6A
Friday, December 13, 2002
Graduates t
you're invited to —
the
n
e
X t
t r-
3 d
i
tion
Block Party
UJed -
D e c -
1fi 5:30-7:3D PH
The C 1 a
y t o n
U- Williams Jr-
Alumni Center
get your sticker!
win do or p riz e s !
visitwith your friends!
free fajitas!
get your sticker!
(did wa say that already^)
www- AggieNetwork - com
THE BATTALION
Spring os Staff Application
If you can write, edit, design pages, draw, use a camera...
Texas A&M's award-winning newspaper is looking for you.
• gain valuable experience • earn extra cash • make friends in a professional newsroom environment
Name:
Phone number:
Cellphone or pager:
E-mail:
Major:
Classification:
Credit hours you will take in the spring
Expected graduation (semester):
How many hours per week would you be available for
work at The Battalion?
ALL APPLICANTS: Please type your responses on a sepa
rate piece of paper, and attach a resume and samples of your
work (stories you have written for publications or classes,
pages you have designed, photos taken, drawings made or
other creative samples—just show us what you can do).
Section Editor Applicants
1) What are your goals for managing your staff?
2) What do you believe is the role of the section for which
you are applying?
3) What changes would you make to improve The Battalion?
Pay particular attention to the position for which you’re
applying.
Staff Applicants
Why do you want to work at The Battalion, and what
do you hope to accomplish?
What experience do you have that relates to the position
for which you are applying? (include classes, seminars, etc.)
What changes do you feel would improve the quality of
The Battalion? Give special attention to the section for
which you’re applying.
OPENINGS
INCLUDE:
Please check the position(s)
for which you are inter
ested. If you are interested
in more than one position,
number them in order of
preference with “1" being
your top choice.
Managing Editor
Section Editors
News*
AggieLife*
Opinion*
Sci |Tech
Sports*
Design/Copy Chief
Graphics
Photo*
Radio Producer
Webmaster
"Assistant editor positions
available
Staff
News Reporter
Sci (Tech Writer
Feature / Entertainment
Writer
Sports Writer
Radio Reporter
__ Opinion Columnist
Page Designer
Copy Editor
Photographer
Graphic Artist
Cartoonist
DEADLINE: 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. I 3.Turn in applications at 014 (basement) Reed
McDonald Bldg. Interviews will begin immediately after application deadline.
Extra applications available in the newsroom or online at http://www.thebatt.com
November sales
may keep economy u
WASHINGTON (AP)
Energized shoppers boosted
sales at the nation’s retailers in
November by the largest amount
in three months, reinforcing the
belief that consumer spending
will keep the economy out of a
new recession.
The Commerce Department
report Thursday that retail sales
in November were 0.4 percent
higher than in October also
raised hopes that the holiday
shopping season will see people
acting more like Santas than the
Grinches some had feared.
Shoppers hit the stores with
more enthusiasm in November
than in the previous two months:
Retail sales fell by 1.5 percent in
September and edged up by just
0.1 percent in October.
“The urge to spluige started to
creep back into consumers’ spend
ing putttems,” said economist Joel
Naroff of Naroff Economic
Advisors. “The fears that house
holds would not visit the malls
appear to be unfounded.”
Excluding automobile sales,
which can swing widely from
month to month, retail sales rose
by 0.5 percent in November, a
stronger performance than the
0.2 percent rise economists were
forecasting.
Consumer spending accounts
for two-thirds of all economic
activity in the United States. It
has been the main force keeping
the economy going this year.
“Good retail sales are
America’s Christmas gift to
itself,” Commerce Secretary
Don Evans said of November’s
retail figures.
Tracy Mullin, president of
the National Retail Federation,
also was encouraged by
November’s retail report and
predicted holiday sales this year
would be around 4 percent high
er than last year.
Low interest rates, tax cuts
and extra cash from refinancing
of home mortgages have support
ed consumer spending, helping to
offset pxMentially negative forces
such as a stagnant labor market
and a bumpy stock market.
“We believe this infusion of
cash can keep spending going
through this winter,” said Merrill
Lynch economist Gerald Cohen.
“‘But if consumer spxmding is
going to continue to grow, the
job picture needs to improve
sooner rather than later.”
The Labor Department
reported new claims for unem
ployment benefits shot up by a
seasonally adjusted 83.000 to
441.000 last week, the highest
level since the middle of April.
Analysts said the increase was
exaggerated by seasonal adjust
ment problems, but they still
predicted a sluggish job market
in the months ahead.
On Wall Street, the Dow
Jones industrial average closed
down 50.74 p>oints at 8,538.40.
The Federal Reserve left
interest rates unchanged
Tuesday, after slashing rates by
a bold half-pH>int at its previous
meeting on Nov. 6. That was the
first rate cut this year.
Home matte
With the comforts of to*,
mind, shoppers pushed
sales of furniture and tn*
supplies in Novembe
Percent
change in
retail sales iBwcncr?
from
October to
November,
by category
Motor vehtdes
•o.n
Sporting goods
-0.5% ■ adM*>
Clothing !
-1.3%iswi
SOCf^CE DepartmentOrm
“A relatively aggressn
ing action could help ua
that the current soft spoil
economy would prove:
temporary and enhance a
of a robust rebound inec:?
activity next year.” the Fa
in minutes of the Nevi
meeting releasedThuna
In another report, the
the broadest measure of w
row ed in the third quarter::
billion, from a S127ii
shortfall in the secondqure
Commence Department ai
The “current account'*
measures not only the'
ment of goods and ot
Mween countries, but
PHIL
Presiden
in a
envelopi
fw-': | the Sen;
immen
w
required
“Any
Igated
isitive
•ong,”
iThursda
mixed-r;
ice her
long app
Lott’:
jm m e i
issued a
embracii
presiden
ments.
I “Sen
■trees
Presiden
Bat hi
were wrc
is sorry.
Bates se
moral.
Boujean
I Weigl
sy for th
deitt sail
by Lott '
of our co
I “He
•lightly s
IVNCCIl V^UUllUlVJ, vui ^
investment flows and um our
transfers, including U.S.f«
aid payments.
as a c
unfaith fi
leals.”
TV cameras banned in sniper casi
*6
MANASSAS, Va. (AP) — A judge Thursday
barred television cameras from next year’s trial of
sniper suspect John Allen Muhammad, saying
such media coverage could compromise his right
to a fair trial.
Prince W’illiam County Circuit Judge LeRoy
F. Millette Jr. also said trial
would begin Oct. 14 and he set
aside eight weeks for what is
expected to be a closely
watched case.
The Radio-Television News
Directors Association said it was
considering an appeal.
“It is unfortunate that the most
neutral and accurate means of
presenting the trial has been
banned.” said Barbara Cochran,
president of the association.
Muhammad. 41, is charged with capital
murder in the death of Dean Harold Meyers of
Gaithersburg, Md., who was shot Oct. 9 while
fueling his car at a gas station in Prince
William County.
Meyers was one of 13 people hit — 10 fatal
ly — by sniper fire during a three-week shoot
ing spree in suburban Washington, D.C.
Muhammad and 17-year-old John Lee Malvo
are suspected in all 13, as well as eight other
shootings across the country.
The youngest victim of the spree was Iran
Brown, who was 13 when he was critically
wounded outside his Bowie, Md., school. He was
released from a hospital last month and appeared
with first lady Laura Bush on Thursday as she vis-
WitnesseSy for lack
of a better word, tend
to ham it up.
ited hospitalized children.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys opp
putting IN L.imeras in ihc courtroom
Muhammad's trial. Prosecutor Paul Eberil |
the coverage would detract from courtis
decorum. He has said his experience wii
I orena Bobbitt pen/s-slai|
trial, which was televised,)
vinced him that T caiti
are problematic.
“The court well knows ®
hadnoot
I After
Hous j
Fleischer
not think
[majority
I An
Ibsences
like illn
lexas ha
- Paul Ebert
prosecutor
one point in time
tion to live coverage,
"Witnesses, for lad ofg: - s '
word, tend to ham it up- , t ,
Barbara Van Gelder '■ Jhool
? fe: v s ;
oil the comparison between this ^ iay wee !
Bobbitt case. ‘This is not a celebnty matt ^
not a salacious mailer, she saic . epulcnm
I he judge said he would all ^ 1 r for the •
a day to-day basis. 1)c, f nsC . \ ru i obice- ve neecl
(Ireenspun and Jonathan Shapiro ^ ^
that: 1 hert did not. _ -oned in A 51 1
Greenspun and Shapiro ‘j salu n! Fhursda
papers that TV cameras could the sj
media coverage that would tan . ^ Tribune,
deny Muhammad the right to a 1 ub |j C ir;::| Other
“Although an extensive, legitimate n t
est exists in this case and it ' s unc |^^ thecon
the public might want to watch thism „
cannot ignore the constitutional ng
accused,” the attorneys wrote.
‘The hat’
ufo/etmae y reset t&/
'est of tl
Springs
which t
down aft
their stui
illness.
“(Thi
over 16
several
a ttendam
Springs
aenry
Sulphur
Telegrarr
ably clos
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DeLeon.
Wells sc
out for
Hawkins
districts
e arlier th
Rains
District