Opinion THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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WEDNESDAY,JULY 21,2010
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To the foreign exchange student walking in circles, wearing orange Crocs and eating a sandwich in the Union: What the heck are you doing?
He's obviously walking in circles, wearing orange Crocs and eating a sandwich. Who DOESN'T do that?
Two weeks until I am back in Lawrence!
I've concluded that I love my family most when I don't have to spend more than a few days at a time with them.
--exactly twice as much as the price of a single drink. And a schooner must be proportionately priced to a pint.
To foam party or not to foam party?
Foam it up.
--exactly twice as much as the price of a single drink. And a schooner must be proportionately priced to a pint.
"Doctor Who" rocks my socks.
Oh summer class, how I hate you with a passion.
I just had a dream that my male roommate plotted with my boyfriend from high school to get me to move out, by spoiling all of my yogurt. (
EDITORIAL
State alcohol statute misguided
An attempt to resurrect a long-ignored Kansas statute regulating the pricing of alcohol was a misguided waste of time and state resources. And Governor Mark Parkinson's decision to halt enforcing that law was a wise move.
The Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control recently announced it would start enforcing on Aug.1 a rule regulating the pricing of alcoholic beverages at bars and restaurants. The law says bars must price individual drinks based on the exact quantity of alcohol. That means a double must cost
This law, like many liquor laws in Kansas, is misguided and too restrictive. Consumers need no more restrictions regulating how — and more importantly, for how much — we purchase alcohol. The ABC was trying to remove incentives for people to drink in excess. The thinking goes that if a single gin and tonic costs $3 and a double costs $5, the customer might just go for the double because it's a better deal. But this is no different from most other consumer purchases.
Buying in high quantities is almost always a better value. The cost of a single can of soda is more than the per-can cost of sodas in a 12-pack. Even cigarettes can be bought in bulk in cartons at a lower per-pack price. That's why stores such as Sam's Club and Costco have seen so much success. By buying in bulk, you cut down on labor, packaging and supply costs. The same holds true when purchasing a drink at a bar.
Not to mention the work of the bartender. When you order a double you only "double" one aspect of the equation. The bartender spends about the same amount of time on the drink. Only one glass is dirtied. Only one lime is used. Possibly a little more soda, tonic or ice is used, but it's certainly not enough to warrant an increase in price.
Consider all that goes into pouring one mixed drink: ice,liquor,one or several mixers,a garnish like a lemon or lime,and the actual glass.
That's what makes this statute so silly. It goes against the logic of buying in quantity, which consumers and suppliers benefit from in most other parts of the marketplace.
— Kevin Hardy for The Kansan Editorial
AWAY FROM HOME
Kansas as stereotyped as you think
I have spent a large majority of the past eight weeks trying to convince people that Kansas isn't a terrible place to live.
This summer, I've been interning in Los Angeles and, after telling people that I'm from Kansas, have been the recipient of mixed responses, ranging from laughter to downright horror.
I've actually had to clarify a surprising number of times that, no. I did not grow up on a farm and that I do not own a horse (although I did ask for one for my ninth birthday).
Being a Kansas native, I've become accustomed to the stigma that being from the state often has once you venture outside of
BY KATE LARABEE editor@kansan.com
the Midwest. But, quite frankly, the inquiries to the location of my ruby-red slippers and any other stereotypical and unoriginal Wizard of Oz comments are getting downright insulting.
Within my first few days at work, I quickly became "the intern from Kansas," and was soon patronized with questions about my adjustment to life in the "big city." I tried, without much success, to convince people that L.A. wasn't too overwhelming and, in all honesty, not that different than Kansas City aside from the traffic and easy beach access.
Outside of work, I had a conversation with a guy who, after talking to me for a few minutes, had the nerve to say, "Wow, for a girl from Kansas you're a whole lot faster than I thought you would be." Seriously?
Seriously?
In my time here I've met a significant amount of Californians who know who the Jayhawks are. But even those who were both aware of and impressed by the KU basketball team (C'mon, how could they not
be?) were hard-pressed to believe that Kansas is a fun place to go to school, much less grow up.
I've given up on convincing people that Kansas is fun—it's a fruitless waste of my time and I've accepted that most people won't have the same appreciation as I do for my home state. I've embraced the stereotype and have even had some fun with it. I was actually able to convince someone that growing up, I rode a horse to school and sometimes, if my pa let me, drove the tractor.
But while I can take the occasion al Kansas joke with good humor, I do have my limits. The next person who calls me Dorothy is getting a house dropped on their ass.
Check back next week. Michael Holtz's travel column will return in the last issue of the summer Kansan.
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