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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 20, 1992)
News Digest Edited by Roger Price Scientists rush to assess ozone threat Researchers try to find amount of layer damage BANGOR, Maine — A height ened sense of urgency is pressing scientists as they complete their in spection of what looks like the startof an ozone hole over the Northern Hemisphere, a discovery so alarming it’s already changed U.S. policy. Scientists on the NASA project based in Bangor concluded that an ozone hole could develop this winter over the United States, Canada and Europe. “These two weeks are really the crucial time for detecting the appear ance of the ozone hole in this region of the hemisphere,” said James G. Anderson, lead scientist for the Na tional Aeronautics and Space Admini stration project. The ozone layer in the upper at mosphere, roughly 7 miles to 31 miles above Earth, provides a shield from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Without an ozone block, people face greater risks of skin cancer, cataracts and sup pressed immunity from disease. The five-month NASA study, conducted with a converted spy plane and an orbiting satellite, is measuring the presence of ozone-eating chemi cals at high altitudes. When a flight Jan. 20 found ozonc dcplcting chlorine monoxide at a record concentration of 1.5 parts per billion, the space agency issued preliminary findings and a warning. A week later, President Bush or dered a halt to production of ozone eating chemicals, chiefly chlorofluoro carbons (CFCs), by the end of 1995, with a few exceptions. That’s five years sooner than an international treaty requires. Household use of CFCs can be found in aerosol cans and the refrig erator, and in the driveway in auto air conditioners. Industrial CFCs are commonly used in refrigerants, foam manufacturing and solvents. The research is performed by a 50 member team based at an Air Na tional Guard hangar in this city in eastern Maine. Whether a hole opens in the ozone layer over the Northern Hemisphere will depend largely on the breakup of the polar vortex, Anderson said. A mass of cold air that forms clouds ol ice particles, the polar vortex is where sunlight triggers the chemical changes that deplete ozone. The flights also study the rate at which chlorine monoxide and other chemicals break down in the upper atmosphere, a key to understanding their threat to the ozone. The current series of flights will continue through Sunday and resume March 8 for a final two weeks. After the ozone hole over Antarc tica was discovered in 1985, Austra lian weather forecasts routinely be gan including ultraviolet dosages during late spring and summer. An derson expects U.S. forecasters to make such information seasonal fix tures as well. NASA studies north-pole ozone Measurements by ER-2 and DC-8 aircraft have revealed high levels of ozone-destroying chemicals in the Arctic vortex, an area of cold air covering the northern-most latitudes. Scientists say this makes it likely that a hole in the Earth's protective ozone layer will soon form over the northern hemisphere similar to the one %. . over the southern * . hemisphere. ^ . — NASA Ames Research Center, California -1....—■■ AP * *' Bush prepares for battle; Democrats move south By the Associated Press President Bush, in response to the strength of Patrick Buchanan’s New Hampshire chal lenge, vowed Wed nesday to “take this guy on in every single state.” Democrats fanned out fromlhc first primary state searching for campaign breakthroughs elsewhere. The results of New Hampshire resonated through both national par ties on Wednesday. The voters made it a contest on the GOP side. Buchanan asserted he would not be snuffed out by Bush’s huge and well-financed campaign. “Now the battle for New Hampshire is over, and the battle for America begins,” he said. The winner of the five-way Demo cratic race, former Massachusetts Sen. Paul Tsongas, headed South with a challenge similar to Buchanan’s. Tsongas was the top vote getter with 35 percent and Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton survived charges of marital infidelity and avoiding the draft to net 26 percent. As a result of victory, Tsongas said he would be able to raise the money needed to campaign effec tively nationwide. Up to S400,()()() was expected to How into his empty treasury on Wednesday, said spokes man Peggy Connolly. Nebraksa Sen. Bob Kerrey, who finished a distant third with 12 per cent in New Hampshire, stopped in Maine on Wednesday and then headed back to his native Midwest. His via bility could depend on adcccnt show ing in the Maine caucuses over the weekend and in the South Dakota primary on Tuesday. “I don't think there’s any damage from New Hampshire,” Kerrey said. — House rejects new coins WASHINGTON — The Lin coln Memorial is safe on the “tails” side of pennies, and Thomas Jef ferson’s home will stay on the nickel. The House on Wednesday rejected a proposal to redesign the nation’s coins. On a 241-172 vote, the House defeated a Senate-passed measure to strip the eagle, the Statue of Libcrty’storch,Monticclloand the Lincoln Memorial from the quar ter, dime, nickel and penny begin ning next January. “What’s wrong the current de signs? They represent the stability and continuity of our nation,” said Rep. A1 McCandlcss, R-Calif., who led the opposition. “The American people do not want their coins re designed.” Both the Bush and Reagan ad ministrations had opposed the pro posal. The White House dropped its opposition alter the Senate last November attached the measure to a pet project of First Lady Barbara Bush’s to finance the White House’s collection of fine arts and antiques. Also in the package defeated Wednesday were special com memorative coins to honor the World Cup soccer games, Christo pher Columbus, James Madison and the 640,(XX) veterans of Desert Storm. Supporters of the commemora tive coins, including a White House commemorative wanted by Mrs. Bush, said all of them can be in cluded in a new bill that excludes coin redesign and was approved in the House without a roll-call vote. Fighting continues along Israeli border KAFRA, Lebanon — Thousands of civ ilians fled villages in southern Lebanon on Wednesday as Shiite Muslim guerrillas and Israeli soldiers rained rockets and artillery shells at each other for a third straight day. There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries on the Lebanese side. Thirteen people in the town of Kiryat Shemona in northern Israel were treated for shock and injuries after one rocket attack. The fighting fueled tension in the volatile region in advance of new Arab-Israeli peace talks in Washing ton. Each round of talks has been pre ceded by renewed violence in south ern Lebanon. Arabs have accused Israel of creating incidents in an effort to derail the talks, but Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and the Palestinian delega tion said they planned to attend next week. In New York, the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday appealed lo all parlies lo the violence to “exercise maximum restraint” and enhance the Arab-Israeli peace process. Shiite and Israeli gunners blasted at each other with rockets and howit zers from dawn to dusk Wednesday. Guerrillas of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah used mobile launchers to fire salvos of rockets at Israel’s Gali lee panhandle and the Israeli-occu pied “security zone” in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah, which opposes the peace talks, is trying to drive the Israelis from the security zone as well as exact revenge for Musawi’s death. Israeli gunners hammered Shiite villages bordering the northern edge of the security zone with 155mm howitzers. A police spokesman, who cannot be quoted by name under police regu lations, said about 10,(XX) people fled 14 Hezbollah-controlled villages taking the brunt of the artillery fire. FDA hears case for silicone implants BETHESDA, Md.— Makers of silicone gel breast implants told a federal advisory panel Wednesday that any connection between the implants and users’ health problems is a coin cidence. Attempting to counter a day of criticism, the four companies used color slides and outside experts in an attempt to convince the panel of the safety of the devices, marketed for 30 years but temporarily pulled from the market by the Food and Drug Administration. Dr. John Tcbbctis, a plastic surgeon who is in the faculty of plastic surgery at the Univer sity of Texas Health Science Center in Dallas said, “If gel implants arc banned, the FDA will be forcing me to mistreat some of my patients.” On Tuesday, several doctors told the panel that many women with the implants suffer from illnesses ranging from minor flu-like symptoms to autoimmune disease, a condition in which antibodies attack body tissue instead of viruses, bacteria or other foreign substances. But Carl Schulz, a professor of immunology hired to speak for MeGhan Medical Corp., one of the manufacturers, said Wednesday that any connection between the implants and “autoim mune disease is likely to be coincidental, rather than a causc-and-cffcct relationship.” Nebraskan Editor Jana Pedersen, 472-1766 Night News Editors Adeana Lettln . Managing Editor Kara Welle . John Adkleeon Assoc News Editors Chrle Hopfeneperger Wendy Mott Krle Karnopp Tom Kunz Opinion Page Editor Alan Phelps Art Director Scott Maurer Wire Editor Roger Price General Manager Dan Shattll Copy Desk Editor Wendy Navratll Production Manager Katherine Pollcky Sports Editor Nick Hytrek Advertising Manager Todd Sears Arts & Entertainment Editor Stacey McKenzie Classified Ad Manager Annette Sueper Diversions Editor Dionne Searcey Publications Board Chairman Bill Vobejda, 472-2588 Photo Chiel Michelle Paulman Professional Adviser Don Walton, 473-7301 Postmaster Send address changes to the Daily Nebraskan, Nebraska Union 34 1400 R St..Lincoln, NE 68588-0448 Second-class postage paid at Lincoln, NE. ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1992 DAILY NEBRASKAN