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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 10, 1981)
The Battalion Viewpoint December 10 Slouch By Jim Earle WAWT A CHRISTMAS GlPT TIP! Giv/EA SUBSCRIPTION TO THE BATTALION f jogging junkies require help to kick the habit By DICK WEST United Press International ‘ WASHINGTON — Some researchers now ^believe “runner’s high,” heretofore consi dered a psychological lift, may be the body ."having a sort of drug abuse reaction to jog ging. The theory is that long distance running 'causes the body to release “natural opi ates,” such as the chemicals enkephalins and beta-endorphin, that have much the '*same effect as morphine or heroin. According to one account, it is even ’possible for a jogger to get hooked on his ..own body’s chemistry. I swear I’m not making this up. I read ; about it in a publication that has a good ; reputation for veracity. • I do a bit of jogging myself occasionally, • but have never run far enough to “trip out. ” ’Tripping over a few dogs and curbs has *been about it for me. '* At the pace I jog, the body releases as yet «unidentified chemicals whose effect is ■known to those of us on the slow track as •“runner’s drag.” > The sensation is difficult to describe to a • non-jogger, but is something like a giant 2 hand grabbing the back of your Adidas • running togs and pulling in the opposite • direction. ! Under no circumstances, however, does '“runner’s drag” become addictive. The possibility of addiction is to me the ‘most foreboding part of the new explana tion of “runner’s high. ” The omen comes the small society by Briclcman k The Battalion USPS 045 360 MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Editor Angelique Copeland Managing Editor Marcy Boyce City Editor Jane G. Brust Asst. City Editor Kathy O’Connell Photo Editor Dave Einsel Sports Editor Ritchie Priddy Focus Editor Cathy Saathoff Asst. Focus Editor Debbie Nelson News Editors Phyllis Henderson Bernie Fette, Belinda McCoy Diana Sultenfuss StaffWriters ■ Gary Barker Frank L. Christlieb, Randy Clements Gaye Denley, Nancy Floeck, Tim Foarde Colette Hutchings, Daniel Puckett Denise Richter, Mary Jo Rummel, Rick Stolle Nancy Weatherley, Barbie Woelfel Cartoonist Scott McCullar Graphic Artist Richard DeLeon Jr. Photographers Brian Tate Daniel Sanders, Colin Valentine EDITORIAL POLICY The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper operated as a community service to Texas A&M University and Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Bat talion are those of the editor or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M Universi ty administrators or faculty members, or of the Board of Regents. The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for students in reporting, editing and photography classes within the Department of Communications. Questions or comments concerning any editorial matter should be directed to the editor. LETTERS POLICY Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length, and are subject to being cut if they are longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style and length, but will make every effort to maintain the author’s intent. Each letter must also be signed, show the address and phone number of the writer. Columns and guest editorials are also welcome, and are not subject to the same length constraints as letters. Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. The Battalion is published daily during Texas A&M’s fall and spring semesters, except for holiday and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester, $33.25 per school year and $35 per full year. Advertising rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Build ing, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. United Press International is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to it. Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein reserved. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. Potential to love: don’t waste it All you beautiful people: You won’t read very many letters like the one you are about to read. It is written about people and our happiness, subjects usually not encountered or treated very di rectly by us. The author is someone whose efforts are prompted by the beauty he sees in people. So whether you agree or disagree with what he has to say, at least know that he feels he’s acting “because he cares. ” One of the most basic feelings we have is the need for feeling wanted. To the extent that man is a social creature, we need to feel from others that we’re living a good life. As an example, around a crowd isn’t there a sort of deep pull to be a part of the fun and excitement? And how do we respond to those feelings? Although we don’t ever tot ally get rid of our insecurities, I believe that true happiness comes from realizing from where and how security is obtained. Our environment is our American, capi talistic society. In presenting American business, and how consumer oriented bus inesses make their money, I’d like to talk about advertising propaganda and televi- Reader's Forum People working in the advertising de partments of our big consumer corporations are smart guys. They realize of course that in order to sell something they must create and appeal to a need. What better need for them to appeal to than this same very basic human need, to feel like we re living a good, happy life? Take a minute and think about television commercials. “After all, life is worth living, so buy a Buick. ” “Live in Brittania. ” “Coke is the real thing,” and “Have and Coke and a smile!” (Wouldn’t it be more realistic to say, “Have a Coke and a burp?”) And another big key is sex appeal. This need is surely a human need of great im portance. So what about the new guy at the office who comes in scratching his head, and none of the secretaries will look at him because HE HAS DANDRUFF. Of course, he uses the right shampoo and the next day is immediately approached by the beautiful secretary. And soap operas. Plots charged with emotionalism — portraying adultery, in cest, and hate, and why? For good ratings, to sell more products! Here are we insecure, searching people trying to live happy lives, and we are con stantly being bombarded with these kinds of advertising propaganda and this other fine, exemplary programming. “Buy this and be happy,” “buy that and be sexually fulfilled,” and “So and so’s pregnant with John’s baby!” The concern which prompts me to write is this: people are wonderful, wonderful creatures. But I think that many people in this country are caught up in believing that much or most of their happiness, and sense of fulfillment and security, is to be obtained from driving their beautiful cars, from wearing nice clothes and making them selves up, from acting macho or “cool.” What these people try to do is to obtain happiness from exterior things. From their material possessions, and from their out ward mannerisms. Can we achieve happi ness only from our standing with other people? Happiness can’t come solely from life: Happiness, security, strength. It may also meanchangii— a J eno one’s ways. But, it’s not simplei sen t to c< attempting to fulfill our urgeforaH ^j) b e h and need for security in thewaystl Over t apitalistic society can haveusbelif mates ha correct. facilities, That people may not be as happy IDC pul can be here is my concern. People® ' ^ ie wonderful because we have the pole love: if that potential is notbeingrd so many cases it is to me the grei M ^g human wastes. We liere at Texas V_VC- young, intelligent, and hard worfc so much of this potential. Let’s notm ^ Name withheld upon request | By T B When i others, and other things. It comesj| ME. From my inside, from How? I believe that a most h human wisdom is this: we areontliisl hose pr to love. That’s what makes humankj Ights, riot wonderfully human: we have the« nind. to love. Now this all sounds alittlej Breako and even a little more vague (huthe ) l ( i VCI A cool ”, damn it), so a more practidj ' 0 ) U ( 1 phrase is in order. Inner happinessisi ^q'hese the people around us, in our mil® ;orne 0 f minute interactions with them, anil >jtj ze nsof applies to our station in life whethen Departmi doctors, teachers, ditch-diggers,cui newest pi students. Fullfilhnent comes notfra in Grime: ting the job with the most statusons The de but from finding the vocation whi permits us to use our talents andabi> : ^ e ,' ! love others. £d l PP ro P r ^ Where do we find happiness?By! others happy? It becomes a very la deviate cycle. We love other people, d [he new makes us feel better about ourselvei 5,968 aci show our love even more, which mi md will feel even better about ourselveslti mates, toward this kind of lifestyle meansp Althou lot of things, the most importanttli! 1 maxi,n Grimes are j over loud and clear. When evidence about the body’s pro duction of "natural opiates” is substantial enough to stand up in court, we will begin to see narcotics agents out on the jogging trails. Joggers suspected of having a “runner’s high” will be arrested and booked on drug charges. But what of the poor addicts who crave another hit of enkephalin? What I envision is a network of regional detoxification centers where jogging junk ies can go for help in breaking the habit. These rehabilitation clinics would be au thorized to administer a synthetic physical fitness program, much as methadone is given as a substitute for heroin. Here’s how it would work: A jogger suffering withdrawal symptoms would be put on a treadmill the speed of which could be carefully controlled. When the junkie reached the stage where euphor ia was setting in, giving him a general sense of being in overdrive, the treadmill would be slowed down, allowing the patient to “taper off.” Jogging addiction can’t be wiped out overnight, of course. Like the poet Ernest Dowson calling for “madder music and stronger wine,” a typical jogging junkie is driven to evergreater lengths to gratify his compulsions, finally getting to the point of entering marathons. But now that we know what’s causing it, a cure can’t be far behind. By NA The M jonight a laque ir [ng forir jven lar Jniversil The B : discu /elopme :il meet fiction co -committi Ifihe issue I The c I that the |lounge. “We c sue anc sion by ; w It's your turn Surprise from telephone company Editor: Upon returning from a pleasant Thank sgiving break, I found a not so pleasant note in my mailbox. It was from the General Telephone Company. The letter stated that an extra deposit had to be submitted by a certain date or long distance services would be discontinued. There was a phone num ber to call if any questions arose from the letter. I called the number and was put on hold several times. I finally found out that an additional security deposit was required of all on campus numbers. I was also told this deposit was mandatory whether or not cre dit had been established with another phone company or if bills had been paid on time. I understand that GTE must take pre cautions against having bills left unpaid by students, but I do not understand why ALL students should have to carry the burden of such a large deposit when only a few do not pay their bills. Many students do not have the extra money to invest in a company, especially when the services rendered stu dents as liabilities rather than assets. In College Station, students make up a large percentage of the population and help to support these companies. When companies such as GTE hold a monopoly on such a service, they also hold students over a bar rel with such unfair tactics as the one men tioned above. There may not be much I can do about this situation except to voice my opinion, but I have had my long distance service discontinued like many students living near me. If more students who share this opinion with me would take direct action, maybe companies like GTE would listen. Dr. the Cc tratior presid ness A Mu ness a He ca Nebra servec marke ated a ject fc tion. Ro that a library should be a place for id cy, sleeping or partying.’ I wastau^ you should be QUIET in alibraryj us like to go there to get a few l® studying done and do not want tol turbed by people like you. Pleas another place to do your socialia': leave the library to the more serif' dents. Dr. I patholo Medica Amarill associal The ap 1. The througl ty Syst fense i Jennifer D. Bedgood Krueger Hall Lori Striclila® Neel? Editor’s note: This letter was accompanied by 24 other signatures. MSC chimes ring Disco library unreal Editor: Editor: This letter is directed to Dave Spence whose ‘Disco Library’ letter appeared in Thursday’s edition of the Battalion. Spence, I do not know if you meant your letter to be funny or serious; but, if you meant it to be serious, I think you have an idealized image of what a library should be. The definition of a library is “a place in which literary or reference material (as books, manuscripts, etc) are kept for use. ” Nowhere in this definition is it suggested A short note on the Christmas being played instead of the regular! t at the MSC. Fighting my way thi* terrible blizzards and waistdeeps# we get in these parts, and with wh# like nothing ahead but the impendin' of finals, it is sometimes all too easy t® : that Christmas is just around the co® think its really nice to have such a little reminder given to us by : thoughtful folks. Michael Palaf