UNIVERSITY THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWS OF UMKC

April 11, 2011Vol. 78, Issue 28

122 Kansas City lives! 9 Gaypril has

arrived!12 Royals: What

to expect?Photo by Katie Vasholtz

UMKC Soccer back in action

NEWS2 Vol. 78, Issue 28

VOTERS ‘KEEP KC ALIVE’A look at the Earnings tax debateNathan Zoschke Asst. Production Manager/ Copy Editor

On April 5, Kansas City voters renewed the city’s 1 percent Earnings tax (the E-tax), by a land-slide 78-22 percent margin.

The vote occurred as a result of the passage of Missouri’s Proposition A on Nov. 2, 2010.

Known as the “Let Voters Decide Initiative,” Proposition A requires the E-tax in Kansas City and St. Louis to be voted on for renewal once every five years beginning in 2011 and prohibits other cities in Missouri from enacting an E-tax.

If residents in either city ever vote to repeal the tax, it will be phased out over a period of 10 years in that city and cannot be reinstated.

Kansas City’s E-tax was first adopted in 1963 as a .5 percent tax on the income of any person working or living in the city. The initial E-tax was approved by 63 percent of voters, funding police protection and city services.

In 1970, E-tax was expanded from .5 percent to 1 percent to increase police funding and to begin citywide trash collection.

Today, Kansas City and St. Louis are the only cities in Missouri or Kansas with an E-tax, which brings in $202 million per year, representing near-ly 40 percent of Kansas City’s general fund paying

for police, fire protection, public works and other services.

The Proposition A campaign was led by St. Louis-area billionaire Rex Sinquefield, who do-nated more than $11 million through various po-litical action committees to support the initiative.

Sinquefield is also the president of the Show-Me Institute, a libertarian think-tank that supports abolishing Missouri’s income tax and the E-tax in both cities.

E-Tax Opponents, including the Show-Me Institute, believe the E-tax undermines Kansas City’s long-term economic competitiveness.

Two articles on the Show-Me Insti-tute’s website, www.showmeinstitute.org, published by University of Missouri-Columbia economics professor Joseph Haslag, advocated replacing the E-tax with a two-tier property tax, which would tax buildings and land separately.

Implementing a two-tier tax would require leg-islative approval, something Kansas City leaders believe is unlikely to happen.

Haslag found the two-tier property tax would significantly increase the number of jobs in Kan-sas City and lead to more efficient land use.

Other economists say claims regarding the

E-tax hurts Kansas City economically are un-founded.

Cities with even higher E-tax rates have eclipsed Kansas City in population and economic growth. Columbus, Ohio, for instance, has an E-tax of 2.5 percent, and has seen its population increase by 250,000 people over the past 40 years.

Dr. Peter Eaton, director of UMKC’s Center

for Economic Information, said the movement of jobs from the Kansas City’s urban core to subur-ban areas has little to do with the E-tax. Instead, he cited white flight and existing development momentum.

“In order to affect jobs, [the tax] has to be something that would make the employers’ costs go up,” Eaton said. “The E-tax is paid by the peo-ple working, not the employer.”

Eaton rejected the idea that the E-tax is unfair to those who work in Kansas City but live else-

where. Commuters, he said, drive on city streets and use city services as do residents.

Kansas City’s general fund also subsidizes re-gional attractions, like the Truman Sports Com-plex, Liberty Memorial and the Kansas City Zoo.

“The earnings tax is a way of paying for city services based on those who use them,” Eaton said. “It contributes positively by allowing lower

property and sales taxes. If the E-tax is abolished, either other taxes would have to come up, or city services would have to be cut.”

Perhaps the greatest reason voters supported the E-tax renewal was the lack of a desirable alternative revenue source.

Caleb-Michael Files, a political sci-ence major, voted to retain the E-tax for this rea-son.

“I was worried about my property tax,” Files said. “The estimated property tax increase was $1,400 on average per household. There were other concerns, like fire and police, but my num-ber one concern was that if we lose this tax, where are we going to get the money from?”

Files also volunteered for the Save Kansas City Committee’s “Keep KC Alive” campaign, which supported the E-tax renewal.

A look at the E-taxBreakdown of the vote to renew the E-tax

Some other cities with E-taxes

Yes- 78% No- 22%

56,965 votes

16,494 votes

Birmingham 1%San Fancisco 1.5%

Cincinnati 2.1%Louisville 2.2%

Detroit 2.5%Pittsburgh 3.0%Baltimore 3.05%

Philadelphia 4%

Breakdown of Kansas City’s General FundFiscal Year 2010-2011 Support Funds

Columbus, Ohio 2.5%

6. Licenses and permits$34.5 million

5. Local use tax$21 million

7. Service charges$38.4 million

4. Court fines$19.9 million

3. Motor fuel (gas) tax$16.6 million

2. Parking fees$3.8 million

1. Gaming revenue$18.1 million

Earnings tax$202.6 million

Utility taxes$95.6 million

Property taxes

$71.9 million

Other$2 million1.2.3.

4.5.

6.

7.

Continued on page 4

The earnings tax is a way of paying for city services based on those who use them. It contributes positively by allowing lower property and sales taxes. If the E-tax is abolished, either other taxes would have to come up, or city services would have to be cut. ”-Dr. Peter Eaton, UMKC professor

“

April 11, 2011 3NEWS

A look at the Earnings tax debate

Benjamin Campero Contributing Writer

The history of Greek life at UMKC dates back to 1952, when Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated was formed.

Since then, male and female students alike have decided to “Go Greek.”

Over the past 58 years, 28 Greek-lettered social organizations have come and gone.

UMKC is currently home to16 different sororities and fraternities, each with its own unique identity.

Fraternities and sororities at UMKC promote brotherhood, sister-hood, leadership, community service and scholarship.

The history of Greek life in North America dates back to Dec. 5, 1776, when Phi Beta Kappa was founded at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va. The creation of this society was the begin-ning of what later became the Greek System.

Each organization uses Greek letters in the establishment of its name. The adoptions of Greek letters was influenced by ancient Greek legends. Originally, with the use of Greek letters, fraternities sought to adopt a degree of secrecy and distinction that identifies the Greek sys-tem.

In 1851, Alpha Delta Pi was founded by Eugenia Tucker, and it soon became the first secret society for women.

And at UMKC since 1952, fraternities and sororities have contrib-uted greatly to student life, offering students a well-rounded and extra cirricular college experience. These organizations contribute to society through their philanthropic and community service projects.

They also benefit students by providing them an exceptional social experience, pro-

viding them values, helping develop their potential through leadership and scholar-

ship opportunities, and giving them a feeling of belonging.

At UMKC, the 16 fraternities and sororities fall into three governing councils.

The North-American Interfra-

ternity Conference (NIC) was founded in 1909. It represents 73 inter-national and national men’s fraternities with approximately 5,500 chap-ters and 300,000 members in more than 800 campuses across United States and Canada.

The Interfraternity Council (IFC) includes Beta Theta Pi, Lambda Chi Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Phi Epsilon and Lambda The-ta Phi.

The National Panhellenic Conference represents 26 sororities in 655 universities campuses across the United States and Canada. It was founded in 1902, and it is one of the oldest and largest women’s mem-bership organization.

UMKC’s Panhellenic Council members are: Alpha Delta Pi, Chi Omega, Delta Zeta and Alpha Sigma Alpha.

A third council, the National Pan-Hellenic Council, was founded in 1930 at Howard University, in Washington D.C. It is an organization of nine, known as the devine nine historically African-American, interna-tional Greek-lettered fraternities and sororities.

Alpha Phi Alpha Incorporated, Phi Beta Sigma Incorporated, Delta Sigma Theta Incorporated, Kappa Alpha Psi Incorporated, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated, and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorpo-rated all fall under this council.

One sorority, Delta Rho, is local and was founded in 1989. As a lo-cal sorority, Delta Rho does not have a national governing office and it does not fall under a national umbrella organization like the three gov-erning councils at UMKC.

Each fraternity and sorority has its own history, values, principles, recruitment process and activities. If you are interested in joining or learning more about each of these organizations visit www.umkc.edu/getinvolved/fraternity-sorority-affairs.asp.

bcampero@unews.com

Greek timeline at UMKC1952 – Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. chartered1956 – Alpha Epsilon Pi chartered 1956 – Delta Chi chartered 1956 – Tau Kappa Epsilon chartered1961 – Chi Omega chartered 1962 – Alpha Delta Pi chartered 1967 – Sigma Delta Tau chartered 1969 – Sigma Tau Gamma chartered1971 – Sigma Delta Tau closed 1972 – Alpha Epsilon Pi closed 1972 – Zeta Phi Eta chartered 1973 – Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. chartered 1974 – Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. chartered 1974 – Zeta Phi Eta closed 1976 – Lambda Chi Alpha chartered 1977 – Sigma Phi Epsilon chartered 1980 – Tau Kappa Epsilon closed 1982 – Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. chartered 1987 – Delta Zeta chartered 1987 – Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. chartered 1989 – Beta Theta Pi chartered 1989 – Delta Rho established (local sorority) 1991 – Sigma Tau Gamma closes 1992 – Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. chartered1998 – Beta Sigma Phi chartered 2002 – Delta Chi closed2005 – Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. reactivated 2006 – Sigma Alpha Epsilon chartered 2006 – Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. chartered 2007 – Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. reactivated2008 – Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc. colonized 2010 – Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. suspended 2010 – Alpha Sigma Alpha colonized 2010 – Lambda Theta Phi chartered2011 – Alpha Sigma Alpha chartered

Campus HistoryGreek life

Above: Delta Chi fraternity during homecoming in 1958. Delta Chi closed 44 years later in 2002.

Photo by Mark LinvilleLeft, above: Alpha Delta Phi at the Roo Race event for Greek Week 2011.

Photo by Andre ParedesLeft, below: Sigma Phi Epsilon member Peyton Higgins bowling with other fraternities and sororities.

Photo by Mark Linville

Far left: Beta Theta Phi member Jay Devineni bowling during Greek Week 2011.

Photo by Mark Linville

4 NEWS Vol. 78, Issue 28

Police BlotterMark Linville News Editor

April 111:49 a.m. Property DamageA residence at 52nd and Rockhill Road was struck by numerous eggs.12:39 p.m. BurglaryA student at the School of Law had a camera stolen from a secured room.4:20 p.m. FraudFraudulent ATM withdrawals were made with an old ATM card of a Medical School student organization.

April 34:13 p.m. BurglaryAfter returning from spring break, roommates of the Johnson Residence Halls returned to find their room had been vandalized.

April 49:01 a.m. BurglaryA card reader from the Bloch School was reported stolen.

April 512:48 p.m. BurglaryA digital camera was stolen from a camera bag in a locked storage area.

April 69:49 p.m. DisturbanceA resident of Oak Place Apartments complied for officers after his ex-girlfriend refused to leave his room.9:01 p.m. Suspicious ActivityOfficers investigated a marijuana scent coming from a room in the Oak Street Residence Hall.

April 711:26 a.m. IllnessAs student in the Student Union was having a reaction to their prescription medication.

mlinville@unews.com

Other NewsTraces of radiation detected in KansasKasim Hardaway Asst. News Editor

Minute amounts of radiation from the nuclear reactors in Japan have reached Kansas, but according to state officials, it’s nothing to worry about. Officials released this information on Thursday.

“We knew it was only a matter of time before we found a trace, and we do mean a trace,” said, Director of the Bureau of Environmental Health for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Tom Langer.

Langer explained that the exposure in Kansas should not come as a surprise.

He said it is comparable to the radiation received naturally by staying outdoors for about an hour on a summer day.

Officials made it clear the state’s food supply is safe and there is no need to take preventative measures against this small amount of radiation.

Monitoring radiation levels is done regularly in Wichita, Topeka and Kansas City.

At another site researchers use more extensive methods for testing.

The site is located about 100 miles southwest of Kansas City near the Wolf Creek nuclear reactor.

The assessments being done encompass all life: the soil, plants and even wild animals.

Unfortunately, samples collected showed iodine-131, a radioactive isotope created by nuclear fission that was also released from the Japanese reactors.

Langer said the radiation detected “just barely” registered above the background levels of naturally occurring radiation.

This radiation can be compared to exposure to cosmic rays and radioactive minerals in rocks and soil.

“We know that (Japanese radiation) is there because we are deliberately looking for it,” Langer said.

khardaway@unews.com

Kasim Hardaway Asst. News Editor

The Annual Women of Color Leadership Conference (WOCLC) hosted by the UMKC Division of Diversity, Access and Equity (DDAE) and the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management will present a new, all-inclusive conference.

The 6th Annual WOCLC will encompass more students of color than ever.

Initially the WOCLC served as a conference to support adult Black women then transitioned to empowering all Women of Color and even devoted a portion of the conference to high school girls of color.

The conference has now become all encompassing by changing its target group to all college students of color.

“We are invested in providing a network to improve the participation and involvement of Women of Color in all communities by providing programs that improve communication,

collaboration and action,” said Deputy Chancellor of the DDAE Karen Dace, Ph.D. “Our efforts focus on wealth development and accumulation, career planning and development, health and wellness, leadership skills and educational access.”

There are two separate events that will take place over the course of two days.

The collegiate level conference will start at 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 28.

Kristi Ryujin, vice chancellor for diversity initiatives, will be the keynote speaker of the conference; the subject of her speech will be “Finding Your Voice.”

The second portion of the conference for high school girls will begin at 9 a.m. on Friday, April 29.

Rocsi Diaz will address the students at 12:45 p.m. Diaz co-anchored Black Entertainment Television’s (BET) leading show “106 & Park” and was the host of “106 & Park Weekend Countdown.”

Author, professor and MSNBC News contributor, Melissa Harris-Perry will be the

keynote speaker for the WOCLC for adults at 6 p.m. on May 12.

Conference workshops will begin at 8:15 a.m.; registration starts at 7:30 a.m.

Harris-Perry is the author of “Barbershops, Bibles, and BET: Everyday Talk and Black Political Thought.” She is currently working on her book “Sister Citizen: A Text For Colored Girls Who’ve Considered Politics When Being Strong Wasn’t Enough.”

Her book is scheduled to be released later this year.

A book signing will follow her keynote address.President and CEO of the Kauffman Center

for the Performing Arts, Jane Chu will deliver a lunchtime lecture at 12:15 p.m.

All of the conferences will be held at Pierson Auditorium and in the University Center.

To view a schedule of the conference events and find out more about the speakers at each conference visit www.umkc.edu/woclc/ .

khardaway@unews.com

Briefly MentionedWomen of Color Leadership Conference will take place April 28-29 and May 12

“I knew we were going to win,” Files said. “We were worried about how the Northland would vote, but we were up in the Northland two weeks ago, and every northlander I talked to said they were in favor because they knew how it would af-fect city services.”

Acting City Manager Troy Schulte said the loss of E-tax revenue could force Kansas City to cut its police budget by one-third and lay off two-thirds of the fire department’s personnel.

To fill the revenue void, the city’s sales tax and mill levy (property tax) rates would increase, Schulte said.

Many opponents are dubious of the city’s claims, which they believe were exaggerated to scare voters into renewing the tax.

Austin Hunt, a senior business major, worked

for KC Tax Reform, which fought the E-tax re-newal.

“My biggest issue with it is the business is-sue,” Hunt said. “The earnings tax is liter-ally driving businesses out of Kansas City, mainly small busi-nesses that don’t get TIFs (tax increment financing). There’s kind of a doughnut hole around Kansas City. If you’re a small busi-ness, you’re going to Lee’s Summit, Blue Springs, Overland Park or Platte City, but not Kansas City. That’s 1 percent right off the top.”

Hunt is skeptical that an E-tax repeal would equate to cuts in basic services or increased taxes.

“If any councilman or woman cut those servic-es, it would be political suicide,” Hunt said. “Get-ting rid of the E-tax would force them to take a critical look at the city’s budget and eliminate this slush fund that they can use to pay for whatever they want.”

Hunt said the city spends $36 million per year on tourist attractions, and much more on under-performing TIF developments like the Kansas City Power and Light District, which will receive $15.5 million from the city’s general fund to meet its debt obligations in 2012.

“Basically, the biggest irony of all is that if you

voted yes, you were told that you will keep Kansas City alive,” Hunt said. “In reality, the earnings tax is what’s killing Kansas City.”

KC Tax Reform also took advantage of a com-ment made by Keep KC Alive spokesperson Dan Cofran. During a debate Cofran told E-tax critics “Don’t work here.”

After KC Tax Reform aired a TV ad playing up Cofran’s remarks, he was replaced as spokesper-son.

“The message they were sending was, ‘Don’t work here, don’t live here,’” Hunt said. “People select where they want to live based on numerous factors; quality of schools, availability of jobs and taxes. Taxes are the one thing you can vote on, and when you have the opportunity to vote to lower a tax, that’s a rare opportunity.”

nzoschke@unews.com

E-tax: Continued from page 2

“Basically, the biggest irony of all is that if you voted yes, you were told that you will keep Kansas City alive. In reality, the earnings tax is what’s killing Kansas City.”-Austin Hunt, UMKC student, KC Tax Reform volunteer

April 11, 2011 5NEWS

Financial CornerEach week, the Students in the Free Enterprise (SIFE) Team from the Henry W. Bloch School of Management, with assistance from a group of respected business people, will answer your financial questions.

When is the best time to purchase airline tickets?”

E-mail your questions to the Student in Free Enterprise Team at SIFECORNER@gmail.com.

First, you will want to start your ticket search early. The sooner you start assessing the general trend of ticket prices, the more able you will be able to find a good deal.

As a travel date approaches, plane ticket prices tend to go up due to increasing demand. Airlines tend to offer their lowest prices on 21-day advance tickets.

On the other side of things, make sure not to get too carried away with advance ticketing. Airfares fluctuate, and a lower fare may come up at a later date, so be patient.

Also, when planning your trip, consider buying your tickets during the tourist off-season. Normally ticket prices rise during the high tourist season.

As long as you start your search early, be patient, and avoid the high tourist season, you should dramatically improve your chances of finding great deals on ticket prices, and save yourself some money.

Sarah Ashlock A&E Editor

On Thursday, Dr. James Fowler, Ph.D. gave a lecture as part of the series celebrating Carolyn Benton Cockefair.

Fowler is a professor in the School of Medi-cine and the Division of Social Sciences at the University of California- San Diego. Most no-tably, he is attributed to being the first to scien-tifically analyze the “Colbert Bump” in 2008 and prove its validity in his study titled, “The Colbert Bump in Campaign Donations: More Truthful Than Truthy.” He found Democratic candidates who go on Stephen Colbert’s show “Colbert Re-port” on Comedy Central experience a signifi-cant increase in campaign contributions.

Recently, though, he has been examining the means in which we are socially con-nected. When we hear the term “so-cial network” we might assume online means of connection, such as Facebook and Twitter. Although Fowler examines the online aspect, he emphasizes how social net-working and connection is not a new tech-nological invention.

In Pierson Auditorium, he specifically dis-cussed “Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives,” the best-selling book he and Harvard pro-fessor Nicholas A. Christakis authored.

When Fowler went on the “Colbert Report,” Stephen Colbert joked “Why did you write a book instead of publishing 140 characters at a time?”

The book is about connection of all kinds, not just the internet variety.

“This is not a new phenomenon,” he said about social networking.

He posed a couple of questions for the audi-ence to ponder before relaying scientific evi-dence. Who do you discuss important matters with? Who do you spend your free time with? He said, on average, people list five to six people.

Despite the small number on people’s lists, everyone is essentially interconnected in some capacity.

Fowler first became interested in the subject of connection after wondering why people vot-ed. “The only time your vote changes an election is when there’s a tie,” he said. “We vote, because it’s what other people around us do.”

Before the lecture, I spoke with Fowler during

a reception. He talked about his work in 2010, examining

politics, Facebook, specifically voting. He divid-ed Facebook users into three categories: some would receive a message asking if they voted and requesting a response. Some would receive the same message except with photos of their Face-book friends who had answered the same ques-tion. Lastly, some received no such message.

The most effective response was as most from the Facebook generation would assume: those who received the message with photos of their Facebook friends who had voted were the most responsive.

In addition to politics, social networking is also proven in other areas such as obesity, hap-piness or collective emotions and smoking/

drinking. With obesity, there are three degrees of

separation. This means your friend’s husband’s mother can affect your weight and vice versa. Fowler said obesity is “not just an epidemic but can spread from person to person.”

Smoking also has three degrees of separation. When examining social connections, Fowler presented several cluster graphs where those with the strongest connections were toward the center; those with less connection were on the peripheral. With smoking, he noted that since 1980, smokers have been increasingly pushed toward the peripheral.

Perhaps the most interesting for my genera-tion are his findings when it comes to drinking. “Although men are more susceptible to heavy drinking,” he said. “They have no influence on men or women.”

Despite men’s tendency to drink more than women, women are the ones who spread their behavior, thus influencing men and women to drink.

Besides a more focused view on connection, Fowler mentioned the concept of homophily. That is, the love of the same. We are attracted and bond more closely with those who are most like us. This is important to remember when dis-

cussing how we influence one another, as is influence and context.

Toward the end of the lecture, Fowler mentioned the newer aspect of social net-working which is online. He was incredibly in-fluential in stating how we tend to inflate social networking influence on our actual connections with each other.

The average amount of Facebook friends a person has is 150, that number is even higher if the person is in their twenties or thirties. He found no evidence of influence Facebook friends have on one another.

However, he has determined one way to study Facebook friends’ connections by weeding out those acquaintances or random people whom we accept as a Facebook friend. He determined

“photo friends,” those Facebook friends whom you either tag or

are tagged in a photo with on Facebook.

On average, people have 10 photo friends. With photo friends, there are two degrees

of connection; whereas in real connections there are three. So, if your photo friend’s photo friend smokes, you are more likely to smoke as well.

What was most interesting is the scientific research done on these two degrees in terms of taste in music, movies, books, etc.

For instance, he found the love of The Beatles was widespread. People more closely connect-ed, in the middle of the social network, liked the band and those more loosely connected and on the peripheral liked them as well.

The Killers proved to be different. Killers fans on Facebook were in tight clusters in the social network.

When it came to movies, those who liked “Pulp Fiction” on Facebook tended to be in the center of the network (the most connected).Those who liked “Love Actually” on Facebook were on the peripheral but both movies were in looser clusters.

Fowler poignantly and intellectually exam-ined how we are all connected in an ever-in-creasingly connected society but also noted the importance of real-life relationships.

sashlock@unews.com

of separation

Carolyn Benton Cockefair series brings acclaimed social scientist to UMKC

“When Fowler went on the “Colbert Report,” Stephen Colbert joked “Why did you write a book instead of publishing 140 characters at a time.” ”

The third degree

2nd place: Story Illustration (Mark Linville)

2nd place: News Writing (Nathan Zoschke)

3rd place: Regular Column (Nathan Zoschke)

2nd place: Entertainment Review (Melissa Oribhabor)

2nd place: Advertising (Kate Lawler)

Honorable Mention: Entertainment Review(Kate Lawler)

Honorable Mention: Sports Photography(Katie Vasholtz)

Now hiringfor fall 2011 semester

Semester-long positions:

Production ManagerLooking for individuals with an interest in graphic design. Must be thick-skinned,

free on the weekends and know how to use Adobe inDesign and Photoshop.

Production AssistantLooking for individuals with an interest in graphic design. Must be thick-skinned, free on the weekends, know how to use Adobe inDesign and Photoshop, be able

to take direction, and edit photos.

Copy EditorLooking for someone who has experience with AP style, and has exceptional

spelling and grammar. Must be detail-oriented.

News EditorLooking for individuals who are in the know. Someone who is not scared to

present hard facts and current, relevant news.

Assistant News EditorLooking for individuals who have a knack for news, can take direction, and are not

scared to present hard facts and current, relevant news.

Arts & Entertainment EditorLooking for individuals who love art, music, film and anything else cool about

UMKC and the Kansas City area.

Sports EditorLooking for someone who loves UMKC and community sports and is well-versed

in sports terminology.

Forum EditorLooking for an individual who is open and accepting of other people’s opinions.

These positions require knowledge of AP style and Sunday availability. A résumé and letter of intent for any of these positions is due by April 23. Please

email info@unews.com

All positions are paid.

April 11, 2011 7NEWS Find us on Facebook! U-News is a 2011

Missouri College Media Association award Division 1 winner!

2nd place: Story Illustration (Mark Linville)

2nd place: News Writing (Nathan Zoschke)

3rd place: Regular Column (Nathan Zoschke)

2nd place: Entertainment Review (Melissa Oribhabor)

2nd place: Advertising (Kate Lawler)

Honorable Mention: Entertainment Review(Kate Lawler)

Honorable Mention: Sports Photography(Katie Vasholtz)

8 Vol. 78, Issue 28A&EARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Jacquelyn Hoermann Staff Writer

On Tuesday, April 5, students and community members gathered together in Jazzman’s Café in the Student Union for Poetry for Personal Power.

The event featured live musical performances and poetry readings.

“We invite you to open up as far as you can go, and now let’s start the show...” sang the featured performer, Sara “Miss Conception” Glass.  Glass is a well-known poet songwriter, who frequently performs at different venues in the Kansas City area and at Fresh Ink events in Lawrence, Kan. 

An impressive number of UMKC organizations came out in support of the performers, including UMKC Student Veterans Organization, the Writing Center, the Counseling Center, NAACP Student Chapter, the African-American Student Union and the Undergraduate English Council.

“The main idea of this program is that people can use wellness tools such as exercise, spirituality, mindfulness, volunteering, gardening or, of course, poetry to get through tough times in their lives,” reads Poetry for Personal Power’s website, www.poetryforpersonalpower.com. “We are gathering stories and poems about what

people do in positive ways that helps them build friendships and feel better.”

The remarkable woman and story behind the event was Corinna West. West served as the Master of Ceremonies and kicked off the event by sharing her own personal story and some of her poetry with audience members. 

“I’m a person with mental illness,” West said. “I’ve been diagnosed with up to 12 things  and that just shows how medical diagnosis can’t do everything. People can find strength in different ways and not just through medications.”

West received a grant to hold 10 Poetry for Personal Power open-mic events at universities throughout Missouri.  She said she loves what she does and she hopes others will benefit as much from these events as she has.

Because April is National Poetry Month, the event was perfect for UMKC students interested in poetry, artistic expression and coming to terms with life’s inevitable difficulties.

The first participant was a woman who spoke out against Islamic patriarchy and how Muslim men abuse and marginalize women and children.  She shouted out her pain, and even took off her hijab, a head covering worn by Islamic women.

Another participant delivered a poem titled, “Weed,” which spoke out against illegal drug culture. The poem likened illegal drug culture to white patriarchy, and its effects on poor, marginalized communities.

Rob Herron, a regular participant at Undergraduate English Council Open-Mic Nights, performed at Poetry for Personal Power and blew the crowd away with his poem, “Warrior Generation,” which expressed his feelings towards overcoming “social bondage” and “social conditioning.”

UMKC psychology student Lauren Buscher described the event as “a pressure free space to share poetry.”

“I like how UMKC is moving toward holding more trendy urban events that bring to light issues on a global scale,” Busher said.

The organization makes appearances at First Fridays in the Crossroads District downtown.

To learn more about Poetry for Personal Power and for information on upcoming events and videos of poetry performances,  visit www.poetryforpersonalpower.com.

jhoermann@unews.com

Students overcome adversity together

“Because April is National Poetry

Month, the event was a perfect storm for UMKC students

who are interested in poetry, artistic

expression, and coming to terms

with the inevitable difficulties life

presents.”

Poetry for Personal Powerat

Have you met Hanna?Kasim Hardaway Assistant News Editor

“Hanna” is an action packed thriller that will leave you at the edge of your seat in suspense. This thrill and suspense all arises from the pursuit the movie is based on.

Saoirse Ronan stars as the main character of the film, Hanna Heller, a young adolescent who lives in an isolated cabin with her father Erik Heller played by Eric Bana.

The isolated setting of Erik and Hanna served as the training grounds for Hanna. Ever since her birth her father, Erik, has trained her to become an expert assassin. Educating her with elaborate backstories of her childhood and keeping her away from modern-day technology, Erik implemented a rigorous training that would one day prepare her for her final mission.

Upon beginning her final mission, Hanna does not know what is in store for her when she must enter a new, unknown world and go against a deadly rival of her father.

Hanna was a completely different role for Saoirse Ronan. Not only did it teach her things as an actress but also as a person.

“Well I think Hanna is a quite simple-minded, fresh young girl. I think because she’s not judgmental or prejudice, she really influenced me. I’m not like that but it certainly made me think of things in a different light,” said Ronan.

The role of Hanna Heller attracted Ronan not only because it gave her a new opportunity in terms of the character she would be playing but the athleticism demanded for the role.

“Well it was different, and I always like to do something different because it’s a bit more challenging. Also, the fact that I get to do an awful lot of physical activity; I’ve always been quite an athletic person. I thought it would be fun and tough work but really good preparation to train and learn fight choreography. It helps make you really focused when you have those pieces to learn.”

One of the best scenes in the film is the moment Erik decides that Hanna is ready to complete her mission. Erik salvages a box which contains an old transmitter. Hanna then realizes that this is the moment she had prepared so much for. She opens the box and flips the switch, sending a signal of her location to Marissa Wiegler, a crooked CIA agent, played by Cate Blanchett.

Within the first half of the movie, it is obvious that the forerunners of the film are the females in the cast. The dynamic of Cate Blanchett and Saoirse Ronan is impeccable, which helps to grasp the audience and keep them pulled in.

Ronan enjoyed working alongside the entire cast but especially Blanchett, who gave her the opportunity to learn from another experienced actress.

“We really did have a terrific cast in this movie. Cate is a wonderful actress, and to observe how she works is quite fascinating. She is very focused and really cares about what she does.”

The Chemical Brothers, a British electronica duo, scored the film with stunning sounds.

Their newest album Further was featured in the film and will be released exclusively on iTunes March 15, 2011.

“Hanna” is a must-see film, especially for those who love a great plot with great action scenes to match.

khardaway@unews.comA

A&E April 11, 2011 9A&E

Students overcome adversity together

Johanna Poppel Staff Writer

UMKC’s Queer Alliance presents their second annual “Fabulous Month O’ Gaypril.”

“This is our second year doing full on Gaypril,” said Queer Alliance Vice President Sarina Smith. “We really want to show people that we are here and are really active on campus.”

The Queer Alliance is hosting plenty of exciting, informative and social events that you will not want to miss this month, ranging from a “Sexy Carnival” to show awareness to a drag show that will support a cause.

Here is a list of upcoming Gaypril events:April 12 - “Glee” Night

Watch the famous musical television hit “Glee” from 7-8 p.m. in the Rainbow Lounge in the Student Union.April 13 - Ally Day

Tie Dye, karaoke and free stuff will be given

out to show appreciation to allies of the Queer Alliance. Stop by from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Stop by between classes for some fun, this will be located at the University Play House.April 14 - Pool Party

Splash around at the pool party located in Swinney Recreation Center from 8-10 p.m.April 15 - Breaking the Silence

The Breaking the Silence rally starts at 4 p.m. on the corner of the J.C. Nichols Fountain.Relay for Life

The American Cancer Society Relay for Life starts at 6 p.m. on the University Play House walkway.Sexy Carnival

The Sexy Carnival is hosted by “Awareness is Sexy” and is an educational event as well as an exciting one with the promises of a lube slip n’ slide, so you bring your swimsuits.

The excitement will start at 8 p.m. at the Beaumont Club. April 18 - Picnic

Enjoy a picnic from noon to 1 p.m. at the University Play House.April 20 - Cabaret

A drag and variety show that will take place in the Pierson Auditorium from 7-9 p.m. Donations will be accepted for the AIDS walk. Contact the Queer Alliance if you are interested in being a performer in the show. April 21 - Young and Trans

This support group will be from 5 -7 p.m. in the Rainbow Lounge.April 22 - Kickball

This classic game will be from noon to 2 p.m. held in the Quad from.Excellent Pink Friday

Members of the Queer Alliance will be hosting

this event and sharing their talents. If you have any live music or poetry you would like to share, feel free to come by Jazzman’s in the Student Union at 3 p.m. New officers will also be announced at this time.April 25 - AIDS Walk Bake Sale

Buy tasty homemade snacks while helping a cause from 11 a.m. to1 p.m. in Royall Hall.

April 29 - “The L Word” Marathon Sleepover in the LoungeThis television drama starts at 7 p.m. in the

Rainbow Lounge.April 30 - AIDS Walk

The walk starts at 8 a.m. in Theis Park at 47th and Oak Streets, across from the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

jpoppel@unews.com

EventsThe ‘Fabulous Month O’ Gaypril’

10 A&E Vol. 78, Issue 28

Sam Towns Staff Writer

By going to the same bar every night, you expect to see the same folks every time. These people may not be your friends, but hey, at least everybody knows your name.

The Brick, one of Kansas City’s most infamous bars, is located at 18th and McGee streets in Kan-sas City.

The small nighttime hotspot boasts a pa-tronage that may just as well have been plucked straight from an episode of “Cheers.” During a visit to the Brick, you’re sure to find Sam Malone’s equivalent pouring drafts with a smile and Norm Peterson’s quipping left and right. Plus, everyone’s favorite mailman, Cliff Clavin, ranting about this and that will be there as Dr. Frasier Crane sits by, psychoanalyzing his every word. These “usuals” become our security blankets. We take comfort in knowing that they’ll always be around and we grow to enjoy their company. They’ve come to form a tight-knit circle at the Brick that comes frighteningly close to resembling a family.

Every day, without fail, night blankets KC. And, as if the sun going down was some sort of Brick-Bat-signal, the whole gang scurries to 18th and McGee Streets. Done with work now and finally at the Brick’s bar, the regulars sit, assessing the day’s damages. Each then calculates an appro-priate level of intoxication in reparation and con-sumes accordingly.

Topics of discussion range vastly throughout a typical night. Revelry ensues. Simultaneously, thought-processes regress and considerable ass- grabbing takes place. PBR puddles sully the al-ready grimy tile floor.

This is where my analogy between the popular TV show “Cheers” and the Crossroads Art Dis-

trict’s infamous Brick flounders.Bar-life is dirty; TV shows are clean. Bar-life

also tends to be expensive. A bar is a terrible place to meet a girl too (a lesson driven home in a hilari-ous scene from “Superbad”).

Rest assured, though, the good times do roll at the Brick. By hosting events every night of the week, they make sure of it.

Every Monday, karaoke attacks the quaint bar. Some (myself included) go up on the small stage as drunken buffoons, squawking their way clum-sily through a personal favorite (what may have once been a respected tune). But the majority of the Monday night crowd at the Brick can actually sing, which makes for an earful of unique and un-expected vocal stylings.

If you’re not into public embarrassment, though, perhaps karaoke Mondays aren’t for you. How do you feel about tacos? Every Tuesday, from 5-10 p.m., the Brick offers $0.75 tacos, which can be paired perfectly with a tallboy of Pabst.

Wednesday night, from 5-10 p.m., is Burger Night. Take a trip up to 18th and McGee streets and treat yourself to a delicious burger, among the best that KC has to offer.

If you’re more of a trivia buff than a burger buff, then tune in on Fridays, when Roland hosts his own Trivia Night!

Feeling as if you’re somewhere you belong is a rare condition for most. If you crave it as much as I do, acquaint yourself with the Bricks’ regulars. Even if your singing abilities are atrocious; even if you’re a drab psychoanalytical doctor with a suc-cessful spin-off series; even if you met your wife in a bar; you’ll be welcomed with open arms and delicious, delicious tacos.

stowns@unews.com

Where you’re more than just another brick in the wallThe Brick

Save the dateSarah Ashlock A&E Editor

Monday, April 11• UMKC Annual Robert F. Kennedy Symposium: 6 p.m., Stu-dent Union Theater Room. Christopher Gardner will be speaking. Gardner rose from homelessness to become the owner and CEO of Gardner Rich LLC. Author of the autobiography, “The Pursuit of Happyness,” a New York Times and Washington Post #1 best-seller, he is also the inspiration for the acclaimed movie “The Pursuit of Hap-pyness,” for which Will Smith, starring as Gardner, received Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, and Academy Award nominations. His newest book, “Start Where You Are: Life Lessons in Getting From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be” was released in 2009 and instantly hit the New York Times Best-Seller List. Gardner is an avid professional speaker, sharing with his audiences the keys to self-empowerment, and the message of beating the odds and breaking cycles. Gardner is also a passionate philanthropist committed to many charitable organizations.• UMKC Annual Robert F. Kennedy Symposium: 6 p.m, School of Medicine Theater Room A&B. Dr. David Walton will be speak-ing. The Theme this year is "Making Change for the Future.” David Walton focuses on public health, and he believes that it is truly nec-essary to provide everyone with healthcare access. Whether he is in Boston or Haiti, he makes a huge imprint on different parts of the world, helping to change viewpoints and to eradicate and prevent

disease.Tuesday, April 12• National Equal Pay Day Table: 11 a.m.-1 p.m, Student Union. This information table will raise your awareness to the pay inequi-ties women still face. This date symbolizes how far into 2011 wom-en must work to earn what men earned in 2010. Co-sponsored by UMKC Career Services.• Tuesday Tune-up: 12-1 p.m. Yoga for everyone. • ArtSounds: 7:30 p.m., Epperson Auditorium. This month’s Art-Sounds is a collaboration between video artist Joan Grossman and composer David D. McIntire. Joan Grossman is a media artist and scholar who is based in Brooklyn, New York, and currently Visiting Faculty in Film & Media Arts at UMKC. Her work spans documen-tary filmmaking, video installation, web-based projects, and writing. She is currently working on a documentary (with Tom McCourt) and video installation about the experimental and utopian artists community, “Drop City,” which will premiere at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver later this year. David D. McIntire is a composer, teacher and scholar based in Kansas City. • Free documentary screening: 7:30 p.m., Johnson County Com-munity College. The documentary screened will be “Carbon Na-tion,” a film about climate change solutions. Even if you doubt the severity of the impact of climate change or just don't buy it at all, this is still a compelling and relevant film that illustrates how solutions to climate change also address other social, economic and national

security issues. Wednesday, April 13• Wednesday Knights Chess: 5 p.m., Kansas City, Kan. Public Li-brary Main Branch. This is a chance to play chess with new people. Chess boards and pieces are provided.Thursday, April 14• Lunch and Learn: 12-2 p.m., Student Union Room 402. Hear testimonials from a panel of UMKC students with disabilities. Lunch will be provided.• Adult Swim tour: 6-11 p.m., 8th and New Hampshire, Lawrence, Kan. • Chaplin Film Series: 7 p.m., Tivoli Cinemas. UMKC Depart-ment of Film and Media Arts and Tivoli Cinemas present the film series. “Limelight” will be showing, a film that follows Chaplin, as forgotten clown Calvero, who abandons his own alcoholic despon-dency to buck up a suicidal dancer. With son Sydney, and the mo-mentous stage-sharing of Chaplin and Keaton, this 1952 cinematic gem expresses what Chaplin felt about life, living and growing old.Friday, April 15• Clothesline Sale: 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Pembrooke Hill School. Running for almost 60 years, this is a huge garage sale. Free admission.

sashlock@unews.com

April 11, 2011 11A&E

Jacquelyn Hoermann Staff Writer

It’s 6 a.m. on a cold March morning. UMKC Geo-sciences Associate Professor and Chair Jim Murow-chick drives down Missouri Highway 50 in the dark. 

Every March, he rises before dawn and drives un-dergraduate researchers to Jefferson City to present their research to legislators.

One student rides shotgun and asks questions, an-other listens from a back-row bucket seat.

Murowchick is a full-time professor, principal un-dergraduate and graduate advisor, interim director of his department, published researcher and councilor to the National Association of Geoscience Teach-ers, councilor to the Council on Undergraduate Re-search, father of two and mineral enthusiast. 

In his free time, he serves as director to UMKC’s Students Engaged in Artistic and Academic Research program (SEARCH). 

SEARCH is an academic program that promotes undergraduate research with financial support grants and formal presentation opportunities.

The annual SEARCH Undergraduate Research Symposium will be held on April 15 in Pierson Audi-torium and is an opportunity for students, faculty and staff to peek into the life of undergraduate research.

“I’ve always been around minerals,” Murowchick says. “My dad was a chief mineralogist and we trav-eled all over. When I got to undergrad I was biology.  I switched to geology and did real well.”

When asked how he balances his many positions , Murochick replies, “I’m not sure, but I find that when I’m busy, I am better-focused on what needs to be done.”

The highway’s horizon glows with pink and blue stratus clouds, and Murowchick points out rock for-mations created by sinkholes.

He tells the students to beware of granite counter-tops, because they can emit radon.

“Even if someone’s project fails and the student decided they don’t want to pursue research anymore, that’s a success to us,” he said about SEARCH.

Murowchick explains that sometimes students will think they have found their research niche only to dis-cover that they are really passionate about an entirely different topic.

Much of his energy is funneled towards his stu-dents’ research and academic success.

Unlike many grant-hungry scientists, Murowchick cares about the time he spends in the classroom.

“There are some profs that are more interested in research than teaching,” Murowchick said.

But he is not one of those ‘profs.’ When they arrive in Jefferson City,  Murowchick

helps the two students set up their posters on the Capitol building’s third-floor rotunda.

He tells them that he “will be hanging out in the shadows for most of the time.”

He does not take due credit for the research he made possible.

Instead he waits in the wings, watching from be-hind a stack of papers he is grading.

Occasionally a representative or senator will stop by to quiz Murowchick’s students about their presen-tations. Murowchick appears and snaps photographs of the student and the legislator conversing.

 On the way home, Murowchick stops by his favor-ite “place with the dollar shakes” in Sedalia and treats the students to a shake.

Jim  Murowchick returns to Kansas City around 6 p.m. He said he was tired from a 12-hour day, but he hardly showed it. Both students thank him several times for a wonderful opportunity.

He returns to business as usual the next day. He doesn’t catch a break or receive release time for

doing this sort of thing.  He just keeps doing it.jhoermann@unews.com

Professor ProfileJim Murowchick

Sassy NewspaperSeekingSassy Staff

Interested in working for U-News?Email us at info@unews.com

SPORTS12 Vol. 78, Issue 28

Benjamin Campero Contributing Writer

Men’s tennis accumulated nine straight wins after defeating IPFW and Centenary.

UMKC men’s tennis is currently on a nine-game winning streak after defeating the IPFW Mastodons and the Centenary Gents.

Last season, the Kangaroos won 11 games in a row, recording the most wins in school history. A record that the kangaroos will seek to break this year.

UMKC Men’s Tennis traveled on Friday, April 8, to Fort Wayne, Ind. to obtain a 7-0 victory over IPFW, winning all doubles and singles match.

While on Saturday April 9, also at Fort Wayne, Ind., the Kangaroos continued their winning streak defeating the Centenary Gents 7-0. Once again the Roos won every doubles matches and they won every singles match in two sets.

With these victories the Kangaroos improve to 11-6 overall, remaining with a perfect 4-0 in Summit League play.

According to a Summit League Preseason Poll, UMKC Men’s Tennis were tabbed as favorites to claim the 2011 Summit League Tennis Championship.

bcampero@unews.com

Men’s Tennis Recap

Elijah Ringler Contributing Writer

Local rival Rockhurst visited Stanley Durwood Soccer Stadium and Recreational Field (DSSRF) on Friday to take on the UMKC women’s soccer team in a spring-session exhibition. The match was the first for the Roos since the early March resignation of Head Coach Anita Rodriguez.

The Hawks held UMKC to a 0-0 draw and often looked like the better squad despite being in a division lower than the Roos. Neither team put together an organized and effective attack and the match was often reduced to a series of throw-ins.

Head Coach Rick Benben currently leads the women’s program in addition to being the men’s soccer head coach. He stressed that the focus is on individual development for the team during the spring.

“We got a chance to see them play together, to work on some things,” Benben said. “But the focus is on the individual, that’s where we’re looking for improvement.”

The Roos played Central Missouri on Sunday before they wrap up the spring season with games against Baker and Drury universities this coming weekend.

eringler@unews.com

Women’s soccer reviewElijah Ringler Contributing Writer

The UMKC men’s soccer team began its spring season with a 2-2 draw against Missouri Science & Technology (S&T) at Stanley Durwood Soccer Stadium and Recreational Field on Saturday. The Miners put a goal in early with a free kick from the edge of the 18-yard box in the seventh minute and were in command for much of the match.

The Roos got on the board in the 38th minute after sophomore Tom Black placed two consecutive penalties in the lower lefthand corner, the first of which did not count due to an infraction. S&T answered back not a minute

later and held the lead for all but 22 minutes in the match.

Freshman Zachary Balthazar finished up the scoring after pouncing on a loose ball from close range. The match was particularly active in the final two minutes as junior Luke Harman was sent off for picking up his second yellow card and Head Coach Rick Benben earned a yellow in the ensuing protest. Luke Harman is also a staff writer for U-News.

The Roos next spring match is at Rockhurst on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

eringler@unews.com

Men’s soccer review

Zach Balthazar

Elijah Ringler Contributing Writer

You’ve been promised something.If you are a Kansas City Royals fan you have

heard that great things are in store for the future. You have been informed that there are great players throughout the farm system and you have been asked to simply be patient and wait for inevitable success.

You’ve heard this before and you know it.You remember Carlos Beltran, Zack Greinke,

Johnny Damon and Jermaine Dye and how Alex Gordon was our next George Brett.

You remember how Gil Meche signed an enormous contract to become our next Bret Saberhagen and how he ended up becoming our next Jose Lima.

You remember that Bo Jackson ruled the sports world but wore our powder blue and how it was all taken away in an instant because he liked playing football in his spare time. You remember that this has been going on for two decades. You remember being duped before.

You’re really tired of hearing about the future, but that’s too bad.

The general consensus around baseball is

that the Royals current roster is destined to lose about 90 games and once again become irrelevant around the all-star break. You’ve heard that before.

Which is why you hear so much about the future, the hype.

There were nine Royals minor leaguers who were included in the Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects List, the most by one organization in the history of the rankings. Names such as Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer and Wil Myers are supposed to be driving in a lot of runs in a few years. A gaggle of left handed pitchers led by John Lamb and Michael Montgomery should be

shutting down American League hitters before too long.

You’re hearing the Royals are going to be pretty good in a few years. There is talk that they could be a contender by then. You’ve heard this before and you’ve seen this fail. But this feels a little different. It feels a little more realistic, maybe a bit more bonafide.

But you’re a Royals fan and this still gives you the same uneasy feeling in the end and that worries you.

eringler@unews.com

Loyalty in royaltyCameron Schoenhofer

Photo by Katie Vasholtz

Photo courtesy UMKC Athletics

Amanda Casalinuovo, Laura CreasonPhoto by Katie Vasholtz

FORUM14 Vol. 78, Issue 28

U-News is the official newspaper of UMKC, however, we remain an independent student newspaper. The views of individual writers do not represent the publication or university as a whole. All university students are given an opportunity to join and participate in U-News.

Disclaimer

Coffee please, decaf.Greta Moore Staff Writer

My father and I try to have a meal together once a week. A few weeks ago, we had breakfast at First Watch.

The waiter asked, “Coffee?” “No thanks,” my dad said.The waiter looked to me.“I'll have some decaf.”“Decaf,” he asked with his mouth agape. “Yes,” I patted my huge round belly, “I'm pregnant, you see.”“Yes, of course,” he said as he stumbled away bewildered.This was not the first awkward moment that happened when I

ordered decaf. Coffee shops all over town have been puzzled when I ordered a decaf mocha. Most baristas look at me like, “Why would you want that?”

I have even had coffee shops tell me they don't carry decaf coffee of any type. Coffee shops that don't carry decaf are doing a great disservice to those with heart conditions, irritable stomachs, heartburn, insomnia and who are pregnant. There are so many reasons to drink decaf for health reasons, why would a business want

to cut out that customer base?After David Letterman's heart bypass surgery in 2000, he began

drinking decaf from his “Late Show” mug. He was doing it by doctor's orders. He joked, “Oh, God, I hate decaffeinated coffee. It's useless warm brown water. … It’s like low-alcohol gin. What’s the point?”

The attitude that drinking coffee is about the buzz is held by many people. A study published in 2010 casts doubt on this notion. According to a June 3, 2010 article at Science Daily, titled “Coffee Consumption Unrelated to Alertness.”

“Frequent coffee drinkers develop a tolerance to both the anxiety-producing effects and the stimulatory effects of caffeine. While frequent consumers may feel alerted by coffee, evidence suggests that this is actually merely the reversal of the fatiguing effects of acute caffeine withdrawal.”

The study also found that people who are not regular coffee drinkers experience anxiety after drinking coffee rather than alertness. According to Science Daily, “Given the increased propensity to anxiety and raised blood pressure induced by caffeine consumption, there is no net benefit to be gained.”

Drinking decaffeinated coffee still produces the same psychological moment of happiness that regular coffee gives. It is more the sugar that gives us pleasure. When ordering coffee, it is still permitted to add as much sugar as you want. If you are a true sugar fiend you may opt for a flavored syrup, like chocolate, vanilla, hazelnut, or many others found at your local coffee shop and supermarket.

When ordering decaf, it is best to seek decaffeination done by the Swiss water process or saying “Naturally Decaffeinated.” The Swiss water process uses activated charcoal or carbon filters to decaffeinate without chemicals.

When coffee is decaffeinated naturally, it is done with ethyl acetate. Ethyl acetate is found in fruits and is not harmful. Decaf is your friend. Some coffee roasters swear decaffeinated coffee has a deeper flavor than regular coffee, brought out by the natural methods of decaffeination. Real coffee drinkers don't need caffeine.

Real coffee drinkers drink coffee because they like it. gmoore@unews.com

Kasim Hardaway Asst. News Editor

My Facebook status a couple of days ago was an expression of my dislike of humanity... sad right?

However, I don't care, things need to be said. Without further ado here was my status:

"jelly, perf, presh, ridic, obvi... if you are a person that uses 2 or more of these words on a regular basis, please do me the favor of removing me as your friend. Stop shortening words, they are meant to be that long."

I don't know why our generation thinks shortening words is “cute” or acceptable. It really isn't. For all intents and purposes, we will label this the “shortened dialect.”

Here are a few examples of its usage:Scenario: Two friends shopping at a

store, one discovers a bag that will match the other friend perfectly.

1. “That bag is perf for you, everyone will

love it.”Scenario: Two friends are catching

up after the weekend. One of the friends explains to the other how he/she watched “The Notebook,” a precious, heart-wrenching movie. The other friend expresses his/her jealously, because he/she thought they would be seeing it together.

2. Friend 1: “Have you seen “The Notebook,” it is so presh. I almost cried.”

Friend 2: “I AM SO JELLY, I wanted to go see that movie with you.”

Scenario: Two friends are talking about the video game, Halo. One of the friends has been trying to beat a level for hours which he/she thinks is ridiculous. The other friend beat the level with ease and did so in an hour, obviously showing his level of expertise at “Halo.”

3. Friend 1: “This level is so ridic. I have been trying to beat it for the past two hours.”

Friend 2: “I beat that in an hour, no joke, I am an expert, obvi.”

Scenario: Two friends discuss a rather awkward experience which the one of the friends expresses to the other. The other friend totally agrees with the other friend’s feelings toward the situation.

4. Friend 1: “That was so awk. I hope I never have to do that again.”

Friend 2: “TOTE.”If you use this shortened dialect I strongly

advise you to stop and realize the people around you are thinking the same thing I am, they just may not be willing to say it. That's where I come in.

So when you hear your friends or colleagues talking as if a butcher is at their throats chopping words in half, simply remind them of how beings with higher levels of intelligence speak.

It's what a real friend would do.khardaway@unews.com

Tote Presh Ish Ryte Hurr (translation - totally precious s#*! right here)

April 11, 2011 15FORUM

April 12 is the national observance of Equal Pay Day, the day when women and men alike recognize the wage gap between working women and men. The United States Census Bureau found in 2010 that women are paid, on average, 77 cents for every dollar men make. That is a gap of 23 cents.

Here in Missouri women’s pay doesn’t even measure up to the national average. We are paid just 75 percent of men’s pay.

Here are four ways to close the pay gap from the National Committee on Pay Equity:

First, we need to keep affirmative action programs in place to make sure education, jobs and promotion opportunities are open and offered to qualified women.

Second, employers must examine and correct their pay practices.

Employers can get help in examining their pay practices through equal pay self-audit guidelines from the US Department of Labor.

Third, women must stand up for equal pay and for themselves. If a prospective employer cannot show that women and men are paid equally for the job you’re seeking, it makes sense to look elsewhere.

Positive signs include a hiring process that seeks diversity through affirmative action, written pay and benefit policies, job descriptions and evaluation procedures. A union for workers is another good sign.

Women in unions earn 35 percent more than women in non-union workplaces.

Women who are paid less than men must discuss the problem with their employer. If there’s a union ask their help. If discrimination persists, file a complaint the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

A fourth way to close the pay gap is through federal legislation such as the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Fair Pay Act. That’s not a solution popular with employers, but it may

be necessary. For employers who continue to pay women less, legal penalties or EEOC action may be the only remedies.

Pay equity legislation is being introduced across the country and

Missouri is no different. House Bill 349, introduced by State

Representative Stacey Newman, requires equal pay for equal work; would establishes a state commission to study wage disparity and requires employers to document their wages. Pay inequity not only hurts women, but their families as well.

-Jennifer Weisbrod, Senior at University of Missouri, Legislative

Intern for Rep. Stacey Newman 73rd District

Word on Campus

jpoppel@unews.com

Kip Bonds Freshman, Criminal Justice “I don’t believe we should get involved over there.”

Johanna Poppel Staff Writer

What do you think about United States’ involvement

in the conflict in Libya?

Patrick FrySenior, Art History “I believe it is a ploy to seize resources and consolidate power for the global monetary network.”

Maggie HenehanJunior, Spanish and Psychology “I think it is bull-honkey. I do believe we only are there for oil interest.”

Viola KleiserJunior, Psychology and Philosophy “The U.S. shouldn’t get involved, but somebody needs to put an end to it.”

Frank LilligSophomore, Business “The militaristic effort is over the top but I do feel the situation needs to be more in control.”

Emmet StarkeySophomore, Music Education “First off, our society should be knowledgable of what is going on over there. Secondly, we should be able to demonstrate a democratic society and make decisions on our efforts.”

Letter to the Editor

I like pits!Jill Schleiden Copy Editor

This hadn’t happened for a long time. Years, if I remember correctly. But it hap-pened twice in the last week. Words aligned themselves neatly in my throat awaiting orders from my mind, but in-stead of what I meant to say, out comes—utter embarrassment. (Or since we’re talk-ing about misspeaking, should I say udder embarrassment?).

Scene one: I am at work, cleaning up the brunch tables. Massive bowls and hot buffet pans of food set in boiling water to keep warm are being cleared and dumped unceremoniously into the trashcan by me and my coworkers.

One girl is scraping smoked salmon off of a board shaped like a fish. I think to my-self, why, the brown goop in this pan I’m scraping looks like poo. And I announce to the restaurant, “Fish, I’m going to poop on your head!”

Scene two: A new guy at work is at the computer, entering in food orders. Per-sonal boundaries are basically nonexistent amongst servers, so I sneak up behind him to tickle him. Everyone is watching.

I stick my hands under his arms and wiggle my fingers, and he spins around to face me, baffled. Here is where a nor-mal person would explain that they were trying to tickle him. Not me. I say, in a gruff, creepy voice that comes out before I think, “I like ‘pits.”

Scene three: Kate and I are smoking on the front steps of the U-News office. She grinds the butt into the cement, and

it leaves a round char mark on the step. I comment, “It’s black…”

And Kate finishes, “Like my hole. I mean heart! I mean heart!”

Why, oh why does this happen? www.patientslikeme.com says this is a symptom of aphasia, caused by brain damage from injury or disease. S#*! What have I done to myself? Was it that bout of mononu-cleosis two years ago? Smoking a pack a day? Hitting my head on the lamp by my front door one too many times? I resolve to quit smoking, to drink gallons of orange juice (gotta get that vitamin C!) and pos-sibly move my porch chairs, or at least not stand up so fast.

But there’s a simpler answer, surely. Maybe I was thinking about something else while I was speaking, or my subcon-scious hijacked my brain mid-thought and told me to spurt out something ab-surd. Or maybe it’s just one of those inex-plicable things that happens to everyone.

All too often little quirks and happen-ings cause us undue worry. And it’s easier to do with all these illness engines like Webmd to tell us all the ways our bodies can go horribly wrong. (Or maybe I’m just a hypochondriac, or maybe I shouldn’t have a computer, or, or, or…)

It’s time to put down the mouse and stop worrying about all these little things. It’s embarrassing saying the wrong thing, but frankly, it’s pretty funny. “Pooping on a fish’s head?” “I like pits?” Without all our little oddities, the world would be a much less amusing place.

jschleiden@unews.com

The University News is published Mondays by students of the University of Missouri-Kansas City. 4,000 free copies are distributed to the University, Plaza, Westport, Brookside, Midtown and Downtown areas. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University or staff. Letters to the editor, whether submitted electronically or by mail, should be 350 words or less and must include writer’s phone number for verification. Unsigned letters will not be published. Letters may be edited for clarity or space. Subscriptions are available for the cost of postage, $25 a year. The first copy of the University News is free. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 each, payable at the University News office in advance. No person may, without prior written permission of the University News, take more than

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Fred Wickman, Patty Wolverton, Jennifer Kaminsky, Kayla Sosa, Chad King, Alex Karenevich

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Editorial BoardMelissa Oribhabor

John PfortmillerBJ Allen

Kate LawlerNathan Zoschke

Mark LinvilleKasim Hardaway

Briana IbanezSarah Ashlock

Kevin BryceJill Schleiden

Nathan ZoschkeKevin Bryce

Patricia BarraEthan Parker

BJ AllenFred Wickman

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