MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2011
THE UNIVERSITY DARY GANSAN
PAGE 5
opinion
FREE FOR ALL
Send your FFA submissions to freeforall@kansan.com
It's embarrassing when the last four people you've texted are three freshmen and the FFA.
My future husband will only have one requirement, to look cool while running with a backpack on.
To the freshman, sophomore and junior who made it into the FFA consecutively, I don't go to school here and I made it in the FFA.
New life goal: Take over the FFA column.
I feel a little bad saying this, but I wish Roy Williams was coming back for the game. Even though he's a traitor, he's still a KU legend.
How about we stop bragging about who gets in the FFA move and actually write something worth reading?
Tights: a thin layer of see-through material designed to make a woman's legs look tanner and more desirable and covering the feet. Leggings: cloth bottoms that are capri length, designed to wear with short skirts, dresses or super long shirts so a girl looks tasteful and not skaulk.
Is there a reason you're putting all the ketchup packets from the underground in your backpack?
It's really distracting when the guy in front of you in class is looking up videos on how to make drugs.
As much as I pay for tuition, it'd be nice to have working Internet on campus.
That awkward moment when that awkward moment happens by reading the FFA about that awkward moment.
Lightsaber battles outside the dorses doesn't seem like the way to get girls, but she looks really into it.
It's Friday night and I'm alone playing
Fruit Ninja. I need a boyfriend.
I have a new boyfriend. I sleep with him every night ... it's my bed.
Eating your weight in pizza with your friends? Successful dinner.
So there's camping for The Legends of the Phog game? Really? That would've been nice to know before THE DAY OF THE GAME. Gh...
I can deal with the smell, I can even deal with smoke being blown in my face. What I can't stand is all the butts littered on the sidewalk. STOP IT!
That's ballsy KU, putting Selby as the first player intro. Worked out well.
Even if you are in the NBA, this is the Fieldhouse. Play some defense.
You know you're a college student when you can drink Natty Lite without your taste buds hating you.
Women say they want a man who knows a woman's worth. That is a pimp.
Went into Walmart and found Mizzou chocolates. I asked why only ML? He said because the rest were sold out and nobody likes Mizzou!
Chalmers did it again!
I miss the flashers in the stacks. They knew how to keep things interesting.
I just saw little bits of hair in a women's restroom sink. Who's been shaving their fem-bear?
EDITORIAL
Anti-hazing initiatives require deeper efforts
National Hazing Prevention Week has an increased meaning at University of Kansas. Last week, the University hosted events to promote anti-hazing. By bringing in notable anti-hazing speaker Don McPherson and organizing a week's worth of activities, the University has shown a commitment to combat hazing on campus.
Within the past two years, two major incidents involving alcohol abuse and hazing have cast a dark shadow over the student body.
Freshman Matt Fritzie was paralyzed after jumping into a temporary pool during Phi Gamma Delta's "FJII Island" party last
year. After the University and the national Phi Gamma Delta organization conducted investigations, the fraternity was suspended. Fritzie's lawsuit against the fraternity included allegations that the fraternity didn't protect pledges, including Fritzie, from hazing.
Jason Wren, a 2009 freshman who lived at Sigma Alpha Epsilon, was found dead in the fraternity's house two years ago. According to Kansan reports, he drank margaritas, beer, wine and whiskey that night, leading to a blood alcohol level of 362. In both cases, the Greek organizations tolerated a culture of alcohol abuse and underage
drinking.
But are these incidents really hazing? According to the University's policy, "Hazing includes, but is not limited to, any action, activity or situation which recklessly, negligently or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health, welfare or safety of a person, creates excessive fatigue, mental or physical discomfort, exposes a person to extreme embarrassment or ridicule, involves personal servitude or substantially interferes with the academic requirements or responsibilities of a student." The Interfraternity Council, National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations.
National Pan-Hellenic Council and the Panhellenic Association filed similar policies.
Simply tolerating alcohol abuse is hazing.
But it isn't something that a policy can completely fix. All fraternities, sororities and athletic organizations need to start pushing hazing traditions out of existence.
Some of these organizations got involved with anti-hazing activities last week. Those that encouraged members to sign the University's pledge, including Theta Chi, Sigma Delta Tau and Zeta Beta Tau, showed commitment to hazing awareness. More fraternities and sororites should
make it a requirement to sign an anti-hazing pledge. Sigma Alpha Epsilon is continuing its Jason Wren initiative to combat alcohol abuse.
Hazing is a serious problem, and it requires a culture of zero tolerance to fix.
but this isn't where it stops. Hazing kills students. The organizations need to instill personal responsibility when new members are initiated. The duty falls on each upperclassman to keep this in mind when conducting recruitment events.
Vikaas Shanker for The Kansan Editorial Board
ECONOMY
America could use a wealth tax
Anyone who hasn't been living under a rock since the Reagan administration knows that America is in a hefty amount of debt. For the Patrick Stars among us, you can view a live stream of the debt increase at usdebtclock.com, but prepare to be depressed as you watch the federal deficit approach $15 trillion. The website also shows figures such as tax revenue and gross domestic product. One of the most interesting, however, is the debt per taxpayer, which happens to be around $131,000 — considerably more than most people make in a year.
Many people are already aware of thoughts and attitudes surrounding the national debt. I hope everyone reading this can agree that something needs to be done to resolve the issue. Ideas presented include increasing
revenue through tax hikes for the general population and decreasing expenditures through reducing social security and other social welfare programs.
It's easy to see, however, that the pendulum has to swing both ways. Neither tax increases nor expenditure cuts will solve the problem on its own. To ensure that future generations (including our own) are not plagued by a dark cloud of debt looming over their heads, some things need to change. At the current rate, we won't just have student loans to pay back, but the debts of our country as well. Is this hitting closer to home college students?
Now, before we get too critical of our country, it's important to note that we are not alone in debt. Many countries around the world have been experiencing
financial deficits in recent years. Greece has seen rioting and protest in response to its unpaid debts, and economically burdened Great Britain has seen civil unrest in recent months. America hasn't seen rioting yet, but that doesn't mean that people aren't speaking out in response to the national deficit. Warren Buffett, one of America's wealthiest citizens, announced that wealthy individuals have been "coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress."
This statement seems to have been foreshadowing, as rich individuals from other countries have since been stepping forward to contribute to their governments to ease financial strain. In an article recently published in the Guardian, Helen Pidd reveals that French and Italian millionaires and billionaires have already made excessive contributions to their respective governments, and that a group of extremely wealthy Germans has volunteered for a five percent "wealth tax" to contribute more of their money to public debt.
Whether Warren Buffett intended to, he seems to have accelerated a movement of generous aristocrats around the world. The issue is that millionaires and billionaires in America seem to have a different sense
of allegiance. They have more money than they need by a long shot, but still spend on lobbyists and tax lawyers to avoid higher taxes on their fortunes.
As one small step in the solution to America's debt problem, a wealth tax could raise billions of dollars in revenue for the federal government. Blanket tax hikes can be devastating for those living paycheck to paycheck, but a wealth tax could help ease strain on the government and its citizens. It is true that the majority of wealthy people have earned their fortunes and deserve to enjoy their financial success. However, as Uncle Ben famously told a young and frightened Spiderman: "With great power comes great responsibility."
Lovell is a sophomore in creative writing from Overland Park
LIFESTYLE
Netflix split not promising for users
"Companies rarely die from moving too fast, and they frequently die from moving too slowly."
Those words were from Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, in a blog post directed to subscribers of the movie distributing company who were angry over recent increases in pricing. He then described a change to their business model, which made everyone mad at him all over again. The tangible DVD-by-mail service and the online streaming service are now separate entities, with separate prices. The streaming portion is still to be named "Netflix," but the red envelopes that come to your mailbox now will come through "Qwikster." I assume because they want to annoy me on the same level as Qwest and Krispy Kreme.
A subscriber will have to update queues and ratings on two different websites individually, Netflix.com and Qwikstar. com, and will be sent two different bills. What was once two services provided by one place inexpeniously and conveniently, is now one company pretending to be two and charging more for both services. The main effect of which, as far as I can tell, is being annoying as all hell to the consumer.
As mentioned in the Washington Times, a letter sent to shareholders earlier this week said, "With the rapid adoption of streaming, DVD shipments for Netflix have likely peaked." It is clear Hastings believes streaming is the future of our home entertainment, which is likely true but Netflix doesn't have divine assurance that it is the business to take us there. If it forces this progression too fast and alienates its audience, it might not make it itself. While going full speed ahead on one front, it seems to be leaving tangible DVDs behind, something that I'd never like to see.
I can stand to watch TV shows in what Netflix pretends to be HD, but IId never watch a Stanley Kubrick or Darren Aronofsky film on it. If I did, I wouldn't feel like I had really seen the film. I expect there are a number of people who care about the picture and sound quality in their home.
as HDTVs and expensive home entertainment centers are becoming more common. Until technology improves to the point where I can stream in something better than YouTube quality I won't be satisfied in this all-streaming world.
The real problem might be that some of us consider ourselves fans of Netflix, not just customers. That could be why the backlash has been so great. I know when I started my account in 2007 I felt I was part of something cool, that I was contributing to a progressive start-up. It was probably a dumb thought then and is ludicrous now, as they dominate their market with over 24 million subscribers, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Because they started out competing against the giant that was Blockbuster, many people needed these price jumps and this consumer disregard to realize David had become Goliath. It feels a little like we were betrayed by a team we rooted for, but Hastings does acknowledge, "It is possible we are moving too fast." The technology around them might not be ready for this push, and maybe neither are the people.
Kilgore is a senior in film & media studies from Lenexa
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
I am writing to respond to the article GOP Works to Detriment of Country, by Mr. Brinker.
Democrats don't play transparent
Working together is what America needs, not the oneside blame game Mr. Brinker suggests in a polarizing fashion. America has waited patiently the past three years, and all we have seen is a partisan Democratic agenda forced through the legislature and very little progress made on the true issues our nation faces.
Truthfully, the Democrats have "stonewalled" most Republican legislation. Republicans proposed the Healthcare Choice Act before Obama told Congress to pass Obamacare and read the bill later. Not even our former Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, now Secretary of Health and Human Services, read the bill, and the Healthcare Choice Act was never even given meaningful consideration by Washington Democrats.
which contained significant compromises, were tossed aside without any consideration.
The Republicans proposed a number of bills regarding the budget and the national debt, but still the debt has increased to $14 trillion. Again, these genuine proposals, many of
Now Obama wants to change American tax structure to fund yet another "project," and he calls this project the American Jobs Act. Even though the GOP has been urging tax reform and new legislation to promote jobs for some time now, and has a wealth of research and knowledge on the topic the current administration is, once again, going forward with a plan which completely disregards the insights of Republican legislators.
Some of the brightest minds in the world are working in DC to make our country better, and it is unfortunate that so many of our representatives are unwilling to take advantage of the knowledge and experience their colleagues can provide.
Many jest that the Republican Party is the party of "no," but Democrats have blatantly pushed through legislation without bi-partisan aid or transparency.
Monica Hart is a senior in English from Shawnee
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