Economics
affectAs health of
hinese girls
The survival rate for baby girls in
China is now higher than for boys in
locations where health care is easily
accessed and provided at low cost.
"Members of ethnic groups that have
a strong or very strong preference for
sons, such as the Han or Korean
Chinese, will do whatever possible to
assure survival of their sons," reported
University researchers Barbara
iderson, professor of sociology and
scientist in the Population Studies
Center, and John Ramani, professor
emeritus in the School of Public Health.
Anderson and Ramani discovered
that in regions of low economic devel-
opment, small improvements in health
care could increase survival rates for
infant sons, but to realize the same sur-
vival rates for infant daughters, large
'nprovements in health care, provided
a low cost, were necessary.
Mammogram
program targets
elderly women
Although death rates from breast
cancer are nearly three times higher
among women aged 65 and older than
among women aged 35-64, few efforts
ve been made to urge older women to
ceive more mammograms.
University researchers are trying to
remedy this by developing a program
called "Take Care of Yourself" that
advocates mammogram testing for
women over the age of 65.
The program entails,a personal letter
from a physician to remind the women
to be tested and a follow-up call from a
peer in the community.
ariety of factors
determine stars'
visibility
Several different factors determine
how many stars will be visible in the
night sky for stargazers such as the
observer's location, the season, weather
conditions and the acuity of the observ-
r's vision, according to University
tronomer Richard Teske.
"If everything is favorable, you may
be able to see 1,500 stars; if conditions
are bad, fewer than 100 stars may greet
you," Teske said. "You can estimate
how many stars you will see by deter.
mining the brightness of the dimmest
stars available."
Astronomers gauge the brightness of
stars in terms of "magnitudes," ir
hich the brightest stars have a magni-
de of 1 and the faintest visible stars
have a magnitude of 6.
"This is the limit you can see from a
dark location with a transparent atmos-
phere overhead, after spending at leas1
15 minutes in the dark getting your eyes
adapted to dim light," Teske said. "Bu1
if you are a smoker, the adaptation time
should be increased to 30 minutes."
LOCAL/STATE
The Michigan Daily - Thursday, December 5, 1996 - 3A
Exhibit gives
forum for new
technology
t
i
r
r
a
i
i
r
i
1
r
i
t
r
1
s
a
.t
r
r
a
e
e
e
r
Y
Y
S
4t
e
>t
n
a
)t
S
It
e
By Chris Motinko
Daily Staff Reporter
The University, never an institution
to shun modern technology, put some
of its newest information projects on
display yesterday at the School of
Information's semiannual Student
Projects Showcase.
More than 30 projects developed by
students at the school were displayed
for the six-hour show at West Hall.
"Outside the
school, it's the 0
most visible 6
thing," said Peopl
School of
Information stu-W
dent Paul have to
McClay, refer-
ring to the show-_
case's signifi- School of Info
cance.
The showcase,
sponsored by the Information and
Library Studies Student Association,
spotlighted projects of information
design, retrieval and organization. The
projects ranged from "Mardi Gras in
New Orleans" to "Quicktime Virtual
Reality: Object Movie." Most were cre-
ated this semester.
"The projects are created that term,
but can be held until the next show-
case," said James Ringold, co-chair of
the showcase committee.
Some of these projects are already in
use.
Bob Summers,
Information student
l #
a School of
and a presenter
yesterday, has
had his
"Presidents of
Vh
rm
W Ithe United
States" directo-
Wt W6 ry up since
fer. September. He
has had more
Bob Summers than 40,000 hits
nation student on the home-
page since then.
Summers said
he thinks this showcase can help get
people to notice students' projects. "It is
one of the ways to get the word out," he
said. "There is a wide variety of skills
and applications here for informing
AJA DEKIEVA COHEN7Day
explains her program "Displaying Motion on the Web" at the Student Projects
Mary Timmons, an Education sophomore,
Showcase in West Hail yesterday.
people," he said. "People don't realize
what we have to offer. This is a display
of what we can do."
John Jackson, associate editor at the
School of Information, gave another
reason for the showcase. "We get a lot
of alumni to come back," Jackson said.
"They get to see what students are
doing now, to see how they'll fit in (to
the information field)."
The returning alums shouldn't have
too many reservations about the stu-
dents at their alma mater. The
University's School of Information was
ranked second by U.S. News and World
Report, finishing only one-tenth of a
point out of first place.
"We don't fear technology. We real-
ize students are the bridge between the
users and information," Jackson said of
the ranking.
Students echoed those sentiments
about the school.
Sara Brodkin, a School of
Information first-year student, said, "I
think it's the best. I think the way the
program is evolving is to how to use the
latest technology - other schools use.
traditional methods."
Summers said, "It's cutting-edge, and
getting even more cutting-edge. ... It's
more technological, the skills can be used
anywhere, these are skills people need."
Dolan takes charge of State
Christmas Seal camnairn
w -k .w . w %O'6WwA wV' wN i.
By Jenni Yachnin
Daily Staff Reporter
Ho. ho, ho - former Michigan
swimmer Tom Dolan has gone from
winning an Olympic medal to being
named the American Lung Association
of Michigan's 1996 Christmas Seal
chair.
"We didn't have any other candi-
dates," said Beverly De Censo, ALA
communications coordinator. "We
knew right away we wanted Tom. He's
so perfect - we just kept our fingers
crossed"
Before leaving the swim team this
year, Dolan was an LSA sophomore
and led Michigan to a 1995 NCAA
championship.
The Christmas Seals are sent every
year to raise money for the ALA caus-
es - combating breathing disorders
and lung diseases. This year they fea-
ture children's drawings.
"It's great because his name is still so
big from the Olympics. He's definitely
a unique case," said Toby Booker,
men's swim team member and an LSA
senior. "It brings to light the fact that
people besides smokers have lung
problems."
While at the Olympics, Dolan proved
that even with asthma, he could suc-
ceed in athletics.
As Christmas Seal chair, Dolan will
do several public-service announce-
ments on asthma. In the past the posi-
tion has been held by Shari Lewis and
Lambchop.
"The positive ramifications of hav-
ing Tom as a role model is amazing. He
just needs to promote asthma as some-
thing positive," De Censo said. "He just
needs to promote it as something that
doesn't keep you down and he does that
very well."
The ALA's goal this year is to raise
$1.5 million, 90 percent of which will
stay in Michigan. Dolan's past work
with the ALA includes speaking during
a lecture series on exercise and asthma.
"He kicked off
r. our Family Hall
asthma series Oct.
16 (an educational
program for par-
ents of children
with asthma),"
said Rachel Slone.
ALA regional
manager.
The series was
Dolan part of the open-
ing of University
Hospitals' Pediatric Asthma Clinic.
"He was able to send a powerful
message to the audience," Slone said.
"People don't take (asthma) as serious-
ly as they could."
About 300,000 children in Michigan
have asthma. Slone said she felt that
Dolan's speech had a good effect on
coaches who attended the lecture, influ-
encing them to learn more about asthma.
"It's always good to have U-M repre-
sented," said Michigan swimmrn
Thomas Almeida, an LSA senior."We
have a lot of asthmatics on the team.
and they're getting acknowledged. I
don't know why they swim - there's
always a lot of them in swimming."
Dolan was also last year's national
Christmas Seal chair for ALA.
"He has been a big advocate," Slone
said. "When you see someone who is
an Olympic gold medalist who can d
what he has done it really shows what
someone can overcome.
Dolan could not be reached for com-
ment. However, Michigan men's swim
ming coach Jon Urbanchek said "4
think they couldn't find a better persot.
... He is an excellent spokesman for the
cause."
Urbanchek added that he felt Dolan
was a good spokesperson because he
has done so well in his sport.
"I think it's great. He's a good role
model," said Alex Braunfeld, assistant
men's swimming coach. "He's over,
come a great adversity."
Some swimmers felt the additional
press Dolan will receive from beitg
chair will help their sport.
"It's a great thing for our sport
because his name is mentioned asj,
swimmer all the time," said Michig
swimmer Chris Lakowski, an LSA
junior. "It's good for U-M too becae
his name is connected with it. Wit"
low-profile sport like swimming, ary
time we get press it helps.'
CPSC warns of
lothing danger
As children bundle up in coats and
jackets with the declining autumn tem-
peratures, the Consumer Product Safety
Commission is advising parents to clip
or remove the drawstrings from the
hoods and waists, The Washington Post
reported.
According to CPSC, during the past
11 years, 17 children have been killed
*d 42 injured when drawstrings got
caught on objects, such as playground
equipment and bus doors.
Ann Brown, CPSC commissioner,
said clothing manufacturers have fol-
lowed recent guidelines by using snaps,
hooks and eyes, elastic and other sub-
stitutes to keep coats on tight.
"We urge people to check their chil-
dren's outerwear, such as hooded jack-
ets," Brown said. "Just take the strings
t. Kids will not freeze. They untie
em anyway once you turn your
back."
- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Brian Campbell.
AP PHOTO
Backstage
Carol Cutter, a dancer in the "Nutcracker," watches as a another dancer
awaits her cue Tuesday at the Detroit Opera House. The performance will
also feature the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
Schmitz gets 25 years
State pnvatizes liquor industry;
workers receive layoff notices
PONTIAC (AP) - A man who
killed a gay admirer after a talk show
taping was sentenced yesterday to 25 to
50 years in prison after giving a ram-
bling apology to the court. Jonathan
Schmitz faced up to a life sentence for
the murder of Scott Amedure in a case
that focused attention on "ambush tele-
vision" and the tactics TV producers
use to bring guests onto daytime talk
shows.
"I'd like to say the word sorry,"
Schmitz told Judge Francis O'Brien
before his sentence. "The word 'sorry'
is a very powerful word. It has a lot of
meaning, and it is meant"
Schmitz will be eligible for parole in
20 years, attorneys for both sides said.
Assistant Prosecutor Roman Kalytiak
had sought life-in-prison, which could
have had an earlier parole date, but
Kalytiak said Schmitz would have
wound up serving about 20 years in
either case.
"I think it's a good sentence for a sec-
ond-degree charge," he said.
Schmitz, of Orion Township, was
convicted of second-degree murder for
shooting Scott Amedure three days
after the two men appeared on a taping
of the "Jenny Jones Show.".Amedure,
who was gay, revealed a crush on
Schmitz, who is heterosexual, during
the show.
Schmitz also received a two-year sen-
tence for using a firearm during a felony.
LAN SING (AP) - As the date for
turning liquor distribution over to pri-
vate companies gets closer, the state
officially notified two unions yesterday
it plans to lay off liquor workers in
about a month.
The notices to the Michigan State
Employees Association and Local 6000
of the United Auto Workers could mean
about 350 people will lose their jobs,
although exact figures were unavailable
from the Liquor Control Commission.
UAW Local 6000 representative
Sandra Masarik told Commission Chair
Phil Arthurhultz that the timing of the
layoff notices shortly before Christmas,
and at the commission's peak sales time,
was callous toward employees.
"All you care about is getting the
liquor to the licensees so you can reap the
profit from the holiday season's boom on
liquor sales," she said at a commission
hearing.
"And after (C
they've worked
their fingers to
the bone to
ensure another
successful and
profitable holi-
day season -
out the door they
go."
Arthurhultz
""This is
be tough
them.5"
- P
Con
anybody off," he said.
Arthurhultz said he is trying to pe-
suade private companies taking oer
wholesale dis
tribution to }dire
g ing to workers whoae
being put outvf
for work.
Some ,of
those losing
their jobs were
hil Arthurhultz hired as tempp-
nmission chair rary workers
originally, he
said.
"I don't have any sympathy for them.
The others, my heart goes out for them.
This is going to be tough for them"'he
said.
said the timing could not be helped
because of requirements that at least 30
days' notice be given.
"There's never a good time for laying
"w'
Cy L~ LEi WL Az1k
What's happning in Ann Arbor today
GROUP MEETINGS
0 Luthrerab Campus Ministry Issues
of Faith Group, 668-7622, Lord
of Light Lutheran Church, 801
South Forest, 7 p.m.
0 Residence Halls Association, gen-
Students of Color," sponsored by
University Housing, South Quad,
Ambatamba Lounge, 6-7:30 p.m.
J "Mars Attacks," sponsored by M-
Flicks, Natural Science Building,
Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
Q "On Suing One's Siblings in
www.umich.edu/-info on the World
Wide Web
Q English Composition Board Peer
Tutoring, need help with a
paper?, Angell Hall, Room
4440, 7-11 p.m.
Q Northwaik, 763-WALK, Bursley Hall,
8 p.m.-1:30 a.m.
Wt .