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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OPINION
FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2006
WWW.KANSAN.COM
▼ OUR OPINION
Increased fees improve chance of a ride home
Student Senate approved on Wednesday three proposals by KU on Wheels. The measures effectively split the $18 transportation fee so $4 of that would go to SafeRide and $14 to the rest of transportation services. In addition, there will be an increase in the SafeRide fee to $6 and the transportation fee to $16, putting the increase at a total of $4 per student. Lastly, there will be a $5 increase for KU bus passes. These monetary hikes go toward services most of us are familiar with and can agree need improvement SafeRide and the KU bus system
Could another year be complete without another request for more money from students?
- Skideck and the KO doesn't support.
But students shouldn't break out the pitchforks and torches to form an angry mob in protest of the proposed hike in student fees for transportation just yet.
As far as SafeRide goes, it is truly a worthwhile program – especially if it is allowed to operate at its full potential, which this fee increase hopes to allow. We are all familiar with the long waits for service, which is further exacerbated by our state of drunkenness at the time. So how can we expect this service to continue to operate at its current pace – or improve for that matter – without further monetary compensation? This $2 hike would help offset fuel costs and help meet student demand by increasing the number of SafeRide dispatchers, thus cutting down wait time.
Issue: A $4 increase in campus transportation fees
Stance: This could make SafeRide a more reliable service.
The KU bus system also could use the additional funding to compensate for its own increase in fuel costs and operating fees. Already the transportation committee has said it needs to pair down a number of routes again, regardless of receiving extra income or not, just to stay afloat.
Nick Sterner, Shawnee junior and student body president, said the increase still does not cover the entire budgetary needs for the KU bus system, but that it wasn't the senate's place to push everything on students.
Spending another $4 to improve transportation is a reasonable request. Students should understand and accept the increase for KU on Wheels, but with continued vigilance over whether the necessary improvements take place.
— Malinda Osborne for the editorial board
I want to begin by praising the Kansan's editorial board for returning the debate in science back to the field of science in its editorial from Tuesday. In most discussions on the theory of evolution, "evolution" gets much more attention than "theory." To read a calm editorial presenting evolution as a theory was quite refreshing.
LETTER TO THE EDITOP
Scientists should evolve attitudes about criticism
The fact of the matter is, if one doesn't want to allow for the existence of God, he or she is perfectly able to do so. I would say that the primary reason evolution has received the label of "godless" or anti-religion is that the most adamant proponents of evolution do not treat it as a scientific theory, but as anti-religious dogma. My own experience in high school biology was a perfect example. My "teacher" was so offended by the thought of anyone referring to evolution as anything but fact that he periodically mocked students who raised questions about evolution or treated it as a scientific theory.
I have encountered many proponents of evolution who react this same way—not to say that every scientist behaves like that. If someone is personally threatened when intelligent scientific critique is applied to evolution, then he or she is no more of a scientist than a priest. Evolution is not meant to be a belief system; it is a scientific theory. It has not been proven like other theories, like gravity, which we now know as law. And it is not one unified theory. There are, in fact, so many different theories of evolution that virtually no group of scientists would agree on the same one.
So let religion continue as it has - it requires neither proof nor disproof. And I will gladly let scientists continue to honestly and objectively experiment and test evolution.
David Lucas Prairie Village senior in journalism and history
PAGE 5A
'Brokeback Mountain' deserves recognition
COMMENTARY
It's up for eight, and here are some reasons why I think "Brokeback Mountain" should walk away with at least three of the main awards it's up for: best picture, best director and Michelle Williams for best supporting actress. I also think it should win for best adapted screenplay. The other awards it is nominated for are Heath Ledger for best actor, Jake Gyllenhaal for best supporting actor, cinematography and original score. Here are some reasons why "Brokeback Mountain" should win:
The buzz around "Brokeback Mountain" has been making its way around the world since before its Dec. 9 release.
1. The gay cowboys, played by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, have already stolen the hearts of Americans and Brits.
Now, only two days before the 78th annual Academy Awards, it's time to see if the controversial film will live up to all the hype and actually win awards.
"Brokeback Mountain" is no stranger to being recognized as a great film. It is already the recipient of many prestigious awards. On this side of the Atlantic Ocean, it won four Golden Globe awards earlier this year, including best motion picture drama. At the Orange British Academy Film Awards in the United Kingdom, "Brokeback Mountain" also took away four.
At both of these award shows, the film was up against other actors, actresses and films that are other
ERIN WILEY opinion@kansan.com nominees this week
2. "Brokeback Mountain" has shaken up the pop culture world.
This film has made more of an impact on the American pop culture front than any other nominees in the best film category. The jokes and parodies are out there. "Brokeback Mountain" hasn't escaped much.
It is even featured on one man's Web site, www. destinationdaniel.com. He recreated scenes from the film, out of Legos. Search for "Lego Brokeback Mountain" on Google.com to check this out. He's received national media attention for his creation, being mentioned in the Seattle Times. His version is creative and shows his love for the film.
Because 'Brokeback Mountain' has been out in the public eye so much, it is the most recognized of the films, which puts it out front to win.
3. Breaking down social barriers.
This film may not be the first movie about gay cowboys, but it is the one that the current generation of moviegoers recognizes.
"Brokeback Mountain" is an amazingly sweet love story. When watching it I completely forgot it was two men. I just enjoyed seeing
two people and the love they shared for one other.
Another barrier the movie is breaking down is the idea that gay men can't be cowboys. A letter in USA Today earlier this week by a man from Texas said he found it laughable to see gay men playing ranch hands. When I read this, I was taken aback.
I worked on a mountain ranch setting this summer, with a wrangler, who just so happened to be gay. He was a damn fine wrangler, and I'm sure he wouldn't have found this man's letter laughable had he read it.
For him, and all the other people who hate that society is laughing at the idea of this film, it should win.
4. Win something of your own
Here at the University of Kansas, Student Union Activities is throwing its own Oscar Party. According to its Web site, it's giving away awards for best and worst dressed. Take advantage of this and try to win best dressed by donning the coolest cowboy duos, or win worst dressed by adorning Anne Hathaway's bleach blonde hair-do. This way even if the Academy ignores "Brokeback Mountain," it still wins awards!
If all these reasons aren't good enough for "Brokeback Mountain" to win at least one Oscar on Sunday, here are three reasons to enjoy this movie anyway. Good-looking men. Tight jeans. Cowboy hats.
■ Wiley is a Silver Lake junior in journalism and geography.
Simple measures save lives like mine
COMMENTARY
Being the ripe and wise old age of 20, I always find myself assuming that I am infallible and indestructible. My lifestyle reflects this philosophy. I pull all-nighters involving surely lethal amounts of green tea and dark chocolate. I walk at night armed with only a cell phone, some orbit gum and a worn copy of Emily Dickenson through areas that my mother would probably have a hernia if she knew I ventured in without an armored guard or in the pope mobile. Believe me; eating my home-cooked culinary concoctions is enough to show how I live on the edge.
Recently I had a run with death, an experience that has left me nightmarish, thankful and with the nagging reminder that I am not the immortal woman of steel I always assumed I was.
While driving home last weekend the car in front of me kindly decided to turn without a turn signal. Not prepared for this stop, I had three not very appealing choices to make. Either run into a ditch at 70 miles an hour, hit a moving car or brake into the slow moving automobile in front of me. All of you accident survivors know the horrific and unreal seconds before a collision. My hood and the driver's side were unrecognizably smashed like crumbled white paper, in a sickening crutch that sounded like breaking bones. I needed help later to exit the car.
My ancient air bags now made evident that they were out of order. My face would have made a messy and lethal impact with the wind-shield if I hadn't been wearing — you guessed it — a seat belt.
I know, I know, you don't read the newspaper to be nagged about obvious common sense issues. You have parental units to do that. Still, according to the U.S. department of transportation, 20 percent of Americans still don't buckle up.
Something as simple as remembering to buckle up reduces the risk of injury by 65 percent. Additionally, two-thirds of those killed in automobile accidents had forgotten to buckle up.
Although this may seem like old and irrelevant information, my split second decision to wear a seat belt saved my life. Remember. On those days when you are in a hurry or only have a short distance to go, strap yourself in. Something as simple as remembering to wear a sit belt is the only reason I am able to write this article. BUCKLE UP!
Lavinia Roberts is a Parsons sophomore in English and theater and film.
Free for All
Call 864-0500
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Free-for-All, I don't know how to feel about this whole college Facebook co-mingling
with high school.
Waffles are really hard to eat with a spoon.
I just eat with my hands.
So I kinda wonder what's wrong with the UDK editors, because I'm reading this article about Diane Bassore and I see name spelled N-M-E.
The kiosk 34 wet t-shirt contest. A-cups welcome.
In the Union today there
Ironic.
I just found my boyfriend's ex-girlfriend on campus, and she is a beast. Upgrade!
was a giant table of donuts two tables down from the eating disorder awareness table.
--liking Christians, and it's getting really old.
Evolutionists, give it up. If this were about science, evolution would not be taught in classrooms. Massive breaks in the fossil record, the oxygen theory, and many other theories disprove evolution. This is about Evolutionists not
Watch out for the pinto beans.
Hey, I got a North Carolina class ring offer too.
I heart John, I heart Paul,
I heart George, I heart Ringo,
I heart Free-For-All.
stats class.
Happy flippin pancake day.
To the guy wearing a navy blue, button down shirt and plaid shorts, you are my freaking hero.
--truly love, and you never have it. And then the one meal that I skip, you freaking have toasted ravioli, Screw you, E's, screw you.
We just talked about the probability of head in my
Has anyone seen my pinto beans around, maybe?
I just got a B on my paper in women in Islam, and I am a woman in Islam.
Thank you, Mrs. E's.
Toasted ravioli is the only thing that you serve that I
-
Yeah, to all the people who
Ian, to all the people who want to know why Julian Wright is called The Raptor, it's because a raptor is tall, lanky, and jumps really high, and is always ready to strike, and that pretty much describes
Julian.
I think the kiosk made the weather nicer. Yay!
Joshua Bickel, managing editor
864-4854 or [bickel@kansan.com]
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