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The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, March 29, 1995 - 3
Medical Center
receives $30
million grant
The University's Medical Center
ceived a five-year, $30 million grant
to continue the work of its General
Clinical Research Center.
The grant from the National Cen-
ter for Research Resources, a pro-
gram of the National Institutes of
Health, will allow the GCRC to con-
tinue and expand its work in gene
therapy research for AIDS, cancer
and cystic fibrosis.
" "The GCRC program is designed
to quickly transfer research from the
laboratory to the patient and make it a
standard part of medical care," Judith
L. Vaitukaitis, NCRR director, said
in a statement.
She added that many health main-
tenance organizations do not allow
patients to enroll in experimental re-
search studies.
S"That's why federal grants such as
is one are vital to maintaining the
medical research being done at U-M and
the other 70 general clinical research
centers nationwide," Vaitukatis said.
The GCRC is the only inpatient
research facility at the Medical Cen-
ter and the only center of its kind in
the state.
Physicists produce
Est evidence of
'avalanches' in
superconductors
A phenomenon that occurs in piles
of sand, water droplets, electronic cir-
cuits and earthquakes has shown up
in superconducting materials, Uni-
versity physicists report.
*Physics prof. StuartField and gradu-
ate student Jeff Witt presented their re-
sults in San Jose, Calif., showing the first
directevidence thatmagnetic field lines,
called vortices, passing through a super-
conductor form avalanches like grains
of sand in a collapsing sandpile.
Field and Witt immersed a hollow
tube of a niobium and titanium super-
conducting alloy in liquid helium.
They then introduced an external
nagnetic field, slowly increasing the
strength of the field.
The magnetic flux, in the form of
vortices, passes through the tube and
becomes trapped in defects in the su-
perconducting material. The vortices
come through the interior wall of the
tube in surges, or avalanches, and are
detected electronically.
4OU profs. awarded
Sloan fellowships
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
announced the recipients of its re-
search fellowships this week. Three
University professors were among the
100 recipients.
,Assistant Profs. Gary Glick,
Alexander Barvinok and Ruth
Lawrence will receive $30,000 each
eer two years.
The fellowships are aimed at
young scientists and economists, with
an average age of 32. The awards will
be used by researchers to pursue per-
sonal research or further current work.
- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Matthew Smart
'New Yorker' editor speaks about Middle-East conflict
By Patience Atkin
Daily Staff Reporter
An editor of one of the nation's most promi-
nent magazines says there is real danger of
bloodshed in the Middle East, but there is also
room for hope.
Milton Viorst, Middle East editor for "The
New Yorker magazine," spoke last night at the
Michigan League as part of the Middle-East
Committee of the Interfaith Council for Peace
and Justice's "Teach-In for Peace and Justice."
Viorst focused mainly on historical analyses
of the Arab-Israeli conflict, tracing events from
1992 to the present.
Viorst began with jokes about the "Michi-
gan springtime," but his tone quickly sombered
as he recalled interviews he conducted with
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in prepa-
ration for his 1987 book, "Sands of Sorrow."
"What Rabin made clear in our talks is that
he saw no virtue in peace," Viorst said. "Indif-
ference would more aptly describe his attitude."
During his lecture, Viorst offered his own
insight into the conflict. "It's impossible to stay
in the Middle East business without holding on
to some hope," Viorst said. "Although right
now, I am feeling extremely gloomy."
"Mr. Viorst was chosen because of his expe-
rience with Middle East affairs," said LSA
senior Shira Robinson, a member of the coordi-
nating committee for the Interfaith Council.
"He is also a well-respected member of the
Jewish community, yet he takes a critical ap-
proach to analyzing issues."
"Being Jewish myself, I can understand how
Jews can feel about security issues," Viorst said,
explaining the backbone of the Arab-Israeli con-
flict. "But security can take many forms.'
Viorst offered minimal hope for the resolu-
tion of the conflict. Emphasizing the impor-
tance of Israel's failure to meet the terms of the
Oslo agreement, Viorst said, "Until now, every-
thing has been foreplay."
Should the Palestinians threaten Israel with
civil war, Viorst said, Israel could supress the
Palestinians. but a bigger issue is at stake.
"The big Israeli fear is that Jewish bood will
be shed." Viorst said. "Yitzhak Rabin doesn't
want to go down in history as the one respon-
sibl for causing Jews to shed each other's
blood."
Some students at the lecture felt Viorst's
lecture was informative. "I didn't know much
about (the conflict), so I learned something,"
said Ingrid Lai, a first-year Art student.
"I think he brought a very fresh, neutral
perspective on a problem that I view to be
extremely complex," said Alberto Rodriguez, a
graduate student and teaching assistant who
required his students to attend Viorst's lecture.
..r.:
City to test early-
waringtornado
system today
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By Lisa Poris
Daily Staff Reporter
Watching Dorothy and Toto get
carried away to the land of Oz is the
only experience many people have
had with tornadoes.
However, Michigan is no stranger
to the destructive power of the fun-
nel-shaped clouds. An average of 16
tornadoes touch down in the state
each year, and last year one struck
within Washtenaw County. The last
time a twister struck Ann Arbor was
the late 1980s.
There are 42 outdoor warning si-
rens spread throughout the city, and at
about 10 a.m. today the Office of
Disaster Preparedness will be con-
ducting an audible outdoor test of the
sirens. The sirens - which can be
heard in almost all areas of the city -
are primarily for people who are out-
side and need to get inside immedi-
ately..
The sirens are set off "whenever
we think there is a funnel cloud that
may touch down," said Kathy Rich,
the assistant coordinator for the po-
lice department's Office of Disaster
Preparedness.
The Michigan tornado season lasts
from March to October. The majority
of the tornadoes occur in the late
afternoon and early evening, though
it is possible for them to occur at any
time of day.
When a threat of a tornado touch-
down exists, there are a few precau-
tions people should take. A person's
priority should be to get indoors. If
entering a building is not an option,
people should find a ditch away
from any object that may be picked
up by the swirling winds. If in a
ditch,they should lie down and
shield your head with their arms.
Once indoors, the safest place to
be is in a basement or other interior
part of the building. Being on the
lowest possible level is best. Getting
under a piece of furniture or another
sturdy object is advised. Make sure to
avoid all windows, doors and outside
walls.
A common misconception that
many people have is that opening
windows will help relieve the pres-
sure differences, and will conse-
quently limit the damage caused by
the tornado. Rich said this is not true
and that windows should remain
closed. "If a tornado hits, its going to
do the damage no matter what," she
said.
JONATHAN LURIE/Daily
A demonstrator, N. Renuka Uthappa, holds a "corporate welfare" soup kitchen at the Detroit Edison Building
yesterday. The Homeless Action Committee and Citizen's Resistance to Fermi 2 were protesting welfare cuts.
Homeless Action Committee
pro tcr
By Andrew Taylor
Daily News Editor
While the federal school lunch
program has come under Republican
fire in Washington, the "Private Sec-
tor Free Lunches" program drew criti-
cism yesterday from local activists.
Fewer than 20 protesters gathered
at noon in front of the Detroit Edison
Building at the corner of Main and
Liberty streets to protest "corporate
welfare" - government subsidies
and tax incentives given to businesses.
The Homeless Action Committee
and Citizens' Resistance Against
Fermi 2 teamed up to raise public
awareness about welfare reform, said
spokeswoman Vivian Louie, an Ann
Arbor resident.
"There's a huge lack of informa-
tion in the public," Louie said.
She said the two groups are upset
that Congress is working to reform
welfare while still giving government
money to businesses.
The protest specifically defended
Aid to Families with Dependent Chil-
dren, an entitlement for needy fami-
lies. The program costs $14.1 billion
annually -just under 1 percent of the
federal budget, according to the Of-
fice of Management and Budget.
Louie asserted that "corporate
welfare" takes up 4.3 percent of the
federal budget. "It's taking a lot of
money which would benefit AFDC,"
she said.
U.S. Rep. Lynn Rivers (D-Ann
Arbor) said in a telephone interview
that the welfare reform debate has
been framed the wrong way by Re-
publicans. She said the GOP is look-
ing for spending cuts for budgetary
reasons, rather than looking out for
the public.
"How are we going to change (wel-
fare) to meet all of (the public's) ex-
ceptions?" Rivers asked.
She said the issue is not cutting
welfare, but how it is handled. For
example, she said, without providing
minimum-wage earners with health
care coverage, "they're better off be-
ing on welfare."
Although protesters echoed many
congressional Democrats' complaints
that Republicans are redirecting wel-
fare from needy families to corpora-
tions, Louie attacked both parties for
their stances on welfare reform.
"Democratic reform cuts may not
be as drastic as the Republicans', but
they are just as dangerous," Louie
said.
- Daily Staff Reporter Zachary M.
Raimi contributed to this report.
MSU No. 6 in research money
LANSING (AP) - A discovery
used to fight cancer landed Michigan
State University among the top 10
colleges that made money from re-
search in 1993.
"For a lot of people who have can-
cer and get chemotherapy, it's cisplatin
or form of it that is used to control the
cancer. It's a major treatment material
that comes from platinum," said Fred
Erbisch, director of Michigan State's
Office of Intellectual Property.
In 1993, $13.5 million of the $14.2
million that Michigan State got in
royalties from inventions and patents
came from cisplatin, Erbisch said. He
added the invention has brought the
school $80 million so far.
That royalty amount put Michi-
gan State at No. 6, according to fig-
ures compiled by the Association of
University Technology Managers.
The Universities of California came
in first with $45.4 million
State Senate tackles budget issues
LANSING (AP) - Detroit's bid
for state money to support cultural at-
tractions consumed much of the early
debate yesterday as the Senate began
work on nine budget bills it wants to
send to the House before spring break.
The 38-member chamber spent
much of the morning on the issue and
was scheduled to resume that debate
after a lunch break.
The Senate plans to continue the
budget work today and tomorrow with
hopes of wrapping up preliminary ac-
tion on the complex budget bills before
its two-week spring break starts Friday.
Discussion on the budget for the
departments of labor and commerce
hit a snag yesterday over a new way to
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What's bapp ens in Ann Arbor today
GiROUP MEETINGS
U AIESEC Michigan, general member
meeting, 662-1690, Business Ad-
ministration Building, Room 1276,
6 p m.
m" Coming Out Group for Lesbian, Gay
and Bisexual People, 763-4186,
Michigan Union, LGBPO Lounge, 7-
9 p.m.
0 Discussion Group for Lesbian, Gay
and Bisexual People, 763-4186,
Michigan Union, LGBPO Lounge,
5:15-7 p.m.
U Hindu Students Council, weekly
meeting, 764-0604, Michigan
Union, Kuenzel Room, 8 p.m.
I La Voz Mexicana, weekly meeting,
995-1699, Michigan League, Room
C, 8 p.m.
Q Overeaters Anonymous, 769-4958,
Michigan Union, Room 3200,12:10-1
p.m.
U Rainforest Action Movement, Dana
Building, Room 1040, 7:30 p.m.
U Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do Club, men and
women, beginners welcome, 994-
sponsored by Lutheran Campus
Ministry,801 South ForestAvenue,
6 p.m.
Q "Cheap U.S. Travel for International
Students," sponsored by Interna-
tional Center, International Cen-
ter, Room 9, 4 p.m.
Q "Friendly Days Panel Discussion,"
sponsored by Friendly Days, Michi-
gan Union, Kuenzel Room, 4-5:30
p.m.
Q "Fulbright Perspectives on Educa-
tion in the U.S. and Abroad," spon-
sored by Fulbright Association,
Clements Library, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
Q "Hillel Governing Board
Elections," sponsored by Hillel,
Hillel Building, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Q "Letterperfect: Developing a Refer-
ence Letter File," sponsored by
Career Planning and Placement,
Student Activities Building, Room
3200, 4:10-5 p.m.
Q "Love and Sex," sponsored by Stu-
dents of Objectivism, Michigan
I poiisrnfarcnr' P Rnnmc '3 and
Q "Protest/March Against the Con-
tract 'On' America," sponsored by
Coalition Againstthe Contract "On"
America, Diag, 12 noon
Q "Rhodes and Marshall Scholarships
Informational Meeting," Michigan
Union, Pendleton Room, 7 p.m.
STUDENT SERVICES
Q 76-GUIDE, 764-8433, peer coun-
seling phone line, 7 p.m.-8 a.m.
Q Campus Information Center,
Michigan Union, 763-INFO;
events info 76-EVENT or
UM*Events on GOpherBLUE
Q North Campus Information Center,
North Campus Commons, 763-
NCIC, 7:30 a.m.-5:50 p.m.
Q~ Northwalk, 763-WALK, Bursley
Lobby, 8 p.m.-1:30 a.m.
Q Political Science Undergrad Peer
Advising, 764-6386, sponsored by
UPSA, Haven Hall, Room 5620, 11
a.m.-2 p.m.
give out arts and equity grants. The
new approach is designed to spread
state money more fairly throughout
the state. That is a change that would
cost Detroit some $6.4 million.
This year, Detroit's share of the
equity package is $20.6 million, or 74
percent, of the total amount. Under
the budget now in the Senate, that
would drop to $14.2 million, or some
53 percent, of the grants.
The grants would be allocated
statewide on a per capita basis instead
of the current system of four tiers,
based on population categories.
Counties could also apply for ad-
ditional grants and receive up to $1.23
per resident. The new state fiscal year
begins Oct. 1.
Grants to the Detroit Institute of
Arts, Detroit Symphony Orchestra and
Detroit Zoo wouldn't change under
the new budget.
Sen. Virgil Smith (D-Detroit) led
the fight against the changes.
He said that because Detroit has to
shoulder more than its share of south-
eastern Michigan's regional transit
system, it needs help to support muse-
ums and other cultural attractions that
attract residents outside Detroit.
"We're asking for a helping hand,
not the back side of your hand," Smith
said.
But Sen. Glenn Steil pointed out
that Detroit still would get 53 percent
of the equity package.
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