xt77d7959z23 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt77d7959z23/data/mets.xml The Kentucky Kernel Kentucky -- Lexington The Kentucky Kernel 1978-03-16 Earlier Titles: Idea of University of Kentucky, The State College Cadet newspapers  English   Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. The Kentucky Kernel  The Kentucky Kernel, March 16, 1978 text The Kentucky Kernel, March 16, 1978 1978 1978-03-16 2020 true xt77d7959z23 section xt77d7959z23 Senate Council hears allegation of 56 election fraud

By DEBBIE McDANIEL
Kernel Staff Writer

The Senate Council heard charges
yesterday that Student GOVernment
Election Board members may have
tampered with. last year's 86
election.

Jim Lobb. Arts & Sciences
senator, alleged that Election Board
members stuffed the ballot boxes
with up to 200 false ballots. “It oc-
curred both at the polls and after the
ballot box was Opened,” Lobb said.

One council member said If the
board members. ”These are the
pe0ple who are supposed to guard
the legitimacy of Student Govern-
ment elections." Many members of
the council expressed concern about
the alleged “lack of integrity in
Student (1‘0vernment."

Election Board members man the
polling places, seal the ballot boxes
and then bring them to the Student
Center for tabulation. Although the
Dean of Students and the Assistant

Volume LXIX. Number 120
Thursday, March 16,1978

Casualties high

liean of Students were present
during the tabulation to guard the
ballots against tampering, Lobb
said, “In opming the ballot boxes.
the dean was outnumbered by
Election Board members." He
alleged that members dropped
bloeks of ballots into the Open ballot
boxes prior to counting.

Lobb was prevented from an-
nouncing his suspicions publicly last
year by S0 election rules. “Our
problem last year,“ he said. “ was
that no one could challenge the
election legitimacy unless they were
the losing party." Although several
defeated candidates heard about
ballot stuffing, they didn’t take their
suspiciors to the authorities.

Arts & Sciences Senator Don
Prather said, “There was obviously
something that happared in the
election. Almost everybody con-
nected with the SG suspected
something fishy because of the
election totals.

“I didn‘t expose it at the end of the

semester. but over the summer I
thought more and more about it. I
realized that‘s what peOple in
Watergate did. so I went to the Dean
of Studmts.

“I was very incensed that
something of this sort had occurred.
his a miniturc Watergate and there
are a lot of innoeent people who
didn‘t know what was going on,
including the dean." he said.

Lobb said. “Don Prather and I sat
down with Deans (Frank) Harris
iAssOciate Dean of Students) and
tJoe) Burch (Dean of Students) and
we went over what we knew about it.
but our evidence wasn't strong
enough for disciplinary action.”

Burch said. “"here were some
allegations made to me by persons
on the Student Senate and the
candidates. We would have taken
action, but unfortunately. the
allegations weren’t based on facts
anyone could pin down.

”There were questions about the
legitimacy of the election itself. but

KENTUCKY

the Election Board determined the
election was not affected." he
I out inued.

Burch admitted. however, that
some of the allegations were made
against members of the Election
Board.

He said thercw was nothing hccould
hav eIlonc The election had no way
of being verified because the in
formation was no longer available at
that late date." he said. “The ballots
were in control of the Student
Government and I was told they
were no longer available. What we
were left with was what pIople said.
and it wasn‘t worth ruining people‘s
reputations.

“Jim Newbcrry is aware of the
situation because I communicated it
to him and he h0pes t0 appOint
people to the Elections Board who
are above reproach," Burch said.

“Perhaps I have some kind of
watchdog role; investigations are
never Ili‘0pperl but there is no
place l can go to get additional in-

an independent student n

€_____l‘_l)___

Begin: Israelis will stay

JERUSALEM (AP) — Prime
Minister Menachem Begin said
Israeli forces completed their
massive strike into Lebanon
yesterday and he vowed the troops
would remain until it was certain
Palestinian guerrillas would not
return to their bases.

“Theoperation. . .was completed
today in the afternoon," Begin told a
news conference in Jerusalem. He
said Israel w0uld seek agreements
to guarantee that “in all theses
places from which the mur-
derers have been ejected they
should not return."

His announcement came after
witnesses in Lebanon reported that
Israeli land, air and sea forces had
routed Palestinians from guerrilla
strongholds in the south and
rocketed refugee camps as far north
as Beruit. killing Palestinians and
Lebanese.

(.‘ivilian casulties mounted into the
scores and Palestinians claimed
they had killed or wounded 300
troops of the Israeli task force.
which the guerrillas estimated at
more than 25,000 soldiers.

“We have been receiving easulties
since this morning.“ said the
director of Itambam Hospital in
Haifa. Northern Israel. The military
command issued no count.

Palestinian guerrillas said they
had released a massive roeket
retaliation against the northern
Israeli setttlement of Kiryat Sh-
mona.

Syrian peacekeeping forces
reported their anti-aircraft positions
in the coastal town of Damur shot
back and hit one of the Israeli
warplanes that attacked the refugee
camps. There was no sign of Syrian
involvement beyond anti-aircraft
fire.

inside

RICK ROBEY
All-SEC selection

state

 

“today

GOV. JL’I IAN (‘..ARR()|I 'S 87. 5 BILLION spending plan
for state government for the next two years was passed
yesterday by the state Senate and sent to Carroll.

The record budget nearly $2 billion more than the current
one was criticized for its size by Sen. Larry Hopkins R-
Lexington who voted against it. However it passed the
Senate 35- I after having previously passed the House 100-0.

The budget Is little changed from the measure submitted to
the legislature early in the session although the Ap-
propriatoions and Revenue Committees did restore full
General fund appropriations to the auditor‘s office.

Carroll had proposed that the auditor‘s office be funded
through charges to the agencies audited.

But the specter loomed high of
hostilities escalating into a major
Syrian-Israeli confrontation.
sparking a new Middle east war.

Isreali Lt. Gen. Mordechai Gur
told reporters the assualt was aimed
at clearing a fivemiIe-deep guerilla-
free zone along the 49—mile border
with Lebanon. The attack followed
Israeli pledges to prevent a
repitition of Saturday's Palestinian
terrorist raid near Tel Aviv, which
Israel claimed was launched from
Lebanon and which killed 34
Israelis.

Qualified sources in Israel said
that nation planned to maintain a
strategic presence in southern
Lebanon until the government in
Beruit and the Syrian-dominated
Arab peacekeeping forces agreed
with Israel on curbing guerrilla
activities.

Syria and Lebanon requested big
power intervention. as did Egypt.
The (‘airo government and the
l'nited States said the attack would
hurt chances for Middle East peace.

Reports of killed and wounded
flooded into Beruit from across this
small country. making a deter-
mination of total easulties difficult.
The Israeli command had said its
thrustt was at military targets.

Guerrillas lost bases in at least six
strategic towns along a 40-mile
stretch of the Israeli-Lebanese
border, but Palestinians and ob-
servers at the scene said heavy
fighting continued in some areas.

The worst clashes centered on the
largest Moslem town in southern

lebanon. Bent Jbeil, a Palestinian'

stronghold. Yasser Arafat’s
Palestine Liberation Organization
said savage hand-to-hand combat
with Israeli soldiers took place
through the day in the former

market town. But Israeli Prime
Alinsiter Begin and Defense
.\l inistcr III/er Wizeman were able to
\ist two Southem Lebanon towns
t ontrolled by t‘hristian Arabs allied
with the Israelis.

The Lebanese government con-
demned the assault as “unjustified
agression." The Lebanese command
of the Arab peacekeeping force
asked Syria for “air-defense
means” to repulse further air at-
tacks and Syria complied.

In Washington. Secrettary of State
(‘yrus Vance told reporters the
Israeli raid and the Palestinian
attack that preceeded it “are im~
pediments to the peace process.”
and that the United States was
following developments “with
care.

In t‘airo. an Egyptian Foreign
Ministry statement said Israel's
“killing of Palestinians because they
are Palestinians is but organized
genoeide.“ In Moscow. govemment-
controlled Soviet media condemned
the lsraeli raid as a “bandit sally.“

Lebanese and Palestinians had
suffered numerous reprisal strikes
in the past. but the massiveness of
the predawn attack seemed to catch
this tiny country off-guard and.
according to witnesses, wreaked
hav0c among civilians who had
remained in southern areas.

Israeli naval destroyers combined
with border artillery and jet fighters
to pummel the guerrilla-controlled
port city of Tyre, and the Rashidiyeh
Palestinian camp on its southern
outskirts.

An American television crew
witnessed a house blown up by a
r0cket and a woman emerge wailing
“Whercan I go?" She said her entire
family was wiped out.

 

THE STATE SENATE PASSED TWO ANTI-ABORTION
measures yesterday. one aimed at halting state funds for
abortions and the other at calling a U.S. constitutional
convention to pass an anti-abortion amendment.

A resolution calling on Congess to convene a constitutional

TIIHEE
WILDCATS
WERE NAMED'
FIRST-TEAM
All-SEC players
by the Associated
Press last night.
Six men were
given the honor.
See the story on
Page 5

convention to adopt a right-to~life amendment passed 26-12.

A bill to prohibit state medicaid payments for elective
abortions passed 30.1.

The Senate had debated the constitutional convention at
length Tuesday before delaying the vote one day to allow an
amendment by Sen. Kelsey Friend. D-Pikeville.

The amendment, to limit the constitutional convention call
only to abortion, was defeated yesterday 22-10.

nation

SENATE LEADERS ARE (‘AL‘TIOUSLY PREDICTINGI
that the first of two Panama Canal treaties will be ratified

today.

“I think the votes will be there."

Majority Leader Robert

C. Byrd. D-W Va. said yesterday.

The prediction came as four previously opposed or un-
declared senators announced that they would support the
pact and as top white house officials launched an intensive.
last-gasp lobbying campaign on capital hill.

weather

t‘l.()l'[)\' AND (‘OLD TODAY and tonight with a chance of
snow showers. Iligh in the uppa' 305. low in the mid-205.
Mostly cloudy Friday with a high in the mid-30s

(‘oIIIpiled front AP dispatches

 

 

Landy Blair (far right) instructs two unidentified
students in a scuba diving class offered by the UK
Army ltt)’l‘(‘ department. Blair. 28.

Order of Omega

iormatiou ’l‘he I'th‘ges cannot be
taken as fact and. although the
purple w ho brought them to Inc were
serious. they were made on the basis
of rumor "

The Senate ('ouncil yesterday
almost withheld approval of St:
I'rcsidcnt .lim New-berry‘s election
pioccdurcs report. which contains
infornnifiou about the upcoming St.‘
clections According to University
policy, Sf: must approve the report
before submission to the council for
approval.

t'onfusion over the necessity for
Iouncil approval forced (‘hairman
I’aul tibIrst to consult the council
rules. He subsequently (pestioned
St; senators Lobb and Jim Elder
fellgillt‘cl‘lllg) about the report‘s
content

Although the report was men-
tioned on last Monday‘s Student
Senate agenda as a two part item.
lobb and l-Ilder contended that it
was passed over quickly and said
they weren't sure the senate had

21

approved the report.

Lobb requested that the council
.Ippl‘()\'t‘ it "with reservations “ it
was w hile explaining the rationale
for his request that Lobb informed
the council of" last year's election
problems.

Because of election deadlines. the
report was approved by the council
on the assumption that it also has
IeIciv ed the Student Senates .ip
pioi II.

llowI ver. Stl \'ice President
i‘athy t ‘ulbertson said. “The Student
Senate did not approve those rules
for this year‘s election at the
meeting. Jim was under the im»
pression. and I was too. that this
didn‘t have to be approved.“

She agreed that the report was
presented quickly and passed over
at the meeting and said she was
unaware that Ncwberry Iiad sub-
mitted the report to the council.

I‘ulbertson said she didn't know of
any bylaw requiring Student Senate
approval of election reports.

University of Kentucky
Lexington Kentucky

Novice divers

hobby.
who works as an

engineer in Lexington. teaches the class as a part-time
The beginning students are practicing in the
\Icmorial (‘oliseuIII pool.

Interfraternity Council
adds new Greek honorary

By MARY ANN BI.’('IIABT
Kernel Staff Writer

After the Interfraternity (‘ouncil
spent two years kicking around the
idea of an honorary for outstanding
(Ireeks. Itussell Gray and Malcolm
Bryant are putting the plans into
action.

Gray, president of Alpha Gamma
ltho last year. and Bryant. last
year’s Kappa Alpha president. are
seniors and wanted to get the
organization started before they
graduate. ”Finally. we have gotten
around to doing something about it."
tiray said.

The honorary will be chartered
under the national organization. The
tirder of omega. Bryant and (Iray
presented the Idea to the
l’anhcllenic (‘ouncil and [PC earlier
this week and asked for their
financial support. The money for the
charter ‘Sofii and a $3 fee for every
member is nu'dcd

There will be 2t; members. with 24
new members selected each year
The l’anhellenic adi isor and the lit
advisor will be automatic charter
members every year

The membership total III 2t; Is a
result of the national organizations
quuest that the honorary consist of
no more than .t percent of the ( ireeks
on campus

l'IaI'h fraternity and sorority will
be asked to submit the names of two
outstanding persons from their own
I haptcr The selection committee

consisting of the l’anhellenic and
lli‘t‘ advisor. the chairman or the
(ireek Activities Steering (‘om-
uuttee and the I’anhellcnic and lr‘t‘
presidents will then choose the
people it IlIx'idI-s have contributed
the most to the (ireek couqunity.
tmly one will be chosen per chapter.
Each person may receive the
honor only once. according to Gray
“We hay e turned it all over to the
selection committee now." he said.
“Any changes will be made by the
committee from here on out,"
Bryant and Gray started working
on the idea this semester.
l’anhcllcnic and ll"t‘ agreed to give
the honorary financial support. so
the \(‘lt‘t'iltnl committees will begin
work immediately The chapters
must \lll)lll|t their two nominations
to the I onmuttec by Friday.
"We got the idea from last year's
IIVI‘ olfiII-is and the ll“(' .IdvIsor.
\lichacl l’alni." (iray said “’l'hcy'

went toan lr‘t‘ convention in Atlanta
a couple of years ago where a
presentation was made on the
a\ailabi|ity' of the national
honorary We are just now getting
around to taking action on the idea. "

Bryant said he thinks the hmorary
Is “longoverdue.” Both he and (iray
agicethat the honorary is important
Iii-cause it gives recognition to
tireck leaders. “At the (ircek
banquet. the outstanding (ircek man
.md woman of the year are honored.
but more than just two Greeks are
outstanding.” (iray said

'l‘hme appointed to the honorary
\\lli be recognized at the (ireek
I'..uiquct. which is scheduled for
.\pri| It at the Lexington llyatt
ltcgency llotel Members are not
icquired to pay dues or participate
inanyactiyities Membershipin'l‘he
IiiIIIr of Omega is awarded strictly
for recognition

We goofed

the Student tit)\cl'nincnt election
deadlines reported yesterday were
iiIIoII'ect The filing and election
dates time not been officially
\I‘lll'tlllll‘tl yet. but the Senate
Ioiiucil has approved tcnative
’LlitS. pcndiug .iition by St}, that
ll.I\I‘ been fornmlated by the
l'.it‘t'l|t)IlS Board

the l‘,it:l lions ltoaid has [imposed

these dates:

t'aIIilulates may not file until after
\Ionday. April 3, and must file
Iii-fore t to pm on \l'ednesday.
.\pii| l3

l'.lt't'tl0llS will be held Wednesday
and l'hursday. April Iii-Zn ('an
Ilulates must submit expenditure
forms before I .lop m on ’l‘hursday.
April in

 

    
 
  
  
 
 
   
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
    
 
  
  
 
  
  
  
    
    
   
 
  
  
   
  
  
  
     
   
 
  
 
 
    
    
   
   
   
  
   
 
    
   
   
   
  
   
    
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
   
  
   
  
   
    
    
    
   
  
     
    
     

    

 

 

Kathe]

editorials 8: comments

Steve liallmgt'r
Editor In Chic]

hick Gabriel
Managing Editor
'I'liouias ( 'lu rlt
Assistant Managing Editor

t‘harlcs Main
lz'dttmtal la‘ditor

Nell Fields
Assistant Arte &
l-Zntertainment- Editor

Jennifer (larr
Stall Artist

I )avrd llibbitts
Sports Editor

ltob Stauble
Assistant Sports Editor

Walter Tunis
Arts E Entertainment Editor

Gregg l-‘ielt
Rich-rd McDonald
Jim McNair
Mike Mailer
Betsy Pearce
Copy Editor:

David O'Neil
Photo Manager

Jeanne Wchner
Photo Super visor

 

 

Now is the right time
to form a UK gay group

If there is any sentiment remaining at UK to
have a campus homosexual organization, this
would be an opportune time to do so.

Two years ago, a gay group’s application to be

recognized as an official

organization was turned down by the Dean of
Students office, which deemed it unsuitable.

A similar request and refusal at the University
of Missouri was taken to court, where the
university’s position was overthrown by the U.S.

8th Circuit Court of Appeals.

The appellate court ruled that the
organization, “Gay Lib,” should be allowed to
use the school’s faciliities and have access to

student-activity funds, just like

organizations. Last month, the Supreme Court
refused to hear the university’s appeal. The
University of Missouri argued that official

recognition of the organization

with a state law against sodomy.

UK student
dividually.

forums, an
many cultural,

other student groups.

would conflict

It’s sad that otherwise progressive institutions
would try to use such laws to stifle a significant
number of people. Unive'sities should not be
concerned with whether the sexual habits of
their students are illegal, a very peripheral issue
here, and one that would have to be proven in-

Gay groups have acquired legitimacy in many
the issue of homosexuality involves

political and moral overtones.

Universities are wrong in darying that it is an
important concern for a campus organization,
and in denying equal treatment with other

The Supreme Court’s decision is an af~
firmation of a group’s right to assemble, despite
their ideology or lifestyle, and is an opportunity
for a gay organization to win official status at
UK.

 
   

- -r
rfi‘” . A ..

 

 

Letters to

the Editor

 

 

Review dispute

Your Foghat concert review was
the most unknowledable review I
have ever read. Ms. Fields
displayed an overwhelming lack of
information concerning music,
Foghat, and stage productions.
Having been a Foghat fan since 1972
and having seen them Friday night
for the fifth time, I strongly disagree
with the review.

First. Ms. Fields’ point about
Lonesome Dave is inaccurate. He is
not trying to steal the show; he is the
show. Concerts are not staged
merely for the music; there are also
visual attractions. Rock groups
usually have a visual focal point tie?
Mick Jagga‘, Stevie Nicks, Ian
Anderson). Lonesome Dave is the
focal point of Foghat. Since the
audiences' eyes are on him, he
rnOvcs around the stage to various
group members to draw attention to
them. Not to steal the show from
them.

Having listened to Foghat’s
musical progression since their first
release in 1972, I don't feel their
emphasis has changed. They still
play a 1970‘s version of 50‘s blues
rock. (‘omparison of cuts such as
“Sarah Lee" (first album) with
“Dreamer“ (fourth album) or “I’ll
lteStanding By“ (sixth album) is all
that is necessary to substantiate
this.

I am uncertain whether Ms.
l’iclds' lead line about Foghat's
dream to be an American band, or
her statement of how they exploit
people, was more ignorant. Foghat
has no desire whatsoever to be an
American band. Grand Funk
Railroad is an American band.

Foghat is and always has been a
British band. Their music is a
British rock version of old blues
masters such as Howlin’ Wolf, John
Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters.

As for exploiting people, Foghat
offered the audience the same thing
they‘ offered in their early '70’s
barroom gigs: good high energy
rock and roll. The audience, as Ms.
Fields clearly states, loved it.

Recently, Foghat reunited some of
the old masters and played with
them in concert. They donated the
cntire proceeds to the New York City
Public Library. Write to the New
York (‘ity Public Library, Ms.
Fields, and ask them if Foghat
exploits ‘peOpleL but leasewdon’t
write ’any more c'onc'é'r' reviews.

James M. Henning
Graduate Student

Findlay is faulty

In regard to the letter from Mr.
Findlay, Sr. attacking Tom Fit-
rgerald’s column on abortion, I must
reply. First, I did not find Tom’s
arguments vindictive, irresponsible,
or unjustified. I do', however, find
the position taken by most “anti-
abortion activists” to be describable
in those terms.

As for your arguments, Mr.
Findlay: you compare pregnant
women to slave owners. The ab-
surdity of that deserves no reply.
You compare anti-abortionists to
abolitionists. “The abolitionists
were a minority," you say. I agree.
All such groups are minorities. You
imply by that statement that anti-
abortionists area minority. Again, I
agree. So are the Nazis, SLA, Ku

Klux Klan, and the Kentucky
legislature. It proves nothing.

You seem to dwell upon‘the con-
sistency of the position espoused by
anti-abortionists. Do they also 0p-
pose the death penalty? Have they
all been actively working to promote
sex education in the schools and to
distribute birth control information
to all? I sincerely doubt it. I have
also seen little evidence of what you
call their deep concern for all who
suffer injustice.

I believe it would be more ap-
propriate to compare anti-
abortionists to prohibitionists, and I
will work to insure that their efforts
come to similar ends

"' “ «Ralph Dodds
First-year Law student

Net politics

The editorial of March 13 decrying
the mixing of politics and sports by
the protest of Vanderbilt University
hosting the Davis Cup tournament is
hopelessly naive.

Sports are a part of the real world
and don’t take place in an
“ideological vacuum" as the Kernel
would have us believe. The Kernel
editorial proves this itself -— the one
black player on South Africa’s team
was added only after the protest by
the NAACP was announced.

South African participation in
world sports events is public
relations for the apartheid regime of
South Africa. U.S. complicity with
theapartheid system is great, as my
column of earlier this week pointed
out. Everyone that opposes South
Africa‘s system of oppression should
join such groups as the NAACP,

St‘AR, United Methodist Church and
the Vanderbilt University Divinity
school students in protesting
apartheid in Nashville, March 17-19.

- Bronson Rozier
Member. Lexington Student
(‘oalition Against Racism

ERA 'f'undamental’

In 1776, Abigail Adams cautioned
her husband John, who had tottled
of f to the Constitutional Convention,
“Remember the ladies,” for
otherwise “we are determined to
l'omcnt a rebellion. . . " That was
202 years ago, and we have neither
found a place in the Constitution, nor
formed a rebellion. That‘s too bad.

When the Kentucky Senate voted
to rescind Kentucky‘s ratification of
the Equal Rights Amendment, we
heard some interesting arguments.
The mandate for “equality of rights
under the law" was called language
which is “too vague” to be allowed
into the courts and language which
somehow does not really mean
“equality of rights," but “identity of
the sexes.”

No matter how significant
legislators may think legislation is,
no law and no amendment can enact
sexual identity. The pr0posed
amendment explicitly states that
federal and state governments shall
not discriminate on the basis of sex.
A vote against the ERA is indeed a
vote against equality for women and
men, denying us equal treatment in
the courts of this country and,
through the courts, such basic rights
as equal pay for equal work. It is
desperately needed. In recent weeks
we have even seen the old “separate

but equal" argument used to bar a
female student from the best hi h
school in Philadelphia, a pubic
school supported by public funds.

The U .S. Constitution is the major
guarantee that women, racial and
ethnic minorities, and the un-
derprivileged have that those things
granted them in times of prosperity
will not be taken away in times of
economic depression. The very
difficulty the ERA has been having
in recent years is proof that the
proposed amendment is much more
than a symbolic victory for rights
women have already gained or may
gain in the future, bit by bit, with
federal and state statutes.

Equality of rights under the law
must be established as a basic
principle of American justice like
universal suffrage, free from the
irrelevant “states' rights”
ar'gtuncnt. and fundamental to the
cutire legal system.

It's about time for the silent ERA
supporters to stop crapping about
how “the other side is better
organized“ and start making
themselves heard. All right, so we
don‘t have the assorted funds of big
business ~ particularly the in-
suranc'e industry on our side. But,
according to the polls, we do have
the numbers.

The Kentucky Women‘s Agenda
has called a demonstration in the
rotunda of the (‘apitol on Saturday,
March til, at to am. It may amount
to a protest demonstration for a
resolution which has already
passed. As you know, the rescission
resolution did not pass the Senate on
its own feet, but as an amendment to
Senate Bill 20, a retirement bill
which has already passed both
houses and is on the govemor‘s desk.

There‘s no telling what will happen.

Well, some of us protested against
the war, too. If it’s too late, at least
we can indicate we don’t like it. A
contingent from Lexington will be
meeting in the Student Center
parking lot from 8:30 to 9:30.

('arol Dussere
Lexington NOW

Equal time
for the jobless

After reading your story on
engineers in..the .WNPYment
promised land (March 8), I demand
cquaf time. 'lfow about 'a story of
those of us who would be glad to
drive ourselves, eat at McDonald‘s,
and sleep in our cars it we could only
get an interview? Surely I'm not the
only person having difficulty finding
a job.

David Wellman
MBA graduate

That Guinea isn't
the right Guinea

In case the Friends of Equatorial
Guinea Refugees has not told you,
the map of Africa on the front page
of Wednesday‘s Kernel designated
the location of Guinea, not
Equatorial Guinea.

Equatorial Guinea is only about
1300 miles away from the Guinea on
your map.

Dave Gantt
(‘ollege of Library Science

Stereobuying without getting shocked

This semester‘s “practical"
column:

Surveys tell us that stereos are
high on the list of “necessities“ for
thc young Audio systems follow
cars. clothes, and drugs. Of course,
this is only the statistical

preference. I know quite a few folks
who are willing to sacrifice many
amenities. such as food and shelter.
just to en joy some well-formed
patterns of compressed and rarefied
.lll"

 

It is a shame that so many people
who buy stereos never bother to
tonsidtr even the most superficial
research on the subject. I have seen
friends taken too many times, so I
want to pass on a few of tny 0b-
xervations on the fine art of stereo
buying.

.\t thcrisk of sounding reductive, l
(mnld ltayc to say the the most
important consideration is balan-
(tug out the amount of money you
intend to spend among the corn-
poncuts you want It is an exercise in

futility to hook up a $500 receiver to
$50 speakers and dad‘s old turntable.
it is almost impossible to purclnse a
complete first class (turntable,
tapedeck. speakers, reciever)
system for much less than $800.
(‘crtainly. you can purchase all
these components somewhere for
less, but it won't be long before you
feel the pinch in both quality and
sound. Many companies offer
“component" systems in the $400
range, but it would be better to wait
until you can spend more money
than to sink your cash into one of
these bombs.

if you decide that you can do
without a tape deck. $800 will buy an
excellent small system. However. a
tape clerk is more than a con-
venience. The ability to record is at
times indispensable and can save
you money. One can record two $7.98
albums on a $5.50 cassette and that
comes in handy. With minimal care,
tapes will retain their sound quality
long after the original album has
been replaced.

“Specials" and "package desls"
are to be avoided. There are few
bargain basement breaks in quality
hiti equipment. Buying a com-
pany‘s entire system because you
like its turntable probably means

you will still only like its turntable
when you set up the system at borne.

As with any large expenditure,
stay away from novelty and trendy
items. A $500 gimmick hurts and it
will take some time to recover. View
all equipment with a skeptical eye
and stay with standard con-
figurations. Also, avoid quad and 8-
track equ'pment. The former has
not been perfected and the latter has
long since been superceded by
cassettes.

My experience with the advice of
salesmen has been dismal. It seems
that their sentiments are only
consistent with what they have in
stOck. Often, they will change their
recommendations dramatically
each time you come in. Un-
fortunately, many of them will make
some dishonest statements in an
attempt to persuade you. I am not
saying that all hiofi salesman are
crooks. but they should not be your
only source of information.

There is a constant dispute about
the amount of power a system
shOttld have. The considerations
here are the listening mm and the
cfficiency of your speakers. Certain
rooms absorb more sound than
others and certain speakers reqtl're
more energy than others to produce

equivalent volume levels. In the
average room of 1500 cubic feet, 20 to
35 watts per channel is quite suf-
ficient There is no need for a
gargantuan amp rating unless you
need to fill up large spaces, such as a
nightclub or gymnasium, with lots of
sound. Don‘t let a salesman con-
vince you that you MUST have 200
watts per channel. The truth may be
that he MUST dump that amp.

Once you have decided to spend
the money, don‘t despair. You can
put together an excellent system for
under $1200 that need not be im-
provcd on. Value in stereo equip-
ment is not linear, however, and
past a certain point you will be
paying for inaudible superiority, or
just a name. If you are interested in
the esoteric lines, then your needs
are obviously beyond the scope of
this column.

The grim truth is that you must
have a basic understanding of
specifications.

it is not necessary to know the
concepts bdiind their derivation, but
you must be able to recognize an
unacceptable or meaningless
specification, or you may not get the
most for your money. You should
know that a frequency response of
plus or minus ddb over the Woo mo

“I. hand is not acceptable in a power
amp, for example. but you don’t
need to understand the circuit
diagrams

Speakers are critical to your
system and you should be familiar
with the set you intend to buy.
Remember. the size of the room will
give a different sound to thtse
speakers. If at all possible, visit a
showroom that is close to the size of
the room you will use at home.

When you audition any system.
use material you are familiar with.
if at all possible. use the same
record and listen to the same
passage through each component
you consider. Don‘t let the salesman
insist on using a record you have
never board, because you have no
reference point. Audition
everything! Neva buy anything
that you have not board. You should
be the final judge. Too many people
purchase equipment for status or
from a random recommendation.

It you can do any reading on audio
rquipmcnt, you will be ahead of the
game. Magazines. such as Stereo
Review. will provide you with in-
valuable information. The finest
publcation l have found for three
who want to get aquainted with the
rudiments is The Rolling Stone

 

tiuide to High Fidelity Sound by Len

Fcldman. The only connection it has
with Rolling Stone magazine is the
publishing house. The high fidelity
guide is not plagued by the tedious
pr