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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (July 27, 1989)
Editorial Quibbles and bits Instructors responsible for readability On May 8, the “Daily Nebraskan” reported the filing of lawsuits by eight publishing companies against Kinko's Graphics Corporation regarding me interpretation of the “fair use” clause of the national copyrightlaw. Adrianna Foss, corporate communications director of Kinko’s, said professors and students will be the biggest losers if the publish ing companies are successful in their plans to change the interpreta tion of the “fair use” clause, Some custom-made texts are advantageous to students but students are the biggest losers when instructors supply unreadable text to copy shops and expect them to transform these into usable class texts. Jim Perry, manager of Lincoln’s downtown Kinko’s, said the best copies are made from original journals and books. Perry said his company does not charge extra for copying a master from originals. Unreadable copy occurs when instructors supply text that has been copied on library or department copiers which is too light or blurry, Perry said. If instructors insist students buy their textbooks from copy shops, they should give the same consideration to their students that they demand when requiring typewritten assignments for easy readability. Connie I,. Sheehan for the Summer Daily Nebraskan Clean up environment Oil companies involved in future oil spills wiU have to pay for reparations beyond the monetary value off animals killed. According to The Associated Press, the Interior Department, which regulates the monetary costs of oil spills, compiled regula tions in 1986 that required restitution for lost wildlife but did not assess oil companies the cost of restoring the damaged environment to its previous condition. f A federal appeals court ruled the Interior Department had defined Congress’ intentions too narrowly and that restoration costs also must be assessed. Both Congress and the appeals court was right on target. Under the current cost assessment plan, seals go for $15, based on pelt value, and geese up to $35, depending on their value to hunters. Losses that occur with an oil spill are not limited to marketable goods. Nature is a priceless commodity and reparations must include restoring ecological balances, when possible. More than three months have passed since the Alaskan oil spill. The Interior Department should assess a dollar figure for the damages soon. Exxon should pay for both the wildlife lost and for environmental restoration. Drug policy misfires Drug Czar William Bennet is taking the lead in the we-aren’t gonna-mcss-around attitude towards drug abusers. Bennet and other citizens are angry about the lives being lost because of the illicit drug use. Drugs and guns arc becoming synony mous and innocent bystanders are getting caught in the cross-fire. Mandatory sentencing, drug testing and pledges to not take drugs will be the norm within the next several years. Some politicians are even advocating the take-them-out-and kill-them-approach. This approach is all wrong. Killing dealers who kill others is not an effective form of deter rence. Dealing in drugs is a high-paying game of chance. Those dealers not tied to the electric chair will simply view an execution as one less competitor on the streets. Taking away students financial aid after a drug conviction in itself won’t eliminate their drug problem. Effective drug-rehabilita tion treatment after such a loss might This is where Bennet and others need to wise up. Punishment : without guidance on how to Live differently leaves society with the same individual. A two-pronged approach needs to be taken. Implement tougher penalties while including rehabilitation in the get-tough package. Fbr those who have lost patience with help for the illegal drug user, there are two options. Be a part of the solution or prepare for a new kind of civil war in the United States. There will always be drug traders who tote guns. Will this battle come down to whoever has the biggest gun wins? -• Chris CurroR for the Summer Daily Nebraskan f I / . I I . ,* f . , I, I, :. i i i > It . . * . * > ‘ M I * * »• n •»*•«*•••'■ < IT3 __ ' ENOUGH!i,i GOING otrr X®. -yPutfir^ Credit determines who is rich or poor Short on cash but long on credit? This is a predicament facing many college students on this and many other campuses. Monday’s mail brings with it monthly bills that a part-time job barely covers, yet in side envelope number three is a pre approved credit card application. Visa knows you’re broke and they want to do something about it. A lot oferedit issuers seem willing to help. Tuesday Mastercard makes a $1,000 offer, Wednesday’s are for American Express while on Thurs day Discover offers you a $2200 dol lar credit line with no annual fee. 1 believe in being “discovered.” Bui being “discovered” by every credit company in the country hasn’t turned out to be such a great deal. These offers seem to pop up when the financial chips are down. The prehis toric car won’t run. The part-time, semi-professional job offer comes with a stipulation, dress for success. That certain someone comes along that I want to date, but no one is offering free romantic dinners to broke college students. Too bad gro cery stores haven’t gotten into the credit-and-carry philosophy. So the choice comes down to Burger King or Mastercard. I’ve never been fond of char-broiled bur gers. To avoid social and professional retardation, I sign the dotted line. Two years and three dotted lines later, I understand why the cover let ters refer to students as a good invest ment. Students need credit now and choose to believe they can pay for it later. , i i ■.«# * *, ’ * *' *. t *.»> • * • > t i »■ / • *. * 11 The interest time clock is licking. Twenty dollar a month interest charges add up to $240 a year. Stu dents are committing a lot of un earned cash to living above their means. At this disturbing juncture, those striving to be financially fiscal buckle down and don’t use their credit cards for six months. Visa must print out the number of inactive ac counts periodically, because at the seventh month a new offer comes in the mail. ‘‘We want to reward you for being a good customer. Your card has been renewed for two years and the limit extended another $1,000.” Good timing. By now, that finan cially fiscal student is shabbily dressed, the rent has been raised and the dinosaur on wheels needs a new carburetor. After a couple weeks of hesitation, the student weighs the consequences and decides another $100 shouldn’t boost that interest charge too much. The car gets fixed, transports the student to bargain days at the local mall and Visa happily processes the receipts that trickle in. And then the unexpected traffic ticket gets issued, that brother in California decides to get married and someone steals your backpack. Now S300 additional credit dollars appeal on your Visa. It won’t be any better after gradu ation. Student loan payments w ill be due, that real job will demand a real wardrobe, and you’ll need a car that didn’t come off the assembly line with the Modcl-T. Even a good-pay ing job isn’t going to stretch back and pay the bills accrued in 1989 while meeting the demands of 1992. The best way to avoid this credit fiasco is to say no to that first credit card. It’s too easy to get hooked. Think back to those nostalgic pre-; credit card days. A cheap efficiency apartment with running water and a used black and white television. Cozy, standing-room-only parties with invitations that read, “bring toilet paper.” Munching on an ice cream cone outside the Zoo bar be cause you can’t afford to get you and your date inside. Borrowing a class mate’s chemistry book, on the pre-: tense of having misplaced yours, and then reading it in one night. These arc the alternatives to finan cial ruin spawned by creditors who simply want S40 a month now and your blood later. Personally, I’m waiting for an other credit issuer to discover me. I’ve decided the difference between material wealth and abject poverty is credit. Chris Carroll is a junior news-editorial major and editor for the Summer Daily Ne braskan. ' ? , , , * i * «««<••*’ « 1 1 1