opinion Joe Meeker, Opinion Editor The risky business of our biggest banks Joe Meeker creation of the Troubled Asset to prevent it. This leads to our economic system is that forms. First, we could place Opinion Editor Relief Program, which bought the creation of “perverse you’re allowed to take risks if incredibly strict regulations these securities at face value incentives.” Because banks there’s a potential for payoff. on banks and their activities. Our nation is currently in to help relieve debt. feel like they will never fail, But parties must be aware Limit them only to commercial the midst of one the greatest Why would banks take such they are more willing to take of their potential benefits operations, put in place the financial crises in its history, risks? Banks, of course, do not risks than they otherwise and consequences. Things consumer protection program, and over and over we find want to fail. From your corner would be. a re d i f f e re n t re-evaluate our lending laws. our financial institutions— bank to the biggest in f o r b a n k s , This would require sweeping namely the big banks—to especially large reform. be responsible. banks. When Our current system of With little regulation large banks regulation is patchwork to constrain them, engage in risky and inefficient. Regulation, our banks engaged in behaviors— especially of new markets such risky behaviors and hedge-fund as derivates, is difficult, due to neared collapse. Banks i n v e s t m e n t , overlapping responsibilities of are economic engines, taking loans which agencies. We replace the duties p r o v i d i n g c r e d i t , any rational person would of the SEC, FED, etc., with one facilitating investment see are inherently flawed, powerful oversight body that and keeping the wheels investing in unregulated might adapt to changes in the of economics turning. financial derivatives such as financial system. When banks collapse, mortgage-backed securities The other is to limit the t h o s e w h e e l s s t o p out of a belief that a bubble size of the banks, pure and turning and we spiral would never burst—they are simple. Cut them down to into a recession. Thus, to fundamentally endangering some government-determined ensure future economic the American people and the point, at which their failure stability, we must act financial system. would no longer spell doom for now to keep our banks There are two main our economy and our liquidity. functioning. If we are to theories as to the And were we to finally say, ensure that we never see continuation of the “Hey, you’re not safe anymore,” a repeat of the actions relationship between if we were able to eliminate the of ’07 and ’08, we must the government and perverse incentives created by enact strong reform that the banks. government intervention—the attacks the problem at its One, the Addicted problems with risky behavior source—risky behaviors Gambler theory, might solve themselves. on the part of banks and i s t h a t t h e A strong stance from the perverse incentives. government will government would go a long How, exactly, did banks continue to bailout way in protecting the interests create this crisis? Banks, the banks, now and of the American people. To in the 2000s, engaged forever. As it was in be clear: irresponsibility on in some incredibly the beginning, behalf of financial institutions risky lending practices, is now and ever should no longer be a cause including administering shall be. The of our economic woes. Real, NINA Loans—Loans that other foresees sweeping reform is needed if one can recieve with “No some day, far into we are to protect ourselves Income and No Assets”—and America, no bank wants to go The banks—and excuse the future, where we finally let and our interests. investing billions of dollars in under. But the big dogs, the me this metaphor—want to the banks fail, destroying our Big is fine. But the moment a the unregulated derivatives ones who truly have influence have their tasty derivatives financial infrastructure but bank becomes “Too Big to Fail,” market. This includes on the American economy, cake and eat it with the fork giving us a clean slate. and where their potentially “mortgage-backed securities,” know failure is impossible. of government aid. And you I reject both of these theories. risky behaviors endanger which were made worthless They know that their collapse simply cannot have it both I believe that, with proper the well-being of millions of when the real estate bubble would be so detrimental to ways. Risk is a part of life and regulation, we might eliminate Americans—that is just too burst. It was these billions of the American economy that a part of capitalism. The great the need for bank bailouts. This big. Too big to fail is simply dollars in debt that led to the the government will step in thing about this nation and regulation would come in two too big to exist. Help out Haiti; But has the United States forgotten Cuba? Jamie Warner the CIA World Factbook, 80 United States. It is within our then they might have been neighborhood, and we did not Columnist percent of the people in Haiti sphere of influence, the area able to resist the Communist give them support before it was are below the poverty line, and of proximity to the U.S. that influences. The same process too late. However, there are The response to the recent more than two-thirds do not we can significantly affect. could happen to Haiti. It is a other countries in a situation Haiti earthquake was generous have formal jobs. An unstable country so close poor, unstable country, so it is similar to that of Haiti’s, and widespread. It is the poorest country in to the U.S. is also a safety highly susceptible to modern- before the quake. Take Cuba, However, there was a the Western hemisphere. If we concern. day threats against the U.S., for instance. Soviet Russia disaster in Haiti even before had donated to Haiti before the Consider the Cuban Missile like terrorists. The U.S. had a was its primary economic the earthquake happened. earthquake, then the donated Crisis, where Communists motive to help Haiti and also support, giving Cuba $4 billion Donations and support should money could go to improving had a strong influence over had a strong influence over it, to $6 billion each year. Since have been given earlier. infrastructure and building yet we failed to act in time. The Soviet Russia collapsed, Cuba Preventative measures should stability instead of to result was a disaster, and we has undergone an economic be taken currently in similar repairs and medical can only try to repair it. collapse. In addition to that, countries like Cuba, where support. Do not We have made our it has problems with human a crisis like the one in Haiti get me wrong, mistake with Haiti. trafficking and drug trading. could emerge. t h o u g h — t h e They are Cuba, like Haiti, is our Benjamin Franklin said, donations so far were very in our neighbor. They both are “An ounce of prevention is helpful and generous. Cuba. They managed undergoing severe economic worth a pound of cure.” Earlier However, earlier donations to put nuclear missiles and social problems. We can donations would have helped would have saved lives. These there, making a large threat only repair Haiti for the time Haiti improve its infrastructure, lives also are not in a distant to the U.S. If the U.S. had being, but we might be able to reducing deaths. According to country; Haiti is close to the made Cuba more stable, save Cuba.

Page 4 The Purple Sage February 17, 2010 opinion

THE WEDNESDAY SOCIETY uotable speaks UOTE Karma affects us all Though epigenetics is a cutting-edge field of study, there is significant evidence to suggest that, in the ultimate form The word “karma,” while often tossed about popular culture, of karma, what we do today and for the rest of our lives can Q actually refers to a rather esoteric, grounded life-view held come back to haunt or help our children. in many cultures. Christians may quote Galatians 6:7, which Do not, however, make the mistake of thinking that karma, says, “A person reaps what he sows” and Confucianists may good or bad, will not return in one’s lifetime. Take, for You know refer to Confucius’ quote that, “What you do not want done example, a simple visit to Kokopelli Cafe. to yourself, do not do to others.” In the book “Kindness, One morning this past month, I blearily rolled out of bed, Clarity and Insight,” the Dalai Lama put it quite clearly, pulled on sweatpants and made the trek to school. I knew you’re in saying, “The effects of karma (actions) are inevitable...we extra caffeine was going to be a must that day, and I was “ have accumulated negative karma which will inevitably have quite looking forward to receiving my tea. I stumbled into love when its fruition in this or future lives. Just as someone witnessed Kokopelli during passing time, ordered tea and rummaged by police in a criminal act will eventually be caught and in my purse only to find that I was a quarter short of the you can’t fall punished, so we too must face the consequences of faulty necessary amount. actions we have committed in the past, there is no way to be One measly quarter was standing between me and that asleep be- at ease; those actions are irreversible; we must eventually which would get me through the rest of the day. Thoroughly undergo their effects.” Regardless of one’s religion (or lack disappointed and embarrassed, I turned to leave the line cause reality thereof), karma is the comforting force assuring us that there when the guy behind me silently handed the cashier the is some justice. necessary quarter. I did not and still do not know the name Recent scientific findings have actually supported karma, or grade of this person, but I am sure that quarter was the is finally at least in a roundabout sort of way. Remember learning in direct result of something I had done for someone else. freshman biology about LaMarck’s thinking that what an So, to the person behind me in the line at Kokopelli, better than individual does in his or her lifetime can affect offspring? Well, thank you. I promise to continue to practice random acts of it turns out that he was at least partially right. An epigenome is kindness and live to my fullest potential as a human each day. your dreams. a sort of protein coat, laying just on top of each of our genes, I am sure that sooner or later, one of my actions will lead to that acts as a switch for our genes, turning them on and off a moment of your happiness. based on our life experiences. —Katie Scheuer —Dr. Seuss Is that eyeliner? The feminizing of the American manscape” this deadly condition. real determining factor of the patient. questionable gender. Some Laura Meeker Graphics Artist The side-effects of shemale- deadliness is whether or not The cause of this famed characters, such as ification include, but are not the patient is observed as still feminization is as of yet a male named Sesshomaru, Edward Cullen, notorious limited to Effeminate Speech, “getting tail.” If this is the case, unknown, though there are even go so far as to have long, girly-man, is only the face Shedding of Most or All they have an extreme and many suspicions as to the lustrous hair, eyeliner and of the larger problem in Body Hair, and Death of any deadly case of the condition source. Early cases, such as makeup. Fans of this style of America. David Bowie, art defend the characters’ More and more, male show a definite manliness, but it is no longer teenage idols are cramming upswing in arguable the moment one themselves into skinny the level of appears in drag—which jeans and tight shirts. Most m e a s u r e d happens surprisingly often in hoped this problem was “fabulousness,” manga. limited to males frequenting but some But wherever it comes Hot Topic, but unfortunately suspect the from, the condition of male this epidemic is not condition did girliness seems unstoppable stemmed by departure from not blossom in and fearsome. A cure has not the darkness to the light of America, but in yet been discovered, and it day. our neighbor to is only spreading. Women We have seen a number the east, Japan. support it adamantly, despite of examples, from the From time the fact that their idols have relatively mild case of Shia i m m e m o r i a l pant sizes smaller than they Labeouf to the more extreme (actually only do. We can only hope these cases observed in Zac Efron a few decades idols will come to their senses, and Pete Wentz. In all cases, credibility you might have (third side effect). In the ago, but this is Japan) comics reclaim their manliness, and however, the swideswept had as an artist. benign cases, the first two made for girls in Japan, reestablish their careers in bangs and occasional (or in Of course, there are many side effects are still present called shojo, have portrayed a less feminine fashion. Until Wentz’s case, frequent use of) benign cases of shemaleism, but not at all detracting from men as sleek-haired, large- then, we can only wait. mascara are telling sides of such as Adam Lambert. The the respectability of the eyed, glittery specimens of THE PURPLE SAGE The Purple Sage Editorial Staff Waunakee Community High School EDITORIAL 301 Community Drive POLICIES Contact us by e-mail: [email protected] Waunakee, WI 53597 The Purple Sage is written and produced entirely by Waunakee Community High School students. Opinions ALEX KUEHN OLIVIA KNIER LUKE THERING in The Purple Sage are the opinions of the author and Editor in Chief Features Editor Copy Editor do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the newspaper staff or the school district. Students, staff, and members CASSIE VENSKE SIERRA GILLESPIE BRIAN LENZ of the community are welcome to submit Letters to the Editor. Letters should be 250 words or less and must be Managing Editor Entertainment Editor Web Page Manager signed. Letters may be delivered to room 1502, or sent to our mailing or email address. KATIE SCHEUER CATIE ANDERSON LAURA MEEKER The Purple Sage is published monthly and is printed News Editor Sports Editor Graphics Artist by South Central Publishing. The Purple Sage is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, JOE MEEKER KELSEY RUDISILL TAMMY RADEMACHER the National Scholastic Press Association and the Kettle Opinion Editor Sage Page Editor Adviser Moraine Press Association. Subscriptions to The Purple Sage are avaliable for $20 per year. Mail subscription Photography Editor requests or other requests to our mailing address or LAERTES e-mail address. Gnome

February 17, 2010 The Purple Sage Page 5 Opinion U.S.: Watch out for Iran many other nations, have urged a good chance that nukes will Aaron Schmidt Columnist Iran to not enrich uranium to be created. If Iran continues weapon level; Iran does not to inch closer to 90 percent O n F e b r u a r y 9 , t h e seem to listen, though. Iran enrichment levels, it could anniversary of the 1979 maintains the position that it mean extending the war in the Islamic revolution, President is using the uranium to power Middle East to Iran. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of a research reactor designed The greatest fear among Iran announced that it has for the production of medical Americans is that the United enriched its uranium to 20 isotopes. The problem with States would be the first Thumbs up! Thumbs down... percent. enriching uranium is that it target of an Iranian nuclear Uranium needs to be goes through the same process weapon. The United States has • Valentine’s • Forgetting enriched to 90 percent for it to for both powering reactors and never had great relations with be used in weapons. Though for creating military Iran; Americans have been Day, when gifts for the 20 percent is still far from 90 weaponry. There one of the leading countries percent, there is legitimate is not a way attempting to place sanctions you’re in a significant concern that Iran will be to know for on Iran. On February 8, one day creating nuclear weapons sure exactly before President Mahmoud relationship. other on soon. With the United what Iran’s Ahmadinejad’s announcement, States’ relationship with intentions are. the United States had just • Sunshine. It’s Valentine’s Iran, Americans should Iran’s prior implemented several more good to have Day. be closely monitoring this lies, though, sanctions on Iran. If Iran had situation. suggest that the ability to nuke the United you back! • No snow Experts have stated that there is States, they just might take Iran could easily make it. • The Winter for the Winter a j u m p f ro m The U.S. government needs the current 20 to tread carefully around this Olympics. USA! Olympics. Kind percent to the situation, while still monitoring required 90 it closely. The United States USA! of defeats the percent. The cannot afford another war, • The Saints purpose. United States, especially a war which could i n c l u d i n g involve nuclear means. take the Super • Scholarship Bowl. WHO deadlines. Quit with the budging, Waunakee DAT? Because Luke Thering line. Behind me, a student behind this half-wit. Copy Editor calls at his friend at the front U p o n w a t c h i n g t h e s e • Swimming applying to of the line. After making this violations take place, once I There is nothing that connection, this student finds have recovered from shock events, skiing college was infuriates me quite like it acceptable to slither through and allowed my temper to standing in the WHS lunch the line in order to get closer cool a bit, I have one of three and Dance so much fun, “line.” Through my years in to said friend. On my right, options—options which may the Waunakee school system, a couple of towering jocks be likened to the behavior of make state! right? I have witnessed a rise in the sludge through, passing me. dogs fighting over a piece of troubling trend of disrespect Occasionally, particularly meat. I can fight fire with fire and disregard—qualities ill-mannered students even and budge my way back (bite), is being criticized: “What? mob—has become largely which are seen most explicitly dare to hop from the normal I can call out the trespassers What’s the big deal? Settle obtuse, carrying a muted while trying to get lunch. line to the specialty meal (bark) or I can remain a down.” These oafs expect me conscience sicklied o’er with I am standing in the lunch line by means of squeezing doormat (back off) and come to roll out the red carpet and the pale cast of ego. mob (to call it a line would through the gate separating to terms with the fact that praise them for their talents If we cannot act civilly to one be hallucinatory). On my left, the lines. This effectively I just lost 15 minutes of my in discourtesy. Needless to another in school, what hope a group of friends finds the launches the hopper to about lunch period. say, my request is never taken do we have in the real world? open space and creeps in. third in the new line and also Biting suggests hypocrisy, seriously; the budgers laugh You know, the real world; They make quick glances left effectively pisses off everyone and backing off suggests it off and proceed through where knowledge is power, and right, then relax and enjoy subservience (although pasta the line. Upon a second where respect is not just a part their pilfered bar, comparatively to the rest confrontation, the trespassers of “Classroom Expectations” position in of the lunch options, is simply ignore me, having been PowerPoints and where you almost worth being rendered unresponsive as a take responsibility for your stepped on for— result of choking on their own actions. almost). This leaves guilt, which they are—at this Will I ever see the day where the option to bark, point—now desperately trying we can all shake off those pesky which unfortunately to swallow. middle school manners and proves futile in a And if not choking on their wait patiently and respectfully lunch mob situation. guilt, then what? If committing in the lunch line? Eh… When I would say, “Excuse a blatant budge does not in the pigs fly… me, why are you least faze your conscience, I But with the emergence of budging me? I find am troubled. I have a hunch H1N1 (swine ‘flew’), I guess that discourteous and that deep inside—perhaps my dream actually has some utterly disrespectful. extremely deep inside—you promise! The solution to this Please find your spot taste a morsel of shame after irritating issue is the same behind the rest of us.” budging in the lunch mob. piece of direction we have been On occasions where I Yet, the behavior continues, receiving since kindergarten: utilize barking and day after day. Is this to say be respectful! My hope is that make a remark such that our entire student body these powerful yet grossly as this, the common is completely unscrupulous? underrated words resonate response I receive is I think not. Rather, a majority with you, and that you apply one of incredulous of the student body—through them to your life. bafflement. It is as if a series of unchecked, At the very least, please quit they cannot believe disrespectful decisions inside budging. It makes me grumpy that their behavior and outside of the lunch and prolongs my hunger. Page 6 The Purple Sage February 17, 2010