8S150 YEARSM t i MOL X - H O B SE R V E R SAINT MARY’S Friday, September 9, 1994 • Vol. XXVI No.10 H NOTRt DAME -IN 9 TI IE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING NOTRE DAME AND SAINT MARY'S Irish racing team’s new car is real, real fine By JASON WILLIAMS Associate News Editor “She’s real fine, my 385." In their original song, the Beach Boys sing “she’s real fine my 409,” glamorizing loud, four-barreled, gas-guzzling hot rod cars that whisked people across the wide open American roads. But for the most part, that era has passed, and Notre Dame engineering students are helping to usher in a new way of automotive travel by racing a sleek, almost dead silent, Indy- style battery powered car with a maximum voltage of 385. Notre Dame, along with 11 other universities, purchased rolling chassis and fiberglass shells as specified by the Solar and Electric Racing Association (S.E.R.A.) in Phoenix. A chal­ lenge to the schools was then put out to see who could design the best type of propulsion sys­ tem. “T h e re ’s two objectives in ­ volved,” said Col. John Miles, Notre Dame’s assistant dean of Engineering. “One is to give undergrads hands on research, and the second is to enhance technology of electric vehicles.” Notre Dame Racing, which consisted of 26 undergraduates last year, chose a lead acid bat­ tery produced by Delco/Remy for their car. The undergrads, led by their advisor Professor William Barry, then designed what they believed was the Photo courtesy of Kevin Burke The Delco/Remy, one of the Notre Dame Engineering department's recent creations, zips around the track. The department uses the car to let stu- most efficient way to install 28 dents try their hand at research and development. The electrically-powered car has given racing audiences a glimpse of automotive future. ________ 12-volt batteries. Just how well did Notre to Ohio State at Indianapolis. the car’s 1,100 pounds of bat­ not bad considering that it was ing Team has not found instant Dame’s design work? In the two The races are usually 15 laps teries. a road course with lots of sharp champagne in the winner’s cir­ races they competed in this long with all cars taking at least “At the Cleveland race we turns. We’ve never had the car cle. Obstacle upon obstacle has summer, they won both pole one pit stop to recharge batter­ managed to go the longest—8 up to maximum speed, but we been overcome, according to positions, won a race in ies. At the Cleveland race, it laps—before we had to pit,” figure it could go 150 to 160 Barry. Cleveland, and came in second took Notre Dame’s pit crew Miles said. “Our average speed miles per hour.” only 50 seconds to change out was 83 miles per hour, which is Unfortunately, the Irish Rac­ see CARS/ page 12 Alcohol abuse plagues campus By KATIE MURPHY most especially alcohol on col­ • 90 percent of all campus Associate News Editor lege campuses, is inhibiting the rapes occur when alcohol is be­ intellectual, social and spiritual ing used by either the assailant For years, alcohol consump­ development of our students.” or the victim; tion has been deemed a legiti­ Although the commission • 240,000 to 360,000 of the mate rite of passage on college originally intended to address a nation’s 12 million undergrad­ and universi­ number of types of substance uates will ultimately die from ty campuses abuse, recent scientific litera­ alcohol-related causes- more across the ture and research targeted al­ than the number who will get nation. cohol abuse as the most serious PhDs and MAs combined. Drinking par­ campus problem. With this in “Alcohol consumption is a ties, tail- mind, the commission decided health issue, but it is also a gaters, and to ultimately focus the study on moral issue,” Malloy said. Al college bars this trend, “We’re less accountable, we’re 10:30 a.m. Chi are typical “The pattern of drinking on more vulnerable, and we’re 11:00 a.m. Cheerleading Rr aspects of Father Malloy college campuses is unhealthy, less human when we are drunk 11:30 a.m. Mass excessive, and unnecessary,” than when we are sober.” 11:30 a.m. Glee Club Concert American college life, even though 3 out Malloy said. The commission’s 98-page 12:00 p.m. Marching Band The commission observed report, “Rethinking Rites of 12:45 p.m. Marching Band of 4 college students cannot 1:10 p.m . Band Preformance legally drink. that: Passage: Substance Abuse on 1:35 p.m . FOOTBALL GAME In a study released last June • over the past 15 years, the America’s Campuses," was sent by the Commission on Sub­ percentage of college women to each university and college stance Abuse at Colleges and drinking to get drunk has more president in the nation this Universities, the extent of alco­ than tripled, from approxi­ summer. hol consumption among Amer­ mately 10 percent to 35 per­ In addition to suggesting that ica’s college students has cent; campuses make the issue of al­ Sunday, Sep reached staggering heights. • each year students spend cohol abuse a top priority, the “With the greater risk of AIDS over $5.5 billion on alcoholic commission proposed that a and other potentially tragic beverages- more than they national Alcohol Awareness In­ consequences, alcohol abuse on spend on all other drinks and dex be formulated. This index campus has now reached crisis books combined; would help institutions assess gim ioS ' Mass Bas proportions," said Father Ed­ • 8 percent of students drink their own programs and also ward Malloy, president of the an average of 16 drinks or allow parents and students to University of Notre Dame and more per week; compare the alcohol environ­ chairman of the commission. • 95 percent of violent crime ment at different schools. on campus is alcohol-related; “All substance abuse, but see MALLOY/ page 4 page 2 The Observer • INSIDE Friday, September 9, 1994 m Inside Column m World at a Glance The common R.E.M., Salt-N-Pepa-EnVogue dominate MTV Music Awards NEW YORK In presenting a lifetime achievement good, not the And the award for upstaging its own award to the Rolling Stones, Rolling award program: Once again, it’s MTV! Stone magazine publisher Jann Sure, the music channel was handing Wenner talked about how much the good of the party out its 11th annual MTV Video Music enduring rock band had meant to him Awards on Thursday night, with lots of throughout his life. There is a disturbing phe-' big-name nominees. But the pre-party “They’ve inspired me in word and nomena that now controls focus was on newlyweirds Michael and deeds. I took their name for my maga- the headlines of this coun­ Lisa Marie Presley-Jackson, who zine. And they mean more to me now try’s newspapers. From opened the show with their first live than ever. I’m a total stone-cold Stones page one to the opinion television appearance as husband and fan, and proud of it,” Wenner said. pages, it’s staring America wife. “Please welcome Mr. and Mrs. That provoked Mick Jagger to in the face,, in big, bold Michael Jackson, ” the announcer intoned as the program joke:“Without us, Jann, the magazine might have been type. The malaise pervades went on the air. “I'm very happy to be here. And just called the Herman’s Hermits Monthly." both parties, and threatens think, nobody thought this would last,” Jackson said, Performing between the acceptance speeches was a to bring our political sys­ then planted a big kiss on his wife to the squealing musical smorgasbord: the Stones, Bruce Springsteen, tem to its knees. Dave Tyler delight of the crowd. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the Beastie Boys, Consider these banners Assistant News Editor R.E.M. — which had six nominations — won the direc­ Snoop Doggy Dogg, Stone Temple Pilots, Boyz II Men, that recently ran in the tion, cinematography, editing and so-called “break­ Salt-N-Pepa, Green Day and Smashing Pumpkins Chicago Tribune. One read, “November looking through” awards for its haunting “Everybody Hurts.” Virtually all the performers were nominees. After win­ sweet to Republicans,” and it was closely fol­ The dance award went to “Whatta Man ” by Salt-N-Pepa, ning the Academy Award for “Streets of Philadelphia,” lowed by a letter to the editor entitled, “Don’t featuring En Vogue. Aerosmith won the group citation for Springsteen collected a kitschy statue of an astronaut — counts Dems out yet.” “Cryin’.” And Counting Crows were selected best new which is what the MTV video award looks like — for best These are just two examples of events that artist for “Mr. Jones.” video from a film to put alongside that Oscar. have colored our political landscape for some time. This pattern has earned several names Bush to face Chiles in Florida race Gary police search for missing man from the press. It’s been called gridlock, apathy, partisanship—to name a few. These terms are MIAMI GARY, Ind. just smoke-screens. Simply put, the elected rep­ Gov. Lawton Chiles easily won the Gary police were seeking information today on a 32- resentatives, politicians, and members of Democratic nomination in his re-elec­ year-old man who was expected to join the department America’s two parties have put self-interest, tion bid while GOP candidates led by i later this month.