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Hundreds oppose
bullet train at rally
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — Hundreds of people
protesting the Texas bullet-train
project rallied at the Capitol Mon
day to petition Gov. Ann Richards
and applaud lawmakers who sup
port their aims.
"Before it's too late, stop the
Texas High Speed Rail," said a
sign at the rally by DERAIL,
which stands for Demanding
Ethics, Responsibility and Ac
countability in Legislation.
The group presented petitions
to Richards' staff that they said
were signed by 17,665 people
against the project by Texas TGV
Corp., a private consortium of
French and American investors.
"It's a boondoggle," West
phalia resident Jerry Thornton
said. And he said farmers and
ranchers aren't the only ones con
cerned about the proposal and its
possible impact.
"This is not a group of pitch-
forks and hoes trying to keep
everyone off of their property.
What we're asking for is justice,"
Thornton, an administrator for a
Waco medical practice, told the
crowd estimated at about 40t) by
Capitol police. Thornton said he
believed it was closer to 650.
Those at the rally were de
scribed as mostly from rural com
munities along the bullet train's
route, but DERAIL members said
people from various backgrounds
oppose the project.
"This is not a rural versus ur
ban issue. It's a right versus
wrong issue," said Gail Randle,
who owns a Geronimo feed store.
She said protesters don't oppose
the idea of high-speed rail but are
against the current project.
Among other items, protesters
said they were concerned about
the way the franchise was award
ed by the state High-Speed Rail
Authority, which is an appointed
rather than elected body; and the
project's potential impact on
property values and access to
land.
They also said Texas TGV
should be required to meet a Dec.
31 deadline to come up with $170
million of financing for the $6.8
billion project, which is proposed
to connect Dallas, Houston and
San Antonio with trains that
could run 200 mph.
The corporation earlier this
month said it wouldn't meet the
deadline because of holdups, that
were not its fault. Texas TGV
President David Rece defended
the project, saying the franchise
was awarded after an extensive
and careful process.
The corporation has said it will
work with landowners to mini
mize harm. The project is meant
to meet Texas' transportation
needs and would create jobs, Rece
added. He said of the protesters,
"Just because they don't agree
with the decision, they want to
discredit the people who made
the decision."
DERAIL gave its petitions to
Clint Winters, Richards' trans
portation adviser.
There were boos at his name
from people apparently dis
pleased that Richards herself was
not present. Richards had prior
commitments, said Joe Holley, a
spokesman for the governor.
FINANCIAL AID
FOR STUDY ABROAD
| LOANS
Q£
g GRANTS
x
u
cn
Cheri Zdziarski, Study Abroad Financial Aid Advisor, hosts an
Informative Meeting for students studying abroad on Texas A&M
Study Abroad Programs.
Come, Listen, Learn how Study Abroad can be financially in reach
for YOU!
Tuesday, October 13 3:00-4:00 pm
251 W. Bizzell Hall
Study Abroad Programs, 161 W. Bizzell Hall, 845-0544
The Battalion
ATLANTIS TILLMAN. Editor in Chief
STEVE O’BRIEN, Managing Editor
JASON LOUGHMAN, Opinion Editor GARY CARROLL, City Editor
MEREDITH HARRISON, News Editor J. DOUGLAS FOSTER, Sports
HEIDI SAUER, News Editor Editor
TODD BLACKMON, Arts & Entertainment CHRIS WHITLEY, Sports Editor
Editor RICHARD S. JAMES, Photo Editor
Staff Members
Reporters — Melody Dunne, Mark Evans, Todd Stone, Brandi Jordan, Cheryl Heller, Tanya
Sasser, Robin Goodpaster, Juli Phillips, Tanya Williams, Julie Chelkowski, Monique
Lunsford, Mack Harrision, and Will Healy.
News desk — Kyle Burnett, Tracia Newbold, Jennifer Mentlik, David Thomas, Lance
Holmes, Lauri Reysa and Jennifer Smith.
Photographers — Darrin Hill, Jenny Matlack, Randy Nichols, Sandra Alvarado, Billy Moran,
Jennifer Lockard, Ricardo S. Garcia and Robert Reed.
Lifestyles writers — Susan Owen, Anas Ben-Musa, Tricia Martinez and Julie Polston.
Sports writers— K. Lee Davis, Michael Plumer, Don Norwood and Ruly Medrano.
Columnists — Anthony LoBaido, Stacy Feducia, Dwayne Purvis, Shawn Ralston, Matt
Dickerson, Robert Vasquez, and Toni Garrard.
Cartoonists — William Harrison, Thomas Deeney, George Nasr, and Clay Welch.
Clerks — Darra Dees, Pejcharat Harvey, Shelley Rowton and Jamie Anderson.
The Battalion (USPS 045-360) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and
spring semesters and Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except
University holidays and exam periods), at Texas A&M University. Second class postage paid
at College Station, TX 77840.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, 230 Reed McDonald Building,
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843.
News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in
the Division of Student Publications, a unit of the Department of Journalism. Editorial offices
are in 013 Reed McDonald Building. Newsroom phone number is 845-3316. Fax: 845-2647.
Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the Opinion Page staff or the contributor and
do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Texas A&M Battalion editors, student body,
administration, faculty or staff.
Advertising: For campus, local and national display advertising, call 845-2696. For
classified advertising, call 845-0569. Advertising offices are in 015 Reed McDonald and office
hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 845-5408.
Subscriptions: Mail subscriptions are $20 per semester, $40 per school year and $50 per
full year. To charge by VISA or MasterCard, call 845-2611.
The Battalion
Tuesday, October 13,
Health Tips
Tuesday
Health Center warns against effects of iron deficienc
By KRISTY GAMBRELL
A.P. BEUTEL HEALTH CENTER
Feeling tired and run-down lately? Weil at
Texas A&M, logical explanations for that
might be the test you spent all night studying
for, the party you attended or Midnight Yell
Practice.
Another factor you might consider, though
less likely, is your daily intake of iron.
Of all the essential vitamins and minerals,
iron is the one nutrient people have the most
difficulty satisfying.
The Recommended Daily Allowance is 10
milligrams for men and 15 milligrams for
women.
In the body this mineral plays an impor-
buildir
tant part in oxygen transport, tissue buUdmg,
lipid homeostasis and healthy immune sys
tem maintenance. If intake is too low, howev
er, your body may respond, and you could
feel the effects of iron deficiency anemia.
One or more common symptoms include
feeling tired, weakness, difficulty concentrat
ing, sensitivity to cold, and decreased resis
tance to infection (colds and flu).
The incidence of iron deficiency anemia
ranges from 10 percent to 20 percent in devel
oped countries and is even higher in develop
ing countries. In our society, several factors
contribute to this problem. High consumption
of snack foods which are often low in iron is
one. For women, low-calorie dieting and
monthly iron losses through menstruation
play a role. Vegetarians are at risk because of
the lack of meat in their diet.
Special care must be taken for them to get
the right combination of plant sources of iron.
Athletes should also be aware that research
has found iron losses to be higher in athletes
than in nonathletes; heavy training increases
the excretion of iron through sweat. If you
feel your condition needs attention, a visit
with your doctor is recommended. In general,
most Americans should try to eat well-bal
anced meals adequate in iron-rich foods.
The best sources of iron are lean meats,
dried beans and seeds and fortified cereals.
Some fruits and vegetables such as raisins,
strawberries, watermelon, spinach and broc
coli also supply the mineral.
For example, a meal consisting of three
ounces of lean beef, one cup of cooked
spinach, three-fourths cup of carrot-raisin sal
ad, and strawberry shortcake for dessert will
supply 11 milligrams of iron.
Another meal of three ounces of bali
cod, hushpuppies, and tossed salad, unfm
nately contains very little iron, only abo:
milligrams. To increase your body's abst?
tion of iron, watch out for iron promote
inhibitors.
Foods rich in vitamin C enhance):
body's use of iron, including them with):
meals can be beneficial. Animal soura
iron are more easily used by the body, if
and tea, on the other hand, get in the way
iron absorption and should be consumedlt
tween meals if you have iron-poor blood
The Health Education Center at theA:
Beutel Health Center offers a variety of
grams on health topics and maintainsaii
source file of health information in many
eas of health.
Tours of the health center arealsoavai
able Aggie R.E.A.C.H. (RepresentativesEd:
eating About College Health) is a volunls
student organization which helpspresa?
health programs to other college students,
Visit or call the Health Education Cents:
room 016, A.P. Beutel Health Center,(I
845-1341, if you have general questionsak
your health or need information for a da.
paper, speech or report.
Texas A&M receives computerized rehabilitation system
By JACQUELINE MASON
Contributing writer to THE BATTALION
With a new muscle testing and training sys
tem Texas A&M physical therapists can more
easily and accurately administer physical ther
apy to students, said an A&M physical thera
pist.
The $43,000 system, KIN-COM 125E Plus, is
a fully computerized rehabilitation device
used to test muscle strength. KIN-COM is
good for any kind of injury in which a patient
needs to strengthen a muscle, said Kelly
Roberts, A&M's only full-time physical thera
pist. It helps determine when a muscle be
comes strong enough so that therapy is no
longer needed, she said.
KIN-COM consists of a computer terminal
and a large, padded chair where the patient re
ceives treatment. The Dynamometer Head,
connecting the terminal and the chair, moni
tors the patient's movement. When a patient
applies force to KIN-COM, the device signals a
range of motion, muscle tension and speed.
"With the system you can exercise at specif
ic speeds, and it tells you how much force you
are exerting throughout a predetermined
range of motion," Roberts said.
The device can determine how much
strength a person has from the hip to the an
kle, for example, but it does not operatemEi
neck or back, she said. It is a very safe madia
because patients cannot overexert themsete
The system also aids in comparing
strengths of muscles, Roberts said. If resiil
show the right leg is weaker than the left
instance, then the therapist can determiaeiwi
much therapy the right leg needs. KD
can also compare a patient's strength
mal values, Roberts said.
Any A&M student, paying the healtliJ
vices fee, is entitled to free physical therap
sistance at the A.P. Beutel HealthCeft
However, permission from the student's^
tor is required.
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once Arts Society
presents
Street Jazz Workshop
taught by Davyd Suber,
a professional choreographer
8-10 p.m. Tuesday, October 12
in Read 268
free to Dance Arts Members only
others $3.00
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Make a Difference...
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Chairperson Application
riow available^/ J
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Room 131 Student
Services Buildiii
{Fish Gamp office)
For more information call 845-16?
V
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MSC
Political
Forum
Presents:
The Politics of
Race
A
Mr. John Impson
of the Texas A&M History Dept.
Speaks on the race issue and its effects on the
Southern politics of the 1990*8.
To be followed by an open discussion.
Bring your own ideas and an open mind.
Wednesday, October 14th in
Room 231 of the MSC from
4:30 - 5:30 PM
The views represented at this program do not necessarily
represent those of the MSC and MSC Political Forum.
J
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