Baker trial
scheduled for
May 22
LSA sophomore Jake Baker's fed-
eral trial on five charges of sending
threats via the Internet is now slated to
begin May 22 in Federal Judge Avern
Cohn's Detroit courtroom.
Baker's trial for one charge of
sending threats was originally sched-
uled to begin April 7, but last month a
grand jury issued a superseding in-
dictment, which issued the new
charges and pushed back the trial date.
Despite the new trial date, U.S.
Attorney Ken Chadwell said it is un-
likely the trial will start in the next
month.
"We expect that (defense attor-
ney) Douglas Mulkoff will file a
motion to dismiss the case by April
28," Chadwell said yesterday. "Then
we will have time to file a response
and a new date will probably have to
be set.
"I don't think that the May trial
date is really realistic."
David Cahill, one of Baker's at-
torneys, said the trial may not be able
to begin this summer because Cohn is
hearing another case scheduled to
begin in June.
FBI agents arrested Baker on Feb. 9
in connection with a sexually explicit
story he posted on the Internet
newsgroup "alt.sex.stories" and e-
mail correspondence Baker had with
an Ontario man who used the pseud-
onym Arthur Gonda. President James
J. Duderstadt suspended Baker Feb. 1
after the discovery of the Internet
story, which included the name of a
University student as Baker's "vic-
tim" of rape, torture, mutilation and
murder.
Baker spent more than a month in
federal custody and was released in
March after a psychologist found him
suitable for conditional release to his
home in Boardman, Ohio.
Ontario Provincial Police and FBI
searches for Gonda have not led to the
whereabouts of the man with whom
Baker discussed acts of rape, torture
and murder of young women.
South Quad fire
* alarms lead to thefts
Two fire alarms early Sunday morn-
ing at South Quad residence hall re-
sulted in multiple thefts, according to
Department of Public Safety reports.
A South Quad resident called DPS
midday Sunday to report that his com-
puter was stolen during the first fire
alarm at about 4 a.m.
The caller told DPS officers that
his Apple Powerbook was taken from
his locked room during the alarm,
reports say.
Another resident called Sunday
night to report that "several items
were stolen" from his room during
both alarms. The caller could not es-
timate the value of the stolen items.
On the west side of South Quad, a
vending machine on the ground floor
was broken into early Sunday morn-
ing. All merchandise from the ma-
chine was taken, including more than
$50 in snack food.
- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Josh White
Group tells students to protest nuclear power
Project Fermi 2
organizer opposes
Detroit Edison
By Daniel Johnson
Daily Staff Reporter
Marie Mason, an organizer of the
Fermi 2 Action Project, exhorted stu-
dents to protest the operation of De-
troit Edison's nuclear power plant
last night.
The group is seeking to garner sup-
port for its Summer Encampment of
1995, a 10-day protest of Fermi II to
feature demonstrations, speakers and
educational workshops held in Ann
Arbor from July 28 through Aug. 6.
"We began to realize that we
needed to bring public witness against
Fermi II, outside of Monroe," Mason
said. She mentioned that some Mon-
roe residents hesitate to protest the
plant's operation because it is one of
the town's largest employers.
Fermi II shut down operations fol-
lowing an accident in December 1993,
when a turbine blade sheared off, caus-
ing an explosion and a fire inside the
plant. Investigators attributed the fail-
ure, which necessitated about $80
million in repairs, to metal fatigue
and other factors.
Detroit Edison spokesman Scott
Simons said the accident was not spe-
cific to a nuclear power plant. "The
situation could have occurred at any
power plant in the country," Simons
said in a telephone interview yester-
day.
The plant, which is located about
35 miles south of Detroit, was provid-
ing approximately 14 percent of De-
troit Edison's power supply when the
accident occurred. Amid protests, De-
troit Edison began a testing program
at Fermi II last December to return the
plant to full power.
"Right now, we're slowly bring-
ing the plant back up," Simons said.
"When we're satisfied that everything
is operating safely and efficiently, we
hope to be back to full power."
The plant stopped operating recently
as part of a turbine-testing program.
The turbine involved in the accident is
being balanced in order to resume op-
eration, Simons said. The turbine was
causing vibrations that exceeded
Nuclear Regulatory Commission stan-
dards.
The plant was operating at 80 per-
cent power last week prior to its shut-
down. Simons said that Detroit Edison
hopes to begin power increase within
the next several days.
"Fermi II is a damaged nuclear
power plant, and running a damaged
plant is risking a Chernobyl-like acci-
dent in this area,' said Jesse
Deerinwater, a member of Citizens
Resistance Against Fermi Two, a fed-
eration of groups opposed to the op-
eration of Fermi II.
Last October, more than 100 activ-
ists from around the nation flocked to a
weekend rally in Monroe to prevent the
plant's reopening. The protest culmi-
nated with the arrest of 16 people, who
had handcuffed themselves to barrels,
forming a human chain to block entry
and exit from Fermi II.
This summer's encampment will
feature similar types of civil disobe-
dience and other less extreme mea-
sures of protest, Mason said. In addi-
tion, those who congregate for the
rally will be provided with food and a
"support network."
"With this 10-day encampment,
people can participate in all strate-
gies," Mason said.
"The world has passed through
the nuclear age and found it wanting,"
Deerinwater said. "Now, we need to
produce our electricity with sustain-
able alternative sources."
Karl Fischer, a nuclear engineer-
ing senior, disagreed with Mason's
condemnation of nuclear power as an
energy source. "I don't think it's fair
to attribute the problems of Fermi II
to nuclear power in general."
MOLLY STEVENS/Dai4L
Marie Mason discusses protesting against nuclear power last night.
Touch-tone registration
shortens waits; still glitches
By Michelle Lee Thompson
Daily Staff Reporter
A touch-tone registration system is getting mixed
reviews from students, who are required to use the method
for the first time ever this month, following a year of testing.
The system is an upgrade from the old method of Com-
puter Registration Involving Student Participation, which
took place in offices in Angell Hall and the Chrysler Center.
Some students complain that the new system is not user-
friendly and that errors cause the automated registrar to
hang up on them.
But many said they appreciate the time the dial-in
method saves.
"I had no troubles at all, despite the fact that most of my
friends did. I actually thought it was so much better than
standing in the bottom of Angell Hall," said LSA sophomore
Lorie Davessian, who used the new system last semester.
Assistant Registrar Lynn Adelman, who answered
various student questions from the CRISP office, said
there were no major problems and that most questions
were easily answered by the office's staff.
"Everything seems to be working quite smoothly,"
Adelman said.
Some students complained that the new registration is
not time-efficient-callers register for each class individu-
ally and are returned to the main menu after each class
addition. Others said the class they wanted to take was listed
in the time schedule, but when they tried to register, the
computer voice said the course was closed.
Associate Registrar Tom McElvain said that often the
"I had no troubles at all,
despite the fact that most of.w
myr friends did.'
- Lorie Davessian-
LSA sophomore;
times and courses listed in the time schedule change after thd
schedule is published in March.
"Departments make changes," McElvain said. "The
discrepancies you find between the time schedule and the;
database are the same discrepancies you found between
the time schedule and when you sat down at CRISP," he
added.
But Paul Smithizas, an LSA sophomore, said he prefers
the old system.
"It was the first time I used the touch-tone system an4
I didn't like it," Smithzas said. "I would have rather stood
in line. When you sit down, the lady or man at the
computer can sort of help you," he said.
Most agreed that the dial-in registration saved time;
and some said they set alarms for early-morning CRISP
times and went back to sleep when they finished,
McElvain said mornings were CRISP's busiest times
and that Thursday was the busiest day last week. The
mainframe computer has 128 lines to cut down on busy
signals. Touch-tone CRISP closes from midnight to 7 a.m.
for batch processing but is open during the rest of the day.
MOLLY STEVENS/Daily
Nice sign
A sign announcing senior days lies in early April snow.
Gov.'s commission on gambling to release report today
LANSING (AP)-Gov. John Engler's gam-
ing commission was expected to make its recom-
mendations today, but all bets were off on what
the report might say.
Engler created the commission last Septem-
ber to study the potential impacts of expanding
gambling in Michigan. The panel held several
closed meetings to debate and two open meet-
ings in Detroit and Lansing.
Engler spokesman John Truscott said sum-
maries of the report would be released sometime
today, but the governor would be unavailable for
comment. Truscott said the commission had six
months to work on its recommendation and Engler
will take at least six weeks to review it.
"We're going to look at it and study it because
that's the only responsible thing to do," Truscott
said. He said the governor has not been told of the
report's content. "We know what we have read in
the paper."
News accounts have speculated on the
report's contents and some of the 13 commission
members have been quoted anonymously. But
reports have varied on the panel's recommenda-
tion. Commission members could not be reached
yesterday for comment.
The panel's recommendations could range
from no expanding gambling to expanding casino-
style gaming on and off Native American reserva-
tions.
According to some reports, the commission
rejected adding gaming in bars and restaurants
and recommended no casino-style gambling at
racetracks.
Horse racing officials have said casino gam-
bling is wrecking their business. They said they
need more simulcasting - betting on telecast
races from other venues - and casino-style
games to keep up.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Paul Hillegonds
(R-Holland) said there is little urgency in the
Legislature to deal with expanding gambling.
Hillegonds said last week that lawmakers have
agreed to put the issue on hold.
rF~
riE.CAAELD
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
GROUP MEETINGS Q "Health Insurance for Interna- Unio
Q Alianza, 764-2677, Trotter House, tional Students," sponsored by STUE
Mail lobby, 7 p.m. International Center, Interna- DE
Q Ann Arbor Moderation Manage- tional Center, Room 9, 2 p.m. Q 76-GU
ment, 930-6446, Unitarian Q "I Don't Give a Damn," movie, ing p
Church, 1917 Washtenaw, sponsored by AMI, Hillel Build- Q Camp
Gaede Room, 7-8 p.m. ing, 7 p.m. ganL
Q Amnesty International, 213-1862, 4 "Literature of Immigration or of 76-E
Michigan League, 7:30 p.m. Diaspora? Main Currents in GOph
Q Gospel Chorale Rehearsal, 764- Chinese-American Literature," Q ECB P
1705, School of Music, Room brown bag lecture, sponsored gellH
2043, 7:30-9:30 p.m. by Center for Chinese Studies, Alice
Q Japan Student Association, gene Lane Hall Commons Room, 12 11 p
eral meeting, 213-0639, Inter- noon Q North
national Center, 7:30-10 p.m. Q "Moving and Shipping Work- Nort
Q LSA Student Govemment, LSA Build- shop," sponsored by Interna- NCIC
ing, Room 2002, 6 p.m. tional Center, International Cen- Q North
Q Michigan Students for Peace, ter, Room 9, 4 p.m. Lobb
764-5943, Modern Languages Q "Pulsed Electrochemical Detec- Q Peer
Building, Room B118, 7 p.m. tion in Liquid Chromatography tion
Q New Italian Club, weekly meet- for Carbohydrates, Amines and With
ing, 668-1402, Espresso Royale Organic Sulfur Compounds," 721
Cafe on State St., 7 p.m. sponsored by Department of Edu
Q Sailing Team, 913-4748, West Chemistry, Chemistry Building, app
Engineering Building, Room Room 1640, 4 p.m. Q Politi
420, 6:30 p.m. Q "Rally and March for the Dental 764
Q Thai Students Association, weekly School Three," sponsored by spon
planning meeting, 663-7299, Michi- National Women's Rights Orga- Advi
on, Pond Room, 7 p.m.
NT SERVICES
VIDE, 764-8433, peercounsel-
phone line, 7 p.m.-8 a.m.
us information Center, Michi-
Union, 763-INFO; events info
EVENT or UM*Events on
herBLUE
Peer Tutorial, 747-4526, An-
Hall ComputingSite, 7-11 p.m.,
Lloyd, 7-10 p.m., Bursley, 7-
p.m.
Campus Information Center,
h Campus Commons, 763-
C, 7:30 a.m.-5:50 p.m.
walk, 763-WALK, Bursley
by, 8 p.m.-11:30 p.m.
Counseling for Non-Tradi-
al Undergraduate Students
h Academic Concerns, 998-
0, sponsored by Center for
nation of Women, call for
ointment
cal Science Peer Advising,
-6386, walk-ins welcome,
nsored by Undergraduate
sing, Haven Hall, Room
Abraham:
GOP should
revamp
legal system
LANSING (AP) -Revamping the
legal system to block frivolous law-
suits and excessive awards will be one
of the top items on the U.S. Senate's
agenda this spring, U.S. Sen. Spencer
Abraham said yesterday.
The Auburn Hills Republican said
such steps will help create jobs and
improve the economy. A Lansing
businessman said without such
changes, a new company - with up
to 450 jobs - might go to Canada
instead of Michigan.
Richard Kettles, the president of
Classic Aircraft Corp., said he is in-
volved with a new company, Spartan
Aircraft Corp. That company will
build nowerful utility airplanes.
Columbia Review
INTENSIVE MCVAT PREPARATION
ClBsses
i