Inside News 2 Features 3, 5 Tuesday Commentary 4 January 29, 2007 Comics 6 Sports 7,8 VOL. 101 | ISSUE 85 Serving the students of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa since 1922 WWW.KALEO.ORG UH student directs Rainbow movie at Sundance Warrior baseball Film Festival team looking strong Section | Page 5 Sports | Page 7 Bird flu Concern rises with book prices coming to ByHawai‘i Justin Hahn Ka Leo Commentary Editor The Board of Agriculture voted 6-1 last week Monday to allow the University of Hawai‘i school of medicine to import bird flu viruses for research. The research, according to testimony presented to the board, would focus on developing ways to diagnose possible cases of bird flu. Once the techniques for diag- nosing the sickness have been developed, researchers would keep stocks of the virus on hand to update the techniques every six In a fleeting moment, months to a year, said Doctor a student passes by Vivek Nerurkar of the College of a row of books at the Tropical Medicine. University Bookstore. “If we had a suspected out- break of bird flu, we would have to FILE PHOTO send our samples to the mainland KA LEO O HAWAI‘I for verification,” Nerurkar said. “But if we had the capacity built here in Hawai’i, we could have a one day turn around time.” Samples of the virus are not expected in Hawai’i for By Dannah Gonzales professors should not only choose at least another three months, Ka Leo Staff Reporter books that are affordable for stu- Takayama said. dents but also give the proper This ability, Nerurkar said, The affordability of text- educational value to them. could be key in preventing a pos- books has been a pressing con- On average, students annu- sible avian flu pandemic. Such a cern among many students and ally spend approximately $900 pandemic, he said, could arrive teachers at the University of on textbooks, according to a Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Aside from study done by the Government in the Islands by one of four meeting the rising costs of tuition, Accountability Office of Congress ways: with migratory birds such housing and other necessities, stu- and a survey issued by the Student as the plover, with an infected dents must also purchase their Public Interest Research Groups. airline passenger from Asia, in textbooks, some of which have Although there are classes infected poultry or as part of a become very pricey. that require only “cheap” books, terrorist attack. Parker McKay Filer, the price becomes not only dependent But some people are fearful chair of the Committee on on the professor but also on the that the research itself could spark Campus Resident Student courses taken. just such a disaster. Affairs, introduced a resolution “This semester I spent $150 “This seems like it is dan- to the Associated Students of the for my classes,” said philoso- gerous, and it could spread,” University of Hawai‘i (ASUH) phy major Geoff Ashton. “But it Jen Wells, a history senior, said. Senate concerning textbook was just for one out of the three “This is some kind of dangerous affordability. The 94th ASUH classes I’m taking this semester.” virus, and it could get out and Senate then adopted this resolu- Whether or not students can spread, and this could be a big tion unanimously on Sept. 19 handle the high prices of text- threat to me.” last year. books along with an array of other That, Nerurkar said, is “a very “With increases in tuition and necessary class expenditures, housing fees, it is not practical to sometimes paying extra money remote possibility. The possibility ASHLEY BASTATAS • Ka Leo o Hawai‘i of something getting in or out (of keep textbook prices high,” said for newer editions may benefit Other than tuition, housing and personal needs, textbooks are also another costly problem the containment facility) is very ASUH president Grant Teichman. The resolution stated that that students have to deal with. remote.” See Textbook, page 2 The research will be done at the UH John A. Burns School of Medicine building in Kaka‘ako, according to spokesperson Gregg Takayama. It was chosen because it is one of only two sites on the island that is certified to han- E. coli outbreak certain, says lecturer at U. Iowa stances, said John Besser, a clini- Mary DeMartino, a University Stacy Webster, a shift super- dle samples of the bird flu virus. By Terry McCoy The other is Leahi Hospital in The Daily Iowan U. Iowa cal laboratory manager for the of Iowa public-health microbi- visor at the New Pioneer Co-op, Kaimukī. Minnesota Department of Health. ologist. “We are finding it in 22 S. Van Buren St., said his store Both JABSOM and Leahi are (U-WIRE) IOWA CITY, Iowa - Last fall, an E. coli outbreak spinach, lettuce, vegetables and has profited from outbreaks such certified as Biological Safety Level With absolute certainty, another ripped across the United States, juices. The number of foods we as this, because the Co-op offers Three facilities, which brings them E. coli outbreak will explode, a killing three and causing 31 cases have found it in has increased.” foods that are locally produced under federal oversight. visiting lecturer said Thursday. of hemolytic uremic syndrome, The spread of the bacteria is rather than items that are trans- But that does not automatical- Though a recent outbreak was which shuts down the kidneys. attributable to mass production ported from different states and ly guarantee safety, said Stephanie traced back to spinach grown in “If you look at what has hap- and transportation of all food, she countries. Fried of Environmental Defense. California, E. coli is not limited pened over the last few years with said. But such dissemination has “That is why this business to the leafy plant. It is becoming E. coli, it is no longer limited no direct correlation to genetic See Bird Flu, page 2 prominent in a number of sub- to just undercooked meat,” said engineering of food, she said. See E. coli, page 2 KA LEO O HAWAI‘I NEWS Page 2 | Monday, January 29, 2007 Editor: Justin Hedani Associate Editor: Tiffany Hill | (808) 956-3222 | [email protected] COURTESY PHOTO METRO CREATIVE GRAPHICS Sienna Maskey, a junior in account- ing, searches for textbooks at the Campus Center Bookstore. Maskey said that she had already spent over $300 on textbooks before her latest visit to the book- store. TONY BLAZEJACK KA LEO O HAWAI‘I publishers also issue textbooks in a bundled form with CD-ROMs and workbooks as extra items but Books charge anywhere from 10 to 40 would include either an envi- a sample … you would need a percent extra. Whether or not these ronmental impact statement or physical match. As it is now, to From page 1 bundles are useful is a question that at least an environmental assess- do that we would need to send some students are asking. Bird Flu ment statement. it off to the mainland. But with students in the long term. “Some professors suggest using “I just don’t see why they “For the courses that I’m tak- the CD-ROM’s,” said fourth-year From page 1 this ability, we could do it much can’t study [the virus] in Asia,” ing now, like political science, the student Shanna Belknap. “I don’t more quickly.” Fried said. “I’m not convinced most current editions are the types really know if students actually “We’ve seen substantial evidence Not only does Takayama you have to bring it here to learn of books that should be used,” said do take the initiative to use it. The … of federal agencies disregard- think it is necessary for research sophomore Scarlett Camargo. how to study it.” prices are sometimes unreasonable, ing federal and state environmen- to have the virus samples here Food science professor Karen but that is expected for a college tal laws in this state. There seems But Takayama said it is nec- in Hawai’i but also thinks it Hasings believes in the importance education.” to be a really lax regulatory over- essary to have the virus on hand of up-to-date books. According to the same survey sight process in this state.” to study it and to begin to develop is safe to study the virus here. “It’s not in the best interest of conducted by the Student PIRG, it To remedy this, and to ensure a vaccine for it. “Some of the same concerns that the student to just stick with the old was found that 65 percent of profes- public health and safety, Fried “Basically,” Takayama said, are expressed about this were book,” she said, “especially if it is sors “rarely” or “never” used them. suggested a more transparent “when a bird is found [research- expressed about HIV. But that out of date.” Students have found that a approval process. This, she said, Keeping up with these revi- remedy to the cost of highly priced ers] would match a sample with turned out to be safe,” he said. sions can be costly, but Camargo books is to purchase used ones; said, “teachers provide packets for however, acquiring them can be a the upper-level courses,” easing problem as well. through the stomach and small Doctors rarely ask for stool some of the costs for upper-level “Used textbooks are hard intestine for three to four days samples from patients and that is students. “But for the lower level to obtain,” said Director of the before attaching itself to the the only way to tell whether some- courses, they have to buy a lot of University of Hawai‘i Bookstore E.