May 2008 Archives

Chrysler has just come up with a plan to give away gas cards to all their customers who buy a Chrysler car. The gas card will guarantee customers that they will only have to may up to $2.99/gallon for the next 3 years. Will this card increase the sell of their cars?

At San Diego State University, a drug bust was made at six fraternities. These fraternities have been suspended from campus and three fraternity members were put into jail. All the time you hear about the increasing drug use throughout the greek system. In college, this is a time when more people start experimenting with drugs and some even become addicted. At SDSU, they were drug dealers and they were in their own drug circle.Two kilograms of cocaine, 350 Ecstasy pills, marijuana, psychedelic mushrooms, hashish oil, methamphetamine, prescription drugs, several guns and at least $60,000 in cash were confiscated by authorities. What are your views on the usage of drugs on college campuses? We are taught as little kids that we should say no to drugs, but how come students are still taking drugs? To find out more information here is the Web site to the article: http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/05/07/sdsu.drug.bust.ap/index.html

How much is too much? I read recently in the New York Times, of parents able to go on line on a daily basis and check up on all their kids' activities at school. This is not a home school thing where they go in and track your work, but a number of programs have been designed to notify parents of their kid skipping a class or failing a test at school. While it is important for parents to be aware of what is going on in school, this completely detours from the relationship of a parent and kid. Growing up there where times that I did poorly on a stupid spelling test or on a science test, however I knew it wouldn't affect my overall grade and that eventually I could make it up. However, this program allows parents to know of each and every one of your grade without giving the child the time to tell them or explain anything to them. It makes it impossible for kids to mess up. When I was a kid I always resented getting yelled at or lectured for messing up one time out of a thousand, but no, parents pick that one time and never let up. These programs allow for continuous questioning and lecturing over simple mistakes kids our bound to make throughout school. This is not to say that the program may be beneficial to children with a history of skipping school or failing classes, but it leaves a large window of opportunity to get on to other children constantly about their school work even if they are an overall excellent student. I personally don't agree with the level this has been taken to. In the end, programs like ParentConnect are going to leave kids resentful of their parents, as well as make them not want to come home after school if they know all they are going to hear about is the C they got on their math test.Here is the site if you want to read more about it:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/04/fashion/04edline.html?ref=style

While there is only about a week and a half left of classes for the spring semester, I still feel as if this entire process is never ending. Summer, a time to relax and kick back is turning into a time of more school work. I am personally taking six hours over the summer as well as working. While we are ‘adults' now and becoming more accustom to the realities of the world all I can think about is how I am technically still in school and I would like at least ONE summer to do nothing.

I have not personally fallen behind in my class work, and I take an appropriate amount of hours each semester, however to graduate in the allotted four years, as much as I would enjoy taking a victory lap, I have to cram my summer full of class and work. I feel as I have spent the last two years filling up space on my arts form that frankly have little to do with my desired degree. It may just be me, but I feel as all the general requirements have been getting in the way of me advancing in my desired area as well as spilling over and consuming those precious three months that I use to call summer break. Well as of now the word break after summer has disappeared and been replaced with the word school, the place I could more than use a break from for the next couple of months.

Will KU get on the bandwagon?
Recently a handful of universities have been allowing members of the opposite sex to share dorm rooms. At first it is kind of shocking, but when you think about it there is some sense to it.
I find it interesting that in the 50s, most dorms were off limits to members of the opposite sex. Then came the 70s where dorms became scandalously coed and now a step even further- coed rooms.
This came as a result of those wanting to live with good friends and people students felt comfortable living with. This also accommodates some homosexuals who feel uncomfortable living with those of the same sex. Either the way, some universities find that finding someone compatible to live with is difficult, and sex should not have to be a determining factor.
However there is some cases known as "roomcest", in which couples reside together. Clearly this is up to each individual couple, but I personally don't find it to be the brightest idea.
I don't know if I would feel comfortable sharing a room with someone of the opposite sex, but college is a time to explore and learn valuable life lessons. Perhaps, this is the way of the future which could produce positive results such as less gender discrimination in the work place. Who knows? Any thoughts?

People for Ethical of Animals (PETA) is trying to get Eight Belles Jockey suspended after what happened at the Kentucky Derby. Eight Belles was actually the second place winner in the big race, however once she walked off from the finish they quickly realized she had two broken ankles. Eight belles was euthanized on the track.

PETA wants to know if the horse felt any pain during the race and figures that if he didn't it must be because of how often they are allowed to whip the horses.

They are wanting a full investigation of Eight Belles injuries and believe that if the Jockey, Gabriel Saez, should have his prize of $400,000 'revoked' from him.

They wrote a letter to further explain what they are getting at, "The letter to the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority also sought a ban on whipping, limits on races and the age of racehorses, and a move to softer, artificial surfaces for all courses."

Earlier tonight a girl in my sorority shared with me that she checked her mailbox and had an interesting letter waiting for her from the nearby prison. Apparently an inmate by the name of Sean Phillips got her name and address and randomly wrote her a letter requesting she be his penpal. My friend has absolutely no idea who he is, but he claims that prison isn't all big guys with tattoos that rape each other. Phillips went on to describe himself and how he got into prison. He said he was once engaged but that fell through, and his sister is too busy to write him so he wanted a penpal because he is lonely. I found this to be completely creepy, but he claims that he will tell her everything and include a picture of himself if she writes him back. After researching prisoners and letters I discovered that letters do make a difference, and often result in shorter prison terms. Although I agree that letters are probably therapeutic, I don't think it's a safe idea to write this guy back. If it were me, I wouldn't be an inmates penpal unless I knew them. I feel like it could be an endangerment whenever they are released. But I do wonder how he got her information? Hmm...

After posing seductively for Vanity Fair, Miley Cyrus has been experiencing a tornado of negative publicity. The 15 year old Disney star took what appears to be topless photos with a bed sheet for coverage. I have to admit that I can't believe her parents/manager would allow her to do this. There has been an obvious trend in Hollywood that child stars who are exposed at young ages always turn into a trainwreck. I.e. Lindsay Lohan, Brittany Spears, Tatum O'Neill, and Drew Barry Moore. Time and time again young stars are used then thrown away. Last Saturday Miley perfomed at Disney World and didn't mention anything about the photoshoot. She avoided going to a Red Carpet event where she most likely would of had to face reporters asking questions about the Vanity Fair photos. I realize sex sells, but 15 is ridiculous. If they don't want her snorting coke and drinking regularly by the age of 17, her parents ought to step in and let her do things which are age appropriate.

It was easy to decide what school to go to, what I wanted to start majoring in, and going to class. Although now it continues to get more and more stressful as the years go on thinking about graduating and getting a real job. I'm sure everyone has been through this; you never think that you will ever have to actually deal with getting a 'big person job' but it happens. I still have two years to go and once finals hits all I can think about is getting a job.

Every once in a while I wish that I could just win the lottery and do whatever I want for the rest of my life But I know that is not going to happen to me. If only it was that easy.

I actually have gotten so stressed with the idea of having to get a job after graduation that I'm considering changing my major to Education. Both my parents are teachers and I wanted to obviously rebel against the idea of following in my parents footsteps but now its starting to seem like summers and Christmas break every year would be pretty nice.

Another thing that I noticed is that it seems like everyone is getting Married! One of my best friends just recently got engaged and it amazes me to look back on high school and remember her crying to me about her ex-boyfriend!

It's kind of depressing to think how old we are all getting, but the reality is that we all have to grow up and get over it.

I cannot wait to get back to Cleveland, Ohio.

People say it's the Mistake on the Lake, but really, it's just home. When it comes to comparing Kansas and Ohio, at this point in time I don't see much of a difference. But I'd take Cleveland over Lawrence/Kansas City any day.

A wise man once said, "Cleveland rocks!" and he's not far from the truth. The longer I am away from home, the more I appreciate it. I've been fortunate in my last nineteen years and have had many opportunities to travel to cities around the US and in other countries. I'm sure in my next three years here in Lawrence I will discover more of its quirks and unique offerings. But so far, Cleveland has yet to be topped when it comes to quirks and uniqueness.

In Cleveland, national championships are hard to come by. Yet in our athletic hardships, Browns and Indians fans are one of a kind and arguably the most loyal in the NFL and MLB, respectively.

When it comes to basketball, all anyone has to say is LeBron and they know what's up. In Cleveland, we say his name a little differently. It's something like "LEBRAAAAAAWWWWWWNNNNNNN!!!"

Our river caught on fire. The best part about that fact is listening to a non-Clevelander try to pronounce our river. Cuyahoga (pronounced Ki-uh-HOE-guh).

Our newspaper is published at a 6th grade reading level. There are no bragging rights in that, it's just interesting.

Lake-effect snow trumps global warming. We have snow days in late April and you can wear t-shirts, shorts and sandals in February.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is one of a kind. And we have it.

We have one windmill in Cleveland. I hardly ever see it in motion.

The West Side of Cleveland, or the Wesside if you will, is completely different from the city's East Side, or the Easside. The city is divided by the Cuyahoga. I'm from the Easside and it practically feels like you need a passport to cross the river. Everyone from the Wesside looks, talks and dresses the same. And no person under the age of 24 knows what a non-religious affiliated private school is. No one.

Forget Vermont, the best maple syrup comes from University School, in Hunting Valley. (Nota Bene: University School is actually a high school. A private one. On the Easside. Wessiders have no chance in understanding.)

The best place to party in Cleveland is not actually in the city, or its suburbs. It's out on the lake. If you're ever in the area in the summer check out Put-In-Bay. And bring your mardi gras beads.

People on TV with are trained to talk with Cleveland accents. Cool, right?

Ask anyone in Cleveland why Pittsburgh or Baltimore is awful. You get unifying answers. I have never before seen one city in such agreement over one issue.

You know Hank Aaron, and Cy Young? Cleveland does.

How about Mushroomhead, Nine Inch Nails, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Filter? Yeah, Cleveland does.

Twenty minutes in a car in one direction and you hit Tower City. Twenty minutes in the opposite direction and you can go cow tipping, if that's your kind of thing.

Cleveland has a little bit of everybody: the rich, the poor, the black the white, the Italian gangsters and walleye fishermen. There are the corn growers and the heart surgeons, Grady Sizemore and me, the inventor of Mr. Coffee and a host for Who's Line, all in the same little town.

I like Lawrence enough, but it has yet to stack up. I look forward to the fall and the next school year, but until then, I can't wait to be home...

The Jake, Cedar Point, the Lake, Little Italy, the Grog Shop, the Falls and some action in the Flats...it'll sure to be a good time.

I love how everyone wants to become a one-hit-youtube-wonder these days. Here's the latest and greatest from Oliver Hall.

I hate to say it, but it's actually really funny.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=2UVtCXO_dUY

Yesterday in Greensburg, Kansas, President Bush spoke at the ceremony of 18 high school seniors. This small town was the target of a destructive tornado last year. Eleven people were killed and most of the town was destroyed. Graduates were able to hear an encouraging speech from Bush illustrating their perseverance and determination after such a devastating event. I think it was a great idea for Bush to speak at this particular graduation because he was not only able to boost the spirits of the graduates, but the community as well. More details are found in the article below:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24455818/

There werre thousands of women in summer dresses and big hats and men in their suits and polos at the Kentucky Derby this past weekend. But the dressed to impress crowd was in for a sad ending when leaving the Derby. One of the racing hourses has to be euthinized on the track directly after finishing the race due to two broken ankles. I am not a hourse expert and do not know all the facts about hourses and how their bodies work. But I just dont understand why the euthinization had to be done for all the crowd to see?

I was listening to a speach by President Bush where he said that the US only uses 1/10 of 1 percent of the worlds gas. If we are only using that much how can gas prices be so high?

VH1 has a show called "I know my kids a star." It is a reality show where parents and their children are competing against one another to see which one of the children is actually a child star. You would think with all the recent events with child stars like Britney Spears and Lindsey Lohan that maybe child stardom is not the best thing. I just think it is a little unethical that parents are trying to make a buck or two off their kids. I see it being really the parents dream and not the childs considering most of the children are probably to young to know whats going on considering all the kids get along and all the parents are against one another.

With final exams a week away, I'm sure the pressure is on for most of the KU student body. I'm definitely feeling the stress of finals as I have a final exam and project in nearly every class. To best manage my time (and avoid having a panic attack), I started getting things in motion last week. In fact, stress has turned into distress as my weekends have become more about the library and less about going out with my friends.

After reading an article in the Times of India, I realized the anxiety I am experiencing pales in comparison to other students. In March, Shyamal Surve, a 20-year-old girl from Mumbai, India took her own life in fear that she would fail her upcoming final exams. According to her parents, she did well in school, but her busy schedule didn't allow her a lot of time to study.

This story broke my heart. While I put a lot of pressure on myself to get good grades, I know that I must put my mental health first. I would rather fail an exam than overwhelm myself to a point where I may harm myself. In the past, I've worked things out with my professors in advance in order to accommodate a hectic final schedule. If you have 3 or more finals scheduled on one day, I think it's worth trying to work something out. In this girl's case, maybe it could have saved her life.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2008-05-04-dieter-eilering_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

This guy has lost 100 pounds since 2003 and has kept it off. He now runs in marathons and competes in triathlons.

Every day it seems there is an article in the news about someone who has lost all this weight. Is anyone else getting tired of hearing the same story over and over again with different names inserted?

Gas prices continue to rise. At least in the past companies would come up with excuses for the gas price rising, now they don't give excuses they just do it. If gas prices continue to rise at this rate, nobody will be driving and I definitely want to be in the bicycle business. Ridiculous.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/05/05/news/economy/gas_prices/index.htm

photo from Springwise.com
One in three traffic fatalities in Europe are alcohol related. Blow Me is a UK-based company that is trying to change this statistic. Blow Me brings breathalyzers to parties and will comply with dress codes for events. Blow Me employes will conduct an unlimited number of breathalyzers in a professional manner in hopes of helping guests think twice about getting behind the wheel. Blow Me first started in London in 2006, and by 2008 had stopped more than 1,000 people from driving while intoxicated. In the United States someone dies in an alcohol related car crash every thirty-one minutes. Hopefully Blow Me will make its way to the U.S. or a similar company will be launched here.

photo from Springwise.com
One in three traffic fatalities in Europe are alcohol related. Blow Me is a UK-based company that is trying to change this statistic. Blow Me brings breathalyzers to parties and will comply with dress codes for events. Blow Me employes will conduct an unlimited number of breathalyzers in a professional manner in hopes of helping guests think twice about getting behind the wheel. Blow Me first started in London in 2006, and by 2008 had stopped more than 1,000 people from driving while intoxicated. In the United States someone dies in an alcohol related car crash every thirty-one minutes. Hopefully Blow Me will make its way to the U.S. or a similar company will be launched here.

KU School of Architecture Studio 804 celebrated the completion of the first LEED-certified building in Kansas May 4, 2008, in Greensburg. The 22 graduate students have constructed the green building under the guidance of Professor Dan Rockhill the past five months. Studio 804 students have mentioned they are exhausted and will not be able to come home until the Friday preceding graduation, but they are overjoyed to help the community. The 5.4.7 Arts Center was named after the date the tornado destructed Greensburg; it is a commemoration of the tragedy. Here is a video from the CBS Early Show:

The KU Web site has a detailed feature story about Studio 804 and the construction and planning process:

feature story .

A Memphis woman called 911 last week because she heard a tapping on her window. This would not seem like an emergency, except she had been robbed earlier that night (at gunpoint) and surrendered her keys and car to the man. So when she heard someone trying to get into her house she called 911, expecting help to be there quickly. However, overcome with exhaustion, the operator fell asleep in the middle of the call. You can hear the tape at http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=61531. He started snoring after a long silence in the call. This woman is scared for her life, has already been held at gunpoint, and this guy is sleeping. Shocked? You shouldn't be, this is not the first time. It has happened multiple times this year already. Maybe it is a rarity to get a 911 call late at night, but there are certain jobs that require immediate alertness at unpredictable moments. This is one of those. To fall asleep on the job as a 911 dispatcher is pathetic. You'd think he would almost be indictable on criminal charges. Nope. Issue a public apology? Not a word. Fired? Not even. He was placed on a one-week leave of absence. And what happened to her? Luckily nothing. She called another 911 agency and got help.

A 15-year-old London teenager made a trip to the North Pole with her father. She became the youngest woman to trek to the North Pole on skis. While on the trip, she saw the effects of global warming on the melting arctic ice. Now that she has returned, she is working to make a documentary to share her experience with students in the United Kingdom and the U.S. Since she is a youth, her documentary and voice will be able to reach a younger audience and hopefully get youth more involved and aware of global warming.

At a high school in Portland, OR students have been sent home for shaving verticle lines in their eyebrows like the trend of hip-hop celebrity Soulja Boy. School officials say it is representative of a gang symbol and that the students are not suspended, they are just not allowed in the school until they shave their eyebrows. Some students have opted to cover them with band-aids. Funny how little style trends can be taken out of context. The relation to the gang symbol is shaving one vertical line in one eyebrow and three verticle lines in the other to represent the number 13. Other schools in the area have implemented an eyebrow regulation, but say they only look for the 13 markings.

For all those weird news enthusiast, here is a story for you. A Florida man working for DRS Technologies was trapped in a pressing machine that looks like an elevator. He was all alone and was unable to reach his cellphone because his arms were stuck. So, what he did was jiggle his cellphone out of his belt, kicked off a shoe and was able to dial 911 by using his toe. What a talent! Rescuers were able to reach him and bring him to a local hospital. So, the next time you are calling someone try dialing with your toes.