The Michigan Daily - Thursday, November 11,1993- 5 NAFTA supporters still short on votes after Gore-Perot debate REBECCA MARGOU S/Dafly TA Nadia Malinovich, who holds office hours at Rendez Vous cafe, meets with LSA first-year student Todd Marvel. TAs who hold office hours at eloCal cafes energize students WASHINGTON (AP)-The bal- lyhooed Gore-Perot debate had little impact on undecided House members who will vote on the free-trade agree- ment, the lawmakers said yesterday. With a week to go, supporters said they were 25-30 votes short; oppo- nents said the gap was much larger. Backers of the North American Free Trade Agreement crowed that the televised face-off between Vice President Al Gore and Ross Perot had given them momentum. "It's nothing new," Rep. Jay Kim (R-Calif.) said of the debate as he emerged fromamorning White House meeting with the pact's chief cham- pion, President Clinton. "I have read NAFTA. I studied it thoroughly." Kim said he told Clinton his main concern was negotiating a prisoner exchange treaty to send criminal ille- gal aliens back to Mexico. He said he might consider backing NAFTA if Clinton voiced support for such an kills 10, FAVERSHAM, England (AP) - A bus carrying American tourists to Canterbury Cathedral careened off a rain-slicked highway yesterday, killing 10 people and injuring more than 30 whenit plungeddownan embankment. The coach carrying 46 people clipped the back of a van on the M2 highway in KentCounty in southeast- ern England, police said. It spun around, plunged through a crash bar- rier and landed on its side 20 feet down the embankment. "Clearly we don't know what was in the driver's mind," said Kent County Police Assistant Chief Con- stable Peter Hermitage. Trapped and injured passengers screamed as firefighters battled to cut them from the wreckage. Nearly all the passengers were taken by road or helicopter to nearby hospitals. The accident happened at about 9:40 a.m., two hours after the coach, operated by the British company Trav- ellers International, left London with 42 Americans and others aboard. agreement. Another undecided lawmaker, Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) said she would rely little on the debate. She said she was far more interested in how the pact would affect companies and jobs in her district. "I have a half-dozen meetings to- day on NAFTA, and more tomor- row," she said. "By the end of the week, I think I'll sort this out." With both sides keeping their vote lists secret, it was impossible to know with certainty how many undecided House members there really were. Estimates ranged from 30 to 70, and they came from all corners of the country although many from the 23- member Florida delegation were said to be uncommitted. "I just don't think you can answer the question totally how many are actually undecided and how many are justreporting undecided," said House Speaker Thomas Foley (D-Wash.) Supporters of the agreement were buoyed by Gore's debate performance defending the pact that would elimi- nate 'tariffs and other trade barriers among the United States, Mexico and Canada over the next 15 years. They said lawmakers' votes could be influenced by early, positive pub- lic opinion polls of reaction to the debate. A survey of 357 adults taken overnight by USA Today and CNN showed 57 percent of respondents favoring NAFTA after the debate, compared Rep. David Dreier (R-Ca- lif.) a pact supporter. Pro-NAFTA forces had Rep. Jim Bacchus (D-Fla.) declare his support for the pact on television right after the broadcast. Bacchus had decided to support the agreementearlier Tues- day. NAFTA opponents, who have said they tentatively have the 217 House votes they will need to kill the pact, said they have detected no defections caused by the debate. "Most people, even the ones say- ing they are undecided, have either made up their minds already or will vote theirconstituents,"said Rep.Dale Kildee (D-Mich.) a leading NAFTA foe. By MAGGIE WEYHING DAILY STAFF REPORTER The smell is of coffee beans and smoke lingering in the air as the subtle moan ofthe saxophone flows through- out the room. In the corner of a small cafe, two people share an intellectual conversation overa cup of cappuccino. Although this seems like a scene taken right out of the Latin Quarter in Paris, it is also one that is rather fre- quent on campus. Local coffee shops seem to have replaced University offices as the place for students to discuss a paper or argue a grade with teaching assis- tants (TAs). Butthelure ofcafe au lait may not be the only reason office hours are more likely to be in Cafe Fino than Angell Hall. For many TAs, particularly those in the history department, poor office conditions have scared them away. "No one could find my office. I couldn't even find it at first, and be- sides, it was gross. It was small and there were a bunch of old papers in it," saidNadiaMalinovich, who holds moffice hours for medieval history at the Rendez-Vous Cafe. "This semester, I haven't even gotten the key formy office, I haven't even looked at it. The offices are inconvenient, and I find that more students come to talk to me if my officehoursarein thecafe,"sheadded. Some instructors praised the cafe ambiance, saying it provides for re- laxed, open discussion. The atmo- sphere drew Lana Schweizer, a TA for English 125, to make Espresso Royale her official office. "In the composition department, we have to share offices. I find that I have more privacy with my students if I'm in acafe. In the office, everyone can hear whatwe're talking about. No, one pays attention to what you're saying in a cafe," she said. The coffee shops on every corner have also won the approval of many students who agree that the setting is less intimidating and more relaxed. "I like the cafe setting better," said first-year LSA student Rachel Mor- gan. "It's a more relaxed and casual atmosphere." Yvonne Paprocki, an LSA sopho- more, agreed. "TAs' offices are too small and almost claustrophobic be- cause most have to share their offices with others. The cafes are more re- laxed and you have more room. I love cafes and sometimes I do my home- work there anyway." Malinovich said meeting her stu- dents in cafes has been mutually ben- eficial. "I have mostly gotten positive response frommy students, they seem to like meeting me in a cafe better." Schweizer agreed, "I've only got- tenone negativereaction. Noone else has said anything so I think that ev- eryone else seems to like it." Students and TAs have also pleased cafe owners because they typi- cally do more than just take up table space - they bring in new business. Mark McGovern, manager of the CavaJavaafrequenthang-outformany TAs, explained, "I don't have a prob- lem at all with TAs meeting their stu- dentshere.Wehavealargespacedown- stairs and that is where most groups meet. The students usually buy drinks and then go talk to their TA. "Sometimesit draws in new business because it brings in students who would have normally not come in," McGovern said."Ithinkit'sgreat!'That'swhatwe're set up for." Steve Bradley, supervisor at the Gratzi Coffee House, said, "It defi- nitely brings in business. Most TAs are here during the busiest times of the day and sometimes two or three people are waiting to talk to their TA and while they're hanging out wait- ing to talk, they buy coffee or food." 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House approves gun-control legislation WASHINGTON (AP) - Re- sponding to public fearofstreetcrime, the House approved the Brady bill yesterday that would require a five- day wait and a background check on people who want to buy handguns. The House voted 238-189 for the bill and sent it to the Senate. The House also approved Brady last year only to see it fail after being attached to a largercrime bill blocked by Senate Republicans. * This time, it is being kept separate , in the hope the Senate will send it to President Clinton, who has promised to sign it. During the debate, Rep. Lucien Blackwell(D-Pa.)notedthathis West Philadelphia neighborhood reports hundreds of deaths each year from pistols. "We need to stop these thugs from getting these guns rapidly, and if we pass the Brady bill, we will do that," Blackwell said. "What is wrong with waiting five days togetapistol? What is wrong with that?" The Brady bill would impose a five-day waiting period beforeahand- gun purchase could be completed and would require a background check during that time on would-be buyers of guns. YeRollerbade. Year End Specials on all Rolerblades. Including: uql-itninqm f: CIE1 m Zetra® Ann Arbor Cyclery Small Classes. 1224 Packard 761-2749 ' i Big Scoes. Guaraneed. BYPASS THE BOOK STORE Buy Or Sell Used Textbooks with Other Students from your College.