HEALTH
GOOD FOR YOU BAD FOR YOU
> Sometimes it's hard to tell
// EATING SNOW
It has been a week since a blizzard blanketed Lawrence with eight inches of snow. Many of us have developed a love-hate relationship with the stuff. The shoveling, scraping and slipping are all part of the deal when Mother Nature decides to give us the cold shoulder, but with just one gallon of snow, a little sugar, vanilla and milk, you have enough ice cream for eight. But is it safe to eat?
For Lauren Richter, a Shawnee sophomore, the idea of eating snow is nothing new. "In high school, my friends and I would take snow and Dr. Pepper and make tasty snow cones."
Staci Simonich, associate professor of chemistry at Oregon State University, has studied snow extensively and has the answer. As snow crystals fall, pollutants - such as pesticides found in the atmosphere - can attach themselves to the water particles, but not enough to cause harm, Simonich says.
Photograph by Travis Young
Simonich was part of a National Park Service study that examined the toxicity level of snow found in national parks across the country. The study, published last year, found
Photograph by Travis Young EPA-approved. Eating freshly fallen snow is a part of the winter experience and it's safe, too.
the concentration of pesticides in snow to be 100 to 1,000 times lower than the drinking water standards set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency [EPA].
"The snow we measured in the U.S. is safe," Simonich says." I have two children and I wouldn't take the joy of eating fresh snow away from them."
VERDICT: Good for you!
// JACK RAFFERTY
BETTER OPTIONS FOR BAD SITUATIONS
// CAFFEINE
Whether studying into the wee hours of the morning or celebrating a best friend's birthday, most students have one thing in common: they're night owls, which can leave them in a sleep-deprived daze the following day.
Luckily, we've been graced with a wonderful substance: caffeine. But which is better: coffee or energy drinks? Tea or soda?
Anna Hurst, a sophomore from Wichita, says she likes to sip on coffee daily, preferably a caramel macchiato, because she feels like she needs it to function.
> If you're going to do it, be smart.
Contributed photo
The best part of making up: Coffee and tea offer health benefits, such as antioxidants, as well as an energy boost. Energy drinks only offer sugar.
Ann Chapman, a dietitian at the Wellness Resource Center at Watkins Memorial Health Center, says Hurst is on the right track.
When students need a caffeine boost, coffee or tea is the best bet. Research shows that the antioxidants in these two beverages can help protect our hearts, Chapman says, so in addition to a pick-me-up, students are also getting some health benefits. Those benefits increase if a student orders a latte or cappuccino, which contain vitamin D and calcium.
Chapman warns students to stay away from energy drinks and soda, because often these beverages offer no health benefits and large amounts of sugar.
Senior guard Marisha Brown and freshman guard Diana Moore celebrate after teammate Carolyn Davis hits the winning shot Wednesday night at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks took on fellow Big 12 team Iowa State. The game went into overtime and Kansas won 86-85.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL REWIND PAGE 7A
Kansas softball team gears up for tournament
BY HANNAH WISE
hwise@kansan.com
Inches of snow and freezing temperatures don't generally comes to mind when thinking about softball season. But for the Kansas softball team, these elements became a harsh reality.
The weather has forced the team to practice indoors on the Ray Evans Football Field at the Anschutz Sports Pavilion. The facility allows the team to get batting practice in and hold full practices for the infield and outfield. However, practicing on the turf creates a number of obstacles for the players.
"We can't dive on it or else we will get torn up," said sophomore outfielder Maggie Hull. The ball reacts differently on the turf than it does on the grass or the dirt. When teams are playing outside, a ground ball might hop slightly to the left or the right depending on the condition of the field.
Even though the conditions are different, Coach Megan Smith is not going to let the indoor practices be an excuse for lack of effort.
"We are ready to get out. At some point in time as a team you are done with practice and we are at that point. We are going to go out and work as hard as we can and there are some other schools that are in the same boat as we are," Smith said.
The team's chance to escape the Kansas cold is finally here.
Kansas is heading to Jacksonville, Fla., to compete this weekend against the University of North Carolina, the University of Buffalo, Bethune-Cookman University and Jacksonville University.
"This first weekend is going to be a great chance for us to see everybody in action," Smith said.
Smith said this year's team is very different than last year's team, even though it graduated only two infielders. The eight-member freshman class has stepped up to the challenge.
"We have a talented group of freshman. They are going to have their normal freshmans ups and downs, but the talent is there and they are going to do a really great job
SEE
SOFTBALL
ON
PAGE 8A
spark an impressive six-game winning streak heading into the Cotton Bowl, which the Aggies dropped to LSU. Tannhill starting from day one will help this year, along with eight other returning offensive starters.
ork. Pete Reynolds is no better.
5. Texas: There is just too much talent in Austin to miss out on another bowl game. Coach Mack Brown landed the nation's fifth-best recruiting class according to ESPN, and the defense returns eight starters. Losing defensive coordinator Will Muschamp to Florida keeps me from putting the Longhorns any higher than fifth.
8. Kansas State: Kansas State nearly won a bowl game last year, but loses its only offensive spark, running back Daniel Thomas, who ran for 1,585 yards and 19 touchdowns. Who will replace him? Will the quarterback play improve even a little? Coach Bill Snyder hasn't recruited anyone of note to replace Thomas' production.
7. Texas Tech: I liked the hire of coach Tommy Tubbervillage last year and I think he can continue to improve the Red Raiders. Without a quarterback, though, it's hard to see how good Tech can be in 2011.
9. Iowa State: I give the Cyclones the edge over Kansas here because of the schedule. Both teams have more holes than a block of swiss, but Iowa State gets to host the Jayhawks on Nov. 5, and that might be the tiebreaker in the conference standings.
6. Baylor: Robert Griffin III is the best quarterback no one outside of Big 12 country he heard of. Griffin accounted for 30 touchdowns in 2010, with 22 through the air and eight on the ground. The defense is still a question mark, however.
10. Kansas: Good things are happening for Turner Gill and the football program, it just might take another year to see those improvements. Gill and his staff landed a stellar recruiting class for a disastrous first season. As many as 16 of those freshman will play in 2011 according to Gill, which makes me wonder how much talent he didn't have in 2010. Expect growing pains from the large batch of first year players next season, but be excited for 2012.
- Edited by Corey Thibodeaux