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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 22, 2000)
Wednesday, March^vJ :e upon a time... • album cover, whichre- reschool DickandJaK s the impression that I :ant more for those still li Kosh B'Gosh, except he “explicit lyrics”dis- he top right hand corns ngs such as “It’s a Moth probably won’t pass nap at pre-K. irity of the songs playoc vispy manner that one :t from a lullaby; theses: if not for its driving rounds like a song takes n a ballerina music box re hushed nature of the ger Mark Oliver Everett's hich barely rises above; i album one could fall 1 dream peacefully of lol- ummingbirds (if one is of thing). Ti features contributions usicians as Grant Lee Peter Buck of REM, ;’s instrumental “Estate ely forgettable. The tat i’s Beautiful Blues,”istk io song on the album,giv perky finish to another- assort ment of melodies. —Juanlm ( Wednesday, March 22, 2000 News in brief Plant accident kills two workers CHANNELVIEW (AP) — Two men died early Tuesday in an accident at a chemical plant east of Houston. The contract workers were found dead at 3:15 a.in. inside a 22- by 27-foot boiler at the Eq- uistar Chemicals IP plant near Interstate 10, plant spokesper son David Harpole said. East Harris County men Charles “Butch” Perkins, 51, and Brian Turner, 37, had been performing routine sandblast ing inside the boiler when last contacted by a co-worker sta- j tioned at the entrance, Har pole said. “What typically is done when you have workers in a confined space is, you have another worker who stays out side the confined space out side the entry,” Harpole said. “That worker is there to make sure the oxygen line doesn’t become tangled.” When the workers inside failed to respond, the third work er informed emergency person nel. Plant officials are not sure how much time passed be tween the loss of communica tion and the discovery of the men, Harpole said. He said the boiler unit does not handle chemicals and of ficials have no reason to sus pect any release of hazardous materials. Investigators are concen trating on the men’s air supply. "They were being provided with breathing air because of the nature of the space they were in and because of the sandblasting operation. What went wrong to create this tragedy, we just do not know at this time,” he said. Woman stabbed, husband suspected ABILENE (AP) — A woman was stabbed 47 times, but survived and was reported in serious condition Monday at I Hendrick Medical Center, au- j / thorities said. Linda Barrientes, 33, was attacked about 2a.m. Sunday outside her home, Abilene po lice detective Jay Hatcher said. An arrest warrant was issued for her husband, Gilbert Barri entes, 30, who had still not been found by police late Monday. "It would be an understate ment to say it’s extremely fortu nate she survived this,” Hatcher said. “She was stabbed all over — back, chest, eye, face, legs. A couple of people drove up at the end of the attack, called police and scared the guy off. She was found lying on the street. We’re not talking about su perficial stab wounds. There was a range of vengeful stabbing mo tions that should have killed her.” STATE THE BATTALION Page 7 Tax break for condoms draws fire from governor AUSTIN (AP)—A new, $160 million state sales tax break on over-the-counter medicines will include condoms, the state comptroller said Tuesday. The decision immediately drew fire, and Gov. George W. Bush’s office said the GOP presidential candidate does not approve. “This is a terrible idea. The Legislature did not intend for that tax exemption to be promoting promiscuity, yet that’s ex actly what it’s doing,” said Cathie Adams, president of the Texas Eagle Forum. Comptroller Carole Keeton Rylander, acting under a law passed by the 1999 Legislature, listed prophylactics among some 100,000 items that will be ex empted from the 6.25 percent state sales tax and local sales taxes be ginning April 1. Eligible items include aller gy products, antacids, cold reme dies, eye care products and dress ings for wounds. Rylander said Tuesday the law dictates what items — including condoms — are be tax-free. To qualify, a product must be a drug, medicine, article or sub stance used in diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or pre vention of disease or suffering. It must be intended for human use and have a National Drug Code number issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, she said. “It’s not a matter of interpretation, it’s a matter of the law,” Rylander said. Republican Gov. George W. Bush, who proposed the tax break idea during his re-election campaign, never wanted con doms included, said his spokesperson, Linda Edwards. “Governor Bush never wanted condoms to be exempt. But we understand that FDA regulations say condoms prevent dis ease, and under the Texas law a drug or medicine that has a National Drug Code must be exempt,” Edwards said. But others, including the Texas Family Planning Asso ciation’s Peggy Romberg, said making condoms tax-free is a good idea. “We’re talking about public health here. They prevent the spread of sexually transmitted disease — HIV and AIDS — and should be looked at as a preventative product and a pub lic health product,” Romberg said. “It’s perfectly appropriate that they be excluded from the tax. It’s unfortunate that extremist groups have been suc cessful in distracting people like the governor from what should he the main concern of the state — public health and well being of its citizens,” she said. The Eagle Forum’s Adams said exempting condoms from the sales tax flies in the face of the consistent message teen agers need to hear about sexual activity. “Our teen-agers need a solid message. This is something that’s very consistent with Gov ernor Bush’s message of teaching children [sexual] abstinence until marriage,” she said. “I understand the FDA has listed them, but look who’s leading our federal government — a man who doesn’t know how to define ‘is.’ If this is coming from them, I think it should be challenged.” The condom controversy aside, Rylander said the tax break should save Texas families about $ 160 million during its first full year, 2001. That’s around $17 per family annually, spokesperson Mark Sanders estimated. “Exempting over-the-counter medicines from the sales tax is long overdue,” Rylander said. “Prescription drugs have been tax-exempt since the state sales tax was enacted in 1961. Paying sales tax on nonprescription medicine is a bitter pill to swallow” “I understand the FDA has listed them, but look who's leading our federal government — a man who doesn't know how to define 7s/ If this is com ing from them, I think it should be challenged." — Cathie Adams president of the Texas Eagle Forum Prison officials say inmate used dental floss to escape HOUSTON (AP) — A Texas in mate and suspected gang member ac cused of killing a rival used dental floss or a similar, coated string to painstakingly cut his way out of his cell, state prison officials say. Inmate Antonio Lara a suspected member of the prison gang Hermanos de Pistoleros Latinos, is accused of crawling out from under his cell bars and killing Roland Rios as he was be ing escorted by guards to the shower, said Alfred M. “Mac” Stringfellow, Texas Board of Criminal Justice chairperson. Stringfellow said he did not know how many steel bars Lara managed to cut through at the Coffiield Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice near Palestine, or how long it took. “He was very dedicated at doing this,” Stringfellow told the Houston Chronicle in Tuesday’s editions. “They are very resourceful people. That’s all they have is time, so they can sit there and saw away until they fi nally are able to cut through it.” Lara, 26, is serving a 15-year sen tence for attempted murder, robbery and “That's all they have is time, so they can sit there and saw away until they finally are able to cut through it." — Alfred M. "Mac" Stringfellow Texas Board of Criminal justice Chairperson aggravated assault out of Webb County. Stringfellow said Lara coated the ny lon string with toothpaste or another abra sive in order to cut through metal bars. Rios, 41, was serving a 10-year term for aggravated robbery and injury to a child from Nueces County. Prison officials said he was a confirmed mem ber of the Texas Syndicate gang. Rios’ stabbing death resulted in confinement of some 122,000 Texas prison inmates to their cells in a rare systemwide lockdown to collect con traband and try and prevent further gang warfare from erupting. Texas Department of Criminal Jus tice spokesperson Glen Castlebury said wardens at units across the state began gradually allowing some inmates out of their cells on Monday. He did not know how many prisoners remained in lock- down status, or how many weapons or other contraband was found. Castlebury said portions of some units have been released, but there were no units totally freed from lockdown status. He said that would not happen until midweek. Stringfellow did not know if the March 16 killing was a gang-ordered hit or personal spat between Lara and Rios. HOPE PREGNANCY CENTERS OF BRAZOS VALLEY FACING AN UNPLANNED PREGNANCY? YOU DON'T HAVE TO FACE IT ALONE. Pregnancy Peer Counseling Service Complete Confidentiality Information on Abortion Risks Student Counseling Week Days: 4 PM to 8 AM Weekends: 24 hours a day Call us al the HelpJCine far... © Information © Referrals © © Support © Crisis Intervention © Sponsored and supervised by the Student Counseling Service, part of the Division of Student Affairs, Texas A&M University 845-2700 V/TTY Free Pregnancy Test Mon., Tues. & Thurs. 9-8 • Wed. & Fri. 9-5 • Sat. 8-12 nutes that, i Star Du’re Now ollege Station iscount Paging 8 D-l Texas Ave. )79/764-5900 axes, third lltlons appii/. parti/ charges awt /«. Ask lor details 846-1 097 3620 E. 29TH ST • BRYAN AN AGGIE TRADITION FOR SIXTEEN YEARS Do you love to country and western dance? Would you like to perform for others? Would you like to represent Texas A&M in Texas, across the nation, as well as internationally? Then we would like to invite you to... ■ lutr ?ANQl& TRYOUTS! INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS: Monday, March 27, Rudder 504, 8:30-9:30 p.m. Thursday, March 30, Rudder 504, 9-10 p.m. ATTENDANCE TO ONE OF THESE MEETINGS IS MANDATORY TO TRYOUT! TRYOUTS WILL BE APRIL 30 - COME EVEN IF YOU’RE JUST THINKING ABOUT TRYING OUT! www.tamu.edu/aggie_wranglers AAA ‘C Better Scores, Better Schools Princeton Review classes are limited to 8 students. Seating is extremely limited. Call now! 979.696.9099 j 800.2Review j www.roview.com n* ftintilwi Rtvutt is ml aHtoai tmh fimtHon tMrtfsitfg 6MK. ITALY FALL 2000 YOU IN COLLEGE STATION OR YOU IN ITALY WITH A WITH THE SAME OL' ROUTINE WORLD OF EXPERIENCE ORAWIHB0 PAITIM SCULPTIHGO PHQTQ6MPOT AD OTHERS ENROLL IN A MINIMUM OF 12 CREDIT HOURS ALL CLASSES TAUGHT IN ENGLISH! OPEN TO ALL MAJORS! - ONLY 6 SPOTS LEFT. COME BY THE STUDY ABROAD OFFICE FOR AN APPLICATION - BIZZELL HALL WEST RM. 161,845-0544 ISLAM 101 An Intro to Islam Refreshments served!!! Thursday March 23 rd Blocker 155 <S> 7:30 PM Sponsored by Muslim Students’ Association Email: islamlOI@tamu.edu HIP Recruit the Class of 2005!!! Informational Meeting Wed. March 22" d , 5:45pm, Rudder 502 Application Deadline March 31 st by 5:00 PM in ACAD 101 Pick up an App at the Honors Office (ACAD 101) or Apply on-line at: http://acs.tamu.edu/~ccg4775 E-mail: HIP@aphonors.tamu.edu NO HONORS EXPERIENCE REQUIRED! ATTENTION SENIORS . . . MARCH 25 9:30am-2pm conference sessions 7:00pm etiquette dinner ADMISSION Conference only s 5.00 per person (with lunch) You must register for each conference session you plan to attend Conference & Dinner $12.00 per person Etiquette dinner limited to first 100 registered. LOCATION Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center, 979-845-7514 ARE YOU READY FOR THE REAL WORLD? CONFERENCE SESSIONS 1. Job Search Techniques (Statewide & National) 2. Negotiating Compensation (Salaries vs. Benefits) 3. Interviewing Skills 4. Social Life & Leadership Opportunities 5. Accessing the Aggie Network 6. Investing on a Shoe String Budget & Buying your First Home 7. Budgeting your Money & Debt Management 8. Resumes that Get Interviews CO-SPONSORED BY THE CLASS OF 2000 AND Mm, For more information, visit our website at www.aggienetwork.com