The Battalion l\v| Patakiii n boots-1 rst victor,i out ninnel with Patii hican gov* on whet* Buffalo I L champ:;# Page l it: 17 Disorder poses new threat for netheads BY BRIAN FLEMING The Battalion I magine browsing the Web, surfing through the endless array of chat rooms and Websites. Suddenly there is an inter ruption. It is a Website called www. virtual ad dic tion.com. It asks, “Do you use the Internet often? Do you ever find you remain on it longer than you had in tended? Does it give you a sense of no boundaries? Do you feel that you are out of control, carried away or emotionally and sexually aroused by it? If so, you could have a prob lem: Internet addiction.” Dr. David Greenfield said in his book,WrmaZ Addiction: Help for Net- heads, Cyberfreaks and Those. Who Love Them, that addiction is one of the many problems that emerges in this period of great technological change. "The potential social implications here are stag gering,” Greenfield said. “It can connect you with everyone in the world, and it can also iso late you as well.” This is what Greenfield calls the “Internet paradox.” Although much good can come from the Internet, Greenfield said it can also isolate people. “There is some prelimi nary research that suggests that more time spent online and on computers corre lates with higher degrees of social isolation and depres sion,” he said. Greenfield said his re search shows the number of isolated addicts is growing. “Nearly 4 percent of my survey of almost 18,000 In ternet users met the stan dards for a compulsive use pattern,” he said. “At this level, based on 50,000,000 users worldwide, it means there are nearly 2,000,000 Internet addicts. ” Greenfield said online in timacy is one cause of ad diction that can lead to nu merous problems. “There have been nu merous cases, of which I am aware, in which people started out on the Net only for the purposes of engaging in casual conversation, which ended up being high ly sexual in nature. see Net on Page 4. Page 3 - July 13, 1999 MARK McPHERSON/Tmk Battalion and din I director h Spciei}' nor, aid ^ s an She said it the script ring sent litteemei oducing; he up® in stout thought' tary ont s in the ture sene and stm re on ffl* also spo; stival, ii it films a us each shown tors are making have pi stival in >r Stone. sity )n 3 MARSHALL SUMMER SERVICE ESI. Goodwrench Service Lawrence Marshall offers GM Goodwrench Service Plus (the plus means better), the new way servicing your truck or car. Now, you’ll get a limited Lifetime Guarantee on selected parts and repairs, good for as long as you own your GM vehicle. Plus, get courtesy transportation and up-front competitive pricing. See your Lawrence Marshall service advisor for details. OIL & FILTER CHANGE ,v Plus 31 point inspection. Includes 5 quarts of oil and oil filter. Some models higher. COOLING SYSTEM 4 FLUSH Includes two gallons of coolant and chemical flush. Keeps your engine cool and efficient. TIRE ROTATION Plus free brake inspection. A tire rotation prolongs tire life! Some vehicles extra. COOLING SYSTEM DRAIN AND FILL Includes one gallon of coolant. Some models higher. % ALL G.M PARTS PURCHASED OVER THE COUNTER. Accessories not included. Some restrictions apply. AIR CONDITIONER PERFORMANCE TEST PLUS REFRIGERANT We’ll identify any system leaks. We’ll keep you cool during our hot Texas days! MARSHALL PONTIAC*BUICK*GMC 601 779-1000 South Texas Ave MARSHALL OLDS •CADILLAC* ISUZU 779-3516 2401 Texas Ave. HOURS: MONDAY-FRIDAY 7am-6pm • SATURDAY-8am-12pm Editor A Central Texas Managed Health Care Program Makes More Sense Than Traditional Health Insurance That’s why Bryan-College Station has FIRSTCARE. No annual deductible No claim forms to complete Low co-payments Brazos Valley Physicians Organization Quality health care and controlled costs Bryan-College Station employers have an affordable solution to their group health care needs: FIRSTCARE, a health care program created to help control your rising medical costs. FIRSTCARE is a service of Hillcrest. FIRSTCARE Your Partner in Health. 254-202-5300 1-888-817-2273 More than 100,000 Texans depend on FIRSTCARE, available in Bryan-College Station. Ask your employer about it. For affordable, quality, convenient and comprehensive health care, choose FIRSTCARE. FIRSTCARE is a service mark of SHA, L.L.C.