The J-TAC (Stephenville, Tex.), Ed. 1 Thursday, October 20, 1988 Page: 2 of 10
ten pages : b&w ; page 23 x 14 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
'^X
Page 2/The J-TAclfflurslil^PcSctobi
fiAiiil
tt*«a m
m® mm
VfkliWitt
Opinion
Editorials
Oceans dump garbage back
on beaches in subtle warning
The nations beaches are the oceans way of getting back at man for all
the years of trash dumping in our seas. National television almost daily
remarks about the waste that has washed up on the beach with the over
night tide.
Newspapers and magazines report of animals going to their death with
the plastic ring from a six-pack of cola wrapped around their nose. A
lady in New Jersey was stuck by a hypodermic needle, one from of the
massive amounts of medical refuse that have been washing up on
America's shores.
Although many Texans would disagree, the beaches along our Gulf
coast are cleaner than most. This summer Gary Mauro and the Texas
Land Office were presented with one of 94 "Take Pride in America"
awards for their efforts in keeping Texas beaches clean.
One of their programs, "Adopt-a-Beach," has been extra successful
in allowing people to make a volunteer effort in providing clean beaches.
Spring Break and beaches go hand in hand for college students who
must be increasingly supportive of clean shore iniatives. Help prevent
ocean pollution and save our beaches.
ONNA 8B
WHE#& AI2E YOU
FOR tiOMECOni
m
/
by
Jim Mattox
Attorney General
Texas consumers should beware
, of the recent proliferation of credit
repair services - businesses that
promise to improve a person's credit
history or rating by removing
derogatory information from a per-
son's credit file. They often charge
exorebitant fees, attracting
customers through mass media. In
many instances, these credit repair
businesses operate in violation of
Texas law.
In general, credit repair business
operate by generating dispute letters
that challenge informating in con-
sumer's credit files. Many credit
repair business promise to remove
derogatory informaton without con-
cern for whether the information is
correct.
I: '
Under the federal Fair Credit
Reporting Act, a consumer has the
right to go directly to a credit repor-
ting agency to request that in-
accurate information be corrected.
The credit reporting agency cannot
charge for this service. However,
credit repair businesses take advan-
tage of consumers' lack of
knowledge of this law by offering
to provide services that the con-
sumer can usually do on his own.
In addition, many credit repair
business also promise to obtain
credit cards for persons regardless
of whether they have been refused
by card issuers or have bad credit.
They prey on people who have a
history of bad credit and are
desperately seeking to build up a
good credit record.
In response to deceptive practices
of credit repair businesses, the
Texas legislature in 1987 passed the
Credit Services Organizations Act.
This law applies to any company
which provides services to improve
a consumer's credit history or rating
obtain an extension of credit for a
consumer, or provide advice on
how to improve or obtain credit.
The act exempts regulated financial
institutions including banks, savings
and loan associations and credit
unions. Non-profit organization,
licensed real estate , brokers,
lawyers, registered securities
broker-dealers and consumer repor-
ting agencies are also exempted.
The Act requires a credit repair
business to file a registration state-
ment with the Secretary of State
before doing business and to obtain
a $10,000 surety bond or surety ac-
count, The money is held for the
benefit of consumers who have been
damaged as a result of a violation
of the Act. The law also requires
specific written disclosures to be gi
ven the consumer before the con-
sumer signs any contact for services
or pays money. The Attorney
General is authorized to file suit to
enjoin violations and to recove
penalties of up to $10,000.
Specifically, the Credit Service
Organizations Act requires credit
services organizations to provide a
disclosure statement to a buyer
before the buyer signs a contract or
pays money. The disclosure state-
ment must contain: 1) a complete
description of the services offered
and the cost of each service; 2) a
statement of the buyer's right to
make a claim against the ;bond or
surety account; and 3) the name and
address of the surety company,
depository or trustee holding the
bond or surety account.
In addition, every credit services
contract must contain a conspicuous
statement, in bold type, next to the
buyer's signiture:
You, the buyer, may cancel
this contract any time before
midnight of the third day
after the date of the transac-
tion. See the attached notice
of cancellation form for an ex-
planation of this right.
If you have a problem with a
credit repair company, contact any
of my Consumer Protection Divi-
sion. offices in Austin, Houston,
Dallas, San Antonio, Lubbock, EI
Paso, or McAllen. The Attorney
General's Office is the people's law
firm. We're here to help you.
Letters
Texans support pledge
To the Editor,
Michael Dukakis vetoed a bill in 1977 requiring school teachers to begin
the class day with the pledge of allegiance. He says such a bill is
unconstitutional.
Michael Dukakis should have signed the bill, which was passed by the
Massachusetts legislature. The legislature, which is controlled by
Democrats, overrode the veto by Dukakis. Dukakis has problems with
the pledge of allegiance being recited, but he seems to have no problem
with administering a very liberal prison furlough program that allows
murderers and rapists out on the weekend.
There is something wrong with his viewpoint. He is a sophisticated
liberal, Eastern, elitist who thinks he is above the average working
American.
Well, Texans have news for Michael Dukakis. Texans believe in the
pledge of allegiance. Texans believe in the flag and resent the Dukakis
liberal position.
Name Withheld By Request
Plowboy's respect questioned
To The Editor:
I agree that the seating at the Austin College game was very poor,but
it can't be worse than a Tarleton home game. I feel that the Plowboys
are one of the biggest Texan support groups, and they have great respect
for Tarleton State University.
But as for their respect for other fans, the Plowboys have none. Every
home game this year, at the beginning and end of each half-time, the
Plowboys as a group, walk, stomp, and stumble through the crowd try-
ing to get on and off the field to offer support to the team.
I like the idea of offering support, but not at the expense of me and
my friends being run over. An "excuse me" or "pardon me" would
help but since they can't even do that, it would be nice if the Plowboys
would show a little consideration to the fans and walk to the top of the
stands and then go down the stairs at the end of the field.
If the Plowboys like to bump, step on, and push so much maybe they
should go out for the football team.
Name Withheld By Request
Want to express your
opinion in The J-TAC, ?
What's your view? We invite you to write a letter to the editor ad-
dressed to: The J-TAC, Editorial Page Editor, P.O. Box 98, Tarletort
Station, Stephenville, Texas 76402. Letters can also be brought to the
newspaper office in person on the third floor of Davis Hall. Only signed
letters can be considered but the author's name can be withheld by re-
quest. Please include an address and telephone number at which you can
be reached for verification. Letters are subject to editing and condensation.
Poor alcoholics need assistance
The Real McCoy
Dan K. McCoy
Editorial Page Editor
Student reflects on homecoming
GAYDEN HAYS
Guest Columnist
What is a homecoming? The
definition is a return to one's
school or place where one
formerly lived or stayed, and a
yearly reunion of university
alumni.
This week Tarleton will go
through the yearly festival that
every school in the nation en-
' joys. On the campus there will
'be many events to go and see.
Our senses will be filled as we
watch a stack of wood ignited
and burn bright while we all
show our school spirit.
Another Tarleton homecom-
ing tradition will begin again,
and one that everybody will be
able to hear. Students will take
turns beating a barrel with sticks
for hours on end.
Someone just walking onto
the campus that is not aware of
this tradition might think
Tarleton is something other than
a fine school. But, traditions are
very valuble to any university
no matter what they are and how
they are performed.
Also, not to be left out, are
my two favorite events, the
parade and the football game.
The parade gives me a chance
to watch the different college
organizations show their
originality and express
themselves, along with a piece
of candy to chew on the rest of
the day.
While the football game gives
me a chance to watch one of the
best NAIA football teams in the
country play, I'm sure that this
week will be no different and we
will see the Texans blow out
Howard Payne Saturday night.
Along with the events that
will go on, it is a time to
remember old friends and ex-
periences that occurred in years
past.
Everyone in college drives
past their old high school now
and then and smiles with fond
memories of good times and
good friends. Just like the
tarleton alumni that remember
the close friends from their
fraternity or the time the Tex-
ans pulled a football game out
in the last seconds of the game.
This year the Tarleton Class
of 1938 will return and celebrate
their 50 year reunion. I hope
that in the year 2038 I will be
able to return to Tarleton and
celebrate my 50 year reunion
with all my friends. Probably by
this time Tarleton will have
50,000 students and cover most
of Stephenville.
Another type of homecoming
that cannot be forgotten and has
played an important part in
American history, is the return
of men who have fought to pro-
tect our country from invasion.
These men were gone for
months maybe even years, and
they were happily accepted back
into society, showing again that
homecoming is a time to
celebrate and remember times
gone past.
I hope that everyone will
think of homecoming as more
than a big party, and realize that
along with the "hoopla" of the
activities, there is importance
and special meaning to this year-
ly event.
I saw the old man tremble as he
huddled on the sheet-less mattress.
It wasn't cold at all in this building
provided by the Salvation Army for
homeless people; this man was
trembling because of alcohol
withdrawl.
His name was Luke he told me,
and he responded to most of my
questions with the phrase, "I want
to go home." But home to Luke is
not under 1-35 where he was found
by lire department paramedics, its
in a bottle of "Mad Dog 20/20,"
a cheap wine bought more for its
alcohol content than its aroma.
One of the operators of the center
told me that Luke is free to go
whenever he gains enough strength
to walk out the door. He won't have
any money, but he'll be able to
undertake some petty theft that will
keep him in wine and probably get
him back into the county jail once
again.
Luke is 61 years old, a Texas
native, and a World War II veteran.
He is suffering from malnutrition
and several vitamin deficiencies. He
lost all but three of his toes to
frostbite during last year's cold
winter. Needless to say, he is a
tough old man who has suffered
long and hard.
One of the volunteers in the center
told me what he thought the reason
for Luke's problem was. He said it
wasn't just because he was po"r, or
because he was an alcoholic, and not
f ven because he is homeless. He
;aid it was the collection of all these
problems together that made Luke
feel that there was no hope, that he
was destined to remain a street
dweller forever.
But what can he do to get himself
out of this endless cycle of self
destruction? There are volunteer
agencies all over the metroplex to
aid drug abuse victims. There are
shelters to provide food, clothing,
and friends to these individuals. But
why don't these efforts work?
This volunteer believed that it was
because they saw no light at the end
of the tunnel - that since few others
cared about their condition, why
should they care about themselves.
I tend to agree with his assessment.
Alcoholism among the poor in
America is staggering. It is a pro-
blem that crosses socio-economic
lines and affects all citizens with in-,
creased crime and disease.
We must take the iniative and
begin to recognize and solve these
problems. We must realize that we
cannot continue, to hide from these
problems by pretending they don't
exist, because statistics imply that
they are increasing in magnitude^
I left the shelter to go home with
a new attitude about the poor
alcoholics in Texas. I carried with
me the idea that we can't be blind
to these problems any longer, just
as Luke can't cover them up: for
good with "Mad Dog 20/20,^
The J-TAC Staff
Editorial Page Editor
Dan K. McCoy
News
jay me Billiard
Ben Tinsley
Christine Hancook
Advertising Sales
Cindy Prestridge
David O'Haugherty
Circulation
John F. Hughes
Editor
Tiffany P. Hall
Sports Writers
Mike Marbach
Gayden Hays
Lance Moore
Advisor
Charles Reynolds
Sports Editor
Clay Rasmussen
Photography
Wayne Briggs
Melanie Martin
Ross Canion
Typography &
Graphic Art
Cathy F. Hope
Dusti Pounds
Greg Mefford
Liz Dawes
The J-TAC is published each Thursday during the regular semesters, with the exception
of University holidays and examination periods. The printer is the Stephenville Empire-Tribunej.
The J-TAC is a non-profit organization. The U.S. postage is paid permit number 133,
Stephenville, Texas 76402.
Only articles under the Editorial section of this page express the opinion of The J-TAC.
All other columns do not necessarily represent the opinion of the University or this newspaper.
Deadlines are noon Monday for advertising and noon Tuesday for articles and letters to
the editor. Inquiries may be made by telephone to: Editor, 968-9056; Newsroom/Editorials/
Advertising, 968-9057; Faculty Advisor, 968-9058.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
The J-TAC (Stephenville, Tex.), Ed. 1 Thursday, October 20, 1988, newspaper, October 20, 1988; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth141687/m1/2/: accessed July 11, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Tarleton State University.