NATION/WORLD
The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, February 3, 1998 - 5
Proposal promises first surplus in 30 years
BUDGET
Continued from Page 1.
1999 spending plan would bring the budget into
the black three years ahead of the 2002 deadline
envisioned in the budget accord worked out last
May between the White House and GOP lawmak-
ers.
"This budget marks the end of an era, an end to
decades of deficits that have shackled our economy,
paralyzed our politics and held our people back,"
the president said during a White House ceremony.
"it can mark the beginning of a new era of oppor-
tunity" for the United States.
Franklin Raines, Clinton's budget director, told
reporters that if Congress maintains "fiscal disci-
pline" this session, the budget may be balanced in
this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. Current pro-
jections are for a $10 billion deficit for fiscal
1998.
Reaction to Clinton's budget from Congress was
predictably partisan.
Republicans contended that, rather than main-
taining fiscal discipline, the president's new budget
violates the formal spending caps set by last year's
budget agreement, and would launch the nation on
a new spending spree.
"You can't expect a leopard to change its spots,
and you can't expect President Clinton to embrace
the concepts of a smaller and smarter federal gov-
ernment," Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas), the House
majority whip, told reporters.
Democrats praised the president's spending plan,
and accused Republicans of trying to tar a fiscally
sound proposal.
"They can't claim that these proposals are fis-
cally irresponsible," said Rep. John Spratt, Jr. (D-
S.C. ).
Clinton's proposed initiatives and tax credits
include programs aimed at reducing tobacco
use, expanding child-care services, extending
Medicare to some Americans aged 55 to 64 and
broadening coverage to include uninsured chil-
dren.
BREAK
Continued from Page 1.
Amanda Scotese. "We're going to stay
in a hostel and party."
A week without schoolwork is not a
break for some students who are choos-
ing to forego a tropical vacation to earn
some money.
"I'll probably be working at home,"
said SNRE sophomore Tim Carmody.
"For lack of money, I won't be taking a
vacation."
Planning for spring break has
become more of an unpleasant experi-
ence than cause for excitement for stu-
dents struggling academically.
"I was going to go to Jamaica but
now I can't because I got a 'C' in soci-
ology and my mom won't let me go,"
said Music first-year student Melissa
Ogden.
Spring break is an opportunity for
many University students to volunteer
their time to help the community.
Alternative Spring Break, a community
service program sponsored by
ProjectSERVE, is one way that students
have chosen to spend their time off
from school.
"There are 39 different sites where
350 to 400 students will be assigned,"
said Shari Strauss, a member of the
ASB Leadership Team. "Students will
work with a variety of issues including
HIV/AIDS related issues, hunger,
poverty, and women's issues"
Some students are frustrated because
the University's spring break does not
coincide with that of other colleges and
universities.
"My friends from home are going to
the Bahamas the week after Michigan's
spring break - I can't go" said LSA
first-year student Anita Mohan.
But not everyone sees the
University's comparatively early sprig
break as negative.
"I'm going down to Florida" said
Business junior Ahsan Chaudhri. "I'm
an international student and would like
to visit a part of this country that; I
haven't seen yet."
The break can also be a chance for
students to visit friends and family in
other places.
"I'm going to Chicago to visit iiy
cousin," said LSA junior London Bell.
But for others, spring break is just
another week.
"I don't like to vacation' said
Engineering junior Azwan Abdul-Aziz.
"Here I have my books so I can catch
up on my studies."
AP Photo
Vice President Al Gore applauds President Clinton dudng a ceremony yesterday where Clinton unveiled his
1999 federal budget proposal.
The spending plan also includes grants and
tax incentives to help reduce class size in
schools by'recruiting 100,000 more teachers and
building thousands of new classrooms; $17.9
billion in new lines of credit to increase the
lending coffers of the International Monetary
Fund, the 181-country organization that is lead-
ing the global bailout of financially troubled
Asian economies.
The president's $252.6 billion proposed defense
budget holds overall military spending near current
levels for the next five years but would reduce per-.
sonnel to pay for new weapons systems.
Clinton's plan would decrease the budgets for
several federal agencies and programs, including
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, recreational
resources, farm price supports, the space program,
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and highways
and railroads.
Besides the proposed tax increases, Clinton is
recommending about $24.2 billion in tax cuts for
Americans, including $5.6 billion in expanded tax
credits for child-care expenses and low-income
working families; and tax credits to encourage the
purchase of highly fuel-efficient cars and homes,
as well as cleaner business machinery and equip-
IFORUM
Continued from Page i
Committee of Concerned Journalists, featured about 30 print and television jour-
nalists from across the country who explored diversity's role in the media.
Panelists identified specific areas in which diversity needs to be increased
and improved in the media. A major concern of many participants was the
makeup of newsroom staffs.
"Newspapers need to reflect their entire communities," said Sue
Burzynski, assistant managing editor and administrator at The Detroit News.
"I think having a diverse staff is key to broadening comfort zones."
Many of the speakers encouraged the journalism community to continue to
work hard to achieve diverse staffs, diverse sources, and an atmosphere of inclu-
sion.
"We in the media cannot be all things to all people, but we must never stop try'
ing, said Clarence Page, columnist and editorial board member at The Chicago
Tribune.
Many who attended the event said they were pleased with the selection of
speakers and the manner in which the issues were discussed by the panelists.
"I think it's great that they came to give their opinions on a topic affect-
ing our University right now," said LSA first-year student Neil Kinra.x-
The high-profile journalists slated to speak at the forum attracted several
University students.
"I saw the list of names of people that were going to be speaking at this event
and : was very interested to hear what they had to say on diversity in the news,'
said LSA sophomore David Freedland.
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i
Prolonging winter
S9 c
Software companies
cater to girl market
The Washington Post
Nora Onley, a 10 year old who lives
in Takoma Park, Md., has blown up her
share of aliens. She has conquered the
universe, blasted the bad guys to
smithereens and earned the high score
on several computer games.
Despite these victories, her view of
standard shoot-'em-up software like
Doom, Duke Nukeni and Quake can be
summed up this way: "BOR-ing," she
declared.
Nora and her 7-year-old sister,
Claire, much prefer games like
Rockett's New School, a new software
title billed -as a "friendship adventure
for girls." The girls spent a recent
Sunday afternoon glued to their
Macintosh computter, intent on helping
a carrot-topped girl, Rockett Movado,
navigate the social milieu of fictional
Whistling Pines Junior High School.
Among Rocket's dilemmas: Is class-
mate Nicole as srobby as she seems? Is
Ruben really Mr. Nice Guy? Which
party to attend? "F like this," Claire said.
Software designers and marketers are
waking up to the fact that, as exempli-
fied by Nora and Claire Onley, girls like
to play computer games. And they are
realizing that theve is a profit to be made
by developing software specifically for
this long-underserved group. That has
meant story lines and well-developed
characters, rather than the blood, guts
and gore so adored by the usual software
game customer, a teen-age boy.
With more than two dozen titles on
the market, girls' computer software
has become one of the hottest segments
of the $1.3 billion CD-ROM game
business. Sales of girls' games totaled
nearly $60 million last year, up from
$1.5 million in 1995, according to PC
Data, a Reston, Va., market-research
firm. Some experts forecast that sales
will reach several hundred million dol-
lars by the year 2000.
But underlying this success is debate
about the value of the new girls-only
software and whether it is really needed.
Some critics are questioning whether
these new "pink" games don't, in
essence, perpetuate age-old gender
stereotypes that limit girls to playing
dress-up and boys to playing with guns
and swords.
Developers of the games argue that the
software increases girls' comfort with
computers and that this added confi-
dence can ultimately lead them to careers
in computer science and technology,
where women still are vastly outnur-
bered by men.
AP PHOTO
Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil greets the large crowd yesterday that
awaits his weather prediction. Phil saw his shadow and called for six more
weeks of winter.
We are a major advertising
agency.
And yes, we're hiring.
We are D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, a
full-service advertising and marketing communi-
cations agency. We're recruiting for entry-level
training positions in our Troy, Michigan office
for our Professional Development Program (PDP).
It's a unique program that's not ma or-s ecific-
During our information session at the University
of Michigan, you'll talk.directly with PDP
members, young professionals who were in the
same position asyou not so long ago. Come
check out our credentials, view some of our work
and ask questions. Then think about coming to
our agency for an interview. We want to keep this
casual so feel free to leave your suit at home.
Lamb(
select,
O LEARN, TO LEAD, TO SUCCEED0
da Chi Alpha Fraternity is establishing a new organization on campus, and we are looking for a
group of men dedicated to leadership, involvement, and scholastic excellence. For the men who
are selected to join, tremendous opportunities await.
" Lean the skills that will make you a leader at the University of Michigan
* Lead an organization that provides fun, exciting opportunities in service,
education, and social development.
* Succeed in obtaining your dream job or admission to your first choice of
graduate schools.
To learn more about being a part of Lambda Chi Alpha,
come to one of the following informational sessions: