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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 16, 1992)
Opinion Jana Pedersen, Editor, 472-1766 Alan Phelps, Opinion Page Editor Kara Wells, Managing Editor Roger Price, Wire Editor Wendy Navratil, Copy Desk Chief Brian Shellito, Cartoonist Jeremy Fitzpatrick, Senior Reporter Peacetime Congress needs to put end to Cold War Canada’s announced withdrawal of its forces from Ger many and has European NATO members worried that the United States will follow suit. They have little to fear from our shortsighted leaders. Canadian officials told their NATO allies that all 6,600 Ca nadian troops will go home as part of Canada's peace dividend. The withdrawal represents a $1.9 billion savings from the $10.8 billion Canadian defense budget for 1992-93. The British and German governments appear to be the most upset that the move symbolizes a new North American isola tionism, which will soon leave Europe to fall back on age-old petty rivalries. But the U.S. defense program, led by pork-barreling Con gress members and fed by the military-industrial complex, won’t be trimmed down as easily. Tho Dr»nl 'Ufr\n hoc honn a • u 1 ofol i/ milfmo InrTOlhi'r • ,IV * W.bM^Vy.. «»b*,7 Mb "V/MX .MVW J IVCV‘"V scenarios detailing outrageous future conflicts that would require continuing our Cold War armada. Congress is slow to close down any bases or programs that would put constituents out of jobs in the recession. Some arc arguing for a renewed public-works program to lift the nation out of the economic doldrums. It already exists. President Bush is requesting $286 billion in 1993 for the program, which will produce weapons and warriors. Planned reductions will shrink the defense budget to an inflation-adjusted figure of $255 billion by 1997. If Pentagon officials have their way, Europe doesn't have to worry about losing the American occupation force. No thinking person is arguing for no military or even a Canadian-sized force. But $255 billion is simply ludicrous. While members of congress know this, they never have been prone to do w hat was good for the nation over w hat was good for their chances of re-election. It docs take time to convert a wartime economy to a peace time economy. But a mere 10 percent reduction over the next five vears will not do while our debt crows and our economic competitors try to shove American firms off the high ground. Canada doesn’t have to consider a large defense program because of the American commitment to the defense of the entire world. The United States doesn't have the luxury of a big brother to watch over it. But what our leaders evidently have forgotten is there really is no force to defend against. Canada has recognized the end of the Cold War. They don't believe that maintaining peace in Europe requires a force strong enough to battle the military myth of the Red Army streaming across Germany. It is past time for our leaders to do the same. While total withdrawal of U.S. troops from Europe is not in our best interest, a sizable reduction is. -LETTER tTh°e EDITOR Cleaning complaints not shared Mr. Kane, il look you and your organization how long to clean up the Sports Center (“Cleaning up own messes saves time, trouble,” DN, March 13)? Eight hours, and you had 50 people working! Even if this was the first time you (and I’ll assume your group) ever cleaned the sports center, I can’t help but wonder, what in heaven’s name were you doing for eight hours? Perhaps I can save you some time in the future. Instead of running up and down taking the mop to the bucket, why not take the bucket to the mop? What a concept! But after eight hours I can imagine how tired you must have been, too exhausted to lilt a bucket of heavy water several flights (Boo Hoo). Also, try mopping before you sweep. That way you won’t have “to be careful not to sweep through a spilled malt or soda and drag it througl the whole row, making more of i mess to mop up.” Mr. Kane, please consider ih< implications of my next scntcnci carefully. Half of the people in hal the time. Over the past three year I’ve helped clean that place nine times My group supplies 28 people to clean and we average four hours. I chcckci our records to be sure. Toconcludcyourthought-provok ing letter, you suggested we, the read ers, “think about who cleans it up. Well, I did, and I think someone wh< whines as much as you ought not l< do it again. Troy P. Christensc junn mechanical cnginccrir -EDITORIAL POLICY Staff editorials represent the offi cial policy of the Spring 1992 Daily Nebraskan. Policy is set by the Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board. Its mem bers are: Jana Pedersen, editor; Alan Phelps, opinion page editor; Kara Wells, managing editor; Roger Price, wire editor; Wendy Navratil, copy desk chief; Brian Shellilo, cartoon ist; Jeremy Fitzpatrick, senior re porter. Editorials do not necessarily re flect the views of the university, its employees, the students or the Nl Board of Regents. Editorial columns represent ih< opinion of the author. The Daily Nebraskan’s publisher are the regents, who established th< UNL Publications Board to super vise the daily production of the pa per. According to policy set by the re gents, responsibility for the editoria content of the newspaper lies sold; in the hands of its students. 'MJm 'frc'?&''g6 W$m 'Krw fcR x |pppp>. «*«.ks... ALAN PHELPS Nobler mission debatable Rep. Fred Grundy, R-Iowa, made the news recently as a mem ber olthc Housed Represen tatives ethics committee that investi gated the big, bad check-bouncing scandal. Fred has come a long way. Read ers will recall that our litUe Mr. Grundy used to play the character of “Go pher” on the long-running “Love Boat” television series. I can remember the days when “Love Boat” was on. I used to watch it with my family. I grew used to the way there were always three plots on every episode, and they all almost alw ays ended up with happy cruisers. At the time, I never would’ve guessed that Gopher w ould someday be a leader of Iowa and a member of the prestigious but oxymoronish House ethics committee. The only show I watch with any regularity anymore is “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” I wonder if one of the characters on Star Trek one day will sit in Congress. 1 Actually, the two TV shows arc > alike in a lot of ways. Both arc about shins on lo rlivlnnl nlarr*^ : allhough one travels the cold depths : of the galaxy and the other floats I around in the warm waters off the > coast of Mexico. Parallels exist, however, in many . aspects of these, two of America’s * greatest shows of all time. The Mission: Capt. Jcan-Luc Pi ■ card says at the beginning of every ; episode of Star Trek that the mission of the Enterprise is to explore strange ) new worlds, etc., etc. The Enterprise > is a peaceful ship that zooms around the galaxy making friends and coop erating. The mission of the Pacific Prin n cess isn’t stated as explicitly at the )r beginning of every Love Boat cpi g sodc. However, by listening to the theme song, one gets the idea: Come aboard, we’re expecting you, blah blah blah, the Love Boat... soon will be making another run, blah blah, something about “life’s sweetest J reward,” love won’t hurt anymore, blah blah. ; The Pacific Princess usually goes to a few specific destinations along » the coast of Mexico, such as Puerto i Vallarta. Gavin McCloud, who played - Capt. Slubing, didn’t have the sophis - licaicd communications technology on hand to contact the local residents - as Picard has, although occasionally I he might have “hailed” the port au \ thorily. Basically, while the Enterprise crew Basically, while the Enterprise crew seems intent on learning about other cultures on faraway planets, the Princess eme seemed intent on not losing am td the passengers ’ lug gage. seems inicni on learning about other cultures on faraw ay planets, the Prin cess crew seemed intent on not losing any of the passengers’ luggage. Captains: Both Patrick Stewart and Gavin McCloud arc bald or balding. Both captains wear nice uniforms, although Stubing’s is white and typi cally sailorish, while Picard's is like some jumpsuit an Olympic bobsled - der might wear. Picard dislikes the use of force in settling conflicts in deep space. Slubing disliked lovers lighting on his ship. Picard delegates authority well to a competent crew that works together to gel the ship out of life-threatening jams. Slubing gave orders to people named “Gopher” over a laugh track. First Officers: Will Rykcr is the I irst officer of the Enterprise. Gopher apparently was the first officer of the Pacific Princess, although he was called a “purser.” What exactly the duties of a purser were is unknown. Gopher spent a lot oftime in wacky adventures. Rykcr spends a lot of time holding in his gut and kissing aliens. Doctors: The doctor on board the Princess was known as “Doc.” He fixed a lot of minor injuries that pas sengers used to get playing shuffle board or putting on suntan lotion. Beverly Crusher is the doctor on the Enterprise. She has a big sick bay with all kinds of computers and flash ing lights. She treats more serious injuries than Doc did, although there weren’t any phasers on hoard the Princess, so Doc never really had the chance. Crusher also has a son named Wesley, who is almost as annoying as Stubing’s kid, Vikki. who used to he on the Love Boat. But while Wesley is a computer whiz who entered Star Heel, Vikki was a spoiled hrat who usually got lost in Puerto Vallarta. People they meet: The Enterprise encounters many alien cultures on its travels in the Federation and beyond. Some arc more advanced than others, but all have knowledge to share w ith the Enterprise. The Princess carried hundreds ol passengers, but they were all from the plancL Earth and wore old clothing. The crew of the Princess were friends with a lot of washed-up comedians who regularly made the voyage to Mexico. Charro,a bubbly Latin beauty, was on the Pacific Princess a lot. There is no one like Charro on the Enterprise, luckily. Minorities: The Enterprise is a very progressive ship of the future, w here all people can live up to their poten tials without facing stereotypes. An android, Data, is very valuable to the mission. A Klingon, Worf, is accepted as a friend by all. Isaac, the bartender, is the only minority I remember from the Love Boat. Although he was a good bar tender, and could be at every bar on the ship simultaneously, he never saved the Princess from certain destruction. He always had a steady supply ol paper umbrellas on hand, and he had a cool costume to wear in the Pirates Cove. The ship: The Enterprise is ca pable of speeds a little over Warp 9. It is a self-contained city, with schools, recreation areas, living quarters, a park and Whoopi Goldberg. The Pacific Princess was also a self-contained city, although it was designed for much shorter missions. It was not capable of moving faster than the speed of light, as it still was trapped in the laws of the Einstcinian universe. The big question is which is the better ship. The Enterprise spreads goodwill from the Federation of Planets to unknown societies. The Princess evi dently cranks out congressmen named Fred. You decide. Phelps is a sophomore news-cdilorial ma jor, the Daily Nebraskan opinion page editor and a columnist.