Tuesday, October 3. 2000 The University Daily Kansan Section A · Page 5 ABC reporter discusses career By Jason Franchuk writer@kansan.com Kansas staff writer Even after all the opinions he had offered in a one-hour lecture yesterday at Woodruff Auditorium in the Kansas Union, ABC reporter John Stossel could not have a moment of reprieve. Stossel, a controversial reporter on ABC News, had already used time to bemoan lawyers, regulations, liberals and journalism schools to the filled auditorium. Now, he just wanted something to quench his thirst. On the stage midway through a question-and-answer session, Stossel asked if someone could get him water. He did not notice the bottle waiting for him next to the lectern. When he picked up the bottle and unscrewed the cap, a man shouted from the audience "Is it safe?" Work as a consumer reporter is never easy. And neither is life as arguably the country's most outspoken public-service reporter. He poked fun at others in his two speeches, but he also was quick to point a finger at himself. Stossel used part of his first speech at the Alumni Center, to a group of high school students and KU journalism students, to speak about a highly criticized story on pesticides and organic foods he did last fall. The story was condemned in editorials and by groups as inaccurate, but Stossel stands by his work, except for one sentence that he said might have been inaccurate. He later delivered an on-air apology for what he called a "screw up." A producer of the story was suspended for a month without pay. Stossel received no formal punishment, except, he said, to his reputation. "It damaged my credibility." Stossel said, adding that he'd likely be known for years as the guy who fakes things. The Princeton graduate also criti- cized journalism schools, saying that 90 percent of the time, getting an education in journalism wasn't worth it. He also poked fun at lawyers, who he said had disproportionate power, and liberals. Someone in each speaking session asked Stossel how he learned to do his job. He gave the answer of someone who has received numerous threats of death and losing his job. "I learned through fear," Stossel said. "People who want to run your life tend to go into politics, journalism and law." Stossel said. "They tend to be liberals." Stossel came to Lawrence from Cancun, Mexico, where he was continuing a national speaking tour. He was headed to Iowa but used his layover time to lend a favor to a new family member. Kris Pueschel, headmaster of Lawrence's Bishop Seabury Academy, a college preparatory school for grades 7 through 12, has a daughter married to Stossel's nephew. Pueschel said he thought Stossel's visit warranted a larger audience than just Bishop Seabury Academy. "It would have been self-serving to keep him to ourselves," said Pueschel, who introduced Stossel as a modern-day Socrates. "I thought it was important enough to involve a major university." — Edited by Warisa Chulindra Napster returns to court argues case before judges The Associated Press Only hours after a federal judge issued an injunction against Napster, saying it was encouraging "wholesale infringing" against music industry copyrights, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stayed the order. SAN FRANCISCO — Napster Inc. is hoping three federal appeal judges will let stand a ruling that keeps the Internet music-sharing service alive — at least for now. The company was spared in July from a court order that would have shut down the site until the Recording Industry Association of America's lawsuit against the online site was resolved. The two sides headed back to court yesterday, each getting 20 minutes to argue their case before a three-judge panel of the federal appeals court. The three-judge panel has already expressed concerns about the injunction and will try to determine whether it was overly broad, said Marcie Mihaila, an appellate lawyer who has followed the case. A decision isn't expected for at least a month. Both sides say they are fighting for their survival. "This service is causing serious injury to songwriters," said Carey Ramos, an attorney for the recording industry. "It really needs to be restrained. We urgently need relief." Napster claims its 22 million users are violating no law. It bases its defense on the Audio Home Recording Act of 1992, which it says grants immunity when music is shared for non-commercial use. A stand-up performance Joanna Watts, Kansas City, Mo., junior, takes a bow after telling a joke while Amy Hupp, Lenexa sophomore, and Mariana Hinojosa, Hutchinson senior, wait for their turns to participate in Nibblebox's college comedian search. Nibblebox is in front of Stouffer Flint Hall yesterday and is traveling to 30 colleges during its promotional tour. The winning performance will be shown on the Internet at nibblebox.com. Photo by Tara Kraus/KANSAN Britain enacts new bill of rights Judges lack power to overturn laws in conflict with act The Associated Press LONDON — Britain has a new bill of rights, and there are many questions about how it will affect a range of issues from families to free speech to the legality of measures taken to protect London from Irish Republican Army bombers. The Human Rights Act, passed by Parliament in 1998 and effective yesterday, incorporates much of the European Convention on Human Rights into the laws of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland adopted the Convention a year ago. As in the U.S. Bill of Rights, the Human Rights Act is a written charter of the liberties of citizens. Unlike in the United States, judges will have no power to overturn legislation only to advise Parliament if a law is in conflict with the rights act. Critics of the act predicted a flood of frivolous lawsuits, but others applauded the act as a major advance for human rights. The rights enumerated in the European Convention have been available to Britons since it came into force in 1953, but only after the time-consuming and expensive process of exhausting all legal avenues at home before taking their cases to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. Rights guaranteed under the act include freedom from torture and killing, as well as the right to liberty, education, fair trial, free expression and voting Opposition Conservative Party lawmaker Ann Widdecombe predicted the act would encourage a rash of frivolous lawsuits. Under the Human Rights Act, these issues can be weighed in British courts. "We have a whole range of what most people would not think were sensible claims that will not only take up a lot of time in the courts but will obviously add to what are already queues for justice." Widdecombe said in an interview yesterday on British Broadcasting Corp. radio. The new act has inspired hopes and fears of significant changes. Sebastian Sandys of Stonewall, a gay advocacy group, said it would support cases under the Human Rights Act seeking to establish legal partnerships for homosexuals. Bert Massie, chairman of the Disability Rights Commission, said the act would be an important tool for asserting the rights of disabled people. Ruth Lea, head of policy at the Institute of Directors, said the act was bad news for business. "We fear the Human Rights Act, an unnecessary piece of legislation if ever there was one, will give another major stimulus to the compensation culture," Lea said. The human rights group Liberty said the act might overrule stop-and-search powers enacted as part of the security cordon around the City of London in reaction to devastating IRA bombings. It also believes that the guarantee of freedom of expression will create stronger rights for journalists and make it easier for them to defend "We fear the Human Rights Act, an unnecessary piece of legislation if ever there was one, will give another major stimulus to the compensation tion culture." Ruth Lea head of policy at the Institute of themselfs from prosecution under the Official Secrets Act. The Apprentice Boys of Derry, one of the largest Protestant fraternal organizations in Northern Ireland, said yesterday it might use the act to challenge the Parades Commission, which has banned some marches through Catholic areas. British law already has bent to rulings from Strasbourg. In cases going back to the 1970s, prisoners won the right to consult lawyers and sue the government; some interrogation techniques were banned in Northern Ireland; controls on telephone tapping were tightened; and children were barred from being tried in adult criminal courts. The government has budgeted $65 million to cope with the expected increase in court business. The Lord Chancellor said, however, that he expected no wholesale changes in British law. Since Scotland adopted the European charter last year, he said, 98 percent of the cases arguing a human rights issue had been thrown out by judges. Check out News! kansan.com Red Lyon Tavern 944 Mass. 832-8228 a touch of Irish in downtown Lawrence Sports Page Brewery PG Clinton Parkway & Kasold 832-9600 Great food, Daily drink specials! Hollywood Theaters SOUTHWIND 12 3433 IOWA 930-758-2626 Set-Sun Daily 1 Bring It On *H*TM (1:40) 1.5:00 7,1:45 2 Duets *I* (1:15) 4:10; 7,00; 9,35 3 Bait *I* (1:35) 4:25; 7,10; 10,05 4 The Watcher *A* (1:30) 4:30; 7,35; 10,10 5 Almost Famous *H*TM (1:00) 4:00; 7,00; 9,45 6 Remember The Titans *I* (1:05) 4:15; 7,00; 9,45 7 Urban LegendsFinal Cut *I* (1:55) 5:00; 7,35; 9,55 8 Almost Famous *H*TM (1:40) 4:40; 7,30; 10,10 9 Nurse Bury *I* (1:25) 4:35; 7,10; 9,55 10 Woman On Top *I* (1:20) 4:50; 7,45; 9,50 11 What Lies Beneath *I* (1:10) 4:10; 7,10; 10,05 12 The Cell *I* (2:40) 4:25; 7,00; 10,50 BARGAIN MATINEES INDICATED BY () STADIUM SEATING * ALL DIGITAL PLAZA 6 Sat & Sun Daily 1 Scary Movie * (2:00) 4:45>7:15, 9:45 2 The Art Of War * (1:55) 7:05>9:35 3 Nutty Professor 2 $^{NCSS}$ (1:45) 4:30>7:05, 9:30 4 Saving Grace* (1:55) 4:45>7:10, 9:40 5 The Original Kings of Concern (1:55) 7:00>9:35 6 Space Cowboys $^{NCSS}$ (1:50) 4:40>8:00 - NO WARNINGS SUPER SAVERS SHOW WARNING BACK ONLY GET IN SHAPE! STAY IN SHAPE! Two Floors of Fitness! Cardio Theater Treadmills Recumbent Bikes Upright Bikes Stairsteppers Reebok Ellipticals Full Schedule of Classes. Tanning Specials Universal Machines Icarian Machines Crossline Circuit Juice Bar Personal Training Free Weights FLITE Machines Racquetball Whiripools Saunas Child Care Yoga Cardio Blast Butts & Guts Cardio Kickboxing 2500 W. 6th Street·841-6200 Cardio Interval Stretch-n-Tone Aerobox Super Sculpt Sixth Street FITNESS FREE Trial Membership Home Phone ---