4a
Opinion
Thursday, November 30, 2000
For comments, contact Ben Voosen Embry or Emily Hughey at 864-4924 or e-mail opinion@kansan.com
U.S. policy on pollution chokes world
Perspective
Recently, the United Nations had a summit with the world's nations that focused on pollution and the global climate. Many environmentalists and developing countries had high expectations of the conference as the first step toward a cleaner environment.
The anticipation came from a 1997 agreement in which the United States and several other industrialized nations agreed to reduce heat-trapping emissions, such as carbon dioxide, by as much as 5 percent by 2010.
The European Union, South Africa and several other nations poorer than the United States had hoped that this year's talks would bring a new commitment to slow pollution and its effects, such as the much-publicized global warming.
Unfortunately, the twoweek summit in the Hague,Netherlands, choked and died with the continuing corporate-backed policy of the United States,Australia, Japan and Canada.
The United States received a pie in the face, literally, as chief negotiator Frank Loy. Undersecretary for Global Affairs was smeared with a custard pie by a woman while an angry group of European protesters chanted on behind her.
Is this attitude toward U.S. policy justified? You bet. The four countries acting as the horsemen of the Apocalypse have formed a devious plan to buy their way out of adhering to environmental standards set up by the United Nations at the 1997 conference. Led by the United States and resource-rich Australia, the plan proposes to allow these richer and more industrialized countries to "trade" pollution standards with less-industrialized countries.
Corey M.
Snyder
columnist
opinion@kansan.com
Under the plan, the United States would pay off a nation that decreased its emissions by more than the required 5 percent, allowing the United States to progress toward the 5 percent goal while continuing to produce the most pollution in the world. Another U.S.-led amendment attempted to increase the amount of credit toward its goal for the number of forests a country has. Shame on us "dirty-rich" Americans.
For a long time I struggled with the global warming issue and if pollution and greenhouse gasses even amounted to anything. I think that is a huge issue for many Americans; one can't readily see gases and global warming. But that doesn't mean it's not happening. I can vaguely remember what the weather was yesterday let alone 10 years ago, but that doesn't change the fact that our average global temperature has increased nearly 2 degrees Fahrenheit.
The deciding factor for me came last week when it was reported that penguins, those cute torpedo-shaped swimming birds, were reported on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro. My mind quickly wandered to that catchy Sesame Street song, "Which One of These Things Doesn't Belong?" Obviously, penguins do not belong in Brazil. Preliminary speculation reasons that the penguins are following schools of fish that have been migrating to cooler northern waters because of the melting Antarctic ice self.
Penguins or no penguins, the United States has some serious flaws in its policy toward the global environment, and it all starts with our domestic agenda. For the past several years, at least since our last recession, the focus of national politics has been on the economy. Now I won't go as far as to say that the government is promoting more pollution, but it is funny that in the last 10 years there hasn't been a major environmental crackdown on major corporations — either domestic or multinational.
Politicians' hands have become tied by the power of the dollar some corporations wave their way during campaign season, and America's growing pollution problem continues to slip away from mainstream policy building. This continued disrespect by the United States to the rest of the world could have long-lasting consequences for the global climate and human health. It is unfortunate that our great nation, which leads the way on so many other issues, lags way behind in environmental concerns.
Snyder is a Topeka senior in pre-physical therapy.
Robert James Novak / KANSAN
Kansan report card
Pass:
School of Americas protest. University of Kansas students arrested at the School of Americas protest in Fort Benning, Ga. Activists right here at the University. There should be more like them.
Political science survey. Paul Schumaker, professor of political science, has determined in a study of 119 elected officials that politicians are motivated by personal principles rather than the interests of the people. Even more interesting than the study is the juxtaposition of "politicians" and "principles" in the same sentence.
Fail:
Yard-art phillietines. After displaying a 4-foot nude Venus statue in their front yard, University students relocate the sculpted rendition of Boticelli's "The Birth of Venus" to their living room because of their neighbors' opposition. Apparently, "iliberal" Lawrence does have a puritanical streak.
University of Kansas. The University owes $568,200 in back taxes and $190,300 to 350 student and temporary employees following an Internal Revenue Service audit. Although covering the costs will not require cutbacks, the University has established "piggy bank" depositories around campus where students can donate any loose change they happen to have.
Perspective
Pop songs marketed as products,not music
In case you hadn't heard, today's pop music is hideous. Embarrassing predictability replaces artist variety and quality. Indeed, Eminem speaks the truth when he attacks the boy-band and Britney hysteria that has both captivated the minds and claimed the wallets of so many. At this point in history, when one could quite possibly hear "Bye, bye, bye" at the same time on three radio presets, I must draw a line in the sand and sound the alarm on the pathetic state of today's pop music.
Deep inside, people want to listen to thoughtful, provoking music. The industry has simplified music to the point where it means nothing and then sells it in mass quantities, such as the Backstreet Boys. Then, the public perceives this to be "normal" and "great."
The truth is, it is a domino effect. More and more people see and are influenced by modern, weak, corporate music, so that becomes the standard.
It doesn't help when politicians, teachers and other adults try to look "cool" by following the teenagers' examples. These artists who are being so exploited are not the next revolution in music. It only seems that way because, as always, the industry promotes it to the max to make it seem as though it is. And then, how could bad music get so big? Because it is all a cash cow, made to make money.
The music industry deserves partial blame Judging from pop radio's repetitive song
Scott Kaiser columnist opinion@kansan.com
rotations and the methodical lowering of expectations, the music industry has successfully made pop music radio and listeners very predictable. In this scheme to package music for the masses, the music is nothing more than just another product to place on the market. It isn't even about the music itself. It's about creating musical trends, as if music were fashion. The music industry has now made music age, race and gender-specific. For advertising sales, this is key because advertisements are more effective when you have a predictable and identifiable target market, you know exactly who is listening.
The answer is that there is a difference between popularity based on massive promotional spending campaigns rather than musical merit. Pop music today is popular because of mass promotion—paid promotions on MTV, in music storesand on the radio — rather than popular because of its musical merit. In other words, people hear the name and hear the sound and like it, rather than liking it based on personal preferences and appreciation of music.
The problem is aptly addressed in John Stuart Mill's utilitarianism, "It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied. And if the fool, or the pig, are of a different opinion, it is because they only know their own side of the question. The other party to the comparison knows both sides."
But wait, you say. What's wrong with free market allocation of resources and choices based on demand about which songs to play and how often? Obviously people like this crap, so what's the problem?
Kaiser is a first-year law student from Overland Park.
Editorial
Long lines don't justify online buys
Benefits of traditional shopping outweigh those of Internet purchasing.
As holiday shopping fever sweeps across America, a lesson can be learned from last year's online purchasing mishaps — shopping is best done in person.
As the Internet's popularity has surged, so has the tendency to make purchases online. After all, who can resist the convenience of buying gifts in pajamas? You are always a few clicks away from completing all of your purchases, without even leaving the house. Convenience is definitely an incentive to do holiday buying via the Internet. That's why some are predicting that as much as $10 billion could be spent online during the upcoming holiday shopping season.
In the meantime, surfing the Internet for online retailers, such as CDNow.com or Amazon.com, cuts away money that could go to local businesses.
Handcrafted or unique gifts from smaller stores or local businesses are more difficult to find online and lose out when a larger corporation makes the sale. Gifts from major retailers don't always have the charm or artistic value of smaller-business products.
Perhaps most distressing, though, was that last year's online boom created havoc for e-businesses, delaying gift deliveries by months. A holiday gift in March doesn't cut it.
Also, many were given items that were different than what they ordered, a result of buying a product without being able to physically purchase it. With more holiday shoppers expected to purchase online this year, last year's delays could be mild compared with what could happen this year.
Going out and making the purchase in person gets you out of the house, gives you more control of your purchase, allows all businesses, big or small, to have a fair chance at your dollar and provides social interaction that online shopping does not.
This year, and in years to come,
do holiday shopping the old way.
Ben Tatar
for the editorial board
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. The Kansan reserves the right to edit submissions, and not all of them will be published. Slanderous statements will not be printed. To read more, go to www.kansan.com.
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You can no longer say that using drugs gets you nowhere in life. Look at George W. Bush; he did drugs, and now he's president.
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They should revote in Florida. It'd be great to see Nader win.
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I guarantee a more interest day if the phrase "in your pants" were inserted at the end of every sentence you hear.
Wanted: fat lady to sing in the state of Florida.
Do all the people who complain about the Coke monopoly know that there's a Pepsi machine in front of the Jawhawk Bookstore?
I have to be the laziest person alive. I actually peed in the trash can. I hope my roommate doesn't find out.
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According to your Watkins flu shot article, it said 192 million days would be spent in bed by people who get the flu this year. That's amazing. I didn't know that there were that many days in a year.
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If it's the 21st century, why are people still wearing jean jackets?
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Free for All shouldn't support ignorant people passing judgment on something they don't know about.
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I'd like to put out a classified ad for new friends. I hate all of mine.
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Margaritaville and the polkas are a blight on the otherwise cool music of the KU pep band.
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Does Santa Claus have any children, and if so, are they the elves?
It's funny. If a Black student body president is impeached, it's racism, but if a white student body president is impeached for the same act, it's justice.
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