The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, March 15, 2004, Page 5, Image 5
Stress
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Ruthann Fox-Hines, will consist
of strategies for preventing and
controlling stress levels. Topics
will include tips on physical self
care, the importance of humor and
self-talk, priority setting and time
management and “mini vaca
tions.”
One Greenville-based compa
ny, Calm Your Mind, offers a
brochure on stress-reduction.
Written by a survivor of at
tempted suicide, the brochure
. suggests eliminating panic at
* tacks by engaging healthy think
ing such as positive self-affirma
tion, gratitude and thoughts of
helping others and by eliminat
ing resentments.
“The brochure is directed to
ward people who do not have a
lot of time to invest in a course
or therapy, which are both good
ideas,” said Jon Donald, chair
man of Calm Your Mind. “It is
not meant to replace those
things. It is a before-it-is-too-late
effort.”
The techniques discussed in the
brochure focus on the para-sym
pathetic nervous system, the “de
cision-making” part of the general
nervous system that acts against
chemical imbalance, which occurs
in the sympathetic nervous sys
tem or “reaction part” of the gen
eral nervous system. Panic occurs
when the decision-making part
fails to intervene with the reaction
part.
To help alleviate stress levels,
Donald suggests using deep
breathing techniques, drinking
water and correcting diet — start
ing with giving up coffee, soft
drinks and candy.
Another on-campus group that
helps students deal with stress,
Promoting Educating and
Encouraging Realistic Self-image,
helps students to maintain a
healthy lifestyle and overcome the
stress tied to that lifestyle.
P.E.E.R.S works along with Peer
Health Educators who train mem
bers to help others with body im
age problems and stress associat
ed with these problems.
"There is so much stress on
looking good and eating well,”
P.E.E.R.S. Vice President
Shannon Feller said.
For immediate assistance for
depression, panic or suicidal
thoughts, contact 1-800-SUICIDE,
the Teen Education and Crisis
Hotline, 1-800-367-7287 or the
National Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Hotline. 1-800-821-4357.
Comments on this story?E-mail
gamecocknews@gwm.sc.edu
Gas prices climb to
record high average
CAMARILLO, CALIF. -Gasoline
prices reached a record-high na
tionwide average of $1.77 a gallon
for all grades, rising 1.34 cents in
the last two wee^s, according to a
study released Sunday.
Gas prices have jumped by
nearly 26 cents so far this year,
and while they won’t be falling by
that amount any time soon, they
aren’t expected to rise much high
er, according to the Lundberg sur
vey of 8,000 stations nationwide.
The survey was conducted March
^ 12.
The previous combined aver
age record high was a May 2001
price of $1.76.
Analyst Trilby Lundberg said
the latest spike reflects the rise in
crude oil prices and an increase
in refinery work to prepare for
greater spring and summer gaso
line demand.
OPEC declared earlier this year
that it would reduce official oil pro
duction by April 1 and crack down
on those countries exceeding the
level.Lundberg said work at the
refineries is nearly complete.
The national weighted average
price of gasoline, including taxes,
at self-serve pumps Friday was
about $1.74 for regular, $1.84 for
midgrade and $1.92 for premium.
College
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
If that were not confusing
enough, each benefit comes with
its own definition for the “higher
education expenses” that can be
defrayed with tax breaks. School
fees, room and board, books, sup
plies and equipment might or
might not qualify.
“There’s all sorts of complexi
^ ties in these credits,” said Karen
Yeager, director of tax research
for H&R Block, which last year
asked Congress to streamline the
rules governing education cred
its. Yeager said the company’s tax
hot line gets many calls from peo
ple confused by the rules.
The Treasury Department
asked lawmakers to shrink the
current benefits into two credits.
One — still named the Hope credit
— would apply to students in their
first two years of college. A second
would combine all the other bene
fits into a single tax credit for tu
ition and some student loan inter
est, and make the new combined
credit available to each student in
^ a family.
Both credits would start de
clining for individuals earning
$50,000 or more and couples earn
ing $100,000 or more. There would
UtJ a S1I1&AC iwi me CUU'
cation expenses that qualify for
the tax credits.
It might be a great idea, and
some lawmakers have written
bills that would simplify the tax
laws. But bills adding to the com
plications also abound, including
recent ones that would establish
a new deduction for up to $1,000 in
textbook purchases and a new
$1,500 tax credit to help college
graduates pay off their student
loans.
“I guess the only way that
streamlining would happen ... is
if every single person who gets
one of these benefits would be bet
ter off,” said Chris Edwards, di
rector of fiscal policy at the con
servative Cato Institute.
The group holds the position
that the government should elim
inate special tax breaks that have
been built into the laws. But
Edwards, a father of newborn
twins, also finds himself as per
plexed as everyone else about how
to prepare for his children’s edu
cation.
“It really is very complicated,
and I’m supposed to be a tax ex
pert,” he said. “What detes the av
erage person do?”
Summer Money
Have you completed your
application for Summer
School Financial Aid?
Apply on-line at
www.vip.sc.edu
Application Deadline
April 1, 2004 at 5:00pm
Courtesy of the Office of Student Financial A»d & Scholarships
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