The Michigan Daily - Thursday, December 9, 1993 - 3 Clinton signs NAFTA, urges other nations to close deal on GATT WASHINGTON (AP)--President can Fi Clinton signed legislation yesterday the U -reating the world's largest free-trade into a; zone and used the ceremony to prod "T other nations to "seize the moment and defin close the deal" on liberalized global Clint trading rules. includ With considerable fanfare and eight helpe pens, Clinton signed the North Ameri- measu .0K OUT ANY WINDOW ree Trade Agreement, which links nited States, Canada and Mexico single market. his whole issue turned out to be a ing moment for our nation," on told an audience of supporters, ding many of the lawmakers who d him win uphill passage of the ure. And, in a fence-mending gesture toward organized labor, which fought the trade agreement fiercely, Clinton vowed to send to Congress early next year legislation "to create the world's best worker training and retraining sys- tem." "We owe it to the business commu- nity as well as to the working men and women of this country," he said. The' trade agreement already has been ratified by Canada and Mexico. It takes effect Jan. 1 and over the next 15 years eliminates tariffs and other trade barriers. It creates the world's largest and richest trading bloc, cover- ing 360 million people and stretching from the tropics to the Arctic. The United States has had aseparate free-trade agreement with Canada since 1989. Clinton used the ceremony to call forcompleting 116-nation trade talks in Geneva. Trade negotiators are working against a Dec. 15 deadline to wrap up seven years of talks on a new set of trading rules under the General Agree- ment on Tariffs and Trade. Although the most contentious dis- pute - a long squabble between the United States and France over farm subsidies - appeared resolved in the talks, South Korea threw up a potential obstacle yesterday by balking at open- ing its market to rice imports. Credit cards offer students headaches, spending sprees By APRIL WOOD DAILY STAFF REPORTER A single swipe through a little ma- chine and the purchases are paid in full. Credit cards have become the most convenient way to pay for necessities like books, clothes and CDs, but the consequences of abusing that privilege can be expensive in more ways than one. More than 65 percentofundergradu- ates in four-year colleges hold at least one major credit card, according to a press release from KM Publishers of Manassas, Va. Many of those students will pile themselves into debt before they graduate and end up having their parents bail them out. Even though there are many ways to use credit without overcharging, difficulties still arise when the bills come, especially for first-time card holders. "I had to borrow like $200 from my parents freshman year after I got my card," said School of Education junior Carri Vanderbeck. The University Alumni Associa- tion offers an alternative to the hassle of dealing directly with major credit card companies with its Alumni As- sociation VISA card. The card is is- sued through MBNA America bank, which sponsors credit cards for pri- vate organizations and contributes to the Alumni Association with every use of the card. The Alumni Association currently holds about 12,000 student accounts. The association has found that Uni- versity students have a better record with prompt and complete payment than students at other universities that use the same card. "The students will carry it because it's an attractive card," said Alumni Association Associate Executive bi- rector Jerry Sigler. "It's interest is as good or better than other cards." As of Jan. 1, 1994, the card will also carry a Sprint personal calling card number so students can utilize long distance services and personal charges and pay for both with the same card. The bank also waives the annual fee for the card the first year, which can be a helpful privilege con- sidering that some other credit com- panies can charge an average of $55- $75 a year for their services. Planning an arrangement forcredit payment with parents before obtain- ing a credit account can help new card holders avoid future problems with overcharging and division ofpayment. LSA first-year student Brian Murray made such an arrangement with his parents. "Anything my father doesn't approve of, I have to pay for," he said, adding, "I never have to worry about debt with a company, but I do with my parents." Although interest rates are cur- rently dropping, not using credit cards at all is also an option. "Personally, I would not use a credit card. I think they're conve- nient, but it's just as easy for me to go to the ATM. I think people tend to overspend because they don't realize what they're spending," said LSA first-year student Roberto Rodriguez. Credit may still be one of the easi- est ways to handle money, as it elimi- nates the problems of carrying large amounts of cash around or worrying about a check being accepted or find- ing an ATM machine. "I think it's turning out to be a good deal," Sigler said. MAR KOKHB/aily Lynnette Michalik, the art teacher at Father Gabriel Richard High School, and 9th grader Adam Sorini prepare to pair holiday designs on the windows at The Real Seafood company on Main St. yesterday. *Variety of activities planned for Martin Luther King Jr. Day By MAGGIE WEYHING DAILY STAFF REPORTER With Martin Luther King Jr. Day still more than a month away, the University is making its finishing touches on the commemorating events. "American Culture or America the Multiculture?" The University's observance will attempt to deal with this Qontroversial, yet unavoidable question. The Office of Vice Provost for Academic and Multicultural Affairs is sponsoring events that will take place during the holiday. Although these events won't start for several weeks, groups wishing to plan activities for the commemo- ration must submit information to coordinator Michael Jones-Coleman by Dec. 15. Jones-Coleman, program asso- ciate of the Office of Vice Provost for Academic and Multicultural Affairs, said this year's Martin Luther King Jr. Day symposium is going to be different from the events that have been held in previous years. "Our initiative is mirrored by the speech by Coretta Scott King (to the United Nations), we want to look at Martin Luther King Day in a new way - a day for everyone to cel- ebrate our diversity as a nation." Jones-Coleman also mentioned that this will be the first year music will be incorporated into the obser- vance. Kicking off the symposium Jan. 16 will be the performance by the Black Arts Orchestra featuring music written by African American composers. Dr. Charles Long, director for Black Studies at the University of California, will deliver the keynote address Jan. 17. Following the speech is the annual Unity March sponsored by the Black Student Union . In the afternoon, University fac- ulty, along with faculty from insti- tutions all across the country, will participate in panel discussions. Jones-Coleman said the topics of the discussions are going to cover a wide variety of multicultural is- sues. "Basically, we are going to dis- cuss four different topics, which are equity and education, evaluation of the civil rights movement, social injustice, and the multicultural at- mosphere of the University." Jones-Coleman emphasized the importance of the panel discussion concerning multiculturalism at the University. "We need to plot a direction if we are going to develop a true multicultural environment at the University." To end the holiday with a bang, the symposium will include a per- formance of the R&B/gospel group, the Winans. Mo-Jo residents 0 throw bottles Several residents of Mosher -Jor- dan Residence Hall allegedly threw glass bottles at passersby Sunday night. According to University Depart- ment of Public Saftety (DPS) reports, the bottles were thrown from the fourth or fifth floor.A DPS officer contacted residents who had their windows open :and allegedly displayed suspicious behavior in the hall. The matter has been turned over to the residence hall staff. A DPS officer said glass debris littered the southbound lane and west side of Observatory Avenue follow- ing the incident. rroup assaults man An Ann Arbor man was playing pool early Sunday morning at 603 E. William when about seven to eight males allegedly began to harrass him. According to Ann Arbor Police Department (AAPD) reports, the man was hit from behind as he walked away. After he fell to the ground, the suspects allegedly beat the man. AAPD Sgt. Phil Scheel said this incident is under investigation. Police0 Man cashes in counterfeit bills According to AAPD reports, a man came in to Falsetta's Market at 2200 Pittsfield Rd. Tuesday night and asked for two $50 bills or one $100 bill for five $20 bill. The man bought lottery tickets with some of the money. After the man left, an employee noticed the bills were coun- terfeit because two shared a common serial number. Scheel said the matter has been turned over to the U.S. Secret Service. Caller reports stolen tree Tuesday afternoon a caller to DPS reported the theft of a pine tree from the grounds around Aerospace Engineer- ing. The tree was later found and placed in storage. At this time there are no suspects. -By Ronnie Glassberg Daily Staff Reporter 'U' installs Ethernet network in Mo-Jo By SCOT WOODS DAILY STAFF REPORTER For residents of Mosher-Jordan resi- dence hall, getting connected got much easier this year. Over the summerMo-Jo was wired for Ethernet, a telecommunications net- work that is quickly becoming a com- puter industry standard. Alan Zubli, Mo-Jo's resident com- puter systems consultant and a civil engineering graduate student, said, "From your room, you can run any of the site applications and course soft- ware, you have access to any of the printers on campus, and you can do e- mail directly from your room. "It's everything you can do from a computing site, but you can do it from your room," he said. Zubli ticked off other Ethernet ben- efits. "You can also use your computer as a file-access computer, which elimi- nates the need to carry disks around campus," Zubli added. Simply put, you can access your hard drive from any other computer on the University Ethernet network. Zubli also noted that Ethernet is much faster than a modem, and does not tie up the phone line. Bringing all this technology to your computer requires purchasing an Ethernet card or adapter for about $120, which will be installed by the Informa- tion Technology Division (ITD). So far, 23 residents' rooms have been hooked up, in addition to 20 resi- dent staff rooms, bringing the service to about 75 Mo-Jo students. LSA sophomore Dave Chen got an Ethernet card for his Macintosh Powerbook early in the year, and said- he has been happy with the service. "I use it to get all the network sup- port I can get on the campus, play games, print out papers," he said. What about electronic mail? "Oh, of course. That's the main reason I got it," Chen added. Catherine Dunn, an LSA sopho- more, said she likes the Ethernet service - when it works. "Sometimes, it won't start-up right, or connect right, and you have to shut the whole thing down," Dunn said. "It's gotten worse lately." Zubli said ITD will evaluate the success of the service at Mo-Jo and decide whether to run Ethernet lines to roomsin other residence halls. Headded that ITD was considering adding a monthly charge for the service. Dunn said a monthly charge on top of purchasing the Ethernet card might make the cost prohibitive. "If they start charging large fees, people won't do it," she said. In its seminal year, this residence hall service has its problems and its benefits, but holds the promise of liber- ating students from long lines at cam- pus computing sites. ETH r Mosher-Jordan' residence hall is the guinea pig in the Information Technology Division's trial of the Ethernet computer telecommunications network, With an Ethernet hook-up in their room, Mo-Jo residents can: B access the applications and course software available through University servers; print to any campus computing site printer; sign on to e-mail; and, ® access their hard drive from any computer on the campus Ethernet network. 9 5 NON-STOP (OP/ES. Student groups [ Amnesty International, weekly meeting, Dana Building, Room 1040, 7:30 p.m. " Archery Club, meeting and practice, Sports Coliseum, 6- 10 p.m. " Campus Crusade for Christ, weekly meeting, Dental Build- ing, Kellog Aud., 7-9 p.m. n ru"nea vhnaa Q' ..Pa a Q People Opposing Weapons Re- search & Promoting Eco- nomic Conversion, weekly meeting, Angell Hall, Room 444C, 8-10 p.m. U Phi Sigma Pi, ritual meeting, Michigan League, Room D (third floor), 7 p.m. Q Psychological Society, movie night, Angell Hall, Room 4007, 7 .,, Angell Hall Fishbowl, 10 a.m-3 p.m. " Holiday Choral Festival, spon- sored by the School of Music, Hill Auditorium, 8 p.m. d Smith Barney Shearson, spon- sored by Career Planning and Placement, Michigan Union, Anderson Room, 5-7 p.m. Studeint services C Copy VSO S- P