X Tuesday, November 29,1988
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I Nebraskan
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
. I . '_—..
Curt Wagner, Editor, 472-1766
Mike Rcillcy, Editorial Page Editor
Diana Johnson, Managing Editor
Lee Rood, Associate News Editor
Bob Nelson, Wire Page Editor
Andy Pollock, Columnist
Micki Haller, Entertainment Editor
Test files not dishonest
ASUN proposal could help students' grades
What makes up academic dishonesty?
Is it looking on a classmate’s test for an answer?
Yes. Is it plagiarizing? Yes. Is it reusing someone
else’s paper? Yes. Is it studying from an old test? No.
If a bill recently drafted by some senators of the Asso
ciation of Students of the University of Nebraska is
passed, UNL professors may have to decide for them
selves how encompassing academic dishonesty is.
ASUN Sens. Stan Mommaerts and Geoff McDonald
are co-sponsoring a bill that would create old test files
within the UNL libraries. The bill also states that the files
would be accessible to all UNL students, and professors
could choose whether to include their old tests or not.
i est rues are a goou idea, ir tney are used propeny.
Having old tests available for review is an excellent
study tool. The tests allow students to understand the type
of questions their professors will ask, and what type of
responses they want.
The Daily Nebraskan does not feel it is a form of
academic dishonesty, because the tests will more than
likely not be the same as the current tests.
Some UNL departments and professors already keep
old test files. The purpose, these professors say, is to give
students an idea of what to study.
And because professors would submit only on a volun
teer basis, those professors silly enough to give the same
tests year after year would not have to submit their own
copies.
— Curt WaftniT
• for the Daily Nebraskan
Ladies and gentlemen:
Mr. Andrew Meyer
Guess what? Here’s another letter
I would like printed in the Daily
Nebraskan.
I know that most of you are com
pletely sick and tired of seeing my
name in print (“The Best of Andrew
Meyer,” DN, Nov. 18), but 1 just
thought you might be interested in
finding out what has happened to me
since all those kind folks at the DN
printed all of my letters at once.
During the course of two days
(Nov. 18 and 19), I received nearly 50
abusive and harassing phone calls
from many of the ‘mature” people on
campus. The callers did not have
much to say, other than your normal
swear words and threats. They called
me pretty much every name in the
book. I guess a person’s intelligence
can be demonstrated by his or her
actions.
Listen, folks: Don’t you realize
that what I did is perfectly legal? That
is the purpose of that entire editorial
page. My intent was not to have all the
letters printed at once. Thai’s the
DN’s doing. If you disagree, or have
something to say to me, cither send a
letter to the DN (I’m sure the editors
will print it now) or come up to my
room and say it to my face. You will
find the address in the same phone
directory that you found my phone
number.
Due to the rush of abusive calls, I
have gone to the University of Ne
braska-Lincoln police department. I
am keeping a full log of all these calls.
If they continue next week, a tracer
will be placed on my phone. You
smart folks who have been calling me
might be in for a $300 fine and three
months in prison for your actions. I
am also going to change my phone
number, and if this can’t be done, I
will have u> move to another room.
As for you newspaper people: If
cither of those processes costs me any
money, I feel lhat you should repay
me in full, since your “irresponsible
editing practices” (lhat is a quote
from an attorney in the ASUN Legal
Services Center) caused this problem
to begin with. As soon as I get the bill,
I will forward it to you.
If this whole thing was meant to be
a big joke, I did not find it a bit funny.
The introductory editor’s note made
the whole thing seem like a deliberate
attempt to ridicule and humiliate me
and 1 don’t appreciate it. The headline
was especially humiliating, and lhat
stupid little picture in the middle of
the page was totally insulting. I think
a formal apology, printed in a future
issue of the DN, is in definite order
here.
I am sure that you guessed I have
contacted an attorney. The one I saw
said that since the dispute involves
two students who both pay student
fees, and since their office does not
handle cases of slander-libel, she
couldn’t assist me directly. .She sug
gested going to another attorney, and
I am. My uncle in Chicago is a lawyer
and hopefully he will be able to give
me some advice. 1 think I am entitled
to at least what I stated above, if not
more money for my time, trouble and
emotional suffering (I must sound
like Robin Givens).
As for all you wimps who threat
ened to come up to my room after the
Oklahoma game and kick my ass: I’m
still waiting.
Andrew Meyer
freshman
pre-med
Editor’s note: Meyer submitted
more than 20 letters to the DN and
“dared” the paper to print them.
The DN refuses to pay any compen
sation, and is not obligated to do so.
1) I
Royko turning off TV networks
Columnist lists gimmicks for network viewing
_ _ ^ . f • • ‘II L- .1_I r.w.n
More anil more ol us are Net
work Dropouts. Thai’s not
news, of course, because
there have been countless stories and
studies done on the shrinking audi
ence of the TV networks.
But I didn't realize how faraway 1
had dropped until I happened to
glance at the Nielsen ratings of the lop
71 shows for last week.
Of those lop 71 shows, I had not
watched even one.
In fact, of all 71,1 could count only
five that I had ever seen in my life.
And of those five, there isn’t even one
that I now watch regularly.
As hard as it may be to believe, 1
have never seen the “Bill Cosby
Show,” which has the top rating.
Despite its popularity, I don’t like
happy family shows. They’re unreal.
If I watch a family show, I prefer
something lifelike, such as “Death of
a Salesman.”
As for the second- and third-rated
shows — things called “A Different
World” and “Golden Girls” — I’ve
never heard of them. 1 f I want to sec a
different world, I’ll drive out to the
West Side of Chicago or visit the
Bronx in New York.
I used to w atch “Cheers,” w hich is
still in the lop 10, but gave it up after
Diane leftand Sam began lustingafler
a career-crazed yuppie female. I
didn’t think even Sam could sink that
low.
Am 1 the only person in America
who has never watched a segment of
“Dallas”? A few years ago, I recall,
somebody important was killed on
the last segment and almost every
body in America was caught up in the
hype. I think I w atchcd wrestling that
night. The acting was of higher qual
ity.
It’s not that I’m snobbish. Just the
opposite. I enjoy TV trash as much as
the next slob. But the quality of truly
trasny irasn nasaecnncu. 1 was one m
the first writers in America to recog
nize the greatness of Robin l each anil
his "Lifestyles of the Rich and Fa
mous." But the last time I looked, he
was down to gushing about some ric h
one-eyed Turk who had the world’s
largest collection of dead butterflies.
Or maybe they were plain dead
Hies. Whatever, it wasn’t my idea of
high living.
So, if 1 don’t watch the lop 71
shows, what do I watch?
_I , -v L
I still walch ihc networks. Bui I
have learned to exploit and cheat
them.
For example, I don’t miss a Chi
cago Bears game. But I seldom w atch
it while it’s being played. Instead, I
tape it and find something else to do.
Then, late in the afternoon when the
game has ended, I play it on my VCR
and fast-forward through all the
commercials, the babble of the an
nouncers, the halftime drivel and
even the huddles. By doing this, I can
see all the action in about 20 minutes
instead of three hours.
I walch movies, but only on the
cable pay channels, never the net
works. Why? Four reasons.
One: There arc no commercials.
The noted shrink Dr. I.M. Kookic
believes that every lime a person
watches a TV commercial, about
1 ,(XX) of his brain cells die. So if you
watch 40 commercials a night, that’s
about 40,(XX) brain cells gone. By the
lime you arc 41 years old, half of your
mum will t*V- VIV. mi UIIV1 ;uu *.«
bleak future, unless you run for vice
president.
Two: Late on Friday night they put
on some real dirty movies. Not that I
enjoy this smut, but I m fascinated h\
the dramatic advances medical sci
ence has made in the bodily use ol
silicone.
Three: There is a channel called
American Movie Classics. Watching
these old movies, I'm ama/ed that
scriptwriters were once capable ol
doing an entire movie without has mg
a car crash scene, a helicopter chase,
a decapitation, or the female star yell
s—!
Four: By watching the other movie
channels, which show more recent
films, I learn how really bad most of
unlay’s movies have become. Most of
them arc about teenagers who run
around yelling s—! and maniacs who
cut the teenagers into little pieces.
How many inspirational movies do
they think I can stand?
To be fair, once in a while, they
show a decent movie. The other night
I saw a love story. It was about a
young scientist who accidentally
turned himself intoagiantcockro dv
He was about to cat hi beautiful
girlfriend, but then it had a surpris
ingly pleasant ending. \t the last
moment, she turned into a giant cock
roach, too, and they lived happily
ever after.
I would be dishonest il I didn l
admit that I watch the network new s.
But I watch it my way. I tape Dan
Rather, without listening. Then when
he's done, 1 turn the sound all the w ay
down and fast-forward through his
show.
Believe me, if you liked the old
Charlie Chaplin movies, you’ll enjoy
seeing Rather on fast-forward.
e 1988 By The C hicago Tribune
Signed staff editorials represent the
official policy of the fall 1988 Daily Ne
braskan. Policy is set by the Daily Ne
braskan Editorial Board. Its members are
Curt Wagner, editor; Mike Rcilley, edito
rial page editor; Diana Johnson, manag
ing editor; Lee Rood, associate news
editor; Andy Pollock, columnist; Bob
Nelson, wire page editor; and Micki
Haller, entertainment editor.
According to policy set by the regents,
responsibility for the editorial content of
the newspaper lies solely in the hands of
its student editors.
—Mf=l-=_
I lie L/diiy inuM^au wciiumo
brief letters to the editor from all
readers and interested others.
Letters will be selected for publi
cation on the basisof clarity,original
ity, timeliness and space available.
The Daily Nebraskan retains the right
to edit all material submitted.
neaacrs also arc welcome lo sub
mit material as guest opinions.
Letters and guest opinions sent to
the newspaper become the properly of
the Daily Nebraskan and cannot be
relumed.
Anonymous submissions will not
be considered lor publication. Letters
should include the author’s name,
year in school, major and group alii 1i
ation, if any. Requests to withhold
names will not be granted.
Submit material to the Daily Ne
braskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400 R
St, Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448.
