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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 14, 2003)
6 Monday, July 14, 2003 THE BATTALION T1 J u Y< b) Experts: gambling on rise among American youth By David Crary THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK — Whether with their friends at parties, at school or in solitude on the Internet, millions of American teens are taking up an ever- more-accessible national pas time — gambling. Much of the action is small time — underage purchases of lottery tickets, playing cards or dice games for spare change. But experts say the long-term stakes are high because gam blers who start young are the most likely to develop addiction problems. “This is the first generation of kids growing up when gam bling is legal and available virtu ally nationwide,” said George Meldrum of the Delaware Council on Gambling Problems. “Casinos, racetracks — they take it for granted.” Nationwide statistics on youth gambling are scarce, but regional surveys suggest more than 30 percent of all high school students gamble periodi cally. Middle-schoolers are follow ing suit, as evidenced by the uncovering of a sports-betting ring at a Glenview, Ill., middle school last year. In Delaware, Meldrum’s agency recently con ducted one of the largest-ever surveys of student gambling; nearly one-third of 6,753 partic ipating eighth-graders said they had gambled in 2002. Survey finds a high rate of gambling among teenagers A survey of Percentage of students who gambled during 2002 middle and high school students in Overall By type of wager Casino Lottery Sports Cards Horses Bingo Dice Internet Pool Delaware showed 8th * roughly three in grade 31% 3% 32% 34% 32% 7% 25% 16% 9% 32% 10 students gambled during 2002. 11th grade 28% 3% 25% 29% 26% 6% 11% 13% 4% 30% SOURCE: Delaware Council on Gambling ProWema, Inc. Those who gambled were much more likely than other stu dents to smoke, drink alcohol, use illegal drugs and commit petty crimes, the survey found. Such trends are the focus of research at the International Center for Youth Gambling Problems, based at McGill University in Montreal. The center’s co-director, Jeffrey Dervensky, said studies indicate that compulsive gambling prob lems afflict up to 8 percent of young gamblers, compared with up to 3 percent of adult gam blers. Adult gambling addicts may seek help when they realize their job or marriage is imperiled, but young people are less likely to do so, Dervensky said. “These kids still live at home, and nobody’s dragging them in, saying, 'If you don’t go for help, I’m leaving you,”’ Dervensky said. “These kids steal money, usually from their family. If you get caught, your parents are not going to turn you in.” Keith Whyte, executive direc tor of the National Council on Problem Gambling, said more than 80 percent of American adults now gamble at least occa sionally — a possible reason for what he sees as a worrisome tol erance of youth gambling. “We’ve had a number of par ents say. Thank God, it’s just gambling,”’ Whyte said. Sometimes, a parent’s pas sion for gambling is passed on to an adolescent. That happened in the case of Sarah, now a 31- year-old executive in New York City who accompanied herpj ents to Atlantic City casinosasi teenager, became hooked, ®: now attends regular Gamblers Anonymous to an addiction that into a six-figure debt. “From the first time ly sat down at a blackjack 1# and played, when 1 was 18a 19, it was pretty obvious lw n’t normal,” said Sarah, win asked that her last withheld. “I wouldn’ get up even to go to room. I was a little crazy, all 1 wanted to do.” Sarah predicted that bling will spread amongyo« people because of the omnipre ence of betting options and tk availability of credit cards. Driftin’ away JP BEATO III • THE BATTALION Amy Stancoven, a senior community health major and Crystal Littrell, Class of 2001, take advantage of the weekend's clear skies on the Guadalupe River near New Braunfels. Temperatures in the mid-90s made river activities ideal over the weekend. NAACP director praises affirmatk action, rips Bush By Coralie Carlson THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Fox continues losing support in Mexico By Morgan Lee THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s former ruling party won its fourth of the country’s six state gubernatorial elections, accord ing to preliminary results released Sunday, generating more momentum for its efforts to regain power from President Vicente Fox. The outcome of the Campeche state gubernatorial election was released as federal authorities were set to confirm that Fox’s conservative National Action Party, or PAN, lost ground in the July 6 midterm congres sional elections. The former rul ing Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, and the leftist opposition gained seats. Since he took office in 2000, Fox has struggled with an often hostile Congress, and his party was hoping for a majority in the last three years of his term. However, the results — in which no party gained a majority — set the stage for three more years of legislative inaction. “The legisla tion that the PAN was looking for is not going to happen,” politi cal analyst Ana Maria Salazar said. “The presi dent’s going to have to find a way to renegoti ate. He’s going to have to give up something.” Voters have been frustrated a The president is going to have to find a way to renegotiate. He’s going to have to give up something. growth and a migration accord with the United States. PRI lost the presidency to Fox in 2000 after 71 years of rule. But it staged a national comeback in the July 6 elections, including win ning four gover nor’s races. That includes Campeche state, in which the PRI was given the official lead Sunday. PRI can didate Jorge Carlos Hurtado Ana Maria Salazar political analyst with Fox’s inability to deliver on promises of reform, economic received about 4,000 more votes than the PAN’s Juan Carlos del Rio, although the results were not certified and likely will be contested, state election official Luis Maury said. In the Pacific coast state of Sonora, the PRI’s Eduardo Bours . won the gubernatorial race by a margin of 1 percent, according to final results released Saturday. The PAN also was expected to contest that election. In the races for the 500 seats in the lower house of Congress, fed eral officials already have announced the 300 winners directly elected by voters. On Sunday, authorities will assign the rest of the 200 seats to at-large candidates, based on each party’s percentage of the total vote. So far, the PRI and its ally, the Green Party, have 163 of the 300 directly elected seats in the lower house, showing that its political machinery remains in good working order. “It reflects that fact that the party still has a very disciplined voter base,” Salazar said. MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - NAACP executive director Julian Bond urged states that have abandoned affirmative action policies for higher educa tion to “come back into the Union” Sunday while criticizing President Bush and his brother, Gov. Jeb Bush, for challenging race-conscious admissions. Speaking at the 94th annual convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Bond praised the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld the use of race as a factor in university admissions poli cies.. The Bush administration filed one of the briefs opposing the policy. The court, however, ruled against the use of a point-based system for enrollment decisions, which was used at the University of Michigan. “The court struck down the points but upheld the principle,” Bond said. “Since the opponents kept telling us that this was all about principle, I’d say we won!” Bond said the decision “gave legal sanction to what we knew to be morally, socially, and edu cationally correct.” But he said he knows affir mative action policies will be continue to be challenged. “The average KKK member may be stupid, but the well- financed forces of the radical right are not,” Bond said. He also vowed the civil rights group would be watching states, including Florida, that no longer use affirmative action policies to monitor their commitment to achieving diversity. Bond criticized the Florida governor for his One Florida program, under which state uni versities can no longer consider race or gender in admissions decisions. High school students Volume Sti By 1 Th Should y ride? Each 1 men enter tl A&M campi navigating ahead of tl faced with the i one of the garages, wii than 23,72: This may se< amount of space, howe quate for tl and counties who vie for campus ever This batt to be a has: willing to t; New sam By Laure THI After the ; do I go to ( incoming frt with the que: live”? For many i is the best thii in dorms is p, Housing.” According housing prese residents are a grades and grt This is c because of les; rooms may be it becomes a environments small there is done. “Who is it are instead guaranteed sion if they are in the top20ft: cent of their graduating dass. “First Governor Jeb B« became the only governor is carry out a pre-emptive strike® affirmative action,” Bt “And then President Bush carried out a pre-empirc strike on Iraq, the only Presite in our nation’s history toattadi country which did not threats! or attack us first. Both sthte were unnecessary and unwise." Jacob DiPietre, a spokes® for the governor, said minort enrollment and student acl® ment are rising under the Ot Florida program. “The results speak f selves,” DiPietre said. Unto the governor’s leadership all One Florida, minority student in colleges and universities an tar outpacing their counlap* ^ freque m other states. hy many new Bond also voiced his disaf pointment that neither Preside! Bush nor his brother the 2002 conference in Texas® the 2003 meeting in Florida. White House spokesmi Scott Stanzel said Saturday lit president’s busy schedule pie vents him from accepting all lit invitations he receives. The got ernor was unable to because of a legislative sessifl in Tallahassee, DiPietre said. Meanwhile, NAACP preside! Kweisi Mfume criticized somed the Democratic candidates (® president who are not appear at a Monday forum. As of late Saturday, John Edwards of North Carol® and Joseph Lieberman Connecticut and Reps. Ric Gephardt of Missouri Dennis Kucinich of Ohio 1 not expected to attend. S Bob Graham of Florida John Kerry of Massachusetf were set to appear, along wit former Vermont Gov. Dean, former Illinois Sen.Caid Moseley Braun and the RevJ Sharpton. COLLEGE STATION POLICE DEPARTMENT Warrant Warrant fCARKEEPER* BRAKES > f 1 YEAR/12,000 MILE WARRANTY I 1 9 99 1 1 I . Ask For Kevin Store Hours: Mon-Sot 7:00<mi-6:00pm 2715 $. Texas Ave - (979) 764-1844 I Front disc or rear shoos Installation extra OR IpNfdMil ! LIFETIME VSBARAKESIJ i MIDAS MAINTENANCE i oo JHUm Mr ir 99 ■ TUNE-UP $4911 4-cylinder Per oxle Installation extra 1 Mary (ors, figlit trucks ond vans. '‘Jhwe may be sekstonliol exto cost la odfifaml ports and loba Coupon must I* presented nt trm of purchase. Set monogei for totals o«d warrartY terms. Mot good wilh ony ortw cdler. _ hi portUpoN shops only. Expires 08/31/03. • lasM w« spa4• L^ist kie speed, stl Mng U wlaiUi) • Inspect choke, throttle. Marge, spark plug trim and tfuribrior rap I Many aw, 6gbt tracks and vow iatsvwse, H engew ond k/C interference extn [ . ‘Tkere may be SBktonliol exto cost fa odditiooal ports ond labor Coepoa mwJ be . ( pfettteed a Sme of pucbcse. Mot good with any ofb« oftw. U partkipclAg shops j la*. Exoies 08/31/03. 1UBE, OIL & FILTER $1C95 15 te/vnihe: • Up To 5 Qts. 10W30 Oil • Most Cars! Light Trucks • Diesel Vehkles Excluded • Synthetic Oil Extra Coupon must be presented ot time of purchase. Not good *ilh .any odwr offer, it portiripoting shop only. Offer ends 08/31/03. TOTAL CAR CARE Free Wheel Balance With Tire Purchase! 7/9/03 12:50 p.m. arrest, 4000 Pinfeather. 7/9/03 1:18 p.m. arrest, 4000 Pinfeather. 7/9/03 1:30 p.m. Major acci dent, 607 Texas. Airbag burns. 7/9/03 5:29 p.m. Unauthorized use of motor vehi cle, 410 Texas. 7/9/03 5:54 p.m. Major acci dent, Harvey/Earl Rudder Frwy. Complaint of pain. 7/9/03 8:20 p.m. Burglary of a habitation, 601 Luther. Taken: PlayStation2, games, DVDs. 7/9/03 10:58 p.m. Warrant arrest, 300 Dominik. 7/10/03 12:15 a.m. Driving while license suspended, 4090 SH 6 S. One arrest. 7/10/03 3:01 a.m. Warrant arrest, 1101 Luther. 7/11/03 8:25 a.m. Warrant arrest, 2611 Texas. 7/11/03 9:26 a.m. Warrant arrest, 2611 Texas. 7/11/03 11:27 a.m. Major accident, Louise/Wellborn. Complaint of pain. 7/11/03 12:16 p.m. Warrant arrest, 1116 Taurus Ave. Charge: aggravated sexual assault of child. 7/11/03 12:23 p.m. Burglary of a habitation, 723 Royal Adelade. Taken: TV, VCR, DVD player, DVDs, coins and clothing. 7/11/03 1:52 p.m. Major acci dent, 411 Texas. Complaint of pain. 7/11/03 1:58 p.m. Sexual assault, 2611 Texas. 7/11/03 4:38 p.m. Warrant arrest, 1540 SH 6. 7/11/03 5:21 p.m. Major acci dent, Texas/Lincoln. Complaint of back pain. 7/11/03 6:07 p.m. Burglary of a habitation, 1516 Hawk Tree. Taken: bracelet. 7/11/03 10:24 p.m. Possession of drug parapherna lia and minor in possession, 2701 Longmire. One arrest. 7/12/03 1:05 a.m. Warrant arrest, 313 S. College. 7/12/03 2:22 a.m. Burlgary of a vehicle, 134 Luther. Taken: wallet and coins. 7/12/03 8:27 a.m. Burglary of vehicle, 801 University. Taken: digital camera taken. 7/12/03 10:58 a.m. Major acci dent, Southwest Pkwy/W Complaint of neck pain. 7/12/03 11:09 a.m. Majo' accident, Holleman/TeM s Complaint of pain. 7/12/03 4:49 p.m. Theft, 15$ Han/ey. One arrest. 7/12/03 5:50 p.m. Runaw; 2611 Texas. 7/12/03 9:19 p.m. Failure identify, 1011 Wellborn. Or arrest. 7/12/03 10:48 p.m. Drivir while license invalid, S 6/Southwest Pkwy. One arrest 7/12/03 11:17 p.m. Liquor to' 1 violation, 313 S. College, arrest. 7/13/03 12:59 a.m. W arrest, 3110 Rock Prairie. 7/13/03 1:31 a.m. arrest, 2701 Longmire. 7/13/03 3:45 a.m. a vehicle, 2301 Eastmark. face plate for stereo. 7/13/03 1:52 a.m. a habitation, 4000 Universitf Taken: guns, money, person^ check, jewelry. Also: victim injured with cut to right forearm and upper lip. have never m before they c; your lifelong arguments me thing to do Resident Advi can assist will lems; help yoi mation about c there when yoi Stu By I Harry Pott Phoenix isn’t mind this sun A&M are th books. Now t and the books Freshmen required cla English, Biolc their electives up costing as r course. Many fish going with u know money Tony Wolff ab Used books an ular books. Coif Haren By Shai Happy, hap crisis: the feeli A&M Freshmc the new freshm with the class independence. Studies have of need, stude parents. They \ to lean on, an< their first choic Adjusting to cult and compli ties, projects, a Want to maintai Parties, relatior