OPINION
Coming Thursday, November 1...
Editorial: University should do more thorough background checks when hiring.
White: Bumper stickers around town all have something to say.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WWW.KANSAN.COM
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2007
PAGE 7A
BURGERTIMES
Go out, dress up, celebrate Halloween
Even if we're too old to trick-or-treat, today is a rare opportunity to let loose and have fun
Today, Oct. 31, marks a special day for me, and I'm sure many others. On this day, or usually the weekend before, many join in by dressing up or giving candy, but each year I can't help but think that something in it was missed, its essence in some way watered down.
Most obvious is the nature of costumes one encounters on a supposedly spooky time of the year. The majority I see and hear about are either cute, funny or slutty. Admittedly, I do enjoy any one of these genres executed well, but too many costumes are chosen based on whether others will "get it" or not.
Making a costume almost guarantees a more interesting one. While it can be more stressful at times, it can also be therapeutic. Last year I made a costume "as such"—involving animal skins, blood, dirt and a pristine pair of white women's Keds. I couldn't tell anyone
what it was exactly—it was just as much a mystery to myself as to everyone else. It was some sort of spawn birthed from the attitudes of the times leading up to the day(s). It just felt right, and for me, looked right too.
Raw, original, scary costumes are the clusters in the cereal. Just as encountering a truly merry stranger during Christmas or noticing "Dwayla" has cherry cobbler stains down her shirt and a ciggy in each hand on the Fourth, a good costume during Halloween is an instance of lush festivity that enriches the season.
However, not everything has to be scary, but it is shied away
from by the vast majority of people. Halloween isn't just a holiday (it isn't even that for some people), but a chance. It is a chance to look however or like whoever one wants, and really, everything is permissible.
In years past, this day marked the culmination of a month or more of scary festivities for my friends and me. Though it was not the same this year, today, shrouded in an obscure silliness, couldn't have come a moment too soon. Today is about remembering the joy of being scared, and that we're all a little creepy, sometimes.
Muselmann is a Tulsa, Okla.
junior in journalism.
DRAWING BOARD
ANARCHY IN THE U.K.
MAX RINKE
NOT SO ANGELIC
With today's sadistic, exploitative films, AMC's Monsterfest evokes nostalgia for the classics
Recent horror films lack real scares
KELSEY HAYES
I'm going to study for my exam in Religion 106.
T tonight, I'm going to do something truly horri- fying.
Despite having dressed up (as a female maid to boot) the past two years and partied, I'm honestly not feeling the Halloween vibes. I went as 'the opinion editor' to a friend's Halloween party last weekend, and the only candy-related item I've received was a big tin of assorted popcorn from my parents (which my colleagues proceeded to eat; thanks guys).
There is, however, one Halloween tradition I plan on keeping, even as I look over my notes on Buddhism.
Trashy, gory, violent horror films.
The American Movie Classics channel (AMC) annually has its Monsterfest, a marathon of horror films ranging from classics ("The Exorcist") to camp ("Friday the 13th Part XXXIV: Jason Sees a Psychiatrist for Mommy Issues").
Today, AMC's horror franchise of choice is appropriately, the "Halloween" films. Whoever decided to show the original "Halloween" at 10 a.m. and the subsequent sequels during prime time should probably lose their job. The original is scary at any time of day, but preferably not after an 8 a.m. lecture.
It should say something about my disregard of films like "Hostel" that, despite seeing it, I still backpacked across Europe and stayed in hostels (okay, so not in Slovakia). To me, films in that vein aren't scary, they're sadistic. "Saw" had an incredibly clever premise, but now, on film number four, the shick is
It's a little disheartening that within a year or two, today's so-called horror films will more than likely see action on AMC's Monsterfest. Today it's "Rosemary's Baby" and tomorrow it's "Hostel."
old. Exactly how many ways is it possible to disembowel someone? Michael Myers made due with a kitchen knife; he didn't need Rube Goldberg devices.
Leigh Whannell, who wrote and starred in the original "Saw," said in an interview on Bravo that he researched the Spanish Inquisition when coming up with various torture devices to include in the films. I have a problem with historical torture being used as a basis for entertainment, but precedent is against me (gladiatorial games were popular, right?).
I guess I just have to live with the fact that people like seeing horrible things happen to other people. I don't mind violence, but it has to have a purpose, a point. There's no rule saying that a horror film can't be high in quality. "The Silence of the Lambs" won five Oscars, and is one of my favorite horror films.
Today's filmmakers are so bankrupt of original ideas that they're dredging up old classics to remake. Fortunately for Rob Zombie, his "Halloween" remake was well received, but I have pretty low hopes for the announced "Friday the 13th" remake. Especially because
the production company keeps talking about Jason. If they'd bothered to watch "Scream," they'd know that Jason wasn't the killer in the original film, but rather Mrs. Voorhees, his mother. Drew Barrymore forgot this and it got her boyfriend killed.
Horror films bring in money (we'll probably have a "Saw VI" in two years) and have a solid demographic—us: AMC is probably bringing in gangbusters advertising dollars with their horror marathon. And I'll continue to watch it in the hopes of actually finding something to scare me more than the thought of having an exam the next day.
The best horror films now come from places like Japan ("Ju-On," on which "The Grudge" films are based) and even the United Kingdom ("The Descent" is one of the few honest-to-God scary films I've seen recently). American auteurs seem more involved in the torture-porn genre ("Hostel" and "Saw") or doing bad remakes.
Hayes is a Lenexa junior in journalism, political science and international studies. She is Kansan opinion editor.
Psoriasis is more than a skin-deep concern
Sufferers of the condition deal with awkward looks and self-consciousness in day-to-day life
ANGELIQUE MCNAUGHTON
Me: "Let's go swimming, you want to?"
My roommate: "Where?"
Me: "At Robinson."
My roommate: "..."
Me: "Come mon now, you used to swim ALL the time. You know it would make you feel better. I know I can't completely understand how it affects you, but I'm trying to. I don't want to be to push, though."
My roommate: "It's just, everybody stares. I know you're just trying to help me, but I can't help but be embarrassed and pissed off. A lot of people have it, but not everyone knows about it, though. So they're not as understanding as you, but you're my roommate so obviously I'm more comfortable around you."
Me: "What's it called again?"
My roommate: "Psoriasis."
I had heard of psoriasis, but she was right, I wasn't too informed on it, and did not realize its prevalence amongst the population. So I decided to Google it, because I Google everything! And the results were the following "Did You Know?" facts of the day: According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, 2-3 percent of the world's population has psoriasis, and between 5.8 and 7.5 million Americans have the common disease. Along with the prevalence of the disease, I believe we all should know at least the basic causes, effects and appearances of psoriasis.
Everybody has skin cells that shed regularly, and a normal cell 'sheds' or falls of your skin in about 30 days. A person with psoriasis, however, has skin cells that shed and then accumulate at the surface every three to four days, instead of falling
off. If this accumulation creates lesions that appear as red or white patches on various locations on the body, the person is diagnosed as having plaque psoriasis, one of the most common of the five different forms. These patches are what make my roommate apprehensive about going out in public in a bathing suit or even capris.
I'll admit, that if I see something that is "different," I'll either look twice, or more carefully. I'm not saying that I stare or perceive that person with a lower standard than before by any means. I'm just a curious, open-minded girl. And as humans, I'm sure we can all agree and admit as well, that at least one point in our life we have done the same. We have looked a little longer at a unique trait than is appropriately allowed. Unfortunately, that extra long glance is why many people who have psoriasis, like my roommate, experience the emotional distress that it causes as well.
Psoriasis is thought to be genetic, with a person diagnosed having some relative with the disease as well. The severity of the disease depends on the percentage of body surface that is covered by the patches, as well as the impact it has on a person's life. Judging from my roommate's own experiences and testimony, amount of body surface doesn't even matter. The effect that it has on people, women mostly, is heartbreaking. No one can prevent or cure psoriasis, and I know my roommate feels people will judge and stare regardless of that fact. The treatments one can endure to help with the disease are financially demanding, with billions of dollars spent annually.
I learned that World Psoriasis Day is Oct. 29. Hopefully until next year if you see anyone with a condition or anything you may deem as "different," you'll consider the many causes that may be behind it, because it could be psoriasis or some other unfortunate condition.
Me: "Can we go swimming now?"
McNaughton is a Topeka junior in journalism.
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Everyone should go to The Outhouse. It's a big deal!
I'm sick of listening to the people above me in my apartment have sex.
It would be an insult to the fighting Manginos if anyone attempts to tear down the goalposts on Saturday, so don't even think about it.
I broke up with my boyfriend. Wednesday night is Halloween which is one reason to get wasted. Now I was given a second reason. Drink up KU!
You break my heart Free for All.
Damn my lack of funding.
TALK TO US
SUA kinda sucks this year.
Fees go up according to inflation. You know what doesn't? My scholarship!
Erick R. Schmidt, editor
864-4810 or eschmidt@kansan.com
NOW THAT YOU'VE READ THE OPINION PAGE, HAVE AN OPINION?
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Eric Jorgensen, *managing editor*
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Darla Silipe, *managing editor*
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Kelsey Haves, *opinion editor*
864-4819 or khaves@kanan.su
Bryan Dykman, associate opinion editor 864-4924 or dykman@kansan.com
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864-4477 or katiea@kansan.com
Malcim Göbel, general manager, news adviser
864-7697 or mgtpubkansan.kansasan.com
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864-7666 or jschittk@kansan.com
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 any questions, call Kelsey Hayes or Bryan Dykman at 864-4810 or e-mail opinion@kansan.com.
to the editor at editor@kansan.com.
General questions should be directed
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The Editorial Board
Erick R. Schmidt, Eric Jorgensen,
Darla Slipe, Kelsey Hayes, Bryan
Dykman, Brandon T. Minister, Angelique
McNaughton and Benjamin R. Smith
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