ANW = 4 x AW + ANW
OPINION
TUESDAY DECEMBER 9.2008
5A
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
GUEST COLUMN
We have actually developed clean energy technologies; the problem's instead lie in the political powers and subsidies given to fossil fuel production. But the even more pertinent problem lies in our cultural demand for oil, coal and natural gas to give us cheap electricity.
CLINTONSTEEDS@FLICKR.COM
Although my hopes were revived on Election Night, that great night in history, my dreams of clean air, clean water, ecological justice, wind turbines, solar panels, and effective environmental policies and laws have yet to come true. It is time to get to work, President-elect Obama.
The inefficient processes common to most industries date back to the days of the Industrial Revolution. But we have come a long way politically and culturally, so why not technologically?
The United States spends $700 billion a year on imported oil — it is time for "New Energy for America." It has become clear through the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that our oil dependency poses a serious threat to our national security. We should question why our dependence is so high and why we feel it necessary to securitize oil in the first place. In doing this, we should find alternative ways to cost-effectively use renewable resources to take true steps toward our country's energy independence.
Sadly, the only thing that will develop cheaper renewable technologies is a steady incline in prices because people take action when it hits their pocketbook.
How Americans can find independence
BY KIMBERLY
HERNANDEZ
Ironically, today's gas prices have dramatically dropped to
We have so greatly affected our natural world that we are in a new era: the Anthropocene. I hope this new era brings about change. Thank goodness Obama agrees that climate change and our energy crisis are major issues. Our country cannot afford politics as usual.
Although economically understandable, this argument still ceases to address the deeper issue of why we "need" and use so much fuel and electricity. Instead, we need to change our basic consumption patterns and re-teach ourselves to consume less, drive fewer gas-guzzling vehicles and use electricity-sucking appliances less often.
Now is the time for change. Now is the time for the new generation to take over. Now is the time for us.
well below $2 per gallon — a price I never thought I would see again in my lifetime.
We should be worried that the fall in gas prices will distract our new president from dealing with the environmental issues that plague our country because people can afford gas again and will no longer be concerned with polluting our environment and changing their energy consumption patterns.
The main argument distracting from further developing and implementing renewable energy technologies is that Americans needs a reliable, cheap source of fuel and electricity, and until that is given to us, our mantra will continue to be "drill, baby, drill."
Hernandez is a Hutchinson junior in environmental studies and international studies.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
What I've learned in the best four years
On Dec. 22, I leave Lawrence without a degree and head for Denver to resume living in my parents' basement. I've made it through three and a half years. Seventy-eight credit hours taken — what have learned?
I learned that in Lawrence every day may be a holiday, every meal a picnic and every beer a Boulevard Wheat.
that littering can put you in jail and that jail is the worst place on earth.
But perhaps more importantly, I learned that — in getting a University education — not every professor cares, not every teacher knows, not every text-book is righteous. I learned that words matter, and kids aren't the only ones watching too much TV. I learned more from three pages of William Zinsser's "On Writing Well" than I did from English 209 and 211 combined. I learned
I learned that academic advisors don't always know what they're talking about, unless you want to waste your parents' money. I learned that "undecided" isn't an acceptable status as a sophomore. I learned to listen instead of to hear. I learned what it feels like to be a national champion (freaking epic).
I also learned a very important lesson from the lyrics of Bob Dylan. Lesson, aphorism, metaphor, creed — it can be called a number of things, but to be sure, it's something I'll keep in mind, leaving these best four years of my life behind to continue living: "He not busy being born, is busy dying."
So long, KU.
— Nick Petrak is a senior from Overland Park.
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FROM THE DRAWING BOARD
The best way to fight the huge budget cuts
TYLER DOEHRING
Your professor today is brought to you by Irish Spring Soap.
The obvious solution is to make every space on campus available for advertising.
In the face of budget cuts from the state, the University has to find some way to make ends meet and give students quality educations.
Advertising already surrounds us, though it may be slightly subtler than what I think the University should implement.
Here's what I picture campus as feeling and looking like next year.
You arrive on campus and no longer ride on a blue bus that has a KU emblem on it. You're riding on a bus that is sponsored by Gatorade.
As you pass Potter Lake and the hill, a giant oscillating billboard tells you that Wendy's has a new hamburger that features three patties and six slices of bacon.
The next Wescoe Beach?
No walls will be painted a plain
The building you're walking to will no longer be called by the name it had in the past. Corporations will have the opportunity to place their name in front of the original name of the building (for a nominal fee of course). Nike Wescoe, Microsoft Budig, McDonald's Memorial Union, Tampax Watkins. The list goes on.
After class, you might be a little thirsty or hungry. But not to worry. The Underground is still around, but there's a catch — only companies that advertise heavily on campus will be allowed to use space for their products. If you aren't buying space to advertising you aren't getting space to sell. Simple as that.
Step off the bus and walk to class on our new sidewalks that double as ad space. You'll be walking right on the products you should buy.
color, Every space on that wan is sold. Think of how cost effective that is! No blank space means no lost revenue, which means megabucks for us.
And then in leaps your professor sporting an Irish Spring Soap jump suit (just so that you don't forget who is helping bring you that class that you've paid hundreds of dollars for).
Before class starts, a speaker mounted in the classroom will announce which brand is bringing your class to you that day: "Your professor today is brought to you by Irish Spring Soap"
The strangest thing about this hypothetical situation is that after talking to University Relations I've found out that there's no department that handles advertising on campus as a whole, which tells me we don't have set standards for such a thing. The University has people who sell ad space for the buses, in the Union and for everything that deals with sports, but that's all I could find.
So what do you say. Hemenway?
We sure could use some money.
After all, we're not hiring any new professors next year.
So what's it going to be: a tuition hike, a fee increase or Gatorade on the sides of buses?
The people who could implement the placement of a billboard on campus, or some other form of flagrant advertising, would have to be the chancellor or provost.
Stewart is a Wichita senior in journalism.
Where would we be without gay people?
Penguins always had a gay look to them. The waddle was a dead giveaway.
When I recently found out that a gay penguin couple in a zoo was attempting to steal eggs from straight penguins and replacing them with rocks, I had to chuckle.
to even be in the zoo anymore because they were not contributing to the penguin population by having eggs of their own.
The gay penguins were fenced off from the others, which I had no problem with. The gay penguins could have harmed the eggs and disrupted the hatching cycle.
Homosexuality, though, has contributed more to society (and the animal kingdom, for that matter) than offspring. I can't speak for the animal kingdom, but for society, many gay people were indispenable.
As hypothetical as these situations are, these gay people nevertheless contributed to these events in history that people of all sexualities have benefited from.
What I had a problem with was a comment left by a user on the news story. The user stated that there was no reason for these penguins
Obviously their straight counterparts could have organized the March on Washington, composed the music of Disney films, cracked German codes, tackled Ford's assassin and penned plays and books, but it's impossible to determine how effectual or influential those acts or works would have been.
The 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech, might have had less of an effect on civil rights. Bayard Rustin was the principle organizer for the march.
The Disney movies "Aladdin," "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast" might have been less magical without the lyrics of Howard Ashman, who died from complications from AIDS at 40.
World War II could have lasted
just a little longer, killing that many more people. Alan Turing was head of Hut 8 for a part of WWII and broke many of the Nazis' naval codes to help end the war.
After all, I'm sure it was gay penguins that taught all penguins that fabulous waddle.
Hirschfeld is a Augusta senior in journalism.
To contribute to Free for All, visit Kansan.com or call 785-864-0500.
You're just a skidmark in the underpants of society.
--my day.
I hate that bitter and angry has become my default mood.
--my day.
Let's not make Free for All the new Juicy Campus please.
The Backstreet Boys are cool, but *NSYNC is better.
--my day.
--my day.
You should really go have sex with some hoodrats before you try and have sex with a girl you like.
Drunk Facebooking plus talking to Free for All equals a substitute for intercourse.
--my day.
A Jayhawk always roots against UT and MU. If those teams are playing each other, a Jayhawk will root for the stadium to implode.
--my day.
I love clubbing.
--was forced to get gas in Manhattan and contribute to its economy. Needless to say, I only pumped three gallons, enough to get out of town.
To the guy who offered me his seat on the bus. You have no idea how much you made
--was forced to get gas in Manhattan and contribute to its economy. Needless to say, I only pumped three gallons, enough to get out of town.
Is it wrong I am cheering for Missouri to beat Okalahoma?
--was forced to get gas in Manhattan and contribute to its economy. Needless to say, I only pumped three gallons, enough to get out of town.
--was forced to get gas in Manhattan and contribute to its economy. Needless to say, I only pumped three gallons, enough to get out of town.
Pizza Hut at The Underground: Fast and easy, just like you mom
I really planned on never talking to you again. And then you showed up and came home with me.So much for that.
--was forced to get gas in Manhattan and contribute to its economy. Needless to say, I only pumped three gallons, enough to get out of town.
Due to unfortunate circumstances, I had to go to Manhattan yesterday. Even more unfortunately, I forgot to get gas before I left and
I don't know how to tell my best friend that I don't want to live with her next year.
4
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This is the second weekend in three weeks that one of my friends peed on another one of my friends while they were sleeping in the same bed.
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I really planned on making it home last night.
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Anybody up for bowling tonight at Jaybowl?
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My bank account is significantly smaller today than it was yesterday.
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It's colder than a witch's teat outside!
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