Opinion THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2010
WWW.KANSAN.COM
PAGE 5A
FREE FOR ALL
To contribute to Free tor All, visit Kansan.com, call (785) 864-0500 or try our Facebook App.
They should rename the fall and spring semesters "Winter One" and "Winter Two."
--chairwoman for the Lawrence chapter of the Kansas Equality Coalition, said she was disappointed in the turnout last November, and the few people at the last meeting who did attend were against the amendment.
The Oread looks like some creepy old factory where people get lost and find themselves dead.
I learned something today:
Trash + Pig Latin = ash-trav
--chairwoman for the Lawrence chapter of the Kansas Equality Coalition, said she was disappointed in the turnout last November, and the few people at the last meeting who did attend were against the amendment.
Dude, I don't want to smell your pizza. I want to eat your pizza.
--chairwoman for the Lawrence chapter of the Kansas Equality Coalition, said she was disappointed in the turnout last November, and the few people at the last meeting who did attend were against the amendment.
--chairwoman for the Lawrence chapter of the Kansas Equality Coalition, said she was disappointed in the turnout last November, and the few people at the last meeting who did attend were against the amendment.
My school schedule is starting to affect my drinking schedule. This is unacceptable
My roommate and I just programmed our new "Jumbo Remote" to our TV and cable. I've never felt so accomplished!
The only way to get my cough to go away would be to stop smoking so much. Looks like my cough is staying.
--chairwoman for the Lawrence chapter of the Kansas Equality Coalition, said she was disappointed in the turnout last November, and the few people at the last meeting who did attend were against the amendment.
Dear KU Officials, the presidents and our forefathers would have wanted us to have an extra day of drinking. It is the American way.
--chairwoman for the Lawrence chapter of the Kansas Equality Coalition, said she was disappointed in the turnout last November, and the few people at the last meeting who did attend were against the amendment.
The only thing exciting about your 20th birthday is making it through the teenage years without getting knocked up.
I am sorry your freak of a boyfriend liked me first.
Believe me, pumpkin, your boyfriend is safe with you. No girl is going after him.
--chairwoman for the Lawrence chapter of the Kansas Equality Coalition, said she was disappointed in the turnout last November, and the few people at the last meeting who did attend were against the amendment.
Why isn't there an Olympian Major?
"Marijana bill in the House" sounds more like an excited holler than a serious news
One of these days I will learn that, tradition aside, writing papers into the wee hours of the morning is likely not the best plan.
--chairwoman for the Lawrence chapter of the Kansas Equality Coalition, said she was disappointed in the turnout last November, and the few people at the last meeting who did attend were against the amendment.
I'm eating Chinese food in bed. Just living the dream, one crab roongon at a time.
--chairwoman for the Lawrence chapter of the Kansas Equality Coalition, said she was disappointed in the turnout last November, and the few people at the last meeting who did attend were against the amendment.
I heard a guy on campus say, "Do you remember what happened last time we went to the pet store? I bought a scorpion!"
Haha, the rules of Facebook relationship statuses can be
I saw a guy on campus texting and riding his bike at the same time today. It brings a whole new meaning to "Look Ma, no hands!"
EDITORIAL
Students should show support for anti-discrimination amendment
The Lawrence Human Relations Commission is reconsidering the issue of amending the city's Human Rights Ordinance to prohibit discrimination against transsexual and transgender persons.
This addition to the anti-discrimination laws would serve to protect the citizens of Lawrence. The amendment would include the prohibition of workplace and housing discrimination based on a person's gender identity.
Students should show their support for this amendment by joining with classmates and community members during the Human Relations Committee meeting at 11 a.m. Thursday at City Hall.
The Human Relations Commission members voted against this amendment in November. At the time, there was a small turnout of support in favor for this amendment.
"There are a lot of people who like to believe that Lawrence is some kind of 'liberal oasis' and that this ordinance is not needed because people aren't discriminated against here." Matthew Blankers, a senior from Claremont, Calif., said. "But I know of transgender people who have suffered some pretty terrible treatment at their jobs here in Lawrence because of their gender identity."
The Kansan reported in December that Maggie Childs.
Tomorrow, there is a chance to rectify this.
Tomorrow's meeting should have been scheduled at a time that was more considerate of school schedules because it is an issue that is important to the student body. Despite the inconvenient time, it is imperative that as many students and community members as possible attend the meeting to show support for a non-discrimination ordinance inclusive of gender identity and gender expression
The city of Lawrence is slow to follow the University and state policy when considering protection for people who are transgendered.
The University added gender identity and gender expression to the anti-discrimination policy in October. It was also already part
of Kansas law, thanks to Executive Order 07-24 issued by former Gov Kathleen Sebelius in August 2007. This law prohibits discrimination and harassment for state employees on account of gender identity, among numerous other things.
If Lawrence votes in favor of the proposed amendment, it will be a vote that is not only moving forward with the surrounding community, but a vote in favor of citizen protection and human rights.
Adding protection for transsexual and transgender persons in Lawrence is adding protection for current and potential students, staff and visitors to the University.
This city and the people living in it need to live up to the progressive, accepting atmosphere it boasts of. Powerful words mean nothing if the people saying them don't show up to prove they mean them.
—Caitlin Thornbruch for The Kansan Editorial Board
WHO: All students and community members WHAT: Attend the Human Relations Committee Meeting WHEN: 11 a.m. Thursday WHERE: City Hall,6E,6th Street. WHY: To speak up for the protection of transgendered people in Lawrence
EDITORIAL CARTOON
AROOJ KHALID
HUMOR
Complaints about film industry: The sequel
I don't know about anyone else but when I go to a movie, I most enjoy variations of my pre-approved favorites. Sequels, remakes and even the occasional prequel just make my eyes water with excitement.
"Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" was the most honest depiction of an apocalypse I have ever seen. Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit - McPhee were perfect as Alvin and Simon.
Oh, wait. Replace "Alvin & The Chipmunks" with "The Road" and replace "I love sequels, remakes and prequels" with "there's nothing I hate more than sequels, remakes and prequels."
I don't know about the rest of the world, but I love it when some inconsiderate, hack of a director gets his hands on my favorite movie's rights. Wait, I mean the opposite of that again. Man, I've been doing that all day!
But many of these original film ideas are discarded in favor of another installment of "Saw" or reincarnation of "Alice in Wonderland."
Every day, film students have brilliant ideas for films. For living proof, just go to Oldfather Studios and talk to the guys with shaggy hair and messenger baes.
Now, imagine taking that symbol and trying to rebuild it. But this time the building is supervised by Michael Bay with Tara Reid as the model and Lady Liberty's robes are designed by Versace. This replica of Lady Liberty may be fun to look at and a hilarious mockery of the meaning and story behind the original, but what's so great about it? It lacks the history, substance or simple beauty of the original
Remakes have become particularly popular during the last few years. Why? Because the movie-going population is stupid. If this doesn't make any sense, then consider a metaphor to the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty is the ultimate symbol of freedom and is as American as a 305 foot-tall apple pie.
BY CHANCE CARMICHAEL
Sequels also lack these crucial elements. More and more, they do
not even attempt to be original. The "Pirates of the Caribbean" series began as a stand-alone movie, but with financial success was made into a trilogy. The second and third films in the series were more like one giant film with about 10,000 rum jokes. Sequels fail because they don't have to try to be new, interesting or stand-alone. People will go see them as long as there are a few "I'll be back's" and "Hasta la vista, baby."
Jayhawks, I have a dream about bringing an end to poorly made, repeatedly revived movie sequels. But, I need help. First, stop wasting time and money on sequels and remakes. Boycott remakes, or else people such as Tim Burton will keep making them with his wife and friends. Boycott sequels, or else people like Michael Bay will never stop at just one, his movies are like Pringles. Once he critically flops he won't stop.
Instead, spend that money and time on an original film or I'll be stuck writing "Alvin & The Chipmunks: Chipmunks in Space" some day, and I really, really don't want to do that.
Carmichael is a sophomore from Mulvane in journalism and media studies.
POLITICS
Of e-mails and tropical snowmen
In times full of political turmoil, social discomfort and 10 movies being nominated for the Best Picture Oscar, there is one thing people in this country can agree on: it's really cold.
The media has deemed snowstorms on the east coast "Snowmageddon", inspired by the epic clash between the forces of good (earmuffs, hot chocolate and space heaters) and evil (flurries, ice and slipping on the sidewalk).
This massive cold snap has an even greater meaning: Global warming isn't real. That's right, because it's really cold during the winter all of global warming is completely disproven. Not just the contested parts about it being man-made. The whole thing is totally junked now.
Liberal Loudmouth
Think about it; how can there be global warming when I've had to wear a heavy jacket and knit cap every time I've gone outside lately? I've had to do this most years around this time, and it hasn't gotten warmer. I've been hearing about this global warming thing ever since it was invented by AI Gore several years ago to win a Nobel Prize and wage class warfare. If it was real, doesn't it stand to reason that wed all be wearing shorts, sandals and button-down Hawaiian shirts in winter by now?
While we're at it, didn't some university in England that I'd never heard of before last year fabricate all of the evidence purported by the scientific community (by which I mean Al Gore)? A random hacker obtained and publicly released several e-mails between researchers from the University of East Anglia in which they criticized people who don't believe in global warming, and occasionally talked about clever methods of integrating newer climate change data with old measurements to form
BY BEN COHEN
The fact is that "global warming" does not mean that the entire globe is in a never-ending temperature jump. The term "climate change" has become more popular, as it is more palatable to laymen, while still being accurate.
a more cohesive presentation of warming trends. But, they called it a "trick," so...
The e-mails from the University of East Anglia are disappointing, as they damage that institution's credibility, but an article by FactCheck.org does a good job of clarifying the content of the e-mails that supposedly constitute "Climategate," while also pointing out that the IPCC took its findings from many otherwise unrelated institutions.
OK, I can't keep that up any more. It's fun, but too easy. I've heard that sort of discourse coming from far too many climate change sketches recently, from friends to fellow writers to Fox News correspondents. It, to say the least, annoyes me.
And Al Gore, loveable as he may be, is not the progenitor of global warming rhetoric, just a public face.
Yes, it is cold, as climate change can't change our distance from the sun (and the ozone layer hasn't been completely destroyed yet). We are still affecting the climate, and it's not looking great in the long run.
Cohen is a senior from Topeka in political science.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Having read the recent article on the Haskell Wetlands, I'd like to put this situation in perspective.
The state of Kansas doesn't have the money to pursue this project. Every year that this project is delayed the cost of this project skyrockets. Previously, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation funded a comparison study of the "South of the River" route that showed how the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and KDOT artificially inflated the southern route cost to maintain preference of the 32nd Street route.
There was talk of introducing a highway tax fee to raise funds for future projects in Kansas in the state legislature. One has to remember how anti-tax this state is even on worthy projects like school funding. How can you build a traffic way and close elementary schools in Lawrence?
Furthermore, I wonder how Roger Boyd, director of Natural Areas at Baker College, can be so disingenuous toward the
history of Native religions in the wetlands. Boyd, a lifelong Boy Scout leader, has been pictured in the Baldwin City newspaper with his mostly Non-Native Boy Scouts dressed in full Indian regalia in canoes at a lake south of Baldwin City promoting the whole Tribe of Mic-O-Say. This all at the expense of the real Native peoples who've used the wetlands for real tribal religious purposes over the years. Enough with the Pretendian act.
In conclusion, Mr. Boyd has taken grief for his comments because his former employer sought to profit from Native lands in Kansas as many Protestant denominations and their colleges did so in the 19th century. Instead of taking the John Muir route of altruistic conservation, he took the Gifford Pinchot route of exploiting and preserving the wilderness supported by Teddy Roosevelt a century ago. The financial circumstances of today say this road will never be finished.
Mike Ford, Baldwin City
HOW TO SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
LETTER GUIDELINES
Send letters to opinion.kansan.com
Write 'LETTER TO THE EDITOR' in the e-mail subject line.
Length: 300 words
The submission should include the author's name, grade and hometown.
Find our full letter to the editor policy online at kansan.com/letters.
CONTACT US
Stephen Montemayor, editor
864-4810 or smontemaviorikkanan.com
Brianne Pfannenstiel, managing editor
864-4810 or bpfannenstiel@kansan.com
Jennifer Torline, managing editor 864-4810 or jitorline@kansan.com
Lauren Cunningham, kansan.com managing editor 864-4810 or lcunningham@kansan.com
Vicky Lu, KUJH-TV managing editor 864-4810 or vlu@kansan.com
Emily McCoy, opinion editor 864-4924 or emccoy@kamsan.com
Kate Larrabee, editorial editor 864-4924 or klarrabee@kansan.com
Cassie Gerken, business manager 864-4358 or cgerken@kansan.com
Carolyn Battle, sales manager
864-4477 or cbattle@kansan.com
Malcolm Gibson, general manager and news
advisor
864-7667 or malcolm@kansan.com
Jon Schitt, sales and marketing adviser
864-7666 or schittl@kansan.com
THE EDITORIAL BOARD
THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Members of the Kansan Editorial Board are Stephen Montenayer, Brian Plennantiel, Vicky Lu, Etienne McCoy, Kate Larabee, James Castel Andrew Hammond, Michael Holford, Stafane Penn and Cattin Thornburgh