OPINION THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 7A THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2008 COMMENTARY Overheard discussion illustrates big gender division Being sexually frustrated is a common occurrence in college. We all go through it. I, too, am sexually frustrated, but I don't mean that in the sense of not getting any from the honey on the third floor. I simply mean that I'm frustrated with the sexes, males vs. females. Why must we continue to live in a society where equality between men and women is lacking? It's 2008 already. Let's get on this. Being a girl who makes her living at an electronic store has been challenging. It's not because I struggle with learning new technology or soldering a wire to a circuit board. It's because I am a female. My expertise and my honest suggestions often get rejected based on my sex. Many times I am passed up or simply ignored. Other times, customers tell me that they wish to speak with a male associate, I comply with those customers' desires, and I simply keep my opinions to myself, questioning the true sense of equality between men and women. Last week, I was riding the bus to Park and Ride. (I had happened to leave my iPod at home), and I overheard a conversation taking place in front of me between two males. I am not one for eavesdropping, but overhearing this conversation was an insult. The two males were discussing how women should not be allowed to teach math or English, because as women, they are not knowledgeable in either subject. I was offended and slightly dumbfounded at this belief because it's absolutely not true. A study reported in the American Psychological Society Journal in 2000 found that women outperform men in both math and science by almost 12 percent. This article was not intended to rattle off statistics from a psychological journal or to be a ragging feminist. It's more about calling attention to an idea: Men and women are both capable of accomplishment in this word. If the gender divide continues to prevent women from performing, accomplishing, teaching or making suggestions, then society is hindered and biased. Inequality is something society has created. We must now revert to equality. Durbin is a Hays junior in journalism and English. 》 FROM THE DRAWING BOARD MAX RINKEL I can't date someone so 'free for all' COMMENTARY DENNIS MERSMANN Dear Free For All. It's over. I'm breaking up with you. Things between us have run their course, but I don't want you to take this the wrong way. There's no gentle way to say this, so I'll be blunt. It's not me. It's you. I know that you've treated me well during the past few years. You've always been there for me. Ever since my first days on campus when I was still making new friends and I was a little lonely, you helped cheer me up. I got to know you, and I liked you. You made me laugh and you made me think. Eventually we started seeing each other every day, sometimes Then you gave me my phone number. That was a huge step for us, but it was exciting too. I felt like we were developing a real bond. in between classes. Sometimes we would start the morning together. Then one afternoon when I was bored, I called to tell you that Mizzou sucks. That's when you let me inside of you. It felt really good. I was giddy. I bragged to my friends about what happened, but they said it was no big deal. They said they had been in you three times already. Even though I was mad and didn't call you for a week, you were there and listened to me when I forgave you. That's when I knew we had something different than what either of us had had before. No matter what happened, we would be there for each other. You challenged me, too. Even when we disagreed, we could still get along. That only made us stronger. Remember how we used to argue about whether or not David Padgett sucked? You said he was holding the basketball team back, and I said he was only a freshman and would develop. And not to brag, but look who's the team captain at Louisville now. I guess you just aren't a good judge of talent. But we both knew this would happen eventually. Maybe we didn't expect it so soon, but you've changed. You spend all your time online and don't take my phone calls. You don't make time for us. I don't want to hear your empty promises about answering your voice emails again. It's too late to beeg. Ever since you joined Facebook, you seem more distant. I know we were never exclusive. I don't care that you see other people, but hooking up with people over the Internet and letting them submit everything to you? That's downright skanky. Sometimes when we meet up now, you don't even make sense. It's like you're talking backwards or something. And last week you misspelled Lew Perkins' name four times in one day. Are you just cutting and pasting? That's serious stuff. You could get addicted. I don't think you even use spell check anymore. That's just lazy and unsafe. You have to use protection. Let's just make a clean break now, and go our separate ways. I'll cherish the good memories. Like when we exchanged Chuck Norris jokes all the time. You used to love Chuck Norris. Maybe that should have been a clue that you were wishy-washy. You'd always talk about one thing for a week and then act like it was the laζœ€εœ£ thing ever. I know this comes as a blow on Valentine's Day, but I just can't take it any more. You annoy the crap out of me. I think it's best if we don't see each other again. I'd really appreciate it if you could stop hanging around my column. Yours truly, Dennis Mersmann is a Lawrence senior in creative writing. Dennis may have broken up with Free For All, but you don't have to. Spend a little more time today with the one you love, on kansan.com and on the phone. I really truly believe that #47 on the football is my true love. I'm talking about you Max Onyegube. Valentine's Day: The day to hang out with your best girlfriends and wallow in self pity. Valentine's Day: The perfect day to make me realize how extremely lonely and dull my life is. If you're smart enough to pass college, then you should be smart enough to know the difference between "your" and "you're." Jesus love Corey Delaney and his famous Valentine's Day: The perfect opportunity to mock my friends who think they are in the "perfect relationship" that is actually incred people, is it really that hard? wallow in self pity. ibly dysfunctional. Who wants to hire an idiot who can't pass anything? If you're so against college, return to the drive-thru window where you belong. And yes, I WILL have fries with that. I would just like to say that I I really want to stick it to this girl in my anthropology class. Something tells me that my girlfriend wouldn't approve. I wish I remembered the multiplication tricks. I have to use a calculator Free For All, when you post what I say, my friends get a little bit jealous. But you know what I say? Sucks to their ass-mar wouldn't approve. Just a heads up: 33 days until Spring Break! 》 FREE FOR ALL Visit Kansan.com and add the Facebook application, or call 785-864-0500. Will someone please remind me why I paid $130 for a Naismith parking permit when half the time I try to find a parking spot in the lot, and there isn't one so I have to park on the street. Naismith, you can go Glad to see Lawrence is so strict on their drug paraphernalia and so lax on their killers. Good priorities, guys. --- To the sports columnist who picked Texas to beat KU: If you don't bleed red and blue we don't need you. You're through. --- Did you know if you switch the vowels in the word "taxes" you get Texas? --- You should be worried that you have a kid, and you still call into the Free For All. No offense, Free For All. When was the last time the Yankees and Red Sox played in the World Series? Oh yeah, that would be never because they both play in the American League. Free For All, will you let my girlfriend know that I'm sorry that we can't go out on Valentine's Day because I'm sick? I'm so sorry, baby. I just can't get you sick. I owe you. Big --- My tentative plan for Valentine's Day includes some Jack Daniels, a dark corner and maybe some tears. I'm excited to see how it turns out. One thing I like about the cold is that it keeps White Owl away from campus. Can someone explain to me how club hockey and baseball practice gets more publicity than women's softball? Get it together, UDK. Immediately. Me and my friend are looking for formal dates. Applications may be submitted by Friday. Thank you. Thank you. --- Journalism 608: Worst class ever? Of all the women I've met, none have touched my heart like my mom. @KANSAN.COM Want more? Check out Free For All online. Dianne Smith, managing editor 864-4810 or dsmith@kansan.com TALK TO US Matt Erickson, managing editor 864-4810 or merickson@kansan.com Darla Slipke, editor 864-4810 or dslipke@kansan.com Bryan Dykman, opinion editor 864-4924 or dykman@kansan.com Lauren Keith, associate opinion editor 864-4924 or lkeith@kansan.com Toni Bergquist, business manager 864-4358 or tberqquist@kansan.com CONTACT US Margalcol Macdon, general manager and news adviser 684-2671 on jobgrab.com naim.gam Katy Pitt, sales manager 864-4477 or kpitt@kansan.com Jon Schlitt, sales and marketing adviser 864-7666 or jschlitt@kansan.com SUBMISSIONS SUBMISSIONS The Kansan welcomes letters to the editors and guest columns submitted by students, faculty and alumni. The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length, or reject all submissions. For questions about submissions, call Bryan Dykman or Lauren Keith at 864-4810 or email dykmankansan.com. General questions should be directed to the editor at editorjkansan.com. Maximum Length: 200 words LETTER GUIDELINES The submission must include: Author's name and telephone number; class, homework (student); position (faculty member/staff); phone number (will not be published) GUEST COLUMN GUIDELINES The submission must include: Author's name and telephone number; class, hometown (student); position (faculty member/staff); phone number (will not be published) The Kanas will not print guest columns or letters that attack a reporter or another columnist. Maximum Length: 500 words THE EDITORIAL BOARD Members of the Kansas Editorial Board are Daria Slipke, Matt Ericsson, Dianne Smith, Bryan Dykman, Lauren Keith, Zach White and Jordan Williams. 1.