Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 31, 2003)
mun Career Fair Host a company sign ups begin Sunday, Feb. 2 from l2-4pm Inwebnerllfi # ^ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ^ * * # # # # * ^ * # ¥ * * ¥ # * * * * * * # % X * * # * # * * * * Summer School 2003 On-Campus Housing Residence Malls * Prices per summer session. Rate* Mclnnis Schulimachcr (coed) (coed) Balcony Balcony Double Occupancy Single Occupancy Apartment $ 450.00* $ 675.00* $ 721.00* Davis-Gary (women)Corridor Private $631.00* Apartment $691.00* Moore (men) Corridor Private $631.00* Legett (coed) Corridor Double Occupancy $ 420.00* Applications available February 3, 2003 Online at: http://reslife.tamu.edu/ OR: Housing Assignments Office Legett Hall Rm 003 College Station, TX 77843-1258 (979) 845-4744 or toll free: (888) 451-3896 All assignments will be made according to application dates, on a first come, first served basis. * * * * * * * * * * ¥ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * # * ^ ^ # 36 * * * * * ^ * * * * ^ ^ 3* * # * 3* * Friday, January 31, 2003 I HE BATTALIAS GDP posts slight rise to end 2002 By Jeannine Aversa THE BATTALION The economy faltered in the final quarter of last year as con sumers — nervous about a war with Iraq and their own job prospects and stock portfolios — turned cautious and increased their spending by the smallest amount in nearly a decade. Gross domestic product rose at an annual rate of just 0.7 per cent in the fourth quarter, a dra matic slowdown from the previ ous quarter’s solid 4 percent growth rate and ending 2002 on a sour note, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. GDP measures the total value of goods and services pro duced within the United States and is considered the broadest barometer of the economy’s health. “One quarter we’re soaring, the next we’re flat on our back. That was the story of 2002,” said Joel Naroff, president of Naroff Economic Advisors. The performance — weaker than analysts were predicting — gave the fourth quarter the dis tinction of being the worst quar ter for GDP in 2002. It also marked the weakest showing since the economy actually shrank at a 0.3 percent rate in the third quarter of 2001 as the country was mired in its first recession in a decade. While the report highlighted the economy’s struggles to get back on sure footing, econo mists didn’t view the tepid fourth quarter performance as a sign that economy was going to backslide into recession. In fact, analysts believe the economy is picking up momen tum in the current quarter, expanding at a rate of 2.5 per cent to 3 percent. “If the Iraq situation is resolved quickly and favorably, there’s a good chance of unlock ing the economy’s potential and removing the uncertainty hang ing over consumers and busi nesses,” said Lynn Reaser, chief economist at Banc of America Capital Management. For all of 2002, the economy grew by a decent 2.4 percent, a big improvement over the tiny 0.3 percent rise registered in 2001, but still considered weak- er-than-normal growth for the U.S. economy. President Bush, who doesn’t want economic woes to linger as he prepares for his 2004 re-elec tion bid, has proposed a 10-year, $674 billion economic stimulus plan — all but $4 billion involv ing tax cuts. Democrats have their own, smaller-scale plans. Commerce Secretary Don Evans said the GDP report underscores the need for Congress to enact the presi dent’s plan and shows “that our nation’s economy is not yet growing at its fullest potential.” GDP Here is a look at the gross domestic product, which measures all goods and services produced by workers and capital located in the United States, regardless of ownership. Annualized quarterly change +0.7% 2000 2002 SOURCE: Department of Commerce AP But Democrats argued that the president’s plan would do little to help the economy in the short term but would put the plunge the federal budget into even more red ink. “This is a collision course with fiscal calamity and the administration seems to be dig ging the hole deeper at every turn, adding tax cut on top of tax cut, not offset by spending reductions,” said Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D. The Federal Reserve decided Wednesday to hold a key initi- est rate at a 41-year lowofUi percent, hoping that will spi consumers and businesses t spend and invest more, b ing economic growth. At the Fed’s meeting ii December, policy-makers sail fiscal stimulus might be hel| to help the fragile economy, “Added fiscal stimulusini®t prove to be a useful complenw to an accommodative monetar. policy in the period immefo ly ahead when economic ty was likely to remain the economy’s potential, according to minutes oftheDet 10 meeting released Thursday The Fed opted to hold rate steady at that meeting, whit took place weeks before Bib unveiled his stimulus package Consumers — the mainta keeping the economy going- got tired in the fourth quarts They increased their spendir: during the period at only a percent rate, the worst showir; since the first quarter of and down from a brisk 4.2 per cent growth rate in 2002’s tliii quarter. The weakness reflected sharp 7.3 percent cut in spend ing on durable goods, such cars and appliances. That was big turnaround from to astounding 22.8 percent rate increase in the third quarterait marked the largest reduction spending on durable goods sine the first quarter of 1991. Mueller says new FBI computer systems would not have missed Sept. 11 key terrorist clues By Curt Anderson THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Robert Mueller defended a new agency computer system that congressional critics claim is costly and “gold-plated,” saying Thursday it might have provided important clues to the Sept. 11 attacks if it had been in place. Lost amid all the intelligence data before the attacks was a memo from an FBI field agent in Phoenix raising questions about suspected terrorists taking flight training in the United States. The new computer system would see that such a memo got to the prop er people, FBI officials said. “To be successful, we have to share information in new ways,” Mueller told reporters in a two-hour briefing about the system. “I believe we have made substantial strides in a number of key areas.” Mueller also said the FBI is preparing a comprehensive, classified “national threat assessment” for Congress about the nation’s vulnerability to another attack and that the FBI supports President Bush’s proposal to create a new intelligence analysis center. The briefing, held in the FBI’s Strategic Information Operations Center, was the latest step in a public rela tions campaign by Mueller to keep counterterrorism and domestic intelligence authority with the FBI. Some in Congress, pointing to past FBI missteps, want to create a new domestic intelligence agency independent of the FBI. Mueller has made counterterrorism the FBI’s top priority. Crucial to that effort,ti said, is a multibillion-dollar overhaul oflk agency’s computer systei known as “Trilogy” I ensure that all agents am analysts with the propersecu- rity clearances havfcmt.sK’ critical information wefy wide. The FBI’s goal is to to much of that system onlit by March 31 with a “virtu case file” terrorism databa containing tens of millions' documents — and offerii modern search and cross-it erencing capabilities — to be finished! December, said Wilson Lowery, the Fi executive assistant director for adminislt tion. The computer system in place belt Sept. 11, 2001, was complete! To be successful, we have to share information in new ways. — Robert Mueller FBI Director Show this Saturday, Feb. 1 st , 9:00 p.m. at Rudder Auditorium for FREUDIAN improv comedy Tickets now on sale at Rudder Box Office for $ 5 Come fully dressed in a ninja, toga, fairy or pirate costume and get in for $ 3!! NEWS IN BRIEF Democrats slow Snow's approval WASHINGTON (AP) Democratic senators fighting proposed government changes in pension rules forced a delay Thursday in the confirmation of railroad executive John Snow as treasury secretary. Snow's nomination won unan imous approval from the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday morning, but quick confirmation by the full Senate was delayed while he met with lawmakers on the pension dispute. Snow, the chairman of CSX Corp., was nominated fort job last month after Preside Bush fired his first treasury s« retary, Paul O'Neill, in a shafe up of his economic team. The pension issue involves dispute over "cash baland pensions, which large conf nies are adopting to sal money. While the plans tl penalize older workers. Democratic senators said# wanted to discuss the n# with Snow before a Serf vote. They are seeking a ctf mitment from Snow that» final Treasury rule would prrrf the rights of older workers. LEATHER COAT SALE $3900 _ $9^00 Open Friday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. 2713 S.Texas Ave. (2 blocks north ofVilla Maria) 219-0365 ©■ n UMPIRES NEEDED Brazos Valley Softball Umpires Association is recruiting new umpird for 2003. No experience needed, $ 10*20 per hour, your schedule Contact Mike Littlejohn 776-5062 bvsua.org for more info M Stude T his wee end of t of racia hurled at Bell; presumed 200 Harry Huang, the Houston h District (HISE scandal this p; Huang alleged remarks towar Internet profil Chronicle. Hu and withdrew the focus of n< school and in try. HISD’s re redness and r; in reality, only diverse and in: it desires to cr In Decembi duped by seve mechanics. Ac men damaged and demanded which Huang, begrudgingly | his anger town his home on h And while i racism, provol' Ge< A battle is i reinstate years age taebeen march tats, threats of topk issue, act fasucli a fuss' f Georgia should i past where they The old flag. Confederate bat Ijinany minori and hatred, whit took the appropi concerning race racist history an Supporters o heritage, but the Georgia Senate i design began to Dixiecrat conver protest and resis such as the Ku h began using the 1 The Confede being a threat. Many histori comprising two- federal integrath this. In his 1956 insisted “There 1 college classrooi governor.” He w equity, peril the According to Afgl A new pol which v weeken< have some Afg ofdeja vu. The by Chief Justic has removed cc nels from Afgh the recently OV' done as well, a foxnews.com Shinwari sa Associated Pre so were based i citizens who ol conflicted with jected on televi uality, and proi an issue in the ship enacted b) be even worse ment restrictioi It is underst monitor the coi that the prograi rights or to pro from unfavorat lem arises whe intermixed too Obviously in a where the relig homogenous, ti policy issues, t be the sole has: infringe upon t By preventii