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Show 2 Friday, Sept. 23,2005 797-1769 statesman@cc.usu.edu People Today'sjssue \De3icafions "~ Today is Friday, Sept. 23, 2005. Today'sissue of The Utah Statesman is published especially for Heidi Woodbury, a sophomore majoring in child educuation from Centerville, Utah. Clarifications The policy of The Utah Statesman is to correct any error made as soon as possible. If you find something you would like clarified or find unfair, please contact the editor at 797-1762 or TSC 105. National Briefs Photo courtesy of AP CARS, SOME OVERHEATED, BROKEN DOWN OR out of gasoline, sit in the median of Interstate 45 in The Woodlands, Texas, Thursday as area residents evacuate in advance of Hurricane Rita, which is predicted to make landfall this weekend. Hurricane Rita is Mid to be the third largest hurricane on record. Senate approves higher spending for vets' budget Texans flee Rita WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate on Thursday approved a big boost in the budget for veterans' medical care. The measure, approved by a 98-0 vote, would increase spending by 21 percent, or about $4 billion, to S23.3 billion, for the budget year that begins Oct. 1. More veterans are seeking care and the cost per patient is on the rise, too. About S2 billion of the increase was in response to a midyear request by the Bush administration. It was added to the budget as emergency funds not subject to the S843 billion budget set for the annual appropriations bills. The Veterans Affairs Department acknowledged in April that it had underestimated medical care costs. Congress reacted by approving an additional SI.5 billion in emergency funds for the current budget-year. Nearly 2 million people urged to evacuate the Texas, Louisiana coast BY MIKE GRACZYK Associated Press Writer HOUSTON (AP) - Hurricane Rita closed in on the nation's fourth-largest city and the heart of the U-S. oil-refining industry with howling 145 mph winds Thursday, sending hundreds of thousands of people fleeing in a frustratingly slow, bumper-tobumper exodus. "This is the worst planning I've ever seen," said Julie Anderson, who covered just 45 miles in 12 hours after setting out from her home in the Houston suburb of LaPorte. "They say we've learned a lot from Hurricane Katrina. Well, you couldn't prove it by me." In all, nearly 2 million people along the Texas and Louisiana coasts were urged to get out of the way of Rita, a 400-mile-wide storm that weakened Thursday from a top-of-the-scale Category 5 hurricane to a Category 4 as it swirled across the Gulf of Mexico. It also made a sharper-thanexpected turn to the right late in the afternoon, on a course that could spare Houston and nearby Galveston a direct hit and send it instead toward Port Arthur, Texas, or Lake Charles, La., at least 60 miles up the coast, by late Friday or early Saturday. But it was still an extremely WASHINGTON (AP) - The House voted Thursday to let Head Start centers consider religion when hiring workers, overshadowing its moves to strengthen the preschool program's academics and finances. The Republican-led House approved a bill that lets churches and other faithbased preschool centers hire only people who share their religion, yet still receive federal tax dollars. Democrats blasted that idea as discriminatory. Launched in the 1960s, the nearly $7 billion Head Start program provides comprehensive education to more than 900,000 poor children. Though credited for getting kids ready for school, Head Start has drawn scrutiny as cases of financial waste and questions about academic quality have surfaced nationwide. Overall, the House bill would insert more competition into Head Start grants, require greater disclosure of how money is spent, and try to improve collaboration among educators in different grades. BY JENNIFER LOVEN Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) - With satellite phones, hospital beds, buses and gasoline on the way, President Bush promised on Thursday his administration would react "swiftly and effectively" to Hurricane Rita. House Republicans, meanwhile, began examining why the government's response to Hurricane Katrina was slow and disorganized. Hundreds of thousands of people were fleeing in anticipation of the latest mammoth storm. They took seriously the threat as it roared through the Gulf of Mexico. Landfall was expected on the Texas coast late Friday or early Saturday. Officials aware of the deadly consequences of leaving thousands behind when Katrina hit nearly a month ago kept urging people in Texas and Louisiana to follow evacuation orders. "Officials at every level of government are preparing for the worst," a grim-faced Bush said from the Pentagon. The president prepared to fly toward the storm. He planned to visit Texas on Friday afternoon to review preparations and thank first responders who are set to go in after Rita strikes. Later, the president was expected to monitor the storm's path from the U.S. Northern Command in Colorado Springs, Colo. The White House did not release details of other hurricane-related stops. Late Night >RlTA David Letterman, Sept. 21, 2005 Top Ten Sings You're Not Going To Win A Genius Grant see page 3 Bush promises reactions to Rita won't mirror those of Katrina Head Start centers can consider religion in hires WASHINGTON (AP) - If Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are planning a wedding at George Clooney's villa in Italy, it's news to him. "People have said they were going to get married at my house," Clooney told AP Radio in a recent interview. "Well, I would know, and I can tell you there's not going to be a secret wedding." Tabloids have reported that Pitt and Jolie were planning to wed in a private ceremony at Clooney's villa. While magazines have published numerous photos of the couple together, neither has confirmed they are dating - and Clooney wouldn't either. "I've met Angelina - I like her very much - but I would never talk about whether they are together or not," the 44-year-old actor said. "I don't speak of my own personal life - I would never speak of my friends." SYDNEY, Australia (AP) Garbage lead singer Shirley Manson says the Scottish rock band, which is about to take £break after a grueling tour, isn't planning to split up. "We have discussed this and I don't think anybody is interested in breaking up," Manson said recently. "We feel that this has been a really great tour and we feel that we have really muscled through and produced a great record, and we just want to take some time off while things are really good between us," she said. The band earlier announced that it was canceling dates in France, Belgium and Britain in October. Manson said she was desperate for some time off. 10. "You often hear things like, 'Quit licking the jumper cables'" 9. "Your contribution to society: Socks for Kitties" On Capitol Hill, GOP Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia opened what he said would be an aggressive inquiry into a "largely abysmal" response by all levels of government to Katrina. The director of the National Hurricane Center, Max Mayfield, said by videophone that Katrina had been termed either "potentially catastrophic" or "extremely dangerous" by the center beginning early the day before it hit late last month. That should have raised alarms across the board, said Rep. Henry Bonilla, R-Texas. "Someone should have been running down the hallways to spread the word." House Democrats, denied their wish for an independent commission, stayed away from the meeting. 8. "You've tried to put a postage stamp on your e-mail" 7. "You are described as 'Bush-esque'" 6. "Vowed to use 3500,000 prize money to see 'Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo' 50,000 times" 5. "Wrote thesis on 'The Medicinal Powers of Nutter Butter Cookies'" 4. "Can't figure out your computer's Caps Lock key" 3. "To impress judges you wear gold foil hat reading '#1 Genius'" 2. "Only thing youVe had published is a letter to Penthouse Forum" 1."Michael Brown beat you out for the Fema gig" THE DAYgm FastJFacts CALL US FOR TAKE-OUT! ARE YOU LOOKING FOR... 7 5 2 - 1 2 1 5 ONE DOLLAR OFF! BEST KABABS ON ANY MEAL! IN TOWN! FOR USU STUDENTS! BEST SPECIALIZE IN: Jouvalki. Kababs, Gourmet Burgers, Over 70 Sandwiches to choose from! American. Greek. S: Italian Food! STEAK PHILLY CHEESE STEAK! Ninety-one percent of adults say they wash their hands after using a public restroom, according to a telephone survey, but only 83 percent were observed washing up in a survey of four major cities. Percentage of adults who said they "always" wash their hands After using a public restroom Using a bathroom in your home Changing a diaper Before handling or eating food tiUBflMMHBHMBHMHI I B S H M H M H M i After petting a dog or cat Coughing or sneezing Handling money NOTE:/rom 1,013 telephone interviews conducted between Aug. 19-22 Observed hand-washing fn public restrooms • I Washers I B Non-washers Women SHRIMP, FISH, CALAMARI 1085 N MAIN LOGAN Hand washing habits, wishful thinking 10:30 AM TO 8:30 PM NOTE: 6,336 individuals were observed in public restrooms at Turner Reid, Atlanta; Museum of Science and Industry and Shedd Aquarium, Chicago; Penn Station and Grand Central Station, New Yom City; Ferry Terminal Farmers Market, San Francisco. SOURCES: American Society for Microbiology; Harris Interactive AP |