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Recession A phenomenon strikes again The time has finally come -again. The long-awaited recession is officially here. Economists and Carter administration officials have ? J 4 U.. flw 1 II J 1L I ? icuu me ii^ui us anu can i ueny ine siump our economy nas laxen. so, where do we go from here? Most economists agree that panic is our worst enemy. Realizing that inflation can't be cured without suffering and hardship is the first step. ECONOMISTS WILL TRY to assure consumers by saying recessions are often beneficial to a society because they purge the system of excesses, failed products, and mismanaged companies. Recessions are unavoidable. Treasury Secretary G. William Miller said six months ago that "we are halfway through the recession." He corrected himself this month by saying he was "wrong." Miller has said the current recession will be going strong as the November election approaches. One can expect inflation to remain a heated campaign issue in view of this bleak economic truth. WITH THE RECESSION, we can of course expect a decline in production, a rise in unemployment, and smaller profits as people try to cope with new hardships. T\e recession really won't be anything new to ~'\ny people. The eroding buying power of all Americans is coming out in less than ( icouraging figures. Consumer prices rose a steep 1.4 percent for the third consecutive month in March. As a result, prices in the first three months of 1980 increased at a near-record annual rate of 18 percent. Prices last vear rose 13.3 Dercent. THE LABOR DEPARTMENT has recorded a price surge in food and clothing prices and home ownership costs are continuing to rise sharply Fuel prices were up 2.8 percent last month, to no one's surprise. However, this is encouraging news when one considers the increases of more than five percent in January and February. How long will the recession last? One might get a general idea by looking at past recessions. The 1948-49 recession lasted 11 months. A 13-month recession began in 1953, and in 1957, a nine-month recession began. The 1960-61 recession lasted nine months, also. A ONE-YEAR RECESSION hit the American people in 1969 and for fifteen months in 1974-75 (remember the "gasoline nnnic" and the lont? lines to the station? ? another recession occurred. The only advice during this inevitable recession is "Grin and bear it." Let's hope the economists are right and we'll see a "purging" in our economic system. ?Guest Column?By Pamela K. Moody rflhahilitfltinn nraHiiuto o? The Russell House Cinematic Arts Committee currently provides quality films to the Carolina Community, most of which are free. The students who enjoy these films greatly appreciate the fact that some form of entertainment is offered to them for no cost. To keep these free films from disappearing, it is necessary for the Finance Committee of the Student Government to approve an extra $12,269 for the Cinematic Arts Committee budget. AS WAS REPORTED in Wednesday's paper, the Finance Committee denied this appropriation to the committee. I cannot believe the small mindedness of the finance committee member who asked how the Pinom iti/? A t*l o U..J c I?J - r -I. .... - ic vu.i.uuucc iictluuueu a iun page aa in Me (iamecoct that expressed their concern over the demise of the free films. It was like slapping the hand of the committee for daring to teli the studen bod\ what was going on. It was a childish reprimand that unfortunately will cost the students of the university an enormous price. Cjamecock Opinion Founded 1908 I fom'r.ivts. Editor in Chief j Brian Ouncan . Copy Desk Chief <ellers Mail- Platte News Editor Bi'M! 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Lette Frisbee: not'all f\ To the Editor: I This letter is directed to Mr. James Manichello in / regard to his April 14 guest column. He seems quite h upset because the money he supposedly "sweated r and slaved" for is being allocated for "some jabone c to toss a frisbee around." First of all, no one on the USC Frisbee Team is a r jabone-whatever that means. You obviously used t this fantasized term in a derogatory manner. I see no r logical reason for you to put down a group of people ? you've never met. p Secondly, I am amazed at your profound ignorance in regard to the sport of frisbee. The International a Frisbee disc Association has thousands of registered p members nationwide as woll as nrtfaniratinnc: in f Canada, England, and other foreign countries. a The I.F A. sponsors two yearly meets in cities a throughout the U.S. and Canada, culminating in the World Frisbee disc Championships at the Rose Bowl t in Pasadena, California. The Disc Golf Association c has a growing membership and recently sponsored a c tournament with a $50,000 purse. The U.S.C.F.dc. is built around Ultimate Frisbee. Clemson, as well as most major colleges, has had an established Ultimate team for a number of years and Greeks perforr 'disgusting activi To the Kditor: Is the Greek society an essential part of the USC can bothersome question to many people lately. There are some who believe Greeks are bigots. There believe Greeks are snobs. There are even some who belie have sub-normal IQ's. Are they right? Quite possibly. Last semester I had the unfortunate "privilege" of s several Greeks. My former roommate was a prime initiation into Sigma Nu, he had to do belly flops into poo i a "brother" had graciously provided. On another occasion, he had to perform excretion funi in the middle of a girls' dormitory at the University of No the Greeks are supposed to be honorable organization: they perform such disgusting activities? At the recent British Union Debate, it was brough Greeks and Independents drink. This is true up to a cerl Independents and Greeks drink, but Independents drinl want to, not because they have to. Peer pressure tends consume more alcohol than they normally would, thereft their system. This can result in sad consequences, as wai by the death of a Sigma Nu member earlier this year. Actually, 11 seems that tne Greek system is hardly mor ? for overgrown high school students. True, the Greeks d beneficial services, such as raising funds for charity org; do these positive results outweigh the negative? i It's also been brought up that almost 2,000 studen 1 Considering the fact that there are more than 25,000 st ' this statistic doesn't seem too impressive. Greeks also claim that their average G.P.R. is higher i Independents. What they fail *to mention, however, fraternities keep back copies of professors' tests. In the ( the Greek system is "essential" only to the Greeks them! Name withhc BPS un and games' see no reason why USC should not support a team, although we have been together for a short time, we lave compiled an 8-1 record this year. We recently lualified for the championship game in the North Carolina State Frisbee disc Championships. Mr. Manichello, your attitude implies that you egard frisbee as all fun and games 1 seriously doubt hat you, or anyone on campus that shares your larrow-minded point of view, would last through a ;ame of Ultimate. You're invited to any of our >ractices to try. In closing, I would like to add that 1 too am appalled it cuts in the media budgets. WUSC is the finest >mflrpcciu0 ctafinn in (ha ctotn Tho finomnH/* A ??*o r? ? v kjvunv/ii uiv outiiv*. x iIV/ vyiiiviuaiiv, ni 10 Committee has an excellant program and it would be tshamed to lose the benefits of the free film series ind the midnight movies. However, I would like to point out that while SAC's >udget was cut by 43 percent, our budget was cut by ?ver 80 percent. It should be obvious that we've been rut worse than most of the media programs. Wayne L. Bradby business administration junior vice Prcsident-USC Frisbee and disc Club n itioc' Hospital doesn't ipus? That's a deserve are some who af'iyfe % ;ve that Greeks 11 J C J? F i 11/ ocializing with _ it example. For To the Editor: Is of vomit that With all the wonderful charities in South Carolina, it ;tions at 2 a.m. seems a shame that the profits rthCarolina. If from Frank McGuire's Game of 5, then why do Games will go to Providence rtospiiai. f I t up that both I Providence has a history oi I lain point. Both lemployee neglect and l k because they I mistreatment and has recently I to make people I been cited by the National I >re overloading I Labor Relations Board for s demonstrated I illegal anti-Union activities. I | The hospital is a definite I e than an outlet I money-making organization, I o provide some I with profits of half a milron 1 anizalions. But, I dollars in the first half of 197k - I I yet, their rates are as high or | ts are flrwlts I ui-i " . inkier man any hospital in udents at USC, 1 Columbia. So next time, let's make sure than that of the I that any charity donation in the is that most 1 name of the University goes to a jnd, it looks like I deserving charity organization, selves. I JackBaine 1 .Id upon request | journalism alumnus |