The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, February 28, 1995, Image 2
Page 2 • THE BATTALION Tuesday • February 28, Merger with ETSU undergoes analysis Q I A i t: & t ocal W W JL—/ ^ Health Tips * Caffeine consumption effects cause need to evaluate intals uesc Monday, Texas A&M Board of Regents authorized A&M’s .chancellor to complete a comprehensive analysis of a merger with East Texas State University and make a recommendation to the Board. The ETSU Board of Regents approved the merger Feb. 10. Approval from the Texas Legislature is required to complete the agreement. ETSU’s main campus, in Commerce, enrolls 8,000 students. A Texarkana-branch campus enrolls - 1,200 students. ETSU also has a Metroplex Center in Mesquite which offers graduate courses. If the merger is approved, ETSU will become the second largest institution, behind Texas A&M University, in the A&M system. By Vanessa Park A.P. Beutel Health Center UT student removed from campaign race A University of Texas student who admitted to stealing Reveille VI from her keeper’s home in December 1993 as a stunt to help his campaign for UT’s Student Association president, has been removed from the race. The university’s Election Supervisory Board disqualified Neil Sheffield from the election Friday after another UT student representative filed a complaint against him. The representative said Sheffield told him and other representatives that he planned to use the information, about the theft as publicity for his campaign. But Sheffield said the board was searching for a reason to remove him from the race. “They were trying to find some way to kick me out, and that was the best thing they could find,” he said. "They’re doing this because they’re a bunch of Aggies.” The college student’s life is often filled with late- night cram sessions for a test or a paper due the next morning. Also present are weekly trips to the grocery store with triple coupons in hand for soft drinks, coffee and tea, along with an occasional box of over-the-counter, anti-fatigue medication, to help with the nights. What do all these have in common? Caffeine. Caffeine is the most frequently used habit-form ing drug in the world, adding two million pounds to the food in the United States annually. Do you ever wonder what else this substance does, other than maybe wake you up? Caffeine has many effects on the body: • It is absorbed immediately into the blood stream and reaches its highest level within 15 to 45 minutes of consumption. • It stimulates the release of insulin, which low ers the blood sugar and produces hunger. • It is a diuretic, which causes the body to excrete not only more water, but also needed water-soluble nu trients such as B-vitamins, vitamin C and magnesium. • Consumption over a period of time has been linked to high blood pressure, stomach irritation and ulcers, insomnia and heart palpitations. • It interferes with calcium absorption in the body. • It may cause central nervous system malfunc tions, including: nervousness, insomnia, irritability, anxiety, headaches and muscle twitching. • In pregnant women, it may interfere with nor mal fetal development because it readily crosses the placenta. • It increases the adrenaline level in your blood stream, putting added stress on your already stressed system, including heart, hormone levels and nerves. Since caffeine’s negative effects may impact your body, it may be wise to reconsider your study habits. Caffeine may help prevent fatigue, but it does not improve performance affected by a lack of sleep and extreme exhaustion. As discussed, caffeine’s effects on the central ner vous system can vary with the quantity ingested. If your intake is 50 milligrams (equal to one cup of cof fee) your reaction is alertness. But if intake is more than 750 milligrams, entering your body in a variety of forms — drinking several cups of coffee or carbonated drinks, eating chocolate, taking other medicine, etc., — you might experience lightheadedness, breathlessness, dehydration and se vere headaches. If intake is more than 1,000 mil ligrams, caffeine may become toxic to the body. The general guideline for a moderate caffeine level is 200 milligrams or less a day, which may vary for individuals based on body size, physical health and tolerance. If you have already made caffeine a daily part of your intake through consistent consumption of cof fee, tea or soft drinks, how can you reduce the effects of this habit? First, you can begin by carefully reading the la bels on carbonated drinks and other products. Gradually decreasing your intake by limiting your number of soft drinks a day will help break the habit. For coffee drinkers, try 1/4 decaffeinated and S/4 regu lar, then slowly decrease the amount of regular coffee every four or five days. Waking up on a regular schedule, fixing a good breakfast and exercising will also help you adjust to life without caffeine. Since caffeine is a habit-forming drug, common withdrawal symptoms may be noticed. These in clude: headaches, nervousness, depression, drowsi ness and irritability. Caffeine, caffeine, and more caffeine.... Item milligrams a serving Coffee-6oz. brewed, ground instant flavored-Cafe Francais, Vienna, etc decaffeniated 85 60 30 3 The Health Education Center at the A.P. Beutel Health Center offers a variety of programs on health topics and maintains a resource file of health infor mation. Tours of the center are available. Aggie Representatives Educating About College Health is a volunteer student organization whose members present programs to other college stu dents. Please visit the Health Education Center, 016A Beutel Health Center. Or call 845-1341 if you have any questions about your health, or you need information for a class paper, speech or report. Tea-6oz. regular, bagged instant decaffeinated 45 30 0 Carbonated drinks-12oz. Coca-Cola Dr. Pepper and Mountain Dew Pepsi Cola Root Beer 65 55 40 0 Nonprescription drugs weight control aids alertness tablets cold remedies 166 150 27 Simpson housekeep er faces camera LOS ANGELES (AP) — O.J. Simpson’s alibi witness kept her promise and returned to court Monday, but she testified before a video camera rather than jurors because of a last-minute plea by prosecutors. Superior Court Judge Lance Ito’s decision to permit the taped testimony left defense attorney Johnnie Cochran Jr. sputtering that Ito had been “snookered” by prosecutors seeking to keep Rosa Lopez away from the jury. Complicating matters further, disputes arose over a court translator’s ability to interpret Lopez’ testimony in her Salvadoran dialect and the defense’s failure to disclose a second interview it conducted last summer with Lopez, the housekeeper who used to work next door to Simpson. Bush prepares to wage war to save dying Air Force bases from ‘hit list’ Q The governor rallies to support three Texas bases that face closure or consolidation and refuses to yield on his position. GOP urges a balance of health risks, costs WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans, having already muscled through a temporary regulatory freeze, turned Monday to a bill that would force the government to balance health and safety hazards against costs to business when issuing new rules. Critics, including President Clinton and an influential Republican senator, have said the bill would hamstring virtually every government agency and prevent the enforcement of 25 years worth of health, safety and environmental laws. But Rep. Bob Walker, R-Pa., chairman of the House Science Committee, argued that the “regulatory system has become a nightmare and we’ve got to do something” to correct its shortcomings. Democrats were expected to try to narrow the sweep of the risk- assessment requirement during a scheduled 10 hours of debate before a final vote is taken Tuesday. SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Gov. George W. Bush toured two Air Force bases Monday and pledged to use his ‘‘bully pulpit” to fight to save threatened Texas military installations from closing. The Pentagon is to release its list of bases tar geted for closure or consolidation on Tuesday. “The bully pulpit of the second most powerful state in the union will be used to make sure that these two bases, the merits of these two bases, are proclaimed loudly,” Bush said. Word leaked over the weekend that Brooks, Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, Red River Army Depot in Texarkana and Corpus Christi Naval Air Station would be on the list. Kelly and four other Air Force maintenance de pots nationwide reportedly won’t be listed for out right closure but could experience cutbacks. In all, 14,135 civilians and 4,826 active military person nel work at Kelly, the largest of San Antonio’s five military bases. “One of the reasons we’re here is to say, ‘We care about you and we want to fight for you,’ re gardless of whether one is a Democrat or one is a Republican,” said Bush, a Republican, flanked by several state legislators and local political leaders of both parties. As he toured the two San Antonio bases. Bush chatted with workers about their jobs. Joe Men doza, 42, a civilian machinist at Kelly working on TF39 engines for C-5 aircraft, described his work crew as “a brotherhood.” “When I came to Kelly 13 years ago, I was hop ing this would be the place I retired, and I hope it stays this way. I love it here,” Mendoza said. About 2,400 civilians work at Brooks, where scientific research laboratories are located. The governor said he also would be working closely with other Texas cities faced with losing military installations. “There will be base hearings around the state. I intend to show up and work with the different communities, the different chambers of commerce, to articulate the case for each and every base in Texas that’s being looked at,” Bush said. In Lubbock, Mayor David Langston pledged to wage a fierce fight to save Reese and its 1,700 jobs. “Do not get discouraged,” Langston said. “This is not the last word.” For weeks reports have circulated that Corpus Christi Naval Air Station will lose the Naval Air Training Command and its personnel of 700 to Pensacola, Fla. There is some hope the station would gain some 1,500 personnel in helicopter Educational Commissionc departs, pleas for progress ^ "One of the reasons we're here is to say 'We care about you and we want to fight for you....'" — Gov. Bush units to make up for the loss. The helicopters would be assigned to the mine warfare mission of nearby Naval Station Ingleside. In Texarkana, the 4,000 employees at Red Riv er also were paying close attention to reports that the Amny depot was a Pentagon “hit list” target. “We of course have heard the rumors and have a degree of concern. But there’s still a lot of con tradiction,” said depot spokesman Cecil Green. Bush said he and U.S. senators Phil Gramm and Kay Bailey Hutchinson have met with the deputy defense secretary to lobby for Texas bases. The governor emphasized until the release of the Pentagon’s list Tuesday, nothing is official. Even then, there will be months of wrangling as the independent Base Realignment and Closure Commission reviews the proposals and makes its own recommendations. “Until the decisions are made I will refuse to yield,” Bush said. Q "Skip" Meno r whose term ends Wednesday, leaves office desiring more reform and action. among property-rich andpofl ’atty lag of AUSTIN (AP) — Texas Edu cation Commissioner Lionel “Skip” Meno said Monday that he’s leaving plenty of work for the man recommended as his successor, Lubbock school Su perintendent Mike Moses. Meno, whose term ends Wednesday, said that in the nearly four years since he ar rived, “There’s a lot more that didn’t get done than got done, I’m afraid.” “We still have many too many youngsters who are not getting the education that they deserve, and I think that’s going to be an school districts, Meno state should invest in a instructional year for studc who need it, higher teacls salaries and more staff develf ment time for educators. The state also should fflsfef school safety its No. 1 funding priority and ensure youngsters who commit criies are put into alternative prt grams, not back into the repiii’ classroom, he said. “This Russian roulette wet playing, where kids are involve: in serious criminal behavioral: then put back into reguli schools by the courts, has stop,” he said. Lt. Gov. Bob Bulled ^ who presides over ft Senate, said of Mens: proposed $3 billft By Ai The B education increase perfor ongoing chal lenge,” he said. Progress has been made in increasing student achievement and giving lo cal school districts more con trol, Meno said. Texas is poised to lead in a national education revolution to decentralize schools, he said. However, Meno added, the state can’t do all it should un less more money is put into ed ucation — to the tune of about $3 billion in new money over the next two years. Besides paying for a law de signed to even out funding D Meno has months and months and monft to relay that to me, but hete n’t. I’d like for him to comnuit cate with me on that.” Bullock had praise Moses, who was recommem with an 11-3 vote Sunday ft the State Board of Education “Mike is a really good son, if that gives you a him Bush told reporters. He he plans to speak with bu sometime next week. ip President Ray M. Bowen cordially invites all students of Texas A&M University to an open house in the Office of the President Wednesday, March f, 1995 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Rudder Tower 8th Floor UK? Italy Spring Semester 1996: ! It’: 5 Your Turn! Students will select 15 hours: ECON 489/: Economics of the Eur. Comm. n BUAD 489 Prof. Pier Luigi Sacco HtaLY LEAR 332/: Culture of Mgmt. in the Eur. Comm. ,1. MGMT 489 Prof. Pier Luigi Sacco Interested? Attend any one of these informational meetings in ARTS 350: Arts and Civilization* Prof. Paolo Barrucchieri I 25 1 Bizzell Hall West: ANTH 201: Introduction to Anthropology Dr. Sylvia Grider Mon., Feb. 27 2 - 2:45 ANTH 205: Peoples and Cultures of the World Wed., Mar. 1 2 - 2:45 Dr. Sylvia Grider Wed., Mar. 1 3-3:45 PSYC 405: Psychology of Religion Dr. David Rosen Wed., Mar. 1 4 - 4:45 PSYC 306: Abnormal Psychology Dr. David Rosen | Study Abroad Programs ♦Mandatory for all students 161 Bizzell Hall West 845^0544 HHI8S Mm I' I \ I IV/vi r/s.i ioisi , MARK SMITH, Editor in chief 1AY ROBBINS, Senior managing editor HEATHER WINCH, Managing editor JODY HOLLEY, Night News editor TIFFANY MOORE, Night News editor AMANDA FOWLE, City editor STERLING HAYMAN, Opinion editor ROB CLARK, Aggielife editor NICK GEORGANDIS, Sports editor DAVE WINDER, Sports editor STEWART MILNE, Photo editor Staff Members City desk— Stephanie Dube, Kasie Byers, Eleanor Colvin, Lynn Cook, Brad Dressier, Cheryl Heller Lisa Messer, Gretchen Perrenot, Tracy Smith, Wes Swift, and Brian Underwood News desk— Kristi Baldwin, Michele Chancellor, Kristin De Luca, Kristen De Rocha, LibeCoad Randy Goins, Robin Greathouse, Derek Smith and James Vineyard Photographers— Tim Moog, Amy Browning, Robyn Calloway, Nick Rodnicki, Eddy Wylie, Bart Mitchell, Roger Hsieh and Rogge Heflin Aggielife— Michael Landauer, Amber Clark, Amy Collier, Keryl Cryer, Nikki Hopkins and Jay Knioum Sports writers— James Anderson, Kristina Buffin, Tom Day, Shelly Hall and Robert Rodriguez Opinion — Erin Hill, Drew Diener, Laura Frnka, Zack Hall, David Hill, Kyle Littlefield, Jenny Magee, Jim Pawlikowski, Elizabeth Preston, Gerardo Quezada, David Taylor and Amy Uptmor Cartoonists— Greg Argo, Brad Graeber, Alvaro Gutierrez and Quatro Oakley Office Assistants— Wendy Crockett, Heather Fitch, Adam Hill and Julie Thomas Graphic Artist — Ines Hilde Writing Coach— Mark Evans The Battalion (USPS 045-360) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Monday through Thursday during the summer sessions (except University holidays^ exam periods), at Texas A&M University. 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