The Capital Times from Madison, Wisconsin • 17

THE CAPITAL TIMES, Thursday, Nov. 24, 1983 17 Computers school necessity? Nuts! In the Winter? Computer Talk Franklynn Peterson and Judi K-Turke) Maybe not, but think golf now and savel Chriitmai Gifts for the Golfer computer makers a double tax writeoff for donating their computers to schools. Ad execs at computer companies label this a "gift to future generations." We say it's a sales booster and like wanting a medal for saving your own life. We already see its results in reader mail that asks, "Bruce's school has Brand computer. Shouldn't we get that one for Bruce at home?" One educator told us he considers these donations to be so self-serving, he questions the ethics of educators who endorse a company by accepting them.

Here's our question: "How can we stop this nonsense?" We can tell our representatives that we want II 701 stopped. We can tell school officials that we don't want computers dominating classrooms until there's proof that they'll educate our children. And we can buy our youngsters computers only if we really want them and can afford them. Home computers are lots of fun, but don't let anyone tell you they'll reserve your kid a place in college or the job market. Computer Talk will answer questions accompanied by stamped self-addressed envelope: P.O.

Box 55028, Madison, WI. 53705. child learns computers, won't he be disadvantaged like me Nobody has to know "bit" from "byte" or define "RS232 to work a computer. When computer jocks used to write instructions for computers and programs, we all needed dictionaries to translate. But good products now have plain-English als; jargon has become just a screen for the ignorant to hide behind.

Question: "Don't studies show that computers help youngsters get higher grades?" No! Educatorauthor Herbert Kohl calls classroom computers "the world's most expensive flashcards." Educators Jack Chambers and Jerry Sprecher studied 13 research reports and found no agreement on whether computer-assisted instruction helps kids learn. Educators Janice and Jerry Patterson, authors of "Putting Computer Power in Schools," admit that educational software is so poor, today's kids would be better off with workbooks. "These computer ads are preying on parents' guilts, pure and simple." Nonetheless, Fortney Stark, a California member of Congress, is still pushing his II 701 bill that'd give Parents and teachers are in a panic, we're told by our sensitive barometer, reader malL Letters are pouring In from parents asking what computer to buy a 9-year-old so she can learn programming and not lag behind in the Job race 10 years from now. School board committees are begging fast advice on the best computer to stick In every classroom. One cause of the panic is a flood of books and articles by educators who've fastened onto the nonsense term "computer literacy." They're pushing schools and PTAs into hasty overbuying.

Much worse are the sneaky, often downright vicious ads and commercials by some computer makers. They're scaring parents Into buying the kids extravagant Christ-' mas girts they often can ill afford. You know the advertising we mean: A student gets on the train for college full of hope, but gets off again to report that he's failed because he doesnt know how to run a computer. A loving father pushes his infant's finger on a computer key "because the sooner your child starts, the further he'll go." An ad warns that "if he stumbles on sixth grade math he may never catch up." The TV screen focuses on a computer while a voice suggests seductively, "Isn't it time you put some money aside for your children's education?" It's high time to separate scare tactics from facts. We can do that best by answering your most-asked ques- Doily 108, Sot 105.

Sun. 12-4 II "LVS fiDre Seasons GUfShtp Vw tions. Question: "Isn't it Important that the children not have my fear of computers?" It's true, computers are becoming as commonplace as cars and TVs. But have you heard of a school that started driver education in kindergarten so students wouldn't fear cars at age 16? You're afraid of computers because you lived without them so long. Few of today's children will fear them even if you never put a computer In your home or school Question: "But don't youngsters need to learn to use computers so they can use them on the job?" We spoke to educators and sociologists who'd published research reports' on the topic, and discovered that every one of them had assumed without a shred of proof that you can't grow up in the 1980s and 1990s without understanding how computers work.

But by the time today's junior high schoolers find jobs, computers will be so different you won't recognize them. The 1977 Apple I needed weeks of practice for anyone but a programmer to operate it Apple's 1983 Lisa demands almost nothing of users. Imagine how easy the 1990 Apple will be to use. Question: "But I don't understand a word of computer jargon. Unless my 9 Pro Shop Sol NOW-Don't pay mora later 5501 W.

kMin Ph. 271-6595 (Whitnty Way at ktHmMi Vtttra Blag.) itws LEATHER EXPERTS CZ2 CAVVV Savings bond sales up, redemptions down By LOUISE COOK The Associated Prete One year after the government started paying market-based interest rates for U.S. Savings Bonds to try to boost their sagging popularity, sales are up and redemptions are down. The Treasury Department said recently that Americans bought $4 billion worth of bonds during the first nine months of 1983. That was far below the amount purchased in years before the slump sales were nearly 8 billion during calendar 1978, for example but it was 26 percent above the $3.15 billion sales total for the first nine months of 1982.

At the same time, fewer people are cashing in their bonds. Redemptions for October 1983 were 16 percent below year-earlier figures and monthly sales topped redemptions by about $50 million. That's a far cry from the situation at the beginning of this decade. In 1980 and 1981 combined, for people cashed in $20 billion more in U.S. Bonds than they bought Treasury officials credit the resurgence of the program to the introduction of a new interest rate formula on Nov.

1, 1982. Before then, the interest rate on the bonds was fixed and, although it had risen several percentage points in recent years, it was no longer competitive with the return on new investments available to people even if they had only a limited amount of money to spend Now, however, bonds which are held for at least five years earn interest at a rate that fluctuates according to market conditions just like money-market funds or other government bonds. The Savings Bond rate is equal to 85 percent of the average yield on five-year marketable Treasury securities during the holding period. A new interest rate is announced every six months based on the Treasury market rate. The average interest rate since the introduction of the new system has been 9.7 percent.

Because of the fluctuating rates, Savings Bonds no longer are the "sure thing" they once were. You do NOT know exactly how much money you will earn on your investment until you actually cash it in. Take a look at what's happened so far, in just a little more than a year. The interest rate for the six months beginning Nov. 1, 1982, was 11.09 percent Market rates went down and the Savings Bond rate for the second period under the new system dropped to 8.64 percent Then market rates went up again.

And the interest rate for the six months that began on Nov. 1 is back up to 9.38 percent There is a minimum guaranteed return of 7.5 percent on all bonds held to maturity even if market rates drop below that leveL (That minimum is actually lower than it was under the old system; at the time of' the changeover, there was a guaranteed return of 9 percent although at that time you had to hold the bonds for a full eight years to get that minimum. Bonds which had a guarantee above 7.5 percent when they were purchased retain that guarantee.) The Treasury Department said it was particularly encouraged by the fact that much of the increase in Savings Bond sales has resulted from a boost in the payroll savings program, indicating interest by small but regular savers. The department did not provide any specific figures regarding recent sales, but said 60 percent of all Savings Bonds generally are purchased through payroll programs. Americans currently hold just under $71 billion in aU types of U.S.

Savings Bonds money they have, in effect loaned to the government. All but about 8 billion is in Series EE bonds, which are available in denominations ranging from $50 to $10,000 and are sold for half their face value and are redeemable on maturity for their full face value. Series HH bonds, in denominations beginning at $500, are not sold for cash; they may be bought only in exchange for EE bonds. The interest on both EE and HH bonds is exempt from state and local income taxes. Payment of federal tax on Series EE bonds may be deferred until you cash In the bonds, when if you time things right you will be in a lower bracket than you are now.

You also can buy the bonds in a child's name, transferring the tax liability to the youngster. KCU2AY VAUXZ3 THAT MAKE C32AT 'C- Y7 CZ7T CIVHw FCn WOTftWV ijf Jt ycuh list. I fXxIlR it EN AND WOMEN'S WARM LINED I lT 17 SUEDED LEATHER JACKETS I Lr-j VALUES TO $159 LizJ- I 11 ll 1 HJ C'fe5gg IJtt I' MEN FINGERTIP-LENGTH LEATHER I I I JACKETS WITH ZIP LININGS 'lfW 111 jffl MEN'S AND WOMEN'S I MllPqllmmmi 9( ft ff classic styled SMOOTH LEATHER JEANS MEN'S AND WOMEN'S SMOOTH LEATHER 1) III CTT7SoVp) ZIP-UNED JACKETS MUlA AMERICAN AND FOREIGN CAR SPECIALIST AMERICAN AND FOREIGN CAR SPECIALIST Come See Vour Local Man From Melneke. QUALITY MUFFLERS COAST TO COAST i 1" LOW installed FIT MANV SMALL CARS AT PARTICIPATING DEALERS HEAVY DUTY SHOCKS FOREIGN CARS CUSTOM DUALS CUSTOM PIPE BENDING KiA WOMEN'S SHORT LEATHER l4jyl'l lArkPT? WITH 7IP I VALUES TO $40 3375 E. Washington Ave 244-3479 (Corner of Fair Oaks) NEW LEATHER HANDBAGS AT PRE-HOLIDAY SAVINGS MEN'S AND WOMEN'S WARM LINED SUEDE GLOVES fy'TrX MANY MORE UN ADVERTISED VALUES THROUGHOUT I I Tm THt ST0RE' MURY IN TOR BKT SELECTION.

I ll REPRESENTATIVE STYLES SHOWN I 'f iL SELECTIONS MAY VARY BY STORE I Individually Owned A Operated IN AN0 OUT IN 30 MINUTES IN MOST CASES DAILY AKD SAT. 8-6 PM EL3 EAST TOWNE MALL Copyright 1983 Mlnk.