WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 5, 2012
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PAGE 5
opinion
Winter retired from the rap game.
I constantly think that those who get into FFA everyday are a group of sexy people who are too charming for their own good...
Text your FFA submissions to 785-289-8351 or at kansan.com
Finals season: late nights at the library, tons of coffee, distressing music, and... snake.
So, editor, now that we are getting married when is our first date? Editor's Note: Right now.
Everyone I have an announcement. I'm going to be a dad!
I'm a 4-year-old trapped in a 21-year-old's body. I don't want to go to Tonic or Quinton's. I just want to go outside and play.
Last time I checked, doing physics problems doesn't woo women. Sincerely, music school students.
This week may physically kill me.
The bunnies are invading the squirrels!
KU is no longer No. 1 in quidditch.
When you erase a word, it goes to the ChalkZone. Duh.
Robots can't love. Your differences are insurmountable.
Dear Engineering Students, No one cares about your problems. We care about Withev.
Aren't you supposed to say spoiler alert, before the spoiler? Editor's Note: You're really good at picking up on jokes. Got 'em!
Yes we get it. Engineers work hard and make a ton of money. Now shut up and get over yourselves.
College has made me into a person who gets excited about free printing. WHAT IS MY LIFE????
To the girl playing "Withey" in Scrabble. Challenge! Withey's a proper noun. You can't do that! Editor's Note: They actually played "Withy." I messed that up.
Just got some weird looks in the Underground. What's wrong, never seen a grown man playing Pokémon before?
Referendum decides Democratic future
INTERNATIONAL
Next month will mark two years since the political makeup of one of the most influential states in the Arab world underwent a monumental change. Protestors in Tahrir Square chanted "the people want the fall of the regime" as they expressed discontent with a government that enjoyed unrestrained power. The process of achieving political empowerment has not been without challenges, and Dec. 15 represents another potential turning point. Any observer interested in the fate of the Middle East should be seriously worried by the events leading up to a constitutional referendum, as well as by the contents of the draft constitution being voted on.
I wonder where all the FFAs that don't make it into the paper go...
The first possible concern involves how Egypt determines its future structure. Dec. 15 matters because the country will hold a referendum on a draft constitution, consisting of 234 articles approved Friday by the constituent assembly — the group charged with writing the document. The process by which the current government institutes a new national framework will determine the success of that framework, and events so far aren't encouraging.
While the January 2011 revolution centered on Hosni Mubarak and his autocratic thirty-year rule, his replacement Mohamed Morsi plays a key role in this interim stage. Morsi, representing the Muslim Brotherhood (an Islamist political group) won the presidential election last June. Countering the powerful military initially preoccupied Morsi. In August, he ousted the defense minister, Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, as well as several others, and reclaimed presidential powers the military had stripped away. This seemed a positive step toward a government responsive to popular will.
Then on Nov. 22 Morsi issued six constitutional decrees granting him authority to issue any legislative decisions without constraint. That decision's pretty detrimental to the power of the legislature or judiciary; he can now unilaterally override either. Gamal Soltan, Professor of Political Science at American University in Cairo, suggested the decrees turn Morsi into "a dictator." The events provoked public backlash — Foreign Policy Magazine reports that protestors took to the streets last Tuesday and Friday, while the New York Times reports that on Saturday hundreds of thousands of Muslims Brotherhood supporters also demonstrated their support for Morsi.
That awkward moment you take a creeper pic and forget to turn the flash off...
A very powerful president and very angry clashing factions endanger the legitimacy of that Dec. 15 referendum. According to BBC, the Constitutional Court halted its work Sunday instead of deciding whether the assembly that created the draft constitution holds the ability to do so. The court claimed Islamist protesters demonstrating outside prevented its deliberation, but it may have been aware that Morsi gave himself the power to ignore any decision it made. Judges throughout the country must supervise the referendum, but some fear they may refuse to do so. Liberal groups boycotted much of the drafting process, and other groups may boycott the referendum itself. None of these developments bode well for acceptance of the results of the referendum.
the constitution will be adopted, the content of the draft itself is also sparking controversy. opponents claim the draft is far too Islamic in nature; that its language is too vague to ensure it won't be manipulated by whoever ultimately gains power, that it fails to explicitly protect the rights of women, that it bans freedom of expression insulting religious prophets, that it does not grant freedom of expression to some religious minorities, and that the military may continue military trials of citizens.
Aside from the process by which
Finally, consider the proposed governmental structure; a semipresidential system, in which the president shares power with a parliament. While this might sound similar to the United States government, the Egyptian president would enjoy far more power. Imagine if President Obama could dismiss the House of Representatives, unilaterally set the military budget, appoint twenty U.S. Senators, name the speakers of the House and Senate, and call binding national referenda, including ones to amend the constitution.
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace warned that such a system is especially concerning in Egypt as it transitions away from an incredibly powerful
president and weak legislature and judiciary.
At first glance, the situation appears pretty dire: Egypt may or may not adopt a constitution that guarantees the right of the president to run the country without ensuring that rights of those who may be vulnerable under Islamic law are protected, and even if the a constitution is adopted the process by which it came to pass probably discredits it as a lasting law of the land that will guarantee political stability. Yet there may still be cause for hope. Marc Lynch, associate professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University, notes that although Morsi's attempted power grab is troubling, intense and immediate public opposition suggests the Egyptian people will fiercely defend the possibility of a democratic future. While compromise between the factions is unlikely in the near term, maybe the same spirit that motivated passionate demands for the fall of Mubarak can check against the rise of a new autocrat and sustain the possibility of a truly democratic future.
Gress is a sophomore majoring in political science and economics from Overland Park.
MOVIES
Choose the best heroic spy
The age-old debate over Batman versus Spiderman has grown old. Obviously, Batman is better.
The question is now should we debate the other more obscure superheroes currently showing up more often in cinema? Personally, I do not see the point because it will ultimately tie back into the original debate mentioned above. Instead, we should focus our argumentative disposition on determining which less super, more humanistic hero is better.
Debate: James Bond vs. Jason Bourne. These two highly intelligent, sickeningly resilient spies were both born in fictional novels, which were later adapted into films.
Ben Macintyre quoted Fleming in his April 2008 article for the British publication The Times as saying, "[James Bond] was a compound of all the secret agents and command types I met during the war." Fleming used his own experiences and tastes to create
Ian Fleming wrote twelve novels and two short story collections featuring the central character of British Secret Service agent 007. Since Fleming's death in 1964, six authors have written subsequent authorized Bond novels and the character was adapted to television, radio, comic strip and video game formats.
the smart, suave MI6 agent with a license to kill and a proclivity to womanize. As an icon of pop culture, James Bond embodies the dashing spy every woman wants and every man wishes to be. He is secretive and always sacrifices to get the job done. No wonder the newest film installment "Skyfall" is often considered the franchise's best, reaching a worldwide gross of more than $868 million, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com.
Is James Bond better than Bourne then?
tasked with taking him out.
Robert Ludlum wrote the original Bourne trilogy and Eric Van Lustbader wrote the nine subsequent novels. The character of Jason Charles Bourne was first adapted for film in 2002 when Matt Damon portrayed the mysterious Black Ops CIA officer. The CIA trained Bourne in martial arts, firearms, explosives, and he is fluent in many languages. These skills allow him to adapt to his surroundings with great speed while running from other trained killers
So, who is the best spy? It comes down to who you would pick to save you. Can't choose? It is difficult because both are able to complete magnanimous missions of espionage that involve killing bad guys and rescuing something or someone (often times a very attractive woman). In cinema, Jason Bourne seeks information about his life and the terrible acts he committed, while James Bond gallivants throughout the world leaving destruction, bodies and broken hearts in his wake. Knowing both are more than capable of saving you, the preference lies in the appeal of each character.
Jason Bourne acts quickly and always escapes with a swift kill and transition into obscurity of the crowd. With a flourish, Bond dodges bullets, flying objects and punches, and ends with an unimaginable stunt that often results in an explosion. So, who do you like best? If the answer is not clear, think it over for a while. Maybe debate it with your friends. Meanwhile, I will have a vodka martini; shaken, not stirred.
Jordan Warren is a junior majoring in journalism from Overland Park. Follow her on Twitter @jordan_
mechele.
CAMPUS CHIRPS BACK
What are your plans for Winter Break?
Follow us on Twitter @UDK_Opinion.
Tweet us your opinions, and we just might publish them.
@kla_hart
@UDK_Dpiness I plan to sleep...a lot.
@KavlaSchartz
@UDK_Opinion Make all of the delicious Pinterest recipes I have been dying to try since the beginning of the semester!
DormProblems
@Geegs30
@UDK_Opinion hitting the ponds back home in the great state of hockey. Withholding 60 degree weather of course...
@coffey shop
@UDK Dpinson Florida for Xmas, Colorado
for New Years and a cruise to the Bahamas
hom
COLLEGE
Find a balance between social life and school
O ver the course of my time here at the University. I have noticed a few
alarming trends on a semester-by-semester basis, and I believe that nearly every student is susceptible to falling into these bad habits. At the beginning of every semester, I vow to myself that I am going to get organized and not miss any classes. But before I know it, I can't find a pencil to save my life and I am hung-over on a weekday.
As I said before I am just as guilty as all of you in this regard and I am not here to tell you I have all the answers, because I don't and you will be hard pressed to find a single person that does. What I am going to attempt to outline to you are a few major behavioral changes that I believe are conducive to success in this crazy college environment that we all live in.
Many students are guilty of slacking off early on in the semester and then kicking it into overdrive for the tail end of it in order to escape with a B average. Now I know that you readers have seen plenty of self help articles outlining what the author believes to be the "5-step plan" to succeed in college and I am here to tell you that they are all full of it.
First off, don't pretend you know what you're doing, because you don't. We are in college for that exact reason! So when it comes to class, go, take notes, then go home and play Xbox or paint your nails and gossip, whatever works. The point is you need to find that happy medium between being proactive and doing absolutely nothing. If you try to go to one extreme or the other you are either going to have a mental break down in the middle of class or get really crappy grades.
Second, place strict limits on yourself when it comes to being social. By no means am I advocating that you should stay in every day of the week with your 15 cats, but I am also not telling you that it is OK to go out four days a week. The idea here is to limit yourself to one, maybe two, wild crazy nights a week. Lets face it,
when you go out, the closest thing to being productive you are going to accomplish is breaking your record for most food consumed at Taco Bell at 2 a.m. And you know what? That is totally fine. But limit yourself to one or two of these "nights to forget" per week.
Lastly, find yourself a routine that works and stick to it. Whatever it is that you do, make sure that you stick to a routine and don't make major deviations from it. Take some sort of activity that you enjoy and do it every day of the week. This practice will not only alleviate stress but will also help you to stick to the routine of doing your class work. The point is that routine is the name of the game in college and anyone that tells you any different is lying to you. If you get an awesome experience here at the University but you make terrible grades, then you ultimately lose. A precursor to being successful in the real world is making the grade here in school, so develop a routine and stick to it.
There it is, my personal suggestions for success. This isn't a plan made to fit everyone and that was never the point. The idea behind this rant is for you to develop a system that works for you and sticking to it, while at the same time doing what needs to be done. Let's face it, college isn't easy, but that's the point. So have fun but don't forget that you are going to have to bust your ass if you don't want to wind up back at home with your parents explaining how you "almost" got a degree in whatever it is you kids study nowadays.
Sisk is a junior majoring in journalism from Kansas City. Fellow him on Twitter @calebsik.
HOW TO SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
LETTER GUIDELINES
Send letters to kananopdesk@gmail.com.
Write LETTER TO THE EDITOR in the e-mail subject line.
LETTER GUIDELINES
Length: 300 words
The submission should include the author's name, grade and hometown.Find our full letter to the editor policy online at kansas.com/letters.
Length: 300 words
Ian Cummings, editor
editor@kansan.com
Vikasa Shanker, managing editor
vshaneka@khanaa.com
Dylan Lysen, opinion editor
Ross Newman, business manager
newmot@kenkan.com
Elise Farrington, sales manager
etarrington@kenkan.com
CONTACT US
Malcolm Gibson, general manager and news adviser
mgibson@kansan.com
Jon Schittt, sales and marketing adviser
schmitt@kansan.com
THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Members of the Kansasian Editorial Board are Ian Cummings,
Vikas Shanker, Oylan Lyan, Ross Newton and Elise
Farrington.