Opinion
United States First Amendment Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
MONDAY.OCTOBER 4.2010
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--public overwhelmingly supports the allowance of gays and lesbians openly serving in the military.
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Lessons learned: I am the queen of mixed signals.
--public overwhelmingly supports the allowance of gays and lesbians openly serving in the military.
I know I should have been out, but why the HECK was the library closed at 8 p.m., last night?
--public overwhelmingly supports the allowance of gays and lesbians openly serving in the military.
Things are so much more appreciated and satisfying if they are earned and not given
Did I really just meet Justin Bieber?
--public overwhelmingly supports the allowance of gays and lesbians openly serving in the military.
Ae you doing this to me because I don't share your love of unicorns?
--public overwhelmingly supports the allowance of gays and lesbians openly serving in the military.
--public overwhelmingly supports the allowance of gays and lesbians openly serving in the military.
Just passed my Alcohol EDU hungover
No work and no play makes me a college girl.
--public overwhelmingly supports the allowance of gays and lesbians openly serving in the military.
I only texted you because I was drunk. Don't get excited.
--public overwhelmingly supports the allowance of gays and lesbians openly serving in the military.
--public overwhelmingly supports the allowance of gays and lesbians openly serving in the military.
I'M GETTING MARRIED!
To the girl who found my boyfriend's phone in Snow today: you are awesome, and if I had had cash on me at the time, I would have given you like $5 for being a nice person.
--public overwhelmingly supports the allowance of gays and lesbians openly serving in the military.
Movies are so weird when you realize they're just acting.
I'd just like to preemptively apologize to my neighbors for tonight.
--public overwhelmingly supports the allowance of gays and lesbians openly serving in the military.
I'm writing on the Free For All on Thursday night to make sure my comment doesn't actually make it into the paper. editor's note: The following entries are all from Thursday night. Because I can.
--public overwhelmingly supports the allowance of gays and lesbians openly serving in the military.
I dislike the 'like' button.
--public overwhelmingly supports the allowance of gays and lesbians openly serving in the military.
Being able to coach football has nothing to do with the ability to play the sport. And I believe the statement was about coaching. Not playing.
--public overwhelmingly supports the allowance of gays and lesbians openly serving in the military.
Guys say that girls are crazy.
Yes, we are ... but mostly
because guys drive us crazy.
--public overwhelmingly supports the allowance of gays and lesbians openly serving in the military.
School and life is making my brain hurt. I should just quit them both.
--public overwhelmingly supports the allowance of gays and lesbians openly serving in the military.
I love coloring.
You're going to class ... not the clubs
--public overwhelmingly supports the allowance of gays and lesbians openly serving in the military.
EDITORIAL BOARD
Do ask, do tell senators to end discrimination
It is obvious that the recent setback within the Senate to repeal "don't ask, don't tell" is only prolonging the inevitable. Overturning the clearly misguided military policy continues to be more of a matter of when than if.
Under the bogus policy currently in place, the military is not allowed to question a servicemember's sexual orientation and gays and lesbians can serve in the military, just as long as they keep it a secret. Thus far 13,000 qualified servicemembers have
According to a Gallup poll in May, 70 percent of Americans favor the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell," which includes 60 percent of
Contact your Senators
Pat Roberts (202) 224-4774
So basically, millions of taxpayer dollars are being wasted training these servicemembers when they are just going to be wrongfully discharged because it was discovered whom they choose to have sex with.
been wrongly discharged for simply not hiding their identity.
Sam Brownback (202) 224-6521
It has been 17 years since "don't ask, don't tell" has gone into effect and recent polls show that the
Republicans, but sadly these number were ill-represented on Sept. 21, when the issue came up for a vote.
public's opinion was obviously not relayed to the 40 Senate Republicans and two Democrats from Arkansas who voted against the policy change.
While 56 Democrats in the Senate voted for the repeal of the policy, the
Ultimately, the Republicans voted to delay what will one day be a profound change in this country's core institution. Friction is the name of the game when controversial policies are challenged, but fear-mongers need to accept that
it is unconstitutional to limit the rights of gays and lesbians who choose to fight for their country in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Right now, there are at least 25 nations that allow gays and lesbians to openly serve in their militaries. U.S. allies, Australia and Israel, as well as the nations of, Canada, Czech Republic, Italy, France and Germany, are just several that make the list
While these nations seems to have a grasp on what is right, the U.S. is the only country that has this in-between policy that says you can be gay and serve, but hide this part of yourself from everyone.
In the end, there is absolutely no acceptable reason to deny enlisted men and women the right to their freedom of speech or personal identity when it involves their sexual orientation.
— Stefanie Penn for The Kansan Editorial Board
CARTOON
IT'S NOT ABOUT PARTY, KIDS. JUST REMEMBER: NEVER RUN ON YOUR OWN RECORD
NICK SAMBULAK
INTERNATIONAL
Development goals give hope for global progress
While the American media was distracted with stories of
inappropriate televangelists, UFO conspiracies, and an all-out war between Katy Perry and Sesame Street, something more important was happening in the international community.
On Sept. 20, world leaders met in New York City to discuss the Millennium Development Goals. While progress has been made to combat poverty and curb the
Unfortunately though, without a major revamping of the United States' aid structure, we will fall far short of our potential to fix these social problems.
Let's Talk Foreign Policy
In almost all accounts, the last ten years have seen great progress thanks to the Millennium Development Goals.
spread of diseases much more needs to be done.
Malaria deaths have decreased by 90 percent. Not to mention the tremendous improvements in elementary enrollment and
As the United Nations reports, the amount of new AIDS cases has declined from 2.3 million in 2001 to 1.9 million in 2008.
the United Nations in 2000. They include seven specific goals to be accomplished by 2015 and require the cooperation of the world's main players. As Bono wrote in an op-ed for The New York Times, "The M.D.G.'s are possibly the most visionary deal that most people have never heard of."
The Millennium Development Goals were proposed at
Rather than simply throwing more money we don't have at the problem, the United States can get smarter with the dollars we do give.
BY MEGAN ADAMS madams@kansan.com
Many of the University's student groups understand the need for the United States to contribute its share to global problems. Take, for instance, Oxfam KU, which advocates on behalf of the
economic development in African country
economic
impoverished.
"At first glace it many not seem like those of us here in Lawrence are affected by whether or not those in poverty are given assistance, but if you take a closer look, the relationship is clear," said Meredith Walrafen, co-president of Oxfam on campus.
America's contribution could, and should, be greater to this noble and worthy cause.
Foreign aid accounts for less than one percent of our federal budget while military spending is 20 percent. But with 19 million
Americans unemployed and the economy in near shambles, increasing the foreign aid budget is a tough sell, to say the least.
Rather than simply throwing more money that we don't have at the problem, the United States can get smarter with the dollars we do give.
As President Obama stated in his address to the United Nations during the summit, "We must be more selective and focus our efforts where we have the best partners and where we can have the greatest impact."
Thus far, the Obama administration has failed at this endeavor.
If you tried to make an organization chart of how foreign aid is given, you'd get more of a headache than if you tried to follow Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston's romance (I wouldn't recommend doing either).
Not only are there too many agencies doing one job, but very few people in Washington seem to care about the most important agency, the U.S. Agency for International Development. USAID went nearly all of 2009 without an administrator and to this day, many of its top positions remain unfilled.
Until we streamline our aid process and make it a priority, the U.S. can't say that we did all we could.
Adams is an Overland Park Junior in international studies and political science.
HUMOR
...
Gain procrastinating skills at upcoming seminar ... maybe
With the semester in full swing, big papers and tests
are starting to fill everybody's schedules. As a result, students are finding it harder and harder to successfully procrastinate. If you find that your homework keeps getting done on time, you may need help from a procrastination expert such as yours truly.
I'm a highly experienced, award-winning procrastinator, well-versed in every method and form of procrastination possible. In fact, a few years ago I won a scholarship from the Procrastinator's Association of America (though I have yet to receive a check). I continue to procrastinate to this very day, most recently on this column, which is currently being written two days after its deadline.
I seek to spread my gift to as many people as possible. That's why I'm starting a series of prohibitively expensive, inconveniently scheduled seminars that will be coming to a hotel airport not-particularly near you.
Puttin' It Off with Alex Nichols will teach you the basics of not doing whatever it is you're supposed to do. The seminar kicks off with a hastily prepared, incomplete presentation. In it, I reveal the Three Ds of Procrastination:
*Delay doing it
*Don't ever do it
*Deny that it needs to be done
This is the cornerstone of my program, which will help YOU become a less efficient procrastinator (should I ever actually end up building around that cornerstone).
The presentation continues with a bunch of shoddy, meaningless pie charts and bar graphs disguised as important information. And thanks to my uncanny procrastination skills, you'll hardly be able to tell I threw it together at three o'clock that morning!
After my presentation, the seminar breaks out into small group sessions, including:
*The Refresh Button and You:
Under Observation
BY ALEX NICHOLS
anichols@kansan.com
Learn how refreshing a blog or message board over and over again can help you kill hours of would-be productivity.
*Make It Nap-pen: You don't need to be tired to take a nap. This workshop teaches you how to snooze your way to better procrastination.
*The Magic of Baby Steps:
Discover how you can justify opening Word, typing your name and pressing enter as three separate benchmarks in your work, with each earning you a three-hour break.
Lunch will be catered by whatever sandwich joint is closest to the hotel. Unless, of course, I never get around to calling the sandwich joint, which is extremely possible, since I'm the master of procrastination.
After lunch, we'll have to improvise, since I have nothing else planned. Um, maybe some role playing exercises? Yeah, that's good. Role playing exercises. We'll do some of those. We'll come up with some scenarios, such as a friend peerpressuring you into doing your work, and you'll figure out how to say "NO!" and go play video games instead. At the end of the day I'll hand out complimentary gift bags comprised entirely of stuff I found under my bed and in my closet.
Go to alex nicholsprocrastination.biz TODAY and sign up for the seminar that will change your life ... eventually. Actually, don't go there today, I haven't bought that domain name yet. Go there in like a week or two. Or maybe a month. I have a lot of other stuff to do first. Like finish this colu
Nichols is a senior from Stilwell in creative writing.
Chatterbox Responses to the news of the w
"Men and women should ask their doctors about the HPV vaccine. Throat and cervical cancers can be prevented, to a large degree. Get vaccinated. That is not the only dangerous sexually transmitted disease. Herpes has been known to kill children who are just born. HIV affects millions world wide. It is a shame the HSV vaccine failed human trials. Maybe next time...
Bledowski, Thank you! I am sorry if I came off as critical. It was meant as constructive criticism. I didn't mean to dictate to you, but I felt that discussing the positive aspects of nonmonogamy necessitates discussing the risks. Non-monogamy never fully eclipses the need to discuss safe
Non-monogamy never fully eclipses the need to discuss safe sex. So thank you, again."
— "metacognition" in response to "Safety cannot be neglected during sex" on Oct. 2.
"Only women can purchase birth control, except for condoms. There is no male pill yet, so the only thing guys can do is hassle their gf to use it properly. I get the shot every few months. There's nothing to worry about!!"
— "zomgrzomg" in response to "Safety cannot be neglected during sex" on Oct. 1.
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THE EDITORIAL BOARD
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