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