Rain, rain, tain, etc.:
summertime blues
The Univtirsity Hulletm, in describing campus life,
says thus: "Living in Oregon is one of the spot ial bene
fits of attending the University."
OK with you so far.
Further. "The c limato of Western Oregon is mild, with
moderate winters and pleasant summers."
Whoa, back up there.
PltHisont summers? Apparently the public ists down at
Oregon Hall have an unrecognized gift of humor. Either
that or they don't look out their windows often enough
This summer is shaping up to be like any other season
in Eugene. Weather forecasts these past couple of weeks
haven't exactly strained
meteorologists' skills. It's
not hard to predict rain,
followed by scattered
showers and more rain.
Summers in Eugene —
especially the dog days of
July and August are sup
posed to have people in
shorts, sunny meetings on
bar patios and high pollen
counts. Good golfing
weather.
Recently, however, the
only people golfing in the
What better way
is there to
welcome new
people to the
campus than
drown them in a
typical, fun-filled
Oregon
rainstorm?
area are the ones used to toeing oil above the Arctic i-ir
cle.
Our spate of rain should not corne as any surprise to
veteran Oregonians, lake Hill Cosby said in one of his
old comedy routines: If it isn't raining, poople in the
Pacific Northwest think they've done something wrong
and start sacrificing animals
Eugene isn't the only spot on the globe with erratic
weather patterns of late. With the Mississippi River
opening up new branc h offices, our little increase in
rainfall is (pun intended) a drop in the bucket.
It is ironic that while the campus is looming with
prospective enrullees, Eugene is doing a Cecernber Imi
tation. What better way is there to welcome new people
to the campus than drown them in a typical, fun-filled
Oregon rainstorm?
Take a hint: Invest in an umbrella.
Who can we blame for this downturn in summer for
tune? The University administration? Congress? The
greenhouse effect? Is this to be our new lot in life — the
only difference between seasons being a tiny shift in the
inches of rain?
No. we must be brave during this time of turmoil.
Turn the other cheek to let both sides get wet. Keep your
i hin up because the rain runs off easier that way. At least
the pollen count is lower.
And don't forgot your umbrellas.
Oregon Daily
1 .. .'""I
Tno Oegon Dikiy t mar aid i published due, Monday through t nday dmmg the school
ye*f »nd Tuesday and Thursday during the summei By the Oregon Daily Emerald
PuOMhmg Co Inc at me University ol Oregon t ugene Oegon
The Emerald operants independency o* (he Urwversrfy with once* as Su4e 300 or the
£ rt> Memorial Llmon and i a memtier ol me Associated Pies*
The l meraid it pi..ate property The unlawful removal O' uta of papers <s prosocutatae
by law
Editor lake Berg
Photo Editor: Anthony For nay
Aaaociata Editor*: Ed Caraon MartmF.shei Scot demon*
Night Editor Mann F.ther
Oanaral Manager: Judy Hex*
Advertising Director Mark Wader Production Maw agar Uchek> Flos*
Advertising Frenme He* Jeremy Mason Van V O’Bryan II. Angie Windham. Patncfc
Wong
Claasified Becky Merchant Manager
Business Kamy Carbone Supervisor
Production: Ingrid While ProdUrfen CoonSnaror Slacy Miches Jenmter Roland
ttoWWOOffl...
Bu»4n«M Offtc* —
utftptay Aovvrwng -~—wi/u
Cl4M»lfted AOvwltfttog-3414)43
£l/£RV SPECIES SO
[ 7WEV AU. MAV 8£
PftES£Bv££
VoUfAEAM \
EXCEPf THOSE \
THAT THREATEN L,
JOBS AND ■
Economic
de\*iop*£NT. I
Jwhircgy »■>«•*<* »^w.
I
ato, r OiOh •’‘aaakit-awv
Misr4<fS.wfcU..'>'Av'6E O'*
European beer better than U.S.
Things we have never
experienced or known
generally survive in our
minds as stereotyped images as
what we believe those things to
be
After returning from nearly a
month spent abroad in Europe
(certainly not enough time to
completely understand the ways
of Europeans). I have a couple of
more stereotypes to spread. My
■'truth" — or how I perceive these
things to actually be — follow
each stereotype
So go ahead and open up that
list in your mind dial begins with
"all European women don't
shave their legs or armpits” and
“European kids know how to
hold their alcohol ”
STEREOTYPE: Everyone in
Europe is polite and courteous
Anywhere you go. Europeans
will treat you like one of the—
own — part of the family. In ti,u
United States, on the other hand,
people kill each other over shoes.
TRUTH: In several countries
— particularly Scandinavia and
Germany, where much of my
ancestry comet from, oddly
enough — people seem to have
been bom with the "evil eye."
My small traveling group and
!, our A meric an heritage appar
ently obvious, could not have
received more stares had we Ixs'ii
wearing signs that said, "Look at
us We like it" (written in sev
eral languages, of course).
People from other countries
were more tourist-friendly, keep
ing their eyes to themselves, in
Spain, where my pale legs, back
ward hat and Americanized
Spanish accent certainly showed
I wasn't a native. I was never
afforded a second look.
STEREOTYPE: In Europe. peo
pie drive carefully They are great
drivers because their drivers' tests
ore much more diffii uIt than in
the states
TRUTH: In Europe, people
don't drive carefully. "Stop” is
not in their vocabulary — it's
more like slow down (briefly),
honk and drive faster Pedestri
ans beware — drivers may not
notice you.
STEREOTYPE: Trains aw tlie
best way to travel around Europe
You can enjoy seeing the coun
tries without the hassle of getting
lost, buying gas or asking for
directions.
TRUTH: Yes, driving around
Europe would he a pain, hut
trains in Europe are overrated.
To enjoy trains, one must learn
to sleep sitting up. ignoring those
nasty jolts in the tracks: one must
tolerate the enormous amount of
American kids running around
with their life's belongings on
their hacks, posing as a pack usu
ally as large as the carrier: and
one must not think about the toi
lets on the trains.
Rather than make like a mobile
home ami store the human waste
gathered during trips, the toilets
simply open up and say "hi" to
the !ra< ks when you flush, deco
rating the tracks with the toilet's
contents 1 guess that explains
why the warnings (again, in sev
eral languages) in the toilet rooms
say to close the lid while flush
ing and don't use the toilet while
stopped in a station.
STEREOTYPE: European beer
is much better than any found in
the states
TRUTH: Sorry, folks — sad but
true.
Worse yet. the "imports" we
receive from abroad are watered
down versions of the real thing,
so if you want to drink a "real"
European Inter, go to Europe.
Czechoslovakia, the country
that made the original Hudweis
er. wins the I test Inter in Europe
contest Nowhere else can you
huv almost a liter of 12 percent
alcohol Inter (yep, 12 percent) for
little more than a dollar.
The import, however, sells at
Albertson's for about $2, and
don't expect it to tie 12 percent
STEREOTYPES: Hairy women
and sober European kids
TRUTH: Give me a break
Europeans are as human as the
rest of us.
Women's legs and armpits are
no more hairier than in Eugene,
and kids will lie kids — but their
tolerance may lie a little higher.
fake Berg is the editor of the
Emerald
HUM w«u i
gl ’O'M) t
t -t.4 just imt y*j LjJtJ