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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 25, 1999)
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Page 6 • Thursday, February 25, 1999 N F.WS United States opposes environmental trade treaty MSC Black Awareness ConimfttM Presents: M TtdlWt % Rudder Theater Thursday, February 25,1999 j^f 7:00 - 9:00 PM (Dress: Afrocentric or Casual!) at More Inttinnaiion Contact: MSCBACut 8454515 Any questions contact LaSondra Carroll E-Mail: lnc072aC aCvS.lantu.edu Pe th !es please calf? 4? -1515 to inform us of your MCTiestnotifiatior.three(31 vscridtog'dspprior to the eyeutto eriWgTe to assist ycu to the test of our abilities For info. 696-5570 ' S ' r ’0,\F. C- BIG TONy’S “WILD WEEKEND” THURSDAY - SATURDAY 75C BAR DRINKS $2.50 PITCHERS ALL NIGHT LONG BBQ, ON THE FRONT Porch (weather permitting! PARTY SAFE- DESIGNATE A DRIVER CARTAGENA, Colombia (AP) — Opposing an accord approved by more than 125 nations, the United States and five other countries scuttled efforts Wednesday to forge an environmental protection treaty on trade in genetically modified plants and animals. Washington said it was protecting the world’s food trade from potentially crip pling regulatory burdens. But critics said it was do ing the bidding of multina tional businesses, whose laboratory-produced crops could one day sow ecologi cal catastrophe. The breakdown after 10 days of talks marked the first time in more than 20 years that a major international environmental negotiation has concluded in disarray, Michael Williams, spokesperson for the U.N. Environmental Program, said. The negotiations are to re sume within 16 months at an undetermined time and place. The European Union and more than 110 other nations at the U.N.-initiated talks agreed late Tuesday to forge a so-called Biosafety Proto col, an outgrowth of the 1992 Earth Summit in Brazil. But the United States, Australia, Canada, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile blocked the proposed compromise. The treaty would have permitted nations to restrict imports not only of experi mental organisms but also of genetically altered crops such as soy, corn, cotton and potatoes. “The United States has dominated these negotia tions and they’ve now sabo taged them,” charged Louise Gale, a spokesperson for the environmental group Green peace. “They’re obviously trying to force genetically modified food down the throats of consumers.” The United States, the world’s main biotech ex porter, wanted a narrowly focused treaty that “protect ed the environment and yet avoided unduly restraining international trade” in a rapidly growing mutibillion- dollar industry, said U.S. del egation chief Melinda Kim ble. Biotech products such as insect-resistant crops and vaccines born of gene-splic ing are touted by proponents as guarantors of future glob al food security. They produce higher yields than traditionally crossbred hybrids with few er chemical insecticides and herbicides. Their patents are mostly owned by a handful of com panies — from Monsanto of St. Louis to Novartis of Basel, Switzerland, who in sist the products are rigor ously tested and safe. Critics, however, worry about the possibility of still unfathomable and possibly catastrophic consequences if the products go awry. Developing countries want international safe guards to protect themselves against potential biogenetic disaster. They want biotech com panies legally liable for any damage to biodiversity or human health — another provision opposed by the United States. Many Europeans also dis trust genetically engineered products. Although genetic engi neering experimentation be gan two decades ago, devel opment of biotech foods, vaccines and byproducts has only recently taken off. Worldwide, more than 67 million acres of genetically altered crops were sown in 1998, up from about 2 mil lion in 1996. In the United States, be tween 25 percent and 45 per cent of some major crops are already genetically modified. Industry officials expect some 90 percent of U.S. agri cultural exports to be bio genetic within a decade. Course to stup use of insects in solving cr Batta BY SAMEH FAHMY The Battalion P K&l Estimating time of death and (fee involvement in crimes are two fa®; msivts, .uni entomology studentsrM was opportunity to study them inanwamexas b\ the IVpartmentofEntoiljHed the Dr. Jim Olson, professor of entoftMtime the com so will be offered duringspt^Bvn’s ters, and students will learn he,; Be mar BY fore ard : Js Cla-; T|fter C sample, preserve and rear insec students will also learn howtointe? mological data for use in legal proo: The most common applicate offanoffe entomologv is estimating time frith Use Blowflies are one of the many meeHbled hr.ul animals Female blowflies;; Be's fii gam and the eggs hatch I C •ntomologists take into;:;* as temperature and seasot age of the insects. Byte forensic entomologist ra time of death. "Temperature is the driving fore; son. “The higher the temperature on corps Forensic tors sue! mine thi ages, thi took d all nee ji Timed I juitkly gc id bank; eferec e baske Ang th [the insects] develop.” Jack ran t In addition to estimating tureiHped i forensic entomology can be used crowd of. if drugs have been involved in a cratHs a n d said traces of narcotics canbedetta*Every insects. K. “Fo Forensic entomology ha maketha convict drug traffickers. "When (police in New Zealand) irM native insects in maninana/saidCiq were able to convict on trafficking^ Olson said entomological eyidactj held a fairly good record incoun. "The strongest evidence is basedoiii formation.” I | ronmental development in insects.’ * Off-campus housing fair offers students adyi BY RACHEL HOLLAND The Battalion Representatives from communi ty apartment complexes offered in formation on prices and amenities to A&M students yesterday at the 15th annual Housing Fair. More than 50 property owners, representing 80 apartment complex es, took part in the fair at the MSC Flagroom. The Department of Student Life, Off-Campus Student Services and Off-Campus Aggies sponsored the fair. TFacey Forman, assistant coordi nator for Adult, Graduate and Off Campus Student Services, said the purpose of the Housing Fair was to provide students with information on a variety of off-campus housing options in a convenient location. “Often, students will not start thinking about housing until the summer, and by then it is too late,” she said. “The Housing Fair gives students the information they need to get started early. ” The 1999 Texas A&M University Off Campus Living Survival Manual was available at the fair and includes an updated price list and informa tion on roommates, leases and utili ties. Tina Weatherford, manager of East Gate Apartments and Anderson Place, said looking for apartments can be overwhelming. She said the Housing Fair is a good way for stu dents to get focused. “The best thing for students to do is get the Off Campus Living Sur vival Manual,” she said. “This will tell them what to look for and what questions to ask. “From there, students should vis it apartments and discuss the lease with the apartment manager to be sure they know what they are sign ing.” Lindsey Morgan, a leasing agent at Tahoe Apartments, said apart ments in the community fill up quickly after the Housing Fair. “There is enough stress about starting class during the fall semes ter,” she said. “Students can take Shanna McMillian, a representative with The Grove apartment to Jennifer Bagget, a sophomore marketing major, about livinf pus at the Housing Fair Wednesday. sauie iwi- ?®riior gi Me Univt care of housing now, so they will have one less thing to worry about. ” Thirty-three thousand dents live off campus. 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