Big Daddy
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
North American box office totals for the weekend of June 25-27. (in millions)
Entertainment
Wednesday
June 30,1999
Section:
B
Page 1
Page 1
Movie review
Bigger, longer and uncut: is it South Park the movie, a bad joke or both?
SEE PAGE 3B
Pro basketball
Ryan Robertson, Sean Pearson and Billy Thomas used some of the moves they learned as Jayhawks on the court for the Salina Cagerz.
SEE PAGE 8B
WWW.KANSAN.COM
Contact the Kansan
Kansan newsroom: (785) 864-4810
Kansan Fax: (785) 864-0391
Kansan e-mail: editor@kansan.com
Holiday begins with colorful bang
By Clint Hooker
Kansan staff writer
No Fourth of July would be complete without the sights and sounds of holiday revelry, from firecrackers and sparklers to Roman candles and bottle rockets.
Lawrence residents and KU students will have just three days to legally celebrate the holiday with personal fireworks within city limits.
Lawrence Police Department spokesman Sgt. George Wheeler said that city ordinances permitted the use of fireworks from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday.
Wheeler also said that several specific types of fireworks were prohibited within the city because of fire and injury concerns. These include bottle rockets and heavy fireworks such as M-80s and cherry bombs.
"What you would buy in the stands outside the city it lies is generally going to be legal, with the exception of bottle rockets," he said. "They're not legal at all."
Jerry Pine operates a fireworks stand north of Lawrence on 24/40 Highway. He said that among his best selling explosives were "nightworks," fireworks designed to appear bright in the night sky.
"The items that are colorful have become much more popular over the years." Pine said. "People like to see the colors at night."
Sgt. Troy Mailen, KU public safety office representative, said that the University allowed fireworks on campus during the same three-day window recognized by city officials.
"We pretty much utilize the same city ordinance they've directed, by using the same time frame," he said. Bottle rockets are prohibited on campus and will be confiscated, Mailen said.
Injuries from fireworks present another concern for the holiday season.
Janie Early-Weas, director of community relations at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, said injuries such as burns to the fingers, hands and face repeatedly occurred
during this time of the year.
"I've worked at the hospital for six or seven years, and we do see fireworks
"I've worked at the hospital, seven years, and we do see firew injuries every single year," she said. "The kinds of injuries we see are usually minor in nature, but they are severe enough to require someone to come to the hospital emergency department."
Early-Weas said people should follow a few guidelines when using fireworks during the Fourth of July weekend, especially when consuming alcohol.
"Alcohol and fireworks do not mix," she said. "That's Number One. If you've been drinking a little bit and your judgment's have impaired, you may not handle fireworks in a responsible manner."
These are her recommendations:
1) Avoid using fireworks when consuming alcohol.
These are her recommendations:
fireworks indoors or in enclosed areas...
2) Don't use
3) Keep spectators out of range.
4) Don't alm or throw fireworks at people or buildings.
5) Never try to re-light or handle unexploded fireworks.
6) Never leave children unattended with fireworks, matches or lighters.
— Edited by Anjum Aziz
Independence Day Celebrations
All fireworks displays begin at dusk unless otherwise noted.
LAWRENCE
What: games for kids, live music, fireworks
Where: Burcham Park
Satellite parking with bus service from downtown parking lots
TOPEKA
Where: Lake Shawnee
When: begins at 10 a.m.
What: crafts, water ski show,
fireworks at 10 p.m.
(785) 287-1156
LEAWOOD
When: begins at 3 p.m.
Where: Leawood City Park, 10601 Lee Blvd.
What: kids activities, music, carnival rides, skydivers, fireworks (913) 339-6700 ext. 152
OLATHE
Where: Frontier Park, Indian Creek Parkway and Blackbob Road When: begins at noon
What: yo-yo championship, bike parade, music, food, children's activities, fireworks at 9:45 p.m. (913) 782-2600
OVERLAND PARK
Where: Corporate Woods, 9401 Indian Creek Parkway
KANSAS CITY, MO
What: jazz concert, children's activities, food, National Guard flyover, fireworks
When: begins at 2:30 p.m.
Where: City Market, Fifth and Walnut streets
(913) 782-2600
What: music, food, children's activities, fireworks at 10 p.m.
(816) 842-1271
LEAVENWORTH
When: begins at 6 p.m.
What: food, band concert, movie screening (Independence Day), fireworks
Where: Fort Leavenworth When: begins at noon
(913) 682-4113
Rocket fans have a blast-off
Hobbyists soar to new heights with large, hand-built models
By Lisa John
Kansan managing editor
On a good day, when HobbyTown USA manager Anthony Montague takes his tallest model rocket to the launching site east of the dam at Clinton Lake, the wind sock will be hanging low, meaning wind speeds are below 10 mph.
But today, the wind sock flies at a nearly horizontal level, meaning the wind is sweeping across at about 17 mph too strong, said Montague, for a rocket launch.
He has launched this three-pound, four-foot-tall homemade rocket only once before. It was a still and sunny April afternoon. When Montague pressed the button that ignited the engine, the rocket took off with a loud sound that can best be described as a "whoosh."
The rocket soared upward, reaching a zenith of about 1,000 feet before starting on its way down and releasing a red parachute that billowed out and slowed the descent. Less than a minute after the launch, the rocket made a soft landing in a nearby field.
Anthony Montague sets up his rocket on a launching stand near the dam at Clinton Lake. This three-pound rocket that Montague built from a kit is complete with a parachute and uses a large hobby-sized engine. Photo by Lisa John/KANSAN
Montague is one of many rocket enthusiasts in the area, and like most of them, he caught the rocketry bug during his childhood. He learned about rockets from a sixth-grade science teacher who believed in hands-on learning.
That's the way most kids become involved with it," he said, "either through school or an organization like 4-H or Boy Scouts, because it does require a teacher who has knowledge and understanding of what makes a rocket work."
Rocket rewards
Vicki Ulrich is superintendent of the rockyretry division for the Douglas County 4-H and Future Farmers of America Free Fair, which will be held this year from July 31 to August 7. Ulrich said she became interested in rockyretry 15 years ago when the oldest of her three sons wanted to learn how to build rockets.
"As a child, I always enjoyed building model airplanes with my brothers. But we never blasted anything off," Ulrich said.
He didn't have to ask her twice.
"So when my oldest son got interested in rocketry, I got into it too."
Since then, Ulhrich has led her three sons through rocketry, served as superintendent of the rockyry division at the Douglas
County fair, judged at the fair in Franklin County and has also found ways to incorporate rocket building into her teaching career.
See ROCKETRY on page 4B
10.4.3
July 4th united U.S.A. from beginning.
Our celebration of independence, oddly enough, began long before the Fourth of July ever became the United States' Independence Day.
Kansan staff writer
By Carrie Petree
States independence. During colonial times, the people of Great Britain and of the English colonies celebrated the birthday of the monarch. It was a festive holiday with parades, banners, and toasts to the monarch's health. With the exception of the latter, the celebration had all of the same components of a Fourth of July celebration.
Then, in 1776, the Declaration of Independence was unanimously supported by the 13 United States of America and was adopted by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia on the fourth of July that year. Two months later, the second Continental Congress had the
task of ensuring the document was signed and voted on.
Pew people realize that during the second Congress is actually when the United States became a new country. But the first congress is the one that comes to mind.
"I know that July 4, 1776 is when we declared our independence, but we did not really get it until later," said Carrie Brazeler. Wichita junior.
it was that first meeting that remains as the milestone for the start and the celebration of a new nation.
"With independence in the 1770s, the framers were faced with the difficult task of creating a new civic nationalism," said Jonathan Earle, assistant professor in the Department of History. "The reason for the celebration was to create this new 'American' nationalism."
Instead of "Long Live the King," it became "Long Live These Independent States," he said.
However, the United States observes no national holidays, that is, holidays mandated by the Federal Government. A public holiday can only be established at the local level, so cities must enact ordinances regarding the celebration of the Fourth of July. The first official state celebration occurred in Massachusetts in 1781, and Boston was the first city to officially designate July 4 as a holiday.
These were only technicalities to the people of the United States.
"You did not need a holiday to tell these people to celebrate." Earle said.
See FIREWORKS on page 4B
rne tough part about having a new country was bringing the 13 states together as an independent country.
Commentary
Let freedom ring proudly on July Fourth
After all, we have so much to celebrate. The Fourth of July is Independence Day.
All across the United States this Sunday, in towns large and small, families and friends will gather to celebrate the Fourth of July. Americans will barbecue, swim, watch sports, relax, shop and enjoy the outdoors. To cap it all off, millions will enjoy brilliant fireworks lighting the night sky.
Lest we forget, it was fewer than 225 years ago that our nation declared its independence — the independence we are so fortunate to enjoy today.
We will start a new kind of country, the Founders said, in which the people, not the government, will hold the power. The citizens will decide who represents them. Americans will control their own destinies. The United States will be a democracy with liberty and justice for all, they said.
With relatively few hitches along the way, the Founders' ideas have worked.
How is it that we have
Chad
Bottes
cbettes@ukans.edu
Yet, where has our patriotism gone? We take days off of school and work for holidays such as Memorial Day and July Fourth. But few spend much time celebrating the true reason for the holidays in between trips to the mall and to the lake.
so quickly started taking our privileges for granted? Have we become intoxicated with our own success?
But consider the alternatives. All over the map, people are oppressed, in the midst of war or lacking basic human rights.
Certainly, no culture is utopia, nor any government a panacea. Perusing the newspaper or listening to a few minutes of the nightly news is proof.
Sierra Leone is being bloodied by civil war. Ethiopia and Eritrea are fighting it out. Relations are ice cold between North and South Korea. Israel and Lebanon are lobbing bombs at one another. Pakistan and India are at a dangerous crossroads in relations. During the last 15 years, about 1.5 million people in the Sudan have died from war and famine.
Moving closer to home, we can't forget shell-shocked Yugoslavia, where Europe and the West look for ways to end hundreds of years of ethnic and religious civil fighting, not to mention the presidency of an indicted war criminal.
Then there are always the Communist holdovers, China and Cuba. The people there get to vote, all right, for Communists or ... Communists. Choices galore.
Democracy and freedom are rare, precious commodities. Let's celebrate them this Independence Day.
When you hear politicians or others debating issues, don't cringe. Be glad that our country embraces the exchange of ideas. It's not mean-spirited partisanship. It's democracy. Add your voice to the chorus, and be willing to listen to others'.
When you hear about corruption being exposed, be happy that it's allowed to come out. Help correct the problem, and remember the situation so it may not happen again.
When you hear that we live in a materialistic society, be thankful for the bounty of our land and the hard work behind it. Choose to be balanced in your consumption.
Thousands of men and women have given their lives for our freedom. Others, like former Sen. Bob Dole and Sen. Daniel Inouye, stand as examples of lifelong sacrifice. Both men suffered debilitating war injuries for the love of their country and went on to lives of public service.
It is our turn to carry the torch.
Retired Army Gen. Colin Powell said, "America is trusted and respected as no other nation on earth. This trust comes not only out of respect for our military, economic and political power, but from the power of the democratic values we hold dear."
Powell is right. Our democratic values are powerful and must be revered. So, call me old fashioned, but I'm proud to be an American. Let the fireworks begin
4.
1
Better is a Shawnee graduate student in journalism.
---
+