The independent student newspaper at the University of Oregon dailyemerald.com SINCE 1900 | Volume 109, Issue 77 | Friday, November 30, 2007 STUDENT GOVERNMENT Senate break keeps student FASHIONABLE groups asking PROTECTION for more Condom fashion show is just one AT A GLANCE of the local events intended to Today’s World AIDS Day Events Student groups worried about their raise awareness about HIV/AIDS • Mayor Kitty Piercy will speak at proposals because ASUO Senate a candelight vigil, followed by a MIKE O’BRIEN has not met for the past two weeks News Reporter performance by Spectrum, LCC’s jazz ensemble. Lane County University junior Jasmine Zimmer- ROBERT D’ANDREA Courthouse, 5 p.m. Free. News Reporter Stucky recently had a busy three hours involving more than 500 condoms. But • Art reception for Clint Brown’s Claire Sharman followed all of the Senate’s not in the way you’re probably thinking. “The Plague Drawings.” EMU’s rules. She turned in her request for money Zimmer-Stucky — a general Adell McMillan Gallery, from the Senate’s surplus in advance to send science major, the education and outreach members of Students for Choice to an event in coordinator for the ASUO Women’s 7 p.m. Free. Los Angeles. She answered all the questions, Center and co-director of Students for • Condom fashion show, she did as much fundraising as she could, Choice — used the condoms to make followed by various skits. she cut corners to ask for the lowest possible a skirt, which she will wear in tonight’s EMU Ballroom, 8 p.m. Free. dollar amount. condom fashion show. But on Sunday the Feminist Majority “It’s a pair of boy shorts underwear • Benefit concert featuring the Foundation’s 20th anniversary celebration and then I just sewed (the condoms) on,” Party Tigers, the Water Tower will take place and Sharman has not received she explained. “It wasn’t actually that String Band, Superdream and any funds from the Senate, nor has her request difficult; it took a lot of time, but it didn’t the Blast Majesty at Campbell been debated. The Senate hasn’t met for two take a lot of skill.” weeks, and by the time it does Sharman’s Sponsored by several student groups Club, 1670 Alder St., 9 p.m. to 1 event will have passed. including the Cultural Forum and the a.m. Admission is $3 or a red “Everybody that I’ve talked to has been very Women’s Center, the fashion show is just ribbon pin, which costs $5. professional with me. I just don’t think it’s one of the University’s events to recognize acceptable to cancel two meetings in a World AIDS Day. row when there are items on the agenda,” “Eight thousand people a day die of Sharman said. HIV. That’s almost as much as three Senate President Athan Papailiou said of the 9/11 disasters happening every meetings had not been canceled, but rather were never scheduled. The Senate did not turn to HEALTH, page 8A meet two weeks ago Wednesday because it was the night before Thanksgiving and the (Left) Jasmine Zimmer-Stucky, education and EMU closed at 5 p.m., two hours before the outreach coordinator of the women’s center, Senate’s regular meeting time. will be modeling her condom skirt and sus- The Senate’s rules specify that the body does penders tonight in the Stop AIDS Fashion Show. The reception and art show will begin ONLINEVIDEO not need to meet during Dead Week, which is at 7 p.m. and the Fashion Show Performance Go behind the scenes at why there was no meeting this Wednesday. will begin at 8 p.m. in the EMU Ballroom. But Senate Vice President Donnie Kim said DAILYEMERALD.COM that was no excuse. A meeting could have CHRISTIN PALAZZOLO | Photo Editor been held at an earlier time the day before Thanksgiving, Kim said. Or rules could have been changed to specify that no meeting would occur before Thanksgiving, but would take place during dead week instead, which always UO researchers’ study of RNA may help cure disease follows the holiday, he said. TREVOR DAVIS The study will help scientists better understand myotonic include heart complica- Sharman said she found out about the event News Reporter in Los Angeles too late to submit a request tions, muscle degen- dystrophy, which is often difficult for doctors to diagnose eration and iridescent for surplus funds for the Senate’s Nov. 14 Myotonic dystrophy meeting. Instead, she asked for a hearing on cataracts, which doesn’t may be a case that not allow light to pass through even TV’s brilliant doctor turn to ASUO, page 4A the lens of the eyes. Some House could solve. Doc- with the disease can tors and scientists have contract a muscle but trouble diagnosing the can’t release it. disease because its symp- CRIME “All together, these toms — which include symptoms are really an irregular heartbeat, or Man convicted of killing Eugene pedestrian confusing,” Warf said. cardiac arrhythmia — are Warf and Berglund sentenced to three and a half years in prison often seemingly unrelat- discovered the mis- ed. There is currently no processing of the RNA Robert Thomas Berryhill, the Coos Bay cure for the disease. man who killed Lucy Lahr and injured her is thought to have partner Susan Wehner at Hilyard Street and 13th University research- direct consequences for Avenue Oct. 18, was sentenced to three and ers Bryan Warf and Andy people with the disease, a half years in prison Thursday morning, Berglund tried to make and may likely be at- according to the District Attorney’s Office. more sense of why symp- tributable to causing the toms occur together, and most fatal symptom — Berryhill was arrested Oct. 22 on two they discovered that pro- cardiac arrhythmia. felony charges and a misdemeanor. He tein directly interacts with During the last decade, pleaded guilty Thursday to criminally negligent mis-processed RNA. Their the research community homicide, felony hit and run, and driving while results will be published has been more focused suspended. He claimed he did not see Lahr and in the December edition on studying the disease, JAROD OPPERMAN | Photographer Wehner cross the street when he turned the of the journal RNA. Warf said. corner in his truck because his windshield was “It doesn’t necessar- Bryan Warf, a doctoral student, recently was given a $1,000 cash prize, along with other The recently formed University professors, for outstanding research in RNA-binding in myotonic dystrophy. leaking and his defroster was broken. ily bring us closer to American arm of the Berryhill’s previous offenses include finding a cure, but it helps complex puzzle, and of the disease together an inherited disease, Myotonic Dystrophy reckless driving, criminal trespass and driving us understand what’s this is just another piece because the body is is a form of muscular Foundation awarded under the influence. going wrong,” said of it.” made up for more than dystrophy, and its symp- the University of Oregon Warf, the lead author in Warf said it’s challeng- 30,000 genes. toms can appear at any — Jill Kimball the study. “It’s a really ing to put all the pieces Myotonic dystrophy, age. Symptoms can turn to RNA, page 3A INSIDE SPORTS HOLIDAY GIVING CITY ADMINISTRATION MEN’S BASKETBALL Local organizations are lending a Jeff Spartz will soon take charge of Ducks beat Kansas State 80-77 TODAY SATURDAY SUNDAY helping hand to the homeless. Lane County, replacing Bill Van Vactor. in tough environment. Mostly Cloudy Few Showers Showers/Wind PAGE 3A PAGE 4A PAGE 6A 43°/30° 41°/38° 50°/44° EDITORIAL BOARD ELON GLUCKLICH | Opinion editor LAURA POWERS | Editor in chief KATIE MICHAEL | Managing editor BRYN JANSSON | Senior copy chief JOSHUA GRENZSUND | Columnist Friday, November 30, 2007 OPINION JOBETTA HEDELMAN | Freelance editor NEWS STAFF (541) 346-5511 IN MY OPINION | KAMRAN ROUZPAY LAURA POWERS Editor in Chief KATIE MICHAEL Managing Editor JILL AHO Men and women, try to hide your brain dead sides Senior News Editor ERIC FLORIP News Editor timeless argument. No mat- ROBERT D’ANDREA ter how nice, sweet, romantic, TREVOR DAVIS ALLIE GRASGREEN perfect, and gentlemanly a guy JILL KIMBALL RYAN KNUTSON might seem, he really has a po- MIKE O’BRIEN tentially devastating jerk buried JASON N. REED News Reporters deep down inside. Ice Cube said JOBETTA HEDELMAN it perfectly about women, but I Freelance Editor think it applies to men better in JEFFREY DRANSFELDT Sports Editor A CLEVER RUSE this case: “Now the title b**** JACOB MAY don’t apply to all women, but Senior Sports Reporter all women got a little b**** in I was really struggling to get KEVIN HUDSON ‘em.” Not all men are jerks by DAN JONES something on paper for this Sports Reporters title, but every one of them will week’s column seeing as it is LINDSAY FUNSTON do something painfully stupid Pulse Editor the end of the term, our football to hurt you. MATT SEVITS season is lost, there are fewer Associate Pulse Editor parties, less enthusiasm around Women, in my personal and THOM BREKKE interpersonal experiences, are CAROLYN HAMM campus due to finals and TIFFANY REAGAN weather, etc. And in the mean- totally out of their minds. There Pulse Reporters is no rhyme or reason to many ELON GLUCKLICH time I have received numerous Opinion Editor complaints about the lack of di- of the decisions and/or non- NIK ANTOVICH versity in my columns because decisions that go through their DEBORAH BLOOM heads.