Monday, August 13, 2001- The Michigan Daily - 3


P L I T C S 'U' to run website

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'SURVIVOR' WON'T RUN
FOR SENATE
Michael Skupin, a former contestant on the CBS reali-
ty show "Survivor" announced that he has decided not to
challenge U.S. Sen. Carl Levin in the Detroit Democrat's
bid for a fifth term in 2002. Skupin, a software company
executive, initially received considerable support fromS
the state Republican party - including praise fiom Skupin
Gov. John Engler.
Republicans had reportedly been having a tough time finding a candi-
date willing to run against Levin and came across Skupin for fear of not
fielding a candidate. Earlier possibilities had been
defeated Sen. and current Secretary of Energy Spencer
Abraham, U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra of Holland, and
Michigan Republican Party Chairman Rusty Hills. Sup-
port for Skupin among Republicans may have cooled
when it became known that he has had his driver's
license suspended three times since 1994.
In a statement, Skupin said the main reason for his
decision was family.
Levin "I have 3 young children and one on the way and rais-
ing a good Christian family where the father is home is more important
than any position. I coach my son's baseball, basketball and football
teams. 1 am extremely involved in my daughter's activities as well. I
want to be certain I'm doing the right thing for them," he said.
One name currently being floated is term-limited state Rep. Andrew
Raczowski of Farmington Hills. Raczowski may have no other option
after the legislative redistricting plan passed by the Legislature did not
provide him with an ideal district from which to run for Congress. Rac-
zowksi served as the House majority floor leader from 1999-2000.
Former state Sen. David Jaye (R-Washington Twp.) may have an easi-
er time than originally speculated in his bid for the vacant seat caused
by his May expulsion from the Senate.
Fourteen Republicans have filed to run in the Sept. 11 primary,.
incliding two former and one sitting state representative
as well as a 2000 candidate for Macomb County sheriff,
thus dividing the anti-Jaye vote and giving Jaye the
opportunity to regain his seat by pulling only a small
plurality of the vote.
Although voter turnout during special elections is low
(which would most likely bolster Jaye's chances since he
has a core group of supporters who would make a spe-
cial trip to the polling station on election day), this pri-
mary has been scheduled to be concurrent with Jaye
municipal elections, thus increasing voter turnout.
The more prominent candidates opposing Jaye in the Republican pri-
mary are former Reps. Al Kukuk and Sue Rocca, sitting Rep. Alan San-
born (R-Richmond) and former sherriff's candidate Steve Thomas.
Democratic state Rep. John Hansen announced this
weekend that he will run for the state Senate seat cur-
! 'rently held by term-limited Sen. Alma Wheeler Smith
(D-Salem Twp.) in 2002. Hansen is serving his second
term representing mostly Dexter and the northern portion
of Ann Arbor, which includes the University's North
Campus.
Hansen's opponents thus far are former Reps. Mary Schroer
and Liz Brater, both Democrats who have represented Ann
Hansen Arbor.
Hanea, who is not tem-limited until 2002, said ie chose to run for the Senate
rather than reelection to the House because, after next year, the Senate seat vil
probably not be vacant until 2010.
Hansen said he will focus on the issues of land use and public education. Until
his election to the Hlouse, Hansen was the superintendent of the Dexter Commu-
nity Schools.
He described himself as being "nota person who has a lot of answers to things.
I like being a part of groups that make decisions. I consider myself a real teaso-
oriented individual."
- Compiled irom staff and wire reports
hv Dav News Editor Lottie Meizlish
rCorrections:
* In last week's issue on pages 8 and 9 the names of Gregg Malicke, Dave
Hunzicker and Brian Wiseman were spelled incorrectly. On page 15 the
names of Jay Vancik and Mike Roemensky were spelled incorrectly. Aaron
Ward plays with Carolina, Steve Shields with San Jose, Bill Muckalt with
Ottawa and Cam Stewart with Minnesota.

meant to serve as
teen girls' forum

By Saris Scott
Daily StaffRepoter

take on this important project, Ronda Alexander, Tiffany Marra, and Krystal Smith will
their commitment to learning run the new smartghrls.orgwebsite.

Smartgirls.com, a website created spe- more about and listening to girls, their "[Now] it's only to do with girls self
cially for teenage girls, has a new owner commitment to involving more young expression that's still there - which is
and a new address: the University's Insti- women in technology, and their ability to most of it, but the market research part is
tute for Research on Women and Gender create a multidisciplinary endeavor in a gone."
and smartgirls.org respectively university setting, which is often an One of the major changes the IRWG is
"SmartGirl hadn't been updated for administrative nightmare," said Isabel making is to build in a web mentoring
several months. Now there are thousands Walcott, who started the website in 1996. component where University students
of new posts and other updated material While snartgirls. com will remain will be able to work with the girls on
for girls to check out," said program essentially the same - a site to allow writing reviews that they can post on the
manager Tiffany Marra in a written state- adolescent girls the opportunity to website.
ment. express themselves - the IRWG is mak- "We think that U of M students can
The IRWG took over the site in late ing a few changes to the website. interact with girls on how to think about
June after the site expanded too far "The thing we've already done is to the writing of those reviews.... We hope
beyond the its founding company's abili- change smartgirls.com from a site which to make this an opportunity for U of M
ty to maintain it. supported itself by doing market students to learn how to mentor another
"I was incredibly impressed [by] the U research," said Abby Stewart, director of person in a really empowering way,"
of M's ability to corral the resources to the IRWG. Stewart said.
Nasa~ flu vaccine .11Cde.:velopV4ed at
U 'ot enosed by FDApanel
By David Baylik "(Maassab) has been working on this for Statistics show influenza infects 35
Daily Staff Reporter a long time, (waiting) one more year is to 50 million people each year in the
part ofthe proces." U.S. alone. This results in 20,000
Although the U.S. Food and Drug If licensed, Aviron and Wyeth Lederle deaths and as much as $12 billion in
Administration's Vaccines and Related Vaccines, a division of American Home direct and indirect costs for Ameri-
Biological Products Advisory Commit- Products, would market the vaccine. cans.

tee declared the effectiveness of FluMist,
the new influenza vaccine developed by
University Prof. Hunein "John"
Maassab, the committee determined July
27 there is insufficient data to affirm its
safety.
For that reason the VRBPAC has
decided to postpone a decision to com-
mercially license the drug.
The adequate safety of the attenuating
vaccine is one piece of the puzzle that
remains tobe put in place.
FluMist, developed at the School of
Public Health's Department of Epidemi-
ology, facilitates the prevention of
influenza in both children and adults
from the ages of one to 64.
Sprayed into the nasal passages as a
mist, the vaccine is intended to stop a flu
virus even before it enters the lungs,
where it may thrive.
"The vaccine thitnka absoaI1ti flu as an
airborne fam -if yost cain 'eerate an
immune respoasse to stop ala viid virus
dead in its tracks. it ca't get into the
lungs aser c 't ean ses d is 'ase said
Assistant paiceaioloy Proff Rosemary
Rociford. ( iaMit is) a sbtiate to
the traditio mluas sea
If the IA fids that Fluist is
indced a sa fe solattion and de cides to
licem. it, the vaccine mil he t ,first of
its kind to be conanmerIly 'va iable in
mist form.
Faculty and staff at the School of Pub-
lic Health remain confident that FluMist
will soon hit the market and become a
successful and useful vaccine.
"FluMist already missed the 2001 to
2002 winter season, but we are hopeful
that it will be available for the 2003-2004
winter season," Rochford said.


The M itiyCwgrLily wotatd ike t6~
thatik fu~r sulpporters
fo~r Sumrmner 2001

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