THE UNIVERSITY DAILY & GANSAN
PAGE 5
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012
opinion
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You know it's Monday when you're too tired to get INTO bed.
The only top-24 lottery system I would support would be in "The Hunger Games."
You know your class is boring when even the TA is playing "Words with Friends."
I like to compare my life to that of an airplane: I'm high all day long.
Sometimes I cover myself in honey in English and pretend I are a bee.
How do I know it's warmer? Stoop kids are back out.
The quiet section at the library doesn't help because I'm still there to distract myself.
If ever in your life you have the opportunity to replace raisins with chocolate chips,you better make the right decision.
I'm starting to think it'd be faster to just hitchhike home rather than wait for a bus at Snow.
You know you still have your inner child if, after watching the "Make It or Break It" TV series, you immediately get up and start trying to do elite gymnastic moves.
KU's most recent epidemic since swine flu: lost voices.
I don't think Mizzou partied nearly as hard after they beat us as we did Saturday night. Get on our level, kitties.
Bringing a flask to the Kansas vs. Mizzou game doesn't make me an alcoholic if I'm in a frat.
When you buy an apple in the art and design building, they ask if you plan on eating it or drawing it.
That awkward moment when you are so focused on studying philosophy that you jump when you think the recycle bin beside you is a person...twice.
Knowing that Bill Self hates Mizzou too makes my day.
SOMA is like not believing in Bigfoot, but marching around spending money and attending conferences denying its existence.
The good thing about T-Rob's "block" is now we gave Mizzou fans something to complain about other than living in Missouri.
You DO realize that if Bill Self were elected president, he'd have to leave KU, right?
You know you’re a true Jayhawk when you’re excited that your niece was born the same day we solidified our eighth- straight conference title. That baby is destined for greatness.
Instead of studying at Anschutz like everyone else, I study at home. Because, at home I can take my pants off.
The only reason KU wins the Big 12 every year is because we don't have to play KU.
I want to yell pterodactyl as loud as possible in the middle of Budig to see if it eches
It is pronounced "Oz-dale". Source: I am a proud townie.
I don't like when Chicago talks to Minnesota because then I have to decide which accent I dislike more.
Public safety website is a valuable tool
Students and faculty at the University of Kansas have a wonderful resource right at our fingertips that most of us aren't even aware of.
EDITORIAL
Because of the Clery Act of 1990, all public safety offices that receive federal funds must file an annual report with information about criminal statistics, as well as file daily reports of crimes known as "Daily Crime Logs" and "Timely Warnings".
The reason why some think the website is not up to date is simply because they don't know the difference between a "Timely Warning" and a "Daily Crime Log."
The University of Kansas Public Safety Office is in compliance with this act, and all information can be found on http:// www2.ku.edu/~kucops/.
While it may look at first glance like the website hasn't been updated for quite some time,it is actually kept current daily through a partnership with the Computer Center.
Timely warnings are issued on a case-by-case basis based on factors that include nature of the crime, continuing danger to the campus community and possible risk of compromising law-enforcement efforts.
Basically, what this means is that under the "Crime Alerts" heading on the KU PSO website, only those crimes that are considered a danger to the campus community are posted. Timely warnings are announced through the website and sent to student housing, university administration and those students who subscribe to the Emergency
Other crimes not considered as dangerous can be found under the heading "New and Relevant Info" by clicking the link titled "Crime Reports USA/ Daily Crime Log," or by visiting www.crimereports.com.
Notification System.
To get information, all you have to do is enter the address or zip code you wish to search for. Here, you can find information relating to all crimes within a designated time range, as well as the fire log. The crime reports found here are both informative and easy to navigate.
According to Maj. Chris Keary, assistant chief of police for KU Public Safety, the website is a good tool because it gives people a chance to recognize that crime happens both on and off campus.
"If they're (students) aware, then hopefully they'll take steps to make sure it doesn't happen to them," Keary said. "Awareness reduces opportunity for crime."
The best way to make sure something does not happen to you is to be aware that it does happen. Know the statistics, be aware of dangerous areas where crime is consistently happening and don't allow yourself to be put in that situation.
Students should check the website frequently, and I highly recommend subscribing to the notification services to be as informed as possible. Information becomes knowledge. Knowledge becomes power. Power becomes safety. Safety leads to a happy campus. Be informed; be happy.
Ryan Schlesener for the Kansan editorial board.
GET INFORMED
Go to the Public Safety Office at www2.ku.edu/~kucops/ or www.crimereports.com to get informed about crimes around campus.
POLITICS
Students need to care about Kansas tax plan
The Kansas tax debacle continues, from Gov. Brownback to the House Republicans.
Now, perhaps you are wondering why you should care about these tax changes or why you should even spend five minutes to bother reading what I've written. Let me tell you why: because tax policy matters!
I realize tax policy is not the most thrilling, provocative, or sexy topic you've ever thought about. Trust me, I'm in federal income tax and I can't say it lights my fire. But it does affect us all in ways we rarely consider.
Let me give you three reasons it matters:
First, the tax changes will affect you where it hurts college students the most; your wallet. If you are currently working, you're not going to be receiving as much in your refund from the state. That should be reason enough for you to pay attention to the changes being proposed.
become instantly independently wealthy, but unfortunately, most of us will have to work to make a living. Jobs are important enough to all of us this should provide another reason to pay attention to tax changes.
Second, tax changes affect the availability of what we will all seek upon graduation from the University: a job. I know we all hope to
Third, and finally, it's our civic responsibility. As citizens of Kansas, we have an obligation to other citizens to participate in the political process to ensure the government creates a society that we can all perceive as legitimate and just. This remains true whether we are discussing tax policy, social issues, or criminal justice. You have to decide which side of those debates you fall on, but participate and fulfill your civic duty.
I hope at this point I've given you enough reasons to read on. Let's move on to the details of the new tax plan.
Last Monday, the House Republicans offered a new tax proposal as an alternative to Gov. Brownback's tax plan. Unfortunately, the new proposal takes many of the same objectionable pages from the governor's plan.
The goal behind both these tax plans is noble: encourage
economic growth in Kansas. The theory is that reducing tax rates (both for individuals and businesses) will help create economic growth. The politicians are relying on lower taxes to incentivize business to either expand or locate in Kansas. Ideally, new businesses should result in more jobs, lower unemployment and less poverty. Or so the theory goes.
While the goal is noble, the House Republicans' proposal to reach this goal is inherently flawed for two reasons.
First, the House Bill 2747 takes many refundable tax credits, which put money in the pockets of the poorest taxpayers, and makes them nonrefundable tax credits. For example, if you owe $100 in taxes and you receive a $500 tax credit,
under the old system you would receive a $400 refund.
However, if the House Republicans plan is passed, you can only reduce the amount you owe in taxes to $0 but will not receive a refund. Therefore, the person who owes $100 in taxes receiving a $500 tax credit would not owe any taxes to the government but also would not receive a refund.
House Republicans claim this will save the state money. The Kansas Department of Revenue contends the tax relief provided for workers earning less than $45,000 (depending on the number of qualifying children) would be reduced from $91 million to just $30 million.
However, the effects of such a tax change are unclear. It is possible, and even probable, this change will put greater strain on Kansas social programs directed toward the poor. The question is: Will the changes actually save Kansas any money or do they simply shift costs?
Second, while the intended purpose of the tax changes is to promote economic growth, implementation of the changes
actually cuts jobs immediately. The proposal depends on borrowing $351 million from the state's transportation program to support other state programs while cutting taxes, which was sharply criticized by Rep. Nile Dillmore (D-Wichita) as being "intellectually dishonest." Borrowing will likely lead to road projects being delayed, which prevents people from working. Cities, counties, contractors and engineers have all protested this proposal.
Now granted, this only limits jobs in one particular area of the economy and if Kansas' economic growth soars, the jobs lost could be offset by the creation of new jobs. However, I hope I'm not the only one who finds it ironic that a tax plan that proposes to create economic growth simultaneously limits people's opportunity to work.
I'm still hopeful that Kansas tax policy can be reformed, but at this point it's clear we need another plan. Anyone have any proposal?
Nygaard is a third-year law student from Appleton, Wis.
BEHAVIOR
Don't let fear get in the way of awkward situations
Was that girl in my western civilization class last semester?" I found myself thinking as I walked toward her on Jayhawk Boulevard. I was on my way to another class and it was one of those should-I-say-hi-orjust-look-away scenarios.
Just as we were about to pass each other, I saw her look down, and I followed suit. Such a scenario likely happens thousands of times a day on our campus. Typically, the word fear instills mental images of spiders, zombies, or other horror movies, not everyday situations. If you take fear down a notch, you might call it an ability to face an uncomfortable situation.
The first question is why do we engage in behavior that isn't necessarily due to fear but because we don't want to face an unpleasant situation? The short answer is negative reinforcement.
It's the idea that we behave in order to remove something unpleasant, and by doing so, we are likely to repeat that behavior. My western civilization friend most likely behaved in such a way because in previous situations with similar contexts, she was also negatively reinforced for saying "Hi." We all engage in such behaviors.
Most governments or
individuals in power use negative reinforcement. While not ideal, the threat of punishment motivates us to behave so as to not experience repercussions. Citizens abide in a variety of financial, organizational and personal-conduct laws so they don't get punished. The avoidance of such punishment reinforces that behavior.
We know that some people engage in impulsive behavior and are more likely to engage in gambling or become addicted to illicit drugs. Well, what if the same is true for negative reinforcement and some of us turn away from the slightest hint of an unpleasant experience? So, what can we do with the knowledge that negative reinforcement has such power?
Take the example of waiting to complete a paper before it's due. The fear of losing credit and doing poorly in the course prompt you to complete the paper and subsequently feel better afterwards. So engaging in more consistent behavior (splitting up your assignments into several work periods) reduces the power negative reinforcement can have over us.
It doesn't just have to be tangible tasks. What if I try to expose myself to social situations that are slightly uncomfortable? What if I try to diversify those situations and face social fears? If I do so, I am likely to start a new schedule of positive reinforcement where I engage in a behavior because in the past it was enjoyable.
As undergraduates, our lives are at a crucial developmental point. We need to develop skills to deal with situations that are unpleasant to reap long-term rewards. Face the unpleasant initial circumstances so that you can enjoy the new, positively reinforced pattern of behavior. As college students, we are developing patterns of behavior that can continue for the rest of our lives. The question you need to answer is this: What kind of patterns do you want to continue?
Sofis is a senior in applied behavioral science from Pittsburgh, Penn.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Show class, have pride, and
display character. If you do winning takes care of itself."
So said the greatest football coach in collegiate history, Paul "Bear" Bryant of the University of Alabama.
Unfortunately, during the justified jubilation after Kansas' gut-wrenching victory over Mizou last Saturday, I encountered KU students who treated guests of the University with undeserved disrespect. It poisoned a wonderful experience.
I had the glorious good fortune to be witness to the greatest sport event I have ever seen and heard. The sound had substance. Allen Fieldhouse moved as it would in an earthquake. I hugged people I had never met and may not meet again. It all seemed right.
I brought three friends to the game, all of them graduates of Mizzou. One was my longtime law partner. The other two were his son and daughter-in-law. She is six months pregnant with twins. They were MU garb and pulled for their team. During the game, they encountered no unpleasantries from the KU fans. They were not happy with the result, but they too understood that they had experienced something historic.
As we were walking to my car after the game, approaching the intersection of Naismith and Sunflower, a group of about 10 KU undergraduates was crossing Naismith in the opposite direction. The students were celebrating the win.
Another famous coach, Darrell Royal of the University of Texas, once said, "When you get to the end zone, act like you've been there before." Jerry Rice scored 197 touchdowns in his NFL career. How many times did he do a touchdown dance? Zero. We can celebrate our accomplishments without demeaning our opponents. We hope that they will treat us with respect when, as inevitably will happen, the tables are turned.
So let's commit ourselves to dignity in victory and grace in defeat. Remember too that victory is often tinged with luck. What would we be thinking if the referee had called Thomas Robinson for a foul at the end of regulation? We've all seen the tape.
And as for the students my friends and I encountered last Saturday, I suspect you know who you are and what you did. Apologies are not necessary at this point. Just keep all of this in mind the next time Kansas pulls out a last second win over Mizzou — or the next time the Tigers do that to the Jayhawks.
But as they saw us approach, they turned toward us and began to taunt my friends. They pointed and sang "Hey, Hey, Goodbye" repeatedly. It was not good-natured. It lasted 10 seconds, but it was an eternity. My friends were stunned; I was mortified.
Mark Johnson is a lecturer in the School of Journalism and is the chairman of the Kansas Board of Directors.
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