European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 21, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday May 21, 1991 the stars and stripes Page 7or Blue eyes a a Young visitor to new Orleans Audubon zoo pets a precious commodity a White Alligator. The Blue eyed rarity is among 18 White gators that reside in the zoo after being found in a Louisiana swamp four years ago. The alligators a not considered True albinos because they have Blue eyes rather than Pink have become Hometown celebrities. A there is no Way to put a Price on them Quot said Curt Barnett general curator at Audubon zoo. A they Are the Only ones in the world. When something is the Only one its  rights Bush tells Cuba on anniversary Washington apr a a president hush marked the 89th Anve tsar of Cuba Independence with a Call monday Tor Lade Castro to Iree political prisoners and allow the United nations to investigate human rights in the country. Bush also invited cuban political dissidents to meet with hint in the Oval 0-1 lice ii commemoration of the first cuban Republic established in iw2, Lour years after the spams american War ended Spain a control Over the Island. In a taped radio message the president said  relations with Cuba can improve under specific conditions. A a a a. Quot it c Uba holds u la Tiee and Tan elections under International supervision respects human rights and stops subverting its neighbors we can expect relations Between our two countries to improve Sigeti cantle Quot lie said a a a a a a a a a a. A. A a. A a a a. I he United states broke Oil relations with Havana aft i Castio s socialist revolution toppled the dictatorship of Gen. Fulgencio Batista in i951f a. As Castio openly embraced communism the United states attempted to oust his government by backing a cuban insurrection but that fort failed in the i of i Bay of pigs invasion. A Loday  reiterate unwavering commitment Lor a tree and democratic Cuba. Nothing shall turn us away Troni this objective Quot Busl said in his message. Quot i  Fidel Castro to free political prisoners in Cuba and allow the United nations commission on human rights to investigate possible Humaidi rights violations in Cuba Quot he said a i Challenge or. Castro to follow the examples of countries like Nicaragua Panama Paraguay and Chile in their achievement of new  the president urged Castro to Quot put democracy to a test permit political parties to organize and a Iree press to  Bush s plan for High school test wins support by Holly k. Hacker the los Angeles times Washington a the National endowment for the humanities on sunday endorsed president Bush a proposal to establish a nationwide achievement test for High school students saying it is needed to measure whether they meet minimum educational standards. In a 117-Page report the Agency said the United states is the Only major Industrial nation that does not test what students have Learned before sending them on to College or into the work Force. It said the two main standardized tests currently administered to High school students a the Scholastic aptitude test and the american College testing program a actually measure aptitude rather than achievement and Are taken Only by College bound students. The Agency a chairwoman Lynne v. Cheney who is the wife of defense Secretary Dick Cheney said students should be required to take written essay tests that make them accountable for what they have Learned. A your most common High stakes examinations Are divorced from the classroom study of subjects like history a she said. A they do Little to Advance the notion that hard work in school  the Agency a report was made Public Only a month after Bush unveiled a series of controversial new education proposals including one advocating nationwide achievement testing. Cheney estimated that developing carrying out and grading a National achievement test could Cost hundreds of millions of dollars each year. But she said that with $200 billion spent annually on education such expenses would be a quite . About 20 states already have expressed interest in providing such testing to students who Volunteer to take the exams. Cheney said she Hopes to see voluntary testing in math science history English and geography by the year 2000 for students in the fourth eighth and 12th-grades. The president s proposals have sparked a storm of controversy. Nancy Kochuk speaking for the National education association. Said schoo by school reporting does not take into account differences in students economic status. A it might be harder to educate Stu dents from disadvantaged backgrounds Quot she said. Current aptitude tests pertain Only to Basic skills and tend to be multiple Choice in format. In comparing the . Testing system with those Quot of other Industrial countries the report highlights exams irom Britain trance Germany and Japan in which students must provide written and Oral responses to difficult questions on history and the humanities. Tor most students in those countries the chances of attending a University depend largely on whether they pass a National achievement test the document said. Not All students take the exam and  who do  trance Lor example More than 25 percent did not pass. A a a a a. Gum reportedly prompts on Pittsburgh up a wad of chewing gum was apparently behind the shooting of an 18-year-old Man on a City bus police said sunday. Claude Williams 58, was being held at Allegheny county jail on $50,000 Bond. He is accused of shooting Kareem Coleman in the Groin because he did t like the Way Coleman was chewing gum according to police and witnesses. Quot he said a you Young kids got no respect. In a going to show you something a said Leonard Green one of about 30 other passengers on the bus. Coleman was listed in serious condition at presbyterian University Hospital. Williams is charged with Beer abated As Sault a firearms violation and 12 counts of recklessly endangering other passengers. He was arrested at Home around 7 . Saturday More than three hours after the downtown incident. Some passengers said they to a the Driver that Williams had a gun. And asked her to Call police. Port authority transit spokesman Jason Fincke said the authority will investigate whether the Driver followed proper procedure. She is on leave with pay until an investigation can be conducted Fincke said calling that Standard procedure after any serious bus incident. Fuel truck crash kills 5, sets stores afire in Bronx. New York up a truck loaded with 3,500 Gallons of gasoline collided with a car and slowed into a store Early monday killing five people and igniting a Blaze in 10 stores police said. Firefighters from eight stations battled a roaring fire in a building in the Bronx along with nine other businesses around it for three hours before declaring the Blaze under control around 3 . A there were Rivers of burning gasoline Quot said fire department spokesman James Powell. Quot it was like Rivers of . A Powell said the truck slammed into a car just after Midnight then crashed into a store setting off the roaring Blaze and rupturing the fuel tank Hie fire occurred at one of the busiest intersections in the Bronx he said. Gas spilling from the truck ran Down the Street and into sewers officials said. I he live people killed were burned beyond recognition he said. They were believed o have been riders in the truck and car and possibly one pedestrian