THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2012
PAGE 5
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY RANSA
opinion
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I literally just almost pooped my pants, what is this third grade? #collegepriorities #hadtogettheUDKirst.
I knew I was in a good class when the professor missed the first day to ceremonially re-wrap a mummy in another country.
If you'a a true KU fan, winning the Big 12 this year shouldn't have been a surprise.
Saw a poster for a lost dog named Phog. Jayhawk Nation, we must find this dog and return it to its KU loving owner!
Well at least us "Chicagoans" don't sound like we're from K-State or Mizzou unlike your Kansans. cant argue with them.
To the "townie" who thinks it's "Oz-Dale" you can't fix stupid. I couldn't believe anyone who pronounces Ousdahl anything but "Oz-doll" a fellow towie.
I think we should start competing with Chicago for title of "Windiest City."
I really want to talk to this guy but the last time we talked I was wearing a stola and he was dressed as a gladiator ... it wasn't Hallowen.
The fact that I get yelled at for blasting early Nirvana in my car is just another reason to get out of Lawrence.
I'll know to think twice when I see a platter of brownies. That was unexpected
Please stop "covering yourself in honey and pretending you're a bee." Or anything like that. You don't actually do that so shut up.
I'm just glad you made the connection between believing in Big Foot and believing in God.
To the person who said they do home-work with their pants off ... let's study together.
I save all of my homework until the last minute because then I will be older, therefore more wise.
I love there's a big gust of wind and a pile of leaves turn into a tornado!
If Self has to leave KU to be president, it would be for a greater good.
To the guy who used his fraternity status to rationalize the bringing of a flask to the Missouri game: you are making the rest of us Greek men look bad.
You're complaining because a few undergrads sang "Hey, Hey, Goodbye?" Welcome to the world of sports.
You know chivalry/manners are dead when the healthy kids run on the bus before the girl with the sprained ankle can, and then don't leave any room so they can get on. C'mon guys, she can't even walk to class.
The seat just behind the wheel on the bus will ALWAYS be the best.
When you are talking to someone a lot while waiting for the bus, are you supposed to sit with them once you're on the bus?
I made the mistake of getting on a 43 bus to go back to the Towers around lunch time. NEVER AGAIN.
Sat across from Kevin Young on the bus today. Celebrities: they're just like us!
Chivalry ... yeah. I've still got it. Only because my girlfriend doesn't appreciate it. I figure someone will eventually.
Getting the most out of studying abroad
CULTURE
I spent last weekend in Florence, Italy — home to Michelangelo's "Davide", Botticelli's "Primavera", and Brunelleeschi's awe-inspiring dome. But what stuck with me from that trip wasn't the art.
On Saturday, we stayed out so we could go to the midnight bakery. This phenomena is common in Italian student cities. When bakers get to work around 3 a.m. to start preparing the day's bread, they'll sometimes sell pizza and pastries out the side door to drunk students coming home late at night. It's technically illegal for them to be selling outside of regular hours, but at the bakeries I've been to, everyone waiting in line knows how to play the quiet game.
Not at the bakery in Florence. There's even a sign on the door written in English asking customers to be quiet. But when I arrived at the door tucked around a corner in a residential neighborhood, I found a group of Americans loudly proclaiming how "sick" the music at The Red Garter had been that night and that their rum and cokes had been "waaaahaaay" too strong.
My boyfriend went up to ask them to be quiet. We would never get any pastries if they proceeded to wake up the entire neighborhood. They all laughed. And
By Bernadette Myers bmyers@kansan.com
then one of them shouted after my boyfriend as he walked away,
"Who cares! This is Italv. man!"
Some people may associate Florence with "The Inferno" and the birth of the Renaissance. I'm more familiar with it as Mecca for American study abroad students. When most students think of studying abroad in Italy, Florence seems like a logical option. It's smaller, centrally located, and chock-full of Italian art and culture. Who wouldn't want to go live for a few months in the capital of the Renaissance?
They're jealous of our American fun!!
But, that's just the problem. Everyone studies in Florence. And a city like Florence is no where near the size of Paris or Berlin. So the result of this American pilgrimage to fulfill the societal requirement for cultural "immersion" is, well, the loss of any form of immersion. Universities like New York University and Syracuse create entire campuses in this already small city. You'll here more English than Italian when walking down the streets. The bars play Lady Gaga and Ultimate Fighting Champion. There's even a restaurant that sells onion rings — something I haven't seen since August.
Francesco, a friend of mine who is from Florence, told me
that when he was younger, him and all his friends used to go to Prato if they wanted a night out. A ten minute train ride, but worth it to get away from the American students. They're running away from us. So much for breaking down barriers and building a real cross-cultural experience.
Italy isn't America's playground But it isn't a pretentious retreat for cultural snobbery either. Italy is a country, like any other, where
people work, sleep, eat (maybe a little better than some countries) and generally try to make a living
ILLUSTRATION BY RYAN BENEDICK
As study abroad students, we should be studying that rhythm, learning to understand it, adopt it, and then maybe add our own American spin on it. As hard as it is to believe, people actually live on those dreamlike streets of Florence. People with a different way of looking at the world than you may see it. And you should
care. Not because your University tells you to, or because your art history professor tells you to, or because I tell you to, but because you'll understand yourself better in the process. Those same people may want listen to you too, if you just turn off the Kesha for a few minutes.
Myers is a junior in English, Italian, and European studies from Prairie Village.
TECHNOLOGY
E-readers change publishing industry
Set down your double-shot Americano and tattered copy of Huck Finn, there's a new player in the literature game: e-books. Ok, they're not exactly new, but they're becoming widely popular with the advent of tablet computers.
Up until the iPad and subsequent Android competitors, there was a select community of readers who used early generation e-readers such as the Kindle 1. With the explosion of media consumption devices and online consumerism in recent years, there is a debate about the future of the book publishing and its effects on literature. With so many avenues for consumers to purchase their reading content, many large book publishers are scrambling to adjust their business models.
For the avid reader, the ability to store thousands of books, PDFs or audiobooks in a single, lightweight device is a huge benefit. E-ink devices like the Sony PRS series or Kindle e-readers use electronic paper and micro beads that reflect light, instead of backlit LCD displays that emit light, which allows for up to two months of battery life between charges.
Publishers seem just as confused about the fate of book publishing as many readers. Most purists continue to support printed literature, while a new generation of readers read their favorite classics from tablets and smart phones. The purists will argue that the tactile feel or smell of a new book is a pleasure that technology can never replace.
Also, with the recent initiative for digital textbooks at KU and universities around the globe, e-readers are becoming a viable academic tool. Many public libraries, such as Lawrence Public Library, have implemented e-book lending
They could also point out that reading text on a backlit LCD screen like those on the Kindle Fire or iPad can be straining on the eyes after a long period of time, and that it ruins the overall feel of reading. While I agree with some of this sentiment, there are many more advantages to e-readers and tablets that a physical book can't match.
programs. I find the of being able to lie on my couch and check out a book over my Kindle's WiFi very satisfying.
The biggest drawback in the emergence of e-books is their impact on bookstores, large and small. Online retailers, particularly Amazon, are gaining dominance in book sales, whether it's print, e-book, or audiobooks.
In fact, one of the reasons Barnes and Noble survived the literature revolution and Borders did not is because they moved large amounts of inventory online and developed its own e-reader, the Nook.
That's why it'd be a shame if local favorites like The Dusty Bookshelf and The Raven bookstore, already competing against larger chains, should feel the affects of online retailers.
Thankfully, small bookstores and Amazon sell completely different experiences. The former offers convenience and ingenuity, the latter offers charm and comfort, and I think there are enough readers to support both business models in the long run.
All in all, the consumers cannot lose in the debate between e-book and print. People have many more options than before, and with all the convenience that e-reader and tablet devices provide it's obvious that electronic literature is here to stay. However, if you're the sentimental type you will probably want to keep purchasing physical editions, which is fine. I think publishers and consumers are often too caught up in the discussion. The important thing is that readers are spoiled with content. I, for one, welcome our new e-reader overlords.
Moreland is a junior in accounting from Lee's Summit.
SCIENCE
New technology boosts the number of inventors
Many clubs on campus help students invent and design
There is an inventor phenomenon taking the world by storm. These modern hobbyist engineers are commonly referred to as "makers" or "hackers." Hackers are usually associated with electronics whereas a maker identifies people who have projects that are more traditional such as wood working, welding, and crafting. These are everyday people with interests in engineering, electronics, DIY building, computers, and art. If you grew up playing with Legos, K'nex, and amateur chemistry sets, you would fit in perfectly with these groups.
Now is the perfect time to be a hobbyist inventor. The Internet and open standards are rapidly accelerating the growth of 21st century inventors. Open standards are technologies built around the premise of freely sharing the technology and its inner workings with the world. Along with open source software, anyone can modify, improve, and use these technologies in their projects.
Many times these budding inventors have trouble finding access to mentors and machinery to bring their projects to life. This is easily remedied by joining many of the engineer ing organizations at universities such as KU as well as utilizing local hacker spaces. Hacker spaces provide many of the tools you may need as well as allow you to network with other local inventors to get help on projects.
Jayhawk Motorsports is designing and building two formula race cars, one electric and one combustion. Group members can be expected to be engaged in mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineering problem solving.
Student Organization (PESO) is primarily centered around the maker mentality. The members regularly research and build interesting projects that span multiple disciplines including aerospace, robotics, circuits, fabrication, demonstrations of physics phenomena, as well as just hanging out and having a grand ol' time.
KU's chapter of the national American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME, and the KU EcoHawks are two student organizations centered around mechanical engineering. Members of ASME are actively engaged in the group's main project the Human Powered Vehicle Competition. Additionally, they also focus on touring engineering facilities and professional development. The EcoHawks are a senior design group that focuses on sustainable engineering projects. These projects include working with solar cells and solar heating systems as well as building an all electric car.
The Physics and Engineering
In other parts of the world, a few notable hacker groups are making a big impact. Shackspace Hackerspace in Stuttgart, Germany hosts an international hobbyist engineering group centered around space systems engineering. The group plans to develop a satellite constellation that is free to use anywhere in the world and accessed by open standards so anyone can use it for communication. The proposed satellites would allow
anyone in the world to access the internet without the communication passing through government censorship walls.
Or if you're interested in a more individual approach, there are many publications that can help you out. Make Magazine, Makezine.com, is a quarterly periodical for hobbyist inventors. Additionally, Hackaday. com is a daily blog that features projects from inventors around the world. These websites have a wealth of knowledge for learning new skills or taking on exciting projects.
Many readers may dream of being a great inventor but are apprehensive of taking their first steps. In many cases, a hobbyist inventor must have a background in a wide range of technologies and skill sets.
Because of the maker and hacker phenomenon, websites with DIY building projects and tutorials are easy to find and can help you build this breadth of knowledge in entertaining and exciting ways.
For engineering students, participating in groups on campus is a great way to improve your understanding of engineering concepts and really cement your knowledge. Becoming a great inventor is no longer reserved to the independently wealthy. Anyone with unwavering determination and a thirst for knowledge can make a difference.
Kennedy is a sophomore in aerospace engineering and astronomy from Kansas City.
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