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TUESDAY, JANUARY 29. 2013
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THE UNIVERSIFY DAILY KANSAN
Text your FFA submissions to 785-289-8351 or at kansan.com
Student Housing, A Haiku: The water is white. Maintenance says it's bubbles. I don't believe them.
Just saw Dan the bus driver driving a taxi. From now on, I will be taking a cab to class.
Psychology book just referenced Star Wars. New favorite class.
I wish the FFA editor had SnapCnat so I could send him naughty pics.
No hot water in GSP. Give me my money back!
Banning assault weapons prevents mass murders, not killing. 2 > 20
To the person requesting KU women wear real pants. Yoga pants are just fine by me.
As a proud American and Chiefs fan, I'll yell "Chiefs" at the end of the national anthem whenever I damn well please.
Smells like someone rubbed magazine perfume samples all over themselves this morning. Classy.
Why do we give interviews and attention to people like Te? o? He was a jerk for this exact reason. For attention. And now he gets money for it.
My roommate is upset because her Sperrys got wet. Her BOAT SHOES got wet. Oh no.
Lol winter, go home. You're drunk.
FOOD
Welcome to Kansas. Sunny and warm one day, then snowing and freezing the next. Gotta love it.
My teacher just used Wikipedia in a powerpoint. Uh, what?
KU Crew cleaned all of the newspaper after the game... I wish the Phog did blow it away because I wouldn't have been there until 5 a.m. :)
So does anyone have any idea what happened last week? #syllabusweek-probz
Had dinner with Dan on Saturday. I know y'all are jealous.
I just saw the mother of all frat packs.
If no one is sitting in a seat, then it is not taken. Maybe you and your friends should get there sooner so you can all sit together like you want to.
Why gelatin isn't vegetarian-friendly
No, I won't read your pamphlet about helping animals, you're killing trees to do it! TREE HATER!
You'd be surprised what is in your favorite candies. At least once in element
Maybe I can't spell. That's okay, I'm a science major.
Help me, Ben, you're my only hope.
At least once in elementary school, some kid brings up that glue is made from horse hooves. While that is no longer true, there is a variety of food made from animal skin. The majority of people are surprised when I explain why I cannot eat certain popular candies, cereals and yogurt. As a vegetarian, I choose not to eat products that an animal must die to produce. Although it may seem like a vegan practice, gelatin is present in a variety of today's foods and is indeed made out of dead animals. Gelatin is what most people think of as the main ingredient in jello and is an ingredient in gummy candies and serves as a thickening agent in other foods.
Gelatin turks in many unexpected foods and isn't made of the most appealing ingredients. Gelatin comes from collagen, a protein in animal skins. Andrew
Milkowski, adjunct professor of animal sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said the source varies depending on the type of food. Gelatin used in desserts comes mainly from pig skin.
If you think that you're safe just watching for gelatin in food, vitamins and encapsulated medicines often contain gelatin. Hy-Vee Multivitamins are one of two brands of vitamins I have found without gelatin. The local Mercantile, or The Merc, also has multivitamins without gelatin, but the ones I found tended to smell like rabbit food. To be safe with medicine, choose pill form over capsules to avoid gelatin.
Gelatin is not the only emulsifier on the market. Pectin comes from apple skin or citrus peels. Pectin is usually used in jams and jellies, but has a long list of positive effects. According to eafus.com, Pectin removes unwanted metals and toxins, reduces the
side effects of radiation therapy helps lower cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease and gallstones.
Whether you are a vegetarian or not, a gummy bear made from fruit sounds more appealing than one made from bones. The company that manufactures Skittles seems to agree and capitalizes on the alternative. Formerly made from gelatin, Skittles is phasing into being gelatin-free. According to The Vegetarian Resource Group Blog, Skittles underwent a recipe reformulation in 2009 that removed the gelatin. However,
some old-formulation Skittles are still on the shelf, so be sure to read the label.
Other companies have capitalized on the alternatives. Both Sour Patch Kids and Swedish Fish are vegan candies. Most brands of Greek or organic Yogurt do not have gelatin. Also, at The Merc, gummies are sold without gelatin.
our emotions, our diet is an effective way to control how we feel. I originally became a vegetarian as part of a bet, but I ended up sticking with it because I felt energized and healthier.
What truly surprises me is the lack of knowledge that surrounds gelatin. I was informed of the ingredients of gelatin after a year of being a vegetarian as I was biting into our marshmallow. I find it relatively concerning to think about how blindly we put food into our body. I admit that I am unaware of what some of the ingredients listed actually contain. The weirdest part about it is that I am not motivated to try harder and investigate and understand what I am eating. While it seems minute, what we eat has a huge effect on how we feel and how we look. With the inconsistency of
As you have probably heard before, vegetarianism exists as a spectrum. Some vegetarians eat fish while others choose to be stricter with their diets. So if you are a vegetarian with a soft spot for gummy bears, remember that you control the extent of your vegetarianism.
If nothing else, I hope this article has given you a little food for thought. You may just want to read the ingredients label and do your research before you start enjoying your seemingly innocent Starburst.
Stern is a freshman majoring in biology from Lawrence.
SELF-IMPROVEMENT
Embrace vulnerability today
The beginning of a new semester is one of my favorite times of the
year. It always holds so much promise of the great things to come and chances to improve upon last semester's accomplishments.
But for me, a new semester also brings a lot of pressure. After five weeks of hanging out with my dog and making queso, getting back into a work/school/activities/social life routine can be daunting.
And while syllabus week is (for some) the best and easiest week of the school year, for me, it provides plenty of anxiety about what's to come. Going over every paper, reading assignment, exam and project that will be expected of you in just a few days is definitely my "Welcome back to KU! Now get back to work" wake-up call.
My first few days of a new semester usually remind me of all the ways I slacked off in the semester before. As my political science professor doles out reading assignments, I remember that I hardly ever did any readings in the fall. When my journalism professor explains that our work this semester is expected to be professional and broadcast-ready, I think of all my botched news packages from last semester.
On top of all these perceived shortcomings is a sense that this semester I will do better. I will be better. This will be the semester I produce awesome TV packages, ace my political science papers and make a lot of new friends, all while getting eight hours of sleep per night.
But as relaxed syllabus week transitions into heavy course loads and intense schedules, those high expectations become overwhelming.
Rather than tear ourselves down for not meeting our expectations of a fantabulous new semester, what if we worked on accepting the way we are right now, today? Fortes and flaws included.
If I'm being honest, I know I'm not going to become an expert on political rhetoric, get a job offer from Anderson Cooper or become a campus "it-girl" this semester. Especially if I'm spending all my time obsessing over what I lack as opposed to what I have. Focusing on all the ways in which I fell short last semester or last year only sets me up to be miserable.
Adversely, I did some really awesome things last semester: got a new job, mastered a class that was really challenging and became a columnist for the Kansan. Chances are you did some awesome things as well. Isn't it exciting to know there's even more to come?
Over the break, I read an amazing book by Brene Brown called "I Thought It Was Just Me (but it is not!). Making the Journey from 'What Will People
Think'? to 'I Am Enough," to which I have to credit this line of thinking. Brene urges people to end the exhausting quest for perfection and embrace our vulnerability.
For instance, I feel pretty vulnerable admitting to everyone I read this book because it meant I don't have it together 24/7 and that I'm not perfect. Honestly though, it feels great to cut yourself some slack every once in awhile, and it allows you to cut others some slack, too. I'm looking at you, type-A overachievers. It's time we all let go a little.
This semester, I challenge you to balance goal-oriented thinking (though it's important), with a healthy dose of self-love and acceptance. Truth be told, this is a much more difficult form of self-improvement than hitting the gym three times a week or cutting carb. It requires us to be vulnerable, which is the exact opposite of the line of thinking that goal-making requires.
Start by answering a friend's "How are you?" with something more honest than "I'm fine. You!" Because how often is our day simply "fine?" Admitting our vulnerability to others can be a rejuvenating (and scary) experience. But with the support we need, we're much more likely to meet at least one of the expectations we form during syllabus week (And forgive ourselves for discarding the rest).
Mayfield is a junior studying journalism, public policy and leadership from Overland Park.
CAMPUS CHIRPS BACK
What are you going to do with the unexpected nice weather?
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Tweet us your opinions, and we just might publish them.
@con_mulholland
@UDK_Opinion open up the
window, see joggers run by,
proceed to feel inadequate, then
polish off a roll of toll house
BeautifulDay
ACTIVISM
Facebook can't change policies
Let's say you knew how to fix the economy, make the U.S. energy independent, and solve the entitlement crisis.
That's great and all, but as a student and not a lawmaker, you're probably not in an ideal position to do all of those things. What's the next step? You can't just think, "If Congressman X could do Y, our healthcare system would be fixed. If President Obama made Z illegal, gun violence wouldn't occur." At some point, ideas not followed by action become tiring. You're tired of explaining what's wrong with America and how you disapprove of the government. Everyone's tired of hearing about it. But despite the mutual tiredness, it continues.
I know the idea of taking dinner table talk and turning it into action is intimidating. But it's too easy to get online and post plans for America's ascent to greatness from the comfort of home, safe from public scrutiny. There must be a balance between being cynical on the web and doing something that produces tangible results.
For a moment, ignore the issue of owning a gun being a protected right. In fact, don't consider why gun sales should be restricted or why they shouldn't be. In reality, if enough votes are cast, laws can be passed to restrict anything. Rather, consider what we, college students, can do from where we sit right now. Can we filibuster the senate? Can we whisper into the ear of the president? Can we promise reelection for a representative? Can we draft a compromise that will be passed? Probably not.
Let's consider gun control as an example. Public opinion polls have shown support for restrictions on high capacity magazines, assault style weapons and more background checks. But Congress has been slow to act.
Honestly, we don't call our congressmen. We don't create networks of donors. We don't create advocacy groups. We struggle to攻到 vote. We are remarkably adept at hastily crafting witty posts supporting our beliefs, but fail to get that message to the lawmakers who can enact the policy we want to see. Truly, the problem is will and effort.
The commitment it takes to organize support, contact legislators and raise funds proves too taxing for most of us. Being cynical, satirical or apathetic requires far less will and effort.
Yet, unless one channels their
inner Jonathan Swift, the satirical message a college student effortlessly posts probably doesn't change policy. It probably doesn't raise a single dollar. It probably doesn't organize a movement of people capable of lobbying elected officials. It likely doesn't affect any outcome.
College students, limited by time, money and experience, don't have to be inept when it comes to affecting policy decisions. We can matter if we become more active. It requires substantial will and effort.
Six PAC was founded by Richardson to advocate for possible solutions, raise awareness and connect like-minded individuals. Visit sixpac.org to see what it means to take a passion further than a thoughtful Internet rent.
Consider Six PAC, a student-founded, student-run political action committee focused on education reform. Six PAC bridges the gap between strong thoughts and strong actions. Instead of cynically pointing out the flaws in American education and providing no solutions, KU student Forrest Richardson sought out a different path for his efforts by founding this youth-driven political action committee.
We have the potential to affect policy change if, and only if, we recognize and overcome our limitations. Will and effort is only the beginning. Don't waste your time and my time ranting about how policies could be different. Choose to do something about it. If you think the federal government should legalize marijuana and that it's so "obvious," why are you telling all your Facebook friends, not your congressman?
If you think that taxation is "ruining" American values, why haven't you petitioned your tax collectors—the government?
Actions speak louder than words, and Congress creates laws. Don't let your own passion go to waste.
Duyang is a junior majoring in petroleum engineering and economics from Overland Park.
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