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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 24, 1995)
Qhndn Friday, February 24, 1995 Page 4 Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board University of Nebraska-Uncoln Jeff Zeleny.Editor, 472-1766 Jeff Robb.Managing Editor Matt Woody...Opinion Page Editor DeDra Janssen..Associate News Editor Rainbow Rowell.Arts & Entertainment Editor James Mehsling.Cartoonist Chris Hain.Senior Reporter Quotes of the week “We will tailor courses and curricula to meet Micron’s needs in chemical engineering, materials processing or any other area in which we have the expertise.” — NU President Dennis Smith on the upgrading of engineering programs at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. “Even though it’s 25 games into the season, we’re still a young ball club. After 25 games you’re not supposed to be a young ball club.” — Missouri coach Norm Stewart on Nebraska’s 78- 75 win over Missouri Wednesday night. “I took a shower in a 32-ounce glass of water this morning.” —John Frese a resident of the Harper-Schramm-Smith residence halls on the water being shut off because of a broken water pipe. “Francisco Renteria has challenged the notion that everyone enjoys the Good Life.” — Jose Soto, a leader in the Lincoln Hispanic community, speaking at a panel discussion on the issues surrounding Renteria s death. “You get the feeling sometimes that you’re not making anyone happy.” — Tom Casady about the controversy surrounding his reinstate ment as the Lincoln chief of police. “I just Expressed to him in pretty rational terms that I didn’t think it was appropriate that he or she — I couldn’t tell from that distance — built a nest in a car where he could get hurt.” — Bruce Currin, director of human resources, on talking with a squirrel who is thought to be behind the continual damage caused to administrator's vehicles. Clarification The plan to improve engineering education at the University of Nebraska at Omaha does not include the implementation of a separate engineering college there, as reported in a Thursday editorial. Improvements to engineering and information science pro grams at the UNO campus will be completed by fall. The infor mation sciences program could eventually develop into a college. A college of information technology could include programs in the computer science field, said J.B. Milliken, an NU vice presi dent. However, he said, there currently are no plans under way to implement this college. Editorial policy Staff editorials represent the official policy of the Spring 1995. Daily Nebraskan. Policy is set by the Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board Editori als do notnecessarily reflect the views of the university, its employees, the students or the NUBoandofRegents. Editorial columns representthe opin ion of the author. The regents publish die Daily Nebraskan. They establish die UNL Publications Board to su pervise the daily production of the paper. According to policy set by the regents, responsibility for the edito rial content of the newspaper lies solely in the hands of its students. Letter policy The Daily Nebraskan welcomes brief letters to the editor from all readers and interested others. Letters will be selected for publication on the basis of clarity, originality, timeliness and spaceavaitable. The Daily Nebraskan retains the right to edit or reject all material submitted Readers also are welcome to submit ma terial as guest opinions. The editor decides whether material should run as a guest opinion. Letters and guest opinions sent to the newspaper become the property of the Daily Nebraskan and cannot be returned. Anonymous submissions will not be pub lished Letters should included die author’s name, year in school, major and group affiliation, if any. Requests to withhold names will not be granted Submit mated alto the Daily Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400 R St., Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448. r kvm GOT \T Toots. Slogans in the boy’s room Pete Kass runs a grocery store in a blue-collar neighborhood in Chicago. It’s a good store with fine meats, fruits and vegetables. But it’s still a neighborhood grocery store, not a gourmet shoppe or a giant supermarket. So Pete was surprised when the mail brought him a glossy brochure offering him an unusual business opportunity. It was an invitation for him to advertise his groceries in the washrooms at the new United Center sports stadium, which recently replaced the old Chicago Stadium. Or as the slick, glossy brochure put it: “Why in Restrooms?” In all of his years in the grocery business, that’s a question Pete had never pondered. At least not in terms of advertising pork chops. And he wasn’t sure that he knew the answer. But the brochure answered it for him. “In its brief history, the United Center has already become known as one of the premier entertainment venues in the country. “Our state-of-the-art building offers many individuals the oppor tunity to witness a variety of sporting events, concerts and family shows. “Young and old, men and * women, all will come to view events in the United Center. (The brochure didn’t come right out and say so, but most of them will have to make wee-wee.) “With this in mind, we invite you to take a look at our newest advertising concept, one which will fit any size budget. “This year, we will be placing 8 inch-by-ll-inch advertisements in all of our 100 and 300 level restrooms.” Mike Royko Sure enough, the brochure has a picture of a men’s urinal with four advertising posters placed on the wall at eye level. The brochure says: “This cost-effective vehicle will provide the advertisers with the opportunity to reach our fans in a way like no other, allowing you to reach our guests in a distraction free environment. “Our guests (your potential customers) cannot change the channel, turn the page, or in any other way tune out the message being presented to them. “You will receive their undi vided attention.” The sales pitch goes on to say that about 2.5 million people will attend more than 125 events a year at the United Center. That’s a lot of potential potty trips, so the ads will be placed above the men’s urinals and on the side of the doors in the ladies’ stalls. And these will not be ordinary crumbums going to the john. As the brochure promises, “They will be individuals who have proven themselves to possess high levels of disposable income. The kind of consumers you want to reach.” Pete the grocer thought about that for a while. Then he said, “Nah, I don’t think some guy standing at a urinal downtown is necessarily the kind of consumer I’m trying to reach. “I mean, I’m sure all of my customers go to the bathroom regularly, but that is not the basis for our relationship or a factor in what we sell them, except for certain paper items. “Besides, what would I put in my advertising space — a head of lettuce and a message that says: ‘Hey, come to our nice fresh salad bar, but remember to wash your hands first!’? “So I’m not going to advertise in their washrooms, although it was nice of them to ask.” Although bathroom advertising might not be useful to Pete — unless he can slip posters into the bungalows of his customers — it will probably appeal to many other businesses. For many years, the men’s rooms of many bars in Chicago and other cities have contained forms of advertising from those who seek companionship of one form or another. The ads usually read something like: “For a good (sex act deleted) phone Joe at...” This form of restroom communi cation has surely declined, since computer bulletin boards and the Internet have made it possible to send such messages across the country or even the globe. So now restroom advertising is going to become mainstream. As Pete the grocer says: “Adver tising is kind of a weird business, isn’t it? They say that the ads will be jn metal frames and covered with glass that is tamper-proof. “I’d say it ought to be splatter proof.” © 1995 Tribune Media Services, Inc. M 1 K I e 11 I Ul r I ...,. ..' ' ' ■ ' . :.^f-^4S®»