THE BG NEWS Thursday
January 10, 2008 Volume 102, Issue 80 WWW.BGNEWS.COM
NATION
Finger food: Man microwaves hand Believing that his hand “bore the mark of the beast,” an Idaho man cut his hand off with a saw, microwaved it and dialed 911 | Page 5
Candidates look over campaigns
CAMPUS
Presidential hopefuls are analyzing their election strategies and renewing their vigor as they look toward the next primaries | Page 5
ESTABLISHED 1920 A daily independent student press serving the campus and surrounding community
Airstrike targets Gaza militants Israeli attack kills two, wounds four Palestinians By Laurie Copans The Associated Press
JERUSALEM — An Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza killed two Palestinians and wounded four others yesterday, Palestinian security officials and medics said, as President Bush arrived in the Mideast to try to build momentum for stalled peace talks. The Israeli army said it had targeted militants in the area firing projectiles at the rocketscarred southern Israeli city of Sderot.
Danny Dahan told Army Radio that a rocket tore through the ceiling of his Sderot home and landed on his son’s bed. “Rockets have been raining on this town for years and no one is doing anything,” a crying Dahan told the radio, speaking from the hospital where he was treated for shock. He did not suffer any serious injuries. Members of the Hamas-allied Popular Resistance Committees told Hamas television that members of their group were firing salvos before the Israeli strike. Israel is pursuing a peace
agreement with the moderate Palestinian government of President Mahmoud Abbas, who rules from the West Bank. At the same time, it is battling Hamas, which seized control of Gaza in June after routing Abbas’ forces. The U.S. and Israel consider Hamas a terrorist group. At a November peace conference in Annapolis, Md., Israel and the Palestinians pledged to try to reach a final agreement before Bush leaves office. “I come with high hopes,” TSAFRIR ABAYOV | AP PHOTO
See ISRAEL | Page 2
SHATTERED: An Israeli man stands in the broken window of a house hit by a rocket.
WBGU to discuss education system
Gay sergeant open about sexuality in armed forces
The station is hosting a forum titled “By the People: Dialogues in Democracy,” that focuses on national issues | Page 3
FORUM
Think before you drink ... and drive Driving while drunk often has disasterous results. Watch out — if you aren’t careful, those horror stories you hear about could be you | Page 4
Think before you drink ... and post indecent photos People’s habit of uploading pictures of their drunken adventures on Facebook is often more harmful than hilarious | Page 4
J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE | AP PHOTO
SOLDIER: Pictured above is Sgt. Darren Manzella, an openly gay active duty soldier.
By Suzanne Gamboa The Associated Press
Women’s b-ball beats Akron
WEATHER
PEOPLE ON THE STREET
SPORTS
After defeating the Zips 88-56, Falcon fans recieved coupons for a free taco from Taco Bell | Page 6
EMILY GRANATA & CHRIS WEST | ILLUSTRATION
Grads grapple with coverage By Theresa Scott Reporter
When is the last time you needed health insurance? What for?
TORY MAYO Junior, Supply Chain Mgmnt.
“I had a concussion from football in 11th grade.” | Page 4
TODAY PM Showers High: 42, Low: 38
TOMORROW Rain/Snow High: 38, Low: 31
After her 22nd birthday, Danielle Remias cannot get sick — at least not until she buys health insurance. Like many recent college graduates, Remias faces the problem of losing health insurance coverage. Dr. Glenn Egelman, physician in chief of the University’s Health Center, said a significant number of graduates face the dilemma of being kicked off their parents’ health plans. The question then becomes, for many young people, do they buy the insurance or eat an apple a day in hopes of staying healthy? “Many students do not know how to go about getting insurance,” Egelman said. “They have been with their parents’ plans
for so long and are just thrown into finding their own plans through employers or a private company.” Private companies can become expensive, especially for a recent graduate who does not know exactly where to look. As a result, the price of insurance is usually the biggest concern for young people who do not yet have a steady or large income. “I know insurance is usually between $80 and $100, and I’m definitely worried about how I’m going to pay for that,” Remias said. More than one-third of people between the ages of 18 and 25 live without health insurance, according to a recent survey conducted by the National Insurance Commissioners. This is problematic
See GRAD | Page 2
U.S. military operation aims to better Iraqi lives ‘Phantom Phoenix’ part of new offensive tactic to convert civilians to American war effort By Steven R. Hurst The Associated Press
BAGHDAD — The U.S. military launched a countrywide offensive Tuesday against al-Qaida in Iraq’s efforts to regroup and intensify suicide strikes on civilians who have sided with the Americans against the terror group. But the latest U.S. blitz brings more than just firepower to the field — a determination to speed up work on basic services and other civic projects that commanders believe will win more converts to the American effort.
The No. 2 U.S. commander, Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno, announced the new operation — named Phantom Phoenix — and took pains to say it would focus on bettering Iraqi lives as well as on attacks against al-Qaida. “The non-lethal aspects of this operation are designed to improve delivery of essential services, economic development and local governance capacity,” the military statement said. Byemphasizingthattheoffensive was twofold, the Pentagon appeared to acknowledge that
See IRAQ | Page 2
U. S. ARMY, SPC. JOHN CROSBY | AP PHOTO
TAKE COVER: In this image released by the U.S. military, a soldier scans his sector for threats using a Stryker vehicle for cover on a main road in Muqdadiyah, Iraq.
WASHINGTON — Even if no one is asking, Army Sgt. Darren Manzella has been telling anyone who’ll listen that he’s gay — without serious retribution so far from the military. Manzella, a medic who served in Iraq and Kuwait, has acknowledged his sexual orientation in national media interviews and again on Tuesday in a Washington news conference. “This is who I am. This is my life,” said Manzella, who received a combat medical badge for his service in Iraq. “It has never affected my job performance before. I don’t think it will make a difference now. And to be honest since then, I don’t see a difference because of my homosexuality.” Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, said Manzella’s case demonstrates the military is arbitrarily enforcing its “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy now that the country is at war. The “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy prohibits active-duty service members from openly acknowledging whether they are gay or lesbian. Manzella still could be investigated now that he has left the battlefield. Every time he has said he is gay publicly can be counted as a violation of the policy, one of his attorneys said. Manzella first told a military supervisor about his sexual orientation in August 2006 while he was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, and working in division headquarters. Three weeks after Manzella made the revelation, his battalion commander told him an investigation had been closed without finding “proof of homosexuality.” A month later, Manzella was redeployed for the war in Iraq. Paul Boyce Jr., an Army spokesman, said he was unaware of an investigation of Manzella being opened or closed. He said the investigation would have been done by Manzella’s Fort Hood unit, and officials there are on leave and unavailable to discuss
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See MILITARY | Page 2