Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONTEMAYOR: WHY TV PITCHMEN MAKE IT BIG
COMING WEDNESDAY
TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2009
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I've got my thinking cap on.
The dead worms lying around campus are really grossing me out.
--employees a fair wage and be able to give your customers a good value," he said. "It's really difficult to find that balance and try to be profitable when you're trying to be fair to your customers and your employees."
Guy who flipped off the Legends bus: That was awesome
--employees a fair wage and be able to give your customers a good value," he said. "It's really difficult to find that balance and try to be profitable when you're trying to be fair to your customers and your employees."
I've been riding my B.A. little scooter illegally for 2,421 miles now. Legal mile No. 1 to be accomplished in T-minus 3 minutes
Did you know you could cut your fingers on windshield wipers? I didn't until today. It is very possible and it hurts
Is it sad that I was such a problem the other night at the bars that I just flipped through 70 pages worth of Free for All posts just to make sure something awful wasn't said about my performance?
PAGE 5A
Yes, quite sad.
--employees a fair wage and be able to give your customers a good value," he said. "It's really difficult to find that balance and try to be profitable when you're trying to be fair to your customers and your employees."
You ever just feel too weird to go to sleep?
--employees a fair wage and be able to give your customers a good value," he said. "It's really difficult to find that balance and try to be profitable when you're trying to be fair to your customers and your employees."
My birthday wish is for the sexy bus driver to take me to math today.
--employees a fair wage and be able to give your customers a good value," he said. "It's really difficult to find that balance and try to be profitable when you're trying to be fair to your customers and your employees."
I've never understood why people run in the halls of dorms. Really, where are you going that's so far away and under time constraints?
I don't go for douchebags.
Girls who pick douchebags are exactly that, girls. They haven't matured yet. I am a woman.
Therefore, no douchebags.
During freshman orientation, we enrolled in a mystical building. Mystical because I have never managed to see it again
I love my dog, I really do,
but he eats the blinds and
I'm afraid he'll start pooping
--employees a fair wage and be able to give your customers a good value," he said. "It's really difficult to find that balance and try to be profitable when you're trying to be fair to your customers and your employees."
I want a cute boy to share an umbrella with on campus.
My roommate left his alarm on for 6:45 in the morning. He left for the weekend. It went off Saturday morning. Let the payback begin.
--employees a fair wage and be able to give your customers a good value," he said. "It's really difficult to find that balance and try to be profitable when you're trying to be fair to your customers and your employees."
"Stop Bedwetting Now: A training program to end bedwetting." HOW did you know my secret, Facebook ad?
--employees a fair wage and be able to give your customers a good value," he said. "It's really difficult to find that balance and try to be profitable when you're trying to be fair to your customers and your employees."
I wish I was an Oscar Mayer wiener.
I wish the goblins would come and take you away, right now.
--employees a fair wage and be able to give your customers a good value," he said. "It's really difficult to find that balance and try to be profitable when you're trying to be fair to your customers and your employees."
Downtown businesses need student support
EDITORIAL BOARD
As a Midwestern college town, Lawrence is less vulnerable to the economic crisis than most cities, but the recession is still taking its toll. Many downtown businesses are suffering, and it's up to students to make sure their favorite local shops and restaurants survive these tough times.
David Lewis, owner of Milton's Cafe, is nervous about the economy.
"It's getting really hard to pay your employees a fair wage
Though Lewis said he though the turbulent economy was affecting Lawrence, he said he hadn't seen a major change at Milton's. Lewis said he hadn't made any wage cuts or altered product prices this year. Lewis explained his main response to the crisis:
"In light of the economic downturn, the main thing we've done is to understand the environment we're in and really make sure that all our products are good, and that
we are giving people good service.
We've just really stepped it up a lot."
Lewis said he thought Milton's had been able to maintain its normal customer base during the past few months and did not expect much change in the near future.
Scott Ozier, manager of Jock's Nitch, said he that had not noticed a significant decline in sales.
KANSAN'S
OPINION
either,but that he had noticed a few changes.
it seems like right now, people are more resistant to buy luxury things," he said. "They're still buying
the things they need, as far as uni-
forms and cleats for their kids. As far as spending money on things like high-end shoes, there's not quite as much as last year."
Ozier said there hadn't been any wage cuts made at Jock's Nitch, but there had been an increase in product sales to be more competitive.
Milton's and Jock's Nitch are locally owned-and-operated businesses that have thrived in Lawrence for more than a decade. Though the economic downturn is definitely not helping Lawrence's economy, it seems that the community is doing better in comparison to other places across America.
According to Donna Ginther, assistant professor of economics, this is partly because Lawrence is a college town.
"KU is the largest employer in Lawrence," she said. "As the University goes, so does the community. As long as employment at the University is stable, things in Lawrence should stay stable."
Ginther cited the most recent stimulus package as a key determiner of how the University and Lawrence would be affected by the recession. She said the budget cuts the package included were not as large as the University anticipated
good news for the community.
Ginther went on to say that during recessions, college towns tend to be less affected than other communities. Students tend to come from upper middle class families and tend to spend more money than older people.
Lincoln, Neb., sophomores Hanson Perry and Mike Sands said they hadn't changed their spending habits since the crisis hit.
The University also provides a stable income for its large amount of employees, which allows for more consistent consumption.
Danny Nordstrom for The Kansan Editorial Board
EDITORIAL CARTOON
NICHOLASSAMBAIUK
CAMPUS
FERPA not the real problem in underage drinking cases
When someone dies, it is easy to play the "what if" game. What if I had taken her to the hospital sooner? Or what if I had better explained the Warnings of drugs to him?
But we never know. Just like we will never know whether notify-ing Jason Wren's parents about his campus alcohol violations would have kept him from dying of alcohol poisoning. Regardless, it was the underage drinking, not the lack of parental notification, that caused his death and is the real issue in this case.
According to the article "University re-examines its privacy policy", on April 6, Jay Wren, Jason's father, wants the University of Kansas to re-evaluate its interpretation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
I appreciate Mr. Wren's desire to find ways to prevent other students and parents from suffering the same situation his son and family did. However, I think changing the University's policy is not the most effective way to approach the situation.
Even if the policy were changed, it would be impossible to make every student sign the FERPA waiver allowing the University to release information about alcohol and other violations. Students have the opportunity to sign the form.
And if the parents are notified of these violations, there is no guarantee that will solve the problem. A kid can easily say, "Mom, I won't do it again," and then later try to become the national champion of beer pong with his buddies.
The policy also does not monitor or cover students' drinking underage off campus. Granted, drinking happens on campus (The Wheel 2: McCollum Hall), but a lot of it happens off campus, too. How can we notify parents about these incidents?
but the form is not required. And the University is allowed, but not required, to release the information.
In addition, college students are considered adults. We are supposedly capable of making healthy, positive choices in our lives and should take responsibility for our actions. We will never grow up, and college will become high school all over again if we must report to our parents every single thing we do.
The solution is to attack the real problem; underage drinking.
We have all heard lectures and read pamphlets on how under-age drinking is bad, real bad. Of course, some of us seem to just go along with it, just like we clid with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. But then we have to find out for ourselves how bad it really is.
For some students, learning the hard way themselves, though a bad hangover or an incredibly embarrassing drunk moment (pictures of it later found on Facebook, of course), will make some under-age students stop drinking, or at least make them more responsible when drinking.
For others, something more drastic might be in order. And perhaps a little good can come out of the horrible tragedy of l Jason Wren's story, if the consequences of underage drinking become more real to young people. The issue is put into painful terms students won't forget. When tragedy has a face, it's easier to prevent the next time.
Making students aware of stories like Jason's will be more effective than changing the University's privacy policy. This will not completely stop the issue, but it can make a difference. The students, not the parents, need to be aware of underage drinking and its consequences.
Hartz is a Stillwell junior in creative writing.
ENVIRONMENT
Proof of climate change clear but solution more than hazy
On March 28, people in more than 4,000 cities in 88 countries turned
in 88 countries turned off their lights in honor of Earth Hour. Earth Hour is a campaign that began in Australia in 2007 to bring awareness to global climate issues. In spite of increased efforts during the past couple of decades, many still think of global warming as an exaggerated and some go as far as to call it "alarmism."
Climate change is caused by an unnatural increase in green house gases and although the greenhouse effect is needed (without it the average temperature of the Earth would be 0 degrees Fahrenheit), moderation is key. The National Geographic Web site points out that, "Through the burning of fossil fuels and other greenhouse gas emissions, humans are enhancing the greenhouse effect and are warming the Earth." Because of this, the average temperature of the Earth has increased by about 74 degrees Celsius, according to the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Though skeptics exist, there has been a lot of scientific evidence supporting the claims. During the past couple of decades, thousands of yearsold ice shelves the size of cities have been weakening and melting around the world, with the most extreme examples in the Arctic.
According to an April 6 article entitled "Arctic Ice Got Smaller, Thinner, Younger this Winter," a "study used computer modeling and ice-level decline data to predict that most of the Arctic's summer ice could be gone in 30 years." The ice loss will directly affect sea levels, the freshwater count and the temperatures of our oceans.
All these examples illustrate the dire effects of climate change and although it may appear like an irreversible situation, there are ways to stop further damage. Bringing awareness to the urgency of the situation is important to educate the world. Many countries have become aware of their fossil fuel burning and have reduced emissions. Many agencies are also researching more energy-efficient practices to further aid in the reduction greenhouse gas emissions.
NOT SO ANGELIC
Our own government, under our new proactive president, has vowed to assist in the worldwide cause. There have been rumors that our government has been investigating and exploring the field of geoengineering, through which greenhouse gases would be reduced.
Geoengineering technologies would include artificial volcanoes, artificial trees to suck carbon dioxide out of the air, and even possibly shooting pollution particles into the upper atmosphere to reflect the sun's rays. Though these concepts and ideas are still in development, I applaud the Obama administration for understanding the urgency of the situation.
Gregory Rudnick, professor of astronomy, said climate change was "probably one of, if not the biggest, problems facing the world today. It is important to explore all possibilities and options. If nothing else, this discussion is important for creating awareness."
Education, awareness and compliance could possibly prevent any further damage to Earth. And though it is important to have these discussions, it is also important to realize the gravity of the situation and the fact that people are being affected by it right now.
FROM CALIFORNIA
McNaughton is a Topeka senior in English and journalism.
ANGELIQUE McNAUGHTON
New technology key to piracy
Daily Trojan
ROSALEEN O'SULLIVAN
U. Southern California
Daily Trojan
There's not a whole lot of yo ho-ing by the Somali pirates who have been making increasingly frequent attacks on ships off the Horn of Africa. While we who frequent the land of Disney might imagine swashbuckling crews with sexy captains, pirates today are in fact a very real threat to those trying to navigate the area.
Using the latest in high-tech equipment, including satellite phones and GPS, pirates are able to locate ships and quickly overcome them. As the pirates are often armed with sophisticated weapons, including rocket grenades and machine guns, the policy for many shipping companies is to simply allow pirates to seize the ship if they come close enough to do so. Companies can
not place the crews in danger by asking them to fight back.
It is particularly difficult to outrun the pirates, as they generally approach in small, powerful speedboats, sometimes launched from "mother ships" already at sea. After that, the process is pretty old-fashioned: Pirates climb aboard using ropes and ladders, then sail back to the modern-day Isla de Muerta, the Somali town of Eval, with their captives.
Ultimately, Somalian piracy will continue to be a problem, given the importance of the area as a shipping route and the lucrative benefits of the business for pirates. Shipping companies simply cannot stop traveling around the Horn, and given the massive expanse of ocean in which the pirates operate, it will be next to impossible to effectively police them.
UWire
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THE EDITORIAL BOARD Members of the Kansan Editorial Board are Brenaia Hawley, Tara Smith, Mary Sorick, Kesey Haves and Dan Thompson.