ustxtxb_obs_1976_06_04_50_00011-00000_000.pdf

Dear Reader … June 4, 1976 11 0 wad some power the giftie gie us, to see oursels as others see us! Austin Scene: The Observer office late at night. The editors are reading responses to the readership survey. Dolph, the stuffed armadillo, looks on benignly while the S*it, the dog, scratches herself in the middle of the room. Vast piles of old newspapers and magazines and a lot of overdue library books litter every available shelf and cranny. K.N. and M.I. have by now developed a shorthand to summarize the most frequent comments from readers. “A.F.B.,” mur_ murs K.N., as she leafs through her stack. A Fresh Breeze. “K.U.G.W.,” says M.I., a few minutes later. Keep Up the Good Work. Every five minutes or so, one of them says to the other, “Our readers are so intelligent. They really understand about Observer.” Every now and again, K.N., whom a reader described as ladylike, giggles; MI., who is not ladylike, periodically gurgles, then roars with laughter, rather like a toilet bowl run amok. We think our readers are a remarkably witty bunch. We are also stunned by your perseverance. Vast numbers of you faithfully plodded through all those articles on school finance reform \(we almost a fantastic appetite for “worthies,” those cod liver oil articles we keep giving you for your own good because we think the state needs Informed Citizens. Two editors, 12,000 readers, and it’s a mutual admiration society … most of the time. One subscriber wrote that it’s time for a change of editors. A linguistics professor asked for more of “the Dobie-WebbBedichek sort of thing…. One does get so ity and La Raza and all those poor and downtrodden.” There are many who criticize what one reader called the “Austo-centric” bias of the Observer. “Be more open-minded,” another counseled, “surely you can find a bad strike, a crooked liberal, etc.” And the dirty word controversy is still with us. A true story. M.I., persuing yet another complaint about cuss words, exclaims, “S*it, why the h*ll don’t these people read the g*dd*mn paper? I never use foul language.” S*it the dog jumps. Some of you presume that we think there is “shock value” to dirty words. A teacher wrote, “I would take the Observer to my classroom if the writers would leave out excrement and sexual expletives.” Well, M.I. and her dog are soon moving to New York, and that should considerably reduce the nasties in the Observer. \(You won’t for sexual expletives, We doubt that the f-word \(a usage recently acquired from a R. Burns more than two or three times in the last six years. Yet we have a stack of complaints about our frequent use of that very word. Either you’re not paying attention, or you have confused us with Penthouse. Be that as it may, we feel duly chastized … and appreciated. After reading 2,768 responses to the questionnaire, we conclude that The Texas Observer has one of the most intelligent and demanding readerships in the world. There aren’t many of you, alas. But you’re perceptive, opinionated, and sharp. Afterall, 69 percent of you have done graduate work. The business office is hoping to convince some advertisersbook publishers, politicians, airlines, restaurants, etc., that you are important people for them to reach. We don’t think these commercial aspirations will be an intrusion. One reader wrote: “Don’t screw up with the results of a stupid survey … I swear, if you guys come out with a ‘What sort of person reads the Observer’ ad, I’ll cancel my subscription and use the old copies for toliet paper.” No such ads. We promise. All we’ll do is show the statistics to potential advertisers. Classified advertising is 20 per word. Discounts for multiple insertions within a 12-month period; 26 times, 50%; 12 times, 25%; 6 times, 10%. BOOKPLATES. Free catalog. Many beautiful designs. Special designing too. Address: BOOKPLATES, P.O. Box , 28-1, Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387. PLAYING THE RECORDER IS EASY. Free catalog, best recorders, recorder music. Beginner’s Pearwood Soprano Book, $11.95. Amster Music, 1624 Lavaca, Austin. GUITAR PICKERS. Buy your guitar strings from us and save 20%. Mail orders accepted. Amster Music, 1624 Lavaca, Austin. BOOK-HUNTING? No obligation search for rare or out-of-print books. Ruth and John McCully. Austin, Texas 78703. WANTED. Political campaign buttons and memorabilia. National or state. George Meyer, 2204 Matthews Dr., Austin 78703, or phone 478-2848. WANTED. For purposes of research on the liberal movement in Texas: any or all issues of the Observer, 1954-1958 inclusive. Chandler Davidson, Department of Sociology, Rice University, Houston 77001. BOOKS PRINTED from manuscript. Biography Press, Rt. 1-745, Aransas Pass, Texas 78336. POEMS WANTED The Texas Society of Poets is compiling a book of poems. If you have written a poem and would like our selection committee to consider it for publication, send your poem and selfaddressed stamped envelope to: TEXAS SOCIETY OF POETS 3317 Montrose Blvd., Suite 300 Houston, Texas 77006 Printers Stationers Mailers Typesetters High Speed Web Offset Publication Press Complete Computer Data Processing Services Counseling Designing Copy Writing Editing Journals Magazines Newspapers Books The Only 100% Union Shop in Texas! FUTURBIL 512 / 442-7836 Box 3485 1714 S. Congress Austin, Tx 78764 FREE BOOKLET. Scriptural evidence that the Word of God is not the Bible. Publishers of Truth, Box 32132, San Antonio, Texas 78216. THE NEW YORK TIMES Sunday edition delivered to your home in the Dallas area. Call 2395325 for rates and information. NEED SOMETHING from Germany? Jim & Hanni International, 1600 Northwood, Austin 78703. 474-2582. INTERESTED IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE RE-FORM? Join the National Council on Crime and Delinquency in Texas. Write NCCD, 3409 Executive Center Drive, No. 212, Austin, Texas 78731. BUMPERSTICKERS. “S.1One Giant Goosestep for Mankind.” 3 for $1. Texas Civil Liberties Union, 600 West 7th, Austin, Texas 78701. NEW ORLEANS ON $8 A YEAR. The Weekly Courier, 1232 Decatur, 70116. ‘ JOIN COMMON CAUSE. Only one person can make democracy work again … YOU. $15 \($7 Lavaca, Austin, Texas 78701. BE A BOOKIE! Booming location, growing sales, happy customers. Owner must relocate. Me: sales figures. You: buyer capability evidence. Johnston, The Magic Doorway Bookshop. CLASSIFIED