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(11/30/10 11:51pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As many of you might already know, the IU Student Association is sponsoring a petition to allow an optional “checkbox” to be placed on the course registration website. This “checkbox” will allow students the option to donate some small amount of money to a sustainability initiative.Anyone, besides the freshmen, can tell you there are already a few checkboxes on the site that allow students to donate to causes such as IU Dance Marathon, purchase season basketball tickets or purchase an all-access pass to Little 500 festivities.I, on the other hand, have formulated my own petition. And boy, let me tell you, I sure am proud of it.I have taken the liberty to start the “631 Venture Capital Fund.”The number 631 refers to the $60 you would invest, which would be managed for three years, returning one heck of a profit.This fund, which will be managed exclusively by yours truly, will put your investment into various securities, stocks and high-yield bonds (known by doubters as “junk bonds”). Only a marginal fraction of the overall fund, perhaps as low as 35 percent, will be allocated to administrative costs.Should you be so bold and daring as to support this petition, you will find your investment safe and secure in the hands of a particularly savvy undergraduate student.I have read almost nine articles on the financial crisis in 2008. That’s right, almost nine articles. Pretty impressive, I know.I also saw the newest “Wall Street” movie directed by Oliver Stone. I looked up some of the terms in the movie, and I now feel completely comfortable in turning your investment into pure profit. Gordon Gekko would be proud.Now, I know that some of you out there are probably skeptical. You might have heard about these newfangled things such as “bond ratings” or “the securities and exchange commission” or “fraud.”I am here to promise you, you lucky reader, you, who just happened to read the opinion section today, that I will put forward a better-than-average effort in making sure you get the return you deserve.All you have to do is go to the following hyperlink: www.henryalderferventures.blogspot.com and follow the simple, easy instructions to make some quick and easy skrilla!Think of it this way: You could take that $60, that in all likelihood is either funded by your parents or some loan that you don’t want anyway, and go spend it at Kilroy’s tonight.Cool. You just blew $60 for an atrocious hangover and a few numbers in your address book that read “Krisstii CaLL Me!!!!” or “Cool guy that bought me a shot of Jaeger.” Looks as if you made out as a real winner, hot-shot investor.Instead, you can invest in your future and just give the $60 to me. I will carefully manage your funds by probably keeping track of who donated what on an Excel spreadsheet saved on my hard drive somewhere.Even if I can’t keep track of who invested what, I could always just take the return I earned and buy a new fish for Showalter Fountain. After all, what student doesn’t want to see the fish returned to its rightful home? I sure do, and I’m sure you do too.Well, this is the point in the column where you are probably getting tired of the sales pitch that’s been going on for the past 500 words, so I’ll cut it out.The point I’m trying to make here is that clicking one of those checkboxes, especially for something such as a sustainability fund, you really have no idea what your money is going to.When was the last time you followed up on what exactly your donation for IUDM paid for, or who that IU Student Foundation Little 500 scholarship went to, or how many football Big Ten conference wins your season ticket purchase produced?It’s amazing that, as a student body, we so willingly give away our money, which many of us have an incredibly small supply of, to the most arbitrary enterprises.Perhaps it’s fiscal irresponsibility. That would make sense, seeing as how before the financial regulation was passed last year, banks made a sizeable fortune off of student credit card fees and account overdrafts.More likely, however, is that we trust our fellow students to make the right choices for us. We simply do not have the time to monitor all of these investments and must rely on our fellow students’ ethicality.I think that’s rather incredible and definitely not something to be ashamed of. And for the record, I did sign the petition for the sustainability initiative, and you probably should too.E-mail: halderfe@indiana.edu
(11/08/10 10:01pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It’s been two weeks now since the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, but I think I owe it to myself and my devoted fans to report on my trip.Normally, I would probably write about the political implications of the rally and what it means for our country’s culture. I’m sure you’re just bursting with excitement at the prospect of reading yet another whip-smart political commentary in the Indiana Daily Student.However, I understand the rally has been covered ad nauseum on all angles by almost every news outlet in America, ranging from the “New York Times” to my elementary school’s PTA newsletter.Instead, I’m going to regale you with anecdotes and fun facts from my epic journey out to our nation’s beautiful, albeit overcrowded, capital.The first thing you have to understand about the eastern seaboard is people there don’t exactly take things lightly. For example, when I entered Virginia, the first sign on the interstate stated: “Speed limit enforced by aircraft.”I’m somewhat of an aggressive driver, so normally I don’t really think too much about such things as “speed limits” or “stop signs” or “pedestrians.” However, the possibility I could be pulled over by an Apache Longbow gunship for driving 15 over was extremely alarming.Fortunately, I made it safely to Charlottesville, Va. without any helicopter sightings.My friend and I spent the night at the University of Virginia, where we got the inside scoop on what it’s like to go to arguably the most pretentious school outside of the Ivy League.For instance, a student at “Mr. Jefferson’s University” is never considered to be a senior, as one is not a senior when they are still learning. Also, you cannot live off-campus. You live off-grounds. The derogatory term “freshman” apparently does not exist at UVA, but instead you can find plenty of classy “first-years” becoming utterly plastered at frat parties. A rose is a rose by any other name, I suppose.We left Charlottesville at 10 a.m., thinking we would be able to shoot up to D.C. in an hour, park, leisurely take the Metro into the city and casually stroll to the National Mall to check out the crowd.Accounting for congestion, the drive ended up taking close to four hours. After searching desperately for parking for 20 minutes, we hopped on the subway at 2 p.m., almost two hours after the rally was supposed to begin.When I lived in the district a few summers ago, I rode the Metro every day to work. You could usually make the trip from my apartment in Foggy Bottom to the Mall in 10 minutes or less.The very same trip on the day of the rally took close to an hour. We sat on the train for a good 30 minutes, stopping at each station for excruciatingly long periods of time before moving at an absurdly slow pace to the next stop.We had driven almost 700 miles to see this rally, and I was not going to settle for missing it by a matter of minutes due to Washington’s exceptionally poor infrastructure.When I emerged from the depths of the subway at the Federal Triangle, throngs of people swarmed the streets in almost every direction as far as I could see, all of whom were wearing ironic T-shirts. It was madness.My friends and I sprinted toward the mall, hoping just to catch a glance of our goal. We arrived at 2:58 p.m., just in time to see the tail-end of Jon Stewart’s thank you remarks and a mildly entertaining performance by The Roots. We did it.On the way back to Bloomington, my friend decided it would be a good idea to take a “shortcut” through backcountry West Virginia to avoid the toll roads. You can probably already guess that this wasn’t the best of ideas.When we emerged from the mountains almost two hours later, we were different men. We had seen things that cannot be unseen and heard things, specifically bluegrass music, that cannot be unheard. It was a disturbing experience.If you’re looking for a fun weekend trip, check out “The Mystery Hole” in West Virginia. Trust me; it is an experience you will never forget.I usually try to end with some witty remark or one-liner, but this time I can’t really think of any overriding point I’m trying to accomplish with this article. Rather, I think it would be more appropriate to keep in spirit with the rally and just let the column end, right here.E-mail: halderfe@indiana.edu
(10/25/10 11:32pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When you’re a kid, wars are so much easier to figure out.There is always an enemy, and the enemy is evil. To win a war, you must vanquish your enemy and thus vanquish evil.That’s how we did it in the Revolutionary War with the British, that’s how we did it in World War II with the Axis powers and that’s how we were supposed to do it in Vietnam and Iraq, but things got a little messy.According to my regressed fifth grade logic, the reason those latter two wars got so muddled is because our enemy was much harder to define, let alone find and conquer.I mean, come on, imagine playing a game of Risk where you can’t see any of the opponent’s blue plastic cannons and horses occupying Kamchatka. It’s a preposterous concept.Mao Zedong, who — for those of you who don’t know, is basically a Chinese version of Che Guevara — once said, “Politics is war without bloodshed, while war is politics with bloodshed.” So, following my shaky grasp of the transitive property of equality, I have concluded that in order to win a political election, one must find and vanquish one’s political enemy. I would create a flow chart, but I have word count constraints I have to work within. Sorry for not being sorry.As ridiculous as this logical progression might seem, it does hold up in real-world situations. Watch any of the campaign commercials for the Senate race between Dan Coats and Brad Ellsworth; it’s like watching Luke Skywalker fighting Darth Vader in Cloud City all over again.On a bigger scale, President Obama and the Democratic Party as a whole are facing possibly one of the highest political attrition rates in recent years in the upcoming midterm elections.The incomparably educated, enlightened and politically savvy citizens of the United States are unhappy with all that nonsense liberal hogwash President Barack Obama is spewing around Washington, D.C. They want change. They want hope for a brighter, Democrat-free future.This intrinsic hope for change has manifested itself partially as the Tea Party, the hottest thing in politics since Theodore Roosevelt’s Bull Moose Party. With the backing of today’s most freethinking political theorists such as Michele Bachmann and Glenn Beck, the Tea Party and Republicans in general are set to take back the House and possibly even the Senate.Obama should let them go ahead.Since the Democrats took over the entirety of the legislative and executive branches of government, they have had almost unquestionable power in ramming their policies through the legislative process.The problem with being unquestioned, however, is that when things go wrong, you have no one to blame but yourself.Peter Baker of the New York Times wrote an interesting piece on the midterm elections this past weekend outlining his argument on why Obama shouldn’t sweat the election if things don’t exactly swing his way.The basic premise is that by having the House and possibly the Senate back in the hands of the Republicans, the Democrats will have a scapegoat for their political follies. It’s actually a rather brilliant idea.George W. Bush was possibly the greatest thing to ever happen to the Democrats. His constant political gaffes and highly controversial policy decisions gave the liberal base something to rally against. He was their sworn enemy, just like Scar from “The Lion King.”And in the darkest hour, a white knight emerged on the horizon carrying a banner of hope and change. Using his impeccably cool oratory and sick-nasty jumpshot, Barack Obama won the big one.Now, two years later, Obama is in some hot water. While the long-term economic benefits of his policy initiatives are hitherto unrealized, the short-term political consequences are slapping him in the face.Of course, Obama’s job is safe for the time being. However, his current term is almost halfway over, and it won’t be long before the campaigning starts up again. Obama will need someone to wag his finger at, and it can’t be Dubya this time around.This political strategy isn’t exactly a pipe dream either. Bill Clinton pulled it off in 1996 after Newt Gingrich’s Brooks Brothers-donning army took over Congress in 1994. Harry Truman was able to barely win re-election against almost insurmountable odds in 1948 by blaming his troubles on an uncompromising Republican Congress.The reality of the political landscape is complex and confusing to the ordinary voter. When people are confused, they tend to get frustrated. When people are frustrated, they tend to get angry. And when people are angry, they tend to vote against you.Obama simply has to act as a matador and redirect the populace’s anger in the opposite direction.E-mail: halderfe@indiana.edu
(10/11/10 9:14pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“Jesus = Frat Daddy. Mohammad = GDI. TFM.” “My last name could have gotten me into Yale. But Yale isn’t in the SEC. TFM” “My Parents are still together. TFM” TFM, for those who don’t already know, stands for “total frat move,” the basis behind one of the trendiest websites in the IU greek community and the rest of the collegiate world.The concept behind the website is similar to other popular submission-based message boards such as Texts From Last Night, where fans submit their frattiest thoughts and memories for others to decide whether or not it is a nice move.After spending a few minutes perusing the various posts on the site, I realized there’s probably some just reasoning behind why so many people have negative opinions of greek life, and I don’t blame them.I compiled a few of the assumptions I would make about the greek system if my only insight came from this website.Money is the determining factor of one’s happiness and satisfaction with their life. Anyone who disagrees with this is obviously not in a fraternity and is obviously poor and not a business major.A typical sorority girl loves to demonstrate her grasp of irony by drinking bottom-shelf alcohol in mass quantities while wearing a Lilly Pulitzer dress and her grandmother’s pearl necklace. She also exclusively dates pre-law fraternity members and likes making sandwiches.Being a Democrat is equivalent to being a domestic terrorist. Reaganomics is everyone’s favorite economic policy, regardless of whether they understand macroeconomics in the first place.The SEC is the new Ivy League. Apparently the only type of crimson that’s acceptable anymore comes from Tuscaloosa, not Cambridge.I understand that a lot of these posts are facetious and shouldn’t be regarded in a serious manner, but I do think that this website is indicative of the general mentality of our nation’s greek system.I was on the fence about joining my fraternity at IU. I knew that it was fairly conservative, and I would probably end up being subjugated to some ridiculous hazing rituals and even more ridiculously themed parties. But I figured I might as well give it a shot.Well, here I am about 2,000 shots later, and I guess I haven’t really changed all that much. I’m considered the most liberal person in my house, which I find to be rather incredible considering I am closer to what would be considered a right-leaning libertarian.While I love the people I live and socialize with, I find it frustrating that these same people that purport themselves to be educated and informed continually demonstrate remarkable apathy and intolerance toward those who hail from different socioeconomic backgrounds.It’s not like any of us here in the greek system actually went out and earned all the money we spend on designer clothes and imported cars. To be brutally honest, everyone still living off his or her parents’ incomes is pretty much on glorified welfare. Last time I checked, that was actually a pretty liberal fiscal policy.I’m not sure why most of us act as if we’re entitled to everything the world has to offer. Maybe it’s some deep psychological insecurity that we don’t really belong with the movers and shakers of the old Protestant establishment regime out in Nantucket or wherever the WASPs flock to nowadays.More likely, it’s that we want to feel good about ourselves, and the easiest way to do that is to put someone else down. It’s the same tactic that’s been around since kindergarten, and frankly, I don’t think it’s going away anytime soon.This seems especially popular in the greek community, as indicated by the massive popularity of sites like the now-defunct Juicy Campus and its replacement, CollegeACB. About every other post on these sites is some kind of juvenile popularity contest or libelous remark, most of which are incredibly degrading.I just wish the greek system was less elitist and more egalitarian. It’s the mindset of “everybody sucks but us” and “better us than them” that’s eventually going to cause the rest of our community to turn against us down the road, if they haven’t already.After all, if you really are the best, you don’t have to go around saying it. It should just be presumed. Maybe that’s why I can’t seem to find any Harvard posts on Total Frat Move.E-mail: halderfe@indiana.edu
(09/27/10 11:17pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The other day, my friends and I were admiring the newly installed Polar Pop machine at the BP station at the corner of Third Street and Indiana Avenue.Not only does the new machine feature crushed ice, a sorely missed option in the previous machine, but also includes new soda options such as Mug Root Beer and the ever-popular Mountain Dew: Code Red.Before I digress further, I should clarify that my friends and I have somewhat of a passion for Polar Pops. Not only have they been a miraculous cure for that Sunday morning hangover, but they are also dirt cheap. For $0.69, you can buy 32 ounces of sugary caffeinated goodness; it’s pretty much amazing.Now, as we were marveling at the stainless steel workings of the new Polar Pop apparatus, one of my friends joked the machine was worth probably more than the summation of his whole life experience. And while I don’t necessarily disagree with that point, it did get me to thinking: how much is a human life actually worth?Most would argue, correctly, that a human life is priceless and should be treated as such. I would agree with that notion on a theoretical basis, as I find it rather discomforting to know that my existence in the world can be outweighed by some finite dollar measure.In reality, however, human life does have a price cap. In fact, it really isn’t that much at all. According to a 2008 article in Time Magazine, insurance companies calculate that to make a treatment worth its cost, it must guarantee one year of “quality life” for $50,000 or less. Medicare, a government-sponsored, publicly-funded health plan that has been in use since the Johnson presidency, also uses the same benchmark. Roughly translated, that means that your life is worth $50,000 to the U.S. government and most major private insurance companies. That’s about as much as a new, fully-loaded Chevy Tahoe.This figure comes from a 1984 Canadian study of dialysis patients and their associated expenses over the course of one year. Dialysis for patients suffering chronic renal failure is the one service Medicare provides for anyone, regardless of age. Many health care economists treat Medicare as a substitute for universal health care coverage, and thus, the value that American society places on one year of life. However, a new study by Stefanos Zenios and his colleagues at Stanford Graduate School of Business have arrived at a higher figure: $129,000.The Stanford economists used kidney dialysis again to measure the worth of one year of “quality life,” which translates to two years on dialysis. By accounting for new technological advances in the field and inflation, they arrived at their new figure.Of course, it is insensitive to assign a dollar figure to the value of human life. But the reality is that we face such evaluations as a part of everyday life. One example is the “bereavement benefit,” which was been instituted in the United Kingdom in 2001 as part of their social security plan which allocates a one-time tax-free lump sum to widows, widowers or orphans. It’s worth about $3,162. Another government evaluation of human life can be found in America. The United States government offers a $500,000 “death benefit” to the families of soldiers killed in Iraq or Afghanistan.This “death benefit” has been the source of some criticism, as it has landed some families in awkward financial situations.“It’s like winning the lottery, and your relatives all look at you like you’re a cash cow,” said Kathleen Moakler, director of government relations for the National Military Family Association, a nonprofit advocacy organization. “Money makes people do strange things.” Most for-profit health care insurers routinely use cost calculations as a basis for determining whether or not to award coverage for various ailments and conditions. While knowing that your life has a price ceiling is rather disconcerting, most Americans are at ease with this reality of life. In a 2007 survey of New Yorkers, 75 percent of participants felt “somewhat” to “very” comfortable with allowing cost to determine Medicare treatment options, once they understood the concept of the system. I suppose I am comfortable with this notion as well, so long as I can keep drinking my delicious Polar Pops. After all, is life truly worth living without the unbeatable combination of Go-Ape energy soda, Mountain Dew and Orange Fanta? I think not.E-mail: halderfe@indiana.edu
(09/13/10 11:20pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Does anyone ever get fed up with all the self-anointed heroes you see every day? I sure do.On any typical walk to class, I can expect to encounter at least three budding philanthropists, all throwing various pamphlets, brochures and stickers my way in order to gain my support.Whether it is some desperate IU Student Association ticket trying to gain votes, or a member of INPIRG wanting signatures, or the always recognizable “Help Stop Violence” man, I treat all of these pests with equal indifference and disdain.I guess you could call me an egalitarian jerk.Now, before you write me off as some soulless monstrosity that hates charity and rainbows and all the wonderful things in the world, I would like to clarify a few of my beliefs on student heroism.Firstly, I have very little faith in the ability of a student-run bureaucratic organization to save the world. While I have no problem donating $10 to the Red Cross for earthquake relief or something of that nature, I have significant worries about donating $10 to what will likely amount to be a large cheese pizza at a call-out meeting six weeks later.Even if the organization’s budget is well-managed, what degree of certainty do I have that my money will even be used effectively to solve some global crisis? We don’t even know for certain if global warming exists, let alone what to do about it.Many students join causes and rallying around beliefs that they find personally meaningful. I have no qualms with this mind-set, as it is a noble and worthy venture to pursue what one finds joy in.However, I do take up arms with the notion that students should involve themselves in philanthropic endeavors purely based on the incentive of landing a nice internship or job because of their so-called “volunteerism.”The concept of volunteerism relies on principle that one works for another person, organization or cause without any compensation. While most people read compensation as a strictly financial measure, I view compensation in terms of financial and intangible gains.If one is working at a local soup kitchen with the incentive of securing future financial gain, then can this really be classified as true volunteerism? I don’t think so.The reality is that true altruism, in its purest sense, is not economically realistic in society. All acts, as noble as they are, are carried out with the intent to earn some degree of personal reward.This holds true for all types of institutions, from religion to politics — they all take care of their own.Christianity offers one of the most powerful incentive mechanisms ever created: the concept of Heaven and, of course, Hell.What better way is there to motivate people to live good, moral lives than the concept of an afterlife? When given the prospect of an ethical choice, (e.g. whether or not to have an affair outside of marriage) the so-called “righteous man” would chose to avoid the affair and probably look down on others who choose differently.Most people are negatively incentivized by the possibility of spending an eternity in a brimstone spa. This is a rational decision, because of course the positive utility of an affair is greatly outweighed by the large negative utility of eternal damnation.But when the idea of an afterlife or a universal moral code is taken out of the scenario, the choice becomes much murkier. With the fear of Hell or the hope of Heaven taken out of the game, the righteous man may rethink his decision.The same can be applied for politics. A student may join a grass roots campaign and tell voters he is working for a cause or some greater good. This was especially prevalent in the 2008 presidential election. The upperclassmen will probably remember all of the campaign workers flooding campus with shirts, stickers and badges plastered with the same tired campaign slogans. It was a nightmare.But are these student organizers truly rallying behind a cause? More likely, they are rallying behind a future job offer from the party they’re supporting. I have plenty of friends in Washington with cushy jobs in the Department of Homeland Security and the White House because of their contributions to the Obama campaign.The movie “Zombieland,” besides being an absolute laugh riot, is a great example of pure, unadulterated economics in a state of anarchy. The protagonist, Columbus, offers this simple rule to manage the perils of everyday post-apocalyptic life: “Don’t be a hero.” E-mail: halderfer@indiana.edu
(08/11/10 8:51pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Last summer, I spent three months interning for C-SPAN in our nation’s beautiful capital.My responsibilities included following around the camera crews as they set up their gear to film live events in the city. The vast majority of the lectures and presentations I attended were rather dry, to say the least.As a politics enthusiast, I cannot imagine how some of my friends would have handled a four-hour speech on tax policy.But of all the shoots I tagged along for, the most impressive speech I remember was one by Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., on the benefits of nuclear power. Go figure, right?Nuclear power is still largely ignored as a viable alternative to fossil fuels.I haven’t had too much experience in energy policy, but it seems from a superficial examination that nuclear power has many positive aspects, despite its rather negative reputation.Whether or not it is actually occurring, global warming has invigorated the search for greener energy sources.Nuclear power does not release any particulates or emissions, as the fission process is entirely self-contained.Nuclear power already generates about one-fifth of the nation’s power, and supporters claim it could provide much more as fossil fuel plants fall by the wayside.Public support of nuclear power is also at a record high of 62 percent, according to a Gallup poll conducted in March. BP, on the other hand, topped out at a whopping 16 percent approval rating.France generates three-quarters of its power from nuclear sources, and Russia, South Korea and Japan all plan to increase their nuclear power capabilities during coming years.Of course, detractors have made numerous arguments against expanding the United States’ nuclear power capabilities. Their most convincing arguments, however, aren’t environmental — or even political — in nature.As Anna Aurilio, of Environment America, said, “When time and money is of the essence in fighting (global warming), nuclear basically fails on both counts.”A new nuclear power plant can take more than a decade to build and can cost upwards of $6 billion. Environmentalists claim geothermal, wind and solar power sources are quicker to build and less costly to operate.However, there are many problems associated with these “green” energy sources that nuclear power avoids.Solar power can only be generated during daylight hours, wind power requires, well, wind and geothermal power is extremely temperamental.The days of Chernobyl and Three Mile Island are long gone. Even the world’s most famous idiot nuclear plant worker, Homer Simpson, has faded in the twilight of sitcom fame.Nuclear power is one of the most powerful technologies ever developed by man. Its various forms can either power a country or level a city.Fossil fuels cannot last forever. It might not be in our lifetime, but they will run out. We must avoid short-sighted fixes and build for our future.Our future lies in nuclear power.E-mail: halderfe@indiana.edu
(08/04/10 10:41pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>What do Maui Wowie, Acapulco Gold and Albino Rhino all have in common?The answer, surprisingly enough, goes beyond the fact they’re all strains of marijuana.They were all filed as trademarks by Colorado-based syndicate Panatella Brands.Over the past few years, public antagonism toward cannabis has largely subsided.Medical marijuana dispensaries are commonplace in states permissive of marijuana use, particularly California.In April, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office instituted a new trademark category: “Processed plant matter for medicinal purposes, namely medical marijuana.”The agency, a part of the Department of Commerce, posted the category on its website.In three months, the office received more than 250 marijuana-related claims.The so-called “green rush” in California has prompted many to attempt to legally capitalize on the estimated $14 billion-a-year black market.Undoubtedly, landing trademark protection for some of the common nicknames for pot could potentially bring in a hefty source of licensing revenue to whoever is lucky enough to acquire federal protection.The only problem with getting a federal trademark for marijuana lies in the fact that marijuana also happens to be illegal at the federal level.As such, the patent office has since rescinded the marijuana category and has yet to approve of a single marijuana-related claim.Some states allow the non-enforcement of marijuana laws, knowing the federal government can’t possibly enforce marijuana laws at the local level with any kind of efficiency.It can, however, deliver a harsh blow to state budgets.A study by the Rand Drug Policy Research Center estimated that California would save more than $300 million annually by not enforcing marijuana laws. However, California could lose an equivalent amount in federal funding if the state decides to completely circumvent the feds.Taxation of marijuana has been a popular justification for legalization as a means of offsetting the economic distress that has plagued the Golden State recently.The California Board of Equalization, which administers California’s alcohol and tobacco taxes, estimates the state could reap $1.4 billion in taxes if a now-stalled bill to legalize pot is passed by the state legislature.However, this figure fails to account for the possibility that if marijuana is decriminalized or legalized, the price of marijuana could fall drastically.The San Francisco Chronicle reports that “legalizing pot would drive down the price of high-grade marijuana from about $375 per ounce to as little as $38 per ounce.”Of course, this would decimate tax revenue from marijuana and might, along with the withdrawal of federal funding, ultimately offset any added economic advantages of legalization.I believe that if marijuana were ever to be legalized, tobacco companies would probably end up taking home the spoils of the marijuana war.They already possess core competencies in the production, distribution, marketing and financing of tobacco products — and I can’t see how Tommy Chong is going to compete with the financial prowess of R.J. Reynolds.E-mail: halderfe@indiana.edu
(08/01/10 11:57pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Now that the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act has been signed into law, the legislation will significantly reshape the playing field in America’s financial capital.President Obama said the bill will “protect consumers and lay the foundation for a stronger and safer financial system, one that is innovative, creative, competitive and far less prone to panic and collapse.”Despite Obama’s optimism, the legislation is still highly polarizing. Most Republicans and leaders in the banking sector claim the bill creates a bigger, more invasive government and that it will undercut the competitiveness of the U.S. economy, suppress growth and eliminate jobs at a time when unemployment is high.Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said, “The White House will call this a victory, but as credit tightens, regulations multiply and job creation slows even further as a result of this bill, they’ll have a hard time convincing the American people that this is a victory for them.”The midterm elections will be a challenging test of which party can best capitalize on a sour public mood and populist dissatisfaction with the economy.With the financial collapse and the BP fiasco, big business is highly unpopular.While the Democrats have control of Congress and the White House, Republicans are still considered the party of the dollar and as such will have a hard time fending off accusations of not caring about “Main Street America.”Historically, the first midterm elections of every presidency are costly, with the president’s party averaging a loss of 17 seats in the House.Democrats will have to market themselves as the party of the people to avoid the losses that have plagued incumbent parties in the past.E-mail: halderfe@indiana.edu
(07/28/10 10:00pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In 1997, IBM’s supercomputer “Deep Blue” battled against chess grandmaster and world champion Garry Kasparov in what was touted to be a true duel of man versus machine.Ultimately, the machine won.While chess is a complex game, it pales in comparison to the intricacies of crime fighting.However, 10 years later, it appears IBM has developed technology to overcome even the biggest conundrums of crime prediction.According to an IBM press release issued last week, Tennessee’s Memphis Police Department augmented its crime fighting techniques using what it called “IBM predictive analytics software.”The system, known as Criminal Reduction Utilizing Statistical History, or CRUSH, monitors and analyzes previously existing crime reports, offender profiles and intelligence seminars to predict potential crime hot spots in the city.CRUSH is startlingly complex. It uses data from such obscure sources as local weather reports to analyze where and how crimes-to-be will pop up.According to The Daily Telegraph, the analytics software reduced serious crime in Memphis by more than 30 percent, including a 15 percent reduction in violent crimes since 2006.MPD is now able to proactively allocate resources and deploy personnel, resulting in improved force effectiveness and increased public safety.While I am a huge proponent of enabling our law enforcement agencies to work to their maximum efficiency, I am frankly a little uneasy about the fact that technology reminiscent of the Tom Cruise film “Minority Report” is already in existence, let alone in use.We live in a nation where we abide by the basic legal premise that a person is innocent until proven guilty. This technology seems to provide an avenue for the circumvention of that principle.The possibility that the average American citizen can be flagged as a criminal-in-the-making because a computer program has calculated that they display “criminal-like” tendencies is frightening.The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Justice uses predictive analytics to predict which prisoners due for release are most likely to commit crimes based on their living accommodations, level of education, relationships, financial management, lifestyle, friends, emotional well-being and attitude.While improved police resource allocation is a legitimate benefit of the software, I firmly believe the possibility of a false positive resulting from the use of this technology is grounds for reconsideration — especially if it results from one’s choice of friends.“According to (IBM’s Head of Government Strategy Mark) Cleverley, the company is now refining the system to enable it to sample data from an even wider range of sources and process the results faster,” The Guardian reported.“At some point in the future we hope to include analysis of feeds from CCTV (closed-circuit television) cameras and public sources from the Internet, such as Facebook posts,” said Cleverley.This software represents the growing presence of the government in our everyday lives through technological advances. While CRUSH might seem innocuous now, only time will tell how beneficial it will eventually be.IBM has been involved in ostensibly society-improving technology development in the past. In the 1930s, IBM shipped hundreds of punch-card machines to Germany to conduct a highly advanced census.I assume everyone knows what that seemingly typical census resulted in.E-mail: halderfe@indiana.edu
(07/21/10 9:29pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It’s been more than five years since the sound and the fury of the “Numa Numa” guy was unleashed upon the world.Seven hundred million views and one T.I. rap adaptation later, Gary Brolsma, the man behind the infamous viral video, is regarded as one of the greatest Internet icons of all time.His absurdly passionate rendition of an obscure Romanian pop song will be remembered for years.Against all odds, one former NFL player and a major company seem to be close to topping even the “Numa Numa” guy.Thanks to an alliance between television advertisement agency Wieden+Kennedy, consumer goods manufacturer Procter & Gamble Co. and the outlandishly handsome Isaiah Mustafa, a new marketing campaign titled “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” has become an internet sensation — and a marketing godsend — for Old Spice.The original commercials, first aired this February, depicted Mustafa performing incredible acts of manliness such as procuring an oyster containing “two tickets to that thing you love” — which are subsequently converted into diamonds — while speaking to a presumably female audience.They also featured Mustafa riding a horse backward and performing a perfect swan dive off a waterfall into a Jacuzzi. Needless to say, the first commercial was an instant classic.The advertisement rightfully won the Grand Prix for film at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival and was recently nominated for a Primetime Emmy award for Outstanding Commercial.While the television spot won over the hearts of audiences — and particularly women — everywhere, the real genius appears in the wildly popular series of YouTube videos that have built on the commercial’s success.After the commercial’s initial success, Wieden+Kennedy had Mustafa respond to selected Twitter inquiries through hilarious 30-second YouTube clips.By targeting celebrities, bloggers and a few random people, Old Spice has created a brilliant marketing monster. As evidence, four of the 20 most popular YouTube videos from the past week are from this campaign.Perhaps the greatest victory for Wieden+Kennedy has been its success in marketing toward previously unreachable market segments. 4chan.org, the home of what are perhaps the most anarchistic, sadistic and bizarre communities on the Internet, has unexpectedly embraced its mention in the advertising campaign.Iain Tait, Wieden’s global interactive creative director, backed up this claim, stating, “To have managed to (incorporate 4chan) without them jumping on top of it and hating it — we’ve had more likes for the video that has gone out on 4chan than anything else.”While I don’t have access to the sales reports at P&G, I am sure the campaign has been a huge success in terms of brand recognition and loyalty for Old Spice.Mustafa has surreptitiously surpassed the timeless Budweiser frogs as my favorite ad character of all time. Without question, this is a monumental achievement.Tait summed up the success of the campaign quite eloquently.“We had this character who is not only loved by ladies, but equally loved by guys — a woman’s man that was okay for men to love,” he said. “And we realized there were no edges to where he could exist.”To that, I say: “Well played, sir. Well played.”E-mail: halderfe@indiana.edu
(07/14/10 11:01pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Though LeBron James is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier, he demonstrated quite the cavalier attitude during last week’s plugged coverage of his decision to join the Miami Heat.Of all the over-hyped television moments in recent history, none has disappointed as profoundly as ESPN’s coverage of the shenanigans. “The Decision,” as the program was so cleverly coined, lacked any of the historic importance or social gravity that ESPN was banking on. Instead, we witnessed an anticlimactic end to months upon months of speculation and debate about the future of the NBA.While there were numerous problems with the way the affair was handled, none stood out so much as the complete lack of sincerity from the star of the show himself.Though James proclaimed the hype surrounding his short-lived free agency period was “a real humbling experience,” I would hardly agree that James acted with anything short of unadulterated hubris.In the post-show interview with ESPN’s Mike Wilbon, James displayed narcissism in the highest degree by doing what any conceited athlete does: talking about himself in the third person.“I wanted to do what was best, you know, for LeBron James, what LeBron James was going to do to make him happy,” he said.When James finally came out with the spectacularly unmemorable “I’m going to take my talents to South Beach,” it seemed as though the whole ordeal had been one large, heavy-handed marketing ploy.Taking into consideration, among other things, the fact that Vitaminwater product placements and commercials were more plentiful during this charade than Adderall prescriptions during finals week, everything about the show gave off a vibe of phoniness.The trite, scripted rapport with interviewer Jim Gray seemed almost comical at times. Gray even went as far as to ask James about his fingernail-biting habits. It seemed as though everyone knew it was a half-baked idea — except LeBron himself.And what was with those Boys and Girls Club kids awkwardly sitting in the bleachers in the background? I can’t recall LeBron interacting with them even once.While James donated the proceeds of the show to the Boys and Girls Club of America, I’m not really sure what the true intentions of the ordeal were.In any case, it completely and utterly backfired — and it will surely be remembered.When Kobe Bryant, now a five-time NBA champion, re-signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on two occasions, there were no television specials.Nor were there any for three-time NFL champion Tom Brady when he re-signed with the New England Patriots.While LeBron James and his entourage might have engineered potentially the greatest trio, if not the greatest team, in NBA history, they irreparably damaged his reputation and credibility in the process.E-mail: halderfe@indiana.edu
(07/11/10 10:23pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Although President Obama has been plagued with foreign policy crises ranging from Israeli-Palestinian relations to Somali pirates, none have been quite as intriguing as the recent spy episode.Last Friday, in what seemed to be a scene straight out of a Cold War-era James Bond movie, the United States and Russia exchanged captive spies on an isolated tarmac in Vienna. Chuck Norris’ presence at the exchange has not been confirmed.The 10 Russian spies, including a real-life Bond girl, were arrested last month in Manhattan after a decade-long investigation for fear they would flee the country this summer.When Obama was briefed on the investigation in June, he faced a potential foreign relations nightmare in trying to stabilize relations with Russia while defusing an explosive situation.The swap emerged as a brilliant solution to a foreign policy dilemma. The Russians seemed to agree, as they offered one sleeper agent money and benefits to consider the deal.Russo-American relations have been fraught with controversy since World War II. Even though the Middle East has been our contemporary foreign policy focus, Russia has been and will continue to be of paramount importance to U.S. interests.Espionage in particular is a sensitive subject in foreign policy. Obama demonstrated great acuity by contacting Moscow and presenting Russian officials with the evidence immediately following the arrests.The Russians responded favorably by acknowledging the agents as Russian nationals and promising to prevent any retaliatory action taken against imprisoned American spies.While Obama has been questioned about his lack of foreign policy experience, I believe this incident has made it clear that he has the wisdom and diplomatic skill necessary to handle even the most volatile international incidents.E-mail: halderfe@indiana.edu
(07/07/10 10:34pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For as long as I can remember, my grandfather has asked me the same question over and over again.“Who’s your best friend?”It’s gotten to the point where it’s rhetorical, as there is only one right answer. That answer, of course, is Jesus.It seems to me that Jesus has a peculiar habit of popping up at all sorts of times — and not always in the vicinity of a church.Just recently, 26-year-old Zach Evans of the United Kingdom claimed to have seen Jesus’ face in a Hungarian pasture while using Google Maps. I also took a look at the satellite image and concluded the field’s geography does bear a striking resemblance to the face of a long-haired man.While Evans’ claim has generated a lot of interest on the Internet, it is hardly the first Jesus sighting in recent times. The 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, brought a renewed fascination with the famous Shroud of Turin.The Shroud is a linen cloth bearing the image of a man who appears to have suffered physical trauma in a manner consistent with crucifixion.In 2006, an Orlando couple claimed to have seen Christ on a pancake. They did what any good Christian would do and sold the flapjack on eBay.While I have no problem with people getting excited about finding evidence of their messiah in everyday life, I do dispute the apparent notion that every long-haired man portrait must be of Jesus.But back to the Google Maps Jesus. I noticed the man in question did look an awful lot like The Doors vocalist and rock ‘n’ roll messiah Jim Morrison. The pancake Jesus could very well have been Duane “Dog” Chapman, the star of A&E Network’s “Dog the Bounty Hunter.”I’m not here to bash religion in the slightest, but the level of religious fanaticism that leads people to believe they are actually finding Jesus in ridiculous things like breakfast foods is somewhat troubling.Coming from a family of diverse religious beliefs, I’m open to different ideas of connecting oneself to a higher being or deity.I’m also very open to entertaining the idea that we humans are merely an amalgamation of sustained chemical reactions that have preposterously continued against all odds.Either way, the most important lesson I have learned is to respect the beliefs of others. In my opinion, it matters less what you believe than that you actually believe it.The happiest people I know are the ones who are content with their existence in the world, regardless of what they believe.Many Christians, when debating some of the contradictions in the Bible, claim “God moves in mysterious ways.” However, while God may be one for subtlety, I highly doubt that means Yahweh will reveal his presence to the world in a Hungarian field.At the end of the day, the real winner is Google. After all, if God chooses to reveal itself to the world via Google Maps, I’m sure its stockholders will be praising the Lord all the way to the bank.E-mail: halderfe@indiana.edu
(06/28/10 12:51am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Do you remember the last time you read a novel, just for the sake of reading?If you’re like me, it’s probably been a while.We live in an age when knowledge is delivered in a matter of seconds through lightning-fast networks of information databases and mobile technology. We’ve become inclined to rely on our steady access to information for any inquiry, whether it’s an answer to a casual musing or the solution to some complex academic assignment.To be frank, our ability to access this wealth of information has made us lazy. The skills of good research have almost become a lost art, as students can now find almost any relevant academic text on their subject in a matter of minutes with just a few good keywords.Original content also seems to be on the decline. Because students have easier access to obscure scholarly works on a subject, they have an easier time lifting someone else’s ideas, passing off someone else’s hard work as their own ingenuity.This doesn’t just apply to academia, either. An entire subculture of recycling the art and expressions of past generations has developed from our generation’s lack of creativity, which stems from the age of instant information.Kanye West, one of our generation’s greatest musical artists, is widely known for sampling hooks, beats and lyrics from many other songs. His hit song “Champion,” from his 2007 album “Graduation,” was largely modeled after Steely Dan’s “Kid Charlemagne,” which came out about 30 years earlier.Gregg Gillis, who is more commonly referred to by his stage moniker Girl Talk, has launched an entire genre of music focused on the combination of older songs into new Frankenstein pop-dance techno party jams. While Gillis’s “music” has almost no original content, it is heralded as being some of the most creative of our generation.The willingness of our generation to readily accept credibility of artists such as West and Gillis is demonstrative of our willingness to accept the recycling of a previous generation’s art as our own.I am dismayed to think our generation could be remembered as the one that stole, cheated and connived its way to the top of the charts — and managed to convince itself all the way that what it was doing was legitimate and something to be proud of.However, it is unfair to say our generation is inherently unethical. We are merely products of our environment — an environment of instant gratification and unlimited resources at our fingertips.To combat our intellectual entropy, I’d like to make a modest proposal: Let’s start reading again.When I was a kid, my local libraries promoted a summer reading program. It encouraged kids to pick up books and start reading, for no other reason other than to enjoy the aesthetic pleasures of reading itself.Maybe if we just start reading and appreciating novels again, we can start fighting our intellectual slide toward laziness and stupidity. We can actually begin to start cherishing intellectualism and creativity, not just the cheap knock-offs to which we’ve become accustomed.That is, of course, if we don’t find the CliffsNotes online first.
(06/16/10 7:36pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Between hours of caffeinated cramming on stock options and futures contracts for my I-Core midterms, I’ve become quite the fan of renowned singer and alleged Canadian Alanis Morissette.I stumbled upon her song “Ironic” at Starbucks. It’s one of those songs you’ve probably heard before at your local free-trade coffee bistro or farmers’ market but never really paid enough attention to warrant adding it to your iTunes collection.The song is a mildly inspired commentary on the ironies of life, love and all things Canada. It’s actually kind of a downer, but 1996 was kind of a downer year, so I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt.Among the things Morissette finds ironic are classics such as “meeting the man of my dreams and then meeting his beautiful wife” and “ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife.”I believe Morissette was attempting a stab at situational irony, where there is a discrepancy between expected and actual events.For example, when John Hinckley attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan, all of his shots initially missed the president; however, a bullet ricocheted off the bullet-proof presidential limousine and struck Reagan in the chest. Thus, a vehicle made to protect the president from gunfire was partially responsible for his being shot. This is 100 percent weapons-grade irony and is not to be trifled with.Dramatic irony occurs when a spectator is given a piece of information of which a character is unaware, thus putting the spectator one step ahead of the character.A good example of dramatic irony is seen in “Romeo and Juliet,” when Romeo kills himself — believing Juliet to be dead — while in reality Juliet just got really stoned on OxyContin and took a nap.Verbal irony occurs when a speaker says one thing but means something else completely.For instance, when I wrote “I’ve become a big fan of Alanis Morissette,” I was employing a form of verbal irony, because, of course, I absolutely hate everything Alanis Morissette stands for.Having ten thousand spoons and needing a knife is unfortunate and stupid, not ironic. Meeting a man you fancy and finding out he’s married is not ironic either. Nor is it even exceptional; I believe it’s the entire plot of “Sex and the City” and quite possibly “Desperate Housewives.”One important thing to consider with irony is making sure you don’t go around debating with everyone about irony. No one likes that person. He or she usually doesn’t get invited to parties and more often than not ends up compounding the problem by becoming bitter and resentful toward the world — and thus, more likely to argue whether something is ironic or not.It’s acceptable to debate irony in the sanctity of one’s home, but for everyone’s sake, don’t go arguing about it in public.The last thing you would want to do is be that pretentious grammar Nazi who ends up writing a column about irony in the newspaper.E-mail: halderfe@indiana.edu
(06/09/10 10:55pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Oh, to be young and in the midst of a wet, hot American summer. The birds are chirping, the lawnmowers are roaring and Apple CEO Steve Jobs is dropping bombs on his fanboys.On Monday afternoon, Jobs debuted the iPhone 4.The updated device boasts plenty of new features, including one not-so-revolutionary application called FaceTime, which allows a user to video chat while making a phone call.Skype, a free service that has been around since 2003, does exactly the same thing. Thousands of high school sweethearts will cling to Skype as their last attempt to stay together this fall as they head to different universities. Spoiler alert: Jack and Rose had a better chance in “Titanic.”The most infuriating thing about the Apple presentation was the complete and utter lack of information regarding the purported re-engineering of the iPhone for Verizon Wireless.As a survivor of the horror that is Sprint Nextel, I have been nothing but pleased with the way Verizon carries its business.I have never experienced an unintentional dropped call, and I have never had a problem getting a phone issue resolved.Sadly, it appears Apple is still far away from joining the happy family that is the Verizon network.First of all, Verizon uses a CDMA network, which is incompatible with AT&T’s GSM network. Rumor has it that Verizon is unveiling a new 4G network by year’s end that will resolve the discrepancy, but that means the earliest possibility for a Verizon iPhone is either late 2011 or 2012.AT&T also still has a five-year exclusivity contract with Apple that will keep the iPhone safely in its hands for the time being.While Verizon’s 93 million wireless customers do present a big slice of revenue pie for Apple, it might be a little sour after Verizon’s latest marketing campaigns.Verizon is practically marrying Google, marketing two Google-based Android phones with mocking slogans such as “There’s a map for that” and “iDon’t, Droid Does.” There are even rumors of Google developing an “iPad Killer” tablet-based device to run on Verizon’s network.The truth is that Verizon doesn’t need Apple or its flashy hardware. Acquiring the rights to the iPhone isn’t necessarily smart business sense. Verizon already has a strong market presence in more conservative smartphones like the Blackberry.Besides, Verizon offers plenty of great devices that have practically the same features as the iPhone, most notably the HTC Droid.One of my close friends bought a Droid a few months ago and has become so enamored with it that I actually think he might elope to Mexico with it in a matter of weeks.It does everything from GPS navigation with Google Street View to scanning barcodes. Not that there’s much practical use for scanning barcodes, but who cares?So, Verizon loyalists: If you’re looking for an iPhone in the near future, don’t hold your breath. E-mail: halderfe@indiana.edu
(06/02/10 10:35pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The BP oil spill crisis is steadily becoming the defining moment of Barack Obama’s presidency.BP’s inability to get the situation under control and the federal government’s reluctance to “own” the crisis will surely result in long-term consequences for both the environment and Obama’s administration.New York Times columnist David Brooks’ Tuesday column on the matter brought up several interesting points regarding Obama’s presidency. While it appears the first 16 months have been marked by decisive political action, the oil plume problem is highlighting the administration’s ineffectiveness in matters of urgency.What troubles me the most is that the administration is reluctant to step in and take control in a matter that almost all Americans agree needs to be addressed. On the other hand, it has pursued issues such as health care and financial reform that deeply divide the nation.The fact of the matter is that people are tired of all the change going on in Washington. Obama and Congress have already spent incredible sums of money trying to turn the economy around and revitalize health care, so now they must deal with much smaller reserves.The Tea Party movement, for all of its far-fetched attributes, is the face of a growing dissent against the possibility of increasing taxes and spending to support partisan politics. People are afraid Obama will end up like Prince John of Robin Hood fame, taxing the country into a state of dejection.Of course, the likelihood that Obama will raise taxes or spending by a perilous amount is extremely low. And while the measures already enacted by Congress at his behest have been controversial, there is no doubt they will bring much-needed regulation and reform to the industries in question.The real issue at hand is how much regulation is necessary.Corporations and the government have a very strange relationship. While they both serve as opposing forces in terms of regulation, they also have the power to help the other financially. This is especially true in light of the recent Supreme Court ruling that struck down restrictions on corporations’ political speech, which translates into big bucks for campaign coffers.However, when left unchecked, corporations have no incentive to protect the environment or the welfare of their employees. These measures are generally more costly, both monetarily and in terms of opportunity. Without a market or government incentive to stop these harmful practices, firms will continue to pollute, suppress the rights of their workers and engage in hostile business tactics.The government must provide the right balance of regulation to ensure the well-being of the populace along with the well-being of the economy.If the government provides too much regulation, it will effectively smother a corporation’s ability to freely capitalize on opportunities.The electorate needs to wake up and decide right now what amount of regulation is necessary to avoid these disasters in the future.As Brooks so eloquently stated, “We should be able to have a grounded conversation based on principles 95 percent of Americans support. Yet that isn’t happening. So the period of stagnations begins.”E-mail: halderfe@indiana.edu
(05/26/10 9:48pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This summer is a personal milestone for two very significant reasons. To start with, it marks the first time I have ever lived in an apartment. Needless to say, independent living is quite an experience. I’ve figured out how to use almost every kitchen appliance at my disposal, including a steamer, which is a feat in itself.Moreover, this summer marks the 50th anniversary of the publication of Harper Lee’s sentimental classic “To Kill a Mockingbird.” I think “Mockingbird” is perhaps my favorite of all the novels I have read.It’s strange to think that just a half-century ago, America was plagued with overt racism and discrimination. Not that racism isn’t alive and kicking today — just look at the Arizona immigration laws. However, things were once much worse in this country for minorities, particularly blacks.Lee’s bildungsroman is often regarded as one of the definitive pieces about racial injustice, class and compassion. Although she was dealing with sobering issues such as rape and racism, Lee did a remarkable job of keeping the tone of her novel warm and witty.Perhaps the most significant aspect of the novel is the character of Atticus Finch, a lawyer in a small southern town whose family is ostracized when he defends a black man accused of raping a white woman. Whole books have been written about the magnitude of his character and what it means to American society.The legend of Atticus Finch is retold every year as a staple of high school curricula. While most teachers promulgate the literary aspects of the book, I believe it is the morality of Atticus Finch that is most valuable to students.Too often in public education is morality sacrificed in the name of equality. While I am a strong proponent of the separation of church and state, I do not believe that moral education is a mutually exclusive option.One of the chief weaknesses of our public schools is the lack of guidance for our students. My high school was one of the top academic schools in the state, but I rarely learned about how to be a good person in my time there.Of course, parenting is one of the largest sources of one’s moral education. However, not everyone is fortunate enough to have their parents invested in their education, let alone in their lives at all. It is these students who too often fall through the cracks of our educational system and end up failing to achieve their potential.It is works like “To Kill a Mockingbird” that provide the opportunity for our schools to teach morality within the limits set upon our public schools. While teaching academics in schools is already mastered in most regards, the teaching of morality has a lot of room for improvement. The compassion and courage exemplified by “Mockingbird” should be character traits aspired to by all.E-mail: halderfe@indiana.edu
(05/19/10 11:12pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This summer, one farm in Tennessee will transform into a mecca for psychedelic-minded college students, aging flower children and the trust fund brigade for the ninth annual Bonnaroo Music Festival.Bonnaroo is just one of many festivals now spreading feverishly across the nation. Events such as Austin City Limits, Coachella and Lollapalooza have become household names among music aficionados.As I perused some of the concert websites, I realized someone’s making a very large sum of money from all these festivals. Well, it turns out that someone is Ari Gold.When Woodstock rolled around in the late 1960s, it represented the high-water mark of America’s cultural revolution.It was the first instance of thousands of like-minded free spirits converging on one farm for a few days of peace, love, drugs and some music in between.The modern music festival has transformed from its bohemian beginnings into a monstrosity of marketing and entrepreneurial spirit.Almost every aspect of these music festivals is now carefully monitored and evaluated by keen businessmen trying to capitalize on the spirit of free love, which for the savvy entrepreneur can translate into big bucks.William Morris Endeavor Entertainment currently manages Lollapalooza, a music festival that takes place annually in Chicago. WME is one of the largest entertainment representation companies in Los Angeles and has a roster of stars that includes Russell Crowe, Clint Eastwood, Adam Sandler and Denzel Washington.Interestingly enough, Ari Emanuel, the CEO of WME, is the brother of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and the inspiration for the character of Ari Gold on the hit HBO television series “Entourage.”Some might find it ironic that such a massive corporate entity is operating a music festival featuring bands that rail against free-market capitalism and the other intrinsic values of corporate America.I have the feeling the real deal is a little more ironic. Most of these bands must be smart enough to know that if they want to capitalize on their talent, the easiest way to go is to sign with a corporate record label.There have been instances of acts bucking the trend and trailblazing their own path to success. Radiohead released its latest album, “In Rainbows,” through its website, where fans could name their price. The band sold more than 100,000 copies.While the Radiohead experiment proved successful, I highly doubt it would work for a start-up band with no fan loyalty or name recognition. For most, signing with a corporate label is the only viable option.This is why I see flaws in the mindset that “indie rock” is good and “corporate rock” is bad.Just because a band signs with a major record label does not lessen its musical ability or call into question its ethical beliefs.Music snobs call this “selling out.” I simply call it “being a rational person.”E-mail: halderfe@indiana.edu