Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 23, 1997)
The Battalion Wednesday - July 23,199 Letting go of the wheel Experimenters test automated highway SAN DIEGO (AP) — The nation’s first stretch of automated highway that enables computers to do the driving for you made its debut Tuesday and was proudly declared by its creators to be “really dull.” Once the computer takes over, drivers can take their hands off the steering wheel, their feet off the pedals and their eyes off the road. “It’s really exciting for about the first 15 seconds, then it gets really dull,” said Jim Killings of the National Automated High way System Consortium. “It’s like driving with a chauffeur. You just sit back and let your mind wander.” Tuesday’s test was purely a demonstration, a glimpse of the future. The specially equipped cars necessary are not even avail able to the public. The prototype highway should be running by 2002, but the location has not yet been selected. Test vehicles equipped with video cameras, magnets and radar navigated down the na tion’s first 7.6 miles of experimental automat ed highway on Interstate 15. Tiny magnets embedded in the asphalt on either side of traffic lanes at four-foot in tervals enable the magnetized vehicle to constantly orient itself within the lane’s boundaries. The dozen cars and buses in the demon stration project are equipped with one-inch video cameras on their rearview mirrors or windshields that follow visual aids along the road. Those could be cement barriers or even deep tracks in a snowy road. There is no price tag for the project, but its supporters insist it will save millions of feder al dollars because it relies on existing infra structure and eliminates the need for build ing more freeway lanes. Among the partners working to develop the technology as members of the National Automated Highway System Consortium are General Motors, Lockheed Martin and Carnegie Mellon University. Its genesis was a 1991 federal law that em powered the Transportation Department to develop “fully automated, intelligent vehicle highway systems.” It would cost less than $ 10,000 to equip one mile of freeway with the new technology, compared with anywhere from $1 million to $ 100 million to build one mile of new highway, said Dick Bishop, a Transportation Depart ment spokesman. But will car-dependent Americans be will ing to hand over control to a computer? “We talked to older drivers, and they said it’s because they’ve seen so many technolog ical changes in their life, they’re used to it,” Killings said. “I don’t know, maybe younger people still think driving’s fun.” jfVRk Mir crew begins to prepare for return MOSCOW (AP) — At long last, the crew of the Mir space station spent a quiet day in orbit Tues day, beginning preparations for a long goodbye from the space craft after a wild and unforget table ride. Russia’s defense minister, Igor Sergeyev, said the crew had “set the record for the number of troubles that have occurred,” but praised them for their per severance. Another top defense official was even more upbeat. “One should learn to benefit from any trouble,” Defense Council Secretary Yuri Baturin said, “and a failure in orbit prompts creation of absolutely new, unique technology at the cosmonauts’ training center.” The ITAR-Tass news agency, which reported the remarks, said Baturin didn’t say what technology he had in mind. However, he added, rather mys teriously, “When our crew tests it, we will be its sole owners.” Any tests of new technology will no doubt be left to the next Mir crew, which has been charged with repairing the dam age the current crew incurred when a cargo ship plowed into the space station on June 25. The new team, which blasts off on Aug. 5 and arrives Aug. 7, is also planning a second space- walk outside the station to lo cate and survey the hole. TRY THESE TASTE-TEMPTING m\( V( r ^ ('( >( )D SPECIALS Buy one entree and get a second entree of equal or lesser value FREE! (Good only Sun.-Thurs. from 5pm - closing) not valid with any other offer, expires 08/31/97. (Closed Mondays) 308 N. Main, Bryan 779-8702 Long John ALL you can eat Fish or Chicken. $ 3.99 8081 Texas Ave. College Station and 3224 S. Texas Ave. Bryan We accept checks. PoPcOrN Munchers Sun.thru Weds, (all day long) S 1.79 i#' FIRE SOUTHWBSTEM FOOD July Delivery Special Delivery Daily: 11:00 - 1:00 5:00 - 9:00 2 Pizzas & 2 Soft Drinks $ 11.95 Choose from any of our wood-fired pizzas. 764-8717 1 905 Texas Ave., South Protestant leader withdraws from peace talks with IRA BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) — Northern Ireland’s most hard-line Protestant leader, saying the Irish Republican Army’s new cease-fire doesn’t offer any real concessions, declared hope for peace talks “dead in the water” Tuesday. The Rev. Ian Paisley, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, said after meeting Prime Minister Tony Blair in London that his government was “a slave to the blackmail of IRA violence.” The IRA-allied Sinn Fein party “has made it clear that they’re not giving up a bullet, and that they’re not giving up their commitment to get the British out of Ireland,” Paisley said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. “And that means tliey want to get me out of Ireland because I’m a Britisher. They’re not giving up anything!” Paisley vowed he would never sit down with Sinn Fein. Blair has invited the party to join peace talks when they resume in earnest Sept. 15 if the IRA cease-fire that began Sunday holds until then. Paisley’s intransigence and other protests from inside Protes tant ranks are heaping pressure on David Trimble, leader of the Ul ster Unionists—Northern Ireland’s largest Protestant party—who thus far is still committed to the talks. Paisley urged all politicians determined to maintain North ern Ireland’s union with Britain to withdraw from the talks be fore Sinn Fein arrives. “You can’t write me out of the picture, because I speak for the vast majority of unionist people in Northern Ireland,” he said. ■'**»*<i**~« mmmmm Exam Time I i I I Photograph: Shannon Vivian Cardosa and David Fry. fourth yearveU , nary students, examine an Angus calf at the i Animal Clinic Tuesday. MTV announces music awards nominal! NEWYORK (AP) —Alternative mu sic ruled the nominationsTuesday for the 14th annual MTV Video Music Awards, with the British dance band Jamiroquai racking up 10, Beck re ceiving seven and Nine Inch Nails get ting five. Those three, along with Jewel and No Doubt, were nominated in the best video of the year category. Jamiroquai was cited for its inventive "Virtual Insanity” video, in which singer Jay Kay performs in a room where the floors, the walls and the furniture all move simultaneously. The band was nominated inr the 19 categories, including bests lra j artist, best choreography, best spec ’P 0 ! effects and breakthrough video. Jewel, who received three noni Sllc 1 l ions, was also cited in the viewer'scln category- - an award based on votesfo P ei1 l the music channel’s audience—kit “You Were Meant for Me” video. In the best video category, Bed it nominated for “The New Poll Nine Inch Nails for “The Perfect Dru: and No Doubt for “Don’t Speak.’’ The awards show will be held Sept at Radio City Music Hall. Mail Call Reveille deserves ‘lady’ treatment Have things changed so much at Texas A&M that the voice of tradition will be the Tattooed and Pierced Aggies? Surely not. Our dear Miss Reveille is not just a “Lassie” as described by teasippers in the Houston Chronicle article yesterday. She represents A&M, always standing like the rest of us and cheering on her heroes whenev er the Fightin’ Texas Aggies play. Why should all those great mascots since ’31 now be moved for an “elevator shaft to luxury sky boxes?” I read where Garry Mauro said in yesterday’s Houston Chronicle that "every time we’ve changed something at A&M, someone has said we are going to lose our uniqueness.” This isn’t just a case of the Coips allowing females into its or ganization or the University changing its name from “College.” This is a desecration of a grave site — no matter if it’s the greatest mascot in the country, or that of a fallen comrade — it’s all the same. Please do what you can if it’s not to late to keep this site from being moved. My family has been with A&M over 40 years, and nothing such as this has ever touched our hearts so deeply. The past Miss Reveilles should still be allowed to see the scoreboard at Kyle Field, rather than the word “Otis” from an elevator. Reveille deserves far better than that. Karaline Ogg Member, 12th Man Foundation Reveille gravesites should not be moved Please add me to what I hope is an enormous list of alums protesting moving gravesites. I can’t wait to tell my children and grandchildren "This is where Reveille I thru IV were buried, until some two-per centers moved them in another chase for the almighty dollar and the end of yet another of the traditions that have made the University great.” We had values 20 years ago that were sacred. E-2 and the “traditions” group should hold their head in shame. They let down untold thoo sands of their Aggie brothers past, present and future. Count on me to fight howev er you can use me. A&M taught me that some things are precious, priceless and worth keeping. Jim McCathrti Class of The Battalion encourages letterstotte itor. Letters must be 300 words ohessK* elude the author’s name, class, and pto ,. number. ® The opinion editor reserves therighttoa letters for length, style, and accuracy, lej] may be submitted in person at 013 Reed Donald with a valid student ID. Lettersmay! be mailed to: Sghj The Battalion - Mail Call ,(;q| 013 Reed McDonald Texas A&N1 Vlntoerslty College Station, TX 77843-1111 Campus Mail: 1111 Fax: (409) 845-2647 E-mail: Batt@tamvml.tamu.edu For more details on letter policy, pleasecall 845-3313 and direct your question to (lie opinion editor. s Tom^ 693-8498 ■ LLJJLieL-j.LIU Shrimp Boil $1*® Doz. 6 p.tn ? 75$ Pints & 75$ Bar Drinks 9-11 p.m Crawfish Boil $p lb. 75$ Pints & spit' ’ 75$ Bar Drinks 8-10 p.m sp-E Free Burgers & Dogs 75$ Pints & 75$ Bar Drinks 8-10 p.m Remember, Think When You Drink : improvisationed comedy We’re back. em| lyn iaktj Friday, July 25 10 p.m. Dixie Theatre (doors open aL Tickets are $6 available in advance at Rother’s Bookstores and Marooned Records. http://http.tamu.edu:8000/~fslip ^nel im m