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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 10, 1992)
Environmental law allows ‘playing God’ WHO WILL WE LET PLAY GOD? The Endangered Species Act was authorized for 20 years. It expires Sept. 30. Congress has not made time to discuss the issue this year because of more important things — like an elec tion — and because the subject has become a lot more compli cated than anyone imagined back in the Nixon years. I’ve been assured by one of our senators’ aides that the law will remain in effect even though Congress won’t be dealing with the issue until next year. That gives us all more time to think, read, talk and write about it. A good place to start is with the resolution HR4045 introduced in theHousethisyearby Rep. Gerry Studds (D-Mass). You might write to represen tatives and senators asking if they know of any bills corresponding to the resolution. Among biologists who study these things there’s a recognition that the big threat to most endan gered species is loss of habitat. An updated law should recog nize and protect entire ecosys tems or communities even be fore particular species become threatened. The key words are "critical habitat.” Finally, with folks such as the “Wise Use” coalition on the heels of environmentalists, there will be serious questions about whether or not we even need to bother saving all species, and how will we decide which spe cies are worth saving and which ones aren’t. Will you be content to leave it up to the president’s "God Squad?” — Daniel Clinchard It’s a groupie’s life Delusions of free love, beer and covers You see them. Through clouds of smoldering cigarettes* hovering around pitchers of Heineken, you see them. The harem of lycra clad, perfectly coiffed,sexual playthings. These women fill their beds with Nirvana and Soundgarden. You’ve found your mecca. You want to know the secret tattoos and birthmarks of James Hetfield. You want liberation from past lovers. No more sweaty socks and smelly jocks, no more prehistoric meat-and-potatoes men. You want a strumming Satriani protege with the body to put Com mandments to shame. You desire tight leather pants and Ji m Morrison lyrics whispered in your delicate, triple-pierced ears. You envision callused hands that can play you in bed as well as "Purple Haze” on the guitar. Castoff your starry-eyed dreams sister, and wake up to the twisted cult of groupie-ism. There are certain privileges known only to groupies. But, you may ask, how do 1 trap one of these elusive gu itar-wieldi ng chimeras of mythological legend? Must I tattoo my body with the lyrics to Spinal Tap’s “Bitch School”? Must I know the difference between humbucker and single-coil pickups? Slash would Shake his top-hat ted, hair-matted head. He would assure you that Axl never kept any female MENSA members as group ies. The secret to snaring is simple: adoration. Approach any b^ind member with » _ _ _______ ___ __ ____ The Wilma B. Crumley Lecture _ _ Whose Life Is It, Anyway? presented by Steve Weinberg Investigative reporter and editor Free and open to the public — Friday, Sept 11 — 9:30 a.m. — Sheldon Auditorium — ———j——————■ JjT Grand Opening! S imperial Palace Now Hiring at the Student Union Location The Royal Grove & Bhize Radio 106.3 Present California Male Male Dance Revue Monday Sept. 14 $5 Door 18 & Older admitted with I.D. Open 7 pm Show 9-11 pm ike Pp-ygJ Drink specials 7 to 10 pm Grove Games Prizes Lincoln's Rock Palace Posters Photos 340 W. CORNHUSKER MU*. Lincoln, me (Sorry No Cameras Allowed) 477-303*_ a raving aesire 10 loucn nis arum sticks. Express avid interest in learn ing how to play “Stairway to Heaven”. Look him over with an intoxicated, wistful stare. I promise you’ll be giving him a ride back to your place, along with his equip ment and a few of his buddies. Your relationship will flourish. You’ll find yourself present at nu merous band rehearsals (picking up beer cans, emptying ashtrays — this is excellent preparation for a waitress job.) He may write a love song for you, or let you sing backup if you can manage that deep, throaty “Babes in Toyland” quality in your voice. You may experience delusions of you, him and 2.6 guitars settling down into a cozy warehouse. But remember, they are delu sions. Things usually start turning sour when your fights become inspira tional material. He performs bitter, teeth-gnashing declarations about tampon wrappers on the floor.>■ M. Somehow, his songs about S&M just don’t seem funny anymore. ■ You follow him to Duffy’s and Howard Street Tavern. Does temp tation lurk within micro mini skirts, nose rings and dyed roots? It does. He will love you forever, or at least until the women of L7 invite him backstage to show him their interpretation of “Wargasm." Oneday you will realize that free qjvers, free beer and free love don’t satisfy like the pleasure of watching his bass guitar plummet from your 10th story apartment window. Maybe your mother was right. Maybe you should scout thesuper market aisles for an uncalculated guy who really digs Neil Sedaka and Easy 107 FM. Maybe you should settle down with a nice, conserva tive meat-and-potatoes man who will give you the white picket fence,, the Cuisenart and the square lawn in suburbia Then again, maybe groupie-ism isn’t so bad after all. — Sheryl Schmidtkc is a former groupie and Diversions contributor.