Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WWW.KANSAN.COM
TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2010
To contribute to Free for All, visit Kansan.com or call (785) 864-0500 or follow us on Twitter.
Ever think it might be easier and less creepy just to talk to him.
--to us, but it can make all the difference to those fighting for survival in Haiti.
Tiger Woods is a cheetah. Get it?
--to us, but it can make all the difference to those fighting for survival in Haiti.
I'm thankful my last name isn't Hitler.
So my choices of music- inspired movies on TV right now are "School of Rock" and "Camp Rock." Gee, I wonder which one to choose.
--to us, but it can make all the difference to those fighting for survival in Haiti.
Sex toy parties are awesome.
--to us, but it can make all the difference to those fighting for survival in Haiti.
Oh my God! I have a tiny baby inside me.
PAGE 4A
--to us, but it can make all the difference to those fighting for survival in Haiti.
--to us, but it can make all the difference to those fighting for survival in Haiti.
Riot in the French Quarter!
I refuse to print off a 31- page syllabus.
--to us, but it can make all the difference to those fighting for survival in Haiti.
I have a weakness for guys with stubble. There, I said it.
--to us, but it can make all the difference to those fighting for survival in Haiti.
Thank you New Year's resolutions for being like Las Vegas wedding vows: half-assed promises made by drunken idiots.
--to us, but it can make all the difference to those fighting for survival in Haiti.
It isn't punk if everyone is doing it.
--to us, but it can make all the difference to those fighting for survival in Haiti.
I just got more action on the bus than I have in a month!
--to us, but it can make all the difference to those fighting for survival in Haiti.
The only reason K-State gets "College Gameday" is because we are coming to town.
--to us, but it can make all the difference to those fighting for survival in Haiti.
I wished everyone else followed the same "don't poop in public" rule.
--to us, but it can make all the difference to those fighting for survival in Haiti.
Dear women, grow out of your high school phase of looking for bad boys and go for guys who will treat you right. Sincerely, a nice guy.
--to us, but it can make all the difference to those fighting for survival in Haiti.
Nobody told me life would be so easy!
--to us, but it can make all the difference to those fighting for survival in Haiti.
Anyone else think it's 100 degrees inside Anschutz?
--to us, but it can make all the difference to those fighting for survival in Haiti.
To the guy in my Calculus II class: Your feet really stink. Put your shoes back on.
--to us, but it can make all the difference to those fighting for survival in Haiti.
I miss the days when science class consisted of watching Ben Affleck's "Voyage of the Mimi."
--to us, but it can make all the difference to those fighting for survival in Haiti.
Editorial: Haiti needs much more
EDITORIAL BOARD
Two weeks after an enormous earthquake left much of Haiti's capital in ruins, the foreign-backed relief effort continues to pour in. The extent of international support and solidarity has been nothing short of awe-inspiring.
AP PHOTO
Yet Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, needs much more.
Haiti's government estimated the death toll tops 150,000 in the capital city of Port-au-Prince. More than 600,000 people are homeless in the city with a population of 2 million. Though the numbers are difficult to discern, as many as 200,000 are feared dead nationwide.
"The problems that they've had — from watching CNN and everything — are just beginning," men's basketball coach Bill Self said in a press conference last week. "We should do everything to help the people that can't help themselves."
We couldn't agree more.
Though the road to recovery is long, hope remains for those who survived the worst earthquake in the region in more than two centuries.
Donors have contributed more than $380 million to 35 U.S. nonprofit groups, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy's most recent estimates. The $380 million is an impressive start, but not enough for Haiti to fully recover.
On a local level, the Athletics Department's fundraiser last week was a good start for the University, but more can—and should—be done by students and faculty. As Coach Self said, now is only the beginning.
A $10 donation from every student on the University's Lawrence Campus would raise more than $250,000 for Haiti relief efforts. While $10 may not seem like much
The 7.0-magnitude earthquake proved to be a devastating blow to a country already suffering from political instability, widespread poverty and perilous health conditions.
With the international spotlight shinning brightly on Haiti, the devastated country has not only the chance to rebuild what was lost, but also to rectify problems existing before the Jan. 12 earthquake. Let's not see Haiti squander that opportunity.
For those interested in donating, here are a few helpful tips:
1. Donate money. Clothing, food and medicine are crucial for any relief effort, but it's best to let aid agencies purchase those essentials. Shipping costs are high, and many experts warn against "wasteful giving." A few dollars goes a lot further than canned baby food or bottled water.
2. Keep it simple. Donating is easier than ever thanks to modern technology and the Red Cross. Simply text "Haiti" to 90999 to donate $10. The donation will be added to
your next phone bill.
3. Stay informed. Haiti not only needs our donations, it needs our attention. The coming months are going to be challenging as the damage is fully assessed. Staying connected to the events in Haiti will give its citizens hope and encouragement to persevere.
4. Attend a benefit concert. The Help Haiti benefit concert will be held at Liberty Hall on Sunday. The event will cost $10 and is sponsored by Genovese, Zen Zero, and La Parilla. For more information go to lawrence.com.
Michael Holtz for the Editorial Board.
Where the Money Goes:
$50
$105
can provide clean drinking water for 1,000 families for one day.
$210
can feed 12 families three meals a day.
EDITORIAL CARTOON
Source: www.care.org
'Eco chic' has altruistic value
FASHION
Earlier this month, a New York City woman discovered trash bags filled with hundreds of pieces of clothes from a local Wal-Mart. This would have been a fantastic find, if each piece hadn't had a hole torn into it by a machine, making them impossible to wear.
Think of people in Haiti, and all over the world who have lost everything because of a natural disaster or other tragedies they didn't cause. Now think about these major corporations carelessly destroying brand new clothes and shoes. This doesn't make sense.
The New York Times, which first broke the story, also met another couple, who found similar piles of destroyed, yet brand-new pieces of clothing. The reason for this destruction is unknown.
In college, it is typical to go through phases and changes in personal styles. As trends change, wardrobes are updated with new pieces and the old are tossed aside. But, trashing old clothes is not acceptable.
For those fortunate enough to buy new clothes, there should be the willingness to take time to help out those who can't, or at least put the clothes to good use. Here are a few suggestions.
1. Donate; Don't be like Wal-Mart or H&M: If you're not going to wear something, let someone
else. Box up old pieces and bring them to family and friends to see if they want anything. Then, take what's left to the Salvation Army, Goodwill or a clothing drive.
My favorite place to donate is Savers. Every time I donate there I get a discount on my next purchase. Savers carries clothes, shoes and accessories for men, women and children, as well as housewares and furniture. Not only do they have amazing prices, but they sell vintage clothes and trends from today to cater to a variety of styles.
BY ALEX ESPOSITO
While dropping off donations, be sure to check out what's for sale. Most of these stores have good prices, and the proceeds usually go to non-profit organizations and charities.
2. Trade or Sell: Lawrence is filled with fabulous vintage and consignment shops that will buy your old clothes and even let you trade your pieces for some of theirs. Try Arizona Trading Company and Wildman Vintage on
wMassachusetts Street to make some money on retro chic pieces. Or, head over to the Consignment Flea Market or Lasting Impressions to sell clothing on consignment. This allows you to get back some of the money spent on clothes, while someone else can enjoy them.
3. Recreate: Old clothes make great materials for art projects. Take old jeans and cut them into shorts. Use T-shirts from memorable activities to make a T-shirt quilt or pillow cases. Cover a rectangular piece of cardboard with an old skirt to create a fun bulletin board. A needle and thread, scissors and a hot glue gun are all you need to reconstruct outgrown clothes into something one-of-a-kind and wonderful.
Next time you consider trashing your old stuff think of the good you could do with it. Whether you're giving your clothes to a friend, donating to those in need, making some extra cash or giving your old clothes new life, you will help reduce waste and keep your clothes alive. Green fashion doesn't necessarily mean wearing organic cotton Reusing and recycling things from your wardrobe is a fantastic way to dress eco chic.
Esposito is a sophomore from Overland Park in journalism and film.
SEXUAL HEALTH
Balance in pageantry
Beauty pageants have been used to celebrate women for decades.Sure their
for decades. Sure, their roots were less than balanced, but many modern pageants promote self-esteem, personal achievements and world-view thinking. Pageants have also substantially broadened their contestant base: seniors, children, plus-size, and, finally, transsexuals.
A transsexual is someone whose inner gender is mismatched with his or her birth sex. This often leads to surgery to reconcile a person's outer and inner identities. In the past, such transformations were stigmatized, but "Trans pageants," though less broadly publicized, have been around for years. The big one, "Miss Tiffany Universe Transsexual Beauty Pageant" in Thailand, is coming up on its thirteenth year.
Unfortunately, there aren't very many others in other parts of the world. Las Vegas has hosted a small pageant since 2004. Last year, India had its first. Still, there's definitely room for more; we should embrace what we can learn from the conduct of trans pageants.
Flipping through photos of some of the contests, I'm amazed by how beautiful the women are—and not just physically. The winners have a magnificent, lady-like glow and the uniquely female happiness that makes every woman attractive.
That's what these pagers are about: Recognizing transsexuals' femininity rather than portraying them as stereotypical clumsy knock-offs. By proxy, they promote femininity on a grander scale.
It doesn't matter that the outsides of these people used to be male; inside, they are, and always have been, beautiful women.
"Specialty" pageants, be they plus-size, senior, or trans, reinforce the message that identity is something to celebrate. That's something that even the traditional twenty-something beauty crowd should be able to get behind.
I've always been impressed with the variety of LGBT and women's
Sex and Sensibility
BY MELISSA LYTTON
studies classes that the University offers. Making those topics as prominent as more traditional studies has made me feel like I fit in. And, that's saying something; for a bisexual goth chick in the Midwest, fitting in isn't easy.
Having a student-run pageant could have similar effects on the student body. Lawrence is a prime spot for a grass-roots trans pageant. It's the only city in Kansas that has anti-discrimination laws for sexual orientation. Last fall, KU Professor Maggie Childs even led the charge to include gender identity in those laws.
What's more, KU's annual "Pride Week" already brings in performers and hosts an informal drag show; slap the two together and there are the seeds of a paean.
Better yet, why not open a pageant to all women. Allowing trans and natural-born women to participate in a beauty pageant together is the next logical step in accepting transsexuals as the beautiful women they are.
The KU student body alone may not have enough transsexuals to fill a pageant, but there are plenty of trans women within driving distance. Kansas City boasted a successful trans group for 20 years (Kansas City Crossdressers and Friends), with members hailing from Manhattan to Springfield, Mo.
Throughout time women have been able to do amazing things by banding together. It's time to pull our trans sisters into the fold and accomplish even more—and look great while doing it.
Lytton is a senior from Kodiak, Alaska in creative writing.
GUEST BLOG
Actually, she went to almost every town on the way, and if she didn't go to it, she at least drove through it.
In addition to her description of the "quaintness" of towns, she also provided more substantial descriptions of the attractions she visited.
Her description of these towns often included the word "quaint," which is one of those words that makes me want to flip out. I mean, how many synonyms for unusual, weird or bizarre do we really need in common usage?
My wife has been going on excursions lately. A couple of weeks ago she went out to Hiawatha. This past Saturday she went to Gardner. These are not the only places she has gone just a couple of the names that I recall.
Trying to understand life in a small town
In listening to her recounts.
I could just imagine some town in western Kansas that has an Amelia Earhart museum next door to a recently-closed teakroom. Across the street from the museum is Anthony's Cafe, with surprisingly good food. Next door to the café is probably John Brown's cabin, which he used to defend freedom—or something.
But, honestly, I don't care enough to keep track of all the details of my wife's trips.
That's why she has promised me I can actually come along on the next trip; an excursion to an attraction that fits my interests in Kansas City.
Now, that's a city big enough for me to understand.
From "Beer for Breakfast," a blog by Anthony Whaley, a senior from Manhattan in linguistics.
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SUMMER OF THE KANAKA INTERNATIONAL Board and Stephen McBurney, Benjamin Mintermeyer, Jennifer Torlite Lauren Cunningham, Velya McIey McCoy and Kara Lateseberry.