LOCAL/S TATE The Michigan Daily - Thursday, November 30, 2000 - 3A RESEARCH Costs of obesity increases as :time increases Obesity not only affects health but also affects people economically, according to a study by the University Institute for Social Research. The study, presented Nov. 19 at the annual meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, found that mid- dIe-aged women are affected the most and the economic cost of being obese increases with age. Researchers analyzed data from the University Health and Retirement Study, which provided information on more than 7,000 men and women. The research team examined the labor market and wealth consequences for obese and non-obese women. They found that the individual net worth of moderately to severely obese women between the ages of 51 and 61 was about 40 percent less than that of non-obese women in 1992. In 1998, moderately to severly obese women between the ages of 57 and 67 had an individual net worth of about 60 percent less than non-obese women. Researchers do not know why there is such a drastic difference in net worths but attribute it to the cultural norms of society, which stigmatize obese women. Results for men were not statistical- ly significant. * 'Brain pacemaker' controls seizures, affects breathing Pacemakers implanted into the chests of epileptics to help control seizures may affect patients' breathing during sleep, according to a new pilot study at the University. The device, called vagus nerve stimulation, is used by more than 8,000 Americans with epilepsy. The VNS is also currently being tested for uise in depression. The device uses an implanted bat- tery and wires to directly stimulate the vagus nerve, a long brain-to-body communication channel on the neck. The pulses can be turned on and off and increased or decreased in frequen- cy and intensity by the physcian. The study, published in the Nov. 28 issue of the journal Neurology, exam- ined four epilespy patients at the Uni- versity who have an implanted VNS device. Patients were given overnight sleep tests before and after the device was implanted. All four patients had more instances of decreased breathing when the VNS * was on than when it was off. The researchers hope further inves- tigate the side effects of the VNS device in terms of decreases in breath- ing, which may affect the 20 to 30 percent of epilepsy patients who are candidates for VN S treatment. Men only listen with half of brains Research presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago this week found that men only listen with ;; half their brain. Researchers at the Indiana Univer- _ sty School of Medicine used a brain- scaning technique called functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging to study 1 0 men and 10 women as theyIi- tened to a John Grisham thriller. The fMRI scanner measure high- speed changes in neural blood flow. Men and women tend to show differ- ences in emotions, mathematical rea- soning, spatial relations, perceptual speed and women seem to activate more neurons than men in any situa- tion. In the study, a majority of men showed activity only on the left side of the brain, while the majority of women showed activity in the tempo- ral lobe on both sides of the brain, although predominantly on the left. - Comfpilled b Dail Staff Reporter- Lindse> Apert frin nire repoirts. Agreement reached by workers, company By Susan Luth Daily StafllReporter Workers at Van Dyne Crotty Inc., a laundromat located in Toledo, Ohio, have come to an agree- ment with their employer through their union, the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees. The agreement was settled Monday in a con- tract that has been in negotiation for nearly six months. It ended in a period where, according to claims from UNITE members, the company refused to bargain in good faith with its workers. Management from Van Dyne Crotty refused to comment. The University contracted the laundromat in May to clean various laundry from the Universi- ty's cafeterias and hospitals. Students Organizing for Labor and Economic Equality said they are pleased with the decision. They have supported UNITE members through several actions, the most recent of which was the delivery of a letter to President Lee Bollinger and General Council Marvin Krislov. The letter was hand delivered on Nov. 15 asking Bollinger to threaten to withdraw the University's ties with Van Dyne Crotty if working conditions did not improve. University spokeswoman Julie Peterson said the University had looked into the matter until it was resolved. Workers for the company have been without a contract since June. They were in negotiations with their employer until last Tuesday when a contract was finally ratified. Among other things, the contract gave workers improved wages, a 401(k) plan and health care insurance. "This is a major victory for the workers at Van Dyne Crotty, and we are excited that our solidari- ty with the workers helped them win a better con- tract," said SOLE member David Lempert, and LSA sophomore. Researcher Dan Hennefeld said the three-year contract was ratified by a large margin of people. He believes it satisfied the needs of both the workers and their employer. "I don't think (the workers) got everything they wanted, but I don't think they had to make any major concessions, either," Hennefeld said. "We will strive to monitor everything that's going on," LSA freshman Jackie Bray, a SOLE member, said. Wait a minute Mr. Postman MTV recruits for 'Fear' By Karen Schwartz Daily Staff Reporter MTV is crossing the country on a quest to find people who are willing to face their fears on national television. The casting team from MTV will be holding auditions for its new series, "Fear," next week at Borders Bookstore. "We're looking for someone who's going to accept a dare, not say no and put their all into it and try to make it through - someone with a sense of adventure," James Breuer, MTV casting assistant said. "This is reality. It's not actors, it's real people." The show, which will air Monday nights at 8 p.m. beginning in February, will follow a group of six selected WANT THE LATEST SCU'OP? COME WRITE FOR THE DAILY 70 3 -2A S9 individuals aged 18-23 on a venture through a selected site. Breuer said MTV gives each group of participants dares to complete in a specific location. The cast reports its findings and individuals who last the whole series win prize money. Eight more adventures are on the way, and four are left to cast. Breuer said selecting cast members is not an exact science, but rather an effort to find a variety of people who balance each other out and whose chemistry works well together. Fear has already aired two endeav- ors. One took place at the West Vir- ginia State Penitentiary, a closed prison which had a history of paranor- mal activity. The other took place at St. Agnes hospital, a mental institution where a series of outbreaks caused the hospital to close. Participants to this point have recog- nized unusual activity but have come together to take on these spooky moments. "They've bonded with each other and come out with this strength, that they've faced a fear and conquered it ... and now they can take on the world," Breuer said. LSA freshman Justin Witzke isn't concerned with the dares or worried about being afraid. "I'd audition for it, to be on TV ... just to be involved in the whole MTV thing," he said. Auditions will take place Monday at Borders from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cool Clothes! Unbelievable Prices! Plato's Closet is a cool, new retail store that buys and sells gently used, brand name teen apparel, shoes and accessories such as: J. Cr. , and more. Check us out the next time you're looking for cool clothing, outerwear, shoes, CD's and acces- sories all at great prices for both girls & guys. At Plato's Closet, it's easy to save money and look great at the same time. PLATO~S br a nd H am. a an W ea r" 2459 W. Stadium Blvd. Ann Arbor 734) 669-9242 in the Westgate Shopping Center at 1-9 & Jackson Road Store Hours: Monday - Saturday 10am - 8pm, Sunday 12pm - 6pm ABBY ROSENBAUM/Daily Postman Mario Rice delivers mail yesterday to residents of Wilmot Street located off of Washtenaw Avenue. State1 senate OKs li mit in r tion 11 1 aneeded for abortion LANSING (AP) - The Senate yes- terday passed a bill restricting where women can get information before get- ting an abortion. The bill, approved 27-9, now goes back to the House to iron out differ- ences. Two senators were absent and didn't vote. The measure changes how women are able to obtain information they are required to read 24 hours before they obtain an abortion. A settlement reached in 1999, nearly six years after a court challenge, allowed that informa- tion to be transmitted on the Internet or by facsimile, instead of just in person or through the mail. But the bill requires that women who get the information on the Inter- net must get it from the Michigan Department of Community Health's Website, rather than from abortion providers' Websites. Women would have to get a printed confirmation form from the state Website saying they had read the information. Rep. Janet Kukuk, a Macomb Repub- lican who died Nov. 19 of breast cancer, sponsored the bill because she said some abortion clinics provide inaccuiate infornation. But Judy Karandjeff, public affairs director for Planned Parenthood Advo- cates of Michigan, said the bill places an unfair burden on women wishing to get an abortion. What Should American Jews Do When Israel is Under Siege? Explore the connection between Israel and the American Jewish Community Ameritech announces faster phone repairs LANSING (AP) - Ameritech Michigan said Wednesday it doesn't expect its customers to wait longer than 36 hours for repairs by year's end. That's better than the improved ser- vice plan the company laid out in Sep- tember for the Michigan Public Service Commission. At that time. Ameritech told the PSC it intended to reduce the wait to 60 hours or less by Dec. 31, and to 36 hours or less by March 31, 2001. Ameritech's aggressive efforts to bring technicians to Michigan and hire more workers helped speed up its timeline for improved service, compa- ny spokeswoman Amy Wood said. The company shifted 291 techni- cians to installation and repair work and moved 121 technicians to Michi- gan from other companies owned by Ameritech's- parent company, San Antonio-based SBC Communications Inc. "Those technicians are still in Michigan and those aggressive hiring efforts have helped," Wood said. "We're proud of the progress we've made, but there is still work to be done. THE CALENDAR What's happening in Ann Arbor today EVENTS "Jeffrey" Movie Screeing, Sponsored by M-Flicks in association with AIDS Awareness Week 2000, 8:30 p.m., Lorch Auditorium ® "Her Favorite Things," Sponsored by Michigan League U-Club Poetry Slam, Sponsored by the Michigan Union Arts Program, featuring Sean Shea, 8:30p.m., Michigan Union University Club, 763-3202 * Circle K Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Sponsored by Kiwanis, Michigan Union Pendleton Room, 623-0753 . "Ch..d C.a,,,, I ,(IcinM arv "The Pedagogy of Action: The Crisis of HIV and AIDS in South Africa," Sponsored by the Center for Afroamerican and African Studies, Amanda Brown will speak, 12:15 p.m., 209 West Hall, 550 E. University, 764-5513 CK.IrE c- I i 'a a6 ov '' ' ? ' + t ~s. mE . ; 9b ' ri orao, ar ;a oa ' a , ' a.