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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015
PAGE 4A
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opinion
TEXT
FREE FOR ALL
Text your FFA submissions to (785)289-8351 or at kansan.com
FFA OF THE DAY
If someone were to sell donuts and coffee during camping in the mornings, they would make a fortune. #realtalk
Perfect day for the dog park!
Taking a samurai class 'cause why not. #senior
There's probably no one who hates pop quizzes more than me.
There was no horoscope in the paper. How will I know what will happen today?！
There are two types of people at 6 a.m. camping: the scrubs and the flawless.
Hey, honey, take a walk on the wild side.
Class feels so much longer when it's nice out :(
Anybody know where to find some red huskys?!
Suns out guns out...
every bro on campus.
Wondering if Bill Self has had an ulcer yet?
I don't get how people can eat peanut butter...ain't even good.
Got to leave work early and it's the cherry on top of my day : )
Can I pay my rent with the textbooks I bought? I promise they'll be the same price ...
I honestly don't mind smokers on campus,but that's just me.
I love how K-State fans think they have a shot at a Big 12 title. #loi
My dog chewed his leash.
That's completely on him.
No more walks.
Koch brothers just need to get their pockets out of KU and politics.
This week it's nice,next week it's the arctic.
Anyone else pumped for March Madness??
Does the Superbowl even matter now? #Defatiriots
Sitting through all these basic classes with basic teachers thinking what am I doing here.
Will twerk for scholarships.
'Unfriending' dilutes social media feeds
Anrenee Reasor
@anreneer
O over the course of a year, many media-garnerin
events took place, from Michael Brown's death in Ferguson, Mo., to the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris. Friends on social media posted divisive articles, statuses or links proclaiming an allegiance to one side or another.
One friend refused to align with "Je suis Charlie," because he feels the magazine promotes racist, offensive material. Although he recognized that no lives should have been lost over the cartoons and he values free speech, he does not identify as a supporter of Charlie Hebdo. Other friends voiced opinions regarding the grand jury's decision in the Ferguson case. Some believed the grand jury made a fair decision with the available information, and many more believed Brown's family was not served justice. In less serious topics, friends criticized Iggy Azalea for cultural misappropriation, Taylor Swift for her "Shake
The fabric of my friends, co-workers and social media circle weaves in many different directions.' While I do not think I have the most diverse network in the world, I do see a fair amount of debate and discussion on my news feed. There are people who constantly bring my attention to women's issues, LGBT rights and other passionate topics. Often I click on articles my friends have posted, even if I do not agree with the friend or the article. I see value in having diverse friends.
It Off" video and the Oscar nominations for not being diverse enough.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY COLE ANNEBERG/KANSAN
From day one, I did not say, "I need a Republican friend, a Hindu friend and a gay friend." But those people made their way into my life, along with many others. When they post articles or statuses I disagree with, I do not wish to unfriend or unfollow them, as some people may demonstrate. If I only remained friends with the people who hold the same beliefs, viewpoints and value systems as I do, my life would be much less interesting. The real world is not a bubble where we can pick
and choose our co-workers, clients and acquaintances.
Maybe being friends with people who lead different lives from you will help you empathize with a wider audience.
I do not suggest keeping friends who are explicitly
racist or ignorant, but to unfriend individuals because they are "stuck in the social justice sewer" or post political leanings that don't go your way is a shame. We can all benefit from variety and different viewpoints.
If you have gone through a
2015 friend purge, maybe it's time to reconsider why you unfriended these people in the first place. Are your reasons valid? Is it because you barely knew them in high school? Is it because you never actually met them, but just blindly accepted their requests? Or is it because they keep posting conservative or liberal propaganda?
In many cases, we can't cut ties permanently because the person making incendiary remarks is a family member or roommate. We can simply hide them from our news feeds. But if we constantly hide people from our feeds, why are we friends with them in the first place? If someone close to you repeatedly posts flagrantly offensive content, maybe you could talk to him or her about it.
But, sometimes our thoughts are best left in our heads. Next time you unfriend or unfollow someone, think about why you are doing it. Maybe you need that friend around.
Anrenee Reasor is a senior from Thayer studying economics and East Asian languages and culture
Medication is most efficient method to fight flu
Monica Saha
@sahahahahaha
This flu season has been an epidemic problem, according
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency determined the H3N2 strain was responsible for many of the illnesses and found that there were 29.9 hospitalizations per 100,000 people affected by H3N2 this year. Unfortunately, this season's flu vaccine does not cover this strain, so you can still catch the flu even if you prophylactically received the vaccine.
One cannot cure the flu, but it's possible to relieve some of the symptoms and shorten their duration. Many students often self-medicate rather than
The immune system is complex - there is no simple way to make it stronger, other than vaccinations, of course. The best way to treat the flu or cold is to target each symptom with medication. Some students prefer the natural ingredients in homeopathic treatments like Airborne and supplements of vitamin C rather than over-the-
spending time at the doctor. The most common alternative remedies include Airborne and vitamin C supplements. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of these alternative remedies have not been scientifically justified.
write about the importance of vitamin C in treating the common cold. After the release of Pauling's book, "Vitamin C and the Common Cold," sales of vitamin C quadrupled, according to the Atlantic. However, the University of Maryland and the University of Toronto conducted studies that found vitamin C is ineffective in preventing cold- or flu-like symptoms.
Airborne is a supplement that contains synthetic vitamins, amino acids and antioxidants — it's marketed to strengthen the immune system in order to fight off colds. However, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission fined the manufacturer of Airborne for showing no "competent and reliable scientific evidence" to prove reduction of colds and the flu.
Vitamin C is necessary for metabolic reactions in the human body. In 1970, Dr.Linus Pauling,a Nobel Prize-winning chemist,
counter (OTC) medication. But it is important to know that OTCs mimic what our bodies are unable to do as a result of an illness, and some can reverse the side effects of an illness.
can progress to serious infections like pneumonia. It is never safe to ignore symptoms of the flu in hopes that it will get better on its own with sleep and natural remedies. Medications are our bodies' friends when we are ill. Airborne and vitamin C can supplement a treatment, but alternative medicine should not be the sole source on fighting the flu.
For example, NSAID products like ibuprofen and aspirin will treat flu aches and pains; antihistamines and decongestants will treat congestion. However, OTCs are only so effective. If symptoms worsen after three days, you should go see a doctor for antivirals. Complications of the flu
"THE IMMUNE SYSTEM IS COMPLEX THERE IS NO SIMPLE WAY TO MAKE IT STRONGER, OTHER THAN VACCINATIONS OF COURSE."
Monica Saha is a graduate student from Overland Park studying pharmacy
HOW DO YOU TREAT THE FLU?
"Will wait it out without taking medication. I will go to the doctors if it gets worse."
— Zunwu Zhou
Senior from Wuhan, China
"I would take vitamin C or Airborne before I would take an OTC."
— Yasmin Bashir Freshman from St. Louis
"Never have had the flu, but I would go to Watkins to get it treated."
Katie Cantlon Sophomore from Chicago
"I would take Zinc and stay in bed until I felt better." — Tim Schaefer Sophomore from Atlanta
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THE KANSAN EDITORIAL BOARD
Members of the Kansan Editorial Board are Brian Hillix, Paige Lytle, Cecilia Cho, Stephanie Bickel and Sharline Xu.
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