iPod Headphone jack broken?

Ok, so I know for sure my headphone jack is partially broken.

I can still hear both sides, but oftentimes one will partially lose a signal, like I can hear the spoken voices but then I just hear background music and the voices are faint, or some sound will not be played or little of it. I know it is a physical problem, and I tested with a line extender if the jack or my earphones are at blame, and when I wiggle the extender-to-earphone connection, there is no change, but when I wiggle the iPod-to-extender, it will be all funky.

I have some questions:
I got this for my B-Dday, but it was probably purchansed anywhere form November 12th to November 19th 2007, so:

1. Will it be covered?
2. Will it cost $$$ to repair?
3. Will it be an exchange, or are they going to give the same one back and repair it?
4. Is me wrapping the cord around the iPod a possible cause? And will be void the warranty?
5. Is it a reason to call me "irresponsible"? My dad could think I was being reckless with my iPod.

Thanks!
4.

Bump

This was knocekd to the 2nd page and sitll unanswered.

Anyways, now it will usually not play the channel!

Yeah, I am doing it now.

But is it still under warranty? or did my stupidity of wrapping it around void it?

lol.

will they be able to find it was because of my making it get stressed?

edit: I cant call, and I don't want to bring it to the apple store just yet, because if my dad finds it "broke" and it was my fault, then he probably would have this big rant and not get it repaired bacuase "its my fault" and "everything i touch breaks".

I have kind of had a bad rep with devices:

my old gigabeat's screen broke
2 cellphone screens broke for NO reason
my current cellphone's battery is bloated, and he blamed it on running the battery down, and I disproved him
my mighty mouse was acting erratic (but it was a defect)
some other stuff.

so yea. this would be ANOTHER added on the list of my bad record.

Yeah.

Do I just go up and say "Um, the left side stopped playing". For some reason, I like to "look up the symptoms", and find out the cause, and I always do this, However, if I tell my dad it just stopped working, he will definatly find it abnormal of me to just go blankly "it stopped working", and he will think I am too lazy and he will tell me find out why, or he will know I already know why, but I am playing dumb in an attempt to blame Apple instead of myself for it breaking.

I know that when I had my mighty mouse replaced, they just plugged it in, sked me a few questions, and replaced it without going into much detail.

One of the people next to me had an iPod that just "didn't charge or connect for 7 hours, and sometimes it wouldn't work", and the iPod got switched without even checking.

Do you think I will get good luck, and get an genius who will just do a switch-a-roo or repair, or somehow end up luckily on a saturday when there is tons of people, and stuff needs to be done fast, or will I end up on a slow day with a genius who goes indepth a bit too much?

If I schedule an appointment, I will try to see if I can get it done on a friday or saturday afternoon.