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(02/28/01 3:52am)
Our new IU Student Association government was officially announced this week, with the winner being the Supernova party. Thankfully, our election didn't encounter the same problems the presidential election did in Florida, but then again, none of the candidate's brothers were in charge of the ballot counting.\nWhen thinking about our election, I think of the eternal question, "If a keg is tapped at a party and no one comes, is it really tapped?" Or maybe the question had something to do with a tree, I'm not sure. Anyway, if an election takes place on campus and no one really cares about it, did it really take place? I am sure the Supernova party is made up of really nice people and that it has plenty of grand ideas to implement on campus, but the fact remains that not many students care about the elections on campus. About 16 percent of the student body participated in the election, and I'm curious as to how many of that percentage was either a part of a party itself or friends of the parties running in the campaign.\nI'll admit, I knew relatively nothing about the election. My knowledge pertained only to knowing that all the tickets had interesting names and T-shirts (my favorite was the T-shirt that said, "IU needs a miracle"). The one party that I did like, the TOGA party, was eliminated from the election on some weird technicality that didn't make a lot of sense to me. I think they had some really good ideas -- my favorites being the beer tap on the sink and a Hooters restaurant in the Indiana Memorial Union. Once I found out the TOGA party was eliminated from the election, my desire to vote went right out the window.\nI think my apathy is well founded. I have been a student for almost three years here and I can honestly say I know of nothing that IUSA has done for me or my fellow students. So either this is just a real bad public relations job done by our student government or they are pretty useless.\nI heard some mumblings a year ago about putting up clocks in the classrooms here on campus or maybe doing something to eliminate sales tax on textbook sales, but I don't think either ever came about. I know the clock thing didn't because I never have any idea what time it is in any of my classes. Does it strike anyone else as odd that our school doesn't want us to know what time it is? But I digress.\nThe relative inactivity of student government doesn't end there. Back in high school, I don't really remember our student council doing much of anything either. Organizing a yearly food drive, sure, but it was a senior tradition, so that doesn't count. The elections were a big deal back then, too, with posters all over the place -- but no T-shirts or clever ticket names, which is a shame.\nIf anything, at least our elections aren't just a popularity contest. How can they be, when there are thousands of students here on campus? The tickets do a good job of telling us about all the things they aren't going to do, so maybe the vote can be done based on who has the best ideas. In that way it's like our national elections, politicians giving us a whole lot of empty promises.\nI know that I have ranted for a little bit here about IUSA and all, but I understand things might not be as simple as I might think. I'm sure our wonderful university probably doesn't do everything it can to help IUSA do what they want, or maybe their funds are somewhat limited. If there are these problems, why make promises that the candidates know they will not be able to fulfill?\nI think there are two different solutions to the general apathy of the student body toward IUSA. One, we can disband the student government because there is really no point to it; or two, the incoming Supernova party can get out there over the course of the next year and do something to make the students sit up and take notice. I have one year left, so I'll be watching and waiting, Supernova. Show me what you can do, before I lose all faith in government.
(02/22/01 3:59am)
Monday was a sad, sad day for music fans and college students across the United States. A federal appeals court in San Francisco ruled that Napster has to lock out all users who trade copies of copyrighted music for free. In other words, those of us who have been using the wonder of the Internet to download MP3s now have lost the biggest entity fighting for our right to rip off record companies.\nThe case is not necessarily over, because Napster plans to appeal the ruling and take any possible route to stay open. But for all intents and purposes, the days of free trading of music on Napster are coming to an end. \nI have never used Napster. I have always gone to other MP3 sites for my downloading pleasure, such as Scour (until that got shut down) and Spinfrenzy. And I'm sure there are plenty of other sites you or one of your friends use to download music, especially because our wonderful University has banned the use of Napster from its servers. I think Mark Cuban took them to task last semester for that, so I won't go there.\nThe true joy of these sites is the ability to download any song we want to listen to on our computer, or even burn onto a CD. I can't imagine how much money I have saved by not having to purchase some CD just because I liked one of the songs. \nAnd, while I don't know about all of you, I don't have lots of money to throw around. Most of my money goes toward beer, food and, well, beer. So, my CD purchases are few and far between, so they must be quality purchases. Downloading MP3s has saved me from purchasing the all too dreaded one-hit wonder CDs. \nIt's true MP3 exchange sites are not what one would necessarily call "legal," because the songs are copyrighted. The thing about it is, the free exchange doesn't hurt the bands nearly as much as the recording companies, which is why you see mostly record companies taking the Web sites to court. There are some artists -- Metallica, Dr. Dre and Eminem to name a few -- who are against the trading of MP3s, and that's fine. But there are plenty of artists out there -- Limp Bizkit and the Dave Matthews Band among them -- who think this is a great idea. \nI came up with a solution to this problem. I think sites such as Napster should ask the artists for permission to allow free trading of their songs. If the artist agrees, his or her songs can be traded online at no charge. If a band does not agree, its songs would be banned from the site.\nMP3s have too many good qualities to be wiped off the Internet. I know the ruling is not against all MP3s, simply the free trading of them, but I think the reason they are so popular is the fact that they are free. As I said, being saved from buying a bad CD is one of the advantages, but another is the publicity they can generate for a band. \nLocal bands in Bloomington can use free MP3 trading to generate a buzz and get their own music out to the audience for which they play. A few guys I know in one local band have put several of their songs in MP3 format on their Web site, and many people have downloaded them. This helps them build a bigger fan base. \nNapster is still trying to fight the ruling, but things are starting to look bad for it. And once it finally falls, should it happen, the record executives and Metallica will turn their attention to another Web site, such as Spinfrenzy or iMesh. Take advantage of these sites while you still can, and give the record company executives the bird one last time.
(02/13/01 3:57am)
Oh, my aching head. \nChances are I still might be a little hungover after the activities of the past weekend. So please be kind to me if you see me on campus today. You see, I turned 21 Sunday, and a few of my good friends took me out Saturday at midnight to show me a good time, encouraging me to drink early and often. We hit up the Bluebird and played a little Sink the Biz at Nick's, along with going to a few other places. You haven't lived until you have puked outside of Kilroy's, that's for sure.\nI'm still trying to work all of the liquids from that night out of my system. Being my 21st birthday, I took a moment to myself, away from all the drinking, to think about my life. I do that every year on my birthday. It gives me a chance to reflect on the past year, what I've done and with whom I've interacted, as well as think about the future and what it might hold.\nWhile I was reflecting, something occurred to me. I was thinking about my future, and I have absolutely no idea where I want to go with my life. Some might find this thought scary, but I am actually happy. And this paragraph has summed up how college has affected my life.\nTo understand what I mean, I need to give you a little background. When I was a freshman, I had a plan for my life. I believed I would meet the girl I wanted to spend the rest of my life with and marry her shortly after college. I also thought I would be a sports reporter, going back home to cover my beloved Cubs for the Chicago Tribune. I was planning to live in Chicago with my wife until we were about 30, when we would move to the suburbs and start having kids.\nI know, it's kind of sad that I had my whole life planned like this, but I was naive and idealistic, so give me the benefit of the doubt. \nA funny thing happened on the way from then to now. I experienced life in college. The college experience has truly changed my outlook on the world and has been a shock to me. I lived in a nice upper-middle-class Chicago suburb and had a nice life, and this gave me the impression life was simple and things always work out as you want them to. These two-and-a-half years have shattered that illusion, and I'm happy about it.\nI realize life does not always go as you want it to, and everyone will encounter hardships along the way. While I admit the hardships I have faced in my 21 years are not as difficult as those others have experienced, it has not always been smooth sailing. That perfect picture of my life I had established was just a fantasy. The classes and experiences of my college career have opened my eyes to numerous career possibilities, and I'm not sure which road I will choose to go down. I also have no idea who will be the woman of my dreams that I will marry, or even if I will meet her.\nBut these thoughts don't bother me.\nDon't worry about what will happen in your future. You can't plan your life out at 18 and have everything go according to plan. Life doesn't work that way, and if you stick to one set of ideas, you are going to miss out on a new world that exists out there. I'm now living my life in the moment, enjoying whatever might be happening and not worrying about what I will do five years down the road.
(02/08/01 3:33am)
I've had it.\nI have finally had the last straw. I'm done with it all. I am done trying to figure out women. \nThis is not to say I'm done with women, just done trying to figure them out. Women are harder to figure out than this year's basketball team.\n I hardly feel my situation is unique. While I admit I have my problems with the opposite sex (that's right ladies, I'm available. And I'm cuter than my mug shot, too), I have come across few men who have had greater success than I. For whatever reason, women and men don't communicate well.\nLet me rephrase that. Women don't communicate with men well. Men are easy to figure out. Our needs are few; Sports. Food. Beer. Sex. So when I hear a woman talk about how she doesn't know what a man wants, I come to one of two conclusions: \nOne, the man just got out of a relationship, thus having all of his basic needs thrown off by the ex-girlfriend. \nTwo, the girl in question is dumb.\nThe stories of men being confused are numerous. I've had friends who talk about their exes claiming to still be crazy about them, but who don't want to get back together. My dad confesses sometimes he doesn't know what my mom is getting at when she talks to him. My parents have been happily married for 25 years. If 25 years of marriage doesn't clue a guy in to the psyche of the female mind, how can a guy my age hope to compete?\nI have a proposition to make. In fact, if this works at all, it will be heralded from sea to shining sea, and I might even win a Nobel Peace Prize. \nWomen of the world, specifically this University, I want you to turn over a new leaf. Don't dance around an issue if it comes up; just come out and tell a guy what you're thinking.\nLook at the up side of this equation. If the guy knows what is going on in your head, you won't have to worry about him being timid or unsure of what to do in fear of aggravating you. If there is a guy who you don't like, think about all the annoying phone calls you could avoid before he finally gets it through his head that you're not interested. With some guys, that can take a while.\nGuys, we have to do something, too. It would be unfair to place all the blame on the women. We should all try to do more listening. It's a lot of work and can detract from watching the Hoosiers play Purdue (and if a girl wants to have a serious conversation during an IU-Purdue basketball game, that might be grounds for dumping anyway), but it will help in the long run. Heck, if the girl wants to tell you what is going on in her head, you might as well listen. Think of all the time we will save trying to think about what to do with a girl. We can then use this time to watch more sports or play more PlayStation 2.\nThere, I've thrown out my idea. If it works, this campus will be a better place, and we can only hope to see numerous couples walking happily hand in hand on their way through the Arboretum. If it doesn't work, what do we lose? A little more space taken up on the opinion page? Oh well. \nAnyway, I figure we columnists need to take advantage of our positions every once in a while to enact some change. Don't worry, though I won't make this a habit.
(02/02/01 3:58am)
I like quoting movies. Heck, I like quoting entertainment in general. I figure if I can rely on the funny quotes others have said on screen, then I can keep the amount of thinking I need to do to a minimum. I think the last original funny thing I said was this summer, and that might be it for my college career.\nI was perusing the Internet the other day when I came across a story that jogged a memory of a quote from the Mel Brooks movie "Spaceballs." (Brooks is a comedic genius in his own right...if only I had his smarts.)The Rick Moranis character, Dark Helmet, says late in the movie, "So Lone Starr, now you see that evil will always triumph, because good is dumb." But there is one change I would like to make to the quote:\nPeople are dumb.\nThere are numerous examples of this every day on campus. The person leaving their cell phone on in class, someone spilling their drink on themselves at Burger King and a freshman taking a 9 a.m. class in Swain West are just a few. But a story I found on the Internet goes leaps and bounds beyond anything seen on campus.\nOn Jan. 26, a teenager in Connecticut attempted to copy a stunt he saw performed on MTV's "Jackass." The star of the show, Johnny Knoxville, had steaks tied to his body and had his friends set him on fire to barbecue the meat. The teenager got his friends to help him do the same thing. Unfortunately for this young boy, he forgot one important thing: the flame-retardant suit Knoxville wore. Whoops.\nI did not see the actual stunt performed on the MTV show. In fact, I have only watched it one or two times. One of my friends from home made me watch it during winter break -- he told me it was the funniest thing ever. Of course, he derives extreme pleasure from watching others hurt themselves. While I also enjoy the ol' laugh-at-the-guy-getting-hit-in-the-nuts joke, I thought this show went a little far.\nImagine teenage boys given video cameras and money to perform all the stupid tricks they find funny. That is the premise of "Jackass," near as I can tell.\nThe thing that I don't get, which goes back to my belief that people are stupid, is how this kid thought having his friends light him on fire was a good idea. I can only imagine the thought process going through this kid's head in the morning:\n"What do I want to do today? I could probably go for a steak dinner. I think getting lit on fire is also a good idea. Maybe I could do a two-for-one."\nThis incident reminds me of other famous times in history where the human race has happily displayed their stupidity for all to see. A couple years ago, an adolescence thought it would be a good idea to set his house on fire because he saw Beavis and Butthead light something on fire on television. (Hmm, another case with MTV, eh? That's some bad luck.)\nThroughout history, man has proven himself to be a stupid, stupid creature. The worst part about this whole "Jackass" accident is that MTV might be sued because of what happened. Did MTV light the match the kids used to set their friend on fire? Of course not. Are they the ones who will get punished? Of course they will. They set the example.\nIt's true TV does influence the way people act, especially in this country. These days, everyone seems to overlook two important points that have gotten me through life relatively unharmed for almost 21 years. People need to have the common sense not to light themselves on fire or do other stupid stunts. But we also need to start holding the parents of the kids doing these stupid things accountable for their child's actions. Do your job and show these kids what is right and wrong, what is good and bad, and what is downright stupid.\nThe first time I heard someone say he did something because he saw it on TV, it went down as the stupidest thing I have ever heard. I have yet to come across a more stupid comment. But, knowing the human race, I'm sure it will come up with something new for me pretty soon. Probably about the time I think of something funny and original again.
(01/30/01 4:03am)
Most married couples have dreams that accompany a happy life together. One is to grow old together, loving each other more and more each day. Another, but no less important, is to raise children to carry on the family legacy and to make the world a better place. This dream of children now has two couples engaged in a legal battle that will probably scar all parties involved.\nRichard and Vickie Allen, a California couple, adopted twin girls from Caring Heart Adoption, a San Diego-based Internet site. The Allens paid $6,000 to adopt them.\nAlan and Judith Kilshaw had the same idea. The Kilshaws, from North Wales in Great Britain, paid as much as $23,000 to get the girls to England from the same Web site.\nThe Internet is the place for all your shopping needs. Clothing, food and even babies.\nThe Allens apparently had the girls for about two months before they were "duped" into giving the babies back to the agency, when the Kilshaws received them. The Allens didn't think too highly of this and took the Kilshaws to court for custody of the babies. The case went to court in Arkansas, where the actual birth mother, Trenda Wecker, was a supposed resident. The judge in Arkansas ruled for the Kilshaws, and they received young Belinda and Kimberly.\nWhat has come to light recently is that Wecker might not even have been a resident of Arkansas. To be considered a resident, she needed to live in Arkansas for 30 days before the adoption hearing, which was not the case. So the Allens are arguing the Arkansas courts were out of their jurisdiction when the case was decided. \nTo make this case even more fun, Wecker said she now wants to retain custody of her children. Apparently, things are different for her now.\nI understand that sometimes babies are put up for adoption under trying circumstances. But this seems suspicious to me -- now, after the fight for her children, she has friends and family who can help her take care of the babies. Where were these friends and family before?\nWe are living in the digital age, the wireless age or whatever you might want to call it. But it is time we realize there are things that don't belong online. \nThese are live human beings, not just something you can buy and ship back if it doesn't fit right.\nAdoption is a good thing, because every child has a right to parents who will care for them and love them. And these days, fewer activities take place face to face. \nGet off the Internet and realize that people are good. \nIf you are deciding who will be the parents of a child, please do it in person. While this case involves two harmless couples, there could well be a murderer lurking on those adoption pages. And that is a story no one wants to read, ever.
(01/22/01 3:55am)
Did you know one of Newton's laws of motion states force equals weight times speed?\nOr how about that the equator passes through the southern United States?\nI know what you are thinking, "stupid journalism major," but this is not the case. The above examples are just some of the errors found in the textbooks being used by students in this country. \nI mean, come on, everyone knows the equator passes through the northern part of the United States.\nA study performed by John Hubisz, a North Carolina State University physics professor, revealed 500 pages of errors in the 12 most popular science books used in middle schools throughout the United States.\nI don't find science all that exciting, and I don't like taking science classes, either. I think Adam Sandler put it best when he said "chlorophyll, more like BORE-ophyll." But I think the books should at least be correct. What does it say about our country when the people in charge of writing our textbooks can't get it right? Next thing you know, I'll be finding out "computer" is a verb and that Great Britain won the Revolutionary War.\nPrentice Hall, publisher of one of the 12 books reviewed in the study, said they are aware the errors exist, but claim the last-minute changes to state standards result in these errors.\n"We may have to change a photograph because of a new content objection, and the caption isn't changed with the photograph," Wendy Spiegel, a spokeswoman for Prentice Hall's parent company, Pearson Education, told the Charlotte Observer. "But we believe we have the best practices to ensure accuracy."\nAren't the errors noticed before the book is used in class? One would think so. As a teacher, I know I would want to review the material I was going to have my students read before they read it. But Hubisz said he believes the errors are not caught because few of the teachers have enough physical science training to even recognize the errors when they teach them.\nComforting thought that the people teaching the youth of America aren't even trained well enough for the job, huh?\nHubisz said to correct the problem, publishers need to get "real authors" for the textbooks.\n"They get people to check for political correctness. They try to get in as much cultural diversity as possible," he told the Observer. "They just don't seem to understand what science is about."\nOur country has come to the point of caring more about a science book being politically correct than scientifically correct. \nPersonally, while I am all about cultural diversity, I think our country needs to lighten up a little and not worry about whose toes they might step on. But now is not the time for that discussion.\nHopefully, with President George W. Bush in office, he will put education spending at the top of his list. This would be an alternative to spending too much money on defense or destroying natural resources for big business. Perhaps then we will have teachers who realize errors in information that they are teaching students. Maybe then the authors of the textbooks will also know the right thing to say and not be more concerned about being politically correct instead of the number of protons in uranium. I know, I know, it's a novel idea, but a guy can hope, can't he?\nThat way, when I'm helping my child with his chemistry homework at night, I can open the book to prove that water is made up of two hydrogen atoms and one carbon atom, just like I learned in middle school.\nWhat's that? Water is made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom? Hmm, where can I sign up for Chemistry 101?