The print., March 13, 1985, Page 2, Image 2

MI LAI
Monologue
Vetoing VDT bill ignores health hazards
By Shelley Ball
Editor In Chief
Hie bill is known as SB57, and its
purpose is to set state guidelines con­
cerning the use of video display ter­
minals (VDTs). The measure calls for
.the state Accident Prevention Division
to form standards insuring all VDTs
purchased by state and local govern­
ments are regulated to help reduce eye
and muscular strain.
Even though the bill was passed
earlier in February by the Senate 27-1,
it is currently facing a lot of opposition
in the House. Surprisingly enough, it
has been reported the biggest opposi­
tion toward the bill comes from the
Oregon Newspaper Publishers
Association.
It is surprising because the
newspaper industry is one that has
greatly benefitted from using VDTs.
The amount of time that has been sav­
ed in writing, editing and setting copy
for publication is truly amazing. (We
at The Print are just beginning to
realize the amount of time saved with
the recent acquisition of our own com­
puter.) And yet the industry is firmly
against legislation that sets up safety
guidelines for those who work with
computers on a frequent basis.
For example, the Oregonian’s Fred
A. Stickel, president and publisher, has
been reported as saying this bill would
hurt Oregon’s business climate and
that overall it is unnecessary, unwar­
ranted legislation. Others opposing the
legislation support this belief as well.
Are we to conclude, then, that in­
stituting safety guidelines for users of
VDTs is unnecessary?
Perhaps some opposed to the bill
don’t consider eye strain to be an im­
portant health hazard, but it cannot be
denied that this is a growing problem.
The fact there is legislation that has
already been passed by the Senate pro­
Community Corner
ves it is worthy of concern. Even some
of of us at The Print have experienced
some eye strain from using our com­
puter. The question of what the long­
term risks to a person’s health are by
prolonged staring at the VDT screen
needs to be answered.
It’s also been argued that passage of
SB57 could force state and local
governments to spend more money for
VDT equipment, and the pace of
technology would be slowed. Opposi­
tion to the bill seems to be less concern­
ed with worker health than with
worker efficiency.
And as far as technology is concern­
ed, passage of this bill may force elec­
tronics companies to improve their
products in order to keep their sales
up. One proponent of the bill, Sen.
Margie Hendriksen, has been quoted
as saying state governments could save
money through the bill by helping
businesses steer clear of equipment that
“lowers workers’ productivity and
leads to compensable claims.”
Perhaps the manufacturing activities
of electronics companies should be
monitored in order to push them along
in producing equipment that reduces
current health hazards.
SB57 is one attempt at a solution for
the health problems that exist in using
VDTs. Businesses that don’t like the
idea of being regulated in this area
should become actively involved in the
search for a more acceptable solution.
Putting stricter regulations on com­
puter companies to produce safer
equipment, for example, would keep
those business using the equipment free
from direct government supervision.
While the fate of SB57 is uncertain
at this point, the main idea of the bill,
that of setting up safety guidelines for
users of VDT s must not be thrown
aside and forgotten.
T etter to the Editor
By Fritz Wenzel
To the Editor:
A-MAIZE-ING BUT TRUE
It would be a pretty difficult task to get
through the day lately without seeing a ner­
vous Midwestern politician or a weathered
farmer talk about how they need the govern­
ment to help them out, but I think we should
consider this recent scientific report before
we help the farmer who grows corn.
The report, which appears in a reference
book in the College’s library, says that
“corn is a menace to the national health.
Statistics show that, of all the people born
between 1800 and 1850 who ate corn, not
one is living today; all have died. The figures
show further that of the people born bet­
ween 1870 and 1920, an overwhelming
number have died, and among those who are
still living many show signs of physical
weakness: loss of hair and teeth, poor vision,
and diminishing vitality.”
Now, this is startling new information that
the Food and Drug Administration has not
even had a chance to act upon yet, but the
report also explains how corn is affecting the
youth of America: “Statistics show that of
all juvenile delinquents arrested between
1970 and 1980, 84 percent had eaten corn at
one time or another. Scientific studies sup­
port these statistics.”
Finally, the report offers conclusive
evidence of corn’s detrimental effect on
society when they cite the following
research: “In a carefully controlled experi­
ment at one of the country’s eminent univer­
sities, fish of all sizes and kinds were put into
individual bowls of creamed corn, rather
than water. Every single fish died.” I guess
the ma-cob moral to this report is that if you
eat corn, disaster may be stalking you.
COMMON JOBS
The position of college instructor is the
11th lowest-pressure job in the United
Page 2
States, according to the U.S. Department of
Health, Education and Welfare. It is slightly
more tense than the work that a packer or
wrapper in a shipping department does, but
more relaxed than an auctioneer. A conclu­
sion about the intelligence required in all
three jobs could be drawn,- but instead I’ll
say (mainly because finals week and grading
time is coming) that the instructor is like an
auctioneer in that he/she gets the most out
of other people’s stuff, and like a packer in
that he/she prepares valuable packages to be
sent out into life.
THINKING A-HEAD
On the subject of jobs, are you sure you
are getting the right help while at college?
Will you be able to step right in and be effec­
tive and successful without going through an
overly-long training period? If you are in­
terested in any of the following fast-growing
careers, you should think again about your
education. (After reading this column, you
may begin to wonder about mine).
Hog Head Singer: A hot field that demands
a cool head able to handle hairy situations.
Involves searing hair off of slaughtered pigs’
heads. There is room for advancement. For
instance, Cyndi Lauper’s hairdresser got her
start this way.
Wood-Club-Neck Whipper: This exclusive
position is a biggie for those who frequent
the cocktail circuit, but you may find that
after the first couple of belts it will be im­
possible to pronounce your title. The work
involves wrapping nylon cord around the
neck of a wooded golf club during the pro­
cess of manufacture. The field is diminishing
due to the tremendous popularity of
(paradox of paradoxes) metal woods, and
also because it is so hard tofind someone to
twist the club while you are wrapping.
In response to your article in
the Feb. 27 issue of The Print,
you really did open a “can of
worms” with me and, I’m
sure, many other people on
this campus. Especially, your
statement that “those who
support the idea of illegalizing
abortion should be ashamed
of themselves.” I am not
ashamed of opposing abor­
tion. I’m not ashamed of wan­
ting the murder of innocent
babies stopped.
I think abortion is blatant
murder—worse than the
holocaust—it is captial punish­
ment of innocent babies.
Criminals are afforded better
treatment under the law, but
because women choose not to
use proper precautions, they
choose to eliminate a mistake!
None of us asked to be con­
ceived, but once we are con­
ceived, we have a God-given
right to a chance to live!
Talk about child abuse, I
don’t think you can find any
worse child abuse than abor­
tion! The aborted babies are
not even given a proper burial,
they are just dumped in gar-'
bage dumps. Is human life so
worthless? I don’t want the
blood of these innocent ones
on my hands and I don’t want
my tax dollars going toward
paying for these abortions.
Perhaps if we made abor­
tion illegal, people would take
better precautions to prevent
unwanted pregnancies.
Psalm 139 states it so
beautifully, “You made all the
delicate, inner parts of my
body, and knit them together
in my mother’s womb. Thank
you for making me so wonder­
fully complex! It is amazing to
think about. Your workman­
ship is marvelous—and how
well I know it. You were there
while I was being formed in ut­
ter seclusion! You saw me
before I was born and schedul­
ed each day of my life before I
began to breathe. Every day
was recorded in your Book!”
I wonder how many women
who have had abortions think
about it years later and
wonder what their child would
have looked like?
You have your opinion,
Shelley; and I have mine.
Joan Nixon
THE PRINT, a member of the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Associa­
tion, aims to be a fair and impartial Journalistic medium covering the
campus community as thoroughly as possible. Opinions expressed in
THE PRINT do not necessarily reflect those of the College administra­
tion, faculty, Associated Student Government or other members of THE
PRINT. THE PRINT is a weekly publication distributed each Wednesday
except for finals week. Clackamas Community College, 19600 S. Molalla
Avenue, Oregon City, Oregon 97045.
Clackamas Community College