Kudos

I continue to be impressed with the technological advances our society makes each day. In an article release be the Associate Press ("Patch may one day let you skip the needle", CNN.com 11/7/06) an innovation is on the way that may be able to replace painful vaccination shots with a patch. Whether or not this technology will ever be accepted and widely used is debatable, but the impacts it could make on society are certainly not. I am grateful myself for the innovation as it will possibly allow be to circumvent needles in my future, but I am most grateful for the countless lives this may save. This technology allows vaccinations to be shipped world wide, without the dangers of needing a syringe or the need for refrigeration. The impact this could have on the health of developing countries is immeasurable. It will take time before the innovation is available for widespread use, but those responsible (and others making similar innovations) should be commended.

Where is the respect?

I am disappointed with the Daily Iowan's sports coverage on Monday November 6. I can understand that the headline must go to the upset of Iowa football at the hands of Northwestern, but do we really need four front page football articles, and how does the Field Hockey team making an incredible run through the Big Ten Tournament to become Big Ten Tournament Champions not get the front page? It is shameful that this campus focuses so much attention on football, and other sports loose out on the attention they so deserve. I want to wish the Field Hockey team luck as they head off to Winston-Salem, N.C. for the opening rounds of the NCAA Championship. I only hope that if they return to Iowa City with good news that its not buried in the back pages behind more football disappointments.

Stay Active

Now that the flurry that was the 2006 mid-term elections are over, I urge people not to put the issues that were central to the election (and even those that weren't) to the back burner. We need to stay in the game and be sure that those elected stick by the issues they committed to. Even if the person you voted for didn't get elected, its up to you to make sure that the candidate that was elected understands that you are a constituent too, and your voice counts the same as everyone else. Let's be sure we hold all those elected accountable for their actions, and be sure that they understand how we feel before they make decisions.

IF YOU DON'T VOTE, YOU CAN'T COMPLAIN

I thoroughly enjoyed this sign of a neighbor's, because it really is that simple; I don't want to hear any nagging from the folks who don't get out to the polls. Excuses that it doesn't really matter to you don't cut it, because there is at least one issue in this debate that everyone can relate to. It shouldn't take a wrong against you or your family for you to decide its time to vote. Voting is not only a right but, more importantly, its a responsibility. Use it wisely.

Think Before You Speak

It's unfortunate that the majority of the public likely agrees with the letter written in reference to the landscaping along Fleur Drive ("A weed by any other name....", DM Register 11/06/06). Unfortunate because those responsible for that landscaping should be commended not criticized, because their efforts are making this a cleaner Iowa. A well maintain natural landscape helps water absorb down to the water table where it belongs rather than allowing surface runoff or point loading like in storm sewers. True, most farmers see some of the intrusive species of prairie grasses to be a nuisance, but that probably comes from that fact that the prairie grasses are native to the area and adapt well, were the corn, soybeans, and other row crops are definitely not native. The letter also refers to the long root system in negative light, which is also unfortunate, because it is those long roots that help absorb more water. All in all the letter is so far off base and far fetched it upsets me deeply. Not only should the area not be mowed, it should be replicated throughout the Des Moines area and Iowa. Bioswales (roadside natural plantings) are a perfect way to replace the age-old curb and gutter system, and provide Iowa with an extremly cost effective way to clean its waters.

For more information feel free to email me or visit:
Conservation Design Forum, Inc.
Building Green

Emma Goldman Commercials

It appears as though some reporters don't do all the research necessary when writing thier pieces for The Daily Iowan these days. Andrea Waterfield reported that new commercials for the Emma Gold Clinic have reseived both positive and negative feedback ("'Emma' ads draw praise, fire", Daily Iowan 10/17/06). However, it appears that she does not understand that after 10 PM, when the new commercials will air on cable channels, Cartoon Network follows programming they call "Adult Swim", which has programs specifically for an adult audience (widely popular among college students) and even carries a disclaimer before programming begins that it is for adults. If she were aware of this fact she might never have received the quotes from UI graduate student Anita Jayachandran and campus director for the Campus Crusade for Christ Chip Martenson. Both allege that it is inappropriate for these types of commercials to play on Cartoon Network. It is obvious that these two were unaware of the fact that Cartoon Network plays adult programming during the airtime for the commercials; thus, either Waterfield was unaware of that fact and did not inform them, or simply did not inform them. Regardless, all those who think that the commercials will be viewed by children simply because they air on Cartoon Network are completely misinformed.

Wisconsin well within its rights

I don't feel sorry for Waukee in the least that they will have to pay thousands of dollars to create a new logo and rid themselves of the one they more or less stole from Wisconsin ("Wisconsin yelps; Waukee agrees to remove its flying W", DM Register 10/17/06). It appears that people don't realize that this is a national trend in high schools. In stead of allowing students the chance to be creative and have a say in their school's logo, school officials often very slightly alter a collegiate logo and call it good. This is, of course, cheaper and takes less time than actually being original. Ames High School and Iowa City City High School couldn't be more blatant examples, simply adding little to the mascot of the local university. Davenport Assumption uses the Atlanta Braves "A" hat for baseball, Urbandale J-Hawks are awful close to the Kansas Jayhawks, Cedar Rapids Kennedy Cougars stole the Kansas State Cougars logo, and these are just off the top of my head. I am sure that before the letter came in school officials were simply looking at how to slightly alter the Michigan State Spartan logo to use for their new mascot (spartan warriors). This issue isn't about the universities being money hungry, its about high school officials and directors being uncreative and unoriginal. Had they been a little innovative when creating the W in the first place, they could have avoided this whole mess to start with.

Schools Are Safe

Why is it that when rare instances of tragedy arise, people what to make sweeping changes, that will likely not deter the events from happening again? The freak “storm” of school shootings throughout the country in the past several weeks is no doubt tragic, confusing, disheartening, and an eye opener; yet it seems as though the public reaction takes the events as though the are a common occurrence nationwide. Of course, there are isolated events each year, but on the whole, this is not something that happens all the time, and thus society does not need to drastically change scholastic security as though it does. This by no means indicates that I hope that school officials ignore the events of the past weeks, or that security is schools is not important, yet security is most schools is exactly where it needs to be. I agree with the DM Register Editorial Boards’ stance against the proposed legislation in Wisconsin (“Arm teachers? Think again”, DM Register 10/6/06). Allowing teachers to carry guns is simply asking for trouble. No one can argue that many junior high and high school students are easily of apt strength to wrestle a gun away from their teacher if they truly wanted to. Having guns in schools is like having them in courtrooms, why put them where they simply aren’t needed. Have trust in your school officials that they are doing everything in their power to keep children safe. After all, school officials have more important tasks to tend to: teaching.

Nation of Hypocrites

I can’t help but wonder if Maureen Ogle’s new book (“Iowan’s book taps barrel of beer facts”, DM Register 10/3/06) about beer will chronicle the hypocrisy with which the culture of the US treats alcohol. Parents are embarrassed, feel guilty, and/or are general angry when their children are caught in possession of alcohol as minors, yet most seem to think in the end that its ok, turn their backs, and let the behavior continue. Culture loves to put on a front that we are against drinking while underage, yet when it comes down to it, the behavior is still glorified in movies and on television, and most parents dismiss the behavior as a “phase” in life. This attitude society has developed has lead to one of the most dangerous generation of drinkers: a recent study found that 70% of the students at the University of Iowa could be classified as binge drinkers, and I am sure the number is quite high at Iowa’s other college’s and universities. Even if the behavior is merely a “phase” and changes in later years, binge drinking (and drinking at a young age in general) have well documented detrimental effects to the body for the rest of a person’s life. If we as a society truly want to stop underage drinking (and it could easily be done with a little effort), we need to do something about it. Otherwise, we need to quit faking like we care.

Look A Little Harder

I am perplexed as to exactly what Mr. Wickman wants to be improved in his letter ("Unsafe at any speed", DM Register 10/3/06). He wonders why there is “no improvement for the on-ramp to I-80 east from I-35 north.” First I am going to assume that he means I-235 northbound to I-80 eastbound, given that the I-35 southbound to I-80 eastbound clover leaf has plenty of visibility. However if he would pay more attention when he travels he would discover that the I-235 northbound on-ramp to I-80 eastbound does not need to merge, it expands traffic from 2 lanes to three, thus visibility does not have to be at its greatest. Pay more attention before you criticize the DOT for the already difficult tasks they have to perform.

Carbon Tax Can Be Reality

There is a better idea out there than maintaining gas prices at $3/gallon (“Boost price of gas back to $3 a gallon”, DM Register 10/3/06). The basis of the argument is that it appeared as though this was the apex at which people decided to find alternative means of transportation. The first fault is that you shouldn’t set gas at that level; it should be above that level. Our dependence upon oil is not the central issue here either; it’s the damage that CO₂ does to our environment. Luckily a solution exists that will help remediate both of those problems. Sweden has implemented what is called a Carbon tax, placing a $100 per ton tax on oil, coal, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, petrol, and aviation fuel used in domestic travel. This may not be the exact solution to the US’s dilemma; however it could easily be replicated. A tax should be instated that drastically increases the price of gas, like about $5, (Sweden’s was at $5.80 in March). The offset is to do away with income tax. This puts more money in people’s pocket, and hopefully forces them to make more environmentally friendly decisions about where they spend it. The billions generated can go back into funding the creation of energy/fuel efficient public transportation, and energy research. Society has been making a huge mistake for nearly 100 years, and its time to do something about it.

Pierce Out of Jail

WARNING TO NBA: Pierre Pierce is out of jail and looking for a way into "the league". Although some of your teams apparently see some kind of upper-level "talent" in Pierre Pierce it would be wise to divert your attention elsewhere. He has proven that if given a second chance, he can blow that one too. As a University of Iowa student and Iowa Hawkeye Basketball fan I saw the best and worst out of Pierce. Sadly, at best he is a ball-hog who dribbles too much and finds himself with nowhere to go once under the hoop. At worst, he is registered on the Iowa Sex Offender Registry with multiple convictions under his belt. I attempted to give Pierce the benefit of the doubt in the past. I tried to defend his play when he continually made horrible decisions on the court. I tried to consider the fact he was possibly the victim of a girl "crying wolf" for attention during his first run in with the law. Hindsight is twenty-twenty and I now know that I gave Pierce far too much benefit of the doubt. Hawkeyes Basketball Head Coach Steve Alford made the same mistakes in judgement with Pierce and must now deal with a stain upon is national reputation for years to come. If you are considering bringing Pierre Pierce to your team, don't. He will only ruin the reputation of your club the way he has with Iowa Basketball. Maybe people can change, but it appears Pierce can't.

E-Tickets

Note: This posting was published in the Des Moines Register Opinion Section.

It appears as though the only people that will be affected by the new e-tickets at The University of Iowa ("U of I curbs football ticket transfers", DM Register 9/30/06) will be drunken students. As a student and avid sports fan I don’t comprehend the concept of going to only three games because of being to drunk to attend the rest as Jansen stated. I agree that the new system has its flaws, but if you don’t really want to go to the games, don’t buy tickets, it’s that simple. The university has the right to sell tickets in a matter that ensures that all tickets sold will actually be used by someone. If Iowa was merely interested in the financial aspect of selling tickets, they would not have made the new stipulations, because as it was tickets were sold, but often the ticket holder simply never showed up to the game. This new process will make it difficult for someone who makes a last minute decision to go (or not to go) to the game, but that’s life, put down your beer and get to the game.

A Divided Heaven

Kevin Costner will be back in Dyersville, Iowa for the first time since shooting the film “Field of Dreams” ("Costner returns to Dyersville", DM Register 9/2/06) on August 11th. If I had to guess as to the reason he’s been absent I would have to point the finger and the property owners and the mess that they have created. What many people don’t know is that the field is divided. One group of people own left and center field; another group owns right field and the infield. The families got along fine during filming, but as the movie predicted “build it and they will come”. As the visitors started appearing the differing property owners saw their own dollars rolling in. There are now two separate driveways, bathrooms, concessions, and souvenir booths. What many people, including myself, consider to be sacred ground, is being ruined by greed. My only hope is that Kevin Costner’s appearance will shed light on someone’s eyes that this isn’t the way it should be.

The Whole Picture

Note: This blog was published in the Opinions Section of the Daily Iowan on June 12th, 2006

I hope that the Daily Iowan doesn't truly agree with the guest opinion taken from the Washington Post that was printed in Thursday's paper ("Katrina's Unlearned Lessons", Washington Post 6/7/06). Who ever authored that editorial decided to only look at a few facts out of thousands of pages of findings since the tragedies in the gulf coast. For some reason the authors want to pin all the blame on the Corps of Engineers, simply because they admitted fault. It is true that several of the most severe breaches were not caused by overtopping like the Corp originally thought, but by failure in structural integrity. But to blame that all on the Corp would be a gross misunderstanding of the big picture. On numerous occasions the Corps has attempted to get funding that would improve the strength of the canals and floodwalls in and around New Orleans, but when they did not receive as much as need (which has happened time and time again) the walls were simply made taller; not exactly improving upon strength. Before I would blame the Corps of Engineers I would blame the authors of the editorial, they are just has resposible for what happened in the Gulf Coast. Their opinions cleary show that the are a part of the taxpayers that have continually shot down efforts to restructure, redesign, and fortify the systems that help protect those areas, simply because the price tag was too large. How about now? Now that millions have been forced from their homes, now that towns have been washed off the map? There are things that must be learned from this experience that need to be applied to what we do in the future. Continuing to blame one party, or questioning their involvement, as we move further helps no one.

Take the blame, on two, ready...break

The recent public outcry about the $50,000 temporary exit has once again proven that the DOT is the offensive lineman on the football team of today’s society. The celebrities play quarterback, wide receiver, and running back; getting far more credit than deserved. The local police play linebacker, putting people in there place and letting them know about it. The government as a whole plays the coordinators, quietly orchestrating everything in attempt to just not get blamed. But the DOT does all that things they are expected to do, only being noted when they make an error in the publics eye; no credit, all blame. I look forward to my life as a civil engineer, eventually maybe with the DOT, receiving no credit when I do all the right things, and getting harassed if I fail at one thing.

Take a Good Look Around

We as a state need to take a look around and be aware that many of “our” problems affect so many more people than just those residing in this sate. The reports recently published have noted how filthy some of Iowa’s waters are. Yet, most people seem to forget that these waters flow through parts of Nebraska, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, and many others. I could look up figures that show just how many people are in the end affected by our dirty waters, but that number doesn’t matter, what matters is the generations that follow. Its time that we become accountable for what we put in the water, because farmers in rural Iowa affect the inner city of New Orleans more that they know.

Note: This blog was posted online for the Des Moines Register Young Adult Board of Contributors May 4th, 2006

Now or Never

It seams as though the general public, the Daily Iowan (Not so wise to trust ethanol - 5/27/2006), and most politicians are all in consensus with the issue of renewable fuels: “Well that solution is just going to cost too much money, let’s wait till something better comes around.” This philosophy is the reason we have the problems in our world today. For the most part our parents and grandparents did their part to do nothing at all or only fix the immediate environmental impacts of everyday life. If we wait around for the technology to get better, we may dig a hole so deep we may never get out. This is a simple problem. The auto industry says they want ethanol to be more readily available before they will produce a greater number of flex-fuel vehicles. The fuel industry says it wants to see more flex-fuel cars on the market before it commits to ethanol. Both sides need to swallow their pride and take the hit to their pockets for the good of everyone. E-85 is no where near the solution to our pollution and oil dependence problems, but it’s a great step in the right direction. We as a population may suffer some costs as well in buying new flex-fuel vehicles that will in turn cost us more over time at the pump because of reduced mileage. Wake up people, if we live our life pinching every penny, our children and grandchildren are going to have some serious problems to deal with. I’m frankly disappointed with the Daily Iowan that it would take such a conservative stance to sit around and see what happens. Even if ethanol isn’t the answer, we need to push to find other RENEWABLE sources, and I would have thought the Daily Iowan could have been a little more positive; calling for the students of the University of Iowa, especially those in the College of Engineering and Biochemical Majors, to step forward and take on the challenge of solving this important problem. There is no time to wait around for what comes next, the time to act is now. Maybe ethanol is not what we need to act upon, but we need to try something…now.

Note: This blog was published in the Daily Iowan Letters to the Editor, May 1st, 2006.

Onlookers

I find it sad that David Morris has come to calling people “total assholes” for their bewilderment of what has happened to Iowa City. I can attest to being one of the people who walked the neighborhood around the Alpha Chi Omega house the day after the storm. I left my current apartment in Coralville to see the damage around my old apartment, simply because I can’t sit inside my place until the officials have given the all clear, that’s completely unnatural. I had to go see, and for my I had to see if there was any way I could help. I don’t think that Mr. Morris understands that, for those who didn’t go through the storms directly and have their homes destroyed, once to come upon the scene, you are in a completely different world. I guarantee that if you would have asked the couple staging the picture to help, they would have offered their help, yet you chose to sit back and whine about it later. Being one of the so called “gawkers”, you don’t know how to help once to see that. I was asked to help, and I pitched in no questions asked, and I am very glad I did. If Mr. Morris still needs help with any clean up projects my time and effort are willing and able. I have space at my apartment for any one you has been displaced. If Mr. Morris, Anomie House, or any one else needs help, please let me know, I would love to volunteer my time.

Note: This blog was published in the Daily Iowa Letters to the Editor on Wedensday, April 19th, 2006

Aftermath

As I met up with friends in Iowa City to survey the damage after last Thursday’s horrific storms I was overwhelmed with the surrealistic environment. Trees had been thrown like twigs; one house is perfectly in tact, while its neighbor is demolished. We walked near my old apartment to the Alpha Chi Omega house to see the damage first hand. Many citizens that had their homes ravaged by the storm have expressed that they were offended by the droves of people that simply gawked. I can admit to being one of those gawkers, but I would like to point out that I could not just sit with my hands tied on the other side of town and wait for the all-clear from officials. That’s unnatural for any human to stay inside after these kind of events, we all want to get out and see, and most want to help. Yet, when arriving at the scene there are no words to describe the feeling you get as you view the destruction and have no idea what to do next. Most people want to help but don’t know how. If residents wanted help, they should have asked. Fortunately for myself, I was asked to help and I am glad that I was able to pitch in, but there is still a lot to, and I wish I could help more. I can’t afford to donate money to the Red Cross (just like a great majority of my fellow students), and I don’t have any spare toiletries to spare, all I have is my time and effort, and I don’t know how to donate that. There may be ways out there for me to do that, but they haven’t been apparent, thus if they do exist the public needs to know about them. The Red Cross needs to set up some kind of way for people such as myself that want to help with their time and effort to get in contact with people that need help. There should be front page news bulletins that tell me where to go to but my name and phone number on a list provided to those in need. In the mean time I am still waiting for anyone who needs my time and effort.

Stance on Immigration

No one can argue that millions of people are breaking immigration laws in this country. It seems a little absurd that those millions seem to be fighting for rights that they don’t yet have. As much as I believe that these many people are here illegal and can not complain about any punishment they receive for doing so, there obviously needs to be change in the system. From the discussion in the media over the topic, it is apparent that many are not legal immigrants because it is too hard. The process is costly, takes a lot of time, and if you’re lost, no one cares. We need to embrace immigrants of all kinds. If they plan on staying here permanently, the process to become a citizen needs to be easier. If they want to spend a certain amount of time here to earn wages, then there needs to be a relatively simple system to allow for that. The approach should be to help, not to punish.

Immigration

The United States is considered by its citizens to be the greatest country in the world because of the principles and ideologies that America stands for. Yet conflict arises when enforcing our current laws infringes upon these principles and ideologies. When examining the issue of immigration, it can not be argued that thousands, if not millions are breaking immigration laws. Yet the problem at hand is that many believe that the laws are flawed and the “illegal aliens” are guilty of no crimes. America needs to decide, if the current laws hold true then action needs to be taken to prevent people from breaking the immigration laws, otherwise new laws need to be enacted to change the entire system.

New York State of Mind

In recent trip to New York City, I was afforded the opportunity of spending time is a city that decided to pass a smoking ban in public places. My family was able to visit any restaurant, tourist attraction, sports bar, or comedy club with out the worry being subjected to itchy eyes and smelly hair (or lung cancer for that matter). If Iowa truly wants to show the nation that this is a great place to travel to, we need to take a hint from the greatest tourist city in America. Banning smoking in public places may cause some businesses to lose some loyal smoking patrons. Yet for every smoking patron they lose they will gain two or three non-smoking patrons. Contrary to popular belief, banning smoking in public places will help businesses, not hurt them.

Walk it Off

I am not surprised to hear that there are individuals misusing and abusing the disability parking program in Iowa. I think there is a general lack of respect for the program in Iowa. I was sorry to hear stories of Mr. Pabon and others, and the hardships he and others have felt as a result of the abuse of the program. I think it is important to point out that the abuse is two sided, both of which don’t deserve the preferable parking privileges. There are those that are simply in a hurry and take the spot because “it will only be a little while”. This is incredibly disrespectful to those who truly need the designated parking stalls, but not as disrespectful as the other class of offenders: those who have “legal” parking privileges that don’t deserve them. Forget the people who buy forged permits of the internet, if Iowa really wants to view this as a true problem then it needs to be a little more strict on how the permits are distributed. The following comments may offend many, but this is the main reason there is a lack of respect for the system: obesity is not a disability and laziness should not be condoned with preferred treatment. The current rules for obtaining a permit state that if you can not walk distances of over 200 feet without taking frequent breaks then you are eligible for the permit. I just don’t feel that chronic arthritis and obesity are the same thing. I truly mean no disrespect to those I may offend, but if your obese, then you need to park further away to get exercise, not closer. There are others that are not deserving of permits for other reasons, but I feel that giving disabled parking permits to obese Iowans is what is causing the abuse, like it or not.

Where's our Headline?

I am rather disappointed with the Daily Iowan’s choice of sports headlines on Monday, March 6. To place the wrestling failure as the main headline over the basketball victory is a gross misunderstanding of importance. I understand that here at Iowa we expect that our wrestling program is among the top ten in the country, and has been for the better part of the last half century, however, I think the Daily Iowan missed a great opportunity to salute the greatest home court performance Iowa may ever see in basketball. To go undefeated at home is a tremendous accomplishment achieved by only very talented teams. After all the hardships that this group of players have gone through in the past three seasons, the lack of support from fans and media, you would think that when they finally make it to the top of the mountain that there could be some support there waiting for them. I don’t mean to down play the importance of the Iowa wrestling team finishing 6^th in the Big Ten Tournament, but I’ve always thought that the positive news pieces should be getting the spotlight over the negative stories. I have been a student ticket holder for three years now, have gone to ever home game this season, and could not be more proud of what this team has accomplished. This is a season that I won’t forget; I just wish that I had a front-page headline to show my kids someday.

Mice Just Fine

I am rather confused by Carol Neel’s attempt to discredit the Biology “Energy Metabolism and Mouse Dissection" (Better plans for mice and men - 2/15/06)She treats the issue as though the mice are being unethically killed. More interestingly, her idea that it would be more appropriate to use deer in dissection because they need to be killed anyway in cases of overpopulation; does this imply that mice are somehow endangered, or that they will not be able to reproduce fast enough if they aren’t used as subjects in the lab? The mice are most likely going to be used in some other experiment at the University such that their life is probably not prolonged forever. With all this aside, the point of the lab was to study metabolism. The only reason dissection is an option is because the opportunity is there. There is a full page all over the Biology building explaining students’ rights not to participate in the lab, specifically the part dealing with the death of the mouse. So I have no idea where the idea of an unfair burden comes from.

Dance, Dance

I thought the petition formed by students at Hoyt Middle School to regain their “right” to dance the way they wanted to, to be most interesting (Let us be footloose, middle-schoolers say - 2/14/06). Being 21, I wasn’t around, but I believe there was a whole fuss about the way Elvis moved his hips, everyone seems to even make a joke over the way he was censored. I’m not saying let the kids go as far as having sex on the dance floor, but simply be mindful of their side of the issue.

Above the Law

I was appalled by Sgt. Ken Brown's comments on how he thinks that fellow law enforcement officers should have simply "let it pass" when he was stopped for a minor violation (Officer: Traffic stop lacked 'professional courtesy' - 2/15/06). A lot of people could make the same claim during their own traffic stops that Brown made: “It’s not like I was going 100 miles per hour.” You are not some privileged citizen, Sgt. Brown, such that you are above the law. If you violate the same laws I do then I expect you be punished in the same manner I would have been. Law enforcement, the governor, the President; no one person is above the law, and all should be punished accordingly. Welcome to the real world Sgt. Brown.

Rose to Hy-Vee

Kudos to Hy-Vee Inc. for its support of the proposed keg registration legislation, their support will help further a movement that needs to taken seriously (Hy-Vee voices support for keg registration - 2/17/06). I don’t understand those in opposition of the legislation and their logic that the ruling wouldn’t help anything and simply move teens focus to large quantity packs and hard liquor or that there are already laws in place that make it illegal to provide alcohol to minors, so what’s the point? The point is that the law is not intended to restrict alcohol sales, but rather a tool to help investigators in the case that a keg is used for illegal purposes. The parallels to the new law on pseudoephedrine are uncanny. If its necessary that we pass tougher penalties on possession of high quantity packs of beer or hard liquor then so be it, but Iowa needs treat the issue of underage drinking with a little more sensitivity. If we truly care about the youth in Iowa then we need to stop being hypocritical and stop treating underage drinking as a right of passage.

Teachers Pay

When reading the debate over whether Iowa should pay teachers more in the Des Moines Register, I was surprise to find that I agreed with more points made by the article in opposition (Andie Dominick) than the one in favor (Linda Fandel). I defiantly agree that the best teachers are the ones that love children and have the uncanny ability to connect on higher levels with them. These teachers who have these abilities need to be rewarded for their efforts. At most jobs, if you are doing well or excelling above your peers, you’re likely to get a raise. It’s hard to place some kind of reward system for teacher’s whose students perform highly, because studies have shown that, unfortunately, there are those out there that will more or less help the student “cheat”. But there needs to be some way to reward good teachers. The state of Iowa already has several awards for outstanding teachers, we should emphasize these awards, create more like them, and provide more funding to these awards. An environment conducive to learning can help teachers more than most could ever understand; new books, better technology tools, and supplies overall. Just because paying teachers more money overall isn’t the answer everyone wants, we can’t stop there. Iowa needs to continue its focus on education and make considerable efforts to improve, in what ever way we can.

Teens at the Wheel

I hope it’s not any surprise that the recent Iowa Poll in the Des Moines Register shows that the majority is in favor of the new restrictions on teen drivers in Iowa. However, simply because the majority is in favor of the concepts, does that mean they need to be enforced by law? Not necessarily. Most people, surveyed or not, are most likely going to be favorable on a earlier curfew for teens, but should the law enforcement be policing such a thing? That’s probably something left better under the control of parents. 77% said that they favored a ban on cell phones while driving. Even with my own heavy usage of my phone while driving, I would be in favor of banning cell phones while driving, but this should be something that should be applied to all drivers, not just teens. The one addition that seems to be most logical is to reduce the number of passengers. Yes, there are some legitimate cases in which carpools are needed, and maybe there should be a tag added that allows for additional passengers while driving to and from school.

Smoking Gun

I am very bias on the matter of cigarettes. I say ban them all, but I’m smart enough to realize this will most likely never happen. I am in favor of the proposed increase on taxes on cigarettes as well, as this is the easiest way to deter people from continuing to use or beginning to use cigarettes. The point that those who oppose this tax use is that is an unreliable source of income. “It does not make any sense to fund a budget increase by taxing an act or product that you are trying to discourage,” stated Christopher Rants, Speaker of the House. I understand the argument to the point that if we increase the tax it brings in “projected” money and that if it doesn’t come in then the tax payers will bear that burden. I can admit to not being the most knowledgeable on politics, and I don’t really care to. My question is why are we immediately placing all the “projected” revenue into the budget? If the tax works as it is supposed to and decreases smoking usage, then it is more than likely that the increased revenue will never reach the projected amount. How about this for a change: The politicians across Iowa think outside the box for once. Don’t put ANY of the increase revenue into the budget. If it is as unreliable as the critics say it is, then any funds that we do get can be a bonus.

A Battle That Needs to Be Fought Harder

In late January some students made their way to the Statehouse to lobby for a requirement that kegs of beer be sold with an ID number and records of who bought and sold the keg. I would like to extend my congratulations to these students for perusing an incredible noble cause that many of their peers may shoot them down for. While students here in Iowa City try to fight the issue of drinking age and admittance into bars, its nice to see that there are young adults fighting the battle of underage drinking. It baffles me that this country is so obsessed with alcohol, and its not that hard to see (Anheuser-Busch once again had the highest rated commercials during the Super Bowl). There are plenty of people out there that claim that underage drinking its terrible and we should not be allow our young adults to be harming themselves in such a manner. Yet for some reason our culture is one of immense hypocrisy: a student is caught drinking underage and society collectively gives them a slap on the wrist and young adults continue to drink. If this is a battle that we truly wish to fight then there has to be some bite that comes with societies bark. The registration of kegs is just the tip of the ice berg. It would not only help combat parents illegally providing minors with alcohol, it would also serve as a tool to clean up binge drinking parties on college campuses across that state by providing larger fines to those who serve to underage drinkers. I commend these students for their efforts, hopefully they are not in vein.

Captivating Carver

I can't deny that when looking at history Hilton Coliseum is the hardest place to play at given there impressive home streak in the late 90's and into the 2000's. However it would be absurd not to mention the fact that Hilton "Magic" is diminishing, rapidly. They have had 9 home losses in the past two years, six and counting for this year alone. To ignore the University of Iowa's newfound enthusiasm, posting an impressive 14-0 home court record, would be ridiculous. The Hawks will go for the longest Carver winning streak on Valentine’s Day against Michigan State. I shouldn’t say that Hilton Magic has diminished maybe its just changed venues.

Nations Leader? Maybe Not.

We in Iowa pride ourselves for having some of the greatest education standards in the nation. Yet I’m guessing that most Iowans don’t know that Iowa has no statewide educational standards. That edge that Iowans believed we had (and actually did have for some time) in education is now beginning to slip. We are getting lower and lower grades in assessment tests of statewide education, our students are longer out in front of the pack in placement test, and there’s government pressure to improve. One step in the right direction is to increase the minimum drop out age to 18. Skeptics say that this will costs us millions in tax dollars. Are we not willing to pay that? Are we that hypocritical that we want to have a state that is a leader in education, but we really don’t want to have to pay for it? Raising the minimum drop out age is just the tip of the iceberg. If we are a state that is truly devoted to being the nations best then we need to prove it. We need to work harder to get our high schoolers into college (and create jobs for them in state after they graduate). We have to provide support systems statewide that offers help to any student struggling to make it. The act is called No Child Left Behind, whether you agree with its policies or not, the name says it all. Let’s step it up Iowa and show that we truly are THE nation’s greatest state for education.

Unconstitutional?

Richard Wendricks must have been very confused when he stated that he thinks a ban on smoking in public places would be unconstitutional. I must have missed that day in history class. I know I get the Bill of Rights mixed up a lot, was “Every citizen has the right to smoke” the 9th Amendment? I think Richard should look at the Declaration of Independence. We are all created equal with unalienable rights: Life, liberty, and the Pursuit of happiness. That last one is my favorite; and any smoker who lights up around someone who does not wish to get lung cancer (or any other horrible disease linked to smoking) is impinging upon this right. Just as yelling FIRE in a crowed theater is not covered by the 1st Amendment, your “right” to smoke does not supersede my right to healthy environment. Hopefully someday smoking will be illegal (unlikely because of the amount of money it generates for the government), but until that day comes please stop impeding on my rights and keep you carcinogens to yourself.

Rush No More

Note: This posting was published as a letter to the editor in the Tuesday, January 31st, 2006 issue of the Daily Iowan

Ladies and gentlemen, the floor now belongs solely to the players. In response to Chad Aldeman and Jayne Lady’s debate on rushing the court, there is now but one answer, stay in your seats. The Big Ten has promised a fine of up to $10,000 to a team with three offenses, a fine that would easily wipe out the revenue produced by the increased number of sellouts this year. Putting aside the fact that it is absurd to fine a school for its students’ enthusiasm, I am personally all in favor of rushing the court, and did so at the Illinois and Indiana games, both of which were called for. The Illinois game was an upset of an undefeated team, so no one can argue that we as a crowd should not have been down there; and for those of you who thought that rushing at the Indiana game was unnecessary, then you obviously were not there. I have had season tickets for three years, and the Indiana game featured one of the loudest, upbeat, creative crowds I have ever been a part of. Whether you think it should or should not be done, we as students can’t go on the Carver floor for the remainder of the season (barring the greatest game ever played). The only court that should be rushed now is the one in Indianapolis in March.

Why are you complaining?

Tuesday four Iowans were sued by a group of major film companies for allegedly violating copyright laws by swapping movies on the internet.  The defendants may have to pay up to $150,000 for each movie.  I am truly getting sick and tired of the music and movie world seeking out people who have “stolen” movies and music over the internet. Proponents say it’s the same thing as stealing a DVD right from the shelf.  My question is this: Don’t you think that if everyone is “stealing” your material, that should be a signal that the market has changed and we as consumers don’t want to pay that much anymore?  These are multibillion dollar industries, and to hear actors and musicians claim that we are not paying for what they worked for is ludicrous. Lars Ulrich, drummer for Metallica, led the attack against Napster, claiming he was losing millions of dollars that were rightfully his. This is a man that could have stopped working at least 5 if not 10years ago and had a luxurious life for the remainder of his time here on Earth. This artists, actors and industry execs don’t care that you have to pay $15 for a CD, or nearly $25 for a DVD, let alone going to see a movie which is upwards of $15 is some parts of the country.  These people need to stop their useless complaining, cause franking I’m tired of it. Lower your prices and see how well your sales will do.

Gold Rush

A challenge to the students of Iowa and the residents of the Iowa City/Coralville area: Iowa men’s basketball head coach Steve Alford has called for a Gold Rush at Tuesday night’s game against what will be a Top Ten team in Indiana.  For those of you who don’t get out to watch basketball games, this is the perfect opportunity.  Iowa is coming off three straight Big Ten wins, is one of the nation’s best defensive teams, and has a chance to do what no other Hawkeye team has ever done: pursue an undefeated home schedule. Now is the time to support the best athletics team on campus, and remember; WEAR GOLD!!!

1/25/2005: What a Success!!! There has probably not been a more fun enviroment to be a part of this year (even including Illinois) than last nights game against Indiana. We need to pack Carver like that every night. Gold Rush night was a complete success, let's do it every year.

GPA Is More Important Than 40 Time

I could not agree more with Marc Hansen’s article on Tuesday. Too often the talented “student”-athletes are pampered and sent from grade to grade without truly ever learning anything. To have a true shot at making it to the next level, student-athletes need to showcase their skills at the collegiate level. This requires actually studying, getting good grades, and scoring well on placement tests. A killer jump shot or a canon of an arm can’t get you a 25 on the ACT’s. Most people don’t realize that for every superstar that makes it to the NBA or NFL there are countless left out with no education to spend the rest of their lives working for minimum wage talking about how good they were and how good life could have been.

American Eagle Songlist

There are a lot of people out there looking for a name to put with "that song" they heard at American Eagle Outfitters. I know, because I have been one of those people. Even being an employee there, I will hear a song I like (a lot) and decide I want to download it when I get home. Well, during work I rarely have time to look at the TV in the back to see who it was, and even if I do, I forget the song title and artist by the time I get home. Then I spend time trying to scour through for lyrics of a few words I remember or to see if anyone else has anything out there. Well, the search stops here. This is the newest listings of music being played at American Eagle Outfitters nationwide. This song list starts December 26th, 2005 and will run for up to two months. I will try my hardest to get the new one as soon as it comes out. Most of these songs can be previewed at MTV.com after searching for the artists. Any questions? Let me know.

Death Cab For Cutie.......Soul Meets Body
Fall Out Boy......................Dance, Dance
Gwen Stefani..................Cool
Blackalicious.....................Your Move
VHS or Beta....................You Got Me
Block Party......................Helicopter
Beastie Boys....................Pass the Mic
Franz Ferdinand.............Do You Want To
Sahara Hotnights...........Alright Alright
Ja Rule f/ Lloyd...............Caught Up
Warlocks.........................It's Just Like Surgery
Junior Varsity.................Get Comfortable
Shout Out Louds............Shut Your Eyes
Fiona Apple......................O' Sailor
Nine Inch Nails..............Only
Like Young......................Snobs and Slobs
Juliana Theory..............This Is A Lovesong... For the Loveless
Rihanna............................Pon De Replay
Radio 4...........................Dance to the Underground
Mando Diao......................Down in the Past
White Stripes.................The Denial Twist
Natasha Bedingfield........Unwritten
K-OS................................Superstar Pt. Zero
Rob Thomas.....................Lonely No More
Gorillaz...........................Dare
Sleater-Kinney................Jumpers
Silverstein.......................Smile in Your Sleep
Jurassic 5..........................World of Entertainment (W.O.E. is Me)
Alanis Morissette............Crazy
Snoop Dogg.......................Signs
f/ Justin Timberlake and Charlie Wilson
Ed Harcourt.....................Born in the 70's
Rufio...................................Out of Control
Gavin Degraw...................Follow Through
Walkman...........................Little House of Savages
Kings of Leon...................Molly's Chambers
Forecast.............................These Lights
Black Eyed Peas...............Don't Lie
Santana..............................I'm Feeling You
f/ Michelle Branch & The Wreckers
Long Wave.......................There's A Fire
Cold Play............................Speed of Sound
Soviettes.........................#1 is Number Two
Beck....................................Where It's At
Baby Bash f/ Akon...........Baby I'm Back
LCD Soundsystem............Tribulations
INXS................................Pretty Vegas
Jay-Z f/ Pharell................Excuse Me Miss
Hello Sequence...............Don't Look Away
Sean Paul...........................We Be Burnin'
Ivy...................................Thinking About You
Louis XIV..........................Finding Out True Love Is Blind
Dialated Peoples............The Platform
Stellastarr*.......................Sweet Troubled Soul
Pretty Girls Make Graves.......This Is Our Emergency
Kanye West f/ Jamie Foxx.......Gold Digger
Viva K.............................No Better Time
Ricky Martin f/ Amerie & Fat Joe......I Don't Care
Sun.................................Must Be You
Trey Songz f/ Twista.............Gotta Make It
Brooke Valentine...........Boogie Oogie Oogie
w/ Fabolous & Yo Yo