谢谢！
PAGE 5
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2011
opinion
There is a fine line between looking tan and looking like you rolled in a bag of Doritos.
Why is electing a president always a lose-lose situation?
I wish Twitter could read my mind so I wouldn't have to manually tweet everything, but then again I'd probably get censored.
If I applaud as much thought to my classes as trying to come up with FFAs, I would have straight-As.
Does it count as safe sex if the door is locked?
I'm waiting for the 42 for what seems an eternity, the cold is to get to me. I have no hope left. Then, far away, I hear whistling. He has come.
Guys have the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, girls have KU basketball games.
Seizures aren't the only thing Breaking Dawn causes.
Problem: I graduate this weekend and I have never been in the FFA.
Editor's note: I solve problems.
I used to think I was funny, but not getting in the FFA for a while has lowered my self esteem. Editor's note: I continue to solve problems.
My breath has a shadow. This has gone too far.
Chicken pot pie — my three favorite things.
Is it bad I don't remember the last time I didn't wear sweats or athletic shorts to class?
If it's going to be this freaking cold outside, then it needs to snow. It can't be cold for no reason.
That awkward moment when you realize you're related to the dude who sits next to you in calculus every day.
☆ 投資者的利益確認機能
位列前五的是美国、德国、英国、法国和俄罗斯。
It was a two-shit day at the library, meaning I was there way too long!
I feel that every sensible question should be answered with GOOLEAN THAT SHIT!
The post-exam blunt will be the best thing about this entire semester
As a matter of fact, I will Enjoyable.
Anyone else notice how Withey never has stars with his name?
I was born on the day of immaculate conception, and my mother's name is Mary. Yeah, I'm pretty much the coolest Catholic you've ever met.
it's about cold enough to start cutting through buildings on my trek through campus.
EDITORIAL
Different alternatives in campus transportation
People get around campus in many different ways. However, the transportation options are limited to walking, taking the bus or riding your own bike around campus.
The bike rental option, a product of the entrepreneurship class and Student Senate, should be welcomed by students on campus. Riding a bike to class is an efficient way to get exercise while not being late for class and not hurting the environment with carbon emissions.
What if the university gave students more options to get to and from class? Thanks to the efforts of Student Senate, the ENTR 450 class, KU Parking and Transit and Hertz Car Rental, there will be two brand new alternatives available soon. Bike and car rentals. These are welcome choices for students whose needs are not completely satisfied with the conventional methods of transportation.
However, there are a few concerns that should be addressed. The bike racks on campus are usually at full capacity without rentals. The school should increase the amount of racks to accurately reflect the additional bike renters. Also, Student Senate should decide if the rental stations will be automated or manned, and how the University plans to ensure rented bikes are returned.
KU Parking and Transit and Hertz' car rental service won't affect on-campus parking since the plans call for only four rental cars. Hourly rates will be between $8 and $10. For about $62, the members can rent a car for the day.
With the rental service, a student can go online, rent a car, and pick up a friend who may be too intoxicated to drive home from the bars. Students with short work in nearby cities would be able to drive there at a much cheaper rate than taking a taxi. Anyone going to events in Kansas City now have a viable alternative to relying on someone else for the drive.
While the use of the service
by students is unclear right now, KU Painting and Transit should evaluate how the four cars are used and consider adding more if the service is a success.
Both of these are, as of yet, still on the horizon. However, stay informed and take advantage of both transportation options, once they become available. For more information about the car rental service, visit http://www.parking.ku.edu/hertzondemand/ . If you have questions about the bike rental program, contact Student Body President Libby Johnson at sbp@ku.edu.
Billy McCroy for the Kansan Editorial Board
Interested in writing editorials?
Contact
Vikaas Shanker at
vshanker@kansan.com
RACISM
Speech helps society
This week, I saw several Facebook and Twitter posts about a video of a British woman on a train in London who made it very clear she was really, truly British, unlike the black passengers on the train, she said.
The video showed this woman spewing words of hate toward the passengers on the bus she considered to be foreign because they were not of white, Anglo-Saxon descent.
As I watched the scene, my heart ached for the other passengers on the bus; for children on the bus; for the woman's own young son, who was sitting on her lap the entire time. I can't even imagine how the passengers she was speaking directly to, telling them to "go back where they came from," must have felt at that moment.
I later learned this woman was arrested on suspicion of a racially-aggravated offense. Her racism was disgusting and intolerable. And, I certainly understand if the state was taking issue with her child being in an environment of verbal abuse, although that is an unrelated point to the arrest. But the arrest got me thinking about our civil liberties.
This woman was arrested for stating her opinion, an opinion of racism that unfortunately has not been eradicated from society — but it is her opinion nonetheless. She was not inciting violence, though she was using obscenities in her speech.
Some might consider the woman's speech to be nonphysical violence. I'm not sure if we should put this in another category of verbal violence
that isn't the same as expressing an opinion, but that may be true. The arrest, though, was based on the suspicion that she was making racially discriminatory statements in public to people of another race.
Of course, the laws about public speech are very different in England than they are here. But in the U.S., this woman would not have been arrested.
There are plenty of people in our country, sadly, who tell people who appear to be foreign to "go back to where they came from." Though I find that to be an unfortunate opinion and rather rude and discriminatory, these people have every right to express their views and are protected by law.
The Supreme Court has upheld a fairly rigid right to free speech; there are some restrictions that are applied to commercial speech or situations that may compromise the civil rights of another individual, but as was clear earlier this year in Snyder v. Phelps, even "outrageous" speech can be protected in public settings. I value that freedom of speech, even if some use it destructively.
Even when the power of speech is used in a negative way, the freedom to do so can
bring good things. Several comments on the original YouTube video were almost as bad as the video itself. While it was disappointing that a discussion about the issue stirred up even more racist attitudes, it is important to note that people were posting the video all over social media
websites because they condemned her behavior. They found it to be sad and infuriating that racism still permeates our communities, and they felt compelled to share their frustration.
There were also several people in the video who stood up to the woman and stood in solidarity with their fellow passengers. Passengers told her to stop and that her behavior was unacceptable. One young man sitting behind the woman suddenly stood up and threw down his bag, but the other passengers calmed him down and encouraged him not to react in a way he might regret later.
As a young woman hugged this man, showing her support for him as he faced racism square in the face, it reminded me to look at this situation with hope and not defeat. People use free speech to express disturbing views, but it just compels us to come together to fight racism and discrimination in a constructive and peaceful way. In this way, freedom of speech contributes even indirectly to a more just and equitable society.
— Cosby is senior in English and political science from Overland Park. Follow her on Twitter @KellyCosby.
CAMPUS CHIRPS BACK
What was your favorite thing about this semester?
Follow us on Twitter @UDK_Opinion, Tweet us your opinions, and we just might publish them.
RyanBrokke @UBK, Opinion Legends of the Phog. #Amazing
Geegs30
Geegs30
@UDK_Opinion Not being in garbage introductory freshman classes!
bafast
@UDK_Opinion obviously it had to be all of the women that flocked to me…wait...nevermind…#TheresAl waysNextSemester
the_colly_zone
@UDK Opinion KU basketball
starting kubbail
TECHNOLOGY
Google gives more options in music market
It is safe to say that we all enjoy music in one way or another. How we listen to it and where we get it varies from person to person. The options are endless: Frostwire, BitTorrent, Shareaza, iTunes, Rhapsody, Jamendo, CDs (if you're into that sort of thing) and now, Google's Android Market.
By Mike Montano
mmontano@kansan.com
Google is giving us just that. Instead of Apple's few free songs for the week, Google has a new free song everyday. If you are a Google + user, once you buy a song from Android Market, you can send it to a friend and let them listen to the entire song once for free. Even though you can listen to more than 30 seconds of a song on iTunes, you can't preview the entire song. Who knows if I'm about to purchase an instrumental song with just tambourines and a triangle because the partial song I'm previewing on iTunes has some vocals during the part of the song I actually get to hear?
I am a dedicated iTunes user because it's simple and it streams seamlessly to my other iGadgets. With that being said, it is nice to have options and
Google entices us with some new features like a new car enticing us with massage seats but then takes away the "new car smell" by not offering music by all of our favorite artists. Sony Music, Universal Music and EMI Group Ltd. have all joined with Google but not Warner Music Group. Some of WMG's current artists are Muse, Neil Young, Michael Bublé, Alanis Morissette, Prince, and Green Day. Though there are additional smaller record labels that have their artist's music for purchase through the Android Market but as Alanis would say
I wouldn't.
of Google's lack of music on their music store, "Isn't it ironic...don't you think?"
Another downside of Google's music store is the inability to buy television shows. Now if you were to check out Android Market versus iTunes, you won't see much of a difference. There are books, movies, artist bios, top songs and options that you can find in both online stores. But not being able to buy most if not all of your media entertainment from a site is a bit of a detraction.
Being able to purchase music on iTunes or Android Market is like having heated seats or a
6-disc CD changer in a car. You don't need to use either of them but it's nice to know they're there in case you do. Luckily it's not much of a commitment to buy a $1.29 song compared to a car but it's still money; money that companies are hoping we spend with them.
In today's economy, it's clear to see that the consumer is the one with the power so I say to take as many music stores as you want for a test drive and choose the one with the best options.
Montano is a junior in journalism from Boston, Mass.
HOW TO SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
LETTER GUIDELINES
Send letters to kansanopdesk@gmail.com.
Write LETTER TO THE EDITOR in the e-mail subject line.
Length: 300 words
The submission should include the author's name, grade and hometown. Find our full letter to the editor policy online at kansan.com/letters.
Katy Stroda, editor
864-4810 or kristoda@kansan.com
Joel Peterson, managing editor
864-4810 or jacketton@kansan.com
Jonathan Shorman, managing editor
864-4810 or jshoman@kansan.com
Clayton Ashley, managing editor
846-110 or e@ckman.com/ashley
Mandy Mathey, opinion editor
846-224 or e@ckman.com/mattey
Vikas Shanker, editorial editor
846-224 or e@ckman.com/shanker
CONTACT US
4.
Garrett Lent, business manager
@643-3586 or glen@kansas.com
Stephanie Green, sales manager
@644-4777 or green@kansas.com
Malcolm Gibson, general manager and news adviser
@647-7687 or mglen@kansas.com
.
Jon Schitt, sales and marketing adviser
864-7656 or jschitt@kansan.com
THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Members of the Reagan Editorial Board are Kelly Strroda, Joel Peterson, Jonathan Sherman, Vikas Shanker, Mandy Matthey and Stephen Penn.
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