LOCAL/STATE The Michigan Daily - Thursday, April 4, 2002 - 3A RESEARCH Walk on Price was right for LSA sophomore over break Asian Americans use Internet more than other races Seventy-five percent of English- speaking Asian American adults have used the Internet, making them the largest Internet-using demo- graphic in the country, according to a report by the Pew Internet and American Life Project. Totaling more than 5 million users, Asian Americans are also the most active online users. By comparison, 58 percent of white adults, 43 percent of blacks, and 50 percent of Eng- lish-speaking Hispanics are online. Asian Americans are among the nation's heaviest users of the Internet on a day-to-day basis -70 percent are online during a typical day, which is significantly higher than any other English-speaking ethnic group. Fifty- eight percent of white Internet users go online on a typical day, along with 48 percent of Hispanics and 39 percent of blacks. The study also found that Asian Americans stay connected for longer than anyone else. Nearly 40 percent of Asian American users spend two or more hours online during a typical day. About 15 percent spend four or more hours online. Dogs, cats not found in dog food The presence of pentobarbital - an agent used to euthanize dogs - in dog food fueled speculation during the 1990s that pets themselves were being rendered in certain canned pet foods. However, scientists from the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Vet- erinary Medicine have now proven these claims to be invalid. All samples from the most recent dog food survey in 2000 tested nega- tive for .the presence of any traces of DNA derived from euthanized dogs or cats. Presently, it is assumed that the pen- tobarbital residues are entering pet foods from euthanized cattle or even horses. Lying on resumes increases during economic declines In the midst of economic recession, desperate job hunters in London are padding their resumes more than ever with exaggerations and lies, according to The Risk Advisory Group, a Euro- pean employee screening firm. Such fallacies on applications for British jobs increased by 20 percent in the last quarter of 2001. Men in their early 30s are most likely to exaggerate their skills, employment history and academic qualifications, according to the report. Discrepancies were found in 54 per- cent of the resumes screened by TRAG in the last half of 2001. "The sharp rise in the level of dis- crepancies between June and the last quarter of 2001 suggests the typical mild exaggeration of job-seekers developed into something more sinister as recession fears took hold," TRAG spokesman Andrew Fisher said. Antarctic climate changes focus of scientific forum Scientists from around the globe will meet at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, later this week to discuss environmental changes on the Antarctic Peninsula, the site of last month's collapse of the Larsen B, an enormous ice shelf which extended off the peninsula toward South America. Topics to be discussed include the decay of ice shelves on the Peninsu- la, the decrease in sea ice cover in the Southern Ocean around the Peninsula, increases in mean annual summer and winter temperatures, shifts in penguin populations and changes in vascular plant density and distribution. Since the collapse of the Larsen B, scientists now have the opportunity to study areas of the ocean floor that were once inaccessible. They will use the evidence to clarify the history of the Larsen B. - Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter Kylene Kiang. By Shannon Pettypiece Daily Staff Reporter When "Price is Right" announcer Rob Rodney shouted, "Meredith Sparks, come on down!" the LSA sophomore thought her spring break couldn't get much better, but little did she know she would win more than $17,000 in prizes in the next 50 minutes. "I didn't know what to do with myself, I was so nervous," Sparks said. "I never really thought that I would get on. It was pretty much a big shock." The episode, which was taped more than a month ago, aired yester- day on CBS. Sparks' prizes included a cruise on the Mediterranean Sea, a $4,500 pink evening gown, a digital camera, a home gym and a pool table. She said she would like to sell the evening gown on eBay and possibly the pool table. And if any of Sparks' friends are wondering, she will be taking her mom on the cruise. Although Sparks is not a super shop- per, she was able to win the prizes and showcase showdown by listening to the audience's advice. "I was so overwhelmed that I could barely think," Sparks said. "The people in the audience who are more rational said things back to me." The largest amount won in "Price is Right" history was $88,865 - that win- ner was also a college student. Despite rumors that the show's con- testants are indiscriminately selected, they are actually hand-picked by the producers who talk with guests before the show and select people they believe would make good contestants. "You think they select the contestants randomly, but they really don't. Every- one goes through a mini-interview. ... They pick people they know will go on there and be excited," Sparks said. While Sparks may have won more money in prizes than most students have fet to earn in their entire life, she will have to pay hefty taxes on all her prizes. According to the Internal Revenue Service, all prizes won from lotter- ies, television and radio shows must be reported as income.and the win- ner must pay the according state and federal taxes. Since Sparks' prizes were not in monetary funds she will have to come up with the money for the taxes. Sparks added that Bob Barker, the show's host, was similar to how he appears on TV and joked with the con- testants and answered their questions during the breaks. Cover charges for house parties illegal, rare in A2 PATR -ICK JUNE/Uaiy First year Law students Dan Persinger and Claire Whitman enjoy a walk In the Law Quad together yesterday afternoon. Recent study finds -rude beha vilor on the rise in America By Shoshana Hurand Daily Staff Reporter Forking over a cover charge to gain entrance to a student-hosted party to dance and drink the night away is not the norm at the University of Michigan, set- ting it apart from the social scenes of other colleges in the state. Sgt. Ed Stuck of the Ann Arbor Police Department said that "blind pigs" - the illegal practice of charging a fee for entrance into a party that serves alcohol - are not common around Ann Arbor. "I don't think that you see it that often," Struck said. "Students are kind of reluctant to pay a cover at a private party when they can go to a bar." Jonathan Friedman, an LSA freshman, said cover charges for parties are a rarity. He added house parties may not charge for entrance or alcohol because people will just go to a different gathering. But free entertainment is not universal to all college campuses. "I do find that at other colleges they do have cover charges;'Friedman said. Western Michigan University fresh- man Colleen Murie said most parties in Kalamazoo require some sort of fee. "We don't have to pay to get in," Murie said, but added that $5 is charged for a-cup to cover the cost of a keg of beer. This occurs at house parties because - fraternities at Western Michigan are not allowed to provide alcohol, she added. Charges to enter a party are not.per- mitted at fraternities at the University of Michigan. "You cannot charge a cover for parties at all," said Daniel Berglund, Interfrater- nity Council vice president for the Social Responsibility Committee. Alco- hol purchased for social events "is paid for by the individual brothers" of the. hosting fraternity, Berglund added. Cover charges are in violation of the IFC constitution, which requires all. members to abide by local, state and federal rules. "It is a violation of the liquor control code" said Dan Bragdon, supervisor of the enforcement division of the Liquor Control Commission. Considered the operation of an unlicensed bar, the felony is punishable by up to one year in prison and/or a fine of no more than $1,000. Violations of this code are not brought to the LCC. Because charging a fee for alcohol without a license is a criminal offense, cases are dealt with at the local level - although state law is incorporated into the city ordi- nances. Besides being faced with a felony for charging people to enter and drink at a party, hosts may also be charged with a misdemeanor if minors are allowed to possess and consume alcohol. Conse- quences can include up to 90 days injail and upward of $1,000 in fines. AAPD Lt. Chris Heatly said regard- less of the age of party guests, hosts can still be charged with a felony if they require a cost for entrance or alcohol. "The bottom line is if you're serving alcohol and you're making people pay for it you're violating liquor license law" Four Michigan State University stu- dents are accused of furnishing a place for minors to drink alcohol after host- ing a party and requiring a cover charge for entrance. An 18-year-old Delta Col- lege student died after drinking at the party. By Christopher Johnson Daily Staff Reporter Have you ever been at the theater watching the most touching scene of a film when suddenly an unchecked cellular phone interrupts the passionate moment with a cheery jingle? When you're driving and you activate the turn signal to change lanes, does it seem to you that the cars next to you speed up so that you can't pull in ahead of them? Have you ever encountered a maniacal sales clerk who seemed more likely to ring your neck rather than your purchase? If you can recall any of these acts or similar incidents of rudeness, you can be assured that they do not indicate your personal misfortune, but instead a growing trend of rude-_ ness in America. A recent study by the organiza- tion Public Agenda found 79 per- cent of Americans believe discourtesy has become a prevalent problem and 61 percent think that rudeness has become worse in recent years. "I think that the results indicate that life is becoming more difficult because of increasing selfishness," said Jean Johnson, senior vice pres- ident of Public Agenda. "We had a lot a response to the survey. People are talking about what they've been sensing for awhile," she added. The participants offered several examples of discourtesy in others, including the intrusiveness of tele- marketers and the loud use of pro- fanity in public areas. Some noted that parents allow their children to act recklessly and fail to instruct them in good behav- ior. The most popular setting for dis- courtesy seemed to be retail stores. Many who were interviewed report- ed incidents of rudeness at stores from both customers and business agents. Three in four participants said they have often seen patrons treat sales clerks rudely and nearly half said they have left a store because the staff acted rudely to them. Some participants even recog- nized rudeness in their own behav- ior. More than one-third confessed they drive aggressively and 17 per- cent admitted they use cellular phones in a loud or ,annoying man- I don't think it's necessarily so recent, but it's become more apparent in our generation" - Kimberly Wilson LSA sophomore ner. But the study also found some consolatory results. Most of the participants believed that blacks, gays and handicapped persons have received better treat- ment in recent years. Many participants also said the Sept. 11 attacks caused people to become more polite, at least tem- porarily. Surprisingly, the study found lit- tle regional variation in that results of differences between rural and urban areas. Older participants also tended to have better views of the behavior of Americans than those of younger generations. Participants offered several explanations for the recent perva- siveness of discourtesy in American life. They said the crowding and anonymity of modernity encourages rudeness and that many people respond to rudeness from one per- son with rudeness to another. Several also said the entertain- ment media's depiction of rudeness as humorous or stylish promotes bad behavior. Many students agreed that rude- ness in society has become more prevalent. "It's really commonplace and doesn't stick out to me," LSA soph- omore Ron Harris said. "I don't think its necessarily so recent, but it's more apparent in our generation," LSA sophomore Kim- berly Wilson said. Public Agenda maintained its results may suggest possibilities to make business more efficient. Members of the organization plan to meet with agents of many indus- tries in the next year to determine new methods that would rectify that need for a friendlier society. m I 76% of UM students don't smoke cigarettes. reallIV feel Now do about Es insP rrK. } $,. s 3 h, R Af s, a Y Paz,, a^ 'list- THE CALENDAR What's happening in Ann Arbor today EVENTS "Is World Peace An Impossible Dream?"; ing, Facilitated by Derek Yip Hoi, 7:30 p.m., Angell Hall Auditorium D * "The Evil Jazz Quintet" Auditorium "The Otherness of Med- ir-a Fdea-.n.n"-qnn- SERVICES Campus Information Centers, 764-INFO, info@umich.edu, or www umich edu/~info i .........