Just when you thought it safe to sleep
Sitting in a classroom listening to people ask
questions is almost like visting the zoo — there are as
many different styles of asking questions as there are
monkeys. Some people get excited, some get scared.
Some are shy and some boring. But the ones who act
like they're in a zoo are people who ask obnoxious
questions.
They seem to break down into a few basic
categories.
editor's note
frank shaw
The "See What I Know" questioner. Spotted ear
ly in the term in your most difficult class, these peo
ple can usually be found sitting in the front where
they won't have to look at their classmates.
Their question goes something like this: While
what you say might be true, I was wondering,"
followed by a string of six-syllable words that only a
Master's student would know about. The question is
asked with a whine, and finishes with the questioner
looking proud of the question, the teacher looking
like something crawled out trom under a rock and
the class looking like they want to either head for the
Registrar and drop the class or lynch the student.
The "Let's Relate My Personal Experience" ques
tioner. There's almost no surer way of embarrassing
everyone in the class than to drag in some mystical
experience you had 10 years ago. But this is exactly
what these people do. The question goes something
like this: "Reading this poem really reminds me of
when I was three years-old and living with my grand
parents in Wyoming," followed by a detailed descrip
tion of an experience that in no way relates to the
class.
But in my mind the worst is the "Interrupt the
Professor and Any Students in the Class to Get My
Opinion In" questioner. This person breaks into any
lecture, dialogue or conversation without raising a
hand. "Wait a minute, that's wrong You don't know
what you're talking about," followed by a five minute
tirade about how wrong the speaker really is. A varia
tion on the same theme is the type that picks a large
lecture class and argues with the teacher on
established facts for 20 minutes while the rest of the
class falls asleep.
The problem is clear, the answer isn't. Peer
pressure obviously doesn’t work. A quick stab with a
pencil might get the point home, but that only works
if the questioner is within arms reach.
The answer could lie in a new quick-acting drug
that paralyzes the venal cords. Each student would be
armed with a blow gun and a tew darts. Points on the
final could be awarded to the student who scores the
first hit. Not too civilized, maybe, but effective.
letters
Bad behavior
The Emerald has once again
decided that it is time to make
public issue of individuals' bad
behavior and call this the behavior
of all Greek members.
This time it is the news editor,
Frank Shaw, who described
meeting drunken individuals at
the Cal-Oregon football game. He
referred to these people as
mindless, drunken, Neanderthals
and labeled them as "Greeks.”
I have met drunken reporters
before, but this does not cause me
to label all reporters as drunks,
much less Neanderthals. Was the
purpose of Shaw's comments to
show his dislike for those who
save seats for their friends? That
point was finally made in the se
cond to last paragraph. Or was the
purpose of Shaw's column to
report the stereotype of all Greeks
being drunken, inconsiderate
Neanderthals? This point was
brought out in the remaining 14
paragraphs. This can hardly be
called fair and responsible
journalism.
I plead with the IFC to let the
Emerald become a subscription
paper and not just a handout on
the corner. This way only those
who feel the need to read such
one-sided journalism will be forc
ed to pay for the paper.
Michael Mee
senior, finance
Find a seat
I would like to thank "reporter”
Frank Shaw for his enlightening
column on his inability to secure a
seat at the Cal football game. Be
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
ing the responsible, unbiased
journalist he is, Shaw has now un
doubtedly saved many students
from this terrible reality.
It has been sometime since
anything “Creek" has been men
tioned on page 3 of the Emerald.
What is wrong? It is getting dif
ficult to dig up dirt? Surely there
must be more negative things to
say on 2,000 Greek students, all of
whom (without exception, of
course) are drunken, preppy,
snobby socialites. Why, even the
Creek system has learned to ex
pect this kind of publicity from
the Emerald.
Just as “reporter" Shaw pays
money to sit wherever he wants in
Autzen Stadium, I also pay money
to read pertinent, interesting
news in the Emerald. I suppose we
are both getting screwed.
If Shaw's column on football
seating represents the material
that fill's his "reporter's
notebook," then perhaps he
should throw it away.
Randall Putz
junior, journalism
Wallies
Frank Shaw's column recent
concerning Creeks at the Cal foot
ball game is yet another shining
example of his ineptitude as both
news editor and reporter.
While I applaud your accusa
tions, I don't feel you are justified
in condemning the entire Creek
community. Although the people
involved in this unfortunate inci
dent are obviously Wallies, please
don't identify all Greeks with this
kind of behavior. If this logic is ap
plied to all of your reporting then I
guess this also means that the
nAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAA
Catholic Church endorses the
philosophy of the Unification
Church or Maranatha. They are all
considered churches and are all
religious institutions so they must
embrace the same values. Right?
I met a rude, obnoxious, non
Greek idiot on the street the other
day. Should I, therefore, classify
all non-Greeks under this
category? If you really are the
reporter you claim to be, perhaps
you might have taken the initiative
to find out what fraternity these
social invalids belong to. Then the
blame could be directed towards
the proper source. Articles like
this one only help to alienate
many of the readers this paper
serves and assures us all of your
gross incompetence as a reporter.
Well, the sun is going down now
and I can't see to write anymore
with these Vuarnets glued to my
head. Looking forward to your
next article.
Michael Downey
Correction
Due to a typing error a
sentence was inadvertently
left off the letter "Task
force" Emerald, Oct. 12. The
sentence should have read:
"Only one out of 12 'en
forcement' recommenda
tions dealt with police
discretion, through a reduc
tion in 'citations-rn-lieu-of
arrest' — actually a short
term experiment to reduce,
not increase, police discre
tion regarding arrests."
We regret any confusion
this might have caused.
n A A A A rtAAAAA.kAAAAAA
msmmmmm
Glamour Girl
Hair Supply
Specials
London Nail Polish.$1.75
variety of colors
Fashion Earrings.$2.50
Air Flow Vent Brushes.$3.00
Sta-Sof-Fro Oil Sheen.$7.50
32 oz.
Specials expire Oct. 20. 1983
782 East 11th
next to the Mayflower Theater
Open 11 to 5 Monday through Friday
N€$US
product
Offer expires October 31.1983 |
wmrnummmr
_n ,;i.
0000000
Open
7 days
Quality
Copies
‘Binding ‘Thesis
•Lamination ‘Reduction
•Enlargement ‘Self-Service Copies
•Resumes ‘Self-Service Word Processing
860 E. 13th Ave. 344-7894
FEAR NOT, DUCKS.
WE RE OPEN TIL 9
ON FRIDAYS.
for burgers, omelettes, soups,
salads and sandwiches.
j-lamburqcr
Terry’s
' encat burgrrs,omelettes ...andmore”
downstairs at the 5th St. Public Market
■"’V<%TO!,v,‘'
^lO*
^ \Kle
dpr d»»
Come to Sy's
for delicious
real New York
pizza
Get 104 off
aO __■■ _ _
FREE Soda
Offer good Friday October 14th through Friday October 21st, 1983
I 1:30-Midnight Mon.-Fri.
3:30-Midnight - Weekends
Sy's Pizza
1211 Alder On Campus 686-9598
Paop *1 Wtinn A