Nation briefs 2/13/05

Christo's 'The Gates' unfurled inCentral Park

NEW YORK-- Flowing fabric the color of sunrise was unfurled Saturday as "The Gates" -- a vast public art installation along the miles of footpaths in Central Park -- opened for 16 days. The exhibition opened with Mayor Michael Bloomberg dropping the first piece of fabric from one of the 7,500 16-foot-high gates, creating what the artists billed as "a visual golden river" along 23 miles of the park's footpaths. He was joined by exhibit creators Christo and Jeanne-Claude. More than 1 million square feet of fabric was used by the artists.

Brain-damaged woman talks after 20-year silence

HUTCHINSON, Kan. -- Sarah Scantlin was an 18-year-old college freshman on Sept. 22, 1984, when she was hit by a drunk driver as she walked to her car after celebrating with friends at a teen club. For the next 20 years, she has been mostly oblivious to the world around her. Today, after a remarkable recovery, she can talk again. Although she still suffers from the effects of the accident and will probably never leave the Golden Plains Health Care Center where she has lived since the accident, her memories are returning. Scantlin's doctor, Bradley Scheel, said physicians are not sure why she suddenly began talking but believe critical pathways in the brain may have regenerated. "It is extremely unusual to see something like this happen," Scheel said.

Ohio pushing law to fight college 'liberalism'

WESTERVILLE, Ohio -- Professors would have to include diverse opinions in classrooms under legislation being pushed in Ohio and several other states by conservatives who fear too many professors indoctrinate young minds with liberal propaganda. The proposal in Ohio to create an academic "bill of rights" would ban college professors from presenting opinions as fact or penalizing students for expressing their views. Professors dismissed the bill as unnecessary and questioned whether its supporters had ulterior motives, such as wanting more conservative professors. The bill's sponsor is Sen. Larry Mumper, a former high school teacher whose Republican party controls the legislature.