Fight fire with flier: For centuries, man has waged war against insect pests. But what if we could engineer allies from those very enemies, exploiting the laws of nature to finally conquer and destroy the most destructive foes? Scientists at UT Austin are cultivating conditions to breed a parasitic fly called a phorid, one of the natural enemies of that toxic Texas trespasser, the fire ant. The female fly lays eggs in the ant's abdomen, and when the larvae hatch, they eat their way out to adulthood, killing the ant in the process. Scientists are studying 50 species of phorid flies in order to find the one that preys on the variety of imported fire ant that plagues the state. A 1995 assessment of the project approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture maintains that human health won't be affected by the flies, nor will they themselves become a nuisance. If the experiments are successful and phorid flies are introduced into the ecosystem, the flies could begin controlling the fiery pests by the year 2000.

Suing the Snake: After five years of twists and turns, personal injury lawsuits filed in 1992 against the builders of the Rattler -- the tallest wooden roller coaster in the country -- were settled for just over $3.5 million. When the Rattler opened at Fiesta Texas in 1992, the tallest drop was a whopping 182 feet. Complaints that the ride was too aggressive soon followed -- 19 suits were filed relating to injuries to backs, necks, and spinal cords. The coaster was altered in 1994 to take 42 feet off the first drop and 19 feet off the second peak. The modifications didn't stop riders from blaming the snake for injuries, however, and despite the recent settlements there are still some active suits, most filed after 1994. Plaintiffs were awarded compensations ranging from $8,000 to $625,000, paid out by an insurance company for the Atlanta-based coaster constructors, Marvin M. Black Construction, and subsidiaries Rollercoaster Corp. of Texas and Milajest Inc.

Take care what you wear in New Braunfels: The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) will be defending a high school senior who was arrested in the New Braunfels H.E.B. for wearing a shirt shoppers complained was obscene. The upsetting fashion statement: a t-shirt displaying goth rocker Marilyn Manson on the front and a phrase containing "God" and a certain four-letter word on the back. However, before John Schroeder was actually arrested, police plucked him from the cheese department and made him sit outside the store so passersby could view the offending article of clothing. Schroeder is charged with making an obscene display; he spent three hours at the Comal County jail before posting $250 bail, and his shirt was confiscated. Last July, another teen was arrested at the New Braunfels Wal-Mart for wearing a shirt featuring a naked woman on the front and an upside-down crucifix and profane slogan about Jesus Christ on the back. The charges were eventually dropped because the (fashion) police had failed to get the names of the offended shoppers.

(2/1/98)