Letters
11/10/2003Expel Rioters
Regarding Burl Gilyard's article relating to the riots following the NCAA Championship for the men's hockey, "Reading the Riot Act" [September-October], I'm interested to see the data on the rioters. How many were University of Minnesota students? How do they compare to their fellow students academically? I would not be surprised to discover they are at or below the 50th percentile.
If these students choose not to conduct themselves in an intelligent, respectful, civilized manner, they don't belong at the University. All of the Big Ten schools should agree to this policy, and the reason for expulsion should follow these students on their transcripts. Enough pampering and coddling of these lawbreakers. As an incoming student, with or without a specifically outlined code of conduct, one should have the common sense to know right from wrong, lawful from unlawful. If not, I guarantee expulsion will drive this point home.
Chris Eickman (M.A. '92)
Rocklin, California
Corn Clarifications
After the May-June Minnesota reported on polylactide (PLA) produced by Cargill Dow LLC ("A Kernel of an Idea"), there have been several letters to the editor that need to be addressed.
Lloyd Halvorson ("Maybe Plastic Isn't So Bad," July-August) argues that biodegradation of PLA is no better than incineration. Although incineration is a valid option in some circumstances, there is greater potential—not less—of producing noxious gases due to the high temperatures during incineration. The CO2 that is liberated during PLA decay is ultimately returned to the cycle to grow corn or other plants via photosynthesis, with no net generation of carbon dioxide. It is a sustainable process because it does not deplete fossil resources that take millennia to be regenerated.
That Peter DeLong ("Industrial Revolution or Exploitation?," July-August) compares the danger of nuclear weapons to the Cargill Dow corn-to-plastic process is preposterous. He argues that food shortages are likely if corn is utilized to produce PLA. First, the quantity of U.S. corn that is used in Cargill Dow's PLA plant is far less than 1 percent. Second, many farmers look to our business as another outlet to sell corn.
That said, Cargill Dow (where I am a research engineer) is pursuing next-generation technologies to convert agricultural residues, such as corn stalks and wheat straw, to produce PLA polymers. These waste residues are highly underutilized (normally they simply decay on the field to CO2).
In September-October, Brian Naughton ("Corn Caution") wonders why PLA needs to be made from genetically modified (GM) corn. It doesn't. In fact, GM plants are absolutely not necessary to produce PLA plastics. However, there is not a separate Midwest corn supply that is non-GM. It has been proven through product testing, however, that there isn't a molecule of DNA protein in PLA samples. Any genetically modified material is destroyed during processing of sugars to lactic acid to PLA.
All these questions are good ones to ask, and industry needs to do a better job at delivering adequate answers. These responses must address the concerns of all those impacted by new technologies, such as sustainable PLA production from renewable biomass resources.
Ryan O'Connor (Ph.D. '01)
Minnetonka, Minnesota
Bronko's Gas Caps
Please tell John Rosengren [author of "The Legend of Bronko," July-August] that Bronko Nagurski cross-threaded my gas cap. I was on my way to Baudette in the early 1960s when I pulled into Bronko's station in International Falls. He came out himself and filled my tank. I had a real hard time getting that cap off later; not only was it tight, it was also cross-threaded. I had to use a pipe wrench to get it off. But I didn't mind, as I had a good story out of it. Didn't realize others had the same problem.
Orv Engelstad ('44)
Florence, Alabama
Correction
A caption in "The Road to the Rose Bowl" (September-October) stated that all-American Gopher defensive tackle Bobby Bell later won two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs. It should have said that Bell led Kansas City to two Super Bowls, in 1967 and 1970. Kansas City won only in 1970.
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