University Daily Kansan
Wednesdav. February 20.1980
5
Spacey class explores the last frontier through film
By RICK HELLMAN
Staff Reporter
Gene Roddenberry's "Star Trek" has been the subject of conventions, films, toys and books, but one of its more unusual works is the use of an episode in a college course.
In professor H. Lewis McKinsey's course, "The History of Space Exploration," a Star Trek author, used as the final presentation of the semester. McKinsey is a professor of
But the course isn't all fun and games.
One student in the class said, "It's a fun course, but it's nood."
McKinney describes the course as unique. Part of its singularity, he says, comes from the use of a large number of films in teaching the course, one or more each class.
"I have a course," he said, "where I can
MKINNEY SAID last week that he used many films because he thought students remembered more of what they saw than of what they read.
New radiation rules will not affect KU
Staff Reporter
BvSTEVE MAUN
Radioactive waste from the Med Center is buried six to eight times a year at the Sunflower burial ground near DeSoto.
Although public concern about radioactive waste disposal has increased, legislation proposing new restrictions will not affect waste disposal at the University of Georgia assistant director, Frome St. George, assistant director of safety for radiation said yesterday.
The waste is sealed in special drums and then buried in trenches 10 feet deep and two feet wide. St. George said. A two-foot cover of top soil is required by law.
Ruth Shipman, health physician, said about 100 barrels were buried every year at a cost of $23 each. The burial ground, which is in a desert, will be fallen in two to three years.
"Setting up another burial ground now is very difficult because of environmental impact studies," St. George said. "It's almost a political thing."
The Med Center has purchased a com-
pactor that will reduce its barrel volume by 75 percent and save space at the burial ground.
Radioactive waste from the Med Center is different from waste processed at nuclear power plants. It contains test tubes, rubber gloves, laboratory animals and other laboratory materials.
St. George said all research projects involving radioactive material must be approved by the Med. Center Radiation Center, and only any radioactive material could be ordered.
Radioactive materials are used in clinical procedures and research projects, he said. A committee of the medical committee of how they are using the material, where it is stored and how much is needed.
"The Radiation Safety Committee exists to review research protocols," St. George said. "We can approve or not approve use of an isotope."
About 80 percent of the researchers use tridium, a low level radioactive isotope. St. George said.
Logistics problems stymie downtown shopping mall
The latest proposal for a downtown shopping mall went into a "holding pattern" yesterday when local developers and an investment firm could not agree on the plan's details.
Warren Rhodes, chairman of Action 80, a group of Lawrence residents who support the mail, said late yesterday that the firm of Warren Rhodes had taken to take the mail plan for further study.
"I foresee some lengthy negotiations going on here," Rhodes said.
"WE'RE NOT that far apart between our plan and what JVW would approve," RHOBs said. "But they have real questions about the influence of the major department stores to it."
He declined to specify the nature of the disagreements between Action 80 and the building firm, saying only that they affectedmall layout, traffic flow and parking.
Action 80 has said that three major department stores would have to approve the mail plan before it would be presented to
the public, but have declined to name the stores they were considering.
shows some of the most important events in the history of mankind. You know, people had predicted we would go to the moon, but no one predicted, that we'd be able ace
Glenn West, executive vice president of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce and ex-officio member of Action 80, said that no stores were committed to the plan.
"The builders and Action 80 can only speculate on interested stores," West said. "None of them have an iron-clad company. They are because, as we here report, a project."
WEST CALLED the determination of a business person to task. He said something before he mistake to provide detail about the nature of the changes that have delayed an answer.
"When the plan goes to the city commission, all of this will come out as part of the discussion and of our presentation of the plan to the community." West said.
Using films from NASA, CBS and the National Geographic Society, grow students an overview of man's exploration efforts, starting with a history of explorers such as Christopher Columbus and Christopher Columbus.
He said he was not disappointed with yesterday's meeting.
"You just can't make snap judgments on this kind of thing," he said.
McKinney said the NASA films had propaganda mixed in with historical material, but said that he thought students today were sophisticated enough to ignore
"Propaganda is a part of our lives," he said. "We don't believe what our president tells us, we don't believe what the TV tells us."
ALTHOUGH MOVIES and television shows have been available at times, McKinney said such blockbuster films as "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" had helped to generate interest in these movies.
"Science fiction fans are as numerous as they've ever been," he said. And a number of them are now attending the course. The 260 students enrolled in the space exploration class fill a Wescott classroom.
"Many see the course as an extension of
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sei-Ki." McKinney said. "Students are excited about something that happened, literally, during their lives."
THE FIELD itself is so new that materials required to teach the course have only lately become available, McKinney said.
The course was conceived in the early 70s, he said, but a suitable textbook was published only a couple of years ago.
McKinney said science fiction such as "Star Trek" is a good indication of what may happen in the future.
"We are just now at a point where we can objectively analyze what happened," McKinney said.
The space program "was, without any question, worth the money spent," he said. Benefits such as weather and communications satellites, *microrintinization* of computer parts and improved quality control systems are but a small part of the work America's space efforts be said.
"We've got enough problems here at home."
BUT THE PROSPECT for future space projects isn't very bright, according to McKinney.
"I think sci-li stuff projects us into the future, shows us how we'll function," he said. "Science fiction is one of my favorite books." I read more of it than I I'd like to admit.
"I don't think we'll ever recapture the land, but I can accomplish our goal, that is, going to the moon . . . It's like when Alexander the Great cried because there were no more words to say."
And, McKimney said, science fiction doesn't deserve the concession that it sometimes receives from students of serious literature.
"At the moment, it's only a dream to colonize other planets." McKinney said.
"After all," he said, "science fiction becomes science fact very quickly."
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Thin sliced corned beef, big eye swiss, and Bavarian kraut on your choice of cottage rye or Russian rye bread.
$2.50 reg. price $3.15
Enjoy Coke
Grilled and served with potato chips and dill pickle spear.
JOIN THE JAYHAWK FIGHT FOR LIFE...
RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE SATELLITE UNION 3rd level southeast conference room 11:30-4:30
sponsored by Panhellenic Association • Interfraternity Council • Scholarship Halls • AURH