2 Tuesday, June 1, 2004 THE mi i Gas Continued from page 1 “sweetheart deals ” said Arianna Huffington, a Detriot Project representative. According to the Christian Science Monitor, in an election year. Republicans fear this issue could play into voter decision making. Democrats hope to sway rising gas prices in their favor while Republicans are battling to keep blame at bay. “If it makes you feel any better, you’re not really spending that much more,” Platou said. “It’s only about four dollars a week, but it seems like 50. That’s still cheaper than the price of a drink at Northgate.” Veterans Continued from page 1 standoff that killed 22 people,White House spokes woman Pamela Stevens said. Bush also called Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to urge support of a strong United Nations resolution for a new Iraqi government. Bush urged that the two nations work together to back the new government. In his speech. Bush singled some of the dead from Iraq for special commendation: —Capt. Joshua Byers, a West Point man and South Carolina native. “When this son of missionaries was given command of a 120-man combat unit, he wrote to his parents, ‘I will give the mep everything I have to give,”’ Bush said. —Pfc. Jesse Givens of Springfield, Mo., had written to his wife, Melissa: “Do me a favor after you tuck the children in — give them hugs and kisses from me,” the president noted. —Master Sgt. Kelly Hornbeck of Fort Worth, Texas, wrote his parents saying, “I am not afraid and neither When we return to our home sta tions, we must ensure that we never forget those fallen comrades that de ployed with us that will not return to their loved ones. — Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez senior military officcer at Baghdad's Camp Victory should either of you be,” Bush said. “Because of their fierce courage, America is safer, two terror regimes are gone forever and more than 50 million souls now live in freedom,” Bush said to a warm applause. Bush’s appearance, by dint of tradition and prac tice, was a generic tribute to people who have fallen in all U.S. wars past and present, although he partic ularly cited Iraq. For Kerry, a decorated veteran, it was a day to focus on that conflict of the 1960s and early 70s — one he would ultimately march and speak against. Bush gave a speech; Kerry said little as he walked somberly along the shiny black granite wall where the names of the more than 58,000 who fell in Vietnam are etched in time and remembrance. He rubbed his thumb over one of the newest names to be added to the memorial. “So young,” the Massachusetts Democrat mused, as he looked at a photograph of William Bronson, who died in 1976 from a seizure caused by a head wound he had received in 1968. Kerry had worked with the Navy to have Bronson’s name added to the wall, and he was joined there by Bronson’s mother, Barbara, and other family members. Kerry waited until he got outside the Capital Beltway to resume normal politics, telling an audience in Portsmouth, Va., that Bush “didn’t learn the lessons of our generation in Vietnam.” Race Continued from diversity without race-tj admissions a goal administration, agreed» the regents’decision. “I have no problemi with the decision,” said. “I think the key k, that we all have the goal of increasing dived Each institution has todfiB op its own means tofurf that. Merit-based admiss works best for Ml Campus, but not the Science Center.” Dickey said she does] expect A&M’s Main Car to follow suit but that, I my understanding that J health schools around; state are pursuing race-tej admissions as well.” Rachel Alderson, aa biology major is enrolk; medical school for the fall “I can see why theyi that decision," Aider! said. “(Promoting diver; gives you a unique pemi tive on different groupsl people and produces a v{ variety of practicing st tii 01 b; m re sf si to th tr; til NEWS IN BRIEF Businesses hope Texans seek refuge in river NEW BRAUNFELS (AP) — Folks in this Central Texas community are hop ing for a hot summer that drives Texans to seek refuge in their river recre ation businesses, two years after a July Fourth storm 4 and flooding destroyed the summer season. City and business leaders hope an additional 2 million people will flock to the river banks, where river tubing, a water park and lake are popu lar summer destinations. A cool, wet spring has filled Canyon Lake and Edwards Aquifer, offering good conditions for tubing, kayaking and other river activities, the Houston Chronicle reported Monday. “The water flows are good,” said Zero Rivers, owner of Rockin’ R River Rides. “It looks like we’re going to have a great one.” Texas insurance regulators weigh credit scoring DALLAS (AP) —Texans with mediocre or worse credit histo ries are paying more for car and home insurance, even if they have good claims records. The number of auto insurers relying on “credit scoring” in setting rates has risen to near ly 80 percent of the Texas mar ket, according to a recent sur vey. A solid majority of home insurers also use the scores when pricing their policies. Insurance companies say credit scoring is a valuable tool in deciding whom to sell auto and homeowners policies and how much to charge. Consumer groups say it’s an unfair practice that disproportionately burdens minorities and the poor. State insurance regulators are caught in the middle, trying to decide just how much to limit credit scoring as they imple ment a massive insurance reform law passed last year, The Dallas Morning News reported Monday. • Earn $6.00 per Hour* Plus Bonuses • Gain Valuable Work Experience • Flexible Scheduling To apply, visit the 12th Man Foundation office at the North End of Kyle Field, or fill out an application online. 12thmanfoundation.com/callcenter *after the first 30 days Yale cooperates with Catholic schoi By Justin Pope THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Thirty-five miles and several degrees of prestige separate Yale University and St. Joseph College, a small, Roman Catholic, predominantly women’s school in Hartford, Conn. But they share at least one thing: thirst. Both campuses consume spring water by the truckload, and when Yale scored a good deal on a delivery contract, St. Joseph piggy backed on to it. The arrangement cut St. Joseph’s water- cooler bill in half, saving $2,000. For years, sometimes decades, colleges have pooled their buying power in areas like insurance and computers. But now, under particular pressure to rein in tuition increases and tighten budgets without cutting from the classroom, many are trying to think creative ly about new ways to save on overhead costs. Experts say that private institutions are mostly leading the way, though schools within a state system often have a lot more in common — computer systems, missions, even trustees — than do the St. Josephs and Yales of the world. St. Joseph’s is looking beyond water bot tles, aiming to trim the $10,000 it spends annually on trash bags, for instance. It’s part of a consortium of independent Connecticut schools exploring buying pools for every thing from organic groceries to lawyers. Similar efforts are under way in other states, where some buying compacts claim to have saved tens of millions of dollars for their members. There’s even a soft drink con tract shared by several Christian colleges. “The big schools need my volume to fur ther their savings, and I need the big schools’ buying power to get down my costs,” said Mike Jednak, St. Joseph’s asso ciate vice president for facilities. “Everyone’s reading about how the cost of education is just skyrocketing. This is a fan tastic way to get our arms around it and save dollars for students.” Connecticut’s state university system par ticipates in a number of group buying pro grams. But public colleges still face hurdles private schools can often ignore — like requirements to solicit bids from minority- and locally owned business — that can make it harder to work with colleges in other states. Each of the Connecticut system’s four campuses still buys its own bottled water. Nationwide, public four-year schools spend an estimated $40 billion annually on administrative costs — everything from heating oil to office supplies. That comes to about $7,500 per student, or about a quarter of the cost of educating each pupil. 1 States understandably want to mirlj those costs, so they often require ur l ties buy off state contracts in order ■ volume discounts. But experts say thai:l n't always produce the best deal. In Wisconsin, many of the state'sB pendent colleges buy property and insurance through their own consonimB the public University of Wisconsin s;B with 160,000 students on 26 campuses. B on a state policy, which also covers pn g Prisons, however, are considered than schools and are more expensive to r j Grouping them together, while in increase volume for the policy, amounl hidden tax on students to subsidize pr{ says David Olien, the Wisconsin sys senior vice president for administratio: wants Wisconsin to follow Michiga] Iowa in allowing its public colleges l laborate on their own. “I believe we could save millions oil he said, more than enough toe tars. potential extra costs to the prison systrf Wolf Wegenke is president of I Wisconsin Association of Indeperl Colleges and Universities — the indep[ ents’ consortium — and has also] positions under five governors. He said i pendents envy the publics’ taxpayersu| but not the red tape that comes with i CHIPS AND SMALL DRINK WITH ANY SUB 110 College Main © Northgate Coupon valid at Northgate location only Please present certificate when ordering. One certificate good per person, per visit Not good with any other offer. Good at participating locations only. Certificate void where prohibited. Good only on the products indicated. Any other use constitutes fraud. No cash value unless prohibited by law, then cash value is 1/20 of a cent Offer not good on Diamond Mini Meta"'. cJtOfie, Pneqttatux* Ge*Uen&> * * * OF BRAZOS VALLEY FREE PREGNANCY TEST ♦ Pregnancy, Adoption & Abortion Education ♦ Post Abortion Peer Counseling ♦ Adoption, Medical & Community Service Referrals ♦ All Services Free & Confidential ♦ Open M-F 9-5 and some evenings & Saturdays ♦ www.hopepregnancy.org 695-9193 846-1097 205 Brentwood 4001 E. 29th St. #108 College Station Bryan Factory Trained Technician A-Plus Automotive Repair FREE A/C CHECKS $ 17. 00 oil change 307 W. 26th Bryan, Texas 77803 (979) 822-2277 Cell (979) 822-CARS Tuscany’s Espresso Gclato 6-Internet Caf6 Home-made Italian Ice Cream & &atpls &■ Fresh Roasted Coffee's l .YrtT. jt»ti .Y»iY. rrTti .Ynnr. rtrri. Specials all day Live music: 8 P.M. June 4th Albertsons Center. 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