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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 25, 1992)
Wednesc State & Local Pol Continue' Harvai Wednesday, March2hQ U ke Ur Page 2 The Battalion Doctoral student lectures in India for two months By Melody Dunne The Battalion He spent two months in a foreign land for the price of the round trip plane ticket. Robert L. Frenza, a doctoral student in industrial education, planned to visit India last De cember to give one lecture on safety management, and found himself traveling and lecturing throughout the country for two months, for free. Frenza said it all began when he represented A&M last Au gust at the World Safety Orga nization conference in Houston and met R. K. Sinha, the presi dent of a similar conference in India. Sinha invited Frenza to visit India and give a lecture on security and safety manage ment. In December, Frenza trav eled to India, only planning to stay for a week or two. After he gave the planned lecture for the Indian Institute of Security and Safety Management Seminar (IISSM), he was invited to speak at several other seminars, which led to the extension of his trip. "India is a Third World country without knowledge of safety procedures," Frenza said. All in all, Frenza gave 12 lec tures and toured India exten sively while being entertained by Sinha and the sponsors of the seminars in which he spoke. Now Frenza wants to share his experiences with other A&M students in hopes that they too would like to journey to India. There's only one catch, he said. Students must be willing to pay $1,300 for a round-trip plane ticket, and also must be willing to give one 45-minute lecture related to security , safe ty, industrial management, mo tivation or industrial education at the next IISSM Seminar this December. Frenza said the Indian peo ple were extremely hospitable, and the differences in the Indi an and American cultures was a source of interest. While he was there he wit nessed an Indian wedding, in which the bride and groom adorn one another with wreaths instead of the common wed ding ring. On another occasion Frenza said he ate an entire sparrow, which is considered a delicacy in India. "It would have been impolite to refuse it in their culture," he said. One of Frenza's favorite tourist stops was his visit to the Taj Mahal, the monument to an Indian emperor's wife. Frenza will be giving an in formational talk on April 8 from noon to 1 p.m. in room 616 of the Harrington Education Cen ter for those interested in learn ing how to apply to be a speak er in India. MDA recalls 50 years of worl ee posi while Yah By Karen Praslicka The Battalion More than fifty years ago, a small group of parents concerned about their children who had muscular diseases created the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Today, the MDA is the primary research and support organization for people across the nation with muscular and neuromuscular dis eases. "It started in one city with a small handful of parents, and now we are nationwide," said Mary Scherer, program coordinator with the MDA. "We have a office and or clinic in every major city across the nation." The MDA has 240 clinics that provide medical and support ser vices to patients and their families. Workers who volunteer their time help patients and their families in conjunction with staff persons with the MDA. Scherer said the organization's primary goal is to find treatments for 40 neuromuscular or muscular diseases. "There are specific muscle dis eases that are considered muscu lar dystrophy — that's where we get our name," Scherer said. "Oth ers deal with motor neurons." In muscular dystrophy dis eases, the muscle itself weakens. In neuromuscular diseases, motor skills and nerves in the body are affected. "Some are very wicked dis eases that strike very quickly, and there's not much we can do," Scherer said. "But we are making progress in the research." MDA researchers have located the gene that is responsible for Lou Gehrig's Disease, which is a type of amyotrophic lateral sclero sis. This is a big step in finding a cure, she said. "These diseases are more com mon than most people think," she said. "Some are hereditary and were the ] law schoo I Dr. Elv of the C< A&M, sai' an opinio some aren't. They can; baby or someone who'sven s aid the tr; The other major purpcs Harvard ^ MDA is to provide paginate such vices, such as medical atlJyeys. and providing wheel ch» "We're other medical equipment]and it tak services the associationofiwpur repui elude emotional support* Smith s and financial assistance. a better v\ Scherer said usuallyp;: Until that contact them for help, buti Medicine times they are referred: self intern; MDA by their doctors. "Part of what we do is ft I public information and (lie i part comes through them: r T See Telethon? ■ * I Mental Retardation Month ends with semint Continuec By Gina Howard The Battalion The Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authority of Brazos Valley will be topping off celebra tion of Mental Retardation Month with a networking seminar this weekend. The seminar, "Planning for the Future: Crystal Ball Not Re quired," will be held March 28. "This is really our big event," said Melodee Hursey, Program Manager of Diagnostic and Evalu ation and Mental Retardation Month Planning Committee chair woman. "We've had several other smaller activities, but this is the mam one. The main focus of the event is to give families and individuals a chance to share ideas and prob lems. Other topics such as living ar rangements, guardianship and al ternatives, and wills and trusts will also be discussed. "What we are trying to do is to develop a system of networking that will be a way to pull people together and to hopefully develop some personal resources," Hursey said. "So many times people feel they are alone when they really aren't." Awards will be presented at the seminar to an outstanding em ployee based on work with indi viduals and to an outstanding per son with mental retardation. "The award for an outstanding person with mental retardation will be given to an individual who has beat the label of 'mentally re tarded' in dealing and living," Hursey said. Hursey said the other activities of MHMR this month included participation in a health fair, a luncheon, and television and radio coverage of the events. Janie M. Velasquez, a public in formation officer with MHMR, said many different volunteer pro jects and service projects are tak ing place throughout March to im prove facilities. mpant ac In Hous "The N; fcsolutely about the r These will be conducted he saic unteers from the communilM "\\j e jg vice organizations and melL w hethe of the center because tf Hursey said she does no! the community to forget MHMR after March is over. "The main thing whileij celebrating is that it is im] for the community to und( we provide the same H^’out the month after month," saidl emerg "We have lots of sen™ seven counties and wea:§j volved with all ages. Some programs are actually coik® seven days a week." For more information Mental Retardation Month, programs, call 779-MHMR i Continue e occupa ss to fire. Mattox Br South Padre's police chief reports 383 isrown sai Brown PI T , "TP^tl ed ' i S nor< v*LM| ? anti-estab By Alysia Woods The Battalion NOTICE Candidates can submit campaign platform for publication in March 31 Voter’s Guide The Texas A&M Voter's Guide will be distributed March 31. It includes a listing of candidates for student government positions. Individuals running for Student Body President, Yell Leader, Class Presidents, Off-Campus Aggie President and RHA President may submit a written campaign platform for publication. Student Body President and Yell Leaders need to set up times for pictures. Additional information can be obtained in room 013 Reed McDonald or call 845-3316. Students who partied on South Padre Island during spring break kept local police officers busy, but generally" remained in control, said one officer. Chief of South Padre Island's Police Department Ed Sanders said 383 arrests were made on the island during Spring Break and most of them were for public in toxication. Aside from the problem of drinking and driving, no major car accidents were reported, he said. "We had a lot of accidents with injuries, but there were no fatali ties this year," he said. Sanders said drinking and driv ing is always the most serious problem for officers to handle, but students are beginning to party more cautiously. • .n, i ■«. "We- try to get them to party smart and it has qaught on," he said. "It's even caught on in Mata- moros and Brownsville." Mexican police cracked down this year on intoxicated students who wandered the streets of Mexi co, said Sanders. "The mayor of Matamoros called me to tell us that they would be arresting students and putting them in jail," he said. "So if you go to Mexico, remember that you can end up in jail!" Other problem^ Sanders and his officers experienced were rob beries and students possessing concealed weapons. "This spring break, it seemed like students were more destruc tive," said Sanders, "We took a lot of knives and guns away from stu dents." More serious than robberies, he said, were the two sexual assaults that occurred. One of the victims would not give her name or press charges against her assailant. 'it's goin; They (students) seem tcp mentum ' a lack of concern for them.4jj occas j on and it's very amazing," Sii v i sec j pi U j said. "In this case, theguTtollfree, f L just beat the hell outoffhisi p or all but she kept blaming her;* comman( A minor problemtnore tha partmeflat Tackled was toft ■ was wir gestion: Sanders saidi- Brown's 2 dents spvut the 4?y or# they would drive aroM preparing to go to a ni|A "We had some traffic)* said. "There were aco;| lights in town that wets on track t( change to flashing lights. In general, Sanders sai; students had a good time. The Battalion USPS 045-360 The Battalion is published daily except Saturday, Sunday, holidays, exam periods, and when school is not in session during fall and spring semesters; publication is Tuesday through Friday during the summer session. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77840. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, 230 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-1111. News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in the Division of Student Publications, a unit of the Department of Journalism. Editorial offices are in 013 Reed McDonald Building. The newsroom phone number is 845-3316. Fax: 845-2647. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editorial board or the contributor, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Texas A&M student body, adminis trators, faculty or the A&M Board of Regents. Advertising: For campus, local and national display advertising, call 845-2696. For classified advertising, call 845-0569. Advertising offices are in 015 Reed McDonald and office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 845-5408. Subscriptions: Mail subscriptions are $20 per semester, $40 per school year and $50 per full year. To charge by VISA or MasterCard, call 845-2611. High Blood Pressure Study Individuals either on or off high blood pressure medication needed to participate in a high blood pressure research study involving an investigational oral medication and an investiga tional intravenous medication. $600 incentive paid to those chosen to participate upon completion of the research study. Free Spring Allergy Skin Testing Individuals with spring allergy symptoms to screen for upcoming research studies. Impetigo Study Individuals of any age with symptoms of impetigo (bacterial infection of the skin) to participate in an investigational drug research study using a cream with drug in it. $150 for those chosen and completing the study. an apport on congr shares. Tsc . Democi Ronald Bn It's not c Tension Headache? Individuals with moderate to severe Tension Headaches wanted to participate in a 4-hour headache relief research study with an investigational medication in tablet form. Flexible hours. $75 incentive for individuals who are chosen and complete the study. Daily, till 6:30 776-0400. Asthma Study WANTED: Individuals, age 12-65, with mild to moderate asthma to participate in a clinical research study for 6 weeks with an investigational medication in inhaler form. Individuals must be using inhaled steroids and bronchodilators daily to qualify. $400 incentive paid to those completing the study. SKIN INFECTION STUDY Individuals age 13 and older wanted to participate in a research study for bacterial skin infections such as: abscess, infected burns, boils, infected hair follicles, impetigo, and others. InvestigationaJ oral antibiotic in capsule form. $100 incentive for those chosen who complete the study. | For more information call: BIOPHARMA, INC. 776-0400 w Fc M in nu