LOCAL/STATE
The Michigan Daily - Thursday, February 27, 1997 - 3A
arch to move
loser to Mars in
d-March
'he planet Earth will be just 60 mil-
ion miles from Mars on March 17 -
he closest distance until 1999.
Directly south of Michigan at mid-
ight, Mars is a "bright red lamp hanging
halfway up from the southern horizon,"
aid astronomy Prof. Richard Teske.
The close encounter between Mars
nd Earth will take place due to a con-
inuous "game of orbital tag" Teske
aid. Earth, moving swiftly, chases the
*er Mars, gaining one full lap and
assing once every 26 months.
In addition, astronomers said the
resent near-equality of day length and
equatorial inclination for Mars and
Earth is a coincidence. Theorists think
hat Mars' equatorial tilt changes sig-
'ificantly over millions of years.
Teske said that 160 million years from
ow, the length of an Earth day and a
day will be equal. After that, Earth
will continue to grow longer.
'U' profs. publish
study on movies
Movie-going has become a social
habit, according to two University pro-
fessors.
In their recent book, "The Movies:
Texts, Receptions, Exposures," English
. Laurence Goldstein and film and
vi eo studies Prof. Ira Konigsberg con-
tend that movies will continue to appeal
to all levels of society in the future.
The most successful films are those
that "make the most sophisticated use
of psychology and sociology to frame
their narratives,"' Goldstein and
Konigsberg said in a written statement.
While films entertain audiences,
the have intrigued scholars who ques-
t what qualities give a film the com-
plexity and resonance of high art,
according to the statement.
The writers also studied how the
appreciation of a film may be depen-
dent on elements such as the screen,
stars, mindframe and even petty busi-
ness deals in Hollywood studios.
The book offers essays on such clas-
sics as "The Wizard of Oz," "The Silence
of the Lambs" and "The Last Emperor."
announces
grant solicitation
The Environmental Protection
Agency is soliciting grant proposals to
establish a national network of pollu-
tion prevention centers. The grants
range from $750,000 to $1 million.
Several reasons for the proposal
tests include the creation of new
.centers for collection, synthesis and
dissemination of pollution prevention
information for states not currently
served by such a center.
Also, the EPA seeks to support exist-
ing regional pollution prevention infor-
mation centers and coordinate work
among new and existing centers.
- To participate, contact Paul
Cunningham via e-mail at
Sdc@umiich.edu by April 28.
U.S. to support
quake research
The U.S. Department of the Interior's
National Earthquake Reduction
Program is planning to support research
in earthquake hazards protection by pro-
'viding data essential to determine seis-
hazards present in the United States.
nformation will also be collected to
offset preventable earthquake damage.
NEHRP supports research related to
the following areas: evaluating hazard
risk on national, regional and urban
levels, understanding earthquake
processes and providing efficient haz-
ard assessment.
Contact Paul Cunningham via e-mail
at paulc@umich.edu by March 28 for
more information.
0- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
David Rossman.
Kirk re-elected College Republican pres.
By Jeffrey Kosseff
Daily Staff Reporter
After the re-election of Nick Kirk as president
of the campus College Republicans last night,
members of the group said their overall sentiment
could now be summed up in one word - unity.
"There is no division," Kirk said. "It's about this
group needing a leader."
Kirk was impeached last Wednesday by the
organization's executive board after vice president
Elias Xenos asked Kirk to resign. The general
membership does not vote on impeachments.
Xenos now said he will work with Kirk for the
rest of the term, which ends at the conclusion of
the winter semester.
"Nick and I definitely have our differences,"
Xenos said. "But we're both committed to the con-
servative movement on
campus."
Kirk was the only mem-
ber nominated for president
last night, so a vote was not
needed to determine the
winner.j
"I have the overwhelm-
ing support of the mem-
bers," Kirk said.
The tone at last night's
meeting was a far cry from Kirk
the meeting one week ago,
when accusations of forgery and vote rigging
filled the room.
"I think it's foolish for us to continue fighting,"
Xenos said. "I will stick by Nick."
Members of the group said they are pleased that
this internal issue has been laid to rest.
"Last week was a pretty dark cloud," said LSA
first-year student David Taub. "Tonight we cor-
rected a mistake."
As his first duty as president. Kirk proposed an
amendment to the group's constitution that would
alter the impeachment procedure. Currently, the
votes of three officers are needed to impeach
another officer. Kirk's proposal would require a
vote of two-thirds of the general membership to
impeach the president.
"I'm trying to put power back into the general
membership," Kirk said.
Elections for next year's officers will be held
March 19. LSA sophomore Mark Potts, who is
currently running for president unopposed, said he
is optimistic about the coming year.
"We are a cohesive group." Potts said. "I was
pleased an-d I'm really optimistic."
For the rest of the semester Kirk is working on
continuing to bring speakers to the group.
In the spirit of victory, Kirk returned to fighting
for the conservative cause and concentrating on what
his re-election means to other groups on campus.
"My re-election tonight will tell the Democrats
where we stand," Kirk said.
The executive board impeached Kirk last -week
because they said he allegedly forged a press iden-
tification from the Michigan Review.
'U, mock'
trial team
nationals
By Sarah Volaric
For the Daily
The University may be famous for
its athletic prowess, but its mock trial
team hopes to bring home a national
title as well.
"The University's mock trial team
sent two teams to the regional competi-
tion in Toledo last weekend and came
home with third and fourth place," said
LSA junior Alexis Grigoras, one of the
team's co-captains. Grigoras said 16
teams competed for four slots at the
national competition.
At the regional competition, LSA
junior Seth Merl received the
Outstanding Witness Award and LSA
sophomore James Liggins received the
Outstanding Attorney Award.
"It was a great experience qualifying
for nationals after being on the team for
only one year," Merl said. "All of the
hard work this term was well worth it
when we placed so high. The icing on
the cake was when the tournament per-
sonally recognized us for making a
good impression."
The University's mock trial team
split into two 9-person units for the
competition, both of which qualified
for the national competition. LSA
senior Michael Elkon, the team co-cap-
tain, said it is rare for two teams from
the same school to qualify.
"I am really proud of this team for
working as hard as they did and for hav-
ing two teams qualify for nationals,"
Michigaan-
sees rise
in numb'er
employed
DETROIT (AP) - Michigan contin-
ued to get more people on payrolls last
month, reaching another in a string of
record-breaking numbers of employed.
The number of workers with jobs went
up 34,000 last month, for a total of'4.6
million, according to statistics released
yesterday by the Michigan Employment
Security Agency. The size of the labor
force also increased to 4.9 million.
Unemployment went up one-tenth'of
a percent to 4.9 percent, a rise that ana-
lysts called insignificant. The numn)er
is still below the national average,
which was 5.4 percent in January.
According to the statement from
MESA, the rise was caused by more
workers entering the job market than
new jobs being created.
"The economy has basically been
moving along at almost the exactly
same pace," said Malcolm Cohen, a
researcher at the University of
Michigan's Institute of Labor and
Industrial Relations.
While the rise in numbers of jobs is a
positive trend, some economists said it
could cause a crisis because there are not
enough workers left to do certain jobs.
"You're straining the labor market
here in Michigan," said David
Littmann, vice president and senior
economist at Comerica Bank.
Even Gov. John Engler - whose joy
at the record employment figures caused
him to get caught up in the current Star
Wars movie hype and proclaim "the
force is with us" - conceded that a
shortage of workers could be a problem.
JEANNIE SERVAAS/Daily
LSA senior Michael Elkon gives a demonstration of a typical mock trial debate in an Angell Hall classroom last night. The
team will compete in the national championship competition in April.
Elkon said. "This is something that no
other school has done before. Getting
ourselves through while knocking Notre
Dame out was also quite satisfying."
Grigoras said the team formed in
1992, and has since built a successful
track record. She said the team's win-
ning history is especially gratifying
because it does not have a full-time
coach.
"The students run the show,"
Grigorias said, adding that Law Prof.
Nicholas Rine and Ann Arbor prosecu-
tor Brian Mackie sometimes help the
team prepare for competition.
Elkon said the 18-member team has
been unusually cohesive.
"This year was quite unique because
all of the people who started out on the
team continued on to regionals," Elkon
said. "In the past few years, people had
dropped off the team. Not this year. We
have a very dedicated team."
Many participants have legal ambi-
tions but still come from a varied cross-
section of the student body, Elkon said.
"Many team members are planning
on going to law school, but there is a
diverse selection of majors on the
team," Elkon said. "However, we all
have one important thing in common
- we can all act. Each person has to
take on a different role every time we
go to a competition."
At competitions, the American Mock
Trial Association provides a fictional
case for the competing teams. The two
teams are randomly assigned either the
defense or the plaintiff side. Each team
consists of three attorneys and three
witnesses, while two alternates sit out.
The team prepares its case by having
the attorneys practice examining their
own witnesses, while phrasing ques-
tions that will only reveal the informa-
tion they want the judges to hear.
The trial is usually judged by two
practicing attorneys from the area
where the competition is held.
After months of practice, the team
currently is enjoying some rest and
relaxation, Elkon said.
"Since the regional competition was
last weekend, the team is taking it easy
before spring break," Elkon said.
The final round of national compe-
tition will be on April 4.
4 cases of meningitis Read the Daily in cyberspace
diagnosed at MSU http://wwwpub.umich.edu/daily/
LANSING (AP) - A second
Michigan State University student
entered a Lansing hospital this week
with viral meningitis, but university
officials say the disease is different
from the bacterial meningitis that killed
two students in recent months.
A student whose name was being
withheld entered the hospital late
Tuesday or early yesterday. The student
was the second in two days to be hospi-
talized with viral meningitis, said Tom
Oswald of the Michigan State News
Bureau.
On Tuesday, Michigan State officials
met with students to discuss the case of
the student hospitalized Monday. That
student is doing well, said Dr. Dean
Sienko, the Ingham County medical
examiner.
The four cases do not represent an
epidemic, health officials say.
Dr. Dennis Jurczak, director of the
campus Olin Health Center, said during
Tuesday's meeting that the university
realizes the reports are raising concerns.
"We have a lot of worried students
and parents," he said. "This whole situ-
ation is unusual."
State health officials confirmed yes-
terday that the two cases of viral menin-
gitis are no cause for alarm.
Dr: William Hall of the state
Department of Community Health said
that viral meningitis is a fairly common
illness that sometimes is so mild people
don't even go to the doctor.
About 500 to 1,000 cases of viral
meningitis get reported to the state each
year, "but there's probably about 10
times that many that actually occur,"
said Hall, chief of the communicable
disease epidemiology division.
The far more serious bacterial
meningitis occurs less often, he said.
The state each year receives only about
50 to 100 reports of meningococcal
meningitis, a bacterial strain that
caused the death of two Michigan State
students, one in December and one in
February.
While it is rare to have two cases of
meningococcal meningitis, the strains
that killed the students were different
organisms and the cases were uncon-
nected.
IRL.... .
QI2LLI"'~LII...
GROUP MEETINGS
J Campus Crusade for Christ, Fe
Meeting, Dental School,
Auditorium, 7 p.m.
0 Lutheran Campus Ministry Is
Faith Group, 668-7622,
Light Lutheran Church, 8C
Forest,7 p.m.
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
Architecture, Art and Architecture info(
Building, Jean and Paul Slusser GOp
.1 low ship Gallery, 11 a.m:-4 p.m. wwv
Kelloh J-"Campus Culture Workshop," spon- Worli
sored by Michigan Union Z)English
sues of Programs, Michigan Union, Tuto
Lord of Wolverine Room, 7 p.m. Ang
d1 South "National Day of Affirmative Action p.m.
Rally," sponsored by Graduate Q Northw
Fmninvovs Organization. Diag. in 8 p.r
@umich.edu, UM*Events on
herBLUE, and http://
w.umich.edu/~info on the
d Wide Web
h Composition Board Peer
ring, need help with a paper?,
ell Hall, Room 444C, 7-11
balk, 763-WALK, Bursley Hall,
m.-1:30 a.m.