Oregon daily emerald., January 13, 1978, Image 1

Krugerrands sell despite controversy
By RICHARD SEVEN
Of the Emerald
Even though the investment firm of Merrill
Lynch has decided South African Kruger
rands, as well as other gold coins, aren’t
worth handling, private coin shops around
the area say the sales have been "terrific.”
Last week, Merrill Lynch, announced it
was temporarily halting Krugerrand sales
because they’re no longer “economically
feasible.”
However, Gary Thomas of Eugene Coin
Gallery, reports that he sold or took orders
for 110 Krugerrands at $184 apiece on
Wednesday alone.
“It’s been strange, but since the protest
has started, my sales have really jumped."
Thomas says. 'We re selling a much higher
percent of the coins this year than the pre
vious three years.” Thomas also adds that
the Krugerrand is the most preferred coin in
his shop.
Panic buying and advertising by protes
tors have been the main reasons for the
jump in Krugerrand sales, according to
Thomas.
“A lot of people want to buy the Kruger
rand before they shut down the mines in
South Africa, ” Thomas says. "They want to
get their investments and gifts before the
prices go up or the sales are banned.”
The coin dealers of the area agreed that
the protest over the gold coin has stimu
lated the demand because the word
“Krugerrand” has been placed in people’s
vocabularies.
Dan Bell of Merrill Lynch’s local office,
hints the difference between coin shop's
booming demands for the coin and the lack
of demand his firm has been receiving may
lie in the difference in clientele.
“I guess it would just have to be a fluke of
nature,” says Bell. “It might lie in the differ
ence between our investors and the coin
"‘'Tp’s customers. We tend to be more con
servative, long-time clients. They usually
are more interested in gold bullion.”
Thomas says most of his buyers want the
Krugerrand for investment reasons. Many
of them, he says, “want them because
they’re afraid of the future of the dollar.”
The Krugerrand has also been a big gift
item, with customers ranging from Merrill
Lynch investors to grandmothers and chil
dren.
Like Merrill Lynch, the coin dealers don’t
see the sale of the coin as a political issue.
They claim they are simply offering a ser
vice and people are not coerced into buying
Krugerrands over any other coins and bull
ions they carry.
Thomas says a decision to ban the
Krugerrand wouldn’t accomplish much.
“It would be interesting togo to the minor
ity council meeting to see how many of
those people own gold watches or own cars
partially built with platinum, which also
comes out of South Africa,” Thomas says.
“I’d imagine you’d see a great deal of
hypocrisy.”
(See related story Page 4)
Vol. 79, No. 78
Eugene, Oregon 97403
Friday, January 13, 1978
Move over
typewriter,
video’s here
By NANCY MARSHALL
Of the Emerald
Five big, shiny new machines joined the University’s jour
nalism school recently, to aid journalism students in keeping up
with many of the major newspapers in the country.
Room 302 Allen was remodeled to welcome its new occup
ants —five video display terminals (VDTs), a computer and a line
printer.
These machines are used in most major newspapers in the
United States. Apparently typewriters are devices of the past and
the computer era has arrived.
Newspapers were introduced to VDTs in 1970, but progress
has been slow in converting from typewriters to the new machines
because of the cost and the elaborate sophistications, according
to Roy Halverson, journalism professor.
The Eugene Register-Guard was fully equipped with 60
VDTs in September, 1976. The entire newsroom became quiet
when the VDTs were put to use.
“The staff really likes them,” says managing editor Barrie
Hartman, "It’s a good system. I doubt that any of our reporters
would go back to using the typewriters.”
The student advantage to these shiny machines is jour
nalism majors will work in an electronic newsroom. When jour
nalism students apply for jobs, Halverson explains further, * appli
cations are now frequently asking about familiarity with VDTs,
and now it will be possible for students to be current and to have
some experience working with the modem facilities.”
Classes using the VDTs this term include Newspapei Edit
ing, Reporting I and II and Magazine Editing. Students will have a
total of about 40 hours typing time with the machines during the
term.
Half of the VDTs looks much lika a typewriter — at least the
letters are all in their right places. But instead of rolling paper in
and ripping it out, writers look directly into a blank screen, untii
they become brave enough to punch a key or two. A little green
rectangle moves along as they type. Upon the screen appears
little green letters forming words which will eventually be a story.
It is then possible to command the computer to store the
words. The line printer is used to print the stories from the compu
ter onto paper. The professor or editor examines the story from
his or her own VDT.
Typing on the VDT machine can be mastered in approxi
mately two hours, according to Halverson.
In a newsroom, these machines of the future speed up the
entire process from typing to printing. And Halverson adds, “They
can be a lot of fun to work with too."
J-school buys
five machines
'•
Photo by Steven Setter
Video Display Terminals: Up-to date technology hits UO.