--- Opinion THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2010 WWW.KANSAN.COM PAGE 5A FREE FOR ALL --iPad: For the three days every month where your computer is a complete beech. To contribute to Free for All, visit Kansan.com or call (785) 864-0500. Anyone want to seduce a certain girl so that I can have her boyfriend? --iPad: For the three days every month where your computer is a complete beech. --iPad: For the three days every month where your computer is a complete beech. Free for All, you are the father! --iPad: For the three days every month where your computer is a complete beech. Someone stole my silly putty. Whoever you are, you have no clue what kind of war you just brought upon yourself I feel like all the sorority girls just go to the gym to wear their high socks. --iPad: For the three days every month where your computer is a complete beech. Amazon sells everything Including sex toys. --iPad: For the three days every month where your computer is a complete beech. --iPad: For the three days every month where your computer is a complete beech. --to sing than teach 10,000 stars how not to dance." Group projects are as necessary as how clearly I am talking. Besides, it is important that we all learn how to collaborate and think as one; different opinions are as worthless as claiming "Twilight" is a terrible movie. I wore knee socks, underneath my jeans. Nobody else knew I had them on. --to sing than teach 10,000 stars how not to dance." Group projects are as necessary as how clearly I am talking. Besides, it is important that we all learn how to collaborate and think as one; different opinions are as worthless as claiming "Twilight" is a terrible movie. ESPN announcer:"He can penetrate inside,but he doesn't finish."That's what she --to sing than teach 10,000 stars how not to dance." Group projects are as necessary as how clearly I am talking. Besides, it is important that we all learn how to collaborate and think as one; different opinions are as worthless as claiming "Twilight" is a terrible movie. You know the sex is going to be bad when he says, "I want to have sex, but I don't want to do any work." --to sing than teach 10,000 stars how not to dance." Group projects are as necessary as how clearly I am talking. Besides, it is important that we all learn how to collaborate and think as one; different opinions are as worthless as claiming "Twilight" is a terrible movie. Does your whole "I love God" facade ever start to get old? I've been around you for less than an hour and I'm annovled. --to sing than teach 10,000 stars how not to dance." Group projects are as necessary as how clearly I am talking. Besides, it is important that we all learn how to collaborate and think as one; different opinions are as worthless as claiming "Twilight" is a terrible movie. My roommate just watched the same episode of "The Nanny" that she watched last night. News flash: It was awful the first time. Don't torture me this way. --to sing than teach 10,000 stars how not to dance." Group projects are as necessary as how clearly I am talking. Besides, it is important that we all learn how to collaborate and think as one; different opinions are as worthless as claiming "Twilight" is a terrible movie. Dear guys: Girls want you to hit on them. Please oblige. To the cute guy I've now had four classes with: Can I at least get your name? --to sing than teach 10,000 stars how not to dance." Group projects are as necessary as how clearly I am talking. Besides, it is important that we all learn how to collaborate and think as one; different opinions are as worthless as claiming "Twilight" is a terrible movie. What does it say about me that my big goal for this week is to go to and stay awake through every class? --to sing than teach 10,000 stars how not to dance." Group projects are as necessary as how clearly I am talking. Besides, it is important that we all learn how to collaborate and think as one; different opinions are as worthless as claiming "Twilight" is a terrible movie. I want a girl who is stable and at least somewhat mature. I can't deal with drama anymore --to sing than teach 10,000 stars how not to dance." Group projects are as necessary as how clearly I am talking. Besides, it is important that we all learn how to collaborate and think as one; different opinions are as worthless as claiming "Twilight" is a terrible movie. I used to be a morning person, but then I went to college. --to sing than teach 10,000 stars how not to dance." Group projects are as necessary as how clearly I am talking. Besides, it is important that we all learn how to collaborate and think as one; different opinions are as worthless as claiming "Twilight" is a terrible movie. HUMOR Finding value in group projects Me: Sometimes it seems like most educators demand group projects to stress us out, watch us squirm and force us to associate with people we would never otherwise acknowledge. We have been assigned group projects throughout our lives. And for good reasons: They are just as important as cursive, knowing the lyrics to "Yankee Doodle" and not wearing spaghetti-strap shirts. Yet, sometimes, it is easy to forget how important group projects are. So, I am here with the first column ever written as a group project to remind everyone how valuable these learning experiences truly are. In the true nature of a group project, each paragraph is written by a different group member. Kelly: The reason why I—oh, I mean we—have decided to write this column is to combat the serious hatred toward group projects that seems to plague our campus. These are wrong feelings to have toward something that is so vital for preparation in the real world. (Disclaimer: Some of us in the group think that these feelings are OK to have.) In the words of E. E. Cummings, "I'd rather learn from one bird how The Jolly Jayhawk BY CHANCE CARMICHAEL ccarmichael@yahoo.com John: That's right. I mean, group projects are positive. They're very positive, in fact. All they do is reek positivity. According to the books our group read, group projects are really positive. Everyone has something uniquely positive to contribute. And, even though some group members may have been "too busy" with their "sick" grandmother and all of her "sick and dying" cats to do research, it doesn't mean they don't deserve a positive grade from the very positive other group members. us how to work together; ergo they are essential to a scholar's journey from an inexperienced underclassman to a graduated wise man. So, even though all of the library books are in my name and I used nearly all eight dollars of my free printing money for this project, I could not have done it without the support of the group. I could not have typed the outlines and handouts all by myself after all. Even though I did all of the in-class speaking. I know deep in my heart that my group agreed with me on all that I said; that's all that matters. This next paragraph will sum up to you exactly why group projects are so important. Sally: It is necessary to learn how to function in a large quantity of individuals. Group projects teach Kevin: (Hey, guys, just leave my paragraph blank for now, OK? There was a "The Nanny" marathon on and I had a headache. Don't worry, I'll talk to the professor.) Me: So, there you have it, folks. The first column made as a group project. I, Chance Carmichael, think it went as well as all other group projects go. Enough said. Carmichael is a sophomore from Mulvane in journalism and media studies. EDITORIAL CARTOON KHALID AROOJ PSYCHOLOGY Hoarding commmon, but should be avoided An epidemic has swept the nation. It has been growing for some time. It has to do with American consumerism, but a capitalist-consumer economy is too easy a diagnosis of the problem. The problem is a combination of commodity culture and human nostalgia. However, because the magazines are out of date, the cards cannot be reused, the notes are no longer relevant to current classes, and the wicks on those candles were lost to a wax-pool long ago, we buy up to date products, clothes and new notebooks for our new classes. The storage space dwindles and thus begins the cycle of hoarding. It is hoarding. Hoarding of magazines, birthday cards, old notes, Virgin Mary cards, all the T-shirts you wore when you were still in high school and all the free jive from student fairs. Despite our lack of active use of these things, we keep them because they mean something to us, or we fool ourselves into thinking we'll maybe use them someday. hoarding are not limited to crowding a room, but increases the likelihood of infestations, fire and is likely to inhibit your ability to host guests or have others in your home thus often spiraling into loneliness and depression. Most of us hoard on some level, with the minimum being a bunch of old clothes one does not wear any more and the maximum being turning your home into a veritable landfill. Psychologists consider compulsive hoarding a mental disorder. It is even real enough to have its own reality show with A&E's "Hoarders," which documents people dealing with the shame of their over-cluttered homes and the fear and compulsion to hold on to all of it. The consequences of This is not to say you should not be sentimental. There are certainly things that one likes to hold on to, such as an old baby blanket, but an old baby blanket will survive 15 to 20 years with good care. That poster you made for a class project, while totally cool and impressive, will deteriorate. Pieces of your past that can be archived are one thing, but needless junk is another. Extreme hoarding, such as filling your house with Snapple labels and egg cartons, is obvious in its manifestations, but what about hoarding on a small scale? Many students (myself included) keep old notes semester after semester thinking, "I'll use this for reference!" are more often than not deluding themselves. You do not need your notes from that comic-book-as-novel class. Understandably, you feel sentimental because you enjoyed the class, and you put a lot of effort into it. Yes there is lots of valuable information between those notebook pages, but believe me, you will not look at it again. You will not use those 75 glass Tazo tea bottles for some vague half-formed idea for an art project. It will all most likely sit in your closet, basement or attic until the next time you move. So why do we do it? If you have a box of three broken flashlights or a bowl of several totally awesome but slightly defective sunglasses throw them out It is too bad such things have to make their way to a landfill somewhere, but it's no use making your life a dumping ground. Go through your stuff. I guarantee you will find loads of needless articles of clothing, papers, letters, knickknacks, and broken this or that. Get rid of them either by taking it to a thrift store, throwing them in the trash, or recycling them properly. Then learn from your patterns of purchase and abandonment. Sustainability is the catchword nowadays. Part of that process is learning how to minimize waste. Commodity culture does not mesh well with healthier living, in both a personal and global way. Going through your junk will help you realize what is useful and what is not. Learning the difference between what you need and what you want is the first step, then comes learning how to buy smart, reliable, durable products that are practical. Other good and easy ways to cut down and keep cut down are to just say no to 12 free stress balls, recycling the unused half of your notebook instead of buying new ones, and getting your "new" clothes from free boxes or organizing clothing swaps. It is hard to tell the hoarder inside you "let go, shhhh, just let go," but totally necessary. You will thank me next time you move. —Abby Williamson, The Oklahoma Daily College News Network RELIGION Bring a theologian back to residence For the past eight years, the FKU Department of Religious Studies has worked with 14 other groups from around Kansas City to bring a religious scholar to Lawrence every year. This year the program was put on hold, a move that deprives students of the chance to expand their religious knowledge. In the past, the "Theologian In Residence" program, now called the "Religious Scholar" program, has brought notable scholars such as Marcus J. Borg, John Dominic Crossan and Bart Ehrman to Lawrence for a series of lectures and small community conversations. Gomess's value as a public figure was not debated; he is commonly regarded as one of the most distinguished preachers in America. He was named "Clergy of the Year" in 1998 by Religion in American Life and offered prayers at the inaugurations of Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. He was, overall, an important figure for the program to bring to Lawrence. Along with co-founders Washburn and Baker University, the Department of Religious Studies recently expressed concerns that the program was becoming too sectarian. Concerns were exacerbated when the last scholar to come, Peter Gomes, brought a considerable amount of conflict with him. I saw Gomes last spring. When listening to him, it quickly became apparent that he's a brilliant mind with very interesting life experiences. He did, however, come off more as a preacher than a scholar. This undermines the intentions of the program to highlight religion, rather than sermonize. Though the program is a great opportunity for the Lawrence community, there is a very obvious pull toward more Judeo-Christian speakers. Out of the nine scholars the program has brought to Lawrence, one person focused on Beyond God BY SHAUNA BLACKMON sblackmon@kansan.com Hinduism, one on Islam, one on Judaism and six on Christianity. This is an obvious imbalance. The University's concerns in choosing to end the program are valid; if the program starts to be seen as nothing more than an outlet for one religious sect to push their beliefs, the program will more than likely lose much of its audience. Either by cutting out some of the 11 churches that currently have a say in the program, or restructuring the program so everyone involved is aware of the goals of the group, action should be taken to revive this program. Thad Holcombe, the campus minister at the Ecumenical Christian Ministries, is an active participant in the program. The 11 churches, three Universities and the ECM plan on meeting soon to discuss the future of the program. Even though the group is making the first steps to finding a solution, there is still a lot of uncertainty about whether or not the program will continue and if it does, what form it will have. He recognizes the importance of a multitude of perspectives and ideas. He appears passionate about the program, and with any luck, will help to bring it back stronger and more diverse next year. The Lawrence campus and communities need to remind these groups that this is an important program to further religious scholarship in our community. Blackmon is a junior from Olathe in journalism. Guest Blog Learning the limits of courtesy I'm a helper. I help out. I'm not against other people helping out, either. Sometimes it just gets a little out of hand. I heard her explain to three different women that she was waiting for the bus. I have seen someone offer to help the same blind woman cross the same street in front of the same building on three different occasions. I first saw this woman the Thursday classes began. So, I felt confident in thinking that she was not, in fact, standing helplessly in the vicinity of the crosswalk waiting for someone to come and offer to assist her in 1 crossing the street. I know the three women who asked if they would help had good intentions. But, just think if every time you were waiting for the bus someone came up and offered to help you cross the street. Confusion would quickly change to annoyance. One of my friends phrased it best: "Kind of makes you wonder who the blind one is, doesn't it?" From "Beer for Breakfast", a blog by Anthony Whaley, a senior from Manhattan in linguistics. 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 smontemayor@kansan.com Brianne Pfannenstiel, managing editor 864-4810 or bpfennsteniel@kansan.com Jennifer Torline, managing editor 864-4810 or jtorline@kansan.com Lauren Cunningham.kansan.com managing editor 864-4810 or lcunningham@kansan.com Vicky Lu, KUH-TV managing editor vlu@kansan.com Cassie Gerken, business manager 864-4358 or cgerker@kansan.com Emily McCoy, editor editor 846-1924 or mccroykansan.com Kate Laraebe, editorial editor 846-0324 or karaebe@kansan.com Carolyn Battle, sales manager 864-4477 or cbattle@kansan.com Malcolm Gibson, general manager and news adviser adviser 864-7667 or mgibson@kansan.com Jon Schilt, sales and marketing advise 864-7666 or jschiltkansan.com THE EDITORIAL BOARD Members of the Kasian Editorial Board are Stephen montemayer, Blaime mannetelset, Emilie McCoy and Karen Vickery, Lucy McYi, Emily McCoy and Karen Vickery. .